Vegeta hovered unsteadily in the air, barely able to see straight. He was acutely aware of the throbbing pain in his head and was certain that he had sustained the mother of all concussions. He marveled at the fact that he was still conscious. At this point, he was fueled by nothing but pure adrenaline and spite.
He wearily raised his head only to be confronted by two gigantic green hands clasped together, descending upon him, eclipsing his already limited field of vision. The colossal green hands slammed into Vegeta with incredible momentum, hammering him forcefully back into the familiar confines of the crater.
Piccolo raised his foot menacingly, preparing to bring it down upon Vegeta.
'Hey everyone! My technique is done charging! Someone come quickly!' Goku's voice echoed with a sense of urgency.
In a matter of moments, Krillin descended from the sky and landed next to Goku, having swiftly moved toward Goku's location immediately after receiving the message. He knelt beside Goku and Gohan.
"Krillin, g-give me your hand," Goku rasped, his voice strained and weakened. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead as he extended a trembling hand toward Krillin.
Krillin, without a moment's hesitation, placed his hand in Goku's. The energy between them surged, forging a connection that sent a torrent of energy through Krillin– a sensation that both awed and humbled him. As the immense yet controlled force flowed from Goku into him, a ripple of energy spread out from their joined hands, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the surrounding area.
Krillin's gaze snapped back into focus, and he found himself staring at his own hand, which now glowed with a radiant white energy. As Goku tightened his grip, a small, luminous orb of pure power materialized above them. The orb, pulsating with an intensity that belied its size, hovered between their joined hands.
Krillin suddenly realized exactly how this attack worked, and his face reflected his shock as the implications of what Goku was entrusting him to do became clear.
"Goku, I can't—" Krillin began, his voice betraying his uncertainty.
However, Goku only clenched his fist and gently bumped it into Krillin's chest, a small, warm smile on his lips.
"You're overestimating me, Goku!" Krillin exclaimed with a hint of panic. His track record with landing his attacks wasn't exactly stellar; and out of the many, many Destructo-Disks he had thrown, only one had found its mark!
'So, uh, quick question,' Ajax inquired through the telepathic channel. 'Can anyone hold that, or does it explode upon impact?'
'As long as you don't hold evil in your heart, you can briefly hold or deflect it.' Goku explained.
Ajax nodded at Goku's explanation. Since arriving, he had done things that he wasn't particularly proud of, but he believed that at his core, he wasn't inherently evil. While he had little to no confidence in passing Nimbus's test, he could, at the very least, assert with confidence that he wasn't close to as malevolent as the likes of Frieza or Buu.
'It's fine, Krillin. Take it and throw it when you see an opportunity. I'll follow up, and I won't miss.' Ajax declared confidently.
Krillin, though appreciative of the support, couldn't resist making a face. 'Alright, no need to brag about it. Anyone can miss an attack, and you're no Chiaotzu, Ajax.'
With a nod at Goku, Krillin took hold of the small white orb of pure power and ascended into the air. The wind rushed past him as he flew towards Vegeta, vigilant for the opportune moment to hurl the energy bomb.
In the distance, Piccolo appeared to be struggling to step down on something, his brows furrowing as he leaned forward with his weight. However, just when it appeared he had gained control, his foot jerked upward unexpectedly, causing him to stumble and ultimately fall.
As Krillin approached the battle with the Spirit Bomb in hand, Ajax knew he had to quickly coordinate everyone through the mental channel. Engaging in physical combat was currently impossible for him for now due to his shattered chest as he had yet to adapt to that injury. His energy was also severely depleted from using four Kikoho and creating three Multi-Form clones, but he had enough in the tank to support everyone else.
'I'll spam Solar Flare! Vegeta can't detect Ki, so it'll be less likely for him to evade! Close your eyes and aim using your ki sense! The same goes for you, Piccolo!'
Ajax picked himself off the ground and soared once again towards Vegeta. The Saiyan prince quickly caught wind of Ajax's presence. Vegeta's eyes narrowed, and a low growl escaped his lips as he registered the approaching threat. Vegeta wasted no time propelling himself forward, charging aggressively toward Ajax with a snarl.
Ajax, however, held his composure. As Vegeta approached, Ajax positioned his hand to initiate a series of Solar Flare attacks. The abrupt movement forced Vegeta to come to an immediate halt, instinctively shielding his eyes with his uninjured arm.
Though he was successful in blocking the initial attack, Vegeta screamed his endless frustration as he realized that the persistent light showed no signs of abating.
"F****CK!!"
Ajax fired Solar Flare successively, sensing Piccolo return to his normal size as he entered Vegeta's melee range. Despite keeping his eyes closed, Piccolo skillfully relied on his Ki sense to let rain a barrage of strikes upon the now defenseless Vegeta.
The sounds of each blow echoed through the air as Piccolo's fists connected with Vegeta's body harshly. Despite the Saiyan prince's formidable strength, he struggled to mount a counteroffensive without his vision. He curled in on himself defensively, forced to endure the attacks. Gradually, his air-tight defenses finally began to crumble.
For Vegeta, it was at this critical moment, when he found himself with virtually no energy or stamina, vision stolen, struggling to survive, and desperately trying to maintain consciousness on the precipice of death, that he felt a sensation, unlike anything he had ever experienced.
It was a mythical and ethereal experience that puzzled him, truth be told. A strange mist danced before his eyes, visible even with his eyes tightly shut. The mist, simultaneously visual yet not, surged towards him with great speed.
Vegeta's battle-hardened instincts, finely tuned through countless battles, kicked in with an almost primal urgency. With a well-practiced movement, he jerked his head to the right, narrowly evading the oncoming mist. He could feel the lingering force of a fist whisking past his cheek, its velocity creating a gust of wind that tousled his hair.
An overwhelming sense of enlightenment coursed through him like adrenaline. He understood now. The mist, that mystical force he had sensed, had been energy. With that revelation, the world around Vegeta unfurled like a grimoire revealing its secrets. It was as if a veil had been lifted, granting him the ability to perceive the world in a manner he had never before deemed possible.
When Raditz initially reported this ability, he had casually brushed it off as nothing more than a convenient trick. After all, what purpose did it serve when they had scouters capable of delivering far more precise readings? But, he had underestimated the true potential of this ability. Far, far underestimated it. This was no trick. This was an entirely new sense, a sixth sense! This shit was better than sight!
He can feel it! The ebb and flow of the energy that surrounds him, the delicate movements in the air, and the pulsating life force of every living being on the battlefield! He can see despite this damned light! He can see without even opening his eyes! A rush of adrenaline and excitement raced through Vegeta, and laughter burst forth from deep within him– a triumphant, almost maniacal sound that echoed across the battlefield. Despite teetering on the brink of death, he had never felt so alive!
Guided by his newfound sense, Vegeta inclined his head to the left this time, skillfully evading an approaching punch and sensing the displaced air rushing past him. He delivered a counterstrike, his fist making contact with someone's face. Gaining confidence, Vegeta seamlessly transitioned into a fluid combo, each movement artfully guided by the dynamic flow of energy surrounding him.
Vegeta concluded his ferocious combination with a brutal jerk, a move that cleanly tore his enemy's arm from its socket. He then delivered a kick, sending his opponent sprawling to the ground below. The Z Fighters, who moments ago had believed Vegeta to be on the brink of defeat, now "watched" in astonishment as he dominated Piccolo with ease.
Free of enemies, Vegeta took a brief moment to examine his hands with fascination. Through his burgeoning sixth sense, he could sense the energy dancing intricately within him, responding obediently to his every command like never before.
Before Piccolo had been kicked aside, Krillin had recognized the need for a drastic measure, seeing Vegeta suddenly dominating the fight. Recognizing that Piccolo could no longer contend with the Saiyan prince, Krillin made a critical decision and hurled the Spirit Bomb directly at Vegeta.
Vegeta, still engrossed in his connection to his energy, felt a sudden disturbance in the force. Although his eyes remained shut, a tingling sensation crept over his skin as a massive source of energy rapidly converged on his location.
To Vegeta, with his new sense, the approaching attack felt like an overwhelming tsunami of power that eroded the fabric of reality around it. At that moment, Vegeta grasped a crucial weakness inherent in his newfound abilities –a massive energy source could temporarily drown out the signatures of everything else. Paradoxically though, this made the oncoming attack all the more noticeable.
Vegeta ungracefully barrel-rolled out of its trajectory, sensing the colossal energy ball zooming past him. The rush of displaced air and the unmistakable hum of its power signaled its proximity.
"NOOO!!" Krillin's anguished cry echoed with anguish and despair as he witnessed the Spirit Bomb narrowly missing its intended target, veering away from Vegeta. Regret washed over Krillin. He shouldn't have invested everyone's hopes in this last-ditch effort to turn the tide of the battle. Why couldn't he have been more patient?
Upon hearing Krillin's despairing scream and perceiving the endless brilliant light stopping, Vegeta opened his eyes in triumph at having successfully avoided their ultimate attack. However, the instant his eyes flickered open, that delectable sense of omnipresence, the acute awareness of energy, began to fade away.
Well, no matter. It was only natural that he wasn't adept at it on his first attempt. Vegeta brushed aside the setback with a smirk. After all, he was the Prince of All Saiyans, and reverse-engineering a skill he had already managed to use once was merely a matter of time.
Ajax's eyes narrowed with focus as Vegeta barrel-rolled out of the way of the Spirit Bomb. He had strategically placed himself, ensuring Vegeta stood between him and Krillin precisely for this exact scenario. Blasting himself towards Vegeta as fast as he could, his gaze shifted to the Spirit Bomb hurtling towards him.
He was aware of the colossal power contained within the Spirit Bomb, and he remained uncertain whether the Spirit Bomb deemed him evil. However, he didn't have to find out. Thank you, Kami, for teaching him external Ki manipulation.
As the Spirit Bomb zoomed towards him, Ajax extended both hands towards the radiant energy sphere and seized it without touching it directly. With a movement similar to Po deflecting cannonballs, Ajax performed a full-circle spin that redirected the Spirit Bomb's momentum without sacrificing any of his own forward velocity.
Meanwhile, Vegeta's barrel roll concluded with his back facing the ground and his belly towards the sky. The Saiyan prince, still reveling in the euphoria of his successful evasion, glanced upward only to witness Ajax covering the final few feet to him.
Ajax was now positioned directly above Vegeta, levitating the Spirit Bomb with a single hand. The entire world froze for a fleeting moment as their eyes met – one filled with triumphant vindication and the other with sheer horror.
Sigh… Vegeta hated fighting these f*cking natives.
Without another word, Ajax harnessed the final momentum of his spin and slammed the Spirit Bomb like a Rasengan—much like the Fourth Hokage did to Tobi— straight into Vegeta's gut.
Upon finding its long-awaited target, the Spirit Bomb immediately detonated, unleashing an earth-shattering that indiscriminately swallowed both fighters in a blinding conflagration.
And on this day, at this time, a second sun bloomed over the desolate grounds of Gizard Wasteland.