The red aura surrounding Goku started to fade as he sensed that Recoome was unlikely to get back up from his latest strike.
Suddenly, with an uncharacteristically steely gaze, Goku sharply turned his attention toward the horizon, his face settling into a rare serious expression. He had just picked up on a massive energy signature—a staggering power level surpassing 100,000 heading their way at an alarming speed.
There was no time to lose; whoever or whatever was approaching could easily shift the balance of the fight.
"Goo' hit, I fel' hat!"
Recoome, struggling to speak, managed to slur out a few words. His voice was reduced to a raspy whisper, his speech garbled and hard to understand. Still, he managed to force a grin, though it revealed a laughable number of missing teeth.
Goku looked back at Recoome with genuine surprise. He hadn't pulled his punch with that knee! Yet, despite using even the Kaioken, Recoome was already starting to build up his energy again, gearing up for another attack.
But Goku was no longer willing to waste any more time. With enemies of this caliber scattered across the planet, every second counted. He remembered that when the group had first set out, Piccolo and Ajax were the strongest among them, but even their power levels hadn't exceeded 15,000. Compared to the immense power levels popping up left and right, that once formidable strength seemed almost trivial, like tossing peanuts at Titans.
Determined to conclude the fight swiftly, Goku took a firm step forward, and a blazing red aura burst back to life around him.
"KAIO-KEN TIMES THREE!"
As Goku roared, his energy intensified explosively, multiplying his strength threefold.
Moving faster than Recoome could react, Goku materialized directly in front of him and buried a powerful punch straight into the Ginyu Force member's gut. Without giving Recoome a chance to recover, Goku leaped into the air, spun around, and kicked him viciously across the face.
The impact sent Recoome soaring violently through the air before he crashed hard into the ground.
Goku launched himself into the sky before diving down, aiming straight for Recoome. Just as Recoome rebounded from his crash landing, Goku's fist slammed into his face, smashing his head back into the ground with tremendous power. The blow created a massive crater, causing the earth to shake like an earthquake as rocks of all sizes flew through the air, blanketing the area in rubble.
Goku straightened back up, his gaze sharp as he kept a close eye on Recoome, waiting for his enemy to rise. When Recoome remained motionless, Goku's serious expression softened slightly, revealing a hint of relief—this time, the battle was truly over.
Goku turned toward the direction of the massive energy signature he had sensed earlier. To his surprise, the energy had stopped its advance, then quickly pivoted and retreated just as swiftly as it had approached. Goku frowned, perplexed by the sudden withdrawal.
With Kaioken x3 active, his power level should have been around 270,000—at least if he were to believe the information those soldiers had unintentionally provided when they approached the wreckage of his ship.
Could it be that his power had spooked the other party into fleeing? It was quite possible.
Goku's Kaioken faded, causing him to wince slightly from the technique's strain. He turned back toward Vegeta and Nappa, hoping to exchange information, but as he approached, he found he didn't even get the chance to say a word.
"You! Kakarot! Too Strong! Explain, NOW!" Vegeta's voice boomed. Despite being sprawled flat on his back, the Saiyan Prince was gnashing his teeth, his face twisted in barely suppressed fury.
Goku shot Vegeta a half-lidded stare, unimpressed by the childish demand for an explanation. He wasn't trying to be snarky, but he couldn't help but remember that he had just saved their lives. A thank you would have been nice.
So, Goku decided to hit Vegeta where it would sting the most: right in the pride.
"Get over it, Vegeta. If I'm stronger than you, then it's because you haven't trained hard enough. If you want that decisive, overwhelming victory over me like you keep talking about, then hit the gym and put in some more effort."
Without waiting for a response, he shrugged off Vegeta's demands and turned away, choosing to focus on other matters over letting Vegeta indulge in his indignation.
Below, Vegeta looked as though he might burst a blood vessel from sheer rage, and for a fleeting moment, his jet-black hair seemed to lighten ever so slightly.
Nearby, Nappa, still sprawled in the dirt, couldn't resist taking a jab at his partner.
"Yeah, just git g–gud, Vegeta…" He mumbled into the dirt with a pained smirk, his voice muffled by the ground.
Vegeta, already furious, snapped at Nappa, "Nappa, shut up! Whose side are you even on?!" He couldn't believe the absurdity of what was happening.
Meanwhile, Goku reached into the folds of his gi and retrieved a small pouch he carried with him at all times. He was silently relieved that he hadn't lost this particular item in the chaos of the ship's explosion. Carefully, he pulled out a Senzu Bean from the pouch and took a moment to split it in half.
"Eat this Senzu Bean; it'll heal you," Goku instructed, but then he remembered something and looked down at Nappa, who was still face down in the dirt. "Oh, and it's not poisonous, by the way," he added with a hint of amusement. "Gohan mentioned you were really concerned about that for some reason."
That was all Nappa needed. With a burst of energy, he sprang up from the dirt, snatched the offered half of the Senzu Bean from Goku's hand, and quickly popped it into his mouth before Vegeta could say anything.
Goku blinked at his suddenly empty hand.
"OH YEAH! This is them good SHIT!"
A strong gust of wind swept over the battlefield as Nappa shouted, his energy surging with renewed vigor. He laughed joyfully, clearly ecstatic about his quick recovery. Energized, he started doing leg squats and even fondled his junk a bit—just to make sure everything was in working order.
"Kakarot, I could kiss you right now! Good old Nappa is back in action!"
Goku took a cautious step back, feeling mildly uncomfortable with Nappa's over-the-top excitement, but Nappa was too quick. He grabbed Goku's hands, staring at him with a look of pure admiration and reverence.
"But enough about my balls. You've become so strong! Did you become the legend? Are you a Super Saiyan?"
"LIKE HELL HE IS!!" Vegeta bellowed from where he lay.
Goku and Nappa looked down at Vegeta, then back to each other. Goku pulled his hand away from Nappa's with a small tug and stepped back, scratching his head in confusion.
"Well, I'm feeling pretty super, so maybe...? Say, what even is a Super Saiyan?"
"Go suck a dick, Kakarot!"
Goku shot Vegeta an irritated glance. "Thanks, but no thanks. I have a wife, unlike you."
Despite Vegeta's prickly attitude, Goku still tossed him the other half of the Senzu Bean. Vegeta watched it land on the ground with a scowl before reluctantly picking it up. After a quick glance at Goku, he popped the bean into his mouth, chewing it with obvious displeasure.
Moments later, his wounds began to heal, and he stood up, mostly restored. His scowl faded slightly as he marveled at his rapid recovery and the new surge of power from the Zenkai boost.
However, Vegeta stubbornly refused to offer any words of thanks.
Goku paid no mind to Vegeta's lingering resentment and refocused on the more urgent matter. "Where are Gohan and the others?"
Nappa took a moment to give a brief update. He outlined the situation, covering the search for the Dragon Balls, their fragile alliance with the Earthlings, the arrival of the Ginyu Force, and the reasoning behind how they split up. His explanation was concise but informative, filling in the gaps in the current state of affairs.
Goku listened attentively, nodding as Nappa spoke. The energy signature he had sensed earlier was likely tied to the Ginyu Force.
"We need to support Gohan then. Let's go," Goku said firmly. He turned on his heel, ready to move.
"Hold on," Vegeta interrupted, standing his ground stubbornly. "Why should I join you?"
"Are you kidding me, Vegeta?! Haven't you changed at all?" Goku's frustration began to show, cracking through his normally cheerful demeanor as he turned back. "Would it kill you to set aside your pride and do the right thing for once?!"
Vegeta scoffed and walked up to Goku, glaring at him from just a foot away. "Yes, it would actually. If you're good at something, don't do it for free!"
"Fine! Then you owe me for the Senzu Bean. Happy now?"
"…"
Vegeta's silence was louder than words, and the tension between them grew even more intense.
Seeing Vegeta's stubbornness, Goku's frustration fully broke through his cheerful demeanor. His eyes narrowed, and his voice took on a steely edge.
"Alright, Vegeta, let me say this in a way you'd understand. You can either come, or I'll make you come!"
The two Saiyans stood opposed in a tense standoff, their eyes locked and their bodies coiled as if ready to spring into combat at any moment.
"Ha! That's what she said!" Nappa chimed in giddily with an immature grin. Though his joke was juvenile and poorly timed, it successfully lightened the mood and eased the rising tension—just as Nappa had intended.
Vegeta shot Nappa a scathing glare.
"Just shut the fuck up, Nappa," he snapped, clearly irritated by the interruption. Yet, as he turned his gaze back to Goku, he had to face the truth about his own motives. He realized that his resistance was driven more by pride than logic and that keeping the alliance was still in his best interest—especially with Ginyu still undefeated.
After taking a deep breath, Vegeta begrudgingly offered a concession.
"I have a condition. I'll agree, but only if I can say farewell to Recoome. I may despise him, but we've still fought side by side for decades."
Goku raised an eyebrow at the request but ultimately signaled his acceptance with a reluctant nod. Goku did not notice Nappa staring at Vegeta as if he had lost his mind.
Vegeta approached Recoome and crouched beside him, making a show of leaning in close. If Goku hadn't been standing directly behind Vegeta, he might have seen the disdain and contempt twisting Vegeta's expression.
"Suck on this, you sick bastard," Vegeta hissed with venomous finality.
In a flash, he charged a small energy blast in his hand and forcefully shoved the crackling sphere into Recoome's mouth, out of Goku's view.
Vegeta's smirk morphed into a cruel grin. "This was for muh dick."
You see, on the outside, Recoome was an invincible juggernaut. On the inside, however...
Vegeta's blast, trapped within Recoome's mouth, ignited in a blinding flash. The orb exploded, sending energy tearing through Recoome's head and scattering fragments of his skull and brain in every direction. Just like that, Recoome's head was reduced to a horrific drizzle of small, grotesque pieces.
"VEGETA!!" Goku roared, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at the Saiyan prince. What remained of his cheerful demeanor was completely shattered by the brutal display.
"That WAS my farewell," Vegeta said with a casual shrug, as if the execution had been nothing more than a minor ordeal. He calmly wiped away the small splatters of blood and gore that made it past his makeshift energy shield.
"It's your fault for not specifying what 'farewell' meant," Vegeta added smugly. His condescending tone only stoked the flames of Goku's anger.
"We don't get to decide who lives or who di—!"
"Blah, blah, blah. Spare me the lecture, Kakarot," Vegeta interrupted, shooting an unimpressed glance at Goku. "None of these fools are innocent. I probably saved more lives by killing him than by sparing him. Get over it. You're too soft for a Saiyan."
Goku bristled, his jaw tightening as he clenched his fists.
"And you're too short to be a Saiyan," he shot back.
"…"
"…"
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?! SAY THAT AGAIN! I DARE YOU, YOU LOW-CLASS SON OF A-"
Before they could come to blows, Nappa abruptly stepped between the two Saiyans, his imposing frame acting as a physical barrier. He raised a hand toward each of them, his expression stern as if he were reprimanding children.
"That's enough, ladies," Nappa commanded firmly. "There will be plenty of time to settle the scores later. Right now, we don't have time to waste, not with Gohan still in danger and Frieza who knows where."
Vegeta's eyes burned with irritation. In a fit of frustration, he grabbed Nappa's wrist with enough force to almost crush it. Nappa yelped in pain, grimacing as he pulled away and cradled his injured wrist.
Goku and Vegeta exchanged a heated glance. Without exchanging a single word, they both begrudgingly agreed to put their personal conflict on hold.
With that, the three Saiyans took off, racing toward the location of the large energy signature Goku had detected earlier.