The ground trembled as Vegeta stumbled back, his body battered and bruised from the relentless assault. Mael's aura, once wild and overpowering, flickered and dimmed. His Dragon Claw transformation had been short-lived, its immense power putting an unbearable strain on his body. Mael fell to one knee, clutching his chest as his blue pupils faded back to normal.
"What's happening?" Mael muttered, his voice strained. He could feel the power slipping from his grasp, his body rejecting it as if it had gone far beyond what it could handle.
Vegeta, though beaten and bloodied, stood tall, his golden Super Saiyan aura blazing faintly around him. "Your little trick was impressive," Vegeta spat, wiping blood from his mouth. "But it looks like your body wasn't ready for it. You're nothing without that power!"
Mael gritted his teeth, his mind racing. "I can't rely on that form… not yet," he thought. His body burned with pain, but his spirit refused to give in. As his energy dwindled, Mael tapped into his instincts, pushing his limits once more. He steadied himself and rose to his feet, his expression fierce.
"If I can't rely on that power," Mael said, his voice low but determined, "then I'll just have to make something new."
With a roar, Mael's body surged with a ferocious and chaotic energy, his figure becoming thinner, sleeker, and more agile. His hair, once neatly kept, now flared wildly, unkempt and untamed, mirroring the ferocity of his energy. His aura blazed around him like a storm, raw and unpredictable.
"This is the real me," Mael said, his voice steady yet filled with intensity. "I call this… Awakened Mael."
Vegeta stared at Mael's new form, his eyes narrowing. The air around the battlefield shifted, the intensity reaching new heights. But then, a thought crept into Vegeta's mind, shaking him to his core: "If Kakarot were here… he'd already be done with this fight. He wouldn't have struggled like I have. Am I still not enough?"
The thought ignited a fire within Vegeta. His aura exploded outward as he clenched his fists, his golden Super Saiyan form glowing brighter. "No! I won't let Kakarot outshine me, not this time!"
With a roar, Vegeta charged up an enormous ki blast, his hands crackling with energy. The sphere of energy grew larger, vibrating with destructive power. "Take this!" Vegeta shouted, launching the blast toward Mael.
Mael's instincts kicked in, and he dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast as it exploded, leaving a crater in its wake. But Vegeta was already on him. Using the explosion as a diversion, Vegeta closed the distance in an instant, unleashing a flurry of unpredictable strikes.
Mael found himself on the defensive, his body moving almost automatically to block and dodge Vegeta's onslaught. Punches and kicks came at him from every angle, but his newfound speed allowed him to evade and counter with precision.
"You're faster," Vegeta admitted, his voice filled with frustration as Mael blocked another strike effortlessly. "But I'm stronger!"
Mael smirked. "Speed and power aren't so different. It's all about how you use them."
With a sudden burst of movement, Mael dodged Vegeta's next punch, slipping behind him and landing a devastating blow to his solar plexus. Vegeta gasped, the wind knocked out of him as pain surged through his body. Mael didn't let up.
"Let's end this!" Mael roared, kicking Vegeta into the air with incredible force. Before Vegeta could recover, Mael shot upward, appearing above him in an instant. With both fists clenched, Mael hammered Vegeta down toward the ground with a series of brutal punches, each one sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Vegeta hit the ground hard, creating a massive crater. He lay there for a moment, coughing and struggling to catch his breath. But as Mael landed nearby, ready to deliver the final blow, something inside Vegeta snapped.
"No… I'm not done yet!" Vegeta roared, his voice shaking the air. His golden aura exploded outward, brighter and more intense than ever before. His hair stood on end, glowing with a deeper, richer gold, and his energy surged to new heights.
Mael took a step back, his eyes narrowing. "What is this…?"
Vegeta's energy shook the battlefield as he rose to his feet, a smirk spreading across his face. "You've pushed me further than I thought possible," Vegeta said, his voice dripping with pride and fury. "But now, you'll see what it means to fight a Saiyan prince who's broken his limits!"
With newfound speed and power, Vegeta charged at Mael, his fists glowing with energy. Mael braced himself, but Vegeta's strikes were overwhelming. A devastating combo of punches and kicks forced Mael onto the defensive, each hit landing with crushing force. Mael tried to dodge, but Vegeta's relentless attacks left no openings.
"You're finished!" Vegeta roared, leaping back and charging up his signature attack. His hands glowed as he gathered energy, the air vibrating with the sheer power of it.
"Galick Gun… FIRE!" Vegeta shouted, unleashing a massive beam of energy straight at Mael.
Mael crossed his arms, trying to withstand the blast, but the sheer force overwhelmed him. The beam consumed him, and an explosion erupted, shaking the entire battlefield. When the dust settled, Mael lay on the ground, his body battered and his energy drained.
Vegeta stood tall, his aura blazing around him as he looked down at his fallen opponent. "You were strong," he admitted, his voice calm but firm. "But no one outmatches the prince of all Saiyans."
Mael, though beaten, managed a weak smile. "You're strong, Vegeta. But this isn't over… not yet."