The battlefield was silent save for the faint hum of Vegeta's glowing aura. Dust and smoke swirled around him as he stared at the crater where Mael had fallen. His breathing was heavy, but his golden Super Saiyan energy radiated with unrelenting power.
Vegeta scoffed, turning away. "It's over," he muttered. "He put up a fight, but I'm the Saiyan Prince. No one surpasses me."
But then, a faint sound broke through the silence—a groan, followed by the scrape of rock shifting. Vegeta froze, glancing over his shoulder. From the center of the crater, Mael rose, battered, bloodied, and barely able to stand. His body trembled with pain, but his eyes burned with defiance.
"I'm… not done yet," Mael said, his voice ragged but resolute. His hair, now wild and unkempt, swayed as a faint, chaotic aura reignited around him. Though his previous transformations had drained him, something primal and unyielding stirred within him.
Vegeta smirked, his arms crossed. "You're persistent, I'll give you that. But you're just prolonging the inevitable."
Mael steadied himself, his breathing labored. His hands clenched into fists as his energy began to build again, stronger and more focused. "You think you've won," he said, his voice growing steadier. "But I'm not fighting just to win. I'm fighting because I refuse to give up. Not to you, not to anyone."
Mael launched forward, faster than Vegeta expected. His movements were sharper, more refined, his strikes carrying an intensity that Vegeta hadn't seen before. Mael's punches and kicks came in rapid succession, forcing Vegeta to go on the defensive.
"What's this…?" Vegeta thought as he blocked a series of blows. "He's faster than before! How is he still getting stronger?"
Mael's attacks pushed Vegeta back, his newfound strength fueled by sheer willpower. Every strike was precise, every movement calculated. Even without the overwhelming power of his earlier forms, Mael fought with an intensity that shook the battlefield.
Vegeta grunted, blocking a powerful kick aimed at his side. "You're stubborn, I'll give you that," he said, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "But stubbornness won't save you!"
Vegeta retaliated, unleashing a flurry of punches. Mael dodged and weaved, his body moving with an almost instinctual grace. He countered with a devastating uppercut that sent Vegeta staggering back.
"I don't need raw power to beat you, Vegeta," Mael said, his voice filled with determination. "All I need is my will to keep fighting."
Vegeta growled, his golden aura flaring. "Enough of this nonsense!" he shouted, his energy spiking. He charged at Mael, their fists colliding in a clash of strength and speed. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, tearing apart the ground beneath them.
The fight raged on, both fighters pushing themselves to their limits. Mael's thinner, speed-focused form allowed him to evade and counter Vegeta's powerful strikes, while Vegeta's relentless attacks tested Mael's endurance. The battlefield became a blur of movement, energy, and raw determination.
But even Mael's incredible willpower had its limits. His body, already strained from his previous transformations, began to falter. His movements slowed, his strikes losing their edge. Vegeta, noticing the change, smirked.
"You've done well," Vegeta said, his voice filled with both respect and pride. "But this is where it ends."
Vegeta stepped back, his golden aura intensifying as he began charging his ultimate attack. His hands glowed with a brilliant purple light, energy gathering in a crackling sphere between his palms.
"Galick Gun…!" Vegeta roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield. The energy sphere grew larger, its destructive power shaking the very air.
Mael, despite his exhaustion, stood his ground. His body trembled, his energy nearly depleted, but his resolve remained unshaken. "If this is how it ends," he thought, "then I'll go down fighting."
With a final surge of strength, Mael charged forward, his fists glowing faintly with the remnants of his ki. He closed the distance between himself and Vegeta, his eyes locked onto the Saiyan Prince.
Vegeta unleashed the Galick Gun, the massive beam of energy roaring toward Mael with unstoppable force. Mael leapt into the air, dodging the initial blast and charging toward Vegeta. But the energy from the attack was too overwhelming.
As Mael approached, the beam consumed him, its destructive power tearing through his defenses. Mael let out a final roar, his energy flaring for one last strike, but the Galick Gun overwhelmed him completely.
The battlefield erupted in a blinding explosion of light and energy, the shockwave flattening everything in its wake. When the dust settled, Vegeta stood alone, his golden aura flickering as he panted heavily. The ground was scorched, and Mael was nowhere to be seen.
Vegeta looked up at the sky, his expression a mix of exhaustion and pride. "You were strong," he muttered, his voice quiet. "Stronger than most. But in the end, the Saiyan Prince always prevails."
As his golden aura faded, Vegeta turned and walked away, the battlefield silent once more. The fight was over, but the memory of Mael's unyielding spirit lingered in Vegeta's mind.
"If Kakarot were here," Vegeta thought, a faint smirk crossing his face, "he would've liked that one