Gokus Second Son

Vegeta's Great Ape form loomed over East City's ruins, his roars rattling the broken streets. Red eyes glared down, wild and raw, claws slashing the air as he swung at me. I dodged, boots skidding on cracked pavement, hair flaring wilder with each pulse of power. Fifthy thousand burned in me, surging fast, feeding off the clash. He was a mountain of muscle, a beast clocking 180,000—ten times his base 18,000. I smirked, faint and sharp. Time to catch up.

He blasted a ki beam from his maw, jagged and searing. I sidestepped, the beam carving a trench, and charged, leaping to slam a fist into his gut. The thud rippled through his fur, his grunt echoing as he swiped back. I rolled, sprang up, smashed a heel into his jaw with a crack, snapping his head aside, drool flying. My power spiked, now, climbing hard. His tail lashed, I jumped it, landed on his arm, ran up, drove an elbow into his skull with a thwack, rocking him.

Vegeta bellowed, voice a guttural boom. "You're nothing, low-class speck! I'll crush you!" He stomped forward, fists swinging wild. I weaved, slammed a knee into his ribs with a boom, fur scorching as he staggered. My strength soared, 50,000, then 80,000, closing the gap. His aura flared, ragged and desperate, but I felt it—my power surging, racing toward his monstrous 180,000.

"Big target," I said, voice steady, dropping back. "Slow swings."

He roared, charged, claws raking the air. I ducked, smashed a fist into his chest with a thud, his bulk shuddering. He swung, I dodged, leaped, smashed an uppercut into his snout with a crunch, blood spraying as he howled. My power hit 120,000, then 150,000, still climbing. I grinned, faint. Almost there.

Goku blinked, scratching his head. "Whoa, Gotex! You're keepin' up with that giant! That's my boy!"

Piccolo smirked, arms crossed. "Kid's a force. Vegeta's flailing."

Krillin gulped, fists tight. "Uh, yeah, but that thing's huge! Don't let up, Gotex!"

Yamcha grinned, leaning on rubble. "Go, squirt! Show that monkey the Yamcha-man's got nothin' on ya!"

"Which is zero," Tien quipped, three eyes glinting. "He's closing in."

Vegeta roared, blasted another ki beam, wide and sloppy. I flipped over it, landed light, charged in, slammed a fist into his eye with a crunch, red bursting as he clawed at me. My power spiked again, 170,000, then 180,000, locking with his. I ducked a wild swipe, smashed a knee into his ribs, then sprang back, hair flaring wild. Matched him. His swings were heavy, telegraphed, boring. I'd caught up, and it wasn't enough.

"Same old tricks," I muttered, flexing my hands. "Getting dull."

He snarled, stomped closer, aura flaring. "Dull? I'll grind you to dust!" His fist crashed down, slow and predictable. I sidestepped, the ground exploding with a boom, debris raining. My ki sharpened, steady at 180,000, and I leaped, aiming for his tail. One cut, game over. My hand glowed, a quick ki blade forming, and I slashed, severing the thick cord with a wet snap. Blood sprayed, the tail thudded to the dirt, and Vegeta's roar choked off.

His body shrank fast, fur receding, muscles deflating. He collapsed, human again, armor in shards, panting in the crater. The artificial moon flickered overhead, useless now. I landed beside him, hair settling, power still humming at 180,000. He glared up, blood streaking his face, trembling with rage.

"You… you low-class cur!" he rasped, voice breaking. "You dare humiliate me? I'm Vegeta!"

I crossed my arms, voice cold. "You're crawling. Pride's gone, prince."

He snarled, ki flickering weak as he staggered up, fists clenched. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" His aura sparked, a last desperate flare. I stepped forward, fist raised, ready to end it. One punch at 180,000 would smear him across the pavement, and I was done with this slog.

Goku darted in, arms out, blocking me. "Hold it, Gotex! We don't finish folks like that!" His grin was gone, eyes firm. "I raised you better, didn't I? We're not like him."

I froze, fist hovering, hair shadowing my eyes. Goku's voice hit hard, steady and soft. He never died here, never trained with King Kai, never got Kaio-ken or the Spirit Bomb. Just pure Saiyan strength, 7,000 tops, sharpened by me and Gohan. No death, no boosts, just him. Still soft-hearted. I lowered my hand, stepped back.

"He's down," I said, flat. "Your move."

Vegeta coughed, smirked through the blood, and stumbled toward his pod, its hatch hissing open. "You'll regret this, Kakarot," he spat, voice low and venomous. "I'll return. I'll burn this rock to ash, and you'll beg!" He climbed in, the pod sealing with a clank, and it blasted off, a streak fading into the sky.

Goku scratched his head, grinning again. "Geez, he's real mad, huh? Guess we'll deal with him later!"

I watched the sky, hair catching the wind. One eighty thousand, matched and mastered in that fight. Vegeta's ape form pushed me, then bored me. Goku's mercy might cost us, but I'd be ready. Stronger next time.

Piccolo snorted, stepping up. "You let him go? He's a viper. He'll strike again."

Goku shrugged, still grinning. "Aw, Piccolo, he's beat bad! Maybe he'll rethink stuff!"

Krillin gulped, rubbing his neck. "Rethink? That guy? He's gonna be furious, Goku!"

Yamcha smirked, kicking debris. "Yeah, but squirt crushed him! What a fight! Yamcha-man's proud!"

"Proud of watching?" Tien said, smirking faint. "Kid carried it."

Raditz laughed, rough and low, arms crossed. "Vegeta, scampering off tailless! Literally! Priceless!"

Gohan peeked out, hands dropping from his eyes, blinking. "Is he gone, Gotex? He was huge!"

"Yeah," I said, voice steady. "Gone for now. You did fine, Gohan."

The crater smoked around us, East City a wreck of shattered glass and twisted steel. Vegeta's pod was a memory, his threats lingering. My power settled at 180,000, a peak I'd hit mid-fight. The ape brawl stretched me, then dulled. Goku stopped me from ending it, his naive streak shining. Fine. Vegeta's escape wasn't on me. He'd return, meaner, maybe tougher. I'd be waiting.

We trudged home, Goku carrying Gohan, his grin back like it was nothing. Raditz lagged, still chuckling at Vegeta's fall. The Z Fighters fanned out, their chatter a low buzz. I kept my eyes up, hair spiking wild. Goku never died, never got Kaio-ken, stayed at 7,000, raw and unpolished. It held today, but Vegeta's grudge lived. Next round, I'd bury what Goku spared.

Chi-Chi met us, hands on hips, glaring. "Goku! What's this chaos? Gohan's filthy, and that lug's still here!" She jabbed a finger at Raditz, who flinched.

"Aw, Chi-Chi, it's okay!" Goku laughed, setting Gohan down. "We beat a tough guy! Gotex was amazing!"

"Amazing?" she snapped. "Look at this mess! Who's cleaning it? Not you!"

I tuned her out, leaned against the house, hair settling. One eighty thousand, peaked in that slog. Vegeta's ape form tested me, pushed me to match him, then dragged. Boredom hit when I caught up, so I cut his tail, ended the show. Goku's soft spot let him run. Fine. He'd crawl back, and I'd be stronger. No Kaio-ken for Goku, no death to sharpen him. Just 7,000, shaped by us. Next time, I'd finish it.

The Z Fighters lingered, voices drifting. Piccolo eyed me, nodded once. "You've got guts, kid. Vegeta's not finished."

"I know," I said, cool. "He's mine later."

Krillin laughed, nervous. "Later? Hope it's not soon! That guy's a nutcase!"

Yamcha flexed, grinning. "Yeah, but we've got squirt! He's a one-man wrecking crew!"

"Unlike you," Tien said, dry. "Solid work, Gotex."

Raditz smirked, hair swaying. "Vegeta's pride's mulch. You broke him, kid. He'll hate you worst."

"Good," I said, voice flat. "Keeps him sloppy."

Goku ruffled my hair, clueless. "You're gettin' strong, Gotex! Guess I gotta catch up, huh?"

I shrugged, hair flicking. "You're fine." Seven thousand, no tricks, just grit. He'd survived today, but I'd carried the load. Next time, I'd end what he wouldn't.