💖 If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
"Hmph! I don't believe Kakarot is still hiding his strength!" Vegeta spat, his eyes narrowed as he watched the screen. "I'd like to see why the narrator insists on emphasizing that point!" Though a cold knot of unease twisted in his gut, the Prince of Saiyans remained stubborn.
He refused to accept that Kakarot—a low-class warrior—could truly be concealing a power far beyond his own. Yet, he remained oblivious to the fact that his current denial would only make the coming revelation more humiliating.
The fated showdown between Son Goku and Vegeta, the galaxy's ultimate rivals, finally ignited. Their blows moved faster than the eye could follow, shockwaves from their clashing fists rippling through the air. Since their power levels were nearly identical, the battle became a grueling stalemate of attrition. Neither gave an inch, and before long, both warriors were battered and bloodied, their blue and orange Gi torn to shreds.
Goku wiped a smear of blood from his jaw, genuine surprise lighting his eyes. "I really thought my Gravity Training in the Other World had put me ahead," he admitted, panting slightly. "I didn't expect you to keep pace with me like this, Vegeta. You must have pushed yourself harder than I ever imagined."
Vegeta didn't smirk. Instead, he slowly shook his head. "No, you're wrong, Kakarot," he said, his voice dropping to a gravelly tone. "Deep down, I knew. I knew that no matter how much I trained, I'd never truly close the gap between us."
Goku's brow furrowed in confusion. "Then how? Where did this sudden surge in your Ki come from?"
Vegeta began to explain the anomaly of Spopovich and Yamu at the World Martial Arts Tournament. They were mere humans, yet after Babidi's seal appeared on them, they possessed strength that defied logic. He had deduced that by submitting to Babidi's sorcery, a warrior could unlock power far beyond their natural limits.
"So that's it... you deliberately let Babidi take control of your mind," Goku said, the realization hitting him like a physical blow. Vegeta had sacrificed his autonomy for two reasons: to force this duel and to obtain the power necessary to stand on Goku's level.
"I wanted to return to the way I was!" Vegeta roared, his golden aura flickering with violent intensity. "I wanted to be the cruel, ruthless Saiyan I once was! After starting a family and living on Earth, I found myself actually enjoying the peace. I hated it! I let Babidi in so he could strip away my compassion, so I could stop caring about everything and just have this fight with you. Thanks to him, I feel refreshed."
Goku stared at him, seeing past the bravado. "Vegeta... is that really the truth?" He could sense the internal conflict beneath the Prince's jagged Ki.
The voice of the narrator echoed across the dimensions, clarifying the tactical depth of the situation for the viewers. "Do you remember when Son Goku defeated Yakkon? It was the massive burst of energy Goku displayed in that moment that triggered Vegeta's desperation. He realized then that his years of training still weren't enough. He staged his impatience during Gohan's fight with Dabura to lure the wizard into marking him. If he had believed he could match Goku on his own, he never would have surrendered his soul."
Across the Wanjie Multiverse, the chat was in an uproar.
Sengoku, the Great Tactician of the Marines, nodded slowly. "I see. It was a calculated risk. He manipulated the situation to get exactly what he wanted."
Duanmu Yan added, "He was intentional. He baited Dabura into noticing his inner darkness just to get that power boost."
Li Xinnan, the Armor Summoner, sounded skeptical. "Is Vegeta really that cunning? Was this whole crisis part of his plan?"
"To put it bluntly," Duanmu Yan countered, "it's because he felt weak. He took a shortcut through Babidi's magic."
Daigo, the light of Ultiman Tiga, expressed his heartbreak. "But he already loves his life on Earth. Why throw it away? If he does this, Bulma and Trunks will be devastated. I could never abandon a happy family for a grudge."
Krillin sighed, looking at his friend. "Vegeta claims he wants to be his old self, but isn't the Vegeta we see now—the one watching this video—already the man he's trying to escape from?"
Piccolo looked toward the horizon. "True. But now that our Vegeta knows the future, will he still make those same choices? If he sees the consequences, perhaps his pride will take a different path."
Inside the spaceship, the current Vegeta let out an arrogant snort. "Change? Why should I change? I am the Prince of all Saiyans!" Despite his words, he found himself scrolling through the comments, feeling a strange sense of relief that Bulma hadn't posted anything yet. He didn't want to see her disappointment. Still, his blood boiled with frustration. Why did his future self still lag behind Kakarot? Why did a Prince have to rely on a wizard's mark to match a low-class soldier?
In the multiverse chat, the tactical analysis continued.
Zhang Chulan noted, "Goku and Vegeta are both leaking massive amounts of Ki. All that energy is being funneled straight to Majin Buu's cocoon."
Sanji chimed in, "Wait, since Vegeta is technically Babidi's subordinate now, is his energy still being stolen?"
Uchiha Sasuke answered coldly, "It doesn't matter. Goku's energy alone is likely enough. Gohan's fight provided half the requirement; a battle of this scale will top off the gauge easily."
The aged Zhang Zhiwei sighed. "In other words, the seal is about to break. Majin Buu is coming."
Piccolo's heart sank. "This is a disaster. Gohan and the Supreme Kai are headed straight for the heart of the ship. If Buu revives now, they're walking into a slaughter!"
As the countdown to the monster's awakening began, the viewers across countless worlds held their breath, caught between fear for Gohan and a dark curiosity to see the creature that had terrified the gods.