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The moment the figure materialized before the battered Son Goku, a collective gasp rippled through the myriad dimensions. Countless viewers watched the screen with bated breath, their hearts heavy with unease. The newcomer was none other than the Emperor of Evil, Frieza.
Sengoku stared at the screen, his brow furrowed. "What is Frieza planning? Why approach Son Goku now? Is he actually going to help him up?"
Duanmu Yan shook his head, his grip tightening on his weapon. "No, it's more likely he's looking to finish him off while he's down!"
Tien Shinhan added grimly, "Given their history, that's exactly what I'd expect him to do."
The anxiety shared by the audience was well-founded. The blood-stained history between the two was legendary. Goku was not only the first warrior to shatter Frieza's pride on Namek but was also the one responsible for the tyrant's ultimate demise.
Even after being resurrected, Frieza's singular obsession remained the total erasure of the Saiyan who had humbled him. To many, their relationship was a jagged wound that could never truly heal.
The fact that Frieza had even agreed to join the Universe 7 team for the Tournament of Power was a miracle in itself. Now, seeing him loom over a defenseless Goku, the Multiverse expected a cold-blooded execution.
Zhang Chulan tried to reason through the panic. "Wait, that shouldn't be right. They're teammates. If Frieza takes Goku out, he guts Universe 7's chances of survival. If the universe is erased, Frieza goes with itâno resurrection, no future. He has to help him, right?"
Despite the logic, the dread persisted. With anyone else, logic might apply, but this was Friezaâa monster governed by spite and whim.
Deep within the cold vacuum of Universe 7, aboard his high-tech spaceship, the real Frieza watched the broadcast with a sneer of pure disdain. "Hmph! Me? Help that miserable monkey?" He chuckled, a chilling sound that echoed through the bridge.
The very idea was offensive. He wanted Goku dead, not standing. Even if they were temporarily bound by the same fate in the tournament, Frieza saw this as the perfect chance to collect a little 'interest' on his debt of hatred. He watched the screen with predatory glee, waiting for his alternate self to strike the final blow.
Back in the void of the arena, the scene was tense. Tucked away behind a jagged outcrop of Kachi Katchin stone, the two were invisible to the spectators in the stands. Frieza leaned in, his voice dripping with malice as he confessed he had waited a long time for this moment of vengeance. He extended his hand, his finger pointed directly at the fallen Saiyan.
Goku, his body broken and his Ki reserves completely depleted, instinctively closed his eyes. In this state, he couldn't even muster a flicker of a Golden Aura to defend himself. He braced for the end.
But the killing blow never came.
Goku opened his eyes to find a warm, violet-hued Ki enveloping his body. He felt the energy seep into his pores, knitting his strength back together and refueling his empty tank.
"Consider the debt repaid," Frieza stated coldly, his eyes turning away. "Besides, I still need you to deal with that monster, Jiren." With a flick of his tail, the Emperor vanished back into the shadows of the battlefield.
Akira, watching from his vantage point, nodded as he processed the tactical shift. "The narrator is right. Think back to Planet Namek. When the core was collapsing, Frieza begged for mercy, and Gokuâever the foolâshared his own Ki to give the tyrant a chance to live. This isn't just about survival; it's about Frieza's twisted sense of pride. He won't be beholden to anyone, especially a Saiyan."
Across the heavens, the tone of the conversation shifted. The narrator's voice boomed, praising the "most charismatic villain" for his strange integrity. Frieza was a monster, yesâa genocidal tyrant who had brought Earth to the brink of ruinâbut he was also a leader who addressed his subordinates with polite honorifics and a man who, in his own dark way, understood the concept of a favor.
"Lord Frieza!" the crowds began to cheer, moved by the unexpected display of professional courtesy.
Duanmu Yan was stunned. "I can't believe it. He actually saved him because of a decades-old debt."
Tien Shinhan let out a short, reluctant laugh. "He's a monster, but I have to admit... he's got style."
Sengoku squinted at the Emperor's retreating back. "He says it's just to use Goku against Jiren, but there's a word for this kind of behavior..."
"Tsundere!" Zhang Chulan shouted. "He's totally using Jiren as an excuse to cover up the fact that he actually came to the rescue!"
Kurosaki Ichigo sighed in relief. "At least he's a team player when it counts. Maybe if they survive this, they won't be trying to kill each other every other week."
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Don't count on it, but look at Goku's history. Most of his best friends started out trying to murder him. Maybe Frieza is just the next one on the list."