Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha stood dumbfounded, trying to process the bizarre revelation laid before them. Dende, however, was grinning.
"Are you sure about that?" Krillin asked, frowning. "I mean, I don't think I have any hidden powers."
Yamcha nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Krillin. Same here. It feels like we've hit our biological limit. But..." He glanced at Gohan, trailing off.
Krillin's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open. "Wait... Gohan..."
The young Saiyan blinked, realizing everyone was now staring at him. He blushed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Oh, come on, guys. I'm just a kid! You can't seriously think I'm your best shot, right?" He chuckled, trying to deflect.
Krillin smirked. "Cut it out, Gohan. You know as well as we do."
Gohan laughed, a bit more nervously this time. "Okay, sure, I have some potential... but you guys have the experience! Wouldn't it make more sense to unlock your powers instead of mine?"
Dende, lost in thought, stroked his chin. 'From what I can sense, Gohan really does have the most hidden power... but...' His gaze shifted uncertainly to Yamcha.
Yamcha broke the silence. "Alright, enough wasting time. Let's get this done, Dende."
Dende snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. "Right."
The four warriors crouched, their auras flaring as they prepared to move.
"You're not going anywhere!"
The sharp voice cut through the air, freezing them in place. All eyes turned toward the shadows, and their jaws dropped in shock.
"But... h-how?" Krillin stammered, his voice trembling.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Far away, oblivious to the perils faced by their friends...
Goku, Chichi, and the Ox-King sat together around the dining table, the warm scent of homemade food filling the room.
"This soup's amazing, Chichi!" Goku said, his face lighting up with genuine delight.
Chichi smiled, her heart swelling at the compliment.
The Ox-King chuckled. "It's an old recipe from her mother. You should thank me for passing it down."
After they finished eating, Goku stepped outside, taking in the peaceful evening. His eyes fell on Tien, standing beneath a nearby tree, arms crossed, eyes shut tight as if lost in thought.
"Hey," Goku called out as he walked over, placing a hand on Tien's shoulder. He remained silent for a moment, his eyes calm yet steely. "Don't beat yourself up about it, Tien."
But Tien shrugged off Goku's hand, a low growl escaping his lips. "Don't patronize me like that."
Goku blinked, taken aback by the sudden outburst.
A moment later, Tien sighed, his expression softening. "Sorry."
Goku's smile faded, replaced by a more serious look as he studied his friend. "What's going on with you? You know you've gotten stronger. Why are you so hung up on this?"
Clenching his fists, Tien shut his eyes, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "It's not enough. I'm still nothing compared to you!"
Goku's brow furrowed, recalling their sparring session earlier that afternoon. Both had pushed themselves to the limit, testing the fruits of their training in the hyperbolic time chamber. As usual, Tien had fallen short, unable to match Goku's overwhelming power.
"Listen," Goku said firmly, his tone steady. "It's not just about raw power. If that were all that mattered, none of us would've beaten Vegeta back then."
Tien stared ahead, his jaw clenched, trying to absorb Goku's words.
"And you've got the skills, Tien," Goku continued, his voice full of conviction. "That's why it doesn't matter if you're not as strong as me. You're still a valuable ally to all of us. Always will be, God willing.'
For a moment, the air between them was thick with quiet. Tien exhaled slowly, letting the tension in his shoulders ease. He wasn't sure if Goku's words were enough to silence the doubts in his heart, but they gave him something to hold on to.
.......
Meanwhile, in one of the dark corners of Frieza's ship, cries of torment rang out through the air...
"Aaaargh!"
Yajirobe's scream echoed through the dimly lit chamber as Dodoria shoved his face beneath the murky water once more. He thrashed wildly, his arms flailing in a desperate bid for freedom, but Dodoria's grip was ironclad, unyielding. Water filled Yajirobe's nose and throat, the sensation of drowning tightening its icy grip on him. Darkness crept into the corners of his vision, and just as he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, Dodoria yanked his head out of the water.
Coughing and gasping, Yajirobe wheezed, his chest heaving as air rushed back into his lungs.
"So," Dodoria's voice was a low growl, dripping with menace. "How did Vegeta get the Syanide?"
Tears streamed down Yajirobe's face. "I-I swear, I don't know! How many times do I have to tell ya?!"
SMACK! Dodoria's massive hand slapped across his face, sending him sprawling onto the cold, hard ground.
Yajirobe, trembling, slowly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, coughing violently, spit and blood dripping from his mouth. He could barely think past the pain. Every part of him screamed to give up, to let go. Death would be a mercy compared to the torment Dodoria was putting him through. But they wouldn't let him die, not yet.
Dodoria took slow, deliberate steps toward him, each footfall heavy with malice. "Let's see if this loosens your tongue."
The brute reached for a steel rod lying on a nearby shelf, its handle wrapped in plastic, a series of buttons along its side. Dodoria pressed one of them, and the rod glowed a sickening red as it heated up, the air around it shimmering from the heat.
"Eat this."
Yajirobe's scream tore through the air as the red-hot rod slammed into his shoulder. His flesh sizzled on contact, the unbearable heat searing his skin. "Aaargh! Stop! Please! No more!"
But Dodoria's sadistic laughter echoed through the room, drowning out Yajirobe's pleas. He struck him again, and again, each blow sending waves of agony coursing through Yajirobe's battered body.
"Hahaha! How's that, you worthless pig?!" Dodoria taunted, eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction as he continued to mercilessly pummel Yajirobe. The stench of scorched flesh filled the room, mingling with the echoes of Yajirobe's tortured screams.
.......
Back at our heroes' hideout....
All three of Earth's fighters stood frozen in shock, their mouths hung open in a mixture of fear and disbelief.
A cold wind swept through, rustling the leaves of the Namekian trees.
Then came the voice, low and chilling.
"This place shall be your grave. "
To be continued...