17 Chapter 17 – Goku, Defeated
Krillin lunged forward, determined to confront Raditz in combat. Before Ajax could even comprehend the astonishing speed of Krillin's movement, Krillin had already closed the considerable distance, leaving behind ethereal afterimages.
Raditz's sharp gaze flickered toward Krillin as he sensed the imminent threat, and with lightning-quick reflexes, raised his arm to intercept the oncoming attack. Krillin's elbow collided with Raditz's waiting palm, and the sheer force of the impact sent a geyser of seawater erupting into the air behind them.
Raditz wore a smug grin, seemingly unimpressed at the strike. The scouter finally chimed at this time, flashing him a numeric evaluation of the threat he just stopped: 256.
In the blink of an eye, Raditz retaliated with astonishing speed, launching a powerful haymaker towards Krillin. To the surprise of both combatants, Krillin managed to raise his other forearm just in time to block the devastating blow.
The counterblow sent Krillin skidding backward, carving two deep grooves into the sand beneath his feet. He ultimately crashed into the Kame House and was rapidly engulfed by a whirlwind of dust and debris. Coughing and dazed from the impact, Krillin struggled to regain his composure, his arms trembling from the impact.
Before Krillin could free himself, Goku had already darted forward to engage Raditz. A rapid barrage of strikes rained down upon Raditz, but the Saiyan warrior deftly deflected or dodged each attack with remarkable ease.
"Why are you defending them? You need to wake up, Kakarot, this isn't the true you!" Raditz said, his words laced with a trace of genuine concern.
"Shut up!" Goku bellowed, his voice a potent mixture of anger as he sent his knuckles hurling toward Raditz's face with a sudden, primal roar.
Raditz reacted swiftly. He smoothly pivoted his head to the side, avoiding Goku's oncoming fist by a hair's breadth. The wind created by the near-miss rustled his spiky Saiyan hair. However, Raditz's intense focus on evading the punch left him with a delayed reaction to what was coming next. As he moved his head, his eyes widened as they locked onto an incoming knee at the last possible moment.
Narrowly missing the scouter and with blinding speed, Ajax's knees collided with Raditz's face, the powerful impact causing Raditz's head to snap backward. The damage, though substantial, was unfortunately far from crippling.
The strike failed to stun Raditz for more than a second as he recovered a moment later. He seized Ajax's offending leg, his grip like a vice as he swung Ajax much like a baseball bat into Goku, sending Goku hurtling away. Then, apparently quite satisfied with his newfound weapon, Raditz wielded Ajax once more, delivering a powerful swing towards the approaching Krillin, who had just mustered enough strength to rejoin the ongoing combat and knocked him right back into Kame House.
In the split second after, Raditz yanked Ajax upwards and deftly maneuvered himself above the airborne Ajax. With precision and raw power, Raditz's fist blazed through the air in a fierce downward arc, burying his knuckles squarely into Ajax's gut with unrelenting force.
Ajax felt blood welling up in his mouth as he was sent plummeting down like a falling star into the ground, the impact of which sent a plume of sand billowing into the air.
Raditz, barely out of breath from the scuffle, felt a thin rivulet of blood, an unwelcome reminder of his carelessness, drip down his nose. Instinctively, he raised a hand to his face, wiping the crimson droplet away with a swift motion. The little upstart had certainly landed a respectable hit, but now he's paying for it, lying half-buried in the sand and groaning in pain.
Raditz marveled at the fact that the brat still clung to consciousness. He half-expected for the kid to just die outright. Raditz had fought full-grown men with higher power levels who had crumpled under the same level of force. Still, the kid must be delusional to think he can make a difference with a mere power level of 223.
Raditz's cold, calculating gaze swept across the impromptu battlefield, assessing the state of the fight. The short, bald one who had started the skirmish was still struggling to rise from his fallen position near the corner of the hideously colored house.
He had noticed that the old man and the woman had wisely taken refuge within the building. Kakarot's brat had also slipped out of Raditz's line of sight at some point, so it was probably safe to assume he was squirreled away in there as well.
A flicker of movement from the corner of his eye caught Raditz's attention. Looks like Kakarot was rising from his previous downed position, poised to re-enter the fight.
Raditz vanished from sight and reappeared right in front of Goku. His presence was announced with a blistering punch that slammed into Goku's abdomen, causing Goku to crumple to his knees, clutching his gut as pain surged through him.
"Pathetic! Is this the level you're at, Kakarot?!" Raditz said harshly, crouching down beside Goku. He seized a handful of Goku's hair, pulling at it roughly to force his brother to look into his eyes. "Look, Kakarot! You have the power within you, just come with me. This is what you can become! Think, Kakarot, think!"
Despite the pain, Goku mustered just enough breath to grunt his answer through his teeth. "No."
"No?" Raditz scowls, "What do you mean, no?!"
As Raditz locked eyes with his brother, the resolve in Goku's gaze ignited the frustration from within him once more. He clenched his teeth in vexation and abruptly tossed Goku's head downward. He stood up and took a step back, taking deep, measured breaths as he attempted to quell the irritation that raged within.
With exasperation, Raditz turned on his heel and began to walk away. Each step he took was heavy with resentment, disappointment, and unresolved anger. As he moved, his frustration peaked and he kicked at the sand beneath him, sending a small flurry of particles into the air. "Shit!"
"S-stop hurting my daddy!"
Raditz's eyes snapped in the direction of the new voice, momentarily unable to pinpoint its source. For a very brief moment, his gaze darted in confusion, unsure of where the voice had originated.
Then, his eyes dropped downward, and he saw Kakarot's brat standing there, tears glistening in his eyes. Raditz stared at the boy, sensing the tremor of fear rattling the false courage only a child would possess. Already, the child's bravery began to evaporate before his eyes. 'What a pitiful reaction', he thought. A Saiyan child of his age should not cry– wait a minute. What if he…. yes! This might work!
In one fluid motion, Raditz leaned down and snatched Gohan, wedging the young Saiyan beneath his arm like a sack of potatoes. Gohan struggled to no avail, as in response, Raditz merely tightened his grip firmly while also being careful to not exert excessive force.
"L-leave my s-son alone!" Goku's rasped from his kneeling position, his voice hoarse and desperate.
"Kakarot, it seems that words won't penetrate that thick skull of yours, so I'll have to awaken your instincts through other means. I'll be taking your son and if you want him back, you will need to kill approximately a village's worth of people by sunset today. Then, come to me."
Raditz turned around, preparing to leave, but then paused, "Oh, yes," he added, "I'll be…. I don't know how to tell you where I am actually. I'll be near those flocks of weird pink birds if you know where that is."
Raditz isn't too worried about Kakarot not being able to find him. After all, he had a scouter, which would allow him to effortlessly track Kakarot if he thought his brother was unable to locate him.
As he was prepared to take off, Raditz's scouter emitted a beep, alerting him to the presence of a familiar power level nearby. However, this was not the time to engage in any further diversions. Raditz made a calculated decision to disregard it, choosing to prioritize getting Kakarot on board instead. Without another word, Raditz took off, swiftly making his way back to his pod with the young Saiyan brat still in tow.
Once Raditz departed, a hush settled upon Kame House, a false tranquility only found in the aftermath of war rather than in the presence of peace.
"…"
"…"
"Good work, team," Krillin mumbled from his position.
"Shut up, Krillin." Ajax's own mumbled reply came from beneath the grains that had engulfed him as he struggled to free himself from where Raditz had unceremoniously buried him.
From the very outset, Ajax had known he was outmatched, but to be taken out with a single hit bruised his almost non-existent ego. Shaking off the sand that is now everywhere, including his eyes, Ajax internally winced at the sting of embarrassment washing over him.
Climbing out of the small crater, Ajax quietly reflected on the short battle that had just unfolded. On the bright side, there was a lesson to be learned from this painful defeat: always maintain a safe distance when in a vulnerable aerial position. Needless to say, the experience of being reduced to a mere weapon was far from enjoyable. 0/10, would not recommend.
If anything, this battle had delivered a resounding message to Ajax. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he now fully understood that he would be would only get in the way against adversaries of this caliber. For the time being, the wisest course of action was to maintain a low profile and trust that the situation would unfold as it had in the canon. However, he was determined to play a pivotal role in the next confrontation. He will make sure of it.
With the departure of Raditz, the bruised and weary group at Kame House reconvened. All of them wore somber expressions, and Goku's face was particularly marred by unmistakable remorse and self-loathing. He slowly lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of his companions.
"I have to go after him to get Gohan back!"
"He just kicked your ass, Goku," Krillin pointed out bluntly. Goku flinched as if an arrow had pierced his heart.
"You didn't stand a chance." Ajax chimed in, adding his own two cents. Goku jerked again in response to another figurative arrow piercing his emotional armor.
"You'll die if you fight him alone," Bulma stated with no mercy, completing the flurry of verbal attacks.
Goku staggered, taking great emotional damage under the coordinated assault of his friends. He stood, a deadpan on his face, hand over his heart, and three metaphorical arrows sticking out of him every which way.
"Wow, thanks for the encouragement, guys. I really feel like I can beat him right now." Goku's voice practically dripped with sarcasm.
"They're not wrong, you won't be able to take him down alone."
Another, different voice resonated through the air, capturing the attention of everyone present. All eyes shifted upwards to behold the new arrival, who stood stoically atop the iconic Kame House, arms crossed. Of course, Piccolo has since regenerated his arm from his fight with Raditz, although the residents at Kame House wouldn't know of that.
"Piccolo!" several voices exclaimed in unison; their recognition apparent.
Thanks to Ajax's foreknowledge, he had known of Piccolo's impending arrival. In fact, he had been anticipating said arrival, and once the Namekian finally revealed himself, Ajax seized the opportunity to make his next move. Injecting confidence into his tone, Ajax offered a suggestion:
"Great! Goku, you and Piccolo should team up against Raditz. This will give us the highest chance for success."
"What?! Ajax, this is Piccolo we're talking about! You know, the Demon King? We can't trust him!" Bulma immediately questioned, alarmed and taken aback by the proposition.
Across from her, Goku directly contradicted Bulma's opinion from moments prior, "Ajax is right though. We don't have many options here, and I'm fine with this if it means I can get Gohan back."
"Goku!" Bulma twirled around at Goku, shocked at his agreement.
Ajax directed his attention to Bulma, prepared to address her skepticism.
"Bulma, we can trust Piccolo, at least for the time being. Despite his 'evil' nature, I believe he's a rational individual. And while his ultimate goal is world domination, that ambition hinges on the existence of a living population and a civilization to rule. Raditz, acting on behalf of the Saiyans, constitutes a genuine extinction-level threat on a planetary scale. Once Raditz and the Saiyans are done with Earth, there won't be anything left for Piccolo to rule, so, it's in his own best interest to join us in arms against them."
"So, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Bulma said, her skepticism clear for all to see.
"He's right, assuming that this is Raditz's true objective," Piccolo stated. With a decisive leap, he leaped off his perch, arms still folded, and descended gracefully onto the sandy beach. "I have no interest in ruling over a pile of ash."
The group, sans Goku and Ajax, silently exchanged uneasy glances. It was a little awkward suddenly finding themselves in collaboration with Demon King Piccolo of all people. Needless to say, it was unfamiliar territory for everyone involved.
After the silence had grown uncomfortably long, Ajax decided to break it before things became awkward.
"Okay, so we need a plan." Turning to face Goku and Piccolo, he continued, "You two need to focus on targeting his weaknesses and capitalize on them to the fullest. And remember, don't hold back. Remove your weighted clothing if you have any, and when you're going to fire a Ki blast, make sure to charge it up; otherwise, it won't make a dent."
Goku nodded.
"Makes sense, I was just thinking the same thing. What do you think, Piccolo?"
"Hmm, that saves me the time to explain." With a piercing gaze, Piccolo glared at Goku, ensuring his next message was clear. "Before we proceed, let's establish some ground rules. I'm only here to eliminate the threat. I won't put myself in harm's way to save your brat and don't mistake me for your ally. Our cooperation ends the moment that alien dies."
Goku chuckled, taking Piccolo's words in stride. "Ha, I didn't expect any different."
With that, Goku began to remove his weighted clothing, tossing them aside with a thud. Piccolo raised an eyebrow at Goku's response and mirrored the action, shedding his own weighted garments onto the ground.
"Wait, one more thing," Ajax said, stretching out his hand to pause their preparations. "Raditz is stronger and faster than both of you, so fighting him head-on is a surefire way to get punished. You'll have to either fight tricky or raise your Ki to match his strength so you can briefly take him on directly. Strike fast and hard, then get out of his range before he can get you."
"We get it brat. This isn't our first rodeo." Piccolo, while removing his turban, responded with a hint of annoyance.
Ajax remained unconvinced, well aware of the tendencies of the Z Fighters. Piccolo might be saying this now, but canon had shown otherwise countless times. God knows how many adversaries could've been just dealt with if they hadn't fought like dumbasses. Thinking of you, Vegeta.
"No, this isn't like any enemy you've faced so far. You have to approach an enemy who outmatches you differently. You can't approach this battle as you would in the Tenkaichi Budōkai, against each other."
Piccolo's gaze narrowed at the implied criticism, but Goku, nodding in clear understanding, cut off any response Piccolo would've made.
"I get it. We may not last more than a few hits from him, but he can endure a lot of ours. We got it Ajax, we'll handle it."
Ajax blinked, taken aback by the reassuring confidence in Goku's voice, but the Saiyan warrior had already moved on to the next topic.
"He said he's near the Ostrichickens. I know the region where they're raised and once we get closer, we'll be able to sense him." Goku explained to Piccolo, prompting the Namekian to give a curt nod. Goku, taking a deep breath, exclaimed, "Nimbus!"
The golden cloud, which had been patiently waiting behind the Kame House the entire time, sprang to life and swiftly landed before Goku. With a nimble hop, Goku mounted the Nimbus and called out to Piccolo:
"Let's go, follow me!"
In a flash, he and Piccolo shot into the sky, their departure leaving behind a trail of streaking wind behind them, leaving the Kame House in the distance.
Ajax stood on the shoreline of Master Roshi's Island, wordlessly watching the two current strongest fighters on Earth leave. He recognized that, for now, direct participation in this battle was beyond him.
That being said, just because Ajax couldn't engage in combat directly, doesn't mean he intends to remain on the sidelines as a passive observer. After all, he had crucial objectives from THE MASTERPLAN to fulfill and he can't just blindly trust that the following events will adhere to canon. It's too risky of an assumption.
He needed to be present to ensure Goku's death, thus giving Goku the chance to learn from King Kai. This is his utmost priority because otherwise, they'll all be screwed when Vegeta arrives in a year.
Without a second word, Ajax launched himself into the air after them, his Ki Sense allowing him to track the energy signatures of Goku and Piccolo. As he rose into the skies, he could hear faint shouts of surprise from those left behind at Kame House. Among them, Krillin's voice rang the loudest and Ajax could sense him taking off behind him. Ajax kept flying.
***
THE MASTERPLAN:
Defeat Raditz (PENDING)
Make sure Goku dies for King Kai's training (PENDING)
Make sure Vegeta and Nappa learn of the Dragon Balls (PENDING)
