The rocky wasteland of Namek stretched endlessly beneath three crimson suns, jagged formations casting long shadows across the carnage. Two massive corpses lay sprawled across the battlefield—Recoome's mountainous frame twisted at unnatural angles, Guldo's small body crushed beyond recognition.
But victory had come at a terrible price.
Sage collapsed to one knee, his red gi torn to ribbons and soaked in blood. His violet aura flickered weakly before dying completely, leaving him gasping for breath. Every muscle screamed in agony as his incomplete transformation faded.
Vegeta stood nearby, swaying on his feet but refusing to fall. The Saiyan Prince's white armor hung in tatters, deep gashes marking his chest and arms. His power level wavered around 50,000, sustained only by royal pride and absolute refusal to bow.
"Still... breathing... low-class?" Vegeta panted, blood dripping from his lips.
Behind them, Krillin lay motionless beside the unconscious form of young Gohan. Both fighters had pushed far beyond their limits and paid the price. Only their shallow breathing indicated they were still alive.
Before the battered survivors stood the three remaining members of the Ginyu Force.
Captain Ginyu flexed his purple muscles, not a scratch visible on his pristine form. His power level of 120,000 made the air itself feel heavy with oppressive energy. "I must admit, you eliminated two of my men. Quite impressive for such low-level fighters."
Jeice cracked his knuckles, red skin gleaming under Namek's triple suns. "Should've finished this quick instead of playing around, Captain."
Burter stretched his massive frame, blue skin rippling with contained speed. "The fastest in the universe doesn't break a sweat over insects."
Sage tried to push himself upright, but his legs gave out. The violet transformation that had carried him this far was completely spent. He'd pushed his incomplete awakening to absolute limits, and now faced the consequences.
"Can't... get up," he growled, frustration boiling in his chest.
Vegeta's lips curled in a sneer despite their hopeless situation. "Pathetic. Is this how the mighty Saiyan race ends? Crawling in the dirt before Frieza's lapdogs?"
"Save your breath, Prince," Sage spat. "We're all dead anyway."
Captain Ginyu stepped forward, his movements casual and unhurried. "Indeed you are. Lord Frieza grows impatient with delays. Time to end this charade."
He raised one finger, purple energy gathering at the tip. The concentrated ki could vaporize them all with minimal effort. No more games, no more toying with inferior opponents.
"Any last words?"
Sage's vision blurred as he stared death in the face. Sixteen years of survival, months of training, all the bonds he'd formed—ending here on an alien world against impossible odds. His father's heroic legacy would die with him.
Something deep inside his chest began to burn.
Not the familiar violet energy of his incomplete transformation, but something rawer. More primitive. The same instinct that had kept him alive as a child in Earth's wilderness, that had made him hunt and kill without hesitation.
The beast that civilization had tried to cage.
"Wait," he whispered, power starting to stir within his battered frame.
Captain Ginyu paused, finger still glowing with deadly energy. "Did you say something?"
Sage's eyes snapped open, no longer violet but solid black—pupils dilated like a nocturnal hunter. "I said... WAIT!"
The explosion of dark energy sent shockwaves across the battlefield.
But before anyone could react, a new presence blazed to life on the horizon.
The power signature was massive—overwhelming—approaching at impossible speed like a burning comet. Even Captain Ginyu turned his attention from the wounded Saiyans to track the incoming energy.
"What in the name of—"
The figure appeared in a crimson blur, landing between the Ginyu Force and their intended victims with such tremendous impact that the ground cratered for hundreds of meters. Dust and debris filled the air as shockwaves rolled across the wasteland.
When the chaos settled, Son Goku stood in the center of the destruction.
His orange gi was pristine despite the violent landing, his black hair swaying in the alien wind. But something was different—his presence felt crushing, suffocating in its intensity. His base power of 90,000 made reality itself seem to bend around him.
"Kaioken!"
The crimson aura exploded outward without warning, Goku's power multiplying instantly. The technique he'd mastered during his journey through space blazed brighter than Namek's three suns combined.
"Times five!"
His energy erupted past 360,000, so overwhelming that even Captain Ginyu staggered backward. The ground beneath Goku's feet turned to molten glass from the sheer intensity of his ki.
"Impossible!" Jeice shouted over the roaring energy. "No one has that kind of power!"
Goku's voice carried clearly despite the chaos surrounding him. "Sorry I'm late. Had to make a stop."
He reached into his gi and tossed a small pouch toward the wounded fighters. Senzu beans scattered across the rocky ground, their healing properties immediately recognizable.
"Get your strength back," he called to his allies. "This is going to get ugly."
Vegeta's eyes widened as he stared at his fellow Saiyan. The same Kakarot he'd defeated on Earth now possessed power that dwarfed even elite-class warriors. "How... how did you—"
"Long story," Goku replied, his attention focused on the three remaining Ginyu Force members. "Right now, we have bigger problems."
Captain Ginyu recovered from his initial shock, analyzing this new threat with cold calculation. "Kakarot, I presume. Your power level is indeed impressive. But you face the elite of Lord Frieza's forces."
"I know exactly who I'm facing."
Behind them, Sage grabbed one of the scattered senzu beans with trembling fingers. The moment it touched his lips, healing energy flooded through his battered body. Wounds closed, broken bones mended, and his strength returned in a rushing tide.
But more importantly, the burning sensation in his chest intensified.
The beast was awakening.
Vegeta bit down on his own senzu bean, royal pride restored along with his physical condition. His power level climbed steadily as he stood, surpassing his previous limits through sheer arrogance.
"Kakarot," he growled, "don't think this changes anything between us."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Vegeta."
Captain Ginyu's patience reached its limit. "Enough talking. Jeice! Burter! Show them why we're the elite!"
The red and blue warriors moved as one, their combined assault creating sonic booms as they accelerated beyond the speed of sound. But Goku met them halfway, his crimson aura blazing like a star.
The collision sent shockwaves across the entire continent.
Jeice's fist connected with Goku's guard, the impact creating a visible distortion in the air. Burter circled at impossible speed, striking from multiple angles simultaneously. But the Kaioken-enhanced Saiyan matched them blow for blow, his movements fluid despite the crushing multiplication of his own power.
"Not possible!" Burter gasped as his fastest combinations were casually deflected. "I'm the fastest in the universe!"
"Then you haven't been trying hard enough," Goku replied, catching the blue giant's wrist and spinning him into Jeice with bone-crushing force.
Both Ginyu Force members crashed into a rocky formation, their combined momentum pulverizing tons of stone into dust. They emerged bloodied but far from defeated, their elite training showing in how quickly they recovered.
Captain Ginyu watched the exchange with growing interest. "Fascinating. Your power has indeed grown beyond expectations, Kakarot. But raw strength isn't everything."
He gestured casually, and the ground beneath Goku's feet exploded upward in a shower of molten rock. The Saiyan leaped clear, but Ginyu was already there, purple fist aimed at his opponent's head.
The punch connected with a sound like thunder.
Goku skidded backward across the wasteland, his feet carving trenches in the stone. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his crimson aura never wavered.
"Good hit," he acknowledged. "My turn."
He vanished.
Captain Ginyu's eyes widened as his opponent disappeared completely, not even his enhanced senses tracking the movement. The next moment, agony exploded through his midsection as Goku's knee buried itself in his stomach.
"Too slow," Goku said as the purple warrior doubled over.
His follow-up elbow strike sent Captain Ginyu crashing through three rock formations before he managed to arrest his momentum. The elite enforcer emerged from the rubble, his pristine appearance finally showing damage.
"Remarkable," Ginyu admitted, wiping blood from his mouth. "You're the first opponent in decades to actually land a clean hit."
Behind the main battle, Sage felt the burning sensation in his chest reach a crescendo. The senzu bean had restored his strength, but something else was awakening. Something that went beyond his incomplete violet transformation.
The beast that had kept him alive. The creature that killed without hesitation.
His power level began climbing rapidly as black ki started seeping from his skin like smoke. Not the controlled violet energy of his previous transformation, but something wild and untamed.
Vegeta noticed the change immediately. "What are you doing, low-class?"
"I don't know," Sage admitted, his voice becoming guttural. "But I can feel it. Something deeper than before."
The black energy intensified, his canine features becoming more pronounced. But this wasn't the calculated precision of his violet state—it was pure instinct given form.
"like a Feral Ascension," he whispered as understanding dawned.
His power exploded past 250,000 as the complete transformation took hold. The black aura writhed around him like living shadow, responding to instincts older than civilization. His eyes became solid black, pupils dilated for in darkness.
This was what he truly was beneath the veneer of emotions. A creature that survived by any means necessary.
Captain Ginyu paused his battle with Goku, sensing the new power signature. "Another transformation? How many surprises do you Saiyans have?"
"Guess you'll find out," Sage replied, his voice carrying a bestial edge.
The real battle was about to begin.
Sage's black aura pulsed with untamed energy as he rose to his feet, his movements fluid and dangerous. The Feral Ascension felt different from his violet transformation—where that had been controlled precision, this was pure instinct unleashed.
"Interesting," Captain Ginyu mused, dividing his attention between Goku's crimson blaze and Sage's dark energy. "Two enhanced Saiyans. This should prove educational."
Vegeta's pride flared as he watched both warriors surpass him in raw power. His own energy climbed higher, royal bloodline refusing to be overshadowed by commoners. White ki blazed around his form as he pushed past 75,000 through sheer arrogance.
"Don't think you're fighting alone, Kakarot," the Prince snarled. "I have my own score to settle with these dogs."
Jeice and Burter flanked their captain, forming a triangle of elite power. The red warrior's energy crackled with anticipation while the blue giant's speed created afterimages even while standing still.
"Three against three," Burter observed. "Almost fair odds."
"Fair?" Sage's voice carried a bestial growl. "There's nothing fair about this"
He moved.
The black-wreathed Saiyan crossed the battlefield in a blur of shadow and fury. Jeice barely managed to raise his guard before Sage's fist crashed into his forearms with bone-jarring force.
"Fast!" the red warrior gasped, skidding backward from the impact.
But Sage was already spinning, his leg whipping around in a vicious arc. Jeice ducked desperately, feeling the wind from the kick ruffle his white hair. The follow-up elbow strike caught him in the ribs, lifting him off his feet.
"Raw power won't—" Jeice began.
Sage's knee buried itself in the elite warrior's stomach, cutting off his words with explosive force. The Ginyu Force member doubled over, crimson saliva spraying from his lips.
"What are you on about?" Sage replied, grabbing Jeice by the hair and driving his face into the rocky ground.
The impact cratered the stone, but Jeice managed to twist away before Sage could follow up. He rolled to his feet, blood streaming from his nose but his power level still intact.
"Lucky shot," he spat.
Meanwhile, Goku engaged Burter in a display of pure speed that defied comprehension. The blue giant's movements created sonic booms as he circled his opponent, striking from impossible angles.
But the Kaioken-enhanced Saiyan matched him step for step.
"Impossible!" Burter roared as his fastest combination was casually deflected. "I'm the fastest being in the universe!"
"Not anymore," Goku replied, catching the giant's wrist mid-strike.
He spun Burter like a discus thrower, building tremendous momentum before releasing him toward a rocky formation. The blue warrior crashed through tons of stone, his impact visible from orbit.
Captain Ginyu watched both battles with growing concern. His subordinates—elite warriors who had conquered countless worlds—were being systematically dismantled by these enhanced Saiyans.
"Enough games," he declared.
Purple energy exploded around the captain's form as he revealed his true power. The ground beneath his feet turned to molten glass as his ki reached its peak of 120,000.
Vegeta intercepted him before he could choose a target.
"Your fight is with me!" the Prince snarled, white aura blazing with royal fury.
Their collision sent shockwaves across the continent. Vegeta's enhanced strength, fueled by pride and desperation, met Ginyu's overwhelming power in a contest of pure will.
The captain's punch shattered the air itself, but Vegeta twisted aside at the last second. His counter-attack—a vicious uppercut—caught Ginyu under the chin with satisfying force.
"Impressive," Ginyu admitted, blood trickling from his lip. "But still insufficient."
His knee drove toward Vegeta's midsection like a purple piston. The Saiyan Prince barely managed to block, his forearms screaming from the impact. The follow-up backhand sent him tumbling across the wasteland.
Vegeta rolled to his feet, royal pride keeping him upright despite the punishment. "Is that all you have?"
"Hardly."
Ginyu's speed increased dramatically as he abandoned all pretense of holding back. His purple form blurred with motion that made even Burter look slow. Vegeta found himself overwhelmed by the assault, each blocked strike sending fresh waves of agony through his frame.
A devastating combination broke through his guard. Ginyu's fist buried itself in the Prince's stomach, doubling him over. The follow-up knee strike caught him in the face, snapping his head back violently.
Vegeta crashed into a rocky outcropping, his white armor finally cracking under the punishment. Blood streamed from multiple wounds as he struggled to maintain consciousness.
"The mighty Saiyan Prince," Ginyu mocked, approaching with casual confidence. "How disappointing."
But before he could deliver the finishing blow, a crimson blur intercepted him.
Goku's Kaioken-enhanced fist caught the captain in the side, sending him skidding across the battlefield. The impact created a visible shockwave that flattened nearby rock formations.
"Pick on someone your own size," Goku suggested, his crimson aura blazing higher.
Ginyu recovered quickly, his elite training showing in how smoothly he transitioned from defense to offense. "Gladly, Kakarot. I've been looking forward to testing myself against your power."
They clashed in the center of the battlefield, their combined energy creating a localized storm. Each punch and kick generated hurricane-force winds that scoured the landscape bare.
Ginyu's technique was flawless—decades of combat experience refined into perfect killing form. But Goku's enhanced power allowed him to match the elite warrior blow for blow.
A devastating exchange saw both fighters landing simultaneous strikes. Ginyu's fist connected with Goku's ribs while the Saiyan's knee found the captain's stomach. Both warriors staggered apart, breathing heavily.
"Magnificent," Ginyu breathed. "It's been years since anyone could match me in direct combat."
"Same here," Goku admitted, wiping blood from his mouth. "But I'm just getting started."
His crimson aura pulsed as he prepared to push the Kaioken even further. But before he could escalate, a roar of pure fury echoed across the battlefield.
Sage had caught Jeice in a devastating combination, his Feral Ascension granting him speed and power that overwhelmed the red warrior's defenses. But instead of finishing quickly, the primal transformation was driving him to prolong the violence.
"You killed my friends," Sage snarled, his black aura writhing like living darkness. "Made us crawl and beg."
His fist crashed into Jeice's ribs, the impact audible across the wasteland. The red warrior gasped in agony as bones cracked under the assault.
"Now you get to feel what it's like to be helpless."
Another devastating blow sent Jeice sprawling. The elite warrior tried to crawl away, but Sage's boot caught him in the ribs, rolling him across the rocky ground.
"Please," Jeice gasped, all arrogance gone. "I surrender—"
"Surrender?" Sage's laugh held no humor. "Did you accept our surrender when we were beaten and bloodied?"
He grabbed Jeice by the throat, lifting the red warrior off the ground with ease. The black ki around his form pulsed with predatory satisfaction.
"Wait," Goku called out, recognizing the dangerous edge in Sage's voice. "He's finished. You don't need to—"
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Sage roared, his black eyes reflecting pure animal fury. "This is what they deserve!"
The Feral Ascension was taking its toll on his rational mind. The transformation tapped into his most primitive instincts—the beast that had survived alone in Earth's wilderness by killing anything that threatened it.
Jeice struggled weakly in his grip, the elite warrior's power no match for Sage's enhanced strength. Fear replaced arrogance in the red alien's eyes as he stared into the face of primal death.
But before Sage could finish him, Burter emerged from the rocky rubble with a roar of fury.
"Release him!"
The blue giant's speed was phenomenal even while injured. He crossed the battlefield in a heartbeat, his massive fist aimed at Sage's head with killing force.
Sage's instincts saved him. Without conscious thought, he dropped Jeice and spun aside, letting Burter's momentum carry him past. His counter-attack—a vicious elbow strike—caught the blue warrior in the spine.
Burter arched backward with a scream of agony, his incredible speed useless when his body refused to obey. He crashed face-first into the rocky ground, his massive frame creating a crater from the impact.
"Two down," Sage growled, black energy crackling around his form.
But the extended battle was draining even his enhanced reserves. The Feral Ascension burned through ki at an alarming rate, trading efficiency for raw power. His breathing became labored as the transformation began to waver.
Captain Ginyu noticed the weakness immediately. "Interesting. Your enhanced state has limits."
He disengaged from his battle with Goku, purple energy gathering around his form. "Perhaps it's time to end this charade."
The captain raised both hands above his head, concentrating his full power into a devastating energy wave. The purple ki crackled with enough force to vaporize the entire battlefield.
"Galaxy Destroyer!" he roared, unleashing the attack.
The beam of destruction carved across the wasteland like a purple sword, its width spanning dozens of meters. Nothing could survive direct contact with that much concentrated power.
But Goku was already moving. His crimson aura blazed as he intercepted the attack with his own technique.
"Kamehameha!"
The blue energy wave met purple destruction in the center of the battlefield. The collision created a sphere of competing forces that grew larger and more unstable with each passing second.
"Impressive," Ginyu acknowledged, pouring more power into his attack. "But you cannot match my full strength!"
The purple beam began pushing back Goku's Kamehameha, its superior power overwhelming the Saiyan's technique. Sweat beaded on Goku's forehead as he struggled to maintain the deadlock.
"Kakarot!" Vegeta shouted from where he'd been recovering. "You're going to lose!"
"Well fuck you too vegeta!" Goku replied through gritted teeth. "Oh man if only someone here knew how to fire a ki blast hmmm who could they be."
Sage understood immediately. Despite the Feral Ascension's influence on his rational mind, enough awareness remained to recognize the tactical situation. He abandoned his wounded opponents and moved to Goku's side.
"Together," he growled, adding his black ki to Goku's blue beam.
The combined energy wave surged forward, its power enhanced by two different transformation states. Purple and violet-black energies clashed in a display that lit up Namek's sky.
But even their combined might wasn't enough. Ginyu's Galaxy Destroyer continued its inexorable advance, overwhelming their joint technique through sheer power.
"Fools," the captain sneered. "Did you think numbers would overcome absolute superiority?"
That's when Vegeta made his choice.
Royal pride warred with practical necessity as the Prince watched his fellow Saiyans struggle against impossible odds. Every instinct screamed against helping his rivals, against acknowledging their strength.
But greater than pride was his hatred for Frieza and everything the tyrant represented.
"FINAL FLASH!"
Vegeta's most powerful technique erupted from his palms, golden energy joining the beam struggle. Three different ki signatures merged into a spear of destruction that matched Ginyu's attack.
The deadlock was perfect—neither side able to gain advantage. Energy crackled between the competing forces as both techniques reached their limits.
"Impossible," Ginyu gasped, his perfect composure finally cracking. "how are they matching my power!!"
The strain was enormous. All four warriors poured everything they had into the contest, their power levels fluctuating wildly as they pushed beyond safe limits.
Goku's Kaioken began to falter, his body reaching the breaking point. Sage's Feral Ascension wavered as his ki reserves depleted. Even Vegeta's pride-fueled energy started to dim.
But Ginyu was also reaching his limits. The Galaxy Destroyer required his full concentration to maintain, leaving him vulnerable to other attacks.
That vulnerability was what Gohan had been waiting for.
The young half-Saiyan had regained consciousness minutes earlier, his hybrid genetics allowing faster recovery than pure humans. He'd watched the beam struggle with growing understanding of their desperate situation.
Now he saw his chance.
"Masenko... HA!"
The golden energy wave struck Captain Ginyu from behind, disrupting his concentration at the crucial moment. The Galaxy Destroyer wavered as its creator staggered from the unexpected assault.
The combined Saiyan beam surged forward, overwhelming the weakened purple energy. Ginyu's eyes widened in shock as his own technique was reversed, the deadly force now aimed at him.
He tried to dodge, but his body was locked in place by the energy feedback. The purple beam struck him with the full force he'd intended for his enemies.
The explosion was visible from orbit.
When the light finally faded, Captain Ginyu lay motionless in a crater of his own making. His purple skin was charred and broken, his elite uniform reduced to tatters. But incredibly, he was still breathing.
"Impossible," he wheezed, struggling to rise. "I am... the captain of... the Ginyu Force..."
His power level had dropped dramatically, but he still possessed enough strength to be dangerous. Elite warriors didn't die easily, even when defeated.
Sage approached the fallen captain, his Feral Ascension finally stabilizing at a sustainable level. The black aura had dimmed but not disappeared, his primal instincts still riding close to the surface.
"Stay down," he advised, his voice carrying genuine menace. "You've lost."
Ginyu's response was a bitter laugh. "Lost? You think this is over?"
He reached for something hidden in his damaged armor—a small communication device that had somehow survived the energy blast. His finger hovered over the activation switch.
"Lord Frieza," he whispered into the transmitter. "The Ginyu Force... has fallen. Recommend... immediate intervention."
The device crackled with static before a cold, aristocratic voice responded.
"How disappointing, Ginyu. I suppose I'll have to handle this personally."
The transmission ended, leaving the battlefield in ominous silence.
Meanwhile, unnoticed by the exhausted combatants, a small figure in white and purple armor watched from a distant cliff. Lord Frieza observed the proceedings with cold interest, one of the orange Dragon Balls clutched in his small hands.
"Fascinating," the galactic tyrant mused. "It seems I underestimated these monkeys considerably."
His tail swished with anticipation as he watched the Saiyans tend to their wounds. Such power... such potential... and such a threat to his carefully ordered universe.
He glanced at his nearby spaceship, where six more Dragon Balls sat under heavy guard. But the seventh—the one he held—with this he had collected all the dragon balls
With casual indifference to the titanic battle that had just concluded, Frieza descended from his observation point. He walked toward a rocky outcropping near his ship, its weathered surface perfect for concealment.
The hiding place was simple but effective—a small cave barely large enough for the orange sphere. He placed the Dragon Ball inside, using his telekinetic powers to seal the entrance with loose rocks.
"There," he murmured with satisfaction. "Let them search for eternity."
After all, who would think to look for such a treasure in plain sight? The final key to immortality would remain hidden until he was ready to claim his destiny.
Back on the battlefield, the Saiyans had gathered around their fallen enemies. Jeice and Burter were unconscious but alive, their elite conditioning keeping them breathing despite severe injuries.
Captain Ginyu remained defiant even in defeat. "You may have won this battle," he gasped, "but Lord Frieza will crush you like insects."
"Let him come," Vegeta replied, his royal pride restored by their victory. "It's time someone taught that tyrant the meaning of Saiyan power."
Goku helped Sage to his feet, the wild Saiyan's transformation finally fading completely. "You okay? That technique looked like it took a lot out of you."
"I'll live," Sage replied, though his exhaustion was evident. "But next time, I need to control it better. The Feral Ascension... it's dangerous. Makes me want to keep fighting even when the battle's over."
"All transformations have risks," Gohan observed, his mature wisdom startling in someone so young. "The trick is knowing when to let them go."
As the group prepared to leave the battlefield, none of them noticed movement in the nearby rocks. Captain Ginyu's eyes opened, him remaining conscious despite his injuries.
His hand found the hidden emergency beacon in his armor, one final transmission capability that might save the Ginyu Force's reputation. With the last of his strength, he activated the device.
A single word escaped his lips: "Reinforcements."
The message would reach Frieza's ship within minutes, alerting the tyrant vice commander to deploy his most dangerous enforcers. The battle was over, but the war was just beginning.
And somewhere in the distance, Frieza smiled as he received the transmission. Soon, these troublesome Saiyans would learn why he was called the Emperor of the Universe.
The real test was yet to come.