Dragon Ball: Mori's tales

The air was thick with tension as Goku and Mori stood side by side, facing Vegeta across the desolate battlefield. Dust and debris from the earlier skirmishes swirled around them, carried by the cold wind that swept through the rocky terrain. The atmosphere was heavy, the silence only broken by the faint hum of ki energy as both Goku and Mori sized up their opponent. Vegeta, standing tall and proud, smirked arrogantly at the two warriors before him.

"So, this is what it's come to," Vegeta said, his voice dripping with disdain. His eyes gleamed with superiority as he crossed his arms. "I am Vegeta, the prince of all Saiyans. You should be honored to die by my hands."

Mori scoffed, his expression dark. He clenched his fists tightly, the muscles in his arms flexing with anticipation. "I don't care who you are," he said coldly. "Prince, Saiyan, it makes no difference. You've killed my friends. I'm going to make sure you pay for that."

Goku, his tone much calmer but resolute, added, "I'm Son Goku. And I won't let you hurt anyone else."

Vegeta's smirk widened. "You? A low-class Saiyan and a human think you can challenge me? Fine. Let's see what you've got."

The tension in the air thickened as the three warriors prepared to engage. But before anything could escalate, Goku raised his hand, signaling for a pause.

"Before we destroy this place," Goku began, "let's take this fight somewhere else. Somewhere where there's less chance of hurting innocent people."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Hmph. Fine. I'll give you that much, Kakarot."

Mori simply nodded, knowing the carnage that was about to ensue. Without another word, the three warriors shot into the sky, leaving behind the battlefield of their fallen comrades. They flew for several minutes, heading toward a more remote, mountainous area where the terrain was more suited for a clash of their caliber.

Once they reached their destination, Goku and Vegeta landed on the rocky ground while Mori flew to a nearby cliff to watch. He knew Goku wanted this fight one-on-one, but Mori wasn't going to leave him alone. Not against this monster. He perched himself on the edge of the cliff, eyes locked on the battle below, ready to intervene if necessary.

Goku and Vegeta squared off, the wind whipping around them as their auras flared to life. Without warning, the fight began.

Vegeta wasted no time, launching himself at Goku with incredible speed. The impact of their clash sent shockwaves through the area, causing the ground to tremble beneath them. Punches and kicks were exchanged with blinding speed, each one powerful enough to level a mountain. Goku held his ground, meeting Vegeta's attacks with precision and strength, but it was clear that Vegeta wasn't holding back.

Mori watched intently, his heart racing as the two Saiyans traded blows. Goku was strong, stronger than Mori had ever seen him, but Vegeta was relentless. The fight raged on, the landscape around them becoming more and more ravaged by the sheer force of their attacks.

Then, Vegeta made his move.

"You've been a nuisance long enough, Kakarot!" Vegeta snarled, leaping back and raising his hands to the sky. "Now witness the true power of a Saiyan warrior!" His voice grew deeper, more primal, as his body began to shift and change.

Mori's eyes widened in shock as Vegeta's form grew larger and larger, his muscles expanding as his skin turned dark and fur sprouted all over his body. In seconds, Vegeta had transformed into a massive Great Ape, towering over Goku, his eyes glowing red with bloodlust.

"Damn it!" Mori cursed, standing up from the cliff as the ape let out a deafening roar. Goku was in serious trouble.

Vegeta, now fully transformed, looked down at Goku with a wicked grin. "How do you like me now, Kakarot? This is the power of a true Saiyan! You're finished!"

Goku's face was set with determination, but Mori knew he couldn't fight Vegeta like this on his own. He had to help.

Without hesitation, Mori leaped from the cliff, flying straight toward the giant ape. "Goku, I'll distract him! You charge your attack!" Mori shouted, his body glowing with ki as he rushed into the fray.

Vegeta swung a massive fist at Mori, but he dodged it, zipping through the air and landing a solid punch on Vegeta's jaw. The impact barely phased the ape, but it was enough to get his attention. "Over here, you oversized freak!" Mori taunted, blasting Vegeta in the face with a barrage of ki blasts.

Vegeta roared in anger, swiping at Mori with his huge arms. Mori was fast, but the sheer size and power of the Great Ape made it difficult to avoid every attack. A massive backhand from Vegeta caught Mori in the chest, sending him crashing into the ground. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Come on… I've been through worse…" Mori muttered to himself, pushing his body to the limit.

As Vegeta prepared another attack, Mori charged forward, leaping onto the Great Ape's arm and scaling up his body. He aimed for Vegeta's eye, launching a powerful ki blast directly into it. Vegeta howled in pain, clutching his face as he stumbled back.

Using the momentary distraction, Mori darted to the base of Vegeta's tail. He grabbed it with both hands and, with every ounce of strength he had, yanked it with a fierce roar. Vegeta let out another cry of pain as Mori managed to lift the massive tail and swing the ape through the air. Vegeta's huge form crashed into the ground, shaking the earth as he landed hard.

Panting and covered in sweat and dirt, Mori collapsed to one knee. He was running on fumes, barely able to stand after the beating he'd taken. "Goku… hurry…" he whispered, his vision blurring.

Just as he feared he couldn't hold on any longer, a new figure appeared on the battlefield. It was Yajirobe, his sword drawn. With a single swift motion, Yajirobe sliced through Vegeta's tail, severing it completely.

Vegeta screamed as his massive form began to shrink, reverting back to his normal Saiyan size. The once fearsome Great Ape was now a bruised and battered warrior, barely able to stand. Mori, still on the ground, watched in relief as Goku finished gathering energy for the Spirit Bomb.

At that moment, Krillin and Gohan arrived on the battlefield, their eyes wide with shock at the scene before them. Goku, struggling to lift his arms, aimed the Spirit Bomb at Vegeta and threw it with all his remaining strength.

Vegeta, in a last-ditch effort, leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack. The Spirit Bomb flew toward Gohan, who froze in fear as it approached. "Gohan, bounce it back!" Goku shouted weakly.

Without thinking, Gohan raised his hands, deflecting the Spirit Bomb with all his might. The glowing ball of energy changed direction, hurtling straight toward Vegeta. This time, it hit its mark, engulfing the Saiyan prince in a brilliant explosion of light and energy.

When the light faded, Vegeta was lying on the ground, bruised and beaten, his pride shattered. He struggled to his feet, spitting curses under his breath as he called his Saiyan pod. "You… you miserable worms," he hissed. "This isn't over. I'll be back, and when I return, I'll destroy this planet and everyone on it!"

With that, Vegeta was gone, his pod disappearing into the sky.

Two hours later, Mori and Goku lay in hospital beds, bandaged from head to toe. They were alive, but just barely. As they rested, Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma made preparations to head to Namek, after learning from Mr. Popo that there might be a way to bring their friends back.

The battle was over, but the journey was far from finished.