The ship hovered at a safe distance from the battleground, its engines humming softly as it maintained position.
Inside, Toji leaned against the viewport, watching the two titans below with interest.
His armor was still damaged from his battles in Hell, but his posture betrayed none of the exhaustion he should have felt after months of fighting.
"Hey, Piccolo," Toji called out, an excited grin spreading across his face. "Think you could materialize some actual food? I haven't eaten in months. Everything in this place is either rotten or would burn through your stomach."
The Namekian raised an eyebrow. "You're thinking about food right now?"
"Well, yeah." Toji gestured toward the viewport with his thumb, pointing down to where Broly and Cumber stood facing each other. "If I'm going to enjoy this dance of monkeys, I might as well have some refreshments."
Freeza's delighted laugh cut through the air. "Finally, you're on the same page as me, darling." She moved to stand beside him, her white hair flowing behind her as she observed the impending battle. "The monkeys fighting for our entertainment. How appropriate."
Vegeta growled, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Goku shot Toji a disapproving glare, which the armored warrior noticed immediately.
"Nah, don't look at me like that," Toji said, unbothered by their reactions. With a sigh, Piccolo extended his hand, materializing a table laden with Earth cuisine – steaming rice, chicken soup, pasta, bottles of Pepsi, and various other dishes.
Toji immediately sat down and began filling a plate. "You two aren't monkeys in my eyes," he clarified between bites, pointing his fork at Goku and Vegeta. "You're not ruled by bestial base instinct. Those two down there, though?"
He gestured with a chicken leg toward the combatants below. "Well, Cumber is literally a giant ape, for crying out loud. And until the new guy gives me an articulate sentence besides growls, I'll stand by my statement."
Vegeta scoffed but seemed satisfied with the explanation, his tense posture relaxing slightly.
Goku's expression softened. He approached Toji and slapped him heartily on the back. "I knew you weren't the type to-"
The slap caught Toji mid-bite, sending him into a coughing fit as chicken lodged in his throat. He frantically grabbed a glass of water, downing it in one go while pounding his chest.
"-call people pointless names," Goku finished, seeming oblivious to the chaos he'd caused.
"Are you trying to kill me AGAIN, you idiot?!" Toji wheezed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Goku scratched the back of his head with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry about that!"
"If I may interrupt this... touching reunion between friends," Freeza interjected dryly, "it seems the entertainment is about to begin."
All eyes turned back to the viewport. Below, Broly had begun to laugh, the sound carrying even through the ship's hull.
His head tilted back, then slowly rotated toward their ship. Even from this distance, his pupil-less eyes seemed to find them with unnerving precision.
"Enjoy the show!" Broly called up, his voice carrying a hint of madness. "Especially you." He pointed directly at Toji. "You're the strongest. I sense it. I'll come for you next. And then bathe in Kakarot's blood."
Toji and Broly locked eyes, a silent challenge passing between them. Rather than showing concern, Toji simply smirked.
"I'll be waiting, you ungrateful bastard," he called back, referring to freeing Broly from the control device.
Broly's lips curled into a smirk before he turned his attention back to Cumber. The Golden Oozaru roared, beating its massive chest in challenge.
"I don't know why," Broly said, his voice carrying across the battlefield, "but looking at you fills me with rage. You'll be the first of my victims!"
Without warning, he launched himself at Cumber, moving so fast he seemed to disappear. He reappeared directly in front of the Oozaru's face, delivering an uppercut that snapped the massive head backward.
The impact created a shockwave that rippled outward, shattering what remained of the palace walls.
"Impressive speed," Piccolo commented, watching intently.
Cumber recovered quickly, swinging a massive fist toward Broly. The Legendary Super Saiyan caught it with one hand, his arm not even trembling under the force of the blow.
"Is that all?" Broly taunted, his green aura flaring brighter. "The great golden Ape can't even match a 'unknown' like me?"
With a casual twist, he snapped one of Cumber's fingers, eliciting a howl of pain from the Golden Oozaru.
"He's toying with him," Vegeta observed, his expert eye catching the deliberate restraint in Broly's movements. "He could end this in seconds but he's drawing it out."
Toji nodded, shoveling pasta into his mouth. "Of course he is. What's the point of overwhelming power if you can't enjoy using it?" He glanced sideways at Freeza, who nodded in agreement.
"Precisely," she purred. "The art of domination is in the execution."
On the battlefield, Broly had taken to the air, hovering at eye level with Cumber. The Golden Oozaru unleashed a beam of energy from its mouth, golden light carving through the air toward Broly.
The Legendary Super Saiyan didn't move. The beam struck him directly, enveloping his form in blinding light. When it faded, Broly remained unharmed, not even his hair disturbed by the attack.
"My turn," he said, his voice carrying an almost childlike glee.
He extended his hand, palm facing outward. A small green orb formed, no larger than a marble. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it toward Cumber. The orb struck the Oozaru's chest and expanded explosively, engulfing the massive creature in emerald fire.
Cumber roared in agony, thrashing as the energy burned through his golden fur. When the flames subsided, patches of his coat had been singed away, revealing raw, bleeding skin beneath.
"That's his Eraser Cannon as he calls it when he's calm enough to talk to," Paragus explained from his position near the back of the viewing area, his voice a mixture of pride and fear. "A signature technique of his."
"You seem awfully proud for someone who I reason was trying to control him with that headband," Toji commented without looking away from the battle.
Paragus flinched but said nothing.
Below, Broly continued his assault. He flew circles around Cumber, moving too fast for the Oozaru to track.
Each pass, he delivered a punishing blow – an elbow to the spine, a kick to the knee, a punch to the kidney. Each strike was precisely calculated to cause maximum pain without ending the fight.
"Kakarot," Vegeta said quietly, "have you noticed?"
Goku nodded, his expression unusually serious. "Yeah. He's not just strong... he's skilled. Those aren't random attacks."
"Indeed," Piccolo agreed. "He's systematically targeting nerve clusters and pressure points. Someone taught him combat anatomy."
All eyes turned to Paragus, who shifted uncomfortably under their collective gaze.
"He's always been a quick study," the older Saiyan admitted. "I taught him the basics of combat when he was young, before... before his power became too difficult to control. The rest is just... instinct."
On the battlefield, Cumber had grown desperate. The Golden Oozaru opened its mouth wide, gathering energy for another blast. Before he could release it, Broly appeared directly before him, shoving his arm down the creature's throat.
"Swallow this instead," Broly snarled, releasing a blast directly inside Cumber's body.
The Oozaru's eyes bulged as green light shone from within, illuminating his massive form from the inside out. When Broly withdrew his arm, Cumber staggered backward, smoke pouring from his mouth and nostrils.
"That's just cruel," Goku murmured, wincing in sympathy despite knowing Cumber's evil nature.
"That's the point," Toji replied, taking a swig of Pepsi. "He's not trying to win – he's trying to humiliate."
Freeza watched the display with growing appreciation. "He has a certain artistic flair to his brutality," she observed. "Reminds me of myself in my younger days."
Broly landed before the staggering Oozaru, his arms crossed over his chest. Despite being dwarfed by Cumber's massive size, he appeared completely at ease, as if the outcome had never been in doubt.
"I expected more from a Super Saiyan Ape,'" he called out, his voice dripping with contempt. "You know how many Saiyans, when they lived, thought what you are is the Legend? When they should've been revering the green light rather than the golden facade anyone with enough strength can achieve."
Cumber roared in response, the sound more pained than threatening now.
"Can't even speak?" Broly taunted. "How pathetic."
He launched himself upward, delivering a spinning kick to Cumber's jaw that sent the Oozaru crashing to the ground. The impact shook Hell itself, creating a crater half a mile wide.
"He's enjoying this," Piccolo noted, his expression grim. "Not just the victory, but the suffering he's causing."
"Of course he is," Paragus said quietly. "The Legendary Super Saiyan isn't just about power – it's about rage. Pure, unfiltered rage given form."
As if to illustrate the point, Broly landed atop Cumber's chest, driving both feet into the Oozaru's sternum. Bones cracked audibly as Cumber howled in pain. Broly laughed, the sound chilling in its genuine delight.
"I think I'll take a trophy," he announced, grabbing one of Cumber's fangs and wrenching it from the Oozaru's mouth with a spray of blood.
The Golden Oozaru thrashed beneath him, trying desperately to dislodge his tormentor. Broly allowed himself to be thrown off, flipping gracefully through the air before landing some distance away. He examined the massive fang in his hand, turning it this way and that as if admiring a fine piece of art.
"Maybe I'll make a necklace," he mused as he grabbed his chin in a thoughtful expression. "Something to remember our time together. Hmm... I do suppose it is too big."
Cumber struggled to his feet, swaying unsteadily. Blood poured from his mouth where the fang had been ripped away. His red eyes, once burning with rage, now held a hint of fear.
"Oh? Not giving up yet?" Broly asked, feigning surprise. "Good. I'm not finished with you."
He tossed the fang aside and cracked his knuckles. His aura flared brighter, casting emerald light across the ruined landscape of Hell.
"You know what's interesting?" he continued conversationally. "I don't even know why I hate you so much. I just do. It's like... instinct."
From the ship, Toji's eyes narrowed at those words. He set down his fork, suddenly more interested in the battle than his meal.
"He doesn't know it seems." he murmured.
"Know what?" Goku asked.
"About Cumber's history with the First Legend," Toji explained.
"I thought he somehow knew it instinctively with how much hate he has towards Cumber, but I suppose this is more logical. He's responding to something deeper – genetic emotional response, maybe. The ancestral hatred between the bloodlines."
Vegeta's eyes widened slightly. "Wait history with the First Legend- you mean to tell me- no besides that. You think Broly's descended from the First Legend?"
"So that's his name, Broly." Toji mused out loud, acting like he's hearing the name for the first time. "It would explain his power," Toji stated with a shrug. "And why he hates Cumber on sight."
Below, Broly had resumed his assault. He moved with terrifying speed, each blow calculated for maximum damage and humiliation. He tore at Cumber's golden fur, ripped at his ears, targeted his eyes with precise jabs.
"Dance for me, monkey!" Broly roared, laughing as Cumber howled in pain. "Show me what the great 'Hand of Evil' can do!"
'Well, It seems he's beginning to know some things about Cumber- like his title. I wonder, is the spirit of the Legendary Super Saiyan also floating through Creation like Yamoshi's?' Toji questioned to himself.
The Oozaru, driven by desperation, managed to catch Broly with a sweeping tail strike. The blow sent the Legendary Super Saiyan flying into a nearby mountain, which collapsed around him in a cloud of dust and debris.
For a moment, silence fell across the battlefield. Cumber, breathing heavily, stared at the rubble pile, waiting.
"Think that did it?" Goku asked, leaning forward for a better view.
Toji snorted. "Not a chance."
As if on cue, the rubble exploded outward. Broly emerged, brushing dust from his shoulders as if nothing had happened. His expression had darkened, the playfulness replaced by cold fury.
"You actually managed to hit me," he said, his voice dangerously quiet. "I suppose you deserve some credit for that."
He raised his hand, and a sphere of green energy formed above his palm. Unlike his earlier attacks, this orb grew rapidly, swelling to the size of a house, then a mountain.
The energy sphere continued to grow, casting an eerie green light across Hell's landscape. Cumber stared up at it, his massive body trembling.
"I think we've played enough," Broly declared. "Time to end this game."
He hurled the Omega Blaster downward. The massive sphere moved fast, bearing down on Cumber like a miniature sun.
The Golden Oozaru raised his hands in a futile attempt to catch the attack, but the energy sphere simply engulfed his massive paws, continuing its unstoppable descent.
When it struck Cumber fully, the explosion was catastrophic. A blinding flash of green light forced everyone on the ship to shield their eyes. The shockwave rocked their vessel despite its distance from the battlefield- Toji wrapped his Ki around it in a barrier to protect it.
When visibility returned, Cumber lay in a crater nearly a mile wide. His golden fur was charred black in places, blood pooling beneath his massive form.
His chest rose and fell weakly, indicating he still lived, but only barely.
Broly descended slowly, landing beside the fallen Oozaru's head. He placed his foot on Cumber's snout, pressing down just enough to cause pain without crushing the skull.
"Truly pathetic," he spat. "Is this what you amount to? A whimpering beast at my feet? You truly are a complete and utter waste of Saiyan blood."
Broly had begun circling the fallen Oozaru, occasionally prodding the massive body with his foot or delivering a casual kick to already injured areas.
"I expected more of a challenge," he complained loudly, making sure his voice carried. "The stories about the Golden Great Apes that father could salvage across the universe made you sound so dangerous, so cunning. Yet here you are, broken after just a few minutes."
He stopped at Cumber's head again, leaning down to look directly into one of the Oozaru's red eyes.
"Any last words?" Broly asked. "Or can you still not speak in that form?"
Cumber's only response was a pained groan, his massive chest heaving with labored breaths.
"I thought not," Broly sighed, straightening up. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye then."
He raised his hand, another energy sphere forming above his palm – smaller this time, but no less deadly at point-blank range.
Then something changed.
Cumber's body suddenly tensed, his back arching as he threw his head back. A roar erupted from his throat – not of pain this time, but of defiance.
He raised his massive arms toward the crimson sky of Hell, golden light beginning to emanate from his entire body.
"What's he doing?" Goku asked, pressing closer to the viewport.
The Golden Oozaru's roar intensified, the sound reverberating across Hell's landscape. The golden light surrounding him grew blindingly bright, forcing even Broly to step back, shielding his eyes.
"Is he... getting smaller?" Piccolo observed, squinting against the glare.
Indeed, Cumber's massive form was compressing, shrinking down from his towering height. The golden fur remained, but his shape was changing, becoming more humanoid. His snout receded, his proportions shifted, and his overall size decreased dramatically.
When the light finally faded, a new figure stood where the Golden Oozaru had been. Still covered in fur, but man-sized, with a humanoid face framed by long dark hair.
Red fur covered his torso like a vest, and a tail swished behind him. His eyes remained the same crimson color, but now held intelligence and malice rather than bestial rage.
Super Saiyan 4 Cumber has appeared.
Broly stared at his transformed opponent, momentarily speechless. The energy sphere above his palm flickered and died as his concentration broke.
But then his composure returned as a battle-hungry grin appeared on his face.
"Well, I suppose you still have some tricks left after all."
--------------------------
(Author note: So... Tell me, how fucked is everyone?
Does Broly stand a chance?
Would teamwork be able to stand against a Super Saiyan 4 Cumber?
Has Freeza's training with King Cold and Gohan amounted to anything?
Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z - The Legendary Super Human!
(That was my 2nd thought title for this fic.))