Raditz spotted the fruit of the Tree of Might. If Turles got his hands on it, the consequences would be devastating! Earth's soil was rich in nutrients, making the Tree grown here far superior to those on desolate planets. Even consuming a single fruit would grant extraordinary power.
He couldn't let Turles succeed! With his body already at its limit, Raditz pushed himself to maximum speed, ignoring the searing pain that shot through his muscles. Goku also noticed Turles's objective and accelerated, his body surrounded by red energy. Turles likewise sprang into action, his eyes bloodshot as he launched himself forward!
The three Saiyans exploded into motion almost simultaneously, racing toward the same goal! "BOOM!"
A tremendous impact echoed across the battlefield as tree debris scattered in all directions. Massive, solid roots splintered and gave way as dust filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision.
Raditz emerged from the dust cloud first.
"Did we fail?" He stood at a distance, breathing heavily. He had pushed himself to use Quadruple Kaio-ken, exceeding his body's current limitations and drastically depleting his remaining strength.
Goku appeared next, waving away the smoke as he dropped to one knee. He too was exhausted, sweat pouring down his face. "I hit Turles," he managed between breaths.
Goku had slammed into Turles with full force, sending him crashing through several tree sections and creating the devastation before them. With the power Goku had put behind that blow, it should have been enough to break several of Turles's bones!
"No... look there."
Raditz pointed to the empty branch above them. Nothing remained.
Despite suffering a powerful blow from Goku, Turles had achieved his goal.
Letting him consume the fruit was the worst possible outcome! Raditz felt a cold dread spreading through him. The very thing he had feared most had happened—the situation had just become dire!
"Goku, give me a Senzu Bean. He's cheating, so we need to level the playing field."
"Now?"
"Don't worry about that. Keep one for yourself, and give one to Vegeta too." Raditz glanced at Vegeta's prone form and made a decision to trust him. "Then we need to secure any remaining fruit on the Tree!"
"How powerful is that fruit?" Goku tossed a Senzu Bean to his brother.
"Very powerful. Beyond your imagination!"
Raditz caught the bean and emphasized his point with solemn intensity. He wanted to comment that Earth itself was the true source of power—everything here seemed to reach its ultimate potential. Otherwise, none of this would be happening.
Their brief exchange was interrupted by a burst of laughter—arrogant and triumphant. The sound cut through the smoke, making their very bones ache as the air itself seemed to tremble.
Raditz couldn't help feeling suffocated by the overwhelming aura now radiating from their enemy. His chest tightened, and his expression changed dramatically. The fruit grown from Earth's energy had indeed provided an unbelievable boost to Turles's power.
Turles approached slowly, as casually as if taking a leisurely stroll, a mocking smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Kakarot, you managed to land a blow on me! And you, Raditz, and Vegeta over there—since you refuse to join me, I'll have to send you all to hell! What prince, what elite warriors—you're nothing compared to me, Turles!"
Raditz laughed.
"Why are you laughing?"
"In my opinion, you're the most pathetic villain I've ever faced. Relying on the Tree of Might's fruit to enhance your strength is hardly impressive. You feared our power so much that you wouldn't even show yourself until you'd created an artificial moon to drain our energy. Then you sneak-attacked Piccolo, stole the fruit like a coward to boost your power, and now you strut around showing off?"
Raditz gave Goku a subtle signal while approaching Turles step by step. "Do you know the difference between you and Vegeta? You lack the pride of a true Saiyan."
"You—!" The corner of Turles's mouth twitched as rage consumed him.
At that moment, Raditz shouted, "Goku, now!"
Goku immediately understood Raditz's plan and rushed toward Vegeta. He had already taken out one of his Senzu Beans, ready to give it to the wounded prince.
Turles was momentarily confused. Though he didn't know exactly what they were planning, he knew he needed to stop Goku. He fired several energy blasts with one hand to block Goku's path, then launched himself forward to intercept.
"SNAP!"
A hand suddenly seized Turles's ankle with tremendous force, halting his pursuit.
Turles, who had been moving at high speed, froze. Looking back in fury, he snarled, "Raditz, I'll start with you!" As he shouted, he plummeted downward like a meteor striking Earth, creating a sonic boom around him.
Raditz felt a crushing force bearing down on his body, nearly flattening him. Without the slightest hesitation, he released his grip and attempted to escape.
RUMBLE!
Countless stones on the ground shattered into fragments, then pulverized into dust that was swept away by the resulting air currents. The impact of Turles's landing was only slightly less destructive than a Great Ape's stomp, creating a crater more than ten feet deep. Raditz couldn't escape completely and was caught by the shockwave, collapsing to the ground with his limbs limp.
Just one attack, and the devastation was terrifying.
"I'll give you the proper send-off." Turles raised his hand, fingers spread wide as energy gathered in his palm, condensing into a glowing sphere. This blow aimed at Raditz would be no mere demonstration.
But there was a smile tugging at Raditz's lips.
Two figures reflected in his eyes: Vegeta and Goku. At the critical moment, both had consumed their Senzu Beans and recovered completely! Goku immediately activated Quadruple Kaio-ken, positioning himself in front of Vegeta as explosions of red energy surged toward Turles. The scouter reading jumped dramatically—both warriors' power levels had increased significantly!
"Bastards!" Turles whirled around, releasing the energy from his palm. A pink wave rushed forward like a tidal surge.
Goku and Vegeta's expressions turned serious. They didn't dare face the attack head-on, splitting up to dodge the blast.
Seizing this opportunity, Raditz, who could barely stand, placed the Senzu Bean in his mouth. When it came to game-changing advantages, the Tree of Might's fruit was one, but the Senzu Bean was another. The magical ability to instantly restore health, combined with the Saiyans' natural growth after recovering from near-death experiences, created a perfect synergy!
Raditz had used himself as bait. First, it allowed Goku and Vegeta to recover. Second, it pushed him to the brink of death, creating an opportunity for a comeback!
The moment the Senzu Bean took effect, Raditz felt warm, healing energy permeate his entire body—like soaking in hot water after an exhausting day. Suddenly, he was filled with strength! His wounds healed, his energy replenished, even his spirit rejuvenated—and his fighting power increased dramatically!
Turles turned his back on Raditz as his scouter beeped frantically before settling on a new reading: "40,000"!
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