Part 11, Chapter 4: Frozen in Fear

Alright! Just keep heading in that direction!

...

That's the way, onwards and upwards! Oh, hang on a minute! You're veering to the left. Adjust course. I repeat, adjust course!

Right, got it!

(He's not leaving a single detail to chance...)

(He must've had his hands full trying to keep Master in check. Poor guy...)

You made it! If only Shallot listened to my instructions like you do, all of our journeys could be this smooth!

Ha ha. Yeah...

Hey, Jaco, are you sure this is the right place?

It certainly looks like it's seen better days. But that's true of a lot of places on Earth now...

I don't know if I'll ever get used to seeing sights like this.

...?! But that's not all... This town is surprisingly cold!

That doesn't make any sense. Based on its location, there's no way it could be that cold.

A-Ahhhh!!

W-Who's that?!

These guys are from...the Frieza Force?!

W-Woah! Who the hell are you?!

Uhhh... I was just...

Never mind! Just get out the way!! W-We gotta scram or we're all dead!!

D-Dead?! What are you talking about?! What's going on here?!

I told you to get out the way!!

If you're not gonna move, we'll just have to make you, dammit!!

H-Hold up! Let's talk this through!

Ueeghhhhh?!

Where did they all come from?! One after another... I thought they'd never stop!!

Something real bad must be going on in this town for all these Frieza Force guys to be running scared!

I'd say so! These guys were fleeing for their lives before you kicked their butts.

Don't say it like that, I didn't have a choice! I even said we should talk things through!

A-Anyway...! Have you guys managed to calm down a little?

Yeah...! We weren't thinking straight before...

But this place is still dangerous! We really don't have time to chat!

You're an Earthling, right? And a strong one at that...

But let me tell you, an Earthling doesn't stand a chance against him!

H-Him?

The less we say, the better. We just gotta focus on getting as far away from here as possible!

This guy's not an Earthling, he's a Saiyan. Although I guess without a tail it's hard to tell the difference.

No way... So you're a tailless Saiyan, just like the Bosses?

I am! So maybe I can help you out!

Wait... Boss...es?

They're holding him off while we make our escape, but...I just don't see how they can beat him...!

I'm begging you! If you're really a Saiyan, please save them!

They took us in when we had nowhere else to go!

I'm not proud to be asking this of someone we just met, but please... There's nothing else we can do to help them!

Dammit! I miss the days when the names "Powerful Navel" and "Speedy Ramon" sent shivers down people's spines!!

Those nicknames really don't suit you two that much...

In any case...!

Cabba, the Saiyans in this town, the ones these guys call their "Bosses", do you think...?

I do. I'm gonna head over there and check it out!!

Ughhh...!

Despicable. How could you dream of defeating me with such pathetic strength?!

D...Damn...it...!

C-Caulifla!

Challenging me was foolish...and I despise fools.

You may have created an opportunity for those weaklings to escape, but they are living on borrowed time.

You're really messing with my energy gathering though. Do you realize how inefficient it will be to hunt them down one by one?

You'd be wise not to interfere any further!

Stop running your mouth!! Their lives are under my protection... I'll die defending them!!

Tch! Under your protection, you say? Why waste your time with those brain-dead apes?

Oh, I see... You're the chief ape, aren't you?! Fwah ha ha!

Who are you calling...

...an ape?!

Ngh!!

Hya ha ha! I see that what you lack in brains you more than make up for with energy...

N-No way?! It barely left a scratch!

I'm going to beat every last drop of energy out of you! Only then will I allow you to die!!

Grrr!!

Caulifla, no!!

I won't let you hurt her!!

Huh?

K-Kale! Get out of here! He's too strong for you!

Play time is over!

It's time for you to cool off!!

Kyaaa?!

KALE!!

W-What happened?! C-Caulifla?!

...Curses! It pains me to see such a good source of energy go to waste...!

This is why I hate fighting do-gooders! To think she'd trade her life to extend yours for just a brief moment...!

This is all your fault! Didn't you hear what I said to the other one?!

...I said not to interfere!!

Hyaaa?!

*cough* *splutter*

...One strike and you're already on the brink of death? I have no use for such a fragile punching bag.

Why she would die to save such a worthless being is beyond me.

Urghhh....

Enough of your groaning! Begone!!

N...No...!

Haaa!!

What now...?!

W-Was that...?!

C-Cabba!!

...

Cabba?! What are you doing here?!

I've been looking for you two...!

I'm sorry... I should've been here sooner.

Well, well, you look like you've got some fight in you!

You're the one who did this to Caulifla, aren't you?!

Nothing gets past you... But what of it? Have you come to avenge her?!

In that case, be my guest! I welcome anyone who's kind enough to deliver their energy straight to me. Hya ha ha!

(If this guy's after energy, then he must be working for Zahha...!)

Kale...! Get yourself to someplace safe...

B-But...

I'll take it from here!!

I hate to see her go... The weak make such good shields, you know.

But still, do you think you're being considerate, taking me on one-on-one? You're just as naive as the rest of them...

And I've had just about enough of this...!

Naive...? We'll see about that!!

Haaaaa!!

Hng...?!

Cabba's...amazing...!

...

I must say...you've surprised me, kid! I didn't think you'd last this long...!

It's time you stopped playing around! There's no way you could've defeated Caulifla if this was your full strength!

...

Fwa ha ha ha! You're quite perceptive. But you're right. It's about time I got serious...

...Starting now!!

...!!!

...?!

(O-Oh no...! He's aiming straight for Caulifla!)

N-Noooo...!!

Stoooooppp!!

Gyaaaaa?!

Kale!!

Yes...! Yes! Just as I expected! That foolish woman chose to throw her own life away to protect a frozen statue...!

Quite a sight, isn't it? Almost enough to make you let your guard down...

Gya?!

Hmph...! This is how you win on the battlefield. Not through gallantry and honor, but by exploiting your enemy's weakness.

And yours, boy, is your naivete! Hya ha ha!!

You're despicable...! How can you call yourself a fighter while resorting to these dirty tricks?!

Ha! In a fight, there are no tricks. There is no honorable way...

In battle there are only winners and losers.

You...!!

Say, what do you suppose will happen if I send another attack her way?

No...!

Without her "shield" to defend her, it'll be a direct hit. How many pieces do you think she'll shatter into? He he he...

Y-You wouldn't...!!

Oh, but I would. Don't you see...?

I have the upper hand now!!

Now that we've had a breather, let's pick up where we left off!

Come on, no holding back. Give it your best shot...! Or was that your all? Huh?

D-Dammit!!

Well done, but I'm still alive and kicking.

Y-You...!!

Fwah ha ha... You can't bring yourself to attack, can you?!

Now do you see? This is the art of battle. And now that I've proven my point...

It is time to win!!

Gwaaaah?!

Ur...Urghh...

C...Cabba!

(Cabba's not...gonna last...much longer... I gotta...do something...but...)

K-Kale! Get out of here! He's too strong for you!

(What if I just...get in the way again... Because of me, Caulifla is...)

KALE!!

W-What happened?! C-Caulifla?!

*sob* *sob*

...If Caulifla could still fight, maybe she and Cabba could beat this guy together...

...I-It's all my fault...

If only I had listened, things never would've gotten this bad...!

*sob* *sob*

I'm useless...

Useless...!

Useless!!

Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!

Huh?!

(W-What the?! That Ki! Where's it coming from...?!)

Wrooooahhh!!

Hyaa?!

W-What?!

Whose attack was that?!

Grrrr!!

K-Kale...?!

(It's gotta be Kale... But I've never seen anything like this!!)

Move!

Uhh?

I said MOVE!!

Gyaaaa?!

I-It can't be!

Wroahhhh!! You're dead!!

Daaaa!!

Uggghhh!!

You hurt Caulifla...!! I'll kill you!!

I'LL KILL YOU!!

W-What's happening?! This girl... How much power has she been hiding?!

Gaaa!!

Hyaaa?!

Wroooooah!!!

Gyaaaa?!

*cough* *splutter* I-I don't...believe it...

Haaa!!

Ugh...!

Jeez, I had no idea Kale was so powerful!

(Things are starting to look bad though! It's like she can't tell friend from foe...)

Gaaa!!!

K-Kale?!

Grrr!!

Calm down!! You did it, you took him down!!

If we get Caulifla someplace safe and let her thaw out, I'm sure she'll be fi...

Don't touch her!!

!!

Don't you dare touch her!!

Ugh...wait!!

Aghhh?!

Must kill...anyone who... hurts Caulifla...!! Kill them...kill them all!!

Get out of my sight!!

H-Hold on a sec! Kale!!

Aaaaah!!

Ughh! She's so strong!!

Kale, I'm begging you, calm down! I'm on your side!!

It's over, you won!! Please, you've got to put an end to this...

...She's won nothing yet!

...?!

Urghhhh?!

?!

You're mine!!

Uggh?! Gyahhh?! Arghhhhh!!

*pant* *pant* ...I must say...! You've caused me quite a bit of trouble today!

Y-You should be...dead!

As if I could be killed so easily! Although I'll admit that girl did surpass my expectations...

Right then...Kale, was it? I'll have to take back what I said about you being worthless.

To think you possessed such a vast wealth of energy...! If anything, I should be thanking you!!

Wh...What're you going to do with her?!

Gyah ha ha! I'd be risking serious injury or worse by trying to fight that girl one-on-one.

So I'll be taking her somewhere more suitable... Somewhere I can extract all her energy, one strike at a time!!

A-As if...As if I'd let you get away with th...

Shaaa!!

Hngghh?!

You never learn! Look at yourself! You can barely stand, let alone fight!

Well then, the energy from this girl should be plenty for now...

I guess my business here is over.

U-Urghh... S...Stop!

...You really don't know what's good for you, do you? Can't you see I'm sparing you your life?

You ought to be grateful... To Kale that is! After all, it'll be her taking the beating of a lifetime instead of you!! Kya ha!!

Grrr!

Let...her...go!!

?!

W-What was that? Where did that voice come from?!

W-What was that? Where did that voice come from?!

Who are you?! Show yourself!!

That voice...but...

...You haven't...beaten me...yet...!!

Now what...do you think...

...you're doing...with my Kale?!

Get off of her!! Wraaaaghhh!!!

C-Caulifla?!

I-It can't be?! There's no way such a weakling could break free from my ice!!

Who are you calling "weakling"?! I ain't some kind of pushover!

As if I'd let scum like you take away my Kale!!

Don't you dare touch her again!!

Gyaaaa?!

N-No way?!

Ughhh!! ...H-Her power level is out of control...!!

(S-She's broken through her own limits with nothing but rage...!!)

Hmmmm...!

Impressive! Killing you like this would be no simple task... I'll be taking my leave.

You aren't going anywhere!!

I'm not done with you yet!!

Nghh!!!

Gaaaa!

Y...You're mine now!!

Arghhh?! Get off me!!

I told you I was leaving...!! But I won't be going empty-handed!!

I-Is that a...portal?!

If nothing else, I'll at least take your energy!!

You can't do this! Stop!!

N-Nooo!! Let me go!!

(I-I overestimated myself...)

(Cabba! I'm sorry, but I've got no one else to turn to...)

(Look out for Kale... She'll need you!!)

C-Caulifla...?!

Cauliflaaa!!

W-W-What happened?!

Jaco! W-Where...Where did they go?!

I-I can't be sure...but I think that portal leads to...Zahha's hideout!!

Are you serious?! If that's true, then...!

That's right... Once you end up there, there's no coming back...!

...Caulifla!!

This isn't good! What do we do? What do we do...?!