Too Much Power?

The Risk of Kaio-ken Times Three

Goku weighs the consequences of tripling the Kaio-ken. His body is already battered, and King Kai explicitly warned him never to exceed double power. Vegeta, growing impatient, shouts at him to stop stalling. As the Saiyan prince boasts about being the strongest warrior among all Saiyans, Goku decides he has no choice. Losing at this level is guaranteed, so the risk is worth taking. Yajirobe, still hiding nearby, briefly considers running but freezes when he notices Goku's energy spiking.

The Power Surge

Goku screams for his body to hold together and unleashes Kaio-ken times three. Far away on his small planet, King Kai senses the escalation and panics, unable to believe Goku would push past the safe threshold. At Kame House, Bulma monitors the fight using Raditz's old scouter. The readings climb wildly: 17,000, 19,000, 21,000. Then the device explodes, unable to register anything higher.

Goku Takes Control

With the tripled Kaio-ken surging through him, Goku becomes the dominant force on the battlefield. His aura crackles with violent energy, warping the air and ground around him. He rockets toward Vegeta and drives a devastating punch into the prince's face, launching him through the sky. Before Vegeta can recover, Goku dives beneath him and attacks from below. Vegeta barely catches himself and fires a blast in desperation, but Goku swerves around it and kicks Vegeta straight through a massive rock formation.

Vegeta Crumbles

Vegeta bursts from the rubble in a frenzy, swinging wildly, but Goku leaps over the attack with ease. Goku strikes from behind with a knee to Vegeta's spine, sending him skyward. The prince charges back down in a rage, but Goku ducks beneath the assault and buries a fist deep into Vegeta's stomach. Vegeta doubles over, coughing up blood. Goku powers down from the Kaio-ken, his body aching from the strain. He acknowledges Vegeta's toughness, while Vegeta stands in disbelief that a low-class warrior has surpassed his battle power. Yajirobe begins to think Goku might actually win.