The Worn-Out Warriors

Pride Over Pain

Vegeta stands amid the wreckage of Gizard Wasteland, battered from the Spirit Bomb yet seething with fury. His physical injuries are severe, but what burns far deeper is the wound to his pride. He, an elite Saiyan warrior, has been pushed to his limits by a group of low-class fighters. He releases a violent burst of his remaining energy in all directions, yet somehow all four of his opponents survive the blast. Goku lies broken and immobile, Krillin is barely conscious, Yajirobe is cowering, and Gohan is face-down in the dirt. None of them can mount a serious counterattack.

The Tail Returns

Vegeta stalks toward Gohan to finish him off, but he stops cold when he notices something alarming: Gohan's Saiyan tail has grown back. The artificial moon Vegeta created earlier still hangs in the sky, and a Saiyan with a tail under that light can transform into a Great Ape. Vegeta understands the danger immediately and lunges forward to rip the tail off before the transformation can begin.

Yajirobe Strikes Again

Before Vegeta can reach the tail, Yajirobe musters his courage one last time and leaps out from behind cover. His katana slashes across Vegeta's back, cutting through what remains of the Saiyan's battle armor and drawing blood. The wound is not deep enough to be fatal, but it buys precious seconds. Vegeta whips around, enraged beyond reason, and delivers a savage flurry of kicks that sends Yajirobe crashing into a pile of rocks. With Yajirobe dispatched, Vegeta turns back toward Gohan to tear out the tail before it is too late. But Gohan is already gazing upward at the sky. His body begins to swell and shift, fur sprouting across his skin, as the Great Ape transformation takes hold.