DB Multiverse

The monstrosity of a king wasn't impressed for long by the astonishing appearance of the gargantuan silouette. Hoarsely howling, fueled by the rage of having allowed himself to be deceived by doubt even for a moment, Cold swiftly charged his right hand with energy to unleash a blast full of rage upon the enormous figure behind which the sun was hidden.

In an instant, the image of the colossal Namekian dematerialized to allow the beam to continue its route towards the heavens. Deprived of a scouter, it was nervously that Freeza's father spun in head around in every direction to detect his foe upon his reappearance. He thought he was beginning to lose it: it wasn't one, but two Giant Namekians that stood around him, then three, then four, five… he quickly found himself surrounded by an unreal chain of Namekian behemoths whose heads met to hide the view of the sun.

— "You son of a bitch! Don't think for a second you scare me!" shouted the alien, suddenly forgetting about the object of his vengeance which he let release unto the ground like a vulgar sack of potatoes to take off into a few feet above it.

The blasts of energy flew in every direction at alarming speed! Each hit their respective targets faster than anyone could have seen them leave their source. In an beautiful ensemble, virtually all of the horned giants disappeared. That's right. "Virtually", save for one carrying both a shoulder stained in purple blood in his hand and a grimace of agony. While he did manage to avoid death by moving to the side in order to dodge, Cold's promptitude had him beaten in speed. It was impossible not to be hit!

An energy blast rung in the back of the tyrant who spun towards its source with an expression of rage. Who dared interrupt him again?

For a short moment, he was staggered in surprise.

The three-eyed warrior, whose arms he perfectly remembered having shattered himself, was staring him down at a distance… Completely recovered! How was this even possible?

His gaze had begun to shift in the direction of the gigantic Namekian, but the huge figure no longer barred the horizion… and either way, before he could complete his rotation, a voice called for him:

— "Right here!"

Then another:

— "Over here!"

Then another yet:

— "Behind you!"

Cold thought he was seeing double… or rather quadruple!

It wasn't simply THE three-eyed warrior that defiantly stood before him, but four of them! Four brothers? It couldn't possibly be otherwise. These clones were too far apart to be the mere afterimages the Namekian employed in a vain attempt to confuse him. How foolish of that green giant, for that matter! How could he think that King Cold of all foes, the strongest, the fastest of all, the lord over many galaxies, wouldn't know of such a simple parlor trick used by the desperate to stall the inevitable?

While we're at it, why not have a little fun for a bit?

The alien's horrifying figure vanished for a split-second in an evasive hiss, only to reappear under the nose, no… under the multiple noses of Tenshinhan A collective chain of Colds seemed to shine in a mad circle, each apparition carrying a cruel, mocking grin.

— "What are you waiting for? I thought your arms had healed. Do try hitting me if you think yourself capable of that!" the doppelgangers dared in unison before going off in thunderous laughter full of arrogance.

While he was right next to Goku, Kulilin hadn't yet the time to crouch to his improvised bedside. He had to admit that in spite of the repeated injunctions of a Namekian carrying a deathstare, he had to take every precaution necessary to make his progress. He knew full-well the monster had him outmatched in speed, let alone just about in everything else, and he didn't want to end up, at best, impaled or, at worst, disintegrated by the newly transformed piston. Just look at him! Thankfully, these demons had more pride than brain! How idiotic do you have to be to not eliminate a threat where it stands, but instead mock it? Piccolo's prediction had indeed paid off. The element of surprise, the tyrant's lack of knowledge in regards to some techniques, his misplaced arrogance, almost everything was marvelously coming together!

Kulilin was suddenly under the horrifying impression that one of the doppelgangers had spotted him. Phew… apparently not.

— "What are you doing, just standing there idly like an idiot? Waiting for us to all die?!"

The deep and lashing voice of the tall Namekian suddenly shook the little bald man from his doubt. Within a blink of an eye, he was suddenly crouch. Under a split second, another howl, even fiercer than the last, took him by surprise, so much so he felt as though he were being electrocuted:

— "Don't you dare even lay a finger on him!"

One of the visual clones took the time to raise its arm to release a beam just as thin as the index finger it had left. Fortunately, at the same time, and iconic sound rung:

— "KIKŌHŌ!"

A large rectangular blast hit the monarch who was now frantically seeking out the insolent cur that cowardly struck him while his back was turned.

The searched was quickly resolved. Three of the buffoons wearing that awful third eye upon their foreheads had disappeared, and only the one who had the balls to remain still had his fingers joint in a triangular fashion as thick beads of sweat trickled down his vulgar skin purple with fear. Nevertheless, said buffoons had unreal luck hitting the right target! Even the most efficient of scouters could not distinguish real from fake at such speed.

However, it wasn't fear as the King believed that made Tenshinhan sweat as much as he did, but it was the sheer effort and concentration required for his trademark technique. Calling his clones back as quickly as possible to arm his Kikohō and release it all under light speed required much of his energy. Even having trained for such events, putting it into practice in a real battle was far more intense… especially when faced with monster of this caliber. The chances of coming out of this battle victorious weren't slim, there were simply non-existent! Just as those of surviving are…

Powerless, he simply allowed the behemoth to swirl a serpentine tongue carrying an unbearable stench right under his nose. Tenshinhan hardly had the time to feel the nausea twist his stomach inside out before another snake came wrapping itself around his right ankle. He couldn't do a thing against the power the tail alone possessed, sending him crashing against a mound that remained of the landscape at blinding speed. No matter… it was indeed painful, but no injury beyond measure was sustained.

Shit! He's going for Kulilin!

Of course! The only reason Cold only gave Tenshinhan so much attention in spite of the affront he'd inflicted upon him was because he had greater business to attend to.

That piece of crap was likely saving the pleasure of torturing him for later. For after he's stopped Kulilin from saving Goku. Damn it! What was that idiotic turtle waiting for to just give the senzu to the Saiyan, anyway?!

The magical bean of Master Karin felt like it was burning the skin of his hands! Cold had just finished shoving the poor Tenshinhan to the side, and Kulilin was saying to himself he's definitely seen better days, shaking under the inhuman leer of the monstrous alien who was staring him down, obviously malcontent. The memory of what Freeza had made him suffer, not once, but twice had the heart of Son Goku's best friend frantically pulsing. It is with his blurred sens of hearing by the abrupt rise in tension that he heard resonate two first syllables to a very familiar word.

Within the blur, a small figure came in between the living nightmare and himself…

— "HAAAAAAAAA!" resounded, and the incarnation of terror had to back up a few steps under the unexpected pressure of a powerful flux of energy taken directly to the face.

A tall figure shoved to the side the little man who still hadn't found the strength to react. Already Piccolo bent to pick the warrior on the verge of unconsciousness by the head.

— "Stupid Saiyan… Now's not the time to be thinking about stuffing your face!"

As everyone else, he was speechless.

What was happening now?!

Cold, who was already holding little Gohan by the throat in his murderous hands, and Gohan himself, who was nevertheless in immediate danger of death. Tenshinhan, too, stopped dead in his tracks before he could come to the rescue of the child warrior, and as for Kuililin…

A prolonged howl kneaded with hatred, with hatred and despair that painfully shrouded the sound of several sparks of lightning that crackled unto the vast region, a formidable storm having seemingly come out of nowhere. Up there, in the middle of the black clouds that stirred at unnatural speed under winds electrified with pure ki, a distant figure had just joint the back of it hands together right in front of itself. Fleeting, but several nonetheless flashes of electric light marked the concentration of energy that was brewing within those stretched arms.

Hovering above the product of the storm caused by his anger, the voice of Vegeta sounded:

— "You're gonna fucking bite the dust, you pathetic excuse for a king! Killed like your son by a Saiyan! I may not have the power to destroy you, but you won't escape this planet's explosion!"