Red Lightning, Moonlight, and Fury

Vegeta's boot dragged a trench in the ground as he skidded back, skidding to a stop, panting, armor scorched.

Across the battlefield, Goku hovered above the smoking terrain, wrapped in a crimson storm.

Kai watched from a shattered cliffside, arms folded, eyes narrowed. His shirt fluttered in the aftershocks. Every gust of wind carried power. Every exchange between Goku and Vegeta screamed danger.

'This is it. The Kaioken gamble. And Vegeta's still got the moon trick in his back pocket.'

Sure enough…

Vegeta sneered, lifted a single palm to the sky, and began charging an orb.

Kai didn't blink.

'There it is. Blutz Wave Ball. Create your own full moon, cheat the biology, go full King Kong. You're so predictable it hurts.'

The sphere launched upward and detonated in midair, flooding the battlefield with artificial moonlight.

Goku shielded his eyes, backing up. "No—!"

Vegeta howled.

His body contorted — bones cracking, flesh stretching, fur sprouting. A tower of muscle and rage eclipsed the stars. His Ki exploded outward like a bomb.

The Great Ape Vegeta stood tall, eyes glowing with primal fury.

"Crap," Krillin whispered from a nearby hill. "He's huge…"

"Ten times stronger," Piccolo muttered. "That's what Saiyans become under a full moon."

Kai didn't move.

'Tenfold. Which means his base power was close to 18,000... now he's pushing 180,000. If Goku doesn't jump to Kaioken x3 or x4 right now… he's done.'

Goku's eyes flared red.

"KAIOKEN… TIMES THREE!"

His aura ignited again — wild and alive — and he rocketed forward.

He clashed with the ape midair.

Vegeta's fist swung like a wrecking ball. Goku ducked, flipped, and uppercutted with enough force to knock the beast back a step. Just one.

But it was enough.

Goku launched upward, gathered his energy, and cupped his hands.

Kai leaned forward.

'Here it comes.'

"KAMEHAMEHAAAA!!"

The sky screamed.

The beam tore downward — blazing with pure, focused Ki.

And then — in the smoke — a purple glow.

"GALICK GUN!!"

Vegeta's counterbeam roared up to meet Goku's attack.

The two blasts collided midair — blue versus violet — erupting in a hurricane of light.

The clash shook the heavens.

Kai squinted against the glow.

'There it is. The legendary beam struggle. Power vs. pride. And Goku's at his limit.'

Goku roared. "KAIOKEN TIMES FOUR!!"

His aura exploded — red lightning ripping through the sky — and his beam surged forward.

Vegeta gritted his fangs, bracing, but it was too much.

The Kamehameha overwhelmed him, slammed into his chest, and detonated in a cascade of fire.

The ape staggered. Dropped to one knee. Smoke rolled from his chest.

Kai exhaled through his nose.

'Still not enough.'

Vegeta rose, burned but furious, and slammed his fist into the ground, sending shockwaves in every direction. He began stomping toward Goku — slower now, but deadly.

The others didn't wait.

Piccolo, Krillin, and Gohan launched in.

"Distract him!" Piccolo yelled. "We need a clean shot at his tail!"

Krillin flew low, firing blasts at the ape's ankles. Gohan darted through rubble, launching a wild blast to his jaw.

Vegeta swatted at them like flies.

Piccolo flanked behind — aimed, charged — and blasted the base of Vegeta's tail.

It missed.

Vegeta turned — eyes burning.

But that's when Kai moved.

Not fast. Not flashy. Just suddenly there.

He crouched low, hands glowing — then surged upward like a blade of light.

His strike was clean. Precise.

Vegeta roared in agony.

The tail dropped to the ground — twitching.

The Great Ape collapsed — shrinking, shrinking — until Vegeta lay bruised and beaten in a crater, panting, spitting blood, his armor shattered.

Kai stepped back, brushing his gloves.

Goku coughed nearby, supported by Gohan and Krillin.

Piccolo lowered his hands. "We… we won?"

"Barely," Gohan muttered.

Vegeta staggered to his feet, every movement trembling.

Kai stepped between him and the others.

"Don't," he said calmly.

Vegeta glared, one eye swollen. "You think you've won? This isn't over. I'll come back stronger. Stronger than any of you."

Kai said nothing. Just looked at him.

'That's what you always do, Prince. And next time… I might not let you leave.'

Vegeta crawled into his pod, blood trailing behind him.

Goku raised a hand weakly. "Let him go…"

"No objections here," Kai said. "I'm not carrying that guy to jail."

The pod launched. Vegeta vanished into the stars.

And the battlefield went quiet.