cornbringer

Dragon Ball Z: The Beast Within - CH21

Added 2025-03-04 03:31:51 +0000 UTC

[Escarot POV] The sky darkened. As I watched as Slug’s warship descended toward Namek, its massive figure cutting through the sky like a

[Escarot POV]

The sky darkened.

As I watched as Slug’s warship descended toward Namek, its massive figure cutting through the sky like a blade. The engines roared, shaking the ground beneath me as the behemoth of a ship slowed its descent, casting a shadow over the landscape.

And I was alone.

Nail had retreated to protect his people, pulling back to defend the villages from whatever forces Slug still had left. More than that, he was preparing a backup plan in case I failed.

He hadn’t told me what plan B was.

But I had a pretty good guess.

Fusion.

The Namekians had a trick—assimilation. This was a last resort kind of thing, and I wasn’t sure if he was considering it… but if he was, then it meant he knew just how outclassed we were.

Which, yeah… I wasn’t going to argue with.

Slug was on a completely different level from the rest of his goons. His ki was suffocating, pressing down on the planet like a storm that hadn’t yet broken.

I swallowed down the rush of excitement that bubbled up at the thought.

This was it.

No more waiting. No more training.

The fight was here. And it was do or die.

The warship landed with a deep boom, sending dust and debris scattering in every direction. The ground trembled under its weight. I could hear the hum of the machinery, the hiss of vents releasing steam, the whine of doors preparing to open.

I didn’t wait.

I couldn’t afford to.

This wasn’t a fight where I could test the waters. This wasn’t an opponent I could gauge before going all in. Slug wasn’t an idiot. He’d take one look at me and kill me outright if I wasn’t at my absolute best from the start.

Which meant I had to go all in. Immediately.

I exhaled sharply, raising my hand to the sky as a small orb of ki flickered to life, glowing pale white against the darkened sky. I clenched my fist, forming it, refining it, letting it grow until the sphere pulsed with the artificial type energy I need.

Ready to mix with the atmosphere, I launched it upward.

It soared high, hovering like a fourth sun on Namek’s, casting an eerie glow over the area. My heartbeat quickened, instincts surging forward as my body began to change.

My pupils shrank.

Then—

A primal roar ripped from my throat as my muscles bulged, my bones shifted, and fur spread across my skin.

Power surged through me.

Raw, untamed, angry, overwhelming power.

I threw my head back, roaring at the artificial moon as my transformation completed, my body now towering over the landscape, my vision sharpened, instincts screaming at me to fight, to destroy, to kill!

I clenched my massive fists, feeling the ground crack beneath my sheer weight.

Slug was strong.

But now?

So was I.

And I was going to tear him apart. Or die trying.

————————————————————

[Third Person POV - Slug]

The ramp of the warship lowered with a heavy metallic clang, releasing a hiss of pressurized air as steam curled from the vents.

And then, he stepped out.

Lord Slug.

The ancient evil of Namek. The last of the Super Namek. Had returned.

His boots met the soil of his long-lost home for the first time in over a hundred years. The moment his foot touched the ground, he inhaled deeply, his sharp, aged features twisting into something between amusement and contempt.

“Home,” he muttered, voice deep and gravelly. “Hmph. I remembered it to be… smaller.”

Then, his eyes lifted—and there it was.

A great ape stood before him, fur dark as night, muscles coiled with raw, unrestrained power. Red, predatory eyes burned through the dust, locked directly onto him.

Slug’s lips curled slightly.

This wasn’t the first time he had encountered a Saiyan. He had killed a few in his time.

But it was certainly the first time he had encountered one this strong.

He could feel it; the sheer force radiating off the beast in front of him, waves of power rolling through Namek, shaking the ground with every breath it took.

And yet… Slug wasn’t worried.

No.

If anything, he was amused.

A slow, throaty chuckle rumbled from his chest as he stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back. His old, heavy cape billowed slightly in the wind as he tilted his head, examining the creature before him.

“Interesting,” Slug mused. “So this is what King Vegeta’s whelps are capable of now?”

The Oozaru snarled in response, claws flexing, breath coming out in hot, heavy gusts. Slug could tell that the beast’s instincts screamed at it, to attack, to tear, to rip him apart with overwhelming force.

But it didn’t move.

Slug’s smirk deepened.

“Ah… You’re still in control, aren’t you?” he muttered. “How fascinating.”

Most Saiyans in this form were nothing but wild, mindless monsters. At least the ones he had met were… But this one?

This one had restraint.

Slug had to give the boy credit—whoever he was, he wasn’t an idiot. He knew better than to rush in blindly. He could feel it too.

That deep, gnawing sense of inferiority.

Even as a Great Ape, the boy knew.

He was weaker.

Slug rolled his shoulders, his joints popping slightly.

The boy had power, that much was clear. He could probably match him right now if he didn’t power up.

Like all things in this universe, compared to him. It was nothing.

Even in his old body, weighed down by the years, by the creeping rot of age, by the decline of muscle that once split mountains with a flick of his wrist—he was still superior.

Because unlike the Saiyan before him, he was holding back.

Slug had yet to show his true power.

And he wouldn’t.

Not yet.

He would play with this worm first. Just enough for everyone watching—whether it be Guru, or whatever poor fools still believed in Namek’s survival—to understand how pointless their resistance truly was.

Let them see their so-called protector struggle. Let them watch as he tore him apart, piece by piece.

Let them despair.

Slug cracked his neck once, then lifted his hand, curling a single finger.

“Come then, ape,” he said, his smirk widening. “Let’s see if you can entertain me.”

“Gladly,” The Great Ape replied, his power soaring even higher.

—————————————————————

[Escarot POV]

The second Slug motioned for me to attack, I was already moving.

Activating Surge.

Energy exploded through my body, my power skyrocketing, muscles tightening with raw force as the flow of ki surged through me at maximum output. The ground beneath my massive feet cracked apart as I launched forward, tearing across the battlefield like a bullet.

I wasn’t going to waste time.

I wasn’t going to give him a chance to react.

I attacked.

My massive fist swung forward, a black blur against the green sky— and it landed.

Slug’s head snapped sideways, his body jerking slightly from the impact. A dull, ringing boom echoed through the air from the sheer force of the punch.

But I wasn’t done.

I opened my mouth.

Deep inside my throat, I felt my energy coil, condensing into a single, overwhelming force. My body vibrated as I focused it, gathering everything into one singular point—

Then I fired.

A colossal blast of raw ki erupted from my mouth, a golden-white beam that roared across the battlefield, engulfing Slug entirely in a raging explosion of energy. The force of it shook the ground, sending shockwaves rippling outward, flattening the landscape with sheer destructive might.

The explosion roared, the sky lighting up like a miniature sun as fire and smoke consumed the area where Slug stood.

For a moment, I thought that did something.

Then—

A shadow moved.

My eyes widened.

From within the smoke, a green fist shot forward.

CRACK.

My entire vision snapped sideways as a punch slammed into my jaw with the force of a meteor. My whole body twisted, thrown off balance as my own momentum was used against me.

Then—another blow.

A knee, smashing into my ribs with bone-crushing force.

Another fist to my gut.

Another to my temple.

The world blurred, pain erupting through me as Slug ripped into me like I was nothing.

He wasn’t just fast.

He wasn’t just strong.

He was precise.

Every strike was calculated. Every attack was deliberate.

He wasn’t just hitting me hard—he was hitting me in ways that hurt.

I tried to counter, swinging my arm in a wide, sweeping arc—

But he was gone.

His speed was insane. His aged body didn’t move like an old man’s. It moved like a predator.

Before I could react, I felt it—

His fingers dug into my wrist, twisting as he ripped me off the ground like I was a child’s toy.

Then—

I was flying.

The air rushed past me as Slug swung me overhead and slammed me into the ground.

BOOM.

The earth split apart beneath the impact, debris flying in every direction. My body screamed in protest, shockwaves of pain radiating through my limbs.

But I wasn’t down yet.

I snarled, forcing my legs to move—but before I could fully push myself up, a shadow loomed over me.

Slug stomped down onto my chest.

Hard.

The force of it cratered the ground, my ribs audibly groaning under the pressure.

I gasped—more from shock than pain.

He was dominating me.

Already?!

What the hell?!

Slug looked down at me, his expression unreadable. “Hmph. That little boost of yours was interesting,” he mused, pressing his foot down harder, making my body sink further into the dirt.

This didn’t make any sense. One thing was him being stronger than me, but that didn’t explain how he was throwing me around like a ragdoll, despite our size difference.

“But it’s not enough.”

Then—his hand glowed.

Bright green energy flared to life, crackling like lightning as he aimed it directly at my face.

I tensed.

He was going to blast me.

And at this range…

I didn’t know if I could dodge.

“Die,” Slug said, smiling at me.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to move

So I didn’t think—I just reacted.

Slug’s blast erupted from his palm, a blinding beam of destruction aimed directly at my head.

I threw myself sideways.

The attack missed my head—

But it didn’t miss completely.

BOOM.

A white-hot agony exploded in my right arm.

I hit the ground hard, my massive body carving a trench into the dirt as I skidded backward. Pain. Raw, burning pain ripped through me. My vision blurred, my senses screamed—

I could barely breathe.

I tried to move my right arm.

It didn’t respond.

A sharp, electric shock ran through my nerves as I realized—

My arm…

I looked down.

My right arm wasn’t gone. But it may as well have been.

The flesh was charred, bleeding, the armor melted. The entire limb twitched uncontrollably, fingers curling and spasming as the muscles inside refused to listen to me.

Useless.

I clenched my teeth, trying to will feeling back into it, but nothing happened.

Dammit.

The ground rumbled. I looked up.

Slug was already moving.

His foot rushed toward my skull in a brutal axe kick.

I rolled away.

His foot smashed into the dirt where I had been, leaving a deep crater.

I forced myself to stand, staggering slightly. My entire right side throbbed, my balance thrown off.

Slug smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Not bad.” He tilted his head slightly. “Still standing after that? Impressive. Would you like to work for me boy?”

“Eat shit,” I growled, as I shifted my stance. Lowered my center of gravity. My left hand clenched into a fist. I could still fight.

Slug chuckled. “This is entertaining, Saiyan. You’re the first fight I’ve had in decades that lasted more than a few seconds.” His eyes gleamed. “Let’s see how long you can last before you break.”

I exhaled.

I ignored the pain.

I ignored my injuries.

I ignored the fact that I was losing. Badly at that.

Because the fight wasn’t over.

Not yet.

Not while I still had a heartbeat.

I smirked. “You talk too much.” Then—I attacked.

My left fist swung, aiming straight for Slug’s face—

He dodged. Effortlessly.

His smirk widened as he leaned just out of my reach, his movements calm, controlled. He wasn’t even trying yet.

That was fine.

I wasn’t just throwing punches.

If I couldn’t overpower him, I had to outplay him.

Even with my right arm completely useless, even with my body already aching, I still had one last trick up my sleeve.

My real attack wasn’t my fist.

It was my tail.

The moment Slug shifted his weight to counter my punch, my tail snapped around like a whip, aiming for the back of his knee.

Contact.

Slug’s leg buckled.

That was my opening.

I didn’t hesitate.

My mouth snapped open, energy surging up my throat. A bright ball of ki formed between my fangs, growing, crackling, burning—

Then—

I FIRED.

A point-blank mouth blast, carrying every bit of power I could muster.

BOOM.

The explosion engulfed Slug’s upper body. The sheer force of the blast ripped through the air, the ground beneath us shattered, the shockwave sent waves rippling across the Namekian waters.

Slug disappeared into the smoke.

I staggered back, panting hard.

Did I—?

No.

I knew that wasn’t enough.

I wasn’t an idiot. Or Naive.

Even as I watched the smoke billow, even as I stood there with my chest heaving, I knew—

He was still alive.

And I had one second to react before he countered.

I wasn’t fast enough.

A hand shot through the smoke, piercing my left eye.

I barely had time to register what was happening before I was lifted off my feet, Slug’s fingers digging into my skull like a vice.

He slammed me down.

The ground CRACKED. The entire plateau shook from the impact.

Pain exploded through my skull, my vision blurring from the sheer force of the blow.

Before I could recover—

His knee crashed into my gut.

The wind was ripped from my lungs.

I gasped. Choked. My vision swam—

Then—

I felt it.

A burning energy building in front of me.

I looked up.

Slug’s palm was glowing.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

I tried to move.

I tried to dodge.

I tried to do anything.

But I wasn’t fast enough this time.

BOOM.

The world went white.

A searing, blinding pain tore through my entire body.

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t think.

I couldn’t—

I felt it before I saw it.

A gaping hole.

In my chest.

My body locked up, nerves screaming, blood spilling down my armor.

I staggered, my vision blurry, my mind lagging behind reality.

Slug just stood there, smirking.

“I’ll admit,” he mused, lowering his smoking hand. “That last attack almost hurt me.” He tilted his head, watching me sway, barely keeping my balance.

Then; his smirk grew wider.

“But it’s over now.”

I opened my mouth—

But no words came out.

Only blood.

My legs gave out.

And I collapsed.

It was up to Nail now.

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