Chapter 104 – A Captain's Duty

~ Somewhere on Namek: Ginyu ~

Ginyu made a mistake. He fucked up. Badly.

Earlier, when his scouter picked up a weak energy signature approaching Recoome, he suspected it was the new foe with a power level of 90,000—the one HQ had warned him about.

But he shouldn't have waited for the enemy to show up. The moment he got the report about the orbital defensive line shooting down the rogue spacecraft, he should have acted. He should have killed the two fighting Guldo and left immediately. Instead, he lingered, confident that his team could hold off or escape whatever came their way.

The moment his scouter detected another power level approaching Recoome, he rushed over at full speed, pushing his body to its limits.

But it was already too late.

He knew he was the instant the scouter showed the power level jumping from 90,000 to 180,000. His heart sank, but he didn't let it stop him. The enemy was now far stronger than him, yet he still charged ahead.

For Recoome.

Because Recoome wasn't just a teammate—he was the bulwark of the Ginyu Force, the one who always endured the heaviest hits for the team and came back even stronger.

Recoome had more than earned the right for Ginyu to risk his life for.

But then, the scouter beeped again, and the power level spiked to over 270,000. Ginyu's breath caught in his throat. It was over. He could already foresee the outcome because, no matter how sturdy Recoome was, he couldn't survive against such overwhelming power before Ginyu could reach him.

The realization hit Ginyu like a punch to the gut, and he stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at a random spot of Namek in disbelief.

How had it come to this? How had he let it happen? Ginyu was no stranger to the highs and lows of battle, but this was different. This wasn't just a defeat—it was a catastrophe, a total failure to protect one of his own. Recoome had been counting on him, and he had let him down.

For the first time in years, Ginyu felt the crushing weight of guilt. Had his faith in the Ginyu Force's strength blinded him to the real danger? Could all of this have been avoided if he had doubted his team's power just a little more?

So now, Ginyu was left with a bitter choice—continue forward into a battle he knew he couldn't win, or turn back, live to fight another day, and bear the guilt of abandoning Recoome with him forever.

The answer should have been clear, but Ginyu stood frozen, realizing that for the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.

In the end, the universe decided for him.

Recoome's energy plummeted on his scouter, falling to a dangerously low number. A surge of anger and helplessness swelled inside Ginyu, but he swallowed it down. There was no time for regret. He steeled his heart and made the hardest decision he'd faced in years—he turned back, leaving Recoome behind.

It would be pointless to go now. The fight was already lost, and by the time he reached Recoome, it would be too late. Recoome was as good as dead, especially with Vegeta in the area.

Ginyu couldn't afford to waste any more time. He needed to regroup with his team to stand a chance against this immensely powerful foe. Gritting his teeth, he pushed forward, his body on autopilot, as he rushed back to Guldo at full speed.

Less than a minute later, soaring through the desolate skies of Namek, Recoome's energy abruptly dropped to zero, disappearing entirely from his scouter.

Ginyu's heart clenched, his teeth gnashing in sorrow. He had fought alongside Recoome for decades and shared countless battles and victories with him. They weren't just comrades—they were brothers in arms, and now, just like that, he was gone...forever.

And it was his tactical failure that caused this. He was to blame. Ginyu knew Recoome's death was on his hands.

Ginyu's hand trembled as he reached for his scouter, preparing to inform the rest of the team what had happened. He needed to tell them, rally them, and prepare them for the threat they were up against. But before he could send the message, his scouter interrupted him, flashing an urgent alert.

He watched in disbelief as Burter's energy signature dropped to zero in an instant. The suddenness of it left him frozen mid-flight, his mind reeling to comprehend what had just happened. He stared at the unmoving circle on the scouter screen, the number zero glaring back at him with a finality that sent a cold shock down his spine.

Burter—his speed demon, the one who could outmaneuver anyone—was gone, just like that.

Ginyu took a shaky breath, trying to compose himself, but the shock kept reverberating through him like a cruel echo. Burter was supposed to be untouchable, his agility unmatched, and yet here it was—irrefutable proof that Burter had fallen.

But the universe, it seemed, wasn't finished with him yet. Barely moments later, another crushing blow struck Ginyu's already broken heart. He watched in horror and despair as Jeice's energy level flickered, then disappeared entirely. The vibrant, fiery energy that had defined Jeice, the constant presence at Ginyu's side for so long, was snuffed out like a candle flame in the wind.

"What… what's happening?" Ginyu's thoughts spiraled, his mind unable to accept the grim reality. "This isn't real, right? Jeice... even Jeice is dead?"

The thought felt unreal, incomprehensible.

Jeice had been his rock, his trusted second-in-command, always there to back him up. And now he too was gone.

Ginyu gritted his teeth so hard it almost cracked under the pressure. The trio of zeros on his scouter stared back at him, mocking him with their brutal simplicity. He glared at the numbers, his vision blurring as tears welled up in his eyes.

The scouter screen blurred as the tears finally spilled over, tracing hot, silent paths down his cheeks. It was all unraveling—everything he had built, everything they had fought for, crumbling before his eyes. He had never imagined it would end like this. The Ginyu Force, the most elite squad in the universe, was reduced to nothing but empty, lifeless numbers on a scouter.

It hurt. It hurt more than anything Ginyu had ever suffered through before.

Ginyu wiped the unshed tears from his eyes, forcing the grief to the back of his mind. He was still the captain, and even in the face of overwhelming loss, it was still his duty to lead. He had to keep going—for the team, for the hope that there was still something left to save.

Because in the end, the Ginyu Force was a team of five.

There was no time to mourn. Guldo had promised to eliminate the other two and catch up, giving Ginyu more time to reach Recoome. It had been a plan built on trust and faith in each other's abilities. But now...

'Survive!' Ginyu screamed in his mind as he blasted off toward Guldo at full speed. 'You have to survive!'

Ginyu knew he was the furthest from Guldo compared to where Burter and Jeice had been. Recoome had split off first, taking a different path, and now Ginyu cursed himself for allowing Recoome to make that decision.

The thought of potentially losing Guldo, of seeing yet another zero appear on his scouter, was unbearable.

And so, Ginyu pushed himself to his absolute limits, his body straining under immense pressure as he accelerated beyond his maximum speed.

He no longer cared about conserving energy.

Ginyu's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he pushed himself harder, to go faster. All that mattered to him now was reaching Guldo before anyone else did. He had to make it in time. He had to.

He would not let the Ginyu Force be reduced to nothing. He would not allow Guldo to die alone. Ginyu was their captain, and as long as he still drew breath, he would fight to keep his team alive. Even if it meant pushing himself to the brink, even if it meant facing a hopelessly powerful enemy that had already decimated half of his squad, Ginyu would not stop.

Not until he reached Guldo.

Not until he knew that at least one of his men was safe.

~ Ten Minutes Later ~

Nearly ten minutes later, Ginyu finally spotted Guldo in the distance. A massive wave of relief washed over him, so intense it nearly brought him to his knees mid-flight. Guldo was still fighting! Against all odds, he was holding his ground, and, even better, Ginyu had been the first to arrive.

He wasn't too late—there was still hope!

As Ginyu closed in, he saw the two short fighters suddenly freeze, their eyes wide with fear. They had no time to react before he flashed past them and reached Guldo.

The sheer force of his arrival sent a shockwave through the air, knocking the wind out of his opponents. From his peripheral vision, Ginyu saw them stagger back, terror etched on their faces as they grasped the full extent of the nightmare they now faced.

They should be terrified. He was going to tear them apart limb by fucking limb.

But Ginyu didn't spare them a second glance. His entire focus was on Guldo. He opened his mouth, ready to ask if Guldo was okay, the words almost out of his mouth. But then he saw it—Guldo's four eyes filled with tears, his small, stout frame shaking as he struggled to hold back his sobs.

"Captain!" Guldo's voice choked with emotion, his usually soft tone cracking under the weight of his grief. "The team! They're all—" He couldn't finish, choking on the words, and then, in a heartbreaking moment, Guldo broke down completely, crying now that his captain was here.

Despite the circumstances, Guldo's tone held no trace of blame, only deep-seated relief.

Ginyu's mouth snapped shut, his heart lurching painfully at the sight. Guldo was crying—crying like a child, tears streaming from all four of his eyes. Ginyu had never seen Guldo like this, so utterly shattered.

Watching Guldo weep in silence ignited an unholy, incandescent rage deep within him, a fury that burned hotter than anything he had ever felt. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood that dripped unnoticed to the ground below.

Ginyu vowed to fight with everything he had left. For Burter, for Jeice, for Recoome, and for Guldo.

He would drown them in their blood!!

Krillin and Gohan flinched as Ginyu slowly turned back toward them.

Ginyu's expression was a terrifying sight to behold. He clenched his teeth so hard that the muscles in his neck stood out, taut like coiled springs ready to snap. His eyes burned with smoldering intensity, pupils narrowing into lethal slits that conveyed a single, chilling promise—death.

There was no hesitation or doubt in those eyes, only a cold, ruthless resolve to annihilate the enemies who had brought his team to ruin.

Gohan and Krillin immediately turned to flee.

Ginyu could only commend their decision. With almost nothing left to lose, he was more dangerous than ever. The bonds that had once held him in check, that had given him purpose and self-control, were gone. He was done with playing games, done with holding back. They had taken everything from him, and now they would pay the price.

This was no longer a training exercise, nor was it a battle in the traditional sense of the word. It was an execution, plain and simple.

Ginyu's full power erupted in a torrent. Even as he hovered a few feet above, the ground beneath him still cracked and splintered from the sheer force of his aura. Energy gathered in his hand, forming a massive, glowing orb—a personal but weaker version of Lord Frieza's Supernova. It grew larger and larger until it expanded to the size of a small plane, radiating heat so intense that it distorted the air around it in shimmering waves.

With a savage roar, Ginyu hurled the attack, sending the small Supernova racing toward his fleeing enemies. The orb moved with astonishing speed, far beyond anything Gohan and Krillin could hope to outrun.

An invisible pulse of energy swept across the battlefield, but Ginyu had no time to process it, no time to think of anything else. He simply watched from a distance, eyes narrowed and expression cold. He could see the fear in their eyes, the desperation in their movements, and knew they had no chance to escape.

The attack had simply been too fast. Outrunning it was impossible given his enemies' speed; in fact, there wasn't even time to change direction or dodge by moving perpendicular to its path.

Gohan and Krillin turned to face the oncoming blast in perfect unison, their hands extended in a final stand. They pooled every ounce of energy they had into their palms, creating a makeshift Ki barrier.

Ginyu wanted to laugh. It wasn't even nearly enough. This was the Supernova, not some run-of-the-mill blast.

However, the outcome Ginyu had desired did not manifest as he anticipated.

To everyone's complete shock, the blazing Supernova, which had been rushing forward with unstoppable momentum moments ago, began to decelerate. The fierce energy that seemed poised to annihilate everything in its path appeared to falter as if hitting an invisible wall.

Everyone watched in disbelief as the massive orb of destruction came to a standstill a mere foot from Gohan and Krillin, its intense heat scorching their outstretched hands.

Instinctively, the pair retreated, floating backward in bewilderment.

The Supernova seemed to flinch before it suddenly began to shrink. It seemed to burn hotter as it contracted, its fiery orange hue shifting to a deep, vibrant blue, but the searing heat was instead replaced by an unusual, almost serene coolness.

Everyone on the battlefield—Gohan, Krillin, Guldo, and even Ginyu—watched in stunned silence, utterly perplexed by the phenomenon. It was unlike anything they had ever seen.

The Supernova continued to shrink, compressing itself into a sphere of concentrated energy the size of a basketball.

"Guldo!" Ginyu suddenly barked, his voice sharp and commanding. He had just pieced together what was happening.

As if on cue, a piercing laser erupted from the heart of the blue orb, a concentrated beam of energy so powerful it seemed to slice through the very fabric of space. The laser sped forward at an unimaginable velocity and, for a split second, appeared to pass straight through Ginyu's body.

But in reality, Ginyu and Guldo had already reappeared a short distance away, their faces ashen, sweat dripping from their brows. Their eyes were wide with the adrenaline of narrowly escaping a disaster.

The laser, on the other hand, didn't stop; it continued traveling far into the distance, piercing through everything in its way—rocks, mountains, trees, and anything else unfortunate enough to be in its trajectory.

"That...that was close," Ginyu said, his voice shaky as he and Guldo took in the destruction left by the laser. They could hardly believe what had just happened—the Supernova, one of Ginyu's and Lord Frieza's most devastating attacks, had been neutralized and transformed into something potentially even more formidable.

But the danger was far from over.

Suddenly, Ajax appeared next to Gohan and Krillin with a flash of energy, Mushin by his side cradling a small frog gently in his hands. The hapless amphibian looked innocently confused and very much out of place, but there was nothing innocent about the intentions of their arrival.

Ginyu's scowl deepened at the sight of the newcomers. While he had been focused on surviving the laser, it seemed like its user, an even greater threat, had just entered the fray.

Without hesitation, Ginyu pivoted, intent on escaping with Guldo. But just as he was about to launch away, he felt a crushing weight press down on him from all directions.

The air around him thickened, becoming oppressively dense, as if the very atmosphere had turned against him. Ginyu grunted with exertion, pushing his powerful muscles to their limits, but he still moved slowly. Each motion felt like slogging through molasses, as if time itself had slowed and trapped him in a state of torturous inertia.

At a distance, the air began to shimmer with countless silver ripples. Ginyu's eyes widened in recognition. He had seen this before—but wasn't this...?

Before he could react further, a barrage of energy blasts descended upon him. Despite the danger, Ginyu's first instinct was to protect his teammate. He glanced at Guldo, who was still frozen with fear, and without hesitation, wrapped his arms around Guldo as fast as he could, completely shielding Guldo with his own body.

Ginyu grunted as the blasts pounded into his back, one after another, each impact driving him closer to the ground. His muscles burned, his skin seared from the continuous assault, but he gritted his teeth and held on, determined to protect Guldo no matter what.

After what seemed like an eternity of bombardment, Ginyu could take no more. Summoning every last ounce of his remaining strength, Ginyu gathered his energy into a single, desperate burst. With a roar that echoed across the battlefield, he released it as a shockwave that disrupted the trajectory of the remaining blasts and sent them careening off course.

The force of Ginyu's Kiai was so immense that it shattered the silver ripples and the suffocating air that had confined him. The oppressive bombardment ceased, and Ginyu could finally move again.

Ginyu took a moment to survey his condition as he panted heavily, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath. His armor was shattered, the once-proud Ginyu Force insignia barely visible through the deep cracks. His back was scorched, blackened, and smoldering. Despite the agony, Ginyu straightened with a grunt, forcing himself to stand tall. He glanced at a wide-eyed Guldo, who, despite everything, was unharmed—the solace for his sacrifice.

Turning his focus back to the battlefield, Ginyu's expression hardened into a grim mask. His eyes swept over the newcomers, landing on Ajax. The boy was relatively unremarkable—black hair, red Gi, and black undershirt, with silver electricity crackling from his eyes.

Ginyu was certain this was the one who had bested Jeice.

Before he could fully assess Ajax, Ginyu noticed movement at the edges of his vision. He turned his head and saw someone approaching from one direction. A quick glance in another direction revealed three more figures advancing toward him.

In rapid succession, Piccolo arrived, his green skin marred with cuts and bruises, breathing ragged from exhaustion and injury. Hot on his heels from another direction were Vegeta, Nappa, and Goku, each showing light signs of fatigue but still brimming with energy.

Suddenly, Ginyu found himself staring down a formidable assembly of opponents. Seven enemies in total, eight if you counted the baby Namekian. Two of them, he knew, were likely strong enough to take him down one-on-one.

Ginyu's fists tightened at his sides, fully aware that the odds were no longer in his favor. Fortunately for him, it seemed he was temporarily overlooked as his enemies sized each other up.

Ginyu observed the person in obnoxious orange making extended eye contact with the midget duo, appearing visibly relieved. He recognized Nappa and Vegeta immediately, so by process of elimination, the orange person in question must be the 270,000 who had taken out Recoome.

An uneasy and tense silence settled over the clearing.

As per usual, Nappa was immune to tension. After a conspicuously performed headcount, he looked genuinely pleased with himself and shattered that silence.

"I can't believe it—everyone's here. We actually took down the Ginyu Force. Us, a ragtag bunch of Ruffians. Goddamn! This is going to make history!"

"Bau Bau," Ajax responded instinctively. Most of everyone ignored him, except for Goku.

"Woah, Ajax! You're totally different from how you were on Earth! Holy smokes, you're almost as strong as me!" Goku exclaimed with amazement. Contrary to Vegeta, however, Goku doesn't appear to be upset. In fact, he looked delighted, as if he were thrilled by Ajax's impressive growth and strength.

Ajax gave Goku a nod in acknowledgment.

However, their brief moment of camaraderie was abruptly cut short by Vegeta's arrogant voice.

"Well, well, well," the Saiyan Prince drawled, his smirk widening as he looked down at the battered Ginyu. "How the tables have turned. Ginyu, look how far you've fallen! Hahaha!"

Vegeta's laughter was deep and unrestrained, a sound of pure, unadulterated satisfaction. He reveled at Ginyu's downfall as if Ginyu's misery was a personal triumph for him. And it was, in a sense.

"Do you find the deaths of my team funny, Vegeta?" Ginyu's voice, though soft, chillingly sliced through Vegeta's laughter. The words were spoken quietly, but the intensity at which Ginyu spoke them ensured everyone heard his question.

Without missing a beat, Vegeta retorted, "Those idiots? Yes, it's absolutely hilarious!"

The callousness of Vegeta's response drew uncomfortable looks from everyone present except Nappa. Goku, in particular, frowned deeply, visibly disheartened and disappointed by Vegeta's attitude.

Behind Ginyu, Guldo's expression twisted. He wiped his tears and clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Yes, they were idiots and dumbasses, but so what?!" Guldo shouted, trembling with fury and grief. "They were my idiots and my friends! Just because your species died doesn't give you some God-given right to spread your misery to everyone else!!"

A heavy silence settled over the battlefield at Guldo's outburst. Vegeta, Nappa, and especially Ginyu were taken aback by the Guldo's fiery response. For those who knew him, it was startling to see such fervor from the typically soft-spoken and reserved Guldo.

It was very uncharacteristic of him.

Ginyu, in particular, seemed to change. The intense fury in his eyes cooled, his anger now burning cold. Ignoring Vegeta's continued taunts, he turned to his trembling teammate, placing a firm hand on Guldo's shoulder in a gesture that was both reassuring and firm.

"Guldo, let's end this," Ginyu said quietly, his voice imbued with steely resolve that only Guldo could hear. "We're using that."

There was a sense of finality in his words, a promise of something decisive.

Ginyu could tell that Guldo understood immediately. They were about to execute what had cemented the Ginyu Force's legendary status—an attack so potent that it was utterly undodgeable, unblockable, and undefendable.

Not that anyone knew about it, since no one had lived to tell the tale.

He used it on three separate occasions prior, and he'll use it a fourth time to kill everyone here.

Ginyu's expression hardened as he stepped slightly in front of Guldo, blocking the diminutive warrior from sight. Ginyu's voice was calm but carried with it a lethal certainty.

"All of you will die."