Chapter 74: Raditz vs Kress Continued!

In a blinding display of speed and power, Kress appeared once again before Raditz. The air crackled with the fusion of yellow and red hues that enveloped the younger Saiyan. As Kress surged forward, his knee, a deadly weapon, surged towards Raditz, aiming to pierce through the seasoned warrior's defenses. The impact was staggering. Raditz, caught off guard by the swiftness and ferocity of the assault, found himself bending like a bow under the force of Kress's knee. The sheer momentum of the attack produced a thunderous sonic boom.

Now teetering on the edge of being launched over the planetary horizon, an unexpected twist of fate spared Raditz from the imminent flight. With a violent grab, Kress seized the older Saiyan by the scruff of his battle armor. In a swift and decisive act, Kress brought Raditz crashing back to the battlefield with a resounding headbutt. The impact reverberated through the air, sending shockwaves that tore into the terrain as Raditz was flying toward the ground.

As Raditz plummeted towards the increasingly approaching ground, Kress grappled with the aftermath of his reckless transformation. The younger Saiyan's hands clutched at his chest, desperately trying to contain the violent pangs of his fiercely beating heart. The aura of Super Saiyan and the residual echoes of Kaio-ken had dissipated, leaving Kress vulnerable and seemingly on the precipice of death.

Horrific waves of pain emanated from both within and outside, a blunt reminder of the consequences of combining Super Saiyan and Kaio-ken. The halfling's body, once ablaze with power, now felt like it was being torn apart from the inside and out. The excruciating ordeal robbed him of the ability to scream, his throat constricted by the sheer agony that enveloped him. Amidst the torment, Kress's trembling hand fumbled its way into the depths of his inner armor. Within the recesses of his armor, his fingers closed around a small, green pellet—a Senzu Bean.

Meanwhile, Raditz, injured but still kicking, seized the opportunity presented by Kress's moment of vulnerability. Clawing himself out of the crater created by the young Saiyan's assault, Raditz wasted no time in launching a counterattack. The seasoned warrior's determination to end the perceived threat embodied itself in the fearsome technique he unleashed. "Super Double Sunday!" Raditz's voice thundered through the battlefield as two ominous purple energy waves shot forth towards the incapacitated half-breed. The energy beams mirrored each other's trajectory before converging into a single, colossal spiraling beam. The sheer force generated by this combined energy had enough power to bore a hole through Planet Prime itself.

The brightness of the incoming beam seemed almost mesmerizing as Kress brought the green pellet to his mouth. Slowly crunching while impending death neared closer and closer. Mere inches away from his eyes, Kress could only see nothing but purple as his full strength returned. In that same instant, he used Instant Transmission as a mix of red and yellow coated his body again. In the blink of an eye, Kress materialized behind Raditz. The suddenness of his appearance caught Raditz off guard, leaving him with no time to react. Kress's swift and calculated movements transcended mere speed.

Without warning, Kress's leg became a blur of motion, delivering a barrage of precise strikes that targeted Raditz's lower extremities with surgical precision. The initial impact struck the veteran Saiyan's thigh, causing a momentary falter in his stance and an audible crack. Before Raditz could fully process the first strike, Kress seamlessly transitioned to the waist, disrupting Raditz's balance and further disorienting him. Another snap from the Saiyan's bones could be heard from this attack. In a breathtaking display of agility and power, Kress's onslaught culminated with a resounding blow to Raditz's head. The force behind each kick resonated through the atmosphere. Raditz, a seasoned warrior accustomed to formidable foes, found himself reeling from the unexpected assault. His vision blurred as his brain slammed from each side of his skull rapidly.

As the relentless whirlwind of kicks continued, Kress's movements became a tempest of controlled chaos. The halfling's speed, precision, and power allowed him to exploit openings in Raditz's defense, each kick strategically placed to maximize damage. The full-blooded Saiyan, now caught in a storm of relentless strikes, grappled with a growing sense of disbelief at the ferocity of his opponent. The barrage of kicks left Raditz in a state of not just physical damage but also emotional turmoil. Uncontrollable rage surged within him as the relentless assault chipped away at his composure. He fought back to the best of his ability, sometimes matching Kress's attacks. The veteran warrior, accustomed to dominating in battle, found himself pushed to the brink by the unexpected prowess of his younger adversary.

As the echoes of their intense clash lingered in the air, a profound stillness settled over the battlefield. The vibrant auras that once enveloped Raditz and Kress slowly dissipated as they reverted to their original states. The crackling energy that danced around them began to wane, leaving behind a fierce aftermath. The weather violently whipped and danced around the two fighters. Raditz, his battle-worn armor showing signs of the fierce encounter, stood with a mixture of astonishment and frustration etched across his face. He took a moment to catch his breath, the adrenaline-fueled intensity of the battle now giving way to the reality of their surroundings. The once-blinding glow of his Super Saiyan power faded, leaving behind the familiar, long, spiky black hair and stern expression.

On the other side, Kress, his small frame trembling from the strain of the powerful techniques, appeared fatigued but determined. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he took stock of the situation. The vibrant hues of his Super Saiyan and Kaio-ken aura retreated, revealing his normal, youthful features.

Despite the searing pain coursing through his body, Kress couldn't help but erupt in laughter. Each chuckle was slow, drawn-out, and accompanied by the sound of painful, ragged breaths, but there was an underlying tone of mischievous innocence. Raditz, visibly agitated, emitted a low growl as he ground his teeth together. In response, Kress, still recovering, nonchalantly reached into his inner armor and popped another senzu bean into his mouth. "Annoying little cheating brat!" Raditz bellowed, his frustration evident. He clicked a button on his scouter, and from the distance, two drones swiftly approached Raditz, but Kress, displaying a cheeky grin, lobbed two ki blasts toward the drones behind Raditz. 

Reacting quickly, Raditz used his own body as a shield to protect the green and blue drones, resulting in a massive explosion that shrouded him in a cloud of smoke.

Kress could sense a huge drop in power from Raditz, but not to the point where he was going to die. He knew what it felt like when someone was going to die. His Daddy had him take over his own planet when he was two years old! 

"Hey! No fair!" Kress laughed, mischief evident in his tone as he engaged in his pot of hypocrisy.

"Heh... You're not the only one who can cheat, annoying abomination!" Raditz proclaimed, his strength rejuvenating as he recovered to perfect health, and a surge of additional energy coursed through his veins. Those two drones were an Assist Drone and Recovery Drone.

The two Saiyans locked eyes, one with a playful smirk and the other with an intense glare. Both felt the exhilaration of battle pulsating through their veins. Despite the outward animosity, an unspoken camaraderie existed between them—a shared joy in testing the limits of their Saiyan blood.

For Kress, this was the first time in his life he'd ever come this close to actually dying. While the training with his siblings usually got a bit dangerous, they had enough senzu beans to prevent anyone from dying and could go all out without worry. They had planets made solely for farming senzu beans! Kress wasn't worried about ever running out of the tasty magical beans.

Raditz had already experienced a life of battle, hardship, and death. As much as it would irk him to lose to a member of the Turles family even after all the training he was forced to do so under Frieza's cruelty. A small part of Raditz wouldn't be too disappointed losing to their kind. He respected Turles despite despising the man at the same time. Regardless of whether he is a mutant or a regular Saiyan, he has achieved something that no other Saiyan has ever accomplished: overcoming Frieza. And for that, he would always respect the man.

"You ready to lose, old man?" Kress grinned.

"I'm younger than your father." Raditz bit back.

"Really?!" Kress explained in shock. "Dang, dad is older than I thought…"

With a surge of energy that sent shockwaves through the atmosphere, the two warriors ascended to the pinnacle of their power. Raditz unleashed the mighty aura of Super Saiyan 3, his golden mane cascading down past his feet as his brow ridges became more pronounced. Simultaneously, Kress tapped into the formidable might of Super Kaio-ken x8, a swirling maelstrom of yellow and red energy enveloping him in a dynamic display of power. As they transformed, the battlefield transformed with them. Lightning crackled through the air, a manifestation of the intense energy coursing from their Saiyan bodies. The wind howled with a ferocity matching the raw power they now wielded, sweeping up debris and creating a chaotic dance of earth and air. The entire environment quivered in response to the overwhelming force on display.

In this moment, both warriors stood on the precipice of their abilities, ready to unleash the full extent of their might upon each other. The tumultuous atmosphere mirrored the gravity of the impending clash. This was to be their final bout, a culmination of the battle that, surprisingly, hadn't stretched beyond the span of an hour.