The sun was already low in the sky, painting the rocky training grounds of Planet Sadala in shades of orange and red. The air smelled of dust and broken stone. Half of a huge mountain had already been turned into rubble from the earlier fight. Caulifla stood in the middle of all that destruction, breathing hard, fists clenched so tight her knuckles were white.
"Fuck!! I refuse to lose to you, Goku!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
A wild storm of power exploded out of her body. Her golden hair flashed brighter, her eyes burned green, and the ground under her feet cracked even more. The heat coming off her was so strong it made the air twist and shimmer. Rocks floated up around her like they had forgotten how to fall.
Goku just stood there, calm, a small playful smile on his face. He lifted one finger and pointed it at her like he was inviting her to come closer.
"Come on," he said simply.
That was all Caulifla needed.
BOOM!
She shot forward like a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye she was in Goku's face, fists flying faster than sound. Goku laughed under his breath and met her blow for blow. Their punches and kicks slammed into each other so hard that shockwaves tore across the land. Mountains that had stood for thousands of years cracked and fell apart. The sea far away started jumping and crashing like something huge kept hitting it from underneath.
Every time their ki blasts met in the air, bright white explosions lit up the sky. The ground kept breaking, opening up wide cracks that swallowed boulders whole.
Caulifla was fast, faster than she had ever been, but Goku's eyes never lost track of her. He saw the tiny moment when she left herself open—just a heartbeat—and he took it.
His fist crashed into the side of her face with a sound like thunder.
The world seemed to stop.
Caulifla's eyes went blank white. The golden glow in her hair vanished in an instant, turning back to its normal black. Her body went limp and she fell straight down, hitting the cracked earth with a heavy THUD that sent spiderweb cracks racing out in every direction.
Dust rose up in a thick cloud.
"Caulifla!!" a voice screamed from far away.
Kale came running as fast as she could, tears already streaming down her face. She dropped to her knees beside her big sister figure, hands shaking as she reached out.
"Caulifla, please be alright… please…"
Caulifla coughed once, then slowly opened her eyes. She gave Kale a weak smile and lifted a hand to wipe the tears from the younger girl's cheeks.
"I'm alright, Kale. Stop crying, okay? I'm tougher than that."
Kale sniffled, trying to stop the tears, but her eyes were still full of worry.
Then those same eyes turned toward Goku, who was floating gently down to the ground.
"You…" Kale whispered. Her voice started shaking with anger. "You hurt Caulifla!"
She rose slowly into the air, stopping halfway, her small body trembling.
Goku watched her quietly.
Suddenly Kale's eyes flashed pure white. The ground beneath everyone began to shake like the whole planet was afraid. Rocks lifted off the ground and hung in the air. The wind screamed.
"Goku, you bastard!" Kale roared.
"GOKU MUST PAY!!!"
A massive wave of green energy exploded out of her body. Her muscles grew huge and strong. Her height shot up until she towered over everyone. Her hair turned bright green and stood up wild. Her power climbed so high it felt like the sky itself was going to crack open. It was a hundred times stronger than Caulifla's Legendary Super Saiyan form.
Goku's smile grew wider.
"Alright," he said softly. "Let's go."
"ARRGHHHHHHHH!!!"
Goku let out his own battle cry. Red energy burst from his body like a volcano. The air screamed. Lightning crashed down from a clear sky, hitting the ground again and again. Stones flew upward and stayed there, spinning. The red aura wrapped around Goku, his hair turned red, his eyes glowed the same color, and his muscles became lean and sharp.
Super Saiyan God.
BOOM!
The two warriors crashed into each other like planets colliding.
Every punch sounded like the end of the world. Every kick made the air explode. Their knees and elbows slammed together so hard that little suns of light flashed each time. When their ki blasts met, the explosions were so bright they turned night into day for miles around.
Mountains that were still standing a moment ago were now gone—just dust in the wind. The training ground looked like a different planet, nothing but craters, broken stone, and smoking holes.
They fought for what felt like hours, neither one giving an inch.
But Goku was starting to enjoy himself too much to drag it out forever.
"I'm tired of this battle," he said, his voice suddenly cold and serious.
Kale roared and threw the hardest punch she had ever thrown, aiming straight for Goku's face.
Goku moved—just a little. The punch missed by less than an inch.
His own fist shot forward like a cannon.
It sank deep into Kale's stomach.
All the air left her lungs at once. Her eyes went wide. The green aura flickered and died. She dropped like a stone, hitting the ground with another earth-shaking THUD.
When the dust finally settled, Kale was back to her normal small size, struggling just to push herself up on her hands and knees. She could barely breathe.
Goku floated above them, arms crossed, red godly energy still flowing around him like fire.
"Now you both are mine," he said, voice calm but impossible to argue with.
Caulifla pushed herself to her feet, clothes torn, body covered in dirt and little cuts, but her pride still burning.
"I hate to admit it… but we don't have any chance against you," she said, looking straight at him.
Kale finally stood up too, legs shaking. "I told you that from the beginning," she muttered, but there was no real anger left in her voice—only respect.
Both female Saiyans kept their eyes locked on Goku as he floated in the air above them, red hair shining in the last light of the sun.
From the edge of the ruined battlefield, Piccolo watched with his arms folded.
"Hmm. He won," the Namekian said quietly.
Cabba, who had been watching the whole fight with his mouth open, let out a long breath. "He's too powerful… I guess I can't have them after all. I just have to accept that."
Piccolo glanced at the young Saiyan. "Good. Now you're growing up. Sometimes in life there are things that are impossible, even for the strongest warriors. When that time comes, you have to learn to let go."
Cabba lowered his head respectfully. "I understand, Sir Piccolo."
Caulifla wiped some blood from her lip, then reached out and grabbed Goku's hand.
"Alright, Goku. Enough playing outside. Follow us to our bedchamber."
She started walking toward a hidden entrance in the side of a cliff—an underground hideout the Sadala Army used. Kale followed right behind, still catching her breath but moving quickly.
Goku landed beside them and let Caulifla pull him along like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Goku!" Piccolo called out.
Goku turned his head. "Oh, right! Piccolo, come with us."
Piccolo raised an eyebrow for half a second, then shrugged and followed without a word.
Cabba watched them disappear into the underground passage. He took one last look at the destroyed landscape, shook his head, and smiled a little.
"Okay… time to go home," he said to himself.
BOOM!
He shot straight up into the darkening sky like a rocket, leaving only a fading trail of white behind him.
Deep under the ground, the heavy stone door closed with a low rumble, hiding Goku, Caulifla, Kale, and Piccolo from the rest of the universe.