Dragon Ball Alternative

The Spirit Bomb bathed the battlefield with a blinding radiance that lasted for nearly thirty seconds. When the light finally dimmed, it revealed a yawning, jagged crater whose bottom plunged into an inky abyss. The air was heavy and charged with residual energy while sparks of electricity danced along the crater's rim.

Frieza was nowhere to be seen.

"It worked!" Gohan exclaimed. Dirt streaked his youthful face as he sat sprawled on the ground, the Spirit Bomb's shockwave having knocked him off his feet. Dende's invisibility spell had worn off, leaving the young Saiyan visible. "Is... is it finally over?"

Gohan's voice was brimming with hope.

Nearby, Goku touched down lightly, movements uncharacteristically subdued. His tattered orange gi clung to his sweat-soaked frame as he knelt beside Krillin. The sight before him drew a shaking breath from his lips.

Krillin lay crumpled on the uneven ground, his small frame deathly still. Dust clung to his skin, forming mud after mixing with streaks of blood around the gaping hole within his chest. His wide, vacant eyes stared blankly at the green sky above.

Goku's hand quivered as he reached out, gently pressing it against Krillin's chest, almost as if his touch alone could allow his friend's heart to beat once more.

But the silence was absolute.

"Krillin..." Goku whispered, his voice cracking under his grief. The blazing fury that had fueled him moments ago drained from him like water through a sieve. Only grief remained.

When he finally spoke again, his voice was anguished, heavy with guilt, as though he were pleading for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Krillin," Goku choked out. "I'm so sorry."

Piccolo stood silently nearby, arms folded, though his usual stern demeanor contained a hint of unease. However, it wasn't Goku that unsettled him. His gaze wasn't on Krillin's lifeless form or on Goku, crouched beside him in grief. Instead, his sharp eyes were fixed on Ajax.

Something about Ajax's reaction sent alarm bells ringing through Piccolo's mind. "Distraught" wasn't quite the right word—far too mild. Outright horrified was better, as Ajax looked on the precipice of hyperventilation.

And for someone as calculating and composed as Ajax to lose his composure like this, it could only mean that something far worse was about to happen.

Piccolo's instincts were dead on.

Ajax's chest heaved with quick, shallow breaths, and his wide eyes were fixed on Goku, pupils contracted with horror. But the reason behind his dread wasn't something Piccolo had enough context to understand.

Ajax was horrified because Goku...

Had not transformed.

Ajax's head swam. No matter how desperately he breathed, no matter how fast he inhaled, it was as if his lungs refused to work. One thought pounded endlessly in his mind: We're fucked.

How did it come to this? Was it because Goku believed he'd already avenged Krillin? That Frieza had been defeated by the Spirit Bomb, thus leaving no reason to escalate further?

To be fair, it wasn't an unreasonable conclusion. The Spirit Bomb had been their ace in the hole, and Goku had likely poured everything he had into its creation.

By Goku's calculations, five minutes of charging was the minimum required to generate enough energy to defeat Frieza—the same estimate he'd made in canon. But here, the Spirit Bomb had been charged for nearly six minutes and forty-five seconds. It wasn't quite seven minutes, but it far exceeded the bare minimum.

Surely, that should've been enough.

But Ajax had watched enough Dragon Ball to understand that "should've been enough" almost never was.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

Just a month ago, Piccolo's pointed words had forced Ajax to confront the reality of his own mindset and choices. He had agreed with Piccolo then.

Ajax feared the person he was becoming—the one who saw nothing wrong with viewing those around him as mere characters in a story. He feared the day when justifying the "necessary sacrifices" would no longer fill him with guilt. He feared looking in the mirror one day and finding himself no different from Frieza.

So, he'd made a decision. If it came to that pivotal moment, he would be the catalyst for Goku's transformation. Not Krillin, not Piccolo, nor anyone else—it would be him.

In the time since, he had worked hard to earn Goku's trust, striving to be more than just an ally. Ajax wanted to become someone whose death would mean something—someone whose loss could drive Goku to ascend.

But now, seeing Goku kneeling there without the golden aura of a Super Saiyan, it felt as if all his efforts had amounted to nothing.

Except... it had. He had changed everything. Krillin still died, just like before, but the spark that once ignited Goku's legendary transformation had flickered and passed without producing the same result.

Ajax had no illusions about his place in Goku's life. No matter how much he meant to Goku, he couldn't compare to Krillin. They had grown up together, stood side by side through thick and thin, and forged a bond through years of camaraderie. To Goku, Krillin was family—a brother in all but blood.

So if even losing Krillin wasn't enough to trigger the transformation...

Then there would be no Super Saiyan on Namek.

They had lost.

"Ajax, what's happening?" Piccolo's voice was neither gentle nor patient. In fact, it was sharp and somewhat commanding. "If you know something we don't, spit it out."

Piccolo's seriousness immediately drew everyone's attention. Gohan, Dende, and even Goku turned toward Ajax and Piccolo, their expressions ranging from puzzled to deeply concerned.

Ajax opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. What could he say? That their fate had hinged on a moment already gone by? That their victory was slipping away because Goku hadn't transformed?

Although Ajax couldn't provide an answer, his instinctive urge to respond had snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. The haze of panic cleared just enough for him to realize just how little time they had remaining.

His head snapped toward the crater, his expression intense. For a moment, his eyes reflected a maelstrom of emotions, but then, something in his gaze steeled, locking into place like tempered iron.

Without warning, Ajax threw his head back and roared at the sky, "KING KAI! I know you're listening! Connect me to Kami RIGHT NOW!"

"???"

The suddenness and sheer volume of his outburst left everyone startled. Dende jolted, clutching his chest in alarm, while Gohan stared, wide-eyed. Even Goku flinched, his head snapping toward Ajax in surprise.

Far away on King Kai's distant planet, an irritated grumble answered almost immediately. 'What do you want, brat? First, you stole my technique, and now you're barking orders at me like I'm your lackey! I'm a Kai for goodness sake!'

"We don't have time for this! Just do it—I'll apologize later!"

Ajax's voice carried enough force to halt any further complaints.

Before anyone could recover from their confusion, Ajax spun sharply on his heel to face Piccolo. His expression was serious, his words unyielding. "Piccolo, you need to go. Right now. You have to stay alive."

"What?" Piccolo was caught off guard by the sudden command. Instinctively, his resistance flared. "Why should I? What's going on?"

He reached out, intending to grab Ajax's shoulders for answers, but his hand swiped through empty air—Ajax had already moved on to the next task.

'I'm here, disciple. What's the matter?' Kami's voice came through King Kai's mind, steady though it was tight.

Ajax exhaled, some of the tension in his posture easing. It looked like King Kai didn't waste any time.

"Shishō, I need you to gather the Dragon Balls immediately and wish to revive all the Namekians, Earthlings, and Saiyans who've died on this planet since Frieza's arrival," Ajax spoke so quickly, so urgently, that there was no chance for questions.

Without missing a beat, he turned his gaze upward, addressing someone unseen. "King Kai, as soon as that wish is granted, contact the Namekian nearest to Porunga and have them use the final wish to teleport all Namekians, Earthlings, and Saiyans to Earth!"

The plan spilled from him like a torrent unleashed from a broken dam. This was the contingency he had devised: if Frieza couldn't be defeated here and now, then survival had to take precedence. The fight could wait—retreating to Earth was a far better option than annihilation on Namek.

Ajax was certain Frieza would not simply just let them go. Even if they managed to escape to Earth, Frieza's vengeance would inevitably follow, sooner or later. Thankfully, one small blessing remained: it would take time for Frieza's fleet to reach Earth, granting them a critical window to prepare. Every second of that time would need to be devoted to training, to pushing themselves to surpass their limits without pause.

Goku had to achieve Super Saiyan within that time. It'd be best if Vegeta could too. To maximize those odds, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber would have to be utilized extensively. It wasn't an ideal option—he had hoped to reserve it for the Cell Saga—but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Just as Ajax was piecing together the final steps of their plan, Kami's voice shattered his concentration.

'Young Ajax, I'm afraid that the Earth's Dragon Balls are currently dormant. They were utilized to revive Goku several months ago—surely you recall?'

The words crashed down on Ajax like an avalanche, sending an icy chill that swept through him. His mind went blank, his body stiffened, and a suffocating horror clawed its way into his chest. He stared at the ground, unseeing, as the realization settled over him.

Of course.

Piccolo hadn't died in this timeline, and without his or Kami's death, the Dragon Balls hadn't been reset.

Ajax wheezed. In his effort to strengthen their position, he had unwittingly made things worse. Much worse. Without the Dragon Balls, the dead would stay dead. This was a monumental mistake, one that he couldn't recover from.

A true game over.

A wave of dizziness swept over Ajax. He had screwed up. Everything was falling apart—and it was his fault.

'Young Ajax...?' Kami was concerned. The heavy silence had alerted him that something was amiss.

Before Ajax could answer, King Kai intervened, perhaps realizing that Kami wasn't fully aware of the situation. Directing his energy toward Earth's Guardian, King Kai relayed a torrent of information telepathically—everything about Frieza, the plight of the Z Fighters, and the critical need for the Dragon Balls.

Kami absorbed the flood of details in contemplative silence. When he finally spoke, his tone was somber. 'Young Ajax, am I correct in understanding that your plan hinges upon the immediate use of Earth's Dragon Balls?'

"Yes, but they're not—"

'You need not concern yourself with that, my boy.' Kami interrupted, his voice quiet but with firm confidence. 'Focus on Frieza, and leave the Dragon Balls to me. I will see to it personally that they are ready when the time comes. This, I promise.'

After saying his piece, Kami's presence vanished from the telepathic link with an almost audible snap.

***

~ Lookout ~

Kami's eyes slowly fluttered open as he withdrew from the mental connection. The serene stillness of the Lookout surrounded him, though the quiet was fleeting.

"Kami, I must advise that your magic has not yet fully recovered, and your years weigh heavily upon you. Attempting that ritual a second time, especially so soon, will exact a severe toll."

Kami's gaze shifted to Mr. Popo, who stood with his arms clasped behind his back. Mr. Popo's expression betrayed nothing, as impassive as ever, but Kami recognized the quiet concern behind the stoicism.

"I'm well aware of the risks, Mr. Popo," Kami replied. "But the enemy we face now is harrowing, unlike any other."

Kami turned to face the vast horizon stretching beyond the Lookout, but in doing so, he inadvertently missed the quick flash of skepticism on Mr. Popo's face. "Old friend, I must ask you to gather the Dragon Balls with all due haste."

A long silence followed as Mr. Popo remained motionless. Then, without a word, he turned to join Kami in gazing out at the horizon. His voice, when it came, was solemn.

"Do you truly believe sacrificing yourself for those maggots is worth it?"

"Absolutely. They are the future."

Kami and Mr. Popo stood side by side in somber silence, their gazes fixed on a point beyond the boundless blue sky.

After a long pause, out of nowhere, Mr. Popo said, "Someone entrusted me with that sentiment once."

Kami's brow furrowed slightly as he turned to regard his attendant with quiet curiosity. Mr. Popo rarely divulged anything about his past, and what little Kami knew of it was cloaked in mystery. One truth, however, was certain: Mr. Popo, having faithfully served countless Guardians before him, was an existence far more ancient than himself.

"And what came of it?" Kami inquired softly.

"They died," came the blunt reply. "And the future they spoke of never came to pass."

Kami blinked before slowly turning his gaze once more to the distant horizon. For a brief moment, he found himself at a loss for words. He didn't doubt Mr. Popo's honesty—he never did—but the timing of this revelation felt deliberate. It seemed less a statement and more a subtle test. Or perhaps, a quiet warning from someone far older and wiser.

"Have you reached your decision, Kami?"

Ah, so it was words of warning after all.

Kami's grip tightened around his staff as he turned inward, searching the depths of his resolve, but he found that his choice had been made long ago. It had never once faltered.

Mr. Popo observed Kami in silence. At last, a faint sigh escaped him, barely audible.

"Very well. As you command, Kami."

Mr. Popo stepped out from beneath the shelter of the roof. Without uttering another word, he launched himself skyward with a single, powerful leap, ascending hundreds of meters in an instant.

He hovered briefly, suspended in the air, before rocketing away with incredible speed. The force of his departure created a thunderous sonic boom that shook the Lookout and its platforms. The shockwave traveled far below, where it rattled the trees and sent startled flocks of birds into chaotic flight.

In a matter of moments, Mr. Popo vanished into the horizon as he embarked on his task to retrieve the Dragon Balls.

Kami remained behind, standing alone as the fading echoes of the sonic boom gave way to stillness. His thoughts drifted in quiet contemplation, mingling with the silence that now enveloped the Lookout.

***

~ Namek ~

Ajax took a deep breath as Kami's words of reassurance steadied him. Right. Kami had some kind of ritual to reactivate the Dragon Balls.

He had honestly forgotten about that ability since its most notable use had been back in Dragon Ball to revive Shenron after Piccolo Daimao had destroyed him, rather than in Z or Super.

Shaking off his distracting thoughts, Ajax slapped his face lightly and forced himself to focus. After straightening himself up, his expression hardened as his gaze stopped on Piccolo.

"Why are you still here? Go! Now!"

However, Piccolo remained motionless. And that, along with the stubborn clench of his jaw, only fueled the rising frustration building within Ajax.

"Do you always need to know every little thing?! Fine—Frieza's alive! There, now you know! So, hurry up and get going!"

Piccolo's scowl lightened as his eyes darted toward the crater with alarm. Then, it briefly landed on Gohan. "You expect me to just run and lea—"

"YES!" Ajax interrupted, stepping forward and shouting directly in Piccolo's face. "Because if you don't, we're all dead! If you die, Earth's Dragon Balls are gone! That means no reviving Krillin, no reviving anyone! Think, Picco—"

Ajax's words died on his lips as the air around them shifted. The atmosphere grew heavy as the energy that had been suppressed by the colossal power of the Spirit Bomb became detectable again.

In that instant, they all felt him.

The ground beneath their feet began to tremble with a deep vibration that rattled the bones of everyone present.

And then it came. A colossal pillar of purple energy exploded from the heart of the crater, tearing into the sky with an earsplitting roar. The sinister column of light pierced the heavens, twisting into a towering spire.

Frieza slowly ascended from the depths of the crater within the heart of the energy column. His once-immaculate form was smeared with dirt, and despite the swollen eye, bloodied face, and numerous other injuries, somehow, Frieza seemed even more dangerous than before—if such a thing still held any meaning.

Ajax turned to face Frieza fully, his mind working frantically to devise a plan. There was no time to think deeply, but there was one thing he knew for certain: they couldn't hope to defeat Frieza at 100% in their current state.

Without hesitation, Ajax projected a quick telepathic message to the others. 'We can't take him as he is. Buy time—Piccolo has to run!'

He didn't wait for a response. Ajax's body flared with energy as he launched himself toward Frieza. In a brilliant flash, his form split into four identical figures, and then each of those split into four again, multiplying exponentially.

In moments, sixteen identical Ajax clones surged toward Frieza from all directions at full speed in a coordinated assault.

Frieza's gaze immediately locked onto Ajax, and his face contorted into a snarl of pure malice. His swollen eye burned with unrelenting hatred. With a furious roar, the tyrant sprang into action.

Without warning, Frieza unleashed a deadly barrage of Death Beams that sped toward the Ajax clones with terrifying speed and accuracy. In the same instant, his telekinetic power lashed out like a vicious whip, twisting and crushing any clone caught within its reach. The beams and invisible forces tore through the clones, disintegrating them in mere moments.

Unsurprisingly, Ajax's clones were powerless against Frieza's full power. Fifteen of them were erased from existence in the blink of an eye. The rapid loss of so many clones drained Ajax's Ki reserves significantly, leaving him with little more than a sliver of energy—but he had anticipated this. After all, Frieza was no longer holding back, and Ajax, only operating at 1/16th of his full power, stood no chance.

The last Ajax pressed on, his focus sharpening, every ounce of attention fixed on a single goal.

Frieza shot forward in a streak of purple light and slammed his hand into Ajax's throat. "DIE!" he growled as he prepared to plunge his hand deep into Ajax's chest.

But a smile curled at the corner of Ajax's lips—a smile of someone who had just activated their trap card.

"CONVERGENCE!!"

Frieza's eyes widened in sudden recognition, but it was already too late.

Normally, Ajax wouldn't be able to pull off this attack—it required the Zone, the state that allowed him to prevent Ki from dissipating. But the situation was different now. The remnant energy from the Spirit Bomb still lingered, undispersed, as it had just exploded.

Ajax can take advantage of that.

In an instant, the remnants of the Spirit Bomb's energy converged, as though drawn into the gravitational pull of a black hole. The energy surged toward Ajax and Frieza with an overwhelming magnetic force, engulfing them both in pure, radiant energy.

Within the span of a single breath, the Spirit Bomb began to reform. The energy folded and twisted in on itself, condensing back into a singular sphere, only slightly smaller than before. But this time, Ajax and Frieza were trapped within its very core.

BOOOOOOM!!

The Spirit Bomb had reappeared in all of its destructive glory once more!

***

DBA Corner: Dragon Ball Cooldown 

A quick addition to the rules of Dragon Balls, expanding on the canon (and inspired by Daima). For the purposes of DB Alternative, the following rules would apply:

If the creator of the Dragon Balls dies and is later revived through a wish, the Dragon Balls they created will instantly regain their energy and become usable again. The ritual that shortens the cooldown period of the Dragon Balls cannot be used repeatedly without consequence. This ritual pulls the energy required for the wish from an alternate source immediately, bypassing the natural energy accumulation that would typically occur during the cooldown period. It first taps into the ritual user's magical reserves, and if those are insufficient, it begins to draw on their life force.

Skilled users, such as Neva, can minimize the magic required for the ritual and thus reduce the interval between uses without compromising their well-being, potentially performing the ritual several times a year (as an example). Less experienced users, like Kami, would likely only be able to perform the ritual once a decade—or even longer, unless they use their life force as a replacement.

Note: For those hoping Ajax might exploit this ability for endless wishes, I'm afraid that's not in the works. Such a cheat would completely derail the story's pacing. I'll have to veto that as the author!