Dragon Ball: Mori's tales

The chapter opens with an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of crackling fires and the distant howling wind. The wreckage of Bulma's ship lies scattered across the landscape, its once magnificent structure now twisted and shattered. Smoke rises in plumes, painting the sky a dull gray. The aftermath of the destruction is chilling. Every corner, every surface, speaks of the chaos that unfolded.

Piccolo's lifeless body hangs limply over the edge of a shattered railing, his green skin marred with brutal injuries. His left arm, completely severed, dangles precariously, while his right leg is bent in an unnatural angle. One of his antennae is torn off, his face a grotesque image of agony. His eye is missing, gouged out, leaving a gaping, bloody hole where it once was. Blood drips from his mutilated body, pooling below as it flows down the ruined ledge.

Nearby, Krillin's twisted form lies crumpled on the ground. His head is turned completely backward, his eyes wide open in a permanent expression of terror and disbelief. His mouth hangs agape, as if trying to scream in his final moments. The wind stirs his clothing, moving his limp form slightly as dust begins to settle around him. His once cheerful face is frozen in a grotesque death mask.

Chiatzou, the small and brave warrior, is nothing more than a pile of dust now. His body, obliterated into nothingness, begins to scatter in the wind as if erasing his very existence from the world. Tien, his closest companion, lies beside him, his chest blown open by a devastating attack. His third eye, that had once been a mark of his strength and uniqueness, has been ripped out of his forehead. His mouth is open, frozen in a silent scream, his once muscular body now broken and hollow.

Further off, Puar, Oolong, Master Roshi, Bulma, Chichi, Turtle, Launch, and even Vegeta lie in various states of death and destruction. The brutality of their deaths is indescribable. Bulma's body lies face down in a pool of blood, her limbs twisted unnaturally. Chichi's lifeless form is draped across the remains of a railing, her eyes staring blankly into the distance. Vegeta's body, once the proud prince of Saiyans, lies face down, his armor shattered, his hands curled into fists that never had the chance to defend his family.

In the midst of this horrific scene, the air is filled with a deadly stillness, broken only by the sound of Gohan's voice, yelling out in desperation. 

"Kamehameha!" Gohan's battle cry echoes across the desolate scene as he channels all his remaining energy into one last desperate attack. The bright blue beam surges forward, a radiant light cutting through the smoke and debris, aimed directly at the shadowy figure standing before him. The force of the blast shakes the ground, and the sound of the explosion that follows is deafening.

Gohan, breathing heavily, staggers as he watches the thick cloud of smoke where his attack landed. His body trembles from exhaustion, his muscles aching with every breath. He watches the smoke, eyes wide with anticipation, hoping beyond hope that his attack had done something—anything—to stop the monster responsible for all this death.

But then, from within the smoke, a sound cuts through the air—*squelch*. Gohan's body jerks in shock as he feels a sharp, excruciating pain in his chest. His vision blurs as he looks down to see a hand embedded in his chest, gripping his heart.

Blood pours from his mouth as Gohan's gaze slowly shifts upward, meeting the eyes of his attacker. The figure stares back at him, expressionless, unfeeling, as if Gohan's life meant nothing at all. 

Despite the pain, Gohan manages a small, defiant smile, blood trickling from his lips as he mouths a few final words—words too faint for anyone to hear. His vision begins to dim as the strength leaves his body, his muscles slackening. He looks one final time in a different direction before his body goes limp, and with a final cough of blood, Gohan succumbs to death.

"GOHANNNNNN!" Multiple voices scream out, filled with anguish. The cries are filled with desperation and disbelief as those who remain witness yet another warrior fall.

"RUN! GET AWAY! GO HIDE!" Goku's voice booms over the destruction, his once commanding tone now tinged with fear and urgency. He turns to Goten and Trunks, who stand frozen in place, their young faces twisted with shock as they stare at Gohan's lifeless body.

Trunks, being older and more experienced, is the first to react. He snaps out of his daze and grabs Goten by the arm, trying to pull him away. "Dammit, Goten! Uncle Kakarotto said to run! We have to go!" 

But Goten is still in shock, his mind unable to process the death of his brother and the carnage around him. His feet remain planted, unmoving, his wide eyes fixed on the scene before him.

Trunks pulls harder, finally breaking through to Goten, who blinks and nods, his face pale as he turns to follow his older friend. Together, they begin to run, their footsteps echoing in the hollow silence. But they don't get far before a deafening explosion rocks the ground beneath them.

*BOOM!* The shockwave sends them both tumbling to the ground as Goku's body comes crashing down right beside them. His body slams into the wreckage, his blue energy flickering and fading as he struggles to rise.

Goku groans in pain, forcing himself to his feet as blood trickles from his mouth. His blue hair fades, returning to its familiar black as his power drains. With a sudden burst of strength, he grabs Trunks and Goten, throwing them away from the battlefield. "Get out of here!" he yells, his voice cracking with the effort.

Before Goku can react further, the shadowy figure appears in front of him, moving with blinding speed. A powerful kick slams into Goku's stomach, sending him crashing into the ground, a scream of pain tearing from his throat as the air is knocked out of him. His body convulses, unable to recover, as the figure approaches slowly.

Goku coughs, his vision swimming, his body barely able to move. His mind races with emotions—anger, sadness, and most of all, betrayal. With labored breaths, he manages to look up at the figure, his eyes filled with a burning question.

"Why…?" Goku's voice is barely a whisper, his question hanging in the air, unanswered.

The figure stands over him, silent, its face unreadable. A few seconds pass before the figure begins to laugh—a cold, hollow sound that echoes across the battlefield. It raises its arm, aiming at Goku, a glowing ball of energy forming at its fingertips.

Without hesitation, the figure fires, and Goku's body is engulfed in the blast. His scream is cut short as his body is completely vaporized, leaving nothing behind.

The figure, its task nearly complete, looks around. In the distance, slumped against a wall, is the final survivor. The person is barely conscious, their clothes tattered and their body covered in wounds. The figure approaches them slowly, charging another blast in its palm.

"My… dad… w-" the person tries to speak, but before they can finish, the figure releases the blast, obliterating them in an instant.

With its mission complete, the figure stands amidst the destruction, looking up at the sky. The dark clouds begin to part, and the sun's rays shine down, illuminating the scene. The light reveals the figure in full, its identity no longer a shadow.

The figure stands tall, its expression unreadable as it surveys the ruined battlefield.