CHAPTER 29: THE PRICE OF POWER

The twin moons of Idun bathed the desolate landscape in their pale, eerie glow. The quiet stillness that had settled over the planet after Gohan’s vision was heavy, laden with the weight of what he had just experienced. His breath still trembled slightly as he sat cross-legged, trying to steady himself after the disorienting flood of memories. Truffle, who had stayed by his side the whole time, gently placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression a mixture of concern and curiosity.

“You’ve been out for quite a while,” Truffle said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “We started looking for you once Broly realized you hadn't returned.”

Gohan blinked, disoriented, but slowly regained focus. He turned to Truffle and the others who had gathered around him: Vegeta, Tarble, and Broly. His eyes still held the remnants of the vision he had seen, the weight of it pressing heavily on his chest. Slowly, he rose to his feet, standing tall yet weary.

“I…I saw everything,” Gohan’s voice was steady, but there was a gravity to it that made everyone around him go still. “The visions—the history—they weren’t just flashes. They were... alive. I lived through them. From sensing that presence back on Vornis to what I just saw now.” He paused, catching his breath as the weight of his revelation began to settle. “I experienced it all through the eyes of a Saiyan named Yamoshi. He was there with Turles on Sadala, at the very center of everything. I watched Turles rise to power, and it wasn’t just about power—it was about breaking away from the old ways.”

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, his disbelief palpable. “Yamoshi? That’s impossible. Yamoshi was around thousands of years ago. You expect me to believe this is all connected to Turles?”

Gohan shook his head slowly, his eyes distant as he tried to make sense of everything he had witnessed. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” he replied, his voice steady but filled with resolve. “I felt the power, the connection. This Yamoshi…I believe he was real. And he was there with Turles. This grave,” he gestured toward the distant marker in the moonlight, “it’s meant for him. That’s the energy I felt, the same energy I sensed all throughout the vision.”

Tarble, still processing everything, exchanged a look with Vegeta. 

“Turles needs to be stopped,” Gohan said, his voice now filled with urgency. “What I saw—it wasn’t just a thirst for power. He’s after something much greater. If he succeeds in what he’s trying to do, it won’t just change the Saiyan race—it’ll change everything.”

***

Turles stood in the clearing beneath the towering Tree of Might. His expression was stoic, his focus unwavering. The ritual was nearing completion, the immense power within the tree pulsing and crackling like a storm ready to break. Goku’s cries of pain reverberated through the air, his body pinned to the tree as Turles’s energy flowed into it, linking Goku’s divine energy with the tree’s roots.

With every scream from Goku, the tree’s power seemed to surge. The tree itself began to pulse with a divine aura, changing color, glowing with an unearthly golden light that seemed to stretch out into the atmosphere.

As Turles completed the ritual, his mind slipped into the past, to a time long before this moment—the time of the Great Saiyan War. His thoughts were consumed by memories of Sadala in its final days, when the war had torn their once-proud civilization apart, and the future of the Saiyan race hung in the balance.

The planet had burned as Turles and his followers waged a bloody revolt, determined to overthrow the remnants of the old order. With each city that fell, with each stronghold they razed, Turles’s methods grew more ruthless. His heart hardened with every battle, his resolve unshaken by the destruction and bloodshed around him. He would see the old hierarchy crushed, no matter the cost.

Yet, in the midst of all this chaos, there was one who stood against him—Yamoshi.

Yamoshi had once been a friend, a comrade, a brother in arms. They had fought side by side in their early days, both seeking a better future for their people. But where Turles saw the only way forward through violence and dominance, Yamoshi had always believed there was another path. He believed the Saiyan race could rise without shedding the blood of their own people. He fought for peace, for unity, for the survival of their people without the need to destroy what they had once been.

As the war escalated, their once-shared vision of the future had splintered. Yamoshi had rallied a small group of Saiyans who opposed Turles’s tyranny, speaking out against the brutality of Turles’s followers and trying to unite the people through protection and diplomacy. But Turles had seen only weakness in Yamoshi’s approach. He called it naïve, unworthy of the power the Saiyan race needed. Yamoshi’s calls for unity were drowned by the roar of the battlefield, the cries of those who had already chosen sides.

It was in this dark time that Turles planted the seed of the Tree of Might. He stood over the barren ground, a solemn expression on his face as he drove the seed into the soil, his mind set on the future. The Tree of Might would give them the power to reshape the Saiyan race, to finish what they had started. With its fruit, they could end the war and establish the dominance that Turles craved. He didn’t care for the old traditions or the peace Yamoshi sought—he was determined to build a new era, one where strength was everything.

As the sapling began to grow, word came that Yamoshi and his followers had been located. Turles had known it was only a matter of time before his former friend would make his move. But Turles was patient. He could wait. The time for battle would come, but not yet. He had bigger plans.

"Wait until the tree bears fruit," Turles had ordered his followers. "Only then will we have the power to finish this war."

He knew the tree needed time to reach its full potential. He needed that power to be in his hands before confronting Yamoshi and his group of misguided idealists. Yamoshi was a threat, yes, but not one that could stand against the power of the Tree of Might.

Turles’s followers, led by the Crushers—Amond, Avoca, Cacao, Daiz, Rasin, Lakasei, and Cumber—stood by his side, their loyalty unwavering. As the tree grew, so did their faith in Turles. He was their king, their leader, the one who would bring them victory. The tree would grant them the strength to reshape the galaxy, to bring about the future they all craved. And once it was ready, once the fruit was ripe, there would be no stopping them.

But as the ritual came to an end, Turles’s mind returned to the present. The power he had just unleashed was immense. His vision of a new Saiyan era was within his grasp. The Tree of Might had been transformed, its branches now glowing with a divine aura, the first golden fruit hanging from them like a beacon of power. Turles stood tall, his heart racing with anticipation as he reached for the fruit, ready to ascend to a new level of strength.

It was then that a shout interrupted his thoughts. His eyes snapped to the horizon, and there, standing against the growing light of the tree, was Vegeta, Gohan, Truffle, Broly, and Tarble. They had come.

“Finally,” Turles muttered to himself, his voice a low growl. “It’s about time you showed up, Vegeta. Come, bear witness to the power of the new era. The future of our race begins today.”

Vegeta’s eyes burned with fury as he took in the sight of Goku, bound and writhing in agony, pinned by the eternal tendrils of the tree. His fists clenched, his anger rising like a storm.

"Dad!" Gohan shouted, his voice tinged with desperation.

Turles smirked, the golden fruit now in his grasp. “You should be thanking me, Prince. This is what will save our race. This is what will take us beyond the limits of even the gods.”

“You’re insane!” Vegeta roared, his power flaring.

Turles’s expression hardened. “Am I? Or am I simply doing what is necessary to reshape our broken race?”

“Deal with them.” With a wave of his hand, Turles ordered the Crushers to deal with the newcomers. Amond, Daiz, Cacao, Rasin, and Lakasei all powered up, their Super Saiyan forms flaring to life, their auras flaring with golden light, their power surging to incredible heights. The battle was about to begin.

Truffle, without hesitation, turned to Gohan. “I’ll try to free Goku. You four—focus on stopping them.”

The battle raged on, a savage clash of power and wills. At first, it was a chaotic brawl—Gohan, Vegeta, Broly, and Tarble against Avoca, Cumber, Amond, Daiz, Rasin, Lakasei, and Cacao. The air was thick with the roar of energy blasts, the earth trembling beneath the force of their strikes. The Crushers, though highly trained, were still adjusting to the intensity of the fight against the combined might of their opponents. The battle seemed to shift with every blow, the fighters pushing their limits as the tide of the fight wavered.

Broly, ever the wild force of nature, locked eyes with Cumber, a familiar intensity igniting between them. Without a word, they surged toward each other, energy crackling in the air around them. Broly’s power roared like a tempest, his Super Saiyan form rippling with uncontrolled might. Cumber, grinning, welcomed the challenge, his dark power flaring as he matched Broly’s ferocity blow for blow. Their fight was a brutal, fast-paced exchange, each one trying to outlast the other as their immense strength collided, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Gohan found himself face to face with Avoca, her speed and agility making her a difficult opponent. Her strikes were swift and precise, but Gohan’s experience allowed him to anticipate her moves. With each clash, Gohan’s power flared, pushing back against the onslaught. Avoca, realizing she couldn't overwhelm him with brute force, began to use her speed and cunning, trying to outmaneuver Gohan in ways that kept him on the defensive.

But it wasn't just Avoca he had to worry about. Rasin and Lakasei were closing in, their attacks timed perfectly to catch him in a two-on-one situation. Rasin, with his overwhelming strength, sought to break through Gohan’s defenses with heavy blows, while Lakasei’s deceptive agility allowed him to strike from unpredictable angles. Together, they made a relentless team, keeping Gohan on his toes.

Gohan’s mind raced as he calculated his moves. Avoca was fast, but if he could land a solid hit on her, she would be forced into a defensive position. He blocked a strike from Lakasei, his senses honed to the task, then twisted to dodge Rasin’s powerful punch aimed at his side. He was pushed back, but Gohan's resilience kept him steady. He needed to maintain control—his goal was to take down these three without allowing the battle to overwhelm him.

Using his speed, Gohan created distance, momentarily separating himself from Avoca and the others. His focus sharpened, his energy surged, and he readied himself for the next wave of attacks. He needed to fight smart, taking advantage of every opening, especially when the team worked in tandem.

Vegeta took on Amond, the two Saiyans exchanging blows with precision and deadly intent. Amond was strong, no doubt, but Vegeta’s years of training and unyielding will were evident. Each blow he landed was a testament to his experience, and though Amond’s power was formidable, Vegeta’s relentless attacks began to wear him down.

Tarble faced off against Daiz, their fight an intricate dance of energy blasts and hand-to-hand combat. Daiz’s deceptive speed was his advantage, but Tarble’s careful control of his energy gave him the edge, countering each of Daiz’s moves with calculated precision. The two Saiyans clashed in a series of rapid exchanges, neither willing to give an inch.

As the battle raged on, Tarble’s attention was split as Cacao charged at him from the side. The two foes attacked simultaneously, forcing Tarble to quickly adjust his stance. He dodged a wild blast from Cacao and redirected it toward Daiz, forcing the fighter to momentarily retreat. Cacao’s relentless assault kept Tarble on the defensive, his energy flaring with each strike that came too close. Tarble’s movements became a blend of evasive techniques and calculated counterattacks, keeping both of his opponents at bay for the time being. With one opponent fast and unpredictable, and the other strong and unrelenting, Tarble had to stay sharp to avoid being overwhelmed. He managed to duck a punch from Cacao, spinning quickly to land a solid blow on Daiz’s side before turning back to face Cacao, who was already charging again with a roar.

As the chaos unfolded, Turles stood apart from the fight, watching with a smug grin as his Crushers fought with brutal efficiency. The divine power of the Eternal Tree of Might was beginning to course through him, but he remained focused on the battle before him. His mouth watered at the thought of the fruit’s full potential, but he wasn’t ready to make his move just yet. He wanted to savor this moment—watching the heroes struggle as the war for the future unfolded before him.

Vegeta, unable to contain his rage any longer, yelled across the battlefield, his voice filled with fury. “This isn’t a spectator sport!”

Turles smirked, lifting his gaze to Vegeta. The moment had arrived. As the battle raged around them, Turles took the final bite of the divine fruit, the energy surging through him in an explosive rush. The world seemed to shift around him, his power reaching new, unimaginable heights. His form radiated with a golden, divine aura, the fruit’s power fueling his every movement. The taste of the fruit lingered on his lips as he felt his strength grow exponentially.

Vegeta, seeing Turles’s transformation, knew that this was no longer just a fight for control of their race—it was a fight for the very soul of the Saiyans. Turles was no longer just an adversary; he was a force that could challenge even the gods themselves.

The battle intensified, the energy around them crackling with raw power. Vegeta, now fully aware of the danger they were in, roared and charged at Turles. “Let’s see if you can match this!” he shouted, powering up as he met Turles head-on.

The clash of their powers reverberated through the battlefield, shaking the ground beneath them. Turles, unfazed by the challenge, smirked. The true battle was about to begin, and the fate of the Saiyan race would be decided here, in the heart of the fight.

___________

Writer’s Note:

Wow. What a way to end Part 2 on a cliffhanger, right? When I decided to split this story into three parts, this felt like the natural stopping point as we lead into Part 3. At this stage, Turles has finally tapped into the true divine power of the Tree. By transferring divine energy from Goku into the Tree, it was able to produce fruit as it was meant to—unlike the fruit he had back when he fought King Vegeta II.

Back then, he didn’t gain any divine power for one simple reason: the fruit East Kai ate wasn’t ready, which is why it was bitter. But now? This golden, sweet, succulent fruit is ripe, and Turles has consumed it to unlock its true potential.

When I redeveloped the story, one major reason I brought Broly into the mix was for this: I wanted to see him and Cumber face off. I mean, who wouldn’t? We’ve seen why Cumber sat out most of the present-day story, but in Part 3, we’re going to get more action from him.

Part 2 was all about Turles’s ascension—not just as king, but as someone rising to powers that can rival the gods themselves.

Stay tuned for Part 3: Legacy.