Blood dripped from Vegeta's mouth. His body barely moved.
From above, Trunks hurtled toward Majin Buu.
"Father, hold on!"
Memories flashed through his mind—his father's stern training, his cold demeanor… and the rare, cherished moments. The amusement park, the small yet significant signs that Vegeta cared.
Fury burned in his chest.
He struck Majin Buu with a powerful kick, sending him tumbling away.
Goten landed beside Vegeta, desperately trying to tear away the pink flesh binding him.
Together, they pulled.
At last, Vegeta was free.
His eyelids fluttered open.
"T… Trunks?"
His vision sharpened. He saw them—Trunks and Goten, their faces filled with worry.
Vegeta exhaled, steadying himself as he sat up. His eyes flickered toward Majin Buu.
"What's up with that bastard?"
From a distance, Babidi scoffed.
"Hmph. Still alive? No matter. My Majin Buu is unbeatable."
Then—
A cold voice cut through the battlefield like a blade.
"Majin Buu may be unforgivable… but you, Babidi, are the real disease."
Babidi's eyes widened.
He turned—
Piccolo stood behind him, his aura flaring with lethal intent.
"You won't be controlling Majin Buu much longer," Piccolo declared. "I may not be able to kill him… but you? You're easy."
Babidi's face twisted in panic. "Shield!"
A barrier snapped into place just as Piccolo's fist struck.
His attack bounced off, but Piccolo didn't hesitate.
Babidi thrust out a hand, summoning a mass of white magic that wrapped around Piccolo's body.
For a moment, he struggled—
Then his energy flared.
The restraints shattered.
Piccolo shot forward, a Ki blade forming in his hand.
Babidi shrieked. "Wait! If you kill me, no one will be able to seal Majin Buu!"
Piccolo's eyes were cold.
A single slash—
The shield shattered.
An instant later, Piccolo's strike connected.
Babidi's lifeless body hit the ground.
---
The ground trembled. From beneath the rubble, a surge of energy exploded skyward.
Majin Buu burst forth, his body reforming effortlessly. His furious gaze swept across the battlefield.
Vegeta turned to Piccolo, then looked at Trunks standing beside him.
"Trunks, take good care of your mother."
For a brief moment, a rare smile crossed Vegeta's face as he thought of Bulma.
Trunks furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"
Vegeta ignored the question, his gaze shifting toward Majin Buu in the distance. "You two need to run. Find shelter. I'll handle Majin Buu alone."
Trunks shook his head. "No! We can fight too! If we team up, we can take him down! Right, Goten?"
Goten nodded eagerly. "Yeah! We're strong! We can even fuse!"
Vegeta's voice softened. "It's pointless. He's too powerful. No matter how many of us fight, the outcome won't change."
Trunks and Goten refused to back down, pleading for a chance to fight alongside him.
Vegeta suddenly said, "Trunks… I haven't hugged you since you were little."
Trunks blinked in surprise.
Before he could react, Vegeta pulled him close in a brief embrace—
Then struck him at the base of the neck.
Trunks collapsed.
"Wha—? Why did you hit him?!" Goten cried, rushing forward.
Vegeta knocked him unconscious as well.
Piccolo landed, solemnly lifting both children.
Vegeta turned to him. "Tell me… after I die, will I see Kakarot in the afterlife?"
Piccolo's expression darkened. "No. You've killed too many innocent people. Your soul won't keep its body. You'll go straight to hell… and in time, your essence will be cleansed and reborn, forgetting everything."
Vegeta chuckled bitterly. "Is that so? What a shame."
Majin Buu raised his hand. "Buu won't let you escape!"
Vegeta stepped forward. "Your opponent is me."
Piccolo, already airborne, glanced down at Krillin. "Come on! We need to get as far away as possible!"
Krillin hesitated for only a moment before following.
Vegeta exhaled, closing his eyes. Then—
A golden-silver aura erupted from his body, shaking the very earth beneath him.
The wind howled. Rocks shattered. Flames of energy engulfed him, forming a dome of light.
Majin Buu smirked. "Buu will turn you into chocolate and eat you!"
Vegeta's voice was eerily calm. "If you think you're strong… stay where you are. I'll scatter your body and let the wind take care of the rest."
Majin Buu hesitated.
Vegeta began burning his life force. His energy surged outward in waves, the sheer pressure causing ripples to form across Majin Buu's body.
"Farewell… Bulma. Trunks. This is for you."
He closed his eyes.
"…Even you, Kakarot."
Then—
A blinding explosion.
Vegeta's body erupted into golden light. A vortex of raw, terrifying power consumed everything, engulfing Majin Buu in a storm of energy.
From a distance, the blast shone like the rising sun.
And in the aftermath—
Vegeta was gone.
The battlefield was silent.
The smoke cleared.
A lone figure stood.
But it was no longer Vegeta. His body had turned to stone.
A gust of wind passed—
And the statue crumbled.
The last remnants of the Saiyan prince drifted into the sky, carried away by the wind.