Seeing Goku vanish in a furious explosion, Goten couldn't hold back his emotions. His eyes widened in horror, then quickly welled up with tears.
"Daaad!" he screamed in despair, collapsing to his knees.
Piccolo was already by his side. He stood silently, eyes wide, his face tense.
"I... I can't feel his ki anymore..." he whispered bitterly, clenching his fists. "Damn it, I told that stubborn fool not to face him alone!"
Piccolo shifted his gaze toward Goku Black, who still hovered in the air, staring at the spot where Goku had just stood, a grim smirk on his face. His expression radiated pure satisfaction.
"Damn it... I can't take him on alone," Piccolo thought. "That surge of ki from their battle... it was so intense, someone must've sensed it, even beyond Earth. Vegeta... maybe he's already on his way. If we team up with him—and the others—then maybe we've got a chance..."
His eyes flicked to Goten, who lay trembling beside him—from rage, pain, and helplessness. The boy's fists were clenched, and his tears fell to the ground as he stared unwaveringly at Goku Black.
Piccolo dropped to one knee beside him and gently placed a hand over the boy's mouth.
"Shhh..." he whispered, leaning in close to his ear. "Goten, we can bring Goku back. We'll find the Dragon Balls. But right now, you have to survive. You have to be strong... for him."
Goten took a deep breath and nodded. He didn't look away from the enemy, but he managed to stifle his sobs. His breathing grew steadier, though the fury in his eyes remained.
Fortunately, Goku Black was too engrossed in his victory to notice them—for now. That gave them a chance. But Goten could barely stand, let alone fly. Piccolo carefully lifted him, one arm wrapped around the boy's back, and slowly rose into the sky.
He was about to dash away when suddenly...
"You didn't think I'd forgotten about you, did you?" came a chilling voice from behind.
In the same instant, a flash of pink light burst in Piccolo's chest—right over his heart. Goku Black's hand, warped with sinister ki, pierced clean through his body. Everything inside Piccolo went numb. His eyes widened in pain and shock.
Goku Black loomed over him, like death itself.
"Like I said..." he growled with a vicious grin, "next time, I'll make sure you stay dead."
In his other hand, a sleek, deadly blade of concentrated pink energy formed instantly. Without hesitation, he swung it in one swift motion—beheading Piccolo. The severed head spun through the air, trailing a streak of crimson before vanishing into a haze of dust and energy.
Goten, witnessing the horror unfold, froze in shock. His eyes widened, breath caught in his throat. He couldn't make a sound—as if his voice was trapped somewhere deep inside. His body trembled, and a single tear slid down his cheek.
"PICCLOOO!" he finally cried, a scream of pure anguish and pain as he plummeted from the sky, still holding onto Piccolo's lifeless body.
They crashed into the ground with a dull thud. Dust erupted around them, and for a moment, the world stood still. Goten barely managed to push himself up on his elbows. His body was completely drained—he had no energy left. But the burning rage in his chest wouldn't let him fall. He groaned, grinding his teeth, and slowly staggered to his feet, swaying but never taking his eyes off Goku Black, who now stood calmly on the ground nearby, seemingly deep in thought.
"Hmph..." Goku Black muttered, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Someone strong is approaching... and not just one. I can sense several power levels—not weak ones, either. Pity... as much as I hate to admit it, I suppose it's time to go."
He glanced down at a ring on his finger—a silver band faintly glowing with light. It was a Time Ring, a tool that allowed him to move through the flow of reality itself.
"But first..." Goku Black said coldly, "I need to finish off Goku's son. Tie up loose ends."
He stepped forward—but suddenly winced as sharp pain shot through his leg. He looked down in shock: Goten had latched onto his leg, sinking his teeth in with such force it looked like he was trying to bite clean through him. The boy growled, screamed, cried—his gaze burning with hatred and despair, all fused into one raw cry from his very soul.
"Let go!" Goku Black snarled, grabbing Goten by the throat. His fingers curled tightly around the boy's neck, lifting him slowly into the air—like trash, like a worthless doll.
"You think just because you're a kid I'll show you mercy?" he hissed, staring directly into Goten's tear-filled eyes. "Unfortunately for you... I despise all mortals."
His lips twisted into a cruel, merciless grin. He watched with dark pleasure as Goten's breathing grew shallow, as the fire in his eyes began to fade.
"W-who... a-are y-you..?" Goten croaked, barely audible. His voice was fading, and his pupils were nearly lost in the blur of tears filling his eyes.
Hearing that, Goku Black raised a brow slightly, and with twisted pride, replied:
"I'm Goku... Goku Black."
And with those words, everything went black for Goten.
---
Hey guys! I've noticed that the number of readers is gradually growing, and while it's not happening as fast as I originally hoped, I honestly didn't expect a huge boost either — after all, there's a lot of competition when it comes to Dragon Ball fanfics.
To the new readers: I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you think my idea is turning out well so far? If you're enjoying it, let me know — I really like reading your comments.
Also, good news — this week I plan to release a new chapter every single day! Or at least I'll do my best to keep that pace. I'm genuinely enjoying how the story is coming along.
That's all for now — see you in the next 24 hours!