The air was thick with tension.
Raditz stood confidently, arms folded, a smirk playing on his lips as the ocean breeze ruffled his wild mane of hair. His cold eyes scanned the group of humans like an apex predator studying prey.
Krillin—the real Krillin, now inhabited by the soul of a 24-year-old Pakistani man—stood still, every muscle in his body tensed. He tried to look brave, but inside?
He was shaking.
"This is real. This is Raditz. A Saiyan warrior whose weakest attack could obliterate a city. I may have Krillin's memories, his body, even his fighting instincts... but I'm not ready for this."
He swallowed hard, trying not to let the fear show on his face.
Goku stepped forward, eyes narrowed in confusion and disbelief. "I don't care what you say. You're not taking me anywhere."
Raditz scoffed. "Tsk. So you've truly gone soft. I came to offer you a place beside me. Together, we could conquer dozens of planets. But it seems I'll need to beat some sense into you."
"Oh no. This is the part where he shows his power..." Krillin thought, sweat trickling down his temple.
"Power levels," Raditz muttered, pressing a button on his scouter. It beeped as it scanned everyone.
"That weakling," Raditz nodded toward Krillin. "206. You're barely above a Saibaman."
Krillin flinched. He couldn't argue. It was the truth.
"If he wanted to, he could kill me right now. Just like that."
But he didn't back down. He took a deep breath and focused, pushing ki to his palms slowly.
"I'm afraid... but I can't let that stop me. Not if I want to survive in this world."
Goku took a fighting stance, trying to remain calm. "I'm not going with you. I have a family now. I protect this planet."
Raditz chuckled darkly. "Then I'll give you a reason to come. That child of yours... he has Saiyan blood. I sensed his power. He could be useful."
Goku's eyes widened. "Stay away from Gohan!"
Before anyone could move, Raditz struck. A blur of motion, faster than anyone could react.
Thwack!
Goku was sent flying into the sand with a sickening crash. Gohan screamed.
Krillin's heart nearly stopped. "Damn it, I didn't even see him move—!"
Raditz advanced toward Gohan. Chi-Chi ran to protect her son, but Goku leapt back into the fray, blocking Raditz's path.
"You'll have to get through me first!" he growled.
Raditz smiled. "Gladly."
What followed was a short, brutal clash. Goku gave it everything he had, but it was obvious—he was outmatched. Raditz dodged most of his blows and countered with brutal precision.
Krillin stood frozen, fists clenched. Every instinct screamed at him to help, to jump in—but his body wouldn't move.
"What can I even do? I'm weak. I'm not even a match for Goku right now. If I charge in, I'll die. Again."
Then, it happened.
With a single punishing blow, Raditz slammed Goku into the ground and grabbed Gohan by the collar.
"Stop!" Krillin shouted, finally stepping forward.
Raditz turned, eyes narrowing. "Still alive, are you?"
"I-I know I'm not strong," Krillin said, his voice trembling slightly. "But you're not taking that kid without a fight."
Raditz snorted. "You call this a fight?"
With one hand, he fired a ki blast directly at Krillin.
BOOM!
The explosion knocked Krillin off his feet, hurling him backward into the sand. His chest burned from the impact. He groaned, struggling to sit up. "I'm... alive?" The blast had been suppressed—just a warning.
"Consider that a lesson, Earthling," Raditz sneered. "Next time, I won't hold back."
With that, he shot into the sky, holding Gohan in one arm.
"GOKU!!" Chi-Chi screamed.
Goku gritted his teeth, eyes blazing with rage.
Krillin lay on the ground, coughing, his body aching. But even through the pain, he was thinking.
"This is it. The Saiyan Saga. The first real arc of Dragon Ball Z. I know how this goes. Goku and Piccolo team up. Goku dies. They train for Nappa and Vegeta. But now I'm here. I can't just follow the script. I need to train. Hard. Smarter. Stronger. I need to survive. I need to help."
Goku stood over him, offering a hand. Krillin took it and pulled himself up.
"You okay?" Goku asked.
Krillin nodded. "I'll live. But we need to get Piccolo."
Goku's eyes widened. "Huh?"
"I don't have time to explain," Krillin said, wiping the blood from his mouth. "But if we want to save Gohan... we're gonna need him."