Vegeta went silent the moment Goku brought up the fight with Majin Buu, though he still let out a sharp, cold huff.
"You'd better handle this 'King Gomah' properly, Kakarot!"
Goku chuckled and flew toward the front of the castle. "Piccolo, I can feel Dende's Ki inside. I'll draw Gomah out—the rest is up to you!"
Piccolo nodded firmly. Goku turned toward the castle and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hey! Gomah! We're here for you! Give Dende back!"
Inside the castle, Gomah had just finished equipping the Third Eye. He froze when he heard the commotion outside. Wait, they found us? And didn't they turn into kids?
"Interesting. I was just looking for a chance to test the power of the Third Eye," Gomah sneered. "Since they're here, I'll let them taste the might of Grand Demon King Gomah!"
Seeing no movement from the castle, Goku frowned. Vegeta shouted from behind, "Hey, Kakarot! Just drop an energy blast on the place! That'll bring him out!"
Taking the suggestion literally, Goku reflexively fired a Ki blast toward the castle.
Suddenly, a massive hand reached out from within and crushed the energy blast into sparks.
"Impressive. You've actually recovered," a voice boomed.
"So you're Gomah?" Goku asked.
"Indeed, I am Gomah. I just obtained this divine artifact, and here you are barking at my gates. You can be the first to witness my new power!"
Gomah stepped out, eyes gleaming with malice. "But first, let me prepare the stage!"
The Third Eye on Gomah's forehead began to glow with a sinister purple light. He clenched his right fist, and a wave of violet energy rippled outward. The floating islands and massive boulders surrounding the palace were instantly pulled together by an invisible force.
The rocks slammed into each other, fusing into a massive, elevated fighting stage right before the group's eyes.
"Wait... is that the legendary Third Eye?" Shin stared at the jewel on Gomah's forehead, his voice trembling with shock.
"The Third Eye? What's that?" Panzy asked.
"It's a terrifying relic of the Demon Realm," Shin explained. "They say whoever equips that eye gains power beyond imagination."
Glorio looked equally bewildered. "Wasn't that relic lost back in the era of Grand Demon King Abura?"
"Hahaha! It seems at least one of you knows its history," Gomah laughed. "Thanks for the introduction. It saves me the trouble of explaining why you should be terrified!"
Gomah dropped into a fighting stance. "The arena is set. Come! Witness the true horror of King Gomah!"
Goku's eyes sparked with excitement. He mirrored the stance, his battle instincts flaring.
BOOM!
The two collided. In the first exchange of blows, Goku was sent skidding backward across the stone stage.
Vegeta scoffed. "Hmph! Kakarot and his obsession with testing his opponents. He'll start getting serious now."
Sure enough, Goku surged forward again, instantly flickering into Super Saiyan. The air erupted with the sound of rapid-fire impacts.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
The shockwaves from their clash began to tear the newly formed arena apart.
Just then, Arinsu approached, flanked by two Majins. She stopped, eyeing the jewel on Gomah's forehead. "The Third Eye?"
Shin noticed her and stepped forward. "It's been a long time, Sister."
"Well, if it isn't Nahare," Arinsu said with a playful smile. "What brings you back to the Demon Realm?"
"Gomah kidnapped our friend. We're here to get him back. And who are these two?" Shin asked, gesturing to the Majins.
"These are Majin Dou-oh and Majin Ku-oh. I didn't expect Gomah to actually find the Third Eye, though."
"Neither did I," Shin admitted.
At that moment, Piccolo emerged from the castle, holding Dende in his arms. "Goku! Dende is safe! You can let loose now!"
Goku's lips curled into a confident grin. "In that case, I won't hold back! HAA!"
Goku's aura exploded upward, his golden Ki intensifying until his hair lengthened and his eyebrows vanished. He had entered Super Saiyan 3.
Panzy and the others stared in awe at the transformation. Goku's current form radiated an intimidating, almost villainous pressure.
"Is that... really Goku?" Panzy whispered.
Gomah was momentarily taken aback by the change in appearance, but his anger flared when he saw Dende in Piccolo's arms.
"Hey, you Namekian! That brat is a rare talent I personally brought here! Where do you think you're taking him?"
Piccolo let out a mocking laugh. "You should worry about yourself first!"
"What?"
Before Gomah could react, Super Saiyan 3 Goku appeared directly in front of him. A heavy fist slammed into Gomah's stomach.
CRUNCH!
"Guh... argh!" Gomah spat out a mixture of blood and bile, doubling over in pain.
As Goku moved to follow up, Gomah let out a roar, his Ki flaring violently. "Get off me, you brat!"
A pillar of purple energy erupted, forcing Goku back. The Third Eye glowed brighter than ever. Under Gomah's telekinetic control, dozens of massive boulders rose into the air and hurled themselves toward Goku like meteors.
Turles rubbed his chin, observing the scene. "Interesting. That eye is still boosting Gomah's power as the fight goes on. And his outfit... why does it look so much like the Pride Troopers' uniforms?"
Future Bulma looked at him, confused, but she made a mental note of the name "Pride Troopers."
Vegeta's eyes remained locked on the fight. Kakarot, let's see what else you've got. If Super Saiyan 3 is your limit, then you've fallen behind...
As the battle intensified, Goku started to feel the strain. Gomah, backed by the infinite energy of the Third Eye, was quickly adapting to the fight. He was getting faster and stronger with every passing second.
BOOM!
The two traded a heavy blow and skidded apart. Gomah wiped his mouth and grinned at Goku. "You're incredible, kid. To fight me this well... but you're still not my match! Bring out the one who actually beat Majin Buu!"
Goku's grin widened. "If that's how you feel, I guess I have no choice but to go all out!"
Goku ripped off his torn gi top and planted his feet. He began to draw power from deep within.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Goku's Ki surged to impossible heights. A pillar of crimson light erupted from his body, piercing through the pink Demon Realm sky.
BOOM!!
Watching from the sidelines, Vegeta's lips curled into a smirk. "I knew it. You wouldn't be caught without a trump card. Super Saiyan 4... you finally reached it."