What-If 14

**[What-If 14] Goku Black (Super Saiyan 4) VS Vegeta (Super Saiyan God Evolution)** is the second Episode of the Goku Black Saga, and the fourteenth overall Episode of the What-If Series. It was published on July 13, 2020.

## Plot

Super Saiyan Goku and Vegeta face off against the God of Destruction Beerus. Vegeta tells Goku that this isn't a foe they can overcome, Goku replying that they can at least try, promptly rushing Beerus, who swats them away with a single finger, sending the both of them crashing towards a mountain. Rising up from the ground, Vegeta remarks how Beerus was talking of a "Super Saiyan God", Goku asking what of it, with Vegeta replying that he may have figured something out. At that very moment, Beerus appears behind Goku, ready to attack. Despite transforming into a Super Saiyan 3 and blocking Beerus' attack, Goku is helplessly launched away.
Beerus, annoyed, asks if they had enough with wasting his time and demands them to bring forth the Super Saiyan God, threatening to destroy the Earth. Vegeta tells him to wait, proposing of using the Dragon Balls, so they can ask Shenron of this Super Saiyan God, so Beerus will get what he wants, to which Beerus agrees.

Some days later, Vegeta is returning home after doing groceries. His phone starts ringing, and he answers to an angry Bulma, who asks him as to why he's taking so much time to do groceries and why he's walking when he instead could fly, Vegeta's head becoming steaming red as he listens to her wife's complaints. Vegeta angrily shouts back at her, telling that maybe it's because he wants to get away from her for as long as possible. At that moment, the Saiyan senses somebody behind him aiming a Ki blast at him. Before ending the call, Vegeta tells Bulma he will call her back, promptly dodging his aggressor's attack and counter-attacking.
Vegeta asks what his intentions are, before noticing the uncanny similarity he shares with Goku alongside the possession of a tail. Goku Black replies that he's not so far off, immediately demanding Vegeta to tell him of the Super Saiyan God Goku's whereabouts. Vegeta answers by saying that Black got it all wrong, the latter retorting that Vegeta is quite the comedian, before deciding he'll warm up on him before facing Goku.

Black moves to the road, grabbing two cars and throwing them at Vegeta. Vegeta dodges the both of them, before grabbing them and returning them to ground, telling Goku Black that they're starting on the wrong foot. The two Saiyans commence their battle, with Vegeta managing to hold his own against his enemy, which surprises Black. From this show of strength, Black deduces that it was Vegeta to undergo the Super Saiyan God Ritual instead of Goku, promptly wondering if he's stronger than the Goku of this timeline.
Vegeta once again attacks, managing to uppercut Black, sending the latter up in the sky. As Black recovers from the attack, Vegeta demands of his identity, with Black answering by blowing up a nearby city, telling Vegeta that he is no position to order him around. Black remarks that he won't lose to him since he still has to beat Trunks and his allies in the main timeline, deciding to use Vegeta as his means of getting stronger. Vegeta laughs at Goku Black, once again demanding of his identity. Black teleports behind Vegeta, explaining of his voyage of becoming stronger.

He initially traveled to another timeline before this one, which he used to become stronger. Believing to be ready, Black returned to the main timeline and joined forces with his future counterpart, only to unexpectedly find Trunks alongside Goku and Vegeta. With his counterpart trapped via the Evil Containment Wave, his plan failed and he was left alone to face off against the three Saiyans. But, right before the three could kill him for good, Black remembered of the ring he wore, and managed to escape right before he could have died. He ended up in a different timeline where he couldn't be traced and, from this event, Black decided to become stronger in order to ensure no defeat.
With Black's explanation coming to an end, the two Saiyans both transform into Super Saiyans, with Vegeta retorting he won't let Black out alive from this, the latter replying that Vegeta cannot fathom his power.

The two Super Saiyans clash, with Goku Black managing to overwhelm Vegeta, until the latter doesn't ascend to the Super Saiyan God state. With his deduction proven correct, Black decides to activate the Kaio-ken on top of his Super Saiyan form, boasting that he'll match up Vegeta with this. Their battle continues, before Vegeta manages to trap Black with a Ki ability, promptly bombarding him with a barrage of Ki blast, which generate a gigantic explosion.
Black survives Vegeta's assault by summoning a barrier and, after he brings down, tells Vegeta that he has surely noticed that his base power has increased since they've begun their battle, remarking how he doesn't even need the Kaio-ken anymore. Black attacks Vegeta with a series of Ki blasts, the latter easily pushing them back. As Vegeta prepares to counter-attack, Goku Black blinds him with a Solar Flare, before throwing himself at Vegeta, a brief struggle bringing them to the ground. Black asks Vegeta if he knows why it was impossible for Goku to utilize the Kaio-ken together with the Super Saiyan transformation, explaining how such combination is lethal for the body. Due to the emotional turmoil caused by the Super Saiyan transformation, it wouldn't permit Ki control to survive the Kaio-ken, with Black remarking that he was able to bypass this lethality.
With his counterpart who maintained his body, thus his Godly abilities, being gone, Black had to find a new way to gain power-ups. Despite losing his original abilities when he gained his Saiyan body, Black managed to re-learn healing, alongside training his body to withstand the combination of Super Saiyan and Kaio-ken. Black further explains that by using the Kaio-ken for short bursts of time in order to break down his body and immediately after healing, he has managed to minimize the lethal effects of the combination, while also exploiting the Saiyan's ability to grow stronger from near-deaths experiences, although this only works when he endures great struggle in a battle, tauntingly telling Vegeta he has served his part very well.
Goku Black tells Vegeta that since their battle has started, he has been feeding off Zenkai Boosts, telling his enemy that it is a matter of time before he surpasses him. Vegeta retorts that he won't live long enough for it, immediately unleashing a Final Flash. Black lets the blast engulf him, remarking how it's about time.

As the blast strikes him, Black transforms, becoming a Super Saiyan 4. Vegeta asks of this new form, with Black claiming it to be the "true form of a Saiyan", explaining that he has figured that he needs to do battle like this in order to fully adjust to his Saiyan body. Vegeta remarks that the form pales in comparison in terms of pure power if compared to Super Saiyan God, with Black agreeing to this statement. Goku Black then reveals why he purposefully gained this form, explaining how he has stumbled upon a certain timeline that showcased deeper understanding of Saiyan folklore.
By observing said timeline, Black came to know of the means to access this transformation, learning that the tail is crucial to the Saiyan's body. He further explains that if one assumes the Great Ape form whilst being a Super Saiyan, and then proceeds to regain full control, it is possible to access to a form like no other, with Black remarking how he has managed to do so after countless attempts. He then tells Vegeta that he has realized that if he is able to fully understand the Saiyans, no one would be able to stop him.

With his explanation coming to a close, Goku Black smugly tells Vegeta that he can end this battle whenever he wants, but needs him to become stronger, ominously telling his adversary to cooperate as long as he is alive. Having now gained the edge, Black utterly overwhelms Vegeta, who barely has any time to counter-attack. After managing to put Black in a full-nelson, he sends him crashing towards the ground, leaving a giant crater. As he observes the aftermath of his attack, Vegeta notices that Black has left a Ki construct of himself. Having managed to distract his foe, Black appears behind Vegeta, punching him and promptly preparing a Kamehameha.
Vegeta lands and immediately fires a Ki blast himself, which meets with Black's Kamehameha. Goku Black mocks Vegeta, who despite having access to Super Saiyan God still is weak, with Vegeta retorting by asking Black if he really thinks he'll win because of one lucky hit, immediately increasing the power of his blast. Goku Black tells Vegeta that it's time for him to drop out of the game, managing to overwhelm Vegeta's attack and striking him with his own Kamehameha. Defenseless, Vegeta is struck by the Ki beam.

Goku Black tells Vegeta to give up, and that in the sorry state he's in, he cannot win. Vegeta instead retorts that he has trained every day of his life to arrive where he is now unlike Black, who stole the fruits of Goku's training, claiming that his existence sickens him. After this affirmation, Vegeta rises up, ascending to a new level of power, catching Goku Black off-guard. Vegeta continues by telling his foe that losing to him means losing everything that has made him what he is.
Black expresses his surprise at the existence of an Evolved state of Super Saiyan God, telling Vegeta he keeps surprising him. Vegeta tells Black that he has made a grave mistake to push him into a corner, since Saiyans break their limits time after time in situations like these. Content with this new turn of events, Goku Black fires a Ki blast at Vegeta, the latter answering with a Galick Gun. Vegeta manages to overwhelm Black's attack, but the latter blocks it, claiming it to be nothing. Vegeta instead retorts that he's finished, briefly tapping into the Super Saiyan Blue form and increasing the power of his attack, which forces Black to summon a barrier in order to survive.
As the explosion generated by the blast dissipates, Vegeta remarks how he's starting to realize the weakness of Black's form. As he emerges from his barrier, Black remarks that Vegeta had him worried for a second and if he hadn't give it his all, he would've suffered lethal damage, once again remarking that this is a very fortunate course of events.

After Black emerges from the barrier, Vegeta promptly summons a Destructo Disc and moves behind him and grabs his tail, remarking how he has figured his weakness out. Before Vegeta could cut his tail, Black teleports way and counter-attacks with a Ki blast, only for Vegeta to harmlessly fly through it, reaching and pummeling Black. Goku Black and Vegeta resume their battle and move to an antarctic zone as they do so before coming to an halt, with Goku Black telling Vegeta that he's glad of having been wrong about him and congratulates him for pushing him this far, immediately activating the Kaio-ken. The two Saiyans rush one another, with Black managing to punch Vegeta. Black tells his adversary that he proved himself to be a decent punching bag, immediately launching him towards a mountain, before powering down.
Vegeta rises up after crashing, holding Goku Black's severed tail in his hand, telling Black not to make him laugh. Vegeta drops the tail, calling Black just a fake, which is why a true Saiyan will never be defeated by an impostor like him, immediately unleashing a Final Explosion. As the blast quickly reaches Black, he laughs off at Vegeta being able to have cut his tail, calling him a fool and that he has been playing in his hands.
Black is struck by Vegeta's attack, leaving him severely injured. Vegeta tells Black that without his tail, he has been robbed of that form of his, with Black replying by admitting that he didn't foresee Vegeta's increase in strength, with this also playing to his advantage, since if he is able to recover from the way he is now, then this journey was all the more worth it for him. Having said so, Black transforms into a Super Saiyan Rosé, the power of this form leaving Vegeta dumbfounded. Goku Black smugly repeats to Vegeta that he could have ended this battle whenever he wanted, but the way he is now doesn't permit him to do so, and he needs to get stronger from this near-death experience. As he prepares to use his Time Ring, Black tells Vegeta he should've cut off his arm before his tail, immediately escaping, claiming that when he recovers he'll become stronger than ever.

In a post-credit scene, Goku Black is shown reaching another timeline, where he observes a version of Goku preparing to face off against Baby Vegeta. Black remarks that he was able to reach that certain timeline again, before the scene moves to space, revealing Broly surrounded by a barrier, deep into his decade-long hibernation.

## Power Scaling

This What-If has been featured in the Power Scaling video.

## Music

* Ball Z Budokai 3 OST - Goku's Demise;
* Dragon Ball Super OST - Unwinnable Battle;
* Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle OST - Cooler's Theme;
* Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle OST - Dio Brando's Theme;
* Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle OST - Future Gohan's Theme;
* Kill La Kill OST - goriLLAjaL;
* Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle OST - Goku Black's Theme;
* Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle OST - Kefla's Theme;
* Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle OST - Black Smoke Shenron's Theme;
* Fire Emblem Awakening OST - Don't Speak Her Name!;
* JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders OST - Final Battle.

## Sprites

The Sprites used in the animation are owned by their respective creators, listed below:

* DBSpriteFight;
* Balthazar321;
* Isair-Dragneel;
* Rct29;
* DivineSprites;
* MPadillaTheSpriter;
* NoNCalories;
* EntityHin;
* deviantarter1236.