"Oh, I see… So that's what happened."

Silence. Nobody said a word after Krillin explained how he encountered Dende. The former desert bandit glanced at the little Namekian, who struggled not to cry. He couldn't understand how anybody could be so evil. His fists shook out of anger, but so did Gohan's. The young half-breed wanted to do something but just didn't know what. It was frustrating for all of them. They felt so powerless. However, there was a glimmer of hope. The dragon balls.

Goku's son stood up, startling the others. "We can't let Freeza and Vegeta harm innocent people! When my dad, Mr. Piccolo, and Mr. Raditz get here, we can beat them!" Gohan's eyes beamed with determination and bravery.

The others blinked, taken aback by the child's remark. "Do you think that's possible? I mean, I'm sure Goku could take down Vegeta after his training. But Freeza…" Krillin paused for a moment. He could still recall that horrid and powerful ki. "To be honest, I'm not sure." His fate in Goku would never collapse, but Freeza was a monster.

Krillin's attention drifted to his tall friend, who snickered. "Heh, there's nothing to fear. We'll just bring Goku and the others to the Grand Elder and have their dormant strength awaken." Yamcha was full of confidence ever since his latent power got unlocked. "Freeza and Vegeta won't stand a chance against all of us!" He leaned against the chair and took a sip of warm coffee.

While the short martial artist wondered about that, Gohan smiled. "Yamcha's right, Krillin! And once we defeat them, we can use the dragon balls to revive our friends and Dende's people too!" He turned toward Dende and held his hands with a smile.

The little Namekian didn't know what to do. "Y-You would do that for my people?" They weren't from this world and yet, they offered their help despite not requiring to do so. He couldn't hold back anymore. Tears flowed down his cheeks. "Thank you! I'll never forget your goodwill!" He raised his hand and wiped away the tears.

Each one of them had a smile on their face. After a minute, Yamcha rose from the chair. "Well, I suppose it's time I take you to Grand Elder's house." He gazed at his bald friend, who nodded. "It'll take us some time to reach it, but it will be worth the trip." He placed the mug on the dinner table and picked up the upper part of his gi from the couch.

Krillin hoped so. He still had some doubts. Ever since the battle against the Saiyans, he was certain he came to his limit. It was indisputable he couldn't arrive at the same heights as his best friend. But maybe Yamcha was right. If there was some dormant power within him, at least he could be of some significant help. He put the empty plate on the table and stood up. However, something unexpected happened.

The warriors froze. Their faces paled as the cold sweat slid down their cheeks. They could feel it. A dark and powerful energy stepping on the island. They looked at each other with wide-open eyes. All of them knew who it was. The messenger of death was on their front door.

"Vegeta!"

Upon hearing the name of the Saiyan prince, Bulma almost stumbled. "Vegeta!? Where!? D-Don't tell me you guys can sense him?" She glanced at them, but they didn't reply. "Wait… H-He's here, isn't he!?" The blue-haired genius stammered as she took a step back.

It made little sense. How was the Saiyan able to find them? "Damn it! Why's he here!? He shouldn't know about our hideout!" Krillin closed his left hand tightly as he approached the window.

Suddenly, Gohan realized a grave mistake he and Yamcha did. "Oh, no! Vegeta probably picked us up on his scouter after we left Grand Elder's house! W-We hurried back here without thinking…" It was all their fault. They didn't pay attention to it because of the amazing newfound power they gained. The little boy lowered his head, ashamed of his action.

He wanted to shout, but what was the point. It was an honest mistake that anyone could do. "It doesn't matter… We need to find a way out of this mess!" The short martial artist worried about Bulma and Dende. He tried to think of something, but his attention shifted to Yamcha.

The long-haired earthling walked toward the doors. "We can deal with the bastard, Krillin!" He could see the confused look in his friend's eyes, so he explained himself. "All we need to do is distract him and let Bulma and Dende escape with the dragon ball. After they're far away, you can always use the Solar Flare and blind the ugly midget, right?" Yamcha adjusted his blue wristbands and smirked. He wanted to beat that Saiyan for what he did to his friends.

Krillin could just stare at the former bandit. The quick plan impressed him. For a moment, he wondered if that was the same guy. One thing was sure, that power-up changed the scar-faced martial artist. A little grin appeared on his face as a drop of sweat fell from his chin on the floor. It was a dangerous plan, but they didn't have any other option.

He clenched his teeth and shook the head. "All right!" The bald earthling stirred his black orbs to Bulma and Dende. "You guys wait near the exit. While we distract Vegeta, you get as far as possible from here!" Bulma instantly nodded and took the dragon ball.

"Ugh, I hope he won't spot us. Just imagine what he'd do to such a beautiful girl like me!"

The warriors ignored her and opened the door. "Gohan. While Yamcha and I charge at Vegeta, you try to destroy the scouter on his face. Without the scouter, he won't be able to find us." He glanced at the young half-breed, who immediately nodded. "Good. Let's go!" Krillin took the lead and headed for the exit.

As they approached the exit of the cave, the pressure increased. Sweat dripped from their chins as the malicious ki invaded the cave and surrounded them. However, the earth's warriors didn't waver. They pushed forward and walked out. Just as they feared, the Saiyan was standing there, patiently waiting. Neither of them said a single word. They kept glaring at the flame-haired demon until Gohan noticed something.

"Guys! Vegeta doesn't have the scouter on his face!"

Hearing that, Krillin and Yamcha immediately frowned. "What!? Then how did he…" The bald martial artist paused. There was only one answer. "H-He knows how to sense ki! How did he learn that so quickly!?" He squeezed his fists strongly as he glared at the ruthless warrior.

Meanwhile, Vegeta continued to smirk. He didn't think his revenge time would come so fast. "Well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect your kind to have the technology capable of traveling to this planet." The breeze carried his black hair as he sneered. "Hmph, that low-level trash more than likely had his fingers in this, right?" There was no response, but it didn't matter.

He uncrossed his arms and took a step forward. "Before I deal with you, tell me where's that idiot Kakarot? Is he on this planet?" His revenge wouldn't be complete without beating and killing the third-class Saiyan.

Angered by the insults toward his father, Gohan yelled at Vegeta. "Don't talk like that about my dad!" The half-breed closed his hands tightly and glared hatefully. "My dad, Mr. Piccolo, and Mr. Raditz are on their way here! They're training hard to beat you and Freeza for all the horrible things you did!" Without even realizing, his ki spiked, surprising the prince.

"Gohan! Calm down! Don't listen to that jerk!"

The Saiyan just released a chuckle. "So, those morons think they can beat Freeza? Ridiculous!" His laughter echoed over the island. "They can train all their lives if so they wish! Neither of those weaklings stands a chance against Freeza!" As if some low-level warriors and a Namekian could ever put a dent on Freeza's armor.

"I'm the only one who has the highest chances! Anyway, enough talk. I think it's time for some payback! The other dragon ball can wait for a moment!"

In a blink of an eye, Vegeta vanished. "Watch out! He's coming!" Krillin shifted to a defensive stance. However, Gohan charged the Saiyan. "N-No, Gohan! Crap! Yamcha, we'll stick to the plan!" His tall friend nodded as they dashed forward.

"Ha!"

He couldn't stop smirking. The brat's expression comprised anger and hate. It seems like their battle molded Kakarot's son into a warrior. But that wouldn't do them any favors. He was stronger. They stood no chance against him. He easily avoided the brat's punches. After he grew tired of it, he sidestepped and smacked the half-breed in the head. While the child stumbled, he shifted his eyes to the earthlings.

They attacked him from the sides. "Oh! Trying a pincer attack? Won't work on me, fools!" Suddenly, he shifted to the right and launched himself at the scar-faced earthling.

He smashed his fist against Yamcha's guard, but the long-haired martial artist couldn't hold it. The Saiyan penetrated the guard and crashed his solid punch on the man's cheek. He seized the taller warrior by the hand and drew him closer, only to bury the knee into Yamcha's gut. The super-elite was ready to kick him, however, his senses warned him of danger from above.

Krillin was falling from the sky at top speed. "I won't let you hurt him anymore! Take this! Haa!" He put both hands forward and fired a blue ki blast at Vegeta.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong. As he expected, the blast changed trajectory. "Hmph, you think the move you used on Nappa would work against me!? You're underestimating me too much, trash!" The Saiyan prince swiftly turned and placed a hand in front. He was about to deflect the blast when his ears twitched.

"Masenko!"

"Kamehameha!"

Two additional blasts were coming from the side and behind. He frowned. The combined blasts were almost equal to his power. Annoyed by it, he brought his hands closer and summoned all his energy. Before the attacks reached him, the Saiyan released a sky-piercing roar. He unleashed an energy dome that ravaged everything in its path. The golden dome collided with the blasts and caused an explosion.

The strong shock waves forced the earthlings to protect themselves. Krillin couldn't stand it and got blown into the cave. He slammed against the wall and gasped. The bald martial artist remained stuck. After a few seconds, he shook his head and lifted the head. He tried to sense where the Saiyan was, but something else caught his attention.

From the edge of his left eye, he could see Bulma and Dende running away. It was a good thing they left in time because the cave crumbled. He pushed himself off the wall and dropped on the ground. With those two out of the way, it was time to escape. However, it wouldn't be easy.

Suddenly, the dark smoke disappeared. "Hmph, I'm not sure how you did it, but you two raised your power since we last met on Earth." He dusted off his armor as he stared at the scar-faced martial artist and young half-breed. "However, you still won't be able to fight me as an equal. Allow me to demonstrate!" A wide grin appeared on his face as he bent forward.

The flame-haired warrior rushed at Son Goku's son, who needed to recover after pouring almost all energy into the previous attack. He appeared in front of the child and kicked it. Knowing he was beating Kakarot's son brought extreme satisfaction. The boy tried to defend, but he easily broke those puny arms apart. He seized Gohan's head and slammed the knee into the boy's face. While the half-breed stumbled backward, he lifted his fist. However, something grabbed him by the arm.

He shifted his head and saw the long-haired earthling desperately holding his arm. "Hm, just what do you think you're doing? Fine, I'll pound you to death first if that's what you wish!" The short prince spun and elbowed the scar-faced martial artist.

Yamcha could see the darkness consume his eyesight, but the warrior didn't give up. "Gah! I-I'm not done, you bastard!" He clenched his teeth and shifted into a stance. "Wolf Fang Fist!" The warrior rushed at Vegeta with fast and precise attacks, but the enemy blocked all of them as they advanced toward the end of the island.

They bore him. "Tch. I've had enough of you, pathetic weaklings. Time to finish you!" He raised a knee to block Yamcha's kick. After that, he used the back of his hand to smack away the earthling's fist. With his other hand, he wanted to blast off the fool's head, but that never happened.

Suddenly, Yamcha took a step back. "Krillin! Do it now!" Acting as fast as possible, he ducked and allowed his bald friend to attack Vegeta.

He glared at the Saiyan with nothing but hate. With both hands near the face, Krillin screamed. "Solar Fla…" A firm hand grasped his head and smashed him against the ground.

The earthling struggled to breathe as he sunk deeper. "I knew you were up to something. Unfortunately for you, the same technique won't work against a Saiyan of my caliber!" He added more grip around the bald man's head and raised his other fist. "I'll make you pay for cutting my tail!" Vegeta repeatedly punched Krillin who couldn't do anything.

While the heavy blows rang over the place, Gohan's expression twisted. "Krillin!" His scream was loud, but the Saiyan ignored him. The boy didn't think twice. He ran to his friend's aid, but something forced him to halt. Gohan glanced at the sky, together with Yamcha and even Vegeta. All of them could see a figure floating above their heads.

0o0

This wasn't good at all. He has been searching for those damn balls for hours and nothing. All he could find was some villages, but none had the wish-granting orbs. This annoyed him. If he doesn't find the last two as he promised, then his master would lose faith in him. That wasn't something he wanted. He worked hard to reach this kind of status and the last thing he wanted to get demoted to a lower rank or killed. A drop of sweat slid down his silk cheek as he flew with great speed.

Those Namekians just wouldn't tell him where the dragon balls were, no matter how much he threatened them. For such weak creatures, they had a strong will and mind. This was taking too much time. If only he had a scouter, he would find the remaining villages sooner and could contact Dodoria, Appule, and other soldiers.

While he was searching for the next village, he heard something. "Hmm! What's that!?" The tall warrior halted and floated in the air as he shifted his golden eyes to the left.

He could see a yellow light and hear an explosion ten seconds after. The aftershock produced strong winds that forced even him to protect his face. A minute later, he lowered his arms and narrowed the eyes while the wind carried his long, green hair and swayed the cape.

That was a strong energy discharge. "Could it be that stranger who ran away from Dodoria with a Namekian brat…" He considered his options for two minutes. "I better check! Maybe Namekians are working with another group!" Surrounded by dazzling aura, he flew toward the place.

It didn't take him long to reach the place. He stopped and floated above the ground and noticed something. Some people looked nothing like Namekians. However, what caught his attention was a flame-haired figure.

His eyes were wide open. "Vegeta!? What's he doing here!? Cui should've taken care of him at the station! Don't tell me he lost…" That would mean Vegeta's power drastically increased since the trip to planet Earth.

He wished his scouter didn't get destroyed so he could gauge the Saiyan's new battle power. "Hmph, as it would make any difference. Even if he beat Cui, Vegeta doesn't stand a chance against me!" With a chuckle, he slowly descended.

0o0

Yamcha couldn't believe their luck. Not only did they have to deal with Vegeta, but now this guy showed up as well. This was bad. They were in a terrible situation. Just how were they going to escape from this hell now that there were two of them. Their previous plan failed and Krillin couldn't get away from Vegeta. He tried to think of something, but nothing useful came to his mind.

Meanwhile, the Saiyan prince released the hold and rose. "Well, if it isn't Zarbon. It's been quite a long time, hasn't it…" He shifted his full attention to the handsome warrior and walked away from the earthling. "Did you come here to get yourself killed, the same way as Dodoria?" Vegeta couldn't but chuckle at Zarbon's reaction.

That couldn't be true. "What!? You expect me to believe that you killed Dodoria!? I'm sorry, Vegeta, but I don't believe you. You even went so far that you allied with these people." His surprised state quickly vanished. Instead, he smirked. "I don't know how you beat Cui, but you made a grave mistake by coming to Namek." He tilted his head so the tied hair would fall on his shoulder pad.

Vegeta grinned back and crossed his arms. "Don't be absurd! As if I would need their help to beat Dodoria or you. Once we get started, you'll quickly realize how much stronger I've become." He paused for a moment. "Not only you, but Freeza as well! Once I get eternal life, beating Freeza won't be a problem anymore!" The Saiyan prince lifted his right fist as he boldly declared that.

Zarbon didn't say a word. Instead, he laughed. "Please, as if you'd succeed. Vegeta, why don't you stop with this pointless rebellion? Nothing good will come out of it. Maybe Lord Freeza will be merciful enough to let you live." As much as his master hated the Saiyans, the overlord enjoyed having the pet monkey around for amusement.

Hearing that made him livid. "Shut up! You think I'll give up and crawl back to that bastard!? I always hated him! Until now, I only pretended to follow his orders. I waited for any opportunity and now that there's one to break free, I'll take it!" A powerful aura erupted from the Saiyan, shocking Zarbon.

He could tell Vegeta improved, but that wouldn't be enough. "Hmph, you just don't understand Vegeta. Freeza's capabilities transcend anything you could dream or comprehend. I…" The warrior's scream forced him to stop talking.

"I've had enough of your mindless chatter!"

Vegeta vanished. Zarbon reacted fast enough and stepped to the side. He threw a punch to the right, but Vegeta blocked. This surprised Freeza's loyal warrior. He couldn't get his hand free. Just as he was about to leap and kick the short prince, Vegeta yelled and threw him in the air. After a few seconds, he stopped and immediately turned around.

However, he couldn't locate the man. "Tch! Where's he!?" He looked all over the place. There were only the strangers, but he couldn't find Vegeta. That was until a strong punch slammed on his back. "Gah!" it pushed him forward, but Zarbon swiftly spun despite the pain.

Vegeta jumped above Zarbon's leg and landed his knee into the man's cheek. While the green-haired warrior remained disoriented for a second, he punched him in the face. The force behind the strike sent Zarbon toward the ground. Vegeta flew after the falling warrior like a jet.

Blood flew out of his mouth as he continued to fall. He had enough of this humiliation. With tightly closed hands, Zarbon flipped and safely landed. Acting fast, he raised a hand and released a grunt. He summoned all of his energy and fired a powerful ki blast at the incoming Vegeta.

Instead of dodging, the Saiyan prince smirked. "Too weak!" With a sharp scream, Vegeta deflected the orange blast with only one hand.

"I-Impossible…"

While Zarbon shockingly stammered, Vegeta appeared in front of him and elbowed him. After that, he received two punches to the gut and a kick to the ribs. Infuriated by all this, he growled and jumped at Vegeta who smugly leaned back. He unleashed a fast combination of punches and kicks, but somehow the flame-haired warrior avoided all of them. It was hard to accept it, but Vegeta was stronger than him and Dodoria. Maybe Dodoria did fall by Vegeta's hand.

Suddenly, he snapped out of it when he heard the cocky voice. "Haha! Is this all the great Zarbon can do!? Your moves are too easy to predict!" Vegeta caught his fist and jumped only so he could kick him under the chin.

With Zarbon on the ground, the Saiyan released a chuckle and rested his hands on the hips. Suddenly, he remembered the earthlings. He looked around, but the puny weaklings disappeared. A throbbing vein appeared on his forehead. He wasn't paying attention to them at all and they got away. The short warrior quickly calmed himself. Now that he knew they were here, he would hunt them down after he finished Zarbon.

He shifted his attention back on the fallen warrior and laughed. "I'm disappointed in you, Zarbon. To think someone of your level would be so hopeless… What a shame." The wind blew over the island and swayed his flame-like hair while he waited for Zarbon to get up.

On the other side, Zarbon observed a small puddle and wiped away the blood from the chin. "Oh, Vegeta… I must admit you surprised me, you've really made outstanding progress…" He paused as he rose from the ground and turned around. "And as a result, you've awakened my true power; something I've let dormant for many years!" A wicked grin appeared on his bruised face as he exclaimed such a statement.

Instead of trembling in fear, Vegeta just laughed. "Haha! What nonsense! And what kind of power did I awaken? Please, show me!" He lifted a hand and tried to control himself.

Zarbon didn't let that bother him at all. "Simple-minded monkey… There's a good reason I've kept my full powers hidden. My transformed state is rather hideous and I hate using it." While he explained, he shifted into a stance. "I'm naturally reluctant to use it, but I'll sacrifice my looks if there's a chance of certain death." He squeezed his fists firmly as he glared at Vegeta.

While this babbling went on his nerves, he was interested to see it. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go on, do your ridicules transformation. As if it'll help you." He crossed his arms and waited.

"And here I'd thought you'd never ask! Rah!"

Vegeta's eyes were suddenly wide open. "What a…" He uncrossed his arms and just watched the new looking Zarbon. It was revolting, but the energy Zarbon emitted was off the charts. Sweat dripped from his chin as he stared at the transformed warrior.

The huge creature chuckled at Vegeta's expression. "Hm. This is what you wanted, right Vegeta? Well, prepare yourself for a serious pain!" He launched himself at the Saiyan, leaving a shattered ground behind.

Vegeta could only blink by the time Zarbon appeared in front of him. He raised both arms to protect the face, but the man grabbed him by the shoulder pads. Before he knew it, Zarbon tossed him into the green sky. After five seconds, he stopped himself and turned around. Just as he did that, massive hands took hold of his head. Zarbon pulled him closer and head-butted. Shortly after, Zarbon's kick dug deep into his abdomen. He gasped for air, but all he got was an elbow to the head.

Blood poured out of his nose and mouth as he headed toward the ground. He groaned as he felt an incredible amount of pain just from those strikes. Angered by the sudden twist, the Saiyan prince clenched his teeth and stopped mid-air. He shifted his head to the side when he heard a laugh. Consumed by rage, Vegeta growled and dashed at Zarbon.

The ground beneath them shattered to pieces as they collided. They blew away clouds as they flew across the sky. After a bright light illuminated the sky for a second, Vegeta emerged out of it and crashed on another island.

Rocks crumbled on him, but with a strong shout, the Saiyan blew them away. Blood dripped on the ground as he rose. With each step he made, his body was on the verge of shutting down. With a broken right arm and several other bones fractured, there was no way he could beat Zarbon.

He couldn't believe it and didn't want to accept defeat. "N-No… I won't lose to someone like you!" The proud Saiyan prince gathered all the remaining energy and fired a ki blast at Zarbon.

Freeza's warrior just smirked and deflected it with ease. "Hmph, I warned you, didn't I?" While Vegeta just stood there, dumbstruck, he landed on the island. "Your ignorance is astounding. You may have increased your strength a bit, but you're just as arrogant as always!" He moved away a lock of hair from his forehead and continued.

"If you can't even beat me, how do you expect to take down Lord Freeza? Oh, did I forgot to mention that he can transform as well… Hehe!"

Unconsciously, he took a step back. "W-What did you just say? F-Freeza can transform…" Before he could finish, Zarbon appeared and landed a fatal kick to the head.

The Saiyan prince dropped on the ground, unable to move. "Oh, I guess that was a bit too much…" Zarbon approached the unconscious warrior and kneeled. "Hm, he's still breathing. I'll take you back to Lord Freeza. I'm sure he'll enjoy having a word with you after you're healed." Before he picked up the warrior, he reverted to normal.

He put Vegeta over his left shoulder and flew. While he was leaving the island, he wondered about those little strangers. It didn't seem like they worked for Vegeta, but their presence on this planet could only mean they are after the dragon balls as well.