The Last.. (Special chapter)

  20 years ago...

  The capital city of Planet Vegeta buzzed with activity under its crimson skies. In shops, homes, offices, and streets, the air was thick with anticipation. People spoke of only one thing: the full moon.

  This celestial event, occurring once every five hundred years, was just days away. The glow of anticipation matched the intensity of the twin suns setting over the horizon, casting long shadows and bathing the city in a golden hue.

  Recently, King Vegeta had covertly replaced most of Frieza's men stationed on the planet with his own. Official orders and statements were now penned by Saiyans, with Frieza's men forced to sign them. The tension in the air was palpable, like the calm before a storm.

  A week ago, Dodoria's crew had departed after their monthly check. King Vegeta seized the opportunity immediately afterward. The pink blob had ensured everything appeared normal before leaving. Neither Frieza nor his cronies suspected what was about to unfold.

  In the palace, the atmosphere was charged with a sense of urgency. King Vegeta sat on his throne, the grand hall illuminated by flickering torches that cast dancing shadows on the walls. A hundred Saiyans, their faces etched with determination, gathered before him. "We have one shot at this. We can't afford any mistakes. Am I clear?"

  "Yes, our king!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices echoing through the hall.

  A mustachioed man raised his fist. "Long live..."

  "The king!" the crowd roared, their collective breath misting in the cool air of the evening.

  "Long live..." the man yelled again, his voice cutting through the silence.

  "The Saiyan race!" the crowd shouted, the sound reverberating off the stone walls.

  King Vegeta addressed the man. "Paragus, I have matters to discuss with you after this."

  Paragus bowed slightly, his eyes reflecting the torchlight. "As you wish, your highness."

  The plan was set. They needed to lure Frieza and his army to attack Planet Vegeta. As the battle raged, the full moon would appear, triggering the Saiyans' transformation into Giant Apes. One Giant Ape could annihilate an entire army. An army of them? Not even Frieza could withstand their fury.

  Outside, the twin suns dipped below the horizon, and the first stars began to twinkle in the sky, signaling the coming of a night that would change the fate of Planet Vegeta forever.

  Vegeta stood, shooting energy blasts at the fleeing animals. His eyes narrowed as he focused on his targets.

  Finally, one blast connected, roasting an animal. The smell of charred flesh filled the air.

  Raditz grinned. "Right on!"

  Nappa chuckled, arms crossed, watching the spectacle.

  A baby boy sitting on a nearby rock began to cry loudly, his wails echoing through the forest.

  Vegeta growled, annoyed by the disruption. "Shut up, boy!" This was unacceptable behavior for a Saiyan child.

  The child continued to wail, undeterred.

  "Aww," Nappa teased. "How cute. That's what you get for marrying a woman from one of those weakling planets, Vegeta."

  Raditz smirked. "I'm curious too. Was no Saiyan woman good enough for our prince?" The young Saiyan, still in his early teens, couldn't resist the jab.

  Vegeta glared at them both. "Keep your mouths shut if you value your lives." He loathed when anyone spoke about his personal life.

  Nappa grinned but stayed silent. Vegeta had grown stronger since their last meeting. The prince could actually give him a run for his money now.

  Raditz looked less confident, slightly shaken by the threat.

  Vegeta turned to his son, pulling a lollipop from his pocket and placing it in the boy's mouth, instantly silencing him.

  Nappa chuckled. "I can't believe this. If that was my kid, I'd slap him senseless until he couldn't speak for a week."

  Vegeta smirked. "My son is different. From experience, this is the best way to deal with him."

  Nappa scoffed. "You're going to spoil him, Vegeta. He won't grow up to be a warrior like you."

  Vegeta grunted, needing to maintain his tough-guy image. "We'll see... To tell you the truth, I don't hit him because when I do, I tend to overdo it... if you know what I mean."

  Raditz looked at the boy with a hint of envy. If only he had been born to an elite. Despite his father's hard work, Raditz was still looked down upon by the high-class Saiyans. His father's and grandfather's services to the Saiyan king didn't change their 'low class' label due to their birth status.

  Raditz's father, Bardock, had sent him to accompany the prince on his hunting trip, hoping it would motivate him to become a stronger warrior. But instead of encouragement, it often left Raditz feeling disheartened.

  King Vegeta motioned for Paragus to approach as the crowd in the palace began to disperse through the grand main gate, their murmurs echoing off the high stone walls. The flickering torchlight cast dancing shadows.

  Paragus obeyed, stepping forward until he stood within arm's reach of the throne.

  "Is Bardock and his crew ready?" the king asked, his voice low and commanding.

  "Yes, my king," Paragus replied, his tone firm.

  "Ensure their spaceships are in perfect condition. They must be flawless. It is crucial for our plan."

  Paragus nodded, understanding the gravity of the task. "It will be done, your majesty."

  Bardock and his crew stretched their stiff necks as they emerged from their spaceships, having just landed on Planet Vegeta. They had stopped by their home planet for some checks, but their true destination lay elsewhere.

  As they disembarked, the gravity of the situation quickly became apparent. Bardock absorbed the updates, a smirk forming on his lips. A huge burden had been placed on his shoulders, but he relished the challenge.

  After a group of technicians meticulously inspected their ships, Bardock and his crew reboarded and set off for another planet.

  The plan was clear. Bardock was to launch a surprise attack on an ammunition store dangerously close to where Frieza's spaceship currently rested. Frieza's ship, the only one on the planet, housed the tyrant and many of his elite soldiers. Following the attack, Bardock and his crew would race back to Planet Vegeta, hoping Frieza would follow them into the trap.

  It was risky, fraught with countless variables, but it had to be done.

  ...

  Frieza sat in his hoverchair, gazing out of the expansive window of his spaceship. "Zarbon," he said softly. "Any word from Paragus?"

  The teal-skinned Zarbon stepped forward. "Yes, my lord. King Vegeta has sent a low-class Saiyan named Bardock towards our planet. He hopes to lure us to Planet Vegeta on the night of a full moon."

  Frieza smiled, his eyes closing in satisfaction. "Oh Vegeta... you seem to be in such a rush to meet me. How about I honor you with my presence sooner than expected, hmm?"

  Zarbon remained silent, watching Frieza intently.

  "You have far too many traitors among your ranks, Vegeta. How unfortunate for you... and how convenient for me."

  The tyrant opened his eyes, his voice turning cold and chilling. "Zarbon, prepare the soldiers. We depart for Planet Vegeta immediately."

  Zarbon nodded. "What have you decided for the Saiyans, sire?"

  Frieza stared ahead, a look of disdain on his face. "I have decided to exterminate them. I never understood why my father kept them around. They are weak, yet they think themselves strong. Pathetic... a bunch of monkeys."

  Zarbon smiled, his expression mirroring his master's cold satisfaction. "I see."

  "As for that low-class Saiyan and his crew... leave Dodoria here. He will suffice."

  "Yes, my lord," Zarbon replied, a chill running through him as he turned to carry out Frieza's orders.

  Paragus chuckled to himself as he walked through the bustling streets of Planet Vegeta, the air filled with the sounds of Saiyan life. The scent of roasted meats from nearby stalls mingled with the metallic tang of the planet's unique flora. He had just destroyed his scouter, the remnants of the device now scattered in an alleyway. Now, the king wouldn't be able to contact him anymore.

  Paragus, the prime minister, had harbored a seething hatred for the king for the last five years, ever since the day his eldest son was sentenced to death. The reason? A crime against a low-life inhabitant of a backwater planet. What did it matter if the planet came under the king's control? To Paragus, it was a petty justification for an unforgivable act.

  He vividly remembered that dark day, the memory seared into his mind. The execution of his eldest son for a so-called heinous crime. The sight of his son's lifeless body still haunted his dreams, fueling his unending rage.

  But now, revenge was within his grasp. Frieza would be the instrument of his vengeance. Paragus hoped that his loyalty and usefulness to the tyrant would secure him a position of power within the PTO, similar to the one King Vegeta enjoyed.

  His thoughts drifted to his younger son, Broly. Even as a baby, Broly showed an astounding amount of promise, his power levels far exceeding those of other Saiyan infants. If Paragus could conceal his son's true potential from the watchful eyes of the PTO, then one day... he might have a chance to kill Frieza himself.

  Paragus' lips curled into a sinister smile.

  The streets of Planet Vegeta were bustling with activity as Saiyans went about their daily routines. The city roads were alive with the hum of commerce and chatter, a wave of excitement crackling in the air as the populace eagerly anticipated the upcoming full moon event. The atmosphere was vibrant, with traders shouting their wares and children playing amidst the busy thoroughfares.

  Suddenly, the serenity was shattered by a deafening explosion that rocked the city. The ground trembled, and a plume of smoke and debris billowed into the sky, casting a grim pall over the vibrant scene.

  ...

  King Vegeta, seated on his ornate throne, shot up from his chair, eyes widening in alarm. "What is that?" he demanded, his voice tinged with unease.

  He turned sharply to his right-hand man. "Zator! Go and investigate immediately!"

  Without hesitation, Zator sprang into action, dashing out of the throne room.

  King Vegeta's jaw clenched, his mind racing. The city's energy shield was down, a vulnerability they hadn't anticipated. A sense of dread gnawed at him as he braced for the worst.

  ...

  From the sky, PTO soldiers descended like a relentless storm, their armored forms cutting through the clouds. Chaos erupted on the streets below. The Saiyans, caught off guard, scrambled to defend their city. The once-bustling roads now resembled a battlefield, the vibrant marketplace replaced by the clamor of conflict.

  Ki blasts streaked across the sky, illuminating the chaos with bursts of brilliant light. The air was filled with the sounds of explosions, shouts, and the crackle of energy blasts. Buildings shook as the two sides clashed, turning the once-familiar streets into a war zone.

  BAM! A Saiyan's fist punched a gaping hole through a PTO soldier, the force of the blow sending the soldier crashing into a nearby wall.

  KARACK! A PTO soldier twisted a Saiyan's neck with a brutal efficiency, the sickening sound echoing through the chaos.

  DISHUUM! In a desperate struggle, a Saiyan and a PTO soldier grappled, their locked fists straining as they fought for dominance.

  Zator moved with relentless precision, zipping through the melee like a pinball. He struck and dispatched foes with lethal efficiency, but his momentum was abruptly halted when a powerful punch connected with his jaw.

  Stunned, Zator looked up to see Zarbon and his crew emerging from the fray. Zarbon's smirk was chilling. "Zator... Frieza has had enough of your kind. He has decided to eliminate you."

  Zator's eyes flared with defiance. "What?! Well, he won't be the first one to try!"

  Zarbon chuckled darkly. "I know, but he will surely be the last." He then signaled his crew to attack.

  Zarbon's crew, resembling fierce alligator-like creatures, closed in on Zator from all sides. The relentless assault forced Zator into a desperate defensive stance.

  Amidst the tumult, King Vegeta burst through the ranks, his imposing figure cutting a path through the chaos. His cape billowed dramatically as he slammed his fist into one of Zarbon's crew members, sending the soldier crashing to the ground.

  Without missing a beat, the king charged toward Zarbon, his eyes blazing with fury.

  Zarbon gritted his teeth, barely managing to deflect the king's initial punch. However, he was unable to block the following kick that collided with his chest, sending him reeling backwards. His crew, now engaged with the Saiyans, left Zarbon isolated.

  King Vegeta roared, his voice reverberating with raw power. "Come on. Fight me!"

  Zarbon's expression twisted into a grotesque snarl as his body bulked up and his previously handsome features contorted into something far more hideous. "I will, Vegeta!" His voice had deepened, taking on a guttural resonance.

  The two combatants clashed with a fury that shook the very air around them. Their blows erupted in shockwaves, the energy from their fierce exchange creating a barrier that pushed back everyone else in the vicinity.

  Meanwhile, Zator had resumed his vicious assault. But just as he was about to deliver another blow, a sudden, jarring impact collided with his abdomen. He gasped, blood spraying from his mouth as he looked down to see Cui—a purple alien with a malicious grin.

  Cui reared back, his fist connecting with Zator's gut once more, followed by a brutal kick to his neck. The sickening crunch of bone reverberated through the air.

  Zator collapsed, his lifeless body crumpling to the ground.

  King Vegeta was engaged in a fierce battle with Zarbon when his scouter's alarm went off, signaling a sharp drop in Zator's energy. "No, Zator..."

  Zarbon noticed Vegeta's distraction and smirked. "You seem worried, Vegeta. What's the matter?"

  BAM!

  Zarbon's punch struck Vegeta's chin, sending him reeling backward.

  BAM!

  Vegeta quickly retaliated, landing a powerful kick to Zarbon's gut. Zarbon flew through the air and crashed into a nearby building.

  King Vegeta immediately followed after the teal-skinned alien.

  Zarbon lay dazed on the ground when Vegeta descended upon him with a brutal knee strike. The impact was jarring, sending a wave of agony through Zarbon. The alien's voice broke, the pain evident in his hurtful gasp.

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  Without hesitation, King Vegeta delivered a powerful kick, sending Zarbon's body skidding across the ground. Vegeta's eyes blazed with resolve—he was done toying with his opponent.

  As Zarbon lay incapacitated, Vegeta's gaze was drawn to a figure emerging from the shadows. A short, horned silhouette stood imposingly before him.

  "Frieza," King Vegeta's voice was low and resolute. "Your reign ends now."

  Prince Vegeta's jaw dropped open as he read the message sent to him by a Saiyan over his scouter.

  "What's wrong, Vegeta?" asked Nappa.

  Vegeta gritted his teeth. "Frieza... he's attacked the capital city!" The prince took off his scouter and, with a growl, crushed it in his fist.

  Both Nappa and Raditz were shocked. "What...?"

  Raditz clenched his fists. "We have to get back to our planet."

  "No, it's no use," said Vegeta. "It would take us at least a day to get there. By then, the battle would be over."

  Nappa looked toward the horizon, his eyes narrowing as he noticed pin-pricks in the sky.

  BEEP! BEEP!

  There was a collective alert on Raditz's and Nappa's scouters.

  Nappa gnashed his teeth and got into his fighting stance. "Looks like we have some company."

  Raditz also got into his fighting stance, a slight shiver running up his spine. This could be his first life-and-death battle. He had gone on missions before, but almost every time, the inhabitants were far weaker than himself. At least today he had two of the strongest Saiyans beside him.

  Vegeta quickly grabbed his son with one hand. The prince turned around and, with a yell, threw the baby boy as far away as he could. His son would be safe now.

  Soon, the horde of PTO soldiers was upon them.

  Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz crashed into the attackers with a yell.

  Nappa tore through most of his opponents with ease.

  Vegeta, too, wasn't having a difficult time. A kick impaled the gut of one soldier. A ki blast destroyed another.

  Raditz had chosen the weakest-looking soldiers for himself. Still, he was having a harder time than his comrades. He punched an orange-skinned soldier in the face but got kicked in the side by a purple-skinned one.

  With a growl, he threw an energy blast at his attacker, but it was dodged.

  Raditz heard a soldier come at him with a yell from behind. Immediately, he turned and struck a chop at the soldier's side which cut through him clean.

  Raditz grinned. However, he was not given much time to rejoice as someone grabbed him from behind in a full nelson.

  The teen struggled to break free, but his captor didn't budge.

  Nappa was tearing his way through the soldiers when someone kneed him in the gut.

  "AGH!" Saliva flew out of Nappa's mouth. He looked at his attacker with fury. Who could it be to hurt even him?

  When Nappa recognized the face, his jaw dropped. "Recoome?"

  The orange-haired fighter, famous for his brutishness and comparable to Nappa in that department, grinned widely. "Recooooome... crackdown!"

  Nappa fell face-first to the ground from Recoome's slap connecting with his cheek.

  BAM!

  A groan escaped his lips as Recoome elbowed him in the back, pinning him to the ground.

  Recoome then began to repeatedly punch the base of Nappa's shoulder. The Saiyan general groaned with each hit as his form became increasingly buried inside the ground.

  Vegeta was fighting furiously when he was suddenly terror-struck. Standing before him was none other than a horned, purple-skinned alien... Captain Ginyu.

  Vegeta looked around. He saw Nappa lying on the ground, out of commission, while Raditz struggled in the grip of a large, purple-skinned alien.

  Captain Ginyu chuckled. "So nice to see you, Vegeta."

  Vegeta took a step back, his mouth hanging open.

  The captain crossed his arms. "Lord Frieza has decided to spare your two friends. He doesn't want your species to be extinct, you know. That's his policy... he always spares some members for educational purposes."

  Vegeta took another step back, heart pounding. This was the infamous Captain Ginyu. Nobody in the universe could defeat him except for King Cold and his sons.

  Captain Ginyu continued, "But sadly, he wants you to be killed. Too bad for you that we were on a nearby planet, so he assigned us to get the dirty job done."

  Vegeta gathered his resolve. There had to be a way out of this. He clenched his fist in front of him. "I know why! He is afraid of me! He is afraid of my bloodline! He fears a Super Saiyan may rise to tear him apart! Since he got his fellow Arcosians killed to avoid any challenges to his power, this doesn't come as any surprise to me!" he spat.

  Ginyu laughed out loud. "It isn't really a matter of being afraid. It's more about dealing with a little nuisance beforehand. Lord Frieza is very meticulous."

  Vegeta scowled. "He may be. But once again, he has made a huge mistake... by underestimating the Saiyan race!" The prince raised a finger in front of him in a revolver fashion and charged it with energy.

  Ginyu snickered.

  Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "Bang."

  THACK! THACK! THACK! THACK!

  Ginyu winced as smoke rose from his temple. His scouter had been destroyed. "What the-?" All the other scouters on the battlefield had been destroyed as well.

  Vegeta growled as he pulled his hands behind him. "Now taste this." Purple energy began to crackle around him. "Galick Gun, FIRE!"

  A thick purple beam of energy shot forward from Vegeta's extended hands.

  Raditz's eyes widened. He didn't know if this would be able to hurt Ginyu or not, but he was sure it was enough to kill him if he got caught up in the explosion.

  Ginyu grinned as the beam of energy approached him. However, instead of hitting him, it hit the ground near his feet.

  DISHOO!

  A huge cloud of dust was kicked up. The beam had detonated inside the sandy soil of the planet.

  Everyone was coughing as Vegeta zapped away from the place.

  ...

  The prince was running as fast as his legs allowed. His son... he had to find his son first. Soon he found him sitting on the ground, chewing on some berries.

  Vegeta grabbed his son. His aim had been right on. A short distance away was his space pod. The prince immediately got inside and pushed some random coordinates on his remote. The pod blasted off immediately.

  Ginyu and his soldiers began to recover as the dust around them slowly dissipated.

  The Captain looked furious. "No! He got away!" He turned to his soldiers. "SEARCH FOR HIM!"

  The PTO fighters obeyed, spreading out over the land.

  Meanwhile, deep in space, a group of space pods sped onwards...

  Bardock tried to connect to Paragus, Zator, anyone, but was unsuccessful. What was the matter? They couldn't all have their scouters discharged at the same time.

  Two days later...

  Bardock and his crew landed on the soil of Frieza Planet 390. Their target, the ammunition house, was about two hundred miles away.

  His crewmates began to assemble a device they had brought in parts. With this device, recently invented by them, they could aim their energy attacks at the ammunition house from this far away.

  BEEP! BEEP!

  They looked around. Nobody was there.

  Then they heard coarse laughter. Bardock turned his head upwards, and his jaw dropped. Something was wrong. How did Frieza know?

  Floating in the air with a crew was none other than Dodoria.

  The pink blob wasn't in much mood for words. He opened his mouth wide and fired a blast at them.

  DISHOOOM!

  A huge white hemisphere of energy formed on the landscape.

  ...

  Bardock gritted his teeth as he lay on the ground, his body battered and bruised from Dodoria's powerful attack. Every movement sent waves of pain coursing through him, but he forced himself to stand, his vision swimming with the effort. The landscape around him was scorched and smoldering, the aftermath of the blast that had decimated his crew.

  Dodoria stood a short distance away, his hulking frame casting a menacing shadow over the battlefield. His lips curled into a mocking grin as he watched Bardock struggle.

  Bardock's eyes narrowed with determination. He couldn't let it end like this. Summoning every ounce of his remaining strength, he tried to charge his hand with energy. A faint, flickering light formed in his palm, barely more than a spark. He knew it was far from enough, but he had to try.

  With a defiant roar, Bardock hurled the small ki blast at Dodoria. The energy sphere sailed through the air, crackling with power.

  Dodoria's grin widened. He opened his mouth wide and, to Bardock's horror, swallowed the ki blast whole. The energy dissipated harmlessly, barely causing the brutish warrior to flinch.

  Bardock's heart sank. He had poured everything he had left into that attack, and it had done nothing.

  'Game over,' Bardock thought, his strength ebbing away. His vision blurred, the world around him darkening. He stumbled, his legs giving out beneath him, and fell to the ground with a thud.

  Far away...

  Paragus was furious. "Frieza, you cheat!"

  Word had come to him that Frieza had decided to kill him and his son. The tyrant thought Paragus was too shrewd for his own good. However, the mustached Saiyan now knew of Frieza's intentions and was determined to act quickly.

  He stormed through the corridors of their hideout, his mind racing with plans for their escape. Paragus knew they had little time. Frieza's forces could arrive at any moment.

  "Broly!" he called out, his voice echoing off the walls. He found his son in their quarters, a small, makeshift room filled with minimal furnishings. Broly was already dozing off in one of their space pods, his innocent face contrasting with the turmoil around them.

  Paragus' eyes narrowed as he watched his son sleep. He gently placed a hand on Broly's pod, his thoughts calculating. "You'll be the key to my vengeance," he muttered.

  He quickly activated the space pod's systems, ensuring everything was in working order. Satisfied, he closed the pod's hatch and moved to the adjacent pod.

  Paragus climbed into his own space pod, the interior cramped but familiar. He tapped a series of coordinates into the control panel, a location far from Frieza's reach. As the pod's systems hummed to life, he glanced back at Broly's pod one last time, ensuring his son was secure.

  Taking a deep breath, Paragus steeled himself. The pods' engines roared, and with a jolt, they blasted off into space.

  .

  .

  .

  One week later...

  Vegeta had arrived on a backwater planet outside of Frieza's territory. The first thing he did was buy a cloak, using it to conceal his identity as he moved through the bustling streets. Conveniently, many of the planet's inhabitants also wore cloaks, allowing him to blend in seamlessly.

  Keeping his son close, Vegeta found a quiet spot and sat down, purchasing an intergalactic newspaper. He opened it, bracing himself for the grim news he knew it would contain.

  Each day, the newspaper brought a fresh wave of despair. Frieza and his army had decimated the Saiyans on Planet Vegeta, including his father. Only a few had managed to escape, and among them, his cowardly brothers who had fled without a fight.

  Frieza had issued a decree: anyone who captured a member of the royal family, dead or alive, would be rewarded with a million acres on a five-star planet. A thousand acres would be granted for any ordinary Saiyan. As a result, each day brought reports of captured Saiyans, their executions described in gruesome detail.

  Today, the headline announced the execution of Vegeta's brother, Tarble.

  Days turned into weeks, and the names of fallen Saiyans appeared relentlessly: Turles, Paragus, Mooli, Bindi, Pinach. One by one, they were all hunted down and killed. Vegeta read it all in silence, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

  His family members who had run away met the same fate. The newspaper chronicled each execution.

  Now, only one Saiyan remained on the PTO's radar: Vegeta himself.

  His photograph appeared in the newspaper's 'Wanted' section, his trademark smirk captured perfectly. With a growl, Vegeta ignited the newspaper with his ki. He dropped it to the ground, watching as the flames slowly consumed the paper, turning the grim news to ashes.

  ...

  The next morning..

  A stark headline blared from the newspaper: "Population of Planet Durth Wiped Out?" The words swam before Vegeta's eyes, each syllable a hammer blow against his chest. Durth... his wife's home. She had journeyed there to visit her parents while he was away on that ill-fated hunting trip with their son. A cold dread washed over him, leaving him utterly numb.

  He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the indifferent sky above. His face remained a mask of Saiyan control, yet within him, a tempest of grief began to brew. On the table before him, his infant son gurgled with laughter, the innocent sound a jarring counterpoint to the crushing despair threatening to engulf Vegeta. A bitter pang twisted in the prince's gut at the obliviousness of his child's joy.

  The vibrant image of his wife, her laughter echoing in his memory, flickered in his mind. Their shared moments now seemed like fragments of a distant, cherished dream. A vise tightened around his chest as the brutal reality sank in: she was gone, swallowed by the same merciless cruelty that had extinguished his own world. The enormity of her loss settled upon his shoulders, a crushing weight.

  For a fleeting, agonizing moment, Vegeta envied his son's innocence, the way the baby's laughter danced free from the shadows that haunted him. How he longed for that untainted existence, that blissful ignorance of the universe's darkness.

  A sudden, earth-shattering explosion ripped through the quiet morning. Instinct took over. Vegeta snatched up his son and propelled himself into the air, his heart hammering against his ribs. Below, a plume of black smoke billowed from the very spot where they had been sitting.

  "Hey! Monkey boy!" a voice bellowed.

  Vegeta's head snapped towards the sound.

  "Yeah! That's gotta be him," the man yelled to the gathering crowd.

  Hostility radiated from the faces turning towards him. In an instant, a barrage of ki blasts rained upwards. Vegeta's aura flared, a protective shield of energy swirling around him. The blasts struck and dissipated harmlessly against its shimmering surface.

  The raw grief in Vegeta's eyes hardened into cold resolve. He raised two fingers towards the hostile mass.

  *KADAAM!*

  A devastating explosion ripped through the space where the crowd had stood.

  Without a moment's hesitation, Vegeta shot off at full speed, the immediate need for escape momentarily eclipsing the crushing weight of his loss. Clutching his son tightly to his chest, he soared over the emerald expanse of the sea, his trajectory locked onto the hidden spacepod on the distant island. Each beat of his heart was a painful reminder of what he had lost, fueling his desperate need to survive – for his son, and for the faint hope of avenging those stolen from him.

  Suddenly, a searing pain ripped through his shoulder as a ki blast slammed into him.

  "AGH!"

  The force of the impact staggered him, leaving a gaping, burning wound. He watched in horror as his son, ripped from his grasp, plummeted towards the churning water below.

  Vegeta's heart seized in his chest. He whirled, his gaze burning with furious disbelief. "Zarbon... how dare you!"

  Zarbon stood below with chilling composure, his arms crossed casually. With a slow, deliberate motion, he unfolded them and unleashed a focused beam of energy down into the water.

  "No! My son!" Vegeta's eyes widened in dawning horror.

  Zarbon's attack detonated in the sea, sending a violent geyser of water erupting upwards, drenching them both. Anguish contorted Vegeta's features, though whether the wetness on his face was his own tears or the sea spray, he couldn't distinguish. The depth of his loss was a physical agony. "No! My son!"

  A cruel smirk stretched across Zarbon's face, relishing the profound despair he had inflicted.

  Driven by a maelstrom of fury and helplessness, Vegeta lunged at Zarbon. Each strike was fueled by the raw, agonizing pain of losing his child, but Zarbon effortlessly parried and dodged every blow. "You're even more pathetic than your father, Vegeta."

  Vegeta's rage made his attacks relentless, yet Zarbon's superior skill rendered them almost futile. A cruel taunt dripped from Zarbon's lips as he slammed a knee into Vegeta's stomach.

  Vegeta gasped, doubling over in pain. Zarbon's hand shot out, grabbing his hair and yanking his head back roughly. Cruel satisfaction gleamed in Zarbon's eyes as he looked down at the seemingly defeated Saiyan prince.

  But then, with a sudden surge of desperate resolve, Vegeta slammed his boot into Zarbon's abdomen. The teal-skinned alien gasped, clutching his gut as he stumbled backwards.

  Seizing the momentary advantage, Vegeta unleashed a swift ki blast at Zarbon's face, obliterating his scouter. Without hesitation, he blasted away at full speed.

  Knowing Zarbon wouldn't be down for long, Vegeta formulated a desperate plan. He fired a ki blast ahead of him, simultaneously dissipating his own energy signature and diving into the churning sea.

  Recovering quickly, Zarbon tracked the fading trail of Vegeta's energy, which shimmered faintly against the sky. As he drew closer, the energy trail solidified, leading him directly to what he believed was his quarry.

  Zarbon's eyes widened in shock as the truth dawned. Instead of Vegeta, it was a concentrated beam of pure energy hurtling towards him.

  *DISHOO!*

  Smoke billowed outwards from the impact. When it cleared, Zarbon stood unharmed, his expression a mask of furious frustration. "Damn you, Vegeta! You can't hide from me forever. I'll blast you out of that ocean!"

  With renewed fury, Zarbon began to unleash a relentless barrage of ki blasts into the sea below, each explosion sending violent ripples across the water's surface.

  ...

  Vegeta swam through the cold, suffocating darkness, a bitter smirk twisting his lips – more a shield against the pain than a genuine expression. The crushing pressure of the water mirrored the agonizing grief that gnawed at his core. Several meters behind, the muffled thud of Zarbon's distant energy blasts echoed through the water, a cruel reminder of the countless losses he had endured.

  *Zarbon... you fool. Blind without your precious scouter,* Vegeta thought with a grim, hollow satisfaction.

  Minutes stretched into an eternity as the explosions finally ceased. Exhausted and frustrated, Zarbon had given up his immediate search. Even beneath the waves, Vegeta could sense the alien's simmering rage, but it was a meaningless victory. This wasn't triumph; it was mere survival.

  He had escaped, yes, but the word felt hollow, devoid of meaning when there was no one left waiting for him. The crushing weight of his son's absence – no, his son's death – pressed down on him with more force than the ocean above. The water couldn't drown the profound emptiness that had taken root within him. Grief clawed at his heart, twisting his bitter smirk into a grimace of raw pain. His son was gone, and with him, any remaining ember of warmth within Vegeta.

  He propelled himself through the murky depths towards his hidden spacepod, the solitude a suffocating blanket. Each stroke through the water was slow, laborious, each movement a testament to his broken spirit. There was no one. Nothing. In the silent abyss, the proud Saiyan prince was left with only his sorrow – broken, bitter, and utterly alone.

  Vegeta landed on the empty island under the harsh midday sun. The salty wind stung his face, but he ignored it. Desperation drove his every move. His heart hammered, each step heavy with failure. His ship, hidden among the sharp rocks, was his only way out. He scrambled inside, a cornered animal gasping for breath. Without a single look back, the pod blasted into space, leaving the bright sky for the cold, uncaring stars.

  Years blurred together in a lonely cycle of running, hiding, and fighting. Planet after planet offered no safety, only more threats. Every creature he met, familiar or strange, wanted him dead. The proud Saiyan prince was now just prey, barely surviving.

  A deep hopelessness settled in. Why keep running? Each day just brought him closer to the end. Capture and death haunted him. Yet, a tiny spark remained: the dream of becoming a Super Saiyan, the power to save himself. But as the years passed, that hope felt like a lie. Had anyone even seen a Super Saiyan in a century? Was he chasing a ghost?

  His father's stories of their Super Saiyan ancestor echoed in his mind. His father hadn't lied... had he? That small belief was all that kept Vegeta going through the loneliness, the battles, the constant pain of survival. It was the last part of himself he wouldn't let die.

  Then came the brutal fight with Captain Ginyu. Ginyu was monstrously strong, and Vegeta barely survived, his body broken. Waking up in the healing chamber, every ache reminded him how far he'd fallen.

  Frieza—the tyrant he loathed above all others—had spared him. Not out of mercy, but because Vegeta still had some use to him. The thought seared Vegeta's pride like acid. For seventeen years, he'd been Frieza's puppet, forced to bow to the monster who had stolen his life. Pride, honor—everything his father had instilled in him—had been buried under layers of bitterness and rage. In this life, only strength and survival mattered.

  Seventeen years of servitude chipped away at him. But then, everything changed.

  Raditz, a low-class warrior Vegeta barely tolerated, uncovered something: a diary once belonging to his father, Bardock. Inside, Raditz found a truth that shook him—he had a brother. A brother who had survived on a distant planet called Earth.

  Vegeta was dismissive. Another low-class Saiyan hiding on some backwater planet? Laughable. When Raditz announced he was heading to Earth, Vegeta and Nappa barely paid attention. What threat could a forgotten, low-class warrior possibly pose?

  They were wrong. Dead wrong.

  ...

  "KAIOKEN... TIMES FOUR!" Kakarot's voice roared through the air, shattering the very ground beneath them.

  Vegeta's eyes widened as his Galick Gun was obliterated, the blue beam slamming into him like a freight train. His body screamed in agony as he was lifted into upwards, flesh burning under the relentless energy. The pain was unbearable, his pride torn to shreds along with his body.

  "NOOO!" Vegeta howled, his voice raw with desperation. With a final surge of will, he broke free, hovering in the air—battered, bloodied, but not broken.

  "NO!" His voice trembled with fury, a fury aimed not at Kakarot, but at himself. "He's a low-class dog! He should be nothing compared to me!"

  ...

  He jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, the memory of that defeat gnawing at him like a wound that refused to heal. His pride, his birthright, his future—all of it had been ripped away.

  All that remained was revenge. Revenge on Frieza, the tyrant who had stolen his life. Revenge on Kakarot, the low-class warrior who had shattered his pride.

  To be continued...

  Power levels-

  Bardock: 9,055

  Nappa (young): 12,000

  Nappa (during fight on Earth): 6000 (past his prime, age: 65)

  Zator: 8,940

  Paragus: 3,200

  King Vegeta: 45,000

  Prince Vegeta (20 years old): 9,000

  Prince Vegeta (fight on Earth): 16,000

  Raditz (teen): 422

  Raditz (fight on Earth): 1,100

  Frieza soldiers: ranging from 250 to 1,450

  Adult Saiyans: ranging from 440 to 3,000

  Frieza elite soldiers (eg: crew members of Zarbon and Dodoria): ranging from 1,450 to 4,000

  Cui, Dodoria, Zarbon, Ginyu Force, Frieza: ?