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As Vegeta's space pod disappeared into the distant void, far away, in another stretch of starlit cosmos, a small round capsule shot away from Planet Vegeta, racing through the dark toward the Milky Way.
It was, without question, Kakarot's ship.
Equipped with life-support systems, it could easily keep a six-month-old infant alive, even during such a long voyage.
The child fated to shape this world—Kakarot—would begin a new era once he reached Earth.
No—actually, that moment had already begun the instant he left Planet Vegeta. The story was already moving forward.
Somewhere else in the boundless universe—no one could say exactly which galaxy or star field—a planet suddenly exploded without warning.
A brilliant bloom of light filled the void like cosmic fireworks, radiant and fleeting.
From within the burning debris, two figures emerged: the God of Destruction, Beerus, and his attendant angel, Whis.
They drifted effortlessly through the vacuum, untouched by the silence or chaos of space.
That was the power of a God of Destruction.That was the nature of an angel.
The planet's ruin was, of course, Beerus's doing.
"Ugh, disgusting! That slop was supposed to be food?!" Beerus grumbled, picking his teeth with a thin metal toothpick. "Unbelievable. I can't even get a decent meal before going back to sleep. What a waste of my time."
Whis chuckled, ever patient. "Well, it can't be helped, Lord Beerus. You've lived for such an unfathomably long time that there's hardly a dish left in the universe you haven't tasted. It's only natural that things start to seem... repetitive."
Then he added, with his usual cheerful tone, "Perhaps when you wake up next time, more civilizations will have developed new delicacies. Even a few decades is enough for passionate beings to create culinary miracles."
Beerus barely reacted. He'd heard this same line from Whis more times than he could count. Every time, he hoped for something new—and every time, he was disappointed.
"Forget it," Beerus muttered. "I can't be bothered chasing good food anymore. Just a waste of time."
"In that case," Whis said pleasantly, "shall we return to the Realm of Destruction, Lord Beerus?"
"No rush. Before we go back, I want to pay Frieza a little visit." Beerus yawned lazily. "Didn't you say he's been getting a bit... too bold lately?"
Whis's smile widened knowingly. "Ho ho ho~ So instead of being displeased, you actually think Frieza might make a fitting candidate for your temporary replacement, don't you, Lord Beerus?"
Beerus shot him a sideways look, as if to say, How did you figure that out?
Whis smiled even brighter. "Well, if you didn't think so, you'd probably have said he was out of control and gone off to destroy him before your nap."
Beerus straightened up slightly. "You're half right. I am going to put him in his place. After all, it was my casual comment that let that little insect become the so-called 'Emperor of the Universe.'"
He smirked. "Emperor of the Universe, honestly. Even his father, King Cold, only dared call himself the 'Galactic Overlord.'"
It sounded like he was trying to cover his tracks, unwilling to admit Whis had nailed his true motive.
"Doesn't it worry you," Whis asked mildly, "that once Frieza feels he has your blessing, he might cause even more trouble?"
Beerus stretched, completely unconcerned. "He can throw whatever tantrum he wants. At worst, he'll blow up a few extra planets. If it gets annoying, I'll just destroy him myself when I wake up."
Whis nodded. "As you wish, Lord Beerus."
He didn't care either. To beings like them, Frieza's power was barely a flicker.
Let him raise all the hell he wants—it made no difference.
"Then let's go, Whis." Beerus placed a hand on his attendant's shoulder.
"As you command." Whis's staff glowed as he locked onto Frieza's current location.
A resonant hum filled the void, and a dazzling light enveloped them both.
In an instant, they transformed into a streak of seven-colored energy, vanishing faster than thought from that sector of space.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the universe...
A massive warship belonging to the Frieza Force cruised through the stars. This was the mothership—Frieza's personal vessel.
Inside the command deck, the small, pale tyrant himself sat comfortably in his hover-pod, swirling a glass of deep red wine in one hand.
On either side of him stood two newly promoted elite soldiers, each boasting a power level just over fifteen thousand—formidable, though still a step below Zarbon and Dodoria. Until those two returned from their missions, these elites would serve as Frieza's attendants.
"Those Saiyan monkeys are surprisingly efficient," Frieza mused aloud. "They've conquered over a thousand planets for me this time—and even discovered several valuable ones.
"If not for that ridiculous legend, I might almost be tempted to keep them around."
He chuckled darkly. "But no... it's still a bit early to wipe them out. Once this mission's done, I'll head to Planet Vegeta and reward them properly. Heh heh heh~"
The sound of his laughter—sharp, musical, and utterly cruel—sent chills crawling down the spines of his men.
Serving Frieza was like living next to a sleeping tiger; his moods were unpredictable, and his cruelty legendary.
If they could choose, they'd rather be sent on missions than remain at his side, constantly fearing for their lives. But of course, they would never dare say so.
The room was silent—eerily so. No one dared speak unless spoken to.
Frieza sighed. "How dull. The moment Zarbon and Dodoria leave, I've no one left to share my joys with."
That casual remark alone made the two nearby soldiers break into cold sweat. The pressure of his presence was suffocating.
And before they could even think of responding—
Two figures appeared out of nowhere.
No flash of light, no energy signature, no sound.
No one noticed—not even Frieza himself.
The God of Destruction, Beerus, and the angel, Whis, had silently arrived behind him.
"..."
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