Frieza's Palace
The throne room was silent, save for the faint hum of destruction energy that seemed to thrum through the very air. Whis lowered his staff, the image hovering above its crystal surface dissipating like mist in the wind.
"They have left the Sacred World," Whis announced, his voice calm but carrying the weight of inevitability.
Frieza's tail, which had been swaying lazily behind him, stopped moving entirely. His claws tightened against the armrest of his throne, the only outward sign of his displeasure.
"Where?" he asked, his voice deceptively soft.
"Namek," Whis replied.
For several long seconds, the God of Destruction said nothing. The air in the chamber thickened, pressing against the attendants like an unseen hand. They immediately lowered their heads, their bodies trembling under the weight of Frieza's unspoken fury.
Frieza's eyes narrowed, his voice barely above a whisper. "He found the Z Sword…"
Whis smiled faintly, as if amused by the turn of events. "It would appear so."
"And now he is going to investigate the Dragon Balls," Frieza murmured, his tone laced with irritation. "If he reaches the Namek Dragon Balls, he may ask questions that lead to my little secret being exposed."
Whis tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "You mean about the Earth Dragon Balls?"
Frieza's gaze shifted toward him, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Hmm, yes, my dear angel. Among other things."
He rose from his throne, his movements fluid and deliberate. The destruction energy in the room pulsed in response, as if answering his unspoken command.
"Summon Zarbon and Dodoria," Frieza ordered, his voice cold and precise.
Whis tapped his staff once against the floor. The sound echoed through the chamber, and the doors at the far end of the throne room swung open.
Two figures entered, their presence commanding even in the shadow of their lord. Zarbon and Dodoria were nothing like the warriors remembered from Frieza's old empire. Zarbon's traditional armor had been replaced by an elegant black-and-purple battle suit, reinforced with crystalline plates that shimmered under the pale light. Thin lines of violet destruction energy pulsed through the armor with every breath he took, as if the very fabric of his being had been infused with Frieza's power.
Dodoria, massive and imposing, wore heavier armor, its surface etched with the same refined design as Zarbon's. His usual brutish demeanor was tempered by an air of discipline, the result of decades of training under Frieza's personal oversight. Neither of them carried the ridiculous arrogance of their younger selves. They had been forged into something far more dangerous.
"You will go to Namek," Frieza said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Do not allow the strangers to use the Dragon Balls to undo my years of hard work."
Zarbon bowed deeply, his movements precise and controlled. "Understood, my lord."
Dodoria grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. "And if they resist?"
Frieza's eyes turned cold, his voice dropping to a whisper that carried the weight of a death sentence. "Stop them."
A pause. The air in the room seemed to still, as if the universe itself were holding its breath.
"By any means necessary," Frieza added, his voice soft but unmistakably final.
Zarbon's smile widened, his elegance undiminished by the order. "As you command, my lord."
Whis watched them leave, his expression unreadable. As the doors closed behind them, Frieza added quietly, his voice barely audible, "Use that Yardrat technique you like so much. Time is of great importance."
Zarbon's expression sharpened, his eyes gleaming with understanding. Instant Transmission, a technique stolen from the Yardratians generations ago, after Frieza's armies had crushed their resistance and harvested their knowledge. It had been refined by Frieza's scientists over the years, and now his elite warriors could reproduce it with considerable accuracy.
Zarbon and Dodoria vanished in a flash of light, their presence lingering in the air like the aftertaste of a storm.
Pov switch
Namek
Taru – First Person
Something was wrong.
I felt it the moment Faye and I arrived above Namek's atmosphere. The planet beneath us looked peaceful, green oceans stretching endlessly, blue islands dotting the surface, white clouds drifting lazily across the sky. But the moment Faye and I attempted to use Kai Kai to descend to the surface, the technique simply *collapsed*, as if the very fabric of space had rejected us.
I opened my eyes, my senses flaring as I took in the sight before me. Faye floated beside me, his expression a mix of confusion and embarrassment.
"Did it fail?" I asked, my voice low.
"Uh… yeah," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
We both looked downward, toward the planet's surface. I extended my senses, and that's when I felt it, a faint shimmer surrounding Namek, invisible to ordinary perception but unmistakable to ours. A barrier. Dense magical energy intertwined with ki, pulsing with a power that felt ancient and unyielding.
I narrowed my eyes. "Someone went out of their way to seal this planet."
Faye's brow furrowed. "Frieza?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "But probably."
I reached toward the barrier, my fingers brushing against its surface. The moment they made contact, the barrier rippled, as if disturbed by a stone dropped into a still pond. Then it pushed back hard. A surge of energy slammed into my hand, forcing me to recoil.
I frowned.
"This isn't ordinary ki," I muttered.
Faye's eyes widened, his curiosity piqued. "Dragon Ball magic?"
"Yeah, something like it," I said, pressing my palm against the barrier again. "And it's *very* strong."
I pushed harder. The barrier resisted, its surface shimmering under the pressure. I increased my strength, my muscles tensing as I poured more energy into the attempt. But nothing. I could brute-force most magical constructs, but this one was different. It had been designed specifically to prevent intrusion, and the magic woven into it was far stronger than anything a normal Dragon Ball set could produce.
"Someone has been keeping Frieza out," I said, my voice tinged with admiration.
Faye floated around me, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Namekians are more paranoid in this universe," he mused, his gaze fixed on the barrier. "And it seems to be finally paying off."
I was about to respond when
BOOM!
Faye screamed.
His body shot forward, a bright ki blast striking him squarely in the back. He slammed violently against the barrier, his limbs going limp as he crumpled against its surface.
"FAYE!" I shouted, my voice a mix of shock and fury.
I vanished in an instant, my hand catching him before he could rebound into the void of space. His body hung limp in my arms, his breathing shallow but steady. I checked his pulse, his ki, everything. He was alive but unconscious.
My eyes slowly lifted, my gaze locking onto the two figures floating several dozen meters away.
Zarbon and Dodoria.
Their armor glimmered beneath Namek's dual sunlight, their presence radiating a cold, calculated menace. Dodoria cracked his knuckles, his grin widening as he took in the scene before him. Zarbon, ever the picture of elegance, smiled softly, his eyes traveling over me with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
"Well, well, well," Zarbon said, his voice smooth and mocking. "A big monkey."
His eyes flicked over me, his smile turning contemptuous. "I had wondered whether we'd finally encounter one after so long."
I said nothing, my grip tightening around Faye's unconscious form.
Zarbon continued, his voice dripping with casual hatred. "Your species was wiped out years ago. Your people were arrogant animals. Violent. Primitive. And ultimately disposable."
My grip on Faye tightened, my knuckles turning white.
Zarbon noticed. His smile deepened. "Oh? Does that offend you, hmm, monkey?"
Dodoria snorted, his voice rough and amused. "We already exterminated your kind once."
I looked at him, my voice low and dangerous. "Then you should remember what happened the last time someone underestimated a Saiyan."
Dodoria's grin widened, his confidence unshaken. "You think you're different because you've got a little more strength than other Saiyans?"
"Yes," I replied, my glare fixed on his stupid pink face. "I do."
I pushed Faye gently toward the barrier's edge, letting him float safely against its surface. Then I turned back to face Dodoria, my voice a growl. "And I'm better than you know, pinky."
Dodoria lunged.
I disappeared.
His fist passed through empty space, his momentum carrying him forward as he realized his mistake. Then I reappeared directly in front of him, my fist connecting with his stomach with a force that sent him hurtling through the void.
BOOOOOOM!
Dodoria vanished into the distance, his body a pink streak against the blackness of space. The shockwave from the impact rippled outward, causing the barrier beneath us to tremble before settling once more.
Faye's unconscious body drifted behind me, his form small and vulnerable against the vastness of the cosmos.
I stared in the direction I had sent Dodoria, my breath steady. A pink streak crossed the void, growing smaller as Dodoria's body hurtled toward one of the nearby planetary bodies.
The impact was inevitable, a distant explosion bloomed in the darkness, a silent testament to the force of my strike.
Zarbon's smile disappeared, his elegant eyes narrowing as he reassessed me. "So then, monkey…" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're not as ordinary as we thought."
His muscles tightened, his body beginning to change. Bones shifted. Muscle expanded. His elegant features twisted, his beautiful face contorting into something monstrous. His battle aura erupted around him, a violent storm of energy that distorted the air.
WHOOOM!
The transformation completed, and Zarbon disappeared in a blur of speed.
I sensed him moving, too late.
He appeared beside me, his palm striking my shoulder with a force that sent a jolt of pain through my body. A strange sensation invaded me, my ki beginning to move, not drained, but separated, as if something were forcibly tearing it apart.
My eyes widened.
Spirit Fission.
Crude. Unrefined. But effective.
Zarbon had learned to forcibly separate portions of another person's energy. He ripped a portion of my ki away, my balance shifting as the loss threw me off-center. His leg came around in a sweeping motion, his heel striking my head with a force that sent me flying backward several meters.
I stopped myself in midair, my body stabilizing as I wiped a thin line of blood from my lip. Then I smiled, my voice calm despite the pain. "Surprised?"
Zarbon landed gracefully, his smile fading as he took in my unshaken demeanor. "Actually…" I rolled my shoulders, my body relaxing into a stance that was both fluid and deadly. "I'm impressed."
His smile vanished entirely.
I had been fighting him like a powerful opponent. That was my mistake. He wasn't stronger than me. He was experienced. And clever.
So was I.
I lowered my stance, my breathing changing as I settled into a rhythm that was both ancient and instinctive. Every muscle relaxed. Every sense sharpened. The childish amusement that had been in my eyes moments before was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating focus.
Zarbon noticed immediately. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice tinged with unease.
"Fighting properly," I replied.
I vanished.
Zarbon's eyes widened as he barely managed to block my first strike. Then my second. Third. Fourth. Our fists collided repeatedly above Namek, the barrier beneath us rippling with every impact. Zarbon's Spirit Fission technique attempted to latch onto my energy again, but this time I felt it coming. I twisted, his fingers grazing my aura instead of penetrating it.
I caught his wrist.
Pulled.
And drove my knee into his abdomen.
His body folded, his breath leaving him in a rush. Before he could recover, I struck his chest with my palm, the shockwave launching him across the sky. He regained control, barely, his eyes narrowing as he stabilized himself.
I floated silently, my gaze unwavering.
Behind me, Faye remained unconscious, his body still pressed against the barrier. Between us and the surface of Namek stood the mysterious, impenetrable seal. And somewhere beneath that barrier..
The Dragon Balls waited.
Zarbon wiped blood from his mouth, his arrogance gone. For the first time, he looked at me like an actual threat.
"Dodoria!" he called out, his voice sharp with urgency.
No answer.
His eyes flicked toward the distant planetary explosion where Dodoria had been sent hurtling. Then back toward me.
I smiled, my voice low and dangerous. "Your turn."
And Zarbon charged.
While the battle raged above, on the surface of Namek, a different kind of tension unfolded.
There were only ten Namekians left.
Not ten villages.
Not ten clans.
Ten people.
They stood upon a vast plateau beneath Namek's green sky, surrounded by enormous stone pillars and ancient trees whose leaves moved gently in the wind.
No children played among the trees. No distant voices carried across the valleys. No farmers tended the fields. No villages burned in the distance. There was simply silence, the kind that came after everything else had already been lost.
At the center of the group stood an elderly Namekian. His back was bent slightly, his robes worn from years of use. His antennae were longer than those of the others, and countless years were etched into the deep lines around his eyes. Yet his gaze remained sharp, his presence commanding. He was the Elder, the last guardian of Namek's Dragon Balls.
He slowly looked upward, his antennae twitching as they picked up the faint vibrations of the battle above. The others followed his gaze. None of them possessed a telescope. None needed one.
Their ki-enhanced senses reached far beyond the atmosphere, allowing them to feel every collision, every shockwave, every sudden change in energy.
High above them, Taru and Zarbon clashed.
BOOM.
The sound arrived several seconds after the impact, the shockwave rippling through the air like a distant thunderclap. The ten Namekians remained motionless, their eyes fixed on the sky.
One of them, a broad-shouldered warrior with dark green skin, narrowed his eyes. "That Saiyan…" he murmured.
Another Namekian slowly nodded. "Yes."
"He isn't like the ones described in the old records," the warrior continued, his voice low.
The Elder said nothing. His attention remained fixed on the battle unfolding above them. The strange Saiyan's movements were becoming faster, more precise. He wasn't simply overpowering Zarbon. He was studying him. Adapting. Every exchange seemed to teach him something, every technique Zarbon revealed becoming less effective with each passing moment.
The Elder's expression grew increasingly serious. "We were wrong," he said finally, his voice carrying the weight of realization.
Several Namekians looked toward him, their curiosity piqued. "About what?" one of them asked.
The Elder's eyes remained fixed on the sky. "We believed Frieza had become the final ceiling of power in this universe."
A distant explosion illuminated the clouds, the shockwave causing the Elder's robes to flutter. "That creature has already surpassed what we believed possible."
One of the younger warriors clenched his fists, his voice tight with frustration. "Then we should intervene."
"No."
The answer came immediately, sharp and final. The warrior looked surprised. "Why?"
"Because neither side has attacked Namek directly," the Elder replied, his voice calm but firm. "Our barrier remains intact."
He placed one hand against the ground, his fingers pressing into the earth. Deep beneath Namek's surface, something answered, a network of ancient energy, pulsing with a power that seemed to hum in response to his touch.
The barrier surrounding Namek strengthened, its shimmering surface growing more defined as the Elder poured his own energy into it.
It wasn't merely a wall.
It was a promise.
A promise made by the last surviving Namekians.
Never again would Frieza's armies walk freely upon their world. Never again would Namek surrender its sacred power.
The Elder closed his eyes, his voice soft but carrying the weight of centuries. "The barrier has been created through sacrifice. Not my sacrifice alone. All of ours."
The other Namekians lowered their heads, their expressions solemn. They knew the truth of his words. The thousands who had once lived on Namek had willingly merged their lives and consciousness into the remaining ten.
The result had been extraordinary. Each survivor now carried fragments of countless ancestors, thousands of memories, thousands of techniques, thousands of lives. Ten bodies. One civilization.
And because of that, their power was monstrous.
Even now, the Elder could feel the combined strength of his people humming beneath the planet's surface, a reservoir of energy that was both ancient and untouchable. Yet none of them moved. They were watching. Learning. Waiting.
One Namekian suddenly spoke, his voice breaking the silence. "The purple warrior is using stolen techniques."
The Elder nodded. "Spirit separation."
"From the Yardratians?" another asked.
"Perhaps," the Elder replied, his gaze unwavering.
Another explosion rocked the sky above them, the warriors instinctively raising their heads as the shockwave rippled through the air. Taru had caught Zarbon's wrist, the Spirit Fission technique failing as Taru twisted away.
Then Taru struck, his palm connecting with Zarbon's chest and sending him hurtling through several kilometers of empty space.
The Namekians went silent, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and unease.
The Elder's eyes narrowed. "He learns quickly."
"Too quickly," one of the warriors murmured.
"Yes," the Elder agreed.
One of the warriors glanced toward the Elder, his voice hesitant. "Should we allow them to continue?"
The Elder considered the question, his gaze shifting toward the sealed Dragon Balls hidden deep beneath the plateau. Six orange spheres rested within an underground sanctuary, their energy dormant but unmistakable. The seventh was held within the Elder's personal chamber, its power contained but ever-present.
They had protected the Dragon Balls for years. Frieza knew they existed. He simply couldn't reach them, not while Namek's barrier remained.
But now another variable had arrived.
A Saiyan.
An unknown Kai.
And Frieza's elite warriors.
The Elder's expression hardened. "We will not interfere."
"Even if the Saiyan wins?" the warrior pressed.
"Especially if he wins," the Elder replied, his voice firm.
The others looked at him, their confusion evident. The Elder finally turned away from the sky, his gaze sweeping over the small group of survivors.
"Because if that Saiyan defeats Frieza's servants…" he paused, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. "We must determine whether he came here seeking our destruction…"
His eyes moved toward the hidden Dragon Balls, his voice dropping to a whisper. "…or seeking something from them."
Above them, another enormous shockwave rolled across the heavens, the Namekians remaining still as statues. Ten survivors. The final remnants of an ancient civilization.
And for the first time in decades, they were watching someone fight Frieza's forces without fear.
The Elder's fingers tightened around his staff, his voice low but carrying the weight of a decision that would shape their future. "Continue watching."
His eyes returned to the sky, his expression unreadable. "Whatever happens next…"
He paused, his voice barely above a whisper. "…will determine whether Namek finally gains an enemy."
A faint smile touched his ancient face, his antennae twitching as he considered the possibilities. "Or an ally."