The ship's central clock displayed 13 days, 18 hours, and 47 minutes since their departure from Earth. In mere hours, they would arrive at Planet Namek.
Toji stood alone in the observation deck, gazing out at the endless expanse of stars.
The past two weeks had been both monotonous and maddening.
Each day, the pressure within him had built further, his power straining against his self-imposed restraints like a dam about to burst.
The others had settled into their routines – training in the gravity chamber, studying the ship's systems, preparing strategies for their arrival.
But Toji had grown increasingly restless, his mood shifting between distant contemplation and barely contained excitement.
He pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the viewport, watching as a distant green speck gradually grew larger.
Namek.
Their destination. And soon, the site of his liberation.
Behind him, the door slid open with a soft hiss. Toji didn't need to turn to know who it was – Bulma's ki signature had become as familiar to him as his own over the past two weeks.
"We're almost there," she said, coming to stand beside him. "Just a couple more hours from now."
Toji nodded, not taking his eyes off the approaching planet. "It's beautiful," he remarked- his eyes good enough to see from this distance - as Namek's features became more distinct – vast oceans of green water, islands of blue-green grass, and peculiar trees that resembled giant mushrooms.
"I can't see it, but I'm sure it is." Bulma stated, her voice tinged with excitement and apprehension in equal measure. "Hard to believe we're going to set foot on an alien world."
A comfortable silence fell between them as they both contemplated the journey's end. Toji's mind was already racing ahead, imagining his confrontation with Frieza.
Would the tyrant prove to be the challenge he craved? Would he finally be able to unleash his full power without fear of destroying everything around him?
The ship's intercom suddenly crackled to life, interrupting his thoughts.
"Everyone, please gather in the main control room," came Goku's unusually serious voice. "King Kai is trying to contact us. It's urgent."
Toji and Bulma exchanged concerned glances before hurrying toward the control room- Goku never used the intercom once since Bulma told everyone about it, it having been primarily used for when Toji cooked.
By the time they arrived, the others had already assembled – Goku standing with arms crossed, Gohan at his side; Piccolo in his characteristic meditative pose;
Krillin nervously shifting his weight; Vegeta and Nappa maintaining their distance from the group, yet clearly interested.
"What's going on?" Bulma asked, moving to check the ship's systems.
"I don't know exactly," Goku replied. "King Kai just started speaking to me telepathically, saying he needed to talk to all of us right away."
As if on cue, a nasally voice echoed through their minds: "Ah, good, you're all together!"
"King Kai?" Toji asked, recognizing his voice from their previous interaction.
"Yes, yes, it's me," King Kai confirmed, his tone unusually frantic. "Listen carefully – you're all in terrible danger! Frieza is arriving at Namek at the same time as you are!"
A stunned silence fell over the group.
"What?" Goku exclaimed. "But I thought we'd have time to prepare!"
"That's impossible," Vegeta snarled. "Even Frieza's fastest ships take at least three weeks to reach Namek from the central planets and thoss are the small ones, not the Mother Ship."
Toji's brow furrowed in confusion. This wasn't right. In the timeline he remembered, Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan had arrived on Namek a bit later than Frieza- but this time even with the 10 days of waiting they had a better ship than before.
Something was wrong.
Something had changed.
"I'm afraid it's very possible," King Kai replied, his voice trembling slightly. "And it's happening right now! You'll both reach the planet within minutes of each other!"
"Thank you for the warning, King Kai," Toji said calmly, despite the surprise twisting in his gut.
"But why are you so shocked? Couldn't you have seen Frieza's approach with your abilities, the same way you're watching us now?"
There was a pause before King Kai responded, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "I can't just look whenever I want, at wherever I want in the universe."
"There are beings that can notice me watching – and Frieza is one of them! If I observe him too long, the tyrant will know!"
"But King Kai," Goku interjected, scratching his head in confusion, "you're in the Otherworld. You shouldn't be worried about Frieza going there since he isn't dead, right?"
"That isn't guaranteed!" King Kai snapped, his voice rising with panic. "Frieza is a freak of nature! There's no telling what he can do. He has the power to destroy the entire universe if he truly puts his mind to it!"
Toji crossed his arms, sinking deep into thought.
The universe? That seemed... excessive.
Even for Frieza. He himself didn't think he could truly destroy the universe – but a single galaxy should be possible with enough effort.
It wasn't as instinctual as his sense of stars or planets, which felt small compared to the presence of his ki.
But if he remembered correctly, when Frieza blew up Namek in the original timeline, that explosion was visible from outside the galaxy. And Frieza had still been holding back significantly, fearing for his own safety.
Maybe King Kai was right. Maybe Frieza- and by consequence himself - could destroy the universe. He stated the same in the show, if he remembered correctly.
This world could be different, or Frieza's power has always been misunderstood in his previous life- there had been a lot of debate on it because of all the statements.
Either way Toji couldn't say for sure.
"I've searched a bit more," King Kai continued, breaking Toji from his thoughts. "It appears that a week ago, Frieza arrived at Frieza Planet 891. There, he apparently switched his ship with an identical-looking one, but one far faster."
"A faster ship?" Bulma asked, her curiosity piqued despite the dire situation. "How much faster?"
"Significantly," King Kai replied. "There's some incredibly intelligent scientist who recently joined the Frieza Force. He made it. But no one in the Force knows him, besides the upper ranks. He only has direct contact with the Ginyu Force and above."
"Do you know anything about this scientist?" Piccolo asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Very little," King Kai admitted. "The only thing I could gather is that he has an orange mustache."
Orange mustache? For some reason, that detail nagged at Toji's memory.
Was there someone in the show with an orange mustache? If so, who was it? He couldn't recall.
But this proved it further – things could be different, even those beyond his reach of influence.
"Thank you for the warning, King Kai," Toji said. "Before you go, I have a question: what are the Namekians like and how many of them are there on Namek?"
"The Namekians?" King Kai seemed surprised by the question. "They're a peaceful race who hate pointless violence and cruelty. One of the kindest peoples in the universe. As for how many- around 200 I believe."
"Why do you ask?"
"That makes things easier," Toji nodded. "I have one final request. Can you contact the Namekians as you're doing with us?"
"Tell them to collect their Dragon Balls, summon their dragon, and vacate the planet to Capsule Corp on Earth."
"From our side, we'll contact Capsule Corp and ask for the Namekians to be taken care of until this battle is over."
He paused, looking around at the others. "Once their Dragon Balls are usable again, they can use them to transport back to Namek."
"This battle will prove to be dangerous, and I can't be sure there won't be collateral damage with them on the planet."
Silence fell as everyone considered Toji's plan.
After a long moment, King Kai spoke: "I can do that, but it will be up to them whether they listen or not. The Namekians can be... stubborn when it comes to their homeland."
"Thank you, King Kai," Toji said. "That's all we can ask."
"Good luck," King Kai replied, his voice fading. "You're going to need it."
As the connection broke, Toji turned to Bulma, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry I did this without consulting you, asking your family to accommodate the Namekians on Earth so out of the blue."
"I initially wanted to arrive on Namek – thinking we'd get there earlier than Frieza – and sort things out then."
Bulma waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's a good idea, actually. Besides, my dad would love it – meeting aliens who aren't there to conquer the world."
She shot pointed looks at Vegeta and Nappa, who both scoffed at her glare. "He'll find it fascinating."
"Thanks," Toji said with genuine relief. "I appreciate it."
"I'll go contact my dad and tell him about it," Bulma said, moving toward the communications console. "You guys should make your final preparations."
As the others dispersed – Goku and Gohan heading to the gravity chamber for one last training session, Piccolo to meditate, Krillin to gather the senzu beans, Vegeta and Nappa to their quarters – Toji remained alone in the center of the living room.
He looked down at his fist, watching as it trembled slightly. Cold sweat beaded on his brow as excitement surged through him.
He was finally going to fight. To let loose for the first time since his return to life.
The pressure that had been building for weeks would soon find release. The thought sent a thrill down his spine that was almost euphoric.
Rather than returning to his quarters, Toji moved to the viewport and leaned against the wall beside it.
He decided to just watch the stars and planets pass by for the next couple of hours. It was... soothing, in its way. He wasn't in the mood for any show, be it movie, anime, game, or the like.
All of them seemed trivial now. None could capture his attention, not with the promise of real battle so close at hand.
A broad grin spread across his face as he clenched his hands against his arms, which he'd crossed over his chest. Soon. Very soon.
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-A couple hours later
"Attention everyone!" Bulma's voice came through the ship-wide speaker system. "We're beginning our descent to Namek. Please secure yourselves for landing."
Toji straightened from his position by the viewport, where he'd remained for the past five hours. The green orb of Planet Namek now filled the entire window, its alien landscape becoming clearer with each passing second.
He made his way to the control room, where the others had already gathered.
Goku and Gohan looked refreshed after their final training session and an apparent showers from their smell of shampoo, while Piccolo maintained his stoic demeanor.
Krillin fidgeted nervously, and Vegeta and Nappa stood with arms crossed, their expressions unreadable.
"Landing procedures initiated," Bulma announced, her fingers dancing across the control panel. "Atmospheric entry in three... two... one..."
The ship shuddered slightly as it pierced Namek's atmosphere, the viewport briefly glowing orange from the friction before clearing to reveal a stunning landscape below.
Vast oceans of green water stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with islands covered in blue-green grass.
Strange trees that resembled enormous mushrooms with blue tops swayed gently in the breeze. Multiple suns hung in the sky, casting an eternal daylight over the planet.
"It's beautiful," Gohan whispered, his face pressed against the glass.
"And about to become a battlefield," Piccolo reminded him grimly.
The ship descended smoothly, settling onto a flat expanse of grass near the shore of one of the green oceans.
The engines powered down with a soft whine.
"We've arrived," Bulma announced, checking the external sensors. "Atmosphere is breathable. Gravity is slightly lighter than Earth's. Temperature is... pleasant."
Toji was already moving toward the exit. "Let's go."
The ramp extended with a mechanical hiss, and Toji was the first to step out onto the alien soil.
The grass crunched softly beneath his feet, feeling remarkably similar to Earth's despite its blue-green hue.
The air was clean and fresh, carrying a faint sweet scent unlike anything he'd experienced before.
He took a deep breath, savoring the moment. His first step on an alien world. Under different circumstances, he might have taken time to appreciate the wonder of it all.
But those thoughts were cut short as a massive shadow suddenly fell over them.
Everyone's heads snapped upward. There, descending through the atmosphere, was an enormous disc-shaped vessel – Frieza's flagship.
"He's here," Vegeta growled, his body tensing.
Toji's lips curled into a smirk. It seemed Frieza had spotted their ship landing and decided to join them immediately.
Perfect.
For the first time in months, Toji stretched his ki sense fully outward, beyond the confines of the ship, encompassing the entire planet- it seems the Namekians were still here. But he could sense a couple of them moving at high speeds.
Darn. They still hadn't left it seems.
But he couldn't care about that right now- for now, he had something far more important before him.
For there it was – Frieza's presence, a cold malevolence radiating outward like a black sun. The tyrant's ki was tightly controlled but unmistakable in its malice.
Frieza's ship hovered momentarily before beginning its descent about half a mile from their position, its massive size dwarfing their own vessel.
"Everyone, stay alert," Goku warned, moving to stand beside Toji. "We don't know what to expect."
"I do- I can feel him," Toji replied calmly. "Stay close to Bulma. Keep her safe."
Goku nodded, understanding the unspoken message.
Toji intended to handle Frieza personally.
The group tensed as Frieza's ship settled onto the ground with surprising gentleness for its enormous size.
A long moment passed before a section of the hull slid open, extending a ramp to the Namekian soil.
Two figures emerged first – one tall and slender with long green hair tied back in a braid, the other rotund and pink with spikes protruding from his head and arms.
"Zarbon and Dodoria," Vegeta identified them, his voice tight with barely contained rage.
Behind them came five more figures, each striking a ridiculous pose as they descended the ramp.
"The Ginyu Force," Nappa muttered, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.
And finally, seated in a hovering pod, came the tyrant himself. Frieza descended slowly, his pod never touching the ground even as he left the ship.
His appearance was exactly as Toji remembered from the series – small in stature, with purple bio-gems adorning his head, shoulders, and chest; white and purple skin; and those cold, calculating red eyes.
As Frieza's gaze swept over the assembled group, it finally locked with Toji's. Charcoal black met blood red - both recognizing the other as... worthy.
Something electric passed between them – a recognition, perhaps, of kindred power.
Toji felt his excitement surge to near-unbearable levels. The pressure that had been building within him for months demanded release.
Without a word, Toji began walking forward, his steps fast, the green grass rustling beneath his feet.
"Toji, wait!" Goku called out. "We should stick together!"
But Toji ignored him, continuing his advance. He walked past Zarbon and Dodoria, who exchanged confused glances.
"Well, well," Zarbon purred, his voice dripping with disdain. "What do we have here? A brave little... Earthling? One coming to greet Lord Frieza personally?"
"Or perhaps just a fool rushing to his death," Dodoria added with a cruel chuckle.
The Ginyu Force spread out slightly, their poses momentarily forgotten as they assessed this unexpected development.
"Oi, who does this guy think he is?" Jeice demanded, his Australian-accented voice carrying across the field.
"Doesn't matter," Burter replied, his reptilian features twisting into a sneer. "No one approaches Lord Frieza without our permission!"
As Toji continued walking, completely ignoring their taunts, Captain Ginyu stepped forward. "That's far enough, stranger. One more step and-"
Toji didn't break stride. He didn't even acknowledge they had spoken.
Infuriated by the dismissal, Dodoria lunged forward, his fist aimed directly at Toji's face. "Know your place, worm!"
In that same instant, Zarbon attacked from the opposite side, while the Ginyu Force remained standing, observing.
Toji didn't alter his pace. He didn't adopt a fighting stance. He simply continued walking, his eyes fixed on Frieza.
Just as their attacks were about to connect, Toji flexed his aura.
The effect was instantaneous and devastating. A shockwave of pure ki erupted from his body in all directions.
The grass for hundreds of yards flattened as if struck by a hurricane.
Zarbon, Dodoria, and the entire Ginyu Force- all in shock - were launched skyward like ragdolls caught in a tornado, their cries of surprise fading as they disappeared into the distance.
The force of the blast was so powerful that even Goku and the others, standing much further away, had to brace themselves against the wind.
Trees bent, water from the nearby ocean was pushed back in a massive wave, and the very ground trembled beneath their feet.
Only Frieza remained unmoved, his hovering pod perfectly steady in the face of the ki eruption. His expression, however, had changed from mild curiosity to intense interest.
Toji continued his approach until he stood directly before the tyrant, close enough that they could speak without raising their voices.
A battle-hungry grin spread across his face as he gazed up at the seated emperor.
"Hello, your highness," he said simply. "I've been looking forward to meeting you."
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(Author note: Hello everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it! So, Toji and Frieza finally meet!
Yes, finally they can fight! I can't wait to write it in a couple of hours after sleeping- Its past 6 AM and I'm still awake...
Well, who cares, finally they're gonna fight. Man am I excited to write this!
Hope you all enjoyed this and will enjoy the coming chapters,
I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)