When Vegeta awoke, he was being treated inside a medical machine.
Not immediately rising but continuing to feign sleep—that snap judgment showed considerable ability.
Opening his eyes slightly, carefully observing surroundings, Vegeta thought.
He'd been defeated by Zarbon and Dodoria. Humiliating, but first accept that fact.
And this was some spaceship, inside a medical machine.
Then the first thought: after that, Zarbon's group brought him here for treatment.
At least Planet Namek had no medical machines.
Originally, this was equipment Frieza's forces used. So its presence already meant this spaceship belonged to Frieza.
But he didn't understand why he'd been saved.
Having openly rebelled, they had no reason to save him, plus the spaceship's internal structure differed.
Though built with the same technology, similarities existed throughout, but still the design differed.
This wasn't inside Frieza's beloved spaceship.
"Yo, how long you gonna play possum, Your Highness? I know, y'know? With your Saiyan recovery power, you've been awake ages."
(This voice... Kakarot!?)
Hearing the voice, Vegeta's mind immediately conjured that detestable low-class warrior met on Earth.
Quite provocative lines and tone, but the voice definitely matched his.
Then outside the medical machine now was him!
Thinking so, Vegeta opened his eyes.
Indeed there stood that distinctive hair as expected, unforgettable features.
But his skin was brown, plus he wore black combat uniform and white cape stylishly.
Decisively, that face wearing a Scouter.
Though features were identical, expression differed.
Not that sickening expression retaining sweetness. Expression colored by cruelty—same Saiyan expression as himself.
While he was surprised, the medical machine drained water, exposing Vegeta to outside air.
What he felt first: body lightness. And overflowing power.
Apparently overcoming death made him stronger again.
But... still, he felt no chance of beating this Kakarot-lookalike before him.
"Wh-Who are you...? You're not Kakarot."
"My name's Turles. A Saiyan like you. Or are low-class warriors beneath your notice?"
Turles—Vegeta at least knew that name.
Crusher Corps, one of several units serving Frieza.
Few in numbers but all exceeding 7,000 combat power—a formidable unit, and he remembered the unit captain's name was Turles.
But never imagined he was Saiyan.
Originally, Vegeta thought no survivors existed besides himself, Nappa, Raditz, and Kakarot.
Well, strictly speaking, one other did exist.
His disgraceful younger brother Tarble, expelled from royalty for having a personality utterly unsuited to combat.
But he was only a shameful part for Vegeta, so he didn't even consider his brother a Saiyan.
"What purpose made you save me?"
"You defected from Frieza, right?"
"So what?"
"Well, then our goals are the same. How about it? Want to team up with me?"
"...Doesn't seem necessary. Damn it."
Vegeta grimaced and openly clicked his tongue.
Didn't want to admit it. But sensing energy, this guy's combat power probably even surpassed Frieza.
Yet desiring his power—too suspicious, wasn't it?
That thought must have shown on his face. Turles grinned.
"The Frieza strength you know is just a fraction."
"What!?"
"Frieza's 530,000 combat power is famous among us... but that much, I alone can handle. Can't measure with Scouters so it's speculation, but current me is definitely over 2.5 million. Lose reason, but as Great Ape, 25 million. But even that probably still doesn't reach his full power."
"Wh-What do you mean!?"
Combat power 530,000. Vegeta recognized that as Frieza's full power.
Indeed, a tremendous number.
Even Ginyu Force Captain Ginyu, considered second strongest to Frieza, had only 120,000 combat power.
Then 530,000 was truly exceptional. Strength befitting the universe's emperor.
But that still wasn't full power?
Turles reaching even 25 million couldn't reach it?
That was a declaration equal to despair for Vegeta.
"I once saw his older brother."
"O-Older brother?"
"Yeah. When he coincidentally stopped at Frieza's spaceship, I was assigned security nearby. ...Honestly gave me chills. I can somewhat sense combat power physically... but that was on another level. Even if I became Great Ape now, wouldn't be a match. Probably easily exceeds 100 million combat power."
"I-Impossible..."
"Hold on, too early to despair. The important part's from here. You probably don't know this either, but there's rumors Frieza's a transforming alien. Indeed, his brother and Frieza's forms were completely different. ...What if Frieza can transform into the same form as his brother?"
Something cold ran down Vegeta's spine.
His current combat power, despite increasing by overcoming death, was numerically only around 30,000.
Far from full power, even vastly inferior to current Frieza.
If, as Turles said, Frieza had a form exceeding 100 million, meaning Frieza currently showed only about 1/200th of full power.
Not even 1%. 0.5%.
Meaning to match Frieza, Vegeta had to become at least 3,000+ times stronger.
"So I desperately need combat power. As prince, you might eventually surpass me. We Saiyans will defeat Frieza with our own hands."
"...Don't like it. Don't like it, but... apparently current me can't remotely reach Frieza. Fine, I'll team up. But if you drag me down, expect to die first."
"Ooh, scary. But that much spirit is reassuring. Nice working with you, Prince Vegeta."
Target: Saiyan nemesis Frieza's head.
For that, two evil Saiyans teamed up.
Naturally no camaraderie existed—just calculations to use each other as convenient.
But this didn't mean they two were especially cruel.
Saiyans were originally like this. Selfish and self-centered.
That was the Saiyan race, and in a sense, they were supremely normal.
Turles raised his lips' corners, but immediately composed himself, directing gaze to a monitor installed in the spaceship.
Didn't tell Vegeta, but the problem wasn't just Frieza's strength.
The Tree of Might—one strategy to narrow power difference with Frieza. Though definitely planted upon arriving at this planet, it completely wouldn't sprout.
(Tch... don't know who, but someone besides me is absorbing this planet's energy? Want to crush them immediately, but can't afford focusing on anyone besides Frieza. What to do?)
Slug was a Super Namekian born through mutation.
His combat power, even aged, reached 1.56 million, unmatched by others.
Considering Nail, called the sole warrior-type Namekian, had 42,000 combat power, one could understand how deviant an existence he was.
Plus, without separating like Katatz's child, truly boasting strength befitting the strongest Namekian.
But his heart was pure evil.
When Planet Namek was struck by abnormal weather long ago, sent to frigid Planet Slug, he completely became demon clan there, becoming an invader attacking other planets.
Never meeting real enemies since birth, forget equals—none even approached him.
First form—still, even that Frieza, considered universe's strongest, was only 530,000. No way he'd meet rivals like this.
Therefore, he harbored no wariness, not even crisis awareness.
"This planet awakens my distant memories... Yes, I remember. Miraculous orbs granting any wish. You all, search for them... the Dragon Balls. Then I can obtain eternal youth."
What Slug feared was only lifespan.
However strong, as living beings, eventually they'd age and die.
He couldn't tolerate that.
Thought it was no joke for such magnificent himself to follow life's providence determined by fate.
And this planet had means to resolve that.
Methods to break free from lifespan's shackles and obtain eternity existed.
Then no reason not to pursue it.
"Go, my servants. Bring the Dragon Balls before me."
So Slug released subordinates as utterly natural judgment.
He could sense several strong energies, but none threatened him.
Maybe some subordinates would be sacrificed, but certainty existed that he'd ultimately win, and worst case, use his true form's Giant Form technique.
That arrogance backed by ability probably meant he wasn't thoughtless.
But he didn't yet know. Some on this planet hid power even surpassing his full strength.
"Lord Slug... pardon my words, but this planet has too many suns. Somewhat unsuitable for us demon clan to inhabit..."
The man nervously offering opinion to Slug's judgment was Zeeun, one of his subordinates.
Close to human-type, but two horns from his head and orange skin were like demons Earthlings imagined.
Red hair extending to his waist.
His clothing was almost half-naked—wearing only blue pants, wristbands, shoes, and a Y-shaped belt connecting neck to pants.
Such pervert-chic dressed demon contradicting appearance spoke sensibly.
Their demon clan—or rather, Planet Slug inhabitants—were a race adapted and evolved under frigid environments without sunlight.
Therefore terribly weak to sunlight, unable to live an hour bathed in it.
Meaning this Planet Namek with three suns wasn't a good planet for them.
Slug being originally Namekian still felt comfortable on this planet, but subordinates didn't. Couldn't understand at all why Slug desired such a planet.
But Slug didn't explain, silently firing an energy wave at the rude opinion-giver to silence him.
Pitifully, Zeeun's heart was burned by energy, unable even to scream in agony, becoming a motionless corpse.
"Then modify it. Gyoshu, how many days needed?"
"Y-Yes, with ten days..."
Modifying one planet in ten days.
He who stated so wasn't incompetent. Rather competent.
But those words didn't please Slug, and again a silently released energy wave burned Gyoshu to death.
"How about you, Kakuja?"
"Th-Three days, I'll accomplish it!"
"Then do it promptly."
Kakuja, the remaining scientist, reflexively stated an impossible timeframe from desperate desire to live.
Hearing that, Slug didn't execute him, somehow allowing Kakuja to keep his life.
Still, three days was absolutely impossible. Less than half the initially answered time.
Trudging back to work, Kakuja's back seemed darkened—perhaps not imagination.
★
The temple near Earth's stratosphere.
While connected to Korin Tower via Power Pole it materialized, but now with Power Pole removed, submerged again into another dimension.
Plus barriers revived—without Lizette's permission, no one besides the previous deity could enter.
Might seem strict, but Lizette considered this natural measures.
After all, this temple was Earth defense's linchpin, arguably the last fortress.
Earth's energy disturbances were also managed here—thinking normally, defense mechanisms should function except when necessary.
In the original, they didn't do that, constantly leaving Power Pole inserted with barriers even released, so Garlic Jr. and Majin Buu casually invaded, and in GT, even small fries like Pilaf Gang who absolutely shouldn't enter managed intrusion, causing the major problem of using Ultimate Dragon Balls.
But there, usually allowing no entry, Namekians now gathered.
Grand Elder, Dende, Nail, and all Elder Tsuno's villagers.
Judging that leaving them on Planet Namek would only get them killed by Vegeta or Frieza eventually, Lizette thought evacuating them to Earth's temple was best.
If they protected them, could repel anyone besides Frieza, but that meant narrowing action choices.
Put badly, a burden.
On that point, bringing them to currently safe Earth's safest temple meant no worry about their deaths.
Not without concern someone like Turles or Slug might appear by mistake, but somehow both came to Planet Namek, so that worry vanished too.
Hesitated slightly about evacuating even recovery role Dende, but he was equally a burden, and healing had plenty of Senzu Beans.
The problem of how to make wishes if gathering Dragon Balls existed, but Piccolo's presence solved it. He could speak Namekian too, so still no meaning to deliberately leave Dende behind.
"Then everyone. Might be cramped, but please hide here until battle ends. Popo, I'm counting on you for them."
"Leave it to me, Deity."
Entrusting Namekians' care to Popo, incidentally thrusting hands into Heaven's Gate and pulling out Korin.
Couldn't imagine anything happening, but thought just in case, Korin should also be placed here on guard.
Thus Lizette tried returning to Planet Namek again.
But the Grand Elder called out to her back.
"Please wait, Earth's deity. This is originally calamity befalling us Namekian people. Then at least, please take Nail here. He'll surely help."
Grand Elder's proposal for Nail to accompany. Honestly, naturally grateful.
Ability aside, having Nail made fusion with Piccolo possible.
Then Piccolo would become stronger than now, becoming powerful enough to even rival Frieza.
Even now, though including Kaioken, he surpassed same-period Piccolo in the original.
Then adding Nail, definitely could become a super warrior even approaching Frieza.
However... Lizette considered fusion in a way crueler than death.
This world had an afterlife. Heaven existed. Even reincarnation existed.
Death wasn't the end—roads continued after death.
But fusing meant not even that.
Absorbed into the base personality, that person was lost.
Of course, not dying meant couldn't go to the afterlife either. Could anything be crueler?
The proposal was grateful... grateful, but no need to force fusion. That was Lizette's conclusion, and also her softness.
"No... he's your protection's linchpin. Can't involve him in our battle and get him killed."
Refusing Nail's accompaniment, Lizette finally returned to Planet Namek.
Whether this was correct, she didn't know.
Maybe this caused something to go wrong.
But still, couldn't choose the option of unnecessarily eliminating Nail.
***
Lizette: "Huh? There's no option to use him as-is without fusing? ...Well, one more at 42,000 combat power now... uh, no capacity to fight while protecting... No time to train him now either... Probably potential already unlocked..." Translation: 42,000 combat power joining now is just a burden.
Mr. Popo: 16,500 → 170,000
Korin: 16,000 → 165,000
Vegeta: 22,000 → 29,000
King Yemma: "The personnel I dispatched to Earth have become something else entirely..." *Korin and Mr. Popo are personnel dispatched from the afterlife. In other words, contract workers.