The skies over Earth thundered as two blazing streaks of light cut through the clouds. Vegeta and Nappa descended, their auras of menace chilling the air itself. Birds scattered, animals fled, and the ground trembled as the two Saiyans slowed their flight, approaching their intended battlefield.
High above, Nappa glanced sideways at his shorter, spikier-haired companion.
"Hey, Vegeta… what do you say I blast another one of these cities? They look so fragile, it'd be fun to see them crumble!"
Vegeta scowled, his tone dripping with disdain.
"End it there, Nappa. You'll destroy the resale value of this dustball if you keep messing it up."
Nappa scratched his bald head sheepishly.
"Ohh… good point. Heh, didn't think of that."
The two warriors smirked as they followed their scouters' signals. The devices beeped louder and faster, pointing them toward the strongest cluster of energy signatures on the planet. Soon, they descended onto rocky terrain where the Z Fighters had gathered, the Earth's last defense standing firm.
The impact of Vegeta and Nappa's landing split the ground. Dust clouds billowed outward as the two Saiyans rose from the crater they'd created.
Standing at the front was Rudra, his sharp gaze fixed on Vegeta. Behind him, Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu readied themselves. Gohan stood further back, his fists clenched nervously.
Rudra smirked, breaking the silence first.
"You remember the voice that gave you an invitation, don't you?"
Vegeta froze for half a second, his narrowed eyes scanning Rudra. His lips curved into a dark smile.
"This voice…? So it was you, the one who claimed to beat Raditz."
Rudra hesitated, but he steadied his breath, summoning his courage.
"That's right… and I was the one who defeated him."
Nappa let out a thunderous laugh, clutching his stomach.
"Ha! We'll see about that soon enough!"
But then his laughter stopped as his scouter beeped and locked onto Piccolo. Nappa's eyes widened slightly.
"Hey, Vegeta! Look at this—he's a Namekian!"
Vegeta glanced at Piccolo with a knowing expression and nodded.
"Looks like it. Not so strange Raditz was beaten, then…"
Piccolo frowned, his brow furrowing.
"Namekian? What are you talking about?"
The word sent ripples through the group. Krillin's jaw dropped.
"W–Wait, Piccolo's… an alien?!"
Even Gohan was stunned. His eyes darted between Piccolo and the Saiyans, confusion written all over his face.
Rudra pretended to be surprised too, hiding his deeper knowledge of the truth. He turned to Piccolo, speaking in a tone of feigned realization.
"After Goku, you too…?"
Vegeta's smirk widened as he elaborated, his voice cold and taunting.
"They say these slimy Namek gastropod types possess strange powers—beyond mere fighting abilities. Even sorcery. This also means you can create those wish-granting balls with your magical powers…"
Krillin gasped in shock.
"You… You know about the Dragon Balls?!"
Rudra's heart skipped a beat. In the original timeline, Vegeta learned about the Dragon Balls only after Raditz's scouter recorded the conversation between Goku and Piccolo. But this time, Goku hadn't died, and Piccolo hadn't carelessly revealed anything.
Rudra realized he had to steer the conversation back on track to preserve the canon flow. He interjected quickly.
"Krillin! Don't panic. I don't think they know about the Earth's Dragon Balls… not yet!"
But his words reached Nappa's ears. The bald Saiyan's eyes widened, his mouth curling into a grin.
"What?! You mean this planet has those balls too?!"
Vegeta's laugh was low and cruel.
"Well, well… looks like coming here wasn't a waste after all."
Nappa sneered, shaking his head.
"Hmph. To think… we slaughtered so many of your Namekian slugs and never knew you could make wishing balls. What a shame."
Piccolo ignored the mockery, his expression hardening into a smirk of his own.
"Heh. Thanks to you, I suddenly have a much better insight into my ancestry." His eyes glowed with resolve. "Alas, for me… I do not make Dragon Balls. My specialty… is combat."
With a sharp motion, Piccolo removed his weighted cloak and turban, letting them slam into the ground with a heavy thud. He took a fighting stance, his aura rising.
"As you'll see, I'm far more than a slug."
Nappa raised an eyebrow, momentarily impressed.
"Nice trick. But it won't change the outcome of this battle."
He tapped his scouter, which beeped rapidly as it scanned the warriors before him.
"Let's see here… 9000, 8000, 4000… and… pathetic, only 1150?!"
He laughed, shaking his head.
"They're weak! Too weak!"
But Vegeta's expression remained sharp, his instincts honed far beyond Nappa's reliance on numbers. He crossed his arms and spoke firmly.
"Nappa. Take off your scouter."
Nappa blinked. "What?"
Vegeta ripped his own scouter off and tossed it aside, crushing it under his boot.
"These fighters vary their power to suit the battle. Those numbers are worthless."
Nappa's eyes widened, then narrowed in understanding. He snarled and tore his scouter from his head, throwing it away.
"Yeah… that's right!"
The wind howled as the Z Fighters stood their ground. Tension crackled in the air like lightning before a storm. This was it—the battle that would decide Earth's fate.
Rudra exhaled slowly, his eyes locked on Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince was smaller in stature, but the sheer pressure of his presence eclipsed everyone around. Rudra clenched his fists.
(So this is Vegeta… the true wall between survival and destruction.)
Piccolo cracked his knuckles, his cape fluttering in the rising wind.
"Well then… shall we get started?"