The ship touched down softly, the hum of the engines easing into a gentle whir as the ramp lowered, releasing a gust of warm air and a rush of strange, alien scents. The crew stepped out onto Namek's surface, and for the first time, they were on the legendary planet of the Dragon Balls, staring at the vast, uncharted terrain stretching out before them. Goku stepped out first, his eyes wide with excitement, taking in the bright green grass beneath his feet that shimmered under the light of the three suns, the distant mountains that rose jaggedly into the sky, and the shimmering lakes that reflected the alien suns above. "Whoa... so this is Namek!" Goku exclaimed, a wide grin breaking across his face as he looked around in awe, his excitement contagious.
Gohan followed closely behind, his jaw dropping as his eyes darted from one part of the strange world to another. "It's so... green!" he said, unable to hide the wonder in his voice as he took in the vibrancy of the landscape. The way the air felt different, lighter, somehow, more pristine. Even the ground beneath his feet felt foreign in a way that was both calming and exhilarating.
Krillin squinted against the glare of the three suns overhead, trying to shield his eyes from the burning light as he took in the sight. "Man, it's weird. Feels like a mix of Earth and something out of a dream," he said, rubbing his temples. The surrealism of the situation hit him harder than he expected. Even with all his years of training and fighting, the beauty and strangeness of Namek still had him feeling a little dizzy.
Bulma, adjusting her glasses, looked over at the three of them with a small smile, though her attention quickly shifted back to the task at hand. She was already pulling out her radar, scanning for the first Dragon Ball signal with expert precision. "Alright, guys, enough gawking. We've got a job to do," she said, voice focused. "I'm picking up a signal to the east. I'm sure that's one of the Dragon Balls. Let's get moving."
Zane, however, wasn't paying attention to the Dragon Balls or the others' excitement. He had stepped off the ship last, standing a little apart from the group, arms crossed as he scanned the area with a lazy expression. There was something about being on Namek that felt... different. Being here in person, rather than watching it through a screen, filled him with an unexpected thrill. The air was lighter, the colors more vibrant, and the energy of the planet hummed beneath his feet. It was exhilarating in a way he hadn't anticipated, a far cry from what he imagined from the manga he'd read.
He closed his eyes for a moment, taking it all in, and then let his senses spread out. Several power levels flickered across the planet's surface. Weak ones, small and docile, emanating from the Namekians. Zane didn't care about them. He could sense the peaceful, almost innocent energy of the Namekian villagers, their auras faint, but their collective strength still admirable in its own right. But then there were others, much darker ones. The unmistakable presence of Frieza's men. It sent a small shiver of excitement down his spine. The challenge wasn't going to come from the Namekians, and it certainly wasn't going to be from the planet's landscape. No, the real entertainment was going to come from the Frieza Force. His lips curled into a smirk as he felt their power signatures flare in the distance. 'This is gonna be fun,' he thought to himself. 'Let's see how they handle me.'
While Goku, Gohan, and Krillin eagerly set off toward the east to track the Dragon Ball, Zane didn't follow. He had other things to do. He let them run off ahead, disappearing into the distance, before slipping away from the group without a second glance. His eyes were already focused on the direction where he'd sensed Frieza's men. He wasn't interested in the Dragon Balls right now. He wasn't interested in helping anyone. What he wanted was to see how these so-called "elite" warriors stacked up against his power.
As he wandered through the lush hills and valleys of Namek, his mind wandered, too. He could sense the weak and the strong, their power levels spread across the planet. But it was a faint pulse in the distance that caught his attention. A ripple of aggression, the unmistakable presence of a violent force. The energy signature flared suddenly, and then it was gone.
'Someone's making a mess,' Zane thought, sensing the shift in the air. It was Dodoria, and he was busy slaughtering a group of Namekians in a nearby canyon. Zane didn't even have to think twice. He was already moving, a flash of gold that blurred the landscape around him.
He arrived just in time to see Dodoria stomping on a defenseless Namekian, laughing as he crushed the life out of him. A few others were on the ground, trying desperately to crawl away, but Dodoria's men weren't letting them. Zane felt a wave of disgust roll over him. It wasn't that he cared about the Namekians; it was that this show of power was boring.
[Ding!]
[Quest Assigned: "Put the Bug in His Place."]
[Objective: Stop Dodoria's massacre and remind him who the real power on Namek is.]
Zane narrowed his eyes as the quest popped up. 'Really? This is the kind of challenge the system thinks I need? Fine.'
With a single thought, he blurred into motion, dropping down into the canyon without a sound, appearing right behind Dodoria in a flash. The brute didn't even notice him until Zane spoke.
"Who the hell are you?" Dodoria spat, his voice thick with irritation, his anger barely contained. "You think you can talk to me like that?"
Zane cracked his neck, his eyes glowing faintly as he sized up the brute. "I think you're wasting my time," he replied coldly, his voice almost a whisper compared to the roar of energy around them.
Dodoria snarled and fired a blast, the beam of energy soaring toward Zane's chest. Without moving, Zane raised a single hand, effortlessly halting the blast midair. The orb trembled before exploding into harmless sparks. Dodoria's face twisted in anger, but Zane didn't even acknowledge him. He was already moving.
Dodoria spun around, his eyes widening in shock, but before he could react, Zane's fist slammed into his gut, sending him flying backward. The force of the impact left a crater in the canyon floor. Dodoria struggled to push himself to his feet, his breath ragged. He gritted his teeth, his pride stinging from the humiliation.
"You think you can just come here and stop me?" Dodoria snarled.
Zane raised an eyebrow, completely unimpressed. "Stop you? I could erase you from existence."
Before Dodoria could respond, Zane appeared in front of him in an instant, his hand reaching out effortlessly to grab the large, pink creature by the neck. With a simple flick of his wrist, he crushed the life out of Dodoria's squad, sending each of them flying into the walls of the canyon, their bodies crumpling like ragdolls. Dodoria's eyes bulged as he tried to escape, but Zane didn't let him. With a single movement, Zane flicked his fingers. A burst of golden light erupted from his hand, sending a shockwave that obliterated Dodoria and his entire squad in an instant. The explosion lit up the sky, a blinding flash that stretched for miles.
When the light faded, nothing remained. Just a smoking crater, the scorched earth still simmering from the energy release. Zane stood tall, his golden aura flickering briefly, the only sign that he'd done anything at all.
Back at camp, Bulma was busy with the ship's systems, making adjustments and ensuring everything was in working order for their stay on Namek. She didn't notice the distant flash, but the ground beneath her feet trembled slightly, and she looked up, frowning. A strange feeling lingered in the air, like a wave of energy that hadn't been there before.
She paused for a moment, then sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "...Yeah. That's definitely Zane."
Without a second thought, she shrugged it off, muttering to herself, "Guess someone pissed him off." She didn't even bother contacting the others. It was Zane. She knew he'd probably done something destructive and didn't care.
Meanwhile, Goku, Gohan, and Krillin were out searching for the Dragon Balls, their heads swiveling in all directions as they scanned for any sign of the orbs. But as they flew through the sky, they all froze at once, sensing a power spike that made their hearts race.
Goku's eyes widened as the energy flared in the distance. "That power... that's Zane."
Krillin gulped, his face pale. "What the heck is he doing now?"
Gohan looked between them, confused. "Is he... okay?"
Goku smiled faintly, shaking his head. "He's fine. The planet, though? Maybe not."
Back on Frieza's ship, the power surge was felt too. His scouter beeped loudly, and Frieza leaned forward in his chair, an amused smile crossing his face. "How... fascinating. A power like that... How curious."