Refusal, Choice

"Repeat this: by order of King Frieza, all squads are to return to Planet Vegeta immediately after completing their missions!"

The message was repeated several times before the communicator finally disconnected.

"King Frieza issued the order himself. Is there going to be a Major Operation? This is so exciting!"

Upon hearing the order from the communicator and thinking of all Saiyans gathering for a Major Task and a Joint Operation, Loli Aila was extremely excited.

Excited my ass!

Going back meant certain death!

Unlike Aila, who was still so naive, Rhode knew full well that Frieza had begun preparing to wipe out the Saiyans and destroy Planet Vegeta. Once they returned, there would be no chance of survival.

At a time like this, they naturally had to Escape As Far As Possible!

"Rhode, why aren't you excited at all? There's going to be a Major Operation. We'll definitely get to fight to our hearts' content then!"

Seeing that Rhode beside her remained unmoved and even frowned tightly, Aila reached out and slapped him hard, questioning him.

"Hmph! What Major Operation? Frieza is planning to wipe us out!"

Facing the foolish Aila, Rhode snorted coldly, utterly dismissive.

"King Frieza wants to wipe us out? How is that possible?"

Aila did not believe Rhode's words at all.

"Frieza fears the Legendary Super Saiyan. It's not as if he has only been dissatisfied with us Saiyans for a day or two!"

Looking at Aila's innocent face, Rhode thought for a moment before stating this well-known fact. Seeing her Uncertain Expression, he shrugged indifferently. "Believe whatever you want. In any case, I'm not going back!"

"What? You're not going back?"

Rhode's decision angered Aila. In her eyes, this was a betrayal of the Saiyans. "Frieza is indeed powerful, but as long as King Vegeta leads us into battle, even Frieza—"

"Even Frieza? We'll definitely be able to defeat him?"

Before Aila could finish, Rhode immediately interrupted her. "Ignorance is Bliss! Do you know how strong Frieza is?"

"No matter how strong he is, can he be stronger than all the Elite Warriors of the Saiyans joining forces?"

Aila was greatly displeased by the way Rhode looked at her as though she were an idiot.

"All Saiyans joining forces?"

Hearing Aila's words, Rhode could not help laughing at himself. "Only that arrogant, self-important fool King Vegeta would take for granted that joining forces would be enough to defeat Frieza!"

King Vegeta's spirit in resisting Frieza was certainly admirable, but his Method of Operation was hopelessly stupid. He dared to provoke his enemy without even figuring out the most basic information about him. Who knew where he got that confidence from?

"Are you saying that even all the Saiyans joining forces can't defeat Frieza?"

Seeing Rhode's attitude and understanding the meaning behind his words, Aila found it impossible to believe.

"That is the truth!"

Rhode nodded as a matter of course. Then, his gaze fell on Aila's face as he stared at her seriously, speaking with a Melancholy Expression. "Do you know what Frieza's Power Level is?"

"How much?"

"Five hundred and thirty thousand!"

"H-how much?"

"You heard right. A full five hundred and thirty thousand Power Level!"

When speaking of Frieza's Power Level, Rhode automatically recalled the powerful Oppressive Feeling Frieza had exuded on Planet Namek. In an era when the Protagonist Group only had Power Levels in the thousands, with the strongest merely reaching tens of thousands, an enemy with a Power Level of five hundred and thirty thousand could be called despair itself!

"Five hundred and thirty thousand?! H-how could such a terrifying Monster exist?!"

Thinking of her own Power Level of 2,400, then of King Vegeta's Power Level of barely over ten thousand—even after transforming into a Great Ape, he would only exceed one hundred thousand slightly—she realized that compared to Frieza, they were as far apart as heaven and earth. There was simply no comparison.

For such a group to want to fight Frieza, they truly did not know how the word death was written!

At that moment, Aila began to Doubt life. The so-called Saiyan glory she had once Taken pride in was nothing more than a huge joke before that terrifying Monster!

"Five hundred and thirty thousand Power Level isn't even Frieza's Full Power. Now do you understand why I don't want to go back?"

After explaining Frieza's terror, Rhode returned to their earlier topic.

"Why did Frieza suddenly decide to make a move against us?"

Having recognized Frieza's terrifying strength, Aila suddenly realized that her race had fought across the universe for Frieza for so long. Why was he suddenly acting against them now? It was truly baffling.

"Maybe he just Cannot stand it anymore!"

What could Rhode say about that? Was he supposed to say that the Saiyans had displeased some Big Shot?

"Rhode, are you going to run away?"

After a long silence, Aila looked at Rhode. There was anger in her eyes, but also helplessness, as she questioned him.

"Run away?"

Rhode did Not care about Aila's accusation. He chuckled lightly. "Call it whatever you want. The Saiyans Kill and Loot across the universe. Their destruction is Karma. There's nothing to be sad about!

"As for Frieza?

"He will definitely die at the hands of us Saiyans!"

"Does the Legendary Super Saiyan really exist?"

Hearing Rhode's words, Aila did not care about the Saiyans' killing, looting, or Karma. What concerned her more was Rhode's powerful confidence—the confidence that he could defeat a Monster like Frieza.

In Aila's view, if Rhode possessed such confidence, then only the Legendary Super Saiyan could give him that kind of assurance.

"Of course it exists!"

Seeing light return to Aila's helpless eyes, Rhode confirmed her guess. His gaze rested on her, calm yet serious. "Follow me, and I'll let you see the light of the Super Saiyan shining across the universe!

"One path leads back to Planet Vegeta to die. The other lets you witness, perhaps even become, a Super Saiyan. Aila, which do you choose?"

"What are you going to do?"

After receiving Rhode's confirmation, Aila thought for only a second before making her decision. As a Pure Saiyan, battle and strength were her most fundamental pursuits. There was no need to choose.

"From now on, you follow my orders!"

Seeing that Aila had agreed, Rhode first needed to establish his authority.

"In your dreams. Beat me first!"

Aila completely refused to accept Rhode's desire for a leadership position.

"You're not my Opponent!"

"A difference of a mere 100 Power Level. We'll only know after we fight!"

Swish!

Seeing that Aila refused to yield, Rhode's figure flashed, and he appeared before her. He drove a Knee Strike at her, and just as Aila was about to retaliate, Rhode flashed behind her and struck the back of her neck with his palm, knocking her to the ground.

"How about now? Do you still want to continue?"

Looking Down at Aila on the ground, Rhode spoke with a dangerous look in his eyes.

"Hmph!"

Facing Rhode's words, Aila gave a cold snort through Gnashed Teeth and chose to accept it. She did not make excuses for her injured body, since enemies would not care what condition she was in.

Once I recover, I'll definitely beat you senseless!

Although she accepted Rhode's Temporary Leadership, Aila was not convinced in the slightest. She secretly swore that once her body recovered, she would fight him again and take back the leadership position.

"You recover. I'm going out to find some people."

Having established his position, Rhode ignored Aila and turned to leave the spaceship.

As for whether Aila believed what he had said earlier or whether she would run away, Rhode did not care. He had only saved her once because she was still young and because they shared a bit of camaraderie as teammates.

If she ran back to Planet Vegeta, then Good Advice Cannot Persuade a Damned Ghost. That calamity was simply her fate!

Thinking this, Rhode sensed the location of the Lainar's Aura and swiftly flew toward their gathering place.