Planet Vegeta was a massive blue-and-white planet in the North Galaxy. A rare, high-grade world, it was home to the Saiyans, a people renowned for their fighting prowess. Because of their warlike nature, most aliens gave Saiyans a wide berth to avoid conflict.
However, the Saiyans had earned a poor reputation throughout the universe by serving Frieza and selling planets, all while acting with ruthless arrogance.
During this period, Planet Vegeta's spaceport was far busier than usual. Spaceships returned from planets far and wide, one after another. Following Frieza's order a few days earlier, all the Saiyans had returned to their homeworld.
They had no idea that this was the beginning of a disaster.
Whoosh!
Waves rolled across the ocean, tiny crests lapping against each other. A gentle breeze stirred the clear blue waters, sending rings of ripples spreading across the surface.
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared above the ocean. Roland had finally returned to Planet Vegeta.
He had made thirty-eight transfers in all to get from Earth to Planet Vegeta. Without the Senzu Beans sustaining him, he would never have made it back with a battle power of just 520. Even so, the journey had taken him more than an hour.
After glancing across the endless expanse of ocean, Roland blurred out of sight. A flash of white light flared around him, and he shot through the waves like lightning, speeding toward the shore.
Since he was still above the ocean, he could only make out the faint outline of land in the distance. However, his Scouter allowed him to roughly determine the direction of the settlements.
Next, I'll find Sephiria and leave Planet Vegeta with her.
With that thought in mind, Roland sped toward the Saiyan settlements. His dark figure streaked across the sky like lightning, then began flying low as he drew close.
After passing several Saiyan settlements in succession, he realized that Planet Vegeta was much livelier than before.
The Saiyan settlements were bustling with activity. Transport vehicles shuttled back and forth like little trains, carrying Spherical Spacepods. Small spaceships filled the open lots, and weary Saiyans reunited with their families. This was one of the rare times Saiyans showed their emotions.
When he returned to Sephiria's home, he found it empty. She had not yet returned to Planet Vegeta.
He went to the mission dispatch office and made inquiries under the pretense of being Sephiria's younger brother. That was when he learned that Sephiria and the others would not be back for another month.
Roland's brows furrowed at the news. It threw a wrench in his plans. He had intended to find Sephiria and leave Planet Vegeta, but it seemed that would not be possible.
"Judging by the situation, a large number of Saiyans are still on their way back. Frieza won't destroy Planet Vegeta just yet..."
After estimating when Frieza would destroy the planet, Roland realized there was still some time before Planet Vegeta's destruction.
"There's still a while before Sephiria gets back, so I'll take the opportunity to train. Any improvement is better than none." At five years old, Roland had a battle power of 520, making him stand out among Saiyans his age. His talent was so remarkable that he was almost on par with the elite warriors.
But that depended on who he was compared to. On Planet Vegeta, a world full of powerful fighters, Roland's strength was nothing to boast about.
Once he had decided to train, Roland set up a camera in Sephiria's home to record what was happening, then left the settlement. More than a thousand kilometers away, in an empty canyon, he found a spot where the rock strata had split apart and took the 50-times-gravity Spherical Gravity Chamber out of a Hoi-Poi Capsule.
He set the gravity to sixteen times normal, then adjusted the air pressure and temperature inside the chamber. The machine hummed as the conditions within changed abruptly.
Roland took a deep breath and slowly let it out. His dark eyes were filled with resolve as he strode into the Gravity Chamber and began his serious training.
The tremendous pressure of sixteen times Earth's gravity pressed down on him. Roland grimaced, but he could just about endure it. He began basic exercises based on the Saiyan training methods in his mind. Compared to Earth's, the way aliens used energy was somewhat crude. That was a result of their environment.
Roland intended to combine his Saiyan Bloodline with a more effective use of gravity training to improve his strength.
So, inside the Gravity Chamber, Roland diligently honed his punches and kicks, one move at a time, sweating profusely. He lunged, leaped, and punched. Clear sweat dampened his hair as time passed, and his strength seemed to surge as if a floodgate had opened...
The sun rose, and the sky on the horizon had begun to brighten.
As the sun gradually emerged, its warm rays pierced the clouds and tinged the white clouds pink, filling the sky with the glow of life.
By then, a month had passed since Roland began training in the Gravity Chamber.
In outer space, Frieza's spaceship was parked in a fixed orbit. Many smaller ships circled nearby, monitoring every movement on Planet Vegeta.
"Kikono, how are things with the Saiyans?" Frieza asked in a slightly hoarse voice. Seated in a small spacecraft, he stared out beyond the ship with cold eyes.
The yellow-skinned alien named Kikono stood with his hands behind his back. "Most of the Saiyans have returned. The ones in more remote areas will need a little longer."
A cruel smile formed at the corner of Frieza's mouth. "I can't wait any longer. Have the people in the legion prepare. I'll destroy Planet Vegeta in five days."
"The Frieza Legion will suffer a considerable loss of strength once the Saiyans are gone." Kikono shook his head, but did not voice any opposition. Of King Cold's old subordinates, only one other elder, Berryblue, could ignore Frieza's terrifying presence—and even get him to listen.
"Heh heh heh. It wasn't easy to gather all these Saiyans in one place. This is the best chance to wipe them out and destroy this planet. The Saiyans are a warrior race, after all. They've submitted to me under pressure, but they're certainly not happy about it. They might turn on me someday. We have to eliminate them before they make a move."
"Mr. Zarbon, once Planet Vegeta has been destroyed, use the Yugarites' communication records to hunt down the Saiyans who didn't return to Planet Vegeta."
"Understood. I won't let a single one escape."
The handsome green-haired alien, Zarbon, answered respectfully. When he raised his head, a bloodthirsty cruelty lurked beneath his handsome features.
"Now I can rest easy." Frieza laughed loudly and nodded politely to Zarbon, his blood-red eyes fixed on Planet Vegeta in the distance.
Bright celestial bodies streaked past before their eyes, vanishing in an instant like meteors...
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