Unknown Race!

"They're getting closer! It seems these guys really can sense ki..."

Betkas stared at the scouter screen, carefully watching the increasingly close readings, his expression turning serious.

Because there were no fewer than eight people converging on him, and each one had a power level exceeding ten thousand. This actually made Betkas feel a bit "flattered"—after all, stepping out to such a grand scene right away meant even he had to think twice.

"But... it feels a little strange. Planets with fighters over ten thousand aren't unheard of, but having this many of them... that's definitely abnormal."

Betkas stopped flying and slowly descended toward a rocky outcrop below. He crossed his arms over his chest, eyes scanning his surroundings as he observed, a hint of doubt in his mind.

At first, he'd just set his spaceship to auto-search for a planet with high-level combatants, so Betkas hadn't double-checked. But he never expected this planet to have so many top-tier fighters. He figured that even if Dodoria or Zarbon came here alone, they might not have an easy time.

After all, getting ganged up on by that many guys with power levels over ten thousand was no joke.

And then, the next moment... eight humans wearing small vests and long pants appeared.

"Oh... these guys even have human-like appearances. Well, that's..."

Betkas looked at the eight people suddenly surrounding him, his expression unmoved, but his mind churning.

"That ki we sensed... is it you?"

A handsome man with blue hair asked coldly, staring at Betkas.

"Heh heh... your planet is quite interesting. Everyone's battle power is so high. This is the first I've heard of it."

Betkas couldn't be bothered to answer, just replied with a somewhat indifferent tease.

"Stop joking around... What's your real purpose? That tail at your waist... does it prove you're a Saiyan?"

A woman with long red hair said coldly.

"Damn... Are Saiyans really that famous? How does everyone know about them?"

Betkas was speechless. It seemed like every alien he ran into recognized Saiyans. Logically, the Saiyans had been wiped out long ago, and this was the South Galaxy, opposite the North Galaxy—no one should know about them. But whether it was bad luck or something else, Betkas kept meeting people who knew of Saiyans.

Still, his face showed not a trace of concern, leaving the eight of them feeling a bit stifled.

"What else would a Saiyan want on someone else's planet? Kill the natives, then sell it at a high price to some client looking for a new world. Your planet's pretty nice—I'm sure I can get a good price for it."

Betkas flashed a cruel grin and said lightly.

"You bastard!! Don't get cocky!!"

The next second, right after Betkas finished speaking, a black-haired boy suddenly charged from behind, raising his right fist to strike at the back of Betkas's head.

Without even turning his head, Betkas simply bent his right arm backward. The black-haired boy seemed to sense Betkas's movement and instantly changed direction, dodging the counter. He then appeared directly above Betkas and shot downward at lightning speed.

"Yare yare... Being able to sense ki really is a blessing. I'm envious. And a kid barely in his teens with this kind of power... I'm curious. What race are you people?"

Betkas didn't move, as if letting the boy above attack him freely, speaking in a leisurely tone—loud enough for all eight to hear.

"Pfft!!"

"Beep beep beep!!"

"Smack!"

In the next instant, to the shock of everyone else, Betkas moved like a phantom. His left hand shot upward, extending a single finger, and a golden beam of light instantly pierced through the boy's heart before he could react.

The recoil sent the boy's body flying backward. Even in death, his eyes remained wide open, as if he couldn't believe it. Fresh red blood scattered through the air, filling it with a bloody stench.

"Asar!!"

That single strike happened in the blink of an eye. The other seven seemed unable to react. By the time they did, the boy's crimson body had already crashed onto the rocky ground with a "smack," snapping them back to reality.

"Sure enough... these guys have power levels over ten thousand, but some of them lack real combat experience. What's going on? Do they have some secret method to boost their strength?"

Betkas watched the seven shouting around the dying boy, thinking to himself.

That attack was just a test. The technique was actually an inspiration he'd drawn from Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon—a simple move where you condense ki at your fingertip and fire it.

What Betkas wanted to test was whether they were true experts. But the boy's performance proved otherwise. If he'd been a veteran of life-or-death battles, he would've reacted—maybe not dodged completely, but at least avoided death.

It also helped that Betkas's timing was perfect, and his speed was too fast. Otherwise, he might not have taken the kid out so easily.

"Hey hey hey... This little sob story of a family drama is about over."

Betkas looked at the seven grieving figures ahead, his tone hard and cold.

"You bastard!!! We'll never forgive you!"

As if provoked by Betkas's words, the seven all stood up, glaring at him with righteous fury, as if they wanted to devour him alive. At the same time, their power erupted, ki enveloping their bodies and unleashing a crushing pressure that surged toward Betkas.

"Tch. This pathetic pressure isn't even one ten-thousandth of Bardock's!"

Betkas curled his lip in disdain. He clenched his fist and instantly unleashed his own current limit of power, his entire body shrouded in ki. The two forces clashed in a wave of energy, locked in a stalemate, whipping up a gale that swept the surroundings. Heaven and earth changed color!

The real battle was only beginning...

A small preview: Next chapter, Betkas's fight with the seven will reach a stalemate. But when they all use a certain technique together...

"Nani!! That move... impossible!!"