Galactic Patrol Headquarters
"Son Gohan, I'm curious. How did you break free of that illusion?" Merus asked.
"Ahem... It was nothing, really. It was probably because Shenron on Namek strengthened my soul. And like I said, I haven't fully developed yet. I just wasn't up to it!" Son Gohan said sheepishly.
"Shenron? I see... You've already ventured into space? Namek... Let me take a look." Merus's divine sense pierced through countless galaxy clusters and reached Namek.
"Huh? Frieza?" Merus exclaimed in surprise.
"What? He's already there?" Son Gohan was surprised too.
Wasn't he still a month away?
"Heh. So that's what happened!" Merus withdrew his divine sense.
Beerus' Planet
"Oh? Why is Merus using his divine sense?" Whis asked, startled.
He immediately activated his staff as well, projecting an image of Namek.
In the image, the Frieza Force fleet had already reached the space around Namek!
Whis also spotted Sun Wukong, Krillin, Raditz, and Nappa!
"Saiyans? Earthlings? Why have they gone to Namek? And why is Merus watching them?" Whis grew even more curious.
Meanwhile, with Son Gohan!
"Merus, what do you mean?" Son Gohan asked.
"Frieza ordered his ships to accelerate to make up time. They exceeded their limits and destroyed two of their advanced ships, so he arrived early!" Merus replied.
"Heh. That's just like him," Son Gohan said with a faint smile.
"So, you know him well?"
"A little!"
"Merus, I'm taking some time off, so I won't be going on any missions for now. My dad's still on Namek. I'm going to check on him," Son Gohan said.
"Interesting... Take me with you. I'd like to have a look, too!" Merus had been cooped up for too long and felt like going out for a change.
"Uh... All right!" Son Gohan took Merus with him and teleported away.
Beerus' Planet
"Oh? He went there in person?" Whis exclaimed in surprise.
Whoosh! Thud! Clatter!
A small fishbowl came tumbling through the air!
"Whis, I think I've just had an unbelievable premonition!" Oracle Fish said excitedly.
"Oh? Your predictions are usually way off," Whis said, looking doubtful.
"No, no! This time feels different," Oracle Fish insisted.
"Then tell me, what did you see?" Whis asked curiously.
"I saw Lord Beerus fighting someone with a terrifying aura. They were evenly matched!" Oracle Fish said excitedly.
"Is that so? Then I'd better wake Lord Beerus. He's been asleep for a long time!" Whis rose and slowly walked toward the palace where Beerus lay sleeping.
Namek
"What? You're not going to fight yourself?" Merus asked, looking at Son Gohan beside him.
"No... This is Dad's moment. I won't get involved," Son Gohan replied, shaking his head.
"Him? He hasn't even become a Super Saiyan yet. He can't beat Frieza, can he?" Merus asked curiously, looking toward Sun Wukong at the Grand Elder's settlement.
"Maybe a miracle will happen," Son Gohan said calmly.
The Grand Elder's Residence
"They're here! Nail, gather the people and have them assemble. We're abandoning the village. There's no point in making needless sacrifices!" The Grand Elder's voice was strong, without a trace of weakness.
Though he didn't have much longer to live, the Senzu Bean had restored his strength!
"Yes, Grand Elder!"
Streaks of light shot toward the Grand Elder's location!
Sun Wukong, Piccolo, Krillin, Raditz, and Nappa also arrived at the Grand Elder's place!
Outer space!
"Reporting, King Frieza! We've reached Namek!"
"Heh. We're finally here. Dodoria, Zarbon, go collect those miraculous orbs. Leave a few alive, in case some incantation is needed to activate them," Frieza ordered, swirling his wineglass.
"Yes, King Frieza!" Dodoria and Zarbon left the main control room, went to a small spacecraft, opened the hatch, and climbed inside!
"Hey, you! Order every ship to land! And notify the Ginyu Force to come to Namek at once!" Frieza pointed at the soldier who had just reported in.
"Yes, King Frieza!" The soldier lowered his head and backed away, trembling.
"Immortality... Here I come!" Frieza's eyes gleamed with excitement.
At the moment, Frieza's greatest wish was still to live forever!
It wasn't until the Dragon Ball Super era that he changed his wish to growing five centimeters taller!
The enormous space fleet began descending upon Namek!
Dodoria and Zarbon had already landed ahead of Frieza!
Ssssh!
The spacecraft touched down. The two opened the hatch and stepped out!
Dodoria was the first to check his Scouter.
"Beep, beep. Three thousand... five thousand..."
"Zarbon, looks like the Namekians already know we're here. They've all gathered in one place! That's convenient for us—we'll save time! Heh heh heh!" Dodoria cackled wickedly.
"Dodoria, don't forget why we're here. Don't get carried away," Zarbon said coolly.
"I know. Let's go!" Dodoria rose into the sky and shot toward the Grand Elder's location.
Zarbon shook his head helplessly, then rose into the sky and chased after Dodoria!
"They're here!" Krillin watched Dodoria and Zarbon's approach with a grave expression.
"Those two trash bags," Piccolo scoffed.
"Grand Elder?" Moori looked toward the Grand Elder, his expression tense.
"Moori, stay calm. Don't be nervous," the Grand Elder said, completely composed.
"That's right, Second Elder. Their power levels are only around 22,000 to 23,000. I think Mr. Nail can beat them," Raditz added, stepping forward to reassure him.
"Mm!"
All the Namekians waited for Dodoria and Zarbon to arrive.
Ten minutes later!
"That was quite a distance. We've been flying forever!" Dodoria complained as he landed.
"King Frieza has little patience. We need to hurry!" Zarbon said coldly.
As they spoke, the two descended. They saw the Grand Elder surrounded by a large group of Namekians!
"Raditz? Nappa? What are you doing here?" Zarbon suddenly spotted Raditz and Nappa, who were hiding behind Sun Wukong.
"Zarbon, Dodoria, if you want to stay alive, you'd better stand right where you are," Raditz said calmly.
"Bah! You low-class wild monkeys think you can talk to me like that?" Dodoria spat disdainfully.
Raditz and Nappa had both suppressed their energy!
Their Scouters couldn't detect them at all!
"Dodoria, calm down. Their power levels are off!" Zarbon turned on his Scouter. The screen showed only 1,000 and 3,000!
Those were Raditz's and Nappa's power levels, respectively!
"Kakarot, Grand Elder! Leave these two to me!" Raditz asked to fight, barely holding back his anger.
"Mr. Sun Wukong, what do you think?" The Grand Elder asked for Sun Wukong's opinion.
"Big brother, do what you think is best!" Sun Wukong was also annoyed by the words "wild monkeys."
Those words always reminded him that he had crushed his own grandfather to death!
"I understand, Kakarot!" Raditz rose into the air and floated in front of Dodoria and Zarbon!
"Zarbon, Dodoria, you were there when Planet Vegeta was destroyed, weren't you?" Raditz asked through gritted teeth, suppressing his killing intent.
"Heh heh heh... That's right. Your father, Bardock, even tried to challenge me. I defeated him with my own hands, and then King Frieza finished him off. Looks like all you wild monkeys know what happened to Planet Vegeta. Where's Vegeta? Isn't he the Saiyan genius? Why isn't he here?" Dodoria's words ignited Raditz's fury!
"Fuck your laugh! I can't stand that sound. Die!" Raditz erupted with power, appeared beside Dodoria in an instant, and punched him apart. Flesh and blood splattered everywhere!
"Dodoria... Damn it! Why can't my Scouter detect your power level? Is it broken?" Zarbon's face was slick with terrified sweat.
He was a little stronger than Dodoria, but even he couldn't blow Dodoria apart with one punch!
"Hey, Zarbon! Use your Scouter and watch closely. This is the rise of the Saiyans! Just stand there and wait to die!" Raditz roared.
Raditz unleashed all his power in his normal state. The powerful shockwave left Zarbon struggling to hold his ground!
The Scouter emitted a piercing alarm!
"Beep, beep... 100,000... 200,000... 300,000... Boom!"
The Scouter exploded.
"Impossible! This is the latest model. Your power level can't be this high!" Zarbon staggered backward in terror, then shot into the sky and tried to flee!
"Trying to run?" Raditz shot upward and overtook him, appearing right in front of him!
"Get out of my way!" Zarbon transformed.
His limbs swelled, growing massive. His face twisted into a savage expression, his mouth filled with sharp teeth, and boils began to appear across his body!
Without hesitation, Zarbon raised his left hand, braced his left arm with his right, and gathered all his energy!
"Die!"
A thick red energy wave shot straight at Raditz!
"This is weak! What a joke! Zarbon, let me collect some interest for my father first! Die!"
Raditz caught the energy wave with one hand. Energy gathered in his palm, forming a blast even thicker than Zarbon's. It swallowed Zarbon's attack and shot back, blasting him to pieces!
"Father, did you see that?" Raditz gazed at the sky, his expression mournful.
"Reporting, King Frieza! The power readings from Dodoria and Zarbon have disappeared. We can't detect any life signs either!"
"Oh? Looks like there's more to Namek than meets the eye," Frieza said calmly.
The space fleet landed on Namek as well!
"Have the Ginyu Force arrived yet?" Frieza asked.
"They're on their way from Planet Yardrat. They'll need another hour!"
"Hmph. What a nuisance. Do I have to take care of this myself?" Frieza said, visibly displeased.
The soldiers below broke into a cold sweat at his words!