Vegeta gritted his teeth in hatred and clenched his fists.
But after remembering Broly's terrifying Combat Power, Vegeta decided to give up provoking him. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"There's a mysterious energy coming from that mountain over there. Let's go take a look." Reiz pointed toward a distant peak.
The mountain wasn't particularly tall, but it stood out on the plain. A round building was just visible at its summit.
"Hmph. What's so interesting about a mountain?" Vegeta snorted, still annoyed about what had just happened.
"I wasn't talking to you!" Reiz scolded him, then turned to Linoshi.
"Al... all right." Linoshi nodded gently, her blue eyes gazing tenderly at Reiz.
Reiz said no more and took Linoshi's hand as they flew into the sky.
Their figures streaked across the blue sky.
Though Vegeta had said he didn't want to go, he still rose into the air and obediently followed them.
Seeing this, Broly hurried after them too. As he flew, he kept looking back at the purple plants, reluctant to leave them behind.
The four of them quickly flew toward the mountain.
Before long, Reiz and the others landed on the distant mountaintop.
The summit was flat, as if it had been leveled by hand. A round house stood there, its white walls glowing softly in the sunlight.
Unfamiliar plants grew around the house, neatly tended.
As if sensing that a terrifying presence was approaching, someone inside immediately came out and looked at Reiz and the others with a grave expression.
An elderly Namekian emerged from the house.
He leaned on a cane. His skin was dark green, marked by the passage of time.
Namekians had a distinctive trait: their skin grew darker as they aged.
Children's skin was the green of tender grass. In middle age, it turned a deeper green, and in old age, it became dark green.
The old man's face was lined with wrinkles, yet his eyes remained sharp.
He wore a simple white robe. His back was slightly hunched, but he carried himself with a steady dignity.
When he got a good look at Reiz and the others, his expression changed and his pupils shrank slightly.
"Y-you're Saiyans?" the old man, Monaito, muttered gravely, tightening his grip on his cane.
"Is he a Namekian?" Vegeta asked, startled. He immediately identified the stranger's race and looked Monaito up and down.
"Saiyans! What brings you here?" Monaito asked warily, his gaze sweeping over the four of them before settling on Reiz.
He instinctively sensed that this young man was the leader of the group.
"Our spaceship happened to land on this planet. We sensed your energy, so we came to have a look." Reiz smiled faintly, his tone calm.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta was speechless, grumbling to himself.
Reiz really doesn't even bother to come up with a believable lie.
You came to this planet on purpose, didn't you?
He curled his lip, but this time he wisely kept quiet.
"You sensed my energy?" Monaito looked closely at Reiz, then at the others. None of them were wearing Scouters. His expression changed. "Can Saiyans sense energy now?"
His voice was clearly tinged with surprise and wariness.
Namekians had the ability to sense energy too, but Saiyans had always relied on Scouters. He knew that better than anyone.
"Only I can sense it for now. Those two can't yet." Reiz pointed at Vegeta and Broly and grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.
Vegeta said nothing. He folded his arms and raised his chin, pretending not to care.
Broly, meanwhile, looked indifferent. He still held his bottle of mineral water, taking a sip now and then with a thoroughly contented expression.
For him, being able to drink clean water was the greatest happiness of all.
"Huh? What's that shiny ball?" Reiz suddenly noticed the Dragon Ball in Monaito's room, and his eyes lit up.
It was a small orb resting on a wooden stand in the corner of the room.
The Dragon Balls on Planet Cereal were tiny, no bigger than marbles. In the dim room, it gave off a faint golden glow.
Its light was gentle and mysterious, as if it contained some special power.
"It's... it's nothing..." Monaito said hastily, his expression shifting. He instinctively stepped to the side, trying to block Reiz's view.
"Go get that thing and bring it to me." Reiz ordered Broly and Vegeta.
Vegeta snorted and made no move to obey.
I'm a Prince. Do you really think it's appropriate to order me around like that?
He shot Reiz a sidelong glance, still standing perfectly still with his arms folded.
Broly, however, didn't care in the slightest. He charged straight into the house.
He was so fast that he kicked up a gust of wind.
Monaito reached out to stop him, lifting his arm to block the doorway.
But after a brief hesitation, Monaito silently drew back his outstretched hand.
Let him look if he wants!
What could he possibly figure out?
He's just a silly wild child. It's not like he'd recognize a Dragon Ball.
Before long, Broly rushed out of the house, clutching the golden orb in his hand. He excitedly ran up to Reiz and handed him the Dragon Ball.
"Broly's such a good listener!" Reiz said with satisfaction, taking the Dragon Ball.
"Heh heh." Broly grinned foolishly, showing off his white teeth.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta rolled his eyes at Broly, feeling a little put out.
That silly kid sure knows how to suck up to people.
"What a fascinating thing. It actually glows!" Reiz exclaimed, unable to help marveling at the Dragon Ball in his hand.
He raised it to eye level and carefully studied its gentle golden light.
Monaito said nothing. He only watched in silence, his expression complicated.
"What is this?" Reiz asked Monaito with a smile, pretending not to know.
"It's just an ordinary ornament. If you like it, you can have it." Monaito replied calmly, though a trace of tension flickered in his eyes.
"Then I'll take it." Reiz naturally claimed the Dragon Ball as his own and tucked it into his clothes.
Monaito: "..."
Monaito was speechless.
You really aren't shy at all!
But he had already said it. It was too late for Monaito to take it back.
He opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing, only feeling a wave of loss.
That was a Dragon Ball, something he had gone to great lengths to protect.
"Linoshi, do you like it? It's yours. It looks like it'd be fun to play with." Reiz smiled, took the Dragon Ball back out, and offered it to Linoshi.
Before you continue