Departing for Planet Soph, Dodoria Is About to Attack / Forward, Three! Destination: Earth!

He was one of Prince Vegeta's sparring partners today! If he showed up late... Thinking of the prince's icy stare and terrifying fists, Nappa flew even faster.

Inside, Vitelli didn't head straight back to the Gravity Chamber. He walked to the window and gazed toward the royal palace, his expression inscrutable.

It was time.

Chapter 5: Departing for Planet Soph, Dodoria Is About to Attack

The early morning light shrouded Planet Vegeta in a hazy, metallic sheen.

Vitelli pushed open the courtyard gate, a small pack on his back. Inside were two clean spare Battle Suits.

He glanced back at the sturdy Gravity Chamber in the backyard. Its silver-gray metal shell gleamed coldly in the faint light, and a trace of regret passed through his heart.

If only I had a Hoi-Poi Capsule to take it with me... He sighed silently.

Unfortunately, Planet Vegeta didn't have any miraculous space-compression technology like Hoi-Poi Capsules.

But then again, Bulma's family on Earth could build a Gravity Chamber with three hundred times Earth's gravity. What was this small loss compared to that?

He stopped looking back, turned around, and flew steadily toward the Spaceport.

At Spaceport's third landing pad, the massive, disk-shaped spaceship prepared specially for this mission had been waiting for some time.

Raditz was quietly speaking with an alien in a Frieza Force uniform. Vitelli landed without a sound. He didn't interrupt them, simply standing to the side and listening in silence.

"Planet Soph, a mid-level planet dominated by technological civilization."

The official gestured toward the planetary image projected from the tablet in his hand, his tone as flat as if reciting a routine report. "Its main defensive forces are automated defense systems and combat robots. Based on preliminary reconnaissance, the strongest robots are estimated to have a battle power of only around five thousand. They shouldn't pose much difficulty for your squad."

The official paused, then added a crucial detail. "Also, the planet has a stable lunar orbit and experiences full moons. If you run into trouble, you can use Great Ape Transformation to turn the tide at any time. This planet was carefully selected. In theory... nothing should go wrong."

Listening behind them, Vitelli nodded to himself. Robots were their main force? That meant their fighting style was relatively straightforward, relying more on energy output and physical destruction.

For someone like him, who had already mastered the use of ki and dramatically increased his physical strength and speed, it was a good place to put his skills to the test. And they had the moon as a trump card, too.

He quickly worked out a plan: take down the robots, then rush to their central base and destroy it. Use more than thirty thousand power to create the illusion that he had died taking the enemy with him. If anything went wrong, he could cut off his tail and throw it somewhere conspicuous, convincing Vegeta and the others he was dead, with only his tail left behind.

Perfect! Vitelli silently gave himself a point for the plan!

Just then, the sound of someone cutting through the air, a little more hurried than usual, reached them.

Nappa, sporting a bruised and swollen face and walking with a slight limp, carefully accompanied a short figure as they landed. The small figure was none other than Vegeta.

The young prince's Battle Suit looked especially new today. He held his chin slightly raised, projecting an aura of deliberate disdain for everyone around him.

He spotted Vitelli standing to the side at once. His eyes immediately blazed with fighting spirit—and with the smugness of someone who thought he'd figured out Vitelli's secret.

"Hey! Vitelli!"

Vegeta marched straight up to him, deliberately raising his voice in undisguised provocation. "How long did you think you could hide your secret? The Gravity Chamber! That's how you got stronger, right?"

Vitelli merely looked at him calmly, with the faintest hint of a smile. He neither admitted nor denied it. His indifferent attitude instantly enraged Vegeta.

"What, not saying anything? So you admit it?"

Vegeta stepped closer, his small body nearly pressing against Vitelli's. His eyes gleamed dangerously. "Let me tell you! I'm not the same person I was a month ago, the one you managed to catch off guard!"

He clenched his fist, and an aura far more powerful and violent than before burst forth! It still carried a hint of childishness, but its strength... truly surpassed that of an ordinary Saiyan warrior!

"My battle power has now... broken through twenty thousand!!"

Vegeta's voice brimmed with absolute confidence and arrogance. He habitually raised his distinctive thumb and jabbed it at himself, ignoring the strange look in Vitelli's eyes. "You relied on an outside advantage like the Gravity Chamber to take shortcuts. You've already reached the limit of an ordinary Saiyan! As you stand before me, Vegeta, you're nothing but a bug I can crush whenever I want! Understand?!"

Watching Vegeta strike that familiar pose, acting so cocky he seemed destined to eat his words any moment, Vitelli felt nothing. He even found it a little amusing.

Twenty thousand? He really had improved at an astonishing rate. No wonder he was a Saiyan prodigy. But... he was still too green.

His control over his power and his combat instincts were both far, far behind.

Vitelli couldn't be bothered to argue with him, much less stage a farce before they even left. While Vegeta was still chattering on about what a powerful warrior he was—

Smack!

A sharp, muffled crack rang out!

Vitelli struck like lightning, landing a precise chop on the back of Vegeta's completely unguarded neck!

He controlled the force perfectly, enough to knock him out without hurting him! It would cause no real injury, but would instantly interrupt his nerve signals.

Vegeta's arrogant expression froze. His eyes flew open, his face filled with utter disbelief. He managed only a brief "Ugh..." before his eyes rolled back and his body went limp.

"Prince Vegeta!!!" Nappa and Raditz cried out at the same time, like cats whose tails had been stepped on! They stared in terror as Vitelli casually picked up the unconscious Vegeta with one hand, as if he were a chick.

"You bastard! Are you crazy?! Do you know what you're doing?!" Raditz shouted in anger and alarm, his pointing finger trembling.

Nappa's muscles tensed, as if he were about to lunge at any moment, but deep in his eyes was a fear of Vitelli.

Holding Vegeta, Vitelli glanced at the two of them expressionlessly. His icy stare swept over them like a frigid current, making the furious Raditz and the ready-to-fight Nappa freeze in place as if plunged into an ice cellar.

"Shut up."

Vitelli's voice was quiet, but carried an unquestionable authority. "Too much talk. We're leaving."

He carried Vegeta straight toward the open hatch of the spaceship.

Nappa opened his mouth, still wanting to say something. Vitelli stopped and turned his head slightly, his gaze stabbing toward Nappa like a pair of icy daggers.

An invisible pressure, heavy as a mountain, instantly enveloped Nappa, leaving him short of breath!

"Do you want to die?"

Vitelli spoke each word evenly, his voice calm yet laced with a killing intent that chilled the blood.

Nappa shuddered, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead. Every word he'd been about to say caught in his throat.

He had no doubt that if he said another word, the monster before him would snap his neck without hesitation! He swallowed with difficulty and lowered his head in humiliation, not daring to object again.

Raditz was so frightened he nearly wet himself.

And so, in a strange and oppressive atmosphere, all four of them—including the unconscious Vegeta—boarded the disk-shaped spaceship.

The hatch slowly closed. The engine rumbled, and the huge ship rose into the sky, tearing through Planet Vegeta's gloomy atmosphere before turning into a streak of light and plunging into the vast sea of stars.

Inside the ship, Vitelli casually stuffed the unconscious Vegeta into a hibernation pod and set it to wake him twenty-four hours before they reached their destination.

He headed for a relatively isolated area in the corner of the spaceship.

Without even looking at Nappa and Raditz, who wore conflicted expressions and looked as if they wanted to speak, he climbed inside. The hatch closed behind him.

Soon, the hum of the hibernation pod's energy system came from within.

Nappa and Raditz looked at each other, both seeing deep helplessness and a trace of fear in the other's eyes.

They silently walked to their own hibernation pods and lay down inside. The cold hibernation fluid flowed in, and their consciousness gradually faded.

The long interstellar journey began. Destination: Planet Soph. Travel time: six months.

In the depths of the North Galaxy, at Frieza Force headquarters.

It was a massive steel fortress floating amid a spectacular nebula, its interior decorated with the utmost luxury and coldness.

Frieza lounged comfortably in his signature floating chair, which resembled a baby carriage. His slender fingers tapped elegantly against the armrest as he listened to his subordinate's report with an icy smile.

A short alien knelt respectfully on the floor. "Lord Frieza, the Saiyan prince, Vegeta, has set out for Planet Soph with three senior Saiyan warriors as his bodyguards. They're going to carry out their first conquest mission."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho..."

Frieza let out his distinctive laugh, tinged with amusement and cruelty. His crimson eyes glinted with playful interest.

"Our little Prince Vegeta has reached the age where he should go out and see the world. How exciting."

His gaze turned to his two trusted aides. Beside him stood Cui, with blue skin and a tall, slender build, and Dodoria, who had pink skin and a bulky frame.

"Cui, Dodoria,"

Frieza drawled languidly, like a cat toying with a mouse. "As a benevolent ruler, shouldn't I... send someone to offer guidance to this young Saiyan prince, who has no experience whatsoever? After all, the battlefield is a dangerous place. If anything were to happen to King Vegeta's precious only son, that would be such a shame. Ho-ho-ho..."

Cui immediately stepped forward, his face wreathed in a fawning smile. He bowed and said,

"Lord Frieza is absolutely right! Prince Vegeta is still young and sorely lacking in experience. We all serve Lord Frieza, after all. Having you send one of your experienced subordinates to assist Prince Vegeta and teach him would be most appropriate! It would truly show your boundless concern for your subordinates!"

Dodoria hurriedly puffed out his belly and chimed in with a gruff voice. "Cui's right! We'll follow Lord Frieza's orders! Just say who you want to send, and we'll send them!"

Frieza was very pleased with their response. He rocked his floating chair, his crimson eyes moving between Cui and Dodoria before finally settling on Dodoria. An innocent yet chilling smile appeared on his face.

"Then, Dodoria, I'll have to trouble you... Thank you for the effort! Go and make the trip."

He put particular emphasis on "the effort," his tone carrying an imperceptible cruelty. "After all, when it comes to teaching young people... sometimes you have to be... strict."

He paused, his smile unchanged, and added a casual remark that reeked of blood.

"Oh, and one more thing. You can be stern while you're teaching them. Let them understand the cruelty of the universe and... the difference in strength. But..."

Frieza's mouth curved into an even wider smile. "It would be best to leave Vegeta alive. As for the others... ho-ho, don't kill them all. Someone has to give our young prince a taste of the harshness of battle—and later tell King Vegeta all about his son's exciting training experience. Don't you agree, Dodoria?"

Dodoria knelt on one knee and bowed his massive head low. A knowing, cruel grin spread across his rugged face, and he replied in a loud, respectful voice:

"Yes! I understand, sir! Rest assured, Lord Frieza! I'll make sure Prince Vegeta and his guards receive a lesson they'll... never forget!"

Frieza nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand.

Dodoria rose to his feet. His hulking body moved with a suppressed excitement and bloodthirsty eagerness as he strode out of the hall to prepare for his educational excursion.

In his floating chair, Frieza contentedly closed his eyes. The clean, bright porthole beside him reflected his face, a mix of innocence and cruelty.

Chapter 6: Forward, Three! Destination: Earth!

The shrill alert from the spaceship pierced Vitelli's consciousness like an icy needle, forcibly dragging him back to reality from half a year of deep hibernation.

The hibernation pod's cover slowly slid open. Cold air rushed in, carrying the spaceship's characteristic scent of metal and circulating fluid.

He opened his eyes, adjusting to the dim light. The first thing he saw was Vegeta, whose pod had also just opened, struggling to sit up.

"You bastard!"

Vegeta's furious eyes immediately locked onto Vitelli, filled with the anger he'd kept bottled up for half a year and an intense desire to provoke him.

Hibernation clearly hadn't soothed the humiliation he felt from Vitelli knocking him out with a single chop before they'd left.

But Vitelli merely glanced at him, the faintest curve at the corner of his mouth, as if looking at a child throwing a tantrum. He stepped out of his hibernation pod.

He couldn't be bothered to waste his breath. Steadily, he walked around Vegeta, who was still working himself into a fury, and went straight to the spaceship's control area.

Utterly ignored, Vegeta let out a heavy "Hmph." His small face flushed red with anger, and his clenched fists crackled with the sound of grinding bones.

Just wait... Once I finish this mission and get back, I'll make you pay! he roared inwardly, turning his humiliation into an even greater drive to act.

In the control room, Raditz was already busy at the console. The screen displayed the complex atmospheric data of Planet Soph and its dense network of defenses.

Nappa, meanwhile, clumsily climbed into a spherical one-person pod.

"Prince Vegeta! Vitelli! You're both awake!"

Seeing them come out, Raditz hurriedly called to them, his voice carrying a trace of barely perceptible tension.

"The spaceship can only remain in a safe orbit outside Planet Soph's atmosphere. The planet has powerful defense systems and automated gun turrets. A large ship would be too easy to target. If we forced our way in, we'd be hit by everything they have! We have to use one-person pods to enter!"

Vegeta frowned, clearly displeased with such a sneaky approach. "We can't land directly? They're just a bunch of bugs. Why make this so complicated?!"

Vitelli also looked at the data on the screen with some curiosity. Saiyans usually favored a violent, head-on assault, so a mission that required tactics was rare.

Raditz hurriedly explained, "These detailed reports came from Frieza Force Intelligence. Planet Soph may not have much individual fighting strength, but its technology is advanced, especially its planetary defense systems. The signal from a one-person pod is weak, and it's small. This is the only way to avoid the main points of firepower and land safely."

He worked the controls, bringing up several preset landing coordinates. "We need to move quickly. If we take too long, their defense system might adjust its scanning parameters."

Watching Raditz switch skillfully between the various screens and analyze the streams of data, Vitelli raised an eyebrow and joked, "Raditz, I think you have a real talent for this. If Vegeta no longer needs you as a bodyguard someday, maybe you should consider becoming a mechanical engineer or a technical developer. You might have a brighter future as one than as a warrior."

"Huh?"

Raditz stared at him in confusion, his hands stopping over the controls. "Wait, Vitelli! I just... I just fiddled with the spaceship a little! What do you mean by that...? Are they going to revoke my warrior status in the future?"

He felt that he'd been subjected to some peculiar kind of "insult."

Vegeta couldn't be bothered with any of that. He just wanted to set foot on the planet and vent his intense frustration by destroying everything.

"Let's go! What are you waiting for?" he barked, turning and striding toward his spherical pod. The hatch shut with a hiss.

Vitelli shrugged and climbed into the pod assigned to him.

With a slight tremor and a low engine rumble, the four metal spheres quickly broke away from the mothership. They turned into four streaks of light and plunged toward Planet Soph, wrapped in pale yellow atmosphere!

On the surface of Planet Soph, the planetary defense command center was already in chaos.

"Alert! Alert! High-energy signatures detected! Confirmed: four Frieza Force-model one-person pods have breached the outer defense grid! Coordinates locked! Descending at high speed!"