The potential development had gone very smoothly, but it had also left Vegeta feeling unsatisfied, as if he'd been cut off just when he was getting somewhere.
If the Grand Elder could continue to unlock his potential, and that sensation could keep coming back, then perhaps once it reached its peak, he could truly use it to draw out the Saiyans' real power.
Unfortunately, it had affected the Grand Elder's lifespan, and he'd said he'd already reached the limits of his ability. So even if he continued, it might be useless.
I really was thinking too simply. I haven't even mastered Super Saiyan yet, and I was already dreaming of reaching that level.
Vegeta sighed to himself.
Letting go of that hope, Vegeta closed his eyes and carefully sensed the power he now possessed.
A surging force filled his body like a vast ocean, far beyond anything he'd had before.
Ten times? Twenty? Thirty?
No!
At least fifty times stronger!
Vegeta was certain that his battle power had now reached 2.5 million.
The facts proved that he'd made the right choice. The Grand Elder's potential development had released all the potential he currently possessed in one go.
In other words, it wasn't simply that Saiyans became much stronger after recovering from near-death. Although that was part of their biology, the increase in battle power was inseparable from the amount of potential they had.
It was because he had enough potential that his power had increased so dramatically.
What a shame the Scouter could no longer accurately measure his battle power. The latest model's functional limit was only around 200,000 to 500,000. Otherwise, he really would have liked to see his exact current reading.
"With your strength now, you should be able to deal with Frieza. Even I didn't expect your potential to be this astonishing." The Grand Elder took a long while to recover before he finally spoke.
Vegeta's display had surprised him.
From what he'd observed and the brief time they'd spent together, Vegeta seemed like the kind of person who, after gaining great power, would become reckless and unable to control himself. Yet Vegeta was remarkably calm. It was far beyond anything the Grand Elder had expected.
"That's true. After having my potential unlocked, I've gained extraordinary power. But you still underestimate Frieza! His strength goes far beyond what he's shown so far... With the power I have now, I'm still nowhere near strong enough to defeat him." Vegeta opened his eyes and met the Grand Elder's gaze again.
The Grand Elder fell silent, at a loss for words.
He'd thought that with Vegeta this powerful, he could help the Namekians defeat Frieza and the other enemies.
But now that Vegeta had said this, the Grand Elder was confused once more.
They'd been surrounded by despair, and just when they'd finally found a little hope, it had crumbled again.
Vegeta saw the change in the Grand Elder's expression. The corner of his mouth lifted as he said, "Give me some time. I need to stabilize my strength and make a breakthrough! Once I do, and become a Super Saiyan, Frieza will be nothing."
"Super Saiyan?" The Grand Elder looked at Vegeta with a knowing expression.
He seemed to have glimpsed fragments of many things in the future, but he hadn't actually seen a Super Saiyan.
Still, the Grand Elder realized that perhaps it was a Super Saiyan who would save the Namekian people.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" The Grand Elder thought it over, then asked generously.
He'd already helped Vegeta this much. If he could help him break through sooner, the crisis could be resolved sooner as well.
"For now, no. Also, I'll be training somewhere nearby. You'd better not let the guy outside come bother me. You understand." With that, Vegeta turned and walked out of the inner room.
The Grand Elder hadn't expected Vegeta to be so direct. He swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue, and all that remained was a silent sigh.
But a few seconds later, Vegeta's voice reached him again, making his expression shift.
"By the way, there's something you should know. You may want to tell the surviving Namekians. Frieza's men can locate your people so accurately because of the Scouters they wear. That's the device I had on in front of me just now. If you want to keep your people safe, have them destroy those devices while they have the chance. That way, Frieza won't be able to pinpoint their locations for a while."
Vegeta's words finally cleared up the Grand Elder's doubts.
"No wonder. No wonder they wiped out more than half the villages in just two days..."
Outside.
Vegeta sauntered out and found himself face-to-face with Nail, who was seething with anger.
That guy had to have a screw loose.
"Hmph! I don't know how you managed to deceive the Grand Elder, but you'd better not let me catch you plotting something. Otherwise—"
Nail hadn't finished speaking when Vegeta, unwilling to waste any more time on him, released an overwhelming pressure. Nail retreated several steps in terror.
"Y-you can't possibly..."
"Tch! I told you already: if I'd wanted to attack you, you'd all be dead by now. And it's not just me now—even before, crushing you would've been as easy as squashing an ant." Vegeta spoke harshly.
Under Vegeta's oppressive aura, Nail sucked in a sharp breath.
He truly hadn't expected Vegeta to be this terrifyingly powerful. It was completely different from before.
No, wait! Nail suddenly realized something and looked toward the Grand Elder inside the house with suspicion.
He wasn't completely certain, but he could guess what might have happened.
This outsider definitely hadn't had this kind of power at first. He must have gained it with the help of the Grand Elder's abilities.
Vegeta didn't bother arguing with him any further. He turned and took off in a burst of ki.
He'd said he would train nearby, but he wasn't going to stay too close. He didn't want the Grand Elder's location exposed early because of him.
He needed to get at least a hundred kilometers away, somewhere quiet.
Watching Vegeta disappear into the distance, Nail finally let out a breath. He was drenched in sweat.
Then he quickly composed himself and hurried into the inner room, his face full of concern.
"Grand Elder, are you all right?" Nail called out anxiously.
The Grand Elder gave a slight shake of his head. "I'm fine, Nail. He isn't our enemy. On the contrary, he'll help us fight off those invaders from beyond our world."
"So that's why you helped him grow stronger, Grand Elder? Can we trust someone like him? His aura reeks of evil and bloodshed," Nail said.
"Prejudice is a mountain in the human heart, Nail. Sometimes, you can't judge by appearances alone."
After a long silence, the Grand Elder uttered those words.