In the blink of an eye, another two hours passed.
The island where Vegeta was.
During this time, Vegeta had further consolidated and pushed beyond his strength, and he could clearly feel that he had grown stronger.
He wasn't sure of his exact power level, but he was certain it was at least approaching three million.
"Next, let me see if my current strength is enough to fill that bottomless pit!"
Having made ample preparations, Vegeta focused all his strength on controlling his ki, guiding it toward the center of his spine.
Unlike last time, that layer of resistance didn't appear again.
He'd probably already broken through the first barrier, so it wouldn't form that kind of resistance again.
However, the attraction was even more terrifying than before, and it left Vegeta stunned.
The rate at which it absorbed and devoured his energy was at least ten times faster!
As his strength increased, as he became more adept at controlling his power, and as his ki training reached a certain level, his mental strength grew sufficiently strong, and his body underwent a transformation without him even noticing.
"Just as I thought, it's not as simple as I imagined! But this time, things are different! Haaah!!" Vegeta clenched his fists, bent his arms slightly, planted his feet, and began to exert himself.
His surging energy, as vast as an ocean, streamed toward the bottomless pit, forcefully condensing into a point of light at its center.
As his energy was drained, he also had to gather his strength and keep it firmly concentrated in that spot. Otherwise, he would never find the center.
"Haaaaah!!!" A deep, sustained roar poured from Vegeta's mouth.
His energy surged like a tsunami, forming a snowy-white film over his body that made him look dazzlingly radiant, almost divine.
As he continued to release his power, Vegeta's body grew hot. The cells inside him began to work frantically, dividing faster and expanding rapidly, as if they had been fully activated.
The whole world trembled under Vegeta's power. Countless grains of sand and chunks of stone floated into the air, only to be pulverized moments later by the tremendous pressure.
The sky had darkened at some point, layers of dark clouds covering it as flashes of lightning streaked through the heavens and bolts crashed down.
"I'm almost there! Just a little more!! Gather, damn it!!" Vegeta roared, his face twisted in a grimace, veins bulging all over his body like writhing dragons.
His power had reached its limit, and the lightning in the sky seemed to be drawn to him, striking him again and again and making the scene even more terrifying.
Vegeta gritted his teeth and endured it.
Just as he was about to reach his breaking point, the bottomless pit seemed to lose its pull, as though it had finally been filled. Vegeta was overjoyed.
"Now!! Unleash it!!!"
He released all his ki. An unimaginable torrent of power erupted from the depths of the bottomless pit in a single burst, making Vegeta's body seem on the verge of swelling up and exploding.
For an instant, Vegeta felt as though his sanity was about to be swept away.
The white-and-purple aura that had belonged to him was replaced by golden flames. Golden light shot into the sky, elevating Vegeta's body to a whole new level.
His ki burst forth like waves, surging out from every part of his body.
Under the golden light, his black eyebrows and hair turned gold, while his pupils became emerald green, deep and bright as jade.
"BOOM!!!"
An overwhelming force swept outward. Every living thing within a thousand miles was utterly suppressed in an instant.
Nail, who was closest and also the strongest, and the Grand Elder of Planet Namek were both stunned, unable to believe how terrifying this ki was.
The other Namekians were all terrified, trembling from head to toe, unable to speak.
"Did he succeed? Is this the power of a Super Saiyan? It's become so terrifyingly strong." The Grand Elder murmured, his forehead covered in sweat.
He should have been happy. Now the crisis could be averted.
But a new worry had arisen. He didn't know whether helping Vegeta unlock his potential had been the right choice.
Especially since he'd learned that the Earthlings had rescued Dende and were now heading toward him. His thoughts were in turmoil.
Nail hurried into the inner room from outside. Seeing the Grand Elder's expression, he did his best to control his emotions and said, "Grand Elder, Vegeta's ki has grown so powerful. If he..."
"Let's choose to trust him. We've already done this, and there's no turning back. We can only treat him as a friend."
"All right. I understand."
"Keep the people outside under control. Remember, something beyond our imagination may happen next. Also, the Earthlings should be here soon," the Grand Elder added.
Nail silently nodded.
At the same time, the spaceship heading toward them was suddenly struck by an oppressive force. The ship rocked violently until Bulma activated its protective barrier, barely managing to stabilize it.
"What's going on? The weather changed all of a sudden." Bulma was an ordinary person, so she had no idea what was happening.
Krillin, Son Gohan, and Dende immediately sensed the terrifying ki Vegeta had unleashed. Their faces paled as they gasped for breath.
"W-what's going on? It's only been a day. How could Vegeta have become... this powerful?" Krillin stammered, trembling all over.
This ki seemed to far surpass the evil aura Frieza possessed.
"He's so strong—too strong. And his ki feels a little different from before, Uncle Krillin," Son Gohan said, swallowing hard as he forced down his fear.
Krillin nodded. He'd sensed the difference too, but couldn't put it into words.
Dende's face turned purple, and cold sweat broke out all over him.
"S-so terrifying. That direction... that's where the Grand Elder is," Dende said.
"What?! Damn it, how did Vegeta end up there? Is he going to attack the Grand Elder?" Krillin clenched his teeth and fists, crying out in frustration.
They'd thought that after they'd luckily rescued Dende and escaped the Frieza Force's pursuit, the Grand Elder's guidance would let them get two Dragon Balls without lifting a finger, while also earning the Namekians' goodwill and trust.
But now it seemed Vegeta had set his sights on the Grand Elder.
He didn't know what had happened earlier, nor did he know that Vegeta was no longer the Vegeta he'd once been. He wouldn't make an enemy of the Namekians. On the contrary, he would protect them.