[Gohan! Gohan! Can you hear me?]
On Planet Namek, Son Gohan suddenly snapped to attention inside the spaceship and quickly looked around.
"Uncle Piccolo? Was that Uncle Piccolo's voice?" Son Gohan was sure he hadn't imagined it.
He could never mistake that voice.
Gohan's reaction surprised Krillin and Bulma, while Dende looked just as puzzled.
A moment ago, they'd been overwhelmed by Vegeta's power. Now their attention had shifted completely.
"Piccolo?"
"What's going on, Gohan?"
"I just heard Uncle Piccolo speaking," Son Gohan said.
His words shocked Krillin and Bulma, and they exchanged a glance.
But soon, they heard Piccolo's voice too.
North Kai had established a link, allowing Krillin, Bulma, and Dende to hear him as well.
[It's me, Gohan. I'm glad to see you're all right.]
"Uncle Piccolo, it really is you! Where are you now? Wait, Uncle Piccolo, did you make it to Lord North Kai? Is Lord North Kai helping us talk to each other?" Son Gohan quickly pieced together the possibilities.
[You're truly remarkable. That dim-witted boy Goku somehow managed to have such a clever son. He's a lucky man. And yes, it's just as you thought. You can talk to us because I've established a connection between you.] North Kai's voice came through.
[It's not just Piccolo. Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and I are here with Lord North Kai too. Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma, you've been through a lot, traveling all the way to Planet Namek to find the Dragon Balls and bring us back.] Seeing his chance to speak, Yamcha sent his voice through as well.
"Really? That's great! I never thought we'd be able to talk like this." Tears welled in Krillin's eyes with joy.
Bulma felt the same, but hearing Yamcha's voice brought out her stubborn side again. "So now you know how to say nice things. I'm warning you: if you go back to your old ways after you're revived, we're through for good! Hmph!"
As her words came through, the mood changed at once.
On King Kai's Planet, Yamcha shivered and looked like he might cry.
[All right, all right. I promise I'll never flirt with other women again.] Perhaps the dead Yamcha was the perfect Yamcha.
But anyone who really knew him would realize his promise was worth no more than a fart.
Bulma had heard him make that same promise at least ten times already.
"I hope you mean it, because this is your last chance." Once Bulma made up her mind, she could be stubborn about it, and no one could change it.
After all, if Yamcha hadn't sacrificed himself to save Earth, Bulma would have given up on him completely by now.
[Enough. You can sort out your relationship after you're revived. Right now, we need to talk about what matters.] Piccolo cut in, breaking the mood.
Son Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma sobered up at once.
It was good that they could talk again, but the living and the dead were worlds apart. Given the situation on Planet Namek, getting all the Dragon Balls seemed like a pipe dream.
They discussed the situation. Piccolo and the others already knew the details, but the latest news still shocked them.
[We know the situation. Remember, don't do anything reckless unless you have no other choice. As I said, wait for Son Goku to arrive. If you're in danger, Bulma, take the spaceship and leave Planet Namek immediately.] Piccolo's words were brief and clear.
Although it was his home, and Planet Namek was facing destruction, he cared more about Son Gohan.
After all, even though Planet Namek was Piccolo's birthplace, he felt much more at home on Earth.
Once the connection ended, the three people inside the spaceship fell silent.
As for Dende, he hadn't said a word the whole time. He'd only introduced himself when they mentioned him, greeting the others.
"Keep going, Bulma. We need to reach the Grand Elder even faster."
"I know, I know. We've been moving the whole time, haven't we?"
King Kai's Planet.
After finishing his conversation with Son Gohan and the others, North Kai grew curious and turned his attention to Vegeta's location.
He would have been better off not looking. The moment he saw what was happening, his hair stood on end, and sweat poured down his face.
He wasn't the only one. Piccolo, Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu all saw what was happening and sensed the power Vegeta possessed.
It was so terrifying that they couldn't even imagine it. Compared to when they'd met Vegeta on Earth, it was like night and day.
"W-what is that? Has he transformed?" Yamcha gasped, the first to speak.
"That power... It's so immense I can barely breathe. I feel like it's going to swallow me whole." Tien Shinhan swallowed hard and panted.
The shock was overwhelming. Chiaotzu looked even more like a frozen corpse, unable to speak.
"Damn it! With power like that, if he targets Gohan and the others, they won't even have a chance to escape." Piccolo clenched his teeth. He wished he were on Planet Namek right now. Even if his meager strength was nothing by comparison, he could at least buy them some time.
As it turned out, Piccolo was thinking too highly of himself.
Even if he were ten times stronger, Vegeta could knock him flat with a breath.
"Could that legend really be true...?" North Kai stood with his hands behind his back, a name rising in his mind.
At North Kai's words, the others all perked up their ears.
"The legendary Super Saiyan, said to appear only once every thousand years! The greatest warrior in the universe!
"Then again, he's one of the few Saiyans left alive, and the prince of the Saiyan race. With the finest bloodline running through his veins, it's no wonder he became a Super Saiyan...
"The universe is truly about to change. The Super Saiyan and the Universe Emperor—who knows what will happen next?
"But you're the ones with the biggest problem. You used to be enemies, and Vegeta is now far beyond anything you can handle. Even if Goku gets used to a hundred times Earth's gravity, even if his strength increases dozens of times, I'm afraid he still won't be any match for Vegeta..."
North Kai's words hit them like a blow to the head, leaving everyone reeling.
Didn't that mean that no matter what they did, it would all be pointless?
"Damn it! Why would someone so cruel and evil become a Super Saiyan?!"
"At this point, none of us can influence what happens. I can only hope Gohan and Krillin make it through safely..."