Mimicry I

Kast took a turquoise-green bean from his chest pocket. It looked just like an ordinary broad bean. Looking at it, he smiled faintly, then swallowed it without hesitation.

Bang!

The moment he ate it, Kast felt the muscles all over his body swell and contract. The wound in his abdomen from Frieza's attack healed instantly.

"Th-this!"

Seeing Kast's body restored in an instant from afar, Bardock and the others couldn't help staring in astonishment. They were speechless.

Beside them, Frieza propped his chin on one hand and looked intrigued.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to have such a miraculous bean. No wonder you dared to fight me. But even with that thing, all you're doing is delaying your death."

With that, Frieza clasped his hands behind his back and began walking toward Kast, one step at a time.

"Don't be so sure, Frieza. Don't forget who just had you looking like a beaten dog."

At Frieza's words, Kast sneered and spoke scornfully.

"Oh-ho-ho..."

Frieza chuckled softly without stopping. He raised his left hand to partly cover his mouth and laughed.

"You really are a joker, little monkey. But don't let a little praise go to your head, brat."

As he spoke, Frieza's smile vanished and his expression darkened. The instant he took a step, he suddenly appeared right in front of Kast.

Frieza flashed behind Kast and looked at the back of his head, a cruel expression on his face. He bent his right leg and kicked at Kast's head.

Boom!!

With a deafening crash, the ground beneath Kast caved in from the tremendous impact. The earth shook violently, and thick clouds of dust billowed over the area.

"So fast!"

Watching Frieza's movements, Bardock's pupils contracted sharply. He stared warily into the dust.

"W-we should help him, Bardock?"

The Saiyan beside him looked fearful as he quietly asked Bardock.

"No."

After a moment's thought, Bardock shook his head and answered calmly.

"We shouldn't interfere. If we do, we'll insult that Warrior. Besides, we can't help him. The gap in our strength is too great. If we attack now, we'll only get ourselves killed."

Hearing Bardock's words, one of the Saiyans beside him protested.

"That's not necessarily true. We haven't even fought Frieza yet. How do you know we can't beat him?"

Bardock glanced at the Saiyan beside him but said nothing. There were things only he knew.

Though they might never have fought Frieza, things were different for Bardock.

After all, he had once resisted an energy ball Frieza sent his way. That was when he had felt the full force of Frieza's power.

It was far beyond anything he could withstand. If Kast hadn't sent him a wave of ki afterward, not only would Bardock have been killed—Planet Vegeta would have been destroyed as well.

What's more, based on what he knew, Frieza had still been in his first form when he unleashed that power. Now that he had transformed, he could surely wield even greater strength. Bardock was no match for him.

Even so, Bardock had a feeling that Kast still had greater power within him, power he hadn't yet unleashed. Once released, it would be no less terrifying than Frieza's!

With that thought, Bardock looked toward the dust again.

"Everything depends on you now, Kast!"

Ahead.

Soon, as the dust began to clear, Kast and Frieza emerged from within.

What they saw was both unexpected and entirely predictable.

Kast had one arm raised high, blocking his head, while Frieza's right leg was pressed against his forearm.

Seeing this, Bardock, who had already suspected as much, couldn't help smiling.

Frieza, however, was in a different position. What should have been a fatal blow had been blocked.

"Hm?"

Frieza looked at Kast, who had stopped his attack, raised an eyebrow, and said with amusement, "I didn't realize you were holding back some strength."

At Frieza's words, Kast's lips curled into a faint smile.

"Otherwise, why would I dare provoke you, Lord Frieza?"

As he spoke, Kast lifted his head, grabbed Frieza's lower leg where it had struck his head, and flung him away.

"What!?"

In the distance, as the dust finally cleared, Bardock and the others could now see Kast clearly.

"His appearance seems to have changed a little!"

.