In the year 737 of the Age, Planet Vegeta. A crimson sky hung over the barren land, while sandstorms ravaged the plains and the air reeked of sulfur and blood. This was the Saiyans' home, a people who lived by fighting and conquest—a race of mercenaries serving Frieza, the emperor of the universe.
But tonight, the skies above Planet Vegeta felt especially ominous. Kashu jolted awake, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He'd had the same dream again: Frieza's enormous spaceship hovering above Planet Vegeta, an orange-red energy sphere dropping from its underside, and then the whole world swallowed by white light. That dream again. Kashu wiped his forehead and looked at his sleeping little brother. Kakarot, his younger brother, was not yet three months old. He lay curled in a simple cradle, his tiny mouth slightly open as he breathed evenly, his round face full of an infant's innocent charm.
Kashu was five years old, but his soul came from another world—a distant planet called Blue Star. In his previous life, he'd been an ordinary Dragon Ball fan. After staying up all night to finish the entire Dragon Ball series, he'd woken up as Bardock's eldest son. Five years had passed since his transmigration, and he'd gradually adapted to this brutal world. Saiyan children began combat training at three and were sent to unfamiliar planets for survival trials at five. With memories of his previous life and a mysterious presence inside him called the Legendary Super God-Level System, Kashu had made it through and reached a battle power far beyond what other Saiyans his age could hope to achieve. But tonight, his own battle power wasn't what concerned him. System, how long until Planet Vegeta is destroyed? he asked silently.
A translucent screen appeared before him:
[Legendary Super God-Level System] Host: Kashu Age: 5 Battle Power: 1800 Legendary Super Saiyan Awakening: 3% Current Mission: None [Response: Based on the historical timeline, Frieza will destroy Planet Vegeta in AGE 737 (this year). Estimated time: approximately 72 hours.]
Three days. Kashu's pupils contracted slightly. There were only three days left. He had to act. He climbed out of bed, quickly pulled on his faded Battle Suit, and pushed open the door of the stone house. The air outside was dry and cold. Far away, the lights around the palace shimmered through the sandstorm.
Bardock hadn't come back yet. As a Low-Class Warrior, his father spent most of the year fighting abroad and rarely made it home more than a few times. His mother, Gine, was still around, busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the family.
"Mom, when is Dad coming back?" Kashu asked as he walked into the kitchen. Gine turned around with a gentle smile. Among the Saiyans, she was an oddity: gentle and uninterested in fighting, she seemed out of place in a warrior race. She worked at the meat distribution center, handing out food to the warriors every day.
"Your father said he'd be back tonight," Gine said. "What's wrong, Kashu? You look worried."
"It's nothing." Kashu said nothing more. He couldn't tell his mother that the planet would be destroyed in three days. After breakfast, he carried Kakarot out of the house. The baby babbled in his brother's arms, waving his hands and trying to grab Kashu's dangling hair.
"Don't fuss, Kakarot." Kashu gently moved his little brother's hand aside, but his eyes were fixed in the distance, toward the palace. A meeting that would decide Broly's fate was taking place there...
Inside the council chamber of Planet Vegeta's palace, King Vegeta sat on his towering throne and looked down at the two people kneeling before him. His expression was cold and sinister, with a hint of murderous intent at the corners of his mouth. One of the two was a tall, muscular Saiyan warrior with a resolute face: Paragus. The other was the infant in his arms. The baby looked no different from any other Saiyan infant, but King Vegeta knew the terrifying power hidden within him.
Broly. The Legendary Super Saiyan. Just days ago, Broly had been a newborn, lying in an incubator. But when he cried, the battle-power reading on the Scouter had gone wild, eventually exceeding ten thousand. Ten thousand. An infant with a battle power of ten thousand was unheard of among the Saiyans. Worse, his battle power kept rising, showing no sign of stopping.
King Vegeta felt threatened. If Broly were allowed to grow, the Saiyan throne would inevitably pass into other hands. He would never allow anyone to threaten his rule.
"Paragus," King Vegeta said, his voice low and imperious. "Your son Broly's battle power far exceeds that of an ordinary Saiyan infant. He is dangerous."
Paragus bowed his head until his forehead touched the cold floor. "Your Majesty, Broly is only a baby. He poses no threat—"
"Silence!" King Vegeta slammed his hand against the armrest. "His battle power already exceeds that of most of my warriors! If we let him grow, the consequences will be unthinkable!"
Paragus trembled. He knew what King Vegeta feared: a threat to the royal bloodline's rule. But Broly was his son. He couldn't stand by and watch him be killed.
"Your Majesty, please show mercy!" Paragus bowed low. "I'm willing to leave Planet Vegeta with Broly and never return!"
King Vegeta fell silent for a moment. A calculating gleam flashed in his eyes.
"So be it," he finally said. "I'll give you and your son a chance to live. Tonight, a small spacecraft will leave for Planet Vampa, a barren border planet. You and Broly will board it and live there permanently. You must never return to Planet Vegeta or contact any Saiyans."
Paragus's heart sank. Planet Vampa was a death world even the Saiyans refused to set foot on. Its environment was harsh and resources scarce. Exile there was practically a death sentence. But he had no choice.
"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty." Paragus bowed deeply, then carried Broly out of the council chamber. King Vegeta watched him go and snorted. "The Legendary Super Saiyan? He's just a worthless exile." He didn't know that this "worthless exile" would become the nightmare of the entire universe twenty years later...
Late that night, Kashu carried Kakarot to a spot near the spaceport. He'd been waiting for someone. Sure enough, a tall figure appeared at the edge of the spaceport. The man wore a damaged Battle Suit, a deep scar marked his face, and his eyes were tired but sharp.
"Dad." Kashu stepped out of the shadows.
Bardock turned. When he saw his eldest son, his tense expression eased slightly. "Kashu, what are you doing out here so late?"
"I was waiting for you." Kashu walked up to him. "Dad, I have something important to tell you."
Bardock frowned. His eldest son had been different from other Saiyan children from a young age—too mature, with a depth in his eyes that seemed far beyond his years. He'd once checked Kashu's battle power with a Scouter: 1800. That was an absurd figure for a five-year-old. Even King Vegeta's prized son, Vegeta, had a battle power of only a little over 400 at age four.
"What is it?" Bardock asked.
"Frieza is going to destroy Planet Vegeta," Kashu said bluntly.
Bardock's pupils shrank. "What did you say?"
"Within three days, Frieza will come to Planet Vegeta himself and destroy the entire planet with a massive energy sphere." Kashu's voice was calm and firm. "I have no proof, but my source is completely reliable. Dad, we have to leave."
Bardock fell silent. As a frontline soldier in the Frieza Force, he knew better than most Saiyans how cruel and treacherous the emperor of the universe was. He'd long sensed Frieza's fear and hostility toward the Saiyans.
"What's your plan?" Bardock asked.
"I found a medium-sized transport ship at the spaceport. It can hold more than a hundred people," Kashu said. "Before Frieza arrives, we need to gather any Saiyans willing to come with us and escape the planet."
"More than a hundred?" Bardock shook his head. "Kashu, you don't understand Saiyans. Most of them would rather die in battle than flee like cowards."
"Then we'll only gather the ones willing to run," Kashu said. "Dad, you know more people than I do. Are there any warriors who resent Frieza's rule? Anyone willing to leave so they can survive?"
Bardock was silent for a long time. He thought of the comrades the Frieza Force had sacrificed as cannon fodder on the battlefield, the Low-Class Warriors looked down on for their low battle power, and the outcasts weary of endless conquest...
"There are," Bardock finally said. "About fifty warriors who feel the same way I do. But warriors alone won't be enough. We also need technicians, scientists, and women and children."
"I'll figure that out," Kashu said. "Mom works at the meat distribution center and knows a lot of Saiyan women. She can help contact them."
Bardock looked at his son, a complicated light in his eyes. "Kashu, you're only five. How do you come up with all these ideas?"
"Dad," Kashu said, looking straight into Bardock's eyes, "some things have nothing to do with age."
Bardock didn't ask anything more. He reached out and patted his son's shoulder, then disappeared into the night...
Over the next two days, Kashu and Bardock worked separately. Bardock contacted Saiyan warriors who were unhappy with the way things stood. He didn't tell them outright that they were going to flee, which would only cause needless panic. He simply told some trusted comrades, "Meet at the abandoned spaceport in the north in three days. Bring your most valuable belongings and your family."
Some agreed, some hesitated, and others refused outright. Their Saiyan pride made it impossible for them to accept "running away" as an option.
"Bardock, have you gone mad? Flee? We're Saiyans, not cowards!" barked an old comrade named Reg.
"When Frieza blasts you into space dust, you can talk to me about cowards," Bardock replied coldly, turning away.
In the end, fifty warriors agreed to Bardock's plan. Most were Low-Class Warriors who'd suffered under the Frieza Force, or outcasts who resented King Vegeta's rule.
Meanwhile, Kashu found his mother, Gine.
"Mom, how many Saiyan women do you know who work at the distribution center?" he asked.
Gine looked puzzled, but answered honestly. "About fifty or sixty. Why?"
"If I told you this planet would be destroyed in three days, would you believe me?"
Gine's expression changed. She wasn't a warrior, but she had a woman's intuition. Kashu's eyes told her he wasn't joking.
"I..." Gine hesitated. "I believe you, Kashu. But what are you planning to do?"
"Take them with us," Kashu said. "We need scientists and technicians, and quite a few of them have those skills. Mom, can you contact them? Have everyone meet at the abandoned spaceport in the north at midnight tomorrow. Tell them to bring whatever valuables and scientific equipment they can carry."
Gine bit her lip, then finally nodded...
The third day. The day of destruction. Planet Vegeta's sky was redder than usual, and a suffocating pressure filled the air. Carrying Kakarot, Kashu stood outside his home, gazing toward the distant horizon. He sensed an enormous, despair-inducing presence drawing closer.
Frieza had arrived.
System, how long until Frieza's ship arrives? Kashu asked silently.
[Estimated arrival in Planet Vegeta's orbit: 1 hour.]
There wasn't enough time. Kashu turned and went inside. "Mom, we're leaving!"
Gine had already packed a small bag. She looked at the home where she'd lived for decades, a flicker of reluctance in her eyes, but it quickly gave way to determination.
"Let's go."
Kashu carried Kakarot while Gine took the bag, and they hurried toward the abandoned spaceport in the north.
At the same time, Bardock led the fifty warriors he'd gathered to the rendezvous point. They wore an assortment of Battle Suits; some carried weapons, others brought their families. Their expressions were grave and tense. A medium-sized transport ship was ready at the spaceport. It had originally belonged to the Frieza Force, but Bardock had "acquired" it by questionable means and hidden it there for several months. It looked old, but its engines and life-support systems had been modified to make long-distance space travel possible.
"Everyone aboard!" Bardock shouted, directing the crowd. "Women and children first. Warriors, guard the perimeter!"
Fifty warriors, fifty Saiyan women—twenty scientists and thirty technicians—Kashu's family of three, and a number of accompanying children brought the total to around 120 people.
Boarding went quickly, but just as the last group was about to board, the sky changed.
A huge shadow fell over Planet Vegeta. Frieza's flagship loomed above the atmosphere, blotting out the sky like a beast devouring the world.
Then Frieza's voice boomed through loudspeakers across the entire planet: "Saiyans, you're no longer useful to me. Planet Vegeta will become history today."
Before the words had faded, a massive orange-red energy sphere dropped from the bottom of the ship, trailing a long tail of flame as it hurtled toward the planet's core.
"Everyone, move faster!" Bardock roared. "Kashu, get inside first!"
"Dad, what about you?" Kashu stood at the hatch, holding Kakarot.
"I'll be right behind you!" Bardock shoved Kashu forward. "Get in!"
Kashu gritted his teeth and rushed into the ship with his little brother. Gine followed right after.
The moment the energy sphere struck the ground, all of Planet Vegeta trembled.
KRAKOOOM!!!
Blinding white light swallowed everything. The shock wave spread in every direction at supersonic speed, flattening everything in its path. The ground split open, magma erupted, and the clouds tore apart, revealing the blackness of space.
"Take off! Hurry!" Bardock rushed into the ship and shouted at the pilot.
The transport ship's engines roared deafeningly. The vessel lurched into the sky and entered the atmosphere in the final second before the shock wave reached it.
Through the observation window, Kashu saw the last sight of Planet Vegeta: the crimson planet shattering in the white light, breaking into countless pieces that drifted through space. A planet, a people—destroyed in an instant.
Kashu held Kakarot tight. His little brother seemed to sense something and began to wail.
"Don't cry, Kakarot," Kashu said softly. "We're alive. We're still alive."
Inside the ship, the 120 Saiyans sat in silence. Some wept, some trembled, and others stared blankly at the fragments outside the window.
Bardock walked over to Kashu and patted his son's shoulder, his voice hoarse. "You were right, Kashu. Frieza really did destroy Planet Vegeta."
Kashu looked up at his father's exhausted but resolute face. "Dad, this is only the beginning. We still need to find a new home and grow stronger—strong enough to protect ourselves, strong enough that no one will dare bully the Saiyans again."
Bardock fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Where are you planning to go?"
"Earth," Kashu said. "A remote planet in the solar system. Its gravity is only one-tenth of Planet Vegeta's, its environment is beautiful, and it's rich in resources. More importantly... it has something that can change everything."
"What could change everything?"
"Dragon Balls," Kashu said with a slight smile. "Sacred artifacts that can grant any wish."
Bardock frowned. He clearly didn't believe him, but he didn't argue. His five-year-old son had already proven his foresight. Perhaps everything he said was true.
"Then we'll go to Earth," Bardock said. He turned and headed for the command cabin to plot their course.
Kashu sat by the window with Kakarot in his arms and closed his eyes.
The 120 Saiyans, along with Kashu and Kakarot, were the last sparks of their people. Their fate was already far better than Son Goku's solitary one in the original story, but Kashu knew the road ahead was long, with countless challenges waiting.
System, show my current status.
[Legendary Super God-Level System] Host: Kashu Age: 5 Battle Power: 1800 Legendary Super Saiyan Awakening: 3% Current Mission: None Surviving Saiyans: Warriors: 52 (including Bardock) Saiyan Women: 50 Children: 18 Total: 120 (Note: Saiyans such as Vegeta, Raditz, and Nappa who were away on missions were not included in the survivor count. They most likely escaped the disaster.)
"Vegeta, Raditz, Nappa..." Kashu murmured. "You'd better have survived too. This universe still needs you."
The spaceship entered faster-than-light travel and flew toward the blue planet.
Travel time: one year
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