The Spark and Hope

In the summer of AGE 739, at the Mount Paozu camp, two years had passed. The Saiyan camp had grown from a few crude wooden huts into a small village. Bardock led the warriors in clearing farmland and planting super seeds purchased from the system shop. Under Selipa, one of the most outstanding female Saiyan scientists, the research team began studying Earth's resources and technology. The children trained and studied every day under Kashu's strict guidance. Everything was developing in an orderly fashion. That evening, Kashu sat on the training ground, staring blankly at the sunset. Kakarot crawled around beside him. At a year and a half old, he could already run all over the place, and his personality was growing more and more like Son Goku's in the original story—innocent, simple, and curious about everything. "Big brother! Big brother!" Kakarot tugged at Kashu's clothes. "Bird! Up there!" Kashu looked up and saw an eagle circling in the sky. "That's an eagle, a kind of bird." He picked Kakarot up. "Do you want to fly?"

"Fly?" Kakarot tilted his head. Kashu held his little brother and gently sprang into the air, hovering above the ground. Kakarot's eyes widened. His little hands grabbed at the air as he let out amazed "Wows!"

"Once you can walk, I'll teach you how to fly," Kashu said. "Okay! Okay!" Kakarot clapped his hands. Just then, Bardock approached from a distance, his expression grave. "Kashu, we have a situation." Kashu landed and handed Kakarot to a nearby Saiyan woman before following Bardock into the wooden meeting hut.

Several people were already seated inside: Reg, one of Bardock's old comrades and among the strongest warriors; Selipa, who led the research team; and a few other core members. "What's going on?" Kashu asked. "We received a signal," Bardock said. "It came through a Saiyan army encrypted channel." Kashu's heart began to race. "Who sent it?"

"We don't know. The signal was very weak, but it was definitely on a Saiyan communications frequency." Selipa brought up a screen displaying a waveform. "We only received one short message: 'We're still alive. Coordinates follow.' After that, there was a set of interstellar coordinates." "Where do they lead?" Kashu asked. "The edge of the North Galaxy, about three hundred light-years from Earth," Selipa replied. "We've sent a small scout ship to investigate. We'll have an answer in two weeks."

Kashu fell into thought. Anyone able to send a message through an encrypted Saiyan army channel had to be Vegeta, Nappa, or another high-ranking warrior. When Planet Vegeta was destroyed, Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz had all been away on missions. There was a good chance they'd escaped. Raditz—Kashu's full younger brother, his second little brother. When Kashu left Planet Vegeta, Raditz had been only two years old and wasn't home. Later, Bardock had learned that King Vegeta had selected Raditz for his impressive battle power and added him to the Vegeta Squad. He'd spent years fighting on the front lines. If Raditz was still alive... Kashu clenched his fists.

"What if it's a trap?" Reg asked. "It could be bait set by the Frieza Force." "It could be, but it's worth the risk," Bardock said. "Raditz is my son. If he's alive, I have to save him." "I'm going too," Kashu said. "But we need to be prepared. If we run into the Frieza Force, we'll need enough strength to protect ourselves. We're not strong enough yet." Selipa brought up a set of figures. "The strongest fighters in the camp are currently: Lord Bardock, around 4,500 with the aid of his Battle Suit; Lord Reg, around 4,200; and you, Kashu, at 2,500 in your base form. In your transformed state—" Kashu cut her off. "Let's not discuss my transformation for now." He didn't want to reveal his trump card: his Legendary Super Saiyan transformation. After two years of training, his Legendary Super Saiyan awakening had risen from 3% to 8%, and his transformed battle power could reach eighty times his base level—200,000. That made him invincible on Earth, but he was still far behind the Frieza Force's elite. They needed more time to train. "Don't make any rash moves until the scout ship confirms what's happening," Kashu said. "If it really is Raditz and Vegeta, we'll work out a rescue plan." Everyone nodded in agreement...

In the summer of AGE 739, nearly a year had passed since Planet Vegeta's destruction. In the vastness of space, a small assault ship traveled alone at sublight speed. Its hull was riddled with bullet holes and scorch marks, clear signs that it had been through more than one battle. The ship had belonged to a Frieza Force reconnaissance squad, but three fugitive Saiyans now occupied it, heading toward an unknown set of coordinates. Inside the bridge, they sat around a crude metal table.

"Gore, are you sure these coordinates are right?" The speaker was a tall female Saiyan with short, deep-red hair. She wore a damaged Battle Suit, a bandage wrapped around her left arm, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's. Her name was Luo Ling, one of the few female Elite Warriors among the Saiyans, with a battle power of 18,000. Before Planet Vegeta was destroyed, she had been one of the few female officers in the Frieza Force permitted to command a squad independently.

"I've checked Bardock's signal again and again," replied a young man in his early twenties, with short black hair, a resolute face, and a steady gaze. His name was Gore, a mid-level Saiyan warrior with a battle power of 12,000. Before Planet Vegeta was destroyed, he had served in Bardock's squad and fought alongside him many times. Bardock had once saved his life in battle, and Gore had never forgotten the debt he owed him.

"Bardock's still alive?" another young man asked. He had naturally curly, dark-brown hair and a faint scar on his face. He seemed more cheerful than Gore. His name was Lanno, another mid-level warrior, with a battle power of 11,000. He and Gore were close friends who had grown up, trained, and fought together. Lanno was skilled at spacecraft repairs and electronics, making him the squad's technical expert. "At least the signal came from that planet," Gore said, bringing up a star chart marked with a small blue dot. "It's called Earth, on the edge of the North Galaxy. It's a primitive planet with low gravity. The Frieza Force never paid attention to places like that because there were no resources worth conquering. So it makes sense that Bardock chose it as a hiding place." "Low gravity? Won't it be easy to get used to?" Lanno joked. "We Saiyans were born under ten times Earth's gravity. We'll probably be able to jump higher than the mountains." "Don't be careless," Luo Ling said coldly. "Low gravity means the life forms there may be weak, but Bardock survived, which means there could be strong fighters there too. Or maybe he's already dead, and someone else sent the signal." "Luo Ling, can't you be a little more optimistic?" Lanno shook his head helplessly. "Optimism won't save your life." Luo Ling stood and walked toward the observation window. "We're three of the few survivors of Planet Vegeta's destruction. Gore, how long can your ship hold out?"

"We have enough fuel for two more months, and enough food and water for three weeks," Gore said. "If Earth has no supplies, we'll have to figure out how to get somewhere else." "Then we'll get to Earth first and worry about that later." Luo Ling looked out at the stars, a complicated gleam in her eyes. "If Bardock really is alive, there may be other Saiyans too. We need our people. We need to rebuild."

The three fell silent for a moment. They had met by chance. On the day Planet Vegeta was destroyed, Gore and Lanno had been carrying out a reconnaissance mission on a nearby planet. From a distance, they saw a blinding white light burst from the direction of their home world, followed by a tremendous surge of energy. When they reached the coordinates where Planet Vegeta had been, all they found was a field of debris and dust. "Our home... it's gone," Lanno had said, his voice trembling as he stood by the observation window. Gore had said nothing, only clenched his fists. He remembered Bardock once telling him, "If anything ever happens to Planet Vegeta, come find me on Earth." At the time, he'd thought Bardock was joking. He hadn't imagined it would come true. They had drifted through space for months, their fuel and food nearly gone. Just as they were about to lose hope, they encountered Luo Ling at an abandoned space station.

Luo Ling had been in even worse shape. Frieza had sent her on a secret mission to wipe out a band of space pirates who opposed his rule. When she returned to base after completing the mission, she was told that Frieza himself had destroyed Planet Vegeta. Enraged, she killed every Frieza Force soldier at the base with her bare hands, stole a ship, and began wandering through space. "Why did Frieza destroy Planet Vegeta?" Luo Ling had asked Gore and Lanno. "Because he was afraid of the Saiyans," Gore replied. "He was afraid the Legendary Super Saiyan of legend would appear and overthrow him. So he struck first." "Then I'll make him see that his fear was justified," Luo Ling said, revenge blazing in her eyes.

The three decided to travel together. Steady and reliable, Gore handled navigation and strategy. Cheerful and easygoing, Lanno maintained the ship and kept up morale. Luo Ling was the strongest fighter and the squad's main force. "We're almost there," Gore said, looking at the navigation screen. "Two days left." "Two days..." Luo Ling clenched her fists. "Bardock, you'd better still be alive."

Two days later, the battered assault ship passed through Earth's atmosphere. An alarm rang through the Mount Paozu camp. "A ship is approaching fast!" shouted the Saiyan warrior on watch. Bardock hurried out of the hut and looked up. A black dot was growing larger. It was a small assault ship, and he recognized the model: a standard Frieza Force reconnaissance vessel. "Is it one of Frieza's men?" Reg asked tensely. "Not sure," Bardock said, frowning. "Prepare for battle." Kashu hurried over from the training ground. He closed his eyes and sensed the ship's occupants through their ki. A moment later, he opened his eyes, looking more relaxed. "They're not Frieza's soldiers. There are three people aboard, and they're all Saiyans." "Saiyans?" Bardock's pupils contracted. "There are other survivors?" "Their ki feels familiar," Kashu said, looking at Bardock. "Father, do you know them?" Bardock carefully sensed their ki, his expression growing complicated. "That's... Gore? And Lanno? And the other one... is that Luo Ling? What's she doing with them?"

The ship landed in an open area outside the camp. Its hatch opened, and three people stepped out.

Luo Ling walked in front. She surveyed the wooden huts and training ground, surprise flickering in her eyes. She had expected to find a ruined camp, but the place had already taken shape: dozens of wooden huts stood in neat rows, children practiced basic drills on the training ground, people worked in the fields in the distance, and the air smelled of food. "How many people are here?" Luo Ling murmured. "Bardock!" Gore spotted him and strode over. "You're alive!" "Gore, Lanno." Bardock went to meet them and embraced them tightly. "You made it out too." "More people escaped than we thought." Gore looked at the Saiyan men, women, and children busy around them. "How many people are here?" "With you three, a little over 120," Bardock said. "I brought some warriors and technicians, along with their families."

"One hundred and twenty..." Luo Ling walked up to Bardock. "I'm Luo Ling, an Elite Warrior. Who's in charge here?" Bardock looked at Kashu, who stepped forward. "I'm Kashu, Bardock's eldest son." Luo Ling looked him up and down. She had heard that Bardock had a gifted son, but she hadn't expected him to become the leader at such a young age. Her instincts told her this child was no ordinary boy—his gaze was far too steady. "You're in charge?" Luo Ling asked, doubt in her voice. "You could say that," Kashu replied calmly. "Miss Luo Ling, welcome to Earth. We have food, water, and shelter. You're welcome to stay." "I haven't decided whether I'm staying," Luo Ling said. "First, I need to see whether you're worthy." "Worthy?" one of the other warriors—probably Reg, since Raditz was still with the Vegeta Squad and wasn't there—asked. "Worthy of what?" "Worthy of becoming stronger." Luo Ling let out a sliver of her ki, and her battle power surged to 18,000. Her presence weighed heavily on the air, and several Saiyan children were so frightened that they hid behind the adults. "Miss Luo Ling, suppress your ki," Kashu said, still calm. "You're frightening the children." "What about you? Are you scared?" Luo Ling challenged him. Kashu didn't answer. He simply released a trace of his own ki. It wasn't wild or violent, but it pressed down with the steady weight of an invisible mountain. Luo Ling's ki was instantly suppressed, and she found it difficult to breathe. Her pupils contracted sharply. This seven-year-old child's battle power was at least a hundred times hers!

"What... what kind of monster are you?" "A Saiyan." Kashu withdrew his ki. "Miss Luo Ling, we don't welcome provocations here. If you want to stay, you'll have to follow our rules. If you don't, you can leave whenever you like." Luo Ling gritted her teeth, a complicated feeling rising in her heart. She had felt overwhelming power from a seven-year-old child, leaving her both shocked and unwilling to accept it.

Gore and Lanno exchanged a glance. Gore stepped forward and said to Bardock, "Bardock, we came here to join you. Whoever's in charge, we're willing to stay." "Good." Bardock patted Gore on the shoulder. "Welcome." Lanno nodded with a grin. "This place is a lot better than I expected. Is there anything to eat? We've been living on synthetic food aboard the ship for a month. I'm sick of it." "There is. We just grilled some meat," Bardock said with a smile. "What are we waiting for?" Lanno strode toward the camp.

Luo Ling stood where she was, silent for a moment, then finally followed. "I'll stay," she said, "but I won't take orders from you." "You don't have to," Kashu said. "We're equal partners."