Spark and Hope

In the summer of Age 739, at the Mount Paozu encampment. Two years had passed, and the Saiyan camp had evolved from a few crude wooden huts into a village of considerable scale. Bardock led the warriors in cultivating farmland, planting super-seeds redeemed from the system shop; the research team, under the leadership of Selipa (a standout among female Saiyan scientists), began studying Earth's resources and technology; and the children, guided by Kashu, underwent rigorous training and study every day. Everything was developing in an orderly fashion. That evening, Kashu sat on the camp's training ground, staring blankly at the setting sun. Kakarot crawled around him; at a year and a half old, he could already run all over the place, and his personality was becoming more and more like the Son Goku from the original story—innocent, simple, and full of curiosity about everything. "Brother! Brother!" Kakarot tugged at the hem of Kashu's clothes. "Bird! In the sky!" Kashu looked up and saw an eagle circling in the sky. "That is an eagle, a type of bird." Kashu picked up Kakarot. "Do you want to fly?"

"Fly?" Kakarot tilted his head. Kashu held his younger brother and leaped gently, hovering in mid-air. Kakarot's eyes widened, his little hands grasping at the air, his mouth letting out "wow" sounds of amazement.

"When you learn to walk, Brother will teach you how to fly," Kashu said. "Yay! Yay!" Kakarot clapped his hands. Just then, Bardock walked over from a distance, his expression somewhat grave. "Kashu, we have a situation." Kashu landed on the ground, handed Kakarot to a nearby Saiyan woman, and followed Bardock into the wooden hut used for meetings.

Inside the hut, several people were already seated—Reg (Bardock's old comrade-in-arms and one of the strongest warriors), Selipa (head of the research team), and a few other core members. "What's wrong?" Kashu asked. "We received a signal," Bardock said, "on the Saiyan Force's encrypted channel." Kashu's heart raced: "Who sent it?"

"We don't know. The signal is very weak, but it is definitely a Saiyan communication frequency." Selipa pulled up a screen displaying a waveform. "We only received one short message: 'We are still alive, coordinates follow.' It was followed by a set of interstellar coordinates." "Where are the coordinates?" Kashu asked. "On the edge of the North Galaxy, about three hundred light-years from Earth," Selipa said. "We have already sent a small reconnaissance ship to confirm; we will have results in two weeks." Kashu fell into deep thought. Within the Saiyan Force, the only ones capable of sending an encrypted signal would be Vegeta, Nappa, or other high-ranking warriors. When Planet Vegeta was destroyed, Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz happened to be away on a mission, so there was a high probability they had escaped the catastrophe. Raditz. Kashu's biological brother, his second younger brother. When Kashu left Planet Vegeta, Raditz was only two years old and not at home. Later, Bardock learned that because of his decent combat power, Raditz had been selected by King Vegeta to join Vegeta's squad, where he had been fighting abroad for years.

"If Raditz is still alive..." Kashu clenched his fists.

"What if it's a trap?" Reg questioned. "It could be bait from the Frieza Force." "It's possible, but it's worth a try," Bardock said. "Raditz is my son; if he is still alive, I must save him." "I'll go too," Kashu said, "but we must be prepared. If we truly encounter the Frieza Force, we need enough strength to protect ourselves. Our combat power is not enough yet." Selipa pulled up a set of data. "Currently, the highest combat powers in the camp are: Lord Bardock, approximately 4,500 with battle armor assistance; Lord Reg, approximately 4,200; and you, Kashu, 2,500 in your normal state, and when transformed..." Kashu interrupted Selipa: "Let's not talk about the transformation for now." He did not want to expose his trump card of the Legendary Super Saiyan transformation. After two years of cultivation, his Legendary Super Saiyan awakening level had increased from 3% to 8%, and his combat power after transforming could reach 80 times his normal state—that is, 200,000. This number was already invincible on Earth, but in the universe, compared to the elites of the Frieza Force, there was still a huge gap. "So we need more time to cultivate," Kashu said. "Don't act rashly until the reconnaissance ship confirms the situation. If it really is Raditz and Vegeta and the others, we will then formulate a rescue plan." Everyone nodded in agreement.

In the summer of Age 739, nearly a year had passed since the destruction of Planet Vegeta. In the vast starry sky, a small assault ship was traveling alone at sub-light speed. The hull was covered in bullet holes and scorch marks, clearly having survived more than one battle. This ship originally belonged to a reconnaissance detachment of the Frieza Force, but now it was occupied by three fleeing Saiyans, heading toward an unknown coordinate. Inside the bridge, the three sat around a crude metal table.

"Gore, are you sure these coordinates are correct?" The speaker was a tall female Saiyan with short, deep red hair. She wore damaged battle armor and had a bandage wrapped around her left arm, but her eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's. Her name was Luo Ling, one of the rare female high-ranking Saiyan warriors, with a combat power as high as 18,000. Before the destruction of Planet Vegeta, she was one of the few female officers in the Frieza Force permitted to command a squad independently. "Although Bardock's signal was weak, I have confirmed it repeatedly," 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 combat power of 12,000. Before the destruction of Planet Vegeta, he was a member of Bardock's squad and had fought alongside him many times. Bardock had once saved his life in battle, a debt of gratitude he had always kept in his heart. "Bardock is still alive?" Another young man spoke up. His hair was a natural dark brown curl, and he had a shallow scar on his face; his personality seemed more cheerful than Gore's. His name was Lanno, also a mid-level warrior with a combat power of 11,000. He was Gore's best friend; the two had grown up together, trained together, and fought together. Lanno was skilled in spaceship repair and electronic technology, serving as the team's technical expert. "At least the signal originated from that planet," Gore said, pulling up a star map marked with a small blue dot. "This planet is called Earth, located on the edge of the North Galaxy. It is a primitive planet with low gravity. The Frieza Force never pays attention to such places because there are no resources worth conquering there. So, it is very reasonable for Bardock to choose it as a hiding place." "Low gravity? Wouldn't that be very easy to adapt to?" Lanno laughed. "We Saiyans were born under ten times the gravity; on Earth, we could probably jump higher than mountains." "Don't be careless," Luo Ling said coldly. "Low gravity means the creatures there might be weak, but the fact that Bardock could survive there suggests there are strong individuals as well. Or—he is already dead, and the signal was sent by someone else." "Luo Ling, can't you be a bit more optimistic?" Lanno shook his head helplessly. "Optimism doesn't save lives," Luo Ling said, standing up and walking toward the observation window. "We three are among the few survivors after the destruction of Planet Vegeta. Gore, how much longer can your ship hold out?"

"The energy is enough to fly for two more months; food and water will last for three weeks," Gore said. "If Earth has no supplies, we will have to find a way to go elsewhere." "Then let's get to Earth first," Luo Ling said, looking at the starry sky outside the window, a complex light flashing in her eyes. "If Bardock is truly still alive, perhaps there are other Saiyans. We need our kin; we need to rebuild." The three were silent for a moment. Their meeting was purely accidental. On the day Planet Vegeta was destroyed, Gore and Lanno happened to be on a nearby planet performing a reconnaissance mission. From afar, they saw a blinding white light erupt from the direction of their home planet, followed by earth-shattering energy fluctuations. When they arrived at the original coordinates of Planet Vegeta, all they saw was a field of rubble and dust. "Our home... is gone," Lanno had said, standing before the observation window, his voice trembling. Gore didn't speak, only clenched his fists. He remembered Bardock once telling him: "If something ever happens to Planet Vegeta, go to Earth and find me." At the time, he thought it was just a joke by Bardock; he never expected it to come true. The two drifted in interstellar space for months, their energy and food nearly exhausted. Just as they were about to despair, they encountered Luo Ling at an abandoned space station. Luo Ling's situation was even worse. She had originally been sent by Frieza on a secret mission—to wipe out an interstellar pirate organization that resisted Frieza's rule. After completing the mission, she returned to base only to be told that Planet Vegeta had been destroyed by Frieza himself. She flew into a rage on the spot, killed all the Frieza soldiers in the base with her bare hands, hijacked a ship, and began wandering the universe. "Why did Frieza destroy Planet Vegeta?" Luo Ling had asked Gore and Lanno at the time. "Because he fears the Saiyans," Gore said. "He fears the appearance of the legendary Super Saiyan and fears being overthrown. So he struck first." "Then I will let him know that his fear was justified," Luo Ling said, the flames of revenge burning in her eyes. The three decided to travel together. Gore was steady and reliable, responsible for navigation and strategy; Lanno was cheerful and easygoing, responsible for maintaining the ship and keeping spirits high; Luo Ling had the highest combat power and was the team's muscle. "Almost there," Gore said, looking at the navigation screen. "Two more days."

"Two days..." Luo Ling clenched her fists. "Bardock, you had better be alive." Two days later, the scarred assault ship passed through Earth's atmosphere. The alarm at the Mount Paozu camp sounded. "A spaceship is approaching rapidly!" the Saiyan warrior on watch shouted. Bardock walked quickly out of the wooden hut and looked up at the sky. A black dot was expanding; it was a small assault ship, a model he was very familiar with—the standard reconnaissance ship of the Frieza Force. "Is it Frieza's men?" Reg asked nervously. "Not sure," Bardock frowned. "Prepare for battle." Kashu also rushed over from the training ground. He closed his eyes and sensed the ship with his ki. A moment later, he opened his eyes, his expression relaxing slightly. "Not Frieza's soldiers. There are three people on board, all Saiyans." "Saiyans?" Bardock's pupils contracted. "There are survivors? The ki feels familiar." Kashu looked at Bardock. "Father, do you know them?" Bardock sensed carefully, his expression becoming complex: "That is... Gore? And Lanno? And another one... is that Luo Ling? Why is she here too?" The ship landed in the clearing outside the camp. The hatch opened, and three people stepped out.

Walking in front was Luo Ling. She looked around at the wooden huts and the training ground, a flash of surprise in her eyes. She had expected to see a dilapidated camp; she hadn't expected it to have already taken such shape—dozens of wooden huts arranged neatly, children doing basic training on the field, people working in the distant fields, and the aroma of food filling the air. "How many people... are here?" Luo Ling muttered. "Bardock!" Gore saw Bardock and strode over. "You're still alive!" "Gore, Lanno," Bardock greeted them, embracing both tightly. "You escaped too. There are more survivors than we imagined." Gore looked at the Saiyan men, women, and children busy around them. "How many people are here?" "Including us, a little over one hundred and twenty," Bardock said. "I brought away some warriors and technical personnel, as well as their families."

"One hundred and twenty..." Luo Ling walked up to Bardock. "I am Luo Ling, a high-ranking warrior. Who is in charge here?" Bardock looked at Kashu. Kashu stepped forward. "I am Kashu, Bardock's eldest son." Luo Ling looked the seven-year-old child up and down. She had heard that Bardock had a genius son, but she hadn't expected him to be a leader at such a young age. Her intuition told her this child was not simple—his gaze was too steady, not something a child should have. "You are in charge?" Luo Ling's tone carried a hint of skepticism. "You could put it that way," Kashu said calmly. "Miss Luo Ling, welcome to Earth. There is food, water, and shelter here; you are welcome to stay." "I haven't decided to stay yet," Luo Ling said. "I need to see if you have the qualifications first." "Qualifications?" Raditz (at this time, Raditz was still in Vegeta's squad and not present)—it was likely another warrior, such as Reg, who asked, "What qualifications?" "The qualification to become stronger." Luo Ling released a sliver of her ki, and her combat power soared to 18,000. Her aura made the surrounding air heavy, and several Saiyan children were frightened and hid behind the adults. "Miss Luo Ling, withdraw your aura," Kashu's voice remained calm. "The children are frightened." "And you? Are you afraid?" Luo Ling looked at Kashu provocatively. Kashu didn't speak, only released a sliver of his own ki. The ki was not violent, but it pressed down steadily like an invisible mountain. Luo Ling's aura was suppressed instantly, and she felt her breathing become difficult. Her pupils shrank sharply. This seven-year-old child had a combat power at least a hundred times hers! "You... what kind of monster are you?" "A Saiyan," Kashu withdrew his aura. "Miss Luo Ling, we do not welcome provocation here. If you are willing to stay, you must follow the rules here. If you are not willing, you may leave at any time." Luo Ling gritted her teeth, a complex emotion surging in her heart. She felt an overwhelming power from a seven-year-old child, which left her both shocked and unwilling. Gore and Lanno looked at each other. Gore stepped forward and said to Bardock: "Bardock, we came to join you. No matter who is in charge here, we are willing to stay." "Good," Bardock patted Gore on the shoulder. "Welcome." Lanno also nodded with a smile: "This place is much better than I imagined. Is there anything to eat? We've been eating synthetic food on the ship for a month; I'm about to throw up." "Yes, freshly roasted meat," Bardock laughed. "Then what are we waiting for!" Lanno strode toward the camp. Luo Ling stood in place for a moment, silent, before finally following. "I'll stay," she said, "but I won't take orders from you." "No need to take orders," Kashu said. "We are equal partners." Three things for the new book! Please read, please add to your library, and please tip!