Planet Namek

The moment Bulma's spaceship broke through Earth's atmosphere, Talos stood before the observation window on the bridge, watching the blue planet slowly shrink in his view. This was the first time he had ever left Earth—at least, in this body.

"Stop staring. It won't get any smaller if you keep looking." Bulma sat in the captain's chair, her fingers flying across the control panel. "Flight path set. Destination: Namek. Estimated travel time: thirty-four days. We'll pass through three uninhabited star systems along the way, with no records of Frieza Force patrols. Goku and Vegeta are taking another ship to Planet Yardrat. Their trip will take about as long as ours—but I'm not familiar with that route. Vegeta gave me the coordinates."

"Planet Yardrat." Talos repeated the name.

"Vegeta said there's a group of natives on that planet who can use strange techniques. They can fly through the sky, move things out of thin air, and even stop time. The Frieza Force has conquered hundreds of planets, but Planet Yardrat—never once have they touched it." Bulma turned to look at Talos. "You sent Goku there to learn advanced applications of Instant Transmission, but what's Vegeta going there for?"

"Vegeta doesn't need to learn Instant Transmission. What he needs is an ability he never had the chance to learn in the original story—Planet Yardrat's 'Battle Simulation.' It can simulate every possible outcome of a fight in the mind, letting him predict every move an opponent will make in advance. Combined with his combat talent, it can help him break through the bottleneck of his normal combat power in a short time."

"Original story?" Bulma raised an eyebrow.

"Slip of the tongue." Talos's expression did not change. "What I meant was—based on system analysis, Planet Yardrat's ability system is extremely unique. Goku's and Vegeta's respective fighting styles can both find corresponding paths of advancement there."

Bulma stared at him for two seconds but did not press the matter. After knowing Talos for so many years, she had learned not to ask about those "slips of the tongue." This Saiyan carried far too many secrets, but every one of them ultimately pointed in the same direction—protecting this planet and the people on it.

The spaceship entered faster-than-light cruise mode, and the stars outside the window turned into countless silver streaks. After setting the autopilot, Bulma rose from the captain's chair and stretched lazily. Then she dragged a massive metal crate out of the cargo hold and slammed it onto the bridge floor. The lid sprang open, revealing neatly arranged equipment inside—three brand-new battle suits, two modified scouters, and six palm-sized capsule cases.

"What are these?" Krillin came over.

"Equipment you'll need on Namek." Bulma picked up a battle suit and shook it open. Its main color was white, paired with dark blue armor plates, with a small "Turtle" embroidered on the chest plate. "This is a custom Turtle Hermit School edition. The outer layer is woven from nanofibers and can withstand direct hits from ordinary energy blasts. The inner layer contains a gravity adjustment device—it can simulate up to two hundred times Earth's gravity. You can wear them to train during these thirty-four days on the ship."

"Two hundred times gravity?!" Nappa had just taken off his old battle suit and was about to change into the new one when he froze at the number. "When I trained on Planet Vegeta, the highest I ever went was fifteen times. Two hundred times—are you sure that nanofiber stuff won't crush someone flat?"

"Nappa, don't embarrass yourself." Vegeta walked in through the cargo bay door, already wearing his own new battle suit. "Fifteen times is the training standard for low-class Saiyan warriors, not your limit."

"I'm an elite warrior! Fifteen times is just a warm-up! But two hundred times—"

"Two hundred times is for Talos. You'll start at fifty." Bulma rolled her eyes, picked up the two scouters, and tossed one each to Krillin and Tien Shinhan. "These military-grade scouters have scanning software I modified myself. They can't be reverse-tracked through the Frieza Force's standard frequencies. Their range is three times that of the standard model, and they can automatically mark allies' ki. Most importantly—they won't explode. No matter how high a combat power they detect, they won't explode. After Talos blew up Raditz's scouter last time, I specifically added overload protection."

"Miss Bulma, how long was the development cycle for this equipment?" Tien Shinhan caught the scouter and carefully scanned its internal structure with his third eye, his tone carrying unmistakable surprise.

"Ever since the day Talos told me the Saiyans were coming—so, around eleven years." Bulma said it casually, but she could not stop the corners of her lips from curling upward. "So you'd better come back alive. Don't let this young lady's eleven years of hard work go to waste."

Krillin held the scouter in both hands, his eyes shining as though he had discovered a new continent. Tien Shinhan nodded slightly and carefully put his scouter away. Even Piccolo picked up a battle suit and examined it from every angle. Though his expression remained as cold as ever, he did not say, "I don't need it," or, "What a hassle." He merely folded the battle suit silently and placed it beside his bundle.

The spaceship continued onward. Bulma had packed the thirty-four-day voyage full—every day, they sparred in the training chamber while wearing gravity battle suits, and every night, after taking them off, they sat on the bridge listening to Talos explain the Frieza Force's intelligence. Frieza's first form had a combat power of 530,000. His second form exceeded 1,000,000. His third form was even stronger, and his final form had a combat power of over 100,000,000. He also had the Ginyu Force—five elite warriors with combat powers ranging from 40,000 to 120,000, each possessing unique combat abilities. Captain Ginyu could switch bodies, Recoome possessed overwhelming physical destructive power, Burter was incredibly fast, Jeice specialized in long-range energy attacks, and Guldo could stop time.

Besides them, Frieza had Zarbon and Dodoria, both with combat powers above 20,000. There were also thousands of lower-ranking soldiers, with combat powers ranging from the hundreds to the thousands, spread throughout the force. Vegeta knew most of this intelligence already, but Talos added many details about the Ginyu Force—things even Vegeta did not fully know.

"How do you know so much?" One night, Vegeta finally asked the question everyone wanted answered.

"From places where this information could be found." Talos did not answer directly. He simply continued to display the next tactical diagram. "Guldo's time stop can only last around three seconds each time, and there must be an interval of at least ten seconds between uses. That is his weakness. During those three seconds when time is stopped, he cannot attack—he can only move. So the way to deal with him is with continuous attacks, denying him the chance to stop time a second time."

Piccolo sat in the corner, having flipped the Namekian dictionary to its final page. He could not speak it, but he could already understand most Namekian tactical terminology. Tien Shinhan rested with his eyes closed on the other side, his third eye opening and closing faintly. Every movement was calculating the battles ahead. Nappa did push-ups in the corner—push-ups while wearing a gravity battle suit. Though he always complained, he trained harder than anyone.

When the spaceship reached Namek's orbit, everyone stood before the bridge's observation window. The planet was not blue—it was emerald green. Vast green continents were surrounded by pale blue oceans, while several small moons floated in the sky, each glimmering with a faint golden light.

"So beautiful..." Krillin pressed himself against the window.

"The Dragon Ball signals are faint, but they're definitely there." Bulma tapped at the control panel. "They're scattered across Namek—at least six of them. Frieza's ship has already landed on the other side of the planet, about eight hundred kilometers away. His main force hasn't arrived yet. There's only an advance unit at the moment—around a few dozen soldiers led by Zarbon and Dodoria. They've already collected three Dragon Balls."

"So our goal isn't to fight Frieza head-on—we need to evacuate the Namekians and move the Dragon Balls somewhere Frieza can't find them before his main force arrives." Talos turned to face everyone. "The plan is simple. We'll split into three groups. Group One: me, Krillin, and Piccolo—we'll go to the Namekian villages and convince the elders to evacuate. Group Two: Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Nappa—you'll remain on standby aboard the ship. Once Group One locates all the villages, move out immediately to pick people up. Group Three: Goku and Vegeta—they're still on Planet Yardrat and are expected to arrive in four days. If they get here early—Bulma will coordinate."

"Why are Nappa and I in Group Two?" Tien Shinhan asked.

"Because your Third Eye Beam and Chiaotzu's psychic powers are the best combination for a defensive battle. If Frieza's forces find the ship first, you'll need to hold the launch corridor. Nappa's frontal destructive power can suppress any low-level soldiers, but he can't break through alone—you and Chiaotzu will need to control the field from the rear."

Nappa grinned. "Did you hear that? I'm frontal destructive power!"

"He said 'suppress low-level soldiers.'" Piccolo added blandly.

Nappa's smile froze halfway.

The spaceship landed in a mountain range farthest from the Frieza Force camp. The moment the hatch opened, Namek's wind blew across Talos's face for the first time. Unlike Earth, the air here had a higher oxygen content, and the gravity was 1.1 times Earth's—its effect on the body was negligible, but there was a faint sense of heaviness to it.

"This ki..." Piccolo looked toward the distant sky. The Namekian's unique sensory ability allowed him to detect the hundreds and thousands of weak ki signatures around them before anyone else. They were gentle, as natural as the grass and trees on Earth. But mixed among them were dozens of cold, hard presences—Frieza Force soldiers carrying out their search mission.

"Tien Shinhan, the ship is in your hands. Krillin, Piccolo—follow me."

Three figures shot out from the mountains, flying low over Namek's rolling hills. Talos led the way with his senses fully extended. He could clearly see the distribution of every ki signature in his mind—the Namekians' ki was spread across dozens of villages, and every village had the faint signal of at least one Dragon Ball. Frieza Force soldiers were concentrated near the camp and had not yet spread outward. But Zarbon's and Dodoria's ki were moving toward a certain village—and in that direction was a Dragon Ball.

"System, total number of Namekian Dragon Balls."

Ding—There are seven Namekian Dragon Balls in total. Current distribution: one with the Grand Elder, one in each of six villages. The Frieza Force has collected three, each from a village already attacked. Zarbon and Dodoria are heading toward the fourth village.

"Speed up." Talos's aura erupted around him, and his speed abruptly surged.

Three minutes later, they reached the village Zarbon and Dodoria were approaching. More than a dozen Namekians had gathered at the village entrance—all civilians, none with combat experience. Their ki trembled, but not a single one retreated. At their head stood the village elder, holding an orange Dragon Ball the size of a fist. Zarbon and Dodoria stood on the hills outside the village, using their scouters to scan for the Dragon Ball's precise location.

"These natives don't look like they have much combat power. Kill them all and take the Dragon Ball." Zarbon's tone was as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.

Dodoria raised his right arm, gathering a purple energy blast in his palm. The blast shot from his hand, trailing a violet tail as it roared toward the Namekians at the village entrance.

An orange figure landed in front of the purple energy blast. Talos raised his right hand and spread his fingers. The energy blast struck his palm, and the purple sphere rapidly shrank between his five fingers before finally dispersing into a wisp of smoke in the wind. Zarbon's and Dodoria's scouters sounded alarms at the same time.

"Combat power—18,000?!" Zarbon's eyes widened. "How could there be a native this strong on this planet—"

"He's not a native. He isn't wearing Namekian clothing. That's an Earth battle suit." Dodoria pressed his scouter to scan for allied signals, but there was no Frieza Force identification mark at all. "An intruder. Lord Frieza never said there was another civilization on this planet. Who are you?"

"Turtle Hermit School. Talos."

The lens of Zarbon's scouter flickered again. This man's combat power was rising in a straight line at a speed that defied reason. One-times Kaioken—36,000. Two-times—54,000. Zarbon turned and quietly said, "Retreat," to Dodoria, but before Dodoria could turn around, a fine Qi Net had already descended from the sky. Krillin floated in midair with his hands forming seals, dozens of ultra-thin qi threads weaving through the air into a massive net that completely covered Zarbon and Dodoria.

"Qi Round Net—modified version." Krillin's voice came from overhead. "Made specifically for flying enemies. Don't struggle. The more you struggle, the tighter it gets."

Zarbon could not break free—every movement made the Qi Net tighten further. Dodoria tried to fire an energy blast to blow it apart, but the blast was sliced into fragments by the qi threads before it could even leave his hand. Piccolo rushed in from the flank, his arm extending to coil around Zarbon's right arm. It was the Namekian combat technique—stretching arms—used in real battle for the first time.

"Tell me when Frieza's main force will arrive." Piccolo's voice was cold as ice.

Zarbon gritted his teeth and refused to speak. But Dodoria's will was not as firm—he glanced at Zarbon's locked right arm, then at the Qi Net strands in the bald man's hand, which were still tightening, and said in a trembling voice, "Three days. Lord Frieza's ship is expected to arrive in three days. The Ginyu Force will arrive first, tomorrow—we're only the advance party, please don't kill me—"

"Enough." Talos withdrew his hand and signaled Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu. "The first group has found the fourth village. All villagers, evacuate immediately. Tien Shinhan, did you receive the coordinates?"

"Received. The ship will take off in three minutes and is expected to arrive in eight."

Zarbon looked at Talos and asked through gritted teeth, "Who exactly are you people?"

"Tell Frieza," Talos said, dismissing the red aura of the Kaioken, "the Earthlings have arrived."

Bulma sat on the bridge, watching dozens of blinking points on the main screen—each one represented a Namekian village. The ship raced back and forth between the villages and the temporary settlement sites at top speed. Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu escorted each batch of villagers aboard, while Nappa stood at the ship's rear and used Tri-Beams to blow up several waves of Frieza Force scouts attempting to approach. Every time he destroyed one, he grinned. This was far more satisfying than serving as Vegeta's vanguard.

Two hours later, everyone from the fourth village had been safely evacuated. Talos stood at the village entrance, watching the last ship packed with Namekians rise into the sky. The orange Dragon Ball glowed with a soft, gentle light in his hand. It was a treasure this village had protected for generations. Piccolo walked over to his side and stared silently at the Dragon Ball for a long time.

"Your homeworld." Talos handed him the Dragon Ball. "You keep it."

Piccolo took the Dragon Ball. A nearly imperceptible ripple passed through his pale gold eyes. He held it tightly and gave a slight nod, without saying thank you—Namekians did not say thank you. But they expressed it through their actions. He turned and flew toward the next village.

Krillin descended from the air and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "The fifth and sixth villages have also been fully evacuated. We have all the Dragon Balls. Frieza's side only has the three they seized earlier. But Frieza himself is still on the way, and the Ginyu Force will arrive tomorrow—we have one day left."

"One day is enough. How large an enemy can your Qi Net trap now?"

"About... as tall as you, maybe? I haven't tried anything bigger. Why?"

"There's someone in the Ginyu Force named Recoome. He's a head taller than Nappa. You can use him for practice tomorrow."

Krillin swallowed, then grinned. "It's a deal—if I can't trap him, you're not allowed to help."

"If you can't trap him, let Goku handle it."

The two stood side by side on the hills of Namek, beneath three pale golden moons. The wind blew from the distant mountains, carrying the unique fragrance of grass and trees from this planet. Behind them was an utterly deserted village; before them were the approaching Ginyu Force and Frieza. Yet Krillin realized that he was not afraid at all. Not because Talos was so strong—it was because he knew Goku and Vegeta were on their way, while Tien Shinhan, Piccolo, Nappa, and Chiaotzu were each holding their own positions. The bond planted on the beach outside Turtle Hermit House eleven years ago had now grown into a forest strong enough to entrust one's back to.