The Wager for Their Duel

"Wuling..."

"Uncle Wuling..."

Son Gohan, Videl, Bulma, Krillin, and the others all looked at Son Wuling.

Son Wuling looked at Vegeta, his voice icy and devoid of emotion.

"If my Destructo Disc had been half an inch lower, your head would have burst on the spot. If you don't want to see your own brains, behave yourself. Challenge me again, and my Destructo Disc will separate your head from your neck!"

Vegeta fell silent. He was furious and unwilling to accept this. If he could fight Son Wuling, he would have attacked without hesitation!

But he could not. His pride and self-respect had already been crushed by Frieza, yet begging for mercy was impossible for him.

"Hmph. If you want to kill me, then do it, Son Wuling. This life of mine only continued because of you anyway."

Vegeta was about to gather his energy and counterattack when Son Wuling kicked him squarely in the back. The energy he had gathered instantly dispersed, and he collapsed onto the beach in a miserable heap, pinned beneath Son Wuling's foot.

"You... I don't know what your future will be like, but right now, I really hate you, Vegeta..."

Son Wuling lowered his head and looked at Vegeta beneath his foot, saying coldly, "You, Raditz, and those two idiots, Nappa and the others, took pleasure in killing. After slaughtering the peaceful natives of a planet, you sold that planet at a high price to developers and settlers. You served as Frieza's executioners. You Saiyans truly deserved to have Planet Vegeta destroyed by Frieza!"

"Y-You, what did you say?"

Hearing Son Wuling speak of the Saiyans, Vegeta felt as if something had struck straight at the most sensitive part of his heart. His energy erupted alongside his emotions!

Boom!

Son Wuling kicked Vegeta in the back again, then stomped his head directly into the sand. Vegeta's gathered energy dispersed once more!

"Was I wrong?"

Son Wuling's voice grew even colder as he released Vegeta. He simply could not bring himself to like the current Vegeta at all. Arrogant, conceited, looking down on everyone and treating nothing with any regard—despite crying after being beaten by Frieza, he still had not changed much.

Of course, Vegeta had his good points too, or he would not have had so many fans. But the future was the future, and the present was the present. The current Vegeta was an executioner who could wipe out your entire family, then sell your home to wealthy merchants at a high price! Anyone with even slightly normal values would not like Vegeta at this point in time.

Son Wuling crossed his arms over his chest. Looking meaningfully at the motionless Vegeta, he smiled. "After seeing you, Raditz, and Nappa, I finally understand why Goku and Gohan could become Super Saiyans while you three could only be Frieza's lapdogs."

"Why? Tell me why! Why am I inferior to Kakarot? Why can even Kakarot's son become a Super Saiyan while I can't?"

Vegeta raised his head. He had forgotten all about rage and Saiyan pride. This was the answer he had always wanted to know.

Son Wuling did not keep him guessing. "First of all, unlike Goku and Gohan, you never built your foundation step by step. At your age, though, it's already too late. Even if you reach strength comparable to Goku's in the future, you'll always remain a step beneath him."

"Foundation..."

Vegeta looked at Master Roshi and Krillin, then at Son Wuling, lost in thought.

"Of course, the most important thing is your own strength. I roughly estimated that Goku and Gohan needed at least three million in power before they could strengthen themselves. But I think the most important thing is this: a peaceful heart!"

Son Wuling mocked the Saiyans again. "You know what kind of people Goku and Gohan are, don't you? And you know what the other Saiyans are like, don't you, Vegeta? Calm your heart. Make it as peaceful as the sky! Then focus your power in your back."

"My back..."

Vegeta instinctively looked over his shoulder. He seemed to remember that Son Wuling had kicked him in the back just now and made all the strength in his body vanish. Could it be that the Saiyans actually had such a weakness?

"You're overthinking it, Vegeta!"

Seeing Vegeta's expression, Son Wuling complained helplessly.

"I saw that Goku's and Gohan's Saiyan power first spread from their backs. As for why one kick from me scattered all your energy, it's because I'm stronger than you. It's that simple!"

"The back?"

Vegeta stood up and looked at Son Wuling with a cold smile. "Why tell me how to become a Super Saiyan? Aren't you afraid that... Hm? What are you looking at?"

Vegeta noticed Son Wuling looking up at the sky, so he instinctively raised his head as well. Seven Dragon Balls were falling from above. Since only one wish had been made, they had not turned to stone.

"What..."

Vegeta cried out, and since Son Wuling had just scattered his strength, the seven Dragon Balls seemed to have arranged it beforehand as they fell right toward him. The Four-Star Dragon Ball, in particular, struck him squarely on the head.

"Ah..."

With a miserable scream, Vegeta was smashed flat onto the ground. A distinct, comically large bump rose on his forehead, making his current appearance even more ridiculous.

The Grand Elder laughed. "The Dragon Balls came with us too!"

Son Wuling, Krillin, and everyone else burst into laughter at Vegeta's appearance. Even Piccolo, with his arms crossed, had the corner of his mouth lift slightly.

"Haha... Vegeta, weren't you desperate to find the Dragon Balls? Well, here they are. Doesn't that feel great? Hey, why is there still a Dragon Ball on your head?"

Son Wuling used Energy Control Bullet to guide the Dragon Balls into the air and have them land beside the Grand Elder. He even reached out to touch the bump on Vegeta's head, making him wince in pain.

"It hurts... You bastard! Once I become a Super Saiyan, I'll pull out every last one of your teeth!"

Vegeta clutched the bump on his forehead and roared at Son Wuling.

"I'll be waiting, Vegeta!"

Son Wuling spread his arms confidently and smiled. "I've already found my own path, Vegeta. Don't think that becoming a Super Saiyan means you'll truly be invincible. But if you lose again then, you'll wear women's clothes for a day. How about it?"

"Whoa..."

Krillin, Son Gohan, and the others immediately erupted. Even Piccolo stared at Vegeta, imagining him in women's clothes while struggling to hold back his laughter.

"Women's... clothes..."

Vegeta's expression changed drastically. Looking at Son Wuling, he felt a chill rise within him, and an inexplicable fear filled his heart.

"That's right, there has to be a wager. If I lose, I'll pull out all my teeth. If you lose, you wear women's clothes for a day. How about it? Don't tell me you're scared. And you call yourself the prince of the Saiyans?"

Son Wuling crossed his arms disdainfully and curled his lip. Even if he lost all his teeth, he still had Senzu Beans, and everything would be restored afterward. Besides, it would give himself some pressure too.

"You... Fine. I accept. A man keeps his word. Once I become a Super Saiyan, we'll have our match. But when you face me as a Super Saiyan, you won't stand a chance at all!"

Before everyone's eyes, Vegeta and Son Wuling set the terms of their duel. Both were brimming with confidence as they prepared to begin their next round of training.