After Dinner.
On the rooftop of the Hoi-Poi Capsule Company. Vegeta stands with his arms crossed, silently gazing into the distant night sky.
He's done it. He's finally become a Super Saiyan, achieving the transformation that had long eluded him.
Suddenly, he tilts his head upward, as if lost in memory. Flashes of the past few years on Earth blaze across his mind like lightning. The Saiyan invasion… the battle on Namek… building a new life and unexpected family on this strange blue planet.
But among them, one moment stands above all: their first battle.
The first time he fought Kakarrot. It was then that something deep and bitter took root in his heart.
A low-class warrior, one born beneath him, dared to defy him.
As the Prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta had believed he would be the first to unlock the legendary transformation but that wasn't how things turned out. That low-class clown had achieved it first. He, Vegeta, had been left behind.
The shame. The fury. The humiliation!
But now, after years of relentless, soul-breaking effort, that long-buried seed has finally broken free.
Fueled by hatred and burning envy toward Super Saiyan Kakarrot, he has forced open the gates of power.
Vegeta lets out a low, humorless laugh.
"Heh… Kakarrot. In the end, you were the reason I failed and the reason I succeeded. What an absurd irony."
After speaking, his gaze sharpens as a flicker of regret flashes in his eyes, and his fist tightens with tension.
"Hmph. Kakarrot… I want to fight you again. This time, we'll see whose Super Saiyan stands at the top!"
At that moment, Vegeta unleashes a fresh surge of Ki.
His white aura ignites gold once more, flaring like a beacon in the dark sky. He pours out every ounce of frustration, resentment, and pride he's carried in his heart.
"RAAAAHHHH!!! KAKARROT!!!"
A radiant golden light bursts from the rooftop of the Hoi-Poi Capsule Company, flooding the night with brilliance.
The explosive shout jolts Bulma, who's busy lulling Trunks to sleep. The infant Trunks stirs in her arms, startled awake by the roar.
He blinks, half-dazed, turning his eyes toward the window just in time to catch the glow of Vegeta's transformation.
(Did Dad go Super Saiyan again?)
Before Trunks can fully process what he's seeing, Bulma rushes outside in a huff.
"Hey! Vegeta! I get that you're pumped right now, but can you calm down a little?!" She calls out from the ground, but Vegeta doesn't respond. His voice continues to ring out in wild exaltation.
"KAKARROT! DID YOU SEE THAT?! I'VE BECOME A SUPER SAIYAN TOO!"
Bulma finally snaps. "VEGETA! Get down here right now! You woke up Trunks!"
As she yells, she glances back at Trunks, only to find him staring wide-eyed up at his father.
Clearly, he's not upset at all. If anything, he's unusually focused.
Vegeta continues to ignore her, which only fuels her temper.
"HEY! VEGETA! If you want your son to stay short when he grows up, then by all means— keep ignoring me!"
She stomps her foot furiously and then shoots another glance at Trunks.
Still, no reaction. Trunks remains fixated on Vegeta, his tiny face stern and serious. Seeing that look, Bulma can't help but groan.
Like father, like son. They're two peas in a Saiyan pod!
Meanwhile, Trunks has no clue he's become the subject of this heated exchange.
Bulma let out a dramatic sigh, her voice filled with mock sorrow: "Ugh, this is so unfair. I gave birth to a son who clearly takes none of his personality from his mother…"
Her words are aimed at Trunks, but in truth, she's misunderstood. Trunks isn't dazzled by Vegeta's golden power. He's watching with quiet purpose, his sharp little mind trying to confirm something.
Bulma's complaint, however, snaps him out of it, and the clever boy instantly picks up on her underlying tone.
To be fair, she's just frustrated. She wants what's best for her son, yet neither husband nor child seems to be on her side tonight.
"WAAAHHHHH!!!"
And with that, Trunks bursts into loud, dramatic tears.
Bulma beams with joy, while at the same time, Vegeta is drawn to the sound of Trunks crying.
"Vegeta! You scared Trunks! Aren't you coming down?!"
Vegeta turns his head slightly, catching a glimpse of Trunks in Bulma's arms.
At that moment, Trunks meets his eyes as well.
The two lock gazes in an unspoken exchange.
Vegeta's aura dimmed slightly, and he muttered under his breath, "Hmph. I actually overwhelmed him with my Ki."
"Only weak-blooded Saiyans would cry from sensing a warrior's aura… looks like I'll have to start his battle training earlier than expected."
Despite his grumbling, Vegeta obediently leaps down from the rooftop and walks over to them.
Trunks feels a bit helpless; he was only trying to go along with Bulma's emotions. Making noise wasn't his true intention.
He feels slightly wronged and starts venting silently to himself.
(Powerful aura? That's all this is?)
Vegeta suddenly stiffens. That strange voice echoes once more inside his mind.
[There it is again—that voice!]
Trunks' internal complaints continue to roll on without pause.
(It's just that he had transformed into a Super Saiyan, and now all his cells are surging with wild energy.)
(This kind of restlessness always happens after the first transformation. It's a common flaw.)
(If he could fully master the emotional surge that comes with going Super Saiyan… who knows how much stronger Ihe'd already be?)
The mysterious voice's candid reflection makes Vegeta's face flush with a mix of shame and confusion.
But he still has no idea who the voice belongs to.
Suddenly, Vegeta rockets into the sky, scanning the area below with sharp eyes.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!!"
Yet the skies remain silent. No one responds.
Trunks stared up at Vegeta, studying him closely— again confirming that his father's Ki is turbulent and agitated.
Bulma shouts from below, "Vegeta! What are you flipping out about now?!"
Looking at Bulma's bewildered face, Vegeta begins to piece things together.
[Judging from Bulma's reaction, it's clear she hasn't heard the voice.]
[Could it be… I'm the only one who can hear it?]
At that moment, a strange sense of calm settles over him. He starts replaying the day's events in his head. Because of that voice, he had broken through and become a Super Saiyan sooner than expected.
Annoying as the voice was, everything it said was spot-on. Vegeta spreads his arms wide, soaking in the rush that being a Super Saiyan brings.
[Tch… that voice was right. I am excited. My Ki's completely unstable.]
[Then maybe it's worth testing— what happens if I can truly control the Super Saiyan fury?]
He closes his eyes and begins focusing inward, trying to rein in the fiery rush of his transformed state.
Within seconds, a soothing wave of energy flows through his limbs, washing away the tension.
[Hmph… that voice might be irritating, but this trick actually works. My body feels… lighter.]
Vegeta opened his eyes slowly, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Through this bizarre inner voice, he's experienced a kind of clarity and satisfaction he's never felt before.
Without another word, Vegeta lifted off the ground again, ascending into the sky to train in silence.
For the next while, he loses himself in perfecting his control.
Back on the ground, Bulma huffs in exasperation. "Hmph! There he goes again, disappearing into the night. I swear, who knows what's going through that stubborn head of his?"
Trunks tilts his head, still wondering about Vegeta's strange behavior—but really, what else could be driving Vegeta besides his obsession with surpassing Kakarrot?
Setting Note: The inner voice/thoughts can only be heard when the listener is within a relatively close distance. In the scenes where Vegeta flies away or takes to the air, Trunks' thoughts are no longer audible to him. The inner voice, when heard, resonates within Vegeta's mind, leading to his emotional and strategic reactions.
(End Of This Chapter)