"What exactly did you hear?" Frieza asked with a smile, turning to the underling who had just entered.
"Lord Frieza, I didn't hear anything! In fact, I'm deaf!" the underling immediately dropped to his knees in a panic.
"Oh? Is that so?" Frieza chuckled, and in the next instant, two beams of light shot from his eyes.
Zzzttt—!
In a flash, the underling was reduced to ash by Frieza's eye lasers. Dead beyond all doubt.
Berryblue, meanwhile, simply smiled—completely unfazed, as if such scenes were part of her daily routine.
"But back to the topic… What's the status of that former Saiyan prodigy?" Frieza asked with interest.
"Uh… Great Lord Frieza, the one who just got vaporized came to report about someone named Ken," Berryblue replied, wiping her forehead nervously.
Frieza: "…"
One minute later—
Another underling rushed in and gave a quick summary of Ken's situation.
"Oh? His power level dropped from 20,000 to 100 in just a year? He really is a prodigy," Frieza said with an amused grin.
The new underling didn't even dare raise his head, obediently kneeling on the floor.
"I was actually looking forward to seeing him break through 20,000… maybe even hit 100,000. I guess that was wishful thinking," Frieza shook his head in disappointment.
"Lord Frieza, even though Saiyans are a warrior race, unless they transform into Great Apes, their base power levels won't reach such heights," Berryblue commented with a hint of scorn.
Frieza dropped the topic and smiled again. "So… how many Saiyans have returned to Planet Vegeta now?"
"In about one month, nearly all offworld Saiyans should be back. Only a small number will need more time to return," Berryblue reported.
"I can't wait that long. We'll proceed in one month," Frieza said, his smile turning more sinister.
"Wouldn't that arouse suspicion among the survivors?" Berryblue asked.
"Heh heh heh… Just say it was an unfortunate asteroid strike," Frieza laughed uncontrollably, clutching his sides.
But as he laughed, he suddenly caught sight of a small space pod launching from Planet Vegeta, streaking across the sky in a brilliant blaze as it shot toward the outer regions of space.
His grin froze.
His face darkened.
"Find out immediately who had the guts to leave Planet Vegeta at a time like this!" Berryblue shouted to the staff.
The report came back quickly.
"Oh? Vegeta… and Ken?" Frieza stroked his chin, his eyes turning icy.
"Shall we shoot them down?" Berryblue bowed respectfully, but her voice carried hesitation. "However, if we target the Prince right now, it could cause unnecessary complications. The other Saiyans returning from offworld might refuse to come back, and that would ruin your plan…"
She didn't finish her sentence, but the implication was clear.
"Let them go," Frieza said coldly.
Indeed, if he killed the Saiyan Prince now, news would spread, and those Saiyans still on missions might never return—throwing a wrench into the extermination strategy.
A short pause.
"Berryblue, have you ever heard of pig farming?" Frieza asked suddenly with a grin.
"Pig farming? What do you mean, Lord Frieza?" Berryblue looked puzzled.
"When raising pigs, you fatten them up first. That way, they taste better when you eat them," Frieza said cheerfully, eyes fixed on the tiny spaceship vanishing into the distance.
"You mean… you're going to fatten up Vegeta and Ken like pigs?" Berryblue suddenly understood.
"Exactly. Let them live for now," Frieza smirked.
"Isn't that a few too many pigs, though?" Berryblue asked.
Frieza gave it a thought and agreed. "Then let's just keep Vegeta and Ken… and maybe two more random Saiyans. Four pigs total should do."
"Hahaha, with one more, that'd match the number of the Ginyu Force," Berryblue laughed heartily.
Just as she finished laughing, Captain Ginyu himself walked in, his forehead lined with veins.
"Berryblue, that's going too far. We're not pigs!" Ginyu glared.
"Hahaha! Just a joke, just a joke!" Berryblue scratched her head, embarrassed.
"Did you need something?" Frieza asked, turning to Ginyu.
"Lord Frieza, we of the Ginyu Force would like to take the lead in the upcoming assault on Planet Vegeta," Ginyu said with a bow.
"No need for that," Frieza waved it off. "One Planet-Buster Bomb and no one escapes."
"You're really going to destroy Planet Vegeta?" Ginyu asked, a little regretfully. "That planet still has some decent resources. Isn't it a waste to blow it up?"
"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" Frieza's gaze turned icy.
"Ah… now that you mention it, I have been meaning to watch some planet-destroying fireworks. It's been too long!" Ginyu quickly laughed to cover his tracks.
Frieza's glare softened back into a grin.
Whoosh!
Right then, another spherical pod launched into space, flying past Frieza's ship.
Frieza: "…"
"Who is it this time?" he narrowed his eyes.
"Lord Frieza, it's… a Saiyan infant with a battle power of just 2," a soldier quickly reported.
"Shall we take it out?" Berryblue asked.
"Battle power of 2?" Frieza burst into laughter. "Let it go. Even if it grows up, it'll never amount to anything."
——
Inside Ken's spaceship.
They had been flying for over an hour.
Ken glanced back and confirmed that Frieza's forces weren't pursuing them.
"Prince Vegeta, which planet are we heading to?" Raditz asked.
"What do you think, Ken?" Vegeta turned and asked.
Ken didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "How many spherical pods do we have on this ship?"
"Let me think… about four, I think?" Raditz scratched his head. "This ship isn't that big—only has four of those mini pods."
"Perfect. Then aside from me and Vegeta, the four of you each take a pod and go your separate ways," Ken said calmly.
Raditz's smile froze.
Nappa looked dumbfounded.
The two other Saiyans were equally confused.
"Hey, Ken, aren't we going to stick together?" Vegeta whispered to him.
Ken nodded.
What's the point of dragging along a big group?
Too many people means too big a target. Frieza's forces would find them easily.
"You heard him, didn't you? The four of you—get lost!" Vegeta snapped at Raditz and the others, not bothering to sugarcoat it.
Nappa: "…"
Raditz: "…"
Other two Saiyans: "…"
So we were called to form a party… and now you two are ditching us for a duo run?
"This is too much…" Raditz grumbled but didn't dare object. He climbed into one of the pods.
Nappa and the other two followed suit and entered their respective ships.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Four spherical pods launched from the main spaceship, leaving behind four bright trails in the vacuum of space.
(End of Chapter)