"Hey, Ken…" Vegeta started to speak.
But Ken waved his hand gently, signaling him to stop.
Then he pointed at the scouter on Vegeta's eye.
Vegeta wasn't stupid—he immediately understood, took off the scouter, and covered the mic with his finger.
"What, you want to say something that others shouldn't hear?" Vegeta snorted, giving Ken a curious look.
"I just don't want any unnecessary trouble," Ken replied with a slight smile.
"You're suspicious of that guy Frieza, aren't you? You think he might be eavesdropping on us?" Vegeta quickly put the pieces together.
"You're sharp." Ken gave him a thumbs-up.
"Tch, I don't need your compliments!" Vegeta grumbled, then asked casually, "So? What's the name of that special planet you mentioned?"
"Namek," Ken said slowly and clearly.
——
Vast starfields. The boundless cosmos.
Inside Frieza's spaceship.
Frieza remained seated in his hover chair, that ever-present faint smile on his face.
But behind that smile was a chilling malice.
"Lord Frieza, according to the latest report, four miniature pods detached from Prince Vegeta's ship," an underling reported. "Nappa, Raditz, and two other unimportant Saiyans departed in those mini-pods."
"Oh? They split up?" Frieza narrowed his eyes.
"Seems like the little prince and the former prodigy Ken plan to act alone," Berryblue murmured.
"Dodoria. Zadoria," Frieza called.
At his word, Dodoria and his brother Zadoria entered the room, bowing deeply.
The two brothers looked almost identical—burly, pink-skinned, with grotesque lumps bulging all over their bodies.
"You two, split up," Frieza ordered with a smile. "One of you, kill the two 'unimportant' Saiyans. The other—bring back Vegeta and Ken alive."
"Even if they're just little monkeys, let's raise them like pigs for a while."
"Yes, Lord Frieza!" the Dodoria brothers responded in unison.
"I want them to know—no matter what schemes they try, they're meaningless in the face of absolute power," Frieza said coldly.
The brothers remained silent.
"Go," Frieza waved them off.
As they left—
"And don't underestimate them," he added.
The brothers headed for the launch bay.
"Hey, Dodoria, how about I go after Vegeta?" Zadoria suggested.
"Zadoria, with your measly power level, you're asking for trouble," Dodoria scoffed. "Don't forget—Vegeta's power is at least 15,000!"
"My power level's 17,000—2,000 higher than his!" Zadoria puffed his chest proudly, his body lumps wobbling.
"Don't forget about Ken. He once had a power level of 20,000," Dodoria frowned.
"Relax, bro. That guy's washed up," Zadoria laughed.
Dodoria hesitated, but eventually gave in.
"Just be careful. Don't take this lightly," he warned.
"Trust me!" Zadoria said cheerfully, climbing into one of the spherical pods.
——
Aboard Ken's spaceship.
"Namek? What's so special about that planet?" Vegeta asked, puzzled.
"You'll see when we get there," Ken smiled.
"Tch. Always being mysterious!" Vegeta rolled his eyes.
Ken didn't mind. He understood Vegeta's arrogant nature well.
In fact, that prideful, rebellious streak was exactly what Ken liked about him.
If he became some obedient little lamb, then he wouldn't be Vegeta anymore.
"But seriously, Ken, your healing technique—it's like it was made just for me!" Vegeta said excitedly, eyes gleaming. "If we team up properly, the whole universe will be ours! When I become Emperor, I'll make you my Grand General!"
After that bold declaration, Vegeta walked over to the ship's minibar, poured himself a glass of water, and gulped it down.
Ken didn't respond to Vegeta's grand ambitions. Instead, he sighed softly and asked, "Your Highness… What's your greatest wish?"
"My greatest wish? What kind of question is that?" Vegeta blinked in confusion, wiping his mouth.
Ken smiled mysteriously and lowered his voice. "Think about it carefully—it's related to why we're going to Namek."
"Namek… wish?" Vegeta thought hard.
What does Namek have to do with my wish?
What is my greatest wish, anyway?
He suddenly remembered.
"My greatest wish is to become a Super Saiyan, of course!" Vegeta declared. "Tell me… can Namek help me make that wish come true?"
"You don't need Namek for that. I can help you achieve it," Ken replied calmly.
"You? You can make me a Super Saiyan? Don't make me laugh!" Vegeta scoffed. "If you could do that, why aren't you one yourself?"
"I'm not interested in becoming a Super Saiyan," Ken said, shaking his head.
"Then what are you interested in?" Vegeta asked, confused.
"Angels," Ken answered.
"Angels again? You mean that Divine ki you mentioned before?" Vegeta asked, wide-eyed. "That mysterious power with healing abilities?"
Ken didn't respond.
"Weird guy… not even interested in becoming a Super Saiyan," Vegeta muttered. Then curiosity got the better of him. "So tell me—how does one become a Super Saiyan?"
(End of Chapter)