The three warriors—Rudra, Nappa, and Raditz—vanished from Kami's Lookout in a shimmer of light. In the next moment, they reappeared in the middle of a spacious, modern-looking home.
Rudra smiled and spread his arms wide. "So, guys… welcome to my house. I'm actually quite famous on Earth thanks to my comic stories. That's why I never have to worry about money."
Nappa and Raditz's jaws dropped.
The house wasn't just big—it was enormous. Polished wooden floors reflected the warm light from hanging lamps. Expensive artwork lined the walls. A huge sofa sprawled across the living room, facing a gigantic screen. Beyond that stood a dining table big enough for a royal feast. Shelves displayed colorful toys, intricate figures, and stacks of comic volumes—all authored by Rudra himself.
Raditz's eyes darted around. "This… this is your house?! It's bigger than the royal quarters back on Planet Vegeta!"
Nappa whistled, running his hand across a shiny table. "Hmph. I didn't expect this weak-looking Earthling to live like a king."
Rudra chuckled. "There's more. Come, I'll show you."
They followed him through the hall. Behind one door was a luxurious bathroom, its walls lined with marble tiles and its tub large enough to fit three Saiyans at once. Another door opened to a spacious bedroom with silk sheets and a balcony that opened into what looked more like a garden than a terrace.
"Not bad…" Nappa muttered.
But then, Raditz spotted something else. A separate room filled with large weights and equipment. A full gym. He walked inside with Nappa close behind.
Rows of dumbbells lined the racks, each looking ridiculously oversized. Raditz picked one up casually, raising it with one hand. "Ha! Is this it? These are child's toys."
Nappa lifted another, spinning it in his palm. "Weak, pathetic. You call this training?"
Rudra smirked. "Try pressing the red button on the handle."
Nappa raised a brow. "What red—?" He pressed it.
THUD!
The dumbbell slipped instantly from his grasp, crashing to the floor with such force that the ground cracked beneath it.
"What the—?!" Nappa's eyes widened. He tugged, straining his muscles, but it wouldn't budge.
Raditz burst into laughter. "Hah! You clumsy fool! Can't even hold a toy weight?"
"Shut it!" Nappa barked, veins bulging.
Amused, Rudra folded his arms. "These aren't ordinary weights. They're failed prototypes from a gravity experiment. I repurposed them for training. With one press, their density increases a hundredfold."
Raditz bent down to help, but when he tried to lift one, his smirk quickly faded. "What…?! It won't move!"
"Exactly," Rudra said, grinning. "They're designed to humble even the strongest."
---
The Hammer of Worth
As Raditz straightened, his gaze fell on a hammer resting casually on a nearby table. Its handle was engraved, and the head bore the word "THOR."
Raditz chuckled. "This? Some Earthling's toy weapon?" He grabbed the handle and pulled. Nothing happened. He grunted, trying harder, but the hammer didn't move an inch.
Nappa howled with laughter. "Bwahaha! Weakling! Can't even lift a hammer?"
Raditz scowled. "You try then, fat oaf."
With confidence, Nappa bent down, grabbing it with both hands. He roared, veins popping, but the hammer didn't budge even a hair. Sweat trickled down his forehead.
Now Raditz was laughing. "Who's the weakling now?"
Rudra smirked knowingly. "That hammer… isn't normal. It's forged from one of the heaviest and toughest stones in the universe. Indestructible. No one has ever lifted it. Only someone 'worthy' can."
Nappa and Raditz exchanged glances, then burst out laughing.
"Worthy?" Nappa snorted. "What kind of nonsense is this?"
"Sounds like another one of your Earthling fairy tales," Raditz added.
Rudra rolled his eyes. "Hmph. Believe what you want."
---
The Saiyan Feast
"Anyway," Rudra said, clapping his hands, "let's eat."
The kitchen table soon overflowed with dishes. Rice bowls, roasted meats, vegetables, soups, bread, sauces, and more.
The two Saiyans devoured the meal like starving wolves, plates vanishing one after another. Bones piled up, bowls clattered, and before long, the table looked like a battlefield.
Rudra sat calmly, eating only two plates' worth. His discipline over his hunger was ironclad—his training demanded it.
"You're done already?" Raditz asked, his mouth still full.
"I don't need more," Rudra replied. "Control is as important as strength."
The Saiyans ignored him, continuing to gorge until the kitchen was almost bare.
---
Training Begins
The next day, Rudra led them into the gym. "Alright. Time to train."
Nappa and Raditz groaned. "We just ate…"
"Exactly," Rudra said. "Time to burn it off."
They began with the weighted dumbbells. Nappa and Raditz strained against them, but as Saiyans, their bodies quickly adapted. By the end of the session, they were lifting them with gritted teeth and sweat-drenched brows.
Then came Rudra's second exercise. "Now—constant ki output."
He stood before them, aura glowing. "You will keep releasing energy continuously until you're completely drained. Over and over. This will toughen your muscles and expand your reserves."
Raditz gritted his teeth. "This sounds like torture."
"That's the point," Rudra said flatly.
Hours passed. Their ki flared and sputtered, rising and falling like waves. By the end, both Saiyans collapsed, panting heavily. Their bodies ached, but a fire burned within their veins.
"Feel it?" Rudra said, crouching beside Raditz. "That pressure inside you? That's your anger. You need to bring it out—not to destroy yourself, but to sharpen your power."
Raditz clenched his fists, his aura flickering. "Tch… I'll master it."
Nappa growled, pounding the floor. "Me too! I'll show Vegeta I'm no weakling!"
Rudra smirked. "Good. That's the spirit."
---
Days of Relentless Training
For several days, the three trained together. Weighted exercises, ki-draining drills, sparring matches that shook the walls of Rudra's home. The Saiyans adapted with remarkable speed, their bodies evolving to meet the demands.
Every evening, they collapsed at the dining table, stuffing themselves with food before falling asleep wherever they landed.
For Raditz, the training was especially transformative. His power surged with each passing day, his aura burning brighter. For the first time, he felt like more than just the "weakling brother of Kakarot."
Nappa too grew fiercer, his stamina doubling, his strikes sharper.
---
Return to the Lookout
Finally, after nearly a week of training, Rudra gathered them in the living room.
"It's time," he said firmly. "Your turn in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber has come."
Raditz and Nappa exchanged a determined glance. Their bodies were sore, but their eyes blazed with newfound resolve.
Rudra extended his hand again. "Let's go."
In an instant, all three vanished, reappearing on Kami's Lookout.
Kami and Mr. Popo turned as they appeared.
"So," Kami murmured, "the Instantaneous Technique once again…"
Raditz cracked his knuckles. "Finally. I'll show everyone what I've become."
Nappa smirked. "And I'll prove to Vegeta that I'm no underling."
Rudra looked at both of them, his eyes sharp. "Remember—inside the chamber, push beyond your limits. Frieza won't show mercy. Neither should you."
The two Saiyans nodded, stepping toward the chamber doors.
The battle for Earth—and the universe—was drawing closer.