"What's wrong? Can our so-called Universe Emperor Frieza 'King' make that kind of face too?"
Vegeta advanced step by step, while Frieza instinctively controlled his hover pod to retreat.
That unconscious retreat alone exposed how tense Frieza truly was right now.
Seeing this, Vegeta was extremely satisfied and continued mocking him. "Hmm? Looks like you're really scared of me."
After being ridiculed repeatedly, Frieza finally realized that his evasive behavior was only fueling Vegeta's arrogance.
He—Frieza, the dignified Universe Emperor—was being toyed with by Vegeta, this damned Saiyan monkey.
Back then, he had destroyed Planet Vegeta with ease and could have wiped out the entire Saiyan race whenever he pleased.
It was he who showed mercy and allowed Vegeta to live!
"You are courting death, Vegeta!" Frieza roared as he leapt up, finally abandoning that ridiculous hover pod.
Vegeta merely smiled in response, looking up at Frieza standing high in the sky, completely unbothered.
The next second, no longer interested in wasting words, Vegeta vanished from where he stood and closed the distance instantly.
In Frieza's shocked gaze, Vegeta appeared directly in front of him.
Frieza clenched his teeth and threw a punch. It clearly connected—yet his fist felt nothing at all.
"An afterimage?!" Frieza's pupils shrank.
Before he could react, his body lost balance and plummeted toward the ground.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion shook the area, and the entire island was nearly submerged by the impact.
Vegeta stood where Frieza had been moments ago, his eyes filled with playful mockery as he slowly descended.
When Frieza struck the afterimage, Vegeta had already moved behind him at extreme speed, smashing a heavy punch into the back of Frieza's neck and sending him crashing down.
Locking onto Frieza's ki, Vegeta landed on a protruding rock below.
Frieza was still buried in thick dust, his aura violently fluctuating.
"Come out, Frieza," Vegeta said calmly. "If one punch knocked you down, then you're even more disappointing than I thought."
Not long after, a violent gust erupted from the center of the dust cloud.
Frieza burst out, but his former composure was gone.
"Good… very good!" Frieza snarled. "Vegeta, I want to see just how capable you've become!"
With that, he charged forward.
Vegeta could clearly feel the dark, oppressive aura surrounding Frieza.
If Vegeta were still at a power level of only a few tens of thousands, he wouldn't even think of resisting—only despair.
But now?
If Frieza didn't transform, he was no different from an ant.
Vegeta's base form was already over 3,000,000, while Frieza's first form was a pathetic 530,000.
Even Frieza's second form would barely exceed one million, and his third form would top out at two to three million at most.
Facing Frieza's so-called "fierce" assault, Vegeta didn't even uncross his arms, effortlessly dodging every punch and kick.
"Didn't you eat today, Frieza?" Vegeta taunted as he evaded. "With speed like that, hitting me is just a fantasy."
In truth, Vegeta could have knocked Frieza unconscious with a single punch.
That earlier strike had used only ten percent of his strength. Otherwise, Frieza wouldn't even be able to stand now.
And the reason Vegeta was playing with him like this—
Was revenge.
That's right.
He had inherited everything that made Vegeta who he was, including the memories of this lifetime.
Even if he hadn't personally lived through them, they were no different from real experiences.
He was Vegeta.
Years of hatred, humiliation, and pain caused by Frieza were now being vented, one strike at a time.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!" Frieza roared. "You dare mock me—the Emperor?!"
He attacked more frantically, his movements growing increasingly sloppy and enraged.
From the moment he was born, Frieza had always been the one to toy with others. Aside from that existence, no one had ever dared oppose him like this.
Eventually, even Vegeta grew bored.
It wasn't until Frieza pulled back, creating distance and launching a full-scale energy barrage that the exchange finally changed.
"How was that?" Frieza sneered. "Now you understand my power, don't you?"
A full-power energy bombardment capable of destroying a planet had landed cleanly. He refused to believe Vegeta was unharmed.
Then—
Vegeta's voice sounded behind him, like a whisper from hell.
"Not bad."
"What?!" Frieza stiffened and spun around.
Vegeta was right there, two fingers pressed casually against Frieza's head.
Anger. Fear. Disbelief.
"Are you already questioning your life?" Vegeta said coldly. "This is only the beginning."
His fingers opened into a palm as he roared.
A terrifying burst of ki exploded outward, blasting Frieza away.
Vegeta instantly chased him down, slamming a devastating punch into Frieza's chest. Frieza screamed in pain, coughing up blood as his body was sent flying.
Before it could end, Vegeta caught up again, appearing beneath him and launching an upward kick that sent Frieza soaring into the sky.
It still wasn't over.
Vegeta accelerated, shooting into the clouds and arriving above first.
Just as Frieza regained control of his body, Vegeta grabbed him by the face and dragged him straight down.
BOOM—RUMBLE—RUMBLE!!!
A massive island shattered under the horrifying impact.
Vegeta dragged Frieza's head mercilessly across the ground before finally flinging him away, smashing him into the side of a distant mountain.
The mountain collapsed instantly, burying Frieza beneath countless tons of rubble.
At this point, the battle seemed finished.
Frieza was utterly overwhelmed, clearly gravely injured.
Of course, only Vegeta knew the truth.
He had used barely twenty percent of his strength—nothing more than a warm-up.
If Frieza didn't transform next, Vegeta wouldn't bother playing anymore.
He'd just end it.
After all, unless Frieza still had enough power to transform and give him a proper fight—to truly test his limits—there was no point keeping him alive.
Either way, Vegeta had already vented plenty of rage.
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere on Planet Namek.
The Grand Elder observed the entire battle through his spiritual perception.
Although he had long anticipated this outcome, witnessing it firsthand still left him deeply shaken.