The smugglers didn't waste a second after dropping me off.
Their ship's engines roared back to life almost before I stepped onto the dirt. I couldn't blame them. They weren't here out of kindness — just payment. And whatever they saw of this planet, it clearly wasn't worth their time.
As the ship vanished into the clouds, I sighed and took off into the sky.
That's when it hit me — I had no realistic way to find Kakarot.
Earth, as the locals called it, was smaller than Planet Vegeta, but big enough to make my search almost impossible. The technology here was primitive — no galactic network, no scanners, no scouters, nothing even close to Frieza's systems.
Even if I wanted to broadcast a search, I had no access to the planet's currency or any local resources. Money, as it turned out, was as important here as power was back home — and I had neither.
A week passed.
A full week of flying, searching, scanning energy signatures, and hoping that somehow I'd stumble across my brother. Nothing.
Then, one afternoon, I noticed something strange in the distance — a floating structure hovering high above the clouds. The lower half was spherical, metallic, while the top was flat, lined with neatly arranged trees. A temple, maybe. Or an observation deck.
Curiosity got the better of me. I landed quietly on the platform.
A dark-skinned man was already there, standing guard near the entrance. His expression tightened the moment he saw me — wary, alert. His eyes flicked over my armor, my tail, my stance.
I raised a hand slowly.
"I come in peace," I said, keeping my voice calm. "I'm not from this planet. I'm looking for my brother."
He studied me for a long moment before answering.
"You're strong," he said finally, his tone careful. "But why should I believe you? For all I know, you could be lying."
I sighed.
"You shouldn't trust me," I admitted. "Caution's a smart choice. My kind isn't known for talking things out… but here I am, talking instead of fighting. That should count for something."
To prove my point, I lifted my tail slightly, letting it uncoil around my waist.
His eyes narrowed in confusion. Before he could respond, another voice echoed behind him.
"Wait, Mr. Popo. Let me speak with her — I have questions of my own."
A tall green figure stepped out of the temple, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
A Namekian.
Frieza's database mentioned their existence, but I thought their race had gone extinct decades ago.
"Well," I said with a faint smirk, "it's a long way from home for someone from a supposedly extinct race."
He didn't flinch. Instead, he countered calmly,
"I could say the same to you, Saiyan. You said you're looking for your brother. What is his name?"
I hesitated only for a moment.
"Kakarot. My name is Raditz."
"Raditz," he repeated, testing the sound of it. "I am called Kami by the people of this world. This is my attendant, Mr. Popo."
"Kami," I echoed. "God of Earth, right?" I shrugged. "That's a title that fits."
Then curiosity got the better of me.
"Tell me something," I said. "I could feel that both of you knew exactly how strong I am — and you're not wearing scouters. How?"
Kami smiled faintly.
"You didn't suppress your power when you landed. On this planet, any martial artist worth their salt can sense your energy the moment you arrive. Mr. Popo and I simply felt it."
That answer made me uneasy — and impressed.
"So… you can sense energy without technology," I muttered. "Interesting."
Kami nodded.
"If you wish to find your brother, I can teach you to do the same — to control your ki, to hide it. You'll need to, if you want to move unnoticed on this world. There's someone I believe can help you find him, but you'll need to suppress your energy first. Otherwise, you'll startle him."
Suppress my power? That sounded ridiculous. Saiyans flaunted their strength — we didn't hide it.
But… I was also hiding from Frieza and Vegeta. Drawing attention here would be suicide.
After a moment, I nodded.
"Fine. I'll learn. If it helps me find Kakarot, it's worth it. And if I can suppress my energy well enough that even a scouter can't detect me… that's a skill worth having."
Kami's smile deepened.
"Then your training begins now."
As Mr. Popo motioned for me to follow, I looked out at the endless blue sky below the platform — and, for the first time since I fled Frieza's grasp, I felt something like purpose.
Maybe this was where my search truly began.