Nappa wanted to dodge.
Wanted to escape.
Wanted to do anything at all.
But his heavily injured body refused to obey him.
All he could do was watch helplessly as the black shadow rapidly expanded in his vision, carrying a despair-inducing roar through the air.
BANG!
Vegeta's body slammed heavily into Nappa.
Nappa didn't even have time to scream before the crushing impact swallowed him completely.
He could clearly hear the sound of his ribs shattering.
The dull squelch of compressed organs.
And the suffocating weight of Vegeta's body crashing into him.
The two of them plunged together into the crater like sacks of garbage tossed into a well.
Rubble and dust exploded upward once again.
The crater's edge collapsed further, completely burying both Saiyans beneath debris.
Raditz smirked proudly as he slowly descended from the air.
The golden aura surrounding him gradually faded.
He landed lightly at the edge of the crater, his feet touching the ground without stirring even a speck of dust.
Then he bent forward, resting his hands on his knees while peering into the dark, bottomless pit below with a cheerful grin.
Vegeta.
Nappa.
Weren't you always calling me trash before?
Didn't you always look down on me from above?
Didn't you dump all the dirtiest and hardest missions onto me while mocking me from the sidelines?
So now—
Who's the real trash?
A cold smile curved across Raditz's lips.
He had waited too long for this moment.
Endured too much humiliation.
All those years of trampled dignity.
Ignored effort.
Mocked dreams.
Today—
He had finally reclaimed everything.
This feeling of revenge was sweeter than any wine.
More intoxicating than victory itself.
Kakarot… you really are a good guy.
You gave me so many Senzu Beans.
Without him, there was no way my power level could've reached 100,000.
Raditz sighed inwardly.
That foolish little brother of his—
The so-called low-class Saiyan sent to Earth on a meaningless mission—
Had unexpectedly become the key to changing his destiny.
How ironic.
The low-class warrior Vegeta despised had created someone who surpassed him.
Though…
Just how strong has Kakarot become now?
Could he have already surpassed me too?
Raditz shook his head, throwing away the thought.
Now wasn't the time for that.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Suddenly, several streaks of light flashed across the sky.
The air rippled from high-speed flight, leaving visible trails against the gray clouds.
Six figures rapidly approached from the distance.
In only a few breaths, they arrived above the ruined battlefield before slowly descending onto a relatively flat area nearby.
Piccolo.
Gohan.
Krillin.
Tien Shinhan.
Chiaotzu.
Yamcha.
Earth's Z Fighters had finally arrived.
The moment they landed, they immediately looked around warily.
What they saw made them inhale sharply.
Endless ruins.
Massive craters.
The burnt smell of exploded energy attacks lingering in the air.
And in the distance—
A long-haired man standing at the edge of a gigantic crater, smiling calmly at them.
Piccolo and the others quickly noticed the enormous pit in the ground.
The crater was over ten meters wide and impossibly deep.
Loose rocks still tumbled down its sides, while faint groans echoed from below, proving someone inside was still alive.
"Raditz?" Krillin froze, eyes widening in shock.
"So that's Goku's brother?" Yamcha asked quietly, uncertainty filling his voice.
His gaze locked onto Raditz while cold sweat formed in his palms.
Even from a distance, he could feel the terrifying pressure radiating from Raditz's body.
"This guy's energy feels incredibly strong…" Tien muttered while clenching his fists tightly.
His third eye opened wide in caution.
"T-Tien…" Chiaotzu whispered nervously, his small hands gripping Tien's clothes while trembling slightly.
Piccolo and Gohan remained silent.
They simply stared cautiously at Raditz and the crater beneath his feet.
Piccolo's brow furrowed deeply.
His green face was filled with seriousness.
Beside him, Gohan bit his lip and clenched his tiny fists bravely.
"Hey, you guys are late!" Raditz greeted them with a grin, even waving casually.
The group stared blankly at him, completely unsure how to react.
"I already defeated Vegeta and Nappa for you," Raditz continued cheerfully.
"So shouldn't you all thank me properly?"
Piccolo and the others stiffened instantly.
Their eyes widened.
Their mouths hung slightly open.
They looked at one another, all seeing the exact same confusion and disbelief reflected on each other's faces.
Raditz defeated Vegeta and Nappa?
Was this some kind of joke?
Weren't they supposed to be allies?
Shouldn't Raditz be teaming up with them against Earth?
How had things suddenly become:
"I beat them up for you guys"?
This development completely exceeded everyone's understanding.
It felt like arriving prepared for a desperate life-or-death battle—
Only to discover the enemy had started fighting among themselves.
And one of them was now smiling while saying:
"No need to thank me. I already handled the other two."
"You're wondering where they are, right?" Raditz grinned mischievously and pointed at the crater beneath him.
"I accidentally used a little too much force and knocked them down there. They're probably hurt pretty badly, but they shouldn't die. Saiyans are pretty tough."
Everyone froze again.
Their gazes shifted from the crater back to Raditz's smiling face.
What exactly was happening here?
Why were the Saiyans fighting each other?
Did Raditz betray them?
Was this internal conflict?
Or… something even more dangerous?
"Krillin… where's Broly? He hasn't come yet?" Yamcha whispered quietly beside him.
"I don't know…" Krillin shook his head softly while keeping his eyes locked onto Raditz.
"But Broly said he probably won't get involved this time. He wants us to handle things ourselves."
Yamcha immediately fell silent.
"Hey, where's Kakarot? Why hasn't he arrived yet?" Raditz suddenly asked.
"Goku went off to train," Krillin answered loudly despite his trembling legs.
"He'll definitely come!"
"Did he say when?" Raditz frowned slightly.
"No…" Krillin admitted honestly.
Just then—
Rumbling sounds came from deep inside the crater.
Rocks rolled downward accompanied by heavy, painful breathing.
Soon, two battered figures slowly climbed upward from the darkness below.
Every movement looked agonizing.
Like demons crawling back from hell itself.
Vegeta and Nappa finally emerged from the crater.
Both were severely injured and looked utterly miserable.
Vegeta's hair was disheveled.
His face was covered in dirt and blood.
His armor was torn apart, revealing bruised skin underneath.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth while one hand pressed against his stomach.
Every step made him grimace in pain.
Nappa looked even worse.
His right arm hung limply.
Broken bones pierced through the flesh.
Blood covered the entire arm.
One eye was swollen shut while every breath sounded like a broken bellows.
"They climbed out," Raditz said casually with a smile.
Piccolo and the others focused entirely on Vegeta and Nappa now.
Even though they had never seen them before—
Instinct told them these were the Saiyans.
The enemies they had prepared to face today.
Vegeta and Nappa also noticed the Earth warriors.
Their gazes swept across the six fighters with complete contempt and fury.
Contempt for these "inferior lifeforms."
Fury toward Raditz's betrayal.
The Z Fighters began whispering among themselves.
"So the short one is Prince Vegeta?" Yamcha muttered curiously.
Even in his miserable condition, Vegeta's arrogant royal aura remained unmistakable.
"And the big bald guy is Nappa?" Chiaotzu whispered while pointing nervously.
Even heavily injured, Nappa's massive muscular frame still felt intimidating.
"Wasn't Vegeta supposed to be some genius Saiyan warrior?" Tien frowned in confusion.
"Then how did Raditz beat him?"
"No idea…" Krillin answered bitterly.
"Piccolo… are we still fighting?" Gohan asked quietly.
Piccolo remained silent.
His eyes moved between the three Saiyans rapidly while analyzing the situation.
Vegeta and Nappa had clearly lost most of their combat strength.
Meanwhile Raditz didn't seem hostile at all.
If the two Saiyans were already beaten that badly…
Then maybe fighting wasn't even necessary anymore.
At least not against Raditz.
"Raditz! You traitor!" Nappa roared furiously.
"So you joined forces with these Earthlings!"
His entire body trembled with rage.
Even his broken arm shook painfully as he pointed accusingly at Raditz.
Vegeta said nothing.
He merely stared coldly at Raditz with icy eyes that seemed capable of freezing souls.
His anger was deeper.
Calmer.
And far more terrifying.
As for whether Raditz had allied with Earthlings or not—
Vegeta honestly didn't care.
He never cared how many enemies existed.
Only whether he possessed enough strength to crush them.
And right now—
He didn't.
That was why he felt such fury.
Such frustration.
At this moment, Vegeta only wanted one answer:
How had Raditz raised his power level to this extent?
"No, you're mistaken," Raditz corrected calmly while wagging a finger.
"I never said I joined forces with these Earthlings."
"I simply couldn't stand you two anymore."
"So I taught you a lesson."
"Just to show you who the real trash is."
"R-Raditz, you…" Nappa's face turned red with rage.
He wanted to curse.
Wanted to scream.
Wanted to tear Raditz apart.
But his battered body could barely keep him standing.
That helplessness nearly drove him insane.
"So where's Kakarot? Still not here?" Raditz asked again while ignoring Nappa entirely.
"No idea," Piccolo answered coldly.
"That idiot…" Raditz muttered irritably.
He had wanted Kakarot to arrive and personally defeat Vegeta.
A perfect chance for his younger brother to vent his frustrations.
But now Kakarot still wasn't here.
How was this "show" supposed to continue?
"Fine then," Raditz finally decided while folding his arms.
"We'll just wait until Kakarot arrives."
Piccolo and the others fell silent again.
They exchanged helpless glances.
Everything unfolding before them completely exceeded expectations.
Still…
This Raditz guy actually seemed kind of nice.
He had voluntarily beaten up his own Saiyan comrades for them.
And beaten them badly.
Krillin and the others exchanged awkward looks, unsure how to proceed.
They had arrived ready for a desperate battle—
Only to discover it seemed unnecessary now.
At least against Raditz.
So what now?
Wait?
Do something?
Fight anyway?
The six Earth warriors stood there awkwardly, glancing between Raditz, the injured Saiyans, and one another.
Completely confused.
"Oh right," Raditz suddenly said with interest while looking toward Piccolo's group.
"I heard from Kakarot that all of you trained seriously."
He raised a hand and beckoned toward them.
"Want to test the results of your training?"
"Hmph. Sounds good to me," Piccolo snorted.
A fighting spirit appeared in his eyes.
After getting beaten up repeatedly by Broly's son Branch for so long—
Piccolo also wanted to know just how much stronger he had become.
Besides—
It would feel ridiculous if the Saiyans came all this way and nobody fought at all.
Training only had meaning when tested in battle.
Piccolo's eyes sharpened.
"Then let me think about the best way to do this," Raditz muttered thoughtfully while stroking his chin.
Krillin and the others tensed instinctively.
Even if Raditz appeared friendly—
Someone this powerful naturally made them nervous.
Tien's third eye remained fully open while carefully observing every movement Raditz made.
Yamcha subtly took half a step backward.
Only Piccolo stood confidently.
That confidence came from harsh training and absolute belief in his own growth.
Beside him, Gohan smiled innocently without fear.
Unlike in the original story, this version of Gohan carried no cowardice.
Mainly because—
The terrifying Saiyans from outer space currently looked utterly pathetic.
Bruised.
Bloody.
Humiliated.
It was difficult to fear enemies who looked that miserable.
In Gohan's eyes, these aliens didn't seem very scary at all.
"Ah! I've got it!" Raditz suddenly exclaimed after thinking for a moment.
His eyes lit up brightly.
Then he turned toward Nappa, who was still glaring at him resentfully.
Nappa shot him a vicious look.
Hatred and unwillingness burned in his bloodshot eyes.
If looks could kill, Raditz would already be dead a thousand times over.
"Nappa," Raditz suddenly said coldly.
"If you keep glaring at me, I'll kill you. Understand?"
Nappa's face instantly turned pale.
He lowered his head reflexively and avoided eye contact.
Even Prince Vegeta couldn't beat this monster…
I'd better stay careful for now.
Still—
Nappa realized something important.
Raditz's attacks looked brutal…
But they had actually been controlled with incredible precision.
Nappa glanced at his mangled arm, then at Vegeta's battered condition.
Both of them looked horribly injured.
Covered in blood.
Bones broken.
Completely miserable.
But most of the damage consisted only of external injuries and ordinary fractures.
Even after recovery, these wounds wouldn't trigger the massive Saiyan near-death power boost.
Raditz had done it intentionally.
He wanted to humiliate them.
Demonstrate overwhelming superiority.
But also prevent them from growing stronger afterward.
That bastard…
He'd thought this through carefully.
"I remember you guys brought Saibamen seeds," Raditz ordered casually.
"Plant them."
Nappa looked up furiously.
"What exactly are you trying to do?!"
"Simple," Raditz answered with a shrug.
"I'll have the Saibamen fight these Earthlings."
"Do whatever you want," Nappa muttered bitterly.
He bent stiffly and pulled out a tiny metal container from his armor pocket.
Then, using his remaining good hand, he poked six evenly spaced holes into the ground.
After opening the container—
Six dark green seeds rolled out into the holes.
"What are Saibamen?" Krillin asked in confusion.
Nappa poured nutrient fluid into each hole.
The liquid seeped into the soil while releasing strange purple smoke.
Then—
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The earth began trembling.
The soil bulged upward.
Suddenly, six strange green creatures burst from the ground, scattering dirt and rocks everywhere.
They looked somewhat like giant cabbages.
About 1.5 meters tall.
Dark green skin rough as bark.
Oversized heads.
Short but muscular limbs tipped with sharp claws.
Most disturbing of all—
They had no noses.
Only giant mouths filled with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes full of malice.
Piccolo and the others stared in shock.
"There," Raditz said cheerfully while folding his arms.
"Perfect numbers."
"Six of you. Six Saibamen."
"So? Want to test your training results?"
Piccolo and the others exchanged glances.
These creatures didn't seem overwhelmingly powerful.
Perfect opponents to test themselves against.
"What's the point of training if you never fight?" Raditz asked mockingly.
"He's right," Piccolo nodded calmly.
Training existed to become stronger.
To fight.
If they couldn't even face opponents at this level, then their entire year of training would've been meaningless.
"In that case," Raditz said casually while pointing at the confused Saibamen.
"One for each of you."
At this moment—
The six Saibamen looked completely bewildered.
Their massive heads rotated between Raditz, Vegeta, Nappa, and the Earthlings.
Their expressions practically screamed confusion.
Wasn't this the wrong script?
Why were Prince Vegeta and Lord Nappa beaten black and blue?
Why was Raditz acting like the boss?
And why weren't Vegeta and Nappa arguing back?
Weren't they supposed to obey them?
Also—
Wasn't Raditz's power level originally close to theirs?
So why was he speaking like this now?
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