The Saiyans didn't arrive quietly.
They never do.
The sky cracked open with twin streaks of fire, the air screaming as two pods tore through the atmosphere and slammed into the city. The shockwave rippled outward for miles, flattening buildings, shattering windows, and turning roads into jagged scars.
I felt it even from a distance.
A deep, bone-rattling thrum that crawled up my legs and settled in my chest.
"They're here," Tien said grimly.
We all knew it already.
Before any of us could move, the city beneath the landing site ceased to exist.
Nappa raised his hand lazily, as if swatting a fly. Energy gathered, bright and violent, and then...
Boom.
The city vanished in a single, monstrous explosion. Buildings folded in on themselves. Fire consumed everything. Smoke rolled into the sky like a mushroom cloud announcing that told everyone clearly where they are.
Nappa laughed.
Vegeta didn't.
He stood with arms crossed, expression cold and bored out of his mind.
"So," Vegeta said, tapping his scouter, "so small planet is Earth."
I swallowed.
It's now or never i guess.
Vegeta's scouter beeped rapidly as it scanned the planet, numbers flashing too fast for me to read.
"Hmph," he muttered. "There's a power level nearby. Stronger than the rest."
Vegeta smirked. "That must be the one who killed Raditz."
Nappa grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Let's pay him a visit."
They took off like missiles, ripping through the sky.
And we followed where they were heading.
Piccolo felt them coming long before we arrived. I could tell by the way his posture stiffened, by how Gohan clutched his cape with shaking hands.
Then we arrived too.
Krillin landed first, followed by Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu.
And then there was i.
Ben.
Standing among legends with a heart pounding so hard I thought it might punch its way out of my chest.
The Saiyans touched down across from us, dust billowing around their boots.
Vegeta's scouter beeped again as it swept over the group.
"…interesting," he said. "Several fighters. One child. One Namekian."
His gaze locked onto Piccolo.
"You," he said. "You killed Raditz."
Piccolo didn't deny it.
Krillin stepped forward. "What do you want?"
Vegeta smiled.
"The Dragon Balls," he said. "We're here for for our immortality."
Immortality my ass, i would show them what i think of their stupid immortality.
This is the part where, in stories, someone gives a speech.
This is the part where heroes argue, where power levels get measured, where tension builds.
I didn't care to let that happen.
I stepped forward before anyone could stop me.
Krillin's head snapped toward me. "Ben..?"
I didn't answer.
I inhaled deeply.
And screamed:
"SOLAR FLARE!"
The world turned white.
Light erupted from me like a miniature sun, blinding and absolute. Nappa roared in surprise, clutching his face. Vegeta snarled as his scouter sparked violently and shattered.
"DAMN IT, YOU LITTLE PEST..!"
I moved.
Energy surged through me, refined through two years of brutal training, discipline, and sheer desperation.
Two spinning discs formed in my hands.
Perfect.
Deadly.
"DESTRUCTO DISC!"
I hurled them.
The first disc hit Nappa.
Clean.
Silent.
Effortless.
One moment he was laughing.
The next, his body separated cleanly in half.
The top portion slid away, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
The battlefield went dead silent.
Krillin's mouth fell open.
Tien froze.
Even Piccolo stared.
Vegeta barely escaped.
He leapt backward at the last second, but not fast enough.
The second disc clipped him.
There was a sharp slice.
Part of his tail fell to the ground.
Vegeta landed, staring at it.
At Nappa.
At me.
And in that moment, i noticed his eyes go blood-shot.
I realized exactly how badly I had miscalculated.
Vegeta didn't scream.
He didn't rage.
He smiled.
Slow.
Controlled.
Terrifying.
"Well," he said softly. "That was clever."
Every instinct I had screamed run.
I didn't even get to turn.
He vanished.
Not moved.
Vanished.
And suddenly his hand was on my face.
Fingers digging in, grip absolute, lifting me effortlessly off the ground.
"Do you have any idea," Vegeta said calmly, "what you've just done?"
I tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
"You killed my subordinate," he continued. "And you DARE TO HURT ME, VEGETA, PRINCE OF ALL SAIYENS."
The others shouted.
Krillin surged forward.
Piccolo fired a blast.
Vegeta ignored everything.
His free hand lit up, energy gathering in his palm, hot, bright, final.
For one absurd second, I thought:
At least I got Nappa.
Vegeta pressed his glowing palm forward.
And the world went white.
I am a dead man....again....
There was no pain.
Just warmth.
And then...
Nothing.
Ben power level: 1,880