Sensing something off nearby, King Cold narrowed his eyes and asked, "Levos, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Levos replied calmly, "This place often attracts powerful individuals. I'm just worried that Lord Frieza might be ambushed."
"Oh?" King Cold's gaze was razor-sharp as he stared intently at Levos's unfazed expression. His body tensed slightly, as if preparing for battle.
Just then, Frieza's cold voice echoed from a distance. "So, that one who exposed their ki has already fled."
Levos silently let out a breath of relief and began flying upward along Korin Tower.
Before long, he passed the tower's peak and reached where the Lookout was supposed to be.
But the floating structure that once stood there was now gone, vanished into thin air.
Even the Power Pole that connected the Lookout to Korin Tower had disappeared.
Could it be that after Dende became Guardian, he cast another cloaking spell on the Lookout?
Or did he relocate the entire structure somewhere else?
Either way, it meant that for now, the crisis had been avoided.
With that thought, a massive weight lifted from Levos's heart.
It was clear now. Facing off against King Cold in the future would require far more caution. That old monster wasn't just hard to fool, his strength far outclassed most warriors on Earth.
Levos and the others soon landed on the platform atop Korin Tower alongside Frieza.
Frieza smiled slyly and turned toward Levos. "Levos, you and Miss Bulma certainly looked cozy earlier."
Why does he always say things that sound so misleading? Levos couldn't quite grasp Frieza's meaning and wasn't sure how to respond.
Bulma quickly leapt out of Levos's arms and offered an explanation. "That energy blast earlier completely drained me. I couldn't keep up with your speed… Sorry about that."
But that wasn't right. Bulma's energy blast had merely gone out of control. It didn't drain her energy entirely.
Not to mention, as androids, both of them were technically running on infinite energy, even at maximum output.
Then it clicked. Bulma was pretending to be weak, playing the part to lull Frieza and King Cold into underestimating her.
Frieza seemed convinced, nodding in understanding as he let out a chuckle. "Ah, so that's what happened. Seems I jumped to conclusions. Oh ho ho ho…"
Bulma's ears turned slightly red at his teasing tone.
King Cold, meanwhile, was scanning the platform. He frowned and said, "There's nothing of value here."
"In that case, let's continue our search for the Dragon Balls," Frieza said coldly, already preparing to take off.
"Wait." Levos suddenly spoke up. "Lord Frieza, wouldn't it be more efficient to split up and search separately?"
He was looking for a way to slip away.
"Oh?" Frieza looked at him, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Then how about we split into two groups?"
Levos immediately sensed something was off.
That grin on Frieza's face? That was a trap.
The guy was like a cunning fox.
If Levos was right, Frieza's plan was to split him and Bulma up, pairing each of them with one of the Cold family members.
That was the last thing Levos wanted.
"Don't tell me… you want me and Bulma to team up separately with you two?" he asked directly.
"Oh ho ho ho! Levos, you're much sharper than my usual dimwitted subordinates!" Frieza narrowed his eyes and let out an obnoxiously smug laugh.
King Cold gave a satisfied nod. "Levos, you really are different from the rest of our army. No wonder Frieza values you so highly. Still, loyalty must be proven through action."
But Frieza cut in. "Father, leave matters of the army to me."
King Cold looked at his son fondly. "I've long since retired. Fifty years ago, I handed the Cold Force over to you. Of course, the decision is yours."
Frieza turned back toward Levos. "Since you two don't want to be separated, very well. The four of us will continue together."
Levos let out a sigh in his heart.
Being enemies with Lord Frieza was an absolute nightmare.
Frieza wasn't just a tyrant, he was a born emperor.
He was calculating, eccentric, cold-blooded, and deviously cunning.
It was exactly those traits that made him such a terrifying figure in galactic politics. His influence once spanned over half the universe, commanding hundreds of civilizations.
He had an eye for talent and was ruthlessly pragmatic.
He tolerated the flamboyant Ginyu Force, exploited the turncoat Vegeta, and even tried to recruit Goku on Namek with generous offers.
Frieza was a villain through and through, yet he possessed a strange charisma.
Terrifying, yes, but also strangely compelling. His subordinates were fiercely loyal, and his power was unshakable.
Unlike many one-dimensional villains, Frieza had goals, values, and a twisted sort of honor.
He didn't kill for fun.
The only time he truly tortured someone was when his long-time officer Tagoma betrayed him. Only then did he make an example of him.
Even when wiping out the rebellious Heeters, he showed decisive brutality but spared two members for future use.
Back on Namek, had Frieza not messed up the kill order, the Saiyan race might have gone extinct then and there, and a lot of hair dye wouldn't be flying off the shelves today.
Of course, Frieza wasn't above retreat. He backed down when facing Beerus, Vegito Blue, or the Galactic Bandit Moro.
In short, from Levos's perspective, Frieza was one tough nut to crack.
But Levos wouldn't bow down just because his enemy was strong. Even if the odds were slim, he would still look for a way to turn the tables.
He knew exactly how dangerous Frieza was, which is why every move had to be calculated.
He had already mastered Instant Transmission, but the startup time was too long.
If Frieza noticed anything unusual mid-activation, he could easily interrupt the technique.
Levos wasn't willing to risk it.
Even if he could escape now, it wouldn't change anything. Goku and the others were likely hiding their power levels, and with the World Martial Arts Tournament approaching, there was no way they'd run into each other early.
As for the Dragon Balls, if he couldn't get the one Frieza had, collecting the other six would be meaningless.
Worse, holding even one could get him detected by Frieza's radar, putting him in danger.
Levos glanced at Bulma and hesitated before saying, "Bulma, let's just team up with these two… for now."
Bulma looked at him with full trust in her eyes and nodded gently.
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