Meanwhile, the figure of a Saiyan named Burely had been deeply engraved into the young Vegeta's mind—
Super Saiyan. Super Saiyan. Super Saiyan!
If the legendary Super Saiyan truly existed, then this must be what they looked like!
Powerful!
Unshakable!
Speaking to gods as an equal!
Trampling everything underfoot without a care!
Vegeta couldn't help but recall the moment before entering that cave—when Burely had blasted him away in the palace hallway, then casually raised a finger to his lips in a silent command.
That demeanor... the sheer disregard for a Saiyan prince like himself...
Just how much strength must one possess to carry such arrogance?
Super Saiyan...
Super Saiyan...
I! WILL! BECOME! A! SUPER! SAIYAN!!!
Clenching his teeth against the humiliation, Vegeta roared the vow in his heart and marched forward with heavy steps.
---
Planet Vegeta
"...Kakarot is currently being transported to the single-pod launch center... Destination still unknown. Possible target planets: 113. Final selection likely randomized by control room personnel upon launch..."
Taro—still disguised as Burely—materialized silently in the skies above the royal city. His black hair, brown tail wrapped around his waist like a belt, and Freeza Force battle vest were all illusions woven by transformation magic.
This "elite warrior" identity was useful for getting close to Kakarot.
As he walked through the streets, he saw Saiyans everywhere—brutal, battle-hardened warriors who had recently returned to their homeworld from across the galaxy.
Conquerors. Butchers. Murderers.
Taro knew their fate was sealed, yet he felt no urge to interfere.
The universe would be cleaner without them.
In his senses, Freeza's energy crept closer to Planet Vegeta.
Suddenly, a dark-skinned Saiyan youth sprinted toward him—though "youth" was relative, given how long Saiyans maintained their prime. A scar marked his cheek, and a bloodstained red bandana wrapped around his forehead.
Bardock.
"Burely...?"
Bardock barely slowed as he passed, his pupils contracting in recognition.
Fragments of visions flashed before him—
A purple demon laughing maniacally amidst blood and fire.
Warriors in strange armor clashing with alien fighters.
A golden-haired warrior roaring in battle against that same purple monster.
"Why do I see these 'hallucinations' when I look at him?! That golden warrior's face... was that you, Kakarot?!"
"DAMN IT, FREEZA!"
Bardock had no time to spare. He needed to find King Vegeta—to warn them all before it was too late.
---
Taro watched Bardock vanish into the distance, then noticed a group of Saiyans closing in on him.
He hadn't appeared as Burely in months, so their sudden interest was... curious.
The lead warrior, grinning with bloodthirsty amusement, cracked his knuckles.
"Hey, Burely. Heard your power level's dropped to 100? Hah—that true?"
The surrounding Saiyans wore expressions of provocation, their bloodthirsty grins screaming for entertainment.
After all, even though Freeza had summoned them back, he hadn't given any orders or major missions. Boredom bred violence. And if this "Burely" really only had a measly power level of 100, then crushing him would be a fun way to pass the time.
Taro immediately understood—these were warriors who had just returned from off-world.
"Beep beep beep."
A scout's visor flickered.
"Power level... 100? Hah! It really is 100!"
"Not a digit more, not a digit less! Burely, even your power drop is precise, huh?"
Too precise.
Just as the lead Saiyan's instincts prickled with unease, Taro kept walking toward them—unfazed.
And with each step, an invisible force rippled outward, parting the crowd of Saiyans like water.
"Tch. Still acting tough?"
"I'll kill you!"
"You're dead!"
A few hotheaded warriors—already looking like cannon fodder—stumbled, blaming each other for the shove. Snarling, they ignited their ki—crimson, emerald, and azure flames flaring in their palms—before lunging at Taro.
Then—
A white silhouette peeled away from Taro's body.
He closed his eyes.
When they reopened—
The long-absent Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan swirled in his gaze.
"Jarvis. Where's the child now?"
The attacking Saiyans didn't even have time to react.
The white figure split again, mirroring their numbers—
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
In a single exchange, the warriors were pinned underfoot by alabaster statues—their forms carved like polished jade.
"Y-You...! Br... Burely—?"
One tried to speak, but—
CRUNCH.
The statues stomped down in unison, their timing so perfect that the sounds of skulls bursting merged into one.
"...Pod launch initiated 30 seconds ago at the combat deployment center," Jarvis replied in Taro's ear.
"Location? Architecture? General direction?"
Even with Heinel's black-tech earpiece, interstellar distances made precise tracking impossible. At best, they had comms.
"Launch center coordinates: G762, T890 per Planet Vegeta's database. Your current position cannot be triangulated from signal origin. Structure is a 32-story tower. Scanning for visual reference..."