Everybody backed up. Vegeta's men could not believe what they had just heard. The king took two steps forward towards Bardock. Zorn appeared in between the two, shoving Vegeta away.

"What the hell are you doing, Zorn?" Vegeta asked all-too-calmly.

"As much as I hate you, it is the duty of my bloodline to serve the King. The elders will have my head if I let you die, Vegeta."

"You boast about your strength constantly, Zorn, but you are weak. You may be strong physically, but mentally, you leave so much to be desired. You're unfit to be in a position of power and I will see to it that you are removed."

Zorn shoved Vegeta again, but this time with the intention to start a fight rather than stop one.
"Fine, get yourself killed."
Zorn walked away, stopping with his back to the guards. They knew to stay back.

Vegeta watched him go. "I see now where your loyalties lie. I always had my suspicions, Zorn. You're too strong and too stubborn to be pushed to the side. You shall be dealt with accordingly when this is all said and done." He then turned to face his challenger.

Bardock could practically feel the venom in the King's voice. And the hatred in his eyes was palpable.

"You should have been killed a long time ago, Third Class."

Bardock was going to kill the king, one way or another. Vegeta had sealed his fate.

They began circling each other at that. Now was not the time for words.

The king had a stoic expression on his face. His hair was brown and spiky. Bardock wanted to scalp him with a rusty blade, but that was not the way of his people. Nobody had ever heard of a Saiyan who wielded a weapon.

They continued to circle each other. Finally, the king rushed through the air, fist extended. Bardock stood still and let him pass right through his after image.

Vegeta didn't even have time to react. The bottom of Bardock's boot connected with his spine and crushed him into the floor. The guards in the room were in shock, save for Zorn.

"What was that?"

The king was shocked too. Bardock kicked him in the face, sending Vegeta through a pillar before firing a blue Ki blast at his king.

"How are you so strong?" Vegeta muttered through grit teeth.

Bardock laughed as Vegeta slowly got up. "You idiot! I've been fighting on the front lines for years, purging planets and getting my hands dirty while you've been sitting on your ass. I've tripled in power where you have dwindled. Why do you think the people respect me so much? I'm the strongest Saiyan alive and everyone knows it! Even Frieza! He wants our entire race dead because he fears my power!"

Bardock laughed as Vegeta slowly got up. "You idiot! I've been fighting on the front lines for years, purging planets and getting my hands dirty while you've been sitting on your ass. Why do you think people respect me so much? Why do you think Frieza's been getting so twitchy about us pesky Saiyans? He wants our entire race dead because he fears my power – I'm the strongest Saiyan alive!"

Vegeta was flustered and didn't know what to say. Perfect.

Bardock hit him through the stain glass windows and turned to the guards who were flabbergasted with a malicious grin. He began to float, but before he could leave he met Zorn's eyes. The long haired Saiyan was smiling maniacally. Bardock thought he should say something. Zorn didn't know him personally, but everyone knew of him.
"Get the army ready, Zorn. Once I've dealt with Vegeta, Frieza's next."

Vegeta woke up on the outskirts of the capital. Bardock had improved! He was clearly way stronger but he couldn't lose hope. Vegeta could not afford to play about. The king managed to stand up.

"What's up, bitch?"

Bardock appeared and grabbed Vegeta by the hair. He pulled him to his feet and delivered a jarring punch.

"You bastard." Vegeta rushed Bardock, who coolly moved to the side, avoiding damage.

"Nearly had me!" Bardock mocked as he began punching Vegeta around.

Zorn and his squad of guards landed and were met with a supersonic spectacle. Bardock was hitting Vegeta so fast that none of them could keep track of his movements.

Every now and then, Bardock would deal a grand blow on Vegeta and they would be able to catch a glimpse of the aftermath.

"How fast is Bardock?" One of the younger guards asked, watching the Saiyan with a headband kick his king about in disbelief.

"His speed is phenomenal. That's for sure," Zorn pointed out to his men. "But he's like me, too cocky for his own good."

The beat down came to a halt. "Give up yet Vegeta?"

Vegeta spat some blood on the ground nonchalantly, "Not a chance in hell, Bardock."

"I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with that skinny freak you call a son, after all," said Bardock.

Vegeta growled at the reference to his youngest, Tarble the weakling. A low blow. "Tarble might have brought shame upon the royal line, but your sons are the weakest Saiyans in history – including half breeds."

Bardock grit his teeth and decided he was was going to murder this clown. Raditz's power level of 3 had set a record low for newborn Saiyans. A record only broken by his next child, who trumped his brother's weakness with a pathetic 2. It was the worst kind of humiliation for a Saiyan like Bardock who had gotten so far by planting his feet and rolling up his elbows, only to be put back in place by his genetics.

The temporary ceasefire abated. The two resumed trading blows at speeds the spectators could not comprehend, stray blows tearing into the harsh landscape. Zorn was the only one in the crowd who could keep up and actually gauge who was in the lead.

A guard whispered something to Zorn, who nodded. While never taking his eyes off the fight, he backhanded the man's cheek. "A soldier should only speak when spoken to unless it is urgent. I will not tolerate such insubordination."

The fight was reaching a new level. The two were fighting in a league beyond anything previously seen on the planet. At this point, it was dead even.

Bardock saw an opening, so he hit Vegeta in the stomach and followed through with a big haymaker. Vegeta was sent back, but soon retaliated with his own massive punch.

Another standstill.

"Touché," said the king.

Punches and kicks began. The two Saiyans were traded blows yet again but with similar results. Every punch was blocked; no one got a clean hit on the other.

Bardock began all-out attack, pushing Vegeta back. The King of all Saiyans was using his arms to block but Bardock was committed to winning and his passion reflected that. Big black welts were appearing all over Vegeta's forearms. Bardock blasted Vegeta. Now they were in the air again. Bardock roughly shoved the king and they both rushed forward.

"Man this is so intense!" exclaimed a young guard.

"You're telling me! I wanna hurt someone so bad!" said another.

"Both of you, shut it!" said Zorn, who was focused on the fight. Being witness to something this special was not an opportunity he was sure he would have again.

The battle continued and without stoppage. Bardock began with a straight right and then followed up with a left hook, swinging his whole body. As it went past, Bardock's left elbow nicked Vegeta's cheek and cut it open. Bardock continued swinging round and as he came full circle, extended his arm. His spinning backfist was a direct hit, Vegeta's nose bled graciously but it did little to deter him.

Without missing a beat, Vegeta unleashed a low sweep kick in an attempt to trip the low class. Bardock grunted and blocked it with his shin. Red hot energy lashed at Bardock, followed by a kick that sent him sprawling. Bardock shot a blast but Vegeta defended, holding a "whip" of energy.

"So, that's what just burnt me. Kinky." Zorn's men laughed at the joke. If the king was embarrassed, he barely showed it. He was aggregated though. He rushed Bardock, energy whip in hand.

Back with the Royal guards, things were getting heated. Zorn couldn't help but overhear the various whisperings of mixed opinion.

One guard punched another. The two began fighting and no one intervened. Zorn didn't even turn to look at them. Currently, Bardock was dodging every hit and not retaliating. To everyone else, Bardock just couldn't find an opening, but Zorn could see what he was doing.

'He's showboating. He wants Vegeta to see just how outclassed he is.'

By now, the infighting between the guards was getting out of hand. The violent atmosphere was causing adrenaline to flood their bodies.

One guard was about to die and more Saiyans were getting involved. Evidently, the fight was triggering their primal instincts. Zorn scowled at the lack of discipline.

'Savages.'

In two seconds, all four offender's were knocked down. Zorn dusted himself off and resumed watching. One guard got up and swore at Zorn.

Zorn turned and glared daggers. Moving faster than the guard could see. he thrust his open palm through the man's chest. Without freeing his hand, he shot a blast at the other three, who were about to attack him. After the ensuing cloud of dust cleared up, there was no sign of the three who were hit by the blast.

"What the hell is wrong with you idiots today?" His voice boomed as he dusted his hands off. He turned to address the rest of the guards. "Anyone else wish to die?"

One new guy, who was a big, stupid buffoon raised his hands with a grin. He seemed to think he could take Zorn. Zorn zoomed forward and kicked the elbow of the raised hand, breaking it inwards. The man had a compound fracture, but Zorn didn't let up. He kneed the fool's open torso, and when the big oaf bent over in pain, he grabbed him in a headlock and slammed him hard into the ground.

The Saiyan was seriously injured, but to Zorn he was little else than a dead man walking. The man slowly got to his feet, and Zorn lashed out with a front kick. The guard was sent backwards, trying desperately to stay standing, but Zorn swept his legs out from beneath him and the man began to fall again. Zorn used his momentum to roll and unleashed a heel spin kick to the bridge of the Saiyan's nose. He would drown in his own blood in a matter of minutes.

Zorn still wasn't done.

"Indigo Aura!"

Zorn's entire body was engulfed with dark green energy. Every part of him brimmed with Ki.

Zorn phased behind him and kicked his legs so hard that they were cut in half thanks to the Indigo Aura.

Zorn walked to the dying man and grabbed him by the chest armour. "Any last words?"

The man's hand was disintegrating thanks to Indigo Aura.

"Please..." The man croaked, Zorn laughed.

"This is an embarrassing day for the elites."

Zorn threw him into the sky.

"VERDE CANNON!"

Zorn charged a green ball with both hands. Instead of releasing it, he let it fill with Ki until it imploded and then directed the wild energy towards the man in a beam.

"DIE!"

Planet Vegeta began to shake violently. Dust erupted everywhere in the wasteland.

The dust cleared. Zorn landed panting heavily.

"Maybe... I got caught... in the moment... Just a little."

The other guards were suddenly preoccupied with the desert floor and admiring the various grains of sand which filled it out. Not one dared to look in the direction of Zorn, never mind do anything to catch his eye. The unnecessary beating spoke for itself. The bastard was crazy.

'What the hell is going on today? The King's Guard are known for their discipline and strength, and yet they're acting like this. Is their loyalty to Vegeta affecting them right now or have I failed as commander?' he thought.

A huge wave of Saiyans were flying in their direction. Zorn recognised that he needed to sort the civilians out before they could disrupt the fight. "Men, do not, under any circumstances, let anyone interfere. Understood?"

The royal guards formed a line of defence between the battle and the arriving Saiyans.

The whole group landed. Zorn couldn't hide his annoyance at their presence. They were so loud.

"What's going on?"

"What's that over there?"

"Is that... Is that Bardock?"

"Oh my God! Is that the King!"

"They're fighting!"

"Laurie! Didn't I tell you? Didn't I say last week that Bardock and the the king would-"

"Damn it! I owe Marcellus forty thousand-"

"What's going on? Why would they just-"

"Zorn! How can you allow this to-"

"Were they the cause of that massive tremor? Do you think that Bard-"

Zorn's temper was wearing thin. His men were acting uncharacteristically juvenile, the king was still alive, and now this.

"All of you! Shut up now or heads will start rolling!" he yelled.

The bustling crowd shut up. They knew that Zorn wasn't the kind of man to make idle threats.

"I know you all have questions, but you'll just have to wait. All you need to know is that Vegeta and Bardock are duking it out for the throne. Now, no more bullshit. Just watch."

He then smiled charmingly. "Any dumbass' wanna test me? Or can we watch the fight uninterrupted?"

"Yeah I do!" One 'funny guy' in the crowd said. Zorn sighed and killed the guy with a chop to the neck. He landed next to his favourite underling. "They never learn… they never learn!" Zorn cried theatrically into the man's shoulder. Amu patted him on the back.

"Zorn is frighteningly bipolar," one guard whispered to another.

The other nodded hurriedly. "You're tellin' me! He's so serious and formal, but so goofy. Last week he.."

Bardock was still dodging all of Vegeta's attacks. Before he had been doing it to mess with the king, but now he was really in trouble. He was still just about evading every hit, but he knew that wouldn't last.

Vegeta had him cornered up against a large rock. There was no easy way out. The king began to charge Ki in his hands.

"FINISH BREAKER!"

Bardock's eyes widened. Dozens of orange balls of Ki swarmed towards Bardock, each making its mark. Hit after hit. Finally the barrage stopped and Bardock was left panting hard, his armour slightly cracked and scorched.

Vegeta gave him no room to breathe. A flurry of punches and kicks rained upon Bardock from every angle. Overwhelmed by the onslaught, the lower-class Saiyan was unable to even block as Vegeta capitalised on the opportunity. An uppercut sent Bardock sprawling towards the high heavens. Vegeta flew after him with a fist extended.

'Bardock will die on this day, and my reign will continue.'

Thousands of miles above, Bardock stopped his involuntary flight through the sky. He was starting to feel the effects of battle; maybe Vegeta was tougher than he first thought. Bardock needed to end the fight. He had to become the new king.

As if he could read Bardock's thoughts, Vegeta came in quickly and Bardock only managed to dodge the outstretched hand of the royal Saiyan by the skin of his teeth. He grabbed the king's hand and slammed his bent elbow into Vegeta's face twice to devastating effect. Bardock grabbed his arm and began spinning fast.

"NOO!"

Bardock let go and threw the elder Saiyan far away. As the regal Saiyan sailed through the air, Bardock launched forward and just as King Vegeta was slowing down, he head-butted him in the sternum. Somehow, Vegeta was still standing.
"ITS OVER!"

The father of Raditz disappeared from sight and reappeared behind the King.

"What? Where'd he- AH!"

Bardock slapped Vegeta's cheek and thrust his open palm into the back of the elder man's head. Vegeta skidded across the land painfully. On the other hand, Bardock touched down gently onto the sandy wasteland floor.

Bardock smiled at the long, gleeful. He was winning this fight, albeit not the way he expected, but it was still a steady lead. Vegeta leaned against a big rock, huffing and panting. Bardock knew he outclassed him by leagues. He had this one in the bag.