Disclaimer: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super, and all the characters are owned by ToeiAnimation, FujiTv, and Akira Toriyama.

Under the vast blue sky, a Saiyan warrior got cornered by Earth's greatest martial artists and rivals. He held an advantage during the entire battle but squandered it because he was too arrogant. Cold sweat trailed down his face while his dark eyes locked on an unconscious boy for a mere second. He never would have guessed a half-Saiyan spawn could generate such power. But the child wasn't the only one who continued to surprise him.

His quivering pupils shifted onto the green man who matched his height, standing not so far from him. The pointy-eared fighter showcased an admiring tenacity, even when losing an arm. Most importantly, the ki attack he was charging once again was excellent. If he didn't do something fast, that attack would drill through him and not even the most advanced healing chamber could heal him.

The Saiyan clenched his teeth as the panic and fear took over. He let out a frightened scream and began to thrash around. However, no matter how much he tried, the warrior from outer space couldn't break free. He cursed loudly at the person holding tightly onto him from behind. If he didn't sustain such devastating damage from the halfbreed boy, he would have easily knocked out the man holding him.

"K-Kakarot! Let go of me or we will both die... I'm giving you my word! I will leave this wretched rock and you will never see me again! I promise!"

He side-eyed the man preventing him from running to safety, and hoped the younger fighter would let go. But that wasn't the case. Instead, he felt the grip getting stronger as the man shouted at him.

"I'm not falling for your lies anymore! I gave you many chances, and you proved you can't be trusted! I-I... I don't care if you're my brother, I can't let you go!"

Upon hearing such a statement, the Saiyan knew there was no way out of this with words. "Brother..." He never thought the reunion with his younger sibling would turn like this. It angered and frustrated him how much his brother cared for the Earthlings and the planet. He had never encountered a Saiyan with such emotions or conviction.

"Piccolo! Hurry! I-I can't hold him much longer!"

Son Goku's desperate cry rang across the blooming meadow and reached Piccolo's ears. The reincarnation of the Demon King Piccolo focused a large amount of energy into this, final attack. Throbbing veins surfaced across his head and arm while he glared at the Saiyans. A smirk appeared on his bruised face as he slightly lowered his hand.

"Quite noble of you, Son Goku! But I won't lie, this is exactly how I hoped this would end!"

"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

A spiraling energy wave traveled with high speed toward the men. The light emitting from the attack illuminated the brothers as it closed the distance. The dreadful feeling of cold death was cast over the Saiyan. His entire life flashed before his eyes, even memories of early childhood he thought he had forgotten. His demise was imminent, but the desire to live prevailed. He coped with the pain and leaned forward. The warrior pulled ahead with all his might and caused the exhausted and severely wounded Son Goku to relinquish the hold for a split second.

Upon breaking free, the Saiyan jumped to safety, but the attack managed to graze him. Unfortunately, Earth's champion wasn't that lucky. Piccolo's deadliest technique drilled through Son Goku's abdomen and left a gaping hole. The martial artist fell on the soft grass and twitched while he coughed lots of blood.

At the same time, the long-haired Saiyan gazed at Piccolo with a vicious glare. The warrior closed both fists and ignored the pain. He lunged at Piccolo and struck the martial artist with a punch. While the man stumbled backward, the Saiyan took hold of Piccolo's hand and pulled him closer so he could knee him in the gut. He released the hold after the successful strike and slammed Piccolo against the ground with another punch.

"You will pay for everything, you bastard! I will..."

The Saiyan's speech was interrupted by an unexpected strike. Piccolo extended his arm and uppercut the man. While the warrior was disoriented, Piccolo got up on his feet and punched the Saiyan once again. Son Goku's rival snarled as he unleashed a flurry of blows upon the enemy. Sweat blew off his face as he felt the fatigue and the muscles burning. Unable to continue doing this, Piccolo went in with a final strike. He ducked under the Saiyan's counter and pierced through the armor and flesh with enough force behind the strike.

Blood poured out of the wound and dripped on the grass while the Saiyan remained still. A sharp pain surged through his exhausted body while darkness slowly started to consume his vision. And yet, the warrior still had enough strength to curl his fingers around Piccolo's wrist. He raised a tightly closed hand and punched the man.

"E-Enough! I won't let be humiliated any longer!"

He jumped on Piccolo with a kick to the head. While the reincarnation of the Demon King rolled across the ground, the Saiyan held onto his wound. He dropped to his knee and breathed strenuously as blood and sweat dripped on the grass. His weary eyes were barely open while he stared at the puddle.

"This wound won't heal without proper medical care... I-I probably wouldn't even survive the trip to the nearest station... Although, I have no means of travel because my ship is in ruins..."

The Saiyan halted talking as he had to cough. Very slowly and carefully, he got up and gazed at the crater where his destroyed ship was located. He was confident the earthlings didn't have the resources to build a new space pod. Frustrated by the whole situation, the warrior growled. His eyes drifted to the unconcious child lying near the hole.

"K-Kakarot's freakish spawn is too powerful... If I don't kill him, he might come after me out of revenge... As for brother, he should bleed out at any mo..."

Upon gazing at his younger brother, his eyes softened. An unfamiliar sensation arose within his gut as he watched the younger man still clinging to life. Unaware, he raised his hand as if he wanted to reach out, but he ceased such action when a sudden warning appeared on the scouter. Just as he turned around, a blast struck the long-haired warrior. It wasn't strong, but the injuries were too much. The Saiyan dropped to the ground and found himself unable to stand up.

"H-How are you still standing? Y-You..."

Piccolo's eyes were barely open while his arm trembled. The martial artist hoped this was it because he feared even the slightest of winds would knock him down. With some struggle, Piccolo dragged his body across the meadow so he could keep a close eye on the Saiyan.

"A-And you're still alive after that, Saiyan? You're a tough man to kill, just like your brother... But unlike you, who will spend eternity in the confines of hell, Son Goku will come back to life."

Confusion was quite evident in the Saiyan's eyes, which caused Piccolo to release a chuckle. The martial artist decided to let the ruthless invader live for a few more minutes, so he could tell him how his efforts would amount to nothing. In Piccolo's mind, it was a perfect send-off. However, before the man began to speak, a yellow vehicle appeared above their heads.

"There they are, Bulma! Piccolo's the only one standing... Oh, no! Goku!"

Before Bulma could land the vehicle, the short martial artist rushed out and flew to Son Goku. The bald student of the famous Turtle School stood near his best friend with tears rolling down his face. He dropped to his knees and gently held the man's hand.

"Goku... Are you still here, buddy? It's me, Krillin."

While the Earthlings surrounded their friend, Piccolo shifted his focus back on the Saiyan, who had trouble staying conscious. The man smirked and approached the warrior to get a better view of his suffering.

"To continue what I wanted to say... Your brother's friends will find the dragon balls and use them to summon a mystical dragon capable of granting any wish, even bringing someone back to life."

The Saiyan couldn't believe it. For a moment, he thought the man was toying with him, but the martial artist spoke the truth. He stared at Piccolo with his mouth wide open as thoughts raced through his mind. All he did today was for nothing. However, there was still a glimmer of hope. He forced a little smirk to form as he tilted his head forward.

"Y-You fool... Everything you said was overheard by my partners, who are stronger than me and will travel to Earth. You will regret opening your big mouth! T-They will come, conquer this puny world, and use the wish to bring me back to life!"

Piccolo's expression changed drastically while the Saiyan chuckled weakly. The mere thought of fighting two more Saiyans stronger than Son Goku's brother sent shivers down the man's spine. Sweat slid down his jawline as fear crept into his being. Irritated by such a notion and that the ordeal wasn't done yet, Piccolo snarled and lunged at the Saiyan.

"Bastard! I had enough of you and your schemes!"

The reincarnation of the Demon King grabbed the Saiyan by the armor and pulled him closer. He clenched his sharp teeth and glared at the warrior with intense ferocity. The man raised his hand, ready to end the Saiyan's life, when a raspy voice came out of the scouter.

"It would be a terrible waste to use such power on a low-level weakling such as you. You couldn't even beat a couple of weaklings, pathetic. I do not need a worthless Saiyan such as you."

Everyone could hear what came through the device. The Saiyan remained frozen on the ground, unable to believe what he just heard. After the initial shock faded, his face twisted into a scowl. An immense amount of anger began to brew and rise from within him.

"After everything I did for you guys, you're not going to help me!? You're going to abandon me!?"

Seconds went by, but there was no response. The long-haired warrior bit the lower lip so much it began to bleed. He quivered with fury and hate while images of his partners flashed before him. The Saiyan growled and slammed his fist against the ground.

"Piccolo. I think killing this man would be a bad idea. Instead, we should try to cooperate and learn everything we can about the other Saiyans. If they are truly stronger than him, then we need all the advantage we can get."

The tall man turned his attention to the old hermit and glared. He snarled at the bald martial arts master as he approached the older male. The last thing he wanted was to ally with the Saiyan. He put his sharp nails near the hermit's face as he shouted at him. However, a part of him knew the human was correct. He pulled his hand back but kept glaring at the bearded man.

"Fine! But don't expect me to babysit or come to save you once he heals his wounds! He's your responsibility!"

Seeing Piccolo back down, allowed the old master to let out a sigh of relief. The tiniest of smiles surfaced on the hermit's wrinkled face as he stared at Piccolo, who grumbled something under his breath as he turned away.

"A little compassion comes a long way, Piccolo. Goku spared you once, and now you fought together to save the world. Who's to say the same won't happen again."

Upon hearing that, Piccolo wanted to kill the old man but halted in doing so when his ears picked up a weak moaning. He and the others shifted their attention to Son Goku, who was still alive. However, the martial artist could feel the man's life was coming to an end.

"P-Piccolo... I-I don't trust him just as much as you... But Master Roshi's right... he's wise and knows about these things a lot..."

Son Goku paused for a moment as the pain was too much to bear. He could feel the darkness and the cold embracing him. For the first time in his life, he was truly afraid of the unknown. He shut his eyes and held tightly onto Krillin, who shed so many tears.

"A-And even after everything... I-I still... didn't want... to kill him... b-because I wanted... t-to fight him... again..."

Son Goku managed to form a little smile before he passed away. Even though they would gather the dragon balls, Krillin and Bulma couldn't help themselves and shed tears. Meanwhile, the Saiyan could only stare and witness how much these earthlings cared about his brother. His weary eyes drifted to his brother, who in the end died with a smile. The Saiyan remained frozen until something broke within his core. A strange sensation washed over him as he continued to stare at the unmoving man. He swallowed hard while his dark spheres quivered. Emotions he locked away a long time ago broke free and tore him apart.

"K-Kakarot... Y-You didn't want to kill me even after everything!?"

Overwhelmed by the betrayal, his brother's demise, and Kakarot's last words, Raditz couldn't hold back any longer and wanted to stand up and shout. However, the injuries were too grave and the warrior finally lost the fight and consciousness.

While the Saiyan lay sprawled unconcious on the ground, Piccolo turned his attention elsewhere. He pointed his index finger at the boy and used telekinetic powers to pull the child towards him. The martial artist held the hybrid with his only hand and finally spoke.

"I'm taking the brat. He showed incredible potential and we will need him against the Saiyans. If any of you objects, feel free to say your piece now."

Naturally, no one could say anything to Piccolo. Their strength paled compared to his and the man was too scary. Before anyone could say something, Son Goku's body suddenly began to fade, thus shocking the humans. The only one who knew what was going on was Piccolo.

"Don't fret! This is Kami's doing. The old man must have some plan for the upcoming battle... You should focus on him and take care of his injuries."

With barely any energy left, Piccolo flew into the sky and left the humans to deal with the Saiyan. How they would contain and reason with the warrior he didn't know or care. The only thing on his mind was to train and make a warrior out of Son Gohan before the Saiyans arrived.

x

At that same time, on a planet far away from Earth, the two Saiyans sat idly by the corpses. The short, flame-haired warrior bit the hand of a creature and munched on it while his colossal partner sat behind. The bald giant seemed troubled by something and couldn't hold it inside of him any longer.

"Are you sure about letting Raditz rot in hell? There are only two of us left, Vegeta... If those dragon balls are truly that powerful, shouldn't we restore the Saiyan empire?"

The flame-haired warrior scoffed while he threw the remains on the ground. After he wiped his mouth, the short male stood up and stepped forward. While he crossed his arms, he tied his tail safely around the waist.

"Is that a joke, Nappa? We're better off without him or anyone weaker than us. It would be a waste to use such powerful tools on weaklings such as Raditz or others who couldn't even save themselves from a meteor."

He marched through the thick jungle and walked over the pile of corpses without a single remorse. The only thing on the man's mind was to get to the space pods and immediately head to Earth. The wish-granting orbs were something he needed to get his hands on before someone else could find them.

"Instead of wishing for those weaklings, how about this... We never grow any older, and gain eternal life! Imagine Nappa, an eternity of combat, where we will reign supreme!"

The bald Saiyan stroked his mustache while he walked slightly behind Vegeta. He liked the idea of fighting for eternity and not growing a day older. It was a dream come true for any true Saiyan warrior. However, a part of him didn't like how dismissive Vegeta was about other Saiyans. Even if they were weaker and if they made fun of them, they were still Saiyans. The older warrior snapped out of his thoughts as Vegeta continued to speak.

"There's one thing bothering me... The power of Kakarot's son is too high for a Saiyan child. It would appear that mixing Saiyan and Earthling blood produces a powerful hybrid."

They reached the landing site and each ventured to their pods. Once inside, the round objects began to radiate a glowing light and slowly floated in the air. A few seconds later, the pods blasted high into the sky and left the small world behind.

"So, do you want to integrate the brat into our squad now that Raditz's gone? Or do you think we should spawn a flock of them and build a new Saiyan empire?"

Nappa's voice reached Vegeta through the scouter while the pods flew with high speed through the dark void. The flame-haired Saiyan took his time to answer. The mere thought of mixing his blood with some Earthling disgusted him. However, taking Kakarot's son would require some consideration.

"We'll see when we get there... We're going to eradicate all life on Earth bar Kakarot's brat and the man who revealed the information to Raditz!"

x

Year 734

Under a violet sky, a person ran as fast as possible. The lizard-like creature cried out and continued to weep while he ran. His big, round eyes were filled with terror. He turned his head, to see if something was after him but the man couldn't see. The clumsy individual hit a branch and fell on his back. He moaned out of pain and slowly got up. Suddenly, a noise caught his attention. He frantically looked around, but there was nothing. Fear froze him and he couldn't move at all. The only thing he could do was beg for mercy.

"P-P-Please, let me be! You killed everyone dear to me already... Please, spare my life at least!"

Only a weak wind and the sound of rustling leaves. He looked around again and thought maybe he was imagining. Just as he stepped to the side, something attacked him from above. A small figure jumped from the tree and bit the man by the throat. Blood gushed out while the male screamed. A punch to the jaw caused the man to shut up and fall.

"G-Guuhuuhh! N-N-N... N-N-No... M-Mon...st.. er..."

Small fingers curled around the man's ankle and dragged the body somewhere. The figure walked through the woods until it reached a clear spot without any trees. The moon's bright light shined upon the skinny child with wild, long hair. A lone strand of hair hovered above his dirty temple while he gazed at the young moon. The boy grumbled and walked toward the nearby cave.

Once inside, the dirty and bruised boy dropped the body and sat on the nearby rock. He took hold of a leg and violently tore it from the body. The child dug his teeth into the flesh and began eating it. While he ate the gristly meat, the child stared at one spot. He was confused, scared, angry, frustrated, but most of all, lost. His expression changed from a scowl to sadness and worry. The long-haired child silently whimpered as it ate the meat, all alone in this devastated world.

Present

A constant beeping noise woke up the wounded warrior from his long slumber. A few drops of sweat rolled down his temple as he reminisced about the dream. He placed a hand over his face and tried his best to forget about that period of his life. His dark orbs drifted to the side and noticed he was in an unknown place. He was lying in bed surrounded by medical equipment. It was so outdated that it almost made him laugh. However, the man finally realized he survived while he stared at his hand.

"I'm still alive... I guess Kakarot's friends were serious about letting me live."

The Saiyan were conflicted about that. He didn't want to be used by the pitiful Earthlings. Just being anywhere near them caused his blood to boil. It was because of them that his brother ended up corrupted. An angry scowl surfaced on his face while he let out a low growl. However, his anger quickly died out once Son Goku's face flashed before his eyes.

"Brother..."

He lowered his head and let the conflicted emotion take hold of him. But it didn't last long. He shook his head and got off the bed. The warrior moaned as the wounds still needed time to heal. However, he didn't care. He wanted to run and be as far away from any human as possible. The man reached the door and it was unlocked. The door slid open and he was free to leave. He stepped out of the room and was blinded by a bright light. Once his eyes adjusted, he couldn't believe what was before him.

"What the hell? Ocean? This means I'm stuck on a freaking island!?"

An annoyed growl emitted from the warrior as he glared at the waves splashing against the shore. He was too weak to fly across the ocean. His tail lashed behind him while he kicked a little pebble. Suddenly, his ears twitched upon picking up a faint noise. He immediately turned around and saw Son Goku's friends.

"Raditz, was it? You shouldn't be out of bed just yet. Those kinds of wounds will need time to heal. How about you go back to bed and I'll bring you some food? I bet you eat as much as Goku does."

The Saiyan's frown vanished for a moment. He recognized the old man and the bald guy. The urge to kill them was strong, but even he knew when to give up. However, hearing his brother's Earth-given name didn't sit well with him.

"Goku"? You mean Kakarot... I see. So you guys are truly going with it. You think just because I failed and that the other Saiyans are coming I will lower myself and team up with you? Don't make me laugh! My mission is clear! I will take Kakarot and his spawn with me and go somewhere where others won't find us! So, where is he!?"

The moment he stepped forward, the earthling instantly shifted into battle mode. He smirked but it was a ruse. The last thing he wanted was to fight a couple of earthlings in his weakened state. He hoped they would get scared, but the opposite happened.

"How dare you!? Goku died because of you, and you still have the nerve to spout such nonsense! I don't like Master Roshi's idea, but I will respect his and Goku's decision to keep you alive! But don't think the others, and I won't fight you if needed!"

Raditz was taken aback by the determination in Krillin's eyes. Such resolve was nowhere to be found when they first met. Maybe his brother's death changed something in the little man. He wanted to shout back at the bald earthling but hesitated. His brother continued to haunt him every single minute.

"Now, now, calm down boys! I know it won't be easy, but we need to face the facts... Unless we cast differences aside, we will die once the Saiyans arrive! Until we find a way to defeat them, we must work together, no matter what!"

Only a sound of waves crashing against the shore could be heard. The warriors remained silent after Master Roshi's speech. The old master sighed and slowly approached the bandaged warrior, who by moving around reopened his wounds.

"Listen... I promise to teach you all the techniques I taught Goku if you agree to tell us when the Saiyans could arrive and how to prepare. If you don't tell us, we can't be sure when to use the dragon balls."

The Saiyan looked at the old man and thought about it. He doubted the bearded man could teach him anything useful but then he thought of his younger brother. In his entire life, no one taught him anything besides his mother, who wasn't ever a fighter. Reluctantly, the long-haired warrior agreed.

"Fine, it's a deal. However, if you trick me I'll make you regret it, old man... The Saiyans should arrive in about a year, but how does that correlate with you guys using the dragon balls to wish Kakarot back?"

Upon hearing that Raditz was willing to help them, Roshi could relax. He was glad the Saiyan agreed to the terms because the last thing he wanted was for his pupils and friends to fight the powerful warrior.

"Well, apparently Goku's receiving a special training from King Kai... I don't know exactly what that means, but I'm sure Goku's returning stronger than ever!"

The Saiyan's eyes were wide open when he heard that. He thought once you die that was it, but apparently, you can train even in the otherworld. While the whole thing was interesting, he could only think of his brother's training and how stronger could a low-level weakling get.

End of Chapter 01: The Divergence