Chapter 6
The Legendary Destroyer of Worlds
"Hey, Papa... Can we please get something to eat? I'm already starving!" Bulla whined from within the spaceship, her brow furrowed with concentration as she continued fixing the damaged vessel. Since before the break of dawn, she'd been tirelessly working, but hunger and exhaustion were finally winning the battle.
"Hmph! After spending that much on your stuff yesterday, you expect me to buy you food now?" Vegeta snorted, his tone laced with disapproval.
"But you still have some remaining space money, right?" Bulla pleaded, her voice laced with hope.
"No!" Vegeta's voice rose sharply. "I'm not spending anything on this god-forsaken planet anymore! Hey, Son Goten, let's go hunting!"
"Hunt? What do you mean by that? Don't tell me you'll feed me some sort of alien animal, papa?!" Bulla protested, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
"Of course! What else would you expect? You're no longer on Earth, Bulla. I didn't bring you here by force, and I told you this wasn't a vacation. This was your choice, and now you deal with the consequences. If you don't want to eat, go ahead and starve!"
Bulla pouted, her lower lip jutting out in defiance.
"You're so cold and cruel, papa! If I don't eat anything, I might not be able to fix the spaceship, and we'll be stuck here forever! We won't be able to return to Earth and save it from exploding within a year. Mama and Onii-chan are surely going to die..." she trailed off, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and desperation.
"..." Vegeta was momentarily caught off guard by his daughter's words. His stomach, and Goten's, rumbled in protest, reminding them both of their own hunger. In their current state, they didn't have enough energy for a hunt.
"..." He grunted in annoyance, his face betraying his internal struggle.
Bulla grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She knew she'd won. Her tiny father, despite his efforts to hide it, was clearly flustered.
"You're totally just like your mother," he grumbled, turning away to hide his blush. "Fine, let's return to the city and get something to eat."
Bulla jumped up, a wave of relief washing over her. She leaned down and hugged her father tightly, her happiness infectious. Vegeta, despite his outward grumbling, couldn't help but blush even more.
"Yay! Let's go now, papa! Goten, you too!"
Upon their return to the marketplace, a chilling silence greeted them. Everyone stared at them oddly, their eyes wide with fear. As Bulla approached a merchant selling what looked like Takoyaki, the man quickly shuttered his store, his face a mask of terror. The other merchants followed suit, scattering like startled mice. This starkly contrasted with the way they had been treated when they first arrived on this planet.
Why were they so afraid?
"What's with these people?" Bulla asked, her eyebrow raised in confusion.
"Were they actually afraid of us?" Goten pondered, blinking his huge, raven eyes in disbelief.
Vegeta smirked diabolically, his dark eyes gleaming with a sinister joy. "Seems like it. I could smell their fear."
"Papa, don't you think it has something to do with what we did in that dumpsite yesterday? Perhaps, word spread about what we did," Bulla whispered, her voice laced with trepidation.
"It doesn't matter," her father dismissed, his voice calm but unwavering. He sauntered in front of the store that sold Takoyaki-like food and knocked on the door.
"Hey, open up! We're going to buy all your food–"
"Go away, you thieves! We have nothing to sell to you! Just leave us alone, or we'll be calling the guards—" a raised, indignant voice resonated from within the stall.
"What?! Thieves?!" Vegeta gasped, his shock evident in his voice. He was utterly flabbergasted by the blatant accusation.
Fury quickly ignited within him, and he snarled, his teeth bared in a menacing snarl. He curled his right hand into a fist and punched the wall, shattering it into pieces. Grabbing the Takoyaki merchant by the collar, he pulled him close until their eyes were only mere inches away from the other, his dark gaze menacing.
"Who the fuck are you calling a thief?! Didn't I say I will buy all of your food?!" he roared, his voice dripping with menace.
The merchant, terrified, ignored the pounding in his chest and snapped back, "Who knows where you got all your money, brat?! You must have gotten it from stealing—"
"Why you—!" Vegeta yelled, his rage reaching a boiling point. He raised a hand in the air, his knuckles white with fury. The truth of his words stung, a stark reminder of the source of his wealth. For twenty-five years, the money he'd saved had come from the sales of conquered planets, the inhabitants of which he had killed mercilessly.
He was, in truth, a thief. And the realization, though long suppressed, fueled his righteous anger. He was about to backhand the merchant, who cried out in terror, "Eep! Help me! Someone! Call the guards to arrest these brats!"
Bulla and Goten restrained Vegeta from lashing out, pleading for him to calm down.
"Please, papa. Let him go. I'll eat whatever you and Goten could hunt, just please don't hurt these people," Bulla begged, her voice trembling.
Vegeta closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to quell his anger. With a begrudged sneer, he lowered his hand, pushing away the urge to pulverize the merchant. He let go of the alien, harshly shoving him back into his store.
As Vegeta opened his eyes, his demeanor shifted dramatically. His gaze darkened, his facial expression hardening into a terrifying mask of rage. The alien words that rolled off his tongue, while incomprehensible to Bulla and Goten, were clearly understood by the merchant. The Prince of all Saiyans was speaking in the Galactic Standard Language, the common tongue spoken all throughout the Universe.
What Vegeta said could be roughly translated as: "You bastards have been getting on my nerves since yesterday. Do you not recognize who and what I am at all? Perhaps, I should start unleashing my powers right now and destroy you all along with this worthless world of yours."
The merchant's face drained of color as he finally recognized the being before him. The boy's air of pride, confidence, strength, and regality was unmistakable. His jet-black, upright spiky hair, his stern, mean-looking, intimidating, narrowed, slanted, cold and dark eyes, and the muscular build that was peculiar for a child of that age, despite his seemingly petite height... he must be a survivor of the cold and ruthless warrior race who once brought despair and terror across the Universe.
A Saiyan!
With quivering lips, the terrified merchant cried out, "Please spare us! I'll give you whatever you want! Just please... Please have mercy on us!"
As they devoured the food the merchant willingly surrendered to them, (with Vegeta not even bothering to pay due to the merchant's fear), they discovered the source of the commotion. Wanted posters with their faces plastered across the marketplace, their features distorted into hideous and hilarious caricatures. Beneath each picture was a hefty bounty for their capture. Vegeta read their offenses: theft, burglary, assault, and grave threats.
"What the hell is this?!" Bulla screamed, her eyes blazing with anger as she stared at her wanted poster, furious at the ridiculous picture they made of her beautiful face.
Vegeta gritted his teeth in irritation, glaring at his own derisive photo. Goten, however, chuckled, openly admitting that whoever made those pictures was crafty.
The sound of police sirens pierced the air, making them turn to see Don Kia's soldiers approaching. Someone had called the police, eager to collect the bounty.
"Papa, what do we do now?" Bulla asked, her voice trembling with fear.
"We'll wait for them, and we will surrender to them willingly," Vegeta replied, his tone calm, but his eyes were narrowed in a calculating way.
"Eh?! Are you saying we'll have to go to prison now?! No! I don't want to go to prison! It's bad enough that we got stuck on this god-forsaken planet with a broken spaceship and being wanted! I can't take this anymore!" Bulla complained.
"Enough of your whining, Bulla! You and Goten wanted to help that family we found yesterday, correct? This is your chance to get closer to the root cause of their suffering," Vegeta said, his voice laced with a chilling undertone.
"You mean..?" Goten gasped, finally understanding his uncle's plan.
Vegeta gave him a wicked smirk. His coal-black eyes seemed to spark with vicious determination.
"This is all part of my plan. Now, Don Kia is about to meet his fall," he revealed, making Goten stare at him with his jaw dropped at Vegeta's unexpected strategic scheme. He heard old stories from Gohan and Goku about how Vegeta's shrewd, cunning, and calculating mind made the Prince of all Saiyans a formidable and perilous warrior, and now, he's finally witnessing that fearsome tactical brilliance. And damn, he could say that Vegeta's more terrifying than any of the villains he had encountered in his life.
Don Kia's reign will be over, and Goten hoped that the greedy dictator survive the upcoming rampage of the Prince of all Saiyans.
Don Kia's soldiers arrived, led by the Imeckan merchant who had earlier pointed out their location. The soldiers were surprised to see the trio willingly surrendering without a fight, unaware of the intricate machinations at play.
As the Imeckan Merchant received his reward, Vegeta, Bulla, and Goten were led into vehicles that would take them to the Imeckan Emperor. Vegeta telepathically praised the merchant for a job well done, commending him for cooperating with him after he'd revealed to him the reason for the fear surrounding them. When the merchant realized exactly who Vegeta was, he begged him to save Planet Imecka.
"The food is good, too. Now, leave the rest to me."
Once all of the soldiers were gone along with the three Saiyans, the merchant fell down to his knees, his entire body quivering in fear. He really wasn't sure about trusting the fate of Planet Imecka to a Saiyan, much less the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds himself. Vegeta could turn his backs on them and purge them all. But he knew that if anyone was capable of bringing Don Kia down, there's no doubt that only the Prince of all Saiyans and those two strong people with him could do it.
He could only hope that after Don Kia's defeat, Vegeta would quietly leave the planet and everyone else's lives intact and unharmed. After all, the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds was infamous for possessing destructive powers capable of ending entire worlds with a mere flick of his finger. There's no wonder why he was feared by many, even the mightiest warriors, across the Universe.
Within Don Kia's Palace, the Emperor received a report from his General.
"Your Majesty, we have already captured the alien criminals. They willingly surrendered without resistance," reported the Imeckan General.
"They willingly surrendered, you say?" Don Kia asked, blinking his eyes in confusion. Then an amused smirk ran across his purple lips. "They're children. Perhaps, they realized their mistake and decided to take their punishment quietly. Take them to me. I want to see these brats and I'll see to them myself if they deserve mercy or not."
Beside him, Ledgic's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He has observed one of the criminals closely yesterday evening when they broke into the dumpsite below to take their stolen spaceship back. The moment he saw the smallest of the trio's appearance, he already knew that he was a Saiyan. But as he watched the boy deal with the palace guards and the workers, along with Geru and Sheera, he realized that the boy wasn't just any ordinary Saiyan.
He heard of the stories about a certain fearsome Saiyan survivor who wreaked havoc across the Universe many years ago. The Saiyans were generally notorious troublemakers. They're evil, cruel warriors who caused great despair, unspeakable terror, and countless deaths to many, but among them all, was one Saiyan who was considered to be the worst of them all.
The most ruthless, the most powerful, and the most terrifying of them all. It was said that his name alone sends shivers down the spines of many, including the strongest warriors and mightiest rulers. It was believed that he held destructive power enough for him to destroy entire worlds with a mere flick of his hand. People are warned to never inspire his wrath or their world shall suffer pure utter destruction.
Ledgic also heard stories about this merciless planetary invader's tactical mind. He wasn't just dangerous because of his overwhelming devastating power, he was also unforgiving, calculating, tactical, and intelligent. And one of his most common strategies during a planet invasion was to willingly surrender himself to the officers so he could be brought directly to the planet's ruler.
Ledgic thought that the stories could be exaggerated and all, but if it was indeed true and that child is indeed the Saiyan in this legend, then Planet Imecka is in great trouble.
But there's something wrong about this.
If Ledgic's suspicions were correct, then how come that the notorious Legendary Destroyer of Worlds is a child right now? That Saiyan was one of the greatly feared figures in the history of the Universe, but thirty years ago, he just… disappeared. It was speculated that he was killed during his battle with the Emperor of the Universe, Freeza, on Planet Namek. But what was the meaning of this?
Was this a reincarnated version of that Saiyan, or simply a result of some unlucky accident that he got turned into a little toddler?
Ledgic didn't know nor did he care. What he only wanted was to see if the stories about the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds' powers were true or if they were just exaggerated ones.
He will find that out soon enough.
The Palace suddenly began to tremble and they felt a massive explosion burst somewhere within the palace.
"What–what the hell is that?!" Don Kia demanded, suddenly fearful.
Ledgic smirked in anticipation, his golden eyes sparking with gleaming interest, "He's finally here."
The doors of the throne room burst open when the General from earlier was sent flying from the outside and crashing into Don Kia's throne room. Vegeta, Bulla, and Son Goten entered the throne room, walking like they're unbothered regal figures. Behind them, a trail of fire and utter destruction was left in their wake.
"Wha–What is the meaning of this? How come these brats are here without escorts? Where are the guards?!" Don Kia demanded no one in particular, rising from his throne and pointing at the trio. He turned to Ledgic and said, "Sir Ledgic, what is going on here?"
"Your soldiers and your guards met with an unfortunate accident so no one, aside from that bastard next to you, will come to defend you right now. But don't worry, they will be fine, just like those fools who got in my way and stole our spaceship yesterday. They'll probably wake up in two days," Vegeta told Don Kia. Then his voice lowered dangerously, his eyes darkening and narrowing into slits of pure rage. "You, however, I don't know if you'll receive the same treatment as your men. Just looking at your face already makes me want to destroy you from existence, Don Kia."
"Step down from that throne and free Imecka from your iron rule!" Bulla demanded him.
"Yeah! We heard of your evil ways!" Goten agreed. "Just surrender quietly or there will be hell for you to pay!"
Don Kia, confused as to why these rebellious youngsters sounded like they were threatening him, asked, "So it seems that you found out too much, huh? Are you actually threatening me, brats?! Just who do you think you are to threaten me on my empire?! You're nothing but alien visitors here! This planet is mine to rule, what are you going to do about it, huh?"
Bulla scowled, feeling insulted at how this pompous Emperor responded, "Then I will do this to you!"
With her temper flaring, Bulla furiously charged towards Don Kia, only for the Emperor to press a button on his computer, activating some sort of trap that caught her within an electromagnetic cage.
"Bulla!" Vegeta and Goten called out and they both instinctively jumped in to try and free her but they were also caught by the same trap.
"What is this?!" Bulla gasped, feeling a burning, electrifying sensation running throughout her body.
Don Kia grinned wickedly as he pressed a button that activated rows of machine guns that fired almost ceaselessly at his three captures. Thick smoke, the sound of guns and bullets, and Don Kia's maniacal laughter filled the room.
"You fool, these are not the kind of people you can defeat using such puny toys," Ledgic said with a tone of boredom.
"Then please let them have it, Sir Ledgic!"
Ledgic turned to him, rising from his seat as he responded coldly, "I already told you not to order me around. I only fight for myself, not for you."
"Uh… right," Don Kia awkwardly agreed.
Ledgic took a step forward, waving his hand to clear the smoke with his power. He found the trio still trapped within Don Kia's electric cages.
"What's the matter? Aren't you supposed to be powerful? Why won't you release yourself from being captive?" Ledgic addressed Vegeta.
The Saiyan Prince gritted his teeth together. In his mind, he recalled seeing Ledgic observing him yesterday night after he was done wreaking havoc in the dumpsite. He indeed possessed overwhelming power as mentioned to them by the Imeckan couple they helped out, which also caught his attention, and he knew by the way this man held himself that he must be more powerful than he let on. Vegeta heard his refusal to follow Don Kia's orders and he was impressed by the warrior's pride he had.
His thoughts were rudely interrupted when he heard his daughter cry out in pain.
"Bulla!" he yelled, turning his head to find his daughter screaming in agony.
"Papa! It hurts!" she hollered.
The sight of his beloved daughter in pain and danger was enough to make the Prince of all Saiyans snap. He clenched his hands into tight fists as he allowed for his anger to consume him, letting out a furious roar which seemed to resonate through the walls of the throne room.
"Grraaaaaaahhh!"
His blue aura flared to life, bursting forth and unleashing a burst of energy that shook the palace walls and the ground. The force was enough to shatter the electric cage Don Kia was so proud about, and made his controls, monitors, and computer panels explode all around them.
Don Kia shrieked in terror as he stumbled back, away from his burning machines. "What?! What the hell is that?! Did he just cause these explosions with just a shout?!" he gasped in horror.
Vegeta caught his daughter in his tiny arms before she could hit the ground. She was extremely weakened by the spasms caused by the electric shock. He held her hand and used his ki to absorb the electricity that rocked her body while also neutralizing her vitals and she was eventually fine.
"Papa!" she said with a smile as soon as she was able to open her eyes and feel well. She wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace him. "Thank you, papa! I thought I was going to die there!"
"You fool. You have my blood running through your veins, you will not die that easily," he told her. He turned to Goten, "You alright there, Goten?"
Goten was surprised to hear that Vegeta was concerned about him and he smiled awkwardly, "Yes, it's nothing serious. Thanks."
"Good, now both of you stand aside and let me take care of the rest."
Vegeta rose to his feet and turned to face Ledgic. His stern, raven-colored eyes sending a cold glare at the tall bodyguard.
"Just as I thought, you're no ordinary child, Saiyan," Ledgic said.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, "So you knew."
"Yes, I've come across a few of your kind many years ago. Although I can see that you… lost your tail."
"It was cut off during a battle a very long time ago. Don't remind me any further," Vegeta growled.
Ledgic chuckled, "I see. So that means you lost the ability to transform into that giant were-monkey monster your people are so known for. That's sad."
"So? What about it?"
"Because I won't be able to fight you at your full strength."
"Tch! Don't underestimate a Saiyan! Even in my base form, I will be more than enough to beat you!"
Ledgic pulled his hood off his head and smirked, "We'll see about that."
They fell down into their signature fighting stances. Ledgic abruptly disappeared from where he stood and charged at Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince was surprised at his level of speed and using ki sense, he predicted Ledgic's position and movements. He raised his hand to catch the upcoming punch towards the side of his face. The impact caused a shockwave around them, cracking walls and the tiled flooring under their feet.
This surprised Ledgic. This Saiyan's fighting instincts and battle senses were indeed sharp. He wondered if he had enough strength and speed to match him.
Ledgic proceeded to jump back a few feet away and pull out a pair of twin swords from the protruding spikes on his shoulders. He kicked off the floor and swung them towards Vegeta repeatedly. The Saiyan managed to dodge his attacks swiftly and gracefully. The boy's speed and reflexes were incredible and so Ledgic upped his game, increasing his own speed and strength almost instantly.
Vegeta noticed the instantaneous power-up, and as Ledgic slashed his swords in hopes of cutting the Prince into three, Vegeta caught the blades with his fingers. Ledgic struggled to forcefully push his swords down but the Saiyan's strength proved to be quite incredible, even at that size.
A golden glow began to engulf Vegeta's body, powering him up, and then he yelled: "Haaaah!"
The blades abruptly broke into pieces, much to Ledgic's surprise. Vegeta disappeared from his spot, causing Ledgic to gasp at the unexpected increase in his foe's speed. The alien warrior turned his head to the left to find Vegeta right above him. The Saiyan Prince hurled the upper halves of Ledgic's swords back at him, they're deluged with his own golden energy, and they spun around as if they were burning boomerangs. The blades managed to slash through the alien warrior's left side and right upper arm, drawing out lots of blood.
Ledgic stumbled forward with a grimace, clutching at his two wounds. The slices that Vegeta made were deep cuts and blood oozed out of them. Ledgic hissed at the pain, glaring at Vegeta as he landed on the ground in front of him, a bloodthirsty smirk upon the Saiyan's lips.
So it's true then… This Saiyan is indeed a cruel, bloodthirsty one, Ledgic thought to himself.
Furious that he was losing to such a child, Ledgic kicked off the ground once more and released a series of mighty combos, which Vegeta dodged with ease, grace, and amazing speed before he finally attacked with a potent kick towards Ledgic's gut, sending the alien warrior crashing down the floor.
Don Kia, who was standing on the sidelines, wondered to himself, "The brat is incredible. I never saw anyone being able to overpower Ledgic at that level. But will that last long once Ledgic gets serious?"
Ledgic pushed himself off the ground, panted, and wiped the trail of blood on his lip with the back of his already bloodied hand and smirked, "You're still playing around and you're already this wild? I think it's time for us to get serious, Legendary Destroyer of Worlds."
The odd term Ledgic addressed Vegeta caused their three spectators to be surprised.
"Legendary what?" Don Kia blinked, confused.
"What did you just call him?" Goten asked for clarification.
"Legendary Destroyer of Worlds? Did I hear that right?" Bulla queried. She turned to her father, "Papa, what is that?"
Ledgic snorted, "I see that your new comrades are unaware of your past, Prince Vegeta."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, a scowl etched on his hardened expression, "And you knew it all along?" he said coldly.
"I heard of the stories and suspected that he could be you. I wanted to see for myself if the legend about your destructive abilities is indeed true, hence why I challenged you into this battle," Ledgic said. "The Destroyer of Worlds was a moniker you used beside your royal title as the Proud Prince of all Saiyans, correct? Stories of your ruthless conquests, bloodthirsty nature, and your cruelty across galaxies have become some sort of legend that's been exaggerated by word of mouth. You, Prince Vegeta Yonsei, was one of the very few Saiyan survivors. The last of royal blood, the most powerful among your kind, the one who brings fear, despair, death, and destruction to all the worlds unfortunate enough to welcome your terrifying presence. The Saiyans were once feared for their ruthlessness and power, but you were considered to be the worst and the most formidable of your kind. Your lust for blood and battle were said to be insatiable and you have destroyed countless entire planets that annoyed you on a whim."
Bulla and Goten couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"Wha–?" Bulla gasped.
"Although I heard of the stories from my big brother, I never thought he was this terrifying," Goten murmured.
Bulla turned to him and asked, "Huh? What do you mean?"
"Vegeta-san originally landed on Earth to invade the planet and destroy all of humanity. I heard that even dad wasn't enough to beat him and that it took everyone joining forces just to stop him from destroying the Earth."
"Papa! Is that true?!" Bulla asked in disbelief.
Vegeta grunted in annoyance. Of all things, he hated it when he was reminded of that part of his past.
"Yes, Bulla. It is true, but that was a very long time ago," Vegeta admitted.
"I can't believe it!" Bulla gasped. "Does mama know about this?"
"Yeah. That was how I was when I first met your mother."
"But–how?! Why?" Bulla asked, there was a hint of confusion and disappointment in her tone.
Vegeta was reluctant to say anything even further. He was in the midst of a battle right now so he doesn't have the time to tell tales from his past and explain.
"Papa!" Bulla hollered.
"I will tell you about it later. For now, let me finish this fight real quick," Vegeta responded.
"Now, now, Bulla, relax. Vegeta-san may have been the villain a long time ago, but my Dad and my big brother assured us that he's not that way anymore. I was told that he doesn't want to destroy planets anymore and is doing his best to use his powers to protect us."
Vegeta's face reddened upon hearing those words coming from Goten, "Enough, Son Goten! You're just like your father, you know!"
Goten chuckled, "Hahaha! Sorry, Vegeta-san! I'm just glad that you're on our side now, and that I haven't met you the way you were back then."
"Shut up now!"
"So that's what happened, huh? What has made you stop and you suddenly disappeared? Why are you… like this?" Ledgic asked, pertaining to Vegeta's child form. "Although I have to say that despite your change, your reputation still precedes you. Your earlier attacks, while you were still holding back, speaks volumes of your skill and level of strength. They were precise, lethal, and calculated, skills only an experienced and honed slayer like yourself possessed. If you were using your full power, you could easily annihilate your enemies without a doubt. What's making you hold back? Or was it because that in that child's body, you cannot unleash your full power? Aha! Has someone cursed you into that form–?"
"Enough, Ledgic!" Vegeta shouted. "Whatever my reasons are or what happened to me are none of your concern! We're here to do battle, not some stupid interview!"
"Right, I understand," Ledgic agreed. "Then allow me to use my full power against you, Legendary Destroyer of Worlds."
He finally unleashed a red aura around his body and began charging his full power. He started roaring, his energy seemed to cause tremors on the ground as debris floated around them.
"What power!" Goten commented on the sidelines, feeling the rise in energy that Ledgic was performing right before his eyes.
With a mighty kiai and a devastating burst of energy, Ledgic was charged at his full power. The debris floating around them dropped to the ground.
"Now, it's your turn, Prince Vegeta," he encouraged.
Vegeta scowled before letting out an exasperated sigh. He lowered his eyes to stare at his tiny right fist, concentrating his ki into it. His fist was engulfed by a golden glow of energy, "I can do this now, I know… I can feel it," he thought.
Vegeta raised his eyes to gaze up to Ledgic's. Then he let out a cocky smirk.
"Fine, if you wish to see my legendary power, then so be it. But let me warn you, this puny planet may not be able to handle it. Prepare yourselves," Vegeta announced, his onyx irises suddenly changing color into bright crimson.
Ledgic immediately sensed a change in Vegeta's demeanor as the Saiyan Prince set his feet apart, and started to roar.
"Haaaaaaah!"
Fwoooom!
His golden aura burst outwards, flaring like a blazing fire increasing its heat. His hair flowed along the wind his increasing energy was creating, making it look like it was an ignited black flame. The debris around him levitated off the ground, and cracks began to form across the shaking floor underneath his boots.
From the cracking windows, the skies gradually darkening could be witnessed, black clouds came in like the closing of a curtain, bringing blaring thunderbolts across the horizon. Vegeta's guttural scream reverberated across the planet, amplified by his surging energy. Planet Imecka began to tremble, shaking to its core as if it was very afraid of this rising power. Vegeta's red eyes shifted color once more, this time, a fierce emerald green shone from within his irises. His aura sparked with occasional white lightning bolts. His hair began to change hue as well, from black, to green, and into a glowing gold while his muscles bulk up to accommodate the amount of power he was unleashing.
"Tsuuaaaaaaaah!"
With a final howl, Vegeta has finally transformed into a Super Saiyan and the entire planet was reacting negatively to his legendary presence. The lightning continued to flash outside, the dark clouds swirling and bringing thunderbolts snaking from it down to the ground.
Outside, the people of Planet Imecka began to panic, not knowing what was happening and thinking that it was already the end of the world for them. Their screams of fear, panic, and terror echoed across the planet, and Vegeta could hear it from where he was.
"Nnnghh!"
He growled to himself, his eyes narrowing to slits as he found his entire body quivering with his excitement and spiraling bloodlust caused by the widespread panic of the people outside. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest as his thirst for blood began to run wild.
Focus… Focus, Vegeta! You can do this. You already controlled this power once. Damn it, it's just that this cursed child's body is–
Gaah!
He grunted, feeling his muscles swell even further as his power continuously rose. He struggled to control his increasing ki, fearing that if he released more power, he could destroy everything on this planet.
Stop! That should be enough for now. Damn, I have to make this quick before I could lose control of this power!
With gritted teeth and an animalistic snarl reverberating from his throat, Vegeta's glowing jade-green eyes focused on Ledgic.
Ledgic and Don Kia were both confused and surprised by the strange transformation Vegeta just performed. They immediately felt that the level of his strength just shot through the roof after that unexpected change.
"Wha–What is this glow?!" gasped Ledgic as he took a step back. His eyes were wide and his jaw dropped while his lips quivered in his fear and awe at the intense intimidating pressure he could feel Vegeta was emitting.
Vegeta, not bothering to explain, disappeared from where he last stood, taking Ledgic by surprise and disbelief. He proceeded to pummel Ledgic with a barrage of fierce kicks that were both merciless and precise, fueled by a Super Saiyan's bottomless rage and aggressiveness, while with his arms crossed. Ledgic was in so much shock and pain that he was unable to defend himself from Vegeta's extremely wild assaults.
Vegeta's power in his Super Saiyan form was indeed a destructive force of nature. The palace walls trembled, the air crackled with excess raw energy, and the skies above Imecka seemed to weep with fear. Ledgic, despite his own considerable power, was completely caught off-guard by such strength. The Saiyan Prince, now a whirlwind of golden fury and pure destruction, moved with impossible speed fifty times faster than before, the mighty blows of his kicks raining down upon him like a furious storm.
Ledgic, who was already a seasoned warrior by his own right, fought back with desperate grace. He blocked, parried, and dodged, but each strike from Vegeta was a testament to his fearsome legendary power. The force of each blow sent shockwaves through the palace, cracking the marble floors and sending dust swirling through the air. Don Kia couldn't help but scream in trepidation about finding his palace being destroyed from the inside.
"This is… impossible!" Ledgic gasped, his voice strained. "How can you possess such power even in that state of yours?!"
Vegeta still didn't answer. He has completely locked in. His focus was solely on the battle, of gaining victory. He was completely unstoppable now. His eyes burning with a primal rage. He fought with a ferocity that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
Don Kia, who was watching from the sidelines, was completely petrified. He had never seen Ledgic so overwhelmed. His bodyguard had always been his shield, and now he's on the defensive, struggling to keep up with a child. Fear gnawed at the Emperor's heart. He had underestimated these brats.
"What is this power?!" Don Kia squeaked, his voice trembling. "He's… he's unstoppable! If this goes on then he might destroy this entire world!"
Bulla and Goten watched in awe. They had never seen Vegeta this wild. The power radiating from him was overwhelming, and yet there was a terrifying beauty to it.
"Papa… he's really strong and amazing but he's scaring me now," Bulla whispered, her eyes wide with wonder and fear. This was the first time she saw her father fight with such unrestrained fury. The raw, untamed energy that flowed through him, seemed to pulse with an alien intensity, making him feel like a completely different person, a stranger to her.
He's truly a dangerous being. A true Legendary Destroyer of Worlds.
Goten, however, was more concerned. "But this power… his ki… it's getting dangerous by each second," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "If he doesn't maintain his control, he could go berserk and it will be a problem for us to handle."
Vegeta was oblivious to their concerns. He was lost in the thrill of battle, his entire being consumed by the primal energy of his Super Saiyan form. Soon, a maniacal laughter erupted from him as he enjoyed mercilessly pummeling his foe, which gave away his sadistic tendency.
Ledgic was clearly outmatched despite all his skills as an assassin and wide knowledge at manipulating his various weaponry. He was easily pushed back, his defenses crumbling under the relentless onslaught like he was a helpless rag doll. Each mighty blow from Vegeta was a testament to his legendary power, a reminder of why he was feared by many across the Universe.
But Ledgic knew that Vegeta was still holding back his true power. He was controlling himself from going berserk.
In his hopes of making Vegeta unleash his full power, Ledgic began to charge up an ultimate ki attack. Vegeta, who was levitating up above the skies, found his foe gathering an incredible amount of ki in his hands as he created a powerful red energy sphere.
Vegeta outstretched his right arm, his palm open and facing Ledgic's direction. As he charged his golden aura, causing it to flare wilder around him, a bright blue orb of ki began to coalesce before his palm, ablazed with an incredible amount of destructive energy.
Noticing this, Ledgic fired a devastating and massive crimson ki blast from his hand.
"Take this!" he roared as the blast of energy exploded from his palms.
"Big Bang… Attack!"
Vegeta released his own ki attack. The bluish orb of destruction clashed against the red ki sphere. As the Big Bang Attack connected on Ledgic's unnamed energy sphere, it immediately bursted into a massive ball of utter devastation, easily overwhelming Ledgic's most powerful move and completely demolishing Don Kia's Palace. Ledgic found himself caught by the massive explosion and his scream, a combination of terror, awe, and disbelief, was drowned by the sound of the Big Bang Attack's enormous detonation. Vegeta could also be heard laughing quite sadistically and maniacally above as he watched at the destruction he just caused.
Once the smoke was clear, Ledgic was found barely alive under some debris. Don Kia's Palace has collapsed completely, with only some remaining ruins and debris left scattered around them.
Vegeta descended right in front of Ledgic, leering down at his already defeated foe.
"You're still holding back, aren't you?" Ledgic said, his voice hoarse as he grimaced and panted due to his pain and exhaustion. "You're not using your full power. Why?"
Vegeta paused, his golden aura flickering. He was aware of the destructive potential of his form, the raw power that could easily obliterate this planet. He had to control it, for the sake of Bulla, for the sake of Goten, and for the sake of his promise to Bulma.
"It's because I know that if I unleash my full power, this planet will be destroyed completely," Vegeta growled. "When I turn into a Super Saiyan, my thirst for blood, battle and destruction runs wild. It's hard to control myself in this state, especially now that I'm still not used to being in this child's body. But even so, this should be more than enough to defeat you, Ledgic."
Ledgic's jaw dropped. He had heard tales of the Saiyan Prince's legendary destructive capability, the force that had brought fear and devastation to countless worlds. Now, face to face with this legendary warrior, he realized that the stories were true.
"Are you saying that there's more to you than this?" Ledgic asked, his voice filled with a newfound awe.
Vegeta nodded, a smirk playing on his lips.
"I see. Very well then, I submit."
Vegeta blinked at his foe's sudden submission, "You're admitting defeat? I'm surprised. I thought your pride as a warrior was quite high."
Ledgic closed his eyes, accepting his fate. "I know and accept when I can no longer fight. In my current state, I'm no match for someone of your caliber. The stories of your legendary reputation were no exaggeration, even after you've been turned into a mere child."
"Don't remind me," Vegeta muttered.
"Well, aren't you going to finish me off? This battle is over. You already won," Ledgic said, his voice weary.
"Hmph! Fine," Vegeta said, powering down, returning to his base form. "Since you admitted defeat, I will not kill you."
Ledgic opened his eyes wide in surprise. Is this real? The infamous unforgiving and merciless Saiyan Prince was letting him go?
"You have potential, Ledgic," Vegeta continued as if he knew the question Ledgic was asking in his mind. "Remember the humiliation I inflicted upon you today. Let that anger fuel your determination to become stronger, to train yourself. Someday, we will fight again. And I look forward to facing you at our full power, without holding back."
Ledgic gave Vegeta a pleased smile. "Sure. I will keep up on my training. Someday, we will fight again and I will win, Prince Vegeta."
"Hmph! You can drop the royal title," Vegeta scoffed. "Just call me Vegeta. And you should know that I'm not the type to let just anyone surpass me."
Ledgic turned towards Don Kia, "Now you see, Kia? Submit to the command of the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds or you shall suffer his wrath."
"I… I understand, Sir Ledgic," Don Kia nodded with a grim look upon his face. He turned to Vegeta and dropped to his knees, "Please spare me and Planet Imecka, great Destroyer. I will do anything you want!
Vegeta grinned mischievously at the Emperor, "Really? Anything I want?"
"Y-Yes!"
"Then step down from your position as Emperor. Also lift the imposed taxes, return the properties you stole from your people, and surrender yourself to the authorities. This planet deserved a better ruler."
Don Kia slumped his shoulders forward and reluctantly agreed. He had no other choice but to obey if he wanted to live after all. "As you wish."
Vegeta turned to his defeated foe from earlier, "Ledgic, take care of his replacement. Either you take his position or find someone better than him. I want a selfless Emperor who cares about his people, not a greedy bastard who only cares about making himself richer."
"I understand."
"Very well," he returned his cold gaze back to Don Kia, "Now, if I got word that you are causing trouble again or even told anyone of what I did here, Kia, I will return to finish what I should have done here. Do you understand?"
Terrified of the Saiyan Prince's foreboding promise, Kia nodded back, "Yes!"
"Alright. Now, that's taken care of. Bulla, Goten. Let's go!"
Bulla and Goten cheered at Vegeta's victory as he led them back to where their spaceship waited.
However, before he could step out of the exit, Vegeta turned to Kia with a darkened gaze.
"By the way, give me back all the money I spent on this stupid planet."
The people of Imecka celebrated their liberty from Don Kia's oppressive rule after the News announced his abdication from his position as Emperor and his decision to lift the taxes from the people. He also returned all the personal properties he took from the people who couldn't pay his required taxes.
For the people, it was a miracle sent to them by the god whom they prayed upon, unaware of a legend's intervention. Only a few Imeckan people, such as the hotel receptionist, the Takoyaki-like food merchant, Ledgic, Kia, Geru, Sheera, the soldiers and workers, and even the Imeckan family, who had met this legendary feared figure personally by chance knew the truth.
Bulla finished fixing the Takogata spaceship and turned to see her father staring ahead with a small, and rare gentle smile. Goten wasn't far away, sitting down on a rock, doing some meditation which Vegeta told him to do. She gazed down at her child-like father and thought about how it was possible for such a small being to possess such power and be so terrifying and feared by many. She still couldn't believe what she heard from Ledgic and Goten earlier, that her beloved father used to be a cold, ruthless monster who caused all those terrible things to a lot of people and their worlds. She couldn't help but feel disappointment upon learning about his dark past.
Vegeta sensed her stare and turned to look at her. The tiny smile he had earlier faded into concern when he found her disappointed expression.
"What are you staring at me for, girl?" he asked.
She let out a breath and came down the ship to approach him. He looked up to her with his raven-colored eyes that for Bulla, was completely different from how others saw them. While those onyx orbs were usually filled with darkness, rage, or cold indifference, for her, she could see something else. Something that's only meant for her, Trunks, and Bulma. His family. The only people he cared about the most.
Vegeta waited for her to speak and for a brief moment, Bulla hesitated. Vegeta blinked.
"Speak up," he told her gently. "It's fine. I told you earlier that I will tell you everything you need to know."
Bulla let out another sigh, "I guess I finally understand why the Hebinians did this to you. It was for revenge, wasn't it? You did terrible things to them in the past, didn't you?"
"Yes," Vegeta admitted.
"But why did you do those terrible things? I just wanted to know more, and how you were able to do it. To change for the better."
He turned away, looking up into the sky. For a moment, Bulla thought her father would change his mind about telling her something, but then, after a few seconds, Vegeta finally spoke.
"The world where I grew up was completely different from yours. Where you lived is a world of peace, luxury, and riches where you feel safe, and is pampered, and surrounded by people who loved and cared for you, mine was a world of endless war, battles, and survival where power and strength are seen as the most valuable and respectable things. It was a place where enemies lurk at every corner, waiting for a chance to destroy you. The Saiyans had a reputation as a mighty warrior race, but we used our abilities to oppress other weaker races for our own greed for power and other selfish reasons. For us, strength is the only thing that mattered and we wanted the Universe to know that we are superior to every being and are indeed the strongest race among all. To do that, we invaded other planets, stole from its people, and purged the world of all lifeforms until no one was left alive. If a planet could be worth a fortune, we will sell it to the highest bidder. If not, we destroy it completely. It was the same as how Don Kia did, but even worse. We didn't know any better. All we cared about was declaring our strength and superiority. It wasn't until the Saiyans reaped what they sowed and were destroyed by a more powerful and more wicked bastard that our reign of terror ended–or so the Universe thought...
"I, the Prince of all Saiyans, the most powerful and most ruthless among my kind, survived Planet Vegeta's destruction. I may have been royalty, a warrior destined to become the king of the greatest warrior race in the Universe and lead my people to supremacy, but I lost everything when I was only five human years old. That, and the fact that despite our supposed greatness, we served under a far worse tyrant, only bore rage, hatred, and bitterness in me. These emotions fueled my bloodlust and desire for revenge, but I didn't do it for my parents, friends, comrades, or my dead people. They meant nothing to me. I saw them as fools, weaklings who got what they deserved for their feebleness. I believed I was comoletely different from them because I carried the true pride and strength of the Saiyans, but I wasn't satisfied with being the strongest among my people. I wanted to become the most powerful being in the Universe. My goal was to rule the Cosmos, to reach the pinnacle of power and awaken the legendary transformation my royal blood promised. I wanted to be the warrior who, according to Saiyan legend, only appeared in three thousand years. The one who greatly delights in blood, battle, and destruction, whose thirst for it was insatiable: a Super Saiyan. It was in my quest to gain greater strength and prove the superiority of the Saiyan race that I became the cold and ruthless monster the Universe knew and learned to fear: The Legendary Destroyer of Worlds.
"It was also for this quest for power that I ended up coming to Earth in search for the Dragon Balls to wish for eternal life. However, my plans were thwarted by Kakarot and his friends. My first ever defeat on Earth has shattered my pride, the very foundations of my being, and even moreso with the events that followed on Planet Namek where Kakarot was the first to reach the Super Saiyan state and avenge the Saiyans from their destroyer.
"After the battle on Namek, I was brought back to Earth, where your mother offered me a place to stay. With my pride slashed to ribbons, I had no other choice but to seek help from her, in order to take back my pride and become a Super Saiyan myself. A lot of things happened after that, and before I knew it, my former ruthlessness and wickedness slowly but surely diminished. I later found myself growing unwanted and confusing emotions for Bulma, which I tried to ignore and push away at first. But then… She was the first woman to ever care about me, despite my own nastiness towards her back in the day. She stood up against me, not fearing me no matter how many times I tried to threaten her. It was that feistiness of her that eventually attracted me to her and melted down my supposedly hardened heart. And it was because of her and my growing feelings for her that I finally awakened the blood of a Super Saiyan within me. And then, after that, we had Trunks, but even so, my pride was still too high enough for me to ignore my growing softness. I did my best to push them away, and even tried to return to my former cruel and evil ways because I thought I hated how these feelings and the peace the Earth gave me has made me weak. But then, I eventually realized that I began to truly care for them. The thought of losing Bulma and Trunks or even the Earth, brought great distress and rage to me. That's when I learned that I can fight for other reasons other than my pride and selfishness and that motivation has made me stronger, not weaker like I initially thought.
"I eventually learned to accept everything and let go of all my hatred and selfish pride to simply seek greater strength for the sake of keeping my loved ones safe and to surpass my own limits. I welcomed the peace the Earth had offered me, and the love your mother and older brother gave me. And then, we eventually had you."
Vegeta turned to his daughter, his typically cold and hardened eyes were soft and loving as he looked at his daughter. His smile was genuine and happy as he continued, "You, Bulla, was the product of that peace and acceptance I made, the part of me who chose to love and protect, who strayed away from my former ruthless and destructive ways. That's why I gave you the name Eschalotte, which means 'light to my darkness' in Saiyan terminology. Now, you understand why I held you dear and very close to me, because you were the result of the better part of me."
"Papa…" Bulla's lips began to quiver and her eyes began to water. Her heart bursting with emotions towards her father and his revelation to her.
"Even so, I don't regret what I did in the past, not because I never felt guilty about the lives I took and all the evil things I've done, but because it was that quest for strength that brought me to Earth and gave me you. It doesn't matter to me now. What I used to be are all in the past now, Bulla. What truly matters now… is the present. Even though my past still haunts me and is coming back to me now after I got turned into this tiny child, the fact that I have changed to become a better person for your sake is the only thing that matters now. My dark past will never take away my desire to love and protect you, your big brother, and your mother– even that tiny planet we call home and the people in it."
Bulla nodded back in understanding, the tears in her eyes began to fall as she gave him a wide, yet quivering smile. She leaned down at her father and embraced him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers.
"I admit I got scared hearing about the terrible things you did in your past, but you're right, what matters now is that you've changed and that you're trying to be better. I'm proud of you for doing so. I love you, papa."
Then she planted a kiss on his cheek, causing Vegeta to immediately feel flustered, making his face hot and red. But then, he couldn't help but smile about how impressed he was that his daughter understood him and accepted him for who and what was despite his dark past. She was just like her mother in that regard and he was grateful for that. He touched her arms that were wrapped around him and he leaned his head back against her. His eyes drifted to a close and his satisfied smile stretched into a happy grin.
It was a touching moment between father and daughter, and they stayed close to each other for a few seconds.
Until Vegeta snapped out of the moment and realized how much time they're wasting. He quickly pulled away from leaning at his daughter's arm to stare up to her as he told her, "Now, enough of that, Bulla! Let's get off this stupid planet and we wasted too much time. We should be searching for the Dragon Balls instead of telling stories! Have you found a way to retrieve the Dragon Ball radar from that damned robot? If not, I will destroy it and take it back myself!"
"Ah yes! The Dragon Ball Radar!" Bulla remembered. She dropped her father to the sand, causing Vegeta to fall with a grunt while she quickly got into the ship to retrieve Giru. She took the white, alien robot out of her knapsack bag and found something unexpected on its back.
"Papa! Goten! Look! Is this the Dragon Ball radar?!" she gasped.
Vegeta and Goten quickly approached her to take a look at what she was telling them about. Indeed, there was the radar fused on the robot's back. Giru jolted up and suddenly spoke up, "The nearest Dragon Ball location is on Planet Kerubo, 444 million miles east southeast from the current location. Please have mercy on Giru, Vegeta-sama. Please don't destroy Giru. Please take Giru in and let Giru direct you to it and the rest of the Dragon Balls in exchange of sparing Giru. Giru. Giru. Giru."
Vegeta, Bulla, and Goten exchanged glances.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's take off!"
"Right!"
And so, Vegeta, Bulla, and Goten took off from Planet Imecka to travel to Planet Kerubo.
"By the way, Vegeta-san. You were amazing back there! You saved that planet and it's people!" Goten said.
"Yeah! I think being the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds was useful into making that Don Kia cower and submit! Maybe we should use that title more often now," Bulla suggested.
"Shut up, both of you! I didn't do it to save those people! Have you seen that bastard's face?! It was because I got annoyed by that look when I first saw him on TV that I decided to put him in his proper place! Hmph!"
"So much for 'this isn't our fight, these people should fight for themselves', sheesh! In the end, you still fought for those people, and you know what? I'm very proud of what you did, Papa. I'll later tell mom about it. I bet she'll be glad to know about what you did." Bulla giggled.
"Hey, don't do that, Bulla!" Vegeta protested.
"Come to think of it, isn't papa just a tsundere? Right, Goten?"
"Tsun–what?!" Vegeta's face began to go red in embarrassment. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Enough of this! In an hour, let's get back to your training! And I swear, if you ever destroy the ship again due to your lack of control–"
Bulla and Goten laughed. Legendary Destroyer of Worlds, Prince of the mighty Saiyan warrior race or not, Vegeta will always be so prideful. A being who loves training and fighting in his quest to search for greater strength and yet, he will never admit his own softness… well, maybe except before his beloved daughter and those he learned to love and care about.
Vegeta turned his eyes to the window, looking like he was the angriest, grumpiest, and reddest being the Universe had ever seen. With his face now hidden from Bulla and Goten, he let out a small but sinister smile as he watched at stars their spaceship were passing by.
The Legendary Destroyer of Worlds was back and if anything gets in his way in retrieving the Black-Star Dragon Balls and save the Earth, the Universe shall once again tremble before his fearsome might.