Chapter 8

A Game of Dominance

Planet Kasino, the location of the second Dragon Ball closest to Planet Kerubo. Giru led Vegeta, Bulla, and Goten into a world draped in neon glows and shimmering golden towers. From orbit, it resembled a galactic jewel. A planet with bright, colorful, and lively Metropolitan areas.

In comparison to Planets Imecka and Kerubo where they've been into, this world was more advanced in their civilization. The city was pulsing with thrilling energy, the sky a dazzling spectacle of bright, neon lights flashing everywhere. The air filled with anticipation, the sounds of chips, music, slot machines cracking to life, chatters of card players, boisterous laughter and some whining coming from gamblers who had lost whatever remains of their luck. Towering estates of lavish casinos, KTV bars, gaming and arcade centers, extravagant restaurants and souvenir shops surrounded the streets which were bustling with people dressed in glamorous clothing or just casual tourists hoping to raise their fortune or just have fun playing a game.

Bulla marveled at the city's extravagant splendor. "Wow! This place looks amazing! Hey, papa, I wanna shop before we leave!"

Vegeta scoffed. "We're not here for a sightseeing trip, Bulla. We're here to get the Dragon Ball and leave."

"Geez, I know that, papa. But look at all those shops!"

Vegeta let out an exasperated sigh, feeling extremely uncomfortable at the bright and noisy environment that surrounded them, especially when they're stuck within a crowd of people trying to get inside what was considered to be the greatest attraction amongst these casinos. The Gran Fortuna Casino.

Unlike the previous Dragon Ball where it was situated in a more quiet and peaceful village, this other one is within one of these loud and bustling buildings. Vegeta's patience was running thin the very moment they realized this and for a moment, he was considering blowing everything up—if only the Dragon Ball wasn't here at all.

Bulla and Goten were both aware that Vegeta's temper was slowly flaring with his impatience, considering his firm stance like he was trying his best to control himself from exploding into a fit of berserk rampage. So Bulla held his hand like she's a big sister trying to comfort her little brother and making sure he won't get lost in this sea of people.

"You okay, papa?" she asked him quietly.

Vegeta looked up to his daughter. Bulla's touch has somehow helped Vegeta quell his anger and he squeezed her hand gently, grasping it as if it was his calming medicine.

"Yeah," he responded.

"I believe the Dragon Ball is within that building," Goten said, eyeing the casino in front of them where the people were all trying to get in.

"I think we have a problem here, papa. If that's where the Dragon Ball is, I don't think we could get in there. Didn't they have some kind of age requirement to enter these casinos?"

"Most planets don't really care about any of that. All they want is business so it doesn't really matter to them what age you are," Vegeta told her as he pointed at a bunch of elementary-aged children playing slot machines outside, causing Bulla and Goten's jaw to drop. "I told you, outer space is completely different from Earth."

"Uh… I guess so…"

Finally, after a long line of waiting, they're granted entrance to the said casino. They were greeted by a massive lobby with soaring ceilings and intricate chandeliers. The interior was a glimmering spectacle of luxury and grandeur. It's like a completely different world, filled with opulent spaces, all sorts of vibrant casino entertainment, and a ceaseless buzz of excitement.

There was a golden statue of a colossal alien man with small horns protruding on each of his temples situated at the center of the lobby holding onto what seemed like an ancient balance scale. It must be the symbol of the grand and prestigious casino.

Inside the casino was a breathtaking sight. However, Vegeta noticed something was kind of amiss. While the place was filled with people who enjoy their games and gambling, the excited energy they emit through their ki felt odd to Vegeta's senses. There was something wrong in here for some reason. The ki of these people was completely out of balance and that wasn't a good sign at all.

He decided to ignore it and simply followed Giru as it made a turn towards one of the hallways that led to rows of slot machines, blackjack tables, card rooms, and roulette wheels. Alien beings from across the galaxy were seated at elaborate tables, wagering credits, money, and various valuable possessions.

They reached a huge entertainment arena surrounded by an audience anticipating a gambling game that was about to take place before their eyes. The stage had tall crimson curtains pulled on its side. Not far from the arena was a giant screen showing the game happening on the actual arena itself where a towering grey-skinned alien man of nearly ten feet in height, with two tiny horns protruding on the sides of his forehead, red eyes and a menacing grin faced a gorgeous-looking and muscular alien humanoid with blue skin and orange hair tied in a high ponytail.

Vegeta, Bulla and Goten recognized one of the competitors because of the statue in the main lobby, which was probably created in his honor.

Between the two aliens appeared a gigantic balance scale made of pure gold. Its beam horizontal as each pan hanging on its sides was still empty. The scale had a mystical feel to it, making it different from any normal ones. It was flowing with dark energy but not anyone could tell aside from Vegeta's sensitive senses.

About five feet behind the scale, resting on a red display cushion, was the five-black-star Dragon Ball. The golden sphere gleaming beautifully on stage.

"Dragon Ball found," Giru announced as it pointed at the magical orb being held as some sort of prize in this game.

"Alright, let's just take it and leave," Vegeta said.

"Wait, papa. We can't do a scene while in front of these people," Bulla told him.

"And what do you propose we do, girl?" the Prince snapped.

"I believe that the Dragon Ball is some sort of prize in this game," Goten said.

"Hmph! Fine, Son Goten, you go and play," Vegeta told him.

"Eh? Me?" Goten gasped, pointing at himself with a bewildered expression.

Vegeta gave him a sharp glare, "Who else do you think is adult-looking enough to be allowed to play?"

"But didn't you say that they allow kids to play too? Plus, I never gambled my entire life!"

"You and Trunks always pride yourselves with gaming, don't you? Now, it's time for you to make use of that useless talent—"

"—That's different from gambling!"

Their banter was interrupted when the arena finally lit up with stage lights and an enthusiastic voice of a female host spoke up in a loud, cheerful tone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Game 'The Strong Stands Above All'!" the female host announced cheerfully and the crowd applauded and howled happily. "Now, it's time for us to begin a new game tonight! We have a brave new challenger for our undefeated and mighty Gyanburu-sama! Let me introduce you to Fureid Shouba-san, a tourist from Planet Naito!"

The crowd watching cheered rowdily for this new contender.

The pink-haired pink-eyed female host sauntered towards Fureid and asked him, "So, Fureid-san, what has made you try your luck and challenge Gyanburu-sama? Are you after the golden magical sphere being displayed over there?"

"While the prize seems valuable, I have no concern for such a mere ball. I am here to test out the power of the Teishutsu no Kibo." Fureid answered.

(Note: 提出の規模 - Balance Scale of Subjugation)

"Did he just say Teishutsu no Kibo?" Vegeta gasped.

"Papa, you know what that is?" Bulla asked.

Vegeta stared at the balance scale on stage and nodded, "Yeah. I heard of stories about a mystical balance scale being sought by planetary invaders as it is believed that it has the power to make any weakling submit to the whims of the stronger one, whom the guardian spirit within the artifact chose to be its master, by force, through binding their life force into the scale's power. When one is deemed weaker by whatever spirit was within that thing, their life force will be siphoned away and their mind controlled to force the physical body to complete subjugation to the stronger one's will."

"That's a pretty scary thing," Goten commented.

"I told you, this is exactly how the Universe works. The strong stands above the weak and conquers all."

"Are you confident that you will win?" the female host asked Fureid.

"Hm… I've worked for one of the most mighty kings and trained for years for this very moment," Fureid announced confidently. "Of course. I know that I will win and I will take that undefeated title off this usurper's head!"

"Ooh! I like that response," Gyanburu grinned. "Very well then. Let's see you try your luck."

Gyanburu and Fureid extended their arms forward and placed their hands over their assigned pan.

"Zekkto," they both declared some sort of password or a signature, which meant that they agreed to the contract imposed by the power of the magical scale.

Their bodies glowed with their intense auras as their life force was expelled into the scale. Two flames appeared above the pans, one on each side. A flame with bright green color coming from Fureid materialized on the left side while a larger reddish-black blaze originating from Gyanburu surged on the right.

The flames burned and then Gyanburu's crimson black flame suddenly burst upwards. The scale began to quiver for a moment before slamming downwards toward Gyanburu's side.

The casino erupted in cheers and laughter coming from their frenzied audience.

Gyanburu beamed viciously as he announced, "I win!"

"No! Impossible!" gasped Fureid, a look of panic evident in his expression.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he watched Fureid's life force drain away, the green flame of his energy flickering until it snuffed out completely like a blown candlelight. Fureid's body quickly went limp, his eyes hollowed out, his soul forcibly stolen. He has completely succumbed to Gyanburu's will.

Meanwhile, the female hostess happily declared Gyanburu as the victor, remaining an undefeated champion as if the cruel incident didn't just happen before their very eyes. Gyanburu proudly raised his arms in the air, declaring himself as unbeatable and almighty.

"He just lost his very soul!" Bulla gasped, her hands clasping her mouth as her face held a look of fear and shock.

"Hmph! This game is nothing but a glorified show of dominance," Vegeta snorted. He turned to Goten and gave him an impish leer, "Alright, Son Goten! Go! You're next!"

Goten fiercely shook his head in defiance, "No way I'm gambling with my life force out there—"

Without warning, Vegeta elbowed him in the gut, causing Goten to fold into two. The Prince then harshly grabbed the young Saiyan hybrid's collar and pulled him close to his eye level.

"Listen here, you brat!" Vegeta snarled furiously at him. His coal-black eyes blazing with his rage and alpha energy. "I am betting for you with every single money I have. If you dare run like a fucking coward, or lose like a pathetic weakling, shaming the pride of the Saiyans, I will kill you myself. Do you understand?"

Goten stared back at Vegeta's darkened eyes with palpable fear and saw that this threat wasn't a joke. He nodded fiercely in obedience and Vegeta harshly shoved him forward, causing the young adult Saiyan-human hybrid to stumble. He turned his head over his shoulder to give Vegeta a gaze of uncertainty but Vegeta's stern glare at him told him that he's not up for arguments or defiance anymore.

Goten sighed, having left no choice but to obey his 'uncle'. It's either he play this dangerous game or suffer Vegeta's wrath and he'd rather do his best and face this Gyanburu guy than Vegeta's rage. So he dragged his feet to the arena, thinking, "Aw man… This isn't fair. I'm not willing to gamble my own soul for this…"

"Papa, I don't think it's a good idea to do this," Bulla tried to reason with her father, hoping for her him to take back his decision to send Goten out in that dangerous gambit.

"What do you mean? This is a good opportunity for us to go with the flow," Vegeta told her. His arms crossed over his chest and a confident look in his face.

"But…"

"Worry not. Son Goten has both his father's Saiyan blood and his mother's fiery will on him. He naturally would have a more powerful life force than what he is letting on. I wouldn't be putting my trust in him if I knew he wasn't going to win," Vegeta assured his daughter.

They watched as Goten stepped up on the arena, noticing him feeling nervous.

"Stop acting like a coward and concentrate, Son Goten! Believe in your power! You can do this!" Vegeta shouted at him.

"Go, Goten!" Bulla cheered.

Goten shrieked, feeling his body shudder at the sound of Vegeta and Bulla's encouragement behind him. He turned his head over his shoulder and grinned sheepishly at Vegeta, "Easy for you to say, but—"

Goten blinked when he found Vegeta's confident smirk. Come to think of it, it's very unusual for the stern and grumpy Saiyan Prince to give such compliments and encouragement towards others. Seeing how much trust the Prince was putting on him would only mean that Vegeta knows that he is winning this.

"Oh! Looks like we have a new challenger here! And what a handsome young lad he is! What's your name?" asked the female hostess with a cheerful tone, yet despite that, Goten noticed how blank her pink eyes were.

For a moment, the realization that this pretty girl was one previous challenger who lost this gamble and became a slave to the power of this thing gave Goten the right motivation to do this challenge.

His earlier reluctant face turned into a determined one, wanting to be the one to save this girl, and so as the rest of the people who surrounded them from the clutches of this evil gambler.

Goten straightened up and fixed his composure. His demeanor completely changed into that of a determined warrior.

"I am Son Goten," he introduced.

"Ah… Son Goten-san. That's a strange name. So, where are you from?" the female host asked.

"I'm from Planet Earth."

"Earth? I've never heard of that planet before. Is that far away?"

"I guess."

"So why are you here challenging the undefeated Gyanburu-sama?"

"I…" Goten was stumped by the question. He turned to Vegeta's direction and shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell her you want the ball," Vegeta sent him telepathically.

"That golden orb he's keeping. I want it as my prize, that's all," Goten answered.

"Ooh! So you are indeed after Gyanburu-sama's treasure, huh? What do you say of this, Gyanburu-sama?"

Gyanburu crossed his colossal arms over his massive pectorals, eyeing Son Goten as if he's trying to gauge his opponent even before this bet happens.

"Finally, someone interested in this little ball. Looks beautiful, isn't it?" he asked.

"Y-yeah…"

"Fine. Let's begin."

The female host gave instructions to Goten on what to do. Goten swallowed nervously as he stepped forward towards the Teishutsu no Kibo, raising his hand and placing it over the empty pan.

"Zekkto," Goten muttered.

A white flame emerged from Goten's hand and he took a step back, leaving that blazing white fire surging within the scale.

"A white flame? A pure heart!" Gyanburu gasped. "This is the first time I've seen someone with a pure, white flame like this!"

Goten began to concentrate on his ki, raising it little by little. The scale began to shake as the white flame of Goten's life force surged and changed color into a bright gold, then it exploded into a bigger flame. It was the power of a Super Saiyan. The breathtaking spectacle caused everyone to gasp in awe as they had never seen a flame change color like that. Vegeta smirked proudly and in satisfaction, especially when the magical scale begins to move in favor of Goten's overwhelming Super Saiyan power.

"Papa! Look, Goten's got this!" Bulla exclaimed excitedly with a huge grin.

"That's good, Son Goten," Vegeta urged. "Show them the power of the Legendary Super Saiyan! Do it!"

"What?! This is impossible!" Gyanburu gasped in his terror. "I've never seen anyone with this much life force! Just what are you?"

Goten let out a cocky smile and the scale heavily plummeted in his favor. "I win!"

Just as Goten was about to take the victory from the supposedly undefeated Gyanburu, the enemy suddenly let out a sinister smile.

"Heh!"

Gyanburu's swirling crimson-black flame suddenly blazed larger, and it grew ceaselessly into a pillar of fire.

"Wha-what?!" Vegeta, Bulla, and Goten gasped as they watched Gyanburu's ki skyrocket in an instant.

Vegeta gritted his teeth together in his frustration when he realized what that energy was made of, "I miscalculated! I didn't think that he had absorbed that much life force all this time! Damn it! This bastard is more powerful than I anticipated!"

He helplessly watched as the scale quickly turned to Gyanburu's favor, the red flame swallowing Goten's golden fire. Goten instantly felt all of his life force being siphoned out of him, including his very soul, and his body dropped soundlessly on the floor.

"Goten!" Bulla screamed in horror.

"Wow! Gyanburu-sama truly is amazing and unbeatable! Despite young Goten's amazing feats, he is completely outmatched by our undefeated champion's overwhelming power!" the female host exclaimed and the audience cheered and clapped at the show of brutality. Vegeta and Bulla weren't happy about this unexpected outcome, of course.

Goten's now soulless body got up, like he was some marionette being controlled by Gyanburu's will, his facial expression blank and his eyes were hollowed like that of a dead person. He joined Fureid and many others who lost to this cruel fiend that day who were gathered on the sidelines like mechanical robot soldiers standing in full alert.

Gyanburu cackled madly, "Hahaha! Yet another addition to my collection of slaves!" he boasted. The crowd howled joyfully once again, chanting Gyanburu's name like he was some idol.

"Papa! What are we going to do now? How do we save Goten from that guy?!" Bulla asked her father.

"This leaves me no other choice then. I'm in," Vegeta said.

Bulla pulled him back by his arm, "Are you crazy?! You have seen how that bastard easily defeated Goten!" she shouted.

Vegeta turned to his daughter, his eyes darkened with his rage, not because of her words but because of what happened to Goten.

"Don't worry, Bulla. I'll be fine," Vegeta told her.

"You said that earlier when you pushed Goten to play! No! You're not playing this stupid game—"

"Shut up, Bulla!" Vegeta yelled, causing his daughter to quiet down. "Have you forgotten who you're talking to, girl?! I am different from Son Goten, so you don't need to worry about me at all! Now, let me go and let me end this stupid game!"

"But… papa…"

Bulla wanted to remind her father that in this child state he's trapped in, Vegeta won't be able to summon forth his full power at all. He even admitted it himself back on Planet Kerubo that Goten was stronger than he is at that state so how is he planning to win this gamble?

She didn't want to see her beloved father become a puppet to that ugly alien bastard. Seeing Goten as being one of them was already too much for her to bear.

Noticing that his daughter didn't want to let him go, Vegeta raised his free hand to pry hers off his shoulder, then he held her hand gently and gave her a calm smile to assure her that he'll be alright.

"Bulla, you have to remember who and what your father is. Trust me. There's always one thing a Saiyan Prince keeps no matter what happens and I will not lose to this bastard because of that one thing," he told her, clasping her hand with his and putting it against his chest, closest to where his heart is.

Bulla's eyes widened in awe upon realizing what her father meant.

"Papa…"

"Feel that? That is the source of a Saiyan's real strength."

Vegeta's true power wasn't just about his level of energy or the limits of his physical strength alone. He had an indomitable iron-like willpower, fueled by his pride as a Saiyan warrior prince, that's stronger than any force in this Universe. Unbeknownst to Bulla, Vegeta had resisted the control of even the most powerful wizard, Babidi, through his sheer willpower alone fifteen years ago. What could a mere magical artifact with lesser power do to someone with such high pride?

"I understand, papa." Bulla relented.

Vegeta let go of his daughter's hand and he turned his back on her to face Gyanburu who was looking for another challenger, if anyone would dare.

He stepped forward and declared, "I'm next!"

Everyone turned to his direction and they all stepped aside to allow him to move forward towards the stage.

"What? You're just a mere child. Don't make us laugh. Return to your mother and drink some milk," Gyanburu said before everyone erupted into a fit of laughter.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed at the blatant insult, "I swear I'll make you regret saying those words later."

"I'm sorry but are you actually serious?" the female host asked, trying to stifle her laughter.

Vegeta didn't respond to that and simply stepped into the arena. Once he was standing before the massive and unbeatable Gyanburu, the boisterous cackling finally went down when they realized how serious he actually was.

"Uhmm… Okay. It appears that you're actually serious about this, boy," the female host said rather awkwardly. "So, what is your name?"

"Vegeta Yonsei," the pint-sized Saiyan Prince responded haughtily, crossing his arms over his chest.

The host blinked, "Huh? Vegeta Yonsei? That name sounds familiar to me for some reason."

"It should be. I was named after my home planet and I'm quite famous across the Universe."

"Vegeta Yonsei from Planet Vegeta? No way! Don't tell me… Please don't tell me that you are that Vegeta? The last Prince of the Saiyans, the once feared Legendary Destroyer of Worlds who disappeared over thirty years ago?"

Vegeta smirked, "Ah… So you heard about me? That's good."

The entire casino fell into dead silence.

The name Vegeta carried with it a history of devastation—entire civilizations reduced to rubble, worlds burned to cinders by his wrath. Many of the aliens in the audience had heard legends of him, the Saiyan warrior who could obliterate planets with a mere thought.

"Oh my goodness!" the female host gasped, stepping back. "Gyanburu-sama! What do you say about this?! He is saying that he's the infamous Legendary Destroyer of Worlds!"

"I don't believe it," Gyanburu denied. "Vegeta Yonsei died over thirty years ago on Planet Namek when he challenged the Emperor of the Universe!" Gyanburu said. "If you are who you claimed to be, then you are weaker and tinier than what I expected from someone of your caliber."

"I guess I'll just go ahead and show you when we begin," Vegeta told him. "But… let me warn you about one thing, I am overwhelmingly strong. The legends you heard about what I could do aren't mere exaggerated stories made to terrify the weaklings. They're all true. I'm giving you one chance to think about your decision. You better admit defeat now and do as I say willingly before I make you taste your first one and force you to submit to me."

Gyanburu scoffed back, "Hah! You're just a mere brat claiming to be some legendary figure from the past who should be forgotten. I'm sure you're not as powerful as you used to be—or claimed to be for that matter."

"Your call," Vegeta said. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Heh! With that tiny body of yours, what makes you think you could beat me?" Gyanburu snorted. "If you were here earlier and saw how I completely overpowered that weakling friend of yours with my power, you should know that I can do the same to you!"

"Are you sure about that?" Vegeta asked. "Oh well. Now, let me ask the same question to you. What makes you think you could beat me? Is it because I'm a little brat right now? Or are you actually underestimating me?"

"Papa…" Bulla thought to herself as she watched her father do what he does best, beating his enemy in a psychological warfare by breaking their will even before the real battle starts.

And it seems Gyanburu was falling for it.

"Shut up, brat!" the bulking alien roared furiously. "Enough talk! If you want to play so much, then I'll play with you… and I'm raising the stakes this time!" he declared.

"What now?" Vegeta asked.

Gyanburu chuckled back at him wickedly, "Hehehe… I will bet my entire life on this match, and you will do the same if you want to save your friend and get the ball. If I win, I will personally behead you in front of all these people and have your head displayed at the main lobby as proof that I have defeated the infamous Legendary Destroyer of Worlds. People will declare me as a hero of justice, giving the peace your victims from your conquests deserved!"

"So one of us will be walking out of this place alive…" Vegeta muttered. His dark eyes suddenly gleamed with his bloodlust and he let out a scary, bloodthirsty smirk. "Fine, we have a deal."

Gyanburu blinked his eyes in confusion. This boy was indeed crazy. How was he that confident despite his petite size? Ignoring the odd feeling that was making his stomach twist for some reason, he nodded as he uttered, "Zekkto," signing the contract. Vegeta followed by placing his hand over the Teishutsu no Kibo's left pan, and allowed the power of the magical scale to take his ki.

A tiny blue flame burst forth above the pan and Vegeta stepped aside. The scale quickly tilted in favor of Gyanburu, slamming down heavily on the right side.

Gyanburu suddenly cackled boisterously, "What the heck?! HAHAHAHAHA! You're just all talk! Look at that flame! It's barely a tiny spark! Is this what the infamous Prince of all Saiyans and Legendary Destroyer of Worlds was reduced into? What have you been doing? Living a soft, laid-back life, playing with little children your age?"

Vegeta scoffed in annoyance as he rolled his eyes and shook his head in his disbelief. The foolish, cocky bastard had no idea, did he?

He observed Gyanburu's flame, it's still as huge as when the gambling alien pitted it against Son Goten earlier.

"Hey," Vegeta called him out. "Tell me, is that really all you got? I expected it to be a bit larger than before."

"Excuse me?! With your tinnie-minnie flame, there's no need for me to use all of my power against you!"

"You're wrong," Vegeta told him.

"What did you say, you brat?!"

"I'm telling you that you're going to need every single drop of life force you have. Show me everything."

Gyanburu's eyes narrowed. He couldn't understand this tiny brat's overconfidence at all. And how was it that the Teishutsu no Kibo was taking its sweet time to decide his victory over this pathetic kid?

Then he noticed it. The scale was quivering. The winner hasn't been decided yet! How? He should have already claimed his victory!

Unless there's still more that's about to come from Vegeta.

Vegeta's eyes glinted with the pure menace of a cruel villain and his lips gradually stretched into a wide, diabolical smirk when he saw that his foe had finally noticed it.

Gyanburu let out a breath of utter disbelief, "What's the meaning of this? What's happening?" he asked particularly no one, taking a few, shaking steps back.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Show me your true power. Unless you want to lose right now," Vegeta urged.

Panicking, Gyanburu fell for Vegeta's trap. He willingly unleashed all of his life force, accumulated through all the victories he gained from various aliens he had shamelessly beaten in this game. His flame grew rapidly as even Goten's stolen life force fused with the rest of the collected energy.

The scale tilted further to Gyanburu's side, causing the alien to cackle madly. "Bwahahahaha! What now, brat?! This is what you want to see, isn't it?! Now, bear witness to the ultimate life force in the Universe!"

"Oh… Is this all? Impressive. I honestly couldn't believe you've collected this much life force for yourself. No wonder you're quite confident, especially after you have taken a Saiyan-hybrid's life force and added it to your own. However," Vegeta muttered, and then, he smiled coldly. "Do you honestly think this is enough for you to win against me?"

Gyanburu blinked his eyes in confusion.

Vegeta's cold, cruel smile widened. A completely deranged look replaced his earlier stern face as he declared, "My turn!"

The air around them abruptly started to vibrate as if in sheer terror of the Legendary Destroyer's sudden change in demeanor and overwhelming presence. The left side of the scale holding Vegeta's little blue flame began to struggle against Gyanburu's side, slowly, gradually dropping.

Gyanburu's grin faded. "W-what is this?"

"You miscalculated, Gyanburu," the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds declared. "Did you honestly think that the tiny spark of flame you saw is already my true power? A Saiyan's power cannot be measured by mere calculations alone nor it is limited by physical strength and size. You shouldn't have underestimated me. I warned you earlier, didn't I? I told you that I'm stronger than what I'm letting on. I've been suppressing my ki all this time. Didn't want to break your little toy too quickly."

As if on cue, the balance suddenly shifted and Vegeta's side quickly plummeted down with a loud clunk even before the tiny blue flame above the left pan of the Teishutsu no Kibo surged forth and rapidly increased in both power and size. The blue flame erupted into a pillar of raging fire, swallowing the red-black one entirely, ensuring Vegeta's complete victory.

However, the Saiyan Prince's rampage was only just beginning.

"One thing you should know. This game of yours isn't just about who has the stronger life force or a more powerful energy reserves. Ki doesn't simply rely on how much physical strength one has, it also depends on the user's battle spirit, willpower and mental fortitude. This was how you defeated Son Goten earlier. While his physical energy was obviously larger than yours, his unwillingness to gamble his life force made it impossible for him to summon forth his true power. I, on the other hand, is different from him, or the weaklings you have beaten in this game so far. I may have been physically weakened by my transformation into this tiny brat but most of my strength comes from my fighting spirit. Someone with a weak mind and a weak heart like yourself will never be a match for me!"

Vegeta's overwhelming aura engulfed the arena into a fiery inferno. The air surrounding them thickened and vibrated with his power, shaking the walls and the floor of the casino—and soon the entire Planet Kasino itself, which also began to be enveloped by a cloak of darkness coming from the thunderclouds his energy called upon. The mighty and intimidating pressure Vegeta's aura emitted effectively pushed Gyanburu and his mindless puppets back while Bulla, who was hugging the jittery and noisy Giru, could barely hold herself upright against the pressure waves created by her father's devastating power. The color of Vegeta's aura began to shift from a royal blue to a dark purple, signifying the terrifying power of pure utter destruction.

"I win," Vegeta declared. His coal-black eyes now a glowing pair of crimson. A sinister smile stretched across his lips.

Gyanburu, who was still reeling from being pushed back by Vegeta's power up, didn't have the time to react at all as the power of the Teishutsu no Kibo took over him, ceasing his very soul and completely taking away all of his life force, forcefully binding it to Vegeta's will against his own volition.

Vegeta powered down once he was sure that the foolish gambler was under his control and everything became calm and quiet.

When Vegeta defeated Gyanburu, those who were under the alien's control lost their master puppeteer and bodies dropped to the floor lifelessly. While he felt the tempting power of the Teishutsu no Kibo was letting off and had binded itself to his ki and his will, becoming its newfound master, he didn't feel any connection to Goten or the others. Perhaps, they're still connected to Gyanburu somehow.

Also, he began to understand why Gyanburu was the way he is. The fool had a fragile mind and heart after all. This power of superiority and control coming from the Teishutsu no Kibo was indeed enticing. He could hear whispers coming from this dark magical artifact promising him power and strength above all, which could potentially allow him to rule the Universe, to dominate and conquer any world he wanted by making everyone submit to his will. Vegeta wondered how this tool could have been useful back in his planet conquering days, but it never interested him despite the rumors he heard about it. He preferred proving his superiority and enjoyed making the weaklings cower in fear of him on his own rather than using such a useless tool. His pride was just too high for that.

So, with his pride and willpower, he ignored and resisted the tempting offer the Teishutsu no Kibo gave him. He considered destroying this thing but decided that he still had a use for it at the moment.

He turned to Gyanburu, and with his mind, manipulated the fool to do his bidding, just like how a puppeteer controls his puppets but telekinetically.

Gyanburu rose from the ground and knelt before his master.

"What is your command, Vegeta-sama?" he asked in an emotionless tone. Vegeta grinned mischievously.

"First, surrender to me the Dragon Ball," he ordered. Vegeta watched as Gyanburu mechanically moved to take the Dragon Ball being displayed a few feet before them. Gyanburu then returned to his knees and offered Vegeta the Dragon Ball to him like he was offering the most luscious and fresh harvests to a god. The act made Vegeta laughed maniacally, he was obviously enjoying this.

He took the ball off of Gyanburu's hands and tossed it to Bulla.

"Second, return all of the life force you shamelessly stole from all of these people, except for yours." Vegeta commanded.

Gyanburu nodded like some robot and suddenly, his aura flared. Several streaks of life force burst out of his physique and returned to their original bodies, causing the lifeless forms to jolt back to life.

The people who were liberated from the curse of the gamble they made with Gyanburu, were initially confused as they looked down at their hands, wondering what just happened to them. Eventually, they realized that they were back to reality and cheers of freedom echoed throughout the building.

Bulla was glad to see Goten back, but the look of fear on the young man's face was obvious as he realized what kind of hell he would be paying later from Vegeta for his defeat.

"You're nothing but just a weakling, aren't you? You managed to make yourself stronger by feeding off these people's life force and yet, your mind is as fragile as porcelain. How pathetic," Vegeta told Gyanburu. "Alright, it's time for us to end our deal. I'm sure you remember that, don't you?"

Of course, Gyanburu won't remember. His mind, his body, and his soul now belonged to Vegeta but the cruel prince made him remember how it was his decision to bet his own life. And as if Gyanburu still had his soul and was still in control of his body, he began to tremble with utmost fear. It was as if he knew what Vegeta was planning to do to him.

But much to everyone's surprise, the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds decided to spare his life. He did, however, use his control over the fool to make him admit his crimes of exploitation and surrender to the planet's authorities, who eventually arrested him and took him to the station for further questioning. Once the bulking gambler was taken to the police custody, Vegeta severed his control over him with a snap of his fingers. He burst into a childish fit of laughter when he heard Gyanburu scream in horror upon realizing that he's being taken to prison.

"Papa, you're such a mean little rascal, aren't you?" Bulla commented. "Are you enjoying playing puppet master that much?"

"You have no idea how fun it is to be able to manipulate weaklings to do whatever you want," Vegeta told them with a giggle. "Now you understand what I mean when I told you how important strength and power is in the Universe."

"The strong stands above all…" Bulla whispered.

"And subdues everyone else…" Goten continued.

Both Bulla and Goten lowered their eyes upon this realization. A look of sadness came across them, somehow, feeling bad for the misfortune of those who were born weak and powerless in this kind of cruel world. They're totally helpless and will forever be subjugated in fear to those who are more powerful than them.

What a cruel world this is. No wonder why Vegeta turned out to become such a stern, headstrong and hard-hearted warrior who constantly sought after greater strength like there was no end to it, especially considering how high his pride was about him being the Saiyan Prince and being one of the most powerful and feared beings in this Universe. His reputation as the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds was built on that ruthlessness, using his sheer power to dominate and instill fear in others to manipulate them in order to get what he wants and prove his superiority in the Universe, all for the sake of his pride.

The gambling game earlier was nothing but child's play to him. He knew exactly how it was played and he was confident he would win. He was already a master of dominance, intimidation, and manipulation.

While they're glad that Vegeta changed from his old ways of being a cold and ruthless conqueror and destroyer of worlds and he now protects the Universe from enemies who were like how he used to be, how many more men across the Universe were similar, if not worse than the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds?

"Vegeta-san," Goten called.

"Hm?"

"I think I understand now what you mean and after what I've seen here and on Planet Imecka and Kerubo, I made a choice now…

"I will become stronger so I can protect those who are helpless to defend themselves from those who would dare to use their power and strength to exploit and oppress these people for how they are!"

Bulla stepped up as well, with the same determined look as Goten, "Me too, papa. I will do my best to become as strong as I can be, for you, and the people I wish to protect."

Vegeta stared at the two hybrid Saiyans who just found their motivation to seek becoming stronger. And then he smiled, turning his head away from them as if he wasn't interested with what they just told him at all, "Hmph! Do what you want. At least, you finally found a reason for you to take your training seriously."

It seemed like a cold response but Vegeta's smile told them that he had acknowledged their decision and that he was glad about this development coming from them.

"And now, as for this thing…" Vegeta muttered as he turned to the Teishutsu no Kibo. "I believe I have no use for such a thing, but this is a dangerous magical artifact that could be used for evil by those who seek dominance and greater power. I think it's only right that I destroy it completely."

Vegeta held up his hands and the Teishutsu no Kibo floated above his palms. He unleashed his aura, his ki engulfing the magical scale with his destructive powers. Everyone watched in awe and fear as the artifact began to crack, break, and eventually explode into pieces before completely turning into ashes. Black energy seeped out of the ashes and Vegeta watched it disappear into thin air.

He turned to Bulla and Goten who were huddled together along with Giru. Meanwhile, the now liberated Kasinojins and other various aliens could only gawk in wonder, dread, and trepidation at Vegeta's display of destructive power.

What a terrifying monster for someone so small…

Vegeta planted his hands over his hips and told his companions, "We're done here. Let's go and search for the next Dragon Ball."

And with that, Vegeta, Bulla, Son Goten, and Giru left Planet Kasino, having successfully retrieved their second Black-Star Dragon Ball.

Five more to go.