"What do we do now? We can't find Lord Frieza anywhere..." Dodoria was starting to panic internally. "He was right in that area just a moment ago!"
"We have to expand the search radius," Zarbon said in a low, steady voice.
"Could Lord Frieza have already left the planet?" Dodoria asked, baffled.
"Impossible — the ship is still here. Lord Frieza can survive in the vacuum of space, but without a ship, moving around becomes extremely difficult." Zarbon shook his head.
"That's a fair point." Dodoria nodded thoughtfully, then pressed the button on his scouter. "Though the scouter isn't picking up any reading for Lord Frieza."
"That's expected. Lord Frieza was knocked unconscious by that Super Saiyan, so there's no battle power to read," Zarbon said.
The two wasted no more time and resumed their search across Namek.
They eventually split up, each heading in a different direction.
Dodoria had been searching for a while when he suddenly spotted something in the green sky far above — a streak of red light screaming toward Planet Namek at high speed.
"Hm? Is that... a spaceship?" Dodoria blinked and rubbed his eyes.
He pressed the button on his scouter.
One look at the reading and Dodoria's eyes lit up.
That's Vegeta's battle power reading.
He actually came to Planet Namek!
Let me think this through carefully...
The reason this Super Saiyan Goku even appeared in the first place — it all starts with Vegeta.
It was Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz going to attack some planet when they felt they were short-handed that made them think of the Saiyan still living on Earth.
Then that Raditz guy went to Earth and ended up getting killed.
Then Vegeta and Nappa went to Earth to get revenge on the Super Saiyan.
Nappa ended up dying.
But Vegeta — that guy really does have the luck of the devil. He actually survived an attack from a Super Saiyan.
Though thinking about it... the Super Saiyan let Lord Frieza go. He might have let Vegeta off too.
If I bring Vegeta in and hand him to Lord Frieza, maybe after he wakes up he won't take out his anger about losing to the Super Saiyan on me.
Good. That's the plan.
Dodoria's spirits lifted considerably. He shot toward Vegeta's location at full speed.
BOOM!
Vegeta's spaceship left a massive crater in the surface of Planet Namek upon landing.
Creak...
The hatch ground open and Vegeta stepped out.
The moment he appeared, he found Dodoria walking straight toward him.
"Vegeta — just as I thought!" Dodoria said with a casual smile.
"Dodoria?" Vegeta snorted.
"Vegeta, long time no see!" Dodoria's smile widened.
"Where's Frieza? How come I can't sense his presence? Did he already make his wish and leave the planet?" Vegeta frowned, a trace of anxiety creeping into his voice.
"Hmph — you don't need to know any of that!" Dodoria said with a dismissive smirk, cracking his knuckles. "You'd better worry about yourself. Your unauthorised actions disrupted Lord Frieza's plans, and Lord Frieza is furious."
Vegeta extended his senses. Other than Dodoria, there was nobody else around.
What struck him as strange too — this planet was almost empty. Barely a dozen people.
"Good. I've been waiting for a chance to find you alone. You and Zarbon are always hanging off Frieza," Vegeta said coolly. "Didn't think you'd come to me yourself."
"Vegeta, you're just as arrogant as ever!" Dodoria said, the corner of his mouth curling upward. "Have you already forgotten how terrifying I am?"
"Hmph." Vegeta didn't bother with another word. Energy erupted from him in waves.
Dodoria's eyes went wide — and then, as the reading on his scouter spiked off the charts with Vegeta's surging battle power, he went completely rigid, his face twisting into something ugly.
"This... this is impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Dodoria screamed, his expression turning savage.
"Go on — what does my battle power read?" Vegeta asked pleasantly.
"There's a malfunction! It has to be! Your power level is only 18,000 — there's no way it's anywhere near what this thing is showing!" Dodoria ripped the scouter off his face and crushed it to powder in his fist.
"Tch!" Vegeta gave a contemptuous smile. "What's wrong — is my power level so high you're too afraid to say the number out loud?"
"I don't believe it!" Dodoria let out a furious roar, and with both hands flung a massive wave of energy straight at Vegeta.
BOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the spot where Vegeta had been standing, sending a great plume of dust and debris into the air.
"AAAAUGH!"
Dodoria, just to be sure Vegeta was finished, poured every last bit of his energy into the attack.
But then, without warning, a voice rang out from directly behind him.
"That trick of yours doesn't work on me," Vegeta said lightly.
Dodoria's face went pale. Pure terror flooded his eyes.
He didn't hesitate for a second — he swung a fist around and drove it at the Vegeta behind him.
Vegeta raised one hand and caught Dodoria's punch effortlessly.
Dodoria followed up with a kick.
Vegeta leapt, right hand grabbing Dodoria's fingers, left hand shooting out in a hook that seized Dodoria's other arm — and wrenched both arms behind his back.
"Ahh—!"
Dodoria screamed in pain.
"Dodoria, didn't expect it to end like this, did you?" Vegeta laughed. "I told you — Saiyans get stronger every time they fight. And while I'm at it — I already took care of Cui back on Planet 79! You're next, Dodoria. That's what we Saiyans are made of!"
"Wait, Vegeta! If you let me go, I'll tell you a secret!" Dodoria's mind clicked into gear. "About your people — about Planet Vegeta."
"What?" Vegeta's grip faltered slightly. He loosened his hold and demanded, "You said Planet Vegeta? What secret?"
"Huh... huh..." Dodoria was gasping heavily now, feeling drained and faint.
"You... you won't kill me after I tell you, will you?" Dodoria asked carefully, his mouth twitching.
"I'll kill you right now if you don't talk!" Vegeta snapped.
Dodoria steadied himself and began, choosing his words slowly.
I just need to stall for time. Zarbon is already heading this way.
Between the two of us, we can definitely take Vegeta down.
To be continued…
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