The wind swept across the field, gently lifting Raditz's long hair and causing it to float on the breeze.
"Goku, remember when I told you I wasn't the only surviving Saiyan?" Raditz said.
"Even counting you, there are four of us in total."
"Yes, the other two have far greater power than I do. One comes from an elite family with impressive strength, while the other is Prince Vegeta, whose power level is more than ten times my own!"
Raditz spoke in a grave tone, and the expressions of the two warriors opposite him changed dramatically, as if they'd heard the most terrifying news imaginable.
There were two even stronger Saiyans out there!
"Let me put this in perspective: your current power level is about 400, Goku, and your most powerful attack when fully charged might barely exceed 1000. Meanwhile, I maintain a stable power level of 1800. As for Vegeta? His power level is a staggering 18,000! If he wanted to destroy this planet, it would take nothing more than a casual energy blast."
"1...8...thousand?" Beads of sweat formed on Piccolo's forehead as he struggled to breathe evenly.
Though Goku remained silent, his entire body trembled.
Even a child could understand the enormous gap these numbers represented. If they could barely withstand two strikes from Raditz, against Vegeta they would be nothing more than ants.
This was exactly the reaction Raditz wanted. A slight grin formed at the corner of his mouth as he continued: "Don't be too shocked—there are even greater secrets. We Saiyans work for a being who calls himself the Emperor of the Universe. His name is Frieza, and he is truly horrifying. I mentioned earlier that the Saiyan homeworld was destroyed by a meteorite, but that's not the truth. Planet Vegeta was obliterated by Frieza himself!"
"Destroy... an entire planet?"
"Frieza... Emperor of the Universe? Wait, if the Saiyans worked for him, why would he destroy them?"
Too much information flooded the minds of Goku and Piccolo at once, making it difficult for them to process.
King Piccolo had once believed that ruling Earth was the ultimate ambition, but now a cosmic-level threat had suddenly appeared, instantly elevating the conflict to a higher plane of existence. The current Piccolo was shaken to his core.
"Let me explain. Frieza valued the Saiyans' service, but secretly, the Saiyans weren't truly loyal to him—they were preparing to rebel. Frieza, however, was wary of the Saiyans' potential and chose to strike preemptively, destroying the entire planet."
"The Saiyans didn't fight back? How could so many powerful warriors be wiped out by a single being?"
Raditz couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head. "No matter how many ants gather together, they can't defeat a giant beast. Frieza's power level is... 530,000!"
Goku and Piccolo's pupils dilated in shock, their hearts pounding as if struck by a massive hammer. The impact of this revelation was undeniable.
Such an immense power level was simply unimaginable, making them acutely aware of their own insignificance.
"Someone that powerful exists... we wouldn't stand a chance!" Goku was half-terrified, half-excited, the Saiyan blood boiling in his veins.
"Don't tell me you actually want to fight Frieza?" Piccolo asked mockingly.
"That's exactly what I'm thinking."
"Just your style..."
Having discovered there were skies beyond skies, the two calmed down after their initial panic.
Seeing their reaction, Raditz continued: "We remaining Saiyans were manipulated by Frieza from the shadows. If we continue working for him, we'll eventually be eliminated. He shows no mercy—anyone who poses even the slightest threat to him, or ceases to be useful, is marked for death."
"But what does that have to do with us?" Piccolo challenged.
"Everything. Vegeta sent me to Earth specifically, and soon it will be Earth's turn to be conquered. More terrifying still, Frieza's ambition encompasses the entire galaxy—perhaps the universe itself—and Earth is definitely among his targets. Goku, you're a Saiyan too. If Frieza decides to completely eradicate our race, he'll eventually track you down. Do you still think this has nothing to do with you?"
Piccolo fell silent.
"Our only option is resistance! The other two Saiyans also refuse to accept Frieza's dominion, but they lack the strength to challenge him directly, so they've chosen to bide their time. We need to unite and continually grow stronger. With enough power, we'll have a chance against Frieza!" Raditz raised his arms, causing the air around him to ripple outward.
These were his true feelings—Frieza, as the greatest threat to all of them, needed to be eliminated as quickly as possible.
His words sparked deep contemplation in both Goku and Piccolo. Faced with an unprecedented crisis, their minds raced. Saiyans, cosmic emperor, destruction, power... all these concepts swirled in their thoughts.
Goku analyzed the situation calmly: "But it seems impossible for us to reach a power level of 530,000 anytime soon. And from your tone, these other two Saiyans don't sound particularly cooperative."
"You're right—those two are incredibly arrogant, especially the prince. Persuading them would be useless; we'll need to use strength to convince them. As for improving our power..." Raditz deliberately elongated his words, capturing their full attention, "we just need to die once!"
Die?! Goku and Piccolo blanched.
How could anyone improve their strength after death? It sounded absurd.
Anticipating their reaction, Raditz explained patiently: "Don't be alarmed. There's a deity called King Kai who exists on a level above Earth's guardian. He resides on his own planet. Training under him would dramatically increase your strength. Normally, you could reach him without dying, but under current circumstances, that's impossible. Death is our only option."
"We really have to... die?"
"Don't we have the Dragon Balls? We can be resurrected."
"You even know about the Dragon Balls!" Goku exclaimed, shocked.
"Of course I researched them. But that's not the main issue. The crucial point is that you need Earth's guardian to allow you to keep your body after death. With his recommendation and King Yemma's approval, you can journey to King Kai's planet."
Raditz spoke with complete confidence, as if he'd experienced it personally. Piccolo grew suspicious. "How do you know all this so precisely?"
"That's all the information I have. Don't worry—I'll die first. But I need Goku to accompany me, introduce me to these deities, and then we can train together."
"Well..." Hearing that Raditz was willing to die first, Piccolo found himself without argument. After all, volunteering to die meant placing your life in others' hands—what kind of trick could he possibly be planning?
"Additionally, we should bring Gohan to train with us. His potential makes him an essential fighter for our cause."
Goku nodded, expressing his willingness to trust Raditz.
In truth, when Raditz returned Gohan unharmed, Goku had already begun to believe in him. During their brief fight, Raditz's obvious restraint convinced Goku that something deeper was happening. He was glad to have recovered his biological brother.
"Piccolo, your life force is tied to Kami. You can't participate in this particular training method, sorry about that," Goku said with a casual wave.
"Hmph, if he's deceiving you, you'll die for nothing," Piccolo shot Goku a withering look. "Though that works fine for me—one less obstacle to my world domination, right, Goku?"
The two longtime rivals exchanged knowing smiles.
Raditz picked up his scouter, stepped forward to stand before Goku, and nodded to Piccolo.
"Let's do this!"
At that moment, Gohan came running from behind a boulder, crying out "Daddy!"
"Gohan! Daddy will be back soon!" Goku called, smiling despite facing imminent death.
He was actually excited—the prospect of confronting such powerful adversaries made his blood race with anticipation.
Facing the two who were prepared to die, Piccolo, having charged his energy for some time, unleashed his new technique—the Special Beam Cannon!!!
The spiral beam contained devastating energy, its blinding light stretching their shadows across the ground. As the beam rushed toward them, Raditz suddenly had a moment of realization. "Wait! I made a mistake!"
Facing the Special Beam Cannon, he rapidly fired back an energy wave!
The two forces collided, causing a massive explosion. The shockwave rippled outward in all directions as the earth split down the middle, the fissure extending far into the distance as if the ground had been cleaved in two.
"You were lying all along!" Piccolo shouted angrily.
"No, no, no! I just realized—why don't we simply make a wish to the dragon instead? It's a perfect opportunity to use the Dragon Balls, and we wouldn't have to die..." Raditz hastily explained, sweat pouring down his face.
"..."
Goku and Piccolo remained silent for a long moment before they spoke in unison: "That... actually makes sense."
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