In the distant depths of space, Meruem, having just finished off Cooler, was in high spirits. Not only because his battle power had risen, but because he had also gained several of Cooler's abilities.
Most importantly, by eliminating Cooler, Meruem had removed a major hidden threat.
What remained was that bastard Frieza. Frieza was stronger than Cooler now, but how much stronger Meruem didn't know.
Though he had obtained most of Cooler's abilities, he couldn't get his memories. So how strong Frieza currently was remained an open question.
No matter. Meruem's battle power had soared. As long as Frieza hadn't surpassed Super Saiyan 1, Meruem was confident he could handle him.
Beep-beep-beep. Meruem wore something around his eye much like a scouter, manufactured by the Bigao Star.
It worked just like a scouter, used to gauge an opponent's battle power. But this device had an extra function: it could read the energy in a target's body.
Energy didn't equal battle power, but the higher the stored energy, the higher the battle power would be.
Meruem had requested this added function to avoid opponents suppressing their battle power.
Naturally, it also retained the scouter's other function: communication.
"Oh? A transmission from Earth… Let's see. Tsk, tsk. Vegeta's invasion? Power level 18,000? Too bad for him—he's up against Z-Fighters trained by King Kai. They can use Kaio-ken. Krillin's battle power is even 6,500."
"Heh-heh. Unless the Saiyan Prince Vegeta transforms into a Great Ape, he won't stand a chance against Goku and the others. Goku now is stronger than in the original."
"How amusing. Let me give them a little more fun. The Raditz project is done, right? Since the Chimera Ants already have Saiyan genes, he's no longer useful."
"Release the modified Raditz onto the battlefield. Let our prince witness just how strong the low-class Saiyan he once despised has become."
"I wonder what interesting things will happen. I'm looking forward to it."
"Let these Z-Fighters grow even stronger. They're still not enough—not even a match for Frieza's Ginyu Force."
"At the very least, probe for me how strong Frieza is now."
"I can't wait to see what abilities Frieza will give me. He should be stronger than his brother Cooler."
"Oh, and Frieza's father, King Cold—rumor has it he's weaker than Frieza. At least the old official numbers said so. I wonder how strong King Cold is now. Still below Frieza? Are we talking the old 120 million baseline, or Frieza's current power? Heh-heh—can't wait."
In a certain deep mountain on Earth, a special barrier suddenly opened. Out walked a man with hair so long it nearly trailed the ground, his face cold, and a long monkey tail behind him.
On his ear was a device very similar to Meruem's—look closely and you'd see it was the same type, just a different model.
This was Raditz, modified by the Chimera Ant army. The barrier had been set up by the Ants to block the gods of Earth from prying.
It had to be said, barrier arts acquired from other worlds worked astonishingly well here. They couldn't block attacks from high battle power, but their concealment was exceptional.
"You may go, Raditz. You remember the King's orders, don't you?" asked an odd-looking old man in a white lab coat behind Raditz.
"Don't worry, Doctor. I'm no longer who I was. I feel amazing now. The King's orders come before all. Rest assured, I won't do anything extra. Serving the King is the reason I exist." Raditz's words rambled a bit, but the fanatic light in his eyes at Meruem's mention wasn't fake.
Who knew how those lunatics in the lab had brainwashed him? In just a year, they'd turned him into a zealot.
At first glance Raditz didn't seem different, but in truth he and the man from a year ago were worlds apart.
First, after modification, his battle power was no longer a mere 1,500. It was 30,000, and if he focused it, that number would climb.
A twentyfold increase—though that wasn't solely the researchers' credit. The Ultra Divine Water played its part.
A Saiyan physique plus the Ultra Divine Water's potential unlock and Chimera Ant body modifications made today's Raditz.
He didn't have Nen or chakra, but he had been taught to use ki.
Even so, his growth was terrifying.
"Then I'm off, Doctor!" Raditz waved to the man in the white coat and shot off toward Vegeta and the others.
He had sensed powerful ki there—a battle was underway.
"I've got a feeling this guy's growth won't stop here. His constitution is beyond the norm; ordinary brainwashing wouldn't work. No idea if the King's decision was right or wrong. Whatever—let the bigshots worry about that." With that, the old man shuffled off into the deep forest.
That said, he wasn't simple either. Don't think researchers are all weaklings. Maybe in other races—but these were Chimera Ant researchers. Whether genes or anything else, researchers were first to try them. They even used their own bodies in experiments. They might not be the strongest, but their battle power ranked.
Take that old man just now—his battle power was 100,000. Otherwise, after all they did to Raditz's body, you think he would have left so calmly? You think it was all brainwashing?
Okay, that was part of it. But more was Raditz knowing that with his current power, he couldn't stir a ripple in that lab.
"Vegeta, Kakarot, and Nappa—I, Raditz, am back. And this time I'll give you all a big surprise. Heh-heh-heh-heh, hahahaha." With that, Raditz accelerated again.
His target: the Z-Fighters and the Saiyans.
"Nappa… damn it. Why are these Earthlings' power levels so high one after another? That little baldy's power is at least double what it was! Why? Back then a mere Raditz overwhelmed them." Vegeta watched Krillin, bathed in a red aura, and spoke through clenched teeth.
"Do they have some special tool to boost power quickly? Hmph. All the better—kill them and take it. Maybe then we can challenge Frieza."
"Kaio-ken!" The red Krillin, at 13,000, slammed a heavy punch into Nappa's gut. Agonizing pain shot through Nappa's whole body.
He dropped to one knee, veins and sweat dripping down his face. Even his mouth unconsciously drooled onto the ground.
No bones had broken, but every bone in his body was groaning.
"Little baldy! I'll kill you!" Nappa struggled for ages to climb to his feet again.
Fury—searing fury and humiliation.
"Calm down, Nappa. If you focus, he won't beat you so easily." Vegeta frowned at Nappa's sorry state. This disgraced the warrior race's name.
"Ow… So Kaio-ken isn't something you use lightly. I can't casually use triple Kaio-ken like Goku, but at least I'm not dragging everyone down this time." Krillin wiped a nonexistent nose and spoke lightly. With Tien slightly stronger than him, and Goku far stronger, this crisis looked essentially solved.
"Tch… what a powerful ki! It's massive—and it's heading here fast! Who is it? Is there someone this strong on Earth?" Goku and Tien stood in unison, eyes fixed on the distance.
Their expressions shifted from calm to deadly serious.
"Hey, Goku, what's… this ki, who is it?" Sensing their shift, Krillin was about to ask when he himself felt the near-world-ending ki.
"What's with Kakarot's lot? Staring that way—something coming?" Vegeta had noticed Goku's change too. Not just them— even the Namekian they'd nearly killed and Kakarot's son were staring, shocked. Clearly something was happening.
"So. This planet's people have special abilities I didn't know about."
"He's here!" Goku suddenly spoke.
"Well now, didn't expect everyone to be waiting for me? Heh-heh. Long time no see, Vegeta, Kakarot… and that bedraggled one over there—Nappa."
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