Inside Frieza's headquarters, within a grand palace.
"Lord Frieza, Vegeta has returned from his latest mission," Dodoria reported, bowing deeply toward the elevated throne.
Hovering above was a levitating "pod," almost like a cradle. Frieza sat comfortably within it, his voice calm and airy.
"Any reports from the surveillance units?"
"Your Majesty," Dodoria replied, "Vegeta's squad has lost another Saiyan. Their team now has only six members left."
Frieza's crimson eyes flickered faintly. "Anything else?"
"Yes, my lord. According to Vegeta, there are still many Saiyans scattered throughout the galaxy."
Dodoria sneered. "One of them is Raditz's younger brother. Apparently, he was exiled to a barren little planet called Earth."
"Earth?" Frieza tilted his head, puzzled. "Never heard of it. How strong is this one?"
"Uh…"
Dodoria's face flushed red as he tried not to laugh.
Frieza's tone dropped. "Hmm?"
Dodoria immediately bowed lower. "Forgive me, my lord! It's just—Raditz's brother's power level is laughable. His combat strength at birth was only… two!"
"Two?!"
Frieza's pupils constricted violently, the corner of his eye twitching.
A Saiyan… with only a power level of two?!
That wasn't even humanly possible—no, even a dog might have more strength than that!
Frieza's face turned crimson as he burst out laughing uncontrollably.
"Ohohohohohohoho~~~!"
"..."
Dodoria quietly endured it, secretly thinking that his lord's laugh sounded like the cackling of a lunatic—but of course, he wouldn't dare say that aloud.
"My lord," Dodoria ventured, "since there are still so many Saiyans alive out there, should we send someone to eliminate them? Just to prevent future trouble."
Frieza waved a hand dismissively. "Do you really think a cripple with a power level of two is worth worrying about? Don't waste your time. Continue letting Vegeta handle the planetary clean-up missions. My real estate business won't run itself."
"Yes, my lord!"
Dodoria straightened, suppressing a grin. His master might have a temper, but all Frieza truly wanted was to be the universe's most successful landlord.
Serving under him meant endless luxury—what was there to complain about?
Dodoria bowed once more before leaving the hall. As soon as he exited, that unmistakably ridiculous laugh filled the palace again.
"Ohohohohohoho~~~! Even a race that produces trash with a power level of two dares to call itself a warrior race?!"
Meanwhile
At Frieza's headquarters, young Vegeta had just returned from his mission when a new order arrived. His face darkened immediately.
Beside him, Raditz asked, "What's wrong, Vegeta?"
Vegeta's voice was low and cold. "That bastard Frieza is sending us out again."
"What?!" Nappa roared in anger. "He really treats us like cattle!"
"Shut up!"
Vegeta's fists clenched. Since Planet Vegeta's destruction, his team's treatment had plummeted.
"Let's move."
Defying Frieza's command was suicide. Without Planet Vegeta as their backing, even a single order could bring the Ginyu Force down on them in an instant.
"If he wants us to carry out missions," Vegeta said darkly, "then we'll go. But this time, we won't come back for three years."
"Yes, sir!"
Raditz and the others' eyes gleamed.
Moments later, seven small pods blasted away from Frieza's base, streaking into the endless stars.
In the Realm of Destruction
Another week passed. It had been over a month since Gran arrived in the realm of the God of Destruction.
"Haaaah!!"
The small, fierce-looking boy floated high in the air, hurling a blazing energy sphere forward. In the next instant, his figure vanished in a flash of light, appearing ahead of the projectile.
With both palms outstretched, he launched another energy blast
BOOM!
A deafening explosion tore through the sky.
"Impressive… He's truly mastered every ounce of his power. What a monster," Whis murmured approvingly as he watched from the lakeside.
As the smoke cleared, Gran reappeared, unharmed by the double detonation.
"Still too wild…"
Hovering midair, Gran gazed at his hands.
It had been just over a month since he arrived in this Dragon Ball world—training under Whis, surviving that hellish dimension filled with beasts and storms.
According to Whis, Gran's current power level had reached 320,000.
Some might scoff—only that much after a month of guidance from an angel?
But the truth was, Whis hadn't even begun formal training yet. All Gran had done was survive that mysterious world of death.
Besides, he was only six years old, still laying his foundation. His rapid growth from 160,000 to 320,000 was already remarkable—thanks entirely to those endless life-and-death escapes.
"Whis," Gran sighed as he landed near the lake, "my power still feels too violent. It clouds my judgment every time I fight."
"Ohohoho~"
Whis chuckled. "The fact that you can sense that means you're improving."
"So how do I calm it down?"
"First, you can start by cooking me a proper batch of dumplings."
Gran's face twitched. A week ago, he had accidentally mixed half of the dumplings without filling—half meat, half empty skins.
"You didn't warn me about how terrifying that training space was," Gran snapped, grinning through clenched teeth.
"Well, if you're not cooking, I won't teach you."
"You're impossible, Whis! Fine, I'll do it!"
Gran stomped off toward the kitchen, muttering furiously.
Whis chuckled behind him. "Trying to outwit me, little one? You're far too green for that."
Half an hour later—
Whis finally sat down to a hearty meal, blissfully satisfied. "Ahh… proper dumplings at last. Divine!"
When he finished eating, Gran stood before the lake once again, his eyes serious.
"Alright, Whis. You've eaten. Now tell me—how do I make my power calm?"
Whis gave him a sidelong look but didn't tease him this time.
"You can now control your power freely. But do you even understand what power truly is?"
"Power? Isn't it just… power?" Gran feigned confusion, though he had a suspicion—this must be about Ki.
Sure enough
"It's Ki," Whis said softly. "All things possess Ki. It is the source of one's strength. The greater your Ki, the greater your power."
Gran nodded thoughtfully. "So my power is violent because my Ki is violent?"
"Precisely."
Whis smiled faintly. "You Saiyans—and those other warriors of the cosmos—you're all the same. Years of constant battle have left your Ki in disarray."
He sighed. "And when your Ki is chaotic, your power will always remain wild."
"Then how can I make my Ki calm?"
Gran's eyes lit up suddenly as he remembered Whis's words from a week ago. He hesitated, then asked carefully,
"Does this mean the 'mind's realm' you mentioned before… is the key to calming my Ki?"