"Can you show me the way, Cassa?"
"Of course, but... are you sure you're okay, Rota?" The thin female Saiyan next to me asked, looking up at me with some concern in her eyes.
After finishing with the destruction of the city where my former body had died, things had moved quickly, and I had no way of stopping them. As it turned out, this new body was named 'Rota,' and the female Saiyan named 'Cassa' was 'my' girlfriend. After meeting up with the two remaining Saiyans that were on the planet, both of whom were male and who had been on the other side of Zyle finishing up the 'conquering' part of the mission, we had made our way to the pods.
I hadn't been able to glean for much more information, but I could at least tell that my current body was far stronger than my former one, and that all three of the other Saiyans who arrived on Zyle were stronger than Ghrek had been. In the end, that was a bit of a somber conclusion to reach. My hard-fought battle, which I'd damn-near died to win, amounted to nothing. Even after killing Ghrek, there were four other stronger Saiyans, and I had only been able to survive by switching bodies with one.
Unfortunately, despite being a part of the squad now, that didn't help me gain more information, mainly because it was too suspicious. I was Rota now - a Saiyan who had been a part of this squad for who-knows how long, so I couldn't just suddenly start asking for their names or mission details, because I should've already known that. As such, I just followed their lead and tried to blend in as best I could.
The other two male Saiyans, one of whom I could sense was far stronger than my body was, had made quick work of the rest of the planet while I was fighting against Ghrek. As such, we had regrouped, and within only a couple of hours, Zyle had been reduced to a lifeless apocalyptic sight. We entered our pods, and a week-long trip back to Planet Vegeta had begun. A week-long trip that had actually turned out to be surprisingly helpful for me, as during the trip, Cassa had wanted to spend nearly every waking hour talking with her 'boyfriend' - which was now me.
Through an intercom that connected the pods, I had learned a lot of what I needed to know from her, and in a way that hadn't been all that suspicious because the woman definitely loved to talk. I hadn't even needed to ask much, because she had largely ranted about everything in her life to me multiple times over.
Firstly, I learned that the group I had joined was a 'grunt' squad, which was made up of low-class Saiyans working towards being named mid-class. I wasn't an expert on how the Saiyans operated before Frieza gave them the boot, but Cassa had explained a lot of it to me during her rants. Essentially, depending on the power level you had at birth - or, based on who your parents were - Saiyans were designated into one of many classes, with low-class being the worst, and 'elites' being the highest. And, depending on what class you were in, life could be very easy or very difficult.
The Saiyan Elites - someone like Vegeta or Nappa - were living the good life. They'd get top-notch training, having access to trainers and Saibamen - something Cassa seemed to think was a huge deal, as she'd ranted multiple times on the way back to Planet Vegeta about finally being able to train with a Saibamen if she reached mid-class - as well as living in luxury. They got chef-made food, entire palaces to themselves, and even got to choose their own missions.
By comparison, my new life as Rota was far from luxurious. According to Cassa, we were forced to go on whatever missions were thrown at us, most low-classes had to share homes - and sometimes even rooms - with other low-class Saiyans, and our version of 'chef-made food' was going to a bar and eating barely-cooked meat off of bones. Our training was left entirely to us, as we'd get no assistance from Saibamen or higher-ranking Saiyans.
But, through completing missions like the one this squad had been sent on, as well as by raising your power level, you could rise up the ranks and gain a better status - something that surprised me, as it seemed even Saiyans had their own version of the 'American Dream.' That's what made becoming a 'mid-class' such a huge deal to Cassa - you still wouldn't be an elite, but it was a huge step up from a low-class. You'd get your own home, a steady supply of food, and most importantly, a real training regimen and access to Saibamen.
But, while Cassa might've had huge ambitions, I had learned from her rants that this group of 'grunts' was considered the weakest of the current 'grunt' squads. That was saying a lot, as there were apparently hundreds of squads, so being dead last was pretty impressive. As far as bodies go, being in this one seemed great compared to my old one, as I was much stronger, but after learning more, it wasn't all it looked to be.
Overall, I was essentially in the worst possible spot as far as Saiyans go. I was a Saiyan now, which meant I'd eventually be destroyed along with Planet Vegeta, and, to make matters worse, I was a weak, no-name Saiyan who was seen as a failure to most. Going from the Trillionaire-King-Emperor-God of Zyle to a low-class, bottom of the barrel Saiyan was quite the fall off, even if I was stronger now. But there was also a silver lining.
If I were stuck in this body, then I would've been completely and utterly fucked. I would've had to grind my ass off, desperately trying to gain strength and somehow get away from Planet Vegeta to avoid being killed by Frieza. I would've been stuck in a low-class body, while being looked down upon by every other Saiyan.
But I wasn't stuck in this body - no, this was just one stepping stone. Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as just hopping from one body to another - as when I switched bodies, so did the person I swapped with. If I just found a stronger Saiyan and took his body, then he'd make a big fuss in this body, and overall, I'd have some unwanted attention. Considering the rule of 'Might makes Right' that Saiyans lived by, I could probably get away with it, but it'd be unnecessary suspicion.
Having the idea of switching bodies being talked about in the slightest could doom me, as I couldn't keep switching bodies and having more and more Saiyans making a noise about it. For that reason, I needed to deal with this body after I switched from it, which is to say, I needed to kill it. For that, I either needed a way to justify the killing and keep any suspicion off of me, or to kill the body without anyone noticing.
But, I also couldn't just keep swapping bodies to stronger ones and then killing the previous ones, because that would only generate more suspicion about the string of murders, and I'd have more heat on my head. Essentially, I needed to be cautious and calculated with my switching. I needed to, preferably, only switch bodies once while on Planet Vegeta, or at least limit the number of times I did. I also needed to pick a strong body - one that had enough strength and prestige to kill this low-class Saiyan body and have no one question it. Preferably, that would be Vegeta or King Vegeta - two people with enough power within the Saiyans that no one could question them.
The problem with that plan came from actually meeting them, as with this body, I couldn't exactly just ask to meet with the King of our race. So, for now, I'd play the part of Rota, continue to train my fighting skills, and wait for a good opportunity to change bodies.
"I am. I just feel a bit... out of it," I answered Cassa's question, trying my best to sound just a bit disoriented.
This had been the running excuse I was going with for any differences in Rota's personality, as I didn't know the man who had this body before me to imitate him. Instead, I told Cassa that my mind felt cloudy - and that it had felt that way since I was hit by the 'light beam' that the dying Zyhite, that being my previous body, shot at me. It had worked, too, as Cassa didn't seem suspicious in the slightest.
I felt a bit bad as she looked at me so concerningly, as I could tell she genuinely cared for her boyfriend, and I was the imposter who had taken his body. But, even as I felt like an asshole for manipulating the woman and acting as Rota, it was necessary. I needed to survive, and if that meant pretending to love this woman, then I would do that. Not that it was hard, as, despite being a bit arrogant and loudmouthed, Cassa was actually pretty pleasant to be around. And, she was even more pleasant on the eyes, as while her chest was as flat as a board, her lower half more than made up for it, and her face was thin and beautiful.
"Not because of Ghrek's death, right, Rota?" A voice scoffed behind me, and I glanced back at the two men following shortly behind us.
One of them was skinny, much like Cassa, but with a wild look in his eyes as he looked at me with a bit of a cruel grin. This was one of the two male members of our squad, named Pinto, who seemed to be a bit of a wildcard. He was long and lanky, with messy black hair that looked uneven all over, and he had a constant wild look in his eyes, as well as a pretty frequent grin that spread across his entire face and made him look a bit insane. Overall, from just a glance, you could tell he had a few screws loose in his head.
The other, who I could sense was far stronger than any of us, had short, spiky black hair and a more muscular build compared to Pinto. He had a long, thin scar across his left cheek and a calm, serious expression on his face. His name was Daiko, and from what I had seen, he was a very blunt and honest person. I hadn't spoken with him much, but he seemed very composed - surprisingly so for a Saiyan - and was clearly the leader of this squad.
"Ghrek was a failure," Daiko said bluntly, as his voice was calm and bland, being a stark contrast to Pinto's, and he looked directly at me, "Don't be hung up over his death, Rota."
"He got what he deserved," Pinto piped up as he snarled lightly, cracking his knuckles as he did, "He was a disgrace to the Saiyan race if he couldn't even handle a single weakling!"
"Quiet, Pinto," Daiko shut him down instantly, his gaze shifting to the skinny Saiyan, "He was a failure, but he was still a member of our squad. Don't be too harsh on the dead."
At his words, Pinto let out a displeased grunt, but closed his mouth.
"Ignore both of them, Rota," Cassa muttered at my side, giving me one last slightly concerned look before she reached over, grabbed my arm, and started to walk forward faster, "Come on, I'll bring you to the med bay. You'll feel better after some time in a healing pod."
As Cassa dragged me towards a large building, we left behind Daiko and Pinto, and my life as a low-class Saiyan truly began.
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"Guh!" I grunted, sliding back as my boots ripped through the rocks below me, leaving a small indented trail in the process, while my ribs ached.
"Were you always this good at fighting, Rota?" Across from me, standing in one of the wide, open canyon-like areas that were pretty frequent across Planet Vegeta, stood Daiko. He was giving me an impressed look right now, and I probably should've been a bit flattered, but instead, I was just pissed.
One month had passed since I started living as 'Rota,' and I had acclimated to the lifestyle on Planet Vegeta pretty well. To sum it up, Saiyan life was simple: You woke up, ate a huge meal, either trained or had sex, ate some more, followed up by more training or sex, then hit the bar at night, before repeating all of that the next day. From the past month, I had learned that this was the lifestyle of most Saiyans - which wasn't a bad life to live by any means.
Eating, training, having sex with the big-booty Saiyan woman who was infatuated with me, and then hitting the bar. It wasn't as lavish or extravagant as my life on Zyle had been, but it was one I enjoyed. If I didn't know any better, then I could've fallen into a comfortable life here and lived out the rest of my days with Cassa by my side.
Luckily, I did know better, and I knew this life was temporary - whether I wanted it to be or not. Eventually, Frieza would turn against the Saiyans as he destroyed this entire planet, and this life along with it. For that reason, I couldn't live the simple Saiyan life and instead threw myself into training.
"If your body was stronger, then you'd be able to defeat me," Daiko said bluntly as I clutched at my ribs lightly, "Your actual fighting ability surpasses even mine... you'd fit in well as a mid-class Saiyan- no, you could even be an Elite with your abilities."
"Appreciate it," I just grunted back, though I didn't actually.
It was a harsh change to go from the strongest man on Zyle, who was pretty much untouchable, to getting my ass kicked day after day by Daiko. He was my immediate choice in a training partner, as while he was a part of our 'weakest low-class squad,' he was the leader for a reason. Now that I had access to scouters, I had quickly found out that his power level was around 500 - not quite double mine, but close to it. And, at first glance, I had been shocked to see that 500 was the barrier for being the leader of the weakest low-class squad.
I mean, I knew that Vegeta had a power level in the tens of thousands when he arrived on Earth, but he was the Prince of this race. And, even if Nappa had been in the mid-thousands as well, he was the right-hand man to the Prince of this race. Essentially, I had expected for the weakest Saiyans to be, well, a bit weaker - after all, Raditz had a power level around 1500 when he went to Earth, and he was Goku's brother, so he had to be strong, right? But, I guess even if he was still Goku's brother, he was still a low-class, and his power level of 1500 was just a fair bit above the average mid-class here, and closing in on actual normal Elite-class Saiyans.
By comparison, my roughly 300 power level of this body was the bottom of the barrel. But, through training with Daiko consistently for the past month, I had learned that all my efforts in my past body weren't for nothing. My power level might've been on the lower end even amongst low-class Saiyans, but my fighting skills hadn't faded, even if I was still adapting to this new body. I could run circles around Daiko the same way I had with Ghrek, but the sheer difference in power level allowed him to keep the other hand, and as a result, win all of our spars so far.
As I got my ass beat constantly, I was definitely slowly growing stronger, and I learned just how powerful Saiyan bodies were. I truly was getting stronger by fighting, even if it wasn't as overpowered as a Zenkai Boost or anything. I had considered trying to go that route - as in, nearly killing myself over and over again to achieve Zenkai Boosts, but it was simply too risky. That wasn't just because I didn't trust the Saiyans around me to truly bring me to the healing pods, and not just kill me for being weak, but also because of the consequences that would come from that strategy being leaked.
Right now, I had at least a rough timeline of the world I was now in because of my past-world knowledge. If I suddenly started becoming super powerful through Zenkai Boosts, I'd be foolish to assume no one would notice - as one Saiyan constantly being near-death and always in the medbay as he grew stronger at a rapid rate would be pretty noticeable - and the spam-Zenkai-Boosts strategy would be leaked to all of the Saiyans. That could either fuck me over by having Frieza turn his attention to us early, or it could fuck me over by having the Saiyans grow strong enough to genuinely oppose him - and, thus, ruin any sense of timeline I had in this world. It was a risk I couldn't take, as aside from my change technique, my past-world knowledge was the biggest asset I had.
"But, what's brought on this desire to train, Rota?" Daiko pulled me from my thoughts, looking at me curiously, "You never had such a determination to grow stronger before. In fact, I've never seen anyone with the drive you have now."
"Ah... I just want to reach mid-class as soon as possible," I partially lied, as while I was trying to shoot for a higher class, there was a bigger reason, as any power I gained in this body would be obsolete once I switched.
While I'd had a pretty big attachment to my former body after living in it for years, I didn't feel nearly as sentimental about this current one. My former body had belonged to a, frankly, piece of shit Zyhite. He had been a slave owner, as well as a man who abused his power to bully others, and then, with all the money and power in the world, had spent his time just having sex with prostitutes all day. I didn't feel any pity towards the original owner of that body, and was more than content to keep his body for myself.
But with Rota's body? I felt a bit... uncomfortable. I think it largely had to do with the fact that, even if he had been in the process of slaughtering every living creature on Zyle, Rota was still a pretty normal Saiyan. He had friends on Planet Vegeta, whom I now had to pretend were my friends. But, most of all, he had Cassa.
She was definitely as blunt and cruel as most Saiyans were, as she felt no guilt over the mission on Zyle, but in a more personal sense, I could tell she was a good person. She cared for Rota, or me now, strongly, and I felt strange as she constantly tried to be around me. She was caring, loving, and doting to a point that made me feel guilty. I should've been happy to have a beautiful, thick woman constantly looking out for me, but instead, I just felt... awkward. Because she loved Rota, and not me. I'd stolen the body of the man she loved, and now, she was projecting those feelings onto me without knowing that her lover was actually dead. For that reason, I was actually a bit eager to get out of this body.
But, back to training - I was intent on growing stronger by swapping bodies, not training, which contradicted my 'insane drive' to grow stronger. That was because, in reality, that 'insane drive' wasn't really all that insane. I was just training around as hard as I always had, but compared to the average Saiyan, who was surprisingly lazy for a race of warriors, my work ethic looked pretty extreme. Goku and Vegeta's insane training ethic in the series was definitely the outlier, and not the norm for Saiyans.
"Hmmph. Well, if you continue like this, then you'll reach it quickly," Daiko nodded approvingly, before shifting back into his fighting stance, "Let's continue."
I gave him a firm nod back as I shifted back into my fighting stance as well, and our sparring continued.
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"W-Wait, please, what did we ever do to-"
The voice was silenced as a Ki blast barreled into his body, and I looked a bit apologetically at the crater in front of me.
"For what it's worth, I am sorry," I said simply, then glanced away as I looked at the long, purple-rocky plain around us.
"Eh? Still feeling bad for these weaklings, Rota?" Cassa asked behind me, walking up to my side as she gave me a strange look, "It's just a bunch of weak aliens. You shouldn't feel bad for killing them!"
"They're weak, and they're aliens," I nodded at her words, as they were correct, "But they're still living people. Just like us."
Currently, we were on the second mission I'd attended with this squad, which also marked the 6th month since I took over Rota's body. I had acclimated to Saiyan life well and was even enjoying it, but I hadn't let up on my training in the process. The result was that my power level, which had started at a measly 300, was now just shy of 500. If I kept up the pace, then I'd reach mid-class in no time, which I had some mixed feelings about.
On one hand, it was a goal that everyone around me was striving for - the Saiyans that I now saw as my friends, and the same Saiyans that had brutally slaughtered all life on Zyle - and I naturally felt the urge to work towards it as well. I felt proud as my power increased, and I was praised by those around me.
However, I knew that the increase in power was pointless in the long run, as I'd be swapping bodies soon. With every bit of pride I gained in my progress, I had to remind myself that this wasn't my life. That no matter how comfortable I became on Planet Vegeta, and no matter how much I grew to care about those around me, that I'd have to move on from it eventually. And, with each mission, I was getting reminded that my new life wasn't as normal as it looked, even as I grew more comfortable in it. I was sent to planets to kill their inhabitants and to prepare the planet for being sold. My life of comfort and luxury on Zyle had been replaced with a life of slaughter and conquest, and no matter how many aliens I killed, the small amount of guilt within me never faded.
"Get your head in the game, Rota," Daiko grunted as he walked past me, not even sparing a glance at the new crater I had created, "This is our mission. If you feel guilty, then that'll just get in the way."
"I know," I responded simply, and Daiko just gave me a firm nod before moving on, walking towards a small settlement a couple of hundred feet to our side.
"Are you sure you're okay, Rota? You've been like this ever since Zyle," Cassa asked, stepping closer to me as she looked up at me with worry.
"I'm fine," I replied, forcing a small smile onto my face as I looked at her. "It's just a lot, sometimes. Killing all these people, who were just living their lives, for no reason. We don't know them, and they don't know us. There's no grudge to be held or any deep reason for their deaths. Do you never feel any guilt, Cassa?"
She blinked at me, her brow furrowing in confusion for a moment before a look of utter bewilderment took over her features. She looked at me as if I'd asked a stupid question, and her response showed as much.
"Guilt? Why would I feel guilt? We're strong, Rota, and they're weak! That's the way of the universe, isn't it?" She started, her eyes locking in with mine, "The strong dominate the weak. Feeling guilt for killing inferior beings would be like feeling guilty for breathing."
Her words were blunt, but there was no malice in them, which only made me feel more uncomfortable. She was just stating a fact as she saw it - this wasn't her philosophy, but instead, it was simply reality in her eyes. The strong ruled, while the weak served or were slaughtered as the strong saw fit. To her, my question was as strange as asking if she felt guilty for the sun setting.
I looked at her, at the honest conviction in her eyes, and a cold realization settled in my gut. This wasn't just a cultural difference, or something I could eventually become accustomed to - it was a fundamental difference in our understanding of the world. I was an outsider, as even if I'd fought for years on Zyle, I was still a human soul wearing the skin of a Saiyan. No matter how well I played the part, there would always be a part of me that couldn't accept this brutal, harsh way of life.
"I disagree," I said simply, glancing away from her as I glanced over the long, purple plain around us, which was littered with corpses, "I think all life has value. Even if the strong have the ability to kill the weak, that doesn't mean they have an obligation to."
But, even as I spoke, I didn't expect her to understand. Her entire life, and the life of all Saiyans, was built on this principle. She wasn't born into a life where the idea of all life having value was a possibility, as she wasn't born on a planet where people had the luxury to philosophise on morality. She was born into a world where you fought, or you died. Where you killed, or you were killed. She lived a life where she would conquer entire planets for the sake of the mission, or she would be killed for being useless. I couldn't expect her to understand how I felt.
"You're weird, Rota," Cassa just giggled at my words, surprising me a bit as she reached over and wrapped her arms around mine, pulling my arm into her chest, "But, I guess that's one of the reasons I love you so much."
For a moment, my heart warmed at her words, even as I willed it not to. She was a ruthless Saiyan, and one that I'd leave behind when I swapped bodies. I couldn't afford to become attached to her.
"I don't think like you do, but... if that's what you think..." She muttered to my side, then glanced up at me with a cute gaze, "Then, I'll try to understand!"
I blinked in surprise as she pulled away from me, stepping up to the crater in front of us, and then awkwardly gave a short bow, "U-Um, I... hope you rest in peace."
I stared for a moment at her back, as she awkwardly tried to convey any sense of sorrow or peacefulness to the crater where an alien had once stood. Then, I chuckled, and I reached forward. My arm wrapped around her waist, and I pulled her back into my chest, causing her cheeks to flush as I did.
"R-Rota, we're still on a mission," She muttered, not meeting my gaze, but I just grinned softly down at her.
In the end, even if they were world-conquering mass murderers, I found out that not every Saiyan was a bad person.
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"Leader of squad 775, Daiko, congratulations," A tall man spoke with a firm and commanding tone as he stood in front of me and Daiko.
A full year after joining this squad and beginning my life as Rota, as well as after five missions in total, I was finally standing in a large room. It was a room that I'd only ever seen from the outside, as it was a room reserved for only those who were being promoted, and that's exactly why I was here. To most Saiyans, this was a place of glory, where Saiyans were given the recognition they worked tirelessly for. I should've felt the same, but the reality was a lot less impressive.
The room was just a large, square, and grey box-like room. The walls were a plain, metallic grey, with not a single decoration, and there were no windows. Even the floor was a dull black, and the only piece of furniture was a single metal desk in the center of the room.
Behind the desk sat the tall man, who was a Saiyan Elite by the name of Dakon. He was a large Saiyan, standing even taller than my current body and with a muscular build that made him look like a walking brick wall. He had short black hair, a sharp jaw, and a serious expression that fit the situation. Overall, he was a pretty intimidating sight as the scouter on his face beeped lightly while he scanned Daiko, who was standing in front of the desk. I stood to the side, trying to look as stiff and professional as I could, but in reality, I... didn't really care about being promoted.
This was a goal I'd worked towards throughout the past year in this body, but honestly, it felt empty - mainly, because I knew that mid-class status would only give me one real benefit: To meet stronger Saiyans.
As a low-class, the chances of meeting someone whose body was worth risking to swap with was pretty damn low, as I'd realized over the past year. It wasn't like I could run into King Vegeta randomly at the bar, nor would a low-class be called upon to ever speak with him or a higher-up. The closest I could get was, really, right now - as I stood in front of a Saiyan Elite.
But, as I sensed the man's power, which sat around the 1700 range, I knew he wasn't the right target. If I was going to risk taking someone's body and throwing away everyone I had come to care about over the past year, then I was damn sure going to pick a top-notch one.
"With a power level of 750, you've more than proven your worth as a mid-class Saiyan," Dakon continued, and I couldn't help but feel a bit proud at the mention of Daiko's power level, which had skyrocketed over the past year from training with me.
In fact, the entire squad had grown significantly in power as my usual spars with Daiko started to include Cassa, then Pinto, and then even the replacement for Ghrek. Now, instead of being considered one of the weakest squads as far as low-class squads went, we were well towards the top. I couldn't help but also feel proud of myself, as when I'd first arrived on Planet Vegeta, my power level had been a measly 300. Now, after a year of constant training and missions, my power level was sitting at a comfortable 800, and had surpassed even Daiko's. I had pushed myself to my absolute limit, training harder than anyone else in the squad, and it had paid off - with my power growing far faster than it had on Zyle, and reminding me just how powerful Saiyan bodies were. I was now considered one of the strongest low-class Saiyans on the planet, and my promotion to mid-class was guaranteed.
"Rota, squad 775," Dakon's voice cut through my thoughts, and I straightened up as he turned his gaze to me.
"With a power level of 800, you've also proven your worth as a mid-class Saiyan," He stated, and gave me a firm nod as I nodded back.
The moment was a bit bittersweet, as I'd been working towards becoming a mid-class Saiyan for an entire year now, but that also meant I'd be leaving this life behind soon. I hadn't just trained my ass off for the past year, but I had also learned to adapt to this new body, and I could now use its full potential. When I had first taken over Rota's body, I had been clumsy and inexperienced, but now, I felt like I had been in this body my entire life. My fighting skills from my past life, combined with the power of this body, had made me a serious force to be reckoned with.
"Congratulations to you both," Dakon gave us one last nod, and we nodded back before turning around and exiting the square room.
The moment we stepped out of the door, a blur shot at me and slammed directly into my chest. I blinked, and a second later, I was being hugged tightly with two familiar arms wrapping around me.
"Rota! You did it! You actually did it!" Cassa's cheerful voice rang in my ears as she hugged me tightly, her arms wrapping around my neck as she buried her face in my chest.
I looked down at her, and I couldn't help but smile softly at her. It was hard to believe that this cute, adorable woman was the same one who'd sneered at myself and Ghrek's dead bodies roughly a year ago. Now, she was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she looked up at me, her tail swishing back and forth behind her as if she were a dog.
"I did," I nodded back, but that only caused her to add on more praise.
"I told you! I told you you could do it! You're so amazing, babe! I knew you'd be able to do it! I'm so proud of you!" She continued to praise me, her words a blur of excitement as she nuzzled her face into my chest.
She looked up at me with a wide, happy smile, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt in my heart. This was the other hard part of becoming a mid-class - when I left this life behind, I wouldn't just be leaving my body behind. I'd be leaving Cassa, and all my new friends behind as well. They were once my enemies, as they were the ones who destroyed the planet I had come to love in Zyle and killed my best friend, Yoka, but now, I felt closer to them than I ever did with anyone on Zyle - even Yoka.
I could never get over how they were planet-exterminators who didn't care for those that were weak, but in the end, they were my friends, my comrades, and my family. I had spent an entire year with them, fighting by their side, training with them, and even celebrating with them. At this point, we had been through a lot together, and I couldn't help but feel a deep connection to them. And, what would be even harder to leave behind was Cassa herself.
At first, I'd tried to keep my distance from her, because I knew that I was just a faker in her boyfriend's body, but she made it damn hard. At this point, I truly believed she was more than just a comrade or friend to me - she was my girlfriend, and I had grown to genuinely care for her. She was always there for me, supporting me and encouraging me, and as I grew to know her better and better, she had changed as well. Gone was the arrogant, cruel Saiyan who had looked down upon others as being inferior. She had truly taken my guilty words to heart throughout our missions and had grown a lot. Now, she wasn't only kind, but she was caring and fiercely loyal. She was the kind of person that I could see myself spending the rest of my life with.
But that was a life that I could never have. Not with this body, and not with this identity. Soon, I would have to betray her. I would have to take the body of another Saiyan, and I would have to leave her behind. The thought of it made my stomach churn, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness within me. Truly, just like on Zyle, I wouldn't have minded to continue this life, and I'd even say I had come to love it. I wouldn't have minded to live out my days in this body with her, but I knew I couldn't.
Frieza will come, and I was already pushing my luck in spending a whole year on Planet Vegeta. I had a good reason to, as I was being picky about which body to jump to next and wanted to meet with a powerful Saiyan Elite before swapping, but I was still pushing my luck. The destruction of the entire planet could come at any moment, and if I couldn't find a way to secure a permanent life off of Planet Vegeta, then I was just sitting here and waiting for my demise.
"Now..." Cassa's excited grin shifted a bit, becoming more sensual, and Daiko promptly started to walk away as he knew where this was going, "We should celebrate, shouldn't we?"
Her hand went low, trailing down my chest and then landing on my crotch, and I was given another reminder of how much I would've loved to continue this life. And, I was given another pang of guilt as I played the part of Rota, while the real Rota was dead. But whether I felt guilt or not didn't matter right now. I'd continue to play this role, and I'd continue to survive, until I found a suitable body.
"We should," I nodded back at Cassa, matching her grin with one of my own, even if it was a bit more strained as I shoved down the guilt within me, "And, I bet you have some celebratory... activities in mind, right?"
"You bet I do!" Cassa's grin went wider as her hand clamped around my groin, giving my member a squeeze through the black Saiyan underclothing, and my thoughts were confirmed.
That night was filled with a lot of celebration, and a lot of 'clapping.'
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"You're Rota, aren't you?"
I stared, doing my best to keep my surprise off my face, as a large, towering, and muscular wall of a man stood in front of me. Even just standing in front of him was enough to cause a bit of unease within me, which wasn't a feeling I was used to. It had been three months since I became a mid-class Saiyan, and with my power level now sitting at a comfortable 900, I wasn't used to feeling weak amongst any group of Saiyans. But as I stood in front of this man, who I recognized instantly from both the show, I couldn't help but feel at least a bit small.
I'd only met a few Elites so far who surpassed me in power, as the Saiyan hierarchy was about what I would expect for a race of ruthless, arrogant, and prideful warriors - that being that the upper echelon pretty much never interacted with the low-class 'inferior' Saiyans. But this man was, without a doubt, the most appealing body for stealing that I had seen so far.
He was huge, towering over me by a good foot and a half - which was strange, as most Saiyans were actually decently short, but this one was well over six foot, and actually pretty close to even seven feet tall - and he was built like a tank. He had a large, muscular frame with broad shoulders and a powerful chest. His hair was styled in a weird way - as I didn't know if there was even a style to call it on Earth, but I would describe it as the 'reverse monk' haircut. The sides of his head were shaven clean, leaving only a long, thick strip of black hair that ran from the front of his head to the back, and he had a thick, bushy moustache that covered his upper lip.
Without his signature shiny bald head, someone else might've been fooled about who this was, but I knew - this was Nappa. A younger, not-yet-bald Nappa. And, as I sensed his power level to be close to 3,000, I knew he was the next step I needed to take. Both because he was powerful and had a large frame that was good for fighting, but mainly because he was the right-hand man of Vegeta.
"That's me," I answered calmly, staring up at the towering man, but despite my calm demeanor, my mind was racing a bit.
Why was Nappa here? Why did he know my name? Why was he, a Saiyan Elite as well as someone in close with the royal family, speaking to a mid-class Saiyan like me? More importantly, how in the hell was I going to respond?
This wasn't a situation I was prepared for, as while I'd been actively trying to meet a powerful Saiyan Elite by climbing the ladder of power over my time on Planet Vegeta, I hadn't expected for it to go like this. I hadn't expected him to approach me out of the blue, and even be waiting for me as I returned from a mission!
Right now, we were in the large, canyon-like area where our pods had just returned to, as they slammed into the ground and created craters in their wake. Cassa was walking to my side even as I spoke to Nappa, while Daiko and the rest of the squad were leaving their pods and getting ready to get some post-mission rest in the medbay.
"Whose this?" I glanced over as Cassa spoke, arriving next to me, and the situation became even worse.
Nappa was right here. He was right in front of me - a powerful body, with a connection to Vegeta, and the clear next step in progression. I felt like the luck gods were smiling upon me right now, and I should've taken advantage of this situation and taken his body right here and now. But, as Cassa stood next to me, and as the squadmates that I'd grown to care about watched from afar, my body stiffened.
If I did it now, they would see, but it wouldn't matter. They were all low-class, aside from Daiko, but he was only mid-class. Once I was in Nappa's body, I could kill this one without a care in the world, and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. But if I did, then this life would end. My time with my friends and with Cassa would be gone.
"The name's Nappa," As I was thinking, Nappa just gave a large grin, leaning forward a bit as he towered over me, "I'm the Elite in charge of Prince Vegeta's training, and he's past the Saibamen phase now, so we need some stronger fighters to train him. I've heard your squad was impressive for a mid-class, but..."
My eyes went wider as he spoke, taking in the information. Prince Vegeta's training? Then, Vegeta was definitely born already, and he was old enough to be training. He was also too strong to train with Saibamen anymore, which meant he probably wasn't just some baby flying around. That gave me a rough timeline, and filled me with dread - I was nearing the end of Planet Vegeta. Now, more than ever, I needed to move forward.
I needed to take Nappa's body.
As I was thinking, Nappa reached up, tapping on his scouter as the number flashed in front of him, and then he wrinkled his nose at me, "You're still weaker than a Saibamen."
Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to think at all, as Nappa gave me a disappointed look, and then promptly turned away from me.
"Whatever, I'll go look somewhere else," He muttered, starting to casually walk away, but my body tensed.
Even if Cassa was right next to me, and all the people I had come to know as friends were around me, this was an opportunity I couldn't let slip by. If I let Nappa leave now, then I might not get another chance to see someone of his calibur again. I might not get the chance to leave Planet Vegeta before it was destroyed.
"Wait!" I called out to him, ignoring the way Cassa looked at me strangely as I did, and Nappa paused. He slowly turned around, looking a bit annoyed as he raised an eyebrow at me.
"What do you-"
"Change."
As the word was spoken, I left this life, and my new one began. A beam of light launched forward, slamming into Nappa as his soul was ripped from his body, and in an instant, my soul took over.
As the world around me shifted, the first thing I felt was the difference in my body. This new body was huge, a massive wall of muscle that towered over everyone, and my power felt far stronger than before. I glanced down, looking at my wide palms as the power of Nappa's body rushed through me, and it was a familiar feeling that I hadn't felt in a while. The feeling of being at the top - it wasn't quite the same, as on Zyle, I had been the strongest there by far, and in this body I was just close to the strongest, but it was a good feeling nonetheless. I felt more energized than ever as my power level more than doubled, and pretty much tripled, in an instant.
"What the... what the hell was that?!" Nappa's loud, panicked voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked down to see my former, much smaller body looking up at me in horror and confusion, "W-Why am I looking at my-"
I moved immediately, not letting him have a chance to say more. My legs tensed, and I launched forward, my palm slamming directly into the face of my former body. I swung forward, ripping Nappa-Rota off his feet as his legs flopped upwards, and his head flung backwards. I slammed the back of his head into the ground harshly, using my new strength as much as I could to ensure he didn't get up. His skull slammed into the ground with a loud 'conk,' and the ground cratered around him as his eyes went wide.
"R-Rota!" Cassa shouted panickedly, her eyes going wide as I slammed my former body into the ground, but I didn't let up. My other fist shot downward, slamming into his stomach in a blur as spit flew from his mouth, and then, my hand on his face glowed. A second later, my former body's head exploded in a burst of dust and smoke.
"STOP!" As Rota's body went limp, my other hand shot upwards again, and casually knocked away Cassa's fist as it shot towards my face. Even if it had made contact, I doubt I would've even felt it in this new, powerful body.
"R-Rota! What the hell is going on?!"
The world caught up to my quick movements as Daiko shot forward across the canyon, quickly spotting the situation from where he had been roughly a dozen feet away, and he landed by the limp Rota-Nappa's side.
"W-Why did you do that?! What the hell did he do to you?!" Cassa shouted again, but instead of charging at me again, she backpedalled and turned to Rota's body - which, as the smoke cleared a bit, I could see was definitely dead now.
It was a bit anticlimactic compared to my last body change - where I had fought tooth-and-nail against Ghrek to the point of near-death. This time, I simply switched to a stronger body, and killed my old one like it was nothing.
But, as I stood there, in the body that was far stronger and would secure my ability to escape Planet Vegeta's destruction, I didn't feel happy or proud. Instead, I just felt... empty. I stared forward, not saying a word, as Cassa knelt at the side of my old body, shaking it as she repeatedly muttered my past name. Daiko stood in front of her protectively, looking uncertain as he stared down a Saiyan Elite that he had no chance of defeating, but still wanted to protect or avenge his friend - to protect or avenge me. I was touched, even though I knew I shouldn't have been.
I wasn't Rota - I wasn't the man that Cassa loved, nor the man who Daiko viewed as a close friend, even if I had been acting as him for more than a year. But, honestly, in that moment, I wanted to be. I thought about the life I had been living, the close friends I had, and of Cassa. In that moment, a part of me wished I hadn't taken Nappa's body, and that I was still there with them. That, as I looked at Cassa desperately shaking Rota's corpse, I could tell her that I was still alive. That I was right here.
"I..." But, as my mouth opened, I forced it to clamp shut.
I wanted to tell them, but I couldn't. My change technique was my strongest ability - the only thing that could ensure my survival in this deadly world full of planet-busters. And, the biggest guarantee to my change technique working was keeping it a secret.
It wasn't some 100% accuracy technique - no, there was a reason that the power-hungry Ginyu, who'd left his own body for Goku's stronger one without a second thought, had never taken Frieza's. It wasn't that he respected the tyrant or cared for him so much that he wouldn't want to take his body. Instead, it was that he couldn't.
For my technique to work, it needed to connect. If it was known that I could swap bodies, then whoever I faced could be prepared, and as a result, be able to avoid it. Goku had shown that much, as once he knew what Ginyu's ability was, he'd both been able to get his body back and move quickly enough to trap Ginyu in a frog.
Right now, being able to catch people off guard like I did with Rota, and like I just did with Nappa, was my biggest strength. If I told Cassa and Daiko that I was still Rota - if I allowed myself to be weak enough to cling onto this life I'd grown to love - then I'd only be endangering myself in the future. Even if I wanted to trust them to tell no one, and to ensure that the knowledge of my ability never got out, it was simply too risky. If they knew I was the Zyhite who'd stolen Rota's body to begin with, then I didn't know what they'd do. I wanted to believe that they'd choose to do what was best for me - to protect my secret, and to value the year I had spent with them, but I doubted they would. I had killed Rota, stolen his body, and acted as him for the past year. They couldn't trust me, and I couldn't trust them.
So far, I'd killed every person whose body I had taken, and I was the only one who knew I could swap bodies. I needed to keep it that way.
"He attacked me first," Instead of telling them what I wanted to, I simply turned away, walking away from the duo as if I didn't care in the slightest, and then gave one last glance over my shoulder, "Get over it. If you do the same, then you'll end up the same way. I don't care what happens to a bunch of low-class or mid-class weaklings."
"YOU BASTARD! DO YOU THINK I'LL LET YOU LEAVE AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO-" Cassa started to shout behind me, jumping to her feet as she lunged at me, but luckily, Daiko was smarter than she was.
He stepped forward, launching his leg upwards and slamming it into her gut mid-lunge, which caused spit to fly from her mouth as she slumped over his foot.
"W-Why-" She gasped, but Daiko's hand slammed down onto her neck, and she fell into unconsciousness a second later.
"So you don't die, moron," He muttered, and then glanced away from her limp form and at me again, "Thanks for at least considering our squad. You said your name was Nappa, right? I'll be sure to remember it."
His words were polite, but as his face was set in stone, and as there was a barely contained anger in his eyes, I picked up on the underlying meaning. In a strange and confusing way, I'd just turned the man I'd consider my new best friend into my worst enemy, as he swore to get revenge for... me?
"Whatever," I simply turned and walked away from the man without sparing him another word.
Even if he wanted revenge, he'd never get the chance to achieve it. If Prince Vegeta was both around and strong enough to defeat Saibamen, then I knew that Planet Vegeta would be destroyed soon, and every Saiyan along with it.
As I walked forward, leaving behind Daiko, Cassa, and my old life, I felt my heart throb a bit. I thought that having to accept Zyle's destruction would be the hardest moment during my time in this world, but this was different. I wasn't just leaving a planet behind - I was leaving behind my friends, and a lover. I was leaving behind people I had genuinely grown to care about.
I'd never admit it, but as I walked away from my former life, a single tear welled up in the corner of my eye.
But I was the ruthless, heartless villain of this world. I was the man who'd throw away his old comrades for my own benefit, and take whichever body helped me the most. I wasn't a man who would cry.
On that day, I left my old life behind and guaranteed my survival as Planet Vegeta approached destruction. At the same time, I left one body behind and entered my fifth.
But, no matter how much time passed, I would never forget the year I lived as Rota for one simple reason.
In my fourth body, I had discovered love.
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AN: Thanks for reading! I will be continuing this! It will be updated around every 20ish days, and will be updated twice as often on my Patreon (Patreon.com/Koyon). The next chapter is already posted there!