North Galaxy, Laina Star.
"Hmmph~" A soft hum sounded, and Rhode awoke from his coma. What greeted his eyes was a desolate night sky, with a surreal, bright moon hanging beneath it.
"How long was I unconscious?!" Rhode's memory was still stuck on the scene where he had been sent flying by those green-skinned, white-haired Laina Star natives, crashing through several mountains. After that, everything went blank.
"Ugh!" A sudden headache struck, giving him the illusion that his skull was about to explode. Immediately, a continuous stream of memories surged forth. For a moment, his expression flickered—confusion, shock, and finally, a calm acceptance.
"I can't believe it took seven years after reincarnating into the Dragon Ball world for my memories to awaken. If it had been any later, I probably wouldn't have had the chance!"
Having fully regained his reincarnated memories, especially the details about Bardock's departure to conquer Planet Kanassa, Rhode felt a lingering fear. If his memories had awakened a year or two later, he likely wouldn't even have a speck of himself left.
Boom, boom, boom!
Before Rhode could dwell further, earth-shattering explosions erupted nearby. Not all dead yet? The thought of his four cheap teammates stirred a flicker of concern in his heart. He quickly realized just how dire his situation had become.
The planet beneath him was Laina Star—a high-level world inhabited by incredibly strong natives. The strongest among them matched his squad captain, boasting roughly 5000 Battle Power. Even worse, the planet's advanced technology and intelligence made them highly knowledgeable about Saiyans.
Those green-skinned, white-haired natives had self-destructed upon arrival, instantly killing his captain. The remaining teammates had been besieged, and Rhode himself was sent flying, losing consciousness.
Bang, bang, bang!
As Rhode prepared to move, his heart suddenly raced, thumping like a drum. No way?! Panic surged through him as he realized the implication. Though his memory confirmed that, as a seven-year-old High-Class Warrior with 2500 Battle Power, he would normally lose consciousness after transforming into a Great Ape, this time felt different.
His limbs thickened, his body expanded, and his vision widened uncontrollably. Roar! Rhode had successfully transformed into a dozens-of-meters-tall Great Ape, letting out a wild, instinctive roar. But something was off—he hadn't lost consciousness at all. Could this be due to the strengthened soul power that came with his awakened memories?
Regardless of the reason, his Battle Power had multiplied tenfold. Feeling the surging energy within, Rhode experienced an unprecedented sense of security. His gaze snapped toward the source of the explosions.
There, a Great Ape rampaged wildly, firing energy blasts in all directions, while a group of Laina Star natives dodged skillfully, searching for an opening.
"Oh no, there's another Saiyan monkey who isn't dead yet!"
Rhode's transformation had drawn the attention of the Laina Star people. A dozen or so flew over in unison, surrounding him. "This Saiyan monkey is still conscious! Everyone, be careful!"
The lead Laina Star's pupils constricted as he realized Rhode hadn't acted. His expression darkened, and he shouted to his clansmen: "Kill!"
He signaled repeatedly with his eyes, intending to use the same tactic that had worked against the other Great Ape—severing the tail to gain the upper hand. Without hesitation, the Laina Star natives launched their energy attacks.
Watching them, Rhode felt a twinge of helplessness. He didn't want to kill these people—they were defending their planet, after all. But they had made the first move, leaving no choice. This was a life-or-death battle.
Whoosh! The massive ape flickered with lightning speed, dodging the incoming blasts. Breaking through the encirclement, Rhode reappeared not far away, opening his mouth to unleash devastating energy waves toward the attacking Laina Star natives.
Bang, bang, bang! One after another, the energy blasts rained down mercilessly, relentlessly bombarding the natives.
Boom, boom, boom!
Energy explosions erupted one after another, each with incredible intensity, wide coverage, and enormous blast radii. The Laina Star people with Battle Power below 5000 were utterly outmatched, facing a map-clearing bombardment of over 20,000 Battle Power. There was nowhere to hide—those who couldn't endure it died on the spot.
Gradually, the explosions subsided. Rhode, still in his Great Ape form, fanned his massive hand to disperse the smoke and dust. What he saw confirmed his devastation: most of the Laina Star people who had surrounded him earlier lay dead, with only one or two still struggling to survive.
Biu! Biu! Biu!
He focused light waves at his fingertips and shot them in rapid succession, dispatching the remaining survivors swiftly, sparing them unnecessary suffering.
Roar!
Having cleared the attackers, Rhode let out a triumphant roar before turning his gaze to the other Great Ape still besieged nearby. According to his memory, this Saiyan was of similar age but considerably weaker—only 2300 Battle Power, making him the weakest in the squad. He couldn't believe the other Saiyan had survived so long.
After a brief pause, Rhode decided to save him. Like Rhode, this Saiyan had joined the combat team less than two years ago, had limited mission experience, and hadn't accumulated too much blood on his hands. More importantly, Rhode noticed something critical: there was no natural moon on Laina Star. The unreal moon above was a creation of one of his teammates, likely to allow Great Ape transformations.
With the Laina Star people clearly unwilling to coexist peacefully, Rhode knew he had to eliminate all high-Battle Power threats while in Great Ape form.
Whoosh!
With his decision made, Rhode flickered across the battlefield. He opened his enormous mouth and unleashed a massive light cannon, directing it to strike indiscriminately. Even accounting for his teammate's weakened Great Ape form, with Battle Power still around 20,000, Rhode could carefully control his attacks to eliminate the enemies without harming him. In fact, he intentionally targeted the surrounding area, avoiding a direct 1v1 confrontation with his Great Ape ally.
Bang, bang, bang! Boom, boom, boom!
Energy blasts rained down like relentless torrents, exploding around the other Great Ape. The Laina Star people, furious and ready to seize the chance to sever the ape's tail, were thrown into chaos by the ensuing explosions. "Escape!" someone roared furiously, and a group of the stronger Laina Star natives tried to flee the blast radius.
Whoosh!
Rhode moved instantly, blocking their escape. He smashed a giant fist into the ground, forcing them back into the explosion zone, then fired additional, more powerful energy blasts that struck them down. His actions were decisive, carried out with cold precision. Even after regaining his memories, the ruthless edge he had always possessed remained sharp and unyielding.
Energy blasts continued to explode around him until no Laina Star native remained standing. When the roar of destruction finally ceased, Rhode casually waved his hand, dispersing the lingering smoke and dust. The battlefield lay silent, revealing the aftermath of his overwhelming power and the survivors—or lack thereof—scattered across the scorched terrain.