Chapter 2: Vegeta's Past

I would have to fight soon; becoming familiar with my power was essential. 

I tried to occupy myself with meditation, focusing on harnessing the strength of my new body. After a while, I opened my eyes.

"Since I'm here, I won't let this strong body go to waste," I decided silently. "From now on, I am Vegeta."

Vegeta, once the heir to the throne of Planet Vegeta and son of King Vegeta, was meant to lead the Saiyan race.

The Saiyans were savage, battle-hungry people with no grand purpose beyond fighting, women, and eating. When Frieza took control, they became ruthless tools, claiming planets in his name. 

Before that, Planet Vegeta was called Planet Tuffle, home to the Tuffles, a technologically advanced civilization. 

That is, until the Saiyans wiped them out and renamed the planet after their king.

Individually, the Saiyans posed little threat to the galaxy or to the Cold Empire, but in large numbers, and with their Great Ape transformation, they became a fearsome force. 

Frieza initially saw the Saiyans as ideal warriors to expand his empire, brutally efficient at subjugating worlds. Yet, over time, Frieza's view changed. He saw not loyal subjects but a growing threat.

Their strength, particularly Vegeta's, was too dangerous to ignore. And so, Frieza orchestrated the annihilation of Planet Vegeta in one cataclysmic strike, blaming it on a "meteor" crashing into the planet.

The few Saiyans who survived were scattered across the stars.

Prince Vegeta, still young and far from the warrior he would become, was told of Planet Vegeta's destruction.

His father, King Vegeta, tried and failed to rebel against Frieza, meeting his end before the destruction of the planet. In this world, whether King Vegeta actually attempted to defy Frieza before the planet's destruction or ignorantly perished with the rest remained uncertain.

But the Saiyans, arrogant in their loyalty to Frieza, would have scoffed at the idea of betrayal. They believed Frieza to be a "fair" ruler, never considering the cold treachery beneath his rule.

Now, with the Saiyan race nearly extinct, Frieza found himself short on manpower in the sectors once dominated by their might. But instead of disposing of Vegeta, Frieza saw him as a potential asset—a way to replace the lost strength of the Saiyan race.

He monitored Vegeta's growth, grooming him for years. As Vegeta's power grew, Frieza dispatched him to conquer distant worlds, keeping the young prince on a leash of manipulation, lies, and false promises.

Under the surface, though, Vegeta harbored a seething hatred for Frieza. His loyalty was nothing more than a mask.

Battle after battle, planet after planet, Vegeta's goal remained singular—to grow stronger, surpass Frieza, and one day take his revenge for the annihilation of his race. Although he did not actually care for any of the Saiyans who had died, his only desire was to break free from the chains of servitude and carve out his own destiny.

Within the confines of the circular space pod, my eyes drifted toward the monitor displaying our destination: Earth.

Recognition flickered as I recalled the purpose of our journey—to locate the Dragon Balls, a mission set into motion after the demise of Raditz, one of the few surviving Saiyans.

Raditz had spoken of a brother on Earth, someone he believed could be a valuable asset in the fight against Frieza.

On Vegeta's orders, Raditz was sent to retrieve Kakarot—Goku, as he was known on this distant planet. 

However, Raditz had been a disappointment. Despite being one of the few remaining Saiyans, he was only a low-class warrior, and his power level paled in comparison to mine.

Raditz was a weakling, a mere shadow of what a true Saiyan warrior should have been.

When he first arrived on Earth, the planet's strongest fighters posed little threat to him. He boasted, confident in his abilities, as any Saiyan would. 

Yet that arrogance was his undoing. He underestimated his opponents—particularly Kakarot, who was willing to die to defeat him, and Piccolo, who, with a charged attack, managed to kill him and Kakarot in one reckless strike. A fitting end for someone so careless.

But before Raditz died, he sent one final message through his scouter, a warning to the remaining Saiyans. 

His dying words revealed the existence of the Dragon Balls, mystical orbs capable of granting any wish. That message had sparked our journey to this backwater planet. 

It wasn't about rescuing Kakarot anymore. The Dragon Balls had changed everything.

If they truly had the power to grant any wish, then they were the key to something much larger—possibly even surpassing Frieza. A new path to ultimate power had been revealed, and I wouldn't allow anyone, not even Kakarot, to stand in my way.

I tightened my grip on the armrests of the pod. "Raditz may have been a fool, but this time, things will be different."

Amidst my thoughts, an unexpected intrusion broke through my contemplation—a cold, mechanical voice echoing in my mind.

"Ding, this A.I. chip is merging with the host's soul; please wait."

I stiffened, caught off guard. "An unexpected gift?" I muttered, my curiosity piqued. "How long will the fusion take, and what kind of A.I. are you?"

"Host, please wait. The fusion process will require a few months. Once complete, this system will provide the host with a suitable method to enhance abilities and strength. As for the type of A.I., you will understand after the fusion."

An A.I. chip embedding itself into my very soul. It was a revelation that, in any other circumstance, might have seemed absurd. But now? I found myself intrigued rather than concerned. If this AI could indeed augment my power, then I was willing to wait.

With five months left until our arrival on Earth, the timing couldn't have been more convenient. The process would finish with enough time to assess my battle power before setting foot on that insignificant planet.