Chapter 5: Planet Arlia

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, four months later, I stirred from my meditation. The day of the fusion had arrived, and a cold mechanical voice intruded upon my thoughts, jolting me back to awareness.

"Ding, the A.I. chip has been fused successfully," it announced, the monotone words echoing through the stillness. "This system is now activated."

"Beep, this system remains low-key, only revealing itself when necessary," the A.I. declared, its tone brimming with confidence.

"My function is to enhance your abilities and augment your power level, Prince Vegeta. The fusion process was completed ahead of schedule due to optimal conditions."

I nodded, absorbing the information. "Efficiency is always appreciated. Now, let's see what this fusion system is truly capable of."

With a mental command, I summoned the interface, my eyes scanning the data that appeared before me on a glowing display.

"Personal interface," I murmured, focusing intently. "Name: Vegeta. Race: Saiyan. Combat power: 25,000 points."

Then I perused the list of skills and abilities at my disposal. "Artificial Moon, Sky Cannon, Galick Cannon..." I recited slowly. "Combat Mastery II, Soul Force I, Mind Meditation I, Qi Cultivation I, Royal Prince Tactics..."

Each technique and skill was carefully categorized, their respective levels noted beside them. My lips curled into a smirk as I reviewed my formidable arsenal. Even though my current power level was still far from its peak, I knew I possessed the skills necessary to defeat stronger enemies.

A beeping sound suddenly interrupted my thoughts—a notification from the spacepod. It indicated a routine stop at a nearby planet. I felt the slight shift in trajectory as the two pods changed course, descending rapidly through the planet's atmosphere. This would be my first test since awakening the fusion system.

With a low thud, the pods landed, sending vibrations rippling through the ground, leaving a crater in their wake. The doors opened with a mechanical hiss, revealing the vast alien landscape before me. 

I stepped out of the pod, my boots crunching against the strange, rocky surface as I took in the surroundings. The air was thick with the scent of exotic flora, and the sky above shimmered with the light of unfamiliar stars. A vibrant and alien world stretched before me.

Beside me, Nappa emerged from his pod. He had always traveled with Vegeta, a loyal and destructive companion. His large form cast a shadow across the terrain as he surveyed the landscape with a battle-hungry gleam in his eyes.

"Let's see what this planet has to offer," I said with a low voice. This planet would serve as the perfect testing ground for my newly enhanced abilities.

I could feel the raw energy in the air, a subtle tremor in the environment hinting at life forms with power. 

Me and Nappa sat on jagged rocks among the dense jungle, the air heavy with humidity and the scent of alien flora.

In our hands we clutched thick cuts of meat from the beasts we had hunted earlier. I raised my hand, firing a precise beam of energy toward the wood in front of me. The dry bark ignited instantly, and soon flames crackled and licked the air as I began to cook the meat with practiced ease.

The savory aroma wafted through the clearing, thick and rich, as the meat sizzled over the fire. Nappa turned to me, flashing a grin. "Not bad, Vegeta," he said, his voice tinged with admiration. "You've really mastered the art of cooking with energy."

I smirked, flipping the meat with a flick of my wrist. "It's all about control," I replied. "Just like in battle, precision is key."

Nappa nodded, reaching for his own portion. His voice lowered as he tore off a chunk of meat. "Speaking of battle, do you think we'll run into any real opponents here?"

I shrugged, my eyes scanning the dense jungle that surrounded us. My senses flared, but I felt nothing of significance. "Hard to say," I muttered. "But this planet... it feels off. We shouldn't let our guard down. We've barely scratched the surface."

The creatures we had hunted so far—alien beasts with pathetic power levels less than 10—barely even qualified as a warm-up. They weren't enemies, just fodder.

As we continued eating, my thoughts wandered to Earth. Nappa's grumbling brought me back to the moment. The news from Raditz had been disappointing. After going to Earth to recruit Kakarot, his brother Raditz had met his end at the hands of weaklings. 

"Raditz sucks," Nappa spat, clearly frustrated. His heavy brow furrowed as he tossed the bone of the creature aside.

"Raditz is a disgrace," I agreed with a sneer. "He got himself killed by fighters with a power level less than 2000. Pathetic."

"Should we head to Earth and take revenge for him?" Nappa asked, his voice brimming with frustration.

I waved the notion away dismissively. "No. Raditz was weak, not worth avenging. Going to Earth for his sake would be a waste of time. We need to focus on getting stronger if we're going to take down Frieza."

"The Dragon Balls... now that might be worth the trip," I mused aloud. This was something Raditz had mentioned before his death. The Dragon Balls. Those objects had piqued everyone's curiosity. 

Nappa perked up, his interest immediately drawn. "The Dragon Balls? They said they could grant a wish, right? Should we wish Raditz back to life?"

I scoffed at the idea. "No. That would be a waste of a wish."

Nappa looked thoughtful for a moment, then leaned closer. "Then what would we wish for?"

My smirk deepened as the idea crystallized. "Eternal youth," I said, my voice firm with conviction. "With eternal life, we can keep fighting and growing stronger forever."

Nappa's eyes gleamed, his grin spreading wide across his face. "Living and fighting forever? I like that idea. Count me in."

I reached for my scouter and pressed the activation button. Numbers flashed across the screen before stopping abruptly. It had locked onto an energy signal—an enemy.

After finishing our meal, I wiped my hands and stood up. "Let's go, Nappa. My scouter has located a target." Without further delay, I floated up into the sky, scanning the area before heading off. Nappa followed closely behind.

Minutes later, we landed in a barren wasteland. In the distance, a stone palace loomed, its jagged towers jutting against the skyline like claws. 

Inside, a bug-like creature sat on a throne, droning on to his soldiers about how bored he was. His power was greater than others of his kind, and he complained that he rarely found a worthy opponent.

As we approached, the palace guards swarmed. The bugs weren't worth our time, but we allowed ourselves to be taken.

Down in the dungeon, Nappa glanced around the dimly lit cell. "This place stinks of corpses. Vegeta, should we escape?"

"Not yet," I replied, my voice cold and calm. "Let's wait."

A few moments later, a bug soldier arrived and motioned for us to follow. "Get up. The king wants to see you," he buzzed in his garbled language.

We were escorted into a wide hall, filled with towering statues of bugs. The king eyed us with some interest. His antennae twitched as he leaned forward.

"Are these the aliens you captured?" the bug king asked his guard.

"Yes, my king," the guard replied, bowing low.

The bug king let out a huff, clearly unimpressed. "They don't look strong. Perhaps my guards should dispose of them." He glanced at a pink-skinned bug seated beside him. "You may not want to watch this, my dear. I'll have these repulsive creatures killed quickly."

I smirked, folding my arms. "Really? You're the one who's a bug."

The bugking's eyes narrowed, but then he sneered. "Ahh, the little one speaks. But it matters not. Let's test the big one with the shiny head first. He can fight our champions. As for you—" he pointed at me with one of his claws, "—we'll save you for last. You won't be much of a challenge."

The bug king leaned back on his throne. "I'll see to it that my champion retires a wealthy man if he can defeat both of you. Now, entertain me."

He signaled for the fight to begin, and one of his royal guards, armed with a sword, stepped forward. "Yes, my king," the guard responded before charging at Nappa with great speed.

Nappa grinned, cracking his knuckles as the bug soldier charged at him with a sword. His massive frame shifted slightly, readying himself for the impact. The bug royal guard moved swiftly for his size, the blade gleaming under the dim lights of the hall. But for Nappa, it was nothing.

As the guard swung the sword down in a deadly arc, Nappa raised his arm casually and blocked the blade with his forearm, the metal screeching as it made contact with his hardened skin. The guard's eyes widened in shock, but Nappa only chuckled.

"Is that the best you've got?" Nappa growled, his hand lashing out and grabbing the guard by the throat.

Nappa lifted the struggling guard into the air before slamming him down into the stone floor with a thunderous crash. Dust and debris erupted from the impact, and the ground cracked beneath the guard's body.

The guard got up weakly.

With a single punch, Nappa sent the guard flying across the hall, crashing into the stone walls with enough force to leave a crater.

I smirked, my gaze shifting to the bug king, who sat on his throne. "Your 'champions' seem to be a disappointment," I said coldly. "Is this truly the best your planet has to offer?"

The bug king's eyes narrowed, his antennae twitching. "Interesting... stronger than they look," he muttered.

His prized royal guard had fallen in mere moments. But his surprise quickly turned to bluster as he straightened on his throne. "Not bad, but our finest warriors have mastered techniques using energy," the bug king declared, clearly trying to regain control of the situation.

"Oh, they have?" I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, let's see what they've got."

Nappa, unimpressed, rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can we get this over with? Come on, your heinousness, send out your little cricket brigade. We're ready."

The bug king was annoyed and gave the order. "Kill them!" More of his soldiers poured into the hall, surrounding us.

Without hesitation, the bugs launched their assault.

Around me, energy attacks shot forward, glowing with Qi as they tore through the air.

I raised my hand and blocked the blasts with ease, feeling the energy dissipate harmlessly against my skin.

I smirked. This is supposed to be their elite? Pathetic.

Deciding to end this farce, I fought back, using only close combat, no Qi, no energy blasts—just raw physical strength.

My fists tore through their defenses, one punch sending a guard flying into the wall, another crumpling to the ground at my feet.

Their energy attacks continued, but they barely registered. They landed directly on me, creating a large blast that engulfed my form in an explosion.

When the smoke cleared, I was standing completely unharmed, protected by an invisible energy barrier. I could see the terror in the eyes of the remaining bug soldiers.

Unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks, I knocked them down one by one until they were all lying motionless on the floor.

The bug king's smug expression had vanished. His mouth hung open in shock. "How can this be?! How can my soldiers be defeated so easily?"

"My King..." one of his guards stammered, trembling as he spoke. "Our forces were defeated in just a few strikes!"

The king, now desperate, stood up from his throne. "If they think they can walk out of here alive, they are gravely mistaken!" He bellowed, his voice echoing through the hall. "All remaining guards, attack! Destroy them!"

In moments, the room filled with the remaining bug race's soldiers. They formed ranks, encircling us, their weapons aimed at me and Nappa.

Nappa, growing impatient, lifted two fingers lazily into the air. A crackling surge of energy erupted from his hand, lightning sparking throughout the hall. The bug soldiers didn't even have time to scream before they collapsed, their bodies charring to blackened husks, scattered like fallen leaves.

With the hall littered with the remains of his forces, the bug king, now visibly panicked, summoned his last hope—a towering, monstrous insectoid warrior, the strongest of his brood.

The creature emerged from the ground and snarled, its beady eyes locking onto Nappa as it lumbered forward, each step shaking the ground.

While Nappa charged into battle with the beast, I decided it was time to test the full extent of my newly fused AI chip's capabilities.

I extended my hand toward the corpses of the fallen bug soldiers, feeling their residual life force still clinging faintly to their remains. With a mere thought, energy began to flow from their lifeless bodies, draining into me like a tide of vitality. The bug soldiers' bodies withered, shrinking grotesquely until they resembled dried-up husks.

The AI chip recorded it all—their life force, their DNA, their energy signatures. Storing their essence, understanding the very building blocks of their existence.

Meanwhile, the giant bug monster roared, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts from its glowing eyes. Nappa dodged effortlessly, darting between the attacks with ease, his movements a blur of power and speed.

I sidestepped, allowing the creature's focus to remain on Nappa while I turned my attention to the bug king, who had started to flee.

Pathetic.

I intercepted him in a flash, landing squarely in front of his trembling form. "Wait—please!" he managed to stammer before I silenced him with a single, crushing punch. His body crumpled like a rag doll, and with a flick of my wrist, I drained the last remnants of his life force.

Behind me, Nappa finished his fight with the giant bug monster, sending it crashing into the stone floor with a bone-rattling thud. As it lay defeated, I repeated the process, draining its lifeforce until it, too, was reduced to little more than a dry husk.

With the battle over, I summoned our pods, which landed with a heavy thud in the now-ruined hall.

The dust hadn't even settled when one of the Arlian bug people, having escaped the dungeon, rushed toward us. The bug's face was a mix of awe and gratitude.

"You've freed our planet from centuries of tyranny," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "You've given us hope. At last, Arlia can begin anew. You will be celebrated as heroes among our people. I cannot express how grateful we are."

Nappa and I exchanged a look as the bug waved us off. Heroes? The word felt foreign on my tongue.

"Farewell, friends. You'll always be welcome on Arlia," the bug added, bowing deeply.

As the bug people cheered from a distance, we climbed into our pods, the doors hissing shut. I barely glanced back at the scene we were leaving behind.

"Let's go, Nappa." I said, entering the pod.

"Vegeta, that bug said we're heroes now," Nappa replied, his voice carrying a note of amusement.

I chuckled darkly. "Being a hero is overrated."

Nappa shrugged, already bored with the whole affair. "I just hope Earth has better fighters than this lot."

I glanced at the console, the planet's coordinates already locked in. "Let's hope they won't disappoint us."

As our pods blasted off into the sky, the planet of Arlia grew smaller in the distance, fading into the backdrop of space. We had set our sights on Earth, and whatever awaited us there wouldn't stand a chance.