Chapter 21: The Price of Power

Raditz's pod soared through the dark void of space, carrying him toward the coordinates extracted from the Frieza base. His scouter beeped intermittently, displaying nearby planetary systems. Each beep reminded him of his purpose. A Saiyan's strength was forged in battle, refined through pain, and elevated through survival.

He had grown stronger during his trials on Yardrat, and his fight with Commander Vega had reinforced one thing: combat was the ultimate crucible for a Saiyan. Now, with his power level soaring to 30,000, Raditz knew he was stepping into dangerous territory. Frieza's empire was vast, and every victory put him closer to the tyrant's radar.

But he wasn't afraid. The thrill of combat and the promise of growth drove him forward. Each battle was another step closer to surpassing the limits of his Saiyan blood.

The Yardratian research station was hidden on a barren moon. The facility was smaller than Raditz expected, but the energy readings on his scouter told a different story. Dozens of signatures clustered inside, some weak, others stronger—one notably spiking at 20,000.

He smirked, his tail flicking in anticipation. "Perfect. Another stepping stone."

As he approached the facility, alarms blared. The doors slid open, and a squad of Frieza's elite soldiers emerged, their scouters beeping wildly as they analyzed his power level.

"He's at 10,000!" one of them shouted.

Raditz allowed himself a dark chuckle, hiding the true extent of his strength. "You're going to regret coming out here," he said, cracking his knuckles.

The soldiers rushed him in formation, their energy blasts lighting up the dusty terrain. Raditz moved like a predator, dodging their attacks with ease. He countered with precise strikes, taking them down one by one.

As the last soldier fell, Raditz's scouter picked up movement behind him. He turned just in time to block a punch from a towering alien clad in Frieza's insignia.

The alien sneered, his blue skin shimmering in the moonlight. "You must be the Saiyan causing all this trouble," he growled, his voice deep and menacing. "I'm General Targon, and you won't leave this place alive."

Raditz's scouter beeped again, reading Targon's power level at 20,000. He grinned. "You're strong. This might actually be fun."

The two warriors clashed, their blows creating shockwaves that echoed across the barren moon. Targon was a powerful foe, his strength bolstered by years of combat experience. But Raditz had the advantage of adaptability.

As their battle raged, Raditz began to push Targon back, his strikes growing more ferocious with each exchange. But Targon was cunning. He feigned weakness, only to land a devastating blow to Raditz's gut, sending him crashing into a nearby boulder.

Raditz coughed, blood trickling from his mouth. The pain was excruciating, but it only fueled his Saiyan instincts. Every injury, every moment of agony, was another step toward greater strength.

"You're tougher than you look," Raditz admitted, wiping the blood from his lips. "But you've made one mistake."

Targon raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"

"You've given me a reason to get serious."

Raditz powered up, his suppressed energy exploding outward. The ground beneath him cracked as his aura flared, pushing his power level to its full 30,000. Targon's scouter shattered from the sheer intensity.

The tide of the battle turned instantly. Raditz overwhelmed Targon with a barrage of attacks, his newfound strength making every strike devastating. Targon fought valiantly, but he was no match for the Saiyan's raw power.

Raditz ended the fight with a Spirit Convergence technique, channeling a concentrated wave of energy that obliterated Targon and left a crater in the moon's surface.

As he stood amidst the destruction, his chest heaving, Raditz felt it—the familiar surge of Saiyan growth. His power level had spiked again, now climbing to 35,000.

Inside the facility, Raditz found files detailing Frieza's plans to weaponize Yardratian techniques. The experiments were crude, but the implications were clear. Frieza sought to control abilities like Instant Transmission and Spirit Fission to bolster his forces.

"This is why the Yardratians wanted me to destroy this place," Raditz muttered.

Before leaving, Raditz set the facility to self-destruct, ensuring Frieza's forces couldn't continue their experiments.

Back in his pod, Raditz reflected on his journey. Every battle had pushed him further, not just in power but in understanding. The techniques he learned on Yardrat and his Saiyan biology gave him an edge, but he knew it wasn't enough.

"Frieza, Vegeta, Kakarot," he muttered, staring at the stars. "They're all out there, getting stronger. If I stop now, I'll be left behind."

His scouter beeped, displaying new coordinates. Raditz smirked. Another target, another challenge, another step toward his ultimate goal.

After his fight with General Targon and the destruction of the research station, Raditz's power level has climbed to 35,000, thanks to his Saiyan physiology and relentless training.

The road ahead was long, but Raditz was ready. Every battle, every trial, brought him closer to his destiny—to surpass all limits and carve his name into the annals of history.

The cold silence of space enveloped Raditz as he sat within the cockpit of his pod, staring out at the endless void. His recent victories over Frieza's forces, the growth in his power, and the devastating destruction of the Yardratian facility had all come at a price—his body had been pushed to its absolute limits. But more than that, something had changed. The scouter, once his indispensable tool for gauging power levels and calculating his next move, now felt like a relic.

He reached up and plucked the small device from his face, holding it for a moment, feeling the weight of it in his hand. It had served him well, tracking enemies and providing crucial data, but Raditz knew that with his newfound strength, he had transcended the need for it.

"I don't need this anymore," Raditz muttered to himself, his voice steady and calm.

With a swift motion, he crushed the scouter, letting the broken fragments scatter across the floor of the pod. He stared at the shards for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the stars. The scouter was a symbol of the person he used to be, the fighter who measured every battle in raw numbers and calculations. But now, he understood the true essence of his power. Strength wasn't just about what numbers you could read, but about the flow of energy within you, the discipline and mastery over your own body and soul.

He didn't need to track power levels anymore. He could feel them now—his own, the power of others.

Raditz knew that the journey ahead would only get harder. With every battle, his strength would continue to grow, but so would the power of his enemies. Frieza was relentless, and Vegeta—though a rival—was still a threat that could never be underestimated. But Raditz had changed. He was no longer just a Saiyan warrior out for revenge or glory. He was a force in his own right, carving a path forward that no one could stop.

The pod's systems hummed as Raditz set the coordinates for his next destination. The stars blurred as the ship cut through space, speeding toward a new challenge. There was still much to be done.

Raditz's mind was ablaze with possibilities. He had become a true student of combat, training with the Yardratians and facing countless battles. He had honed his techniques, learned new powers, and unlocked his own potential in ways that even the mightiest warriors in the universe would struggle to comprehend.

As he journeyed deeper into space, he reflected on his new purpose. He wasn't just fighting for strength anymore. He was fighting for control. Control over his destiny, control over his own future.

For the first time, Raditz felt like he was on the verge of something far greater than just being a foot soldier in Frieza's army or a rival to his brother Kakarot. He had the chance to be something more.

As his pod neared its destination, Raditz's mind flashed back to the final trial on Yardrat. The third and most grueling test had pushed him to his breaking point. But it had also been the most revealing. It had shown him that there was always more to learn, always more to grow.

He didn't need to rely on the scouter to know his limits anymore. He could feel them, feel the ebb and flow of his own energy. His potential was limitless, and now it was time to explore that potential in full.

The path ahead wasn't clear—he wasn't sure who or what awaited him at his next stop—but Raditz knew that each challenge would only bring him closer to the Saiyan he was destined to become.

The pod finally came to a halt on a small, desolate planet. The energy readings from the planet's surface were low, but there was something there, something Raditz could feel in his bones. As he stepped out of the pod, the gravity of the planet pressed down on him, but it wasn't enough to slow him down.

Raditz was stronger now, far stronger than before, and as he looked at the horizon, he felt the surge of power coursing through his body. He was ready for whatever came next.

---

Raditz's power level continued to grow as he trained and fought, his mastery over his own energy now complemented by the techniques he had learned. No longer bound by the limitations of a scouter or mere numbers, Raditz was a new breed of warrior, one with control over his fate. The battles ahead would shape him, but for the first time, Raditz knew that he was in control of the outcome.

The universe would soon know the name of Raditz—not as a forgotten warrior, but as a force to be reckoned with.

After his intense battles and training, Raditz's power level is now at 35,000 and rising steadily with every battle fought.

His newfound mastery over his energy and the techniques learned on Yardrat have made him a formidable force, no longer relying on external devices like scouters to gauge his strength.