Chapter 11: The Final Ball

Raditz crouched on a rocky ledge, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Below him, a squad of Frieza's scouts approached a Namekian village. Their movements were efficient, calculated, and focused entirely on rounding up the villagers. The squad leader barked orders while the others moved to surround the largest hut, no doubt where the dragon ball was hidden.

"Just as expected," Raditz muttered, his tail twitching behind him. "No need for fancy trackers when they've got scouters to sniff out the weak."

He had to act fast. The villagers didn't stand a chance against these brutes, and if they handed over the dragon ball willingly, it would only complicate Raditz's mission.

Suppressing his ki to the bare minimum, he leapt from his perch, landing silently behind a cluster of trees.

One scout's scouter beeped as it picked up a faint signal. He turned, squinting into the forest. "Hey, something's out there."

Raditz smirked. Let them come.

The scout took a step forward, raising his blaster, but he didn't get the chance to fire. Raditz was on him in a flash, delivering a crushing blow to his neck. The scout crumpled to the ground, his scouter shattering as Raditz stomped on it for good measure.

"Who's there?!" another shouted, turning toward the sound.

Raditz didn't respond. Instead, he launched a ki blast that obliterated the second scout before he could react. The remaining three spun around, their scouters beeping wildly as they registered Raditz's power level spiking.

"Over there! Power level—what?!" The leader's eyes widened as the numbers climbed higher and higher.

Raditz stepped into the open, his arms crossed and a confident smirk on his face. "Looking for someone?"

"Kill him!" the leader roared.

The remaining scouts charged, firing blasters and unleashing ki attacks in a desperate attempt to overwhelm him. Raditz deflected the blasts with ease, his movements a blur as he closed the distance. He grabbed one scout by the arm, twisted it with a sickening crunch, and hurled him into another, sending them both crashing into a nearby hut.

The leader, realizing the futility of the fight, activated his scouter's distress beacon. Raditz's eyes narrowed as he sensed the signal being sent.

"Oh no, you don't," he growled, closing the gap in an instant. He slammed his fist into the leader's chest, shattering his armor and silencing the beacon.

The village was silent once more, save for the crackle of fading energy. Raditz stood over the fallen soldiers, his breathing steady. "Pathetic," he muttered, kicking the leader's lifeless body aside.

Turning toward the largest hut, he stepped inside and found the dragon ball resting on a ceremonial pedestal. Its glow was faint but unmistakable, its surface smooth and cool to the touch.

One of the surviving villagers, an elder, emerged from the shadows, his expression a mixture of fear and gratitude. "You… you saved us."

Raditz didn't respond immediately. He tucked the dragon ball under his arm, his tail swishing behind him as he turned to leave.

"Wait!" the elder called out, stepping forward. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

Raditz paused at the doorway, glancing over his shoulder. "Let's just say I have my own reasons," he said, his voice low. "Stay hidden. The next group won't hesitate to destroy you."

With that, he launched into the air, the dragon ball clutched tightly in his grasp. He didn't look back.

As he soared over the Namekian landscape, his thoughts turned to the final dragon ball. He still had time—Frieza and Vegeta wouldn't arrive for weeks, maybe months. But the clock was ticking, and every moment brought him closer to his ultimate goal.

"Just one more," he said to himself, his lips curling into a smirk. "Then it's all mine."

Raditz hovered in the skies above Namek, his senses sharp. The faint hum of life signatures pinged from his subconscious as he tuned his ki detection to its limits. After his recent confrontation, the Namekians would undoubtedly be wary of him, but he had no choice. He needed help.

"Porunga answers in Namekian," Raditz mused, gripping the dragon ball tightly. "I'll need someone to summon him, and that means convincing one of them to trust me... or forcing their cooperation."

The air was heavy with tension as he descended toward the next village. He kept his power suppressed as much as possible, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. But this village wasn't like the last. It was eerily quiet, the telltale signs of a recent battle still fresh. Houses lay in ruins, the ground scorched in places where ki blasts had landed.

Raditz landed softly, his boots crunching against the rubble. His eyes scanned the area, spotting a group of Namekians huddled near a damaged well. Among them was an elder who stood with a dignified air, even in the face of devastation.

"You," Raditz called out, his deep voice echoing.

The Namekians turned sharply, their expressions ranging from fear to suspicion. The elder stepped forward, his gaze steady. "Who are you, outsider? Have you come to finish what Frieza's men started?"

Raditz raised a hand, showing the dragon ball he had already claimed. "I don't work for Frieza," he said firmly. "In fact, I'm here to stop him."

The elder's eyes flicked to the glowing sphere, his expression softening slightly. "You've taken one of our sacred relics," he said, his tone measured. "Why should we believe anything you say?"

Raditz exhaled through his nose, considering his words carefully. "I need all seven to summon the dragon, and I don't have time to explain why," he said. "But if you don't help me, Frieza will get them first. You know what that means, don't you?"

The elder's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Raditz's scouter—forgotten on his waist but still functional—beeped loudly. Several power levels spiked in the distance, heading straight for them.

"Looks like we're out of time," Raditz muttered. He turned to the elder. "If you don't want this village to end up like the last, you'll help me fight them off."

The elder hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Very well," he said. "But I will not kill. My people will not spill blood unless absolutely necessary."

Raditz smirked. "Fine by me. Leave the killing to me."

The scouts arrived minutes later, their numbers double the size of the previous squad. Raditz stepped forward to meet them, his power flaring slightly to draw their attention.

"There he is!" one of the soldiers shouted. "That's the one causing all the trouble!"

Raditz smirked, his long hair swaying in the breeze as he powered up. "Come on, then," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what you're made of."

The fight was brutal. Raditz moved like a predator among prey, his every strike precise and devastating. The Namekians provided support, using their unique abilities to create barriers and distract the enemy. Despite being outnumbered, Raditz's raw power overwhelmed the scouts.

But then, one of them activated a hidden scouter beacon, sending a signal that would no doubt alert Frieza's forces.

Raditz cursed under his breath, blasting the remaining soldiers into oblivion. He turned to the elder, his expression grim. "That signal's going to bring more of them," he said. "We need to act now."

The elder nodded. "Follow me," he said.

---

In the elder's hut, the Namekians gathered the remaining dragon balls. Raditz watched as they chanted in their native tongue, summoning Porunga with practiced precision. The sky darkened, the three suns of Namek casting an eerie glow as the massive dragon appeared.

Raditz's heart pounded as he stepped forward, his power flaring unconsciously. Porunga's immense presence dwarfed everything else, his glowing eyes turning toward the group.

The elder turned to Raditz. "State your wishes," he said.

Raditz took a deep breath. "First," he began, "I wish for mastery over every technique in the universe."

Porunga's eyes glowed as he granted the wish, and Raditz felt a surge of knowledge flood his mind. Techniques and abilities he had never dreamed of were now his to command.

"For my second wish," Raditz continued, "awaken my full potential."

Again, Porunga's eyes glowed, and Raditz's body burned with power as his latent abilities were unlocked. His ki flared wildly, shaking the ground beneath him.

"And the third wish?" the elder asked, his voice steady despite the overwhelming display.

Raditz hesitated. He hadn't planned on a third wish. Then, looking at the Namekians who had risked everything to help him, he spoke. "Restore the Namekian villages destroyed by Frieza's forces."

The elder's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded, relaying the wish. Porunga granted it, and the dragon balls scattered, turning to stone.

Raditz clenched his fists, feeling the overwhelming surge of power coursing through him. His scouter beeped frantically, unable to keep up with his rapidly increasing power level.

"Time to go," he muttered, turning to the elder. "Stay safe. Frieza won't take this lightly."

Without waiting for a response, he launched into the air, heading toward his ship. His mission was complete, and now, he had the power to survive whatever came next.