Everyone had more or less calculated the spaceship's landing point.
Without even needing to coordinate, they all arrived at the same place to regroup.
A moment later, a round, disc-shaped spaceship descended in the distance.
Krillin stared at that ship, his fist tightening slightly.
"Everyoneā¦ it's been more than a year. You've all improved, right?"
Yamcha grinned. "Obviously. Ever since Goku became a Super Saiyan, I haven't relaxed for even a second. I don't even take days off anymore."
Tien's eyes hardened with resolve.
"I can't catch up to Goku, but I'm way stronger than I was a year and a half ago."
Krillin smiled. "Good."
Chi-Chi sighed, looking troubled. "I envy you guysā¦
Why do women have to give birth?
My training completely fell behind. Not only have I not improved, I've actually gotten weaker."
Krillin laughed. "It's fine. You're giving birth to a Saiyan.
Protecting Earth in the futureā¦ that'll be the next generation's job."
Yamcha raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Krillin, whatāare you planning to retire already?"
Krillin chuckled. "Retire? No way. I took in a disciple.
And I've realized something: each generation really does get stronger. The new wave keeps slamming the old into the sand."
At that moment, Vegeta cut in sharply.
"Enough chatter. If you don't want to die, lower your Ki right now. They have scouters!"
Krillin shrugged.
"What are you scared of? We fought Frieza before.
Now it's just his father. His Ki is a little stronger than Frieza'sā¦
but compared to a year and a half ago, my strength has grown a lot more.
If we fight together, we might actually win!"
Tien immediately nodded.
"Krillin's right.
We can't run anyway. If we hesitate and let him slaughter Earth's peopleā¦
we may as well stand and fight with everything we've got!"
Yamcha nodded too. "Yeah, Vegeta. You should join us.
Maybe we can hold out until Goku gets back."
Vegeta snorted coldly, his voice full of disdain.
"So what you're saying isā¦ you want me to join forces with you?"
Krillin raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't want to?"
Vegeta snapped, "Like hell I'd team up with you patheticā!"
Everyone was stunned.
They all knew Vegeta still hadn't become a Super Saiyan.
So why was he acting like he planned to fight alone?
They couldn't understand him at all.
What they didn't know wasā¦
Vegeta hadn't been idle during his time on Earth.
He was the Prince of Saiyans. Once hailed as a genius warrior.
Yet he'd been completely suppressed by Kakarotāsomeone who'd been born with a battle power of only two.
It was bad enough being outclassed once.
But now King Cold had come to Earth to cause troubleā¦
And it had already been over a year since Kakarot became a Super Saiyan.
Vegeta had been given a full year and a half.
And he still hadn't awakened it.
Still hadn't surpassed Kakarot.
That humiliation gnawed at him until he could barely breathe.
So he decided to gamble.
To bet everything on this fight.
If he could become a Super Saiyan in the middle of battling King Coldā¦
Then Earth would be saved.
Not that he cared much about Earth.
What mattered was thisā
He would finally surpass Kakarot.
And if he failedā¦
Then he'd rather die.
Krillin frowned. "No, Vegeta. Even if you're strong now,
you don't know Kaio-Ken. There's no way you can fight King Cold alone.
Let us handle itā"
Vegeta snorted. "Do whatever you want. I'm not teaming up with you."
Everyone immediately started cursing him in their heads.
As if anyone even wanted to team up with him.
He didn't have the strength, and he was selfish as hell.
The group gathered into formation.
Krillin said, "When the fight starts, don't hold back. Kill all the soldiers firstādon't let them spread out and slaughter Earthlings.
Then we focus on King Cold."
Everyone nodded.
"Understood. This isn't the World Martial Arts Tournament. They're invading a planetāwe're not showing mercy!"
"Either he dies or I die. I'll wipe them out instantly!"
"Yeah! First priority: kill the soldiers!"
"Everyoneālet's go!"
"Earth is counting on us!"
Chi-Chi added, "One more thingāKing Cold has never fought us before.
He has battle power, but he doesn't know our techniques.
So I suggest we set a trap right from the beginning and try to kill him in one strike."
Everyone looked at Chi-Chi.
"What's the plan?" Krillin asked first.
Chi-Chi scanned the group, her eyes landing on Tien.
"Tien, you'll use Solar Flare.
Krillin and I will launch him into the air after he's blinded.
Then Chiaotzu and Yamcha charge up Destructo Discā¦
The more, the better. Use up all your Ki if you have to.
As long as we kill him, we win!"
Tien immediately said, "My Ki is stronger. I'll charge more Destructo Disc. Let Chiaotzu handle Solar Flare!"
Everyone nodded.
"Right. Chiaotzu knows Solar Flare tooālet him do it!"
As they spoke, Chi-Chi pulled out several pairs of sunglasses.
"Hereāput these on when it matters."
Everyone was shocked.
"Damnāso you came prepared!"
Chi-Chi chuckled awkwardly.
"Heheā¦ I've wanted to try this strategy for a long time."
Krillin clenched his fist. "As long as his speed isn't faster than Destructo Discā¦ he's dead."
Piccolo said, "I can't use Destructo Disc. I'll handle Special Beam Cannon."
"No problem!"
Vegeta, listening nearby, curled his lip in contempt.
But he said nothing.
Because deep downā¦
he knew it too.
In terms of raw usefulness right now, he wasn't even better than these Earthlings.
After Frieza's spaceship settled onto the ground,
several more ships descended one after another.
Soon, ship hatches opened.
Countless Frieza Force soldiers poured out in a black swarm like locusts.
Seeing so many troops, the group sucked in a cold breath.
"What the hellā¦ King Cold has this many under him?"
"The Frieza Force really is a monstrous empireā¦"
Vegeta's gaze burned as he stared at King Cold's ship, waiting for him to appear.
These fodder soldiers weren't even worth his attention.
At lastā
King Cold stepped out.
He maintained a form similar to Frieza's second transformation.
Two horns on his head, a massive, muscular body, easily over three meters tall.
A lieutenant approached.
"Your Majesty, radar has detected that Kakarot's spacecraft is approaching rapidly.
He should reach Earth in about one hour."
King Cold's lips curled into a knowing smile.
"Hehā¦ is that so?
Interesting.
So he sensed my arrivalā¦ and he's panicking."
The lieutenant nodded eagerly.
"Exactly, Your Majesty. Earth must hold people important to him.
Should we move out immediately and slaughter all humans on Earth?"
King Cold crossed his arms, confident and utterly relaxed.
"Then kill them all.
After the Earthlings and the Super Saiyan are dead,
send someone to sell this planet."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The lieutenant raised his hand. "All units disperseāexterminate the Earthlings!"
The strange-looking soldiers roared in unison.
"Understood!"
They were about to departā
when Krillin's group appeared.
The thousands of Frieza Force soldiers froze when they saw Krillin, Chi-Chi, Tien, and the others.
"What are these Earthlings doing here?"
"Did they come to die early? Hahahaha!"
A Frieza Force commander activated his scouter and read their power levels.
"Heh. A bunch of trash with power levels of five."
"These idiots are mine. The rest of you go kill the Earthlings!"
He raised one finger toward Krillin's groupā
and fired an energy blast.
Krillin swept his hand casually.
The blast was deflected.
The explosion that followed killed several Frieza Force soldiers outright.
The commander's eyes widened. "Damn it! So they can manipulate their power levels!"
"Everyoneāattack!"
He waved his hand. Several other commanders charged forward.
But in the next instantā
they were already dead.
As if countless laser beams had sliced through them.
They collapsed one after another.
A heartbeat later, explosions rang out.
The ground erupted with countless mushroom clouds.
The swarm of soldiers fell like wheat beneath a scythe.
A power level in the millionsā
against soldiers with power levels barely in the thousandsā
without deliberately holding backā¦
it only took a few attacks to wipe them out.
When the gap is too great,
numbers become meaningless.
Unless the "army" is close enough in strength to the opponent to actually break through their defensesā¦
they can't even scratch the target, much less kill them.
And Krillin's group, fighting at full strengthā
was more than capable of wounding King Cold.
King Cold watched with growing interest.
Then, he began to clap.
"Well, wellā¦
You've surprised me.
You fought beautifully.
And my forces are short on talentā¦
How about it? Want to serve under King Cold?"
Krillin took his stance. Everyone else shifted into position, encircling King Cold.
Krillin said, "King Cold, don't try to lull us with tricks.
We will not allow you to destroy Earth.
Comeāfight us."
King Cold chuckled.
"Heh. You lotā¦
You can kill a few ants, sure.
But fighting me?
You're a few hundred years too early."
Then King Cold roared.
His Ki exploded outward.
Krillin's group felt the pressure of that vast, surging power and immediately powered up in response.
In an instant, the ground cracked, the winds howled.
The barren wasteland became chaos.
King Cold scanned themāand noticed there was no Super Saiyan among them.
He relaxed slightly.
"These little pestsā¦ aren't simple.
But at least the Super Saiyan hasn't arrived yet.
Good."
"HAH!"
King Cold struck first.
He raised his fist and slammed it toward Krillinā
But at that moment, a shout erupted from the sky.
"Solar Flare!"
"SHHHHK!"
A blinding flash burst across the heavens, flooding the world in white.
King Cold had never seen such a technique.
He was hit instantly.
His vision was erased.
The next momentā
fists rained down upon him like a storm.
Crushing blow after crushing blow.
The pain was unreal.
King Cold couldn't even count how many hits landed.
All he knew wasā
at the end, someone kicked him into the sky.
The agony ignited his fury.
Forget waiting for the Super Saiyan.
He curled up tightly in midair, forcing his Ki into defense.
These insects would die.
His troops were already dead too. This Earth wasn't even worth taking anymore.
Before his vision had fully returned, he gathered a Supernova in his palmā
planning to destroy the planet in one strike.
But the instant he unfolded his body and opened his eyesā¦
he saw something horrifying.
Countless shining blades of light were tearing toward him.
Hundreds of Destructo Discs.
So dense they looked more terrifying than the Frieza Force itself.
Dozens had already split the sky apartā
turning the entire space into a death sentence.
All of them were coming for him.
His escape routes were completely sealed.
King Cold's scalp went numb.
"Holyā!"
Cursing, he chose the only path left:
Retreat.
But as he pulled backā
a Special Beam Cannon shot toward him.
King Cold panicked and tried to dodge sidewaysā
but it was too fast.
It hit.
The impact rattled his entire body and sent pain ripping through him.
Butā¦
he didn't seem injured.
Realizing that the terrifying-looking Special Beam Cannon hadn't actually done serious damage, King Cold nearly laughed with delight.
As expected.
I am still the pinnacle of the universe.
These insects cannot kill me.
Like ants cannot kill a dinosaur.
He turned back toward the incoming Destructo Discs.
His expression sharpened with confidence.
If I can't dodge, then I'll tank it.
He crossed his arms and raised his Ki even further.
But thenā
one Destructo Disc sliced into him effortlessly.
King Cold's eyes blew wide open.
What?! This thing can cut through me?!
He tried to regret itā
but it was already too late.
His body was split apart.
The next second, King Cold created no miracle.
More Destructo Discs came screaming through the air.
He couldn't even release a full screamā
before he was instantly carved into pieces.
In the blink of an eye, flesh and blood rained from the sky like a crimson storm.
All that remained on the ground were chunks of meatā¦
and streams of fresh blood.
Seeing that King Cold had actually died at their handsāand died so cleanlyā
everyone exploded in joy.
"T-Thisā¦"
"We did it!"
Krillin swallowed hard in disbelief.
"This is insaneā¦ we actually killed someone with a power level over a 100 million!"
Chi-Chi burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! My brain is amazing, right?
I'm awesome! Praise me!"
"You're incredible, Chi-Chi!"
"Chi-Chi is smart and strongāno wonder she's the wife of a Super Saiyan!"
Chi-Chi's smile nearly split her face.
Today, they had achieved a true milestone victory.
They saved Earth without relying on Goku.
She folded her arms proudly.
"Good. That praise feels fantastic.
I've decided I'm treating everyone to a feast at my resort. Sound good?"
Everyone lit up.
"Seriously?! That's amazing!"
Krillin asked quickly, "Can we bring our families?"
Chi-Chi waved her hand. "Of course! Anyone with a wife and kidsābring them all!
Girlfriends too! Friends too! The more, the merrier!"
"Chi-Chi forever!"
Cheers erupted.
Vegeta watched it all, stunned.
"They actuallyā¦ succeededā¦"
But instead of joy, rage boiled inside him.
Last time, when they fought Frieza, he'd been humiliated by a low-class Saiyan.
This time, against King Coldā¦
he wasn't even as useful as these Earthlings.
Two humiliations.
Back to back.
It pushed him beyond his limit.
Vegeta threw his head back and screamed.
His Ki surged violently.
Everyone turned in surprise.
"What's he doing?"
"Trying to become a Super Saiyan?"
Vegeta roared until his throat burnedā
yet nothing happened.
Just useless fury.
But thenā
a figure suddenly appeared.
Two fingers pressed against his foreheadā
Son Goku appeared beside Vegeta.
He looked at Chi-Chi, Krillin, and everyone else staring at himā
and waved brightly.
"I'm back!"