The dark confines of Frieza's training chamber had finally gone silent. The hum of the gravity generators and the energy coursing through the walls was barely noticeable now, a background murmur to the once overwhelming force that had pressed down on him. Frieza floated in the center of the room, his eyes closed, his breathing steady and controlled.
It had been two days since his training began. Two days of intense concentration, pushing his body and mind beyond their previous limits. Now, Frieza could feel it, a deeper mastery of his ki than ever before. The energy he once unleashed recklessly now obeyed him with absolute precision, condensed into atomic particles that danced invisibly at his command.
His eyes opened slowly, and with a flick of his fingers, the hundreds of near-microscopic ki orbs scattered throughout the room instantly converged on him, gathering in a flash before dispersing back into nothing. He had achieved what he set out to do. His energy control was flawless for his current state. The chamber around him was still intact, but he knew with certainty that had he willed it, he could have reduced it to dust without a single wasted motion.
Frieza lowered himself to the floor, his feet touching the cold metal lightly. His mind turned to what lay ahead. He could feel the increase in his power, it wasn't just his energy control that had grown, his overall strength had surged. Every muscle, every cell in his body felt like it was pulsing with raw potential.
He lifted his hand, a small ki orb forming effortlessly in his palm. "Before Namek, this would have obliterated a planet," he muttered to himself, crushing the orb in his grip. "But now... now I could achieve the same result with less than half that effort."
His strength had increased several fold. It was undeniable. The years of untapped potential, the knowledge that had been unlocked from the memories of the otaku, all of it had culminated in this moment. He compared his current power to what it had been before he faced Goku on Namek. The difference was staggering. What took entire armies to accomplish before could now be done with a mere flick of his wrist.
But something still held him back.
Frieza flexed his mechanical fingers, watching the joints of his cybernetic limbs move smoothly, yet they felt foreign, cold and detached. He could feel the power in them, but the mechanical parts were... limited. His overall strength had increased, but the mechanical components remained the same as before, no stronger than when they were first installed. This created a disparity, an imbalance in his body that frustrated him.
His organic form had evolved, but his cybernetics had not. He could feel the restrictions the mechanical parts imposed on his energy flow, preventing him from reaching his full potential. Every time he tried to push beyond a certain threshold, the cybernetic limbs resisted, unable to channel the raw power coursing through the rest of his body.
"It's an imbalance," Frieza said, narrowing his eyes at his metallic arm. "No matter how much I grow, these parts will always hold me back."
He clenched his fist, feeling the resistance in the mechanical parts as he channeled more energy through them. It was a weakness, one that he could not tolerate.
His mind drifted back to the memory of Senzu Beans on Earth. They were legendary for their ability to heal even the most grievous injuries in an instant. If he could obtain them, perhaps they could restore his body, fully eliminating the mechanical constraints. His organic body would be whole again, and then, there would be nothing stopping him from unlocking the true depths of his power.
But Earth wasn't just a place to claim the Senzu Beans. It held something more, Goku, the Saiyan who had humiliated him on Namek, still lived there. Frieza had been revived, reconstructed, but that defeat had been burned into his mind, fueling every step of his journey to reclaim dominance.
"It's time to return," Frieza said coldly, his lips curling into a wicked smile. "Earth holds the key to my perfection... and I will tear it from them if necessary."
....
Frieza strode through the corridors of his fortress, each step deliberate and calculated. He had sent word to his remaining forces two days prior, summoning them back to the base from the far reaches of the galaxy. The message had been clear: regroup or face obliteration. Those that were still loyal to him would obey without question.
In the command center, a group of soldiers awaited him, each one standing at attention as he entered the room. At the head of the group was Lieutenant Kiruk, his tall, horned figure casting a long shadow across the cold steel floor.
"Lord Frieza," Kiruk said, bowing low. "The remaining forces have been gathered as you commanded. We await your orders."
Frieza's gaze swept over the gathered soldiers, a small portion of his once-mighty empire. They were fewer in number than before, but those who remained had proven their loyalty and strength. They would suffice for now.
"Good," Frieza said, his voice sharp and commanding. "We are heading to Earth. There are resources there that I require... and a few old debts to settle."
The soldiers nodded in unison, not daring to question him. Frieza had no need for weaklings, and those who had survived his past purges knew that failure would not be tolerated.
....
As preparations were made for departure, Frieza turned his thoughts to Earth. He remembered the humiliation of being defeated by Goku, the Super Saiyan. He had been overconfident, relying on raw power without considering the hidden potential of his enemies.
But now? Now things were different. His mind had sharpened, his body stronger than ever. He wouldn't underestimate his opponents this time. He would destroy them completely, leave nothing to chance.
But first, he will learn from them, and what's the best way to do it?
Fighting.
Frieza stood in the observation deck of his ship, staring out into the void as the planet Earth appeared on the screens before him. He had spies keeping an eye on Earth, and though the Z-Fighters had remained quiet since his defeat, he knew they were still a threat.
"They've grown complacent," Frieza muttered to himself, watching the data scroll across the screens. "They think their victory was permanent... how wrong they are."
....
Before heading directly to Earth, Frieza had one more task. He needed to test the full extent of his newly honed powers, to see just how much he had grown. A small, insignificant planet in a nearby system would suffice as his testing ground.
He stepped into the command center, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Prepare to set course for the Zeta-7 system," he commanded. "I wish to see how far I've come."
The soldiers immediately set to work, and within moments, Frieza's ship launched toward the nearby system. Zeta-7 was a quiet, uninhabited planet, perfect for testing his might without drawing unnecessary attention.
The ship arrived swiftly, descending upon the barren world. Frieza exited the ship, standing at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the empty landscape. He raised a hand, his fingers glowing with energy, and released a single, condensed ki blast toward the ground.
The impact was immediate. The planet's surface cracked and splintered beneath the force of the blast, and within moments, the ground gave way to a massive explosion that tore through the planet's core. Frieza watched, expressionless, as the entire planet crumbled into dust.
"Perfect," he said, lowering his hand. The balance of power in his body might be imperfect, but his strength was undeniable.
With that, he returned to his ship, ready for the real mission ahead.
"Set course for Earth," Frieza ordered, his cold grin returning. "It's time to finish what I started."
----
Drop stones!