"Oh? You're back again? I thought you'd give up after just one day," said Moro, sneering at Zuke as he watched him being brought back to the prison cell by the Galactic Patrol.
"Give up? Not until I've squeezed every ounce of magical technique out of you, old man," Zuke retorted bluntly, sitting across from Moro without hesitation. After all, Moro was the one who needed something from him now.
From the original storyline, it was clear that Moro never truly gave up on escaping from the Galactic Prison. For now, Zuke's mention of the "Dragon Balls" was Moro's only chance.
To ensure Zuke kept his promise to use the Dragon Balls to wish for his freedom, Moro had no choice but to suppress his irritation and obediently teach Zuke his magical techniques.
More than three hours later, Zuke walked out of Moro's cell, utterly satisfied.
Although Moro's teaching remained as abysmal as it was the previous day, Zuke's progress today was surprisingly good—perhaps because he had started to adapt to Moro's teaching rhythm.
Not only had he learned how to use magic to perform simple superpowers, but he had also begun to sense the "life energy" that Moro had described.
This energy was different from "ki." It resembled the vitality gathered for the Spirit Bomb but also bore similarities to planetary energy.
According to Moro, being able to sense life energy was the prerequisite for manipulating planetary energy. Afterward, Zuke could gradually begin learning how to control it.
The thought excited Zuke, as planetary energy could bring him immense power.
Even without consuming planetary energy as Moro did, simply releasing it could cause devastating damage.
In Dragon Ball Super, even Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta had to avoid direct confrontation with unleashed planetary energy. Similarly, in the Frieza Saga of the original story, Frieza worried about being injured by the energy released when Namek exploded, underscoring its formidable power.
However, Moro had also cautioned that controlling planetary energy would be highly challenging. Even if Zuke mastered it, it would require prolonged practice before he could wield it as effortlessly as Moro did.
Zuke had already prepared himself mentally for this. Prolonged practice? That was precisely why he had modified his cube spaceship with the Hyperbolic Time Chamber's functionality—to facilitate extended training.
"Mr. Zuke, it seems your training session has ended," a voice called out.
As soon as Zuke stepped out of the cell, he saw Merus standing at the door with a smile, waiting for him.
Zuke remained highly cautious of Merus. After all, Merus was an apprentice angel. If a fight broke out, Zuke was sure he wouldn't stand a chance.
Even the battle-hardened Goku and Vegeta had been easily knocked out by Merus' sneak attacks. This demonstrated that even without using angelic powers, Merus was vastly superior.
He could likely take down Frieza with just the Galactic Patrol's equipment.
"Yes, and thank you for your guarantee, Merus," Zuke said, nodding. Despite his internal vigilance, Zuke was polite. Merus' strength and his assistance in securing Zuke's access to Moro made him worth thanking.
Without Merus' endorsement, the Galactic Patrol would never have allowed Zuke to be alone with Moro.
As for Zuke's idea of taking Moro into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, even Merus' support wouldn't make that possible. Such a move was far beyond what the Galactic Patrol would accept.
"I simply trust that Mr. Zuke would not recklessly devour the lives of other planets," Merus said with a smile. "After all, you seem quite different from other Saiyans."
This was the first time Merus had directly acknowledged that Zuke was a Saiyan, confirming that he had discerned Zuke's identity.
Though Zuke lacked the tail characteristic of Saiyans and appeared human-like, Merus, being an apprentice angel, had his own methods of recognition.
"Did you wait for me here just to chat?" Zuke asked, noticing that Merus was specifically waiting for him at the door. It didn't seem like a casual encounter; there must be something Merus wanted to know.
"Hmm… You could say I wanted to understand your motivations," Merus said, his expression turning slightly serious. He looked intently at Zuke.
"I sense that you have an extraordinary desire for power. What are you seeking such immense strength for, Mr. Zuke?"
"Isn't it natural for Saiyans to crave strength?" Zuke replied, turning the question back on Merus. For Saiyans, the desire for strength often needed no justification; it was simply part of their nature, a joy derived from the process of becoming stronger.
Goku and Vegeta, for instance, continued their daily training even during long periods of peace on Earth. While they claimed to be preparing for potential future crises, much of their drive came from their innate Saiyan instincts.
"That's true for Saiyans, but what I sense from you is something different," Merus said, a faint look of puzzlement crossing his face as he observed Zuke's composed demeanor.
"Although you're a Saiyan, you're different in many ways. I feel like you're pursuing strength with a specific goal in mind."
"A goal…" Zuke murmured, falling silent. Was this the insight of an angel? The angels of the Dragon Ball universe always had an air of mysticism.
For instance, Whis, the angel of Universe 7, often appeared frivolous in the original series but would adopt an all-knowing attitude at critical moments.
Since Merus wanted to know, Zuke decided to tell him.
"My goal is to eliminate Frieza completely. For that, I need to be strong enough," Zuke said firmly.
"...I see. So, you aim to eliminate Frieza?" Merus' expression shifted to one of deep respect upon hearing this.
Frieza's reputation in the universe was far from honorable. While he presented himself as a real estate mogul, the planets he sold were obtained through the slaughter of native populations.
For Merus, Zuke's intent to eliminate Frieza was undoubtedly an act of justice.
Though the Saiyan race was historically brutal, it occasionally produced outliers—Saiyans with a sense of justice.
To Merus, Zuke now resembled one of these rare Saiyans, akin to the first Super Saiyan, Yamoshi.
To be continued…
Zuke gets summoned by Whis.
Merus in his angel attire?!
Zuke gets busted…
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