The air of Namek crackled with tension as Raditz surveyed the landscape. The power coursing through his veins felt like an unstoppable torrent, the result of his fulfilled wishes: mastery over all techniques in the universe and the awakening of his dormant potential. His muscles thrummed with energy, his every movement sharper, faster, more precise.
He clenched his fist, testing the raw strength he now possessed. A subtle grin tugged at his lips. With this power, I'm not just surviving anymore—I'm dominating.
But the moment of reflection was fleeting. The scouter on his salvaged ship, though rudimentary compared to his advanced senses, beeped urgently.
Three power signatures approached. Not scouts this time, but stronger forces. Frieza's elites were here.
"Let's see how they handle the new me."
---
Raditz stepped out of his ship, his long hair flowing in the wind as the three figures descended. The elites, each clad in polished battle armor, formed a line, their expressions grim.
"Raditz," the lead elite—a towering, crimson-skinned warrior—said with a sneer. "You've caused enough trouble. Lord Frieza doesn't appreciate loose ends."
Raditz smirked, casually rolling his shoulders. "Loose end? I think I'm more like a thorn in his side. And you've come all this way just to get pricked."
The scouters on the elites' faces flickered with confusion as they analyzed his power level.
"Impossible," one of them muttered. "His power—it's… over 85,000?"
"Must be a malfunction," another growled. "He was nothing before!"
Raditz chuckled, letting his energy spike briefly, enough to send shockwaves through the ground. "Your scouters aren't broken. I've just evolved. And now you'll see firsthand what that means."
---
The battle erupted in an instant. The elites charged together, their attacks coordinated and relentless. Raditz countered effortlessly, weaving through their strikes with newfound grace.
The crimson-skinned leader lunged with a flurry of punches, but Raditz parried them with ease, his movements almost lazy. "Is this all you've got?" Raditz taunted, delivering a devastating elbow to the elite's chest.
The impact sent the leader flying, crashing into a distant boulder. Before the other two could react, Raditz vanished and reappeared behind them, striking with precision. One collapsed instantly, unconscious, while the other staggered back, trembling.
"You're a monster," the last elite stammered, his scouter now in pieces.
Raditz grinned, his aura flaring menacingly. "No. I'm a Saiyan."
With a single blow, he ended the fight, leaving all three elites defeated.
---
As Raditz stood among the rubble, he sensed a faint presence behind him. Turning, he spotted a young Namekian emerging cautiously from the shadows.
The boy carried a small satchel, his wide eyes filled with awe. "You… you saved us again."
Raditz relaxed slightly, his expression softening. "Didn't have much of a choice. Frieza's lackeys don't take no for an answer."
The boy approached, offering the satchel. "This is for you. Healing herbs… and water. Our elder said you might need them."
Raditz accepted the gift, a rare sense of gratitude washing over him. "Your people have guts, kid. You'll need it with Frieza's forces crawling all over this place."
The boy hesitated, then asked, "Are you strong enough to stop them?"
Raditz knelt, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm strong enough to make them regret ever stepping foot on this planet."
The boy smiled, nodding before retreating back toward his village.
---
Back at his ship, Raditz sat in quiet contemplation. His power had grown beyond his wildest dreams, but he knew the challenges ahead would only get harder. Frieza's forces would keep coming, and Frieza himself was a threat unlike any other.
But for now, Raditz allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The Saiyan who once lived in his brother's shadow was gone.
The three suns of Namek bathed the planet in a golden glow as Raditz closed his eyes, his ki simmering beneath the surface. His next move would define his path.