"The Tree of Might? But I already destroyed that!"
Lynx exclaimed in surprise.
Back when he had just merged with the Legendary Super Saiyan bloodline, he had encountered Turles attempting to plant the Tree of Might on Planet Vegeta. To complete his chosen mission, Lynx had raised his hand and wiped out both Turles and the tree in one go.
So how was there another Tree of Might, and in the hands of that evil Namekian—Slug?
Paragus quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the details are unclear. According to intel from the Galactic Patrol, Lord Slug's army recently seized control of a planet under our jurisdiction—Planet Laru La. The patrol tried to intervene, but their forces were repelled. They're now requesting elite reinforcements, and hope that we'll send our Special Task Force to assist."
"The Tree of Might, huh…"
Lynx stroked his chin in thought.
He had once believed the tree's fruit had little remaining value for him. But now that he thought about it, the fruit could still offer a huge boost to the Saiyans of Planet Vegeta—a rare shortcut to rapidly increase strength. Even for him, consuming the fruit could enhance his mental training.
In short, he wasn't going to miss out this time.
"How long would it take to reach Planet Laru La from here?"
"It's very far. Even with the Galactic Patrol's high-speed ships, it would take about a month," Paragus replied.
"That far?" Lin Chen frowned.
"Yes, it's deep in the Eastern Galaxy—far beyond our typical operational radius. That's why the Patrol suggested that, if possible, Your Majesty might consider going personally."
"In that case, tell them I'll handle this myself." Lynx turned to Paragus again. "Also, start searching the Northern Galaxy for habitable planets—ones suitable for life but still undeveloped."
Paragus raised an eyebrow. "Your Majesty… are you planning to…?"
"If I can, I intend to get my hands on the Tree of Might's seeds!"
"Understood! I'll order the scouts immediately." Paragus, who had once tasted the power of the fruit himself, understood its value all too well.
"Oh, and Paragus—I am not going in alone this time."
"Have Bardock and Hannah join me. Gather five more elite warriors—no less than 100,000 in power level. I'll use Instant Transmission to bring them all with me."
Though Lynx could likely defeat Lord Slug by himself, there was no harm in preparing for surprises.
Paragus nodded and rushed off to gather the team.
But just as he was moving quickly through the palace, an old man stepped in his path.
"Lord Paragus! What's the hurry?" asked the gray-bearded Dr. Gero.
Paragus gave him a side glance. "Doctor Gero, is it? His Majesty has a mission and ordered me to gather a strike team. Why?"
"N-no reason! I was just curious… is His Majesty Lynx—er, Lord Lynx—is going personally? Must be quite a powerful enemy, huh?" Gero asked, clearly fishing for information.
"Indeed. Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn't be involved. But Doctor, you've only just arrived on Planet Vegeta. Best to focus on your research rather than prying into military matters."
"Y-yes, of course. I understand completely!" Gero bowed repeatedly.
Paragus ignored him and resumed his search.
Soon enough, Bardock and Hannah arrived, along with five elite warriors, each boasting power levels above 100,000. Lynx explained the mission, and they all placed their hands on him as he activated Instant Transmission, vanishing toward Planet Laru La.
Planet Laru La was originally just a lush, undeveloped world with no native intelligent life. After its discovery by a Galactic Patrol-aligned civilization, it had been repurposed into an agricultural world, cultivated to grow all sorts of crops.
But now, the once-vibrant planet was nothing short of lifeless.
The green had vanished. Plants had withered. Life had withered. It was as if the world itself had died.
Only one thing stood out—the towering Tree of Might, its canopy so massive it reached beyond the planet's atmosphere, casting a giant shadow that blocked even the light of the star's system.
Under the tree, Lord Slug's Demon Clan patrolled vigilantly, guarding the maturing fruits of the Tree of Might with strict discipline.
Inside a dark spacecraft nestled beneath the massive roots, Lord Slug sat back comfortably, enjoying the taste of a fruit he had recovered from Turles's old stash.
"How much longer until the tree's fruit is fully ripe?" he asked irritably.
"Sire, by the end of today, the first batch should be ready for harvest."
"Excellent. These fruits… they're worthy of gods. Just a few bites, and I can feel every cell in my body brimming with new life. If I consume every fruit this planet yields, no one in the universe will stand in my way!"
As he roared triumphantly, the spaceship's alert systems suddenly flared to life with a shrill series of beeps.
"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"
"King Slug! We've detected unidentified life forms entering the atmosphere! Their energy levels are… off the charts!"
"How high?" Slug narrowed his eyes.
"At least… at least over three million! We didn't dare continue scanning—our instruments might explode from the pressure!"
"Three million?!"
The crew around him gasped audibly.
One of his burly generals, towering over the rest, panicked. "My King! This isn't right! We should call all our troops back—immediately!"
Slug's gaze turned icy as he stared the man down.
The general's whole body trembled, and he quickly tried to backpedal. "I-I mean, what I meant to say was—"
Before he could finish, Slug raised a finger. A thin beam of light shot forth, silencing the man forever.
"You'd have me retreat because of a measly 3 million? Pathetic! Lord Slug does not tolerate cowards!"
"Y-yes, Your Majesty!" The rest of the crew chorused fearfully.
Throwing off his cloak, Slug stepped outside with heavy, deliberate steps.
"Come! Let's see which fool dares covet the fruit of my Tree of Might!"
Meanwhile, on the planet surface, Lynx's group was awestruck by the sight before them.
The Tree of Might towered even more impressively than the one Turles had once planted on Planet Vegeta. This one was easily ten times larger.
It made sense—Laru La had been a thriving agricultural planet. Its life energy far surpassed that of Vegeta. The more vibrant the world, the more the tree fed.
And nestled high in its branches, countless sparkling fruits gleamed like stars, too many to count…