"So many fruits… There must be over a thousand of them," Hannah murmured, unable to hide her shock.
"This planet is probably twice the size of Planet Vegeta. That could be why," Bardock replied, eyes narrowed as he surveyed the towering tree.
Lynx clenched his fist and said firmly, "These fruits of the Tree of Might belong to us Saiyans! Hannah, Bardock — take the team and wipe out Slug's forces. I'll handle Slug myself."
"Yes, Lord Lynx!" Bardock answered without hesitation.
But Hannah suddenly stepped forward. "Lord Lynx, let me handle Slug."
"You?" Lynx raised a brow. "Hannah, did you check your scouter? Slug's power level is over 20 million."
"What?!" Hannah's expression changed as she immediately opened her scouter.
Bardock and the others followed suit — and what they saw made their faces pale.
"A Namekian with that kind of power?" Hannah asked, stunned.
She wasn't unfamiliar with Namekians. Most of them only had power levels in the low thousands, many even less — like that one on Earth whose power didn't even reach a thousand.
And now, suddenly, a Namekian had emerged whose power dwarfed even the likes of the Frieza Force? Their first instinct was to assume their scouters were broken.
But every Saiyan here had already learned to sense ki without a scouter. And when they set aside their devices and focused their senses, all of them immediately felt it — a terrifying presence, one even stronger than Frieza, stronger even than Cooler, whom they'd faced on Planet Ifrit.
"Slug is a Super Namekian," Lynx explained calmly. "Just like a Super Saiyan is to Saiyans, he's the pinnacle of his race. Hannah, you're no match for him right now."
"Then… what about you, Lord Lynx?" Hannah asked, a hint of unease in her voice.
It was the first time, since gaining her Super Saiyan transformation, that she'd felt powerless again.
"Relax," Lynx grinned, flashing his white teeth. "If it were another Super Namekian, I might have a harder time. But Slug? He's not quite there."
The truth was, if Lynx were up against Future Piccolo — the one who had fused with Kami during the Android saga — even with his Legendary Super Saiyan bloodline, it would've been a difficult fight.
That version of Piccolo was said to be five times stronger than Frieza, which by traditional battle power calculations would put him at over 500 million.
In this world's scaling, that translated to a base power of around 50 million, not to mention the myriad mystical abilities Namekians possessed.
That would be a tough opponent.
But Slug? Compared to that future Piccolo, he lacked refinement. Perhaps due to having spent so many years in an aged and weakened state, even now, after regaining his youth, Slug's power only slightly surpassed Frieza's.
"Understood." Hannah nodded, then looked at Lynx for a moment longer.
"Once we're back… I'd like your help. I want to get stronger."
"Alright."
Lynx smiled. It seemed even Hannah — who'd always been lax about training — had been shaken by Slug's strength.
As he watched her lead the others toward Slug's forces, Lynx loosened his shoulders.
Since returning to his own world, it had been a long time since he'd faced an opponent who might require him to go all out.
"Don't disappoint me, Slug…"
Elsewhere, the demon warriors pouring from Slug's ship had already run into Bardock's squad.
Against these Saiyan elites, who all had power levels above 100,000, Slug's forces — many barely at 10,000 — were slaughtered like cattle.
"Lord Slug!"
One of Slug's top lieutenants cried out in terror just before he was vaporized by a single ki blast.
"Enough!" Slug growled, preparing to step in.
But just then — without warning — Lynx appeared before him.
"Huh?" Slug blinked in surprise.
He hadn't sensed Lynx's approach at all. It was like the Saiyan had materialized out of thin air.
Even with Slug's Super Namekian vision, he wasn't able to track Lynx's movement.
"You're mine, Slug," Lynx said flatly.
"You… you're a Saiyan?" Slug narrowed his eyes, noting the brown tail wrapped around Lynx's waist.
"That's right. I'm Lynx of Planet Vegeta."
"Lynx…" Slug muttered, eyes narrowing.
That name. He'd heard it before — wasn't this the same Saiyan who killed the tyrant Frieza?
"So it's you? Hmph. I admit, for a Saiyan to take down Frieza… that's impressive. But if you think that makes you invincible, you're a fool!"
Slug's voice turned cold. "With my current strength, I could squash Frieza like a bug. I have no grudge against you Saiyans. Leave now, and I'll spare you."
"But if you force my hand — once I harvest these fruits, Planet Vegeta will be next!"
"Heh."
Lynx chuckled, lifting a hand — and without hesitation, fired a golden Death Beam.
The blast streaked toward Slug like lightning, exploding on contact.
The shockwave shook the battlefield.
But as the smoke cleared, Slug remained standing — though his armor had been shattered, and his signature helmet lay in pieces.
Two green antennae now jutted from his bald head — the unmistakable sign of a true Namekian.
"You'll regret that!" Slug roared, unleashing his ki.
A suffocating aura of darkness swept across the battlefield, causing even the fighting Saiyans to momentarily freeze.
"Whoa… what pressure!"
"He's even stronger than Frieza and Cooler!"
Hannah and the others stared, sweat forming on their brows, concern rising in their hearts.
Slug, drunk on his own power, continued to vent his ki, assuming Lynx was too frozen with fear to respond.
But then, he saw something unexpected.
Lynx smirked.
"If you're trying to intimidate me with raw ki… let me show you how it's really done."
"What?"
Slug blinked, confused.
And in the very next instant — Lynx let loose a furious roar.
It was like a dam had burst. Ki poured from him like a torrential flood, shaking the heavens.
Slug's expression faltered — as did those of every soldier around him.
The skies above Laru'la, once grey and lifeless, suddenly darkened.
Thunderclouds rolled in.
Bolts of golden lightning cracked across the sky.
And the earth itself began to tremble.
Tiny stones lifted from the ground, defying gravity under the immense force that now surged from the Saiyan standing before them…