PART SIXTEEN: FLASHBACK

Chapter 77

Translated by Davidstarlingm and Kakarotto Ka Power Level Kya Hai?

In universe 3, Baddack was the last of his race, the only surviving Saiyan. His people had been all but eliminated by Raichi...who was himself the last of his own people, the Tsufurs, destroyed by the Saiyans.

"How ironic..." Baddack thought. Two warring peoples on the same planet; a war which destroyed them both. There was only one representative of each of these peoples, and they finally found themselves in the same place in a tournament.

Raichi was powerful, and Baddack had never been able to do anything against him. Even when all his companions fought the Tsuful, they were beaten. Baddack's visions of the future had been unable to change anything.

Yet, against Freeza, it was very successful. Was it because of that Kanassian? Was the true purpose of these visions to defeat Freeza, but not Raichi?

Baddack thought of long ago. Again, tonight, while he pondered his future fight against King Cold, he could not help but dwell on the past. It was a crucial time when, by chance or not, he encountered a being endowed with visions....

In space, Baddack's unit traveled in their space pods, speeding toward the planet Kanassa to exterminate its inhabitants. Yet another planet soon to fall to their account, which already contained countless worlds utterly destroyed.

"Kanassa Planet, arrival tomorrow," Baddack radioed his teammates. "High power levels, but full moon in two days. We can erase the top ten cities in a short time. If we can finish the mission in four days, Freeza's elite will look like a bunch of losers. I count on you to make it happen!

"Such a challenge!" exclaimed Célipa, the only female member of the group." I see, sir Baddack had a bad day."

"Is it your about your last-born, chief?" asked Toma, Baddack's best friend. The men knew that his youngest son, Kakarotto, was born with a ridiculously low power, which had put Baddack in a bad mood. Especially since this was his second attempt, with a very powerful Saiyan mother, and a second failure. Strong parents usually gave birth to strong children.

Totappo interrupted. "You should have taken Raditz with us. The little dude would improve for sure!"

"Who fucking cares about these weaklings!!" said the group's leader, angry.

Communication between them ceased until they arrived on the planet. They had to wait several hours before the full moon. They took the opportunity to attack first few villages quickly before moving on to larger city as soon as they turned into Oozarus.

As expected, despite the level of some fighters on the planet, the Saiyan group managed to destroy a number of cities in one night.

The next morning, they allowed themselves a break.

"Eleven cities!" Toma exclaimed. "Most of the population is dead, and in only one night, dudes!"

"Massive destruction!" Célipa added. "Eleven out of ten."

Baddack tinkered with his scooter. He was trying to predict the time it would take to destroy what remained of the local population.

"There are only a few small tribes left. The real thing is done. In two days, we—"

He stopped as the sensor detected a sudden burst of power. He pressed a button on the device and located the source.

"Big power level ... a few miles from here?"

"I'm sure there was nothing there," Toma muttered to the group.

"It's just one guy. One strong guy," said Baddack, rising. "I'm going to take him. Alone. You wait for me here."

Toma watched his leader fly off. "Why didn't we detect him before?"

"It's strange," said Celipa.

"He is not as strong as Baddack, but he is stronger than me. I don't like this," Toma added.

"Chief is an adult. He'll handle it."

Baddack took a few seconds to arrive on the scene. Someone was waiting. He landed in front of him, then walked forward.

The Kanassian looked tired, his clothes a little torn. A strange aura showed around him.

"So...it's you," said Baddack suspiciously.

"I cannot beat you, Bringer of Death and destruction. You can kill me."

"Oh, I will."

"But you may want to hear me first. The survival of your people depends on it.”

Baddack had reached out his open hand, creating a ball of energy. “Pff ... Die.”

Some lives and destined can change with a single and simple event. In many universes, Baddack killed this man and did not listen to what he had to say. A few days later, Dodoria would have attacked his unit, and, the sole survivor, he would have returned to Planet Vegeta only to be killed personally by Freeza as the planet was destroyed.

But in this universe, Baddack decided to hear him out. Just...just to know.

He did not throw his ball of energy, even though he continued to hold it in front of his hand, ready to be launched in an instant. The Kanassian continued.

“I saw your future...and it’s just as dark as ours. You will all die; your home planet will be destroyed.”

"What's he talking about, old fool?"

“Destroyed by a small, flat-horned purple demon. Your master himself decided to annihilate all of you.”

Baddack said nothing, continuing to listen, but already thought of Freeza.

“I saw him kill your lord. One of your kind, with a beard and spiky hair.”

“Freeza? Vegeta? You don’t have technology to know them. How can you describe with such detail?”

“I have a few powers...I can’t fight you, I can’t beat you, but I have foresight: visions of scenes that have not yet passed.”

“Bullshit! This is madness!”

“I saw a few weeks ago that we would be attacked by giant warriors. But nobody believed me. Nobody wanted to flee. It is not enough to see, they must also understand...my people died because they did not believe. I failed them. As for you...in all the futures I saw, your planet does not survive. You must act early and intelligently to save your people. With luck, your actions could save a lot of your friends. And more: if you all get together, you could kill this purple demon! You might destroy your enemy...our enemy!

“Why tell me this? Why are you helping me?”

“You are merely the messenger of our death. I want revenge. The man who asked for our destruction, he asked for yours too. We want the same thing.”

“I have no reason to believe you,” said Baddack, stepping back warily with his fists clenched.

“I’m not asking you to...”

The Kanassian took a break before adding:

“The future is clear, I can not convince you with words. I’m only asking for one thing. Don’t finish me from a distance. Go through my heart with your fist.”

“Tsss, as you wish!”

Baddack rushed forward and easily pierced his opponent’s torso. His hand grabbed the Kanassian’s heart and squeezed hard.

“Yuck! It was even more flabby than I thought!”

But the old creature clung to Baddack.

“Receive...my power and my strength!”

“What?!”

Baddack thought he saw a flash of light that filled his sight...then slowly a new ability morphed into existence. He didn’t see the vision before him; he felt more like the spectator of a scene, even seeing himself present. He no longer felt his body; what he saw in real time lasted only a moment.

Bardock’s group spoke among themselves.

“...separately. The small towns are quite numerous, and it’s not like we’ll risk a lot!” Toma said.

“The full moon is over, you know. We need to be in groups of two, just in case. An accident can happen,” Totappo replied.

Celipa laughed. “What a lousy excuse to be alone with me!”

“We have an odd number in our group anyway...” began Toma. “Baddack, what’s wrong?”

Baddack listened without participating in the discussion, showing a totally dazed look. Then a new flash of light illuminated...

Baddack stood before the bloodied corpse of the Kanassian in the arms. He wondered, “What was that?”

He thought a moment, then decided to leave. He had nothing more to do here, and quickly joined his group, which had been awaiting his arrival..

“Hey, Baddack’s back. So?” Toma asked, wondering about Baddack’s side-mission.

“Hmm... Nothing special ... Easily killed.”

“Very well. Listen, we were talking about finishing the other places separately. The small towns are quite numerous, and it’s not as if we’ll risk a lot!”

“The full moon is over, you know. We need to be at least in pairs, just in case anything should happene.”

Baddack eyes widened.

“What a lousy excuse to be alone with me!”

“We have an odd number in our group anyways... Baddack, what’s wrong?”

He did not answer immediately, and before the eyes of others, finally said, “But ... But I've seen all of this!”

“Huh? What do you mean, Baddack?”

“He ... He really had powers!! If he’s right...”

Baddack thought quickly. He tried to remember every word the Kanassien told him.

“Toma! When is the next visit of Freeza?”

“There are no scheduled. Perhaps in one or two years...”

"A year or two? That’s not ..."

Suddenly Baddack felt a sharp pain in his head; he cradled it in his hands, closing his eyes. Then, the images and sound managed to enter his mind...

“What? Freeza is here? He comes without notifying us?” rang the voice of King Vegeta.

“It is time to tell him what I think. We are neither his slaves nor servants!! He hasn’t even given me news of my son!”

The image became blurred, and then Vegeta reappeared shouting, “Lord Freeza! What is the meaning of this unannounced armada arriving in my place?”

“How rude... Yes, I have heard that too much!” Freeza said in his vehicle, his back turned to the king.

“Rude? What about you? Coming without announcing it, greeting guests by showing your back, treating us like servants?

The king was adamant. Baddack understood that Freeza would therefore come to the planet Vegeta, and this surprise expressed a dirty trick. Relations between Freeza and the Saiyans had always been strained and had followed a poorly controlled hypocrisy.

Thus, the King had arrived on the tyrant’s ship to inquire about this unexpected visit.

“Saiyan’s prid-”

He did not finish his sentence. Freeza had quickly turned, pointed and fired a beam of energy that pierced the proud king’s heart.

“You're just confirming your indiscipline,” said Freeza.

King Vegeta’s corpse fell to the ground. His two bodyguards Hatonek and Gerkin, had returned to his side, but Zarbon and Dodoria attacked quickly, stabbing them from behind and killing them easily. They too fell to the ground, dead.

“And now ... Let’s transform this planet into a giant fireworks display!” Freeza said, a sadistic smile forming on his lips.

Baddack opened his eyes. He began to understand. He remembered the words of Kanassien. He had to act quickly.

“It’s going to happen soon,” said Baddack to his unit. “Let’s go back immediately!”

“Now? But we haven’t finished…”

“I don’t care, Toma! It’s an emergency!

Baddack friends did not understand at all, but they followed his orders. If they encountered any problems, he alone would be reprimanded, not them. They went in their personal capsules and quickly took off, spinning towards their home planet Vegeta.

Baddack reflected throughout the journey, still wondering if it was real or not ...