One punch from Piccolo. Vegeta's golden hair turned black.

  He gasped for air. Stared in disbelief. Before the Androids killed me, I was stronger than him. Now—one punch?

  "You're too arrogant, Vegeta. Super Saiyan isn't invincible. Gohan and the others surpassed it long ago. Your transformation? That's just their starting point. Surpass me first. Then worry about Gohan."

  Piccolo flew off. Krillin and the others followed.

  Vegeta hasn't trained in years. Even as a Super Saiyan, he's outdated.

  "AHHHHH!"

  Vegeta's roar echoed through the valley. The Saiyan Prince wept. Second time in his life.

  New Namek.

  Perilla invited Dende to become Earth's Kami.

  Dende hesitated. "Can I really—"

  The Grand Elder smiled. "You're the finest of our Dragon Clan's young generation. You're worthy. Believe in yourself."

  Dende accepted.

  After farewells, he boarded the ship with Perilla, Gohan, and Trunks.

  Five days later, they landed at Capsule Corp.

  Earth.

  Bulma waited outside. Piccolo stood beside her.

  The hatch opened. Perilla led. Gohan, Trunks, and Dende followed.

  "Welcome back."

  Gohan flew to Piccolo. "Uncle Piccolo!"

  "Of course I came. You saved New Namek. I had to thank you."

  "I didn't do much. Perilla beat Metal Cooler. Without her, we'd have been stuck."

  Infinite regeneration. Infinite absorption. Power alone couldn't win.

  Piccolo nodded at Perilla. "Thank you."

  "Just luck. If Cooler hadn't fled New Namek, I couldn't have finished him so easily."

  Dende rushed forward. "Big Brother Piccolo!"

  "You've grown, Dende."

  Trunks looked around. "Mom, where's Dad?"

  Bulma's face twisted. "Well, he's—"

  Perilla stepped in. "Let me. As Earth's Kami, I can sense the planet even from space. Your father's training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. He'll be out soon."

  Piccolo beat him so badly he went into seclusion for days. Then he found out about the Time Chamber from Bulma.

  "Training?" Trunks frowned. I'm coming home, and he doesn't even greet me? Mom's been alone for years, and he won't spend time with her?

  Plus what Gohan told me about him...

  "Let him train forever. He never raised me anyway. I don't need a father."

  "Trunks—"

  He flew off before Bulma could explain.

  Perilla patted her shoulder. "He's mature for his age, but he's still a kid. Let him cool off. And honestly? Vegeta is in the wrong here."

  "But they haven't even met—"

  "Vegeta's a terrible father right now. But I believe he'll become a good husband and father someday."

  In the main timeline, Vegeta attacked Beerus for hitting Bulma. Surpassed SSJ3 Goku in that moment.

  "I hope so..."

  "You guys catch up. I'll check if Vegeta trashed my Time Chamber."

  Perilla waved. Flew toward Kami's Lookout.

  Kami's Lookout.

  "Mr. Popo."

  "Kami! Vegeta forced his way into the Time Chamber. I couldn't stop him."

  "Is he still—"

  WHOOSH.

  A golden blur shot at her face.

  Perilla caught the fist. Smirked. "That how you say hello, Vegeta?"

  Vegeta—fresh from the Time Chamber—grinned confidently. "You're Android 12, right? The one made from my genes, Kakarot's, and those two weaklings Raditz and Nappa?"

  "Yep. Thanks for the DNA. Made me a Saiyan."

  "I heard you can't transform into a Super Saiyan. Well, standing before you is Super Vegeta—beyond Super Saiyan!"

  He bulked up. Muscles swelled.

  "Beyond Super Saiyan? You're confused. That's just Super Saiyan Second Grade. You haven't even reached Full Power, let alone surpassed it."

  "What?!"

  "And..." Perilla's voice dripped mockery. "Your punch is pathetic."

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Vegeta kicked at her head.

  She grabbed his leg. Drove a fist into his gut. He shot backward like a cannonball.

  She teleported behind him. Elbow to the spine.

  Then kicked him from the clouds. He cratered into the ground.

  Smoke cleared. Vegeta lay in the crater. Reverted to base form.

  Perilla landed at the edge. "Even without transforming, I can handle you. And didn't you notice? That form drains you fast."

  "..."

  She's right. My Ki burned too quickly.

  "Want to know how to surpass Super Saiyan? Ask your son. Oh, and I'll tell you a secret about Saiyans."

  "What secret?"

  An Android knows more about Saiyans than me?

  "Saiyans have S-Cells. The more you have, the easier it is to break limits. But training doesn't increase them."

  "Then how?"

  "A calm heart. The calmer you are, the more S-Cells you gain. That's why Kakarot—a low-class warrior—became the legendary Super Saiyan."

  "Impossible!"

  "Gohan became a Super Saiyan years before I woke up. But he couldn't break through. Want to know how I helped him and your son? You've all been walking the wrong path. The first Super Saiyan wasn't a heartless berserker. He was kind. He transformed to protect his friends. To fight evil Saiyans. He failed. Died from exhaustion. Your ancestors rewrote history to prevent more Super Saiyans. Led your race down a dead-end road."

  Look at Universe 6's Saiyans. They transform like it's nothing.

  Vegeta's worldview shattered. Everything his father taught him—lies.

  "You're lying! Saiyans are ruthless! That's our nature!"

  Perilla sighed. "If you don't believe me, see for yourself. Kami's Lookout has a room that lets you experience the past. Want to witness the first Super Saiyan's birth?"

  "Yes."

  Past Viewing Room.

  Mr. Popo led Vegeta to a chamber filled with clocks. A chair sat in the center.

  "Sit. Put on the headset."

  Vegeta obeyed. Popo adjusted the machine. Pressed a button.

  Vegeta's vision blurred. When it cleared—

  Planet Vegeta. 1,000 years ago.

  The final Saiyan civil war. The birth of the first Super Saiyan.

  Meanwhile.

  Perilla brought Dende to the Lookout. "Use the old Dragon Balls as a base. Upgrade them."

  "Understood."

  Mr. Popo brought out Earth's dragon model.

  "Still looks cool."

  "Add some restrictions. First: only those pure of heart can make wishes. The dragon can refuse evil people."

  "Got it. Anything else?"

  "Resurrection wishes need your approval."

  "Approval?"

  "Imagine someone tries to revive Frieza. You okay with that?"

  I'm not risking Frieza coming back. He can rot in Hell.

  "Definitely not. I'll add that."

  Dende also upgraded the Dragon Balls to grant three wishes, like in the main timeline.

  The ceremony began. Earth's shortest-reigning Kami stepped down.

  Vegeta stumbled out. Hollow-eyed.

  "Vegeta!"

  Dende tensed. Perilla waved him off. "Relax. He's broken. No fight left in him. The truth hit hard."

  "What truth?"

  "He's proud of being a Saiyan Prince. Turns out it was all a lie."

  Vegeta had watched Yamoshi—the first Super Saiyan—fight with honor. Watched his ancestors use dirty tricks to kill him.

  Everything Father taught me... was built on lies.

  "Vegeta, I know this is hard. But go home. Trunks is an amazing kid. You want to get stronger? Training alone won't cut it. The answer you're looking for is in your family."

  "..."

  Before, I'd have said Saiyans don't need families. Bulma was an accident. But now—after seeing Yamoshi—I can't say that anymore.

  Vegeta flew off. Toward West City.

  Perilla smiled. Even without me, he'd have become a family man eventually. But this speeds things up.