A/N: Para me apoiar, por favor, doe e inscreva-se
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WHOOOOSH!
Radika cut through the air like a golden bullet, her wild aura leaving an energy trail that made the clouds retreat in fear. The wind struck her scarred face, but she didn't even feel it – all her attention was focused on the device on her wrist that beeped like a mine detector.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Let's see..." – she murmured to herself, her black eyes gleaming with predatory light. "Where are you hiding, Mint?"
The device showed several energy signatures scattered across the region, but one caught her attention. Not because it was the strongest – actually it was quite weak – but because it was isolated from the others.
"Perfect" – she smiled, and it was a smile that would make a shark feel envious. "I'll start with her little friends. Maybe then the coward will show up."
ZOOM!
She accelerated even more, breaking the sound barrier twice in the process. Down below, small animals ran to hide, instinctively knowing that something very dangerous had just passed overhead.
But while flying, something started to bother Radika. The ki she was following... was strange. Very low. Almost insignificant.
"What the hell..." – she frowned, checking the device again. "This can't be all there is."
From the last information she had, the power levels on Earth were... well, pathetic. Except for a few exceptions – mainly a certain Saiyan traitor she had come to find.
"Mint was always weak anyway" – she grumbled. "I bet she couldn't even maintain her form without the tail."
SWOOSH!
She began to descend, aiming for a clearing where the ki signal was strongest. This was it. Finally she would be able to start her revenge.
THUD!
Radika landed in the middle of the clearing with a force that created a small crater. Dust rose around her like a dramatic veil, and she waited for the wind to carry it all away to make that cinematic entrance every villain deserves.
But when the dust settled... she froze.
There, standing a few meters away, was a woman she hadn't seen in over twenty years. Spiky black hair, defined muscles, experienced warrior posture, and those eyes that had haunted her nightmares since Vegeta.
"Fasha?" – the word came from Radika's throat like an incredulous whisper.
The woman in front of her smiled – not a friendly smile, but that sharp smile Radika remembered very well from battlefields.
"Hi, Radika" – Fasha said, her voice calm as if they had seen each other yesterday. "Took you long enough to get here."
CRACK!
Radika took a step back, instinctively, her hands closing into fists. Fasha was alive. ALIVE. How was this possible?
"You... you died" – she stammered, all her previous confidence evaporating like water in the desert. "I saw it! I saw Vegeta explode!"
"Dying is relative" – Fasha shrugged. "Especially when you have friends with Dragon Balls."
That's when Radika noticed they weren't alone.
RUSTLE... STEP... STEP...
From among the trees, other figures emerged. And each one made Radika's blood run a little colder.
First came a tall guy, black hair, bastard smile on his face and an aura of power that made the air around him vibrate. Ethan. She didn't know who he was, but she could sense he was dangerous.
Then appeared a blue-haired woman carrying a small child. Bulma, probably – humans all looked the same anyway.
But what really made Radika swallow hard was realizing that ALL the people who kept appearing had one thing in common.
Tails.
Monkey tails swaying casually behind them.
"What the fuck is this?" – she murmured, eyes wide.
PAT! PAT! PAT!
A child of about eight years old ran toward Fasha, and Radika almost fainted when she saw the little boy. Spiky hair, scar on his cheek, and a monkey tail that swayed happily.
"Mama!" – the boy shouted. "Who is she?"
"An old... acquaintance" – Fasha replied, putting her hand on her son's head. "Bardock Jr., stay behind me."
Bardock Jr.
BARDOCK.
The name hit Radika like a punch to the stomach. She looked at the boy, then at Fasha, then back at the boy.
"Impossible" – she whispered. "Bardock died. I saw him die."
"Dying is also relative" – Ethan said, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but there was something in it that made all of Radika's survival instincts scream at once. "Especially when you fight alongside the right people."
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Radika's detector started beeping frantically. She looked at the screen and frowned. The numbers didn't make sense.
Fasha: 400 power level. Ethan: 350 power level. Bardock Jr.: 200 power level. Bulma: 50 power level.
"What the hell is this?" – she muttered, hitting the device. "Is it broken?"
The last time she had fought against Fasha, the woman had a battle power of at least 10,000. And now it registered 400? It was impossible.
"Equipment problems?" – Ethan asked, that bastard smile getting even more irritating.
"My device is working perfectly" – Radika growled. "I just don't understand how you all got so weak."
SILENCE...
Everyone looked at each other and... started laughing.
It wasn't nervous laughter. It was genuine laughter, as if she had told the funniest joke in the world.
"Weak?" – Fasha repeated, wiping a tear from her eye. "Dude, you have no idea what you're talking about."
"MY BATTLE POWER IS 5,000!" – Radika shouted, losing her patience. "I'M THE STRONGEST SAIYAN HERE!"
The laughter stopped immediately.
Ethan took a step forward, and suddenly the air around him became heavy as molten lead.
"5,000?" – he asked, his voice smooth as silk. "Seriously?"
CRACK!
Something in his tone made Radika retreat instinctively. It was as if a predator had just shown its teeth.
"Y... yes, that's right" – she stammered, suddenly not so confident.
"Interesting" – Ethan scratched his chin, thoughtful. "You know, Fasha, remember when we had that conversation about power levels?"
"I remember" – Fasha smiled. "About how they don't mean anything when you know how to control your energy."
"Exactly" – Ethan agreed. "And about how easy it is to hide your true power when you don't want to scare the neighbors."
GULP!
Radika swallowed hard. Hide power? Was that possible?
"Demonstration?" – Ethan asked casually to Fasha.
"Why not?" – she replied, snapping her fingers.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Suddenly, the aura around Fasha began to change. What was once a pale golden flame became a red fire that made the very air catch fire.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Radika's detector went crazy, the numbers on the screen rising like a broken counter.
500... 1,000... 5,000... 10,000... 25,000... 50,000...
"WHAT THE FUCK!" – Radika screamed, looking at the device in panic.
But Fasha didn't stop there. Her red aura intensified even more, and her hair began to gain reddish tones.
75,000... 100,000... 150,000...
CRACK!
Radika's detector simply exploded, sending sparks in all directions.
"Oops" – Fasha said, returning to normal as if nothing had happened. "I broke your little toy."
Radika looked at the pieces of the detector on the ground, then at Fasha, then at the other Saiyans around.
They all had that same smile.
They all had the same dangerous gleam in their eyes.
They were all much, MUCH stronger than they appeared.
"Ah, shit" – she murmured.
"Welcome to the new Earth, Radika" – Ethan said, the bastard smile reaching industrial levels. "Where everyone learned to play hide-and-seek with power."
And for the first time in twenty-five years, Radika felt like an ant looking up and seeing the foot about to come down.