A glimmering spot appeared suddenly in the distance, moving with terrifying speed. Moments later, Zeltron's figure flashed into Son Gohan's field of vision.
Zeltron's flying velocity was so immense that the instant he came to a halt, an explosive wave of air surged forward from where he stood, rippling outward like a violent storm.
"Coming!"
Son Gohan, Krillin, and the others hovered in the sky, caught in this powerful shockwave. Like a small boat battling against an overwhelming tide, they struggled to maintain their balance, hands pushed forward to resist being swept away.
The wave of energy was fierce but fleeting—swiftly passing as if it had never been.
When the air settled, Vegeta and the rest could clearly see Zeltron standing tall above them.
"Not Kakarot?!" Vegeta's eyes narrowed and his pupils contracted sharply in surprise.
"Saiyan?!"
Krillin and Son Gohan exchanged glances, their gaze immediately recognizing Zeltron's unmistakable Saiyan aura. Then, they looked toward Vegeta who was close behind them.
Vegeta's hands clenched into fists, his teeth grinding tight with a bitter blend of envy and hatred.
"I finally found you, Ginyu Force!" he growled fiercely.
While Vegeta, Son Gohan, and the others guarded their vigilance toward Zeltron, the Saiyan standing firm in the sky calmly scanned the group.
A flicker of relief crossed Zeltron's face as he noticed that Guldo had not yet been defeated.
The atmosphere thickened instantly, heavy and oppressive—a weight settling over their chests that made cold sweat break out on foreheads and hearts pound so violently breathing became a struggle.
Nobody here knew who Zeltron truly was, nor his purpose in arriving.
Yet, no one dared move. They understood clearly—should the Saiyan before them wish to kill, it would be no more difficult than swatting dust away.
"You… who are you?" Vegeta's voice finally escaped in a bitter shout, fists still clenched tightly.
"Hey, Vegeta!"
Krillin's voice trembled with unease. "If you anger him, we're all doomed."
Zeltron did not immediately answer. His gaze locked onto Vegeta's, steady and piercing.
Although Zeltron had spent over twenty years in the Dragon Ball world, this was the first time he faced Vegeta in person.
He took a careful look at the Saiyan prince. A slight smile curved at the corner of his mouth.
"As you can see… I am a Saiyan."
"Saiyan?!"
The members of the Kinyu Force—Guldo, Jeice, Burter, and Recoome—gasped in shock.
"A Saiyan?"
"Could this be… the legendary Super Saiyan?"
They had heard the whispers of Super Saiyans before, but Frieza had dismissed it as myth.
Shiu shiu—
Before Vegeta could respond, two streaks of white light zipped through the sky.
The hazy glow vanished, revealing two figures descending: Rapp and Toss, who had accompanied Zeltron.
"As expected, Zeltron, your speed is unreal—I can't keep up!" Rapp stabilized his landing, then looked around at those present and praised Zeltron casually.
"Zeltron?"
Though his voice was low, everyone—including Vegeta—heard it clearly.
Their expressions shifted subtly, exchanging glances but admitting in their hearts they did not know him.
Despite Zeltron's power exceeding 40 million, he was far less ostentatious than Frieza.
Through years of secrecy, he had quietly expanded his forces and recruited warriors to fuel his attribute picking.
It was no wonder Vegeta and the others had never encountered the name "Zeltron" before.
Dididi—
Rapp's detector suddenly beeped loudly.
Streams of data flooded the screen.
"This is…"
His face fell, old lines tightening. Most present here had power levels far above his own 12,000.
Your power level is too low…
Rapp's mind flashed back to Thoth's warning. Indeed, his combat effectiveness was insignificant here.
"Master Zeltron, shall I engage them?"
Zeltron glanced once at Rapp.
"If you want to fight, I won't stop you."
"Eh… I don't think that's a good idea!" Rapp stammered awkwardly.
Under the tense gazes of Vegeta, Son Gohan, and the others, Zeltron slowly descended and took a seat on a massive nearby rock.
Son Gohan and Krillin exchanged bewildered looks.
Why? What was Zeltron's intention?
"I'm here to pick attributes," Zeltron said calmly.
"Don't worry. Keep fighting. When I no longer have to intervene, I won't."
One thing Zeltron didn't mention: without their battles, there would be no attributes to collect.
Though puzzled, Guldo's face lit with cruel joy.
He didn't overthink it. Zeltron's hands-off approach meant Guldo had free reign to attack Son Gohan and Krillin.
"Hehe!"
Guldo's round face twisted into a merciless smile.
His third eye glowed bright blue, emitting a sharp beam like a laser directly at Son Gohan.
"Danger!"
Krillin's face turned pale. In an instant, he lunged, pushing Son Gohan out of harm's way.
DING!
The system chimed through Zeltron's mind.
"Congratulations to the host for gaining attribute picking +100!"
At the exact moment Guldo launched his assault, a new combat attribute dropped beneath his feet.
Zeltron quietly thought, 'It's begun… Guldo, use your time freeze ability—hurry.'