Paragus's question tore open memories Broly had sealed away for over a hundred years.
Of course he remembered King Vegeta.
For a brief moment, his expression went distant.
His memories returned to that desolate planet called Vampa.
Its environment was harsh, unfit for any intelligent life.
And he had been exiled there by King Vegeta shortly after birth, simply because his potential was too high.
It was his father, Paragus, who had piloted a ship after him.
The ship was damaged during landing, trapping them there.
They lived on Planet Vampa for thirty full years.
To take revenge on King Vegeta, his father trained him day and night in that hellish environment.
The monsters of Vampa were their food and their training opponents.
Father and son depended on each other to survive.
In his memories, his father's figure gradually aged.
During one battle with a giant beast, Paragus had even lost an eye protecting him.
"Remember this, Broly!"
"This is the cruelty of the Vegeta royal family!"
"They envy your talent and want to wipe us out!"
His father repeated those words to him day after day.
Until that day.
An unfamiliar spaceship arrived on the isolated Planet Vampa.
Cheelai and Lemo brought news that the Saiyan Empire was recruiting powerful warriors.
At last, hope of leaving Planet Vampa appeared.
And the current ruler of that empire was none other than King Vegeta's son, Emperor Vegeta!
"King Vegeta's son…"
"Fine! Then our revenge will begin with him!"
For the sake of revenge, his father brought him into the empire founded by the son of their enemy.
With his terrifying talent for battle, Broly quickly distinguished himself.
Because of that, he drew Emperor Vegeta's attention.
"You are Broly?"
That man looked somewhat similar to the portrait of King Vegeta in his memories, but his eyes were completely different.
There was no jealousy. No fear.
Only pure admiration and curiosity.
"Come. Let me see how far the legendary Super Saiyan, said to appear once every thousand years, can grow."
That was their first fight.
Emperor Vegeta, who was said to have easily defeated Frieza, somehow failed to defeat him in that battle.
They fought to a draw.
After that, they fought several more times.
Each time, it ended in a draw.
"Remember, Broly. Hide your true strength."
"Do not let him see your limit. When he is at his proudest, deliver the fatal blow!"
His father secretly instructed him to hold back, searching for a chance to destroy the entire royal bloodline.
But Broly gradually realized that things were not quite as his father had said.
Emperor Vegeta did not treat him like a tool or a threat.
After battle, the emperor would take the initiative to exchange combat insights with him.
He would seriously listen to Broly's halting answers.
He would even lower his status and befriend low-ranking soldiers like Cheelai and Lemo, drinking, chatting, and joking with them.
Broly had never seen such a smile on his father's face.
"Do you… still hate me and my father?"
Finally, during one honest conversation, Emperor Vegeta suddenly asked him.
Broly was at a loss.
So the other man had known all along.
"The grudges of our fathers should not be continued by us."
"I can pardon everything you and your father have done."
"As long as you are willing to tell me what your father is planning."
On one side was the father who had raised him and lived only for revenge.
On the other was a friend who understood him and treated him as a confidant.
Broly was torn.
He sincerely hoped both sides could reconcile.
Why did people need so many conflicts?
Wouldn't it be better for everyone to live each day calmly and happily?
"Your Majesty… the celebration where all the empire's higher-ups will gather to welcome Lord Beerus… is a very special day."
The event arrived as scheduled.
But that day, because of a rebellion in a nearby star sector, Emperor Vegeta did not appear.
Among the empire's higher-ups, only Broly and his father attended.
Then, he met the legendary God of Destruction, Beerus.
And bore the full force of his towering rage.
"I am a very reasonable god. But you Saiyans have shown me not the slightest respect I deserve!"
In that battle, Broly was gravely wounded.
After Whis persuaded him, Beerus did not kill him. He merely left in anger.
At the same time, the entire Saiyan Empire received an ultimatum.
Emperor Vegeta was to bring every top-tier treasure and delicacy in the universe to the God of Destruction's Planet as an apology.
Before they arrived at the God of Destruction's Planet to apologize…
Emperor Vegeta told him bad news.
"Broly, I know you desire peace and dislike fighting."
"But as long as some people remain alive, our universe will never have true peace."
"Cheelai and Lemo were killed by Beerus."
"On the day you fought him, after the battle, he believed he had been insulted by a mortal and investigated your past."
"He deliberately went to the star sector where Cheelai and Lemo were…"
"Kakarot, whom I sent to investigate, reported that the planet had been completely destroyed by the God of Destruction's energy."
Boom!
The string of reason snapped completely.
That battle nearly destroyed all of Universe 7.
The Saiyan Empire suffered devastating losses.
And his father, Paragus, was also caught in the chaos and killed by Broly himself after he completely lost his reason…
But after being strengthened by a Dragon Ball wish, Broly also successfully exhausted a massive amount of Beerus's stamina.
In the end, while Mr. Whis was focused on repairing the universe…
Emperor Vegeta made his move.
A perfect ambush.
Beerus, the God of Destruction, fell.
From that day onward, the Saiyan Empire had no threats left and entered an era of frenzied expansion.
Emperor Vegeta often comforted Broly, who had fallen into endless guilt and pain after killing his father.
"This is not your fault, Broly."
"What is wrong is this unjust world. What is wrong are those gods who stand high above us."
"Now, you have not lost everything…"
"You still have me."
"I am your only friend and your only family."
Fragments of memory flashed rapidly through Broly's mind.
In the arena, Broly silently endured Paragus's attacks.
To him, none of those attacks hurt.
How could physical pain compare to the past sealed inside his mind?
But every word Paragus spoke made him involuntarily recall the days he had spent with his father.
He liked the days when his father stayed by his side.
Even though he deeply disliked fighting.
Whether before killing a god or after killing a god, he had never participated in any of the Saiyan Empire's conquests.
The scars on his body had all been left during that battle with Beerus.
Emperor Vegeta had not forced him.
He had only continued to understand and tolerate him as a friend.
Decades passed.
The pain of losing his father and his friends gradually calmed.
He also imitated Emperor Vegeta and grew a mustache above his upper lip.
For more than a hundred years after that, he witnessed the glory of the Saiyan Empire conquering all twelve universes as a bystander.
He thought he had already found inner peace.
Until today, when he saw this face identical to his father's once again.
In the arena…
"Why won't you fight back?"
The more Paragus attacked, the more frightened he became.
Broly forced him back with an elbow strike, interrupting him.
"Why! Why won't you believe me!" Paragus roared. "I am your real father!"
"My father was killed by my own hands long ago."
When Broly said those words, a trace of pain and regret flashed in his eyes.
That also made Paragus freeze for a brief instant.
He caught the change in Broly's expression.
An opportunity!
Paragus's heart stirred.
This Broly was not truly cold-blooded!
There was still weakness in his heart!
He was even far easier to control than the son from his own timeline!
"That was not your fault!"
Paragus seized the chance and shouted.
"Someone was controlling you from behind! It was Vegeta! It must have been him who caused the death of the me from that timeline!"
Broly's body suddenly stiffened.
Inside the Saiyan spaceship, Emperor Vegeta rose from his throne.
"Broly, do not let him confuse you."
"He only wants to use your guilt to shake your resolve."
The wavering in Broly's eyes was instantly covered by firmness.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
His gaze toward Paragus suddenly became icy cold.
"I do not want to be used by you again, Father!"
Broly gave him no more chances to speak.
His figure flashed again.
A plain, unadorned knife-hand strike fell toward Paragus's neck…
When Paragus woke again, he found himself on the viewing platform.
The large screen showed that he had been eliminated from the match.
The Broly who had defeated him had also returned to the Saiyan spaceship, standing respectfully beside Emperor Vegeta.
"Damn it! He is clearly my son, yet he is loyal to King Vegeta's son…"
Paragus clenched his fist, his heart filled with unwillingness.
Just then, he heard the discussions around him.
"Broly seemed to be suppressing his power the entire time," Hit said with a solemn expression.
"He was very calm, and his fighting style was extremely restrained. I didn't expect him to avoid entering a berserk state this time," Cabba said, also somewhat puzzled.
The Broly from Emperor Vegeta's timeline was far too different from this timeline's Broly in personality.
But in terms of potential, it was hard to say which was superior.
"This Broly's potential was never low to begin with. If he can truly maintain complete reason in battle, it's hard to say just how terrifying he might become," Levos joined the discussion.
Frieza narrowed his eyes. He had also developed some curiosity about this Broly's past and smelled something unusual.
"A naive and easily controlled fellow like that was turned into Vegeta's loyal subordinate. How interesting. Hohoho…"
Listening to everyone's discussion, Paragus found the result even harder to accept.
Broly holding back during the match proved that he still had deep feelings for him as a father.
As long as Paragus found the truth, the son from that timeline would definitely acknowledge him again!
Paragus's gaze locked firmly onto the Saiyan spaceship.
Broly, who had returned to Emperor Vegeta's side, looked cold and indifferent.
He was clearly his son and carried his blood.
Yet now, he had become the most loyal guard of his enemy's son!
Just as Paragus was so depressed he nearly coughed blood…
A violent aura rose sharply.
Paragus's body stiffened, and he turned around abruptly.
His own son, Broly from this timeline, was glaring at him with bloodshot eyes.
"Broly! Wait…"
Paragus's heart jumped.
He understood this son of his too well.
Compared with the Broly from Emperor Vegeta's timeline, this biological son of his was not so easy to fool!
"Calm down, Broly!"
"He is just a poor fool being played in Vegeta's palm. How could he compare to you?"
"I simply cannot stand the methods he used to deceive that Broly!"
"Have you forgotten our blood feud with the Vegeta clan?"
"Even if that other Broly is only a fake version of you, we absolutely cannot let Vegeta's conspiracy succeed!"
Broly's violent aura paused slightly.
"My son, you must remember. You are the one and only."
"From the moment you were born, I have always been proud of you."
Paragus's gaze was incomparably sincere.
"Believe me, my son."
"He, and that Emperor Vegeta, will both become stepping stones beneath your feet."
"You are the final king of this universe. Everything I do is to pave the road for your future!"
Broly gradually calmed down.
Seeing his true son from this timeline soothed, Paragus finally sighed in relief.
His back was already soaked with cold sweat.
Levos watched Paragus's series of maneuvers with great interest.
Being a master of keeping both sides balanced really was not easy.
Just then…
A teasing laugh rang out behind Paragus.
"Ohohohoho…"
"What a touching display of fatherly and filial affection. This king is almost moved."
Paragus suddenly turned around.
At some point, Frieza had silently appeared behind him.
The reputation of the Emperor of the Universe made Paragus instinctively wary.
"Frieza, what do you want?"
Being able to defeat Cooler in the tournament at least proved that Frieza now had the qualifications to fight his own son.
Frieza's powerful resurgence forced Paragus to put aside his former contempt.
Frieza's smile was dazzling.
"This king finds that high and mighty Vegeta extremely displeasing and would like to cause him a little trouble."
"Based on my experience, that Broly under him was most certainly deceived by some method, which is why he willingly serves as such a loyal guard."
"I can provide you with all the assistance you need to help that Broly recover the truth."
Paragus did not believe Frieza would be so kind.
"What… what do you want me to pay?"
"There is only one thing this king wants."
"And that is…"
"Spirit Tree Fruits!"
"All Spirit Tree Fruit rewards Broly obtains from future victories will belong to me."
Paragus's heart tightened. He was very tempted.
But his doubts deepened.
"Forgive me for speaking frankly. Even if those Spirit Tree Fruits have been improved and strengthened, their effect on me is already very small. For experts on your level and Broly's level, eating them would provide almost no improvement."
The Spirit Tree Fruits Broly had won had all been eaten by Paragus, and he had fully verified this point.
"This trade… I cannot see what meaning it has for you…"
Paragus firmly believed that Frieza was not someone easy to fool. There had to be a deeper reason behind this demand!
Frieza swept him with a cold gaze.
"This king's thoughts are not for you to guess. You only need to decide whether you wish to cooperate with me."
Hmph!
How could he possibly let you know what this king wants the Spirit Tree Fruits for?
Besides, no one could possibly guess it!
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