Vegeta clicked his tongue, brushing dust from his blue bodysuit as he looked at Goku. "Hmph. Don't say 'hi Vegeta' to me, Kakarot—I followed your energy signature, clown. Someone has to make sure you don't mess things up with your sentimental nonsense." His gaze flickered to Akame, then to Tatsumi, and finally settled on the crates where Aria was hiding. When his eyes fell on Leone in her beast form, they widened slightly.
For a moment, Akame looked at Vegeta with a surprised, serious expression—she studied him carefully. She noticed he wore a sleeveless blue bodysuit with white gloves and boots that had yellow lines down the center, plus a monkey tail wrapped around his waist. Seeing the tail made her think he must be Goku's brother. She also caught him calling Goku "Kakarot." Leone watched Vegeta too, remembering what she and her friends had discussed earlier.
Leone's lips curved into a knowing smile as she fixed her golden eyes on Vegeta. She'd been right about his demeanor—every line of his posture screamed authority, from the way he held his shoulders to the sharpness of his gaze.
"My my," she purred, walking toward Vegeta with an intrigued expression. She was still in her beast form. "If it isn't Mr. Shorty from the capital. Fancy running into you here." She looked down at Vegeta with a mischievous grin.
Vegeta looked up, his expression serious. His eyebrow twitched in irritation at the nickname. "And who in the hell are you supposed to be, woman?" He crossed his arms, his tail unwrapping slightly from his waist as he sized her up. Hmm... I can sense an animalistic presence to this woman... He thought to himself as he looked at Leone.
Goku looked at Leone with a curious expression and said, "Who are you?" He tilted his head and pointed his index finger at her.
Leone let out a low chuckle, her lion-like features stretching into an even broader grin as she circled Vegeta slowly. "Oh don't worry, Mr. Shorty—we've never met before. But I did watch you and your tall friend fight off those bandits in the capital. You blew up their leader, and you made that female bandit's body explode with a single punch, while your tall friend here was helping an old shopkeeper." She paused, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement as she flicked her tail. "Name's Leone. I'm with Night Raid—same as Akame and the others."
Goku smiled and said, "Nice to meet you, Leone! I'm Son Goku, but you can call me Goku, and his name is Vegeta." He said this with a big smile.
Vegeta scoffed, shifting his weight as he kept his gaze locked on her. "Night Raid... So you're part of that boy band of assassins—the brats who were standing on wires outside the damn mansion," he said directly, his voice cold.
Leone's laughter rumbled through her chest like distant thunder as she came to a stop in front of Vegeta, her massive lion form casting a long shadow over the Saiyan Prince. "Boy band? You really do have a way with words, don't you?" Leone tilted her head, finding their names strange—especially Vegeta, who sounded like "vegetable." "And what were your names again—Son Goku and Vegeta-ble? That's a strange name, don't you think?"
Vegeta's face darkened with irritation, his tail lashing out behind him. "It's Vegeta—not Vegeta-ble, you overgrown housecat," he snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut through the air. "And if you value your worthless life, you'll drop that 'Mr. Shorty' nonsense right now. Call me by my name, woman..."
Leone only laughed harder, her massive shoulders shaking with amusement. "Ooh, touchy touchy! I like a man with fire in his belly—even if he is a little vertically challenged." She leaned down slightly, bringing her face closer to his. "Though I'll admit, seeing you take out those bandits was pretty hot, not gonna lie. Not many people could do what you did with just one punch. And for the record, 'Mr. Shorty'—I'm the one who scammed your little friend Tatsumi out of his money earlier today."
Goku's eyes widened in surprise, while Tatsumi's face flushed bright red with embarrassment and anger. "You—you're that woman with big boobs?!" he stammered, pointing at her with his sword.
Goku blinked in confusion, then turned to Tatsumi with a sheepish grin. "So that's the woman you were talking about!"
Tatsumi's face burned even brighter as he lowered his sword slightly, though his hands still trembled with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Y-yes! She sweet-talked me into buying her drinks and took every last coin I had!"
Leone waved a massive paw dismissively, still grinning. "Hey, relax there, country boy—I was about to return your money and keep my promise to help get you assigned to the military, but you can kindly forget it now..."
Goku blinked in confusion, then snapped his fingers as realization hit. "Oh! So you're the one who scammed Tatsumi! I was wondering what that woman looked like!" He scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "Though I gotta say, you look pretty different now than how he described you."
Leone chuckled, shifting slightly so her lion form's massive head was level with Goku's height. "Well, this isn't exactly my usual look—I only shift when things get serious. Though I'll admit, being a giant lion makes it harder to sweet-talk guys out of their cash." She winked at Tatsumi, who only turned redder and looked away.
Goku's eyes lit up and he said, "Wait, so you can transform? That's so cool... No wonder I can sense an animalistic presence from you..." He said this in an intrigued tone.
Vegeta clicked his tongue in annoyance, crossing his arms tighter across his chest. "Great. So not only do we have assassins running around, we've got con artists who think they can joke around with a Saiyan Prince." He shot a glare at Leone. "And for the last time—I am not short. You're just oversized."
Leone let out another rumbling laugh, her lion form's chest vibrating with the sound. "Oversized? Honey, this is just my natural form when I'm not holding back. Though I'll give you credit—you're the first person who's ever complained about my height instead of... well, other features." She winked playfully, even in her beast form.
Akame had recovered from her emotional moment with Goku and stepped forward, picking up Murasame from where it had fallen and sliding it into its sheath. Her expression was calm again, though her eyes still held a softness when she looked at Goku. "Leone, enough teasing. We have more important things to deal with." She glanced toward the crates where Aria was hiding. "She's still there." Tatsumi shook with frustration, still pointing his sword at the crates, while Aria remained hidden behind them inside the warehouse.
"Speaking of which," Leone continued, her tone shifting slightly as she glanced toward the crates, "Earlier you asked us if we'd spare the innocent. The girl you've been protecting, Tatsumi—" she nodded toward the still-stunned young swordsman "—she's not who she says she is. We have proof she killed his friends, and we can't let her get away." With that, she walked over to the crates, grabbed Aria by the back of her collar, and lifted her up with her right hand.
Aria kicked and struggled in Leone's grip, her face twisted with rage and fear. "Let me go! You have no right to touch me—I'm the daughter of a noble family! My father will have all of you executed for this!" she shrieked, her voice echoing off the warehouse walls.
Leone just grinned, tightening her hold slightly so Aria couldn't wriggle free. "Sorry sweetie, but your father's already taken care of—he won't be giving anyone any orders ever again."
Aria's eyes widened in shock at the news her parents were dead. "What!" she gasped, staring directly into Leone's eyes.
Tatsumi's eyes snapped from Leone to Aria, his anger at being scammed momentarily forgotten as shock washed over him. "What? You mean you… you killed him?"
"Along with her mother," Akame spoke, looking at Tatsumi with a stoic expression. "They were just as corrupt as she is—they'd been preying on travelers and villagers for years, luring them to their home to torture them to death and hide their bodies in their warehouse. We didn't act without proof—we have documents, witness accounts, even their own journals detailing every crime they committed."
Tatsumi staggered back, his sword lowering slightly as he looked at Aria. The girl he'd sworn to protect stared back at him with eyes full of hatred—not fear, not remorse, but pure, unadulterated loathing. She still refused to believe they knew the truth about how she'd tortured Sayo and Ieyasu.
But before Tatsumi could speak, Vegeta walked toward the adjacent warehouse door and kicked it with powerful force, shattering it completely. When the dust cleared, they were met with a gruesome sight inside.
Rows of metal shelves lined the space, but instead of holding goods, they were filled with torture tools. The warehouse contained devices like the Iron Chair (with spikes), Head Crusher, Breaking Wheel, Rack, Scavenger's Daughter, and public punishment devices like the Pillory—many designed to stretch, crush, burn, or submerge victims in water (like the Dunking Stool) to break them mentally and physically. Corpses of victims were scattered throughout the room: some hanging from the ceiling, some charred from fire, others with body parts that appeared to have been experimented on, and prison cells where they kept their captives.
Tatsumi stared in shock, slowly walking toward the warehouse with his legs and hands shaking. "What is this?"
Akame walked to his side, her expression grave. "Do you believe us now? This is the darkness of the capital... Like I said, they lure people from the villages with sweet words. Then they use every kind of torture imaginable, playing with their victims until they die... This is the true nature of this family."
As Tatsumi stepped inside, his face still frozen in shock, Vegeta looked on with a disgusted scowl. Goku's eyes were wide too—even he felt sickened by what he saw. For all the powerful, evil enemies he'd faced back in his world, he'd never witnessed anything this cruel and gruesome. He thought Aria's family might be even more evil than Frieza himself.
When Tatsumi entered fully, he spotted Sayo's naked body hanging from the ceiling by chains around her arms. Her entire form was covered in wounds and blood. "Sayo..." he whispered, his eyes wide with horror. "Hey, Sayo... Sayo, is that you?" He took slow, unsteady steps toward her.
Tatsumi reached out a trembling hand, then pulled it back as if touching her would make the nightmare real. His breath hitched in his throat as he took in every bruise, every cut, every mark of cruelty across her body. The friend he'd grown up with—who'd dreamed of becoming a doctor to help their village—hung there like a broken doll.
"I… I should have been there," he whispered, his voice cracking. "We promised we'd look out for each other… all three of us."
Goku looked at Akame and Leone, then addressed Leone, who was still holding Aria up with her right hand. "So these are their doing?"
Leone nodded. "That's right. The guards were just as guilty—they kept quiet about everything..."
Aria, still being carried by Leone in one arm, spoke up frantically. "She's lying! I didn't know this place existed... Tatsumi, will you believe me—the one who helped you—or them?" She looked directly at him.
Just then, Tatsumi heard a familiar voice from the side, making him turn sharply. "Tat... sumi..."
Shakily, he looked to his left and saw Ieyasu—his body bloody and bruised—inside one of the cells, reaching a hand toward Tatsumi. "You're Tatsumi, right?" he said, his voice trembling.
Tatsumi, still shaking, replied, "Yes, I... Ieyasu?" His eyes widened in horror.
Everyone looked at Ieyasu with different reactions. Vegeta's expression was serious as he folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. Akame stood stoically, holding Murasame's sheath in her left hand. Leone's face was also grim as she continued to hold Aria in her right hand. Goku's eyes were wide and his mouth hung open in shock and horror.
"That woman invited Sayo and me here," Ieyasu said, tears streaming down his face. "We lost consciousness after eating the meal. When we woke up, we were locked in here. It's... it's that woman who tortured Sayo to death!" He began to sob as he slowly slid down to his knees against the metal bars, while Tatsumi stood frozen in place.
Aria's face twisted with fury as Ieyasu pointed directly at her. "Lies! All lies! You're making this up to turn him against me!" she shrieked, struggling against Leone's grip. But even as she yelled, her eyes darted away from Ieyasu's accusing gaze—giving away her guilt.
Ieyasu spoke, still kneeling on the floor and leaning against the metal bars. "She… she took pleasure in it. Every day, she'd come down here with those tools… laughing while she hurt Sayo. When Sayo stopped breathing… she just smiled and said 'another one done'…" He kept his head bowed.
Aria's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. She could only stare as Tatsumi walked toward her, each step steady despite the turmoil raging inside him.
Tatsumi felt his blood run cold. The last of his doubt crumbled away, replaced by a wave of fury so intense it blurred his vision. He turned to face Aria, his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles turned white.
"You…" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You lied to me. You used me to get away… and you killed them. You killed my friends."
Aria finally found her voice, but it was no longer filled with defiance—only bitter contempt. "Why? Because people like you are nothing but insects! Scum from the countryside who think you belong in the capital, who think you can just walk in and take what's ours. You're all the same—weak, pathetic, and worthless! I'm free to treat them however I want, aren't I? Besides, she was just cattle—but her hair was so smooth. That's too much! I'm still troubled over my own curly hair!" She spoke as if possessed by a demon, then broke into a sadistic smile. "So I gave her a very good lesson! She should be grateful to receive such treatment from me!"
Vegeta smirked, his arms folded and eyes closed. "A sadistic family disguised as do-gooders… Hmph. All I see is a spoiled brat who gets off on hurting people weaker than her. You're worse than any low-life scum I've ever faced."
Goku looked at his hands—they were trembling. For the first time since arriving in this world, his usual warmth was replaced by cold anger. I've fought villains who destroy planets, but at least they're honest about being evil. You pretend to be kind just to hurt people… that's worse than anything Frieza ever did, he thought to himself, his tail stiff with tension.
Tatsumi stared at Aria, his rage mixing with a deep, hollow sadness that settled heavy in his chest. The girl he'd once wanted to protect—who'd seemed so gentle and kind when they first met—stood before him now, her face twisted in the same cruel smile Ieyasu had described. Every word she spoke, every expression that crossed her features, felt like a knife twisting deeper into the wound of his betrayal.
"You… you're not human," he said quietly, though his voice carried clear and steady across the silent warehouse. The words hung in the air, heavy and final, echoing off the metal shelves lined with instruments of pain. Even the faint drip of blood from the overhead pipes seemed to pause in response.
Aria laughed—a sharp, cold sound that cut through the stillness like broken glass, making even Leone's skin crawl despite her years of facing down the Empire's worst monsters. She tossed her head back, her eyes gleaming with a madness that had been hidden beneath her noble facade all along. "Human? I'm noble—we're above such petty things as empathy or mercy. People like you exist to serve us… or to amuse us. You should consider yourself fortunate that I chose to play with you before discarding you like the rest."
Before she could say more, Ieyasu called out from his cell, his voice raw with pain and exhaustion. He'd pushed himself up against the metal bars, his bruised hands gripping the cold iron as he looked at his childhood friend with eyes full of tears and pleading. "Tatsumi… please… don't let her get away. She… she said she was going to do the same to you once she was done with me… that she'd keep you alive just long enough to show you what she'd done to all of us from the village."
Tatsumi's jaw tightened until his muscles ached. He thought of all the lies she'd told him, all the manipulation she'd used to make him her shield—and most of all, of Sayo's broken body hanging just feet away, a silent testament to the cruelty this woman had embraced so freely. With deliberate, steady movements, he drew his sword from its sheath. His hand did not shake, even as tears burned hot in his eyes and threatened to blur his vision. "I won't let you hurt anyone else," he said firmly, pointing the sharpened blade directly at Aria's chest. The steel caught the dim light filtering through the warehouse windows, casting a cold gleam that matched the resolve in his gaze.
Leone watched him for a long moment, her expression softening with a mix of sympathy and respect. She'd seen countless young people lose their way to grief or anger in the face of the Empire's corruption, but Tatsumi was standing strong—choosing to face his pain head-on rather than letting it consume him. Slowly, she loosened her grip on Aria's collar, letting the noblewoman stand on her own feet. "This is your fight, kid," she said quietly, stepping back to give him space. "You've lost so much because of her. You deserve to be the one to end it."
Aria stumbled back a step, her eyes wide with a flash of fear before rage replaced it entirely. She glared at Tatsumi with wild, unfocused eyes, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "You'd turn on me? After everything I did for you? I gave you shelter, I fed you, I treated you like you mattered!" She reached frantically into the hidden pocket of her dress and pulled out a small, ornate dagger—its handle studded with glittering jewels that seemed to mock the suffering surrounding them, its blade dark and glinting with the telltale sheen of poison. "Then you'll die too! I'll make you beg for mercy before I send you to join your worthless friends!"
Vegeta, who had been leaning against the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, straightened slightly as he watched the scene unfold. His expression was one of cold disdain, though a flicker of something like respect crossed his features as he looked at Tatsumi standing his ground. He spoke in a low, sharp voice that cut through Aria's hysterical shouts.
"Don't waste your strength on this pathetic waste of space, boy—I'll kill her for you." He fixed his gaze on Aria, his eyes narrowing as he gave her a devilishly sharp smile that held no warmth at all. "I'll give her a death that will completely erase her from the face of the earth—one so thorough not even her bones will remain to tell her story. It's more than someone like her deserves, but it will ensure she never hurts another soul again."
Tatsumi didn't take his eyes off Aria as he spoke, his voice steady despite the fire burning in his chest. "No," he said firmly, keeping his sword raised. "This is mine to finish. She hurt my friends. She lied to me. I won't let anyone else carry that burden."
Vegeta chuckled—a sound that echoed of his younger years, when he and Nappa had shown no mercy to those they deemed beneath them. "Very well, kid. Do your worst… just make it quick. I don't have the patience to stay in this rotten garbage heap of a warehouse any longer." His devious grin widened as his eyes remained closed.
Aria snarled, lunging forward with the poisoned dagger held high. She moved faster than Tatsumi expected—years of watching her family practice swordplay had taught her enough to be dangerous, even if she lacked real skill. "Die!" she screamed, driving the blade toward his heart.
Tatsumi didn't flinch. He stepped aside with barely a movement, letting her momentum carry her past him. As she stumbled, he brought his sword around in a clean, precise arc. The blade sliced through the air, and with a soft thud, the ornate dagger clattered to the floor—Aria's hand now empty at her side.
She stared down at her wrist, where a thin red line had already begun to well with blood. "You… you cut me," she whispered, her voice trembling for the first time.
"I could have killed you," Tatsumi said, his sword now pointed at her throat. "Just like you killed Sayo. But I won't stoop to your level."
Aria's face contorted with rage. "You think you're better than me? A peasant like you?" She spat at his feet. "I'll have the entire Imperial Army hunt you down! My family has connections—"
"Your family is gone," Akame said, stepping forward from where she'd been watching silently. "There's no one left to protect you. No one who cares what happens to a sadistic murderer who preys on the weak."
Aria's eyes widened in panic, then flickered toward the warehouse door as if searching for an escape. But Vegeta stood there now, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on her with cold intensity. "Trying to run?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I wouldn't recommend it."
Tatsumi took a step closer to Aria, his expression hard but not cruel. "I'm not going to kill you," he said, surprising everyone in the room. "But you're going to answer for what you've done. We'll take you to the Revolutionary Army—they'll make sure you can never hurt anyone again."
Aria laughed hysterically, falling to her knees as the reality of her situation finally set in. "The Revolutionaries? They'll just execute me! You might as well kill me now!"
"Maybe," Tatsumi said quietly, looking past her to where Ieyasu was watching from his cell. "But at least you'll face justice for what you did. Sayo and Ieyasu deserve that much."
Tatsumi sheathed his sword and nodded to Leone, who stepped forward to take Aria into custody once more. As Leone bound her hands with rope, Ieyasu called out weakly from his cell. "Tatsumi… thank you," he said, tears streaming down his face. "Sayo… she'd be proud of you."
Vegeta had been leaning against the wall, but his expression darkened as he stood up and walked toward Aria. He raised his right hand, and a yellow ki ball formed in the palm of his hand. Before anyone could react, Vegeta unleashed the powerful blast—Aria cried out in pain as it struck her, disintegrating her completely, as if she'd been erased from existence. When the light faded, Vegeta lowered his arm. The blast had carved a crater into the ground, and there was no trace of Aria left—no blood, no body, nothing at all.
The silence that followed was heavy enough to crush the air out of the warehouse. Tatsumi stood frozen, his hand still resting on his sheathed sword as he stared at the crater where Aria had been just moments before.
Goku was the first to move, stepping forward with a mix of anger and disappointment on his face. "Vegeta… you didn't have to do that," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "Tatsumi had made his choice."
Vegeta scoffed, brushing dust from his shoulder with his eyes closed—as if he'd done nothing more than swat away an insect. "She was a cancer, Kakarot," he replied, looking at Goku with a serious expression. "Do you think the Revolutionaries would have actually kept her locked up forever? Sooner or later she'd find a way to escape and hurt more people. I simply removed the problem permanently."
Leone's eyes widened in intrigue as she watched Aria vanish completely. She'd finally seen a glimpse of Vegeta's power, and it both terrified and fascinated her. "Hmm... he used the same attack as he did on the bandit leader earlier, but it's even more powerful this time..." She thought, analyzing him. Although the other party was abhorrent, he kills without hesitation. She held her chin with a smirk.
Akame watched Vegeta with her usual stoic expression, though a faint flicker of understanding crossed her features. "He's not wrong," she said, turning to Tatsumi. "In this world, justice doesn't always come neatly wrapped in laws and trials. Sometimes monsters don't deserve second chances."
From his cell, Ieyasu spoke up, his voice stronger than before. "Tatsumi… it's okay," he said. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm sad she's gone. What she did to Sayo… to all of us… she deserved far worse than that quick end."
Goku walked over to the cell and placed his hand on the metal bars. With a gentle pulse of energy, the lock clicked open and the door swung inward. "Let's get you out of there," he said to Ieyasu, helping him to his feet. The young man swayed slightly, his body weak from imprisonment, injury, and torture. He coughed up blood, then doubled over, supporting himself with his hands.
Tatsumi didn't hesitate—he ran toward Ieyasu and caught his falling body. "Ieyasu!" he shouted, holding him tightly. "Ieyasu!" He looked down at his friend's body with alarm.
"He's in the final stage of Lupora's Disease," Akame said to Tatsumi. "The lady of the house enjoyed drugging people. She observed their physical changes and recorded them in her diary…" She held up the diary—Aria's mother's. "He can't be saved." Tatsumi's eyes widened in horror.
"Tatsumi…" Ieyasu whispered, making Tatsumi look down at him with a worried face. "Ieyasu!"
Ieyasu continued weakly. "Sayo… she… she didn't give in to that wench…" he said, referring to Aria. He gave Tatsumi a wide smile. "She was so cool. So allow me—Master Ieyasu—to go out in a cool way." He raised his hand to the air, then it fell limp—but Tatsumi caught it.
Akame looked at Tatsumi and spoke quietly. "He used his very last breath to hold on…" she said, her expression unchanged.
Goku looked down at the ground with a sad expression, clenching his fists. "Damn it! If only Senzu Beans existed in this world, I could have saved him…"
Vegeta, meanwhile, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and eyes closed, his face unreadable.
Tatsumi held Ieyasu's hand tightly, tears streaming down his face. "What's going on in the capital?" he whispered, his voice heavy with grief.
Akame turned around and said, "Let's go…" her expression still stoic.
Leone looked at Akame and spoke up. "Hey, why don't we bring these three with us?" She gestured toward Goku, Vegeta, and Tatsumi as Akame turned to face her.
Akame paused mid-step, her sharp eyes sweeping deliberately over Goku, Vegeta, and the still-grieving Tatsumi—who was kneeling—as Ieyasu lay on the ground, one hand resting gently on his lifeless form. After a long, heavy moment that stretched across the quiet warehouse, she nodded slowly, her expression as measured as ever. "It's the least we can do. Tatsumi has nowhere else to go now, and these two…" She glanced at the Saiyans. "Their power could be useful to the Revolution. Besides, Goku saved me and Kurome once—I owe him that much." A faint blush crept across her cheeks as she turned her head to the side, her dark hair falling to hide the unexpected warmth in her face.
Goku perked up immediately at the mention of joining forces, though a shadow of sadness still lingered deep in his dark eyes. "You mean we can help you fight this corrupt empire? That sounds great! We've been looking for a way to make things right here ever since we arrived," he said with a determined look, his voice steady and clear as he fixed Akame with unwavering focus.
Vegeta clicked his tongue sharply against his teeth and pushed off the stone wall he'd been leaning against, striding toward the warehouse exit with his usual confident gait. "Hmph. Don't get ahead of yourself, Kakarot. I didn't agree to join some ragtag group of assassins—I have no interest in playing the hero role for strangers…" He paused at the warehouse entrance, his arms folded as he looked back over his shoulder, his expression serious. "But if fighting these corrupt scum means I get to test my strength against new opponents—ones who might actually give me a challenge—then I'll play along for now. That's all."
Leone grinned wide, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement despite the somber mood that hung over the group. "I like this one already! He speaks his mind without all the fancy nonsense—refreshing, considering how many people in the capital spend their days pretending to be something they're not," she said as she shot Vegeta an approving look, then turned and walked toward Tatsumi, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "See? Not so bad, right country boy? You'll have all of us looking out for you now—and these two powerhouses too. You won't be alone anymore."
Tatsumi didn't respond, his gaze fixed on his friend's peaceful face—so calm, so unlike the chaos that had surrounded his final moments. After a few quiet moments, he finally spoke in a quiet, hoarse voice. "Thank you. For telling me the truth… even if it hurt more than anything I've ever felt before," he said, as he held Ieyasu in his arms.
Vegeta had already stepped outside, where the cool night air brushed against his skin. He stood with his back to the door for a moment, his expression serious and unreadable. "Are you sure you want to join this band of assassins, Kakarot? You're too moral for their standards… Heck, you even refused to kill the bandits earlier and wanted to spare that worthless piece of trash," he said, his voice low as he gestured toward Aria, referring to her without a hint of sympathy.
Goku walked quietly beside Vegeta and looked up at the night sky, where countless stars glittered above the city walls. A warm, gentle smile touched his lips as he breathed in the fresh air. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent people here—that's all that matters to me," he said at last, his voice soft but unwavering. "But I'll never stop trying to find another way first. If it means making the world a better place, then I will do what must be done."
Vegeta closed his eyes, crossing his muscular arms over his chest as a faint smirk played at the corner of his mouth. "Hmph. At least you're willing to act when it matters—for the greater good, as you put it. That's more than I can say for some people."
Before Goku could respond, Leone called out to the two Saiyans as they were leaving the warehouse. She was dragging Tatsumi by the collar of his clothes while balancing Ieyasu and Sayo's bodies over her broad shoulders with ease. "Hey, you two! We're heading out, if you're done with your little heart-to-heart! The sun will be up soon, and we don't want to draw attention to ourselves," she called out, her voice carrying clearly through the quiet night. Akame walked silently alongside her, her stoic expression unchanged as she scanned the surrounding streets for any signs of danger.
Goku grinned and waved enthusiastically, breaking into a light run toward them with his usual easy stride despite the heavy weight of the moment. "Coming! Just give us a second!" He ran but paused halfway there and turned back to Vegeta, his face lighting up with excitement. "Besides, I have a feeling joining Night Raid—whatever that is—will be really fun! We'll get to make new friends and help people at the same time!" He flashed a big, bright smile before turning and darting toward Leone and Akame.
Vegeta watched Goku's retreating form for a moment, then let out a quiet breath and smirked, his eyes still closed as he felt the familiar rush of competitive energy building inside him. "We'll see about that then, Kakarot… If they can't keep up with us, this 'Night Raid' won't be worth my time," he thought to himself as he finally followed them.
Leone was still keeping a light hold on Tatsumi's collar as they moved through the forest, and she glanced down at him with a playful look. "Our base is always short-handed, you know—we could use someone with your fire and determination. And those two… well, we could definitely use their strength."
"Hey, what's this? Let me go already!" Tatsumi shouted in a comically exaggerated tone as he tried to pull free from her grip, stumbling slightly as he took another step.
Leone laughed and gave his collar a gentle tug to keep him upright. "Don't you think you have luck, courage, and skill? Not everyone could survive what you've been through—and still want to fight for what's right."
Tatsumi strained against her hold, his face flushed with frustration and grief in equal measure. "I don't care about that right now! I want to bury them—my friends deserve a proper resting place, not to be carried around like luggage!"
Leone's expression softened slightly, and she gave him a reassuring look. "I'll carry their bodies all the way to the base myself—we have a quiet spot there, hidden away from the empire's eyes. We'll give them the burial they deserve, I promise… Don't worry," she said with a quick wink before adjusting her grip on the bodies over her shoulders.
"Let me go! I can walk on my own!" Tatsumi shouted again, still struggling against her hold—but there was less force behind his words this time.
As they made their way back through the sprawling mansion grounds where the massacre had taken place just hours earlier, they reached the rooftop where Bulat, Lubbock, and Mine were waiting. Lubbock's eyes went wide behind his goggles when he saw Goku and Vegeta walking calmly alongside Leone and Akame.
Mine folded her arms tightly across her chest, her expression still sharp with annoyance as she glared at the newcomers. "You're late… we were starting to think something had gone wrong," she said pointedly to Leone and Akame, her gaze then shifting to the Saiyans as she jabbed a finger in their direction. "And what are these two doing here? I thought we were supposed to be keeping a low profile!"
Goku tilted his head to the side, looking curious as he scratched the back of his head with one hand. "Oh, we're here to help! Akame said we could join your group—Night Raid, right?" Vegeta, meanwhile, simply turned his back to the newcomers, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes, his expression serious and unconcerned.
"Whoa—you guys actually came with them? I thought we'd have to track you down and fight you two! When Leone said you were strong, she wasn't kidding—your energy levels are off the charts!" Lubbock said, adjusting his goggles as he bounced on his toes, looking between Goku and Vegeta with open curiosity.
"Teammates…" Leone said happily, still keeping a light hold on Tatsumi as he continued to try and break free from her grip. She dropped Tatsumi to the ground between Goku and Vegeta: Goku on his right with a friendly smile, Vegeta on his left with his back turned. "From now on, you three are our official teammates—part of Night Raid," Leone said clearly.
Leone then stepped back to stand with the other Night Raid members in line: herself at the far left, then Lubbock, Bulat in the center, Mine, and Akame on the far right. "Congratulations on becoming full members of Night Raid!" Leone said happily, raising her right hand high toward the starry sky.
Tatsumi's eyes widened and he let out a comical shout as he threw his hands up. "Why would it turn out this way?! I just wanted to bury my friends—not join a group of assassins!"
"Give up already…" Akame said calmly. "Once Leone makes up her mind about something, she won't listen to anyone—you'll just have to get used to it."
Leone smiled warmly and patted Akame's head. "You're truly my good friend who knows me well. That's why you're the best partner I could ask for."
Lubbock clapped his hands together excitedly. "New teammates! And such strong ones too—this is gonna make things way more interesting! Maybe we can train together sometime!"
Bulat stepped forward, surveying the newcomers with a serious but warm gaze. "Welcome aboard. Night Raid only trusts those who fight for what's right. We're not just fighting for revenge—we're bringing down an empire that preys on its people. There will be hard choices ahead."
Goku nodded earnestly. "We understand—we've seen what the empire does. We'll do whatever we can to help make things better for the people here."
Mine crossed her arms again, glaring at Vegeta. "I still haven't forgiven him for calling us a 'boy band' and saying Pumpkin is just a toy gun. She's the most powerful weapon I've ever used!" She patted the firearm on her back protectively.
Vegeta finally turned around, raising one eyebrow with a slight smirk. "I stand by what I said. A weapon that relies on technology instead of raw strength is a distraction—real strength comes from within."
Before Mine could respond, Bulat held up a hand to quiet her. "Regardless of differences of opinion, we owe you both thanks. If you hadn't intervened, Tatsumi might have been killed. Your actions showed us what kind of people you are. Night Raid needs allies with your strength—the Empire's grip grows tighter every day."
Leone turned towards Bulat and said, "Little Bulat, I'll leave him to you..." She pointed toward Tatsumi with her thumb, and without hesitation, Bulat lifted Tatsumi with his right arm.
Tatsumi tried to struggle free and said to Bulat, "Let me go! I don't intend to become an assassin."
Carrying Tatsumi in his arm, Bulat spoke in a calm, playful tone, "It's fine—you'll get used to it..."
Tatsumi's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you referring to?" he asked.
With a stoic expression, Akame said, "Mission completed! Return to base..." She jumped first, followed by the others one by one from the mansion into the moonlight. Meanwhile, Goku and Vegeta flew down to the ground.
Tatsumi shouted against Bulat's hand, "What's with this turn of events? What will happen to me?" As they all faded into the shadows.
Up in the sky, two figures floated in the air. Half of their upper bodies were covered by brown coats from head to shoulder, leaving their faces exposed. One was tall, the other short. The tall one folded his arms and looked down at where Night Raid had disappeared, a smirk on his face revealing a star-shaped battle scar on his forehead—his name was Kakarot. Standing beside him with a serious expression was the shorter one; his Earthling name was. Son Goru, and his Saiyan name was Vegeta. They were suppressing their power levels so the original Goku and Vegeta would not detect them with their ki.
(Kakarot had a muscular physique, with defined arms, shoulders, and torso. His hair was the iconic spiky black style, standing upright with multiple pointed sections framing his face and extending slightly downward at the back. He wore a modified Saiyan battle suit top with a black base layer and bold orange-red armor plates (no shoulder pads), forming a segmented V-shaped panel down to his waist. A monkey tail was wrapped around his waist. He wore white hand wraps, black Saiyan pants, and a brown rag wrapped around his waist (partially visible beneath the chest armor). His shoes matched the orange-red of his armor, with darker soles and small white accents on the front.
This character is a variation of Goku, inspired by the fan manga DB Sai by DragonGarowLEE. In this alternate universe, Vegeta was sent to Earth instead of Goku, leaving Kakarot as a battle-hardened Saiyan who never landed on Earth—this dynamic is often explored in fan art.
Chapter Information
This version of Kakarot is similar to Goku and is five years younger than Vegeta, born in Year 732. The key difference is that he never landed or grew up on Earth, and is smarter than the original Goku. Instead, his father Bardock sent Kakarot to a location where his close friend (Brotar) lived when he was just a toddler, shortly before the destruction of Planet Vegeta. Bardock's friend—a male Saiyan—trained him to become a powerful low-class Saiyan warrior. His personality is similar to the original Goku, but he does not have a pure heart due to being raised among Saiyans. Like Goku, he loves to fight, but he is also sadistic and ruthless.
His wife is still Chi-Chi, who is similar to the original. His two children are the same as the original Gohan and Goten, though Kakarot gave them Saiyan names—Daiko and Zukin. Unlike the original Goku, he always brags about being a proud Saiyan warrior, and sometimes acts ruthlessly to those who hurt his friends and family, as he will not hesitate to kill them.
Kakarot's life is somewhat similar to the original Vegeta, but also different. Unlike Vegeta, who was a super elite warrior, a prodigy who initially did not train rigorously, Kakarot knew hardship. As a child, he trained hard to become a powerful low-class Saiyan warrior.
When serving under Frieza, Kakarot was with Nappa and his flesh-and-blood brother Raditz. His life under Frieza was filled with pain and hatred; like the real Vegeta, he wanted to kill Frieza. During this time, Kakarot was sadistic, evil, and consumed by pain—he killed everyone who stood in his way alongside Nappa and Raditz.
But when he came to live on Earth, he began to change. He grew to love his Earthling wife Chi-Chi and his two half-breed sons, Daiko (Gohan) and Zukin (Goten). He softened as he cared more about them, but still carried his Saiyan pride, always stating that he is a proud Saiyan warrior.
His Relationship with Son Goru (Vegeta)
When Kakarot landed on Earth alongside Nappa, Goru defeated Nappa easily. Kakarot then jumped onto his fallen comrade's stomach and killed him, leading to his first battle with Son Goru. Unlike Vegeta, who was furious when Goku landed a hit on him, Kakarot laughed maniacally when Goru did the same. Instead of being angry, he felt excited—and in that moment, he viewed Son Goru as his ultimate rival.
Later, in the Frieza Saga, when Son Goru awakened as a Super Saiyan and defeated Frieza, Kakarot heard the news. Unlike the real Vegeta, who was jealous and angry at Goku's achievement, Kakarot felt motivated. This alone drove his Saiyan blood, pushing him to train harder. Like Vegeta, Kakarot is always one step behind Goru—but unlike Vegeta, he was never jealous. Instead, he grew excited whenever he saw Goru unlock new forms like Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan 3, viewing him as his motivation to become stronger. His abilities match those of Kakarot from DB Sai. He and Son Goru (Vegeta) were teleported to this world by a pink crystal, arriving nearly a week before the original Goku and Vegeta. Esdeath recruited them to join the Jaegers.)
(Son Goru (Vegeta) also had a muscular physique, with defined arms, shoulders, and torso. His hair was the iconic spiky black style. He wore a sleeveless orange gi top with a traditional cross-front design; the Capsule Corp logo was on the left side. The gi revealed his muscular chest for freedom of movement. A thick black martial arts belt was tied around his waist in a simple knot (a standard feature of the Turtle School uniform). He wore matching loose-fitting orange gi pants that reached his calves, solid black wristbands on both forearms, and high-top black boots with blue accents on the toe and heel, plus white trim along the sole and ankle. A monkey tail wiggled in the air—his boots were sturdy enough to withstand fighting and traveling across worlds. He strapped a large, Western-style longsword with a leather-wrapped hilt (often black or brown) and a metal handguard to his back, typically carried in a scabbard with its handle pointing toward his left shoulder.
This character is a variation of Vegeta, also inspired by DB Sai by DragonGarowLEE. Having been sent to Earth instead of Goku, he was given the Earth name Son Goru by his grandfather Gohan.
This version of Vegeta (Goru) is five years older than Kakarot and shares similarities with the original Vegeta, born in Year 732. The main difference is that he grew up on Earth—his mother, Marlika, Queen of the Saiyans, sent him to Earth at age five to save him from Planet Vegeta's destruction. Grandpa Gohan adopted him and taught him martial arts and discipline. His personality remains similar to the original, but he is humble, not prideful or egotistical. He is stoic and calm, yet he does not have a pure heart, due to never forgetting his Saiyan heritage. He is also a genius strategist and tactician, and also very wise.
Son Goru's life is somewhat similar to the original Goku, but also different. Unlike Goku, who was a low-class Saiyan warrior, he was born a prodigy and a super elite warrior. He lived in the mountains alongside his grandfather Gohan, who is alive in this world. The reason is that Son Goru already controlled his Great Ape transformation when he was five years old, while still on Planet Vegeta.
Son Goru embarked on a journey similar to young Goku's in the original Dragon Ball, but with one key difference—he was far too strong for most of his opponents to face. He fought the same enemies as young Goku did. Like Goku, he traveled the world to find all the Dragon Balls; since his grandfather Gohan is alive in this universe, he initially joined Bulma not for the wish-granting orbs themselves, but to seek out stronger opponents and hone his skills.
Son Goru and Bulma fell in love with each other throughout their journey together, and their children are still Trunks and Bulla. Unlike the original Vegeta, he never brags about being a Saiyan Prince. While he is still the Prince of all Saiyans, he no longer cares about the title now that he lives on Earth. He possesses abilities similar to the original Goku, mixed with those of the original Vegeta.
His Relationship with Kakarot
When Kakarot landed on Earth alongside Nappa, Goru defeated Nappa easily. Kakarot then jumped onto his fallen comrade's stomach and killed him, leading to his first battle with Son Goru. Unlike the original Vegeta, who was furious when Goku landed a hit on him, Kakarot laughed maniacally when Goru did the same. Instead of being angry, he felt excited—and in that moment, he viewed Son Goru as his ultimate rival.
Of all the enemies Goru had fought, Kakarot was the most powerful opponent he had faced before venturing into outer space. Kakarot was the first to make him truly struggle. Even though their base power levels were equal, Goru used the Kaioken technique to increase his strength, allowing him to land a blow on Kakarot.
Later, in the Frieza Saga, Son Goru unlocked Super Saiyan and defeated Frieza brutally—unlike the original Goku, who tried to spare Frieza, Goru did not hesitate to finish him off for good. Like the original Goku, Goru stays one step ahead of Kakarot, because he actively seeks help from others to train and improve his abilities. His powers match those of Vegeta from DB Sai. He and Kakarot were teleported to this world by a pink crystal, arriving nearly a week before the original Goku and Vegeta. Esdeath recruited them to join the Jaegers.)
To be continued.