The wasteland outside East City had fallen into complete silence.
Smoke hung in the air like a heavy funeral shroud, blanketing the land that had just endured a god-level battle.
At the center of a massive crater, like the scar of a meteor impact, lay the once-arrogant Saiyan prince who had threatened to destroy Earth.
Vegeta.
Now, he was sprawled among the rubble like a lifeless dog with its spine broken.
His battle armor had been reduced to torn scraps.
The high-elastic suit that once symbolized the pride of Frieza's army was now riddled with cracks like a shattered web, exposing bruised, swollen flesh beneath, twisted and misshapen.
Step. Step. Step.
A set of calm, measured footsteps approached, each one carrying a quiet but overwhelming pressure.
Krillin walked forward with his hands in his pockets. The fading sunlight reflected off his bald head, giving it an oddly sacred glow.
He stopped beside Vegeta and looked down at the unconscious prince.
There was no pity in his eyes. Only a calm, almost casual scrutiny, like someone inspecting meat at a market.
"So this is the Saiyan prince. Tough as hell, I'll give you that."
Krillin clicked his tongue in mild admiration.
Anyone else would have been reduced to dust by that punch. This guy still had a breath left in him.
A blue interface flickered across his vision.
[System Scan Initiated]
[Target: Vegeta]
[Race: Saiyan (Royal Bloodline)]
[Status: Critical. Severe coma. 72% skeletal fragmentation. Internal hemorrhaging. Pride completely shattered.]
[Power Level: 18 and falling]
A crooked smile tugged at Krillin's lips as he read the data.
Slowly, he raised his right foot. His plain black martial arts shoe now felt as heavy as a mountain.
Thud.
The sole came down on Vegeta's back without the slightest hint of respect.
"Ugh…!"
Vegeta's body jerked violently. Though he was deep in a coma, a pained groan forced its way out of his throat.
Blood mixed with fragments of tissue spilled from the corner of his mouth, staining the dirt beneath him.
Krillin didn't move his foot. Instead, he pressed down slightly, grinding it as if putting out a cigarette.
"Stop pretending. I know you're still conscious."
His gaze shifted, landing behind Vegeta.
A brown, furry tail lay limp between the rocks, smeared with dust and blood like a dead snake.
Krillin's eyes lit up.
"Now this… this is something valuable."
He stroked his chin, interest flashing across his face.
As someone who knew the entire Dragon Ball storyline, he understood exactly how important that tail was.
In the original setting, a Saiyan's tail was both the source of their power and the key to transforming into a Great Ape.
Even if it was later forgotten in Dragon Ball Z, in Dragon Ball GT, it was essential for reaching Super Saiyan 4.
Krillin's mind started working.
Bulma, that genius scientist, would definitely be interested in an alien organ like this.
If he brought back a royal Saiyan tail and let her analyze the genetic structure, who knew what kind of technology she might develop.
Artificial moon wave generators. S-cell enhancement drugs. Things like that.
And more importantly…
A certain image popped into his head.
Bulma in a lab coat, holding a test tube, looking at him with admiration.
"Honey, you're amazing! You actually got something this rare!"
Krillin's grin widened.
This was not just research material. It was a strategic resource for improving his standing at home.
With that thought, he stopped hesitating.
He bent down and grabbed the base of Vegeta's tail.
The texture was rough. The muscle fibers were dense, and he could even feel a faint pulse beneath the surface.
"Sorry about this, Your Highness."
"You came all the way to Earth. It would be rude not to leave something behind."
"Consider it a contribution to science."
A devilish smile spread across his face.
No anesthesia.
No warning.
Not even a simple "brace yourself."
Krillin took a deep breath. The muscles in his arm tensed as he activated the monstrous strength granted by the Saitama template.
"Up!"
It was as simple and crude as pulling a carrot from the ground.
Rip!
The sickening sound of tearing muscle and dislocating bone echoed through the crater.
A spray of hot blood shot into the air, splattering across Krillin's pant leg.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Vegeta, who had been on the brink of death, was forcibly dragged back to consciousness by the sheer agony.
The pain was beyond physical limits.
It felt like thousands of ants were devouring his brain, like a red-hot spike had been driven straight into his spine.
His eyes snapped open, blood vessels bursting across them as if they might explode at any moment.
His mouth stretched wide as a horrifying scream tore out of him, the most desperate cry he had ever made on Earth.
"It hurts! It's killing me!"
He struggled wildly, clawing at the ground.
Solid rock crumbled beneath his fingers like tofu, leaving deep, jagged grooves.
His legs thrashed, trying to kick away the monster behind him.
But the foot on his back was immovable, like an iron pillar pinning him down.
That absolute suppression of power filled Vegeta with despair.
"He woke up already? Saiyans really are hard to kill."
Krillin casually lifted the severed tail, still twitching and dripping blood, and gave it a slight shake, as if disgusted.
Then, right in front of Vegeta, he stuffed it into a specially made capsule container.
"Too noisy. Quiet down."
He applied just a bit more pressure with his foot.
Crack.
Two of Vegeta's ribs, which had only just begun to set, snapped again.
"Ghk…!"
The scream cut off instantly. Vegeta's eyes rolled back, nearly passing out again.
But he forced himself to stay conscious.
With immense effort, he turned his head.
His face was a mess of blood, tears, and dirt, filled with hatred, humiliation, and disbelief.
He was the proud Saiyan prince.
An elite destined to rule the universe.
How… how had he ended up like this?
Crushed under the foot of a bald Earthling, stripped of his dignity, his tail torn off like a weed?
"You… you… filthy… bald…"
His voice was hoarse, each word dragged out like it was soaked in blood.
"Kill me… if you dare… Frieza… will never let you go…"
"Frieza?"
Krillin's eyes flickered for a moment before returning to their usual calm.
"Still talking tough. Guess you're not done yet."
He crouched down and casually patted Vegeta's swollen face.
"Save your strength. Your precious Frieza is probably busy. He doesn't have time to care about a stray dog like you."
At that moment, several figures approached from the distance.
"Dad!"
Trillin's youthful voice rang out as he rushed over.
Behind him, Goku limped forward, supported by his son. His body was covered in injuries, still flushed red from the aftereffects of the Kaio-ken, looking like a cooked shrimp. Yet his usual carefree smile remained.
Following them were Yamcha, brimming with killing intent, and Piccolo, his torn cape fluttering in the wind.
"It's finally over…"
Yamcha landed and stared at Vegeta lying helpless in the crater, a flash of satisfaction crossing his face.
He stepped forward, raising his hand as a blazing energy sphere began to form.
"This guy tried to destroy Earth. We can't let him live!"
His voice was filled with fury.
After his earlier fight, his confidence had swelled. Seeing the Saiyan prince reduced to this state made him feel like the true main fighter.
"Krillin, move aside!"
"Let me finish him!"
"I'll use my new technique, the Supreme Spirit Ball, and wipe him out completely. Let this be justice for everyone who died in East City!"