In the endless expanse of space, two shining objects could be seen clashing with each other, over and over again. The first object glowed a light purple, whilst the second a radiant gold.
These two objects were people.
The one shrouded in purple, Cooler.
The one shrouded in gold, Zyleth.
The golden glow of Super Saiyan enveloped the sixteen year-old boy, pushing back against the full power and strength of Cooler's Fifth Form at its absolute peak of strength.
And they both were going all-out, not wanting the other to gain the upper hand.
"TAKING ME SERIOUSLY NOW?!" Cooler yelled out as he sent a Supernova towards the young Saiyan.
In response, Zyleth shrouded his fist with Ki and went straight into the Supernova, dispersing it at its core and continuing on his path towards Cooler.
"YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT!" He yelled back.
The both of them charged towards each other at great speeds, their fists colliding together in an all out struggle for dominance. The planets, moons, asteroids, and comets that surrounded them felt each and every impact of their fists, threatening to buckle under the pressure.
"You think you can challenge me?!" Cooler yelled out in anger. "You're nothing but an insignificant welp!"
"We'll see how cocky you are when I rip off your fucking tail and make you choke on it!" Zyleth responded in kind.
The two pushed back against each other, the only thing that could be seen of their confrontation is the shockwaves of their fists meeting over and over. Both of their respective forms caused them to act more aggressively towards each other, which was perfectly fine with them.
Nearby, their ship could be seen, with two silhouettes on the outside spectating the two fighters before they were suddenly joined by a third.
"Are they still at it?" Salza asked as he flew out of the ship and stood beside Dore and Neiz, looking on at the fight between his Lord and Commander.
"Mhm." Neiz hummed and nodded his head, his focus still on the fight.
"Why? How long's it been?" Dore asked
"Been about three hours now." Salza told him.
The two spectators were sat on the ground, eating from a bowl of popcorn that was sitting inbetween them. When Dore reached for another handful, his fingers were only met with the bottom of the bowl.
"Hey, Salza, you think you can get us some more popcorn?" Dore asked as he held up the bowl.
Salza looked down, one of his eyebrows twitching as he saw the empty bowl.
"No." He replied curtly.
"What? Why not?" Dore asked, sounding despondent.
"Because that was the last pack of it, you imbecile!" Salza shouted at his compatriot.
"What? No, it's not! Zyleth brought, like, a whole box of that stuff!" Neiz said, refusing to believe Salza's claim.
"Yes, and the two of you ate it all in an afternoon, you pair of swines!" Salza retorts, pointing towards the empty bags of popcorn that were floating beside them.
Dore and Neiz looked at empty bags before looking towards each other, wincing at their blunder.
"It wasn't our fault!" Dore yelled out defensively.
"Yeah, it was the popcorn's!" Neiz added.
Salza's eye twitched again in annoyance before he let out a small chuckle, "Oh, I'd love to hear this..."
"It's too delicious!" Neiz claimed.
"Yeah, especially the ones that say butter on the label!" Dore added he grabbed one of the floating buttered popcorn bags and pointed at the label. "It's so savory!"
A vein appeared on Salza's forehead, threatening to pop if he grew any angrier, if that was even possible.
"Oh, I... You..." Salza seethed, his arms raising with kid blasts forming in his hands. "...Run..."
---
[Zyleth's POV]
My hair returns to its natural black as I watch Salza proceed to beat the absolute life out of the two other members of the Armored Squadron.
"Should we... do something about that?" I asked Cooler, pointing down at the three idiots running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
Well, to be fair, Salza did look like he was going to do exactly that with the way he's swinging that Ki blade...
Cooler floats down beside me, his eyebrow propped up as he reverting back to his fourth form.
"I should say yes, but I'm quite curious as to how this will go." He replied.
"...Fair enough..." I shrugged my shoulders.
I let out a groan as I stretch myself out, letting myself float around aimlessly in the void.
"Tired?" Cooler asked.
"We've been fighting for hours." I pointed out to him.
"So no?" He asked.
I crane my head to look up at him for a few seconds before laying back down and saying, "Nah, not really."
He responds with a hum before looking back towards the trio of Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest.
These past eight years have been very productive in terms of both my own growth and Cooler's. We've beaten back the Frieza Force almost to extinction, which both increased Cooler's power and influence on the universe, and my own experience when it came to fighting.
But while my own base power grew, the progress with my transformations was painstakingly slow.
I've tried to master the Evil Saiyan transformation, but I just couldn't. I can't even go into the form, let alone try to figure out the process in order to master it.
It was such a shame as well. The stackable part of the Evil Saiyan form would easily put me above Super Buu, which was my biggest concern at the current moment.
All I need to do is get stronger than his Buuhan state. While I wasn't going to actually let him get that far, I couldn't plan for everything. So I'm basing my plans for the worst case scenario. So Buuhan's power is the one I need to eclipse, and then I could finally rest...
For about a week until I have to start training again so that I can surpass Jiren.
Ah... This grind never stops does it...
It is a very good think that I don't have a lot of Saiyan Pride. There are a bunch of cheap and cheaty shortcuts to raise your power level in this universe that it's actually frustrating that Goku and Vegeta don't bother use them.
Elder Guru for one.
The guy can literally release your latent potential and make you infinitely times stronger than you were. Granted, I'm pretty sure that he died before anyone besides Gohan and Krillin could get their potential unleashed in the original timeline, but they could've just used the Dragon Balls to do it instead.
Could've used the Dragon Balls to do a lot of things...
Speaking of which, it's probably a good idea for me to go ahead and make my own way out into the universe now.
I'm starting to feel myself stagnate. The gains in power have been minor lately, not like the giant leaps in strength like before, which likely means my Zenkais are starting to lose their proficiency.
More than that, Cooler just isn't that much of a challenge anymore.
As grateful as I am for Cooler's help, it's just not cuttting it. His power is staggering, but he's been pushing the limits of his fifth form for a long time now.
It was actually interesting to see how his Fifth Form worked.
It was basically just his full-power form, but he mastered it. If I had to put to compare it to something, the muscled up form of Full-Power Frieza was basically Super Saiyan Grade 3, massive power with a hit to speed, whilst the Fifth Form Cooler had achieved was Super Saiyan 2, an additional level with little to no downside.
Eventually, his Fifth Form had surpassed his Fourth Form by so much that his Fourth Form had basically become restriction.
It was quite fascinating to see.
But even then, it just wasn't enough. I need a new partner. A mentor. And I have a very good lead on one if I just head to Namek and wish on the Dragon Balls.
"Hey, Cooler." I spoke, letting myself float over towards him.
"What is it?" He asked.
I took a deep breath in and out, hoping that he'll take my request well.
"I want to leave." I told him.
"Okay." He replied almost instantaneously.
"I know that-- I beg your pardon?" I asked, it took me a second to actually process what he just said.
"Okay, go ahead." He said, waving his hand dismissively.
I blink at him a few times, very confused as to why he was going along with this so easily.
"That... That's it?" I asked.
"You were always free to leave, Zyleth. I'm not holding you hostage." He said, turning towards me with a raised eyebrow, "What, were you expecting something different?"
"Uh... Yeah... Like... World ending fury type of different..." I told him, nodding my head with a baffled expression.
"Zyleth, you're the Supreme Commander of the Cooler Force. If you wanted to leave, all you had to do was say so." Cooler said with a roll of his eyes before adding, "Go. Explore the universe. See your family more than once a damn year."
I don't know what I should be more shocked by. The fact that he agreed so easily to my request or the fact he was making snide comment about how little I see my family.
Especially since he actively wants to kill his...
But yes, he knew my family was still alive. He just didn't know where they were, obviously, but I wouldn't be surprised if he probably had it narrowed down to the few livable planets that I had under my ownership.
Yes, I own planets.
Actually I owned about fifty planets, which may or may not include Earth, Vampa, Namek, and Cereal.
Sure, planet ownership is not exactly a good shield, but it's effective against those that don't want to get on the bad side of the Cooler Force.
Or Cooler himself...
Or me, now that I think about it...
"So... you wouldn't mind if I just... leave?" I asked.
"To be honest, Zyleth, you're no longer needed." Cooler told me with a shrug. "We are both so overwhelming powerful that the "war" we're fighting is nothing but a one sided massacre. All that's left now is to find and kill Frieza, so unless you have a map leading directly to him, I doubt that you'll be of much use."
"I... Yeah, I guess that's true..." I nodded.
"I told you, I don't care much about you or your goals. As long as you're not gunning to rule over the universe, I'm content with your continued existence." He said.
"Why do you even want to? Ruling the universe just sounds like nothing but a bunch of micromanaging and days filled with headaches." I said.
"It can be..." He sighed. "In truth, I don't even remember why I chase after this goal myself anymore. Maybe I just wanted to spite my father and brother. Or maybe it's just embedded into my being. To control... To conquer... It's what I'm good at."
"Have you ever tried being good at something else?" I asked dryly.
"What fun would that be?" He asked, turning towards me with a smirk and letting out an audible chuckle. "All jokes aside, I find myself envying your lack of ambition more and more as time passes."
"Wow, thanks." I rolled my eyes sarcastically.
"It may sound like an insult, but it genuinely wasn't. You're free to do whatever you wish, whenever you want." He clarifies.
"And you can't? The Cooler Force could basically run itself at this point. You're could be as free as I am, you just have a very bad habit of wanting to control everything." I told him.
Cooler seems to mull over my words before our attention is suddenly grabbed by the sound of an explosion. We both turn our gazes towards the ship and see that Salza has managed to blast Dore and Neiz off into the darkness of space.
I let out a tired sigh before saying, "I'll go grab Dumb and Dumber. Take it as my last assignment until you find Frieza."
"How magnanimous of you..." Cooler groaned sarcastically.
---
A few hours later, I walked into the cargo bay and saw the Armored Squadron waiting for me, standing right beside my ship. I go to greet them, but what Salza says causes me to rethink that decision.
"I swear, this vessel just appeared out nowhere one day. There is no paperwork on it in our database at all." Salza said as he looked over my ship, a datapad in his hand.
"Couldn't you just check the registration on it?" Neiz asked.
"I've tried! The only thing information I can find on this hunk of glorified metal is that it was on Planet Vegeta." Salza replied.
Dore let out an audible gulp, causing his two comrades to look over at him.
"You... You said that this ship was on Planet Vegeta and it just appeared out of nowhere...?" He asked, his voice trembling a bit.
Salza and Neiz looked at each other with raised eyebrows before turning their gazes back towards Dore.
"Yes?" Salza replied, wondering what had Dore so frightened.
"Don't you two know what that means?!" Dore exclaimed before pointing towards the ship. "T-Th-T-That's a ghost ship!"
"Ghost ship? Don't be absurd!" Salza chastises.
I had to physically hold myself back from laughing at the absurdity of it all.
The real reason that my ship had no record is because I used Kai Kai to teleport it here and I just didn't bother doing the paperwork.
Unable to let the opportunity pats me by, I take the control key for my ship out of my pocket and press the button to power it on.
Yes, I had a key for my ship. I had Cooler requisition one so that my ship only started once this key went inside of the cockpit.
Why did I have it installed? Because there have been too many times someone had stolen an enemy ship and used it to fly to safety.
They were not going to do that to me.
If someone actually manages to kill me, and they were in a situation that required a quick escape, they're not gonna get it from my own ship. I'm taking them down with me.
Was that situation very specific and probably unlikely to happen? Yes.
Was that also very petty of me? Yes, yes it was.
.
.
.
So when the ship suddenly started on its own, it caused all three of the Armored Squadron members to jump back in a fright like a couple of cartoon characters.
"What the-?!"
Unable to hold back anymore, I started laughing and walked out of the shadows. Hearing it, they all turned around to find me holding the remote control.
"Not funny, Commander..." Dore grumbled.
"I beg to differ." I said with an amused smile as I started to walk towards my ship, asking, "Everything alright, Salza?"
"Ready and operational." He said, checking his datapad and giving me a thumbs up.
"Good." I replied with a satisfied nod.
As was about to step onto the ship, I was stopped by the three soldiers.
"Wait, one moment!" Salza spoke up.
I turned and saw them holding a decently sized white box. I step towards them, looking at the box with a raised brow before looking back up at the three of them with curiosity.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Lord Cooler decided that since you won't be officially apart of the Cooler Force whilst on leave, that we should get you some more appropriate clothing." He said, handing the box over to me.
I open the box and see what's inside, which causes me to smile a bit.
"Hold on." I told them.
I walk into the ship and close the door, taking a couple minutes to change before walking back out in my new clothes.
"How's it look?" I asked.
"Smashing, Commander." Salza replied.
"Very nice, very nice." Neiz nods in appreciation.
"You're going to style on all your enemies corpses with that, sir!" Dore yelled, giving me a big thumbs up.
I chuckle a bit at the last comment.
Looking down at myself, I realized that the outfit had a strange resemblance to Xeno Goku. Most of the differences were minor. The only thing that was noticeable were that I had gloves instead of wrist bands and my boots weren't wrapped from my ankle to my knee.
The colors were also a combination of white, grey, and black instead of Xeno Goku's red, blue, and black.
"Yes. Seems it wasn't a waste after all."
I look up and see Cooler leaning on the wall near the entrance of cargo bay.
"Don't go dying out there. The embarrassment if you were to die on some backwater planet would set us back decades." He said, walking towards me.
"Aww, you do care." I teased, covering my heart.
"Take it however you'd like, I just don't want you tarnishing the name of the Cooler Force." He replies with a roll of his eyes.
He stops right in front of me, making me have to turn my head up to look at him.
"So if I'm not officially on the Cooler Force at the moment, does that mean that you'll finally start calling me Zy'?" I asked.
"Don't be ridiculous. Nicknames are childish and unbecoming." He said.
"Come on, Cee, do it. You know you want to." I goaded him on.
"You are insufferable..." He stated, his eyes narrowing at me.
"What are you gonna do about it?" I asked, smirking at him.
We stare down at each other, not making any sudden movements before suddenly lunging at each other, fists raised in the air. The strike causes the ship to groan and the Cooler Squadron to be blown away.
Cooler and I stand unfazed, our fists planted into each other's faces.
Cooler's frown shifted to a small smile and he started to laugh. I respond in kind, laughing alongside him as we retracted both of our fists.
"Safe travels... Zy'..." He said, using his thumps to wipe away the blood on his cheek.
"See you soon, Cee." I replied, using my fist to do the same.
I turn towards my ship and walk inside. In the doorway, I turn back towards Armored Squadron and give them a two-fingered salute.
"Until next time, gentlemen. Take care."
---
Current Power Levels:
Zyleth (Base) - [478,000,000]
Zyleth (Mastered SSJ1) - [76,480,000,000]
Cooler (Base/Fourth Form) - [482,000,000]
Cooler (Final/Fifth Form) - [75,360,000,000]
[Word Count: 3,114.]