Chapter 38: Return to West City

Levos had already dismissed the idea of using Instant Transmission to escape.

If he revealed such a pivotal skill too soon, Frieza would undoubtedly grow suspicious. And once that seed of doubt was planted, it would be nearly impossible to use Instant Transmission to catch him off guard in the future.

Since Frieza had not yet shown all his cards, Levos decided to play along for now, probe and observe while hiding his intentions.

After all, Cooler, Frieza's elder brother, was still lurking in the shadows a variable that could easily shift the balance of power.

Levos didn't even have a rough estimate of Cooler's current strength.

And for someone as cautious as Levos, that was a dangerous blind spot.

Staying close to Frieza would not only give him the chance to gather vital intel, but possibly also let him seize the Dragon Balls the tyrant had already collected.

The Dragon Radar was in Bulma's hands, meaning Goku and the others would not be able to track the Dragon Balls easily.

His only real concern now was if Frieza managed to collect all seven Dragon Balls and summon Shenron in a short time.

That possibility alone made Levos even more determined to remain by Frieza's side.

Of course, having Bulma with him was a worry.

But Bulma seemed to catch on to his unease. With a relaxed smile, she looked at him and said, "Levos, I'll make sure to impress the two Lords."

Brilliant, as always. She understood his concerns with just a single glance.

Frieza, clearly in a great mood, chuckled. "Hohohohoho. Once you help me gather the Dragon Balls, you'll be handsomely rewarded."

Levos and Bulma replied in perfect sync, "Thank you, Lord Frieza."

"A match made in heaven, these two," Frieza quipped with a sly tone that made Levos feel like he'd heard this line somewhere before.

Without lingering on the comment, Levos followed Frieza as the latter soared into the sky.

Wind howled around them as Frieza led the group eastward at high speed.

Looking up at him, Levos couldn't help but feel a surge of doubt.

Frieza was flying in a very deliberate direction. Had he already located another Dragon Ball?

Among the two, only King Cold was wearing a Scouter.

Frieza wasn't wearing anything not even the black cloak he had donned earlier. That had been completely incinerated when he clashed with Bulma's energy blast.

So how was he tracking the Dragon Balls?

It didn't take long for Levos to realize the truth. Frieza was heading straight toward West City.

Could there really be a Dragon Ball there? His expression darkened.

Soon, the outline of West City came into view.

Unlike its previous abandoned state, the city now bustled with life.

Levos sensed countless energy signatures, ranging from weak to strong.

Vehicles of all shapes and sizes flooded the streets and alleys, revitalizing the once-ruined city.

Floating above the city center was a massive battle arena, silently suspended in the air.

Frieza glanced at it and scoffed. "What a circus act. Soon, the glory of the Frieza Force will echo across the universe from this very place."

With that, he descended slowly, bypassing several tall buildings before landing near a massive saucer-shaped spaceship.

Vrrrrr

The ship's hatch opened with a thunderous groan. Rows of soldiers in Frieza Force battle armor emerged, dropping to one knee in reverence.

"All hail Lord Frieza! All hail Lord Cold!"

Levos and Bulma stood silently behind the two emperors, watching the scene unfold.

"Everyone, begin the search for the Dragon Balls immediately!" Frieza flicked his tail, slamming it into the ground and leaving a crater behind.

"Yes, Lord Frieza!"

With a flurry of motion, soldiers scattered in all directions.

Frieza turned to Levos and Bulma with a smile. "Let them do the searching. You two are our main fighters for the martial arts tournament take this time to rest."

King Cold grinned cruelly. "Frieza, when you say 'searching for the Dragon Balls,' you really mean sitting here in West City and waiting for other groups to bring them to us, don't you?"

"You always understand me so well, Father." Frieza began walking toward the spaceship and continued, "I've heard rumors that Earthlings have a device that can detect the Dragon Balls. Once the holder of that radar arrives, we'll simply take it."

"That's far more efficient than searching blindly," King Cold nodded in approval.

Frieza stopped at the ship's entrance and suddenly turned to look at Levos and Bulma. "You two, come with me. If anyone causes trouble, I'll need you to deal with them."

Without hesitation, Levos and Bulma nodded and followed him aboard.

Before long, the group reached the bridge.

"Lord Frieza," a short alien officer greeted him, "in thirty minutes, nearly a thousand soldiers from the surrounding star systems will arrive on Earth."

"I'm aware. Thank you, Miss Beriblu," Frieza said as he floated onto his hover throne.

"And these two?" Beriblu asked sweetly, looking at Levos and Bulma.

"They're new recruits," Frieza replied, tail swaying lazily behind his seat. "They aren't familiar with our operations yet, so I'd like you to give them a tour of the ship."

"Of course, Lord Frieza. It's my honor to serve," Beriblu smiled, then turned to the pair. "Right this way, please."

Levos and Bulma exchanged a brief look. Both caught the same glint of wariness in each other's eyes, yet they quickly relaxed.

They were deep inside Frieza's ship. If chaos broke out here, it might just be the perfect opportunity to escape.

Still, Levos had no intention of leaving just yet.

Stopping Frieza from obtaining the Dragon Radar was crucial.

Besides, being this close to Frieza offered a unique opportunity maybe even the chance to stab him in the back when the time was right.

As he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a strange realization dawned on him.

Damn... am I the real snake in the grass here?

Beriblu led them down a curved corridor.

Levos and Bulma scanned their surroundings as they walked. Dozens of sealed rooms lined both sides of the hallway.

After passing through, they arrived at a room that gave Levos a strange sense of déjà vu.

Beriblu paused and turned to them. "This is the medical bay. It's equipped with the newest generation of healing chambers. Thanks to our R&D team's efforts, they can now even regenerate lost limbs."

Levos and Bulma's eyes lit up with interest at once.

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