CHAPTER 18: THE CHASE TO IDUN

The streets of the city erupted into chaos as Noppal burst out of the club, his heavy boots skidding across the pavement. His scouter beeped furiously, alerting him to the two powerful energy signatures closing in fast. He whipped around, spotting Vegeta and Gohan emerging from the smoke and debris of the raid.

With a curse under his breath, Noppal shot into the air, his aura flaring around him as he blasted through the crowded skyline. The force of his takeoff shattered nearby windows, and civilians below scattered, shielding themselves from the shockwave.

“There he goes!” Gohan shouted, his own aura igniting as he and Vegeta shot into the sky in pursuit.

Noppal glanced over his shoulder, gritting his teeth as he saw how quickly they were gaining on him. He raised one hand, firing a barrage of ki blasts into the streets below to create a distraction. The explosions rattled the city, sending plumes of smoke and dust into the air as cars flipped and storefronts shattered.

“We can’t let him destroy the city!” Gohan yelled, diving toward the blasts. He raised his hands, intercepting one of the explosions with a burst of his own energy, while Vegeta deflected another with a precise swing of his arm.

“You think I’m going to let you slow me down?” Noppal shouted, firing more energy attacks indiscriminately.

“Damn it!” Vegeta growled, narrowly dodging a blast aimed at a nearby building. He sent a small, controlled ki burst to counter it, ensuring no civilians were hurt. “If you have a plan, now’s the time!”

Gohan glanced ahead, his sharp eyes spotting an open plaza where the crowd was thinner. “I have an idea.”

Vegeta gave a short nod, his focus still locked on Noppal.

Without hesitation, Gohan peeled away, his aura dimming as he dropped toward the city streets, weaving through the alleys to circle around.

Noppal noticed the change in their formation, his scouter struggling to track Gohan’s signature as it disappeared. He smirked, his confidence swelling.

“Trying to outsmart me, are you?” Noppal muttered, increasing his speed and flying higher into the city skyline. He twisted through towering skyscrapers, using the narrow passages to his advantage.

Vegeta, unrelenting, closed the gap, his aura crackling as he tore through the air. Noppal turned sharply, blasting through a crowded marketplace. The force of his speed sent carts and debris flying, but Vegeta followed seamlessly, his movements precise.

“I’m done running!” Noppal snarled, spinning mid-flight to fire another volley of ki blasts.

Vegeta didn’t falter, weaving through the attacks with ease before returning fire. His own blasts were smaller and controlled, aimed to force Noppal into the open rather than destroy the city around them.

The chase stretched on, moving through every corner of the city—skimming rooftops, diving through narrow alleyways, and racing along the outskirts. Sweat dripped from Noppal’s brow as he realized Vegeta wasn’t tiring, his relentless pursuit pushing him further toward desperation.

Finally, Vegeta closed the distance in a burst of speed, slamming into Noppal and sending him hurtling into the side of a building. The impact cracked the wall, debris raining down as Noppal struggled to recover. Before he could fully regain his footing, Vegeta grabbed him by the collar of his battle suit, lifting him off the ground with ease.

“Where’s Turles?” Vegeta hissed, his voice low and menacing. “Where can we find him?”

Noppal’s eyes widened briefly, his scouter flickering as it processed Vegeta’s power. Then his lips curled into a sneer. “I’m not telling you anything,” he spat. 

Vegeta’s scowl deepened, and for a moment, it seemed like he might finish things right there. But instead of striking, he smirked coldly.

“Oh, you’ll talk.”

Before Noppal could react, Vegeta placed two fingers on his forehead. In an instant, the two vanished, leaving only the faint hum of displaced air behind.

***

The rocky terrain outside the city was eerily quiet, save for the sound of the wind brushing against jagged stones. Gohan stood at the ready, sensing Vegeta’s energy appear behind him. He turned to see Vegeta holding a stunned Noppal by the collar.

“It worked!” Gohan said, relief washing over him. “At least we’re away from the city now.”

Vegeta released Noppal, letting him stumble to the ground. “That’s the only time I’ll willingly use Instant Transmission,” he grumbled.

Noppal staggered to his feet, his body glowing faintly as he tapped into the reserves of the fruit’s energy. His scouter beeped faintly, and he smirked. “You think moving me here will change anything? You’re fools.”

“Keep talking,” Vegeta said coldly, stepping forward.

Noppal roared, his power surging as he charged at Vegeta, aiming a powerful punch. But Vegeta sidestepped with ease, countering with a devastating knee to the gut. The force sent Noppal sprawling across the rocky ground.

Gohan joined the fray, his energy crackling as he unleashed a series of rapid strikes. Noppal tried to retaliate, but he was slowing down, his reserves waning. Still, his cunning kept him unpredictable, and he managed to keep both Saiyans on their toes.

Finally, Vegeta delivered a decisive blow, a crushing punch to Noppal’s jaw that sent him crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

“Hmph,” Vegeta muttered, brushing dust off his gloves.

Moments later, the sound of a ship descending broke the quiet. The Galactic Patrol arrived, with Truffle, Tarble, and Broly leading the way. Truffle carried a small device in hand, signaling the Patrol to secure the area.

Tarble approached, his expression serious. “The other guy is in Galactic Patrol custody. He’s given us enough to pinpoint Turles’s location.”

Truffle nodded, stepping forward. “It’s a planet called Idun. That’s where Turles has been operating, and where the Saiyan race has been quietly rebuilding under his leadership.”

“Idun…” Vegeta said, his arms crossed and his gaze sharp. “Good. We’ll finally put an end to his reign.”

Truffle continued, “Before we came here, I had Meelo hack into Dakon’s ship. It had the exact coordinates to get there.”

Gohan glanced between them, his determination evident. “Then we know where to go. We can’t waste any more time.”

Vegeta’s lips curled into a smirk. “Turles won’t see us coming. We’ll strike before they even realize.”

Truffle nodded in agreement. “I’ll set the course. The Galactic Patrol will handle things here while we move forward.”

Tarble’s expression shifted as he processed the revelation. “A whole planet... hidden, full of our people. After everything we’ve been told—after all these years thinking our race was wiped out...” He trailed off, the weight of the discovery clear in his voice.

Vegeta glanced at his younger brother, his usual stoic demeanor softening ever so slightly. He looked away for a moment, as if searching for the right words. “It’s... unsettling, I know. For so long, I believed we were the last of our kind. That the Saiyan race only lived on in memory.”

Tarble met Vegeta’s gaze, surprised by the rare glimpse of vulnerability in his older brother. “Do you think they’ll even recognize us as their own? Or have they become something else entirely?”

Vegeta’s fists clenched at his sides. “That doesn’t matter. Saiyans are Saiyans, no matter how far they’ve strayed. If Turles has twisted them into something unrecognizable, then it’s up to us to set things right. This isn’t just about him—it’s about the future of our race.”

Tarble nodded, his resolve strengthening. “Then we’ll face whatever’s there together. We owe it to our people—and to ourselves.”

***

As the team loaded into Truffle’s ship, Tarble stood near the communication console, his expression softening as Gure’s voice came through. “Are you and Vegeta okay?” she asked, her concern evident.

“We’re fine,” Tarble replied, his tone reassuring. “We’ve been through worse. Vegeta’s here too—still as stubborn as ever,  but we’ll manage.”

A faint chuckle came from Gure before Bulma’s voice chimed in. “You better make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless, Tarble. I don’t have the patience to patch him up again!”

Vegeta crossed his arms, overhearing the conversation. “Tell Bulma I’ll be fine,” he said, his tone tinged with mock annoyance.

Tarble smirked and relayed the message, earning a sarcastic laugh from Bulma. “Sure you are, Vegeta.”

The brief exchange brought a moment of levity to the group before the seriousness of their mission settled back in.

As the team awaited the arrival of the Kais, a quiet tension filled the air. Moments later, the ground outside the ship began to shimmer with energy. Supreme Kai and South Kai materialized before them, standing just beyond the ship’s ramp. Their expressions were somber, their urgency apparent.

Supreme Kai didn’t waste any time. “We’ve gathered more intel about Turles’s operations. Somehow—” he began, but Truffle stepped forward, holding up the small sack containing the dangerous seeds they had recovered.

“These are the seeds,” Truffle said, her tone grave as she handed the sack over to Supreme Kai. “Turles is working with the criminal underworld to distribute these seeds across various planets. He’s not just trying to grow the fruit—he’s testing which planets can sustain the Tree of Might, with the goal of mass-producing it across the universe.”

Supreme Kai’s expression darkened. “So, Turles is planning a widespread operation, hoping to harness the power of the Tree on a massive scale.”

Truffle nodded, her voice tense. “Exactly. If he succeeds, the consequences could be catastrophic. He’ll have the means to control countless worlds.”

Gohan, standing nearby, clenched his fists. “And wiping out planets that can’t.”

South Kai frowned, his eyes darkening. “This is far more dangerous than we thought…” He trailed off, the implications heavy in the air.

“We won’t let this get any further,” Truffle added.

Supreme Kai nodded, taking the sack with a solemn expression. “We’ll make sure these seeds are destroyed. It’s a necessary step to prevent Turles from achieving whatever he’s planning.”

With the seeds now in the Kais’ possession, the tension in the air only deepened. Supreme Kai gave the group a meaningful look before he and South Kai turned to leave.

“We’ll take care of this,” Supreme Kai said. “Your path now leads to Idun. Be cautious. What you find there may be more than even you expect.”

As the Kais vanished, the team gathered their final preparations. The ship’s engines hummed to life, ready to take them to their next destination. Tarble looked at Vegeta, a quiet determination settling over them both.

“Ready?” Tarble asked.

Vegeta, his expression hardening, gave a single nod. “Always.”

The team blasted off into the skies, leaving the planet behind, and heading towards the unknown dangers waiting on Iden.

___________

Writer’s Note:

Next stop: Idun.

My favorite moment in this chapter is when Vegeta uses Instant Transmission. Ever since he learned it during the Moro arc and vowed never to use it again, I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to force his hand. Gohan coming up with the idea to fly far away from the city so Vegeta could trace his ki and use Instant Transmission to keep the city out of harm’s way felt like the perfect solution. It was such a cool and strategic moment to write.

What makes this scene even more special is how rare it is to see Vegeta and Gohan working together like this. Sure, they’ve fought in the same battles before, but they’ve never truly coordinated their attacks or worked side by side. This chapter gave me the chance to explore that dynamic, and I loved showcasing their teamwork.