Dragon Ball Z: The Beast Within

Remember if you want to read up to 5-10 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

Currently on CH10

Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz

Enjoy you sexy bastards.

Update Schedule: Monday and Friday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Escarot POV.]

The very next morning, I made my way to the deployment area. It was my first time seeing the place, and it was as chaotic as I had expected. Maybe even worse.

Saiyans were coming and going, some stepping into their ball-shaped ships, others returning from missions, covered in bruises and blood, grinning like lunatics. The air reeked of burnt metal, smoke, and dried blood—fitting, considering this was where Saiyans were sent off to conquer planets and where they returned from their slaughter. 

Had the circumstances been different, I would've been sent to do the same. 

Conquer a planet. Wipe out its people. 

I was very glad that wasn't the case. Even if my mission was… unique. Not to say ridiculous.

I shook that thought out of my head and made my way toward the designated meeting area. It wasn't hard to spot the two figures waiting there, because there were only two. 

One of them was Okara. 

She stood with her arms crossed, looking as impatient as ever, now decked out in a fresh set of Saiyan armor. Hers was the same standard design most low-class warriors wore—white chest plate, dark bodysuit, boots—but noticeably, she didn't have the shoulder pads. Shoulder wings? I don't know. They just weren't there, unlike mine. 

She noticed me immediately, her scowl deepening. "About time, slowpoke." 

"You are asking for our superior to kill you, brat," a voice deadpanned beside her. 

I ignored her and turned to the other person standing next to her. A man, probably in his late thirties, wearing a scouter and a much simpler armor design. He wasn't big, but he had a sturdy build, his dark hair tied into a short, messy tail. 

The guy straightened as soon as I walked up, clenching his fist over his chest in a proper Saiyan salute. 

"Escarot, sir," he said, voice formal. "I'm Garlik. I'll be serving as the engineer for this mission." 

I blinked. "Uh… engineer?" 

Garlik nodded firmly. "Yes, sir. I handle ship maintenance, navigation, and technical support. I'm not a combatant, but if need be, I can be of assistance." 

I glanced at him, using my scouter to check his power level. 602. 

He was stronger than Okara. But despite that, he wasn't a warrior. 

His potential must've been deemed too low for combat. So, he got shoved into engineering instead. 

That was the thing about Saiyan society; if you weren't strong enough to be a full-fledged warrior but not weak enough to be an infiltration baby, you got thrown into the jobs nobody else wanted. Engineers, medics, technicians, the ones who kept everything running but would never be seen as equals. 

Funny, considering those jobs were what most humans back on Earth would actually want. Here? It was a disgrace.

I glanced around. "…Is this it?" 

Something… felt off.

I had honestly expected more people, especially considering this mission came directly from Beerus himself. And well… disappointing him was usually a one-way ticket to non-existence.

Okara huffed. "Yeah. Some squad." She shot Garlik with a skeptical look. "What do we need him for? We babysitting some scientist or something?" 

Garlik's eye twitched slightly, but he didn't rise to the bait. "My job is to ensure our mission runs smoothly," he said simply. "Even if the mission itself is… unconventional."

Yeah. Unconventional was one way to put it. 

Because while every other squad in this area was preparing to go wipe out planets, conquer civilizations, or gather valuable resources… 

We were off to complete the most important mission in Saiyan history—finding a pillow.

"Okara, don't antagonize the engineer," I sighed, "Or do you think you can repair our ships if they break down in the middle of deep space?"

"I could try." Okara replied, crossing her arms.

I rolled my eyes. "And that is exactly why we have Garlik here. Besides, he's stronger than you, so shut it will you?"

Okara's jaw clenched, but she said nothing else. Saiyans respected strength, and if Garlik was stronger than her, then she had no right to challenge him. She might not like it, but those were the rules.

"When do we depart, sir?" Garlik asked.

It was honestly weird seeing someone five times my size treat me like that.

"Well," I began, however, before I could finish my sentence, I felt my scouter beep.

A large power level was approaching.

8109.

I turned my head as a group of Saiyans marched toward us—twenty of them.

All of them were geared up and ready for deployment. They moved like an actual squadron, unlike my tiny three-person "team."

And leading them was the guy with the 8109 reading. He was the strongest, with the weakest one having a power level of 1981.

Based on his power level, the one leading them was a high-class warrior, at least 6 foot tall, with a scar cutting across his chin and a sharp, assessing glare. His hair was wild, not as extreme as most Saiyans, but just enough to give him a permanently aggressive look.

Though to be fair, most Saiyans, including me, had that… permanently aggressive look to us.

The guy stopped a few feet from us, arms crossed, tail flicking lazily behind him.

His scouter beeped again as he glanced at me. I saw his brow twitch slightly when he read my power level.

Then, after a moment, he smirked.

"So," he drawled, voice dripping with amusement. "You're Escarot."

I didn't like the way he said my name. Like he had already made up his mind about me.

I kept my expression neutral. "And you are?"

His smirk widened. "Parso. High-class warrior, squad leader of the elite force working under King Vegeta. And it looks like we'll be working the same mission."

I blinked. "Wait—what?"

A few of the Saiyans behind him chuckled, clearly enjoying my reaction.

Parso tilted his head. "What, you thought you were special? That you were the only one sent to complete this special request?" He scoffed. "No, no. The King isn't stupid. He's not putting all his hopes on you, no offense."

You know, if the tone when he said that had been different… I wouldn't have taken offense to that. But alas, his condescending tone and attitude were making my fists feel particularly attracted to his face.

I felt my jaw tighten.

Two squadrons. One mission. 

And my squad? 

A low-class brat that still hadn't completed her mandatory training, an engineer, and me.

Meanwhile, Parso had twenty Saiyans, all fully trained warriors, following his lead. 

Yeah.

I finally understand what felt off about this entire thing.

This wasn't about completing the mission. King Vegeta didn't want that.

This was about setting me up to fail.

Normally, a first deployment would be under the supervision of a veteran, someone experienced enough to guide new recruits so they understood how things worked. But here I was, being shoved out as a captain on my very first assignment. 

And it wasn't because I was being rewarded. 

King Vegeta had sent me out with nothing while stacking an entire elite squad against me. 

Which meant he either:

A: expected me to fail.

B: expected me to die.

or C: he just really didn't like me. 

I wasn't sure why he was pissed at me, but he was, though honestly? 

I didn't care.

Because unlike his hairline, I wasn't going to fail my mission.

I wasn't going to die. 

And if the King thought stacking the deck against me was enough to break me? 

Then he didn't know what kind of stubborn bastard he was dealing with. I was already stubborn as a human, being a Saiyan just made that trait way worse or better, pick your poison.

Parso smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Oh, and before I forget—" He reached into his armor and pulled out a small, rectangular device. "King Vegeta wanted me to pass this along." 

I narrowed my eyes as he tossed it to me. I caught it with one hand and glanced down at the screen. A list of planets immediately popped up. 

Parso's grin widened. "That's a list of restricted locations. The King personally assigned me those planets to check. You? You're not authorized to visit any of them." 

I looked back up at him. "So I get what? Whatever scraps are left?" 

"Looks like it," he said mockingly, arms crossed. "Wouldn't want a rookie captain stepping on the King's carefully laid plans, right?" 

I felt my fingers tighten around the device. I honestly had no idea what this guy's problem was, but fuck I hoped his ship exploted on his way back.

Parso chuckled. "Try not to get lost, Escarot. Would be a shame if you never made it back."

That's it, I officially hate this guy. He will be the first one I beat up once I increase my power.

With that, he turned and walked off, his squad following behind him, laughing amongst themselves. 

I exhaled through my nose, glancing back down at the screen. 

A whole list of planets. All off-limits to me. 

King Vegeta really wanted to make this as difficult as possible. Just what did I do to make him so… angry at me, and why was he punishing me indirectly? It's not like he can't just beat me up, he is the strongest Saiyan… currently.

I exhaled slowly, turning the device over in my hand before looking up at Garlik. "Hey. Take a look at this." 

I tossed it to him, and he caught it effortlessly, pressing a few buttons on the side to bring up the full data log. His scouter beeped as he scanned the information, his brow furrowing. 

"What is it?" Okara asked, peeking over his arm. 

Garlik's frown deepened. "This… This is a compiled list of all known planets in the Planetary Trade Organization's database that specialize in luxury sleeping products." He scrolled through the names. "High-end pillow manufacturers, mattress artisans, worlds that produce the softest fabrics… It's all here." 

I crossed my arms. Of course. 

So that was the King's game. 

He had basically handed Parso every planet with the highest chance of success and left me with… whatever wasn't on this list.

"But how in the hell can we complete our stupid mission if we can't go where they make the best pillows?!" Okara asked, almost growling. 

Garlik hummed, scanning the data. "No idea, but if we're looking for the best pillow in the universe, the planets you're not allowed to go to are where we'd probably find it."

I sighed. "Figures." 

I stared at the list of restricted planets, my mind working through every possible option. 

King Vegeta had blocked me from every reasonable place to find a high-quality pillow. The PTO's best luxury markets were off-limits, and even if I ignored the King's orders and went to those planets anyway, I'd just be running into Parso's squad—and as much as I would've loved to kick his face in, he was currently too strong for me to face.

So, what could I do? 

How the hell was I supposed to find the best pillow in the universe if every place that actually made good pillows was locked out? 

…Unless. 

An idea sparked in my head. A dumb one. A really dumb one.

But it just might work. 

What if I didn't find the best pillow? 

What if I just wished for it? 

I knew Namek had Dragon Balls.

If those things existed here, then all I had to do was befriend the Namekians, have them collect them, summon Porunga, and wish for the most perfect, godly, softest, most luxurious pillow in all of existence. 

Boom. Done. Mission accomplished. 

I looked up at Garlik. "Check the database for Planet Namek." 

He blinked. "Namek? Why?" 

"Just do it." 

Garlik frowned but didn't argue. He pressed a few buttons on his scouter, pulling up the PTO records. A few moments later, his brow furrowed. "Huh. Found it." 

I stepped closer. "And?" 

"Well, sir… it's… considered worthless." 

I raised an eyebrow. "Worthless?" 

"Yeah. Says here it's a planet under PTO jurisdiction, but it has no value—no resources, no market, nothing worth selling, there's no market for it. So, they never bothered conquering it." 

I smirked. Perfect. 

A planet no one cared about meant no Saiyan had any reason to be there, no Frieza, no Cold. No Parso, no interference, no one watching my every move. 

This could actually work. 

I crossed my arms. "Good. Set the coordinates for Namek. That's where we're going."

The mission had a deadline of five years. That gave me… more than enough time to exploit, and the Namekians were the best place to start. Now, the tricky part was avoiding the PTO finding out anything about the dragon balls.

For that, I would probably need to get rid of our scouters and keep Okara and Garlik far away from the Dragon Balls.

Garlik and Okara both stared at me like I had just suggested we fly into a black hole for fun. 

"…Namek?" Garlik repeated, clearly thinking he misheard me. "You wanna go to Namek?"

Okara scoffed, crossing her arms. "The hell for? You just heard him—there's nothing there." 

I shrugged. "Exactly." 

That didn't seem to help. 

Okara narrowed her eyes. "You do realize we're supposed to be looking for a pillow, right? Not sightseeing on some worthless rock?" 

Garlik was frowning, clearly trying to figure out my logic. "Yeah, I don't get it. Why go to a place the PTO doesn't even care about? If they marked it as worthless, then it's worthless."

"The King clearly wants us to fail, considering what he did… so we might as well enjoy our journey," I replied. 

Okara still looked skeptical, arms crossed tightly. "Enjoy what? Flying to some random green rock and doing nothing?" 

I smirked. "Who said we'd be doing nothing?"

I would take this time to train, and then sweep in with the magically created pillow for Beerus to enjoy. Two birds, one stone.

Garlik sighed, rubbing his temples. "I feel like I'm gonna regret asking this, but… what exactly do you think we're going to find on Namek?" 

I shrugged, playing it casual. "Dunno. But hey, it's not on the restricted list, is it?" I tapped the device Parso had given me. "Which means we're free to go there." 

Garlik exhaled slowly. "Technically, yes… but that still doesn't explain—" 

I cut him off. "Look, either we go enjoy our free vacation traveling around, or we spend our time aimlessly flying through space hoping a pillow magically appears in front of us." 

Okara scoffed. "Yeah, well, that'd be faster than this dumb plan." 

I just shrugged again. "Guess we'll see." 

Garlik stared at me for a long moment, then sighed in resignation. "Well, you're the boss. I'll set the coordinates on our pods." 

Okara grumbled under her breath but didn't argue. 

And just like that, our journey to Namek began.

I wonder if I can convince Guru to unlock some of my hidden potential. 

—------------------------------------------------------

[Third Person POV.]

[Whis.]

The gentle clinking of fine porcelain echoed through the grand dining chamber as Whis carefully set down Lord Beerus's final meal before his scheduled nap.

A five year nap.

For some species that was a lifetime, but for Lord Beerus? It was merely a short rest.

The Destroyer yawned, stretching slightly in his throne-like chair, golden eyes lazily scanning the dishes before him. Plates stacked high with the finest delicacies, prepared by some of the greatest chefs across multiple star systems.

It was quite the spread.

And yet, as Whis stood by with his ever-present smile, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Specifically, to a certain Saiyan child, he had found particularly amusing.

Escarot.

What a fascinating little creature.

It wasn't his power that interested Whis; though for a saiyan his age, it was certainly impressive. No, what had truly caught his attention was how the boy had played Lord Beerus.

A mere child, standing before a God of Destruction, had not trembled. Had not panicked. Had not groveled or foolishly blustered.

Instead?

He had worked him.

Stroked his ego. Fed his pride. Amused him.

And in doing so, Escarot had walked away not just unscathed, but with exactly what he wanted.

How… delightfully clever.

Whis's smile didn't waver as he watched Beerus dig into his pre-nap meal, but inwardly, he chuckled.

That Saiyan was not like the others.

His soul… was older than his body.

Of course, reincarnated souls were not uncommon. The cycle of life and death across the multiverse was a complex, ever-moving thing. But rarely did a mortal retain so much of their previous self.

And this particular mortal?

This particular Saiyan?

Oh, this promised to be very entertaining in the long run.