"Slug?" Setsuna narrowed his eyes.
Like Turles, Slug was a character from the movies, but vastly more powerful than Turles. According to King Kai, Slug was stronger than Frieza.
However, judging from the final battle's outcome, either King Kai was exaggerating, or he didn't know Frieza's true strength and was judging based on Frieza's 50% final form.
Setsuna chuckled, shaking his head. "When Lü Bu dies, everyone claims to have Lü Bu's valor. When Frieza dies, anyone can come out and call themselves Emperor of the Universe."
This showed that Frieza's credentials were still quite solid.
"However, a nominal Galactic King being publicly wanted for his head by a villainous organization's leader..." Setsuna couldn't help but ask, "How exactly did you rule the galaxy before?"
"I... I don't know..." Jaco's voice grew quieter. "Ever since I joined the Galactic Patrol... it seems it's always been like this... His Majesty... he's very good at hiding..."
Setsuna held his forehead, 'This Galactic King was practically a professional 'hide-and-seek' champion.'
He had initially planned to simply send Cooler to handle it. With a battle power of 470 million, Cooler should have no trouble dealing with Slug. But just as Setsuna was about to give the order, a thought suddenly struck him.
'If I capture him myself and send him to Galactic Prison on charges of 'endangering galactic security'...' A glint of sharpness appeared in Setsuna's eyes. 'Galactic Prison holds quite a few 'interesting' characters, like Moro...'
That ancient demon who appeared in Dragon Ball Super, capable of consuming planetary energy, eventually sealed away by the Grand Supreme Kai who expended most of his divine power.
In fact, it was precisely because the Grand Supreme Kai had exhausted himself in that battle that he was unable to defeat Buu when they encountered Majin Buu 5 million years later.
'If I can seize the opportunity to collect a cell sample from Moro, my [Ultimate Embryo Project] can be further strengthened.' Setsuna pondered to himself. 'Moreover, Moro's ability to directly devour a planet's life essence is, in a sense, similar to the 'evolution' of Gourmet Cells. If I can analyze the principle behind it...'
"Lead the way." Setsuna stood up.
Jaco was taken aback. "You... you agree?"
Setsuna spoke with righteous conviction: "I don't particularly care about the fate of your Galactic King. But for Slug to want to become Emperor of the Universe… did he ask me?"
Jaco breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Slug was defeated, presumably no one would care about Slug's bounty anymore.
...
On the ship heading to Slug's Planet, Jaco operated the navigation while briefing Setsuna on the situation.
"Slug is a Namekian. That race was once quite prosperous, but due to environmental pollution and the destruction of the atmospheric protective layer, the Namekian homeworld became a dead planet. The Namekians were nearly driven to extinction, with only scattered individuals existing across the universe."
Setsuna listened with some amusement. He didn't need Jaco to introduce Namekians to him.
Jaco sighed. "Every Namekian I've met on other planets has been a peace-loving good person. I truly don't understand how there could be a Great Demon King among them."
Setsuna chuckled inwardly, 'What was so strange about that? I had once been driven out of the Dragon Ball universe by a certain Great Demon King of the Namekians.'
Just as Jaco was about to continue, the communicator suddenly emitted a piercing alarm!
"Urgent contact! Urgent contact!" A slightly panicked voice came through the communicator. "Jaco! Jaco, where are you? His Majesty... His Majesty is..."
"What's wrong? Calm down and speak!" Jaco's face changed dramatically.
"His Majesty has been captured by Slug's men! In three hours, they are going to execute His Majesty publicly!" The voice said urgently.
Setsuna raised an eyebrow, 'Oh dear, he didn't escape.'
"What? Three hours!" Jaco looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. "Our ship will take another twenty hours to reach Slug's Planet! It's too late! By the time we arrive, His Majesty... he will have already..."
"Calm down." Setsuna's composed voice sounded.
"But..."
Setsuna said directly, "Now, recall the presence of Galactic King in your mind. The clearer, the better."
Jaco was startled. "What?"
"Do it." Setsuna's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
Although confused, Jaco forced himself to calm down, closed his eyes, and concentrated on remembering.
Setsuna placed his right hand on Jaco's shoulder and said, "Done."
"What's done?" Jaco was about to question, but when his peripheral vision swept across the window, he froze.
The pitch-black depths of space outside had been replaced by a menacing planet, its entire surface a fiery red, covered with lava-like patterns. In orbit around the planet, more than a dozen rough, spike-covered black warships were anchored.
He stiffly turned his head to look at the ship's navigation screen. It clearly displayed the current coordinates: "Slug's Planet, Low Orbit, Distance: 1500 kilometers."
"We crossed most of the galaxy in an instant... What terrifying power!" Jaco's mind shook violently. Even the most advanced space technology in the universe couldn't traverse such vast distances in an instant. Only now did he understand the true weight of the title [Emperor of the Universe].
"That Galactic King of yours is already at the execution ground," Setsuna's voice brought him back to reality. "I'll teleport you there now."
…
Slug's Planet, Central Execution Ground.
This was a massive platform built at the edge of an active volcano crater. Menacing black totem poles stood around it, and the air was filled with the pungent stench of sulfur mixed with blood. In the center of the platform, a small figure, resembling an octopus with several tentacles, was tied up like a dumpling with thick chains, trembling… none other than Galactic King.
Around him, hundreds of Slug's fanatical underlings were cheering with raised fists:
"Slug-sama is invincible!"
"He's captured Galactic King! From today onward, Slug-sama is the new Galactic King!"
"A weak title like [Galactic King] is beneath Slug-sama! Slug-sama should be Emperor of the Universe!"
"Yes! Emperor of the Universe! Emperor of the Universe!"
The fanatical chants swept across the venue like waves.
Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous shadow at the edge of the execution ground.
"What should I do?" Merus was torn internally. According to Angel principles of neutrality, he absolutely could not use Angel power to interfere in mortal affairs.
But if he didn't use his true power, with his current guise as a 'Galactic Patrolman', it would be impossible to save Galactic King from Slug.
;'But if Galactic King is publicly executed, the order of the entire galaxy will completely collapse...'
Just as he was caught in this dilemma.
Hum!
A silvery-gray light suddenly materialized beside him without any warning.
Merus's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively assumed a defensive posture… he had completely failed to detect any spatial fluctuation!