Dragon Ball: Reborn as King Cold

"Take me to Vegeta."

My voice was firm, authoritative, leaving no room for argument.

The Saiyan before me visibly stiffened, his tail momentarily twitching before he lowered his head in obedience.

"Y-Yes, of course, Lord Cold."

He turned sharply on his heel, motioning for me to follow. As we moved through the capital city, I could feel the weight of countless eyes upon me. Saiyan warriors, soldiers, even elites.

Not that it mattered. 

Before long, we reached the royal palace, a massive fortress of dark stone, standing tall against the blood-red sky. The doors opened at our arrival, revealing a grand hall leading directly to the throne room.

The moment we stepped inside, King Vegeta was already waiting.

He sat upon his throne, his red cape draped over his shoulders, his expression a carefully crafted mask of pride and suspicion. But I could see the slight tightening of his jaw, the way his fingers clenched ever so subtly against the armrest of his throne.

He was tense.

As he should be.

For a moment, the room was silent, until, with a swift wave of his hand, Vegeta dismissed every single Saiyan present.

Guards, advisors, warriors, all of them left without question, the heavy doors closing behind them. Now, it was just him and me.

Only when we were alone did he finally rise from his throne, his piercing gaze meeting mine.

But I did not wait.

With slow, deliberate steps, I walked forward, and without a second thought, I sat upon his throne.

A deliberate act of dominance.

A show of power.

Vegeta's brow twitched, but he did not react immediately. He was smart enough to know that any resistance would be suicidal.

Instead, I let the silence hang between us for a moment before speaking.

"Vegeta… I imagine you're wondering why I'm here, aren't you?"

I leaned back against the throne, my tail curling lazily over the armrest, my eyes never leaving his.

I could see the battle playing out in his mind, his pride clashing with his fear.

And I was going to enjoy every second of it.

I let the silence stretch for a moment longer, savoring the tension in the air. Then, in a calm, measured tone, I spoke.

"I recently learned of your son's birth."

It was a lie, of course.

I didn't need anyone to inform me, I simply remembered. This was the exact year of Vegeta's birth. 

But the moment the words left my mouth, I saw it.

The slight, nearly imperceptible shift in Vegeta's stance.

His shoulders tensed. His fingers twitched at his side. His jaw tightened ever so slightly, though he made a conscious effort to keep his expression neutral. But I could see it, the flicker of concern in his eyes, quickly masked by a hardened glare.

He knew what my words implied.

A ruler of my status does not bring up a newborn child without reason.

For all he knew, I had come to erase a potential threat before it could grow.

I let the tension linger for a moment longer before I leaned forward slightly, resting one elbow on the armrest of his throne.

Then, with a small, amused smirk, I added.

"Don't worry. That's not why I'm here."

I could see the slightest hint of relief in his eyes, but it was fleeting. He was still on guard. As he should be.

I exhaled, as if bored of the topic already, before shifting the conversation.

"Tell me, Vegeta… do you know of a certain Paragus?"

His brows furrowed slightly at the sudden change in topic.

"Yes" he responded after a brief pause. "Why?"

His tone was cautious now, carefully measured.

He didn't understand what I was getting at, but he knew better than to dismiss my inquiry outright.

I studied him for a moment, my fingers tapping lazily against the throne's armrest.

Good. He was playing along.

Now… it was time to seal Paragus' fate.

"I want you to bring him to me."

I leaned back against the throne, my tail curling lazily over the armrest.

"I need to have a conversation with him."

Vegeta's expression remained unreadable, but I could tell his mind was already racing. He knew I didn't make casual requests, especially not like this.

His hesitation was brief.

With a slow nod, he answered.

"As you wish, King Cold."

He turned on his heel, his cape swaying as he walked toward the exit of the throne room. Before stepping out, he barked an order to the nearest guards.

"Find Paragus. Now."

The Saiyan elites wasted no time. In an instant, they were gone.

Now, all that was left was to wait.

A short time later, he was brought before me.

The throne room doors swung open as two Saiyan elites entered, each gripping Paragus by the arms. They pushed him forward, forcing him to step into the center of the vast chamber.

But what caught my attention wasn't their rough treatment, it was him.

Paragus wasn't trembling.

He wasn't panicking or desperately pleading for answers like most would in his position.

Eyes sharp with curiosity rather than fear. His tail swayed behind him in a slow, deliberate motion, and though he wasn't smiling, there was a certain… composure about him.

I rested my chin on my fist, watching him in silence for a moment.

This wasn't the reaction I had been expecting. Most Saiyans, when suddenly summoned before the former emperor of the universe, would at least show a hint of apprehension.

And yet… Paragus only showed calculated patience.

Was he truly that confident, or was he simply too foolish to understand his place?

I let my tail flick lazily before finally addressing him.

"You don't seem very anxious, Paragus."

My voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge to it, a subtle warning that I was already studying him, already deciding whether or not his existence would continue past this conversation.

He met my gaze without hesitation.

And then, he finally spoke.

"Should I be, Lord Cold?"

There was no arrogance in his tone. No mockery. It was a genuine question, yet laced with an unspoken challenge.

I smirked slightly and leaned forward on the throne, my voice as smooth as ice.

"We have received intelligence suggesting that you have been plotting a rebellion against the established order on Planet Vegeta."

I lied, of course.

Paragus' expression did not change, but I could see the subtle flicker in his gaze—the way his fingers twitched ever so slightly. Doubt. Confusion. But he did not interrupt.

I continued, my tone even and deliberate.

"Several of your fellow Saiyans have already confessed. They claim you were the instigator, the one who sought to sow discord among your own people."

The lie dripped from my lips effortlessly, woven so seamlessly into reality that it could almost become truth.

"And as you surely understand, I cannot allow such instability to take root. It would stain the Empire..."

I exhaled, as if truly burdened by my next words.

"I'm afraid I have no choice but to eliminate you."

"You have my condolences."

Paragus barely had time to react.

With a single fluid motion, I formed a blade of pure Ki, its edge crackling with deadly precision. Before he could move, before he could even process the weight of my words, I drove it straight through his chest.

His eyes widened in shock, his mouth parting slightly, but no words escaped him, only a strangled gasp. His body jerked, his muscles locking as the searing energy burned through his very core.

For a fleeting moment, there was silence.

Then, with an almost detached curiosity, I watched as the life in his eyes began to fade.

His knees buckled.

His body trembled.

And then, with one final exhale… he was still.

I let the Ki blade dissipate, allowing his lifeless body to slump to the cold floor beneath me.

There would be no Broly.

Not in this timeline.