I Am Raditz

That evening, the elders of Planet Yardrat gathered in the banquet hall. They had heard that a foreigner wanted to learn their secret techniques—something they hadn't encountered in quite some time.

Normally, such a request would merely warrant a brief meeting for discussion. Why throw an elaborate feast?

The elders were thoroughly puzzled.

"I heard it's a Saiyan this time," one whispered.

"A Saiyan? Aren't they Frieza's professional thugs?"

"Shhh... be careful, don't let him hear you. Soba said he's a powerful warrior who stood against Frieza. He and his companions actually defeated Frieza."

"Perhaps that's why we were summoned to the banquet hall. Still, the Saiyans have such a terrible reputation..."

"It'll be fine if we all vote against his request, as long as we remain united..." The gesticulating female elder cut herself off mid-sentence. "Here they come."

All eyes turned to the head of the long table, where Leader Soba appeared with Raditz at his side.

Though Raditz maintained a friendly smile, the elders regarded him with suspicion. The deep-rooted prejudice against Saiyans was difficult to overcome—there were simply too many horror stories circulating throughout the universe.

"Everyone, this is Raditz, the Saiyan I mentioned. He wishes to learn our techniques. I've gathered you here to seek your opinions. Before making any decisions, Raditz has prepared a meal for us all. Please enjoy this feast."

After Leader Soba finished speaking, he clapped his hands. Servers approached from both sides, bringing in dish after dish of prepared delicacies.

The traditional Yardrat diet was quite monotonous, consisting primarily of various fruits and roasted meats. They considered most vegetation inedible and never incorporated it into their meals.

Raditz had made extensive preparations for this visit. He'd brought a universal capsule containing Earth seasonings and ingredients specifically for space travel.

His plan was to introduce these otherworldly beings to Earth cuisine, giving them an entirely new understanding of the concept of "food."

Knowing they might be unfamiliar with chopsticks, Raditz had thoughtfully provided thin gloves and spoons, and had portioned each dish appropriately.

The table was now laden with colorful dishes—reds, greens, and everything in between—none of which looked familiar to the Yardrats. They exchanged bewildered glances, uncertain how to proceed.

"Is this... actually edible?"

"I'm not sure. That one's color reminds me of caterpillar droppings."

"Hmm... I smell something enticing, more appetizing than anything I've encountered before. Let's see how Master Soba handles it."

The elders wore expressions mixing embarrassment and confusion as they whispered among themselves. Simultaneously, they glanced at Soba, waiting for their leader to demonstrate.

But Soba himself was equally perplexed. They had never eaten such food, and some of the seafood dishes were completely foreign to them—creatures they'd never even seen, let alone consumed.

Seeing their hesitation, Raditz picked up a spoon and helped himself to a meatball, bringing it to his mouth.

The elders immediately mimicked him, each taking a spoonful onto their plates.

The braver ones tasted immediately, while the more cautious continued to observe.

"CLANG!"

Suddenly, Soba's spoon dropped from his hand and clattered onto the table. His eyes widened, and the word "DELICIOUS!" erupted from him as if a volcano had exploded in his brain!

Every nerve was stimulated, his taste buds ignited with sensations, and the wonderful flavors entered his throat and seemed to flow throughout his entire body before returning to dance on his palate.

Raditz had only learned basic home cooking, but even these simple dishes were absolutely extraordinary to the Yardrat palate. They suddenly realized that their traditional diet of plain meat and fruit had been utterly bland by comparison.

"This is incredible!" an elder exclaimed, eyes wide with astonishment.

Abandoning all decorum, Soba took another massive spoonful and continued eating. The sound of his enthusiastic consumption made everyone's mouths water.

"ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!"

Like a whirlwind, the elders quickly devoured nearly half of the dishes, then reluctantly set down their spoons with loud sighs of contentment. Their faces radiated pure joy, their only regret being that they hadn't met Raditz sooner in their lives.

After setting down their spoons, they picked up some of the grilled meats. The cooking method was similar to their own barbecue, but these had a layer of seasonings they'd never experienced before. Seeing Raditz bite directly into a piece, the elders followed suit, dignity forgotten as their faces became shiny with delicious oils.

With each bite, the flavors exploded in their mouths! Soba repeatedly shouted "Delicious!" and "Exquisite!" in sheer bliss, his face a portrait of complete satisfaction.

By the end, the Yardrats had transformed into curious children, peppering Raditz with questions.

"What is this dish called?"

"Scrambled eggs with tomatoes."

"What are tomatoes? And eggs? What kind of bird laid these eggs?"

Raditz: "..."

"And this one?"

"Steamed sea bass."

"What about this? And this?"

...

The group of elders, having just discovered a whole new culinary world, were completely conquered by Earth cuisine. They pointed at each dish with shining eyes. Sensing the perfect moment had arrived, Raditz played his trump card. He snapped his fingers, and the servers, receiving his signal, brought out several steaming containers.

"What's this?" Soba asked.

"This is an amazing food I used to eat all the time—instant noodles!"

Instant noodles?! The elders couldn't wait to try them. Watching Raditz pick up a fork and twirl some noodles, they eagerly mimicked his actions.

As the noodles entered their mouths and they slurped the rich, flavorful broth, the Yardrats once again fell into culinary ecstasy, delighting in the springy texture and savory taste.

Everything was proceeding exactly as Raditz had planned. Food truly was a passport to the entire universe—it could win over even a God of Destruction, let alone these elders!

"So, do you have any objections to my learning your techniques? I genuinely came here to study," Raditz casually interjected, timing his question perfectly.

The elders paused and exchanged glances. Initially, they had been firmly against teaching a Saiyan their skills and had discussed rejecting him before the banquet. But the delicious food before them and the unfinished instant noodles were rapidly changing their minds.

"Well, I also brought some extra ingredients and instant noodles for when I train..."

"Ahem, I think it would be acceptable," the female elder who had initially suggested rejecting him was the first to speak. "Since he truly wishes to learn, we should give him a chance."

"Yes... I agree."

"Absolutely."

All the elders immediately concurred without hesitation, and Soba nodded quickly to express his approval.

Raditz's stay meant continued access to this magnificent food. As for teaching him their techniques—well, what harm could it do?

They cast their votes solemnly, then promptly returned to their meal...

The next morning, Soba asked Raditz to change into traditional Yardrat attire and took him to meet his mentor—the wisest being on the planet and the master of Instant Transmission—Elder Pybara.

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