Chapter 33: Who is the Captain?

"An intermediate mission, so the primitive life on that planet is approaching a power level of 1000?" Celine's voice carried a hint of laziness, as these lower-tier battles hardly sparked her interest anymore.

Rebecca furrowed her brow; her daughter's attitude was unacceptable, as it could cost her her life at any moment. She rebuked sharply, "Celine, don't get cocky just because you completed the Selma mission. The missions issued by the mission control are all carefully considered. If they require assembling a Saiyan squad this time, then Planet Dadoria must be out of the ordinary. Taking it lightly could easily lead to trouble."

Still concerned, she instructed Xavier, "Xavier, make sure you keep an eye on her."

"Yes, I will take good care of her."

"Indeed..."

Celine dropped her nonchalant demeanor. Perhaps Planet Dadoria didn't interest her, but she knew better than to appear too carefree.

Subsequently, Xavier and the others packed their gear, bid farewell to Rebecca, and headed to the assembly area of the squad.

...

In a plain far from the high-tech skyscrapers, located on the outskirts of the city.

This place was about a hundred kilometers from the city center, even further from the spaceport.

Though not in the heart of the continent, the environment here was harsh; a dull yellow was the dominant hue, and the riverbeds were cracked open.

When the wind blew, tumbleweeds scattered about, rolling wildly with the gusts. In the desolate expanse, a few straight tree trunks stood tall, branching out into spherical crowns at about fifteen meters up, resembling giant lollipops stuck in the ground—typical vegetation of the desert.

Under a bushy large tree, a cluster of shade protected from the scorching sun. A cool corner where a few Saiyans gathered—two males and two females, all wearing dark brown battle suits, looking to be about eleven or twelve years old.

"Hey, I say, Belit, who do you think our captain is this time?" a rather thin Saiyan shouted.

The Saiyan named Belit shot him a glance, saying dismissively, "How would I know who the captain is, Rida, you rascal? Just don’t slow me down during the mission, huh? I don’t want to be dragged down by you before we even complete it!"

"Oh, how can you say that? After all, my power level has reached 750. If anyone’s going to slow someone down, it’s you, useless Belit!" the slim Saiyan, Rida, retorted mockingly.

"You..."

Furious, Belit stood up swiftly, his burly body lunging at Rida, grabbing each other’s tails as they started scuffling.

Belit, furious, stood up abruptly, his bulky body lunging towards Rida, the Saiyan. They began to tussle, grabbing each other's tails.

"Enough, both of you, cut it out, or you'll have me to answer to!" A sharp voice cut through the commotion. A tall, slender girl stepped forward, her clear eyes glinting with an icy chill, a powerful aura emanating from her.

"Uh oh, did Atasya get angry?"

"Definitely, we can't afford to make her mad!"

Belit and Rida immediately shivered, quickly releasing each other and freezing in place like mice who had just seen a cat. Atasya, with a battle power of 840, was unquestionably the strongest among them, and they dared not provoke her.

With a cold glance, Atasya turned to another girl beside her and asked, "Jelin, do you know who our captain is?"

The Saiyan girl named Jelin shook her head. Apart from the captain, the other members were unaware of which Saiyans would be participating in the mission. Jelin said, "I'm not sure about that, but I heard that Shakda is also part of this mission..."

"Shakda!"

"That guy is in on this mission too?"

"It must be him then; his battle power is over 900!"

Everyone was shocked, even Atasya, who exclaimed at the mention of Shakda. Compared to the prodigious Shakda, Atasya's own power seemed less significant. They were all from the same training cohort, and Shakda's name as a genius had already been well-established.

A battle power over 900 at just twelve years old wasn't extraordinary, but among his peers in their cohort, he was definitely a top contender!

They also felt a bit relieved; the stronger the captain, the higher the chances of the mission's success. Otherwise, with their current levels, they were hardly fit for an intermediate-level task.

"It has to be him, how else are we supposed to complete this intermediate mission?" Rida smacked his palm, certain he had figured it out.

It wasn't that they underestimated themselves, but simply with their current power levels, the task of subduing Planet Dadoria was too daunting.

Just then, they saw a figure flying from the distant horizon, another Saiyan in a brown battle suit, with a tall stature and determined eyes, his long hair standing tall—it was Shakda, the one they had just been discussing.

Upon landing and seeing the four Saiyans before him, Shakda's calm gaze showed a flicker of dissatisfaction. In a deep tone, he asked, "Why is it just you four forming the team this time? Where is the captain?"

Hearing Shakda's question, everyone was visibly taken aback. Wasn't Shakda their captain?

Rida, surprised, asked, "Shakda, aren't you the captain?"

"I am not," Shakda responded coolly, a spark of interest in his eyes. "I too am eager to find out who our captain is."

"How can that be? If not you, then who is the captain?" Belit exclaimed in disbelief. The geniuses of their age were well-known, and aside from Shakda, there seemed to be few other candidates. "Could it be Aijela, Kael, or... Pabenles?"

Atasya, however, shook her head, "It can't be them; I know they are all on other missions right now."

"Could it be someone from a higher cohort then?" Jelin suggested.

Everyone's eyes lit up, casting appreciative glances at Jelin. That made sense; aside from their own cohort members, it could very well be someone from an older cohort. The mission to subdue Planet Dadoria was extremely challenging, possibly involving foes with battle powers exceeding 1000. It would be quite normal to appoint a Saiyan from a higher cohort as the captain!

They didn't consider candidates younger than themselves. Firstly, they inherently didn't believe that any younger, intermediate-level warrior could be that strong. Secondly, Shakda was already the standout among the intermediate fighters in their cohort, and there wasn't much variation in capability within their age group, making it hard to break that age barrier.

But the actual situation might just defy their expectations!