When Hanasia threw herself into Lynx's arms, the surrounding Saiyans immediately realized the truth.
Even those younger Saiyans who didn't recognize Lynx's face could piece it together.
And the moment they confirmed that the man floating in the sky was their long-absent king, they all, as one, dropped to their knees and bowed toward him.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"Who is that guy? Why are you all kneeling?"
Some of the nearby alien visitors were baffled, watching as the Saiyans stopped what they were doing and dropped to one knee.
"Shut your mouth! That's our King—His Majesty Lynx!"
"What?!"
"That's Lynx?! The Lynx?!"
Gasps and shouts rippled through the alien crowd.
The name King Lynx of the Saiyans was now legendary across the galaxy.
Even those who had never seen him in person had heard the tale—how he defeated Frieza with his own hands on Planet Tivi.
Rumor had it that King Lynx had gone on a galactic journey and had been missing for years.No one expected he'd return today!
"His Majesty Lynx!!"
Another figure soared from the capital, racing toward Lynx—it was King Vegeta.
Among the four leaders Lynx had appointed to manage the Saiyan kingdom in his absence, only Bardock had yet to arrive.
Seeing how the entire planet had come to a standstill just for him, Lynx smiled.
"I am Lynx," he called out to the masses below."I've returned. All of you, rise."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Saiyans across the planet responded in perfect unison.
Within moments, order returned to Planet Vegeta as if nothing had happened.
Only the few guards who had tried to intercept him earlier remained frozen in place, uncertain and awkward.
Lynx glanced at them and waved his hand.
"You may return to your posts. It's been six years—it's natural you didn't recognize me."
Grateful for the reprieve, the soldiers practically fled.
Lynx then descended to the surface with King Vegeta and the others.
And the closer he got, the more he noticed just how much had changed.
In six short years, new cities had sprung up across the planet—especially in the capital, which was now a bustling hub with a constant stream of ships coming and going. It was starting to resemble a major galactic trade world.
In the center of the capital plaza stood a towering, 100-meter-tall statue.
When Lynx saw it, he laughed.
It was a statue of himself, in his Super Saiyan form.
No wonder the younger Saiyans didn't recognize his normal appearance—They'd spent the last six years seeing only his golden-haired version.
Upon entering the royal palace, Lynx once again sat upon the throne he hadn't seen in years—And Hanasia, completely unbothered by protocol, climbed right onto his lap.
"All hail King Lynx!"
Below the throne, in addition to King Vegeta, several other key Saiyans bowed in greeting.
Among them were two non-Saiyan aliens.
King Vegeta explained that these individuals now played vital roles in the management of Planet Vegeta: one was the Galactic Patrol ambassador, and the other a representative of the Galactic Trade Federation.
Lynx's curiosity sparked.
"So… what happened over these past six years? Looks like you all did a pretty good job?"
King Vegeta began explaining.
While six years may seem like a long time, for Saiyans—who were used to long missions—it wasn't unusual.
Back when they still worked under Frieza, it was common to send warriors on missions that lasted several years.
Some lower-class warriors, sent to remote worlds as children, wouldn't return for six or seven years at a time.
So during Lynx's absence, life on Planet Vegeta carried on without issue.
King Vegeta and the others had faithfully followed Lynx's instructions, continuing to grow and expand the Saiyan kingdom.
In terms of military strength, Planet Vegeta had strengthened its alliance with the Galactic Patrol, carrying out missions while assembling elite squads led by Queen Hanasia and Bardock.
Starting from Planet Vegeta, they launched campaigns to liberate the territories Frieza once ruled.
After six years, over 70% of Frieza's empire had been freed, and countless native races had regained their independence.
At first, the Saiyans' reputation still carried the fearful shadow of their past.
Some weak races assumed the Saiyans were there to conquer, trembling in terror.
Others believed that being freed from Frieza only meant exchanging one tyrant for another.
But after a cautious period, when no oppression or plunder came, they slowly began to realize—These Saiyans were not the demons they'd heard of in rumors.
As the Saiyan name became increasingly associated with liberation, many smaller races even initiated contact, requesting protection contracts from Planet Vegeta.
One thing led to another, and soon, all kinds of interstellar partnerships began to form.
To maintain these relationships, liaisons and ambassadors from other species settled on Planet Vegeta, leading to the rise of a cosmopolitan society.
And beyond warfare, Lynx had inadvertently opened another door—One that became a surprising economic pillar of the Saiyan race.
It was the capsule technology developed by Dr. Brief on Earth.
Originally, Saiyans never intended to trade Capsule Corp's tech.
Most of the capsules on the planet had simply been souvenirs brought back by Hanasia during visits to Earth.
But during an unexpected incident, some alien guests witnessed the power of the capsules—And word spread like wildfire.
They were instantly hooked.
Enter Paragus—whose keen eye recognized the opportunity.
He immediately arranged for Hanasia to strike a distribution deal with Dr. Brief, making Planet Vegeta the official hub for capsule sales.
Now, most Saiyans didn't care for wealth…
But if there was one thing Saiyans couldn't resist—it was food.
Saiyans ate a lot.
Planet Vegeta's natural production could only barely keep the population from starving.
To satisfy their monstrous appetites, they had to import food from other planets—which had previously relied mostly on mission rewards from the Galactic Patrol.
Now, thanks to capsule sales, they had a steady flow of additional income.
With money pouring in, gourmet foods from across the galaxy found their way to Saiyan tables.
The influx of rich food had an unexpected side effect:It boosted the Saiyan birthrate.
Since the capsule trade took off, the Saiyan population's birthrate had increased by a full 10%!