《Dragon BAll- Hermit Shen [A Human Story]》


 Master Shen

    ''Life is truly odd. Who would''ve thought I would die a virgin in my thirties and transmigrate into a man over 300 years old? That''s more than a whopping tenfold increase in age.''


    "Sigh! Fate reveals itself in rather unexpected ways, it seems," he exclaims out loud, confusing the people before him.


    These are his students, lined up training in the horse stance with their toes pointed forward, knees bent, and backs straight, supported by their hips.


    On this hot, sunny morning, sweat shines majestically on their bald heads.


    Reflecting their school, their attire consists of fully green pants and sleeveless shirts, with yellow belts tied around their waists. Everyone here wears a pair of black laceless shoes; typical of martial artists.


    As the master of this school, the old man naturally resembles his students: a green, Eastern-style sleeveless long coat, underneath which he wears matching yellow pants and shirt...


    Weirdly¡ªor not so weirdly, in his case¡ªthe man also sports a cap with a crane figurehead on top.


    "Master? Do you have any new instructions for us?"


    The students ask their master, who just a moment ago was standing there as if in some kind of trance. Of course, they didn''t dare call him out of it. Why risk being punished when, for all they knew, he could simply have been meditating?


    "No, no! Keep on going with what you are doing. I will be leaving the school grounds for a while. Something requires my immediate attention."


    Before the students could ask any further, Master Shen disappears...


    A certain cranky old man walks down the stairs of the mountain upon which the acclaimed Crane School sits.


    If one is ignorant of the man''s prestigious identity, at first glance they may think of him as a regular old street swindler or a crook, the kind that will scam even a poor beggar... But of course, such thoughts should be left where they came from¡ªin the head.


    For someone who would dare say such a thing is certainly either brave or stupid, though mostly stupid. Like who in their right mind would call a person they just met a crook?


    The master takes one step at a time as he figures out his current situation. "sigh!" ''I have no idea how many years prior to the main story I am in....''


    ''When will Son Goku arrive on Earth?'' Unknowingly, his fingers start stroking his catfish-like whiskers. "This is really a dilemma..."


    "Hmm?" ''What did I do just now? I never had a habit of feeling my facial hair in the past. How did I suddenly develop such a habit?...'' To have such a habit, you need to have facial hair. In his previous life, his facial hair were few and far between, so he always had them shaved clean.


    ''Did the old geezer''s memories affect my mind? That''s the only explanation!''


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ''Obtaining the original Master Shen''s memories was like experiencing my favorite movie. I viewed those events unfold as if I was right there when it happened.''


    ''But even so... although I felt somewhat connected to the events in his life and could even acquire all the knowledge and wisdom that Master Shen gained throughout his whole lifetime, I wasn''t taken over by those memories.''


    He hypothesizes that this happened because the soul inhabiting this body is his, while the actual soul; Master Shen, has vanished, leaving behind his material body and mind full of memories and experience but no familiar soul to be attached to them.


    ''But it seems I am not entirely correct. Albeit not enough to wholly change my personality, it looks like I have been somewhat altered by his memories.''


    Wandering down the steps, he lays his eyes on an out-of-place well at the foot of the mountain.


    Magnetized by the well for no specific reason, he walks up to this source of life. Gazing down, he sees a reflection.


    "That''s me, huh?" One really can''t get used to looking like a fossil after living for just 30 years. This is a brand-new experience for him.


    ''I must fix this... Dragon Balls, yes! Finding them must be my topmost priority.'' Thankfully, he was a huge fan of Dragon Ball in his last life. Rewatching the series more than ten times, you could even say he was obsessed with it.


    ''But before that, I quickly need to improve my strength.'' With his current strength, he is nothing but a frog inside a small bucket, which is floating at the bottom of a well, and surrounding the well is a vast ocean filled with uncountable sea creatures.


    ''These old bones haven''t worked for a long time. They have become rusty. I reckon the fastest and simplest ways to get stronger for me right now are probably Korin Tower and a gravity chamber. However, there are problems with both approaches.''


    ''To climb Korin Tower, my body has to be at its best, but currently, that certainly is not the case. I could ask a scientifically advanced organization to make me a gravity chamber, but that would probably take a long time to create.''


    ''After all, in this time period, advanced technology is pretty rare on this planet. Though I did hear Hoi Poi Capsules have just been invented by Dr. Brief, Bulma''s dad, so thankfully it''s not impossible.''


    ''For now, I suppose I need to do it the crude way: carrying rocks and wearing weight bands. They are always evergreen.''


    Walking through the village at the foot of the Crane School mountain, he encounters many of the regular villagers going about their day.


    "Good morning, Master Shen." "Did you have your breakfast Master Shen?" They exchanged all kinds of greetings, mostly normal stuff that goes on when you meet a revered community member.


    Some, however, had important requests for the old martial arts master. "Please save us from the wild animals that are ravaging the lands." "Please take my son in as your disciple."


    Even though the old Master Shen was a greedy old geezer, in the eyes of the villagers, he still maintained his image as a wise old martial saint, apparent with his title as the Tsuru-Sen''nin (Crane Hermit).


    Assuring the villagers that their requests will be looked into, he returns to the school.


    The students were arduously continuing their training. Right after completing their one hour of horse stance exercise, they had moved on with their daily 500 push-ups regimen.


    He spends the next few hours guiding his students in training. This is no big deal for him; after all, he has the same knowledge and experience that the old Master Shen had.


    It was already time for lunch when the whole school took a break. Their lunch consisted of healthy fruits and juicy meat. After politely devouring their food like the starving monks they are, everyone takes their afternoon nap.


    Move well! Learn well! Play well, eat well, and rest well! [AN- the Greatest line ever told]


    After his nap, Master Shen yet again descends down the mountain.

 My Training has Just Begun

    "A good blacksmith and a tailor, I need those two." His body needs constant pressure to improve all the time; weight bands and cloth fitted with heavy materials will do just that.


    He himself doesn''t have the expertise to create such objects; he needs a professional. Arriving at the home of the only blacksmith in the village, he knocks on the wooden door.


    The door clacks open, and from inside comes a short but bulky man with well-defined muscles and thick facial hair, looking like a dwarf.


    "Ooh! Master Shen, good evening. What could have been the occasion for you to come to my humble hut?" he asks while bowing his head out of respect for the old gentleman.


    "It''s nothing special. I just had a request for you, blacksmith-kun."


    "Please do so, Master Shen. What would you like me to make? I will put my whole heart into it if it''s for you, sir!" he thumps his chest.


    "I need you to make me a heavy back weight that I can carry like a backpack, something like a turtle''s shell. Along with that, I need a pair of heavy arm, shoulder, and leg pads. They need to be easy to put on and shouldn''t hamper my movements."


    "Lastly, I want you to work with the tailor and make me a set of heavy, full-body attire."


    For a moment, the blacksmith is overwhelmed by such requests, but then he claps his face with both of his palms and focuses his eyes on the old hermit, wondering why he would need a set of heavy armor instead of light and nimble ones.


    However, it is beyond a common man like him to comprehend the workings of a hermit''s mind. His only job is to fulfill his customer''s request.


    "The first part of your request is easy to fulfill, but the latter is hard and complicated. Heavy clothes... I haven''t made such a thing in my entire life... but as this is your request, Master Shen, I will try my best."


    Shen shows a satisfied smile. "That will do... there is a first time for everything. I am sure you can do it."


    Even if the villagers couldn''t complete the second request, Shen could just go to the city, so it wasn''t a very big deal. Though currently, he was in no mood to leave the school; he wants to first properly adjust to this new body and reality.


    The blacksmith, heartfelt by the trust, happily takes the measurements of Master Shen.


    Before leaving the place, he assures the blacksmith not to worry about the cost. In his long life, Crane Hermit had accumulated quite the wealth, and even if that were to someday run out, he had other methods for the future.


    "I will now pay a visit to the tailor. Farewell." He heads to the tailor shop and again explains his request to the tailor too.


    Completing what he wanted to do in the village, he returns to the school.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    In only two weeks after the request, his first set of training equipment is completed. During that time, he had trained while carrying stones and smashing rocks. This in itself had been a rather fruitful endeavor.


    Though for better efficiency, the heavy weights are certainly better.


    The training set didn''t disappoint Shen. The five-centimeter-thick arm and leg weights are quite heavy in themselves, and with the addition of the heavy back weight, they are more than 400 kg altogether.


    Putting on the heavy weights, he feels his muscles pulled down due to gravity. Although not at the level to immediately tire out a person of his caliber, if worn for a long period of time, the accumulated pressure will give even a master like him a hard time.


    He walks out of his personal courtyard and goes into the large, unoccupied rocky ground. The mountaintop is rather wide, so there won''t be anyone to disturb him here.


    Just as he is about to throw a kick, the ground starts shaking as loud squalling and hollering of a giant creature can be heard...


    As he looks behind, he sees an animal that looks like a giant purple hog with two branch-like horns and a pair of butterfly wings, galloping on its hooves.


    "Inoshikacho!"


    Rushing up to its master, the pig takes a sudden break, lifting up a small dust cloud in front of it. "Oink!"


    The pig slowly bows its head in a respectful manner, totally contradicting its beastly appearance.


    "Haven''t seen you for a while. How were your days roaming around the forest? You were gone for nearly two weeks; I was sure you became someone''s dinner."


    The pig jerks its head and grunts, implying the joke isn''t funny.


    "Hahahah!" He laughs, confusing the pig. The Master Shen it knew rarely laughed, and even if he did, it would be a mocking, smug laugh. This genuine laugh reminded the pig of the old days, when it was just a piglet and its master was a lot more joyful.


    The pig starts tearing up a little. "Huh? Oi, what happened? You want a mate or something?" He soothes the pig, patting its head and rubbing its back like it''s some kind of dog.


    After a minute or so, the pig walks away, hopping around with joy, finally letting its master start his training.


    First, to test his strength, he starts off by throwing some kicks and punches in the air. Spinning and jumping, he checks his agility with the extra weights on.


    Most of the time, the training he does isn''t really unique or groundbreaking. They are just your regular old pushups, sit-ups, and such. Simple and common exercises are always the effective and useful ones.


    The only exercise noteworthy enough is the different balancing exercises he does, such as one-arm handstands and meditating while stabilizing on only a single set of toes.


    Absorbed in his desire to get stronger, another four mundane weeks go by like a packet of potato chips inside a fatty''s belly. He didn''t even notice it.


    Today, his students deliver him the newly made heavy cloth he had requested. They had done a great job.


    The dress includes a heavy but comfortable cap; this one has no weird crane figurine at the top. There''s a long black tunic with red borders, a sleeveless vest coat to wear outside the tunic, and a pair of heavy wristbands and slip-on shoes worn by martial artists. And of course, a regular-looking black pant.


    "The blacksmith and especially the tailor have really outdone themselves. Who knew there were such talents in this out-of-nowhere village."


    Muscles tweak and bones compress as he walks. When he runs, the ground itself starts shaking. The combined weight on him has now nearly reached 700 kilograms.


    "This is perfect. The strength exerted while moving around with these heavy weights stimulates most muscle fibers in my body. But this may be a little too much, even for me." He shakes his head and shuts his mouth. Gulp! He takes a deep breath, then exhales all his doubts and uncertainty.


    After his mind freshens up, he continues on with his daily training. Nothing other than the weights he carries has changed. With heavier weights, he will just have to take a longer time to do each exercise.

 Brother!, Is It??

    Today as usual, early in the morning; While the disciples are earnestly sweeping the floor clean of any dead leaves and dust, a sudden loud booming noise disturbs the monotonous atmosphere.


    Clearly startled by the noise; everyone rushes to their school''s backyard from where the noise had come from.. The same rocky ground where their master regularly trains.


    "Who or what could have caused such a ruckus?" On their way, one of the disciples wonders aloud.


    another disciples has a guess, "You don''t suppose it''s him, right?"


    "It could be!" everyone else responds with a drop of sweat trickling down their bald heads. Fifteen years ago; during their early days at the school, they would regularly hear such noises.


    "It has to be him.. Master Tao Pai Pai... But why now?? right when Master Shen is out on his morning run, his brother had to show up. How are we going to handle this?" the oldest of the students laments.


    .


    .


    .


    "Today marks exactly six months, two weeks, and two days since Master Shen started his training. Other than instructing us students here and there, he hasn''t really interacted with other people," the oldest student explains the situation to the eccentric man who stands before him.


    With his Chin up to the sky, The middle-aged man looks weird to say the least. He has a small thin mustache and black ponytail styled hair tied with what appears to be a red ribbon. His clothes, on the other hand, are the same as his brother''s, with slight color differences.


    the trembling disciple feels the temperature drop, Both his arms holds onto one another.. struggling just to keep his balance.


    "Master has told us not to allow any visitors," he speaks meekly with a slightly crouched back.


    Fearful to even look at the man before him; who stands with hands behind his back like it''s nobody''s business...


    The man tilts his head down. "Really now?" With just that gaze, he could kill the poor soul. Similarly even his voice is unnecessarily heavy, having a chain-smoker like voice, but unlike your so-called cool smoker friends from school, he actually has the face to match his harsh voice.


    "Though of course!" Fearful of the man, the student quickly adds; "Such rules don''t apply to you, Master Tao Pai Pai, our master''s own brother."


    "Good! So... when does he return?" Tao Pai Pai plainly questions.


    Some five or so disciples further explain the situation to Tao Pai Pai and prepare some tea for him, while everyone else nervously keeps an eye on the situation from a safe distance, hoping for their master to return quickly.


    Return the Crane Hermit did, after a whole hour that is.


    As he gradually enters through the school''s large main gate, he finds the place oddly quiet. This piques his interest.


    "What could have happened? Aren''t there supposed to be loud karate yells at this time of the morning?"


    He directly starts searching, as he has no need to change clothes after the run. While running outside, he only wears the heavy cloth and not the metal weights. Nowadays, just the clothes aren''t enough to give him a sweat.


    Upon not finding anyone inside the school walls, he walks out to the backyard, sensing something from the place.


    ''Even if my ki sense isn''t that great yet, people are gathered here.. that''s for certain.'' He enters the backyard and is surprised to see how most of the students are gathered together right on the doorsteps.


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    "Master!! It''s master!!" one student calls out to his fellow disciples.


    "Master! Thank God he''s here!!" another one exclaims.


    One by one as all the disciples hear the shouts of his arrival; they start chattering among themselves. it is as if they are in some sort of assembly, waiting for a politician to make a speech.


    "Ahem!" Master Shen clears his throat, and the chattering subsides.


    Although slightly annoyed by the enthusiasm of his students, he keeps his cool and asks why they are gathered here.


    A while later, fully Understanding the situation, he approaches this brother of his.


    The five students that were serving Tao Pai Pai, are just kneeling with one leg before the man. unsure of what to do next, as Tao; the to-be assassin of the future, is also calmly standing in his place.


    Then to the exhausted disciples'' relief they hear the loud shouts of Master Shen''s arrival. followingly sounds of footsteps reach their ears.


    "So you returned, Tao Pai Pai!! How was your journey?" Master Shen asks in a nonchalant manner. "Did you notice anything interesting in the outside world?"


    "Well, it wasn''t too bad. Technology has certainly improved. How about you, brother? How were your days? Looks like you have gained some muscles." Tao replies in a similar calm manner.


    "It''s so-so, nothing much. Let''s talk inside. I have some delicious tea just right for today."


    Master Shen then turns to the disciples.


    "You guys too, finish your own duties and make preparations for a party, hurry!!"


    "Yes, Master Shen." Happily, the students execute a 90-degree bow. After all, who wouldn''t be enthusiastic for delicious good food?


    ...


    Peacefully sitting on a chair, the two brothers slowly sip their tea in the courtyard adjacent to Master Shen''s room.


    The aroma of herbal tea blends in with the fragrant whiff of flowers that reach their table from the nearby indoor pottery garden.


    But something doesn''t sit right with Tao Pai Pai. Slowly but continuously, he sways his chair back and forth, seemingly possessed by a teenager trying to balance on just the two back legs of the chair.


    Most would leave it as weird behavior from a weird man, but that is not entirely correct in this case. There''s an itch in his heart.


    ''This is odd... very odd. Elder brother would start an argument whenever he had a chance. Such a peaceful tea time, it''s not possible for him.''


    Tao Pai Pai wonders if the grumpy old coot had hit his head on a rock. The new change is apparent, as in the past, the two brothers would argue over the simplest of things.


    But Tao Pai Pai doesn''t linger on it for too long, attributing it to a simple change in a person''s mindset.


    Master Shen, however, has a completely different idea in his mind. The old guy''s uncaring eyes give the menacing glint of someone who would kill you in a heartbeat. The future world''s best assassin, however, isn''t skilled enough to notice this hidden intent.


    ''Tao Pai Pai! It seems he has noticed a change in me, probably from my behavior. It''s a given, as these Brothers have been together for nearly 300 years. I knew he would notice even the most subtle changes... There''s no hiding it.. So Tao pai pai, see this as natural growth in your brother and leave the topic behind... it''s for your best!!''


    The day goes by as usual for the school. Shen and the students still do their regular training, albeit less compared to their other days.


    The sun falls down the horizon as the moon takes over, commencing the homecoming party. Everyone eats and drinks to their heart''s content. The whole of Crane School has a good time.


    ...


    The next morning, Tao Pai Pai wakes up to a surprise. His brother apparently wants to leave the school for some time. The two have a short explosive argument, resembling their old days. And like the those days, the older of the two brothers, wins again.


    Master Shen''s banter couldn''t be outdone. "Tao! It was I who instilled the basics of martial arts into you, and now are you disobeying me, your big brother? Show some respect to your elder."


    During these six months, he has grown a lot closer to the students, so without someone capable in charge, he couldn''t just disappear from the school and leave the students be for long.


    Although all the students are well-disciplined, the former Master Shen''s teachings have warped their mindset. Without anyone to oversee them, it''s hard for them to agree on anything.


    But now, leaving the school and his disciples in Tao Pai Pai''s care, he doesn''t have to worry about anything. Tao Pai Pai wouldn''t kill or severely injure any student without his approval. He isn''t a professional killer just yet. Atleast, that is what Shen belives is the case.


    For some while now, Shen has been planning to go out and do his own thing. His more than six-month-long training has shown its results. His strength has recovered to its prime. He can now put some of his plans into action.


    For one, there''s treasure hunting. He remembers from the early Dragon Ball anime of there being hidden underwater pirate treasure near the oceans of Kame House.


    "That old geezer Roshi even had a map for it. I need to first get that map."

 The pirate base

    Like how Turtle School is known for its physically strong fighters, Crane School is known for its weird supernatural abilities. One of those abilities is flight/levitation. Being the master of Crane School, Shen obviously has a very high level of mastery over it.


    He soars through the sky using a technique called Sky Dance. Utilizing his ki, he can keep flying for hours on end, and the only reason he would even need to stop would be because of mental exhaustion.


    He flies over mountains and reaches the vast ocean. Taking a short break, he stops at a small seaside town to replenish his body with some food and drinks.


    "Now let''s pick up the pace," he mutters, rushing over to Kame House, where Master Roshi, his supposed archrival, lives. "Hehe! All those treasures are mine for the taking."


    He knows the general location of Kame House, but finding Master Roshi''s tiny island home proves more challenging than he had anticipated.


    Finally, after searching the surrounding ocean for nearly two hours, he finds the house. However, dusk is already nearing.


    The sun is a bright orange in the west. "Sigh, it''s impossible for today. I''ll have to steal the map tomorrow." He decides to camp on a nearby island for the night.


    The next day, right from the break of dawn, he keeps an eye on everything happening at Master Roshi''s Kame House.


    An opportunity presents itself when Master Roshi heads out to the ocean on his motorboat, perhaps to complete some personal errand.


    This is the perfect opportunity to search for the map, as the old pervert has even taken his pet tortoise along with him.


    Rummaging through every likely place where the map could be kept, he leaves behind a trail of mess, with no care about keeping the break-in a secret.


    Fortunately, he finds the map after only searching for a few minutes. It was kept on top of a bookshelf.


    "I should have searched here first," he mutters. Unrolling the map, he spots the underwater cave where the treasure is hidden, hard to miss with a distinct red cross mark over the location.


    "The cave is northeast from here, and it''s considerably far... Hmm! I should first get out of here."


    Leaving Kame House, he flies off at rapid speed, reaching his destination in a short one hour of travel time.


    "This is the place; the cave must be somewhere down here." He takes out a tiny capsule from his coat pocket, clicks it, and throws it at the water. Poof! It transforms into a small yellow submarine.


    "These Hoi Poi capsules are pretty handy, huh! Hope this submarine is also good enough." After all, a fortune was spent buying this brand-new, recently released product from Capsule Corp.


    He enters the submarine and dives deep underwater in search of the elusive cave.


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    Finding nothing on the ocean floor as expected, he dives further down a deep ridge wide enough to be called a valley. He remembers the cave entrance being somewhere around the walls of the ridge.


    The ridge reaches unknown depths, so it''s nearly impossible for him to search its every nook and cranny, but thankfully he doesn''t have to. The entrance is somewhere along the upper section of its enormous cliff face, and he''s sure of that much.


    Knowing where to look, he quickly finds the cave. Capsule Corp''s advanced sonar definitely comes in handy.


    "Here I come, my treasure! Full speed ahead!"


    The submarine goes through the massive cave opening... "Wait a minute, this isn''t massive at all. Wasn''t the opening supposedly large enough to fit a massive military submarine?"


    "At least the initial portion should have been that wide. It''s supposed to get narrower the further ahead we go. This one is a tight fit from the get-go. Hope it doesn''t get any narrower than this."


    His hope isn''t scattered as the submarine is able to pass through the whole length of this watery tunnel. The narrow cave even connects to a wider one.


    The tunnel opens up to a large body of water. He has reached a massive cavern. "Light! Yes! I have reached the harbor. So this route was the one Bulma used when getting out of the cave."


    He maneuvers the submarine to the surface of this underground lake, finding a pocket of air at the surface.


    He opens the top hull of the submarine and takes in real air after a long, congested ride.


    "Now I have to hurry. The pirate robot protecting this place should be coming any time now."


    He didn''t want to fight the robot and risk damaging the cave. Goku and the team, having done that, had to make a quick exit from the collapsing cave, leaving all the treasure behind.


    He spots the stone underpass leading further into other sections of the cavern, but to reach it, he has to walk on open land, which will take some time he can''t spare.


    "I could defeat the robot, but that could cause an explosion. What to do?..."


    "Hmm?" He looks over to his side. There''s an antique battleship docked in the harbor. "Maybe, I could."


    He jumps out of his submarine and onto the old ship left behind by the pirates. He glances around the ship and finds what he was looking for: a long iron chain with medium thickness and great personality. [A/N- yes]


    Wrapping one end of the chain around his left hand and carrying the remaining with his arms, he drops down the ship, landing on the harbor''s concrete floor.


    Looking like a chained criminal, the old Master Shen waits for the robot to show up.


    The pirate robot doesn''t make him wait long. Creaking and cranking its rusty old metallic body, the skull robot that resembles a xenomorph, due to its enlarged skull, greets him with its sword.


    Master Shen avoids its sword swings easily by creating some distance from the robot.


    Noticing this, the robot is about to rain some bullets with its other arm when...


    "Oh my, I can''t let you do that."


    Shen quickly spreads his arms, dropping the middle section of chains and swinging the remaining end with his right hand like a cowboy about to catch a horse.


    He flings the chains at the robot, ensnaring its head. Then, in a flash, he approaches the robot.


    Up close, he starts making circular rounds around it, further wrapping the alien-looking robot and, while he''s at it, destroying its weapons in the process, especially its electric tail. He had to completely tear off this troublesome part.


    With its limited movement capabilities, the robot is helpless.


    Finally, the deed is done. The robot has been immobilized. To further ensure that it can''t cause any harm, he binds the robot with the old battleship''s anchor and tosses it into the ocean.


    "Thank you for your continuous service." Wiping aside an imaginary drop of tear, he gives the pirate base''s guardian a final¡ª"I will make good use of you when I take over the computer system."

 Rich Man

    "Now for what I came here for!" Shen turns toward the underpass.


    A minute or two pass as he speed-walks through it. At one point, the path splits into two, making him pause for a second to decide which way to take.


    "Well, both eventually lead to the same place," he thinks, and without giving it much thought, he takes the left path.


    The path winds up in a dead end with a wall in front of him. He wonders if he remembered wrong...


    Suddenly, some sort of contraption is set off, and the floor below him splits open like a double door.


    With a jolt, he starts free-falling, but with his powers, he controls his descent and softly lands on a squishy surface. "Ohh! What''s this? A rock??"


    Yet again, something feels off. The surface he''s standing on starts to wobble.


    A loud, beastly voice erupts, "Heh! Heh! Heh! It''s been a while since I had some food."


    It''s a giant octopus¡ªhe''s standing right on top its head.


    The octopus wiggles its tentacles toward its newfound prey. "Thanks for the meal!"


    However, to its displeasure, Shen easily dodges by jumping into the air. While airborne, he fires two somewhat weak ki blasts at the octopus''s rubbery limbs.


    The octopus squirm around in pain. Two of its tentacles have gone from slippery and agile to rough and dry.


    The octopus is in a dire situation. "Please wait, sir! Over the years, some humans stored a large amount of treasure here. I can bring you there if you spare me."


    "Really now?" Shen looks toward the pond, beside the octopus.


    "Yes! Yes! Are you going to spare me?"


    "No, I''m going to eat an octopus." With a final ki blast, the octopus is cooked to a crisp. The taste isn''t that great, however.


    "I need to dive down this pond." He removes most of his clothing, leaving only his pants, and dives underwater. He notices a canal opening up to another part of the cavern.


    Following the waterway, he resurfaces in another section of the cavern. Finally, he has found the treasure room.


    "There''s the goddess statue." Of course, he didn''t forget about the multi-armed goddess statue, that guards the treasure.


    As he gets close to it, the statue''s eyes open, and it starts raining down swords from its multiple arms.


    Shen skillfully dodges all the swords and proceeds to open the three treasure chests laid in front of the statue. One turns out to be empty, another is a trap chest that fires an automatic machine gun at him, and the last one contains a key¡ªfinally, something useful.


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    There''s a keyhole on the platform where the statue is placed. He inserts the key.


    Click! The mouth of the statue opens, and shining treasures flood from it, perfectly landing on the middle chest.


    "One can''t help but drool over all this treasure," Shen slowly exclaims to himself. Who could blame him?.


    He lived a dirt-poor existence in his past life, doing below-average salary jobs, with most of the money spent on living expenses.


    Smearing his hand over the heap of gold and jewels, he gets lost in his own thoughts...


    "There are more treasures hidden in this room. I remember one is behind the walls of this statue, but where could the others be...?"


    "Either way, I have a long time to find them. For now, I need to convert a portion of my wealth into actual money and turn this abandoned pirate base into a highly secure lab. Wealth means nothing if I don''t use it well, and what better way to use it than to invest in the future."


    "With my own scientists working for me, I can have them build things like a gravity chamber, Dragon Ball radar, spacecraft, and much more..." His mouth curves into an evil smile, though it only ends up looking silly on his old, wrinkly face.


    "But first, I need to find a capable scientist. Dr. Gero and Dr. Brief are out of the question. Dr. Gero is too elusive, and I can''t just kidnap the world-renowned scientist¡ªBulma''s father¡ªwithout potentially destroying the timeline. What if Bulma isn''t born? What if Goku doesn''t become a Super Saiyan because of me?"


    Shen isn''t as concerned about Goku''s future as he is about his own. You always need a backup if things go wrong, and who fits that role better than Goku? None! Son Goku''s second name is Backup Goku.


    "I can always find another scientist, but not another plot-armor king like Goku. He''s also hardworking."


    "I don''t need a scientific menace like Dr. Gero who can create planet-busting androids. I just need a good enough, above-average scientist."


    However, no such person comes to Shen''s mind at the moment. "Well, either way, I''ll have to search for my future scientist outside, under the sun. No point staying in this hole."


    For the time being, Shen leaves the cave on his submarine, taking some large fist-sized diamonds and other jewels along with him. They''re likely to fetch a large amount of money.


    Getting out of the waters, he flies off to West City, where he plans to sell the diamonds after learning about the market price.


    ...


    West City is a modern metropolis with trees still remaining, giving off the vibe of an advanced society that combines nature with the future¡ªvery different from his previous world.


    Shen''s old brain is astonished. "King Furry is truly praiseworthy." [A/N- King Furry is the king of Earth.]


    He floats around the city, drawing amazed gazes and wide mouths from the regular city folks, but he doesn''t care about it...


    He''s searching for any large jewelry shop where he can sell his diamonds, but instead, he finds something more interesting.


    The Capsule Corporation¡ªhe sees Bulma''s home and research facility. "But why is there a line here?" he lands and asks a passerby.


    "Don''t you know? Today, Capsule Corporation is selling a large part of its stocks. These are all the big businessmen who have come here in person."


    "Is that so?" Understanding the situation, Shen gets a sinister idea.


    He floats up to the front gate of Capsule Corporation. He raises his finger, points it toward the sidewalk, waits for it to clear of people, then... "Dodonpa!!" Boom!


    "Get out of here!" he shouts frighteningly loudly. Everyone panics and rushes out of the place.


    "Now then." He slowly walks up to the front counter behind the gate.


    The accountant or whatever he''s called, sees an ancient demon walking up to him. If he hadn''t gone to the toilet not long ago, he would have wet his pants by now.


    "Call the president of your company." A bucket of ice-cold water is poured over the employee''s head. "Y-yes sir, right away." His boss had ordered to deny any requests to meet him in person, but...


    "Who cares about that right now? Saving my own neck is more important."

 The Scientist

    Presently, early in the morning, Shen is leaving West City after spending the night there.


    He has gotten everything he wanted from the city. He met Bulma''s father; Dr. Brief, and has now bought a ten percent share in Capsule Corp.


    Since the company isn''t yet the giant it will become in the future, the share prices were at least reasonable, granted he spent two-thirds of the treasure he had on hand.


    Still, who is he now?¡ªa very rich man. he can always go back and bring more wealth from the cave. the pirate treasure has made him unfathomably rich, maybe even the richest in the whole world.


    Dr. Brief was also a rather free-spirited person. He was chill and enthusiastic about technology. But More importantly, with Dr. Brief''s help, Shen has found the perfect scientist for his private lab...


    According to Dr. Brief, this friend of his lives somewhere in the snowy highlands, north of East Capital.


    So Shen is flying northeast right now.


    Dr. Flappe¡ªa man who appears in the Muscle Tower arc of the larger Red Ribbon saga.


    He had almost forgotten about this scientist. Being that he had only made a minor appearance in the original Dragon Ball series, he didn''t leave much of an impression.


    But now, since Shen recalls who this man is, he is sure of who his scientist is going to be.


    Although Dr. Flappe is just an above-average scientist, he is a man of honor¡ªmeaning he can keep secrets. Cherry on top, he is also a loner who can work diligently in one place for a long period of time without any distractions. . . . . . Like a Slave.


    Swooo!! He increases his speed, out of excitement. . . . . .


    "The world is starting to get brighter. Is it because I am having a good day?" ¡ª No, it is because it''s the middle of the day, and he is about to reach the snowy highlands where Dr. Flappe lives.


    Before entering the snowy highlands, he buys a map of the area, not wanting to risk getting lost in such a place.


    He then goes around the snowy villages, inquiring the inhabitants about Dr. Flappe''s whereabouts...


    After searching many different villages for nearly a week, he finally finds the man in a remote place called Jingle Village.


    From what Shen heard from Villagers; He resides in a wooden house located deep within the forest of Jingle Village.


    Shen knocks on the red-plank door.


    Following a creak!, the door opens.


    A person gradually comes into view.


    Right away, Shen recognizes the man. It''s hard not to, as the man has a bird''s nest for a head. Blue-haired weirdo, that''s how Dr. Brief described him.


    "That''s about right!" Shen blurts out.


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    "Sorry??" The weird bird-nest-man looks confusingly at the old man standing on his doorstep...


    He tries to remember if he knows the guy but nothing comes to mind. "Who might you be, old sir?"


    Shen clears his throat. "Oh, sorry for that. I am called Master Shen; people also know me as the Crane Hermit."


    "Y-You mean?... The Crane Hermit, Master of the renowned Crane School?" Dr. Flappe asks with a suspicious look. Anyone who knows a little about the world knows the names of the two renowned schools of martial arts and their leaders.


    "You seem to be doubtful?!"


    "It is hard to believe such a world-famous master would visit me here."


    Shen smiles. "Worry not, I will show you my proof."


    Dr. Flappe watches in astonishment as the old man''s feet leave the bounds of Earth, contradicting all common assumptions of human limitation.


    Exceeding even that, the strange old man now in the sky fires what seems like a laser beam from his index finger.


    A loud thunderous sound echoes in his unbelieving ears as his legs become wobbly, while he somehow balances himself.


    "Who would have known humans had such capabilities?" He looks in awe as the unforgettable man descends from the snowy white sky, akin to a god.


    "So, do you believe me now? If I had my official identity card right now, I could have also show you that."


    "No! No! This is more than enough. Sir, Please come inside." Extending his arms, he shows his guest the way in.


    He seats the old master on a sofa and brings him a cup of tea and some snacks. Following that, he himself sits on a sofa opposite the one his guest is sitting on.


    "What could I do for you, sir?" Slowly and cautiously, he asks the hermit. "You must have a reason for troubling yourself all the way here, right?"


    "I do have a reason... or rather a proposition for you. You see, I am trying to build a research laboratory, but I didn''t have a good scientist to help me with it... That is until I found out about you. I have come a long way searching for you, and I want you to help me."


    "Me? Really?" Dr. Flappe is dumbfounded. He never would have guessed that was the reason. afternall He isn''t a very accomplished or talented scientist.


    "Why would you trust a failure of a scientist like me? Please, I request you find someone else. Just about everyone is more talented than me." he sees himself as such, afterall during his university days, he was never able to outdo a real genius like Dr. Brief.


    this has essentially lead him to believes that he could never hope to compete with an actual genius.


    "I found your location from Dr. Brief." Shen calmly states.


    "Really?" Dr. Flappe is a little astonished and even a bit skeptical. Always losing to a one-sided rival, does take a toll on someone.


    "Yes, really! How do you think I found you? It seems he vaguely remembers you as a noteworthy rival... he was curious about what you were up to nowadays."


    All of a sudden the once downcast Dr. Flappe become lively. he feels his heart beating rapidly, as blood and adrenaline rush throughout his body.


    "So, are you with me, Mr. Scientist?" Shen asks with warm smile.


    "Yes!" A word escapes the man''s throat, with a slight elation to it.


    ...


    Shen departs from the northern highlands, leaving his new employee to sort things out. They have agreed to meet at the nearby West City in a month.


    Currently, he is aimlessly flying in the azure sky. "Now where should I go? Karin Tower? ...No, not yet."


    Unexpectedly, he decides to go out of his way and do something very uncharacteristic of him.


    He fixes his direction southward. There''s a certain brat he wants to meet.


    He jets off to a not-so-popular place called Mt. Paozu.


    ...


    "Wow! This place is even more beautiful than it is in the anime. Even remembering it through the previous Master Shen''s memories doesn''t do it any justice."


    The scenic slender mountains, comparable to towering pillars that kiss the heavens and pierce even the clouds, would convince anyone; it''s the mythical dwelling of dragons.


    Shen explores the area, looking for something. After searching for some time, he finds it: a peculiar one-story pagoda-style cabin.


    Even without entering, he immediately finds out with his Ki that there is no one in the house... so he waits... he waits for the owner to arrive.

 The World is Large

    The homeowner arrives and it goes without saying, the property belongs to none other than Son Gohan, grandpa of Son Goku.


    Old Gohan is surprised to see a guest at his place; not many people visit this part of the wilderness after all... But then, upon paying closer attention to this supposed visitor.


    he instantly notices something wrong. "Crane Hermit!!"


    Alarmed, he immediately drops the firewood he was carrying on his back.


    "Why would a distinguished rival of my master like you pay a visit to a junior like me?" he asks while stretching his chest muscles. "Do you want a fight?" Gohan isn''t yet the hunched-back old fogey that he will be in the future. At this time, he has a steroid physique, not unlike Master Roshi in his buffed-up form.


    "Although I didn''t come here for that, a fight is inevitable, I suppose. However, keep in mind that later on, after it''s done, we must have a civil discussion regarding something," Shen calmly answers while cracking a fair few knuckles himself.


    Gohan smirks, suspicious of Shen''s words. He believes all the talk to be nothing but a trick to deceive him. "So should I go easy on you?"


    "No, of course not. I meant to soothe you of any worry. As people call me the great merciful sage, you won''t be kicking the bucket today."


    Shen acts in line with his haughty attitude, but be that as it may, he internally wonders about Gohan''s extreme attitude.


    Shen''s remarks, other than the obvious sarcasm, make Gohan feel something off with the present situation. ''Did Crane Hermit really not come here, believing now to be the perfect chance to finish me off?'' Perhaps he has misjudged the man.


    He is conflicted if it''s actually possible for people to change their innermost tendencies.


    "Then I am grateful for your generosity, Master Shen." Gohan decides to indulge in this hope for once. Joining his hands together, he bows his head, yearning to resolve the long conflict.


    Age, along with its myriad of ups and downs, has made Son Gohan tired of fighting for old enmity.


    Shen''s eyes exhibit a novel glint. "Heh! I thought you had forgotten all your manners. Then come at me. As your elder, I will let you have the first strike!"


    ''If this truly does not turn out to be yet another evil ploy from the Crane Hermit, this could actually be a good fight'' Gohan muses in his heart, with clear excitement on his face.


    "Then if you don''t mind, I will do just that."


    Son Gohan sprints from his place, rapidly speeding toward his target. In a split second, he is already launching a kick. It''s a round kick from the right.


    Shen isn''t a slouch either. He blocks the kick with his elbow and, subsequently stepping forward, he answers the kick with a punch of his own.


    Yet, the punch doesn''t land. Gohan avoids it with a backflip. Even in old age, he hasn''t lost his flair.


    But Shen is also relentless. "Tch! Then let''s see you respond to this!!" He pursues his opponent.


    Right when Gohan lands from his backflip, a knee comes flying toward his face. The surprise has Son Gohan''s heart bulging out of his chest.


    He somehow manages to cover his face with his arms, but that leaves other parts of his body wide open. Of course, Shen wasn''t letting this chance go. His fist successfully lands on his opponent''s unprotected abdomen.


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    Gohan spews a mouthful of blood.


    "You have become rusty," Shen remarks at the poor old guy.


    He follows up the attack with a continuous barrage of kicks and punches.


    However, by now Gohan has already recovered from the earlier punch.


    He skillfully dodges most of the strikes, with only a small number of them landing on him.


    At the same time, he doesn''t just avoid the attacks, he also retaliates in the same fashion with his own punches and kicks.


    To an untrained eye, this may look like a regular brawl, but it is far from it in actuality.


    Both of them are precisely hitting each other''s acupuncture points. It''s the oldest trick in the book, but it is effective. Every attack that lands makes both of them suffer through a world of pain.


    The fight has yet to become one-sided, as both of them return each strike thrown at them, retaliating against their opponent in the same manner.


    ''This is going nowhere.'' Bored with the dull, changeless battle, Gohan decides to take the battle up a notch.


    Abruptly, the pace of the battle shifts. "Zanzoken!" shouting so, he seemingly multiplies into ten people, each one his exact mirror image and all surrounding his opponent, Master Shen.


    "Ooh, finally, this is getting interesting," Shen remarks. Any inexperienced fighter would be mystified and shaken by the sudden increase in opponents, but naturally, no such thing is happening here.


    He isn''t called the Crane Hermit for nothing. In his 300 years of life, Shen has seen it all, and this high-speed afterimage technique is no different.


    Even if it was a little difficult even for him to follow his opponent''s movements, he didn''t need to do that. Why do the hard thing when you have an easy solution?


    "Solar Flare," he shouts with his fingers around his eyes. Not even a millisecond passes as pure white light envelops his surroundings.


    So unimaginably bright is the light that anyone in its vicinity would temporarily be rendered blind. This applies to anyone with eyes; even godlike beings are no exception.


    Shen didn''t just train his body during his training. He had also created the Solar Flare technique. It''s a very useful technique that was supposed to be developed by Tien Shinhan, but now he has beaten his disciple to it.


    "Without a sliver of doubt, it''s a technique able to stand the test of time," he remarks as he observes his squealing and screaming opponent, whose eyes are shut, blinded by the intense flash that had caught him off guard.


    "This is the end, Dodon-paaa." Son Gohan''s ears ring with the dreaded voice of his opponent, not even able to properly make out what was said when suddenly, out of nowhere, the poor guy gets hit by the laser-like Dodon Ray.


    For a few seconds, all seems to be lost for Gohan, but unexpectedly, as his vision returns, so does his vigor. Gradually, he stands up, albeit with a great deal of difficulty.


    There''s a burn wound on his chest, from which blood is trickling out. "Thankfully, it''s just a flesh wound," Gohan mutters as he slowly but surely reels from the attack.


    Shen waits for Gohan to recover, as he still had one last thing to test.


    Finally, after a whole minute, Gohan recovers enough to continue the battle, his firm gaze fixed on his opponent, who nearly took his life.


    Unbeknownst to him, Shen was planning to discontinue the attack if it became life-threatening, but who would have thought Gohan was able to shield and reinforce his body with Ki.


    So in the end, out of curiosity, he ended up firing a continuous barrage of Dodon Rays, coming to his senses only after 15 whole seconds had already gone by.


    For him, such sadistic behavior would have been something unprecedented in his previous life. The inherited nature of the previous Master Shen had come so naturally that he himself doesn''t even seem to realize it yet.


    Now Shen looks at his exhausted opponent and amusingly asks, "So, can you keep going?"


    "Phew, I still have one last thing up my sleeve. Haaa! Haaa!" Gohan responds, making Shen confused as to whether the last two sounds that come from his mouth, were laughter or just him breathing heavily.


    Either way, they have now decided on the final showdown, and it goes without saying the ending is gonna be a showdown of their exceptional ki.


    "Ka Me Ha Me Haaa!!"


    "Doo Don Paaa!!!"


    Two waves of ki confront in a spectacular display of might... the dormant winds become vigorous, creating strong whirlwinds; sweeping the soil and raising dust clouds.


    The conclusion comes with Gohan drained dry of all his energy to continue but still his life remains intact.


    The aftermath of the clash; leaves the ground, directly below the point of contact with a desolate, charred crater.

 Korin Tower

    "Are you certain they are a million times stronger than you and me?" Gohan tries to reconfirm the unbelievable things he just heard.


    He only gets a nod in return.


    "If that''s really the case, the world... no, the universe is truly amazing," he blurts out.


    "Yes, the universe is so unimaginably immense that if some aliens decided to invade us right now, the power we earthlings currently possess wouldn''t even be worth mentioning. There are beings out there who can erase us in an instant," Shen says firmly.


    "But didn''t you say we have better martial-art techniques than them?"


    "Our martial arts are worthless if we get exterminated on a whim. That''s why I ask for your help. You don''t have to do much... just stay alive, grow stronger, and train strong disciples. Only if we can do that much, will we have a chance at survival."


    "But can we truly resist the aliens with just that?"


    "I can''t exactly say what will happen in the future, but we can survive. Human resilience, at least, is unmatched in the whole universe."


    "So how do we grow stronger? I don''t see how I can get stronger at this age."


    To that, Shen stays silent. He just reprimands Gohan in his heart: ''Even old Roshi, a 300-year-old fossil, could get strong enough to fight in the Tournament of Power, so why can''t you? Your innate talent shouldn''t be worse.''


    Although he thinks all that, he obviously can''t say it... and it''s also not like he doesn''t understand Gohan''s uncertainty.


    It is only natural to doubt his words. Before coming here, Shen had worried if Gohan would even believe anything he said. Thankfully, such worry turned out to be unfounded as at least Gohan is willing to listen.


    So he further reasons with Gohan.


    "Of course, it''s hard for humans to reach the dominating power that some races are just born with, but that doesn''t mean it''s impossible. If we can utilize every opportunity and talent we have, we can usher in a new age for humanity."


    "Are there such opportunities available here on Earth?" Gohan excitedly asks.


    "Yes, there are, and even in other places in the universe where we can find such opportunities. Are you willing to start a new journey after the end?"


    Gohan takes a long breath. "So a different future from dying a stagnant death? Of course I am in," Gohan affirms with a convincing voice.


    "Hahaha, I knew you would agree. So why don''t we get to it right now! Hahaha," Shen laughs confidently.


    "You want us to start now?"


    "Yes, we are going to climb the Korin Tower."


    "Ehh? But I am still recovering," Gohan''s fatigued face pales.


    "Worry not! It will take us some time to reach there by vehicle. You can recover on the way."


    "But still!" Gohan''s eyebrows twitch with unwillingness.


    After three days...


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    In a vast forest, somewhere along the northern hemisphere


    A tall, imposing structure comes into view from inside a peculiar car.


    The vehicle flies slightly above the treeline. It is on its way to the tall tower.


    While the car rapidly approaches its destination, inside it, one of the passengers, Son Gohan, exclaims something...


    "I thought the name Korin Tower sounded familiar. So it''s really the tower of the god of martial arts that Master Roshi had talked about long ago."


    "Exactly! Now we just have to climb this tower and do a sort of training there. Although I heard it took Roshi three years to pass the test, we could probably do it in three days."


    "Can we really?"


    Shen is adamant in belief. "Rest assured, Roshi was nothing but a youngster when he climbed the tower. We, on the other hand, are already old men. It would be more weird if we didn''t complete it in three days."


    ...


    Halfway through the tower, the two old fogies are already heaving like donkeys.


    Night has already fallen; however, darkness hasn''t completely enveloped them, as the starry sky has provided them with sufficient light.


    "Looking up from the base, I knew it would be tall, but not to such a degree," Gohan grumbles.


    "Phewww! Just bear with it. I have a feeling we are almost there. At the very least, we must have reached the halfway point. It is only a matter of time until we make it to the top."


    Shen tries to console the man, though he himself wasn''t faring any better...


    Continuing the journey in their exhausted state could prove to be dangerous, so they decide to take ample rest until morning.


    They strap themselves tightly with ropes around the circumference of the tower.


    The next day, after hours of grueling climbing, they finally catch a glimpse of the top.


    At last finding their solace, the two men hurriedly climb the tower, desperately aiming to reach the top...


    Only after accomplishing it do they catch their breath.


    They are now standing on a dome-like platform at the top. Looking down from here, they reflect on how it took them nearly a whole day in total of ascending the tower to arrive at this place.


    A short while later, the two men see a fat bipedal cat approaching, surprising the two... but deep down, not really, as Shen already knew the truth.


    More weirdly enough, the cat starts speaking.


    "Who would have expected, rather than young people, it is two old guys that have climbed the tower..."


    "I am Korin; the Cat Hermit, by the way," the old cat states, further surprising the two¡ªminus one.


    "Are you really Korin-sama?" Gohan, witnessing the legendary Korin, the so-called god of martial arts, couldn''t help but ask.


    "Yes, got any problem with it?"


    For a few seconds, Gohan deeply looks at Korin, trying to discern the validity of the cat''s identity. "Oh well!" Somehow, he quickly accepts it. [A/N- It''s a reference, did you get it??]


    "As you two have done well reaching here, what do you want from me?" Korin can already guess, but he still asks for the sake of formalities.


    Gohan is compelled to look at Shen, waiting for him to speak first...


    "Strength! We want you to make us stronger."


    Korin nods. "It turned out as expected. You seek strength, as anyone should."


    Right then, Gohan couldn''t help but ask,


    "Korin-sama, I heard you give out magical water to whoever climbs the tower. Is that true?" He tries to confirm if the rumors circulating around are true or not.


    "You could say it is true, but it is also not."


    Gohan wonders, "Which is it?"


    Korin just scoffs and starts to laugh weirdly. "H-o ho ho H-o!" Following that, he points his wooden cane at an ornate platform to the side. "Look on top, the sacred water is in that container."


    "So can we drink the water?"


    "You can... after you get through me." The old cat swiftly picks up the kettle with the end of his cane and starts dangling it midair.


    "So who is going to come first?" Korin tries to taunt the two.


    "I will. it will end in no time." Shen declares while stepping forward.


    "Ho ho, we will see about that." The old cat knows, the old guy is not bluffing. he could actually do it... Shen''s strength isn''t very far off from his-own, Korin can feel it.


    The water inside the container sways and makes a gurgling sound, marking the start of the test.

 A Different Future

    The training season was short-lived, as in just under one day they were able to catch up with Korin''s movements and replicate them... surprising even Shen, who had expected it to last at least three days.


    Now, as they leisurely descend the mountain, Gohan recalls the unexpected revelation from Korin:


    ¡ª"To tell you the truth, the thing about the sacred water is just a lie. It doesn''t multiply your strength; it''s just ordinary water."


    They had already gotten stronger simply by climbing and descending the tower multiple times¡ªthat''s the real secret of this place, as revealed to them by Korin... Shen, of course, already knew it all.


    Shen has also gotten his hands on some Senzu beans; now, he doesn''t have to worry about injuries for a long time.


    ...


    Finally, arriving at the bottom of the tower for the last time, Son Gohan has something to say to Shen.


    ¡ªit is a matter that has been troubling him for a while now: "I beg your forgiveness for my earlier behavior, Master Shen."


    Shen wonders what he is talking about.


    Noting Shen''s confusion, the old man clarifies. "It is regarding my disrespectful behaviour towards you when we first met at my house."


    Having already reached the epilogue of life, that would for, any normal human be the end. Gohan wants nothing more than to let bygones be bygones, if he can.


    "Ha hahahahaha!!!!" Shen shrugs it off with a haughty laugh. "Here I thought it was something major... don''t worry about it!"


    A warm smile appears on Gohan''s wrinkly face. "Thank you, Master Shen!. . . So what do you intend to do now?" he quickly changes the topic, not wanting the situation to get awkward.


    "I have some additional matters here that I need to see to. You can return back But don''t forget what i told you. we will meet again, soon enough."


    Shen sends off Gohan after providing him with a Hoi-poi Capsule car.


    ...


    Now all alone in the cold North Pole, Shen starts searching the surrounding forest of Korin Tower. He is looking for a particular forest-dwelling tribe that has been guarding the tower for generations.


    Eventually, he finds them near a river, some distance away from the tower.


    The tribe isn''t big, having only 50 or so members.


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    He approaches a man who looks to be the leader of the tribe.


    The leader is initially alarmed by Shen''s sudden appearance, but when Shen explains why he is here, the leader becomes intrigued and a little suspicious.


    The suspicion dies down when Shen shows the leader and the whole tribe his powers, like how he had done when introducing himself to the scientist Dr. Flappe.


    Having witnessed Shen''s power...


    The chief isn''t filled with fear but rather with determination and anticipation, as one of the boys from their tribe is going to be the martial artist''s disciple.


    Having already confirmed Shen''s abilities, no one in the tribe is skeptical of his words. For them, such powers are otherworldly and worthy of reverence.


    Of course, there''s the worry of Shen being an evil person...


    But would an evil person really go out of his way to convince the tribesmen of his intentions rather than just kidnap the boy? No one could stop him if he wanted to do so.


    The tribe chief is confident in his assessment of the man.


    "Bora, come here," he calls out to the boy.


    Amongst the crowd of people watching them, a brown-skinned teen comes forward. This is Bora, the future father of Upa. In the future, this same Bora will try to climb Korin Tower...


    Although he will fail, the dedication itself is what matters to Shen. He believes Bora has the potential to reach unprecedented heights if provided with the opportunity.


    "Sir, Shen here wants to take you in as a disciple. As you have seen, he is a great man. If you properly train under him, you could even one day be able to climb Korin Tower... Are you willing to follow him?"


    "Yes, I am willing. Please take me in as your disciple, Master Shen." He respectfully bows his head; it has always been a dream of Bora to climb the tower.


    In the tribe, Korin Tower is seen as a holy pilgrimage. Climbing it is a matter of pride for them. The tribesmen have always tried to conquer the insurmountable tower by reaching its top.


    However, none have ever been successful.


    Now, he has a chance to fulfill this wish. Of course, he is willing.


    "Good!" Shen is satisfied with his behavior.


    ...


    The next day, he further recruits two more disciples under him, using the same tried and tested method he used with Bora''s tribe. What works once and twice works thrice!


    His other two disciples are Nam and Giran.


    Nam is a regular 7-year-old human kid. The only notable thing about him is that he wears a turban on his head. He is also a tad bit skinny.


    Giran, with a thick-set build, is the exact opposite of Nam. He is from a humanoid, dragon-like race called Giras. They have robust wings on their back and a long tail.


    Everything about this race is similar to an obese dragon. The only difference is that, unlike actual dragons, they have hands and legs similar to humans.


    Nam and Giran first appear in the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai (Strongest Under the Heaven Tournament).


    Excluding Goku, along with the Dragon Team, these two participants left the most impact on Shen.


    Generally speaking, he is more so a bigger fan of the original Dragon Ball series compared to Z. Not that he dislikes Z¡ªit''s just that to him, the fine details of world-building in the original are what led to the success of the later series.


    The sheer beauty of Dragon Ball is unmatched.


    Adding flair to the story were the compelling characters, and from early on in the series, he had found Nam, Giran and Bora especially fascinating.


    Now that he lives in this world...


    He wants the untold potential of all three of his disciples to fully blossom.

 Return to the Cave

    Three weeks have gone by in a whiff, as Inside the underwater pirate cave, Shen is exchanging words with a group of people standing before him.


    The group is none other than his three disciples and one employee.


    "Bora, as you are the oldest disciple, you will be responsible for looking after the other two. The three of you will help clean this place along with me and Dr. Flappe. You may see this as your first assignment."


    Hearing this, a certain dragon-boy doesn''t seem very keen on it. "Then Master, when are we gonna do real training?... i wanna quickly get stronger!!" Giran''s unwillingness is clear to see as doing work and putting on effort, is not the story that his fat-belly conveys.


    "We were supposed to start training after first sorting things out, but since you''re in such a hurry, you''ll do some extra work so that we can finish this quickly." Shen announces to the dismay of the dragon-boy.


    "NOOO! THAT''S NOT FAIR!!" The boy cries out, but it''s already too late.


    Suddenly, Shen turns to Dr. Flappe. "I have something to show you. Maybe this will be of interest to you."


    He takes Dr. Flappe to the place where he had submerged the guardian robot left behind by the pirates. The robot was damaged, chained, and thrown into the underground lake by Shen.


    He retrieves the robot from the lake as he hadn''t truly discarded it. He had securely connected the extra length of chain from the robot to the surface.


    Dr. Flappe directly goes to work. After Shen helps him turn off the robot, he immediately starts examining it.


    "Let''s first make your research lab; then you can study it all you want," Shen further adds.


    "It just so happens that I have found the perfect place for you. One of the abandoned buildings of the pirates seems to have been some sort of scientific facility."


    The doctor agrees with him. "Truly great. Maybe it''s also the place where this robot was made."


    "Hope it is. I''m counting on you."


    In a month, the hideout starts taking shape. During this time, Shen has traveled in and out of the cave multiple times. He has also brought in additional, temporary helpers after paying them a hefty sum and ensuring their discretion on the way here.


    He doesn''t want the general public to know about this place.


    Another five months go by in the cave, and before long, the hideout becomes fully functional. All of the old equipment and tech have been upgraded, and the entire structure, including the building and the ceiling, has been further reinforced.


    Even under a massively powerful earthquake, the cave will not collapse on itself. For additional safety, there are also bunkers with sufficient food and a submarine in each, in case of some otherworldly disaster...


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    Shen plans to sell all the other antique objects that have been kept unharmed in this place, like the centuries-old battleship... it''s just idly occupying valuable space and has become a real eyesore to him.


    However, there are no plans to discard any of the old tech equipment and research, especially the things from the scientific facility, as they could prove useful in understanding the pirate robot.


    At first glance, the robot may not seem impressive, but actually, it is far from unimpressive.


    Not only has the robot been functioning since long ago, but it is also fairly powerful. Being able to contend with Shen on Earth is rather impressive.


    If upgraded with the latest technology, the robot could prove to be very useful.


    .....


    Regarding his disciples: it has been six months since they came here. During this time, they have improved by leaps and bounds.


    Now, Nam is not the skinny boy he was in the past, Bora has become even stronger, and Giran is not as fat as before.


    Their discipline has also improved¡ªnot that it was very bad in the past. Even Giran, a moody kid, has become decently respectful.


    Everyone has adjusted well to the new environment.


    Shen has already promised to let them return home from time to time, so there is no issue of homesickness for the time being.


    The renovation work has ended, so the workers have already been sent away.


    The number of people currently living in the hideout is only five...


    Today, Shen is in the research facility where Dr. Flappe, as always, is working on the pirate robot.


    Having found an earlier decommissioned version of the robot in the old lab, Dr. Flappe''s research has been going more smoothly. This other robot had the letter "1" painted on it...


    Implying that it came out before the version 2 that Shen had fought with.


    Recently, the scientist has been working on remodeling and improving upon the design of the earlier pirate robot... A totally new model is in development, which he has aptly named "Skull Robot Type 1."


    "So, how is it going? How long do you think the first batch of these will take to make?" Shen nonchalantly asks.


    "I can''t say for certain, as complications may occur along the way. However, with the current pace of development, the first batch should be ready in about a year," Dr. Flappe simply answers while screwing a nut on a prototype robot. [A/N-SuS!!]


    "A year, huh! I was planning to use them as manual labor and guards for this place as soon as possible, but it seems those plans will have to wait a little..."


    "I am sorry. If only I were a little more competent..." Guilt suddenly takes root in Flappe''s mind. His hidden anxiety always seems to resurface when he isn''t able to live up to people''s expectations.


    "No, no, you don''t have to cast yourself down. You are doing all that is possible... without any helpers. There''s no way I can blame you."


    Shen frantically calms down the depressed man. He believes an employee should always have a healthy mind to work efficiently.


    "Ooh! I nearly forgot why I am here. I want you to make something called a Dragon Ball radar." He directly moves on to the next agenda that was on his mind.


    "Dragon Ball radar?... What is that? Is it something related to the legendary Dragon Balls?" Flappe stops adjusting the bolt and curiously turns back, intrigued by this new order. The earlier person disappointed in himself is nowhere to be seen.


    Shen explains everything he knows about the Dragon Balls and the radar to the scientist.


    "So you need such a device... Is it necessary right away?"


    "Well..., it''s not urgent, but it is something very important"

 A Year

    Understanding the weight in Shen''s words, Flappe thinks for a bit.


    "If the radar functions as you say, then we first need to have one of those Dragon Balls ourselves. We have to first know what kind of signals and wavelengths they emit to make a radar for tracking them down."


    The logic is fairly simple. Shen had also thought that an actual Dragon Ball would be necessary to create the radar, but the problem is where and how to get the Dragon Balls?


    He slowly walks out of the room, while wandering around in thought, trying to remembering where the Dragon Balls are supposed to be around this time. It is uncertain whether the locations shown in the series will have the Dragon Balls at this time period.


    ''Bulma had two Dragon Balls before meeting Goku, while Goku himself had one that his grandpa left behind. The Pilaf gang, the Ox King, and the village that Oolong terrorized had one each.''


    Lastly, he knew that Roshi also has one, but he didn''t want to meet Roshi right now... somehow, he feels annoyed by just the thought of Roshi. Such a thing would never have happened in the past.


    ''These few months, I have been affected by the residual memories of the old Master Shen. My personality has subtly changed... Still, for some unknown reason, not only are the changes not very severe, somehow my mind is functioning even better than before.''


    ''At least the blockage that I always felt has disappeared.''


    He can feel it... rather than the old Shen''s personality taking over, the residual nature, or rather the soul of the previous old Shen, is disappearing into him, like a weak stream of water disappearing into a massive river.


    He inherently understands the changes have led to his mind becoming more clear and acute... like an integral part lost to him for a long time has rejoined his soul.


    However, coming back to the actual current issue... The fact of the matter is, he has to go see Roshi as it is unknown whether the others have the Dragon Balls right now.


    "Hmmm! What do I do? Well, I might as well first check whether those other places really have the balls or not."


    He leaves the hideout in search of the Dragon Balls, and luck would have it..., with some effort and mental mapping of the location, he easily finds the balls at the village that the Pig Oolong will terrorize in the future. the place was rather remote with only a single settled village so the ball was easy to get.


    All the worry turned out for nothing. Shen gives the Ball to the scientist and tells him to make the Radar. He tells Dr. Flappe to slow down the research on the Skull Robot and work on the Radar as fast as possible.


    The Dragon Ball Radar is better made sooner than later. After all, it is very necessary for his future plans, if not the most important of all.


    Though be that as it may, right now, there''s no point in obsessing about the things that aren''t yet available to him. He has to look a little closer.


    It is about time he started training his disciples for real. They have perfectly adjusted to the new environment, and their bodies are ready to be put under intense training.


    In the open area beside the underground lake, he loudly shouts, "BORA!! NAMU!! GIRAN!! REPORT HERE RIGHT NOW!!!"


    Hearing the old man''s call, his disciples; following the origin of the sound, frantically rush to the place. they immediately had to leave whatever they were doing behind.


    "Master!!!" All of them kneel with one leg on the floor, at the same time.


    "Hmmm!" Shen observes his three disciples for some time.


    "The disciple training seems to have worked... Good! The first rule of training is to wholeheartedly follow what is told by the teacher... now it seems you three are ready to start the real training."


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    "Wow!" The disciples become overjoyed by the news.


    "So what will we do, Master?" Bora eagerly asks.


    "For now, it will be the same training that my other disciples do at the school..."


    "Master Shen, you even have a school?" Giran suddenly interjects.


    Looking at his disciples'' surprised reactions, it clicks to Shen. "Ooh! I haven''t told you about the Crane School, have I?!"


    Nod! Nod! Nod! All his disciples nod.


    These past six months have been rather busy for him. Every day, he had to supervise all of the renovation work. Because of the non-stop work, he wasn''t able to focus on their training.


    Still, if nothing else, at least their physique and diet have certainly improved. He has perfectly prepared them enough for the real training to come...


    "Well... Our Crane School is known as one of the two great... or if not the greatest schools of martial arts, throughout the world."


    The three boys are astonished by the reveal. Turns out their master is even greater than they had initially expected. Their respect for Master Shen has touched a new high.


    They then remember hearing something else notable, so this time Namu comes forward to inquire about it.


    "Teacher, if I have heard right, you mentioned another school being at the same level as ours... can you tell us which this other school is that is also one of the two greats?"


    "There is only one school that can be considered to be our rival, that is the Turtle School run by that old-timer Roshi..."


    To fully satiate his disciples'' curiosity, he tells them to comfortably sit down on the stone floor...


    He then recounts some of the many stories about his past, like when, once upon a time, he and Roshi both were part of the same school, but due to some circumstances, they parted ways. He tells them many such tales.


    After all was said and done, the eyes of his disciples are filled with countless sparkling stars. They perk-up with enthusiastically.


    "Even with all that, this old so-called Turtle Hermit could never beat our master... with our master in this world, he will always have to remain as the number 2," Giran proudly claims, the other two agreeingly nod.


    Shen maniacally laughs at that. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... I see, you three know how to butter up people, eh? Ha ha ha."


    The three little brats also laugh with hands on their hips and chests high up in the sky. Giran is the most enthusiastic while the other two are a little awkward.


    Their laughter spreads, tearing through the normally silent cavern.


    "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"


    "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"


    "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"


    "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"


    Gradually, the laughter stops, and the place returns to its standard pin-drop silence.


    Clearing his throat with a little embarrassment, Shen calmly resumes the conversation. "Ahem! So where were we..."


    "Yes! The training, yes!... All of you have to first and foremost; build up strength, speed, and balance to do any further training.. Basics are the most important to build up a solid base... with a solid base, one can keep on improving, forever."


    "As you three have some talent, it won''t take long to complete this initial phase of training... no more than half a year. The later phases will still take a long while."


    Son Goku is a prime example of someone who has proved this fact. His initial training with Gohan made him stronger than most people, and then his basics were further refined with the help of teachers like Roshi, Karin, Popo, and King Kai.


    The accumulation of those training in his earlier years is what led to him mastering abilities like Ultra Instinct in the future...


    The training starts off with mostly common martial arts exercises done in most martial arts schools in this world, such as horse stance, very long uphill runs, balancing on wooden poles, etc.


    The method of training gradually shifts to harder methods as the days and then months go by. In most cases, weights are added to the existing exercises to make them more difficult.


    The training isn''t mild, but still, the three disciples greedily work hard to progress their strength. They have a clear-minded attitude... Putting all their being: Body, Soul, and Time, everything into the training, the boys continuously approach new heights.


    Their single-minded desire and focus to grow stronger is the reason why Shen made them his disciples. The ability to do repetition is what leads to growth.


    Similar to how Master Roshi taught his disciples, Shen trains them in all kinds of ways. Of course, it wasn''t yet time for them to learn the unique techniques of the school, such as the sky-dance and ki blast, but even so, they have become a lot stronger than they were a year ago.


    As of now, after a year since the start of the training, Nam is the weakest, but that is a given as he is also the youngest. Bora is the strongest, with his power reaching the same level of power that Goku reaches after his own training along with Krillin under Master Roshi.

 The Dragon Balls

    Thanks to a year of training under him, Shen''s disciples are now able to train themselves even without his constant supervision. Other than guiding them in some advanced training methods, his days pass by with little to do.


    Today, however, is different. Today, the boring days come to an end with something of interest in his hands... literally!


    "So, this is the Dragon Ball Radar you made?" he says to the man before him, while examining a round, watch-like object in his hands.


    This Radar is more than twice as large as the one Bulma makes in the original series. It''s also relatively heavy... From the slight compression he feels on his palm, Shen estimates the weight to be around 10 kg. It''s like holding an old, rusty hunk of a hard disk.


    Even though carrying something like this is no big deal for Shen, he guesses the same won''t be true for ordinary people... not that he plans to give it to anyone else.


    Now that he has the radar, he plans to soon leave the cavern in search of the Dragon Balls. He won''t be bringing anyone with him.


    Shen has already set up a daily routine for his disciples. They will also be provided with some weighted clothes, similar to the ones he wears, so they can continue their training for a long time.


    Concerning the scientist Dr. Flappe... Shen has ordered his disciples to attend to all his requests and assist him in his work... but if they aren''t able to do so, he has left them with Dr. Brief''s personal telephone number. Any difficulty they encounter, Dr. Brief will surely be able to solve it.


    Bulma''s father has been a huge help, till now... He was the one who provided Shen with all the workers and scientific equipment for the hideout...


    The next day, after all the arrangements were made, he immediately set off to collect the Dragon Balls. Using the radar, he found one ball deep in a riverbed, while another was at the bottom of a crevice in some rocky mountains.


    Right now, he is on his way to collect his fourth ball.


    Beneath his speedily flying figure, sprawling vegetation envelops the whole landscape. The Dragon Ball is hidden among these dense trees.


    ''Goodness! Won''t searching here be yet another tedious endeavor? This is such a chore. Why do these balls have to end up in such difficult-to-reach places?''


    Last year, he had easily gotten his hands on a Dragon Ball from a village woman. Apparently, it was a family memento, passed down through generations. He only had to pay her a small price of 3 million Zeni to obtain it.


    ''Compared to all this, buying it from the villagers was so easy. This radar is also not very helpful; it can''t even pinpoint the exact location of the Dragon Balls... guess the current technology of Earth still lags behind a lot.''


    ''Thankfully, it isn''t all too bad... Certainly, the ability to fly and telekinesis always comes in handy.'' His psychic powers, mainly telekinesis, have been very helpful in the search.


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    After the integration of the previous Shen''s remnant spirit into his own soul, he can feel his power has increased drastically, especially his psychic powers... They have reached a whole new level.


    Currently, if he had to estimate his power level... it has likely reached somewhere around the range of 600-700... ''I am probably the strongest person on Earth... Maybe only surpassed by Mr. Popo. It''s unclear how strong that genie is.''


    After an hour of relentlessly searching the forest, he finally finds the Dragon Ball in the hands of a group of monkeys. With this, the number of Dragon Balls in his possession reaches four. Then he finds two more the next day.


    Now, only the one belonging to Old Roshi is left... From what he remembers, Roshi has been wearing the ball as a necklace for a long time now... Up until now, Shen was deliberately avoiding this one, but now he has no other choice left...


    He could easily reach a speed beyond Roshi''s sensing capability and snatch the Dragon Ball hanging from his neck, but he doesn''t want to do that. Of course, there''s the worry that if he tries to approach Roshi at such speed, he could accidentally break the old coot''s neck.


    However, more importantly, even if he is incomparably faster than Roshi right now, he doesn''t want to commit such a cowardly act. It doesn''t suit a man''s dignity. He can''t keep avoiding annoying situations forever...


    Now that the two Shens have become the same person, it is about time he faced his unresolved inconvenience.


    Having decided on a course of action, he immediately sets off toward Kame-House.


    Less than an hour later, he is already hovering over a tiny house in the middle of the ocean, built upon a similarly tiny island. Somehow, this seemingly unimpressive house looks comfy in Shen''s eyes.


    "Truly impressive... It''s every man''s dream." Some people have peculiar interests and Shen is one of them.


    The Turtle Hermit, as always, is currently basking in sunlight since it is still morning and the hot radiance of noon hasn''t caught up yet.


    His eyes, previously hidden by the cover of an inappropriate magazine, suddenly dart up. Having perceived the unique Ki of Crane Hermit, he puts down the magazine, almost like he''s welcoming the arrival of his old rival.


    Standing up from his chair, he glares at the man above him.


    "What have you come here for?" Same as his disciple, Roshi''s attitude isn''t very polite.


    "You don''t have a good mouth, do you?" Shen speaks sternly while looking down.


    "As if you''re the one to talk, you foul-mouthed geezer."


    "Hmph! You''re an even bigger foul-mouth." Shen is still menacingly floating above the old man.


    The two old men continue shouting at each other, throwing insults and calling each other names like pervert, dead-bones, oldie, scammer, etc.


    It is only after Master Roshi''s talking pet turtle intervenes that the quarrel comes to an end. Now, inside the house, they sit on a pair of mats and converse calmly, befitting their advanced age.


    Roshi eyes the man before him with a questioning look.


    "I heard you even went to meet Gohan. Truthfully speaking, I am thankful to you for convincing Gohan to take the Paradise Herb. Though I tried many times, my stubborn disciple would never listen to me."


    "So Gohan has already come here to obtain the herb! Good, then I suppose I have a lot less to tell you."


    "Yes! Although it''s hard to believe, you wouldn''t go around spouting such things without any benefit for yourself, but this time to do this, I really see nothing for you to gain from it... For now, I have no reason to doubt you."


    Roshi continues speaking in a stale voice.


    "So, why did you come to my humble abode?"

 Youth

    Shen fills The Turtle Hermit in about the Dragon Balls.


    Roshi, like everyone else, has heard the rumor of someone becoming the king of the world after a wish from Shenron.


    "Turns out the legend about the Eternal Dragon is really true. You even managed to collect six of the balls already... Also, who would have guessed this whole time the glowing jewel I''ve been carrying is actually one of the Dragon Balls."


    The surprised expression on Roshi''s face is palpable, as it isn''t every day that you hear such sky-falling information.


    Shen, on the other hand, silently contemplates, looking back on his past uneasiness... Contrary to his preconceived notion, the situation turned out well.


    initially he had found it soo cumbersome to meet with Roshi but now reflecting on it the experience was not the world ending disaster that he had made it out to be, before.


    ¡ªthe wall was afterall, only in his head.


    Emotions like fear and happiness are not real in the first place; these are just states of mind. In actuality, these things never exist. Shen had an unexpected realization this day. He was too caught up in the barriers of his own making to even try the uncertainties of life.


    He stays still for a whole minute, then he simultaneously opens both his mind and mouth..


    "For how much are you going to sell the ball for?" Shen directly asks the old man, he doesn''t try to beat around the bush or smooth things out between he and Roshi.


    Roshi annoyingly glares at Shen "What kind of person do you think I am¡ª"


    Shen just blankly looks at Roshi, his silence conveying more than a thousand spoken words.


    Roshi was speechless. "Ahem! A million Zeni would suffice," he mutters.


    Shen softly scoffs at his lousy rival. ''What a sucker... not even 3 million. Business certainly isn''t his strong suit.''


    Roshi, not getting a reply, thinks Shen doesn''t have the amount. He smugly speaks again, "So? Do you have the money or not?"


    "Obviously I have the money. The deal is now done..." Shen immediately clarifies.


    "If only all these balls were as easy to get as this one," he blurts out, lamenting on all the hours it took to find the glowing balls.


    Hearing Shen, Roshi wonders if his selling price was a little inadequate. . . . has he been scammed?... but now it''s already too late to have such thoughts.


    "Can we reconsider the price?" he weakly asks.


    "Are you going against your own words?"


    To that, Roshi keeps quiet. Not able to utter words any further, his attempt to renegotiate failed before it started.


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    Shen takes the ball from the embarrassed Roshi and hands him over a bundle of one million Zeni. He always carries around some cash with him while going out.


    "What are you going to use them for?" Worried, old Roshi asks before handing over the Dragon Ball.


    "Worry not, my wish won''t affect anyone else other than me. You will understand in a minute. I bet you will be shocked."


    "Sigh! If it doesn''t harm anyone, then all is well." Roshi relents.


    Now all the seven Dragon Balls are in Shen''s hands. Placing them near each other on the ground, he shouts the incantation to summon Shenron.


    "Come forth, Shenron, and grant my wish!" ¡ªit''s just the name of the Eternal Dragon in common language.


    The world becomes dark, and lightning crackles as the seven Dragon Balls converge into a streaks of golden light, rising to the sky.


    The light Whirls in the clouds and transforms into a majestic Eastern Dragon.


    "Are you the one who summoned me?"


    "Yes!"


    The dragon knowingly looks at the elderly man.


    "Speak your wish... Any single wish you have shall be granted," the dragon roars out.


    "Transform my body to the best condition it can be."


    The dragon thinks for a moment and answers...


    "It is within my power to upgrade your current physique to its prime version. However, you should have no expectation of any drastic increase in power, as I am not able to bring out someone''s latent potential... that is beyond my capabilities. I myself need to be upgraded for something like that."


    Shen is not discouraged; this is well within his expectation. "It is more than enough. A perfect body for martial arts is what I want."


    "An easy request," the dragon announces, and subsequently, Shen is enveloped in a bright light.


    Shen is not worried about his wish being misinterpreted. Unlike many others in fiction, Shenron does not grant wishes partially or incompletely... he gives precisely what the receiver wants. When someone wants eternal youth, he won''t transform them into babies.


    Gradually, the light dissipates, and a new figure emerges.


    Long wavy hair, luxurious skin, tall and well-built; Shen looks like one of those TV idols young girls die over. Still, he isn''t completely unrecognizable; his haughty arrogance is still plastered on his face. Some people are just molded like a villain. [A/N¡ªLook at the cover pic]


    Shen takes out a pocket mirror from his long coat and sees his reflection, he sighs!


    ''Tch! Here I thought I would look less like a scammer. Guess these are things I have no control over.''


    Besides the complaining man, his old rival Roshi is currently flabbergasted. Even having known what was to come, when Shen stated his wish, it was of little help right now.


    "It truly is surreal seeing a person transform from an old man to a handsome youngster," he exclaims under his breath.


    "Your wish has been granted... I have regressed your age back to your early thirties, and your body condition has been tempered to the highest level a human being can achieve. In addition, you will never be sick or suffer from diseases, and you will have more resistance to climatic elements."


    The Paradise Herb had already stopped his aging, so that means he now also has eternal youth.


    "Now, farewell." Suddenly Shenron''s voice rings out, taking both men out of their stupor.


    In the sky, the dragon reverts back into a stream of light and then transforms into seven round identical stones. Shen wastes no time and captures all seven balls before they have the chance to disperse.


    "No way am I going to repeat the process. I still have other uses for these. As for the continuity of the plot¡ªhmph!¡ªI can simply place them in their intended location when the time comes."


    The dragon balls were initially supposed to end up in different locations and in the hands of certain individuals...


    later Goku and bulma would go on a journey to find them, but now because of his actions, that is not possible so he has decided to manually take the dragon balls to where they are supposed to be in the future.

 The Lookout

    Leaving the Kame House, Shen travels to Mount Paozu, where Gohan lives. At the moment, the old man happens to be at home.


    Gohan, sensing someone''s presence, cautiously walks outside.


    As the front door creaks! open, Shen is slightly astonished. "Hooo! During this short time we didn''t meet, you have become even more robust. Look at those muscles, ho! ho! Haven''t you been doing well?"


    Shen greets Gohan in his own peculiar way, praising the old man for having improved by leaps and bounds in such a short timeframe.


    Gohan, on the other hand, is very confused. He doesn''t understand who this young man is. ''Why does he talk as if we are old friends... Do I know him? He does seem somewhat familiar.''


    "Do I know you, young man?"


    "Right! You wouldn''t recognize me..." Shen scans Gohan''s curious face and smirks a little. "I am, of course, Frieza... Emperor of the universe."


    "Frieza? Universe? Are you by chance an alien?"


    "No, I am Shen, you brat. That was a joke."


    When Shen calls him a brat, Gohan is understandably a little baffled. Then, as his brain tries to process it, ''Who would call me a brat? Wait, did he just say Shen?'' He figures it out.


    "Master Shen, is that really you?"


    Nodding, Shen calmly explains the recent events to Gohan, who keenly listens as the man speaks.


    At first, it sounds rather absurd, hard to believe, but knowing the man''s recent actions and the present situation, it''s hard to denounce his words.


    Shen; The man''s presence is incomparably heavier than before. Last time, when they were at Korin Tower, Shen was stronger than Gohan, but not by a big margin. The young age is one thing, but this is even more unimaginable.


    Gohan is shocked, to say the least. ''Although I can''t exactly estimate how much this monstrous man has grown, I know for sure such a drastic transformation is unheard of...''


    He is right to be confused; it would be even stranger if he were not. Martial artists like him devote their whole lives to this...


    Shen has become strong, incomparably so, at least by Earth''s standards. He has had two big power-ups in just the last year or so.


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    Compared to when Shen''s soul merged with his new body''s original soul, his power level had a relatively small increase following his wish from Shenron¡ªless than 100¡ªtotaling his power level at around 850.


    "Now then, let me tell you why I came here." Shen gives a mocking smile, knowing Gohan was struggling to gauge his strength. "I have a new place to take you. This one is even better than the last one... So, you want to meet God?!"


    The last sentence is more of a statement than a question. A little bewildered, Gohan replies, "Ok!" The two men then hop into a car and drive off to their destination.


    Along the way, they discuss some important topics, including how Gohan obtained immortality through the help of Master Roshi.


    Shen also recommended that Gohan use the Dragon Balls to turn younger, as he had tried to convince Roshi, but like last time, both of his attempts turned out to be futile.


    He only got a single reply from both: "I am not so shameless."


    "I am old; naturally, I have no lingering desires." It was blasphemous for them to say this, especially Roshi, but they said it to his face as if it was an irrefutable truth.


    Apparently, unlike him, they actually have a conscience. ''Ooh, jealousy'' he thought. ''Did they think I was trying to seduce young women with my handsome appearance?'' He wasn''t sure.


    Hearing such statements hurt his 30-year-old self. Although he is currently 300 years old in body, he is still young at heart, but who is going to explain that to those smug old geezers? He can''t just reveal that he is not actually the Shen they knew and didn''t love.


    ...


    It took no longer than a quarter of a day to reach their destination. The sun hadn''t even gone down yet. Unlike last time, they didn''t have the problem of actually finding their destination.


    Fairly simple, actually. Although To yet another surprise for Gohan, the destination turned out to be just the Korin Tower... The man can''t catch a break; he has been surprised a little too often recently.


    They climb the tower, and it takes the two just an hour to reach the top. Shen could have easily flown up, but he decided not to, as Gohan doesn''t have the ability to fly. Along the way, Shen instructs Gohan to learn it. The old man also agrees to do so later, when he has the time.


    In the pagoda-like structure at the top, they meet Korin. The drastic increase in Shen''s power didn''t go unnoticed by the old cat, expectedly so.


    He has always felt weird about Shen from the day they met, especially because he was unable to figure out what the other party was thinking...


    Normally, he is able to know the intentions and nature of people from just their first interaction, but in the case of Shen, the man has become a huge mystery to Korin. He couldn''t read his mind at all.


    "We want to meet God," Shen casually states.


    Korin literally jumps at this. "How do you know that I can let you meet God?" Korin asks in shock.


    "I have my methods," Shen replies with a grin. "You should be able to let us meet him, shouldn''t you?"


    The cat deeply thinks about it. "I guess it was bound to happen sooner rather than later."


    "How so, Korin-sama?" Gohan curiously asks.


    Korin takes out something from his fur¡ªwho knows where he was hiding it.


    "You see, God has given me this bell to give to anyone who wishes to meet him. He probably meant one person, but I don''t think he would really mind. After all, the original premise was to send worthy warriors to Kami''s Lookout."


    Korin proceeds to elaborate further about the Lookout, mainly the method to reach the place.

 The Lookout- 2

    The Power Pole [Nyoibou] is a mysterious weapon with magical properties that Gohan received from Master Roshi, who in turn had gotten it from the cat hermit, Korin.


    Unaware of its origin, Gohan carries this pole around as a weapon... but it is actually not a weapon. This pole has another specific purpose... That is to reach Kami''s Lookout.


    Finally, today, after centuries, this same weapon is being used for its intended purpose.


    The Power Pole has been attached to the tip of Korin Tower. "Extend, Nyoibou!" With a single command from Gohan, it magically extends to the sky in a burst of speed, taking Gohan, who was grabbing onto the top-end of the pole, along with it.


    In contrast, Shen is more elegant. Since he can fly, he doesn''t need to grab the pole to go up. Gliding in the sky, he rapidly cuts through the air.


    The two men face plethora of weather challenges along the way, particularly lightning strikes.


    Shen effortlessly dodges all the strikes. Gohan, on the other hand, isn''t so fortunate...


    As he has to tightly holds onto the Power Pole, he doesn''t have the luxury to dodge the strikes, so he can only face the difficulties head-on. Still, somehow, the old man manages to hold on throughout the journey without falling off midway.


    The pole starts to slow down as it approaches its destination. It attaches itself to a hole at the bottom of the Lookout, suggesting that it always belonged there.


    Both men arrive below the Lookout... Shen directly flies to the surface of the Lookout, while Gohan needs to climb to the surface from the bottom using a ladder situated there for individuals like him, who can''t fly.


    Before he met Shen, Gohan was reluctant to learn flight because in Kame School there seems to be a unwritten rule; to not learn any flying techniques.. apparent by the fact of Master Roshi''s refusal to learn it his whole life, most likely because of his rivalry with Shen who specialized in this very field.


    Time will only tell if The old man''s stubbornness will ever change.


    .


    .


    .


    The Lookout, suspended, midair in the open atmosphere; is nothing short of otherworldly in the eyes of anyone ignorant of the wider universe. Gohan is that anyone. He is visibly flabbergasted while gawking around the levitating platform; surface. Noticeably the air is a lot thinner at this altitude, the two were naturally having some difficulty breathing.. Nothing life threatening but nonetheless, a very unique challenge.


    Suddenly their eyes catches something. a figure comes into view... Dark-skinned wearing something that resembles a turban, This balloon-like individual walks toward them slowly; yet, upon closer observation, one would notice that this person only gives the illusion of being slow... in fact, he is quite fast.


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    The man quickly approaches the two, completely surpassing their ability to follow his instantaneous speed.


    Now that Gohan can clearly see the man for the first time, He finds this person otherworldly, This man is black! Not dark-skinned, but pure pitch black. he can confidently say the man is not human.... at least, that''s the impression he gets.


    Well, he is right; Mr. Popo is a genie, not a human.


    "Welcome, guests. I am Mr. Popo. I was waiting for your arrival. You two came faster than expected. Good job." Mr. Popo speaks in his stony harsh voice, sounding exactly like a chain-smoker.


    "Nice to meet you, I am Son Gohan, and this is Master Shen. You must be Kami-sama, right?" Gohan prematurely assumes the Genie''s identity.


    "Mr. Popo is Mr. Popo, not Kami... Kami is different."


    "Ooh! Is that so!?"


    "Yes! He lives back in that building," Popo points his thumb, back at the large palace on the other end of the Lookout.


    "We came here after getting the approval of Korin-sama to meet Kami-sama and train under him." Gohan reveals.


    "Mr. Popo knows why you are here. Nothing is hidden in the Lookout. God knows everything."


    "Ohh if you know it, then please let us meet him."


    "You don''t need to meet him right now. Kami-sama has already instructed Mr. Popo to guide you."


    Gohan shares a knowing look with Shen... he gets it, so the new training immediately starts. Gohan is the first one to try-out his strength.


    As they battle, the genie skillfully dodges all of Gohan''s attacks. The once enigmatic martial artist is nowhere to be seen, as the image has been completely shattered by the huffing and puffing man who is not even able to land a single punch on his opponent.


    The old man is completely outmatched.


    Gradually, just as the sky starts to turn orange, the fight ends for the exhausted Gohan.


    Time waits for nobody and now the defeated Gohan has to leave the stage for Shen... at this rate the darkness will soon envelop them, but That''s a given as it had already been pretty late in the afternoon when they had set foot on the Lookout.


    this whole time, Shen hadn''t intervened in the fight nor has he spoken a word. Only when Gohan was completely exhausted and it was his turn, does he finally speak...


    "Careful now, you shouldn''t take it easy. Reveal your full capabilities to me from the start, don''t go complaining that you lost unfairly" He warns the so-called assistant of god.


    As the fight begins, Gohan just watches from the sidelines. ''If Mr. Popo, who is just the assistant of God, is so strong, how powerful would Kami-sama himself be?''


    The old man is completely oblivious to the truth... Mr. Popo is in-fact stronger than Kami by a long shot. His power level is canonically 1,030 during the Raditz arc.


    Shen actually proves to be a challenge to Popo. The man gives a fair bit of difficulty to the genie. Unlike the previous battle, it doesn''t go as smoothly or predictably.


    By this time, the fight, or rather the light spar between the two, unfolds to a close. Darkness had already fallen.


    Inside the palace, Kami, who was watching all the events live using a magical crystal ball, couldn''t help but be perplexed by the revelation of such strength from Shen. He knew this Master Shen was strong, but not to such a degree.


    ''When did strength start being sold in wholesale?'' He isn''t able to make sense of it. His fragile ego as a Kami is shattered at this moment. He had fallen into the dark depths of despair¡ªjust kidding...


    He actually has a proud smile on his lips, like a father would have when his child surpasses him, fulfilling his lifelong dream. It''s bittersweet, as he himself was never able to accomplish it, but the taste of bitterness is instantly subdued by the sweetness.


    He at-last decides to go outside and meet the two men.

 3 Years

    "You two have done well to reach such a level of strength." kami announces his presence, urging everyone to look his way.


    Gohan and Shen are astonished to meet Kami¡ªwell, the former certainly is.


    The reaction, however, is milder than what Kami had expected. He anticipated more bafflement, terror, or even anger from the two, but none of that occurred.


    This is odd to him, considering that; at the very least, Shen must have encountered the demon Piccolo before. . . Undoubtedly if it were the past Master Shen, he would probably be scared out of his mind, meeting Kami, who looks exactly like the ancient demon king Piccolo, who had once terrorized Earth and killed his teacher.


    But what Kami doesn''t know is that; this is not the same Old Shen.


    Anyhow, Kami, being a god, doesn''t fixate on small things for too long. He moves on, assuming that somehow the man is able to tell the two beings apart.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you kami-sama!!." Gohan bows his head, shen also decides to follow along. he isn''t prideful enough to not show humility when needed. He has to always have a good relation with the god of Earth.


    Kami converses with them for a short while and after which he orders Mr. Popo to show them their accommodations for the many days and even years to come.


    Night is already in full sway and today the two martial artists had a long day as well, so tiredness is evident on their faces. They really desired a proper rest.


    Kami, observing the three as they busily head to their tasks, can''t help but stay still and get lost in his own thoughts...


    ''Finally, Earth is growing... Years of stagnation is gradually ending. I just hope, Shen, you can usher in a new age for us.'' He doesn''t say it out loud, so as not to make the young¡ªor rather, old man conceited by his own strength and get drunk on power.


    Of course, being that Shen is a transmigrated soul, who knows; how weak he really is in the grand scheme of things, There is little chance of him believing himself to be omnipotent just because he is arguably the strongest fish in a little pond called Earth.


    Next day; The real training starts with the bell training that Goku does in the series, where they have to chase after the nimble Mr. Popo by maneuvering around the open space to attack and dodge attacks¡ªall while trying to avoid accidentally ringing the bell strapped to their belts the whole time.


    The two men train hypnotically day after day, working on improving all they can.


    Then they move on to Ki mastery, efficient energy utilization, and many other training methods.


    During the latter half of their years-long training, the two begin specialized training in the Pendulum Room. It''s a room with clocks all around that functions like an advanced time capsule. In this room, a person can experience and interact with the past via a virtual simulation.


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    This means that unlike real-time travel, only your brain experiences the real past events while physically you remain in the present. This is a very useful method of training, as although one can''t literally change the past, they can interact with figures long dead in the present and learn under them.


    The simulations are perfect replicas of the past, so not only can you gain past knowledge, you can even die in the simulation. Gohan and Shen have repeatedly died many times while fighting ancient Saiyans and other aliens.


    It would be a lie to say, all of this doesn''t takes a toll on people. Numerous times, they would have the urge to just rest for a few days and continue later, but they would never act on those impulses.


    Thankfully, sometimes they would also do relatively low-fatality training, like fighting Demon King Piccolo and learning from Master Mutaito: the teacher of Roshi and Shen. This mental training, along with the physical training, is the best tonic for their whole being; soul and body both.


    ________


    It has been about three years since their arrival at the Lookout, and Kami and Mr. Popo have completely taught them all there is to be taught.


    In this timeframe, they utilized every facility in the Lookout except the Time Chamber, which has been set aside for use only in case of emergencies.


    Currently, everyone is at the open area of the Lookout with the clear sky blanketing them...


    Kami is the first one to speak. "Everything has been passed on to you two. The only thing I know that you don''t is magic; however, you two don''t have any affinity for that... Shen does have a talent for psychic powers, but that is very different from magic."


    "Mr. Popo has also taught you everything. Now it is up to you to perfect it." Mr. Popo adds


    "Popo is right... he and I have even higher hopes for you two going forward."


    This time, his evaluation does not just stay in his heart. Hiding nothing, Kami praises the men for once. They more than deserve it.


    The God is even unsure whether he himself is really worthy to comment on Shen''s strength when he, as the god of Earth, is weaker than his subject. Not to mention, Shen was already stronger than Kami before he even came to train under him...


    However one the other hand; Shen doesn''t view it that way, and he makes that very clear. "It is all because of Kami-sama and Mr. Popo that we had the opportunity to become as strong as we are now. Without your guidance, we wouldn''t have been able to learn anything alone."


    Shen wholeheartedly thanks the teachers who have helped him grow this far. He is not ungrateful to his benefactor.


    Gohan adds, "Yes! Good mentors are more than worthy of receiving all the praise and respect."


    "You two!" Hearing those fiery words; Kami''s heart warms-up, filled with content.


    Kami and Popo haven''t been slacking either. Recently, they themselves have also started training regularly. Kami has clearly been motivated to work harder. Being the god of Earth, he can''t be left behind too far.


    However, it''s wishful thinking by a long shot to attempt to chase after Shen, as the situation stands.


    He is too old.


    As time passes by, not only does one''s physical strength gradually dissipate, but so does the mental will to keep going. At some point, people are just exhausted to the point of no return.


    Now, it is more about time he relinquishes himself of his tiresome duties and retires... at least that is what an external observer would suppose.


    Saying their gratitude and farewell, Shen and Old Gohan take flight, leaving the Lookout. They don''t look back, as it won''t be the last time they come here; rather, this is just the start of a long and regular association.

 Return

    Five minutes in from the lookout, Gohan is already lagging behind Shen. Flight or levitation is a somewhat awkward experience for the old man, as he had learned it fairly recently.


    He hasn''t had the opportunity to fully master it yet.


    Fortunately, Gohan doesn''t at-least lose sight of the speeding figure of Shen. Somehow he is able to keep up, right behind the man.


    Ultimately, after still not being able to truly catch up for yet another five minutes, it was time for them to separate. Saying their farewells, the two men go their own ways.


    . . . . . . .


    These days in the Pirate Cave, life has been going on fairly normally¡ªnot like abnormal things were happening in the past... This is as normal as it gets in an unofficial secret laboratory run by a rich and mysterious superhuman who doesn''t pay his taxes.


    Currently, the cave dwellers¡ªthree teenage boys and a scientist¡ªare busy in their everyday routine. The boys are doing their morning workout while the scientist is working on a particularly large cubical machine...


    Today after Bora finishes his morning routine of balancing on top of wooden stakes, he is about to leave the cave to restock supplies. Essential supplies like milk have been running low recently, so he has to buy in bulk this time.


    Suddenly, a yellow submarine emerges from the underground lake, all while Bora observes in shock. ''Who could this be?? How did this person bypass all the security measures of the cave?? No alarm has sounded yet.''


    To Bora''s further bewilderment, a handsome man emerges from the submarine. ''Do I know him? He seems familiar.''


    For a second, the cavern remains pin-drop silent.


    Bora is vigilant of the man. "Who are you? No one is supposed to know this place, so how did you get in?" he finally decides to shout at the man. If this stranger can bypass the security without alerting them, then he is mostly not an enemy, but one can''t be too certain.


    Wasting no extra time, Shen starts explaining the situation.


    Bora keenly listens, and after Shen proves his identity by telling the boy about their days in the cave and the Dragon Radar, Bora to the surprise of Shen, believes his master without any doubt¡ª''For a great man like Master Crane Hermit, this too is not out of the ordinary.''


    He firmly believes in his judgement.


    Bora then bellows out of his lungs, announcing: "Look guys, Master Shen has finally come back. He even brought some gifts!" The gift in question is the Bansho-fan, a fan-type weapon that is rather useful for low-level fighters.


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    Another thing he brought is a magic book he got from Kami. This book records the basics of magic and its applications. Shen wants to know if his disciples have any affinity for this power or not.


    There are also the three large Kinto-uns he got from Korin-sama. These will be useful in transporting things. Shen couldn''t ride the cloud as he doesn''t have a pure soul, so Korin had sent them to the sky above the cave''s location beforehand. [A/N-The milk is missing]


    After everyone gathers, Bora explains everything to the unbelieving group. Naturally, they were surprised as any sane person would be, seeing the old man who has been missing for three years suddenly return looking like a young pop star.


    Obviously, there were many questions that needed to be addressed.


    While Shen does answers their queries, He himself also starts questioning the group, in return. He inquires about all the Key advancements the disciples and the scientist have made in each of their fields.


    His disciples have certainly become a lot stronger during these last few years. Every one of them is stronger than Goku and Krillin from the first Tenkaichi Budokai. Bora in particular has even already reached a level just slightly below the old version of Master Shen from four years back; around the time the new soul had taken over.


    Not only that Bora and Giran have also learned to use Ki blasts, which Shen hadn''t even taught them yet... he had only demonstrated the technique on a small number of occasions, meaning they had learned it themselves.


    With half a year of special training under him, he reckons they would become proficient in it.


    Dr. Flappe has also reached new heights in his research, but that is a story for another day. For now, Shen has other matters to tend to.


    When all the questioning and answering was done, Shen reveals another Bombshell, afterwards.


    "I am returning to Crane School."


    For more than four years, he has had no contact with the school. Now it is about time he does so.


    "Then take us with you," his disciples beseech.


    "Well, that is the plan."


    .


    .


    .


    Immediately, The following day. . .


    The Master and his students arrive at the foot of the mountain upon which the renowned Crane School is situated.


    Ascending the stone stairs Before them, they will be led to the school.


    Along the way...


    "Master, do you have a hobby of leaving people alone?" Giran asks.


    "No, I don''t have such hobbies... Did I not already tell you that at the start, I hadn''t expected my work in the outside world to take so long to complete... both while leaving the school and the hideout?"


    "Tch! Tch! Tch!... I guess sometimes even an immortal martial artist can¡ª" he doesn''t say the full sentence... He doesn''t need to.


    Giran''s sarcastic tone is really annoying the soul out of Shen. ''This brat really needs some beating.'' Shen is about to give the boy a fist of love, just when he notices the Crane School''s main entrance.


    "We have finally reached the school," Nam exclaims while joining his hands, akin to a Namaste. ¡ªthat is something he does often when meeting someone or arriving at some place.


    Now; everyone has their attention set on the door, saving Giran from his nearly impending misfortune¡ªit seems a potato won''t be growing on his head, for-once.

 Fate of Tao Pai Pai

    In front of the main gate, a guard disciple stops Shen from going any further. "Who are you people?... please state your business here..." Normal public obviously aren''t allowed inside the school premises without permission.


    "This is really getting old," Shen furrows his brows. This all-too-familiar scenario irritates him.


    "How many times do I have to answer this same old question? And this is probably not the last of it either." He is very much done with it. Having to repeat the same thing to different people over and over again is really starting to tick him off.


    The disciple hears his low muttering. "Sorry!!" He looks at Shen in confusion.


    "Sigh!" Shen breathes out deeply, and to the surprise of the guard, without a word, he floats directly over the gate.


    Beyond the gate, in the training area, many of the disciples who were busy tempering their bodies witness this scene.


    Shen creates a commotion as the words quickly reach other disciples. Everyone in the open area starts to gather some distance below him.


    Bora, Giran, and Namu also enter the school premises, albeit through the front door.


    The guard disciple isn''t in a state to stop them ¡ª "What if... just what if this man is him??!!" . . .


    The three disciples start to explain everything to the stunned crowd, followed by Shen himself showcasing his powers. Under the amazed gaze of everyone, he summons a ki blast and launches it at a nearby boulder. Although the students can''t clearly see the blast as it occurs beyond the tall walls of the school compound, the trembling earth, along with the thunderous sound, is more than enough to convince them.


    So now, yet again, the scene repeats itself.


    "Wa¡ªWhat??" The stupefied disciples go from suspicion to confusion, to disbelief, to surprise, to amazement. It is hard to refute evidence that has been presented as clear as glass in front of them.


    The students, who are now convinced, merrily rejoice. Hearing the commotion, the remaining disciples who previously weren''t present also arrive at the scene, asking what the celebration is about.


    The disciples who were already at the place inform their fellow disciples, and in no time, the whole school knows the news.


    Shen lands from the sky and starts to inspect all the gathered students.


    While closely paying attention to the condition of some of the disciples, Shen becomes somewhat bewildered. "What happened to you guys? Why are your legs injured? Who or what did this?"


    With dejected, sad faces, the disciples are a little reluctant to speak. They are having difficulty just opening their tightly sealed lips. Words are stuck in their dry throats.


    "Don''t tell me... did he do this?" Even Shen is speechless.


    He did think the disciples would have some difficulty under Tao. After all, it is always hard to adjust to a new teacher, especially with teachers like Tao. "But this is going too far. The tendons in their legs have been cut, essentially crippling them for life."


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    "What kind of bastard would do this?"


    Of-course, He knows what kind. ''I had thought I would preserve the last of the old Shen''s will by at least not killing his younger brother, but what has that decision led to? ... ¡ªthe future of five youngsters. . . . I was too naive. Some people can''t be left alone that easily.''


    "The number of disciples also seems to have gone down."


    He inquires about this too, and unfortunately, it turned out as he had suspected. According to the disciples, Tao Pai Pai, in a fit of rage, had killed a disciple just because of a petty reason. . . .


    ''He is beyond any sense.'' Shen, angered by the revelation, wastes no time in search of Tao Pai Pai.


    He bursts through the sky multiple times, accelerating his speed each time like a jet propulsion.


    Already aware of his so-called brother''s sadistic behavior, Shen should have guessed it was never out of the realm of possibility that the old geezer would act the way he did. Only now, that a life has already been lost, does this fact finally seep into him. . .


    Shen begins to search every nook and cranny of the forest.


    A while later, he finds Tao Pai Pai at the outskirts of Crane School Mountain. Immediately, an argument ensues between the two brothers in the middle of the woods. . . . To the utter astonishment of Tao, Shen states his identity.


    But then, having to hear all the unending complaints from his older sibling, Tao lashes out at the opposite party, "What nonsense are you speaking, brother?... When did you become such a bastion of morality? Haven''t you killed many trashes yourself?"


    Hearing such words from his supposed brother, Shen seethes with displeasure.


    "You idiot, killing the disciples of the school is a thing even I have never done." Indeed, the previous Master Shen, however evil he was, would still never have gone as far as to kill a disciple or even permanently injure them.


    "Everything has its limit."


    Tao gets further agitated by his brother''s reply. For these four long years, Tao Pai Pai has felt suspicious of his elder brother. Ever since he returned to the school, he has been thinking about the weird changes in his brother''s behavior.


    As far as the future assassin is concerned, this may not even be his real brother. An evil spirit may well have taken over his brother''s body. ¡ªIf an evil spirit takes over an evil man, wouldn''t that make the man double evil? . . . . . . but I digress!


    Seeds of doubt have already sprouted from "This sudden interest in training after neglecting and half-assing them for so many years is also new. How can a stubborn old coot who lazed around for more than 300 years turn a new leaf?"


    Tao Pai Pai doesn''t believe such a thing is possible. He has known his brother for far too long, so even just the subtle changes in Shen are enough to arouse his suspicion.


    Right now, this belief is even more well-founded. "Brother Shen, although I had thought you would get annoyed with my behavior, this is an overreaction... so what if I killed a useless disciple??... they are all expendable."


    "Overreaction, expendable you say??" Shen tightens his fist. Sure, he himself is not a bastion of morality.


    He has always believed that one is never truly obligated to be morally correct, but there is also one other thing he firmly believes; it is that every person, whoever they may be, has an inherent duty, a responsibility that they must fulfill.


    Tao and even Shen failed theirs, so right here, right now, he will put things Right.


    Shen too slowly draws back his fist, and a mere second later, the fist pounces at Tao''s stomach. The old man is already unconscious on the floor. His innards are probably damaged, and the man''s bleeding from all his orifices.


    The punch wasn''t even worth mentioning for Shen. Just a light punch has made Tao Pai Pai, a veteran martial artist, breathless.


    Shen is, however, still conflicted in his heart. He is unsure whether he really has to finish off Tao Pai Pai, whom he has a blood relation to or not... Even if he is not the actual Master Shen, afterall he still has the memories of the old man.


    ''I shouldn''t think much of it. Sometimes some things really need to be done.''

 Science

    Bringing along all his old and new disciples, Shen has left the site of the old Crane School for the foreseeable future. He can''t keep making trips back and forth between the hideout and the school.


    "Will it really be fine to wipe out all of this man''s memories and modify his body?" Dr. Flappe asks his boss, who stands in front of him.


    "Yes! There is no other way," Shen coldly affirms. At last, Shen couldn''t bring himself to kill his blood, but that doesn''t mean Tao Pai Pai has been set scot-free; rather, it''s the opposite. That evil man is now essentially half dead.


    Shen has handed over the man to Dr. Flappe to turn him into a cyborg. Dr. Flappe can complete the task with ease. His research into the field of robotics has reached unprecedented heights¡ªnot at the level of a specialist like Dr. Gero, but still, our scientist is proudly the second best in this field.


    Shen has also wiped out all of Tao''s glaringly evil tendances through a wish from the Dragon Balls. It wasn''t difficult to do so, as his brother was relatively weak compared to Shenlong; unlike in the case of a strong individual, the dragon didn''t have to get Tao Pai Pai''s approval before doing the deed.


    Moving on... Shen again asks, another question. "So how have the disciples I sent to you been doing? Have they adjusted well?"


    "Those five are doing well. They are smarter than average, and more importantly, they are diligent." Of course they are smart¡ªthese are the disciples Shen has put under Dr. Flappe to work as his assistants, in the hopes that they can learn from the veteran scientist.


    "Is that so? Then what about the crippled disciples I sent you for treatment? How are they faring?"


    "I am not a doctor... It''s not within my expertise, but please be rest assured, with my mechanical enhancements, their damaged body parts are better than ever. It''s no different from a full recovery."


    Nodding in approval, Shen leaves the research facility.


    . . . .


    Transferred to the cave hideout is also the pet pig, Ino-Shika-Cho.


    The original Master Shen never bothered interacting with his pet pig; most of the time, giving orders was the only thing he would do. In contrast, the new Shen frequently plays along with it, so his pet too is very happy with the new arrangements.


    The pig can also provide company to the younger disciples. There aren''t many youngsters now, but that won''t be the case in the future. So to make this place a little more livable, Shen had previously grown an indoor garden. In the span of a few years, the garden has transformed, looking more like a mini forest.


    After roaming around the hideout for a while, Shen''s eyes land on a group of profusely sweaty disciples. It''s afternoon, so they are returning to their rooms to rest after carrying out their regular training regime.


    These days, the disciples always have bright smiles on their faces; even now, that is the case. The reason for this is simple.


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    Shen enacting justice for them, even going as far as to go against his own brother... His actions have led the disciples to conjure up profound reverence for him. They hold this unprecedented action of his in very high regard.


    Observing them from afar, Shen gets lost in thought. ''Their talent is rather mediocre in martial arts. They have little room for growth, so I should place most of them in more non-combat roles.''


    It may look as if Shen is discarding them, but that is really not the case. He genuinely wants good for his disciples; rather than stay here, they should go out in the world, find a loving wife, and make a happy family.


    Of course, country bumpkins like them, who have lived their whole lives in a remote mountain, can''t possibly just leave this place and hope to easily adjust to the real world.


    That is precisely why Shen has come up with a solution to help them.... These inexperienced disciples of his will fit perfectly for the new business ventures he is planning to undertake, thus providing them with a new and stable life...


    This is him trying to make up for his past blunders as much as he can.... Afterall The responsibility falls on him.


    Thus, his next few weeks are spent making the necessary arrangements for the disciples, along with the new business. The business is related to low-level civilian household robots. These robots are very versatile, so they will possibly prove helpful in many Plethora of ways.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    Shen is currently staring keenly at the transparent pod before him. The liquid inside the pod gives off a greenish hue, adding to its scientific nature.


    He is at the laboratory, and inside the liquid-filled pod is none other than his brother, Tao Pai Pai. Currently, the bloodthirsty man is in a vegetative state; obviously, this is done intentionally so as not to wake up the man mid-experiment.


    He has decided to preserve the man''s life. Evil they may have been, the legacy of the two evil brothers lives on in some sense.


    Dr. Flappe is already working on upgrading and replacing his brother''s organs with their mechanical counterparts.


    "The preparations are almost complete," Dr. Flappe exclaims beside him.


    "Hmmm!" Shen just approvingly hums. "So, is that the thing that I told you to make? Did the idea work?" Shen points at something in his brother''s body.


    There is a circular glowing device in the middle of Tao Pai Pai''s chest, looking a lot like Iron Man''s arc reactor.


    Well, it also has a similar function. "Yes! As you had said. It''s a mini nuclear reactor."


    It is not the same as the infinite energy generator that Dr. Gero makes; no, this one has a fixed capacity to generate energy, and it naturally takes time to regenerate the used-up energy, working more so as a large boost to already existing energy reserves.


    Becoming a cyborg is not a particularly unique transformation for the would-be assassin, as in the future, after his defeat against Goku, even without Shen''s intervention, he would have cybernetically enhanced himself.


    Dr. Flappe has also improved upon the old pirate robot that was protecting the cave before Shen''s arrival. His expertise in this field has massively increased after studying the Pirate Robot-2 and an earlier version-1, which they had found by pure chance.


    For now, a new version of the pirate robot is ready for service. Moving on in the future, they can be further improved upon.


    These skull robots maintain the original appearance but have a more sleek design. They are equipped with superior lasers instead of the original machine gun. Naturally, these robots are capable of flight, and they can also use swords for close combat. They are each fitted with a top-class AI system that can communicate, and they can even do regular work like a factory robot.


    If Shen had to estimate, he would say its power level is around 500, almost half of that of a Saibaman used by the Saiyans.


    Shen has directly decided to utilize them to maintain and protect the hideout.

 Tenkaichi Budokai

    In the open training area of the hideout, Shen keenly scans the disciples standing upright before him. "You three will be competing in the upcoming Tenkaichi Budokai... It''s about time the Crane School makes a new splash in the world."


    "Master, what is this Tenkaichi Budokai?" Giran raises his hand and asks like a cadet in the military. Indeed, Shen''s style of teaching is not unlike that of an actual military.


    Understanding, his students must have many queries about the World Martial Arts Competition, also known as Tenkaichi Budokai, he imparts them with all the information he knows regarding this topic.


    "Wow!!! we finally get to show our power to the world, aren''t you two also excited??" Giran remarks, sharing his joy with his fellow disciples.


    "You are right, this is a golden opportunity for us to test ourselves against other people." Bora replies agreeingly...


    Nam doesn''t speak but the smile on his face makes it evident what is in his mind.


    The students really appreciate this decision of their master. Giving them this opportunity is a dream come true for the three boys, who have been training non-stop for the past three years.


    Only his three new disciples are participating, as all the old students are busy with their new jobs.


    In preparation for the competition, he gives the Magic Book created by Kami to his student, Giran. He is the only one with talent in the field of magic.


    When the boy opens the book, the information is directly transplanted into his brain. Even in the series, Giran had a power very similar to magic that lets him release a metallic slime-like substance from his mouth, which he uses to bind his opponent''s body.


    As for his other two students, he will further train them both to utilize their Ki more efficiently.


    There are a plethora of approaches to training; nonetheless, every methodology has to have the same result, and that is pain. What doesn''t kill you makes you stronger¡ªthe way of Crane follows this principle.


    Sometimes Shen would give his disciples tasks like climbing snowy peaks in thin clothes and swimming across the world ocean. The cold breeze on top of the mountains was enough to freeze their bones..., while on other days, their limbs nearly fell off due to nonstop swimming. Every day is an exhausting day.


    Nonetheless, the disciples were persevering somehow. But in regards to his own training, Shen is at a loss. He could continue doing what he has been doing and train without any external help, but that would result in slow progress.


    One day, when Shen was in the same dilemma, Dr. Flappe approaches him, bringing along with him wonderful news¡ªone that completely solves his critical problem: his long-awaited gravity room has been created.


    This happens to be at just the right time, as recently he was already starting to wonder if he should just make a wish to Shenron the next chance he gets.


    Shen inquires about the room''s gravity multiplier capacity, and to his pleasant surprise, it is able to increase the gravity by a whopping ten times.


    His daily routine drastically changes from the following day. Most of his time is now spent doing workouts in the gravity room, only getting out for bodily necessities and to occasionally train his disciples.


    Months pass by in a gist. Overall, nothing noteworthy happened except for the fact that Shen isn''t able to perceive time normally anymore. His sense of time has seriously been disoriented by the endless grind, starting all the way back from his awakening as a brand-new person in this world.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Recently, staying cooped up in the gravity room and continuously doing the same thing over and over again has surely not helped. Obviously, this repetitive action has only worked to aggravate the issue.


    Such a monotonous life tends to mess up one''s head.


    ''Everything suddenly feels like a dream nowadays... I am bored... bored out of my mind. I truly need some fresh change of pace. Hope these disciples can give me that.''


    Today is the day of the tournament, as well as the the moment when the three new stars of martial arts are revealed to the world.


    Nearly a year has passed since Shen had announced their participation in this event.


    After registering, Shen, with his three disciples, enters the event location. The excitement in the air has reached heights never before felt by the three boys.


    Naturally, Shen isn''t a participant, as that would defeat the whole purpose of coming here in the first place. All the other disciples are also not present here, as they are busy with work.


    Right away, the first round of the event commences.


    Before the match; Shen, using his psychic power, secretly arranges the grouping in a way that makes sure his three disciples do not face off against each other before the semifinals. the tournament wouldn''t be fun otherwise.


    Seeing the young kids, all the other participants shake their heads in disapproval, sighing and wondering who could have brought these milky kids to such a dangerous place. Some kind-hearted people even start to pray for their safety.


    Being the center of attention makes them the target of mockery from more and more people.


    This leads to the hot-headed Giran, bubbling with rage...


    ''These idiots... Wait until I get my hands on them... I''ll show them.''


    "No, don''t be blinded by rage. Hasn''t master taught us not to use our full strength on unworthy opponents?... Your actions represent out Crane School, Don''t try to embarrass our master. " Bora implores the dragon boy.


    "Tch! Boring." The reasonable words somewhat works on the fuming boy.


    All while this is going on, Nam, being Nam, is calm throughout the whole ordeal. He doesn''t mind the harsh words ''i have to stay calm... according to master, the best reply one can give is through action, not by words.''


    ....


    During the matches, Nam, especially because of his very young age, is underestimated by every one of his initial opponents.


    Nobody had taken him seriously, the trend continuing even after his overwhelming victory in the first fight, as the skeptics think either he was lucky or the opponent happened to be a weakling.


    But as the clock ticks on and he continuously wins all of his matches with a clear upper hand, the people are proven otherwise..


    Bora and Giran are also doing the same as Nam.


    Giran, although he tries very hard to avoid accidentally killing his opponents.... He technically succeeds, but even so, near-death injuries were unavoidable, no matter what method he used.


    Thankfully Shen provides the seriously injured ones with Senju beans, thus healing their injuries, Doing this to minimize his bad Karma is not a huge loss for Shen. he has lots of them, he won''t run out of of these Beans any time soon. But more importantly there is no foolish yajirobe around him to eat these miraculous drugs like everyday candies.


    In every match, the three boys secure victory after victory, each taking only a split second. The other participants who were previously ridiculing the kids are left speechless.


    As the preliminary rounds conclude, the three become the target of admiration and envy of every fighter spectating their fights.


    the eight qualifiers for the main event draw lots, after which the announcer declares who is going to fight whom. Of course, similar to last time, Shen covertly arranges the matches.


    Following this, the main event takes place in the view of an actually large audience. This is in total contrast to the earlier indoor matches that only the other fighters could see. The common folks weren''t permitted near the fights.


    The huge crowd both cheers and sneers at the fighters battling on the elevated platform.


    The crowd doesn''t have high hopes for the three new and young faces. However, to the amazement of everyone present, their matches unfold in no time at all. Their opponents are defeated without much difficulty.


    The spectators are compelled to see the youngsters in a new light.


    Without much effort, the Crane School disciples reach the semifinals.


    The upcoming matches are as follows:


    Giran vs. Bora


    Nam vs. King Chappa


    They are scheduled to be conducted the next day.

 Tenkaichi Budokai-2

    A young bald boy can be seen striding through the bustling streets of Papaya City, located on Papaya Island. This city is well known for being home to the famous Martial Arts Temple.


    ''Master Shen brought us here to participate in the tournament held by the temple. We three disciples have swiftly reached the semifinals as well... but that being said, has my performance truly been satisfactory? I did defeat all my opponents, but they were all very... weak.''


    ''What if Master is disappointed in me? Both of my elder brothers are stronger than me. What if I can''t catch up?''


    Many thoughts linger around the boy; Namu..., like moths attracted to bright light.


    "Ooh!! I''m here!! Finally, I''ve found the temple." The temple he refers to is not the martial arts temple but a regular temple, with portraits of different gods and goddesses lining its outer walls.


    Namu enters through the front door, his eyes landing on the large copper statue of a Buddha at the end of the hallway.


    "Hmmm!!" His gaze fixes on the enigmatic figure... instantly, his mind feels enlightened. "Maybe... just maybe... such a thing is possible."


    Later that day... The tournament location:


    In the midst of a lively crowd, the proud King Chappa stands firmly. "Come, boy, attack me with all the might you''ve got," he confidently calls out to the teen standing on the other side of the ring.


    Suddenly, a loud scowl comes from the threshold of the ring, "Dumbass, just because you have ''king'' in your name doesn''t mean you can act cocky!" This came from the fighters'' waiting area.


    "Stop being arrogant, Choppa or whatever your full name is. . . Nam, beat his ass!!" Giran criticizes the man on Namu''s behalf.


    His shouting reaches its intended target, but King Chappa merely scoffs at it...


    Though Nam didn''t need the invitation from his opponent, he nonetheless; takes the opportunity given to him.


    "Please watch out," he warns his opponent before launching a flurry of attacks.


    Chappa barely manages to dodge any of them. Every second, he''s hit multiple times, leaving him unable to catch his breath.


    Due to the constant pain, the older man loses his footing and falls to the ground, Seeing this The younger boy halts his attack, letting the guy rest for a while...


    While shell-shocked and embarrassed, Chappa manages to stand up with great difficulty. He can do so because Nam hadn''t used his full strength. Otherwise, Chappa would be in a world of pain right now.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Coincidentally, these two look a lot alike. Both have similar facial structures and clothing, exuding vibes of resolute monks. People could mistake them for real brothers.


    "I didn''t think you were this strong... Then, how about this... Yaaaaaaa!!!! Eight-Arm Fist!"


    Punch! Punch! Punch! Punch!... He tries to overwhelm the boy with his fists, but Nam is unaffected. His superiority is evident as he effortlessly dodges all of King Chappa''s punches.


    Deciding to end the fight, Nam jumps up, and with a knee slam to his opponent''s gut, he simply flatlines the man.


    "Thank you for the fight," Nam says, bowing respectfully.


    Seeing this, his teacher in the viewing area thinks, "This brat... He doesn''t even realize that the person he just defeated could possibly be the one who was actually supposed to win this tournament... In the anime, it was said that King Chappa had once won a previous iteration of this tournament..."


    A small smile appears on his face. "Sadly for King Chappa, today is not his lucky day."


    ¡ªAt the lobby beside the ring¡ª


    "Hmph! This so-called king... He was outmatched from the start. Well, this is only natural," Giran sarcastically shakes his head, musing at the expense of the defeated man. In the future, this kind of behavior is sure to come back to bite him.


    Promptly following the outcome, the match between Giran and Bora is about to begin.


    All of a sudden, the tournament announcer suddenly draws attention to himself:


    [ Ladies and gentlemen, as your announcer, I have BIG news for you all. Just a while ago i had been made aware of a thrilling Fact. This is a reveal that is sure to pump up all your hearts!


    Through a trustworthy source, we have learned that Nam-san, Bora-san, and Giran-san are all disciples of the same School.. the renowned Crane School... Truly, it seems the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree.


    This explains their overwhelming strength... What a spectacular event to witness, don''t you all agree? ]


    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    The crowd erupts in an uproar.


    "As expected of the Crane School and the Crane Hermit. His disciples are out of the ordinary," someone in the crowd exclaims.


    "They''re a cut above the rest of us," another person adds dejectedly.


    "This really speaks volumes about the magnificence of Master Shen," a previously disqualified participant of the tournament comments.


    People are having all kinds of discussions.


    At the forefront of the now noisy audience, Shen stands with arms folded, keenly listening to the commotion. A smirk is plastered on his face as his nose reaches high into the sky, trying to breach the space between the heavens and a mighty nose.


    ''Keep the praise coming... As expected, revealing their identities now would create the biggest bang... A trustworthy source? Heh!! It''s obviously me,'' he muses...


    Suddenly, interrupting everyone, the familiar voice of the announcer comes from the microphone...


    [ Now, now, everyone, I request your attention! Please keep your eyes on the ring as the second match of the semifinals has begun.


    Look! Our young heroes have already stepped into the ring...


    Let me tell you, it''s surely no coincidence that the only participants left in this tournament are the three disciples of Master Shen... Let''s see what they''ll show us today...


    What is this??.. the two fighters are motionless... a tense stare-down has ensued between the two... It''s uncertain, who is going to yield first!!.


    OOOOOhhhhhh!! It''s Giran-san!.. looks like Giran-san is the first one to make a move. ]

 Notoriety

    Giran has a brutish approach to battle, charging right at his fellow disciple, while Bora, being a more refined fighter, skillfully avoids every attack thrown at him.


    This continues for a few more minutes, until¡ªabruptly¡ªa tail swipe from Giran hits Bora. He is smacked heavily to the ground. breaking the ceaseless flow of battle.


    "Heh! Did you forget I have a tail?" Being a dragon-like species called Giras, our dragon-boy naturally has a tail.


    Bora pays no mind to his little brother''s amused voice. He gets up, ready to turn the tide.


    Like the invisible wind, he disappears from his spot, with speed surpassing Giran''s ability to follow his moves.


    Bora''s figure repeatedly flickers around the ring. He launches surprise attacks; one after another, forcing his opponent to constantly be on guard.


    Unlike Bora, rather than avoiding the attacks, Giran blocks them, with his arms and palms.. redirecting those that manage to get past his defenses... However, it''s not enough to save him from all of Bora''s strikes.


    The crowd also starts to complain, "Where has the other fighter gone?" They''re confused as to what''s going on... Seeing this, the announcer attempts to explain the situation...


    On the ring, Giran, overwhelmed by the unpredictable attacks, can''t take it anymore "I had hoped not to reveal my cards this early in the fight... Guess I have no choice..."


    "Merry-Merry Go-Round Gum!!" He spits out a massive surge of magically glowing substance, spreading it wide in all directions.


    Caught off-guard in this glue-like substance, Bora''s movements are immediately stopped as the glue instantly hardens upon contact with him.


    "Ackh!!! What is this? Don''t tell me this is your spit?!"


    "No, it''s not," Giran immediately retorts. "This is our clan''s special magic. It just happens to be released from our mouth."


    "Phew!! Thank God... But did you really think you could bind me with this?"


    "No, I didn''t, but that''s not all it can do... This stuff is highly flammable."


    "You mean¡ª" A horrific image comes to Bora''s mind, but before he can complete his sentence, Giran jumps high and spits out something again... This time, it''s not glue but fire. He spits out a fire tornado at the ring below.


    The tornado hits precisely where Bora was. The fire becomes even more intense upon contact with the glue, spreading all over. Intense white flames envelop the whole ring.


    Up in the sky, Dragon-boy proudly admires his handiwork. "Now, not only do I resemble a dragon, I''ve nearly become one myself... There''s nothing you can do, big bro. At least rest-assured, with your level of power, you won''t die from this."


    Shen looking, at the fight sighs!; irritably "Is this brat crazy? Even if Bora won''t die because of this, it''ll still leave burn marks all over his body. If I didn''t have senzu beans, he wouldn''t be able to get a wife in the future."


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The crowd, that was silently watching the events unfold, can no longer hold back. A restless volcano erupts.


    The present Giran looks impressive, completely opposite to his obese counterpart from the Dragon Ball series. He has a highly robust build... Right now, his body is bulging with muscles, not fat.


    "If I had more time, I wouldn''t have had to release the attacks one at a time... I could have released them both simultaneously... Well, whatever, I''m already the victor... Oi, referee, announce the result!!"


    Outside the ring, the referee, who is also the announcer, is brought out of his stupor by Giran''s words. He is about to announce the result when...


    A voice comes from above.


    "Giran, honestly, you would be right to say that if everything I''ve revealed is all I can do." Just when he was about to be hit by the fire, Bora had taken to the sky. Only now is this fact apparent to everyone.


    "W-What?? Do you mean you have some kind of hidden special move?"


    "Special?? This is very special... Behold the result of my one-year-long training... taught to me by my master... our school''s... Kikohooooooo!!"


    "Waaaaat?!" Before Giran can fully express his surprise, he is hit by the blast. The scorched ring turns into a deep pit in a matter of milliseconds.


    Giran is a goner, or so everyone thinks. However, contrary to this thought, Shen has narrowly saved the boy.


    Now, hovering midair, the two disciples and one teacher are in full view of everyone.


    The announcer is the first to speak.


    [Ohhhhh! Everyone, is what we are seeing real?! Someone has saved Giran-san from imminent danger. Who could this man be? Is this Master Shen or one of his other disciples??


    Look, they''ve bowed down to this man. Oh! Did I hear right? Both of them called him master. It really is the Crane Hermit! Who would have guessed he was this young after living for nearly 300 years... Truly a great sage, able to rejuvenate himself.]


    Everyone is astonished. "Did he regain his youth?" Some older folks who have seen Shen''s previous appearance inwardly become jealous of him... This unimaginable phenomenon is sure to spark curiosity throughout the world...


    The winner of this match is clear for all to see...


    As Bora and Namu weren''t injured during their respective fights, the match between the two immediately follows.


    "Namu, don''t hold back. We are not just fellow disciples here. We are also opponents. Fight me with full strength, as I will do the same."


    "I understand, brother Bora!!" Saying so, Namu joins his hands. "Please observe, this is my all..." A dense swarm of ki oozes out of his body, mysteriously taking the shape of a humanoid figure.


    Molded by ki, a faceless Buddha Avatar has descended upon the ring.


    Astonished by the magnificent display, everyone¡ªincluding Shen¡ªis at a loss for words.


    "I''m starting." Namu''s words pull Bora out of his daze. He manages to react to the figure''s palm attack in time.


    Bora tries to get close to Namu, but every time, he is stopped by the multiple arms of the ki Avatar.


    ''Fighting at close and mid-range is impossible, but this ring is too small to launch ki blasts from a safe distanc¡ªWa-Wait a minute, can I not just fly?... I won''t be disqualified as long as I don''t step outside the ring, so...''


    Bora decides to try out his hypothesis, and sure enough, Namu becomes a sitting duck to his attacks.


    Being his first time using the Ki projection technique in actual battle, Namu was already having a somewhat hard time maintaining and controlling the ki Projection. But the long-range attacks from Bora take the difficulty up a notch. The Buddha Avatar crumbles.


    All was for naught. Despite showcasing his spectacular new technique, Namu couldn''t pose a big enough threat to his brother.


    Decisively winning the match against Namu, Bora becomes the undisputed champion of the 18th Tenkaichi Budokai.


    Tales of the Crane School become widespread following the tournament, especially among women; who are the most self-conscious about their appearance. Everyone wants to know the secret of Shen.

 Red Ribbon

    One particular day, after returning to the hideout, Namu informs his master about the situation regarding water scarcity in his village. A drought seems to have struck the area.


    Hearing his request for help, Shen provides Namu with some Hoi-Poi capsules, orders him to fill them with fresh water, and sends the boy to the village along with Giran.


    After they return, Shen learns that the drought was actually caused by Giran''s clansmen; who had blocked the river upstream with a dam. Shen had completely forgotten that Giran''s clan was responsible for the drought.


    The crucial connection between Giran and Namu... only now, after everything is well and done, is his mind; reminded of it.


    This event also reminds Shen of his promise to Dr. Flappe. Months before the tournament, Shen had told the scientist that he would take him back to his village for a visit.


    It is time to fulfill his promise.


    .


    .


    .


    After coming to the village, The two men stay at the place for an unusually long time.


    During this period, Dr. Flappe spends time with his family, which surprises Shen. To think he had a family was a hard thing to comprehend for the Crane Hermit.


    Having nothing interesting to do, Shen spends his days idling about in the village.


    Normally, the days at the snowy Jingle Village are extremely boring, that is until a specific incident happens in the village.


    The Red Ribbon Army¡ªuninvited guests¡ªshow up at the village, wanting to build a tower at the tallest peak of the mountain. They forcefully try to seize the land and conscript the men to build the tower.


    Obviously, with Shen''s presence here, they aren''t able to do any of it. Accomplishing nothing and, on top of that, getting beaten up, they run away, swearing revenge as they go.


    Shen wasn''t letting them go that easily, so he stealthily trails them to their regional base...


    ''The Red Ribbon Army turned up at just the right moment. I had been wondering how I would accumulate enough contribution to train under Kaio-sama... These people must have committed all kinds of evils, so destroying them won''t dirty my hands.''


    Mind racing with the different courses of action he could take, Shen walks up to the main gate of the Red Ribbon base.


    "You!! Stop right there. No one is allowed inside. If you don''t want your head blown off, turn back and leave immediately," the two guards stop his steps.


    ''This looks to be a bigger facility than expected... excluding these two guards, i can also sense dozens of men other people, ahead and around me.'' ¡ªThe men in question are currently pointing their gun at shen from hidden locations.


    ''Not only that, behind the fences; in the base itself, there are at-least a thousand more.''


    Shen makes a serious expression. Strong wind flutters his wavy clothes... The two Red Ribbon Chums feel the temperature drop by half. Then he laughs. "Hahahahaha!"


    "Y-You... why are you laughing? Who are you really, you bastard??... Answer us!" The guards grow nervous; the man doesn''t seem to pay them any mind.


    "I am justice. Residing in the dark, I slay evil, doing Heaven''s work... Although I go by a plethora of names, you may call me Mr. Angel."


    "W-Wha... at??" These two men would normally sneer at such a brain-dead psycho calling himself the defender of justice, but not this time... somehow these rash men didn''t have the courage.


    "Mr. Angel.., Oi! Have you heard of him?" One of the guards asks the other.


    His partner next to him scratches his head. "I haven''t... He must be new to town."


    The townsfolk near the base are subjected to forced labor by the Red Ribbon Army, so these guards know pretty much all the able-bodied young men going in and out of the base for work-related matters.


    Shen keeps quiet, scanning the base with his ki, firmly deciding in his mind to uproot this bothersome organization from the face of the Earth.


    He starts with this place.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Today marks the beginning of the end for the globally emerging Red Ribbon Army.


    .


    .


    .


    Some days later, he arrives at the main headquarters of the Red Ribbon Army; hidden amongst snowy mountains and dense forests.


    He finally reaches this place after taking a high-ranking commander of the army as a guide. Initially, the commander wasn''t compliant, but Shen made him compliant, using methods that are, of-course, civil and peaceful.


    Shen gazes down from the sky, below at the well equipped and discipled soldiers; going about their duties in a uniform manner.


    "Sure enough, this place has already become the headquarters of the Red Ribbon Army. At least the missile defense system hasn''t been installed yet... not that it would be of any use against me."


    Right away, a large-scale battle ensues between Shen and the Red Ribbon Army.


    The whole place plunges into chaos. There had already been a rumor circulating around the base that two of their large outposts in the North and East had been decimated by an unknown enemy, and the higher-ups were struggling to suppress the rumor.


    "The rumors were true, the madman really exists!" a soldier screams at the top of his lungs.


    To the horror of the regular soldiers, the madman had arrived at their doorstep. The rumors weren''t exaggerating his strength; rather, the information largely underestimated him.


    Inside the base...


    Soldiers are being summoned to the gates, on a moment''s notice.


    "Hurry! Hurry up, every fighter has been summoned."


    "I said use your legs! Don''t dawdle about," the prison warden, hastily orders around the soldiers of the underground prison, his face pale as sweat floods from his brows.


    "Oi, you newbie, did you not eat any breakfast??... why are you this slow?"


    .


    .


    .


    "What is going on?" From inside one of the cells of the prison, a curious feminine voice sounds, "What could be causing the warden to be so frantic?"


    She speaks, not to anyone in particular.


    "Is it related to all the shaking and explosive noises?... Hmm!! Must be... what is causing this?? Has the government finally declared war against these people?... Weird and dangerous things are likely happening outside."


    "No wonder the soldiers have been restless for the past few days. This... So thrilling!! So exciting!! and here i am stuck in this stupid place."


    The girl is leaning face-front on the prison bars, holding onto them as if she might slip without doing so. Her face isn''t all that clear due to a lack of proper light in the vicinity.


    "Oi, Gevo, or whatever your name is... aren''t you the son of that scientist, whatever his name is..." She decides to converse with a guard.


    "How can I help you? And my father is Dr. Gero, please try not to forget it." Replies; the Young man with a mohawk, guarding her cell... Because of the dim light, only the girl''s silhouette can be seen, so it may look like the man is talking to a shadow.


    "Whatever, names don''t matter right now... You¡ªyou seem to be a hostage here... Aren''t I right?"


    "Please get straight to the point and refrain from putting your nose where it doesn''t belong."


    All the soldiers have already left, except for a few including Gevo, who remains here, deemed untrustworthy by the Red Ribbon Army, the prison hallway that, a while ago, was buzzing with activity, is now ghostly silent.


    "Tch! You''re no fun... just listen to what I have to say... They must have brought you here as insurance to make sure that, just in case the Dr. thinks about betraying the organization, they can use his son as leverage."


    The hammer hits the nail perfectly, "What is your point in saying this to me?... in this dire situation, no less!!"


    "Let me out of here, I can help you escape." The girl; smugly declares.


    "No." Gevo doesn''t budge.


    "What''s the problem? This way both of us can escape..."


    "Firstly!... I came here of my own volition, to make sure a conflict doesn''t arise between my father and the RRA(Red Ribbon Army). What''s more, Father is receiving constant funding from the army... If not for them, our family would become bankrupt, like last time before we were taken in by the army."


    "Aaah, you are so stupid," the girl holds her head in frustration.


    "Oi, what about you, Robot-san?" She calls out to the burly man; guarding another cell. His looks are similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger.


    It appears the girl isn''t the only one imprisoned here.


    However, no reply comes from the robot-man.


    "Huuuh????!!!" Rather, a angry outburst comes from the girl "Are you deaf? Did a short circuit fry your brain, you hunk of junk??"


    "Sigh!" She sighs in resignation.


    "Hmph! You probably don''t have a functioning brain..."


    The prison quietens down, as the girl was in the process of coming up with a different idea, until she wasn''t. ''Hmm!!! what about the guy the robot is guarding?...''


    "Oi, you, inside the cell that the dumb robot is guarding... I overheard the guards say; you can bend metal bars with ease... that''s pretty strong, right?! Why don''t you help your big sis get out of here?"


    For a few seconds, the man inside the cell is unresponsive. The girl is already losing it, starting to pull on her own hair.


    Suddenly, the giant man jolts awake. He gets up on his feets. "This lady has done nothing wrong. It is not right to keep her here, i will help her." He mumbles in a heavy but dumbish voice.


    The Girl become ecstatic "Ooooh, although the response came a whole lot late, you do know what to say, huh?!"


    However, before the man could take any action... the underground prison, the place they are in right now, where just moments earlier, other then the young chatterbox girl, only the occasional squeaking of rats could be heard, begins echoing with someone''s footsteps.


    "I came here wondering what this place was... it turns out to be a jail. There are Ki signatures inside the cells.. Should I free them? The people imprisoned by criminals wouldn''t be other criminals, right?..."

 Launch??

    A while ago, before Shen enters the underground prison...


    "You!! What did you do to us?"


    A large number of Red Ribbon soldiers are frozen in place, their actions not voluntary, as an unknown force continuously holds them in this state.


    "A little trick..." Shen replies, unconcerned by the numerous soldiers surrounding him. "My psychic abilities certainly come in handy at times like these... Perfect for these small-fries."


    Suddenly, distracting noises of innumerable boots hitting the concrete ground fills the air. A new group of soldiers arrives on the scene. They are the same soldiers who had earlier left the prison at the warden''s command, They have come to rescue their comrades in arms.


    They point their guns at Shen.


    "Fire!!"


    Immediately, The soldiers start raining bullets on Shen, but Shen; showcasing his supernatural powers, levitates the enemy''s weapons mid-air. With a swipe of his arm, he disarms the soldiers, snatching and throwing their weapons aside¡ªbullets and all.


    "Yawn!!" Shen feels sleepy "ugh! this is so boring These soldiers aren''t able to put up any sort of resistance against me, at all."


    Hearing this, the soldiers surrounding him are struck with terror and awe at the same time. They are mystified by his confidence and overwhelming display of power... To the everyday normal people, Shen''s abilities are naturally unnatural.


    He too decides to give these men a chance. "I don''t know if you''ll believe it or not, but I am actually a forgiving man. I have nothing to gain or lose from killing all of you... So why don''t you just give up and surrender? Maybe by doing as I say, you''ll leave this place alive..."


    Out of vigilance or fear of the unknown man, who doesn''t seem to take any of their attacks seriously, the soldiers take his words to heart. They contemplate their situation and come to a joint conclusion... The results are no surprise, as the gap between the two parties is just that large.


    .


    .


    .


    Right about now, Commander Red, leader of the Red Ribbon Army, is having an emergency meeting with his most trusted subordinate, Staff Officer Black, and some others of his inner circle.


    Panic spreads across their faces. Commander Red; a dwarf man of short stature, stands on top of his chair, frustrated at the rapidly unfolding events, standing on the chair is stunt to showcase his anger more explicitly.


    He looks at the monitor showing the live CCTV footage of Shen with discontent. "So he is the man going around destroying our bases!. What do you suppose his motives are for attacking us, Officer Black?"


    Red jumps down from his chair, accidentally dropping his cigar from his mouth. He then turns to his right-hand man, Officer Black. As the name implies, Black is a tall, dark-skinned individual.


    "Sir, I myself am very confused. According to the news we just received, he is letting all the lower-ranked soldiers live. The same fate, however, is not applied to high-ranking officers like us. What do you think he is planning, Commander Red? Does he want to take over the army?"


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    Having the question returned to him, Red stares blankly at Black for a second. He steps on the fallen cigar on the floor, squashing it, and replies.


    "What is there to think? He''s not trying to take over the army. If he was, he would have let some of the high-ranking officers live. He needs at least some of them to maintain our vast army of thousands."


    "Then what else could he want?" Black asks, confused. Everyone else in the room shares the same sentiment.


    "This is what''s most infuriating..." Red slams a nearby desk with his legs. His legs hurt, which angers him even more.


    "From my understanding, he wants nothing. He''s just playing hero. I had heard there are those kinds of people out there... Never would I have thought such a person, no less an unbelievable monster like him, would come at us."


    Suddenly, interrupting the meeting, the door bursts open as someone barges in, shocking everyone in the room. "So this is where everyone was hiding? Now then..."


    Just as everyone''s attention is distracted away from the monitor screen, Shen happens to show up.


    "W-wait, please listen! We can negotiate. How about I make you a commander of my army?"


    The leader of the Red Ribbon Army pleads, but nothing reaches the ears of their grim reaper.


    Aiming his laser-like ki attacks precisely at their hearts, Shen gives the men a quick and easy ticket to the other world.


    Seeing the subordinates fall one by one, panic sets in the hearts of Commander Red and Officer Black. Both frantically rush in the same direction¡ªtoward a red button on the commander''s desk.


    Red being nearest to it, reaches it first. Black was right behind him when he presses the button.


    The walls behind the commander''s desk begin to slide down like an elevator, revealing a large glass closet containing an equally large robotic suit, around 3 meters in height.


    Red and Black push each other out of the way, both attempting to enter the robot first, each hoping to save their own life.


    Yet all is for naught, as before they could accomplish their immediate goals, Shen puts a full stop to their lives with two rapid, successive ki strikes.


    Shen amusingly looks at the now, ownerless robotic armor.


    "This weird pair of short and long legs, I was wondering what they were up to, so I let them do as they pleased... Were they trying to make a last-ditch effort with this thing? Heh! An unexpected loot... I shall take it, in their stead... I really have to appreciate the Red Ribbon Army... Even in their last moments, they did not forget their generosity and left me with a gift."


    .


    .


    .


    Shen, having emerged inside the underground prison of the now-decimated Red Ribbon Army...


    His entrance makes him the subject of everyone''s gaze in the prison.


    Shen nonchalantly walks, taking a tour of the prison cells, ignoring all the curious eyes on him.


    Suddenly, his own eyes land on a stunned girl who was previously shouting non-stop from her cell.


    "Who?? What?? How??" He gets near the smooth metal bars of her cell, trying to have a better look.


    "This face!! She''s unmistakably..." Uttering incoherent words, he grows more confused and stunned by the second.


    "Face? What about my face? You have a problem with it?" The girl musters the courage to speak, not willing to be the subject of anyone''s mockery.


    "No, no, miss. I am not making fun of your face. I''m just stunned by you... Does your name happen to be Launch?" Shen stutters while speaking.


    "How do you know my name, and what do you mean by ''stu¡ª''?" She isn''t done speaking when Shen, breaks the metal bars; obstructing his eyes and the girls freedom.


    "Are you really Launch?!! But how is that possible?" While pondering, he approaches her, unknowingly getting, extremely close to the feisty girl.


    Launche''s face is inches away from Shen''s, making her embarrassed. "What do you mean, how?" She questions the man. "My name is Launch... How would I know how that happened? I''m just me."


    Shen, noticing how close he was to the girl, backs away to an appropriate distance. ''How can there be an adult Launch at this current time? She should still be a kid right now. At least, that was supposed to be the case from what I know.''


    The girl, whose appearance previously wasn''t visible, is now clearly recognizable as none other than the blonde Launch-chan.


    This makes her the target of Shen''s curiosity...


    What could be the reason for her unexplained appearance this soon in the timeline? ¡ªWe will know the answer on the next- Dragon Ball: Shen.

 Colors

    Shen, together with Launch, gets out of the underground prison. The others in the prison tag along with the two. Earlier, they had neither tried to stop the man or confront him, nor do they plan to do so in the future.


    This is because, knowing that Shen was probably the one responsible for all the chaos happening in the base, they didn''t dare make a move against him.


    Another reason is that they suspect the man has already destroyed all of the Red Ribbon Army. No one wants to provoke such a monster for a dead cause. They were never explicitly ordered to do so, and in the first place, their loyalty to the organization wasn''t even that great.


    Now outside, Shen asks Launch for further clarification about her situation and how she got to this place.


    Saying Shen is surprised by the answers would be an understatement.


    "So you only have memories from two years back and don''t remember anything about yourself from before that?"


    "Yeah! Why do you ask?"


    "Just curious¡­" While he speaks, Shen looks around, noticing the people who followed him.


    Now that everyone is outside the dark prison, he''s able to have a clearer look at their faces, and sure enough, he feels like he knows these people.


    ''They are also familiar faces: isn''t this guy, who was inside another cell, Android 7? And the one guarding him, that''s the other robot from Muscle Tower, Major-. . .-whatever his name was.''


    ''The boy with a mohawk, he looks like a Chad... a blatantly recognizable facial feature. not sure, but I think I''ve seen him before, too¡­ maybe later, I should personally ask him.''


    Shen lets the matter rest for now. He has a more pressing concern at the moment.


    "You said Dr. Gero was the first person you met after awakening?. Were you his experimental subject? If so, do you know what he was researching?"


    "Umm! I don''t remember much, but during the time I stayed in his lab, he frequently talked about merging different people into one and combining their cells, or something like that."


    "That explains it¡­" Shen blurts out. In the original Dragon Ball, Launch was supposed to have double personalities: one being gentle, while the other was aggressive.


    Naturally, the Launch he is currently with is the latter.


    ''Explains it?'' the blonde Launch wonders what he meant.


    Simultaneously, Shen also thinks to himself, ''This girl had such a history¡­ unbelievable.'' Not only him, but this is also the exact kind of thought playing in the heads of all the individuals around him.


    Gevo, being the son of Dr. Gero, is the most taken aback by the revelation. ''Father was doing such research, huh! hope he didn''t harm innocent people.''


    "By the way, do you happen to have a split personality?" Shen again questions the girl, surprising her.


    "You sure know a lot, huh? Who are you, really?"


    "Me? People know me as Crane Hermit, but my real name is Shen. I''m also called Master Shen, founder of a famous school called Crane School."


    "Hermit? Aren''t those kinds of people supposed to be ancient old fogies?"


    "Well, things happened, leading me to what I am today. However, now''s not the time for that. What are you going to do now that I''ve released you from the prison?"


    "Heh! I''m gonna rob a bank, of course! I''ve always wanted to do that while I was stuck in prison. Hey, you wanna join me? We could make a great team together."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Shen hits his forehead with his palm. "Why did I even ask? Let''s forget about what you just said. I have a different proposition for you, Launch-san¡­ if you don''t mind, how about staying with me at my school? There, you can stay as long as you want. You don''t have to rob anything, and the place is huge."


    Shen inviting Launch isn''t out of any grand intention. ''I was such a big fan of her character. It''s a shame to let her disappear into obscurity, like how it happened in the series¡­ poor girl. She lived such a sad existence. She would go on to be ignored by her only love and forgotten. If she just stays at the hideout, I can at least train her. She''s got a lot of potential to grow. maybe she could become a great character, one day.''


    Still, Does the girl share his views?


    "Y-you! Who do you think you are? Hmph! Getting so willy-nilly with me. we aren''t partners¡ªyet... Don''t get ahead of yourself!"


    Shen sighs, thinking it was just a lost cause. He was already wondering about the prospect of kidnapping her, but¡ª


    "But I suppose it won''t hurt to stay with you for a while."


    "Ehhh! What? You''re willing? Do you really agree? I thought¡ª"


    "Are you making me say it twice, you bastard?! It''s only because you saved me from that prison. Don''t think I''m like this with just anyone. Be thankful¡­"


    "Haha, Miss! It is a pleasant surprise. It''s wonderful to have you with us at the Crane School¡­ let''s get along¡­"


    Shen reaches out his hand.


    Launch was a little hesitant at first, by the unexpected gesture, but she musters up her awkward self to shake the man''s hand.


    Seeing such an accepting Launch, Shen is lost for words. ''Was the aggressive Launch always this easy to talk to¡­? Well, whatever, not that it matters.''


    ______________________


    After his talk with Launch, Shen, leaving her with the others, proceeds to roam around the Headquarters. He had deliberately avoided doing any major damage to the place while fighting the enemies, as he plans to take over all the research facilities and other useful objects left behind.


    Shen had just started searching for anything noteworthy, and something instantly catches his attention. He senses the presence of a large number of people at the far-back of this place.


    "That must be some sort of secret facility of the Red Ribbon Army. I should check it out."


    .


    .


    .


    ''An underground bunker!! It seems these people really like digging. What, or rather who, are they hiding here?''


    Convinced there must be an important secret buried below, Shen blasts open the heavy steel door of the bunker with his ki.


    With a bit of caution, he walks down the concrete stairways, encountering yet another steel door, this one a lot less heavy than the first.


    Beyond the door, small figures murmur amongst themselves. They can hear the continuous echoes of footsteps as they anticipate in fright for something to creep inside.


    Suddenly, as the sound stops echoing and they hear nothing, the door before them starts to melt, seconds later creating a ghastly hole.


    Right when the melted metal cools off, emerging from the now-ruined door is a villainous-looking man¡­ none other than Shen.


    "Children? But they have the ki of above-average martial artists."


    Intrigued, he carefully inquires the 100 or so children about their identities. He was trying not to accidentally scare them.. Yet, to his surprise, they easily comply with him.


    Even though they are children¡ªthe oldest no older than 15¡ªthey strangely have an air of professionalism about them.


    The mystery surrounding them doesn''t last long, as one of the children, a red-headed boy of around 12 years of age, steps forward to explain themselves.


    "We are Colors, elite trainees of the RRB, who will, in the future, serve under the various units of the army. We are being trained from a young age to join the predetermined units assigned to us."


    According to the boy; every kid at this hidden bunker is named after a color, and there are apparently different units in the Red Ribbon Army, each representing a specific color. Some examples are the Blue Unit, Silver Unit, White Unit, Violet Unit, etc...


    Later on, when these young Trainees are of the right age, all of them will go on to be part of a unit that specifically matches their given names.


    .


    .


    .


    "So which color are you?"


    "I am Silver."


    "Hmm!.. Well, to tell you the Truth.. I have already destroyed the Red Ribbon Army." Shen tells them directly. He doesn''t attempt to placate their hearts.


    As expected, the children become silent at the reveal... they were somewhat expecting this.. having long thought of the possibility¡­ Shen''s confirmation isn''t so surprising.


    "Aren''t you all angry at me for it?"


    "Angry for what, sir?" Silver plainly asks.


    "Angry because I destroyed the Red Ribbon Army¡ªyour home."


    "We have been taught to respect authority. Now that you have destroyed the army, you are the authority." The boy says with a dead-serious face.


    "Is that right?... So basically, what you mean is I have to take responsibility for my actions?"

 Dr.Gero

    Almost every regular soldier who was at the RRB-HQ has escaped, or rather, they were set free by Shen. The only ones who didn''t are the ones who accidentally died during the battle.


    Shen has also taken in the trainee children left behind by the army. They are now on their way to the location that Shen, together with Launch''s group, had agreed upon to regroup.


    Shen is leading the children almost like a small battalion of an army to meet with the others.


    Alongside the man, to each of his sides, there is a boy and a girl... The boy is the same brave one who had previously stepped forward on Shen''s order.


    Shen recalls the boy; Silver, as one of the future commanders of the RR army, who will go on to miserably lose against Goku countless times. The newly acquainted girl is also another future commander.


    This girl, named Violet, had quickly distinguished herself in Shen''s eyes with her sharp wit when she told him the precise location where the army''s funds were kept.


    Shen was impressed, wondering how a girl her age was able to find such a place. Right on the spot, his mind instantly connects the dots and recognizes her as one of the future commanders of RRA, albeit a commander who will betray the organization in their most crucial hour. Watching the anime, this act left a deep impression on Shen, enough for him to remember such a minor character.


    Throughout the way to the predetermined meeting point, the pair of well-trained boy and girl; each guard his right and left, voluntarily acting like his bodyguards.


    As they get closer and closer to their destination, the girl suddenly stops on her tracks. She turns toward Shen, clearly determined in whatever her intentions are.


    "Sir Shen, along the way we only encountered a single corpse... This is odd, considering many soldiers should have died by your hands?.. Can you tell me, why is that?"


    "I will let you guess, yourself.. How do you think that is possible?" Shen teasingly returns back the girl''s question.


    "There can only be two reasons for it: either you''ve already hidden all the bodies, but this is unlikely as you have no reason whatsoever to do so... or it could be that every soldier of the army has fled, most likely after you let them live. Why did you have to do that?"


    Shen smiles, showcasing his teeth. "Then, did you want me to kill those people?" He looks at the girl while still smiling, but only sees an emotionless face in return.


    The man swallows his laughter, not amused anymore. ''Weird kids!'' he thinks to himself before resuming his speech.


    "Letting those men live was no big deal. There is no reality in which the likes of them can retaliate against me. They also won''t be able to create much chaos in the world, as I have destroyed all their armaments, not including the complex scientific weapons like robots, of course..."


    "I also plan to provide the government with all of the Red Ribbon Army''s internal documents. The identifiable information of their clients and personnel must be noted down in those papers. Whether any of the army associates survive this ordeal or not, it''s their fate."


    Days Later, elsewhere on Earth, in a snowy mountain range¡­ Dr. Gero''s Secret Lab:


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    [ These last few days have been very hectic... Everything has gone haywire.


    I, the renowned Dr. Gero, have been forced to move from one location to another, like a stray dog... Being a scientist for a big organization should have been smooth sailing for me, but fate seems to have other ideas.


    This is all because of that so-called Crane Hermit. He seems to have destroyed the RRA under a pseudonym, but I easily discovered his real identity.


    Utilizing my anonymous channels, I''ve come to know that he wasn''t much of a patron of righteousness in the past... What reason does a shady man such as him have for vanquishing the Red Ribbon Army?


    Fortunately, I am always two steps ahead... Long anticipating the possibility of such an incident, I had secretly built interconnected hidden bases throughout different places.


    Rustling! Rustling!


    Where did it go?.. The device to monitor my son''s health... Where exactly did I keep it? Through this device, I can track my son''s physical condition.


    I had implanted a health inspection device on him without consent. Otherwise, Gevo would have resisted. He wouldn''t have agreed to have such a device in his body, giving all kinds of nonsensical reasons, such as that he is already an adult and whatnot.


    Currently, I am in the main lab. I have already rummaged through all the drawers and shelves where my personal items are supposed to be kept, but I haven''t been able to find the device. I had made multiple copies of it and hid them in each of my labs.


    One of them was supposed to be at this place.


    Oooooh! Here it is... Finally, I found it after more than half an hour of searching. It seems I had mistakenly stored it alongside my cell experiment items.


    Receiving continuous signals, as usual... The chip that I had implanted on my son''s heart is working fine, meaning the boy is still alive and well, sending continuous signals as it normally does.


    Weird how I kept the device in this place...


    In front of me are boxes full of research materials, tightly sealed experimental byproducts, tools, and classified papers from my ongoing research on cells.


    This reminds me of that girl... What was her name again? Ah yes! Launch, that was her name. The results from that experiment were astonishing. She is the only successful example of artificially combining two different people into one.


    There were two sisters with psychic and supernatural powers, suffering from a deadly virus. They were on their deathbed at a rural hospital. Through my Red Ribbon links, I found out about them and promptly had them brought to me.


    The artificial embryo, my greatest accomplishment, had rejected my every attempt to make it absorb other living organisms. But, different from all the other failures, the result in this case was an unexpected success.


    The blob-like hump of cells actually absorbed the genetic makeup of the girls, along with even their souls.


    However, every other attempt after her was unsuccessful. It could have been a huge contribution to the field of science if I had been able to replicate the outcome... Alas, that will remain a dream for a long period of time.


    The results from my subsequent experiments were always the same: failure.


    Eventually, I had to stop the futile attempts at recreating the miracle. As time went on, it became evidently clear that the girl was just an extremely lucky case, probably a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.


    Her personality was also a headache to keep around the lab, so I kicked her out. Having already collected every crucial research sample from her body, she didn''t have any more usefulness.


    At least before discarding her, I had thoroughly conducted every crucial test imaginable.


    My lifelong efforts... The plethora of data and samples I have collected... They aren''t wasteful. They will serve a purpose. With further advancements in tech and my methodology, that already-available knowledge will surely help restart and continue the research.


    Ideally, I should have disposed of her, but as much as I would like to avoid admitting it, that child grew on me... I started seeing her as my own daughter. A shameful behavior for a purely scientific individual like me.


    Beside continuing my study on cells, I also need to focus on the ongoing Cyborg research.. Android 7 was a massive failure.. I must find a solution to the androids'' insubordination problem. If I am not able to control my creations, everything will be pointless. A new experimental subject is needed, and maybe even a helper, for a more efficient workflow. ]

 New Disciples

    The successive few days after Shen''s return to the hideout were nonstop work...


    He had to make arrangements for the 100 or so kids to stay at the hideout temporarily until a more permanent solution was found. With so many people, It was hectic for a while, to say the least.


    The solution came in the form of a company-sponsored orphanage... the company obviously being his own: Crane Enterprise.


    At any rate, even after the matter was settled and most of the kids¡ªexcept a few¡ªwere transferred to the new orphanage, contrary to Shen''s presumption, instead of delight, the children were filled with an unclear uncertainty regarding their situation.


    Although these well-trained kids, who had been taught strict military discipline from a young age, wouldn''t display their emotions outright, they were nonetheless wary of the strange man''s intentions.


    They were inwardly worried Shen might abandon them. Staying in an orphanage means losing their usefulness as soldiers going forward... Because of this, Shen had to reassure them that they would always be of use to him, as when they become adults, he would employ them at his company.


    However, even with Shen''s assurances, the kids were riddled with doubt, yet they still obeyed his every command.


    The lingering wariness gradually subsided and dissolved due to the overwhelming freedom they got to experience for the first time in their lives at the new orphanage... at the end of the day, they were still children. When provided with a comfortable home, they forgot their worries.


    Before the kids were sent to the orphanage, Shen selected three of them as his new disciples...


    Two of the three were, of course, Silver and Violet. The last one was an even more impressive kid named Blue... Shen naturally remembers General Blue, the first villain in the series to pose an actual challenge to Son Goku, rather than being just a minor roadblock.


    These three, alongside Launch, Android 7, and Major Metallitron, had joined Crane School this time.


    Right now, Shen was at the large training ground of the hideout. Before him, the whole gang was together, all of whom were connected to Dr. Gero and the Red Ribbon Army in one way or another.


    Having recently become part of the School, each of them would be assigned a role today. At Shen''s command, they stood upright in a U-shaped formation, seriousness shining on the faces of all but one individual¡ªwho was also breaking symmetry of the formation. a unforgivable Sin to Shen.


    ''Tch! Tch! Who else but Launch?? Be it intentional or unintentional, she is always hampering my big moment.''


    Ignoring the distraction, Shen began his address. "Major Metallitron and Android 7 will work as helpers for Dr. Flappe in the lab. You two will also assist with his research as much as possible, though you are exempted from anything life-threatening," he announced, radiating a sense of authority.


    "Moving on to the colors trio... I will be instructing the three of you in your daily training. In the event I am not present, your senior brothers will take over... Bora, Giran, and Namu¡ªI don''t think I need to introduce them to you."


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    "Lastly, Launch¡ªYou..." He hesitated for a second. "You come with me."


    "So, you obtained a long lifespan as a side effect from the experiment?" No wonder Shen felt something was amiss.


    "Yes, I haven''t aged a bit since the day I woke up. Pretty cool, right?"


    "I agree... That is... pretty cool," Shen stroked her ego.


    Launch, bringing her hands to her waist, proudly filled her lungs, expanding her chest.


    "By the way, do you know where Chad¡ªsorry, Dr. Gero''s son, Gevo, went? The other day, I inquired about his identity. He willingly told me everything I wanted to know, but I haven''t seen him since."


    Launch looked confused. "Why ask me? How should I know?"


    "I just thought you would, as no one else I''ve asked seems to know what he''s up to or where he went... It''s such a shame. I thought I could use him to make a good impression on Dr. Gero."


    Shen got lost in thought, contemplating his options...


    Dr. Gero¡ªa genius scientist who would one day be responsible for creating extremely powerful androids, and moreover, he also conceptualized and initiated the Cell project, inadvertently fathering an artificial lifeform with the combined genes of Frieza, Piccolo, and Goku¡ªthe topmost heavyweights of the universe.


    ''To find him, I could search for his secret hideout, but it''s highly unlikely that Dr. Gero would willingly work for me, who destroyed the Red Ribbon Army. Although he may have been distrustful of the army, he seemed loyal enough to have made it his life''s mission to kill Goku after the latter destroyed the organization.''


    ''Either way, I don''t want the man to stop his research on androids and Cell. At the end of the day, Android 17 and 18 will end up as allies after being defeated, and naturally, I''m confident that by the time they appear, either I, Goku, or the rest of the Dragon Team will be strong enough to defeat them.''


    Shen had also entertained the idea of becoming a scientist himself, but soon gave up on the idea. First of all, he hates studying, but more importantly, when he had asked Shenron to increase his IQ, Shenron was unable to do so.


    It seems IQ, in itself, is equivalent to power level, so Shenron is unable to increase Shen''s IQ beyond the capabilities of its original creator, Kami...


    First and foremost, one has to understand that Shenron isn''t an all-encompassing god that can accomplish anything as per the summoner''s wishes...


    He can create a lifeless body but can''t create a soul, nor does he have the ability to create new life. According to the series, even Porunga, a dragon greater than Shenron, couldn''t restore the weather conditions of Planet Namek. The limits of the Dragon Balls are evident from this.


    IQ is an abstract thing, like time, soul, and talent. These things largely depend on the natural order of things and chance. Only the true gods like Kaio-shen are allowed to interfere in the creation of life, and even they can''t just conjure up an all-powerful being with a thought...


    ¡ªAll this time, while Shen was in the world of thoughts; Launch had been blankly staring at Shen, wondering how long he would stay still. Realizing his lapse, Shen snapped out of his daze. "Sorry, that tends to happen sometimes."


    "Where was I? Ah yes, I haven''t given you anything to do, have I?"


    "What do you think about learning magic?"


    "Magic? What are you talking about all of a sudden? What makes you think I can learn magic?"


    Shen subtly smiled at her question. "Remember the book I gave you?"


    "Book?! You mean that weird book with strange words all over it?"


    "Yes, that one. It''s a magical book created by a master in that field. Maybe you can meet him someday. That book glowed after coming in contact with you for a while."


    "So, what of it?"


    "It means you have an affinity for magic. I personally can''t use magic, but I know people who can. I want one of them to teach you..." Shen stops to look at Launch, trying to discern what she thinks about it.


    "Go on!!" Launch says.


    "This person i am talking about.. She is even better at using magical powers than the one who made that book."

 Tien Shinhan

    To Shen''s pleasant surprise, Launch unexpectedly accepted his proposition. She agreed to learn under Uranai Baba, Master Roshi''s sister. However, there was still a bigger problem yet to be addressed.


    Shen is in his room right now pondering about this same problem.


    ''How will I convince that old witch? She won''t give up her trade secrets easily, and I definitely don''t want to bully the elderly. . . . Wait a minute, isn''t she a greedy crone? Right, I can always use money to entice such people.''


    The next morning, Shen contacted Uranai Baba through her brother, Roshi. He explained the offer, especially emphasizing the one billion zeni cash payment.


    Lo and behold, it turned out as he expected. How could a greedy fish not fall for a juicy bait?


    "Muhahahahahahha!!" His evil laugh startled the people in the nearby rooms, particularly his next-door neighbor, Launch. The fast-asleep girl, forced to wake up so early¡ªat least by her standards¡ªimmediately grabbed her machine gun.


    She emptied a round of bullets before calming down. ''That scared me. Who was it?'' The girl wasn''t used to such antics.


    The gunshots permeated the hideout, alerting everyone, but soon enough everything calmed down, the laughter included.


    Settling down in his chair, Shen thought deeply.


    ''Recently, I received an invitation to Bulma''s two-year birthday celebration from Dr. Brief, so I suppose it''s about time for the major events of the series to begin. If I remember right, Bulma and Tien Shinhan are around the same age, so that means around the same time of Bulma''s birth, Tien would have to be born as well...''


    ''However, how do I find Tien Shinhan or even Chiaotzu for that matter? And if I remember right, there is also a third disciple called Yurin from the same batch as those two... This problem may very well be my greatest headache yet.''


    ''I could probably use the Dragon Balls, but I don''t wish to rely on them too much. I should only use them for problems that are impossible to solve by normal means. If I successfully locate Tien Shinhan by myself, there will be no reason to depend on the Dragon Balls for such a trivial matter.''


    He hoped to use the Dragon Balls as little as possible, as he didn''t know what timeline he was currently in. If this turned out to be the Dragon Ball GT timeline or any of the Xenoverse timelines from the game, he would be in big trouble if he abused the Dragon Balls. It would be a massive problem if Omega Shenron was born as a result of overusing them. (A/N: Dragon Ball GT villain)


    ''For that same reason, I stationed some of the old disciples at the previous Crane School''s location, hoping to obtain any kind of info regarding Tien Shinhan. There''s a high probability I may come across my future disciples by searching the general vicinity of the previous school. But it''s too soon to say if this approach will bear any fruit, as unknown variables may arise because of the numerous changes I''ve made in the course of history.''


    ''Time will only tell if this will turn out to be a fruitless endeavor... Well, if it doesn''t work, I''ll have to look for other ways.''


    .


    .


    .


    The same day at the hideout, a plethora of different training sessions started in full force.


    After completing his own training in 10x gravity, Shen proceeded to guide the new recruits. He first focused on Blue, who was supposed to become the future General Blue of the Red Ribbon Army.


    ''Well, for now, he''s just a kid with psychic potential.'' For the remaining two hours until noon, Shen taught the boy in the field of telekinesis. The boy practiced by focusing his mind on some nearby rocks, attempting to lift them with just his will.


    While Shen was separately teaching Blue, the other two were being taught by Giran and Bora.


    After Blue''s turn to train under him was over, Shen allowed the boy to rest and replenish his exhausted mind.


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    Dismissing the boy, Shen was about to check on the other disciples when, suddenly looking back, he noticed something odd. The boy was walking toward the underground lake. If he wanted to freshen up, he could have done so elsewhere, why go to the deep lake?.


    Curious about what the boy was attempting, Shen secretly followed Blue. The boy dove into the lake, and after a few seconds, he resurfaced, bringing along an octopus with him, all while Shen looked on, hidden from sight.


    In front of Shen''s wide eyes, Blue proceeded to slowly cut off the tentacles of the octopus one by one. The octopus wiggled around in distress, but it was all for naught as the boy continued to torture the poor creature, manically grinning like a demon incarnate.


    ''I know a sadist when I see one. I knew I had to remain alert around this kid. I recall him being very evil in the series too... He needs to be disciplined before it''s too late.''


    Not wanting the situation to continue any longer, "Oi, you rascal, stop right there!" Shen shouted at the psycho kid, stunning the boy in place for a moment.


    Shen heavily knuckle punches the boy on the head. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    The boy screams in pain... while reeling from the pain, he looked up at Shen questioning expression. "Is there something wrong, sir?"


    Shen just gazes at the boy for a few seconds. "Are you seriously asking me what''s wrong? Why were you torturing this creature?"


    "...." The boy doesn''t reply.


    "You think you''re free to do anything you want just because you''re strong?"


    "Um! Sir? Is there something wrong with that thinking? that is what we were taught at the RRA"


    Shen gets annoyed by those words.


    "Tch! This brat!... Fine, I won''t teach you through words. From now on, you will clean all the toilets and the pigsty too. You will also take care of all the needs of Inoshikacho¡ªfood, water, and even cleaning up its shit. Everything."


    The boy instantly felt cold shivers down his spine. This wasn''t because of his wet clothes; this was because of the new reality that had dawned on him.


    "B-but master, I don''t want to get dirty like that... Please give me something else to do." He tried to appeal.


    Shen resolutely rejected, "I am stronger than you." He plainly stated.


    Left alone by his teacher, the boy became quiet, not even a squeak coming out of his mouth.


    Blue, who was overly sensitive to filth... from that day, he knew true pain.


    Although Blue''s behavior was particularly concerning and in comparison, the other two disciples were a lot better.. Yet still, Violet and Silver weren''t without their own problems either.


    Violet had a habit of sneaking around the hideout and, whenever she got the chance, randomly stealing expensive-looking objects such as machinery parts and even real money.


    Silver, on the other hand, had a hasty and impulsive nature. Whenever Shen assigned him tasks like assisting Dr. Flappe, he would get overwhelmed, often disrupting the lab and creating more issues. less harmful than the others, but still problematic, nonetheless.


    .


    .


    .


    Two months quickly passed, and Shen started to see some changes in the bothersome tendencies of his new disciples. Whenever his disciples, more specifically; Violet or Blue displayed problematic behavior, he would punish them by giving them more training or making them do things they hated the most. And when their behavior improved, he would reward them with things like rest breaks, reduced punishments, or even jewelry , incase of Violet.


    His carrot-and-stick approach was starting to work. Two months ago, they were like wild horses; now they were tamed and controlled. Yet it would still take longer to truly change them from the inside.


    The interactions between everyone at the hideout, including the old and new disciples, had also significantly improved... excluding a certain outcast.


    Generally, most of the time, others liked to maintain some distance from Blue because of his occasionally weird tendencies. Licking his lips whenever he saw someone else was a behavior far too suspicious for just about anyone.


    .


    .


    .


    After a whole year of staying together, two things became clear to everyone regarding Blue: one is that the boy has good talent in the psychic field, and another is that the boy is very creepy.


    However, unlike others, Shen notices that Blue''s dangerous nature has significantly diminished in recent months. He even seems to have become good friends with the pet pig; Inoshikacho...


    There is naturally a story behind this change.


    Shen only found out about this incident later, as during that time, he was busy attending Bulma''s birthday celebration, but from what he heard...


    One day, unable to bear the everyday duty of cleaning toilets anymore, Blue had attempted to sneak out by trying to swim away from the hideout, through the underground lake.


    He didn''t have a submarine, and he would have been found out by the Robot guards if he had tried to steal one, so he had no other option.


    Unsurprisingly, he nearly drowned. If it wasn''t for the pig, who closely saw the whole ordeal unfold and meticulously saved him in time, the boy would have been a goner. Who would have thought pigs are good swimmers?


    Like this, around two more years went by. Meaning somewhere in the range of three years had passed since Shen''s attack on the Red Ribbon Army and the Tenkaichi Budokai...


    Today, Shen''s ears caught some good news: after a long wait, his disciples had found the whereabouts of Tien Shinhan.

 Iron man and a new danger?

    Suffering from an incurable disease, a mother is slowly dying in the bed of a small town hospital, leaving her nearly 5-year-old son alone to fend for himself. The poor widow had not known true happiness for the past few years since her husband passed away. Her only solace in these difficult times was her son.


    Now, more than ever, she is worried about her son... a young kid left alone without either of his parents. Although the hospital staff have promised her that they will send the boy to an orphanage, her sadness doesn''t subside.


    Her appearance hidden by her unkempt hair, she takes her last breath, holding onto her dear son''s hand, a single tear trailing down her brow.


    Seeing his mother alive for the last time, sadness swells inside the small figure beside the now-deceased woman.


    The boy, who was crying, gets up while wiping his teary eyes with his tiny palms.


    ''I need to live for the sake of my mother.''


    Determination reflects on his face, a face that is now clearly visible.


    The unusual boy, distinct with a third eye on his forehead, sets him apart from normal two-eyed people... hinting at a mystical lineage.


    ''So, this child is Tien Shinhan, huh?... indeed the resemblance is there.'' Tien is unaware, but someone has been observing everything that transpired in this ward room...


    It is Shen, hidden behind the door. He wasn''t paying attention to his surroundings when, all of a sudden...


    "Sir, what business do you have here?" A voice calls to him from behind.


    Shen hadn''t noticed the doctor''s arrival. Caught in such a situation, He can only let out an awkward laugh, "Hehe."


    "Actually, I am the orphanage director. I have come here to take the boy with me. This is my card... Crane Orphanage." He shows the doctor his card to allay the doctor''s suspicions.


    .


    .


    .


    Picking up Tien Shinhan from the hospital, Shen brings him to the hideout. The boy is astonished when, instead of using a hovering car, Shen directly levitates him for flight.


    He is even more confused and scared when they arrive at the sea above the hideout. He was almost sure he had been abducted; his mother used to tell stories about such evil people.


    The boy was still imagining the horrors he might be subjected to when exiting the submarine. However, after meeting the other disciples, his worries eased almost immediately. These other people weren''t in the decrepit condition one would expect from a kidnapping syndicate.


    Tien gets a brand-new home, and at the same time, Shen gets a good disciple¡ªlikely his most talented one yet.


    Shen leaves Tien in Namu''s care, giving the boy adequate time to adjust to the place while he himself heads to the laboratory.


    ______________________________


    Currently, Shen is checking out the results of Dr. Flappe''s extensive research from the last eight years.


    Standing straight before him is the newly completed Tao Pai Pai-Ex. This is no ordinary cyborg; TTP-Ex is the accumulation of humanity''s cutting-edge technology in the field of robotics.


    This result was possible because Shen has obtained more than he had envisioned from the Red Ribbon Army. Expectedly, the major highlights are Android 7, Major Metallitron, and the robotic exosuit he took from Commander Red.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Of course, the credit doesn''t completely fall on Flappe. Although unintentional, a large part of it goes to Dr. Gero. There are also the aforementioned robotic individuals who have been experimented upon by Dr. Flappe, whose contributions are as invaluable as anyone else''s.


    "So, Dr., has the project been completed?"


    Flappe Nods, "Needless to say, I have made Tao Pai Pai into what you suggested. There are two modes to this version of Cyborg-Tao Pai Pai..."


    Flappe stops to clear his throat. "Ahem!"


    "In his first mode, Tao has the usual cyborg abilities: an immense energy source, levitation, enhanced vision, etc. Impressive on its own, but nothing compared to the second mode... he turns into his full-body exosuit form, protecting his whole body with a nearly impregnable armor. His strength and speed, everything gets multiplied. The suit also lets him access an advanced AI system."


    Shen is nearly overwhelmed by the information. "That is to say, Tao Pai has essentially become Iron Man."


    "Iron Man? Is that the new name you have decided for TTP-Ex? Indeed, it does sound fitting."


    "NO NO, TTP-Ex is fine... I was just talking to myself. That name must already be copyrighted."


    "Sometimes you say strange things, Mr. Shen."


    "Hahaha! Forget about it... Can I test his power right now?"


    "If you want, you can."


    "Okay! Then switch him on."


    ________________________


    Everyone in the hideout gathers at the large training field to watch the spectacle.


    Although one, Bora, is not very thrilled about it. "Master, is it fine to do battle indoors? What if something gets damaged?"


    "Worry not... I don''t seriously plan to fight him... you can test speed and strength without fighting."


    This somewhat eases Bora''s worry.


    So, the not-so-serious fight begins.


    "Tao! Let''s first start with your regular mode. Come at me with all your strength and speed, but in no scenario are you allowed to use ki attacks inside the hideout. I too will do the same."


    "Understood, brother," Tao Pai Pai replies, slightly surprising Shen.


    "So you are able to have a normal conversation?"


    Silence fills the place.


    "Yes, obviously. I am not a mindless robot, as you might have suspected." the situation had gotten awkward.


    "Oh, my bad," embarrassed, Shen apologetically scratches the back of his head.


    A gust of wind sweeps the field. . . .


    "Now, I will come at you," Tao announces.


    "Come!"


    Tao quickly closes the gap with Shen. He throws a punch, but Shen blocks it, so he quickly recreates some distance.


    The cyborg goes for the attack again, this time with a kick, but once more, Shen blocks him.


    Seeing his attacks not working, Tao starts circling around his brother, hoping to disorient his target, leaving behind a dust trail. Then he suddenly pounces at Shen with both arms. When that wasn''t enough, he also uses his legs. Shen evades everything.


    For a while, the process repeats in rapid succession, forcing Shen to go on the defensive.


    This continues for another five minutes until Shen decides to end it. He effortlessly grabs Tao''s arm as he comes in for an offensive, completely stopping him in his tracks.


    "This whole time I haven''t struck back once. You also haven''t used your trump card, but if we continue, this place may not stand anymore, so I''m stopping this for now."


    Shen then turns to Dr. Flappe, among the spectators. "Dr., how many times stronger can Tao get?"


    "I am not able to say for certain, as the tests have been minimal to date. However, according to my approximation, he could possibly become five times stronger than his normal state. After all, Cyborg-Tao Pai Pai is a human-based model, so he can further improve going forward with training and more artificial enhancement when the time is right. Of course, too much change is impossible, as that may really risk the subject''s life."


    "Unsurprisingly, Tao has such a power that exceeds my own!... Even in this form, he is already half as strong as me," Shen comments, while inwardly thinking¡ª''Well, this was to be expected from a cyborg based off Dr. Gero''s prototypes.''


    .


    .


    .


    A few days later, as Shen is busy giving some pointers to his oldest disciple, Bora, regarding his use of Kikoho....


    In Shen''s guidance, Bora makes a tri-symbol with his hands, about to perform a small-scale Kikoho attack aimed at the ground, when abruptly they both¡ªmaster and disciple¡ªfreeze in place.


    "Master, did you feel it?" Bora frantically asks his master.


    "Yes!... This ki! Someone with ridiculously high ki is approaching Earth. It''s also extremely evil."


    ''Who could this possibly be... why have they come here?''


    ''There is no way to guess, and we have no time to waste. Hurry, inform the others, and make preparations."


    "This impending danger! We may not be able to handle this,'' Shen inwardly thinks, but he absolutely doesn''t intend to share his doubts with the others.

 Saiyan

    Shen only takes his oldest three disciples and Tao Pai Pai with him to the location where the evil Ki is radiating from, while the others are told to remain at the hideout.


    Along the way, his three disciples discuss amongst themselves regarding the evil Ki. Tao Pai Pai remains silent throughout.


    When they reach their destination, Shen interrupts the conversation. "Quiet with the chit-chat. We have a crisis at hand. The four of us will first probe the situation. Don''t try to provoke conflict. We will fight only if necessary."


    "Yes, sir!"


    As they stealthily approach the exact location, hiding their ki, they witness a massive spaceship landing on the rocky plains.


    They immediately hide behind a nearby rock, slightly peeking their heads to see.


    After a while, some uncanny individuals begin exiting the ship. The first one is a red-skinned alien.


    "Without a doubt, these are aliens," Giran whispers. Everyone else nods.


    Following the alien, three others with features similar to humans also emerge.


    "Maybe I was wrong," Bora says, and Namu again nods. Shen, however, is shocked¡ªspeechless even. "How?"


    "What happened, Master?" his disciples worriedly ask.


    Shen doesn''t reply. ''That face... isn''t that Son Goku? But that''s impossible. How can Goku be here, as an adult no less...? Maybe that''s his father... No! If I look more closely, he has a different face and skin tone. Then who the hell is this?''


    His disciples grow more anxious seeing their teacher''s worried expression. Noticing this, Shen speaks. "Don''t worry. Let''s observe them some more."


    "Boss Turles, this planet looks good... It has good nutrients and a lively environment. If we plant the tree here, the fruit harvest is bound to be ten times better than usual." The one speaking is the shortest among the invaders¡ªa human-like alien with the face of a petty thief, named Daiz.


    His boss, a man who resembles Son Goku, agrees with his henchman. "Hmm... planets like this are extremely rare. Most of the planets with life are like my home planet¡ªbarren, desolate, with very few resources."


    Appearance-wise, the leader of this group is similar to a human with a tail, indicating only one thing... A Saiyan.


    "But the beauty of this planet itself isn''t the most important thing, is it, boss?" Daiz curiously states.


    However, instead of Turles answering, another henchman joins the conversation.


    "Why state the obvious and bore Sir Turles? Although the fruits from the Shinseiju (Tree of Might) have the ability to increase it''s consumer''s power, unfortunately, with the incomplete seed we have, the tree will bear extremely low-quality fruits. Our seed must first absorb the rich life force of many healthy planets before it can evolve into a full-fledged seed."


    This is Amon, the other human-looking alien. A big man with a ponytail and a wide muscular build, he further adds, "So of course, the best thing is that we are one step closer to our goals with such a rich planet... The boss would also agree."


    "Indeed, I agree. It was a good decision to raid that planet earlier than we had planned. If we were only a year late, the seed to the Tree of Might would have already been sold, and we would''ve had a harder time obtaining it."


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    "Exactly, boss! Thanks to your quick thinking, we were able to intervene in time," Daiz praises his boss, never missing the chance. "Now, if we find more planets like this and evolve the semi-Shinseiju seed into a true Shinseiju seed, you''ll even be able to match that bastard Frieza in power..."


    Turles doesn''t respond. He just keeps staring at the soil beneath him, his ambitious lust for power hidden from no one.


    Shen and his group; having heard the entire conversation, are shocked to say the least. Unable to stay quiet any longer, Giran inquires, "They''re talking about something called the Tree of Might... Master, did you know about it?"


    "Tch! Yes, I do... This tree will suck all the life force from a planet. If it''s planted on Earth, we''re doomed."


    "Then we can''t let them have their way!" after saying so; Bora resolutely, reveals himself from behind the rock.


    Almost instantly, he''s spotted by the alien invaders, more specifically by the only truly alien-looking member of the group. "It seems an ant has been observing us."


    He bring the other space pirates'' attention to Bora.


    "Ohh! What do you suppose he wants?" Daiz amusingly ponders.


    "Cacao, check his power level," Turles orders the red-skinned alien.


    "Understood." The red-skinned alien, with visible cybernetic enhancements on his body, observes his target for a while and replies, "His power level is just 200! As expected of a filthy planet."


    Annoyed by the enemies'' uncaringness of his presence, "Get off Earth! Leave, whoever you may be!" Bora howls at the uninvited visitors. Giran also shows himself, firmly asserting his fellow disciple''s words. "Yeah, we don''t want you here!"


    The enemies'' attention is fully focused on Bora and Giran. Shen, however, doesn''t yet reveal himself. He even stops Tao from moving forward, telling him to observe and wait for the right moment to strike.


    Turles is unimpressed by the Earthlings showing up one after another. "Is this one''s power level also the same?" An affirmative reply comes from Cacao.


    The Saiyan pirate sends one of his henchmen, Daiz, to "clean up" the two before him. He''s a little intrigued by how these two managed to hide so close, evading even the scouter, but attributes it to device malfunctioning.


    "It''s a bad day for the two of you." Daiz confidently walks up to his targets, believing dealing with them will be child''s play.


    "Heh! Take this!" He charges at the two, disregarding any kind of defense. This decision doesn''t turn out well, as Bora and Giran, instead of defending themselves, charge head-on toward their common enemy. Bora creates a sword out of ki and slashes, while Giran takes to the sky and launches an extremely hot white firestorm from his mouth.


    "Aaaaahhhh!" Daiz is severely injured, burned, and cut deeply across his chest. Scream Daiz may, but the fact remains: his battle power has nearly halved.


    "Didn''t you say their power level is only 200?" Turles questions the cyborg, Cacao.


    "I don''t know how, but their power level jumped to 1,500 in a split second."


    Realizing the complexity of the situation, Turles sends Amond to help.


    Similar to the sleazy guy from before, the big guy nonchalantly enters the fray, cracking his knuckles and all.


    He wouldn''t have guessed that he too is in for an unexpected shock. The man''s arrogance quickly fizzles out as he, a supposed predator, is unable to handle the two puny prey alone.


    Even with Daiz joining him, the two space pirates still struggle to fully suppress their foes. The situation could''ve been completely different if Daiz hadn''t been so overconfident earlier and hadn''t neglected his own defense. Doing so he would have avoiding, suffering such a massive setback.


    Once again, Turles turns to the cyborg.


    "Astonishingly, their power level has increased again to around 2000."


    "What? How is that possible...?" Turles'' eyes narrow. "So they have the ability to hide their power level!"


    Right then, as all the enemies are distracted, Shen and Tao launch their surprise attack, catching their foes off guard. Shen goes in for the alien cyborg while Tao goes in for the two henchman. understanding what''s going on, Bora and Giran also join. Together almost instantly, the three crane school members launch the assault.


    Facing such might; Amon and Daiz stood no chance. Daiz dies with a ghastly slice from down his chest by Bora''s Ki-sword, While Amon dies with a Dodon ray through his heart, his soul reaper is of-course Tao... albeit with the support of Giran.

 Oozaru

    Everything happened very quickly, literally a perfect execution on the part of Shen and Tao. Giran and Bora were also exceptionally sharp. The boys swiftly adjusted to their roles in real time when the right moment presented itself to take advantage of the unforeseen opportunity and strike the dumbfounded enemies.


    Namu has also revealed himself from behind the rock, but the poor guy hasn''t gotten any chance to partaken in any action. He must be feeling out of place right now. [A/N - I forgot about him in the last chapter]


    Giran and the rest had no qualms about killing their enemies, this surprised even Shen. He had expected them to fell sick after taking someone''s else''s life for the first time.


    Two of the space pirates are down, and even the cyborg is lying on the floor, clutching his injured left arm, some blood dripping. If he hadn''t been observant, he would''ve met the same fate as his other two comrades.


    The only one left untouched is Turles. Shock is clearly visible on his face. Looking at his fallen subordinates, anger wells inside him, not because of grief but because of the shame he feels for not noticing the enemies beforehand.


    His last remaining henchman Cacao, the cyborg; having a scouter with him, calculates the power level of the new arrivals out of habit. Instantly, he is stupefied. "7000... 8000... 9000... It''s over nine thousand!!" Cacao stutters.


    "What¡ª9000!!... who?"


    "It''s the young one at the forefront."


    Turles is astounded. ''Someone with a power level of 9000 on a planet like this... unbelievable. My own power level is around 15,000. It seems I personally have to face him.''


    For a few seconds, everyone stays still... Both sides carefully observe each other.


    Time has seemingly stopped.


    Just then, Turles disappears from his spot, leaving Shen with a mere split second to react to his punch. Still, Shen somehow manages to evade the attack.


    The pirate leader doesn''t stop as he relentlessly attacks with kicks and punches. The frequent blows that land make Shen go through a world of pain. At the end of the small ordeal, Shen is left sweating buckets.


    The pirate leader, however, is relentless. He pursues Shen, who somehow manages to create some space between them.


    "Tao!! Use your second form... we can''t win without your help." Shen is struggling just to match Turles'' pace. He is narrowly surviving but can''t keep up for long. His time is running out.


    The only reason he has lasted this long is his vast experience advantage over the less seasoned Turles.


    "Understood." Tao touches his power source, and with a puff, metal objects emerge from it. These floating hunks of metal are the different parts of his exo-suit. One by one, the parts start to fit on his body. Seconds later, he has fully transformed into a form resembling an actual robot.


    "Brother, make way." Tao''s exo-suit starts glowing neon blue.


    Shen does as he''s told, getting out of the fray. Turles, intrigued by Tao''s changing demeanor, loses interest in Shen as a result. smirking he waits for the metal man to come at him.


    Seeing the coast clear, Tao, without a word, zaps in front of the enemy.


    "W-wa??" A metallic punch lands square in Turles''s mug. Tao''s movements appear almost instantaneous to everyone, including the one who had to suffer because of it.


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    The two fighters exchange blow after blow, and as the fight progresses, it becomes clear to everyone that the saiyan is getting outmatched in every metric, from speed to strength.


    Shen, amazed at the fight he''s seeing, thinks...


    ''Turles and that red alien mentioned earlier that my power level is somewhere around 9000. From what Turles displayed earlier, and considering he''s a Saiyan who was essentially a replacement for Vegeta in Tree of Might, his power level should currently be over 15,000... It''s amazing Tao is not only able to keep up but even overwhelm such an individual.''


    ''Earlier, Tao''s power was around half of my own... now, after putting on the exo-suit, it''s amplified to leagues above the likes of Turles.'' Shen, at this moment, has forgotten that the momentum in an intense battle could always tilt.


    In the ongoing battle, Turles is shaken for the first time since arriving on Earth. ''I can''t keep this up. Facing this hunk of metal in my current form is impossible. I have to transform,'' the Saiyan decides, having no other options.


    Contrary to everyone''s premature beliefs, Turles becomes more aggressive in his battle against Tao. He starts using massive reserves of his Ki. Each punch, kick, and Ki blast chips away at his already depleted strength. If this goes on, he will soon lose consciousness and collapse from exhaustion.


    After a great deal of effort, Turles manages to fall back from the fight, retreating a safe distance away from Tao Pai Pai. Now in the sky, he swiftly takes out a switch from his pocket. "Heh! Die!!!"


    A few meters below Tao, the two dead bodies of the fallen pirates start to emit light from inside them.


    "Run¡ª" Before Shen can warn his cyborg brother, both of the corpses explode with a deafening noise.


    The pirate boss has detonated the bombs he had secretly placed inside his subordinates for desperate situations just like this.


    .


    .


    .


    A short while later, as the dust settles... "Cough! Cough!" Slowly, visibility returns to Shen and his three disciples. Together, the four of them fly toward the point of the explosion.


    There they find what''s left of the rocky landscape... an extremely deep and massive charred crater. The explosion was very concentrated.


    Nearby, there is no one to be seen. No Tao Pai Pai. No Turles. Not even the red-skinned cybernetic alien. The alien has actually long left the immediate vicinity of the fight and is now observing from a safe distance.


    From below the deep crater, a figure gradually emerges. "Master Tao!" the three disciples call out, addressing the man in a respectable manner, fitting of an elder of their organization.


    Tao is uninjured, and his exo-suit is also unharmed.


    While the disciples admire Tao, Shen is looking at the sky. He''s had an ominous feeling since earlier. ''Well, i am all but certain we are facing a terrifying disaster.''


    A dark, shadowy silhouette is in the sky, menacingly blocking the sun. A great ape, with red, sinister eyes...


    ''Saiyan Oozaru... Unmistakably, this is the Oozaru transformation of Saiyans. There''s a glowing ball of light hovering above the ape... probably an artificial moon to replicate the full moon, as they need one to transform.''


    Turles, now in his Oozaru form, roars. "RAWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!"


    Everyone''s attention is pulled to the great ape.


    "Master!! Are you seeing what I''m seeing?" Namu asks.


    Seeing their master''s undecipherable facial expression, the disciples feel a chill run down their spines. "No way... this is real!!" Giran''s hands are trembling. "I thought I was hallucinating. Is that really the same guy as before?"


    "Most likely," Bora states seriously.


    Shen starts to speak, informing his disciples. "Don''t despair yet. We can turn him back into his regular form by cutting off his tail. Without it, he can''t transform, or we could possibly do the same if we are able to destroy that glowing ball of light above him."


    "If it''s just that, I still have a chance," Tao declares.


    "All of us will help," Shen announces, and to that, everybody nods.


    .


    .


    .


    "Hahahaha!! Earthlings. Isn''t that what you call yourselves? You nearly got me there... But now it''s over for the likes of you... only defeat awaits you miserable pests..."


    The tide has essentially reversed.


    ''He''s become too strong.'' Shen''s mind is racing.


    ''Now that I''ve come so close to him, I can feel it. This tremendous power... He''s probably twice as strong as Tao... maybe near a power level of 60,000...'' Shen guesses, but he keeps these thoughts to himself.


    [A/N- The moon is fake so the multiplier is not 10 times. during the Saiyan saga as mentions by Vegita; creating the fake moon drains a lot of his power, so even before he transforms, he is already weakened.. Therefore his Oozaru transformation isn''t at it''s full potential.]

 Never to be seen again, part-1

    [ I was born a low-class Saiyan. The name given to me by my parents is Turles... Whether it has any sort of meaning or not, I don''t know, nor do I care.


    My origin lies at Planet Vegeta... a planet that, like me, many other Saiyans call home. I heard we took it from another intelligent race... not that it matters.


    Born with a power level of less than 50, I was supposed to be unremarkable. my perceived potential was determined to be low-class. It''s a tag that normally shackles most Saiyans for life.


    Since childhood, Saiyans are taught to revere strength... we are supposed to lay down our lives for King Vegeta and our race.


    However, in my case... giving my life for those overlords at the top was an improbable proposition. Even though I was born a low-class Saiyan, I have long surpassed King Vegeta in power, against all odds. I would never sacrifice for a weak king.


    More importantly, why would I fight for someone who has surrendered to that bastard Frieza?


    Our race has long lost its pride.


    I couldn''t stay in such a place any longer, so I left...


    This planet called Earth is perfect. Being in a remote part of the universe, sufficiently away from Frieza and the other Saiyans, I can plant the seed without the worry of them monitoring my every move. For that purpose, I have even discarded the wiretapped scouters handed out by Frieza.


    I will surely take my revenge on him for forcing me to escape and fake my own death. By the time I have my hands on the full-fledged Tree of Might, not to mention Frieza and the other Saiyans, I will have the whole universe under me.


    The idiots before me... the Earthlings... they suddenly charge from all directions.


    First, from the front, the one who looks to be the leader, with a power level of 9000, comes along with the iron-cyborg. These fools are the most pesky, so I focus more on them. The others are just trash.


    They launch some energy blasts, which I easily take. They nimbly attack and then retreat. They somehow escape with only a hair''s length. Annoying.


    They repeat the same tactic again and again in a loop.


    I wonder what they are trying to accomplish with such a useless farce? It is only a matter of time before I catch them.


    Other than these slightly stronger ones, I also had to watch out for the two weakest fighters among the bunch.


    A dragon-like creature and a wild man... I found them sneakily getting near my tail. Some fools with power levels of just above 2000. What did they expect? With my tail, I easily swat them away.


    Nothing more than a slight annoyance.


    But not even a minute had gone by when they approached me again. How can that be? I''m sure, although my tail wasn''t enough to kill them outright, they should still be severely injured. What is happening?


    The fight goes on... I repel their countless combined assaults, severely injuring them numerous times. But whether it''s the weaker ones or the stronger ones, they always seem to get back up right away...


    Ohhh!! That''s it. Although I have yet to uncover how they are getting up after my attacks, I have figured out their intentions. My tail! They are aiming for the tail.


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    It seems like the weaker duo are trying to detach my tail while I am distracted by the stronger duo. How did these Earthlings know a Saiyan''s weakness? They shouldn''t know such crucial details about Saiyans in this remote part of the universe. Did some other force arrive here before us and tell them this information? Or could it have been someone from Frieza''s force, maybe even a Saiyan?


    Either way, however many times they miraculously heal and repeat the same tactic, it will all be the same. ]


    Confident and fearing nothing, Turles becomes brazen. Blatantly disregarding his opponents, he starts to rant.


    "Resistance is pointless... Bear witness; this is a Saiyan''s primal form, the Oozaru. Normally we are required to be under a full moon to access this form. Becoming one without a real moon is an inefficient method that I don''t normally like using."


    "Compared to the authentic transformation method, the outcome is a significantly weaker Oozaru, as making a fake moon significantly drops my own power... Nonetheless, it is enough for the lot of you. Hahahaha!!!"


    As Turles boasts and mocks his enemies, the battle momentarily stops, much to the relief of Shen and his group.


    Shen is facing a dilemma right now. Even the combined effort of him, Tao, Giran, Bora, and Namu to defeat Turles is reaching nowhere. There is no conclusion in sight to their never-ending cycle of attempts at closing in on the great ape''s tail or the fake moon.


    The Saiyan has tremendous power, and even in his bulky, great ape form, his speed hasn''t decreased a bit. Shen and his group have noticed this too.


    "We have already depleted majority of our senzu beans... if this goes on for long, we will be soundly defeated," Namu subtly whispers. All this time, he has been treating his comrades with the senzu beans he is carrying.


    Nonetheless, everyone hears him. They too are worried sick.


    "Sigh! What do we do?" Bora ponders.


    "More like what can we do!" Giran depressingly adds. All four individuals of the Crane School look up to their leader. However, contrary to their dejected mood, Shen is smiling... Giran, representing everyone''s curiosity, asks the reason for it, confused.


    With an upward curve still ever present on his lips, Shen answers, "Truthfully speaking, our chances of winning are very low. That is, if we repeat the same thing we''ve been doing until now. Up to now, we were playing it safe and trying to minimize harm, but to gain victory, we need to go all out."


    "But brother, even if we go all out in our next assault, can we win?... What are the chances?"


    "We can win. We have to... Giran and Namu, can you two perfectly recreate what you had shown me in the past?"


    "Mmm!! It is possible, but I don''t see how it can be used during this battle," Giran truthfully states.


    "I can also do it!!" Namu simply answers.


    "Good!!... Here is what we will do..."


    "Formulating a plan, eh? It''s no use. Come! I will give you unfortunate souls your long-awaited death," Turles confidently announces.


    Tao, being the strongest, is the first to step forward. The plan is for him alone to face the enemy for a period of time, presenting the others with enough time to prepare and move the plan forward.


    Turles raises his right arm, his huge palm right in front of Tao''s metallic figure.


    "I will give you all a final opportunity... rather than opposing me, you can join my crew. In the first place, till now all my subordinates were recruited from the planets I conquered."


    In response, Tao raises his own metallic arm, pointing it at his enemy.


    "Heh! Here I was being extra generous... you rejected it... Know your place!!"


    At once, an ungodly amount of energy is released from the Saiyan''s palm, all pouring onto his cursed adversary. At first, Tao somehow handles the relentless outburst, but as his exertion builds up, he is unable to withstand the inevitable.


    Tao and his exo-suit are continuously bombarded by the unstoppable surge of raw energy.


    Keeping up with Saiyan for a short period of time was in itself possible because earthling have a greater energy control then most other races in the universe. they can also momentarily amplify their power, this is in addition with the weird techniques they have developed over the years.


    At last, when it''s all done, revealed is a man, still clinging to life, though not in a good condition. His armor is completely damaged, parts of it even melting. The cloth that still clings to his injured body is tattered. Blood oozes from his mouth, and scorched skin covers his body.


    With difficulty, Tao mutters some words...


    "Invulnerable, eh? Dr. Flappe was boasting non-stop... all for nothing... this monster is too much to handle, even for his high-tech suit. Brother and the rest... they should really hurry up. I think I can''t¡ª"

 Never to be seen again, part-2

    Tao is slowly losing consciousness. However, before he can fall, he is grabbed by Shen. He completely collapses in his older brother''s arms.


    "Here, eat this¡­ it''s a senzu."


    With his last bit of strength, Tao manages to do as he is told.


    Crunch!! Crunch!!


    At a visible rate, his injury starts healing.


    "So that is how you were getting back up again and again!" Turles knowingly exclaims. "Such an effective medicine. I''ll have to make sure to get my hands on them before this planet is absorbed by the seed."


    "You won''t get the chance." Shen states.


    "What?... Do you still not understand my power? Now that I am in my great ape form, no miracle is going to save you. Your friend over there is the prime example of the horror that''s befallen you."


    "Look!!" Shen says


    ? ? ? ? ? ? ?


    "Look where??" Turles is puzzled by the word.


    "Up!" Shen points his finger at the sky.


    A realization strikes. "You don''t mean¡­" As the great ape turns his head to look up, his eyes widen. "The artificial moon!! When did¡­?"


    While he was distracted by Tao, the artificial moon had disappeared. Nothing remains in its place, eluding what must have happened¡­ its destruction.


    "Now''s the right moment! Begin!" Shen shouts. He can''t let the Saiyan create a brand new moon.


    Similarly, Turles also shouts, "The effect of my Power Ball (artificial moon) will last a little longer. You insects are still doomed. From now on, I won''t be holding back."


    Turles shouts, but just before he is about to go all out on his enemies, something unprecedented happens: a thick, glowing red, tube-like substance quickly wraps around his body, tightly binding his arms and his whole upper torso like a partial cocoon.


    In front of the bewildered Turles, Giran reveals himself from thin air.


    Unlike Earth''s fighters, most aliens, including Saiyans, haven''t learned to sense ki. Shen''s plan was to precisely exploit this weakness. The plan succeeds; Turles wasn''t able to evade the attack from an invisible Giran. This is his latest magic trick.


    "Fools! You are mistaken if you think this weak substance can hold me."


    "Ha! This is the super merry gum I created after consulting with Kami-sama¡­ it won''t crumble that easily." Giran doesn''t say it, but his super merry gum won''t be able to hold the alien in place for more than a few seconds. ''there is no time.''


    Just then, Bora rushes toward Turles with startling speed, holding his ki sword in his hands, intending to cut the huge ape''s tail.


    Before the sword can cut his tail, Turles wraps it around his waist. "Phew!!" He thinks he is safe for the time being.


    He is sorely mistaken.


    "Oh mighty Goddess of War, please lend me your strength!" someone chants.


    "Now what?" Again, Turles has to dejectedly turn his head up to see the voice''s origin..


    "?????" Above, he sees what appears to be a bright projection of a woman made entirely of light. wholly confusing Turles.


    A multi-armed goddess carrying a plethora of weapons with her multiple arms: swords, shields, axes¡ªeverything. Her eyes are fierce, with a fiery glint, as her epithet, goddess of war, suggests.


    "What am I seeing?" Naturally, Turles fails to comprehend what is happening.. this struggles is even greater than his struggles to break free from the physical constraints.


    Inside the projected avatar is a young man, unmoving. He is just standing there, joining his arms together, forming a namaste pose. His eyes are fixated on his enemy, below.


    Naturally, the young man is Namu.


    A year ago when he was brainstorming ideas to improve his ki projection technique, he got a stroke of inspiration from the Goddess statue in the hideout.. it was placed there by the pirates, who originally owned that place.


    Namu practiced day in and day out, meditating and focusing his ki to shape it into the form of the fierce goddess. Over time, his skills improved. Although during a fight this is a one-time-use technique, as it rapidly exhausts his ki, nonetheless, its advantages of amplified power and defense outweigh its disadvantages.


    Every second, Turles is busy exerting all his might to break free from his constraints.


    Crack! Crack! His efforts pay off as Turles successfully breaks free from Giran''s magical gum.


    Just in the nick of time, he avoids a huge ki sword falling at him from above.


    Immediately afterward, another sword falls. The rain of sword-shaped ki projectiles doesn''t stop for a while. Turles is forced to be constantly on the defensive. This is happening while he is already in a strength-depleted state.


    From continuously fighting against the combined strength of four enemies, to using up a large portion of his energy during his ki exchange with Tao, to being forced to exert all his strength while breaking free from the hardened gum¡ªbecause of these factors, it is hard to surmount the strains he has endured.


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    Turles catches Bora and Giran about to launch yet another simultaneous attack at him. He crushes their bones and quickly flings them far off into the distance. He isn''t taking any chances, not even with small fries.


    Never again is he making the same mistake of leaving himself open to any kind of attack. Earlier, he almost got cut in half by the giant sword.


    Immediately following his recovery, Tao, along with Shen, also joins the battle. They don''t fight the ape in a head-on challenge; instead, they take Namu''s approach by throwing huge ki blasts from afar.


    With their combined efforts, the balance is tilting in their favor. Only a scant few senzu beans remain with them. The situation is dire. It''s victory or death.


    Turles is truly shaken for the first time since arriving on Earth.


    His confident attitude has long since disappeared as The battle has turned into a war of attrition¡ªwho can overwhelm the other, before they are exhausted?


    "I won''t be defeated this easily!" the Saiyan loudly proclaims in defiance. In rapid succession, he launches four energy blasts at his enemies, two of which strike Namu''s avatar, destroying the ki projection, and one other strikes Tao, incapacitating both fighters.


    While the last of the four attacks is fortunately dodged by Shen, immediately afterward, Shen makes a triangle with his hands. "Our victory is only a matter of time."


    "KIKOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"


    The sky falls as the pressure from Shen''s ki forces the great ape onto the hard, rocky ground.


    "Y-you!"


    "KIKOHOOOOOO!!!!"


    "KI KO HOOOOO!!!"


    Only when Shen is almost sure that Turles cannot get back up again does he stop the assault. "Three should be enough; I have used a lot more than the usual ki in each of those attacks. This is nearly reaching the limit for the current me."


    Tri-beam is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, techniques in Dragon Ball. Goku''s Kamehameha against his fight with Raditz had just doubled his power level, while Tien''s tri-beam against Cell increased his power level by hundreds of times.


    This is not to say that anyone can easily match the feat Tien reached... it will probably take a lot of time and effort to master the technique to such an extent, and there is also the inherent risk of exhausting one''s own life force if used multiple times in quick succession.


    A bloodied Turles lies on the floor, his body still, his eyes dazed. Every cell in his body is throbbing. Blood rushes out from his orifices. The once unbeatable alien is now defeated.


    Shen kneels near the Saiyan. "It''s our victory, Saiyan," the human calls out to his unresponsive adversary.


    Time and again, Turles was too caught up in power levels, making the same mistake as his henchmen. And besides, the fact of the matter is that power levels are not the true indication of Earthlings'' actual strength; they are more so an approximation."


    [A/N: I won''t be using power levels that much going forward. They are a bother to keep track of.]


    "Why did I lose?" Turles weakly questions his fate.


    "This is the human spirit for you¡­" Shen nonchalantly responds.


    "Is that so!!!"


    "Let me give you a painless departure." As Shen slowly raises his hands, about to finish off his enemy, Turles too suddenly raised his own arm, ahead of the human. "Wa?¡ª" Before anything could be said, the alien releases his last remaining energy, creating a large explosion at point-blank range of Shen.


    A last-ditch effort of a dying man. Maybe It worked.


    .


    .


    .


    [ Ugh! My head hurts, what happened??... Ooh, that''s right!! I, along with Master Shen and Master Tao, were attacking that giant alien ape... suddenly, I remember seeing a bright light and sonic boom; after that, everything went blank.


    I struggle to get up from the ground; only after putting in a lot of effort do I succeed in standing on my two feet. Looking around the area, I find someone lying on the floor, so I walk up to them. It was Master Tao. He seemed to be doing fine, only unconscious. Seeing this, I don''t see it as necessary to wake him up immediately.


    I don''t sense the tailed alien. That means either he is dead, has left the area, or is close to death. Whatever may be the case, he doesn''t pose a threat at the moment.


    Spotting Master Shen''s ki, I then walk up to that place. There I find my teacher lying on the ground. He has some injuries on his body, but he seems relatively fine. His breathing is normal.


    I was about to wake him up when suddenly I hear some footsteps. The sound was low, but my ears picked it up. It helped that this place is quiet, with no other sound other than the infrequent whistling of air.


    Turning back, I encounter its source: the red-skinned alien cyborg that came along with the tailed one. I probably couldn''t sense his ki because he is a cyborg.


    I immediately go on guard, not moving, waiting for the enemy to make the first move.


    Nothing came.


    First, the alien lurks around, close to the huge spaceship; it looks like he is searching for something.


    He doesn''t pay me any heed and continues searching around the ship, but I know better than to be careless around a stronger enemy.


    I remain vigilant.


    A short while later, he stops.


    We both look into each other''s eyes.


    Then he gradually turns and walks toward the tailed alien, who is on the floor some 80 or so meters away from me and teacher. He probably gave up on the search or whatever he was doing earlier.


    He carefully carries his leader on his back. I notice small traces of ki in that tailed alien, meaning he is alive.


    Yet the whole time, I don''t attempt to start any fight, as saving my teacher is my main priority. He does the same; he enters the big ship and takes off with his leader on board.


    First things first, I attend to Master Shen. Eventually, when he regains consciousness after being fed a Senzu bean, he is shocked to find that the aliens and the ship they arrived on are nowhere to be seen.


    I explain everything that happened to him. In the end, he just sighs.


    He praises me, saying I did fine. I, however, am unsure about that.


    "At least if nothing else, Turles got some useful henchmen," my teacher exclaims.


    He then also adds, "On second thought, was it really loyalty or common interest that compelled his decision? it''s hard to really knows?"


    Master Shen laughs aloud. Subsequently, we heal the others by feeding them a Senzu bean each. Our stock is nearly finished. There are some at headquarters, but that is all.


    Elder brother Bora and Giran were particularly injured. Their condition wasn''t looking very good, but at least nothing unspeakable happened to them after being thrown so far away.


    It could be said that we were easily able to heal them, though it was complicated to feed them the medicine. we had to first grind the Senzu beans, and only after mixing the resulting powder with some water, could they swallow the liquidly paste.


    After that, led master Shen, all of us searched the area where the battle had taken place. Teacher was wondering about the thing that the red skinned alien was looking for.


    His hunch turns out to be correct as we find a strange seed.


    Even when teacher and brother Giran applied it with a lot of pressure, this weird seed doesn''t break. it is abnormally durable for it to be a natural seed from any plant belonging to Earth, and in the first place, how can there be a seed in this rocky desert, where no flora is to be see for miles?.


    It is thus concluded by master to be the Shinseiju(Tree of might) seed mentioned by the aliens... Master Shen further speculates that this seed could have dropped from the tailed alien''s tattered clothes during the fight. ]

 Way to the Other world

    Days continue as normal following the conclusion of Crane School''s battle against the invading space pirates. Except for a select few, the vast majority of the population is ignorant of the events that transpired. It is as if nothing happened.


    On the other hand, at the hideout, Shen is in a dilemma. ''What now? How can I improve my strength?... What I''ve been doing until now won''t do... 10x gravity has become useless for me. I could ask Dr. Flappe to upgrade it to 50x or 100x, but is that really the problem?''


    He ponders this question that''s been chipping away at his mind while inside the gravity chamber.


    ''No that''s really not the problem... so what do I do? My other skills aren''t improving. I need a greater teacher to increase my knowledge and teach me¡­ who? Maybe North King Kai, or the aliens from Planet Yardrat where Goku trained after getting lost in space following his fight with Frieza. Yet, how do I get to those places? To go to another planet, I need a spacecraft and that planet''s coordinates. I don''t have that¡­ To meet North King Kai, I need to go to the Other World¡­ but for that, I need to die.''


    ''Each of these options are complicated¡­ Think, Shen. What are the other options¡­ right! Didn''t Goku once go to the Other World during the original Dragon Ball, or was it just the entrance to the Other World? Either way, I will find my answer there. Was it called Grilled Fry Mountain?''


    A new adventure awaits, but before that, Shen has other concerns to attend to.


    Mainly, his disciples.


    Right now, they are standing on the stone-paved floor adjacent to the Hideout''s underground harbor.


    Marriage... a topic Shen doesn''t like to discuss. He has his reasons.


    Someone has brought along a bride to get his blessing¡­ that someone turns out to be his disciple Bora. "A wife? Bora, now you have a wife, and this is her?"


    "Yes, master!" Beside Bora is a shy girl, clinging to his arm. She is beautiful, with a brownish complexion. Her palms are visibly rough, but that only adds to her charm, showcasing her tough and resilient nature.


    "She is from the same tribe as me. We are childhood friends."


    The girl worries if the teacher of her love will reject their marriage. Such a thing would devastate her, as every time Bora talks about his teacher, he seems to hold the Crane Hermit in high regard.


    "... Hmm! She does look pretty enough¡­ haha, as expected of my eldest disciple, but aren''t you only 20?"


    "Master, we marry at 16 in our tribe. By the way, Master, you haven''t introduced us to your wife."


    "Wife? Me? Of course, I don''t¡ª" he suddenly stops.


    ''Did he just say marriage at 16? I haven''t married even after reaching 30... and 300... what should I say? And why is everyone looking at me expectantly?''


    ''No girl ever gave me any interest, certainly not in my past life, and not in this one either¡­ at least, there''s none that I remember from all my memories as Shen, which now are essentially my own. The only girl I had a crush on in this life, Fanfan, died because of Demon King Piccolo¡­ thinking about it, it''d be a miracle if I ever settle down with even a female monkey.''


    "My wife was named Fanfan. unfortunately she died by the hands of a demon."


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    Gasp!! Bora''s to be wife feels pity for Shen.


    Everyone tears up a little. The place becomes silent.


    After that the topics regarding his marriage duly drops. internally wished by a certain man to never be talked about again. ''hope this lie never come to bite me.'' the man hopes in his head.


    Leaving the awkward topic behind, the conversation resumes


    "Unfortunately, our tribal chief has recently passed away, so now it is my responsibility to lead the tribe. After returning, I will fulfill our tribe''s long desire to climb the Korin Tower, in front of everyone to see. Master, I truly thank you for everything you''ve done for me."


    "Haha! You''ll make me cry¡­ it was also my pleasure training you. Now go fulfill your destiny and have a happy family."


    "Once again, thank you, Master!"


    "Hmmm!" Shen nods slightly.


    .


    .


    .


    Night has fallen... Inside one of the disciples'' rooms...


    [ I am in my bed, trying to sleep, but I can''t¡­ I haven''t been able to fall asleep for a while. Even this big bed, made especially to accommodate my size and long tail, doesn''t provide me good rest.


    Elder Brother Bora has left the school to create a family... Master has reassured us, however, that he will always remain a member of the school, even though he will now live far from us...


    Before leaving, Brother said he would send his children to the school in the future.


    Truthfully, I am a little sad, but more than that, I am happy.


    Unlike Brother Bora, I will probably always stay at the school¡­ Recently, we got new disciples. There were already the three we recruited from among the children of the Red Ribbon Army. Now we have a new younger brother; his name is Tien Shinhan.


    He looks odd, having three eyes¡­ but he''s a good kid. He does the chores and makes his bed himself, very different from those three other brats... Violet, Silver, and Blue; the Colors Trio, or more fittingly, three little troublemakers.


    Back in my days, we were so disciplined. In contrast, this trio is such a headache, always fighting amongst themselves. They never even make their beds. Tch! Tch!... they''re trouble for the caretaker robots and us seniors.


    Where was I?... Yes! Tien Shinhan!... why can''t they be like him.


    That reminds me, a few days ago I heard surprising news from Master Shen.


    Tien Shinhan is actually the descendant of an alien race known as the Triclops. So he''s indeed part alien¡­ those of this race have a third eye in their forehead. That explains his abnormal appearance, and apparently, it''s also the source of their extraordinary abilities.


    Who would have thought we''d recruit an alien in our school? What''s next, a Saiyan, like the pirate who attacked our planet¡­ no way, right?...]


    The next day¡­


    While roaming around the hideout after his not-so-effective gravity training, Shen notices Namu and Giran guiding the younger disciples. Giran is handling Blue, Silver, and Violet, while Namu is taking care of only Tien.


    Giran is personally instructing the three disciples on how to feel their ki.


    Namu''s training of Tien, however, is very normal; the boy is just doing basic pushups. This makes sense as, currently, for the inexperienced Tien, fundamentals and basics are more important than flashy techniques.


    It seems both the older disciples are passionate about their teaching roles.


    Upon Shen''s arrival, everyone stops to greet their master. Unlike the others, the Colors Trio don''t usually show much enthusiasm when interacting with others, and it''s the same when greeting Shen. The red-haired Silver might be a little better at showing his emotions, but a "little better" isn''t saying much.


    Shen doesn''t mind it.


    He thinks their stoic nature will likely persist till their last breath¡ªnot that it''s inherently a bad outlook on life.


    Shen takes one last glance at the newest disciple, Tien, before leaving. he didn''t wish to interfere in their training.


    While returning to his room, which also acts as his personal office, Shen contemplates in his mind.


    ''Tien, that boy is a prime example of wasted potential and neglect. According to Toriyama himself, Tien Shinhan''s state of mind and disposition directly correlate to his strength. Because of his harsh upbringing and all the evil teachings he receives from the original Master Shen, his inherent mystical powers disappeared.''


    ''Maybe this time, if he is successfully raised in a proper environment, he can become a stronger fighter than his anime counterpart.''

 Annin

    "Are you really Shen?" an eldritch voice speaks.


    "Yes, I am him," Shen calmly replies to the wrinkled old woman before him.


    "Are you truly the Crane Hermit: Shen, disciple of Master Mutaito, same as my brother Roshi?"


    "I said I am. What are you, jealous of my young and handsome looks? You should know about the legendary Dragon Balls. I made a wish from them."


    "Hmph! Handsome, you say... if I were young right now, you would probably grovel at my feet to exchange letters with me..." Uranai Baba smugly remarks. (A/N - That''s probably how old people had long-distance relationships back then. Idk though.)


    The old woman states again, "And the legendary Dragon Balls, huh? They could be a great addition to my business of fulfilling people''s wishes."


    "Heh!" Shen sneers sarcastically.


    Uranai Baba still seemed suspicious of the man before her. She properly scans him up and down while floating on top of her large crystal ball.


    "Do I have to tear open my chest and write my name on my bloody heart for you to believe me?"


    "Okay, okay! I believe you... So, why did you come to meet me?"


    "Why else would I come here to your desert home in the middle of nowhere?"


    "Are you here for Launch?"


    "Her¡ªand there''s something else I need to ask you about."


    "Come along." The two don''t stay at the main entrance any longer as they both head inside the oasis-like desert mansion.


    ...


    "Launch is learning under someone else right now. So, what''s the other thing you wanted to ask about?"


    Hearing this, Shen moves on to his other question for now. "Do you know a woman called Annin of Fry Mountain?" Shen is unsure whether this filler location, which only appears in the manga, is real or not.


    "Fry Mountain?? You must mean Mount Five Elements... If it''s that mountain, you came at just the right time. It''s also the place where I sent Launch to train under Lady Annin."


    "I must say that girl really has great talent, even better than me... She mentioned that she was once imprisoned by an evil organization but that you broke into the prison and saved her. Your actions successfully found me a good pupil¡ªnot to mention, a good source of income."


    Shen pretends he didn''t hear the last part. "Perfect! Then I''ll just go there and meet them¡ªLady Annin and Launch."


    Actually, there is no need for Shen to meet Lady Annin if he only intends to travel to the Other World. He is aware of another, much easier way.


    Until a few days prior, he had almost forgotten about Kami''s Kai Kai technique. It''s a godly technique that lets Kami travel between the Other World and Earth.


    Yet, even after remembering this crucial fact, Shen still chooses to go out of his way and travel the long route. He wants to explore this mysterious mountain as it may help him tremendously in the future. Who knows, maybe this place could allow him to travel to other unknown dimensions or even the elusive Demon Realm shown in Dragon Ball Daima...


    ...


    Shen has arrived at the location where, according to Uranai Baba, he should be able to meet Lady Annin.


    Right now, he stands in front of a demonic stone figure carved onto a rocky cave entrance, its maw wide open. Makes you wonder what lies beyond the cave. Shen is the first in thousands of years about to find out¡ªnot that he doesn''t know already.


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    To reach this place, he had to pass through a massive door, followed by a narrow elevated path. He also easily dealt with the obstacles that were there along the way, like illusions and such.


    Shen steps into the cave through the wide opening. A short while later, he exits from the opposite side.


    "It''s hot here..." he exclaims while fanning his neck. "Ohh, that must be the reason!" Before him lies what appears to be a burning stove, about the size of an above-average mountain, with a similarly humongous pot sitting atop it. Hot steam rises from its top.


    Shen looks around and finds two ki signatures veiled by the foggy water vapors. "There they are!"


    He flies to the back of the steam and encounters a giant woman, merrily stirring the boiling ingredients in the pot. "Who!" she asks, her voice loud, intrigued by her guest.


    Shen introduces himself and his intentions for coming here.


    "So, you are Shen, and yes, you are right¡ªthat girl has been receiving tutorage from me for the past six or so months. Look, there she is."


    Shen looks up where the woman is pointing her finger.


    There she is: a girl meditating peacefully, hovering in the sky, mystical radiance enveloping her whole being.


    Shen can feel her aura and energy. "Amazing!" Shen did hear from others about Launch having a great deal of untapped potential. Now, seeing it with his own eyes, he can confidently confirm it.


    He had thought he was by far the strongest human on Earth. Even Tao in his regular form had a huge disparity in power. Yet, Launch has completely shattered that notion. From what Shen can feel, although she is not quite at his level, she isn''t too far off from him in terms of raw power.


    Sensing his arrival, the blonde girl slowly opens her eyes.


    "Shen!" she exclaims in astonishment. Shen is about to greet her when¡ª


    "You despicable bast¡ª" The girl stops for a second, re-evaluating her choice of words. "Idiot! Why didn''t you return after leaving me with that old witch? Do you know how bored I was?"


    "Now, now... let''s not get so angry and worked up over such a small matter. Am I not here to visit you today? You see, I had a plethora of work to do. Before coming here, I even saved Earth, defeating a heinous space pirate in the process."


    "I saved all of humanity."


    Launch struggles to retort, as the imaginary light behind the man is so blinding that she can''t bear it.


    "Don''t give me that¡ª"


    Her words are cut short as suddenly her nose catches a whiff of something.


    "Haaaaaa~"


    "Haaaaaa~"


    "Haa-choo!" The girl is compelled to sneeze.


    "Ara~ Mmmm~ Who might you be?"


    "Blue-haired Launch?!" Launch transforms, replacing the dangerous blondie with the sweet blue-haired girl, a literal physical change. This is Shen''s first time witnessing Launch transform into her other personality, as for the large part after meeting Shen, the girl has been staying with far from him.


    Blond hair Launch and Blue haired launch are two vastly contrasting personalities. In fact, both of them can''t even be accurately described as the same person.


    "It is strange no matter how many times I see it," Lady Annin exclaims. Shen agrees.


    ...


    All of them sit around a table on wooden chairs, slurping hot noodles with their chopsticks. "You said you want to explore the Other World with my help?" Lady Annin speaks.


    "Yes, I would like to do that. I heard this mysterious furnace helps souls pass on to the Other World. I want to experience this method."


    "So, you just want to check it out?"


    "Yes!"


    "I''m fine with your request, but before that, let me brief you on the actual origin of the Furnace of Eight Divisions..."


    Shen stops to listen closely.


    "No one else other than me knows this history. It was created in ancient times by a race called Triclops. These people had all kinds of mystical power. They are responsible for most of the strange occurrences and extraordinary creations on this planet, like this furnace, the Ultra Divine Water, Korin Tower, and even the Lookout..."


    Shen absorbs the information deeply. "Are there any Triclops that you know of?" he asks.


    "Since the previous Kami, no notable Triclops blood has appeared. Members of this tribe have a distinct third eye on their forehead, so they are easy to recognize. But all the remaining ones likely have very diluted blood and won''t have the talent to awaken their true abilities."


    "Hmm... that could be a problem," Shen exclaims.


    "Why are you so interested in them? They are practically an extinct race."


    "Well, I happen to have a three-eyed disciple."


    As the conversation is about to continue and their noodles are getting cold, a furious Launch stands up.


    "Now!" She pouts. "Both of you should first finish your food... talking while eating is considered bad manners."

 king Kai

    After quickly devouring the food, Lady Annin continues her talk with Shen.


    "Before proceeding any further, I have to warn you that going to the Other World through this method with a physical body intact can be very dangerous. The steam can disorient your mind, damage your consciousness, and it could even lead you astray to other parts of the cosmos."


    "Even the Demon Realm?"


    "Maybe. . . though putting the demon realm aside i have noticed that regardless of the topic, you sure seem to know a lot about the them!.." Annin questioningly glances at Shen. a suspicion has arose in her. "demon realm is a dimension outside our universe, how could you possibly be aware of such a place?"


    "I just happened to stumble upon an alien ship, with all the weird knowledge perfectly stored in its AI system. Coincidentally, the language wasn''t a barrier." he gives a poor response.


    ". . ."


    "Hmph! It''s fine if you don''t want to say, but at least give a believable excuse."


    ". . ."


    After the conversation, despite understanding the possible consequences, Shen decides to act. The path of development for humans is limited, so he has to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself, irrespective of the danger¡ªof course, in a calculated manner.


    . . .


    A short while later, Shen is lying on the ground, with Annin''s palm on his forehead. She mumbles some spells under her breath, and gradually, Shen is enveloped by a greenish hue. Light scatters from his eyes and mouth¡ªa magical sight to behold.


    "Done!" the otherworldly woman exclaims, removing her hand from Shen''s forehead.


    Blue-haired Launch looks perplexed by the proclamation, as no outward change seems to have occurred, but when she is about to question...


    The unconscious body of Shen on the floor starts to rise up; however, weirdly enough, two bodies start to emerge in front of the beholders'' eyes, essentially duplicating. One body is lying as it was, while the other seems to be emerging.


    Her mouth is left open at the sight before her. "Ara~"


    "This is great," Shen says, bringing his hands to his head and touching a glowing circular object. "A halo!"


    "Yes, that''s a halo, so technically you could be called dead; however, in reality, you aren''t, as your actual physical body is still breathing. Your soul is still connected to your physical body on a metaphysical level, like a satellite connection. Although I have provided you with a soul-body, so you wouldn''t be a formless soul cloud, you can''t interact with or touch objects in this world with that body," Lady Annin immediately explains to sate his curiosity.


    "I understand. So now, what do I do?"


    "Nothing much, you just have to enter the fog."


    "Okay! Thank you for your help," Shen says, expressing his appreciation as he hovers toward the dense steam rising from the large pot below.


    .


    .


    .


    [I slowly disappear into the water vapors; my world completely turns white. I drift aimlessly¡ªat least, that is what I perceive¡ªas my body proceeds onward without my free will. I have no control over my entire body.


    Finally, after what felt like hours of my mind being in a constant state of inaction and confusion, my surroundings change, and I also regain control over my body.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Before me are three portals, all seemingly replicas of each other, yet I feel compelled to enter only one. I feel a pull toward the middle door, which has a slight golden hue... it feels like a preprogrammed instinct.


    Since this is my first experience, I take no chances and enter the middle door. For the time being, I am just checking things out; later on, I will check out the other two portals too.


    As I enter the middle portal, a bright light momentarily blinds me. I tightly close my eyes due to the pain, and after I open them when the pain subsides, I look around.


    Clouds... there is a long line of white clouds in front of me. Some people are shouting at these clouds, requesting them to move faster... these people¡ªor rather, people with demon-like features¡ªare probably the employees of the Other World.


    "Hello there," I approach one of them.


    The red demonic man confuses me for another employee slacking off. I swiftly resolve the misunderstanding, after which the man takes me to King Yemma, the deity who judges all the souls that arrive in the Other World. The ogre-like man is like an office worker, with his desk, chair, books, and all... I explain myself to him.


    "I know who you are. That girl Annin has already told me everything via a telepathic link." King Yemma flips through the book he''s holding. "If I remember right, I found in your record that you even saved your planet from imminent destruction. You are worthy to receive King Kai''s tutelage."


    Weird how he called Lady Annin a "girl," but I guess that is only natural since he''s the judge of the dead and is probably millions of years old.


    I give my thanks to King Yemma and continue on my way.


    I have arrived at the start of a long and narrow road, magically suspended mid-air, with seemingly nothing supporting it. This is Snake Road, the route to King Kai''s planet. I walk and walk, then I fly.


    This path is so long that one would assume it''s nearly impossible to reach its end, and that would actually be true for most people. But that''s certainly not the case for Shen; this is nothing more than a slight inconvenience for the Crane Hermit.


    I am not in a hurry, so I take my time, leisurely strolling along the way.


    A while later, seeing no end in sight to the boring road, my amusement takes a nosedive. Well, it was to be expected. The novelty of a new experience is bound to die down fast... a man can have a little fun, but now it''s time to be serious.


    I hurry along the path at full speed, reaching my destination after approximately a whole day of travel. I find myself at the tip of Snake Road, a dead end.


    A cloudy abyss stretches below me; everything is yellow, the color of the clouds that are everywhere. I look around, searching for anything noteworthy.


    My eyes catch sight of something in the distance¡ªa spherical green ball. A planet, maybe... I fly off to that location, and indeed, I have found the planet of King Kai, guardian of this universe''s North Area.


    Smiling, I gradually get near the planet and almost instantly fall, landing on my knees on the grassy ground.


    "Ouch!" Cursing at myself, I get onto my feet.


    That surprised me; I had forgotten about the 10x gravity of this place for a second there... I was taking it too easy, and this happens. At least, as a silver lining, with this, I can confidently say I have truly arrived.]


    As Shen is reeling from his hefty mistake, a man shows up.


    "Welcome! Welcome to my home... but who are you?" the man speaks.


    Blue-skinned, with insect-like antennae on his head and a round-shaped body¡ªmost commonly known as a fatty alien. ''Is he fat, or is that just how his species is supposed to look?'' Shen wonders in his head.


    "I? I am Shen. Aren''t you Sir King Kai?"


    "Yes, I am Kaio, ruler of the Northern Area of the universe. What business do you have with me?" King Kai curiously asks. (A/N: "O" in Japanese means King.)


    "Hello, Kaio-sama. I am here on the approval of King Yemma. I request that you train me, please."


    "Hmmm! Train you? What do I do?" Kaio ponders with his fingers on his chin. "Train, I could; my energy drain, it would. Do what I should," he rhymes.


    . . .


    "Hahahahahahaha!" Shen hesitantly laughs. He knew this was coming; he was already prepared to laugh at Kaio''s lame puns.


    Sure enough, King Kai has a satisfied smile plastered on his face. "Great! It looks like we share a great sense of humor. This is a good indication, but you have to first tell me a killer pun."


    A play on words that could possibly make the god laugh? Easy, Shen thinks.


    "How about this, Kaio-sama, please listen carefully," the Crane Hermit says, ready.


    "Hmmm! Go on."


    The mood becomes serious.


    "What do you think two''s response was when One said, ''I would like to know your name''?"


    "What?" Kaio asks.


    "Two said, ''Me too.''"


    Kaio-sama blinks twice, analyzing Shen''s words, trying to comprehend the pun. After remaining still for a few seconds, he figures it out.


    *Pfttt!! "So that was it." King Kai''s laughter spreads, happy tears rolling down his cheeks.


    "Wow! Amazing!... you slayed it."

 Dragon Tower

    "The knight fought during the night."


    "The construction of the pond got postponed."


    "Kaio-sama, want some more?" Shen grins, revealing his gleaming teeth. "I''ve got plenty more. How about... this one¡ª''She saw me cut the tree with a she-saw!''"


    "No-no, stop! Stop! Hahaha! I can''t... I can''t stop laughing!" King Kai is squirming on the ground, clutching his stomach.


    Hearing the laughter, his pet monkey and a large cricket also arrive at the scene. Both shake their heads¡ªnothing new to see, just another regular occurrence for those who live with him.


    When the laughter finally dies down, Kaio-sama catches his breath. "All right, let us return to the matter at hand" he says, dusting himself off.


    "I had initially thought of testing you with my pet monkey Bubbles here, but it seems that would be unnecessary... you''re already strong enough to move freely in this place."


    "Hehe, earlier he had a little accident though," Gregory, the cricket, mentions, referring to Shen''s earlier tumble, when he fell to the ground due to the planet''s gravity.


    Shen is a little embarrassed by the incident being brought up but he laughs it off, scratching the back of his head.


    "Ki! Ki!" The monkey mimics him.


    "Ahem!" Kaio clears his throat.


    "I don''t mind training you."


    Although Shen expected it, he is nonetheless relieved to hear his approval. "Thank you, Kaio-sama, for agreeing"


    "It''s fine.. i was bored, doing nothing.. training you will give me something fun to do. . . Now For starters, I will guide you in ki control for the next few months in your earth time. After that, when you''re ready, I will pass on my new secret technique to you. It is an amazing technique that I developed after extensive research."


    Shen is sure the technique he''s referring to is Kaioken. The man is excited at the prospect of learning it, to say the least.


    "Hmm. I am sure you will put in all your effort, but I must warn you that no one else other than me has been able to perform it yet. This technique, called Kaioken, amplifies the ki in your body... It may cause severe unintended side effects. Learning and mastering it is complicated and carries high risks."


    "The others I taught haven''t succeeded, so you need to be very careful. if not, It will suck to see you dead."


    Shen takes the warning very seriously, ''Kaio-sama is right. I believe Goku once mentioned that if someone dies in their already dead state, they will truly be gone forever. It''s unclear whether even the Dragon Balls could bring them back... still, I can''t cower because of possibilities that may or may not happen. It will probably be hard, but if Goku, Yamcha, and Krillin can do it, I surely can too... After all, I am the Crane Hermit.''


    "Worry not, Kaio-sama. I will learn this technique without fail and won''t disappoint you." Shen confidently declares, thumping his chest. "It will be child''s play."


    .


    .


    .


    During Shen''s training in the Other World, time runs as usual on Earth.


    Today marks the third day of shen, leaving the living world. it is a special day, particularly for launch. The feisty girl having completed her training with Lady Annin, is returning to the Crane School''s hideout.


    Right now she is hovering the over the ocean, muttering to herself, "That jerk Shen has left me alone yet again, without mentioning anything... when i came to be after switching personalities, he was out cold. apparently he left his body and went to hell or whatever... hmph! and here i was about to have a conversation with him... when we meet again, I''ll show him."


    While the blond Launch is closing in..


    Similarly at the hideout; the mood isn''t any better... It is tense.. Giran, the eldest disciple who is currently present at the place, is pacing back and forth near the underground lake, a sense of anxiety clearly evident on his face.


    "Master Shen has left the school after giving us some important instructions. We are tasked to create a world-renowned martial arts center in his absence... a tower, to be exact. It will have to be a place where everyone comes to test themselves." He is soo intrenched in his thoughts that he doesn''t realize, he is talking to himselfTaken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "The problem is, how do I go about accomplishing such a thing?... Moreover, all the responsibility lies solely on me, as Namu will be busy taking care of the junior disciples. Accomplishing such a difficult task on my own..." He ruffles his imaginary hair in frustration. though he himself is bald, it is a habit he learned from watching others who do have hair.


    As he is formulating a plan to spread the Crane School''s name far and wide, a feminine but harsh voice calls out to him.


    "Oi, fatso!"


    Giran looks toward the source of the voice. "Are you talking to me?" Giran asks, wondering if he heard right.


    The women is none other then Launch. She has entered the hideout without anyone noticing.


    "If not you, then who else here is fat?" She asks.


    "First of all, I am not fat. I have already lost a lot of weight, but more importantly, until now, no one has ever dared to call me fat... and actually, who are you? State your name... you do seem a little familiar." Giran thinks the girl before him is a trespasser. not surprising, it''s not too unlikely for him to have forgotten about her.


    He does have a vague recollection of the girl''s identity, but the memories are too hazy to make out anything.


    "Does this ring a bell?" Launch, out of nowhere, brings out a semi-automatic machine gun.


    Giran squints his eyes.


    "Now I remember, you are that short-tempered woman. Ahhh! I better not stay here any longer with this crazy witch¡ªMaster warned me about her..." He turns around, not waiting to see what the woman is about to do.


    "Eat iron, dragon boy!" She fires the gun, a volley of bullets continuously emptying from the barrel.


    Non-stop gunfire rings out behind Giran.


    "Ouch! Ouch! It hurts! Why are these bullets so painful? These puny things shouldn''t be able to penetrate my skin, but they''re weird..." He touches his back.


    "Blood... it''s my blood..." He screams, panicking. "I have to run..." while running he is relived to find out, ''although it''s painful, these are only flesh wounds.''


    he creates some safe distance between him and the girl. "You better remember, I will get back at you for this... don''t forget..." He turns around and shouts, A man has to protect his pride, after all.


    "Don''t mess with me!" Launch readies her gun again, but as she''s about to repeat the chaos, "Please stop," a plea halts her.


    .


    .


    .


    Namu has acted as their mediator in the absence of Shen.


    Currently the three are in the guest room.


    Giran is applying some gel to his wounds, and Namu is helping him. All the others in the hideout, including Tien Shinhan and Dr. Flappe are carefully observing from behind the door. They heard the commotion so curiosity is a given.


    "Hmph! Be thankful you were saved by this thin boy," Launch scoffs pointing at Namu and, sitting cross-legged on the sofa.


    Giran grits his teeth. He cant comprehend how she became so strong in just a few years, ''I remember this girl being weaker than us...'' he slowly glances back at the girl, "But now..." his frustration barely masked, as he stares at new nemesis.


    "Huh? You have anything to say?"


    Surprised by the retort, he quickly turns his head back. "Y-you! Just wait until Master Shen returns"


    "I don''t think earlier was enough for you."


    "Now, now, we shouldn''t fight amongst ourselves when Master Shen isn''t around." , Namu intervenes, not wanting the situation to turn sour again.


    Namu also has something to inquire about with the girl. "Say, Launch-san, haven''t you returned after meeting with Master Shen?"


    "So what of it?"


    "I think Master Shen went to you so that you could provide us with some help... you see, we''re trying to build a new world-renowned martial arts center but don''t know how to go about accomplishing it. Do you mind helping us? Of course, it''s your choice."


    "Tch! We don''t need he¡ª" Before Giran can show his discontent, "Brother, please," Namu''s plea works, and the senior brother''s dissatisfaction is temporarily halted.


    Launch doesn''t immediately reject the proposal nor does she agree to it outright. After a moment of intense silence, she finally tells them, "Alright. For the sake of Shen, I will agree. I have a favor to return, after all. But don''t get the wrong idea; I am not doing this for you chums."


    So the work begins, under the condition that Launch will be the main decision-maker. Giran isn''t happy with it, but what could the poor guy realistically do? ("A/N- Man, he is getting bullied; I am shedding some metaphorical tears here.")


    There was much work to be done.. problems had to be solved.. Mainly, the issue regarding spreading the word, letting people know of their existence...


    Money...They found a perfect solution to most of their problems. It''s an idea thought of by Launch, who said, "If there''s a problem, throw money at it, and if there isn''t enough money, rob a bank"¡ªtruly profound.


    They paid tv stations and advertisement agencies a hefty sums of money and so other people did all the work under their close supervision. The people of earth are very gullible.. The public will eat up all the propaganda.. it is a proven method used my mr Satan in the anime.


    However, before anything else they needed to build the actual tower. the symbol of the whole project..


    Naturally it is their main priority.


    How do they go about doing that? The answer is simply: money, science, and magic.


    Aside from Launch and Dr. Flappe, who are already in the team, they also request the help of Kami and Dr. Brief. The latter two''s contributions can''t be understated. their experience and knowledge proves indispensable. Dr. Flappe provided logistics for the building materials, while the Kami of Earth helps in the construct with his magic.


    Specialists were brought for additional help with the technical stuff like designs and machinery/electrical installation. The end result is just like Korin tower, but better.


    Never before have regular people of Earth seen a structure so megalithic that it is taller than the tallest mountain.


    Due to the marketing, In only a month of opening, the Tower has started to become recognizable as... The place to go if you want to get strong. People would die just to get a glance of Shen. It has become the talk of the town, if you will.

 World Building

    No more than a month after its construction, almost all the prominent strong fighters have started to flock toward the Dragon Tower¡ªor so it is known to the general public.


    At the moment, deep inside a dense jungle blanketed by snow, some people are running ahead in a single direction, their speed moderate.


    They all look somewhat similar to each other¡ªmen with big, strong muscles. It would be fair to assume they are fighters. Every one of them wants to see for themselves this so-called center of martial arts.


    Even from where they are, far away, a structure looms on the horizon. No road seems to lead to the place, so they are forced to rely on their legs.


    Among the group of men, a six-foot-tall boxer sporting a red mohawk approaches another fighter, starting a conversation.


    "Oi, have you heard? There''s a great dragon living atop the tower."


    "I have," the other fighter, a wrestler and apparently his acquaintance, replies. "It is said that''s how the tower got its name. I also heard that apparently no one has ever seen him face to face. There''s a rumor going around about him being a disciple of the renowned Master Shen."


    The wrestler has tattoos all over his body, evident as he is wearing nothing but tight shorts. It''s a mystery how he isn''t freezing in this snowy weather. Still, suffice it to say, combined with the earlier guy''s rooster-like appearance, these two look like a pair of hooligans.


    "Wow!!" The boxer exclaims, his carelessness leading him to bump into someone else.


    The unknown bald person he bumped into slowly turns his head, seemingly unaffected. In fact, he hadn''t even been knocked off track¡ªmerely a minor inconvenience.


    "Huh? You bastard... you have something to say?" the boxer taunts, smirking like he isn''t the one at fault. Yet the bald man silently ignores him and is about to turn back around.


    This gets on the boxer''s nerves. He is about to show his anger when¡ª


    "Oi, stop it! Don''t you know that''s King Chappa?" his acquaintance, the wrestler, whispers, advising him against acting any further.


    Sweat drips down the unscrupulous man''s forehead. "Y-you mean the infamous King Chappa who recently went on a spree, defeating all the champions in so many major championships?"


    "Yes!"


    "Eek!" The boxer''s soul leaves his body.


    The place becomes eerily quiet, yet nothing major occurs. Everyone resumes their run and proceeds onward.


    .


    .


    .


    Hours later, at the entrance to the Dragon Tower...


    The tower is visible for all to see¡ªsomething one can''t miss even if they want to. It stands prominently, an astronomically tall structure dominating the entire landscape.


    King Chappa and the rest of the entourage enter through a large metal door adorned with two golden figures of an Eastern and Western dragon roaring face-to-face.


    . . .


    **Notes**


    I have decided to write this to record my journey.


    I, known by others as Chappa-O, had once thought of myself as the strongest man on Earth. It was arrogance.


    But then things took an unprecedented turn. Because of a great loss suffered at the hands of the youngest disciple of Master Shen in the last Tenkaichi Budokai, my ignorance was shattered. The loss was unbearably shameful for my prideful self. In my despair, I roamed the world, searching for a new light.


    During those difficult times, I found myself a teacher: Master Roshi, the Turtle Hermit. A great man, he took me in and taught me a great deal of knowledge. He extensively trained me in martial arts.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I came to understand how mediocre I truly was. Master Roshi helped me grow from my shell, and in just three years, a new, expansive world opened up for me. I know my worldview is still lacking, and my strength is not yet up to par with the greatest, but I want to grow as much as I possibly can.


    Thus, the reason why I have come here: to try my luck and test myself.


    As our group entered the tower through the main door, we came across a grand hall. It wasn''t packed with people¡ªvastly contrary to what we expected. There were only a few people there when we entered.


    On the first floor, we met a bald man who could be a member of the Crane School or maybe an employee. Either way, he brought us to a spot where a large number of individual jars were spread on the floor. These clay jars were big enough for two normal adults to hide inside at once.


    The bald man explained to us that getting inside these jars would transport us to different parts of the tower, more specifically the first layer. It was hard to believe, but we decided to at least try it once. We weren''t losing anything by doing so.


    It seems two people are allowed to enter a single jar. There are numerous jars, so getting a chance to enter one isn''t a problem.


    Entering through the hole at the top, I fell into what, at first, felt like a bottomless pit.


    Yet almost immediately, without even noticing, I landed in a completely different place. A four-story pagoda stood before me, surrounded by walls and similarly styled buildings with armed guards. It looked like a castle.


    I was astonished. The person who came after me was also similarly amazed. I forgot to mention, but this is Bongo, a fellow student of the Turtle School. However, unlike me, he was taught by Master Roshi''s eldest disciple, Master Gohan. Including him and me, there are some others whom Master Roshi and Master Gohan have recently trained.


    I met Bongo on the first floor of the tower. He was waiting for my arrival, it seems. I also recognized him, so we decided to enter the same jar.


    Coming back to our situation...


    There was a holographic sign in the sky telling us to fight. We did just that. We fought. Strangely, every enemy we defeated would dissipate into smoke.


    Even after fighting for a long time, the enemies wouldn''t decrease; they would always appear out of thin air. We two were exhausted beyond belief. During this conundrum, I noticed something weird. The wounds we suffered¡ªthough profusely bleeding¡ªseemed inconsequential. We were neither weakened nor unconscious. For some inexplicable reason, we were relatively fine. It was only physical exhaustion we were experiencing.


    This led to a single conclusion¡ªsomething Master Roshi had warned me about before.


    I decided to test my theory.


    I extended my arm and let the blade of a shadow soldier slice my chest.


    My mind''s protective mechanism was screaming at me to dodge, but I forced myself to endure. Sure enough, my deduction turned out to be correct.


    "Ta-ta-daaa!!!" Sounds of firecrackers bursting filled the air. We were presented with another big jar. I saw some text written on it that I hadn''t noticed before:


    "Made by the Great Launch-sama."


    Who could such a boastful person be, I wonder?


    We decided not to proceed onward for the time being and instead rest on the same layer. We made a proper camp with the capsules we had brought. These things are truly handy, allowing us to store a large number of items inside a small capsule that we can carry anywhere.


    The Second Day


    We successfully completed three whole new layers. Unlike the first layer, our enemies were real going forward. We faced actual monsters.


    The second layer was filled with land creatures such as snakes and dinosaurs. The third layer was largely aquatic, with many water-based creatures. The fourth layer, keeping up with the trend, was teeming with flying monsters.


    ...Current Progress- Fourth layer


    The Third Day


    We fought and defeated an even stronger monster¡ªa blob-like creature that absorbed and tanked every attack we threw at it like a sponge. The fifth floor was extremely difficult to get past. Luckily, through keen observation, we found its weakness.


    The Fourth Day


    By far the most magical experience.


    We found ourselves surrounded by ice and snow all around. The other layers were strange, but the sixth layer was an entirely different world.


    From its outward appearance, the tower is already very wide¡ªapproximately 150-200 meters. But on the sixth layer, the scale defies belief. Everything we saw was a seemingly endless icy expanse.


    Here, the proportions are truly spectacular. The earlier floors matched the tower''s visible size, but the sixth layer felt infinite.


    We lost our way multiple times, finding ourselves at the same spot over and over again.


    To make matters worse, we were being chased by a white shadowy beast. Encountering it was terrifying. The two of us immediately understood that fighting it was pointless, so our only option was to outrun it.


    The situation turned dire, and we were about to be caught when the white monster suddenly turned around and retreated.


    Before we could process this, a voice rang in our heads. It sounded young and unfamiliar. The message was clear: leave the tower for now.


    We had failed.


    The voice also recommended we climb the Korin Tower first before attempting the Dragon Tower again.


    ...Progress- Sixth layer ¨C Failed to reach the top.


    **Notes- End**


    The duo isn''t aware yet, but if they had continued, they would have faced the Skull Robots, with power levels around 500. Further up, even stronger foes like the upgraded Android 8 and Major Metallitron await.

 Space, A New Frontier

    Meanwhile, on Planet Kai¡­


    Although Shen is confident in himself, in actuality, the process of learning Kaioken turns out to be anything but easy.


    It is a technique that essentially multiplies the user''s power for a period of time, letting one fight opponents who are a lot stronger than them. Kaioken is extremely taxing to pull off¡ª energy drains rapidly, and it is hard to control the violent surge of ki. His organs have to be sturdy enough to handle the sudden burst of energy; if not, the recoil may cause organ failure.


    Harmony is essential to prevent his ki from clashing with his own body. Even a small mishap can be extremely costly.


    Everything isn''t all problems, however. On the bright side, when he had further asked King Kai about the properties of his otherworldly soul-body, he surprisingly got some positive answers: apparently, his soul-body won''t easily die or sustain any long-term damage. It will take a lot of effort to truly die in this body, and he can easily recover from any life-threatening injury if he doesn''t instantly die.


    At last, after four months in Earth''s time since Shen came to King Kai''s planet, he succeeds in mastering Kaio-ken. He is now able to use Kaioken up to 4x, meaning his power can multiply fourfold, if he so wills.


    Compared to his past self, his ki control has also improved by leaps and bounds.


    Immediately following his mastery of the technique, Shen starts to train another aspect of his strength¡ªan aspect he had neglected, or rather, was forced to neglect for the past decade or so: psychic powers. Previously, he lacked someone to guide him in improving his psychic abilities.


    But then, as he finds himself a great teacher in the form of King Kai, everything falls into place, allowing him to take full advantage of his greatest potential.


    Take advantage he does. He learns many exciting new skills, but that is a story for another time. By now, an additional two months have passed, and his training with King Kai is complete.


    Before Shen leaves, King Kai stops him and.. "Take it. This is my gift to you. Took a lot of effort and sleepless nights for me to design this." he hands his student a hat. it''s a black bamboo hat. very sturdy.


    A bit surprised. Shen receives the hat while saying, "No night occurs in this place, but whatever... it''s a cool gift, I guess. Thank you, Kaio-sama, for the gift."


    "Ha ha! Don''t mention it. I expect a lot from you!"


    Shen tries on the hat, and sure enough, "It''s a perfect fit."


    "Of course it is," Kaio exclaims.


    Wearing the hat and bowing down a complete 90 degrees, Shen wholeheartedly thanks Kaio for all he has done for him.. He then starts flying off to the Snake Road ahead.


    Unexpectedly, he turns back one last time. "Farewell, Kaio-sama. Goodbye, Gregory. Goodbye, Bubbles."


    They think it will be a while until they meet again, but is that really how games of destiny play out?... Who really knows?


    . . .


    Afterward, on Earth, at a random local bar in East Capital¡­


    It is cold outside, so naturally, everyone here is heavily clothed.


    At one corner of the bar, a customer slams his beer glass on the hard wooden table, angrily glaring at the people. that like him are sitting around a round table.


    "Haaaaa!!! What do you fools know? I met people who have attempted to climb the tower three times already. Apparently, there''s a monster up there that people just avoid, waiting for the transporting jar to appear after a certain period of time."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Doesn''t that make it too easy?" another drunkard asks.


    "Are you serious right now? Most of the time, they get found out quickly. Only a few are able to get past without getting noticed. The monsters are just too extraordinary. I heard that even the famous King Chappa was forced to turn back on his second try because a strange monster with cloning powers turned into his exact replica. Can you losers believe that?"


    "Man, don''t call us losers! We''re your buddies. We were just asking if you really succeeded in climbing the first layer. Eh! Let''s forget about you right now. Tell us more about the tower, especially the first layer."


    This so-called buddy excitedly stands up "I say we hold a party for you succeeding in climbing the first floor. What do you all say?"


    "Yaaahhhhh!!!" the rest of the drunkards agree.


    "Hell nah, you bastards! You all haven''t paid me your dues from yesterday," The manly Bar owner furiously shouts from the counter.


    At the table next to the so-called group of buddies.. "Hiccup! I sure hope i succeed next time. I also want to be rich and buy my mother a house with the prize they give for completing each layer¡­" a sleepy man exclaims, though no one else hears him.


    "Hiccup¡­" He leans his head on the edge of the table. His eyes wander to the floor below.. a paper catches his sight. "Maybe this could help¡­"


    [Buy the latest guide to Ki at your nearest Brief Bookstore - Publisher: Crane School]


    .


    .


    .


    A lone figure rockets through the sky, piercing the chilly winds.


    "Those disciples really did it, huh!" Shen reminisces about what he heard at the bar. Earlier, he was there, drinking some whiskey when the drunkards caused the commotion.


    "I just gave the order on a whim, but unexpectedly, they seem to have taken it very seriously." The Crane Hermit feels a tinge of ecstatic emotion in his heart. They must have gotten some external help; otherwise, it would have been impossible for them to accomplish such a thing alone¡ªnot to mention those Brief Store booklets.


    In his merry mood, Shen, without realizing it, arrives at the tower. He directly goes to the top, where he meets Giran.


    After conversing with his disciple for a while, he takes to the sky again, this time headed for the hideout.


    At the hideout, the situation repeats itself, except it is more hectic with Launch present at the scene. The girl nearly chews him alive, angry at him for some reason.


    Shen somehow sorts things out with her and succeeds in entering his room.


    "Phew! I am exhausted." He locks the door from inside and rests on the sofa.


    The soft cushion melts his stiff body. The man is compelled to reflect on the past decade, gradually changing into what he is today.


    "Leaving aside the stressful situation, everything has gone great till now. Our school''s already recognizable name has become even more widespread throughout the globe, reaching the ears of almost everyone on Earth. Even that pervert Roshi seems to have become famous."


    Complex emotions play in his mind. "Well, I guess it is about time the Saiyans'' planet gets obliterated into space dust somewhere far away¡­ I can''t lose sight of reality because of these inconsequential events happening on Earth. The real story has just begun. Still, this feeling... it''s not bad¡­"


    His eyes grow heavy. Rest¡ªdeservedly, the man needs it¡­


    The next day¡­


    As usual, the sun shows itself from the east. Everyone is up to their daily routines, while Shen has yet again left the hideout for a new endeavor.


    At the Lookout.. Residence of Earth''s overseer; Kami¡­


    "A spacecraft, you say?" Kami speaks to a rather unexpected guest.


    "Yes. I would like to know if you have seen any alien spacecraft arrive on Earth," Shen replies.


    "Kami-sama, you see, I am trying to leave Earth for a while and explore the world beyond our tiny planet. What do you think? Do you know of any spaceship that may be present on Earth?"


    Kami and his assistant, Mr. Popo, glance at each other, seemingly contemplating whether they should reveal the secret they have hidden all this time.


    "It is fine, I guess... Shen, listen closely." Kami takes a deep breath. "You must have noticed that I am different from the regular people of Earth. I have green skin and antennae. I look very different from others. Actually¡­"


    Kami explains himself to Shen, revealing how he is an alien who landed on Earth and how he doesn''t remember anything about his past, his parents, or his original home planet. Shen, of course, already knows it all. He knows more about Kami than anyone else in this world.


    After his talk with Kami, Shen is brought to the landing site of the spaceship by Mr. Popo.


    The two of them take the spaceship to Dr. Brief''s Capsule Corporation. After all, currently on Earth, Bulma''s dad is the most knowledgeable person in this field.


    The scientist is extremely happy to have the opportunity to examine an alien craft. It is the perfect deal for everyone involved.

 Jaco

    Work is in progress at Capsule Corp, while just down the street nearby, people are going about their business as usual. Yet not everything is as normal as it seems... Of course, a spaceship is being built in the middle of a bustling city, but there''s also another secret that no one is aware of.


    Another scientist is lurking here, in this city.


    In a house located at a shady alleyway, mostly frequented by criminals, two people are having a heated argument. One of them is the said scientist.


    "Father, please refrain from making such unwarranted remarks! Mother and brother would never betray us," a flamboyant young man tells the older person before him.


    The aged man, his colors faded, gets angry at his son''s words. "You are too naive, boy. You don''t know that woman. Aren''t you aware she and I can''t agree on anything?"


    Dr. Gero is with his son Gevo, discussing some important matters.


    "Please, trust in our family, just this once. Maybe this difficult situation is a God-given opportunity for us to patch our broken family. We''re already running around, escaping the authorities after they found out about your lab. Even if you fight them, your lab lacks resources and funds to continue research. All of your links to gather resources have also been disrupted. Mom can surely help us."


    "Fine, fine, I''ll agree just this once." Dr. Gero lets out an exhausted sigh.


    . . . . .


    Returning to Capsule Corp...


    "Uncle, so you own a school?" Kid Bulma is talking with the strange guest who has arrived at her home.


    "Yes, well, technically not own¡ªI run one," Shen responds. "You said you''ll soon turn five, right?"


    "Umm!! I will," Bulma nods. Shen nods in return.


    The two of them are in the garden, looking at nothing in particular¡ªjust grass and flowers. Today, the spaceship is supposed to be ready for action, so Shen has arrived early. The situation right now is awkward, to say the least.


    "Ahem! You do your thing. I''ll check on your father."


    "Okay!!"


    "Right! You have an older sister, don''t you?" Shen remembers something before leaving.


    "I do have a sister, mister. Do you have any business with Tights?"


    "I do. Tell her to contact me the next time you see her. Dr. Brief should have my number. Better yet, I''ll contact her myself if, for some reason, I''m not available at that moment."


    "Sure."


    When Goku arrives on Earth, Shen will most likely not be present on the planet, but he has to be if he wants to take advantage of that event. Jaco from the Galactic Patrol is supposed to show up at that time.


    The Galactic Patrol is an organization that ensures safety across the galaxy. Shen has a deal he wants to put forward to them, so he has chosen the second-best option to accomplish that goal¡ªhe will get the help of Bulma''s sister, who will bee befriending Jaco.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    . . .


    The spaceship functioned perfectly during the test run.


    This ship is the same old Namekian ship that Kami arrived on Earth in, now recommissioned for use after repairing and upgrading some of its components.


    Alterations were necessary. According to Dr. Brief, turning the old rusty ship operational again was rather complicated. As the base for the new ship still came from the old one, the language used by the ship''s system was the Namekian language, so it first had to be translated with Kami''s help.


    The day after the test, the ship is ready to launch. Everything is perfect.


    Shen had gone to inform his disciples at the base about his departure, though something he hadn''t accounted for also happened. It''s a slight problem.


    "I will go with you," Launch boldly announces.


    Maybe it wasn''t as slight as one would think.


    "Hmm... I guess it''s decided. I don''t really mind you coming with me. I''d be bored alone anyway."


    Launch has a satisfied smile on her face. "Hmph, figures. How can anyone dare refuse me? But don''t think you can get comfy with me that easily. I haven''t forgotten how you left me twice. You''re not leaving me alone again¡ªI''ll follow you like a ghost."


    ''Were we always this close?'' Shen wonders.


    Bulma, watching the two from the side, exclaims, "Aww, wholesome!!"


    "Did you say something?" Shen asks, having heard her.


    "No, nothing."


    ''What ideas is this girl having at her age?'' Shen thinks, suspicious. Had the girl already started developing her devious character?


    . . . . .


    1!... 2!... 3!... Launch!!!!!!


    The ship successfully takes off from Earth, with Shen and his travel companion, Launch, onboard.


    Inside the ship, as it charts through the vastness of space...


    "Argh!!"


    "I did say to use your gravitational magic on me, but this may be a little¡ªtoo much," Shen tells the girl hovering above him.


    "Don''t chicken out! I''m putting a lot of effort here, doing what you requested," Launch shouts.


    Pressure! Shen feels the pressure on his body multiply. Unimaginable force¡ªat a visible rate¡ªis pulling down every cell of his body.


    His knees give way.


    Shen is pummeled to the floor, slumped face-first.


    Struggle! He struggles to stand on his legs.


    Haaa!!! Breathe in! Breathe out! Taking deep breaths, he gradually succeeds in his endeavor. ''Even though I''m much stronger than I was in the past, I still can''t bear her full force...''


    . . .


    Like that, days turn into weeks. Their destination... Planet Namek. But will the journey go undisturbed?


    -Obviously not.


    Along the way, they meet a gang of ruffians.


    "Mil Clan or whatever your name is¡ªyou, more specifically your ship, will be of use to us," Shen states to the three aliens before him.


    These thieves¡ªclowns with pointy hats¡ªhad announced over their wireless devices for Shen''s ship to stop.


    They entered Shen''s ship and naturally got some sense beaten into them. "You got any problem with my arrangements?"


    The three clowns meekly comply. Together, the trio are like a steep staircase in height. Shen imprisons the three and takes their ship inside a Hoi Poi Capsule. It''s the latest model, so the capsules can conveniently store objects up to 100 square meters.


    They continue on their journey and a month later they arrive at their destination..


    A green planet can be seen from the ship''s window..


    "Wow!!" Both Shen and Launch exclaim, Afterall it is their first time seeing a planet other then earth. Shen had previously lived in King Kai''s tiny planet, but it is better not to be mentioned. it doesn''t count.


    "Ahem!! lets land" As Shen says, they rapidly enter the atmosphere of the planet, making a safe enough landing, though not without some bumps.


    The two; man and women, take their first Step on a new planet.. Breathing in the fresh outdoor air after a long month of being stuck inside a metal container.


    At this occasion, Shen remembers a quote he heard in his last life, "one step for man is the.... ummm what was the quote again?"


    launch shakes her head, disappointed "Don''t embarrass yourself."

 Namek

    Shen, along with Launch, are at the doorsteps of the Namekian Grand Elder''s residence¡ªa two-story spherical white building, Its a common design, typical throughout the universe.


    The two humans are on the cusp of meeting one of the wisest individuals in the entire universe, but someone stands in their way¡ªNail, the sole guard of the Grand Elder is barring them from proceeding any further.


    "Now, now, don''t be so quick to dismiss us. Let us meet the Grand Elder first." Shen is conversing with the guard. well at-least he is attempting to do so.


    "No! Not possible. Please turn around and leave."


    "Ah! I was saying, why don''t we cooperate?" It''s the blue haired Launch who speaks up this time. "If we work together, we can find a solution, right?" She is worried a fight may break out anytime now, between the two.


    To avoid her causing a scene in this place, Shen had taken precautions ahead of arriving here. Without the other, blue haired Launch noticing, he had sneakily made her sneeze using some fluffy pollen and changed her personality, ensuring the girl wouldn''t cause any sort of commotion at this important place.


    Nail is getting annoyed by the two pesky aliens. (A/N- humans are aliens to him)


    "You! I said leave, right this instant!" Without warning, Nail fires his ki at point-blank range toward the two intruders.


    "Kyaaa!!" Launch screams in horror, yet, "Ara~! Nothing happened..."


    Shen had quickly grabbed Launch out of harm''s way and immediately deployed an invisible dome made entirely out of his psychic energy around them, shielding them both using psychic powers. It is a brand-new technique he developed during his stay in King Kai''s planet..


    On the other hand, in the case of Nail: "That was just a warning. Leave before I get serious." his intentions are clear.


    "It seems we can''t solve this with words," Shen mutters, squeezing his muscles, ready to retaliate.


    "Nail, enough!" An elderly man''s voice echoes in their heads, most likely through telepathy. ''How could you attack our guests unprovoked like that?"


    "But, Grand Elder-sama," the guard tries to protest, but the elder is also adamant "It is fine. Let them come in."


    Reluctantly, Nail does as he is told.


    Shen and Launch are now in front of the Grand Elder, Guru. He is a giant, especially compared to a regular Human or a Namekian.


    Behind them, Nail has his head down, but his eyes look up, pointing daggers at the two, although his expression indicates more dissatisfaction and worry rather than actual hostility. His vigilant gaze reveals the loyalty of a devoted servant.


    The air is heavy. The Grand Elder, bedridden in a chair, shows signs of time catching up with him.


    Shen senses Guru''s knowing smile fall on him.


    He then proposes a deal: in exchange for Guru unlocking the two of their; Launch and Shen''s hidden potential, using his mystical powers, the Earthling will help extend the old Namekian''s life using all of Earth''s resources and brightest minds.


    One shouldn''t underestimate earth''s geniuses just because superficially, on the basis of visible development indication, Earth may outwardly seem like a backward planet, however one shouldn''t be very quick in judgement, Dr Brief who made the hoi poi capsule is one prime example.


    The Namekian elder, however, initially rejects the proposal, stating that no medicine or any special method can prevent old age from consuming oneself. Everyone''s time eventually comes; his just happens to be near.


    Guru is even willing to unlock their potential without asking for anything in return. Still, when Shen and even his guard Nail insist on trying out the medical help of earth, the elder is left with no choice but to agree to the youngsters'' request.


    Placing his hand on Shen''s head, the elder''s mysterious smile becomes even more pronounced. maybe he saw something in Shen, ''could he have unearthed my secret?'' Shen ponders.


    The two humans are left speechless after having their potential unlocked. Even the guard, Nail, is too astonished to speak. Shen''s power has essentially skyrocketed. He estimates that even Frieza, in his weaker form, wouldn''t be able to contend with the current him¡ªthis without Shen even using Kaioken to multiply his strength.


    In addition, if Shen stacks Kaioken and techniques like Kikoho on top, he might just defeat Frieza¡ªthough this doesn''t take into account the alien''s final form.


    Shen looks pleased with the results and is grateful to Elder Guru. ''Considering the threats I may face in the future, this increase in power will be a lifesaver'' he reflects in his heart.


    (A/N: Don''t worry, I won''t make the weak version of Frieza into a major villain and bore you like the thousands of times it''s been done before. There are more threatening villains I have in mind.)


    Not wanting to overstay their welcome, Shen notices how tightly Nail is clenching his fists, likely worried about what other requests these humans might have. Their business on the planet finished, Shen and Launch take off again.


    Inside the ship, Shen gazes through the small window at the quickly shrinking Planet Namek, now a mere dot in space. His mind is already focused on their next destination.


    ''Planet Cereal should be somewhat familiar to every Dragon Ball fan. Though, most casual fans probably wouldn''t know much beyond its name¡ªat least that was the case when I was alive.''


    .


    .


    .


    Earth... Dragon Tower...The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Before leaving the planet, Shen had used Earth''s Dragon Balls to make a wish to Shenron.


    His disciple Giran thinks about this while looking at the monitor showing people climbing the Dragon Tower.


    A pack of chips in hand, he eats the last piece and stands up.


    ''Well, I better start doing what Master told me¡ªexpanding the hideout and making it more visible to the general public. It''s about time I get to work.''


    Now that the whole world knows about them and martial arts culture is spreading worldwide, keeping the hideout secret feels counterintuitive. Opening up to the world to inspire competitiveness is the logical next step.


    Moreover, it''s inconvenient to constantly use a submarine to enter and exit what is essentially their home. It''s also tedious to transport daily necessities and Dr. Flappe''s inventions through a narrow underwater cavern.


    Giran had wanted to use the Dragon Balls for this task, but Shen denied the request, warning against relying too heavily on them due to the unforeseen consequences they may potentially harbor, if overused.


    This time, there''s no Launch to assist him, and he refrains from requesting help from Dr. Brief or Kami. Instead, he uses Master Shen''s Crane Enterprise, Dr. Flappe''s inventions, and newly manufactured work-bots. Alongside them are fellow Crane School disciples¡ªViolet, Silver, and especially Blue and Tien Shinhan, whose psychic abilities are particularly invaluable.


    In the first place, one may ask... why build a new school, when they can simply return to the old Crane School''s location, where the previous Master Shen used to reside? And even before that, why build a secret hideout? Why recruit disciples instead of using resources on more productive things?


    Bluntly stated: it''s all wish fulfillment. People are simple creatures, filled with childish dreams. Shen is no exception. There''s a notion that adults are supposed to be logical and perfect, however people are inherently illogical and selfish. Everyone is, Shen included.


    For most people, what were once desires become regrets. Do kids just suddenly grow up when they turn 18? No. They grow up when they learn to hide their true selves¡ªmasking playfulness with a layer of stoicism.


    Now that Shen has the resources and ability, he wants to build a giant tower, a hideout, robots, and a grand symbol of his school. Why? Of course, because he can.


    ***Pov...


    [ It has already been more than six months since I became a disciple of Master Shen. Six months ago, I knew nothing about martial arts... now, I am aware of many new things. Every day, I learn from my seniors at the school.


    During all this time, the days at the school have always been the same. Some days get boring, but most of the time, it''s fun. I wish my mother were here, living with us.


    Today, Senior Brother Giran has gathered us from the hideout along with a lot of other people to do some work on a tiny island near our underwater school. It is Senior Brother Namu who brought us here after he received the call.


    The sun is shining bright as always. The workers, along with us junior disciples currently in training, are waiting for orders.


    Senior Brother Giran and Senior Brother Namu are hovering above in the sky, discussing things. I can''t see them properly because of the sun.


    I don''t remember the last time I saw so many people together. Normally, I only see a few people at the hideout.


    Everyone is a senior to me, as I am the last one to join our school. They all call me a kid, even though I''m already five years old.


    Brother Blue, who is older than me, is standing right beside me. He looks worried for some reason...


    "Oi, Tien!" he says, turning toward me and kicking off a conversation, "Wanna bet with me?"


    "Bet?" I ask, confused.


    "Yes, bet," he replies. "A competition between us. A lot of the work assigned to us will probably require our specific abilities, like going deep underwater to remove large rocks or levitating soil and mud to move them around.


    I listen closely to what he''s saying.


    "So, the bet is that the one who accomplishes the most work will win. Whoever loses will have to do something the winner orders. If you win and I lose, I''ll do anything you tell me to do. What do you say? Deal?"


    After thinking about it for a while, I respond, "Deal." It''s not a problem even if I lose; what could he really ask me to do? It probably won''t be that hard, right? I think it''s fine... but should I be worried?


    I''ve wanted to learn more powerful new moves for so long, but Senior Brother Namu and Master Shen never taught me anything beyond basic martial arts. This could be the perfect chance for me.


    I overheard Master Shen talking to the two senior brothers¡ªapparently, new disciples will be joining our school. When they arrive, I won''t be the youngest disciple anymore. That means I''ll have to work extra hard not to be overtaken by them.


    I have to keep improving... If I don''t, it will be bad. I''m already five years old, but I''m still so weak compared to the older disciples, who are just a batch senior to me. Time is running out. I have to be strong.


    ...


    Senior Giran and Namu land from the sky. Brother Blue walks up to them and says something in a low voice, but I can''t hear what he said.


    The two senior brothers, standing at a distance, look at me, confused. "Tien! Is it true you want to work together with Blue?" Senior Namu asks loudly.


    "Yes!" I reply.


    Right at that moment, I feel a cold sweat slide down my back. Weird!


    After that, everyone gets to work immediately.]


    ...Pov***


    {Key Overview of the New Crane School''s Construction - Source: Compilation of Giran''s Report to Shen}


    The project is set to begin on a tiny uninhabited island, about 1 km away from the hideout. Since it is such a small landmass unfit for large-scale development, the plan is to expand the island by reclaiming land from the ocean. After the initial phase, the land can be further expanded as needed.


    The process will be difficult, but the site chosen for construction is in relatively shallow waters¡ªamong the shallowest in the nearby ocean, making it an ideal location under the circumstances.


    Week 1 and 2


    Construction begins with Tien and Blue working together to transport large stones from closest islands where they are abundant. A large fleet of transport ships assists in the effort. Tien and Blue float the giant stones and place them on the ships, which then bring the stones to the construction site.


    Once the stones are delivered, the remaining workers, with the help of heavy machinery and the martial artists'' unique abilities, will use the stones, sand, gravel, and soil to reclaim land from the ocean and expand the foundation.


    By the end of the second week, the area has expanded to nearly 600 meters.


    Week 3


    After the initial reclamation, reinforcement begins with the construction of a seawall in high-risk areas where tides are especially harsh. Sea barricades at the base of the land, underwater, will also aid in stabilization.


    Week 4


    Further filling of the newly formed land with soil creates a large mound, raising the elevation slightly. This slope will be essential in case of a rise in sea level, as it is always better to be safe.


    Weeks 5¨C7


    The foundation of the school building is finally laid. Starting with a simple five-story circular structure, covering exactly 200 meters in all directions, it is placed at the highest point of the island¡ªat the center. Made with extremely durable materials, this building will serve as a platform for the main symbol of the island: a grand pagoda.


    A grand stone stair-way is also built at the front of this building, leading straight to the top, with entrances to the building at either side of the stairs.. Later on, an elevator will be added to connect the building below, directly to the inside of the pagoda.


    These five levels of the building will serve as the ideal location for the disciples'' training hall, sleeping areas, and other school facilities. It took longer than expected to prepare this building.


    ____________

 No time to stay for long

    Planet Cereal, homeland of the Cerealians and also a place where a group of Namekians who migrated from the Demon World have made their home.


    The native Cerealians look almost identical to human-type Earthlings, except for their hair, which is predominantly light green, and one of their eyes is crimson, granting them exceptional visual prowess.


    The Cerealians have a very low population of just around a million; even their largest city has only about 100,000 inhabitants.


    The bustling streets of the planet''s largest city are teeming with activity¡ªsoldiers, workers, and other regular folks going about their daily business. Here, it is chaotic yet orderly... the hectic atmosphere creates an unusual type of serenity, only felt when one stops to observe the flow of life.


    From the side of the road, shopkeepers call out to potential customers, advertising their products.


    "Sir, madam, look at this dress¡ªit''s the latest fashion!" a shopkeeper approaches two people, pointing toward a pair of boutique dresses displayed on a hanger at his shop. It''s a matching pair of white dresses for couples.


    The two; a man and a women, who look to be close with each other as the women is holding onto the man''s arms; questioningly look at the shopkeeper, wondering if he is talking to them.


    The man is wearing a black bamboo hat, while the woman has a scarf wrapped around her head. The pair, of course, is Shen and Launch, with the blue-haired Launch in control right now.


    Both have their hair covered to effectively blend in with the green haired general populace of this planet..


    Shen dismisses the pesky shopkeeper, who is trying to sell them his stuff. After another hour of roaming the city, they walk out to the outskirts.


    There, in the canopy of the trees, Launch removes the scarf covering her head, while Shen keeps his hat on.


    "So, how did you like the city, Launch-san? How do you feel about it?"


    "Umm, it was a very pretty place. It felt amazing, vising the city. Thank you for bringing me here with you, but didn''t you mention this place will soon be destroyed?"


    "Yes, this planet, Cereal, will be invaded by some evil aliens, and all the Cerealians will be annihilated," Shen states plainly, with a straight face.


    A little more than a week after leaving Planet Namek, the two of them arrived on Planet Cereal¡ªa planet that, in just a few days or weeks (if they''re slightly lucky), will face an existential crisis, with its inhabitants almost completely massacred.


    Unfortunately, such is the fate of many life-supporting planets in this universe. The main perpetrators of this disaster will be none other than the Saiyans and their overlord, Frieza.


    "Can''t we help them?" The kind-hearted Launch is disheartened upon hearing Shen''s confirmation.


    "The Cerealians and the few Namekians who live on this planet are certainly set to become extinct... but not if I can help it," Shen says, an amused smile tugging at his lips.


    Hearing his words, Launch''s eyes sparkle with hope.


    Shen continues, "Before that, we have to prepare something."


    "Right!" the girl agrees, clenching her fist, even without knowing what Shen is talking about. Confidence radiates from her.


    Shen could warn the Cerealians of the impending invasion, but the chances of them believing him aren''t very high. Even if they did, they would likely choose to fight the enemies rather than escape.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Surrender? That isn''t an option. It''s either victory or annihilation. Even if they miraculously achieved victory, their end would only be delayed in the face of Frieza''s unrelenting might.


    Yet even in this difficult situation, Shen doesn''t need to do much. The paths to survival for this planet''s inhabitants are limited, but the few available are certainly very promising.


    Dragon Balls¡ªthe saving grace for any weak planet. The Namekians who found refuge here after fleeing the tumultuous Demon Realm are certainly a blessing for Planet Cereal, as they brought the Dragon Balls with them.


    With these wish-granting balls, nearly anything is possible¡ªat least, anything within the creator''s scope of power.


    Shen and Launch return to their ship, hidden behind a large rock. After entering, they emerge again, with Shen holding a Dragon Radar he had brought along for this journey.


    Different from the usual sets with seven balls needed to make a wish, the ping-pong ball sized Cerealian Dragon Balls number only two. However, this doesn''t diminish their power in any way.


    In fact, compared to other Dragon Balls, they are even better, as they don''t require a year to recharge after being used. They can be reused up to three times in quick succession.


    The duo''s search for the balls leads them to a unique location. The radar points to a small cluster of houses¡ªmost likely a village nestled in a valley surrounded by lush hills with trees that seem alien to this planet.


    This turns out to be the settlement of the Namekians on Planet Cereal. Shen and Launch spot some green-skinned folks with antennae working in the fields. They approach these Namekians.


    The group of five Namekians, who were plowing and planting seeds, stop and look astonished as the two approach.


    "Wow, I haven''t seen many people other than us who can fly," one of them exclaims.


    "Me too. Any idea who they are?" asks the one next to him.


    "Not at all," replies the first Namekian, before another joins in.


    "I''m not very sure, but now that I think about it... I did hear someone named Flyak is making waves recently. Could that be him and his... friend, maybe?"


    Shen and Launch land near the field and converse with the group of Namekians. After introducing themselves and explaining their purpose, Shen requests to meet the individual with the highest authority in the settlement.


    The Namekian leader, Baba is an elderly figure, he has the two dragon balls in his possession and is also wise like all the other Namekian leader but somewhat senile due to his advanced age. Because of this, his appointed successor, Monaito¡ªa slightly younger and capable person¡ªtakes charge of handling the situation with them.


    The Namekians, originally from the Demon Realm and essentially majins(Demons) themselves, live long lives. Particularly those type who use magic, known as the Dragon Clan, These Dragon Clan members reproduce unisexually by magically vomiting eggs,


    The process of producing a egg and then birthing it can occur in a matter of seconds, a peculiar but vital trait for sustaining their species. that also automatically means they are always more then likely to be the leader as they can birth a entirely new community by themselves without requiring to intermingle with others.


    Another type, the Warrior-type, cannot reproduce but possess greater fighting abilities, ensuring the race''s protection.


    .


    .


    .


    Half a month later, by Earth''s time, the Frieza Force, led by the Saiyans, invades Planet Cereal. Yet, contrary to expectations of chaos and uproar, nothing happens. The massive fleet of invaders finds a deserted planet, devoid of intelligent life.


    When the Saiyans, after reconnaissance using their scouters to detect life signatures, regroup on the place where they landed with their space pods, they all reach a single conclusion.


    A striking Saiyan woman speaks first. "This isn''t a very big planet. Not all of them could have hidden from us. Did they flee, somehow knowing about us beforehand?"


    "Heh!" a thin-bearded Saiyan sneers. "Who''d have thought they''d run away with their tails between their legs?" He both looks and talks like a prick.


    "Does it even matter?" another Saiyan, near the woman, shrugs. "This just means our work is a lot easier. Bardock, what do you think?" this saiyan is the definition of the word ugly, and on-top of that he looks like he is made out of pure fat.


    The mention of Bardock''s name by the dis-shaped ogre prompts all the Saiyans to turn toward their leader. In stark contrast to the Saiyan who addressed him, Bardock exudes intelligence and composure.


    the man, under everyone''s gazes stays silent for a while. his scouter beeps continuously, information appears nonstop in the transparent screen in-front of his left eye.


    Then the leader speaks, "I just got a report. The others from the Frieza Force have also confirmed our suspicions¡ªthey''ve found no sign of the Cerealians or the Namekians who lived here."


    "Then where could they have gone?" the Saiyan woman; Fasha, wonders out-loud.

 lambs to the slaughter

    Bardock, an elite Saiyan who climbed the ranks and became the leader of a high-ranking squad through sheer hard work¡ªdespite being born a low-level warrior¡ªis part of the invasion fleet sent to the planet Cereal, with the intention to conquer it and later sell it to a client, willing to pay the price


    He does feels something isn''t right about the unexpected situation on planet Cereal, but although surprising that''s not what has been bothering him for the past few months.


    Right now, as he enters his personal space pod¡ªused predominantly by Saiyans like him to traverse the universe rapidly¡ªhe is thinking exactly about this matter.


    ''Frieza!! Our race is currently working for him. Nothing seems odd, but for some reason, I can''t bring myself to trust that guy. There''s this feeling I have that soon, something terrible is going to happen... maybe it''s just overthinking...''


    Even during the journey back to his home planet, When he was hibernating along the way all he dreamt of was a horrible future.


    .


    .


    .


    Location: Planet Vegeta


    Enough time has passed since the Saiyans returned to their home after their particularly unremarkable trip to planet Cereal that they''ve already conquered a few new planets, massacring all their inhabitants.


    Bardock and his squad are also returning from another mission. They went on this mission immediately after coming back from planet Cereal.


    Usually, squad members wouldn''t all partake in a single mission together, as some needed rest and recovery after each assignment. However, this time was different; they were required to do nothing during the Cereal mission. so on the latest mission, to a planet called Kanassa, the whole squad fought together.


    The squad includes:


    Bardock - Leader (father of Son Goku, aka Kakarot)


    Taiga - Vice-squad leader


    Fasha - The badass girl-boss of the team


    Shugesh - The ugly one


    Leek - The helpful nerd who takes care of logistics


    Toma - A prick with a thin mustacheUnauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Notable former members:


    Gine - Retired and now Bardock''s wife


    Borgos - Deceased on the latest mission to Kanassa


    (A/N: I changed the name "Tora" to "Taiga" since it sounded very similar to Toma. I also removed Borgos from the team, as he was even more hideous looking than Shugesh.)


    For a month, Frieza''s mothership has been stationed above planet Vegita. The megalithic ship, visible from the planet''s surface, even during daylight, menacingly looms high in the vacuum of space.


    Recently, Bardock''s strange feeling of uneasiness has grown even stronger. Right now, he has just returned to his home from a short mission with one of his teammates, Leek... Only the two of them went on this easy detour while returning from planet Kanassa.


    Now, back on Planet-Vegeta, Bardock is hearing strange stories¡ªparticularly surrounding Frieza''s men, going around asking questions regarding the Super Saiyan, only known to the saiyans via the legends, passed down through generations.


    ''Strange... what are these Frieza Force henchmen up to? They''ve recalled all Saiyans from their missions. Everyone is ordered to gather.''


    Concerned about Frieza''s devious plans for the Saiyan race, Bardock is worried¡ªnot just for himself but also for his family: his wife and two kids. ''What is that bastard Frieza trying to accomplish? This is very out of the ordinary, even for him.''


    Although the sun is shining brightly, the looming threat alongside it gives off a gloomy atmosphere. "Whatever is about to happen won''t be pretty," he exclaims while gazing at the large mother-ship.


    Night falls, and Frieza''s presence above the Saiyans becomes even more apparent in the dark sky.


    Bardock and his wife, Gine, are in an open field. In front of them is a space-pod. A ship specifically designed for young Saiyan children.


    Their son, Kakarot, is wrapped in Gine''s arms.


    "Do we really have to do this?" she asks, teary-eyed, looking at her husband.


    "Gine! I''m telling you, the threat we''re facing is very real. This is the only way to save Kakarot. If we don''t do this, he''ll face the same fate as us." Bardock calmly tells her. his eyes don''t lie.


    "You promise we''ll go find him if nothing happens, right?"


    "I promise!" Bardock states firmly.


    Together, they place their child inside the space pod.


    As the spaceship automatically launches, operating on its predetermined instructions, the two parents watch their child for the last time.


    Today, Kakarot¡ªa low-level Saiyan child slow at learning even the basics of language¡ªhas become the hope of his entire race.


    Just hours earlier, Planet Vegeta''s inhabitants were going about their lives as usual. Nothing unusual seemed to be happening.


    Foolish brutes, unaware of their own impending doom. At least, the majority of them were.


    Unprepared for what was to come, they died without even knowing what killed them¡ªexcept for one brave man who fought to the bitter end against overwhelming might.


    He charged at the gigantic mass of energy Frieza created to destroy the planet entirely¡ªa literal second sun for any unfortunate enough to behold it. Yet, even then, the Saiyan man dared to challenge it, hoping to erase it.


    However, his heroic last moments wouldn''t be remembered by anyone in the universe.


    The Saiyan race is largely gone. Their lives came to a sudden, almost unforeseen end. Now scattered and few in number, they may never regain their previous notoriety.


    Or will they?

 A weird mix

    On an unknown planet in a remote part of the Milky Way, a usually unremarkable and quiet world is experiencing a remarkable transformation.


    Standing together on the periphery of a large clearing in the middle of a seemingly endless, archaic jungle, the new leader of the Namekians, Monaito, and Flayk, a representative of the Cerealians are having a meeting with the two Earthlings¡ªShen and his companion, the sweet-natured Launch¡ªwho always tags along wherever Shen goes.


    However, their ongoing discussion isn''t going very well.. it has become somewhat heated.


    "No way! Are you out of your mind!?" Flayk exclaims, stunned by Shen''s revelation.


    "Why would you want to bring those evil Saiyans back to life? Isn''t it a big relief to the entire universe that they''re all finally dead? So why do you want to undo it?"


    "Not the truly evil ones, only the small children and those who are redeemable¡ªthose who can change their ways, only they will be revived," Shen replies, correcting the man''s words.


    "Even still," Flayk retorts, unwilling to budge.


    "Look, I know you hate the Saiyans, and deservedly so. They''ve snatched your homeworld after all. But I''m not asking for your opinion. I''m going to do it¡ªwhether you like it or not."


    "If so¡­ then you can''t do it on my watch!"


    Flayk readies himself, forming a pistol-like hand sign¡ªcalled a Finger Pistol, its a technique similar to the Crane School''s Dodonpa but unique to the Cerealians. It involves shooting quick, condensed ki blasts from the fingertip, a technique that complements their exceptional eyesight. Flayk is the greatest master of this unique fighting style.


    His fiery eyes, those of an experienced gunslinger, are ready for combat at any moment.


    Shen shakes his head, already intending to make Flayk unconscious for a short while. "This leaves me with no choice¡ª" He takes a step forward, about to act when¡­


    Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the elderly Namekian Monaito, who had been silently observing the situation traspire till now, steps in between the two and tries to defuse the tension. Similarly, Launch too intervenes to stop Shen.


    Monaito approaches Flayk, calming the hot-headed man. "Let''s first hear him out. He must have a good reason for this," he says.


    Then, turning to Shen, he adds:


    "Sir Shen, even I can''t understand what you''re trying to accomplish by bringing them back. How could they possibly turn over a new leaf? I don''t think I need to warn you about their tendencies; it''s widespread knowledge across the galaxies¡ªand not in a good way."


    The blue-haired Launch nods in agreement. "I''m also very confused¡­"


    Shen takes a large breath and begins explaining his reasoning while inwardly cursing himself for not starting with the explanation in the first place.


    "Believe me, when the Saiyans return, they''ll prove helpful to us. I''m 100% sure they''ll play a vital role in ensuring universal peace in the future... don''t forget about frieza, there many like him, out there.. possibly, the sayains and their untapped potential will play a more essential role then anyone could ever imagine.. And it''ll only be a small number of them eligible for revival. Even then, if, for some unforeseeable reason, any of them try something suspicious, they won''t escape me."


    "I just hope it turns out as you say," the Namekian lets out.


    Flayk too relents, similarly Having no choice but to trust the Earthling''s guarantee. "Fine, if you''re so adamant, there''s nothing we can do to stop you. Besides, you''re our benefactor¡­ we''re already indebted to you."


    "I''m glad it worked out!" From the side, Launch, raising her fist in a thumbs-up gesture has a wide smile on her face, which pleases Shen.


    "Don''t worry, you three. Have I disappointed you so far? This will absolutely be a great decision," Shen reassures them.


    Monaito sighs, his thoughts drifting back to recent events...


    Following Shen''s revelation about the Saiyan invasion to him and the other Namekians, they, along with the two Earthlings, devised a plan involving the Dragon Balls.


    First, using the Namekians'' great reputation among the Cerealians, they convinced Flayk of the incoming threat. Though he might not seem like it, Flayk is a level-headed man when necessary. Despite his occasional anger issues, it didn''t take long for him to join their fold after learning about the Saiyans and Frieza''s reputation.


    Simply put, the entire process unfolded in stages. First, with the Dragon Balls'' help, a suitable alternative planet was selected. the eternal dragon that came out of the the Cerealian Dragon balls, Toronbo had presented them with many many habitable planets..


    They filtered out planets with intelligent life already residing on them... Their criteria for new planet to inhabit were specific.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    So, from the various options, they decided to opt for a planet resembling both Namek and Cereal, with vast grassy fields and tall, dense vegetation. Its location in the Milky Way was also advantageous¡ªrelatively close to Earth.


    Shen could have allowed the Cerealians and others to live on Earth, but he concluded it would create unnecessary complications. Thus, the plan to relocate them to the new planet was finalized.


    To ensure cooperation, it was decided to show the Cerealians a small glimpse of their inevitable future should they choose to remain on their home planet. This was achieved using the Dragon Balls, directly implanting the grim visions into their minds.


    Beforehand, They had already convinced a few influential individuals on the planet to support the plan, avoiding complete chaos when the wider population was informed.


    Presented with their potential fate, reactions varied. Many were terrified beyond belief, while others grew angry, swearing retaliation against the invaders, however even the bravest among them couldn''t escape the haunting worry.


    To Shen and his comrades'' relief, the Cerealians decided to prepare¡ªnot to fight, but to evacuate.


    With Toronbo''s help, the population was teleported to the selected planet. They were safely dropped in a vast clearing: a fertile grassland with sparse trees, surrounded by a seemingly endless forest. Water sources were abundant, with small ponds and rivers flowing into a great ocean further ahead.


    The Cerealians brought everything they could carry, leaving behind only immovable structures like houses and bridges. However, summoning Toronbo had its limits. According to the Namekians, the Dragon Balls of Planet Cereal could only be used five times in succession before requiring a recharge period of over eight Earth years.


    This limitation thwarted Shen''s hope of overusing the Dragon Balls. With two wishes reserved for later purposes, they couldn''t rely on Toronbo to rebuild the Cerealian communities entirely.


    Still, they worked tirelessly to establish essential facilities¡ªtemporary houses, communal kitchens, and hospitals. These short-term measures were meant to sustain them until more permanent structures could be built. Fortunately, they had managed to bring a large, albeit finite, supply of raw materials.


    The transition wasn''t without challenges, but despite initial confusion, the Cerealians gradually adjusted to their new reality. Well There wasn''t much choice otherwise.


    .


    .


    .


    Later that night, on the other side of the planet¡­


    Under the dark starry sky, Shen, Flayk, Monaito, and Launch gather atop a cliff overlooking the ocean shoreline.


    The symphony of strong waves crashing against the rocks below fills the air. Standing at the edge, Shen recites the incantation required to summon Toronbo.


    "Come forth, Toronbo, and grant me my wish!" he yells.


    The two Dragon Balls placed on the ground begins glowing intensely, streams of light shoots forth to the sky, as the balls rapidly merge into one.


    Then at once, The formless scattered light takes shape into a pronounced figure, gradually as the bright glow shrouding the figure diminishes, a Dragon comes into everyone''s view..


    The Eternal Dragon of Planet Cereal, Toronbo, resembles an axolotl, with blue, translucent skin, sapphire-like scales, and whiskers reminiscent of a catfish.


    "What wish do you have? State your desire, and I shall fulfill it. Though I doubt I need to remind you, Mr. Shen¡ªthis isn''t your first time," Toronbo says jokingly, his surprisingly soft voice is a exact contrast if compared to Shenron from earth, who has more imposing tone.


    Clearing his throat, Shen responds, "Glad to see you again, Toronbo."


    The dragon nods.


    "Sorry for the trouble¡­ For mthis request, I want you to bring back the Saiyans killed in the recent destruction of Planet Vegeta. But be extra careful¡ªrevive only the young children and those who are redeemable, capable of changing their ways. Someone like Gine or Bardock."


    "Hoooh!" Toronbo exclaims knowingly. "The Saiyans, huh? As always, you present me with a challenging task. Let me first assess the situation¡­"


    The dragon gazes upward at the starry sky, seemingly dazed. A short while later, he turns back to Shen.


    "I cannot bring them back to life as things stand. Along with the planet''s annihilation, All the Saiyans'' had their physical bodies completely destroyed. With nothing remaining but stardust, it''s impossible to revive them without recreating their bodies first. However, you only have one wish at a time. You must choose: either recreate their bodies or bring them back to life."


    "I had suspected as much," Shen admits, nodding knowingly. Though almost already certain of this outcome, he had still hoped for a different result.


    The dragon continues "I suggest, for this wish, you request their bodies to be recreated and With your fifth and final opportunity to summon me, you may then wish for their revival."


    "Let''s do that," Shen agrees, he too had already anticipated this solution.


    Without delay, Shen makes his fourth wish: to recreate the bodies of the dead Saiyans on a nearby sandy beach.


    Immediately after, Shen catches the two Dragon Balls, before they could disperse after the wish, he summons Toronbo once again for his final wish.


    The earlier scene repeats


    In a few minutes, he makes his remaining wish.


    The dragon fulfills Shen''s request.


    On the glittering sand, illuminated by the half-moon in the sky, the Saiyans slowly begin to awaken.


    Young babies wail, their cries echoing into the night, fills the air "Uwaaaa!!!" The noise jolts several adult Saiyans awake among the crowd of children.


    "Ugh! Would someone shut them up? Whose kid is that?" grumbles a burly man, irritated.


    "Torato, is that you crying? Where is this place? Where are we?" a frantic woman calls out,


    She jolts up, getting on her feet''s and starts to rom around the beach, searching for her child. "Torato my baby boy, where are you? Look Your mom is here!" Although in most cases male saiyans aren''t involved in child rearing, females very much are, so a mother''s love isn''t lost in a racial barrier.


    Simultaneously, More and more Saiyan stir to life..


    Like the women looking for her child, other Saiyans; adults and children alike, also try to find their family and friends.. Scanning for any face that resembles the people they are familiar with.


    Among them is Gine, Bardock''s wife and Goku''s mother. Right as she gained consciousness, Shen spots her amidst the 100 or so adults who stand out from the swarm of 1,000¡ªor perhaps slightly more¡ªchildren.


    However, Shen wasn''t prepared for the shock awaiting him.


    "Bardock is missing? What? Why? How?" Shen mutters, stunned. Goku''s father, Bardock¡ªthe main reason for bringing back the Saiyans¡ªwas nowhere to be found.

 Wrap up -1

    On the new planet of the Cerealians, the Saiyans are confused. They are all busy inspecting their surroundings, searching for anything or anyone familiar.


    Especially the young children¡ªthey are scared, even horrified at having suddenly woken up to find themselves in a completely unknown territory. Most of them are no older than five.


    It seems even many of the older teenagers and young adults weren''t spared from the dragon''s evaluation criteria, which removed all Saiyans with evil tendencies and troublesome personalities.


    These few remaining Saiyans, selected through that rigid filtration process, are probably the cream of the crop in terms of moral standards¡ªat least as far as Saiyans are concerned.


    Shen has appeared in front of Gine. As he approaches the woman, he realizes her emotions are unstable. She seems worried. Well, of course, she would be¡­ She''s all alone. Her husband is missing, and she doesn''t know if her two kids are safe and sound.


    Noticing the approaching man, Gine turns her head toward the stranger. But before Shen can speak, someone else calls out her name.


    "Gine-san!" It''s another woman''s voice, coming from a few meters away¡ªthe source being one of Bardock''s teammates, Fasha.


    The woman quickly rushes to Gine. "Where is Bardock? Isn''t he with you? where is he then?" She asks and then immediately realizes the futility of her question, so calming does she continues "first thing I woke up I look around this weird place, trying to find him and the others from our squad, but¡­ I couldn''t find our squad leader anywhere."


    "Sorry but I haven''t found him either. I don''t know where he is¡­" Gine replies with a solemn look. Immediately after opening her eyes, she had also searched for her husband.


    Hearing the two women, Shen thinks now is the perfect time to speak and reveal the truth of their distress. However, he is interrupted yet again.


    Some new faces have joined the two¡ªBardock''s other companions: Taiga, Leek, and Taro.


    "So, after all, he wasn''t with his wife either, huh!" Taiga, the squad''s second-in-command, exclaims, clearly not in a great mood.


    "So it seems¡­" Fasha mutters with a sigh. "What about you three? Did you find anything of note?" Her question is directed toward Leek, who handles logistics during their missions.


    "Nothing at all," the thin man states. "There''s not even a trace of Bardock at this place. And it''s not just him¡ªShugesh is also the same. Nobody we talked to seems to have any idea where we are or what part of the universe this is."


    Leek then adds, pointing toward a certain direction, "Look there, in the distance, near the shores. Do you notice a dim light?"


    The others nod in agreement, having just realized it themselves.


    The light Leek is pointing at is Toronbo. Although one can''t properly see the dragon itself with the naked eye, as it''s relatively far away, the light shining off its body reaches the beach.


    Since the Eternal Dragon hasn''t yet reverted into the Dragon Balls and scattered as it normally does, it can be inferred that the dragon still has unfinished business, likely related to Bardock''s absence.


    Whatever the circumstances may be, it is an absolute relief for Shen. The man needs answers¡ªanswers only the Eternal Dragon can provide right now. Moments after his wish was fulfilled, Shen had rushed to the beach without looking back, distracted by his own enthusiasm. It was a lapse in judgment, leaving him unaware of Toronbo''s continued existence.


    While the Earthling reflects on his slight mishap, Leek continues speaking.


    "There''s definitely some kind of light source in that place¡ªpossibly artificial. Without our scouters, we can''t be certain if it''s intelligent life, but the chances are high. We must check it out for ourselves to understand what''s happening and where we are."


    Before anyone can respond further¡­


    An icy voice cuts through the air, catching Gine and the others'' by surprise. "Why go there when you can get the answers you seek right here, right now?"


    Shen''s menacing remark makes them unconsciously turn toward him. Their sharp ears prove advantageous in situations like this.


    "Of course, none of you Saiyans would know about this place," he continues in the same cold tone, fully capturing their attention. "Your hands aren''t yet red with the blood of its people. Look how lively it still is¡ªfresh air, fertile soil. But who am I telling this? I might as well get to the point. So¡­ how does it feel to be on the receiving end for once?"


    For a few seconds, silence ensues.


    "Who are you? What nonsense are you spouting?" Toma, the one with a slim mustache, angrily questions. He had been silent all this time but now speaks, unwilling to let this stranger belittle him and his race like this.


    The commotion doesn''t go unnoticed by the other Saiyans. Many have now spotted Shen''s presence. At first glance, they assumed him to be one of their own. However, upon closer inspection, they pick upon an oddity in his appearance.


    "The tail¡­ It''s missing!" someone exclaims. The tail is a trademark feature of every Saiyan. Even if cut off, it will regrow eventually.


    This alarms the Saiyans. Even the young ones keenly trace their eyes to where the adults are looking. Shen nonchalantly smirks. Seeing hints of hostility from the surrounding Saiyans, he decides to respond in his own fashion.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Simply but swiftly, a gust of intimidating aura erupts, with him at the epicenter. Even the winds change their course, gathering around him like a tornado.


    His energy runs wild, and the pressure from his ki alone is overbearing, sending indiscriminate shivers down the spines of everyone present, adults and children alike.


    Satisfied with the outcome, Shen continues, "They say you live once and die once, so not everyone gets a chance to share their last moments while still breathing. Indeed, you were all brought back to life by me. However, nothing in this world is cost-free. This isn''t charity."


    Hearing this, the older Saiyans start murmuring among themselves.


    Team Bardock is no exception. "No wonder I thought something was amiss," Taiga exclaims. "I remember a huge bright object in the night sky. It was a ball of light. The only word to describe it would''ve been¡­ astronomical!"


    "Right!" Leek recalls. "Everything went bright¡ªbrighter than daytime. I remember it falling on us, and then¡­ nothing. I don''t recall anything after that."


    The Saiyans are truly shocked by the revelation. Back then, in their last moments, many instinctively believed it would all be over.


    Still, something remains unclear: who, or more accurately what, was responsible for the Saiyans'' Eradication?


    Everyone has the same glaring suspect in their mind, but no one wants to to be the one who says it. They''re all waiting for the name to be dropped.


    "Tell us, who was it?" Taro, the man with the thin mustache, asks. Earlier, he had been angry with Shen, but now his suspicion of the stranger''s intentions has largely subsided.


    "Who else but Frieza?"


    A hammer strikes the saiyans in unison. It turns out exactly as they had anticipated.


    The Saiyans had obeyed Frieza''s orders as his tamed wolves, but to dismay of the ignorant their overlord had never appreciated their efforts. Instead, Frieza despised their entire existence.


    Now, what remains is regret for not having anticipating Frieza''s betrayal. still this outcome should have come to no surprise, no less when Frieza is involved. However the fact remains that most Saiyans'' never expected this..


    Though Its given, the majority of them have always blindly followed orders, rarely thinking much about anything. Calling them "monkeys" was fitting in that regard.


    "So that bastard Frieza really killed us all¡­" Taiga exclaims, stomping the sandy ground in a fit of rage, causing a minor tremor...


    "Doubts had certainly crossed my mind," Leek admits. "Though I always dismissed them as paranoia. Looking back now, it was a lack of foresight."


    "No wonder his mother-ship was suspiciously looming above our planet''s sky for a whole month," exclaims a young man from the crowd.


    "Were we no longer useful? Or¡­ was this always his plan all along?" a random woman wonders aloud.


    Still admittedly, it''s not as if the Saiyans were any better themselves. Overly prideful, they would never willingly submit to anyone else. For most of them, loyalty to Frieza was merely a fa?ade. a ruse to bid time. Had the opportunity presented itself, they would have torn their so-called master apart without hesitation.


    Frieza, of course, was fully aware of this mentality. He had spies scattered all over Planet Vegeta.


    Additionally, in Frieza''s mind there was also a constant worry, relating to the Super Saiyan¡ªa legendary warrior of immense power whose story had permeated the universe since time immemorial. Apparently, one of Frieza''s ancestors had faced such a being, with disastrous results. Ever since, Frieza''s clan had been cautious of any rumors surrounding the Super Saiyan.


    In any case, the possibility of the Saiyans someday rebelling against him, his own dogs unleashed on himself.. Freiza couldn''t possibly ignore the threat. Thus at just a slight suspicion of discontent aimed toward him brewing in some saiyan circles, the whole race had to be decisively delt with.


    Eradication. Only a drastic measure could satisfy the emperor.


    "Now then," Shen claps his hands once, "let''s move on. You should remember what I said earlier about this not being a charity¡ª"


    "Wait, wait! Halt for a second!" Fasha, waving her hands forward, as if a over-speeding cycle is about to hit her, manages to interrupts the ongoing discussion.


    "We can talk about repaying your ''kindness'' later. First, tell us: if you really wanted to bring us back to life, why are only a few of us here? Where are the rest?"


    Her question encapsulates everyone''s attention.


    "Hmm, that''s a very good question. Well¡­" Shen begins, slowly providing them with an overview of their revival process. Of course, he omits any mention of the Dragon Balls, keeping the explanation as vague as possible. They are only given a general idea that a magical wish brought them back, but no the specifics of how it happened.


    Still, his explanation is enough for the Saiyans to Understanding the underlying implications.


    The entire world has collapsed on Gine. her thoughts scattered, ''Bardock didn''t meet the criteria for revival!.'' Weeping in a low voice, she weakly falls on her knees,


    The situation is especially harsh on her. Most of those who have been revived were societal outcasts. That is due to their unusually kind natures¡ªan anomaly among Saiyans, making them stick out like a sore thumb.


    Because they were Completely opposite to the average individual belonging to their race, this uniqueness had not only resulted in alienation from other Saiyans, it had also prevented them from developing healthy, close relationships.


    As a result, On a personal level they feel less affected by the destruction of Planet Vegeta, problems relating to separation is also minimal.. they are more so frustrated at being helplessly toyed around.


    Gine, in contrast, is heartbroken.. Along with a handful of others, mostly children, she mourns the loss of her love.


    Fasha, feels a sense of pity for her Leader''s wife, "What''s gone won''t come back. We Saiyans know that better than anyone. You must look to the future." her attempts to console the downcast women is mediocre at best.


    Shen, observing the dispirited atmosphere, "Well, you don''t have to be discouraged just yet. It isn''t possible that your husband wasn''t brought back. I had specifically mentioned his name in the request..."


    "Hmm!!" he went on.. "You all Wait for a minute Let me first inquire about what could''ve happened."


    Hearing this, hope reignites in Gine, Fasha, and the rest of the group. Their chances aren''t completely shattered after all.


    Shen is about to take off but pauses to give the Saiyans a warning. "Don''t leave the periphery of the beach until I return. If any of you disregard this warning¡­" He stops for a moment, sliding his thumb across his neck. "Believe it."


    As the man leaves, everyone collectively exhales. His warning might''ve seemed ambiguous in most cases, but his earlier display of raw power has left no room for doubt about his ferocity and strength.


    Shen hastily returns to the cliff near the shores, where the Dragon still hovers in the night sky. Earlier, Shen had been too impulsive to look back before rushing to the beach.


    This time, he intends to uncover the full picture.


    So According to the Eternal Dragon, Bardock''s soul itself is missing from the universe. It''s neither in the Other World nor the Living World. Essentially, The Saiyan man has vanished entirely.


    Even Toronbo, despite being a magical wish-granting Eternal dragon, can''t locate Bardock''s whereabouts. This leaves Shen in a dilemma, though he has a theory about what might''ve happened.


    As Toronbo reverts into the two Dragon Balls, Shen too returns to the beach to inform Gine and the others of the news.


    The reaction is, unsurprisingly, one of disappointment.

 Wrap-up-2

    Meanwhile, Earth...


    The final phase in the construction of the new Crane School has already been initiated... A completely attention-grabbing structure that will stand at the center of the island, symbolizing the school''s power and its new identity.


    The design proposed by the engineers of Crane Enterprise and approved by Giran is a grand pagoda of 16 stories, 200 meters in height.


    If Shen were present here, seeing the design, he would have probably commented something to the notion of:


    The pagoda¡ªnot overly gloating in its own glory but also demanding reverence. Perfect for a humble man such as himself, who always seeks to balance vanity with purpose. ¡ªMaybe it would have sounded profound to him.


    Other than the basic framework of the pagoda, many of its parts, like the exquisite woodwork and stone columns, had to be made elsewhere and transported to the construction site.


    Being a skill-intensive work, it will take longer to wrap up the final stages than all the previous phases of construction. Great things require time, despite the unlimited wealth at disposal.


    In the meantime, as the pagoda''s exterior had noticeably begun to take form on the newly reclaimed island, infrastructures were also in the process of being set up to connect the site with the underwater hideout.


    Abandoning the hideout would be a significant loss, as its secretive position, hidden deep in the ocean, proves advantageous for use as a base for any work requiring isolation from observant eyes. Dr. Flappe has even suggested turning the entire place into an advanced scientific research facility.


    However, before anything concrete regarding its future usage could even be discussed, the fact of the matter is that linking the two places is easier said than done.


    With more than a kilometer of nothing but salt water in between acting as an obstacle, much work needs to be done to create a hypersonic channel that quickly transports people and cargo back and forth between the two locations.


    Work is in progress despite the challenging scope of the project.


    Furthermore, while they were at it, Giran also decided to add some new levels to the Dragon Tower. The existing levels were insufficient, seeing the number of people trying to climb the world-renowned martial arts center.


    With the pace at which strong individuals like King Chappa are climbing the tower, it is only a matter of time before they run out of levels.


    So he requested additional help from Kami-sama and Mr. Popo. The large, empty spaces in the upper layers of the tower, long awaiting use, will now serve their intended purpose.


    The tower is structured in such a way that it is divided into numerous layers. Every single layer contains multiple floors, with all the floors occupying the same layer featuring similar trials of equal difficulty but slightly altered from one another.


    An individual, or a maximum of two together, is allowed to climb the tower. Multiple people can be present on the same layer simultaneously, each engaged in their separate trials on different floors.


    Anyone wishing to climb the tower must pass a single trial in each layer to reach the top. To move from one layer to the next, they need to fulfill the objective presented to them via holographic texts and voice announcement, which appears as soon as they enter a new layer.


    During the trials, in case of actual physical enemies obstructing their path, they can either choose to fight head-on or skillfully avoid the enemy altogether. If one has the appropriate abilities, some intelligent beasts or monsters encountered in many of the layers can even be tamed.


    Someone who has already passed a particular layer doesn''t need to redo the trial if they drop out afterward for any reason. They can resume from the layer they had left, provided they return within a year. With each passing year, however, they lose access to one upper layer, annually.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Anyone, including the living enemies who die during the trial, is instantly revived inside the tower. However, in the case of climbers, they are demoted to the bottom-most floor, forced to restart their journey.


    In most cases, such situations rarely occur, as before a challenger is about be killed, a automatic teleportation system would bring them down to the starting, ground floor.


    . . . . . .


    The new trials are:


    Gravity Chamber:


    -As the name suggests, it applies increasingly stronger gravity with every step, across a 100-meter-long path.


    Lightning Mountain Trial:


    -A lone individual must endure an intense assault of lightning strikes while summiting a tall, rocky mountain to reach the crown which is placed in the middle of a eroded flat plateau located at the top. The lightning becomes more frequent and violent toward the end.


    Realm of Tragedy:


    -A place that forces individuals to relive horrific memories and experiences of their past.


    Ki Showcase Test:


    -Requires the demonstration of techniques like flight and energy blasts.


    Wind and Sandstorm Trial:


    -Features strong, unrelenting winds and sandy tornadoes.


    Thin Atmosphere Trial:


    -Takes place in an area with a very low oxygen level.


    Other challenges include:


    A swampy forest.


    A maze with moving walls.


    A trap house filled with contraptions that could trigger from the smallest mishap. Running along a thin, elevated path in a narrow corridor surrounded by hard stone, with sharp spikes on both sides, all while enduring a barrage of laser-beam-like attacks from the front.


    . . . . . .


    To reach the very top layers of the tower, a power level surpassing 1,000 is required. Below that, it is nearly impossible. A few layers at the very top remain empty, and their use is still undecided.


    For the foreseeable future, the newly added challenges will effectively slow down the pace at which climbers advance in the tower. These changes will force even prominent strong individuals to endure unimaginable hardships to reach the topmost layers.


    .


    .


    .


    Presently, The boy Tien Shinhan is sitting on a large rock, overlooking the ocean.


    Rapid waves approach and recede, playing a symphony of tunes. A uniformity in randomness..


    However, Contrary to this peaceful atmosphere:


    "Auuuggghhh!!! I''m such an idiot! How could I fall for that obvious lie?" Frustrated, Tien grips his head with his tiny hands, pulling on his messy locks of hair.


    He recalls recent events...


    The bet he had with his fellow disciple, Blue, who is much older than him.


    Having been assigned the same kinds of tasks, Blue proposed a deal: whoever completed the most work would get a single request granted by the other.


    Initially, things seemed normal. Like any two people competing, they tried to outdo each other at every turn. But things started to get weird after just a few days.


    Blue began slacking off more and more. Yet Tien, being a rather innocent child, was oblivious to what was happening around him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to his young mind.


    Lost in the moment, he was even somewhat excited at the idea that he had an edge over his older brother.


    Only after everything was built and their part in the work was over did he realize the bet was nothing but a farce¡ªa ploy for his older brother to avoid work.


    In every sense, he had been duped... played like the child he was. Still, at least he won the bet, right? Surely his older brother was now obliged to fulfill a single wish of his?


    Wrong!


    Blue shamelessly said to his face¡ª"Well, technically, it wasn''t determined when I have to fulfill the wish, so there''s no hurry. Also, I know what you want: you want to learn ki usage, right? Well, you''re not ready for it yet.


    "You know, Even I had to wait a full year for Master Shen to deem me eligible, and moreover, back then I was older than you are now. Besides, you can already use psychic powers somewhat. That''s good enough for your age! So, why the rush?"


    To Tien, Blue obviously didn''t sound convincing in the slightest¡ªwords reeking of a deceptive attempt to evade responsibility. it was manipulation in its purest form. The boy of near 5 and half years had his perspective on people altered by this blatant scam.


    "Seniors are so cunning. Juniors like me are no match for them. A simple trick worked on me... tch! I wonder when I''ll get to have my own juniors. wish that day would come sooner..."


    Tien smiled wistfully, thinking about the prospect of someday having juniors who''ll look up to him¡ªfor a change.

 Goku

    Shoot!! A childish voice echoes in the wilderness.


    Shots are fired. Shooo!! Shooo!! Shooo!! Three streaks of light emerge from the bushes, targeting a deer-like creature a few meters away.


    With a thud! A row of three deer collapse simultaneously, each with a gaping hole on the side of their head.


    "Good!" exclaims Granola. The childish voice that gave the order belonged to this boy¡ªan average-looking kid, not very tall, not very short. His appearance tells of a haughty troublemaker who is always more than likely up to no good.


    "We will eat good today."


    Saliva drips from his mouth, which he comically rubs clean with his elbow. Their food situation doesn''t have much variety right now, so he is very pleased with himself for finding these deer, known for their juicy meat.


    Quickly handling the excitement, he turns to his friends. "Let''s go, we have to return home before noon."


    Reminded of the time by Granola, the two boys beside him shiver a little, imagining how angry their moms would be if they are even a little bit late.


    The boys quickly rush to their home, each carrying a deer on their shoulder. Their strength is not to be underestimated, it seems.


    Arriving at the main road of the city that diverges into multiple other roads, the trio hops onto a train-like transportation vehicle that runs along a fixed line. The upper section of this train has glass windows, so they are able to fully take in the outside view.


    The city has architecture resembling that of Earth. Its main discerning feature is the extensive use of white marble and stone, giving it a posh vibe, though most of the structures are still under construction.


    After exiting the train, Granolah and his friends say their goodbyes and quickly run to their homes.


    At his home, a relatively large building located in a secure and affluent neighborhood, his mom is standing on the doorstep with her hands on her hips¡ªclearly not happy. All this time, Muezli has been waiting for her unruly son.


    "Granolah, how many times do I have to tell you not to wander around in the forest like that? We haven''t completely scouted those areas yet. This time, when Flyak gets home tonight, I will tell him all about your disobedient behavior. Only your father can discipline you, it seems."


    "But that is my training, Mom. I want to help Father protect our planet. Isn''t he going to join the Galactic Patrol that Mr. Shen talked about? I also want to follow him. This place is so boring. Look, I can hunt deer without them noticing, and even this is nothing¡ªdidn''t I also injure that big lizard we saw the other day?"


    However, Muezli was having none of it. She grabs Granolah by the ears and sharply pulls on them. "As if you are strong enough to join a dangerous force like the Galactic Patrol. Now Come inside."


    . . . . . .


    The sun gradually settles as the last light of dusk follows with it.


    Overlooking the planet from space, a bright patch of light can be seen in a certain region. This is, of course, the bustling new city of the Cerealians.


    Paying even closer attention to the opposite side of the planet from the Cerealian city, another, much smaller settlement can be spotted.


    Steadily, a village is taking shape near a conspicuous coastline of the same supercontinent.


    Although not easily visible during the day, it just might be possible to locate this place during the dark of night with the abundant artificial light, lit during the nighttime.


    The source of these transformation is the Saiyans. They have already started adjusting to their new realities.


    Launch and Shen have helped in this endeavor. While Launch was busy helping with the actual construction of the village using her psychic powers, Shen was providing assistance by facilitating indirect transit for them to trade with the Cerealians. The trade commodities consisted of heavy machinery and other modern equipment, which they lacked.


    The Saiyans paid for those items in the form of rare, unprocessed metals and other raw materials they extracted from the surrounding areas. It is mutually beneficial for both parties.


    Though to even find those metal reserves, they had to get some assistance from the Cerealians, who, although technologically behind the Saiyans, are nonetheless an industrial society. They could at least provide complex parts used to make more advanced devices.


    The Cerealians were happy to oblige to the wants of Shen, through whom those requests were made.


    And why would they, He is the man who saved their entire race¡ªa debt that can never be repaid. Still, some were reluctant upon finding out whose hands those parts were going to fall into. Even so, they wouldn''t refuse the man.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Till now, other than those sporadic trade dealings, there has been no formal interaction between the Saiyans and the Cerealians, but signs are undoubtedly there.


    Actually, some of the Saiyan children have started to wander off near the new Cerealian city. Their childhood innocence makes them insusceptible to the biases and considerations that adults are normally posed with.


    These children, with low power levels, don''t pose much of a threat to the Cerealians, so they have largely been left to their own devices. The Cerealians aren''t a weak race in any sense, with the power level of an average adult ranging from 400 to 600, and fighters having levels of around 1000. The strongest of them all, Flyak, has a power level of more than 4000.


    Eventually, with the precedent set by the young ones, opening up possibilities for the establishment of mutual cooperation, perhaps the gradual integration of Saiyan and Cerealian societies and their way of life may not be a far-fetched speculation.


    Currently, Shen is preparing to leave this unnamed planet for the time being. After all, He has unfinished business back on Earth.


    In the case of the Saiyans¡ªor more accurately, Son Goku''s mother, Gine¡ªShen has reassured the woman, promising her that Bardock will return to her without fail. She is the kindest Saiyan there is, so the man feels sad seeing her depressed face.


    Shen believes Bardock has most likely been sent back in time through some sort of space rift just before the destruction of Planet Vegeta. This same thing had happened in an old TV special of the DBZ series that aired during the Saiyan saga.


    He speculates some sort of rare phenomenon may have occurred due to the concentration of such a huge amount of energy, though it''s just a theory.


    Shen''s words had somewhat alleviated the woman''s despair. Bardock''s team was also delighted to hear the new piece of information.


    They have been appointed to temporarily lead the Saiyans, as in the current scenario, they are the strongest faction remaining.. previously being part of an elite team led by Bardock.


    Before Shen announced his departure, he hadn''t forgotten to warn the Saiyans against acting up. He also made sure the Cerealians understood the same.


    .


    .


    .


    Earth...


    Shen and Launch have returned to their own planet. Currently they are with Namu, hovering above the newly completed pagoda of Crane School, spectating the building.


    "What do you think, Teacher? Is the new school to your liking?" Namu asks.


    "You all have done a great job. This is a fine masterpiece." Shen proclaims.


    "Thank you. But the one who worked the hardest was Brother Giran, not me."


    "I know. Where is he right now?" Shen asks, he had wanted to praise his disciple for his efforts but he hasn''t seen Giran at-all.


    this time, instead of Namu, Launch answers the question.


    The blondie, with arms crossed, amusingly says, "He is probably at Lady Annin''s place right now. Before we left the planet, he had asked me to tell him her location. Seems like he wanted to become stronger."


    "Heh!" She snickers, adding, "The fighters at the tower are probably starting to catch up to him. Although he is a weakling, losing wouldn''t be good for the reputation of the So-called Legendary Dragon of the Tower. He had said he would learn more about mystical magic from Lady Annin. He was very interested in gigantification in particular."


    "Hmm... It is good that the tower has made him so motivated," Shen expresses with a nod. Moving on, he asks about the other disciples, after which he goes in search of the actual matter for which he had made a return journey to Earth.


    Goku. The main character of the Dragon Ball franchise.


    On his way to Mount Paozu, Son Gohan''s home, Shen thinks, ''I wonder if he has actually safely arrived on Earth. My interference may have caused something to go wrong. I just hope nothing bad has occurred and everything is fine.''


    In a while, he quickly reaches Gohan''s small wooden cottage. ''If nothing went wrong, Goku should be here. After all, this week marks exactly seven months since I left Earth. If his ship hasn''t already landed on earth, it''s a lost cause.''


    This uncertainty is the reason the man had decided to not bring Gine, with him.. A false hope is wore than a lack there of..


    Shen slowly approaches the home in both anticipation and worry.


    As his ki is suppressed, Gohan hasn''t noticed him, even though he stands right infront of the door


    Shen is about to knock, when suddenly as if interrupting his action, a playful giggling of a child comes from the house.


    Hearing the voice, his curiosity gets the best of him.


    Unable to wait any longer, the man directly opens the door, causing the poor thing to detach from its frame due to the excessive force.


    His sudden presence almost gives old Gohan a heart attack. "Master Shen!" he exclaims. "Why are you here so suddenly? You frightened me."


    "Sorry for that," Shen awkwardly apologizes. "But forget about that right now. More importantly, the child¡ªdid you find this kid from somewhere?" He points at the curious kid standing barefoot on the carpet.


    "How could you tell?" Gohan asks.


    "Of course, I can tell. How else would you have a child in your lonely home?" Shen says, while internally thinking, ''No doubt it''s Son Goku. That monkey tail, that fiery hair, and that standard Saiyan armor hanging on the wall at the back.''


    Somehow, the unnecessary "lonely" remark from Shen had dispirited old Gohan. Silently, he resumes what he was previously doing... Rubbing Goku''s wet hair with a dry cloth.


    Then he starts to speak again "I had just finished bathing him, but as I don''t have any spare clothes for children, he is just wrapped in a towel.. It''s very cloudy today, so drying him under the sun is out of the question."


    "You really are a lousy caretaker. How could you bathe a kid who doesn''t look much older than 3 years old in this cold weather?.. what if he catches cold?"


    Realizing his mistake, Gohan hangs his head down in shame. But can the old man really be blamed? After all, he has never taken care of children before in his entire life.


    "When did you find him?" Shen asks with a sigh.


    "I found him two months ago. Back then, he was very rowdy and would fight me at every occasion. Must say, those punches were very strong for a child. I don''t know how old he is, so I have decided to count his age from the day I found him." Gohan says with a warm smile.


    "Oh!" He then point to a certain spot on the wall "Can you help me dry that armor back there?.. it''s already washed!.. It is what I had found Goku wearing... By the way, I named this boy Son Goku. My Grandson¡ªgrandson of Son Gohan!"

 Life at the Crane school

    Tien Shinhan and the other young disciples of the school are busy with their morning exercise...


    The students are running, making rounds, circling the island, along sandy ocean shores.


    They are wearing heavy metal hats, boots, and other eccentric clothing used almost exclusively by the Crane School. The training method itself isn''t exclusive, but the clothing style certainly is... For instance, the Turtle School of Master Roshi uses heavy turtle shells instead of heavy hats.


    "Oi! Violet and Blue, you too! Why aren''t the two of you wearing the hats like Senior Namu told us to?" Silver, the boy with contrasting red hair, questions his peers, who are both running together side by side with him.


    "Why do you care so much?" Blue says, throwing a question right back at Silver. "Look, I, for one, am still hanging it on my back. That''s good enough, isn''t it?" The boy''s hat is strapped to his back with a rope; it seems he has made some modifications to the training.


    To that, Silver lacks any replies or rebuttals. So, for now, he turns around, yet not ceaselessly.


    The girl Violet, noticing his eyes land on her this time, is forced to speak up. "What do you want? Of course, I''m not wearing that junk as we were instructed. Doing it like Senior said may very well lead to baldness."


    She explains how, if the metal hat excessively rubs against her head, all her hair may fall off. So instead, she is wearing some heavier clothes, increasing the weight to balance things out for not wearing the hat.


    "But that''s not the proper method!" Silver says. Yet, although he acts moody like this, internally, he is already convinced by the explanation... albeit partially.


    "Stubborn, stuck-up..." Violet plainly states.


    This remark by the girl hits some kind of sore spot in the boy, as, for some unspecified reason, he becomes unusually quiet after this. Nevertheless, he is still adamant in his belief: ''There must be some sort of important reasoning for wearing the hat the proper way''¡ªpoor boy, unaware it''s nothing but a stylistic choice.


    Tien Shinhan, the youngest, who has been following closely behind the three all this time and has been listening to their fruitless arguments, sighs! .. exhausted at the behavior of his so-called seniors...


    .


    .


    .


    At the school''s newly built pagoda itself... Taking the elevator from the lowest floor of the pagoda, if one gazes from the balcony of the 10th floor toward the eastern direction, a single-story garage-like building can be seen some 300 meters across.. (A/N- Yeah, I just wanted to add more words..)


    This conspicuous building functions as the training hall of one man.


    Shen, leader of this school, is busy in the gravity chamber, which was built at a relatively safe location away from the sensitive areas of the island, particularly the pagoda... This has been done in case any malfunction or accident occurs in the machinery.


    Inside the gravity chamber... "998.. 999.. 1000!!" Shen falls face-flat on the ground after a round of grueling push-ups... Exhausted, he couldn''t go any further than 1000.


    ''A 100X gravity is nothing to sneeze at, ahugh!! It hurts! My every muscle has turned into mush...'' The man goes on, muttering in a low voice, "Damn Vegeta and Goku, who could do this while being weaker than me. Their recovery is really something to be jealous of..."


    Shen then starts to crawl toward the gravity machine situated at the center of the room. He could have stopped the machine with his voice, yet he has rather chosen to squeeze in some small bits of training, even at the very last second.


    The machine has stopped. The man''s body is leaning on the cylindrical machine, resting... Nonetheless, a few moments later, although his body was screaming to its maximum, he still manages to steady himself and walk a few steps...


    Heavily breathing, "Open the shutter," he says to the AI system.


    The shutter mechanically rolls open as Shen takes in the long-awaited fresh air from outside¡ªsalty and earthy because of the surrounding ocean.


    After a while, Namu arrives at the place. "So, your morning training is over, Master Shen!?"


    Not replying, merely looking at his disciple, Shen exits the building...


    "Well, as you can see," Shen exclaims, obviousness written on his face... Following with, "Forget about me... So, Namu, what happened with contacting Dr. Brief''s oldest daughter, Tights? What''s the lead? Have we got her whereabouts?"If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Well, as per your request, we have contacted Ms. Tights. What do you plan to do now, Teacher? Are you really going to meet with the people of this so-called Galactic Patrol? Should I inform Launch-san of this news? She would surely help if, for any sort of reason, the situation goes south with them."


    Namu wants to prepare for all unforeseeable situations, however...


    "No! Don''t let her know of this at any cost."


    "But why?"


    "Her being there will just overcomplicate things for me..." Saying so, Shen leaves his disciple''s company... Without an exact destination in mind, he starts wandering around the island.


    Near the ocean, above the beach, Shen dazedly hovers... Below, the school''s disciples call his name, yet the Crane Hermit isn''t very aware of his surroundings.


    ''That Namu... He is turning out to be a capable butler of sorts. He also guides the younger generation. Now that I think about it, the guy is more of a teacher for those kids than me... Tien, Blue, Silver, Violet may forget I am their true master if this goes on...''


    While pondering along these lines, he dives under the ocean... Lost in thought, somehow, he finds himself at the underwater hideout, almost like his body was on autopilot.


    Emerging from the underground lake, he takes in the view, complimenting, "They have renovated this place nicely... White tiles, escalators, robots, and automated machines handling different activities. It looks like a top-class hospital. It''s impressive how fast they have turned this place into a super-advanced research facility..."


    Gradually, Shen starts walking toward the place where some faint metallic noise is coming from. "If I am right, about now, the doctor should be busy with his brand-new research... This time, the field being aeronautics..." A sense of anticipation is palpable...


    Sure enough, the development process is going smoothly, largely thanks to certain individuals. They are the space pirates who had tried and failed to rob Shen and Launch the first time they had left for outer space.


    Naturally, The pair of Earthlings had, swiftly and decisively dealt with the hooligans. Since then, locked up in the same old Namekian ship that Shen and the girl were traveling in, with their own ship confiscated, the trio has been freeloading at the Earthlings'' expense¡ªat least, that was Shen''s view, disregarding the fact that it was he himself who had forced that position upon them.


    Although, to somewhat make up for their uselessness, they did prove indispensable during the construction of the new homes for the Saiyans...


    These brothers, being a group of pirates who, until recently, were roaming the universe with altogether just three men onboard, unsurprisingly would have had to develop a wide range of skill sets. Apparently, expertise in technical fields was a need they couldn''t do without...


    Right now, those very pirates are working alongside Dr. Flappe and Dr. Brief, helping the old guys understand the alien ship that Shen had stolen¡ªmore appropriately, confiscated from the pirates themselves.


    "Oh, it''s them," Shen exclaims, seeing the three guys busy with a few advanced-looking machines placed on a work table before them.


    having been invited by Shen, Bulma''s father is also tirelessly working alongside them. He was the one who had previously repaired the old Namekian Ship that belonged to kami, therefore a ever-curious scientist he could have never willingly missed this learning opportunity.


    "So that was how it was... You needed such a combination to create this high-level energy source. No wonder I got confused and mixed Nobitron + 2-Suzukasium element with Doracium," the man exclaims, amazed, having resolved the long-standing confusion.


    "Hehe! They do behave similarly in certain conditions... You have to react it..." The shortest and the smartest of the three brothers is explaining everything to the human.


    This Being a fresh domain, even for him, Dr. Brief absorbs ideas like a thirsty sponge. The aliens seem to be fine with this arrangement. They are willingly cooperating, sharing their own expertise and knowledge.


    Throughout their run as pirates, these three brothers haven''t really achieved any sort of sufficiently decent success. "Maybe that career option never even suited them in the first place..." Shen, speaking to himself, "By capturing them, I may have very well done them a favor." he nonchalantly states.


    ". . . Hmmm!!! That''s a thing to think about, I guess... Well, whatever the case, right now, I better not disturb the diligent atmosphere here with my unnecessary presence."


    Shen moves on... Nothing could be rushed infinitely... First, understanding the ship, then improving and making additions to it¡ªall of this was surely going to take appropriate time.


    Additionally, and more importantly, as far as Shen''s priorities are concerned... leaving aside the spaceship, a short-term goal, the man has also been thinking of a different matter.


    Actually, besides the three brothers, Dr. Brief is really the only one who has truly involved himself in the spaceship''s study. Dr. Flappe, in contrast, hardly puts his nose into the ship''s business, as unlike his fellow Earth scientist, he has little to no affinity for the topic. His sole focus is on a different scientific endeavor, no less important...


    "Dr. Flappe, what''s the progress with Project Tppx-v2? How is Tao Pai-Pai''s upgrade going? There aren''t any complications, right?"


    "Nothing to worry about; he is perfectly fine... We are learning new things that were, until recently, shrouded in mystery... Besides, nothing can realistically be done regarding the snail-paced progress. Cybernetics of this caliber is essentially uncharted territory; hardly anyone has ever had more expertise in this subject than we presently do.


    "From all I can surmise, an exception to this is probably the renowned scientist Dr. Gero. I am ashamed to say, even our own research is largely based off his prior findings... Android 8 seems to have been a prototype of his, created years ago. By now, that mad scientist has likely reached unsurpassable heights."


    "His talent is enviable indeed," Shen remarks, with his hand on his chin.


    "Yes, you are absolutely right, Mr. Shen," the scientist agrees.


    Shen worriedly looks at Dr. Flappe, fully aware of the doctor''s inferiority complex due to his perceived lack of talent compared to his well-established peers, geniuses such as Dr. Brief and Dr. Gero... Yet, strangely, what he sees is not the face of a defeated man but one filled with competitive vigor and radiating confidence.


    This puts a smile on Shen''s face. He stops himself from saying anything further. ''Guess nothing needs to be said... It appears everyone has changed... They have grown in one way or another.''


    _________


    New Chapters coming soon


    _________

 Recruit

    Capsule Corp.


    At the grassy garden, a massive object dominates the landscape.


    The metallic spacecraft, the size of a large house, attracts the attention of multiple passersby from the streets adjacent to the outer walls of the residence.


    The ship has had redesigns done to some of its parts, yet the arrangement of the formerly pirate-owned vessel remains largely intact. No major upgrades were possible in the short run; Earth''s technological advancements¡ªespecially in regard to such spacecraft¡ªare still leagues behind the rest of the universe.


    Even Dr. Brief, in terms of knowledge and experience, is not currently at the same caliber as his future self.


    Really, in terms of actual changes, a gravity chamber has been added in a mostly underutilized compartment of the ship. Along with it is a music stereo system, which the eccentric Dr. Brief had keenly wanted to include¡ªfor reasons unknown to all but him.


    Everybody from Dr. Brief''s family to the Crane School members has gathered here for the ship''s completion. This includes the curious kid Bulma, but more concerningly, an uninvited guest also seems to have arrived at the scene.


    "Launch, are you some kind of over-jealous wife keeping tabs on your husband or something? Have you been secretly spying on me!? You ought to be ashamed of yourself," Shen reprimands the blondie. He acts very serious.


    "Hmph! Acting tough for a guy who wants to leave a girl behind, all alone."


    "What? How are you all alone among a whole bunch of people at this place?" Shen questions, flabbergasted by the audacity of the girl.


    "Whatever. You will take me with you, and that''s final. Got it?" the blondie adamantly states.


    "Fine, fine, but promise me you won''t cause any scenes."


    Almost instantly, the girl''s mood alters 180 degrees. With a smile, she gives a thumbs-up. "Ok! You have my word!"


    Shen sighs. Actually, he was already planning to bring her with him on the journey to a planet called Yardrat¡ªnot to the Galactic Patrol headquarters, but now again¡­


    ''It doesn''t seem like I have to go through all the trouble of picking her up later¡­'' he thinks.


    . . .


    1, 2, 3... launch.


    The spacecraft launches for the stars. Yet another fantastical journey awaits the pair of Earthlings.


    Inside the ship, in the command room, both Shen and Launch are focusing on the main monitor. Before their eyes¡­ they are concentrating especially on the time it will take to reach the two of their destinations, respectively.


    Right now, Shen can''t believe what he is seeing. "Around six months!? How dirt poor were those pirate brothers¡­ how can it take half a year to reach Planet Yardrat on this piece of junk? Forget about adventure¡ªat this rate, we may turn into a couple of old fogeys..."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    His words are pure exaggeration, yet the serious tone almost tells otherwise.


    This worries Launch, whose personality has already flipped from the moody version to the innocent one.


    "I don''t mind it, however..." Difficult-to-discern whispers stray from her mouth. Hard to make out what she said, the man is clueless.


    Then the girl adds, "Shen-san, can''t you do something about it?"


    This time, Shen hears her completely. "Now, it''s not as bad as I made it out to be... but, well, don''t worry too much. I think I''ve got a foolproof solution for this problem."


    The conundrum is rather easily solvable. Simply, they have to first go to the Galactic Patrol headquarters and join that organization.


    "Obtaining a brand-new ship, more advanced than our current junk, will be child''s play given our strength. Even that so-called ''super-elite'' Jaco was provided with one."


    "Super-elite? Jaco? Shen-san, who is that? Ooh, is that the space police you mentioned?"


    Wasting no time, the AI system of the ship maneuvers itself toward the Galactic Patrol HQ at Shen''s command.


    . . .


    Nearly a month passes¡­


    Shen and Launch arrive near a massive circular structure¡ªa space station, that looks like a disc, connected with a magician''s wand in its center.


    The two have gotten permission to enter the facility on the recommendation of Jaco, a Galactic Patrolman contacted through Tights, Brief''s daughter.


    From Shen''s understanding¡­ Tights and Jaco have developed a friendly connection ever since the latter went to Earth to kill the Saiyan child who was sent there, moments before Planet Vegeta''s destruction.


    Yet unknowingly, he failed in this duty, given that the Saiyan child¡ªKakarot, now called Son Goku¡ªis even now, well and kicking.


    As the Earthling ship tries to further approach the facility, they are stopped by another ship¡ªone that looks exactly like those UFOs discussed in over the top alien stories.


    Microphone voice sounds:


    {This is Galactic Patrol territory. Please state your business.} it''s a man''s voice


    Copying them, Shen also announces his business on the microphone. "I am from a planet called Earth, here with the recommendation from someone called Patrolman Jaco. He works here, right?"


    {You mean that barbaric planet which had gained some traction recently because of that saiyan child? Yes, Patrolman Jaco has informed us beforehand. You are allowed to enter. Follow me.}


    Next, the two are led through a checkpoint, where a strange device hovers above their ship. The patrolman leading them tells them not to worry and explains that the ship is being scanned for any explosives by streaks of harmless lasers radiating from the device.


    Security is rather tight at the HQ, so no unauthorized individuals are allowed to enter. Even those authorized must first go through a thorough check.


    There apparently are frequent terrorist schemes to kaboom! this entire place. However, those attempts never see the day of fruition, as can be seen¡ªnobody has ever succeeded in destroying this space station. Maybe a deeper secret is behind this.


    Whatever the case may be, at the present moment, the people from the Galactic Patrol don''t particularly seem to take the pair of Earthlings seriously. They aren''t much interested in an inferior species. ''Just a bunch of evolved apes¡ªhow powerful could they really be?'' That is what they think.


    Parking their ship in a hangar, Shen and Launch are brought to the main hall by an assistant working at the facility.


    The two Earthlings look around the hall... Everyone here has vastly varying appearances and anatomical features, with some having strange appendages protruding from their bodies. Literally, they are aliens in the eyes of Earthlings like Shen and Launch, even more so then the Namekian kami from the lookout.


    At the very back of the hall is what appears to be a reception counter.


    "Please wait here. I will go and call your acquaintance Patrolman Jaco, for you." Saying so, the assistant goes to the counter. He says something to the long-haired woman there...


    They don''t have to wait for long as After a while, the person of interest arrives.

 Recruit-2

    "Yo! Are you the ones Tights recommended me to recruit? You should have already heard from that girl, but I am Jaco, Super Elite Patrolman Jaco!" Jaco proclaims, giving a Power Ranger-style pose at the end¡ªonly the bomb blast FX was missing.


    He sounds exactly like how you would expect an overconfident small fry to sound¡ªnot very convincing. Even appearance-wise, he isn''t all that imposing. His big silicon-like eyes resemble those of an insect. He has a stout and thinly built frame.


    He and the rest of the patrolmen are all wearing chest armor with a symbol that resembles an [N], and a gun is strapped to their hips, probably for safety. Then again, other parts of their bodies are largely unprotected. What the practical purpose of such a clothing choice is, remains a mystery to Shen.


    "Yes, we are indeed from Earth, and we would like to meet your boss... You see, I have a proposition your boss wouldn''t want to miss."


    "Oi, oi!! Aren''t you moving a little too fast? How can you small-fries talk about meeting the boss this soon?"


    "How about it?" Shen reiterates.


    Jaco shakes his head like a disappointed teacher. "Tch! Tch! Country bumpkins from rural backwaters really know nothing about how everything works."


    Hearing the uncouth alien, both the humans are rather annoyed to say the least. "Ugh! This guy is pissing me off. Shen, what do you say, I teach him a lesson? Just a little bit is enough." Launch angrily asks for Shen''s permission, being that she had promised him to not cause any trouble.


    The man doesn''t respond, but his silence alone says a lot.


    "Oi, pipsqueak, I hope you''re ready for what''s coming."


    "Who you calling a pipsqueak? I am a Super Elite! You should address me as such."


    "Don''t hurt him. Scaring him is enough," Shen recommends against overdoing things.


    "I know."


    Launch swiftly raises her palms forward and then as she flexes her fingers with a jolt, a small shockwave shakes the entire HQ, disturbing some activities. Yet, no commotion is created as those who notice it casually resume their work, believing it to be nothing but a minor accident, given that no loud noise was heard.


    "You!! What have you¡ª??" Alarmed, Jaco had tried to grab his gun. However, his struggles are fruitless. Far from reaching the gun, his hands aren''t able to move an inch. His entire body is behaving in a similar manner.


    As the patrolman processes the situation, Launch has already made another move. An object shoots forward, darting toward the frozen alien. In that moment, eyes shut, Jaco already anticipates his death.


    ''Shit!! To think I would embrace death this soon... An elite like me... Come... I am ready. Take me.''


    "..... Hmmm? Wait." He slowly opens his eyes. "I-I''m okay. Nothing happened." He looks up. "Eek!!!"


    There''s a pointy object right in front of his left eye. What he wasn''t able to see previously turned out to be an axe. ''How did it appear out of nowhere? Was the girl hiding it somewhere? No way, right?''


    "So how about it, Mr. Elite-san? Will you take us to your big boss?" A maniacal grin plastered on her face, Launch chillingly whispers into his ear.


    "Gulp. Eh? O-of course!" Jaco stutters.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Good!!" Satisfied, Launch releases him from her control.


    "Come this way." Humbled, his cocky attitude has disappeared¡ªfor now.


    . . .


    The leader of every Galactic Patrolman is the Galactic King. He is a man whose appearance resembles that of a sea creature from Earth, widely known as an octopus.


    The Galactic King stands on his multitude of long green tentacles. Also sporting a crown on top of his head.


    "You said you want to join our Galactic Patrol and develop additional long-term relations with us. But how can we, from the Galactic Patrol, be so sure of your intentions? And there is also the factor of strength... From the cameras in the hallway, I have seen your display of power and can assume you are decently strong, but for a long-term relationship that you proposed and with its additional clauses, maybe that alone is a little inadequate..."


    "Worry not, Galactic King. Of our strength, there is no doubt. I dare say we are probably stronger than you think. How about measuring it yourself?"


    From what little the King is aware of about the planet named Earth, it is a backward world, with the sentient lives that inhabit it plagued with a plethora of internal strife and instability.


    So it can''t be helped that he would underestimate the Earthlings, yet he still accepts the man''s proposal.


    "Attendant, bring out the best scouter we have. Although it can''t definitively measure someone''s strength, it''s better than nothing. Let''s see how strong you are, Shen."


    One of the attendant-guards standing near the door salutes and complies with the demand.


    In a minute, everything is ready.


    "Do it..." The Galactic King gives the order to his subordinate to start the measurement.


    The first one the scouter is aimed at is Launch.


    Beep beep beep... Different combinations of numbers quickly flash on the screen of the VR-like machine.


    "11,000!" the attendant says at last.


    "Amazing." The Galactic King and his attendants are impressed.


    11,000 is a number to rejoice about¡ªeven for the infamous Saiyans of the now-destroyed Planet Vegeta, not to mention someone from an inferior planet like Earth.


    Yet Shen seems to have other thoughts, he tells her, "Let out your entire potential. You don''t have to conceal it right now."


    The Galactic King wonders about Shen''s words. ''Is there more?''


    "Alright." Rapidly after the girl agrees, the numbers on the scouter start to climb again.


    Simultaneously the girl has started releasing her concealed power.


    No fluctuations in the light or disturbances of that order occur, all thanks to the girl''s intricate control over herself.


    The power level finally settles at 366,000.


    The jaws of everyone here are left wide open.


    "It''s not malfunctioning, right?" the Galactic King sharply questions.


    Hearing this, the attendant aims the scouter''s screen at others in the room, mainly the guards¡ª10,000... 13,000... 15,000... 25,000... "There''s no mistake. It''s functioning as normal," he confirms to the King.


    The unbelievable thing doesn''t stop there.


    This time, in the case of Shen, the numbers shoot up from the very start¡ª"100,000... 200,000... 300,000... 400,000¡ª"


    It keeps going, then instantly¡ª500,000¡ªBlast!!


    The attendant behind the scouter reels from the device''s destruction. He doesn''t appear to be hurt, just shocked. "No way... This was the most advanced scouter we had. This current model is better than even the ones used by the Frieza Force, based on whose earlier models it was replicated."


    Similarly, the Galactic King is truly speechless. His preemptive assertion of the humans turned out to be founded on ignorance. This Earthling¡ªeither the information on his planet is lacking, and he is truly a product of his environment, or maybe he''s an oddity despite it.


    And not solely him¡ªthe girl as well. To the members of the Galactic Patrol, they are not unlike a pair of striking flowers blooming in an arid desert.


    The news of the event that transpired behind these enclosed walls is likely to spread like wildfire, making the two Earthlings renowned among the people of the Galactic Patrol.


    Following this, the actual discussion for which Shen came here starts. After the important talk, a deal is formulated between the two.


    "Glad to work with you." Shen grabs a tentacle and jerks it like a handshake.


    "The honor is all mine... But excuse me, what you are holding is a highly sensitive organ of mine..."

 Adventure with the galactic patrol

    After the not-so-appropriate gesture, Shen exits the Galactic King''s office. Launch, beside him, hides her face with her hands, feeling more embarrassed than the man himself. (A/N- it was the king''s Genital)


    In the hallway, they rejoin with Jaco, who is back to his old self. "Yo! So what''s up? Did you join our organization? How did the talk with the king go?"


    "It went well, but what do you want from us?" Launch says, needless to mention she is uninterested in his antics.


    "A rude way to speak to a super elite, but whatever. Listen, I''ve just been told through my headsets to look over the two of you for a while. during this period i am to help and guide you... Aren''t the two of you happy about it?!"


    Unlike the girl who is unamused, Shen is impressed by Jaco''s enthusiastic personality, not sulking or angry about his minor setback he faced earlier by the hands same pair of humans who he has now been assigned to.


    He has already forgotten about the insignificant embarrassment and moved on.


    The two guys gaze at one another, understanding the other''s sentiments. "Haaahahahaha!!!" Shen begins to laugh, a second later Jaco gets the hint and joins in.


    One alien, one human, get a hearty laugh together. The girl fails to understand the humor.


    After the laugh, Shen says "You''re a funny one. True, we are so honored at you teaching us that we may cry right here... So, what we waiting for? let''s go!"


    "hmm agreed, no point standing here!"


    .


    .


    .


    Over the days, the three of them¡ªLaunch, Shen, and Jaco¡ªtravel to different planets and regions of the galaxies to complete various missions, ranging from unfolding scamming rackets, capturing robbers and drug smugglers, to stopping terrorist schemes...


    Those tasks were almost too easy, so not worth mentioning.


    However, the same couldn''t be said for the predicament the group is facing currently. Even to Jaco, it is by far the most difficult moment in his entire life as a galactic patrolman.


    In the vacuum of space, their ship is enveloped by a humongous shadow, darkness obstructing the view from the transparent windows. Looking up, two massive objects loom above them. glowing in the vast deep space.


    Suddenly, the two balls move. There was a slight moment just now, then again like the eyes of an enormous creature, its pupils shift positions.


    "Didn''t I warn you we shouldn''t come here? Look at that monstrosity... We''re done for if it sees us!" the cowering voice of Jaco comes from behind the front seat, when in fact he is supposed to be handling the ship.


    "Now it''s too late to keep complaining. We''re already here," Shen plainly remarks.


    Launch also agrees. She adds, "Yeah! Jaco, you wimp. We have to deal with it. That''s the mission."


    "Look at the situation we''re in! How can you be so confident? I know the two of you are strong, but even if it''s the both of you..." The experienced patrolman halts and then goes on,


    "All those who have ever partaken in this mission have either failed miserably, or worse, died miserably. That''s without exception. In its path of destruction, this menace has doomed planet after planet. Countless lives have fallen victim to its rampage."


    Zooming out from the ship, more and a little extra more; one can thoroughly witness the ginormous creature in its entirety.


    It looks to be a squid, obviously not your normal one, but a space monster, about the size of a large asteroid, capable of wiping out civilizations. This monstrosity is quoted by many as the titanic Cattura (A/N- original creation).


    "The reason we chose this mission is precisely because it is dangerous. Until now, very few patrolmen have dared to accept this challenging task. With danger comes thrill and excitement. Experience is also gained in the process... So believe me, we will complete this mission¡ªeven if the cost is, we lose you in the process. Now, give us the oxygen mask."


    "Huh? wait, what did you¡ªNot so fast. You went on to say something very dangerous in the end portion there, didn''t you?"


    "Minor details. Don''t worry about it."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Hey, don''t skim over it as if that''s a very normal thing to say."


    . . .


    "Oi! Quit ignoring me!!!"


    Yet Shen still continues feigning ignorance. "Don''t get stuck in unnecessary details. Hurry up, there''s no time to waste. Thankfully, that monster, hasn''t noticed us yet," he says in a hushed voice.


    "Tch, fine! Do as you please. If I die here, it''s on you." Jaco swears under his breath. "Why, even though I was against it, do I have to risk my life like this?" Though he says this, he maneuvering the space ship to Shen''s desired location..


    At the same time, he clicks a button on the ship''s control panel. After he does so, a square hidden space, likely a locker is revealed near the entry of the ship. Shen notices this. "Launch, let''s go. The masks are ready."


    The pair of Earthlings put on the masks kept prepared in the locker. It''s the latest transparent face covering, composed of a thin outer layer with insides containing a liquidly gel-like substance.


    Additionally, at the back of the hidden locker is some kind of red button, which when pressed by Shen, activates some sort of mechanism.


    Gradually, the heavy door of the ship slowly slides open as harmless white smoke leaks from its corners. Still, the procedure isn''t complete. There seems to be yet another door beyond the first one.


    Shen and Launch, not particularly astonished by this, normally step onto the area in the middle of the two doors. Simultaneously, the first door behind them closes, the same as it opened.


    They are seemingly trapped between the doors. This is an intentional quarantine precaution to prevent air from getting sucked out when the main door is opened in the vacuum of space.


    Now, in the cold of space...


    [Launch, we will communicate telepathically like this from now on until we defeat that oversized squid.]


    [Roger!] Launch nods at Shen''s suggestion, her mouth not moving an inch. It''s convenient to have such a skill.


    [By the way, it sure is cold here.] Shen comments.


    [Bear with it.] the girl plainly replies.


    [Well you obviously wouldn''t know what it feels like when you can regulate your temperature with magic.]


    [Then do the same with your own psychic powers. You must be able to do it, right?]


    [That''s... That is surprisingly a good idea. Let me try.]


    Shen immediately focuses his mind on it. ''Psychic powers are a relatively underutilized and mysterious power in the Dragon Ball series, comparatively less fleshed out than Magic or Ki.''


    '' I''m sure the time manipulation that one of Frieza''s top men uses is also a kind of psychic ability. Not only that, the powerful mercenary, Hit, from Universe 6, also uses this same power. possibly I can also awaken those kind of powers if I train hard enough on this path...''


    Having such thoughts, Shen tries harder to create a sort of barrier around his body¡ªsomething like a thin shield that will separate himself from his surroundings, for his skin to minimize direct contact with the cold deep space and preserve his body heat from dissipating.


    Shen concentrates, and after a while, he manages to attain somewhat of a successful result. An invisible armor that has a faint sizzle blankets his body. the man is naturally pleased with the result, Launch shares this feeling with him, congratulating him. [ Great, didn''t i tell you.. i knew you could]


    ***


    Following the small achievement the pair start to inspect their target extensively.


    As a consequence of its size, the squid doesn''t notice the puny humans. The two of them also don''t carelessly get up close to it, so as not to alert it of their presence. Only from a distance will they observe and fight when the time is right...


    Inevitably, that right time comes, promptly commencing after the two are done devising a simple strategy.


    Launch is the first one to make a move; streaks of darkish electricity zap from each of her palms, colliding against themselves...


    Its glowing eyes certainly are useful, but playing an even bigger role are those small hair-like follicles which it''s entirely covered in. Actually, they each are individual tentacles.


    Those innumerable tiny things function as its sensory receptors that, not unlike antennas catching radio frequencies, detect any change in its surroundings.


    Clearly, there''s a caveat to they proper functioning, as had the tiny things been working as they were supposed to, the intruding galactic patrol ship would have been detected long ago.


    Therefore, the condition is that, for the tentacles to reliably serve their intended purpose, the squid needs to be actively trying to detect potential threats. If not, the scope of its detection capabilities is compromised, limited only to its immediate vicinity.


    Due to the lack of any serious threats posing harm to it on a regular basis, it has become habitual for the squid to remain in a relaxed state, and so it is the case right now. It isn''t readily expecting any change in its laid-back atmosphere.


    However, to its surprise, A strong shock of electricity wakes it from its drowsy mood. The switch has been pressed to the active mode, yet right now, it is hard for the creature to act upon the information it is receiving.


    The thunder doesn''t stop with a single strike. One after another, its body is bombarded with heavenly tribulations...


    [Takes this, takes this, and this¡ªthis! Wahahaha!!] Like a maniac, the girl hectically throws lightning after lightning, yet the squid isn''t just going to take it all in like a champ...


    Having already located its target, it raises one of its tentacles and lunges the long, slimy thing toward them.


    This forces the girl to stop her rampage and avoid the attack.


    Immediately after the two had just avoided one large tentacle, two more rapidly came their way from different directions. The large suction cups in the front sections of its tentacles pull people in like a vacuum. A slight mistake can be dangerous. Those things barely miss the two humans.


    [Launch!!] Shen telepathically calls to the girl, and with slight amusement, he asks, [So you still want to engage this monster by yourself??]


    [Oh, shut up... Fine, you can join!] the normally stubborn girl responds, a little sweat dripping from her forehead.


    [A good judgment... I will distract it, you just focus on attacking.]


    [Understood!!]

 Adventure with the galactic patrol-2

    Following the agreement from the girl,


    The two adopt a strategy of attack and retreat, temporarily halting the fight, time and time again.


    The monster chases after them, but their ship is faster than the overweight creature. Multiple hours pass like this. The three beings are exhausted beyond belief; no one is left unhurt. Even many parts of the ship have been damaged on more than one occasion.


    Even while resting on the ship to catch their breath in small intervals, they had many close calls. If not for Jaco''s skillful maneuvering of the ship during critical emergencies, they very well might have died.


    Finally, after numerous tries...


    While Shen holds off the squid as usual, Launch readies the finishing touch to end it once and for all. Although not completely immune, the squid has significantly adapted to the electricity. However, this time, maybe the situation is about to be slightly different... Frankly, a lot different...


    [Now is the time, back off Shen, its body has weakened enough. I think I can use my technique on it...]


    The man complies with the request.


    Seeing him do as he is told, Launch also does her own part. [The Great Thunder Shock]


    A stream of blue electricity zaps toward the squid. The creature gets a non-lethal shock, but that''s not the real purpose of the attack...


    It becomes trapped¡ªtrapped in a magnetic field created by the electricity that is still continually being controlled by the girl''s magic. Not able to move, its body has gone into a paralytic state.


    However, the same is also true the other way around. Launch''s movements have become severely limited due to this. At the moment, she can''t freely use her arms as they are occupied, focusing on keeping the squid in place.


    Understanding the situation, Shen, wasting no time, postures his hands to form the iconic triangular shape... It takes time for him to charge up his power, during which Launch keeps the squid at bay.


    [Kikoo-hooooo!!!!]


    Frozen in place, the creature receives the full brunt of the Crane School''s iconic technique. A massive shockwave rocks its entire being.


    Shen had expended a large part of his ki for this, so the condition of the space monster could be imagined.


    It is rather harrowing. With a large gash on its body, smoke radiates from its ghastly wound. The creature squirms in agony,


    Yet, contrastingly, the charred skin has already started healing, owing to its exceptional vitality that has allowed it to survive even planetary destructions before.


    However, it isn''t without cost. The squid pays the price by depleting its own stamina and energy.


    "Still not enough," Shen remarks. Not letting it recover more than it already has, the man, with his psychic power, hurls a number of nearby asteroids at great speed toward the squid...


    The squid, too, isn''t going down without a fight. It counterattacks¡ªa laser beam shoots out from its head. Not able to fully dodge in time, the laser grazes Shen''s shoulder.


    Now, when the creature is more exhausted than ever, the perfect chance arrives for Launch to do her thing, and you can better believe she is capitalizing on the opportunity.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    [This oversized seafood needs some freedom¡ªfreedom from the universe, that is,] she announces.


    She again uses the... [Great Thunder Shock], paralyzing the squid.


    [The time has come to finish off this fight,] Shen says, adding, [The current scenario is perfect to test the technique I learned during my training at the Otherworld.]


    [Kai-O-Ken!!, x2]


    [Again! Kai-O-Ken!!, x4]


    Shen''s long hair stands like a fiery blaze. Blood-red aura leaks from his similarly reddish muscles as bulging veins become pronounced due to the increased blood pressure.


    It is his first instance of utilizing the technique in a real battle situation. He had avoided using it, worried he might overexert himself, but now, if not at this moment, then when?


    [Combined with a fourfold Kaioken, take this!... Kikoo-hooo!!!]


    Same as last time, The squid takes the full brunt of the amplified Tri-beam(kikoho). A large chunk of mass in the middle section of its body is incinerated.


    [kichzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!]


    Via telepathy, The squid''s frustrated outburst of raw emotions directly transmits to their heads, translating to a begrudging anger. it is afraid.


    Before it can heal, Shen uses Tri-beam twice more. At last, the squid is completely motionless.


    The dead carcass of the monstrous creature, known as the Titanic Cattura, is not a pretty sight to look at. Shen and Launch feel rather mixed about it. Personally, it had never done them any harm. Perhaps it is even a waste to let such a creature disappear forever.


    That being said, it is already pointless to have such thoughts. The hours-long arduous ordeal has come to a decisive end.


    ***


    On their way back to the Galactic Patrol HQ, Inside the control room of the ship...


    "I thought it was all over. Hell, you two humans better be thankful! If not for the great Jaco-sama''s super flying skills, just your barbaric powers would have been of no use." Jaco says in a hushed tone, his tongue having become more slippery because of the adrenaline he felt while continuously operating the ship in tense situations.


    Even after a considerable time has passed since then, he hasn''t returned to his normal, bearable level of yapping... If life goes, then let it go¡ªbut antics shouldn''t go¡ªthis saying fits him perfectly.


    "Yeah, you did great. Thank you, Jaco," Shen strongly pats him on the back.


    Smiling gleefully, Jaco is glad to be appreciated for his efforts. "Though, wish you would show appreciation a little more gently," Jaco says weakly, rubbing his back.


    Yet it seems his request has reached deaf ears, as Launch also joins in the fun. "Yeah, yeah, you are very great, Jaco." A repetitious barrage of pats lands on him. Individually, they aren''t all that painful, but the culmination of all of them is a little too much to handle.


    "Umm!! I would like it if you would stop patting my back! It hurts, seriously, it hurts a lot!"


    Hearing this, the girl gives one final palm of appreciation, and only then ceases her actions. "~Phhpewww~" she starts whistling, humming a tune.


    "You did that intentionally, didn''t you?" Jaco glares at her with eyes filled with suspicion.


    "Whatever do you mean?" Replying innocently, she turns her attention elsewhere.


    "Ahm!" She clears her throat.


    "Ahm! Ahm!" Again, she makes the noise, this time twice, yet nobody reacts¡ªnot like what she intended.


    Only after she clears her throat three times does she succeed in bringing attention to herself.


    "Are you cold? Not feeling well?" Shen asks, confused, even worried for her health. "The cold from outer space must have caught you."


    "That''s not it," she mutters.


    "Not it? Then what?" Shen fails to understand what she seeks.


    "Hmph!!" Launch humphs, showcasing dissatisfaction. ''Where is my praise?, Didn''t i also contribute?'' the girl wonders to herself, jealousy emanating in the ship.


    She looks at Shen with expecting eyes, but he is too focused on other intricacies to notice her inner expectations and displeasure.


    However, before Launch can angrily storm out of the door...


    "Thank you, Launch. We wouldn''t have won this without your help," a soothing voice reaches the girl from behind, stopping her in her tracks.


    "Yeah, what he said," Jaco also halfheartedly adds, not wanting to admit her contribution fully after what the girl did to his poor back.


    "Hmph, idiot." Rosy-cheeked, Launch rushes to her private room. Her vision, flowery for some reason.

 Yardrat- Bandits

    As the Galactic Patrol ship with the three personnel onboard makes its way to HQ, a sudden quake disturbs the regular tranquility. The ship is rocked by a blast.


    Emergency alarms buzz...


    "What happened? Did we collide with an asteroid?" Shen asks, arriving at the control room in a hurry. Subsequently, the blue-haired Launch also makes her way here.


    "Not that, we didn''t hit an asteroid¡ªlook at it yourself!"


    Through the screen in front of them, Jaco displays the current situation while briefly explaining what actually happened:


    "This other ship is the one that attacked us unprovoked. When they appeared on the radar, I didn''t see any need to take further action other than a warning... I told them we are from the Galactic Patrol, but even knowing that, they suddenly fired. These guys are daring, if nothing else. Not many can ignore the Galactic Patrol''s name."


    "Then, is the ship fine? They haven''t destroyed anything important, right?" Launch asks, concerned.


    "Are you kidding? This is the best ship in the universe, and I''m not exaggerating. Believe me when I say that stolen piece of junk can''t even scratch my baby. Matter of fact, it can''t even touch her. An energy barrier protects this ship all the time¡ªwell, albeit it can shake her, slightly.."


    Jaco''s words make Shen question him. "That enemy ship, how can you be sure it''s stolen?"


    "Heh! Because I just checked our database, and this ship matches the record of a missing ship that was stolen from Planet Gi-an." (A/N- Sad, nobody got the reference in chapter 48 )


    All of a sudden, the ship''s barrier is struck a second time, causing it to tremble once again.


    {Oi, you Galactic Patrol scums!} A manly voice is heard from the radio transmitter..


    {Surrender immediately and hand over all your possessions. If you do as told, we''ll let your sorry asses go¡ªah, what?¡ªdid you say somth?¡ªWait a sec... my crewmate is saying something¡ª} The apparent robber is interrupted, wholly confusing Shen and the rest.


    {Take their ship too?¡ªI got it! You got what she said. You guys don''t have good luck, it seems. Yahahahah!!!}


    Though, Inside the galactic patrol ship, Jaco is nonchalant {What? I couldn''t hear ya!}


    The robbers aren''t irked by this brazen teasing. From the radio, they can be heard simply laughing if off.


    [Heh! You might be thinking we can''t touch you with that shield, but don''t make the mistake of underestimating us, the Galactic Bandit Brigade. If you have the greatest shield, we have the greatest firepower in the galaxy. There is no way to run¡ªyou bitches are surrounded by our subordinate ships! We''ll just wait until your power runs out. With the endless volley of attacks from our weapons, let''s see how long that shield holds up.]


    "Kindly, teach these jackasses a lesson, if you would." Jaco, waving his hands with a smile on his face, makes the small request to Shen.


    "Sigh... what a pain."


    The main door of the spaceship opens as Shen, having put on an oxygen mask, exits through it.


    The man glances around, examining the situation. ''Jaco said the radar detects some ten or so ships... Hmm! That seems about right.''


    Seeing this oddity unfold, the enemy microphone renews with interest.


    {Ooh! Look at this sorry spectacle. Did they throw out their own to save a few supplies? That''s wicked, though it''s of no use. They can''t outlast us!!}


    Shen doesn''t respond to their haughty words. With a stoic expression, he raises an arm and charges a ki blast toward a particular direction.


    {This...}


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A ship relatively far from his position is blasted into smithereens. Next, he casually readjusts his aim at another ship adjacent to the destroyed one.


    {Watch out! His attacks are too fast to notice!} The pirates are completely agitated.


    However, Shen leaves them with not a second of respite. Nothing is random¡ªhe attacks precisely. The bandits'' numbers are cut short with every new ship that catches his eyes.


    {He is single-handedly destroying us! What are y''all doing? Attack! Spread out and attack! Move irregularly, don''t give him the chance to catch you by surprise!}


    The strategy fails¡ªor rather, to begin with, there was no chance in hell it would have succeeded. Shen, as an opponent, is well out of their league.


    Having taken care of all but one ship leading the fray, he was intending to forcefully break open the hatch of the ship when¡ª


    {We surrender! Please spare us!} The bandits, showcasing sincerity, spare him the trouble and open the hatch of their ship themselves. {Capture us if you want. You''re from the Galactic Patrol, right?}


    Now inside the bandits'' own vehicle, Shen''s sharp glance sweeps his surroundings as he takes a few forward steps. Suddenly, behind him, a heavy metallic enclosure shuts down his way back, blocking any escape.


    "You made a big mistake entering inside." A burly man resembling a gorilla makes his presence known with a recognizable laugh. "Yaahahahaha!!!"


    From his voice, it can be inferred that he is the same man who was speaking through the radio earlier.


    "You sure were tough to fight in a long-range battle, but is your close-range also as good? Now, together, we can gang up on you... Die, bastard!!"


    The bandits all leap at Shen, trying to plunge their sharp weapons into his flesh.


    Shen just stands there and receives the attack.


    "Heh, he wasn''t all that great after all¡ª?? An armor¡ªyou!"


    "What, your weapons can''t touch me? My, oh my, that''s horrible... for you bunch, that is!"


    The confrontation goes as expected. Although there were some surprises¡ªparticularly when a trio of girls merged into one, or when a guy transformed into some sort of lizard man hybrid, along with others showing similar capabilities¡ªit was all for naught.


    They are utterly defeated, and with relative ease on Shen''s part. They are undoubtably strong, but for the present Shen, the likes of them still aren''t enough for him to go all out, like he did against the titanic squid.


    For the bandits, this seemingly insignificant operation of targeting some easy, no-name patrolmen has cost them dearly. They will spend the rest of their days imprisoned behind bars.


    Capturing this group of leading bandit commanders, Shen, Launch, and Jaco continue on their way.


    .


    .


    .


    Some time has passed since the encounter with the bandits.


    "So, have you really decided to say farewell?" Jaco solemnly asks. Right now, they are at the HQ''s launching station.


    "Yeah, we are. But... what is this? Are you actually sad that we''re leaving?" Shen, with a tint of humor, curiously questions the alien.


    "Well... the missions were so easy to complete with you around. Now it''s back to normal for me... sigh!"


    "Tch, so that was the reason. I knew it." Blonde Launch scoffs from Shen''s side.


    "Looking back, our time with the Galactic Patrol has largely been rather eventless, particularly recently. If I had to evaluate, the more serious obstacles were only the space squid and, to a lesser extent, that so-called Galactic Bandit Brigade."


    He goes on...


    "There really isn''t any reason left for us to remain here. We have achieved all of our goals: A more advanced ship¡ªdone. Joining the Galactic Patrol¡ªcheck. Showcasing our abilities and building a trusted relationship with the organization, along with gaining some experience¡ªall completed."


    . . .


    Uninterrupted, without any obstacle to hinder their journey, the human duo reaches Planet Yardrat in less than a week after departing.


    They roam around the alien planet¡ªa beautiful world with lush forests and vast oceans teeming with life. In due course, after locating a gathering of the highest concentration of powerful ki on the entire planet, their ship ends up hovering above a large metropolis.


    After thoroughly inspecting the city from above, they appropriately determine an open area with many spacecrafts parked on it to be a spaceport, they land their ship at the place, imitating others who had done the same...


    Before they could even take their first steps out, people¡ªpresumably the inhabitants of this planet¡ªstart gathering around them, acting like a beehive.


    These little guys with appearance varying between two overarching types; taller-skinny ones with pink skin and Strout-chubby ones with green skin, they don''t seem to pose any ill intent, however.


    All kinds of queries are thrown toward the duo¡ªwho they are, where they came from, why they are here. Shen tries to answer some of their questions, but the chaotic scene doesn''t give him the chance.


    As the place becomes almost suffocating, it abruptly quiets down.


    The zombie horde is separated by a single person. "Ahem!"


    He approaches them, dividing the crowd into two perfect halves as he walks. The crowd willingly makes way for the man, seemingly out of respect.


    "Please come with me. Our Elder requests your presence."