The Zenith Beyond Chapter 7

Edited by: Priapus

It had been a while since I’ve been made aware of Son Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation, and, unfortunately, Zenith still vehemently refuses to leave Monsoon. Likely still frightened by that power, if I had to assume. Quite a frustrating development, but a minor setback, all things considered. This fear of hers will pass once I’ve convinced her to interact with Son Goku again.

“Dev, I’m bored.” Zenith begins tonelessly after approaching me in the control room, nudging my metal leg. “Let’s play hide and seek.”

“No,” I reply, observing Son Goku’s meditation from a distance through one of my drones.

…Though that was the difficult part. Even suggesting such a thing to her significantly sours her mood. Just a few days ago, Zenith was very fond of her fellow Saiyan, enjoying his company and feeling safe in his presence. Now this irrational fear is slowing down her progress immensely.

“Why not?”

“I am busy.”

This sudden change in her perception of him, caused by those nightmares, had come out of the blue. There’s nothing rational behind it. It is based purely on emotions. But I suppose that should be expected from a toddler.

“But I’m bored.”

I glance at her for a moment before returning to the screen.

“So you are.”

Zenith pauses, her expression dropping into one of mild annoyance before she exhales, sitting on the floor next to me.

How bothersome.

All the training I can offer her won’t help her in any meaningful way. All the data I have is obsolete, as Zenith has already far outgrown anything I can put her through. Her spar with Son Goku was too brief for me to gather any data on, and he very clearly held back immensely. Even if I had gotten enough, Zenith is still afraid of him. I highly doubt she’d be able to face even a simulation.

Moreover, she still fails to grasp Spirit Control, and at this point, she has outright started to refuse mediating, not even sparing a minute to do so. Due to these various factors, her growth has become utterly static, and that is a problem.

Her only way to grow at the moment is to train under Son Goku, the only person powerful enough to match and surpass her in strength. Either this, or we leave Yardrat for a different world, and I’m afraid that is not an option I’m willing to take, not when there’s no other planet that can offer her what this one has.

…After Zenith broke out of her tube far earlier than planned, I intended to send her out to become a bounty hunter after training as a way to gain proper combat experience, and I’ve considered it as an alternative in case her stagnation persists. However, I doubt that this would prove nearly as beneficial.

And although I’m confident in her abilities, she is too young to be taking on such tasks. Emotionally and mentally immature. True, she hasn’t shown any distress upon destroying the simulated warriors during training, but that is not the cause for my concern. It is her childish naivete that makes me hesitate. She would be easy to take advantage of.

Moreover, even with Emperor Freeza’s defeat at the hands of Son Goku, there are other equally powerful beings in the universe, like his father and brother. To send Zenith out there when she can’t even reliably land a single hit on Goku would be sending her to her death.

No, she needs to train under Son Goku first. Then, and only then, will I consider letting her become a bounty hunter. And for that to happen, Zenith must overcome her fear.

I look down at the pouting Zenith, sulking after I refused to play her foolish game.

How truly bothersome.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

She looks away with a harrumph.

“I’m bored.” She quietly answers after a moment.

“And whose fault is it?” I respond. “An entire planet stands below you, yet you’ve confined yourself in our vessel. And for what?”

Zenith says nothing; however, her expression changes into one of discomfort.

“Had you realized that your fears were unfounded, you’d be training under Son Goku by now,” I add. “And as you’ve said before, you enjoyed sparring with him. Your feeling of boredom is caused by your unwillingness to understand that.”

“But what if he hurts me?”

“I’ve already told you. Those nightmares cannot bring you any harm.” I add. “Son Goku does not intend to harm you.”

“But he’s scary.” She whines. “You saw it too. He was so angry.”

“You are not the subject of his anger. You never were.” I reply. “You’ve only fooled yourself into thinking that.”

Again, Zenith says nothing, but her lips begin trembling.

“Is Dev mad at me…?”

I’m not quite sure how she came to this conclusion, and strangely, I hesitate to answer that question, but eventually do so. If that will get her to have an open mind…

“Yes,” I respond curtly.

Zenith’s red eyes glisten with unshed tears before she curls up in a ball next to me. Although she tries to resist the urge, quivering and shaking, she eventually starts to sob to herself very quietly, a scene that I found oddly… unwelcome.

“I-I’m sorry…” She whispers.

Her quiet sobs persist for some time, but she sees no reason to leave me be, sitting by my side for minutes on end. This only grows more and more unpleasant the longer it goes on, yet I cannot bring myself to tell her to cease this at once or leave me to my work.

…

…

From my storage dimension, I take a Yardratian fruit I’ve picked up recently— a popular sweet treat among children, from what the Grandmaster had told me. I decide to give it to Zenith, hoping it will be enough to please her. For now, at least.

Her quiet sobs halt, pausing as she gazes at the fruit, before she looks away.

“I dun wanna eat… ” She sniffles.

I retract my arm, and although this action seemed to have calmed her down a little, it is not enough to cheer her up. If it were, she wouldn’t have refused the treat. This is the first time she has ever done so.

…It is her choice, however.

“Very well,” I reply, sending the fruit back to my storage and returning to monitor Son Goku.

Understandably, while viewing the Saiyan mediating, nothing interesting happens. At least, not on the surface. With his hair golden and standing on end, the drone is able to pick up on the shift in his energy. The almost feral power of this Super Saiyan, slowly and quietly being tamed as he masterfully regulates his ki.

He still struggles, of course, and I notice that the longer he maintains this form, the more energy he loses. Yes, his overall strength and power output may have increased drastically, but his energy pool remains the same. So this form does have its drawbacks, after all.

Then again, according to him, he had only just discovered it. Perhaps these drawbacks can be mitigated or outright eliminated with sufficient experience and training? I would assume so.

What a fascinating ability. Once I confirm that Zenith can assume this form, it will be a priority. A fiftyfold increase in power, assuming it does not diminish the stronger the user is, is immense and will surely be helpful to use against the Master.

I would hope so. I am unsure if multiplying infinity would make a difference at all.

I glance down at Zenith sitting beside me. Ultimately, it does not matter. It is still a power she needs to master if she is to survive and thrive in this cluster. I wish she could understand that, too.

The drone pans over to the Yardratian Grandmaster, who has been silently observing the older Saiyan from a distance.

…

“Where’s Dev going?” Zenith questions once she sees me walk away from the control panel.

“To Yardrat. There is something I must discuss with their Grandmaster,” I reply. “You may stay on the ship if you wish. I will be back shortly.”

Unsurprisingly, Zenith remains in place, still fearful of her fellow Saiyan.

I could use some advice, I suppose.

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– Pybara –

Given their more solitary existence compared to most civilizations in their universe, planet Yardrat seldom had any visitors. Their world was typically seen as ‘worthless’ by space pirates and conquering empires, either unaware or uninterested in their wealth of knowledge and techniques.

There was the occasional nomad here and there, mostly merchants or space voyagers looking to explore their universe, most of whom the Yardratians welcomed with open arms. But for martial arts masters seeking to refine and perfect their craft? That was quite rare.

Only recently had an evil empire belonging to a certain genocidal maniac show some interest in them, sending new ‘trainees’ of the Ginyu Force to prove themselves by taking over their planet. Fortunately for the Yardratians, they had attacked at a very terrible time.

Saiyans had almost always been a cruel bunch, viewed as a race of brutal savages who only cared to destroy and dominate those weaker than them, even before serving the Cold Empire. After Planet Sadala’s destruction, the Tuffles had welcomed the surviving Saiyans to their world. That kindness had been repaid by the slaughter of their people and the conquest of their cities. The Saiyans had even used their technology to wreak havoc across neighboring planets

Ironically, a few thought that the Cold Empire had done the world a favor by keeping them on a tight leash, as, unlike his son, King Cold was far more… methodical. More of a businessman than a power-hungry monarch like Freeza.

That hadn’t lasted very long, however, as after his retirement, Freeza had ensured that no soldier of his would rest. Countless planets had been wiped clean without remorse and sold to the highest bidders. As for the Saiyans? Well, while they didn’t exactly like their new overlord, they followed orders with big smiles on their faces.

Naturally, no one in this universe felt bad for the Saiyans after they were nearly wiped out by their own emperor. They were an evil, evil people.

But he supposed that outliers existed.

Son Goku, a Saiyan who had been raised on Planet Earth in the far corner of the Northern Sector. A warrior with a pure heart of gold whose first instinct was to defend the weak. The antithesis of the Saiyans’ more barbaric upbringings, proof that nurture did triumph over nature.

Naturally, when the man had crashlanded on their planet, his people had been utterly terrified. A Saiyan? Here? Yes, he was too injured to be a threat at the time, but no one had wanted to take their chances. He had been a danger to them all, and some had even suggested that they should get rid of him before he woke up.

But Pybara, to his amazement, couldn’t sense even a trace of evil in his heart. A rare sight, indeed. So he’d decided to nurse Goku back to health, which had paid off as his heroic deeds and kind attitude had quickly won over the rest of the Yardratians. Something the Grandmaster was thankful for.

And Pybara was quite excited, as well. Not only was Goku unlike the vicious race of destroyers, but he was also their mythical warrior. He was the legendary Super Saiyan. Moreover, he had just defeated Emperor Freeza. Of course, Pybara wanted to see such potential fully realized.

Observing the Saiyan’s meditation, Pybara noted that progress had been steady. He’d been struggling at first, having to meditate in his transformed state, but he had quickly gotten the hang of it. Of course, he still had his limit, only lasting for an hour at most before his concentration was broken, but that in itself was very impressive.

It most certainly helped that he’d had previous masters who had done their best to instill this sort of training in him when he was younger. Prior experience could go a long way.

“Grandmaster.”

Hearing himself addressed, Pybara looked behind and spotted the large, purple mechanical lifeform standing on a floating platform.

“Ah, Mr. Dev. How nice of you to visit.” He smiled, noticing that he was alone. “Where’s little Zenith?”

“She is refusing to leave our ship,” Dev answered. “Which is why I am here.”

“Oh?”

“She seems… convinced that Son Goku aims to harm her.” He explained. “And I am unsure what I should do or say to convince her otherwise.”

“I see.” Pybara hummed. “Do you know why she feels that way?”

The robot paused for a moment before answering.

“I believe she fears his Super Saiyan power, and the anger that comes with it.” He said. “Mistaking it to be directed toward her, when that is not the case. It is an irrational fear.”

“Of course, it is.” Pybara chuckled. “She’s only a child, Mr. Dev. You cannot expect rationality and logic from a child.”

“Yes,” He replied. “And I’m hoping you can be of help.”

The Yardratian took a moment to think it over. He had always thought this pair relatively uncommon. A strange, large robot with a bizarre and almost otherworldly presence and a Saiyan toddler with unique white hair and red eyes.

Of course, beyond the odd similarities in their energy, Pybara did not know how they had come across each other, and at first glance, he had assumed that they were related in some way. But why was a robot like Dev so invested in Zenith’s growth, to the point of coming to Yardrat for their wisdom? Why was she so important to him?

Although he wasn’t entirely sure what to think of Dev yet, finding it far more difficult to sense the intentions of a mechanical lifeform, Pybara knew that the little Saiyan girl was pure, and that her guardian cared for her greatly. And that feeling was most certainly mutual, seeing how the girl thought of Dev as her own father.

Besides, something in Pybara told him that they weren’t a threat. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have offered to train the girl.

“Well, her fear, considering her age, is understandable. There’s not much that can be done here, I’m afraid.” Pybara told the robot. “For Zenith to feel more relaxed in Goku’s presence, she must understand that he means her no harm. Though I suppose you’re aware of that already.”

“Indeed.” Dev confirmed. “She refuses to take the first step. I told her that she needed Son Goku’s training. I tried reminding her how ‘fun’ it was when they’d sparred, proving that he means her no harm. I’ve even reassured her that if he were to try it, I’d protect her from him. Yet nothing I said was enough.”

“Hmm, perhaps you’re going about it the wrong way,” Pybara said, making Dev pause.

“Elaborate.”

“See, she’s too young to understand why training is important. As a child, she finds it fun, akin to ‘playtime.’ Yes, she likely understands that she must train in some capacity, but the ‘why’ is too complex for her to comprehend.” The Yardratian Grandmaster said. “So, I think for little Zenith to make any progress, she’d need a more personal reason to approach him.”

“A personal reason?”

“Yes.” Pybara nodded. “Perhaps you could promise her a short-term reward. A treat or an activity she enjoys.”

Dev remained silent, absorbing the grandmaster’s words.

“That way, you’ll have motivated Zenith to approach Goku on her own.” He added. “Though, do keep in mind that time plays a part, as well. Her fear is still fresh. Give her a few days, and do not rush her.”

“…I see. I understand.”

“I hope I was of some help, Mr. Dev.” Pybara smiled.

“You were. You have my thanks.” He replied tonelessly. “I shall be taking my leave, then.”

“Of course.” The grandmaster nodded. “Tell little Zenith I said hi.”

As Dev nodded back, he disappeared in a flash of light, returning to his space vessel. While Pybara did not have children of his own, he had spent enough time training the young Yardratians that he had an inkling of how children typically functioned. True, Saiyans were a different species, but he hoped his advice would still be helpful.

Zenith deserved to have a proper role model in her life, and who could be better than an equally pure-hearted Saiyan?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

– Zenith –

Within the brightly lit interior of Monsoon’s control room, Zenith lay beneath the blue flashing panels, curled up in a ball as she sniffled. It was dead quiet without the pitter-pattering noise of Dev tapping away at the console. She didn’t like it. Being all alone on the ship reminded her of her time in the tube. Scared, cold, isolated. It felt suffocating.

But even though it had scared her at the time, she’d always felt at ease when she saw Dev on the other side, knowing that he was taking care of her. Knowing he was going to protect her no matter what. Because she was his champion, she was his perfect creation. Zenith didn’t want to make him mad, because then he wouldn’t like her anymore.

And Zenith liked Dev. He was her guardian. He protected her, fed her, trained her, and taught her lots of things. So that meant he liked her, too, and Zenith should listen to him. Dev knew better. He knew everything.

If Zenith wanted to make Dev happy, she should always do what he said.

But she couldn’t go down there. She was scared. What if Goku wanted to hurt her, like she saw in her dreams? She saw him get all golden. All angry and explosive. What if he got mad at her? Zenith didn’t want that to happen. It was scary.

…But she also liked Yardrat. She liked how warm it was. How colorful everything was. She liked their food. She liked Mr. Pybara and how funny-looking he was. She liked how kind he was and loved playing with him.

And Goku, too. When he wasn’t angry, he was nice to her. He shared his food with her, taught her how to fly, and had a game of play-fighting with her. But when he got angry, it scared Zenith so much.

She didn’t want to get hurt. Dev said he wasn’t angry at her, but then what was he angry at? He didn’t see her dreams, that’s why he didn’t understand. Zenith saw it happening. Goku was getting so mad that the whole planet was shaking.

What if it happened again? Zenith was strong, but Goku was much stronger than her. Could Dev protect her? She didn’t know. Maybe Goku would hurt him, too, and Zenith didn’t want that to happen. She didn’t want Dev to get hurt.

But she didn’t want to make him disappointed, either. She wanted to be good and make him happy. What should Zenith do? She didn’t know. She was scared and confused. She didn’t want to make Dev mad, but she was terrified of Goku getting angry.

After a hiccup, Zenith lowered her head as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes again. Her quiet sobs echoed in the control room, but quickly ceased when she felt a cold hand patting her on the head. Zenith blinked and turned to the side, spotting the metal appendage protruding from the wall near her.

Somewhat comforted by Monsoon, Zenith wiped her tears and sighed shakily before pushing the appendage away.

“Stop.” She mumbled. “Go away, ‘Soon.”

The space vessel did as it was told, but the appendage quickly reappeared, this time holding a sweet fruit and offering it to her.

“I dun wanna.” Zenith rejected the treat with a sniffle.

Monsoon didn’t insist, moving the metal appendage away and leaving her alone. But it wasn’t long before the teleporter glowed, with Dev appearing inside. First, Zenith felt a hint of excitement at seeing her guardian again, quickly replaced by sadness as she remembered that he was mad at her.

As he glanced at her, Zenith quickly looked away, not comfortable maintaining eye contact. For a while, Dev said nothing, returning to work as he tapped on his console for a couple of minutes. Eventually, however, he spoke up, making her flinch.

“I will prepare a meal for you now,” He told her, backing away from the panel. “Go take a bath in the meantime.”

“O-okay…”

As he walked away, so did she, standing up and obeying his orders.

“Whew, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

Hearing Goku’s voice coming from the control panel, Zenith stopped.

“Quite,” Pybara replied. “I assume that’ll be it for today, then?”

Zenith turned around to look at the control panel, hesitating for a moment.

“Yeah. I feel a little stiff.” Goku said. “I wanna move around for a bit.”

Curiosity quickly consumed the young Saiyan, and after she looked around for Dev and didn’t spot him anywhere, she floated up toward the screen, watching whatever it was Goku was doing.

With his hair now returning to its original shape and color, he had gotten off the pillar he had been meditating on, floating next to the Yardratian as he stretched his arms and legs.

“That’s understandable.” Pybara nodded. “You have been making great progress, so I suppose we can leave it off here for now. Too much sitting around can be detrimental.”

“Great, thanks!” Goku smiled, then got into a stance. “Alright…”

Pybara moved away from the Saiyan, who, after taking a deep breath, began punching and kicking at the air. Although she was very young, Zenith understood that each attack thrown was made with no wasted movement. That these weren’t mere ‘punches and kicks,’ but something only a master was capable of doing.

Despite his fighting nothing, it felt as if every motion was made with purpose. Jumping from peak to peak and keeping perfect balance, Goku’s mastery in combat left her amazed. There were moves she hadn’t seen during their sparring match, precise and powerful enough to form shockwaves. Zenith watched intently as Goku trained alone, impressed by his skill.

From close-quarter martial arts to ki blasts, Zenith closely studied and analyzed every move he made. Even merely watching him train by himself was fun. But she wanted to do what he did. She wanted to be as skilled as he was.

The drone followed him beyond the training grounds, leading him to an abandoned city, where he continued training for several more minutes. All the while, Zenith watched in silence, utterly mesmerized.

After a quick flurry of punches aimed at the air, Goku flipped backward and cupped both hands near his hip. Energy gathered between his palms, forming a blue glow that coalesced into a bright ball, casting a light over the entire ruins.

“Kamehame…” He chanted as the ball grew three times larger. “HAAA!”

As he thrust his hands forward, the gathered ki shot in a blue wave of energy tore through everything in its path. With his white ki aura exploding, Goku quickly charged toward the trajectory of the beam, getting in front of it and blocking it with his hands.

He grunted and gritted his teeth, but after a struggle, Goku roared and deflected the attack upward, sending it exploding in the sky. He exhaled deeply, and with a broad, satisfied grin, Goku promptly returned to his training.

Watching this, Zenith’s tail wagged from side to side, and her red eyes sparkled in wonder. Excitement was building up in her chest and replacing nearly every iota of anxiety she had felt before. That was pretty.

What was that blue ki blast? Why did he say that weird word when he charged it? That looked so fun. Zenith wanted to do that, too.

And so she made an attempt, mimicking what Goku did by cupping her hands near her hip. As the blue orb formed, surrounded by her crimson bio-electricity, Zenith quietly chanted to herself.

“Kamehame—”

“Zenith.”

The white-haired Saiyan flinched and yelped in surprise, the energy she gathered dissipating as she turned around to face the large robot.

“What were you doing?”

She blinked a few times, feeling as if she was caught red-handed doing something she shouldn’t, and quickly turned away with trembling lips as her feet touched the ground. Dev waited for her to answer, and eventually, she pointed at the screen.

“I-I was doing what Goku was doing…”

Dev glanced at the screen for a few seconds, observing Goku practicing alone, then looked back at her.

“Were you interested in Son Goku’s solo training?”

Zenith nodded.

“Then would you like to learn from him directly?”

Almost nodding again, Zenith remembered that she was scared of Goku and quickly shook her head instead.

“I see.”

Then nothing. He hadn’t bothered to scold her or anything, prompting Zenith to gather the courage to look at him.

“…Is Dev mad at me?”

“No.” He replied tonelessly, making her feel a sense of relief. “…But if you obey me and train with him, then…”

Dev paused for a moment, and Zenith tilted her head at him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“Then I will play this ‘Hide and Seek’ with you.”

Her red eyes widened.

“Dev will play with me?” She replied, walking closer to him.

“Yes.” He said. “If, and only if, you train with Son Goku.”

Zenith hesitated as she heard him reiterate his demand. She looked back at the screen, watching Goku continue to train. Punching, kicking, and blasting more ki blasts. It all looked like a lot of fun. She wanted to do everything he was doing, too, but…

…

“If Goku is angry and wants to hurt me, will Dev protect me?” She asked as she looked at her guardian, still hesitant.

“Naturally. Your safety and survival are my main priority.”

She gave the screen one more glance, and after a moment of contemplation, she gave Dev her answer.

“O-okay…” She said. “I will be brave for Dev.”

“Excellent.” He replied, as tonelessly as ever, while he patted her on the head. “Then we will start tomorrow. Go now. Take your bath.”

Zenith nodded and floated toward the bathroom. On her way, a part of her wanted to run back and tell Dev that she had changed her mind as an image of that golden, angry power flashed in her mind, but this time, Zenith didn’t let it intimidate her, at least not wholly.

If she listened to Dev, then not only would she have more fun play-fighting with Goku, but Dev would play with her, too. 

And more importantly, Zenith hated making Dev mad and disappointed.

She wanted to make Dev proud of her.

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– Dev –

To give her a personal reason by offering her what she wants… Such a simple yet very effective method in getting her to do what she needed to do. I must admit that I feel quite foolish for not considering it. Then again, Zenith had never directly disobeyed me before, so perhaps this was why I had never thought of it.

Simply proposing that I would play that game with her made her respond far more positively to my demands. More than I anticipated, in fact. I suppose it is understandable, however. I’ve seen just how much she enjoyed playing it. Nearly as much as she enjoyed a fair battle.

And I believe it helped that she caught glimpses of Son Goku training on his own. Perhaps she felt inspired or motivated seeing a much more experienced warrior. Had I not noticed her energy spiking, she may have released that blast in her excitement.

Not that it would’ve done anything. Monsoon is an extremely durable space vessel that I highly doubt anything in this cluster could damage it. Moreover, it is sentient. It could’ve very easily dispersed Zenith’s attack before it made contact with anything.

I’m far more impressed that Zenith had gotten this ki technique working in what looked like a single attempt. Basic ki blasts are simple enough, but that was something else entirely. There had been a significant effort in refining the ki ball she had shaped, making it much more powerful than it was supposed to be with barely any additional cost.

I had asked her about it during her meal, and she replied that it was something she had seen Son Goku doing. Some sort of ki wave followed by a chant. How fascinating.

Regardless, this was good news. It shows that, despite her initial reaction, getting Zenith to overcome her trepidation regarding Son Goku is not a hopeless endeavor. Rather, it seems easier than I had first thought.

But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. This is only the first step, after all. True, she did agree to my demands, but going through with them is something else entirely. Assuming Zenith does not run at the first sight of her soon-to-be martial arts teacher, I will take this as progress.

Teleporting down to Yardrat near wherever Son Goku is, the Saiyan quickly notices us, likely sensing the Champion’s energy. As he turns around to face us directly, Zenith quickly hides behind my leg, only sparing him a peek.

“Ah, good morning.” Pybara greets.

“Hey, Dev!” Goku waves, tilting his head to gaze at Zenith. “And Zen’s here, too! Knew you’d come around~”

Zenith says nothing, but does not run away or even whimper. A good sign.

“Greetings,” I respond. “I first wish to apologize for how Zenith had reacted last time. Seems your Super Saiyan transformation had frightened her greatly.”

“No worries!” Goku chuckled, thankfully not taking her behavior to heart. “I know it’s a pretty scary power.”

This simple response of his makes Zenith relax slightly.

“Indeed. I’m aware that you hold no ill intent toward Zenith.” I nod. “Which is why I wish for you to continue training her, as you are the only one able to keep up with her on this planet.”

“For sure.” He replied readily, giving her a grin. “I already saw a lot of potential in her during our spar, and I wanna see it realized. She’s like another Gohan.”

“…Gohan?” Zenith mumbled quizzically.

“He’s my son,” Goku answered. “He’s about your age, if not a little older. I bet you’d be great friends.”

This time, she remains silent.

“Getting to the matter at hand, there is something I’d like to ask of you.” I draw his attention. “Last night, Zenith had observed you during your training and witnessed a technique that she thought was quite impressive.”

“Oh? Which one?”

I glance down at Zenith, making her hesitate. Eventually, though, she answers.

“Kamehameha…”

“Oh, Kamehameha wave! One of my old masters taught it to me.” Goku responded. “It’s one of the first techniques I learned, too. Sure, I can teach you.”

“Truth be told, Son Goku,” I add. “Zenith is capable of doing this technique and wishes to show you.”

“Seriously?!”

Zenith nods slowly.

“Can I see?”

The Champion looks up at me for guidance.

“Show it to him.”

Once again, she hesitates, but just like before, she works up the courage to do what she was told. She steps away from my leg, hesitates for the umpteenth time, then cups her two hands together near her hip.

“Aim it upwards,” I tell her.

Zenith gathers a substantial amount of ki in her two hands, a blue orb surrounded by crimson bio-electricity forming rapidly. Its glow grows brighter and brighter as a whirlwind of energy surrounds her body.

“Kamehame…”

“Impressive…” Pybara mutters.

“No way…” Goku breathes.

With her feet planted firmly in the ground, Zenith thrust her hands at the sky, releasing all the built-up energy she had gathered.

“Ha!”

The blue energy wave shoots up toward the sky, piercing the clouds and exiting the stratosphere in less than a second. The energy disperses soon after, leaving a large hole in the clouds.

“This is amazing!” Goku laughs as he looks at Zenith in astonishment.

“I am once again astonished by her incredible ki control,” Pybara adds. “Hard to believe that this is her first time. Truly a one in a billion talent.”

“My first Kamehameha wave wasn’t close to that powerful!” The older Saiyan claims. “You’re amazing, Zen!”

Despite her anxiety as she runs back to me, Zenith offers a pleased smile.

“If she got it down this fast, then wow. You’re gonna be one heck of a fighter when you grow up!” Goku adds. “I bet you’re gonna be a Super Saiyan, too, one day!”

This catches my attention.

“You believe it is possible for her to achieve that form?” I ask.

“Well, yeah. I did it, and I wasn’t close to that strong when I was her age.” He replies, walking closer to me. “I think Zen here is gonna be way stronger than me, too.”

He seems… relatively confident that this form isn’t exclusive to him. I suppose I shall take his word for it, for now, and ask him more about this transformation at a later date.

As he stares down at the champion, Zenith does not shy away from his gaze. Rather, her fear seems to dwindle further and further the longer she’s in his presence. Excellent.

“I see,” I respond. “Zenith, are you ready to begin your training with Son Goku?”

She takes a moment to answer before nodding slowly, moving away from me and hesitantly approaching the older Saiyan.

“Uh-huh.”

Wonderful. Not only does Zenith seem far more comfortable in his presence, but she is also willing to train under the subject of her fears.

Though… it seems that she’s more afraid of the Super Saiyan form than Son Goku as an individual. As long as he remains in his base state, then Zenith shouldn’t feel threatened by him.

“Good.” I nod, then address Goku. “And if I may ask, please do not assume the Super Saiyan state near Zenith. She is rather sensitive to your energy.”

“Sure, sure. You don’t have to worry about that.” He chuckles. “Not like I need it.”

Although I had hoped she had overcome her fear entirely, this will have to do for now. Super Saiyan is not a priority right now, but I should have a solution by the coming years. Perhaps prolonged exposure to Son Goku will help her. Or maybe accessing that form herself will help her get over it.

Regardless, seeing that she has shown immense progress, I am confident that this form won’t be a problem in the future.