As Lin Chuan showed off his strength to test the results of Bulma's modifications, he also took the opportunity to get a feel for just how powerful he was now.
A little over two hours ago, when he had arrived at the foot of Korin Tower, his Combat Power had reached 21,675. With it increasing by one point every second, it had now climbed all the way to 30,375!
A full increase of 8,700 points!
By his calculations, 145 minutes had passed.
The moment his Combat Power broke through 30,000 was something he had clearly felt just a little while ago, as Bulma was modifying the Scouter.
It increased by one point every second, little by little. The gradual rise wasn't much to speak of; once he got used to it, it felt natural.
But a large leap was a different kind of sensation.
So this is how strong I am now. I haven't even unleashed my full power, but I could easily beat ten of my former selves!
Even without truly unleashing his power in battle, Lin Chuan could tell just how strong he had become.
His strength was growing, and his body was undergoing a transformation.
For a moment, he was overcome with joy.
If every 10,000-point milestone made such a huge difference in strength, how powerful would someone with 100,000 Combat Power be? And how terrifying would a million be?!
Only when you actually reached those numbers yourself could you truly understand.
"Your Combat Power has already passed 30,000, and it's still rising... Wait, why is it going down again???" Bulma's voice continued without pause.
When the Scouter's reading began to fall again, she suddenly wondered if something had gone wrong with her modifications.
Only after Lin Chuan explained did Bulma realize that he had deliberately drawn back the power capable of destroying a planet.
"It's hard to imagine how you trained to gain such incredible power. Goku's been training ever since he was little, but his Combat Power seems to be only a few hundred. Even his Elder Brother has just 1,500." Bulma's words made her shock and disbelief plain.
She was actually pretty good at taking things in. Someone else would have been scared out of their wits by now.
Of course, Bulma wasn't afraid because, as far as she was concerned, Lin Chuan was a friend.
He wasn't an enemy, and he wasn't going to do anything to Earth, so what did she have to fear?
"They'll grow much stronger before long."
"All right, this isn't the time to think about that. Why don't you pack things up? Let's go to that Kame House place and give them the Scouters," Lin Chuan said, brushing off her question.
Now that the Scouters had been modified, there was no point wasting any more time here.
As for the spaceship, there'd be plenty of chances to deal with it later.
"Right," Bulma said, nodding.
She got to work, putting the portable workbench back into its Capsule, then took another Capsule out of the case...
A little over an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
By then, they were on Kame House.
Master Roshi and Krillin had already returned to Kame House under Mr. Popo's escort, and the group was waiting for Lin Chuan and Bulma to arrive.
Time ticked by.
Their worries had eased at first, but as they waited, unease crept back in. They couldn't help imagining all sorts of things, and the pressure weighed heavily on them.
Krillin, especially, showed it plainly.
He was sensitive and prone to worry; that was just the kind of person he was.
Master Roshi, by contrast, stayed remarkably relaxed.
After returning to Kame House, he stretched out on his sun lounger, enjoying the sea breeze as he browsed the same swimsuit magazines he never seemed to tire of.
As for Mr. Popo?
He was about as calm as Master Roshi—perhaps even calmer.
Having lived for a thousand years or more, he was undoubtedly the true hidden powerhouse on Earth.
"It's been so long. Why haven't they arrived? Do you think something happened?" Krillin stood by the shore, gazing into the distance with a heavy heart.
He looked utterly dejected.
After all, he was the one who'd have to handle all the arrangements afterward.
"Don't be nervous, and don't rush. Krillin, you need to keep a level head. Instead of worrying so much, think about how you'll face Kami's training and how you'll become stronger," Master Roshi said, glancing at Krillin from the corner of his eye.
Krillin could only manage a wry smile. "Yes, Master."
He'd agreed, but how could he calm his heart so easily?
It wasn't until the far-off future, in the Super Era, that he finally mastered his heart completely and attained the Selfless State.
I wonder what that Saiyan named Lin Chuan is planning.
After collecting the Dragon Balls, what wish will he make? If he wants to rule the whole Earth, he doesn't need the Dragon Balls. He could do it all by himself.
Other than eternal life, what else could he want?
Krillin kept trying to guess what Lin Chuan planned to wish for with the Dragon Balls.
But there was no way he could guess.
All his theories were based on the assumption that Lin Chuan would harm them or might destroy Earth.
Part of the problem was simply that the difference in strength was too great. Lin Chuan was beyond their ability to understand.
And Raditz's arrival had been so intimidating. They had never encountered an alien before.
As Krillin stared into the distance, a Black Dot suddenly appeared in the sky, making his heart leap.
"They're here! That's Bulma's jet!" Krillin called out.
Before long, the Black Dot over the distant horizon grew larger and larger, until it took the shape of a jet.
But it wasn't the same aircraft as before. This one was a large jet.
Now that their guests had arrived, Master Roshi changed his tune. He set down his magazine and stood up, while Mr. Popo came over as well.
And then there was Sea Turtle, who had stayed at home the whole time.
Even though he knew what had happened, the thought of facing another unfamiliar and powerful Saiyan still terrified him.
Inside the jet, Lin Chuan sat in the passenger seat with his arms crossed, staring straight ahead.
His Combat Power had now risen from 30,375 to 34,695.
The flight had taken a little over an hour. If his Combat Power hadn't been increasing every second, he really wouldn't have had the patience to sit through it.
There was no helping it. He'd planned to leave the spaceship for later.
But Bulma insisted on taking it with them, afraid it would be damaged if they left it there.
She was treating the spaceship as if it belonged to her, leaving Lin Chuan completely speechless.
Lin Chuan hadn't said much during the trip. He'd just listened to Bulma chatter away.
"We're here!"
At Bulma's reminder, Lin Chuan saw the tiny island sitting alone in the middle of the sea.
Even from a distance, he could see it clearly.
So this was Kame House.
Before you continue