Namek!
"We've arrived! Please, follow me!" Moori led the two to the Grand Elder's residence!
"Moori has brought visitors from another planet to pay their respects to the Grand Elder!!" Moori announced from outside the house!
Tap, tap, tap!
Footsteps sounded, and a Namekian about as tall as Piccolo walked out of the house!
"Greetings, Second Elder. The Grand Elder has asked that the two of them come inside!" the Namekian said.
"Nail, let the two of them in, then. You and I haven't seen each other in a long time. Let's catch up out here!"
This Namekian was none other than Nail, the Grand Elder's guard, whose battle power reached 50,000!
"Son Gohan, Piccolo, go on in!" Moori pointed toward the entrance.
"All right!"
Son Gohan headed inside first!
Piccolo followed close behind, wearing an unfriendly expression!
"Second Elder, who's that clansman? Why does he look like he's asking for a beating?" Nail asked, frowning at Piccolo's expression.
"Oh, him! He's descended from a Namekian who fled the planet during the great disaster. He's an all-around genius. His Evil Thought Clone was a gifted warrior, while his good side was a super-genius who could create Dragon Balls!" Moori praised.
"Hmph. When he comes out, I'll have to teach him a thing or two!" Nail said, looking unconvinced.
"Heh heh, be sure to go easy on your fellow clansman!"
"Of course!"
As the two chatted back and forth, Son Gohan and Piccolo met the person they had come to see.
"Hello, Grand Elder!" Son Gohan greeted him politely.
"Mm!"
Piccolo, meanwhile, still acted as though he were second only to the heavens.
"An Evil Thought Clone, but not entirely?" The Grand Elder looked at Piccolo with a puzzled expression.
Piccolo hadn't greeted him politely, but he still sensed a trace of kindness from the Grand Elder's enormous body!
At the Grand Elder's question, Piccolo answered without thinking, "I'm Piccolo II, born from his Evil Thought Clone."
After saying it, he wondered why he had answered so willingly!
"I see. That explains it. Since you're a new being, the distinction between good and evil sides doesn't apply to you! Come here and let me take a look. Whose child are you? After the great disaster, apart from the clansmen who escaped, I was the only one left on Namek. All the clansmen here now were born from me!" The Grand Elder laboriously raised his enormous hand and beckoned Piccolo over!
Piccolo walked forward without thinking!
The Grand Elder placed his hand on Piccolo's head. A faint white glow spread across his palm as he examined Piccolo's memories, from his birth to everything he knew about King Piccolo I!
From Kami's split into good and evil, to taking up the role of Earth's God, the evil side wreaking havoc on Earth, being sealed by Mutaito, being freed, and Sun Wukong... The Grand Elder sensed it all, one event after another!
"So that's how it is. You're Kardaz's child! If Kardaz hadn't protected me back then, I might not have survived either. I never imagined you'd inherit Kardaz's talents so perfectly—and even surpass him!" Tears of excitement welled in the Grand Elder's eyes!
He looked at Piccolo as if he were seeing Kardaz protecting him all those years ago!
"My child, would you be willing to return to Namek?" The Grand Elder gazed at him kindly, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes!
"I won't stay on Namek. I was born on Earth, and I haven't conquered it yet!" Piccolo turned down the Grand Elder's kind offer.
"Very well! You can safely fuse with your good side. Although you're a second-generation being and don't have the flaws of the good and evil sides, your lifespan is still linked to his. If he dies of old age, you'll die too." The Grand Elder didn't force him to stay.
"Will I be affected by him?" Piccolo asked, voicing his greatest concern!
"No. Your battle power is greater than his, and your body is younger. If you fuse, you'll be the dominant one!" the Grand Elder explained.
"That's good." Piccolo breathed a sigh of relief.
"Son Gohan, you seem to have wisdom and a soul far beyond what one would expect for your age." Having settled Piccolo's matter, the Grand Elder finally turned his attention to Son Gohan.
"Grand Elder, that's not important. What matters is that I can protect Namek from Frieza. What do you think?" Son Gohan said calmly.
"The Emperor of the Universe, Frieza? Why would you say that? Since the great disaster, my people have kept to themselves and had no dealings with Frieza!" At the mention of the name that terrified the universe, the Grand Elder's body trembled.
"Grand Elder, there's an old saying where I'm from: 'A man is innocent, but his treasure brings him trouble.' Having Dragon Balls that can grant any wish might not be such a good thing!" Son Gohan warned him.
"Are you saying Porunga will draw Frieza's attention?"
"Maybe he doesn't know about them now, but what about in the future? I don't think any powerful person would turn down a wish like eternal life and youth, would they?" Son Gohan asked.
"As far as I know, the Saiyans have no way to fight Frieza. And the Saiyans work for him, wantonly destroying other people's planets!" the Grand Elder said.
"My father, Sun Wukong, escaped to Earth when Planet Vegeta was destroyed. Planet Vegeta wasn't struck by a meteor—it was destroyed by Frieza himself! Frieza and I are natural enemies! As for how I can fight him, please protect yourself and watch!" Son Gohan explained as he gathered his strength.
"Yaaah!!!"
A terrifying aura burst from Son Gohan. White flames surrounded him as the sky darkened, lightning flashed, and thunder roared!
"Grand Elder!" Nail instantly moved at high speed to the Grand Elder's side, releasing an aura to shield him from the pressure of Son Gohan's power!
The Grand Elder's enormous residence was instantly blown apart, while Piccolo was sent tumbling away!
The white flames began to glimmer gold, shifting toward a golden hue!
Son Gohan's jet-black hair began to change color, and as he shouted, his eyes turned green!
Three million... ten million... fifty million... one hundred and fifty million!!!
All of Namek trembled. Namekians scattered among the planet's villages stared in terror toward the Grand Elder's residence, while some of the warrior-type Namekians flew there!
"Grand Elder, do you think I have the power to fight Frieza now?" Son Gohan raised a hand, curious to sense his own strength!
This was his first time transforming into a Super Saiyan! Feeling this terrifying power, Son Gohan couldn't help marveling at it!
"Son Gohan, are you trying to kill the Grand Elder? He doesn't have much time left!" Nail said sternly.
"Nail, don't be rude!" The Grand Elder stopped him.
"My young friend Gohan, I can't believe you have such terrifying power at only two years old! It's truly astonishing!" the Grand Elder exclaimed.
"Grand Elder..."
"Nail, where's the enemy?"
"Protect the Grand Elder!"
The rest of Namek's warrior-type clansmen arrived one after another!