Namek

In a corner of the universe, a verdant planet floated silently in the sea of stars.

Namek.

Looking out from the spaceship's porthole, the entire planet appeared a dreamlike emerald green, like a gem set against black velvet. The atmosphere was thin and clear, and three suns wove strange patterns of light and shadow across the sky, casting the surface in alternating brightness and gloom.

"Boom—"

The disc-shaped ship pierced through the atmosphere, kicking up rings of green dust across the wilderness.

The hatch opened, and Son Goku stepped out, taking a deep breath—

"Cough, cough!"

He nearly choked.

The air on Namek was far thinner than on Earth, with extremely low oxygen content, yet the gravity was ten times that of Earth. An ordinary person would struggle even to stand here, but Son Goku merely adjusted his breathing slightly to adapt to the environment.

"Ten times gravity..."

He flexed his wrists, feeling the heaviness of his body in this environment. He had already adjusted his 30-times gravity suit down to 20 times.

"The Grand Elder... should be in this direction."

He closed his eyes, his perception spreading outward like a tide. The ki of the Namekians was completely different from that of Earthlings; it was more ancient and pure, like an old spring in the deep mountains, exuding a tranquility that sought nothing from the world.

To the northeast, there was a particularly powerful presence—that was Nail, the protector of the Grand Elder. And behind Nail, there was an even more ancient, profound presence, like a dormant volcano—calm on the surface, yet containing unimaginable power within.

"Found you."

Son Goku leaped, his figure turning into a golden meteor as he flew toward the northeast.

On the Namekian wilderness stood a solitary stone house.

In front of the house, a tall Namekian stood silently. His skin was deep green, his physique much larger than the Namekians on Earth, and instead of antennae, he had two horns curving backward on his head, resembling some ancient totem.

Nail.

The Grand Elder's sole guardian, the strongest warrior of Namek.

He kept his eyes closed, like a statue. But the moment Son Goku's ki entered his range of perception, his eyes snapped open—

"Who?!"

A green figure shot into the sky, instantly blocking Son Goku's path. Nail's speed was astonishing; he moved as if on flat ground despite the tenfold gravity, his hands held in a combat stance, his eyes filled with vigilance.

"An alien?! How did you come to Namek?!"

Son Goku hovered in mid-air, looking at the tall Namekian before him, a sense of familiarity welling up in his heart.

Nail... In the original story, he was of the same race as Piccolo, eventually merging with him to grant Piccolo the power to fight Frieza.

He is also the most loyal warrior of Namek.

"My name is Son Goku," he said with a bright smile, "from Earth. I've come to see the Grand Elder; I have a favor to ask."

"Earth?" Nail frowned. "I have never heard of that planet. And..."

He looked Son Goku up and down, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Your ki... it's very strange. You don't feel like an ordinary human."

"I am a Saiyan," Son Goku admitted candidly, "but I grew up on Earth. My grandfather was a friend of the Namekians... well, a friend, at least."

Nail's expression grew even more guarded. "A Saiyan?! That notorious space-faring warrior race?! Frieza's lackeys?! What is your purpose in coming to Namek?!"

Son Goku felt awkward, scratching his head and laughing, "I said, I have a favor to ask. Can you let me see the Grand Elder?"

"Impossible!" Nail snapped coldly. "The Grand Elder is of advanced age and does not see outsiders! Besides, Saiyans are space pirates and Frieza's subordinates. We just captured someone from the Frieza Force a while ago—who knows if you're a spy sent by Frieza!"

Son Goku's expression shifted.

Frieza?! Has Frieza already sent people here?

Has Namek already been targeted by Frieza?

In the original story, Frieza led an invasion of Namek to obtain immortality, slaughtering almost all the Namekians. The Grand Elder... also died in that catastrophe.

His expression turned serious. "Nail, I know what you're worried about. But please believe me, I have nothing to do with Frieza. On the contrary..."

He clenched his fists, a white aura rising slightly around his body. "I intend to destroy Frieza as well, because my planet is also within the territory of the Frieza Force, and I will inevitably clash with him sooner or later. I came here to grow stronger—strong enough to protect my own planet!"

Nail's pupils constricted.

He felt it—that ki. Pure, scorching, yet without a trace of malice. It was like a burning flame, warm and resolute.

"You..."

"Let him in, Nail."

An aged, gentle voice drifted from the stone house, sounding as if it came from far away, yet simultaneously echoing directly in his mind.

Nail stiffened. "Grand Elder?! But—"

"It is fine," the voice carried a hint of a smile. "This child's ki... is very pure. And..." The voice paused, as if sensing something, "his destiny is... closely intertwined with Namek."

Nail fell silent.

He looked at Son Goku for a long time before finally stepping aside to clear the path. "...Follow me. But if you dare to harm the Grand Elder—"

"It won't happen," Son Goku said earnestly, "I promise."

The interior of the stone house was far more spacious than he had imagined.

There were no ornate decorations, only a simple stone table and stools, along with a stone bed covered in animal hides. The air was permeated with an ancient and peaceful aura, as if one had stepped into some primordial Lookout.

Sitting on the stone bed was a Namekian.

His body was extremely aged, his skin shriveled like dried tree bark, his antennae drooping listlessly, and his eyes half-closed, as if the flame of his life could be extinguished at any moment.

But Son Goku knew—

[This is the Grand Elder... the most noble and wisest existence on Namek.]

[In the original story, he could unlock a person's potential with just one hand. His life force is tightly bound to the Namekian Dragon Balls; if he dies, the existing Dragon Balls will also cease to function. However, there are others on Namek capable of creating Dragon Balls, so as long as the Namekians are not wiped out, there is no need to worry about Porunga disappearing.]

"Child... come here."

The Grand Elder slowly opened his eyes. Those eyes were cloudy yet profound, like two ancient wells reflecting a thousand years of vicissitudes.

Son Goku walked to the stone bed and bowed respectfully: "Grand Elder."

"Saiyan..." The Grand Elder's voice was very soft, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly, "I sense many things in your ki. Anger, sorrow, longing... and a strange... 'knowledge'."

Son Goku felt a jolt in his heart.

[Knowledge? Could he have sensed that I am a transmigrator?]

"No, not knowledge," the Grand Elder shook his head slightly, his antennae trembling gently, "it is 'memory'. Memories that do not belong to you. Memories of... the future?"

Son Goku fell silent.

He had not expected the Grand Elder's ability to be so terrifying, capable of perceiving the anomaly deep within his soul.

[Memories of the future?! That's right, I do possess memories of the future!]