Senzu Beans

"Here he comes!"

With a sharp whoosh, Kast appeared before Korin.

"You're Korin, right?" Though phrased as a question, Kast's tone was certain. He slowly descended to the ground, looking at the white cat before him.

"That's right. And you are, Your Excellency?"

Korin was surprised to see a boy who looked about six, but he didn't dare underestimate him in the slightest.

Korin could sense a tremendous power within Kast, a power that could easily wreak massive destruction on Earth if unleashed!

It was hard to imagine how such an enormous power could be contained in that small body.

"My name is Kast. Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that you have something I need." As he spoke, Kast walked toward Korin.

"I have something you need?" Watching the boy approach, Korin felt cold sweat break out across his white feline face.

"That's right." Stopping before Korin, Kast held out his hand. "I know you have a kind of magical bean. They say eating one means you don't have to eat for ten days, and it can heal injuries and regenerate lost limbs."

"I need you to give me some."

"..."

Hearing Kast's words, Korin felt relieved. As long as the boy wasn't here to destroy anything, they could work something out. He didn't care how Kast had learned about the Senzu Beans. After a moment's silence, he replied, "All right, but I don't have many. After several hundred years, I've only managed to save a few jars, and I need to keep some for myself. For now, I can only give you one jar." Then Korin remembered something and added emphatically, "I don't know where you heard about the Senzu Beans, but I should make this clear: although they can heal serious injuries and regenerate limbs, there are some things they can't do! Namely..."

"You mean they can't cure illnesses, right?"

Before Korin could continue, Kast had already finished the warning for him.

"...That's right."

This boy really does know a lot about Senzu Beans! Korin decided not to say more. Turning around, he pointed with his staff toward several jars stored in a distant corner. "Since you already know, I won't explain further. Those jars over there hold the Senzu Beans. You can take one."

At Korin's direction, Kast made his way to the jars.

Looking at the few plain, gray jars before him, Kast knew he'd obtained what could well be the most powerful item in the Dragon Ball world! Especially for a Saiyan like him!

Yes, the most powerful. It wasn't the Dragon Balls—it was the Senzu Beans. For a warrior race like the Saiyans, Senzu Beans were far more useful than the Dragon Balls. The Dragon Balls had a one-year cooldown, but Senzu Beans could be used anytime. As long as you weren't dead, they took effect the moment you ate one.

That was especially true given the Saiyans' nature. Saiyans grew much stronger after recovering from near-fatal injuries.

The boost might not be as great later on, but before he transformed into a Super Saiyan, this trait could save Kast a great deal of time.

"Excellent!"

Opening a jar, Kast saw it was filled with little green beans. At a glance, they looked just like peas and were about the same size.

They were plain-looking, but Kast knew they were Senzu Beans.

He reached out, picked one up, and put it in his mouth.

With a crisp crunch, Kast easily bit through the bean.

Gulp.

The moment he swallowed, Kast immediately felt his body change!

Thump, thump! His muscles swelled, and he could clearly feel his fatigue vanish. Strength surged through him, leaving him in peak condition!

"Ha!"

He couldn't help but release his ki. A powerful pressure instantly spread through the area!

"Th-this!"

Feeling that immense ki, every hair on Korin's body stood on end!

What terrifying ki! I never imagined his true strength was this great! There's probably no one on Earth who could stand against him. I can only hope he takes what he came for and leaves as soon as possible.

Feeling his ki swell, Kast made a rough estimate without using his Scouter.

"My battle power's around 1,600. That's about a hundred higher than when I first arrived on Earth. Not bad at all. This is a great item!"

As a Saiyan, Kast was only six years old, still growing and rapidly gaining strength.

He'd spent a year traveling through space in hibernation, but his body hadn't stopped growing. As his body developed, the energy within him continued to increase!

Kast hadn't scanned his power when he first arrived on Earth, but the increase in his strength was clear.

He'd only gained a few hundred in a year, but he was fairly satisfied with that.

After all, Kast's battle power had only been 10 when he was born. He couldn't compare with the gifted ones!

As for his battle power increasing by a hundred after eating the Senzu Bean, Kast had a few ideas about why.

Kast had been sent to a remote, barren planet as soon as he was born. Aside from the time right after his birth, he'd spent his life fighting as he grew older.

And where there was fighting, his body was bound to suffer damage, one way or another. It might not have shown on the outside, but internally, there had to be all kinds of problems.

The Senzu Bean he'd just eaten had instantly healed all those hidden injuries.

Given the Saiyan trait of growing stronger after recovering from injuries, it wasn't hard to understand why his battle power had just increased by more than a hundred.

"Excellent. Korin, I'll be taking the Senzu Beans." Satisfied, Kast reined in his ki and spoke to Korin, who had stepped back a few paces.

"Before I go, let me give you some advice. Keep one jar for everyday use and store the rest. Don't use them unless you have no other choice, and don't let people waste them recklessly. Of course, I'm only offering this advice because you've been cooperative. Whether you follow it is up to you. Think it over. But if you do as I say, trust me—you'll thank me someday."

As he spoke, a white stream of ki flowed from his right hand. Under Kast's precise control, it wrapped around one of the nearby jars of Senzu Beans.

"Goodbye, Korin."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kast flew out the window with the Senzu Beans. He streaked into the sky like a beam of light.