This had potential—so much potential!
Since I had ki, there was no reason the Saibamen wouldn't. After all, they came from the Dragon Ball Universe.
"Axis, what are you thinking about? These Saibamen should have ki, right?" Leman Russ asked.
"They should, but I want to test it first. Do you have any good soil here, Dad? Preferably something rich in nutrients," Axis asked.
Better to seize the day. Axis wanted to grow a Saibaman right now. If it turned out to be strong enough, he could even put it to work doing some dirty jobs.
For example, it could grab the Second Primarch and self-destruct, blowing him to pieces.
"What about some premium soil? There's a special greenhouse aboard my Gloriana-class Battleship, the Hrafnkel. We grow some vegetables there.
"The soil is rich black earth. Would that work?" Russ asked.
The Gloriana-class Battleships were enormous, and missions could keep them away for a long time, so they could also produce their own food aboard ship.
The photosynthesis chamber had a small artificial sun that provided light, allowing them to grow vegetables and supply the crew with fresh food.
"That'll do, Dad! Have someone dig up some soil, then bring over the ship's best nutrient solution," Axis said.
To grow a good Saibaman, premium nutrient solution was just as essential as excellent soil.
The nutrient solution Axis had brought from Planet Vegeta was a standard-issue product, and it wasn't very effective. Besides, after more than twenty years, it might have expired.
Saibamen could even survive with nothing but a little water, so nutrient solution invented during humanity's space age would work too.
Leman Russ nodded and immediately called over several Space Wolves Space Marines, then said something to them in a low voice.
The Space Wolves nodded and left.
A short while later, several Space Marines carried a few vats, each several meters tall, into Leman Russ's quarters. They also brought several large barrels of the ship's high-grade nutrient solution.
"All right, let's get started! Axis, I'm very curious to see what we can grow," Leman Russ said.
This would be another lifeform capable of controlling ki, besides Axis. He was looking forward to seeing it.
Axis nodded, took out a green seed and grabbed a wooden stick. He poked a hole in the black soil, then placed the seed inside.
Once he had covered the seed with soil, Axis poured a generous amount of nutrient solution over it.
But even after all that nutrient solution soaked into the soil, nothing happened. One minute passed, then two, three, and four. Still, nothing happened!
Axis frowned. This made no sense!
According to the instructions, once planted in soil, a Saibaman should break through the ground within a minute at most—sometimes in just a few dozen seconds.
Besides, he had given it plenty of nutrient solution. These creatures could grow in extremely harsh environments. They only needed a little water.
They just wouldn't turn out quite as strong.
"What's wrong, Axis? How long will it take to grow?" Leman Russ asked.
The way this plantlike creature grew reminded him of something they had encountered not long ago: a savage monster called an Ork.
Orks took several months to grow. Was this creature going to take months too?
"According to the instructions, it should've grown within a minute, but nothing's happening," Axis said.
"Could the seed have been stored too long and gone bad?" Leman Russ asked.
"Impossible! Saibaman seeds don't expire. They can stay viable for hundreds of years," Axis said.
Axis placed his hand on the soil, intending to sense what was happening with his ki.
The green seed below had absorbed the nutrient solution, but it still seemed inactive, as though it lacked something that would let it break through the ground.
Suddenly, the green seed came into contact with Axis's ki and began greedily absorbing it.
It was like a person dying of thirst in the desert who had suddenly found water. The seed drank in Axis's ki with incredible desperation.
This discovery made Axis understand what was going on!
In the Dragon Ball World, ki was the foundation of everything—even the origin of the universe. All things contained ki.
That was why Saibamen could grow just by being planted in soil and watered.
The Dragon Ball World was full of ki. But in this Warhammer Universe, ki didn't exist.
Even if Saibaman seeds were planted in the finest soil, they couldn't grow without the stimulus of ki. Axis's ki was the best nourishment they could get.
Axis immediately increased his ki output, and the green seed finally began to swell.
A few dozen seconds later, a creature appeared before Leman Russ and Axis. It had a green body, three-clawed hands and feet, and a head that looked like a giant cabbage.
"Wah! Wah! Scum!" Once the Saibaman appeared, it looked around. The moment it saw Axis, it dropped to one knee.
Axis was the one who had brought it into existence. That made him its master.
Leman Russ looked at the Saibaman with curiosity. It was tiny!
"This little green monster isn't even as tall as an adult human. It's only about a meter forty. Are you sure it's strong?"
"Of course! Let me check its battle power." Axis picked up a Scouter.
He pointed it at the Saibaman and pressed a button. The device beeped, displaying a battle power of 1,300.
That was 100 points higher than a normal Saibaman. Russ had provided good soil, Axis had poured on plenty of nutrient solution, and his Legendary Super Saiyan Ki had stimulated its growth. That was why it had turned out so well.
"Don't worry, Dad! Its battle power is a full 1,300. It's even stronger than an ordinary Adeptus Custodes."
"Can it use ki?" Russ asked.
"Form a Ki Blast in your hand," Axis said to the Saibaman.
The little green monster nodded and held out a claw. A golden Ki Blast formed in its palm.
"Can you release your ki?" Axis asked.
The little green monster nodded, clenched its fists, and dropped into a horse stance. With a loud shout, it released a white aura of ki.
"That really is the power of ki! Incredible. This little monster actually has ki!" Leman Russ exclaimed, staring at the creature in amazement.
You couldn't judge by appearances! Who would have thought that this thing, which looked like a nameless grunt, could take down an Adeptus Custodes?
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