There Are No Shortcuts to Getting Stronger

Upon hearing Turles's new terms, Raditz nodded and patted him on the shoulder. "Saiyans should get along well with each other, after all."

"Fine, follow me."

Raditz waved his hand. "Oh, right, remember to pay the people back for those walls you destroyed."

I am a civilized Earthling, after all.

Saiyans? Never heard of them.

Turles: "..."

Paying was out of the question; he could simply neutralize the creditor instead.

In a vast, uninhabited wilderness.

Raditz looked at the two men before him. "Before we proceed, just in case, I have to ask one thing."

He tapped his temple. "Is this thing of yours not being..."

Turles watched his gesture, understood, and snorted coldly. "We removed the surveillance from our scouters long ago. How else would we be able to operate right under his nose..."

"Alright, as long as it's removed."

Raditz cut him off, pulled a Hoi-Poi Capsule from his chest pocket, and tossed it to the ground, releasing a spaceship.

He opened the hatch, beckoned to Turles, and stepped inside.

Reiz hesitated for a moment before following him in.

Amond? Amond was still lying in the ruins; he was nowhere near as important as mastering the method to become stronger.

Inside the ship, Raditz led them to the door of the Gravity Chamber and pushed it open. "We're here. This is the secret to my strength."

Turles poked his head in to take a look. The room was not large, with alloy walls and a cylindrical control console connecting the floor and ceiling in the center.

"What's so special about this place?"

"Try it and you'll find out," Raditz walked into the room, turned back at the control panel, and smiled. "A word of warning: there is a risk of death."

Reiz stopped abruptly, swallowed hard, and sheepishly stepped back.

Staying alive wasn't anything to be ashamed of.

Turles did not retreat.

He stepped into the room and stood firmly.

Well done, that's the spirit!

Raditz placed his right hand on the control console. He didn't rush to operate it, instead asking a question.

"Turles, why do you think Saiyans are called the warrior race?"

Turles frowned, finding the question inexplicable.

"Saiyans are a warrior race by nature. What other reason could there be?"

"No." Raditz shook his head, his fingers sliding lightly across the control panel. "I mean, what is the basis for being called a warrior race?"

Turles was silent for a moment.

"Great Ape Transformation?"

"That's only part of it."

Raditz's gaze settled on Turles. "Turles, how long has it been since you experienced the feeling of being on the verge of death?"

Turles's pupils constricted.

"You mean..."

Before he could finish, Raditz slid his finger sharply.

"Hum—"

20 times!

"Ugh!"

Turles felt his entire body sink as he uncontrollably began to hunch over.

"How is it? Do you know now?"

Turles did not answer; the gravity, a force that defied convention, pressed him down.

"If you think that's not enough, I can add more."

30 times!

Turles's knees slammed into the floor with a "thud." His expression was dazed, his mouth agape, but he could not make a sound.

40 times!

"Stop... stop!"

Turles used his last ounce of strength to squeeze the two words from his throat.

"Click."

The gravity returned to normal.

Turles lay prone on the ground, gasping for air as sweat pooled into a puddle beneath him.

He lifted his head to look at Raditz standing before the control console. The guy had one hand in his pocket, his breathing steady and his expression unchanged, as if the gravity from moments ago hadn't existed for him at all.

Turles's eyelid twitched.

"Is this the environment you use to train and get stronger?"

"Half right."

"It's not just training; it's about being on the brink of death, then recovering."

"You know how it is—the Saiyan talent."

Turles certainly knew.

Recovering from the brink of death resulted in a massive surge in combat power.

But it was easier said than done; how many times in a Saiyan's life could such an opportunity arise?

You couldn't climb back from the edge of death every single time; if your luck was bad, you simply died.

He stared blankly at Raditz. As for this guy, how many times had he been through it?

Hm?

Raditz noticed the complex look in the other man's eyes, as if he could read his thoughts.

How many times?

He indicated that he couldn't even remember anymore.

There were no shortcuts to getting stronger, but there could be aids.

Senzu Beans.

Turles wouldn't have dared to dream that such a thing existed in the world.

Compared to them, the Fruit of the Tree of Might was completely pathetic.

"Alright."

"I've told you how to get stronger, now give me the star map."

Hearing this, Turles turned his head to look at Reiz by the door.

Reiz immediately understood, turned to exit the ship, and flew quickly toward their own vessel.

A moment later, a notification chime sounded on the ship's main console as a segment of data was received.

Raditz looked at the received star map, which was densely marked with the coordinates of a vast number of planets. Each planetary marker could be enlarged, revealing even short notes.

Some were marked "Cleared," while others were marked "Avoid."

He wore a satisfied expression.

However, he still threw a threatening remark toward Turles standing to the side.

"If you've faked any of this, you're going to have a very ugly death."

The corner of Turles's mouth twitched.

He found that this Saiyan had a bit of a twisted sense of humor from time to time.

"Get lost, and stop following me." Raditz waved his hand, gesturing for him to leave.

Turles was driven back step after step until he retreated from the ship.

The hatch closed, the engines ignited, and the ship turned into a streak of light, heading out into the cosmos.

Turles was left standing there alone, lost in deep thought.

The method he had obtained from Raditz seemed useful, but it had a fatal flaw.

He returned to his own ship, where Reiz was currently tending to Amond's injuries.

Seeing Turles return, he paused his operation of the Healing Tank. "Lord Turles, how did it go? Did he receive it?"

"Mm."

Turles leaned back in the pilot's seat.

"Reiz, can you replicate the Gravity Chamber on his ship?"

Reiz was the technical talent of the ship; he thought it over seriously before replying, "Lord Turles, with our technology, replicating it wouldn't be difficult."

"How long?"

"If we're fast, half a month."

Turles nodded, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.

"Lord Turles." Reiz hesitated for a moment before saying, "Forgive my bluntness, but the Fruit of the Tree of Might can also make us stronger. Why must we..."

Turles raised a hand to cut Reiz off.

"The Tree of Might project remains unchanged; continue searching for suitable planets."

"At the same time, the Gravity Chamber must also be built."

Having said that, he closed his eyes.

Ever since he learned the true extent of Frieza's power, a sense of urgency had taken hold of him.

Cultivating the Tree of Might required consideration of many factors.

There were many planets in the universe suitable for planting, but he had to rule out those guarded by high-level combatants, and even more importantly, stay far away from the spheres of influence controlled by Frieza and other such powerhouses.

What if, after finding such a planet, planting the tree, and consuming its fruit, he discovered that his combat power had only increased by a few thousand?

The kind of fruit that provided a boost of tens of thousands, like the one on Kabacha Planet, was the exception rather than the rule.

He used to believe that by relying on the fruit, he would one day stand at the pinnacle of the universe.

But now he understood that those gains were merely a drop in the bucket when faced with true powerhouses.

At this rate, when would he ever surpass Frieza?

He needed to become stronger, and faster.

The Gravity Chamber, the Tree of Might.

He would walk both paths.

"I need more help, preferably other Saiyans..."

"Vegeta and his lot are under Frieza's strict surveillance, and they are uncontrollable..."

Suddenly struck by a thought, Turles opened his eyes, his gaze brightening.

"Kakarot!"