"Damn it!"
Vegeta climbed out of the rubble in a sorry state, then charged back into the sky and stopped in front of Sun Wukong.
"What was that move you used just now?"
"It's the Afterimage Technique, a martial arts move I learned a while back."
Sun Wukong looked at his hands and couldn't help sighing.
Ever since he had become a Super Saiyan, it felt as though he had left his martial artist identity behind and become a true warrior.
Using those familiar moves again now gave him a sense of nostalgia.
"Tch. All flash and no substance."
Vegeta was utterly dismissive. In the face of overwhelming power, flashy moves like that only wasted energy and led to defeat.
"Then let's go again."
Light flared around them, and they soon clashed once more.
They each became streaks of light, colliding repeatedly in the sky. Each impact rang out like a thunderclap.
At Korin Tower, Gamos approached a large white cat, holding a big pile of dried fish.
"Hey, Korin!"
Korin turned around and sniffed the air. His eyes immediately sparkled.
"My favorite delicious dried fish!"
As Korin, he naturally kept a close eye on what was happening on Earth, so he knew about Gamos.
A Saiyan who had appeared out of nowhere, he was full of clever ideas. He had given Earth's warriors Saiyan bodies, dramatically boosting their fighting power.
On top of that, Gamos himself was a very unusual fellow. Though a Saiyan, he acted like a mad scientist, obsessively studying all kinds of knowledge.
Whether it was Bulma's technology or the magic of Piccolo, the Guardian, Mr. Popo, and the others, Gamos was willing to learn it all. The one thing he rarely did was train.
"Mmm, this is so good."
Korin popped a piece of dried fish into his mouth and closed his eyes blissfully.
"Hahaha, tasty, right? I think so too."
Gamos laughed and found a spot to sit, watching the big white cat while eating dried fish.
After eating several pieces, Korin reluctantly set the rest aside.
"What brings you here? As the great oddball Saiyan, shouldn't you be holed up in your lab?"
Gamos scratched his head sheepishly. Was he really that famous?
He did train, after all. He just did it by sitting in meditation and cultivating his mental strength.
Over the past year or so, Gamos had been studying constantly, but he hadn't neglected his training.
Ever since learning the Multi-Form Technique, Gamos had split himself into four. One studied magic, one studied technology, one researched the circulation and compression of energy in his body, and the last meditated.
"Hahaha, I do have something important to ask you about. Um, how many Senzu Beans do you have left?"
Korin waved his hand and answered casually.
"Don't you people who eat everything dare think about my Senzu Beans. You took them all last time, and I only harvested five yesterday."
He went to the cabinet and used his staff to take down the jar of Senzu Beans.
"I'll give you the last five. Make them last."
Gamos's mouth twitched. So, in Korin's eyes, Senzu Beans were just something to eat?
Well, they were eaten, technically. But not to fill your stomach!
"Ahem!"
Gamos cleared his throat and spoke.
"I'm not here to ask you for beans. I want to learn how to grow them."
"I just made a wish to Shenron. I asked for a planet that's very suitable for growing Senzu Beans, so I'd like you to help me."
"First, I need some Senzu seedlings. Second, I'd like to ask you how to grow them."
Hearing what Gamos wanted, Korin stroked his nonexistent beard and said with sudden understanding,
"Oh, so you want to grow Senzu Beans on a large scale! That'll be difficult. Senzu Beans aren't like ordinary plants that absorb carbon dioxide. They need spirit energy."
"Spirit energy is the foundation of all things. Even here, in my pocket dimension that can produce spirit energy, I can only grow a few dozen plants, and the yield is very low."
"Even if you wished to Shenron for a planet where you could grow Senzu Beans, at most you'd get a planet filled with spirit energy."
"Spirit energy can't linger in the air for long. Other living things will absorb it quickly, and whatever isn't absorbed will soon dissipate."
Korin took his little staff and tapped a spot on the wall. A portal of light appeared.
"Come with me!"
Gamos hurried after him and followed him through the portal.
Beyond it, everything was snow-white. Only in the center were a few dozen bean sprouts growing sparsely.
"After a Senzu Bean is planted, it takes a hundred years of cultivation to become a seedling. It'll be another hundred years before it starts producing beans."
"This space slows the dissipation of spirit energy, but it still needs to be replenished from time to time."
As he spoke, Korin brought his palms together. Spirit energy began flowing in from all around, gathering into a ball before he tossed it into the air. It burst into specks of light that settled over the leaves of the seedlings.
Gamos could clearly sense that Korin's move had drawn spirit energy from all the forests on Earth. He took a little from each tree, eventually forming a small orb of light.
"So you're saying my wish was only temporary? Does that mean Shenron tricked me?"
Gamos pointed at himself, looking utterly incredulous. He had tried to take advantage of Shenron, but now Shenron had gotten the better of him.
Korin nodded and continued,
"In theory, yes. But we'll need to see the planet you mentioned to know for sure."
Gamos nodded, then looked at the ancient-looking ring on the index finger of his left hand.
It was the key that connected to that planet, and the means of getting there.
Gamos silently thought, Transport, and he and Korin disappeared.
When they appeared again, the surroundings had changed.
They were in a primeval forest, surrounded by towering trees. Spirit energy filled the air, and one breath was enough to refresh the mind.
"What do you think of this place?"
Korin was quite amazed. This was the kind of environment he had dreamed of. If they grew Senzu Beans here, they wouldn't need any hands-on care—they could just harvest them regularly.
"It's incredible. The spirit energy here is so dense, it's perfect for growing seedlings. But the real question is, will the spirit energy dissipate?"
Korin was doubtful. It was common knowledge that spirit energy had to be stored inside living things, or else it would dissipate.
But this planet had been created by Shenron, so it didn't follow the usual rules. Korin couldn't be sure.
Gamos shook his head too. He didn't know either. But with spirit energy this dense, it would be a waste not to plant Senzu Beans right away. Even if the energy did dissipate, they could at least get a crop growing quickly.
But this place was enormous. It was a whole planet, so they couldn't just grow a few dozen seedlings. Where could they get more?
"Right, I can ask Shenron."
Gamos thought of another dragon and couldn't help grinning.
"Why didn't you just wish for a planet already covered in Senzu Beans?"
Korin was curious. With Gamos's brains, he couldn't imagine he hadn't thought of that.
Gamos grumbled inwardly. I can't exactly tell you I read a novel where the main character wished for infinite Senzu Beans, and Shenron said he could only give him ten thousand.
"Well, I just figured Senzu Beans are special. You can't ask for as many as you want, like cabbages. That's why I decided to grow them myself."
"Anyway, now I've got the place, but I'm short on seedlings. I'm going to ask Shenron for some."
Gamos immediately used his ability, the King Kai Antenna, to contact the Namekians, wherever they had moved to.
After searching for a while, he finally found a familiar presence.
"Grand Elder, can you hear me? This is Gamos."
A group of Namekians planting trees in a field all heard his voice and stopped what they were doing.
One of the dark-green-skinned Namekians spoke up.
"It's Gamos. What is it?"
"Could I borrow your Dragon Balls?"
"Of course."
The Grand Elder agreed at once, then immediately ordered the seven villages to bring him their Dragon Balls.
"What wish would you like to make this time?"
"Let's summon Porunga first."
Gamos didn't answer right away. He asked them to summon the dragon first, since there were some things he needed to confirm.
This time, the Grand Elder himself recited the incantation. Porunga soon appeared.
"State your wishes. I can grant you three wishes, no matter what they are."
Gamos's voice rang out directly.
"Shenron, spirit energy dissipates quickly if it isn't stored inside a living thing. If enough time passes, will the concentration of spirit energy in my space drop?"
At the sound of the voice from nowhere, the red light in Porunga's eyes flickered. He immediately recognized Gamos and knew what space he was in.
Once he understood the situation, Porunga answered,
"No. Spirit energy only dissipates after a certain amount of time. Your space was created by Shenron, so when the spirit energy inside is about to dissipate, the space will absorb it and release it again."
"However, Senzu seedlings need spirit energy to grow. Over time, the supply will still be used up."
Gamos understood. The spirit energy in the space wouldn't dissipate, but it would be consumed. Sooner or later, it would all be gone.
"Then we'd just be living off our reserves."
Gamos rubbed his chin, thinking of a solution. Wishing for infinite spirit energy wasn't possible. Shenron's power might be immense, but it wasn't sustainable.
Reviving one person would be easy, and reviving a hundred billion people would be easy too. But wishing for one person to have a hundred lives was pure fantasy.
Suddenly, Gamos thought of the atmospheric circulation system. If spirit energy could circulate like oxygen, wouldn't that solve the problem?
Before you continue