On the Gobi Desert, a dazzling white light exploded without warning!
A pillar of light shot into the sky, turning the endless yellow sands a ghastly white. Birds and beasts within a hundred miles fled in panic. Even the scorpions hiding beneath the gravel felt a terrifying presence that made their bloodlines tremble.
At the center of the light, a boy of twelve or thirteen curled up, his body giving off a faint golden aura.
Goten slowly opened his eyes.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
He pushed himself upright and realized he was lying in a completely unfamiliar wasteland. Scorching gravel lay beneath him, the blazing sun hung overhead, and the distant Gobi stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with jagged rocks.
"Where... am I?"
Goten shook his head. His memories stopped a few minutes ago.
He had been playing video games with Trunks at home when an irresistible force suddenly enveloped him. Then came a dizzying sensation of being torn apart.
"Dad said Instant Transmission doesn't feel like this... This is nothing like Instant Transmission!"
He tried to sense the "ki" around him.
But the next second, Goten froze.
He couldn't sense anything.
This world was like a pool of dead water. The familiar "ki"—the energy radiated by every living being—was completely absent.
In its place was something older, more primitive, like a pulse welling up from deep within the earth.
"Interesting."
Goten grinned, excitement sparking in his eyes.
After all, he was Sun Wukong's son. The Saiyan blood coursing through his veins carried a love of fighting and adventure, filling him with curiosity about everything around him.
"Wherever I am, I should find some people first."
He brushed the sand off himself and was about to fly into the air when he realized his body felt much heavier than usual.
"Huh?"
Goten frowned, took a breath, and pushed off hard with both legs—
Whoosh!
He shot forward like a cannonball, carving a long trench through the desert. He tumbled through the air several times before managing to steady himself.
"Good, good. At least I still have my strength!"
He patted his chest and sighed in relief.
Just then, a commotion came from up ahead.
"Quick, quick! Surround it! Don't let that Sand Scorpion get away!"
"The strategist said if we don't have roasted scorpion meat for dinner, you're the one getting roasted!"
"Why's it always me—ow! It's getting away!"
Curious, Goten landed behind a boulder and peeked out.
Seven or eight men in bizarre clothes were frantically chasing a gigantic scorpion. It was as big as an ox, its claws swinging with a fierce whoosh and its stinger glinting coldly.
"Hey! You'll never catch it like that!"
Goten couldn't help calling out.
Everyone froze and turned to look at him.
A burly man with a face full of flesh sized him up. "Where'd this brat come from? Get lost! Don't get in your grandpa's way while he's catching a scorpion!"
Goten scratched his head. "I just think you're going too slowly."
"What did you say?!"
The burly man was about to fly into a rage when the giant Sand Scorpion suddenly charged at him, its stinger thrusting straight for his face!
"Boss, look out!"
Everyone cried out in alarm.
The burly man went deathly pale. The stinger was about to pierce his head—
Thump!
A muffled sound rang out.
Silence fell over the group.
Goten had somehow appeared in front of the burly man. He casually held the Sand Scorpion's stinger in one hand, stopping it dead.
"Now, now. Stay still."
He smiled and lightly flicked his finger.
Boom!
The several-hundred-pound Sand Scorpion flew through the air, tumbled more than ten meters across the ground, and passed out, stars dancing in its eyes.
The group was utterly silent.
Everyone's jaws nearly hit the ground.
"...What did I just see?"
"He... flicked the scorpion away with one hand?"
"What kind of martial arts is that?!"
Goten scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "Sorry. Was that too much?"
Just then, a lazy voice rang out from behind the crowd.
"Interesting."
The crowd parted on its own, and a man sauntered out.
He wore worn but stylish cloth robes, a long sword hanging at his waist. A roguish smile played on his face, but his gaze was razor-sharp, as if he could see right through people.
"Hey, kid." Zhi Zun Bao tilted his head as he looked at Goten. "What school or style does that move belong to?"
Goten blinked. "Martial arts? It's not really martial arts... I was just born stronger than most people."
"Born stronger than most people?" Zhi Zun Bao laughed. "I've met plenty of naturally strong people, but I've never seen one flick a Sand Scorpion away."
Goten shrugged. "It's true."
Zhi Zun Bao stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Interesting! Very interesting! Come on, let's head back to the stronghold. I'll buy you a drink!"
"Huh?"
"What, are you afraid?"
Goten thought it over. He had no idea where he was, so he might as well learn more from these people. He nodded. "Sure."
As Zhi Zun Bao turned around, a glint of awareness flashed in his eyes.
The energy surrounding this kid was far too strange. It wasn't demonic energy, immortal energy, or devilish energy... It was a power unlike anything he had ever felt.
And on a mountaintop thousands of miles away, a heroic woman clad in purple gauze suddenly turned around and gazed west.
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