The light persisted for a full hour. The others gathered at a distance, watching nervously. Goku's wounds had completely healed. He sat cross-legged on the ground, chin resting in his hands, and watched the three glowing figures with curiosity. Vegeta stood with his arms folded, his face full of disdain, but his eyes never left the light. Bulma had pulled Krillin out of danger, and now he leaned weakly against Yamcha, watching. Dende had healed Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu's wounds—he had arrived shortly after the battle ended. "Is Kashu really connecting the androids to the planet's core?" Dende asked Piccolo. As Earth's guardian, he could sense even the slightest changes in the planet's energy.
"It looks that way," Piccolo said. "I can feel Earth's energy flowing toward those three. It's slow, but steady." The light gradually faded, revealing Android 17, Android 18, and Android 16. Everyone gasped. Android 17 had changed the most. His brown hair had turned silver-white, and his eyes were now gold, starlight seeming to glimmer in his pupils. His body was leaner, his muscles more defined, and faint blue energy channels were visible beneath his skin. Android 18 had changed just as noticeably. Her blonde hair had turned silver-white, and her eyes were gold as well. A faint halo surrounded her. Her presence had undergone a complete transformation: her cool, striking beauty had become something divine, like a goddess descended into the mortal world.
Android 16's transformation was the most unusual. His metal body had become more refined. The gaps at his joints had vanished, replaced by a smooth, seamless surface. His color had shifted from green to silver-white, his red eyes had turned blue, and a soft point of light glowed where the energy reactor sat in his chest. "This is..." Android 17 raised his hand and studied his faintly glowing palm. He could feel endless energy surging within him—not from his perpetual energy reactor, but from somewhere deeper, from Earth itself. "You're a Super Android now," Kashu said. "Your reactor is in resonance with the planet's core. As long as Earth exists, your energy won't run out. And..." Kashu paused. "You can now sense every living thing on Earth. You've become part of the planet." Android 17 closed his eyes and tried to sense the world. In an instant, countless lives poured into his consciousness: survivors searching for loved ones in the ruins of West City, beasts running through distant forests, schools of fish swimming deep beneath the ocean... He could even sense earthworms in the soil and bacteria in the air. "It's too much..." Android 17 clutched his head, his face paling. "Take it slowly," Kashu said. "Your mind needs time to adjust. Start with what's nearby, then gradually expand your range." Android 17 took a deep breath and slowly narrowed his awareness. First, he focused on those around him: his sister's presence was warm and bright, Android 16's calm and steady, and Kashu's... Kashu's presence was special, like a little sun—warm, but not scorching. He opened his eyes, and something he'd never felt before shone in them: compassion. Android 18 was trying something similar. When she sensed Android 17, the corners of her mouth lifted without her realizing it. Then she sensed Kashu and froze for a moment. "Your energy... feels so warm," Android 18 said softly. Kashu smiled. "Yours is warm, too, Lazuli." Android 18's cheeks turned faintly red. She turned away, not wanting Kashu to see her expression.
Android 16 raised his hands and studied his silver-white metal fingers. His systems were processing a flood of information—not just combat data, but ecological, meteorological, and geological data as well... Earth had shared all its information with him. "I understand," Android 16 said. "Earth wants me to protect its life. Not by eliminating threats, but by maintaining balance." "That's right," Kashu said. "You're no longer a battle robot. You're Earth's guardian." Goku got to his feet and walked over to Kashu. He looked the boy up and down, curiosity filling his eyes. "Kashu," Goku said, "you're really strong. I want to fight you." Everyone froze.
"Goku!" Chi-Chi shrieked. "What are you talking about? He just saved you all!" "I know," Goku said, "but I want to find out how strong he is. Just a sparring match." Kashu looked at Goku in silence for a few seconds, then nodded. "Sure. But not now." "Why not?" "You're injured," Kashu said, "and your body still hasn't fully adapted to the strain of Super Saiyan 3." Goku's pupils contracted sharply. "Super Saiyan 3?" Vegeta rushed over. "What did you say? There's a third grade of Super Saiyan?" Kashu turned to Vegeta. "Yes. Goku had reached the threshold of Super Saiyan 3 half a year ago, after the Cell Games, but he never dared cross it because of how much strain it puts on his body. But after today's battle, his body has adapted more." Goku stared at Kashu in amazement. "How did you know?" "I watched you fight," Kashu said. "When your energy recovered after you were badly wounded, it touched the edge of Super Saiyan 3 for an instant. It was only a moment, but I caught it."
Goku fell into thought. Kashu was right. He had felt that threshold. But every time he tried to cross it, his body warned him: his muscles would tear, his bones would warp, and his internal organs couldn't withstand the pressure. "You don't need more energy," Kashu said. "You need finer control. Super Saiyan 3 doesn't come from unleashing power. It comes from compression." "Compression?" Goku frowned. "Super Saiyan 1 is about releasing your potential, and Super Saiyan Second Grade is about increasing your output. Super Saiyan 3 is about compressing your energy," Kashu explained. "You compress your Super Saiyan Second Grade energy to a fraction of its original volume, increasing its density dozens of times. That way, your power doesn't drop—it surges, while the strain on your body decreases." Goku's eyes widened with understanding. "I see... I kept thinking about how to unleash more energy. I never realized I needed to compress it..." "The direction of your training matters," Kashu said. "You're a genius. You just took a small detour." Vegeta snorted. "You talk as if you know all about Super Saiyans. Are you a Saiyan?" Kashu shook his head. "I'm not. But I'm the product of one of Dr. Gero's experiments, so I have Saiyan cells in my body. Just not enough to transform into a Super Saiyan." Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "You're an android, too?" "Strictly speaking, I'm a half-android," Kashu said. "I was still in my mother's womb when I was modified. Dr. Gero's assistant—my father—genetically altered his wife while she was pregnant. He wanted the unborn child to have superhuman abilities. But the experiment went wrong," Kashu continued, his voice growing somber. "My mother died of blood loss after giving birth to me. Grief-stricken, my father destroyed the research data and then killed himself. I was sent to an orphanage and later adopted by an ordinary couple. I lived a normal life until I awakened my abilities at sixteen. The residual energy in the ruins of Dr. Gero's laboratory activated the dormant genes in my body. I spent ten years exploring my abilities before finally finding my own path."
Everyone fell silent. The boy's past was more tragic than any android's. He had been altered in his mother's womb, lost both parents at birth, grown up in an orphanage, and lived an ordinary life without knowing the terrifying potential hidden within him. "Ten years?" Krillin asked weakly. "How old are you now?" "Twenty-six," Kashu said. "I look young because the modifications slowed my aging." At twenty-six, he was a few years younger than Goku and twelve years younger than Vegeta. Yet his strength already surpassed everyone there by far. Goku took a deep breath. "Kashu, I have a favor to ask." "What is it?" "Teach us how to train," Goku said earnestly. "Teach us how to compress our energy and break through our limits. The enemies we face keep getting stronger. We need to get stronger, too." Kashu looked at Goku, a hint of approval in his eyes. "All right," he said. "But we won't be training in West City. I'll take you somewhere." He turned to the three androids. "Android 17, Android 18, Android 16, you're coming, too. You still need to stabilize your Super Android forms." Android 17 nodded. Android 18 watched Kashu in silence, a complicated expression in her eyes. Kashu gave her a small smile, then turned to face west. "Follow me."
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