The Super Android Project

The light persisted for a full hour. The others gathered nearby, watching nervously. Goku's wounds had completely healed; he sat cross-legged on the ground, chin resting in his hands, watching the glowing trio with curiosity. Vegeta stood with his arms crossed, his face etched with disdain, yet his eyes never once left the orb of light. Krillin, having been stabilized by Bulma's emergency treatment, leaned against Yamcha, watching weakly. Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu's injuries had been healed by Dende—who had arrived on the scene shortly after the battle ended. "Is Kashu really connecting the androids to the planet's core?" Dende asked Piccolo. As the Guardian of Earth, he could sense the subtle fluctuations in the planet's energy.

"It appears so," Piccolo said. "I can feel the Earth's energy flowing toward those three. It's not fast, but it is steady." The light gradually faded, and the figures of 17, 18, and 16 emerged. Everyone gasped. 17's change was the most dramatic. His hair had shifted from brown to silver-white, his eyes had turned gold, and starlight seemed to flicker within his pupils. His physique had become more slender, his muscle definition more fluid, and faint blue energy veins were visible beneath his skin. 18's transformation was also striking. Her blonde hair had turned silver-white, her eyes were likewise gold, and a faint halo of light surrounded her body. Her aura had undergone a qualitative shift, changing from cold, sharp beauty to something divine, like a goddess descended to the mortal realm.

16's changes were the most unique. His metallic body had become more refined; the seams at his joints had vanished, replaced by a seamless, polished surface. His color had shifted from green to silver-white, his red eyes had turned blue, and a soft point of light glowed where his energy furnace was located. "This is..." 17 raised his hand, staring at his shimmering palm. He felt an endless surge of energy within him, not coming from an infinite energy furnace, but from a deeper source—from the Earth itself. "You are now Super Androids," Kashu said. "Your energy furnaces have synchronized with the Earth's core. As long as the Earth exists, your energy will never be exhausted. And..." Kashu paused. "You can now perceive any life on Earth. You have become a part of the planet." 17 closed his eyes, attempting to sense. In an instant, the breath of countless lives flooded his consciousness—survivors searching for loved ones in the ruins of West City, beasts running in distant forests, schools of fish swimming in the deep ocean... He could even sense the earthworms in the soil and the bacteria in the air. "Too much..." 17 clutched his head, his face turning pale. "Take it slow," Kashu said. "Your brain needs a process of adaptation. Sense the nearby things first, then gradually expand your range." 17 took a deep breath, gradually bringing his perception under control. He first felt his surroundings—his sister's aura was warm and bright, 16's aura was steady and peaceful, and Kashu's aura... Kashu's aura was unique, like a small sun, warm but not scorching. He opened his eyes, and they held something they never had before—compassion. 18 was attempting the same. When she sensed 17's aura, the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily. Then she sensed Kashu and froze for a moment. "Your ki... it's so warm," 18 whispered. Kashu smiled slightly. "Your ki is very warm too, Lazuli." 18's face flushed slightly. She turned her head, not wanting Kashu to see her expression.

16 raised his hands, looking at his silver-white metallic fingers. His programming was processing massive amounts of information—not just combat data, but ecological data, meteorological data, geological data... The Earth was sharing all its information with him. "I understand," 16 said. "The Earth wants me to protect its life. Not by eliminating threats, but by maintaining balance." "Yes," Kashu said. "You are no longer a combat robot. You are the guardian of the Earth." Goku stood up and walked over to Kashu. He looked the young man up and down, his eyes full of curiosity. "Kashu," Goku said, "your strength is immense. I want to spar with you." Everyone was stunned.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi shrieked. "What are you saying? He just saved you all!" "I know," Goku said, "but I just want to know how strong he really is. It's just a friendly match." Kashu looked at Goku, silent for a few seconds, then nodded. "Fine. But not now." "Why?" "Because you are injured," Kashu said, "and your body has not yet fully adapted to the burden of Super Saiyan 3." Goku's pupils contracted sharply. "Super Saiyan 3?" Vegeta rushed over. "What did you say? There is a third stage to Super Saiyan?" Kashu looked at Vegeta. "Yes. Goku touched the threshold of the third stage half a year ago after the Cell Games, but he never dared to step into it because the burden on the body is too great. But after today's battle, his body has become more accustomed to it." Goku looked at Kashu in surprise. "How did you know?" "I watched your battle," Kashu said. "When your ki recovered after your severe injuries, you touched the edge of the third stage for an instant. Although it was only for a moment, I caught it."

Goku fell into deep thought. Kashu was right; he had indeed felt that threshold. But every time he tried to cross it, his body issued warnings—muscles tearing, bones deforming, internal organs unable to withstand the pressure. "What you need is not more ki," Kashu said. "What you need is more precise control. The power of Super Saiyan 3 is not gained through explosion, but through compression." "Compression?" Goku frowned. "Super Saiyan 1 is releasing potential, the second stage is increasing output, and the third stage is compressing energy," Kashu explained. "You must compress the ki of Super Saiyan 2 to a fraction of its original size, but increase its density dozens of times. This way, your power won't decrease; instead, it will skyrocket, and the burden on your body will also decrease." Goku had a sudden realization. "So that's it... I was always thinking about how to explode more ki, I never thought about compression..." "The direction of training is very important," Kashu said. "You are a genius; you just took a slight detour." Vegeta snorted. "You talk as if you know Super Saiyan well. Are you a Saiyan?" Kashu shook his head. "I am not a Saiyan. But I am a product of Dr. Gero's laboratory, and I have Saiyan cells in my body. It's just a very small percentage, not enough for me to transform into a Super Saiyan." Vegeta's eyebrows arched. "You are an android too?" "Strictly speaking, I am a half-android," Kashu said. "I was still in my mother's womb when I was modified. Dr. Gero's assistant—my father—performed genetic modification on his wife while she was pregnant. The goal was to give the fetus superhuman abilities. But the experiment went wrong," Kashu's tone turned somber. "My mother died of a hemorrhage after giving birth to me, and my father destroyed the experimental data in his grief before committing suicide. I was sent to an orphanage and later adopted by an ordinary couple. I lived the life of an ordinary person until I awakened my abilities at sixteen. The energy remaining in the ruins of Dr. Gero's laboratory activated the dormant genes in my body. I spent ten years exploring my abilities and finally found my own path."

Everyone fell silent. This young man's background was more tragic than any android's. He had been modified in his mother's womb, lost his parents at birth, grew up in an orphanage, and lived an ordinary life, never knowing the terrifying potential contained within him. "Ten years?" Krillin asked weakly. "Then how old are you now?" "Twenty-six," Kashu said. "I look young because the modification slowed my aging." Twenty-six—a few years younger than Goku, and a cycle younger than Vegeta. Yet his strength already far exceeded everyone present. Goku took a deep breath. "Kashu, I have a request." "What is it?" "Teach us how to train," Goku said earnestly. "Teach us how to compress ki, how to break through our limits. The enemies we encounter are getting stronger, and we need to become stronger." Kashu looked at Goku, a flash of approval in his eyes. "Fine," he said, "but the training location is not in West City. I will take you somewhere." He turned to the android trio. "17, 18, 16, you come too. Your Super Android forms still need further stabilization." 17 nodded. 18 looked at Kashu in silence, a complex look flashing in her eyes. Kashu smiled slightly at 18, then turned to face the west. "Follow me." Three things for the new book! Please read, please add to library, please tip!