The Stages of the Super Saiyan

Malvis watched Goku before him and gave an impartial affirmation of his current strength. "Actually, you're already quite strong—stronger than 99 percent of the people in the universe."

"Really?" Goku's face lit up with delight. His eyes instantly blazed with motivation, yet not a trace of pride or complacency arose within him. It was precisely this pure desire to improve that had allowed him to keep breaking through his limits and reach his current heights.

"Yes." Malvis had not deceived him. Though the top one percent might sound small, against the vast scale of the universe and its countless living beings, it was already a terrifying figure.

"Goku, let me give you a suggestion." Malvis paused briefly before speaking slowly. "If you get the chance in the future, let your tail grow back. It would be a good thing for you."

"Really?" Goku frowned slightly, obvious concern hidden in his voice. "But if I have a tail, I'll turn into a Great Ape and lose my mind during a full moon. And if someone grabs my tail, I'll lose all my strength at once..."

Malvis smiled faintly and patiently explained, "Those so-called weaknesses aren't impossible to overcome. With proper training and tempering, you can completely control those powers and turn them into your own advantages. After all, as a Saiyan, having a tail or not does make a difference."

He paused, then continued, "A tail can not only awaken all of a Saiyan's potential and greatly increase their base combat power; more importantly, an intact tail is the key to breaking through your restraints. It will make it easier for you to surpass Super Saiyan—it will become an important opportunity for you to break past your limits and reach a higher realm."

"So that's how it is!" Goku was instantly enlightened, but then another doubt surfaced. He quickly realized something and hurriedly asked, "But Lord Malvis, why do you know so much about Saiyans? Could it be...?"

Malvis did not answer directly. He merely smiled. A long brown Saiyan tail quietly slipped out from beneath his robes and swayed leisurely through the air.

"So Lord Malvis is a Saiyan too!" Goku grew even more excited, his eyes filled with amazement. "Then can you transform into a Super Saiyan too?"

"Hahaha, I certainly can. But under normal circumstances, I don't transform into a Super Saiyan."

"Why? Doesn't becoming a Super Saiyan make you stronger?"

"Transforming into a Super Saiyan does amplify your power, but it also places a tremendous burden on the body. It is only suitable for battles that must be ended quickly. Being able to maintain peak combat power in your normal state is the strongest condition—after all, many powerful enemies will never give you the chance to transform at your leisure." Seeing Goku question him endlessly like a curious child, Malvis continued answering with patient care.

"I see." Goku quickly walked up to Malvis, his expression incomparably serious as he made a sincere request. "Lord Malvis, can you tell me how to surpass Super Saiyan? Please."

Malvis readily agreed. "All right. I'll tell you about some Saiyan transformations. Because I am a god, you cannot sense my ki, but you can still watch the transformations."

"That's great! Thank you, Lord Malvis!" Goku shouted his thanks excitedly. Beside him, Gohan also revealed a delighted expression, filled with anticipation.

"Then I'll begin with this—Pseudo Super Saiyan." As his words fell, a blazing golden aura suddenly enveloped Malvis's body. His hair stood upright, yet remained its usual black. "This is the preliminary state of Super Saiyan. Your base strength has not yet fully reached the requirements for transforming into a Super Saiyan, but an explosive outburst under special circumstances can bring you into this state. It is extremely unstable and easy to fall out of."

"Next is Super Saiyan." As he spoke, Malvis's black hair completely turned a dazzling gold. "This form is much more stable than Pseudo Super Saiyan. Unless you are seriously injured, lose consciousness, or suffer severe physical exhaustion, it can be maintained for a long time."

"After that comes the second minor stage of Super Saiyan." Malvis's muscles suddenly swelled and bulged, making his body much more massive as his entire frame expanded noticeably. "This form's combat power rises dramatically compared to an ordinary Super Saiyan, but the cost is a sharp decrease in speed and multiplied stamina consumption."

"Beyond that is the third minor stage of Super Saiyan." The moment his words ended, Malvis's expanded muscles returned to normal. In appearance, he was almost no different from an ordinary Super Saiyan.

"Wait, Lord Malvis, doesn't this look no different from an ordinary Super Saiyan?" Goku's face was full of confusion—Malvis now looked exactly like Goku's own ordinary Super Saiyan form.

"You cannot sense divine ki, so naturally you cannot perceive the fundamental change within it. This form may appear unchanged, but it can maintain the Super Saiyan state continuously, with stamina consumption close to zero, while also bringing out one hundred percent of Super Saiyan One's peak combat power."

"Super Saiyan One? Does that mean there's a Super Saiyan Two?" Goku immediately caught the key detail and hurriedly asked.

"Yes." Malvis's golden hair became even stiffer and sharper, his eyes brimming with fierce intensity as fine arcs of lightning curled around his body.

With his absolute control over his own power, lightning would not appear even when he transformed into Super Saiyan Two. But in order to let the two of them clearly understand the difference between forms, he deliberately displayed the signature lightning effect. "This form's combat power far surpasses Super Saiyan One, with both speed and strength receiving a tremendous increase."

"Next is Super Saiyan Three." In an instant, Malvis's hair rapidly grew until it hung down to his waist, while his eyebrows completely vanished. His presence suddenly became sharp and overwhelming. "This form's combat power far surpasses Super Saiyan Two, with an increase of roughly four times that of Super Saiyan Two. As for what comes after, I'll tell you when you reach Super Saiyan Three."

"Thank you, Lord Malvis!" Goku, rarely shedding his usual carefree demeanor, wore an incomparably solemn expression. He stepped forward and gave a deep bow. "You've pointed out the road ahead for me and will save me from taking countless detours."

"It's nothing. Since you're being so polite, I'll tell you one more thing."

"W-what?" Goku immediately perked up his ears, filled with curiosity.

"You should know the Saiyan legend—that every thousand years, a special individual is born among the Saiyans?"

"You mean the Legendary Super Saiyan? But Vegeta and I can already transform into Super Saiyans, can't we?"

"What if I told you that the Legendary Super Saiyan has never referred to a transformation form, but to one specific person—and that in this era, such a person happens to exist?"

"W-what? Really? Then where is he now?" Goku could no longer remain calm. His emotions surged, and his body trembled faintly with extreme excitement.

"You'll meet him when the opportunity arises. There's no need to rush now. First, get through this trial with the androids." Malvis said to him.