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On the night they returned to Turtle Hermit Island, the sound of tides drifted across the beach with the evening breeze, yet the entire island remained far from quiet.

The lights in the wooden cabin's front hall burned late into the night. Leaning on his cane, Master Roshi stood before a nautical chart, his finger tapping two marked locations in the desert and deep mountains. His expression was grave. "Piccolo joining forces with Dr. Gero means demon power combined with human technology. The consequences will be endless. The days ahead won't be filled with minor, tentative skirmishes anymore."

Qi Tian sat nearby, his fingers rubbing the rim of his cup as black-gold divine essence flickered faintly at his fingertips. "Android 8 was only a half-finished product. Dr. Gero has obtained complete battle data. The next batch of androids will incorporate even more demon genes, and they'll only be stronger. We don't have much time left."

"Then we train! Train until we can smash every problem with one punch!" Goku clenched his fists, his eyes blazing. Rather than discouraging him, his fierce battle with Android 8 that day had only ignited an even stronger competitive spirit.

At dawn the next day, a completely new training regimen was officially put into practice.

Master Roshi brought out every body-tempering method of the Turtle School, combining them with the divine essence breathing technique taught by Qi Tian to form a dual training system: "temper the muscles and bones externally, condense the qi core internally." Bulma upgraded the gravity suits to a maximum of six times gravity and added an energy pulse function that could stimulate acupoints during training and accelerate blood circulation.

On the beach, four figures moved and leaped amid the waves beneath five times gravity.

Goku charged at the front, every punch carrying the howl of tearing air. He no longer obsessed over clashing with brute force. Instead, he followed Qi Tian's example, condensing his qi force around his fists and exerting force inch by inch. Even under five times gravity, he remained swift as the wind. When his fist force struck the sea, it blasted up walls of water several yards high.

"Condense qi into the bones. Gather strength in the marrow."

Qi Tian's voice came from the side. He strolled among the three of them, occasionally tapping with a fingertip. A thread of black-gold energy would seep into their meridians, guiding their qi force to settle deep within their bones.

"If your strength only floats in the flesh and meridians, it is ultimately hollow. Only by reaching bone and marrow can you wield it freely and unleash several times your usual power."

Krillin gritted his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead. Five times gravity made his bones creak, but after he guided his qi force into them according to Qi Tian's method, he did not find it more difficult. Instead, his muscles and bones seemed to burn, and every exertion of strength became heavier and steadier than before.

"So that's how it is... When qi force enters the bones, the body feels as though it's wrapped in an inner suit of armor!"

Yamcha focused on refining his movement technique. Under five times gravity, his Wolf Fang Fist became slower, but its power grew increasingly condensed. His fist shadows no longer filled the sky; every strike went straight for a vital point. The gale-force fist energy compressed into lines, and its piercing power surged. He even grasped the trick of borrowing force against force, using the recoil of the waves to throw his punches and increasing their power by thirty percent out of nowhere.

By day, they endured the harsh cultivation of gravity tempering and driving qi force into their bones. At night, they honed their spiritual senses and control over their aura.

Qi Tian would release fine streams of black-gold energy, transforming them into countless tiny qi arrows that attacked the three from every direction. They had to close their eyes and evade and counterattack using only their perception of auras. At first, they were utterly disheveled, often struck by the qi arrows until their bodies went numb and swollen. Half a month later, they could move freely amid the dense barrage, even catching the qi arrows precisely and firing them back.

Such relentless day-and-night training produced effects nothing short of transformative.

Two months later, on the rocky shore of Turtle Hermit Island.

Goku stood bare-chested, his muscles sleek and bursting with explosive power. Standing amid the waves, he slowly brought his hands together as pale-blue qi force continuously compressed inward, eventually forming a fist-sized sphere of light as deep in color as the ocean floor.

"Core-Condensing Kamehameha!"

The sphere shot from his hands and flew deep into the sea. After several seconds of silence, the ocean surface abruptly swelled before exploding with a thunderous boom. A wall of water dozens of meters high surged into the sky, giant waves crashed against the shore, and even the distant cliff face trembled faintly.

"Its power is more than three times what it was before!" Goku exclaimed, excitedly pumping his fist.

Not far away, Krillin held his palms facing each other. Qi force spun rapidly at his fingertips, forming a palm-sized disc-shaped energy blade. Its edge was as thin as cicada wings, and its rapid rotation released a piercing hum.

"Destructo Disc!"

The disc flew from his hand, effortlessly slicing through several thick stone pillars. The cuts were smooth as mirrors. Its remaining force did not fade as it flew several hundred meters before plunging into the sea.

Yamcha stood atop a reef, his figure suddenly flashing. Several afterimages scattered at once, each unleashing a Wolf Fang Fist. Their fist force interwove into a net, completely sealing off the airspace before him.

"Afterimage Wolf Fang Fist!"

As the fist force withdrew, fragments of rock pattered down from the reef. His movement technique and fist technique had already fused into one, making truth and illusion impossible to distinguish. Both its destructive power and range far surpassed what they had been before.

The three of them had nearly doubled their normal combat power compared to the battle in town. Even if they encountered Android 8 again, they would no longer need Qi Tian to act. Together, they could suppress it with certainty.

Atop the cliff, black-gold energy slowly circulated around Qi Tian's body, while a faint layer of golden protective aura flickered across his skin.

[Ding! Detected that the host has continuously deduced the Divine-tier Body Tempering Art. Cultivation sign-in triggered.]

[Sign in?]

The system notification sounded, and Qi Tian silently confirmed in his heart.

[Ding! Sign-in complete. Rewards issued.]

[1. Permanent combat power +1800. Current normal combat power: 19000.]

[2. Divine-tier Body Tempering Art—Fourth Level Complete: Qi and blood transform into protective aura; protective aura shields the body, dissipating thirty percent of incoming force. Physical self-healing ability greatly increased.]

[3. Divine Essence Bind: Can condense divine essence into chains to restrain an enemy's aura and energy. Duration depends on the gap in combat power between both sides.]

A warm current swept through his entire body, and dense crackling sounds came from his muscles, bones, and flesh. Black-gold divine essence completely fused with his qi and blood, while the golden protective aura around his body grew increasingly solid. Qi Tian could clearly feel that every inch of his body was breathing and strengthening itself. Even if he were injured, he could heal at an astonishing speed.

He raised a hand and clenched it. Invisible divine essence condensed into chains in his palm, causing the void to twist faintly. Once Divine Essence Bind was unleashed, an ordinary powerhouse would instantly lose their combat ability if their qi sea was locked down.

"The fourth level is complete..." Qi Tian murmured, his gaze turning westward.

Over the past two months, Piccolo's aura had remained hidden, yet it had become increasingly deep and cold. He was clearly advancing at a mad pace as well. The energy fluctuations from the underground laboratory in the desert had become more violent by the day, and Dr. Gero's research was progressing faster than expected.

And deep in the cosmos, the auras of those two Saiyans had become clearly discernible. Violent, tyrannical, and carrying the pressure of utter destruction, they were approaching at a constant speed.

Only seven months remained before they reached Earth.

"Seven months... that's enough."

Qi Tian's eyes were calm. His Divine-tier Body Tempering Art could continue breaking through, and Goku and the others still possessed enormous room to grow. The true decisive battle had not yet arrived. Every bit of progress now would become the foundation they needed to survive later.

Meanwhile, in a demon cave deep within the mountains thousands of miles away.

Black qi churned in the depths of the cave, condensing into tangible black frost that covered the rock walls. Piccolo floated in the center of the cavern, demonic markings spread across his body. His crimson eyes were shut, and he radiated a chilling aura that made one's heart pound.

After two months of secluded cultivation, Dr. Gero's biological modification technology had completely awakened his demon potential. The strength of his demon body had increased severalfold, and his self-healing ability was terrifying. More importantly, he had comprehended a secret demon technique—Demonic Essence Armor.

Piccolo's eyes suddenly opened, crimson light tearing through the darkness. The black qi around him instantly drew inward and condensed into a suit of dark-purple energy armor over his body. Its patterns were intricate, and its murderous aura was overwhelming. Beneath the armor, his defense surged. Ordinary energy attacks could not break through it at all.

"Qi Tian..."

Piccolo quietly spoke the name, his voice carrying bone-deep coldness.

He could sense that the auras on Turtle Hermit Island were all growing stronger, especially Qi Tian's. That calm, heavy pressure still made him wary from thousands of miles away. But he was no longer as powerless as before. With Demonic Essence Armor and the demon clan's secret techniques, he was confident he could fight his opponent head-on.

"Wait a little longer... Once I completely master Demonic Essence Surge, it will be time to ascend Turtle Hermit Island."

Piccolo closed his eyes, and black qi began to churn once more. The pressure within the cavern deepened by another degree.

The underground laboratory in the desert presented another scene of feverish frenzy.

Dr. Gero stood before a massive array of incubation chambers, looking at five new androids lined up in a row. His aged face was flushed with unhealthy excitement.

"Android 9, five mass-produced units, all integrated with demon genes and martial arts data!"

He excitedly tapped the control panel, and the liquid in the incubation chambers slowly drained away. The five agile androids opened their eyes at the same time, their pupils crimson. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, and their auras were condensed and uniform.

Compared with Android 8, Android 9 had shed its redundant heavy armor, greatly improving speed and agility. It also came equipped with technique-copying and self-healing modules. Each unit was slightly weaker than Android 8, but when all five joined forces in a battle formation, their power vastly surpassed Android 8 fighting alone.

"Pass on my order. The Android 9 Squad will deploy immediately. Target: Turtle Hermit Island." Dr. Gero's voice was sinister. "Regardless of the cost, collect the ultimate data of every powerhouse. Especially Qi Tian—I want data from him fighting at full power!"

He turned toward the deepest part of the laboratory, where two sealed incubation chambers stood, marked 17 and 18.

"Once Android 9 brings back the final data, you two will become my ultimate masterpieces, gifts to the world..."

Dr. Gero let out a sinister cackle. His laughter echoed through the frigid laboratory, filled with madness and obsession.

On Turtle Hermit Island, no one yet knew that an encirclement aimed at them was already on its way.

Under the setting sun, Goku was pestering Krillin to spar using their newly realized techniques, the two trading blows evenly. Yamcha stood nearby, adjusting his breathing and reviewing the flaws in his earlier moves. Bulma sat on the beach calibrating a new detector as streams of data flashed rapidly across the screen.

Everything seemed peaceful and orderly.

Only Qi Tian, standing by the cliff, suddenly raised his head toward the western horizon.

The black-gold divine essence stirred faintly. Five powerful mechanical energy signatures carrying demon auras were rapidly crossing the sea, headed straight for Turtle Hermit Island.

They had arrived sooner than expected.

Qi Tian slowly rose to his feet, his black robe snapping in the evening wind.

"They're here."

He spoke softly, but his voice carried along the evening breeze to the beach.

The sounds of sparring stopped abruptly. Goku, Krillin, and Yamcha all raised their heads toward the western horizon. There was no panic in their eyes, only battle intent blazing to life.

After two months of grueling training, it was the perfect time to test their results.

Master Roshi rose slowly with a pipe in his mouth, his gaze fixed on the place where sea met sky. A trace of sharpness flashed through his clouded eyes.

The storm was coming, and the winds had already filled the tower.

This encirclement against Turtle Hermit Island was precisely the best whetstone for the young men.

Five dark-purple figures soon appeared at the edge of the horizon.

A great battle was on the verge of erupting.