The Earth's wilderness, atop an isolated hill.
Piccolo hovered cross-legged in mid-air, his heavy white cloak billowing in the high-altitude air currents, and not a single insect chirp could be heard around him.
He closed his eyes, trying to gather his scattered energy, but his hands, resting on his knees, could not relax completely.
The skin on the body surface is in a state of extreme chaos, with its normal emerald green color switching back and forth with the orange glow after the potential is released.
The orange light flashed for half a second, then immediately dissipated into green, followed by a burst of scattered orange sparks. The aura around him fluctuated wildly, causing the rubble beneath him to tumble and fall.
The more you try to suppress the restlessness in your heart, the more chaotic the energy in your body becomes.
Whenever I close my eyes, the image of being brutally ravaged by Saganbo on the battlefield not long ago uncontrollably floods my mind.
The feeling of powerlessness, like being punched right through the abdomen, lingered!
Just then, a dry, cool breeze blew across the wilderness along the valley.
The wind carried a faint, yet familiar scent.
The orange light that had been surging around Piccolo's body suddenly went out, completely reverting to its normal dark green color.
He pulled himself out of the horrific memories, his tense shoulders slumped slightly, his eyelids lifted, and without turning his head, he coldly demanded of the empty space below him:
What are you doing here...?
On the gravelly ground below the hill, a hunched and aged figure had appeared out of nowhere.
Earth Kami leaned on his centuries-old wooden cane, his white robes stained with a little dirt, and looked up at Piccolo, who was suspended high in the air, with his wrinkled face.
Hearing Piccolo's cold, hard question, Kami's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile.
"I am Kami..."
"But compared to you, I haven't done anything for the Earth... It's laughable..."
Piccolo hung motionless in mid-air.
The Kami looked down at his old, withered hands, clenched his fingers, and gripped his wooden cane tightly.
Hundreds of years ago, in order to ascend to the throne of the Tamagami, he forcibly stripped away the evil thoughts within him, creating King Piccolo, and bringing endless disasters to this planet.
Later, Turles descended upon the Lookout, revealing the Namekian ' origins, and gradually led Earth's martial artists into the universe.
Faced with these cosmic crises that could destroy the world at any moment, this so-called Tamagami, apart from hiding on the edge of the Lookout overlooking the earth and occasionally using his all-seeing eye as a monitoring probe, doesn't even have the courage or strength to go into battle.
King Piccolo, who was born from his evil intentions and should have hated this planet, is now protecting Earth with his life!
Who is God, and who is the devil?
The Kami raised his head, facing the blinding sunlight, and looked at the figure in mid-air, continuing to speak:
"Evil is never static, and mere kindness can't protect anything..."
Piccolo frowned deeply and tapped his knee lightly with his fingers.
Why is this old guy talking so much nonsense today? Did I come here to give him a philosophy lesson?
The Kami took a step forward, the bottom of his wooden cane striking the rocks at the foot of the mountain with a soft thud.
He straightened his hunched back and spoke loudly to Piccolo's back:
" Piccolo... a truly powerful guardian! It's time to abandon superficial notions of good and evil..."
The only way to counter those cosmic thieves is to reunite good and evil, allowing the Namekian were once divided in two, to return to their original, complete form.
After hearing these high-sounding words, Piccolo's face remained completely unmoved.
He didn't even bother to turn around and glance at the Kami; he simply closed his eyes again.
Piccolo loosened his cross-legged position, crossed his arms over his chest, and spoke in a voice as cold as ice:
"If that's what you came for, then you've made a wasted trip."
They are essentially twins, so if they merge, who will take the lead?
"Truly powerful guardians are none of my concern!"
Piccolo raised his chin slightly, his tone revealing an unyielding arrogance.
"I am who I am! I will never become anyone else!"
Even though his hands had just been broken by Saganbo, and even though his desire for power was burning in his throat, he would never sell his independent self-awareness in order to become stronger, nor did he want to live under the guise of a " Kami ".
Having said that, Piccolo directly told them to leave:
"You're not welcome here. You can leave."
The mountain wind howled between the two, making Piccolo's white cloak flap loudly.
A brief silence fell over the area below the hill.
The Kami did not turn away as Piccolo had instructed; he remained firmly standing in the pile of rubble at the foot of the mountain, leaning on his cane.
What he's resisting now is nothing more than the fear of losing himself, plus his inability to swallow his pride.
I think you're overthinking it!
You are still you!
The Kami raised their voices.
I won't let you become someone else!
Piccolo's closed eyelids twitched slightly.
The Kami released one hand from his cane and looked up at the azure sky above, which could be torn apart by the spatial wormhole at any moment.
"The Earth no longer needs Kami, but it does need a powerful warrior!"
The Kami withdrew his gaze from the sky, fixing it once more on Piccolo in mid-air, and slammed his cane heavily on the ground:
"I'm just a catalyst to help you return to your original state! Piccolo, you need this power!"
His tightly closed eyelids opened mid-air, and he turned his head to stare down at the aged figure at the foot of the mountain.
Are you willing to give up your own self?
Actively suppressing one's independent will and willingly becoming a stepping stone and nourishment for others...
The Kami placed his hands, clasped together, on the top of his wooden cane, and raised his head to face the wind and sand.
"I've been in the Lookout for too long; I'm tired of seeing those unchanging clouds."
What pleases me most is your transformation!
"I have no regrets!"
"If there is such a thing, it's that when Earth faces a crisis in the future, I still won't be able to stand as a warrior before her enemies!"
This old guy seems to be serious.
The mountain wind whipped up pebbles, which clattered against the isolated rock face.
then,
The Grand Elder saw through his origins at a glance and bluntly told him that if the Dragon Clan genius who was split in two back then could reunite and restore his original complete form, the power he displayed would far surpass that of any single Namekian.
That was the true talent of the son of Katatz...
He needs strength.
The violent air currents in mid-air suddenly subsided.
Piccolo lowered his toes, his heavy white cape arcing through the air before landing firmly on his feet.
The two looked at each other from a few steps apart...
"Are you sure?"
"Actually... this day was bound to come sooner or later... don't you think?"
The Kami took half a step forward, raising his wrinkled right hand, palm facing outward, and placed it flat against Piccolo's chest...