Fraternity Base
Smith returned to the base, issued a few quick orders to the staff, and then headed straight for the main training room. The heavy door clicked shut, and the sound of the electronic lock engaging echoed in the empty, sterile space. He stood in the center, took a deep breath, and let his consciousness sink into the system space.
Piccolo's character card materialized in his palm, glowing faintly. He didn't hesitate. Time to level up.
He crushed the card. It dissolved into motes of pure light that flowed into his body. Power surged through him immediately, a violent, expansive feeling. His energy reserves didn't just fill, they expanded at a terrifying rate, the feeling like a dam breaking inside him.
The scouter mounted on his face lit up, beeping rapidly. This model had a system-enhanced cap of 22,000, well beyond any standard Frieza Force equipment. The numbers climbed, a blur on the lens. 220. 300. 600. 950.
They stopped, settling on a solid 1,240.
A wave of palpable pressure exploded outward from Smith's body. It hit the walls of the training room and kept going, spreading through the entire base like a silent shockwave. Every person in the facility felt it. A crushing, physical weight pressed down on their chests, making it hard to breathe. The oppressive force didn't stop at the walls. It radiated outward, blanketing the surrounding area.
Smith grinned, clenching his fists. 1,240 combat power. It seemed small compared to the tens of thousands or hundreds of millions that warriors would eventually reach. But at this level, here on this Earth, he was functionally invincible against conventional forces. A nuclear blast wouldn't even singe his outfit.
He could level New York with a single, full-power Kamehameha if he wanted to. On Marvel's Earth, excluding the truly hidden, mystical powers, no one could match him in a straight fight.
Hell, he thought with amusement, if he wasn't worried about the Ancient One taking notice, he could fly to the Triskelion right now. He could slap Nick Fury across the face a few times, take a selfie, post it online, and Fury couldn't do a damn thing about it. S.H.I.E.L.D's energy weapons had failed to even breach Loki's basic Asgardian physiology. Smith's new, Namekian-enhanced body should be able to tank them easily.
He pushed the intrusive thoughts aside and focused inward, reining in his ki. The violent, uncontrolled surge that came with the fusion settled, condensing into a controlled, internal flow. His aura pulled back into his body.
All across the base, people gasped, sucking in air as the pressure vanished. It felt like a physical boulder had been lifted off their chests.
With the character fusion complete, Smith activated the partner summon. Light coalesced in the air in front of him, forming into a small, solid figure.
A white cat stood before him, roughly two feet tall, clutching a gnarled wooden staff. The cat's eyes were sharp and intelligent, holding an ancient, immeasurable depth.
Smith extended his hand, palm up. "Hello, Master Korin."
Korin blinked slowly, his gaze sweeping the room, processing his new surroundings. Information flooded into his mind through the system link. After a moment, he raised one paw and placed it gently in Smith's palm. "Hello, Mr. Smith."
"I hope we can work together productively."
The cat's voice was measured, perfectly calm. After the initial disorientation, Korin accepted his situation with the quiet ease of someone who had lived for centuries. He had left his Earth, arrived in a new universe, and now served this man. The facts were what they were.
He could feel the power radiating from Smith, an unfathomable well beneath the surface. And underneath that, he sensed two distinct, powerful bloodlines: Saiyan and Namekian. An interesting combination.
Smith wasn't surprised by Korin's composure. This was a guardian who had watched over Kami's Lookout for generations. He'd seen everything.
"Master Korin, I'll need you to stay here at the Fraternity base for the foreseeable future. If you have any specific requirements for your living space, let me know and I will have my people construct it. As for food, I will arrange regular deliveries of fresh fish."
Korin's ear twitched. Straight to compensation. A smart man. "What exactly do you need from me?"
Smith considered his answer. With Korin's 190 combat power, he could easily handle most threats that might target the base. "Base security, primarily. I don't anticipate serious attacks, but preparation matters. If something does breach our perimeter, you eliminate it."
"The Korin Tower trials can continue here as well. My people could benefit from that kind of training."
"And," Smith finished, "I will need access to both Ultra Divine Water and Senzu Beans."
Korin's tail swished thoughtfully. "Security I can manage. If enemies attack, I will destroy them."
Smith nodded. With Korin's power level, most conventional threats would be trivial. Aerial bombardment was unlikely, and any ground assaults would hit a furry, white wall.
"As for the trials," Korin continued, "you will need to construct something similar to Korin Tower. The proper dimensions and height are essential for the training to work."
Smith's scalp prickled. Korin Tower. How tall was that thing? Young Goku had climbed for two straight days to reach the top.
"Building to Korin Tower's exact specifications would be difficult here. The time and resources required would be substantial."
Korin made a dismissive gesture with his staff. "Then we will build a scaled-down version. Three thousand meters should suffice." He looked at Smith. "I am not training complete novices with no foundation. They need at least basic physical conditioning before attempting the climb."
Three thousand meters. Still absurd, but far more manageable than the original. Smith ran the numbers. A three-kilometer stone tower would become a landmark, impossible to hide. But given his current power level, he didn't need to hide. Let people see it. Private property was private property, and anyone who had a problem with that could take it up with him personally.
"Agreed. I'll have the construction crews start immediately."
Korin continued, "The Korin Tower trial's reward is the Ultra Divine Water. That's just regular water, by the way. It has no special properties. The enhancement comes from the training itself, not the drink."
"But the Super Divine Water is different. That requires my divine authority and abilities to create. Fortunately, my divine status transferred with me to this universe. I can still produce it."
"Super Divine Water unlocks latent potential and can dramatically increase combat power. However, it is extremely toxic. Anyone who drinks it needs exceptional willpower, vitality, and mental fortitude. Weak candidates will die from the poison. And if someone has no hidden potential to unlock, surviving the poison won't grant them any power."
Korin's explanation was clinical, the voice of a teacher stating facts. Smith appreciated the directness. Several faces came to mind. Cross, Mr. X, Wesley, John Wick. The werewolves and vampires. All of them had potential waiting to be tapped. But whether the risk was worth the reward required careful consideration.
"Understood. I'll be selective about who receives it."
Korin nodded approvingly, his whiskers twitching. Then his expression shifted, becoming slightly apologetic. "As for the Senzu Beans, I am afraid I can't help you. Not yet."
"I arrived here with nothing but this staff. Growing Senzu Beans requires seeds, and I do not have the ability to create matter from nothing. If you can provide me with the seeds, I can cultivate them. But without seeds, there is nothing I can do."