Year 721, Gero finally started his training at Crane's school of martial arts, and he was the only disciple. Master Shen, his martial uncle was observing with amusement the scene in the courtyard, leisurely drinking tea. Gero on the other hand, was getting beaten up by Tao Pai Pai.
After his arrival, he first got his physical capabilities evaluated and both masters were impressed, especially after Gero told how he trained his body using a machine under nine months. He also explained his device to calculate fighting power, and neither the Crane Hermit nor his Master were pleased to see they appeared below one hundred ten each. After a night of rest, and precisely this morning, they discovered that an untrained individual can have as much fighting power asthey want, they will not last long in front a seasoned warrior.
For Gero, one moment there was a blur of pink sleeve, the next, he was sent flying away. He was bruised and his skin was cut by the force of the impacts, and God knows, Haruhi Suzumiya knows, the Emperor of Mankind knows, and even your mom knows that Tao was throwing very casual punches, not intending to hurt and kill his precious and rich disciple.
« Too slow. » Tao said.
At least there was no one else to see him getting casually spanked away time and time away.
« You tried to calculate instead of seeing. You body's endurance and strength are great but you have zero reflexes. We will change that. Horse stance, twelve hours. » Then the instructor started to explain how to get into the stance, then correct it using a long stick.
Gero grimaced, he was bored to death after just thirty minutes. Under the gaze of his Master and the Crane Sage, he started singing:
« Zen ching chiang cao gang kooooooo, tseng ceeeng feng yu bu eng zeee guooooo…» And then he got slapped away by Tao once again.
« Stance ! And you shut the fuck up, and you concentrate on the environment around you!»
« Master! Yes Master! » Gero got a fright just now, he nearly flew past the security ramp of the cliff.
The scenery was very good around the Crane School though. It was hight in the mountains, one could see the snowy summits, breath clean fresh air, and hear the sound of bamboo trees, swaying and hitting each other. And there he was again starting to calculate the P number out of boredom… and he got hit by Tao once again, and instructed to stop thinking and concentrate on the environment around him. And this is how it was for the remaining day, and the following days. But one day, there was finally progress. He finally noticed the sound off his heart bit pounding in his ears, wrists, tights as his blood was rushing like a violent river inside his body. He focused on his breath, noticing it's rhythm and also feeling his lungs expanding and contracting, his mind felt lighter, and for the first time, he felt some kind of boiling energy building up in him. And it was accumulating!
« Do not resist, you are close! » Ordered his dad… huh Master.
Gero focused on this building up feeling, felt it was constantly sharpening, expanding, he felt warmth spreading in his body, and slowly start burning, compressing, and repeating the cycle again. He could feel redundant patterns forming, this hot energy like thing circulating on predetermined paths, never straying away. While he was immersed in this new feeling, trusting his Master's instructions and trying to not panic while all he wanted to do is to stop, Tao and Shen were flabbergasted. They saw what Gero could not see: pebbles were floating in the air, the wind just quieted down and an outward, quiet energy projection was coming from their new disciple. It was enveloping gradually the courtyard first, then the whole school. In was not violent, but steady and gradual. Master Shen stood up, and his eyes were opened wide, not believing what he was seeing. He knew his brother brought in a monster, but now he was witnessing this sleeping monster awakening.
One has to know that Ki is depending on physical strength, as the body needs to be strong enough to contain it in without braking. However the intensity and mass depended mainly of the mental fortitude, and also self confidence. At the moment Gero finally opened his eyes, a blasting roar resounded trough the mountains, spreading aggressively while being accompanied by an evil presence. As the two martial arts immortals noticed it, so did Gero. That was the part of him that was the original Gero. His bitterness, his soul bent on revenge, selfishness and disregard for any human life. As it was expected from the two evil brothers, they took it as a good thing, as brutality and the decisive desire to harm and kill were their martial path's belief.
« We finished for today, go rest, tomorrow we can attack the Crane School techniques. Think about what you experienced today. »
Gero did as he was instructed. He didn't share food with the masters as except for his elixirs, he didn't need to intake anything. Once in his little house, he used the combat power measuring device and literally fell on his ass as he didn't expect Tao's guidance to be that useful. In the dragon ball series, the two real first real power leaps Goku experienced were on Karin's tower, when he drank the divine water, then when he spent three years training under the Kami of Earth.Unexpectedly now his own power level reached two hundred eighty-nine. He surpassed Karin's power, which should be around one hundred eighty, and the very underestimated Yajirobe's, who was around two hundred fifty. Even without any techniques, he should be able to solo both Tao and Shen now.
The following day he practiced Ki building meditation under a giant waterfall, the day after, the Dondon Pa, concentrating Ki in his fingers and projecting it. He alternated these practices with some sparing with his Master and Uncle Master. At first his Ki was crushed by the water fall, and his DonDon Ray was just a barely visible light on his fingertip. While having more than double of the masters' power, he was still beaten up mercilessly by them. But things were improving gradually.
Time was passing by, days transformed in to weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, he started his training at year seven hundred twenty-one, but now it was the year seven hundred thirty two. His elixirs will remain effective only for the following eight years, afterwards he will start aging and dying again. Right now his appearance was nothing like before, he looked like a tall young man, who barely reached his majority. His pale blue eyes, sharp shin, long and slick black hair, gave him a mysterious and attractive look. If Adroid 17 was a ten, Gero was now an eleven. Especially without that thick old ass moustache.
Right now he was hovering in the sky, using the legendary Sky Dance technique. The snow was flying in a frenzy around him, monstrous winds were slashing and growling at him without any effect. Suddenly thunder roared and a huge vortex expanded and blasted the skies, forcing them to clear out. It was time to return tho his laboratory.
He reached the astonishing seven hundred sixty one battle power, something that he did not plan at all. He expected to reach at best three hundred fifty at maximum, but his elixirs, the body conditioning done in his sarcophagus-training machine and the solid Ki and fighting bases taught by Tao and Shen transformed him into the most powerful being of the current Earth. His fighting confidence was boosted during merder sprees arranged by Tao. He massacred entire villages without blinking under the satisfied gaze of the killer Tao. Gero did not want to end up as Son Gohan, he did not want to shy away in front an adversary in the future and get his fighting power restricted. He knew Beerus would not mind, if he could tolerate Freezer, it would be ok to kill some little humans right?
One year from now, Bulma should be born. Seventeen years in the future, she will meet Goku and quest for dragon balls and a boyfriend. Unfortunately, he could remain purely human only for the next following eight years.
From his memories, he knew Kami was around four hundred battle power, while the old king Piccolo was two hundred. After being granted the eternal youth by Shenron, his power jumped only to less than three hundred, otherwise he could have destroyed Son Goku a second time, and probably kill him. The sayen survived the first encounter just by pure luck and got the classic racial passive kick in, upgrading his power level after a serious injury.
But why Piccolo didn't reach a power-level above four hundred after recovering his youth? Even the Kami stated he was weaker than his evil counter-part, and was unable to do anything about it until the appearance of Goku. It was simple: the magical power restored only the vitality, leaving the chromosomes depleted. With time the cells will continue to divide, and even if the fighting power-level will not decrease, the beneficiary of that magic effect won't be able to improve it. This was the case for the current Kami, Roshi, Tao and Shen. Each of them used magic means to extend their lifespans, Gero was able to confirm this by running tests on his two masters' cells. The serum had no effect, the telomeres were utterly depleted, the magic only maintained the two alive while shielding them from any discomfort. Maybe the only advantage Tao had, was that he was years younger than his brother and Roshi when he was transformed.
« Master, Martial Uncle, thank you for everything. I will never forget it. If you need anything, I will do my best to help you! » Said Gero, saluting the two brothers traditionally with a fist pressed against a palm.
Then after the goodbyes, he was transported by Furbolg's helicopter back to his home. And when he returned, he went directly to check onto the abandoned Night Dog. The batteries were depleted now by thirty percent, it was big time to replace them. The good news on the other hand, were that the super computer finished optimising the super computing integration module, and made it simple to assemble and install using the optimised machines and processes it created. Gero was truly glad he connected it to the production devices, at least superficially before leaving.
This is how he spent the following months, assembling the module, meditating in the sarcophagus and practicing his Ki techniques. And at last, he finished the module. The installation was quick and the super-computer started by devouring the processing and manufacturing devices, materials, walls and everything that was related to the laboratory.
The optimisation of the eternal energy reactor reached the current Night Dog's processing limits, miniaturising it to be only one millimeter of circumference, while having it's performance ridiculously augmented. When he was training in his property's garden, he got discovered by a dazed Kyou. Ten years later she was already in her forties, while he was shadow boxing and floating in the air, looking like a teen.
« D.. d.. Dr. Gero? Is that you? » Kyou managed to say.
« Oh Kyou, long time no see. How are you doing? Is that this time of the year again? »
« Ho.. How … it is obviously you but just now.. you were… were flying? Why do you look even younger than five years ago? »
« Ah that, the mountain's fresh air and the martial arts training brought me these benefits. Flying isn't a legend, you just need to find a legit master to learn it. Who is the young woman behind you? »
« Oh.. oh… ok! Ah this is Ludovine, from now on she will be your new assistant. »
« N-n-Nice to meet you Doctor! »
She was blonde in her mid twenties, blue eyes and slender figure. Though she was flat, but it was ok, she seemed professional.
« And what about you Kyou? » Asked Gero.
« As you know I am the general secretary for years now, it is just we didn't find any-one else up to the task yet, until now, to replace me. »
« Ah good, I totally forgot you were indeed promoted. This is great I am happy for you. Let's go in, be at ease like always. »
« Doctor, knowing you were busy, we put a researcher's team to help you improve the T1 model, please check these papers, see if it is ok to launch it's production. » Asked Kyou, comfortably installed on the couch, while Ludovine was watching their interaction with big eyes. It was like they were talking to each other like friends, and not co-workers.
Gero flipped through the pages, and it did not take him long to see they managed to improve T1 by forty percent, and a name in the files attracted his attention. Dr. Vomi. He felt like a pang in his heart but he was also glad she escaped her original gruesome destiny.
« Never give any important roles to these people. Vomi is great though, I believe she can lead efficiently the projects, but as great she is, she is not up to the task. »
« Oh? Ok I will notice the executive board and Mr.Chambles. Did you already make something better? You were back only for three months now. » Asked Kyou. Mr.Chambles replaced Mrs. Anzu as head of R&D, while the later retired.
« Yeah, check room Nine, the bottom right drawer of the desk. The completed device is under it. »
Kyou was stuck by a sense of déjà vu. She instructed Ludovine to get check the room and started to call for four trucks to be dispatched, with the needed personnel to move what she believed would be tons of binders. Last time she needed the truck to make two trips, but now she knew better.
They passed the afternoon talking about the business, news, and the past, just like old friends, while eating pastries Gero started to develop to gain Beerus' favour in the future, and drinking coffee.
Ludovine was extremely busy though, directing and coordinating the busy workers.
Ferbolg's shares rose up during the following weeks, as the news about the soon commercialised T2 units were the global talk. Gero's reputation and celebrity got the needed refresh, and the scientific community was banging it's head on the walls trying to understand how it was possible to improve by five hundred percent something that was already so complex and advanced.
Vomi, who was part of the paper reviewing team had a happy-sad smile on her lips, as the genius of the man she loved was definitely unmatched, and was thankful to be named as a lead researcher with an annual budget to work on her own research.
Meanwhile, Gero was planning the execution of the third step of his plans: obtain the divine water from Karin's tower, survive it, then get the dragon balls before the main protagonists even had the idea to search for them. Right now, he knew the whereabouts of two of them, or maybe three.
One was surely in Son Gohan's possession by now. The Gyu Maho probably had another one in his treasury. And with a bit of chance, Roshi had the third one.
After settling everything, and confirming with Ludovine that they should get any prise that will be issued to him on his stead, he departed, flying like the wind, as fast as a rainbow.