Piccolo's arrival certainly shocked Bulma's family.
Of course, this also included Chi-Chi and Ox-King, anxiously awaiting Gohan's return. Thankfully, Lin Chuan explained the situation well, smoothly resolving any awkwardness or hostility and successfully integrating Piccolo into the upcoming journey to Planet Namek.
Everyone naturally understood Lin Chuan's reasons for doing this. After all, since Piccolo is a Namekian, taking him to Planet Namek made perfect sense.
Overall, the impact that Piccolo brought from this era was significant.
They had all witnessed the great battle five years ago firsthand, a memory fresh and unforgettable.
...
Meanwhile, at Kami's Lookout.
Kami sensed Piccolo and Gohan's movements, so he focused on them.
He overheard the discussions about leaving Earth for Planet Namek, which stirred something in his heart that hadn't moved in years.
Before separating from Piccolo, he had always waited for his kin and longed to return to his homeland.
This possibility seemed attainable after centuries, causing the godly composure he had maintained for hundreds of years to collapse momentarily.
He, too, wished to return.
But he could not!
As Earth's God, his duty bound him to this planet for life.
And with the Saiyan invasion imminent, even if it were possible to leave Earth.
As a God, he was fully committed.
Even though he could return before the Saiyans arrived, his task was crucial: to maximize the potential of Earth's martial artists, securing as much safety for the planet as possible.
Kami had seen the potential in Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu in just over a month or two.
Although they might not match Piccolo and Gohan at this moment, with the data from the power level scanners Lin Chuan provided, except for Chiaotzu, all had surpassed 1000 in power level.
If this had been five years ago, such strength would have been enough to dominate all opposition—Piccolo the Great Demon King would not have stood a chance.
This strength resulted from relentless, day-and-night training and continuous breakthroughs in battle.
Ultimately, it was also due to the pressures introduced by Lin Chuan, the butterfly effect in their lives. This pressure gave them greater motivation and goals.
Otherwise, according to the original story, when the Saiyans arrived, Tien's highest power level was just 1830.
Krillin was close behind in 1770.
Yamcha was weaker in 1480.
And Chiaotzu was at 610.
This shows their potential and exceptional talent; insufficient pressure in the original story limited their power levels.
Continuing this way would inevitably become even more vital.
They were all striving to improve, undaunted by the hardships.
Yet, there was one individual that Kami had somewhat given up on.
Undoubtedly, that individual was Yajirobe.
He trained earnestly after arriving at Kami's Lookout but eventually slacked off completely.
What he was good at was eating; he was unrivaled at that.
His power level could have been comparable to Yamcha and Krillin if he had continued to train wholeheartedly. Now, he was even weaker than Chiaotzu.
Chiaotzu's power level had already exceeded 500.
But Yajirobe was still under 400.
Others might not know, but Kami knew that Yajirobe's talent was not inferior to anyone else.
Yet, his character was something even Kami could not correct, leading him to let Yajirobe be so as not to hinder the training progress of the others.
Kami was too fixated.
No one could fault his dedication to training.
Ultimately, deciding whether to become more substantial should be one's decision.
Forcing someone into training and burdening them with responsibilities smacks of moral coercion.
Yajirobe's character might not be admirable, and his presence had depleted the Senzu Beans.
But in the end, he just wanted to live a carefree life.
Eating divine food and living a life akin to the immortals—why would anyone want to endure the agony of training?
In Yajirobe's view, leaving the world's savings to Goku, Krillin, and Tien was enough.
That was his mindset.
That said, Yajirobe also worried about the future, hence his decision to train to become stronger.
Otherwise, how could his power level have reached 970 during the Vegeta saga?
Though not comparable to Krillin, Yamcha, or Tien, he was powerful enough to be a dominant force in a previous era.
After all, he was the last one who could have contended for the title of Earth's strongest alongside Krillin.
Isn't Yamcha also a contender?
Yamcha tried hard but lost to Krillin and later voluntarily stepped back.
Thus, Yajirobe remains the last candidate.
...
Elsewhere.
In the afterlife.
At the end of Snake Way.
After a month and a half of running, Goku and Raditz finally arrived today.
They were much faster than Goku's solo six-month journey in the original story.
In the end, their fortunate misadventure of falling off Snake Way and eating the fruit that only King Yemma and gods could eat, along with several others Raditz insisted on, not only kept them energized for over a month without hunger but also greatly enhanced their physical capabilities.
This enabled them to reach their destination in such a short time.
Standing side by side, they looked at the small planet above them.
It would be nearly impossible to reach for ordinary people, even those with some strength who couldn't fly.
But for Goku and Raditz, it was no issue.
After a month and a half together, their personalities had adjusted well.
Although Raditz was no longer arrogant, he still hadn't completely shed his habits as a superior warrior.
"Let's go! We need to hurry and meet King Kai. I hope he doesn't disappoint," Raditz took the lead, floating upward and soaring into the sky.
Seeing this, Goku hastily shouted, "Wait for me!"
The next second, using his Flight Technique, he quickly followed.
As they approached King Kai's planet, they were suddenly enveloped by gravity ten times that of Earth.
Raditz was slightly surprised but quickly adjusted and landed firmly.
Goku, however, was unprepared and nearly fell.
After all, he had never been to another planet before and had grown under Earth's gravitational conditions. Even though his strength was sufficient, Earth's gravity still affected him ten times.