(Arthur POV)
I surveyed the police officers before me, then turned to Klein. "You can go. I'll handle this."
Klein nodded, concern etched on his face as he exited the office.
Turning back to the officers, I offered a calm smile. "What can I do for our esteemed law enforcement today?"
"May we sit?" The apparent leader of the group asked.
"By all means," I gestured to the chairs.
Only a few took seats while the others remained standing, a subtle show of force.
The lead officer cleared his throat. "Mr. Morningstar, we understand you have an ongoing case against Caleb Diamond?"
I nodded, maintaining my composure. "That's correct. As you're likely aware, my talents were assaulted by Caleb and his associates."
The officers exchanged meaningful glances before the leader continued, "We're here about that, Mr. Morningstar."
"Oh?" I feigned curiosity.
"We'd like to persuade you to drop the case against Caleb."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Is there any particular reason I should abandon my pursuit of justice?"
"It's a futile endeavor, Mr. Morningstar," the leader said, his tone patronizing. "Our investigation shows your talents lack concrete evidence against Caleb. He's innocent."
"Well, that should be good news for Caleb," I smiled, my voice laced with barely concealed sarcasm. "But I won't be dropping the case. After all, if Caleb truly is innocent, he has nothing to fear."
The leader's eyes hardened. "Is that your final word?"
"Indeed it is," I replied, my respectful facade firmly in place. "If there's nothing else to discuss, I'll see you gentlemen out."
"No need," the leader waved dismissively, signaling his group to exit.
As they filed out, I allowed myself a soft chuckle. "A bunch of fools. Puppets of the commissioner," I muttered under my breath.
There was no way I'd drop the case against Caleb. This visit only confirmed my suspicions about the corruption running through the city's veins. It was clear that my pursuit of justice would ruffle more than a few feathers, but I was prepared for the challenge. The game was on, and I intended to play it to win.
***
(3rd Person POV)
The following day, Arthur returned to the {Creator's Realms}, eager to test his mettle against Goku.
Their exchange of blows was fierce, but the tide turned dramatically when Goku transformed into the Great Ape. Despite his best efforts, Arthur found himself overwhelmed, unceremoniously blasted away by the colossal simian.
Sighing in resignation, Arthur loaded his previous save file, returning to the day of Bulma's invitation to her house. This time, he had a different agenda.
"Bulma, could you show me the basic operating system for your early computers?" Arthur asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
Intrigued, Bulma obliged, leading him to her personal computer. To her astonishment, Arthur began meticulously copying the code onto paper.
Days passed, and stacks of papers filled with assembly code grew steadily. Arthur's dexterous hands, honed by years of artistry, allowed him to transcribe the entire system with remarkable speed and accuracy.
Bulma returned to the guest room, eyeing the mountain of coded papers with a mix of curiosity and confusion. "What do you need all this for?" she asked.
Arthur smiled enigmatically. "Oh, this? Just something I'm working on."
"Something?" Bulma echoed, her brow furrowed.
Unbeknownst to Bulma, Arthur had recognized a crucial divergence: the computer technologies in the Dragon Ball world were markedly different from both his previous life's experiences and the knowledge bestowed upon him by the system.
This disparity presented a unique opportunity - a chance to acquire a copy of a basic operating system unlike anything in his world.
Typically, creating an operating system from scratch would be a Herculean task, even with Arthur's inherited computer knowledge. It wasn't just about knowing the principles; it required meticulous planning and coding of every minute detail.
While Arthur could conceptualize a basic operating system similar to Windows 1, drawing from his previous life's memories and system-granted knowledge, he lacked the specific code implementations. His team back home had been working on following his plans to code a Windows 1-like OS, but progress was slow.
This serendipitous discovery in the Dragon Ball world could potentially accelerate his technological ambitions back home, bridging the gap between concept and implementation in ways he hadn't anticipated.
With the basic operating system in hand, Arthur had effectively eliminated the need for his team to spend countless hours developing a Windows 1 equivalent from scratch. The operating system he'd copied from the Dragon Ball world, with its striking similarities to Windows 1, provided an invaluable shortcut.
Arthur had already begun modifying the code to align with the specifications he and his computer team had planned. While there was still work to be done - testing and bug-fixing the modifications - the bulk of the groundwork was laid.
Later, Bulma returned, her eyes alight with curiosity. "Are you finally done?"
Arthur nodded, then asked, "Is the package I requested ready?"
Bulma produced a small capsule. "Everything's in here."
With a nod of thanks, Arthur exited the world, returning to the {Creator's Realms} interface. To his satisfaction, the capsule remained in his hand.
While the {Creator's Realms} didn't allow for the transportation of people from fictional worlds, it did permit the transfer of certain objects and items.
While bringing people from fictional worlds was beyond {Creator's Realms} current capabilities, this limitation did little to dampen Arthur's spirits.
Back in his office, Arthur activated the capsule. With a soft 'poof', an array of items and materials materialized before him.
The haul included crucial materials for his next computer project, along with a treasure trove of technology: speakers, a color TV, a VHS player, and blank VHS tapes. These items, while considered antiques in the Dragon Ball world, represented cutting-edge technology in Arthur's reality.
Arthur's mind raced with possibilities. He could reverse engineer these devices, substituting materials that didn't exist in his world with suitable alternatives.
The color TV, while an antique in Dragon Ball's world, represented cutting-edge technology in Arthur's reality. Its presence promised to revolutionize the entertainment landscape.
***
Later, as Arthur exited the company building, his instincts prickled. A quick glance confirmed his suspicions - a group of thugs were tailing him.
Deciding to confront the situation head-on, Arthur led them into a secluded alley, ensuring no innocent bystanders would be caught in the crossfire.
Without turning, Arthur addressed his pursuers. "What do you want from me?"
A fiendish demon, clearly the leader, cracked his knuckles with an ominous pop. "Hehe, you don't need to know," he sneered. "Someone just wanted us to teach you a lesson."
"Is that so?" Arthur's lips curved into a smile, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.
His fighting experience from the Dragon Ball world was about to face its first real-world test. While he knew reality operated on different logic - he couldn't replicate Nam's superhuman leaps with minimal effort here - the skills and instincts he'd honed remained razor-sharp.
Before the thugs could react, Arthur vanished from their line of sight. In a blink, he reappeared beside them, his fist glowing with energy as he unleashed the "Infernal Fist" technique on the leader.
The demon crashed into the wall with a sickening thud. As realization dawned on the other thugs, they lunged at Arthur. But he was already in motion, effortlessly evading their clumsy attacks and systematically dismantling their offense.
What should have been a group assault quickly devolved into a one-sided beatdown, with Arthur as the unlikely victor. He methodically incapacitated each thug, saving the leader for last.
"Please! No more!" the leader whimpered, cowering before Arthur's raised fist.
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Who ordered you to attack me?"
The leader hesitated, but as Arthur's fist inched closer, he broke. "It was a police officer! I- I don't know his name!"
Another thug, sprawled on the ground, chimed in through tears, "Yes! He paid us to beat you. And..."
"And leave you this letter..." the leader finished, fumbling to produce an envelope.
Arthur snatched the letter, his eyes scanning its contents. The message was clear: drop the case against Caleb Diamond.
A dark chuckle escaped Arthur's lips as he tore the letter to shreds. This crude attempt at intimidation had only strengthened his resolve. Whoever was behind this - be it Caleb or corrupt officers - had severely underestimated their opponent.
A few days ago, Arthur might have needed to fully transform into his {Primal Morningstar} form. Now, he didn't even need to tap into the ability to defeat the thugs who lay battered and crying on the ground.