Ten days passed in the blink of an eye. Krillin gradually adapted to the pressure of the deep sea and felt a slight improvement in his strength.
Current Stats:
Year: Age 756
Name: Krillin
Age: 20
Race: Earthling
Combat Power: 104
Skills: Kamehameha, Solar Flare, Afterimage Technique...
Training Limit: 1500 Combat Power
Training was incredibly rewarding, and the visible growth in power filled Krillin with joy.
In the same period, Krillin's business had amassed 28 million zeni. With Fan Yu joining the team, Launch's workload had eased considerably. However, Krillin had not increased supply, sticking to a scarcity-based sales strategy.
Though 28 million zeni seemed like a lot, it wasn't enough to make large purchases. Krillin had initially planned to order a gravity chamber from Dr. Brief, but realizing his limited budget, he decided to wait.
Despite steady training, his combat power only increased by 4 points in 10 days. This slow progress made Krillin anxious. He thought about the timeline: Raditz would arrive on Earth in four years. At that time, Goku's combat power would be around 314-416, not far beyond Krillin's own capabilities. But after that, Goku's progress would explode:
Against Nappa: 5000-8000 Against Vegeta: 24,000 using the fourfold Kaio-ken.On Namek: 90,000 → 3,000,000 → 150,000,000
"Even with the best system ever, do I still have to resign myself to being a supporting character?!" Krillin groaned.
System Activation
"Ding! Oh, feeling unsure of yourself already, little Krillin?" The system chimed in with a teasing tone.
"You've been MIA for days, and now you pop up just to mock me?" Krillin rolled his eyes.
"Do you even understand how unfair this is? Saiyans jump from one breakthrough to hundreds of millions of combat power like it's nothing. How am I supposed to keep up?"
"Since the host is so eager to grow stronger, the Energy Function is now activated. Please check your stats. Also, the system is not mysterious, and no additional exploration is required."
Updated Stats:
Potential: 1396
Energy: 2
Training Speed: Medium
Usable Energy: 0
"What does this even mean?" Krillin sighed.
"Since you asked so nicely, I'll explain," the system replied.
Potential: The current maximum combat power you can achieve through training.
Energy: Boosts training speed when absorbed. The more energy, the faster your training. However, energy cannot be used if it falls below 10 points.
"How do I get more energy?" Krillin asked eagerly.
"There are two main ways:
Eating: Certain foods can provide energy.
Absorption: Extract energy from powerful objects or creatures."
"But I eat all the time! Why haven't I gained energy?"
"You don't need energy just to survive. Ever heard of the law of conservation of energy?!"
The system then added with a cheeky tone, "Here's an exciting bonus: accumulating enough energy can trigger qualitative changes—like finally breaking free from your 154 cm height."
Krillin's eyes welled with tears. "I… I can grow taller?! I was even planning to wish for it with the Dragon Balls! Looks like I can save my wish now. Hahaha!"
Training and Business
By now, Krillin's business was thriving. They'd rented a proper storefront, hired more staff, and established a stable operation. Limited sales kept demand high, ensuring a steady stream of income.
At the shop, Fan Yu worked diligently. Despite the growing customer base, he handled tasks with ease. Observing this, Krillin nodded in approval.
Krillin also noticed diminishing returns from his current underwater training and decided it was time to push himself harder. But to do so, he needed to transfer responsibilities.
"Fan Yu, have you ever considered a career change?" Krillin asked casually.
Fan Yu froze, his face turning pale. "Am I… being fired?"
"Relax," Krillin reassured him, realizing the misunderstanding. "You'll stop being a waiter, but only because I need someone to handle ingredient procurement. The pay will be 10 times higher, but it'll be more tiring."
"I'm not afraid of hard work!" Fan Yu exclaimed, eyes sparkling.
The offer left Fan Yu in shock. "Ten times… That's way too much! I already think 10,000 zeni a day is generous!"
"This is what you deserve," Krillin said firmly. "Tomorrow, come to Kame House. I'll send you a map—it's not easy to find."
The next morning, Fan Yu arrived at Kame House at dawn but didn't wake Krillin, waiting quietly under a coconut tree. When Krillin awoke and saw him patiently standing there, he nodded in approval.
"You're teachable. Let's go." Krillin demonstrated the Flight Technique, ascending effortlessly into the sky.
Fan Yu was stunned. "Humans can fly?!" A seed of ambition was planted in his heart.
Krillin led Fan Yu to a designated area in the ocean. "The ingredients are down there. Go on, try catching something."
Fan Yu dived in and, with his impressive combat power of 25, surfaced minutes later holding two lobsters. "Look, boss!"
Krillin smirked. "Smart kid. He's catching on fast."
Energy Discovery
After handing over the workload to Fan Yu, Krillin focused on deeper waters for more intense training. Diving to 150 meters, he reached the limit of what his body could handle. Every punch and movement felt agonizing under the immense pressure, but this was the only way to improve.
Suddenly, a shark approached, intent on attacking. Krillin sensed it immediately and waited for the right moment. As the shark lunged, Krillin dodged effortlessly and struck its back with a powerful punch. He followed up with a Kamehameha, instantly killing it.
"System, absorb," Krillin commanded.
"Ding! 50 energy gained."
Updated Stats:
Potential: 1394
Energy: 56
Training Speed: High
Krillin used the energy to activate high-speed training for five days, marveling at how much sharper his understanding of martial arts became.
After two hours of hunting sea creatures, Krillin's combat power skyrocketed.
Updated Stats:
Potential: 1393
Energy: 3056
Krillin spent 3000 energy to unlock 30 days of ultra-speed training, feeling an overwhelming surge of strength.
"This is amazing! Every moment, I'm getting stronger," Krillin thought, his confidence renewed.
Master Roshi, observing Krillin, noticed the profound change. "The torch has been passed. The future of Earth is in good hands."
System Training Speed Tiers:
Low Speed Medium Speed High Speed (10 energy)
Ultra-Speed (100 energy)
Light-Speed (1000 energy)
VIP Mode (10,000 energy)
Krillin smiled. "The road ahead doesn't seem so daunting anymore."
For 20 advanced chapters: https://www.patreon.com/c/Ely225