Watching No.18 step into the glass capsule, Kaito pressed a button. The nutrient fluid began to rise, and when it reached her chest, she suddenly removed her breathing mask and blurted out impulsively:
"Kaito, while I'm asleep, you'd better not let that woman Bulma seduce you!"
Kaito chuckled softly and replied,
"Don't worry, you're the only girlfriend I've got here."
"Hmm..."
No.18 put her mask back on and slowly drifted into slumber within the nutrient fluid.
Separated by a thick earthen wall, the siblings wouldn't wake up to any awkward situations.
After finishing everything, Kaito sealed the room and walked toward a secure vault. His eyes flashed with a faint light, and suddenly, a larger InfinityEnergy Reactor appeared in his hands.
This was the very first Infinity Energy Reactor ever created by Dr. Gero—it originally belonged to Android 16.
Android 16's design had been modeled after Dr. Gero's deceased son. Since his son had perished without leaving a trace, Gero's idea had been to create a fully mechanical being.
The advantage of a purely mechanical body was its ability to withstand tremendous energy output—something evident from this massive reactor.
With it, Android 16 was once able to fight the first form of Cell, who had absorbed countless humans, to a near standstill. If not for 17's recklessness, 16 might have actually destroyed Cell.
Of course, a purely mechanical form also had its disadvantages: once completed, its Power Level was permanently fixed, and it couldn't use Ki.
During the fight between 16 and Cell, 16 never used any Ki-based techniques—he relied entirely on physical strength and the weapon systems built into his body, even deploying a Gatling gun at one point.
The sheer performance was impressive—but it also revealed his limits.
After all, the combination of an Infinity Energy Reactor with human flesh carried infinite potential. Through training alone, 17 later became powerful enough to spar evenly with a Super Saiyan 3.
But a full machine could never achieve that. Unlike 17 or 18, it couldn't grow stronger through training; the only way to improve was to upgrade its internal mechanical components.
However, for Kaito, that limitation meant nothing.
With a single thought, a series of clack-clack-clack mechanical sounds echoed from within his body. He had entered Asura Path Mode—his body mostly transformed into metal.
Removing his shirt, the mechanical structures on his back opened up, moving like living organisms to reveal an empty socket—perfectly sized to fit the Infinity Energy Reactor.
Several black cables shot out, snakelike, coiling tightly around the reactor and pulling it into Kaito's body.
The moment it connected, a blinding golden light burst from his eyes, flooding the entire laboratory in a sea of gold.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The mechanical parts within his body roared to life, and a terrifying wave of energy surged skyward.
...
Elsewhere, Goku and Piccolo were sparring. Goku was charging up a Kamehameha, while Piccolo had two fingers pressed against his forehead.
But the instant they felt that surge of power, both halted their attacks and looked toward the same direction.
Piccolo's antennae twitched, and his face tightened in shock.
"What is that? Is that… Ki? That's way too much!"
Goku's expression grew serious.
"This energy feels familiar. It must be that mysterious guy from before… Incredible. I can't tell if this is even his full power."
Piccolo's green face darkened further as he clenched his fists.
"If he's our enemy, then we're finished..."
But Goku remained calm. Unlike his more reckless future counterpart, the Goku of this era was far more composed.
"No. Someone that strong wouldn't even bother with us. And remember—he told us about the Saiyans. That means he's not a bad person."
"Let's hope so."
"Alright, back to training. Someone like him is still far beyond our reach. Right now, our concern should be those two Saiyans."
"Hmph. You don't have to tell me! Take this—Special Beam Cannon!"
"What?! Piccolo! That's cheating!"
"Cheating is a compliment, you fool!"
"Is that so? Then take this—Solar Flare!"
"Dammit! My eyes!!!"
...
Back in the laboratory, the golden radiance finally receded into Kaito's body.
He clenched his fist—feeling as if he could obliterate a planet with a single punch.
The Asura Path was directly linked to his ocular power; the stronger his eyes, the stronger his Asura Path—and the tougher his internal machinery became.
That meant all of his mechanical components could evolve just like living flesh. The weaknesses of pure machines no longer applied to him.
Before this, Kaito already possessed countless powerful techniques, but he still had one limitation—his physical body wasn't strong enough, at least compared to late-stage Dragon Ball characters.
In worlds like One Piece or Naruto, though, his physical strength was still overwhelming on a dimensional level.
Still, even if he could remain invincible through an energy-based form, sometimes—real men preferred the thrill of hand-to-hand combat.
Now, with the Infinity Energy Reactor integrated into his body and his own energy amplifying it, Kaito had no idea how powerful he had truly become.
Dr. Gero's lab did have a computer capable of calculating Power Levels, and it was far more advanced than the scouter Raditz once used.
Don't underestimate Dr. Gero's scientific genius—after all, Android 16's head scanner could even detect Cell's full-power readings in his first form.
But when Kaito used it to measure his own power, the display merely showed three question marks—before nearly smoking out.
Resigned, Kaito gave up trying to measure his strength through numbers.
Now, his gaze was fixed higher—on the beings known as "gods."
In his eyes, the only true deities in the Dragon Ball world were the Gods of Destruction and their Angels.
As for the so-called Supreme Kais, they were an insult to the very word "god." They might possess a few strange abilities, but compared to Dragon Ball's true powerhouses, they were pitifully weak.
Kaito sighed softly at the thought, then sat cross-legged, guarding the slumbering No.18—and the still body of Lapis.