Time slipped by like sand through fingers, and several months passed quietly.
One afternoon, the sun was shining brightly. Bulma, enjoying a rare moment of leisure, sat in an exquisite wicker chair in the courtyard, holding a cup of steaming black tea and savoring the tranquility.
Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the faint scraping sound of the gravity room's heavy alloy door sliding open.
Bulma turned her head in surprise and saw Whitley's figure emerge from within, his face wearing a rare expression of frustration mixed with helpless depression.
He wasn't steaming with heat and dripping with sweat, ready to dive into the next round of training as usual. Instead, he was walking straight towards her.
"Ara~ How rare, Whitley!"
Bulma put down her teacup, her sapphire-blue eyes full of amazement. "You actually came out before dinner today? Did the sun rise from the west? Or... did you finally break the gravity room with your training?"
She asked half-jokingly, but a hint of worry rose in her heart.
Whitley plopped down in the empty seat beside her, his movement a bit deflated.
He casually picked up Bulma's cup of tea, which was at the perfect temperature, and took several large gulps without even looking at it. Only then did he let out a long breath, his brow furrowed. "Don't mention it! I think I've hit a plateau recently!"
His tone was dejected, and his usually energetic voice had become somewhat subdued.
"Even when I push myself to the limit in the gravity room you built, it feels like I'm punching a pile of cotton. My strength growth has almost completely stagnated, and my physical toughness is stuck in the same place!"
"A plateau?!"
Bulma sat up straight, the relaxed smile on her face vanishing.
She knew Whitley all too well. This training maniac's greatest obsession and joy was to continuously become stronger. His power stagnating was definitely a major event that could affect his mood.
"What's going on? Has the design of the gravity room reached its limit? Or... is it a problem with your body itself?" she asked urgently, her mind already racing through various technical parameters and biological knowledge.
Whitley shook his head, his chin resting in one hand as he fell into deep thought.
His gaze was distant as he muttered to himself, "I don't know... let me think..."
In his mind, various methods of getting stronger from the Dragon Ball anime flashed by: training with King Kai? The acceleration of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber? Breaking through on the verge of death? Even the potential unlocking by the Grand Elder on Namek...
"Could it be... I should go find King Kai?"
He muttered this option under his breath, then immediately shook his head in self-denial. "Too much trouble, and the Kaioken wouldn't be very effective for me... Or, maybe I could ask Kami if I can borrow the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"
This thought made his eyes brighten for a moment, but they quickly dimmed again. "No... that place is too special. It's a trump card for turning the tables at a critical moment. I can't waste it on breaking through a simple plateau..."
Seeing Whitley's furrowed brow and deep concentration, Bulma didn't interrupt him again.
She just sat quietly by his side, watching him with a gentle and firm gaze.
She believed in her lover. No matter what method he chose in the end, she would be his most solid support, providing him with everything he needed—be it technology, resources, or unconditional trust.
Time passed in silence.
After a long while, Whitley suddenly stood up, a look of decision flashing in his eyes.
He turned to Bulma and said, "I've thought of a method. I need to go out for a bit. I... might not be back for dinner, so don't wait for me."
Bulma nodded. "Mm, be careful."
Whitley said no more. His figure shot up into the sky and became a streak of light, speeding towards the distant Korin Tower that connected the heavens and the earth.
He was so fast he even kicked up a whirlwind in the courtyard.
It wasn't until his figure had completely disappeared into the blue sky that Bulma snapped back to her senses, her delicate face instantly filled with an unprecedented gravity.
"Whitley... he... he actually said he might not be back for dinner?!"
She muttered to herself, her voice rising a few notches. "This is bad! He's not even interested in eating?! This... this is an unprecedented major event!!!"
For a Saiyan to lose his passion for eating, the severity of the problem was probably ten times more terrifying than she had thought!
Whitley flew like the wind, his destination clear: the towering Korin Tower.
He landed on the platform at the top with a familiar ease and casually waved at the white cat, Korin, who was holding his staff and watching him with a mixture of vigilance and resignation.
"Yo, Korin. Same as usual. The fish is in the capsule. Are the Senzu Beans ready?" His movements were as practiced as if he were conducting a daily transaction.
Korin looked at the DynoCap Whitley had tossed over, then at the other's "cut the crap and let's trade" expression. His whiskers twitched, and he finally resignedly counted out ten plump, emerald-green Senzu Beans from the jar in the corner and handed them over.
Both parties felt they had gotten a good deal and couldn't be bothered to haggle.
Whitley took the Senzu Beans and, without lingering, leaped through the invisible barrier at the top of the tower, flying towards the even higher Kami's Lookout, which floated in the clouds.
At the edge of the Lookout's pristine white plaza, Kami and his attendant, Mr. Popo, were already standing there like ancient, unchanging statues.
Compared to their alarm when Whitley first arrived on Earth, their expressions were now remarkably calm.
After all, Whitley had been flying up every now and then for the past few months, ostensibly to pass by Korin Tower to bring the cat immortal fish, and occasionally he would also stop by the Lookout to admire the view from the perimeter.
After a while, Kami's extreme vigilance had turned into... habitual caution.
When Whitley's figure landed lightly on the white floor of the Lookout, the green, wrinkled face of Kami showed no expression. Only his deep eyes were fixed on him as he got straight to the point, "What is your purpose for coming to Earth?"
He had been holding back this question for a long time. Although Whitley's behavior seemed harmless, his unfathomable power was always Kami's biggest concern.
Whitley rolled his eyes dramatically upon hearing this, a look of "here you go again" on his face.
He spread his hands, his tone a mix of helplessness and mockery. "My purpose for coming to Earth? Am I after your planet because it's weak? Am I after your backward technology, besides the DynoCaps? Am I after your Dragon Balls that you haggle over and are reluctant to even grant a wish with? Please, give me one good reason to invade Earth!"
He pointed to the Lookout beneath his feet. "Or am I after this place because it's quiet and good for spacing out?"
This blunt, almost harsh retort left Kami speechless.
He thought about it carefully, and it was true... besides the Dragon Balls, Earth didn't seem to have anything worth this powerful alien's attention. But the person before him, except for that one time with his little girlfriend, had never actively sought out the Dragon Balls.
As for women... Kami glanced at Whitley's handsome but currently "don't bother me" face and silently suppressed the thought, which he considered unlikely.
Kami was silent for a moment, his tense nerves relaxing slightly, but his vigilance remained.
He changed the question, his tone softening a bit. "Then what is your purpose for coming up here specifically today?"
He noticed that Whitley's state today seemed different from his usual playful wanderings. There was a seriousness in his brow, a search for an answer.
Whitley grinned, showing his neat teeth. "That's simple. I wanted to ask if you have any particularly sturdy, particularly durable places around here? I need to unleash my 'ki' at full power to run an experiment. I'm afraid if I lose control down below, I might flip a tectonic plate. Hurting people, flowers, and grass wouldn't be good."
Kami nodded slightly upon hearing this, not asking for the reason. He extended a withered finger and pointed to the reflective floor of the Lookout, his tone carrying a barely perceptible pride. "The material of the Lookout is composed of divine power and the toughest substances on Earth. It is strong enough to withstand your power. If you wish to display your strength, you may do so here."
A playful curve appeared on Whitley's lips, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Oh? Are you sure? Let's be clear, if I break anything, I'm not paying for it!" He gave a preemptive warning.
Kami nodded expressionlessly. "It matters not."
He signaled for Mr. Popo to step back a bit, while he himself stood his ground, his cloudy eyes locked on Whitley, as if silently telling him: You may begin.
Whitley would never refuse such an advantageous offer.
He walked to the very center of the Lookout's plaza and slowly closed his eyes. The surroundings instantly fell silent, with only the whistling of the high-altitude wind in his ears.
He clenched his fists at his waist, his consciousness sinking into his body, beginning to silently feel the vast ki within, guiding the immense power that surged like molten lava through his limbs.
By his own estimation, his current power level should have surpassed five million!
Theoretically, this value had already reached the basic threshold for transforming into a Super Saiyan. But the "transformation" was not a simple numbers game; it was more like a genetic lock that required a specific key or intense emotion to open.
Whitley had never actually transformed before and could only grope and experiment based on hazy memories and his own feelings.
The first thing he thought of was the method Vegeta taught another universe's Saiyan in Dragon Ball Super—concentrating his power on a "point" in his back, imagining it as the source and switch of his power.
"Concentrate... condense... imagine it's a switch... open it..." Whitley chanted silently in his heart, his mind highly focused, trying to guide all the violent energy in his body like streams flowing into the sea, towards the area between his shoulder blades.
He could feel the energy gathering behind him. The muscles in his back grew slightly hot and tensed, and a powerful sense of strength was brewing.
However... he was just missing that one little bit!
It was as if a membrane, as thin as a cicada's wing but incredibly tough, was blocking the way. No matter how he charged or guided it, the world-destroying power could not break through the final restraint and complete the qualitative transformation.
It was like water that had reached its boiling point but was always missing that last degree to fully boil!
"Damn it!" After trying for a long time to no avail, Whitley couldn't help but curse inwardly, a deep sense of frustration in his heart.
"In the novels I read in my past life, when others transmigrated to the Dragon Ball world, they either had a system to get stronger by checking in, or they were born with a Super Saiyan bloodline and could transform with a single angry shout... How come when it's my turn, forget a system, even transforming into a simple Super Saiyan is as difficult as being constipated! I have to rely on my own hard work!"
He opened his eyes with resignation and let out a long, somewhat resentful sigh. Without a doubt, the first method had failed.
"It seems I can only try the most primitive and classic method—anger!"
Whitley's eyes focused, and he closed them once again. He began to dig deep into his memories, searching for fragments that could ignite his rage.
The only candy he had, stolen by a bigger kid at the orphanage? — Well... at the time, I just felt wronged, cried a bit, and forgot about it. Thinking back now, it's just a bit comical.
Being laughed at by classmates in school for being a "fatherless, motherless wild child," and being given the nasty nickname "Er Gouzi"? — Mmm... that guy got beaten so badly he didn't even recognize himself afterward. The anger has long since dissipated. I even feel a bit proud.
Being mercilessly dumped by his first love in college? — Ugh... I think I was sad for less than two days before I met a prettier and more interesting senior in the library... I can't get angry about that!
Being forcibly appointed as Vegeta's guard on Planet Vegeta? — Uh... I bullied Vegeta so pitifully, and I even ditched him to come to Earth alone... how am I supposed to get angry about that!
"Damn it! This is infuriating!" The more Whitley thought, the more frustrated he became, and the more frustrated he became, the angrier he got. But this anger did not stem from those distant, long-forgiven past events, but from his current predicament!
"Why is it so easy for everyone else to get stronger! Checking in, hot springs! Why do I have to train so damn hard! Even transforming is such a hassle! Is this stupid transformation mechanism biased against me?! Huh?! Look at me!!! You son of a bitch!!!"
This intense feeling of suffocation from the difficulty of transforming, the unwillingness and self-doubt, was like a drop of water splashing into a barrel of hot oil!
BOOM!!!—
Without any warning! An unimaginable, incomparably violent golden aura suddenly erupted from within Whitley! Like a volcano that had been dormant for billions of years, it suddenly erupted! A blinding golden light instantly swallowed his figure, turning into a giant pillar of light that connected the heavens and the earth, shooting straight into the sky!
A terrifying golden shockwave, like a tangible tsunami, radiated outwards from Whitley in a circular pattern, crazily spreading and crashing!
Kami and Mr. Popo, standing not far away, didn't even have time to react. They only felt an irresistible force slam into them!
"Ugh!" Kami only had time to let out a short cry of surprise before his old body was sent flying like a leaf in a storm. He slammed heavily into the distant wall of the Lookout with a "thud" and slid ungracefully to the ground, his staff flying far away.
Mr. Popo's dark figure was not spared either. He was directly swept up by the violent shockwave, tumbling several times in the air before landing with a "thud" on the hard floor.
The entire magnificent and sturdy Kami's Lookout, in the face of this sudden eruption of power that seemed capable of shaking the stars, emitted a low, continuous hum of being overloaded! The white floor trembled violently, fine dust fell from the dome, and the seemingly solid decorations of the Lookout swayed wildly!
Kami's Lookout, it was as if it were experiencing a divine punishment!
"AAAAAAAAAH!!!!!—"
From the center of the light pillar came Whitley's roar, a roar of anger and ultimate release that seemed to want to tear his chest apart!
The golden aura around him danced and rose wildly, its form also changing drastically. His spiky black hair, originally as black as ink, was now pulled upwards by an invisible force, each strand standing on end. And in the golden light, the black color visibly faded, dyed a dazzling, pure gold!
His tightly closed eyes snapped open! For a moment, his pupils disappeared in the golden light, leaving only terrifying whites. Veins bulged on his forehead like angry, coiled dragons! His entire body's muscles tensed to the limit under the golden light, his bones letting out a series of cracking sounds!
"DAMN IT!!! HAAAA!!!!!!!!—"
With this heart-wrenching roar that seemed to want to shatter the heavens, Whitley's transformation was finally complete!
The blinding golden light retracted slightly but still surrounded his body like a burning flame, forming a violent wave of golden aura.
His spiky hair, which stood on end, had completely turned a burning gold! His pupils, now a turquoise green, re-formed, like two cold emeralds set in a face that had become more angular and filled with a wild beauty due to the surge of power.
An indescribable, powerful, and oppressive, terrifying aura swept across the entire Lookout like a storm!
Super Saiyan—Whitley!
He hovered half a foot off the ground, looking down at his hands, which were wrapped in a golden aura, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. He felt the violent power, dozens of times stronger than before, surging like an ocean within him!
The plateau that had been bothering him for so long was as fragile as thin paper in the face of this power!
Elation instantly flooded him!
However, after the elation, an extremely absurd thought came to his mind—he had successfully transformed!
But the reason for his successful transformation into a Super Saiyan... was because he was extremely frustrated and angry at not being able to transform?! What was this? Getting angry because he couldn't transform, which ultimately led to a successful transformation?
This logic was a perfect closed loop! The most bizarre transformation in the history of Saiyans!
Whitley hovered in mid-air, feeling the explosive power within him. His golden hair moved without wind in the aura, and his turquoise pupils swept over the wrecked plaza of the Lookout, finally landing on Kami, who had just struggled to his feet in the distance, his face covered in dust and full of horror, as if he had seen a ghost.
A complex, indescribable curve slowly formed on his lips.
Getting angry at myself for not being able to get angry, which led to me successfully transforming?
What the hell... that works too?!
...
Here is the bonus chapter :)