บท 80: Chapter 80 – POWERRRRR!!!
~ 4 Days Remaining Before Ginyu's Arrival ~
Ajax leaned against the smooth, cool exterior of Guru's house, its alien material unlike anything he had encountered on either of his two Earths. As he did so, he did his best to tune out Mushin's incessant yapping beside him, concentrating instead on the faint warmth from the trio of suns on his face. It was morning—or as close to morning as it got on a night-less planet with three suns.
His previous "night," if it could be called that, had been spent in restless anticipation of his audience with Guru. Last "night," to his surprise, they had received a message from Goku, leading to Bulma and Krillin taking on the task of updating him on the events unfolding on Namek. In return, Goku disclosed that he would arrive in four days, which alleviated some of the tension among the Z Fighters.
Now, four days might not seem like much time, but given the precarious balance hanging by a thread here on Namek, hours—or even minutes—could mean the difference between success and utter disaster.
And now, the following day, Ajax found himself at Guru's sanctuary, patiently awaiting his turn.
Prior to their arrival, Guru had thoughtfully encased the surrounding area in some sort of barrier that shielded it from external ki detection, allowing each Z Fighter to test and refine their powers without attracting unwanted attention.
The Grand Elder had requested to meet each of them individually, and Ajax was more than willing to wait his turn. Considering the level of accommodation provided, waiting patiently was a small price to pay.
A short while earlier, Gohan had emerged from the building as a completely different fighter, his ki at least ten times higher than when he had entered. Eager and brimming with newfound strength, he quickly hurried off with Piccolo to the designated training area. Ajax couldn't blame Gohan for his excitement; the young Saiyan hybrid was approaching, if not surpassing, Vegeta's initial strength when he arrived on Earth.
That must've been exciting.
Meanwhile, in another corner of Guru's sanctuary, Dende was engrossed in yet another of his "scientific discussions" with Bulma. Krillin, on the other hand, was inside, having his turn with Guru and Nail.
Ajax sighed heavily. His attempts to distract himself from Mushin's incessant chattering did jack shit. It had been a while since he had been unwittingly 'sacrificed' as the scapegoat to the little chatterbox, and by now he felt as if his head might actually explode.
Literally.
"Big Brother Ajax! I can't believe you're calling something as cool as that air-hardening move something as boring as 'external Ki manipulation," Mushin said, making a childish face as he goofily mocked the technique's name. "That sounds like something a thousand-year-old grandpa with no humor would come up with!"
Ajax felt the corner of his lips twitch upwards involuntarily. Well, Mushin wasn't entirely off base, Ajax mused inwardly. Kami may not quite be in the four-digit age range yet, but calling him a grandpa isn't entirely inaccurate. And as for humor... heh heh...
"So, in other words, it's something Grand Elder Guru might think of?" Ajax teased back, firing off a playful comeback after enduring what felt like an hour-long barrage of words.
Mushin gasped dramatically, utterly offended and indignant in that way only children could be.
"Lord Guru would never! He– he–" Mushin stuttered, caught between defending the Grand Elder and realizing the undeniable truth that Guru fit the description of a thousand-year-old grandpa quite well. His face flushed purple with indignation and embarrassment as he pouted at Ajax, feeling thoroughly aggrieved by the teasing.
Ajax couldn't resist flashing a mischievous grin at the verbal corner he had backed Mushin into. The boy's reaction was priceless, but Ajax quickly raised his hands in mock surrender. The kid looked like he was two seconds away from throwing a punch, and Ajax preferred not to have to explain to Nail why Mushin broke his hand on Ajax's abs.
"Well, what would you name it, then?" Ajax asked, attempting to humor the enthusiastic young boy. He had nothing against Kami, of course, but he couldn't deny that the term "external Ki manipulation" lacked a certain... flair.
"Oh! I have a heroic name! Supreme Ethereal Total Airspace Domination!"
"No."
"Celestial Astral Domain: Atmospheric Vortex Nexus…?"
"…"
Ajax's silence and his deadpan expression conveyed more than words ever could.
"Okay, okay," Mushin relented, sensing Ajax's exasperation. "Something simpler then! How about Ultimate Transcending Aerospace Zone?"
Ajax let out a slow breath, dragging his hand down his face. "Who let this kid cook?" he mouthed silently under his breath. Well, he knew he did, and he regretted every decision that led up to this exchange. This was worse than Spider Cooking...
Summoning all his patience, Ajax leveled the most patient look he could muster at Mushin.
"Look, Mushin, I'd be deader than dead before I could get that mouthful out," Ajax said, rubbing his temple wearily. "Let's compromise. Stick with two words, and nothing too exaggerated."
Mushin, surprisingly, seemed to take Ajax's instructions rather seriously. He sat with his fingers on his chin and looked downward for quite some time, his eyes squinting in deep concentration.
"Hmmm... then... how about Aerospace Domain?"
Ajax, bracing himself for yet another extravagant name, blinked in surprise at the simplicity and straightforwardness of the suggestion. He held back his instinctive rejection and considered the name. It was concise, descriptive, and easy to remember—a stark contrast to the tongue-twisters the boy had initially suggested.
He quietly repeated it to himself a few times, letting the words roll off his tongue. "Aerospace Domain," he murmured, testing the name's feel and cadence. With each repetition, Ajax found himself increasingly impressed by Mushin's choice. "Damn. Yeah, that works. Aerospace Domain it is then."
Mushin beamed at the approval, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction as he soaked in the pride of successfully naming a technique for one of his heroes. "Yeah! Now it'll sound so much coole–"
"FUUUUUUCK YEAHHHH!!"
Ajax and Mushin were suddenly startled out of their moment of naming triumph by the sudden scream of exhilaration. They instinctively turned towards the source of the commotion, only to witness Krillin burst out from within Guru's house, cackling evilly with a grin that bordered on maniacal.
Krillin's aura was draped around him like a shimmering cloak, pulsing with newfound power that was only slightly less impressive than Gohan's.
Without any form of greeting or acknowledgment, Krillin dashed past them towards the training zone like Vegeta himself was on his heels.
Ajax observed the entire proceeding with amusement, though it suddenly dawned on him that, in light of Krillin's and Gohan's recent power boosts, he was now officially the weakest member of the Z Fighters on Namek.
But not for long.
Ajax sensed a subtle shift in the space behind him and turned toward the entrance of Guru's residence. Sure enough, Nail stood ready by the door, waiting for him.
Nail met Ajax's eyes and nodded, silently asking, 'Are you ready?'
Then, without even glancing in Mushin's direction, Nail's hand shot out with astonishing speed and accuracy. With a single extended finger that landed squarely on Mushin's forehead, he skillfully halted the excitable Namekian child in his tracks, preventing a messy collision that would have ended in a clumsy bear hug.
Ajax reciprocated Nail's nod and gently patted Mushin on the head as he walked past the now slightly distracted Namekian child.
Stepping into Guru's residence, Ajax had to blink several times to acclimate to the dimmer interior ambient lighting. The interior was spacious yet humble, suffused with an atmosphere of mysteriousness. Ajax's attention was immediately drawn to the towering figure seated on an oversized white chair that resembled a throne in its grandeur.
Guru, with his immense stature, looked down at Ajax with a kind smile.
Ajax hesitated for a moment, unsure of the proper etiquette for greeting the grand leader of an entire race. He ultimately offered a slight bow, hoping it was appropriate.
To Ajax's surprise, Guru chuckled warmly, his large frame shaking with amusement. "Such politeness, young one," Guru said, his voice dragging along at an unusually slow pace. "Come closer; let this old man have a good look at you."
Ajax moved towards Guru's figure, simultaneously mindful of Nail's presence hovering by the entrance. Standing beside Guru's oversized chair, Ajax looked up, craning his neck to see Guru gently lowering his enormous palm onto his head. It was warm and unexpectedly soft, but also somewhat wet.
Ajax tried very hard not to think about what it was wet with.
In that position, Ajax waited patiently, not experiencing anything in particular. He tried to remain composed, but inwardly, his thoughts raced with apprehension. It wasn't that Ajax doubted Guru's abilities, but rather, he feared the unsettling possibility that he might not possess any significant latent power or potential.
After all, he possessed only the average potential of an ordinary person in a non-fantasy world.
As time stretched on, that nagging concern only intensified. Perhaps nothing was happening because there was nothing to happen? His potential couldn't be that dismal, right? Cause it would be really fucking awkward if he had no significant power to unlock.
God, he might as well book himself a one-way ticket to the Overworld at that point. He'd be too embarrassed to continue living.
And so, Ajax and Guru continued to stare blankly at each other.
After an extended silence, Ajax could no longer bear the tension, having reached his mental and emotional limit. He nervously cleared his throat. "Ummm," he began tentatively. "Is there something wrong?"
Guru blinked, his eyelids moving so slowly that Ajax was reminded of the deliberate, snail-pace movements of those sloths working at the DMV in Zootopia.
"Patience, young warrior. There's nothing wrong. I'm just..." Guru started, his voice trailing off into a softer tone. "...adjusting."
Ajax looked at Guru with confusion, unsure about what Guru meant by "adjusting." Before Ajax could respond, Guru's massive hand pressed slightly firmer against his head before withdrawing altogether, placing it back on the armrest of the throne.
Then it happened.
A surge of power erupted from deep within Ajax, coursing through his body like water bursting through a dam. The sensation felt similar to blood rushing back into a limb that had fallen asleep, but instead of numbness, it filled him with energy, like he was high on caffeine. Ajax felt as if he had suddenly shifted into Sport Mode, every fiber of his being electrified and ready for take-off at full throttle.
He exhaled slowly, reveling in the waves of his power.
He felt powerful. No, he is powerful.
He had received far more power than he had anticipated. Right now, without any exertion or suppression, he estimated his power to be–
"NAAAAIIIIILLLLL..." Guru's booming but exceedingly slow voice reverberated through the chamber, causing Ajax to jolt at the sudden volume. "Leave us. I wish to speak with Young Ajax alone."
Nail frowned at the unfamiliar form of address. His gaze darted between Ajax and Guru, visibly torn between his duty to protect and his respect for Guru's wishes. Outside, Mushin's silhouette could be seen lingering nearby. Staring at the shadow of his little brother, Nail sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in resignation and weariness.
"Yes, Lord Guru."
Giving Ajax one final look, Nail pivoted and headed toward the exit.
As Nail left, Guru and Ajax could hear Mushin screech in fear and surprise. Soon after, Nail's shadow scooped up Mushin's silhouette by the scruff of his shirt and gently scolded him in the native Namekian tongue, presumably for eavesdropping, before disappearing with Mushin in tow.
Ajax turned back to Guru, still somewhat perplexed by the sudden turn of events.
Suddenly, a small, floating white orb materialized above Guru's outstretched hand. At that, Ajax's instincts immediately went on high alert. He tensed, his muscles coiling with readiness as he prepared to defend himself. Was this some kind of attack? What for? Ajax couldn't fathom what he might have done to provoke an attack from Guru.
The orb expanded abruptly, emitting a gentle pulse that rippled through the air. Ajax flinched instinctively, raising his arms to shield his vital points from an anticipated impact. The seconds stretched into silence as Ajax braced himself, his heart racing in his chest.
Slowly and cautiously, Ajax lowered his defensive stance, peering out from behind his raised arms. To his surprise and relief, nothing had occurred. However, he remained alert, scanning his surroundings alertly.
The white sphere had ballooned to envelop the entire interior of the building, casting strange distortions that made even familiar objects appear dreamlike and subtly warped. Simultaneously, the silence became extraordinarily loud, and Ajax suddenly noticed that all external sounds had completely vanished from the room.
Ajax understood immediately. This was some form of soundproof barrier!
Guru's voice abruptly resonated within the barrier, slightly echoing as if in an empty chamber.
"Welcome to this plane of reality, Traveler from Beyond the Stars."
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