บท 15: Is 18,000 Very Strong?

Having heard Raditz's words and watched the entire debate among the three, Lin Chuan, who has been spectating the whole time, reveals a smile.

He has achieved his goal, so there is no need to hide anything anymore.

After all, at this point, the trio is only fixated on 18,000. Which, once actually reached, really aren't much in the grand scheme.

Lin Chuan doesn't immediately respond, causing all four to turn their eyes toward him, including the young and timid Gohan.

Seeing Lin Chuan's calm demeanor, Raditz, who had initially wanted Lin Chuan to explain, is suddenly perplexed.

He suspects that Lin Chuan might be harboring the same unrealistic thoughts as Kakarot.

"Hey, hey, hey! Say something, will you? They don't know, but you, with a power level of 5,000, surely you understand how terrifying a power level of 18,000 is?"

"Even if you really have some tricks up your sleeve, you must be afraid of Vegeta, right?!"

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have destroyed the scouter deliberately."

Raditz argues fervently, seeming to want Lin Chuan to join his side.

Clearly, in his view, Earth is doomed to be destroyed in a year, and if they continue to stay on Earth, they are doomed, too.

And that's what's currently giving Raditz a headache.

Kakarot's son has destroyed the spaceship.

This means he has no way to leave Earth!

Even if Lin Chuan has a spaceship, it's probably only a one-person spacecraft.

"How should I put it?"

As Lin Chuan speaks, his thoughts race. He glances at Raditz, then at Goku, Piccolo, and Gohan.

Then, Lin Chuan steps to the side and begins to speak: "Raditz is right about one thing—the power level of 18,000 is not as simple as you think, and it's not so easy to surpass!"

"Realistically, it's not just about reaching a power level of over ten thousand in a short time. Even Nappa, who only has a power level of 4,000, is not something you can easily surpass."

"A year is both long and short! You need to find effective ways to maximize your power increase at this time. But by my estimates, even with all your efforts, the best you could achieve through conventional methods would only bring you to par with Nappa... unless you find some extraordinary training methods."

With these words, Lin Chuan turns to face the four.

Goku and Piccolo consider Lin Chuan's words, calculating internally.

They know, realistically, achieving power levels over ten thousand, let alone surpassing 18,000, is next to impossible.

But they won't give up because without trying, how can they know the outcome?

Raditz, with a proud tilt of his head, prepares to criticize Goku and Piccolo, but Lin Chuan doesn't give him a chance to speak.

"Of course, for you, not just 18,000, even a power level of 4,000 like Nappa's is a terrifying existence."

"But for me, is a power level of 18,000 strong?" Lin Chuan says mockingly, narrowing his eyes with a mysterious smile, causing everyone to pause in surprise.

Especially Raditz, who can't understand Lin Chuan's meaning.

"Wait, you mean your power level isn't just 5,000? You... can control your power level, too?"

Raditz stutters, his face filled with horror.

Without hesitation, Lin Chuan takes off his scouter and tosses it to Raditz.

"This device indeed detects a person's power level. But numbers are static, and people are dynamic! Once you learn how to control your power and aura, this device becomes useless."

"From the beginning, I just slightly adjusted my aura to show you a power level of 5,000."

With a mischievous smirk, Lin Chuan's confident demeanor shocks everyone.

Raditz stares at Lin Chuan.

Goku and Piccolo, too, take a deep breath, trying to suppress the shock in their hearts.

[His power level of 5,000 isn't his all?! How strong is this guy, really?]

[From his tone and his disdain for a power level of 18,000, he might even surpass that number!]

Piccolo speculates in his mind.

He vaguely realizes that Lin Chuan's true power level far exceeds their imagination.

Even Vegeta, who is reputed to have a power level of 18,000, might not be his match.

Otherwise, knowing that the enemy would arrive within a year and being unprepared would at least show some signs of nervousness.

"So, you're saying you actually have the power to withstand that Vegeta?" Goku asks

Tremblingly, full of hope.

If so, then the crisis on Earth could be resolved.

Truthfully, today was an eye-opening day for him.

His emotions are so mixed he can hardly count them all.

It's a complex and indescribable feeling.

"Not!! I don't believe it!!! Even if you're that strong, you can't be better than Vegeta!"

"If you're confident you surpass Vegeta, then why were you afraid of Vegeta hearing about the Dragon Balls and destroying my scouter?"

At this moment, Raditz's gaze towards Lin Chuan shifts again and again.

Unconsciously, a special fear surges in his heart.

"I never said I was afraid of Vegeta and the others coming to Earth after hearing the news, so I destroyed the scouter. I only said that them coming to Earth seemed inevitable."

"Raditz! You're a smart guy, so you should know that your scouter could be monitored by Vegeta, which means your scouter might have been monitored by Frieza's side as well!"

"And your scouter should be registered, right?"

With a reminder for Raditz, Lin Chuan stops talking.

"You, you mean..." Suddenly feeling as if he's fallen into an ice cellar, Raditz's body begins to tremble.

If Lin Chuan's prediction is correct, then all their actions are being monitored.

If the news really reached Frieza, then the scenario would be completely different.

Their Saiyan people, even Vegeta, with a power level of 18,000, would have to bow before Frieza.

Raditz is relieved that Lin Chuan could react in time.

He doesn't know, nor does Lin Chuan, that the news has already been transmitted and Frieza is already on his way to Earth.

However, according to the plot, Frieza is not meant to arrive successfully on Earth.

In time, due to Vegeta's intelligence gathering on Earth, Frieza will learn that the Namekians created the Dragon Balls and thus change his course midway to head to Planet Namek.