"You're the one who let Piccolo's child go, aren't you?" Master Roshi pulled Naruto aside and whispered.
"If you don't push them, they'll never know how strong they can be." Naruto didn't answer directly, but his meaning was clear.
Without a powerful enemy looming over them, the Z Fighters wouldn't improve their battle power during peacetime. In the original storyline, their power barely increased during the four years following the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.
Pressure creates motivation.
"Now is not the time to relax. Train hard now, and you'll have it easier later."
"I thought it was strange from the start," Master Roshi said. "You know too much, and you're constantly finding ways to make Goku and the others stronger. Is something terrible going to happen in the future?"
Despite his perverted antics, Roshi's insight was sharp. Of course, Naruto hadn't exactly been subtle.
Before Naruto could respond, Roshi continued, "But that isn't a bad thing. Since you want everyone to get stronger, I'll help you push them."
"Having strong personal power is ultimately a good thing."
After saying goodbye to the Z Fighters, Naruto hurried to Bulma's home in West City.
Their front door was only halfway repaired.
Naruto first gave Bulma the news that Piccolo was gone. Then, he turned to Bulma and Dr. Briefs with a serious expression. "Bulma, Dr. Briefs, I need you two to help me train."
He took out two items and placed them before them.
"You say you need a Gravity Room that can freely adjust to 100x gravity?" Bulma repeated Naruto's requirement.
She shifted into a serious, lecturing tone. "Do you understand what 100x gravity means? You'd be crushed into pulp instantly."
"I think 100x is too much. You should lower the standard, how about 10x?"
Bulma offered the suggestion kindly. He was the lifesaver who had rescued her from Demon King Piccolo, and she didn't want him to have an accident. Most importantly, he was a handsome guy.
"My body has already adapted to 10x gravity," Naruto said with a hint of helplessness. "For my next training phase, I need at least 100x. Don't lump me in with those Saiyan slackers, I know exactly what 100x gravity means."
"Fine." Seeing that Naruto wasn't joking, Bulma nodded.
Dr. Briefs, however, stared curiously at the spherical spaceship Naruto had brought, the one Goku used as a child. He examined it thoroughly, touching every surface. "You want to modify this small spaceship into a larger one for interstellar travel?"
"I've never modified an alien spaceship before, but it shouldn't be a problem."
Dr. Briefs was one of the top researchers on Earth. More precisely, he was among the most elite in the entire universe. If anyone could modify a spacecraft, it was him.
"And this, and this." Naruto pulled out two more items and placed them before the pair. "I need you both to modify these as well."
One was a device worn over the eye, an old-model scouter and the other was a piece of clothing, the battle armor Goku wore as a child.
Naruto planned to wear the battle armor underneath his Hokage robe. He decided against the Akatsuki Cloak for now. In the Dragon Ball-verse, clothes were constantly blown off in battle, but the Akatsuki Cloak carried the Rule of Death Upon Stripping. Naruto didn't want to keep planting flags for his own demise.
"And what are these?" Bulma asked.
Naruto picked up the Scouter. "This is a Scouter. It displays an opponent's strength as a concrete number. Unfortunately, this is an old version that only measures power below ten thousand. I need you to increase that limit."
Bulma took the device and examined it curiously.
"Oh right, there might be a wiretap inside, so be careful when modifying the values."
"And this, this is battle armor unique to the universe. It stretches freely, has strong resilience, and provides excellent protection."
Naruto held up the armor, pointing to the protrusions on both shoulders. "But these two protrusions are in the way. See if you can remove them."
The shoulder pads weren't technically in the way, but they looked unappealing.
"That's simple."
"Relax, you saved my life. Leave it all to me," Bulma guaranteed, patting her chest.
These were items Dr. Briefs and Bulma had modified or manufactured in the original story. Though it was a few years early, entrusting them to this duo was the only way to ensure the job got done.
"How long will it take?" Naruto asked.
Dr. Briefs slowly exhaled a smoke ring. "Three months. Let me study them carefully, three months should be plenty."
If Dr. Briefs said three months, it would be ready in three months.
"How much compensation do you want?"
The Briefs family wasn't short on money, but that wasn't a reason for Naruto to freeload or for them to be taken advantage of. Their wealth was their business, since Naruto commissioned the work, he would pay for it.
What should be given must be given.
"Really, it's nothing. It's just modifying a spaceship and building some equipment, nothing major." Bulma waved her hand generously. "You're our family's savior."
Bulma lacked combat skill, but when it came to research or money, the Briefs family was top-notch. She couldn't bring herself to charge her lifesaver.
Naruto took a scroll from his waist, unsealed it, and produced two items.
"Really, it's not nece-" Bulma stopped mid-sentence, her eyes locking onto the objects.
A giant diamond the size of a bowling ball reflected radiant light under the sun.
'This color, this brilliance... so pure.'
Bulma was captivated.
Pigeon egg-sized diamonds were nothing compared to this. Wealthy as she was, Bulma was still a girl, and every girl loved things that sparkled, especially a massive diamond. Money couldn't buy something like this.
When Bulma had adventured with Goku, she had been fortunate enough to obtain a fist-sized diamond. However, she later used it to compensate Master Roshi for his submarine, and Blonde Launch eventually snatched it away.
That fist-sized diamond, though rare, wasn't unique in the Dragon Ball-verse.
But a diamond the size of a bowling ball? She had never heard of anyone possessing one, let alone seen one.
A one-of-a-kind gemstone changed everything.
Money was useless here.
The diamond was priceless, but to Naruto, it was just a rock.
"I have plenty more of these. If you like them, I'll give them all to you." Naruto pulled out another scroll filled with jewelry.
The currencies of Naruto's world and the Dragon Ball world did not circulate together, but these valuables were universal. Money might not be everything, but it solved many troublesome matters. Naruto had packed plenty before his journey.
"Oh, how could I accept..." Bulma hesitated, but her eyes kept glancing at the pile of jewelry. It was dazzling, and she loved it.
If it were just gold, silver, or ordinary diamonds, she would have refused, Bulma wasn't short on those. But world-exclusive rare gems were too appealing.
"Don't worry, I still have plenty. I'll come pick up my equipment in three months," Naruto said, telling her to take whatever she liked. "By the way, could you give me a set of daily life Hoi-Poi capsules?"
After receiving the Hoi-Poi capsules and chatting with Bulma's family for a while, Naruto left.
--**--**
In the Far North, in a small village far from the city, the child upon whom great hopes were placed had landed. He possessed Demon King Piccolo's full power and knowledge.
He was named Piccolo. Technically Piccolo Jr.
The newborn Piccolo leaned against a family's window, gazing longingly at the scene of a family gathered together in warmth and unity.
A golden flash appeared on a gentle breeze. A white Hokage robe fluttered in the air as a hand pressed down on Piccolo's shoulder.
A sunny face appeared before Piccolo.
"From now on, I will be your guardian."
Two figures, walked slowly side by side along a country road.
"Hey, what's your deal? Why do you keep making me follow you?"
The smaller figure, a green-skinned creature with two antenna-like protrusions on his head, dashed ahead to confront the taller one.
This was Piccolo, son of the great Demon King Piccolo who once dominated the world. Born only recently, his body was already the size of a three-year-old child.
Since finding him, Naruto had been leading him forward on foot. They walked in silence for the most part. Piccolo tried to escape several times, but after only a few steps, he found himself mysteriously snapped back to Naruto's side.
After dozens of failed attempts, realizing he could not stay more than ten meters away, he resigned himself to the situation and obediently followed Naruto.
Seeing no response, Piccolo spoke again. "You mentioned 'guardian' before. What do you mean by 'guardian'? Is that just someone who monitors me?"
"How long do you plan to watch me? Three years? Five? Ten? Let me tell you, the demon clan's lifespan is far longer than yours. By the time you die of old age, I'll just be entering my prime."
As he spoke, Piccolo noticed Naruto had stopped walking and was staring at him.
"W-what are you doing?" Piccolo reflexively jumped backward, his expression wary.
He didn't hold the staring contest for long.
Naruto's gaze was famously unsettling at the Konoha Ninja Academy. While power levels in the Dragon Ball-verse were higher, it didn't mean the people there possessed stronger psychological resilience than those in the Naruto-verse.
Piccolo felt creeped out by those azure eyes. It felt as if he were being stripped naked and seen through completely.
"Let me tell you something, if you want to kill me, do it now. Otherwise, once I grow stronger, I will definitely kill you."
"I am the child of the Great Demon King Piccolo."
Despite the threats, Naruto knew it was a bluff. Such aggression was merely a manifestation of extreme fear.
===============
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