After weeks of planning, the new project had finally come to life.
At first, I had planned to use my battle puppets as substitutes, pairing them with condensed hard-light constructs to create opponents. But after countless calculations and Oracle simulations, I realized there was a better option.
Ki.
A dedicated ki generator installed in the room would not only fuel the simulation itself, but also create the constructs directly. Better still, the room could absorb excess ki released by anyone training inside it—not just to protect itself from damage, but to recycle that energy and recharge its systems.
Of course, there were limits.
"At its current state…" I muttered while checking the monitor one last time, "the room can only create constructs up to a power level of around eighteen thousand."
Not bad for a first version.
With stronger generators in the future, that ceiling could rise even higher.
It had taken me nearly two full days without proper sleep to install every component and calibrate the system. My body was already begging for rest, but excitement kept me standing.
I stepped into the middle of the newly upgraded training room and crossed my arms.
"Oracle," I said, "change scenery to Kame House."
Command accepted. Simulation environment loading.
The world around me shimmered.
A moment later, I was no longer standing inside a reinforced training chamber.
I was standing inside a perfect replica of Master Roshi's island.
The tiny pink house stood behind me. The sandy shore stretched beneath my feet. Endless blue ocean surrounded the island, and even the salty sea breeze brushed against my face.
I bent down and touched the water.
Cold.
Wet.
Real.
Or at least, real enough.
"It's still the same room," I muttered with a faint smile. "The ocean's only knee-deep… but that's still impressive."
The illusion was flawless.
Even knowing it was fake, my senses couldn't tell the difference.
"Oracle, create opponent," I said.
Please specify target.
"A Saibaman. Original combat data. Same power level as the ones Vegeta and Nappa brought to Earth."
The air in front of me distorted.
A familiar green creature emerged, crouching low with a hiss.
I wasted no time.
The Saibaman lunged.
I sidestepped and drove my fist into its face, following with a spinning kick that sent it skidding across the sand.
"Not bad," I muttered.
Its skin felt real.
Its movements felt real.
Its claws scraped against my armor as it attacked again.
When I finally destroyed it with a point-blank ki blast, its body burst apart in a disturbingly realistic splatter.
I blinked.
"…Okay. That's unsettling."
Still, the data was useful.
Now for the real test.
I reached to my belt and tossed out my newest battle puppet.
Unlike the others, this one was different.
Synthetic skin.
More lifelike movements.
And its appearance…
Well.
It looked like Goku—
if Goku had been born a woman.
A little shorter than the real Goku, but unmistakably similar.
The puppet stood beside me silently, waiting for commands.
"Oracle," I said, taking a breath. "Create Vegeta. Battle data based on his Earth encounter with Goku."
Combat construct generated. Power level: eighteen thousand. Maximum simulation limit reached.
Vegeta appeared in front of us.
Arms crossed.
Smirking.
Even knowing it was fake, I felt a chill.
"…Why does that still annoy me?" I muttered.
I activated my armor, limiting the output just enough to match the simulated Vegeta.
No more.
No less.
"Begin."
The puppet moved first.
It rushed in, throwing a straight punch.
Vegeta blocked and countered immediately, forcing me to slip in from the side with a kick to his ribs.
The fight became a constant dance.
The puppet attacked.
I followed through openings.
Vegeta countered.
I adjusted.
In theory, it was two against one.
In reality, it was far more complicated.
I wasn't just fighting Vegeta.
I was fighting Vegeta while controlling another body at the same time.
That meant splitting my focus:
my own movement
my own attacks
the puppet's positioning
the puppet's reactions
Oracle's probability calculations
At first, it was awkward.
A second too slow here.
A missed opening there.
But as the battle continued…
It started to flow.
The puppet would feint.
I would attack.
I would block.
The puppet would strike from behind.
Our movements became smoother.
More natural.
Like fighting alongside another version of myself.
After nearly an hour, I saw my opening.
Vegeta raised his guard against the puppet.
I gathered ki in both hands.
"Kamehameha!"
The blue beam roared forward, piercing straight through the construct's chest.
The simulation Vegeta froze—
then shattered into particles of light.
Silence returned to the artificial island.
I exhaled heavily.
"…That still counts as a win."
The battle puppet was in rough shape, its synthetic skin damaged and one arm sparking.
I pointed toward the exit.
"Back to the lab."
It obeyed immediately.
Maintenance puppets would handle the repairs.
I didn't have the energy to do it myself.
"Oracle," I said, barely standing straight now, "message Krillin. Tell him to train with Nappa without me today."
Message content?
"Tell him I need rest."
I rubbed my eyes.
"And don't tell anyone about the simulation room yet. I'll explain it tomorrow."
Command accepted.
Now that the adrenaline was fading, I could feel it.
Not just the exhaustion from fighting.
Not just the strain of controlling the puppet.
But the weight of the past few sleepless days.
Building.
Testing.
Planning.
Calculating.
I barely remembered walking back to my room.
The moment my head touched the pillow, my body gave up.
As darkness pulled me under, only one thought crossed my mind.
Namek is getting closer… and I still don't know if everything I've prepared will be enough.
And with that thought lingering in my mind—
I fell asleep.