"You… what are you going to do?!"
Dodoria felt a deep, soul-level terror as he stared at the approaching hand.
It was not a large hand, but in his eyes it felt like a black hole capable of swallowing everything.
"D… don't come any closer! I'm Lord Frieza's trusted subordinate! If you kill me, Lord Frieza will never let you go! He'll blow this entire planet to pieces!"
Dodoria screamed hysterically, trying to use Frieza's name to intimidate his opponent.
"Frieza?"
Krillin's palm pressed firmly against the spiky pink head, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Perfect. I was looking for him anyway. But before that, I'll borrow your energy."
Skill activated: Energy Plunder (a variation derived from the Gluttony trait of the Saitama template).
"Wooooom."
A strange suction force erupted instantly.
Dodoria's scream cut off abruptly.
To his horror, the massive energy inside his body began to surge uncontrollably upward through the point on his skull, like a bursting dam pouring into Krillin's body.
Not just his energy. His life force, cellular vitality, even his proud physical strength were being forcibly stripped away.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
The pain was a million times worse than dismemberment.
It was the sensation of his very soul being slowly drained dry.
Dodoria's massive, mountain-like body began to wither at a visible speed.
His pink skin lost its shine, turning dull and wrinkled. The thick spikes across his body dried up, fell away, and turned to ash.
Ten seconds.
In just ten seconds, Dodoria, one of Frieza's elite enforcers who had once rampaged across countless planets, turned into a dried husk of bone and skin.
"Phew…"
Krillin withdrew his hand and exhaled lightly.
The corpse collapsed instantly, scattering into a pile of gray-white dust. The wind of Planet Namek blew it away without a trace.
System notification:
Energy absorption complete.
High-density energy obtained.
Skill fragment acquired: Energy Bullet Enhancement (3/3) – auto-combined.
New skill unlocked: Piercing Ki Blast (your energy attacks now ignore 30% of enemy defense).
Saitama template fusion increased to 41%.
"Not bad."
Krillin flexed his fist, feeling the renewed surge of power within his body.
Dodoria's level was nothing special anymore, but the new piercing effect would be useful.
Especially against someone like Frieza with a tough body.
He turned to look at Elder Mori and the small Namekian child beside him, both completely frozen in shock.
"It's over."
Krillin retracted his killing intent instantly, returning to his harmless-looking human appearance.
He scratched his bald head and smiled politely.
"Sorry about your village square."
Only then did Elder Mori finally react.
He looked at the young man in front of him with awe and gratitude.
As the elder of the Namekians, he could sense what had just happened. It was pure predation at its core.
But he also knew that without this man, they would all already be dead.
"Th… thank you, savior!"
Elder Mori tried to kneel.
"Please, no need for that."
Krillin quickly supported him with his ki.
"I just happened to pass by and cleaned up some trash."
Mori steadied himself, then reached for a large orange Dragon Ball with four stars engraved inside.
"Savior, I know you came here for this."
He held it out with both hands.
"I can feel it. You possess terrifying power, but your heart is not evil. Rather than letting it fall into the hands of that demon, I would rather give it to you."
Krillin did not hesitate. He took the heavy Dragon Ball.
A warm sensation spread through his palm, and the system immediately responded.
Key item obtained: Four-Star Dragon Ball (Namek version).
Size is three times that of Earth's Dragon Balls. Wish power is significantly stronger.
"Thanks, Elder."
Krillin stored it in his dimensional storage ring.
"This thing would only bring disaster in the wrong hands. I'll gather them all, and maybe even bring your people back."
At those words, Mori's body trembled.
"R-really? If that's possible…"
Tears filled his eyes.
"Namek will never forget your kindness."
"By the way," Mori suddenly said as Krillin prepared to leave.
His expression turned cautious, almost mysterious.
"You're planning to face Frieza, aren't you?"
"That's the idea." Krillin nodded.
"Frieza's power… it's suffocatingly evil."
Mori sighed deeply.
"Even though you are strong, I can sense something else inside you. Something dormant. Something not yet awakened."
Krillin raised an eyebrow.
Potential?
Was he talking about a potential unlock like the Grand Elder's ability?
He was about to ask where the Grand Elder was when Mori's next words stunned him.
"If you want a greater chance of victory, you should seek out the legendary 'Aki Temple.'"
"Aki Temple?"
Krillin froze.
"You mean the Grand Elder's place?"
"No, not the Grand Elder." Mori shook his head.
"The Grand Elder is the father of our people. He creates and guides us."
"But the Aki Temple is something far older. Most Namekians don't even know it exists."
"The name Aki comes from an ancient plant, the Aki Tree, also known as the Hydrangea Tree."
"It is said that in the distant past, before Namek suffered its great climate catastrophe, a progenitor known as the Guardian left behind a place of training."
"There, the ultimate techniques of the Namekian warriors are hidden. Some even say it contains a trial that allows one to break the limits of one's species."
"And its location is on the far side of the planet."
Krillin was genuinely shocked.
As a reincarnator, he had read Dragon Ball countless times.
He knew about the Grand Elder, Nail, and even the fake Namek storyline.
But he had never heard of anything like an Aki Temple or a Guardian legacy.
A butterfly effect?
Or was this world simply deeper than the original manga?
A golden system prompt suddenly appeared.
Hidden world quest triggered: Lost Heritage.
You have discovered a secret not recorded in the original timeline. Exploring the Aki Temple may resonate with your Saitama template in unexpected ways.
Reward: ???
Krillin's eyes lit up instantly, like a player discovering a hidden stage.
"The far side of the planet, huh… interesting."
He had originally thought this Namek trip was just a simple grind for Dragon Balls.
Turns out there was an unexpected bonus level.
"Thanks for the information, Elder. This is very useful."
Krillin saluted lightly, then looked toward the horizon.
"You should all find somewhere safe. This place is no longer safe."
"I still have some more trash to clean up."
In the distance, several powerful ki signatures were approaching.
"Zarbon… and the Ginyu Force…"
Krillin licked his lips, battle intent rising like fire.
"Once I turn all of you into experience points, I'll go check out that temple."
BOOM.
A golden-red aura erupted around him.
Krillin vanished into the sky, leaving behind only a sonic boom and a shattered shockwave cloud.