"This... is impossible..."
Vegeta was drenched in cold sweat from the pain, his massive pupils filled with terror and disbelief. He was the legendary, invincible Prince of the Saiyans. After transforming into a Great Ape, his strength was enough to pulverise planets, yet this punch hit the opponent and didn't leave so much as a scratch?
Instead, the counter-force had shattered his own arm?!
What kind of terrifying monster was this! Even compared to Frieza, whose power level reached a staggering 530,000, he probably wasn't far off!
"I told you to give it your best shot, and this is your full power?"
Shane slowly raised his eyes, looking down at him from his height. His jet-black pupils held no emotion. "You've truly disappointed me."
Before his voice had even faded, he raised his right arm. A fist wrapped in black-and-red lightning slammed forward!
THUD!
The punch was unadorned and plain—he didn't even call upon an energy blast. But the speed was so high and the force so ferocious that space itself warped for a fleeting instant!
Vegeta was too close; there was no time to dodge. He instinctively raised his remaining intact arm, crossing it in front of him as a block.
In the next heartbeat, the Great Ape's left arm was also shattered. The force of the punch tore through his torso, and a massive bloody hole exploded out of his back!
"ROAR!"
The Great Ape shrieked in agony as he was sent tumbling backward. His colossal body rolled like a ragdoll, ploughing a deep trench thousands of metres long into the desert! Blood sprayed like rain, staining a vast stretch of sand crimson.
Krillin and the others watched the scene, mouths agape, their minds going blank. The once-overbearing Great Ape Vegeta... had been instakilled by a single punch from Big Brother Shane?!
"So... so strong..." Yamcha swallowed hard, his legs feeling a bit weak.
"Can a human really reach this level of strength?" Tien murmured in shock. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he looked at the mountain-like giant.
Goku, meanwhile, clenched his fists and grinned. That was brilliant, Big Brother Shane! I couldn't keep up with your pace during this year of training, and I wasn't qualified to interfere in this fight... but in the future, I'll definitely work twice as hard!
In the distance, the Great Ape struggled to crawl out of the sandpit. He was covered in blood, his arms twisted, and a large section of his chest was caved in. He was clearly on the verge of death.
"Cough... hack..." The Great Ape spat out a large amount of blood and looked up at the approaching Shane, his eyes full of dread and resentment.
"Why... why did I lose?! I am the Saiyan Prince, possessor of the noblest bloodline! By all rights, I should be the strongest warrior among the Saiyans! How could I lose to a low-class—"
"You still think I'm a Saiyan?" Shane looked down at him with pity. "I told you, didn't I? I am a pure-blooded Earthling."
An Earthling?
"No, impossible!" The Great Ape's eyes turned blood-red as he roared hysterically. "How could an Earthling possess this kind of power! You must be lying!"
"Think whatever you like." Shane shook his head, glanced at the artificial moon in the sky, and pointed a finger.
BOOM!
The artificial moon instantly shattered into countless points of light, dissolving into the sky. Shane then gave a casual flick of his finger.
Swoosh!
A streak of solidified black-red Haki shot out like a ribbon, snatching Nappa from the far-off crater and tossing him next to Vegeta, who had already reverted to his human form.
"I've always been a fan of giving people a taste of their own medicine," Shane looked down at the two Saiyans, slowly raising two fingers on his right hand with a smile. "By the way, when you first landed, you used this gesture to kill an entire city's worth of people, didn't you? Well, now I'll return the favour in kind."
What is this guy talking about? Amidst their terror, Vegeta and Nappa felt a strange sense of being framed. What did he mean, "killed an entire city"? From the moment they landed, haven't they just been getting thrashed by you lot in this godforsaken desert?!
"Hm? You haven't done it yet?" Shane arched an eyebrow. "Forget it, it doesn't matter. I can't let you two go back anyway. So... goodbye, Saiyans."
He thrust his right hand upward!
BOOM!
A pillar of black-and-red light shot into the heavens, instantly piercing the clouds and staining the entire sky the colour of blood.
If someone were looking down from space, they would see a massive beam of light erupting from Earth, passing the Moon, passing Mars, with its tip nearly poking into Jupiter's atmosphere...
Actually, there was no need to say "if someone were." Because at this very moment, someone—or rather, a god—was watching with clairvoyance.
King Kai's Planet
"The whole solar system can see that commotion. How exaggerated," King Kai said, swallowing hard as he stood with his hands behind his back. "I'd really love to know which universe he comes from. For someone from the lower realm to master this kind of power is simply terrifying. I never thought the day would come where I'd train such an exceptional disciple..."
But then, it seemed normal. After all, he had seen how gruelling the guy's training was. He was far too ruthless and obsessed with his own improvement; King Kai had never seen anyone go months without sleeping...
His pet, Gregory, nodded in deep agreement. "Terrifying indeed. Even though he only trained with you for over half a year, his strength is already completely beyond yours. Honestly, if you took that hit, you'd probably have to report to King Yemma, right?"
"Ahahaha!" King Kai's eye twitched as he waved a stiff hand and gave a forced laugh. "I didn't realize you'd become such a master of deadpan humour, Gregory."
Was that a joke? Gregory pursed his lips.
Earth, The Desert
"NO!" Vegeta's scream lasted less than half a second before he was utterly annihilated in the destructive energy. Nappa didn't even have time to scream; he turned to dust, flesh and bone alike, a step ahead of Vegeta.
As the light gradually faded, a massive crater several kilometres in diameter appeared in the centre of the desert. Lave could even be seen flowing slowly at the bottom. Krillin and the others had long since retreated to the edge of the desert, and even then, they were nearly knocked over by the sandstorm whipped up by the shockwave.
"Hey... is it over?" Yamcha asked, unable to open his eyes.
"Yes, it's all over." A calm voice drifted down from the sky. Everyone looked up to see a tall figure in a black cloak floating down.
Wait, when did he change clothes again? Chiaotzu tilted his head in confusion. The others didn't notice; they looked at one another and then erupted into cheers.
"Great!" "The crisis is averted!" "Long live Big Brother Shane!"
The cheers echoed across the wasteland as the group rushed forward to surround him. Yamcha shook his fist excitedly. "Incredible! One punch and those two Saiyans didn't even leave a scrap behind!"
"That Vegeta had a power level in the hundreds of thousands as a Great Ape, and even he couldn't hold out," Tien remarked. "I wonder just how high your power level is now, sir."
"Is there another one of those modified scouters?" Goku asked, scratching his head and looking at Krillin.
"I mean, I have one, but Bulma said the upper limit is only 200,000," Krillin rolled his eyes. "Big Brother Shane is definitely way past that. Let's not bother; if I break another one, Bulma's going to wallop me."
As they chatted, Shane looked up at the sky with a profound gaze.
"What is it, Big Brother Shane?" Chiaotzu sensed something was off.
"My time is almost up," Shane said, patting the small boy's head with a smile.
Oh, right! Reality hit the group like a cold shower. They remembered Shane mentioning when they first met that he could only stay in this universe for one year. Once the time was up, he had to return to his own universe.
And now, the one-year mark was only five days away.
"Dammit!" Krillin clenched his fists. "Is there really no way to stay a bit longer? Big Brother Shane, I'm so jealous of Goku getting a whole year with you. We only had two months! I'm going to miss you!"
"Actually, there's a chance for a bit more." Shane chuckled and ruffled Krillin's head. Man, these two bald heads... both of them are so satisfying to pat. "I've planned out these five days. For the first three, we're all going to Kame House for a massive banquet to celebrate."
He was from the One Piece world, after all. You can't have a victory without a party.
"Yes! That's the spirit!" Krillin nodded vigorously. "And after that?"
"For the remaining two days, I plan to go into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to continue my training."
"The Hyperbolic Time Chamber?" Krillin blinked. "That sounds familiar... isn't that the mysterious room at the Lookout?"
"Yes. It provides a high-gravity environment for training, and one day inside equals one year outside. However, a person can only stay in there for two days in their entire life. I'll use my final two days there." Shane turned around. "Goku, you went in there when you were a kid, right?"
"Eh, did I mention that to you, Big Brother?" Goku blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, but being in there alone was so, so boring. I couldn't stand it and came out early... Wait!" His eyes lit up as he grabbed Shane's shoulders. "Kami said up to two people can go in at once! If there's a companion, it's totally different! You're going in for two days, right? Let me go with you!"
"Forget it, Goku!" Krillin pushed him aside. "You spent an entire year with Big Brother Shane, and now you want to hog the Time Chamber too? Don't be greedy! It's our turn!"
"Krillin's right!" Yamcha raised his hand. "I can go! I've mastered Armament hardening this year. My body is tough; I'll be a great sparring partner!"
Tien was about to speak, but a cold voice drifted from behind the group.
"A great sparring partner? Hmph, with your level, you're not even fit to be a punching bag!"
"Piccolo?!" Everyone turned in surprise. Only Shane smiled slightly; he and Chiaotzu had sensed Piccolo hiding in the distance long ago.
"Lord Shane's time is precious," Piccolo said, arms crossed as he descended from the sky. "Setting Goku aside, do you kids who only made this much progress after a year at the Lookout really think you're worthy of being sparring partners?"
"Talk like you've made so much—" Krillin started, but as he checked his scouter, his jaw dropped. "Power level 3,300? Hey! You trained alone and still grew this much?!"
"Wrong. At full power, it's at least 6,000," Piccolo sneered arrogantly. "Understand the gap now? I won't ask for two whole days, but I ask that Lord Shane gives me one day of his time."
Aside from Goku, he was the only qualified punching bag!
"One day is still too much!" Tien fell into a fighting stance. "An opportunity like this is rare. We won't just give it to you. If you've got the guts, prove it with your strength!"
"My thoughts exactly!" Piccolo bared his teeth in a grin. Krillin and Yamcha took a step forward as well.
"Alright, alright. I'm about to leave, can you lot settle down?" Shane shook his head and gestured for silence. "Don't fight. How about this—" He held up four fingers. "Two days in the chamber, split into six shifts of eight hours each—that's four months inside per shift. Goku, Piccolo, and Tien can accompany me on the first day. The second day will go to Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu. How's that?"
The group looked at one another and then broke into satisfied smiles.
"That's a fair arrangement!" Krillin patted Yamcha's shoulder. "Hehe, now we don't have to fight; everyone gets a turn. We'd better get ready."
"Hmph, lucky you lot," Piccolo grunted. Four months was a bit short for him, but it would still definitely push his strength up several notches.
"I'll give my spot away, Big Brother Shane," Goku said, raising his hand sheepishly. "Can I give it to Gohan instead?"
"Gohan?" Krillin turned, surprised.
"Hehe, that kid has even more talent than I do. Even though I let Chi-Chi make him study this year, he's my son; he's got to learn martial arts eventually," Goku said seriously. "Taking him for just a few days won't make Chi-Chi complain. It's a rare chance."
After training on King Kai's planet for nearly a year, no one knew better than Goku just how much talent Shane possessed and how much there was to learn from his character. Letting Gohan train with him, even for just four months, would be immensely beneficial for his future!
"Hmph, ridiculous fatherly love?" Piccolo scoffed. Goku had changed quite a bit; Piccolo found kids Gohan's age annoying and couldn't understand such feelings.
"Fine, we'll split it like that then," Shane didn't mind and nodded with a smile. It didn't matter as long as he had company, and Gohan was a cute, well-behaved kid—not a brat. Truth be told, after spending so much time with his sisters and crew, Shane feared loneliness most of all. The longest he'd ever spent in isolated training was two months, and that had been agonizing. If he stayed in the Time Chamber for two years alone, he'd go mad.
"Alright." Shane stretched and looked into the distance. "That's all for later. Let's put it aside. For the next three days, we head back to Kame House and drink our fill!"
"Let's go!" "YEAH!!!"
On the beach in front of Kame House, a grand banquet was held for three consecutive days. Launch came from Tien's place to serve as the head chef, showing off her expert culinary skills. Oolong and Puar acted as the entertainment, keeping everyone laughing with their transformations. Even Kami and Mr. Popo, who rarely descended to the lower realm, brought Korin and Yajirobe along to join the festivities.
Time truly flies like an arrow. Even a whole year passed in a flash. What were five days?
Five days later, in front of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Gohan pushed the door open and stepped out with a complex expression, biting his lip. Then, as if remembering something, he slapped his head and stepped back to the door, making a respectful "after you" gesture like a disciple greeting a master.
A moment later, Shane followed him out, yawning and stretching, only to find the plaza outside packed with people.
"Are you really leaving?" Bulma stood at the front, her eyes red, looking at Shane with reluctance. Ugh, why only one year? She had been planning to dump Yamcha and start her pursuit of this strong, handsome Lord Shane. Now it seemed the plan... "was dead before it even started, dammit..." she lamented.
"Yeah, time's up," Shane nodded. Hearing Bulma's last comment, his expression turned slightly odd. Eh? Who is she talking about? Future Trunks? Well, I suppose he really was 'dead before he started' in this timeline... It was a bit of a shame; he wondered what would happen to this world he had influenced. Would Vegeta be resurrected? Would Frieza's army invade? What about the Androids?
"Goku." Shane pulled a thick notebook from his cloak and handed it over. "Here. These are my training notes. It includes advanced techniques for Armament and Observation Haki, as well as my research on 'Chi' over this year. Keep it safe; it should help you all get stronger."
"In the back, there's intelligence on the powerful enemies of this universe. They are very, very strong. You must not let your training slack. After I leave, Earth is counting on you."
"Yes, Big Brother," Goku took it solemnly and tucked it away with care.
"Big Brother Shane..." Krillin, Chiaotzu, and the others gathered around, looking like they wanted to say something but were holding back.
"What's with the faces? You look like you're at a funeral," Shane grinned and gave their heads a firm rub. "I'm just leaving for a bit, I'm not dying. Maybe one day in the future I'll be able to come back to this universe and visit you all, haha."
He turned to Gohan, who was hiding in a corner quietly wiping away tears. "And you, little guy. Stop crying. Remember my advice. Your future is limitless; don't let me down."
"I'll remember, Master!" Little Gohan tried to hold back his tears, but he couldn't stop his eyes from swelling.
Vrum. A ripple spread through the air, and Shane's figure began to blur.
"Is it starting?" Kami's pupils shrank. "I can feel it... the rejection of space-time!"
Shane looked down and chuckled, looking around at everyone who had come to say goodbye. Goku, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Mr. Popo, Korin, Master Roshi... Every familiar face made his heart feel warm. This year—or rather, these three years—would stay in his heart forever. He hadn't picked the wrong world or the wrong place. It was good.
"Take care, everyone," he said solemnly.
"Big Brother Shane! Remember what you said! You have to come back and see us!" Krillin shouted, waving his arm frantically with red eyes.
"The next time we meet, I'll definitely be as strong as you, Big Brother Shane!" Goku declared, clenching his fist with fighting spirit.
Amidst the reluctant shouts, Shane's body gradually began to turn into stardust. "I guess I'm really off. Say hello to King Kai for me—though I bet he's watching right now with tears in his eyes, haha..."
"Stop with the deadpan jokes!" a voice roared in annoyance from the void.
He really was watching? Shane was amused. In his final moment, he smiled and pressed his index and middle fingers to his forehead. Then, he swept his hand outward with a flourish.
"Goodbye, friends!"
Vrum—
The stardust vanished; the man was gone. All that remained were a pair of deep footprints in the ground, proof that he had once been in this world.
One Piece World, Wano Country
In the courtyard of the Golden Inari Shrine.
A gentle breeze blew, and the newly blossomed cherry blossoms drifted down.
Vrum! Space suddenly warped. Under the stunned gazes of the nearby shrine maidens, a tall figure appeared out of thin air.
"I'm back."
Shane took a deep breath, feeling the long-lost familiar gravity, his lips curving upward. He looked down at his hands and slowly clenched them. Between his knuckles, black-red lightning flickered, emitting a terrifying aura.
"Now then."
"Supreme God, the 'Exalted' Imu."
He looked up, his gaze seeming to pierce through the clouds and reach the peak of the Red Line.
"Are you ready... to meet the new me?"