The trek toward the massive, dark mountain was arduous. The sun was merciless, and Tommy quickly realized how weak his Stamina (STM) stat of 15 truly was. After just an hour of fast walking across the rough plains, his lungs burned, and his muscles screamed in protest.
He had to check his status again.
[Host: Tommy (N/A)] [Stamina (STM): 5/15 (Severe Fatigue)]
"I can barely walk a few miles without collapsing," Tommy wheezed, collapsing onto a smooth, flat rock. "Goku could run this in ten seconds while carrying five tons."
[Note: Consistent physical activity is required to increase Primary Attributes. Host is currently earning negligible experience points (EXP) from movement.]
"Right," Tommy muttered. "Gotta start somewhere."
He pulled out the 200 Zeni he had been given. He'd seen the towns on the map, but reaching them meant using his limited strength, and he was wary of wasting this crucial time. He needed to be stronger before he ran into anything dangerous.
While resting, he focused on the anomaly—Mt. Unknown. It was so perfectly cylindrical, almost artificial, yet covered in ancient, lush green growth near its base. It looked less like a natural mountain and more like a colossal, centuries-old pillar.
Tommy noticed that the System hadn't updated the "New Quest" yet, meaning he hadn't formally failed the [First Steps] quest, just paused it. That was a relief.
As he rested, a flicker of movement caught his eye. A small, black creature, resembling a large house cat but with bat-like wings, fluttered down and began drinking from a trickle of water seeping from the rock face.
Tommy, remembering the world he was in, instinctively scanned it.
[Scan Result: Plains Cat-Bat (Level 1)] [Power Level: 2] [Note: Non-aggressive. Its main threat is transmitting minor parasitic diseases.]
"Okay, good. Not everything is a monster," Tommy sighed, though the thought of parasitic diseases made him shift uncomfortably.
He looked back at the mountain. The sheer size of it was mesmerizing. If that "UNMEASURABLE" power was real, it could be the key to jumping ahead in this world, bypassing years of grueling martial arts training.
Determined, Tommy used the last of his remaining stamina to jog-walk the final distance to the mountain's base.
As he approached, the air grew thick and heavy, and an almost audible hum resonated in his chest. The System immediately went into high alert.
[Warning! Warning!] [Dangerous Energy Field Detected. Proceed with Extreme Caution.]
The trees around the base of Mt. Unknown were colossal, their roots thicker than Tommy's entire body, creating a dense, jungle-like perimeter. He pushed through a wall of vines and stopped.
Before him was not a cave entrance, but an incredible sight: A circular clearing dominated by an ancient, moss-covered stone gate. The gate was carved with strange symbols that resembled neither Earthling writing nor Namekian script, but they were radiating a faint, violet light.
In the center of the gate, embedded directly into the stone, was a familiar object—one that made Tommy's heart skip a beat and immediately confirm he was exactly where he needed to be.
It was a perfectly smooth, glassy four-star Dragon Ball.
However, unlike the standard ones, this ball was massive—at least five times the size of a normal Dragon Ball. It pulsed with a contained power that vibrated through the ground.
[New Quest Alert!]
[Quest: The Ancient Seal]
Objective: Remove the Mega Four-Star Ball from the seal to unlock the mystery of Mt. Unknown.
Condition: Host must possess a Ki Control (KC) of E-Rank or higher to manipulate the seal's energy lock.
Reward:Hidden Ki Technique, Permanent +10 to Ki Energy, Access to Mt. Unknown Training Grounds.
Failure Condition: Touching the seal without adequate Ki Control will result in a Massive Ki Burn (Immediate KO and temporary -5 PL).
"Ki Control E-Rank," Tommy murmured, checking his current status.
[Ki Control (KC): F]
"I'm still at F," he sighed. The mystery was solved, but the solution was locked behind a stat he currently couldn't improve because he had no training.
He looked down at his system currencies. He had 0 Ki Points (KP). He needed KP to buy the training book from the System Store, but the System Store was locked until he completed the first quest: [First Steps], which required him to go to the village he'd ignored!
"This is the worst kind of trap!" Tommy groaned, rubbing his temples. "I have the perfect power source right here, but I can't touch it because I'm too weak! I have to go back!"
He took one last look at the massive, pulsing Dragon Ball and the intimidating "UNMEASURABLE" warning coming from the mountain.
"Alright, System. Back to the basic quest," Tommy announced, turning his back on the sealed gate. "It's time to find that town, earn some Ki Points, and get a Ki Control book. Mount Unknown, you can wait three days, but that's it."
The trek back was nearly unbearable, relying on sheer willpower and desperation. He stumbled through the jungle perimeter, his vision blurring from exhaustion.
Just as he broke back out onto the plains, however, a sudden shadow fell over him. A huge gust of wind kicked up the dry sand, forcing him to cover his face.
He looked up, heart hammering in his chest, and saw a creature that was definitely not a Plains Cat-Bat. It was enormous, covered in green scales, and had a long, whip-like tail.
It was a classic Dragon Ball monster—a hulking Giant Horned Dinosaur.
The System's alarm blared in his head, the red text momentarily eclipsing his vision.
[Warning! Extreme Threat Detected!] [Scan Result: Giant Horned Dinosaur (Level 12)] [Power Level:35]
Tommy was still severely fatigued (STM 1/15), and the dinosaur's Power Level was seven times his own. His first real encounter was a deadly one.
The enormous reptile let out a deafening roar and charged.
"System!" Tommy yelled, scrambling back, desperately thinking of the 200 Zeni in his pocket. "Is there any way to buy a weapon? Anything?"
[The System Store is currently unavailable. Host must complete [First Steps] to unlock store functionality.]
Tommy watched the massive, horned head plunge toward him, a tidal wave of muscle and teeth. He didn't have time to run, and he certainly couldn't fight. This wasn't a game; this was a brutal, unfair reality.
This is how I die... again?
He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the impact.
The massive blow never came.
Instead, he heard the sharp, high-pitched thwack of something small hitting something massive, followed by a surprised, pitiful yelp from the beast.
Tommy opened his eyes. The Giant Horned Dinosaur was clutching its face, shaking its head in confusion. Right next to its colossal scaly foot, sticking into the dusty earth, was a small, smooth stone.
Standing on the crest of a nearby rocky outcrop, silhouetted against the setting sun, was a small figure with spiky black hair, wearing a white shirt and blue pants. He held a wooden staff casually over his shoulder.
The boy grinned, showing a missing tooth.
"Hey! Don't mess with my fishing grounds, ya big lizard!" the boy yelled.
Tommy stared in stunned silence, recognition dawning like a sunrise. The outfit, the face, the staff, the casual Power Level of 10 (which the System promptly provided for the newly observed target).
It was Son Goku, three years old, about to go fishing.
Tommy was saved, but now he had to figure out how to interact with the future hero of the universe without breaking the timeline.