The Trade Park, located between the elite zone and the lower zone, was one of the liveliest areas on Planet Vegeta. Conflicts often broke out there—whether over food, clothing, equipment, or simply wandering through the place. The crowd was bustling and restless, except for one boy.
That boy sat alone on a bench in the park, crying.
The people around him paid no attention, each busy with their own affairs, walking past without even a glance. In short, the boy was completely alone.
He had pale skin, black hair shaped like a pineapple, and dark eyes—so deep they felt like a void, where anyone staring too long could easily lose themselves. Yet those eyes were dulled by heavy dark circles. His face reflected not only sadness but also the fatigue of sleepless nights. He wore dirty clothes: a blue shirt, platinum-white pants, and bone-white boots with cobalt-blue stripes, stained by dust and rain.
—"Dad… Mom… where are you? What should I do? What would you do, Dad? What do I do? Why am I so alone? Who am I? Who am I?!" the little boy cried between sobs.
With each sob, his body trembled.
Lost in grief, he didn't notice someone approaching. It was an old man, dressed in an indigo shirt and black pants with golden stripes, Oxford-blue boots with charcoal-black lines. He had a large red nose, small dark eyes, messy jet-black hair, and carried a reddish wooden cane in his right hand. He looked like the kind of grandfather who would pinch your cheeks and hand you a gift.
The old man walked slowly toward the boy. When he was close, he stopped, leaned down, and spoke in a calm tone:
—"Hello, hello, boy. Are you alright? Child, are you lost? My name is Valentino. What happened to you? Tell me, maybe I can help…" Valentino said warmly, like a grandfather speaking to his only grandson.
The boy was stunned. In Valentino, he saw the reflection of his parents, and at the same time felt a warmth in his chest—a familiar warmth. His eyes grew wet again, but instead of more tears, a spark of hope and desire to live shone within them.
Valentino saw those eyes and smiled kindly, a smile that warmed the boy's heart even more. He chuckled softly, extended his hand, and asked the boy his name. With a slight stammer, the boy replied: —"Boi… Boiton, sir."
Twelve months later…
—"Boiton? Boiton! Where are you? Boiton, where are you, little one? Boiton! Boitooooon!" shouted old Valentino. Now he wore a red shirt, the same brown shorts, and sandals.
Valentino looked worried, and it seemed Boiton was the cause of his concern.
Meanwhile, Boiton was playing. His face was lit with a wide smile and pure happiness. The little boy had changed a lot: now he wore a cobalt-blue shirt, white pants, black boots with navy-blue stripes. His skin was bronzed, and most importantly, his eyes were full of life and determination.
Boiton was in an arid place, much like the rocky terrain where our troublesome protagonist Raditz used to train. The boy was happily jumping from one stone pillar to another, humming a cheerful melody.
He was so distracted by his game that he didn't hear Valentino's voice calling. Carefree, Boiton kept playing—until something knocked him to the ground. It was a strange animal, resembling a small fox with wolf-like features. Its fur was white with light blue streaks, and its eyes shone ocean-blue.
Boiton was stunned by the creature's beauty. It looked small, elegant, almost majestic. The fox tilted its head at him, and the boy felt a warmth in his chest—just like the day he first met Valentino.
The little fox sniffed Boiton's leg, inching closer, and when it was near enough, it barked softly: —"Ruaaffff, Ruaaffff," it yipped joyfully, as if to say "I like you."
Boiton snapped out of his daze, smiled at the animal, and spoke: —"Hello, little one. Are you lost? Do you want to play? If you want to play, this guy is the best jumper. What do you say? Want to play?" he asked calmly, reaching out his hand.
The fox eyed his hand suspiciously, and just as Boiton was about to touch it, the animal bit him. Boiton yelped, rubbed his hand, and left the fox alone. He was about to try again when Valentino's urgent voice called out. Startled, the fox ran off into the distance. Boiton thought about chasing it, but Valentino's voice pulled him back.
—"Hello, Valentino, were you calling me?" Boiton asked, scratching the back of his head.
—"Boiton, Boiton, child, where were you? This uncle has been looking for you for over an hour. And today is the day I take you to work with me," Valentino said warmly, hugging him tightly.
Boiton's carefree attitude shifted to worry—he had completely forgotten today was the day he was supposed to accompany Valentino to work.
One hour later…
Boiton and Valentino stood before a large building with a sign that read: The Brothers Forge. Inside, the spacious workshop was packed with all sorts of things—from combat armor to space ships. Sunlight streamed through the shop, gleaming off a red vessel.
Boiton was amazed. "I'd heard the old man was a blacksmith, but he never said he was this famous. To own such a place… wait, what am I saying? Of course Valentino has this shop—he's Valentino!" Boiton thought proudly, puffing out his chest. "What is that ship? It looks so different from the ones the Saiyan warriors use."
Valentino, delighted by Boiton's expressions, turned his gaze and spotted his friend Alexander. He greeted him warmly: —"Hello, Alexander, my friend! How are you?" Valentino said, in a tone as affectionate as when he spoke to Boiton.
Alexander was a muscular man with messy black hair, a lumberjack's beard, standing about 1.75 meters tall. He wore a green shirt, military shorts, wrist wraps, and a blacksmith's apron. Seeing Valentino, he approached, hugged him, and said: —"Hello, dear friend. You had me worried—you're usually punctual, but today you were late. Don't tell me old age is catching up to you. More importantly, who's this little one with you? Is this the boy you've been talking about for months—the famous half-blood… I mean, Boiton?" Alexander spoke cheerfully, until he realized his slip and looked regretful.
Valentino quickly covered Alexander's mouth, stopping him from saying more.
Boiton, confused, asked: —"Old Valentino, why did Alexander call me half-blood? And what does 'half-blood' mean, old Alexander?"
Both men froze, sweat pouring down Valentino's forehead as Alexander stammered.
—"Well, well, boy… how do I explain? Half-blood means… well, it's… oh! I know. Half-blood is someone you consider both a friend and part of your family," Alexander said nervously, fiddling with his hands. —"Isn't that right, Valentino?"
Valentino nodded simply. —"Of course."
Then Valentino ordered: —"Wait a moment, young man. Is this how you greet a friend? Show your respect."
Boiton's eyes widened, realizing he had been rude. He straightened up and introduced himself energetically: —"Hello, Mr. Alexander, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Boiton. I'm the son—I mean, the friend of Valentino," he said cheerfully.
Alexander and Valentino sighed at the boy's antics. Then Alexander explained: —"Well, boy, our forge specializes in crafting weapons and even ships. We also make fine-quality combat armor with perfect finishes. We're the number one forge on Planet Vegeta and among the top ten in the solar system. Only the best are accepted here."
Boiton nodded eagerly, eyes shining. Alexander continued: —"Alright, young Boiton, I know you want to join us. But first, you must pass three tests. The first is endurance—when forging metals, molding, tempering, sanding, and polishing, your hand must never falter. We measure each candidate's stamina. The second test is strength—since the largest, strongest, and most precious metals require raw power. And the third test… is a secret. Remember, Boiton, we are the best forge on this planet, and only the best are accepted."
Boiton's face lit up with excitement. He nodded enthusiastically, then burst out with even more energy: —"I want to take the test!"
Alexander sighed and nodded.
A few minutes later…
Boiton and Valentino followed Alexander toward a metal door. Inside the room, an X was painted on the floor. Alexander pointed to the mark and instructed the participant to stand on it. Boiton obeyed, though he asked nervously:
—"Excuse me, Mr. Alexander… what am I supposed to do?" the boy asked, confused.
—"Well, in short, you just have to survive and prove your endurance, hehehe," Alexander replied, his face turning sinister.
Valentino simply stood back, watching what was about to unfold. The boy, frightened yet determined, stepped onto the X. Valentino and Alexander both smiled. Then Alexander pressed a button, a beep sounded, and suddenly the walls began to close in. Boiton's cry echoed through the room.
—"Hey, do you think the boy will be alright?" Alexander asked Valentino. —"Of course he will," Valentino answered confidently.
[Valentino's Flashback]
Six months earlier…
The afternoon light fell gently on a house nestled among the mountains.
It was a green house with white lines, a roof of dried leaves, dark wooden doors, and glass windows. Around it, Valentino and Boiton played joyfully.
—"I'll catch you, Boiton!" Valentino shouted, chasing his slippery adoptive grandson.
—"You won't! You're too old, hahaha!" Boiton laughed as he ran away.
They were so caught up in their game that they didn't notice the faint tremor shaking the ground. The mountain before them began to rumble, cracks forming along its slope. Suddenly, massive boulders started to fall.
Boiton ran faster, heading straight toward the falling rocks. Valentino saw the danger, panicked, and shouted: —"Boiton, STOP!"
—"I won't stop, Valentino! You won't catch me this time!" the boy replied gleefully.
—"BOITON, DOWN!" Valentino yelled desperately. He raised his hand and fired a ki blast.
The energy struck the giant boulder, exploding it into countless fragments. There were too many pieces for Valentino to destroy. In a flash, he dashed to Boiton, hugged him tightly, smiled, and closed his eyes. The thunderous crash of rocks fell upon them—then silence, and dust filled the air.
After a minute, the dust cleared. Two figures stood unharmed, not a single rock around them. Valentino opened his eyes, stunned. His eyes widened, his mouth hung open, and he whispered: —"What… what just happened?"
Looking around for answers, he found it—and was even more shocked. Boiton stood with his arms outstretched, a shimmering ki barrier surrounding them both.
[End Flashback]
Back with the two blacksmiths…
A loud shout echoed at the door, and the room began to tremble. Then came the sound of something breaking—and Boiton burst out of the chamber. Alexander was stunned, barely able to speak:
—"Valentino… did that boy just finish the first trial in twenty seconds?" he asked in disbelief.
—"Of course he did," Valentino replied with amusement.
Boiton looked confused and asked if he had done something wrong. Alexander snapped out of his shock and explained:
—"Boy, that test is about endurance and strength. Depending on a warrior's level, they complete it in different times. You just set a new record for kids your age—you're ranked number three among the blacksmith apprentices here."
—"And… that's good?" Boiton asked, still unsure.
—"Good? It's incredible! Your power must be close to 1200 or 1300 units—about as strong as a low-level adult Saiyan," Alexander said, astonished.
—"I told you this boy's level was no joke," Valentino added proudly.
Boiton smiled happily at the praise from Valentino and Alexander. Everything seemed fine—until a crash shook the room and the door opened, revealing two men.
One was tall, about 1.79 meters, muscular, nearly bald except for some hair at the back, wearing a yellow combat suit and a scouter over his right eye—clearly a mid-rank guard. The other was shorter, about 1.56 meters, looking around forty, with graying hair, a superior gaze, dressed in white clothes and a matching lab coat. The shorter man spoke first:
—"Mr. Alexander, is the ship we ordered ready? As a scientist, I must fulfill my duty. Remember, the deadline is in a few days. If it isn't finished, it would be a shame if the genius blacksmith of Planet Vegeta suffered some… misfortune," the scientist said maliciously.
—"Stupid Nibock, I already told you it will be ready. Stop worrying so much about the project—worry instead about me putting my hands on you," Alexander growled, stepping toward the malicious Nibock. Before he could get closer, the guard blocked his path, and Valentino grabbed Alexander's shoulder.
—"Calm down, my friend. Remember, these are the king's orders. And besides, there's a mid-level guard here," Valentino said, trying to prevent a disaster.
—"Hahaha! I knew low-class trash feared the elite, but I didn't know it was this bad. Trash," the mid-level soldier sneered.
Valentino and Alexander stopped in their tracks. The guard continued insulting them, smiling with superiority as if they were insects. The tension grew heavier, the insults filling the air—until a furious shout broke through.
—"Don't you dare insult the old man!" Boiton roared, charging at full speed.
The guard never expected anyone to attack him—he was a royal guard. But Boiton's powerful punch to his stomach sent him flying, crashing through a wall. Everyone was stunned; no one had imagined Boiton had such strength. The scientist panicked and slipped away quietly. From the rubble, the mid-level guard emerged, pressing his scouter. A beep sounded, and numbers appeared.
The nearly bald warrior frowned in shock. —"Impossible… how can a child have 1200 units? Could he be a high-class elite? And if he is, what is he doing here?" he muttered angrily, then demanded: —"Who are you, boy?"
—"None of your business," Boiton snapped, still furious. He was about to attack again when Alexander stopped him.
—"Boy, this is too dangerous. If you fight him alone, you'll die. His power level is 4000—you can't match him," Alexander warned seriously.
Boiton felt a hand on his shoulder—it was Valentino. —"Alexander is right. He's not exaggerating. You can't do this alone. But you're not alone," Valentino said with a smile, taking a combat stance. Alexander did the same. Boiton understood the enemy was very strong, so he too prepared for battle.
The fight begins.
The guard looked at them with disgust but did not refuse the challenge. He charged forward, and Valentino and Alexander rushed to meet him. Boiton stayed back, waiting for an opening.
The mid-level guard fought fiercely against the two blacksmiths. Punches and blocks came from every direction. Valentino managed to stop one of the guard's attacks, and Alexander struck at the same time—but the guard released a powerful ki wave, blasting them both away.
Seizing the moment, Boiton unleashed a flurry of ki blasts. They didn't hurt the guard much, but distracted him long enough for the blacksmiths to launch a final attack. The guard countered with his own finishing move. The clash of powers was so intense that the walls cracked under the pressure.
The guard began to push the collision in his favor, pouring all his strength into it. Boiton saw this and, though afraid, refused to retreat. He charged in, striking the guard with rapid close-range attacks. The blows weakened the guard, forcing him to falter in the power struggle. Valentino and Alexander, straining with all their might, poured more energy into their attack.
Their combined effort paid off—the blast struck the guard directly. The force of the attack killed him instantly.
From a distance, the scientist's terrified scream echoed.
—"IF IN FOUR DAYS YOU DON'T HAVE PROJECT SH1 R-0 READY, CONSIDER YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS DEAD, ALEX!" shouted Nibock the scientist, filled with anger and hatred.
When Nibock disappeared from the sight of our fighters, they collapsed and fell unconscious.
...