Time seemed to freeze in that instant.
The Grand Elder's hand remained resting on Krillin's head, neither pressing down nor withdrawing.
But his massive, mountain-like body began to tremble violently.
Not just tremble. Sweat poured out like a waterfall from the folds of his ancient skin, soaking the stone seat beneath him in seconds.
"This… this… this…"
His throat produced a broken, wheezing sound like a damaged bellows. His eyes widened until they nearly bulged out, pupils shrinking to pinpoints in overwhelming terror.
In his perception, he had expected to be guiding a river, or at most an ocean.
But when his consciousness sank into Krillin's body, what he saw was neither sea nor stars.
It was nothingness.
Absolute, boundaryless, devouring "void."
And at the very center of that void stood a bald silhouette.
That figure simply stood there. Around him, the laws of the universe, the chains of physics, and the limits imposed upon life itself had already shattered like fragile glass.
There was no upper limit.
The concept of "potential" itself did not exist here, because the idea of a "limit" had already been erased from this man's being.
[System Warning: External spiritual intrusion detected targeting "Limiter Break" mechanism.]
[Initiating reverse data overflow…]
[To protect the intruder's life, connection forcibly terminated.]
Bang.
A dull sound echoed as the Grand Elder suddenly jerked backward as if struck by high voltage. His enormous body slammed heavily against the stone chair.
"Grand Elder!" Nail rushed forward to support him.
"Ha… ha… ha…"
The Grand Elder gasped for breath, staring at Krillin as though he were something that should not exist in this dimension.
"What… what exactly are you?"
His voice trembled.
"There are no shackles inside you. The restraints the universe places on life… they are gone from you!"
Krillin scratched his slightly warm bald head.
"I'm just a normal Earth guy. I do push-ups, run a bit. Maybe I trained a little harder than most?"
"A… normal Earth guy?"
The Grand Elder let out a bitter laugh, as if he had just heard the greatest joke in existence.
Despite the chaos, the system notification finally arrived.
[System Update: Namek Grand Elder potential guidance has further activated host physical potential.]
[Limiter Break integration increased: 45% → 50%]
[New Trait Unlocked: Infinite Stamina (Passive)]
[Current Status Panel:]
[Host: Krillin]
[Race: Human (Transcendent Regenerative Body)]
[Base Power Level: ??? (Limiter broken. Estimated output under suppression: 120,000)]
[Special States: Super Bald Form (instant), Buddha Combat Form (charge required)]
Krillin clenched his fist.
Unlike Goku's explosive aura, his power did not erupt outward. Instead, it felt more refined, more precise.
The chaotic sensation of "one punch might destroy a planet" had diminished. In its place was absolute control.
"Thanks, Grand Elder."
Krillin pulled out a Senzu Bean from his inventory and tossed it to Nail.
"Give that to him. It'll restore his stamina."
Nail hesitated but fed it to the Grand Elder.
Instantly, the Elder's weakened aura surged back, even stronger than before.
"A miraculous bean…"
The Grand Elder exhaled slowly, then his expression turned serious.
"That demon… Frieza. His patience has run out."
As if answering his words, the world outside changed.
Rumble.
The sky above the stone chamber turned dark purple.
A brutal, freezing, utterly evil presence descended like a black tidal wave, engulfing the entire pillar mountain.
"This aura…" Goku's expression changed.
Frieza, the Emperor of the Universe, had arrived.
"Truly unpleasant."
Frieza rolled his neck, making a cracking sound.
"A group of monkeys dares stand in my way?"
He landed slowly on the platform outside the stone chamber.
But instead of attacking immediately, he stared at the figure guarding the entrance.
Piccolo.
Piccolo stood alone, arms crossed, his white cape fluttering in the violent wind.
"Oh? Another Namekian?" Frieza narrowed his eyes. "Power level… forty thousand? Fifty thousand? Interesting. I didn't know Namekians had this kind of strength."
"Better than the trash I saw earlier. Are you the guard dog?" he mocked.
Piccolo said nothing. His inner thoughts churned violently.
The Grand Elder's words. Krillin's incomprehensible strength. Everything was shaking his pride.
"If I do nothing… I'll be left behind completely."
At that moment, the door opened.
Nail stepped out.
As the Grand Elder's guardian and the strongest warrior of Namek, Nail's power reached 42,000.
But compared to Frieza's terrifying 530,000, it meant nothing.
"You're not his opponent. Neither am I," Nail said quietly beside Piccolo.
"I know," Piccolo replied coldly.
"But I refuse to hide inside like a coward while that idiot Goku fights alone."
Nail looked at him.
Then his eyes sharpened.
"The Grand Elder was right. You have extraordinary potential. But your division left you incomplete."
Nail placed a hand on his chest.
"If I merge with you… as energy, as experience, as life itself… maybe you can reach his level, even if only temporarily."
Piccolo frowned.
"Merge?"
"Yes. I am the strongest Namekian warrior. My strength, my memory, my life force… if you take it all, you might stand a chance."
"Don't joke with me!"
Piccolo knocked his hand away.
"I am the Great Demon King Piccolo. I don't need to win like this…"
"This isn't about winning!" Nail growled.
"It's for Namek! For the Grand Elder! If you refuse, we all die!"
"That bald Earthling might win, but that's his victory, not Namek's!"
"Do you want our homeland saved entirely by outsiders?"
That sentence struck Piccolo like a blade.
Yes.
This was his homeland.
Even if he denied it, even if he called himself a demon, the anger he felt at seeing his people slaughtered and the Grand Elder dying was real.
Piccolo turned away.
"If you want to die that badly, fine."
"But I'm warning you. I take control. If your consciousness interferes, I'll erase it."
Nail smiled. A calm, resolved smile.
"Don't worry. I am only… power."
He placed his hand on Piccolo's chest.
"Now… take everything I am."
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