Planet Sadala was peaceful in a way that felt almost strange for a warrior race. Cities stood tall but were not built on fear, and the Saiyans of Dragon Ball Universe 6 lived with discipline rather than destruction. In one of the recovery chambers inside the capital, Ben Tennyson lay unconscious, his body slowly healing after the blow he had taken.
Days passed quietly.
Then, one morning, Ben's fingers twitched.
His eyes slowly opened, vision blurry at first, then gradually focusing on the unfamiliar ceiling above him. His body felt heavy, sore, but not broken. He sat up slowly, holding his head as memories rushed back, the rift, the crash, the scan, and then that punch.
"…yeah, I remember that part," he muttered.
"Finally awake, huh?"
Ben turned his head to see Caulifla leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching him with a half-smirk. Cabba stood nearby, visibly relieved.
"You've been out for a few days," Cabba said calmly. "How are you feeling?"
"Sore… embarrassed… slightly traumatized," Ben replied, stretching carefully. "You guys don't mess around, do you?"
Caulifla laughed lightly. "That was nothing. If I was serious, you wouldn't be waking up."
Cabba shot her a look, then turned back to Ben. "Don't mind her. The important thing is, you're alive. Your body… it changed after you scanned us."
Ben looked at his hands again, this time more focused. He could feel it now more clearly than before. There was something inside him, something new, like a quiet fire waiting to grow.
"But I'm still weak compared to you," Ben said. "That didn't give me your level of power."
Cabba nodded. "That's normal. Being a Saiyan isn't about instant strength. It's about growth."
Ben looked up. "Growth?"
Caulifla pushed herself off the wall and walked closer, her grin returning. "Yeah. We don't start strong. We get strong by fighting. The more we push ourselves, the stronger we become."
Cabba continued, his tone more explanatory. "Saiyans have a unique trait. When we fight and especially when we survive near-death situations, our bodies adapt and become stronger than before. It's how we evolve during battle."
Ben's eyes narrowed slightly, processing that. "So getting beaten up actually makes me stronger?"
Caulifla smirked. "Exactly. Which means I did you a favor."
Ben gave her a flat look. "Remind me not to thank you."
Cabba chuckled softly before continuing. "There's more. Beyond normal growth, Saiyans can awaken transformations. The most famous one is called…"
He paused slightly.
"Super Saiyan."
The word hung in the air.
Ben blinked. "Super… Saiyan?"
Caulifla's expression shifted slightly, not losing her confidence but gaining a hint of pride. "It's when our power explodes beyond limits. Hair turns golden, energy rises like crazy, and everything changes."
Cabba nodded. "It's not easy to achieve. It usually comes from intense emotion or extreme situations. Once awakened, it multiplies our strength dramatically."
Ben leaned back slightly, letting all of that sink in. A race that grows stronger from damage, evolves through battle, and has transformations that multiply power.
A slow grin formed on his face.
"So basically," he said, "I picked the one race where getting wrecked is part of the training."
Caulifla laughed. "Now you're getting it."
Ben looked at his wrist. The Omnitrix was completely inactive now, no lights, no response. No switching forms, no backup plans. This was it.
For the first time since arriving, he did not feel panic.
He felt excitement.
"Alright then," Ben said, standing up despite the soreness. "If that's how Saiyans get stronger…"
He looked directly at Caulifla.
"Then I guess you're going to have to punch me a lot more."
Her grin widened instantly.
Cabba sighed, already knowing where this was going.
And on Planet Sadala, a new kind of Saiyan training was about to begin, one far more chaotic than usual.