Earth, Kame House
"So, basically, that's what happened."
Goku sat cross-legged on the sand, grinning as he explained the situation to Master Roshi. "That Saiyan was seriously strong! Even with Piccolo and me teaming up, we were no match. If Big Brother Shane hadn't stepped in, I'd probably be dead right now!"
At Goku's words, everyone turned their heads in unison to look at Shane. He was leaning against a pillar of the Kame House, holding a cup of coffee brewed by Bulma, gazing out at the vast blue ocean with a relaxed expression.
He was indeed breath-takingly powerful. Even though he had deliberately suppressed his presence, the mere fragments of power he inadvertently leaked created immense pressure.
"..."
Master Roshi swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking on his brow. He was a man of vast experience who had seen countless powerful martial artists throughout his long life, but not one could hold a candle to the man standing before him.
"Thank you so much!"
Chi-Chi was also present. She bowed deeply to Shane, clutching Gohan while tearfully sobbing, "If anything had happened to Goku or Gohan, I... I wouldn't have known how to carry on..."
"Don't worry about it; it was no big deal," Shane said, waving it off with a smile. "Besides, even if they had died, they could have been brought back with the Dragon Balls."
"Oh? You know about the Dragon Balls too, Big Brother Shane?" Krillin asked in surprise, adding cheerfully, "I guess you're right..."
"Right my foot!" Chi-Chi landed a heavy punch on Krillin's head, snapping irritably, "You idiot! Finding the Dragon Balls takes time! Making the wish takes time, and the resurrection takes time! If that delays Gohan's studies, are you going to be the one to tutor him?!"
That's what she's worried about? Everyone nearly collapsed in disbelief. Even Shane's eye twitched. Krillin clutched his head, not daring to make a sound; he was terrified of Chi-Chi.
"Done!"
A cheer erupted as Bulma finally finished modifying the scouter. She held it up with a grin. "Alright, I've completely removed the communication system and translated the text into a format you can understand. Hmm... let's check the power levels. Goku is 334, Krillin is 206, and the pervy old man is 139."
"Eh?" Krillin looked surprised. "I'm already stronger than Master Roshi?"
"It's hard to say, Krillin," Goku said, shaking his head. "This thing only seems to show surface-level strength. For martial artists like us who can control our Chi, it only reveals our true depth when we go all out."
"I see..." Krillin scratched his head and asked, "What about Big Brother Shane?"
"He was at 1,300 in his base state, but it seemed to soar over 3,000 when he was fighting that Saiyan," Goku chimed in, unable to hide his curiosity. "By the way, you weren't using your full power then, were you? If you exploded with all your Chi, how high could it go?"
"I'm not sure myself." Shane shook his head and glanced at Bulma. "Want to try it now?"
He was curious too. He didn't know how to use Chi, but Haki clearly produced a similar effect. Raditz had noticed his power level spike because he had coated his fist in Armament Haki. If he pushed his Armament Haki to the absolute limit, how much would it rise?
"Yes, yes!" Bulma nodded excitedly, adjusting the scouter. "Release as much as you want! I'll record the peak!"
Shane nodded. Under the curious gazes of the group, he stepped into an open space and took a deep breath. The next second:
Armament Haki, Full Release!
In an instant, pure Armament Haki covered his body. Every muscle became like metal—cold, hard, pitch-black, and immensely imposing.
"Whoa! I can feel the Chi rising!" "He turned black! How is he doing that?!" Several people gasped at once.
Beep-beep-beep-beep!
The scouter in Bulma's hand began to chime frantically. The numbers on the screen shot up like a rocket.
"3,500... 4,000... 4,500... it's still rising!" Bulma looked horrified. "5,000... 6,000... it's finally stopping. The final data is..."
"6,000!!!"
Bulma's voice cracked. Her eyes were wide as she held up the trembling scouter. "T-this is insane!"
A heavy silence fell over the beach. Master Roshi's sunglasses fell to the sand with a clack. Krillin sat down hard in the dirt. Even Piccolo, who was standing in a corner with his arms crossed, felt his face pale as he sucked in a breath of cold air.
They knew Shane was strong—strong enough to play bowling with the 1,500-power-level Raditz—but this number far exceeded their imagination.
"Six thousand?!" Goku's jaw nearly hit the ground. He started counting on his fingers. "T-that's... how many times stronger than me? I can't even count it!"
Shane, however, frowned slightly. Only 6,000 even with Armament Haki at full release? In a real battle, this level wouldn't be enough; he'd struggle to even fight Nappa.
"It's not over yet," he said solemnly, a crimson glint flashing in his eyes. Since he was testing his limits, he might as well go all out.
Whirr!
A heart-stopping pressure suddenly descended!
Pebbles on the beach levitated. Unnatural ripples spread across the ocean surface. Even the clear, blue sky abruptly darkened.
Crackle!
Dark clouds gathered, and black-and-red lightning appeared out of thin air around Shane, coiling like dragons and snakes.
"W-what kind of Chi is this?!" The group scrambled back, terror written on their faces. They could tell Shane was controlling the aura to avoid hitting them, but the sheer weight of it made their hearts skip beats and their breathing grow ragged.
Beep-beep-beep!
The scouter let out a piercing alarm as the numbers on the screen began another frantic dance.
7,000... 8,000... 9,000...
As the increase slowed and stabilized, the number successfully broke 10,000!
Snap!
The scouter, unable to withstand the load, suddenly emitted black smoke and shattered.
"Eh? The scouter!" Krillin shouted.
"Don't worry, a simple gadget like this is easy to fix. Later, I'll spend some time improving it so it can display higher values," Bulma said, though her eyes were fixed on Shane. "Mr. Shane, your Chi just broke 10,000! That's unbelievable!"
Five digits! She had checked her boyfriend Yamcha's power level earlier, and it was only in the 200s!
"Yeah. If I used my strongest techniques, it would probably rise more, but I estimate it would be just over ten thousand. I have a general idea now," Shane said, nodding thoughtfully.
Goku was already trembling with excitement. He dashed in front of Shane, his eyes shining. "That's incredible! Is that your true power? Your way of using Chi is so unique. Can you teach me? And what was that black-and-red lightning?"
"That's called Conqueror's Haki." Shane suppressed his aura, and the lightning faded. He looked at the expectant Goku and shook his head with a smile. "Sorry, Goku. This power is something you're born with in my world. I can't teach it directly. Those with the potential will awaken it on their own when the time is right. However, I can teach you all the pitch-black Haki I used earlier."
As he spoke, he looked around at everyone. Armament Haki was very practical; it could be used for defense or coated on the body to enhance attack power—not to mention deeper applications like internal destruction. More importantly, it was a power that everyone in the world of One Piece could master with training. Since he could use Haki in this universe without issue, there was no reason these talented martial artists couldn't learn it.
"Really? That's great!" Goku jumped for joy, high-fiving Krillin in celebration.
Including me? Piccolo raised an eyebrow in surprise, a look of anticipation crossing his face. But he quickly realized something and asked with a frown, "You said... 'your world'? What does that mean?"
"Because I'm not from this universe," Shane smiled, finishing his coffee. "The specifics are complicated, but you can think of it as me coming from a parallel version of Earth. I'm here to advance my martial arts and learn the strengths of other worlds. I'll probably be here for a year before I leave."
I see... Everyone looked at each other, realizations dawning. That explained everything—why they were all Earthlings but had such a massive gap in power, and why they had never heard his name before today.
Shane took note of their reactions and smiled. It was better to be honest; he had nothing to hide from the Z-Fighters. Besides, people in the Dragon Ball world were far more accepting of aliens and multiversal travelers than those in the world of One Piece.
Shane looked at Piccolo. "In a year's time... that means when those two Saiyans arrive..."
"I'll likely still be here," Shane said. "So, don't worry too much about those two. If the sky falls, I'll be the tall one to prop it back up. However, I can only help you that far."
"In the future, Earth might be targeted by even more dangerous and evil beings. In the end, you'll have to rely on your own strength."
"Understood!" Goku nodded heavily, clenching his fist. "I'll train hard to catch up to you as soon as I can!"
"I understand too!" Krillin felt the pressure. Before, his horizons were narrow, but now, with the threat of Saiyans and the presence of a multiversal powerhouse like Shane... Earth faced many potential dangers.
"So, for the training over the next year, I plan to spend the first two months teaching you Armament Haki. During that time, I hope you can teach me the application of Chi."
"Eh? You need us to teach you?" Goku was stunned.
"Yes. Just as you are interested in my Haki, I am very interested in your Chi," Shane said seriously. "To be honest, in my world, I've nearly reached the limits of what a human can achieve. But by training in your Chi, I believe I can break through that barrier and take my combat power to a whole new level."
"I didn't think we could actually help you out!" Goku laughed, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He agreed without hesitation. "No problem! Leave it to me! Gohan is of age too; I can teach you both together..."
"What are you saying, Goku!" Chi-Chi roared, grabbing Goku's ear. "I've already arranged Gohan's cram school! He has no time for martial arts. Don't you know there's no future in fighting? In the future world, you need good grades and a degree!"
"But, Chi-Chi..." The two began to argue, though Goku was clearly on the losing side, quickly getting lectured into silence.
"Perhaps someone else should do it," Master Roshi said, adjusting his sunglasses. "Goku is a rare genius when it comes to training himself, but he doesn't have the knack for teaching others."
"Hehe, true..." Goku rubbed his head and smiled. "It's better if you teach him, Master Roshi."
"I am not qualified for that either." Master Roshi waved a hand and said solemnly, "Sir Shane is Earth's benefactor. Since he has asked something of us, we must provide the best possible treatment."
Piccolo narrowed his eyes, sensing something. "Hey, old man... you aren't referring to..."
At the top of Korin Tower, on the grounds of the Lookout.
"Even my place is not grand enough for Sir Shane," Kami said, leaning on his staff with a sigh. "I know most of what has happened. With Earth facing a Saiyan crisis, we must rely on your strength. If we can help, Mr. Popo and I will certainly do our best."
"Unfortunately, our abilities are too weak compared to yours. At most, we can help you master the basic condensation and sensing of Chi. Beyond that, we are powerless to help you truly improve..."
"Mastering the basics is exactly what I need first," Shane said, unbothered. "How about this: for the first two months, I'll stay here to train with you and Mr. Popo to build a solid foundation in Chi. As for the following ten months..."
Shane was always polite to those who showed respect. Kami had been very gracious, so Shane didn't skimp on his own manners.
Shane grinned and continued, "I'll have to trouble you to give me the opportunity to go and see King Kai."
"King Kai?" Kami and Mr. Popo exchanged a look of shock.
"You even know about King Kai?" Kami quickly realized. "Of course... your universe must have a King Kai as well."
He had heard that even more powerful King Kais existed—those who didn't just govern star systems but entire multiverses. It was only natural that Shane's home had one too.