Dragon Ball: The Strongest Training

With no survivors from her tribe nearby, the rare sense of peace allowed Ciel to let her true self shine through. A faint smile appeared on her face as her steps became lighter. Her long, silver hair swayed gently in the breeze, and the crimson dress she wore accentuated her graceful, curvaceous figure.

Suddenly, Ciel slowed her pace and turned to look at Krillin, who had been following closely behind her. Krillin never strayed far, and for some reason, she could feel subtle waves of energy emanating from him. These waves made her feel secure and comfortable.

"Maybe it's just my imagination," Ciel thought, her emotions rippling faintly.

"Are you from Earth? What kind of planet is Earth?" Ciel's voice was as delicate as an orchid blooming in a secluded valley, gently directed at Krillin.

"Earth?" Krillin was momentarily captivated by her glassy, jewel-like eyes. He quickly answered, "Earth is a beautiful, blue planet. Water covers three-fourths of its surface, and people live on the land. There are mountains, lakes—it's a stunning world."

Krillin continued, "Earth is a low-level planet. Its population is large, but most people have a battle power of only around five. Since Earth is a low-level planet, most evil forces ignore it for now, which makes it relatively peaceful."

Ciel, intrigued, asked, "If Earthlings have such low battle power, how can they build a defense system?"

Krillin laughed heartily. "Because we're weak, Earthlings work hard to push our bodies to their limits. That's how martial artists were born. Martial artists can train their bodies to the extreme, unleashing incredible fighting power."

He added, "Thanks to these martial artists, Earth has been able to enjoy long periods of peace."

"Peace?" A hint of melancholy crossed Ciel's eyes, and she sighed inwardly. The cost of peace is far too great.

Seeing her furrowed brows, Krillin immediately understood her thoughts. Ciel longed for peace, but achieving it came at a heavy price.

Krillin felt an impulsive need to comfort the beautiful girl before him. He unconsciously took a step forward and gently grasped Ciel's jade-like hand as it swayed in the breeze.

Ciel wasn't on guard when Krillin approached, but as he suddenly held her hand, her heart began to race. Apart from her parents, no one had ever held her hand before.

Caught off guard, Ciel panicked and tried to pull her hand away, but Krillin's grip was firm yet gentle. A soft blush spread across her delicate face as her glassy eyes darted nervously around.

Krillin, feeling the smooth, warm texture of her hand like the finest jade, grew a little tense himself. However, he looked into Ciel's bright eyes and said earnestly, "Trust me. Peace will come, and I'll do everything I can to help you achieve it."

Hearing the conviction in his voice, Ciel felt a warmth blossom in her heart. Her wavering gaze settled on Krillin's steadfast, shining eyes.

For a moment, it was as if she had found someone she could rely on. She felt herself relax slightly—perhaps it was Krillin's sincere promise that reassured her.

The two stood there, gazing at each other. Time seemed to flow like water, slipping by unnoticed by either of them.

"Ding! The first treatment session is complete. Please continue with the second session tomorrow," the system abruptly announced, snapping Krillin out of his trance.

Startled, Krillin quickly let go of Ciel's hand.

The sudden release brought Ciel back to her senses. Her face flushed even deeper as she thought about what had just happened. Did Krillin really just hold my hand?

The realization made her heart race wildly, as if a fawn were bounding around inside her chest. Flustered, Ciel covered her face and ran toward the central temple.

The sudden loss of her soft, jade-like hand left Krillin feeling a bit empty inside. Before he could react, he saw Ciel's figure retreating into the distance.

Worried, he called out, "Slow down! Your mental state hasn't fully recovered yet—your body won't be able to handle it!"

In truth, the system's first treatment had already restored half of Ciel's mental strength. While she couldn't yet endure large-scale battles, running like this posed no problem.

Hearing Krillin's voice behind her only made Ciel's thoughts more chaotic, and she quickened her pace even further.

Watching her speed away, Krillin felt a pang of loss. "Will you come back for another walk tomorrow?" he shouted after her.

But there was no reply. Ciel disappeared from his sight.

"Did I scare her just now?" Krillin wondered, feeling conflicted. In his impulse to comfort her, he had acted recklessly, and now he couldn't stop overthinking.

"Still, she didn't pull her hand away right away… Could it mean…?" Krillin shook his head, unsure if she had heard his last words. If she didn't come back tomorrow, he'd feel even guiltier.

"Her hand felt so smooth, like the finest jade," Krillin thought, recalling the moment fondly.

Ciel ran straight into the temple without stopping to rest.

"Huff, huff…" Her face was still flushed, her soft, petal-like lips glistening as she caught her breath.

"Why am I so tired from such a short run?" she wondered, placing a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart. Taking a few deep breaths, she began to relax.

As her mind cleared, Ciel realized what had just happened. Krillin really did hold my hand.

The memory made her heart race again. No matter how hard she tried to suppress her thoughts, they only grew louder, echoing in her mind. Finally, she gave up resisting and let her thoughts run wild.

Without her usual restraint, her memories became even more vivid. Every detail of what had just happened replayed in her mind, and the sensations felt so real.

"It… it actually felt pretty nice," she thought suddenly, before quickly shaking her head. "No! I'm a princess—I can't think like this!"

Ciel realized that when Krillin had been near, she had felt a cool, soothing energy emanating from him. Now that he was gone, the feeling had vanished, leaving her restless.

"When he held my hand, I really did feel safe," she admitted to herself. "His words… they felt so genuine. Before, my father was always there to protect me. Since his death, I haven't felt that kind of security… until today."

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