NOVEL WEB Chapter 31: The First Break
Kai sat on the ship's ramp with one leg swinging idly, arms propped behind him as he leaned into the faint warmth of the twin suns. Bulma stood just a few feet away, arms crossed, expression scrunched in frustration.
"You know what your problem is?" she said.
Kai smiled. "Only one?"
"You hide everything. You act like the universe is your comedy stage, like nothing really bothers you. But it's all an act. You pretend like you're just along for the ride, but I've seen the way you fight. I know you're not normal. So why are you pretending to be?"
He let the silence stretch a second too long. Then he said, casually, "Is it working?"
Bulma didn't laugh.
Kai's smile faded.
She stepped forward, her tone quieter but sharper. "You could wipe out threats before they become threats. But instead, you're in the background, playing support. You could take out Frieza's entire army before lunch. You could've ended Vegeta before he opened his mouth. So why?"
Kai sighed, looking out over the horizon. The wind was quiet.
"…Because I'm not supposed to be the one who saves the world."
"Why not?"
"Because if I solve everything, the people who should grow never will."
Bulma blinked. "You mean like Goku?"
"Exactly. Goku's not just strong — he's inspiring. When he wins, people believe. Me? I'm just the guy who knows how the story goes."
He caught himself. Bulma was staring. He smiled, tight.
"I mean… I'm just the guy who sees patterns. And if I fight every battle, they'll never break their limits."
"Breaking limits won't matter if they're dead."
He didn't respond right away. Then he glanced at her, almost sheepishly.
"Back on Earth, when Vegeta was ranting during the fight — he said something about a legend. A Super Saiyan. Strong enough to beat Frieza. I think that's our ticket."
He saw Bulma's brows furrow, the gears in her brain already turning.
He looked away and thought, 'Sorry, Bulma. But sometimes… lies are necessary.'
She squinted at him. "A Super Saiyan? Like, a transformation?"
"Yeah. Something more powerful. Something bigger. If Goku reaches that level and defeats Frieza, it'll change everything. He needs to be the one."
Bulma didn't answer right away. Then, slowly: "…You think Goku can do it?"
Kai smiled slightly. "I think if anyone can, it's him."
He stretched his arms over his head. "And who knows? Maybe that's not even the end of the line. Maybe there's more after that."
"You're talking like there's a Super Super Saiyan or something."
Kai shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."
Bulma studied him. "You're still weird."
He grinned. "Wouldn't be me otherwise."
They walked back toward the ship. Bulma nudged his arm lightly with her elbow. "Just… don't sit back too much, alright? If things go sideways, I expect you to step in."
He gave her a mock salute. "If Frieza throws a tantrum and tries to turn this planet into a marble, I promise I'll punch him in the face."
Bulma rolled her eyes. "So specific."
Kai's smile faded just slightly as he glanced toward the east. Somewhere, beyond the curve of the horizon, something terrible was already moving.
Elsewhere on Namek
The air shifted with a sudden shriek as three pods tore through the atmosphere and slammed into the soft dirt. The smoke cleared fast. From the largest pod stepped a hulking figure — pink-skinned, tusked, and grinning like a wolf in a sheep pen.
Dodoria cracked his neck.
"Finally," he muttered, stretching his arms. "Starting to get bored."
Two more stepped out behind him. A few soldiers in scouters, armor glinting beneath the light. And between them, graceful and poised like a coiled serpent, Zarbon adjusted his gloves with a calm expression.
"Lord Frieza wants the villages cleared and the Dragon Balls located," Zarbon said. "We're not here to play."
Dodoria sneered. "Oh, we'll play. We just won't take long."
They moved fast.
The nearest Namekian village was nestled between plateaus — peaceful, silent, unaware. Children gathered water from a shallow stream. Elders sat in quiet conversation. They didn't see the ships until they were already overhead.
The first energy blast shattered a hut.
Panic erupted. The villagers scrambled, some trying to fight, others shielding their young. Dodoria stomped into the center of the village like a boar, blasting another house apart just to make a point.
"Where's your elder?!" he roared.
The Namekians answered with defiance. A few tried to fight. Energy blasts flew, but Dodoria tanked them like rain. One fell, then two. Screams echoed.
Zarbon hovered above it all, disinterested. "How tedious."
Then his scouter blinked. "There. One Dragon Ball reading. In that building."
He gestured lazily. One of the soldiers marched over and kicked the door open.
Inside, an old Namekian stood protectively in front of a spherical stone — a Dragon Ball, nearly half his size.
Zarbon touched his scouter. "Another village. Ten clicks northwest. Let's move. Dodoria?"
Dodoria turned back, grinning. "I'll catch up. Gotta leave a message."
The last sound heard from that village was a scream and a crack of thunder.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soon he won't hide his power but I want to make Goku go Super before that. I'm sure I could've written other way but I don't wanna. LAZY LIFE FOREVER