The Frost Demon of Universe 7

The transformation into his final form was unlike anything Zero had ever experienced. The ocean trembled violently around him, currents surging in chaotic waves, and the seabed cracked beneath the sheer weight of his unleashed power. The water shimmered with an ethereal light, as if it were responding to the presence of something divine—or monstrous. The planet itself groaned in protest, the sound reverberating through the deep as massive icebergs shifted and split apart from the sheer force of his energy.

Zero hovered in the depths, his body radiating a fierce, glowing aura that pulsated with raw, untamed energy. His muscles felt like they were forged from steel, and his mind buzzed with an exhilarating clarity. For the first time in years, he let his power flow freely, unrestrained, uncontained.

"This is… intoxicating," he thought, a smirk curling on his lips. The power coursing through him wasn't just a tool—it was a part of him now, woven into every fiber of his being. He stretched his arms, relishing the sensation, feeling invincible.

Zero swam upward, his movements smooth yet brimming with an overwhelming force, each stroke creating a ripple that traveled far and wide. As he ascended toward the icy sheet that had imprisoned him for so long, he savored the sensation of his final form. His aura illuminated the waters, the light refracting off the frozen ceiling above like a living, breathing beacon of his strength.

When he finally reached the ice sheet, he paused for a moment, his hand outstretched. He expected resistance. He anticipated a struggle, But when his hand made contact, the ice didn't just crack—it shattered, exploding into a cascade of jagged shards and sending shockwaves through the water above.

"...What?" Zero thought, his eyes wide with disbelief. He hadn't even attacked it. He simply touched it, and the once-impenetrable barrier had disintegrated before him like brittle glass. For a moment, he floated there in stunned silence, staring at the fragments drifting away.

"That's... impossible," he muttered aloud, though his voice was swallowed by the surrounding water.

And then, Oracle's calm, almost amused voice chimed in, breaking through his astonishment.

[I never said you had to attack the ice.]

Zero blinked, processing the words. He clenched his fist, looking at his own hand, now trembling—not from the effort, but from the sheer magnitude of what he'd become. The ice had been a symbol of his struggle, an adversary that had seemed insurmountable for years. Yet now, in his final form, it had been obliterated without so much as a fraction of his true power.

As Zero ascended into the frigid skies, he cast a long, reflective gaze at the planet that had shaped him into what he was now. From above, Planet Geyser appeared as a stark, gleaming orb, its icy surface shimmering faintly under the distant light of its sun. It was a hauntingly beautiful jewel of white and pale blue, but Zero knew its serene appearance belied the harsh reality of its existence.

Planet Geyser was a world designed to punish, not nurture. Its environment was a death sentence for most lifeforms, a crucible that few could survive and fewer still could call home. The icy surface stretched endlessly in every direction, with no trace of vegetation or life to soften its desolate landscape. Snow fell relentlessly, creating perpetual blizzards that tore through the air like frozen daggers. Beneath the surface, oceans of liquid nitrogen churned sluggishly, their toxic vapors rising to mix with the thin, hydrogen-rich atmosphere.

The gravity was crushing, roughly 100 times that of Earth, making even basic movement a monumental effort for any creature not evolved for its immense pull. It was this gravity that had forged the Frost Demons into a race of unparalleled physical and biological resilience. Their very existence was a testament to survival against the most extreme odds.

The Frost Demons, though few in number, were a force to be reckoned with. Only 100,000 of them inhabited the planet, their race too specialized to expand much further. Their biology was perfectly attuned to the conditions of Planet Geyser, rendering them almost alien to the concept of weakness. They required no oxygen to breathe, instead drawing sustenance from the hydrogen-rich atmosphere that would be toxic to most other species. They could survive for years without food or water, their bodies metabolizing energy with unimaginable efficiency. Even the vacuum of space held no terror for them; it was just another environment to endure, another challenge to conquer.

And yet, despite their near-immortality in the face of nature's fury, the Frost Demons were a fragmented people. Their survival instincts didn't translate into unity or warmth among themselves. The concept of camaraderie was foreign to them, and no leader in the current era had managed to unite them under a single banner. Instead, they existed in scattered clans, each focused solely on their own survival and dominance.

Zero couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions as he looked down on the world that had birthed such a race. Planet Geyser had been his prison, his tormentor, and his teacher. It was what had forged him into what he was now, his power honed against its relentless hostility. And yet, it was also a place of unparalleled beauty, a monument to nature's ability to create something so cruel yet so awe-inspiring.

As he hovered in the upper atmosphere, his final form glowing with energy, Zero whispered to himself, "A wasteland... and yet it produced the Frost Demons. It produced me."

The icy winds howled around him one last time as he turned his gaze toward the stars. Planet Geyser would always be a part of him, but it no longer defined him. His destiny lay beyond its frozen surface, in the vast expanse of the universe. Without a second thought, he surged forward, leaving the jewel of ice behind him as he began his journey to Planet Plant.

As Zero soared through the vast emptiness of space, the faint glow of distant stars reflected off his body, his energy trail shimmering behind him. The journey was exhilarating, the freedom intoxicating after years of confinement on Planet Geyser. Yet, despite his newfound power and liberation, a critical question lingered in his mind.

"So, Oracle," he asked, his voice carrying a casual confidence as he glided effortlessly through the vacuum, "where exactly is Planet Plant?"

There was a brief pause before Oracle's reply. Its tone, typically calm and mechanical, carried a hint of hesitation that immediately put Zero on edge.

[I don't know.]

Zero's forward momentum halted abruptly as if he had hit an invisible wall. His expression froze, disbelief washing over him like a tidal wave. "HUH?" he exclaimed, spinning midair to address the holographic projection of Oracle's interface that flickered beside him.

"Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean, you don't know? You're supposed to be my guide! The genius AI! The one that knows everything!" His voice rose with each word, frustration replacing the excitement he'd felt moments earlier.

[I am indeed a highly advanced artificial intelligence,] Oracle replied matter-of-factly. [However, the precise coordinates of Planet Plant are not stored in my database. This could be due to several factors: data corruption, restricted access to certain archives, or insufficient records on this sector of the galaxy.]

Zero rubbed his temples, his energy flaring slightly with his growing irritation. "You mean to tell me I've spent three years training on that frozen hellhole, preparing for this exact moment, and you don't even know where I'm supposed to go?"

[To clarify,] Oracle interjected, [I did not say we cannot find Planet Plant. I only stated that I do not currently possess the coordinates.]

"That's the same thing!" Zero shouted, throwing his arms up in exasperation. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Yelling at Oracle wasn't going to solve anything.

"Okay," he said finally, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's think this through. You may not know where it is, but surely you've got something. A lead? A star map? A space traffic route? Anything?"

Oracle's interface flickered briefly before responding. [While I lack specific coordinates, there are references to Planet Plant within historical and navigational archives. Based on available data, it is located within the Hesta System. Cross-referencing local celestial formations should allow us to triangulate its approximate location.]

"Approximate location, huh?" Zero muttered, his irritation giving way to determination. "Fine. That's better than nothing. Let's get started."

[Understood. Beginning star map analysis.]

As Oracle began processing the surrounding celestial data, Zero crossed his arms and stared out at the endless expanse of stars. "Figures," he muttered to himself. "I break out of a frozen wasteland, survive years of hellish training, and now I've got to play galactic hide-and-seek."

Still, there was a fire in his chest that wouldn't be extinguished. He wasn't going to let something as trivial as missing coordinates stop him now.

"Planet Plant," he said, his voice resolute. "Wherever you are, I'm coming."

[Analysis complete. Displaying flight path.]

Oracle's voice chimed confidently as a holographic star map materialized before Zero. Constellations, star systems, and planetary formations shimmered in vibrant colors, and a glowing path traced the route to Planet Plant through the vastness of space. The hologram adjusted to align with his surroundings, pointing him in the right direction.

Zero smirked, crossing his arms. "That's more like it," he muttered, his previous frustration giving way to satisfaction. "Let's get moving."

He surged forward, his aura blazing like a comet as he followed the designated path. The initial thrill of flight carried him for a while, his excitement still fresh from breaking free of Planet Geyser. But soon, the monotonous reality of space travel set in. The stars, though breathtaking, seemed distant and unmoving. The vast emptiness stretched endlessly in every direction, making time feel like it was crawling.

"This is... boring," Zero groaned after a few hours of uninterrupted flight, his voice echoing in the silence of his personal space bubble.

[I anticipated this sentiment,] Oracle replied dryly. [As there is little external stimulation in interstellar travel, perhaps we could utilize this time productively.]

"Productively, huh?" Zero sighed, his tone skeptical. "What do you have in mind?"

[I have noticed references in your thoughts to a body of knowledge from your previous life, It may be beneficial to organize and analyze these memories to determine how they correlate with your current circumstances.]

Zero's eyes widened slightly. "Huh. That's... actually not a bad idea." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Alright, Oracle. Let's go over what I remember."

The hours began to pass more quickly as Zero delved into his memories, recounting characters, events, techniques, and lore from the Dragon Ball series. Oracle, ever methodical, cataloged everything, sorting it into categories and cross-referencing it with Zero's observations of his new reality.

"So, Saiyans are real here," Zero mused aloud. "That much is clear. But are their transformations and power levels the same as in the show? And what about the Frost Demons—are they exactly like Frieza and his clan? Or are there differences? Ugh, so many questions."

[Your knowledge provides a valuable framework,] Oracle noted. [However, we must remain cautious in assuming all elements align perfectly. Observing firsthand will yield more accurate insights.]

"Yeah, yeah," Zero muttered, waving a hand dismissively. "Still, it's better to have a starting point."

The monotony of space was broken only by his conversations with Oracle, his musings on Dragon Ball lore, and the occasional cosmic phenomena—a nearby comet, a swirling nebula, or the distant explosion of a dying star. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Oracle's voice brought him back to the moment.

[Approaching destination. Visual confirmation of Planet Plant achieved.]

Zero's eyes lit up as a beautiful, crimson planet came into view, its deep red surface glowing faintly against the backdrop of space. The sight was stunning, far more vibrant and alive than the icy wasteland of Planet Geyser. Rivers of molten rock crisscrossed the surface like veins, and patches of greenery dotted the landscape, suggesting pockets of livable zones.

"Finally," Zero breathed, his excitement palpable. "Planet Plant."

Without hesitation, he adjusted his trajectory and began his descent. The atmosphere greeted him fiery streaks forming around his body as he broke through the planet's protective layer. The sensation was exhilarating, a stark contrast to the cold, lifeless void of space.

To Zero's astonishment, the Tuffles were not only alive and well but far more technologically advanced than he had imagined. From his vantage point atop a rocky outcrop, he gazed at a sprawling city that seemed to pulsate with energy and innovation. Towering skyscrapers made of sleek, reflective metals reached toward the sky, their surfaces covered in glowing panels that emitted a soft, ambient light. Flying cars zipped effortlessly between buildings, weaving intricate patterns through the air. Holographic displays projected vibrant advertisements and information, their colors shimmering even in the planet's reddish hue.