Note: If this fanfic is already fully translated or is ACTIVELY being translated by someone else, please let me know.
Age 737.
Universe 7, Planet Vegeta.
Summer dusk cloaked the world like a veil of black silk. The star-studded night sky shimmered faintly overhead.
Ken stared up in silence, his thoughts adrift among the stars.
"Hey, Ken! You sure are relaxed, daydreaming all by yourself out here?"
A young, arrogant voice rang out behind him.
Ken didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
It was none other than Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans.
Though only five years old, Vegeta already had that spiky black hair standing straight up, was clad in a full suit of battle armor, and his tail swayed lightly behind him.
"You should worry more about your power level!" Vegeta said sharply, tapping the scouter over his eye with a small finger.
Beep beep!
The scouter picked up a signal.
Three seconds later—
Vegeta froze, eyes filled with confusion.
"Power level... 200?" he blurted out in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? That's impossible! Just three days ago your power level was 1000! And last year you peaked at 20,000! Why is your power level dropping the more you train?"
He wasn't wrong. Ken's highest recorded power level had reached an astonishing 20,000—so high it had terrified King Vegeta himself.
Ken had risen too quickly. So quickly that by the time King Vegeta considered eliminating him, he already didn't like the odds.
But since Ken didn't seem ambitious and his parents were trusted retainers of the king, the issue was swept under the rug.
"Vegeta," Ken sighed as he stepped forward and stopped beside him.
Ken was also just five, yet already stood a few centimeters taller than the prince.
"Hmph! Show some respect and call me 'Your Highness'!" Vegeta snapped.
Whoosh!
Ken casually reached out and snatched the scouter off Vegeta's face.
"H-Hey! That's my scouter! Give it back!" Vegeta's young face flushed with fury.
That speed…
How did he do that?
"Vegeta, you need to learn not to depend on numbers from that thing," Ken said calmly, then gently pressed the device between his fingers.
Crack!
The scouter broke into several pieces on the spot, components slipping from his hand.
"You… you actually destroyed my scouter?!" Vegeta was livid.
"I'll see if I can fix it," Ken muttered.
"…????"
Vegeta was stunned.
Fix it?
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
Ken took a deep breath, his expression suddenly serious. A dazzling, star-like glow flared to life in his palm.
The radiant light had a cloudy sheen to it, quickly enveloping the broken scouter.
Before Vegeta's wide eyes, the shattered device began to reassemble.
About 30 seconds later, the scouter was fully restored—right down to the tiny parts that had fallen to the ground.
"You-you-you… What technique was that?!" Vegeta stammered, his face full of disbelief.
"Angelic power," Ken replied, his tone even.
"Angelic power? What's that?" Vegeta blinked.
"You're still too young. You'll understand when you're older." Ken patted his shoulder.
"Tch! Who're you calling young? Like you're older than me or something!" Vegeta bared his teeth.
"It's not important," Ken said, turning to leave.
Vegeta: "…"
You broke my scouter and now you say it's 'not important'?
I get it now. You just wanted to show off that freaky ability, didn't you?
"Give me back my scouter!" Vegeta yelled.
Ken tossed it back casually.
Vegeta snatched it mid-air and slapped it back on.
He pressed the button again.
Beep beep!
The display activated and read Ken's power level.
"100? It dropped again?" Vegeta was baffled. "Is it because of that weird book you've been using to train?"
Ken paused, pulled a book from his robes, and tossed it to him.
Plop!
Vegeta caught it and glanced at the cover.
"There really is a book? 'Ultra Instinct Training Manual'?" he muttered, confused.
"Yep. That's how I gained these abilities. Pretty impressive, huh?" Ken smiled.
"Where'd you get this?" Vegeta asked, still dazed.
"Remember last year, when a cat and a blue-skinned guy visited our planet?" Ken said with a grin.
"You mean… Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction, and his attendant?!" Vegeta's face paled. He visibly trembled.
"Exactly." Ken nodded. "I traded a tech-infused sausage for it. The attendant—Whis, I think—gave me the book."
"So you trained using this and went from a power level of 20,000 to… 100?" Vegeta was speechless.
"Mhm." Ken nodded again.
Vegeta stared at him like he was insane.
Is this guy for real?
You had a power level of 20,000 at four years old—an absolute prodigy among Saiyans!
Father even wanted to make you my personal bodyguard!
And you spent a year dropping it down to 100 on purpose?!
What a genius.
Despite everything, the two got along fairly well.
They were the same age, and Ken had always been "that other kid" King Vegeta constantly compared him to.
Vegeta had grown up under Ken's shadow—his self-esteem crushed, his young heart drowning in insecurity.
But ever since Ken's power started declining last year, everything changed.
Suddenly every day was a sunny day. Even his dreams made him laugh out loud.
Ken actually appreciated Vegeta.
He felt Vegeta's character had been very well written in Dragon Ball: from a proud warrior to a responsible father and husband.
Meanwhile, in Dragon Ball Super, the main character Son Goku had become nothing more than a battle junkie.
"Hmph. You let your power level drop just to learn this lame trick?" Vegeta snorted.
"That's one way to put it." Ken nodded. "You can keep the book—I've already learned it. Now I just need to polish it."
"Like hell I want some worthless junk!" Vegeta huffed and turned away.
But curiosity got the better of him, and he flipped through the pages.
Ultra Instinct: A state in which one's body moves and reacts on instinct, without requiring conscious thought. This allows the user to detect and dodge danger reflexively, greatly enhancing speed and reaction time.
Requirements: A peaceful mind, free of distractions. Optimism and a positive attitude are essential.
Vegeta read the intro and sneered.
"No conscious thought? Instinctive movement?" Though only five years old, he grasped the concept quickly. "So it's all about dodging attacks, right?"
"That's one way to understand it," Ken nodded.
"Hmph. Ken, we're Saiyans! A warrior race! You think dodging alone can win battles?"
Ken didn't reply.
"And seriously—'a peaceful mind'? You ever heard of Super Saiyans? We're the most powerful warriors in the universe! And we're aggressive by nature! If you had a peaceful heart, you'd never become a Super Saiyan!"
"You're absolutely right," Ken said. "Let's not talk about it anymore."
Vegeta: "…"
(End of Chapter)