"Then I won't hold back!" said Grandpa Gohan as he leapt forward and launched a punch directly at Ken.
Smack!
Ken extended a single finger and effortlessly caught Grandpa Gohan's fist with it.
The moment Grandpa Gohan's punch landed on Ken's finger, it felt as if he'd struck thin air—his strength seemed to vanish upon contact.
He was stunned, eyes wide, and his white beard trembled from the shock.
"Thanks for letting me win," Ken said calmly.
Grandpa Gohan: "…"
Was that really necessary to say?
After a brief pause, Grandpa Gohan jumped back, putting some distance between them, visibly moved. "You're this strong at just five years old? Who's your master?"
"My master?" Ken blinked, then casually pulled out a book and tossed it to Grandpa Gohan.
Catching the book midair, Grandpa Gohan read the large characters on the cover and muttered, "Ultra Instinct Cultivation Manual?"
"My master is that book," Ken replied.
Grandpa Gohan: "…"
Cough cough… Grandpa Gohan cleared his throat awkwardly to cover the silence.
"Are you one of my master's new disciples?" he asked offhandedly.
After all, anyone who spouted nonsense like that might have been picked up by the Turtle Hermit.
Only Master Roshi could be that kind of pervert.
Ken: "…"
Do I really seem like that old perv?
"Ultra Instinct Cultivation Manual?" Grandpa Gohan muttered again, flipping open the cover and skimming through the contents. He quickly grew serious and murmured, "Such a profound martial technique… The body moves on its own to dodge unknown dangers, bypassing conscious thought…"
"Want to learn it?" Ken smiled.
As he spoke, he lightly curled his finger.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the book flew out of Grandpa Gohan's hands and back into Ken's.
"Telekinesis?!" Grandpa Gohan was shocked again.
"Well?" Ken grinned. "Still interested?"
"Yes, I want to learn!" Grandpa Gohan nodded earnestly.
"That was just a teaser," Ken chuckled.
Grandpa Gohan: "…"
"If you really want to learn it… I'll leave the book somewhere in these mountains. Go find it yourself," Ken said, then tossed the book casually into the distance.
Whoosh!
The book traced an arc through the sky, vanishing into the distant mountains.
"If fate allows, you'll find it," Ken added, then slowly lifted into the sky.
Grandpa Gohan: "…"
"Farewell," Ken said before disappearing into the clouds.
Grandpa Gohan stared in the direction he vanished, lost in thought.
Then suddenly, he felt like something was missing… his head felt lighter.
Reaching up to touch his cap, he abruptly realized the glowing orb that was embedded at the top—his four-star Dragon Ball—was gone!
Grandpa Gohan was speechless.
When did that kid swipe my Dragon Ball?
I didn't even notice…
That boy really is something else.
If he'd wanted to kill me, I'd be dead right now.
A cold sweat ran down Grandpa Gohan's back.
But then another thought popped into his mind.
Right—the book!
That book seemed really interesting.
If I can find it and study it thoroughly, maybe I can push my martial arts to a whole new level.
Slapping a bamboo basket onto his back, Grandpa Gohan hopped energetically toward the spot where the book had fallen.
The Ultra Instinct Cultivation Manual Ken had thrown was real—just a copy.
Ken had recreated it using his divine powers from Whis's original.
He planned to leave it on Earth for someone fated to discover it.
And truthfully, Ken believed that aside from himself, the only person who might truly be able to master Ultra Instinct… was Goku.
But according to the original storyline, Goku wouldn't begin cultivating Ultra Instinct until well into his 40s.
Leaving the book behind now might help Goku reach it sooner.
…
Grandpa Gohan hopped from peak to peak, soon arriving on another mountain.
Stretching out his neck, he scanned the area for any sign of the book.
But then he sniffed the air.
He caught a strong, iron scent.
"What a strong smell of blood… What happened over here?" he muttered.
Turning his head, he saw splattered blood and signs of a fierce scuffle in the nearby forest.
Even more frustrating was the shredded paper scattered on the ground.
One rock even had two distinct characters from the book's cover—"Ultra" (自在).
Grandpa Gohan nearly wept.
Did wild beasts shred that book?
What a waste!
Just as he was sighing, a shadow burst out of the forest and pounced at him.
Smack!
Grandpa Gohan instinctively raised his arm, easily blocking the attack. When he got a better look, he was surprised.
It was a child.
An even younger one than the boy from earlier.
Judging by appearance, the kid was barely three years old.
His clothes were strikingly similar to Ken's.
Grandpa Gohan tensed—what if this kid was just as strong?
That would be bad.
He leapt back, creating distance between himself and the little attacker.
But Kakarot lunged again, launching a flurry of blows.
Although Kakarot's battle power had only been 2 when he was launched from Planet Vegeta, his time surviving in Earth's wilds had pushed it up slightly.
Still, compared to Grandpa Gohan, he was nowhere close.
After a few exchanges, Grandpa Gohan got a solid read on him.
"You're no match for me, little guy," he chuckled, giving Kakarot a playful slap that sent him tumbling to the ground.
Kakarot bared his teeth, grimacing in pain and glaring at Grandpa Gohan.
"Hey now, little one—what are you doing here? Do you know that boy from earlier?" Grandpa Gohan asked kindly.
Kakarot said nothing.
"You look mad. Is it because I hit you?" Grandpa Gohan smiled. "Tell you what—I'll let you hit me back. I won't fight back."
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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