~ Kairo's Pov ~
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'It looks like I'm almost there.' Today was both long and short...
But, I was a bit glad for the experience.
I looked around the area for a bit... Seeing living breathing Saiyans. Children, men, women, even the elderly.
They were all about, just like any normal human would be, but with tails. I never really got to appreciate just how high-tech this society really was. There were people literally flying around, using strange gadgets as well, and even lifting space pods, casually...
Trust me, I couldn't wait to learn how to do that...
Eventually, I made my way towards the entrance of my home... Going off of my memories at least.
I pushed the button. Hearing a beeping sound, with a small robotic eyes coming out from a square opening in the wall, quickly scanning my body...
It stopped after a second, with the door opening right after.
I entered, with it closing behind me...
I took a slow walk deeper into the house. The place was quiet… too quiet.
When I reached what looked like the living room, I spotted my mother sitting in one of the cushioned chairs, tail lazily swaying behind her. Her gaze shifted to me almost instantly.
"You fought today." she said, plainly: "And then, you lost."
I blinked;
'How the hell did she even hear about that so fast?'
Did word travel that quickly here…? Or, maybe she had eyes everywhere? Well... She was a Super-Elite, and she likely had immense authority as well as connections... Either way, I decided to not push it, and not poke that hornet's nest...
She then asked me this: "How do you feel about it?"
Hearing the sudden question, I answered her question, being as truthful as I could. Though, something in my stomach told me that I needed to be careful, for some odd reason;
"Honestly... I think it was more of a learning experience... Even though I lost pretty badly, I gained something from it. Experience. Even if it wasn't much."
The moment I finished, I could see a bright yet small smile forming on her lips. She then stood up from her chair, her expression warming, just slightly...
"...Not bad... I like that answer. That's how a warrior should approach loss." She said, continuing: "Your father was also like that as well..."
The moment she said that, there was a slight flicker of reminiscence in her eyes, the kind that told me that she was half in the present, half in the past. Then, without another word, she gestured for me to follow.
"Come, follow me."
I nodded, we both walked down the short hall to my room. She stopped at my bed and pointed. I followed her gaze… and saw two black armbands lying neatly on the blanket...
"Huh... What are those?" I asked honestly.
"Weights little warrior" She replied matter-of-factly: "They're 10kg each… but here, on this planet, they're a 100kg a piece."
I stared at them, my eyebrows twitching. She only kept going...
"From now on, you will wear them every day, all day, through walking, sleeping and training. Starting today."
'Is she actually insane? I have to wear these things all day, everyday!?' I wondered.
I blinked again, looking at the two black armbands like they might bite me.A hundred kilograms. Each. All day, every day. Sleeping in them. Walking in them. Training in them.
"That's… a lot." I muttered, though I kept my voice even.
"Don't worry... They'll feel heavier than they sound." She replied;
"But, they'll certainly make you stronger... That is... if you don't break first."
I exhaled slowly, reaching down and picking one up. The weight pulled on my arm immediately, my shoulder adjusting without me even realizing it. My instincts screamed that this wasn't going to be easy. But she was still watching me, eyes sharp, tail still swaying lazily behind her.
"…Alright." I said finally: "I'll wear them."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she was measuring my resolve... Then, something tugged at me... a thought. A small one...
"But... What if..." I started slowly: "…I hadn't given the answer I did earlier? About losing, I mean."
However...
I had soon regretted asking her this single question...
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The change, it was instantaneous...
The small smile she had? It vanished, like it was never there... The warmth in her gaze drained away, replaced by something cold and heavy. Even the air felt thicker, pressing against my skin like the gravity itself had just increased many times...
"...That's a silly question. You would simply no longer be my son." She said flatly, with a natural tone: "You would have to fend for yourself... And, I could always have another child." She stated without missing a single beat.
'What...?' It was all I could think.
In fact, I froze...
I could instinctively tell that there was no hesitation in her tone. No trace of this being a little joke. It was just blunt, yet equally lethal truth.
I swallowed my spit, feeling a bead of sweat slide down my neck. The idea of her meaning that… it wasn't just unsettling, it was terrifying to me...
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"I… I see." I said carefully, my voice quieter than I wanted it to be...
She didn't reply. She only turned away, her tail flicking once before she finally left the room.
I sat there in silence, still holding the armband in my hand, feeling what I had to do now.
However, it almost felt as if the weight suddenly got even heavier...
...It was from this very moment, that I truly realized that I had to grow stronger, much stronger than I am now.
I quickly put on the weights I had on the bed... However, I instantly felt their effects on me. My body practically buckled in on itself...
'D-Damn... One wasn't so bad, but four...?'
I'd just have to bear with it. I slowly made my way, and closed the door, feeling the new strain on my body...
Walking back, I slowly sat back on my bed Thinking about what I experienced on my very first day here... I honestly wanted to rest, and sleep, but witnessing what I just did? Normal sleep isn't going to be an option.
Thankfully, in the pod, I've realized that Meditation practically functioned as sleep itself. Maybe slightly less effective, but the downsides were practically nothing for the gains it could give. So, instead of sleeping. I'm going to raise this skill as much as possible...
I slowly got into a comfortable, but minutes must have passed, and the weights kept making me lose my concentration. They were just too damn heavy...
'Damn!'
PING!
[(NEW) Physical Fitness-I: Grants the host [5%] increased stamina regeneration, and reduced fatigue toxin build-up. The skill also grants [10%] increase to over all stamina.]
Hearing, and seeing the notification of this skill was almost like a miracle.
Soon, I had felt a slight warm-tingling sensation coursing within my entire body, the change wasn't that substantial, but it was definitely there, and I could concentrate a bit better already...
Though... Through all of this... My dreams of coming to this world.
I was woefully naive that this journey of mine would be all rainbows and sunshine...
These people, they were still Saiyans... They respected strength above all else, and loathed weakness...
And my mother, today I learnt that...
Even she wasn't any different...
'But... Why... Why now?'
I sighed... Instead of focusing on those thoughts, now?
I knew I had to bear the burden of my own foolishness.
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END