Capsule Corporation, West City
"Krillin, don't get too excited yet! There's a serious snag."
Bulma studied his eager face, voice turning grave.
Krillin blinked. "What snag?"
"Seventeen and Eighteen aren't full-on machines. Most of their bodies are still biological just selectively enhanced. They can have children. Their power hinges on a very peculiar infinite energy core. They don't know where Dr. Gero got it, and there were only two. That's why even he could only turn himself into a fully mechanical android." Bulma laid it out cleanly.
"Infinite… energy core?" Krillin's hands tightened. "You're saying without that, you can't convert me the same way?"
"Right. If I rebuild you without it, you'll hit a ceiling. Your power won't keep climbing. And the fully mechanical type just isn't that strong."
Krillin's throat worked. "Is there any other way?"
"Two." Bulma held up a finger, then a second. "One: find that know-it-all little punk. He'll know. Two: Shenron."
"Know-it-all little… punk?" Krillin looked lost.
"Aiya Gohan, that brat!" Bulma realized she'd slipped.
"Bulma, that sounded… suspicious." Krillin couldn't resist teasing.
"Zip it, or do you not want my help?" She went red and snapped.
"Ahem go on."
"Nothing more to say. I've given you the avenues. You handle it." She tossed off a mild expletive under her breath and swept out.
"Gohan… or Shenron. I'll try Gohan first. If he's not around, I'll gather the Dragon Balls." Krillin made up his mind on the spot and rocketed into the sky toward Mount Paozu.
Mount Paozu
Goku was mid-spar with Vegeta when he jolted
Wham!
"Kakarot, you clown! Are you mocking the Prince? You dare get distracted while fighting me!?" Vegeta barked, driving him into the dirt.
"Time out, time out! I just felt Krillin coming hold that thought." No sooner had Goku said it than Krillin streaked into view.
Whoosh!
"Krillin! What's up?" Goku called first.
"Goku, I'm looking for Gohan. Is he here?" Krillin asked, keyed up.
"Gohan? He's been gone a month. No idea where he went," Goku said.
"Not here, huh… then plan B. Goku, do you still have the Dragon Radar?"
"Yeah. After we revived you, I never got around to returning it to Bulma. What's going on, Krillin?" Seeing Krillin this anxious, Goku pressed.
"Goku… do you trust me?" Krillin decided to keep it under wraps for now.
"Of course I do." Goku didn't hesitate.
"Then don't ask. There's no danger. Just… lend me the radar, okay?" Krillin said quietly.
Goku's brow puckered, then eased. "Wait here I'll grab it."
He flashed home and back, and pressed the device into Krillin's palm.
"Thanks, Goku. I've got to run!" Krillin shot into the clouds.
"Hey Krillin! The Dragon Balls haven't reset yet!" Goku shouted after him.
But Krillin was already gone. The thought struck him a beat later, so he thumbed the Radar. No response.
"…Right. I'm panicking. Totally forgot." Krillin grimaced. The Balls had been used recently they were still inert stone.
"No helping it I'll have to wait for Gohan. Oh! King Kai!" He remembered the North Kai could telepathically reach people… except Krillin didn't know the technique.
So he veered toward the Lookout. If he couldn't, Dende could.
Kami's Lookout
"Got it, Krillin. Hold on I'll contact King Kai for you."
Dende, using his authority over the flow between worlds, opened a channel to the North Kai and explained that Krillin needed him.
The line clicked open.
"Krillin, what's the emergency?" King Kai's voice resonated in his mind.
"King Kai, can you locate Gohan? I need him badly!" Krillin all but yelled.
"Not so loud! I can hear just fine you'll burst my eardrums!" King Kai groused.
"Sorry, I lost my cool."
"Gohan's off the grid. Even I can't find him. You'll have to wait." In truth, the Kai couldn't sense Beerus's planet or the Supreme Kai's World from his tier.
"Figures… haste makes waste." Krillin deflated.
"That's all you called me for?" King Kai's tone frosted over.
"Er sorry to bother you, King Kai! My bad!" Krillin babbled an apology.
"Hmph. What do you take me for?" The link snapped shut.
"Gohan, where are you?" Krillin muttered, disappointment plain.
Beerus's Planet
Hum… hum…
"Oh? That was quick." Whis tapped his staff; the pocket realm opened.
Gohan stepped out.
"Gohan? From the look of you, it didn't take. No change." Whis peered at him.
Gohan stood in his base form. His life-layer hadn't risen; no shift in "dimension."
"I hit a wall. I've roughly grasped divine ki, but I can't evolve it into my own God-power. I feel like I need a fight a real one, peer-level against a god to catalyze it," Gohan said, frustrated.
"Most True Gods can't push you; Great God Realm is out of reach. Tricky," Whis mused.
"Saiyans are born fighters. I think our God-power needs more than purity and good will it needs to be tempered in battle," Gohan added.
"Leave it to me," Whis said, as if signing for a parcel.
"All right. If I stay here I'm just spinning my wheels. I'd better head back pretty sure I'm in for a scolding. Mr. Whis, how long has it been on Earth?"
"Just over a month. Why someone there can scold you?"
"A month… I've ditched school for a month. Mom's going to kill me. And Videl ! Mr. Whis, I'm off. Bye!" A shiver ran through him; the dread of imminent wrath spiked. Before Whis could reply, he Instant-Transmitted away.
"Well now. I must see who can tame this fox of a boy."
Whis's curiosity flared. He tilted the staff; its scrying pane bloomed to life…
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