Saiyan stowaways on the Ark

—How could a mere medical organization possess so much intelligence and even command such powerful forces?

We must seize their advantages or eliminate them directly before they grow stronger or find a more secure backer.

The conclusions that could be drawn without much guesswork prompted the core decision-making team to begin considering how to deal with these situations.

The PhD who can make decisive decisions did not choose the simpler and quicker approach of "finding a backer"—giving up their advantages to others for protection. Once those advantages disappear, they will become abandoned pawns.

Moreover, it's better to find a more reliable "person" directly than to seek refuge with any major power in Terra.

Therefore, the Doctor decided to strengthen himself and Rhodes Island.

Then he made a request to Tomat, who readily accepted.

Instead of relying on his own power, they asked him to help Rhodes Island's operators become stronger, in a very simple sense, including the Doctor himself.

While many felt powerless upon witnessing the giant ape, the doctor was deeply moved and yearned for it after seeing its immense power.

Tomat himself did not try to hide it too much. He frankly said that he did not have much experience in coaching training, but he could still help with some training.

However, this was only an agreement between the two of them and was not enough to convince everyone, especially those who also had decision-making power.

The reason for the rejection was quite simple: many people, including the instructors, did not believe that Tomat's extraordinary strength could be acquired through training.

Many people even hold the view that "no matter how strong an individual is, they cannot overcome the power of a group and Terra's modern military-industrial complex."

—They don't think the operators can be as strong as Thomas.

Even if you don't aim to become just as strong, a half-baked improvement in strength is not very meaningful.

The doctor's aspirations were refuted.

Having such fantasies is fine, but Rhodes Island is not large enough to afford to implement them at the risk of wasting manpower and resources.

Too many people have accepted the reality that "there are insurmountable or even inaccessible gaps in this world".

Just like how people of other races wouldn't feel that their physical abilities can keep up with Vayvan's.

They certainly don't think they can compete with the legendary Wendigo.

Then, of course, we don't need to mention the Saiyans' power, which is far superior to that.

The operator training program has been put on hold.

Rhodes Island continued its peaceful days, which were slightly different from before.

Then came "Quality Inspection Day".

Everyone saw Tomat being defeated in an instant.

However, this is only a fleeting moment in the eyes of outsiders.

For the person involved, it was actually quite a long time—his flying straight punch was dodged, followed by Bardock's heavy punch from the side. While trying his best to avoid it, he flipped his body and spun around in mid-air to dissipate the force.

Nevertheless, even if the face was only pressed against it for a moment, the impact still penetrated the skull.

Adjusting his stance and steadying himself, Tomat delivered a side kick to Bardock's ribs before Bardock finished his punch, but Bardock dodged it with an even faster crouch, and the sweeping leg almost made Tomat feel like his legs were completely shattered.

Unbelievable.

Similarly, he was not at his peak.

He also recuperated on Rhodes Island.

Similarly, they will not launch a full-scale attack because they are concerned about causing damage to the surrounding area.

Bardock, however, overwhelmed Tomat with sheer physical prowess rather than skill.

Bardak's power has now far exceeded the measurement limits of the old Tomat detector.

The Bardock that Tomath knew, the man he had fought on Planet Vegeta, definitely didn't have this kind of strength now.

But he's not particularly surprised now.

Rather, I would say I'm happy because of this discovery, even though I'm in excruciating pain right now.

It's even possible that Bardock, who currently has some memory loss, has already experienced something he longed for, but is currently unable to manifest that form due to special circumstances.

If there is someone far stronger than oneself as a target for combat—then one will definitely catch up.

Sharing his past experiences with others through the night has made him realize how he should deal with his past.

As for the future, one should face one's own conscience.

"This is truly impressive. So this is what it feels like to be powerful. I'll definitely use it next time..."

Tomat wanted to become powerful.

It's not about "being stronger than someone" or "doing something with great power".

"Becoming stronger" is the goal itself, not the means.

He understood this pure desire—and he intended to convey this feeling to those watching from outside.

Tomat didn't come here to watch others get beaten up.

Tomat, who had been lying on the ground, used one hand to support himself against the floor, which had cracked into the shape of a human figure, and the other hand to cover his chest as he stood up.

That was the injury caused by Bardock's elbow strike to the back of the head, which came immediately after Bardock kicked him down with a sweeping leg kick.

That blow almost shattered his ribs.

Indeed, he did suffer from internal bleeding.

"cough!!!"

Thomas spat out a mouthful of blood, but then touched the corner of his mouth to wipe away the stain.

"The gap between me and Bardock is now bigger than the gap between you and me, but I'm not giving up..."

As his breathing gradually stabilized, Tomat tensed his body, trying to restore his organs, which were on the verge of malfunctioning, to normal operation.

In the brief moment of catching his breath, he regained the strength to continue the fight.

The test is over.

But the "competition" is not over yet.

"Can't do it? Maybe it's a waste of effort? A waste of manpower and resources? Don't use your own reasons to stifle other people's desire to become stronger."

Seeing Tomat stand up, Badak raised an eyebrow.

Without responding, he took the red headscarf out of his pocket.

Then he tied it around his forehead, smiled, glanced at the almost unanimously silent people outside the window, and said:

"You really are a strange Saiyan."

He sprinted and disappeared from sight once again.

Thomas steadied himself, facing the challenge with his body already severely damaged by the overwhelming fighting force.

"Ha, take that as a compliment."

[Main Text] Terra's World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament. Training Chapter: Chapter 3 I Know This!

The "Operator Training Proposal," which was proposed by the Doctor and whose cooperation application was accepted by Tomat, was ultimately approved.

Perhaps they were inspired by Tomat's self-challenging behavior of "wanting to reach the top" as demonstrated by his actions.

It's also possible that they realized it was indeed worth trying.

Or perhaps they don't want to shelve the proposal, which could create a direct rift between Tomat and Rhodes Island.

In any case, after that battle, which was ostensibly a materials test but was actually a demonstration of a greater power difference, the proposal was implemented in a more moderate way.

—They are willing to implement special training aimed at "becoming stronger".

Without investigating whether the actual results can be significant, the goal is simply to satisfy the Doctor and the Operators' desire for power.

Of course, since it's described as a compromise, there must be some areas where it's been reduced.

The training should not exceed one action group, that is, four to ten people.

After all, from a fundamental perspective, it's impossible to suddenly ask all or most operators to abandon their posts and throw themselves into the training frenzy.

At the same time, participants cannot be elite members of Rhodes Island.

This is both to ensure the proper functioning of Rhodes Island and to guarantee the actual effectiveness of the training.

From the perspective of those in charge of decision-making, involving already very strong operators is not very meaningful, as they have already reached their limits.

If we send operators whose skills "still have room for improvement," we don't expect them to make any huge breakthroughs, but they can still learn something from the training.

This level of compromise is actually quite perfunctory.

However, as the main "guide," he did not express much objection to this.

Rhode Island. Medical District. Inpatient Department.

"Clap!"

A greenish, unripe apple was crushed by a strong hand, and the pulp and juice were squeezed into a paste and splashed everywhere, with only a small portion flowing into the glass below.

"That red-eyed female doctor said you should eat more fruit to get better faster. Here, drink it. Now you don't even need to chew."

"...Just put it aside. You didn't wash your hands, did you?"

Lying on the bed with his legs dangling, Tomat looked at Badak's outstretched hand as he squeezed apple juice, wiping away the fruit pulp that flew onto his face.

"She's even learned to be clean."

—Then Bardock, with a mocking smile, finished his glass of juice and continued:

"But you're really acting strangely, coming to challenge me just to persuade them."

To become stronger, one must charge against those who are stronger.

This kind of thing is actually quite rare among Saiyans, but in Bardock's era, there weren't many Saiyans like this.

Most people are just belligerent and don't care about being strong.

Because they believe they are "powerful enough".

If you're strong enough to bully and ravage other races, why bother with those who are even stronger?

Not to mention using the act of "challenge" to prove one's will.