Saiyan stowaways on the Ark

If this simulated situation were applied to reality, Raditz, having endured such an attack, would have already been defeated.

With a combat strength of around 1500, Tomat can easily achieve a dominant victory in battles of the same level.

In his prime, at his peak, he was confident he could fight enemies of similar strength.

"Not enough, right?"

Amid the explosion that engulfed Raditz, a voice completely different from his could be heard.

"If you're going to use my tricks, why don't you just have a go at me?"

The sound was getting closer.

This left Tomat both excited and confused.

He was excited because this familiar voice had once been his role model—a hero who could single-handedly hold off an enemy.

The confusion stems from not understanding why he instinctively summons someone he cannot defeat now as his next imaginary enemy.

"Come on then, Bada..."

However, it's not bad to occasionally let yourself and your acquaintances confront the things you once pursued in your "fantasy" and go a little crazy.

Tomat is ready to fight.

"Mr. Tomat? Mr. Tomat?"

But before he finished speaking, the figure, which was not yet fully clear, uttered a somewhat familiar girl's voice.

"Let's try that one... Even the Doctor would jump up if he heard that..."

Tomat, still in a daze in the imaginary space, continued to hear the voice.

“Mr. Thomas, there’s still a lot of work to do, so we can’t rest now—”

*In the original work, the Z Fighters frequently underwent this type of training.

[Main Text] Rhodes Island Walking Guide: Chapter Thirty-Six - Work isn't over yet!

If we use a game as an analogy for hypothetical training, the people you've previously fought against are like unlocked game characters. In "single-player mode," you can choose any opponent to practice against, and the accuracy of the simulation depends on how well you know them.

Just as there is a "single-player mode," there is also a "multiplayer mode." When two people who can also use virtual training are together, they can have a more realistic competition in their minds and accumulate more experience than the former.

In a shared hypothetical space, multiple entities with subjective consciousness can coexist—provided that all parties reach a consensus.

But now, someone who shouldn't be here has appeared behind Tomat.

"Mr. Thomas's inner world... is a blank."

Amiya?

Generally speaking, people who appear in this space will wear the same clothes as their real-world counterparts.

However, when Thomas turned around and looked at Amiya, who had appeared for some unknown reason, this young girl who had become the leader of Rhodes Island was not wearing the oversized uniform that she was usually seen wearing on Rhodes Island. Instead, she was wearing an ordinary white top with a black collar and a pleated skirt underneath the uniform.

The excessive number of black rings on her fingers, meant to be decorative, were gone.

At this moment, Amiya was just an ordinary young girl, with a gentle smile, making it impossible to tell that she was carrying a burden that was too heavy for her age and abilities.

“I don’t think I know you well enough to create one in this space,” Thomas said. “So how did you get in? And how did you get in?”

"Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Tomat, for trespassing into your mental world." Amiya apologized gently, then seemed quite interested in the space, glancing at the sunless yet glowing sky, then at the earth on the horizon where the light from the previous explosion hadn't yet dissipated. She then spread her arms and spun around freely. "I suppose it's... my ability. I sensed a strong emotion and 'spirit,' so I came to investigate, but I didn't expect it was Mr. Tomat who did it—this place is really huge."

Whether through talent or training, everyone has the opportunity to unlock new senses—to sense aura, Originium Arts, spirit, or something else entirely.

This wasn't a surprising answer for Tomat. At most, he learned that Amiya possessed a perception ability that he didn't have, and with such abilities, it wasn't strange that she could appear in this space.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you. It's working hours now." But Amiya came to check on things out of safety concerns, which might have delayed her original work. After all, Amiya's position meant she was definitely much busier than Amiya. "But I was just doing a mock training session. There's nothing to worry about. It'll be over in a bit."

“It’s alright. Dr. Kal’tsit and the Doctor just called a meeting with the medical team. I don’t need to attend, so I have some free time now.” Amiya assured Tommat that he didn’t need to worry about it. “Besides, I don’t usually work as the Doctor’s assistant all day. I have enough free time to work in the cafeteria.”

"Use this rare break to relax. There's nothing fun to do here."

It sounds like he's not being a gentle way to kick someone out, but in reality, just as he said, there's nothing interesting about this place, and it's not worth wasting your hard-earned time in someone else's imaginary space.

"I've heard of training by imagining enemies. Similar techniques exist in both the Eastern Kingdom and the Yan Kingdom, such as 'meditation' and 'shadow training.' The one you defeated before was from your clan, right? But he looked older?"

However, Amiya didn't seem to want to leave; instead, she turned around and asked Tomat a question—which also showed that she had been watching for quite some time.

“Raditz, yeah, the eldest son of my clan who took good care of me. You should have seen the projection in that pendant.” The pendant, which was recorded in the archives as a personal prop, was something Tommat had shown to Amiya and the others. “That arrogant long-haired brat is him.”

"Haha, they sound like they have a good relationship."

To Amiya, this emotionally charged introduction was actually proof that they knew each other well.

Furthermore, when Tomat was giving his presentation, he did not experience any negative emotions; instead, he only felt a touch of regret and nostalgia.

"However, generally speaking, the mental world I know contains scenes that are most familiar to the creator, such as their hometown, or common, favorite, or memorable landscapes. But Mr. Thomas's is a blank space. Was it deliberately hidden to facilitate training?"

"I guess so. Amiya's clothes here are different from usual. Is it because you want to look like this?"

As Thomas responded to Amiya's question, a bad feeling crept into his mind.

“Yes, I used to wear this outfit and play the violin for the Doctor and… someone important in the flower field. Oh, and I also perform the violin at the annual party.” Amiya continued with a harmless smile, “When I try to calm someone down, I show them my favorite flower field, so…”

—Don't ask.

In Amiya's eyes, after the events in Chernobog and Lungmen, coupled with Kal'tsit's attention, Tomat was undoubtedly mysterious.

Amiya wasn't using this opportunity to learn more about Tomat on Kal'tsit's or the Doctor's orders.

After all, in the spiritual world, there is not much to hide between two hearts facing each other.

Amiya simply viewed him as one of the other operators on the island, out of curiosity and friendliness, wanting to learn more about him without offending him.

They could create their own spiritual worlds, which gave her an opportunity to get closer to him.

Tomat also knew that Amiya meant no harm.

After all, evil people are easily recognizable by their aura.

That's why he didn't want Amiya to finish speaking.

Unless you ignore what the other person says, any words that pass through a person's mind will inevitably cause them to think.

In this space, as the creator, he would undoubtedly influence the surrounding environment due to fluctuations in his mental state while he was thinking.

"What kind of scene is Mr. Thomas most familiar with... eh?"

As Amiya was still anticipating what she would see, the pristine white world before her suddenly transformed into Tomat's face.

The other person's eyes were fixed on her, his brows furrowed as if he were angry.

Tomat forced the end of the simulation training.

They were now in an awkward forehead-to-forehead position—Amiya's hand was on Tomat's shoulder, her forehead, with her hair pulled back, was pressed against Tomat's, their eyes met, and their breaths mingled.

But both remained silent.

After a long while, Amiya seemed to wake up from a dream, quickly moved her forehead away, covered it with her hand, playfully stuck out her tongue, shook her head, and wiggled her long ears.

"Sorry, that was a bit impolite... Please don't say that to Dr. Kal'tsit."

Amiya has transformed back into the "little leader" in her Rhodes Island uniform.

"Don't worry, I'm the one who should apologize. I'll show you the scene that left a deep impression on me later. It wasn't convenient just now."

Tomat breathed a sigh of relief; judging from her reaction, Amiya seemed to be alright.

"Hmm... I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to visit the other operators now."

Amiya seemed to sense that Tomat's rude interruption and serious gaze made him seem to be in a bad mood. She said a brief goodbye and left the cabin, closing the airtight door behind her.

As an operator, Thomas shouldn't be swayed by this minor conflict.

However, as a man, he might be disliked by Amiya, a little girl.

Fortunately, Amiya didn't see anything, and he couldn't remember what it felt like to be "welcomed by the opposite sex," perhaps because he had never experienced it, whether as a human or a Saiyan.

Just as he was thinking this, the sound from outside the airtight door instantly pulled him from his thoughts to another extreme.

"...Did you still see it?"

His tone was as calm as ever, yet it made one feel as if he were lamenting.

On the other side of the door was Amiya.

She did not visit anyone after closing the door, as she had said.

Instead, it leaned against the other side of the door.

My back was pressed against yours, and I slowly slid down.

Because her legs were no longer strong enough to support her standing.

His body trembled like a leaf, and he covered his mouth with his hands to prevent himself from making any sound—or rather, to stop a scream from escaping his throat.

The eyes are wide open because they dare not close them, fearing that if they fall into darkness and no longer see reality, "the moment they saw before" will reappear before their eyes.

Why...?

"...There aren't that many whys."

Amiya's attempt to voice a question was cut off by Tomat's words, which showed he had no intention of arguing.

At that moment, the loudspeakers in the cabin corridor began to play.

The Ursus authorities have begun investigating the sudden disaster that occurred in Chernobog the day before yesterday. This is their first officially authorized action since consolidating and capturing Chernobog, and they have declared to the outside world that no national organization or force will be allowed to intervene. The extent of the damage within the city is currently unknown...

Amiya saw it.

Just before Tomat dismantled the imaginary space.

That blank world has become an unknown ruin, with only broken walls remaining.

It wasn't Chernobog in Ursus, nor was it any of the Terran-style architecture she knew.

It was just a sea of ​​blood and a mountain of corpses that I had never seen before.

But the bloody battlefield was not enough to make Amiya tremble; after all, she had seen too many similar scenes.

The source of the trembling was not just fear, but also confusion, bewilderment, astonishment—and sadness.

What made all of this possible was the giant shadow that appeared in that instant.

—A giant ape standing atop the ruins, wearing the same combat suit as Tomat.