While stabilizing their power levels, Krillin and Tien were also beginning to grasp insights into higher realms.
Their battle was becoming more direct—and more intense.
Even though the power level between Tien and Krillin only hovered around the peak of the fifth dimension, which didn't seem impressive to the other fighters present, it was a different story in the eyes of Shin (the East Supreme Kai) and Kibito.
Terrifying.
As Supreme Kais—especially Shin—he felt as if his millions of years of life had been wasted.
These two were only in their thirties, yet had already achieved this kind of power.
Shin couldn't help but think, if he had spent those millions of years earnestly training and studying, then even without great talent, surely his strength wouldn't be so far behind that of Krillin and Tien.
"Uncle Lin Chuan, who do you think will win between Uncle Tien and Uncle Krillin?"
Gohan asked curiously while standing next to Lin Chuan.
Although Gohan's strength had risen tremendously after unlocking his potential, in terms of perception and battle insight, he still lagged behind the older generation.
"Win? You're thinking too much, Gohan.
The two of them are evenly matched in both power and martial arts comprehension.
This is just friendly sparring—they're keeping it balanced. Neither can gain the upper hand."
"If I had to say who might win, even then—it wouldn't be a real victory."
Lin Chuan answered calmly.
"Uh… so you mean, Uncle Lin Chuan, that the outcome of this fight doesn't really matter?"
Gohan looked serious, falling into contemplation after hearing Lin Chuan's response.
Meanwhile, Vegeta stood alone under a tree, watching the fight with a cold snort of disdain.
True, Krillin and Tien's powers had skyrocketed after having their potential unlocked.
But to him, they were still no match for his base form, let alone if he transformed.
Even so, Vegeta had to admit one thing, compared to their past selves, their progress was extraordinary.
He remembered how much effort he had poured into training, how many painful transformations he endured, just to reach the same level these two had now attained.
Even if the present was different from the past, it still validated what Lin Chuan had said earlier—their growth was incomparable to his past struggles.
…
High above in the sky.
The fierce battle between Tien and Krillin continued.
After over a hundred rounds of back-and-forth, they had both fully adapted to and stabilized their current power level.
BAM!
Krillin landed a solid punch on Tien's face.
THUD!
A second later, Tien's knee smashed into Krillin's abdomen.
Reeling from the impact, both spun midair before landing and straightening up, now standing face to face.
"As expected of you, Tien. You're stronger than me. I can't match you."
Krillin rubbed his stomach, sincerely praising Tien.
"Not at all. If this were a real all-out battle, with your combat skills and experience, I'd gain no advantage either."
Tien replied with a smile.
In the past, they could only look up to this kind of power level.
Now, they had reached it.
The massive boost in strength awakened an even stronger desire to improve.
Especially in this era—they knew well that even such strength was not enough.
They weren't ungrateful for what they had—but neither were they willing to stand still.
Their thirst for power only grew stronger.
Their next target was clear, fully stabilize themselves in the sixth dimension (jing level).
Then, aim for the seventh dimension.
The sparring came to an end.
Just as Tien and Krillin were suppressing their energy, Lin Chuan's voice rang out, and he appeared beside them.
"That was a solid battle—but sadly, in today's age, it's still a bit underwhelming."
Lin Chuan gave his evaluation plainly.
He didn't deny their strength, but also made it clear—they had no reason to be proud just yet.
Tien and Krillin didn't argue.
They wouldn't dare.
Though powerful now, compared to Lin Chuan, it was like a candle trying to compete with the sun.
"Come with me.
There's something I want to tell you in private.
It might help you reach even greater power."
Lin Chuan swept his gaze across both of them, then took off using the Bukujutsu (Flight Technique), heading toward a nearby cliff.
Tien and Krillin exchanged confused glances but quickly followed.
Lin Chuan was not someone who joked about such things.
Gohan and Chiaotzu were puzzled but sensibly stayed behind.
Even Vegeta furrowed his brow, unsure of what Lin Chuan was planning—but kept sensing from a distance.
…
On the cliff.
"Lin Chuan, why did you bring just the two of us? Are you planning to…?"
Krillin asked in confusion.
Tien stood quietly at his side.
No need for both of them to ask questions.
"You both want to become stronger, don't you?"
Lin Chuan said with a faint smile.
His words hit straight to the core of both their hearts.
Before they could respond, Lin Chuan continued,
"The reason I called you here is that I possess a unique ability—
one that can temporarily raise the strength of those I target under my control."
"If you want to become stronger, I can use this ability to boost your power."
"But… I've never used this technique on anyone before.
You'll be the first."
With that, Lin Chuan planned to use this opportunity to test the battle power gifting ability unlocked in his system after the latest upgrade.
Tien and Krillin were both stunned.
The Elder Supreme Kai had already given them a massive power-up—and now Lin Chuan had another method to boost them further?
It was like meat pies were falling from the sky.
"If you use this on us… is there any side effect?"
Tien finally asked after a pause.
He understood that nothing in the world comes free—everything requires an exchange.
If someone could gain without any cost, then all their hard work in pursuing power would become a joke.
If only he knew that Lin Chuan was backed by a system, who knows what he would think?
But true to his nature, Tien wasn't blinded by greed for power.
His first instinct was to ask about the price.
To be honest, even Lin Chuan didn't know the outcome.
That's why he had said—they'd be the first test subjects.
"Exactly. That's why I said—I haven't used it on anyone yet.
I can only promise that your power will increase significantly."
Lin Chuan waited for their answer.
He didn't force them. He didn't act.
The choice was theirs.
Tien and Krillin looked at each other, both falling into a long silence.
Who would want to be a guinea pig?
Even though Lin Chuan had been very straightforward, and promised them power—
If the cost was something too great, then maybe it wasn't worth it.
"Not knowing the price makes this too difficult…"
Krillin said bitterly.
That flicker of hesitation reappeared in his heart.
And this was exactly why he could never fully reach the Ultra Instinct state—his spirit still had doubts.
"Then let me be the first test subject!
I want to grow stronger—I want to know my true limit.
Even if the price is my life, I won't hesitate!"
Tien said firmly, making his decision.
"Tien…"
Krillin was surprised by his resolve. After a few seconds of hesitation, he cast his doubts aside too.
"Since Tien's made up his mind—then I'll do it too!
Walking the path of power alone would be far too lonely!"
"Krillin…"
Tien was deeply moved by his friend's words.
Seeing they had both made their choice, Lin Chuan's smile deepened.
"You'll be glad you made this decision."
With that, Lin Chuan connected to the system and activated the battle power gifting function.
[Locking Target: Krillin]
[Current Power Level: 9,000 trillion]
[Gifting Power Level: 99 jing 1,000 trillion]
[Ding!!! Power deducted from storage: 99 jing 1,000 trillion. Remaining stored power: 3,808 jing 2,050 trillion.]
[Ding!!! Gifting successful. Target Krillin's new Power Level: 100 jing
(Reclaimable: 99 jing 1,000 trillion)]
[Target Locked: Tien Shinhan]
[Power Level: 2 jing 5000 trillion]
[Power Granted: 97 jing 5000 trillion]
[Ding!!! Deducted 97 jing 5000 trillion from stored power. Remaining stored power: 3710 jing 7050 trillion]
[Ding!!! Power transfer successful. Target Tien Shinhan's current power level: 100 jing
(Reclaimable Power: 97 jing 5000 trillion)]
The power gifting process—was just that simple, just that casual.
Under Lin Chuan's mental control, it only took a few seconds. As long as he confirmed how much power he wanted to grant, the system would carry it out instantly.
If not for the fact that his remaining stored power was less than 4000 jing, he would've boosted Krillin and Tien's power to the very peak of the jing unit.
After all, only by reaching the extreme limit of the sixth dimension could they keep pace with the main group and avoid the fate of being mere background extras like in the original story.
I also need to accelerate my own breakthrough into a new realm. Otherwise, with this Level 10 system's rate of 1 trillion power per second, it just isn't enough anymore...
Lin Chuan reflected internally, feeling challenged.
In the early stages, with the help of the system, he had rapidly grown stronger. But now that he had reached this level, it was just as Vados had said—it felt like he was trapped. Unless he broke through the current limits, he would forever be bound.
As the power gifting concluded, Krillin and Tien almost immediately felt a massive change within their bodies.
An endless stream of energy surged forth from within—energy that felt like it had always been theirs.
It was overwhelming, as if a single misstep could cause the world itself to shatter.
If unlocking their latent potential had made them strong enough to fight destiny… then now, they had transcended insignificance—their futures were firmly in their own hands.
The gap between the fifth and sixth dimensions was fundamental.
They had crossed dimensions, ascending to an unprecedented level.
Krillin and Tien were stunned.
They were speechless. At this moment, they weren't even thinking about possible side effects—because even if there were any, they would already be more than satisfied with this level of power.
Put another way, if they had relied solely on their own training, they likely wouldn't have reached this level in their entire lifetimes.
This was rebirth, ascension, evolution after a leap in life itself.
"I... I feel like I'm overflowing with infinite possibilities. It's like… this is what my power was always meant to be!"
Krillin finally broke the silence, voice trembling with excitement.
His body shook uncontrollably—not from fear, but from joy. His very soul seemed to be cheering.
White energy flared from his body, transforming into a raging storm of power that swept through the air.
"Same here! The energy is pouring out from within—nonstop!"
"It's… overwhelming!"
Tien quickly followed up.
They both felt reborn—fundamentally changed.
It was a long time before they finally reined the power back into their bodies.
Then, both of them turned to look at Lin Chuan.
Their expressions clearly said one thing,
"Is this… really your power? This is even more astonishing than the Elder Supreme Kai's potential unlock."
One second they felt nothing—and the next, they had evolved.
With both fighters now stabilized, Lin Chuan finally spoke,
"Looks like it worked. So? Any signs of losing control?"
"None that I can feel. In fact, now that I examine it carefully… I don't notice any side effects at all."
Krillin responded.
"Agreed. At least for now, nothing seems off.
Maybe if there are side effects, we'll only notice them with time."
Tien added.
Their rise in power had been so rapid, it felt like a dream.
They couldn't believe they had leaped dimensions so suddenly—it shattered everything they thought they knew.
Lin Chuan, too, was reflecting inward.
It really does seem like there are no side effects.
It's purely a boost in combat strength—just like when I extract it for myself…
If that's the case, then maybe I can use this on Bulma and Android 18 as well—at least enough to keep them safe.
One interesting thing, the system allows me to reclaim any gifted power at any time…
In short—the experiment had been a complete success.
…
Meanwhile, the sudden surge in Krillin and Tien's power shocked everyone in the Supreme Kai Realm.
Even Piccolo, who was in the middle of having his potential unlocked—and the Elder Supreme Kai himself—were stunned.
The Elder Supreme Kai's face showed total disbelief.
He had personally fully unlocked Krillin and Tien's latent potential. They shouldn't have been able to get any stronger.
And yet somehow, Lin Chuan had once again helped them surpass their limits, reaching an even higher realm.
And not only that—their power was stable.
There was no sign of instability. It wasn't just granted from nowhere—it was solid.
"Unbelievable… This Lin kid is beyond my comprehension.
He must've had another fortuitous encounter recently…"
The Elder Supreme Kai sighed, but returned his focus to finishing Piccolo's potential unlocking.
Old Lin… I can't believe you really have that kind of power.
After their potential was unlocked, Krillin and Tien already reached a level stronger than Goku and Raditz's base forms from a month ago…
And now you've boosted them even further…
Piccolo was deeply impressed. After taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and continued to immerse himself in the process.
He was very curious, of course. But right now, the most important thing was completing his own potential unlocking.
After that? He definitely planned to ask Lin Chuan about it.
Maybe he too could become like Krillin and Tien.
…
Elsewhere, Vegeta had already dropped his crossed-arm stance.
What the hell is going on?!
Those two just had another massive power boost?
And this Taros guy—how did he do it?!
What's more, the energy is totally stable… It's permanent?!
Vegeta was dumbfounded.
Even though he still didn't take Krillin and Tien seriously, even at their new level, the rate at which they were progressing was… absurd.
Gaining power now seemed as easy as eating or drinking.
What frustrated him even more was this, first the potential unlocking increased their power, now Lin Chuan—Taros—boosted them again.
What is this nonsense?!
For the first time, Vegeta felt truly anxious.
Damn it! Piccolo's unlocking has only just started!
I should've gone earlier. I've waited too long!
He was starting to regret it.
If only he had gone earlier, he wouldn't feel so off-balance now.
…
Time ticked by, minute after minute.
After the brief detour with Krillin and Tien, another three hours passed.
Piccolo's potential unlocking was finally nearing its end.
"Phew~! Finally done.
Your potential unlock is complete, Earth's former Guardian."
The Elder Supreme Kai wiped sweat from his forehead and addressed Piccolo.
"Don't get the wrong idea.
While I may have been fused with Earth's old Guardian once—I'm not him. I'm just Piccolo."
Piccolo replied as he stood up.
He didn't explode with power right away—instead, he quietly felt the changes in his body.
Upon sensing closely, he realized his power had increased tremendously—by at least a hundredfold compared to before!
"Thanks, Elder Supreme Kai."
With his new power settled, Piccolo finally gave the old god a rare smile.
Then, after a brief nod of thanks, he swirled his white cloak around him and walked toward Lin Chuan.
Now, only Vegeta remained.