Baozi Mountain stood tranquil beneath the warm sunlight, but that peace was short-lived.
Jiren stood tall with his arms folded, addressing Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo.
Vegeta had long since settled near Baozi Mountain. After spending so much time with Goku and his son—especially Gohan—his once-violent temper had mellowed. Goku, much like Vegeta, was a training maniac. Though Vegeta always acted as if he disliked Goku, he never once refused when Goku came to spar.
Just a few days ago, while the two were in the middle of a fierce match, Jiren had descended from the sky without a word and completely flattened both of them. Even Piccolo, who had arrived later, was mercilessly defeated. It was his own fault—he always liked to appear dramatically, arms crossed and cape fluttering, before saying a word.
But Jiren wasn't one for chatter. Before Piccolo could even introduce himself, Jiren had already taken him down with overwhelming power.
After subduing the trio, Jiren told them calmly that he had been sent by Chiga to train them.
When Goku heard the name, he groaned and rubbed his sore waist.
"Man, why didn't you say that earlier? You just started swinging the moment you showed up!"
Vegeta and Piccolo climbed up from the ground, both grimacing and cursing inwardly,
"Damn it, what's wrong with this guy!?"
Jiren remained expressionless as he said,
"I wanted to test your strength first. Now that I have, I can see—you're all terribly weak. But don't worry. Since it's the Dragon God's command, I'll make sure you become something worthy."
Though they had been beaten up, the idea of growing stronger immediately rekindled their spirits. For these three, training was their greatest joy. None of them could resist the temptation of power.
From that day on, Jiren began subjecting them to brutal training.
When progress slowed, Jiren—following Chiga's advice—took them into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. By the time they emerged, their strength had undergone a tremendous transformation.
Piccolo, however, was still weaker than Goku and Vegeta since he had not yet fused with Kami.
Following Chiga's instructions, Jiren set specific goals for Goku and Vegeta: to achieve the transformation of Super Saiyan. He applied every known method—mental focus, emotional stimulation, and the precise control of Ki along the spine. Thanks to his guidance, both Saiyans had finally reached the Super Saiyan state, and were now close to breaking through its limits.
Vegeta benefited immensely. With Jiren's mastery and Goku's innate talent pushing him forward, his progress skyrocketed. Had he trained alone, he would have advanced far slower.
Including their time in the Time Chamber, Jiren had trained them for over a year. Influenced by Goku's cheerful optimism, even Jiren's own coldness and hatred had started to fade. His personality had softened, exactly as Uchiha Chiga had hoped.
Now, the time for farewell had come.
Though Jiren still looked stern, his words carried warmth,
"My mission here is complete. The rest is up to you to comprehend. You've truly surprised me… especially you, Goku."
A rare smile appeared on Jiren's face. Goku scratched his head awkwardly, remembering the night he had given Jiren a few words of encouragement.
Vegeta and Piccolo, despite their pride, were grateful. Even Vegeta muttered, "Until we meet again."
But just as Jiren was about to leave, a white spaceship descended from the sky, landing atop Baozi Mountain.
The group stared in surprise. Jiren, curious, halted his departure and flew up with Goku and the others to investigate.
As they arrived, the hatch opened. Babidi and Dabura stepped out with their underlings, each exuding an ominous aura.
Ki could be pure or evil—and the energy radiating from this group was unmistakably dark. Goku frowned. He could already tell these intruders weren't here for anything good.
Jiren's eyes hardened. To him, Earth was now Chiga's temple, and these wicked beings were trespassers.
He released a fraction of his overwhelming Ki and asked coldly,
"Who are you? Do you even know whose planet this is?"
Babidi didn't answer immediately. The power Jiren had just unleashed made his energy detector go haywire. His eyes widened with excitement as he yelled,
"Excellent! To think we'd encounter such a powerful one right away! Dabura! Go—test his strength!"
Dabura grinned and cracked his knuckles as he stepped forward. With Babidi's magic behind him, he felt fearless.
But in Jiren's eyes, Dabura's power was laughable—no more than an insect.
Before Dabura could finish his taunt, Jiren spoke in a low voice,
"I despise the Ki you carry. Leave now, while you still can."
Though Jiren was merciful by nature, he did not tolerate evil.
Dabura sneered.
"What if I refuse? You may be strong, boy, but don't get cocky!"
Before Jiren could answer, Vegeta's patience snapped. He rushed forward, shouting,
"Who do you think you're talking to!? You must be tired of living!"
Dabura looked down at him, unimpressed.
"Where did this shorty come from? I don't have time for you."
"What!?"
That one word hit Vegeta like a bullet. Goku burst out laughing before he could stop himself.
Seeing Goku laugh only made Vegeta's rage explode. Veins bulged on his forehead as he roared,
"You bastard! I'll shut that filthy mouth forever!"
With a thunderous burst of energy, Vegeta transformed into a Super Saiyan, golden aura blazing around him. Babidi's detector screamed again, its needle hitting the limit—though it was still nowhere near Jiren's true power.
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