Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, nearly another half hour passed.
They could have arrived sooner, but Vegeta's explosive surge of ki had caused a massive celestial disturbance.
Although the spaceship activated its shield in time, some internal circuits were still damaged.
They were only minor issues, but enough to disrupt Bulma's controls and force her to perform small repairs mid-flight.
Even so, under Bulma's skilled piloting, the spaceship safely arrived at the Grand Elder's residence.
Before landing, the four of them spotted several Namekians gathered outside, wearing tense and expectant expressions.
After landing, Krillin, Gohan, and Bulma nervously followed behind Dende. None of them dared to breathe too loudly.
A whole group of people who looked like Piccolo Daimao—yeah, even knowing the Namekians were peaceful didn't make it any easier.
The sight alone was enough to intimidate Krillin and Bulma, despite being invited.
Under Dende's introductions, the three finally met the Namekians and learned more about them.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Grand Elder's house.
Nail stood there as always—serious, rigid, and unwavering.
Protecting the Grand Elder was his responsibility. If anything happened due to his negligence, he would bear the full blame.
Under the pressure of Nail's aura, Krillin and Gohan straightened their backs instantly.
They had known the Namekians were strong, but they didn't expect to meet someone this powerful.
Even if Goku used Kaio-ken, he might still fall short.
"Brother Nail, the Elder asked me to bring Krillin and Gohan to meet him," Dende said politely.
Hearing Dende, Nail finally withdrew his intense, scrutinizing gaze.
He was confused. According to the Grand Elder, he had foreseen a future where warriors from Earth saved the Namekians.
Nail originally thought the Earthlings would be incredibly strong—at least not any weaker than him.
But now… these two short, strange-looking Earthlings didn't have much power at all.
Compared to believing these two could defeat invaders, Nail was more inclined to trust Vegeta to keep his promise.
"Follow me. The Elder has been waiting," Nail said, still puzzled but obedient to the Elder's vision.
He walked inside first.
Dende gestured for Krillin and Gohan to follow.
They exchanged a nervous glance and went in.
Bulma followed last.
There was no way she was staying out there alone surrounded by Namekians.
What if they did something weird to her?!
At this stage of her life, Bulma's imagination was… still very active. She wasn't the calm, mature woman she would later become after having a child with Vegeta.
Inside the chamber, Nail and Dende respectfully greeted the Grand Elder.
Krillin, Gohan, and Bulma were startled by the gigantic figure before them.
Though old, the Grand Elder radiated an overwhelming presence.
After introductions, they gradually calmed down. They learned about the Namekians' past, their kindness, and their current crisis.
Just as North Kai had said—they were simple, good-hearted people.
And most importantly—they weren't enemies. The Namekians were even willing to help the Earthlings by giving them the Dragon Balls.
But five of them were already in Frieza's hands.
With a shared language and a peaceful atmosphere, the Grand Elder made a request: he wanted to see Krillin's memories of Piccolo and Kami.
In other words, he wanted to understand Earth's situation.
Only Krillin was suitable. Anyone with ambition or secrets wouldn't want their memories viewed.
But Krillin had nothing to hide, so he agreed.
The process was mysterious—something Krillin and the others couldn't comprehend.
After reading the memories, the Grand Elder sighed deeply.
"So that's what happened… I never expected the child of Katas, who drifted to Earth, to experience so much. I never expected he would truly arrive safely…"
"Ai… If those two had never separated, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way. You all have gone through so much coming to Namek."
His tone was full of regret.
He also knew Vegeta had invaded Earth and everything that happened afterward, but he did not mention it.
Now that he had helped Vegeta, it was a decision he could never take back.
But for the sake of the Namekian people, he had no choice.
Suddenly, he grabbed Krillin's hand and applied a surge of force—unlocking Krillin's potential.
Krillin, startled at first, immediately felt his ki explode outward, power rising rapidly.
The sensation overwhelmed him. Even after the Grand Elder released his hand, Krillin stood frozen in shock.
Only when Gohan shook him did he snap out of it.
"Whoa… so strong! Is this really my power? This is just… too much…" Krillin stuttered, trembling with excitement.
Just like in the original story, his battle power instantly shot past 13,000—and kept rising even beyond that point.
The Elder's unlock wasn't a one-time boost. It was an awakening that would continue to grow naturally.
In the original timeline, Krillin eventually reached 75,000 after recovering from the Ginyu Force battle.
This alone proved Krillin's hidden potential was enormous.
"All I can do is help you unlock the potential already inside you. This power was always yours—you simply lacked the means to bring it out," the Elder explained.
He then looked at Gohan.
"Child, come here. I can feel incredible kindness within you—and a deep, frightening potential even greater than Vegeta's. Unfortunately, in my current state, I can only open a small gateway. I cannot draw it all out."
His words shocked Krillin, Gohan, and Bulma.
"Wait—Elder, you said Gohan's potential is even greater than Vegeta's?! Did Vegeta also receive your potential unlock?" Krillin asked.
"Yes. Not long ago, he came to me and asked for his potential to be unlocked. In exchange, he offered to eliminate the invaders," the Elder said.
"No wonder… no wonder Vegeta gained such insane strength…" Gohan's face twisted in frustration.