I stood at the edge of a distant plateau, well beyond the peaceful village I'd called home for the past month. Far enough away that even if I went all-out, no Namekians would get caught in the crossfire, not that I planned to.
It had been bugging me ever since that fight with Hanasia. Her transformation was wild, primal, stronger than Ikari but just shy of Super Saiyan.
If she could tap into it, why couldn't I? I had unlocked Ikari first and mastered the Great Ape form without losing my mind.
I exhaled slowly, eyes closing as I replayed our fight in my mind. I visualized Hanasia's aura, raw and chaotic, her features shifting into something almost beast-like. Fur, claws… I had to think like Hanasia. I couldn't help but snort.
I clenched my fists trying to focus.
Day 1-3
For the first few days, I kept it simple, activating Ikari and pushing to its maximum. My muscles strained against the force of greenish ki surging outward in violent waves. I roared, fists clenching tighter as my energy crackled around me.
But it wasn't enough. I needed something deeper.
Day 4-6
I shifted strategies, abandoning pure power for something primal. I visualized the Great Ape, the towering beast I once became. Even without the moon, I could recall the form. My tail lashed behind me as my aura flared higher.
I tapped into Ikari again, but instead of controlling it carefully, I loosened my hold, allowing myself to sink deeper. My breath quickened, my senses sharpening painfully as the grass beneath me flattened from the explosive force of my ki.
But each time I felt myself on the brink, I pulled back, wary of losing control.
Day 7-12
"Let go," I muttered harshly to myself. "Stop holding back."
I surged again into Ikari, pushing my aura until the ground cracked and split beneath me. I let out a furious roar, releasing control just enough to feel the primal edge.
My vision blurred red, heart pounding wildly as I fought the urge to fully lose myself. My nails bit painfully into my palms, blood trickling between my fingers.
"More!" I screamed, forcing myself to stay on that razor's edge of control.
Day 13-18
Frustration boiled over, why the fuck couldn't I do it? Thanks to my smart atoms, I didn't need sleep for a long time, rest, or even food. But I ate anyway, savoring every meal, using the satisfaction to ground myself in reality between training sessions.
Then, I began again.
I visualized Hanasia, recalled every moment she fought me, how wild she'd been. My aura flared violently, spiraling outward like a hurricane of green flame.
"Come on!" I roared, pouring everything into that desperate surge. My body shuddered, bones aching under the strain.
Then, for just a fraction of a second, my body shifted. I felt my skin prickle, fur briefly sprouting along my forearms.
But the sensation vanished instantly, leaving me gasping.
Still, it was progress.
Day 19-24
Now that I knew the feeling, I chased it relentlessly. Again and again, I surged into that primal edge, each attempt bringing me closer. My muscles burned, blood racing wildly through my veins, my heart thundering.
It was exhausting, mentally more than physically, pushing so close to madness repeatedly.
But slowly, day after relentless day, I held onto that primal shift longer each time, fur flickering briefly, claws lengthening just slightly. It felt incredible, intoxicating, addictive in its wildness.
Yet it never stayed. I was missing something.
Day 25-27
Finally, it hit me. Hanasia's form wasn't just rage, it was the Great Ape's power condensed into a Saiyan body kinda like Super Saiyan 4, but I guess the difference was that Super Saiyan 4 was something crazy I wouldn't be able to use for god knows how long. But going back to the main topic, She'd been channeling the same primal energy as the Great Ape transformation itself. But without the moon, I could only brush against that power.
If I wanted to truly grasp it, I needed a catalyst.
I looked skyward, the Namekian suns offering no help. I couldn't condense the Great Ape form itself, not without a moon which made no sense because the moon was reflecting the sun. But Namek had no moon.
Day 28-30: The Final Gambit
I knew it was dangerous, but I'd come too far to stop now.
Late on day twenty-eight, under the distant stars, I raised my hand skyward. I inhaled deeply, my energy swelling dramatically in my palm.
"Burst Open and Mix!"
An artificial moon exploded into existence, its light bathing the landscape. My pulse quickened instantly, my tail bristling as primal power surged uncontrollably through me. I had gone back to earth to get these from Bulma's dad yesterday.
My body expanded rapidly, fur covering my limbs, muscles bulging and bones shifting painfully. With a savage roar, I erupted into the Great Ape, towering above the shattered rocks.
Yet, my mind stayed clear. I stood in control, heart racing, feeling the overwhelming primal power coursing through every fiber of my being.
My goal wasn't to transform fully, it was to compress this power, just as Hanasia had.
With a growl, I closed my eyes and sat cross-legged, willing myself smaller, pulling inward on the chaotic torrent of energy.
But nothing happened.
Over and over, I tried to compress it. Each attempt left me frustrated, unable to shrink the Great Ape form down into something manageable. Hours passed, the moon still hovering overhead as dawn slowly approached.
Finally, desperate, I realized my mistake.
I'd been trying to shrink the form itself instead of merely harnessing its raw power. Not to physically shrink, but spiritually harness that form's essence within my normal body.
I reverted to my normal form, feeling depleted. Dawn rose slowly, but I wouldn't give up.
I let the moon dissipate, centering myself once more. Calm now, I breathed in deeply, gathering Ikari's familiar energy, reaching out toward that lingering primal sensation.
With a final, fierce yell, I forced the two energies together, binding them within me in a violent fusion of green and pink Ki.
My body quaked under immense pressure, skin prickling as dark fur sprouted along my forearms and legs. My hair turned to a brown shade, wild and untamed, and power erupted through me with breathtaking intensity.
For the first time, the form stabilized.
I stood, breathing ragged. Not going to lie it actually hurt getting this. But my senses were sharper, strength surging violently through every muscle. I looked down, seeing the coarse fur now firmly covering my arms.
This was it, Hanasia's primal beast form, finally mine.
I flexed my fingers experimentally, reveling in the raw, wild power pulsing beneath my skin. A savage grin tugged at my lips.
"Took long enough," I muttered breathlessly, satisfaction rolling through me like a tidal wave.
With only three months left before the Dragon Balls reactivated, I had accomplished one of my goals.
My body is still humming from yesterday's training. Even with my muscles aching, I couldn't deny the thrill of it: switching between my new "primal" form, whatever Hanasia would name it, and Super Saiyan over and over. The two transformations were so close in power that I could feel the difference only as a faint margin like a hair's breadth separating 45x and 50x my base strength. Yet each form had its unique flavor of exhaustion.
Stifling a yawn, I stepped outside into the cool dawn air, tail swishing lazily behind me. The Namekian village was still and hushed, white huts outlined in the faint predawn light. Even with a slight breeze, this reminded me of my time as a kid with my teachers from Kenichi.
I'd been here nearly three months now. Elder Moori even teased me sometimes, but I was always around, helping out or training. I snorted at the memory, half-amused. The old man definitely had a sense of humor under that calm exterior.
I inhaled deeply, drawing Ki up from my core. My aura flickered, greenish-gold ki dancing around my shoulders. The primal form was easier to call on now. Not painless. My tail bristled as I let the transformation bubble up.
Fur began to spread along my arms, a coarse patch forming at the edge of my wrists. My hair grew wilder, tinted by that primal energy. Within seconds, I felt that massive spike in power as my muscles tensed and my senses sharpened. This was it, that raw, bestial surge, though I am slightly taller and buffer.
It still drained me, sure, but not as brutally as Super Saiyan did. Super Saiyan had a habit of pulling at my ki reserves like a hungry beast, while this primal form felt more balanced, and more in tune with my natural Saiyan instincts. Then again, it was less overall power than Super Saiyan by a small margin, so the cost was naturally a bit less.
I held onto the form for a moment, testing my stamina. A minute passed, then two, then five. My breathing remained steady. I was getting better at this.
"Celera," a soft voice called from behind me.
I let the aura fade just enough to turn around. Rumi stepped forward. Around him, four more of my students gathered. I'd been teaching them knocking techniques and combat for the past two months, though "basic" to me was still advanced to most others. They were good students.
"What's up?" I asked, relaxing my stance.
Rumi glanced nervously at my tail, no doubt remembering the few times I'd gone full Ikari or half-primal in front of them. Even though I never attacked them, the raw presence of that power was still intimidating. "Elder Moori wishes to see you this morning," he said. " a ceremony."
I raised an eyebrow, curiosity stirring. "Ceremony?"
He nodded, expression sober. "Yes. It's a fusion ritual, a Namekian fusion. We will be fusing into a single warrior. It's… rarely done, but Elder Moori feels it's necessary for our planet's future. He believes we need a guardian figure like Nail once was."
A slow grin spread across my face. "Now that's interesting. Let's go."
They led me through the village center, where a small crowd of Namekians had gathered in a circle around Elder Moori. He stood with his hands folded, looking every bit the wise leader he was. When he spotted me, he beckoned me closer.
"Good morning, Celera," he said with that calm, patient voice. "I trust your training was fruitful?"
I shrugged, smirking. "Yeah. I didn't blow up too much land this time."
He smiled warmly, inclining his head. Then he gestured to the group I had been training, each wearing a serious expression. Tsumuri was at the forefront.
"These five have trained diligently under your guidance," Moori explained to me, his voice carrying an undercurrent of pride. "They have each grown strong, far stronger than we expected in such a short time."
Tsumuri stepped forward, bowing his head respectfully. "Your knocking technique proved invaluable, Celera. We owe you a great debt."
I held up a hand. "Hey, if you guys are going to protect Namek, the more power you've got, the better. Don't sweat it."
He gave me a tight-lipped smile. "Still, we appreciate it."
Elder Moori's gaze swept across the crowd. "Today, these five will fuse into one being, one who can serve as our planet's shield. We have not attempted a multiple-fusion ritual since we left our original home. Normally, one Namekian is absorbed into another. But in this case… we will create a new Namekian warrior altogether."
Murmurs rippled through the onlookers, excitement, a bit of awe. Even I felt a stirring of anticipation because from what I remembered, merging Namekian power was no joke. Nail alone had been formidable, and if these five had advanced close to his level individually… well, I couldn't wait to sense the result.
Moori led the five warriors to the center, where they formed a small circle, arms outstretched toward one another. Their ki flared gently, forming a soft green glow in the space between them. The air felt charged.
Slowly, the glow brightened, intensifying until I could hardly look at it straight. The five Namekians closed their eyes, chanting softly in a language I didn't understand. Then, in a sudden burst of light, the entire group vanished, replaced by a single figure standing in their place, a tall Namekian with a lean, sculpted build, the ridges on his arms and forehead very pronounced. His aura radiated an intense power. Oh, a proper challenge for sparring.
I blinked, scanning him with my senses. I realized just how strong he was. Definitely above Nail's old level. He was close to form three Frieza in power. And his ki felt… balanced, and calm.
The new warrior opened his eyes, slightly sharper than a typical Namekian's. He turned to Moori and bowed. "Elder," he said in a deeper, richer voice, "I am Noru."
Moori smiled, resting a hand on the fused warrior's shoulder. "Welcome to this world, Noru."
Noru's gaze shifted to me. "Celera," he said, voice respectful yet inquisitive. "It is an honor to meet you. I retain the memories of the five who came together to create me. Your training shaped us into something greater."
I smirked, crossing my arms. "Yeah, well, let's see if you can back it up in a spar sometime."
His lips curved in a slight smile. "I'd like that."
Moori stepped back, addressing the entire gathering. "With Noru's birth, Namek gains a new guardian, someone who will stand watch, ensuring the safety of our people for generations to come." His voice was heavy with relief and pride. "Now, let us celebrate."
A ripple of applause and cheers spread through the crowd, Namekian cheers were soft, more a wave of murmurs and nods, but the happiness was real. I stood there, arms crossed, tail swishing thoughtfully. It was good seeing them prepared for future threats, especially with the galaxy still crawling with leftover Frieza goons.
It had been three months, and I was stronger than ever. I could use my primal form for a decent stretch without collapsing, and Super Saiyan was… well, it was still draining, but I could hold it for longer than I used to. Yet neither was mastered. My control was too raw, and if I pushed too far, I'd blow my stamina in minutes. Maybe I should attempt Super Saiyan 2 one day. Part of me itched for that next level, but realistically, I knew I had to master these first. No point in jumping ahead if I couldn't handle the transformations I already had.
"Are you going to train more this afternoon?"Noru asked.
I shrugged. "I'm always training. You can join, but fair warning: you're not gonna keep up in a serious spar. Not with me in these new forms."
"What if you hold back to just Ikari, Celera?"He asked, and if I did, I would have a fight on my hand, a proper fight, though id still have to hold back.
"Even that might flatten you," I teased, though I nodded. "But I can control my ki. If we go slow, I'll give you a chance to test your new body. Just don't expect me to go down, okay?"
Noru laughed. "Wouldn't dream of it."
So we headed out to the rocky outcropping I'd been using for personal training.