Chapter 112: Returning the Dragon Balls

With the new system established, almost all the senior and intermediate warriors were downgraded to regular warriors, and the number of elite warriors was only a little over a hundred, making them quite rare.

The training area experienced another peak period as Saiyans flocked to it in droves. Many were on the verge of breaking through, just a step away from becoming elite warriors, and were making a final push to elevate their status. Others were preparing for the upcoming missions.

Humans are social creatures with a herd mentality, and Saiyans are no exception. Surrounded by an intense training atmosphere, almost every Saiyan was immersed in fervent, passionate training. This fervor continued for months before gradually subsiding.

During these months, breakthroughs among Saiyans were a daily occurrence, leading to a rapid increase in the overall strength of Red Mountain Planet. By the time the Fidains completed the Galactic Patrol database, the number of elite warriors had miraculously surpassed 150, which was five times more high-level fighters than during King Vegeta's reign.

However, this resulted in an unusual void in the 8,000 to 10,000 combat power range. The Saiyans who later moved to Red Mountain Planet had a strong foundation, and with effective training methods and the aid of gravity chambers, their combat power increased rapidly. But most of the originally lower-tier Saiyans did not experience such swift improvements due to their lack of initial training. Although they made significant progress, their speed of improvement was much slower.

As the previously high-level warriors with combat power around 9,000 advanced to the elite tier, new warriors had yet to rise, creating a gap in the 8,000 to 10,000 range, while those with combat power between 5,000 and 8,000 started to form a dense cluster.

Xavier was well aware of the progress the Saiyans had made over the past two years and was very satisfied.

Time passed, with occasional disturbances, but generally, things developed as people hoped.

Three months after Xavier's return from the Galactic Patrol headquarters, the much-anticipated mission board finally appeared in Red Mountain Planet's database.

As per Xavier's request, the missions from the Galactic Patrol headquarters had been pre-screened, with all tasks confined to the East Galaxy. The number of missions was substantial, over ten thousand, seemingly accumulated over a considerable period.

Of course, once these missions arrived at Red Mountain Planet, the responsible mission management agency there had to conduct a second screening, eliminating tasks that were obviously unsuitable or overly hazardous for the current stage.

This process was crucial. Despite the cooperative state between Red Mountain Planet and the Galactic Patrol headquarters, Xavier did not want the Saiyans he led to become a force that the Galactic Patrol could recklessly use as they pleased.

Cooperation is a two-way street, and both parties should have the right to make choices. Deep down, Xavier remained somewhat wary of the Galactic Patrol. He had Adriel and a group of Fidains form a review team specifically to examine the missions sent by the Galactic Patrol headquarters. They couldn't afford to be used as pawns.

As the saying goes, the beginning is always the hardest. The task management office, newly established, had to face an overwhelming number of tasks, which exhausted the review team members. It took a whole month before Red Mountain Planet's task management office officially began publishing missions.

Of course, the task selection was a matter for the leadership of Red Mountain Planet. Other Saiyans were not concerned with these details. As soon as they heard that the task management office had started releasing missions, the impatient Saiyans rushed to the office to verify their qualifications, compare conditions, form their mission squads, and eagerly take on their tasks before boarding spacecraft and heading into space.

For a while, all the Saiyans were satisfied with their new tasks, and Red Mountain Planet became noticeably quieter with their departure.

However, Xavier didn't have the time to focus on these events because he had embarked on a journey to Earth to return the four Dragon Balls he held.

Earth.

Under a clear, sunny sky, over the vast expanse of the blue sea, seagulls cried out as a gentle breeze blew, the air moist and fresh with a hint of salt. With a few shimmering movements, Xavier appeared above the roaring ocean. He strolled leisurely, his figure flickering a few times over the sea's surface before disappearing suddenly.

"The first stop is Kame House, just ahead."

Seeing the small black dot in his line of sight and feeling the cool sea breeze, Xavier squinted his eyes. Leisurely walking on the water, he took a step forward, his entire body transforming into a streak of light, quickly reappearing on the distant horizon.

At Kame House, under the coconut trees, Master Roshi was lying on the beach, sunbathing as usual. His frail, skeletal frame looked like that of an old man on the verge of death, with no trace of the renowned martial arts master he was.

"Tsk tsk, sunbathing and napping without a care. Master Roshi sure knows how to live…" Watching Master Roshi in his leisure, Xavier chuckled to himself. There were still about ten years until the storyline began, and Roshi's peaceful days were numbered.

With a mischievous grin, Xavier slipped into Kame House. If he didn't want to be noticed, there was no way Master Roshi could detect him.

Kame House wasn't very large. Xavier casually picked a room and retrieved a three-star Dragon Ball from his dimensional space, tossing it into a corner. Not bothering whether Master Roshi would find it, Xavier clapped his hands and left Kame House.

It wasn't until a few weeks later, while cleaning, that Master Roshi discovered the Dragon Ball in the corner.

"Huh, how did this ball end up here?" The orange glass orb, lost for nearly three years, was right in his room. Master Roshi thought nothing of it, happily tied it with a string, and hung it around his neck.

Leaving Kame House, Xavier quickly headed to Frying Pan Mountain. He located Ox-King’s castle atop the mountain and prepared to place the Seven-Star Dragon Ball into Ox-King’s treasury. Xavier had originally found this Dragon Ball in a desert and, while he wasn't sure how it ended up in Ox-King’s treasury in the original story, he decided to avoid complications by placing it there directly.

With two Dragon Balls remaining, Xavier looked at the Four-Star and Two-Star balls in his hands and decided to visit Mount Paozu, hoping to meet Goku from the original story.

Mount Paozu was picturesque, surrounded by lofty mountains with only a narrow path connecting it to the outside valley. Xavier, now familiar with the area, quickly found Gohan’s secluded home.

At the base of the mountain, a small square house made of bricks and stone stood under the shade of trees. The door was locked, indicating that Gohan was likely out buying food. It made sense, as having a Saiyan with a huge appetite at home would require constant restocking.

Feeling a bit disappointed that he couldn't meet Goku and Gohan, Xavier was about to leave when he sensed a strong energy approaching. A smile spread across his face, knowing that Gohan was returning.

Soon, he saw Gohan, dressed in traditional attire with a white beard, leading a small boy with a long tail.

“Hmm, have we met before?” Gohan asked, seeing Xavier standing at the door and feeling a bit familiar.

Xavier smiled and glanced sharply at the boy beside Gohan, recognizing him as Goku. Due to a fall in the valley that damaged his head, Goku had forgotten his Saiyan origins.

Nodding, Xavier said, “Don’t you remember, old man? Three years ago, I borrowed a Dragon Ball from you!” He then handed the Four-Star Ball to Gohan.

Gohan slapped his forehead, recalling that someone had indeed borrowed a Dragon Ball from him three years ago. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time and was surprised that the person had come back to return it.

Gohan took the Dragon Ball with a smile. “Ah, it’s you! You see, I’m old and forget many things. If you need the Dragon Ball, you can just keep it. No need for a special trip.”

He took out a key, opened the door, and invited Xavier inside. Xavier, having no pressing matters, agreed and entered the house.

Goku, full of curiosity, ran around Xavier, examining him from all angles. After a moment, his stomach growled loudly, and he called out to Gohan, “Grandpa, I’m hungry!”

Goku’s innocence made Xavier laugh. He thought to himself that Goku was well-suited for life on Earth. On Red Mountain Planet, Goku might not have achieved his future greatness.

“Goku, we’ll have food soon,” Gohan said, patting Goku’s head. Turning to Xavier, he added, “This child has quite an appetite. I’ll prepare some food first.”

He pulled a box from his pocket, which contained a row of small capsules. With a “pop,” he tossed one on the ground, and a puff of white smoke revealed a pile of food that nearly filled the room.

“Capsule Corp technology!”

Xavier’s eyes gleamed with understanding. Dr. Briefs, Bulma’s father, had invented the capsules, which had become a global phenomenon essential for home and travel within a few years.