52 Potential Unleashed?

"Don't be afraid, young Zyleth. Please step forward." Guru said, his hand still extended. "I have the ability to draw out your innermost potential and bring it out for you to use. Consider it a gift for what you have done."

This was bad. This was very, very bad.

The reason why they were still extending the olive branch with me was partially due to the fact that I hadn't released my energy outside of my body. I kept it contained.

If he goes digging inside of me to unlock my potential, he would definitely feel just how evil I am.

I mean, I wouldn't count myself as evil, but destroying hundreds, if not thousands of planets over the course of almost a decade didn't exactly make me good.

That, and he could also read my damn mind. But I don't think he will even get that far due to the influx of malevolent energy I have!

"Please, you really don't need to--"

"I insist." He says, cutting me off.

"You're already giving me so much by allowing me to use the Dragon Balls. I really don't want to take anything more from--"

"Do not worry. My ability only hones in on your latent potential and brings it to the surface. You are not taking anything, the power is and had always been inside of you. So rest easy, young Zyleth." He says with a reassuring smile.

Goddamnit, here goes my plan to not kill anyone...

I look at him with a complicated expression, trying to come up with something that could justifiably make sense for me not to take a power up. After a moment, I let out a sigh and step up to the large Namekian, unable to think of anything.

He places his hand on my head and his face shifts as he starts to focus.

"Ah!" He suddenly exclaims.

I brace for the inevitable reaction of betrayal, but it never comes.

"Your power... it's... it's extraordinary! It's higher than anything I've ever seen before! And yet there's still so much more hidden beneath the surface!" He says, his hand still atop my head as he seems to push himself harder.

His brows twitch more and more, his breathing becoming erratic.

Suddenly, I feel something spark inside me. Like there was deep inside my soul was wanting to begging to be unleashed.

Guru suddenly removes his hand, and the feeling was gone.

I look up, wondering why he stopped, and saw that he looked as if he had just run a marathon. There was sweat running down his forehead and his breathing was labored.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Your potential... It's... It's vast... like an ocean hidden away beneath layers of rock..." He said, panting heavily through his words. "I won't be able to bring it out... Maybe if I was thirty... No, twenty years younger I maybe could've brought out half, but as I am now, I wouldn't be able to bring even a small portion of your true potential... I'm sorry..."

Damn, well that's a little disappointing.

It's honestly no sweat off my back, but it would've saved me some more time on training if it actually worked.

I'm more surprised at how he didn't read my mind. Granted, he was probably too shocked by my actual power to do so, but for some reason, I don't think that's the case.

"It's fine. I'm just sorry that it seemed to take a lot out of you." I said to him.

"Oh, I'm fine, young man. Though I'm a little surprised. I never expected such a young boy to have such power." He replied.

He seems to have caught his breath, looking better than he did just a few moments ago.

"Sorry about that. I guess I probably should've told you. I like to keep my energy stored inside when I'm not using it." I told him.

"I understand. You do not need to explain yourself. Everyone has things they wish not to reveal to others." He replies.

"Yeah..." I murmured as I took a seat on the ground.

Took like half an hour to get here from Moori's so I have a feeling that I'm gonna be waiting here a while. Them again, that Stropo guy was stronger, so he probably can go faster.

A few minutes go by and I can't help but let my curiosity get the better of me.

"Can I ask you a question?" I suddenly asked the Grand Elder.

"You just did." He replied with a small smile.

Oh, he didn't...

I had to admit, I let out a hearty chuckle when he used my own thing against me, to which he responded in kind.

Fair play, Grand Elder, fair fucking play.

"What is your question, young one?" He asks.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume from your words that you felt my energy?" I asked, to which he nods, "So you... felt... my energy?"

He looks at me confused and I can't blame him. It was a very dumb way to ask the question.

"I heard that Namekians can tell when a person is malevolent or not based on their energy. How did mine feel?" I asked.

Technically, anyone who had experience sensing Ki could feel the difference between the energy of good vs malevolent people.

I could do it, and my family could after a few days of teaching them.

"You're worried that I might deem you to be a bad person?" He asks.

My decision to not answer causes a small to appear on his face.

"Even if you weren't a good person, I'd still release your hidden potential and allow you to wish upon our Dragon Balls. You made sure that our planet would not be invaded by others hoping to use them with nefarious motives, and for that, I have deemed that you are a friend." He explained before adding. "But do not fret, young one. Your energy isn't one of malevolence. Granted, you are not a pure soul, but purity is for children."

My energy isn't malevolent...?