Chapter 10: A New Path to Power

Author's Note:

In various sources, you'll find different estimates for the number of breaths a person takes per day, ranging from around 16,000 to 22,000. To address these variations and provide a consistent figure for my story, I've decided that Saiyans, being a more powerful and intense race, will have a few thousand more breaths per day compared to normal humans. This adjustment helps maintain internal consistency within the story and supports the unique physiological traits of the Saiyan characters.

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As Goku lay in bed, his mind buzzed with calculations. Though his eyes were closed, he was far from asleep. Instead, he was deep in thought, running numbers and projections through his head. It was a familiar exercise for him, one he had come to rely on for assessing his progress and planning his training.

With 24,000 breaths per day and his basic power standing at 9,815 ki, Goku began to estimate what his combat strength might look like after 14 years of utilizing the Breathing Technique. Each breath increased his ki by 0.001, so he set out to calculate the cumulative effect of this constant, gradual increase.

The math was straightforward but daunting.

Breaths per Day: 24,000Ki Increase per Breath: 0.001Daily Ki Increase: 24,000 × 0.001 = 24 kiYearly Ki Increase: 24 ki × 365 days = 8,760 ki14 Years Ki Increase: 8,760 ki × 14 = 122,640 ki

Adding this to his current base power of 9,815 ki, Goku projected his combat power would be approximately:

Future Combat Power: 9,815 ki + 122,640 ki = 132,455 ki

As he reviewed the results, Goku's excitement waned slightly. He realized that even with this increased power, he would still be far from capable of defeating Vegeta in his Uzaru form, whose combat power was expected to be at least 160,000. This discrepancy was disheartening, and Goku felt a surge of anxiety as he thought about the upcoming challenge.

The thought of Frieza, whose power was in the millions, further intensified his worry. Goku didn't want to face Frieza unprepared and was determined not to rely on luck. His thoughts turned to the pressing need to find a way to become stronger, perhaps even reaching the Super Saiyan transformation before facing Frieza.

In the morning, as they continued their journey, Goku turned to Bulma with a question that had been on his mind. "Bulma, I've been thinking. I have a limited supply of energy, and I need to activate a machine that requires a large amount of energy. How can I manage this?"

Bulma, always eager to help, considered the question for a moment before responding. "Is the machine for permanent use or just for a short time?"

Goku answered, "Just for a short time."

Bulma thought for a while, her brow furrowed in concentration, before replying, "You can store your energy in batteries until you meet your requirement. Once it's met, use the battery energy to charge the machine."

Goku nodded, appreciating Bulma's practical advice. "That makes sense. Thanks, Bulma. You're really smart!"

Bulma grinned, a hint of pride in her expression. "Of course, I am! Don't forget, I'm the genius who found the Dragon Balls, after all."

The idea clicked with him, and Goku saw a potential solution to manage his energy needs. He began to consider creating a technique to store energy in crystals, similar to what Bulma had suggested with batteries. This technique would allow him to accumulate and manage energy more efficiently, both for creating new techniques and for ongoing training.

Without delay, Goku turned to his Super Technic Creation System and requested the creation of an "Energy Crystal" technique. The system required 10,000 ki to create this new technique, and Goku had just enough energy to proceed.

After absorbing the energy required, the system successfully created the Energy Crystal technique. Goku used all his remaining energy to create a crystal with 24,000 ki energy, keeping just 1,000 ki for safety and stability. The crystal could store energy, making it useful for restoring ki during fights, though it wouldn't increase his ki levels.

Holding the crystal in his hand, Goku felt a surge of hope. This new tool would be invaluable for developing and updating his techniques. It was a crucial step toward building his power and preparing for future battles.

As they continued walking, Goku's mind wandered back to the possibility of acquiring larger amounts of energy. "Bulma, do you think it would be possible to use the Dragon Balls to get a big chunk of energy? Like, for developing techniques or powering up?"

Bulma looked thoughtful, then shook her head. "Well, the Dragon Balls can grant almost any wish, but they're not really designed to just hand out energy. You'd probably need to wish for something specific, like an artifact that generates energy or a way to absorb it more efficiently. But we'd have to be really careful with the wording of that wish."

Goku considered this, nodding. "That makes sense. I'll think about it more. Thanks, Bulma."

With his plans set, Goku began working on recovering his energy so he could continue creating more Energy Crystals. He knew that the path to power was long and arduous, but with each step forward, he was better prepared for the challenges ahead.

As he continued to refine his techniques and gather the resources he needed, Goku remained focused on his goal.