Chapter 42: GRAVITY!

After what felt like an eternity, I had an answer.

"Huh…" It wasn't a good one as she kept checking and rechecking the tests.

"Can I have you cycle your ki at full power?"

I did so. The pressure skyrocketed within the enclosure.

"Strange…"

She said after a few minutes of me cycling at full speed.

"Something wrong Doc?"

"Yes, well. You have countless small injuries throughout your body, especially around your heart. What makes it especially strange is how it doesn't seem to be healing normally. Like your body is actively ignoring the damage."

That doesn't sound good.

"Is this the maximum power you can use?"

"No, I also have a power stacking ability."

"Could you use it?"

"Sure, Kaio-ken!"

I shout for effect, my aura goes blood red. The air around me cracks. A few minutes pass as I keep it going.

"Can you go higher?"

"I'll go full gear then. Times TEN!"

The enclosure screams but holds under the force.

"You're lucky I built the enclosure taking into account your peak energy levels plus some."

I don't retort as I am too focused on cycling my energy.

"You can stop. I have enough to make a judgement."

I stop, my body covered in sweat. A video plays of my using kaio-ken. What plays is fascinating. Like a vortex my body sucks up all of my ki. Not a single strand floating outside my body. Instead, it's concentrated within my veins, pumping with my blood through my muscles and bones. What was strangely obvious under the video was something else, a different, almost anomalous energy.

"As you can likely see, your technique is doing something strange. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but your energy is creating a different kind of energy that is degrading your body from within. None of my instruments are even able to pick up what is happening exactly or even measure it.

Where exactly did you learn that skill?"

I mean, the skill itself was fairly basic, wasn't it? No, why was it harming me so much? Was it really harming me so much? Clearly it was based on these images showing the projected damage. Like a river wearing it down it seemed to be destroying me slowly. Yes, it supercharged my cells and after every use I was getting stronger throughout. The damage only partially healed though. Something within it was too much for even my own body to handle.

Then… it occurred to me. Didn't Goku learn this ability from a god? Or Dragon balls version of a god? At least, I think he was. Was Kai a god? I think he was supposed to be right?

"It was a skill learned by one of our kind. The concept is fairly simple when you realize what it is. All it really is, is a method to condense your ki to essentially juice yourself like blood packing. Except with ki."

"Hmm…" Doc thought long and hard before settling on something I knew she would. "Fine, but I suggest you don't use it. Rather, it seems the higher the concentration of your ki the more damage it does. I don't know what it means specifically, but whatever is happening I'm not sure how easy it will be to heal. Luckily, I planned for such damage and went ahead and ordered a high-quality healing agent. If you would, could you step out of the enclosure and into the healing pod?"

The enclosure door opened, and with it I was slammed with the sensation of countless people at the edge of my mind. I took a few minutes to reign in my power and it calmed but was still there. Aware I couldn't do more as I was, I made my way out and into a small open pod.

"Should I strip?"

I was wearing my skintight suit and boots.

"Probably." I shrug and do so before I enter. Leaning into it. A strange gel like liquid sits inside encases me as the door shuts.

"Now, I suggest you stay awake. The medicine will work if you fall unconscious, but it's more effective when you're awake and aware. And, just to mention, this will hurt, a lot."

I didn't scoff or retort. No, if she was mentioning that it may hurt, it may hurt a lot. The gel began to move and vibrate. An itching warmth spread through my body. At first it felt nice, like a full body massage, but after a time it grew worse. My own teeth buzzing in my skull. Soon enough my bones and nerves were rattling as I felt it rampaging through me. Until I felt it touch something inside.

I almost screamed. Like a finger jammed into an open wound and swished around. I muffled it as best as I could. Until I felt it all over my body and heart. Agony, like my whole body was an open wound and someone was liberally salting it. My vision blurred and a few times I swear my heart stopped only to kick back on.

At some point I became aware of a sound. A loud ear-piercing screech. The voice was unfamiliar. The sound alien, but it occurred to me through the haze as my throat began to burn. I was screaming. I cycled my ki. I did everything I could to accept the pain as my body was rebuilt and healed. It felt like an eternity. My vision faded and returned. My consciousness constantly threatening to slip out of my grasp like an oiled pig.

When it finally ended, I could barely feel. My whole body was abuzz. I felt groggy, wrong. Only after a good amount of time did I finally get out. The gel was soaked in blood. I could only smell blood. When I exited, I was coated in it. I fell to my knees and coughed up globs of blood and rotten meat.

Only after a few minutes did I finally start feeling alive again. In a single circulation of ki I understood. I was stronger. Like an engine that'd just been tuned. Everything felt better, surer. Every breath tasted sweeter.

I was guided to the lab shower and provided a meal that was dropped off not long ago before I dressed.

"I suggest you never use that skill again."

Doc said as I finished.

"Really? Can't we do that again?"

"Do you realize… no, you wouldn't. The amount of healing agent you burned through to recover, the sheer quality of it. Well, it wouldn't be possible for us to ever get that much anytime soon. Not without doing something insane."

"That expensive? How did we even get that money?"

"A combination of your sale of my tech to the pirate baron. Which, I may as well add sold for more than I could have imagined. A combination of multiple bounties from us taking this ship and as a personal favor to the Pirate Baron himself. Hell, the gravity chamber we built for you is nothing compared to that fluid."

"Why did you spend so much for that fluid?"

"Why? I assumed you had some serious sequela from all your injuries and abuses, but you were surprisingly clean. Well, except for that odd harm caused by you using that energy condensing ability. Which is why I find it so strange it would do so much damage."

That is concerning… Could I? Might as well.

"Truthfully, the ability was taught to that person I told you about by someone calling himself a Supreme Kai, or rather, a god."

A pause.

"What?"

"I said it was taught by a god. Maybe that has something to deal with it?"

"I'll have to look into that…"

"Sure but be careful. I don't imagine if gods do exist that they'll be happy about snooping."

"I will. Honestly if I didn't see that absurd damage, and well everything else about your body that breaks common sense I wouldn't even think of believing you."

I had to laugh at that.

"Rather, I think I heard you say something about a gravity chamber?"

"Of course, you would focus on that. Yes, it's built. I wanted to have you checked out before. Feel free to make your way there. We have a few months before our next job."

"A few months?"

"Yes, we need to let the heat die down, so to speak. Also, we need to refit our ship and crew it. The Pirate Baron is helping us with manpower, and he is calling on the Industry Pirate Industrio to help fill our order."

"He's investing quite a lot in us."

"Naturally, he heard how you nearly disabled a capital ship yourself. He also knows you won't run from a fight. Which means investing in you is a simple thing. Especially for a man with more money than sense. I also imagine there is a force working in the background to help fund you."

"Likely meaning we'll be given more questionable missions like your research base?"

"Yes."

"Good, that just means I need to train harder."

She sighs.

"Fine, I'll lead you there. Just worry about training and keeping yourself healthy. We don't want you losing it."

"I'm looking forward to actually making some progress." I reply as I make my way out and follow the lights straight to the newly built chamber. It was in its own area on the ship near the core. It took up a good chunk of space. The door, a massive vault. It hissed and spat as it opened. Clicking and clanking as locks were undone.

Inside was simple. On the ground was a simple cot. A shower was in the corner. The floor was flat without a single ridge, but lines ran along the floor to mimic tiling. The whole room was a dark blue that seemed to hum. In the center of the room hanging from the ceiling was a massive orb. I could tell at a glance that the room was far smaller than the space it took.

It easily occupied a good chunk of the ship for such a small area. Looking around I saw various recessed areas with training equipment and weights. Most of it was simple things like leg weights or body weights. I looked around some more before deciding to strip as the door behind me closed with a resounding clank. I felt my senses cut. The same energy shielding present in the enclosure was present here.

I took a breath. Centering myself. How did I do this?

"Oi, Doc. You there?"

"Yes." She cuts in from somewhere.

"Can we start?"

"We can, just doing some preparatory work. I'll be paying attention constantly in order to adjust the parameters for maximum gain. I also have countless scanners built in for me to keep track of your body so that I can stop it the moment you appear to be in danger."

"Seems unnecessary, but whatever works. Kick it on when you are ready. I'm getting bored."

I take one last look around, looking at my tail flicking about. Just as I was about to ask what was taking so long, she spoke up. A hum began filling the room.

"Done. Now, shall we get started?"

I slammed to the ground as I felt the world crash down around me. I could barely breathe as I heard Doc muttering over the comm. I panted; my lungs having emptied from the sheer force of the drop. I struggled, but slowly began to work my way back up.

"Hoh? I figured that wouldn't be enough. Your vitals are good, especially after a hundred times gravity increase. Let's see how high you can go before you can break."

It slammed me back down in waves. My body screaming from the abuse as the air almost liquefied. I coughed up blood and only managed to mitigate further damage by cycling my ki. I just realized; it may not have been a good idea putting a mad scientist in charge of my gravity training.

"Hmm… Your body seems to harden to resist the sudden increase in gravity. Circulating your ki also drastically improved your sturdiness… I wonder, what if."

Just as fast I felt the gravity go back to normal. My ki flaring out. I had barely a moment to take a breather before it slammed back.

"Hoh… Instantaneous changes in gravity result in a less speedy response from your cells. Not to mention your not suffering from the bends or anything due to rapid changes in pressure."

Then the gravity begins fluctuating like someone flailing around a wet noodle at a pool. I feel the blood in my veins stop and slow, as if playing a game of red light, green light. When she stops, I end up curled up on the ground hacking up blood and meat. I think that did something very bad to my organs.

"Oh! Fascinating. Most, if not all creatures would die from such rapid and random changes in gravity. The fact you didn't die, and the fact that your cells are rapidly multiplying to heal the damage as we speak! If anything, your ki seems to be accelerating your progress."

She was my enemy! The gravity slammed down. Only to loosen a second later, the sheer force of the slam combined with the drop in gravity resulted in me almost slamming into the ceiling. It only took me an instant, a flash, a single spark of time to realize how fucked I truly was.

Gravity Up. I slammed. Gravity Lowered, I flew. Slam, fly, slam, fly. I could barely move before the first session ended.

"Food time! I won't mess with the gravity while you eat, yet, but do be quick."

I think I heard something terrifying… But! The food smelled divine! My stomach grumbled. I crawled, ignoring the pain and blood to the food. I shoveled it down like a starved beast.

"Will need to increase nutritional intake. Yes." Those words sent a shiver up my spine as I forced the last bit down. Taking a moment to breathe.

"Let's go again!"

Slam, fly, slam, fly… "IS THIS EVEN HELPING!?"

I ended up yelling I couldn't feel my body.

"It is in fact. I'm simply accelerating the process. Simply ratcheting up the gravity and going through simple forms of exercise was what you were planning correct?"

That… was in fact the plan.

"Which would be a total waste. In fact, with the amount of gravitational weight I can leverage. I can empower you well beyond the feeble limitations of the machine by giving you a short, empowered burst. Your body will adapt to the crushing force and grow far more than if you did something as pointless as basic exercises. Your body was built for war Rettas. And I won't let you just waste it over something so trivial!"

I was honestly more terrified than I ever was in my whole life. Doc was always so calm and rational. Yet, now I could hear the insanity leaking in her voice as she spoke of turning me into the ultimate weapon. Mid-thought, the gravity slammed into me. Treating me like a doll as I'm slammed back and forth.

This continues for days. My entire body was black and blue from the bruising. I couldn't think beyond a single simple thought. Gravity was my enemy. That thought kept me going. I rolled with the blows as was taught as best as I could. Taking gravities punches and hits as I slammed into the ground over and over. Blood splattering the walls and floors.

I rallied my ki to save myself and try to redirect the blows. Eventually I managed to somehow reduce the damage, even stand against the force!

"TAKE THAT GRAVITY!"

I yelled out.

"Oh? You adapted this fast? Well, I suppose having your life at actual risk would improve your adaptability. Welp, let's stop holding back."

Fuck… I slam down, barely managing to roll with it and avoid breaking my leg.

"GOOD FALL!"

She yells out as I scream in incoherent rage. My own saliva was drowning me as the pressure kept increasing. My ki flaring as I felt my own breasts and eyes falling into me crushing me alive. Then, like a broken dam I felt my ki flooding my veins with an icy cold sensation. I breathed and slammed my hands into the tiled floor and slowly stood.

"HA!"

"Fascinating! Truly Fascinating! Your S-cells double as an energy repository for when your life is in danger! Meaning you can literally empower yourself in near death situations!"

I think I just played myself.

"Let's see if we can't wring out every single drop, shall we?"

How about no? I slam back down. Only slowing when I eat, but after a time she even does so when I eat. Upping gravity to an absurd degree as I struggle to eat. Ki flooding into me as I grasp like a dying man seeking water. I NEED FOOD!

When constantly doing it became less of an option, she began to do it in more forceful ways, and sneakier ways. I was soaked in sweat. A literal waterfall flowing off me as we worked. The showers were deadly. Some days I could take lightning-fast showers with no issue, other days the gravity ramped up and the water in midair would fall upon me like a hail of gunfire or artillery slamming into me.

I wanted to hate her, but the pain, the suddenness of it all, and the callous disregard for my life. Honestly, it only made me more riled up and excited. At one point she ramped up the gravity so high in the shower it nearly did kill me. she buzzed in at a point only to say,

"Ah, whoops. I was a little busy and put it on automatic." Only to drive up even more before lowering it.

I was almost constantly black and blue. Blood flowed from me regularly as I was beaten by the greatest enemy of all, gravity. Everything was difficult. Even going to the bathroom in a hidden alcove on the toilet was a challenge, though… Should I say the gravity upping did help in a regard…

Still, perhaps it was a form of Stockholm syndrome as I found myself almost anticipating the ever-increasing power of gravity. The punch followed by the almost nonsensical increases and raises. I felt my power skyrocketing. My body adapts faster and faster as it was put under such random stress.

Like so, I continued. I fought, and I would win. But, why did I feel something in me might be broken from the callous abuse? Meh, probably nothing.