Chapter 6: Cracking an Egg

I understood now, a strange thing to think of, but it clicked into place once I came face to face with the massive door leading deeper. Why I was so repulsed by the feelings the squidizens held for me. I had been tempted many times to snap the threads again as they once more tried to cling to me, but I didn't. Instead, I had thought about why it upset me so much. Why it repulsed me.

Now I knew, it was the feelings they were transmitting. It wasn't the worship, it wasn't the faith in me that bothered me, no. Instead, it was the feeling that I was undefeatable, something they could never hope to beat. Those were the emotions of losers and failures, or so my mind surmised. It sickened me to see the squidizens I had put so much effort into demeaning themselves so.

I was powerful, but how powerful was I really? I had to ask myself this question and I had plenty of time, especially when I had to turn around at the halfway point. I forgot if I remembered to put my pod to circle the moon, just in case. I had a feeling that it may get damaged in the planet's atmosphere. Which meant I had to double check if I did, and make sure that I had dropped off my scouter with it.

I just felt like it was necessary, or perhaps that it was inevitable. Those feelings proved prescient as I found myself before the door. Even as strong as I was, I felt my heart pumping, my blood burning at the challenge just beyond. I wasn't getting any stronger through normal methods. Even punishing my body by accelerating past the speed of sound and instantly reverting course at the same speed forcing myself to slam into the incoming wave was no longer having an effect.

The question that burned me though was, how strong was I really? Based on my feelings, and what I remember from the anime… I am definitely stronger then Raditz… though using him as a scale of power seems, iffy. I could probably kick Goku's ass around the time period when Vegeta showed up on earth with Nappa. Which meant I could beat Nappa without much of an issue.

Vegeta though? That was tough. I imagined I could beat Vegeta when he was on earth, which meant I could in theory blow up the planet. Unless Vegeta was simply bluffing when he shot at Goku in their big climactic battle? It was likley, but also... It might have something to do with earth being weak.

Except, with all the other nonsense that hits earth it does make me wonder why it didn't just implode from all the nonsense. It might be that the earth was levelling by playing host to so many high-level battles, maybe? In a way, I think that may be true. Like somehow the death of so many high-level individuals made the planet more durable.

The scale for planetary death is all over the place though. Frieza could blow up planet Vegeta in his first form, his weakest form to boot. If I put my all into it, I could probably blow up a planet. Which is fairly important because I may just have to do that, or something similar when I get past this door. Just a theory really, but it's always good to have fallback plans.

I would probably struggle against the Ginyu force, but they were used more as a foil to prove how vast the gap between the Namekians, Vegeta, and Goku was once he arrived. Then that was subverted when Ginyu body swapped, but like… really? For some odd reason I imagined I could probably do something similar eventually, but I was more curious if I could just straight up possess people. Did I even want to?

It would be an interesting experiment, but I'd likely need to work on splitting my consciousness or something stupid. I could probably make use of the Ginyu forces joint ki technique, which was never shown off because they lost members so quickly… It probably uses the same principle as xianxia battle formations or something. Either way, my options for powering up were seemingly limitless.

I didn't want to spend months trying to see if I could work in tandem with the squidizens. Neither did I want to attempt a fusion with them, not to mention how much that rankled my pride even thinking of asking for help in either situation. I also felt like there would be a drawback to gathering an expedition and marching through that door.

I wasn't sure what, but… I was as strong as I was going to get. I could probably, probably with Kaio Ken as a kind of gear shift put up a fight if not beat first phase Frieza. I mean even Frieza's powers are odd, fluctuating even as if controlled by the rule of cool. Stranger still when Frieza is likely one of the earliest non-binary characters in anime. Neither considered male or female, instead something like a toad that can change gender even self-inseminate… Ugh…

I wonder… It does sound fitting for such a stuck-up selfish bastard though.

I also really didn't want to start thinking I could punch out stars or get too high on my own power. I needed to be realistic here.

Anyway, I was again, likely as strong as I could get with what I had. Which meant I needed to open this door… open… Obviously, I'm nervous, a little afraid even. Like facing a final boss, not sure if my level is high enough. In a video game I'd just save and be done with it, but this was life not a game. Which meant my life was at risk…

"FUCK IT!" I yelled out startling the gathered squidizens who despite my warnings decided to follow. I move forward, circulating my ki and regulating my breathing as I move to the door. There is no decorum, no, I would not let this door hold me back an instant longer. I smashed my foot into the massive double doors with as much power as I could muster. They slam open with a loud crash, whatever hinges that existed smashed off as the doors went flying into the hallway beyond. Shattering as they slam into the steps and breaking into countless pieces as they roll down the endless staircase.

I heave a little, primarily to hide my gasp of wonder. Just behind the door was a pristine hallway, with stars leading downward, my mind connecting the dots. To the core. I ignore the shocked squidizens as I make my way down, having to fly a smidge to avoid the smashed stairs and rubble as I go further down. The white perfectly carved walls give way to an almost glass-like hallway. It was pitch black, my senses incapable of penetrating the see-through walls. It was still, and dark like an endless abyss. I created a Ki ball to help light it up, it was water, I felt my hair tingle at the thought.

The water just by looking at it I knew; it was dense like a solid. So much so was the pressure of the air around me. I shuddered to think what it would be like to get hit by it. My eyes wandering to the staircase leading deeper and deeper, into the very core of the world.

I should back off, maybe try to come through the various tunnels that likely led down here… I looked back, and for an instant I felt something deep within tremble, a taunt, a call. I looked down towards the source, I felt my pride flare. Whatever was there knew I was here, anticipated me coming.

I could just leave, get on my attack ball and flee too wherever, but… Why should I have to? Instead, I looked around, my mind churning. The solution was strangely simple. I would charge up a powerful blow. I could build up the ki and keep my defenses up to prevent any psychic attacks. It would be, exhausting to say the least. But I wouldn't have to worry about fighting in this deathtrap. Instead, I could just blow my way out. I could work, I was certain it would.

I continued. My feet and perfectly pristine boots echoing through the hallway with every step. I had them cleaned off, polished even. I wasn't sure how they weren't damaged, but well, that's fine. My armor was deteriorating at an annoying speed, likely after this fight it might be bordering on exhibitionist. My boots though, were just as good as the day I apparently got them.

Still, I was badass, and I felt no shame. My rippling frame is a far cry from my old frame. No, I was peak fitness. Muscles just right, frame just right. Just walking by would cause necks to snap as they snapped to follow me. Perhaps it wasn't just pride that inflated, but my ego too?

Meh, huge egos are good at defending your mind, or so I hear. Just need to make sure my ego isn't all glitz and glam. I circulated my ki, feeling it pump in tune with my heart. The air around me vibrating as the concentration of ki rose. I did my best to conceal it, but my hair started to sway a little, my body rippling. Like a picture in motion, I thought to myself.

The stairs cut off into a massive atrium, almost like a cathedral. Inside and on an altar sat a familiar not so familiar face. I stepped forward, noting the intricate carvings in the walls and the decorated windows. The pressure here was immense, almost perfect for training. A shame I had to fight here.

When I took my position at the foot of the altar, I had a strange notion as the squidizen atop the altar turned to face me. Their googly eyes seemed, off, distant.

"It took you awhile, chosen." Its voice wasn't its own. Instead echoing in the halls, like I was inside a massive speaker.

"I had preparations to make."

"Indeed. Though those preparations were all for naught." It was talking down to me, whatever it was.

"We'll see soon enough." I readied myself, arms ready for a fight.

"You don't even remember who this vessel is, do you?"

"I don't care for extra's." It laughs, and the body seems to twist and turn.

"The first survivor, the first awakened, the first you 'blessed'. The moment he was awoken, I tasted your essence and called him down to me. Even better, you've awakened more of the morsels above, making them into tasty snacks for me to eat when I finally awaken."

Huh…

"Then I guess I'll make sure I do kill you." It laughs again, an almost deranged maniacal laugh. It was as it laughed that I caught it. The squidizen body before me was a puppet and a tentacle the puppeteer. I felt something click. I flared my ki and launched myself up as the cathedral began to crash in. I slammed my way out of one of the windows, forcing me to slam out some of the gathered ki to aid my push out. I felt the water, like a solid wall hit me, but I ignored the pain as my adrenaline pumped as I forced myself to move through my eyes straining under the pressure as the cathedral crashed into itself.

The cathedral turned into a massive squid head. The long staircase almost retracted like a long tube into it as it inflated, grew. It was laughing, the sound vibrating in the water, echoing through my body and into my mind. Threatening to break my concentration as I forced my ki faster and faster.

It was wrapped around a dark, dead core of the planet. Its spirit long dead. The world only kept alive as a feeding bin for something, something that shouldn't exist. The squid head, more akin to a giant flesh bud twitched. In an instant countless eyes opened on its frame, their pupils vibrating and shaking like googly eyes. If it was just this… I had to put my foot in my mouth as the whole cavern shook.

Eyes. Eyes covered every inch of the massive cavern. Blocking off all the exits like some kind of demented blood vessels as they pulsed. I can't let those eyes all focus on me. It was an instinct; one I had grown to trust. I circulated my ki, bringing my palms up to what was likely up.

"GALICK GUN!" I felt my ki leaving me as I forced as much of it as I could into the blast. The energy pulsing and almost shuddering under the pressure of all the water. For an instant I feared it wasn't enough, that everything I through into it wasn't nearly enough. Then, like a spear penetrating armor, it sliced.

I followed it desperately as it gained speed, almost sharpening itself on the water as it slams into the tentacles, just as I begin to feel the eyes focusing on me, hitting my mind like zombies on a steel door. I pushed myself faster as my blast shrunk and sharpened into a singular point. Smashing through earth as I followed, high pressure water forcing itself out of the hole, gushing and pushing itself just behind me.

I felt it slow slightly as it hit side tunnels, but not nearly enough to make me calm down as I forced myself up and up. We smashed through a cavern. I only got a brief glance of the various squidizens when the water rushed in mincing them in an instant as I pushed myself to follow the beam. Its force reducing the higher we went.

As its speed began to slow, as its radius decreased, I forced ki through my burning channels to unleash barrage after barrage to keep digging like a mad machine. Eventually I found myself enhancing my fists to literally punch my way to freedom, only keeping ahead of the water due to the various tunnels and open areas we pass by.

The moment I break out I keep my momentum as I slam out to the planet's surface and let myself be launched just barely out of the atmosphere. Just enough that I could breathe with some effort and turned to face as a lance of water burst out of the planet. The small Rettas sized hole widens into a massive caldera as the water blasts like a cannon. The world cracking and shifting under the force as the water hits the atmosphere, some of it even finding itself launched into space.

I was panting. My whole body is aching. Now that I wasn't under threat the pain came like a rushing wave. My bones were all cracked, threatening to break. My fists were close to done for, the knuckles mashed and worn as the skin on them was torn away. My sit was little more than a tattered monokini. My boots though, well, they were fine, somehow…

I could hear the thing scream as I hung in the air catching my breath. I wouldn't be able to blow the core, not with that thing. wrapping around it. I also doubt the death of the planet would kill it. I also couldn't just leave it alone. Not with it able to feed on all the squidizens, no, just the thought of it letting it feed on MY squidizens sent a lancing rage that dispersed the pain in my body.

I could feel my bones and muscles squirming, my circulating ki accelerating the healing, tapping into my built-up energy for my next break through. No, even more of a reason to back off. I could feel the heat building in me. My breath hot, my hands sweaty. That familiar need. The need to kick ass!

The issue was how I was going to do it? I idly sent out a lancing beam as a massive tentacle made itself known. The beam impacting and scarring flesh only to heal an instant later. A few more casual sweeps showed me how it was healing so fast. Or more of a guess as I felt the dead world seemed to grow deader, like a smoothie being slowly emptied from a straw. The thing was drinking from the planet… Almost like…

Like an egg? The thought sent a shudder through me. The liquid interior, the thing wrapped around a core. This planet was being used to hatch something!? I clenched my fist at the thought. Then, clutched it even harder as a fun idea came to mind.

I was going to crack that egg. I needed to anyway to get to the thing inside, but… how was I going too? I folded my arms, ignoring the pain as my body twitched and spasmed. I felt something tickle me, the threads of faith from the squidizens, I almost swatted it away like I usually did. The threads oddly insistent… No, that made sense, the tentacles were likely preying on them this very instant. Shit, if only I could use them!

Use them? I grabbed the threads, felt myself delve into them, watching them beat back the flooding waters and thrashing tentacles. Even more I felt the energy, the faith bleeding off the threads. I couldn't use it, not directly, but… It felt familiar? Like… The spirit bomb?

Weren't there conditions for it? It had a long build up. It also only took a small amount of energy, unless it was willingly given… Honestly it took forever, like trying to be a door-to-door salesman…

I could just imagine it, please donate your energy to help blow your planet up! Not going to happen… But… How can I even feel these strings? No, I wasn't a nice enough person to ask for my energy. I doubted anybody would even cooperate, not without trying to stab me. Like, how would people react to a world renowned wanted murderer selling you chocolate bars at your door?

What if… I change the premise?