Dragon Ball: The Strongest Training

The hatch of the tattered spaceship connected seamlessly with the door of Krillin's Phantom ship. With a courteous gesture, Krillin said, "After you, please!"

"You're the guest here in the Perseus System. You first," Scar replied with a hearty laugh.

"Haha, fair enough. Let's go together!" Krillin strode forward confidently, followed by the others.

Once everyone had boarded the Phantom, the hatch closed with a mechanical "clunk."

Krillin turned back toward the damaged ship and released a Ki blast.

Boom! The already broken vessel was reduced to space debris, drifting aimlessly in the void.

The group watched with heavy hearts as their ship—something that had accompanied them through countless struggles—was destroyed. A palpable sense of loss weighed on them.

Noticing their grief, Krillin offered a reassuring smile. "Don't take it the wrong way. You know how strong the enemy is. Destroying the ship was necessary to avoid pursuit."

Scar nodded slowly. Though it was hard to part with their ship, he understood that Krillin's decision was the right one.

As they moved deeper into the Phantom, a large Galactic Patrol emblem came into view.

One of Scar's teammates gasped and exclaimed, "So you're with the Galactic Patrol!"

Scar immediately shouted in response, "Don't jump to conclusions! I don't know exactly who Krillin is, but he's definitely not with the Galactic Patrol!"

He then added, "Those cowards in the Patrol would be too busy hiding from Cooler to even think about picking a fight with him!"

Hearing this, the rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"There's no way he's with those spineless Patrol officers!"

"Oh, some sharp minds after all."

Krillin chuckled in mild surprise. "Since I left the Galactic Patrol, I've run into so many clueless people. I didn't expect the natives of Perseus to be this sharp."

Krillin smiled faintly and explained, "I already said, I'm from Earth."

Scar was about to respond when an alarm echoed through the ship.

"Beep-beep! Enemy detected approaching rapidly," the Phantom's AI announced.

"They've caught up already?" Krillin's expression shifted slightly. He knew he couldn't afford a direct confrontation with Sauza just yet.

Scar's squad tensed, but Krillin reassured them with a calm smile. "Don't worry. There's no need to panic."

"Full speed ahead!" Krillin ordered the ship.

The Phantom's engines roared to life, accelerating into a streak of white light that darted toward the edge of the star system.

Safely escaping the immediate threat, Scar's squad exhaled in relief. They had narrowly escaped death, and survival was something to be savored.

Krillin approached the group. "Why were those aliens after you?"

The squad grew somber. Scar remained silent, prompting the others to hold their tongues as well.

After a long pause, Scar let out a heavy sigh and said, "It's all because of energy. Those invaders are despicable."

He stopped short, clearly holding back. There was still a trace of suspicion toward Krillin.

Krillin smiled faintly and slowly pulled a black fragment from his pocket.

"How do you have a fragment of Perseus Stone?" Scar asked in shock.

"I found it on Earth," Krillin said without hesitation.

Scar's expression darkened. "So, you're here for Perseus Stone after all…" His tone was tinged with bitterness.

Krillin nodded without denying it.

Scar began to explain, his voice tinged with sorrow. "The Perseus System was once a thriving, peaceful place—home to countless powerful warriors and untouched by war. A true haven in the universe."

"But nothing lasts forever. The system grew old, just like a person. Then came the supernova. The red giant you see at the center is all that remains after that explosion."

Scar gazed at the central red star with pain in his eyes. "The supernova made the Perseus System uninhabitable. Our ancestors led the survivors to a few habitable planets within the system, ensuring that our civilization endured."

"The fragment in your hand proves it—Perseus was once a high-energy system. But with its decline and the dispersal of its people, we couldn't resist the greed of invaders."

"It wasn't just the Perseus System that suffered. Neighboring systems were also ravaged. We knew about their struggles but lacked the power to help."

The mood grew heavy as Scar's squad fell into a pensive silence.

Krillin sighed inwardly. "It's the old adage: a valuable treasure invites trouble."

Scar continued, "The ones who attacked us earlier were the infamous Mecha Corps. Our homeworld was overrun, and we evacuated before the attack. The remaining survivors now hide among the system's smaller planets."

"But most refuse to leave the system. For 200 years, we've eked out an existence in the crevices of these asteroid fields."

"Two hundred years…"

Krillin's heart sank. The timeline matched the start of the universal invasions, the same period when Planet Dirt King had fallen.

Scar's voice quivered as he recounted the recent past. "Not long ago, Sauza discovered something. He began hunting us relentlessly. Even our Perseus King fell during one of the raids. Since then, we've been true wanderers in the stars."

Tears streamed down Scar's face as he finished his tale.

Krillin listened attentively, his expression thoughtful. "Scar is telling the truth, but something's missing… He's hiding something important."

Scar's account seemed too polished, almost like a rehearsed history lesson. Krillin knew there had to be more.

Scar hadn't mentioned the Perseus Princess, Xiar, or the refugees' final sanctuary.

"Do I really look so untrustworthy?" Krillin mused, tempted to tattoo "I'm a good guy" across his forehead.

Krillin decided to bide his time. "You're on my ship now, so we've got time. No need to rush."

"Scar, you know this region better than I do. Find a suitable planet to land on," Krillin instructed.

Scar nodded, relieved at the chance to find temporary safety. He located a lush green planet hidden within a nebula.

The Phantom descended smoothly onto the planet's surface.

The group stepped outside and was greeted by a verdant paradise.

Scar explained, "This planet is entirely covered by plants. Because of that, the invaders overlook it, focusing instead on high-energy planets."

Before he could finish, one of his injured teammates collapsed with a pained scream.

The prolonged tension of their escape had dulled their awareness of their injuries. Now, in this peaceful environment, the pain became unbearable.

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