Chapter 49 - 41 Arrival And Deal

You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon and I've also activated a (date-to-date) subscription model on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395 Jiang Chen was oblivious to the latest developments within the Frieza Force. If he knew about Cui's promise to find him within a year, he'd likely laugh and tell Cui to keep dreaming. After five spaceship swaps, Cui had already struggled to track him down, and with each passing moment, the chances of being found were dwindling further. This was the vast North Area of the universe, not a vegetable garden or a small planet. Finding someone here without the help of the Dragon Balls or a god-level being was nearly impossible. And at present, the Frieza Force had neither the Dragon Balls nor any spiritual deities to assist them. In the boundless void of space, a streak of flowing light flashed rapidly. After another month of travel, a green planet finally appeared before Jiang Chen's spaceship. This was Namek, the fourth planet in the 27th main galaxy of the Lyra constellation. Its atmospheric composition and surface gravity were roughly similar to Earth's. Orbiting three stars, Namek had no night, and its year only lasted 130 days. Upon seeing the planet, Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. "Namek!" He murmured, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. In his plans, the journey to Namek was a critical step. The planet not only housed the most miraculous Dragon Balls of this world but also had advanced techniques for training energy, or "Ki." The Dragon Balls were essential for his plans and goals. Even though Namek's Dragon Balls had certain limitations, they were still incredibly valuable to him at this stage. But it was the energy training techniques that he needed most urgently. Although he had discovered bits and pieces of energy control methods on Planet Vegeta through trial and error, they were incomplete and lacked a coherent system. They provided only marginal assistance in his cultivation. In comparison, if he could learn the Namekian methods for training Ki, it would set his training on the right track. While Earth's techniques were theoretically more advanced – with figures like Master Mutaito, the Turtle School, and the Crane School – all of which were highly developed systems, they were limited by the scope of their theoretical foundations. For Jiang Chen, getting his training on the right track was paramount. If he wanted to rapidly improve his strength, he needed a proper, orthodox system of training. Otherwise, relying solely on Saiyan genetics wouldn't guarantee the same future achievements as Kakarot. At best, he might end up at Bardock's level – and that was far from what he desired. Through the spaceship window, the outline of the planet grew larger and larger until it dominated his view. The spaceship swiftly descended toward the planet's surface. One hour later... "Boom!" "Rumble!" A thunderous crash echoed through a valley as the ship landed, creating a crater over a hundred meters deep. "Clang!" The hatch opened, and Jiang Chen stepped out, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. "This feels great!" He stretched lazily, murmuring in satisfaction. After over a year spent constantly on the run, this was the first time he truly felt relaxed. However, just as he finished stretching... A figure suddenly appeared in the sky, quickly approaching him. "Beep Beep!" His scouter flashed, rapidly analyzing the approaching figure. Moments later, a power-level reading appeared before his eyes. "18,000?" Jiang Chen's brows furrowed, and his expression turned serious. As he grew wary, the figure descended from above, landing in front of him. He got a good look at the newcomer – familiar features, hairless, with two antennae on his head, green skin, and the unmistakable appearance of a Namekian. "Honored guest, the Great Elder requests your presence," The Namekian said in a calm, respectful tone. "So, it's as I expected." "No problem. Lead the way." Jiang Chen nodded slightly, his expression showing no surprise. The highest authority on Namek was the Great Elder, the sole survivor of the previous extinction event that nearly wiped out the Namekian race. He was also the father of all current Namekians, apart from Piccolo. Known as one of the universe's most ancient and mysterious beings, the Great Elder's abilities were beyond ordinary comprehension. While the Great Elder might not be exceptionally strong in terms of combat power, his abilities were nothing short of extraordinary. His arrival could hardly have escaped the Great Elder's observation. Jiang Chen had already mentally prepared himself for this meeting. In fact, his primary purpose in coming to Namek was precisely to meet this figure. Only by gaining an audience with the Great Elder could he hope to obtain the Dragon Balls and accomplish his objective. "Honored guest, please follow me!" Hearing Jiang Chen's words, the Namekian nodded slightly before taking off into the sky. Jiang Chen quickly followed. Along the way, Jiang Chen learned the Namekian's name – Zino. Like Piccolo and Dende, Zino's name was also derived from the word for "snail." Zino was currently serving as the Great Elder's guardian, and he was a combat-type Namekian – the strongest on the planet. Clearly, Nail hadn't been born yet. This wasn't surprising. There were still decades before the storyline would officially begin, and Nail's birth obviously hadn't occurred that far in the past. Most likely, Nail was created by the Great Elder in response to a looming crisis. That would explain why his strength was far above that of ordinary Namekians and why after fusing with Piccolo, Piccolo's power experienced such a dramatic leap. Of course, these were merely Jiang Chen's thoughts. During their brief conversation, they didn't fly for long – only about fifteen minutes – before arriving at a massive structure. "Honored guest, the Great Elder is waiting for you inside," Zino said softly. "Thank you!" Jiang Chen expressed his gratitude, taking a deep breath before stepping forward into the building. Inside the room, it wasn't dark. In fact, it was brightly lit. At a glance, Jiang Chen immediately spotted the Great Elder seated on an enormous stone throne. It was hard not to notice him – his immense size made it impossible to overlook. "Welcome, guest from afar," Came the Great Elder's gentle voice as Jiang Chen laid eyes on him. "Aspara greets the Great Elder. I apologize for the unannounced visit and ask for your forgiveness," Jiang Chen said with a slight bow, his tone respectful and tinged with apology. He dared not show the slightest hint of disrespect toward this venerable figure. "There's no need for such formality. Your presence here is an honor for Namek," The Great Elder replied with a smile, shaking his head. "You're too kind, Great Elder," Jiang Chen said hastily. But once those words left his mouth, he found himself at a loss for how to proceed. Asking directly for the Dragon Balls seemed too abrupt, but engaging in small talk wasn't something he excelled at either. What he had originally planned to say now seemed hard to bring up. Fortunately, after a brief pause, the Great Elder spoke again, his voice calm and understanding. "Guest, you've come here for the Dragon Balls, haven't you?" (End of Chapter)