Chapter 4 – Arrival on Earth
The night sky over Earth was calm, painted in deep blues and sprinkled with stars. Waves lapped gently against a moonlit shore. On a small island far from any city, an old man sat cross-legged outside his simple house, sipping tea. His long beard swayed in the sea breeze as his eyes followed the sky.
Master Roshi yawned. "Another quiet night… just how I like it."
But then, the peace broke.
A fiery streak tore through the heavens. The air crackled. Animals across the forest mainland panicked and scattered as the burning object screamed downward, exploding through the treeline with a thunderous crash. The ground shook faintly, even from Roshi's distant island. His eyes snapped open behind his sunglasses.
"That… was no shooting star," he muttered, standing up and grabbing his wooden staff.
With surprising speed for his age, Roshi leapt into his boat and rowed toward the mainland, the fiery glow of smoke guiding him like a beacon.
---
The forest still smoldered when Roshi arrived. Trees were scorched black, and the smell of burning wood filled the air. At the heart of the crater sat something metallic and round — a pod, steaming from re-entry.
Roshi's grip on his staff tightened. "What in the world…"
A hiss echoed. The pod's hatch began to creak open. White steam vented, rolling across the cracked earth. Inside, a small figure stirred — a baby, swaddled in cloth. His eyes opened, sharp and unblinking, glowing faintly in the moonlight. A furry brown tail curled protectively around his waist.
Roshi's jaw dropped. "A… baby? Out of the sky?!"
The child blinked, his gaze steady and almost regal for his size. A thought stirred within him, not spoken aloud, but resounding in his mind.
Where… am I?
In that moment, faint text flickered before his vision — unseen by Roshi.
[God Level Training System Online]
[Synchronization: 40%]
[New Directive: Growth through Training]
The glow faded. The baby's expression softened. Roshi stepped closer, lowering his staff, his initial caution melting into curiosity.
"Well, I'll be… Never thought I'd see the day I'd babysit a space child," he muttered. He sighed, scratching his bald head. "Guess you don't have anywhere else to go, huh, kid?"
The baby simply watched him, tail twitching, as if measuring him. Something in those eyes — fierce yet gentle — stirred something in Roshi's chest.
"…Alright then. You'll come with me," Roshi decided. "Let's hope you're not trouble."
---
Days turned into weeks.
Roshi soon realized this baby was far from ordinary.
For one, the boy ate like a beast. Roshi nearly went broke trying to keep up with his appetite. Bowls of rice vanished in seconds, fish bones were licked clean, and even strange wild fruits disappeared the moment Raiven's tiny hands grabbed them.
For another, his tail had a mind of its own. Roshi would find the boy dangling from ceiling beams, bowls stolen off shelves, or his beard suddenly yanked. "Ack! Not the beard again!" Roshi howled more than once, while Raiven's childish laugh echoed through the house.
But the most worrying part came when Raiven accidentally shattered a rock in the yard with his bare hand while crawling. Roshi froze, tea cup trembling in his grip.
"That… wasn't normal baby strength," he whispered.
The system flickered faintly in Raiven's eyes.
[Potential Detected: Saiyan Instincts]
[Training Efficiency +2%]
It was quiet after that. No constant voice, no commands. Just silent, watchful presence.
---
Two years passed.
The boy had grown — strong, lively, and untamed. His hair spiked wildly like a flame frozen in motion, and his tail now curled confidently at his waist. His name, discovered one day from faint records within the pod, was Raiven.
And unlike the quiet baby Roshi once carried, this Raiven talked. A lot.
"Old man! Look what I can do!" Raiven shouted one morning, struggling to lift two massive water jugs almost as big as he was. He staggered, feet slipping, but a wide grin stretched across his face. "Heh! Easy! Told ya I'm strong!"
Roshi sighed, shaking his head. "You're spilling half of it, boy. The point was to bring water, not water the ground."
Raiven plopped the jugs down, splashing his own legs, but puffed his chest proudly. "Still carried it faster than you could, old man!"
"Old man, is it?" Roshi chuckled, rubbing his beard. "You've got a smart mouth for a kid who still naps in the middle of the day."
"Hey! That's 'cause you make me do boring chores!" Raiven shot back, tail swishing. "I wanna fight, not fetch water!"
Roshi narrowed his eyes, but couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips. This boy… he reminded him of a wild flame — hard to control, but impossible to ignore.
---
Raiven's energy lit up the island. He ran, jumped, and even sparred playfully against coconut trees, his punches cracking their trunks. Animals he chased always came back unharmed, carried gently in his arms after he overdid it. His mother's softness still lingered within him, though he never spoke of it aloud.
At night, however, the fire dimmed.
Raiven often sat on the sandy shore, staring at the endless sky. Stars shimmered, and the ocean reflected their light. His lively grin faded, replaced by something quieter.
Mother… I made it, his inner voice whispered. I'll grow strong here. Strong enough to honor you.
The system pulsed faintly.
[Training Mode Unlocked]
[Basic Saiyan Regimen Available]
Raiven blinked. A small smirk tugged at his lips. "Heh. Guess it's time to show this planet what I can do."
A faint aura flickered around him, wild and untrained, but full of promise. The sea breeze carried his laughter as he bounced on his feet, shadowboxing under the stars.
From behind, Roshi watched silently, his expression unreadable behind his glasses. "This kid… is gonna shake the world."