Only with sufficient power can one calmly deal with everything; unless one has already reached the pinnacle, his pursuit of power cannot stop. Moreover, Rhode greatly enjoyed this process of continuously growing stronger. The gradual increase in power fascinated him, a feeling he had never experienced as an ordinary person.
Now, with Super Saiyan 3 power perfectly mastered and his base battle power reaching its limit, he was complete. It was time to take the next step. After Super Saiyan 3, there were two directions for further improvement: Super Saiyan 4 and Super Saiyan God.
To evolve into Super Saiyan God, there were two paths. One required five benevolent Saiyans to infuse the power of their hearts into one's body, thus achieving Super Saiyan God for a short period. With this foundation, it would be much easier to independently reach the Super Saiyan God realm. The other path was to independently comprehend the God realm and break through to Super Saiyan God, a process that was somewhat difficult. The condition of five benevolent Saiyans was currently unattainable, and independently comprehending the God realm without having experienced the Super Saiyan God aura or guidance was very difficult.
Achieving Super Saiyan God was relatively difficult, but comparatively, Super Saiyan 4 was a bit easier. Therefore, Rhode decided to successfully transform into Super Saiyan 4 first before pursuing the Super Saiyan God level. Although Super Saiyan 4's power could not compare to Super Saiyan God, it still possessed some unique characteristics.
For instance, extremely strong environmental adaptability, capable of withstanding ultra-high currents, high temperatures, extreme cold, and other harsh environments, as well as new environments like the Demon Realm. It had gradually transcended the scope of mortals. This point, even Super Saiyan God, who possessed God Ki and reached the God realm, might not be able to achieve. Additionally, Super Saiyan 4 also possessed the ability to absorb other powers to replenish itself. Besides these, Super Saiyan 4 also had characteristics such as low consumption, extremely strong control, and other abilities.
Of course, the two advantages of super strong environmental adaptability and absorption ability were already sufficient for Rhode to attempt the Super Saiyan 4 transformation. As for the characteristics of low consumption and strong control, they were not that important, because even a transformation like Super Saiyan 3, which had terrifying consumption, could achieve this once it reached the point of perfect mastery. What Rhode valued most was Super Saiyan 4's characteristic of super strong environmental adaptability. As long as he possessed this trait, he would be able to make himself even stronger by adapting to various extreme environments. If combined with the ultimate modification technique, then he would truly be invincible.
Recalling the various characteristics of Super Saiyan 4, after arranging everything for everyone, Rhode immediately returned to his residence, then opened a spatial door and entered his Time Chamber.
Rhode roughly knew the Super Saiyan 4 transformation process. Now he had sufficient basic power, could transform into a Super Saiyan, had a tail, and would not lose his mind in Great Ape state. Thus, the conditions were basically met. Therefore, he immediately began to try.
First, transforming into a Great Ape. This was effortless for Rhode, as it was the fundamental basis of combining base form with Great Ape Power. After transforming into a Great Ape, the next step was to mutate into a Golden Great Ape. Rhode wasn't entirely sure how this process worked, so he attempted to draw out Super Saiyan power on this foundation. The process was easy, but it only resulted in him becoming a Super Saiyan Great Ape in his Great Ape form. His power surged, but he didn't transform into a Golden Great Ape as he had expected.
After some thought, it seemed that the Golden Great Ape was a mutated state, not simply a further Super Saiyan transformation from the Great Ape state. It seemed this method wouldn't work. However, Rhode was only trying it out and hadn't expected to succeed on the first attempt.
But if this method didn't work, there was another way: exposure to powerful Blutz Waves. When he previously researched the Great Ape Power in base form, Rhode had thoroughly studied Blutz Waves and could easily immerse himself in them. Thinking of this, he didn't hesitate and, while in his Great Ape state, simulated powerful Blutz Waves enveloping his entire body.
As the Blutz Waves enveloping his body grew stronger and stronger, he suddenly felt a stirring, as if something was about to be drawn out from the depths of his bloodline. However, although this stirring feeling grew increasingly intense, it still failed to be drawn out as the Blutz Waves intensified. After some thought, Rhode decided to transform into a Super Saiyan on this basis, allowing Super Saiyan power to envelop him. This way, perhaps he could mutate into a Golden Great Ape.
Boom! A surge of power erupted, and the Blutz Waves enveloping his body became even more intense.
Under Rhode's eager anticipation, a power burst forth from the depths of his bloodline. Subsequently, golden colored ki began to appear around his body, and it grew increasingly abundant. As more and more golden ki appeared, Rhode's Great Ape form's fur also began to take on a golden hue.
It's done! Seeing his fur gradually turn golden, his heart was instantly filled with joy. A Golden Great Ape, coupled with his conscious awareness, meant that as long as he could successfully return to his base form, he would be able to successfully transform into Super Saiyan 4.
As he fully mutated into a Golden Great Ape, Rhode felt quite excited. He felt his current power, which was even stronger than simply combining Super Saiyan 3 with Great Ape Power!
Thinking this, Rhode began to transform from his Great Ape state back to his base form. Because he had previously experienced transforming from a regular Great Ape to his base form while still retaining the Great Ape Power buff, it was not difficult for him to revert from a Golden Great Ape to his human base form. Without much effort, Rhode's body continuously shrank, and within moments, he had returned to his base form.
However, at this moment, the Rhode who appeared before him was not the Super Saiyan 4 he had imagined, but merely a normal human form imbued with the power of a Golden Great Ape.
What's going on? Instead of the anticipated Super Saiyan 4, he had achieved a base form with the Golden Great Ape Power. Rhode was also completely bewildered. Which step went wrong?
Feeling the power, which was now much stronger than simply combining Super Saiyan 3 with Great Ape Power, Rhode was currently a mix of joy and worry. The joy was that, although he hadn't successfully transformed into Super Saiyan 4, the power in this state was also very strong, with a power increase exceeding four thousand times. It could be considered his strongest form to date. The worry, however, was whether the method he had previously developed for imbuing his base form with Great Ape Power had caused a problem, preventing him from transforming into Super Saiyan 4?
Frowning in thought, Rhode felt that his previous mastery of Great Ape Power in base form should not be an obstacle; it should be an aid. Thus, the reason he couldn't transform into Super Saiyan 4 from Golden Great Ape must be due to an issue in a certain step, or perhaps some conditions he hadn't met.
What could it be? While pondering, Rhode suddenly remembered that there seemed to be a saying that Super Saiyan 4 was a deep understanding of one's own bloodline, a manifestation of completely mastering Saiyan power.