"...Huh?"
Merun woke up on a clean bed, feeling refreshed.
For a moment, he just stared at the ceiling. After everything that had happened, he expected pain, maybe an added burden, or maybe something would break in his heart.
Instead, there was nothing.
He sat up slowly, and within his thoughts, he remembered everything that happened prior.
The city of Ise.
The dungeon.
Mangusu.
Bankei.
Merun's eyes widened, and without thinking, he immediately punched the air, a grin breaking across his face.
"Fuck yeah!"
The air cracked faintly under his fist.
He and Bankei pulled it off.
Somehow, they actually pulled it off!
He let out a breath, half laugh, still riding that high. He wondered what the hell Mangusu was cooking up in his mind, but misunderstandings were always welcome.
If Mangusu thought something else happened… then good.
Merun wasn't about to correct him.
He was lucky, yes, but luck is a skill.
And this time, he used it well.
Most importantly, he did it.
He felt like he took a big step toward his 'martial path' by taking control of the Great Ape transformation.
No matter how difficult it was, or how tempting it would have been to just allow the beast free reign.
He did it.
He had suppressed himself! Not as 'overwhelming' as he'd wanted to... but such things needed practice, he decided.
Getting out of bed, he stretched lightly, rolling his shoulders. His body responded cleanly. No stiffness, no delay. If anything, he felt lighter.
That was when he noticed it.
A scouter, resting neatly beside the bed.
Merun blinked once, then picked it up.
"…this is ver. 4?"
He turned it slightly in his hand, inspecting it. The frame was sleeker than what he remembered. It looked much cooler than before.
Someone upgraded his gear?
Without thinking too much about it, Merun placed it on his ear.
A soft hum followed.
The lens flickered once, then stabilized.
Merun raised his hand and clicked the sensor on the side.
A brief pulse ran through the device.
Then the number appeared.
[MERUN: 10,500 - LOW MARTIAL SENIOR]
He froze.
"…what the fuck?"
He stared at it for a moment.
Didn't move.
Didn't blink.
"I gained 3,000 worth of power levels in that short of a time?"
His voice dropped slightly.
"That's the entire strength of a low tier martial squire…"
He tapped the sensor once more, checking if the number was true.
[MERUN: 10,500 - LOW MARTIAL SENIOR]
"It's real... my power level is now five digits..."
Merun slowly lowered his hand, exhaling through his nose. A faint glimmer of light was emitted from his palms as he channeled ki through it. "Ki is a game-changer."
His Saiyan body is op... in this world, he might be the being with the fastest growth.
But that didn't necessarily mean he would be invincible, even with ki. He read enough Martial Unity to know that Gaia is much different from the Earth in the Dragon Ball universe.
Still, with more power he gets, the closer he is to protecting his family.
The thought settled quietly this time.
He sat on the bed solemnly.
He felt more grounded.
"…good."
Now to go find everybody.
———
Merun stepped out of the house and immediately recognized where he was.
The fishing village in Odani.
Same smell of salt in the air. Same wooden walkways, worn from years of use. Nets hanging to dry. Boats resting by the shore.
But he had woken up in a different home from before. Whose was that?
He glanced back once at the house he came from, then shrugged it off and kept walking.
It didn't take long.
He found Iro giving out food once more.
She stood behind a simple setup, handing out bowls one by one. Her movements were quick and practiced.
She was too busy to notice him.
And so, Merun went in line.
He waited for his turn.
One person. Then another.
Then finally—
"Next—"
She almost dropped the bowl.
Her eyes locked onto him, widening instantly.
Merun stood there, smiling cheekily, holding out his bowl like nothing happened.
"One serving of your finest meal, ma'am?"
She didn't say anything.
Didn't hesitate either.
She leaped at him.
"Merun!"
He thought the impact of her embrace would have pushed him back half a step but he was immoveable, as always.
"Yeah, yeah," he said, a bit more casual than he felt. "I did it."
She held on for a second longer than expected.
Then reality caught up to her.
She pulled back quickly, a faint flush on her face, turning away as she grabbed a bowl.
"…here."
Merun took it.
"Thanks!"
He glanced at her briefly.
She still looked a little shaken.
He smiled slightly.
In a few years... he thought.
———
They ate by the beach.
The sea birds cawing in the distance, waves moved in and out in a steady rhythm, the sound filling the silence between them without making it awkward.
It felt… calm.
Too calm, considering everything that had just transpired.
They had a bit of small talk on what had happened when he left.
About the boy he saved, Muji, who, come to think of it, was a year older than Merun right now, as he was only 11 and Muji, was 12.
Well, he was 36 in his mind now... isn't that what matters?
Anyway, now, Muji was being taught proper education provided by the sect, and this and that.
Merun nodded along, listening.
"That's good," he said—and he meant it.
He stared at the waves after that, his thoughts drifting.
In just a short amount of time, truly a lot has happened.
It felt like the Beggar Sage's tests had more to them than meets the eye.
Merun knew it was a ploy by the Beggar Sage to try and indoctrinate him into the commoner-noble hatred.
The setup was too clean and deliberate... but there was no sign of it being manufactured. The environment, the people felt genuine.
But still, he wasn't the type to be easily swayed by such acts.
He'd read too many novels and manhwas with 'class' wars not to recognize it.
You know peasant risings and all that.
Still…
That didn't mean he didn't care about it anymore.
He would still care.
He would still protect the weak.
He would still be the type to do all he can to help the helpless.
Just not as a puppet.
Especially not the Beggar Sage's puppet.
But as Merun Furutsu.
That didn't mean he hated the Beggar Sage or anybody at the Beggar Sect.
He still could appreciate Beggar Sage's tests. It allowed him to look deeper into himself and what kind of person he was.
Back on Earth, he lived a normal life. Facing choices like these wasn't just unlikely. It was impossible.
But here, it wasn't. Here, thanks to his power, every decision he had actually mattered.
And somehow… he was grateful for that.
His gaze softened slightly as he felt some knots in his heart come loose.
All of a sudden, he felt Iro poking his cheek.
Merun blinked and turned to her.
"Was the food really that good to be that deep in thought?"
Merun smiled.
"That fish you prepared sent me deep into the sea... Ten out of ten."
Iro laughed.
"You're lying!"
He let out a small chuckle, then looked at her again.
"Where's Bankei? And Tedate and the rest?"
The shift was immediate.
Iro's expression changed to a more professional one.
A slight prickle of heat rose under Merun's skin at her sudden shift in tone.
"The Beggar Sage wanted to tell you himself."
Merun studied her for a second, then nodded.
"Got it."
He stood up, brushing sand off his clothes and gave her a hand up.
"Can you take me to him?"
She hesitated for a brief moment, then nodded.
Without a word, she reached for his hand and guided him.
———
The hut was the same as before. The very one where he met the Beggar Sage before..
Merun stepped inside as he left Iro behind outside.
Inside, there was a young man sitting in front of him.
Tea rested in front of him.
Merun said nothing and quietly sat in front of him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—
The young man smiled.
He raised a hand, palm open, as if greeting an old friend.
Merun didn't react.
What is he planning now?
The Beggar Sage's smile widened slightly.
"Let's go straight to the point," he said.
A small pause.
Then—
"Join the Beggar Sect."
.
.
.
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Did a lot of reading and I have plotted out almost until the end of volume 2.
The Patreon has 5 Advanced Chapters. But same schedule here on Webnovel: Mon - Wed - Fri
https://www.patreon.com/collection/2000228[1]
Thanks for reading!
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/2000228