Dragon Ball Z: The Beast Within - CH11

[Escarot POV.]

“You have much to face ahead of you, child, so let me help you.”

Guru’s massive hand rested on my head again, his palm practically covering my entire skull.

Realizing he was about to unlock some of my hidden potential, I stepped forward—a little too eager, at that.

Eager or not, I didn’t know what to expect. Was I supposed to feel something instantly? Some kind of surge of power? A flash of light?

“Stay still,” Guru’s voice rumbled, calm but firm. “Clear your mind.”

I obeyed, shutting up and waiting.

Then—I felt it.

It wasn’t sudden. It wasn’t some explosive, earth-shattering sensation. Not like the anime had made it look like.

No.

It was something else.

It was a release.

A release of something I didn’t even know I had been holding.

Like a dam breaking, like floodgates opening, like something buried deep within me was finally being let loose.

A rush of energy surged through my body—not foreign, but familiar.

Mine.

The strength had always been there, locked away, just out of reach. But now? Now it was free.

I exhaled sharply as my muscles tensed, my skin tingling like static electricity was dancing over it. My heart pounded in my chest—not in fear, but in exhilaration.

This was my power.

I had always known I was strong, but this?

This was on a whole other level.

I clenched my fists, feeling the raw strength coursing through me, the sheer potential Guru had just unlocked.

After a moment, his hand lifted.

“It is done,” he said.

I opened my eyes.

And I felt stronger than ever.

I was still adjusting to the surge of energy coursing through me when I heard heavy footsteps approaching.

Nail had returned.

I turned just as he entered the chamber, his expression as serious as ever. His arms were crossed, and behind him, floating with a soft golden glow, were the Dragon Balls.

I knew Namek’s Dragon Balls were big, but seeing them in person was something else.

Seven massive orbs, each nearly the size of a small boulder, shimmered with an inner light. The orange surface gleamed without any need for illumination, as if the orbs themselves radiated power. The red stars inside them pulsed faintly, like they were alive.

There they were. The real deal.

Nail’s gaze flicked to me, then back to Guru. “The Dragon Balls have been gathered, Elder.”

Guru’s eyes lingered on me for a moment, like he was considering something unspoken. Then, finally, he nodded.

“It is time, then.”

I exhaled, rolling my shoulders, still feeling the lingering buzz from my unlocked power.

Step one: complete.

Now, time to make a wish.

I stood in front of the glowing Dragon Balls, arms crossed, tail flicking behind me as I thought things through.

This was big.

I had three wishes.

One of them was already decided. The pillow wish. That wasn’t just important—it was mandatory.

I wasn’t an idiot.

Beerus was a destroyer god. The kind of being who erased planets because he was cranky or hungry, sometimes both. If he didn’t get what he wanted, it wouldn’t just be my problem—it’d be everyone’s problem.

So yeah, the pillow wish? That was priority number one.

Which left two more wishes.

And that was where things got tricky.

I started pacing, my boots kicking up bits of dirt as I moved back and forth.

What should I even wish for?

Power?

…No.

That thought alone made my stomach churn.

Wishing for power; taking a shortcut—would be cowardly. Besides, Porunga couldn’t grant more power than Guru could, and he had already unlocked a bit of my potential.

Even if Porunga could though, I didn’t like that idea.

Maybe it was the Saiyan in me, but… I enjoyed the idea of getting my power through battle, through hardship, through sheer, brutal effort. That was the way it was supposed to be.

Taking an easy way out? That wasn’t just cheating—it was disgraceful.

What about immortality?

I actually scoffed at the thought.

What kind of pathetic weakling needed immortality? What kind of coward was afraid of dying so much they’d beg a dragon to keep them safe forever?

I’d rather die on my feet than live forever as a gutless, unkillable failure.

Saiyans didn’t need immortality.

We needed strength.

And strength wasn’t something you wished for.

Alright. More power and immortality were off the table.

So what else?

Knowledge, maybe?

A wish to instantly understand ki techniques could be useful. It would save me years of training.

Or maybe I could wish for Instant Transmission right now instead of waiting to visit Yardrat. That would be a perfect escape plan if things ever went south.

That… wasn’t a bad idea.

Or—maybe something for defense.

A technique, a failsafe, something that could keep me alive if I ever found myself completely outmatched.

I let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing my temples.

This was harder than I thought.

I glanced at Guru, who had been silently watching me this entire time. The old Namekian looked completely at peace, like he had all the time in the world.

I stopped pacing and turned to him. “Hey, Guru,” I said. “Can I use the other wishes after I take care of Beerus’ request?”

His wise gaze didn’t waver, but I swore I saw a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Nail, on the other hand, looked like he had very strong opinions about this.

Guru finally spoke, his voice calm. “Why do you ask, child?”

I shrugged. “Because I don’t want to waste them. The pillow wish is easy. But the other two? I need to think.”

Guru gave a slow nod, closing his eyes for a moment as if considering my words.

“The Dragon Balls’ power is vast, but not infinite,” he said. “They can grant many things, but there’s a lot of things they can’t grant.”

Actually, there’s something I could ask for.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to Guru. “Alright, I’ve made up my mind.”

The elder Namekian watched me with a calm, knowing expression. “So fast? And what is it you desire?”

I crossed my arms, my tail flicking behind me. “First wish: I want the best pillow in the universe.”

Nail, who had been silent up until now, twitched. Just slightly. His face remained neutral, but I could feel the sheer confusion radiating off him.

Guru, on the other hand, nodded sagely. 

“As for my second wish,” I muttered, hesitating for just a second, before grinning.

“Make me the best chef in the universe.”

Silence.

Nail actually blinked. Twice.

Guru tilted his head slightly, as if he hadn’t heard me correctly. “You wish… to be a chef?”

I nodded. “Not just any chef. The best.”

More silence.

Then, finally, Nail broke.

"You have access to the most powerful wish-granting force in the universe," he said slowly, voice tight, "and you... want to cook?"

I snorted. “Yup.”

His eye twitched. “Are you broken?” By the end of that sentence his antennas were twitching as well.

“Relax, big guy,” I said, waving a hand. “I’ve got my reasons.”

Because here’s the thing they probably didn’t know.

Beerus’ biggest weakness wasn’t a warrior stronger than him. It wasn’t even another god.

It was food.

That cat was obsessed with it.

Whis, too.

Every time they came across a new planet, the only thing Beerus cared about was how good their food was. And if he didn’t like it? Well. That usually ended badly.

So, logically speaking…

If I became the best chef in the universe, I’d have insurance. The best insurance one could possibly have.

Hell, I’d have leverage over a literal Destroyer God.

Don’t take me wrong, I loved Beerus, favorite Dragon Ball character hands down, but because I loved him, I knew I had to play my cards right to avoid being destroyed by the slightest annoyance.

Not to mention… I needed to eat better.

Saiyan food was garbage. Bland, tough, and barely seasoned. Just shoving meat in my mouth and calling it a meal wasn’t gonna cut it. I had no idea how to cook, I never learned when I was a human, but if I was going to be stuck eating Saiyan rations for the next few years, I needed to fix that.

So yeah. I was wishing for culinary supremacy. That was better than anything else I could’ve wished for.

I crossed my arms and smirked at Nail. “What? Afraid I’m gonna cook better than you?”

His eye twitched again. “My kind eats water.”

“You guys have farms…” I muttered, feeling honestly confused.

Guru let out a low chuckle, shaking his head slightly. “Very well, child. If that is your wish…”

He turned his gaze toward Nail, his expression unreadable. “Summon Porunga.”

Nail hesitated for just a moment—his antennas twitching, his mouth opening like he wanted to argue—but one look from Guru shut him down. With a slow exhale, he stepped forward, lifting his hands toward the massive Dragon Balls.

“Takkaraputo Popurunga Pupirittoparo!”

The stars on the Dragon Balls flared to life, the sky darkening in an instant. A deep rumble shook the ground as golden light shot upward, twisting, growing—

And then, towering above us, was Porunga.

I smirked, crossing my arms as I stared up at the massive wish dragon. He looked even bigger than I imagined, and I had expected him to be massive.

“He’s bigger than I imagined…” I muttered.

Porunga’s massive form loomed over us, his glowing red eyes scanning the area. His deep, guttural voice rumbled through the air.

“You who have gathered the Dragon Balls… state your wishes. I shall grant three.”

I let out a breath, rolling my shoulders. Alright. No turning back now.

I glanced at Nail. “Tell him the first wish: I want the best pillow in the universe.”

Nail gave me a look. A long, slow look. His antennas twitched. His fingers flexed like he was resisting the urge to rub his temples. But, in the end, he sighed and turned to Porunga.

“Porunga! Pora chō no makura o tsukure!”

Porunga’s eyes glowed brighter. “It is done.”

Before I could react, a pillow materialized in the air before me, hovering slightly as if even gravity was afraid to interfere with its perfection.

I caught it instinctively, and the moment my fingers sank into the fabric, I understood.

This wasn’t just any pillow.

It was the pillow.

The texture was soft yet supportive, molding perfectly to my grip. It was cool and refreshing, yet warm in a way that made me want to never let go. Just holding it made me feel like I was already half-asleep.

I smirked. Mission accomplished.

But there were still two more wishes.

“Alright,” I said, shifting my grip on the pillow. “For the second wish, I want to be the best chef in the universe.”

Nail’s eye twitched. He slowly turned his head to me, then back to the pillow, then back to me. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again like he was trying and failing to comprehend my life choices.

Finally, with a deep inhale that sounded a lot like regret, he faced Porunga again.

“Porunga! Kono Saiya-jin o uchū ichi no ryōrinin ni seyo!”

Porunga’s eyes flashed. “It is done.”

And then—

My mind exploded.

Information flooded my brain at an overwhelming speed—techniques, flavors, instincts that I had never even imagined before. It was like I had lived a thousand lifetimes as a master chef, absorbing knowledge from countless worlds, each more intricate than the last.

I knew how to balance spices I had never heard of. I could picture entire meals down to their molecular structures. I understood why certain ingredients reacted the way they did, how to create flavors that didn’t just taste good but felt good.

I blinked.

Holy shit.

I could cook anything.

This was incredible.

This was actually the best wish I could have made.

I took a deep breath, letting the flood of information settle. Alright, last one.

For a moment, I hesitated. There were so many things I could ask for, but…

No. I already had what I needed. For now, at least.

I turned to Guru. “Elder, is there anything your people need? Something I can use this last wish for?”

Guru’s expression softened, a look of approval in his wise old eyes.

Nail, meanwhile, looked at me like I had completely short-circuited his brain.

Guru nodded slowly, his wise gaze settling on me with an approving glint. "You have a kind heart, child," he said, his voice deep and steady. "But the final wish is yours to keep, you have given me no reason to deny you that last wish."

I blinked. "Huh?"

"The Dragon Balls will recharge in 130 days," Guru continued. "When that time comes, you may use the last wish as you see fit."

I stared at him for a moment, processing what he was saying. "So... I get a wish in reserve?"

Guru chuckled. "If that is how you wish to see it, then yes."

Nail looked at me like I had somehow broken all known logic in the universe. I didn’t blame him.

Porunga, still looming over us, let out a low rumble. "If no final wish is made, I shall take my leave."

Guru nodded. "You may go, Porunga."

With that, the massive dragon let out a deep, resonating growl before his body glowed brightly. The sky, which had darkened the moment he was summoned, returned to its normal greenish hue as the Dragon Balls dropped into the ground, in front of Nail, as stone orbs.

And just like that, the wishes were done.

I looked down at the pillow in my hands, then flexed my fingers, feeling the strange but incredibly useful knowledge of cooking still buzzing in my head.

Not bad for a day’s work.

Guru watched me for a long moment before finally speaking again. "Your journey is far from over, young Saiyan. But you have already begun to walk a path unlike any before you."

I smirked. "Yeah, well… figured I’d try something different."

He let out a deep, knowing chuckle. "Then let us see where it takes you."

—---------------------------------------------------------

[Garlik POV]

I leaned against one of the pods, arms crossed, watching Okara do her… training.

If you could even call it that.

She was running up and down a hill with a boulder strapped to her back, cursing under her breath every step of the way. The weight made her movements slow and clumsy, and every time she stumbled, she got madder.

"Stupid… bastard… thinks he's so smart… I’ll show him," she grumbled between breaths.

I smirked, shaking my head as I turned back to the pods. If nothing else, at least she was determined.

If anything our captain was smart, giving her something to keep her reckless mind focused on.

Since landing, I had spent most of my time checking our ships. Our ships weren’t exactly fragile, but they also weren’t invincible. The last thing we needed was to get stranded here because of some unseen damage.

I tapped a few buttons on my scouter, running diagnostics. Everything seemed fine so far.

The only real issue was boredom.

Okara was at least doing something. I was just running system checks, looking at the same set of readings over and over.

I yawned, stretching my arms.

Then, just as I blinked the sleep from my eyes—

—everything went dark.

Like, pitch-black dark.

I frowned.

Wait a second…

I rubbed my eyes and looked around. Yep. Still dark.

That wasn’t right.

I glanced up at the sky.

Still dark.

…Night?

On a planet with three suns?

“Who the fuck turned the suns off?!” Okara barked.

—--------------------------------------------------------

Power Level Section:

Nail: 42,000.

Escarot (Pre-Potential Unleashed): 2914

• Escarot (Potential Unleashed): 27,950.

• Ozaru Escarot: 279,500

Grand Elder Guru: 2000

Garlik: 602

Okara: 137

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For those asking how Okara would look as an adult, this are the pictures for reference.