SWNOVELXO Chapter 12: Saiyan Showdowns and System Shenanigans
Kaito slumped on a plush bench in Capsule Corp's main lab, his toddler frame dwarfed by the towering stacks of tech and blinking monitors around him. The air smelled of burnt circuits, coffee, and a faint whiff of Bulma's perfume—probably something expensive and custom-made to scream "genius billionaire." His dirt-streaked jumpsuit clung to him, and the data chip, now safely in Bulma's hands, felt like a weight lifted—replaced by the new weight of Gero's inevitable retaliation. Yamcha lounged nearby, flipping a baseball between his hands, while Bulma typed furiously at her console, decoding Gero's schematics with a scowl that could melt steel.
Kaito's system interface flickered in his vision, its neon-blue glow a constant companion in this chaotic new life.
[System Notification: "Schematic Smuggler" Milestone Achieved!]
Progress: Ally Secured – Bulma Briefs (Provisional) | Capsule Corp Access Granted
Current Status: Suspicion Level – 20% | Power Level: 13.7 (Three Squirrels, One Hamster, and a Very Angry Gerbil)
[New Quest Unlocked: "Fortress of Briefs"]
Objective: Gain Bulma's full trust and secure Capsule Corp as a safe haven. Uncover additional data on Gero's plans.
Time Limit: 48 hours until Gero's next move.
Reward: +300 EXP | SR Technique Unlock | Permanent Ally: Bulma Briefs | Rare Gacha Pull
Bonus Objective: Avoid detection by Vegeta (Stealth Check).
Penalty: Gero's Counterattack (Severity: High) | Expulsion from Capsule Corp
[Tip: Bulma's trust is earned through brains, not brawn. Vegeta's trust is earned through not existing in his eyeline.]
Kaito snorted. "Avoid Vegeta? Yeah, I'm not ready to get Final Flash'd into next week." He glanced at Yamcha, who was now balancing the baseball on his finger like a basketball. "Yo, Yamcha, how's Vegeta's mood today? Like, 'punch a wall' bad or 'punch a planet' bad?"
Yamcha grinned, catching the ball. "He's always one bad hair day from blowing something up. Just stay outta his training room, and you'll probably survive."
"Probably," Kaito muttered, spooning the last of his pudding. His AI maid hovered nearby, her chibi form polishing a holographic clipboard with exaggerated diligence.
"Master Kaito, emotional stability: 72%. Recommendation: Maintain low profile. Vegeta's power level exceeds your current capacity by approximately… a lot."
"Thanks for the math, Maid," Kaito said, rolling his eyes. He opened the Multiverse Chat Room, hoping his cosmic squad could offer some wisdom—or at least distract him from the impending doom.
[Multiverse Chat Room – Active Members: 7]
[K-18]: Yo, I'm in Capsule Corp with Bulma and Yamcha. Gero's drones are off my tail, but Vegeta's here somewhere. Also, Gero hacked my system earlier. Ideas?
[Goddess of Explosions]: You're in BULMA'S LAB?! Blow something up to celebrate! Also, Vegeta? Hide under a table. 💥
[Crimson Alchemist]: Gero's hack is concerning. Reinforce your system's firewall with ki—think of it as an alchemical seal. As for Vegeta, avoid him. His ego's a bigger threat than his fists.
[Captain Sogeking]: Bro, you're living the DBZ dream! Sneak into Vegeta's training room and steal his gloves for clout.
[Senpai Noticed Me]: YAMCHA AND BULMA?! Ask them to adopt you! Also, don't die, you're too cute!
[Master of Cards]: Vegeta's gonna yeet you into orbit if you look at him wrong. Stick with Bulma—she's the brains.
[Rider of the Storms]: Gero's tracking you. Check the schematics for a kill switch or tracker. Bulma can help. Also, don't touch Vegeta's protein shakes.
Kaito chuckled, but Crimson's warning about the hack lingered. Gero's voice in his system had been creepy as hell, and if the mad scientist could infiltrate his interface, Kaito was on borrowed time. He glanced at Bulma, who was muttering about "nanite degradation rates" and "redundant power cores." She was deep in the zone, and Kaito saw his chance to shine.
"Hey, Bulma," he called, hopping off the bench. "Those schematics—any chance they mention a tracking signal? Like, something Gero could use to find me?"
Bulma didn't look up, her fingers flying across her tablet. "Smart kid. Yeah, there's a subroutine in the nanite framework for remote tracking. Subtle, but it's there. Gero's not just building Androids—he's building a network. You got nanites in you?"
Kaito froze. His AI maid projected a warning: "Caution: Revealing Chimera status may reduce Bulma's trust."
"Uh… maybe?" Kaito hedged, scratching his head. "I was in his lab. Could've gotten some science juice in me."
Bulma raised an eyebrow but didn't press. "I'll run a scan. If you're tagged, we'll jam the signal. Sit tight."
Kaito nodded, relieved but nervous. He didn't want Bulma digging too deep into his Saiyan-Android hybrid DNA—not yet. He needed her trust, not a microscope.
Yamcha tossed him a soda from a nearby fridge. "Relax, kid. Bulma's got this. She once built a spaceship out of spare parts and spite."
Kaito caught the can, grinning. "Legend. Bet she could outsmart Gero in her sleep."
"Damn right," Bulma called, smirking. "Now shut up and let me work."
[Charisma Check: Success!]
Bulma's Trust: +10% | Total: 40%
The system pinged again, but this time it was a low, ominous hum, like a corrupted MP3. The interface flickered, and Gero's voice slithered through: "K-18… you cannot hide… return… or be erased…"
Kaito's heart skipped. "Maid, firewall! Now!"
His AI maid's eyes glowed red, her clipboard morphing into a digital shield. "Initiating ki-based firewall protocol. Channel energy to reinforce system integrity."
Kaito focused, his ki surging like a tide. He visualized it as a glowing barrier, wrapping around the system's code like armor. The interface stabilized, but not before a new alert flashed.
[System Warning: Partial Hack Detected – Gero's Signal Lingering]
Effect: System Glitch – Random Skill Activation (10% Chance per Action)
[Tip: Don't panic. Panicking is for Yamchas.]
"Great. My system's got a virus, and I'm stuck with a 10% chance of screwing myself," Kaito muttered. He glanced at Yamcha, who was now juggling three sodas. "No offense, man."
"None taken," Yamcha said, winking. "I'm used to it."
Bulma's tablet beeped, and she cursed. "Kid, you're definitely tagged. Nanites in your bloodstream—low-grade, but active. Gero's tracking you like a GPS. I can jam the signal, but it'll take a few hours."
Kaito's stomach twisted. "Hours? His drones could be back any minute."
"Then we stall," Bulma said, tossing him a wristband. "Wear this. It's a prototype signal jammer. Won't last long, but it'll buy time."
Kaito slipped it on, feeling a faint hum against his skin. "Thanks, Bulma. You're, like, the MVP of Earth."
She smirked. "Keep the flattery coming, kid. Might get you a free capsule."
[System Notification: Item Equipped – Signal Jammer (Temporary)]
Effect: Gero's Tracking Disabled (Duration: 6 hours)
Reward: +1 Intelligence | Bulma's Trust +10%
Before Kaito could celebrate, the lab's floor shook. A deep, guttural roar echoed from outside, followed by the unmistakable sound of metal crunching. Yamcha dropped his sodas, grabbing his bat. "That's not drones."
Bulma pulled up the security feed, her face paling. "It's one of Gero's prototypes. Big, ugly, and *here*."
Kaito's system flashed an urgent alert.
[System Alert: Hostile Detected – Prototype Android K-17 (Reactivated)]
Threat Level: Mid-Tier Planetary (Stability: 45%)
Objective Update: Repel K-17 without destroying Capsule Corp.
Reward: +150 EXP | +2 Teamwork | SR Technique Upgrade
Penalty: Capsule Corp Damage | Bulma's Trust -30%
[Warning: System Glitch Active – Random Skill Activation Risk]
Kaito's eyes widened. "Budget Cell's back? Already?!"
Yamcha cracked his knuckles. "Stay behind me, kid. I've got this."
Kaito shook his head, flaring his ki. "No way, man. I'm not sitting this out. Let's tag-team this toaster."
Bulma groaned, grabbing a capsule. "You two better not wreck my lab!" She tossed the capsule, revealing a reinforced energy shield that encased the lab's core. "I'm locking down the schematics. Handle that thing!"
Outside, K-17 loomed in the courtyard, its cracked armor sparking with unstable nanites. Its red eyes locked onto Kaito, and its distorted voice growled, "K-18… return… schematics…"
Kaito activated his Ki Barrier, the blue shimmer flickering as the system glitch kicked in. Instead of the barrier strengthening, a Shadow Clone popped into existence unprompted.
"Yo, boss, bad time for a party!" the clone said, dodging a swipe from K-17's claw.
"Not my fault!" Kaito shouted, diving behind a statue of Dr. Briefs. He wove ki threads, snaring K-17's leg, but the prototype snapped them with a surge of stolen ki.
Yamcha leapt into the fray, his bat glowing with ki. "Wolf Fang Slam!" He swung, smashing K-17's shoulder and sending sparks flying. The prototype staggered but retaliated with a jagged ki beam, forcing Yamcha to roll away.
Kaito's system glitched again, and his Destructo Disc activated randomly, firing a wobbly blade that sliced a nearby tree in half. "Okay, system, chill!"
[System Glitch: Destructo Disc Activated – Cooldown Reset]
[Combat Reflexes: +1]
"Kid, focus!" Yamcha yelled, dodging another beam. "Hit it with something big!"
Kaito nodded, channeling ki into his hands. He formed a new Destructo Disc, this time aiming for K-17's chest. The blade spun true, carving a deep gash. The prototype roared, its nanites sparking wildly as it absorbed the ki, growing more unstable.
"Overload it, like Crimson said!" Kaito muttered. He sent his clone charging, the clone flaring its ki to bait K-17's drain. The prototype latched on, its eyes dimming as its systems whined.
Yamcha saw the opening. "Spirit Ball!" He launched a glowing orb, guiding it with precise finger movements. The ball slammed into K-17's chest, exploding in a shower of sparks.
K-17 collapsed, its frame smoking. "Critical… error…" it groaned, shutting down again.
[System Notification: K-17 Neutralized (Temporary Shutdown)]
Reward: +150 EXP | +2 Teamwork | SR Technique Upgrade – Ki Barrier (Enhanced)
[Capsule Corp Damage: Minimal | Bulma's Trust +5%]
[Warning: K-17 Stability – 30%. Reactivation Imminent.]
Kaito panted, high-fiving Yamcha. "Dude, you're a beast with that bat!"
Yamcha grinned. "Told ya I'm not useless. Let's get inside before it wakes up."
Back in the lab, Bulma was waiting, arms crossed. "Nice work, you two. Didn't destroy my lawn, so I'll call it a win. The chip's secure, and I've jammed your nanite signal for now. But Gero's not done—he's got a whole network of these things."
Kaito nodded, catching his breath. "Any chance you can make me untrackable for good?"
Bulma smirked. "Working on it. You're sticking around until I do. Deal?"
"Deal," Kaito said, grinning. His system pinged, and the chat room flickered back online.
[K-18]: Took down Budget Cell again with Yamcha's help. Bulma's decoding the chip. Gero's still hacking my system, though. Help?
[Goddess of Explosions]: YAMCHA MVP?! I'm stealing him. Also, blow up Gero's lab next time. 💥
[Crimson Alchemist]: The hack's a problem. Keep reinforcing your system with ki. Bulma's your best shot at removing the nanites.
[Captain Sogeking]: Spirit Ball?! Bro, you're fighting with a legend! Get his autograph!
[Senpai Noticed Me]: You and Yamcha are my new OTP! Protect Bulma at all costs!**
[Master of Cards]: Gero's gonna send worse than drones. Bet on it.
[Rider of the Storms]: You're building a team. Lean on Yamcha and Bulma. You're not solo anymore.
Kaito leaned back, staring at the lab's ceiling. He was in deep—Gero's wrath, K-17's persistence, and a glitchy system all loomed over him. But with Bulma's brains, Yamcha's bat, and his multiverse squad's chaos, he felt like he could take on anything.
Then the lab shook again. A shadow loomed outside—a Saiyan-sized shadow with spiky hair and an aura that screamed "I'm better than you."
"Vegeta," Kaito whispered, his system flashing a warning.
[System Alert: Vegeta Detected – Stealth Check Required]
[Tip: Don't breathe. Don't blink. Don't exist.]
Kaito dove under a workbench, his heart pounding. "Not today, Prince of Saiyans."