Dragon Ball: Enlisted

– Wraak –

Jyn looked utterly serene, his inner energy slowly ramping up in contrast to his calm exterior. He sat cross-legged on the rocky ground, his eyes closed as if tuning out the world entirely. His energy pulsed faintly, the even tempo matching some unseen rhythm.

Wraak, however, wasn't so lucky to ignore the idiocy brewing in the air.

"So," Zairen began, leaning against a tree with an infuriatingly casual smirk. "I get this is supposed to be super secret, but we're already here. Might as well tell me anyway, right Wraak?"

Edith shot him an annoyed glare. "You really are an idiot. Obviously, they're training."

Zairen rolled his eyes, his smirk never leaving his face.. "No shit. I want to know what they're doing exactly."

Wraak exhaled heavily, his tail flicking behind him. "If you both wish to waste time arguing, do it elsewhere. This space is for training. Nothing more."

"Waste your time?" Zairen tilted his head, his smirk back widening. "Nah, I just think I've figured it out. This is a hidden training method, isn't it? A shortcut to insane levels of power you've holding back, right?"

Edith looked confused for a moment. "Why would you think—" Then, her expression darkened, as if she realized something. "...You're talking about Jyn, aren't you? You think his strength is a result of Wraak secretly training him."

"Isn't it?" Zairen barked out a laugh. "He couldn't even finish the evaluation without collapsing a few months ago. Don't act like he just magically became someone Wraak needs to 'train with.'"

Edith took a step forward, her voice sharp. "At least use your brain before speaking. What's more likely? That Jyn is suddenly gaining some miraculous training technique from Wraak or he's teaching Wraak to use energy blasts? The thing you can't do?"

The smirk fell from Zairen's face, his expression twisting into irritation. "I don't need energy blasts to kick your ass, Edith. Watch it."

"Silence," Wraak growled, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Both of them stiffened at the weight of his voice, turning to face him fully.

"You are behaving like children," he said, his tone calm but edged with authority. "Jyn and I are not hiding some grand secret. We are training together—teaching each other. His methods offer me insights, just as mine offer him guidance."

Zairen raised a skeptical brow. "Teaching each other? Really? You've been leading me and the others for months, but now you're acting like Jyn has something you need to learn? Come on, Wraak."

Wraak gave Zairen a look, studying the familiar look in the man's eye. He had learned much about him over the last few months—most important being his envy.

Zairen looked up to him, Wraak knew that, but he didn't do it out of admiration. He was simply power hungry, wanting to be the undisputed best. And he didn't care about keeping his pride intact to do so.

So Wraak knew exactly what Zairen wanted.

His gaze fixed on Zairen, then Edith, and he sighed deeply. "If you're looking to join us, you will be disappointed. This is not something you can simply participate in."

Zairen raised a brow. "And why not?"

"Because this is an exchange of knowledge," Wraak replied evenly. "Jyn and I are teaching each other. We both bring something to the table. Do you have anything to offer in return?"

Zairen hesitated, glancing briefly at Edith. She shrugged as if the question didn't concern her.

"I thought not," Wraak confirmed. "Then there is nothing for you here."

Zairen's jaw tightened, but before he could argue, Wraak turned and walked back toward his previous spot. He lowered himself into a meditative stance, closing his eyes. "You may leave now."

After a few seconds of silence, Zairen attempted to switch tactics.

He suddenly scoffed. "Wraak, What could Jyn even teach you that's worthwhile? He's—"

"Stop being a nuisance, Zairen," Wraak growled, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous rumble. He cracked an eye open, thoroughly done with this conversation.

Zairen's smirk faltered, but Edith looked unimpressed. She stepped forward, jabbing a finger in Wraak's direction. "Fine, so we don't have anything to 'offer' right now. That doesn't mean we can't learn by watching."

Wraak's tail flicked once, a sharp gesture that betrayed his mounting irritation.

Before he could retort, Zairen plopped down onto the ground, crossing his legs in an exaggerated imitation of Wraak's meditative pose. "Yeah and what if I just do this? You can't stop me from training."

Edith let out a short laugh before sitting down herself, mirroring Zairen's stance but with far more conviction. "Right! If you don't want to explain it, I'll figure it out myself. I'm not a dumbass like this guy."

Wraak stared at them, silently debating whether or not he should throw them across the field.

No, they would just come back and be even more annoying.

Instead of acting on his rage, Wraak simply closed his eyes and settled into meditation. "Do as you please."

'As long as none of the others come and disturb my training, I don't care,' He thought to himself.

The warrior of Waarthar closed his eyes, letting the hum of the clearing settle over him as he resumed his own focus.

'They will get bored and leave… eventually.'

– Jyn –

…Huh.

For some reason, I was mildly surprised when this part of my power was gamified as well. And honestly? That was on me. I don't know why I expected anything less of the system.

o–o

Welcome to Image Training!

Please Select an Opponent:

1. Edith [Lv.0/5]

o–o

After my Mind stat finally unlocked, trying to perform this technique was quite possibly the easiest skill I'd ever gained.

The psychic power felt like a sort of… gas, in my mind. All I had to do was lay that gas out to a flat surface within my mind and imagine the circumstances and poof!

Here I was, standing in a pitch-black room with a screen in front of me.

I was pretty sure the only I'd gained this skill so easily was because it was an intended function. Like the ID Create skill from that one Webtoon.

Only… I was an idiot and hadn't figured it out until months into my stay in this world.

Well, better late than never.

'I wonder how this works,' I thought as a reached out and tapped the #1. It was the only person I'd fought before. The world around me blurred, spinning rapidly. With a lurch, my surroundings shift to a stop.

I was back in class, Edith standing in front of me. If it weren't for the empty blank look in her eyes, I would've been convinced that this was the real Edith.

Another screen popped up before I could take a step forward.

o–o

Choose a Threat Level:

Past – [Reward: 1 Mind]

Weakened – [Reward: 2 Mind]

Present – [Reward: 3 Mind]

Optimized – [Reward: 4 Mind]

Future – [Reward: 5 Mind]

o–o

I stared at the screen, my gaze flicking between the options.

'Okay, I think I get it,' I thought. 'Five levels of difficulty for each opponent, and I can't really gain anything from training with them after completing it.'

If I had to guess, then Past, Present, and Future are just the system's interpretation of their combat at certain ages. Pretty self explanatory.

'Weakened' was also obvious. 'Optimized' was a little confusing, but it was either them at some pinnacle of power, or it was Edith if she used all her attributes and techniques with perfect precision.

Like fighting a TAS version of Edith rather than her normal self.

I tapped my chin, glancing over at Not-Edith, whose blank expression felt equal parts eerie and unnerving.

'I mean, it's not like there's a timer, is there?' I reasoned. 'I can just start with the weaker versions of herself and ramp up until it becomes an actual challenge.'

My hand hovered over Past. It felt like the safest choice to dip my toes in without getting absolutely destroyed.

I hesitated. My thumb hovered over Past, the promise of a manageable challenge whispering to me like a soft, beckoning breeze.

But where was the fun in that?

Before I could second-guess myself, my hand darted to Optimized, and I tapped it. The screen vanished, replaced by a soft chime that seemed far too pleasant for what I'd just signed up for.

The air around me shimmered, the classroom fading into a hazy blur. Then everything snapped into clarity.

This wasn't the Edith I'd sparred with.

Her stance was precise, almost mechanical in its perfection. Her every muscle seemed poised for action, her body a coiled spring of potential energy. Even her blank stare was unnerving, as if her mind was calculating a thousand ways to dismantle me.

And, unsettling as it was, she didn't seem to be breathing.

The atmosphere grew heavy, and I swallowed hard.

"Okay, maybe this wasn't my smartest idea," I muttered, shifting into a fighting stance.