Dragon Ball: Enlisted

That took the anger right out of me.

That was a terrible thank you, but I could tell that she was trying her best.

Knowing she wasn't in any real danger probably made it really awkward since she was thanking me for the thought rather than the action. She appreciated that I would sacrifice my spot for her life, but from her perspective I hadn't actually done that.

Rather than press on, I'd rather just let it go.

"I–ow." I opened my mouth, but a sudden ache in my ribs stabbed into me. "You could start by taking it easy on me during sparring," I said, half-joking.

Edith huffed, crossing her arms. "That would defeat the point. You're not going to get better if I hold back."

"Not getting better seems like a guarantee at this rate," I muttered.

Edith's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, her brow furrowed. Then, with a sigh, she dropped her arms to her sides.

"Alright," she said. "I'll train you."

That… was tempting. Really tempting.

But I didn't want a reward for something like that. I didn't save her for one, and the fact that the system forced one on me was already enough.

I could probably justify taking up her time by convincing myself that it was hinged on the fate of the universe, but that wouldn't make sense. Not only because I could die in a year or two and fail completely, but also because I didn't want to compromise my morals for power.

I wasn't a true hero being selfless—or whatever that one guy from My Hero always ranted about—I just didn't want this to weigh on my conscience later.

I shook my head, holding up a hand. "You don't have to do that. I didn't help you to get something in return."

Her expression tightened, but I kept going before she could argue.

"I mean it. I'll take your advice—whatever tips you've got during sparring—but you don't owe me anything beyond that."

Edith frowned for a beat as if she wanted to press the issue. But after a moment, she rolled her shoulders, letting it go.

"Fine. But don't say I didn't offer when you're flat on your back again," she muttered.

I grinned, though it faded quickly. "Alright then… what's the biggest thing I'm failing at right now?"

She hummed, her eyes narrowing as she tilted her head at me.

Then she tilted her head in thought, eyes closed.

"Surprisingly, you've got the movements down already," She commented, her eyes opening up. "I think what you're missing is… hm… It's hard to put into words."

I raised an eyebrow. "Give me an analogy, then."

"Sure," She said. "It's like you're piloting a ship for the first time. You know what all the little buttons and mechanics do. But when you're actually up in the air you're not sure what you're doing. 'Do I push this button before that one or after? Does it matter? When I hold this pedal, do I hold it for five seconds? Seven? When do I stop and focus on this other random thing?' Sort of like that."

I squinted at her. "So… I panic too much?"

"No, it's not panic. It's… hesitation." She crossed her arms, her brows knitting together in frustration, like she couldn't quite explain it the way she wanted to. "You know the moves, but you're not really familiar with them. Fighting isn't something you can consciously plan out in the moment. It has to have intent behind every movement, but it also has to flow."

"Flow," I repeated, nodding slowly. I didn't really get it. "How did you learn, then?"

"The way I learned—really learned—was by doing. Constantly." She glanced at me. "I fought. A lot. Every fight, I got better, even if I didn't realize it at the time. Eventually, the right way to move… it just happens. Your body learns. It stops being something you think about and just becomes instinct."

Ah. That made more sense.

It was the same thing that happened whenever I played a fighting game for long enough. At first, the controls and mechanics would feel clunky, but they eventually became an afterthought with enough experience.

It didn't really help me, but it made sense.

Constant fighting. Endless battles. That's what it took. Not a class, not a lecture, not a new random skill or quest. 

Just… pure combat. Over and over again until your body couldn't help but learn.

I nodded slowly, pretending to take it in stride, but inside? Inside, I felt like screaming.

How was I supposed to match that? Edith had years of experience, likely countless fights under her belt. 

Me? I was flailing around like an idiot with five minutes of training and no clue what I was doing.

But the more I thought about it, the more it gnawed at me. There had to be an answer. What Edith said made sense: the only way to get better at fighting was to fight. But I didn't have years or even months to catch up.

I needed to cram years of experience into days. But I didn't have a hyperbolic time chamber.

Was there a technique that was even remotely similar to that?

My breath hitched.

Wait.

My mind spun as the answer began to take shape, vague and half-formed. But the more I thought about it, the clearer it became.

If I couldn't fight constantly in the real world…

An idea clicked into place, and I almost laughed out loud.

Edith's voice pulled me back to the present. "You good?" she asked, frowning. "You've got a weird look on your face."

I shook my head quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… thinking."

Edith gave me a skeptical look, clearly unconvinced. "Thinking about what?"

I smiled, just barely. "Nothing you need to worry about."

She raised an eyebrow, her arms crossing again. "You sure? Because if it's an idea as good as 'rescue the drowning—"

"I said it's nothing," I interrupted, my tone sharper than I intended. Her eyes widened briefly before narrowing, but thankfully she didn't press.

Instead, she just huffed and turned away. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't blame me when you get your ass handed to you again."

I didn't respond. My mind was already spinning with the possibilities.

This could work. It had to work. If I couldn't match the other recruit's experience through normal means, then I'd just find another way.

A better way.

The thought sent a chill down my spine—a mix of excitement and fear.

If I was right, this idea could change everything. With it, I would have both power and skill in spades without a single obstacle in my path.

And if I was wrong…

No. I couldn't be wrong. They had clearly explained how the technique worked in the manga. If this wasn't possible, then this wasn't even the canon Dragon Ball world.

A slow, confident grin tugged at my lips.

'Its time to learn how to train in my mind.'