Kaito crouched in the shadows of Dr. Gero's lab, his toddler-sized frame pressed against a cold steel wall. The faint hum of the reactor pulsed like a heartbeat, and the air carried the sharp tang of ozone mixed with lingering pudding fumes. The data chip containing Gero's Android schematics burned a metaphorical hole in the pocket of his patched jumpsuit. His Shadow Clone, still scrubbing a distant corner of the lab, shot him a thumbs-up before returning to its task of making the place look pristine.
The system's neon-blue interface flickered in his vision, a constant reminder of the ticking clock.
[System Notification: Quest "Binkies and Betrayal" – Phase 3]
[Objective: Escape Dr. Gero's lab without triggering a full lockdown. Deliver Android schematics to a safe location.]
[Time Limit: 12 hours until Gero's next inspection.]
Reward: +100 EXP | SR Technique Unlock | Bonus Gacha Pull
[Bonus Objective: Avoid combat with Gero or Android prototypes.]
[Penalty: Capture and Reprogramming (Trust Level Reset to 0%)]
[Current Status: Suspicion Level – 10% | Lab Integrity – 88% | Power Level: 12.7 (Stronger than two squirrels)]
Kaito's lips twitched. "Two squirrels, huh? Big flex." He glanced at his AI maid, who hovered nearby, her chibi form glowing faintly in the dim light. "Any chance you've got a 'Teleport Out of Evil Lab' button hidden in that clipboard?"
"Negative, Master Kaito. However, I can offer a motivational haiku: *Escape through vents, swift / Pudding fuels your heart / Don't die, you're too cute.*"
Kaito groaned. "You're the worst life coach ever."
The plan was simple—well, as simple as escaping a genocidal mad scientist's fortress could be. Step one: use the disabled surveillance to slip into the lab's ventilation system. Step two: navigate to the external exhaust port he'd scouted during a late-night ki thread recon. Step three: get the hell out and find Capsule Corp, where Bulma might be able to use the schematics to keep Gero in check. The catch? He had to avoid Gero, any rogue drones, and whatever experimental nightmares were lurking in the lab's lower levels.
Kaito opened the Multiverse Chat Room for a final round of advice.
[Multiverse Chat Room – Active Members: 7]
[K-18]: About to yeet myself out of Gero's lab. Vents are my exit. Any last-minute pro tips?
[Goddess of Explosions]: Vents? Boring. Blow a hole in the wall and sprint. Style points matter. 💥
[Captain Sogeking]: Stealth, bro. Keep Ki Suppression maxed. Also, check for traps—evil labs love laser grids.
[Crimson Alchemist]: Map the vents first. Use your ki threads to probe for sensors. Gero's paranoid; he'll have backups.
[Senpai Noticed Me]: Pack snacks! Escapes are hungry work. Also, you're adorable, so don't get caught.
[Master of Cards]: If you see a glowing red button, don't press it. Trust me.
[Rider of the Storms]: Vents are tight. Stay low, move fast, and don't sneeze. Dust is a killer.
Kaito nodded, committing the advice to memory. "No explosions, Megumin. I'm not trying to star in a Michael Bay movie." He sent his Shadow Clone to stage a distraction—knocking over a stack of crates in the reactor room to draw any remaining drones away from his escape route.
The clone saluted with a smirk. "Don't screw this up, boss. I'm not saving your ass if you get stuck in a vent."
"You're 'me', you jerk," Kaito hissed, but the clone was already sprinting off, cackling.
He crept to the nearest vent cover, using his ki threads to unscrew it silently. The panel popped free, revealing a dark, narrow shaft that smelled like rust and regret. Kaito activated Ki Suppression, cloaking his energy signature, and crawled inside. The metal was cold against his skin, and every creak echoed like a death knell.
"Like Naruto sneaking through Konoha, but with more existential dread," he muttered.
His AI maid projected a faint map in his vision, highlighting the vent's path to the external exhaust. "Warning: Motion sensors detected 20 meters ahead. Recommend ki thread disarmament."
Kaito extended a thin ki thread, letting it snake through the vent like a spider's web. It brushed against a faint hum—a sensor grid. He focused, splitting the thread into finer strands and weaving them around the sensor's circuits. With a gentle tug, he shorted the system without triggering an alarm.
[Ki Thread Control: +2]
[Stealth: +1]
"Eat that, Gero," Kaito whispered, crawling forward.
The vent twisted and turned, each junction a maze of sharp angles and dusty grates. His toddler-sized body was an advantage here, slipping through gaps that would've stopped an adult. Still, the air grew thicker, and his lungs burned from the dust. Rider's warning about sneezing echoed in his mind.
Halfway through, the system pinged.
[Warning: Hostile Presence Detected – Sub-Level Containment Unit]
[Entity: Prototype Android K-17 (Unstable)]
Kaito froze. "K-17? As in, 'before' Android 17? Oh, hell no." His mind raced with Dragon Ball lore. Gero's early prototypes were often unstable—glitchy, aggressive, and prone to exploding. If this thing was loose, his escape just got a lot messier.
He opened the chat, fingers trembling as he typed.
[K-18]: SOS. Unstable Android prototype in my way. How do I not die?
[Goddess of Explosions]: Fight it! Go full shonen protagonist! Punch it till it cries! 💥
[Crimson Alchemist]: Don't engage. Unstable prototypes are walking bombs. Distract and evade.
[Captain Sogeking]: Throw something shiny and run. Works on most AI.
[Senpai Noticed Me]: Maybe it's lonely? Try talking to it!
[Master of Cards]: Yeah, no. Hide. You're not Goku yet.
[Rider of the Storms]: Use the vents to loop around. If it's unstable, it's probably slow.
Kaito swallowed hard. Crimson and Rider were right—fighting wasn't an option. He backtracked to a junction, using his ki threads to probe for the prototype's location. A faint vibration rattled the vent, followed by a guttural, mechanical growl. K-17 was close.
He spotted a loose grate leading to a parallel shaft. Holding his breath, he slipped through, his ki threads muffling the grate's creak. Below, he glimpsed the prototype—a hulking, half-finished humanoid with exposed circuits and glowing red eyes. It staggered, sparks flying from its joints, and smashed a fist into a wall, leaving a crater.
"Nope, nope, nope," Kaito whispered, crawling faster.
The vent opened to the external exhaust port, a rusted grate overlooking a rocky cliff. Freedom was so close he could taste it—salty, dusty, and a little like victory. But the system pinged again.
[Warning: Proximity Alarm Triggered. K-17 Approaching.]
Kaito's heart sank. The prototype must've sensed his ki, even suppressed. He glanced at the chat.
[K-18]: It's chasing me. Need a distraction, stat.
[Goddess of Explosions]: Told ya—blow something up!
[Crimson Alchemist]: Use your clone. Sacrifice it if you have to.
[Captain Sogeking]: Harsh, but yeah. Clones are expendable. Sorry, clone bro.
Kaito gritted his teeth. "Sorry, other me." He sent a mental command to his Shadow Clone, still in the lab. The clone nodded, grabbed a wrench, and hurled it at a power conduit near the reactor room. The resulting explosion was small but loud, echoing through the lab like a firecracker in a tin can.
K-17's head snapped toward the noise, its eyes flickering. It lumbered away, giving Kaito his window.
He pushed through the exhaust grate, tumbling onto the cliffside. The night air hit him like a slap—crisp, cold, and *free*. Below, a dense forest stretched toward West City's distant lights. Capsule Corp was out there, somewhere.
[System Notification: Escape Successful!]
[Quest Progress: Lab Escape Complete | Schematics Secured]
Reward: +100 EXP | SR Technique – Ki Barrier (Basic) | Bonus Gacha Pull
[Bonus Objective Failed: Avoided combat, but K-17 remains active.]
[New Title Unlocked: "Vent Viper"]
Kaito collapsed onto the grass, panting. "Ki Barrier? Nice. I'm basically a budget Vegeta now."
His AI maid materialized, clapping her tiny holographic hands. "Escape achieved! Emotional stability: 62%. Would you like a celebratory pudding?"
"Always," Kaito said, grinning. A pudding cup appeared, and he dug in, savoring the sweet taste of survival.
But the moment was short-lived. The ground shook, and a guttural roar echoed from the lab's exhaust port. K-17 had found him.
"Oh, come 'on'," Kaito groaned, scrambling to his feet. He activated Ki Barrier, a faint blue shimmer encasing his body. It wasn't much, but it might buy him a second.
K-17 burst through the grate, its massive frame glitching with sparks. Its eyes locked onto Kaito, and it charged, fists crackling with unstable energy.
Kaito dove into the forest, weaving through trees. He opened the chat, typing frantically.
[K-18]: Prototype's on my ass! Need a plan, NOW.
[Goddess of Explosions]: FINALLY, some action! Lure it to an open field and go ham!
[Crimson Alchemist]: Don't fight. Run toward civilization—Gero won't risk exposure.
[Senpai Noticed Me]: Maybe it just wants a hug?
[Master of Cards]: Stop trying to befriend murder bots!
Kaito sprinted, branches snapping underfoot. K-17's footsteps thundered behind him, tearing through the forest like a runaway bulldozer. He tried his new Ki Barrier, deflecting a stray energy blast that scorched a tree.
[Ki Barrier Proficiency: +1]
"West City's too far," Kaito panted. "Need a shortcut."
He remembered Crimson's advice about Gero avoiding public exposure. If he could reach a populated area, K-17 might back off. He veered toward a faint glow—a small village at the forest's edge.
K-17 lunged, its fist grazing Kaito's shoulder. The Ki Barrier flickered but held, absorbing the blow.
[Health: -5 | Ki Barrier Durability: 80%]
Kaito retaliated with a Destructo Disc, aiming for K-17's leg. The wobbly blade sliced into its knee, slowing it down. Sparks flew, and the prototype roared, its movements growing erratic.
"Almost there!" Kaito burst into the village, startling a group of late-night farmers. Their gasps echoed as K-17 emerged, but it froze, scanning the crowd. Its eyes dimmed, and it retreated into the forest, vanishing into the shadows.
Kaito collapsed, gasping. "Crimson, you're a genius."
[System Notification: Pursuit Evaded!]
[Bonus Objective Unlocked: Deliver Schematics to Capsule Corp within 48 hours.]
Reward: +50 EXP | Rare Item Drop Chance
He opened the chat, hands shaking but triumphant.
[K-18]: Escaped the lab. Outran a murder bot. Currently not dead. Thoughts?
[Goddess of Explosions]: Disappointed you didn't blow it up, but solid work, kid. 💥
[Captain Sogeking]: Bro, you're living a speedrun. Get to Capsule Corp before Gero sends more toys.
[Crimson Alchemist]: Stay sharp. Gero will notice the missing schematics soon. Move fast.
[Senpai Noticed Me]: You're my hero! Also, you owe me a story about this later.
[Master of Cards]: Bet you screamed like a baby the whole time.
[Rider of the Storms]: Proud of you. Now don't trip on the finish line.
Kaito grinned, the village lights casting a warm glow on his dirt-streaked face. He clutched the data chip, his ticket to turning the tables on Gero. Capsule Corp was a day's journey, but with his ki, his skills, and a multiverse of chaotic friends cheering him on, he felt unstoppable.
"Baby Goku's coming for you, Bulma," he muttered, taking his first step toward West City.
=====
AN: Here's another chapter for you guys.. *hic* I'm going to bed see you all later....*hic*