Taro was suddenly jolted awake, his spirit fully revitalized!
More than two centuries' worth of fragnted life experiences surged forth like motes of glowing dust, swirling together into a storm—like countless rivulets converging into a single vortex. After over a year of intense contemplation inside the Hyperbolic Ti Chamber, it all finally clicked the mont he stepped through the doorway. The ti-space power hidden within his Divine Jade Eyes was at last completely awakened.
Hathaway was montarily blocked by the halted food cart. She turned to look back and saw that Taro still had one foot inside the chamber. His eyes were wide open, gaze unfocused and drifting.
Taro composed himself, the strange patterns in his eyes vanishing, leaving only deep black pupils. A wave of clarity surged through his chest, but he suppressed all wandering thoughts. eting his wife's concerned gaze, he gave a soft smile and gently said, "I'm fine. Let's go."
---
After strolling around the temple with Hathaway for a bit and chatting casually with Kami and Mr. Popo, Taro suggested Hathaway take a rest.
She refused, sensing sothing was off. Tugging on Taro's sleeve, she shook her head and pursed her lips. "I don't want to sleep..."
"Be good. You're exhausted. Trust in my perception of ntal fatigue... Besides, I'm not doing anything reckless. Even if sothing unexpected happens, with what I've gained from the Hyperbolic Ti Chamber, these eyes can handle it."
Taro knew Hathaway had already guessed what he intended to do, and he tried to reassure her with a confident look.
Hathaway hesitated, then released his sleeve and said seriously, "If anything does happen, I'll collect the Dragon Balls with Little Red and bring you back... If Earth's don't work, I'll go to Nak and ask them for help."
Taro chuckled and shook his head. "Co on, it's not that serious. Just get so rest. I'll be back before you know it."
As he spoke, he reached out to gently pat her head, then slid his hand down to lightly brush the earring on her ear. "Jarvis, ease her mind a little..."
Jarvis's voice echoed in Taro's mind: "As you wish."
Hathaway stared at him, then suddenly took off both earrings. She pushed Taro aside and marched toward the Capsule Kitchen in the temple plaza. She opened the door, tossed the earrings inside, shut it, and pressed the switch. BOOM. She picked up the resulting all-purpose capsule. "Don't even think about pulling tricks." She glanced back at Taro. "Be careful... I'll be waiting."
Taro smiled wryly and gave her one last look before heading off to find Kami and Mr. Popo.
---
Deep within the temple, in a dimly lit room, stood a massive machine that looked like so kind of ancient relic. Its structure was so intricate it defied belief.
Kami and Mr. Popo led Taro inside. Taro had been eyeing the mysterious machine ever since entering... In his previous life, he rembered that Goku had once used this machine to et Master Mutaito, hundreds of years in the past, after defeating King Piccolo. Later, during the Saiyan Saga, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu had also used it to battle Saiyans from a parallel tiline.
"A parallel tiline... machine..."
Taro pondered, then suddenly realized—could the inspiration for Future Bulma's ti machine in the original manga have co from this machine in the temple? It actually made sense when he thought about it. After Goku returned from Nak, Krillin and the others had already trained here. When the android apocalypse hit, the others could have sent Bulma to take shelter at the temple, where she then discovered this machine...
Noticing Kami studying him closely, Taro asked, "What's wrong?"
Kami shook his head, muttering, "I just feel... After training over a year in the Ti Chamber, your aura doesn't seem that much stronger..."
Taro chuckled. "You're overthinking it. I gained a lot this ti in the chamber—it just wasn't all about brute strength. I've been preparing... for a certain soone I'll have to face down the line."
"A being from another world is going to threaten Earth?" Kami inhaled sharply. The idea that even soone as powerful as Taro had to prepare in advance was deeply unsettling.
"It's not really a threat... More like a walking XP bundle," Taro said casually, spouting nonsense Kami clearly didn't understand. Not wanting to dwell on it, he tilted his chin toward the giant machine. "So how do I use this thing?"
Kami and Mr. Popo exchanged a glance. Seeing that Taro truly didn't take the looming threat seriously, they relaxed a little. Kami stepped aside and pointed at a small circular platform in front of the machine. "Just sit on that."
"Mr. Popo will activate the machine and bring you back when it's ti," Mr. Popo added as he walked to the side of the device. Compared to the towering machine, his figure looked even smaller in contrast.
Taro raised an eyebrow at Mr. Popo's words. "Bring back? You an... you can observe while I'm in the parallel tiline?"
"We won't be able to see what happens over there," Kami clarified. "But when you feel it's ti to return, that desire will resonate with the machine. Then Mr. Popo can activate the return spell built into its system."
Taro nodded slowly, eyes flickering with thought. In the end, he walked to the circular platform and sat down cross-legged. "Alright... Let's begin."
Kami gave a nod and tapped his staff. Mr. Popo got to work on the machine.
HUMMMM...
Taro's eyes once again glowed with the pattern of the Nine Tomoe Rinnegan. The enormous machine before him began to roar to life. Taro could vaguely sense—perhaps even "see"—an unfathomable power emanating from within the machine, enveloping his body with ceremonial intensity.
This force reminded him of the ancient, fog-shrouded chamber of the Supre Kai that he once visited on Grand Kai's planet.
In a single instant, eternity passed—stars shifted, galaxies swapped places.
Taro focused the whole of his being through his eyes, attempting to grasp the precise sensation of traversing space and ti... But the deeper he imrsed himself, the more he felt like he was sinking into a bottomless abyss. The intricacies of ti travel were a trap in themselves—the more he explored them, the harder it beca to escape. Even his very sense of self was at risk of being devoured, eroding away the consciousness called Taro.
Then, like piercing through a mbrane of water, the crash of ocean waves broke the trance of the ti vortex.
Taro's entire body jolted. He awoke with a start, his brow furrowed as he looked around.
Endless emptiness stretched in every direction—only endless blue skies, drifting white clouds, the curve of the sea horizon, the cries of seagulls, and shimring waves dancing across the ocean's surface...
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