"Heh, just as I thought..."
After discussing certain matters with the Old Supre Kai in the Realm of the Kais, Taro returned. As for the connection between this elder, who once appeared in the original story, and the mysterious "Ancient Supre Kai, Kavishir," that still remains a mystery for now. When he left, Taro didn't follow the advice of Kami and the others to "express a strong desire to return to his original tiline", but instead, he tried out the space-ti abilities awakened in his eyes...
And just as he predicted, he found himself back inside the Hyperbolic Ti Chamber of Earth's Lookout in his original tiline.
The nine tomoe ripple patterns in his eyes slowly rotated, then faded away. Gazing downward, he murmured softly, "Back then, when I stepped out of the Hyperbolic Ti Chamber, I could feel my ocular power forming so kind of link with this extra-dinsional space... Hmph, similar to Obito's Kamui technique, huh..."
For Taro, this Hyperbolic Ti Chamber was sothing of a "place of enlightennt" for his space-ti abilities. As such, the space-ti dojutsu he awakened beca connected to this dinsion where ti flows over three hundred tis faster than in the outside world... Just as Uchiha Obito could enter his Kamui dinsion at will, Taro could now enter the Lookout's Hyperbolic Ti Chamber of this tiline at any mont.
Thanks to this link, Taro figured that the restriction of "a person can only stay in the chamber for two years" likely no longer applied to him.
That being the case, he no longer needed to worry about Frieza and his crew coming up with ways to limit his teleportation abilities.
Taro recalled how, when he had encountered Frieza and his n outside the destroyed Planet Vegeta, he had deliberately demonstrated his Instant Transmission in front of the alien scientists under Frieza's command after noticing their movents... More than that, after reading the mind of one of those aliens and learning that Frieza's side had developed a power level detector capable of distinguishing between different individuals, Taro had even purposely allowed them to scan his precise and detailed energy signature.
The bait had been cast—it was now just a matter of waiting for Goku to grow strong enough before throwing in the real hook and reeling in the fish. Once that happened, Frieza and his lot would obediently show up to deliver combat experience for Goku.
And at that ti...
Taro pondered the possibility of Frieza's forces descending upon Earth in the future. At the sa ti, he continued to digest the insights he had gained through his discussion with the Old Supre Kai. Those impressions would need ti to settle, to be integrated with his own reflections. His cultivation hadn't yet reached the critical point—there was no need to rush. Everything must co gradually.
He stepped forward through the pale, boundless plaza of the Hyperbolic Ti Chamber, heading toward the entrance palace. His figure flickered again and again, leaving behind a long afterimage on the white expanse. At the beginning of that trail, Taro appeared deep in thought, head bowed as he walked. But as if flipping through frozen fras of a movie, he gradually raised his head. By the ti his afterimage reached the entrance palace, his expression was calm and composed—just as it had always been.
On the temple plaza, Hathaway was tending to the flowers and plants Mr. Popo had grown. Kami and Mr. Popo walked out together. Seeing their heavy expressions, Hathaway pressed her lips together and forced a smile. "What's wrong? Why do you both look like that..."
Kami paused, leaning on his staff and carefully choosing his words. "I know that you—and that bird that always stays close to Taro... you can both sense the location of the Dragon Balls. If possible, call it here now. I'll have Mr. Popo go and search for the Dragon Balls with its help..."
Mr. Popo nodded. "With that bird's help, I'll be able to collect the Dragon Balls quickly."
"What do you need the Dragon Balls for?" Hathaway asked.
"You... sigh, soone as smart as you must have guessed," Kami said with a sigh—but as he spoke, sothing started to feel off.
Hathaway's expression had changed. When Kami and Mr. Popo first walked out, she had briefly looked distraught, as if she had already anticipated bad news. But now... why did she seem relieved instead? Kami noticed that Hathaway's gaze was fixed not on them, but past them—looking at sothing behind them?
Kami's heart skipped a beat. He spun around!
Taro was walking out calmly from within the temple's palace. Ignoring Kami and Mr. Popo's astonished expressions, he ca straight toward them.
"What were you going to say?" Hathaway asked, her voice lightly teasing, as a fragrant breeze drifted past Kami and Mr. Popo. Hands clasped behind her back, she walked lightly toward Taro, lips curved in a smile. She looked into his eyes, drawing close.
Did he... return from the parallel tiline using his own power?!
And more importantly... how had he gotten so close behind them without them sensing anything?!
Kami drew in a deep breath. Just what had Taro experienced in that parallel world? His presence... felt even deeper now, even more impossible to see through. With a bitter smile, Kami shook his head. When had I ever been able to see through this disciple of Master Mutaito, anyway?
Ever since three hundred years ago, when Demon King Piccolo had first rampaged through the world, he had never truly understood this man called Taro...
"Not bad. You kept your promise," Hathaway said as she approached, eyes sparkling with amusent.
Taro chuckled and reached out. Hathaway placed her hand in his, and he said, "Let's go. Ti to head ho."
"I thought you said you wanted to stay the full two days in that room?" she asked.
"No need anymore," Taro replied with a shake of his head. After a pause, he added with a playful smile, "Now, anywhere is fine."
---
Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh...
High in the sky, icy winds howled.
The Phoenix spread its wings and soared through the heavens above Earth. Gliding through layer upon layer of clouds, it gazed down upon the vast world below. Its vivid, mystical eyes scanned everything, occasionally letting out clear, sharp cries. The sound cut through the whistling air, audible even in such high-altitude winds.
Around its neck hung a necklace with a distinctly tallic sheen.
Each ti it cried out, a synthetic male voice would respond from within the necklace—an adult man's tone—answering the Phoenix and describing the wildlife currently passing beneath them, especially rare creatures the Phoenix had never tasted before that might be particularly delicious...
The Phoenix had a picky palate. Over the years, it had eaten nearly half the planet—never in large amounts, just snacking every few years to satisfy its cravings.
As it passed over a mountain range, the Phoenix's eyes lit up. Prompted by Jarvis's voice, it flapped its wings and descended in a spiral.
"The Orin Mountains are ho to the extrely rare Purple-Furred Bear. Because of the protection of Orin Temple atop the range, few people have ever hunted them. According to local records, Purple-Furred Bear at is said to be incredibly tender—especially the paws, which are considered a world-class delicacy..."
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