They stood quietly for a while. Then Gaino and Laiya opened their eyes at the same time.
On closer inspection, their auras had grown noticeably denser.
"Mr. Popo, I'm going to attack," Gaino said.
"Me too," said Laiya.
"Go ahead!" Popo beckoned them over.
Gaino and Laiya launched their attacks in an instant. In the blink of an eye, they were right in front of Popo. Without any unnecessary movements, they each threw a punch straight at his face. Popo hadn't expected the two of them to have suddenly gotten the hang of it. Their speed and the force behind their attacks had both risen to a whole new level.
Popo quickly threw both fists, meeting Gaino and Laiya's punches head-on. The instant all four fists collided, the air around them trembled violently.
Gaino, Laiya, and Popo continued to fight. The air rang with the sound of their blows, while white shockwave rings flashed around them.
Their fierce battle made the entire Lookout tremble. The Guardian came out and saw the terrifying scene. Cold sweat broke out on his green cheeks.
"If those two were hostile toward Earth, it would be over for us," the Guardian murmured. "Thank goodness they didn't come to conquer the planet."
The battle went on. Popo kept fending off Gaino and Laiya's attacks while offering them pointers. "Gaino, there's no need to throw that punch. You're wasting your energy."
"Laiya, what are you doing? Your punches aren't fast enough. Faster! You're not putting enough force into them, either. Put more into it."
"Your speed is too slow, your strength is too weak, and your movements are too big. You're not dodging quickly enough."
Under Popo's guidance, Gaino and Laiya's strength grew rapidly. A month passed just like that.
That day, Gaino and Laiya were sparring with Popo when a small mistake on his part gave them the chance to send him flying.
It was the first time they had managed to knock Popo away since they began training under him.
Popo hurtled backward. At the critical moment, the Guardian appeared and pointed toward him. A six-pointed star-shaped object materialized behind Popo, stopping him in midair.
Popo landed on his feet and cupped his hands toward the Guardian. "Thank you, Guardian."
"There's no need to thank me. It was only right."
Popo then walked over to Gaino and Laiya. "There's nothing more I can teach you. My task is complete."
Gaino and Laiya thanked Popo.
"You two are truly geniuses," the Guardian said. "To defeat Mr. Popo in only a month is quite an accomplishment."
"That's because Mr. Popo taught us so well," Gaino said.
"You're too modest. A genius is a genius. Earth's people don't have your capacity for understanding. Your talent for fighting is frightening."
"You've finished your training. Are you going back to your planet now?" the Guardian asked.
"We are going back, but before we leave, we have one last request. We hope you'll agree to it."
"Go on. What is it?"
"I know there's a place in the Lookout where one year of training is equivalent to one day outside."
"Is there really such a place?" Laiya asked. "That's amazing." Her gaze drifted toward the Guardian.
The Guardian was stunned. He hadn't expected Gaino to know about the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
"There is such a place. It's called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Training inside can produce twice the results with half the effort."
"Popo, take them to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," the Guardian said.
"Yes, Guardian."
"Come with me."
After thanking the Guardian, Gaino and Laiya followed Popo toward the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
They went inside the Lookout and opened a door. Popo pushed it open and said to Gaino and Laiya, "Go on in. Remember, you can stay for only two years. Two years inside is two days outside. If you stay longer than that, you'll never be able to get out. Understand?"
"What are we supposed to eat?" Laiya asked hurriedly.
"There's plenty of water and food inside, enough for two years. All right, go on in."
Gaino and Laiya stepped into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. They followed the passage all the way down, then arrived at the chamber itself.
As soon as they entered, Laiya said, "It's so hot in here. This place feels so dreary."
"That's how it should be," Gaino said. "The strong grow through hardship and solitude. Laiya, let's make the most of our time. We only have two years."
"Okay. Let's start training!"
Gaino and Laiya powered up. The entire Hyperbolic Time Chamber began to shake. After a while, it settled down.
They began sparring, using every technique they had learned over the past month. Their fight stirred the hot air inside the chamber, making it circulate even faster.
Outside, the Guardian asked Popo, "What level do you think Gaino will reach after coming out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"
"I don't know, Guardian, but Popo feels Gaino will become incredibly powerful."
Before long, the two days outside were nearly up. Popo and the Guardian waited at the entrance to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for Gaino and Laiya.
Suddenly, the door to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber opened, and Gaino and Laiya walked out.
As soon as they emerged, the Guardian sensed that the auras around Gaino and Laiya had disappeared. Only Popo's gaze flickered slightly before his expression returned to normal.
The Guardian went up to Gaino and looked at him and Laiya like a curious child.
"What's wrong, Guardian? Is something the matter?" Gaino asked.
"Something's definitely wrong. What happened to the auras around you and Laiya? Why can't I sense them?"
"It's because our ki has become physical, like gas turning into liquid," Gaino said. "Now the ki inside Laiya's and my bodies exists in every cell. Once we start fighting, it'll be put to use automatically."
"That's incredible! I had no idea ki could be used like that."
"Gaino came up with it," Laiya said.
"Gaino, you really are a genius," the Guardian said. "I wonder how strong you two have become."
"Oh? So the Guardian wants to test us."
"Laiya, show the Guardian what we've achieved in training."
"Sure thing! Guardian, you'd better hold on to your staff."
With that, Laiya powered up.
"Ha! Aah... Aah... Aah... Huh?" The entire Lookout—not just the Lookout, but all of West City—trembled beneath her aura. Sweat streamed down the Guardian's forehead.
After two years in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Laiya's power level had reached 500,000.
Then Laiya suppressed her aura.
The Guardian turned his gaze to Gaino. "I'll pass," Gaino said. "There's no need, Guardian."
"Gaino, you should do it too," Laiya said. "Let the Guardian see how much stronger you've gotten."
At Laiya's words, the Guardian nodded frantically at Gaino.
"All right! But, Guardian, you'd better stand farther away." The Guardian immediately scurried inside the Lookout.
Gaino powered up. With a single shout, his aura swept across the sky, sending the winds and clouds into turmoil and covering the heavens with dark clouds.
After two years of training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Gaino's power level had reached two million.
Laiya was green with envy at how quickly his power had grown.