Laila II

"Oh, wow. I didn't think you'd spot me when I'd hidden myself so well."

The voice was clear and pleasant. As it rang out, the newcomer gradually revealed her true appearance.

She was a girl of about fifteen, with silver-purple hair and a pair of red earrings dangling below her slightly pointed ears.

She wore a red jacket over a pink shirt.

"Who are you?"

Watching the girl slowly float toward him, Kast furrowed his brow and asked.

At his question, the girl smiled.

"Me? My name is Laila."

Before Kast could react, she suddenly vanished from where she stood. When she reappeared, she was already behind him.

"What?!"

Kast jolted in surprise and was about to get out of range when a hand suddenly grabbed his arm and held him in place.

"Don't rush off."

Laila smiled faintly. She released Kast's arm, then brought her fingers to his face, turning his gaze toward her as she watched him quietly.

Looking at the girl before him, Kast remained expressionless and said coolly, "What do you want?"

As he spoke, his muscles tensed, and a green glint flashed in his eyes.

Laila didn't react to what he was doing. Still smiling, she spoke gently. "Relax. I mean you no harm."

After a pause, Laila said playfully, "Besides, even if you unleashed your current latent potential, you still wouldn't be a match for me—not yet."

"You can probably feel it too. I'm nothing like Frieza. I could take someone with Frieza's power out with one hand."

"..."

Kast gazed silently at Laila without arguing. He knew she was telling the truth. He could sense an immense power within her, something he had no way of resisting at his current level.

Even though he could now feel that he might transform into a Super Saiyan at any moment, he still wasn't confident he could take her on.

The gap in their latent power was simply too great.

That was right: Kast could now transform into a Super Saiyan. During his beam struggle with Frieza, at the threshold between life and death, he had broken through his physical limits and unlocked the shackles of his bloodline.

If the girl hadn't appeared just then, Kast would have been eager to test his strength in his transformed state.

But he couldn't do that now. The girl wasn't restraining him, but his instincts told him that there was no way he could escape her, no matter what he did.

Still, Kast could sense that the girl didn't intend to kill him or harm him.

Even so, he could tell she had another motive.

"Just say it. What do you want?"

Kast took a small step back, moving away from the fingers resting on his cheek, and spoke calmly.

Watching Kast pull away, Laila withdrew her hand with a helpless look and held it against her chest. "Well, if you want the truth, there is something I need your help with. Um, Kast—your name is Kast, right?"

"...Yeah."

Kast answered, frowning slightly as he watched the girl. He found her rather irritating, but as he looked more closely, he realized she seemed somewhat familiar.

"Laila. That name sounds familiar, and also..."

Kast's gaze shifted to the girl's ears. He looked at the earrings below them, then at her clothes. That strange sense of déjà vu grew stronger and stronger.

"That outfit looks like a Supreme Kai's, and with those earrings... Could it be?!"

Kast suddenly realized something astonishing. But how could that be possible? He stared in shock.

"Hey! Hey, are you all right?!"

Laila noticed Kast staring blankly at her and called out, sounding puzzled.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine! Go on."

The girl's voice snapped Kast back to his senses. He shook his head, temporarily setting aside his thoughts, then resumed his usual expression and replied indifferently.

"Oh! Then I'll continue."

Without pressing him about why he'd spaced out, the girl went on.

"Where was I? Um... Oh, right! I was saying I need you to do me a favor."

Laila paused, then continued.

"Um... Before I get to that, let me ask you something. Do you think Frieza is strong?"

Though Kast didn't know what she was getting at, he thought for a moment before answering.

"...He's strong for now." But only at this stage. He kept the last part to himself.

"Mhm!"

Laila nodded at Kast's answer.

"That's right! Frieza is strong! But as I just told you, even though he's strong, I could beat him with one hand. So he's not really that strong."

"...So? What exactly are you trying to say?"

Laila smiled at Kast's question.

"What I'm saying is simple! Have a child with me!"

"!"