Talking

Although she spoke as if listing facts, her words were no less than a bombshell to the Supreme Kai and Kibito.

"What did you just say!? He was eight!? He could defeat Frieza at eight!? Are you sure you're not lying to us?"

"Of course!"

Laila answered seriously.

"That happened eight years ago. How did none of you notice what was going on in the lower world?"

At that, Shin's face flushed red, and he stammered.

"I-I really haven't paid much attention to Frieza."

Kibito stepped in to smooth things over.

"Well, you see, since you were away, West Supreme Kai, East Supreme Kai has officially taken over the Great Supreme Kai's duties. He oversees and creates life in the universe, and he also has to keep an eye on Majin Buu. As a result, he hasn't paid much attention to certain things happening in the universe..."

"I see."

Laila didn't react to Shin officially taking on the duties of a Supreme Kai. She'd known about it for a long time. After all, back then, East Supreme Kai had been the only Supreme Kai in the Supreme Kai World, so his succession hadn't come as a surprise.

"Since you don't know, I'll explain it again."

Laila began telling the two of them.

"Like I just said, he isn't an ordinary mortal. He defeated Frieza when he was eight. He didn't kill him, but he nearly did. And that happened eight years ago. He's spent the past eight years training. Do you know how strong he is now!?"

Without waiting for Shin or Kibito to answer, Laila continued.

"Let me put it this way: even if you and I fought him together now, we might not be able to beat him!"

"How is that possible!?"

Kibito stood off to the side, unable to accept it. He could hardly imagine it.

"It's true!"

Laila looked at Kibito with an utterly serious expression.

"I lived with him for eight years, training him to make him stronger. A year ago, he was already my equal. Now he's reached his current peak. I haven't fought him since he surpassed me, but I can feel it: even if you and I joined forces and gave it everything we had, we still wouldn't be able to beat him."

"Wait."

Shin suddenly interrupted her.

"Laila, did you just say that you and that mortal—no, that human—lived together for eight years?"

"That's right. I was training him to make him stronger. Why?"

Laila sounded puzzled.

"Uh... all right, never mind. You were training him, right? Well, based on what you've said, he's incredibly powerful. So where is he now? Why didn't he come with you?"

Laila became somewhat flustered.

"Th-that's because he went looking for an opportunity to break through."

"Break through?"

Shin was confused.

Laila explained.

"That's right. He said he'd reached his current limit, and that he couldn't grow stronger without breaking through this bottleneck. So he left my place and went out on his own."

She paused, then continued.

"Besides, he probably still isn't strong enough to beat Majin Buu, so I didn't bring him with me."

"Then—"

Before Shin could say anything, Laila hurriedly cut in.

"But don't worry. We've already agreed that I'll give him a year. I'll go find him in a year, and by then he should have broken through. Once he does, he should be much stronger, and we'll have a way to deal with Majin Buu."

"No, I mean..."

Shin was just about to explain, seeing that Laila had misunderstood him, but she interrupted before he could finish.

"I know what you're going to ask. You mean, how will we get in touch then, right? That's why I came back. Only here in the Supreme Kai World can I see what's happening in the lower world, and only here can I locate him. So don't worry about that. I'd already thought it through. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come back now."

But Shin and Kibito could only look helpless. Laila's words did nothing to change their expressions. In fact, once she'd finished speaking, they exchanged glances, at a loss for what to say.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing the two of them looking so helpless, Laila grew puzzled.

Shin turned to Laila and explained.

"Laila, what I was trying to say wasn't that. If that human just wants to break through his limits, I do know of a way to make that happen..."