Above The Lookout

Age 765, The Lookout.

Goku stood at the edge of The Lookout's plaza, orange-gold flames burning quietly around him. Three years had passed. Since the day Beerus left, he had come here every morning and stood for a while—not to train, but to sense. The orange-gold aura born from merging Super Saiyan with Kaioken had granted him unprecedented perception. He could "see" the inverted giant tree in the God of Destruction Realm, "see" angels walking through the void, and even vaguely touch something farther away—beyond the universe, beyond all twelve universes.

"Zeno." Goku opened his eyes, the orange-gold glow slowly fading from his pupils. It had taken him an entire year to vaguely sense that presence—not power, but the embodiment of some kind of law.

Talos came to a stop behind him. He too wore a brand-new combat suit—Bulma had spent three years in the underground laboratory beneath The Lookout, fusing Cell factors with the magical energy from Majin Buu's cellular remnants to create the second-generation adaptive battle suit. The "Turtle" emblem on its chest remained strikingly visible.

"Whis sent word. Beerus said Universe 7 will be taking part in the Tournament of Power hosted by Zeno. Every universe has to participate. The losers will be erased."

"Everyone's going?" Goku asked.

"Everyone." Talos looked toward the Z Fighters already assembled across The Lookout's plaza—Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, Lazuli, Piccolo, Tien Shinhan, Lapis, Nappa, Chiaotzu, and Trunks, who stood at the edge of The Lookout after having only recently returned from the future.

Piccolo's Qi Fractals sensory net spread throughout The Lookout, pale golden tendrils extending to every person. Krillin's Qi Net simultaneously completed its integration with the sensory array, golden patterns flowing over the entire plaza. The silver bracelet on Lazuli's left wrist glimmered faintly in the morning light as the Star Topology synchronized into place, instantly fully connecting everyone's energy nodes. The void passage opened by Whis slowly unfolded directly above The Lookout.

"Let's go," Talos said.

Twelve figures rose into the air at once and flew into the void passage. The stone tiles of The Lookout's plaza hummed under the shockwaves of their qi. Those cracks—from the first fissure left by Beerus's Sphere of Destruction to the countless fine lines added during years of training—each one bore the path this team had traveled from Earth to The Lookout.

World of Void, Tournament of Power arena.

On the massive floating arena, all eighty fighters from eight universes had taken their positions. Universe 7's twelve fighters stood at the arena's edge, their orange battle uniforms especially conspicuous beneath the cold light of the divine realm. The Grand Minister's announcement of the rules echoed through the void—all their universes' survival rested upon this battle, and the losing universes would be erased by Zeno on the spot. Goku stood at the front of the group, orange-gold flames flickering lightly over his fist, that familiar smile resting at the corner of his mouth.

"I'm going in."

He charged into the enemy formation first, Instant Transmission leaving orange-gold trails across the arena. Vegeta followed close behind, his dark blue aura in Super Saiyan Blue Evolved forming twin offensive and defensive axes with Goku's orange-gold flames. Lapis's Infinite Barrage poured through the opening the two had created, every punch precisely targeting the weakest joints in Jiren's defense. Jiren—the strongest warrior of Universe 11—stood immovable at the center of the arena, his red aura like a wrathful deity. He blocked Goku's orange-gold Kamehameha with one hand. Vegeta's dark blue Final Flash struck him squarely in the chest, forcing him back one step before he raised his hand and blasted Vegeta away with a red energy wave.

"His energy density far surpasses Beerus's." Piccolo's Qi Fractals sensory net delivered its most crucial assessment in the third second of battle. "His base power is already above God of Destruction level, and his energy output hasn't fluctuated at all since the fight began—not because he hasn't expended anything, but because his mental strength is powerful enough to completely suppress all expenditure."

"Then we break through with precision." Krillin formed hand seals, and his submicron Qi Net slipped into the gaps between Jiren and the other Universe 11 fighters, dividing them into several isolated battle zones. Tien Shinhan's Third Eye Beam and Piccolo's Qi Fractals locked onto Jiren's rhythm at the same time. The Light and Shadow fusion technique pierced through gaps in Jiren's defenses again and again—every strike left a pinprick-sized crack in his red aura, every strike adding a little more.

With the continuous power supply from Lazuli's infinite energy, Nappa and Lapis withstood the combined assault of Universe 11's remaining fighters head-on. Chiaotzu's immobilization technique repeatedly interrupted their opponents' charging at every energy node.

But Jiren's counterattack came faster. He broke through Light and Shadow's continuous lock, sent Tien Shinhan flying with one punch, then blasted a hole through Piccolo's defensive net with an energy wave. Trunks cut in from the flank and used his body to block another Universe 11 fighter's sneak attack on Chiaotzu, sending himself flying backward.

"For my future—I can't back down from this future!" He got to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and charged back into the line.

Goku and Vegeta launched their strongest attacks from opposite sides at the same time. The orange-gold Kamehameha and dark blue Final Flash intertwined in midair and roared toward Jiren. Jiren crossed his arms to block, his red aura colliding head-on with the orange-gold and dark blue beams—forcing him back. It was the first time he had been forced back in this Tournament of Power. The two forces remained locked at the point of impact, and the entire arena shook.

In that instant, Lazuli pushed the Star Topology's output to its limit. Her silver bracelet shone with an unprecedented golden radiance, and everyone's power reached its most perfect synchronization around her. Talos gathered all their power into his right fist—the strength above God of Destruction level erupted in full at that moment.

"Ka—me—ha—me—ha!"

At Talos's fist, the opening stance of the Turtle Hermit School—passed down from Master Roshi to Mutaito, from Zhao Tiexin to every generation of disciples—overlapped with everyone's power in that instant. The golden beam pierced through Jiren's red aura and blasted his entire body beyond the arena's boundary.

Jiren caught the edge of the arena with one hand, hanging in midair as he looked up at the warriors standing shoulder to shoulder above him. He remained silent for a long time.

"You are stronger than me—not because of your power, but because you are not fighting alone." He let go and willingly fell into the void of the World of Void.

Zeno rose from his floating throne, an unprecedented expression appearing on his childish face—not anger, not satisfaction, but curiosity.

"Universe 7 won. But that punch just now—that Saiyan named Talos, there is a power within you that I cannot see clearly."

"Is it that Zeno cannot see it clearly, or that Zeno was thinking about something else while looking?"

Zeno tilted his head. "Maybe both. But you convinced me. All universes can stay. No erasure."

The Grand Minister's brow lifted slightly. Then Zeno said something that none of the Gods of Destruction or angels present had anticipated: "Talos, Goku—you two will become Zeno's advisors. Not guards, not attendants. Advisors. You will inspect the twelve universes, and if you find anything unfair, tell me."

"Universe 7's Turtle Hermit School may travel freely among the twelve universes from now on."

Beerus stood in the God of Destruction seating area with his arms crossed, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. "Those guys stopped belonging to Universe 7 alone a long time ago."

Whis smiled and nodded gently beside him.

Epilogue

After the Tournament of Power ended, the whistle for morning training rang out once more across the beach outside Turtle Hermit House. Goku and Vegeta's Super Saiyan Blue forms intertwined beneath the morning sun, forming a blue-gold halo. Piccolo used Qi Fractals to correct Nappa and Lapis's movements at the same time. Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu continued refining the precision of their combination technique. Trunks and Bulma worked together in the underground laboratory beneath The Lookout, researching new equipment designs.

Lazuli sat atop a reef with the Turtle Hermit School martial arts manual, which she had read countless times, spread across her knees. Krillin approached carrying two bowls of seafood porridge and handed one to her. Lazuli accepted it, the curve of her lips far gentler than before.

"From now on, we'll be inspecting all twelve universes. My Star Topology will need an upgrade capable of cross-universe connections."

"Cross-universe connections—give me three months." Bulma pushed up her goggles.

Nappa ran across the beach carrying the largest broken pillar from The Lookout on his shoulder. "Cross-universe fights! This time, I'm definitely taking the lead!"

Lapis ran past him expressionlessly, carrying an even heavier reef on his shoulder while moving twice as fast. "You say that every time, and you lose every time."

"What do you mean, I lose every time?! I held the line head-on against Jiren last time! You all saw it—hey, don't just walk away!"

Trunks stood on the beach, looking toward the two Super Saiyan Blue auras in the distance as he sheathed his sword at his waist. "Mother, Father—this future, I will protect it."

Seventeen years later, Mount Paozu. Talos and Lazuli stood side by side at the mountain peak, gazing toward Turtle Hermit House in the distance. Their daughter had grown into a graceful young girl and was practicing martial arts below the mountain with Gohan, the son of Goku and Chi-Chi. The two children's tails swayed happily beneath the sunlight.

"What do you think Zeno meant when he said, 'Maybe both'?"

"It means that even Zeno himself is wondering—whether there are laws above laws, whether there are peaks above peaks." Talos looked toward the sky. "But whether there are or not, this net has already been woven. From Turtle Hermit House to The Lookout, from The Lookout to the Tournament of Power, and now extending across the twelve universes. That is our answer."

Lazuli extended her hand, and golden pulses from the permanent energy reactor traveled along the Star Topology toward the horizon. At the end of that light, smoke rose from Turtle Hermit House's chimney, while The Lookout's bell rang out. A group of new youths in orange battle uniforms stood in formation on the beach beneath the morning sun, the "Turtle" emblems on their chests glittering beneath the rising sun.

Master Roshi stood at the entrance of Turtle Hermit House, leaning on his cane as he watched the new disciples. He removed his sunglasses and wiped them with the hem of his robe. Opening Mutaito's Notes, which had been passed down through three generations, he slowly wrote a line on the blank final page:

"The Turtle Hermit School shall endure without end."