With Mr. Popo's help, Tien Shinhan's plan to use the Time Machine fell naturally into place.
Soon afterward, Tien Shinhan, Goku, Krillin, and Chiaotzu followed Kami and Mr. Popo to the room housing the Time Machine.
Apart from the four martial artists who wanted actual combat experience, the blue-haired Launch, who had little enthusiasm for fighting, unexpectedly wanted to come along too!
Even after Mr. Popo warned her that they could still face the danger of death after being transported to another space through the Time Machine, Launch insisted.
"Don't worry, I'll protect myself. At worst, I'll hide far away before you start fighting."
Her thinking was simple: she just didn't want to miss seeing Tien Shinhan fight.
Seeing how insistent she was, the others stopped trying to dissuade her.
Besides, during the two days Tien Shinhan had spent in the Mount Five Elements Space, Launch had learned a little of the basics of martial arts from Kami and Mr. Popo.
Although she was only a beginner martial artist, she should still be able to hide somewhere safe before a battle began.
Tien Shinhan didn't object too strongly either.
The battle on Planet Namek had been fought between Frieza in his final form and Super Saiyan Goku.
Even on a battlefield that intense, a weakling like Bulma, with a power level of only 2, had survived. Launch might have been weak, but her power level was still considerably higher than Bulma's.
Besides, Tien Shinhan had confidence in himself. Even though the battlefield he wanted to visit wasn't safe, he didn't think he would suffer defeat.
Because now, he was growing stronger every moment!
Even an enemy who was his equal one second was destined to be no match for him the next!
"Come along if you want!"
Tien Shinhan spoke up for Launch.
Since even Tien Shinhan had said so, the others had no further objections.
The Time Machine in Kami's Lookout wasn't limited to just one or two users.
Everyone in that room at the same time could use the Time Machine together and be transported to the same time and space.
"We're here. This is the room housing the Time Machine."
Click!
Mr. Popo turned to address Tien Shinhan and the other four, then opened the door.
The bright light from the corridor seemed to be mostly blocked the instant it passed through the doorway.
The room beyond was dimly lit, or perhaps pitch-black would be more accurate.
Yet in that dim, dark environment, everyone could see clock-face patterns appearing on the ceiling and the surrounding walls.
Some of these clock faces were regular circles, some were slightly distorted into ovals, and others took on irregular, twisted shapes.
Mr. Popo offered no explanation for these clock patterns, because the Time Machine and this room in Kami's Lookout had already existed when he first began living there.
Even the ancient and mysterious Mr. Popo didn't know who had left this Time Machine room behind or how they had done it.
Normal clocks, oval clocks, distorted clocks... do they represent normal, divergent, and chaotic states of space-time?
Although he remembered images of it, seeing the interior of the Time Machine room with his own eyes still left Tien Shinhan awed by its mysterious atmosphere.
Although the Time Machine Bulma invented was impressive too, the existence of this Time Machine room now seemed even more unfathomable.
"All right, if your goal this time is to find opponents for actual combat, then everyone should concentrate on finding suitable enemies.
"Don't worry about differences in your individual thoughts. The Time Machine will sense what your thoughts have in common and transport you to the most suitable time and space."
Mr. Popo explained the preparations required before using the Time Machine room. First, everyone had to concentrate on a shared goal: finding suitable enemies.
Everyone nodded at his words, then immediately focused and began thinking.
Tien Shinhan had a fairly clear idea of suitable enemies.
The enemies he considered suitable for actual combat at his current stage were the Saiyans.
Although Goku, Krillin, and the others were also thinking about suitable enemies, the images in their minds were all over the place.
Goku imagined an enormous dinosaur, one many times stronger than the dinosaurs he had defeated as a child.
That way, he could not only find a suitable opponent for actual combat, but also cut off the dinosaur's meaty tail after defeating it and enjoy a hearty feast!
Krillin imagined a powerful and beautiful opponent, preferably a pretty girl who was both cool and formidable.
That way, even if he couldn't beat his opponent, he could at least feast his eyes.
But he soon shook his head, realizing that before he had even set out, he was already spinelessly thinking he might be defeated.
It's all Master Roshi's fault. He's been a bad influence on me. I'm actually wishing my enemy were a pretty girl.
Krillin quickly changed the image in his mind, imagining his enemy as someone who looked much like King Piccolo.
Chiaotzu's and Launch's thoughts were much the same as Krillin's after his self-reflection.
Chiaotzu also imagined an enemy like King Piccolo.
Launch had never seen King Piccolo in person, but she had seen Tambourine when he came to slaughter people at the World Martial Arts Tournament arena.
So she imagined a suitable enemy as someone like Tambourine.
Along the way, she recalled the scene of Tien Shinhan easily tearing off Tambourine's wings, and a faint blush involuntarily rose to her face.
"Is everyone ready? I'm going to start the machine!"
Mr. Popo operated the Time Machine, excluding himself, its operator, from those to be transported.
Seeing that Tien Shinhan and the others had all closed their eyes and were concentrating on suitable enemies, he spoke.
"Ready!"
Everyone answered in unison.
"All right!"
In the darkness of the room, only Mr. Popo's thick lips and the whites of his eyes were visible.
After hearing their response, he pressed the Time Machine's button like an invisible man.
The next instant, a brilliant light rose from the floor of the Time Machine room, instantly enveloping Tien Shinhan and his four companions.
Whoosh-
For a moment, everyone felt everything spin around them, as though the entire world had begun tumbling and flipping madly.
Fortunately, the spinning sensation vanished as quickly as it had come.
Before it could make them vomit, their transport was complete.
Their vision returned, revealing a modern city before them.
Their sudden appearance immediately drew the attention of the pedestrians passing nearby.
"Huh? These people are so short! They're even a little shorter than me!"
Before the surrounding pedestrians could ask any questions, Goku took the initiative instead, exclaiming as though he had discovered a new continent.
Hearing this, Krillin immediately watched the surrounding pedestrians' expressions. Their initial surprise visibly turned to anger at Goku's words.
"Goku, don't just say that out loud! They're probably aliens. Obviously, that height is normal for them."
Krillin warned Goku, trying to avoid angering the aliens around them.
"What is this?"
Tien Shinhan, however, was puzzled. The enemies he had imagined were clearly Saiyans, so how had he ended up among these short aliens?
But looking at their stature and their unusual pale bluish-white skin, then considering them in connection with the Saiyans, a guess arose in Tien Shinhan's mind.
"Could these aliens be..."
Meanwhile, the surrounding aliens-or, more precisely, the native humans of this planet-stared at Goku and shouted a warning.
"A Saiyan! The savage monkeys are back! Tuffles will never be slaves! Monkeys, get off Planet Plant!"
Bang!
Watching a signal flare suddenly shoot into the sky and hearing their shouts, Tien Shinhan realized his guess was correct.
These unusual humans around them really were the Tuffles, who, in his memories, had been wiped out by the Saiyans long ago!
Goku's appearance had clearly led them to believe that a Saiyan warrior had come to attack again.