"You're saying the man who took Kami is my brother?" Son Goku pointed at himself again.
His eyes were full of confusion and doubt.
"Uh... I really never knew anything about that. Grandpa was the only family I had when I was little. I never heard anything about having a brother..."
After some thought, Mr. Popo offered a different view.
"What she said might be true, Goku."
"Huh? Mr. Popo? What do you mean?" Son Goku turned around.
Mr. Popo continued, "You came a little too late. Otherwise, if you'd seen him, you'd probably think so too."
"He looks exactly like you."
"At first, Kami and I both mistook that man named Turles for you."
"Now that I think about it, he really could be related to you."
"Is that so? Come to think of it, I think Grandpa found me when I was little..."
Tights nodded slightly. "Your name is Son Goku, right? So you don't actually know you're a Saiyan?"
"A Saiyan? What's that?" Son Goku asked, puzzled.
Son Goku's reaction confirmed Tights' guess.
"No wonder... But you're different from the Saiyans I've heard about before, too. If you're that guy Turles' younger brother, though, maybe that would explain it. Otherwise, Earth would probably have been destroyed long ago." Tights looked relieved.
She patted her chest.
"What do you mean?" Son Goku found what Tights was saying hard to understand.
"Since we have nothing else to do right now, why don't I tell you about the universe?"
"When Turles comes out, he'll definitely thank me for teaching his little brother!"
Tights looked eager. Besides collecting all kinds of material she could use in her writing or that might spark inspiration,
sharing what she had learned with others also made her happy.
Inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Kami was teaching Turles to control his Ki.
Turles was a quick learner.
In just a few days,
he learned practically everything he was taught.
But Kami was, after all, a master who had brought together the essence of Earth's martial arts.
The knowledge in his head couldn't be learned in a short time.
Every day, aside from the time Turles spent humbly seeking his instruction,
Turles told Kami about his origins during their breaks.
"According to the Grand Elder, it seems the original Planet Namek was destroyed because the Dragon Balls were used too much."
"Such a thing happened...?" Kami fell into thought.
Then, should he stop leaving Earth's Dragon Balls in the world below for people to use as they pleased?
Should he instead gather them at the Lookout for safekeeping, only bringing them out when there was no other choice?
"Mr. Turles, what is your opinion?"
Turles thought for a moment.
"Although I didn't spend much time with the Grand Elder, I've never doubted his wisdom."
"He wouldn't offer a warning for no reason."
"Something like the Dragon Balls really does defy common sense, doesn't it?"
The temperature changed unpredictably.
Kami sat cross-legged on the ground and breathed out a cloud of white vapor.
His hand tightened around his wooden staff.
Turles' words had struck right at the concern that had long troubled him.
Ever since the woman named Bulma invented the Dragon Radar, gathering Earth's Dragon Balls had become too easy.
When people ran into serious trouble, their first thought wasn't how to solve it.
It was to find the Dragon Balls.
Though there was no denying that the Dragon Balls had saved Earth to some extent,
that would also deepen their dependence on them.
The Dragon Balls should never have been a convenient tool that was so easy to obtain in the first place.
According to what the Grand Elder had said, if they continued to abuse them without restraint,
the tragedy of Planet Namek's destruction would be repeated on Earth sooner or later!
"Mr. Turles, you've opened my eyes."
"Once we get out, I'll gather the seven Dragon Balls immediately."
"From now on, the Lookout will personally keep the Dragon Balls safe."
"Unless Earth's very survival is at stake, they won't be used lightly."
Turles nodded.
This was Earth's business; Kami could make the decision himself.
Kami sat down again.
A deep longing appeared on his aged face.
"Planet Namek..."
Kami murmured the name.
"The Grand Elder lived through destruction and rebirth."
"His wisdom is truly unfathomable."
"He must be a kind and gentle elder."
"As a Namekian stranded far from home, I'd really like to meet him in person if I ever get the chance."
"But..."
Kami shook his head.
"I am, after all, Earth's guardian now."
"Just knowing all this is enough to satisfy me."
"Mr. Turles, I'm very grateful to you."
"You've fulfilled a wish I've held for many years..."
Kami stood up again and bowed solemnly to Turles.
Turles accepted the bow without hesitation.
Their chat came to an end.
Kami's expression turned utterly serious.
The two returned to discussing martial arts.
"Mr. Turles, you must cast aside your reliance on machines."
"The key to controlling Ki is first to-"
"Be still."
Kami's voice echoed through the vast white space.
"Put aside your sight and shut out your hearing."
"Don't listen to the wind, and don't think about the changes in temperature."
"Let your mind settle completely."
"Try to reach out to the space around you with your consciousness and sense my presence."
"Once you begin to sense the presence of Ki..."
Time passed.
Without Turles noticing, Kami had retreated more than three meters away.
He watched Turles.
Suddenly,
Turles' brow twitched.
He sensed a faint mass of energy.
It gave off a peaceful vibration.
"I can feel it."
Though a little surprised, Kami didn't dwell on it.
After all, Turles himself possessed power beyond his understanding.
"This is the first step in sensing Ki."
"Once you've mastered it, you won't need to rely on your eyes to catch an enemy's movements."
"The flow of Ki will tell you the path of your opponent's attack in advance."
Kami swung his staff.
"Next comes hiding and focusing it."
"Your Ki is too wild. It's constantly spilling out."
"That consumes a great deal of stamina and gives away your position in advance."
"Now, draw all your power back into your body."
"Try to make yourself a part of this space, to become one with your surroundings."
Turles took a deep breath.
He tried to draw on the feeling from before to move the energy inside his body.