"Are you sure you want to proceed with this, kid?"
"I have prepared for this, King Kai. I'm definitely sure. However I do not know if my sister wants to try learning this. Miya would you be interested in learning Kaioken as well?"
While still being held by Nao, Miya thought for a moment. In the end Nao felt her head wiggle to the left and right, declining the offer. She then leaned closer to him, only to pull in his head so she can whisper into his ear.
"Brother, if I want to find ways to power up myself through techniques, I'll go find my own. But for now, brother should focus on your own training. My battle power will still increase whenever yours increases. Don't forget my main goal is to guide your soul in the void between worlds."
"I know, Miya, but you're familiar with the original story aren't you? It will become rather hectic once Kakarot is born. We might not have another good chance again to come here, especially after we see those unknown visitors coming to see us next year. Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, brother. I'll just keep watch over you when your training starts so King Kai doesn't do something weird, hehe!"
"Well just don't regret your choice later then. Still, I can't believe we're about to start another session of training after experiencing a full year of it back on Earth. We only have until the end of the year this time though, so I'll try to make the most of it. Besides learning Kaioken, I do want to try unlocking another state as well, seeing I have 25% of my meridians open now..."
"I won't. I'm sure you can do it, brother! It's best not to keep King Kai waiting anymore."
After Nao heard Miya say this, Nao nodded his head in confirmation. He then saw Miya separate from his embrace and she went to go sit at the sole wooden table a few meters away. One old-looking tree towered over the table, providing it plenty of shade. Thankfully it had multiple wooden stools placed around it, as King Kai often had guests from the Other World visit his place every now and then. After sitting down on one of the stools, she then faced King Kai and Nao, and started to cheer her brother on by waving her arm.
King Kai watched this happen in silence after he asked his question to Nao, and then he saw Nao approach him, and saw a firm resolution in his eyes. He also nodded, knowing Nao would partake in learning the Kaioken.
"It looks like it will just be me, King Kai. I'm not sure what we will do start but I will let you know I can already meditate."
"So you're really up to it then, kid? I will give a fare warning to say learning Kaioken will not be easy. I would have started your training with Bubbles and Gregory but seeing you move around freely here, you have passed the first test already. Those two are designed to train people who aren't used to this planet's gravity. You lucked out being born on Planet Vegeta, kid."
"Haha, looks like I will have to call you Teacher then, King Kai. I have nothing else planned, so I can start whenever you're ready."
"You don't have to address me as Teacher, Nao. Everyone here in the Other World addresses me as King Kai, hoho. I've only been addressed as Teacher a couple times a long, long time ago. Ever since I became the Kai of this region, I've gotten used to King Kai. The first step will be determining the state of your heart and mind. It's a good thing you've learned meditation already. Come to my side and calm yourself. I will place my hand on your back once you enter meditation..."
Nao nodded once he finished listening to King Kai. King Kai's planet was really small, only being 31.5 meters in length. He wouldn't have to walk very far if he wanted to reach a certain area. King Kai's planet was similar to The Room of Spirit and Time, where Nao could see endless golden clouds drifting everywhere in silence. Peace and quiet were key to entering meditation so being here will help Nao greatly. At the tip of the north side of the planet stood a very old stone dragon tail, which was the end of Snake Way.
King Kai did complain earlier about how Nao and Miya arrived, and walking along Snake Way was the normal way to reach his planet. It was rumored to be about a million kilometers long, and it took Goku over 150 days to traverse it. Well what happened has already happened, and it was no use crying about it. Besides the golden dome-shaped house, the half-dome garage with a small well spring nearby, there was only seven to eight apple trees on the planet, with a paved road going along the center. Nao didn't want to disturb Miya who was cheering him on from the side, so he made way to another apple tree a few meters away. Finding the right position, he sat down in the shade cross-legged in a lotus position, and began to calm his breathing.
After a couple moments passed, he closed his eyes and started to block out any distractions. It didn't take long for Nao to enter his meditative state, and he did not sense King Kai approaching him. King Kai soon placed his left hand on Nao's back and tried not to disrupt his state in the process. Expecting to sense some type of anger or resentment, King Kai actually felt the opposite and his heart soon became very peaceful. His mind also became very clear without any distractions. Feeling these sensations caused him to raise his eyebrows, and then he removed his hand, and silence spread out among the two.
King Kai had a look at the young white-haired Saiyan in front of him, who was about the same height as King Kai, being 4'7, with an appearance of nine years in age, but his actual age was still eight. Seeing that Nao did indeed have the capability of learning Kaioken, King Kai could only sigh in defeat. King Kai then briefly entered Nao's mindspace without causing any disturbance, and tried to wake him up.
'Hey kid, you end your session now. You can still hear me correct?'
Even though Nao blocked most of the white noise around him, he still got distracted by King Kai's voice suddenly entering his mind. Nao then ended his meditation session and woke up, only to see King Kai standing in front of him with his two hands placed behind his black garb. with a serious look on his face. Nao waited for King Kai to speak up.
"I was not expecting for your heart to be that much at peace, kid. Saiyans are known to be a notorious evil race so I thought most if not all of you are too bloodthirsty."
Hearing this, it caused Nao to chuckle a bit before he responded back.
"Haha, King Kai, not everyone of us are like that. I actually know a couple of kind Saiyans besides my sister and I who don't like to fight. They don't venture out much though. I'm guessing I passed this part as well?"
"You sure did kid, with flying colors to boot. Heck you may even be qualified to learn the other technique I have stored away. Now that one people have failed to learn it even more so than the Kaioken as it requires the user to gather and condense kindhearted Ki itself from all sources of life nearby."
"That wouldn't happen to be called the Spirit Bomb, would it, King Kai?"
King Kai could only sigh again after hearing Nao suddenly say the name of the other technique King Kai stored away.
"Sigh...to think you would even know the name of that technique, seriously kid how much do you know about me?"
"Haha, more than you know, King Kai. I didn't intend to speak about this either but you saw our souls enter this universe when we first arrived, didn't you? Even though my sister and I were just souls then I still felt someone gazing at us. I'd figured it'd either be a Kai or one of the gods."
After hearing this sudden question, cold sweat started to appear on King Kai's back and slowly dripped down.
"Hahaha, that's pretty funny kid. You really do like to spin jokes like I do. I-it's possible you might have mistaken that feeling for someone else..."
Nao tilted his head in confusion for a bit once King Kai finished saying that. He tried to recall a certain memory of when Nao and Miya first entered the D*Z universe as souls. After scouring his memories for a bit he did feel someone watching as the two traveled to Planet Vegeta and that gaze felt really similar to the gaze he was currently receiving from King Kai. Seeing Nao not speak, more cold sweat started to pour down King Kai's back. He then saw Nao shake his head, and spoke up again.
"No, after looking through it a bit more, I'm pretty sure that was you King Kai."
As the sweat continued to pour down, King Kai's resistance soon whittled down and before long he couldn't take it anymore, and ended up revealing it.
"Fine, fine! That was me okay? I mean sure the universe is full of mysteries even till now but I was not expecting to see two souls enter the region I watch over...I won't even ask how the heck you could even notice that but it's already been eight years since then. Are you two really not from this universe?"
"Haha, King Kai, some things are better left not said. Well I wanted to talk about this but I couldn't find the right timing, until now that is. It's not like I would blame you for what has already happened, King Kai. Why don't we proceed to the next step in the Kaioken technique?"
King Kai was prepared for Nao to lash out at him for watching his souls enter this universe but he never received it, and ended up sighing in relief. Before long he regained his composure and walked toward Nao.
"If you want to talk about it more in detail later then me and my pointy ears will be happy to hear your situation, kid. But lets move along, I will start with the basics before passing down the actual technique itself. Kid, how much do you know about science among the mortals?"
"Science? What could anything related to science have to do with the Kaioken?"
"Hoho, more than you know. How much of it do you happen to know?"
"Hmm, if I would say, then I'd know a fare bit. I would be far outclassed by those scientists at Capsule Corporation though..."
"Well, kid, as long as you have a rough understanding. I can start imparting you the knowledge. Would you happen to know about the molecules and cells one's body is built off of?"
"That much I know King Kai. Does Kaioken have something related to that?"
"It definitely does. That's where the Kaioken technique is based off of. You see, by allowing the molecules and cells within your body to reach an excited state through the technique I will impart to you, it will cause a massive amount of steam to be produced, ready to be released from the pores of your body's skin. More steam will be produced the more these two become active, and the higher amount of power you'll be able to exert. How much one can excite the body's molecules and cells depends on the user..."
Nao soon began to receive a lecture on how the Kaioken technique works and sure enough it was very related to Science, which surprised him greatly. He ended up sitting down on his two knees, as King Kai started to teach him the theory behind the Kaioken Technique. One could not tell how time passes in King Kai's planet as there was no sun or moon, so it always remained bright with the golden clouds drifting forever in the distance. However, even though Nao could not have an actual look at time, he still felt it start to speed up again and in a blink of an eye, five more months have passed, and it became October of Year 733.
Hi guys, Aht here. First chapter of the week is here!
Had a three day weekend off work and clocked in over 30 hours in Pokemon Shield. Hopefully you guys are enjoying the game as much as I do.
Once this last training session ends, Nao will go back to Planet Vegeta. For those unfamiliar with this point in the story, King Vegeta will host a special banquet, meeting Beerus~. But don't you guys worry, only four more years till Goku is born.
Feel free to leave your comments below and any power stones are appreciated~