So… he's leaving?
Naruto froze after hearing Little Goku's words.
Just as suddenly as Little Goku had appeared, now he was about to leave just as abruptly.
At least it wasn't as inexplicable as Kakarot's comings and goings—after all, Kakarot had only appeared because of his death. And this time, it seemed certain he wouldn't be able to go back. Having died of heart disease, there was no way for him to be revived with the Dragon Balls. Even if the Z-Warriors of that timeline found the Namekian dragon, it wouldn't matter.
Death?
Naruto seemed to catch hold of something important.
Wasn't Little Goku's arrival linked to drinking the Ultra Divine Water?
Drinking it had left him in a near-death state, right? Thanks only to a Saiyan's fierce vitality and his indomitable will, he'd managed to crawl back from the brink countless times—practically a miracle of nine deaths and one survival.
So maybe the common thread between the two was death itself.
"I have something I must do." Little Goku clenched his fists tightly, speaking with determination. "I have to go back and defeat King Piccolo—to avenge Master Roshi, Krillin, and the others."
Naruto didn't try to stop him. He knew Little Goku had to return—back to his own world, to stop the demon king who was bent on destroying it.
Little Goku bowed deeply to the two men and the beast.
"I'm leaving now. Thank you all for taking care of me these past days."
"Hahaha! Go for it—you can do it," Kakarot laughed heartily.
"Hmph. Brat with a tail. If you're leaving, then hurry up and go." Kurama turned his back, grumbling. "Out of sight, out of mind."
But moments later, his voice came again: "You will defeat that so-called demon king. Don't forget—you're the human who fought me, Kurama, head-on and won. Don't you dare disgrace me."
Such a tsundere fox.
Originally, after drinking the Ultra Divine Water, Little Goku's battle power had only just surpassed King Piccolo's by a bit. But now, after so much training under Kakarot, Naruto firmly believed that Little Goku could beat the demon king until he soiled himself.
Though… would that mean Piccolo Jr. might never be born?
"Yes!" Little Goku said firmly.
His body began to fade away.
"Do your best—you can defeat him." Naruto gave his blessing as well. "We'll meet again someday."
"We'll meet ag—"
Before Little Goku could finish his words, he vanished from the seal space.
Naruto stared at the spot where he had disappeared. At first he was stunned, then shocked, then his expression twisted into something strange—until finally, a meaningful smile crept across his face. He muttered softly:
"This feeling… yeah, maybe we really will meet again."
It was as if he'd grasped something—and yet, not quite.
In another timeline.
The legendary martial arts sanctuary, Korin Tower, stretched from the earth into the clouds, rising tens of thousands of meters into the sky. At its peak stood an oval-shaped building.
"Mmm…" After drinking the Ultra Divine Water, the unconscious Little Goku, who had collapsed in silence, suddenly twitched a finger. His eyelashes trembled. A faint murmur escaped his throat.
Moments later, his eyes slowly opened.
The first thing that came into view was a round, flat pancake of a face.
The face's owner, upon seeing Little Goku awaken, shouted excitedly: "Hey, hey, hey! That so-called 'hermit'—Goku looks like he's waking up!"
Yajirobe—also called Yajirobē in some translations—a swordsman from early Dragon Ball. Though he looked cowardly and lazy, he was surprisingly loyal, and often played critical roles. Without him, Earth might have already been destroyed several times over.
"Call me Master Korin, you ill-mannered brat." The "hermit" he referred to was, in fact, a rotund white cat leaning on a staff.
Korin—the cat hermit, guardian of Korin Tower. His duty was to select outstanding martial artists to ascend to Kami's temple. But after centuries without a suitable candidate, he had nearly forgotten that responsibility himself.
"You're just a cat, yet you insist on calling yourself a hermit," Yajirobe muttered under his breath.
But Korin's sharp senses picked up every word, and his whiskers bristled with anger. He raised his staff, tempted to smack Yajirobe on the head. "And I still haven't settled the score with you for eating my Senzu Beans!"
Indeed—Yajirobe was most famous as the "Senzu Bean Destroyer." In later Dragon Ball, Korin's centuries-long stockpile of beans was practically eaten to extinction by Yajirobe alone.
"Stingy. It was just a few beans," Yajirobe muttered.
A few? More like dozens in one go!
Even if Korin sometimes treated the beans like snacks himself, they were still the sacred beans of a hermit!
Korin fumed with indignation.
"I'm back?" Little Goku had fully awakened now. Seeing the two bickering, he stood up, dusted himself off, and clenched his fists. His whole body surged with energy.
"I'm really back!"
"Goku, you're awake?" Korin finally ignored Yajirobe and walked over, examining the boy curiously. "How do you feel now?"
For centuries, countless martial artists had attempted to challenge the Ultra Divine Water—but without exception, every single one had succumbed to its poison. Korin himself had begun to think the water was nothing but deadly poison.
And now, before him stood the one boy who had survived.
Of course he was curious.
"I feel amazing!" Goku jumped on the spot, then turned his gaze into the distance. "I can sense it—that evil ki."
Whatever else needed doing could wait. Right now, the most important thing was to defeat King Piccolo, the one who had killed Master Roshi and the others.
Fighting spirit exploded from Goku's body.
"King Piccolo is there."
Korin was stunned. For a moment, he felt as though he was looking not at Goku, but at Kami himself.
Such overwhelming ki!
To have grown this powerful—the Ultra Divine Water's effects were terrifying indeed.
"Master Korin, give me two Senzu Beans," Goku suddenly requested.
"Take them." Korin handed him two beans from a jar. "Are you planning to ride the Flying Nimbus?"
"No. I'll fly there myself."
With that, under the stunned gazes of both Yajirobe and Korin, Goku leapt into the air. His entire body wrapped in white aura, he shot off at full speed toward King Piccolo's location.
Unlimited-boost Goku—has entered the field!
Let us observe a moment of silence for King Piccolo.
"He can fly now? The Ultra Divine Water can do that too?"
Korin's eyes flicked uncertainly toward the urn containing the Ultra Divine Water, then back to Yajirobe.
"How about… you try it too?"
"Nope! Absolutely not!" Yajirobe shook his head like a rattle drum. He'd once tasted a single drop himself—and even that felt like it nearly killed him. Drinking the whole thing? That'd be a real death sentence.
Flight or no flight, staying alive was better.
As the most survival-driven member of the future Z-Warriors, Yajirobe had no intention of trying such a ridiculous stunt.
How many of you want to see the Dragon Ball world? Hands up!
Though it'll have to wait until later arcs…