"Vegeta? In the blink of an eye you've gotten this big, hmph." Beerus gave a long, lazy stretch and let out a massive yawn, rolling out of bed still half-asleep. He still looked a little tired. "Food first. We'll talk after."
Beerus and Whis mooched a meal at Mount Paozu. Afterward, Beerus undid his trousers with one hand to relieve himself while, as if playing around, casually knocked down Son Goku — who had transformed into Super Saiyan 3 — with the other.
The two of them vanished the same way they'd arrived, dissolving into a streak of light.
"Well then, everyone, we'll be taking our leave as well. Thank you all for your help — and thank you, Chichi, for your hospitality." Ino gathered her warriors and her daughter and departed from Earth.
Bringing together the power of the hearts of six Saiyans, combining it with God Power, and thereby achieving Super Saiyan God — the process had involved a bit of a shortcut.
The transformation came with limitations. Once the transferred energy was spent, the form automatically released.
That was also why Beerus had let the matter drop for now. Kale's grasp of this transformation was still at the most basic level — in an actual fight, she might revert to normal in under two minutes.
He wanted the girl to get stronger. That was the only way a fight with her would be any fun.
One month was nothing. He'd go home, sleep through it, and come back afterward.
The path toward Super Saiyan God that Yamoshi had envisioned was well-intentioned at its core — and the process itself was equally benevolent. This was nothing like some demonic life-draining technique. Kale seemed to have gained the most, but that energy would be gone once it ran out. What remained was only muscle memory; she'd still need to train hard on her own to maintain the form.
Son Goku and the other four had benefited as well. In the process of merging each other's heart power, each of them had gained a similar insight. From here on, through rigorous training, they too could reach the level of Super Saiyan God.
...
75 million years before the present day. The Time Nest.
Aeos and Ino, the challengers, once again climbed the stairs on their own power and arrived at the Time Nest.
Then, as the host, Kuronoa stepped unhurriedly out to meet them.
The three formed a triangle: Aeos, wearing her golden crown and looking about nine years old; Kuronoa, the current Supreme Kai of Time, looking roughly eight; and Ino, who looked maybe a month or two older than Kuronoa but was technically still seven. All three stood well apart from one another.
Kuronoa looked at the two Supreme Kais who had come to challenge her. "The time has come. If neither of you objects, the Super Space-Time Championship begins now."
"Mm."
"Fine by me."
Kuronoa waved a hand. Nine rooms appeared from thin air, each one resembling a prison cell.
She addressed the two: "Without sufficient Time Power, ordinary people cannot climb the Time Nest at all. You may both use beacons to summon your competing participants directly."
All six members of the Time Patrol were present. Son Goku, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks took seats in the spectator stands at the outer edge of the Time Nest.
On the current Supreme Kai of Time's side, the three entered for the theory examination: Kuronoa herself, Son Gohan, and Xiaofang.
The big cute girl Aeos let out a cold laugh and opened a transmission corridor. Her three entrants for the theory exam were also herself, Black-clothed Son Gohan, and Black-clothed Piccolo.
Saiyans could fight, there was no denying that — but theory examinations? Utterly hopeless. Both Supreme Kais had chosen to compete personally, each taking up one of the entry slots.
In the spectator stands on Aeos's side was the dark-night Bardock — the alien female warrior with the glass-like skin from their last encounter was nowhere to be seen.
From Ino's side, she summoned Sakura, Future Son Gohan, and No. 16.
Watching from the stands were Future Trunks and Kale. No. 17, No. 18, and the others all had their own duties, so Ino hadn't asked them to come and observe.
All three competing teams had a Son Gohan in them...
Aeos looked over Ino's participants and curled her lip. What kind of ragtag bunch was this? Some completely ordinary-looking woman with no discernible power? A robot? Didn't Ino have any pride as a Supreme Kai left at all?
Not that she had any grounds to protest.
Sakura was undeniably weak as could be — but she was participating in place of Ino, and even if Ino had sent a slime to take the theory exam, that was still within her rights as a Supreme Kai. The remaining two — Future Son Gohan and No. 16 — met the Super Space-Time Championship's warrior standards perfectly well. Ino's roster was entirely within the rules.
Aeos and Kuronoa had both lived far too long. They trusted no one but themselves, which was precisely why they'd rather bury their noses in textbooks than leave it to some random person to stand in for them.
Ino glanced at Sakura. Sakura looked right back at her.
"Heh heh heh — HA HA HA HA..." The moment Sakura caught sight of Ino's seven-year-old little-girl form, she first went wide-eyed in surprise, then started desperately trying to hold it in — shoulders shaking, one hand clamped over her mouth, the other pressed against her stomach — until finally she just gave up and dropped to her knees on the ground, hammering the floor with her fist.
Ino: "..."
Having that much fun, are we? She really wanted to invite Sakura for a mountain hike, then turn to her at the summit and ask: "Do I still have a chance?"
But given that this woman had spent the last three years hitting the books in her place — Ino let it go.
Face utterly blank, she waited for Sakura to compose herself, then said quietly: "Alright, that's enough... what's so funny? We've known each other since we were kids. It's not like you've never seen me like this before."
At the mention of childhood, a faint trace of nostalgia crossed Sakura's face. Those days had been a bit silly — but genuinely happy. Even so, one look at Ino's little-girl appearance and she couldn't suppress the laughter.
Ino had originally prepared a hair tie and a little bow, planning to fix Sakura's hair, give her an encouraging pat on the head, a little morale boost. Seeing how giddy she was, Ino skipped the whole thing. Just get in there and take your exam! If you don't go in right now, I'm going to strangle you!
No. 16 walked in first — expression blank, utterly unfazed, calm as a rock. Future Son Gohan was more of a reluctant draft — he'd had to train for the Super Saiyan God transformation and study for the theory exam at the same time, and he was absolutely exhausted. He didn't have a lot of confidence, honestly. Ino caught his eye and gave him a look that said: do your best, that's all I ask.
Last to enter was Sakura.
"Ino-pig — you've always been silently helping me, helping my family, while I've given back so little..." Sakura made a promise in that rare, absolute way of hers. "Don't worry. This time, I'll win this exam for you. This is my strongest field." She didn't look back even once. Nine examination rooms lay before her; she picked one at random, stepped through the door, and was gone.
With all nine participants inside, Ino had nothing to do. She teleported up to the spectator stands to wait.
Kale was watching her sideways. Whenever Ino glanced her way, the girl immediately dropped her eyes; the moment Ino looked away and closed her own eyes to rest, the girl's head would lift again and she'd peek over.
With lightning speed, Ino shot out a finger and flicked Kale square in the forehead.
Sakura laughs at me, and you dare laugh at me too? Unbelievable.
"Ow ow ow!" The girl clutched her head.
Ino let out a "hmph," immediately felt she'd used a bit too much force, and hurriedly rubbed Kale's forehead to soothe it.
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