Kuronoa held up two fingers, glancing sideways at Aeos. "The competition will consist of two rounds. The first is a written theory exam. The position of Supreme Kai of Time is a critical role responsible for maintaining temporal order — it isn't a matter of who has the bigger fist. Knowing how to identify temporal paradoxes, how to handle time tsunamis caused by reckless travelers tearing through timelines — all of that demands sufficient knowledge and wisdom.
"Each of our three factions will send three contestants to participate in the theory exam. We may enter ourselves, or we may send warriors under our command — as long as three participants are provided per side."
The expression on the big loli's face turned distinctly unpleasant. Aeos and her subordinates were the type who excelled at fighting — and virtually nothing else. A written theory exam was going to be brutally hard for her.
Ino was even more flustered than Aeos. At least the big loli was a seasoned veteran who could probably scrape together some answers from years of on-the-job experience. But Ino? What was she supposed to write? You might as well ask me to take a driving test when I've never even seen a car in my life. What am I supposed to do?!
Kuronoa raised a hand. An enormous stack of scrolls and volumes materialized out of thin air — piled high enough to fill ten shipping containers. "Don't worry. The questions won't be set by me. Time itself will set them. But the scope will be drawn entirely from these texts. Read them thoroughly, and passing shouldn't be too difficult."
Both Ino and Aeos looked absolutely horrified. That's way too much!
But as challengers, they could only raise objections over the finer details. They had no grounds to refuse the exam outright.
Kuronoa smiled — a perfectly serene, white-lotus smile. "If both of you pass the theory exam, I will host a tournament called the 'Super Space-Time Championship' here in the 'present.' Any warrior who appears as a temporal anomaly will be eligible to fight under one of us three Supreme Kais. Nine warriors total, winner decided in a single battle — whichever warrior is last standing determines which Supreme Kai wins."
Aeos let out a cold laugh. "Same crude, brainless format as always. Not a single creative bone in your body... I can barely find any exceptional warriors in the 'past' timelines as it is."
Her voice suddenly rose sharply. "This kind of competition is completely unfair to me. I'm invoking the authority of the Former Supreme Kai of Time!"
A deep, rolling rumble echoed through the skies of the Time Nest. Both lolis — big and small — tensed and looked upward. Ino had no idea what they were looking at, but she tilted her head back with the same grave expression and stared up alongside them.
The clouds overhead parted swiftly. Whatever Aeos had invoked, it seemed to have been approved. A smug grin spread across the big loli's face. "Outside of the two rounds already established, I am adding a third. In the final round, the three of us fight directly. The last one standing wins."
Kuronoa shook her head. "If that's the case, what's even the point of my Super Space-Time Championship? That's unreasonable. I refuse."
Aeos thought for a moment. "Then let the winner of your little championship join our final battle. At the critical moment, one extra fighter on any side will have a decisive impact."
The chestnut-haired small loli considered it carefully, then looked toward Ino. "Ino, what do you think? Shall we hold the competition here in the 'present'?"
Ino's brow furrowed deeply. This format was undeniably disadvantageous for her.
If she had free rein to search, she could find countless powerful warriors in the 'future.'
But these two — one anchored to the 'past,' one to the 'present' — had no access to the 'future.' That was off-limits to them entirely.
Now Kuronoa, with her white-lotus-flower smile, had neatly boxed the competition into the 'present.' That left Ino at a disadvantage.
Without the authority of the Supreme Kai of Time, Ino could only use her Time Token to make minor adjustments to the rules. She thought in silence for a moment, then raised the token. "I know nothing about this so-called Super Space-Time Championship of yours. I need time to prepare. I'm requesting a ten-year delay before the competition begins."
Kuronoa shook her head with a gentle smile. "You know it. I know it. Senior Aeos knows it too — ten years from now, the multiverses will be plunged into a massive upheaval. The patience of the one residing in Grand Zeno's Palace is nearing its limit... If time itself cannot serve as the bedrock that stabilizes the universe when that upheaval arrives, then the Supreme Kai of Time loses all reason to exist. Ten years is too long. I'll give you one year."
Ino immediately pushed back. "I still have a mountain of things to deal with at home... That won't do. I need at least nine years to prepare."
"Time is also within your grasp. Any matter can be resolved in an instant. Two years to prepare — how does that sound?"
Back and forth they haggled, dragging the negotiation out until, at last, the date of the Super Space-Time Championship was locked in at three years from now.
Kuronoa pressed forward, closing in step by step. "The date is set, the rules are confirmed — then I believe today's meeting can come to a close—"
Ino thrust out one hand. "Hold on. I just realized I haven't used one of my rights yet. You two almost slipped that past me... As the last challenger to arrive, I have the right to see the roster of warriors each of you intends to enter into the championship."
The blue-haired big loli let out an impatient huff. "You're small, but you sure cause a lot of trouble. What an insufferable chatterbox."
Complaints aside, she flicked her wrist — and four portrait-like images appeared in the sky above them.
Ino focused her gaze.
Black-clothed Bardock. Black-clothed Son Gohan. Black-clothed Piccolo. The last black-clad figure was a woman — fair-skinned, hair done up in a bun, clearly not one of the super warriors Ino recognized. A completely unfamiliar face.
She gave a small nod to show she had taken note.
Aeos would obviously be selecting three from those four to fight. Exactly which three — that, she would not be telling Ino.
Ino looked toward the current Supreme Kai of Time. Kuronoa likewise flicked her wrist. "The warriors entering on my behalf will be members of my Time Patrol. I'll be choosing three from these six."
Ino looked up again.
She nearly burst out laughing.
The so-called Time Patrol might as well have been called the Saiyan Patrol — or perhaps the Son-and-Vegeta Family Joint Patrol Force.
Captain Trunks. A Son Goku carrying a golden staff. A Vegeta in a long trench coat. Son Gohan. Son Goten. And from one particular timeline, Son Gohan's daughter — Xiaofang.
Three generations of the Son family. Four Saiyans. The Vegeta side contributing father and son.
Six members. Every single one of them a Saiyan.
Not one outsider in the bunch.
Good grief. Ino thought of the warriors on her own side, and had to admit — everyone's tastes ran remarkably similar. So what we're preparing for here is a Saiyan civil war, is that it?
"Understood. Then, the two of you — I'll see you in three years." Ino inclined her head, stepped back, withdrew from this point in time, and departed the Time Nest.
Aeos let out a cold snort. "I will take back what is mine. All of you traitors and ingrates — just you wait!"
She too vanished.
Only Kuronoa remained. She stood at the edge of the Time Nest, her gaze cast out into the void, carefully observing the timelines that no ordinary eye could perceive.
Chaos.
From the moment Ino had joined the competition, the future had begun to drift — shifting and flickering, growing increasingly uncertain with each passing moment.
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