Seeing Xiao Li watching him so intently, Goku smiled, slid an arm around her waist, and—amid the blush rising on her cheeks—leapt onto Pixiu's back. Glancing at the still-stunned Shaoyu and Tianming, he called, "What are you two waiting for? Up!"
"Ah—oh! R-right!" Shaoyu answered, a little excited, and sprang onto Pixiu's broad back.
"W-we're really doing this? My heart's not ready…" Tianming gulped at Pixiu's lantern-like eyes and scrambled aboard.
"Let's go." Goku patted Pixiu's back. The beast answered with a clear dragon-cry; a gale kicked up—then they became a streak, tearing through the sky.
Cloudbanks streamed past in white blurs. Tianming pointed down at the endless sand. "Look! That sand-ship from before—it's fast!"
"Didn't expect to catch up so soon. Pixiu's speed is insane," Shaoyu admitted, impressed.
Goku sat cross-legged, eyes closed, ignoring their chatter. Within, he circulated his own laws to grind away the trace of Sovereign power the Sovereign of the Dragon Ball world had left in his body—and, at the same time, to comprehend that higher law, using it to refine his own.
That remnant of the Sovereign's Destruction-law was trouble—his wounds still wouldn't fully close—but it brought benefits too.
It was precisely because of that power lodged in him that he'd regained his adult form. The Dragon Ball world's Sovereign commanded the highest grade of law, easily overruling Shenron's wishcraft, nullifying Goku's "undying body" and—by the same token—Cancelling the wish that had turned him into a child. Hence, Goku's body had reverted.
A faint radiance flowed over him as he sat on Pixiu's spine. His flesh shone like blood-red crystal; secret force coursed; hazy sigils flickered; an almost oppressive aura pulsed and faded—enough to make Shaoyu and the others fall silent, staring in wordless surprise.
"What… is he doing?" Tianming whispered.
"Quiet." Shaoyu gestured sharply, then looked to Xiao Li.
"He's healing," she said evenly. "Don't disturb him."
"Brother Goku is injured? But I couldn't tell!" Shaoyu was genuinely shocked.
Xiao Li nodded. "When I found him, he was covered in wounds. I thought he might die any moment."
"Covered in wounds?" Tianming and Shaoyu traded a look, then eyed Goku again. It didn't match what they'd seen him do.
"Truly gifted men are never ordinary," Shaoyu murmured. They fell still, watching the strange phenomena roll across Goku's skin.
Mystic lines of law crawled over his body; blood seemed to glow; bones boomed—as if he might ignite from the inside. The imprinted runes shattered and re-formed, again and again, while he wielded his own laws to erase the invasive ones—and shield his flesh from breaking.
"This… this can't be safe. His skin is splitting—ah!" Tianming yelped—only to have Shaoyu clamp a hand over his mouth. "Hush. Do you want to get Brother Goku hurt?"
Tianming nodded frantically and covered his own lips.
Truth was, they overestimated how much they could disturb him. If Goku feared interruption, he wouldn't be healing here at all. With his strength, none of them could possibly shake him from without.
Goku's closed eyes trembled; his body quivered. Strong as he was, the pain still made even his muscles spasm. Xiao Li, Shaoyu, and Tianming watched with tight fists and tighter throats.
Pop.
A dull crack from his shoulder; a spray of blood. Xiao Li's pupils shrank, her hands knotting. This looked worse than before… but she was powerless to help.
A wash of cool cyan vapor rose from the torn flesh and dissipated. As it faded, the wound knit perfectly, not even a scar left behind. Xiao Li had seen this once already; she masked her reaction. Shaoyu and Tianming, though, gaped.
"Pixiu—descend," Goku said suddenly.
Pixiu glanced back, gave a short dragon-cry, and dove. Just above the dunes, Goku flickered and was standing on the sand.
"Back off—far," his voice drifted to them.
They didn't understand, but Pixiu still ferried the trio a good distance before landing them safely.
"Will he be okay?" Shaoyu asked, worry creeping into his voice. Goku wouldn't send them away unless it mattered.
"Watch first," Xiao Li said, brows drawn. Her bright eyes never left Goku's figure, thinly veiling her concern.
Goku looked on the verge of exploding. Veins coiled like dragons under his skin, ready to snap.
Crack—crack.
Even his bones sounded about to break, snapping and chiming inside him while a fierce inner light burned. Dense sigils shattered and re-formed, over and over, a brutal cycle. Pale smoke rose from his body until a ring of mist circled him.
But before his mind's eye—another scene entirely.
"Who… are you?" In a seven-hued space, Goku frowned at a preternaturally handsome young man.
'When did something like this take up residence in me—and I didn't notice?'
Moments ago he'd been using his laws to counter the higher-order ones inside him when the "dimensional power" he'd always carried suddenly flared, wrapped his consciousness in prismatic light, and—when he opened his eyes—this was the view.
"No need to tense up," the man said with a gentle smile, radiating an odd familiarity. "Thanks to you, I just woke… myself."
"You're… that dimensional power?" Goku ventured, surprised.
"Strictly speaking, the God of Dimensions," the youth replied, smiling, every gesture effortless and elegant.
"God of Dimensions?" Goku blinked. "Don't tell me—you're not dead?"
"Goku, that's a bit rude," the God said, amused.
"Ah—sorry." Goku scratched his cheek.
"But you're not wrong. I'm gone—and not. To seal Yuanmie, I burned all my strength. So long as dimensions exist, a God of Dimensions never truly dies… but my true body is destroyed. Regaining my prime won't be the work of a day."
He held Goku's gaze. "So—Goku—I want to entrust you with something. Destroy the newly-freed Yuanmie for me. In all the dimensional cosmos… you alone can. That's why… I chose you."
"Wait—you chose me? That's not what Yuanmie said. He claimed he chose me."
"Did he now?" The God chuckled and shook his head. "Still the braggart."
"That 'Dimensional Travel System' is the crystallization of my life's power—and the vessel of Yuanmie's seal. If the System chose you, then I chose you. What's it got to do with him?"
"I always knew any seal would be temporary. He has a terrifying talent—he can take in the power of the dead and make it his own. Given enough, he'd break free eventually. So I left behind this energy avatar, hoping that when the day came, someone could stop him. Your growth surprised even me. I suspect Yuanmie miscalculated."
Goku squinted. "The way you're talking… it sounds like you've got benefits to hand out. Don't tell me you want to pass me your inheritance?"
"Inheritance? I'm not dead yet—you wish." The God rolled his eyes. At their level, "inheritance" meant your divinity returned to source upon death and another absorbed it to ascend your throne. He was still alive—albeit asleep after spending everything to seal Yuanmie. Hand over his godseat? Not a chance.
"Then what are we doing here?" Goku's patience thinned. He lifted a palm as if to smack—he really didn't want a "live tenant" squatting in his body.
"W-wait—this guy's outrageous," the God blurted, wiping phantom sweat. "I am the God of Dimensions!"
Goku didn't lower his hand.
"I can't grant you my seat," the God rushed on, "but I can let you absorb the power of other worlds' Sovereigns to perfect your own laws."
He folded his arms, chin tilted, as if to say: Ask nicely, and maybe I'll consider it.
_____
T/N:
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