As a traffic cop, Krillin's driving needed no introduction. He had Warren and Android 18 in the back seat and pulled up at Bulma's place in no time. The whole ride, 18 kept stealing looks at Warren until even he felt a little self-conscious.
"Bulma!" Krillin called, waving as he led 18 inside.
"Uncle Krillin!" Trunks, who had been playing with Goten, blinked in surprise, then remembered his manners and greeted them properly.
Warren drifted over to the two kids. A thought had just hit him, a glorious exploit only this world possessed. If he could get there, his power would spike again. With the Tournament of Power looming, every minute mattered. He could not afford to be the one holding the team back.
"What is up, Uncle Warren?" Trunks asked, tilting his head.
"Trunks, do you know the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"
"The Time Chamber?" Trunks froze, then nodded. Of course he knew it. Back when they were fighting Majin Buu, they had even planned to trap Buu in there. He broke out because he was absurdly strong.
"Yeah, I know it."
"Then can you take me there?"
Warren played his trump card. He took out a photo of Mai.
Trunks had already crossed paths with Mai a few times. He recognized that pretty face instantly. Folding his arms, trying to look grown-up, he squinted up at Warren.
"Uncle Warren, what are you getting at?"
"Nothing much. I heard this young lady is curious about a Super Saiyan her age. She would like to meet him. Unless you are not interested."
Warren started to pocket the photo.
"Wait!"
Trunks lunged and snatched it. "The Saiyan creed is to help those in need. Ahem. Uncle Warren, I will take you to the Time Chamber."
He flared his ki and lifted off. A few seconds later he zipped back, staring at Warren, who was still on the ground.
"Uncle Warren, you do not... know how to fly, do you?"
Warren held his serious expression. He did not know how to tell the kid that he really did not.
"Ohhh. You cannot even do Flight!" Trunks grinned like a little rascal, mischief all over his face.
Warren said nothing. He bent his knees, sprang high, and snagged a handful of Trunks's waistband.
"This will do for now."
"Uncle Warren, not so hard, you are going to pull my pants off!"
Clutching his belt for dear life, Trunks hauled Warren along. One tall and one small, the two silhouettes dwindled into the sky.
Soon they reached a floating island in the clouds.
Kami's Lookout.
The place was painfully familiar. Aside from a few special cases, every Z Fighter had used the Time Chamber to power up.
"Uncle Warren, my pants were this close to falling off," Trunks complained, near tears. One short flight and his waistband was a size bigger.
"Thanks, Trunks," Warren laughed.
Trunks hesitated, then stepped closer. "Uncle Warren, want me to teach you Flight?"
"Flight?" Warren blinked.
"Uh-huh. It is super important in a fight, especially against enemies who stay in the air." Trunks's face turned earnest as he launched into a lesson.
"Do this first, then like this, then at the end do this and you will lift off."
Warren listened to the chopped-up instructions and nodded halfway. "Got it."
"Really learned it?"
"Not yet."
"I will say it again. Listen close. First this, then that, then this at the end, and you are up."
Warren looked up at Trunks hovering overhead. "Okay, I got it."
"For real?" Trunks brightened. His first time as a teacher felt exciting.
"Mostly. With practice it should click," Warren said. He was not lying. Even with Trunks's fractured teaching, Warren's quick mind caught the key points.
First, use will to push back gravity. Will, as Warren understood it, meant mental strength. His mental power, sharpened by countless dungeons, was monstrous.
Second, use that will to lift and then steer.
In short order, Warren managed a simple hover. He gave a light hop and rose higher than before.
"You learn fast. Come on, I will take you to the Chamber."
Trunks led the way down a corridor and stopped at a blank wall.
"Uncle Warren, Piccolo blew the door off last time, so we can only get in by opening this wall."
He took a breath and snapped into Super Saiyan.
"Ha!"
A bright blast slammed into the wall. Ripples shimmered across its surface, then faded as the stone drank the energy. Not even a chip fell.
Trunks scratched his head, embarrassed. "When Goten and I fuse we can punch right through, but right now... heh."
"No problem," Warren said, stepping forward.
Up close, the wall looked like any earthbound plaster surface. Yet Trunks's beam had not even scuffed it.
Warren exhaled slowly, drew his right fist to his side, and began to gather power.
The air rushed toward him in a hungry spiral.
Trunks gaped. Wind howled into Warren's knuckles.
Warren's face stayed calm.
He punched.
Serious Punch.
Boom.
His knuckles hit the wall and a deep wave rolled across it. The ripples grew, stacked, and raged. A heart-beat later the barrier burst inward. A ragged hole yawned wide, the whole stretch of wall shuddering on the verge of collapse.
"Who goes there!"
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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