Upon the familiar Korin Tower, Goku looked around curiously:
"Where is the Heavenly Realm? And where is the Guardian?"
"The Heavenly Realm refers to the Lookout—the place where the Guardian resides. It is located far above Korin Tower, and one must use the Power Pole to ascend to it."
Korin stroked his whiskers as he explained: "The Power Pole is the staff that connects to the Lookout; it is capable of transporting a person up there.
Back when Master Roshi was training here, he pestered me relentlessly until I finally...
...lent the staff to him.
At the time, I reasoned that a person truly worthy of visiting the Lookout would never actually appear."
"So that's how it is! Grandpa Roshi later passed it down to my late Grandpa Gohan, and Grandpa Gohan passed it down to me.
All this time, I thought the Power Pole was just a weapon!"
Goku suddenly saw the light; he reached into his box and pulled out the Power Pole.
The Power Pole was the only weapon he had ever felt truly comfortable using throughout his entire life.
Before he learned how to fly on his own, he relied entirely on the Power Pole to launch him into the sky so he could defeat his airborne enemies.
Yet, he never imagined that it wasn't actually a weapon at all, but rather...
...a means of transportation.
"In that case, can't I just fly up there using the Flying Nimbus?"
Goku asked, his curiosity piqued once again.
Since the destination was located directly above Korin Tower, surely there must be other ways to reach it—even without the Power Pole.
He had his trusty Flying Nimbus, of course; there were also Bulma and the others' airplanes, as well as the anti-gravity...
...flight magic he had recently mastered.
And then there was the Sky Dancing Technique he had picked up over the last couple of days while exchanging techniques with Tien Shinhan and the others.
As a gesture of gratitude—and to show that he held no grudges—Goku had offered to transport them to other worlds so they could train and further hone their skills.
In return, over the past two days—aside from studying the Mafūba (Evil Containment Wave)—Tien Shinhan had also shared his own signature techniques...
...exchanging knowledge and insights with the rest of the group.
Of course, generally speaking, a mere few days of exchange isn't enough for anyone to truly master a technique; at best, one might gain some fresh insights or find inspiration to apply to their own skills.
Many powerful, ultimate techniques...
...require years—if not longer—of dedicated practice before one stands any chance of truly mastering them.
Take the Kamehameha, for instance: for an ordinary person, it would take at least fifty years of training just to learn how to perform it. Individuals like Krillin and Yamcha are geniuses—talents rarely seen among Earthlings even once in several centuries—which is precisely why they were able to learn so quickly.
As for Goku, it goes without saying: he mastered the techniques after merely taking a single glance at them.
Consequently, during their interactions over the past two days, Goku had actually already picked up Tien Shinhan's Sky Dancing Technique, Four Witches Technique, and Kikoho.
"The Flying Nimbus can only ascend this far; it simply cannot fly any higher than this point. As for human-made machines—no matter how high they fly—they would never be able to locate the Lookout."
Korin explained with a smile.
A special barrier surrounds the Lookout; without the permission of the Guardian, no one—absolutely no one—can detect or locate it.
Otherwise, human airplanes and satellites would have discovered the Lookout's existence long ago.
"I see, so that's how it is. By the way, Korin, could you spare me a few of those Senzu Beans you grow?"
Goku nodded; he didn't dwell on the previous topic, but instead suddenly recalled something else entirely.
Three years ago—after nearly being killed by Mercenary Tao and subsequently climbing Korin Tower to undergo training—Korin had given him a taste of a miraculous type of bean.
These beans were cultivated by Korin using a unique method, and they were known as "Senzu Beans."
Senzu Beans possess truly extraordinary properties.
First, consuming just a single Senzu Bean eliminates the need to eat for ten full days; even someone with an insatiable appetite like his would feel absolutely no hunger during that time.
However, Senzu Beans are completely flavorless, so he still prefers eating regular meals.
Second, Senzu Beans possess incredibly potent healing capabilities; as long as a person still has a single breath left in their body, eating a Senzu Bean will instantly and completely heal all their injuries.
That said, the healing effects of Senzu Beans do have their limitations.
For instance, conditions such as illnesses, curses, or permanent physical disabilities fall outside the scope of their healing abilities.
Third, Senzu Beans offer a restorative effect so profound it borders on being a fundamental law of nature: no matter how severely one's physical stamina or Ki has been depleted, a single bean can instantly restore them to their absolute peak condition.
Therefore, compared to the high-grade elixirs he keeps stored in his box, the effects of the Senzu Beans are vastly superior. In the future, as he trains across various worlds—whether he is undergoing rigorous cultivation, suffering injuries, or finding himself without food in extreme environments—the Senzu Beans will serve as a vital emergency aid.
"So, you want some Senzu Beans? Of course you can have them."
Karin rummaged through a pile of odds and ends, and before long, he emerged carrying a jar filled with Senzu Beans.
The actual yield of Senzu Beans is quite low; at most, only a few can be harvested in a single year.
However, he has been cultivating them for eight hundred years. Even with occasional consumption over that time, he has now accumulated nearly a thousand beans.
"Is this enough?"
Finding a cloth sack nearby, Karin filled it with over a hundred beans and tossed it to Goku, saying:
"If that's not enough, I can pack you a few more."
Goku had defeated King Piccolo and saved the world; what did giving him a few Senzu Beans matter in comparison?
Besides, the beans were just sitting there gathering dust anyway—Karin didn't particularly care for eating them himself.
"That's plenty! If I ever run low, I'll just come back for more."
Goku placed the Senzu Beans into his personal storage box, then bowed deeply to Karin.
"Thank you, Lord Karin!"
"Come along now; join me at the top of the tower. We shouldn't keep Lord Kami waiting too long."
Karin leaped onto the railing, then proceeded to walk straight up the tower by simply stepping along the vertical pillars.
"Wow... Karin's control over Ki is truly incredible!"
Witnessing this feat, Goku couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
In truth, compared to others like Krillin and Yamcha, Goku's own mastery of Ki had already reached a very high standard.
However, that did not mean he had reached the absolute pinnacle; at least when compared to Karin, he still had a long way to go.
He could have scrambled up the pillars rapidly, or used his immense physical strength to leave deep palm-prints in the stone, effectively clawing his way to the top.
Alternatively, he could have utilized gravity magic or the Flying Technique to simply fly up.
Yet, he could not replicate Lord Karin's technique—the precise application of Ki to the soles of his feet, allowing them to adhere to the pillars as he walked his way up, step by deliberate step. This demonstrates that, when it comes to the perfect control of Ki, he still has a
very long road ahead of him.
The more perfect one's control over Ki, the less Ki is consumed when executing a technique; consequently, the more effective the technique becomes, and the greater its power.
At the very top of the tower, Korin pointed with his staff toward the central socket—a spot perfectly sized to receive the Power Pole.
"Insert the Power Pole there, and recite the incantation: 'Extend, Power Pole!' It will then carry you up to the Lookout."
Having said this, he handed a small bell to Goku.
Goku accepted the bell, looking utterly bewildered:
"What is this for?"
"It is a token of identification. Carrying it will prove your identity and ensure you are granted an audience with the Guardian."
Korin wore a look of slight, mischievous schadenfreude.
"Good luck, Goku! I'm sure you'll have no trouble meeting the Guardian. Just try not to be too startled when you finally come face-to-face with him."
"I'll do my best, Korin! See you later!"
Goku nodded, still looking somewhat puzzled; he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something very odd about Korin's expression.
However, he quickly cast such complicated matters aside. Waving goodbye to Korin, he recited the incantation and ascended into the sky, carried upward by the extending Power Pole.
Meanwhile, inside the Lookout, a green-skinned figure clad in a white robe—emblazoned with the kanji for "God"—wore a gentle smile.
"At long last, a worthy successor has arrived."