The Transparent World is said to be a supreme combat technique mastered by only a select few swordsmen of the ancient Demon Slayer Corps.
Through the precise control of breathing patterns and the optimization of physical movements, it allows for heightened sensory perception—drastically improving one's ability to anticipate an opponent's actions and accelerate one's own evasion speed.
Simultaneously, one's offensive intent is completely masked, making it all too easy for an enemy to overlook one's very presence.
It enables the exertion of maximum power with minimal movement, thereby unleashing the most terrifying attacks upon the foe.
Goku had, naturally, conducted some research into this technique.
However, lacking any practical reference points—and with so many other disciplines demanding his attention—he had gradually let the concept slip from his mind.
That is, until today, when he encountered Mr. Popo and experienced firsthand a technique remarkably similar to the Transparent World—
and subsequently received Mr. Popo's personal guidance.
This encounter granted him a sudden, profound leap in his understanding of the Transparent World.
"Let's continue!"
Goku suppressed his Ki to match Mr. Popo's level; closing his eyes, he once again assumed the opening stance of the Turtle School.
Immediately thereafter, Mr. Popo landed a punch squarely in his stomach.
"The goal is to guide your state of mind into a state of 'nothingness'—not to simply empty your brain and stop thinking altogether. These are two entirely different concepts."
Mr. Popo's voice rang out beside Goku once more, and simultaneously, another attack came hurtling in.
Goku was struck again—this time, on the chin. "Mastering this technique takes several years; it's not something that happens overnight. Let me take you to meet Lord Kami first."
After landing five consecutive strikes on Goku—while simultaneously verbalizing all the key principles involved—Popo ceased his attacks. His purpose in demonstrating these points to Goku wasn't to expect him to grasp them right now...
...for that would be impossible.
No matter how exceptional one's talent, it still requires several years of...
...slow, steady internalization.
His original objective had merely been to temper Goku's spirit—
—to curb the arrogance he might have developed after defeating King Piccolo, thereby preventing him from becoming overly conceited.
But as things stood now, Popo felt quite pleased.
Goku's raw power far exceeded his own; had they fought all-out, Popo—despite his superior technique—would have stood little chance of victory.
Yet, Goku hadn't sought a quick win; instead, he had deliberately—
—suppressed his power to match Popo's level, patiently studying and internalizing the techniques being—
—imparted to him.
Such a mindset was truly commendable.
What Popo didn't realize was that, over the past three years, Goku had been adventuring across various worlds, encountering a multitude of immensely powerful beings.
He had witnessed, in particular, the sheer might of Odin, the Ancient One, and the various dimensional demons.
These experiences had long since instilled in him the profound truth that—
—there is always a higher Sky, and always someone stronger than oneself.
If he ever hoped to stand on equal footing with those powerhouses in the future he knew he had to seize every single opportunity to grow stronger and dedicate himself wholeheartedly to his training.
Consequently, the moment he realized that Popo's techniques could aid his growth he began striving to master them with every ounce of his being.
"Transparent World... Activate!"
No sooner had Popo's words faded than a subtle, peculiar shift occurred in Goku's breathing; he then snapped open his tightly shut eyes.
In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished completely from Popo's sight.
"Huh? Where did he go?"
Popo's pupils dilated in astonishment; for the very first time, he had completely lost track of—
—Goku's presence.
The very next second, a fist came to a halt pressed gently against the center of his back.
"Mr. Popo... I win."
Goku's cheerful voice rang out from behind him, leaving Popo standing utterly frozen in place.
"To think... to think that in such a short time, he has already grasped the technique I described! What truly terrifying talent!"
"Son Goku, you have done well—far exceeding my expectations. This is excellent."
At that moment, an aged voice suddenly drifted out from the Temple of the Gods ahead.
"It is Lord Kami; he has emerged."
Mr. Popo immediately turned to face the Temple of the Gods, bowing slightly at the waist.
Hearing this, Goku also turned around, gazing with curiosity toward the entrance of the great temple before them.
"Mr. Popo, is Lord Kami even stronger than you?"
"Lord Kami is a hundred times stronger than Popo."
Mr. Popo replied in a hushed tone.
He was not lying; back in the day—before he and Kami had split apart—Lord Kami's power had indeed been a hundred times greater than his own.
However, following the split, Kami's power had diminished drastically; consequently, he was currently no longer as strong as Mr. Popo.
"A hundred times stronger than Mr. Popo!"
Goku's eyes lit up with sheer excitement.
If he truly was a hundred times stronger than Mr. Popo, then even Goku himself would have to unleash every ounce of his power just to stand a chance of defeating him.
"Lord Kami is truly mighty."
Just as Goku was marveling at Kami's power, Kami himself finally appeared at the entrance of the temple.
He possessed an aged, moss-green complexion, with two antennae protruding from the crown of his head; he wore a long white robe emblazoned with the kanji for "God," and carried a staff identical to the one used by Korin.
"King Piccolo?"
A look of bewilderment crossed Goku's face.
Indeed, the deity standing before him—Lord Kami—looked absolutely identical to King Piccolo. The only difference was that the kanji on one's robe read "God," while the other's read "Demon."
Fortunately, despite his confusion, Goku was not intimidated.
After all, to him, King Piccolo posed no real threat; even if the Demon King were to be resurrected, defeating him would be as simple as delivering a single slap.
Moreover, given his current level of proficiency, Goku quickly sensed the fundamental difference between the two: one's Ki was saturated with malice, while the other's was profoundly calm and serene.
Therefore, the figure standing before him might not be King Piccolo after all—perhaps they simply happened to bear a striking resemblance to one another.
"It seems Korin didn't tell you—that mischievous fellow."
Seeing that Goku had mistaken him for King Piccolo, the Guardian of Earth was momentarily taken aback; he then gave a somewhat helpless smile.
It was quite obvious that Korin—the one tasked with fetching Goku—had failed to inform the boy of his true identity.
"Goku, do not be rude! This is none other than the current Guardian of Earth."
Mr. Popo stepped in just in time to confirm the Guardian's identity, while Goku blinked, appearing to finally grasp the situation.
The Guardian approached Goku and began to explain gently:
"A long, long time ago, King Piccolo and I were one being. Just like you, I was a martial artist.
Later, once I had no rivals left in the world, I heard tales of the Guardian's existence and came here.
Regrettably, even a Guardian can die."
"And so, I hoped that I might become the Kami's...
...successor."
It turned out that becoming the Kami required a pure heart—one could not harbor even the slightest trace of evil intent.
Years ago, the previous Kami had sensed the presence of evil within the current Kami's body; for this very reason, he had consistently refused to accept him as a successor.
This remained true, even though the current Kami possessed immense power.
In order to qualify as the Kami's successor, he had purged every shred of evil from his body, and only then did he finally receive the necessary recognition.
However, he never anticipated that the evil he had expelled would make its way to Earth. There, it absorbed the dark energies of the Demon Realm and transformed into the Great Demon King Piccolo—a being who would go on to unleash endless calamity upon humanity.
Yet, he could not personally intervene to punish the Great Demon King Piccolo. Since the two shared a common origin, killing the Great Demon King Piccolo would effectively mean killing himself.
And he had not yet found a new successor; the position of Kami could not be left vacant.
Fortunately, a human named Mutaito invented the Mafuba (Evil Containment Wave), successfully sealing the Great Demon King Piccolo inside a rice cooker for three hundred years.
Now, the Great Demon King Piccolo had escaped his seal to wreak havoc once again—only to be defeated by the pure-hearted, immensely powerful young boy standing before him.
That is why he had decided to bring this young boy here—to mentor him carefully and groom him to become his successor.
Once that time arrived, it would no longer matter even if he were to pass away.
Having listened to the Kami's explanation, Goku finally understood the full story.
However, he didn't harbor much interest in the idea of actually becoming the Kami's successor.
Nevertheless, he was more than willing to train under the guidance of the Kami and Mr. Popo.
"From this moment on, Mr. Popo and I will put you through the most rigorous training imaginable. Only by passing these trials will you prove yourself worthy to become the Kami's successor."
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