Kami was taken aback, not expecting such scrutiny on such a minor detail nor the slightest hint of accusation in Ajax's voice. Despite this, Kami's response was composed, as one might expect of the Guardian of Earth.
"In accordance with my responsibilities as the Guardian of Earth, I closely monitor foreign influences on Earth," Kami explained. "The arrival of a baby in a spaceship falls within the scope of that duty."
"But that doesn't explain how you knew he was a Saiyan."
"You are very perceptive, young Ajax, which is a commendable quality to have," Kami acknowledged with a sigh. He paused for a moment, his gaze holding a mixture of understanding and something akin to paternal concern. "However, I, of all people, am not your adversary. There are matters at play that extend beyond your current understanding, my boy."
Haha, nope! What 'matters at play'? Unlike what Kami thinks, Ajax is armed with extensive knowledge of the Dragon Ball universe, so there should be no surprises of this nature, especially not so close to home. After all, this isn't a matter of someone taking a wrong turn or having two variants of Senzu Beans. This is something fundamental, akin to Goku knowing he was the one responsible for Grandpa Gohan's death all along.
The best-case scenario is if Kami had acquired said knowledge from the remains of Goku's ship, or if this was an inherent minor difference between timelines. In that instance, he's overestimating the significance of the situation.
However, if this disparity were caused by other external influences– such as, god forbid, the Time Breakers– then he's royally f*cked. Ajax's exposure to Dragon Ball had been limited to the source material and fanfiction, leaving his knowledge of non-canon materials, except prominent movies, pitifully low. In fact, 'pitifully low' might even be an overstatement; in reality, he knows next to nothing about characters like Towa, the Time Breakers, or similar villains.
Nevertheless, Ajax chose to set aside those thoughts for the time being. Even if they are valid concerns, he currently lacks the ability to address them, and dwelling on them now will only unnecessarily stress him out. There's no point in grilling Kami about it either since it's not like Kami will just tell him. He has to remember what Krillin advised: one thing at a time. He will adapt, as he has always done.
Ajax parted his lips, another appeal for the Time Chamber on his tongue. However, before he could make a single sound, Mr. Popo manifested abruptly, materializing a mere foot away from Ajax. The sudden appearance scared the shit out of Ajax, his intended words silenced and replaced by a startled curse as he instinctively recoiled backward.
"Are you disrespecting Kami in my presence? An interesting way to commit suicide, maggot," Mr. Popo declared in his iconic drawl with a rather sinister undertone. "Now shut up before I bury you six feet under like the maggot you are proving to be."
Ajax made the mistake of speaking once more.
"But–"
Mr. Popo's hands moved with startling speed, forcefully slamming into Ajax's throat. With ease one might expect from lifting a soft pillow, Mr. Popo hoisted Ajax off the ground, suspending him in the air solely by the firm grip around his throat.
"Did you think I was joking?"
Ajax had never clenched his jaw shut as fast as he had upon hearing those words, the surge of primal instinct temporarily overriding any desire to speak. However, despite the precarious situation, Ajax was not panicked, at least, not beyond the initial shock. Regrettably, Master Roshi's personal brand of discipline had been strikingly similar– just less forceful– whenever he behaved like a little shit.
In short, it certainly wasn't the first time Ajax had found himself dangling by the neck, which is why he knew that Mr. Popo had no intentions of killing him. The fact that he can still breathe, albeit with some difficulty, and the absence of a crushed windpipe, all point to that conclusion. The air hung heavy with tension as Ajax hung limply in Mr. Popo's grip, locking eyes defiantly with the displeased Mr. Popo.
"Please cease, Mr. Popo! That is not the manner in which we treat our guests," Kami interjected immediately, lifting a hand in a subtle yet authoritative gesture that signaled Mr. Popo to stand down. "Young Ajax did not show disrespect towards me."
"Of course, Kami." Mr. Popo acquiesced to Kami's command, relinquishing his hold on Ajax's throat as he retreated, resuming his position beside the Guardian.
"My sincerest apologies. It was not my intention to inflict harm upon you," Kami expressed regretfully, his gaze filled with remorse as he observed the coughing Ajax. "Are you injured?"
"I'm fine," Ajax reassured, recovering both his breath and composure. He cast a wary eye at Mr. Popo, now a silent sentinel behind Kami once more. Sensing Kami's lingering regret, Ajax decided to test the waters once more. At this point, any opportunity would suffice.
"Can I use the Time Chamber once you deem me qualified to enter, then?" Ajax inquired, attempting a more subdued and tentative tone. His gaze flickered between Kami and Mr. Popo, searching for any signal of approval or objection.
The elderly Namekian raised his head, his wise eyes focused on a distant point as he contemplated Ajax's request.
"I suppose that's possible, although it will require a considerable duration for you to meet the necessary criteria," Kami conceded with a measured nod, redirecting his attention to Ajax's figure. "But I can see you still haven't given up on the chamber, so allow me to demonstrate something to you."
Kami raised his venerable staff, and a gentle white radiance emanated from its tip, casting a soft glow that persisted even in the well-lit surroundings. The luminous energy traveled down the length of the cane in a mesmerizing spiral, weaving an ethereal pattern as it descended.
Instantly, Ajax was gripped by paralysis, as if he were ensnared by an unseen force. Actually, that's not quite correct. He could still move, albeit laboriously, but every movement, no matter how minuscule, demanded an extraordinary effort as if he were moving through thick molasses. Even the breath in his lungs felt dense, forcing him to deliberately push his chest outward to breathe. He can sense the very atmosphere wrap and press against him like an invisible coffin, instantly creating a stifling sensation that leaves him feeling breathless.
"Wha- what's this? What did you do?" Ajax gritted out with difficulty.
"It's an advanced form of external Ki manipulation. More specifically, it involves the expansion of one's Ki Forcefield beyond the body's surface, and through this process, the air becomes infused with my Ki, resulting in the manifestation of a sphere of influence that grants me limited control over its density," Kami explained patiently. "For the time being, you can consider it as an advanced variation of Kiai."
Kami observed with amusement as Ajax's jaws dropped open in astonishment. It is so very refreshing to be the recipient of such dumbfounded expressions of awe once in a while. Truth be told, such positive reinforcement was a rarity for him on the Lookout, because while Mr. Popo is a valued friend, his ability to express emotions was lacking. In fact, Kami couldn't recall ever seeing Mr. Popo genuinely impressed by anything.
"To put it briefly, I increased the density of the air around you," Kami said, briefly spinning his staff with a flick of his hand. "So, if you feel like you are moving in a viscous liquid, that's because you essentially are."
Ajax's mouth dropped even lower. This was like no other technique shown in Dragon Ball. No, actually, he lied. This skill does bear some similarities to the unnamed technique Super Saiyan God Goku showcased against Broly. However, this was not God Ki, it was not the era of Dragon Ball Super, and this was certainly not plucked from the pages of the canon. This was uncharted territory– a brand-new dimension of Ki control he hadn't thought possible.
However, Kami's lecture was far from finished, and he proceeded, seamlessly continuing his lesson:
"Your wish has bestowed upon you the ability to adapt to any negative conditions inflicted on you, allowing you to persist despite injuries and, as you've experienced, also adapt to fatigue," Kami explained, the atmosphere shifting as his expression grew a little more serious. "I'm certain you've been told on numerous occasions that this ability has weaknesses. This is one more. As is evident in your current situation, your ability does not extend to your surroundings, thus rendering you vulnerable to environments does not directly harm you."
Kami began to purposefully stroll towards Ajax, each deliberate step echoing as he circled him. The guardian's movements were methodical, and he systematically tapped Ajax at various points on his body with his staff.
"Environments that directly inflict harm, such as magma or the vacuum of space, you can adapt to, given you survive long enough," Kami elaborated, his words in tandem with the tapping of his cane against the floor. "However, what of environments that are more passive?"
"For instance," Kami halted his pacing with a purposeful stop after completing another circuit around Ajax. Standing right before the young fighter, Kami's gaze bore down on him. "What if someone were to seal you in the hardest substance known to the universe? It inflicts no damage upon you, so there's nothing to adapt to. At the same time, you are unable to break free since you lack the means to damage it."
A chill coursed down Ajax's spine at the hypothetical scenario. The situation painted by Kami had resonated deeply, guiding his thoughts down a path that Ajax definitely should've, but had never before trodden. Damn it, Kami was right. Faced with such a situation, what options did he even have?
"Shit," Ajax quietly murmured, a subdued acknowledgment of this vulnerability. This, he thinks, is the essence of an excellent mentor—someone who could promptly pinpoint areas for growth, provide unexplored perspectives, and confront their students with challenges. Master Roshi was the same.
Meanwhile, Kami resumed his purposeful pacing around Ajax, as he found himself entangled in the undercurrent of realization.
"You may be contemplating breaking through those walls through sheer force—believing that with enough punches, strength, and blunt force adaptation, you could eventually breach them," Kami remarked, pausing beside Ajax and employing his staff to gently press against Ajax's arms. "But will you? The erasure of fatigue, muscle tears, and other adverse conditions doesn't inherently translate to an improvement in skill or speed. It's more akin to a reset button, alleviating the burdens of your exertion rather than propelling you into newfound prowess."
Kami continued to speak.
"As you know, strength originates from the process of breaking and healing muscles. Your ability enables you to adapt to muscle tears and subsequently demand a greater force to induce them," Kami clarified, his voice carrying his insight. "Yet, consider this: while you may potentially double your resistance to muscle tears through your ability through a few repetitions, can you double your strength after those same few repetitions? Eventually, the force necessary to instigate even the smallest microtears would surpass your maximum physical strength. Then, the development of your physical strength will cease."
Ajax blinked. Well, Kami is wrong there. Ajax had already observed this phenomenon during training sessions with Master Roshi—that the required effort to induce physical strain is rapidly surpassing his current strength. He had anticipated this eventuality, and a pivotal step of the MASTERPLAN in the future will make this weakness moot, but Kami is unaware and will remain unaware, of the MASTERPLAN.
"But even if you could succeed through physical force, what if you can't punch your problems away, like right now?" Kami asserted, grounding the lesson in the immediate context. "For example, if I were to do this—"
To emphasize the statement, Kami clenched his hands and forcefully slammed his cane against the ground, the reverberating impact resonating throughout the air.
In an instant, Ajax found himself immobilized. The air, once viscous, now seemed to have solidified into an unyielding mass of stone that made any movement impossible. Even his chest remained immobile, thwarting every attempt to draw breath.
"– and render your surroundings as dense as stone?" Kami posed the question, before proceeding to methodically dissect the elements of the scenario "There is no fatigue to alleviate. There is no negative condition to adapt to. There is no resistance to build, as you have never recovered from it. There is no chance to disrupt it with physical force."
Kami observed Ajax calmly, watching as Ajax's eyes darted to and fro in panic while closely monitoring his condition. He intends to maintain a heightened level of panic to drive home his point, but he harbors no intention of causing actual harm to the young warrior.
"And, most importantly, you lack the necessary Ki Control to wrest control of the environment," Kami declared, striking at the heart of the matter. "So, tell me young Ajax, what can you do?"
Ajax gritted his teeth, a futile attempt at alleviating the burning agony in his lungs. He can't breathe. Desperation clawed at him as the constricting surroundings left him gasping for air that refused to enter his lungs. He can't breathe! Panic surged through his consciousness as every fiber of his being screamed for oxygen, his chest convulsing in a desperate struggle for air. He needs– to breathe!
Even amid his suffering, Ajax's body stood frozen like a Terracotta Soldier, forcing him to stare into Kami's unnervingly calm eyes.
"That's right, Ajax. You can't do anything. You lose," Kami declared with definitive finality.
Moments later, Kami forcefully slammed his staff against the ground. In an instant, the atmosphere ensnaring Ajax shattered, the solidified air reverting to its natural state once more.
Ajax barely managed to catch himself with a stumbling step, nearly collapsing to the ground as the claustrophobic grip abruptly vanished. He took deep, heavy breaths to replenish his oxygen-starved lungs and placed his hands on his knees. In that position, facing the white marble beneath him, Ajax steadied himself, anchoring his mind after one of the most terrifying ordeals he had ever faced.
Kami subtly shifted forward, barely more than an inch, a movement intended to capture attention rather than to close distance. "So, can you trust me when I say you're not ready for ten-times gravity, young Ajax?"
Kami watched as Ajax, his face still directed toward the ground, nodded.
"The point of all this, young Ajax, is not to scare you. This is a lesson: that whatever an adversary hurls your way or even your own vulnerabilities, can be influenced by Ki. Through the mastery of Ki, you unlock answers to problems that others have no solutions for. Feats that you never thought possible become possible—for you."
Kami extended a hand toward Ajax. "Would you like to learn? I can teach you."
Ajax, staring at the outstretched hand, clenched his jaws, and with a resolute grip, he accepted Kami's hand, allowing himself to be pulled into a standing position.
Kami smiled as their eyes met.
"Welcome to Kami's Lookout, disciple."
***
THE MASTERPLAN:
Access Kami's Lookout – (COMPLETED)