Dragon Ball Roshi-Chapter 314: Aftermath…

He had already traveled through? Taro realized this at last, and the nine tomoe on the ripple-like patterns within his eyes slowly rotated. Once he confirmed that the awakened space-time ability could still be used freely, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his pupils were pitch black.

"The traversal through a true parallel dimension... is truly profound. Compared to the sensation of entering and exiting the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the latter feels like a mere puddle, while the former is like a massive black hole capable of devouring the entire universe... a small sorcerer meeting a great one..."

Even Taro couldn't help but feel a lingering dread. The sensation of being trapped in the vortex of space-time hadn't seemed too disturbing in the moment, but looking back on it now made his palms sweat.

In the realm of science, such phenomena would certainly be described using pure theoretical symbols and formulas that Taro wouldn't recognize at all. Strangely, the experience reminded him of a theory about black holes: that when a person falls into the core of a black hole, they are forever in a state of falling—time, life, space, consciousness, the universe—everything loses its meaning for the one falling within it.

"So then... huh?"

He shelved the experience for later digestion, deciding to fully explore this parallel world while he had the chance. Who knew what kind of toll the temple's dimensional machine had taken? Better to make use of the time while he could. But the moment he focused his senses, he froze.

He suddenly turned to a direction over the vast ocean—there, he sensed four ki.

One was deep and steady, refined and pure, as heavy as a mountain.

Another was soft and frail, yet carried a strength born of courage.

A third was innocent and blank like a sheet of white paper, yet tinged with a rare spiritual brilliance.

As for the fourth...

"So it really is this world... The temple's dimensional machine must indeed be connected in some way to the ancient Realm Kai's training chamber..."

Taro muttered as he hovered in the sky above the sea. After a moment of thought, he said, "Since it's this world—and this time period—then maybe I should pay a visit... and meet that old man. But before that, since I'm already here, I might as well do something..."

With that, his figure flickered across the sea, flying toward the direction where the three auras lay.

---

Outside Kame House.

Krillin, bald-headed and clean-shaven, dressed in a white tunic, black pants, and cloth shoes, stood by the window, glancing inside. Bulma, with her long purple hair in disarray, lay lazily on the sofa, toying with a purple-haired baby in a crib beside her. Krillin couldn't help but smile gently at the sight.

"Master Taro..."

He turned his gaze to the sky and sighed deeply.

Back when Earth had faced its apocalypse, he had been the only one left, wallowing in despair. But Master Taro had appeared out of nowhere and reversed the tide—not only destroying the evil aliens from space, but even saving his senior brother Goku. In the end, he somehow resurrected Earth's guardian Piccolo and Bulma as well. Then, that mysterious teacher vanished without a trace, as if he had never existed.

Later, Bulma—having rebuilt the Dragon Radar—found Krillin caring for the unconscious Goku. Together, they wandered the ruined Earth for over a year, without a Flying Nimbus and while carrying Goku, suffering countless hardships to collect the seven Dragon Balls. Under the radiant glow of Shenron, they wished for all the dead to be brought back to life.

Earth was saved from doomsday—but their most important friend, Goku, never woke up.

Krillin asked Bulma to leave the Dragon Radar with him so he could search for the Dragon Balls again in a year to wish for Goku to awaken. But Bulma refused. She insisted on staying at Kame House to care for Goku. Krillin would never forget the look on her face then. That usually boisterous girl had said in an unwavering voice, "I'm the one who dragged Goku out of the mountains. Now that he's like this, how could I abandon him and run off?"

Her eyes turned red, and tears began to fall.

Krillin had learned that Goku's transformation happened after witnessing his supposed death. Bulma, who had seen the gentle-hearted Goku turn into that, must've been in immense pain as well. After all, she was the first of their group to set out on the journey with him. It was through her that Goku had met all his friends. Her bond with Goku was not at all shallower than Krillin's own as his martial brother.

So Bulma stayed at Kame House to care for the comatose Goku.

Master Roshi, who had been resurrected, reined in his lecherous nature for once. During the time Bulma was looking after Goku, he never once acted inappropriately. About a year later, when the Dragon Radar once again showed seven lit dots, Goku finally stirred on the sofa in Kame House. The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes... was Bulma, sitting at his side.

Although he had been asleep, Goku's body hadn't died. Years had passed, and the boy had grown into a young man—though frail and thin, he could barely even move. He had forgotten everything, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that the Goku who woke up was their Goku.

Master Roshi's old eyes reddened behind his sunglasses. "Good! Good! You're back, that's all that matters..."

Krillin punched Goku, knocking the clueless boy flat. Bulma rushed to help him up. It was then that they realized—Goku remembered nothing. But that wasn't really a problem. Goku's heart wasn't one to dwell on the past. He naturally accepted the information Master Roshi and the others told him, beamed with a wide, toothy grin, and said, "Sounds like I'm super lucky to be alive!"

Bulma, still worried about Goku's frail condition, stayed to care for him.

After Yamcha, Tien, and others were brought back, they came by Kame House too. But since Goku hadn't woken up yet, and Master Roshi had no intention of teaching martial arts, they were told to travel the world and train on their own. After Goku awakened, he resumed his training with help from Master Roshi and Krillin, while Bulma took charge of daily life for the three of them... As for Launch, she probably revived wherever she had died and couldn't find her way back.

Then something happened that almost gave Master Roshi and Krillin a heart attack...

Bulma got pregnant with Goku's child!