I Am Raditz

Raditz followed Soba's guidance and flew to a floating island in the distance.

The island was modest in size, suspended in mid-air with a power core at its center. Two ultra-modern buildings stood prominently—one black, one white—their metallic surfaces reflecting light like small moons.

Behind these tall structures stood a collection of statues carved from white stone. A massive courtyard and sprawling lawn extended outward in all directions. A fountain in the center constantly shifted its form, shooting jets of crystal-clear water skyward.

The island had only one inhabitant: the sage of Yardrat, Master Pybara.

Everyone on Planet Yardrat knew Master Pybara's name. On a world where nearly everyone possessed some special ability, to be called a "sage" or "master" meant someone truly extraordinary.

Soba had initially intended to teach Raditz himself, but ultimately—with a subtle hint of deference in his tone—he had passed Raditz along to Pybara instead. It was clear that even Soba considered himself less skilled than the master.

Raditz felt a surge of excitement. He carefully adjusted his appearance, straightening his borrowed Yardrat clothing before clearing his throat to announce himself.

"Master Pybara, I'm Raditz! Leader Soba recommended that I train under you to learn Instant Transmission!"

After a moment, a voice communicated directly with Raditz's mind, resonating within his thoughts rather than reaching his ears: "Saiyan, Soba has already informed me. Come in. I'm in the black building."

Telepathy! This person possessed the same ability as Earth's Kami!

The Yardrats had many special abilities—Instant Transmission was only one of them, and telepathic communication was among their more common skills.

Raditz entered the black building, where he found an elderly Yardrat in white robes. His appearance was similar to other Yardrats, except his face had far more wrinkles than Soba's. Deep bags hung beneath his eyes, and his cheekbones protruded from a thin face with loose, weathered skin that betrayed his advanced age.

Despite his ordinary appearance, the old man emanated a contained yet powerful aura—like a mountain standing immovable or a sea in perfect calm. This was the presence of someone who had spent decades in disciplined practice.

"Greetings, Saiyan. I've heard about you." Pybara, who had been sitting on a wide chair, suddenly appeared directly in front of Raditz with a soft "whoosh."

Raditz was startled. He noticed that Pybara hadn't placed his fingers to his forehead when performing the teleportation technique.

Typically, pressing two fingers to the center of the forehead helped focus one's spirit and search for a specific energy signature.

Sometimes this gesture wasn't necessary—like when Goku had used Instant Transmission against Cell while carrying Piccolo. By that point, Goku had mastered the technique to such a degree, and the distance was relatively short, making the gesture unnecessary.

Pybara seemed to perform the technique with even greater mastery, appearing completely at ease.

Clad in white, Master Pybara walked around Raditz with his hands clasped behind his back. "Indeed, I can sense that you are exceptionally powerful—not an ordinary Saiyan at all."

"You've encountered Saiyans before?"

"Quite a few. Back then, Saiyans were known as 'wild monkeys' throughout the universe." Pybara smiled slightly, then frowned. "Your power far exceeds that of ordinary Saiyans, but compared to Frieza, there's still quite a gap... how exactly did you defeat him?"

Raditz was currently suppressing his power level to around 10,000 units. This level of strength wasn't particularly impressive by universal standards, but it was already extraordinary to most beings.

If Pybara knew that Raditz's actual power reached into the millions, the master might faint from shock.

After considering his response, Raditz decided to be humble: "To be honest, I wasn't the one who defeated Frieza—my companions did. But my true strength isn't what you're sensing now. I know a technique that can multiply my power many times over."

"Hmm... that makes sense. I sense the scent of battle upon you, but no evil intent. That makes you different from other Saiyans I've encountered."

The sage's perceptiveness and accurate assessment impressed Raditz, inspiring a feeling of respect.

Saiyans had conquered planets, exterminated native populations, and sold resources. They had committed countless atrocities, justifying their reputation as evil beings. But Raditz was different now.

"I hold no prejudice against Saiyans," Pybara said, "but you must never use Instant Transmission for evil purposes. Remember that." The warning was clear in his voice.

"I understand."

"Good... since you wish to learn Instant Transmission, you must first understand its essence. There are actually three types of teleportation techniques."

"Three?"

"Yes. The first is moving at such extreme speed that you break the boundaries of normal perception, instantly traveling from one location to another."

"So, essentially just super-speed?"

"You could describe it that way. The second type is different—it utilizes spatial manipulation to transfer matter between two points. For example, you could exchange the air between your current position and another location, effectively transferring yourself there."

"And the third type?"

"That's the teleportation I'll teach you. By sensing another being's energy signature, you interweave your own energy with it, then pull yourself through space to complete the movement."

"I see." Raditz was hearing these distinctions for the first time and finally understood the difference between the techniques used by beings like the Kai and those used by Yardrats.

The Kai's version was spatial replacement, allowing free travel between the realm of gods and the lower realms. Standing at the apex of the universe, they knew almost every corner of existence, making teleportation to any location relatively simple.

However, the Yardrat technique required locking onto an energy signature, meaning they couldn't reach places without living beings or familiar energy patterns.

By comparison, the Kai's teleportation was more versatile, but such techniques were beyond Raditz's reach for now. The Yardrat method was his best option.

"I'm ready to begin, Master Pybara!"

"Follow me." Pybara placed a hand on Raditz's shoulder, and with a "whoosh," they moved to another space entirely.

Before them stretched an enormous labyrinth enclosed by transparent, bluish walls. Looking closely, Raditz could see ripples moving through them like water, with silver caps marking various points. He and Pybara stood at the center of this elaborate maze.

A psychic orb—the object Raditz would need to sense—was locked inside a crystal sphere at the maze's center, emitting a faint yellow glow that illuminated the surrounding space.

The entrance to this labyrinth was at the central location, with numerous pathways radiating outward, leading to unknown areas.

"Where are we?"

"This is my classroom."

Raditz realized the training was about to begin in earnest. He took a deep breath and looked at Pybara with determination. "I'm ready."

"Wait! There's one more important matter." The wrinkles on Pybara's face suddenly bunched together. "I heard that the food you brought made the elders ravenous with hunger. I haven't had the chance to taste it yet..." He finished with an exaggerated wink, in case his hint wasn't clear enough.

"..." Raditz could only stare in disbelief.

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