Chapter 248: Matters on Earth 

On the other side of the universe, in the North Galaxy's solar system... 

Earth. 

Beyond the bustling cities, in the eastern seas, lay a secluded island known to few outsiders. 

Today, Muten's Island welcomed a rare and distinguished guest. 

"What? Taro isn't home?" King Kai plopped onto the sofa with a disgruntled huff. "The great King Kai graces the mortal world for once, and he's not even here?" 

Hathaway set down a tray of tea and snacks on the table, smiling gently. "He went out to find a disciple he's been waiting for many years... I never knew the Kai could manifest in the human world. Taro never mentioned it." 

She looked like a woman in her twenties now—youthful and radiant, yet with a mature grace. 

Of course, King Kai paid no mind to appearances (they weren't even the same species). Still, seeing Hathaway's rejuvenated form, he couldn't help but sigh. "Seeing you like this reminds me of when Taro wished to share his lifespan with you decades ago. King Yemma nearly threw a fit in the Underworld!" 

Hathaway chuckled curiously. "What did King Yemma do?" 

"Do you even know how long Taro's natural lifespan is?" King Kai rolled his eyes (though his sunglasses hid it). "I've never seen a mortal with such longevity! It's downright unnatural..." He rubbed his chin. "His wish on Namek had nothing to do with lifespan, and even the Elixir of Immortality shouldn't have this effect. How strange..." 

He then added, "So when Taro shared his life with you, yours stretched to match his. King Yemma was furious—suddenly, someone was disrupting the balance of life and death!" 

Before Hathaway could respond, King Kai burst into laughter. "Not that his anger mattered. The Dragon Balls' power is beyond Yemma's control. Besides, Taro didn't wish for outright immortality for you, so it was fine." 

"Would a direct wish for immortality cause problems?" Hathaway asked, sitting across from him. 

A small, sparrow-like phoenix perched on her shoulder, pecking playfully at her hair. She set down a small dish of treats, and the bird hopped over, nibbling happily. 

King Kai shook his head. "Namek was nearly destroyed because of such a wish long ago. If not for their near-extinction sacrifice—merging into the Grand Elder—their planet would've been lost to history." 

Hathaway fell silent, her delicate fingers stroking the phoenix's smooth feathers. 

"Ah, what were you asking earlier?" King Kai suddenly snapped back, adjusting his shades. "Oh, right. We Kais rarely visit the mortal world because, well... we can observe it anytime from our realm. No need to physically go." 

He spoke in his usual convoluted way, but he knew this woman could follow effortlessly. He'd once watched her decipher complex cosmic data on Grand Kai's planet like it was nothing. Sipping his tea, he mused, "A disciple, you said? With the Saiyans?" 

Rubbing his round chin, King Kai recalled, "No wonder Taro had me track down those exiled Saiyans a decade ago. He even said they'd end up working for Freeza..." He took a loud slurp of tea. "Tch. So what if he has prophetic dreams? Always so cryptic." 

"That's just how he is," Hathaway said with an affectionate sigh. "But this disciple must be extraordinary for him to prepare so meticulously." 

Even Son Goku's training had been casual in comparison. Taro had never gone to such lengths—researching a pupil ten years in advance. 

"Just what kind of disciple could make that old man go to such trouble...?" King Kai pondered aloud— 

BRRRING! BRRRING! 

A sudden, obnoxious "Penpara-ra-ra Penpara!" ringtone blared from his pocket, nearly making him spit out his tea. King Kai yanked out a brick-sized cellphone and barked, "WHO IS IT?!" 

"Lord Kai! Bubbles is about to eat your flowers again!" screeched the voice of Gregory, his grasshopper attendant, through the receiver. 

"WHAT?!" King Kai jumped up. "Show me!" 

He mashed a button, and a holographic screen popped up, revealing Bubbles the monkey sneaking around the flowerbed while Gregory waved a similar giant phone, trying to shoo him away. 

Fuming, King Kai shut off the feed and stood. "I've got to go. Duty calls!" 

"Come to think of it, we owe a lot to you and Taro's son. If he hadn't died and come to the Underworld, aggressively pitching his high-tech ideas to King Yemma, the afterlife wouldn't have adopted this whole... uh, 'digital office reform'? Yeah, something like that. Thanks to that contribution, King Yemma actually waved his hand and let him into Heaven," King Kai remarked before leaving. 

Hathaway saw him off at the door, the sea breeze gently ruffling her hair. With a soft smile, she asked, "How is Tam doing over there?" 

"Hah! Don't even get me started—that kid built himself a solid foundation in the Underworld all on his own. He's got connections even King Yemma wouldn't dare mess with. And of course, just being Taro's son means I'd look out for him anyway..." King Kai chuckled. "Otherwise, how do you think he even got the chance to pitch his ideas to King Yemma in the first place?" 

The universe wasn't lacking in tech geniuses like Tam, but most of them ended up as mere wisps of soul energy after death, barely able to retain their sense of self, let alone hustle for their afterlife prospects. But Tam? Thanks to King Kai's influence, he'd been granted a youthful body immediately after death—giving him the perfect opportunity to, well… market himself to King Yemma. 

In short, it was all about having the right connections. 

"Thank you, Lord Kai," Hathaway said sincerely, bowing deeply. 

"No need for formalities. Honestly, Taro's accumulated so many merits—saving Earth, saving Magic Star, who knows how many more in the future—that he'll never use them all himself. It's only fair his son benefits. I just gave things a little nudge..." 

With a final laugh, King Kai vanished right before her eyes. 

The sun shone brightly, the sea breeze carried the distant cries of seagulls, and the sky stretched endlessly above, a canvas of blue and white. 

Hathaway's lips curled into a breathtaking smile as she gazed at the serene heavens. Stretching lazily, she turned to the phoenix perched on her shoulder. 

"Since Taro's busy, I can't fall behind either! Come on, Red—let's head to the lab!"