Chapter 17: The Hyperbolic Time Chamber

"Alright, I've told you all you need to know. Now go find Mr. Popo; he'll take over your training from here. Don't be fooled by his seemingly stolid appearance; his skills are far superior to mine…"

Master Korin, somewhat disheartened and drained by Xavier's overwhelming progress, waved them off. He had no more spirit left to gauge Celine's advancement, though he suspected it paralleled Xavier's, both possessing terrifying potential.

"Thank you, Master Korin. We'll go find Mr. Popo then," Xavier replied with a smile. He glanced at Celine, who nodded understandingly, and together they headed towards the temple's interior.

Watching their departing figures, Master Korin stood quietly, murmuring to himself, "I need to inform Kami about this, to prepare him. The universe is full of such powerful beings... I hope none of them set their sights on Earth. It’s true, Earth’s martial arts have declined too much over the centuries."

Stretching lazily, Master Korin yawned and strolled towards Kami’s dwelling.

Inside the temple’s corridors, Mr. Popo sat in meditation, resembling a sage deep in thought. He rose as he saw Xavier and Celine enter from outside, his flat, coin-like eyes watching them without a ripple of emotion.

"I've seen your performance just now. Conventional methods won't teach you much at this point. Come with me," he said, turning to lead them deeper into the temple.

Xavier and Celine exchanged a look and followed closely. They trailed Mr. Popo through several corridors and multiple forked paths, venturing deeper into the temple’s heart. Looking back, Xavier noted that the path behind them tangled and twisted, resembling a labyrinth, easy to lose one's way.

"Where is Mr. Popo taking us? We've been walking for so long; we must be nearing our destination," Xavier speculated silently, realizing they were now at the temple’s foundation.

While Xavier pondered, Mr. Popo stopped in front of a large golden door.

Pushing the door open, Mr. Popo announced, "This is the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. A year inside equals a day outside. The environment is extremely harsh, and I will stay with you for one year inside."

"A Hyperbolic Time Chamber!" Xavier was stunned. He had imagined many possible methods that could be used for their training, such as being sent to different worlds via machines or to valleys filled with thunder and lightning as in the original story. Yet, he had not anticipated that Mr. Popo would lead them straight to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

In the formidable confines of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, where the air is thin, temperatures fluctuate between a biting minus forty to fifty degrees Celsius, and gravity is ten times that of Earth, such conditions might be deemed harsh by most. However, for warriors of their caliber, this was hardly a challenge. The true test lay in their mental endurance.

Spending a year in the vast, empty solitude of the chamber was a profound trial for the spirit. Those with frail wills or unfocused minds could easily succumb to illusions.

Originally, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was intended as a means to gain precious time before facing adversaries, its purpose not primarily for training. Yet, at this moment, Xavier felt an urgent stir within him, driven by a pressing need for time.

Having been in the Dragon Ball world for over seven years, Xavier knew that soon, Frieza would grow impatient and possibly destroy Planet Vegeta. Though unsure of the exact timing, he was aware that time was running out.

He needed to amass enough power not necessarily to confront Frieza, but at least to ensure that he could evacuate Rebecca, Edri, and others in time.

"What is the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Xavier?" Celine asked, puzzled.

"It's a dimension created by the gods where time flows differently—speeding up vastly. A single day outside equates to one year inside, making it ideal for those needing to break through in their training quickly. However, one can only enter the chamber twice in their lifetime, and only two can enter at a time," Xavier explained.

Before Xavier could continue, Popo, who had been standing by, chimed in, providing the details.

"Such a miraculous place!" Celine exclaimed in awe.

As Popo opened the gilded doors to the chamber, all that could be seen from the outside was a dark, blurry void, as if some force was obstructing their vision.

"Since only two can enter at a time, you'll need to go in in shifts," Popo stated, turning back to them.

"I'll go first then..." Celine jumped forward eagerly.

Xavier shrugged; a day more or less wouldn't matter. Since Celine was so eager, he decided to let her go first.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. "Mr. Popo, didn't you say a person can only enter twice in their lifetime? How many times have you entered?" he inquired.

"As I was present during the construction of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber by the gods, I don't have this limitation," Popo replied calmly.

Hearing this, Xavier's eyes narrowed. From Popo's statement, he deduced that Popo must be several thousand years old, a being who had witnessed much through his extended life.

Yet, this raised another question. If Popo could enter the chamber without limit, why then was his power level relatively low? Could it be because Popo was a servant of the gods?

Confused, Xavier shook his head, deciding not to dwell on these mysteries any longer. His focus returned to Celine as he said, "Then hurry inside. It will be my turn in a day."

Celine nodded, her face lit up with curiosity as she followed Mr. Popo into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

Once they entered, the golden doors of the chamber slammed shut, and Xavier knew that the flow of time within had shifted—what was a day outside became a year inside.

With nothing pressing to occupy his time, Xavier settled himself in the corridor of the temple for quite a while, then began to meander along the spiraling white marble staircases that wound through the corridors.

The exact age of the temple was lost to time, possibly thousands of years old, perhaps even more. Yet, time seemed to have left little mark upon its structure, a testament to its mystical nature.