What else could he do? He'd better just go make another bottle for this little kid... And honestly, it wasn't so bad—once you do it a second time, you start getting the hang of it. Gohan was clearly much smoother this time around, and to his surprise, he actually found the whole thing kind of enjoyable. It made him feel like he'd become over ten years younger.
Besides, staying with Master and Mistress already made him feel much younger than usual. All things considered, he might as well be the same age as Goku now! Heh... Gohan chuckled quietly, shaking the bottle as he fed his grandson.
Soon enough, Kakarot drank six bottles of warm milk in one go before finally dozing off, content. Watching Gohan, whose clothes were now stained with milk from all the effort, Taro said, "Gohan, take the child back to Mount Paozu for now. I'll come visit you there in a few months."
Gohan didn't see any issue with that and replied, "Alright, I'll do as Master says. Goku and I will be waiting in the mountains." After all, all he needed to do was take care of this little grandson.
Just as he was about to see Gohan off, Taro glanced at the brown furry tail of the baby boy in Gohan's arms and said, "By the way…"
But as soon as he began, Taro remembered—this Gohan was no longer the same Gohan from the original story. With his current strength, bolstered by the Eighteenfold Muken, even if Kakarot were to look at a full moon and transform into a Great Ape, what could he possibly do to Gohan?
"What is it?" Gohan asked curiously.
"Nothing, just... be a bit cautious on full moon nights," Taro waved it off.
"Full moon nights?" Gohan was slightly puzzled, then smiled. "Why's Master only saying half of what he means? Well, no matter what, I'll remember your words."
"Mm... also, don't forget to keep up with your meditation training. You should know that the higher you climb with the Muken, the more it demands from your mental willpower. Of course, using the pressure of the Muken itself to temper your mind is also a bold and direct path... In the end, it's up to you to find your balance." Taro spoke thoughtfully.
He had just passed on the technique of spiritual meditation to Gohan moments ago.
He hadn't taught him magic—not because he was being secretive, but because it wasn't necessary. He wasn't trying to turn his disciple into another version of himself. Gohan had his own path in martial arts; Taro didn't need to plan out everything for him.
In fact... Taro even hoped Gohan wouldn't rely on meditation, and instead face the difficulty head-on, using his martial will to master the Muken. But that path was much harder—Taro himself had only managed to control the Muken thanks to the powerful mental strength he developed through meditation.
That's why he didn't push it. After much thought, he still chose to pass the meditation technique on to Gohan.
—Of course, back then, the bigger reason Taro chose to "avoid hardship" and study meditation was because of the spiritual strain and torment from his Mangekyo Sharingan. In truth, learning meditation was more about compensating for his own "flaws."
"Yes, I understand," Gohan replied respectfully, listening intently and gaining both understanding and insight from his Master's words.
Hathaway smiled. "Gohan, make sure you raise this child well. Next year, your Master and I will come visit you and little Goku at Mount Paozu."
She looked at the sleeping infant in Gohan's arms. Remembering the fierce expression he had when awake, Hathaway glanced at her husband. She didn't think his temperament would surprise Taro in the slightest—surely, he'd already considered it thoroughly.
"Of course, I like this child too," Gohan said softly, looking down at Kakarot. "I feel like... there's a special bond between us." Then he looked up and smiled at Taro. "Could it be that Master foresaw this connection between me and the boy and decided to entrust him to me?"
"Alright, enough with that nonsense," Taro cut him off, not wanting to linger on the subject. "Go on now. I'll visit you in about a year."
"Understood. Goku and I will be waiting in the mountains. Well then... Master, Mistress, I'll be off." Gohan bowed in farewell, then soared into the sky with Kakarot in his arms. A burst of white ki flame enveloped the pair, and in no time, they had disappeared toward the horizon.
On the ground, Taro and Hathaway stood side by side, watching Gohan fly off into the distance.
The phoenix fluttered in circles around them.
The Saiyan Ozaru transformation... really, it was nothing more than a tenfold power boost when one's base strength was still low. But Gohan was different—he could achieve that and more with the Muken. Compared to the awkward form of a transformed Saiyan, Gohan's Eighteenfold Muken gave him an all-around enhancement in power, speed, and explosive force.
"Let's go back inside."
Taro withdrew his gaze after a moment of thought, glanced at a boulder atop the mountain, then headed inside with Hathaway.
Hathaway raised her hand, and the phoenix landed lightly on her wrist before following them in.
---
Just like that, about a year had passed.
Mount Paozu.
The mountain paths were rugged, and the forest dense. No one really knew how many poisonous creatures or wild beasts lived in those deep woods, which was why few dared venture there. But among the mountain's many wild animals, there was one particular hill they all knew to avoid at all costs. That hill was home to someone far more terrifying than any beast. Any creature foolish enough to challenge that human... had ended up in his stomach.
Gohan had grown up hunting in the forests of Martial Immortal Island, so living in seclusion in these wilds suited him just fine. His attitude was simple—whatever beast he encountered, he'd eat. However, now that he was older, he'd developed a preference for lighter meals: wild greens and fruits. As long as the beasts didn't bother him, he had no interest in hunting them unnecessarily.
So when the mountain beasts started to think the good times had returned... things suddenly changed again. In recent months, the terrifying old human had resumed hunting in the woods. It was terrifying. The beasts now cowered in hiding, watching Gohan catch insects and hunt animals without daring to make a single move. The blood-soaked lessons of the past had taught them well—there was no escape from that human, only the hope that he'd quickly catch enough food... and not come for them.
Honestly, it wasn't just the beasts who were bewildered—Gohan himself found it a bit strange.
He still had no idea what species this alien baby Master had handed over to him really belonged to. The boy didn't even seem a year old, and yet after tasting meat once... he'd refused to drink any more milk. Every single meal had to include meat, and in large quantities at that. It left Gohan completely speechless.