An island.
Early morning, as the rising sun cast its golden light.
The warm golden glow spilled over from the horizon, spreading across the fine, soft sands of the beach. The tides rose and fell, yet no footprints marked the shore—evidence that this place was rarely visited.
The island was surrounded by uninhabited waters, protected by a magical barrier set up by Taro to prevent outsiders from approaching. Dense forests covered the island's perimeter, home to wild beasts. At the island's center stood a modest-sized mountain, surrounded by scattered lakes, ponds, and flowing streams. Atop the mountain, a multi-story glass-like structure stood, resembling a crystalline palace.
As the time was right, the house's AI butler, Jarvis, automatically adjusted the transparent walls to allow more light inside. The golden warmth of the morning sun streamed in, gently waking Son Gohan.
Opening his eyes and gazing at the dreamlike glass ceiling, Son Gohan still felt as though everything was somewhat unreal.
Yet, lying in this soft and comfortable bed was undeniably real.
"You're awake, Gohan."
The sudden voice startled him. He sprang up and saw a rectangular screen appear on the crystal wall in front of him, as if a television screen had been embedded directly into it.
On the screen, Mistress Hathaway looked at him with a gentle and kind expression.
"Uh… yes, Mistress," Son Gohan replied somewhat awkwardly—he wasn't even dressed yet.
Hathaway smiled warmly. "Get yourself ready and come down… Your master is probably already waiting for you." With that, the image on the wall disappeared with a biu.
Master!
Master Taro!
Son Gohan instantly snapped to full attention, tossing off the covers and jumping onto the floor. The flooring, made of the same glass-like material as the walls, was currently opaque under Jarvis' control.
In the microsecond before Son Gohan's bare feet touched the ground, the floor automatically adjusted its temperature to the most comfortable level. What was the most comfortable level? Simple—he didn't even notice the change when he stepped on it.
"Brushing my teeth… washing my face… where do I go…?" After putting on the new clothes Hathaway had prepared beside his bed, Son Gohan suddenly realized he had no idea where to go. He recalled Hathaway mentioning last night that if he was unsure about anything, he should just ask. Although he wasn't sure why, he decided to speak up.
"Over here."
A calm, magnetic voice sounded, startling Son Gohan again. A faint red guiding line appeared on the floor beneath his feet.
"Who's there?" He could tell it wasn't his master's voice.
"I am the house's butler, Jarvis. Hello, Son Gohan." Since Son Gohan was looking at the floor, Jarvis' upper body appeared as a holographic projection on the ground.
His appearance was, of course, exactly as Taro had seen in Jarvis' source code space.
Son Gohan was too shocked to speak. He couldn't shake the feeling that his master's living environment was nothing like what he had imagined…
Following Jarvis' guidance, he quickly freshened up and stepped out of his room, feeling refreshed and energized.
"Where's Master?" he asked in a hushed voice as he walked down the stairs, growing more comfortable with speaking to Jarvis.
"Mr. Taro is meditating 70 meters above the ground outside the main entrance," Jarvis replied, his image appearing on the staircase railing beside Son Gohan.
"Meditating? Master is training?" Son Gohan asked curiously.
He had memorized the way to his room last night, so naturally, he also recognized the path out of this dazzling house.
Jarvis appeared on a nearby wall and nodded. "He does this every day. Despite being so powerful, he remains so diligent. Truly admirable."
"Yeah, he really is amazing."
"Indeed, truly amazing."
Somehow, the two had started echoing each other, both sounding quite serious.
Not encountering Hathaway or any servants along the way, Son Gohan walked straight out the front door.
At once, he was greeted by the island's breathtaking morning scenery, with the salty sea breeze seeming to suddenly appear, wrapping around him as the gentle wind blew past.
The lush forest nearby was full of life, extending to a thin strip of sandy beach in the distance. Beyond that, the vast ocean unfolded in layers of light blue, deep blue, and navy, stretching all the way to the horizon. At the edge of the sea, the rising sun peeked halfway above the water, turning the surface into a fiery reflection of its golden light.
Suddenly, the forest at the foot of the mountain began to ripple with a rhythmic sway. Gohan looked up, his eyes widening in astonishment— Mu Taro was exhaling a long breath, his silver-gray hair flowing over his shoulders. A simple breath from his master was enough to stir the distant treetops. How could something so incredible even be possible?
Gohan stood there, dumbfounded, watching as Taro slowly descended from the sky. His eyes followed his master's graceful descent, completely forgetting to say anything.
"Caw!"
A red bird swooped down with Taro. Gohan recognized it immediately—it was the crimson bird that always accompanied his master. He had heard it was called the Phoenix. A strange name… Could it really be immortal?
"Don't just stand there. Come on, warm up a bit. Go for a run before breakfast." Taro ruffled Gohan's hair gently.
A warmth spread through Gohan's chest. It had been so long since anyone had treated him like this. Ever since his parents passed away… He could feel tears welling up in his eyes.
"Mm!" He nodded eagerly and was just about to jog around the house when—
"Not here," Taro called from behind him. Gohan stopped and turned around, watching as his master pointed toward the distant forest. "Go around that."
Huh?
Gohan blinked and followed Taro's gesture, looking toward the dense greenery surrounding the entire island. That had to be… several dozen kilometers at the very least!
Faintly, he could even hear the distant roars of wild beasts.
The nine-year-old suddenly felt his eyes sting again—this time, it really was hard to hold back the tears.
"Since it's your first time, you don't have to run there yourself." Taro waved his hand generously, signaling to the Phoenix. At once, the crimson bird spread its wings, its body expanding dramatically before landing with a mighty thud right in front of Gohan.
Gohan cautiously climbed onto the Phoenix's back.
"Go on…" Taro's voice stretched into the wind, growing fainter with each word.
The next thing Gohan knew, the wind howled past him as he soared through the sky, his wide eyes taking in the breathtaking view of the island below. He was flying!
Lying flat against the Phoenix's back, he clung tightly to its feathers. Then, as if remembering something, he turned his head.
His master was casually strolling through the air behind him, walking as if he were simply taking a leisurely stroll through a park, effortlessly keeping pace.