17 Korin′s Tower

Climbing the tower was really something. He nearly became impatient and tried to fly up but before that happened he could finally see the dome. So he refrained from flying up the rest and reached the top the old-fashioned way.

After grabbing the ledge of one of the 4 holes that lead into the lower part of the dome and pulling himself up he breathed out lightly and looked around. There were some jugs standing at the wall. Then there was a bed and even a bathtub. Darc arched his brows up. So this is how it looked like. In the end, it was basically the living space of Korin.

He looked up at the ceiling for a moment. Then he went to the staircase on the side of the dome that led upstairs where the divine water was placed and started to walk the stairs up. When he reached the end and walked a few steps to the middle he stopped and looked back.

Not far away from him, a white cat appeared with 6 long whiskers moving in the wind. It stood there with a wooden cane and watched him. What was this? He noticed that all old beings seemed to like having a cane to walk around with. Even Kami had one. He sighed inwardly and turned around completely to the cat. It was Korin. But he didn't say anything yet and Darc himself didnt bother to start a conversation as well.

Darc took out his radar and pushed the button. On the radar, it was shown that the Dragonball seemed below him in the room where Korin stored all his stuff or above him. Did he make a mistake?Does actually Kami have the last ball? No, that shouldn't be the case since Kami doesn't need the dragon balls.All the while Korin didn't bother saying anything and just stood there eyeing up Darc.

But he couldn't remain silent forever."Child, you are pretty strange. I actually can't read your mind.", Korin broke the silence with that.

"Really? Then I am probably just stronger than you..."´, he said while rummaging in a bag that he brought after shortly visiting a town on the way here. He got it because it became tedious to carry the balls on around his belt so he decided to put them all in one larger bag. He showed one ball to Korin. "Anyway, do you have one of these?"

Korin didn't answer. He actually rushed at Darc and tried to hit him with his staff but Darc evaded that pretty easily with a sidestep."Hey calm down. I am not here to do anything bad. I just want to find the last Dragonball. Ah, I forgot... Introductions. Hello, my name is Darc.", Darc said wrinkling his brows together for an instant indicating his anger by getting attacked so suddenly but at the same time remembering that he was pretty focused on finding the last ball that he forgot to introduce himself.

Korin was pretty surprised he missed his hit and turned around to face Darc again. "It does seem like that you are not just talking about being strong. It's a good thing to know that there are mortals that still could reach such strength."

"Mortals? What are you talking about? Arent, you pretty mortal as well?", Darc replied after hearing Korin´s words.

"I am called Korin. I am the owner of this tower and a deity. Not a mortal.", Korin introduced himself at last.

"Wait, if you are a deity then you are an immortal, right?", asked again. This time he was surprised. He always thought Korin was just some random old cat having a long life on this tower. Makes him wonder how one can even become a deity.

"Pretty much. Now then. Since you climbed this tower I am inclined to give you a present... Flying Nimbus!", shouted Korin at the end and stretched his cane outwards. Shortly after a huge Nimbus flew over to the side of the tower.

Darc´s eyes shined.He did actually forget about the present as proof in climbing this tower. Even though he could use ki to fly but flying a soft little cloud would still be pretty fun. That is if he actually could do that.

"What is that?", he asked while already knowing.

"Its a cloud people with pure hearts can ride and fly around with. Go and rip a suitable part out of the cloud. It will then become your Nimbus to use.", explained Korin.

Darc smiled bitterly. "Sure, I will do that but I am not sure if I even can sit on it."

He started floating to the cloud and tried to rip some chunk out of it but didn't work.

Then returned back to Korin emptyhanded "See?"

Korin was shocked "You can actually fly? Then why did you climb the tower? Nevermind. Since you don't seem of a pure heart, touching that cloud will not work...But you don't seem evil. I do not sense any evils nor sin inside you. There is another nimbus for you." He said and clapped his cane onto the ground "Dark flying Nimbus!" The same big cloud appeared but this time it was a purple darkish cloud. Korin nodded "Now try again."

Darc nodded and grinned. He went to this cloud and could actually touch it this time. It kinda made him sad that he didn't have a pure heart but he understood that what was his problem in not having one. He had lived once already after all.

He ripped a huge piece out of the cloud that was twice as big as him. After all, he would still grow so the made precaution and ripped a little bit more out, hence the size. Then he came back to Korin again.

After that Darc stopped to us ki and mounted the Nimbus. He actually was able to sit on it. He grinned from one ear to the other and just lay down. It was so fluffy and soft. Haaaa, all the stiffness in one's body vanishes immediately.

He then perked himself up again and looked to Korin "What is about the dragon ball? I still don't have an answer to that.", asked Darc ones again.

Korin shook his head. "No, I do not have the dragon ball but if you think it's somewhere close and isn't at the ground then it could be at the lookout where god is staying"

Darc placed a hand against his chin. "Hmm, I guess its true since we got a deity like you that there should be a god. He is above us?", he asked.

Korin nodded this time. "Yes, there is a platform above us. But don't you want to have the divine water? Everyone that comes here drinks it to become stronger.

Darc looked at what Korin was pointing at. "Sure, why not. I can just drink it?" At that moment his stomach cried out again. "Oh, could we eat something before that?", he asked while scratching his head.

Korin nodded "Sure, follow me." He leads him back downstairs and opened a jar. "Eat one of these. You won't feel hungry for 10 days."

Darc looked inside and saw the Senzu Beans. Jackpot. "Pretty neat. Can I take as much as I like?"

"Sure, I still have a lot of them collected over the years in the storage.", he nodded.

Darc grinned and chuckled. "Then I won't hold back!" He took a capsule out that was a big storage box and emptied the jar into his storage box. He was now in possession after thousand of Senzu beans. At least they were better in his possession than in Yajirobes stomach.

Darc also filled a handful of beans into a little bag that he put around his belt for quick access and placed the capsule back into the capsule box.

Korin was flabbergasted by that action. He did not wonder anymore why he couldn't mount the pure Nimbus.

Then Darc ate one bean and was full to the brim. It was amazing and he felt a lot of strength surging inside him.

After finishing up downstairs they went back up. Korin explained to him if he could grab that jug he could drink the real divine water. The real water was after all not just sitting there in the middle.

It didn't really take him much time at all to catch Korin and get the water.But he still used up 4 hours in the cat and mouse game and that only because Korin had some nasty tricks

prepared.

Darc actually had some fun learning how Korin moved and learned the afterimage technique from him while trying to catch him. It was an unexpected harvest.

Considering the benefits he got while staying here he didn't really mind to have spent the 4 hours.

Now he also still got to drink the divine water and maximize his benefits. But this one is a dangerous one. Goku nearly died of this...

So after preparing mentally, he gulped e cup of that water down his throat. He knew the water was kinda nasty when one is unlucky but for him, nothing really happened and he also didn't really feel much different from before. That kinda surprised him and he looked at Korin weirdly.

"Weird", added Korin after seeing no reaction from him. People died from that water but on him, it had no effect?

"Alright, since we are finished here I will be going then" he jumped unto his Nimbus after calling it. "See ya later, Korin!", Darc yelled and waved after flying upwards with his Nimbus to Kami´s lookout. Korin only looked after him.

It was still day so it was good.