The helicopter landed in a cloud of dust near the base of Fire Mountain. Master Roshi stepped out, squinting up at the flames that had been burning for who knew how long.
"Still going strong," he muttered, then cracked his knuckles. "Stand back, all of you."
Haruko pulled the group away from the old master, who was already settling into a wide stance. His muscles tensed, energy building visibly around him like heat shimmer.
"Ka... me... ha... me..." Roshi's voice grew deeper with each syllable.
The air itself seemed to hold its breath.
"HA!"
The beam that erupted from his hands wasn't just light — it was raw force made visible, cutting through the mountain's fire like it was nothing. The flames died instantly, leaving only smoking rock and scattered debris.
And from the ruins, something orange and perfectly round bounced down the slope.
"A Dragon Ball!" Goku shouted, diving to catch it before it could roll away.
While Roshi and Ox King talked in low voices about old times, Chi-Chi approached her father with careful steps.
"Father... could I join their adventure?" she asked quietly.
Ox King looked from his daughter to the group loading back into the helicopter. "You're sure about this?"
She nodded firmly. "I want to see what's out there."
"Then go," he said with a small smile. "But be careful."
The next Dragon Ball came from a desert cave — simple enough, just waiting in the sand like it had been placed there. But the final one...
"That's a fortress," Yamcha said, staring at the massive structure ahead of them.
Haruko studied it through the helicopter's windshield. Emperor Pilaf's stronghold. He knew this place would be dangerous — not just for the obvious traps, but because Goku's physical strength couldn't fight off poison gas or similar threats.
"We go in quiet," Haruko said. "Everyone stays close."
They didn't stay quiet for long.
The fortress was a maze of triggered floors, spinning blades, and walls that moved without warning. One by one, they dodged, jumped, and fought their way deeper.
Then the walls started closing in from all sides.
Haruko planted his feet, muscles straining as he pushed back against the stone. His strength alone wasn't enough, but it bought them seconds. The floor beneath them gave way, dropping them through separate chutes.
Goku, Chi-Chi, Yamcha, and Oolong landed hard in a transparent glass chamber. Above them, through the clear ceiling, the full moon shone down like a spotlight.
Goku's breathing changed first. Then his heartbeat, visible in the pulse at his throat.
"Something's wrong with him," Chi-Chi whispered.
Yamcha's eyes flicked upward to the moon, and his face went pale. "Everyone get back! He's going to transform!"
The glass around them began to crack as Goku's body expanded, fur sprouting, size doubling and tripling. His roar shook the entire fortress.
While the others dealt with the rampaging Great Ape, Haruko fought through trap after trap, following the Dragon Radar's insistent beeping. Pressure plates, dart shooters, more spinning blades — he moved through them like he'd memorized the pattern.
In the central chamber, sitting on a pedestal like it was waiting for him, was the final Dragon Ball.
The moment he grabbed it, the fortress began to shake apart.
By the time he made it back to the others, Yamcha and Oolong had managed to cut through Goku's tail. The Great Ape collapsed, shrinking back down to the small boy they knew.
"Haruko nee-san!" Goku ran toward him as soon as he woke up. "Did you get all the balls?"
Haruko nodded, pulling out all seven. As they formed a circle on the ground, they began to glow.
"Shenron, come forth!" Haruko called.
The sky darkened. Light erupted from the balls, spiraling upward into the form of a massive green dragon with burning red eyes.
"State your wish," Shenron commanded.
"Goku," Haruko said quietly. "Make your wish."
"I want to bring back my grandpa!" Goku said without hesitation.
The dragon's eyes flared brighter, but when they fixed on Haruko, something strange happened — a flicker, like confusion.
"Your grandfather's soul speaks," Shenron said finally. "Goku... my time on Earth is finished. I am in the spirit world now. You must take care of yourself, eat properly, and train. Your tail is your weakness. I heard you wanted to revive me with these magical balls. I am proud of you, but you don't need to bring me back."
Goku's face fell, tears starting at the corners of his eyes.
"Your wish remains unused," Shenron said. "You may ask for something else."
Goku looked up at Haruko. "Brother... what's your wish?"
Haruko thought quickly. "Shenron, can you send us to Planet Yardrat?"
"No. I do not have interplanetary travel power."
"Can you give me a bracelet that controls gravity?"
"Sorry. I cannot create such a device. But I can give you the knowledge to build one through science."
Haruko paused, then remembered the four-dimensional pocket hidden in his belongings. "Can you provide a computer containing all knowledge of martial arts techniques and scientific principles?"
Shenron considered this. "Yes. This can be done."
A sleek, compact device materialized in front of Haruko — far more advanced than anything from this time period.
High above, in Kami's Lookout, the old guardian frowned. Why hadn't Shenron disappeared after refusing the first wish? And why was he granting what seemed like a second wish to the same group?
Something was different about these visitors.
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