Chapter 160: Arranging Son Gohan
"Hey, beast—you're just letting him go like that?"
Seeing Nana's confusion, Franklin shook the Soul Blade in front of her.
"Didn't I show you the item's effects clearly back in the game? You forgot already?"
Looking at the dark dagger in Franklin's hand, faintly shrouded in black mist, Bulma and Momo instantly understood.
"Franklin, no matter what this dagger can do… is it really okay to let him go? You said he slaughtered a lot of people."
Seeing the worry in Goku's eyes, Franklin scratched his head with a smile.
"I shouldn't lie to you, so I'll just tell the truth.
Just now was all an act.
I was putting on a show for Vegeta behind his scouter—and even for Vegeta's boss, Frieza.
The real Raditz is already dead.
The Raditz you saw just now? That was me.
I took over his body. I let him 'go' so he could infiltrate the enemy's ranks and get familiar with their temperament.
As the saying goes—know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never lose.
With an insider feeding us information, things will be much easier."
Hearing this, Goku felt an indescribably complicated emotion rise in his chest.
One brother connected to him by blood, but whom he never met until today—and who turned out to be a mass-murdering monster.
Another man, not related by blood, who had taken care of him since childhood, even covering their household expenses through his shares.
Now that man—Franklin, who treated him better than a real brother—had killed his blood brother Raditz.
Goku felt… strange.
"It's normal to feel conflicted," Franklin said calmly.
"The situation is complicated, and whatever you feel is fine.
But there's one thing you need to remember:
Sooner or later, a fighter with a battle power over a hundred million might come looking for trouble on Earth.
Even if he doesn't come here, I'm going to cause trouble for him.
And I'll need your help.
He's a heavyweight of the galaxy's dark side.
Only by killing him can we scatter the dark forces back into chaos.
Otherwise, all it takes is someone putting a bounty out to destroy Earth, and our species—which can't survive in a vacuum—would be finished.
We need to make it clear we're not easy targets."
"Uh… Franklin, aren't you thinking too far ahead?"
Seeing Goku scratching his head with his usual innocent look, Franklin sighed helplessly.
"Not far at all. Someone has already put a bounty on me.
Next time they might skip the fight and just send someone with battle power in the hundreds of thousands to blow up Earth.
We'd all be dead before seeing who did it."
Franklin's reasoning made Goku's expression immediately turn serious.
"You're right, Franklin. I'll go train at the Lookout for now.
If you need me, just come find me there."
"Lin, with Zastin watching from space, something like that shouldn't happen," Lala said.
Her interruption instantly dissolved the tension—except Goku didn't relax.
If anything, he grew more determined.
"Princess Lala, Franklin's right. Relying on others is never enough.
Only strength is real security.
If something has even the slightest chance of happening, we should prepare."
Bulma glanced at Goku in surprise.
"You're even learning to talk like him now. Really not like you… but you're right.
Stopping things before they happen is best."
Hiratsuka Shizuka and Yui Kotegawa were still completely stunned.
Everything that happened today had shattered their worldview again and again until there was nothing left to break.
"Alright, that's enough for now.
Vegeta and Nappa won't be coming to Earth for a while.
We've got some peace ahead.
Everyone go home.
Krillin, Momo—next time, be more careful.
There are countless races in the galaxy, and you'd better watch what you say.
Luckily Krillin didn't freak out and even offered a few senzu beans to my father-in-law, otherwise things would've gotten messy."
Krillin and Momo approached, and Franklin turned to Goku.
"Remember—train Gohan well. That kid's a treasure.
The future branching evolution of Saiyan bloodlines depends on him.
His Saiyan and human blood have fused perfectly.
With his talent, he'll find new paths to power faster than anyone.
Most of my effort is going into ascending life dimensions, so I'll mostly be picking up whatever's left behind him in terms of Saiyan development.
I'm counting on you to guide him.
If Chi-Chi disagrees, tell her this:
As long as Gohan learns basic literacy and how to behave, that's enough.
His future—marriage, career, everything—leave it to me.
What I plan for him is something she can't even imagine."
"Don't worry, Franklin—I understand.
Gohan is studying with the tutor Chi-Chi hired right now.
When I go to the Lookout, I'll bring him along.
If Chi-Chi objects, I'll tell her what you said."
With Goku settled, Franklin looked upward.
A flash of white light descended, and the group vanished.
Goku exhaled slowly at the empty space, determination hardening in his eyes.
"My bottleneck finally broke. I can feel my power climbing.
Now it's time to aim even higher.
Franklin… let's see who grows stronger and more stable."
The white light faded, and all nine of them appeared inside the teleportation chamber.
In front of them, Zastin stood behind a childlike figure—Franklin's father-in-law.
"Uh… Father-in-law, why are you this small again?"
"Hiding power. Playing dumb.
You should know these tricks better than I do."
Hearing that classic novel phrase, Franklin was speechless.
"Yeah, I get it.
Right—when is Mother-in-law coming to Earth? I can help resolve her bloodline issue sooner."
Gid nodded calmly.
"I stayed here to ask exactly that.
Are you sure you can fix Sephie's problem?"
Franklin matched his calmness and shook his head.
"I never make promises I can't keep.
I won't say something I can't deliver.
I'd say I'm eighty to ninety percent confident."
"Eighty or ninety… that's enough.
Sephie's been busy cleaning up the mess in the galaxy.
She won't reach Earth for a while.
Give me one of your pills first.
I'll have someone test it.
If it doesn't do much, I'll warn you early—
I don't want her excited to come to Earth only to be disappointed by you.
If that happens, I will beat you up."