Collecting the seven Dragon Balls might take a normal person a lifetime, but for Goku and his friends, it had become almost routine. Thanks to Bulma's genius invention—the Dragon Radar—they could summon Shenron whenever they wished, as long as the orbs had cooled down after their one-year cycle.
Thinking of this, Chiga turned to Bulma.
"Bulma, I need to borrow your Dragon Radar."
Bulma blinked in surprise. "Huh? Are you going to look for the Dragon Balls too?"
"Yes," Chiga said simply. "I need the Dragon's help to find someone. In return, I'll lend a hand if Earth ever faces another crisis."
Bulma waved her hand dismissively. "No need for any exchange. You already saved us once. Compared to that, this is nothing!"
Chiga gave a small smile. "Then aren't you afraid I might use the Dragon Balls for something bad?"
"How could that be?" Bulma chuckled, poking his chest. "If you really wanted to do bad things, you'd have done it long ago. You wouldn't need the Dragon Balls for that."
Amused, Chiga watched as Bulma fetched the device and pressed it into his hand. "Here, and don't worry—it's easy to use. Just follow the beeps."
He nodded, quickly grasping how it worked. As he was about to leave, Bulma's voice stopped him.
"Chiga, take me with you! I haven't gone on an adventure in so long. I kind of miss it—the thrill of searching for the Dragon Balls."
He hesitated only a moment before nodding. "Of course."
Bulma's face lit up with surprise. "Really? That's great! Give me a minute to pack—"
Before she could finish, Chiga placed a hand on her shoulder. "No need for that. It won't take long. We might find them all by this afternoon."
"Huh? Don't joke like that! Even with the radar, they're scattered all over the world. Just traveling would take forever, even for Goku with his Flying Nimbus."
Chiga chuckled. "It's not as troublesome as you think. Just stand beside me."
He glanced at the radar—one of the Dragon Balls was eight thousand kilometers away. Bulma leaned closer to check.
"This one's so far! Let me at least—"
Before she could move, a black vortex opened beneath them. Chiga pulled her gently inside, and in the next instant, they stood amidst a scorching desert.
Bulma's eyes went wide. The endless dunes stretched in every direction, and the dry wind carried the taste of sand. It took her a moment to realize she wasn't dreaming.
She looked down at the radar—its signal pulsed brightly. "We're… right next to it. You just teleported us eight thousand kilometers…"
Chiga gave a quiet smile.
"S-So who are you really?" Bulma asked, staring at him. "Don't tell me you're just a normal high schooler anymore."
"If I told you I was a god," Chiga said with a teasing smile, "would you believe me?"
Bulma laughed. "I believe you! But isn't God that green guy who looks like Piccolo?"
"Well," Chiga said wryly, "there are different kinds of gods."
"Exactly! You're more like what I imagine a god should be!"
"Don't judge by looks," he said lightly. "The Earth's Guardian may not be strong, but he's a good and diligent god."
Bulma stuck out her tongue playfully. "I was just joking!"
She had grown unexpectedly comfortable around him. Without hesitation, she moved closer, taking his hand to steady the radar between them.
"Even with the signal, finding one tiny Dragon Ball in a place like this will take ages. Luckily, I brought my Capsule House—"
Chiga raised a hand. "No need. I have another way."
He snapped his fingers. "ROOM: Scan."
An invisible wave rippled through the desert. A second later, a golden orb appeared in Chiga's hand—the Six-Star Ball.
Bulma gawked. "…"
He smiled calmly.
With that same efficiency, they went from volcanoes to oceans, from tiny villages to bustling cities. Before long, Chiga had gathered six of the seven Dragon Balls. Only the Four-Star Ball remained.
Bulma pouted. "You don't even need the radar for the last one. Goku has it. We can just go see him."
Chiga chuckled. "Alright. But after this, I have something I must do. Next time, I'll take you on a proper adventure. Consider it a promise."
"You'd better keep your word!"
"Of course. Gods don't lie."
Her mood brightened instantly. "Then let's go find Goku!"
---
At Baozi Mountain, two figures clashed high above the clouds—Goku and Piccolo, their fierce aura shaking the air.
Down below, Gohan cheered them on while Vegeta, tied up and fuming, struggled against his bindings.
"Hey, brat! Can you stop yelling? You're giving me a headache!"
Gohan flinched and turned apologetically. "Sorry, Uncle Vegeta! I didn't mean to—"
"Hmph!" Vegeta snorted. "You and your father are both ridiculous. Sometimes I can't believe you're even Saiyan."
"I'm not! I'm an Earthling," Gohan said meekly.
"Tch. Idiotic father and son," Vegeta muttered. "Just sit there quietly and stop annoying me."
"O-Okay…" Gohan obeyed, sitting cross-legged.
Just as Vegeta sighed in relief, a cold, steady voice came from behind him.
"Vegeta, is it fun bullying a child?"
____
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