The afternoon sun streamed through the large windows, casting a warm, golden glow across the living room. The air was thick with the lingering scent of a hearty meal and a faint hint of wine, creating a lazy, comfortable atmosphere. In the kitchen, Monet was busy cleaning up, the sounds of running water and clinking dishes echoing softly. She had just prepared three full tables of food, enough to feed a small army, and while she was more tired than she'd been in a long time, she also felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Seeing her younger sister, Sugar, finally eating her fill without a care in the world, a genuine, innocent smile on her face again, made all the hard work feel completely worth it.
Meanwhile, Takero was sprawled out on the living room sofa like a king, letting out a contented burp. "Hmm, having a maid who can cook is pretty convenient," he mused, stroking his chin as he began to ponder a serious problem. "One maid preparing three tables of food is still a bit slow, though. The efficiency needs to improve. I guess I'll have to hire a few more maids in the future and put together a proper cooking team."
Nearby, little Sugar sat quietly on the carpet. She had her legs crossed and her back straight as she stared, unblinking, at the giant screen on the living room wall. Her big, watery eyes were glued to the show, and she looked so well-behaved it was endearing.
After resting for a bit, Takero started to feel bored. He grabbed the remote control and flicked on the television. The screen lit up with colorful images, and he began to flip through the channels. After going through them all, he realized there were very few programs, and the quality was disappointingly low. It was mostly dry news broadcasts or cheap-looking song and dance shows. The only thing that caught his interest was a program called "Marine Warrior Sora," which was about a hero in a battle suit fighting against an evil army. Even that show had a dated, old-fashioned feel to it, like something from another century.
What he found most bizarre was that the "television" signal didn't come from an antenna or a satellite. Instead, it was broadcast by a strange, living creature that looked like a snail—a Transponder Snail. It used some principle he couldn't begin to understand to project images onto the screen.
"Hey, you've got to be kidding me," he complained to himself. "What kind of backwater place is this? The technology here is all wrong. How can they have this kind of crazy bio-technology but be so behind on everything else?"
Despite his complaints, Sugar was completely captivated. Her small face was filled with tension as she followed the story, her emotions rising and falling with the action on screen. When the hero, Sora, was in trouble, she would clench her little fists nervously. When he made a comeback, she would wave her arms in excitement. During the most thrilling moments, she couldn't stop herself from shouting in her small, high-pitched voice, "Go, Marine Warrior Sora! Beat those bad guys!"
Takero sighed and rubbed his temples. "Man, I really need to find West City soon." This life of luxury, where he was waited on hand and foot, was nice, but he felt like he didn't belong in this world. It was just too primitive and feudal. Everything was inconvenient, and it felt like he was living in medieval Europe. He missed the modern, high-tech cities he was used to, with their advanced internet and endless information. With his current strength, he could easily thrive in a modern city and enjoy a much more exciting life.
More importantly, he hadn't forgotten the other main reason he'd set out on this journey: to find the Dragon Balls. They were the ultimate cheat, a magical item that could grant any wish. Even with his system, which allowed him to get stronger through fighting, the Dragon Balls were still essential. There were some things the system couldn't easily give him, like eternal life and a perfect body that was immune to all poisons.
As a Saiyan, he was part of a powerful warrior race. They had long lifespans and stayed in their physical prime for decades, allowing them to maintain peak combat strength. Their powerful bodies also gave them incredible immune systems, making them resistant to most ordinary illnesses. But even that had its limits. No matter how long they stayed young, they would eventually grow old and die. He remembered a story from a future timeline where even the mighty Son Goku had been brought down by a simple heart virus.
Takero's ambition wasn't just to rule a small planet like Earth. Once he was strong enough, he planned to make the entire universe his playground. Space travel took a very long time and was full of dangers like unknown viruses and deadly cosmic radiation. He was determined to become the strongest being in the universe, and he wouldn't let things like lifespan or sickness get in his way. That's why he had to find the Dragon Balls and wish for immortality and immunity to all diseases.
Of course, finding seven small pearls scattered across a huge world was like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially since he didn't know his way around. The first step had to be finding the legendary City of Technology—West City. He needed to find the genius scientist Bulma and get the Dragon Ball Radar from her. Without it, finding the Dragon Balls was just an empty dream.
"Although, Bulma wants to use the Dragon Balls to wish for a handsome boyfriend," Takero thought with a confident smirk, touching his own handsome face. Even though he was still young, his sharp features were already starting to show. "I can definitely help her out with that little problem." A flicker of amusement crossed his mind. 'Sorry, Vegeta. I'm calling dibs on your future girlfriend.' The thought didn't bother him in the slightest.
With his goals clear, his plan started to take shape. First, he would use Ambri Island as a temporary base to gather information and figure out where West City and Bulma were. Then, he would get the Dragon Ball Radar and start his search for the pearls around the world.
"Yep, that's the plan," Takero nodded to himself, satisfied. "Now, I just need to wait for Tesoro to show up. He knows this part of the sea well, so he should be able to get me some useful information."
He now felt that his decision to demand Ambri Island from Doflamingo had been a brilliant move. His original idea was to "compensate" Shanks. Beating up a Celestial Dragon was completely justified in his eyes, but it had caused some trouble for the Red Hair Pirates, and he was willing to admit that. But since that scoundrel Shanks had abandoned him and run off, the island now belonged to him. It would serve as the perfect base of operations.
Just as he was finalizing his thoughts, a respectful voice came from outside the door. "Boss, are you awake? I've finished handling this morning's business and have come to report." It was Tesoro.