Bulma piloted the submarine deeper and deeper through the underwater tunnel, weaving through the rock passage for what felt like forever.
Then—suddenly—
They surfaced.
Bulma's eyes widened.
"Huh? That's weird… we came out?"
Goku scanned the surroundings once.
"This isn't outside. It's a special area deeper in the cave."
Bulma nodded quickly.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But the submarine can't go any further… and they're about to catch up. We should hurry!"
Goku rubbed his chin.
"Why run? Just wipe them out."
Bulma immediately shook her head.
"Don't be impulsive! If they collapse the cave, we'll get trapped in here."
Goku blinked at her.
"…That's actually pretty cautious."
"Obviously. I'm not reckless like you."
They climbed onto the rocky shore and headed inward.
The deeper they went, the darker it became—until the path was barely visible.
Bulma stared at the radar, her voice turning uneasy.
"Are you sure we'll actually find the Dragon Ball if we keep going in?
What if we get buried in here…?
Shouldn't we go back?"
Her courage started to waver.
Goku spoke gently.
"Don't worry, Bulma. There's definitely another exit. Trust me.
And even if we do get trapped… I'll blast through the rock with a Kamehameha."
Bulma looked at him, startled—then her shoulders relaxed.
"…You really are reassuring."
Just then—
Lights snapped on overhead.
One lamp after another lit up in sequence, illuminating the tunnel ahead like a runway.
Bulma froze.
"What—what's happening?!"
Goku scratched the back of his head.
"There was a switch. I just pressed it, and everything turned on…"
Bulma's expression shifted instantly.
"…Why would there be lights here?"
Then realization hit her.
"I get it. We're not the first people to enter this cave.
This is probably some secret organization's base."
As they walked, something on the ground made Bulma scream.
"AAAAAH—!"
She stumbled backward and grabbed onto Goku's back like a life raft.
Goku glanced down.
A skeleton.
And among the brittle bones—tattered scraps of what looked like pirate clothing.
"This should be a pirate… looks like we wandered into a pirate hideout.
If so… there might be treasure."
"T-Treasure…?"
Bulma shivered hard.
"Goku, I have no interest in money. Let's leave."
Goku chuckled.
"Don't be scared. With me here, you won't be in danger. Follow me."
He strode forward like he owned the place.
Bulma hesitated, then forced herself to move.
"…Yeah. It's just a pirate stash.
We don't even fear guns and cannons anymore. It should be fine."
Soon, the tunnel widened—
And a modern-looking corridor appeared.
But the floor, walls, and even the ceiling were riddled with tiny holes—hundreds of them.
Bulma stared.
"This suddenly looks… really weird."
Goku's eyes narrowed.
"No surprises there. A corridor this long is probably packed with traps."
He stepped forward.
Instantly—two arrows shot out from the walls!
Goku's hands blurred.
He caught both arrows cleanly.
"See? I called it."
Bulma's forehead beaded with sweat.
"Thank goodness I didn't step there… so how do we get across?"
Goku looked at her like it was obvious.
"You forgot? I can fly. I'll carry you."
Bulma's knees felt weak just imagining one misstep and getting pierced into a pincushion.
"…Then… princess carry me."
"Alright."
Goku lifted off.
In one smooth motion, he scooped Bulma into his arms and held her close.
Bulma's face instantly warmed—just a little too red.
She muttered dreamily,
"If you were older right now… and had eight-pack abs for me to lean on… that'd be perfect."
Then she got bolder.
"How about this—once we gather the Dragon Balls, let's wish you to grow up. Same age as me. What do you think?"
Goku shook his head.
"Next time. This set of Dragon Balls has something else I need."
Bulma's shoulders drooped.
"…Oh. Okay."
Goku didn't slow down at all.
Like a streak of light, he zipped over the trapped corridor in an instant and landed safely on the other side.
Bulma finally exhaled.
"Whew… that was so tense!"
"Let's keep going."
"Mm!"
They walked further—
Then the world opened up.
A massive underground harbor appeared before them.
Bulma couldn't help blurting out,
"This is unbelievable… there's a whole world in here!"
Goku nodded.
"Yeah. A harbor this big… and it's not even being used. What a waste."
Bulma studied the old, broken cruise ship docks and rotten platforms.
"If there's a harbor, then besides the way we came in… there must be another exit."
Just then—
A giant robot holding a huge sword stepped into their path.
Bulma shrieked.
"Waaah—ghost!"
She immediately hid behind Goku again.
Goku sighed.
"It's not a ghost. It's just a robot."
The robot raised its blade and charged.
Goku pulled out the Power Pole, gathered strength, and swung—
BOOM!
The robot shattered into scrap with a single hit.
But even that small impact made the entire cavern tremble.
Goku's expression changed.
"Bulma—move. Quickly. Deeper inside!"
"O-Okay…!"
Behind them, the Red Ribbon forces finally arrived.
"Report, General! Their submarine is here, but they've left.
Also—when they exited, they didn't bring any weapons."
A soldier added confidently,
"They probably escaped in a rush and forgot their weapons."
General Blue's lips curled into a nasty grin.
"So they relied on powerful weapons to kill Silver and wipe White's base.
But if they're unarmed… they're just two kids."
"Chase them. We've already won."
"And when you see them—kill them immediately. No mercy."
"Yes, sir!"
The Red Ribbon soldiers were well-equipped—and they had flashlights.
They surged forward like a tide, the tunnel lit almost like daylight.
"Charge!!"
General Blue followed leisurely, amused.
"There's no way out here.
The Dragon Ball and the treasure are mine. Hehehe…"
Then—
Screams erupted ahead.
General Blue's eyes sharpened.
"What happened?!"
He rushed forward.
And found a horrifying scene.
His men were pinned through the body—arrows everywhere—nearly wiped out.
General Blue's breath caught.
"…A trap?!"
But he recovered almost instantly, his mind working fast.
"No."
"This trap was pre-set. They didn't make it on the spot."
"This corridor is covered in mechanisms… no one could cross it normally."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Unless… they can fly."
He paced, studying the walls.
"If pirates built these traps, they'd still need to pass through themselves."
"So there has to be a secret route… or a switch."
After searching, his hand found a hidden button.
"Found it."
He pressed it.
A stone door slid open, revealing a concealed passage.
General Blue smiled darkly.
"Of course there's a mechanism."
"Heh… even if I'm alone now—if you're unarmed, I'll kill you in seconds."
And with that—
General Blue slipped into the hidden tunnel, hunting them deeper into the seabed vault.
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