[38]. Encountering Goku

Two small figures streaked across the sky, cutting through the air with explosive force. The gusts from their passing stirred up waves of energy, and the whiskers of the cat-like being atop Korin Tower were plastered to its cheeks from the wind.

"What are these two up to now?"

Cat Hermit frowned, squinting through the forceful breeze. "Shouldn't they be training up in the Heavenly Realm? Why are they suddenly back here?"

As the two glowing white auras rapidly approached, just before reaching Korin Tower, Kaso and Ausbi'er abruptly withdrew their energy. The air calmed instantly.

!?

Cat Hermit stared in disbelief, as if a lightning bolt had cracked open the sky above his head.

They actually managed to completely suppress their ki?

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then froze, realizing… ki couldn't be seen in the first place.

"Hello there!"

Kaso landed lightly on the tower platform, waving in greeting.

Cat Hermit stared at him like he was a ghost. Kaso raised a hand to feel his own face—there was nothing unusual, so why the shocked expression?

Cat Hermit's reaction wasn't without reason. In the anime, Goku had only mastered the use of ki after training in the Heavenly Realm for three years post-defeating King Piccolo. And now these two kids, in less than a month…?

Cat Hermit's paw trembled slightly as he pointed at Kaso.

"Y-you… you've mastered using ki?"

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

Kaso blinked innocently.

Cat Hermit was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Ausbi'er tilted her head at him curiously.

"Kaso-gege, is he… dumb?"

She whispered it, but not quietly enough.

Cat Hermit: "..."

Kaso chuckled softly. This little girl never changes.

Realizing the misunderstanding, Kaso guessed that his sudden suppression of ki must've startled Cat Hermit. After all, no one else in the Dragon Ball world had ever progressed so quickly in mastering ki, aside from Goku much later.

Maybe… it's the result of my fused soul.

Kaso considered the idea. Ever since arriving in this world, his comprehension had always felt extraordinary.

"Kaso-gege, what are you thinking about?" Ausbi'er asked, poking his side.

"Nothing." He smiled, reaching over to rub her head affectionately.

At this moment, Cat Hermit finally regained his composure. "So… what are you here for?"

Kaso got to the point.

"I heard you have a kind of bean. One that keeps you full for ten days with just a single bite."

"You mean the Senzu Beans?"

"Yep."

"I do have some… but those are meant for martial artists who climb Korin Tower. They won't be of much use to you two," Cat Hermit said, scratching his head with a claw.

No use?

Kaso almost burst out laughing. These life-saving miracle beans were essential, especially in the later arcs where Goku and the others practically had to ration them like gold. And here this cat was, casually dismissing them?

He decided it was time to negotiate.

"Would you be willing to part with some of your beans? I can trade something valuable for them."

"Oh? What do you have in mind?"

Cat Hermit might not have realized how precious the beans were, but they were rare. He wouldn't just give them away for nothing.

Perfect.

Kaso smiled inwardly. He had intentionally framed the offer this way—first suggesting he be gifted some, and then offering a trade. That gave Cat Hermit the illusion of choice, and made him more agreeable to the idea.

"How about… fish?" Kaso asked.

"Fish?"

Cat Hermit's ears perked up. His eyes suddenly gleamed.

"Yes, lots of fish."

"I-I mean, sure! Twenty fish per bean!"

Then he paused, realizing he might've come off too eager.

He coughed twice and tried to sound serious.

"If that's too much, then ten fish per bean works too. You have to understand, Senzu Beans are rare and—"

"No need. Twenty fish per bean it is," Kaso replied without hesitation.

Cat Hermit blinked in surprise, but Kaso's face remained blank—even as he was celebrating like mad inside.

Twenty fish for one senzu bean? Even two thousand fish would be worth it!

"Stay here, Ausbi'er. I'll be right back."

Kaso disappeared in an instant.

In less than ten minutes, he reappeared—with a thud.

Ausbi'er's eyes widened. "Back already?"

Kaso had first made a pit stop at a Capsule Corp branch, where he "borrowed" several dozen capsules. Then he dove into the ocean, hauling in entire schools of fish, stuffing the capsules full.

Now standing atop Korin Tower again, he pressed a button on one of the capsules.

Boom!

A large container appeared on the platform.

"I've got dozens of these full," Kaso said coolly.

He opened the first container—fish spilled out in a torrent, flopping onto the floor in heaps.

"F-FISH!!!"

Cat Hermit's pupils shrank.

It had been over a hundred years since he'd had seafood. Just the smell was enough to make his whiskers tremble.

"I'll give you all my beans!" Cat Hermit screamed, nearly leaping into the pile like a cat at feeding time.

Kaso: "..."

Guess I'm a good guy now.

He chuckled, watching the white-furred creature roll around in the fish.

Kaso walked over to the corner where Cat Hermit had pointed earlier. Three wooden barrels were stacked neatly, lids on top.

He opened them one by one—his breath caught.

Full. Absolutely packed with senzu beans.

His hand trembled slightly as he grabbed a capsule and began filling it with beans. This wasn't just a treasure—it was a lifeline for the Saiyans in the future.

However, just as he was about to empty the third barrel—

Kaso paused.

Then he set it down, only taking two-thirds of the last barrel.

Leave a little behind… for Goku.

The image of Goku in the original story, desperate and rationing beans during battles, flashed through his mind.

"Cat Hermit," he said over his shoulder. "You do know the real value of these beans, right? They don't just feed you. They can heal even near-fatal injuries instantly."

Cat Hermit was still face-deep in fish, but paused, blinking. "Huh?"

Kaso didn't wait for a response. He took Ausbi'er's hand and launched back into the sky.

Left behind on the tower, Cat Hermit sat up and thought carefully.

He had always known senzu beans could keep a person full, but… healing injuries?

And it was true—over the years, barely any martial artists had climbed Korin Tower. He hadn't used the beans for anything serious in ages.

Maybe he had forgotten their true potential.

"…Maybe I should talk to Kami about this," Cat Hermit muttered, then glanced at the enormous fish pile behind him.

His heart twitched.

"…That kid's too generous. Wasteful brat!"

High in the sky, two figures streaked across the clouds.

"Kaso-gege, where are we going now?"

Ausbi'er fluttered beside him.

"You'll see soon."

They soared over deep mountain valleys, forests teeming with wild beasts, and winding dirt trails.

Eventually, a dome-shaped hill appeared—its shape unmistakably round and soft.

"Kaso-gege, that hill looks like a baozi!"

Ausbi'er licked her lips subconsciously.

Kaso laughed. "That's because it's called Mount Baozi."

This was where Goku had grown up with Grandpa Gohan. Later, he would live here again with Chi-Chi and Gohan.

Kaso narrowed his eyes.

If my timing's right, Kakarot should've landed on Earth by now.

Soon, a small hut came into view.

Inside this hut… was a Dragon Ball.

Kaso's plan was simple: borrow Goku's four-star Dragon Ball, make a radar, gather the rest, and wish for a hundred gravity chambers from Shenron.

He wanted every surviving Saiyan on Planet Sadala to have one.

Why only one chamber?

He suddenly paused in midair.

Wait—if Shenron could create more…

Why did I bother having Dr. Brief build one first?!

He shook his head. Never mind. Too late now.

Landing softly on the grass outside Goku's house, Ausbi'er looked around. "No one's home."

"They must be out."

Kaso wandered inside casually, glancing around. Nothing special here—just a humble home. But this was where it all began.

He spotted the Dragon Ball tucked into a dusty corner.

Found it.

The familiar four-star ball gleamed faintly in the evening sun. No matter what angle you looked from, the stars within stayed perfectly aligned.

Such a strange and mysterious object…

"Let's go." He tucked the orb away and led Ausbi'er back outside.

Flying high into the air, they looked over the mountain ranges painted orange by the setting sun.

Suddenly, Kaso saw something unusual—an old man walking through the trees, carrying a basket. Inside that basket…

A baby. With a tail.

Kaso's eyes widened.

Kakarot?!

He dove downward with Ausbi'er in tow.

In the valley below, Grandpa Gohan wandered with a worried frown, seemingly searching for something.

Sensing a strange presence, he looked up sharply—

Two kids. Flying.

"Flight technique!"

He gasped.

He remembered Master Roshi mentioning such a technique before—"Bukujutsu," the ability to soar through the sky unaided.

He'd once asked his master:

"Can you do it too, sensei?"

Master Roshi had replied by rolling his eyes.

Truth was, Roshi could have learned it, but since it was a Crane School technique, he looked down on it.

Now, seeing it first hand—performed by children, no less—Grandpa Gohan felt his worldview unravel.

"Hello, Grandpa!" Kaso landed with a smile.

"…H-hello…"

The old man looked them up and down. From their ki, they didn't seem any different from ordinary kids—but they could fly?

Who the heck were they?

Then he noticed the baby in his basket—and saw Kaso glance at the tail swaying over its side.

But Kaso had one too.

And so did the little girl.

Grandpa Gohan's eyes narrowed.

"What are these two… really?"

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