Chapter 3: The Trio’s Adventure

Outside the car.

"That big fish is my prey, monster!"

Goku raised his Power Pole and shouted angrily.

He glared warily at the strange-looking creature in front of him. It was incredibly fast - faster than any beast he had hunted before. He couldn't afford to drop his guard.

Inside the car, Su Ming and Bulma exchanged glances before quickly getting out.

"Little guy, are you okay?" Bulma asked with concern.

"There's another monster inside the monster!"

Startled, Goku backed away, holding the Power Pole tightly and taking a defensive stance.

Su Ming instinctively stepped in front of Bulma. Even though he knew Goku wouldn't attack, his body moved on its own. It had become a habit.

"We're not monsters. We're humans - just like you."

Su Ming could feel the faint ki inside Goku's body. In terms of strength, he was likely ten times stronger than the boy.

His training hadn't been in vain. The newly refined super serum had brought terrifying improvements to his physique.

After some explanation, Goku finally lowered his guard and warmly invited Su Ming and Bulma to his home.

Naturally, they accepted and followed him. Before long, they arrived at a small house.

It wasn't exactly shabby, but it definitely wasn't anything impressive.

Goku dropped the prey he had been carrying and headed straight for the house.

"Ah! Grandpa spoke!"

The moment he stepped inside, Goku exclaimed in shock.

Su Ming and Bulma exchanged looks. Hadn't he just said earlier that his grandfather had passed away?

How could a dead person speak? Was this place haunted?

Bulma's knees went weak at the thought. She jumped into Su Ming's arms, clinging tightly to his neck in fear.

"Don't be scared. I'm here," Su Ming reassured her, already used to this reaction.

Knowing the plot well, he already understood what Goku meant when he said "Grandpa spoke."

It was just the Four-Star Dragon Ball reacting to the other Dragon Balls in their possession - it had begun to glow.

Carrying Bulma into the house, Su Ming immediately spotted the orange orb flashing brilliantly on a nearby table.

"Su Ming, look! It's a Dragon Ball! Goku actually has one!"

Seeing it, Bulma's fear instantly vanished. She slipped down from Su Ming's arms, clutched his sleeve excitedly, and beamed with joy. She hadn't expected such a great start to their journey.

"Yeah, I see it. Don't get too excited - you might scare the kid," Su Ming said helplessly.

Bulma stuck out her tongue cutely and tried to calm down.

Now with this one, they had three Dragon Balls. They were getting closer to gathering all seven and summoning Shenron.

"Goku, didn't you say just now that your grandpa spoke?"

Su Ming feigned curiosity. "Where is your grandpa?"

Goku held up the Dragon Ball and turned to them. "This is Grandpa. It's the first time I've seen it flash like this."

Bulma froze, a black line forming on her forehead.

She had just been scared by a glowing ball.

How embarrassing. So humiliating.

She wished she could find a hole to crawl into and never come out again.

"Goku, take a look at this," Su Ming said with a grin, curious to see how Goku would react to seeing three Dragon Balls.

Goku stared, stunned. "Grandpa… there are three Grandpas?"

Bulma placed the other Dragon Balls on the table. "These are called Dragon Balls. They glow because they resonate with each other. Let's line them up and see."

Goku, still a little confused, placed his Four-Star Ball beside the others.

The next moment, the glow intensified.

"Whoa! Amazing!"

Goku's eyes sparkled as he shouted in excitement.

"Goku, we actually came here to find the Dragon Balls -"

Su Ming began, but before he could finish, Goku quickly snatched back his Four-Star Ball.

"No way! This is the only thing Grandpa left me. I can't give it to you."

He wasn't trying to be stingy. He just didn't want to lose the last thing that reminded him of his grandfather.

"We're not trying to take it," Bulma said quickly. "We just want to borrow it. We'll give it back after we're done using it."

She didn't want their journey to end before it even began.

Their adventure was only just starting - giving up now would be way too soon.

"No! Grandpa is mine! I won't lend him to you!"

Goku clutched the Dragon Ball like a cub protecting its mother, even pulling out his Power Pole again.

Bulma threw her hands up in frustration and stepped back, looking helplessly at Su Ming. Her eyes said: Your turn.

Su Ming nodded.

"Goku, I can tell you're skilled in martial arts. Don't you want to travel the world and meet other powerful fighters?"

"Grow stronger. Open your mind. Explore the world."

"Bulma and I are searching for the Dragon Balls across the globe. We'll definitely run into many adventures."

"You can bring your Dragon Ball with you and travel with us. When we've gathered all seven, we'll use them for a little while and then return yours - promise."

Goku's resistance softened.

He was born to fight. He had stayed on Mount Paozu for so long with no one to spar with. Su Ming's proposal hit him right where it counted.

Just imagining battles with strong martial artists made him burn with excitement.

"I'll come with you," Goku said. "But you have to return Grandpa to me after!"

"That goes without saying," Su Ming agreed. "We just want to summon Shenron. After that, we won't need the Dragon Balls anymore."

Hearing that, Bulma lit up. Goku agreeing - even with conditions - meant they were one step closer to gathering all seven Dragon Balls.

Sure, it meant they had picked up a third wheel on their journey, but she didn't mind.

Goku was short - probably no older than ten - and clearly still a clueless kid.

Even if she and Su Ming got a little romantic, Goku wouldn't understand a thing.

And just like that, their trio was formed, and a new adventure began.

This time, with Su Ming around, the car didn't break down.

He drove. Bulma sat in the passenger seat. Goku sat in the back, looking curiously around at everything. He didn't understand how this legless creature - this "car" - could run so fast.

Halfway through the drive, Bulma pressed her legs together, her face flushed red.

Su Ming immediately noticed the change and asked softly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Bulma stayed silent. She was too embarrassed to say it in front of him - she needed to pee. No way she could admit that. It would ruin her big-sister image.

But she couldn't hold it anymore.

Hmm?

The car gradually slowed to a stop.

"Bulma, wait here a sec. I need to take a leak."

With that, Su Ming opened the door and got out.

Bulma let out a silent sigh of relief and quickly jumped out as well.

She had been holding it in forever. If not for clenching her legs the whole time, she would've had an accident already and that would've been a huge embarrassment.