Goku tracked the last Dragon Ball to a transport vehicle speeding down a mountain road. He dropped from Kinto'un directly onto the hood, causing the car to screech to a halt.
Pilaf, Shu, and Mai tumbled out, all three freezing when they saw who it was.
"You!" Pilaf squeaked.
But Mai... Mai's reaction was different. Joy flashed across her face for just a moment—it had been a year since she'd seen him. Then immediately shame replaced it, and she turned her face away, unable to look at him.
Goku noticed her. A flicker of surprise crossed his features before he locked it down, his expression becoming stone. He acted like she was nobody—just another obstacle between him and the Dragon Ball.
"Hand it over," he said flatly.
"Never!" Pilaf shouted with false bravado. "Shu! Mai! Deploy the—"
They threw three capsules. Smoke cleared to reveal three combat robots.
Goku raised one hand, not even looking interested. Three ki blasts shot out simultaneously. The robots exploded before anyone could board them, the blast sending Pilaf's gang tumbling across the ground.
Goku walked toward them, the burning wreckage behind him casting him in flickering shadows, making him look like death itself.
Pilaf, trembling, held out the Dragon Ball with a submissive smile. "H-here! Take it!"
Goku grabbed it. His eyes moved to Mai.
She looked up at him, hope flickering in her eyes—like she was abandoning herself to whatever he decided. Waiting for him to say something, anything.
He broke the stare and jumped onto Kinto'un without a word.
"MAI! SHU! This is all your fault!" Pilaf shrieked behind him.
Shu hung his head in shame. But Mai just watched Goku disappear into the sky, her hand pressed against her chest.
Goku arrived back at Baba's arena to find everyone waiting.
"Did you get it?" Bulma asked eagerly.
He tossed her the Dragon Ball and jumped down from Kinto'un. Across the arena, the mysterious girl saw him and started bouncing excitedly, waving her arms frantically.
"Goku, do you remember—" Baba started from the other side.
"Yeah, yeah," Goku cut her off, jumping onto the arena and stretching.
Bulma followed him to the edge. "I don't know what's wrong with this little girl, but Baba didn't let us talk to her."
"Her strength and speed are above everyone I've fought..." Goku turned to them with a menacing smile, unable to hide his excitement. "I'm not gonna complain."
"FIX YOUR FACE FIRST!" Bulma and Oolong shouted at him.
The girl started entering the ring but stopped, running back to Baba. "Grandma, can I remove it? It's bothering me!"
"No! Keep it! You should train your weakness!" Baba replied sternly.
The girl pouted, looking angry for a moment, then immediately smiled again. "Okay, Grandma!" She ran back to the arena.
"Never seen anyone go through the stages of grief so fast," Goku muttered.
"Huh? Five steaks of beef?" She tilted her head, finger on her mouth, confused.
Baba gave the signal to start.
The girl immediately dashed toward Goku.
"Don't rush like that, idiot!" He threw a punch, but she vanished in front of him.
Now with his arm extended, Goku looked down. She was on her hands behind him, head down, feet up aimed at his stomach. Using her arm strength, she launched her legs at full force.
"This bitch—!"
Goku opened his extended hand and blasted a ki wave, forcing himself to lean backward. Her kicks missed mostly, just grazing his chin. The force lifted her from the ground. She rotated her upper body, using the momentum to kick at Goku's head.
He raised his arm to guard. The impact sent tingles through his arms—the kick was strong.
"She's incredible!" Krillin gasped.
"How is she keeping up with him?" Yamcha wondered.
Annoyed that she was leading the fight, Goku clenched his fist and launched a punch. She barely saw it coming and grabbed it with both hands while still in the air, getting pushed back but not hit.
"Hehehe, you can't hit me when I'm moving with your fist!" she laughed.
Goku smiled dangerously. "Are you sure?"
He opened the hand she was holding. A small ball of light began forming.
"Wawa!" She pushed off with her hands and used her foot on Goku's shoulder to dodge the ki blast. She landed in the distance, looking at Goku with stars in her eyes.
"WAAAAHHHHH! That's so cool! I'm so excited!"
Goku lifted his clenched fist, biting his lip, veins popping on his forehead. "This little b—"
"Calm down, Goku!" Krillin shouted.
"She's just a kid!" Yamcha added.
Roshi stroked his beard. "This girl... she's extraordinary."
Lunch crossed her arms, frustrated. "Why isn't he winning easily?"
The girl looked at her hand for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Baba asked.
"I feel something in my hand... Doesn't matter, let's continue!"
She dashed forward again, even faster. She was getting stronger as she fought.
This time Goku was more focused, eyes closed. She arrived in front of him, punch aimed at his face. Everything went slow-motion—Goku felt the wind crushing against his face, moving his hair. Just before impact, he opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist, stopping it inches away.
"You're pretty good, girl, but—"
Instantly, she opened her hand with a ki blast forming—just like Goku had done. She'd mimicked him perfectly.
Goku turned his head left, the blast burning some of his hair.
"Geh!" Everyone was stunned.
Even Goku, still holding her steaming hand, looked shocked. "Who taught you that?"
"You!" she answered cheerfully.
Goku looked puzzled, then understood—she'd learned it just now, just by watching him once.
She didn't give him time to process, throwing her other fist. He caught that too. While he was lost in thought about how incredible she was, waiting for another ki blast, he lowered his guard for everything else.
She used both feet to deliver a devastating knee to Goku's stomach. The sound was like thunder.
Everyone gasped at the impact. Goku folded over but still held her wrists. He didn't move, head down, expression hidden.
"Did I hurt you?" she asked innocently.
Goku lifted his head, pure rage on his face.
"GOKU, NO!" Baba shouted.
He let go of her wrists—only to bring a devastating punch from above, driving her into the arena floor. The shockwave pushed the audience back.
"GOKU, STOP!" Roshi yelled.
"You'll kill her!" Yamcha shouted, but neither dared approach, knowing one of those punches would be fatal.
Another punch. BOOM. Another. BOOM. Three total, each one shaking the entire arena.
"STOP THIS!" Baba screamed.
Goku grabbed her legs sticking out of the crater and threw her high into the sky. Blood droplets fell onto the arena and his face. She was barely conscious. As she fell, Goku raised his arm and fired a ki ball. It hit her mid-air, exploding. She crashed to the ground outside the arena, landing on her stomach, face in the dirt. Blood pooled—not a lot, but blood.
Bulma grabbed Goku, shaking him. "What did you do?!"
He blinked, rage clearing, and saw what he'd done to that little girl. He felt sick. He started toward her, but Baba's ghost servants blocked him.
"It was part of the fight," Baba said coldly, though her eyes showed concern. "Don't worry about it."
She carefully lifted the unconscious girl and carried her inside to heal her.
Goku stood there, fists clenched, her blood on his face, feeling something he rarely felt—genuine guilt.
"I've never seen him lose control like that," Yamcha said quietly.
"He just... snapped," Krillin added, still shaken. "That's not like Goku."
Launch looked confused. "I don't get it. Why was the match so close at first, but then Goku absolutely dominated at the end?"
Krillin and Roshi exchanged glances.
"Goku always restrains himself," Krillin explained. "He never allows himself to truly lash out because..."
"Because there's no one who can take it," Roshi finished, stroking his beard gravely. "His real strength would kill any normal opponent."
"I was sure he's incredible," Launch said, looking at Goku with admiration.
"No," Roshi shook his head. "It's the girl who's incredible."
"What?" Launch looked confused.
"She made him go all out," Krillin said softly. "She pushed him to the point where he lost control and used his real strength. And she survived."
They all looked at Goku, who was staring at his hand—the one that had delivered those devastating punches. Blood that wasn't his was drying on his knuckles. He slowly turned his gaze toward the building where Baba had taken the girl.
"She took three of those punches," Yamcha whispered. "Three punches that would've killed any of us instantly. And she's still breathing."
"Who the hell is that girl?" Bulma muttered.
Goku remained silent, still staring at where she'd disappeared, something unreadable in his expression.
Bulma watched Goku standing there, lost in his guilt. Seeing him like this hurt her in a way she didn't expect. She made up her mind and slowly approached from behind, reaching out to hug him—
"AAAAH FUCK!" Goku shouted suddenly, throwing a rock at the ground with such force it shattered.
Bulma yelped and fell on her butt, startled.
Goku turned and saw her on the ground. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, you idiot!" she said, blushing. "But seems like you made up your mind."
"Yeah!" He went to his bag and took the balls from Bulma, letting them slide onto the ground. Immediately, they began glowing with an otherworldly light.
"Come forth, Shenron!"
The sky darkened instantly, day becoming night in seconds. Thunder rolled without clouds. The seven balls pulsed with golden light before a massive beam shot skyward. The beam twisted and coiled, taking shape—scales, claws, magnificent antlers. The eternal dragon materialized, his serpentine body stretching impossibly high into the blackened sky, red eyes glowing like stars.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Yamcha stumbled backward.
"It's... it's real!" Bulma gasped, her scientific mind struggling to process what she was seeing.
"Incredible..." Roshi whispered.
Krillin couldn't even speak, just stared with his mouth hanging open.
Launch gripped her gun instinctively. "That's a fucking dragon!"
Oolong had fainted.
**"I AM THE ETERNAL DRAGON. STATE YOUR WISH, AND I SHALL GRANT IT."** The voice boomed like thunder, shaking the very ground.
Everyone looked at Goku, wondering what he would wish for—power? Immortality? Wealth?
"Fully heal that little girl I just beat!" Goku shouted.
"WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed.
Even Launch smiled slightly, despite her love of chaos.
**"EASY TASK..."** Shenron's eyes glowed bright red.
Inside the building, golden light enveloped the injured girl, her wounds closing instantly.
**"YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED. FAREWELL."**
The dragon became light again, spiraling back into the balls. The sky returned to normal as if nothing had happened. The Dragon Balls began to rise, ready to scatter—
Goku spotted the four-star ball and jumped, catching it before they could disperse across the world.
Krillin came running with Yamcha and the others. "You really used your wish for her? Are you sure?"
"I have everything—the power, the looks, the intelligence. I don't know what else to ask—"
"Humbleness," Oolong muttered.
"I don't eat pork, but I'll fry you," Goku threatened.
They heard footsteps behind them. Baba emerged with her granddaughter, who was completely healed. The girl ran toward Goku, excitement radiating from her.
"You're the strongest I've ever seen! You flattened me!"
Those innocent words hurt him more than any attack could. Baba saw him struggle and gave the girl a meaningful look—like they'd discussed something.
"I'm sorry I hit so hard," Goku said quietly.
The girl jumped on him with a hug. "It was so fun!" She pulled back, eyes sparkling. "Buuuut can I test your flying cloud?!"
Goku looked at her, then smiled. "Of course."
They approached Kinto'un. "Now watch out, you might fall throu—"
She didn't let him finish, jumping straight onto the cloud and standing perfectly.
"You can ride it too?" he said, surprised.
"Without cheating like someone," Oolong added.
"Shut up," Goku responded.
"Now ask where you want to go." Goku stepped back, but her hand grabbed his shirt, pulling him onto Kinto'un.
"I want to ride it with you!"
Goku smiled and took off, flying through the sky. She was having the time of her life, arms spread wide, laughing. Goku watched her—just a bit smaller than him, with those tiny shoulders and small fists that had somehow hurt him. He felt terrible about earlier.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"What did you say?" she asked over the wind.
"What's your name?" he changed the subject.
"I can't tell you."
"Huh? Why?"
"Grandma told me not to tell anyone."
"I see..."
They finally returned. She had the biggest smile on her face—the fight and flight were the best moments of her life. She ran to her grandma.
"It was awesome! Now can I remove it?"
"You can, but go inside!"
"Yay!" She ran toward the castle but suddenly turned back, launching herself at Goku with another hug. "We'll see each other again!"
Then she ran off as quickly as she'd come.
Everyone was ready to leave, but Goku stood still. "I learned something... I have to train my mental state. I snapped."
Roshi approached. "Yes, Goku. You're strong, but weak as a fighter. Go! Travel around the world alone. Train and discover the world. In three years, let's meet at the Tenkaichi Budokai!"
"I want to come!" Bulma protested.
"Me too!" Launch added.
"No," Roshi said firmly. "This is solo training. Not even Kinto'un is allowed."
Goku nodded, understanding. He bid farewell to his friends and walked away, beginning a three-year journey of self-discovery.