In a quiet corner of Earth's vast wilderness, the rising sun cast its golden rays across the rocky hills and rolling plains. Son Goku and Bulma stood at the edge of a dirt path, ready to begin their journey to collect the mystical Dragon Balls. The soft glow of dawn bathed them in light, like a beacon guiding them into the unknown. With hearts full of anticipation, the two adventurers took their first steps together.
Goku, clad in his orange-red martial arts gi passed down by his adoptive grandfather, Grandpa Gohan, followed closely behind Bulma. His expression remained bright and curious, the face of a boy untouched by the complexities of the outside world. His eyes gleamed with childlike wonder — unburdened, pure, and innocent.
Bulma, dressed in her Capsule Corp-designed adventure outfit, held the Dragon Radar tightly in her hands. The device emitted a quiet beeping sound, signaling the direction of the next Dragon Ball. Her intelligent blue eyes scanned their surroundings with focused determination. "According to the radar, the next Dragon Ball isn't far from here," she said confidently.
As they walked, Bulma explained the legend of the Dragon Balls: "There are seven in total. When you gather all of them together, Shenron, the Eternal Dragon, appears and grants one wish—any wish. But they scatter across the planet afterward."
Goku nodded enthusiastically, absorbing every word. "Whoa! That sounds awesome! I could wish for lots of food!"
Bulma chuckled. "You really think with your stomach, don't you?"
Their conversation was lighthearted until they arrived at a small, seemingly quiet town nestled in the forest. Just beyond the town entrance, several thuggish-looking men blocked their path. The leader, a bulky brute with scars on his face, sneered, "Hey, what do we have here? A little brat and his girlfriend? Hand over your money and that weird device!"
Bulma gasped and quickly hid behind Goku. Her body trembled, but Goku didn't waver.
He tilted his head, confused. "Why would we give you our stuff? That's not nice."
The thugs laughed menacingly. "Then we'll just take it by force!"
As they lunged forward, something in Goku's demeanor shifted. The fear that once masked his face vanished, replaced by sharp focus and untapped power. In the blink of an eye, he moved with blinding speed. He weaved between their attacks, dodging fists and swinging bats as if they were moving in slow motion. His strikes were fast and precise — knees, elbows, and palm blows landed with startling force.
The thugs dropped one by one, groaning in pain, sprawled on the ground like discarded dolls.
Bulma's mouth dropped open. "Wh-what the… Wukong! You—you're really strong!"
Goku scratched the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. "I didn't know they were that weak."
Before they could continue, another man approached — a tall, broad-shouldered martial artist dressed in a black gi. "You've got skills, kid. But if you want to survive out here, you've gotta prove yourself against real fighters."
He crossed his arms. "Beat me, and I'll give you a clue about the Dragon Balls."
Goku widened his eyes, then smiled. "Okay! I love fighting strong people!"
The battle began. Goku let the man strike first, pretending to be unsure of himself. The man attacked with wide, sweeping punches, underestimating Goku's agility. But just as he thought he had Goku cornered, the boy's eyes sharpened. He dropped low, spun, and swept the man off his feet with a leg kick. Then, springing forward, Goku launched a flurry of rapid blows to the man's midsection, sending him flying into a tree.
The martial artist groaned, stunned. "What… what kind of kid are you?"
Bulma blinked, awestruck. "You held back at first… You're stronger than you look!"
Goku shrugged again. "I just wanted to see how good he was!"
Their journey resumed. From quiet meadows to thick forests, every step brought new discoveries and dangers. Goku's nature of pretending to be weaker than he was — a tiger in lamb's clothing — added a surprising edge to their adventure.
But far away, in the desert badlands, a pair of eyes watched them through binoculars.
Yamcha, the desert bandit, smirked from behind a rock formation. His companion, Puar, floated beside him. "That weird kid is strong, but they've got a Dragon Ball. We'll take it from them tonight," Yamcha muttered.
Elsewhere, Goku and Bulma continued their path until a group of the earlier thugs — reinforced by more allies — ambushed them again, this time with crude weapons and numbers on their side.
"You little brat! You're dead for what you did to our guys!" one of them growled.
Bulma gasped and hid again, but Goku stepped forward. "You still haven't learned your lesson?"
They rushed him, swinging pipes and sticks. Goku's body blurred as he ducked, jumped, and dodged with unmatched agility. He spun mid-air and delivered a flying kick that launched two men backward. One thug snuck up behind him, but Goku sensed it and spun around with a defensive block, then countered with a powerful punch that knocked the attacker out cold.
"Be careful, Goku!" Bulma shouted from the sidelines.
"I'm okay, Bulma!" Goku replied cheerfully.
Then, as a group tried to gang up on him, Goku cupped his hands together, drew them to his side, and chanted: "Ka…me…ha…me…HA!"
A powerful blue energy wave burst from his palms, knocking down several foes in one blast. The ground cracked beneath them, and the remaining thugs screamed and scattered in terror.
Bulma ran over, her voice still trembling. "You… you used that energy wave again! What was that?"
"It's called the Kamehameha! Grandpa taught it to me. Well… I kinda figured it out."
As the last of the attackers fled, Goku brushed the dust off his gi. "Let's go, Bulma. I wanna see what's next!"
Bulma sighed with relief, then smiled. "Alright. But next time, give me a little warning before you start blasting people into the air!"
Together, they continued toward the next Dragon Ball, unaware that the shadows behind them were getting darker — and Yamcha's ambush was soon to begin.