On the grassy lawn of the Capsule Corp estate, Aira stared at the seven Dragon Balls laid out before them, her bright eyes wide with curiosity. "You found them all already?" she asked, a touch of disbelief in her voice. She'd expected a grand, arduous quest, not a simple errand run with a radar.
"How does the wish thing even work?" she pressed, stepping closer to the shimmering orbs. They were clearly magical, pulsing with a soft inner light now that they were gathered, but the connection to a wish-granting dragon seemed fantastical.
The gathered Dragon Balls, resonating in each other's presence, had shifted from their usual crystalline transparency to a radiant, brilliant glow. The spectacle had drawn a small crowd. Dr. Brief, his wife, and even a wide-eyed, babbling Bulma had gathered around, their scientific minds and childish wonder equally captivated by the promise of a miracle.
A lively, hushed discussion buzzed among them, theories flying about how the legendary dragon would appear.
"Everyone, please step back a bit," Rhode announced, his voice cutting through the chatter. "I'm going to summon Shenron."
As the onlookers retreated to a safe distance, their faces a mix of excitement and apprehension, Rhode took a deep, steadying breath. The moment had arrived. He raised his voice, the ancient incantation feeling both foreign and potent on his tongue:
"COME FORTH, SHENRON! GRANT MY WISH!"
The world responded instantly. The bright afternoon sky plunged into an unnatural, starless darkness. Then, from the seven orbs, seven beams of blinding golden light lanced skyward. They coalesced, expanded, and from the heart of the radiance, a colossal form took shape—a serpentine body of impossible length, coiling through the darkened heavens. Finally, a gargantuan, draconic head descended, its glowing red eyes fixing upon Rhode. Shenron, the Eternal Dragon, had answered the call.
In the profound darkness, Shenron's golden form was the only source of light, sacred and awe-inspiring, a presence that dwarfed mountains and commanded absolute reverence.
"So... big..." someone in the crowd whispered, the sentiment echoed in every stunned face.
Even Rhode, who knew what to expect, felt a visceral shock. Seeing the deity of legend fill the sky before him, its power a tangible pressure on the air, was an experience no prior knowledge could diminish.
"STATE YOUR WISH," Shenron's voice boomed, neither kind nor cruel, but ancient and absolute, echoing in every mind. "WHATEVER YOUR WISH, I CAN GRANT IT. BUT ONLY ONE."
Rhode, feeling a profound tremor of awe, nonetheless steadied himself. This was it. He spoke clearly, outlining the wish he had meticulously crafted:
"Shenron, grant me a Super Instant Transmission technique. One that can traverse different timelines, different universes, including the Demon Realm, and can be activated with a single thought!"
Silence.
The majestic dragon hovering above seemed to... stall. The swirling energy around it seemed to hiccup. The distant stars in the artificial night appeared to blink in confusion.
After a long, pregnant pause, the same majestic voice returned, but with a different inflection—one of finality. "SORRY. THAT WISH CANNOT BE GRANTED."
So that's the limit, Rhode thought, not so much disappointed as analytically resigned. He had aimed for the stars; Shenron's power had a ceiling.
"Then, Shenron," he amended, beginning to pare down his request, "remove the condition of 'different timelines.' Grant me a Super Instant Transmission that can cross different universes, including the Demon Realm, activatable with a thought."
Another pause from the celestial being. Then, the same definitive, mechanical verdict: "THIS WISH CANNOT BE GRANTED."
Still impossible? Rhode's mind raced, recalibrating. The scope was still too vast. The Dragon Balls of Earth had their boundaries, and he was brushing against the very edge of divine capability. He would need to be more... specific.
His wish denied again. Rhode's brow furrowed deeper. If Instant Transmission couldn't span universes, then what was the point of using the wish here? He might as well just learn the standard technique later.
"Shenron," he began, shifting strategy, "grant to all Saiyans and their descendants, present and future, on Earth, the ability to survive in harsh environments, including outer space!"
Since he couldn't get a supreme mobility tool, he'd patch a critical weakness. In a universe where planets were disposable battlefields, being able to survive in the void was non-negotiable. It was both a defensive necessity and an offensive advantage against foes who couldn't.
"THIS WISH CANNOT BE GRANTED!"
Shenron's response was swift and firm, a hint of what seemed like… indignation coloring its majestic tone. Grant a permanent, hereditary boon? Treat me like a cheat code, do you?
Rhode was momentarily speechless. That wish should have been within the dragon's power. The arbitrary rejection was frustrating.
"Rhode, is this dragon even capable?" Aira's voice cut through his thoughts. She'd walked up beside him, her earlier awe replaced by a look of supreme disdain as she scrutinized the colossal being. "He's big, but he doesn't feel that strong. If he can't grant wishes, what's the point?" A speculative, hungry glint entered her eyes. "Why don't we just catch him and eat him? Dragon meat must be a delicacy."
A stunned silence fell over the lawn.
Beside her, Rhode, after a moment's consideration, actually nodded. "You know… I am curious about what Shenron tastes like."
High above, the Eternal Dragon, whose purpose was to dispense cosmic miracles, felt a metaphysical bead of sweat roll down its scaly brow. Its special perception clearly registered the terrifying battle power of the two "humans" below—a level it stood no chance against.
"WISH-MAKER," Shenron's voice boomed, still majestic but now with a distinct note of expediency, "A SLIGHT MODIFICATION TO YOUR WISH WOULD MAKE IT GRANTABLE."
It wanted this transaction over. Immediately.
"Shenron," Rhode said, playing along, "grant Aira and me the ability to survive in harsh environments, including outer space."
Even without the prompt, he understood the issue. The wish was now limited, personal, and clean.
"YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED. FAREWELL!"
Shenron's red eyes flashed. The words were barely out before the great dragon dissolved into a torrent of golden light. As it vanished, its residual energy encased the now-inert Dragon Balls on the ground, preparing to scatter them to the far corners of the Earth.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
But Rhode was ready. The moment Shenron began to fade, his eyes had locked onto specific orbs. As the glowing spheres shot skyward, he moved.
He became a blur of motion, appearing not where the balls were, but where they would be. In a series of precise, impossible interceptions, his hands shot out, snatching the powerless Dragon Balls from the air before their dispersal could even begin. In seconds, he landed back on the grass, several of the precious orbs already secured in his grip. The hunt, it seemed, would be much shorter the second time around.
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