The Ox-King looked slightly taken aback at being scolded by Son Goku, but his surprise quickly melted into a wry smile.
"Hah, don't take it too seriously. I was just talking big. If I don't act a little fierce, people will start eyeing my treasure, right, Chi-Chi?"
Chi-Chi nodded obediently.
"Mm! Daddy's right! He's changed a lot—he doesn't kill anyone anymore. At least, not since I can remember."
The Ox-King's tone softened, though his gaze turned serious again as he looked at Goku.
"Anyway, Goku, what do you say about my proposal? I may have said it a bit early, but I meant every word. Chi-Chi agrees too—it's all up to you."
Chi-Chi looked at Goku with bright, hopeful eyes.
The Ox-King's broad grin carried just a hint of pressure, and Goku froze, unsure how to respond. He didn't want to agree, but he didn't want to hurt Chi-Chi's feelings either.
So, he tugged quietly at Bulma's sleeve.
Bulma immediately understood.
"Mr. Ox-King, since you're Chi-Chi's father, you have the right to decide her future—but Goku's still a kid. He's not old enough to make such choices yet. He doesn't fully understand what marriage even means."
Then, she smiled thoughtfully.
"But since you and Son Gohan were both disciples of Master Roshi, and Gohan was Goku's grandfather… maybe Goku's future marriage should be discussed with his grandpa first?"
The Ox-King stroked his beard, thinking it over. He could tell Goku was uncomfortable with the idea—typical for boys his age, who cared more about adventure than romance.
And he could also tell Bulma wasn't thrilled either. The girl clearly had her own feelings for Goku, and after saving Chi-Chi, forcing anything would just be bad manners.
As he hesitated, Chi-Chi tugged eagerly at his sleeve.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
"What is it, Chi-Chi?"
Her cheeks flushed pink.
"When the fire's out… could you go talk to your brother-disciple Gohan and ask him for Goku's hand in marriage?"
The Ox-King blinked in surprise.
'Well, I'll be damned. My sweet little Chi-Chi's already fallen head over heels.'
He opened his mouth to refuse, but Chi-Chi pressed her hands together and gave him the most devastatingly cute pout.
"Please, Daddy~ pretty please?"
The mighty Ox-King—terror of the mountains, ruler of Fire Mountain—could only sigh and scratch his head.
"Alright, alright. Once the fire's gone, I'll go find my senior brother and talk about it."
Chi-Chi beamed, hugging his arm.
"Thank you, Daddy! You're the best!"
Bulma could only watch in silence.
Now she understood how she'd lost to Chi-Chi in her previous life—
even as a child, Chi-Chi had a terrifying natural instinct for competition.
'How could I ever act that cute?' Bulma thought bitterly. 'I'm older… I'd look ridiculous doing that.'
At least the "engagement problem" had been kicked down the road to Son Gohan. For now, both Bulma and Goku could breathe again.
Soon after came the moment of truth—time to extinguish the flames.
Goku jumped up onto a crumbling section of the castle wall. His stance steadied, feet firmly planted. Then he drew in a deep breath, cupping his hands at his waist.
"Ka… me… ha…"
Energy began to swirl around him, rippling through the air like waves. Blue-white light gathered between his palms, humming with power.
Watching from below, the Ox-King, Chi-Chi, and Bulma all held their breath.
The Ox-King's eyes sparkled with awe.
"It's really the Kamehameha! Look! He's about to fire it!"
"…me… ha!"
A brilliant flash erupted from Goku's hands as he thrust his palms forward.
"Ha!!!"
A roaring blue beam shot forth, crashing into the wall of flames that consumed Fire Mountain.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the entire valley. Fierce winds blasted outward, forcing everyone to shield their faces and cling to the ground.
When the shockwave finally faded, silence fell.
The sky—once dyed crimson by the blaze—was now a calm, endless blue. A cool breeze swept past, washing the heat away.
Where there had been an inferno moments ago, only a soot-darkened castle remained, standing tall beneath the clear heavens.
Goku exhaled and relaxed his stance, a grin spreading across his face.
"Whew! It worked!"
Chi-Chi's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Wow, Goku, you're amazing!"
The Ox-King gave a hearty laugh, raising a massive thumb.
"Incredible! You've really mastered it! You must have trained hard—your strength already rivals my senior brother's!"
Bulma smiled softly at the sight of the restored castle.
The blast hadn't destroyed anything—unlike Master Roshi's overkill version, Goku's Kamehameha had been just strong enough.
It was the perfect outcome: the fire was gone, the castle intact, and the treasure inside safe.
Chi-Chi could go back to being a pampered little princess for a while—
hopefully one who wouldn't grow into the short-tempered woman Bulma remembered.
As the heat faded, the group entered the castle.
The Ox-King's riches were untouched, and Bulma finally obtained the sixth Dragon Ball.
In gratitude, the Ox-King hosted a grand feast that lasted three days and nights, the castle blazing with light and laughter.
When dawn broke on the fourth day, Bulma and Goku finally departed.
High above, riding the Flying Nimbus—
"Goku," Bulma said.
"Yeah?"
"When you grow up… do you think you'll marry Chi-Chi?"
Goku shook his head. "Never thought about it."
"Why not? She'd make a good wife."
"She's a nice girl, sure. But I wanna get stronger. I need to train—and if I get married, I wouldn't have time for that. So if I did, I'd only hurt her."
Bulma turned to look at him, eyes wide in surprise.
She hadn't expected such maturity from someone his age.
Goku tilted his head. "What's wrong, Bulma?"
She smiled faintly, shaking her head.
"Nothing. I just didn't think you'd be so thoughtful. But… you're right. That's actually pretty responsible of you."
Goku grinned. "Heh. Thanks! Can we go faster now?"
Bulma laughed softly. "Sure."
As the Nimbus streaked through the morning sky, her lips curved into a quiet, triumphant smile.