Goku and Bulma kept following the passage deeper and deeper.
Before long, the path twisted—and they found themselves inside a maze.
Bulma frowned, gripping the radar tightly.
"Goku… this is a maze. What do we do?"
Right as she said it—
The ground rumbled.
Dust and tiny fragments rained from the walls and ceiling.
Bulma's eyes widened.
"Crap—this place might collapse! Shouldn't we go back?!"
Goku scanned the floor calmly.
A faint hand-drawn mark caught his eye.
"It's fine. Listen to me—follow the marks."
Bulma froze for a second.
She remembered.
Back in Pilaf's castle, they'd followed markings too—though that time, it had been a trap.
But this was the seabed.
One wrong choice here didn't mean "caught."
It meant buried and drowned.
Bulma's throat tightened.
"Following marks… isn't that way too obvious? That's literally screaming 'trap'!"
Goku didn't argue.
He simply grabbed her wrist and tugged her forward.
"Come on. Trust me."
The moment he became firm—almost forceful—
Bulma felt something strange bloom inside her.
Comfort.
It wasn't the "CEO霸總" type of domineering—
But that hint of unquestionable certainty…
…made her heart feel weirdly steady.
They pushed through the maze fast.
Then—
They reached a dead end.
A square well sat in the ground, filled with water.
Bulma stared.
"…Did we take the wrong route? Why is there a well here?"
Goku's face lit up like he'd found a birthday cake.
"Nope. This is it!"
Then he pointed straight at it.
"Bulma—dive down!"
Bulma's brain nearly short-circuited.
"W-What?! Dive?! Goku, I'm not you! I can't hold my breath that long!"
The cave shook again.
More sand and stones fell.
"Bulma—NOW!"
Bulma clenched her teeth and jumped in.
Goku followed instantly, staying close—shielding her with his body as they sank.
The underwater passage was narrow—too small for a submarine.
But unlike the deep sea outside, there was light ahead.
They swam toward it.
A few dozen seconds later—
They broke the surface.
And right there, sitting like it had been placed by a lazy dungeon designer…
…was a treasure chest.
Bulma blinked in disbelief.
They opened it.
Gold. Jewels. Glittering valuables.
The whole thing practically screamed: pirate loot.
Bulma finally snapped back.
"Wait—Goku! We came for Dragon Balls, not treasure!"
Goku, completely unbothered, took out a capsule and began stuffing the treasure inside like it was laundry.
"I know. Treasure and Dragon Balls don't conflict."
Bulma hesitated.
"…That's true."
But watching him pack so enthusiastically, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Goku… don't tell me you're saving this treasure for flirting with girls later?"
Goku looked at her.
Speechless.
Bulma put her hands on her hips.
"Hah! I knew it! You little pervert!"
Right then—
A system message flashed through Goku's mind.
[Mission: Take the pirate treasure — Completed.
Reward: Earth's marriage laws have changed and are now in effect!
Grow up fast… you can have three wives and four concubines.]
In an instant, centuries-old social structures shifted.
People's understanding of marriage… rewired itself.
And Bulma—
Bulma's expression changed so suddenly it was almost terrifying.
She turned sincere—eerily sincere.
"Goku, I was joking just now."
Then, with a face full of reasonableness:
"You did the right thing. What kind of man doesn't think about making money?"
"You're so capable… when you grow up, you definitely won't marry only me."
"I can't monopolize you."
"With this treasure… when you're older…"
"…any girl you like, you can marry them all."
Goku stared at her like he'd just witnessed a miracle.
This reward wasn't "useful."
It was insane.
Bulma, noticing him staring, blushed.
She covered her cheeks shyly.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Human civilization has lasted this long because of the desire to reproduce, hasn't it?"
Goku blinked twice, then nodded solemnly.
"Right. Bulma… you're right."
A splash broke the water.
A man emerged—holding a reinforced handgun.
It was General Blue.
He aimed the black muzzle at them, grinning.
"Hehehe… you can't run now, can you?"
Bulma immediately ducked behind Goku.
"Goku—be careful! That's a reinforced handgun!"
Goku's lips curled.
"Don't worry. Watch this."
General Blue knew Goku's reputation.
He didn't hesitate.
BANG!
The recoil was so strong it forced Blue's arms upward, his feet sliding back several inches.
But Goku simply raised a hand—
And it looked like he caught the bullet.
Blue's eyes widened.
"Impossible! Don't lie to me—no one can catch a reinforced round!"
Goku opened his palm.
A smoking armor-piercing bullet dropped onto the ground with a dull clink.
Blue's pupils shrank.
"…How…?"
Goku smiled.
"You weren't supposed to die by my hand."
"But since you brought a weapon that destructive…"
"I'll send you off early."
He glanced around.
"This place is perfect."
"A proper grave."
Then—
Goku flicked his foot.
The bullet shot like a cannon.
WHOOSH—THUNK.
General Blue didn't even get to scream.
The bullet pierced straight through his forehead.
Blood sprayed across the wall behind him.
His mouth hung open, eyes wide—pure disbelief—before he collapsed.
The shaking intensified.
Chunks of rock fell.
Goku turned sharply.
"Bulma! It's collapsing!"
"Give me the radar—and you go first!"
Bulma panicked.
"Still the radar?! Forget the Dragon Ball! We don't have time!"
Goku cut her off instantly.
"It's fine. You go!"
"I'll grab the Dragon Ball fast and catch up!"
Bulma wasn't the type to waste time when it mattered.
She nodded hard.
"Then hurry!"
She jumped into the water alone.
Goku clutched the radar and rushed in the direction it indicated.
The radar's precision saved him.
He found the Dragon Ball quickly, then raced back along the route.
When Bulma reached the submarine—
Goku arrived right after.
"Bulma—here! Get in!"
Goku dove inside.
Bulma slammed the controls.
The submarine roared to life instantly, and they shot away from the collapsing base.
Moments later—
They burst out into open water.
They scrambled onto the island grass and lay there, gulping fresh air like they'd been reborn.
"We made it…"
"Haah… that was insane…"
They looked at each other—
And burst out laughing.
For a while, it was just laughter… and wind… and relief.
Then, as if they'd agreed silently—
They both stopped.
Bulma turned her head toward Goku again.
Her expression softened in a way she rarely showed.
"Goku… what are you thinking about?"
Goku said quietly,
"Bulma… do you remember Launch?"
Bulma blinked.
"Launch? The woman who changes personality when she sneezes?"
Goku nodded.
"Yeah. I put her at my house."
"I want to go home for a bit—check on her…"
"And leave her some money."
Bulma's cheeks warmed again.
She nodded gently.
"Wherever you go, I'll go."
"I'll listen to you."
Goku froze slightly.
He knew Bulma's softness might be temporary—
But for a moment…
She really did feel like a "girl" instead of a "boss."
Afterward, to avoid leading the Red Ribbon Army to their route, Goku left the Dragon Balls at Kame House.
Then he and Bulma headed to Mount Paozu.
A few days later—
They set off again.
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