Chapter 45: Four-Star Ball
"Goku, long time no see. How's Grandpa Gohan doing?"
It wasn't until Franklin greeted him that Goku, who had felt the man looked strangely familiar all along, finally remembered who he was.
"Big Brother Lin?! You're back!"
But just as something came to mind, Goku's excited expression quickly fell.
"Grandpa Gohan… Grandpa's dead."
Although Franklin already knew things would turn out this way, hearing that the kind old man had really passed away still left him feeling a little sad.
"Time changes everything… He was getting old anyway. By the way, when did he pass? Was it peaceful at the end?"
Franklin's overly refined tone made Goku scratch his head. After thinking for quite a while, he finally seemed to understand what Franklin meant.
"I'm not too sure. Two years ago, one morning when I woke up, Grandpa had already been squashed flat by a big monster. I didn't see what the monster looked like. Later, I buried Grandpa behind the house."
Even though Franklin knew that was just how Goku was, his indifferent attitude toward the death of the man who had raised him still felt unsettling somewhere deep inside.
To distract himself, Franklin channeled his spiritual energy into his eyes, activating the Eye of True Sight in an instant.
Name: Son Goku (Kakarot)
Age: 12 / 300
Race: Saiyan
Bloodline: Saiyan Bloodline
Body Cultivation: Body Tempering Level 20 (Pure Body Tempering Path — Break all laws with strength alone, temper the body into steel, sanctify it through endless tempering, shatter the void with a punch, traverse the river of time)
Spiritual Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 20 (Pure Qi Refining Path — cannot advance life level; in later stages, can reach Qi Refining Level 100,000 or higher, but lifespan and life level will not increase)
Mental Cultivation: Mortal Realm
Heart Technique: Turtle School Style
Techniques: [Basic Martial Arts D], [Afterimage Fist], [Drunken Fist], [Rock-Paper-Scissors]
Innate Talent: Protagonist Halo (Exclusive to the protagonist. The protagonist surpasses heaven itself. If the protagonist dies, the worldline collapses.)
Overall Combat Power: 226–452
Seeing that Goku's maximum combat power was only 452, Franklin breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, everything was still under control, and the main story could continue smoothly.
Only then did Bulma dare to peek out from behind Franklin.
"You two know each other?"
Sharp-eyed Goku immediately recognized Bulma, the one who had attacked him in the car earlier.
"Ah, you're the monster who got swallowed by that monster?"
Seeing Goku draw his staff from behind his back with a guarded look, Franklin quickly stopped him.
"She's not a monster, she's a girl. Her name is Bulma. And that thing that was burning just now wasn't a monster either — it was a car."
When Goku relaxed his guard and started thinking it over, Franklin smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Since Grandpa Gohan has passed away, there's no point in you staying in this mountain anymore. How about coming with me on an adventure — seeing some different sights?"
Goku thought for only a brief moment before agreeing immediately. "Grandpa said you're a good person, Big Brother Lin. He said that if you ever came looking for me, I should leave the mountains with you. I still have a few things to pack at home. Do you want to come with me?"
Franklin thought for a moment and shook his head. "No, you go ahead and pack. Bulma and I came to Mount Paozu this time to search for the Dragon Balls.
By the time you're done, we should have found one. We'll come find you then, and we'll leave Mount Paozu together."
As Goku ran off, Bulma tugged at Franklin's sleeve repeatedly. When he finally looked at her, she leaned in close and whispered in his ear,
"Are you sure it's a good idea to bring him along? He's a monster — he can pick up a car and throw it."
"Isn't that great? If we run into danger on the road, Goku can handle it."
Bulma puffed her cheeks. "That's not what I mean. You said you'd look for the Dragon Balls with just me. Why bring another monster along?"
Franklin instantly understood the hidden meaning behind her words. Smiling, he played along.
"You mean we shouldn't bring Goku? That's fine too. We could leave him with Uncle Briefs for now. I'm sure someone as abnormally strong as Goku would pique his interest. And in a big city like West City, he could learn a lot too."
Recalling Goku's terrifying strength, Bulma's face fell. "No way. What if he hurts my mom and dad?"
"Don't be so biased. He's just a kid — he just hasn't seen much of the world. If you don't want him to stay in West City, then let's bring him with us on the adventure. After all, he's only twelve."
Bulma seemed surprised to learn how young Goku was, and she fell into thought.
"Twelve… He's your friend, and still just a kid. Maybe having him stay at my house for a while wouldn't be so bad."
Such a ridiculous condition, and Bulma actually agreed to it. Franklin quickly changed the subject. "Alright, let's drop this for now. Let's focus on finding the Dragon Ball first."
"Mm, Dragon Balls come first."
Looking at the nearest Dragon Ball's location, Bulma's expression turned a little strange.
"Franklin, I think Goku might've picked it up. I saw him heading in the direction where one of the Dragon Balls is marked."
"Well, that's perfect — we can get it all done in one go. Let's go. If he really picked it up, I'll talk to him. Whether or not he gives it to me… I can't say for sure."
One after another, the three of them arrived at Goku's home. Looking at the familiar building, Franklin couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion rise up inside him.
"What an old house… So this is where Goku lived in seclusion with his grandfather?"
"Why do you even care about that? Have you confirmed the Dragon Ball's location? Is it here?"
Bulma took out the Dragon Radar again, along with the two Dragon Balls they had already collected. Watching the blinking light, she nodded with certainty.
"He really did pick it up."
No sooner had she said that than Goku came running out of the house. "Big Brother Lin, Grandpa… he's talking again. You know a lot — can you help me figure out what Grandpa's saying?"
The moment he spoke, Bulma's face turned pale. She quickly hid behind Franklin.
"Didn't you say your grandpa's dead? How can he still talk?"
Goku scratched his head. "Well, it's not exactly Grandpa — more like the only thing he left behind. It started blinking this morning, and now it's blinking even faster."
As he spoke, Goku noticed the two glowing Dragon Balls in Bulma's hands and looked surprised.
"Bulma, do you have two grandpas? Your grandpas are talking too!"
At this point, Bulma finally understood what Goku was talking about. Her expression turned odd as she looked at Franklin.
"What's so strange about that? He's never left the mountains. He hasn't seen anything. It's normal for his thinking to be that simple."
While speaking, Franklin led Goku and Bulma into the house. What greeted their eyes was a four-star Dragon Ball placed in the center of the altar.
Seeing the curious look in Goku's eyes, Franklin smiled and explained, "Goku, that's not your grandfather. That's the Four-Star Dragon Ball — the Dragon Ball I'm searching for this time. Can you give it to me?"
Franklin's straightforward request caught Bulma off guard. After thinking for a moment, Goku took the Four-Star Dragon Ball down and handed it to Franklin.
"You can look at it, but I can't give it to you. Grandpa said you're a good person, Big Brother Lin, and that you're family to me… but Grandpa can't be given to you."
Goku's outright refusal left Bulma momentarily stunned. She was curious to see how Franklin would manage to get the Dragon Ball.
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