Chapter 47: Goku, Who Doesn't Know His Own Strength
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"Need me to save you? You should've said so earlier."
Son Goku looked left and right, scratching his head in confusion.
"Bulma, I can't fly… how about I go find Brother Franklin for help?"
"Don't! By the time you find him, it'll be too late!!!"
After glancing around, Goku finally remembered the staff on his back. He eyed the pterosaur flying away and stabbed the Power Pole into the rocks.
"Extend, Power Pole!"
In an instant, the staff in Goku's hand began to grow, shooting straight toward the pterosaur in the air.
Seeing Goku rushing after it, the pterosaur quickly changed direction.
Realizing his aim was off, Goku yanked out the Power Pole from the rocks, took careful aim at the pterosaur's head, and swung down hard.
In an instant, red and white gore splattered everywhere. The headless pterosaur, with Bulma still clutched in its claws, plummeted straight out of the sky.
The air rippled—Flying Thunder God activated. Franklin appeared right beside Bulma, catching her in one arm while grabbing hold of the Power Pole with the other. As the staff jammed violently into the ground, the two of them slowed their descent.
Sliding down the pole, droplets of water sprayed around. Franklin's expression shifted; he quickly formed a water sphere to wrap around Bulma, leaving only her head outside. Seeing her clothes soaked through, Franklin could only rub his forehead helplessly.
"Uuuuu… I'll never get married now…"
Landing safely, Franklin looked both exasperated and resigned. "Stop crying. It's just the two of us who saw—what do you mean you can't get married anymore?"
He shouldn't have said that. At his words, Bulma burst into full-blown tears. "Uuuuu… Franklin, you jerk… I hate you… uuuuu…"
Watching her crouch and cry, Franklin realized he had zero experience comforting girls. Just as he was at a loss, he spotted a red staff raised in the air, ready to strike.
"Brother Franklin, what's she doing? Why does it sound so annoying? Grandpa told me to be gentle with girls, but I really can't hold it in much longer."
The sight of Goku about to smash down with his staff made Franklin's heart jump. He hurried to stop him, and Bulma's wailing cut off immediately.
Glancing at the headless pterosaur in the distance, Bulma—still streaked with blood—snapped out of it. Her expression returned to normal as she pulled out a huge capsule and tossed it. With a puff of smoke, a house materialized.
"Franklin, you jerk, I'm going to take a bath. No peeking! And teach Goku some manners—he hits way too hard."
The loud slam of the door finally made Franklin sigh in relief. "Thanks, Goku. If you hadn't been here, I wouldn't have known what to do."
"Thank you? For what?"
Franklin wasn't planning to explain, but remembering Goku's raised staff from moments ago, he forced himself to be patient.
"Goku, when it's someone close to you, someone weaker than you, you need to hold back a little. Otherwise, you might regret it when it's too late."
"Why? Grandpa said even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses all its strength. You can't hold back."
That left Franklin with nothing to say. He didn't bother pressing the point. With him around, accidents were unlikely, and through guidance, Goku's personality would slowly change. No need to rush.
"You didn't eat this morning, right? Hungry? How about I roast this pterosaur for you?"
At the mention of food, Goku's eyes lit up. He instantly forgot all about the earlier topic.
Forming a hand seal, Franklin made the ground rise beneath the pterosaur, creating a smooth stone table. Fire spiritual energy surged, a flame entering the creature's body, roasting it evenly inside and out.
As Franklin's control grew more precise, an incredible aroma spread. Green spiritual energy swirled, producing peppercorns, chili, and other spices in abundance. Drying them with fire energy, he then raised stone walls to grind the spices into powder, sprinkling them evenly over the entire beast.
In less than three minutes, the dish was ready.
Seeing Goku's eyes shining as he lunged in, Franklin shook his head helplessly and turned to scan the surroundings.
From memory, the fourth Dragon Ball appeared when Goku encountered Master Roshi's old turtle during morning training, helped it reach the sea, and received the ball from Roshi as a reward.
But Roshi, that lecherous old man, had demanded to see Bulma's underwear in exchange—and since Goku couldn't tell the difference between men and women, he had already taken them off her beforehand.
That kind of nonsense was something Franklin absolutely couldn't tolerate. Even if he didn't feel much for Bulma yet, who knew what the future would bring?
To fit into the Dragon Ball timeline, Franklin decided the one he should replace was Yamcha. Yamcha not only knew martial arts but also became Bulma's first boyfriend and even went with her to meet her parents in West City.
Unfortunately, he was just a weak-willed scoundrel who couldn't read the situation. Not even fit to be a kept pretty boy, he drifted further from the main cast until he was barely even a side character.
If Franklin wanted to take his place, he could rely on Goku's reckless strength. With power like his, Yamcha's fate as a roadside bandit seemed already sealed.
Shaking off those thoughts, Franklin looked back at the half-eaten pterosaur.
"Brother Franklin, I've never had roasted meat this good. Aren't you going to eat?"
Smiling faintly, Franklin shook his head. "No need. You know I don't have to eat. I'll just save some for Bulma. The rest is all yours. You'll need the energy—you'll be doing most of the heavy lifting."
"Leave it to me! If you want, Brother Franklin, I'll trade work for roasted meat."
Goku's foodie enthusiasm made Franklin chuckle. "Not bad. You've already learned about exchanging benefits. Keep it up, and roasted meat will always be on the menu.
I can cook other dishes too, infused with spiritual energy. They can improve your body and boost your strength—perfect for your training."
"Thanks, Brother Franklin!"
As Goku tore into the meal again, Franklin channeled golden spiritual energy into his hand. With a swipe, a neatly cut square of roasted ribs fell out. Wooden spiritual energy sprouted vines from the ground, weaving them into a delicate plate.
Just then, a knock came at the door. From inside, Bulma's irritated voice called out, "Who is it? What do you want?"
"I just made some roasted meat—bringing you some. We've been busy all morning, it's time for lunch."
When the door opened, Bulma looked surprised. "You can cook roast meat?"
The aroma hit her instantly, making her eyes sparkle. "Smells amazing! Is this for three people? Put it on the living room table."
"Goku has his share, and as for me, I don't need to eat or sleep. So this is all for you. Eat up—once you're done, we'll get moving."
Wearing a blue jacket and fitted pants, paired with her long blue hair, Bulma struck Franklin as dazzling—far better suited than the pink dress. She really wasn't meant for the cutesy look.
"That outfit's nice—clean and sharp. Much better than going the cute route."
Bulma's tense expression vanished in an instant. Her face reddened as she shot him a fierce glare. "Mind your own business. If you're not eating, get out. Just seeing you annoys me."
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