And that guy in the movie who wished for an immortal body never showed up again. If Goku from the Majin Buu arc fought Garlic Jr., who made that immortality wish back then, could a single Kamehameha vaporize him on the spot?
Quite possibly. If you're blasted into nothing, what do you use to revive? What "immortality" are you counting on? "Mm… I can't answer that well. Shenron cannot fulfill wishes beyond the caster's ability, but I can guarantee that as long as the Dragon Balls exist, you will not die. As for the other question… I do not know." Shenron stayed silent a long while before answering slowly.
Meruem's question was truly tricky.
"As expected." Meruem's heart tightened. No matter how impressive, immortality is relative. Just like Majin Buu, like Cell, like Janemba.
In a sense, those three count as "immortal." Janemba is a monster formed from the universe's evil miasma; unless you purify all that malice, he won't disappear.
As for Cell, so long as you don't annihilate him completely and a crucial core cell in his brain remains, he can endlessly regenerate, and thanks to Saiyan physiology he'll grow even stronger.
Lastly, Majin Buu's regeneration is even more extreme. If Cell needs energy and must preserve a vital brain core to regenerate, Majin Buu can come back even if not a single cell remains—blast him into vapor and he'll reform.
Only by erasing every last trace of Buu's existence does he truly vanish.
As for the second question… "don't know"? Interesting.
"Then, Shenron, let me ask it this way: if I wish for an immortal body, will it affect my growth in strength? Just answer yes or no."
"Yes." Shenron didn't even think before replying.
Shenron, after all, is not omnipotent. Kami created Shenron largely out of homesickness for his own world, as a sort of toy.
In the original, Shenron couldn't even turn No. 18 into a human because her power far exceeded her creator's.
Which means wishes like "grant me Saiyan physiology" or "grant me Majin Buu's combat talent" are all impossible.
Because Meruem's current strength already far exceeds that of Shenron's creator, Kami.
In that case, so-called immortality becomes meaningless, and Shenron's wishes hold little value for Meruem—though he could still ask for some other harmless, small ability.
Or he could wish for something like "make Bulma fall in love with me"… but Meruem wasn't that bored.
"Bulma, do you have any wishes?" Having realized Shenron's limits, Meruem was thoroughly disappointed. In terms of usefulness to him, Shenron was worth less than a senzu bean.
No wonder that later in Dragon Ball, Shenron became basically a universal revival device. For the Z-Fighters, he really had little practical use.
"Huh? Meruem, you're not making a wish?" Bulma was stunned. The two of them had traveled across half the world to gather the Dragon Balls and summon a dragon who could grant any wish, and all he did was ask a few questions.
And hand the wish to her?! Could it be he… So embarrassing. Should I say yes?! Hehehe… But what if that isn't what he meant?
They say girls in love are fools—especially lovestruck ones. If this were the normal Bulma hearing Meruem's questions and Shenron's answers, she would've understood. But right now… ahem. If Bulma turned out like this, blame Yamcha's philandering!
Once she was in a relationship—or later, married—Bulma was absolutely devoted! It's all Yamcha's fault for being unfaithful and breaking up with her! No wonder he became a perpetual background extra later on.
"Hurry and state your wish," Shenron said, a bit impatient. Even if you can destroy this body, as long as the model is repaired, I can be reborn.
"Th-then… then… I want—I want Meruem to fall in love with me!"
"Pfft." Hoisted with his own petard. Of all the outcomes Meruem considered, he hadn't expected Bulma to blurt that out.
"Apologies. I cannot grant that wish." Shenron glanced at Meruem as he spoke.
Good thing Shenron can't grant wishes beyond his maker's capacity, or this would be a riot.
Meruem could only rub his temples. Miss Bulma, we've only known each other for days… and I already told you I have a girlfriend.
Honestly, she assumed he only said that to avoid awkwardness after her sudden question.
And it wasn't just Meruem with black lines across his face—Kami, peeking from the Lookout, wore the same look.
He really couldn't understand young Earthlings anymore. What is love? He had no clue!!
For genderless Namekians, that question is indeed baffling. Remember, Namekians reproduce asexually, like the old Demon King Piccolo spitting out eggs.
"Ahhh—what do you mean 'cannot grant'? Ahhhh—this is so awkward." Bulma covered her burning face and shrieked.
She'd mustered all her courage to say that.
"Shenron… give me a basket of strawberries that never runs out." In the end, Meruem spoke up. They couldn't just stand there and make Shenron hover.
If Meruem remembered right, the second wish Bulma wanted back in the day while hunting Dragon Balls was exactly that.
The first was "I want a prince on a white horse."
But Yamcha's appearance derailed that wish.
"A simple matter." Shenron's eyes flashed, and a basket full of strawberries appeared on the ground.
"Your wish has been granted. Farewell." The seven Dragon Balls rose into the sky and shot off in different directions.
As the Four-Star Ball flew away, Meruem snatched it. That ball belonged to Goku. He'd return it after they were done.
It was just a rock now, but in a year it would become a new Dragon Ball.
"Here." Meruem handed the basket of strawberries to Bulma.
How did he know I like strawberries? He really is into me. Is this… a love token? Bulma accepted it, beaming. A woman's face can change faster than flipping a page.
And yes, a woman in love really does take a hit to her IQ.
"You're really leaving?" Bulma asked Meruem, standing before the refitted spaceship.
"How about… I go with you!" she blurted at last, having finally gathered the courage.
But Meruem still declined. Bulma puffed up and stormed off. He was heading into space, after all.
Meruem planned to use the years before Dragon Ball Z began to power up, then fight Frieza.
If he brought Bulma… well, two young people alone together could lead to "shame-shame" things, but Meruem wasn't thinking about that.
Bulma was indeed pretty, but she ultimately wasn't his type. Even Meruem wouldn't waste years for her.
"Target: the cosmos." So thought Meruem, seated in the ship.
It had to be said, Dr. Brief was a super-genius. The emperor's own ships took months or more to reach Namek, but after his refit, Goku's pod could do it in just six days.
"Genius" didn't even cover it. No wonder Earth's other doctor, Dr. Gero, could create Androids stronger than Frieza.
The Dragon Ball Earth is full of monstrously gifted minds you can't judge by normal standards. Dr. Brief, Dr. Gero, and that Tuffle scientist—the three strongest doctors in this world.
Since he didn't know Namek's coordinates, Meruem set the destination to a random planet—or to coordinates already stored in the pod.
For the record, he was using the pod Goku rode as a child. As for Kami's Namekian ship, Meruem hadn't taken it.
That thing requires the Namekian language to operate, and Meruem doubted Kami would teach him.
Until he confirmed his battle power, Meruem had no intention of releasing the other Chimera Ants—or even Reiko and Pitou.
This world was still too dangerous for them.
After several days in the ship, he arrived at the nearest planet with coordinates in the pod's memory.
It was a very strange planet. Meruem landed near a city. It was brightly lit and bustling—or should have been—but something was off.
In that busy city he couldn't find a single human shadow.
Not a single creature, in fact. Like a dead city with no living things at all.
(End of Chapter)
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