West City, Capsule Corporation.
The spacious courtyard was bright and peaceful.
The fountain sprayed crystal-clear water without pause.
A few colorful birds perched on Dr. Brief's shoulders, hopping happily as he scattered feed for them.
The scent of afternoon tea lingered in the air, wrapped in the quiet comfort of a perfect day.
Then...
Flash!
A streak of golden light tore through the air before the space sealed itself shut.
Krillin appeared out of nowhere.
He took a deep breath and smiled with the comfort of finally being home.
"The air in the present really is better. The future always smells like burnt concrete."
He stretched lazily.
His joints cracked loudly from head to toe as tremendous power surged through his body.
"Dear!"
A delighted voice rang out.
Bulma, who had been enjoying coffee beneath a parasol, immediately lit up when she saw him.
She set down her tablet and rushed over like a swallow returning to its nest.
Even after becoming a mother, Bulma still possessed the youthful beauty and graceful figure that Krillin's affection seemed to preserve.
"You really came back already?"
"I thought you were going to the future!"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a firm kiss on his cheek before suddenly narrowing her eyes.
Then she leaned closer...
Sniff.
"I smell smoke... and... machine oil?"
Her expression turned suspicious.
"Were you with another woman?"
Krillin's heart skipped a beat.
Sometimes a woman's intuition was even scarier than the System's radar.
He coughed awkwardly.
"Impossible."
Without changing expression, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
"The future is nothing but ruins. It's all scrap metal and devastation. Where would I even find another woman?"
"Besides..."
"My wife is this beautiful."
"Why would I even look at anyone else?"
"Hmph. Smooth talker."
Bulma rolled her eyes, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed how pleased she was.
"So?"
"How did everything go?"
"What about Trunks?"
"All taken care of."
Krillin casually walked toward the house with an arm around her shoulders.
"The Androids are gone."
"The future has been restored."
"And Trunks is currently crying his eyes out while hugging Gohan."
"Oh, right."
"I brought you back a souvenir."
"A souvenir?"
Bulma blinked.
"What kind of souvenir could possibly come from a post-apocalyptic wasteland?"
"Don't tell me it's dried mutant rat."
"I don't want it."
"No, no."
Krillin grinned mysteriously.
"This one's special."
"Let's head down to your underground lab."
"It's... a little large."
"And..."
"For certain reasons..."
"It's probably best if Launch and Aki don't see it."
Bulma's eyes immediately sharpened.
"They can't see it?"
"So only I can?"
"Or..."
She narrowed her gaze.
"You're trying to hide whatever bad thing you did?"
"You'll see."
"I promise it'll be a surprise."
...
Underground Laboratory, Level Minus Three.
This was Bulma's personal kingdom.
The walls were constructed from ultra-high-strength alloy capable of surviving a nuclear blast.
Countless sophisticated instruments glowed softly.
At the center stood an enormous examination table that doubled as a research workstation.
"Enough suspense."
Bulma folded her arms across her chest as she leaned against the table.
"Let's see what you've brought."
Krillin chuckled.
He reached into his pocket and produced a Capsule sealed with warning labels.
Pop!
A cloud of white smoke burst outward.
A massive life-support pod materialized on top of the workstation.
Inside the transparent chamber lay a sleeping blonde woman.
She wore a black vest over a striped shirt and a denim skirt.
Her eyes remained closed.
Yet her flawless features, porcelain skin, and icy beauty were enough to steal anyone's breath.
Future Android 18.
Silence.
The laboratory became deathly still.
Krillin cautiously glanced toward Bulma.
The smile slowly disappeared from her face.
One vein after another bulged across her forehead.
The killing intent in the room rose at an alarming speed.
"This..."
Bulma's voice became unnaturally calm.
"...is the 'souvenir' you mentioned?"
She pointed at Android 18 inside the pod.
Her finger trembled.
"This..."
"...is your special product from the wasteland?"
"KRILLIN!!"
Her roar nearly shattered the laboratory's reinforced glass.
She grabbed his collar.
Despite the enormous difference in their size, her overwhelming aura completely suppressed him.
"You idiot!"
"You shameless womanizer!"
"You bald-headed fool!"
"You went to save the future..."
"...and came back with a gorgeous blonde?!"
"And not just any blonde!"
"She's the cold, dangerous type!"
"Were you fighting enemies..."
"...or building yourself a harem?!"
She shook him violently.
"Wasn't the bed at home already big enough?!"
"Weren't Launch and Aki enough for you?!"
"You actually brought another woman home?!"
Tears began gathering in Bulma's eyes.
She could accept that Krillin had more than one partner.
In a world ruled by strength, someone like him naturally attracted others.
But secretly bringing home another beautiful woman...
Then calling her a "souvenir..."
That was an insult to her intelligence.
"Honey!"
"Calm down!"
"Listen to my explan... I mean, my explanation!"
Krillin immediately raised both hands in surrender.
"She's not an ordinary woman!"
"She's an Android!"
"A machine!"
"That doesn't make it any better!"
Bulma shouted.
"Are lifelike dolls this realistic nowadays?!"
"Do you think I lost my figure after having a child?!"
"I'm innocent!"
"Look at her construction!"
"Look at the materials!"
Seeing Bulma reaching for a nearby laser cutter, Krillin hurriedly revealed his trump card.
"She has an Infinite Energy Reactor!"
"Dr. Gero's greatest masterpiece!"
"She never needs food."
"Never needs recharging."
"Her power source will never run out."
"And..."
He flipped his wrist.
A thick stack of blueprints appeared from his inventory and landed in Bulma's arms.
"These are Dr. Gero's ultimate research documents."
"The complete design of the Infinite Energy Reactor."
"The perfect fusion of biotechnology and cybernetics."
"And Cell's complete genetic blueprint."
"Honey..."
"Haven't you always wanted to study limitless energy?"
"This is the actual prototype."
"And the entire theoretical foundation."
Bulma was just about to throw the papers back into his face.
Then she heard the words...
"Infinite Energy Reactor."
She froze.
She was a woman.
But first...
She was a scientist.
One of the greatest scientific geniuses in the Dragon Ball universe.
"Infinite..."
"...energy?"
Half of her anger disappeared instantly.
It was replaced by pure scientific obsession.
She lowered her head and rapidly flipped through the documents.
Page One.
Android Core Power Theory.
Page Two.
Miniature Anti-Matter Annihilation Reactor (Prototype).
Page Three.
Infinite Cellular Telomere Regeneration Technology.
Bulma's pupils trembled.
"This..."
"This can't be real..."
"This circuit design..."
"If combined with this biological catalyst..."
"Oh my god!"
"That crazy old man Gero actually succeeded?!"
"If this is genuine..."
"My spatial jump technology would finally have an unlimited power source!"
"And Capsule Corporation's defense systems..."
"...could be upgraded into a planetary shield!"
Her fingers raced across the blueprints.
She muttered calculations nonstop, completely immersed in scientific ecstasy.
Then she suddenly lifted her head.
Her eyes fell upon Android 18.
Her gaze had completely changed.
No longer the glare of a jealous wife.
Instead...
It was the hungry stare of a scientist looking at the world's greatest research specimen.
"She's the sample?"
Bulma rushed to the life-support pod and pressed her face against the glass.
"No seams in the skin..."
"Perfect."
"Extremely low breathing rate..."
"Sleep mode?"
"No mechanical operating noise..."
"Incredible..."
"Krillin!"
"Hurry!"
"Open the chamber!"
She was already holding a screwdriver in one hand and an energy scanner in the other.
"I want to disassemble..."
She immediately corrected herself.
"I mean, examine her internal structure!"
"I need to know where that reactor is installed!"
Krillin wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead.
That had been close.
A family disaster had nearly erupted.
Fortunately...
Bulma was a scientist first.
Krillin gently held her eager hand.
"This is the Future Android 18."
"The one who slaughtered countless people."
"I've knocked her unconscious."
"But if we wake her without proper restraints..."
"She might level this entire place."
Bulma blinked.
Then she shrugged dismissively.
"So what?"
"You're here."
"What am I afraid of?"
"Aren't you supposed to be the strongest person in the universe?"
"You can't handle one little Android?"
At this point, Infinite Energy was all she could think about.
Danger no longer existed in her mind.
"And besides..."
She smiled.
"If she's your 'souvenir'..."
"Then she's officially my research material."
Bulma walked over to a storage rack and retrieved a specially designed pair of restraints along with a heavy-duty collar.
"I originally developed these gravity restraints in case a Great Ape went out of control."
"They can generate up to five hundred times Earth's gravity."
"And they release high-voltage electric shocks."
She tossed them to Krillin.
A queen-like smile spread across her face.
"I don't care if she's an unstoppable killing machine or the devil from the future."
"Once she enters my laboratory..."
"...she follows my rules."
"Tonight..."
"I'm pulling an all-nighter."
Krillin looked down at the unusually elaborate restraint set.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Bulma's tastes...
Were they getting a little too unique?
Still...
He turned toward the sleeping Android 18.
A playful smile slowly appeared.
"There's no way I'm letting you take her apart."
"After everything I went through to bring her back..."
"I refuse to let all that effort go to waste."
--------------------------------
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