"Congratulations, Mr. Zeru, on becoming even stronger!"
The Grand Elder's voice sounded.
Zeru snapped out of his excitement. Seeing the Grand Elder drenched in sweat, he couldn't help but feel grateful.
He knew that every time the Grand Elder used his ability to unlock someone's potential, it shortened his lifespan.
Even though it was a transaction, Zeru still felt that he was the one who had gained the most.
"Return in three days, Mr. Zeru. The seven Dragon Balls will be gathered here by then."
The Grand Elder let out a light breath, slowly walked to his bed, and sat down, his eyes gradually closing.
Zeru knew that the Grand Elder was extremely exhausted, so he didn't disturb him further. Placing two fingers on his forehead, he disappeared instantly.
After Zeru left, the Grand Elder opened his eyes again and murmured softly, "Instant Transmission… this Mr. Zeru is quite mysterious."
…
Three days passed quickly, and Zeru returned to Planet Namek once more.
He appeared once again in the Grand Elder's courtyard.
Whoosh!
With a faint sound, Zeru appeared in the yard.
"Zeru!"
Seeing him, Nail's gaze sharpened.
"Mr. Zeru has arrived."
The Grand Elder slowly opened his eyes, revealing a kind smile. Pointing to the seven basketball-sized Dragon Balls on the ground, he said, "These are the seven Dragon Balls."
"I know."
Zeru's gaze locked onto the large Dragon Balls, a hint of excitement appearing on his face.
He stepped forward and crouched down before them, reaching out to touch one. It felt cool to the touch—perfect for beating the summer heat.
Shaking off that stray thought, Zeru stood up and looked at the Grand Elder. "Grand Elder, please help summon the dragon."
The Grand Elder nodded, stood up from the stone bench, and with Nail's support, walked over to the Dragon Balls.
"Come forth, Dragon Porunga!"
Raising both hands and looking up at the sky, the Grand Elder spoke in the ancient Namekian language.
Boom!
The moment those words were spoken, thunder roared across the sky.
Zeru looked up. The once clear sky of Namek suddenly filled with dark clouds, streaks of lightning flashing within them.
The phenomenon lasted for over ten seconds. Then, Zeru's eyes narrowed as a massive silhouette emerged from the clouds.
A powerful gust of wind swept through as the clouds parted, revealing an enormous figure—the Namekian dragon, Porunga.
"Fortunate summoner, I am Porunga. I can grant you any three wishes!"
Porunga's voice boomed across the entire planet, heard by every Namekian.
"What is your first wish, Mr. Zeru?"
The Grand Elder turned to him.
"My first wish is for the dragon to grant me the maximum lifespan within its ability."
Zeru answered without hesitation.
"Very well."
The Grand Elder conveyed the wish to Porunga in the ancient Namekian language.
"Lifespan? That's easy!"
Porunga crossed his arms and let out a disdainful chuckle. A crimson glow flashed in his eyes.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, a beam of red light descended from the sky and entered Zeru's body.
"A mortal can live at most ten thousand years. That is the lifespan I can grant you!"
Porunga declared.
The Grand Elder relayed the message to Zeru.
"No problem."
Zeru's eyes flickered slightly. In his mind, he believed that in the future, he would reach a divine level of existence, at which point lifespan would no longer be an issue.
"Grand Elder, my second wish is to master the ancient divine language."
After a brief thought, Zeru stated his second wish.
"The ancient divine language?"
A glint appeared in the Grand Elder's cloudy eyes, but he said nothing further and relayed the wish.
Whoosh!
Another crimson light descended and merged into Zeru's body. Instantly, he understood the ancient divine language.
"Porunga, my third wish is to know the exact locations of all Super Dragon Balls in Universe 7!"
Now able to speak the divine language, Zeru directly addressed Porunga himself.
"I understand."
Hearing this wish, Porunga finally realized why Zeru wanted to learn the divine language.
Whoosh!
A third crimson light entered Zeru's body.
"Your three wishes have been granted. Fortunate summoner, may luck be with you!"
With that, Porunga's massive body shattered into seven stone Dragon Balls, falling from the sky back onto the ground.
"The three Super Dragon Balls in Universe 7 are all very far away… there's no need to search for them right now."
Zeru had already received their exact locations, but at his current level, traveling to Universe 6 to collect the rest was impossible.
After some thought, he abandoned the idea of pursuing them for now.
"Better to wait. Even with Super Saiyan, I only have 4 billion power level. That's overwhelming for this stage and even during the Android Saga… but if I encounter a God of Destruction or an Angel, I'd be killed instantly."
Zeru was someone who understood his limits well. Without absolute confidence, he would never act recklessly.
Moreover, setting aside his lack of ability to travel between universes, simply entering another universe without permission was a grave crime. With his current strength, he couldn't withstand the wrath of a God of Destruction or an Angel.