Happy times were always short-lived.
Especially when that happiness came with the torment of ten times gravity and occasional pink interactions.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
News that the World Martial Arts Tournament was about to begin registration had already spread across the world through television broadcasts.
Krillin knew it was time for him to leave.
If he did not return to reunite with Master Roshi, the plotline might veer into unpredictable deviations.
Early that morning, at Capsule Corporation's private airstrip.
A bright-yellow capsule jet had already finished warming up.
Its engines spewed pale-blue afterburners, making the grass ripple in the wind.
Mrs. Briefs brought out a huge pile of snacks and boxed meals and forcefully stuffed them into Krillin's backpack, as though he were heading into the wilderness to survive instead of returning to the martial arts school.
Dr. Briefs handed Krillin a small box.
"This is the Gravity Ring you wanted."
"Although it isn't as effective as that large room, applying two or three times the gravity to your limbs is no problem."
"Wear it normally. Don't take it off when eating or sleeping."
"Thanks, Dr. Briefs." Krillin accepted it solemnly.
At last, only Bulma remained.
Today, she wore a simple white T-shirt and denim shorts, her hair tied into a neat ponytail. She was not holding that legendary Battle Suit.
"The clothes... aren't completely finished yet."
Bulma nudged a small stone at her feet, not daring to look Krillin in the eye.
"The core chip still needs debugging."
"When the Martial Arts Tournament begins, I'll bring it over."
In truth, the clothes had been finished long ago.
She simply wanted an excuse—one that required her to go see him.
"Okay. I'll wait for you."
Krillin saw through her little scheme but did not expose it.
The wind was a little strong, blowing the bangs from Bulma's forehead into disarray.
The two stood facing each other, while the surrounding noise seemed to be filtered out automatically.
"Um... you have to win."
Bulma lifted her head and bit her lower lip.
"If you lose to that womanizing radish Yamcha, I'll... I'll alter the Battle Suit you made into a pink maid outfit!"
"Don't worry. There's only a one-in-a-hundred-million chance of that happening." Krillin smiled confidently.
He shouldered his backpack and turned toward the aircraft.
One step. Two steps.
A sudden pang of parting welled up in Bulma's heart.
After spending this week together day and night, she had grown accustomed to having him by her side—sweating, eating, and bickering with her.
This place was spacious, but why did it suddenly feel so empty the moment he left?
"Krillin!"
Bulma suddenly shouted.
Krillin stopped and turned around.
A white figure rushed toward him.
Bulma did not slow down at all. She charged straight into his arms.
Her soft, fragrant body filled his embrace.
Before Krillin could react, Bulma rose onto her tiptoes, hooked both arms around his neck, closed her eyes, and pressed her warm, soft lips against his.
Boom...
It was as if fireworks had exploded in Krillin's mind.
This was not a fleeting peck.
It was a confession carrying a girl's distinctive youthful shyness, yet burning with incomparable passion.
There was a sweet taste of citrus candy between their lips and teeth.
Krillin naturally wrapped his arms around her slender waist and deepened the kiss.
Time seemed to stand still.
Only Mrs. Briefs's distant "Oh-ho-ho-ho!" and a whistle from Dr. Briefs could be heard.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Bulma's face was flushed as though it might drip blood.
She panted, her eyes hazy yet exceptionally resolute as she looked at Krillin.
"This is... an advance reward."
"You have to bring the championship back."
Her face red, she spoke in a soft voice.
At that moment, that long-missed mechanical notification rang out in Krillin's mind.
[Beep! Key plot interaction detected.] [Target: Bulma.] [Current favorability: 92/100 (A first love that lasts until death).] [Congratulations, Host, on reaching the 90% favorability threshold!] [Extracting the target's core ability...] [Extraction successful! Obtained passive skill: Genius Intellect (S-Rank).] [Description: The connection speed between your brain neurons has increased by 300%. Your logical thinking, learning ability, and mechanical comprehension have been greatly enhanced. You can now learn another person's techniques at a glance, and even complex mechanical blueprints will never escape your memory after one look. Your comprehension has risen from "ordinary human" to "monstrous genius."]
In an instant, the world changed in Krillin's eyes.
He had originally only sensed the wind stirring the grass, but now he could clearly calculate the wind speed, angle, and trajectory of every blade of grass.
He had previously felt dizzy just looking at the aircraft's complicated instrument panel, but now those instruments seemed to transform into simple one-plus-one equations.
He even spotted a tiny design flaw in the aircraft's engine air intake at a glance.
Was this the world as Bulma saw it?
Was this what a genius's brain was like?
Krillin felt the fog that had always shrouded his mind scatter beneath a fierce gale, leaving his thoughts frighteningly clear.
This clarity, combined with the physical strength brought by the Saitama Template, gave him a genuine sense of invincibility.
"Thanks. I really like this gift..."
Krillin released her and gently brushed his fingers across Bulma's swollen lips. His eyes held a depth and wisdom that had not been there before.
"I'm leaving."
He did not linger any longer. He turned around and jumped aboard the aircraft.
Before you continue