Mount Paozu
"Another glutton??" Chi-Chi stared at Nappa in horror.
"Uh, Mom, you don't have to cook for him yourself!" Son Gohan said helplessly.
"No way. Even if I don't have to cook, I still have to buy the ingredients, and I can't afford that!" Chi-Chi refused.
"Well... well, sister-in-law, how about we find a way to earn some money?" Raditz said, blushing.
He felt a little embarrassed too!
Nappa looked at Raditz and Son Gohan in surprise. He couldn't understand why they were both so afraid of this woman, whose power level was so low.
"Earn money? You're more proactive than Goku, at least! But it's hard to find work!" Chi-Chi said with a frown.
"Okay, okay... Mom, you forgot—I get dividends from Aunt Bulma's company! We have enough money, so don't worry about it, all right?" Gohan hurriedly said.
As if! Letting two short-tempered Saiyans go looking for jobs would be a disaster!
"Gohan, you're four this year, right? You promised me you'd start school at three. Don't think I've forgotten!" Chi-Chi said quietly.
Son Gohan's mouth twitched. "Mom, can't I just..."
"No!!! You're just a little kid! You're not going to school—are you planning to rebel? Starting tomorrow, you're going to school!" Chi-Chi roared, tugging Gohan by the ear.
"I'll go, I'll go, Mom! Ow, my ear's about to fall off!" Son Gohan begged, pretending to be in pain.
Raditz quietly edged backward, ready to make his escape!
"Stop right there! Gohan may get dividends, but you two can't just sit around eating for free. Starting tomorrow, you'll be fetching water, chopping wood, and farming. That goes for both of you—and Goku too. Got it?" Chi-Chi glared fiercely at Raditz.
"Got it, no problem. Nappa and I can handle it! Come on, Nappa!" Raditz hurriedly dragged the bewildered Nappa away.
"Phew, we finally made it out!" Raditz wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Raditz, why are you all so afraid of her? Her power level is higher than a normal Earthling's, but it's still nowhere near yours," Nappa asked, puzzled.
"Nappa, you don't understand. Stay a few more days and you'll see. Super Saiyans aren't scary. What's scary is a Super Saiyan's mother! You go fetch water, and I'll chop wood," Raditz explained.
Raditz handed Nappa the large water bucket outside the door.
"Hey, Raditz, is this a kind of training too?" Nappa asked.
"Yeah, you could say that!"
"Then I'm on it!" Nappa said with determination.
He took the bucket and flew off to look for a clean water source.
"Nappa, it won't take long for you to realize what we Saiyans lack is a peaceful state of mind," Raditz murmured.
Then he headed into the forest to chop wood.
Sun Wukong collected all seven Dragon Balls in just one day.
The last time Son Gohan used the Dragon Balls, he was not yet three. Now he was four, and the Dragon Balls had been restored.
The Earthlings killed by Nappa had also been brought back to life. Unfortunately, the cities needed to be rebuilt.
But Sun Wukong didn't get involved, because he had no money!!
On the third day!!
"These clothes are so uncomfortable!!" Son Gohan said, unhappy in his school uniform.
"You have to wear them even if they're uncomfortable!" Chi-Chi said firmly.
"Fine!!"
Then Gohan gauged his direction and shot into the sky.
"Don't forget, once you get there, you have to walk. Don't scare your classmates!" Chi-Chi called after Gohan.
"Got it, Mom!"
"You little rascal. You think your mom can't tell how clever you are? But you should act your age. Stop acting like a grown-up and go enjoy meeting your classmates!" Chi-Chi said with an amused smile as she watched Gohan fly away.
How could she not know what Gohan was thinking? But she didn't want him to shoulder burdens he shouldn't have to bear at such a young age. Going to school was what a child his age ought to be doing!
Three thousand kilometers from Mount Paozu, in Nandu, stood an elementary school that looked luxurious at a glance: Zhongnan Aristocratic Academy!
"Is this the place?" Son Gohan looked down at the swarms of elementary school students from high above.
Gohan really didn't want to go to kindergarten, so Chi-Chi had applied for him to take an early entrance exam. He'd passed and gone straight to elementary school!
And because he'd scored perfectly on the exam, he'd earned the chance to attend Zhongnan Aristocratic Academy for free!
Normally, children didn't start elementary school until they were six!
"Little boy, where are your parents? Did you come by yourself?" the security guard at the gate asked.
"I hitched a ride on my neighbor's plane. My home's in Mount Paozu, so it's pretty far away. My parents couldn't bring me."
"Parents these days really are irresponsible! All right, let me see your student ID. Which class are you in? I'll take you there," the guard said reproachfully.
Even so, he escorted Son Gohan to his classroom!
"Hi, I'm Videl!" Gohan's female deskmate suddenly said.
"Huh??? What a coincidence!" Son Gohan said, surprised as he looked at the little girl in front of him.
"Do you know me?" Videl asked in confusion.
"I don't. Nice to meet you, I'm Son Gohan!" he replied politely.
At the same time, he couldn't help marveling at the strange ways of fate!
He hadn't expected to meet Videl this early. If things had gone normally, he'd be in middle kindergarten now and wouldn't have run into her!
Looking at the petite, adorable Videl, he made up his mind.
"An arranged child bride? No, I'm even younger than her. Childhood sweethearts, then? That works too... Videl, grow up quickly!"
Son Gohan began his grueling elementary school life!
After finding the Dragon Balls and reviving the people Nappa had killed, Sun Wukong returned to Mount Paozu too!
Looking at the full water buckets and the mountain of firewood, he wore a surprised expression!
Just then, Raditz returned carrying the last tree!
"Kakarot, Chi-Chi assigned all this work to us. We wouldn't dare not do it!" Raditz said helplessly.
"Haha, now that you're doing it, I don't have to! I'm going to the Gravity Chamber!" Sun Wukong said delightedly.
"I'm done too. I'll come with you..."
Before they could reach the door, Nappa flew back with the last bucket of water.
"Huh? He's so obedient?" Sun Wukong said, taken aback.
"Would he dare not be?"
"True!"
"Nappa, you should come too!" Sun Wukong invited him.
"Can I?" Nappa asked excitedly.
"Sure, come on, Nappa. Relax and make yourself at home!" Raditz beckoned.
"Okay, I'm coming!" Nappa eagerly hurried over.
Raditz had already told him about the wonders of the Gravity Chamber.
The three of them went inside and began training!
Six in the evening!!
"Phew... Videl's so clingy!" As soon as Son Gohan got back, he felt as if he'd set down a huge burden!
If Satan hadn't picked her up after school, who knew how long she would've kept him there!
Unlike the poised, spirited woman she'd become when she grew up, Videl was now like a curious little kitten!!
She'd clung to Son Gohan, insisting that he play with her!
After training, Son Gohan was far taller than other children his age, even taller than children older than him!
By now, he already had the faintest hint of the person he'd grow up to be!
His features were beginning to look sharp and defined! The muscles on his slightly exposed arms were well developed!
He was also the class genius, with not a single question he couldn't answer!
That only made Videl even more curious about him!
"You're back, Gohan. Go wash your hands and get ready to eat! How was school? Did you have fun?" Chi-Chi asked happily.
"Mom, it was torture... going to school with a bunch of immature kids!" Gohan complained.
At the same time, he resolved to find a way to skip school—and make sure Chi-Chi never found out!
He began plotting how to avoid going to school.
"That's what little kids are supposed to do. If you don't go to school, are you planning to rebel?" Chi-Chi insisted.
"I'm hungry!" Gohan said with a pout.
"Come on, let's eat. Whitey's finished cooking!"
Whitey was the intelligent cooking robot Son Gohan had brought back from Capsule Corporation.
The one that did the dishes was called Blacky!