The starry sky of an unnamed galaxy cluster!
Son Gohan stood with his hands in his pockets...
"I never expected Tien Shinhan to have fled here from the Thirteenth Universe! There are still so many unknown secrets in the Dragon Ball World!"
He hadn't stayed on New Three-Eyed Star. Frieza wouldn't reach Namek for another three months!
He didn't want to waste those three months on Three-Eyed Star!
Ever since he'd seen the Grand Elder of Namek lose more of his lifespan, he'd started worrying about Sun Wukong's heart disease!
He'd assumed that Future Trunks came from a parallel timeline, and that even if history changed slightly, it wouldn't affect Future Trunks's arrival!
But now, things didn't look good. He'd have to make other preparations too!
"Since Future Bulma made the medicine, the Bulma of this era should be able to make it too! And there's one advantage we have over the future..." Son Gohan murmured.
Then he vanished with Instant Transmission!
Earth, Korin Tower!
"Huh? Didn't you leave Earth?" Korin was surprised by Gohan's sudden arrival!
"They don't need me over there for now. I came back to take care of something. By the way, Korin, do you have any Ultra Divine Water left?" Gohan asked.
Korin nodded, then shook his head. "I do. You want to drink some more? Wait, that won't work. It has no effect the second time someone drinks it, right? Besides, only a few drops have formed."
"One drop is enough. I want to run an experiment, and I need the raw material. Could you give me a drop?"
"No problem. Just a moment!"
Korin went to the storeroom and brought back a delicate glass bottle containing one drop of Ultra Divine Water!
"Here you go!"
"Thanks, Korin. I'll have someone bring you some dried fish later!" Son Gohan thanked him, then vanished with Instant Transmission!
"Slurp!!! Dried fish!!" A pathetic tear rolled down Korin's cheek.
Bulma Manor!
"Bulma!!!" Ever since the awkward incident between them, Son Gohan had felt much more at ease around her!
"What do you want now, brat?" Bulma asked, sounding annoyed.
"Hehe... I need a favor. Help me research a medicine!" Son Gohan shamelessly pleaded.
"Are you kidding me? I'm a scientist, a genius scientist, not a doctor!!!" Bulma looked thoroughly displeased.
"Ms. Bulma, you're a genius scientist. Researching a medicine should be a piece of cake for you. I wouldn't trust anyone else with this, and I only have one drop of the raw material!" Son Gohan buttered her up.
"Pah! Don't try to sweet-talk me. You're up to no good!" Bulma had clearly developed a resistance to his flattery.
"Ms. Bulma, you wouldn't want to lose a good friend, would you..." Son Gohan suddenly grew serious.
"Hey, hey, hey... What's that supposed to mean? Why does that sound so familiar? Tch, no, wait... What are you trying to do, brat? I'm your aunt by seniority, you know!" Bulma backed away in alarm.
Son Gohan couldn't help laughing at her reaction!
"What kind of weird stuff is going on in your head? I mean, I want you to make the medicine to save my dad. Isn't he your friend too?"
Bulma froze. She felt relieved, but also a little disappointed.
"Oh, so that's what you meant! But how could Sun Wukong get sick? Aren't you aliens? He's as strong as an ox!" Bulma asked in surprise.
"My dad was poisoned. This is Ultra Divine Water. Its poison stimulates a person's potential. When my dad was a kid, it helped him unlock his potential, but a trace of the poison wasn't absorbed and remained dormant in his heart. Before long, his heart disease will flare up and kill him!" Son Gohan's grave expression convinced Bulma that he was telling the truth.
"Is that really what happened? Leave it to me. Capsule Corporation is focused on technology, but we have plenty of medical experts too!" Bulma carefully took the glass bottle, her expression solemn.
"Thank you, Ms. Bulma!" Son Gohan bowed.
"So I'm doing this for free again?"
"Want me to repay you in the flesh?"
"Get out! Go on, get out! Do you look like a four-year-old to you? You think you can repay me in the flesh? You're not even capable of that!" Bulma flew into a rage.
"Women! All talk!" Son Gohan was kicked out, and even accused Bulma of being all talk.
Bulma was all bark and no bite. After Son Gohan left, she immediately called in the company's experts to study the Ultra Divine Water!
"Madam President, where did you get this drop of liquid?" one of the company's medical experts asked.
"Don't ask where it came from. Just tell me what you found!" Bulma replied.
"In terms of toxicity, it's weaker than cobra venom. But in terms of how much damage it does to the body, there's nothing on Earth that can withstand it!"
"What do you mean?"
"If someone swallowed it, it would kill every cell in their body within seconds. But strangely, it wouldn't destroy the cells' cores. Even so, with every cell dying within seconds, the body would suffer unimaginable pain. On a scale where childbirth pain is a ten, this would be ten times worse."
"That's that intense?" Bulma asked in astonishment.
"Yes! But if the person's consciousness stayed clear, their body would fight back on its own. The undamaged cell cores would multiply rapidly and give rise to new cells! The person would undergo a transformation. Their lifespan might even be extended, and they could grow young again! But I don't think anyone could endure that pain."
"There is someone, and not just one. That brat clearly drank it too," Bulma murmured.
"Madam President, what did you say?"
"Nothing. Let me ask you something else. If a trace of this poison were dormant in someone's heart, what would happen?" Bulma asked.
"Hmm? We'd need to run experiments to find out!"
"This is the only drop, so use it sparingly. Find a medicine to counteract this poison as quickly as possible!"
"Yes, Madam President!"
The person in charge led the team in rapidly conducting research and experiments!
Meanwhile, Son Gohan had arrived at Galactic Patrol Headquarters!
"Stop! Who are you to trespass on Galactic Patrol Headquarters?" The moment Son Gohan appeared, guards surrounded him in layers!
"Calm down. I mean no harm. I'm here to request an audience with the Galactic King." Son Gohan spread his hands to show that he meant no harm.
"Whoever you are, you must be capable to have made it through all those layers of security and reached the Galactic King's palace. If you want to see him, you need to request an audience. This isn't the right way to do it! All right, put your weapons away. If he meant you harm, none of you would stand a chance!"
"Greetings, Captain Merus!" Dozens of guards immediately lowered their weapons and bowed respectfully!
"Stand down. I'll take it from here!"
"Yes, Captain Merus!"
The crowd of patrol officers dispersed in an instant!
"Hehe, you're Captain Merus, right?" Son Gohan said with a grin.
"Yes. Come with me." Merus didn't pay any attention to Son Gohan's expression. He led him into the palace.
Son Gohan followed close behind!
In truth, he hadn't come to see the Galactic King. He'd come for the person standing before him: Merus!