"Ka... me... ha!!!" Goku poured all his strength into it and unleashed the Kamehameha, which he had built up to its limit!
"Me... te... or!!!" Vitelli released his attack at the same time! He had deliberately suppressed most of his power, releasing only enough to match Goku.
BOOM!!!!
Two enormous pillars of blue-white energy, like roaring dragons, slammed into each other in the center of the Gravity Chamber!
A deafening crash erupted instantly! A savage shock wave of energy spread in every direction like a tangible tsunami!
Whum! Whum! Whum!
The specially reinforced alloy walls of the Gravity Chamber groaned under the strain, instantly webbed with cracks!
Sparks flew from the control panel! The five-times gravity field instantly went haywire and collapsed under the savage energy shock! The entire Gravity Chamber was like a bomb going off!
Rumble—!!!
A terrifying tremor swept across several kilometers around Brief Manor in an instant!
The ground shook violently! Houses rocked, furniture toppled, and windows shattered one after another!
People in the streets screamed in terror and scattered in every direction, clutching their heads!
"An earthquake! It's an earthquake!"
"Run!"
Inside the manor's main house, Bulma had just woken from a nap in her pajamas when the violent shaking and terrifying crash jolted her awake!
She saw dust and decorations raining from the ceiling, and cracks spreading across the walls. Her face went pale with fright!
"What's going on?!"
Screaming, Bulma scrambled out of bed and, without a thought for appearances, instinctively dived beneath a sturdy wooden table.
"I thought the house could withstand a magnitude-ten earthquake?! Help, Vitelli!!!"
In the manor's garden, Dr. Brief and Mrs. Brief were lying on the ground in alarm with the family's little animals. They clutched their heads as they endured the quake.
Inside the Gravity Chamber.
Vitelli realized something was wrong the moment their attacks collided!
He had underestimated how much damage the energy released by their clash could do to the real world, even with his power suppressed!
The instant he saw the walls cracking and felt the ground shake, his expression changed.
"Not good!"
Without hesitation, he forcibly drew back his "White Heat Meteor"! Then, while Goku's Kamehameha continued to bear down on him, he blurred into a streak and lunged straight at Goku!
Thwack!
Vitelli's precise chop struck Goku's neck like lightning!
Goku, wholly focused on unleashing his energy, didn't even make a sound. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped to the ground. His energy blast cut off at once.
Vitelli didn't even glance at the unconscious Goku. He smashed a huge hole through the cracked alloy wall and hurried toward Bulma's bedroom!
Only after seeing that Bulma and the Briefs were all right did he finally let out a long breath of relief.
At last, the violent shaking subsided. The people around Brief Manor, still shaken, looked at one another with lingering fear.
The manor itself was a complete mess, as if a hurricane had swept through it.
"So you're telling me this 'earthquake' happened because you and Goku got carried away while sparring?!"
In the living room, Bulma had changed clothes, though her hair was still a little disheveled. She angrily pinched Vitelli's ear, her beautiful blue eyes blazing!
"Do you know I almost got crushed by the ceiling?! You idiot, Vitelli!!! Why did you have to fight so fiercely at home?! Are you tired of this house and want a new one, or do you think I'm not pretty enough and want a new girl—mmph..."
Vitelli cut off Bulma's furious tirade with a sudden, passionate kiss.
The kiss was full of apology and lingering fear, as well as his gentle reassurance.
Bulma struggled for a moment, but eventually melted into his arms. After a long while, they slowly parted.
Seeing the "I've learned my lesson, please go easy on me" look written all over Vitelli's face, Bulma realized she had almost said something she shouldn't have in the heat of the moment. She gave a heavy "hmph," pulled her hand away, and couldn't be bothered to say another word to him.
She immediately took out her phone and called the construction company under Capsule Corp. In an unquestionable tone, she told them to send their best crew over at once to clean up and repair the manor!
Only after she had given a flurry of decisive instructions and scolded him some more did Vitelli carefully point toward the Gravity Chamber. "Um... Goku's still in there... lying face down, I think?"
Bulma gave him an exasperated glare, then followed him to the ruins of the Gravity Chamber.
After searching through the wreckage for a while, they found Goku curled up in a corner, still unconscious and even snoring softly.
"Honestly, you two..."
Bulma looked at Goku, sleeping peacefully, then at Vitelli, whose face said, "I've thoroughly reflected on my actions." A profound sense of helplessness welled up in her.
She took a deep breath and kept reassuring herself, Never mind, don't be angry... This is the man I chose. What else can I do? I can only spoil him...
She planted her hands on her hips and issued Vitelli a final warning. "From now on! You absolutely, absolutely are not allowed to fight at home! And you're not allowed to cause this kind of house-demolishing commotion! Understood?!"
"Yes! Absolutely! I promise there won't be a next time!!!" Vitelli immediately stood straight and answered with firm resolve, his attitude impeccable.
Seeing him like that, Bulma finally managed to tamp down her anger.
She rubbed her temples and looked at the wrecked manor, exasperated.
"Honestly, we'd already invited several top chefs. They were supposed to come over at noon and prepare a lavish lunch. Now look at this place. It's such a mess that we can't host anyone."
After a little thought, she quickly made up her mind.
"Never mind. We'll stay for a while at the manor by the lake in the suburbs. The surroundings are lovely, and there's plenty of space. As for the chefs... I'll have them bring their ingredients and equipment there this afternoon instead."
As she spoke, she was already rapidly sending instructions on her phone, arranging for the whole family to relocate.
Watching Bulma deal with the mess in such an orderly way, Vitelli finally breathed a huge sigh of relief.
He couldn't help thinking, Thank goodness, thank goodness I found a rich girl like Bulma! The heiress of Capsule Corp really is the best!
His gaze fell on the sleeping Goku. Remembering Son Goku in the original story, completely under Chi-Chi's thumb, he couldn't help grinning mischievously.
The course of fate seemed to have shifted considerably under the influence of his "butterfly" wings.
Hoisting the unconscious Goku over his shoulder like a sack, Vitelli followed Bulma and helped direct the robots and servants as they packed the essentials.
The whole family boarded the spacious, luxurious aircraft. Its engine rumbled low as it prepared to fly to the scenic manor in the suburbs.
As for Goku? Of course they had to bring him along. They couldn't just leave him in the ruins.
The aircraft slowly rose into the air. Vitelli looked through the window at Brief Manor below, which resembled a battlefield, and helplessly rubbed his temples.
"I was going to try summoning Whis with food..."
He murmured to himself, gazing into the distance. "I'll have to wait until we're settled this afternoon, or try again later."
He hoped the legendary angel really was the kind of food lover who couldn't resist a good meal.
Chapter 17: Departure, Bulma Left Alone
On the outskirts of West City, a vast lake lay like a mirror set in green jade, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds.
Beside the lake, a sprawling manor stood on the lush grass, backed by verdant mountains. The secluded surroundings made it seem like a paradise far removed from the world.
Vitelli climbed out of the aircraft with Goku still snoring over his shoulder. He surveyed the magnificent manor nestled between the mountains and water and couldn't help marveling again.
"No wonder it's Bulma... Even her temporary accommodations are this extravagant."
Bulma directed the robot servants inside the manor. When she saw Vitelli carrying Goku, she immediately waved to him.
"Hey, Vitelli! Take Goku to a guest room and let him sleep. Keep an eye on the time, and don't get so caught up in training that you forget again. The chefs will be here with the ingredients and equipment soon!"
"Got it. Don't worry."
Vitelli nodded and carried Goku after the robot servants into the manor. He put him on the soft bed in a spacious, comfortable guest room.
Watching Goku smack his lips, roll over, and keep sleeping, Vitelli sighed helplessly. "You little rascal. You're always causing trouble."
After getting Goku settled, Vitelli didn't head straight back to the living room to find Bulma. There was still time, so he decided to use the break to train.
In the manor's backyard, the robots had already quickly assembled the slightly outdated first-generation Gravity Chamber.
Vitelli went inside and expertly operated the control panel, cranking the gravity setting straight up to the machine's limit—three hundred times Earth's gravity.
Whum—
An immense, invisible pressure instantly enveloped his body! Vitelli sank slightly.
For him, whose normal-state battle power was now unfathomable, three hundred times gravity was little more than a warm-up to awaken his body and keep his fighting instincts sharp.
Sweat quickly seeped from his skin. His muscles trembled faintly under the extreme pressure, bringing a familiar, satisfying sense of fullness.
He took a deep breath and began with the most basic exercise: push-ups. Each movement was quick and powerful, and before long he had done hundreds.
Time slowly passed amid the sweat. After an unknown while, the intercom inside the Gravity Chamber beeped.
Vitelli stopped, got up, and went to the console to answer it.
"Vitelli!"
Bulma's voice came through clearly. "The team of chefs you asked me to find is here. They've almost finished preparing the ingredients, and we're all in the dining room. Come over!"
"Okay, I'll be right there."
Vitelli answered and hung up. He shut off the gravity system, and the crushing pressure vanished all at once, leaving him feeling pleasantly light.
He quickly showered to wash off the sweat, changed into clean casual clothes, and left the Gravity Chamber.
He headed for the dining room in the center of the manor, which was decorated quite luxuriously.
As soon as he entered, the rich, tempting aromas of food washed over him.
The huge dining table was laden with an array of dishes, each arranged like a work of art.
Delicate appetizers, appetizingly roasted ribs, fragrant seafood risotto, mountains of assorted sushi, exquisite desserts garnished with berries...
The world-class chefs were still in the kitchen putting the final touches on the plating and garnishes.
In one corner of the dining room, Goku had already woken up. He stared at the table, his Adam's apple bobbing again and again, a little drool hanging from the corner of his mouth.
Bulma was directing the servants as they adjusted the cutlery and flower arrangements, making sure everything was perfect.
"You're here!"
When Bulma saw Vitelli, she immediately asked, "Can we eat now? Or... are you about to do that thing you've been keeping secret from me?"
Her blue eyes were full of curiosity, and there was also a hint of anticipation that Vitelli didn't notice.
Vitelli didn't answer right away. He looked over the table and nodded in satisfaction.
But out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Goku sneaking a hand toward the nearest pork rib, apparently trying to steal it...
"Kakarot!"
Vitelli's voice was full of exasperation. "You little rascal! No sneaking food! It's not time to eat yet!"
"Oh..."
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Goku snatched his hand back in a flash and answered with a wounded look. But his eyes stayed glued to the table.
Vitelli walked over, both amused and exasperated, and gave him an unceremonious flick on the forehead.
"Ow! That hurts, Vitelli!" Goku cried, clutching his head.
"It's supposed to hurt!" Vitelli said crossly.
"These dishes are important for something! They're connected to... well, something very important! Once it's taken care of, I promise you can eat your fill! For now, just sit tight!"
With that, he pushed Goku, who looked reluctant but didn't dare resist, over beside Bulma. "Bulma, keep an eye on him. Don't let him cause trouble."
Bulma stifled a laugh and grabbed Goku by the back of his collar.
"You heard him, Goku? Behave yourself, or you won't get any food later."
After dealing with the unpredictable Goku, Vitelli took a deep breath, picked up a plate of delicious food, and walked to the center of the dining room. Then he held it up in front of him.
Bulma and Goku both focused on him, their faces full of curiosity—
Bulma wondered what he was up to, while Goku was simply curious about when he could eat.
Vitelli cleared his throat and focused his gaze, tipping his head slightly as if he were making a phone call.
His gaze seemed to pierce the beautiful ceiling of the manor and reach out into the boundless starry sky.