Resolve One Matter

Stepping out of the black hole, Zhang Wutian and Son Wukong appeared before Krillin, who was training on the island where Master Roshi lived.

"Whoa!! Can you two stop popping up out of nowhere like that!" Krillin, having grown up in this other world, was startled by the sudden appearance of the pair.

"Relax, I took a peek beforehand. I already confirmed you weren't in the bathroom or the toilet."

"You saying that makes me even less relaxed!!" Krillin suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Krillin gave Zhang Wutian a rough overview of how this world had progressed.

After years of destruction wrought by Evil Son Goku, the world's total population had plummeted to a dangerous level. In this climate of unprecedented war-weariness, no one had the heart—or, more accurately, the strength—to start another war for the sake of power and profit.

This ensured that changes to the upper echelons of power would remain orderly, preventing any further outbreaks of conflict. This was the stance held by the super-powered individuals represented by Krillin and Tien Shinhan.

Under these circumstances, the former Dog King announced his abdication. Whether it was an admission of his own incompetent rule or a strategic retreat to secure his future, the bottom line was that a new era had arrived.

After much compromise, the leader of the world's strongest military group, the Red Ribbon Army, Dr. Gero, would become the leader of the new world under the title of President. Naturally, this position was not hereditary, and term limits were established.

Dr. Gero found this result acceptable. In his own words, if he couldn't make his research a success by mobilizing the power of the entire world within his presidential term, then he had no business being president anyway.

Combining this with the original plot, Zhang Wutian had a rough idea of Dr. Gero's research direction: "Using the power of the whole world for research? Could the ultimate goal of Dr. Gero's research, the ultimate lifeform Cell, appear ahead of schedule?"

Imagining the scene of a protector-of-Earth Cell and his Android army versus the galactic tyrant Frieza, he felt that if that space emperor dared to come to Earth, he would likely be crushed into nothingness. Zhang Wutian finally brought up the purpose of their visit to this world.

"We have gathered all seven Dragon Balls. It is time to make our wish."

"Now? Don't we need some kind of ceremony? I mean, shouldn't we call the others over?" Krillin was stunned by Zhang Wutian's directness.

"No need. Let's make this quick."

With that said, Zhang Wutian took out the seven Dragon Balls and placed them on the ground.

Then, he shouted aloud: "Shenron, appear!!"

The sky turned black.

The seven Dragon Balls began to emit a violent radiance. Accompanied by thunder and lightning, a beam of light shot into the sky, coalescing into the shape of a dragon.

The Earth's sky was swallowed by darkness, from the southern hemisphere to the northern, with no exceptions. This abnormal celestial phenomenon fell upon everyone.

"Is this... the Shenron that can grant any wish?"

"It's my first time seeing it too. I suppose something of this size naturally carries a sense of oppression..."

Seeing the living Shenron for the first time, Zhang Wutian looked up and exclaimed in admiration.

Son Wukong, however, had seen Shenron from a distance once before, so she didn't appear overly surprised.

"Tell me your wish." Shenron looked down at the three of them from on high: "I can grant you any one wish."

Zhang Wutian glanced at Krillin, stray thoughts flashing through his mind—If Krillin suddenly turned evil and snatched the wish, that would be a masterpiece. Or if I suddenly turned evil, that would be interesting too, but Wukong would be sad—before stepping forward and saying: "Shenron, I wish for you to resurrect everyone killed by the Son Goku of this world."

"There are many, but it is not difficult. I can grant your wish."

With that, Shenron fell silent. After a moment, he spoke: "Very well, your wish has been granted. Now..."

"Wait!!" Zhang Wutian suddenly interrupted Shenron. He said: "Shenron, I believe you know that this is a different world."

Shenron stared at Zhang Wutian with his blood-red eyes, then nodded after a moment.

"I know. What do you wish to say?"

"I have a proposal," Zhang Wutian said. "I intend to take the Dragon Balls back to my original world in their entirety. After the wish is fulfilled, can you control the Dragon Balls so they don't scatter?"

"Regrettably," Shenron replied, "my energy was exhausted by the wish just now, so I cannot modify the rules set by my creator."

"That's awkward. Could you wait a moment? I need to discuss a countermeasure with my companions."

"Very well. I will try to extend my presence as long as possible."

Zhang Wutian then said to the two beside him: "Krillin, Wukong, when the wish is finished and the Dragon Balls disperse, we will jump up and catch them. Can you do it?"

"I think I can try," Krillin said, lacking confidence. "The Dragon Balls won't fly too fast, will they?"

"Not fast at all. I've seen them fly away once before. I'll take three, Zhang Wutian takes two, and you take two, Krillin. I think we can do it," Son Wukong said with confidence.

"Wukong, count again. You can use your fingers this time," Zhang Wutian said to Krillin with an embarrassed look, to which Krillin responded with a forgiving smile.

"In any case, everyone try to grab as many as you can." The discussion concluded, and Zhang Wutian said to Shenron: "Thank you for your hard work, Shenron. You may disappear now. I hope to see you again in our original world."

"I cannot grant your second wish, but I offer you my blessing. May your wish be fulfilled. Farewell."

The next moment, the Dragon Balls flew into the sky.

"Wukong, Krillin!!"

"Right!"

"Understood!"

The three leaped into the sky. The moment the light on the surface of the Dragon Balls faded completely and they began to scatter, they struck, pulling the Dragon Balls into their arms.

"Oh no, one more!" The Dragon Ball grazed Krillin's fingertips, and he failed to reach it. The next moment, with a thud, Zhang Wutian unleashed an air blast, catching the Dragon Ball that had begun to fly away due to Krillin's mistake.

Then, the three landed on the ground.

"How was it?"

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. In the end, the seven Dragon Balls, which had temporarily turned into stone eggs after the wish was granted, were gathered together.

"Are everyone really back to life? It all feels so surreal." Looking up at the sky as it brightened once more, Krillin spoke as if he were in a dream. "To be honest, ever since the two of you appeared, I've often felt like I'm living in a dream."

"But you have truly grown stronger. That strength isn't a dream, is it?"

Krillin lowered his head and clenched his fists.

"Use your own power to confirm whether or not you are currently in a dream."

Krillin released his ki.

The next moment, he felt it...

A presence he should have never encountered after learning to sense ki, yet one he felt deeply familiar with in his heart, was standing right behind him.

The resurrected Master Roshi stood behind Krillin, watching him with a beaming smile.

"Ma... Master Roshi!"

"I heard about what happened from the Other World. You saved the world. Well done, Krillin. You are truly my disciple." A gratified smile hung on Master Roshi's face, genuinely happy that his student had accomplished something he himself could not.

"Haha, this isn't a dream! I can feel it. There's a powerful ki appearing near Tien Shinhan—that's Chiaotzu and Master Shen; they've been resurrected too. And over there, that ki must be Yamcha. Huh? There's an evil ki over there as well. Is that King Piccolo? He's been resurrected too."

"You should be able to handle King Piccolo with ease now, but I'll give you a piece of advice: before you finish off King Piccolo, you'd best head to God's Realm. You'll find something interesting there."

"Haha!" Krillin laughed so hard his nose disappeared—though he didn't have one to begin with. "Thank you, Zhang Wutian, and Wukong. Thank you both so much. On behalf of everyone who was brought back, I thank you for everything you've done."

Zhang Wutian and Son Wukong exchanged a glance and smiled. Then, Zhang Wutian punched Krillin lightly on the shoulder. "Aren't we friends? You're being too formal."

"And these two are..." Master Roshi stepped forward, looking at the pair with confusion. He focused his attention on Son Wukong, who was wearing a Turtle Hermit School uniform but looked almost identical to Evil Son Goku; after all, that person had left too deep an impression on this world.

"Haha, that's a long story..." Krillin took over the conversation.

And so, the floodgates were opened.