When Raditz reappeared before them after nearly a year missing, Krillin and the others were utterly stunned.
They peppered him with questions, asking where he'd been all that time.
When Raditz explained that he'd been secretly training with Master Roshi, everyone finally understood.
"Master Mutten really did give you special treatment, training you by yourself," Krillin said, sounding a little envious.
"Haha, not really. I was a beginner, so I couldn't train with you guys. I needed a year to get started. After that, I'll train with you," Raditz said at once.
"Just like Raditz said, the three of you will train together. The training ahead can't be completed through physical strength alone," Master Roshi told them.
"Get ready."
The next day.
Master Roshi led the three of them to a waterfall.
Following his instructions, they sat beneath the waterfall.
"Focus your minds and feel the flow of ki inside you."
Master Roshi sat down with them. "Guide it, and use it to resist the forces around you."
The three of them copied Master Roshi, sitting cross-legged and slowly closing their eyes as they tried to feel the flowing ki.
Raditz soon felt a response. He'd already had some experience with this, so it came more easily to him now.
He adjusted his breathing at once, letting the ki circulate through his body more efficiently. Slowly, he guided it, making it flow to his own rhythm.
Before they knew it, the day had passed. Each of the three had gained something from sitting in meditation.
Training with ki wasn't something they could master overnight. Master Roshi had them spend time meditating here every day, while continuing their previous basic training during the rest of the day.
It was indeed a long process. Even though Raditz could already sense his ki, he could only control it clumsily.
And so, the three of them began the next stage of their training, as time slipped by.
Six months later.
Only Raditz remained beneath the waterfall. Krillin and Yamcha had both completed their ki training and gone their separate ways to train on their own.
Raditz had actually completed his training long ago and could already perform the Kamehameha by himself.
But he wanted to take things further and master the Flight Technique, along with a few other skills.
"Phew—"
"I thought that spreading my ki evenly throughout my body would let me fly, but it seems I made it too simple."
Raditz recalled the scene from the anime in his previous life where Son Gohan taught Videl.
As a pure-blooded Earthling, Videl had learned to use ki and fly off the ground in just a few days.
It should have been a simple step, but Raditz was stuck.
He left the waterfall and scratched his head in frustration.
"I've picked up the other skills quickly, but I can't figure out the most practical one. I'll just have to take it one step at a time. I did start learning martial arts halfway through life, after all."
"Now I should go collect the Dragon Balls."
More than a year had passed, and the Dragon Balls had long since returned to normal. Raditz was ready to gather them and completely resolve the lingering problem with his body.
So, the next day, after saying goodbye to Master Roshi, Raditz piloted his aircraft to West City.
The aircraft landed once more in the ecological garden at Bulma's home.
As luck would have it, Bulma was having afternoon tea with her family.
"Oh my, Bulma, your little boyfriend is here to see you."
"Mom! How many times do I have to tell you? He's not my boyfriend!" Bulma said irritably, a blush passing over her cheeks.
"Hello, sir and ma'am!" Raditz said awkwardly.
"I came to borrow the Dragon Radar from Bulma."
"Raditz, are you going to collect the Dragon Balls?" Bulma's eyes lit up.
"Take me with you. Krillin and Yamcha have both gone off to do their mysterious secret training, and I'm the only one stuck at home. I'm so bored."
"Sure. It shouldn't be dangerous," Raditz readily agreed.
"But speaking of secret training..."
"Dr. Brief, could you build a Gravity Chamber?"
"What's a Gravity Chamber?" Dr. Brief asked curiously, adjusting his glasses.
"A room where you can change the gravity," Raditz explained.
"Hmm... I can't at the moment. I don't have the relevant data, and my research has rarely touched on it."
Raditz understood that Dr. Brief wasn't just being modest.
After all, he was the man who had created the Hoi-Poi Capsules.
"What if an alien spaceship could help?"
"An alien spaceship? Where is it?" Bulma suddenly asked, excited.
"I don't know its exact location yet, but I know how to find it."
"If there really is an alien spaceship, and it has the relevant technology, building the Gravity Chamber you described shouldn't be difficult," Dr. Brief replied confidently.
"That's wonderful, Dr. Brief!" Raditz said, getting excited.
"If the Gravity Chamber can be built ahead of time..."
Imagining his power skyrocketing and the whole world opening up before him, he couldn't help getting swept up in the thought.
Raditz blurted out, "If you can build it, I'll do whatever you ask of me."
As soon as he said it, he realized that Bulma's father was the richest man in the world and a renowned scientist.
There probably wasn't anything he could offer that would impress him.
"No need to be so formal. If you can really get me an alien spaceship, I'll be the one who's grateful."
Dr. Brief's research had basically reached the limits of what Earth could offer, and he'd hit a bottleneck.
If he could study an alien spaceship, it might help push humanity's existing technology forward.
"There's no time to waste. I'm heading out now."
Plans changed. It seemed he'd have to put off collecting the Dragon Balls.
After leaving West City, Raditz piloted the aircraft toward a desert.
"You rushed out so quickly that I didn't get to prepare half the things I need," Bulma grumbled softly from the passenger seat.
"Haha, don't worry. Once we find the spaceship, we'll have to come back and hand it over to your dad anyway," Raditz reassured her as he piloted the aircraft.
"But first, we need to find someone."
"Who? Goku?" Bulma asked.
"No, someone who can find the spaceship. Do you remember how Goku found the last Dragon Ball?"
"You mean... Fortune Teller Baba!"
When Raditz returned to Fortune Teller Baba's Crystal Palace, he felt quite different from the first time he'd visited.
Back then, he'd been a confused boy who knew nothing about martial arts, and he'd won his fights only by relying on outside help and clever tricks.
This time, he wanted to put up a good fight—not necessarily beat an opponent like Goku's grandpa, but at least make a good showing.
"I hope I get an evenly matched opponent. It'll give me a rough idea of how much I've gained from training for over a year."
The little ghost assistant inside the castle led Raditz and Bulma to Fortune Teller Baba.
Seeing them, Fortune Teller Baba asked in confusion, "Weren't you two with Kid Goku?"
"Sorry to trouble you, ma'am. We need to ask a favor," Raditz said.
"I'm ready. Please choose a fighter for me to battle."
Fortune Teller Baba was secretly surprised by the boy's attitude.
"It's only been a little over a year, but he's changed so much. My brother really does know how to teach. And also..."
Some inexplicable premonition stirred a faint ripple in Fortune Teller Baba's usually calm expression.
"No need. I'll tell your fortunes for free this time."
"Huh?"
Raditz had already taken up his stance. Fortune Teller Baba's words left him at a loss.
"Free? For me?"
Fortune Teller Baba had only ever told fortunes for free for Goku, hadn't she? And that was after he'd defeated King Piccolo and become the strongest in the world.
Me? Why?
"Raditz, since Fortune Teller Baba offered, just ask her about the spaceship. You don't have to fight," Bulma said, standing beside the ring with her hands on her hips, exasperated.
The surprise had come too suddenly. He couldn't process it.
Raditz stopped worrying about it and carefully explained what he was looking for.
The spaceship he wanted was the one Goku had traveled to Earth in as a child. It should still be undamaged and hidden somewhere in the mountains around Mount Paozu, where Goku had lived.
As soon as he got a precise location, Raditz rushed straight to the aircraft, ready to set off.
"Honestly, you're so impulsive," Bulma said, rolling her eyes.
"That boy will save the world at some point in the future... together with Kid Goku," Fortune Teller Baba suddenly said.
"Huh? Him?" Fortune Teller Baba's startling words left Bulma speechless.
"Goku saving the world is believable enough, but Raditz? A year ago, he couldn't even save himself."
In Bulma's eyes, the idea of Raditz saving the world was utterly ridiculous.
"He definitely will. I have a feeling it'll happen in the near future."
Inside the aircraft.
"Bulma, why haven't you said a word since we left Fortune Teller Baba's place?"
Raditz looked at Bulma, who seemed lost in thought in the passenger seat. She'd been sitting there in a daze ever since they boarded the aircraft.
"It's nothing..."
Bulma snapped out of it and stared at Raditz blankly.
Then, without warning, she leaned close to Raditz and examined him carefully, as if she were trying to spot something.
"..."
"W-what's wrong?"
Bulma's suddenly enlarged face made Raditz a little nervous, and he instinctively tried to lean back.