Bulma's Fall, Undercurrents Surge

Meanwhile.

In the depths of space.

The spaceship had already entered hyper-speed mode.

Once things stabilized, Bulma, sitting in the pilot's seat, was the first to unbuckle her safety belt and begin moving about.

Seeing this, Krillin, who had been sitting to the side, finally dared to move.

Although he had experienced space travel once before, this was a different ship, and its internal structure was completely unfamiliar.

He didn't want to make a fool of himself like he had on the Namekian ship simply because he didn't know how things worked.

"Finally left Namek. This past month felt as long as a year," Krillin muttered, stretching his back.

After leaving Namek, his body felt light, and all the pressure from the past had been swept away; in short, he no longer felt so stifled.

With no sense of crisis or urgency, he could finally go home without having to worry about this or that.

Beside him, Bulma didn't respond to Krillin's words, remaining lost in her own thoughts.

Her mood was actually somewhat dejected.

It was for no other reason than the fact that she had finally met a high-quality man like Ron, only to be forced to separate after just a few days of getting to know each other because she had to return to Earth.

Beyond the dejection, there was a lingering sense of reluctance.

She had actually struggled for a long time over whether or not to leave right now.

She had to admit that Ron's behavior over the past few days on Namek, and the emotional value he provided, had not only stirred her heart, which had been dormant for years, but had also brought back the hazy, fluttering feelings she had only experienced in her youth.

In short, her girlish heart, which hadn't felt a spark in years, had not only been rediscovered but had erupted.

Simply put, for a woman like Bulma, who had long been unable to find inner satisfaction, how could she resist the advances of a man who was willing to understand her, praise her, accept all her quirks, let her vent her emotions, and protect her?

At first, she had been able to deliberately keep her guard up, pretending to be difficult to approach and not so easy to pursue.

But over these past three days, Ron had always managed to pluck at her heartstrings, whether intentionally or not.

As a woman who craved recognition, understanding, and affection, Bulma admitted that she had fallen for a perfect man who possessed not only strength, good looks, and a great physique, but also the intelligence to know how to make her happy.

If the situation hadn't been so inappropriate, if they hadn't been on Namek, and if they'd had more time alone, she suspected she would have already been completely won over by Ron.

Honestly, Bulma found it strange. How could Ron, a Saiyan trapped on a primitive planet for twenty-five years, know so much about how to pursue a woman and have her—a woman who considered herself an expert on everything—wrapped around his finger?

How could Bulma know that Ron was on his second reincarnation and third lifetime? Even if he hadn't eaten pork, he had certainly seen pigs run.

"Sigh... so I'm just leaving like this."

Deep in thought, Bulma let out a sigh and murmured to herself.

"Huh? What did you say about leaving?" Krillin was busy examining the ship's interior, focusing particularly on the gravity equipment, so he clearly hadn't heard what Bulma said.

"It's nothing. For the next six days, you'd better not disturb my rest, or I won't let you hear the end of it! Also, don't touch the gravity equipment. The space is integrated, and if you turn it on, it will affect me too." Bulma rolled her eyes at Krillin before quickly taking out her Capsule Case and retrieving a Space Rest Pod.

Seeing Bulma acting on her own terms and giving him no chance to continue the conversation, Krillin could only offer an awkward, bitter smile.

There was no helping it; they were old acquaintances, and he knew her personality all too well.

Krillin could only mutter under his breath, "I don't see you talking to Ron like that. Honestly..."

On the other side of the universe.

Planet King Cold No. 1.

Inside the throne room.

Snap!

Following the crisp sound of shattering glass, King Cold, sitting on his throne, crushed the wine glass in his hand. His expression was ferocious and terrifyingly gloomy, his eyes filled with killing intent.

"Heh heh heh! Truly my good son. With something as good as the Dragon Balls, which can grant wishes, he only thinks of keeping them for himself! I only just received the news now... Are you commanders monitoring Frieza's actions all useless?" King Cold's tone was icy, exerting absolute pressure.

The three aliens of different races, prostrate on the ground, trembled in fear.

No one dared to speak or offer an excuse, for an excuse was merely a cover.

For King Cold, he wanted results, not justifications.

The disappointment in King Cold's eyes was evident. Logically, he should have killed these three useless fools to vent his anger.

However, he didn't actually take action out of rage.

As the former Emperor of the Universe, after ceding the throne to Frieza, he had been forced into a near-retirement life for years, unable to do anything.

Aside from hiding away on the planet named after him, the only thing he could do was use the few remaining capable subordinates to monitor what was happening outside.

For instance, what had his good son Frieza been doing lately, and where had he gone?

Or, what interesting things had his other good son, Cooler, been up to in the universe?

King Cold was selfish, brutal, and cold-blooded, but he was not without a brain.

He knew his available manpower was limited; while these fools were incapable of achieving anything, they were still of some use.

"In consideration of the fact that you have all been my trusted confidants for many years, and if not for merit, then at least for your hard work, I shall spare your lives! However, should you commit such an offense again, the punishment will be doubled! Therefore, you had best make it clear: what exactly is the situation on Namek right now? I want to know everything!" King Cold stood up, his massive frame exerting an even more terrifying pressure.

Zarat, the captain of the King Cold Special Forces who was standing respectfully to the side, stepped forward to request the mission: "Allow your subordinate to oversee this personally; I will ascertain all the details with the utmost speed!"

"Go. And while you are at it, make preparations. It has been too many years since I last ventured out; it is time to take a walk." King Cold nodded, his gaze profound.

Clearly, he had long since been moved.

After all, it was the Dragon Ball, capable of granting any wish!

Regardless of the outcome, he had to go to Namek to see for himself.

On the other side of the universe.

Cooler's flagship was traveling at high speed.

Compared to the delayed intelligence on King Cold's side, he had received information about Namek a full day earlier.

In fact, the reason King Cold's side had received the news at all was because it had been relayed from Cooler's end.

Originally, Cooler had been heading toward a different sector of the galaxy, intending to conquer several high-value planets.

Now, he had turned his ship around and was heading straight for Namek.

To him, the Dragon Ball, which could grant wishes, was far more valuable than conquering a few planets to acquire resources.