Return to Planet Namek

Evening at Mount Paozu, the kitchen smoke had long since dissipated.

Son Gohan jumped down from his chair and walked to the kitchen doorway. Chi-Chi was washing dishes, her apron still tied firmly around her waist.

"Mom, I'm heading out for a bit. Dad and the others are still fighting the androids, and I'm worried about them. I have to go check it out."

Chi-Chi's movements faltered.

She placed the bowl into the sink, wiped her hands on her apron, and turned around.

Her face was etched with worry. Her son had only just returned, and now he was leaving again. Chi-Chi didn't try to stop him; she simply walked over and smoothed out Son Gohan's collar.

"Be careful, Gohan."

"I will, Mom."

Son Gohan walked out the door. Lazuli was leaning against the doorframe waiting for him, her blonde hair swaying gently in the crisp evening breeze.

Chi-Chi poked her head out of the kitchen and waved at Lazuli. "Lazuli, come back and eat with us again when you have time!"

Lazuli gave a slight nod, a faint smile touching her lips as she waved back in farewell.

Two figures shot into the sky, vanishing into the night.

The lights of Mount Paozu shrank into a single speck behind them before being swallowed by the darkness.

After flying for a while, Son Gohan came to a halt in mid-air.

Below them lay the lights of a thousand homes, the glow of distant towns scattered across the landscape. The night wind brushed past their ears, carrying a hint of chill.

Lazuli stopped beside him, her eyes fixed on him, seemingly confused as to why he had paused.

"We need to stop somewhere first," Son Gohan said, his tone steady and unhurried. "After all, you're a hot commodity right now. Cell dreams of nothing but absorbing you."

At the mention of that name, goosebumps rose on Lazuli's arms—purely out of disgust.

The mere thought of that stitched-together monstrosity absorbing her into its tail made her feel physically ill.

"So, staying by my side is the safest place for you."

Son Gohan reached out his hand. "Let's go."

He took hold of Lazuli's hand. Her fingers were fair and slender, and as she was led by a ten-year-old boy, a strange sensation stirred in her heart—it felt odd, a feeling she couldn't quite put into words.

From childhood until now, no one had ever held her hand like this. This boy before her was clearly younger than she was, and his palm wasn't large, yet he gave off a sense of being someone she could rely on.

She didn't resist, letting Son Gohan hold her hand.

The night wind ruffled her blonde hair. She lowered her gaze, and a trace of softness flickered across her cold, ethereal face.

Instant Transmission activated.

Whoosh—

The night vanished, replaced by eternal daylight.

Planet Namek.

Under the pale green sky, azure lakes were scattered among the islands, and the air was filled with the freshness of vegetation.

There was no night here. Lazuli blinked, her eyes scanning this strange new world.

She recalled the feeling of being led by the hand just moments ago, and the corners of her mouth curled into an imperceptible smile—Forget it, why am I even thinking about that?

Son Gohan closed his eyes to sense the energy signatures.

"Let's go."

A white aura exploded, and his form turned into a streak of light, flying toward the area where the energy was most concentrated.

Lazuli followed closely behind.

The two figures skimmed across the surface of the lake, dragging two long ripples behind them.

A village soon appeared in their field of vision.

White, mushroom-shaped buildings were scattered across the grass. Several Namekians were working in the fields, and upon seeing the two lights flying toward them from the horizon, they all looked up.

Son Gohan landed at the village entrance. Dende ran out from the crowd, his green face filled with pleasant surprise.

"Gohan! Why are you here?" Dende grabbed Son Gohan's hand, looking him up and down. "Has the android crisis been resolved?"

"Not yet." Son Gohan shook his head. "There's still a powerful android on Earth causing massive destruction. My dad and the others are fighting him, and the situation is quite a headache."

Standing to the side, Lazuli pursed her lips, her short blonde hair swaying.

She shot a sidelong glance at Son Gohan. What a fake.

She figured this kid could probably solo that "Cell" guy all by himself.

She certainly hadn't seen any sign of a "headache" when he was beating her brother into the ground in the ruins of West City earlier.

But Lazuli didn't call him out. She simply shifted her gaze toward the distance, looking at the group of green-skinned aliens, her face returning to its usual cold expression.

Upon hearing this, worry immediately washed over Dende's face.

"Is there anything I can help with? Is there anything I can do?"

This was exactly what Son Gohan had been waiting for.

He grabbed Dende's hand, his expression turning earnest in an instant; the sudden movement made Dende recoil slightly.

"Need—I need it desperately, Dende."

Son Gohan took a deep breath, his tone dropping.

"There is no Kami on Earth right now. After the previous Kami merged with Uncle Piccolo, the position has been vacant."

"Furthermore, the Dragon Balls on Earth have vanished as well. The Androids have killed far too many innocent people this time; we need Shenron to revive them."

"Planet Namek's dragon, Bogalun, can only revive one person at a time. It's simply not realistic to bring back so many people one by one."

Son Gohan looked at Dende, gripping those small green hands tightly.

"So I have to rely on you, Dende. Come back to Earth with me, become the new Kami, and recreate the Earth's Dragon Balls."

Dende's eyes widened as he listened, realizing the situation was far more severe than he had imagined.

But after only a few seconds, he nodded firmly, his tone devoid of any hesitation.

"Gohan, I'm willing to go to Earth. I'll help you."

Son Gohan smiled and patted Dende on the shoulder. "That's great."

"However—"

He looked toward the largest mushroom-shaped building in the center of the village. Before returning to Earth, he still needed to borrow the Namekian Dragon Balls; there was some preparation work that had to be done first.

Grand Elder, standing to the side, gave a slight nod, his aged face bearing a gentle expression. He raised his hand, and several Namekians immediately sprang into action.

Before long, all seven Dragon Balls had been gathered. These orange, basketball-sized spheres were a full size larger than the Earth's Dragon Balls and radiated a warm, lustrous glow.

The seven spheres were arranged in a circle, catching Lazuli's attention. She stood to the side with her arms crossed, a flicker of curiosity passing through her blue eyes. She had only heard of the Dragon Balls in Dr. Gero's database; this was her first time seeing them in person.

Son Gohan walked up to the Dragon Balls and planted his feet firmly.

He took a deep breath. Having learned the Namekian language to summon the dragon, he could now speak it clearly.

He opened his mouth and chanted, "Come forth, Shenron, and grant my wish!"

As the Namekian words left his lips, each syllable carried a strange rhythm, and the air began to tremble slightly in time with the incantation.

The seven Dragon Balls erupted in golden light simultaneously.

Blinding pillars of light shot into the sky, churning and expanding until they coalesced into a massive figure.

The Namekian dragon, Bogalun.

His body, several times larger than the Earth's dragon, hovered in mid-air. His ferocious dragon head loomed high above, his red pupils peering down at the figure on the ground.

"You who have gathered the Dragon Balls—state your wish."