Summoning Shenron

"Come forth, Shenron! Grant my wish!"

Piccolo looked at the seven Dragon Balls gathered before him and summoned Shenron with unease in his heart.

The sky quickly darkened. Amid flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, a golden light shot into the heavens. The golden radiance twisted and shifted in the air, transforming into an imposing azure dragon that slowly soared across the sky.

The Z Fighters below did not react much to the majestic azure dragon flying overhead, but Satan and Videl, who were seeing Shenron for the first time, gaped in astonishment.

"A dragon... It's a dragon! Gohan, i-is that a dragon?!" Videl clutched Son Gohan's sleeve and asked tremblingly.

Son Gohan patted Videl's small hand reassuringly. "Don't be nervous, Videl. That's Shenron. He can grant our wishes. We're going to ask Shenron to help restore Earth."

Videl's eyes widened as she asked incredulously, "Restore Earth? That dragon can do something like that too?"

Son Gohan said with little confidence, "He... probably can?"

Shenron lowered his enormous head and opened his mouth. "State your wishes. You may make three."

"So this is Shenron?"

Shin stepped forward and looked up curiously at the imposing dragon.

Shenron's gaze landed on Shin. His expression clearly froze in shock for a moment, then cold sweat broke out across his forehead as he spoke respectfully and somewhat fearfully:

"T-This isn't Supreme Kai? My deepest apologies, I failed to notice you just now. I never expected someone as esteemed as you to grace Earth with your presence. It truly brings great honor to this planet."

Seeing Shenron's reaction, everyone was stunned. Bulma, Chi-Chi, and the others who did not know Shin's identity stared at him in surprise. Was this man some great figure? He had actually made Shenron become so humble.

Shin smiled at Shenron and waved his hand. "It's fine. I'm merely an observer. You needn't concern yourself with me."

"Thank you for your graciousness."

Shenron lowered his proud head and respectfully bowed to Shin. Then he turned toward Piccolo, who had summoned him, and asked, "Lord Piccolo, please state your wish."

Piccolo was somewhat nervous as well. He did not know whether Shenron could restore the ruined Earth to its original state, so he could only force himself to say, "Shenron, please restore Earth to the way it was before it was destroyed."

As soon as the words fell—

Everyone nervously looked up, gazing hopefully at Shenron as he flew through the sky.

Shenron pondered for several seconds before finally saying apologetically, "I'm terribly sorry, Lord Piccolo, but I cannot grant this wish. Earth has been damaged far too severely. With my Divine Power, I am unable to restore it."

"What?!"

Everyone's mouths fell open in shock, and panic seized them all at that moment. If even Shenron could not restore Earth, then Earth was truly finished.

"Damn it!!" Piccolo's face darkened. He clenched his fists unwillingly, yet a sense of helplessness rose within him.

Just as everyone sank into despair—

Shin stepped forward and said with a smile, "Consider it a reward for saving the universe."

Hearing this, everyone looked at Shin in surprise.

Shin raised one finger, Divine Power gathering at its tip. He looked up at Shenron and said, "Shenron, allow me to lend you a hand."

As soon as he spoke, Shin pointed, and the Divine Power gathered at his fingertip poured into Shenron's body.

"Ahh~"

Shenron let out a comfortable moan. Vast Divine Power instantly filled his body. This foreign Divine Power was a hundred, perhaps even a thousand times greater than his own!

Not only that, this foreign Divine Power was incomparably pure and fused perfectly with his own power!

Shenron felt that he could accomplish anything now.

A gleam flashed in Shenron's eyes as he lowered his head. "Thank you, Supreme Kai."

Shin smiled and nodded.

Shenron turned to Piccolo. "Lord Piccolo, I can now grant your previous wish. However, your wish is somewhat troublesome and will require the power of two wishes."

At those words—

Everyone was overjoyed. Piccolo nodded excitedly. "No problem! As long as Earth can be restored, I wouldn't mind using all three wishes!"

Shenron nodded. "Then I shall begin."

Buzz!

Red light lit up in Shenron's eyes...

The next second—

Earth began to shake!

The lava flowing across the surface began to flow backward, returning on its own to the depths underground. The split earth closed by itself, fitting together seamlessly as though it had never cracked at all.

The collapsed mountains rapidly returned to normal as if time itself had reversed. The destroyed riverbeds were restored, and the vanished river water flowed back in from afar...

In short, Earth was changing. This was a miracle beyond all technology, a wondrous sight no science could explain. It could only be described with the word "miracle"!

Buzz~

The red glow faded from Shenron's eyes, and he spoke again. "Lord Piccolo, your wish has been granted. You still have one wish remaining. Please state it."

Piccolo had long since decided on his third wish and immediately said, "Shenron, please revive all living beings who died in accidents today, except for evil people."

Shenron said, "That wish is very simple."

Buzz~

Red light shone in Shenron's eyes once more.

The next second—

Another miracle occurred.

The living beings on Earth, which had nearly been wiped out, whether humans or animals, all miraculously came back to life at that moment.

The red glow faded from Shenron's eyes. "Lord Piccolo, your wish has been granted. It is now time for me to take my leave."

Piccolo smiled and nodded. "Mm. Thank you, Shenron."

Shenron gave a soft hum, then turned toward Shin and respectfully lowered his head. "Then, Supreme Kai, this little dragon shall take his leave. Thank you for your assistance."

Shin smiled. "It was only a small effort. Don't worry about it."

Shenron respectfully lowered his head and bowed once more, then solemnly addressed everyone below. "Then, farewell."

Shenron transformed into golden light and vanished. The seven Dragon Balls on the ground automatically rose into the air, then scattered at incredible speed in all directions across Earth.

After the Dragon Balls flew away, the darkened sky brightened once again.

Videl stared blankly at the sky. In less than a day, her worldview had been overturned again and again. She now felt as though she were dreaming.

"Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, you three, come out for a moment," Shin called.

The three were startled, then stepped out from the crowd.

Son Goku asked curiously, "Supreme Kai, is something the matter?"

Shin smiled. "The three of you made tremendous contributions to defeating Majin Buu. As a reward for saving the universe, each of you may make one wish of me. So long as it does not endanger the universe and falls within my abilities, I can grant it for you."

"A wish? Supreme Kai, can you grant wishes like Shenron too?" Son Goku asked curiously.

Shin said, "More or less. And I am far more powerful than Shenron. Many wishes Shenron cannot grant, I can grant for you."

"That's amazing! Just as expected of Supreme Kai!" Son Goku exclaimed.

(End of chapter)