Chapter 89: Convincing Bulma
Franklin let out a deep breath. The Beastization Serum worked by trading away life span for combat power. With Tao Pai Pai's strength as a foundation, once enhanced by the serum, his power level could rival that of Master Roshi.
That meant this green-skinned monster was already far stronger than Master Roshi. And if that was the case, then King Piccolo's power must have already reached into the four-digit range. Exactly how much higher…
"Brother Franklin! Brother Franklin! Did you save Krillin already? I think I can feel his energy!"
Startled by Goku's shout, Franklin finally came back to his senses. Seeing Goku's face—anxious and curious at once—Franklin smiled and nodded.
"I used up three vials of healing serum, but he's been saved. He's just not awake yet. He'll need some time to rest quietly before he fully recovers."
Hearing Franklin say it himself, Goku finally let out a sigh of relief. Looking at Goku's innocent expression lifted Franklin's mood a little too—but the thought of King Piccolo's power soon made his expression grow serious again.
"Goku, I want to ask a favor. You know the direction of Karin Tower, right? I need you to take me there.
If I can climb Karin Tower, I might find a way to restore my power to its peak. That way, I can help in the fight against King Piccolo."
Goku scratched his head in confusion. "Brother Franklin, who's King Piccolo?"
"King Piccolo is the master of that green monster. The one you just killed was just a small underling he sent out. King Piccolo himself is far, far stronger than that."
Goku's eyes widened in shock at Franklin's solemn tone. In his memory, Franklin was always calm no matter what happened—he'd stayed cheerful even after being gravely wounded and losing an arm. For Franklin to be so serious about someone called King Piccolo…
At that moment, Master Roshi walked over, while Bulma lingered at a distance, unsettled by the corpse of the green monster.
Roshi glanced at Franklin, then at Goku, clearly wanting to say something but hesitating. Franklin understood immediately—he wanted to give Goku some last words, just in case.
Franklin didn't want Roshi to throw his life away, but as someone crippled, it wasn't something he could decide for others. He could only sigh helplessly.
"Master Roshi, you and Goku talk first. I'll go check on Bulma. I've already been gone so many years, and this time I came back only to drag her into all this mess. I owe her. Once you're done talking, call me. I've already made up my mind about the best plan."
Seeing Roshi nod in understanding, Franklin quickly walked toward Bulma.
"Sorry. I just came back, and already you've had to go through so many unpleasant things."
Bulma puffed out her cheeks slightly, her lips pouting. "You know it! First you and Goku ditched me on the street, and then if you hadn't used up three healing vials, Krillin would've died. And now this green thing—what even was that? Did you come back this time with some kind of secret mission?"
Seeing Bulma's serious face, Franklin decided not to hide anything. He nodded earnestly.
"There's a monster called King Piccolo who's been released from a seal. His strength is extraordinary. Even if I were at full strength, I might not be a match for him. Right now, even if Goku and Master Roshi work together, they could be wiped out in an instant. My mission this time is to take down King Piccolo."
Bulma's eyes went wide at his words. She reached out and touched Franklin's forehead. "Did that injury of yours mess up your brain?"
Franklin recalled the spot where the sixth heavenly tribulation bolt struck him and nodded seriously. "My head did get hit hard. I almost died."
Seeing that "how did you know?" expression on his face, Bulma got so mad she almost stomped her foot. "Don't play dumb! You've lost an arm and you're seriously hurt all over. Even at your peak you couldn't beat that monster—how are you going to face him like this? That's suicide!"
But beneath Bulma's angry expression, Franklin could clearly see her worry. He just shook his head with a gentle smile. "I won't die. And I'm not going to throw myself into the fight like this. My parents pointed me toward a way to recover. I'm going to follow their guidance and try to heal my body. But to do that, I have to leave again for a while."
Only then did Bulma fully understand what Franklin meant. He was saying goodbye.
"You heartless jerk. Franklin, you're a heartless jerk! You stir up my feelings and then throw me away—you're awful!"
As she spoke, Bulma threw her arms around Franklin. "I want to go too. I'm not afraid of danger. I want to go with you!"
Feeling the intensity of her emotions, Franklin gently patted her back with his remaining left hand.
"This time, I'll be staying here for a long while. The sooner I defeat King Piccolo, the more free time I'll have."
Hearing that, Bulma slowly loosened her grip on him. "Really?"
Franklin nodded seriously. "Absolutely."
Reason began to return to Bulma's face as her emotions calmed. A faint blush rose on her cheeks as she suddenly remembered something important.
"Right—Lin, you said your parents pointed you the way. Who are they? Are they really that powerful?"
Seeing Bulma's curious gaze, Franklin nodded solemnly. "Yes. Very powerful. No—incredibly strong. But for various reasons, they can't help me directly. Just showing me the path this time must've cost them a lot."
"Oh right, you should've met them already. I think they wanted to see the woman who'd be their son's future wife before leaving."
As he spoke, Franklin took a Dragon Radar from his pocket.
The moment Bulma saw it, her face went pale with shock. "So that really wasn't a dream… It was all real."
"'A dream'? Don't tell me they sneaked around and stole the Dragon Radar from you?"
Bulma hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no! I gave it to them! I thought it was just a dream, so I agreed to give it to them."
"Good. If they didn't steal it, then they didn't overstep."
By now, Bulma had sunk deep into recalling that night's "dream." Remembering the technique they had passed on to her, her face grew flushed.
Seeing her dazed like that, Franklin waved a hand in front of her face. But Bulma didn't react at all.
"Hey, are you okay? Don't tell me my parents said something inappropriate to you in that dream?"
Bulma snapped out of it. Seeing Franklin's face so close, her cheeks grew even redder.
"No, I just suddenly remembered the cultivation technique your parents gave me that night. I'm wondering if I should try training with it."
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