c3: Encountering a Big Turtle
The sun had just risen over the eastern ridges of Mount Paozu, casting golden light across the plains. A Capsule Corp sports car zipped across the vast grassland, kicking up dust in its wake.
"Li Xu, why are you bringing that brat along?" Bulma complained, her arms crossed and her lips pursed in frustration.
"Because the Four-Star Ball's with him. If I want to collect all seven Dragon Balls, I have to take him along." Li Xu said with a helpless grin.
"Aren't you strong? Just take the ball from him!" Bulma pouted. She clearly disliked having Son Goku tagging along like a third wheel.
"Don't underestimate Goku. He may look like a kid, but he's strong. My combat power might be at thirteen now, but I don't have real combat experience. He could beat me." Li Xu admitted. He'd seen firsthand how Goku lifted a massive fish and moved with agility that far exceeded a typical kid.
"That little freak is really that strong?" Bulma asked, wide-eyed.
"You'll see soon enough." Li Xu smirked.
"Stop right there!"
A figure suddenly appeared ahead a humanoid wolf, bearing a scar over one eye and wielding a rusty machete. He blocked the road, growling as he raised the weapon.
Li Xu slammed the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt.
"W-What now, Li Xu?" Bulma asked, fear creeping into her voice as she clutched his arm tightly, instinctively seeking comfort.
"Relax." Li Xu smiled coolly. A weak highway bandit like this didn't bother him anymore.
He gently freed himself from her grip and stepped out of the car. He'd thought about letting Goku handle it, but he needed the combat practice himself.
"Hand over your zeni and those capsules, or you're done for!" the wolf-headed thug snarled, twirling the machete.
"Let's get this over with. I've got places to be." Li Xu said lazily, cracking his knuckles.
"Big words for a punk!" the bandit shouted and lunged, bringing the blade down in a heavy swing.
But the machete stopped cold. Li Xu had caught the blade with one hand effortlessly.
The wolf-man tried yanking it back, but it didn't budge. Li Xu's expression didn't even change.
"This is dull. Next time, I'll let Goku handle small fry like you." he said, visibly disappointed.
Boom!
Li Xu's fist drove into the thug's stomach like a cannonball. The wolf-headed man yelped in pain, clutching his abdomen as he crumpled. Li Xu gave him a casual kick, sending him tumbling into the grass.
He brushed off his hands and returned to the driver's seat.
"Li Xu, that was awesome!" Bulma exclaimed, her cheeks flushed.
"Wow! You're strong! Can we fight?" Son Goku asked excitedly, his eyes glowing. He was always eager to spar with strong opponents.
"There'll be time for that later. For now, let's keep moving." Li Xu replied. Truthfully, he did want to fight Goku someday to gain more real-world combat experience.
---
As the sun dipped behind the hills, the trio found a peaceful spot beside a riverbank.
Bulma popped a house capsule from her case. With a poof, a compact yet modern home appeared, surprising Goku again.
"It's like daytime inside! How'd you do that?" Goku gasped, blinking at the artificial lights and air-conditioned comfort.
"There's bread and coffee in the pantry. Eat up. If you don't like it, you can always hunt something." Li Xu said. After days of traveling together, he felt right at home.
"Blegh! No taste!" Goku muttered after taking two bites of the bread. He spat it out. The bland processed food wasn't for him he was used to freshly grilled meat from the wild.
"So bitter!" he added, sipping coffee and immediately gagging.
I took another sip of the black coffee and instantly gagged, spitting it out onto the floor.
"Ugh! That's nasty! I'm just gonna go find my own food," Son Goku said, grabbing his Power Pole (Nyoibo) and heading outside.
"That kid is such a handful!" Bulma huffed, then turned to Li Xu with a slight pout. "I'm going to take a shower. I've been sweating all day."
Left alone, Li Xu casually flipped through the TV channels, though nothing really caught his attention. He wasn't used to watching human programs—after all, Capsule Corp tech was still new to him.
After a while, Bulma returned from the bathroom wearing a translucent nightgown that clung to her damp skin, revealing more than it hid. The steamy silhouette made Li Xu's heart skip a beat, his Saiyan instincts reacting before his logic kicked in.
"Bulma, seriously you should be more careful. Even if I can restrain myself, Goku's going to come back any minute now," Li Xu said, trying to avert his eyes.
Over the last few days, he'd started to develop feelings for Bulma her genius, her boldness, and her occasional vulnerability made her oddly endearing. But he wasn't the type to take advantage.
Bulma blushed furiously at his words. "I-I'm going to my room!" she stammered, before dashing off with flushed cheeks.
Soon after, Goku returned, dragging a freshly-hunted wolf carcass and a massive centipede nearly twice his size.
"Li Xu! Look, I got food! Want some?"
"No thanks, you eat. I already had some bread," Li Xu replied, still digesting the weirdness of earlier. He didn't have Goku's bottomless Saiyan appetite anyway.
The rest of the night passed peacefully under the soft moonlight.
---
By early morning, with the sky just beginning to glow faintly in the east, Goku was already up, eager to train.
The noise woke Li Xu, who came outside to watch.
"Yaaah!" Goku yelled, holding a large rock above his head before tossing it high into the sky. He leapt up immediately after and shattered it mid-air with a clean punch.
This unorthodox routine was actually part of his training method, learned during his years living alone under Grandpa Gohan's guidance. It built explosive strength and sharp reflexes.
Landing lightly on his feet, Goku ran to another boulder and repeated the move, determined to push his limits.
Li Xu didn't join him. He had a passive training enhancement, a kind of internal system that slowly raised his power level day by day. If he trained manually, the passive gain would pause—and the returns weren't as efficient yet.
As the sun rose higher, Goku suddenly shouted.
"Ahh! Let me go!"
He'd accidentally picked up something heavy while looking for another rock—only to realize it was a giant sea turtle.
"Whoa! What a huge turtle!" Goku exclaimed, carefully setting it down.
"I'm not just a turtle. I'm Turtle! the creature corrected, standing upright with a somewhat annoyed expression. He was clearly intelligent and spoke perfect Earth language.
"Huh? Aren't turtles supposed to live in the sea?" Goku asked curiously.
"Exactly. That's where I belong. I got lost while looking for mushrooms and wandered too far. Could you help me get some salt water?"
"Sure thing!" Goku nodded eagerly.
"Hey! What's all that yelling about so early in the morning?!" Bulma stormed out of the house in a silk pajama top and shorts, rubbing her eyes. She was clearly still groggy.
"Bulma, do you have a bucket? Turtle needs some salt water!" Goku asked cheerfully, completely ignoring her mood.
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