Chapter 39: On King Kai's Planet, the Pitiful King Kai
"Come forth, Shenron!" Son Gohan shouted anxiously as he gathered the Dragon Balls together.
The sky darkened, and Shenron appeared before them. His blood-red eyes glared down as he asked, "Speak your wish!"
"Can you restore my father back to normal?" Gohan asked impatiently.
"Hmm..." Shenron stared at the unconscious Son Goku for a long moment before responding, "My power cannot accomplish that."
"Should we kill Goku and then resurrect him? Would that make him normal again?" Lin Qi suggested.
Cold sweat dripped from Shenron's brow. Could they think of a feasible wish before summoning him?
"I don't think so," Bulma shook her head. "Even if we bring him back, he'd still have the same aggressive nature."
"Can you separate the Saiyan personality from Son Goku?" Piccolo tentatively asked.
"It's possible!" Shenron replied awkwardly. "But doing so would greatly weaken Goku's power."
"Life or strength—what's the choice?" Lin Qi said indifferently, looking at Shenron.
"Uh..." The sweat on Shenron's brow increased. Why did they always put him, a mere dragon, in such difficult situations?
How was he supposed to know what to choose? He was just a progressively more disrespected dragon...
"This reminds me of you and Kami," Lin Qi turned to Piccolo. "Didn't Kami separate his good and evil sides before?"
"Hmph. In that case, it'd be better to die... losing combat strength!" Vegeta said coldly from the side.
Losing power was no different from death to him!
"Then let's wake Goku and ask him directly," Lin Qi suggested, passing the decision back to the group.
Vegeta stuck to his stance, "He'd definitely choose strength. No one knows Saiyans better than another Saiyan!"
"Gohan, you know your father best. What do you think—would he choose life or power?" Lin Qi directed the question to Gohan.
"Uh... this..." Gohan was unsure. Why ask him? Shouldn't they ask his father himself?
"Hey, have you guys made a decision or not?" Bulma pointed at the trembling Shenron. "Can't you see he's about to collapse?"
"If it's about power, he can just train to regain it... Didn't Uncle Goku even turn into a child before?" Bra rolled her eyes at the conflicted adults.
"Tch, a bunch of adults can't even think as clearly as a child!" Lin Qi distanced himself from the group's indecision.
"Then let's..." Gohan was about to make his decision when suddenly—
Son Goku, lying unconscious on a lounge chair, abruptly opened his eyes. Sitting up, he pressed two fingers to his forehead and instantaneously appeared behind Bulma, grabbing her by the neck.
"Hmph... Who gave you the right to decide my fate?!"
"Damn it! Kakarot, let go of Bulma!" Vegeta roared in fury at the sight.
"Dad, what are you doing?!" Gohan was dumbfounded.
Even Piccolo lost his composure. "Goku, stop it!"
"Tch... I think we should just kill Goku already!" Lin Qi muttered, frustrated by the chaotic turn of events.
"Lin..." Piccolo began to object, but before he could finish, Goku shoved Bulma away and used Instant Transmission to disappear from their sight.
"Dad..." Gohan was in shock. Could their wish still be granted now?
"He fled quickly. He must've been pretending to be unconscious earlier," Lin Qi said, unfazed. The universe was only so big—where could Goku possibly run to?
"In that case, I can't grant your wish," Shenron said, sweat pouring down his face. "The person in question must be present for me to separate his other personality."
"Alright, you can go back for now. We'll call you again once we find him," Lin Qi waved his hand dismissively, sending Shenron away.
Using his mastery of certain Supreme Kai abilities, Lin Qi didn't bother traveling to the Sacred World of the Kai. Instead, he contacted the Elder Kai directly.
"Old man, find out where Goku has gone," Lin Qi commanded calmly. Goku couldn't hide his location even if he suppressed his energy.
"Uh..." The Elder Kai was momentarily confused at Lin Qi's voice.
However, Kibito Kai reacted swiftly. Glancing around, he said in surprise, "Is that Lord Lin Qi? Where are you?"
"Don't ask stupid questions!" Lin Qi said impatiently. He was the one asking the questions now.
Kibito Kai silently grabbed the crystal ball, pointing to its image. "Goku has gone to North Kai's planet..."
---
On King Kai's Planet
"You..." King Kai's cold sweat poured like a waterfall as he stared at the Goku before him.
Even his long antennae quivered violently, and his body trembled in fear. The two small animals behind him huddled together, hiding behind King Kai without daring to show their faces.
"...Don't even think about contacting them! You can't let that Saiyan find out yet..."
Goku's eyes were filled with killing intent as he placed his hand on King Kai's back. "Those guys..."
"Goku... what's going on with you?" King Kai cautiously probed, though he could see that Goku's personality had changed drastically.
"Do you want to die?" Goku sneered at the trembling King Kai. "With your pathetic power level, I don't even have the desire to fight you."
Facing away from Goku, tears streamed down King Kai's face. Such humiliation!
So heartless and ungrateful! Was this the same Goku he had once trained?
He had taught him the Kaio-ken and the Spirit Bomb!
Good things never came his way, but disasters always found him! Look at Cell in the past...
And now, how many years had he spent with this halo over his head?
"Goku—"
"Shut up, idiot! Don't call me Goku..." Goku's sneer deepened, his eyes gleaming with cold malice.
"I am Kakarot!"
Hearing such disrespectful words, King Kai was both furious and terrified.
What kind of mess had he gotten himself into this time?
Could someone, anyone, quickly take this damn Saiyan monkey away? He couldn't handle this at all!
"You..." King Kai tried to say something, but the ferocity in Goku's demeanor silenced him.
"Hmph. Those damned fools... When I become stronger, I'll kill every last one of them!"