NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: 7) The unwelcomed guests
Morning sunlight filtered through the windows of a modest house on the outskirts of the village. The house sat nestled in a small clearing, far enough from the main settlement that visitors were a rare occurrence.
At the dining table, three figures were hunched over their breakfast—Bulma, Goku, and Oolong. The meal was a simple one, mostly toast, eggs, and some fresh fruit Bulma had managed to scavenge from the local market.
Goku, as always, was devouring his food with reckless abandon, stuffing slice after slice of toast into his mouth like a bottomless pit. Crumbs flew in every direction.
Bulma, seated across from him, grimaced in disgust. "Ugh, Goku, can you at least chew before you swallow?"
Goku paused, looking at her with wide, clueless eyes before swallowing a whole mouthful in one gulp. "But it's so good!"
Oolong snorted. "I don't get how you eat like that and never get fat. Life's just unfair."
Bulma rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. Mornings were peaceful here. At least, they usually were. She looked at Goku, while a strand of her hair fed her another spoon of cereal. Goku had grown another few inches now. He stood 6 feet two inches now. His sudden growth was surely surprising though. Especially, it was only a month and half since they found themselves here.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A sudden, loud knock at the door shattered that peace, making all three of them freeze.
Bulma frowned. "What the…? No one ever comes here."
Oolong grumbled, shoving a piece of toast in his mouth as he pushed his chair back. "Tch, probably some annoying villager looking for help again."
Bulma shot him a look. "Just go check, will you?"
Oolong sighed dramatically, muttering under his breath about inconsiderate visitors ruining breakfast as he stomped toward the door. Reaching for the handle, he yanked it open with a scowl.
His scowl vanished instantly.
Standing outside the door were five towering figures.
Fishmen.
Their scaled skin glistened in the sunlight, their razor-sharp teeth flashing in sneers. The one at the front, a hulking brute with blue skin and a shark-like face, loomed over Oolong with a menacing grin.
Oolong gulped. Hard.
"Uh… hi?" he squeaked.
The shark-like Fishman's grin widened as he grabbed Oolong by the collar, lifting him off the ground effortlessly.
"H-HEY! Put me down, you oversized sushi platter!" Oolong flailed, his short limbs kicking uselessly in the air.
The Fishman ignored him, peering inside the house. His eyes locked onto Bulma and Goku.
Bulma's stomach dropped. Fishmen. She had heard of them. Everyone had. They were Arlong's men.
Goku, however, continued munching on his toast, utterly unbothered.
Bulma stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the wooden floor.
Oolong's terrified yelps continued as the Fishman held him up like a ragdoll. "You guys live here?"
Bulma took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Yeah. What do you want?"
The Fishman's sneer deepened. "Tribute."
Bulma's hands curled into fists. So, it's come to this.
"Three of you live here," the Fishman continued, his voice dripping with arrogance. "That means… 300,000 Berries. Now."
Bulma's heart pounded. "That's ridiculous! That's way too much!"
The Fishman laughed, his sharp teeth gleaming. "Not my problem, lady. Pay up, or we burn this dump to the ground."
Bulma's fists trembled at her sides. 300,000 Berries… They didn't have anywhere close to that!
Oolong flailed harder. "H-HEY, don't ignore me! I have rights, you know!"
The Fishman tightened his grip, making Oolong squeal. "You wanna keep running your mouth, pig?"
"Uh…" Oolong gulped. "N-Nope, I'm good!"
The Fishman chuckled and turned his gaze back to Bulma. "So? What's it gonna be? You paying or not?"
Before Bulma could answer, Goku suddenly stood up.
He stretched his arms above his head and let out a loud yawn before rubbing his eyes. "Man… you guys sure are loud. I was trying to enjoy my food."
The Fishman narrowed his eyes. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Goku tilted his head. "Me? I'm Goku. And I don't like the way you're treating my friends."
There was a pause. Then the Fishmen laughed.
"Lemme guess," the shark-faced one scoffed. "You think you're some kind of tough guy?"
Goku scratched his cheek, looking genuinely confused. "Huh? No, I just don't like bullies."
The Fishman holding Oolong sneered. "And what are you gonna do about it, brat?"
Bulma's heart sank.
Oh no.
They had no idea who they were messing with.
Goku sighed and patted his stomach. "Man, I was really enjoying that toast too…"
Then, he vanished.
A sudden rush of wind blew past them, and before anyone could react—
WHAM!
The Fishman holding Oolong went flying backward, crashing into the trees like a cannonball. He immediately started to spit and choke on blood.
Oolong dropped to the ground with a yelp, scrambling to his feet. "GAH! I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE!"
The remaining Fishmen stared.
Goku stood where their comrade had been, arm still outstretched from the punch.
He blinked. "Huh. You guys are kinda strong."
Bulma slapped a hand to her forehead. Here we go.
The remaining Fishmen snapped out of their shock, their sneers replaced by rage.
"You little…!" One of them lunged.
Goku grinned.
"Guess I gotta teach you guys a lesson."
A heavy silence settled in the clearing. The air was thick with tension as the remaining four Fishmen glared at Goku, their sneers now replaced with fury and disbelief.
The Fishman Goku had punched lay unconscious amidst the wreckage of broken trees, his body crumpled like a discarded ragdoll. One strike. That was all it took.
Goku, however, stood casually in place, stretching his arms with a cheerful grin. "Man, you guys are pretty tough. But you're not very nice."
Bulma clenched her fists from behind. "Goku! You can't just go around picking fights with them! These guys are Arlong's men!"
Oolong, still shaking, whispered, "I think we're past the point of talking this out…"
The shark-faced Fishman at the front, clearly the leader of this group, clenched his webbed fists in rage. His muscles bulged as his sharp teeth bared in a snarl. "You fucker! You think you can just attack us and get away with it?"
Goku tilted his head, confused. "I dunno, can't I?"
That was the last straw.
"KILL HIM!"
The remaining four Fishmen lunged at Goku, their powerful legs tearing up the ground as they charged.
Goku's eyes sharpened.
The first Fishman, a massive brute with dark green scales and a spiked dorsal fin, swung a clawed fist at Goku's head. His sheer size made it look like an unstoppable force.
But Goku was faster.
He ducked, the massive fist whooshing past his head, rustling his wild black hair. Before the brute could react, Goku spun on his heel and drove his fist directly into the Fishman's gut.
BOOM!
The force of the ki enhanced punch caved in his stomach, sending a shockwave through his body. The Fishman's eyes bulged as he let out a wheezing gasp.
Goku's expression hardened. "You guys hurt people for fun, huh?"
The moment lingered before Goku twisted his wrist and pushed deeper. He infused more ki into his stomach. Even normal people here were stronger than people of his world. It only made Goku more determined as he could let out his strength easily. He didn't have to hold back now, like the times, he sparred with Krillin or Master Roshi.
CRACK!
A sickening crunch echoed as the Fishman's spine snapped in two. Blood spewed from his mouth before his lifeless body rocketed backward, slamming through several trees before collapsing into the dirt.
Dead.
The other Fishmen froze for a split second, their confidence shaken.
But the leader snarled. "DON'T STOP! HE'S JUST ONE KID!"
The second Fishman, a sleek, eel-like warrior, zipped forward with blinding speed, his long arms lashing out like whips. His webbed hands sliced the air, aiming to rip Goku apart.
Goku's eyes flickered, tracking every move.
The eel-man's claws slashed forward—but Goku wasn't there.
He sidestepped, dodging the strike with inches to spare, before suddenly grabbing the Fishman's wrist.
The Fishman's eyes widened. "What—?"
CRACK!
Goku snapped his arm in half with sheer grip strength.
"GRAAAAAHHH!" The Fishman howled in agony, but Goku wasn't done.
With one swift motion, Goku yanked the Fishman forward and drove his knee directly into his ribcage.
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted, sending dust flying as the Fishman's chest caved inward. His heart and lungs were obliterated instantly. Blood exploded from his mouth as his body limped in Goku's grasp.
Goku frowned as he let the corpse drop. "You guys really aren't that strong…"
The last two Fishmen, now visibly shaking, stepped back.
But their leader roared in fury. "YOU COWARDS! HE'S JUST A HUMAN! WE ARE FISHMEN—THE SUPERIOR RACE! ATTACK HIM TOGETHER!"
Fueled by desperation, the two remaining Fishmen lunged at once, their movements synchronized.
One, a giant, bulky anglerfish-like warrior, reared back a massive fist while the other, a lean, fast barracuda-type, shot forward, aiming to skewer Goku with a spear-like thrust.
But Goku smiled.
"Finally, you're working together!"
The anglerfish swung down, his monstrous strength tearing through the air—
But Goku caught the fist.
With one hand.
The Fishman's face twisted in pure horror.
Goku's grip tightened. Then—
CRUNCH!
With brutal force, Goku crushed the Fishman's entire fist with his bare hand, bone shattering like glass.
"GAAAHH!"
Goku, however, was already moving.
Before the anglerfish could react, Goku grabbed his arm and yanked him forward, flipping him over his shoulder.
SLAM!
The ground caved in as the Fishman's body shattered on impact. A second later, Goku stomped down hard on his skull.
CRACK.
His body twitched once… then stilled forever.
The final Fishman—the barracuda—froze. His hands trembled. His spear clattered to the ground.
Goku turned to face him, wiping some dust off his gi. "So… do you still wanna fight?"
The Fishman took one look at the carnage. His fallen comrades lay broken and lifeless around him.
Then—he ran.
Or tried to.
Goku moved faster.
In less than a second, he appeared right in front of him.
The Fishman barely had time to gasp before—
BOOM!
Goku's fist slammed straight into his chest, punching through flesh, bone, and muscle.
The Fishman choked, blood spraying from his mouth. His eyes went glassy.
Goku pulled his hand out, letting the lifeless body collapse.
Silence fell.
Bulma and Oolong stared, mouths open.
Goku exhaled, stretching his arms. "Whew! That was a good workout!"
Bulma slowly walked forward, her face pale. "G-Goku… you just…"
Oolong gulped. "Damn."
Goku looked at them blankly. "What? They were bad guys."
Bulma let out a shaky breath. "You just killed them."
Goku blinked. "Yeah?"
Oolong muttered, "Note to self: never piss off Goku."
The wind blew through the clearing, rustling the trees as the weight of what had just happened settled in. The lifeless bodies of the five Fishmen lay scattered across the ground, a silent testament to Goku's sheer power. The air was still thick with the remnants of the battle—crushed dirt, splintered trees, and the faint metallic scent of blood.
Bulma's arms were crossed, her brows furrowed in deep thought. Her blue eyes flickered between the bodies, then back to Goku, who stood there completely at ease, as if he hadn't just massacred five trained killers. Oolong, standing slightly behind her, still had a nervous twitch in his ears, his pig-like snout wrinkling.
Bulma crossed her arms. She was already afraid of the consequences this would have. Arlong would come for them now. They will be hunted now. "Great. Now Arlong's gonna hear about this."
Goku blinked at her, his tense posture finally relaxing as he registered her words. He glanced at Oolong, then back at Bulma, his gaze unusually serious now.
"…Because I didn't want to lose you too."
His voice was soft, but the weight behind it hit Bulma like a punch to the gut.
Goku wasn't looking at her with his usual clueless, carefree expression. His eyes, dark and deep, held something raw. Something that made Bulma's breath hitch.
"We already lost Krillin. We lost Yamcha. We lost Master Roshi…" Goku murmured, his gaze distant as if seeing the ghosts of his past. "Without the Dragon Balls, we can't bring anyone back. And you guys… you're the only ones left."
Bulma felt her heart clench painfully. She had been so focused on where they were and how to survive, she hadn't stopped to think about what it meant for Goku.
She knew he was strong. Knew he could fight entire armies alone.
But right now, standing there with his fists clenched at his sides, his expression open and vulnerable—he wasn't Goku the warrior.
He was Goku, her friend. The little boy she picked on mountain. The naive and idiot boy who didn't even know the difference between a boy and a girl.
The last person who still stood by her side.
Before she could stop herself, she moved forward and threw her arms around him.
Goku made a surprised noise as she pulled him into a tight embrace, her face pressing against his firm chest. His gi smelled like earth, sweat, and a bit of smoke.
She didn't know what came over her, but before she could think too much about it, she tilted her head up and kissed his cheek.
"…Bulma?" Goku blinked, confused, tilting his head slightly.
Bulma pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushing a deep red. "I—I just didn't know you cared that much about us, you idiot."
Goku, in true Goku fashion, looked genuinely confused. "Why wouldn't I?"
Bulma stared at him, then let out a huff of laughter. "Because you're always so damn clueless! Acting all naive and happy-go-lucky like nothing matters!"
Goku blinked again, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I do like being happy. But you guys matter to me."
Bulma felt her cheeks burn hotter.
Before she could process that any further, Oolong cleared his throat loudly.
"Okay, okay! Hate to interrupt the mushy moment, but what the hell are we gonna do now?!" he asked, waving his stubby arms. "Do you two realize what we just did? We just killed Arlong's men! And not just one or two—five! Do you remember what happened to the Gosa Village?!"
Bulma flinched. Of course, she remembered.
Gosa Village had been flattened and destroyed by Arlong. Destroyed for not paying their monthly tribute.
And now, they were in the same situation.
Oolong took a deep breath, pacing back and forth. "We've been laying low in this village for a month and a half, and the whole time, we've been hearing about Arlong. He's a monster, Bulma. He's not like these guys. He's strong, and he has an entire army. And now he's going to come looking for us."
He turned to Goku. "You might be strong, but can you fight an entire army alone?"
Goku's expression sharpened. He stepped forward. His shoulders squared and his eyes burnt with determination now.
"If I have to," he said, his voice firm, "I will."
Oolong swallowed hard. "You… you're serious, aren't you?"
Goku nodded. "I'm not letting anyone hurt Bulma or you." His fingers clenched into fists. "If Arlong wants a fight, I'll destroy him."
The sheer confidence in his voice sent a shiver down Bulma's spine.
This wasn't just Goku playing around.
This was the same Goku who crushed the Red Ribbon Army. The same Goku who fought King Piccolo.
This was the Warrior Goku. A boy who trained under the best martial artists of the planet. A boy who could master techniques like no other.
Goku then turned to Bulma, his usual grin creeping back. "Hey, Bulma, why don't we just go to him instead?"
Bulma blinked. "Go… to Arlong?"
Goku nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! If he's gonna come looking for us, why not just fight him first?" His grin widened. "I wanna see how strong he is!"
Bulma gawked.
Oolong choked. "Y-You want to go looking for the guy who destroys villages for fun?! ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Goku just tilted his head. "Maybe? But if he's strong, I wanna fight him. And if he's hurting people, I have to fight him."
Bulma stared at him.
Then she exhaled through her nose, shaking her head.
"…You're just like you've always been," she muttered, a small smile tugging at her lips now. She had missed this. Till now, she hadn't even realised, how much she missed this thing.
Goku blinked. "Huh?"
Bulma grinned at him, hands on her hips. "This is just like the Red Ribbon Army all over again. Instead of waiting for them to find you, you're gonna storm in and wreck their base yourself."
Goku scratched his cheek. "Well… yeah. It's easier that way."
Bulma shook her head, laughing softly. Then, without hesitation, she nodded.
"…Alright, screw it. Let's do it."
Oolong's eyes bulged. "W-WAIT, BULMA, YOU'RE SERIOUS?!"
Bulma turned to look at him. "Oolong, we're never getting back home by just sitting around, hiding in this village." Her blue eyes shimmered with determination. "It's time we get moving again. We've wasted enough time."
She grinned at Goku. "Let's go raise some hell, Monkey Boy."
Goku's grin widened. "Alright! This is gonna be fun!"
Oolong, realizing he was outnumbered, groaned loudly. "WHY DO I HANG OUT WITH YOU CRAZY PEOPLE?!"