MTLNOVEL Chapter 35 How Did You Know?
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As birdsong filled the early morning air, a new day quietly began.
Trunks, still fast asleep, had no idea that Son Gohan had already left the house.
Having transformed into his Saiyan-themed masked alter ego, Gohan was now racing through the sky, heading straight for Videl's place. In this timeline, Cell had been taken care of swiftly, defeated in a single day by Gohan and Vegeta. The infamous Cell Games had never even occurred.
As a result, Mr. Satan had never become Earth's so-called "savior."
The public never learned the truth about how the Androids were defeated. All they knew was that, seven years ago, the Androids suddenly appeared, and then vanished just as mysteriously days later.
To most people, perhaps it was just another miracle, maybe King Kai had sent down some legendary warrior to save Earth again, like the boy who once defeated Piccolo Daimaō.
In West City, inside a martial arts dojo labeled Satan Martial Arts Hall,
Because Mr. Satan had never become world-famous, there was no "Satan City" in this timeline. Still, even without knowledge of Ki, Satan was one of the most skilled fighters among ordinary humans.
His reputation as a local martial artist held up well, and his dojo eventually expanded into West City. Inside the building, a twin-tailed girl wearing a crisp white shirt packed up her belongings.
"Dad! I'm heading out now!" Videl called, pulling a Hoi-Poi Capsule from her pocket.
With a practiced motion, she popped the capsule and jumped into the unfolding jet car, ready to set off toward Mount Paozu. Arms crossed and brow furrowed, Mr. Satan watched from the entrance, muttering suspiciously under his breath:
"Who could she possibly be visiting that's more impressive than me? There's no way anyone out there is stronger than Satan!"
Videl, already revving the engine, shouted back, "I'm telling you, Dad, he's really strong!"
Then with a burst of speed, she zoomed off into the sky.
Videl attended high school here in West City. While she wasn't exactly born into luxury, her father had made sure she never lacked anything.
Under his influence, she remained passionate about martial arts from a young age. At the family dojo, she was already undefeated among her peers, widely regarded as the one who might even surpass her father someday.
But everything changed the day she saw him.
A blond boy, calm and lightning-fast, catching bullets with his bare hands and taking out a group of criminals without breaking a sweat. What shocked her even more was when she saw him leap, straight up to the eighteenth floor of a building, as if gravity were optional.
Ever since that day, she'd been determined to find that boy and talk to him, about martial arts, strength, and everything in between.
Even in a city as advanced as West City, crime was still a daily occurrence. Sure enough, as Videl cruised along the main street, she witnessed a robbery in progress.
A group of thugs had guns drawn on bystanders. Videl's eyes narrowed.
She hated injustice. Her martial arts background and strong moral code meant she couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
Slamming the brakes, she jumped out of the car and marched toward the scene.
But before she could act, someone else beat her to it. A figure in a bizarre outfit suddenly appeared out of nowhere. And just like before, he caught the flying bullets with his hands.
His movements were so fast, Videl barely caught a glimpse. In just seconds, all the criminals were on the ground, groaning in pain.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?!" One of them snarled.
Son Gohan stood tall, crouched slightly, then raised his arms to his forehead and spun around in a series of exaggerated poses.
"I am the righteous, masked Saiyan superhero, defender of justice and punisher of evil!"
Videl stared at the ridiculous display, expression frozen. She couldn't help it, she sighed out loud.
This is just… so embarrassing.
Still shaking her head, she walked up and lightly poked the strange hero on the arm.
"Gohan Kun?"
Gohan froze in place, eyes wide behind the mask. He looked around in panic, scanning for any familiar faces. After a quick sweep, he leaned in close to Videl's ear and whispered,
"Videl! How did you know it was me?"
Videl shrugged casually. "I recognized your voice."
{Who else could take down criminals that fast...}
Gohan laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha, maybe I should keep my mouth shut next time."
Videl raised an eyebrow. "Gohan Kun, what are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that?"
Gohan struck a small pose, his cape fluttering behind him as he looked proudly at his outfit. "Hehe, Videl, don't you think this superhero costume is cool?"
Watching him get carried away in his own theatrics, Videl chose not to burst his bubble. "Uh... sure, it looks great. But didn't we agree I'd come find you?"
Gohan glanced at her jet car behind her. "Yeah, plans changed. I need to head to a special place called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for training."
He suddenly lit up. "Hey! Weren't you gonna learn to fly from me? Come with me! In that place, one day outside is a whole year inside!"
Videl's eyes sparkled with curiosity, her twin ponytails practically bouncing with excitement.
"One year inside... just one day outside? That's amazing!"
She quickly stored her jet car in a Hoi-Poi Capsule. "Let's go, Gohan Kun!"
Gohan hadn't expected her to be so eager and gave a cheerful nod. "Alright, but first we need to stop by Capsule Corporation. I still have to wake up Trunks."
Videl blinked in surprise.
{Capsule Corporation?! That's the biggest company in the world! Why would Gohan Kun be going there?}
Before she could ask, Gohan had already placed his hands on her waist.
"Mm!" Videl gasped, her body stiffening.
Her cheeks flushed pink and her breathing hitched as she looked at Gohan nervously.
But Gohan just said seriously, "Miss Videl, we're taking off. Please hold on tight!"
In the next instant, her feet left the ground as Gohan lifted her into the sky. Though Videl wasn't like most girls, this was her first time flying, and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. She instinctively wrapped her arms around him.
As the wind rushed past, her fear quickly gave way to exhilaration. It wasn't cold at all; the air felt strangely warm and comforting.
For the first time, she felt the freedom of flight, and it was unforgettable. After several seconds of soaring through the sky, the pair landed in front of the Capsule Corporation.
Thud--!
They touched down together. Videl's face was still flushed, a dreamy expression lingering as her eyes wandered across the sprawling estate.
The luxurious courtyard and high-tech buildings confirmed it, this was indeed the world-famous Capsule Corporation.
"Videl, wait here a sec. I'm gonna wake Trunks."
Just then, a stunning woman approached them. It was Bulma, smiling warmly as she waved. "You must be Gohan's…"
The word girlfriend was just about to slip out, and Gohan instantly tensed up.
Luckily, Bulma caught herself in time and finished, "…classmate, right? You're Videl? I'm Bulma. Nice to meet you."
Videl stood frozen in place. She'd heard stories about the genius behind Capsule Corp, the richest woman in the world, and now she was standing face-to-face with her.
"H-Hello, Ms. Bulma! It's an honor to meet you!"
Bulma chuckled, taking her hand. "Oh, don't be so formal! Just call me Bulma Obasan, everyone else does."
She winked. "Gohan's a good kid, you know. I've watched him grow up since he was tiny…"
Videl couldn't help but smile. Bulma's cheerful personality made her feel more at ease.
Meanwhile, Gohan's face was now beet red. Bulma had clearly misunderstood and was treating Videl like his girlfriend.
Worried Videl might get uncomfortable, Gohan quickly spoke up.
"Bulma Obasan! Could you call Trunks for me? We're heading to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, remember?"
Just as he finished speaking, a familiar voice rang out from the rooftop.
"Gohan!"
Trunks was already up, clearly having been watching the whole scene unfold. He wore a knowing grin, looking like he'd just enjoyed a great show.
"Let's go!"
With that, Trunks launched himself into the sky toward the Lookout.
Gohan wrapped his arms around Videl again and was about to follow when Bulma stopped them.
"Wait! Take these with you, Gohan!"
She handed him a set of Hoi-Poi Capsules.
"They're filled with all of Trunks' favorite food. I'm not sure how long you'll be in there, so I packed a little extra."
Gohan took the capsules with a grateful nod and shot off after Trunks.
As she watched the trio disappear into the sky, Bulma pulled out a sleek remote and pressed a button. A mother-and-child service robot rolled into view.
Suddenly, a large screen popped up from the ground, and Chi-Chi's face appeared on it.
Bulma asked, "Well? Satisfied, Chi-Chi?"
Chi-Chi beamed, nodding with motherly pride. "As long as Gohan's happy, that's all that matters."
(End of Chapter)
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