"Bulma-san, may I ask you a question?"
After hesitating for a while, Master Roshi finally spoke up.
"You're not just trying to see our...underwear again, are you?"
With her arms crossed, Bulma had a wary look on her face.
"No, no, not at all! This time, it's something genuinely important I'd like to confirm with you."
Awkwardly, Master Roshi coughed twice, then his expression turned serious:
"Bulma-san, Tights-san, you both are radiating unusual energy. Could you explain what's going on?"
"So, even Master Roshi noticed. Actually, I sensed it too."
Standing nearby, Gohan nodded, though Yamcha and Krillin looked utterly puzzled.
"Unusual energy from Bulma and Tights? How come we can't sense anything?"
"That's because you haven't trained enough yet."
Master Roshi gave Krillin's bald head a knock and replied grumpily.
Krillin and Yamcha were still mainly focused on conditioning their bodies, so they weren't skilled at sensing or controlling energy. But Master Roshi and Gohan, being martial arts masters, were highly sensitive to it, and they'd noticed the strange energy around Bulma and Tights the moment they arrived.
The aura was powerful—so strong that it didn't pale in comparison to their own!
Under normal circumstances, this would be impossible. Master Roshi and Gohan had reached their current level only after years of rigorous training, while Bulma and Tights hadn't trained at all. The last time they met, they'd been ordinary people.
At first, Master Roshi thought he might be mistaken, but no matter how often he checked, the result was the same, confirming it wasn't just his imagination. After much hesitation, he couldn't resist asking.
That Master Roshi and Gohan noticed the changes in Bulma and Tights didn't surprise Yuujin much. Though he had taught the girls many self-defense techniques recently, controlling their energy wasn't something they could learn easily, so they hadn't yet learned to restrain their aura. It was natural for Master Roshi and Tights to detect it.
"Heh heh, since you're asking, I'll tell you."
"From now on, I, Miss Bulma, am no longer an ordinary person but a superheroine, invincible across the universe!"
"Hah! Hah hah!!"
With her hands on her hips, Bulma wore a smug expression and threw a few playful punches.
Powerful bursts of energy shot past Yamcha and Krillin, startling them both.
"B-Bulma-san?"
Mouths agape, Yamcha and Krillin looked utterly shocked.
Bulma-san was just a dainty girl, wasn't she? How did she suddenly turn into a martial arts expert? Those moves alone were likely stronger than theirs!
How was this even possible?
Master Roshi was equally stunned. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Yuujin—
"Yuujin, what's going on here?"
He knew that there was no way Bulma and Tights could become experts like this overnight by themselves, so the only explanation had to be Yuujin's doing.
"Master Roshi, actually, when we were on our way to train with King Kai, we discovered a rare fruit in Hell called the Esenji. Eating just one of these peaches keeps you full for a hundred days and increases strength as well. I gave Bulma and Tights one each, which is why they're like this now."
With a slight smile, Yuujin explained to Master Roshi.
As for the fact that they had stolen the Esenji from King Yemma's domain in Hell, Yuujin decided to keep that detail to himself.
As expected, Master Roshi, Gohan, Yamcha, and Tights were stunned by Yuujin's explanation.
"Es…Esenji?"
"Eating one enhances your strength?"
Though hard to believe, they couldn't deny the facts right before their eyes.
Just from eating these Esenji, Bulma and Tights had gone from delicate girls to powerful martial artists!
"Ahem, Yuujin, come here for a moment."
Regaining his composure, Master Roshi coughed twice, put his arm around Yuujin's shoulder, and led him to a corner.
"Listen, kid, if you have something this good, you should give some to your teacher too."
"Do you have any left? Are there any more?"
Seeing Master Roshi's eager face, Yuujin chuckled to himself.
It wasn't just martial artists who would desire such a thing; anyone would be tempted by this.
After all, a single fruit could boost one's strength. Who wouldn't want that?
"Don't worry, Master Roshi. I set aside a few for you guys."
Taking out three Esenji he had prepared in advance, Yuujin handed one each to Master Roshi, Gohan, and Ox-King.
"So, this is the peach that enhances strength?"
Everyone was staring hard at the peaches in Master Roshi and Tights' hands, though they looked no different from regular peaches—just a bit larger.
"Come on, Dad! Eat it quickly to enhance your strength!"
Chi-Chi urged Ox-King, and he burst out laughing.
"Well then, I won't hold back."
"Mm, delicious."
He tossed the whole peach into his mouth, chewing it up and swallowing the pit too. Master Roshi and Gohan each quickly ate theirs as well.
"Master Roshi, do you feel any different? Has your strength increased?"
Yamcha and Krillin watched Master Roshi and Gohan intently, their eyes full of anticipation.
"Uh, no particular feeling…"
Master Roshi answered honestly after a burp.
But then, an intense expression crossed his face.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His clothes burst apart, his muscles expanded, and a powerful aura exploded around him!
And not just Master Roshi—Gohan and Ox-King were the same!
"Ah...ahh…"
Yamcha, Krillin, and Tights were dumbstruck, while Yuujin smiled subtly.
If one's internal energy was weak, it couldn't manifest as an aura. Normally, creating an aura required a battle power of at least a few hundred to a thousand. In just an instant, Master Roshi, Gohan, and Ox-King's internal energy had multiplied several times over!
"Unb...unbelievable…"
"This power is astonishing…"
"Chi-Chi, your father is brimming with strength!"
Gripping their fists, Master Roshi and Gohan looked shocked, and Ox-King beamed with joy.
After years of intense training, they had nearly exhausted their potential. Neither Master Roshi, Gohan, nor Ox-King ever dreamed that they could still go further, gaining such immense strength!
"Heh...let me help gauge how much strength you've gained."
Excited, Bulma took out her scouter, put it on, and locked onto Master Roshi, Gohan, and Ox-King. The readings of their battle power began to appear…
To be continued…
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