Rhode examined the sphere of cold, pearlescent light hovering above his palm, sensing its unique, transformative frequency with intense focus. After a long moment, he dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
He then drew his ki to the surface of his body, not to erupt, but to transform. The familiar, transparent white aura around him began to shift. Under his meticulous control, it lost its transparency, glowing instead with that same pale, moon-like luminescence. It carried a subtle, chilling energy—a perfect replication of the artificial moonlight Saiyans used to trigger their primal transformation.
His entire form was now sheathed in this cold, ethereal glow.
Yet, Rhode frowned. Despite being bathed in the light, his body remained unchanged. There was no stirring of the Oozaru instinct, not even a tremor. After a moment of analysis, he understood: the energy was too diffuse. Enveloping his whole body diluted the intensity below the critical threshold needed to stimulate the transformation.
He focused, pulling more power from within, concentrating the cold light, amplifying its intensity. The glow around him brightened from a soft sheen to a potent, concentrated halo.
And then, it happened. His body shuddered. Bones cracked and expanded, fur erupted from his skin, and in the span of a single breath, he stood once more as the towering Great Ape.
"This... is a start," the Oozaru rumbled, a note of analytical satisfaction in its voice. It wasn't the elegant, controlled transformation he ultimately sought, but it was a crucial first step—proof of concept. He had taken the primal, external trigger of moonlight and internalized it, replicating its effect with his own ki. Refinement would come with time and deeper understanding.
As the sky lightened with the approaching dawn, the cold light winked out. His massive form shrank and resolved back into his Saiyan body. Without lingering in the ravaged wilderness, he took to the air, streaking back toward the distant glow of West City.
Freshly showered and about to head for the Gravity Chamber, Rhode was intercepted by Dr. Brief in the hallway.
"Is something the matter, Doctor?" Rhode asked, surprised. The scientist was usually sequestered in his lab or doting on his pets, and their paths rarely crossed.
With a cheerful smile, Dr. Brief held out a small, palm-sized device. "The Dragon Ball Radar! Finished!"
Perhaps due to some ingrained familial design sense, the device was strikingly similar to the one his daughter would later create—compact, with a circular screen and directional indicators.
"And this..." Brief continued, not leaving. He dug into his lab coat pocket and produced two crystal-clear orbs, each housing a red star. One was the three-star ball from Master Roshi; the other, a two-star ball. "After I finished the radar, I found these in a storage room. They're yours now."
He pressed the two-star Dragon Ball into Rhode's hand and gave a quick, friendly wave, already turning to leave.
"Thank you, Doctor!" Rhode called after the retreating back, but Brief just waved again without looking back.
His kindness is immense, Rhode thought, a weight of gratitude settling on him. Repaying the world's richest man, who had everything, was a puzzle. Perhaps with more advanced technology from across the stars in the future. Or perhaps... the debt could be paid forward.
His mind turned to Brief's daughters, Bulma and Tights. While major players in the grand scheme of things and generally surviving their ordeals, they were not immune to suffering. And now, existing in what felt like a tangible, unpredictable version of this world—one of many possible universes in the Dragon Ball multiverse—who knew what twists fate might take? Ensuring their safety and well-being could be a worthy way to honor the doctor's generosity. The thought crystallized into a silent vow as he looked down at the radar and the two dragon balls in his hand. The hunt could begin.
In short, no matter how this world unfolded, he would ensure this family's safety. It was a silent promise.
Storing the two Dragon Balls securely, Rhode activated the newly crafted radar. With a few adjustments, the screen lit up, pinpointing the locations of the remaining five orbs. A question arose: a decade ahead of the original timeline, would they still be in the same places?
With no answer but to look, he took to the skies, the radar his guide. A 'journey' for someone with a battle power nearing ten thousand was a relative term. Distance was trivial.
His first stop, not far from West City, was an unremarkable valley. Following the signal, he descended and, with a controlled burst of ki, excavated a crater a dozen meters deep. There, nestled in the earth, was the five-star ball. Its location differed slightly from Bulma's future find, a minor divergence in the timeline.
Three down.
The radar led him next to a rugged mountain range—Mount Paozu. There, he found an old man in a simple robe, his hair and beard white but his posture straight, his aura one of disciplined vitality. This was Son Gohan, the adoptive grandfather of Goku, and technically, Rhode's senior martial brother.
"Child, are you looking for me?" Gohan asked, surprised but kind, sensing the unusual strength contained within the youthful visitor.
"Hello. My name is Rhode," he replied respectfully. "I trained for a time under Master Roshi. He spoke of you."
"Master Roshi... it has been too long since I last visited that old man," Gohan said, a wave of nostalgia softening his features. The connection smoothed the way. After a brief, pleasant conversation, Rhode stated his purpose and was freely lent the cherished four-star ball.
Four down.
The six-star ball was next, found nestled in a forest outside a sleepy village. The one-star ball required a short climb, retrieved from a large bird's nest perched precariously on a cliff face.
Six gathered.
The final signal led him to a mountain range engulfed in perpetual fire—Fire Mountain, the domain of the Ox-King. Here, the acquisition was not as simple. The Ox-King, guardian of the seven-star ball, was a warrior of pride. A clash was inevitable.
The outcome was never in doubt. Rhode's speed and control overwhelmed the Ox-King's brute strength. Yet, the fight, conducted with respect, forged a peculiar bond. Impressed by the young Saiyan's power and spirit, the Ox-King, defeated but not dishonored, invited him into his fortress for a feast.
What followed was a legendary eating contest, which the Ox-King also lost, much to his roaring amusement. Through shared combat and a mountain of food, a fast friendship blossomed across the generations. It was here Rhode also met a toddling, bright-eyed Chi-Chi, a meeting that felt both surreal and strangely significant.
With the Ox-King's boisterous blessing, the seven-star ball joined the collection.
Now, all seven Dragon Balls lay together, their orange spheres gleaming, the red stars within seeming to pulse in unison. The power to summon a deity, to make a wish that defied reality itself, was at his fingertips. Shenlong awaited.