In the blink of an eye, a month passed.
After finishing up their obligations and finally relaxing, the group made their way onto Snake Way.
Originally, Goku and his group expected to reach King Kai's Planet in less than a day.
They brought nothing with them.
Big mistake.
Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha weren't as fast as Goku's group—
They needed several days to make the journey.
And since this was a team effort, Goku and the others didn't want to go on ahead.
So, they activated their 10x gravity wristbands and ran alongside the others.
But they had overlooked one critical problem—
What was meant to be a single day now stretched into several.
And that meant hunger.
Luckily, Krillin's wife had packed him enough food for a month.
...Which was just barely enough for one of Goku's meals.
Still, they decided to make do.
A couple of hungry days wouldn't kill them.
If things got bad, they could use Senzu Beans—at least they wouldn't starve.
With that, the group agreed to take a break midway through Snake Way.
They stopped and started roasting meat on open flames.
"Krillin, give me extra cumin—no spice!" Chi-Chi called out. "I break out when it's too spicy!"
"I'm not picky!" Goku grinned. "Just hand it over when it's ready!"
Krillin nodded. "Alright, alright. Don't rush me—I'm working as fast as I can!"
"Krillin," Yamcha frowned, poking through the supplies, "why are there so many skewers of kidney?!"
"They're good for you," Krillin replied.
Yamcha sighed. "You're feeding kidney skewers to a single guy like me? That just feels cruel..."
He glanced down Snake Way—it still stretched endlessly ahead.
"How long do we have to run this thing? It's longer than the equator."
Tien nodded. "At our current speed, we could've circled the Earth twice already.
And we're still not there. Snake Way must be several times longer than the equator."
Chi-Chi muttered, "If only we had a spaceship… That would've gotten us there in a day."
"Food's ready!" Krillin called. "Chi-Chi, here's your grilled corn and enoki mushrooms!
Goku, your lamb leg and kidney skewers."
"Mmm! Time to dig in!" Goku said, his mouth already watering.
Chi-Chi took a bite of grilled corn and smiled.
"This is amazing, Krillin. You're good at this."
Krillin rubbed the back of his head, grinning.
"As long as you're happy.
Let's eat everything we brought today.
After this, we'll switch to Senzu Beans."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Krillin, I want meat skewers, not kidneys!" Chiaotzu pouted.
"You don't get it, Chiaotzu," Krillin insisted. "Kidneys are a great tonic. They're good for... development."
Tien raised a brow. "What kind of development?"
"Height," Krillin said seriously.
Yamcha blinked.
"So that's why you've been looking taller lately.
I thought kidneys only helped, you know… the kidneys."
Krillin chuckled nervously.
"Hehe…"
An hour later, everyone was full.
"Ugh, I'm stuffed."
"Let's nap before heading out again."
"If only we could turn off the lights—it's too bright to sleep."
"No night or day here," Tien muttered. "Just toss a jacket over your head if it bothers you."
Soon, Krillin, Chiaotzu, and the others rolled out their sleeping bags and laid down.
Chi-Chi looked at Goku and tilted her head.
"Your face is all red. Are you feeling sick?"
Goku shook his head.
"No, just… warm."
Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed.
"You sure it's not from eating too many kidneys? I heard that can heat you up…"
"..."
Chi-Chi's cheeks reddened.
She leaned in.
"Goku… there's a compact capsule house in my bag.
If we walk a bit farther ahead, I think it can fit us both."
"Eh? Isn't that…"
Chi-Chi tugged at his sleeve.
"Oh come on. We're not kids anymore.
By the time we get back to Earth, Krillin and Snow will probably have a baby already…"
Three Days Later...
Plop!
Plop!
THUD!
The six of them finally reached the end of Snake Way—
Only to be immediately crushed under the overwhelming gravity of King Kai's Planet.
Goku, Chi-Chi, and Krillin still had their 10x gravity wristbands on.
The sudden jump from 10x to 100x gravity flattened them instantly.
Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu didn't have theirs on, so they fared slightly better—
But even they were barely holding it together.
Everyone hit the ground hard.
Groans of pain echoed across King Kai's world.
"Urgh! Goku, I can't move! Help me turn off my band…"
"I can't either… hang on… just give me a second…"
Krillin lay flat on his back, eyes dull.
"So this is what 100x gravity feels like… like being nailed to a wall…"
Tien managed to stand first.
He glanced down at the others, wincing at their twisted postures.
"You guys alright?"
"Tien… you okay?"
"I didn't have the gravity on. Guess I got lucky."
Chi-Chi gasped.
"Please! Shut mine off! I think my bones are about to snap…"
Just then, King Kai emerged from his house.
He paused as he took in the sight—six people scattered around in awkward poses.
"...Are you guys here to put on a comedy show or something?
You look ridiculous. Hahahaha!"
Krillin managed to rise… then collapsed forward in front of King Kai.
"Greetings, Lord King Kai…"
Chi-Chi finally stood up after deactivating her band, and quickly turned off Goku's as well.
Goku slowly lifted his head and stared at King Kai, unsure of what to say.
Then his stomach rumbled.
"Grumblle..."
Chi-Chi turned to King Kai.
"Um, Lord King Kai? Kami sent us here to train.
Do you… serve food?"
King Kai burst out laughing.
"Pffffft—what kind of question is that?!
No, I don't serve food!
This is King Kai's Planet—not a restaurant!
But you're funny! I like that! That joke was hilarious—you pass!
You've got a good sense of humor!"
Chi-Chi blinked.
"Wait, I brought a whole book of jokes and that one just slipped out?"
Meanwhile, Goku's focus was squarely on something else.
"You don't serve food?! So… we're gonna have to live on Senzu Beans?"
Technically, one Senzu Bean could sustain a person for ten days.
But during heavy training or combat? The energy drain was much higher.
It was like working construction: you eat more when you're active.
The others realized what this meant, and panic set in.
"No food?!"
Krillin slapped his thigh.
"Damn it! I knew we forgot something!
I should've asked Snow to pack me a year's worth of meals!"
Yamcha groaned.
"We had one proper meal on Snake Way… two days ago!
Now there's nothing?!"
Tien and Chiaotzu exchanged a helpless glance.
Goku rubbed his chin.
'In the original timeline, I came here dead. I didn't need food.
Even then, I got fed by the Snake Princess along the way.'
But this time, they were all alive. They needed food.
Senzu Beans were limited.
Like toilet paper—looked plentiful until you really needed them.
"I've got an idea," Goku said, turning to King Kai.
"Mind if I come back the day after tomorrow?
I'll run back to Earth and grab supplies."
King Kai waved his hand.
"Fine by me. You can do whatever you want."
Goku looked at the others.
"If you get really hungry, eat a little… but don't waste the beans.
Hold off on heavy training until I get back."
Then, with a flash, Goku blasted off—his speed eclipsing a bullet.
King Kai watched him vanish, muttering:
"Did Kami not tell you guys you're alive and need food? That guy is so careless…"
Chi-Chi nodded.
"Kami doesn't eat. Just drinks water.
He probably didn't think of it."
King Kai nodded slowly.
"Fair point…
Alright then.
If you all want to train with me, make me laugh.
Tell me a joke."
Chiaotzu raised his hand.
"One day, a bunny forgot to wear a hat. A wolf slapped him.
Next day, the bunny wore a hat. The wolf slapped him again.
Third day—"
"STOP!" King Kai waved frantically.
"That one's ancient! I've heard it a thousand times! Next!"
Tien facepalmed.
"Bulma's joke book must be outdated.
That's the only one Chiaotzu memorized… What now?"