Kaito trailed behind Yamcha, his tiny legs struggling to keep pace with the Z Fighter's long strides as they crossed Capsule Corp's sprawling courtyard. The massive dome loomed overhead, its sleek curves and neon lights screaming futuristic wealth. Kaito's toddler heart thumped—not just from the adrenaline of outrunning K-17, but from the surreal reality of stepping into *Dragon Ball*'s inner sanctum. The data chip with Gero's Android schematics felt like a ticking bomb in his pocket, and the distant hum of Gero's drones circling the forest reminded him his escape wasn't clean yet.
Yamcha glanced down, smirking. "You sure you're not lost, kid? You look like you just ran from a bear."
"More like a murder Roomba," Kaito muttered, earning a raised eyebrow. He quickly added, "Uh, long story. Gotta see Bulma. It's… science stuff."
Yamcha chuckled, swinging his bat lazily. "Science stuff, huh? Bulma's gonna eat you up. Just don't mention Vegeta's training bots—she's still mad about the last one he blew up."
Kaito's system pinged, its neon-blue interface flashing in his vision.
[System Notification: New Objective – "Schematics Showdown"]
[Objective: Convince Bulma to analyze Gero's schematics without raising suspicion.]
[Time Limit: 24 hours until Gero's drones trace your location.]
Reward: +200 EXP | SR Item Drop | Ally Unlock: Bulma Briefs.
[Bonus Objective: Impress Bulma with technical knowledge (Charisma Check).]
[Penalty: Gero's Retaliation (Drone Swarm Escalation) | Loss of Schematics.]
[Current Status: Suspicion Level – 15% | Power Level: 13.2 (Three Squirrels and a Hamster)]
"Three squirrels *and* a hamster? I'm moving up," Kaito whispered, dodging a curious glance from Yamcha.
His AI maid materialized, her chibi form floating beside him with a clipboard. "Master Kaito, social interaction imminent. Charisma score: Questionable. Recommendation: Avoid nerdy tangents about Goku's power scaling."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Kaito hissed, following Yamcha through Capsule Corp's sliding doors.
Inside, the lab was a chaotic masterpiece: holographic screens flickered with data, robotic arms whirred assembling gadgets, and a coffee machine hissed like it was possessed. Bulma Briefs stood at a workbench, her teal hair tied back, a wrench in one hand and a tablet in the other. She was muttering about "stupid Saiyan egos" when Yamcha cleared his throat.
"Hey, Bulma, found a stray," Yamcha said, jerking a thumb at Kaito. "Says he's got something for you. Science-y stuff."
Bulma spun around, her sharp eyes locking onto Kaito. "A kid? Yamcha, if this is another one of your 'charity cases,' I'm not running a daycare."
Kaito swallowed, stepping forward. "Not a charity case. I've got tech you need to see. Like, *world-saving* tech." He pulled the data chip from his pocket, holding it up like a holy relic.
Bulma's eyebrows shot up. She snatched the chip, plugging it into her tablet. Her eyes widened as encrypted schematics flooded the screen—blueprints of Android power cores, nanite frameworks, and ki amplifiers. "Whoa. This is… Red Ribbon-level stuff. Where'd you get this, kid?"
Kaito opened his mouth, but the system pinged a warning.
[Charisma Check Initiated: Choose Response Carefully]
Option 1: Truth (Partial) – Admit you stole it from a lab.
Option 2: Bluff – Claim you're a prodigy inventor.
Option 3: Deflect – Change the subject to Bulma's genius.
[Tip: Bulma's ego is exploitable, but she's not dumb.]
Kaito went with Option 3, flashing a grin. "Found it in a junk pile, but I knew *you'd* crack it. You're, like, the smartest person on Earth, right? Built a time machine and all that?"
Bulma smirked, clearly pleased. "Flattery's cute, but I'm not buying the 'junk pile' story. Spill it, shortstack."
Kaito's AI maid whispered, "Charisma check: 60% success. Recommend partial truth to avoid suspicion."
"Fine," Kaito sighed. "I… borrowed it from a lab. Bad people, bad tech. You're the only one who can figure out what they're planning."
Bulma's eyes narrowed, but she kept scrolling through the schematics. "Red Ribbon, huh? Gero's work. This is advanced—way beyond their old junk. You're in deep, kid."
Yamcha leaned against a wall, looking mildly impressed. "You stole from Gero? Ballsy for a toddler."
"Not a toddler!" Kaito snapped, puffing out his chest. "I'm… strategically compact."
[Charisma Check: Passed!]
Reward: +1 Charisma | Bulma's Trust +20%
Bulma snorted, setting the tablet down. "Alright, I'll bite. I'll analyze this, but you're sticking around until I figure out what's going on. Yamcha, keep an eye on him."
Yamcha saluted lazily. "Babysitting duty, got it."
Kaito's system pinged again, but this time it glitched, the interface flickering with static.
[System Alert: Glitch Detected – Multiverse Chat Group Malfunction]
[Error: Unauthorized Access Attempt by External Entity]
[Warning: Gero's drones closing in. ETA: 10 minutes.]
Kaito's stomach dropped. "Maid, what's the glitch?"
His AI maid's pigtails drooped, her voice crackling. "Unknown entity probing system. Possible Gero hack or… multiversal interference. Chat room temporarily offline."
"Offline?!" Kaito hissed. "I need my cosmic cheerleaders!"
Before he could panic, the lab's alarms blared. Red lights flashed, and Bulma cursed, pulling up a security feed. A swarm of Gero's drones—those beetle-like scouters from the forest—hovered outside Capsule Corp, their lasers cutting through the outer gates.
Yamcha cracked his knuckles. "Looks like your fan club followed you, kid."
Bulma shot Kaito a look. "You brought *this* to my doorstep? Start talking, or I'm tossing you to the drones myself."
Kaito raised his hands. "Okay, okay! I escaped Gero's lab. He's making Androids—bad ones. That chip's proof. I didn't mean to bring his goons here!"
Bulma's expression softened, but only slightly. "Gero's back? Great. Just what I needed." She grabbed a capsule from her pocket, tossing it to reveal a sleek turret. "Yamcha, handle the drones. Kid, you're with me. We're locking this chip down."
Kaito followed Bulma to a reinforced vault, his heart racing. The system flickered back online, but the chat room was still down. Instead, a new prompt appeared.
[Emergency Quest: "Drone Dodge Deluxe"]
[Objective: Assist Yamcha in repelling drone swarm. Protect Bulma and schematics.]
Reward: +100 EXP | +1 Teamwork | Rare Gacha Pull
[Penalty: Drone Capture | Bulma's Trust -50%]
[Tip: Yamcha's not useless if you aim him right.]
Kaito grinned. "Time to make Yamcha a legend."
Outside, Yamcha was already in action, batting drones out of the sky with his baseball bat like a pro. "Wolf Fang… Home Run!" he shouted, smashing a drone into sparking pieces.
Kaito activated his Ki Barrier, deflecting a stray laser, and wove ki threads to snare two drones, slamming them together. "Eat that, Gero's budget bots!"
[Ki Thread Control: +1]
[Teamwork: +1]
Yamcha glanced over, impressed. "Not bad, kid! You train with Krillin or something?"
"Self-taught," Kaito lied, launching a wobbly Destructo Disc that sliced a drone's wing. The swarm was thinning, but more red lights blinked in the distance.
Bulma's voice crackled over an intercom. "Keep them busy! I'm almost done decrypting the chip!"
Kaito's system glitched again, and a distorted voice echoed in his mind—not his AI maid, but something colder. "K-18… return… schematics… or face… termination."
"Gero?" Kaito whispered, his blood running cold. The system stabilized, and the chat room flickered back online.
[Multiverse Chat Room – Active Members: 7]
[K-18]: Gero's hacking my system! Drones everywhere. Yamcha's hitting homers, but I need backup ideas.
[Goddess of Explosions]: FINALLY, chaos! Fry the drones with a big ki blast. Bonus points if you yell something cool. 💥
[Crimson Alchemist]: Gero's hack means he's tracking you. Scramble your system's signal—use ki to overload the interface.
[Captain Sogeking]: Yo, hit 'em with a Spirit Ball! Yamcha's move, right?
[Senpai Noticed Me]: You're fighting with YAMCHA?! I'm so jealous! Protect Bulma, she's queen!
[Master of Cards]: Don't die. I'm not writing your eulogy.m
[Rider of the Storms]: Use the environment. Capsule Corp's got tech—hack a turret or something.
Kaito's eyes darted to Bulma's turret, still firing at the drones. He sprinted to it, using ki threads to rewire its targeting system. "Sorry, Bulma, borrowing this!" The turret whirred, locking onto the drones with enhanced precision, blasting three out of the sky.
[Intelligence: +1]
[System Notification: Drone Swarm Reduced – 60% Remaining]
But the system glitched again, and Gero's voice returned, louder. "K-18… you cannot… escape…"
Kaito gritted his teeth, following Crimson's advice. He focused his ki, channeling it into the system's interface like a surge protector. The neon-blue HUD flickered wildly, then stabilized.
[System Alert: Hack Attempt Blocked!]
Reward: +1 Willpower | System Security +10%
The remaining drones retreated, their signals disrupted. Yamcha dusted off his hands, grinning. "Nice teamwork, kid. You're not half bad."
Kaito panted, collapsing against a wall. "Half bad's my brand."
Bulma emerged from the vault, holding her tablet triumphantly. "Schematics decrypted. Gero's planning something big—Androids with ki-draining tech. This chip's a goldmine. Good job, kid."
Kaito's system pinged, and relief washed over him.
[System Notification: "Schematics Showdown" Complete!]
Reward: +200 EXP | SR Item Drop – Capsule Corp Access Pass | Ally Unlocked: Bulma Briefs.
[Bonus Objective: Impress Bulma – Success!]
Reward: +1 Charisma | Bulma's Trust +30%
[New Title Unlocked: "Schematic Smuggler"]
Bulma crossed her arms, eyeing Kaito. "You're sticking around. I want answers, and you're not leaving until I get them."
Kaito nodded, too exhausted to argue. Yamcha slapped his shoulder. "Welcome to the chaos, kid."
As Kaito sank onto a bench, his AI maid handed him a pudding cup. "Emotional stability restored to 70%. Congratulations, Master Kaito. You didn't Yamcha it."
Kaito smirked, spooning pudding. "Damn right."
But in the distance, a faint spark flickered in the forest—K-17, stirring again. And somewhere, Gero was watching.
[K-18]: Survived drones. Bulma's on board. Gero's pissed. Also, Yamcha's kinda cool.
[Goddess of Explosions]: Told ya to yell something cool! Next time, do it. 💥
[Captain Sogeking]: Yamcha redemption arc?! I'm here for it.
[Crimson Alchemist]: Gero's not done. Stay vigilant. You've got a target on your back now.
[Senpai Noticed Me]: You're living my dream! Hug Yamcha for me!
[Master of Cards]: Don't get comfy. Gero's got more toys.
[Rider of the Storms]: You're building something real. Keep going.
Kaito leaned back, staring at Capsule Corp's ceiling. He was in deep, but with Bulma, Yamcha, and his multiverse squad, he felt like he could take on the universe—or at least survive until lunch.