"Strange. I've been calling him non-stop for so long, but still no response."
"Don't you think offering instant noodles as a sacrifice to summon a divine being might be… a little disrespectful?" Bulma offered her honest opinion.
"Maybe," Levos admitted. "Maybe the instant noodles just weren't tempting enough."
"When we get back to Capsule Corporation, I'll bring out my most treasured delicacies. If that doesn't work, I can trade for signature dishes from top chefs."
Having Bulma by his side really made things easier. As long as the problem involved money or resources, nothing was out of reach.
Since better offerings were possible, Levos decided to put his attempt to contact Whis on hold for now.
He leaned back in the co-pilot seat and closed his eyes to rest.
In the three days since he arrived in this world, he hadn't eaten properly or dared to sleep.
Now that he was finally full, he could at least rest for a while.
Less than an hour later, the aircraft began to descend and slow down.
Levos opened his eyes.
"We've arrived," Bulma said, her expression a little complicated.
Below them was a tiny island much larger than Master Roshi's, but still small by normal standards.
Though small, the island had everything it needed.
A tree-covered hill, a dock, a floating helipad, even a scenic lookout tower several stories high.
But what caught Levos' attention was the massive, dome-shaped communication device on the island.
Near the dock stood a large, single-story house.
That must have been Tights' residence.
The aircraft gently landed on the sea helipad.
Bulma hopped off, walked across the soft sandy beach, and rang the doorbell in front of the house.
But the doorbell didn't work.
"Doctor, no need to ring it. No one's lived here for a long time," Levos called out.
He had already scouted the entire island and knew it had been abandoned for years.
The house's metal fixtures were all rusted, and every potted plant on the porch had long withered and died.
Bulma's face darkened as she gently turned the doorknob.
The door swung open easily.
A wave of stale, moldy air rushed out.
Inside, a thick layer of dust covered the floor and furniture. Mold patches spotted the walls and ceiling.
Levos immediately opened all the windows and doors to air the place out.
"I wonder what happened to my sister…" Bulma softly brushed the dust off a photo frame on the desk and stared at the picture in a daze.
"Doctor, that huge communication device outside, your sister probably used it to stay in touch with Jaco from the Galactic Patrol."
Bulma carefully set the photo back in place. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
"Let's look for any special communication devices first. If not, we can try checking the call history on the landline."
Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning Tights again and focused on searching the house.
"Found it!" Bulma suddenly called out, overjoyed.
Levos's eyes lit up when he saw what she was holding.
"I thought it was just a kettle at first. The receiver even looks like a steamed bun." He admitted his mistake.
Thanks to Levos's earlier description, Bulma had found this oddly shaped communication device.
"How does it work, though?" Levos was completely at a loss when it came to the bizarre technology of the Dragon Ball world.
Bulma picked up the bun-shaped receiver and pressed a few buttons. A faint dial tone immediately sounded from inside.
As expected of Bulma. She really was a genius.
No, she was always a genius.
"There's a response!" Bulma pressed the receiver to her ear, excitement in her voice.
Levos eagerly leaned in to listen.
"Hello! This is Galactic Patrol Headquarters. How can I help you?"
"Jaco! Is that Jaco?" Levos's heart surged with excitement.
"We'll connect you to Officer Jaco now. Please hold."
This was it! Finally, things were starting to turn around!
Earth could still be saved!
Levos and Bulma exchanged glances, both seeing the joy on each other's faces.
"Hello? This is Jaco. Who is this?"
"Hello, Jaco. I'm Tights' younger sister, Bulma…"
Bulma and Levos quickly explained Earth's current crisis.
"Majin Buu? That name rings a bell…"
"Ah! I remember now. Wasn't he the one who nearly destroyed the entire galaxy five million years ago?!"
"Look, I may be in charge of Earth's sector, but I can't handle someone like Majin Buu."
"My advice? Get off Earth as soon as you can. It sounds like things are about to get really bad over there."
"If there's nothing else, I'm going to hang up. As an elite member of the Galactic Patrol, I'm extremely busy, you know!"
Levos was speechless.
How did someone this cowardly end up in the Galactic Patrol?
"Wait. We need to ask you something about Merus." Levos quickly interjected.
"Merus? You mean Elite Officer Merus? How do you even know about him? And why are you suddenly asking for him? He's even busier than I am!"
"We need to find him. It's urgent!"
"Merus and the other officers are currently chasing down escaped prisoners from the Galactic Prison. I doubt he has time for you."
"One of those escapees is extremely dangerous."
Levos's heart skipped a beat. Escaped prisoners… could it be that BOSS?
But for now, that wasn't directly tied to Earth's immediate crisis.
As long as no one stirred the pot, that guy probably wouldn't notice this insignificant little planet tucked away in the far reaches of the North Galaxy.
Still, the chances of Merus coming to help had just plummeted.
After all, that BOSS could destroy planets more easily than breathing, and his destructive power was on par with Majin Buu.
Levos rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
It was probably best to try contacting Merus personally to confirm the situation.
"Hey, Jaco, Earth is your responsibility. You can't just pretend none of this is happening!" Bulma was clearly unhappy with Jaco's attitude.
There was a long pause on the other end before Jaco finally replied.
"I'll report this to headquarters! Also, for Tights' sake, I can help evacuate all of you off Earth…"
"What kind of irresponsible attitude is that?!" Bulma's forehead bulged with visible veins. "There's no way I'm running away like a coward!"
"I'm not leaving either." Levos's tone was firm.
Sure, that would be the safe option, but after thinking it over, it didn't sit right with him.
If he stayed, there were still other plans he could pursue.
Earth had Capsule tech, android technology, the time machine, Dragon Balls, Senzu Beans, so many invaluable resources.
Levos just didn't have a way to use them yet.
If he left Earth, if he left Bulma, what could an ordinary person like him possibly accomplish out there?
No, having Bulma by his side gave him an overwhelming sense of security.
"Oh, right, Jaco, if you really want to do something useful for Earth, then head to New Namek immediately!"