There was no gale, nor were there dark clouds overhead, yet at that instant, every martial artist present felt the hairs on their bodies stand on end.
“What is this Qi?!” Son Goku and Tien Shinhan simultaneously assumed fighting stances, their eyes fixed firmly on the sky.
“This Qi…
it’s evil, immense, and filled with bloodlust…” Master Roshi’s sunglasses slipped down his nose as his face instantly turned pale.
“No…
impossible…
this feeling is…” BOOM!!!
A purple beam of light descended from the heavens and instantly shattered the massive hotel sign.
Debris flew everywhere.
As the dust gradually settled, a tall green figure could be seen hovering in midair, looking down at everyone from above.
Behind him stood a winged subordinate resembling a giant pterodactyl.
The green figure wore a dark blue martial arts uniform with the kanji for “Demon” emblazoned across his chest.
A terrifying pressure radiated from him, enough to suffocate anyone nearby.
Most frightening of all, he was young.
Young and brimming with explosive vitality.
“King Piccolo?!” Master Roshi cried out, his voice trembling violently.
“And he’s…
restored his youth?!” “Oh?” King Piccolo sneered as his gaze swept across the crowd.
“So there are still people alive who recognize me.” “Excellent.
Since all the martial artists are gathered here, it saves me the trouble of hunting them down one by one.” A cruel smile spread across his face.
“Today is a wonderful day.” “And I am in a very good mood.” He cracked his neck loudly.
“Therefore, I shall kill all of you as the opening ceremony for my conquest of the world.” “Stop talking nonsense!” Tien Shinhan was the first to charge forward.
“No matter what kind of Demon King you are, don’t think you can do as you please here!” “Tri-Beam Cannon!!!” Without hesitation, Tien unleashed his most powerful technique.
The blazing beam erupted forth with enough power to level a mountain.
However…
“Too slow.” King Piccolo did not even bother dodging.
He casually waved one hand.
Bang!
The terrifying Tri-Beam Cannon was slapped aside as though it were nothing.
The attack exploded harmlessly over the distant sea, sending towering waves into the air.
In the next instant, King Piccolo appeared directly in front of Tien Shinhan.
His knee drove mercilessly into Tien’s abdomen.
“Ugh…!” Tien Shinhan couldn’t withstand even a single exchange.
His body folded over before collapsing to the ground, completely losing the ability to fight.
“Tien Shinhan!!” “You bastard!!” Son Goku roared.
Instead of fear, unprecedented battle spirit erupted from within him.
Following yesterday’s life-and-death battle with Tien Shinhan and a night of deep recovery, the Saiyan trait that allowed him to grow stronger after pushing beyond his limits had once again taken effect.
At this moment, Goku’s Qi was even stronger than it had been during the tournament finals.
“YAAAAAHHHH!!!” Like a cannonball, Goku shot forward.
His Power Pole transformed into countless overlapping shadows as he launched a relentless assault against King Piccolo.
“Hmph.
Insolent brat…” “Huh?” King Piccolo originally intended to swat him away casually.
Yet the moment they exchanged blows, he discovered something surprising.
This child possessed extraordinary strength.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The two clashed fiercely in the sky.
Although Goku was clearly at a disadvantage and was continuously being driven backward, he resembled an indestructible cockroach.
Every time he was sent flying, he rushed back even faster than before.
“How strange…” Goku’s eyes shone brightly as he fought.
“It feels like my strength just keeps increasing!” As the battle continued, he suddenly seized an opening and kicked King Piccolo squarely across the face.
Smack!
Piccolo’s head snapped sideways.
The entire battlefield froze.
“G-Goku actually landed a hit?!” Krillin’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“No…” Master Roshi stared intently at the battle.
Cold sweat covered his forehead.
“King Piccolo still isn’t using his full power.” “But Goku’s growth rate is unbelievable…” “Unfortunately…
he still can’t win.” Sure enough, after being struck, the expression on King Piccolo’s face became hideously twisted.
“Good…” “Very good!” “To think a little monkey could actually touch my face…” “I’ll tear you apart!” King Piccolo’s aura exploded outward once again.
His speed increased dramatically.
His movements became so fast that even afterimages disappeared.
The battle instantly turned into a one-sided massacre.
At that very moment, Master Roshi, who had been waiting for an opportunity, narrowed his eyes.
“Now!!” From within his robes, he suddenly produced a small rice cooker covered with sealing talismans.
He threw it onto the ground and opened the lid.
Taking advantage of King Piccolo’s focus on Goku, Master Roshi assumed the stance that had haunted the Demon King for centuries.
“EVIL CONTAINMENT WAVE!!!” His roar exploded like thunder.
A green whirlwind erupted from the earth.
The terrifying vortex instantly locked onto King Piccolo.
“W-What?!” The moment King Piccolo heard those words and saw the familiar green spiral, terror filled his face.
It was fear carved into the deepest depths of his soul.
“That technique…!” “Master Mutaito’s Evil Containment Wave?!” “No!!!” King Piccolo desperately attempted to flee.
Yet his body was irresistibly dragged toward the rice cooker.
“It has to work!!!” Blood flowed from Master Roshi’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth as he poured every last bit of life force into the technique.
Just as King Piccolo was about to be sealed…
“Piano!!” King Piccolo let out a desperate roar.
The winged demon Piano, who had been watching from the sidelines, trembled in fear.
Yet upon hearing his master’s command, he instinctively rushed forward.
“Lord Piccolo!!” Piano threw himself in front of his master.
Whoosh!
The Evil Containment Wave instantly engulfed him.
His body twisted grotesquely before being sucked directly into the rice cooker.
Thud!
The lid slammed shut.
“…” Master Roshi remained frozen in his casting stance.
Looking at the rice cooker releasing faint wisps of smoke, the light in his eyes gradually faded.
“It…
failed…” Blood spilled from his mouth.
His body collapsed helplessly to the ground.
“Huff…
huff…” King Piccolo panted heavily.
His entire body was soaked with cold sweat.
For a brief moment, he had genuinely believed he was finished.
“Damn you…” “Damn old fool!!!” The terror he had just experienced instantly transformed into overwhelming rage.
“I’ll kill you all!” “Every last one of you!” BOOM!!
With a furious wave of his hand, King Piccolo unleashed a devastating Ki Blast.
The attack struck the completely exhausted Master Roshi head-on.
The old master didn’t even have time to cry out before he was blasted away into the distance.
Whether he lived or died was impossible to tell.
“Old man!!!” Goku’s eyes nearly split apart from fury.
“You’re next.” King Piccolo gave him no opportunity to recover.
In an instant, he appeared behind Goku and chopped downward with a hand blade.
Crack.
“Ugh…” Goku’s eyes rolled back.
His body collapsed to the ground.
Completely unconscious.
“Now all of you can die.” King Piccolo spread his arms.
Countless energy blasts rained down like a meteor shower.
Explosions consumed the hotel plaza.
Buildings collapsed.
The ground shattered.
Krillin, Yamcha, Bulma, and the others could only desperately dodge through the ruins.
Finally, King Piccolo landed atop a broken wall.
A massive sphere of energy gathered within his palm.
The attack was powerful enough to erase the entire island.
Its target was the remaining survivors below.
“This…” He looked down at them with contempt.
“…is the price of defying me.” “Farewell, insects.” Bulma sat collapsed among the rubble.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face as she stared at the approaching light of destruction.
Goku had fallen.
Master Roshi had failed.
Everyone lay wounded and bleeding among the ruins.
Who…
Who could possibly save them now?
At that exact moment, far above the clouds, a streak of white light tore through the sky at an impossible speed, rushing toward Papaya Island like a falling star.