I Plan to Save Goku

Piccolo wasn't so lucky. The energy swallowed one of his arms right then and there.

"Rumble!"

The two blasts slammed into the ground, unleashing a tremendous surge of energy.

After landing, Son Goku looked up into the sky.

"Idiot, I'm behind you." Raditz's voice came from behind Son Goku.

Son Goku's expression changed.

"Thwack!"

Raditz leaped up and kicked Son Goku in the back of the head.

Son Goku fell face-first to the ground.

"Heh heh heh. The two of you together are only this strong? I'm really disappointed," Raditz said with a chuckle.

Son Goku gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet, enduring the pain.

"That bastard!" Son Goku rubbed his head, then looked at Piccolo and asked, "Piccolo, how are you?"

But when Son Goku saw Piccolo's severed arm, he couldn't help but be shocked all over again.

"Ow... That stings a bit." Piccolo smiled faintly, sweat beading on his face. "But don't worry. I can keep fighting with just one arm."

"Ha ha ha! You two idiots! Your time is up!" Raditz cackled.

With skills like yours, you think you can challenge me?

You're still ten thousand years too early.

"Son Goku, do you have any other tricks?" Piccolo asked.

"Sorry... I don't..." Son Goku shook his head helplessly.

For four of the past five years, I've been raising a child.

I haven't had time to come up with any new tricks.

"I was going to conserve my strength..." Piccolo smiled faintly. "But I trained seriously and even made a breakthrough."

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Raditz sneered. "Let me tell you, whatever tactics you're discussing won't do you any good. Come over here and die already."

"You said you'd mastered a new technique. Is that true?" Son Goku ignored Raditz and turned to ask Piccolo.

"It is." Piccolo nodded.

"Can you manage it with only one arm?" Son Goku asked.

"It's fine. I just need some time to build up energy. Fight him alone for now and keep his attention on you," Piccolo said.

"Got it..." Son Goku nodded. "But will your technique work on him?"

"If even this technique doesn't work, there's no way we can beat him." Piccolo smiled. "I was originally going to use it to kill you."

"Ha ha ha. Now it's turned out to be a big help to me," Son Goku said with a laugh.

"Don't get too excited. If we beat this guy, you're next," Piccolo said with a faint smile.

"Hmph. You're still laughing with death staring you in the face?" Raditz snorted.

"All right. I'm going to challenge him!" Son Goku said gravely.

"Make sure you hold out," Piccolo said with a smile.

"Whoosh!"

Son Goku streaked toward Raditz and launched a fierce attack.

Piccolo pressed his index and middle fingers together against his forehead and began gathering energy, preparing to unleash the Special Beam Cannon.

"Thwack!"

Son Goku and Raditz traded blows for just a few rounds before Raditz thoroughly pummeled him.

Raditz sprang up and kicked Son Goku away.

Son Goku tumbled across the ground several times, then swiftly shot into the sky, gathering a powerful Ki Blast in his hands.

"Not good! His battle power keeps rising! 924!" Raditz's expression shifted slightly. "Can he raise it by concentrating his battle power in one spot?"

As he spoke, Raditz seemed to realize something and suddenly turned to look at Piccolo.

"That guy over there has a battle power of 1,020... 1,030! Unbelievable—it's still rising!" Raditz's expression grew grim.

"Kamehameha!"

By then, Son Goku had gathered his Ki Blast and fired it toward Raditz.

Raditz quickly dodged the attack.

But Son Goku immediately controlled the Ki Blast and sent it hurtling toward Raditz again.

"Smack!"

Raditz spun gracefully and caught the incoming Ki Blast in one hand.

"Boom!"

The Ki Blast exploded.

Raditz was completely unharmed.

"Have it back!" Raditz snorted, then flung a Ki Blast at Son Goku in the sky.

"Thwack!"

The blast struck Son Goku squarely.

Hit by the attack, Son Goku fell from the sky.

Raditz rushed after him, aiming a fist at Son Goku's head.

"Die!" Raditz shouted.

"You're the one who's going to die!"

Piccolo had finished gathering energy for the Special Beam Cannon.

"What?" Raditz looked toward Piccolo. "His battle power is 1,330! He concentrated all his power at his fingertips! Not good! They can control their power at will!"

"Special Beam Cannon!"

Piccolo swept his hand forward, and a spiraling beam of purple-red energy shot toward Raditz.

"Hey!"

Raditz went pale and hurriedly dodged at the last moment.

Even so, the blast grazed his shoulder.

Raditz's shoulder armor had been knocked off, and blood seeped from his shoulder.

Piccolo: "..."

Piccolo was completely stunned.

He dodged it. This guy was incredibly fast—he even managed to evade that.

"To think you could damage my armor means that attack was powerful. If it had hit me head-on, it definitely would've killed me." Raditz was still shaken.

"I missed... This is bad!" Piccolo was utterly disheartened.

"I won't spare you! The game's over!" Raditz's face filled with murderous intent.

Raditz had only meant to treat the two of them like a pair of little mice and play with them.

Who could've guessed those little mice would nearly kill the cat?

Raditz suddenly felt a sense of danger.

If he kept playing around, he might end up dead.

No, he had to kill them right away before things got any worse.

"I'll make you disappear in an instant," Raditz said coldly.

As he spoke, Raditz raised his hand, about to kill Piccolo right then and there.

Just then, Raditz suddenly felt his tail being squeezed tight, as if someone had grabbed it.

"What?" Raditz's expression changed.

Piccolo was also taken aback. He looked at Son Goku, who had appeared behind Raditz.

"Heh heh. You were careless. I've got your tail," Son Goku said with a smile, gripping Raditz's tail tightly.

"You... When did you..." Raditz's strength drained away, and he dropped to his knees.

"Piccolo! Quick! Use that move again!" Son Goku shouted.

"Ah... All right!" Piccolo immediately reacted, pressing his index and middle fingers together against his forehead once more. "Nice work, Son Goku! Make sure you hold on tight. I can only use that technique one more time!"

"Kakarot, do you want to kill your only brother?" Raditz tried to appeal to his feelings.

"Does a bad guy like you deserve to be my brother? You even tried to kill my child!" Son Goku paused, then shouted angrily.

"I won't kill him. I truly regret what I've done. I'll leave this planet quietly and peacefully," Raditz said.

"Don't fall for it, Son Goku! Don't listen to his sweet talk. He'd never do that!" Piccolo shouted, trying to warn him.

"Please! Believe me, little brother. I admit that what I did earlier was completely out of line!" Raditz said again, looking utterly sincere. "I'll keep my promise!"

Son Goku's resolve wavered.

"Idiot, don't let go of his tail! It's a trick!" Piccolo shouted.

"Please, Kakarot! Believe me!" Raditz called out.

In the end, Son Goku's heart softened. His hand loosened, and Raditz's tail slipped from his grasp.

"Son Goku!" Piccolo shouted angrily.

What an idiot! How could he fall for that so easily?

"Heh heh."

The moment Raditz's tail was free, he chuckled and punched Son Goku in the chest.

Son Goku collapsed to the ground.

"Smack!"

Raditz charged over and brutally beat Son Goku.

"Ha ha ha! I've never seen anyone as foolish as you," Raditz said with a grin. "You walked right into my trap. You really could never become a great warrior."

"You're despicable!" Son Goku gritted his teeth.

"But I'm different. I'm a first-rate warrior. I can kill my own brother without hesitation." Raditz grinned. "Want to see for yourself?"

As he spoke, Raditz pressed down harder with his foot.

"Ah... Ah..."

Son Goku let out one agonized cry after another.

Far away.

A helicopter was speeding toward them.

"Well, well. It looks like things aren't going too well," Luo Tian sighed.

"What's wrong?" Krillin hurriedly asked.

"I've made up my mind. This time, I'm going to save Goku," Luo Tian said with a smile.

"What?" Krillin was speechless. "So after all that, you still think Goku's going to lose to him, huh?"

"You'll find out when we get there." Luo Tian nodded.

"So mysterious..." Krillin didn't know what else to say.

"All right, Krillin, quiet down!" Bulma glared at him.

Krillin: "..."

It wasn't me who was talking. It was Luo Tian!

Bulma, you're playing favorites!

"Go faster, Bulma. We might still be able to help," Master Roshi said.

"Okay." Bulma increased the helicopter's speed.

"Can I help too?" Sea Turtle asked nervously, sweat on his face.

Master Roshi: "..."

Bulma: "..."

Krillin: "..."

"Ahem... Why did you come along?" Master Roshi asked irritably.

"You're the one who brought me along," Master Roshi said, wiping his sweat.