Three-Year Pact

"Can't kill him."

"Why?!" Everyone was baffled.

Sun Wuxiu sighed and looked up at the sky, as though he were gazing at that distant Lookout.

"For certain special reasons, Piccolo cannot disappear completely."

He did not explain Kami's situation, because it would be too troublesome to explain, and they would learn it themselves once they went to Kami's Lookout.

"If this egg is not left behind, even more terrifying consequences will occur—the Dragon Balls will disappear. So I have to let him live."

"This..."

Everyone exchanged looks. Though they did not know what these so-called "more terrifying consequences" were, their absolute trust in Sun Wuxiu told them that he was not joking.

For a moment, the atmosphere became incomparably oppressive.

The flame of hope that had just been kindled seemed to have been doused by a basin of cold water.

In three years, an even stronger Demon King...

It was simply a Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's heads.

"Really?!!"

Just then, an excited voice, shrill enough to crack, suddenly shattered the silence.

Son Goku leaped onto the table. Not a trace of fear could be found in those huge eyes of his.

They were clearly burning with blazing fire!

"Brother! Are you saying... that in three years, someone far stronger than that Demon King today will appear?!"

"And he'll come looking for us to fight?!"

Sun Wuxiu looked at his simple-minded battle-crazy younger brother and nodded with a smile.

"That's right, Goku. He'll be extremely strong—so strong that the current you couldn't even block one of his fingers."

"That's awesome!!!"

Son Goku waved his fists excitedly, his tail wagging wildly behind him.

"That Demon King was strong, but Brother took him out before I even got my fill of fighting! I was just worrying that I wouldn't have any opponents in the future!"

"Since someone that strong is waiting for us, then I have to train harder and harder!"

"I'll become stronger than that Demon Second Generation! Then, at the Martial Arts Tournament three years from now, I'll defeat him with my own hands!"

Though Goku's voice was young, it brimmed with determination and soaring fighting spirit.

That pure courage, without the slightest trace of impurity, instantly infected everyone present.

Krillin froze.

Tien Shinhan froze.

Yamcha froze as well.

Yeah.

What were they afraid of?

Since they knew the crisis would come in three years, why not use those three years to become stronger?

If they stopped moving forward because of fear, then they would truly be finished.

"Hahaha! Just as expected of Goku!"

Krillin suddenly laughed and slapped his cheeks hard.

"Now that you put it that way, I feel like that cowardly look I had earlier was way too embarrassing!"

"That's right." Tien Shinhan clenched his fists, battlefire reigniting in his eyes.

"Since we know the gap, then we should close it. Three years... is enough for us to be reborn!"

"Looks like I can't slack off either." Yamcha took a deep breath.

"Even if I might not be able to catch up to you freaks, I still want to do my part to protect Earth!"

In an instant, the oppressive atmosphere was swept away.

In its place was a fervent rallying cry.

Watching this, Sun Wuxiu smiled in satisfaction.

This was the Dragon Team.

This was the situation he wanted to see.

If he killed Piccolo directly, Earth would lose the Dragon Balls. More importantly, these people would lose their motivation to move forward and slowly rot away in the greenhouse of peace.

Only by setting up a powerful enemy, only by making them feel the sense of crisis at all times, could they continue breaking through their limits.

They would grow into warriors capable of facing the future Emperor of the Universe, Androids, and even Gods of Destruction.

"All right, everyone."

Sun Wuxiu stood and raised his wineglass.

"Since everyone has made up their minds, I don't need to say much more."

"These three years will be hellish. But I believe that the World Martial Arts Tournament three years from now will be the most exciting one in history."

"Here's to our reunion in three years!"

"Cheers!!!"

Their glasses clinked together, the crisp sound like a war horn declaring battle against the future.

Bulma stood beside Sun Wuxiu, looking at the man who had turned the tide with just a few words and transformed despair into motivation. The love in her eyes was so deep it could not be dissolved.

"This is the man I chose..."

"Not only is he strong, he can even sweet-talk people—strike that... his leadership ability is incredible too."

After the banquet ended.

Everyone went their separate ways and began their own paths of training.

Tien Shinhan took Chiaotzu and Yamcha with him, deciding to climb Korin Tower in search of the legendary Korin.

Krillin, meanwhile, decided to return to Kame House and polish his foundations from the very beginning.

As for Son Goku—

"Brother, where should I go to train?" Goku asked expectantly, carrying his pack on his back.

Sun Wuxiu pointed to the sky.

"Go to Korin Tower, and take your Power Pole with you."

"When you reach the top, tell Korin that I sent you. Then... plant the Power Pole and go somewhere higher."

"A god is waiting for you there."

"A god?!" Goku's eyes lit up. "Stronger than Korin?"

"Much stronger." Sun Wuxiu smiled.

"Huh?!!" Goku was stunned.

"Go. You'll understand once you get there."

After seeing Goku off.

Only Sun Wuxiu and Bulma remained in the vast garden.

"Everyone's gone," Bulma said reluctantly.

"Yeah."

Sun Wuxiu stretched, then turned to look at Bulma.

"Next, it's time for me to begin my own 'training.'"

"Your training?" Bulma asked curiously. "Are you going back to the Lookout?"

"No."

Sun Wuxiu shook his head, a wicked smile curling his lips as he swept Bulma into his arms.

The S-Cells in his body still needed more "happiness" to activate.

"For the next three years, I'm staying right here with you."

"Miss Bulma, are you ready?"

Bulma's face instantly reddened to the tips of her ears, but instead of resisting, she wrapped her arms tightly around Sun Wuxiu's neck and breathed softly by his ear.

"I couldn't ask for more, my... great hero."

The moonlight was perfect.

And deep within a distant forest, a crack appeared in a white egg, and a small green hand reached out.

A new cycle had begun.

Mornings in West City always carried a fresh scent where technology and nature intertwined.

Sunlight streamed through the intelligently adjusted floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling across a large, soft, round bed.

The air-conditioning system blew a gentle breeze, keeping the temperature at the most comfortable twenty-four degrees.

Sun Wuxiu opened his eyes and felt the warm, jade-soft touch in his arms.

Bulma was curled up in his embrace like a little cat, her long blue hair scattered across the pillow, her long eyelashes trembling faintly as she breathed deep and steadily.