Recovering Freedom

Raditz paused slightly at the girl's shy expression. "No need to thank me, my name is Raditz."

"I... I can't remember my name," the girl blinked her watery eyes, her brow furrowed as if she were trying desperately to recall something, her expression full of pain.

Perhaps something happened during her mechanical experimentation that caused her to lose her memory, Raditz thought. However, it didn't matter if she couldn't remember; the most important thing now was to escape their predicament.

He keenly heard the rumbling sound of machinery starting up and grabbed the girl's delicate hand again. "Follow me!"

"Okay!"

In the girl's eyes, Raditz was the only warrior capable of resisting these terrifying beings. Following him was risky, but it might offer a glimmer of hope for survival.

Her bright eyes reflected Raditz's strong, broad back, and the warmth from his hand was palpable.

The passage ahead was wide yet incredibly winding. Silver walls lined with starlight-like scattered lights flanked them, the floor vibrated violently, and the mechanical soldiers behind them grew closer.

The Tumartians had been right to be afraid. The sheer number of these monstrous mechanical soldiers was outrageous. Ants, though small, could devour an elephant when gathered together. Their strides were enormous, their advance rapid, and the deafening sounds they produced echoed. The two could hear the mechanical clamor growing louder, not just from behind, but also from the front!

There were intercepting forces ahead as well.

They formed a pincer movement. In a passage with only two ends, encircling Raditz was easy, especially since these soldiers were inexhaustible.

The girl's face drained of color, her lips turning pale. She pressed herself against Raditz's arm, his rapid heartbeat thudding clearly against her.

"Don't be afraid," Raditz said with a smile. Though he didn't dare to let his guard down, he put on a confident demeanor to comfort the girl.

The black Metal Warriors were humanoid in shape, completely different from the clunky mechanical weapons encountered earlier. It was clear they were constantly trying new methods to deal with Raditz!

They no longer used thermal weapons, opting for brutal cold steel instead. Silver-white blades, piercing from their black bodies, reflected the surrounding lights like diamond stars flowing from the edges. They wielded a killing intent capable of splitting the earth and cleaving metal.

Combat was imminent.

Several streaks of light flashed by, silver arcs filling the air. Blade winds blew from all directions, the chill from the edges spreading, sparks flying!

Raditz shielded the girl with one arm while holding his other hand with two fingers extended, unleashing a sharp Ki. He used his hand as a weapon and Ki as a sword, wielding them against the black and gold warriors.

Clang, clang, clang!

Several forces clashed with Raditz. His Ki pierced the thick armor of their mechs, slicing through their defenses and tearing them apart. The terrifying energy even blasted through the central cores of the black and gold warriors, causing them to disintegrate into formless debris.

In mid-air, the severed bodies of the black and gold warriors flew backward. Metal fragments turned to scorched dust under the burning Ki. In the blink of an eye, five black and gold warriors lay dead!

Raditz's Ki infused his fingers, creating a wall of iron!

The black and gold warriors charged forward relentlessly, uncaring of their own lives, simply attacking, attacking, attacking. The girl was terrified, narrowly dodging the giant blades several times. Her steps followed Raditz's movements, matching the rhythm of his attacks, as if dancing a waltz on the edge of death.

It was a strange rhythm, like the suffocating controls of some ancient game, annihilating all opponents that surged forward.

The black and gold warriors were cut into pieces like vegetables under his hands, their parts, lubricant, and electrical sparks flying, littering the entire passage with wreckage. But countless black and gold warriors pressed in, wave after wave, seemingly endless. This was their terror – their ability to wear down a person with sheer numbers.

Furthermore, through constant engagement, the black and gold warriors had gradually become familiar with Raditz's attack patterns, growing more agile and employing increasingly varied tactics. Some even shot out ropes to ensnare Raditz, then coordinated with their companions for combined attacks.

With the Kaio-ken at his disposal, Raditz was not afraid of these tactics. However, the girl beside him could not endure any more stress. Remaining trapped like a cornered beast was not an option; he had to carve a path!

"Get ready in a moment," Raditz deflected a mechanical chain from the side and moved behind the girl.

"Ready?"

"Mentally and physically."

The girl blinked, then felt her thigh being pulled by a force, sending her flying into the air, suspended! Raditz had thrown her upwards!

Below, Raditz turned and charged back, two Kikoho blasts shooting from his hands. The brilliant light almost enveloped all the black and gold warriors on one side of the passage. The high temperatures triggered numerous explosions, causing the passage to collapse section by section, and the solid iron curtain was blasted with several deep craters.

A small cluster of black and gold warriors had already turned to ash, but the vast reserve army quickly evolved transparent shields that absorbed energy. Just as Raditz had predicted, they could evolve automatically, and at an extremely rapid pace.

Seeing the girl falling, Raditz caught her and kicked off, flying back. He casually unleashed a Kikoho blast at the point where the black and gold warriors on both sides met, using it to confuse their vision. They evolved fast, but he, in his Kaio-ken state, was even faster! Seizing the opportunity during the black and gold warriors' evolution, he broke through the obstructions and sped towards the room where the experimental subjects were held.

The black Metal Warriors were likely a special counter-trap in the experimental subject room. They would be triggered if any experimental subject resisted or escaped, and then they would eliminate them.

To prevent Raditz from escaping and the door from closing automatically, the black and gold warriors had to pursue him, which would inevitably reopen the door.

Indeed, the vast room was filled with black and gold warriors, surging towards the entrance.

Their immense numbers caused a bottleneck at the doorway, allowing Raditz to easily enter and rendezvous with Goku. Goku had already been fighting inside for a while, having routed the black and gold warriors.

Previous escape attempts had been rare, and none had involved opponents as powerful as Raditz and Goku. Despite their large numbers, the black and gold warriors' combat capabilities were clearly insufficient. Under the storm of blows, they were dwindling, unable to resist.

Kikoho blasts roared, and streams of fire and cold blades rained down, leaving the experimental subjects dumbfounded.

In their Kaio-ken states, the two furiously eliminated enemies while also dismantling the thermal weapons placed around them. However, due to the indiscriminate nature of the various weapons' attacks, many of the prisoners' cages were broken, allowing them to sneak out.

As the last black and gold warrior fell, Raditz and Goku breathed a sigh of relief.

"Everyone, you are all free now."