Son Goku and the others were celebrating when King Piccolo suddenly appeared outside the restaurant.
Outside the window, a green figure hovered in midair, with an ugly, green-skinned man behind him. They were King Piccolo and his son, Tambourine. Unlike in the original story, King Piccolo had come straight to their door this time.
"So all the strongest martial artists are here. Perfect! I can take you all out at once, and then I'll rule the Earth!!! Hahaha! I could use a little warm-up!"
Son Goku set down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth. His expression was terrifyingly calm.
"He's here... King Piccolo."
"In the original story, Krillin died because of King Piccolo."
He stood up and walked to the window, looking up at the green figure. There was no fear in his dark eyes, only a deeply unsettling... pity.
"King Piccolo," Son Goku said softly, yet his voice carried clearly to everyone in the room. "Are you sure... you want to fight here?"
"Enough talk!"
King Piccolo roared and raised a hand, firing an energy wave! The purple Energy Blast tore through the air, shooting straight toward Son Goku inside the restaurant!
"Goku!"
"Look out!"
Son Goku sighed.
He raised a hand. He didn't power up or shout; he simply gave a casual flick—
"Smack."
The energy wave, powerful enough to flatten half a street, was batted away like a bubble, vanishing into the distant sky.
The room fell silent.
King Piccolo's eyes widened. "You... What did you do?!"
"I told you," Son Goku said as he leaped through the window and landed in front of King Piccolo. "You're weak."
He raised a hand, aiming his palm at King Piccolo's chest.
"And besides... you killed Krillin once. Even if that only happened in the 'original story,' it... really pisses me off."
"What?!"
"Bang—!!!"
A white aura burst forth in an instant. Son Goku's fist punched through King Piccolo's chest. No flashy technique, no earth-shattering energy wave—just one punch.
King Piccolo looked down at the hole in his chest, disbelief filling his eyes. "N-no... impossible... I... I'm King Piccolo..."
"You're old," Son Goku said calmly, pulling back his fist as King Piccolo began to fall. "This age... doesn't belong to you anymore."
King Piccolo crashed heavily to the ground, his green blood staining the stone tiles. His energy quickly faded, but a maniacal fire still burned in his eyes.
"I... I won't die..." he said with difficulty. "I'll... spit out an egg... and... be reborn..."
"I know," Son Goku said, crouching beside him. "That's why I wounded you, but didn't kill you."
King Piccolo froze. "You... What did you say?"
"Your child," Son Goku said earnestly, "will become a good person. So... please entrust your hope to him."
King Piccolo stared at him, as if trying to see into the boy's soul.
But in the end, he only gave a bitter laugh, his body convulsing violently—
"Urgh—"
A green egg covered in slime shot from his mouth and rolled across the ground. King Piccolo's life force vanished completely, and his body crumbled into ash, carried away by the wind.
Son Goku picked up the egg, sensing the faint but tenacious life within.
"Piccolo..."
"This time, you'll become our ally sooner."
Three days later, at Kame House.
A sea breeze swept through as the palm trees swayed. But inside, the atmosphere was more serious than ever.
Son Goku stood in the middle of the room. Seated before him were Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and... Master Roshi, holding a large green egg.
"So," Krillin said, scratching his bald head with a puzzled look, "you mean... you want all of us to train?"
"Not just 'train,'" Son Goku said seriously. "Train like our lives depend on it."
He looked around at everyone, a fire burning in his dark eyes that made them all uneasy.
"The Earth... will soon face a major crisis. King Piccolo was only the beginning. There'll be even more terrifying enemies in the future. If we don't get stronger..."
He paused, his voice dropping low.
"Everyone will die."
The room fell silent.
Yamcha swallowed. "Enemies even more terrifying? How terrifying?"
"A hundred times stronger than I am now," Son Goku replied frankly. "No, ten thousand times."
"T-ten thousand times?!" Oolong tumbled out of his chair in fright.
Tien Shinhan stared intently at Son Goku with all three eyes. "You... how do you know that?"
"You know I'm not actually an Earthling. I'm a Saiyan, a warrior from outer space," Son Goku lied without batting an eye. "Saiyans are implanted with a lot of basic knowledge about the universe when they're infants. I hit my head before and forgot all that implanted knowledge. Only recently have some of my memories started coming back. They included information about incredibly powerful people in the universe."
Bulma sat in the corner, holding her laptop. She pushed up her glasses. "So, what's your plan?"
Son Goku took a deep breath and began assigning tasks.
"Krillin, go to the Lookout and train with Mr. Popo. He'll teach you precise control of your ki, and how to... break through your body's limits."
Krillin's eyes widened. "The Lookout?! The Heavenly Realm?!"
"Right," Son Goku said with a nod. "You may not have my talent, but your fundamentals are incredibly solid. Mr. Popo's training will suit you best."
Krillin was stunned for a moment, then clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. "All right! I'll go! This time... I'll catch up to you!"
"Yamcha," Son Goku said, turning to the wolf-headed young man, "go back to Kame House and retrain under Master Mutten."
"Retrain?" Yamcha frowned. "My Wolf Fang Fist is already—"
"Your fundamentals are too flashy," Son Goku interrupted. "The true meaning of the Turtle School isn't about techniques. It's about 'body and mind as one.' Master Mutten will teach you the real Turtle School."
Master Roshi stroked his white beard, unusually serious. "Goku's right. Yamcha, you have talent, but you're too eager to get results. Starting tomorrow, get up at four every morning and run ten kilometers first."
Yamcha looked bitter, but eventually nodded. "...Yes, sir."
"Tien Shinhan," Son Goku said, looking at the three-eyed young man. "Go to Korin Tower and find Master Karin. Then head to the Lookout too!"
"Korin Tower? Master Karin? The Lookout?" Tien Shinhan was stunned.
"Master Karin has Super Holy Water, which can unlock your potential and increase your fighting power," Son Goku said earnestly. "Also... you're half Earthling and half Three-Eyed Alien. Your Three-Eyed Alien heritage means your third eye still has plenty of room to develop. Mr. Popo at the Lookout will be able to help you."
Tien Shinhan fell silent. He unconsciously touched the third eye on his forehead, feeling it grow faintly warm.
"...All right."
"Chiaotzu," Son Goku said, looking at the quiet little man, "go straight to the Lookout and train with Mr. Popo."
Chiaotzu looked up, his eyes full of confusion. "M-me too?"
"Your psychic powers are strong," Son Goku said, crouching to meet his eyes, "but your control is poor. Every time you use them, you suffer the backlash too, right?"
Chiaotzu stiffened and lowered his head. "...Yeah."
"Mr. Popo will teach you to 'keep your heart still as water,'" Son Goku said, patting his shoulder. "Only by learning to control your own mind can you control someone else's actions. Once you get stronger, you'll be able to help Tien Shinhan!"
Chiaotzu looked up, a glimmer appearing in his eyes. "I... I understand!"
Finally, Son Goku turned to Master Roshi and looked at the green egg. "Master Mutten, I'm leaving this... in your hands."
Master Roshi looked down at the egg in his arms, his expression complicated. "You want me... to look after King Piccolo's child?"
"Yes," Son Goku said earnestly, nodding. "When he hatches, he'll carry Piccolo's memories and hatred. But if anyone can dispel that anger... it's you."
He paused and spoke softly.
"Because you're... the God of Martial Arts."
Master Roshi froze.
Looking at the boy before him, he seemed to see himself from many years ago—a young man just as passionate, just as determined, and just as convinced that martial arts could change everything.
"...All right."
Master Roshi let out a long sigh and held the egg close. His white beard fluttered gently in the breeze.
"I suppose I'll... play babysitter for once."
Before you continue