"What?!" His special move had been casually deflected, and Tao Pai Pai's confidence crumbled completely. He trembled all over.
If this went on, he was going to be killed!
"Is that all the strength you have?" Seeing Tao Pai Pai trembling, his fighting spirit gone, Goku was disappointed. He raised a hand, intending to imitate his opponent's special move and finish him off.
"W-wait! I know I was wrong. Please, spare my life! I'll never do anything like this again!" Tao Pai Pai, the top assassin famed as the world's greatest, fell to his knees without the slightest shame and kowtowed again and again.
"Please let me go. I swear I'll turn over a new leaf."
Goku was actually taken in. He turned to his big brother as if asking for his opinion. He wanted to hear what he thought.
After all, he'd encountered cases where bad guys changed their ways after being defeated—not just once.
Oolong and Yamcha had both become his friends that way, hadn't they?
But as soon as Goku turned his head, he saw a spear fly past, stirring up a gust of wind as it swept by his side. When he looked back, Tao Pai Pai had been impaled!
Bang! An explosion rang out, and Tao Pai Pai was blown to pieces!
Only a Dragon Ball remained, slowly rolling to Goku's feet, reeking of smoke.
As it turned out, while Goku was distracted, Tao Pai Pai had pulled out a specially made high-explosive grenade and prepared to launch a sneak attack.
Wuchen had been watching the fight. When Tao Pai Pai began pleading for mercy, Wuchen immediately grew wary, and naturally noticed his little trick. Wuchen acted without hesitation.
"Show mercy to your enemy, and how will you protect yourself? Goku, it's fine to hone yourself through battle, but you have to stay on your guard at all times!" Goku had been so careless that a lecture was unavoidable.
Fortunately, it was already dark, which let Goku escape disaster. The two brothers also stayed the night, thanks to Upa's arrangements.
At that moment, atop Korin Tower, an upright cat leaning on a wooden staff was watching them through a basin of clear water.
"The young ones these days are really something. They actually defeated Tao Pai Pai. And the most amazing thing is that he could even ride the Flying Nimbus. Meow~"
The next morning, after giving Upa some instructions,
Wuchen and Goku set off together, carrying all four Dragon Balls and heading for their final stop, where the last three Dragon Balls were gathered.
Before leaving, though, Wuchen took a long look at Korin Tower, which soared into the clouds.
Such a striking tower was bound to be extraordinary. Once they'd settled things here, he would have to come back and investigate.
Red Ribbon Army Headquarters.
"Commander! They've moved! The four Dragon Balls are on their way here to the base! At this rate, they'll arrive today!" Officer Black reported excitedly to Commander Red.
"I can see that! Excellent! Tao Pai Pai really is the world's greatest assassin. He got them so quickly, and brought back four Dragon Balls at once!" Commander Red was just as excited, never suspecting a thing.
"Quick, lift the Level One Alert. Prepare to welcome Tao Pai Pai, and get the payment ready!"
"Yes, sir!" Officer Black took the order and immediately went to make arrangements. He personally led a group to line up at the base entrance to welcome him.
But by dusk, what they were waiting for was a mecha!
Officer Black recognized it at a glance. It was the very same mecha that had once wiped out the column led by Colonel Silver.
That battle had left a deep impression on him. Silver still hadn't been seen since, and no one knew whether he was dead or alive.
"Prepare for battle! Activate the Level One Alert!" Officer Black made the call at once and directed everyone to fight back.
The mecha was too fast, and it had already entered the heart of the base, rendering many of their heavy weapons useless.
They were practically helpless against it, and the mecha began wreaking havoc!
Strangely, though, the mecha, which was moving through the base as if no one could stop it, didn't attack the area where Officer Black was stationed, the most heavily defended part of the base. It only kept up a steady pressure.
"Hold the command center! Abandon the outer perimeter and pull everyone back—including the treasury guards! All personnel are to defend the command center!" Officer Black issued orders on the spot, then rushed back to the command building to consult Commander Red.
As soon as he entered the building, its soundproof walls shut out the roar of gunfire. But Officer Black didn't let his guard down for a second. He hurried toward the main command room.
The moment he pushed open the door, he heard something that shattered his faith.
"Hahaha! Excellent! All seven Dragon Balls are mine! I can finally wish myself taller!" With his back to Officer Black, Commander Red laughed like a man possessed.
He'd heard that voice countless times, but never had it sounded so grating. Suppressing his anger, Officer Black stepped forward and spoke, his voice even trembling slightly. "Commander, perhaps you should switch the screen from the radar map to the base's security cameras."
"Since when...? Why didn't you knock?" Interrupted in the middle of his daydream, Commander Red was furious. "How many times have I told you not to stand so close to me? And who told you to stand up so straight?"
Commander Red had to tilt his head back to see Officer Black's face. He was thoroughly annoyed, and suddenly kicked him squarely in the shin.
Officer Black didn't budge. He merely looked down at Commander Red, his expression cold. "So many people died to get the Dragon Balls and help you find them, and yet you..."
"And yet you were going to use them to fulfill such a ridiculous wish! Such a laughable wish! Wasn't world domination the reason our Red Ribbon Army was founded?!"
There was no denying it: having your faith shattered could drive a person to the brink.
Officer Black's face was icy. His whole body trembled, his fists clenched so tightly that blood welled from his knuckles!
"Bastard! You don't understand! World domination is something we can achieve sooner or later, as long as we work hard."
Commander Red was just as deranged. "But I... the future ruler of the world, have the body of a dwarf... How could you tall fools possibly understand? I've been looked down on since I was a child... I could never win a girl's affection..."
Commander Red poured out his grievances, as if he needed to vent every injustice he'd suffered in his life. But it only made Officer Black find the whole thing even more absurd!
Thud! Crack!
A kick like an iron hammer smashed into Commander Red's neck, sending him flying. His head, barely attached by skin after his neck broke, was driven into the radar display!
"From this moment on, I'm the new leader of the Red Ribbon Army! Commander Black!"
After replacing Commander Red, Officer Black went straight to a safe. He kicked it so hard that it buckled, then kicked it a few more times and smashed it open.
Inside were three Dragon Balls and a few other odds and ends, including some gold bars.
Officer Black was about to take out the Dragon Balls when the wall beside him crumbled. A chunk of rubble shot through his head!
Then a huge gap opened in the wall, and two figures leaped through. They were none other than the brothers Goku and Wuchen.
"Goku, grab the Dragon Balls. Let's head into the sky!" The brothers took the Dragon Balls, smashed through the wall again, and flew straight into the sky!
Below them, the "Iron Ox" had been drawing the enemy's fire. Under Wuchen's control, it bounded away from the Red Ribbon Army base in just a few leaps.
Then, high in the sky, the brothers gathered their ki at the same time. Two Kamehamehas surged forth, converged into one, and struck the center of the base below.
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