Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Two Kamehamehas combined and erupted inside the Red Ribbon Army base, displaying astonishing destructive power. The dazzling blue light swallowed people and buildings alike.
And with night already falling, the light shone all the more brightly!
That wasn't all—the ammunition stockpiled inside the base joined in at just the right moment, setting off a chain of explosions!
Not a single scream could be heard; they were all drowned out by the explosions echoing across the sky.
When the explosions stopped and the smoke cleared, nothing remained but a blackened crater.
As for the brothers Goku and Wuchen, they had already flown to an open area. They hadn't even watched the ensuing explosions.
The mech "Iron Ox" had followed close behind them.
After opening the cockpit and taking out four Dragon Balls, Wuchen turned "Iron Ox" back into a Hoi-Poi Capsule.
The brothers then placed those four Dragon Balls on the ground alongside the three they had obtained from the Red Ribbon Army.
That's right. Wuchen had put the Dragon Balls on "Iron Ox" to draw the enemy's attention.
Meanwhile, he and Goku had followed the Dragon Radar and sneaked into the Red Ribbon Army headquarters ahead of time. They had also infiltrated the command building to set things in motion.
The plan was to use "Iron Ox" to put pressure on the enemy, forcing them to move the Dragon Balls and reveal the ones they had hidden.
Although they had the Dragon Radar Bulma had made, Dragon Balls that were carefully concealed weren't so easy to find.
What Wuchen hadn't expected was that the enemy would turn on itself. That marshal, whatever his name was, had gotten carried away.
He had cared too much about his image, and that obsession had led to his own men killing him. It was a sad end.
Fortunately, the Dragon Balls had still been revealed in the end, allowing the brothers to gather them all.
"Come forth, Shenron!" Wuchen placed a trace of spiritual energy on the Four-Star Ball before summoning Shenron.
Just like last time, Shenron made a spectacular entrance. But his expression was clearly off—he looked a little green.
"Speak your wish, you who have gathered the seven Dragon Balls. I will do my best to grant it."
Wuchen's expression turned a little awkward, too. Shenron hadn't spoken like this last time. He seemed less imposing now, and a little less confident.
"Shenron, can you bring back everyone who was killed directly by the Red Ribbon Army or by assassins they hired?" Wuchen couldn't help sounding more like he was asking than making a wish.
"Sorry, I can't grant that wish." Shenron's reply made Wuchen frown, but fortunately, Shenron continued.
"I can only revive those who died within the past year."
"Then please revive everyone who was killed within the past year, either directly by the Red Ribbon Army or by people they hired."
As soon as Wuchen finished speaking, Shenron fell silent. Only after some time did the enormous, window-sized eyes flash red.
Shenron seemed utterly drained. After a long while, he finally spoke: "Your wish has been granted. Until next time... I'm off!"
Shenron's enormous form faded away, turning into seven Dragon Balls that scattered in all directions.
But Wuchen shot into the air and caught one in his hand. It carried him some distance before he finally managed to stop it.
The Dragon Ball had turned into an ordinary stone egg. On it was a trace of spiritual energy—it was the Four-Star Ball.
"Big brother, is this Grandpa's Four-Star Ball? Why did it turn into a stone?" Goku flew up after him and looked at the "stone egg" in Wuchen's hand, puzzled.
"Bulma said that after Shenron grants a wish, you have to wait a year before making another one. Maybe it stays like this for the whole year and returns to normal after that."
Wuchen glanced at the Dragon Ball in his hand, then at the unresponsive Dragon Radar, and offered that explanation.
Then Wuchen handed the Dragon Ball to Goku to put away and asked him to summon the Flying Nimbus.
"Let's rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll go to Karin Sacred Land." And so the brothers lay on the Flying Nimbus high in the sky and fell asleep. The night wind occasionally brushed over them, and it was even more soothing than an air conditioner or fan.
The next morning, the brothers both stretched, reaching their arms as far as they could. They hadn't slept this comfortably in days.
After eating a few spiritual fruits they'd brought with them, they headed straight for Korin Tower, arriving around noon.
They looked up at Korin Tower, its top nowhere in sight, and descended.
"Brother Wuchen! Brother Goku!" Upa spotted the brothers at once and excitedly rushed over to them. "Thank you! My dad really did come back to life! Thank you!"
"All right, all right. We're both still hungry. Aren't you going to treat us?" Wuchen patted Upa on the back and smiled.
As if on cue, Goku's stomach rumbled. The three of them couldn't help laughing.
"Brother Wuchen, Brother Goku, rest for a while. Dad went fishing. When he gets back, I'll grill some fish for you."
Upa led them to the grassy spot beside the tent where the three of them had slept together before, and told them to rest. He brought over some firewood and lit a small fire in preparation.
Before long, a tall, muscular man appeared in their sight. He carried a spear in one hand and several large fish in the other, their gills pierced by vines.
Upa ran over and led him to the brothers, introducing them excitedly. "Dad, these are Brother Wuchen and Brother Goku."
The man—Upa's father, Bora—hurriedly set down his spear and the fish. "Thank you so much. Upa told me what happened. Thank you for bringing me back to life."
Bora's voice trembled slightly with emotion.
He wasn't afraid of death, but he couldn't bear the thought of leaving eight-year-old Upa behind. Coming back to life and reuniting with his son felt like a dream.
The brothers immediately stood up, waving their hands and insisting that Bora didn't need to thank them. Wuchen, especially, really didn't feel he deserved the credit.
Their search for the Dragon Balls had involved many people.
Bora had been killed by Tao Pai Pai. Though Wuchen hadn't directly caused it, he couldn't say he had nothing to do with it.
Even if you looked at it from the most generous angle, Tao Pai Pai had been hired to kill the brothers, and Bora had gotten caught up in it.
This time, the brothers had done nothing wrong, but they had been part of the cause. Making a wish to save people was also a way of repaying that debt.
Of course, whether it counted as a debt of gratitude was another matter. The bond between them was genuine. Bora and Upa were both kind, simple people—rare indeed.
They accepted the fish feast not as repayment, but as a gesture of friendship.
And the grilled fish, simply prepared with no seasoning besides salt, was surprisingly good.
Its flavor was mild but not bland, its aroma delicate but not fishy, and it was crisp on the outside and tender within. It had a charm all its own.
The four of them enjoyed the meal. Even Upa and Bora, who had prepared it, thought the fish tasted much better than usual that day.
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