Mysterious Figure

Just as Piccolo approached once more, Son Goku erupted with a powerful tremor, sending Piccolo reeling back again.

Piccolo wiped a smear of blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze resolute. "That guy Son Goku has completely lost control; we must find a way to break the Red Moon's influence," Piccolo muttered. Since it couldn't be severed, they had to destroy its tail. Seeing the situation, Gohan and Piccolo nodded to each other. Piccolo quickly formed hand seals, while Gohan gathered a powerful aura in his palms. "Special Beam Cannon!" "Kamehameha Wave!" Dazzling beams of light shot toward Son Goku's tail. Just as the beams were about to strike, a mysterious force suddenly appeared, blocking the attack.

Immediately after, a pitch-black figure emerged in the air, radiating an evil aura. "Did you think it would be so easy to ruin my plans?" the mysterious figure sneered. Gohan and Piccolo exchanged a glance.

Their eyes were filled with vigilance and fury as they quickly adjusted their stances, preparing for battle. Piccolo let out a cold snort: "I don't care who you are—if you dare to stand in our way, don't think you'll succeed so easily!"

Gohan also shouted: "We will definitely save Dad; we won't let your conspiracy succeed!" With that, Gohan clenched his fists, his golden aura igniting fiercely and distorting the surrounding air. He flashed forward, charging at the mysterious figure first. With his right fist raised high, he swung it toward the figure's head with a whistling wind.

The mysterious figure remained unperturbed, gently raising one hand with the palm facing forward. Instantly, he released a black energy shield. Gohan's fist struck the shield with a dull thud, and the powerful recoil sent him stumbling back several steps, his arm tingling slightly.

Seizing the opportunity, Piccolo moved his hands rapidly, condensing multiple green energy spheres in front of him before shouting and launching them at the figure in quick succession. The energy spheres flew like cannonballs, colliding and merging in mid-air to become even more powerful.

Seeing this, a trace of disdain appeared in the mysterious figure's eyes. He crossed his arms before his chest and pushed outward violently, sending a surging wave of black energy to collide with Piccolo's spheres.

In an instant, a dazzling light and a violent energy shockwave erupted in the sky, instantly blowing away the surrounding clouds and forming a massive void.

Under the cover of the light, Gohan and Piccolo exchanged a nod, deciding to change tactics and attack the mysterious figure from both sides simultaneously.

Gohan and Piccolo streaked out like lightning from either side. Piccolo gathered all his strength into his fingertips, a sharp energy blade whistling toward the figure's neck, while Gohan leaped high, his legs wrapped in golden aura as he kicked fiercely toward the figure's back.

The mysterious figure seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; he sank slightly, easily dodging Gohan's attack while side-stepping to let Piccolo's energy blade graze his shoulder. Immediately after, the figure quickly formed hand seals, and a massive black energy sphere took shape in his hands. He hurled it toward the city below with a savage grin: "Since you want to save Son Goku so badly, let's see if you can protect these ants!"

Gohan and Piccolo were horrified and changed direction without hesitation, chasing after the energy sphere.

Gohan arrived first, crossing his arms in front of his chest and exerting all his strength to release a golden energy barrier, attempting to withstand the impact of the sphere.

Piccolo assisted from the side, continuously pouring his own energy into the barrier to reinforce its defense.

Gohan and Piccolo gritted their teeth, giving their all to hold back the mysterious figure's tidal wave of dark attacks.

Every strike of black energy against their defensive barrier caused their bodies to tremble violently, their arms gradually growing numb and weak.

Sweat soaked their backs, dripping down their cheeks and into the endless void beneath their feet.

"Ah!" Gohan and Piccolo screamed in near-unison, their voices filled with frustration and despair. They were nearing their limits, and the barrier began to crack, threatening to collapse at any moment.

"We have to push it back!" Piccolo's eyes widened, his gaze burning with a final spark of fighting spirit. He funneled the last of his energy into the barrier, his body trembling from the exertion. Gohan also bit his lip, veins bulging on his forehead as he held his hands high, trying to support the crumbling line of defense with his indomitable will.

However, the mysterious figure's attack was simply too powerful; their resistance seemed futile.

The cracks in the barrier grew larger and more numerous, and the dark power gradually eroded their final line of defense.

The evil energy spread across the barrier like ink, emitting a sizzling, corrosive sound. Gohan and Piccolo could clearly feel their strength draining away, and their legs began to shake uncontrollably, as if they were about to be swallowed by the endless darkness in the next second.

Their breathing became rapid and heavy; every moment of resistance felt like holding up a mountain.

A look of pain crossed Piccolo's face as he thought to himself: Is this really where we die today? No, I absolutely cannot give up! He turned to Gohan and shouted: "Gohan, hold on! Think of everyone!"

Gohan's face was flushed red, sweat blurring his vision. He stared at the encroaching darkness, a flicker of stubbornness in his eyes: "I won't let Dad down, Uncle Piccolo!" As he spoke, he forced a breath, trying to gather his strength to reinforce the barrier, but his body was near its limit, and his energy output became weak and unstable.

Just as they were on the verge of despair, a light in the ruins of the city below grew increasingly brilliant, seemingly carrying some mysterious power as it rushed toward them—this became the last glimmer of hope in their hearts.

The light below moved faster and faster, cutting through the sky like a falling meteor as it sped toward the raging battle above.

As the distance closed, a figure became clear: an old man carrying a turtle shell and holding a staff. He moved with agility, arriving before Piccolo and Gohan in a few leaps.

This old man was Master Roshi. He looked at the crumbling defensive barrier and the overwhelming dark attacks with a steady gaze, his expression grave but devoid of fear. "Children, hold on!" Master Roshi shouted, his voice calm and powerful, carrying a soothing strength.

He quickly held his staff horizontally in front of him, the gem at its tip flickering with a faint light. Master Roshi took a deep breath, and a soft yet resilient aura began to radiate from his body. This aura spread out like ripples in water, actually slowing the rate at which the dark power eroded the barrier.