Oolong said angrily, "Looks like you want me to teach you a lesson!"
As he spoke, Oolong bared his claws and tried to scare Bulma.
Son Goku strolled over to Bulma and stood in front of her,
then pulled out the Power Pole and pointed it at Oolong.
Seeing this, Bulma suddenly felt a warmth in her heart.
Although she knew what Oolong was really like and wasn't afraid of him,
she had to admit that, at a time like this, having Little Goku step forward for her
made her feel so safe!
Without realizing it, a faint blush appeared on her face.
It came from her hopes and dreams for Son Goku when he grew up.
Chapter 14: The Might of a Single Blow, Scared Him Senseless
When the villagers saw Oolong get angry, they started whispering among themselves.
"We're done for!"
"That kid dared to challenge Oolong. He'll probably be killed!"
"I'm worried he'll get stepped on by Oolong by accident!"
"What a fine young man. It'd be such a shame if he died!"
"Why did I have to let an outsider stand up for our village? It's too much to ask of him."
"Ah, he's just a little kid, and now he's going to die. What a shame!"
"That kid doesn't even come up to Oolong's knees, and he actually dares point at him. He's got a death wish!"
"What a shame..."
When Oolong saw Goku point the Power Pole at him, he drew a huge sword.
The sunlight glinted off its blade, which seemed to gleam with a chilling killing intent.
The villagers were almost covering their eyes.
They couldn't bear to watch the little fellow get hacked into pieces by Oolong.
Oolong didn't have any real power. He was all bluff.
He kept running his mouth. "Hmph! You actually dare provoke me?
When I get angry, I'm terrifying!
I'll show you what I can do!"
Goku crooked a finger at him. "Less talk. Come on!"
Feeling insulted, Oolong flew into a rage and swung his huge sword at Goku.
His enormous body and the cold gleam of his blade really did make for an intimidating sight.
Even Bulma, who knew exactly what Oolong was like, felt a little nervous at his performance.
The villagers in their homes saw Oolong charge forward in a fury, and their pupils shrank in shock.
They could almost see the little figure being sliced in two by the huge sword.
Their terror made them imagine the gruesome sight of Little Goku's head rolling to the ground.
A wordless panic welled up inside them, making their scalps tingle!
Several of the village girls, all young and pretty
and the most likely to be taken by Oolong, stared at little Goku,
clenching their fists and holding them to their mouths.
"Little hero, please don't die!"
One girl was so frightened that her legs gave out, and she fell to her knees inside her home.
They could almost see Little Goku's end.
One girl turned and said, "Dad, why don't I go out and marry Oolong instead?
It'd be such a shame if he died!"
Her father immediately stopped her from talking nonsense.
"Don't be ridiculous. Stay hidden.
Oolong is already angry. No one can save him."
Just as Oolong's huge sword was about to strike Goku's neck, Goku tilted his head
and dodged the blow with ease.
Oolong was far too slow,
especially in Goku's eyes. He seemed to be moving in slow motion.
The next moment, Goku spoke. "You're too slow. You're obviously weak!"
As he spoke, Son Goku leaped into the air and swung the Power Pole in a wide arc, bringing it down on Oolong.
Bulma cried out in alarm. "Goku, don't kill him!"
Goku hadn't intended to kill him, of course. He deliberately slowed the Power Pole down a little,
and Oolong took advantage of the slower swing to retreat at the last possible moment and dodge the blow.
Oolong had managed to dodge,
but the Power Pole slammed into the ground in front of him.
In an instant, a deafening crash erupted and shook the entire village.
The fierce blow sent waves of air rippling outward, and its force kicked up a tremendous gust of wind.
"Crack!"
"Crack, crack, crack..."
A long fissure instantly split the stone slabs along the street in the direction of the Power Pole,
stretching beyond the village and disappearing into the distance.
Everyone gasped.
What a powerful blow!
Just as the onlookers were marveling at its immense force,
the crack in the ground widened again, forming a fissure half a meter across.
Oolong's legs went weak when he saw it.
He didn't dare look Son Goku in the eye anymore.
He couldn't believe that the little fellow in front of him was so powerful.
That single strike had shattered stone and split the earth. Its power was far beyond anything he'd imagined.
He couldn't bear to think what would have happened if that blow had landed on him. It could have crushed his bones to dust.
If he'd faced an ordinary enemy, Oolong would have turned into a little bird and flown away long ago.
But faced with such a ferocious attack, he'd lost the courage to run.
The kid was too strong. There was no escaping him.
"Thud!"
Oolong suddenly dropped to his knees in front of Goku and kowtowed again and again.
"Spare me, hero!!!
Please, don't kill me! I confess!"
Son Goku casually slid the Power Pole into the sheath on his back, then looked at Bulma.
"That takes care of him!
Bulma, you can handle the rest!"
Bulma let out a breath of relief and nodded.
She was a little surprised. Goku was even stronger than he'd been in her previous life.
He was still so little, yet he'd split the earth with a single blow.
She'd been worried for Oolong just then, too.
She'd been afraid Goku would kill him with one strike.
But Goku had looked so impressive just now. He'd been incredibly cool.
At that moment, Oolong had turned into a little pig
and was kneeling pitifully in front of Goku and Bulma.
His pants were wet, too.
When the villagers saw Goku's invincible strike and Oolong cowering in terror,
they lost their fear of Oolong and hurried out of their homes.
"Young man, you're amazing!"
"Exactly! That strike was so cool!"
"Young man, do you want a wife?
If you do, once you rescue my daughter, I'll let her marry you. You don't know this, but my daughter has always admired great heroes. She wouldn't even mind being a second wife."
Another villager immediately chimed in, "My daughter wasn't taken by Oolong, so she's definitely untouched. How about letting her become your wife one day?"
As he spoke, the man tugged his daughter forward.
She was a pretty little girl who blushed and lowered her head, too shy to look at Goku.
Then another villager pushed through with his daughter.
"Young man, you should consider my daughter instead. Just look at her. She's got wide hips and can bear children. It's a sure thing!"
Bulma was speechless at the villagers' suggestions.
"Enough!"
The moment Bulma spoke, the air fell silent.
After seeing Goku's performance, the villagers understood that looks could be deceiving.
If little Son Goku was this strong, the girl who'd come with him
might be even stronger.
It seemed they all understood:
Goku must be someone important to her. They absolutely couldn't afford to offend her.
Chapter 15: Ambushed in the Wilderness
When Bulma saw the whole village watching her nervously, she let out a breath
and continued, "Everyone, we have more important things to do.
Now that Oolong's been subdued, let's rescue the girls he took first."