Easing the Atmosphere

Raditz sprinted through the jungle, tearing through the dense foliage.

However, he soon discovered a fatal problem: his ability to sense ki had a limited range for tracking targets.

Previously, with Bulma pointing the way, he could faintly catch the ki signatures fading at the edge of his perception, but once Goku pulled away on the Flying Nimbus, he lost the trail entirely.

Raditz lost his bearings, left only to vent his frustration helplessly at the vast, endless jungle.

"Damn it!" Raditz slammed a fist into a nearby rock, sending stone shards flying. "I should have kept the Scouter on me."

Ever since Raditz had mastered the ability to sense the ki of others, he had rarely carried the Scouter, leaving it at Bulma's place. After all, he knew the power levels displayed by the device were only a reference.

Now, Raditz realized that its target-tracking function was far more practical; if he had it with him, he could have found Goku in a heartbeat.

With no other choice, Raditz could only search the jungle meticulously, hoping to find the unconscious Goku.

If Goku were to catch up to that creature called Cymbal in his current state, he would undoubtedly be defeated. Raditz could only hope that the demon had been careless enough to leave Goku alive.

The search continued until nightfall, with the moon hanging high, yet Raditz had found nothing.

Searching blindly like this was meaningless, so he had no choice but to head back to the tournament grounds.

"Raditz, thank goodness! You're back..." Bulma greeted him happily, but when she saw him return alone, without the other young boy by his side, her smile stiffened.

Seeing him return, Master Roshi let out a deep sigh of relief. "Listen, the fact that you made it back alive is enough. As for Goku... we can only pray that he is blessed with good fortune."

"For now, we must prepare for the worst-case scenario," Master Roshi said with a firm tone. "First, we must gather as many Dragon Balls as possible before King Piccolo does."

"Only then can we resurrect Krillin, and perhaps even Goku."

Raditz nodded silently; without being able to confirm Goku's status, this was all they could do.

Although he knew that to gather the Dragon Balls, he would eventually have to face King Piccolo, as long as he stayed by Master Roshi's side, he would ensure the old man didn't end up using the Evil Containment Wave and dying as he had in the original timeline.

After discussing their strategy, the group prepared to set off for Kame House.

Before that, however, Raditz wanted to pilot another aircraft to Bulma's place to retrieve the Scouter.

Since Bulma needed materials and tools to build a new radar, Master Roshi suggested they all travel together to her home first.

It was clear he was worried that Raditz might head off to find King Piccolo alone again.

Thus, the group boarded the fastest aircraft and returned to West City. After collecting the necessary items, they traveled through the night to reach Kame House.

By the time they arrived at Kame House, the sky was already beginning to pale.

At this point, Raditz was no longer in a rush to find Goku.

He had put on the Scouter the moment he retrieved it, but the lens showed no sign of Goku's power level. Clearly, if the plot hadn't changed, he was likely lying somewhere, unconscious and severely wounded.

The group had traveled all night, and having experienced the loss of a companion and the threat of the Demon King, they were physically and mentally exhausted—Raditz included. As soon as he entered the house, he found a spot and fell asleep.

When Raditz woke up, it was already afternoon.

He put on the Scouter once more to check.

Looking at the display on the lens, Raditz frowned deeply. "Why is there still no signal for Goku?"

An ominous premonition began to stir in his heart.

Had he really failed to escape this fate?

"Raditz, what are you wearing on your face?" Master Roshi and the others asked, curious to see him wearing a strange piece of machinery the moment he woke up.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Raditz had to suppress the chaotic thoughts in his mind.

Looking on the bright side, perhaps the severely wounded Goku was currently fast asleep on Yajirobe's back?

Pushing aside his distractions, Raditz introduced the tool in his hand to the group.

"You mean the tool in your hand can read other people's combat power?" Tien Shinhan asked in surprise.

"Yes, though it only estimates the minimum value. Your power levels are all displayed here. Tien Shinhan, yours is..."

Raditz reported the data to everyone individually. Aside from himself, everyone was generally under two hundred, with Tien Shinhan being the closest at 178.

"And King Piccolo?" Tien Shinhan asked.

"...260."

Faced with such a massive gap, a sense of oppression immediately weighed down on everyone's hearts.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Until...

"Hmm... it's light gray," Master Roshi said suddenly, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Master Mutten, what are you saying? Is that some kind of tactic?" Yamcha asked, clearly agitated.

"No, I was talking about Bulma's panties."

"Uh..."

Hearing Master Roshi's words, Raditz subconsciously glanced at Bulma as well.

Well, it was indeed.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"The world is about to be ruled by a demon! How can you still have the heart to think about such messy things!"

"And you! Raditz!" Bulma glared, "Don't think I didn't see that!"

Raditz sheepishly rubbed his head where he had been struck, showing no temper at all.

"I was just trying to distract everyone and lighten the serious atmosphere," Master Roshi said, still stubborn even while sprawled on the ground after being beaten.

"We don't need you to lighten anything!!" Bulma snapped in exasperation.

"Anyway, don't worry about these numbers, just focus on your own tasks."

"Bulma, your new radar is ready, right? Hand it over," Master Roshi said. "Although collecting the Dragon Balls is dangerous right now, we have no other choice."

"However, the Dragon Balls can only grant one wish. Should we use it to resurrect Krillin, or Goku?" Bulma asked.

Having heard nothing for so long, she felt that Goku might have already followed in Krillin's footsteps.

"Perhaps we can change our perspective," Yamcha interjected. "If we're going to make a wish now, it could be to destroy King Piccolo."

"If we succeed, we can get rid of this demon once and for all."

"But that means resurrecting Krillin and the others will have to wait another year. Their bodies will be nothing but skeletons by then, right?" Puar asked from the side, looking worried.

"To be brought back to life only to be a skeleton..." Oolong imagined a skeleton getting up to greet everyone, and cold sweat immediately began to pour down his face.

"Don't worry about that. I can make a cryo-capsule to preserve Krillin's body," Bulma said. "But we need to find Goku's body first, in case he really has met with misfortune."

Master Roshi adjusted his sunglasses and said, "Then it's decided. Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and I will go collect the Dragon Balls. Raditz and Yamcha will go look for Goku, and the rest of you will go with Bulma to get the capsule."

"No." As soon as Master Roshi finished speaking, Raditz shook his head decisively. "Searching for Goku can wait. I believe he is still alive."

Everyone's eyes turned toward him.

"By comparison, collecting the Dragon Balls is more important. Master Mutten, you know better than anyone how dangerous this is."

"Therefore, I must go," Raditz said with a serious, resolute expression.

Master Roshi fell silent. Of course he knew; that was why he had tried to send everyone away, intending to face King Piccolo alone.

Even if he only had a slim chance of winning, he intended to try.

Sigh! I'll just have to find a way to make them watch from the sidelines. If I fail, they might still have a way to fight back.

Looking at Raditz's determined gaze, Master Roshi sighed inwardly. Unable to refuse for the moment, he could only comfort himself with that thought.

"In that case, the task of collecting the Dragon Balls will be handled by the four of us, while the others will act together to take care of the cryo-capsule," Master Roshi rearranged the mission, his tone solemn.

"Yes, Master Mutten!" Yamcha breathed a sigh of relief and immediately replied.

"Understood," Raditz also nodded, his mind settled.

"There's no time to lose, let's head out immediately!"