After the adventure ended, the group went their separate ways, but they had forged deep friendships. Ox-King took Chi-Chi back to Frypan Mountain. Before she left, she clung to Son Goku's hand, reluctant to say goodbye. "Goku, you have to come visit me!" "Sure! I'll bring you something tasty next time!" Son Goku said with a cheerful grin. Bulma drove back to West City, giving Kashu a communicator before she left. "Call me next time you go looking for Dragon Balls. I had a lot of fun tagging along." Launch decided to stay and train with the Saiyans. Her dual personality caused quite a stir in camp—when she was in her blonde-haired state, Launch had a short temper and would pull out her gun at the slightest provocation. Even Gore found her exasperating. "Miss Launch, please put the gun away," Gore said helplessly. "Like hell I will!" Launch held her submachine gun at the ready. "Anyone who messes with me gets riddled with bullets!" "No one's messing with you." Kashu walked over and gently lowered the muzzle. "Launch, do you want to get stronger?"
"Stronger?" Blonde-haired Launch raised an eyebrow. "Will that let me hit harder?" "It will." "All right, then. I'll train with you." Later, Yamcha also made his way to New Vegeta City. His excuse was that he wanted to "apologize to Miss Bulma," but in truth, he was trying to woo her. Bulma kept him at arm's length, and their relationship became a favorite subject of gossip around camp. "Yamcha, you might as well give up," Krillin teased him. "Miss Bulma isn't interested in you." "Shut up!" Yamcha's face turned bright red. As for Krillin, the bald little kid became Son Goku's best friend. The two were close in age and complemented each other well—Son Goku was innocent and guileless, while Krillin was quick-witted and shrewd. They pushed each other during training and supported each other in battle.
"Krillin, that Ki Blast you just fired went wide!" Son Goku said. "You're the one who missed! I did that on purpose to confuse the enemy!" Krillin insisted stubbornly.
"Then try it again..." "All right, I really did miss." The friendship between the two children slowly blossomed amid laughter.
It was the autumn of AGE 741, and Kashu was nine years old. Bulma's communicator suddenly rang. "Kashu! This is bad! Someone's collecting Dragon Balls in large numbers! My Dragon Radar shows six Dragon Balls moving quickly, all converging in the same direction!" "Who's collecting them?" "The Red Ribbon Army! They're an evil military organization, and their goal is to conquer the world!" Bulma's voice trembled. "I found out they've already established dozens of bases around the world and have a huge army and advanced weapons. If they gather all the Dragon Balls and wish to rule the world, it'll be over!" Kashu furrowed his brow. The Red Ribbon Army—the organization Son Goku had single-handedly brought down in the original story.
"Where are they?" "Their headquarters is in the northern ice fields! Kashu, you have to stop them!" "Leave it to me." Kashu ended the call and gathered Son Goku, Krillin, Gore, and Luo Ling. "We've got a mission." He briefly explained the situation. "The Red Ribbon Army?" Krillin scratched his bald head. "They sound pretty formidable." "They have the numbers, but their individual fighters aren't strong," Kashu said. "They do have one trump card, though—Tao Pai Pai, the world's greatest assassin. They say his power is incredible." "Is he stronger than you, big brother?" Son Goku asked. "No way." Kashu smiled. "But we can't let our guard down. Gore, you'll lead the assault on the front lines. Luo Ling, you and I will infiltrate the base. Goku and Krillin, you'll rescue the prisoners." "Understood!" the four of them replied in unison.
The Red Ribbon Army's headquarters lay deep in the northern ice fields, a massive fortress of steel. Kashu and the others flew to an iceberg on the outskirts of the fortress. "There are so many guards," Krillin said, watching through binoculars. "I'd estimate at least a thousand." "I'll take the lead." Gore rolled his wrists. "No. Stick to the plan," Kashu said. "Luo Ling and I will draw their fire from the front. Gore, take Goku and Krillin in from the flank. Remember, try not to kill anyone. Just knock them out." "Understood." Luo Ling unleashed her Super Saiyan aura—a golden blaze shot into the sky, terrifying the fortress guards. "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The alarms blared. Luo Ling shot into the enemy ranks like a bolt of golden lightning. One punch, one enemy; one kick, two more. In less than a minute, every guard at the main gate was down. Kashu followed close behind, using Ki Blasts to precisely disable all the surveillance equipment and gun emplacements. "Who are you?!" an officer stammered. "The people who are going to kill you," Luo Ling said coldly. Meanwhile, Gore led Son Goku and Krillin in from the flank. Gore's ability to sense ki let him avoid patrols with pinpoint accuracy, while Son Goku and Krillin silently flew down the corridors using the Flight Technique. "This way," Gore said, pointing. "The prisoners are on level three underground." They fought their way forward and rescued dozens of civilians and soldiers who had opposed the Red Ribbon Army. Kashu and Luo Ling advanced into the fortress's core—the command center. Colonel Red, the Red Ribbon Army's commander-in-chief, sat in a huge chair, his face livid. "Where's Tao Pai Pai? Get Mr. Tao Pai Pai here at once!" Colonel Red shouted. "I'm already here." A figure emerged from the shadows. He was a middle-aged man in a Chinese-style robe, with a thin mustache and a cap marked with the character for "kill." A sword hung at his waist.
The world's greatest assassin—Tao Pai Pai. "A brat and a woman?" Tao Pai Pai looked Kashu and Luo Ling up and down. "The Red Ribbon Army really has fallen on hard times."
"You're Tao Pai Pai?" Kashu asked calmly. "You know my name and still dare to stand in my way? You've got guts." Tao Pai Pai drew his sword. "I'll give you three moves, kid." "There's no need. You can make the first move." A murderous glint flashed in Tao Pai Pai's eyes. He darted forward, the tip of his sword aimed straight at Kashu's throat. He was fast as lightning. But Kashu merely tilted his head slightly, letting the blade skim past his neck. At the same time, his right fist slammed into Tao Pai Pai's abdomen. Bang! Tao Pai Pai flew backward like a cannonball, smashing through the command center wall. Colonel Red and all the soldiers froze. The world's greatest assassin had been sent flying with one punch by a nine-year-old boy? Tao Pai Pai climbed out of the rubble, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. Shock filled his eyes. "Kid, you... Who are you?" "A Saiyan. Kashu." Kashu walked into the command center. "Tao Pai Pai, I'll give you a chance: leave and stop working for the Red Ribbon Army. Otherwise, I can't promise you'll still be standing after my next punch." Tao Pai Pai's expression shifted. He was the world's greatest assassin and had never been treated with such contempt. But that punch had told him the boy was serious—he really could kill him. "Hmph. We'll meet again." Gritting his teeth, Tao Pai Pai leaped out the window and disappeared into the night. With Tao Pai Pai gone, Colonel Red was utterly despairing.
"I surrender! I surrender!" Colonel Red raised both hands. "The Red Ribbon Army is disbanded, effective immediately," Kashu said. "Hand over all your weapons, release every hostage, and get out of here." "Yes! Yes!" News of the Red Ribbon Army's fall spread throughout the world. Kashu's name appeared in the public eye for the first time, but he didn't care about such empty fame. At the Red Ribbon Army's headquarters, he found an unexpected discovery—a subterranean laboratory containing Dr. Gero's Android research files.
"What is this..." Kashu leafed through the files, his pupils contracting slightly. Dr. Gero, the Red Ribbon Army's chief scientist. He was still alive, continuing his research in some secret laboratory, but these early files were already extremely valuable. "System, scan these files." [Scan complete. Technologies acquired: Android fundamentals, energy absorption device blueprints, theoretical model of an infinite energy reactor.] "These are good." Kashu stored all the files in the system inventory, ready to bring them back for Selipa to study.
Before you continue