Everyone Departs

Mount Paozu.

Son Goku came home carrying a wild beast over his shoulder. It was the ingredients for one meal for their family.

"Chi-Chi, I'm back."

The door opened, and Chi-Chi walked out. She was wearing a qipao that set off her graceful curves, and the expression on her face held a little less irritation than usual, making her seem gentler and more considerate.

Her lively eyes blinked. In the few days since Son Goku had returned home, her pretty face had gained a rosiness it had not had in all five years of their marriage.

"You're back. You worked hard. Rest for a bit. I'll make dinner."

Chi-Chi considerately wiped the sweat from Goku's forehead with a handkerchief.

Then she called Gohan out from inside the house.

"Gohan, help handle the ingredients and let your dad rest for a while."

Gohan had been sent back by Piccolo two days ago.

After all, no one knew how powerful the enemy would be. It was good to let their family spend some time together.

Goku scratched his head. Feeling the changes in Chi-Chi these past few days really made him a little unused to it.

"Mom, I feel like you've changed." Gohan tilted his head up, his innocent eyes blinking.

"Oh?" Chi-Chi grew interested. "How have I changed?"

"How should I put it? Your temper has gotten a lot better," Son Gohan said with a pure expression.

Hearing this, Chi-Chi's face reddened a little, and she did not speak.

She could hardly say that it was because Goku had been so dense before, and over the years, it had made her temper worse and worse, could she?

"Hey, what are you talking about!" Son Goku patted Gohan on the head. "Mom is still the same Mom. What's changed?"

"Oh..." Son Gohan rubbed his head.

Chi-Chi covered her mouth and laughed softly.

The family stood at the doorway in perfect harmony.

Suddenly.

Goku's eyes changed, and he looked up into the distance. He had sensed two powerful auras.

Gohan, who was handling the ingredients, paused and also sensed the powerful auras.

Father and son looked at each other.

"Chi-Chi, I have to go out for a while. Gohan's coming too. Wait at home for me to come back."

Chi-Chi said worriedly, "Is it that thing you mentioned a few days ago? The enemies are coming? Maybe Gohan shouldn't go..."

Hearing this, Son Gohan said with a serious expression, "Mom, let me go. I want to do my part for Earth too."

"Yeah, Chi-Chi. I promise Gohan won't be in any danger."

"I really can't win with you two. Be careful. You have to come back safe."

Chi-Chi sighed.

She understood Goku's personality.

Although he was usually carefree and easygoing, once he decided on something, ten oxen could not drag him back.

"Don't worry, Chi-Chi."

With that.

One large and one small figure shot into the sky, flying toward the distance.

Out in a beautiful wilderness of clear waters and green mountains, Jiang Ling walked out of the Gravity Training Room.

A white towel hung around his neck as he wiped the sweat from his body.

His upper body was bare, his muscle lines smooth and perfectly proportioned, each of his eight abs sharply defined—the typical kind of man who looked slim in clothes but muscular without them.

"Vegeta is finally here. This half year of inhuman training was all to deal with you, so don't disappoint me."

Jiang Ling looked into the distance, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

Atop a remote mountain peak.

Piccolo, draped in a white cloak, sat cross-legged on the summit.

Sensing the auras, a sharp glint flashed through Piccolo's eyes.

His body shot out abruptly.

Waves of sonic booms were left behind where he had been.

He was so fast that no one could see him clearly.

Ordinary people could not capture his figure at all!

Kame Island.

"Master Roshi, I'm heading out."

Krillin put on his martial arts uniform, tied his belt, and was about to set off.

Master Roshi came out to see him off. "If you can't beat them, run. I'll be waiting for good news."

"Got it!"

Krillin answered, then rose into the air and flew toward the place where the ki was coming from.

Master Roshi, Turtle, and Launch watched him leave.

In a wilderness filled with yellow sand.

Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu appeared out of nowhere. The three had only just met up when the Saiyans arrived in front of them.

Yamcha looked at the tall figure and the short one, noticing the tails wrapped around their waists.

"You're the Saiyans, aren't you? Powerful ki, tails... no mistake."

Hearing that, Nappa turned to Vegeta.

"Prince Vegeta, let me deal with these insects. No need to dirty your hands."

"Go," Vegeta said, waving a hand.

Weak enemies could only be called insects. As the noble prince of the Saiyans, he naturally disdained to make a move himself.

Nappa bared his teeth in an ugly, wicked grin.

"Heh heh. You're the warriors of Earth, right? Hand over the Dragon Balls like good boys, and I can let you die without pain."

"Otherwise, I can crush you with one finger."

Yamcha exchanged a glance with Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu, their expressions extremely grim.

They knew this bald Saiyan was right.

They could sense ki, and they could feel the gap between their side and these two Saiyans.

"Damn it. Even after training for a year on Kami's Lookout, the difference in strength is still this big?!"

"Let's stall them first. I can feel Goku and the others on their way."

"Yeah. Then let's test the results of this past year's training."

The three nodded at the same time, in perfect understanding.

Half a year ago, when Jiang Ling came to Kami's Lookout, he had told them to practice working together, saying that way they could produce an effect greater than the sum of their parts.

They had taken it to heart, and now it was just the right time to put it to use.

Whoosh—

The three spread out, faintly forming an encirclement around Nappa.

"Oh? All three of you together. Pretty smart."

Nappa shook his head. "But insects are still insects in the end."

Hearing this, Yamcha looked at him solemnly and took a fighting stance.

Then a translucent aura suddenly erupted from his body.

Vegeta, behind them, froze for a moment. Judging by the data displayed on his Scouter, Yamcha's battle power had just shot up from 200 to 1,500!

"Earthlings can suppress their own ki, then release it when they enter combat mode..."

Vegeta quickly reached a conclusion based on his own experience.

Then he shook his head. That level of battle power would not pose much of a threat to Nappa.

Nappa's battle power was 4,000.

Whoosh—

Yamcha moved rapidly, appearing behind Nappa in an instant, and smashed a fist down.

Bang—

As expected, Nappa blocked the strike with a backhand.

With such a large gap in strength, their reaction speed was naturally not on the same level.

Seeing that his first attack had failed, Yamcha raised his hand and unleashed the Wolf Fang Fist!

His fists seemed to take on the force of a wolf king, striking out in a flurry of afterimages as they hammered toward Nappa.

Bang bang bang bang—

Nappa blocked the wave of attacks with his thick arms, his expression relaxed, not feeling the slightest bit of pressure.

"Had enough? My turn."

Nappa caught Yamcha's fist, then curled his other hand into a clawed fist and slammed it hard into Yamcha's stomach!

"Ah!!"

Yamcha screamed and was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground not far away.

It looked as if they had been exchanging blows for a long time, but in reality only a short while had passed before Yamcha was knocked away and injured—Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu had not even made a move yet!

"Yamcha!"

"You okay, Yamcha?!"

Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu shouted loudly.

"I'm fine, I can still—hiss—damn, that hurts!" Yamcha clutched his stomach and got to his feet, his expression ugly.

"Hey, you stupid bald brute! That was just a warm-up. Now I'll show you my special move!"

Yamcha shouted, gathering a dazzling energy blast between his hands.

Beep, beep—

Vegito looked at the data on the Scouter, a flicker of surprise flashing through his eyes. "His power level went up again..."