The Red Ribbon Army (Part 1)

Morning broke over West City.

A cool morning breeze swept across the rooftop landing pad of Capsule Corporation. Bulma had changed into a practical khaki exploration outfit today, her long hair tied in a high ponytail and windproof goggles perched over her eyes. None of her usual heiress airs remained.

She tossed out a capsule. With a bang and a puff of white smoke, a silver-gray all-terrain exploration craft settled firmly onto the ground. Its streamlined body and vertical-lift ducted engines gave it the cold, hard feel of industrial machinery.

The pressurized hatch flipped upward, and Son Goku stepped lightly into the cabin before taking a seat in the shock-absorbing co-pilot chair.

Bulma slipped into the pilot's seat, her fingers flying over the control panel as she loaded the coordinates locked onto by the Dragon Radar into the navigation display.

"Our destination is across the northern icefields. The terrain is dangerous, and there's a good chance it's the armed group's headquarters." She turned toward him, caution in her eyes.

"If things turn violent, we'll be facing an army armed with real guns and live ammunition."

"Don't worry. Think of it as a drive." Son Goku leaned back in his seat, his voice gentle but utterly certain.

Those words unexpectedly settled Bulma's anxious heart.

The thrusters spewed dark-blue flames, and the exploration craft shot into the air, streaking toward the northern horizon.

As they continued northward, the scenery beyond the cabin rapidly swept past. Bustling cities gave way to vast wilderness. Endless conifer forests crashed against snow-capped mountains like a raging sea. The external temperature on the dashboard plummeted off a cliff.

"The magnetic field in this airspace is a total mess. Even the radar signal is getting interfered with." Bulma frowned slightly at the screen, where static occasionally flickered.

"Anyone who hides their headquarters in a freezing hellhole like this has both money and a real ruthless streak. Goku, we're about to enter their inner security perimeter."

"Okay. Just focus on flying." Son Goku did not even open his eyes.

He rested against the seat with his eyes closed, letting the ki within him circulate throughout his body with each steady breath, adjusting his body and mind into the most comfortable state for battle.

Thousands of kilometers away, deep within the northern icefields.

The Red Ribbon Army's underground command center had hollowed out nearly half a snow-covered mountain, like a slumbering beast. A blizzard raged beyond the fortress, fully armed patrols moved back and forth, and the thunder of heavy armor crushing frozen ground echoed day and night. This was a lawless territory that gave even Earth's regular military a headache.

Inside the main hall, the cold glow of a holographic tactical display fell across Commander Red Tess's gloomy face. He clenched a cigar between his teeth as he listened to Black Advisor's report.

"Commander, reports of success are coming in from search teams across the country. Five Dragon Balls have been safely secured. Only the final two remain before your great ambition can be realized."

Red Tess blew out a satisfied ring of smoke. Just as he was about to say something ceremonial, a shrill air-raid alarm exploded through the hall without warning. Red lights flashed back and forth, making everyone dizzy.

"What the hell is going on?!" Red Tess slammed a fist against the edge of the display table.

Sweating profusely, the radar operator hammered at the keyboard. "Reporting, Commander! An unregistered aircraft has forcibly entered the core air-defense zone and is approaching at full speed!"

The large screen swiftly switched to a satellite image of the exploration craft. Red Tess gave a cold snort, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. "They dare cause trouble over Red Ribbon territory? Shoot it down."

"Yes! Order the Third Air Squadron to take off and engage!" Black Advisor barked irritably.

The gates of the heavy airfield halfway up the snowy mountain swung open. Three black fighter jets loaded with live ammunition tore through the clouds, trailing white smoke as they charged forward in a triangular formation.

Inside the exploration craft, warning lights blared everywhere.

Bulma stared fixedly at the three approaching red dots on the radar, her voice taut. "Goku, we've got trouble! Three military fighters are on our tail, and the missile launch countdown has started!"

"It's fine. Leave that junk outside to me."

Son Goku unbuckled his safety belt and stood. Under Bulma's stunned gaze, he walked to the hatch and yanked open the pressure valve.

A violent blast of freezing wind poured into the cabin like invisible blades. Son Goku's hair was whipped into disarray, and his thin martial arts uniform clung tightly to his body. Without any protective gear, he casually stepped through the hatch and planted both feet firmly on the smooth wing.

The subzero cold and thin oxygen at ten thousand meters were little more than a spring breeze against a Saiyan's powerful physique.

A flash of fire lit up at the edge of his vision. Two air-to-air missiles detached from their mounts and tore through the sky with blazing tails.

Son Goku stood against the wind, bringing his hands together at his waist. The violent power buried deep in his genes surged through his body as a clear, brilliant blue glow rapidly gathered between his palms. The surrounding air rippled under the compression of dense energy.

Kamehameha--Wave!

He thrust both palms forward.

A thick blue beam blasted across the sky with overwhelming force. The two missiles did not even have time to explode before they were completely vaporized by the terrifying heat. The beam continued onward like a soaring dragon, passing across hundreds of meters of airspace and precisely grazing the three fighter jets.

The searing torrent of energy instantly destroyed the fighters' engines and electronics. Thick black smoke poured from their fuselages as they spiraled down toward the sea of clouds.

The feeling of weightlessness threw the Red Ribbon pilots into panic. One after another, the three men pulled their ejection handles, and white parachutes bloomed amid the clouds. Son Goku swept his gaze over them but did not pursue. He had never felt much killing intent toward lackeys who had already lost the ability to fight back.

The blast had also swept away the surrounding cloud sea, carving out a vacuum corridor hundreds of meters wide and letting sunlight stream straight down.

Son Goku brushed his sleeve, turned, and walked back into the cabin, pulling the pressure hatch shut behind him.

The howling wind was sealed outside.

"The roadblock's cleared. Keep flying." He sat back down and casually picked up the water bottle beside him for a drink.

Bulma stared blankly at the empty cloud sea in the distance and the absurdly wide passage through it. Only after a long while did she come back to herself and let out a deep breath.

With no more obstacles, the exploration craft continued onward. As it descended, its nose split through the low clouds.

Deep within the blizzard-lashed icefields, the massive fortress of steel and concrete revealed itself in full. Thick anti-aircraft gun barrels stood in dense rows, while enormous searchlights swept through the flying snow, weaving an impenetrable security net.

Beneath snow-camouflage nets, rows of heavy tanks and formations of mechs could be glimpsed. At the fortress's highest point, the bright-red army flag whipped wildly in the wind and snow.

Son Goku rose from his seat and looked down through the windshield at the steel fortress below, which was braced for battle. His expression remained calm.

"Let's land." He turned to Bulma, his tone as casual as if he were asking what they should have for lunch.