Mercenary Tao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Mercenary Tao (桃白白)
Alias(es)	“The World's Number One Assassin” 34 35
Gender	Male
Age	281 years old at his introduction 35
Affiliation	Formerly worked at Master Shen’s dojo; later an independent assassin hired by Carlos 35
Occupation/Role	Assassin; formerly a dojo handyman and porter 35
Family	Master Shen, his older brother 35 38
Battle Power	150 when he arrives to assassinate Jiang Nan 35 36
Status	Alive at his last depicted appearance 41
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 5; appears in person in Chapter 35 5 35

Background / History

Tao’s parents died while he was young, leaving Master Shen to raise him as both an older brother and a father figure. Shen taught him martial arts, and Tao repaid him by spending more than two centuries doing odd jobs at his dojo. Tao also received the benefits of the Immortal Spring, whose water Master Roshi had shared with Shen 35 46.

Thirty years before his introduction, Tao argued with Shen and left the dojo to travel. His savings were small because Shen had paid him poorly. Once the money ran out, Tao settled in South City and worked as a porter for more than a decade, intending to save enough to resume his travels 35.

Ten years before the attempt on Jiang Nan’s life, Tao killed a disliked foreman with a single palm strike. He discovered both an enjoyment of killing and the earning potential of Shen’s martial arts. He became an assassin, eventually gaining a legendary reputation and charging 100 million Federation dollars per target 35.

Three years before the main assassination arc, Carlos hired Tao to eliminate a rival of comparable strength to himself. According to Carlos’s account, Tao entered the rival’s base openly and tore off his head within five seconds 35.

Appearance

• Build and face: A tall, elderly man with a hawklike face and a piercing gaze 35 36.
• Hair: Long black hair worn in a braid 36.
• Clothing: A long gown or robe bearing a red character meaning “kill” on the chest 35 36.
• Mannerisms: Often stands with his hands behind his back and wears a smile that does not reach his eyes 35.
• Threatening presence: Young Mark instinctively senses danger from him before witnessing his strength 40.

Personality

Tao is boastful, theatrical, and certain of his reputation. He considers death at his hands an honor, grants Jiang Nan time to write his last words, and promises to remove his head within five seconds. That confidence collapses when Jiang Nan outmatches him: Tao resorts to deception, hidden weapons, and finally desperate pleading 36 37.

Money and survival outweigh loyalty. Tao offers to serve Jiang Nan and even kill Master Shen to save himself. Although he claims to surrender all his wealth, he secretly retains roughly 100 million Federation dollars in a safe house 38.

His pride in an undefeated reputation is equally ruthless. After surviving the failed contract, he murders witnesses rather than admit defeat. He also reacts violently to ridicule; killing Gerude restores his confidence and enjoyment of murder after his humiliation by Jiang Nan 38 39 41.

Abilities & Skills

Martial Arts and Assassination

Tao learned martial arts from Master Shen and accumulated extensive experience with lethal techniques 7 35.

• Targets vulnerable areas with knife-hand strikes, sweeping kicks, punches, and elbow attacks 36.
• Can stop Gerude’s punch with one finger, sever his lower leg with a knife-hand strike, and crush his head with his hands 41.
• Kills Carlos with a finger thrust through the forehead before Carlos can fire his handgun 39.
• His experience makes him dangerous to Jiang Nan, but cannot overcome the difference between Tao’s battle power of 150 and Jiang Nan’s 180 35 36 37.

Dodon Ray

A concentrated ki beam fired from a fingertip, learned from Master Shen 37 48.

• Charges ki before releasing the beam 37.
• Very few people can withstand a direct hit, but it is much less effective against stronger opponents 48.
• Jiang Nan blocks it with his palm, receiving only a slight scorch, pain, and numbness 37.
• Sustaining the attack exhausts Tao enough to slow his subsequent movements 37.

Speed and Perception

• Pursues Jiang Nan through White Cloud City at speeds that prevent onlookers from photographing them before they disappear 36.
• Leaves Piri Rete far behind during the chase 36.
• Hears Gerude’s insults from elsewhere in the tavern 40.
• Notices Carlos and Duma’s accelerated heartbeats when they attempt to disguise their escape 39.

Deception and Hidden Weapons

Tao regards any effective killing method as acceptable, including underhanded attacks 37.

• Falsely announces Piri Rete’s arrival to distract Jiang Nan before drawing a capsule-stored blade 37.
• Uses a high-explosive grenade as his final weapon 37.
• Both tactics fail: Jiang Nan evades the blade with an afterimage and destroys the grenade in midair before it detonates 37.

Extended Lifespan

• Benefits from the Immortal Spring, also called the Fountain of Youth, allowing him to remain active at 281 years old 35 46.
• Son Gohan believes Shen passed some of the water he received from Roshi to Tao 46.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Hoi-Poi Capsules — Carry concealed weapons and cash 37 38.
• Fine blade — Nearly one meter long; deployed from a capsule for a surprise attack at Jiang Nan’s neck 37.
• High-explosive grenade — A conventional military explosive, intercepted before detonation 37.
• Bank cards and cash — More than 300 million Federation dollars surrendered to Jiang Nan to purchase his survival 38.
• Safe-house reserve — Roughly another 100 million Federation dollars concealed from Jiang Nan 38.
• Aircraft — Obtained after killing his escort, Pilirick; used to return to South City 38 39.

Assassination Business

Detail	Terms
Standard fee	100 million Federation dollars per target 35
Tenth-anniversary promotion	70 million Federation dollars, or 70% of the standard rate 35
Payment policy	Full payment in advance 35
Reason for discount	His increased rates attracted few clients; he hoped the promotion would bring more work 38
Carlos’s markup	Carlos quoted Pei Zheng 200 million, then hired Tao for 70 million and intended to pocket the difference 35

Relationships

• Master Shen — Older brother, guardian, and martial arts teacher. Tao resented his low wages and left after an argument; he later offers to kill Shen under pressure from Jiang Nan 35 38.
• Jiang Nan — Intended assassination target who defeats and spares him in exchange for his carried wealth. Jiang Nan’s knowledge of his family connection intensifies Tao’s fear 36 37 38.
• Carlos — Repeat client and organizer of the Jiang Nan contract. Tao kills him to conceal the failed assassination 35 39.
• Piri Rete / Pilirick — Silver Wolf Society escort who flies him to White Cloud City. Tao kills him and takes his aircraft after the defeat 35 38.
• Master Roshi — Indirect source of Tao’s longevity. Tao claims Roshi is no match for him, but the supplied account does not demonstrate that claim 35 46.
• Gerude — Fighting champion who mocks Tao in a tavern and is subsequently killed 40 41.
• Mark / Mr. Satan — Gerude’s young student, critically injured while attempting to protect his master. Tao becomes the central terror in Mark’s ensuing nightmare 41.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Attempt on Jiang Nan’s Life

• Carlos proposes hiring Tao after Pei Hu judges their combined chances against Jiang Nan to be below twenty percent 34.
• Tao accepts the discounted contract and arrives at Jiang Nan’s rented home before his departure from White Cloud City 35 36.
• Jiang Nan leads him to an empty clearing in North Suburb Park, avoiding a fight near residents while letting Tao believe his target is fleeing 36.
• Tao’s five-second boast fails, followed by his serious attacks, Dodon Ray, concealed blade, and grenade. He ultimately kneels and surrenders 36 37.
• Jiang Nan takes his money but spares him because Tao is expected to play an important role in young Goku’s future development 38.

Silencing the Witnesses

• Tao kills Pilirick after securing the aircraft, deciding that eliminating the employer can conceal his inability to eliminate the target 38.
• In South City, he questions Carlos about who knows of the contract. Carlos conceals the Pei family’s involvement, naming only himself, Duma, and Piri Rete 39.
• Tao kills Duma and Carlos, burns the headquarters’ top floor to destroy evidence, and unsuccessfully searches Carlos’s office for money 39.

Mr. Satan’s Nightmare

• Tao enters a tavern to drink after his financial losses. Gerude mocks his braid and old-fashioned clothing 39 40.
• Tao kills Gerude and nearly kills Mark when the boy intervenes. Tailin gets Mark to a hospital, where doctors save him 41.
• The narration identifies this tragedy as an unintended consequence of Jiang Nan’s intervention: Gerude’s death occurs several years earlier than it otherwise would have 50.

Notable Quotes

“Five seconds. Within five seconds, I'll twist your head clean off. You can die content, knowing you fell to Mercenary Tao.” 36

“I surrender! I was only doing a job for money. Please, give me a chance! I swear I'll never work as an assassin again!” 37

Trivia

• At this point in the story, Tao has not yet devised his pillar-riding method of travel; Carlos instead supplies an aircraft and escort 35.
• Despite his fearsome reputation, the narration describes his eloquence as far inferior to his killing ability 39.