"So this is a Dragon Ball?" King Piccolo looked at the Four-Star Dragon Ball in his hand, a glimmer of barely concealed excitement in his eyes.
Tambourine had just returned and handed it to him. The dazzling Dragon Ball shone like the brightest star in the night sky, radiating a mysterious and powerful force.
"Yes, the Dragon Ball was indeed where these people said it would be." Tambourine turned to look at Pilaf, a trace of affirmation in his eyes. His voice was calm, but beneath it lay satisfaction at completing his mission.
Tambourine was King Piccolo's capable assistant, and successfully finding the Dragon Ball this time was no small achievement for him.
"Right, right! That's exactly it! I wasn't wrong, was I?" Pilaf said with an awkward grin, rubbing his hands together, his face now brimming with smugness.
Though he usually looked somewhat comical, the information he provided at critical moments was often very accurate.
King Piccolo looked at the Dragon Ball and said, "Once I gather seven of these balls, I'll have eternal youth and life."
His voice was filled with anticipation for the future and a thirst for power.
To King Piccolo, the Dragon Balls were not merely a symbol of great power, but also his hope of regaining his youth and life.
"Heh heh... of course! Absolutely wonderful!" Pilaf said awkwardly.
Though he did not understand the Dragon Balls' power as deeply as King Piccolo and Tambourine did, he could still sense that this was an extremely important matter, so he did his best to show his support and excitement.
"Then my body will regain the overwhelming power it once possessed," King Piccolo said.
Memories of the past and anticipation for the future flickered in his eyes.
In his mind, the Dragon Balls could not only give him a new lease on life, but also restore the unrivaled power he had once possessed.
"This is the roster of everyone who competed in the World Martial Arts Tournament over the past ten years. Since the Dragon Ball happened to be there as well, this trip killed two birds with one stone," Tambourine said, taking out the roster.
His tone held a trace of excitement at the planning involved.
To them, the World Martial Arts Tournament was not only a platform for learning about the martial artists of this era, but also an excellent opportunity to search for the Dragon Balls.
"Good. Put the roster up on the wall," King Piccolo said.
His voice was firm, his eyes gleaming with confidence in the plan and a thirst for victory.
In his view, this roster was not merely information on his opponents, but the key to obtaining the Dragon Balls and fulfilling his wish.
Then Tambourine and the crow-man beside King Piccolo began putting up the roster.
"Hmm?"
He happened to glance at the list, then sneered. "Was this fellow considered strong among them?"
Tambourine's voice was full of disdain as he put up the roster.
"Do you know him?" King Piccolo asked.
"No. There's no need to put this one up. I already killed him while I was at it," Tambourine replied offhandedly, as though mentioning something utterly trivial.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu held a sheet from the roster, her surprise plain to see. "King Pilaf, look at this one. This person."
Her voice was full of shock and disbelief.
"That guy! So that's it. No wonder he was so strong. He competed in two consecutive World Martial Arts Tournaments, placing third once and second once," Pilaf said, looking at Son Goku's entry in Xiao Wu's hand.
"There's no need to put that one up either. I've already killed him," Tambourine said, his voice as cold as ever.
"He's dead?" The Pilaf Gang was utterly shocked. They could not believe it.
Son Goku had caused them far too much trouble, and they had never imagined an ending like this.
"There's no mistake. That brat was ridiculously weak. I finished him off in two or three moves." Tambourine's words dripped with contempt, as though Son Goku's strength was not worth mentioning in his eyes.
"So that brat took second place... Lord King Piccolo, there are no decent martial artists left in this world now." Tambourine's conclusion filled the air with the taste of victory.
"Hahaha... that's good news. But to be safe, we should still be cautious. I don't want to be sealed away again. Kill every martial artist on that roster. Kill anyone who resists, too. Do you hear me?" King Piccolo said with a loud laugh, his voice carrying a hint of unquestionable ruthlessness.
"Yes!" Tambourine and the crow-man answered in unison, their voices full of resolve.
"Then, once we gather all seven Dragon Balls, we can conquer the world. Hahaha..." King Piccolo's plan was grand and insane, and his laughter echoed throughout the space.
"King Pilaf, it looks like we let someone out who should never have been released. Having some regrets?" Xiao Wu, Pilaf, and Shu whispered together in a corner, their voices full of worry and regret.
"Will he really give us half the world?" Shu's voice was filled with doubt and unease.
Silence reigned inside King Chappa's martial arts school.
He frowned, his gaze shooting like lightning into the darkness ahead as he asked in a low voice, "Who are you?"
But the other party did not answer. Only a sinister "Heh heh heh..." echoed through the darkness, making one's hair stand on end.
Suddenly, the newcomer in the darkness attacked like a phantom, moving with a speed that defied comprehension.
Though King Chappa was highly skilled in martial arts, the sudden attack still caught him off guard.
He fought hard to defend himself, but after only a few exchanges, a tremendous force struck him. His body flew like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily to the ground, never to breathe again.
The scene instantly descended into chaos. At the sight, King Chappa's disciples charged forward with furious roars, vowing to avenge their master.
Their opponent, however, was simply too powerful. Each of them was as frail as an ant, and they fell one after another at the mysterious visitor's hands. Not a single one escaped.
The victor, Tambourine, stood amid the corpses strewn across the floor and threw back his head with a triumphant laugh.
"Heh heh heh... the next place is here."
He lowered his head to look at the list in his hand, already stained with blood in several places, as though confirming his next target.
The list recorded the names of the martial artists he was to kill, a task King Piccolo had assigned him.
Finishing this list meant that every martial artist in the world would be eliminated.
A cold smile curled his lips. Tambourine put the list away, then became a black shadow and flew toward his next target in the night.
Behind him lay deathly silence and destruction, but compared with what was about to happen, this was merely the tip of the iceberg.
All of this had been arranged by King Piccolo.
He had ordered Tambourine to finish putting up the roster, then go on to kill every martial artist in the world, thereby fulfilling his ambition to rule the world.
The name Tambourine was destined to become a nightmare for the martial arts world.