"Ah! Found it!" Chiaotzu shouted excitedly, his voice echoing through the empty valley.
He raised the Three-Star Dragon Ball in his hand in delighted surprise. It shone with a soft glow, sunlight refracting across its surface in dazzling rays.
At that moment, Master Roshi and Tien Shinhan heard him and hurried over from the other side of the hillside.
Master Roshi adjusted his sunglasses as he walked. Looking at the Dragon Ball in Chiaotzu's hand, he nodded in satisfaction. "That's the fifth one." There was a trace of barely concealed excitement in his voice.
Tien Shinhan frowned, a flicker of worry crossing his eyes. "Then that means one of the remaining two is in King Piccolo's hands." A hint of unease colored his tone, making even the surrounding air seem a little heavier.
"We need to be careful from now on," Master Roshi said solemnly. He picked up the Dragon Radar and pressed the refresh button.
The points of light on the Dragon Radar began to blink, showing the locations of the two remaining Dragon Balls. "Huh? The last two are together, and they're heading toward us." His voice held a hint of surprise and vigilance.
Tien Shinhan clenched his fists, his heart filled with the resolve to fight. He thought to himself, Come on, you great demon! Though he remained outwardly calm, he could not conceal the tension and excitement within.
Master Roshi turned to Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu, his tone firm and earnest. "We can't win in a head-on fight. We need to catch him off guard and snatch his two Dragon Balls. Together with our five, we'll summon Shenron immediately, then make a wish and ask him to make King Piccolo disappear from the world." Every word carried weight.
"Understood." Tien Shinhan nodded, his gaze firm, expressing his understanding and agreement.
An atmosphere of suspense and tension enveloped the three as they set up camp in a hidden spot in the valley and waited for King Piccolo to arrive.
The surrounding trees swayed gently in the wind. Sunlight spilled through gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.
Bird calls echoed in the distance, as though the birds, too, sensed the approaching tension.
On the boundless plain, the hovercar driven by Yajirobe raced like a silver bolt of lightning between the grasslands and the horizon.
Inside the car, Son Goku lay in the passenger seat, his face pale and his breathing faint, as though he might stop breathing at any moment.
Outside, the wind howled. The faint rustling of grass tips mingled with the roar of the car, forming a symphony of the wilderness.
Yajirobe turned his head to glance at Son Goku and said with no shortage of sarcasm, "Seriously, I've never met anyone as stupid as you, taking on King Piccolo single-handedly." His voice held a trace of barely perceptible concern, but far more helplessness and reproach.
Son Goku gave a weak cough, a flicker of stubbornness and self-reproach crossing his eyes. "Hey... Yajirobe, I didn't think you wouldn't help me." His voice was low and hoarse, and every word seemed to cost him tremendous effort.
Yajirobe snorted and refocused on the road ahead, though a twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed his inner wavering.
"Of course not! Dying is what I hate most. No way was I doing that!" Though his words were flippant, the worry that inadvertently showed in his eyes was genuine.
"Which way?" Yajirobe suddenly asked, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
Son Goku turned his head slightly and mustered all his strength to point ahead. "A little farther left."
Yajirobe immediately changed direction, and the hovercar traced an elegant arc across the grassland.
"Still, Yajirobe, your car's pretty nice." Son Goku gave a weak smile, trying to ease the tension.
"Great, isn't it? I stole it. Hahaha..." Yajirobe laughed smugly and stepped on the accelerator. The car shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, kicking up dust and grass clippings.
"But whatever else, I hope you won't challenge that guy again. He's too powerful." Yajirobe's tone turned serious, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes.
Son Goku fell silent for a moment, then slowly asked, "Have you heard of him?"
Yajirobe nodded, his tone somewhat heavy. "Only in stories. In short, he's a demon guilty of every unforgivable evil. He tried to rule the world, but a martial artist sealed him away." His words were filled with awe toward that legend.
A flicker of admiration and unwillingness to concede crossed Son Goku's eyes. "He's so strong. Just what will it take to beat that guy?"
High in the endless blue sky, clouds churned and the sun was blood-red. King Piccolo's airship hovered in the sky like a black fortress, sinister and mysterious.
Xiao Wu stood before the control console and reported with a solemn expression, "Lord King Piccolo, we've arrived directly above the Dragon Ball signals."
King Piccolo slowly rose, his figure casting a long shadow through the tension-filled cabin. "Good. It's time for me to act."
His voice was low and commanding. He then picked up two Dragon Balls shimmering with a mysterious light, swallowed them in one gulp, and strode firmly toward the hatch.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the sound of Master Roshi and Tien Shinhan arguing shattered the still air.
Tien Shinhan's face was tense, his eyes shining with a refusal to yield. "Please let me duel King Piccolo, Master Roshi!"
Master Roshi shook his head, his face showing both helplessness and resolve. "Don't worry. I won't die. I drank the water of immortality." His voice was calm, but a trace of complicated emotion showed in his eyes.
Tien Shinhan's brow furrowed tightly. He was about to say something when Master Roshi suddenly sprayed out a cloud of mist, cutting him off. The mist carried a faint fragrance. Tien Shinhan instantly felt dizzy, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.
Master Roshi sighed softly, bent down to lift Tien Shinhan, and carefully placed him inside a hidden cave.
He said quietly, "I'm sorry. Sleep for a while. After all, we don't want to sacrifice any more innocent lives." His voice carried a hint of helplessness and heaviness.
Master Roshi straightened and looked firmly at the unconscious Tien Shinhan, his voice low. "There is no water of immortality. I lied to you. If I die, and Goku isn't here either, you'll be our hope of defeating the Demon King." Those words seemed both a silent oath and a helpless entrusting of responsibility.
Then he turned, his expression serious and his bearing that of a grandmaster, and walked out of the cave.
His steps were steady, each one exceptionally firm. He came to another cave and quietly instructed Chiaotzu, who was hiding inside, "The earlier battle plan is canceled. No matter what happens next, don't come out."
Chiaotzu's voice came from deep inside the cave, slightly trembling but firm. "Y-yes, I understand."
Afterward, Master Roshi walked with firm steps to stand directly beneath King Piccolo's airship, his retreating figure looking particularly lonely in the desolate valley.
Master Roshi looked up at the airship, his voice ringing out with power, as though it would pierce the dark clouds and reach the heavens. "Get down here, Piccolo! All the Dragon Balls are here."
Aboard the airship, King Piccolo heard the voice. His brow rose slightly, and a mocking smile curled his lips.
He stood at the edge of the airship and looked down at the old man below, a trace of surprise rising within him. Oh? He knows I'm his opponent, yet he still dares to come out and challenge me. He's got some nerve.
Then King Piccolo used the Flight Technique. His body slowly floated up before he descended to the ground as lightly as a falling leaf.
Dust flew as King Piccolo's feet touched the ground. He looked straight into Master Roshi's eyes and said coldly, "Your courage deserves praise." His voice was low and powerful, echoing through the empty valley.
Facing King Piccolo, Master Roshi's gaze was grave, and the aura around his entire body grew steadier. He slowly assumed a fighting stance, planting his feet apart and clenching his fists, ready for the coming battle.