Dragon Ball: Legacy Chapter 19 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you a new chapter! After dealing with General Blue, finding the old pirate treasure, and getting the third Dragon Ball, Goku is ready to head out and continue his journey. Kale and Caulifla have to stay and continue their training with Roshi, both only half way through the eight months they agreed to. But Bulma doesn’t have any reason to stop traveling with Goku, so she’s coming along! How will that change the rest of the second hunt for the Dragon Balls?

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 19 – The Sacred Land of Korin

The morning sun shone through the window of the Capsule House next to Kame House. The rays of sunlight eventually moved onto the, rather full, bed in the room and slowly roused the occupants.

“Mm…” Goku yawned as he awoke and felt the weight and warmth around him. Looking at his bedmates he smiled seeing Bulma cuddled up to his left side, Launch pressed up against his right side, with Kale and Caulifla nuzzled into his bare chest with little smiles on their faces as they slept.

Caulifla stirred next, used to being up at 4:30 in the morning for training each day. “Nnn…” She didn’t say a word, only let out a cute little noise as she buried her face into Goku’s chest to avoid the light.

Goku grinned and gently moved his tail against Caulifla’s, making the girl hum as her tail copied his and the two were soon entwined.

“Goku…” Caulifla looked up at him with a single eye open and a little grin on her lips.

“Morning.” Goku smiled at Caulifla.

Caulifla opened both of her eyes and leaned upwards to capture Goku’s lips in a quick kiss. “Good morning.” She smirked once she pulled back.

Launch (still blonde) grumbled a little as she woke up. “Too early…” She blinked, her green eyes meeting Goku and Caulifla’s gaze. “Morning.” Launch yawned out her greeting before smiling as Goku’s arm around her waist squeezed her a little closer.

“Yaaaa…” Kale yawned cutely as she woke up from the low noise and the movement of her bedmates. “Is it time to train?” She slowly blinked the sleep out of her eyes and looked at Goku, Caulifla, and then Launch.

“Nooo…” Bulma denied, still half asleep as she snuggled into Goku’s side more.

Goku chuckled as he hugged Bulma closer with the arm wrapped around her. “Maybe not training, but we do need to get up.”

Bulma looked at Goku through half-open eyes before letting out a cute little sigh. “Fine…” She leaned up to capture his lips for a kiss.

“No fair.” Kale pouted at Bulma getting a kiss, not seeing the smug little smirk on Caulifla’s face.

Goku’s tail gently unwound from Caulifla’s to wrap around Kale’s waist and pull her closer. With an adorable squeak, Kale’s lips met Goku’s and the two shared a good morning kiss of their own.

“Better?” Goku asked with a bright smile.

“Better.” Kale smiled back brightly, her tail swaying behind her in happiness.

Launch, always the assertive one, turned Goku’s chin to make him face her and stole a kiss for herself, making it a long one, before she pulled back with a smirk. “I’m not missing out on a good morning kiss.”

“Heh.” Goku grinned back at Launch, clearly enjoying her assertiveness.

Bulma slowly sat up, pushing the blanket off of her and revealing that she’d only worn her panties to bed. She stretched, raising her arms above her head, and yawned once more. Goku’s eyes followed the bounce of Bulma’s tits before Kale and Caulifla both sat up as well, each girl straddling one of his thighs, and revealing that they were in nothing but their panties as well.

“Show offs.” Launch grinned before sitting up and tossing the blanket back entirely, revealing her own nearly naked form in just a pair of simple white panties. “Though it doesn’t look like Goku minds.” She smirked at Goku’s eyes wandering over all the exposed skin in front of him first thing in the morning.

“Nope!” Goku smiled brightly at the four women.

Sleeping nearly naked, skin against skin, was a good way to strengthen the growing bond between them all. That was just a mixture of instinct and psychology, though none of them (aside from maybe Bulma) knew that. For Goku, Caulifla, Kale, and Launch, they did it because they wanted to, it felt good, and it was warm throughout the night.

“Time for some breakfast.” Bulma said as she slipped out of the bed, grinning as Goku’s eyes took in her full form.

“Heck yeah!” Caulifla agreed as she nearly rolled out of bed. “Hurry up, Goku.” She smirked at him over her shoulder, practically able to feel his eyes on her skin, and especially her ass. Her tail raised before wrapping around her waist to keep Goku’s view unobstructed.

Kale giggled at seeing Caulifla enjoying Goku’s gaze. “We need to ask Master about the early morning training.” She crawled to the edge of the bed, only to let out a cute gasp. “Aah!” Kale looked back over her shoulder to see Goku’s tail having touched her ass. “Goku…” She blushed at him before playfully smacking his tail with her own and leaving the bed with a giggle.

Launch grinned at the morning playfulness. It was certainly a nice way to wake up compared to some of the places that she’d woken up in the past. “I need to get me one of those.” Launch joked as she gently ran her fingers over Goku’s tail.

“Hm? You want to be a Saiyan, Launch?” Goku asked her as he sat up in the bed.

“I wouldn’t mind.” Launch said with ease, not having any specific attachment to being human when Saiyans were clearly ‘Human+’ in every way that mattered. “But I think that would have to be another wish later.” She threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, letting Goku take in her nearly naked body as she sauntered across the bedroom, following the other women towards the bathroom.

Goku looked thoughtful as he sat in the bed for a long moment while the girls started their day. “Would it be another wish?” He didn’t know the answer, so he put it out of his mind for now.

-Later-

“Be safe, you two.” Kale smiled at Goku and Bulma as they prepared to leave.

“If you need any help, let us know.” Caulifla grinned at the idea of getting to fight more.

Roshi smiled at his two disciples. “Do what you can to get the other Dragon Balls without a fight. The Red Ribbon Army isn’t likely to make that easy, but with any luck, they haven’t found more than one or two of the Dragon Balls yet.”

“You can always come back if you need to rest, or if you’re just hungry.” Launch (currently blue-haired) smiled at Bulma and Goku. Blonde Launch had sneezed while starting breakfast and it had taken Blue Launch a minute to understand the situation since her last memory was being held hostage by the Red Ribbon Army soldier.

“We’ll do our best.” Bulma smiled at everyone, giving them a thumbs up.

“Nimbus!” Goku shouted towards the sky. In only a few seconds the magical cloud had swooped down from the sky and stopped in front of Goku. “We’ll be back as soon as we can!” He hopped onto Nimbus with a big smile.

Bulma sat in Goku’s lap and waved to everyone before they flew off into the sky.

“I hope they’ll be alright.” Kale let out a worried sigh.

“They’ll be fine, Kale! They’re strong!” Caulifla assured her ‘sis’ with a grin.

Launch agreed with a gentle smile. “I’m sure they’ll be back soon. Then we can all celebrate together!”

Roshi watched the tiny dot that was the Flying Nimbus disappear into the sky, silently hoping for his disciples’ safety on their worldly travels. “Well, now that we’ve deviated from our normal routine for the early morning, it’s time to start our morning training!” He declared, pointing at Caulifla and Kale with his staff. “Let’s go, you two!”

“Alright, alright!” Caulifla scoffed as she took off into a jog.

“Wait for me, sis!” Kale jogged after Caulifla.

Roshi nodded once at how promptly Kale and Caulifla followed his instructions. “Launch, we’ll return for lunch, as always.” He smiled at the gentle blue-haired woman.

Launch giggled behind her hand. “Of course, Roshi. I’ll have lunch ready for everyone.”

Roshi smiled at Launch before taking off after Caulifla and Kale at a jog.

-Mt. Paozu-

Krillin smiled as he closed and locked the door to Goku’s home. He had his bindle of supplies ready to go as he looked around the area once more to make sure that he hadn’t forgotten to put away anything. He wanted to leave Goku’s house clean and orderly, just as it had been when he’d arrived.

“Thank you for everything.” Krillin bowed to the small traditional house. With that done, he picked up his bindle and put it over his right shoulder before heading down the main dirt road prepared to leave Mt. Paozu behind after staying there and working on his martial arts, his senses, and his mental focus for the last couple of months. “Now…if I follow this road to the east, I’ll eventually get to a town a bit further from Mt. Paozu.” Krillin looked at his map in his left hand as he walked through the forest. “Once there, I guess I’ll head to the northeast and travel the land between the mountains and the coast. I’ll reach East City eventually and then I’ll figure out my next destination.”

“Rawwr!” A tiger lunged at Krillin from the brush in a perfect ambush.

Krillin didn’t take his eyes off his map as he hopped upwards, dodging the claws and fangs of the large cat, and then dropped back down on top of it with a light (by the standards of a disciple of Master Roshi) axe kick. The tiger’s face was partially buried in the dirt as Krillin continued on his way, making sure that he was on the right route with his map.

Needless to say, the apex predator quickly pulled its face from the soil and bolted back into the wilderness, not wanting to mess with Krillin again.

-Red Ribbon Army Headquarters ~ Later-

“Commander Red, it appears that the punk is heading westward.” Staff Officer Black informed his superior with an even tone, not wanting to rile up Commander Red’s anger any ore than it already was.

“Straight towards Colonel Yellow’s base, I’m sure.” Commander Red looked at Staff Officer Black sharply. “You told me that Colonel Yellow has found the Dragon Ball, but still doesn’t have it in his possession, correct?”

Staff Officer Black nodded once. “As before, it seems that they’re dragging their feet quite a bit.”

Commander Red nearly bit through his expensive smoking pipe. “Curse them…” He had no time for any more incompetence among his soldiers! That little punk was tracking down and obtaining the Dragon Balls far faster than the Red Ribbon Army.

-Sacred Land of Korin-

A towering man with a tan complexion and a large, well-defied, and muscular physique stood in opposition to a group of outsiders with a large, if primitive, spear in his hands. He had straight, black hair reaching his upper back that was secured in a ponytail. Noticeability, the man had a cross-shaped scar on the right side of his chest. He wore no shirt, but had brown, buckskin trousers and moccasins made of leather along with a necklace made from animal tusks around his neck.

This was Bora of the Karinga Tribe, a native people to the Land of Korin that had tasked themselves with its protection, creating a sanctuary for the untouched nature and for their people going back hundreds of years.

“Just hand over the ball nicely!” A tigerman in an aviator hat and bomber jacket demanded as he, and his men, held Bora at gunpoint. “You’ve got no use for it anyway!”

“I do not care about the ball…” Bora said to the tigerman that had repeatedly come here and made threats. “But I am a guardian of this sanctuary, and I will not allow this land to be plundered.” He said sternly, staring down the tigerman that had once introduced himself as Colonel Yellow. “Begone.”

Colonel Yellow growled at Bora angrily. “I’m tired of hearing about your ‘sanctuary’!”

Bora’s expression didn’t change at the continued hostility. “There are ever fewer of you. Begone now, or you all shall die.” The warning was clear, and the Yellow Company all recalled this very man slaughtering the majority of their fellow soldiers over the last few attacks they’d made on this place while trying to retrieve the Dragon Ball.

“Father, behind you!” A small boy, not more than five-years-old, warned his father from the top of their tepee as he saw a Red Ribbon soldier aiming a rifle at his father’s back as the man stepped from behind a tree.

No one actually saw Bora throw his spear. One second it was in his hands, and before they could even blink, the spear had impaled the soldier and pierced through the tree behind him, pinning the dying man in place. The soldier could only tremble and drop his rifle to the ground as his life quickly slipped away.

“Argh! Fire! Fire!!!” Colonel Yellow roared as he fired his pistol at Bora.

The sound of machine guns, pistols, and rifles filled the air as round after round was unleashed.

“Hm!” Bora flexed, tightening his muscles across his body and practically turning himself into a wall of steel. Every bullet that hit him flattened and then fell to the grassy ground without so much as bruising the large man.

The click of more than a few guns was the end of the barrage of gunfire. All of the soldiers were once again reminded of just why this single ‘guardian’ had managed to decimate their forces over and over again.

“I have told you that your firearms are useless.” Bora said, his tone colder now as his eyes hardened.

The next instant, Bora’s large fist slammed into the face of the closest soldier. Before the dead man had even hit the ground, Bora grabbed the back of the shirt of the next closest soldier and lifted him off the ground, much like a child might lift one of their toys. The soldier flailed in the air before flying across the area in a blur, only coming to a stop when he slammed back first into a tree and a sharp ‘crack’ rang out. Another soldier that was trying to reload took a kick to the face, his feet leaving the ground as he flew through the air for several meters and crashed down hard. The second to last soldier tried to back up while going for his sidearm. Bora’s backfist sent him rag dolling through the air and he didn’t move afterwards.

Colonel Yellow cursed as he bolted towards his plane, leaving his last subordinate to die as he ran. The plane started up quickly and Colonel Yellow had it in the air in short order. “Damn it, damn it…!” He snarled as he ascended higher, wanting to make sure that he was out of range of Bora’s spear throwing.

Bora looked at the yellow plane flying away as he held the broken neck of the last soldier of Yellow Company. “He has fled…” He dropped the dead man onto the ground.

“Father!” The young boy hopped down from the top of the tepee with a bright smile.

“I am going to bury these folk. Wait here, Upa.” Bora told his son as he picked up the soldiers he’d killed and threw a couple of them over his shoulder.

Upa had long black hair, which was braided, and he wore a red and white feather at the back of his head directly above the base of the braid. Much like his father, he wore the traditional clothing of the Karinga Tribe: a tan colored buckskin vest with a blue sash and matching buckskin pants, and on his feet were a pair of moccasins similar to his father’s.

-Colonel Yellow-

“Th-This is Colonel Yellow! HQ, please respond!” Colonel Yellow said into the radio as he flew his plane away from the Korin Sanctuary. As much as he didn’t want to make this call, he had to inform his superiors of what had happened and hope that they’d send him more forces to complete this mission.

At the Red Ribbon Headquarters, one of the communications operators took the radio call. After hearing Colonel Yellow’s voice, the man quickly called over the highest officer in the room at the moment. “Staff Officer Black! We have contact from Colonel Yellow, sir!”

Staff Officer Black took the radio in hand quickly. “Report.” A few moments of almost frenzied words were barely heard by the radio operator before Staff Officer Black spoke again. “What? Everyone but you…slaughtered?” His posture changed just slightly and he spoke coldly into the radio. “You must retrieve the ball by any means necessary. If you fail, you will be erased.”

Colonel Yellow gulped loudly on his end of the radio. “I-I know… I’m sure there’s a way, I mean, uh…” He started stumbling over his words from nerves and fear.

“How dare he still consider himself part of the mighty Red Ribbon Army.” Commander Red nearly growled as he approached Staff Officer Black and held out his hand.

“Commander Red!” Staff Officer Black immediately handed the radio over to Commander Red and took a step back, knowing how much the man hated standing directly beside him due to their vastly different heights.

Commander Red took the radio, nearly glaring at it before he spoke. “Listen closely, Yellow!”

“Ack! C-Commander Red, s-sir!” Colonel Yellow nearly panicked at hearing the voice of the supreme commander of the Red Ribbon Army.

“I’m going to give you just one more hour…if at the end of that time, you still don’t have the Dragon Ball, then I’m adding you to the list.” Commander Red said with a clear and dangerous tone. “I’ve already called Taopaipai.”

Colonel Yellow nearly nosedived his plane as he physically jerked away from the radio in terror. “Tao…! Taopaipai?!”

Commander Red nearly sneered into the radio. “I’m hiring him to kill the little bastard that’s been interfering with us and to retrieve the Dragon Balls from his corpse. Killing two birds with one stone…and if you fail, you’ll be the third bird. Understand?!”

“Y-Yes, sir!” Colonel Yellow said frantically. “That Brave has a child! I’ll take him hostage and get the ball that way!” The tigerman told Commander Red over the radio. “Cut the engines and swoop in quietly…” He killed the engine, the propeller at the back of his plane going still as he used his years of piloting experience to control the glide of the plane. Spotting the child in the clearing near the base of the odd tower, Colonel Yellow angled the plane and leaned over the side, stretching his arm out to grab the boy.

Upa, not hearing the approach of the silently gliding plane over the crackling of the fire in front of him as he cooked some fish, was oblivious to the approaching danger. “I can’t wait until I’m as strong as father.” The young boy smiled, only to suddenly feel a strong grip on the back of his clothes. “Huh?!”

“Gotcha!” Colonel Yellow kicked the engine back on and pulled on the stick of the plane. The propeller whirred to life loudly and shot the plane upward, the static wheels on the bottom knocking tree leaves off one tree as it barely managed to clear the obstacle.

“FATHER!!!” Upa cried out loudly.

Bora, hearing the sudden sound of the plane so close, followed by the cries of his son, quickly rushed back to their tepee. “No! UPA!!!” He bellowed out, seeing his son in the air, hanging over the edge of the plane. “What are you planning to do to my son?!”

“Listen closely!” Colonel Yellow shouted down to Bora. “If you want your son back alive, hand over the ball! Throw the ball up to this plane! Do you understand?!”

“You are a coward!” Bora shouted back at Colonel Yellow for endangering his young son.

Staff Officer Black was listening to the transmission over the radio with Commander Red. “He might succeed this time.”

Commander Red was in a moderately better mood hearing that. “Now, we just have to deal with that brat and whoever is helping him.”

As if speaking of Goku had summoned him, one of the radar staff suddenly shouted out an update. “Commander Red, sir! The enemy is rapidly approaching Colonel Yellow’s location!”

“Fuck!” Commander Red shouted out the curse. “How is he moving so damn fast?!” His single eye watched the three glowing dots on the radar rapidly move across the huge screen towards the single dot at Colonel Yellow’s position.

Back at the Korin Sanctuary, Bora held up the familiar orange ball so that Colonel Yellow could see it. “I will surrender it to you…but you must come down.”

“Do I look stupid?!” Colonel Yellow shouted back at Bora. “You’re going to kill me, right?! Now, toss it up here!”

“I am no coward like you!” Bora yelled back at the circling plane.

Unseen by either man was the magical golden cloud rapidly approaching.

“It’s close by, Goku.” Bulma said as she shrank the Dragon Radar’s range again to give a better idea of the Dragon Ball’s location.

Goku saw the yellow plane circling one small area and narrowed his eyes. “Huh? What’s going on over there?” He guided Nimbus close to the plane quickly as he saw a small boy hanging out of it.

Bulma blinked at the sudden dangerous situation and immediately saw the Red Ribbon Army emblem on the side of the yellow plane. “It’s the Red Ribbon Army again!”

“I thought so!” Goku glared at the plane and put his hand on his Nyoibō.

“I’ve got the boy!” Bulma said as she hopped out of Goku’s lap and landed on the yellow plane.

“What the hell?!” Colonel Yellow gaped at the teenage girl suddenly on the front of his plane. “Argh!” He cried out in pain as Bulma struck his wrist with a bone-breaking chop, forcing him to drop Upa.

Bulma already had Upa in her arms before the young boy could fall. She flipped forward twice to help slow their fall, and then put her feet towards the ground.

“Nyoibō, extend!” Goku called out as he unsheathed his magical red staff and brought it down on the yellow plane. The weapon smashed through the lightweight material of the propeller plane, basically cutting it in two.

“No, no, no!” Colonel Yellow cried out as he lost all control of the plane and it went careening towards the ground at speed.

BAM

The loud crash was heard as the aircraft smashed into the ground within the forest, a cloud of dirt, dust, and various debris rose into the air.

-Red Ribbon Army Headquarters-

“We’ve lost contact…” Staff Officer Black said, shocked that in only a matter of seconds, what had seemed like their success had not only been interrupted, but the last of their forces in that region had been wiped out.

“Rrrnnnggghhh!” Commander Red lived up to his title as his entire face turned a deep red from sheer rage. “When is Taopaipai getting here?!”

-Korin Sanctuary-

“Hup!” Bulma landed on the ground safely, her knees bending to absorb the force of the fall as she safely cradled the five-year-old boy in her arms. “Are you okay?” She smiled at the scared child to ease his fear.

Upa pulled his face from Bulma’s chest and saw that he was safely back on the ground. “I…I’m okay.”

“Upa!” Bora nearly skidded to a stop next to Bulma.

“Father!” Upa leapt from Bulma’s arms and into his father’s embrace.

Bora held his son close for a long moment before carefully putting him on his large shoulder as he turned to look at Bulma and the newly arrived Goku. “Thank you for saving my son.” He smiled at them both and gave them a short bow so as not to make Upa fall.

“No problem.” Goku smiled up at the towering form of Bora. “It was all part of beating up those Red Ribbon jerks.”

Bulma smiled at Upa, who was happily sitting on his father’s shoulder. “We’re just glad that he’s okay.”

It was then that Goku noticed what Bora was holding in his hand. “Hey! That’s a Dragon Ball you’ve got there!”

Bulma’s eyes shot to the Dragon Ball in Bora’s hand. “It is!”

“Can I see it?! Please? Can I?!” Goku asked, trying not to jump in place.

Bora blinked once at the pair’s sudden excitement. “Do you two seek this sphere as well?” He handed it to Goku, now even more curious what the significance of the little ball was.

“Four…” Goku had quickly counted the number of stars. “It’s the Four-Star Ball!” He cheered loudly, raising the Dragon Ball above his head. “I finally found grandpa’s Dragon Ball!”

“Goku!” Bulma cheered and hugged him; she loved seeing the look of joy on Goku’s face now that he’d found the keepsake from his grandfather.

Upa looked at his father curiously. “Father?”

Bora looked at Goku and Bulma. “Could you perhaps explain the meaning of this sphere? These bad men have repeatedly invaded our sanctuary trying to steal it.”

“Sure thing.” Goku smiled up at Bora, still riding high on finally finding his grandpa’s Dragon Ball.

-Red Ribbon Army Headquarters ~ Later-

“I am Taopaipai, master assassin.” He was a man of average height who appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties, with small, beady eyes, a pointed nose, a small thin mustache, and his long black hair tied into a braided ponytail. He wore a pink chang pao with the kanji for ‘Kill’ on the front, over a dark purple (almost black) Chinese martial arts outfit. Unknown to most, and despite his appearance, the assassin was actually close to three-hundred years old. Having only started gaining infamy as an assassin for hire when he began taking jobs twenty years ago.

“Good of you to come, Taopaipai.” Commander Red greeted the infamous assassin while sitting in his comfortable chair at his desk. He had his smoking pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth and Staff Officer Black standing to the right of his desk.

“I must warn you in advance… My services do not come cheaply.” Taopaipai said with a flat tone.

Commander Red grinned at the warning. “If you do the job well, I’ll pay whatever you ask.” Money was no object for the Red Ribbon Army, and would be even less so after they collected the Dragon Balls and he got his wish.

Taopaipai’s expression was unchanging. “For each strike, I must receive 100,000,000 Zeni.”

Staff Officer Black nearly choked at the amount. “One…hundred million…?!”

Taopaipai ignored the taller man’s shock. “However, you’re in luck. This year happens to be my Twentieth Anniversary half-price sale. That makes a very reasonable 50,000,000 Zeni per head.”

“Th-Thank you…” Commander Red said after a second to process the sudden drop in price.

“You are the real Taopaipai, right?” Staff Officer Black asked, now suspicious from the sudden price drop from the supposed best assassin in the world.

“Would you like to test me?” Taopaipai asked, his cold eyes locking with Staff Officer Black’s. Even though the man didn’t move his body in the slightest, every single hair on both Commander Red and Staff Officer Black’s bodies rose up and their logical minds, their primate brains, and even the primitive reptilian brain all flooded their bodies with a single absolute truth.

This man was dangerous.

“O-Oh, no… No, that’s q-quite alright…” Staff Officer Black managed to force out through his suddenly constricting throat, sweat pouring down his face.

“Good. Now enough formalities. Show me my target.” Taopaipai said as he wanted to begin this assignment.

Staff Officer Black quickly had the lights dimmed in Commander Red’s office. The leader of the Red Ribbon Army took out a remote and clicked the button, a projector lit up and Goku’s picture appeared on the far wall.

“A child?” Taopaipai raised an eyebrow upon seeing the teenager’s picture. Of course, Taopaipai considered anyone less than a century old to be a ‘child’, but that was unimportant to his work.

“This is no normal punk.” Commander Red assured Taopaipai as he hit the button on the remote.

Pictures of Silver Company appeared on the screen, then a picture of the injured men that Goku had left behind. Another click and Muscle Tower was shown, followed by various pictures of the number of soldiers, the war android Full Metal Jacket, Purple and his brothers, General White, Bouyon, and then came the pictures pulled from the cameras of the aftermath of Goku’s invasion. Dead soldiers, a destroyed android, defeated ninja, the slain monster, and a dangerously damaged tower with holes blasted through the walls. Next came the pictures that Blue Company had managed to get, followed by a brief timeline of the company’s first encounter with Goku and how quickly they’d been defeated and then gone dark aside from a single radio call from the last able-bodied soldier.

Commander Red looked at Taopaipai seriously. “All of this has happened in only a matter of days! That’s why I’ve called you here.”

“Feh… Crushing ants is no impressive feat.” Taopaipai scoffed at the damage that had been done to the Red Ribbon Army. “I crave a worthy opponent, but I suppose this one will have to do.”

“So, you’ll take the job?” Staff Officer Black asked for confirmation.

Taopaipai looked vaguely annoyed. “As long as I receive my payment, I will erase whomever you want.”

“Very professional.” Commander Red grinned at the ruthlessness. “Ah, by the way… The little punk should have four orange spheres with red stars on him. We’d appreciate it if you could just bring those back with you as well.”

“They look like this.” Staff Officer Black showed Taopaipai the Seven-Star Ball as an example.

“Hmm…” Taopaipai looked at the strange gem for all of a second before losing interest.

“If anyone else gets in your way, feel free to kill them too, no matter how many.” Commander Red said, wanting to ensure that the retrieval of the Dragon Balls was a complete success.

Taopaipai looked down into Commander Red’s eyes. “Very well, but who I kill while eliminating the actual target is entirely up to me. However many heads I take, you will pay the price for them, understood?”

Commander Red nodded quickly, sweat starting to run down his face, his heart thundering in his chest. ‘Shit, did he think I was trying to take advantage of him with that last request?!’

“The location is a place called ‘Korin’, about twenty-three-hundred kilometers northeast from here, correct?” Taopaipai asked to be certain of the location of the target.

“We have a jet prepared for you, sir.” Staff Officer Black said as he motioned down the long covered balcony that they’d moved to while talking. “Please, follow me.”

Taopaipai shook his head once. “That will not be necessary. An airplane will take too long.” He stood in front of one of the many pillars that held up the roof over the large balcony. “May I have this one pillar here?”

“The pillar?” Commander Red looked confused by the request. “What do you mean?”

With a small hop, Taopaipai jabbed the top of the pillar with his index finger. He landed from the hop and his leg kicked out, the tip of his kung fu shoe lightly tapping the stone pillar near the bottom. “Hup.” He casually pulled the solid stone pillar from where it had been, the spots where he’d struck cleanly broken.

“Eh?!” Commander Red and Staff Officer Black exclaimed in shock.

“Twenty-three-hundred kilometers, mmm…” Taopaipai said as he adjusted his hold on the stone pillar, looking as if he was about to throw it. “Well then, I should be back in thirty minutes or so.” He threw the pillar at blurring speeds away from the balcony. “Hyoh!” He vanished in a blur, only to land easily on the flying pillar, being carried over the horizon to the stunned gazes of both Commander Red and Staff Officer Black.

“W-What a terrible fellow…” Staff Officer Black uttered out in disbelief of what he’d just seen.

“Bwahahaha! It’s as if we’ve got those Dragon Balls in our hands already!” Commander Red laughed loudly at the display of Taopaipai’s strength.

-Sacred Land of Korin-

“Hmm, so all seven together summon the Dragon God to grant one wish?” Bora had never heard of such a legend, but both Goku and Bulma had explained what they knew of the Dragon Balls and their own experience with them. It had been a somewhat lengthy story, but one that he and Upa had both been glad to hear. “That makes the desire of these evil men quite obvious.” He had guessed that such men had been up to no good, of course, but with the power to have any one wish granted by a Dragon God…Bora shuddered to think what such people would ask for.

Goku pointed to the stone pole sticking out of the ground and rising so high into the sky that the top couldn’t be seen. “What’s that long thing sticking out of the ground over there?” It had made him curious earlier, and now that his and Bulma’s story was finished, it seemed like the right time to ask.

Bora smiled at the tower fondly. “That is the Sacred Tower of Korin that extends to the heavens. It is said that anyone who can climb the tower to its top with their bare hands will find a hermit master at its summit. If one drinks the holy water proffered by the holy being, their strength will be multiplied manyfold.” He patted Upa’s head with a proud smile. “My tribe are the guardians of this totem pole and have defended this sacred land for generation upon generation.”  

“Wow! That’s cool!” Goku beamed up at the tower, seeing it disappear above the clouds. “Have you ever climbed it, mister?”

“I challenged it once when I was young, but I did not succeed.” Bora chuckled at the memory; having been so high in the air that he could touch clouds before his body just couldn’t go any further. “I do not think that anyone has made it to the top.”

Bulma looked up towards the top of the tower. “It must be insanely tall. But couldn’t people get to the top with a plane?”

Bora shook his head once. “It is said that those who do not climb with their own strength will be punished by the divine being for their dishonesty.”

“That figures.” Bulma sighed a little. It made sense, from a mystical martial arts viewpoint, and she’d be lying if she said the thought of the challenge didn’t spark her Saiyan instincts. “Not like anyone would risk being knocked down from the top if they cheated.” A fall like that would turn anyone into blood mist splattered across the ground.

Goku looked at Bulma with a big grin. “Hey, Bulma, after we find the Dragon Balls, you think we should come back and try climbing this tower?” He looked so excited by the idea of an unconquered challenge that Bulma couldn’t help but laugh.

“If Bora allows it, then sure, why not?” Bulma shrugged with a giggle.

Bora smiled at the two that had saved Upa’s life. “You are friends of the Karinga Tribe, you will always be welcomed here. I look forward to the day that you two attempt to reach the top of Korin Tower.”

“Great!” Goku beamed at Bora, looking forward to the challenge after they’d gotten the Dragon Balls and made their wish for Launch.

None of them could have known of the danger that was fast approaching them in a most unconventional way.

-End Chapter-

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Goku and the girls certainly woke up nicely this morning! Hehehe~

But now it’s back to training for Kale and Caulifla!

Bulma and Goku head out to continue the hunt for the Dragon Balls and find the Four-Star Ball! Woohoo!

Unfortunately, their constant thwarting of the Red Ribbon Army’s attempts to collect the Dragon Balls has gotten on Commander Red’s last nerve.

Taopaipai has been hired to take Goku’s life!

But with Bulma with him, will things play out the same way as they did in Canon? Can Taopaipai take on two Saiyans at the same time? What will happen to their wish for Launch if Taopaipai kills someone?

Keep reading to find out!

Power Levels

Goku – 187

Bulma – 164

Krillin – 162

Roshi – 170

Launch – 5

Caulifla – 150

Kale – 153

Until I get your reviews, later!