Chapter 122: Temporary Breakthrough!
A breakthrough—it's a temporary breakthrough!
A glint of sharp light flashed through Yamcha's eyes as he firmly engraved the scene before him into memory.
Unlike the Saiyans who grow stronger through battle, this was similar to many protagonists in online novels—breaking through under immense pressure, during moments of intense emotional upheaval, entering an entirely new realm of strength.
Their power would grow alongside this kind of breakthrough!
Just like the Turtle and Crane disciples in front of him.
Maybe this was even some sort of racial talent unique to Earthlings...
However, the data collected so far was insufficient to support that as direct evidence.
"Little Turtle, Little Crane!"
Their transformation naturally caught Master Mutaito's attention. He couldn't help but turn around, surprised, to look at his two disciples.
"If you've got time, you'd better worry about yourself, old man."
King Piccolo was not someone who would just stand idly by and watch. Clearly, he wasn't one to fight with honor either.
All ten of his fingers fired laser-like blasts, striking Mutaito directly and effortlessly. The latter, caught off guard, failed to defend in time.
Ambushing an elder?
Honestly, even if he hadn't been off guard, he still wouldn't have been able to withstand Piccolo's attacks.
Then Piccolo flicked his finger—an invisible force struck Mutaito hard, sending the martial arts master flying like garbage.
Before Mutaito could even get up, Piccolo flicked again. Mutaito was sent flying once more. Piccolo didn't give him a single moment to breathe.
Attack after attack, ki blasts rained down on Mutaito until not a single joint in his body remained unscathed.
The gap between them was simply too vast. The techniques that Mutaito prided himself on meant nothing in the face of such overwhelming power. He was being toyed with.
And the moment Piccolo grew bored of the game... would be the end of Mutaito's life.
Meanwhile, high above the Earth, atop the lookout tower just above Korin Tower, the newly appointed Guardian of Earth stood nervously at the edge, watching the battle below.
Seeing Master Mutaito being utterly crushed by Piccolo, he clenched his fists tightly.
It was all his fault. All his fault for coming up with the method of separation to assume the position of Kami.
It wasn't wrong to expel his evil thoughts, but he had underestimated just how vast those evil thoughts were—and how much of his own strength they had taken with them.
Now, he was no match for Piccolo.
He could only place his hopes in the people below.
"Sobana, Subazhuang…"
King Piccolo, having easily defeated Mutaito, now wore a grim expression as his gaze swept over the corpses of his "children," then landed on the gasping young Turtle Hermit and Crane Hermit.
"You killed my children. Your lives end here."
He raised his hand, gathering power, and swung it toward them.
"Die!"
A massive surge of energy exploded forth.
"Not good!"
Mutaito, forcing himself to his feet, tried to intervene—but it was too late. His body was gravely wounded, and even at his peak, he couldn't have stopped such a deadly strike from King Piccolo.
Piccolo curled his lips into a wicked smile.
This is the fate of those who dare challenge King Piccolo.
A cloud of smoke and dust obscured the view.
But when the smoke cleared, the smug smile on King Piccolo's face instantly vanished.
The expected scene of torn limbs and bloody corpses never appeared.
Everyone was completely unharmed.
Dragon Ball rule: if there's smoke, there's no death.
"Impossible!"
King Piccolo knew better than anyone just how powerful that attack had been. It should've been more than enough to wipe out an entire town, let alone a few people.
"So scary. That was really terrifying—such a powerful blast. I could barely block it."
A voice rang out. King Piccolo turned to the sound and saw a stranger—a young man—patting his chest with a frightened expression.
His instincts screamed that this man was the one who had blocked his attack.
"Who are you?"
King Piccolo's face darkened as he stared at Yamcha. "When did you get here?"
At the same time, he silently grew wary. He hadn't noticed this person's arrival at all.
Had he let his guard down because of his earlier arrogance?
"Just a martial artist... who fights for fun."
Yamcha replied as he stretched out his arms.
"I've been here the whole time. Never left."
King Piccolo was as knowledgeable about sensing energy as Kami. He could understand ki deeply.
And yet... he hadn't sensed Yamcha's presence at all.
That was thanks to the technique Zetsu—a method from Nen that hides one's aura, making others subconsciously ignore you. Compared to the Dragon Ball method of suppressing ki, it was even more effective. One could even say, in exaggeration, that it allowed you to lower your very presence.
It's the favorite technique of all master schemers.
Of course, it only lowers presence—it doesn't make you invisible. If you stand in front of someone, they can still see you. Also, once you attack, your presence is revealed.
"I acknowledge your strength. How about it? Want to join the Demon Clan? I'll give you half the world."
King Piccolo still couldn't gauge Yamcha's full strength, so he made a tentative offer.
Unaware that his credibility with Yamcha was absolutely zero.
In the original story, when that weird trio fished him up from the ocean and tore open the rice cooker seal to release him, King Piccolo had also promised to share half the world if they freed him.
Once freed? He took their Dragon Radar, their spaceship, got help to regain his youth—and then?
Tossed them aside like trash.
He was the evil expelled from Kami's soul—the darkest of dark. Pure evil.
Trusting his word? You might as well believe pigs can climb trees.
And most importantly...
Yamcha wasn't interested in half the world.
"Master Mutaito, drink this."
Yamcha ignored King Piccolo and instead walked over to the heavily injured Mutaito, helping him up and handing him a bottle of Moo Moo Milk.
"It's you!"
The young Turtle Hermit and Crane Hermit cried out in unison. Now fully conscious, they realized the person who had given them the milk and hints earlier—was Yamcha.
Before they could express their gratitude, Mutaito, having regained some strength, spoke:
"Take them and leave. Even you are no match for this monster."
"I've thought of a way to deal with him."
Let me charge up for a big burst...
(End of Chapter)