Hearing Goku's words, Krillin was stunned.
"What?!
Goku, what are you saying? We came here to help you!"
Tien's eyes narrowed.
"I get it… He wants to fight Demon King Piccolo one-on-one, fair and square. That's why he told us to stay back."
Krillin swallowed hard.
"What? A fair one-on-one with Piccolo?
What is Goku thinking? Does he think this is still the World Martial Arts Tournament?!"
Yamcha stared at Piccolo from up close, sweat rolling down his forehead.
"Look at him… Piccolo is using some kind of secret technique. I can feel his power rising!"
Krillin nodded.
"Yeah… even the ground is shaking."
Seeing that the three of them still hadn't retreated, Goku shouted,
"Get away from me! Don't interfere with my fight!"
All three of them were startled and immediately backed off.
At that moment, Piccolo finally finished powering up.
He laughed wildly at Goku.
"Hehehe… Why did you send them away? Wouldn't it be better with a few helpers?"
Of course, Goku had chased them off so they wouldn't become hostages.
But even without that concern, it was nearly impossible for that to happen given the difference in power.
Goku faced Piccolo and took his stance.
"Come on. Attack me.
Let me see just how strong you really are."
Piccolo grinned viciously.
"So even if I go all out, you won't complain?"
Goku nodded calmly.
"Yeah. Bring it."
Piccolo swung his arm.
A violent gale exploded toward Goku.
Sand and stones were ripped from the ground as a storm of dust swallowed everything.
But in the center of the storm, Goku stood unmoved.
Tien sucked in a cold breath.
"Terrifying… just waving his hand has that much power?"
Krillin said quickly,
"Don't worry. Look at Goku—he hasn't even budged. That kind of attack can't touch him."
Yamcha gulped.
"I think I know why Goku told us to get away…
If we were any closer, the shockwaves from their fight alone would kill us!"
Krillin and Tien felt their hearts jolt, then both nodded in silence.
Seeing Goku still standing firm, Piccolo didn't panic.
He laughed.
"That was just a warm-up. Now prepare to die! You're about to experience the terror of my full power!"
Goku crooked his finger at him.
"I'm giving you a chance. Hurry up and attack.
You old guys sure like to drag things out…"
"Bastard!"
Piccolo roared as his aura surged violently.
In the next instant, he charged forward and threw a devastating punch.
It was even faster than before.
Goku's eyes flashed.
His instincts told him to dodge—but he remembered he wanted to take Piccolo's full-power blow, so he didn't move.
However, Piccolo aimed straight for his face.
Goku still raised his arm.
Piccolo's fist was blocked—but the impact felt strangely weak.
That was his full power?
Goku was confused—and disappointed.
Then Piccolo suddenly burst out laughing.
"You're finished!"
In a split second, Piccolo whipped his leg around in a savage roundhouse kick and slammed it into Goku's back.
BOOM!
Goku was blasted into the ground like a cannonball.
A deafening explosion followed.
The earth collapsed, forming a massive crater over ten meters wide, with Goku lying at its center.
Krillin cried out in shock.
"Goku!"
Tien was drenched in sweat.
"D-Did he lose…?"
Piccolo stared into the crater, panting heavily.
"Hahahahaha!
That felt amazing! He went down in one hit!"
"I knew it! There's no one in this world who can defeat me, Demon King Piccolo! Hahaha!"
Then—
Goku stood up.
He brushed the dust off his clothes, looked up at Piccolo, and smiled.
"Hey, Piccolo… I already told you to go all out."
"That hit just now? I let you land it on purpose."
"So what are you laughing for?"
Piccolo's pupils shrank.
"That's impossible…
You took my full-power blow—how are you not even injured?!"
Goku kept brushing the dirt off as he walked toward Piccolo.
Seeing him unharmed, Tien and Krillin burst with excitement.
Tien gasped.
"That's insane… He took that kick and didn't even flinch!"
Krillin nodded furiously.
"Yeah! Goku is unbelievably strong now!
If I'd taken that, I'd be dead. But he's totally fine—this is amazing!"
Yamcha wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Goku… he's not human. He's a monster."
Krillin and Tien both looked at him.
"What do you mean?
You mean he's monstrously strong?"
Yamcha shook his head.
"No… I mean literally."
"When he was a kid, I once tried to rob him.
He told me to shoot him with a rocket launcher—and if I didn't, he said he'd kill me."
"I thought he was crazy."
"But when I actually fired it at him… he wasn't hurt at all."
"That's when I realized—he wasn't crazy. He was a monster."
Krillin's eyes went wide.
"What?! You actually tried to rob Goku?!
It's a miracle you're still alive!"
Yamcha laughed nervously.
"Yeah… after that I never robbed anyone again. I focused on training instead."
"That's how I ended up under Master Roshi."
"I thought I could become as strong as Goku someday… but instead the gap between us just keeps getting bigger."
Krillin swallowed.
"Same here… I trained three years on Karin Tower, thinking I'd caught up to him."
"But watching him fight Piccolo now… I realize the distance between us isn't smaller—it's huge…"
Goku stopped in front of Piccolo.
Despite being over two meters tall, Piccolo was forced back several steps by Goku's presence alone.
He gritted his teeth.
"What… what are you?"
Goku smiled gently.
"Honestly, that kick earlier really did hurt."
"So try harder."
"If you can show me a power that satisfies me… maybe you won't have to die."
Piccolo's eyes flashed.
Instead of calming down, he grew furious.
"Bastard… what are you saying?!
You're saying I might be spared if I perform well?"
"Are you pitying me?!"
"I am Demon King Piccolo!
Do you think I would accept your pity?!"
Goku raised his fist.
"Then show me your power."
"If you can't even make this fun for me… I'll tear you to pieces."
Piccolo roared.
"The one who'll be torn apart is YOU!"
He suddenly launched a sneak attack, swinging a kick at Goku.
Goku dodged and countered—
But Piccolo kept up, striking back just as fast.
Their fists and legs collided in a blur.
In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged countless blows.
Tien stared in awe.
"This… this is insane…
At this level, I can't even interfere anymore…"
Krillin clenched his fists, eyes locked on the battle.
"Goku… you have to win!"
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