Now that he'd figured out the monster's weakness, Goku fired a ki blast at the outer wall beside it.
BOOM!
The wall blew open.
Freezing arctic wind came roaring in.
The pink monster took the brunt of it— frost instantly spread across its soft skin.
Goku's lips curled into a grin.
"Ha! So I guessed right— cold really does work!"
Then the freezing wind hit him too, making him shiver.
"Brr… damn, it's cold. I need to finish this fast."
He swung the Power Pole down with all his might.
CRACK!
The monster's once-elastic flesh, now frozen stiff, could no longer absorb the impact.
With Goku's overwhelming strength behind it, the blow shattered the creature into pieces.
Inside the command room, General White was dumbstruck.
"My monster… it's dead…!"
"He's coming up here— I have to do something!"
A desperate idea struck him.
White rushed over, grabbed the village chief, and jammed a reinforced pistol against the man's temple.
After destroying the monster, Goku grabbed Eight and flew through the hole his Kamehameha had made, straight back to the top floor.
When they reentered the command room, White was holding the village chief hostage.
"Don't move!" White screamed. "Take one more step and I'll blow his brains out!"
Goku frowned.
"You're really stubborn, aren't you? I'm already standing here— can't you see how this ends?"
Eight pleaded softly,
"General White… please. Stop this."
White snarled.
"What did you say, you useless traitor?! I'll deal with you later!"
The village chief, despite the gun at his head, shouted,
"Don't worry about me! Kill him!"
"Only then will the village truly be safe!"
Goku blinked.
"Huh… You've got guts, old man. No wonder the villagers were willing to risk their lives for you."
He cracked his knuckles, smiling.
"In that case, I'll do what you said."
White panicked.
Before he could speak, the chief hurriedly added,
"…But if possible, I'd still like to live."
White finally let out a breath of relief.
"That's more like it! Good, kid— turn around. Face the other way!"
Goku turned his back.
BANG!
White fired.
The bullet hit Goku… and bounced off.
Goku turned back slowly, the gun still pointed at him.
In the next instant—
Goku vanished.
Before White could move the gun back to the chief, Goku was already in front of him, gripping his wrist like a steel vise.
White went pale.
No matter how he struggled, he couldn't budge that small hand.
Goku smiled.
Then—
BOOM!
White was punched straight through the wall, his body flying out of Muscle Tower and crashing into the snowy wilderness below.
Cold wind rushed in through the broken wall, making Goku shiver.
"Damn, it's freezing…"
"Oh right— my coat's still on the first floor!"
He shot straight down through the building, grabbed his coat, put it on, and returned with the village chief and Eight.
Together, they went back to the village.
That night…
Bulma, Goku, and Eight all stayed at Snow's house.
Her father had also returned safely.
To celebrate the village's liberation, they cooked a feast— even steak was on the table.
The moment Goku saw the food, he went all out.
Snow's mother smiled nonstop, constantly piling more food onto his plate.
Snow rested her chin in her hands, watching him eat.
"He's amazing… he eats so much…"
Bulma laughed.
"That's amazing now? Eating a lot?"
Snow nodded seriously.
"Yes! He eats a lot… and he's amazing!"
Snow's father chuckled.
"That's right. You need to eat a lot to be strong."
"Our village is at peace thanks to Goku. Eat as much as you want— there's plenty!"
"Thanks!"
Goku happily took another plate of steak and kept eating.
Something felt odd to him.
The village chief had been rescued.
Muscle Tower was destroyed.
Yet the system's quest still hadn't completed.
What was missing?
But the food was too good— he decided to think about it later.
The village chief said gratefully,
"Everyone in the village is overjoyed. We really don't know how to repay you."
Snow's father added,
"Still, destroying one tower isn't enough. The Red Ribbon Army is enormous."
"If you want to deal with them for good, Dragon Balls are the key."
"But have you found the one near here yet?"
The chief shook his head.
"They searched for so long and still didn't find it. Gathering all seven won't be easy."
Bulma took out the Dragon Radar.
"With my genius tech, it's easy."
"But it's dark now. We'll search tomorrow."
She pressed a button— then froze.
"Huh?"
Everyone looked at her.
"What's wrong?"
Bulma frowned.
"This is weird… Earlier today, the radar showed a Dragon Ball near Muscle Tower."
"But now it's gone. Only the one we're carrying is showing."
"Did something eat it or something?"
Android Eight suddenly spoke.
"It's on me."
He opened his jacket and lifted part of his chest.
A Dragon Ball was nestled inside.
Bulma's eyes widened.
"Wait— Eight, why do you have a Dragon Ball in you?"
Eight explained,
"I found it while I was outside once."
"But I overheard White say that once he got the Dragon Balls, he planned to kill all the villagers."
"So I hid it inside my body."
Everyone was stunned.
"What?!" Snow cried. "He was going to kill everyone?!"
Eight nodded.
"I heard it myself…"
Bulma swallowed.
"That bastard… so cruel."
Goku clenched his fist.
"So that was his plan…"
"Looks like the Red Ribbon Army really is beyond saving. I'll make sure to deal with them properly."
The village chief looked at Eight with deep gratitude.
"You're incredible, Eight. A truly good person."
"I've decided— you should live in my home."
Eight blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes," the chief nodded. "My wife and I live alone. Having a young man around would help a lot."
Bulma smiled at him.
"Congrats, timid android. You can finally live peacefully in the village."
Eight lowered his head nervously.
"But… I'm an android."
The village chief smiled warmly.
"So what?"
"You're more human than any of those heartless monsters."
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