The sky changed without warning.
Not only did the entire venue turn dim and oppressive, a restless panic spread through the stands.
"What thick clouds…"
"What's going on—rain?"
Everyone lifted their heads.
Bulma scanned the rolling dark clouds, stunned. "The forecast didn't say anything about rain. Why did the clouds come in so fast?"
Launch stared upward too, equally baffled. She clicked her tongue. "Damn it… why now? If it rains, will the tournament even continue?"
Violet narrowed her eyes at the sky, her expression tightening.
"What… is that? There's something up there."
The crowd followed her gaze toward the air above the ring.
"I can't see clearly… is it a helicopter?"
"It's getting bigger—something's falling!"
A few seconds passed. The shape grew nearer, sharper, clearer.
Green skin. Bare chest. Scales along the body. Wings spread behind his back.
And when Goku finally saw the face, his heart snapped into place.
"Tambourine."
He'd come half an hour earlier than expected.
But he came right here—right in front of Goku.
That meant one thing:
If Goku erased him now, then Krillin wouldn't die.
A flicker of joy flashed in Goku's eyes.
Bulma frowned. "A green-skinned freak… why would him showing up bring clouds? For a second I thought someone summoned Shenron."
Tambourine looked down at Goku and Krillin on the ring—then turned his gaze across the crowd surrounding the arena. His grin stretched wide.
"Heh… so all the strong ones are gathered here. Perfect timing."
The referee hurried forward, trying to stop him.
"Sir! Please don't land here—you'll disrupt the match!"
Tambourine's eyes hardened.
"Annoying. Die."
Twin beams shot from his eyes.
The lasers screamed toward the referee—
But Goku moved instantly. He shoved the man aside, saving him by a hair.
The beams slammed into the ring, blasting two deep craters into the stone.
The referee and nearby spectators froze, faces drained.
Whispers scattered through the crowd.
"Who is that?"
"He really came to cause trouble at a place full of高手? Is he insane?"
Master Roshi's face went pale beneath his sunglasses. A buried terror crawled up his spine.
Green skin… wings…
"N-No… don't tell me…"
Tambourine noticed Goku's quick save and laughed, surprised.
"Heh. Quick reflexes. You've got some skill."
Goku lifted his gaze, smiling lightly—almost pleased.
"I should thank you… you showed up at the best possible time."
Tambourine blinked, confused. "What?"
Roshi rose trembling, sweat forming on his forehead. His voice shook as he stared Tambourine down.
"Who are you… and what do you want here?"
Tambourine threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahahaha! So someone still remembers the Demon Clan!"
He spread his arms proudly.
"I am Tambourine of the Demon Clan, sent by Demon King Piccolo to wipe out any martial artists who might threaten him!"
Most ordinary spectators didn't understand that name. Some even snickered.
"Demon King Piccolo?"
"What kind of goofy name is that?"
But Roshi had lived through that era.
He knew what that name truly meant.
He was already drenched in sweat.
Tambourine's gaze locked onto him.
"You old man seem to know who I am… then I'll start with you."
He opened his mouth—
A blast of energy screamed straight toward Roshi's section.
That side of the stands wasn't empty.
Bulma, Launch, and Violet were all there.
If that hit, they'd be erased in a single breath.
Screams erupted.
In desperation, Roshi raised his hands, preparing to intercept—
But the moment the blast was about to connect—
It exploded midair.
Smoke swallowed the space.
And when the dust thinned—
No one was hurt.
Everyone—including Roshi—stood there stunned.
"What… happened?"
Tambourine stared too, momentarily thrown off.
Then the smoke cleared completely, revealing Goku standing in front, arms crossed—thin trails of smoke curling off his forearms.
Tambourine's expression twisted into recognition.
"So it's you."
His grin sharpened into something ugly.
"You blocked me twice… you're dead."
He lunged.
One hand became a claw, aiming straight for Goku's vitals.
But the instant Tambourine came close—
Goku's right hand shot out like lightning and caught his wrist.
His left fist drove upward—
A hook straight into Tambourine's chest.
CRACK.
The sound of bone breaking was so clear it silenced the crowd.
Tambourine flew back, eyes wide with disbelief.
"H-How…?!"
He scrambled up, trying to counter—
But before he could even fully stand—
Goku blurred.
Like a flash.
He seized Tambourine by the head, drove a knee into his abdomen—
Tambourine's eyes bulged, bloodshot, nearly popping from their sockets.
Then Goku flung him upward into the air above the ring—
And fired a single, compact blast.
BOOM.
Tambourine's body detonated midair, shredded into chunks—gone in an instant.
Smoke billowed.
Bits of flesh rained down.
Some people erupted into raw cheers.
"Brutal…"
"Nice!"
"Kill that kind of troublemaker!"
But far more—shaking civilians—could only back away in terror.
"H-He killed someone… run!"
"He killed a monster—why are you running?!"
As the smoke cleared, the ground was littered with torn flesh and purple blood.
Among the pieces, several talisman papers fluttered down—each stamped with the bold character:
"魔"(Demon).
And the moment Tambourine died—
The sky brightened.
The dark clouds dissolved as if they'd never existed.
"What—why is it sunny again?"
"That thing… what was it? It could change the weather?!"
Goku looked up too, frowning.
A thought stabbed into his mind:
Did Demon King Piccolo already gather the Dragon Balls?
But that didn't make sense. With Pilaf's radar, they shouldn't be able to do it quietly without causing a stir. Bulma's radar was the only one precise enough to sweep the world efficiently—
Then the last scraps hit the ground.
The audience finally saw it clearly: torn meat… fragments… even an eyeball.
Faces went white.
"So… disgusting…"
"T-That was too bloody…"
And Goku's smile was gone now.
Because even though Tambourine disappeared in an instant—
Something far worse had just announced itself.
The Demon Clan had returned.
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