Broly and Master Roshi wasted no time.
They quickly rushed toward the area where the explosion had just occurred.
What they saw was a small charred crater.
Around it were scattered pieces of burnt green flesh and tissue, broken into tiny fragments.
The air carried a strange smell of burned protein.
At the edge of the crater lay two orange spheres with star patterns on them.
They stood out clearly against the blackened ground.
They were the two Dragon Balls that Demon King Piccolo had swallowed.
"This guy… explodes after dying?" Broly scratched his head in confusion.
"What kind of strange setting is that?"
"I don't know," Roshi said, shaking his head.
"Demonic creatures are always mysterious."
But Roshi quickly pushed the question aside.
Right now, the Dragon Balls were what mattered.
He immediately walked forward carefully and picked up the two Dragon Balls.
After wiping the dust off them, he finally smiled in relief.
"Good! They weren't destroyed!"
"Now Goku and Krillin can be revived!"
"Yeah," Broly nodded.
"At least this trip wasn't pointless."
Broly didn't particularly care who was revived.
As long as it didn't interfere with his eating and sleeping.
The Seven Dragon Balls Gather Again
The two of them returned to the place where the other five Dragon Balls had been buried.
Roshi quickly dug through the soft soil and retrieved them.
All seven Dragon Balls were finally gathered together.
In the dim evening light, the stars inside them faintly glowed.
"Broly," Roshi said.
"Go call Chiaotzu and Tien Shinhan over."
Broly didn't object.
He turned toward a large rock nearby that had been used as cover.
Then he shouted casually:
"Chiaotzu, you can come out now."
"It's safe."
Chiaotzu: "..."
After a brief silence—
Chiaotzu's small white figure slowly floated out from behind the rock.
His wide eyes were still full of fear.
He looked at Broly the way someone might look at a prehistoric monster.
The scene he had witnessed earlier—
Broly casually killing Demon King Piccolo and destroying the airship with his corpse—
had left an unforgettable shadow in his mind.
Demon King Piccolo…
That terrifying monster…
was killed like a toy…
Who exactly is Broly…?
What About Tien Shinhan?
"Where's Tien Shinhan?" Broly asked casually.
"Is he okay?"
Roshi scratched the back of his bald head awkwardly.
"Well… about that…"
"I sprayed him with some special sleeping gas earlier."
"I didn't want him charging recklessly at Demon King Piccolo."
"So he's probably still sleeping back there."
"Oh! Tien!" Chiaotzu suddenly remembered.
He quickly floated back behind the rock.
Soon he found Tien Shinhan lying on the ground.
Tien looked perfectly peaceful.
His breathing was steady.
He was sleeping very deeply.
"Tien! Tien! Wake up!"
Chiaotzu gently slapped his face.
"Ugh…"
Tien frowned.
His three eyes slowly opened.
They were still blurry with confusion.
"Chiaotzu…?"
"What happened?"
"My head feels heavy…"
Then suddenly his memory returned.
He sat up quickly and looked around nervously.
"What happened to Demon King Piccolo?!"
"Did Master Roshi succeed?!"
"Demon King Piccolo… might be dead," Chiaotzu said awkwardly.
"Dead?"
Tien froze.
Then he suddenly looked enlightened.
"Ah! I understand!"
"He must have been sealed with the Evil Containment Wave!"
"As expected of the God of Martial Arts!"
"Master Roshi turned the situation around at the last moment!"
"Not exactly…" Chiaotzu shook his head quickly.
"He wasn't sealed…"
"He was… beaten to death."
"Beaten to death?" Tien blinked.
Then he nodded thoughtfully.
"Master Roshi truly hides his strength!"
"He must have used his real power!"
"When he fought me in the World Martial Arts Tournament, he was definitely holding back."
"His strength and generosity toward younger fighters are truly admirable!"
"No, no… that's not it…" Chiaotzu waved his hands desperately.
But he didn't know how to explain the absurd truth.
The Memory Before Tien Fainted
"Wait!" Tien suddenly said.
"I remember something!"
"Right before I lost consciousness…"
"I think I saw Broly suddenly run out…"
"And slam Master Roshi's head into the ground!"
Tien frowned deeply.
"What was that about?"
"Was he controlled by Demon King Piccolo?"
"Did he betray us?"
Chiaotzu felt like his brain was overheating.
"Uh… Tien… it's a bit complicated…"
"I'll explain everything later."
"Let's go outside first."
"Master Roshi and Broly already gathered the Dragon Balls. They're waiting for us."
Chiaotzu pointed outside.
Although Tien still had many questions, hearing that the Dragon Balls were gathered was enough.
Supported by Chiaotzu, he slowly stood up.
His legs were still weak.
The effects of the sleeping gas hadn't fully worn off.
His head felt heavy.
And walking felt like stepping on cotton.
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