Dragon Ball Roshi

This ki, is it really that guy? If it is, then how did Kakarot's ki suddenly become so strong? If it's not, then that's even stranger... What is that roar?

Thinking this, Piccolo stopped. This distance... should be enough.

Ssss...

He parted the grass, his sharp vision and hearing allowing him to see far into the distance. Moreover, the scene ahead was so clear that even someone with poor eyesight could tell what was going on.

I... What is this?!

Piccolo's eyes widened in shock as he looked at the giant black ape in the clearing. His astonishment was beyond measure!

This giant ape, its ki was exactly like the one he had sensed earlier, very similar to Kakarot's... but... how could it be such a terrifying giant ape? Suddenly, Piccolo remembered the tail that Kakarot had... Could it be? Is this giant ape Kakarot's true form?

"Roar..."

The giant ape let out a low growl, its eyes red with fury. The thundering sound of it pounding its chest was like a hammer on a drum, resonating in Piccolo's ears. Suddenly, the giant ape looked directly at Piccolo's hiding place, its massive mouth gathering intense white light—

Damn! This maniac!

Piccolo's heart raced with fear, his temples throbbing, the suffocating sensation of death hanging over him. But... he could clearly see a human standing at the giant ape's feet. Looking at the figure from behind, Piccolo could never mistake it. It was none other than Mutaito's disciple, Taro, the despicable guy who had nearly killed him twice!

Because of this, Piccolo dared not make any noise. When hiding, he didn't dare to unleash too much ki, nearly getting blasted by the giant ape's attack. Piccolo tumbled, rolling several times, and when he looked up amidst the flames, he saw... Where did that despicable guy go?

"By the way, as a Namekian, your hearing is sharp. When I warned Master Mutaito, you should have heard it... How did my words manage to find a flaw in your mind, causing you to fall into an illusion?" A faint voice came from behind.

Piccolo's pupils contracted. He turned around in shock—sure enough, it was Taro!

When?!

The speed was beyond Piccolo's imagination. A surge of life-and-death crisis surged in his heart... But after the deep fear, he bizarrely became calm: now that he had been discovered, and it seemed there was no place to escape, and he couldn't defeat him... The only option left was to stay calm.

So, Piccolo coldly said, "Who would've thought you could resort to such despicable methods back then?"

Taro shook his head and waved his hand, saying, "Stand up and talk. Stop trembling like that. Also... as long as you don't anger me, I won't kill you, for now." He pondered for a moment and then added with a faint smile, "Who would've thought?"

"Why don't you kill me?" Piccolo took a deep breath, standing up and forcing down the panic in his heart.

"You're only just born, you haven't done anything evil yet. Why should I kill you?" Taro raised an eyebrow, his smile faint as he looked down at the shorter Piccolo.

Piccolo was young, but with a wicked nature. Taro's words made him respond defiantly, "What if I start doing evil right now? Would you kill me then?"

"You can try, and see if you make it past the second second." Taro replied flatly.

Although his tone was calm, Piccolo could hear the chilling murderous intent in it... He had no doubt that Taro meant every word. Just judging from the speed he had displayed earlier... and suddenly, Piccolo remembered something. His face turned pale: "You already noticed I came out of the stone, didn't you? If you were really as strong as you say, how could you not detect my ki?"

His mouth twisted bitterly. He should have figured it out sooner... He probably knew all along, but had been lying to himself, thinking that the other couldn't see him, that he was hiding well and could take it easy, without constantly worrying.

Piccolo's legs suddenly buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, his face pale. But suddenly, the pair of feet before him disappeared. He looked up in surprise, but Taro had already vanished. Slowly turning his head, he saw that Taro had returned to the giant ape's feet in the distance.

"Master, are you going to teach him martial arts?" The giant ape actually spoke, its voice deep like thunder, rumbling with a powerful vibration.

Taro looked up and smiled. "Goku, you're awake?"

"I... huh?" The giant ape had revived Son Goku's consciousness. He was fully aware now, but only then did he realize his situation. Looking at his palms, they were huge, furry, and monstrous. He placed a finger beside Taro, comparing it, and found that one of his fingers was... this massive?

The giant ape was overjoyed. "Master, I did it! I've succeeded!"

Taro smiled. "How do you feel?"

The giant ape stood up straight and clenched its fists. "I feel... full of power!" It grinned, revealing its blood-red mouth. The voice was thunderous, but the tone was innocent. "With this, I won't hurt anyone, right? Hehe..."

The giant ape looked around. Although it was nearing dusk, in his vision, the sky was a deep black, and the sun was a bright full moon, creating a serene atmosphere.

Taro looked up and thought of the so-called "Super Saiyan Four", a form not widely recognized by many. The transformation condition seemed to be restoring sanity while maintaining the giant ape form. He pondered for a while and then stared into Son Goku's eyes, speaking softly, "It's dawn, Goku, wake up…"

"Uh..."

The giant ape's body stiffened, and its massive form suddenly shrank. Its fur vanished, and its body became leaner, eventually turning into a small, muscular boy with a monkey tail.

Son Goku, feeling drained, nearly collapsed to the ground, but Taro caught him just in time. With the natural energy cleansing his body, his fatigue eased slightly. Son Goku grinned and looked down, noticing his clothes had returned to normal, surely due to his master's magical transformation.

From behind the distant bushes, Piccolo's eyes were fixed on them, a mix of shock and suspicion in his heart. Today had been a whirlwind of events, leaving him with a complicated and unspeakable feeling.

---

Thus, Piccolo remained "lurking" in the woods of the Muten Island.

Son Goku and Krillin continued their daily training without fail, waking up before dawn to practice. They ran through the wooded area around the island. Compared to when they first started, they now moved with ease, though their clothes were incredibly heavy. They had grown accustomed to this kind of long-distance running...

"Hehehe..." Son Goku giggled.

"He's still following us?" Krillin asked with a knowing look, running alongside Son Goku and speaking in a low voice.

"Yeah," Son Goku shouted. "Let's pick up the pace!"

"Alright!"

Whoosh, whoosh! The two of them sped up, moving ahead.