Tien didn't react to the girl's nervousness. He stayed calm, watching her closely. There was something familiar about her — and he was sure of it.
"…Are you Mai?" he asked finally.
His tone was casual, but his smile was amused. He already knew the answer. He was just confirming it with her.
Mai froze.
She didn't like hearing her name from him. She knew who he was. Tien Shinhan — the three-eyed martial artist. One of Goku's people.
They were all freaks with insane powers, and this one wasn't a small-timer.
"I am Mai," she said forcibly. "What do you want from me?"
Her voice was strong, but it was forced. Tien wasn't just some weird martial artist. He had been the world champion once.
She'd seen his championship fight. Even in Goku's group, he was one of the most dangerous.
The fact that he was standing here meant trouble.
Tien nodded. "Thought so. I knew I recognized you."
He crossed his arms, not threatening, just polite.
"Good to see you, Mai."
He smiled, a little.
"I found you just in time. I need a favor."
Mai narrowed her eyes.
"I'm looking for Pilaf," Tien said. "I've got a proposal for him."
That got her attention.
Tien looked around the area and then back at her. "Didn't know where to start looking. Lucky for me, you showed up."
He was right. Mai had always been close to Pilaf. If she was in the area, then Pilaf had to be nearby.
In other timelines, Mai's role was much bigger. She wasn't just Pilaf's partner — she was also Trunk's girlfriend, and a fighter in the ruined future world.
She survived the Androids. She lived through Zamasu's purge of humanity. She even stood against Goku Black with nothing but a shotgun.
She never had great powe, but she always had courage.
But in this timeline, she was still Pilaf's shadow — and just as loyal.
So when Tien said he was looking for her boss, her eyes hardened fast.
"No!" she snapped.
Tien blinked.
"I won't tell you where Lord Pilaf is," she said firmly. "You're here to kill him. I won't let that happen."
Her body tensed. She didn't back down.
"We tried to get rid of your group more than once. Now you're here. You must want revenge."
Tien looked confused for a second.
"Kill him? What? I told you—I'm here with a proposal."
"I'm not here to hurt anyone. Trust me."
But Mai didn't believe a word of it. Her hand went to her coat and pulled out a compact blaster.
She fired.
Bang!
Tien tilted his head. The bullet missed.
She shot again. And again.
Tien didn't even flinch. He barely moved. He just leaned slightly, stepped aside, dodged with ease. Every shot missed him cleanly.
"You really think that's gonna work?" he asked, bored.
Mai's hands were shaking as she reloaded.
She kept firing anyway.
Bang! Bang!
Tien's expression didn't change. He wasn't even trying. He was just casually avoiding them. No energy or effort.
Finally, he let out a breath.
"What a waste of time."
Then — he vanished.
Mai gasped.
Thud!
Her back hit something. She spun around, and Tien was behind her.
She froze.
"Lady, you need to listen," he said, serious now.
"I'm not here to kill Pilaf. If I wanted him dead, I wouldn't talk. I'd blow up this whole area."
His energy flared for a second. It was heavy and immensely pressurized the whole area.
"I'm strong enough to destroy the moon. You think your little hidden base would stop me?"
"So stop wasting my time, and take me to him."
Mai felt it now. His energy was unbelievable up close. He was right. If he wanted to kill Pilaf, it'd be over already.
Maybe he really wasn't here to kill him?
Still, she hesitated. Just for a second.
"…Okay," she said finally. "I'll take you to Lord Pilaf."
CRASH!!
A loud noise came as a military vehicle smashed through a tree and skidded across the ground.
"MAI! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU!!"
A voice yelled. A small dog-headed man in a purple outfit jumped from the car, trembling as he aimed a massive missile launcher.
This was Shu.
Pilaf's second-in-command.
"Let her go, monster!"
Mai's eyes went wide. "Shu—NO!"
Whoosh!
She spoke too late. The missile fired with a violent blast, sending Shu rolling backwards from the knockback.
The missile rushed through the air toward Tien.
Mai's heart stopped.
"I'M STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO HIM, YOU IDIOT!!"
She screamed. But the missile was already coming.
This wasn't some cheap explosive. Pilaf had designed it himself. It had more firepower than Earth's military weapons. One shot from it could destroy almost anything.
Tien didn't move, he just lifted a finger.
"Dodon Ray."
A thin beam of energy shot out.
It pierced the missile cleanly. Then passed near Shu's head, burning his ear just enough to make him scream and roll around in pain.
The missile fell apart mid-air. The pieces dropped to the ground like useless scrap.
Mai was frozen.
That missile was their strongest shot, and Tien didn't even break a sweat.
"You two are starting to get on my nerves," Tien muttered.
Mai panicked. She ran forward and grabbed his hand.
"Please! Don't kill us! I'll take you to Lord Pilaf! Just don't hurt him!"
She was done trying to fight. There was no winning this.
Shu looked shocked, but didn't say anything. If Mai was surrendering, he'd follow her lead.
Tien didn't respond.
He grabbed Mai with one hand.
Before she could react, he grabbed Shu too—lifting them both like they were nothing.
Then—
BOOM
Tien blasted off into the sky.
They were flying, rapidly going upwards.
The wind roared around them. The clouds whipped past their bodies, the ground turned into a blur.
Shu flailed in the air. "W-WAIT! I—I DON'T LIKE HEEEIGHTS!!"
Mai clung to Tien's arm, eyes wide in panic.
"H-Hey! Y-You're not gonna—! You're not gonna drop us, right?!"
Then they both felt it.
Tien's grip loosened, he looked down at them.
No words.
No smile.
Just that quiet look.
Like he was thinking about something.
Like maybe… letting go.
Mai's heart dropped into her stomach. Shu whimpered, his ears twitching.
They were still going higher.
And now—they weren't sure if they were going to make it back down.
Advanced chapters ahead on patréon
www.patréon.com/ImagineMaker