Piccolo's ruthless attack on the audience enraged Goku. In an instant, he moved at high speed and unleashed a flurry of blows.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Piccolo staggered back, his body shaking from four consecutive punches.
"Damn bastard!" Piccolo roared, humiliated. The Great Demon King could hardly believe he'd been struck so many times by Goku's fists.
As the smoke cleared, Bulma finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
"Thank goodness Goku reacted in time. Otherwise, we'd have been finished."
"Y-Yeah! Yeah!" Oolong stammered, nodding furiously.
He had been scared half to death, certain he was going to die just now.
With one final strike, Goku sent Piccolo flying. The demon king crashed backward several meters before halting midair. Hovering above the arena, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, eyes bloodshot with fury.
"Damn you, Goku! This Demon King will see you dead!"
Energy gathered in Piccolo's palms, crackling with power.
"What is he trying to do?" Yamcha asked in disbelief.
"This is bad," Tien Shinhan said grimly. "From that angle, he's going to fire a Ki blast straight at us."
Krillin's face paled. "Goku…"
On the arena floor, Goku waved his arm urgently. "Everyone, get out of here! Don't stay close!"
Following his warning, Tien Shinhan, Krillin, Yamcha, Master Roshi, Bulma, and the others all retreated hundreds of meters away. The announcer had already hidden himself far in the distance.
After finishing his charge, Piccolo pressed his hands together and unleashed a massive energy wave.
"Die, Son Goku!"
Facing the attack, Goku remained calm. He brought his hands together, a brilliant white light gathering in his palms.
"Kamehameha!"
The two energy waves collided, shaking the entire arena.
"What?! My full-power blast is being blocked?!" Piccolo's eyes widened.
Unwilling to yield, he poured in more power.
Goku did the same, his Kamehameha surging stronger and stronger.
The clash grew fiercer, sparks and shockwaves ripping through the sky. For ten long seconds, neither side gave in.
Then, Goku's energy slowly began to overwhelm Piccolo's wave.
"Impossible!" Piccolo screamed as his blast was pushed back, inch by inch, faster and faster.
With one final burst of power, Goku's Kamehameha completely consumed Piccolo's attack—then engulfed the demon king himself.
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the arena. Smoke and debris filled the air, scattering in every direction.
Coughing, Krillin waved his hand to clear the haze. "Did Goku win?"
"I'm not sure," Tien Shinhan said tensely. "Let's wait and see."
Everyone held their breath as the battlefield slowly became visible.
In midair, Piccolo reappeared—his clothes torn, body bloodied, arms crossed over his head to shield himself.
On the ground, Goku remained steady, still in the stance of releasing the Kamehameha.
A faint smile crossed his lips. "Not bad, Piccolo. You actually withstood my attack."
"Bastard!" Piccolo snarled, clenching his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms. His rage burned hotter than ever.
He descended back into the arena, standing face to face with Goku.
"To be honest," Piccolo growled, "this Demon King never imagined your power could be this great. But don't think you can defeat me yet."
"Is that so?" Goku's smirk widened. "But your breathing is already heavy. Do you still think I can't beat you?"
Piccolo froze. Goku was right—his breathing had become rougher after that Kamehameha. But his fighting spirit hadn't diminished.
Meanwhile, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien Shinhan regrouped with Master Roshi and the others.
"Master Roshi!" they all greeted in unison.
Roshi nodded gravely, eyes on the arena.
"Did you notice? Even after such an intense exchange, both Goku and Piccolo's breathing is remarkably steady. That only proves how much energy Goku still has in reserve."
The others finally focused on Goku's aura—and their jaws dropped. His Ki was still surging, full and unwavering, as though he hadn't fought at all.
"Is this really Goku?" Tien Shinhan muttered in disbelief. "His opponent is the Demon King Piccolo, yet he's this composed?!"
"Goku's become so strong, it's unreal," Krillin admitted bitterly. Compared to the past, the gap between them had become crushing.
Yamcha clenched his fists, then let them fall. He knew he would never catch up. Goku's strength was beyond reach now.
What they didn't know was that Goku's true power was even greater. Though his weighted clothing suppressed his battle power to 340, his real strength was closer to 430.
Against an enemy like Piccolo, this battle wasn't even enough to make him break a sweat.
Piccolo, furious at Goku's composure, lunged forward and threw a vicious punch.