As Goku and Yuka chatted at their table, two men sat closely at the next table over, pretending to converse while discreetly listening in.
The men kept their faces hidden behind menus, subtly glancing over every so often. One of them held a small device in his hand, which emitted a faint, rhythmic beeping.
"The radar indicates one of the balls is here in this very restaurant," one man muttered under his breath.
His partner nodded slightly. "Just keep it cool, we need to identify who has it first."
The men discreetly observed the other patrons, until they noticed a girl taking out an orange ball. She showed the boy sitting across from her before tucking back in her shirt.
"Bingo, it's the girl," the first man whispered. "We'll grab her as soon as we get the chance." He then quickly pulled out a phone to report in.
"Yes, we've located the dragon ball in the Kamakura region," he spoke in a hushed tone. "A teenage civilian girl has it in her possession."
The voice on the line responded. "What's the situation there? Crowds?"
"Yes sir, the restaurant is occupied with various civilians eating," the man reported, peeking over at Yuka and Goku's table. "The girl seems to be dining with a young boy."
Just then, the boy started to stretch, his tail unfurling behind him in plain view. Both men froze in shock.
"Uh...command? The boy the girl is with, he's not exactly normal. He has a...a tail sir," the agent stammered.
"A tail?!" The voice shouted. "Give me more details about this boy, now!"
The man winced at the volume. "Apologies sir. He appears to be in his early teens. He has wild, spiky black hair that sticks out at odd angles. And the tail is long with brown fur."
A pause. "Stand by for further instructions, agent."
A few tense minutes passed before the voice returned. "Do not engage the targets. Observe covertly and report any new developments."
"Understood command, we'll monitor the situation," the agent affirmed before disconnecting the call.
After a while, the boy started to head out. One quickly pulled out his phone again to give an update.
"Command, the target boy has just left the building, over."
The voice on the line responded promptly. "Understood. Teams are already in position outside to intercept the boy."
"Your orders now are to approach the girl and retrieve the dragon ball from her by any means necessary. Make sure not to cause a disturbance. Report back once obtained."
Kurama sat pensively in the backseat of the black sedan as it sped towards the restaurant. He still could hardly believe the news - after nearly 5 years, the mysterious-tailed boy had resurfaced once again. What were the chances they would detect his presence now, after so long with no traces?
"I must admit, I did not expect him to simply turn up out of the blue like this," Kakuzawa said, astonishment in his voice. Especially after we only recently discovered his existence. How do we know it's him?"
Kuruma sat back. "The agents reported his physical features - the wild, spiky black hair and brown furry tail. He appears to be a teenager now, which would make sense."
"Do we even know his name?" Kakuzawa asked.
"They overheard the name 'Goku' used, though it's likely an alias. The Diclonius Queen referenced him as 'Kakarot' in the past," Kuruma replied.
Kakuzawa pondered aloud "What about this boy's tail...what possible purpose could it serve?"
Kurama shook his head "We still remain ignorant for now. Aside from the obvious abnormality, the child himself is an enigma to us."
"Still, it must hold some significance beyond the mere quirk of nature," Kakuzawa murmured.
"No doubt its secrets shall be unveiled once secured into our custody," Kurama replied coolly.
Kakuzawa's eyes narrowed "And if, as you theorize, the boy proves connected to the Diclonius bloodline...might he too possess vectors?"
Kurama tapped his chin "A valid concern. The risk cannot be discounted. We must proceed with utmost caution regarding the subject since we don't know what we are up against. We are proceeding with limited intel."
"I advise immediate detention and transport to a controlled facility." Kakuzawa stated, "It is the safest path until we unravel his capabilities."
"Agreed. Take him unharmed if feasible, but lethal force is authorized if met with resistance." Kurama commanded.
Kakuzawa nodded solemnly "We will capture him, by any means necessary. The boy's unique genetics may prove vital to our research."
"See that they do. His secrets will belong to us soon enough." Kakuzawa smiled coldly.
As they continued speculating about Kakarot, Kurama's mind turned to the matter that had led them to the boy in the first place - the peculiar dragon ball artifacts.
The Director's keen interest in locating the orbs was unexpected and frankly suspicious in Kurama's eyes. But it was not his place to question the motives behind the mission.
Inwardly, Kurama wondered what value the Director saw in the mystical balls. Did they possess some hidden power or purpose?
And was there a connection between the artifacts and this mysterious-tailed boy who had appeared in their vicinity? Too many puzzles surrounded both matters.
For now, Kurama kept his doubts to himself as the car neared the restaurant. Capturing Kakarot took priority - perhaps then some light could be shed on these questions.
Kurama and Kakuzawa continued speculating about the target boy as the car sped along. Finally, they pulled up a block away from the restaurant.
"We're in position. Deploy the teams immediately," Kakuzawa ordered into his radio. "Block any other civilians from entering or leaving the restaurant."
Armored tactical agents swiftly converged on the restaurant perimeter, taking up concealed positions around the entrances.
Kurama approved the efficient preparation. "Good coverage. He won't slip past unnoticed when exiting."
"Indeed. Now we monitor and wait for the boy to emerge," Kakuzawa said, peering intently at the restaurant doors. "Be prepared to move in."
The agents all nodded, weapons trained on the exits, ready to spring the trap on their elusive target.
Minutes ticked by as they silently stood watch. Then finally, the doors swung open and a figure stepped out. Immediately the radio crackled to life.
"Target sighted! All teams, intercept!" Kakuzawa commanded. The hunt was back on.
As Goku stretched his arms up, Yuka's gaze fell on the long, furry brown tail unwinding from his waist.
"Goku, why do you still wear that fake tail after all these years?" Yuka asked in amusement.
Goku blinked. "Fake tail? What do you mean?"
"Come on, stop joking around," Yuka said with a laugh. "I still don't believe that tail of yours is real."
"But it is real! Here, look." Goku unfurled his tail fully and swayed it back and forth.
Yuka's eyes widened slightly. The tail moved so fluidly, almost naturally. She shook her head. No, it had to be some sort of trick.
"Okay, very funny Goku. Now seriously, why do you still wear that costume tail? Don't you get problems wearing that thing all the time?" she asked again.
"Well, when people grabbed my tail, I used to lose all my strength." Goku then scratched his head, perplexed. "And I told ya, it's my actual tail! Why won't you believe me?"
What if it was real? But that was impossible. People don't just have monkey tails.
Feeling a little awkward, Yuka tried changing the subject. "So, uh, how's the food here? Pretty tasty right?" she asked, not wanting to dwell any further on the tail.
Goku blinked in confusion at Yuka's obvious discomfort about his tail. "Huh? Oh yeah, the food here is great!" he said, brightening up.
He finished up the last bit of noodles from his plate. "Your mom runs an amazing restaurant. Tell her thanks for the meal for me!"
Yuka relaxed a bit, glad to be back on normal conversation ground. "I'll let her know. She'll be really happy to hear you enjoyed it."
Just then, Yuka's mother walked over to check on them. "How are we doing over here? Can I get you kids anything else?"
Yuka shook her head. "No thanks, Mom. I think we're all set." She started gathering her belongings to leave.
Goku grinned up at Yuka's mom. "Everything was super tasty! I can't wait to come back and eat here again."
"You're very welcome, dear." She smiled warmly at Goku before leaning down to whisper loudly to Yuka. "Now don't forget to get his number before you leave!"
"Mom!" Yuka flushed red with embarrassment. Goku just laughed, oblivious as always to the teasing implication.
Goku stretched and stood up from the table.
"Well, I should probably get going. It was awesome seeing you again, Yuka!" he said, giving her his usual cheery grin.
Yuka smiled back warmly. "It was great seeing you too, Goku. Feel free to stop by for food anytime."
"For sure! I'll be back tomorrow for more food," Goku promised. He waved goodbye to Yuka as he headed out of the restaurant.
As Goku stepped outside into the sunny afternoon, he pondered where he should go next.
"Hmm, I should find a place to stay while I'm in this town," he thought. "Maybe I could camp out in the woods again."
As Goku strolled casually down the street, pondering where to stay, he gradually noticed how strangely empty the area seemed. No other people were walking about or cars passing by. He scanned his surroundings warily.
Goku's senses suddenly went on high alert. Something wasn't right here. He slid into a balanced fighting stance, muscles tensing.
Before he could react, dozens of heavily armed soldiers poured from the alleyways, rooftops, and vehicles. Goku found himself encircled by cold, uniform stares and the muzzles of countless firearms.
"W-what the? Who are you guys?" Goku exclaimed, completely bewildered by the sudden ambush.
One soldier stepped forward, brandishing a baton. "You are ordered to surrender immediately into government custody. Comply now or we will use lethal force."
Kurama then spoke up. "Surrender peacefully, kid. This situation doesn't need to end in violence." His tone was calm but firm.
Goku's eyes narrowed. "Hey, I didn't do anything wrong! What's going on here?" He shifted to stay light on his feet, ready to defend himself.
Kakuzawa answered this time. "All your questions will be answered if you come along obediently. Resist further, and we will be forced to order your termination."
Goku shook his head in frustration. "I didn't do anything to you guys!"
"The choice is yours, boy," Kurama stated coldly. "Final warning - stand down or die."
The soldiers' fingers twitched on triggers as they awaited the order. Goku could tell these strange people didn't mean well. He tensed, ready to fight his way out if forced. He was surrounded and outnumbered, but he'd never give up without a battle.
The first wave of soldiers rushed in swinging batons. With lightning reflexes, Goku weaved through their strikes, landing crushing blows to their stomachs and temples that dropped them moaning to the ground.
Kurama's eyes widened slightly. The boy moved with astonishing speed and precision for one so young. He somewhat knew of these abilities but to see it in person was astonishing.
More soldiers attempted to grab Goku from behind. He twisted with inhuman agility, breaking their holds and slamming them down hard.
"Sir, non-lethal measures are ineffective! Requesting live ammunition," a squad captain reported to Kurama.
Kurama didn't want it to come to this but things weren't looking good. "You may use it."
The soldiers opened fire, filling the air with bullets. Goku evaded the barrage with superhuman speed, twisting past ricocheting rounds. A few grazed his limbs, tearing his clothes but failing to slow him down.
Kurama watched in disbelief as Goku fluidly avoided another hailstorm of bullets, leaving the soldiers firing futilely at empty air.
"Impossible...he's evading shots even at this range," Kurama muttered. "His reaction speed exceeds anything on record."
Goku wove through the barrage with grace, never seeming to get hit. The few projectiles that graze him barely slowed his counterassault.
Kakuzawa turned to Kurama, brows raised. "And to think there might be more of his kind out there."
Kurama kept a strong gaze at the boy. "That's why the capture of this boy is necessary. It seems our fears are true. This kid is a danger, we cannot allow him to roam free."
Seeing an opening, a sniper on the rooftop aimed at Goku's back. He grinned and fired. Goku jerked as the bullet impacted square between his shoulders, knocking him stumbling forward. The soldiers paused, waiting to see him collapse.
Instead, Goku straightened up, rolling his shoulders. "Hey! No fair, that stung a little," he complained, more indignant than hurt.
Kakuzawa and Kurama exchanged shocked looks. By all rights, that blow should have incapacitated him instantly. He is bulletproof too? Just what was this child? Even with the precautions they took, they underestimated this kid's abilities.
Now irritated at being shot, Goku fought relentlessly against the never-ending waves of soldiers. No matter how many he took down, more emerged to surround him.
Panting, fists clenched, he knocked out two more soldiers with a spinning kick combo. Three tried to grab him from behind, only to be hurled brutally over Goku's shoulders.
Kurama observed Goku's limitless stamina with growing unease. He sighed reluctantly. "Bringing him by force is too hazardous currently. We shall have to change strategies."
The squad leaders ordered their remaining men to pull back as Goku demolished the latest platoon. Bodies littered the area, groaning or unconscious.
Confused, Goku lowered his fighting stance slightly. The remaining soldiers were withdrawing cautiously rather than closing in further.
As the soldiers pulled back, Goku turned his attention to the two men who seemed to be commanding them.
"Hey, you two! Why don't you tell me what's going on here?" Goku called out. "Why did all these guys attack me? What do you want?"
"Did you have to resist? Your actions here only confirm you are a danger to those around you," Kurama said coldly.
Goku frowned in confusion. "What? You guys attacked me! I was just defending myself."
Kurama scowled. "Your combat capabilities exceed anything we've encountered. Uncontrolled, you pose a grave threat."
"Threat? I'm not trying to hurt anyone!" Goku protested. He didn't understand why they saw him as dangerous.
Kurama's eyes narrowed. "Your intentions are irrelevant. You must be contained before innocent lives are put at risk."
He took a step toward Goku. "But it is not too late. Turn yourself over to us, peacefully. Make this easy on both of us."
Goku stood his ground defiantly. "No way! I'm not going anywhere with people who tried to capture me for no reason."
Kurama sighed, shaking his head. "Very well. Have it your way, for now, boy. But this pursuit is far from over."
Kakuzawa on the other hand turned to Kurama. "This attempt was miscalculated. We aren't going to be able to capture this boy today."
Kurama's jaw clenched. "We must press the attack before he vanishes! This may be our only opportunity."
Kakuzawa held up a hand. "The fault lies with us for underestimating his abilities. We shall be more prepared upon our next encounter."
"There may not be a next time!" Kurama insisted through gritted teeth.
"You place too much importance on the child himself," Kakuzawa said dismissively. "I've got information we already obtained the artifact, which was our highest priority."
"You mean the dragon balls?" Kurama's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of the dragon ball, that mysterious orb he still understood so little about.
When Kakuzawa mentioned an artifact, Goku's curiosity was piqued. "Hey, what are you guys talking about? What artifact?" he called out.
Kakuzawa gave him an icy look. "That is none of your concern."
Goku frowned, but then noticed two men exiting the restaurant holding a familiar orange orb - Yuka's orange ball!
Alarm shot through him. Now it made sense - they must have been referring to Yuka's orange ball.
"Stop! That ball belongs to my friend!" Goku shouted urgently. "How did you get it? You took it from her, didn't you?"
The agents didn't even glance his way as they loaded the dragon ball into an armored truck.
Goku's hands clenched into fists. He didn't know for certain, but deep down he knew these people had taken it against her will.
"Give that back right now!" he demanded. But the agents ignored him.
Who these people were, and why did they want him and Yuka's dragon ball? And he wasn't going to get them by prolonging this fight. This has gone on too long, he needs to end this now.
Yuka was walking around the restaurant after Goku had left, still serving customers. Suddenly she heard her mother call her name.
Looking over, she saw her mom standing with two stern-faced men dressed all in black. As Yuka approached uncertainly, the men's gaze fixed upon her.
"You're the girl who had the orange orb, correct?" one man asked abruptly. "Show it now."
Puzzled, Yuka slowly took out her dragon ball from her bag. "How do you know about my orb? Who are you?" she asked timidly.
Yuka clutched the dragon ball tightly as her mother turned to the men. "Im confused too. Why do you want my daughter's orb so badly?" she asked nervously.
"We wish to take it off your hands for a...generous compensation," one man replied.
Yuka and her mother both quickly shook their heads. "It's not for sale," Yuka said. "It belonged to my grandfather."
The man nodded to his partner, who spoke up. "One million yen for the orb. A more than fair price."
Yuka's mother gasped, her eyes going wide. That amount of money was life-changing. She turned to Yuka hesitantly. "Dear, maybe we should..."
"No!" Yuka cried. "Grandpa gave it to me. I won't sell it, no matter what."
The men exchanged an impatient look. One reached out and grabbed Yuka's arm in a vice-like grip. "Enough stalling. Give us the orb, now."
Yuka whimpered in pain and fear. Her mother's expression hardened. "Let go of my daughter! She said no already."
The man released Yuka, who cradled her arm. Her mother pulled her close protectively.
"I think you gentlemen should leave," she said firmly. "We're not interested in your offer."
After his partner grabbed Yuka's arm, one of the men held up a hand apologetically. "Pardon my overeager colleague. It's just we are on a tight schedule."
He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a thick envelope. "To make amends, we will double our offer. Two million yen for the sphere, no questions asked."
Yuka's mother paused, staring at the envelope. That amount of money could change their lives. But Yuka shook her head adamantly.
Seeing their hesitation, the man pressed on. "Come now, it's just a trinket to you. Why refuse such generosity for an ornament?"
Yuka's mother frowned uncertainly. "If it's worth so little, why do you want it so desperately?" she asked. "Just what is this orb to make it so valuable?"
The man pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Then he and his partner pulled out official-looking badges from their suit jackets.
"Very well. We are government agents tasked with retrieving your orb," he stated bluntly. "Refusing us could be unwise."
Yuka and her mother looked at the badges with widened eyes.
"However, make this easy and the generous compensation remains on offer," he continued. "We will obtain the sphere today one way or another. But you can still profit."
"W-why do you want my orb so badly?" Yuka stammered, clinging to her dragon ball.
"Classified," the agent responded coldly. "Now hand it over, girl. Don't make us take it by force."
Yuka shrank back behind her mother, who tried to shield her daughter with her body. Both were visibly frightened by the intimidating agents.
"Please, she's just a child," Yuka's mother pleaded tremulously. "This orb is her prized possession."
The agents were unmoved. "Final warning. The sphere, now." One man reached threateningly toward his waistband.
With a whimper, Yuka finally held out the dragon ball in shaky hands. As soon as one agent grabbed it, she retracted her hands as if burnt.
"Atta girl. Was that so hard?" the man said condescendingly. "You may see payment later on this day." He nodded to his partner and they swiftly exited the restaurant.
After the intimidating agents left with Yuka's dragon ball, she and her mother stood trembling, trying to process what had just happened.
Yuka blinked back tears, devastated that her grandfather's gift had been taken so cruelly. It wasn't fair!
As she struggled not to cry, Yuka gradually became aware of faint popping sounds coming from outside the restaurant. She and her mother exchanged puzzled glances.
"What is that noise?" her mother wondered aloud.
Peering out the window, Yuka noticed several police cars parked nearby, officers moving around urgently. The pops sounded almost like...gunfire.
Her mother hurried over to the restaurant entrance, where patrons were murmuring nervously. Officers were standing guard by the doors, preventing anyone from exiting.
"I'm sorry folks, we have a situation out there you shouldn't get involved in," one officer explained gruffly. "Please stay inside for now."
Yuka and her mother looked at each other anxiously. What was happening?
Trying to stay calm, Yuka continued waiting tables, acting as if everything was normal. The pops and shouts from outside made it difficult, but she pushed down her anxiety.
A little over a minute later, the door chimes jingled as someone entered the restaurant. Yuka looked up and gasped.
"Goku?" Yuka cried, immediately rushing over to him. "What are you doing back here? I thought they weren't letting anyone back in."
He seemed a little roughed up, his clothes torn and dirt smudged on his face. But otherwise, he appeared unharmed. And clutched in his hand was her orange ball.
Yuka's eyes widened as she noticed this. "Wait, is that my ball? How did you get it back?"
Goku rubbed his neck bashfully. "Well, I noticed some dudes with it, and I didn't think you just gave it away."
Goku held the ball towards her. "I wanted to return this to you since it seemed so important."
Yuka looked at him with concern. "Are you in some kind of trouble, Goku?"
He grinned reassuringly. "Nah, everything's fine! I'm just helping a friend."
Yuka smiled back, hugging the dragon ball close. "Thank you so much, Goku. I don't know how I can repay you for this."
"No need for that! Though I could go for more food tomorrow," he said with a laugh.
Yuka giggled. "Of course! You're welcome anytime."
Goku gave her a thumbs up. "Great! And remember Yuka, if you ever need help, I'll be there."
"See you tomorrow," Yuka yelled out as Goku started to leave again.
Kurama had a hard gaze. "A complete disaster..."
Kakuzawa frowned, facing the harsh reality of their failure. "He even took the dragon ball back."
Kurama's eyebrow twitched. "Does he still have it? We could track his location using the radar."
"No," Kakuzawa replied grimly. "The radar indicates it has been returned to the restaurant. He must have given it back."
Kurama scowled. "We'll gather our forces and retrieve it tomorrow then. For now, the boy is the priority."
Kakuzawa nodded slowly. "Finding him today was pure luck after so many years of searching. He could disappear again for another five years."
"But now we know he's still somewhere in Kamakura after all this time," Kurama said determinedly. "We'll just have to work with the local police again."
"At the very least, we have a better understanding of his capabilities," Kakuzawa mused. "We witnessed his speed and strength firsthand. Next encounter, we will be more prepared."
Kurama's gaze was cold. "No visible vectors though. There is a chance he doesn't have them as original though or at least didn't show them."
"Bullets had no effect either," Kakuzawa noted. "We will need to utilize heavier firepower. Do we have any insight into weaknesses?"
Kurama leaned forward intently. "The agents in the restaurant did overhear the boy mention his tail being a vulnerability."
Kakuzawa raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. We will have to investigate that further."
Director Kakuzawa slammed his fist on his desk as the report came in. "You failed to retrieve the dragon ball from Kamakura? That should have been the simplest to obtain!"
The agent stood rigidly. "There were...complications, sir."
"Explain," Kakuzawa demanded sharply.
"A young child intervened and took back the sphere. He possessed abnormal speed and strength."
Kakuzawa's eyes narrowed. "A Diclonius?"
"No sir. We confirmed the child was male. And he had a tail."
Kakuzawa froze. "A tailed boy defeated trained soldiers?"
The agent nodded uneasily.
"And why am I only being informed of this boy's existence now?" Kakuzawa thundered.
The agent trembled. "W-we only just encountered him ourselves, Director. It seems he has been laying low in the area."
Stroking his chin slowly, Kakuzawa leaned back as his mind raced. A boy with a tail capable of such feats - this was an enthralling new development.
"Learn everything there is to uncover about this child," he ordered the agent briskly. "We will adjust our strategy appropriately once I know exactly what we are dealing with."
The Kakuzawa let out a heavy sigh as the agent left his office.
King Piccolo sat waiting on a throne as Director Kakuzawa stood before him.
"I must know," Piccolo commanded. "How has the collection of the Dragon Balls progressed?"
Kakuzawa spoke up. "We already have one of them collected and headed directly to Japan. Not to mention the ones we are so close to getting."
"Good," Piccolo rumbled. "But make it swift. I have waited long enough."
Kakuzawa then hesitated. "There has been a...complication with the orb in Kamakura." He quickly described the tailed boy who had intervened.
Piccolo's eyes narrowed angrily. "A child halts my plans?" Dark energy crackled around him.
Sweating, the director stammered on. "We may need some additional aid in dealing with this obstacle..."
"Enough," Piccolo growled, making the director flinch. The Demon King stayed silent before finally speaking again.
"Very well."
Goku had decided to camp out in the woods nearby. As morning sunshine filtered through the trees, he awoke feeling hungry.
Remembering the food from yesterday, Goku decided it would be a good time to go to Yuka's family restaurant right now.
As he approached the building, however, Goku felt a sense of unease. He tried to look around for any signs of trouble but didn't see anything or anyone.
His stomach rumbled again, but food was the last thing on Goku's mind now. He slowly opened the door to the restaurant.
He froze in shock at the scene before him. There was a green, winged creature with pointed ears holding Yuka up by her collar. She grasped desperately at his arm, pleading.
"Let me go!"
In his other clawed hand, the monster held Yuka's dragon ball. Goku's shock turned to anger. "Hey! Put her down, now!" he yelled.
Goku could also see Yuka's unconscious mother nearby, surrounded by debris that seemed to be from an explosion.
Yuka's head turned, eyes widening. "Goku, help!" she cried out to him.
The creature glanced over at Goku, looking more annoyed than concerned by his demand. He didn't loosen his grip on Yuka.
"I said let her go!" Goku shouted again, fists clenched. He wasn't sure what this monster was, but he knew he had to save Yuka.
The creature just scoffed. "A child? What do you want? This doesn't concern you." His grip on Yuka tightened threateningly.
Yuka struggled in the creature's grasp, kicking at him, but he was immovable as stone.
Goku dropped into a fighting stance, rage burning through him. "Last chance! Let her go!" he warned.
The monster grinned. "As you wish."
The creature roughly tossed Yuka onto the floor in front of him. She let out a yelp as she crashed down and rolled a few feet.
Before she could get up and run, the creature's mouth opened wide, and a yellow beam of light shot out in her direction.
She only had time to widen her eyes in fear before the beam of light fully engulfed her body.
"Yuka!" Goku cried out but got no response. She was just gone.
"You killed her!" Goku yelled, muscles tensing as he glared at the beast before him.
The creature shrugged nonchalantly. "So? She was just a human. I did her a favor ending her meaningless life."
Goku shook with rage, hands balling into tight fists. "You'll pay for this! I won't let you get away with hurting Yuka!"
The monster looked utterly bored by Goku's threat. "If it's a beating you want, I'm happy to oblige," it sneered.
Goku charged at the creature, unleashing a furious assault of punches and kicks. But the monster deftly evaded them all, his lips curled in a condescending sneer.
"Is that the best you can do? Pathetic," Tambourine taunted. He delivered a lightning-fast strike that sent Goku crashing into the wall.
Goku peeled himself out of the rubble, wincing in pain but undeterred. With a mighty yell, he flew at the creature again, who merely sidestepped the headbutt attempt.
"Humans are so fragile and weak," Tambourine gloated, punctuating his words with hard blows to Goku's body. Goku struggled to defend himself against the onslaught. "You all deserve to die."
Goku's rage reignited. "I won't let you hurt anyone else!" he shouted defiantly, throwing a heavy punch.
The creature caught his fist easily, squeezing hard enough that Goku cried out. "Foolish boy. You are no match for me."
Goku has never been in a real fight before, especially against such a strong opponent. Every punch, every kick he threw was effortlessly shrugged off or dodged. This monster was utterly dominating him.
But Goku couldn't give up. Not with Yuka mercilessly killed in front of him. He had to make this creature pay, no matter what.
Letting out a yell, Goku cocked back his fist and punched the monster right in its chest with every ounce of strength he had. The impact resounded like a clap of thunder.
Yet the creature didn't even flinch. An amused grin spread across his face. "Nice try, boy. My turn."
Moving almost casually, the winged beast backhanded Goku across the face. The sheer force sent the boy rocketing backward.
Battered and bruised, Goku collapsed onto his hands and knees, struggling to catch his breath. No matter what he tried, this monster kept knocking him down effortlessly.
As Goku slowly staggered back to his feet, the monster's gaze fixed on his furry brown tail. "Ah, so you're the little monkey boy who's been causing trouble."
He shook his head condescendingly as Goku swayed, barely able to stand. "You seem a lot weaker now though. What a waste of my time."
Goku glared defiantly, refusing to back down. "Why are you doing this?" he asked the creature with a strained voice.
The creature sighed. "I'm bored of toying with you. Let's just finish this."
Just as Goku felt himself losing consciousness, the creature suddenly leaned his head back. Before Goku could react, the monster thrust his head forward and opened his mouth wide.
Goku's eyes went wide with dread as an intense beam of light erupted from the creature's jaws. If that beam hit him, he would surely end up like Yuka.
Goku makes one last effort to survive and leaps to the side. The beam narrowly misses him, but it causes an explosion that engulfs him. He was enveloped in a sphere of blinding orange fire as the force of the blast sent him rocketing backward and into more rubble. And then everything went blank for him.
Tambourine stood over Goku's motionless, battered form, smirking in satisfaction at his handiwork.
"Not bad for a warm-up," he chuckled darkly. He prodded Goku with his foot but got no response. The boy was out cold.
Casting one last contemptuous look at Goku's unmoving body, he launched himself into the air while holding the dragon ball. Within moments the winged beast was gone, leaving only destruction in his wake.
Goku lay broken and defeated amidst the rubble.
Kurama hadn't expected to get any updates this soon. It had only been a day. He stood in front of the same building where the confrontation took place yesterday.
This morning brought shocking reports of explosions and damage.
Clearly, a major confrontation had taken place here and he suspected the tailed boy was a part of it.
Kurama approached one of the officers on the scene. "Report. What's the situation inside?"
"Luckily the restaurant wasn't open yet, so few civilians were involved," the officer replied. "Two were found critically injured."
Kurama's eyes narrowed. "Who are the survivors?"
"An older woman, she's the owner. And..." The officer hesitated. "A young boy with a tail."
Kurama tensed. The boy was here as suspected. But he didn't expect him to be in critical condition. What could have happened to him?
"Secure the tailed boy," Kurama ordered. "And make sure he lives."
The officer nodded and began relaying instructions into his radio.
So it seems Goku has finally been confronted by the government. Good thing he was easily able to fight them off. Too bad Tambourine had to show up. Well, at least Goku had his first taste of a hard fight. He even got his first taste of ki attacks. Rest In peace Yuka though. Now it seems Kurama finally captured the injured Goku. Things aren't looking well.
It's a shame I haven't been uploading as fast as I used to. It's almost been a whole week again before I uploaded. I only really have time to upload on the weekends now. Writing these takes energy and I need like 2-day breaks. Also, my computer kept freezing while typing this chapter. I was so angry I swear I could have gone Super Saiyan.
I'm thinking of maybe bringing Kakarot back for a little while next chapter or maybe even future ones but I don't know how I would go about it. Hopefully I can come up with something good this week.
What do you think Goku's power level is by now? For me, it's probably within the low 100's. Goku doesn't get the same training he does in the anime but he doesn't just nap every day. He also got his Saiyan biology which just makes him stronger as he grows older. He is obviously not as strong as normal Goku as seen with his fight with Tamborine. In the anime, he only lost the first time because he was tired. But this time it was just a straight beating. Hopefully, he gets a good Zenkai boost from this though. Let's find out the next chapter.