The next day, the three no longer had to carry turtle shells and resumed their training.
In their downtime, Master Roshi also taught them how to control their Ki.
In the blink of an eye, Son Goku, Krillin, and Chi-Chi had already been training on the island for another two months.
Not only had Goku grown stronger—
Even Krillin and Chi-Chi had adapted to triple gravity. All three had made huge progress.
That day, after finishing their training, they caught two fish and a dinosaur.
The weather was cool, and the group—Goku, Krillin, Chi-Chi, Master Roshi, Launch, and Bulma—was having a barbecue.
Suddenly, panic swept the island.
A squad of armed soldiers surrounded Kame House, pointing guns at them.
"We're searching the river for the Dragon Balls! If you don't want to die, get up!"
Bulma looked up, stunned at the sight of the armed men approaching, and then spotted the symbol on their uniforms. Her pupils shrank.
"You're… the Red Ribbon Army?"
The man looked at Bulma, then noticed Launch. His eyes lit up.
"Well, well! Two hot babes! Why don't you come have some fun with me?"
Bulma scowled and turned to Goku.
"Goku, they're bad guys. Take them down."
"Got it!"
Before Goku could move, Launch smirked and hefted a machine gun, unloading it straight at the Red Ribbon soldiers.
Everyone at Kame House—aside from Bulma—was a trained fighter.
Master Roshi, of course, needed no introduction.
And Krillin and Chi-Chi? Both were now practically bulletproof.
Wiping out a few grunts? No problem.
Within seconds, the soldiers were down, and even the plane overhead was blasted out of the sky by a Ki blast.
Master Roshi asked, "Who were those guys? Why come here?"
Bulma pulled out the Dragon Radar, pressed a few buttons, and said, "I think I know why they came."
Krillin: "Why?"
Chi-Chi answered, "To collect the Dragon Balls and make a wish."
Bulma nodded. "Exactly. Ambitious wishes drive desperate people.
There's a Dragon Ball somewhere in the waters near our island.
Their radar isn't very precise, so they can't pinpoint it easily.
Trying to find a Dragon Ball in the sea with a vague location?
Might as well be fishing for a needle in the ocean.
And since our island happens to be one of the few around here—and also the one with the most people—they figured they'd enslave the locals to help with their search."
Krillin and Chi-Chi both nodded in realization.
"So that's why!"
"They're using force to exploit villagers for their own gain? That's horrible!"
Krillin turned to Master Roshi. "Master, should we step in?"
Master Roshi scratched his bald head. "Do you even know who they are?"
Chi-Chi clenched her fists. "They're villains. As martial artists, it's our duty to stop them!"
Krillin: "Chi-Chi's right. I'll defeat them for the villagers!"
Chi-Chi looked at Goku. "You in?"
"Of course!"
Goku didn't hesitate.
He'd nearly forgotten about the Red Ribbon Army.
All he wanted was to get stronger. He hadn't gone looking for them—
But now they'd come to his doorstep, enslaving villagers?
Now he had a reason to hit them.
Bulma watched the trio fired up with righteous indignation. She couldn't help but think: 'Even in this life, we're fated to clash with them.'
It was like the Red Ribbon Army was destined to be their enemy.
Bulma stood up. "They're one of the most evil organizations in the world. The Red Ribbon Army.
They've been wreaking havoc for years.
And recently, they've only grown bolder.
Looks like it really is time for warriors like you to put them down."
"Red Ribbon Army?" Chi-Chi scratched her head. "Sounds familiar…"
Krillin's face suddenly froze.
"Wait—those guys from earlier were Red Ribbon?!"
Bulma: "Yup."
Krillin's legs went weak. "Oh no, oh no. The rumors say they're vicious! Cold-blooded!"
Chi-Chi glanced at him. "What, are you scared?"
"Of course I'm scared! They've got an entire military! We're just a handful of fighters. How do we win that?"
Goku stood and clapped Krillin's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Krillin!
We're the top fighters from the Martial Arts Tournament! We're bulletproof!
With our power, we'll crush them easy!"
Chi-Chi nodded. "Goku's right. We're top-tier. Taking them out is no problem!"
Krillin blinked. "Oh right! I forgot—we've gotten insanely strong!"
Master Roshi stepped over. "Beating them isn't the issue.
The question is: how do we free the island's villagers? That'll take brains."
Bulma smiled. "That's easy. They're not after the people—they're after the Dragon Ball. If they see it's gone, they'll leave."
Goku turned to her. "Bulma, diving for the Dragon Ball… we'll have to go really deep. Do you have a submarine?"
Bulma shook her head. "No… but…"
She looked at Master Roshi. "You have one, right? Can we borrow it?"
Krillin's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, I heard there's pirate treasure buried somewhere around here too!
If we find it, even better—I'll have money to buy a house and get married."
Master Roshi chuckled. "Treasure's not easy to find.
That submarine? I bought it to search for pirate treasure myself.
It works as a plane and a sub, but I never found a thing."
Bulma smiled faintly. "Treasure comes to those with fate.
No fate, no treasure.
Lend us the sub. If we find it, we'll share."
Soon, Bulma piloted the submarine while Goku, Krillin, and Chi-Chi dove deep.
As they descended, the radar pulsed more and more intensely.
"It's right below here."
"But we can't see anything!"
Bulma peered through the glass. "There's a trench here. The Dragon Ball's deep inside.
But the sub's too big to go down there. Someone will have to dive alone."
Goku: "Leave it to me. Help me suit up, and give me the radar!"
Bulma: "Okay. But the radar isn't waterproof. I'll hold it.
There's a comm in the suit—I'll guide you."
"Got it!"
Soon, Goku dove in, suited up.
Above the trench, Bulma and the others waited and guided him.
"Goku, go left!"
"Copy!"
"Stop! You're right above it—dive straight down!"
"On it!"
Bulma: "Try adjusting your gravity wristband. Add a bit of weight—you'll sink faster."
Goku: "Whoa, didn't think this thing would come in handy!"
"…Bulma, I found the Dragon Ball…"
"Bring it up!"
Suddenly, other submarines and divers appeared around them.
Krillin: "Who are they?"
Bulma narrowed her eyes. The symbols on the subs were clear.
"They're from the Red Ribbon Army. Those divers? Probably enslaved villagers, forced to help them search."
At that moment, one of the subs turned and opened fire.
Krillin panicked. "They're armed! We've gotta get out of here!"
Goku: "What's happening up there?"
Chi-Chi: "We're under attack, Goku!"
Goku: "Lead them away. Once they're gone, I'll reduce my gravity and rocket out."
Chi-Chi: "Smart thinking, Goku!"
As the Red Ribbon men chased the others, thinking they had the Dragon Ball, Goku slipped away.
Bulma piloted the sub through the trench into a cave.
Krillin, glancing behind them, shouted, "Hurry! If they hit the sub, we're dead meat!"
Bulma remained calm, expertly navigating forward.
Eventually, the cave narrowed—only their small sub could fit.
Krillin: "Nice! They can't follow us anymore!"
But then—smaller subs launched from the enemy sub, giving chase.
The group swam ahead until they found a tunnel leading upward.
Bulma's eyes sparkled. "This… I remember this place. This is where the treasure is."
Chi-Chi: "You've been here?"
Bulma: "Sort of…"
In a past life, she didn't say aloud.
Suddenly, a torpedo shot toward them.
Krillin: "Incoming!"
Bulma calmly dodged. Krillin gasped. "You're amazing, Bulma!"
Bulma smirked. "Of course I am! I've been piloting since forever!
Too bad this sub has no weapons. Otherwise I'd sink their whole fleet."
Chi-Chi raised a brow. "You're not even 20. What 'forever'?"
Bulma: "Uhh… just roll with it.
Listen, when we stop, I'm running ahead—I can't fight.
If they catch up, you two take them down."
Chi-Chi and Krillin nodded.
"Leave it to us!"
They surfaced in a cave and quickly got out.
Bulma realized she wouldn't be able to store the sub quickly.
"Chi-Chi, Krillin—help me get it into a capsule!"
They nodded and began working.
Just as they finished, several Red Ribbon subs surfaced nearby.
Burly men emerged, guns in hand.
"Heh… where do you think you're going?
Hand over the Dragon Ball if you want to live!"
Chi-Chi and Krillin readied their stances.
They charged without hesitation.
Bulma yelled, "Let's go!"
One of the Red Ribbon goons opened fire with a machine gun—
But within moments, he and the others were down.
Chi-Chi and Krillin had caught the bullets barehanded.
Unshaken, they advanced.
"D-Don't come closer! We've got a whole unit behind us!"
Then, a shadow burst from the water.
Chi-Chi and Krillin lit up.
"Goku!"
Dripping wet, Goku looked at them and smiled.
"Chi-Chi, Krillin—you're safe. Where's Bulma?"
"Right here!" came Bulma's voice from behind a rock.
Goku grinned. "Great. Everyone's okay."
Krillin blinked. "Wait—Goku, why are you naked?!"
Goku: "Oh, that. I found the Dragon Ball and was just coming up when they hit me with a torpedo.
It blew up my suit.
I couldn't hold my breath long enough to surface,
so I smashed their sub, looked for a new suit—no luck.
Found an oxygen tank instead and followed you here.
Along the way, I destroyed about a dozen of their subs. They kept firing at me."
Chi-Chi and Krillin stared, stunned.
Krillin gave a thumbs-up. "You're a beast, Goku!"
With the enemy defeated, Bulma stepped over.
"Goku, now that it's safe, do we leave—or finish searching for the treasure?"
The group exchanged glances.
Krillin: "Let's find it! With treasure, we'll never have to worry about money again!"
Chi-Chi nodded. "Even though my dad has a treasure vault, who doesn't want more?"
Goku: "We've come this far. Let's not waste the chance!"
Bulma: "Great. Follow me—I know where it is."
She led them deeper into the cave.
Suddenly, Chi-Chi stopped.
"What's wrong?"
She whipped around and sprinted back, knocking out a Red Ribbon soldier.
"Almost forgot him! If he'd called for backup, we'd be in trouble!"
Goku gave her a thumbs-up. "Nice thinking!"
Moments later, they arrived at a high-tech hallway.
The walls and floors were lined with holes.
Bulma knew what they were.
From those holes, deadly spears could fire at any moment.
Before she could say a word, Krillin stepped forward.
Immediately, a spear shot from the wall—missing him by a hair.
Bulma shouted, "What are you doing?!
This is a trap to stop intruders from stealing the treasure!
Step on the pressure plates, and the walls shoot arrows!"
Chi-Chi sighed. "Krillin, thank goodness you're short."
Krillin crossed his arms. "No way. I'm way too strong now!
Bullets can't kill me—why would a spear?"
Chi-Chi grinned. "Then go trigger the traps for us!"
Krillin facepalmed.
Bulma blinked. "Actually… that's not a bad idea."
"You're bullying me!"