Red Ribbon: Part 4

Goku, Gine, Bulma, and Krillin were flying back to Master Roshi's house after obtaining the 3-Star Dragon Ball and facing the Red Ribbon forces led by General Blue. Bulma gave the diamond she found to Krillin to give to Master Roshi as payment for the loss of the submarine he lent them.

"Goku, Gine, I'd like to tell you that, after the danger we faced with General Blue and in that underwater cave, I'd prefer to go back home," said Bulma, a bit sad.

"Same here. I may be strong, but I'm not strong enough to take on the Red Ribbon Army," said Krillin, equally saddened.

Gine replied, "It's okay, don't worry. Besides, Goku and I can handle the Red Ribbon Army by ourselves. We're actually sorry for involving you in this danger."

"Don't worry, Gine. I hope you manage to gather all seven Dragon Balls and get the wish you long for," said Bulma with a smile.

Then, Goku, Gine, Bulma, and Krillin arrived at Master Roshi's house, where they explained everything that had happened.

"I see, so those Red Ribbon folks have caused you a lot of trouble," said Master Roshi.

"My mom and I have to make sure the Red Ribbon Army doesn't get the seven Dragon Balls because they want to use them to rule the world," said Goku.

"That's right," said Gine.

"Hmm, I see the situation is more serious than I thought," said Master Roshi, looking grave.

Then, ropes appeared inside the house and began tying up Goku, Gine, Bulma, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Launch. The rope that caught Goku grabbed him by his tail, greatly weakening him. However, it couldn't do the same with Gine, as unlike her son, she had strengthened her tail through training.

"What is this?" asked Goku, alarmed.

"We're tied up!" exclaimed Bulma, equally alarmed.

General Blue appeared, saying, "Surprise! Time for my revenge!"

Gine, utterly furious, asked, "You again?"

"You'll pay for ruining my beauty, and as punishment, I'll kill your son in front of you, then finish you off along with all your friends. Then, I'll take the Dragon Balls and the Dragon Radar you have," said General Blue with a sinister smile.

Then, General Blue struck Goku, sending him flying outside Master Roshi's house, and picked up a rock to crush the young Saiyan.

But Gine, unlike the others, was strong enough to break free from the ropes, surprising General Blue. Gine, furious, yelled at him, "Get away from my son, you bastard!"

Then, Gine threw a powerful punch, sending him several meters into the air toward the sand.

"Impossible! How can this woman be so strong?" said General Blue, terrified as he was thrown through the air by the Saiyan mother's punch.

Gine then flew at full speed toward General Blue and hit him with both hands on his back, sending him crashing to the ground. She descended quickly, and General Blue landed on Gine's right hand, which was raised up. Gine then tossed General Blue to the ground. The evil Red Ribbon Army officer ended up on the ground in pain, with a terrible feeling overtaking him.

"My legs... I can't feel my legs! Damn you, woman! What did you do to me?" demanded General Blue, furious and in pain, spitting blood from his mouth.

Goku, Bulma, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Launch watched, astonished by Gine's power and how easily she had defeated General Blue. Master Roshi said, "Gine, it looks like you've broken his spine and caused severe internal bleeding, haven't you?"

Gine, looking sad but serious, said, "Yes, Master Roshi. I had to do it; otherwise, he would have killed my son. Unfortunately, I still haven't finished with him."

"Is Gine really going to do what I think she's going to do?" asked Krillin, amazed.

"It seems so," said Bulma, equally amazed.

Then Gine, looking serious, told Goku and the others, "If you don't like to see violent scenes, I suggest you close your eyes because this won't be pleasant to watch," and then she raised her hand toward General Blue, starting to concentrate a Ki blast.

Bulma, Krillin, and Launch closed their eyes, realizing what Gine was about to do, while Goku and Master Roshi watched Gine, stunned.

General Blue, in pain, spat blood and said, "Please, have mercy. I promise I'll leave you, your son, and your friends alone."

Gine, completely upset, replied, "I already showed you mercy before, as I could have easily killed you in the cave. But it seems you still insist on trying to kill me, my son, and my friends, and I won't allow that. Tell me, how many innocent people did you and your criminal organization kill without a second thought? I have a kind and gentle heart, but one thing I won't tolerate is evil people like you trying to harm my son and friends. Besides, if you haven't noticed, your spine is broken, so you'll never walk again. And with that being the case, who would want to take care of a vile, miserable killer like you? The only mercy I can give you is a quick and painless death."

General Blue, furious and struggling to speak, responded, "Damn woman, this won't end here. The Red Ribbon Army will get revenge on you and your son, no matter what."

Gine, looking serious, said, "I've heard enough from you." She then grabbed General Blue and threw him back into the air, launching the Ki blast she had been charging, killing and disintegrating General Blue instantly.

The last thing heard from General Blue was a piercing scream that faded as he was disintegrated. Goku and Master Roshi watched, stunned, while Krillin, Bulma, and Launch opened their eyes and saw Gine, looking somewhat sad. Then Gine approached Goku and the others, freeing them by easily breaking the ropes.

"Well done, Mom," said Goku, happy and excited.

"Nice work, Gine," said Bulma with a smile.

"It wasn't a pleasant way to finish an enemy, but unfortunately, it was necessary," said Master Roshi.

"Amazing! Goku's mom took down that guy so easily," said Krillin, amazed.

Gine sighed and said, "I'm sorry you all had to witness that, but unfortunately, I had to do it because..."

Bulma, smiling, said, "Gine, don't feel bad. You did the right thing. If you hadn't finished off that evil guy, he probably would have killed all of us."

"Exactly. Remember, self-defense is a basic principle of martial arts. I know you have a good heart, Gine, but unfortunately, there will always be people like that miserable Red Ribbon villain who never learn by being treated kindly," said Master Roshi.

Goku hugged Gine and said, "Mom, don't feel bad. I'm proud of you."

Gine, smiling, replied, "Goku..." She then returned her son's hug with a smile, lifting her gaze to see Bulma, Master Roshi, Krillin, and Launch, who watched her with smiles, thanking her for saving them.

Meanwhile, at the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters:

Chief Staff Officer Black informed his superior, "Commander Red, I regret to inform you that General Blue has been killed by Gine, and all his forces have been defeated."

Commander Red, furious, said, "Damn it! This is worse than I imagined. You know what you have to do: bring Tao Pai Pai."

Chief Staff Officer Black, astonished, asked, "Tao Pai Pai, sir?"

Commander Red nodded and replied, "That's right. I'm sure Tao Pai Pai will be able to finish off that damned woman and her son."

Back with Goku and Gine.

Goku and Gine said goodbye to Bulma, Master Roshi, Krillin, and Launch to continue their quest for the Dragon Balls. Along the way, they encountered Red Ribbon Army soldiers, and during one of those battles, their Dragon Radar got damaged again. Goku and Gine arrived at a strange village known as Penguin Village, where they met a girl named Arale. Arale took Goku and Gine to Senbei Norimaki, who, with the help of his young son Turbo Norimaki, repaired the Dragon Radar.

"Great! The Dragon Radar works again. Thank you so much, Professor Norimaki," said Goku.

"You're welcome, Goku; fixing things like this is a piece of cake for me," said Professor Norimaki.

"Thank you for your help, Professor Norimaki. Now, if you'll excuse us, my son and I must be on our way," said Gine.

Smiling, Arale said, "Hey, Goku, it was nice meeting you. I hope you and your mom come back and visit us sometime!"

Goku nodded with a smile and said, "Sure thing, Arale!"

Smiling, Gine said, "It was nice meeting you, Arale. You're a very sweet girl."

Arale smiled and said, "The pleasure was all mine."

Then, Goku and Gine got on the Flying Nimbus and said goodbye to Arale, Professor Norimaki, and the rest of the villagers in Penguin Village. Afterward, Goku and Gine continued flying on the Nimbus and reached a vast forest, where they saw, from afar, an immense tower reaching up to the clouds.

"Wow, that tower over there is huge!" said Goku.

"It sure is," said Gine.

Then, Goku saw a plane piloted by a humanoid tiger who was holding a boy dressed in Native attire, while the boy shouted, "Help!"

The humanoid tiger said to a huge, muscular man with a Native appearance, "I am Captain Yellow of the Red Ribbon Army, and I demand that you hand over the Dragon Ball unless you want me to kill your son!"

The man, fearing for his son's life, said, "I'll give you the Dragon Ball, but leave my son alone!"

Then Goku and Gine decided to intervene.

"What? No way. You're Goku and Gine, the ones who defeated Colonel Silver, General White, and General Blue," said Captain Yellow, alarmed.

Goku, furious, said, "You bully! How dare you threaten a kid! You'll pay for this!"

Captain Yellow pulled out a machine gun and began shooting at Goku and Gine, but both Saiyans easily deflected the bullets with their hands. Then Goku, serious, said, "Mom, I'll take care of this guy, and you save the kid."

"Sounds good to me," said Gine.

Then, Goku jumped onto the plane and, with one punch, sent Captain Yellow falling to his doom. Gine then caught the boy and placed him on the Flying Nimbus. Goku jumped back to the Nimbus as Captain Yellow's plane crashed.

"Are you okay, little one?" Gine asked.

"Yes, thank you very much, ma'am, and thank you too," the boy said to both Saiyans.

Then Goku and Gine lowered the Nimbus toward the man to return his son.

"Dad!" said the boy, happy and excited, running toward his father.

"I'm glad you're safe, Upa. Thank you for saving my son, Upa. Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Bora, and this is my son, Upa," said Bora.

"It's a pleasure; my name is Son Gine, and this is my son, Son Goku," said Gine with a smile.

"Hello, Upa and Mr. Bora," said Goku, bowing. Goku then noticed Bora was holding a Dragon Ball in his left hand and said, "That's a Dragon Ball! Mr. Bora, could I please have it?"

"Hmm, so you want this Dragon Ball too. Alright, I'll give it to you," said Bora.

Then Bora handed Goku the Dragon Ball, and Goku happily realized it was the Four-Star Ball his grandpa Son Gohan had left him. Goku, thrilled, said, "Awesome! Look, Mom! It's the Dragon Ball my grandpa left me!"

"I'm so happy for you, Goku, but don't forget we need to gather all seven Dragon Balls," said Gine with a smile.

Then Goku fixed his gaze on the immense tower reaching into the clouds.

"By the way, what's that tall thing?" Goku asked.

"Well, you see..." Bora began.

Bora explained to the two Saiyans that the tower is a sacred structure called "Korin Tower" and said that, according to an ancient legend, an old wise hermit lives at the top. He added that any warrior who reaches the top would be given sacred water by the hermit, which would awaken incredible power.

"Wow, that sounds amazing," said Goku, astonished.

"Hmm, that's a fascinating story; I wonder if it's true," said Gine.

Since Gine had seen Shenron with her own eyes a year ago in Pilaf's Castle, she decided not to doubt the possible truth of each Earthling legend she heard.

"I'd like to try," said Goku.

"I understand, but it's not as easy as you think," said Bora.

Gine asked, "And how many have tried to reach the top of that tower?"

"Many have tried, but no one has succeeded, and those who climbed up ran out of supplies," said Bora.

"Well, I'm going to try since there are many who are stronger than me, and I also want to get stronger," said Goku.

"Are you sure, Goku? That tower is really high; I can't even see the top," said Gine.

"Mom, I want to be strong so I can fight my own battles. Lately, I've had to rely a lot on you, and I want to be strong like you, maybe even surpass you someday," said Goku determinedly.

Gine placed a hand on her son's shoulder and, with a smile, said, "And I know you will, sweetheart."

Then Goku and Gine looked up at the sky and noticed something approaching at high speed.

"What's that coming our way?" Goku asked, curious.

Gine, serious, replied, "I don't know, Goku, but I have a bad feeling. We'd better stay alert."

Goku and Gine got into their fighting stances, and then a column crashed into the ground. From that column emerged a middle-aged man in a pink gi with a mustache and black hair tied in a braid.

"Who are you?" Gine asked angrily.

The mysterious man replied with a sinister smile, "I am Mercenary Tao, and I was hired by the Red Ribbon Army to eliminate you and your son and take the Dragon Balls."

Bora, now furious, said, "I will not allow you to defile this sacred land!"

Bora grabbed his spear and lunged at Mercenary Tao, but Tao dodged every single one of Bora's attacks until he finally grabbed Bora's spear with one hand, as Bora struggled to wrest it from him.

"What? Is that the best you can do? Can't move your spear? Then I'll move it for you," said Mercenary Tao.

Then, holding Bora's spear, Mercenary Tao easily threw Bora into the air.

"Here's your spear back," said Mercenary Tao.

Then he hurled the spear at Bora.

"Oh no, Dad!" Upa cried, covering his eyes in fear.

But Gine flew at high speed and caught the spear just in time, saving Bora's life. She then picked up Bora and landed on the ground, to the astonishment of Mercenary Tao.

"What? Impossible! How could that woman know the flying technique?" Tao said in shock.

"Mr. Bora, are you alright?" Gine asked.

"Yes... thank you. If it hadn't been for you, that scoundrel would've killed me," Bora replied.

"Nice job, Mom! Look, Upa! My mom saved your dad," Goku said, happy and excited.

"It's amazing that your mom can fly, Goku!" Then Upa ran over to Gine and hugged her, saying, "Thank you so much for saving my dad, Miss Gine."

Gine smiled, returned Upa's hug, and said, "You're welcome, Upa." She then turned to Bora and said, "Let Goku and me handle this villain. You take care of your son."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you," Bora said.

Then Upa ran over to hug his father, happy that he was safe, while Goku and Gine got back into their fighting stances.

Mercenary Tao, now nervous, thought to himself, "That boy, Son Goku, will be an easy opponent, but his mother is the problem—she can even fly, and at a speed I couldn't see."

"Mom, let me take care of him. I can handle him by myself," Goku said.

"Alright, but if I see that he's too strong for you, I'll have to intervene," Gine replied.

"Okay, Mom," Goku agreed.

Goku charged at Mercenary Tao, who easily dodged the young Saiyan's punches, and Goku ended up taking a series of blows from Tao.

"Is that all you've got, kid? I expected more from the runner-up of the World Martial Arts Tournament," Tao taunted.

"Be careful, Goku," Upa said worriedly.

"Now you'll see!" Goku said, furious.

Then he unleashed a powerful Kamehameha at Mercenary Tao.

But to Goku's surprise, Tao shielded his face and took the Kamehameha head-on. When the smoke cleared, everyone was stunned to see that Mercenary Tao was still alive, though his clothes were in tatters.

"What? No way! My Kamehameha didn't even faze him!" Goku said, astonished.

"You little brat! You'll pay for destroying my clothes!" Tao shouted, furious, and fired an energy blast from his index finger at Goku. But before the blast could hit Goku, Gine stepped in and blocked Tao's attack with her hand.

"Mom..." Goku said in amazement.

"Alright, Goku, I'll take it from here," Gine said.

Goku, now sad and discouraged, knowing he couldn't stand up to Tao, said, "Okay, Mom."

"Oh, how touching," Tao said with an evil laugh. "A mother willing to die before her son, but it won't matter. Once I'm done with you, I'll send your son to join you in the other world."

"Bring it on, you filthy assassin," Gine said, dead serious.

Tao charged at the Saiyan mother, but Gine easily dodged every one of his attacks.

"Is that the best you've got? I expected more from the man who managed to defeat my son," Gine said, giving a mocking smile while holding Tao's fist.

"What? Impossible! How can this woman be stronger than me?" Tao said, both furious and shocked.

Gine sighed and, with a serious tone, said, "I may be a woman, but I'm the woman who's going to kick your sorry behind."

Then she landed a kick to Tao's face, sending him flying into a rock.

"Wow, Miss Gine is really strong, Dad!" Upa said, thrilled and excited.

"She sure is," Bora replied, astonished.

Tao, furious that he couldn't stand up to the Saiyan mother, thought to himself, "Damn it, this woman is stronger than me. My only option is to steal the Dragon Balls from them."

Tao threw a flash grenade at Gine to try to steal the pink backpack where the Saiyans kept the Dragon Balls. But Gine had already learned that trick from when she and Goku fought Colonel Silver, so she reacted quickly and destroyed Tao's flash grenade with a Ki blast.

"What? Damn it!" Tao said, furious.

Gine, dead serious, replied, "Nice try! But I already know that trick, and now, I'm finishing this."

Frustrated and desperate, Tao said, "Looks like my only option is to escape."

Tao threw down smoke bombs and vanished on the spot.

"Shoot! That coward ran away," Gine said, annoyed. Then, worried, she went over to her son and saw he was bruised and battered. She asked, "Goku, are you okay?"

Goku, sad and discouraged, replied, "Yes, Mom... I'm okay."

Goku was saddened not because of the blows he took from Tao, but because his mom had to save him once again. She easily defeated an enemy he couldn't overcome, and it was then that Goku realized that he only beat her in the World Martial Arts Tournament semifinals because Gine had held back. This realization caused Goku some frustration, as he wanted to be able to win and fight his own battles. He remembered what Bora had said about the top of Korin Tower and the water that could awaken the full potential of any warrior who managed to climb the tower and drink it. As a token of gratitude for saving his life, Bora offered to help clean and treat Goku's injuries.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Bora," said Goku.

"You're welcome; it's the least we could do for you and your mother after you saved us from those miserable villains of the Red Ribbon Army," Bora replied.

Then Goku said to Gine with determination, "Mom, I've decided that I want to climb to the top of Korin Tower. If it's true that there's sacred water there that can give me more power, I want to drink it. I want to get stronger to win my own battles."

Gine, seeing the determined look in Goku's eyes, realized what her son was thinking. Goku clearly wanted to become strong enough to win his battles and not rely on her so much. So Gine nodded and said, "Alright, Goku. I'll go too. I'd also be interested in drinking that sacred water if the legend is true."

"If you're thinking of climbing Korin Tower, you can do it, but I'd advise you to be very careful," said Bora.

"We will," replied Gine.

Then Goku's stomach began to growl, and he said to Gine with a smile, "Hey, Mom, could we eat something first?"

Gine sighed and with a smile said, "Alright, Goku. I guess we'll need to be well-fed to have plenty of strength since we don't know how long it'll take to climb this tower."

Then, Gine and Goku caught some huge fish, which they cooked and ate with Bora and his son, Upa. After eating, Goku and Gine stored some fruit as provisions since they didn't know how long it would take to climb Korin Tower.

"Alright, it's time to climb Korin Tower," said Goku.

"I wish you the best of luck. I hope you make it to the top of Korin Tower, although after seeing how strong and powerful you both are, I have no doubt that you can reach the top," said Bora with a smile.

"You can do it!" said Upa.

"Thank you. Alright, Goku, it's time to go," said Gine with a smile.

"Yes, Mom," replied Goku.

So, Goku and Gine bid farewell to Bora and his son, Upa, and began their climb up Korin Tower.

Meanwhile, at the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters...

Tao Pai Pai had called Commander Red to inform him about the situation and the result of his fight against Goku and Gine.

Commander Red, astonished, asked, "What? You mean even you couldn't handle that woman and her son?"

Tao Pai Pai, furious, replied, "You didn't tell me that woman would have superhuman strength, and it even seems that she and her son aren't human. I was lucky to get out alive, but don't worry, just give me three days, and I'll find a way to finish off that woman and her son."

"Alright... we'll give you three days," said Commander Red.

Back to Goku and Gine...

Goku and Gine were climbing Korin Tower. Even though Gine could easily carry her son and fly up to the top of the tower, she knew they had to do it the right way. Besides, Gine understood that climbing the tower would serve as training for both of them, and after one day, Goku and Gine could see a large temple at the top of the tower and managed to enter through an opening.

"Wow, we finally made it, Mom," said Goku, completely exhausted.

"Yes, we did," said Gine, equally exhausted.

Then, Goku and Gine saw several jars with lids.

"I wonder if any of these jars contain the sacred water," said Goku.

"I don't know; let's see," replied Gine.

Then Goku and Gine opened one jar and saw water inside. But suddenly, the water showed a reflection of the kitchen in Master Roshi's house, where they saw Bulma cooking and Krillin washing the dishes beside her.

"Hey, Mom, look! It's Bulma," said Goku, happily.

"I see her too, but... how can we see her through this jar of water?" asked Gine, confused.

"I'm going to say hi. Hi, Bulma!" said Goku cheerfully upon seeing his friend.

"Huh? Did you say something, Krillin?" asked Bulma, confused.

"What? Not me, you must be imagining things," replied Krillin.

At that moment, Bulma burned her finger on the stove as she got distracted.

Gine said to her son, "Goku, it's best not to try to interact with our friends from these strange jars. We'll have the chance to talk to them in person later."

Goku agreed and said, "You're right."

Then, to Goku and Gine's amazement, the jar began to show an image of Suno, who was happily and shyly admiring the wooden doll Goku had given her. She hugged it and then placed it in the best spot on her shelf of dolls. Both Goku and Gine saw that the place where Suno had put the doll had heart stickers and a photo of her and Goku dancing at the party organized at the Jingle Village mayor's house. There was also another picture of her with Goku when they were riding the reindeer and watching the Northern Lights.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Bora," said Goku happily yet curiously. "Look, Mom! It's Suno! And it looks like she really liked the doll I gave her, though I don't understand why she put it in such a strange place."

Gine, happy and moved, looked at the scene and thought to herself, "There's no doubt that Suno sincerely loves my son. She reminds me of myself when I fell in love with Bardock."

Goku, a bit confused, asked, "Hey, Mom? Why does Suno have pictures of me with her with heart-shaped drawings?"

Gine sighed with a smile and said to her son, "Oh, Goku, you have a lot to learn about the heart of a woman, but don't worry; I'm sure you'll understand one day."

Goku replied to his mom, "I'm not sure what you mean, Mom, but I must say it makes me very happy to see that Suno is happy and attached to that doll I gave her."

Goku then reached his hand into the water to try to drink it, but to Goku and Gine's surprise, the water disappeared.

"Mom, did you see that? The water disappeared," Goku said, astonished.

"Mmmm, these jars are really strange. Let's try another one," said Gine.

Then Goku and Gine opened another jar of water, and Goku began to see a scene from his past when he was riding with Suno on that deer, watching the Northern Lights.

"Hey, Mom, this is incredible! Now I'm seeing a scene from my past when I was with Suno, riding on that deer as we watched the Northern Lights," Goku said in amazement. But then he saw Gine, who was startled as she looked into the jar's water. Concerned about his mother, Goku asked, "Mom, is something wrong?"

Gine snapped back to herself when Goku asked again, "Huh? Oh... it's nothing, son, it's nothing." Gine wore a sad expression, as the water in that jar had shown her scenes of her past from when she was part of Bardock's Squad and the beginning of her relationship with Bardock.

"Mom, what did you see in the water? Did you see something that upset you?" asked Goku, worried to see his mother's sad face.

Gine smiled and shook her head, saying, "It's nothing important, son. Now let's try to drink the water from this jar."

Goku and Gine tried to drink the water from the jar, but, as with the previous jar, the water ended up disappearing.

"How strange... let's see what happens if we open another jar," said Goku as he opened another one.

Then Goku and Gine saw in the water jar a pair of bright red eyes, and to both Saiyans' surprise, a gigantic centipede emerged and wrapped around them. Goku and Gine tried to free themselves from it but couldn't, and then both began to experience visions. Goku started to see all his friends, like Suno, Bulma, Master Roshi, Krillin, Launch, Yamcha, Oolong, and Puar. Afterward, he had visions of the Dragon Balls, an old woman with a crystal ball, and a mysterious old man wearing a mask. Gine, meanwhile, saw visions of the Dragon Balls, her son as an adult marrying a red-haired woman (Suno), the birth of her first grandchild, Goku preparing to face Prince Vegeta, and finally, Goku confronting Frieza, full of rage and with tears in his eyes. In this vision, Gine saw Goku screaming in fury as he briefly appeared surrounded by a golden aura. But before Gine could see more, both she and her son came to their senses, seeing that the giant centipede had disappeared, and they were once again in the temple.

"Mom, did you see that?" said Goku in amazement.

Equally amazed, Gine nodded and said, "Yes... but I don't understand. What did we just see in those water jars?"

A mysterious voice then said, "Those are your three types of worlds: your past world, your present world, and the world that awaits you."

"Who are you? Where are you?" asked Gine.

"Climb the stairs, and you'll find out," replied the mysterious voice.

Goku and Gine climbed the stairs to the upper part of the Tower Temple and found a white, humanoid cat holding a staff at the top.

"Are you the one who called us?" asked Goku.

"I'm surprised at how quickly you two got here, especially you, young one, considering how small you are," said the humanoid cat.

"What? But you're even smaller than me," replied Goku.

"Does it matter?" retorted the cat.

"Looking closely, you must be the hermit in charge of this temple, right?" asked Gine.

"Very perceptive, young lady. Yes, I am the Hermit Cat, known as Master Korin," said Master Korin.

"Wow! So you're the Hermit Master of this Tower?" asked Goku, astonished.

"I think your mother already answered that question for you," replied Master Korin.

"Sorry to bother you, but my son and I came to drink the Sacred Water to make us stronger," said Gine.

"Are you referring to the Ultra Sacred Water?" asked Master Korin.

"Yes, that's right," replied Gine.

Master Korin stayed silent for a few seconds while Goku and Gine looked at him, waiting for a response.

After a long pause, Master Korin said, "Well, I won't give it to you."

"What? Why?" asked Gine, alarmed.

"Jealous! You refuse to give us the Sacred Water," said Goku angrily.

"The Ultra Sacred Water is there," said Master Korin, pointing to a container in the middle of the temple. Then Master Korin said to Goku, "But why do you want to be stronger? Both you and your mother are already strong enough."

Then Goku said, "Well, it's just that—"

"Wait, there's no need to explain," said Master Korin.

Master Korin then observed and analyzed the two Saiyans carefully.

"I see... So, you and your mother want to gather the Dragon Balls so she can make a wish that's important to her but doesn't want to tell you what it is. At the same time, you want to stop the Red Ribbon Army from gathering the Dragon Balls to conquer the world," said Master Korin.

Both Goku and Gine were amazed at how Master Korin practically read their thoughts, and Gine assumed that Master Korin already knew the wish she intended to make to Shenron once she and Goku gathered all the Dragon Balls.

Amazed, Gine asked, "How did you read my thoughts and my son's?"

"Because I have the power to see into hearts, and I know that both yours and your son's hearts are pure. Therefore, I will gladly allow you to drink the Ultra Sacred Water," said Master Korin.

"Really?" asked Goku, thrilled and excited.

"Go ahead," said Master Korin.

"All right, Mom, let's drink the Ultra Sacred Water," said Goku.

"Sounds good," said Gine.

Then Goku and Gine approached the container where the Sacred Water bottle was, and just as both Saiyans were about to drink it, Master Korin struck both Goku and Gine, taking the Sacred Water bottle with his staff.

"What's wrong with you? You said my son and I could drink the Ultra Sacred Water!" said Gine, annoyed.

"Yes, but first, you must take it from me," said Master Korin.

"You can't be serious," said Goku, irritated.

"I couldn't be more serious. If you want to drink the Ultra Sacred Water, you'll have to take it from me," said Master Korin.

"Hey, look over there!" said Gine, causing Master Korin to get distracted for a moment.

Then Goku and Gine leaped at Master Korin to snatch the Ultra Sacred Water, but Master Korin easily dodged them, causing Goku and Gine to bump their heads against each other and then rub their sore heads.

Master Korin said, "You'll have to do better than trick me with such a simple ruse."

Then Goku and Gine used the Multi-Image technique, attempting to take the Ultra Sacred Water from Master Korin, but it didn't work because Master Korin once again dodged Goku and Gine's attempts. Thus, Goku and Gine kept trying to take the Sacred Water from Master Korin until dusk. By nightfall, both were exhausted and panting heavily.

Then Goku stood up and asked Master Korin: "Tell me, has anyone ever managed to take the Ultra Divine Water from you?"

Master Korin then replied to Goku: "The last time someone managed to take the Ultra Divine Water from me was 300 years ago."

Gine, amazed, asked: "300 years? But how old are you?"

Master Korin, with a smile, said: "I'm 800 years old." Both Goku and Gine were astonished to learn the old hermit's age.

"Goku, completely amazed, said: 800 years? Incredible! And who was the person who managed to take the Ultra Divine Water from you?"

"Master Korin laughed and said: "I'll tell you, the last person who managed to take the Ultra Divine Water from me was none other than your teacher and your mother's teacher: Master Roshi."

"What?" Goku and Gine exclaimed, astonished.

"I know because I figured it out by watching your movements, and I know that your teacher is Roshi," Master Korin said.

"That means you trained Master Roshi," Gine said, amazed.

"You're understanding, young lady," Master Korin replied.

"And tell me, how long did it take Master Roshi to take the Divine Water from you?" Gine asked.

"Three years," said Master Korin.

"Three years?" Goku and Gine asked simultaneously, utterly astonished.

Master Korin laughed and said: "That's right, now the question is: How long will it take you to take the Ultra Divine Water from me?"

Then Goku, with determination, said: "Well, we'll take the Divine Water in much less time than that, won't we, Mom?"

"That's right, Goku," Gine said with determination.

Then Goku and Gine tried again to take the Ultra Divine Water from Master Korin, but they both soon tired from lack of air.

"I feel short of breath," Goku said, exhausted.

"Me too," Gine said, equally exhausted.

Then Goku's and Gine's stomachs started to rumble.

"Mom, I'm hungry," Goku said.

"I know, Goku. I'm hungry too," Gine said.

"That reminds me, I haven't eaten in five years. Well, instead of sleeping, I'll have a meal," said Master Korin.

Then Master Korin prepared his dinner, and Goku and Gine approached him to see if he'd share some food. Instead, Master Korin gave each of them a type of seed.

"That will be your meal," said Master Korin.

Gine, indignant, said: "Is this a joke? This won't fill either my son or me!"

"Agreed," Goku said, equally annoyed.

Master Korin, while eating his meal, said: "These are Senzu Beans. They'll satisfy your hunger for at least ten days. They're very useful beans."

Goku and Gine were skeptical of Master Korin's claim, but they ate the beans, and once they did, they felt their stomachs full, and their hunger completely vanished.

"It's true, I feel full," Goku said, amazed.

"I feel full, too," Gine said, equally astonished.

Then, after finishing his meal, Master Korin said to Goku and Gine: "You said your problem was the lack of air, didn't you? Well, that's because of the great physical exertion you're doing at this high altitude, as we're at 8,000 meters above sea level." Then Master Korin took the 4-Star Dragon Ball that Goku was carrying, and Master Korin asked: "What is this? Is it trash? I'll throw it away, then."

Master Korin proceeded to throw the 4-Star Dragon Ball off the Tower.

"AAAAHHH! My 4-Star Ball!" Goku cried out, alarmed as he saw it thrown out of the Tower.

Gine, furious and indignant, asked: "What is wrong with you?"

Both Goku and Gine, frustrated with Master Korin, quickly descended to recover the 4-Star Ball, and once they had it, they climbed back up Korin Tower, but this time it only took them three hours instead of a full day. When Goku and Gine arrived, it was already nighttime, and Master Korin was asleep. They were tempted to take the Ultra Divine Water while Master Korin was sleeping but decided against it, determined to earn it through their own efforts to meet the challenge Master Korin had set. So Goku and Gine went to sleep, but a few hours later, Gine awoke, as she'd dreamed again of her deceased husband. The first thing she saw was Master Korin, who was also awake and gazing at the starry sky.

"I see you're awake, young lady," said Master Korin.

"Yes, Master Korin, I can't sleep," Gine said.

"You dreamed of your deceased husband again, didn't you?" Master Korin said.

"What? But how did you...?" Gine said, completely astonished.

Master Korin replied: "Remember, I can read all hearts, and in reading yours, I learned that you and your son aren't human and that you're of an alien race called Saiyan, from a distant planet named Vegeta, which was destroyed by a tyrant named Frieza. Your husband, Bardock, died defending your planet to give you and your son time to escape. You and your son Goku, whose original name is Kakarot, came to Earth to start a new life, far from the dark and turbulent past of the Saiyans. I also know that you have another son named Raditz, who has been missing since he went on a mission with your planet's prince. Now, you're seeking the Dragon Balls with the goal of reviving your husband."

Gine was astonished, practically the Elder Master Karin knew her entire life as if she were an open book, so Gine, feeling sad, said, "Master Karin, please, I beg you not to tell Goku about..."

Master Karin replied, "Don't worry, young lady, your secret is safe with me. But I would suggest not delaying too long to tell your son the truth about his origins. Your son deserves to know the truth."

Gine sighed and said, "I know... But once I revive Bardock, I'll tell Goku everything."

"I understand... Well, I hope you succeed," said Master Karin.

Gine, with a smile, said, "Thank you. Master Karin, may I ask you something?"

"Go ahead, young lady," replied Master Karin.

"When we climbed the Tower again, my son and I felt much more agile to the point that we managed to climb the Tower in just three hours, while the first time it took us a day. This task of taking the sacred ultra water from you is training for Goku and me, isn't it?" said Gine.

"Haha. You found me out, young lady. You're quite smart. It's a shame your son didn't inherit that ability of yours, though I'm glad that Goku inherited your kind heart," said Master Karin.

"Thank you very much, Master Karin," said Gine.

"Goku resembles him a lot, doesn't he?" asked Master Karin.

Gine realized that Master Karin was obviously referring to her late husband, Bardock, so she nodded and said, "That's right."

"I understand... Goku... is a good boy. You are very lucky to have a noble-hearted son like him, and he is lucky to have a good-hearted mother like you. I can see your son is destined to achieve great things," said Master Karin.

Gine, with a smile, said, "Thank you very much, Master Karin." Then she thought of something related to the ultra-sacred water and said to Master Karin, "By any chance, the ultra-sacred water in your bottle is just regular water, right?"

Master Karin, with a slight bead of sweat at being found out, said, "Well, yes, but please don't tell Goku. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

Gine chuckled and responded, "Don't worry, Master Karin, it's all for my son to become much stronger."

The next morning, both Goku and Gine tried all day once again to take the "ultra-sacred water" from Master Karin.

Master Karin said, "Your problem is that you're not able to follow my movements, and if you continue like this, you'll never take the ultra-sacred water from me."

That night, Goku got up while his mother was sleeping and decided to look inside one of the water vases to see how his friends were doing. He saw Bulma, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Launch doing aerobics.

Goku, happy to see them, said, "I love you all, my friends."

Then Goku saw Suno in the water, kneeling and praying, saying, "God, please, wherever Goku and Lady Gine are, protect them and bring them back to our village safe and sound, especially Goku. Allow me to see him again. I miss him so much." Shortly after, Goku saw Suno holding the wooden doll he gave her and watched as she lay on her bed, hugging the wooden doll given to her by that special boy for whom she felt a deep affection.

Goku, watching the scene, murmured with a smile, "Don't worry, Suno. Once Mom and I take care of those Red Ribbon guys and gather the Dragon Balls, I promise to visit you often so we can skate on the ice again, ride an elk, and play any game you want to teach me."

Then, on the third morning, Goku and Gine learned to read and carefully study Master Karin's movements.

"All right, Goku, just as we've studied. Follow his movements, only then will we be able to take the ultra-sacred water from Master Karin," said Gine.

"Yes, Mom," said Goku determinedly.

Then Goku and Gine began to follow every one of Master Karin's movements to the point where the Hermit Cat already looked cornered by both Saiyans.

"All right, Goku! Now!" said Gine.

Then Gine grabbed Master Karin and tickled him.

"Here I go!" said Goku, finally managing to grab the bottle of "ultra-sacred water," although Goku almost fell off the Tower, he managed to hold onto a railing with his tail, saying with a smile, "We did it, Mom."

"Well done, Goku!" said Gine with a smile full of excitement.

"Incredible. It took Master Roshi three years to get the ultra-sacred water, but it only took you three days," said Master Karin, astonished.

"Can Mom and I drink the water?" asked Goku.

"Go ahead, you may drink it," said Master Karin.

Then Goku drank the "ultra-sacred water" and then handed the bottle to Gine so she could drink it too.

"It won't be necessary, dear," said Gine with a smile.

"Huh? Why do you say that?" asked Goku, confused.

"Because what you just drank is regular water," said Master Karin.

"What? Regular water? Why did you trick us?" asked Goku, surprised.

Master Karin laughed and said, "Haha! I didn't trick you, kid. Climbing up and down the Karin Tower and trying to take the 'ultra-sacred water' from me— it was all part of the training for both you and your mother. Tell me, don't you feel stronger?"

Goku said, "Well, honestly, I do feel stronger. How about you, Mom?"

"Well, I feel slightly stronger," said Gine.

"Not surprising since you're much stronger than your son, but in Goku's case, it could be said his strength has doubled or tripled," said Master Karin.

"What?!" exclaimed Goku, astonished.

Then Gine hugged her son and said, "Congratulations, Goku, I am so proud of you."

Goku, happily, said to Gine, "Thank you, Mom, but did you know the ultra-sacred water was regular water?"

Gine replied to her son by saying, "I figured it out a couple of nights ago but didn't want to tell you so as not to ruin the training that Master Karin was giving you."

Goku, with a smile, said, "I understand. Well, in that case, you did the right thing, Mom."

Then Goku and Gine thanked Master Karin for the training and said goodbye to him, descending the Karin Tower.

Master Karin, in his thoughts, said, "There's no doubt that that boy, Son Goku, will become much more powerful than Roshi, as he is destined to achieve great things. But the journey for Goku to fulfill his destiny will not be easy, as both he, his family, and his friends will face hardships for him to reach his destined goal."

Meanwhile, Goku and Gine descended Karin Tower, ready for their confrontation with Tao Pai Pai and their final battle against the Red Ribbon Army.

To be continued...