At the far end of the shopping district, a heavily modified combat motorcycle burst into the pedestrian zone like a runaway bull.
Street stalls were smashed aside. Fruit and jewelry scattered across the ground.
Straddling the bike was a woman.
Wild, explosive blonde hair flared in the sunlight, radiating pure defiance. A dark green crop top outlined a powerful, coiled physique. Resting casually on her shoulder was a rocket launcher thicker than her thigh. She chewed gum with manic enthusiasm, eyes blazing with excitement and violence.
Launch.
The most unstable wild card of early Dragon Ball history. A walking disaster with a split personality.
"Hahahaha! Anyone who doesn't want to die, get the hell out of my way! That armored cash truck is mine!"
With one hand on the handlebars, Launch smoothly adjusted the angle of the launcher with the other, locking onto the entrance of West City Bank.
The crowd exploded into panic.
"It's that crazy woman!"
"Run! She's got heavy weapons!"
"Where are the police?!"
Screams and chaos erupted everywhere.
Bulma jumped in surprise, dropping the hair clip in her hand.
"Seriously. We finally get a nice day out."
She frowned, but she was not truly panicked. After all, the strongest man on Earth was standing right beside her.
"Krillin, look. Isn't that Launch?"
Krillin did not answer immediately. Instead, he watched the blonde woman with interest as his system interface flashed before his eyes.
[Special Individual Detected: Launch (Blonde Form)]
[Personality: Violent, Greedy, Extremely Dangerous]
[Threat Level: D to civilians, SSS to wallets]
"Interesting."
Krillin smiled slightly.
"Looks like I finally have somewhere to burn off some energy."
At that moment, several police cars screeched into view, attempting to block Launch's path.
"Armed suspect, drop your weapon immediately!"
"Drop your ass!"
Launch spat and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Boom!
A graffiti covered rocket screamed through the air toward the police cars, trailing fire.
The sheer speed and looming explosion made people shut their eyes in despair.
"It's over!"
But the explosion never came.
Time itself seemed to freeze.
A blur flashed past, faster than the human eye could track.
When everyone looked again, the bald man was suddenly standing between the police cars and the rocket.
He was still holding several shopping bags. His posture barely changed. He had simply freed his right hand and held it out calmly.
The rocket capable of leveling a city block now rested quietly in his palm.
The thruster roared uselessly, flames blasting backward, but his hand did not move even a millimeter.
"That's impossible!"
Launch's gum fell from her mouth. Her sunglasses slid down her nose. She stared at Krillin, her mind completely blank.
That was an anti tank rocket.
It could punch through steel.
Was his hand made of diamonds?
Krillin glanced at the vibrating warhead and smiled.
"Is this your way of saying hello? That's a bit enthusiastic."
He closed his fingers.
Crunch!
Metal twisted with a teeth grinding screech.
The explosive warhead collapsed like soft clay. The powder inside detonated weakly under pressure with a dull puff. A little black smoke leaked between his fingers, failing to even dirty his skin.
A few seconds later, Krillin opened his hand.
A crude, steaming metal flower made from crushed scrap lay in his palm.
"Here. You dropped this."
With a flick of his wrist, the metal flower shot forward.
Clang!
It embedded perfectly into the motorcycle's fuel cap, sinking deep as the paint sizzled from heat.
Silence fell over the street.
Then the screams erupted.
"Who is that guy? He's incredible!"
"He crushed a missile with his bare hand!"
"That's Krillin! The World Martial Arts Champion! I recognize him!"
Launch swallowed hard, staring at the metal lodged in her bike.
Cold sweat rolled down her forehead.
Her instincts screamed danger.
She had just run headfirst into the hardest wall of her life.
"Retreat!"
She spun the bike around instantly.
"Already leaving?"
Krillin's voice whispered into her ear.
Her body froze.
Before she could react, her collar tightened.
She and the hundred kilo motorcycle were lifted into the air with one hand.
Krillin held her up like a chicken.
"Put me down, you damn bald freak! Fight me one on one!"
Launch kicked wildly, firing her submachine gun point blank.
Rat tat tat tat!
Bullets struck Krillin's face and chest, ringing like rain against steel, bouncing off harmlessly without leaving even a red mark.
"Weak."
Krillin glanced at his system.
[Attack received. Defense evaluation: Complete immunity.]
[Saitama Template Sync slightly increased: 0.01%]
[Evaluation: Not even as stimulating as Bulma scratching an itch.]
"Done yet?"
Krillin sighed and tapped Launch lightly at the back of her neck.
Her body went limp. The gun slipped from her fingers. She was still cursing, but her strength vanished.
Bulma approached in high heels, circling the captured woman with scientific curiosity.
"So this is the legendary split personality thief?"
She poked Launch's puffed cheek.
"Pretty face. Nice figure too."
"So what now, honey? Hand her to the police?" Krillin asked.
"Absolutely not. Those idiots couldn't hold her for a day."
Bulma's eyes lit up mischievously. She pulled a feather ornament from her shopping bag.
"I heard she transforms when she sneezes."
Launch's pupils shrank in terror.
"Hey! What are you doing?! Don't come closer! I'm warning you… ah… ah choo!"
A thunderous sneeze.
Her golden hair faded instantly into a deep, gentle blue.
The feral aura vanished, replaced by soft confusion and timid warmth.
Blue haired Launch blinked, staring at the bald man holding her, then at the wrecked street.
"Um… what's happening? Why am I in the air? I think I was supposed to buy groceries…"
The contrast was so extreme that even Krillin froze for a moment.
Bulma snapped her fingers.
"Perfect. We need a maid anyway. Cooking and laundry. And I hear her blonde form can fight, so she can be your sparring dummy when you have too much energy."
Krillin twitched.
Using Launch as a sparring partner felt almost cruel.
But then the system message appeared.
[Hidden Event Triggered: Recruit Launch]
He nodded.
"Alright. Let's take her home."
Krillin casually tossed the wrecked motorcycle into a capsule. Then, ignoring blue haired Launch's total confusion, he slung her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
"Let's go home!"