Dragon Ball: Paradise Lost

The Evil Tribe Triumphant

"God's attendant? What is going on here?" Muten Roshi demanded some more answers from this mysterious, black genie who floated in front of him on a magic carpet and denied them the opportunity to subdue Demon King Piccolo.

"You might not understand this but... Kami-sama is linked to Demon King Piccolo – if there is no more Demon King Piccolo, there is no more Kami-sama. Kami-sama was ready to make that sacrifice but I was not. I scooped up Demon King Piccolo before the martial artists could finish him off but it seems like he's given me the slip by leaving a double on my carpet and jumping off." Mr. Popo explained.

A bolt of lightning struck the seven Dragon Balls, making them emit a powerful radiance around them that then burst forth and began coiling into the sky, taking the form of a titanic Divine Dragon. While the beam of light rose up into the sky, breaking through the gloomy clouds and skewering them like a needle moving through the cloth it was sewing on, the dragon's appearance was yet to solidify and become final.

"We must stop him from using the Dragon Balls, ask the Divine Dragon to destroy the Demon King before he regains his full power!" Muten Roshi pleaded with Mr. Popo but the ever-indifferent genie just shook his head.

"No. The Demon King is of no danger to me even in his full power. If the Divine Dragon fulfills your wish and destroys the Demon King, Kami-sama will die as well and then the Dragon Balls will disappear forever. That is something I cannot allow to happen." Mr. Popo declared. "I would allow you to seal him, can you use the Mafuba?"

"I can but not from this position, I will miss my jar. The wave is quite turbulent and I would only have one shot." Muten Roshi admitted. "Even from your magic carpet... It doesn't look like I'd be able to pull it off."

"In that case, stay still and watch." Mr. Popo smiled to Muten Roshi. "As Kami-sama's attendant, I will make sure that Kami-sama stays alive and strong."

"You wretched martial artists, before I regain the limitless power I had in my youth, I'll make sure to destroy you all!" the Demon King's eyes turned red as he turned for Launch who was floating on a dislodged platform of ice, halfway submerged in freezing water. Muten Roshi only saw a flash of burgundy and black, before he could register what had happened, Mr. Popo was in front of Launch with his mouth open and gobbled King Piccolo's eye-beam down like it was a tasty treat of poultry.

"Tsk... You insufferable dog..." Demon King Piccolo grumbled but looked up at the still forming Divine Dragon. He knew that Mr. Popo was not someone he could have messed with even in the absolute prime of his strength, it was one of the reasons why he never tried forcefully absorbing Kami back into his body and becoming much more powerful back in the day.

"I might have endangered these people by letting you run rampant, Demon King Piccolo, Kami-sama would be sad if I let you do as you please. I cannot destroy you without killing Kami-sama too so I will not be doing that but I will protect these innocent people from you." Mr. Popo pointed his finger at the Demon King. "Now, do as you will and begone."

The Demon King grit his fangs for a moment. He looked back up at the Divine Dragon who had completed his transformation and now leaned in on down from the gloomy night's sky closer to his summoner. The Demon King had always thought he knew for certain what he would ask for the Dragon Balls to accomplish but, now that he actually had them in his control, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Now, state your wish!" the Divine Dragon demanded to know.

He could have asked for anything. The Demon King pondered on what it was best to ask for before he heard the voice of Muten Roshi rising in the distance. That ancient martial artist meant to ask the Divine Dragon to destroy the Demon King like the deceitful serpent that he was! Luckily for the Demon King, even when in his current crippled state, he was still faster...