"Who are you people? Don't you dare hurt Chi-Chi!"
Seeing Chi-Chi with strangers, Ox-King was shocked. He grabbed the large axe beside him and swung it toward Yuujin and his companions.
For years, greedy villains had been eyeing Ox-King's treasure, and some had even tried to capture Chi-Chi to threaten him. So, his first instinct was to assume these newcomers were also after his treasure.
"Ah!!!" "No, Dad!"
Bulma and Tights turned pale with fright, and Chi-Chi shouted to stop Ox-King, but his enormous axe was already cutting through the air, unstoppable.
However—
With a calm lift of his hand, Yuujin effortlessly caught the axe between two fingers.
(T/N: Wannabe cool ahh)
"Dad, Yuujin and his friends aren't bad people! They're disciples of Master Roshi, like you, and they've come to help put out the flames!"
Chi-Chi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly explained.
"You're also disciples of Master Roshi?"
Ox-King looked at Yuujin and his group in surprise.
"Yes, indeed, Brother Ox-King."
"My name is Yuujin, and these are Bulma, Tights, and Goku. Both Goku and I are disciples of Master Roshi."
"This is the Flying Nimbus that Master Korin gifted to me and Goku; Master Roshi has one too. And this staff was a gift from Senior Brother Gohan to Goku; I believe you'll recognize it as well."
After introducing themselves, Yuujin pointed to the Nimbus Cloud and the staff behind Goku.
"The Flying Nimbus and the Ruyi Staff!"
"Haha…"
"Yuujin, Goku, I had no idea you were also Master Roshi's disciples. I thought you were here to steal my treasure!"
"My apologies, please forgive me."
"Haha, so nostalgic! How are Master Roshi and Gohan doing?"
Ox-King tossed aside his axe and laughed heartily, his hostility melting away.
"Senior Brother Gohan is now living with Master Roshi. They're both doing well, so no need to worry," Yuujin replied with a smile.
"Yuujin, Goku, since you have the Nimbus Cloud, could you ask Master Roshi to lend me the Banana Palm Fan? My castle is surrounded by flames, and only Master Roshi's fan can put them out."
After nodding in acknowledgment, Ox-King added his request.
"The Banana Palm Fan? It's right here, Brother. Take a look."
Yuujin smiled and pulled out the Banana Palm Fan from behind him.
"Haha…"
"That's great! Now I can finally return to my castle."
"Yuujin, could you help me extinguish the flames on the mountain? I'll grant any wish you have."
Recognizing the fan as the real deal, Ox-King was thrilled and made his plea.
"Of course."
"However, we're currently on a quest for the Dragon Balls. One of them happens to be in your castle. Once I extinguish the flames, could you give that Dragon Ball to us?"
"A Dragon Ball?"
"It looks like this," Yuujin said, showing Ox-King one of the Dragon Balls.
"I don't recall anything like that among my treasures."
"Well, if you find it, feel free to take it."
Ox-King thought for a moment but couldn't recall seeing such an orb, though he agreed readily.
"Thanks, Brother. I'll start extinguishing the flames now."
Wasting no time, they found a high spot on the mountain, and Yuujin held up the Banana Palm Fan to put out the flames engulfing Frypan Mountain.
"Banana Palm Fan!"
With a shout, Yuujin waved the fan, summoning fierce winds that blew out the mountain flames.
But before they could celebrate, the flames roared back to life with a whoosh!
The fire, fueled by divine fire essence fallen from the heavens, had been burning for a decade without stopping. It was clear one wave wouldn't be enough, but Yuujin didn't mind. Holding the Banana Palm Fan, he waved it twice more.
The Banana Palm Fan was a powerful artifact: one wave summoned wind, two waves summoned rain, and three waves summoned a torrential downpour. After the third wave, dark clouds gathered overhead, thunder roared, and a heavy rainstorm soon followed.
The heavy downpour finally extinguished the flames, cooling down the previously scorching mountain.
"Haha…"
"It's out! The fire is finally out!"
Seeing the extinguished flames, Ox-King cheered with joy, while Chi-Chi gazed at Yuujin with starry eyes.
"That's amazing, Yuujin! That Banana Palm Fan is incredible!"
"Do you like it, Chi-Chi? If you want, you can have it," Yuujin smiled, holding out the fan to her.
"Huh? Can… can I really have something so powerful?"
"Of course! After all, Chi-Chi is so adorable."
Chi-Chi's cheeks flushed as she took the fan, feeling as though Yuujin was confessing his feelings to her.
"Ah…"
"We found it, the Dragon Ball!"
Inside Ox-King's castle, Goku found the Dragon Ball hidden in a corner and raised it excitedly.
It was a 7-star Dragon Ball, likely one that had fallen here years ago after Yuujin and Goku made a wish to Shenron. Now they had collected six Dragon Balls in total.
"Haha… I didn't know that orb was in my castle."
Finally back in his castle, Ox-King was delighted.
Grateful to Yuujin and his friends, he invited them to view his treasure collection. They accepted and followed him inside.
As they saw Ox-King's treasure room, filled with heaps of gold and jewels, Yuujin couldn't help but be a little surprised at his senior brother's wealth.
Goku seemed uninterested, but Bulma and Tights were starry-eyed, their hearts racing.
"Uh, Ox-King, could you give us some of your treasures?" Bulma asked eagerly.
"Haha… sure!"
"You're friends of Yuujin and Goku. Take as much as you want!"
Ox-King laughed heartily, delighted to be generous.
"Yay!!!"
The two sisters cheered, diving into the treasure piles and picking out their favorite pieces...
To be continued…
The Bansho Fan (芭蕉扇 Bashō-sen, lit. "Banana Palm Fan") is a mystical fan designed to stoke and control the flames of the magical furnace.