Chapter 68: Darkness"Finally, that devil is gone..."

  Hiding behind a crumbling er of the castle, Pif and Shu watched Cyrus and his group fade into the horizon. As soon as they were out of sight, both colpsed to the ground, trembling and gasping for air.

  "There are such horrible monsters in this world... Lord Pif, let’s fet about quering the world and just go home," Shu muttered, his voice tinged with lingering fear as he recalled the devastating explosion.

  "Idiot!" Pif snapped, leaping to his feet and gring at Shu. "How dare you spout suonsense? I’ve taught you better than that!"

  "quering the world is our destiny. We must never give up on that ambition—absolutely!!!" Pif’s voice echoed with defiance, his small frame trembling with determination.

  "But... but Mai was captured by them," Shu said weakly, his gaze downcast and shoulders slumped.

  "Hmph!" Pif scoffed, crossing his arms. "That was just a strategic surrender. Do you uand? We’re merely biding our time!"

  Shu looked up, fused but hopeful. "Strategic surrender, Lord Pif?"

  "Exactly!" Pif decred, puffing out his chest. "Ohe time is right, we’ll regroup and recim what’s ours. Mai included!"

  Though his words brimmed with fidence, even Pif couldn’t shake the chill in his heart from fag Cyrus.

  "That fool thinks he make Mai work for him just by taking her away. Hmph!" Pif sneered, folding his arms with a smug expression. "He doesn’t realize that Mai only obeys my orders."

  "Just wait. Mai will escape and e back soing all the Dragon Balls with her!"

  "Really? Master Pif?" Shu asked, his eyes wide with naive hope.

  "Of course!" Pif puffed out his chest, grinning fidently. "I secretly wi Mai three times. She must have uood my signal."

  "Oh, I see now! You truly are a genius, King Pif!" Shu excimed, g his hands in admiration.

  "Exactly! Once Mai returns with the Dragon Balls, we’ll summoernal Dragon and make a wish. Then, my ambition to rule the world will finally be realized!"

  Pif raised his fists triumphantly, his small figure trembling with excitement.

  "By then, I’ll be the king of the world! Oh hahaha! Oh hahahaha!"

  His ugh echoed through the ruins of the castle as Shu joined in, the two lost in their delusions of grandeur.

  ......

  Se Transition: Heavenly Temple

  Using [Teleport], Cyrus and Mai appeared high above the clouds, at the Heavenly Temple.

  "Where... where is this?" Mai asked, looking around in bewilderment at the strange and unfamiliar surroundings.

  Just moments ago, they had been flying on that mysterious bck cloud. How had they ended up here in an instant?

  "This is the Temple of the Gods," Cyrus expined briefly, his tone calm and authoritative. "It is the residence of the gods."

  "Temple of the Gods?" Mai muttered, her head spinning. The idea of a divine residence, perched in the sky, felt surreal and overwhelming.

  Before she could process it further, a figure emerged from the grand hall.

  "My Lod, wele back," said Bobo, the loyal servant of the gods, bowing respectfully as he approached.

  "Bobo, report to me what has happened in the past few days."

  It had been quite some time since Cyrus and Bulma left the Heavenly Temple. During his absence, all matters ing the temple were entrusted to Bobo, the ever-reliable servant of the gods. Now that Cyrus had returned, he was eager to catch up ohing that had transpired in his absence.

  "Yes, Lod," Bobo replied respectfully, bowing his head before beginning his report. He effitly summarized the events of the past few days, keeping his tone cise and professional.

  Meanwhile, Mai stood off to the side, her expression a mix of bnkness and astonishment. Slowly, the pieces of her situation began to fall into pce.

  This pce, s above the clouds, was the Temple of the Gods. And the man she had been forced to follow—Cyrus—was no ordinary man. He was a god.

  No wonder he seemed so powerful, so untouchable. It all made sense now.

  "Well dohank you for your hard work," Cyrus said, nodding in approval after listening to Bobo's report. His voice carried a tone of genuine praise as he aowledged Bobo’s efforts. Then, turning slightly, he gestured toward Mai.

  "This is Mai," Cyrus introduced. "She’s a subordinate I’ve retly recruited."

  With a sharp gaze, he added, "I’ll be staying oh for a while, so she will remain here. Bobo, I want you to teach her martial arts and ensure she receives proper training."

  "As you wish, Lod," Bobo responded dutifully, shifting his attention to Mai.

  Cyrus’s eyes narrowed as he addressed her directly, his toaking on a stern edge. "Mai, though you are now my subordinate, I have no use for worthless trash. Prove your value."

  Mai swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in.

  "You will stay here and practice martial arts with Bobo to improve your strength. When I return, I will check your progress. If you haven’t made any…"

  Cyrus paused, his gaze darkening as he let the sileretch, a sinister smile curling at the ers of his lips.

  "You uand, don’t you?"

  Mai froze, her heart pounding in her chest at the iy of his words. His smile sent a chill down her spine.

  "Ah... yes!" Mai quickly answered, voice trembling with fear.

  "Master, I will practice hard and never be zy!"

  Cyrus’s smile widened as he patted her shoulder with a feigned kindness. "Keep doing your best. I’m rooting for you." His tone was mog, yet there was an edge to it that made her stomach tighten.

  After o g Mai, Cyrus turo Bobo and nodded. Without another word, he vanished, leaving only a lingering sense of dread in the air.

  Bobhtened up, his hands csped behind his back as he turo face Mai. "Your name is Mai, correct? I am Mr. Bobo. I will teaartial arts as ordered by the Lod."

  Mai iffly, still shaken by Cyrus’s presence.

  "First, you must run around the temple 500 times so I assess your physical fitness."

  "5... 500 ps?!" Mai excimed, her eyes widening in disbelief.

  She looked at the temple, which, though not enormous, seemed vast enough to make this task feel impossible. The thought of running around it 500 times made her feel lightheaded.

  "Yes, what’s the problem?" Bobo asked his face as calm and serious as ever.

  Mai’s shoulders slumped as she realized there was no avoiding it. She blinked rapidly, feeling her future grow darker with every passing moment.

  …

  "Hahaha……"

  "Qiqi, e chase me!"

  "Goku, wait for me!"

  High in the sky, Goku and Chi-Chi were pyfully chasing each other on their somersault clouds, their ughter eg through the air. Behind them, Bulma and Taisi floated leisurely on their clouds, enjoying the view.

  "I'm back," came Cyrus's voice suddenly, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared between Bulma and Taisi.

  "Cyrus!" Taisi cheered, throwing her arms around him iing. Bulma, oher hand, folded her arms, turning her face away with a huff.

  "Humph, didn't some people just leave with their new lover? Why are they ing back?" Bulma's voice held a touch of bitterness, her words ced with jealousy.

  "Hey, Bulma, are you jealous again?" Cyrus teased, a pyful smile tugging at his lips.

  "Mai is just a subordinate I recruited. Since when did she bey lover?" he added, amusement dang in his eyes.

  Bulma narrowed her eyes at him, but before she could respond, Cyrus casually scooped her up and pced her on his p, despite her protests.

  "You just asked her to call you 'Lord,' 'Master.'"

  "She will be my subordinate and property from now on. Is there a problem with her calling me master?" Cyrus's tourned mischievous. "Or, Bulma, do you like being called that?"

  He held her face gently, a wicked grin spreading across his features.

  "I—I don't like it!" Bulma stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment, her earlier irritatioing away into flustered silence.

  Bulma was the type to get jealous without much reason, something Cyrus had learo navigate. He khat with her, it wasn’t about logic—it was about a.

  So, with a grin, Cyrus leaned in and kissed her, sileng any further protest.

  “u…”

  She was ashamed and angry and struggled to resist, but Bulma's strength was no match for Cyrus. It didn't take long for her to bee dizzy and her body went limp.

  She was ashamed and angry and struggled to resist, but Bulma's strength was no match for Cyrus. It didn't take long for her to bee dizzy and her body went limp.

  After what seemed like ay, Cyrus savoured the taste of victory, a satisfied smirk ad his face, while Bulma y on Cyrus, seething with unendiment.

  As Bulma endured Cyrus's bullying once more, Taisi, standing beside her, chuckled mischievously and ed her arms around Cyrus's, asking:

  "Cyrus, what's our adventure?"

  "The dragon balls have been collected. Let's go bae Isnd to rest for two days, and then I'll take you to other pces to py for a while."

  After thinking about it, Cyrus replied.

  "Very well, I shall abide by your wishes..."

  Leaning on Cyrus, Taisi's face was filled with happiness...

  To be tinued…

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