Chapter 67: Mai's Surrender
"It's you again."
Upon seeing Pilaf, Mai, and Shu in the castle, Cyrus soared toward them on the Black Cloud.
Pilaf was a short, monster-like Earthling. In the original Dragon Ball, he was Goku's first official enemy, with Shu and Mai as his subordinates.
Despite his diminutive and stout appearance, Pilaf harbored grand ambitions, dreaming of conquering the world by collecting all the Dragon Balls.
Rather than true villains, they were better described as comedians. Every time they attempted to collect the Dragon Balls or summon the dragon, they inevitably failed due to one mishap or another. In short, they were a trio destined to be both funny and pitiable.
"Who are you, little one?!"
Though fear flickered in his eyes, Pilaf feigned calmness, glaring at Cyrus with forced bravado.
These bastards had actually destroyed his castle. How despicable!
"My name is Cyrus. Don't worry about anything else," he said calmly. "The last Dragon Ball is with you, right? Go fetch it for me."
Cyrus patted Pilaf on the shoulder as he spoke.
"Dragon Ball?" Pilaf's eyes narrowed in defiance. "Don't even think about it! That belongs to King Pilaf!"
Hearing that Cyrus intended to take the Dragon Ball, Pilaf became enraged and flatly refused.
"Master Pilaf," A Xiu hesitated, his voice trembling. "This guy, Cyrus, seems incredibly powerful. Maybe we should hand over the Dragon Ball for now?"
"Yes, yes, Master Pilaf," Mai added, nodding anxiously.
"Shut up, you traitors!" Pilaf snapped, glaring at his subordinates. "The Dragon Ball is the key to realizing my ambition! I won't give it up—not even if it costs me my life!"
Scolding Shu and Mai for their spinelessness, Pilaf barked in a tough, commanding tone.
"Master Pilaf..."
Shu and Mai exchanged worried glances, but Cyrus had no patience for their hesitation.
With a casual wave of his hand, a Qigong blast shot out from his fingertips.
BOOM!
The Qigong bomb exploded in the desert tens of thousands of meters away. The earth shook violently, and the deafening roar echoed across the horizon, shaking the very air. The sheer force of the explosion made it feel like the end of the world.
Staring blankly at the destruction in the distance, Pilaf, Shu, and Mai turned pale, their mouths dry as they swallowed hard in fear.
"Now," Cyrus said with a calm smile, "will you hand over the Dragon Ball?"
Pilaf froze, his body trembling as if he were being stared down by the most terrifying demon imaginable. Snapping out of his stupor, he forced a nervous grin.
"Oh, it's Lord Cyrus!" he stammered. "Please wait a moment—I'll fetch the Dragon Ball right away!"
Practically tripping over himself, Pilaf scrambled to the side, retrieved a box containing the Dragon Balls, and presented it to Cyrus with great care and exaggerated attentiveness.
Bulma, Taisi, and the other girls looked on with disdain, while Shu and Mai collapsed to the ground in fear.
Pilaf had just been proudly declaring that the Dragon Ball was essential for realizing his ambitions and that he would never surrender it—even at the cost of his life.
But now...
Lord Pilaf, where is your ambition? Where is your moral integrity?
"Good."
Cyrus examined the Dragon Ball in the box, nodding with satisfaction. With this final piece, they had now collected all the Dragon Balls.
"Um, Master Cyrus, may we leave now?" Pilaf asked cautiously, nervously rubbing his hands together.
"You may," Cyrus replied.
"Then we'll take our leave now, hahaha..."
Relieved to have escaped unharmed, Pilaf and his subordinates exhaled in unison, turning to make their escape.
But—
"Stop."
Cyrus's cold, indifferent voice froze them in their tracks. They stiffened, turning back with pale faces.
"Master Cyrus... didn't you just say..." Pilaf stammered.
"I said you can leave," Cyrus interrupted, his expression unchanging. "But I didn't say all of you could leave."
Pilaf's face twisted in confusion and fear as Cyrus continued, his voice chilling.
"Only two of you are allowed to go. As for the remaining one..."
Cyrus's lips curled into a dark, sinister smile, one that sent shivers down their spines.
Staring at Cyrus, Pilaf and his subordinates felt their hearts tremble, an icy chill gripping their entire bodies.
He was only allowing two of them to leave? What a cold-blooded, heartless devil!
"Lord Pilaf, who among us will stay?" Shu asked hesitantly, his voice quivering.
There was no doubt—the one left behind would face unimaginable torment at the hands of the demon-like Cyrus. The three exchanged uneasy glances, and then—
"Mai, please stay!"
"I'm sorry, Mai!"
Without a shred of hesitation, Pilaf and Shu bolted, leaving Mai standing there, disheveled and stunned as the wind swirled around her.
She had been abandoned.
By Lord Pilaf. By Shu.
"Master Pilaf! Shu! Wait for me!"
Finally snapping out of her shock, Mai took a step forward, ready to chase after them. But before she could move, Cyrus appeared in front of her in a blur, blocking her path.
"What a poor woman," Cyrus said with a mocking smile, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "Abandoned by her companions... how tragic."
Mai's face was pale, her body trembling. She took a few shaky steps back.
"W-What do you want to do to me?" she stammered, fear evident in her wide, tear-filled eyes.
The betrayal by Pilaf and Shu, the overwhelming presence of Cyrus, and the terror of the unknown all collided within her, leaving her utterly lost and confused.
"Now," Cyrus said, his tone calm yet laced with menace, "you have two choices."
"First," he continued, his lips curling into a cruel smile, "submit to me and serve me as my tool."
"Second," he paused for effect, letting the air grow heavy, "let me play with you... until you die."
Cyrus's voice dropped to a slow, deliberate tone, his evil grin spreading wider as he watched Mai's reaction.
"If possible, I'd prefer you to choose the second option," Cyrus said, his voice dripping with malice.
"I choose the first one!"
Mai's pale face was filled with terror as she quickly blurted out her response.
There was no way she would choose to be "played to death." Absolutely not!
Though the first choice was humiliating, at least it offered her a chance to survive. She wasn't a fool—she knew which option to take to stay alive.
Cyrus wasn't the least bit surprised by her decision. A triumphant smile spread across his face.
What a simple woman. She had been so easy to manipulate, her resolve crumbling after just a little scare.
But Cyrus liked simple-minded individuals like her. The simpler they were, the easier they were to control.
"Good. Now, call me Master," he commanded, gently stroking her forehead with a condescending air.
"M-Master... Master," Mai stammered, her face flushing red with embarrassment. Shame coursed through her, but the suffocating fear in her heart left her no choice but to comply.
Cyrus's grin widened with satisfaction. He knew Mai's submission was born solely out of fear, devoid of any trace of loyalty.
But that didn't bother him in the slightest.
Loyalty? That would come later... after some proper training.
"From now on, you are my tool and subordinate. Come with us," Cyrus declared, his tone leaving no room for objection.
Without hesitation, he leapt onto the Black Cloud, his commanding presence unmistakable.
Mai hesitated, her gaze lingering on the direction where Pilaf and Shu had fled. Her reluctance to leave her former companions was evident in her expression.
"Why?" Cyrus sneered, his voice cutting through the silence. "They abandoned you without a second thought, yet you still can't bear to leave them?"
Mai's entire body shuddered at his words.
Yes. It was Pilaf and Shu who had betrayed her, left her to face this monster alone. Why should she remain loyal to them?
A wave of bitter satisfaction welled up within her—a twisted sense of revenge. If they could abandon her, then she could abandon them.
The hesitation in her eyes vanished. Resolute, Mai stepped forward and leapt onto the Black Dou Cloud without looking back.