Muscle Tower's Final Hour

White's Dirty Tactics

Goku keeps demanding the village elder's release, so General White peels off his sweater and throws up his fists. His opening swing goes wide, and a light kick to the shin leaves him howling. White resorts to pointing behind Goku and sucker-punching him in the gut while his head is turned, but the shot bounces off without effect. Goku promises to show him what a real punch looks like, and White slams into the ceiling before tumbling behind his control console. Crouched out of sight, the commander spots his Powered Gun and a nasty smirk crosses his face.

A Hostage Trick

White stands up with hands raised, admits defeat, and walks into the adjoining cell to free the elder. Goku tells the old man that he and Hatchan came to bring him home. Then White whips the Powered Gun from his back pocket and presses the barrel against the elder's temple. Hatchan pleads with him to stop, Goku shouts that it is dirty, and the elder himself calls out that he does not mind dying so long as the village is freed. He adds, quietly, that he would still be happy to be rescued too.

Hatchan Breaks His Rule

White orders Goku to turn around, and Goku, stunned, obeys. A shot from the Powered Gun slams into the back of his skull and drops him. Hatchan screams his friend's name as White lines up a finishing round. Before the trigger can fall, Hatchan hurls himself between the muzzle and Goku, taking the blast on his sturdy artificial frame and feeling nothing. Rage finally overrides his anti-violence vow. One enormous punch launches White clear through the tower wall and into the snow outside. Hatchan gathers up a dazed Goku, explains that bullets cannot really hurt him, and leads the elder down and out, everyone laughing as Goku announces he is starving.