Yamcha, Kuririn, Chaozu, and Tenshinhan take well deserved break from their journey toward Karin Tower, as night settles in around them. As they lay down to sleep the gloom away, Ten is kept awake by the sounds of drums. Chaozu can hear them as well. In a trance, he has a startling premonition.
"It's terrible... Something terrible is going to happen!"
The sounds drums and revelry bang in the distance...
(like the beginning of a Johnny Quest or Lupin III episode.)
Light dawns on Kami's Temple. Today, Mr. Popo and Goku will be playing tag, as part of Goku's training. To make things interesting, whoever is "it" will be blindfolded. The only way to win is to seek ki!
Mr. Popo easily captures Goku.
"How could you tell how I was moving?" Goku asks.
"Even if Popo cannot physically reach you, Popo's ki has a tight grip on your ki."
"This time you will be 'It'."
"I can't! I can't see anything!"
Meanwhile, the other boys are nearly across the mountain where they hope to find a village. Kuririn is especially eager to get a hot meal, a warm futon, and a cute girl. But instead, they run into... Demons?! Actually, they're just local villagers, celebrating their yearly festival in honor of their mountain god. Hence the creepy masks and the loud drums all night. Mountain gods like those sorts of things I guess.
And one of them is... a cute girl?!
"She's so cute..." Kuririn thinks to himself.
The boys are invited back to the village to enjoy the festivities!
"That's the body of the moutain god! Neat, isn't it?"
"It sure is..."
(Kuririn - moves as smooth as his head.)
"My name's Kuririn!"
"My name's Mint. Nice to meet you!"
"Mint! What a pretty name!"
Yamcha asks Mint if she knows about Karin Tower, but she does not. She recommends they speak to her grandfather, who might know more about it. Chaozu, however, is distracted by all the birds flying away from their mountain...
The boys are invited to sit and have drinks by Mint's grandfather. Sitting with them is the strongest man in the village, and Mint's older brother, Paoru.
"Drink up!" The villager encourages.
"I can't, I'm underage!" Kuririn offers politely.
"Don't worry! It's just juice! Drink it all up!"
"Oh, in that case, down the hatch!"
"You do martial arts, too?" Mint asks.
"Well, I do train everyday, so I'm pretty confident!"
Paoru wishes to fight Tenshinhan - he can tell by the way he carries himself that he's no amateur. His grandfather thinks this is a wonderful idea! If he can beat Paoru, he will grant any request they have (i.e. directions to Karin Tower)! But things don't work out that easy...
"Hold on...!"
"I'll fight him...! My body's all warm... and I feel like fighting!"
"You're drunk!"
Hoping to impress Mint by proving his strength against her older brother, Drunk Kuririn enters the ring...
Paoru
vs
Kuririn
Paoru rushes in with a furious assault of kicks!
But Kuririn drunkenly sways quicker than Paoru can kick!
Kuririn kneels over to catch himself, feeling as if he's going to be sick...
He catches Mint's eyes, and is spurred on!!
...And he stands up like a proud man!
And, coincidentally, headbutts an approaching Paoru.
Kuririn wins!
But just then...?!
The mountain explodes!!
Grandfather insists they pray harder, as the rest evacuate.
But Tenshinhan decides he will stop the lava himself!!
Because it's something Goku would do, so he must as well!!
So into the lava our four heroes race!!
Kuririn accidentally masters the Sui-Ken!
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