The setting sun finally sank below the horizon, and the last rays of light vanished. A thin veil of twilight settled over Mount Paozu, and a misty night gradually fell, bringing with it a profound silence.
The presence of a few extra guests made the atmosphere at the dinner table in Goku's house especially lively.
Mr. Satan, who had woken up from his faint, stayed cautiously beside the "big bosses." His legs were shaking the entire time, a blend of excitement and sheer terror. When he first learned who Son Gohan was, he was shocked, but actually seeing the powerful fighters from the past—all gathered in one room—still tested Satan's psychological limits.
Videl, in contrast, felt only admiration. Besides Son Goku, there was also Raditz.
The master who had once publicly tortured and killed Cell, Raditz, was almost completely unheard of by the public, but anyone who truly understood martial arts could recognize him as a super-powerful fighter. How strong Raditz truly was remained beyond the comprehension of Earthlings; Videl's opinion was based entirely on her own imagination.
She asked questions about everything Tien Shinhan hadn't told her, or perhaps didn't even know.
But Videl's current level was too far below theirs; some concepts were impossible to grasp even when explained. Raditz gave her a general overview of the details. The mention of "Frieza, the Emperor of the Universe," and "Saiyan" caused Videl's eyes to shine as if a door to a new world had opened.
Gohan smiled and sat next to Videl, calmly and gently explaining things. Chi-Chi and Zangya watched the two of them with the knowing eyes of experience, whispering to each other and occasionally letting out soft laughter.
"Um... does he not need to eat?" Satan asked, searching for a topic, and pointing to Broly, who was standing quietly nearby.
The colossal, statue-like man stood there, neither speaking nor eating, emanating a calm and cold aura. Seeing him was like reading a sign that said: Do not approach strangers.
"Broly doesn't like crowded places," Oss explained.
Satan glanced at Broly, then quickly looked away, noticing that Goku, Goten, and Rukon were all devouring their food, swallowing every dish in two or three bites. No wonder they're so powerful, Satan thought to himself. They eat a massive amount.
Raditz couldn't help but joke, "It's only been a week since school started, and Gohan's already brought a female classmate home. That's quite something."
Videl and Gohan instantly blushed. Gohan immediately tried to explain, "Uncle Raditz, I brought Mr. Satan and her because Videl really wanted to see Dad."
"Huh? Me?" Goku lifted his head, his face smeared with grease.
Videl said seriously, "Mr. Son Goku is a legendary super martial artist. So many people look up to you as an idol. Some people are betting that you'll even appear in the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament!"
"The World Martial Arts Tournament?"
After all these years, everyone had almost forgotten about the tournament. In fact, after the defeat of Cell, the competition was held again, though the level was low and Tien Shinhan and the others didn't participate. Mr. Satan won the championship that year and shot to fame.
This year was the time for the next World Martial Arts Tournament. Videl had long planned to compete, and Satan, as the reigning champion, was also expected to participate.
"That sounds interesting. Gohan, should we go too?" Goku asked.
Goku's suggestion terrified Satan so much he almost choked to death. If they enter the tournament, I might be reduced to ashes!Hearing the stories they'd been telling, this group of people was vastly stronger than even Master Tien Shinhan. I, the reigning champion, would surely be finished.
There were no fewer than five supreme fighters sitting in front of him, and Goku was even rattling off other names like "Piccolo" and "Vegeta." Satan felt his head spinning again, on the verge of fainting.
Fortunately, Raditz interrupted Goku in time. "Let's not cause trouble. The level of the World Martial Arts Tournament on Earth is far too low for us to participate. Let's leave that little arena to others."
"That's right! That's right! It would really be a disgrace for you to compete in that kind of lowly event," Satan chimed in repeatedly.
Although Goku missed the feeling of the old tournaments, he thought about it carefully and agreed that Raditz was right. No matter how much they tried to control their power, they would inevitably cause damage. So, he had to give up the idea.
Videl was a little disappointed. It was a shame not to see these masters fight.
"Krillin and the others won't be participating either," Gohan added. "After all, at their level, winning the championship is far too easy."
"Haha, that's true," Gohan chuckled.
Watching them talk about the World Martial Arts Tournament title as if it were a trivial prize solidified the immense strength difference for Videl. She looked at Gohan, then leaned over suddenly and whispered, "Gohan, you have to help me train from now on."
"Help you train?"
"You haven't helped me fully master the ki blast yet, so you have to keep your word. Also, I want to greatly improve my strength before the World Martial Arts Tournament!"
"This... okay," Gohan thought for a moment and finally agreed to Videl's request.
Raditz had intended to try and push the two of them together, but judging by the situation, it seemed everything was happening naturally, and he didn't need to worry about it. Chi-Chi also seemed very satisfied with Videl. She called Videl "Our Gohan's" with every other bite and seemed even more enthusiastic than Raditz.
Therefore, leading up to the official opening of the World Martial Arts Tournament, Gohan trained with Videl every day. He not only imparted the essence of the Dodompa technique but also taught her a simplified, ancestral Kame-style ki attack. As the tournament approached, many people were undertaking their final sprint training. Even Mr. Satan went to Tien Shinhan and demanded a hellish assault course.
Seeing Satan arrive alone, Tien Shinhan couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Satan, is Videl not competing this time? That girl said she wanted to show off her skills last time."
"She, she went to practice with Son Gohan."
"You mean Gohan?! You know Gohan?" Tien Shinhan was taken aback, a small smile appearing on his face. "That's fine. Gohan was taught by Piccolo, and no one knows better than him how to be strict. Though... that boy has really grown up!"
He sighed, thinking Videl and Gohan were a good match, perhaps a match made in heaven.
It was just Mr. Satan... Tien Shinhan frowned somewhat resentfully, thinking that this guy was not as talented as Videl.
"Starting today, you can live here. If you still want to keep your gold belt, try the special gravity training. I'll have Chiaotzu take you."
"Mr. Chiaotzu?"
"That's it!" Tien Shinhan arranged the training schedule.
For a month straight, Satan endured a brutal, hell-mode training regimen, finally applying himself seriously to improve his strength.
Meanwhile, while Son Gohan and Videl practiced, they also talked about their hobbies, flew to various places to travel, and sampled delicious food. They even agreed to go to the Galactic Justice League headquarters after the tournament. It seemed that Gohan's training wasn't quite as strict as Tien Shinhan had described...
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