The moment had finally arrived. The first quarter-final match was about to begin, and the anticipation in the arena was electric. Yamcha and Tenshinhan stood across from each other in the ring, their gazes locked in an intense stare-down that sent ripples of tension through the crowd.
The legendary rivalry between Muten Roshi and Tsuru Sen'nin was about to play out through their students.
The blonde announcer worked the crowd into a frenzy, his voice booming across the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is it! The clash of two legendary martial arts schools! The moment we've all been waiting for!"
He raised his hand high into the air, then brought it down with a dramatic flourish.
"BEGIN!"
Yamcha exploded forward immediately, launching a barrage of rapid punches that would have overwhelmed any normal opponent. His fists moved like lightning, each strike precise and powerful from years of grueling training under Master Roshi.
But Tenshinhan was far from normal. His arms moved in perfect harmony, blocking each punch with mechanical precision. Not a single strike got through his defense.
Then it was Tien's turn to attack. His counteroffensive came like a whirlwind, forcing Yamcha to give ground as he desperately blocked and parried the three-eyed warrior's assault.
As they separated, both fighters breathing slightly harder, Tenshinhan's expression showed grudging respect. "Hm. You're no fluke after all."
From the stands, Yamcha's friends cheered him on with unwavering confidence.
"You've got this, Yamcha!" Bulma shouted.
Puar floated anxiously beside them while Oolong munched nervously on his snacks. They all believed in their friend—he'd trained too hard for three years to lose now.
But Yamcha had something special planned. Something that would shock everyone in the arena.
He suddenly leaped backward, creating distance between himself and his opponent. Then, to everyone's amazement, he brought his hands to his sides in a familiar stance.
"Did he learn it?!" Jackie Chun gasped.
"Ehhh, Yamcha did?!".
Goku watched with interest, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Of course! If he ever wants to catch up to me, he'd have to master the basics."
Tenshinhan straightened up, his expression shifting from confident to confused as he watched Yamcha's stance.
"KA... ME..."
Energy began crackling between Yamcha's palms, blue-white light gathering with each word.
"HA... ME..."
The power continued to build, and the crowd held its collective breath.
"HAAAAAAA!"
A brilliant ki wave erupted from Yamcha's hands, rocketing across the arena toward Tenshinhan with devastating force. The Kamehameha wave tore through the air, its raw power making the entire stadium tremble.
Tenshinhan's eyes widened, but his reaction was lightning-fast. His hands flew into a complex series of signs, his three eyes blazing with concentration as he channeled his ki in ways the Turtle School had never imagined possible.
The Kamehameha struck him dead-on—and bounced back.
The redirected energy wave screamed past Yamcha's head as he desperately jumped. The blast slammed into the arena wall behind him, detonating in a massive explosion that sent chunks of concrete flying toward the crowd.
Spectators screamed and ducked for cover as debris rained down around them.
"Impossible!" Yamcha stared in shock at the smoking crater where part of the arena wall used to be. That was his ultimate technique, and this guy had just... reflected it like it was nothing.
But his amazement cost him. While he stood frozen in disbelief, Tenshinhan had already moved.
"Focus, you idiot!" Goku shouted from the sidelines, but it was too late.
Tenshinhan jumped to him and his kick caught Yamcha square in the stomach with tremendous force,he crashed down onto the arena floor with a sickening impact that made him bounce once before lying still.
The sound of his body hitting the concrete made everyone wince. Bulma, Launch, and the others cringed at the brutal impact, their faces pale with worry.
Yamcha wasn't moving.
"He's knocked out," Goku observed, already starting to stand. The fight was clearly over.
But Tenshinhan wasn't finished.
The three-eyed warrior dropped down from his position in the air, driving his knee directly into Yamcha's leg with a wet, crunching sound that echoed across the suddenly silent arena.
Yamcha's scream of agony pierced the air like a knife.
"His leg!" Krillin gasped in horror. "It just snapped!"
The referee stood frozen in shock, unable to process what he'd just witnessed. This wasn't a fight anymore—this was assault.
Krillin leaped into the ring without hesitation, rushing to his fallen friend's side. Behind him, Tenshinhan stood with that same cold smirk, completely unmoved by the suffering he'd caused.
"What happened to the judging?" Tien asked mockingly, looking at the stunned referee.
The announcer finally snapped back to reality, his voice shaking as he made the official call: "YA-YAMCHA IS NOT IN CONDITION TO CONTINUE! TENSHINHAN ADVANCES!"
The shock rippled through the Turtle School team like a physical blow. This wasn't how tournaments were supposed to go. This was something darker, more vicious than any of them had expected.
Goku walked slowly into the ring. His footsteps were measured, deliberate, as he approached Yamcha's broken form.
Puar came flying over, tears streaming down his small face as he saw his friend's condition.
"Transform and get him to the hospital," Goku said calmly to Puar, though his voice carried an undercurrent of barely controlled anger.
As Puar began to shift into his flying carpet form to transport Yamcha, Goku turned to face Tenshinhan. His movement was slow, almost casual, but there was something predatory about it that made the three-eyed fighter take notice.
"You noticed he was already knocked out" Goku said, his voice quiet but carrying clearly across the arena.
Tenshinhan laughed, the sound harsh and mocking. "Kukuku... you should be happy I didn't kill him. I'm a nice guy, after all!"
The casual cruelty in his words hit Puar like a physical blow. The small shapeshifter spun toward Tenshinhan, his face a mask of anger and grief.
"YOU—"
But before Puar could finish his outburst, Goku's hand came, stopping him mid-sentence. Goku's head was tilted down, his hair casting shadows over his features.
Slowly, deliberately, Goku raised his head to look directly at Tenshinhan.
For just a moment, his eyes held a cold, calculating anger. "Goooood..." Goku said softly, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "Thank you for keeping that same energy."
The temperature in the arena seemed to drop several degrees. Even Tenshinhan felt a chill run down his spine as those dark eyes bored into him, though he quickly brushed off the feeling.
Puar understood the message immediately. He dried his tears and carefully transformed, gently lifting Yamcha's broken form as Launch and Bulma rushed to accompany them to the hospital.
As they left, Goku and Tenshinhan continued to stare at each other across the ring. The crowd was silent, sensing that something fundamental had changed in the dynamic between these two warriors.
"Hope you survive to the finals," Tenshinhan said finally, trying to reclaim his earlier bravado.
"Don't worry about me..." Goku replied, his voice still carrying that same dangerous calm.
From the stands, Tsuru Sen'nin was cackling with delight. "Well done! Now they've learned how terrifying the Tsuru Sen School truly is!"
Tien came back inside with Chaozu waiting for him, flashing a peace sign with his usual stoic expression. "Victory," Chaozu declared confidently. "Of course. He was stronger than I expected, but I believe he was the strongest of Master Roshi's pupils. I think my victory at the Tenkaichi Budokai is pretty much assured."
The second fight began: Jackie Chun versus Boris. This was a completely one-sided affair, with Jackie dominating from start to finish. Goku and Krillin watched from the sidelines when Krillin suddenly turned and spotted something extraordinary.
"Goku! Look!" he called out.
Goku spun around, his eyes widening in amazement. Tien and Chiaotzu were observing the match while floating effortlessly in the air.
"What?! I need to learn how to do that!" Goku exclaimed with childlike excitement.
The fight concluded with Jackie Chun winning with incredible ease.
The arena was still tense from Jackie Chun's lightning-fast victory over Boris when the announcer's voice boomed across the stadium once again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our third quarter-final match! Representing the Turtle School... Krillin!"
Krillin stepped into the ring, his movements sharp and focused. The brutal image of Yamcha's broken jaw was still fresh in his mind.
"And his opponent," the announcer continued, "representing the Crane School... Chaozu!"
The small, pale figure floated into the ring without making a sound. His doll-like face showed no emotion whatsoever as he touched down, his red-dot cheeks giving him an eerily childish appearance that contrasted sharply with the cold emptiness in his black eyes.
"He can fly?!" several spectators gasped.
From the fighters' area, Goku leaned forward with interest. "Old man... What's that technique called ?"
"Bukūjutsu... the art of flight. This won't be an ordinary fight."
Krillin settled into his fighting stance, feet planted firmly, hands raised defensively. Across from him, Chaozu remained completely motionless, his expression blank and unreadable.
"BEGIN!" the referee shouted.
For several heartbeats, neither fighter moved. The crowd grew restless, expecting the explosive action they'd witnessed in the previous matches. But Chaozu just stood there, staring at Krillin with those emotionless black eyes.
*What's he waiting for?* Krillin thought, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. *Why isn't he—*
Suddenly, Chaozu slid forward wthout moving his legs. His feet never touched the ground as he glided across the ring at impossible speed.
"What the hell?!" Krillin barely had time to block as Chaozu's small foot caught him in the stomach, launching him high into the air.
The crowd erupted as Krillin spun helplessly above the ring. But years of training under Master Roshi had prepared him for aerial combat. He twisted in mid-air, using his momentum to execute a perfect flip and land safely on his feet.
"Not bad," Chaozu spoke for the first time, his voice high-pitched and childlike. "But you won't dodge this so easily."
He raised both hands, palms facing outward toward Krillin.
"Afterimage Technique!" Krillin shouted, moving so fast he left multiple copies of himself scattered around the ring.
Chaozu's eyes darted left and right, trying to track the real target among the flickering images. "Cheap tricks won't—"
"Got you!" The real Krillin appeared behind him, driving his elbow toward the back of Chaozu's head.
But at the last second, Chaozu simply lifted off the ground, rising straight up into the air as Krillin's attack sailed harmlessly below.
A small ball of energy began forming at the tip of his finger, crackling with deadly power.
"Do... don... PA!"
A thin, concentrated beam of energy shot from his fingertip like a laser, carving a smoking trench in the arena floor as Krillin dove to the side.
"That's the Dodon Blast!" Jackie Chun gasped. "That's Tao Pai Pai's technique!"
"Oh yeah... Tao Pai Pai... I remember that attack." Goku said looking at krilin dodging the beams.
Tenshinhan had overheard the conversation and found himself drawn to the group despite his earlier hostility. Curiosity got the better of him.
"How do you know about Tao Pai Pai?" he asked, his three eyes focusing intently on Goku.
Goku said casually. "Huh? Oh, he was some assassin guy who tried to kill me. So I killed him instead... I think."
The words hit like a thunderbolt.
Jackie Chun's eyes went wide, and Tenshinhan's face went completely pale. For a moment, neither could speak.
"Liar!" Tenshinhan snarled, his composure finally cracking. "Tao Pai Pai-sama was the strongest assassin in the world! No one could—"
The revelation hit Tenshinhan like a physical blow. His confident smirk vanished completely as the implications sank in. Without another word, he turned and ran toward the stands, pushing through the crowd with desperate urgency.
"Killed?" Jackie Chun interrupted, his voice grim with understanding. "Tao Pai Pai is Tsuru Sen'nin's younger brother."
"Tsuru Sen'nin-sama!" he called out as he reached his master. "I have terrible news!"
Tsuru looked up from his meditation, irritation flashing across his weathered features. "What is it, Tenshinhan? You should be preparing for your next match."
"It's about Tao Pai Pai," Tenshinhan said, his voice tight with emotion. "That Goku... he says he killed him."
The old crane master's face went through a series of expressions—confusion, disbelief, and then volcanic rage.
"WHAT?!" Tsuru Sen'nin shot to his feet, his robes billowing around him. "Tao was beaten by one of that turtle hermit's pupils?!"
"But master," Tenshinhan said quickly, trying to process his own shock, "he couldn't have lost in a fair fight. He must have been taken by surprise, or caught off guard somehow!"
Tsuru Sen'nin's eyes burned with fury, but Tenshinhan's words gave him something to cling to. "Of course! My brother was invincible in combat! No one could defeat Tao Pai Pai in a straight fight!"
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "That turtle student must have used some cowardly trick. My brother would never lose to inferior martial arts."
Chaozu's expression remained completely blank. "Do... don... PA!"
From his position in the stands, Tsuru leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. "Chaozu! Finish him! Take this one out—permanently!"
The meaning was clear. This wasn't about advancing in the tournament anymore. This was about revenge.
"Yes, Tsuru Sen'nin," Chaozu replied obediently, raising his finger once more. But this time, the energy building at the tip was far more intense than before, crackling with enough power to level a building.
"Super Dodon Blast!" he shouted.
The massive energy beam tore through the air with devastating force. Krillin's eyes widened.
*I've got one shot at this,* he thought, bringing his hands to his side in the familiar stance he'd practiced countless times.
"Ka... me..."
"That's my krilin!" Goku exclaimed.
Jackie Chun shook his head. "He's barely learned the basics. An amateur's Kamehameha can't match a Dodon Blast of that magnitude!"
"Doesn't matter! Let's go krilin!!!" Shouted Goku.
"Ha... me..."
Chaozu's massive Super Dodon Blast rocketed toward Krillin at incredible speed, aimed directly at intercepting his charging Kamehameha wave. The two attacks were on a collision course that would determine the match's outcome.
But at the last possible second, Krillin leaped high into the air, letting the deadly energy beam streak harmlessly beneath him.
Chaozu's eyes widened in shock. With his most powerful attack having missed its target, he was completely exposed and defenseless.
Krillin extended his arms while still airborne, energy crackling between his palms.
"HAAAAAAA!"
The Kamehameha wave erupted from his hands with perfect execution, streaking directly toward the floating Chaozu. The pale fighter had no time to dodge or counter—the blue-white beam struck him with tremendous force, blasting him backward through the air toward the crowd.
Chaozu's small body crashed into the arena wall with a sickening thud before tumbling to the ground outside the ring boundaries.
Krillin landed gracefully, still focused and ready to continue fighting, but the match was already over.
"Out of bounds! Krillin advances to the semi-finals!" the announcer declared.
Krillin stood there for a moment, still baffled by his own victory. He'd actually done it—he'd beaten a psychic opponent using strategy and his first real Kamehameha.
Suddenly, Goku jumped down from the sidelines and ran over, smacking his friend on the back of the head with a grin.
"That was awesome! You gave me goosebumps!" Goku exclaimed.
Krillin turned to face his longtime training partner, confusion still written across his features.
Goku gave him a thumbs up with that familiar smirk. "Nice fight. You've really become strong."
Tears began forming in Krillin's eyes as a huge smile spread across his face. He threw his arms around Goku in a tight hug.
"Of course!" Krillin said proudly. "I've been secretly copying your ki training methods, but that was my first real Kamehameha in combat!"
After a brief intermission, the final quarter-final match was announced.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our last match of the round! Pamput versus... Son Goku!"
Goku walked casually toward the ring, but his opponent made a much more dramatic entrance. Pamput came leaping and backflipping through the air, landing with perfect form that sent the female spectators into a frenzy of screaming and cheering.
Goku glanced at the swooning girls in the crowd. "This guy's popular with the ladies, huh?" He shrugged. "Guess I'm gonna get booed."
Pamput strutted over to his opponent, throwing a lightning-fast punch that stopped just inches from Goku's face.
"I see you didn't flinch or run away," Pamput said with a cocky grin. "Hehehe, not bad."
Goku looked completely unimpressed. "Huh? Why would I flinch at such a slow-ass punch?"
"SLOW?!" Pamput's face flushed red with indignation. "How dare you! Look at this!"
He began an elaborate display of shadow boxing, incorporating backflips and flashy techniques before delivering a devastating punch that completely destroyed a nearby wall. Chunks of concrete exploded everywhere as dust filled the air.
"See?!" Pamput demanded, gesturing at the destruction.
The crowd cheered and gasped in amazement at the impressive display of power. But up in the fighters' area, Tenshinhan remained completely unmoved, his three eyes studying Goku's reaction with interest.
Goku glanced at the collapsed wall and spotted Jackie Chun and Krillin waving at him from behind the debris. He gave them a casual wink, which only made Pamput more frustrated.
"BEGIN!" the announcer shouted.
Pamput immediately exploded into motion, rushing toward Goku with a flurry of punches from every conceivable angle. His fists moved like a blur as he attacked with everything he had.
But Goku didn't seem to be moving at all. He stood casually with his hands clasped behind his back, his body swaying slightly as he effortlessly dodged every single strike. Each punch missed by mere millimeters as Goku flowed around them like water.
"If I can just touch you, I'll make you fall!" Pamput shouted in frustration, redoubling his efforts.
"Try it," Goku replied calmly.
They moved across the ring as Pamput continued his relentless assault, driving Goku backward until they reached the corner. Sweat poured down Pamput's face as he threw everything he had into his attacks, but none of them came close to connecting.
As they reached the very edge of the ring, Goku dodged one final punch by rotating smoothly behind his opponent. In the same fluid motion, he delivered a gentle kick to the tiles beneath Pamput's feet.
CRACK!
The arena floor crumbled where Pamput was standing. Still off-balance from his missed punch, the flashy fighter tumbled backward with the broken concrete, falling out of bounds before he could recover.
"Winner! Son Goku advances!" the announcer declared.
Krillin leaped into the ring, running toward his friend with a huge smile. "That was incredible! You barely even moved!"
In the crowd, Tenshinhan watched with newfound respect and wariness. He'd been impressed by the minimal effort it took Goku to defeat such a skilled opponent, and the fluid, almost ghostlike way he'd moved during the entire exchange.
*This one's different,* Tenshinhan thought, his third eye narrowing. *Much more dangerous than the others, could he really have beaten taopaipai?.*
The quarter-finals were complete. The semi-finals would pit Tenshinhan against Jackie Chun, and Krillin against Goku.
"Semi-final match one! Jackie Chun versus Tenshinhan!"
The fight began with evenly matched exchanges. Tenshinhan threw powerful strikes, but Jackie blocked everything with superior technique. When Tien attempted his flying headbutt attack, Jackie leaped over it and countered with mid-air punches.
"Multiple Afterimage Technique!" Jackie created eight spinning copies of himself around Tenshinhan.
But Tenshinhan's third eye saw through the illusion immediately. "My three eyes can't be fooled!" He kicked the real Jackie into the arena wall.
As they continued fighting, Jackie began his psychological warfare. "Why does someone with your power follow Tsuru Sen'nin? Choose the bright path over the shadow."
The questions clearly disturbed Tenshinhan. "Enough philosophy!" he snarled, raising his hands to his face.
"Taiyō-ken!"
A blinding flash of light filled the arena, temporarily blinding everyone except the announcer. While Jackie stumbled helplessly, Tenshinhan struck him down with a knee to the head.
Jackie recovered at the count of five, but Tenshinhan noticed his own attacks felt weaker somehow after the philosophical challenges.
"You want to see copying?" Tenshinhan decided to end it. "Ka... me... ha... me... HAAAAAAA!"
The massive Kamehameha rocketed toward Jackie, but the old master caught it with both hands and redirected it skyward to protect the spectators.
"I'm so happy! I'm getting shivers" Jackie said quietly. "Walk in the path of light and become truly great."
Then, to everyone's shock, Jackie simply walked to the edge of the ring and stepped out of bounds.
"Winner by forfeit! Tenshinhan!"
"Why?" Tenshinhan demanded as Jackie collected his jacket. "We both know you could have kept fighting!"
"finally I can take it easy, I've been waiting in anticipation of young people like this to appear"
As Jackie walked away humming, Tenshinhan stood alone in the ring, his mind racing with questions, Jackie passed Goku and krilin glanced at them and said to himself "I wonder what kind of era is on it's way"
Krillin stared at the spot where Jackie Chun had forfeited, still trying to process what he'd just witnessed.
"Eh? Why did he give up?" Krillin asked, confusion written across his face.
Goku leaned casually against the arena wall, hands shoved deep in his pockets. "Don't know. He had his reasons, maybe..."
Then Goku turned his head toward Krillin with that familiar mischievous smirk. "Are you really comfortable worrying about other people's fights instead of your own match against me?"
Krillin's face went blank for a moment. "Huh? What do you mean, against y—"
The realization hit him like a lightning bolt. His next opponent was Goku. His best friend. The same Goku who had grown impossibly strong during their three years apart.
Krillin began shaking, sweat beading on his forehead as the full weight of the situation sank in. But then he locked eyes with Goku, and something changed. The trembling lessened, his scared expression hardened into determination, and his brows furrowed with resolve.
He lifted his fist to his chest, meeting Goku's gaze directly.
"Goku!" he declared with fierce determination. "Don't you dare hold back, or I'll hate you forever!"
Goku saw the fire burning in his friend's eyes and smiled genuinely. "Of course I won't."
He pushed off from the wall and gave Krillin a friendly fist bump before heading toward the arena entrance.
Both fighters were met with thunderous applause from the crowd, who remembered their impressive performances in both this tournament and the previous one.
Krillin walked toward the ring, punching his fists together and psyching himself up. "I've got this!" he muttered to himself. "I trained hard too! I can make him sweat!"
"Now for our second semi-final match!" the announcer called out excitedly. "Let the battle begin!"
The moment the referee gave the signal, Krillin immediately leaped forward to close the distance. Normally, such an aggressive opening would be suicide against someone of Goku's caliber.
But Krillin knew about Goku's handicap—no touching his opponent, no ki techniques. This was his chance to exploit that massive disadvantage.
The barrage began instantly. Krillin unleashed a hurricane of punches and kicks, staying as close to Goku as possible. Unlike his fight against Pamput, Goku couldn't simply bob and weave around these attacks—Krillin was much stronger and faster, forcing Goku to actually block some of the strikes.
"You're annoying!" Goku grunted as he parried a particularly vicious combination.
"Hehe!" Krillin grinned, never letting up the pressure.
Goku tried to jump backward to create space for a shockwave attack, but Krillin was too smart for that. He stayed glued to Goku's side, never giving him the room he needed.
Finally, Goku leaped high into the air, but Krillin followed him up without hesitation.
Goku raised his hands to clap and create a shockwave, but Krillin wrapped his arms around his friend in a tight bear hug, preventing the technique.
"Nice try!" Krillin smirked.
While they grappled in mid-air, Krillin planted both feet on Goku's chest and pushed off with all his strength, sending Goku flying toward the crowd while Krillin dropped safely back toward the ring.
"You lost, buddy!" Goku called out, preparing to clap his hands and blast himself back to safety.
"Are you sure?!" Krillin shouted back with a confident grin.
Goku looked down and realized with horror that he was falling directly toward the spectator stands. Krillin had pushed him completely out of bounds!
"Geh?! This jellybean head!" Goku exclaimed, quickly twisting his body and clapping his hands together.
The massive shockwave from his clap propelled him back toward the arena. He barely made it, his feet touching down right at the ring's edge.
"Phew! I almost—" Goku started to say, relief evident in his voice.
But he was cut off as a Kamehameha wave slammed into his back with tremendous force, creating a massive explosion that sent smoke billowing across the arena.
"WHAT?!" Master Roshi gasped from the stands. "Krillin used the Kamehameha as a follow-up attack!"
"Impossible!" Tsuru Sen'nin snarled. "How did that turtle student—"
"He's using the smoke as camouflage!" Tenshinhan observed with growing respect. "This guy's smarter than I gave him credit for."
As the smoke began to clear, they could see Goku still standing, a hole burned clean through the back of his gi but no visible damage to his skin. He turned toward the dissipating cloud with a grin.
"Nice try, Krillin! But that won't be enough to—"
Suddenly, a figure burst from the smoke directly in front of him. Krillin had used the explosion's cover to close the distance and was now charging at full speed, ready to tackle Goku right out of the ring.
"I wasn't done!" Krillin shouted.
Goku's eyes widened. His guard was completely down—he hadn't expected such a clever follow-up attack.
*Shit! I wasn't expecting him to be this strong and smart! I'm right at the edge!* Goku thought desperately.
But then he smiled, even as Krillin bore down on him. "Nice, Krillin! You're the strongest person I've fought yet!"
Krillin was just inches away from completing his tackle when Goku's entire body suddenly became a blur of motion.
With blinding speed, Goku rotated his legs and feet so fast that his shoes couldn't keep up. The fabric ripped and tore as his movements generated incredible force. Every muscle in his legs flexed and bulged, veins popping out as the tiles beneath his feet began cracking under the pressure.
Then he launched himself sideways like a missile toward the arena wall.
The entire sequence happened in a fraction of a second. To most of the crowd, Goku had simply vanished in a blink. Even Master Roshi and Tsuru Sen'nin had difficulty following the movement.
But Tenshinhan saw it clearly, and his three eyes widened in shock. *That speed... that power... this guy really is a monster.*
Goku hit the wall and immediately rebounded with a perfect flip, landing gracefully on the opposite side of the arena. Krillin, caught off-guard by the sudden disappearance of his target, struggled to regain his balance and avoid falling off the edge himself.
From his new position, Goku punched the air with tremendous force. The shockwave blast caught Krillin before he could recover, sending him flying out of the ring.
"I'm not sure what happened," the announcer said, clearly as confused as everyone else, "but Son Goku advances to the finals!"
The crowd began muttering among themselves, many disappointed by what seemed like an anticlimactic ending.
"He just fell on his own," someone complained.
"That was boring! We couldn't even see what happened!"
But in the VIP section, the martial arts masters had very different reactions.
Tsuru Sen'nin stroked his beard thoughtfully. *That speed... that power... maybe it really is possible that this boy killed Tao Pai Pai.*
Master Roshi wiped sweat from his brow. *Every time I see him fight, Goku keeps getting stronger. Where is his limit?*
Tenshinhan clenched his fists, his three eyes still wide with shock. *These people are idiots. They have no idea what they just witnessed. That wasn't luck—that was martial arts on a completely different level.*
Goku approached the edge where Krillin was hanging, his torn shoes still lying on the arena floor. He squatted down and extended his arms.
"Damn!" Krillin said as Goku pulled him up. "Every time I think I'm getting stronger, you prove me wrong!"
"What can I say?" Goku replied with his characteristic smirk. "I'm exceptional! But... if it had been anyone else other than me, I don't think they could have won against you."
Krillin's face lit up with a huge smile. "Really? You mean I could beat Tenshinhan?"
"Maybe" Goku shot back immediately.
" REALLY!" Krillin roared, chasing after his laughing friend as they left the arena together.
Despite the loss, Krillin felt oddly satisfied. He'd pushed Goku harder than anyone expected, and for a moment there, he'd almost had him.
The finals would be Goku versus Tenshinhan.