After stepping off the ring, Jackie Chun found a quiet spot and removed his disguise, changing back into his regular clothes.
Tenshinhan approached him not long after.
"Why did you enter the tournament in disguise?" he asked.
Master Roshi answered plainly,
"Simple. It was for the sake of my students.
They all wanted to win the World Martial Arts Tournament. But if they believed they were already the strongest, they'd grow arrogant and complacent. That's the easiest trap for young people to fall into.
I wanted to show them there's always someone better out there."
Tenshinhan nodded slowly. "I see…"
"Then why did you forfeit?" he asked again.
Master Roshi replied solemnly,
"Because I saw what I needed to see—the fruits of their training.
They're not foolish. On the contrary, they're excellent.
Even after leaving my tutelage, they continued to train without rest. Their strength now even surpasses mine, yet they still push forward without slacking.
That's enough for me. I don't need to fight anymore. I'm at peace."
Then he looked Tenshinhan straight in the eye.
"And you, you're not foolish either. You won't stay a villain forever."
Tenshinhan froze. "What did you say?"
Roshi smiled.
"If you were truly heartless, you wouldn't be here asking me why I stepped down."
Tenshinhan's face darkened, like his inner thoughts had been laid bare.
"I told you—I'm going to become the world's number one assassin!"
But Master Roshi didn't bother arguing. He straightened his collar and walked off toward the audience.
Then, just before leaving, he turned back and added with a chuckle,
"Oh, and just so you know—if the match had continued, I might've lost.
I'll be in the stands now. Do your best."
Tenshinhan stared after him, stunned.
'He admitted he might lose? Doesn't he care about pride at all?'
But Roshi was already gone.
The tournament pressed on.
"Next up—the sixth match!"
"Both fighters are disciples of Master Roshi! It's Krillin versus Son Goku!"
"The winner will go on to face the Crane School's Tenshinhan in the finals!"
"Contestants, please take the stage!"
Goku and Krillin exchanged a glance and stepped up together.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Let's go, both of you!"
"This is gonna be good!"
"Say what you want, the Turtle School's students always deliver!"
"Master Roshi really is the god of martial arts—look at what he's taught!"
Among the crowd, Sinuo was beaming with pride. Krillin's name had long since left an impression on the audience. Now, to her, he practically glowed.
She cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted, "Krillin—go!"
With the referee's signal, the match began.
Goku made the first move, light and nimble like a monkey, dashing in.
Krillin reacted instantly, shifting his weight and sidestepping before counterattacking.
Fists clashed, creating sharp snapping echoes in the air. Shockwaves kicked up dust with every blow.
The audience was stunned. Eyes wide, breath held—they dared not blink, lest they miss a moment.
After a furious exchange, their fingers locked, engaging in a pure contest of strength.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the marble tiles beneath their feet.
Their gravity wristbands shimmered faintly in the sunset, catching the light with every movement.
Tenshinhan observed with unease.
Something felt off.
Their speed wasn't extreme. In fact, he could keep up. So could the audience.
And yet—the arena tiles were cracking under their feet.
That kind of stone shouldn't break from footwork alone.
Unless… the force beneath their steps measured in the tens of tons.
Both of them left fractures.
Tenshinhan's third eye narrowed.
'Could their punches really carry that much force? That's insane…'
Meanwhile, the crowd roared in excitement.
"Amazing!"
"Goku and Krillin never disappoint!"
"Power meets intelligence! Courage meets determination!"
"This match is a masterpiece!"
After their power contest ended in a draw, they broke apart and surged forward again.
"Pop pop pop!"
"Wham! Wham! Wham!"
Blow for blow, Krillin advanced, retreated, advanced again—flowing with the rhythm of battle, grinning all the while.
Neither of them held back. Even dozens of rounds in, they showed no signs of slowing down.
Eventually, the fight carried them skyward.
Krillin smirked and raised his hands beside his head.
"Solar Flare!"
A blinding flash filled the air.
The crowd covered their eyes, momentarily blinded.
Tenshinhan's eyes went wide.
"They've copied even that?! First my Dodon Ray, then my Bukujutsu, now my Solar Flare?!
There's always a higher mountain…"
The Crane Hermit gnashed his teeth.
"Damn those Turtle students… they pick up techniques way too fast!"
The audience wasn't thrilled about the blinding flash either.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Can't see anything!"
"Wait a minute… wasn't that the Crane School's move? Why do they know it?"
"So you're telling me… these geniuses can learn any technique just by watching?!"
As the flash cleared, Krillin pounced.
Headbutt!
Leg sweep!
Hook punch!
Elbow smash!
Step-up slam!
A complete combo, driving Goku to the edge of the ring—then beyond it.
Everyone thought it was over.
Goku was flying out of bounds… until he wasn't.
Midair, he stopped. Suspended.
He smiled back at Krillin.
"Hehe, nice try."
Krillin shrugged.
"Aww, so close. Almost had you."
The crowd gasped.
"No way…"
"Is that the Crane School's Bukujutsu?"
"Goku can fly now too?!"
"First Tenshinhan learns the Kamehameha, now Goku's using their flight technique?
Do they learn skills as easily as drinking water?!"
The Crane Hermit nearly exploded.
"Damn it! Do you people have no shame?! Stealing our moves again?!"
The referee joined in with commentary.
"Amazing! Krillin thought he had the match—but Goku saved himself mid-air with Bukujutsu!
What a comeback!"
Goku floated gently back to the ring.
Krillin was still in the air.
Goku drew his hands to his waist, forming the telltale shape of the Turtle School's greatest move.
"Kamehameha!"
A brilliant blue-white light gathered between his palms and exploded upward toward Krillin.
But Krillin didn't hesitate—he fired back with his own golden Kamehameha.
The beams collided in mid-air.
The crowd was stunned.
They'd seen the Kamehameha before—but never two at once, locked in a beam struggle.
The blasts clashed, not exploding, but forming a swirling orb of pressure between them.
It shimmered, pushed toward Krillin inch by inch.
The winds generated tore through the stadium.
Hats flew. Wigs vanished. Skirts flared—though no one dared look away.
All eyes were locked on the stage.
As the glowing orb neared Krillin, the arena held its breath.
In the stands, Sinuo clenched her little fists.
"Come on, Krillin!!"
And then—just before impact—Krillin vanished.
The energy sphere shot harmlessly into the sky and exploded into starlight.
People were still staring at the sky when a dull thud snapped their attention downward.
Krillin had reappeared right behind Goku.
Goku was still mid-pose.
Headbutt!
Goku flew backward again, but this time, he recovered quickly, flipping mid-air and landing.
He charged.
A barrage of punches knocked Krillin into the air.
But Krillin wasn't done.
Even after taking that hit, he retaliated.
Their battle reached a fever pitch—brilliant martial skill, incredible reflexes, and sheer battle genius on full display.
The crowd cheered wildly.
Master Roshi couldn't help but mutter in awe,
"Incredible. They're both wearing gravity weights… and still fighting like this. They've far surpassed me."
Bulma smirked proudly.
"Pretty impressive inventions, huh?"
Roshi nodded.
"Yeah. Times are changing. Martial arts are evolving too.
In my day, we just wore heavy shells."
Tenshinhan overheard.
His eyes narrowed.
"Wait… gravity weights?"
Bulma didn't hide it.
"Yep. Those wristbands? They amplify gravity around the wearer—makes everyday training harder.
They've worn them for years. They're used to nearly ten times normal gravity by now."
Tenshinhan reeled.
"Ten… times… gravity?!"
Suddenly, it all made sense.
Why Krillin and Chi-Chi had seemed so fast.
Why Goku and Krillin's blows cracked the stone stage.
They'd been fighting under extreme weight the entire time.
He was shaken to his core.
Bulma noticed his expression and smiled.
"Hey, Tenshinhan. If you and Chiaotzu ever switch sides—come train under Master Roshi—I'll give you each a set of gravity bands too."
But Tenshinhan wasn't thinking about gadgets.
He was thinking about power. Real power.
He'd seen strength today that he couldn't even comprehend.
Right then, Bulma added,
"Oh, by the way—you said your goal was to surpass Tao Pai Pai, right?"
Tenshinhan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, what about it?"
Bulma waved dismissively.
"Time for a new goal."
"Because he's a bad guy?"
"No. Because he's dead."
Tenshinhan froze.
"What?"
"Three years ago, he tried to assassinate Goku for the Red Ribbon Army. Goku killed him. He's long gone.
And honestly? You're probably already stronger than he ever was."
Roshi was stunned.
"Bulma, is that true?"
She nodded.
"He died at the base of Korin Tower."
Tenshinhan's world crumbled.
His idol. His dream. Gone.
Everything he'd been chasing… was already in the past.
Just then, the referee announced:
"Son Goku has been knocked out of bounds! Victory goes to Krillin!"
The crowd erupted.
"Krillin! Krillin!"
"Incredible!"
"What a match!"
"Both of them were amazing!"
Sinuo jumped up and down, cheering wildly.
"Go Krillin!!"
Bulma smiled, watching her.
'Looks like Goku's not the same person he was in my past life.
He's learning to let others shine.'
As the applause faded, the referee turned to Krillin.
"The finals are next. Do you need a rest?"
Krillin rolled his shoulders and grinned.
"I'm good. Not even tired!"
The ref nodded.
"As expected from Krillin! Please stay on stage.
Now… the final match of the World Martial Arts Tournament—Tenshinhan, please take the stage!"
Tenshinhan stood frozen.
He was a prodigy.
He'd never felt inferior to anyone.
And yet, he'd been thoroughly outclassed.
But—
'I'm Tenshinhan. I don't back down from a fight!'
He looked at Krillin, still sweaty from battle, wristbands still glowing.
'He just fought an all-out match… under ten times gravity… and didn't even rest?!'
'I may not match their strength—but I still have my pride as a martial artist!
Let me show them—I'm not worthless!'
With fire in his heart, Tenshinhan stepped onto the stage.