Papaya Island.
The holy land of Martial Artists across the world.
The triennial World Martial Arts Tournament would begin tomorrow, yet the island was already overflowing with people.
Colorful umbrellas dotted the streets like blooming mushrooms, clogging every narrow road.
Fighting enthusiasts, vendors, and Martial Artists dreaming of overnight fame filled the air with noise and tension.
The registration desk stood at the entrance of the Martial Arts Temple. Rainwater slid off the eaves and splashed against the stone pavement.
"Next!" the bespectacled staff member barked impatiently. "Name?"
"King Chappa," a dark-skinned, muscular man in a yellow training suit declared proudly while flexing his biceps. "I reached the top eight last time."
"Fill out the form and move along." The staff member did not even look up.
Behind the line, a commotion stirred.
A giant red parasol shielded an elderly man in sunglasses from the rain.
Master Roshi stood with his hands behind his back, wearing his signature orange Hawaiian shirt and exuding the air of a mysterious Grandmaster.
If one ignored the fact that his eyes were constantly drifting toward passing beauties.
"Master Roshi, there are too many people," Krillin said calmly.
He stood without an umbrella. Rainwater slid smoothly off his bald head without sticking.
He wore an orange-red Kame School uniform with a black fitted vest underneath.
Compared to three days ago, Krillin felt different.
His gaze was calmer. Almost vacant.
The side effect of deeper integration with the Saitama Template was a growing lack of interest in most things.
"It's only lively when there are many people," Master Roshi replied while discreetly wiping drool from the corner of his mouth.
"Maybe we'll even see some beautiful young lady fighters. That's the true essence of the tournament."
Yamcha followed behind with a dark expression, carrying luggage of all sizes.
As the one with the lowest combat power and the worst luck in love, he had been reduced to a porter.
"Damn it, why do I have to do this grunt work?" Yamcha muttered. "That traitor Puar ran off to hang out with that perverted pig Oolong."
"Stop complaining, this counts as weight training," Krillin said casually while eating a hot dog. "Want some? The mustard here is good. Only five bucks."
Yamcha was about to refuse when his stomach growled loudly.
"Leave half for me!"
At that moment, a powerful aura descended.
The noisy crowd fell silent as if pressed down by invisible force.
Three figures stepped out of the rain.
At the front walked a tall, three-eyed man. Each step he took echoed heavily against the soaked ground.
Beside him floated Chiaotzu. Behind them walked a blonde woman.
The Crane School.
"Are these the Kame School disciples?" Tien Shinhan said coolly as his gaze swept across them before settling on Krillin.
He sensed no visible flow of Qi from Krillin.
Krillin felt like an ordinary passerby.
That, however, made Tien Shinhan more cautious.
Yamcha stepped forward, trying to salvage some dignity.
"The champion this time will definitely be from the Kame School."
Tien Shinhan ignored him entirely.
"Where is Goku? Did he not come?"
"Goku should arrive soon," Krillin replied calmly, swallowing the last bite of his hot dog and tossing the stick into a trash can ten meters away with perfect accuracy.
"Although the current you might not even beat me."
He said it sincerely, without mockery.
Just a fact.
Tien Shinhan's veins bulged.
"Hmph. I hope your fists are at least half as strong as your mouth."
The tension thickened.
Suddenly, an excited voice echoed from the sky.
"Hey, everyone!!!"
They all looked up.
A shadow plummeted from the clouds without slowing down.
Boom.
Mud splashed everywhere as a crater formed on impact.
When the dust cleared, a soaked young man stood at the bottom, smiling brightly.
His spiky hair made him instantly recognizable.
The martial arts uniform he wore was clearly too small, stretched tightly across his muscular frame.
"Goku?!"
Everyone froze.
Bulma, who had just arrived holding a capsule case, covered her mouth.
"Oh my god, is that Goku? How did he grow so tall? And… he's actually handsome?"
Yamcha's face darkened further.
"Grandpa Roshi! Everyone is here!"
Goku leaped out of the crater and rushed over excitedly.
Then he paused.
This bald guy… familiar Qi.
"Krillin, how did you grow so tall? You're as tall as me now!"
He pulled Krillin into a tight hug and slapped his back repeatedly.
Krillin's expression remained flat as he was shaken back and forth.
"Goku," Krillin sighed, eyes as lifeless as a dead fish. "While I'm happy to see you, could you let go? My spine is about to snap."
Goku immediately released him.
"Hehe, sorry. I got excited."
He leaned closer.
"Have you gotten stronger? Your Qi feels strange."
"You wouldn't understand," Krillin replied while straightening his clothes. "By the way, do you have money? We need to pay the registration fee."
Goku froze and searched his body.
"Huh? It costs money? I only have a fish I caught earlier."
Before anyone could react, a sinister voice echoed from under the eaves.
"What a touching reunion."
Everyone turned.
A man in a pink robe leaned against a pillar, half his face metallic. His mechanical eye glowed red as it locked onto Goku.
"Tao Pai Pai?!" Master Roshi exclaimed.
"You're still alive?"
"Thanks to these brats, I'm stronger than ever," Tao Pai Pai said coldly as a blade extended from his mechanical arm. "In this tournament, I'll slice you into sashimi."
Goku tilted his head.
"Who are you? The villain I blew up?"
Tao Pai Pai stumbled, utterly shattered.
"Bastard! I am Tao Pai Pai, the world's number one assassin!"
"Oh, it's you." Goku nodded casually before turning back to Krillin.
"Krillin, I'm still hungry. Did you bring food?"
Completely ignored, Tao Pai Pai trembled with rage as smoke rose from his mechanical arm.
"Unforgivable… absolutely unforgivable!!"
Krillin sighed and handed Goku a pack of compressed biscuits.
"Here. It looks like this tournament will be noisy."
He glanced at his System panel.
[Saitama Template Integration: 16%]
[Current Mission: Win the World Martial Arts Tournament without revealing full strength.]
Krillin yawned and rubbed his bald head.
"I hope it'll be at least a little interesting."
The rain continued to fall.
When the sun rose tomorrow, this island would explode with excitement.
Everyone had arrived.
Now, only the battle remained.
...
Author's Note:
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