The battle raged on—but still, no victor had emerged.
Goku had believed that by going all out…
he could finally defeat Jackie Chun—Master Roshi in disguise.
But despite using every technique he knew, every ounce of strength—
he couldn't gain the upper hand.
Though he hadn't been defeated, a wave of disappointment crept in.
He had entered the tournament stronger than the Goku from the original timeline.
With deeper foundations, and nearly a year of training under Master Roshi,
was this really all he amounted to? Just catching up to canon?
If that was truly the case, could he really stand a chance
when the likes of King Piccolo appeared?
What would he do to push past this wall?
He'd already worked so hard. So hard.
He had Saiyan blood.
He'd been training for years.
And yet—he still hadn't surpassed Earth's martial artists.
Even now, he couldn't defeat a single old man.
So then… what was he supposed to do?
A fog of uncertainty crept over him.
Sensing something was off, Jackie Chun struck.
He closed in fast—exploiting an opening—
SMACK—SMACK—SMACK—SMACK!
A blistering chain of attacks forced Goku onto the back foot.
A final axe kick slammed him into the ground.
Cheers erupted from the stands.
"That old man is amazing!"
"No wonder he's a legend! Did you see that combo?!"
"Jackie Chun's still got it!"
Amid the applause, familiar voices cut through:
"Goku, come on!"
"Get up, Goku!"
"You can do it!"
Krillin, Chi-Chi, and Bulma all shouted from below.
Given Goku's earlier performance, this combo alone shouldn't have knocked him down.
Jackie Chun frowned and walked over to him.
"That kind of attack would never take you out.
Get up already—you're this close to beating me.
Why did you space out?
Martial arts isn't just a battle of strength.
It's a battle of will, of spirit.
Now get up!"
Goku sprang to his feet with a kip-up.
He looked at Jackie Chun—at Master Roshi.
He understood now.
Roshi had entered the tournament in disguise to prove a lesson:
That no matter how strong they got, there was always someone stronger.
That they couldn't settle for what they had.
That the martial path was steep—and endless.
To teach that, he'd willingly fought his own students.
That's what a true teacher was. No wonder they called him the God of Martial Arts.
And what he'd just said—was true.
Martial arts was more than strength. It was resolve. Spirit.
Lose your will, and you've already lost.
Goku suddenly remembered Vegeta—or as he often called him, "Prince Side Dish."
He had incredible power. His potential was no worse than Goku's.
Every time Goku broke a limit, Vegeta would claw his way up soon after.
But he lacked one thing: resolve.
Every time he faced a powerful opponent, it was the same.
If he couldn't dominate with brute force, he'd fall apart the moment he realized he was outmatched.
In contrast, the original Goku never gave up.
Even when the odds were stacked high, he fought on.
Whether by spotting the enemy's flaws or by pushing beyond his limits—
he always found a way forward.
And suddenly, like lightning through his mind, the realization struck.
A revelation that would shape his path forever.
Only a few seconds had passed—but everything had changed.
Goku's eyes lit up.
He refocused—and launched back into the fight with everything he had.
He charged at Jackie Chun, fists flying.
"Ah—DADADADADA!"
Jackie Chun smiled faintly,
then shifted into a fluid, graceful stance.
He danced backward, evading each of Goku's furious blows.
As Goku's relentless assault continued,
he felt something strange.
His punches… were growing weaker.
The more his attacks missed, the more his rhythm fell apart.
Why?
He realized something deeper was happening.
This wasn't just fighting. It was Ki control.
At first, he had struck with overwhelming momentum. Jackie Chun hadn't dared block.
But as each blow was dodged or deflected…
his next strikes grew weaker. The ferocity faded.
That—was the flaw of Prince Vegeta's style:
All-in aggression, with no follow-up.
Goku noticed something else.
Jackie Chun's evasions were precise. Measured.
No wasted motion. No hesitation.
It was as if his body… moved on its own.
It was only a hint—just a faint trace.
But it reminded Goku of something…
Ultra Instinct.
He gasped internally.
Master Roshi had once climbed Korin Tower.
At his peak, his strength surpassed Goku's.
He'd lived for over 300 years.
He had endured. Grown. Sharpened himself—through life and battle.
Goku?
He'd trained for ten or so years.
Sure, his power was comparable now. But what else?
By comparison, he was still just a wild beast.
A reckless brawler.
In that moment, Goku saw it.
This was the path forward.
A spark ignited inside him.
'I get it now… I finally get it!'
There was more to strength than power levels and brute force.
He had to learn this kind of movement. This depth. This control.
This—was the true heart of martial arts.
It was what had allowed the Goku of the original story to keep growing.
To keep winning.
To keep becoming… more.
And right as the realization bloomed—
WHACK!
Jackie Chun's foot slammed into Goku's face.
He saw stars—and collapsed flat on the ground.
Jackie Chun retracted his leg and turned to the referee.
"Ref! Start the count already!"