Just then, Chi-Chi and Goku stepped onto the ring.
Goku patted Krillin on the shoulder.
"Krillin, I know you didn't mean it. Don't beat yourself up over it. We've trained way beyond those two—same energy techniques, but completely different strength levels. That's why we've got to be extra careful not to kill someone by accident."
He nodded toward the arena.
"Luckily, you hit his arm. If he'd died, you'd have been disqualified and lost your shot at the championship."
Krillin's eyes lit up with sudden realization, recalling Master Roshi's words:
"A technique is merely an expression of your strength."
Both he and Chiaotzu used the same Dodon Ray… yet his had been overwhelmingly more powerful.
Only now did he truly grasp what that meant.
Still, looking at Chiaotzu lying on the ground, missing an arm, Krillin couldn't help but whisper bitterly, "Even if he didn't die… I ruined him."
Goku leaned in and whispered,
"Krillin, don't worry. You forgot about the Senzu Beans, didn't you? They can regrow limbs. I'll get Bulma to toss him one."
Krillin blinked. "Wait, really? They can do that?"
Goku nodded.
"I'm not sure if one will do the trick, but it should work. Worst case, he eats two. We've got plenty right now."
Krillin's face brightened with relief.
"Thanks, Goku… if I'd left him like that, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself."
Chi-Chi, arms folded, looked over at Chiaotzu's scorched stump and said bluntly,
"See? You hurt people and karma smacks you right back. That was fast."
Tenshinhan's fists trembled, his eyes burning with rage.
"You'll pay for this… all of you."
Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and ignored him.
She turned to the announcer.
"Krillin won. Can we move on?"
The referee nodded.
"Chiaotzu is unable to continue. Victory goes to Krillin!"
No applause came this time. The crowd had fallen silent—the match had been too brutal.
Still, not everyone disapproved.
"Man, that little bald guy crushed it!"
"First match, Tenshinhan broke Yamcha's leg. This time? Poetic justice!"
"No overnight grudges anymore—revenge is instant these days!"
The Crane Hermit's gaze flickered, his pride giving way to unease. For a moment, fear crept in… but bitterness drowned it out.
"Damn it… is he really one of Roshi's students?
He not only copied Chiaotzu's move on the spot, he made it stronger!
Tenshinhan better be able to beat these monsters…"
From backstage, Jackie Chun's eyes narrowed.
"Krillin… who knew the little guy trained this hard? If we'd fought seriously, he might've taken me out."
He glanced toward Goku and Chi-Chi, murmuring to himself,
"What kind of training did they go through to reach this level?"
On the other side, Master Roshi—still in disguise—breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness they're my disciples. If they'd turned out bad… I'd be in trouble."
With Chiaotzu carried off the ring, the next match was announced.
"Next up in the World Martial Arts Tournament—Match Four: Son Goku vs. Chi-Chi!
These two thrilled the crowd in their last appearance—let's see what kind of sparks they'll throw now!"
"Chi-Chi, please step into the ring! Son Goku, please enter!"
The crowd gasped.
"Whoa… is that Chi-Chi?"
"She's grown so tall!"
"She used to be so cute—now she's beautiful!"
"She and Goku are supposed to be a couple, right? But the height difference…"
"Yeah, Goku's still short. Little horse pulling a big cart, huh?"
"Hah! That's one way to put it! Hilarious!"
All eyes returned to the arena.
Meanwhile, Tenshinhan carried Chiaotzu over to the Crane Hermit.
"Master, I still have matches left. Can you take Chiaotzu to the hospital?"
The Crane Hermit looked at the limp, armless Chiaotzu with disgust, then sneered coldly.
"He's useless now. Leave him. He won't die.
What matters now is avenging him."
"Master…"
Tenshinhan froze, stunned at the heartless dismissal. The bond between him and Chiaotzu was like that between Goku and Krillin. But now… it was clear.
To the Crane Hermit, Chiaotzu was a tool—discardable.
Still, Tenshinhan clenched his fists. He swore to avenge him.
That's when a voice interrupted him.
"Hey, Tenshinhan, right? Don't want him to stay crippled? Give him this."
Tenshinhan turned.
A blue-haired girl stood before him, holding a small bean in her palm.
"...What?"
It was Bulma.
Seeing Krillin holding another bean, Tenshinhan asked in confusion,
"What is that?"
Bulma explained calmly,
"This is a Senzu Bean. Rare stuff. He eats it—it heals. Even lost limbs can grow back."
Tenshinhan's eyes widened.
"Regrow… an arm?"
She nodded, placing the bean in his hand.
"Go ahead. If one's not enough, I've got more."
Hesitant but desperate, Tenshinhan gently slipped the bean into Chiaotzu's mouth.
"Come on, Chiaotzu, chew it."
Chiaotzu stirred. Slowly, weakly, he bit into the bean. A few chews later—he swallowed.
In an instant, the weakness in his body vanished.
And where there was once only scorched flesh—new muscle and bone bloomed. His arm… was whole again.
"Chiaotzu!!"
Tenshinhan nearly shouted in joy.
Bulma smiled, her gaze distant.
Seeing that arm regenerate reminded her painfully of another time, another life.
'If only… if only Gohan had had more Senzu Beans, maybe his arm wouldn't have been lost… maybe he wouldn't have died…'
Who'd have thought that something once so rare—desperately sought after—was now something she had by the bucketful?
It made her resent Yajirobe all over again.
His gluttony and waste had cost so many lives in that other world. A fool, hoarding salvation and throwing it away.
As Bulma lost herself in memory, Chiaotzu rose to his feet.
"Whoa… one bean really did it."
His arm was as pale and frail-looking as before, but intact—indistinguishable from the original.
Tenshinhan threw his arms around him.
"Thank goodness, Chiaotzu… you're okay!"
Even the Crane Hermit looked shocked.
"Chiaotzu… are you alright?"
"Thank you for asking, Master. I'm okay now."
Tenshinhan's heart twisted. The Crane Hermit didn't care—but Goku's friend did. A stranger had saved Chiaotzu's future. It wasn't hard to see who the better person was.
He turned and bowed deeply to Bulma.
"Miss… you saved Chiaotzu's life. Thank you. Is there anything I can do to repay you?"
Bulma smiled lightly.
"No thanks needed. I'm technically part of the Turtle School too."
"What?!" Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu said in unison.
"You're from the Turtle School?!"
Bulma nodded.
"I don't train or anything, but I'm with Goku. So, yeah—I count."
Tenshinhan narrowed his eyes. "So… you want me to lose to your people?"
Bulma shook her head.
"Nope. Just fight your best. That's all."
Truthfully, it didn't matter—Goku, Chi-Chi, and Krillin were all vastly stronger than Tenshinhan.
Even if they were weaker, none of them would want a pity win.
She looked down at Chiaotzu.
"I just didn't want to see a kid stuck like that forever."
Even without Goku reminding her, she would've helped.
In another life, Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu had sacrificed everything for the world. They had been heroes—just not strong enough.
Especially Tenshinhan, who would later lay down his life trying to seal away King Piccolo.
As Bulma turned to leave, she smiled faintly.
Guiding others to the right path? That wasn't her strength.
That was Master Roshi's job.
Tenshinhan stood there, dazed.
'What… did she mean by all that?'
The Crane Hermit huffed.
"Who cares. Anyone from the Turtle School's up to no good. Watch your back."
But Tenshinhan looked down at Chiaotzu's healed arm, and somehow… he couldn't agree.
Were they really the bad ones?
For the first time, doubt crept in.
He turned to Chiaotzu.
"Stay here with Master. I've gotta head backstage."
"Okay. Good luck, Tenshinhan!"
Backstage, something immediately felt off.
The audience was silent—dead silent.
Tenshinhan looked toward the arena.
Goku and Chi-Chi were locked in combat—and it was intense.
Even with his third eye, even with all his speed, Tenshinhan could barely keep up.
And just moments ago, Krillin had copied the Dodon Ray in real-time and used it to destroy Chiaotzu's arm. Copied it.Perfectly. On first attempt.
Tenshinhan's pupils shrank.
Now watching Goku and Chi-Chi exchange lightning-fast blows mid-air, he realized the truth.
They weren't just strong. They were monsters.
Goku hadn't been exaggerating when he warned him to control his power—to avoid accidentally killing someone.
Yamcha may have looked impressive, but he was the weakest of the Turtle School students.
Krillin, Chi-Chi, Goku… all of them were on a completely different level.
Even he… had no chance.
Tenshinhan broke into a cold sweat.
'So this is it… compared to them…
I'm just a clown.'
At that moment, the crowd roared.
Tenshinhan snapped his gaze to the sky.
Goku and Chi-Chi were airborne, fists clashing, every impact sending out shockwaves—miniature sonic booms.
Even with all his skills, Tenshinhan had never achieved that.
And now he realized something else.
They weren't just hanging in the air.
They were flying.
Not hovering.
Flying.
He gasped.
"That's our Crane School's Bukujutsu!"
Dodon Ray could be imitated—it was similar to the Kamehameha in principle.
But Bukujutsu? That took time, discipline, finesse. It wasn't flashy—but it was deep. Subtle.
And yet…
They'd watched it once—and learned it instantly.
Tenshinhan stared at the two fighters above, sending shockwaves through the air.
They weren't just strong.
They learned faster.
Adapted faster.
Fought harder.
It was terrifying.