Beneath clear blue skies dotted with white clouds, the World Martial Arts Tournament was bustling with excitement, as martial artists from all over the world gathered to compete for the title of strongest under the heavens.
"Now, I announce the contestants of the first match: Krillin versus Bacterian!"
With the announcer's shout, the first quarterfinal match began.
Krillin awkwardly climbed onto the ring. In terms of strength, he far exceeded his opponent, Bacterian—but Bacterian had an ultimate killer move: he had never bathed since birth!
The intense stench was so vile that anyone around him instantly backed away, let alone poor Krillin, who had to fight him. The moment the match began, Krillin was immediately overwhelmed by the foul odor and fell into serious trouble.
It wasn't until Goku shouted a timely reminder from the sidelines that Krillin suddenly remembered he didn't even have a nose—this was purely psychological! Instantly revitalized, Krillin easily unleashed his true strength, knocking Bacterian flat.
"Hehe! Easy win!" Krillin jumped down from the stage triumphantly, only to find everyone avoiding him.
"Um… maybe you should wash up first…"
The second match was Jackie Chun versus Yamcha. Facing the elderly man who had repeatedly spoken to their group, Yamcha stayed extremely cautious.
His true strength wasn't visible during the preliminaries. I can't underestimate him—I need to strike first and test his abilities.
As soon as the bell rang, Yamcha rushed forward decisively. His strength had improved greatly since their first meeting; his punches and kicks were smoother, faster, sharper.
Yet no matter how aggressively Yamcha attacked, he couldn't even touch Jackie Chun's robes. Jackie Chun effortlessly dodged every strike, barely moving from his position.
Meanwhile, Jackie Chun's casual strikes sent Yamcha staggering back, each blow feeling like a heavy hammer.
"Whoa, he's strong!" Goku exclaimed. He knew Yamcha's abilities well; he was a talented martial artist, yet against this old man, Yamcha was completely helpless.
"D-damn it!" Yamcha clutched his stomach, feeling like his guts were nearly torn apart. Gritting his teeth, he inhaled deeply and rose again into a fighting stance. "Old man, watch carefully—I'll get serious now!"
Jackie Chun casually nodded. "Ah, alright then."
"Hmph! Take this—[NEO WOLF FANG FIST]!"
Determined to beat rivals like Ray Chu and Goku, Yamcha hadn't just flirted with Bulma during these months; he had secretly trained hard, dramatically improving his skills.
This upgraded Wolf Fang Fist attack was swift as a raging wolf, quicker than the wind itself and exceptionally fierce.
Only now did Jackie Chun become slightly serious, flipping rapidly to evade Yamcha's relentless assault. Suddenly twisting behind Yamcha, Jackie Chun unleashed a palm strike. A massive gust of wind hurled Yamcha off the platform before he could even react.
Yamcha crashed heavily outside the ring.
The match ended shockingly fast—once Jackie Chun got serious, Yamcha was easily overwhelmed. The gap between their strengths was vast.
"Yamcha lost just like that?!" Bulma, Puar, and the others stared in disbelief. Nobody had expected Yamcha to lose so quickly.
"That old man's moves were terrifying! I'm not the one fighting him next, am I?" Krillin gulped nervously, his earlier pride quickly evaporating.
[Krillin, his moves are simply… having no fixed moves,] Ray Chu suddenly reminded him, causing Krillin to fall into thoughtful silence.
After the second match ended, Goku entered the stage for the third bout, facing a serious-looking ascetic named Nam.
Whoa, he looks so serious! Even the normally carefree Goku sensed Nam's tension.
"The third match—begin!"
As the bell rang, Nam immediately charged forward, his fists and legs striking like lightning. He clearly endured brutal training, practicing a martial art resembling Muay Thai—fists, legs, elbows, knees—all parts of his body were deadly weapons.
In contrast, Goku didn't use specific moves, relying purely on astonishing speed and power. Both fighters matched speed with speed, punches clashing repeatedly without gaining a decisive advantage.
As time passed, however, Goku's extraordinary martial talent emerged clearly; his endurance and resilience surpassed Nam, gradually pressing him back.
"For my village… I cannot lose!"
Nam had joined the tournament hoping to win prize money to buy precious water for his drought-stricken village. Carrying the hopes of his entire village, Nam suddenly shouted, startling Goku and causing him to momentarily slip up. Seizing the opening, Nam unleashed immense power, kicking the back of Goku's head from behind.
Goku flew forward, dizzy and disoriented.
"Goku, get up!"
"It ends here, boy!" Nam wasted no time, leaping high into the sky before Goku could react. He unleashed a devastating downward strike that slammed heavily into Goku, smashing him into the shattered ring floor.
"No way—Goku can't lose, right?!"
Yet once again, Saiyan blood proved uniquely suited to battle. Despite taking massive damage, Goku quickly struggled back onto his feet.
"What kind of monster is he? How is he still standing after that attack? Did I miss slightly? One more time—I'll finish it decisively!"
Nam leaped upward again—but Goku was prepared this time, jumping up to meet him. Both stared at each other in midair, eyes wide open.
"I—I won't lose!"
Goku suddenly dropped downward, kicking off the stage floor to shoot sideways. His extended kick slammed into Nam's descending body, knocking him straight out of the ring.
"Goku wins!"
The crowd exploded with cheers. Unlike the previous quick, comedic matches, this evenly matched fight was thrilling and impressive, showcasing both fighters' formidable skills.
"The brat grew so quickly!" Jackie Chun remarked thoughtfully, glancing briefly at Ray Chu before approaching the discouraged Nam.
"If you need water, take these capsules. You can fill them with as much water as you like."
"B-but… I don't have money for water," Nam stammered. In his village, water was incredibly scarce and expensive—his reason for participating was to win money to bring water home.
Jackie Chun laughed warmly, "Haha! Water's plentiful here—it's completely free. Mention paying for water, and you'll make people laugh their heads off…"
Having happily sent Nam on his way, Jackie Chun returned to the tournament area just as the fourth match began.
"It's finally your turn, Ray Chu—the one kid I still can't fully understand. Let's see how much strength you've been hiding…"
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T/N: huehuehue ray chu i wonder what his next wish on the dragonballs will be
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