Chapter 21: The Broken Wolf Fang and the Love That Slipped Away
The Medical Team hurriedly carried the unconscious Chiaotzu away on a stretcher.
Tien Shinhan followed, his eyes red.
Before leaving, he took a long look at Tao Pai Pai's back. The murderous intent in his eyes was enough to freeze the air around them.
Goku clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. He gritted his teeth.
"That bastard... I'm going to kill him for good! How could he beat Chiaotzu like that?!"
Back to the present.
The host, a man with a little gold mustache and sunglasses, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and broke the oppressive silence in a trembling voice:
"This... is truly regrettable... But the tournament must go on!"
"Next up, a fight for a spot in the round of sixteen! Krillin of the Turtle School will face... Yamcha!"
At the sound of Yamcha's name, the crowd, still immersed in the bloody shadow of the previous match, suddenly erupted in a strange commotion.
Gossip was always the best cure for human tension.
"Hey, did you hear? This is a love-rival showdown!"
A martial artist with a wild shock of hair spoke excitedly to his companion.
The companion's eyes widened.
"I heard that bald Krillin stole Yamcha's girlfriend?"
"The heiress of Capsule Corporation?"
"Oh man, this is so exciting! Way more interesting than all that fighting and killing just now!"
"Look at Yamcha's eyes. Tsk, tsk. He looks like he wants to kill someone."
As the crowd whispered and pointed, Yamcha slowly stepped into the Arena.
He wore his familiar orange Martial Arts Uniform, with the character "Turtle" stitched on the chest, and the three distinctive scars on his face.
For the past three years, he had undergone hellish training in the wilderness.
His skin had tanned bronze, his muscles had grown more defined, and he radiated a wild air.
But now, the crowd's gossip felt like countless blades stabbing into his heart.
His gaze, however, was terrifyingly gloomy.
It wasn't the grim focus of a martial artist facing a powerful opponent. It was the poisonous resentment of a man consumed by jealousy and anger.
Puar floated by the edge of the ring, wringing his little hands as he called out worriedly.
"Master Yamcha... good luck... don't get too worked up..."
Yamcha ignored Puar, keeping his eyes fixed on Krillin across from him.
If looks could kill, Krillin would have been hacked to pieces by now.
"Krillin."
Yamcha's voice was hoarse, as if his throat were full of coarse sand.
"At last, it's our turn."
Krillin stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed.
Compared with Yamcha's bitter scowl, he seemed far too calm, almost nonchalant.
He yawned and glanced at the mission prompt on the System Panel.
[Mission: Completely crush the fighting spirit of your defeated love rival, Yamcha.] [Reward: Charm Points +10.]
"Yamcha, you can't beat me," Krillin said calmly.
"Master Roshi's training made you a lot stronger, but you're still nowhere near strong enough to beat me."
"Shut up!!"
Yamcha suddenly roared, the veins on his forehead bulging. He was like a lone wolf pushed past its limit.
"Stop acting so high and mighty, you despicable bastard!"
"You took advantage of me being away and stole Bulma!"
"You knew we were dating! You knew she was mine!"
His shout rang throughout the stadium through the microphone.
The audience instantly erupted, their appetite for gossip burning bright.
"Wow! It's confirmed! Someone really did steal her away!"
"That bald guy looks honest, but who knew he was such a player?"
"But why's Yamcha yelling so loudly? When it comes to relationships, it takes two to tango, doesn't it?"
Krillin sighed helplessly and scratched his smooth head.
He had originally wanted to spare his old friend some embarrassment.
But if Yamcha insisted on sticking his face out to be slapped in front of so many people, there was nothing Krillin could do.
"Yamcha, since you insist on bringing this up here, let's set the record straight."
Krillin's smile vanished, and his gaze sharpened.
A powerful presence radiated from him, instantly stilling the air around them.
He let a trace of the aura he usually kept in check slip out, and several nearby spectators struggled to breathe.
"First, you say I stole Bulma from you. No, I pursued her openly and honestly!"
"Second!"
Krillin raised a finger and pointed it at Yamcha's nose, his voice turning cold.
"Why Bulma left you—you really have no idea? Want me to jog your memory?"
"That girl named Lily from the flower shop in West City? And the female trainer at the gym?"
"Even during your so-called 'hellish training,' you were flirting with female martial artists all over the place, weren't you?"
Yamcha's face turned deathly pale. His eyes flickered in panic, like someone had stepped on his tail. He stammered,
"You... you're making that up! It... it was just a misunderstanding!"
"I just didn't know how to turn them down... I didn't want to hurt them..."
"Did you not know how to turn them down, or did you enjoy being admired?"
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