The World Martial Arts Tournament was about to begin, and the area was packed with people.
Master Roshi brought his three students and squeezed through the crowd to the registration desk.
"Welcome! If you're here to watch, please head over this way."
Master Roshi quickly explained, "Oh, we're not here to watch. We're here to enter the tournament!"
The receptionist looked at Son Mirai, Goku, and Krillin and asked, "Is he entering? And what about the other two kids?"
Master Roshi explained, "They're all here to compete."
The receptionist was surprised, but registered them all. There was no junior division yet.
"All right. Please get ready in the area behind the arena!"
Master Roshi looked at the three of them and urged, "All right, it's time to see the results of your training. Do your best, and go on in!"
The three nodded and followed the signs into the arena.
Only after they had disappeared from sight did Master Roshi hurry to the restroom to change into Jackie Chun's outfit. Then he squeezed back through the crowd to the registration desk.
"Sorry for the trouble. Please sign me up. Jackie Chun!"
Inside the arena, the three of them had changed into the Martial Arts Gis Launch had made especially for them.
The main color was orange, with blue belts tied around their waists and the character for "turtle" on the front and back.
As soon as Son Mirai put on the clothes he had dreamed of wearing since childhood, he felt as if his fighting power had soared.
This was Goku's first time wearing an outfit like that, too, and he found it just as exciting.
"Wow! These clothes are so comfortable!"
Krillin, though, watched people coming and going and began to feel nervous.
"Are we dressed too flashily? If we lose, won't it be embarrassing..."
Son Mirai said, "Don't worry. We've trained for so long—none of that sweat was wasted!"
Krillin nodded. "That's right! We're Master Roshi's students. We absolutely can't let him down!"
Goku had never seen so many martial artists gathered in one place before, and he couldn't help exclaiming, "So many people here are martial arts experts! This is amazing!"
Just then, a man several times taller than Krillin walked by.
His eyes held a hint of mockery.
He didn't say anything, but his little glance seemed to say, "A little brat like that is entering the tournament? What a joke!"
Krillin's spirits immediately sank.
"There are so many experts here. I'm not sure I can do this..."
Son Mirai patted Krillin on the shoulder. "Krillin, courage is an essential quality for a martial artist. Don't be timid—have some confidence!"
"I know!"
Soon, the tournament director arrived.
"Today marks the start of the World Martial Arts Tournament, held once every five years. Thank you all for traveling so far to take part."
"According to our count, 137 experts from all over the world have gathered for this tournament. We'll narrow the field down to eight in the preliminaries, and those eight will compete in the finals."
"Now, I'll hand things over to our host to explain the drawing and competition rules!"
"..."
After the host explained the rules and everyone drew lots, each competitor received a number.
Then the preliminaries began inside the arena.
Only eight out of more than a hundred competitors could advance. It was a fierce competition, like trying to cross a narrow bridge in the middle of a vast army.
The matches were intense.
Before long, Goku faced the burly man who had walked by earlier, a man several times his size.
The man looked down at Goku, a tiny little bean, and sneered at having him as an opponent.
"What kind of joke is this?
Even if I beat a little runt like him, there's nothing to be proud of!"
Seeing Goku face such a burly opponent in the preliminaries, Krillin couldn't help holding his breath for him.
"Come on, Goku!"
Goku wasn't the least bit afraid. He focused on the fight.
But the gap in strength was enormous, and Goku was taking the match seriously.
The two clashed once, and the burly man immediately lost his balance. He clutched his stomach in pain and collapsed to the ground.
"Owww! That hurts..."
The competitors watching were stunned.
"What happened?"
"What just happened?"
"Did that big guy lose his balance and fall on his own?"
The referee in the arena raised Goku's hand and announced loudly, "Contestant number 70 wins!"
Goku stared at his little fist in surprise, then walked down from the ring, lost in thought.
Krillin congratulated him sincerely. "Congratulations, Goku! That guy actually fell over by himself!"
Goku shook his head.
"No, he didn't fall by himself!"
Krillin was baffled.
"Goku, what are you talking about?"
Son Goku earnestly reminded him, "Krillin, if your opponent isn't very strong, make sure you don't hit him too hard!"
Krillin scratched his head. "What are you talking about?"
Son Mirai said, "Krillin, haven't you figured it out yet?"
"Figured out what?"
"That fat guy might seem strong to ordinary people, but we're far stronger than they are.
"He didn't fall on his own. Goku knocked him down with a light punch."
"Goku knocked him down with one punch?"
Goku nodded. "That's right, Krillin. Under Grandpa Roshi's training, we've all gotten incredibly strong!"
Krillin stared at his hands in surprise, but still seemed doubtful.
"Really? Could I be that strong, too?"
Just then, two monks, one fat and one thin, walked over to Krillin. Both looked hostile.
"Well, well. If it isn't Krillin!"
Hearing that familiar, terrifying voice, Krillin couldn't help shuddering.
He turned and saw two nightmare-like faces. Once he realized they were his senior fellow disciples, what little courage he had left vanished.
"S-Senior brothers..."
"So it really is you! We haven't seen you since you left Orin Temple!"
The Fat Monk chuckled. "By the way, what are you doing here?"
The Tall Skinny Monk rudely rubbed Krillin's bald head and jeered, "Don't tell me you're here to enter the World Martial Arts Tournament?"
Krillin had been bullied by them for a long time at Orin Temple, and he couldn't control his fear of them.
All he could manage was a timid, "Yes, I entered."
The Tall Skinny Monk snickered. "Heh, you're killing me! Someone like you dares to enter a tournament like this? Are you here to make us laugh?"
Krillin lowered his head, not daring to talk back at all.
Son Mirai walked over and looked at the two monks with disdain.
"Hey, you baldies. Did you come here just to make yourselves feel important?"
Son Mirai was much taller than they were, and his gaze was cold. He clearly wasn't someone they could push around.
The Fat Monk and the Tall Skinny Monk were intimidated by Son Mirai's presence and froze.
Their swagger in front of their junior disciple dwindled at once, and the Fat Monk didn't dare answer back.
The Tall Skinny Monk put on a brave face and snorted. "Hmph, what's it to you?"
"Of course it's my business. Krillin's my junior fellow disciple now."
The Fat Monk tugged at his companion's sleeve and lowered his voice. "Forget it, forget it... He looks like trouble."
The two had always picked on the weak and feared the strong. They stopped trying to make themselves feel important by bullying Krillin and hurried away.
Krillin said gratefully, "Thank you, Son Mirai!"
Son Mirai looked at Krillin and reminded him, "Krillin, I just checked the match numbers. You'll be fighting him in a bit."
Krillin jolted in surprise.
"What? I have to fight my senior brother..."
His legs began to tremble.
Son Mirai looked at him with disdain. "Krillin, what are you afraid of?"
Krillin lowered his head and said timidly, "I... They used to bully me all the time at Orin Temple. I can't beat them..."
Son Mirai didn't contradict him. Instead, he advised, "Krillin, just a reminder: when you fight your senior brother, make sure you don't hit him too hard."
Krillin looked up blankly. "Huh? Don't hit him hard?"
My legs are already shaking with fear. Shouldn't you be telling me to give it my all and not be afraid?
Before you continue