The Battle with Shen

At that moment, Shen suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. Then he sprang to his feet.

Smack!

Wang Yang smiled faintly and pressed down with his right hand, pinning the other man's head. He felt strength surging through his arm. If he'd caught an unwary opponent off guard like that, he would have knocked them unconscious.

For this fight, he was holding back his ki and matching his opponent's strength. If he didn't suppress his power, every battle would end in an overwhelming victory, and his combat experience wouldn't improve at all. Only a hard-fought match against an evenly matched opponent could teach him lessons and enrich his experience.

Otherwise, if he ever ran into an opponent who was truly his equal, his lack of experience could easily put him at a disadvantage.

Wang Yang was determined to become the strongest in the universe. That meant not only having the greatest power, but also being invincible among those of his own rank.

"Sorry, sorry. I slipped just now." Shen backed away a few steps and bowed to Wang Yang with a sheepish grin.

His gaze darkened slightly as he watched the other man.

Shen then put on a masterful performance. He fell for no reason, clutched his stomach in pain, and got a cramp in his leg, yet every time he somehow managed to hit Wang Yang—and each time, he "instinctively" blocked Wang Yang's attacks.

"That guy really is here to fool around," Yamcha said.

Son Goku's expression was grave. He sensed a familiar presence from Shen.

"You can stop pretending to be harmless," Wang Yang said, looking at him with an amused smile.

He had spent many years wandering the universe and had fought countless beings. His combat experience was extensive, and he had a keen eye. Shen's antics hadn't concealed the subtle signs of his extraordinary skill.

Shen's expression stiffened. He dropped his foolish grin. His earlier tricks had been useless, and he knew he'd never beat Wang Yang without using his best techniques.

"In that case, let's fight for real!" Shen said, turning into a streak of light as he charged at Wang Yang, driving his elbow toward him at blinding speed.

"What?"

"So fast!"

Everyone was stunned. They'd thought the sleazy middle-aged man was all show and no substance, but he was astonishingly powerful.

I knew that old man wasn't ordinary. Goku watched the fight in the preliminary ring.

Whoosh!

Just then, Wang Yang, whom Shen had attacked, slowly vanished. Shen had only struck his afterimage.

Bang!

Wang Yang appeared behind Shen and punched him in the back, sending him flying toward the edge of the ring.

Shen cried out as he tumbled through the air and dropped toward the ground.

Just as everyone thought the outcome was settled, Shen stopped in midair, a meter above the ground.

"Flying?"

Goku and the others were stunned.

Tien Shinhan stared at Shen in shock. Flight was the Crane School's signature technique. How could this middle-aged man know it?

"You're an outstanding fighter. I see I won't be able to do anything to you without using my best techniques." Shen flipped around and landed on the ring, staring intently at Wang Yang.

Shen raised both hands. A powerful current of air surged and pushed Wang Yang up into the sky. Then Shen planted his feet and shot after him, using the force to propel himself upward.

Wang Yang spun once in midair and immediately steadied himself. Seeing Shen flying up toward him, he clenched his fist and struck.

Bang!

With a muffled impact, the two figures hung in the air for a moment before launching into a furious flurry of blows. They fought from above Ring Eight to above Ring Seven, then from above Ring Seven to above Ring Five.

The constant thunder of their collisions left everyone below gaping.

Wang Yang could fly too?

"A-amazing! Such an intense fight in the preliminaries!" Yamcha gaped below. He couldn't make out the two men's movements at all.

Only Goku and Demon Junior could follow the fight. Both wore grave expressions, their eyes tracking Wang Yang and his opponent as they darted back and forth.

Damn it! Not only is there Son Goku, but these two are incredibly strong too. How can I rule the Earth if I don't eliminate them? Demon Junior seethed, the veins in his forehead throbbing.

Just then, one figure smashed through the roof above, blasting a huge hole in it as he flew outside. A second, agile figure followed close behind.

The two figures battled fiercely in the sky.

The spectators below rushed outside to watch.

Those who had been shouting outside to be let in spotted the two men in the sky. They fell silent and looked up.

"What a fierce fight. They've actually fought their way outside!" Master Roshi took off his glasses and stared at the battle without blinking.

"That looks like Wang Yang!" Bulma held her right hand over her brow and spotted one of the figures hovering in midair. Even though she couldn't see his face, she recognized his distinctive silhouette and sturdy build.

"The battle is incredibly intense! The two competitors have fought their way out of the preliminary ring!" The blond announcer stood below with a microphone, providing an enthusiastic commentary.

Neither fighter's feet were touching the ground, so they hadn't been disqualified.

Shen panted as he faced Wang Yang.

"You're incredible. You don't leave a single opening."

Shen hadn't experienced such an intense battle in years, and he was struggling to keep up with Wang Yang's pace.

Wang Yang suddenly shouted and charged at him, two blue lights gathering in his hands.

"What?" Shen cried in alarm. He joined the index and middle fingers of each hand and waved them at the two energy spheres, trying to use magic to control them.

Wang Yang felt the energy spheres slipping from his control. He clenched his fists, resisting the pull, and slammed the spheres into Shen's chest and back.

Boom!

A deafening blast rang out, and smoke billowed. A figure in white cried out and fell from the sky, crashing into the ground and leaving a huge crater.

"Uh? Competitor Shen has landed on the outer ring." The blond announcer looked confused. If someone fell from the ring inside onto the large ring outside, did that count as being out?

"I give up!" Shen got to his feet, trembling and covered in dust.

"Competitor Shen has conceded! Wang Yang wins this match, and we finally have our eight finalists. They are Goku, Tien Shinhan, Mercenary Tao, Nameless, Demon Junior, Krillin, Yamcha, and Wang Yang!" the blond announcer shouted.

"You're truly remarkable. You have excellent combat experience and never let your guard down, no matter the situation. You're an exceptional fighter. Even if I weren't possessing someone and fought you in my real body, I still couldn't beat you." Shen took out a cloth to wipe his glasses and smiled at Wang Yang.

"I really wanted to win and fight that guy, but there's no shame in losing to you."

Shen glanced at Piccolo, who stood with his arms crossed, then turned back to Wang Yang with a smile.

"You're remarkable too. I'd like to learn some magic from you sometime," Wang Yang said with a faint smile.

The two chatted amiably as they walked back inside side by side.