After saying that, Krillin immediately ran off to sign up.
"Goku, are you confident you can win this World Martial Arts Tournament?"
Master Roshi asked solemnly.
"I don't think it'll be a problem!"
"Is that so? Then I'm relieved!"
A little while later, Krillin returned after signing up and walked over to Sun Wukong.
"Senior Brother Goku, what do you think of Master Shen's two students?"
"Do you mean their strength?"
"Yeah!"
Krillin nodded.
"Neither of them is a match for me, but they might both become tough opponents for you!"
"Is that so?"
Krillin suddenly lowered his head, lost in thought.
Just then, a staff member of the World Martial Arts Tournament used a loudspeaker to notify the competitors to head to the preliminary arena.
"Krillin, the matches are about to start. Shall we go in?"
"Sure!"
With that, the two headed to the preliminary arena to compete.
Bulma and the others followed along to watch.
There were quite a lot of competitors in this World Martial Arts Tournament.
So this time, the tournament would be held over two days.
Sun Wukong and Krillin both made it through the preliminaries that day.
That evening, Sun Wukong had dinner with the others.
Master Roshi and Krillin found an inn to stay at.
Sun Wukong and Android 8, meanwhile, returned to Bulma's house.
At nine the next morning, Sun Wukong and the others returned to the World Martial Arts Tournament arena for the quarterfinals.
Besides Sun Wukong, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu, the other four quarterfinalists were Yamcha, Man-Wolf, Pamput, and Shiba.
Sun Wukong was up first, and his opponent was Pamput.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the quarterfinals of the World Martial Arts Tournament are about to begin!
"And the first competitor to take the stage is none other than the champion of the previous World Martial Arts Tournament, Sun Wukong!"
The audience immediately erupted in cheers.
"Now, please welcome Sun Wukong and his opponent, Pamput, to the stage!"
"Whoosh..."
"Thud..."
After the referee spoke, the two quickly made their way onto the ring.
"Sun Wukong, do you have anything you'd like to say to the audience before the match begins?"
"No!"
"I... I see! In that case, you may begin!"
"Mm!"
"Then I hereby declare the first quarterfinal match underway!"
Bang!
At the sound of the referee's signal, a staff member immediately struck the gong.
Pamput swallowed nervously as he stared at Sun Wukong standing before him.
Suddenly, a figure flashed past him.
By the time he realized what had happened, a sharp pain had struck his abdomen, and he passed out.
"S-so fast!"
Watching from below, Yamcha broke out in a cold sweat.
Ever since losing to Sun Wukong at the last World Martial Arts Tournament, he had trained hard for three years.
But despite all that training, he still didn't feel confident he could beat Sun Wukong.
"P-Pamput is down! I'm starting the count! Ten, nine, eight... one, zero! I declare Sun Wukong the winner of the first quarterfinal match!"
As soon as the referee finished speaking, thunderous applause filled the arena.
Sun Wukong immediately jumped down from the ring.
"Next, please welcome Krillin and Chiaotzu to the stage!"
"Go, Krillin!"
Bulma cheered him on.
Krillin nodded and jumped onto the ring.
Beside Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu used the Flight Technique to fly onto the ring.
"Krillin, Chiaotzu, if you have no objections, shall we begin?"
"Mm!"
The two nodded.
"Then I hereby declare the second quarterfinal match underway!"
The referee spoke, and a staff member immediately struck the gong.
Krillin struck a fighting stance and charged at Chiaotzu.
Chiaotzu flew upward.
"Damn it! He flew up into the sky!"
As he spoke, Krillin pushed off the ground with both feet and chased after him.
Chiaotzu smiled, raised his right index finger, and focused his ki at its tip.
"Uh-oh!"
Krillin's expression changed.
"Whoosh..."
Chiaotzu fired a golden beam at Krillin with his right index finger.
Krillin immediately raised both arms in front of himself.
Boom!
Amid a violent explosion, Krillin crashed hard onto the ring.
"Whoosh..."
"Thud..."
Chiaotzu flew down from the air and landed on the ground.
Krillin gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet.
Master Shen looked rather pleased from the audience.
"Give up! You can't beat me!"
Chiaotzu said in a childish voice.
"Damn it! Don't underestimate me. I was just careless!"
"Is that so?"
Chiaotzu gathered another Dodon Ray at the tip of his right index finger.
"Ka-me-ha-me..."
Krillin brought his hands together behind him, gathering a deep blue wave of energy between them.
"Oh!"
Chiaotzu glanced at Krillin, looking a little surprised.
Then he fired the Dodon Ray from his fingertip.
"Ha!"
Krillin shouted and fired the Kamehameha at Chiaotzu.
Rumble!
The Kamehameha and the Dodon Ray collided and exploded in the middle of the ring.
The ring was soon engulfed in thick smoke from the explosion.
The referee, some distance away, was quickly overcome by the smoke and began coughing.
"I... I can't see a thing!"
After a while, the smoke gradually cleared, but Krillin had already vanished from where he'd been standing.
"H-he's gone!"
Chiaotzu cried out in surprise.
"Chiaotzu, watch your back!" Tien Shinhan warned.
"What?!"
Chiaotzu turned around and saw Krillin swinging a heavy punch at him.
Thud!!
Chiaotzu was sent flying out of the ring.
"Great!"
A faint smile appeared on Krillin's face.
Just before he hit the ground, Chiaotzu used the Flight Technique to stop himself mere inches above it.
The referee, who had been about to declare Chiaotzu out, froze.
"Phew..."
Seeing that, Tien Shinhan and Master Shen both breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Chiaotzu slowly flew back onto the ring.
"Damn it! I was this close!"
Krillin clenched his fists in frustration.
"Thud..."
Chiaotzu landed in front of Krillin.
Suddenly, Chiaotzu furrowed his brow and glared at him angrily.
"I'm mad now, you little bald guy!"
"Hmph! You call me a little bald guy? You're bald too!"
Chiaotzu took off his hat, revealing the single strand of hair on top of his head.
"One hair isn't anything special!"
"Do you have one?"
"Chiaotzu, put your hat back on!"
Seeing Chiaotzu showing off his "hair," Tien Shinhan immediately felt embarrassed.
He almost wished he didn't know Chiaotzu.
At that, Chiaotzu obediently put his hat back on.
"Um... you two, this is still a match. Could you please get back to it? The audience is waiting!"
Before you continue