Marriage

The preliminaries began.

This time, because Sun Wuxiu had forfeited, there was no tragedy of a "prearranged champion."

But he and Bulma had not been idle. They sat in the best seats in the stands, enjoying the show.

"Wuxiu, look at that girl!"

Bulma pointed at a young woman in a cheongsam on the arena.

"She's amazing! She sent her opponent flying in one hit!"

Sun Wuxiu glanced at the girl, the corners of his mouth rising wildly.

That was Chi-Chi.

The Ox-King's daughter, Goku's fiancée.

"She is amazing. And I think the way she looks at Goku is a little strange."

Sun Wuxiu grinned mischievously. "Bulma, get the wedding money ready. Our little Goku is about to get 'married off.'"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Bulma looked utterly confused.

What followed was every bit as exciting as the original story. In fact, thanks to the butterfly effect, the level of the fights was even higher.

The first major match was Tien Shinhan against Mercenary Tao, who had been remade into a cyborg.

Mercenary Tao, who had originally been able to give Tien Shinhan some trouble, was utterly crushed by the strengthened Tien Shinhan in this life.

"Remnants of the old era should stop making fools of themselves."

Using only one hand, Tien Shinhan blocked Mercenary Tao's Super Dodon Ray, then knocked him unconscious with a chop.

Even Sun Wuxiu could not help applauding at that display of a true master's bearing.

Next came Goku against Chi-Chi.

It was a battle full of comedy.

"You seriously don't remember who I am?!"

"I'm going to make you take responsibility!!"

Chi-Chi chased Goku around the arena, attacking him while Goku dodged with a baffled look on his face.

Finally, when Chi-Chi removed her mask and spoke of their promise from years ago.

"Marriage? Is that something tasty?"

The moment Goku delivered that classic line, the entire arena burst into laughter.

But when he learned that marriage meant "two people living together forever," Goku scratched his head and gave that innocent smile.

"Since I promised, I guess there's no helping it. All right! Let's get married!"

"Woooah!!"

Bulma excitedly grabbed Sun Wuxiu's arm. "Oh my god! That idiot Goku actually proposed?! That's so romantic!"

Sun Wuxiu, meanwhile, was filled with emotion.

No matter how many times he watched that scene, it still felt heartwarming.

Goku might not understand love, but he understood promises.

That was enough.

In the matches that followed, Krillin also displayed astonishing growth.

He faced King Piccolo.

Originally, this should have been a fight with no suspense whatsoever, but Krillin stubbornly relied on the beginnings of the Flight Technique and Destructo Disc—though neither had been fully developed yet—to force King Piccolo to take him seriously.

"Earthlings... aren't all useless."

Although Piccolo won, he had broken out in a cold sweat.

What had these Earthlings eaten over the past three years?

Why was every one of them so ridiculously strong?

What surprised Sun Wuxiu the most was that Kami had not possessed that mortal contestant to enter the tournament this time.

Clearly, Kami also knew that with a towering figure like Sun Wuxiu holding the fort, there was no need for tricks like the Evil Containment Wave.

As long as Goku lost, Sun Wuxiu could crush Piccolo to death with a flick of his finger.

So Kami watched the live broadcast from the Lookout with complete peace of mind, sipping tea.

At last, the finals.

Son Goku VS Piccolo, the Demon Second Generation.

A fated confrontation.

This battle was even fiercer and more spectacular than in the original story.

Because both sides' base combat power was higher than before.

The entire Papaya Island trembled under their fierce clash.

Super Giant Form, Homing Energy Blast, even the Explosive Demon Wave... Piccolo used every trick he had.

And Goku displayed the results of his training at the Lookout.

Ki Sensing, Ki Concealment, the Afterimage Technique, Super Kamehameha...

When Piccolo finally went mad and tried to destroy the entire island, Goku did not endure it head-on like in the original. Instead, he used the Deflection Technique Sun Wuxiu had taught him to divert the energy blast into the sea.

Boom--!!!

The sea was blasted open into a bottomless void.

At the final moment.

When Goku's feet were injured and he could no longer move, he did not despair.

"Flight Technique!!"

Goku shouted, and his body rose into the air against gravity.

This was the trump card he had saved for last!

"What?!" Piccolo was utterly shocked. He had no way to gain leverage in midair.

"This is the end!!!"

Goku crashed into Piccolo like a meteor, delivering a headbutt filled with every ounce of his conviction!

Bang!!!

Piccolo was knocked straight out of the ring and fell unconscious.

"Contestant Piccolo is out of bounds!! The champion is--Son Goku!!!"

At the referee's shout, the entire arena erupted.

Goku lay on the arena floor, gasping for breath, his face full of a victorious smile.

He had done it.

He had finally protected Earth with his own strength and surpassed the once-powerful enemy.

After the match.

Goku ate a Senzu Bean Sun Wuxiu tossed to him and instantly recovered at full health.

He walked over to the unconscious Piccolo. Rather than killing him, he tossed him a Senzu Bean as well.

"Why did you save him?!" Kami demanded telepathically.

"Because he's my best opponent."

Goku smiled. "Besides, Brother said that if Piccolo died, you would die too, Kami. I don't want the Dragon Balls to disappear."

Sun Wuxiu smiled from the stands when he heard that.

That kid looked foolish, but he was wiser than he seemed.

The sun set in the west.

The Martial Arts Tournament had finally come to an end.

Goku summoned the Flying Nimbus and pulled the shy Chi-Chi aboard.

"Everyone! I'm taking Chi-Chi away to train—on our honeymoon! We're getting married!"

"Brother! Bulma! Grandpa Master Roshi! Krillin! See you!"

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, everyone waved goodbye.

Only Sun Wuxiu's gaze became somewhat distant.

He knew that this marked the end of the Dragon Ball era.

That innocent, passionate youth filled with adventure had reached its conclusion at this moment.

What awaited them next.

Was the magnificent interstellar era known as Dragon Ball Z.

It was the destiny of the Saiyans, the shadow of the Emperor of the Universe, and the beginning of surpassing all limits.

"Five years."

Sun Wuxiu held Bulma's hand and thought silently to himself.

"Five more years of peace."

"During these five years, there is only one thing I need to do."

"That is--to completely shatter that golden barrier."

"Wuxiu, what are you thinking about?" Bulma noticed that he had drifted off.

"Nothing."

Sun Wuxiu came back to himself and looked at the beautiful woman who had been by his side for four years, his eyes filled with tenderness.

He suddenly dropped to one knee and took a ring from his pocket. It had been prepared long ago, made from a rare diamond he had personally found in the Earth's core.

Under the glow of the setting sun, the ring shone even brighter than the Dragon Balls.

"Bulma."

"Will you marry me?"

Krillin, Yamcha, Master Roshi, and the others around them instantly widened their eyes, then erupted into cheers even louder than when Goku had won the championship.

"OOOOOOH!!!"

"Say yes! Say yes!"

Bulma covered her mouth as tears immediately welled up in her eyes, but they were tears of happiness.

She nodded forcefully and held out her hand.

"You big idiot... I've been waiting for you to say that for four whole years!"

Sun Wuxiu smiled as he slipped the ring onto her ring finger. Then he rose to his feet and, amid the cheering, kissed her deeply.

Thus, the first volume of Dragon Ball came to a perfect close.

And a new legend was beginning to take shape.