The last two quarterfinal matches soon came to an end.
A monk named Nam defeated his opponent with a peculiar technique called the Dodon Ray. It carried a refreshing chill and was meant to rob people of their will to fight rather than hurt them.
As for the blonde girl named Launch, she suddenly changed personality after sneezing, pulled out a machine gun, and opened fire wildly. The referee stopped her in time and disqualified her, causing a minor commotion. In the end, the staff "escorted" her out of the arena.
And with that, all four semifinalists of the World Martial Arts Tournament had been decided!
The host announced the names excitedly. "After a fierce contest, the four competitors advancing to the semifinals are—Son Goku! Tien Shinhan! Chiaotzu! And—Lin Fan!"
The giant screen displayed the four competitors' portraits and names.
The audience reacted in different ways. Son Goku and Tien Shinhan's names drew deafening cheers; their strength was plain for all to see.
Chiaotzu also received plenty of applause. His psychic abilities had left a strong impression.
But when Lin Fan's name and portrait appeared, the crowd's reaction grew more complicated.
There was surprise and curiosity, along with plenty of doubt and whispered speculation.
"Lin Fan? The one who beat Giran?"
"How did he make it to the final four? It doesn't seem like he's had to fight much..."
"He got lucky. He didn't draw any strong opponents..."
Almost no one thought Lin Fan had a chance.
Most people believed that luck, far more than strength, had gotten him into the final four.
Whether it was his easy victory over Giran or the subsequent draws, it had all seemed too effortless to count as convincing proof of his abilities.
Hearing the comments around her, Bulma stamped her foot angrily. "What's wrong with these people? They don't know what they're talking about! Lin Fan's really strong!"
Krillin offered a more level-headed assessment. "Still... Lin Fan's next opponent is either Tien Shinhan or Goku... They're both way too strong..."
Master Roshi pushed up his sunglasses without saying a word. He simply watched Lin Fan's calm face on the screen, his thoughts unreadable.
Before long, the semifinal pairings were decided by draw.
"The upper-bracket semifinal—competitor number 98, Lin Fan, will face competitor number 38, Tien Shinhan!"
The result set off another uproar in the stands.
"Oh, no! He has to face Tien Shinhan right away!"
"That three-eyed freak pushed Son Goku to a draw!"
"He probably won't even last one move..."
Nearly everyone believed Lin Fan's run as a dark horse was about to end.
The arena was quickly repaired.
Lin Fan and Tien Shinhan stepped into the ring at the same time.
Tien Shinhan folded his arms. All three of his eyes opened, and his keen gaze locked onto Lin Fan like a blade. There was no trace of contempt left in his expression.
The strange events in the preliminaries, Lin Fan's bizarrely easy victory over Giran, and the odd things he had said to Krillin had all made Tien Shinhan rank him as an extremely dangerous opponent.
He wouldn't let his guard down just because Lin Fan's aura was weak.
"Begin!"
The referee's voice carried a hint of tension as he quickly retreated.
There was no testing the waters, no idle talk.
Tien Shinhan knew his opponent's techniques were strange, so he decided not to give him any openings. He went straight for a finishing move!
With a low shout, he slowly rose into the air, defying gravity!
"It's the Flight Technique!"
The audience cried out in astonishment.
"Tien Shinhan has used the Crane School's signature technique right from the start! He's taken to the skies!"
The host shouted excitedly. "He's claimed complete control of the air! How will Lin Fan respond?"
Suspended several meters above the ground, Tien Shinhan looked down at Lin Fan coldly. "Whatever strange tricks you have, they're useless against overwhelming strength and the advantage of height!"
He began gathering energy in his hands. A dazzling light pooled in his palms; he was clearly preparing a powerful ki blast to attack from above.
Every spectator, Bulma and Krillin included, held their breath.
Unable to fly, Lin Fan would be a sitting duck on the ground!
Yet Lin Fan simply looked up at Tien Shinhan, his expression still calm.
He drew a gentle breath. The True Qi in his body, at the middle stage of Qi Refining, began to circulate faster than ever. Rather than burst outward, it followed a unique rhythm and entered into a wondrous resonance with the air flowing around him.
The basic section of the Great Dao Source Scripture—the Wind Control Art!
It was only a rudimentary method of riding the wind to lighten the body and move short distances, but in this world, it was more than enough!
He took half a step forward with his right foot. The movement was so gentle it hardly seemed suited to a fight; it was more like the beginning of a dance.
At the same time, a soft current of air silently gathered beneath his feet, lifting him up.
The next moment, to everyone's disbelief, Lin Fan slowly rose into the air too!
He wasn't very high—only about a meter off the ground—but there was no doubt that he was floating!
There was no dazzling aura flaring up, no violent surge of energy, and not even the sense of a powerful "ki."
Only faint ripples of moving air surrounded him, as if a gentle breeze had naturally lifted him. His pose had an indescribable lightness and... grace.
The entire arena fell silent!
Everyone stared with wide eyes and open mouths, as if they'd just witnessed the most unbelievable sight in the world!
"He's... he's flying?!"
The host's voice rose to a piercing squeak. "Lin Fan's flying too?! How is that possible?! He isn't even giving off a powerful aura!!"
"What?!"
Krillin grabbed the railing, his eyes practically bulging. "He can fly too?!"
Bulma was so startled that she dropped her binoculars. "You've got to be kidding! How did he do that?!"
In the VIP seats, Master Shen shot to his feet. His cane clattered to the ground, and the muscles in his face twitched. "N-no! That isn't the Flight Technique! There's no energy signature at all! What kind of unorthodox technique is that?!"
Even Mercenary Tao, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. For the first time, a clear look of surprise and scrutiny appeared in his cold eyes as he stared at the figure in the air.
In a corner of the highest stands, Kami and Mr. Popo were also moved.
No one was more shocked than Tien Shinhan, hovering in the air.
He froze in the middle of gathering his ki blast. All three of his eyes were fixed on Lin Fan, floating effortlessly below him, his face full of disbelief!
Tien Shinhan's Flight Technique relied on a powerful burst of ki to counteract gravity, and it consumed a fair amount of energy.
But Lin Fan's way of flying... it was natural and effortless, as if he belonged in the air. Tien Shinhan could barely sense any ki being expended!
It completely overturned his understanding of flight!
"What... what kind of demon technique is that?!"
Tien Shinhan couldn't help shouting. A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice, though even he didn't notice it.
Lin Fan hovered in the air, his clothes swaying gently in the breeze, his expression composed.
He looked at the astonished Tien Shinhan and spoke calmly.
"This is no demon technique."
"Nor is it the Flight Technique."
"It is merely a matter of borrowing a little strength from the wind to leave the mortal world for a while."
As he spoke, Lin Fan shifted slightly. Like a willow leaf carried on the breeze, he slipped several meters to the side and behind with a speed and agility far beyond the Flight Technique, easily dodging a ki blast that Tien Shinhan had fired off course in his shock.
The arena erupted once again!
That agility!
That smooth change of direction!
It was nothing like the crude propulsion of the Flight Technique!
Tien Shinhan's expression changed completely.
This opponent was far stranger and more difficult to deal with than he had imagined!
From that moment on, the semifinal had truly begun. At last, everyone would have to take a fresh look at the mettle of the "dark horse" Lin Fan!
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