First Match: Zhang Wutian vs. Tien Shinhan

His sharp black hair stood straight up. He still had bangs now, but when he reached adulthood, his forehead would recede into an M shape. Born with overwhelming battle power, he was a super-genius warrior named after his planet: the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta.

At this moment, he was dressed in a Turtle Hermit School gi—something that would never be seen in the canonical Dragon Ball World—and was going by the name Son Goku, whispering with Krillin.

What the hell was this world playing at?! Forcing Vegeta to be Son Goku was like drawing a woman and insisting he was a man. If Vegeta was here, then what had happened to the real Kakarot? This plot was going off the rails!

Seeing Zhang Wutian staring at him with a stunned, what-the-hell expression, Vegeta... Well, in this world, his name was Son Goku, so let's go with that. Son Goku pursed his lips in annoyance and said, "What are you looking at? Is my face that strange?"

"It sure is. Honestly, you gave me quite a shock."

A trace of a cold smile appeared on his face. Son Goku replied bluntly, "There's something even more surprising coming. For example, this!"

In the next instant, Son Goku appeared in front of Zhang Wutian at incredible speed and threw a punch.

But someone other than Zhang Wutian intercepted his punch.

Son Wukong vanished and reappeared just as suddenly, blocking Son Goku's path and raising her arm to stop his punch.

The two faced off. Both wore Turtle Hermit School gis, and they looked remarkably alike.

"You're a woman, but you're pretty strong. Nothing like the frail Bulma. Who are you?" Son Goku asked, pressing against her with increasing force as his cold smile gave way to a scrutinizing gaze.

"I'm Son Wukong. Don't you dare attack Zhang Wutian."

Son Wukong puffed out her cheeks and strained to hold back the pressure coming from the other side.

"Son Wukong? Interesting." Son Goku abruptly withdrew his strength and took a step back. "You're not part of the Turtle Hermit School, yet you're wearing their gi. And you have a tail, just like me. Son Wukong, is it? Even your name is similar to mine. I'll remember you."

Then he turned his gaze to Zhang Wutian and said disdainfully, "And you, coward hiding behind a woman. If we meet in the ring, I'll teach you a proper lesson. Better keep your neck clean and ready."

"Zhang Wutian isn't a coward! His battle power is even greater than mine. If you fight him, you'll definitely be the one who loses!" Son Wukong shouted angrily.

"I hope so. Otherwise, this Martial Arts Tournament will be terribly boring." With a cold laugh, Son Goku returned to Krillin's side.

"Come on, Goku. She only looked at you. There's no need to make such a fuss," Krillin advised, then bowed apologetically to Zhang Wutian.

"Hmph. I hate that kind of look, like I'm some rare creature. Anyone who looks at me like that gets a beating," Son Goku said irritably.

Zhang Wutian turned to Son Wukong and asked, "So, is he strong?"

"Very." Son Wukong rubbed her arm. "I used all my strength, but I couldn't move him at all. He seemed to be holding back, too. I never expected to run into someone so strong here."

As she spoke, however, Son Wukong didn't look discouraged. Instead, a battle-hungry smile spread across her face.

"No wonder he's the super-genius prince. They say his battle power was already over four digits when he was born. I probably couldn't beat him right now, but that's what makes fighting fun, isn't it? If all you do is beat up weaklings, you'll get rusty. Every so often, you need to take on a Roaring Dragon that suddenly shows up."

Zhang Wutian's cheat had always kept him in the position of a challenger. To him, fighting someone stronger was the only way to grow, so when he met Son Goku—who might be stronger than him—he felt no fear and didn't back down. Instead, he showed the same high-spirited fighting spirit as a Saiyan.

Seeing that the two of them weren't intimidated at all, but were instead brimming with fighting spirit, Son Goku silently laughed.

Tien Shinhan, meanwhile, was stunned.

"I can't see him... Even my Third Eye can't see him. Are all Turtle Hermit School practitioners monsters?"

"Tien, what's wrong?" Chiaotzu asked anxiously when he saw the sweat running down Tien Shinhan's face.

"It's nothing." Unwilling to show his embarrassment in front of his junior disciple, Tien Shinhan took a deep breath and said, "Stick to the original plan. Use your psychic powers to manipulate the draw so I face that Zhang Wutian first. I'll test those guys' real strength. Then, do this and that..."

"Okay!" Chiaotzu nodded and began using his psychic powers to interfere with the draw.

Soon, the freshly drawn matchups were displayed for everyone to see.

First match: Zhang Wutian vs. Tien Shinhan. Second match: King Chappa vs. Pamput. Third match: Son Wukong vs. Son Goku. Fourth match: Krillin vs. Chiaotzu.

"Those matchups..." Zhang Wutian glanced at Chiaotzu, who he knew all about. "In a way, they're pretty suitable. Fine, I'll deal with Tien Shinhan first."

Then the final rounds of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament officially began.

Zhang Wutian and Tien Shinhan both stepped into the ring.

"Let's see how that guy fights. I hope he isn't completely useless."

With his arms crossed, Son Goku stood beside Krillin and watched the match, a faint cold smile always on his face.

Beside them, Son Wukong loudly cheered Zhang Wutian on.

"Come on, Zhang Wutian! Beat Tien Shinhan!"

Zhang Wutian flashed Son Wukong a V sign from beneath the ring, then took his place opposite Tien Shinhan.

"Come on, Tien Shinhan. Like we said before, let's settle this in the ring."

"Hmph!" After seeing the brief fight between Son Wukong and Son Goku, Tien Shinhan no longer dared to take things lightly. He cautiously assumed his stance.

"Show me what you can do."

"Come on. I'll show you right now."

At the bespectacled announcer's signal, Tien Shinhan took the initiative and attacked Zhang Wutian first.

"Ha!!" Tien Shinhan charged from the front, then suddenly circled behind Zhang Wutian and struck with a karate chop.

Zhang Wutian stood perfectly still, blocking the attack with nothing but his arm.

After his first strike was stopped, Tien Shinhan launched one attack after another, moving around Zhang Wutian and throwing a variety of punches and kicks.

Yet Zhang Wutian didn't even move his feet. Standing right where he was, he blocked every one of Tien Shinhan's attacks with nothing but his arms.

"Damn it! Don't underestimate me!!" Tien Shinhan could tell Zhang Wutian was holding back. The more he attacked, the more anxious he became. Finally, he sprang backward to put some distance between them, and his body began to change.

"Damn it! Try my Four Witches Technique!!"

Two arms grew from Tien Shinhan's back, giving him four arms in total, and he charged at Zhang Wutian again.

This time, Zhang Wutian assumed a punching stance. The moment Tien Shinhan came within range, he punched the empty space in front of him.

"Empty Fist!!"

With a stream of blood from his nose, Tien Shinhan flew backward and crashed down near the edge of the ring, coming within a hair's breadth of falling off.

Below the ring, Master Shen and Chiaotzu were both stunned. They had never expected Tien Shinhan, who seemed incredibly strong to them, to be so helpless.

"How is this possible?! The gap is that huge..." Toyed with like a little kid, Tien Shinhan stared at Zhang Wutian in disbelief, his fighting spirit steadily fading.

"Tien Shinhan, are you scared?" Zhang Wutian asked from the ring.

"Scared? I, Tien Shinhan, would be scared?!" Tien Shinhan gritted his teeth and put on a brave front. But his slightly trembling body gave him away.

"You over there." Zhang Wutian pointed toward Son Goku. "I probably can't beat him, but I'll never give up on challenging him. A true martial artist keeps challenging the strong. Someone who only throws punches at the weak is nothing but a thug."

"Hmph. You certainly know how to talk. Is that your way of admitting you're weaker than me?" Son Goku sneered at Zhang Wutian's words.

"Zhang Wutian isn't admitting he's weaker! He's just telling the truth!" Son Wukong said indignantly, eager to defend Zhang Wutian. "When I first met him, he couldn't even beat the wild monkeys in the mountains. I sent him flying with one punch. But he kept challenging me, and now he's stronger than I am. He'll prove it through his actions."

"Is that so? I'll reserve judgment, but before that, you're the one I'm more interested in. Don't disappoint me, little girl."

"Hmph! I'm not a little girl! I'm taller than you!" Son Wukong stuck out her tongue and made a face at the overbearing Son Goku.

"..." Hit where it hurt, Son Goku's face flashed with embarrassment. He had never managed to grow any taller, so he said nothing and used the Flight Technique to lift his feet slightly off the ground, then turned away disdainfully.

I'm not going to stoop to arguing with a little girl who developed early. I'll remember this. Let's see where we stand in three years. Hmph!