An Unbridgeable Chasm

"Am I up first?"

Li Shu was a little surprised. He glanced at Yamcha, who stood confidently nearby, then leaped lightly onto the ring.

Yamcha followed right after, and the two faced each other.

Meanwhile, in Area 4, Wukong was also the first to step up.

"Huh? Both brothers are up first? Which match should I watch?" Krillin was torn. He didn't want to miss either fight.

He glanced at Wukong's opponent, then at Li Shu's, and ultimately chose to watch Li Shu and Yamcha's match.

He wanted to know where Yamcha's confidence came from.

"The match will last one minute. You may begin," the referee said.

Li Shu cupped his hands. "Please teach me."

Yamcha had never seen this kind of greeting before, but he copied Li Shu and cupped his hands too. "Please teach me!"

Then Yamcha assumed an attacking stance, ready for anything.

Li Shu simply stood there, making no attempt to attack.

Their standoff drew plenty of chatter from the spectators.

They looked evenly matched, so the fight ought to be exciting.

Is he afraid to attack? Yamcha thought. He immediately pushed off hard with his feet, curled his fingers into the shape of wolf fangs, and charged at Li Shu.

To Li Shu, Yamcha's movements were slow. There was no need to rush to respond.

He wondered what would be the best way to defeat his opponent.

After all, Yamcha was Wukong's friend. He should go easy on him.

Has he been so scared that he can't move? In Yamcha's eyes, Li Shu had been completely cowed by his imposing presence and was desperately trying to think of a countermeasure.

The helpless look on Li Shu's face left Yamcha a little disappointed.

From his combat experience, at this distance Li Shu had no chance to react. His attack was sure to hit.

His Wolf Fist could leave a crater in solid rock. His opponent was as good as beaten.

He had expected a formidable opponent, but Li Shu turned out to be so feeble.

He is Wukong's big brother, after all. I should hold back a little, Yamcha thought, easing off his attack for fear of killing him.

Just as his attack was about to land and Yamcha was certain of victory, Li Shu moved.

Yamcha's vision blurred. Li Shu had vanished, and his sure-hit attack struck nothing. He hadn't seen Li Shu move at all.

"Not good!" Yamcha's expression changed. He hurriedly spun around, facing behind him and raising his guard.

But Li Shu wasn't behind him. A voice came from above.

"I'm up here. Get ready to defend yourself."

The instant he heard the voice, Yamcha looked up in a hurry—and saw a fist as big as a sandbag hurtling straight toward his face.

Too fast!

Yamcha's face went pale with shock. He had no time to react and took the punch squarely.

Thud! His head slammed hard into the ring with a muffled crash.

"What incredible speed!" Outside the ring, Krillin stared in shock. He imagined himself in Yamcha's place and realized he wouldn't have been able to react either.

The other competitors watching let out a chorus of gasps, and their eyes turned fearful as they looked at Li Shu.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

The referee hurried over to Yamcha and began counting loudly.

"Can't he take even that much?" Li Shu looked at Yamcha, somewhat exasperated. He'd only used thirty percent of his strength.

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

Just as the referee called seven, Yamcha came to after a brief daze. He shook his head and pushed himself up. A little blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and his nostrils.

"I underestimated you. Now I'm going to use my full strength." Yamcha looked at Li Shu with utmost seriousness and resumed his fighting stance.

"Wolf Fang Fist? I've been wanting to see it." Li Shu stood there casually, looking full of anticipation.

Yamcha didn't dare let his guard down. Li Shu's casual stance had fooled him once already. With a loud shout, he set one hand in front of the other, fingers curled like wolf fangs, and bent his body slightly, resembling a wild wolf as he charged again.

This time, he gave it everything he had. His hands, shaped like wolf fangs, clawed viciously at Li Shu, leaving bright streaks in the air.

By now, Li Shu had made up his mind. Defeating his opponent with all his strength was the greatest respect he could show him. It would help Yamcha face reality and understand that the gap between them was an unbridgeable chasm.

I wonder if Yamcha can take a defeat this crushing in his very first match. A hint of pity rose in Li Shu's expression again, completely undisguised.

In Li Shu's eyes, Yamcha's Wolf Fang Fist was full of openings!

Thump!

Li Shu delivered a textbook side kick. His attack landed first, thanks to the greater reach of his leg, and struck Yamcha in the abdomen.

"Waaah—!"

Yamcha's body doubled over completely, and he spat out a huge mouthful of blood. The tremendous force nearly made his eyes bulge as he shot off the ring and smashed a gaping hole in the thick wall. He passed out completely.

As luck would have it, outside the hole, Bulma had just climbed onto Oolong's back, preparing to sneak a peek at her boyfriend Yamcha's preliminary match.

Then Yamcha came flying out and landed at the hem of her skirt, unconscious.

At that moment, Area 2's ring fell completely silent. Everyone stared in horror at the somewhat laid-back man on the platform.

Krillin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. His body trembled, and he swallowed again and again. "He's... he's so strong! Why does he feel even stronger than Wukong?!"

Referee: "(ΩДΩ)!"

Three seconds later, the referee finally came to his senses. He hurried over to check Yamcha's breathing. When he realized Yamcha was still alive, he let out a sigh of relief and called for the medical staff. Then he ran back to the ring and announced:

"Number 34 is the winner!"

"Thank you for going easy on me, thank you," Li Shu said with a smile, copying the manner of a martial arts master from the action movies of his previous life. He cupped his hands toward the spectators, then hopped down from the ring.

As Li Shu passed, the crowd instinctively parted, leaving a path for him.

"You're incredible!" Krillin said excitedly, though he couldn't hide the dejection on his face.

"Don't sell yourself short, Krillin. You're strong too." After replying, Li Shu added, "Yamcha's injuries look pretty serious. I'll give him a Senzu Bean. He's Wukong's friend, after all."

As he spoke, Li Shu popped a Senzu Bean into Yamcha's mouth under the stunned gaze of the medical staff. He gave him some water and helped him swallow it.

Yamcha soon woke up.

Bulma watched anxiously from nearby. As soon as Yamcha opened his eyes, she cried out happily, "Yamcha, I'm so glad you're okay! Who was your opponent? Was it Wukong? You're already out, and the tournament has only just started!"