Besides, he had already lived for over three hundred years.
Both his life and his martial arts had been tempered by the passage of time.
I had only spent a little over ten years training hard.
Even if my strength was about the same as his, that was nothing special,
because in other respects,
at most, I was now just a beast—a brawler.
In an instant, a flash of lightning seemed to streak through Son Goku's mind, illuminating the way forward.
Son Goku was secretly delighted. He wanted to shout, "I get it!"
He thought that he was sure to learn something real under Master Roshi, and he had finally managed it.
This was the true spirit of martial arts.
This was the foundation that allowed the original Son Goku to keep getting stronger.
Just then, Jackie Chun's foot slammed into Son Goku's face.
With a sharp smack, Son Goku's head spun, and he fell straight to the ground.
Jackie Chun withdrew his foot and turned to the referee.
"Referee, hurry up and count him out!"
Chapter 53: Moon, You Shouldn't Have Come Out
When the referee saw Son Goku fall, he immediately started over to count him out.
But before he could take two steps, Son Goku slapped the ground,
sprang to his feet, and once again took up his opening stance.
His steps were steady, and his whole body radiated energy and spirit.
The referee was delighted. "He's back up! Contestant Son Goku is back up!"
"It looks like, although Son Goku was just at a slight disadvantage,
Contestant Son is young, after all, and in excellent physical condition. He's still full of energy,
while old man Jackie Chun has already started panting.
It seems Little Goku is about to take the lead,
because Contestant Jackie Chun is starting to run out of steam.
Let's wait and see what happens next!"
Hearing the referee's commentary, Jackie Chun couldn't help cursing. "What? That's complete nonsense!
How dare you say I'm running out of steam!"
As he spoke, Jackie Chun switched from defense to offense.
His fists became countless afterimages, striking at Son Goku with fierce precision.
In an instant, Son Goku was back on the defensive, dodging his attacks.
The two figures flickered and clashed across the ring.
The spectators below cheered loudly.
As they switched between offense and defense, Son Goku also came to deeply appreciate the joy of battle.
All he could think about was how to break through his opponent's defense, how to land a hit, and how to dodge an attack...
As the battle continued, Son Goku immediately felt the pressure of fighting ease.
There were two reasons: first, Jackie Chun—Master Roshi—was getting tired,
and second, Son Goku was improving. He was gradually adjusting to his opponent's moves and getting used to them.
After all, Goku had only ever beaten up weak opponents before. He'd never had anyone who could really trade blows with him.
But Master Roshi was truly exceptional. Even giving it everything he had, Goku still couldn't win,
and that was what gave him the chance to hone himself.
His own energy was still abundant.
If the fight continued like this, victory would be within easy reach.
Son Goku had gained so much from this battle.
Only by throwing himself into it completely,
without thinking about the consequences of winning or losing, could he keep surpassing himself in battle.
Not wanting to let his teacher's good intentions go to waste, Son Goku decided to stop there.
But just then, Jackie Chun suddenly grew serious.
"I'm afraid you're going to lose this match!
There was only one person in the past who forced me to use this special technique. Now you're the second."
Son Goku's gaze sharpened.
Well, well. The Thunder Shock Surprise?
Son Goku seemed to remember something.
He suddenly raised his head.
The sun was setting, and a full moon hung high in the sky.
Fortunately, his tail hadn't grown back yet.
Son Goku secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Instead of looking at the moon, he turned his attention to Jackie Chun.
As Jackie Chun called out, "Thunder Shock Surprise!" a golden current suddenly enveloped Son Goku's entire body.
In an instant, he felt violent pain all over,
his arms and legs going numb under the Thunder Shock Surprise,
while his energy was suppressed, leaving him unable to summon the strength to fight back.
As Master Roshi unleashed the Thunder Shock Surprise, he said:
"While I'm using the Thunder Shock Surprise, you can't move—and neither can I.
But after being hit by this technique, you'll be in unbearable pain,
and if it goes on too long, you could even die from it!
Give up now, or you'll lose your life!"
Son Goku hadn't wanted to keep fighting in the first place. He'd been ready to admit defeat.
But if he gave up just because this Thunder Shock Surprise hurt so much,
it would make him seem like he had no willpower.
He'd hold on a little longer before giving up!
Just then, Son Goku suddenly felt a tightness in his rear.
His pants had torn, and his tail had grown back.
Son Goku realized something was wrong.
Held in place by a technique that swept over him like an electric current, he couldn't control himself properly.
"I give..."
Before he could finish saying he was giving up, a powerful pulse seemed to strike Goku's heart.
In an instant, he lost consciousness.
As everyone watched, Son Goku transformed into a Great Ape.
The audience and the referee were all stunned.
"Whoa!"
"What an incredible transformation technique!"
The referee broke out in a cold sweat and exclaimed, "Ah, what's going on?
Contestant Son Goku suddenly grew a tail, and now he's turned into a gigantic ape!"
Jackie Chun also broke out in a cold sweat.
"Damn it! He's too strong after transforming. Even my Thunder Shock Surprise can't stop him!"
Freed from the Thunder Shock Surprise, Son Goku transformed into a Great Ape and immediately began rampaging.
Krillin and Chi-Chi immediately stepped forward.
"Goku, stop transforming! It's too dangerous!"
"That's right, Goku! Stop transforming!"
Just then, Bulma revealed the secret behind the transformation.
"It's not a technique. Whenever he sees a full moon, he loses his mind and turns into a Great Ape, rampaging everywhere."
The referee exclaimed, "In that case, I have no choice but to abandon my post and run for cover!"
Hearing Bulma's words, Jackie Chun was startled.
He looked up at the sky. Sure enough, it wasn't even dark yet, but a full moon was already hanging there.
Looking at the rampaging Great Ape, he quickly came up with a plan.
"So there's only one way to solve this!"
The next moment, Master Roshi took off his clothes, gathered all his energy, and his muscles swelled in an instant.
Bulma already knew how this would end. She didn't act rashly; instead, she looked up at the full moon.
As if saying goodbye, she murmured, "Moon, you shouldn't have come out!"
The next moment, a brilliant light shone between Jackie Chun's hands.
"Kamehameha!"
A Kamehameha at full power suddenly erupted.
The fierce wind was so strong that everyone around the ring couldn't help covering their eyes.
With a thunderous boom, the Great Ape vanished without a trace.
Even the ramshackle hut behind the scenes at the World Martial Arts Tournament collapsed.
Krillin and Chi-Chi both ran over.
"Goku!"
"Goku, where are you?"
Krillin looked all around but couldn't see Goku anywhere.
A chill ran down his spine. "Did Little Goku die?"
Chi-Chi couldn't see Goku either, and the shock hit her hard.
Trembling, she pointed at Jackie Chun and burst into tears. "You monster! You killed Goku! I'm going to avenge him!"
Chapter 54: The Curtain Falls
As they spoke, Chi-Chi and Krillin started charging toward Jackie Chun.
Jackie Chun felt a chill run down his spine.
"Wait! He's not dead!"