Tri-Beam

A thought suddenly flashed through Tien Shinhan's mind: this guy, it seems... he can't fly?

That was it. If he knew the Flight Technique, he wouldn't have been fighting on the ground the entire time!

Since that was the case, he only needed to destroy the ground beneath his feet...

A tactic that was almost insane, yet carried a heavy price, began to take shape in Tien Shinhan's mind.

He had already cast the championship aside; his eyes were fixed solely on defeating Raditz, even if it meant losing the subsequent matches!

"Hey! Kid, listen up, you have to dodge the next move!" Tien Shinhan warned in a deep voice. "I don't want to kill you!"

Without waiting for Raditz to react, he pressed his hands together in front of his chest. Veins bulged, and a terrifying energy began to slowly gather between his palms.

"What is he doing?" Krillin, who had regained his vision, exclaimed from below. "That looks so powerful!"

"Oh no! That is..." Master Roshi watched, his expression shifting instantly. He immediately shouted a warning to Raditz, "Raditz! Do as he says! You must dodge it!"

If he was right, Tien Shinhan was using the Crane School's ultimate technique—the Tri-Beam. It was a technique with a massive range and astonishing power, but it placed a tremendous burden on the user; it consumed vast amounts of energy and could even shorten one's lifespan.

That bald-headed Master Shen actually passed this sinister move on to him; he's truly unfit to be a teacher, Master Roshi thought, cursing Master Shen internally.

Raditz couldn't pay attention to Master Roshi's warning anymore. He was looking up at that figure, clearly sensing the terrifying energy.

"His Ki is still rising; it's already approaching 250..."

Tien Shinhan stopped waiting. After reserving a portion of his strength to maintain his stamina, he let out a low roar and thrust the condensed energy down toward the ring!

"TRI--BEAM--CANNON!!"

The terrifying energy crashed down, instantly swallowing the entire ring area.

BOOM!!

A deafening explosion erupted. The sturdy stone ring was reduced to a pitch-black crater under the destructive impact.

The entire arena fell into a stunned silence. The perfectly fine ring had vanished before their eyes, and the spectators peering over the edge of the crater couldn't even see the bottom.

"Too... too dangerous!"

"Where's that boy?"

"He didn't die, did he?"

Bulma was also searching for Raditz's figure. She didn't believe that the boy who worked so hard in the Gravity Chamber would die like this.

Although she was nervous, she followed the gazes of Goku and the others to find that silhouette.

Just as the explosion occurred, Raditz had bent his knees slightly and leaped upward.

The Ki within his body circulated suddenly, utilizing the very method he had grasped while observing Tien Shinhan's Flight Technique.

An invisible force of lift manifested out of thin air. Under the astonished gazes of Krillin and the others, Raditz hovered in mid-air just like Tien Shinhan. Although his body swayed from side to side, he managed not to fall.

"Look up there, he's there!" someone in the stands shouted.

Tien Shinhan looked at the person before him, unable to believe his eyes. "You know the Flight Technique?!"

"I just learned it," Raditz said, adjusting his Ki in mid-air. "I watched you use it a few times and more or less understood the principle."

Watched it a few times? Tien Shinhan's mind went blank.

The two faced each other from across the air.

Tien Shinhan's face was deathly pale, his Ki withered; the previous Tri-Beam had nearly drained him of all his stamina.

Raditz looked at the struggling Tien Shinhan, suddenly pulled a Senzu Bean from his pocket, and flicked it into the other's hand.

"Eat it, it will restore your stamina," Raditz said calmly.

Tien Shinhan froze. He looked at the unremarkable bean in his hand, then at Raditz, and finally tossed it into his mouth.

Instantly, a warm current surged through his entire body. Tien Shinhan's eyes widened. "This is..."

"A token of gratitude," Raditz smiled slightly. "Thank you for letting me witness the ultimate technique of the Crane School."

With that, he controlled his body with slight clumsiness, drifted slowly toward the outside of the ring, and landed steadily on the ground.

He then turned to the referee and said, "Referee, I forfeit."

The arena was silent.

"..."

Bulma blinked, then stomped her foot. "That idiot! What is he doing again?!"

Krillin and Yamcha looked at each other, completely unable to fathom what Raditz was up to.

He had clearly mastered the Flight Technique, and his opponent was at the end of his rope—why forfeit?

Master Roshi, however, stroked his beard thoughtfully, as if he had realized something.

Tien Shinhan hovered blankly in mid-air, watching Raditz forfeit while feeling his strength fully restored. For a moment, he couldn't speak.

The referee finally came to his senses and announced loudly, "The first match, Tien Shinhan wins and advances to the final four!"

Applause broke out, but Tien Shinhan felt no joy in his victory. He descended slowly, stood at the edge of the ruins, and watched as Raditz packed his things and headed backstage.

"Why?" he asked, finally catching up to Raditz.

Raditz looked at the grim-faced Tien Shinhan and offered a genuine smile. "Because my goal has already been achieved. There is no point in continuing this match; the championship title isn't that important to me."

"A goal?" Tien Shinhan frowned.

"Yes." Raditz nodded and admitted candidly, "I said from the very beginning that I wanted to witness the unique techniques of the Crane School, especially your signature moves. I have seen them, and they were all brilliant; I have benefited greatly."

Tien Shinhan was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening, his expression turning sour. "So you were using me as a target for practice, stealing my martial arts?!"

"Don't put it so harshly." Raditz shook his head. "Sparring and observing each other during a match is only natural."

"I didn't steal them; I simply 'watched' and then 'thought' about them. As for whether I can learn them, that is my own business. Just like you watching my Afterimage Technique and Kamehameha—haven't you gained any inspiration from them at all?"

Tien Shinhan was momentarily speechless. He had to admit that Raditz's fighting style and use of ki had indeed given him some valuable insights; he already had an understanding of the Turtle School's Kamehameha, and he believed that using it himself would not be a problem.

Raditz stepped a few paces closer, his tone becoming earnest. "Tien Shinhan, your talent and strength are both excellent, but following Master Shen will lead to no good. You don't really want to end up like Tao Pai Pai, a hired assassin, do you?"

Tien Shinhan's body stiffened as he stared at Raditz.

Although his master, Master Shen, had always pushed him to follow in Tao Pai Pai's footsteps and become an assassin who killed for money, Tien Shinhan subconsciously rejected such a future. He wanted to be a martial artist, but out of respect for his master, he had always followed the man's arrangements.

Raditz's strength and his candid attitude at this moment caused a flicker of hesitation and confusion to stir in Tien Shinhan's heart for the first time.

"My affairs are none of your concern!" Tien Shinhan finally turned his head away, his voice stiff, though it lacked its previous hostility.

"Decide for yourself, then." Raditz smiled, said no more, and turned to leave.