In the first semifinal, Tien Shinhan faced Son Goku. It was a direct clash between the Turtle School and the Crane School. Tien Shinhan was twenty-four years old and stood 1.85 meters tall, his third eye glinting coldly. Son Goku was twelve and stood 1.5 meters tall, wearing an innocent smile on his round face. "Little monk, you beat Chiaotzu just now. You're pretty good," Tien Shinhan said. "But you're no match for me." "How will we know if we don't try?" Son Goku said, taking a fighting stance. The match began! Tien Shinhan moved first. He was as fast as lightning, chopping toward Son Goku's neck with the edge of his hand. Son Goku dodged sideways and countered with a punch to Tien Shinhan's stomach. Tien Shinhan's third eye lit up, reading the path of Son Goku's punch. He raised an arm to block while kicking at Son Goku's knee. They exchanged blows for over a dozen rounds, moving faster and faster until the audience could see only two afterimages crossing the ring. "You really are strong," Tien Shinhan said. "But the Turtle School's techniques are too soft. They lack ruthlessness." "Being ruthless doesn't guarantee a win," Son Goku said. "Skill does." Son Goku cupped his hands. "Kamehame—ha!" Tien Shinhan was ready. He focused a Dodon Ray in his right hand. The two blasts collided and held in a stalemate for several seconds.
Son Goku suddenly stopped his Kamehameha and flashed behind Tien Shinhan. Tien Shinhan's third eye caught Son Goku's movement, but his body couldn't react in time. Son Goku slapped Tien Shinhan on the back, pushing him toward the edge of the ring. Tien Shinhan slipped, and one foot landed outside. "Tien Shinhan is out of the ring! The winner is Son Goku!" Tien Shinhan steadied himself and realized he was already standing outside the ring. His face turned ashen. "I... lost?" "Mr. Tien Shinhan, you're stronger than me," Son Goku said. "But you rely too much on your third eye. It can see through your opponent's movements, but it can't see through their heart." Tien Shinhan was silent for a long time, then asked, "What's your name?" "Son Goku." "Son Goku, I'll remember you." Tien Shinhan turned and walked away from the ring. "Next time, I won't lose."
In the second semifinal, Kashu faced Piccolo. When Piccolo stepped into the ring, the temperature in the arena seemed to drop several degrees. His green skin glinted coldly in the sunlight, and his eyes were as venomous as a snake's. Kashu stepped into the ring and looked at Piccolo calmly. "You're Demon King Piccolo?" "And you're that Saiyan named Kashu?" A spark of interest flickered in Piccolo's eyes. "I've heard of you. A few years ago, you reinforced my seal." "I didn't reinforce it. I delayed the time you'd get out," Kashu said. "It'll be more interesting if you come out once you're strong enough." "Interesting?" Piccolo laughed. "You're an amusing kid. Aren't you afraid I'll destroy the world?" "You can't." "Arrogant brat." The match began! They moved at the same time. They were so fast that even the referee at the edge of the ring couldn't follow them. The audience saw only two streaks of light colliding in the ring, each impact booming like thunder. Piccolo's battle power: 200,000. Kashu's battle power: 1,200,000 at base (suppressed to 200,000). They were evenly matched. "You've been hiding your strength," Piccolo said as they fought. "Your real battle power is far beyond this." "You've been hiding yours too." Kashu blocked an elbow strike. "Your true strength is more than 200,000 as well." They exchanged a hundred blows without either gaining the upper hand. Piccolo's Masenko and Kashu's Kamehameha collided, blasting a huge crater into the ring. "Kid, you've made me take this seriously." Piccolo released more of his energy, and his battle power surged to 500,000. Kashu released more of his energy too, raising his battle power to 500,000. "You...!" Piccolo's pupils contracted. "You've been holding back this whole time?" "We weren't evenly matched. I was going easy on you," Kashu said. "Piccolo, you have great potential, but your mindset is wrong. You're blinded by hatred and can't bring out your true strength." "Shut up!" Piccolo fired a Masenko at Kashu. Kashu didn't dodge. He raised his right hand and swatted the Masenko away with one hand. The energy beam changed direction and shot into the sky, blasting a huge hole in the clouds. Legendary Super Saiyan First Grade. Crimson flames of energy erupted from Kashu's body. His hair changed from black to dark red, and his eyes shifted from brown to gold. A terrifying aura engulfed the arena. The audience struggled to breathe, and even the referee collapsed onto the ground. Piccolo's face turned deathly pale. He felt Kashu's aura completely suppressing his own, like a rabbit facing a dragon. "W-what is this power?!" "The Legendary Super Saiyan," Kashu said, withdrawing his aura. "Piccolo, you're no match for me. But I can give you a chance." "What chance?" "Join us," Kashu said. "Train with me, get stronger, and then challenge me. The day you beat me, you'll have earned the right to destroy the world. Until then, you'll be nothing but a frog in a well." Piccolo fell silent. His pride warred within him—he was the king of the Demon Clan. How could he bow to a Saiyan?
But Kashu's power was real. His aura was countless times stronger than Mutaito's had been when he sealed Piccolo three hundred years ago... "Fine," Piccolo finally said. "I'll join." "Piccolo forfeits? The winner is Kashu!" the announcer stammered. The whole arena erupted in an uproar. Demon King Piccolo had forfeited? The legendary demon king had surrendered to a fourteen-year-old boy? Kashu left the ring, with Piccolo following behind him. "I won't be your subordinate," Piccolo said. "We'll be equals," Kashu replied. "Hmph." The final was between Kashu and Son Goku.
The brothers faced off for the third time. "Brother, I won't hold back," Son Goku said. "Neither will I," Kashu replied. They moved at the same time as the match began. Son Goku went all out in his Super Saiyan form, golden energy blazing into the sky, his battle power reaching 30 million. Kashu used Legendary Super Saiyan First Grade, his crimson aura bringing his battle power to 96 million. Their strength differed by more than threefold. But Son Goku's skill and sense for ki made up for some of the gap. He used the Afterimage Technique, Ki Blasts, and the Kamehameha. He even used Kaioken times five, briefly raising his battle power to 150 million. "Kakarot, your progress is impressive," Kashu said as he blocked. "But you're still too impatient." Kashu seized an opening and struck Son Goku in the chest with his palm. Son Goku flew backward, barely stopping himself at the edge of the ring. "I forfeit." Son Goku dropped out of his transformation and grinned. "You're still stronger than me, brother." "You've improved a lot," Kashu said. "In a few years, you might surpass me." "Really?" "Really." After the World Martial Arts Tournament ended, Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu found Kashu. "Kashu, you really are stronger than me," Tien Shinhan said. "I want to train with you." "Why?" Kashu asked. "Because I need to get stronger." Determination shone in Tien Shinhan's third eye. "I learned techniques at the Crane School, but its philosophy is wrong. Martial arts aren't for killing people. They're for surpassing yourself. That's Master Roshi's philosophy, and yours too." "All right." Kashu held out his hand. "Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, welcome aboard." Tien Shinhan took Kashu's hand, and Chiaotzu and Son Goku shook hands with Krillin too. Piccolo watched from a distance, his gaze cold. "Piccolo, aren't you coming?" Kashu asked. "...I don't need friends," Piccolo said. "But I need to get stronger. I'll train with you, but I won't call you my partners." "That's fine," Kashu said with a smile. "Time changes everything." And so Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo became new members of New Vegeta City. Tien Shinhan had a battle power of 150,000. His Three-Eyed Clan bloodline let his third eye see the flow of ki and predict his opponents' moves. After joining, he grew stronger at a rapid pace, breaking through 300,000 six months later. Chiaotzu had a battle power of 20,000 and exceptionally strong psychic powers. He could immobilize opponents with a battle power below 100,000 and even stop time briefly—for two seconds. Piccolo had a battle power of 500,000. His Demon Clan bloodline gave him tremendous regenerative powers, allowing him to regrow a severed arm. His Special Beam Cannon was devastatingly powerful and could pierce opponents whose defenses were more than three times stronger than his own. Kashu began systematically training them. "Tien Shinhan, your third eye is an advantage, but you rely on it too much. Don't just look at your opponent's ki. Learn to sense them with your heart." "Chiaotzu, your psychic powers are strong, but your body is too weak. If a psychic gets caught in close combat, it means certain death. Starting tomorrow, you'll train your body with Goku." "Piccolo, your demonic power is strong, but your ki control is too crude. You need to learn to use ki to strengthen your body instead of relying solely on your demonic power." The three listened attentively and began their training lives in New Vegeta City.
In the winter of Age 747, in New Vegeta City, Kashu sat on the roof of the council hall, looking down at the city. The setting sun painted the sky orange-red, and the city lights began to come on one after another. "Brother!" Son Goku jumped onto the roof and sat beside Kashu. "Kakarot, what do you think of Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo?" "Tien Shinhan's a good guy, Chiaotzu's really cute, and Piccolo might be cold, but I don't think he's a bad guy," Son Goku said. "Brother, are you trying to make them our friends?" "Not 'make them.' They already are our friends," Kashu said. "That's true," Son Goku said with a smile. "Brother, when will I surpass you?" "When you stop asking that question." "You always say that!" Son Goku pouted. "You say it every time." "Because it's true." Kashu ruffled his little brother's hair. "Come on, it's time to eat. Chi-Chi made braised pork today." "Really? That's great!" The brothers jumped off the roof and headed home. In the distance, Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu sparred on the training field, while Piccolo sat alone beneath a large tree, meditating with his eyes closed. A new day was about to begin.
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