The Second World Martial Arts Tournament

In the spring of Age 752, the day of the World Martial Arts Tournament arrived. Following five years of expansion, the East Capital arena could now accommodate fifty thousand spectators. The stands were packed, filled with a deafening roar. Major media outlets were broadcasting live, and the announcer excitedly introduced this year's lineup. "Ladies and gentlemen! The wait is over! The main event of the World Martial Arts Tournament is about to begin!" Standing on the ring, the host's voice boomed through the speakers across the entire venue. "This year's roster is spectacular! The previous champion, Kashu, returns to defend his title! His younger brother, Son Goku, as well as Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and Piccolo are all competing! Furthermore, we have martial arts masters from all corners of the globe!"

In the VIP section, Bulma, Launch, Tights, and Chi-Chi sat together. Each of the four women possessed her own unique beauty—Bulma was lively and playful, Launch was gentle and quiet (in her blue-haired state), Tights was mature and intellectual, and Chi-Chi was youthful and radiant. They held up cheering signs with slogans like "Go Kashu," "Goku is the Best," and "Krillin for the Win." "Big sister, are you nervous?" Bulma asked Tights. "What is there to be nervous about?" Tights adjusted her glasses. "Kashu won't lose." "I'm not talking about the match..." Bulma's voice dropped. "I'm talking about what happens after the match." Tights's face flushed slightly. "Bulma, what are you saying?" "Don't play dumb, big sister." Bulma giggled. "Do you think I didn't notice that the protagonists in the novels you write are all based on Kashu?" "You—how did you know?" Tights's face turned even redder. "Because I'm your little sister," Bulma winked. "And, I'm a woman, too." Launch listened from the side; though she didn't speak, the corners of her mouth curled upward. Her fingers unconsciously brushed her abdomen—there was no movement yet, but she knew it wouldn't be long. Chi-Chi, however, paid no attention to their conversation, her eyes fixed on the fighter's tunnel, waiting for Son Goku to appear.

The preliminaries saw 512 fighters competing for eight spots in the main tournament. Kashu's first opponent was an acrobat who used iron chains. With a light flick of his finger, Kashu fired a ki blast that shattered the chains, and his opponent conceded. Son Goku's opponent was a sumo wrestler. He held back the wrestler's charge with a single finger, then gave a gentle push, sending the man flying out of the ring. Krillin's opponent was a karate master. He used the Afterimage Technique to confuse his foe, then kicked him off the stage. Tien Shinhan's opponent was a weapons expert. He used the Demon Eye Beam from his third eye to strike the man's mind, knocking him unconscious instantly. Piccolo's opponent was a former tournament runner-up. Piccolo used a single Masenko to blast the opponent and a corner of the ring away. Master Roshi sat in the stands, sipping tea and nodding. "Not bad, they've all improved." After the preliminaries concluded, the final eight were revealed: Kashu (Turtle School/Saiyan, 19), Son Goku (Turtle School/Saiyan, 17), Krillin (Turtle School/Earthling, 16), Tien Shinhan (Crane School/Three-Eyed Clan, 34), Piccolo (Demon Clan, age unknown), Ranfan (female martial artist, 28), Giran (beastman, 35), and Bacterian (giant, 40). "Five of the final eight are our people," Krillin said backstage. "Brother Kashu, we're sure to sweep the top three, right?" "Don't be careless," Kashu said. "That female martial artist, Ranfan, is no simple opponent. Her ki is weak, but she possesses a special technique—a striptease." "What?!" Krillin's nose nearly sprayed blood. "She strips during the fight to distract her opponents," Kashu said calmly. "Many fighters stronger than her have lost because of it." "That's allowed?!" Krillin's eyes widened. "The tournament rules don't forbid stripping," Kashu said. "Krillin, if you face her, close your eyes and use your ki to sense the fight." "Cl... close my eyes?" Krillin's face flushed. "Wouldn't that be even more—ah, forget it, I'll do my best."

In the first quarter-final, Krillin faced Ranfan. Ranfan stepped onto the ring wearing a sheer, gauze-like outfit, her figure sultry and her expression seductive. She winked at Krillin. "Little bald guy, I'll let you have the first three moves." Krillin swallowed hard and closed his eyes. "Don't bother," Krillin said. "I'm not interested in your striptease." "Is that so?" Ranfan began to dance, her clothes sliding off one by one. The men in the audience let out bursts of gasps. But Krillin kept his eyes shut, using his ki to sense Ranfan's position and movements. He felt her ki fluctuating violently—not from combat, but because her heart was racing. "Your heartbeat gives you away." Krillin fired a ki blast at Ranfan's feet, blasting a crater into the ground, and Ranfan lost her balance and fell. "Fighter Krillin wins!" Krillin opened his eyes and let out a long breath. Brother Kashu was right, closing my eyes is the best strategy. In the second match, Tien Shinhan faced Giran. Giran was a beastman with a dinosaur head, bulky and incredibly strong. He charged at Tien, slamming his fist into the ground and creating a massive crater. Tien's third eye flashed, seeing through Giran's power trajectory. He leaped lightly, landed on Giran's head, and delivered a hand-chop that knocked the beastman unconscious. "Fighter Tien Shinhan wins!" In the third match, Piccolo faced Bacterian. Bacterian was a four-meter-tall giant weighing over a ton. As he walked onto the ring, the entire stage trembled. "Little brat, I'm going to crush you into a meat patty!" Bacterian grunted. Piccolo said nothing. He simply raised his right hand, a purple energy ball coalescing at his fingertips. He fired, striking Bacterian's toe. Bacterian let out a miserable shriek and hopped around holding his foot. His weight caused him to lose his balance, and he crashed down, crushing a corner of the ring. "Fighter Bacterian is out of bounds! The winner is Piccolo!" The entire arena fell silent. With just one small ki blast, Piccolo had defeated a giant.

The fourth match was Kashu versus Son Goku. A brotherly duel, once again. "Brother, I won't lose like last time!" Son Goku took a fighting stance, golden ki erupting into the sky—the Super Saiyan form. "Then come at me." Kashu released his Legendary Super Saiyan First Grade, his ki turning a deep crimson. Both of their speeds were so fast that the audience's eyes couldn't keep up. On the ring, only golden and red lights could be seen colliding, each impact erupting with thunderous roars. Son Goku used the twenty-fold Kaioken, his combat power briefly rising to 1.5 billion. Kashu utilized the Legendary Super Saiyan Second Grade, his power at 480 million—yet he suppressed every one of Son Goku's attacks with overwhelming strength and speed.

"Kakarot, the twenty-fold Kaioken puts too much strain on your body," Kashu said, landing an elbow strike on Son Goku's back. "You can only hold it for ten seconds at most." "Ten seconds is enough!" Son Goku unleashed his full power, throwing a punch at Kashu's chest. Kashu didn't dodge; he reached out his right hand and caught Son Goku's fist. A crimson energy surged from his palm, enveloping Son Goku's hand. "Hakai Energy," Kashu said. "Kakarot, this is a power I just grasped from the Realm of Gods. Any matter, including ki attacks, will be destroyed." Son Goku's pupils contracted. He felt the ki in his fist being devoured by that crimson energy, vanishing without a trace. "I concede." Son Goku pulled back his fist, dropped his transformation, and grinned. "Brother, you're too monstrous, inventing new moves again." "You're not bad yourself," Kashu said, retracting his Legendary transformation. "You're getting more proficient with the twenty-fold Kaioken." "Fighter Kashu wins! Advancing to the finals!"

The final match took place between Kashu and Tien Shinhan. Tien removed his weighted clothing, revealing his toned upper body. His third eye shimmered with a cold light, and his entire being radiated intense fighting spirit. "Kashu, I won't hold back," Tien said. "I don't need you to," Kashu replied. The match began, and Tien moved first. He used the Crane School's ultimate technique—the Tri-Beam. Clasping his hands together, he condensed a massive yellow energy sphere in his palms and thrust it forward. The energy sphere roared toward Kashu with destructive force. Kashu did not dodge. He extended his right hand, condensed Hakai Energy in his palm, and met the Tri-Beam head-on. The moment the yellow energy sphere touched the Hakai Energy, it began to disintegrate, turning into countless specks of light that dissipated into the air. "What?!" Tien's pupils contracted. "Tien, your Tri-Beam is powerful, but the energy is too scattered," Kashu said. "Hakai Energy can decompose any form of energy attack. Your Tri-Beam is useless against me." "Then I'll use physical attacks!" Tien charged at Kashu, his punches and kicks raining down like a storm. Kashu blocked them, saying, "Your physical attacks are strong, but your style is too rigid. The Crane School's techniques focus on offense, neglecting defense and adaptability." He caught a lapse in Tien's guard and slapped his shoulder. Tien stumbled back a few steps but didn't fall. "My turn." Kashu's figure vanished from where he stood. The next instant, he appeared behind Tien and slapped his back. Tien staggered forward, barely steadying himself. "How... how did you do that?" Tien gasped. "Ki sensing," Kashu said. "Your third eye can see the flow of ki, but you rely on it too much. True combat is about using your heart to feel every subtle change in your opponent. Your heart is too impatient." Tien was silent for a moment, then lowered his hands. "I concede." "Fighter Tien Shinhan concedes! The winner is Kashu! Fighter Kashu retains his title as the World Martial Arts Tournament champion!" The arena erupted. In the VIP section, Bulma, Launch, Tights, and Chi-Chi hugged each other and cheered. Kashu stood on the winner's podium, holding the trophy, yet he felt little joy. His gaze pierced through the crowd, looking toward the distant sky. There, something was surging in the darkness.