World Martial Arts Tournament (Part 1)

Papaya Island was bathed in brilliant sunlight, the sea breeze carrying the fervor and clamor that belonged to a martial arts extravaganza.

The World Martial Arts Tournament, held once every five years, finally kicked off today. Top fighters from across the globe, inheritors of various martial arts schools, and hundreds of thousands of fanatical spectators had packed the once-tranquil tropical island to the bursting point.

Before the massive entrance of the tournament hall, Krillin carried a large backpack, cold sweat beading on his shiny forehead. He was so nervous that he was even walking with his left arm and leg moving in sync.

"Gulp... there are so many people! And they all look so strong!" Krillin swallowed hard, his heart pounding as he looked at the burly, fierce-looking contestants surrounding them.

"Relax, Krillin. After these eight months of special training, you've been reborn."

A gentle, calm voice came from his side. Luo Chen had his hands in his pockets, his neat martial arts uniform spotless. He walked among these menacing fighters with the casual ease of a stroll in a courtyard, not a shred of sharpness radiating from his body, as if he had blended perfectly into the environment.

Returning to simplicity!

Master Roshi, following behind the two, pushed up his sunglasses. Watching Luo Chen's flawless back, he couldn't help but groan inwardly.

This kid... after more than half a year of special training, even I can no longer tell how deep his strength goes! Master Roshi complained frantically in his heart. Originally, he had intended to use the alias "Jackie Chun" to enter the tournament and teach these two disciples a lesson, letting them know that "there is always someone better, and there is always a heaven beyond our heaven."

But once he thought about the terrifying power Luo Chen displayed when he split the sea with a casual punch... the old man wiped away a cold sweat in silence. This wasn't coming to compete; this was clearly a high-level player going to a newbie village to bully the weak!

"Goku--!"

Just then, a crisp, melodious, and pleasantly surprised shout pierced through the noisy crowd.

Everyone looked toward the sound. A streamlined, sci-fi-style hovercar stopped steadily by the roadside. The door opened, and a stunningly beautiful girl with short, sea-blue hair and a stylish outfit sprinted over like a joyful butterfly.

"Bulma."

Luo Chen stopped in his tracks, a gentle smile instantly melting the depths of his usually calm, profound eyes.

Bulma trotted toward Luo Chen with a face full of delight, but she slammed on the brakes abruptly when she was only half a step away from him.

Having not seen him for over half a year, the boy before her had not only grown much taller, but his increasingly chiseled and handsome face made her—usually so bold and brash—suddenly feel her heart racing.

"It's been, it's been over half a year, and you seem to have grown quite a bit!" Bulma twisted her fingers in a panic, her eyes darting away involuntarily. To hide her inner turmoil, she cleared her throat to change the subject, lowering her voice to speak mysteriously.

"By the way! After you finish the tournament, this lady has a surprise for you! I guarantee it'll make a little martial arts fanatic like you wake up laughing in your dreams! I spent over half a year in the lab just for this..."

Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat, an incredible thought flashing through his mind: Could it be... a Gravity Chamber? Did this girl really manage to cobble together that epoch-making piece of black technology in just over half a year?

Although he had already guessed seven or eight parts of it, seeing Bulma's tsundere "come and beg me" expression, Luo Chen smiled slightly. He didn't expose her but instead went with the flow, taking a small step forward to close the distance between them.

He lowered his head slightly, watching the girl's reddening earlobes, and asked in a low, curious voice, "Oh? What is it that's so mysterious? Not even a hint?"

Feeling Luo Chen's breath so close, Bulma's cheeks instantly flushed with two spots of crimson. She subconsciously leaned back, put her hands on her hips, and huffed, pretending to be composed.

"I said it's a surprise, what would be the point of telling you now! When the time comes..."

He didn't continue to tease her, but naturally raised his hand and, just like when they parted eight months ago, gently ruffled her short, sea-blue hair.

"Ahem... well, my eyes are a bit blinded." Master Roshi turned his head away, feeling sour. Krillin was biting his handkerchief, so envious he was almost in tears.

Just at this warm and sweet moment, a highly discordant cold snort came from not far away.

"Hmph! The World Martial Arts Tournament is a sacred hall of combat, not a place for you brats to flirt!"

The crowd parted, and a young man with flowing hair, a scar on his face, and a martial arts uniform strode over. Perched on his shoulder was a small, flying blue cat.

"Yamcha?" Luo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.

When Yamcha saw Bulma's stunning beauty, a flash of instinctive amazement crossed his eyes.

But when his gaze shifted to the person beside Bulma, his entire body stiffened as if electrocuted, his arrogant aura instantly wilting away! The scene in the desert over half a year ago was practically the nightmare of his life!

"You... how did you end up competing too?!" Yamcha swallowed hard, cold sweat instantly seeping from his forehead, and he couldn't help but take half a step back.

"Why, do you want to spar with me here in advance?" Luo Chen looked at him with a half-smile, a trace of faint mockery flashing in his deep, black eyes.

"No... no need! Let's see each other in the ring!" Swept by that gaze, Yamcha felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. After dropping that tough line, he took Puar and fled into the preliminary contestant tunnel.

Inside the Preliminary Hall, over a hundred contestants were undergoing a tense drawing of lots.

Because of the huge number of applicants, the competition was divided into four major zones for a chaotic elimination, with the top eight eventually advancing to the official tournament bracket.

Luo Chen was assigned to the "Group of Death," D District. It was packed not only with massive, muscular giants but also several renowned masters of various schools.

"Look! That brat in the red martial arts uniform actually got assigned to D District too!"

"Hahahaha! It's hilarious! A little kid who hasn't even grown his hair out properly probably couldn't even take one punch from me before crying and running home to his mommy!" A giant fighter, nearly two and a half meters tall and built like a brown bear, pointed at Luo Chen and laughed unrestrainedly.

The surrounding contestants also burst into loud laughter. In their eyes, Luo Chen's somewhat slender frame made him nothing but a lamb for the slaughter here.

Facing the surrounding mockery, Luo Chen walked to the center of the ring with a blank expression.

With a base combat power exceeding 2,500, standing among these ordinary people whose combat power barely reached double digits felt like a prehistoric dragon wandering into an anthill.

"First match of the preliminaries, begin!" The referee shouted.

The two-and-a-half-meter giant grinned, cracking his knuckles until they popped, and charged toward Luo Chen like a heavy tank!

"Kid, go down!" The giant's iron fist, the size of a mortar, whipped up a gale as it smashed fiercely toward Luo Chen's head!

"Too slow."

Luo Chen didn't even lift an eyelid. With one hand in his pocket, he casually extended a clean index finger from his other hand and—gave the incoming, terrifying heavy fist a light flick.

"Hum!"

"BOOM--!!!"

Accompanied by a dull, thunderous explosion, the two-and-a-half-meter giant didn't even have time to scream. He was sent flying backward like a detonated cannonball!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The giant's massive frame acted like a bulldozer, smashing through three thick walls of the Preliminary Hall in succession before finally collapsing into the ruins, foaming at the mouth and knocked cold.

A deathly silence descended upon the Preliminary Hall.

The fighters who had been frantically mocking Luo Chen just moments ago now looked as if their eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets; they stood with their mouths agape, their breathing completely stalled.

"What... what kind of monster is this?!"

"With... with just one finger?!"

The referee was so terrified that his whistle dropped to the floor. What on earth was this?

Amidst gazes filled with sheer horror, Luo Chen slowly withdrew his finger and frowned slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with his own control of force.

He then turned his head toward the trembling referee and offered an extremely polite, harmless, and sunny smile.

"My apologies, Referee. I didn't quite control my strength just now. May I ask, does this count as my win?"

"It... it counts! Son Goku wins!" The referee nodded frantically, his voice trembling like a leaf in a winter gale.

Luo Chen gave a slight nod, thanked him, and calmly stepped off the arena.

What followed in the D District preliminaries was a truly comical scene.

Every fighter who drew Luo Chen as their opponent, no matter how loudly they had boasted or how prestigious their reputation was, would find their legs turning to jelly the moment they stepped onto the stage, promptly raising their hands to shout, "I surrender!"

And just like that, without throwing another punch, Luo Chen secured his ticket to the main tournament.