Ever since Lin Chen and Tights got married, Bulma had kept her distance from him.
Their homes on Earth were only a road apart, yet Bulma rarely came over to visit.
Lin Chen noticed all of this, but could only shake his head and sigh. It wasn't that he didn't understand the girl's feelings; Bulma's future simply wasn't with him.
Half a day later, the World Martial Arts Tournament preliminaries were nearing their end. The eight contestants who qualified for the main tournament were Son Goku, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Oolong, Yamcha, Man-Wolf, and Bacterian.
The lineup was virtually identical to the original story.
The main tournament would take place that afternoon in the open-air arena. For now, it was lunchtime. Goku and the others rejoined Bulma's group, and Lin Chen took the opportunity to meet them and say hello.
"Lin Chen! It's been so long!"
Son Goku was especially excited to see Lin Chen, his face lighting up with a smile at their reunion.
Having witnessed Lin Chen's strength, Yamcha greeted him with the utmost respect.
As for Master Roshi, seeing Lin Chen again made him as nervous as a mouse facing a cat.
Only Krillin remained clueless, with no idea who Lin Chen was.
"Goku, who's he? Why do you all look so scared?"
"Krillin, this guy is an unrivaled powerhouse! Even ten Master Roshis wouldn't stand a chance against him!" Yamcha whispered.
Although Master Roshi was unhappy with that remark, he didn't argue.
Krillin was instantly frightened by what he heard.
After exchanging greetings, everyone had a meal together.
Bardock and his wife, however, didn't join them, afraid Goku might recognize them.
That afternoon, the tournament's final rounds began on schedule. The matches unfolded much as they had in the original story, with only a few differences.