More than half a year later, the year was Age 750.
"Time to sign up for the World Martial Arts Tournament."
Goku woke up, and the first thing he remembered was that registration for the World Martial Arts Tournament was today.
Goku got dressed and went outside. Just as he was about to fly to the World Martial Arts Tournament, Bulma jumped out from who knew where.
"Goku, are you going to take part in the 21st Number One World Martial Arts Tournament?"
"Yeah."
"Take me with you, okay? School's on break anyway."
"Sure."
Goku knew that even if he refused Bulma, she would follow him anyway, so he might as well agree.
"Let's go. You can come with me on my plane."
Bulma produced a plane and spoke to Goku.
"Okay!"
About an hour later, Bulma landed the plane in an open area outside the World Martial Arts Tournament venue.
After getting off the plane, Goku headed straight for the registration desk with Bulma.
The World Martial Arts Tournament was quite famous. Martial artists with any reputation at all came from all over the world to participate, so a long line had already formed at the registration desk.
"Grandpa Roshi, Yamcha!"
As soon as Goku reached the registration desk, he spotted Master Roshi registering with Yamcha and Krillin.
"Goku, you finally made it. This is Krillin, your junior fellow disciple."
Hearing Goku's voice, Master Roshi greeted him and casually introduced Krillin, who was beside him.
"Hello, Krillin."
Goku looked at the little bald boy in front of Master Roshi and nodded as he spoke.
"Hello, Senior Brother Goku."
Krillin sized Goku up. He wanted to know how much stronger this senior brother, who had joined six months before him, was.
During their earlier training, Master Roshi had often used Goku to belittle him and Yamcha.
"Goku, you're taking part in the World Martial Arts Tournament too? Looks like there's no question who the champion will be." Yamcha knew just how strong Goku was.
He had even asked Master Roshi about it in private before, and Master Roshi himself had said that even he might not be able to beat Goku now.
"Who's this girl?" Master Roshi asked Goku.
When Goku and Bulma had brought Yamcha to Master Roshi's Island, Bulma hadn't gotten out, so Master Roshi didn't know her.
"This is my friend Bulma. She came with me." After he finished speaking, Bulma glared at Master Roshi. The way the old man was looking at her showed he was no decent person.
"Ahem, enough talk. You go line up first. Puar and I won't be going in with you," Master Roshi reminded them.
"Goku, do your best! I won't be going in with you either." Bulma made an encouraging gesture to Goku.
After a long wait, it was finally Goku and the others' turn. Goku drew number 70, Krillin drew number 93, and Yamcha drew number 5.
"Haha, great! Looks like the three of us won't have to fight each other in the preliminaries," Yamcha said with a laugh as he looked at the match order.
After all, with his strength, he could easily make it to the finals. If he had the bad luck to run into Goku in the preliminaries, he would really cry his eyes out.
The three of them went to the waiting room. Seeing Goku meditating, Krillin couldn't help asking Yamcha, "Is Senior Brother Goku always like this?"
"Yeah. He was like this when we were looking for the Dragon Balls before, too."
"The third group's preliminary matches will now begin. Numbers 69 and 70, please come forward."
Hearing his number, Goku opened his eyes and walked toward the ring.
"Haha, I didn't expect number 70 to be a kid. Man, number 69 sure got lucky." When the people below the ring saw Goku, they couldn't help envying number 69.
Number 69 was a burly man. When he entered the ring and saw that his opponent was a child, he burst out laughing.
"Haha, you little bra-"
Before number 69 could finish mocking him, Goku appeared in front of him in an instant and swung a slap at him.
"Smack!!"
A sharp slap rang out, and number 69 went flying out of the ring.
In an instant, everyone below the ring fell silent.
Watching from below the ring, Yamcha saw the slap and felt a slight ache in his right cheek.
If someone mocked him, they had to pay a price. Goku lowered his hand. This was how he differed from the original Goku.
"N-number 70 wins."
It took the announcer a few seconds to recover before he announced Goku's victory.
In the end, all three of them made it to the finals without a hitch.
"Should we tell Master Roshi the good news?" Krillin asked Goku.
"No need. Master Roshi definitely knew the three of us could make it to the finals."
Hearing that, Yamcha nodded in agreement.
Just then, they heard an announcement over the loudspeaker telling the finalists to gather at the Martial Arts Temple.
"Let's go."
When they arrived at the Martial Arts Temple, Goku spotted Master Roshi disguised as Jackie Chun.
Meanwhile, in the stands, Bulma suddenly noticed that Master Roshi was gone.
"Huh? Where's that lecherous old man?"
"Goku, that guy stinks!"
Yamcha covered his nose and pointed someone out to Goku.
Goku covered his nose too and nodded. A person like that really was disgusting.
Krillin, on the other hand, didn't notice anything because he had no nose.
The matchups were soon decided by drawing lots.
Krillin vs. Bacterian, Yamcha vs. Goku, Jackie Chun vs. Giran, and Nam vs. Ranfan.
Goku frowned at the list of matchups. It seemed he had caused a butterfly effect after all.
Bacterian was the man who stank. An ordinary person facing him might have been disgusted by him, but unfortunately for him, he had run into Krillin, who had no nose.
As expected, Krillin won the match.
Then it was time for the second match.
"Goku, looks like this is as far as I go," Yamcha said to Goku as he assumed his opening stance.
Although Yamcha had improved greatly over the past half year and more, he was still far behind Goku.
"Begin!"
At the announcer's command, Goku stayed where he was, intending to wait for Yamcha to make the first move.
Yamcha watched Goku standing there, cold sweat pouring down his forehead and his limbs trembling slightly.
The slap from more than half a year ago still lingered in Yamcha's mind.
For an instant, Goku standing there seemed to overlap with the Goku who had slapped him back then.
"I-I give up!"
In the end, Yamcha still couldn't overcome the fear in his heart. Panting heavily, he conceded.
"Contestant Son Goku wins!" the announcer declared.
Watching Yamcha walk down from the ring, Goku felt that his earlier slap had hurt Yamcha rather badly.
In the next two matches, Master Roshi and Nam won without question.
"Senior Brother Goku, that old gentleman called Jackie Chun is really amazing!"
After the quarterfinals, the three gathered together again. Remembering Master Roshi's earlier performance, Krillin couldn't help exclaiming.
Yamcha already had some suspicions. The old gentleman named Jackie Chun was clearly far stronger than they were, yet Yamcha had never heard of him before. On top of that, he had acted like a lecherous old man during the fourth match. He was probably Master Roshi.
"Goku, is that old gentleman called Jackie Chun actually Master Roshi?" Yamcha wanted to confirm it with Goku.
"Yes."
"Huh?"
Krillin hadn't expected that, in the end, he was the only one left in the dark.
Thank you, man left in the dark.
"Goku, how are you so sure?" Yamcha was a little puzzled.
"Because of Ki. Everyone's Ki is different, and that old gentleman called Jackie Chun has the same Ki as Grandpa Roshi."
By now, Goku was already quite skilled at controlling Ki. Master Roshi had initially taught him the basics of controlling it, and he had only reached this point through his own diligent training.
But all this still wasn't enough for Goku. To master Ki perfectly, aside from spending a great deal of time, his only option was to go to the Lookout.
So Goku also planned to find Kami after the World Martial Arts Tournament and train to improve his control of Ki.