I expected the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament to be lively, but even with all my training and preparations, I wasn't ready for how quickly things would unravel.
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Yamcha vs. Tien
The first match went poorly for Yamcha. He gave everything he had, his movements sharp and confident, but fate really has a way of mocking people at the worst time. Of all opponents, he had to face Tien.
It wasn't a one-sided defeat — Yamcha actually pressured him at times — but in the end, he still lost. When he walked off the ring trying to hide his frustration, I felt a sting of recognition.
Inferiority.
The feeling of chasing someone's shadow.
Nappa. Vegeta. Every elite Saiyan who looked down on me.
Yamcha carried that same weight on his shoulders.
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Roshi's Surrender
Goku and Krillin moved to the second round easily, and surprisingly, Jackie Chun — or really, Master Roshi — forfeited his match. Not because he couldn't win, but because he understood something deeper.
Even before he left the ring, I could see it in his eyes:
He wants the next generation to grow without depending on him.
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Goku vs. Krillin
Goku's match with Krillin was thrilling. Krillin fought with everything he had, using every ounce of skill and experience.
But Goku…
Goku held back on purpose, matching Krillin's power level exactly. Instead of brute force, he chose technique over raw strength.
It was like watching two different worlds clash — Krillin's experience as an Earth martial artist versus Goku's Saiyan instincts. In the end, instinct won.
Goku advanced.
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Goku vs. Tien — Something Feels Wrong
Tien and Goku faced each other in the semifinals. At first, it seemed normal… until Goku started taking hits he should've easily dodged.
"What's going on…?" I muttered, narrowing my eyes.
Then I saw it — Chiaotzu and Master Shen whispering from the sidelines, their fingers twitching with telekinetic intent.
If I wanted, I could've stepped in. But I needed to know how Goku would respond to adversity when it wasn't just strength that mattered.
Tien noticed too. The look he gave them wasn't agreement — it was confusion, maybe even annoyance.
Then Master Shen snapped.
"You fool! Hit him now! Finish him! Do as I said!"
Before he could escalate, Jackie Chun appeared behind him and unleashed a Kamehameha, blasting Shen out of the arena.
Everyone froze.
"He'll live," Roshi said, brushing off his hands. "But I'm not letting that filth stain this tournament."
Tien stared at him, stunned. Goku stood and bowed.
"Sorry… I shouldn't have thought you were cheating."
Tien simply nodded, jaw tight.
The fight resumed, fiercer than before. Tien eventually used his final trump card — floating above the arena and firing downwards in a last desperate effort.
But I had trained Goku for this.
Goku shot into the air effortlessly, meeting Tien mid-flight. The ring was obliterated by Tien's last blast, leaving only a crater.
Tien's energy ran out. He fell.
Goku could've caught him, but the ring no longer existed.
It ended abruptly — anticlimactic, almost hollow — but Goku was the victor.
And knowing him, he'd probably spend his prize money on nothing but food.
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Krillin's Death
Things fell apart quickly after that.
Goku stayed behind to talk with Tien, while Krillin went to pick up something from the tournament staff.
He never came back.
The moment we sensed something wrong, Goku dashed forward. I followed, my heart sinking.
Krillin's body lay crumpled on the ground.
A green creature with wings hovered nearby, clutching a Dragon Ball.
Its power level was low — far below Goku's — but its presence was cold, malicious.
"You…!" Goku snarled, launching himself forward.
His punch struck hard, sending the creature tumbling across the tiles. A quick Kamehameha erased it completely.
But then we saw another one — nearly identical — being roasted and eaten by a child.
A strange, round boy chewing happily on a demon.
Before we could question him, someone else landed in front of us.
An old man. Wrinkled, hunched. His aura felt rotten with malice. And yet…
He looked exactly like Kami.
My stomach twisted.
He surveyed the remains of one demon, then the roasted one, then us — and smiled.
"Well done, children," he said. "It makes killing you far more satisfying."
His power level was above Goku's… but his body? Fragile. Weathered. Weak.
Even Goku could see it.
"Sis," Goku whispered, "I got this."
I nodded. "Be careful. He's weaker than he looks… but more dangerous."
I didn't tell him the truth — not yet. that this "King Piccolo" shared Kami's face. It would only distract him.
Better to let Goku focus on winning… and explain everything after.