With the dust from the preliminaries settled, the top eight matches of the World Martial Arts Tournament opened under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
The air on Papaya Island was especially fresh after the rain.
The open air platform gleamed faintly under the sunlight, the audience stands packed with people all around, cheers rising wave after wave like a tsunami.
The first few matches of the top eight held little suspense.
Yamcha was still tragic as ever, though slightly stronger than in the original story, but unfortunately his opponent was that mysterious old man, Jackie Chun.
After a flashy display of the Wolf Fang Fist, he was easily toyed with by Jackie Chun’s Afterimage Fist, and finally pushed off the platform with a single palm strike.
Next, Krillin used his “no nose so no fear of stench” physique to painstakingly defeat the foul smelling Bacterian.
Son Goku, as fierce as ever, faced off against the Indian ascetic named Nam.
The two put on a spectacular aerial duel, and in the end Goku secured the win thanks to his superior hang time and physical ability.
Soon, the semifinal matchups appeared on the big screen.
Match one, Son Gokai versus Jackie Chun.
Match two, Son Goku versus Krillin.
“So it’s finally here.” In the competitors’ rest area, Son Gokai stood up and straightened his orange martial arts uniform.
“That old man is really strong, big brother, you need to be careful!” Goku reminded him from the side, a beast like glint of instinct flashing in his eyes.
“His energy feels a lot like Grandpa’s, both are unfathomably deep.” “Don’t worry.” Son Gokai rubbed Goku’s head, then turned and walked toward the platform.
At the same time, the old man in the black Chinese tunic suit with a full head of silver hair also slowly climbed onto the platform.
The two stood facing each other at the center of the platform, ten meters apart.
“Young man, your skills are impressive, I noticed you back during the preliminaries.” Jackie Chun stood with his hands behind his back, playing the role of a detached master to perfection.
“However, in the way of martial arts, one must never be impatient or arrogant.
Today, let this old man test your true worth.” Son Gokai looked at the teacher in front of him putting on such an act, the corner of his mouth curling into a helpless smile.
He did not expose the man’s identity, and instead respectfully cupped his fists in salute.
“Please guide me, senior.” “Begin!” the sunglasses wearing referee shouted, swinging his arm down sharply.
“Shwa!” There was no collision as intense as one might imagine.
The two moved almost at the same time, but their movements were not fast, appearing even somewhat “slow” to ordinary spectators.
Jackie Chun threw a punch straight at the center.
Son Gokai neither dodged nor evaded, tracing a circle with one hand and applying an extremely gentle force against Jackie Chun’s wrist, gently redirecting it.
“Deflecting my force?” a sharp glint flashed in Jackie Chun’s eyes, and he shifted his technique on the fly, turning the punch into a claw aimed at Son Gokai’s shoulder.
Son Gokai’s shoulder dipped slightly, his footwork shifting, his whole body slipping past the grab like a slippery loach, while his other hand struck back with a knife hand strike at Jackie Chun’s ribs.
“Well done, kid!” Jackie Chun praised, raising his knee to block.
“Bang!” A dull thud sounded.
The two separated the instant they touched.
But this was only the beginning.
Over the next few minutes, the two put on a purely “technical” duel on the platform.
There was no earth shattering energy blast, no afterimage too fast to see.
There was only the breaking of techniques, the shifting of stances, blocking, and counterattacking.
Every punch and every kick carried the essence of Turtle Style martial arts.
“Is this…
true martial arts?” Down below, Yamcha watched dumbstruck, cold sweat pouring down.
“Every single movement is exactly right, without a trace of wasted force, these two are both monsters!” On the platform.
Jackie Chun grew more alarmed the longer they fought.
Originally, he had planned to use this match to find the flaws in Son Gokai’s techniques, offer guidance, and finally defeat him, so he would understand that there was always someone stronger.
But.
There were no flaws!
None whatsoever!
Son Gokai’s defense was like an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron, no matter how tricky the angle Jackie Chun attacked from, it was calmly and effortlessly neutralized.
And though Son Gokai’s counterattacks did not appear to be at full strength, each one struck directly at the blind spots in Jackie Chun’s defense, forcing him to keep falling back.
“This kid’s foundation…
is actually this solid?” A storm of shock rose in Jackie Chun’s heart.
“In just four years, not only has he mastered every technique, but even on the level of intent, he’s nearly catching up to me?” He had originally thought he was the one holding back, feeding him openings.
It was only as the fight went on that he realized his opponent was doing the same thing to him!
Son Gokai was like a patient sparring partner, matching his pace and letting him fully display everything he had learned in his life.
“Underestimated, was I?” Jackie Chun gave a bitter laugh, and then his gaze turned sharp.
“Since that’s how it is, don’t blame this old man for getting serious!
Bankoku Bikkuri Sho!!” Jackie Chun leaped back abruptly, pressed his palms together, his whole body’s energy surging as blue electric currents gathered in his palms, forming into a massive electric net that swept toward Son Gokai!
This was Master Roshi’s ultimate technique, and also an extremely difficult to defend control move!
“He actually forced that move out?” Down below, Krillin cried out in shock.
However, facing this sky covering lightning, Son Gokai only shook his head.
“Teacher, this move won’t work on me.” He did not dodge, nor did he counter it with an energy blast.
Just as the electric net was about to touch him.
“Rabbit Talisman, Instant Movement.” (Am I really not going to use it?
Hehe~ (￣▽￣～)~) Son Gokai’s figure vanished out of thin air.
It was not the kind of afterimage created by pure speed, but a true, teleportation like disappearance.
“What?!” Jackie Chun’s pupils shrank violently, and before he could react, a chill had already pressed against the back of his neck.
“Forgive me, senior.” That was Son Gokai’s voice, calm, with a trace of apology in it.
“Bang!” A knife hand strike landed swiftly, precisely, and mercilessly on the great artery at the back of Jackie Chun’s neck.
It was not delivered with much force, but the precise control over human anatomy pushed the effect of this single strike to its extreme.
Jackie Chun only felt darkness before his eyes, all the energy in his body scattering in an instant, his body going limp and collapsing to the ground.
The entire venue fell dead silent.
One second.
Two seconds.
“J-Jackie Chun has fallen!!” the referee shouted excitedly, “Count starting!
One!
Two!…
Ten!!” “The winner, Son Gokai!!!” “Waaah!!!” The audience stands erupted at once.
That mysterious and powerful old man had actually been defeated in a single strike?
Just how strong was this young man named Son Gokai?!
Son Gokai paid no attention to the cheering, he bent down and gently helped the unconscious Jackie Chun to the edge of the platform, handing him over to the staff.
“Rest well, teacher.” He watched the old man being carried away, silently speaking in his heart.
“I will bring an end to your era.
And the future, I will be the one to open it.” Anime: Villain Scientist Chat New Novel guys support me.
I found this one intresting