6 The 22nd World Martial Arts Tournamen

I was waiting in line to sign up for the martial arts tournament. Bulma was successful with the favor I asked her. There were Capsule Corp. logos all over the place. The stadium and arena had been tripled in size along with the addition of giant monitors.

I am definitely going to have to thank her. She went above and beyond to pull this off. I think I also saw television film crews, too. The added publicity really increased the contestant turn out.

It took me over thirty minutes to get signed up for the tournament. Several people gave me aggressive stares as I walked into the locker room. I didn't recognize any of them, but it looked like they knew of me.

"Raditz!?" I turned to see Kakarot and his friends Krillin and Yamcha sporting a surprised look. "You got a lot taller." Krillin said.

"I did." I answered. "But doesn't look like you did, Krillin." Over the course of my training I had reached my full adult height.

Two fighters approached our group. I immediately recognized the pair as Tien Shinhan the three eyed man and Chiaotzu the...

Honestly, I never knew what Chiaotzu was exactly. His childlike doll form and voice always did creep me out, though.

The two newcomers taunted my brother and his friends over the inferiority of the Kame School compared too the superior Crane School. I remembered that in the original story the same thing happened.

I wondered if Tien would still end up fighting Yamcha this time. Originally, Tien used Chiaotzu to rig the lots drawn to ensure his fight with the desert bandit. This time the lots were drawn digitally.

All the fighters participating in the preliminaries headed out to the arena. I was informed when I signed up that I could wait until the drawing for the quarter finals to go to the arena. It was a reward for attaining victory in the last tournament.

"Mr. Raditz its time!" a cheerful attendant holding a clipboard called out.

I nodded my head in acknowledgment and followed her to the arena. When we exited the doors leading to the waiting area near the ring I could hear the excited commotion from the crowd.

There were seven fighters excluding me waiting to take part in the quarter finals. To my surprise one of the fighters was a short mysterious person in a hooded red cloak. I could sense the person under the cloak was really strong.

After a few words of introduction from the announcer, he drew everyone's attention to the giant monitor built above the fighter entrance. The monitor flashed our names and pictures across the screen until it settled on two, Chiaotzu and King Chappa. Everyone could see all of this happen on the screens set-up in the waiting area.

The pair exited out to roaring cheers of the excited martial arts fans.

During the fight King Chappa managed to keep the pressure on Chiaotzu. However his opponent managed to fire off two Dodon Rays. The curly haired monk was able to dodge one of the rays, but the other injured his right leg. Afterwards Chiaotzu made use of his flying ability to overwhelm slowed Chappa.

"Was that the Dodon Ray?" Kakarot looked over to Krillin and Yamcha. His friends nodded back in confirmation.

"Yeah, I think it was." Krillin answered.

"What YOU three know about it?" Tien asked through gritted teeth.

"We ran into this guy Hitman Tao, while we were traveling to train. He was attacking a village so I offered the services of the Kakarot Corps. They didn't have zenni so I let them pay in food. He was a pretty tough guy." Kakarot answered.

Tien looked incredulous as though such a suggestion was laughable.

"Are you saying you three killed Hitman Tao?" Tien looked for clarification.

"No, I fought him myself since we were in the area to climb a tower I let the other guys get started while I fought Tao. He got blasted away by a Kamehameha wave on top of his other injuries, he probably didn't survive. I didn't go check cause I wanted to get up that tower as soon as possible." my brother was being very casual. I wasn't sure if he could read the atmosphere or not. It was possible he knew Tien was getting mad and didn't care.

I was enjoying the show.

Chiatozu had opened the door to the waiting room when the monitor showed Tien vs Kakarot. A furious Tien stalked past his friend without saying a word. Kakarot followed behind him with a grin on his face.

"So you guys met Korin?" I asked Krillin and Yamcha after Tien and my brother left.

"Yeah we did." Krillin answered.

"Don't make the mistake of think we are the same people we were last time." Yamcha added.

"Good." I replied and focused my attention back on the monitors.

Kakarot started stretching his legs as soon as he entered the ring. The announcer was more fired up than in the previous tournament. He probably increased his performance because the tournament is now televised. An increase in pay probably helped, too.

When they were told to start my brother dropped into his fighting stance. Tien being driven by anger took the initiative of moving first. Kakarot had a look that said he was prepared for anything.

Thunderous boom was heard when the fighter's shins impacted each other from dual high kicks. My brother quickly changed tactics elbowing his opponent in his extended leg.

Tien was quick witted enough to mitigate some of the force by spinning with the momentum and firing off a Dodon Ray. The beam passed through Kakarot's chest but luckily it was a after image.

After realizing his mistake Tien tried to turn around but it was too late his foe was already behind him. Kakarot drove a fist into straight into Tien's right kidney, or at least he wanted to. It turned out his opponent was quick enough to take to the air.

By knowing how to fly Tien felt he held the advantage. The crowd was shocked into silence by the sight of a person standing in midair. Well at least the ones that didn't see me do the same thing last tournament. They recovered their collective voices when the announcer gave them some background information on the technique.

Tien was preparing to fire a Dodon Ray, but was caught off guard again when my brother also took to the air. I guessed my brother was motivated to learn after he saw that I could fly. I don't think even the announcer was prepared to see a full on aerial battle.

The pair were exchanging punches and kicks midair when Tien used his multi-arm technique to gain an extra set of arms. This time it was my brother who was caught unaware. He was sent to the floor of the ring by an overhead hammer blow from Tien.

CRASH!

The gasps from the crowd could be heard. They were all trying to see what had become of the fifteen year old. When the dust settled everyone could see my brother standing in a small crater. Kakarot was staring up at his target. Normally it would be wise to keep an eye on your opponent, but this time it was a mistake.

"SOLAR FLARE!" Tien shouted with his hands spread near his eyes, palms facing his torso. A blinding lit radiated in the arena. The bald triclops quickly landed a began attacking a blinded Kakarot in hand-to-hand combat.

Taking the only logical approach the young Saiyan huddle up to block the strikes until he could recover his sight. I did notice from time to time Kakarot would use his elbows to lash out at Tien's knees. When mt brother recovered his sight a final elbow dropped Tien to his knees.

Kakarot jumped back and charged his Ki.

"Kame..." an orb of blue energy formed in his hands, "Hame..."

"Woah, Kakarot is going all out!" Yamcha shouted.

"Ha!" the blast fired towards Tien who just managed to stand in time.

"Tien! You FOOL!" Master Shen yelled from the stands.

The beam collided with another blast.

Tien had fired his own Kamehameha an now the two were in a beam struggle. Master Shen had tried to warn his student because he would not be able gather enough Ki in time. Even if he could gather the Ki needed his legs were not in a condition to hold up long under the force.

Kakarot exerted a little more force and Tien's legs buckled forcing him to receive the Kamehameha wave with his chest. The explosion forced him out of the ring, rendering him unconscious.

"Kakarot Wins!" the announcer was going crazy. The crowd decided to join him because judging by the shouts and cheers they went crazy, too.

"Next up we have the returning champion Raditz versus the Mysterious Rookie!" my fight was finally announced. I sensed my opponent was going to be powerful in fact he might be as strong as the bio-man Kishime. Soon I was going to find out who this guy really was.

"Go Raditz!" I heard a familiar voice in the stands. Following the sound I saw Bulma sitting with old man Gohan, Roshi, Oolong, and Puar. I gave her a small wave and smirk before turning to face my enemy.

"Fight!" the signal was given.

My red cloaked foe and I vanished before the crowd's eyes. Explosive collisions could be heard around the stadium.

"Don't worry folks! We are switching to our new high speed tracking cameras, courtesy of our sponsor Capsule Corp!" the announcer reassured the audience. Our images appeared on the large flat screen. The audience was now privy to the battle taking place above the ring.

"Amazing even the latest high speed cameras are having trouble catching everything!" the tournament's blonde MC was once again losing his mind.

I was forced way from my opponent by a sudden invisible blast. The red cloaked guy used a Kiai blast on me. The skill amounted to a repealing blast of air mostly used for knock backs. In retaliation I launched an explosive ball of Ki towards the rookie. We both quickly landed after the explosion. The red cloak had become a charred mess.

Feeling it was no longer necessary my opponent snatched the cloak off and tossed it to the ground. I was now facing a short-statured green skinned creature that bore a strong resemblance to a Saibaman. If I wasn't mistaken the guy I was fighting is one of Garlic Jr.'s henchmen.

"I'm impressed it seems investigating this tournament was the right call." the creature said. "Too bad I can't let you live now that you have proven yourself to be this powerful. I'll have to get serious. Be happy that you will die at the hands of Ginger."

"If you think you can kill me do it!" I shouted.

When we resumed our combat the Saibaman lookalike had the speed advantage. Before I knew it I was getting hit around in a triangle pattern. I was sent from ring to the sky then kicked to the side and back down to the ring. After he was done taking me on a tour of the stadium I was slammed into the ring harder than Kakarot did earlier.

The speed at which I exited the crater left me a blur of motion even to the cameras. In the air the guy that threatened me was chuckling. It looked like I was going to have to go all out in my first battle of this tournament. I removed my bracers and armor tossing them out of the ring. When they hit the ground they sunk into the dirt.

That was when I made my move.

Boosting my speed to my limits, I rocketed back into the air. Ginger lost track of me to his detriment. The increase in my speed happened too suddenly for him to adjust. The look of surprise on Ginger's face when I punched him gave me some satisfaction. I vanished after the strike only to appear in the trajectory Ginger was flying. After, turning in a front flip to deliver a downward kick at my opponent's head I vanished again.

The audience watched me standing in the middle of the ring waiting for Ginger to arrive. At the moment he was going to impact the ring I used a spinning side kick. The blow sent Ginger careening out of the ring. He cut a trench all the way to the far wall.

"Raditz wins by ring out!" the announcer declared.

He still had the ability to get up after what I did. His face wore a look of pure hatred. After appear back in the ring. He spit a small amount of purple blood onto the white marbled surface of the ring.

"This could have been easy now you are going to suffer." he declared. "Gingerbread!"

I sensed a massive build up of Ki within Ginger. The sounds of stretching and tear could be heard as Ginger's muscles expanded and his height increased.

I had completely forgot Garlic Jr. and is cronies could transform like that.

Ginger unleashed a furious assault against me. I took way more hits than I was able to block. The sounds of the impacts radiated through the arena. The audience was confused by what was happening some of screams of panic could be heard.

"Ladies and Gentleman the rookie contestant has broken the rules and is now out for blood! This isn't for show! The blood lusted rookie has stated he was actually going to kill Raditz!" I had to give it to him the blonde MC took his job serious.

Some of the other fighters debated trying to help me.

"That thing might be strong, but Raditz can handle it." Kakarot stated with his eyes trained on the ring.

It was took me longer than I expected to track the Ki flow through Ginger's body. If he was more humanoid internally it would have been easier, because I have had more opportunities to study a human's Ki flow. When Ginger transformed the output of his energy rose drastically enough for me to see its flow in its entirety.

Ginger threw a straight left towards my face. I angled my right forearm up to deflect the strike which left Ginger exposed just long enough for...

"Ata! Atatatata!" my arms were blurs as I struck over fifty points on my enemy. He tried to hit me with a side kick, but I ducked and spun circling around to his back to continue the assault. After I struck an addition fifty points I jump back away from Ginger to catch my breath. "The Hundred Crack Fist of the North Galaxy!"

"Ha, you must have lost your mind to think punches that weak would hurt me." Ginger had no end of confidence.

"Laugh all you want you're already dead." I declared. At least I hoped he was already dead. The only thing I could test this on was Mr. Popo's puppet clone of me.

Ginger tried to take a step towards me when his face contorted pain. The horrible cracking sound of breaking bones could be heard. Fissures leaking blood appeared on the surface of Ginger's skin.

Flames seemed to erupt from the fissures as Ginger's appearance became more desiccated. The blue flames engulfed Ginger cooking him until he was dust.

When I fought Kishime in Dr. Wheelo's lab I disabled him using a Ki needle. It gave me the idea thought that it might be possible to replicate Hokuto Shinken. Each strike I delivered with the technique inserts a very thin innocuous Ki needle directly into the Ki flow of my opponents in one hundred different points in their bodies.

At first the needles would act as a dam causing a build up of Ki at those blocked points. Next the needles explode simultaneously cause the built up Ki to escape violently and uncontrollably, hence the fissures. My technique didn't really produce the same result as Hokuto, but I felt it was close enough.

I was escorted to the medical office in the main build of the tournament arena. Bulma was already therestanding with her arms crossed. She looked mad.

"Were you planning on continuing the tournament after what happened!?" she shrieked.

"Yeah, remember those beans." I reminded her of how I was healed at the Lookout.

Her expression softened when she saw me toss a Senzu bean in my mouth. Like the last time, I felt a surge of power rush through me as the bean healed my injuries. She wanted to know why I was attacked so I gave her a little background information on Garlic Jr. Because the tournament was still going on I promised that I give a more detailed explanation afterwards.

On the way back out to the fighter area Tien stopped me to let me know that my fight opened his eyes to new levels of strength. He probably said more things but I was thinking about other things, like where Garlic is hiding and if other movie characters are out there.

The rest of the tournament happened without any major incident. I successfully defended my title as champion defeating my brother in the final round. After a large celebratory banquet at a nearby restaurant Bulma flew me to Capsule Corp. to show me what her father had been working on. On the ride there I filled Bulma in on what Kami had told me about Garlic and Garlic Jr.