NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: World Tournament begins!
Walking backstage at the World Martial Arts Tournament, Mori's eyes scanned the sea of fighters. There were many powerful competitors, but he wasn't interested in any of them. He was searching for one specific presence—the offspring of Demon King Piccolo. Sensing his surroundings with a focused expression, Mori closed his eyes and reached out with his ki, seeking out the most powerful energy signatures in the room.
For a few moments, he detected nothing unusual, just the standard ki levels of martial artists. But then, his senses locked onto something different. A dark, malicious ki was emanating from the far corner of the room. His eyes snapped open, and he turned to see a figure draped in a white cloak, standing alone with an air of sinister calmness.
"That must be him," Mori said under his breath. "The offspring of Piccolo."
Goku noticed Mori's focused gaze and followed his line of sight. "Is that…?" he began, his voice trailing off as he sensed the same malevolent energy. Tien also noticed where they were looking and narrowed his eyes. The three shared a knowing look, silently agreeing not to alert the others just yet.
After all, they would have a chance to face the mysterious fighter soon enough.
---
A short while later, the fighters gathered at a table to await the announcement of the preliminary matchups. As they chatted amongst themselves, a girl with long black hair approached Goku, her face twisted with visible anger. "Goku!" she shouted, catching everyone's attention.
Goku looked at her, puzzled. "Uh, do I know you?" he asked innocently.
The girl's eyes narrowed in irritation. "You don't remember? You promised to marry me!"
The room fell silent, and a wave of awkwardness swept over the fighters. Before Goku could respond, the girl scoffed and stormed off. "I'll see you in the ring!" she declared, her voice carrying a hint of satisfaction.
As she walked away, Mori doubled over in laughter, clutching his sides. "You… you promised to marry someone, Goku?!" he gasped between laughs. "You fool! How could you not know what marriage is?!"
Goku scratched his head, looking genuinely confused. "Is it some kind of food?"
The group shook their heads, and the atmosphere lightened as the preliminary rounds began. After several bouts, the final matchups for the main tournament were announced:
- Mori vs. Mercenary Tao
- Goku vs. Chi-Chi
- Tien vs. Piccolo
- Hero vs. Yamcha
---
Mori stepped onto the stage, facing off against the infamous assassin, Mercenary Tao. The crowd buzzed with anticipation, as Tao was known for his ruthless efficiency. But Mori's expression remained calm as he adopted his fighting stance.
"Let's get this over with," Tao said with a smirk, taking out his blade arm attachment.
The fight began with Tao lunging forward, aiming to slice Mori with his blade. Mori easily sidestepped the attack, moving fluidly like a leaf caught in the wind. As Tao spun around for another strike, Mori anticipated the move and swiftly delivered a powerful punch to the gut, sending Tao crashing into the wall of the arena.
Mori didn't even break a sweat. "You call yourself a mercenary? You're nothing more than a low-level thug," he said, turning away as the match was declared over.
---
The match between Goku and Chi-Chi began much like it did in the original timeline. Goku quickly realized that the girl who had confronted him earlier was indeed the same Chi-Chi he had met as a child. As the two fought, Chi-Chi's skill was evident, but Goku's superior speed and strength soon overwhelmed her. After knocking her out of the ring, Goku was declared the victor.
When Chi-Chi regained her footing, she reminded Goku of his promise, and he—still clueless about what marriage entailed—agreed to it right there on the spot. The crowd roared with laughter and cheers, while Mori nearly doubled over again.
"You're engaged, Goku!" Mori taunted. "You've walked right into it! Good luck figuring out what marriage is now!"
Goku could only shrug in response, his innocent smile adding to the moment's hilarity.
---
Tien faced the cloaked figure in the third match, and as they stood across from each other, the figure removed his hood, revealing his identity. The crowd gasped at his green skin and antennae—he was unmistakably connected to the Demon King Piccolo.
Despite Tien's best efforts, Piccolo's superior power and speed were overwhelming. The match was one-sided, with Piccolo dodging or blocking Tien's every attack effortlessly. Finally, a powerful ki blast from Piccolo sent Tien crashing into the ring's edge, knocking him out of the fight.
---
The match between Hero, who was actually Kami in disguise, and Yamcha went much as it did in canon. Hero displayed a level of skill that belied his seemingly meek appearance, quickly overcoming Yamcha's Wolf Fang Fist and Spirit Ball techniques before ultimately winning the match.
---
With the semifinal matchups set, the atmosphere in the arena grew tense as Goku and Mori stepped into the ring. The two stared at each other, their eyes reflecting mutual respect and the competitive fire that burned in their hearts.
"Let's see how much stronger you've gotten, Mori," Goku said, his voice calm but eager.
"Don't hold back," Mori replied, a smirk forming on his lips. "I won't."
The match began with an explosive clash of fists, their movements so fast that they appeared as blurs to the audience. Goku and Mori exchanged blow after blow, each countering and anticipating the other's techniques. It was clear that their training together over the past three years had made them near equals, with neither gaining a clear advantage.
Goku launched into a flurry of kicks, forcing Mori back as he tried to break his guard. Mori blocked and dodged with fluid precision, then retaliated with a powerful ki-enhanced punch aimed at Goku's midsection. Goku barely managed to deflect it, the force of the attack sending him sliding back across the arena floor.
"Nice one!" Goku grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But you'll have to do better than that!"
With a shout, Goku increased his power and rushed at Mori, who met him head-on. The shockwaves from their blows reverberated throughout the stadium, shaking the very foundations of the ring. Mori summoned his own energy to match Goku's, and the two fighters unleashed their respective ki attacks at the same time, resulting in a massive explosion that forced them both to leap back.
"Goku!" Mori yelled, his aura flaring as he focused his energy into his fists. He dashed forward, throwing a rapid series of punches. Goku dodged and countered, the two seeming to move in perfect sync as their fight escalated to another level.
As the fight dragged on, the toll on their bodies became evident. Both were bruised and bleeding, their breathing heavy. But their determination remained unwavering. Mori and Goku launched themselves at each other one last time, delivering simultaneous kicks to each other's jaws, sending them crashing to the ground.
Slowly, Mori stood up, using all the strength he had left. Goku tried to rise as well, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed back onto the floor. The announcer rushed over to check, raising Mori's arm as the winner of the match.
"Winner: Mori!" he declared, and the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.
Mori reached down to help Goku up, and the two shared a tired but genuine smile. "You've gotten really strong," Goku said, rubbing the back of his head.
"So have you," Mori replied. "I guess I was just a little bit stronger this time."
---
The moments between the semifinal and final matches played out similarly to canon. Piccolo took the opportunity to taunt the Z-fighters, revealing a small bottle that contained Kami, the Guardian of Earth. Without hesitation, he swallowed the bottle, sealing Kami within him.
The crowd watched in confusion, unaware of the significance of the act, while the Z-fighters looked on with concern and anger.
As Mori and Piccolo stepped onto the stage, the air grew thick with tension. They locked eyes, each sizing the other up. The crowd hushed, sensing the gravity of the upcoming battle.
With their fighting stances set, the final match of the tournament was about to begin.