The sudden turn of events in the arena made everyone gasp in shock!
The audience collectively looked up and saw the small figure of Son Goku shooting through the sky like a cannonball, soaring past the crowd without even looking back, heading straight out of the tournament grounds.
The last time Yamiru threw someone like this, it was Tao Pai Pai—and he still hadn't come back!
The blond referee quickly pulled out a capsule, tossing it to summon a hover bike. Jumping on, he sped off, microphone in hand, continuing his commentary,
"Goku is too straightforward. That should mean Yamiru wins," Master Roshi chuckled. "Strategy is part of strength too. When your stamina starts to dwindle, you have to use your brain to gain the upper hand. That boy Goku needs to learn this lesson."
"No…" Jaco turned his head, his incredible eyesight catching something unexpected.
The referee, now flying after Goku, shouted in astonishment,
And sure enough, as the referee explained, the audience looked up and saw a blinding white energy beam blasting through the sky, pushing Goku back toward the arena!
BOOM! The sheer force of the technique startled many spectators, making them shrink back in their seats.
On the ring, Yamiru, panting heavily, wiped the sweat off his face and grinned as he looked up at Goku, still maintaining the Kamehameha's reverse thrust.
"Not bad at all!" he called out.
"Hee hee~" Goku laughed, canceling the Kamehameha and preparing to land.
But just as he thought he should be ready for the next round, Yamiru suddenly moved against all expectations.
With a loud "PAH!" he jumped up, leaping straight toward Goku.
Goku's eyes widened in alarm. "Whoa!"
Frantically twisting his body, he realized too late—adjusting posture midair was difficult, and he couldn't exert any force properly! He had no way to dodge!
Yamiru soared behind him, grinning, and planted both feet squarely on Goku's back before kicking off with all his might.
"You think I'd just let you fly back? Get out of here!"
PIUUU———
Once again, Goku was sent flying. The entire audience tilted their heads upward, watching as he shot off like a missile—this time passing right by the returning hover-biking referee.
<...> The referee was speechless.
Thud! Yamiru landed back on the arena, breathing heavily.
He bent over, hands on his knees, sweat dripping from his forehead and splattering onto the cracked tournament floor.
"Yamiru's stamina is reaching its limit," Jaco analyzed. "He's really pushing himself."
"Come on," Tights murmured to herself. "Don't give up. If you really want this championship, don't give up, Yamiru."
Still gliding through the air, Goku scratched his head. "Man, he knew I could just Kamehameha back again—what's the point of this?"
He adjusted his posture midair, preparing to unleash another Kamehameha, this time planning to put even more power into it to launch himself beyond Yamiru's reach.
"Kame…Ha…"
But then, he hesitated.
The blond referee, sweating as he sped after Goku, suddenly stopped himself.
"Yamiru doesn't actually believe he can win just by tossing Goku out," Master Roshi sighed from the stands. "He's realized his stamina is running low, so he has no choice but to find ways to wear Goku down… and at the same time, he's using these brief moments while Goku is out of the ring to catch his breath."
The monk of Orin Temple pressed his palms together in respect. "He has already given his all. He is doing everything he can."
Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu also sensed Yamiru's desperate struggle—his unwavering determination to win even in the face of overwhelming odds.
"Huff… Huff…"
Yamiru clutched his knees, breathing deeply, but it only made his throat feel even drier. He struggled to keep his trembling hands steady.
The referee's shocked voice echoed across the entire venue.
The entire audience turned their heads toward the sky once more—sure enough, Goku was up there, his backside sticking out, spinning his monkey-like tail furiously, flying straight back toward the ring.
"Is this for real?" Bulma was speechless.
Tights grabbed Jaco. "Can Saiyans even do something like this? That's totally cheating!"
Jaco, being shaken relentlessly, protested, "How would I know? Most Saiyans can fly, so who ever tested if their tails could work like that?"
"Hee hee..." Goku grinned, using his tail-propeller trick to land safely in a spot where Yamiru couldn't interfere.
The audience erupted in cheers, shouting Goku's name!
"Hmph, not bad at all." Yamiru forced a smile. He wasn't surprised—after all, this had happened in the manga. But he had hoped to drain more of Goku's stamina before the kid figured it out. "Alright, let's go again, Goku!"
Yamiru took his stance once more.
"..." Goku was drenched in sweat but also readied himself, his expression serious. "I won't hold back. That's my way of showing respect to you."
A drop of sweat fell from Yamiru's fingertip. His lips were pale, and he was gasping for air, but he still smirked. "Like you even need to say that. If you dare go easy on me, get ready for a beating later!"
"Heh..."
Goku chuckled—then lunged forward!
Yamiru summoned every last ounce of strength to meet him head-on!
Boom!
Boom!
Two martial artists from Turtle School's Mount Paozu training ground clashed once again in the finals of the World Martial Arts Tournament.
Punch for punch, kick for kick.
Pow! A punch landed on Yamiru's face, instantly bruising it.
Thud! Yamiru countered with a long-legged kick to Goku's stomach, making him spit out bile.
He swung another punch, but his trembling arm made his movement sloppy—
"Now's my chance!"
Despite his battered state, Goku keenly noticed the flaw in Yamiru's movements, as well as his worsening condition.
"Even in the most difficult moments, people can unleash incredible power from sheer excitement," Master Roshi mused from the audience. "But Yamiru's adrenaline rush has run out, and his stamina is plummeting like a landslide. All the accumulated injuries and fatigue are hitting him at once… On the other hand, Goku, as a Saiyan, can sustain that battle high for much, much longer… In fact, his fighting spirit is still rising!"
"A terrifying talent…" Fourteenth clasped their hands together in awe.
Yamiru was taking more and more hits. Though Goku was slowing down too, his condition was far better. Most dangerously, his battle intent was growing even stronger.
"Is this the end…?" Tien muttered.
The announcer sensed the climax approaching and shouted, "The fight has reached its peak! Both fighters have given us an unbelievable spectacle! Now, who will seize victory and claim the championship title of the 19th World Martial Arts Tournament?!"
Goku fully took control of the exchange, landing a series of powerful blows on Yamiru.
"Hhh…" Yamiru used his last ounce of strength, pushing his foot against the ring's edge to brace himself against Goku's attacks. His upper body trembled visibly—he had nothing left to give!
"Hah…" Goku exhaled deeply, forcing Yamiru to bend backward under the pressure. Then, suddenly, he yanked Yamiru forward!
Yamiru's eyes widened in shock as Goku swept him off balance—
And with a powerful kick while lying on his back, sent him flying into the sky!
Whoosh—
In that instant before being launched, Yamiru used the last dregs of his energy to grab Goku's ankle—dragging him into the air along with him!
Fwoosh… As the crowd gasped, both fighters shot into the sky at incredible speed.
Bulma looked up at the two shrinking black dots and sweatdropped. "They seriously both flew up together? That makes no sense physically…"
"They're giving it everything they've got!" Master Roshi, fully engrossed in the match, felt his nerves tighten.
"Yamiru probably doesn't even have the strength to land safely anymore…" the Fourteen Monks murmured.
Tien Shinhan thought, "This is it... the final moment. Show me, Yamiru, your conviction..."
"Ah, they're still fighting even in midair," Jaco said, tilting his head back. His eyesight was far sharper than the Earthlings around him, allowing him to see every movement of the two combatants high above.
The blonde announcer pulled out a portable telescope and narrated excitedly, "Unbelievable! Once again, something incredible is happening! Both fighters, now airborne, seem to be locked in a struggle, each trying to send the other down first! My goodness, do they still have the stamina to keep going? These two are monsters!"
High in the sky, Goku and Yamiru exchanged weak yet relentless blows, their bodies awkwardly tangled.
Without solid ground to push off from, Yamiru's stamina disadvantage seemed to have been temporarily neutralized.
"So that's why he dragged me up here?" Goku speculated.
"Get... off me... Just fall already!" Yamiru's face was distorted as Goku's palm pushed against it, while the wind howled past his ears.
"You're the one going down... ngh..." Goku gritted his teeth, realizing that their ascent had finally reached its peak—they were now accelerating downward!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The two fighters, unable to gain proper leverage, resorted to frantic punches and kicks midair. Then, in an accidental exchange, they pushed each other away, creating distance.
The wind roared as they both plummeted.
They instinctively checked their relative heights.
Then, Goku let out a deep breath and slowly positioned his hands into the stance for a Kamehameha.
"Huh?" Jaco suddenly exclaimed in shock. "Does Goku still have enough stamina to use that technique?"
Master Roshi and the others reacted instantly. "That's the Kamehameha! Looks like Goku is going to win!"
Tights clenched her fists tightly, staring at the sky without blinking.
"Incredible... He still has enough strength to pull off a Kamehameha," Yamiru murmured, letting out a tired chuckle. He mimicked Goku's stance, though his arms trembled. "At best, I can probably only manage a weak burst of energy..."
Goku remained composed, a small yet intensely bright ball of ki forming in his palms.
"Yamiru, you really are strong. You've lasted this long against me. My stamina and recovery are superior to yours. I suppose that's the talent you said you envied."
Yamiru said nothing but refused to drop his stance.
"...ha... me..." Goku focused, his Kamehameha growing denser.
His gaze locked onto Yamiru, his energy surging higher and higher, as if he was fully committed to blasting him head-on.
And then—unexpectedly!
Goku twisted his body midair, turning his back to Yamiru.
"Heehee~" He grinned, then fired his Kamehameha downward!
BOOM!
The energy blast propelled him straight toward Yamiru at high speed!
"Hah..." Yamiru smirked, suddenly laughing out loud. "Idiot! You fell for my trap! Hahaha!"
To Goku's shock, Yamiru wasn't caught off guard at all—he had anticipated this!
"What?" Goku barely had time to process it as he hurtled backward toward Yamiru.
But Yamiru had already positioned his hands downward and fired his own Kamehameha—no, it wasn't a full Kamehameha, just a weak burst of ki!
Yet it was enough!
His entire plan had been built around this moment!
He had lured Goku into throwing him upward. Then, knowing Goku would instinctively use a Kamehameha to return, he had prepared his own weak blast—just strong enough to slow his fall and avoid Goku's collision!
Then, as Goku rocketed past him—
Yamiru stepped on Goku's back and kicked off!
Every step of the plan had hinged on one thing: getting Goku to bring him into the sky.
And he had done it. In that split-second, he had caught Goku's ankle and dragged him up.
WHOOSH—
Using Goku as a platform, Yamiru pushed himself higher. Meanwhile, Goku flailed helplessly as his speed increased—
"WAAAHHHH!!!" Goku's voice faded as he plummeted.
A satisfied smile spread across Yamiru's face. He pressed his hands together in victory, tumbling past a drifting white cloud. For a brief moment, everything was silent. Then—
The sensation of freefall returned.
His body, exhausted beyond its limit, succumbed to the pull of gravity.
Even though he had won using a strategy inspired by Goku's past battle with Tien Shinhan...
"I did it! Hahaha!!!"
Yamiru cheered mid-fall, punching the air triumphantly before his body went limp. Completely drained, he finally lost consciousness, his arms and legs splayed as he dropped like a ragdoll toward the ground…