The first match of the semifinals came to an end.
Although another strange commotion happened in the middle, it ultimately did not affect the progress of the World Martial Arts Tournament.
Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu also took this opportunity to completely break free from the control of the Crane Hermit.
Especially Tien Shinhan—after realizing just how strong Master Roshi and Goku really were, he grew even more eager to see Krillin and Yamcha face each other.
Naturally, he also found Raditz, Talot, and even Salari to be utterly unfathomable.
Their strength was so great that he couldn't sense the depth of it at all.
Even Gine and Son Gohan, standing nearby, felt to him like towering mountains pressing down, making it hard for him to breathe.
This was inevitable. Son Gohan's strength had already reached the level of Earth's master of martial arts, and after consuming several fruits of the Tree of Might, not only did he regain youth and extend his lifespan, but his strength had also soared to around three to four hundred, something Tien Shinhan couldn't compare with.
As for Gine, even without doing anything, her power level had already reached three thousand many years ago!
The battle between Krillin and Yamcha turned out to be extremely fierce.
It could be said that the earlier clash between Master Roshi and Tien Shinhan was already an unimaginable fight for ordinary experts.
But Krillin and Yamcha's strength had reached an even higher level.
Though a power level of 330 compared to 300 meant a difference of 30, the two had been training together almost constantly over the past three years, so they both had a clear understanding of each other's strength.
When warriors of the same level clash, their fight is all the more captivating.
Of course, if not for the difference in physique, Krillin should have been able to defeat Yamcha, but it was a pity.
Yamcha perfectly showcased all the advantages of his body; otherwise, in pure strength, he was far weaker than Krillin.
In the end, Krillin still won this semifinal match.
Yamcha lost due to his lack of cunning. Krillin anticipated Yamcha's next moves and intentions, so he used a clever method to exploit a loophole.
Indeed, in this regard, Krillin could always pull off something unexpected and make it work.
But it had to be said, in this battle, Krillin's overall strength was indeed greater than Yamcha's.
After the fellow students bowed to each other, offering mutual encouragement and congratulations, the match concluded.
With the semifinals finished, Goku and Krillin stepped onto the finals' arena.
Of course, there was another half-hour break in between.
In truth, the outcome of the match no longer held much meaning; some people thought it pointless, yet others felt this fight was still very necessary.
At the very least, both Krillin and Yamcha had been striving forward with Goku as their goal. To have honed their strength to the level they had now, one could imagine the immense effort they had put in.
Even if the result was already set in stone.
Goku treated his fight with Krillin more seriously than with Chiaotzu, though still holding back considerably.
Anyone who wasn't a fool could clearly see it.
Krillin was completely no match for Goku. The disparity wasn't just a little.
Yet Krillin still showed his stubbornness and unyielding spirit. Even though none of his attacks had any effect on Goku, he still refused to show fear.
...
The match ended, and Goku became champion without breaking a sweat.
This was the first time in history that someone had ascended to the title of the world's greatest so effortlessly.
The difference in strength was simply far too great.
At this point, unless Nappa and Vegeta from the original work were brought over, who could possibly stand against Goku now?
Everyone was shocked by Goku's overwhelming strength, but they still congratulated him on winning the championship.
The one most shaken, however, was Tien Shinhan. Through this Martial Arts Tournament, he finally realized just how weak he truly was.
Not to mention compared to Goku and the others, even against Krillin and Yamcha, he was far behind.
In their exchanges, he learned that Goku and his group were all Saiyans from another planet, which explained their ridiculous strength. Tien Shinhan was stunned, and when he also learned that his own lineage traced back to the Triclops race from another planet, he was dumbfounded.
Growing up on Earth, he had always been treated as a monster for having three eyes. Later, when he became a disciple of the Crane School, he gained strength and changed his life.
Upon this realization, Tien Shinhan suddenly felt clarity wash over him. At the very least, he was no longer as lost as before.
Afterward, the group went together to a nearby restaurant for a meal.
Time slipped into the evening, and aside from Talot, who knew the course of events, no one realized that Earth's crisis had already quietly arrived.
Tambourine, the subordinate sent by Great Demon King Piccolo, had already infiltrated the venue of the World Martial Arts Tournament and stolen the roster of contestants.
After the group finished dinner, the staff from the martial arts tournament venue finally learned through word of mouth that the group was here and came to seek help.
As the story was told, Talot and his companions naturally just listened to it as something amusing.
But for Earth's martial artists, it was a tremendous shock.
Especially after Master Roshi spoke of Great Demon King Piccolo's terror and the devastation of the past, it was as though a shadow of dread hung over everyone present, except Talot's group.
"Although the story is vivid, dark, and frightening, I just sensed it myself, this Great Demon King Piccolo's strength doesn't seem all that great. Perhaps back then you weren't his match, but now, dealing with him shouldn't be a problem for you." Talot's casual words, spoken with a smile, shattered the oppressive atmosphere.
Master Roshi then came to his senses, chuckled, and said, "Yes, now that you mention it, I realize it too. Back then, my master Mutaito had no choice but to use the Evil Containment Wave to seal Great Demon King Piccolo away, because we couldn't defeat him! But times are different now. Not only me, but you, youngsters with extraordinary strength, are here as well!"
Master Roshi's words made everyone present feel as if they had just been injected with a dose of excitement.
But before anyone else could respond, Talot spoke again, changing the atmosphere once more.
In his own way, he revealed some of the truth.
"This Great Demon King Piccolo's aura is very similar to Earth's Kami… From the information I know, if nothing is wrong, then this Great Demon King Piccolo should actually be the other half of Kami."
As soon as he finished, Raditz and Salari gave Talot strange looks.
They too sensed it, and so did Goku.
After only a brief moment, they discovered the target and roughly understood why Talot had said that.
Naturally, Goku was still confused. But as for this Great Demon King Piccolo, he didn't really care; after all, in terms of strength, he was nothing special.
The others, however, all cried out in surprise with words like "Kami?" and "The other half?"
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