Casually disposing of the overconfident Master Shen (who had foolishly attempted a sneak attack), the champion and his newlywed wife completed the final leg of their journey, returning to Mount Paozu.
Carrying his wife on his back, the champion strolled through the mountains, chatting idly along the way.
Following Gohan's earlier suggestion, Chi-Chi had ridden the Flying Nimbus to Mount Paozu and become Gine's disciple.
Bardock, meanwhile, had brought along a now (somewhat) tamed Raditz, whose once-malicious aura had softened considerably.
The group reunited. Chi-Chi thought Goku's father and brother seemed fierce—nothing like his gentle mother, Gine. Gine, for her part, couldn't help but worry about her youngest son, training somewhere out in the world. The champion made plans to meet everyone again at the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament, where Goku would surely appear.
Raditz scoffed. "I don't get it. A bunch of weaklings, yet they're so obsessed with crowning a 'world's strongest'? More like 'world's weakest,' huh?"
His loving father promptly dragged him away for further "education".
As the champion and his wife departed, Gine suddenly remembered something—earlier, she'd noticed the gravity chamber capsule was missing. Had Chi-Chi accidentally misplaced it…?
---
Year 750, May 7th.
Papaya Island, already a popular tourist destination, buzzed with even more excitement than usual.
A luxury airship landed. Master Roshi, suited up and carrying a cane and suitcase, descended the ramp, followed by his new disciple Krillin, along with Tien and Chiaotzu.
Elsewhere in the crowd, Yamcha—recently counseled by the late Gohan—made his way toward the tournament grounds.
The champion and his wife, Bardock and Raditz, Gine and Chi-Chi—they all gathered outside the bustling venue.
Then, with a whirring spin, Bulma descended on her hoverbike, her bright smile dazzling.
Bardock and the others suddenly turned their attention elsewhere. Reflected in Roshi's sunglasses, a wild-looking boy dashed toward them, arms outstretched, yelling *"Da-da-da-da-da!"*
Like a blur, he lunged at the champion, who caught him in a bear hug.
"Everyone! Hi!!"
Bulma stored her hoverbike in a capsule, hanging her sunglasses on her collar as she sized up Goku.
"After all this time, he hasn't grown an inch!" she teased, fully aware that Saiyan biology delayed his growth spurt.
If she wanted to know what he'd look like grown up, she just had to glance at Bardock—the resemblance was uncanny.
Goku and the champion locked eyes, both recognizing the fire in the other's gaze.
Amid the excitement, the tournament began!
Preliminaries: Hundreds of fighters clashed, vying for just eight spots.
Quarterfinals:
- King Chappa vs. Tien → Tien wins!
- Krillin vs. The Champion → The Champion wins!
- Goku vs. Raditz → Goku wins!
- Yamcha vs. Chi-Chi → Chi-Chi wins!
Semifinals:
- The Champion vs. Tien → The Champion wins!
- Goku vs. Chi-Chi → Goku wins!
Finals:
The champion and Goku faced each other.
"You won't win easily," Goku said.
The champion didn't deny it. Instead, he lightly bumped fists with his little brother, now stronger than him.
They stepped onto the stage, bowing respectfully.
No words were needed—everything would be said with their fists.
In the reflection of Roshi's sunglasses, the two brothers, calm and determined, assumed the Turtle School's stance.
'They've both become fine martial artists' Roshi thought, smiling beneath his bushy mustache.
GONG!
The tournament monk struck the gong.
The 21st World Martial Arts Tournament finals—BEGIN!
---
Night fell. Friends and family dispersed. Bardock would soon depart aboard a spaceship built by Bulma's father, seeking vengeance against Freeza.
"Take care of yourself," Tights whispered, hugging the champion.
"You too," he replied.
With a smile, Tights vanished into thin air, teleporting to West City via the Spirit Realm.
The champion watched the empty space for a long moment, fingers brushing the necklace she'd left him. Then, with Goku and Tien, he shot into the night sky—toward distant Korin Tower.
---
Tien climbed tirelessly under the stars.
Inside Korin Tower, Goku lay sprawled on the floor, fast asleep, a tiny drool trail at the corner of his mouth.
Korin glanced at the champion, who sat on the railing, gazing at the night sky with the same quiet calm.
---
Standing on the railing, the champion slowly spread his arms—and leaned back.
The tower shrank in his vision as wind roared in his ears…
When he opened his eyes again, he was nestled in the Flying Nimbus layer.
This time, he didn't fall through.
Then—
A golden bolt of lightning tore through the heavens, streaking from the Dragon Realm straight toward him!
CRACK!
---
West City, Capsule Corp.
Steam curled from a cup of coffee as Tights, her golden hair tousled, dozed off at her desk.
---
Riding the Flying Nimbus westward, the champion raced toward the horizon—the dawn light casting his face in shadow as the sky behind him brightened.
Yet his eyes, fixed on the path ahead, burned with unwavering brightness.
---
When the lone wisp of the Flying Nimbus arrived before the colossal "Five Elements Gate," deep within Mount Five Elements, in the palace of the Supreme Elderly Lord...
The female warrior, now shrunken to normal size, sat leaning on one arm beside a small table as if napping—when suddenly, her eyes snapped open, flashing with an unusual clarity.
She stood and stretched with a lazy "Ungh~"
Habitually reaching for her sunglasses but finding nothing, she shrugged indifferently.
Her gaze drifted toward another part of the palace, where a faint aura of Ultra Instinct lingered. A small smile curled her lips.
---
Having risked everything—using the Dragon God's Mark to harness demonic power—to defeat the Saber-Toothed Hell Dragon in the mountain's outer reaches, the champion now marveled at this unnatural strength.
"To think you could come this far."
A booming voice echoed above him.
His head jerked up—there stood the giantess who had earlier swatted him into the abyss. Clad in ancient warrior garb, this could only be the legendary Supreme Elderly Lord.
She studied him with equal interest. Even she had to admire the old man's foresight. Who could've predicted that this least-favored candidate would defy all odds to reach here? Raw power was secondary; what truly impressed was the unyielding resilience in his soul...
"You seem to have come seeking me. Follow, then."
Mounting the Saber-Toothed Dragon, she led him deeper into the mountain.
---
"This is the Furnace of Eight Divisions," she said, noting his stare. The colossal cauldron burned with demonic flames. "Millennia ago, a rift tore between Earth and the demon realm, leaking infernal energy across the land. This furnace sealed it."
"I see," he nodded.
"As for your idea of purging that energy... I can't alter its nature, but returning it to the netherworld might work," she mused, playing her role with relish. "Though that would require moving the furnace..."
Their discussion paused as she suddenly grew gigantic, lifting the furnace's lid. Scalding heat billowed out.
"Ohhh? Another hotpot feast?"
A familiar voice rang out. Turning, the champion saw an old man in simple robes, a golden halo above his head and a floral-patterned mask on his face—Gohan, now an inhabitant of the afterlife.
---
"By the way, boy," the Supreme Elderly Lord set down her chopsticks mid-bite, feigning ignorance, "you didn't climb this mountain just to see Gohan, did you? Though you couldn't have known he serves here."
He mirrored her gesture. "Once, a seer told me my path to strength lay in these peaks."
"Ah. So you came to grow stronger."
Behind the furnace's steam, her face blurred—but her smirk was unmistakable.
"Very well. Let me... assist you."
With a laugh, her massive hand shot through the vapors, grabbing the champion and hurling him into the boiling cauldron.
Plop. A single droplet splashed as he vanished beneath the churning broth.
Gohan nearly dropped his bowl. The boy's energy—gone completely!
"Lady Annin, what—?!" he stammered.
"Relax, just a joke!"* She resumed eating cheerfully. When Gohan remained uneasy, she pointed her chopsticks toward another wing. "Go check there. Might find a surprise~"
Skeptical (he sensed nothing in that direction), Gohan obeyed.
"Oh, and... don't wake him," she called after him. "Dangerous. And a waste."
In a side chamber, he found a familiar figure in an animal mask, seated deep in meditation. The cadence of that voice, those subtle mannerisms from years ago at Mount Paozu—memories flooded Gohan. Suddenly, he understood.
"So it's..." He stepped closer, reaching out to brush the mask—
"Shhh!" A tiny girl zipped between them.
Joey hovered protectively, finger to her lips. ´´Don't disturb him.´´
---
Annin awoke leaning on the table, blinking drowsily.
Had she... dreamed?
Fragments lingered—Yamiru visiting the mountain, sharing hotpot with Gohan, and then... what?
With practiced ease, she summoned her crystal ball, expecting to glimpse his past self.
This time, however, the ball stayed blank—no signal, no image.
Alone, she stared at the lifeless orb for a long, long while.