Tien adjusted his stance, aura simmering red, third eye shining faintly. Yamcha rolled his shoulders, crouched low, wolfish grin cutting across his battered face.
The air between them hissed with heat, the promise of another round.
From the stands, the two alternate Yamchas reacted.
The Yamcha from Timeline 1 — weaker, still haunted by years of being outclassed — stared wide-eyed. His voice cracked."That's me? That's… me fighting like that? He's moving like Vegeta at the World Tournament…"
Krillin patted his shoulder with a grin. "Yeah. Except smarter."
Beside him, the Yamcha from Timeline 2 crossed his arms, expression caught between pride and bitterness."He's sharper than me. Faster. But his base isn't that far ahead. If I'd pushed Kaioken this far…" He trailed off, jaw tight.
Piccolo turned slightly toward him. "You didn't. He did. Don't look for excuses."
On another bench, the Tiens were no less focused.
The Tien from Timeline 1, close in strength to the fighter below, leaned forward, third eye narrowing."His form's solid. He's mixing phantom binds with pure striking better than I've managed."
The Tien from Timeline 9 — bulkier, aura coiling with quiet menace — smirked faintly."He's disciplined. But he's not me. If I were down there, Yamcha wouldn't last this long."
His third eye glowed faintly, pressure rolling off him. Even other fighters shifted uncomfortably at his quiet confidence.
Vegeta raised a brow, smirking. "Hmph. More arrogance. I almost want to see you prove it."
Below, both warriors drew breath, then roared in unison.
"Kaioken… times FIFTY!"
Their auras erupted. Tien's body glowed white-red, his skin tearing under the strain, muscles trembling but locked like forged iron. Yamcha's aura exploded silver-red, jagged arcs of wolf-shaped lightning crackling across his limbs.
The ground itself split beneath them, tiles cratering. Their bodies screamed against the multiplier — veins bulging, teeth gritted — but they didn't yield.
Spirit Fang Counterline
Yamcha moved first, wide stance, left hand open, right fist cocked. His grin was savage.
Bait & Snap. He flicked a light jab at Tien's chest. Tien stepped to intercept — exactly what Yamcha wanted. He slid behind, palm snapping into Tien's trapezius. Pain shot down his arm, his balance broken.
Ki Fang Lances. His fingertips glowed sharp. Three tiny projectiles fired point-blank into pressure points across Tien's ribs and collarbone. Each punctured like a burning needle, pain magnified tenfold.
Tien snarled, staggering — Yamcha swept low. Wolf's Gamble. His foot scythed for Tien's ankles. Tien leapt — but Yamcha fired two more projectiles into the ground, ki threads webbing upward to tether his feet mid-air.
Caught.
Yamcha lunged. Ground-Lock Breaker. His knee slammed into Tien's diaphragm, palms pressing him flat, crushing breath from his lungs. Tien gasped, aura faltering.
Then came the finale. Spirit Fang Echo. Both Yamcha's palms slammed into Tien's chest. The projectiles embedded earlier pulsed, converging into a jagged beam that tore upward through Tien's torso, ripping him free from the tether and sending him spiraling back.
Blood sprayed. Tien hit the ground hard, cracks spiderwebbing out.
Three-Phase Convergence (Sun, Moon, Star)
But Tien rose. Slowly, painfully — but he rose. His third eye blazed.
He planted his feet, shoulders steady, breath deep."Sun."
He dashed forward, fists pistoning. Three punches slammed into Yamcha's chest in rhythm — small, medium, large — each heavier than the last. His palm thrust followed, launching Yamcha slightly upward.
"Moon."
Tien's body slipped backward deceptively — but four Tiens suddenly shimmered around Yamcha, illusions born from partial multi-form. They struck from all angles, confusion snapping Yamcha's guard wide open.
The real Tien leapt, snapping his legs into a scissor-lock around Yamcha's head. Head scissor choke. Aura pulsed, ki siphoning, stamina bleeding away as Yamcha gasped for air.
"Star."
Tien released the choke, tossing Yamcha down. Mid-fall, he somersaulted, gathering stolen breath and ki into a compressed ring. At the apex, he unleashed it.
Orbital Beam.
A glowing ki ring sliced horizontally through Yamcha's trajectory, exploding against his ribs. Before he could even cry out, Tien's palms crossed, a vertical spike detonating — shattered column of light driving Yamcha skyward like a ragdoll.
The clash of their two combos tore open the arena floor. Dust plumed, smoke rising in sheets.
The Timeline 1 Yamcha sat speechless. "He… he threw him like that? That's… me?"
The Timeline 2 Yamcha clenched his fists. "No. That's him. I've got a long way to go."
Meanwhile, Tien from Timeline 9's smirk widened. "Better. But still flawed. Both of them."
Tien from Timeline 1 crossed his arms. "Flawed or not, they've brought human martial arts this far. That's worth more than you admit."
From above, Vegeta scoffed, but with a trace of respect. "Kaioken x50? Hmph. For humans, that's no small feat. But it's still scraps compared to the monsters in this tournament."
Vegito nodded. "Exactly. They're strong, but not cosmic like. ''
Yamcha stood trembling, his arms limp but fists clenched, hair plastered to his sweat-drenched face. His grin hadn't faded.
Tien stood opposite him, chest heaving, blood dripping from a dozen cuts, his third eye dimmed but still unblinking.
They locked eyes. No words. Just the silent pact: one last climb.
Yamcha smirked, teeth red with blood. His aura snarled around him, jagged silver-red."Fifty… fifty-two… fifty-five…"
Each increment ripped at his flesh. Veins bulged, blood burst from his shoulders. The tiles beneath him shattered with each breath.
"Sixty-five… seventy… eighty…!"
Spectral wolves shimmered faintly in his aura, howling with each surge.
By ninety, he was hunched, coughing blood into his hand. But his grin was wider, more feral than ever."Ninety-eight… a hundred… one hundred and five!"
The crowd murmured, not in awe but in disbelief. Krillin shook his head. "He'll kill himself…"
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Hmph. Or prove he's got more pride than most Saiyans ever thought."
Yamcha inhaled sharply, then roared — not a scream, but a wolf's howl, deep and resonant. His aura fractured, serrated edges flashing like knives.
Lupine Abyss Howl.
Fangs of ki erupted from his roar, a dozen spectral blades homing on Tien's body. Each fang wasn't just force — they carried disruption, piercing stamina, regeneration, even thought. They swarmed, hungry.
Tien's hands glowed, his third eye shining. He cupped a pulsating sphere of energy, the arena humming like a gong.
Infinite Kikoho Resonance.
Waves pulsed outward — the first cracked Yamcha's ki fangs mid-flight, splintering half of them. The second wave ruptured the flow of Yamcha's aura, breaking the cohesion of his regeneration. The third wave compressed — a single column, narrow, precise — a killing blow aimed straight at Yamcha's core.
The two attacks collided. The fangs tore into Tien's resonance, detonating one after another inside his chest and arms. The column carved into Yamcha's chest, burning through his wolfish aura, forcing blood to geyser from his mouth.
Yamcha's grin never faded."Heh… you're still the same, Tien… all work, no fun. Look at me — I'm shining. I'm showing every damn god here that Yamcha's not a joke anymore!"
Tien's jaw tightened, blood dripping from his lips."You talk too much. You… always had that pride. I… I never did. How could I? In a world with Vegito, with Gohan, with Uub… I'm just a shadow. Just a human trying to stay relevant."
His third eye flared brighter. His arms trembled, but he pressed forward."But today… I refuse to be less."
Yamcha barked a laugh, blood pouring down his chin."Then hit me harder, old friend! Let's see if the serious man can bury the wolf!"
The Infinite Kikoho's resonance sharpened — three waves becoming one. A column of energy detonated inside Yamcha's chest, rupturing his ki flow, collapsing his aura.
But not before Yamcha's last three ki fangs converged on Tien's core, detonating inside his lungs and ribs. Both men screamed. Both attacks landed true.
The arena exploded in dust and fire.
When it cleared —
Yamcha lay on his back, chest burned through, aura shattered. His eyes were open, defiant, but his body wouldn't move. He coughed blood, chuckled weakly."Heh… guess… I really am still second place…"
Tien stood — barely. His arms hung limp, blood pouring from his chest, his aura guttering like a dying flame. He staggered forward two steps, then collapsed to one knee. His third eye dimmed, his breath ragged.
He looked at Yamcha one last time."No… you were never second. You just chose to laugh instead of grind. That's… worth something too."
His body gave out. He collapsed face-first, unconscious.
The Grand Priest raised his staff. "Match Nineteen… victory: Timeline Two, Tien."
Timeline 1 Yamcha whispered, tears in his eyes. "That's… what I always wanted to be."
Timeline 2 Yamcha smirked bitterly. "Guess I've got more training to do."
Tien from Timeline 9 simply nodded once, his smirk fading into something harder to read.
Vegito crossed his arms, voice even. "They fought like men. And sometimes, that's the harder path."
Piccolo nodded. "They've proven their point. Nothing more needs to be said."
The arena fell quiet again, save for the faint sound of medics rushing to collect the two warriors.
The Grand Priest's voice cut through the murmuring timelines.
"Match Twenty — Krillin of Timeline Two versus Zarbon of Timeline Eight."
From the Frieza Empire bench, Zarbon rose gracefully. His emerald hair shimmered as he brushed it back, his smirk practiced and cruel. "A human?" His tone was silk wrapped in contempt. "You've got to be joking."
Krillin stretched his neck with a crack, rolling his shoulders. His gi was simple — worn, scuffed. His expression calm. "You'll find out soon enough if it's a joke."
Zarbon sneered as he stepped into the arena. "Don't take offense when I end this quickly. I despise blood on my boots."
The Grand Priest lowered his staff. "Start."
---
Krillin didn't move at first. He stood loose, casual, his energy *low*. Zarbon's scouter flickered once, then steadied.
"Power level… barely over twenty thousand," Zarbon murmured, disdain dripping from his voice. "How quaint."
He vanished, reappearing in front of Krillin with a single knee strike. Krillin sidestepped smoothly, the air rippling. The knee brushed past his ribs, close but clean.
Zarbon blinked. Krillin's movement had no wasted motion. No panic.
Zarbon smiled thinly. "Quick. But not enough."
He lunged again, a blur of blue and gold. His fist lashed out — Krillin ducked. A kick followed — Krillin pivoted, letting the strike slide past. The crowd could see it now: Krillin wasn't reacting late. He was *guiding* Zarbon's attacks, making them miss by inches.
Krillin exhaled, his ki rising barely perceptibly — from 20,000… to 35,000.
Zarbon's scouter beeped. "Hmm? You're hiding something, aren't you?"
Krillin grinned faintly. "Guess you'll have to work to see it."
---
Zarbon frowned. His pride twitched. "Fine. I'll humor you."
He extended a hand, releasing a thin beam of green energy. It zipped forward like a spear. Krillin leaned aside — the beam skimmed past his cheek, scorching air.
"Not bad," Krillin said softly. "But you're slow."
Zarbon's smile vanished.
In an instant, he blurred forward, slamming a knee into Krillin's chest. The impact cracked the air — but Krillin didn't budge. Zarbon's eyes widened. His knee… had hit something solid.
Krillin's aura flickered once, briefly golden. "You done warming up?"
Zarbon leapt back, scouter flashing red.
"Your power just spiked to… impossible! Over three million—!"
The scouter shattered.
Krillin's smirk didn't fade. "Now we can really start."
---
Zarbon's elegant smile returned — but thinner now, strained. He snapped his hands outward, aura flaring emerald. His muscles expanded slightly, body hardening — noyet his monstrous form, but near.
Krillin lowered into stance, palms loose.
They clashed.
Zarbon swung — Krillin caught his wrist, twisted, and slammed a palm into his ribs. Ki burst exploded point-blank, sending Zarbon spinning away.
He caught himself midair, aura blazing, and retaliated with a volley of emerald blasts. Krillin vanished — *blink*, *blink*, *blink* — weaving between them like a flicker of light. Each explosion missed by a fraction.
Zarbon roared. "You dare mock me?!"
Krillin appeared above him, two fingers glowing.
"Solar Flare MAX!"
A blinding light engulfed the arena. Zarbon screamed, eyes burning white. Krillin's silhouette moved through the flare like a ghost.
One elbow slammed into Zarbon's neck.
A second into his gut.
A third — spinning — hammered his jaw.
Zarbon crashed into the ground, rolling, teeth cracking.
---
Bloodied, humiliated, Zarbon snarled. "You… insect!"
His body swelled, bones shifting. His elegant features twisted, muscles bulging grotesquely. His voice deepened to a growl.
The transformation finished — monstrous Zarbon stood panting, drool streaking from his teeth. His aura darkened to murky green.
Krillin exhaled, shaking his head. "Still ugly, huh? You really thought that form made you stronger?"
Zarbon howled, vanishing from sight. He reappeared behind Krillin, hammerfist descending. Krillin caught it with one palm, stopping it cold. The shockwave cracked the tiles beneath them.
Zarbon's eyes widened. "What—"
Krillin's knee drove into his gut. The sound echoed across the arena.
Zarbon's breath left him in a single choking gasp.
Krillin's aura flared crimson — Kaioken x5.
The air exploded.
He unleashed a flurry — not raw power, but surgical precision. Each hit landed at pressure points: jaw, ribs, kidneys, sternum. Zarbon's monstrous form convulsed, unable to channel energy correctly.
Krillin finished the barrage with a heavy downward strike to the spine, driving Zarbon to his knees.
---
Zarbon coughed blood, rage shaking his body. "You… human… you dare!"
Krillin crouched, calm. His ki compressed into his palms.
"You think I've been playing fair? I've been using *one-tenth* of my power."
Zarbon screamed, lunging blindly — claws slashing. Krillin sidestepped, one hand snapping out to the back of Zarbon's head.
He whispered, "Kaioken x10."
Zarbon froze. The pressure crushed him.
Krillin's ki detonated through his palm — a single burst that ruptured Zarbon's aura entirely. His monstrous form flickered, collapsing back to his elegant self, eyes wide with disbelief.
Krillin's final words came quietly:
"You lost the moment you underestimated a human."
One last palm strike to the chest — Precision Burst.
Zarbon's body locked, then exploded upward, flung off the ring and into the arena barrier, unconscious before he hit.
---
The Grand Priest's staff hummed. "Match Twenty — victory: Timeline Two, Krillin."
The crowd murmured, impressed but not awestruck. Even the other Frieza Empire fighters looked unsettled — not because Krillin had destroyed Zarbon with godly force, but because he had *outsmarted* him, humiliated him in a unespected way.
From the stands, Tien — still recovering — gave a faint smile. "He didn't even need full Kaioken."
Piccolo nodded. "That's Krillin. No wasted effort."
Vegeta scoffed softly, though his tone carried the faintest respect. "Hmph. I'll give the bald one this — he's smarter than most of these fools."
Krillin walked back toward his team, hand raised slightly in acknowledgment. He wasn't grinning. Just calm. Measured.