After three long years of training, the day of the 23rd Tenka'ichi Budokai finally arrived for Son Goku. Not only had the now 18-year-old monkey-tailed Goku grew in strength physically and mentally, the impish runt of a boy had also grown into a towering young man! (Pretty impressive, I'd say! I thought he'd stay a shrimp forever!)

Tale 166: The 23rd Tenka'ichi Budokai

"My dear Goku, remember to spare your ace attack only if you absolutely need to use it," Kami-Sama warned the young warrior before him. Goku had just finished retrieving his Nyoi-bo staff from the bottom of Kami-Sama's lookout. Now that Son Goku had mastered focusing his chi so he could fly, he could come to the lookout whenever he wanted. He wanted to make sure that he didn't accidentally leave his trademark weapon behind.

"Ah, don't worry! I know!" Goku replied cheerfully as he tested out a few moves with is staff, "Man, it's been a while since I used this!" Kami stared at the lad critically.

"This will be a serious fight, Son Goku. Piccolo has grown much stronger from when you had fought him last. Do not let his young appearance fool you!" It was Goku's turn to be serious.

"I know, Kami-Sama. I have sensed his growth, too." Kami-Sama looked surprised at first, but then a look of pride formed upon his face.

"How impressive, you have mastered sensing the chi of others…how long have you been able to do this?" Goku placed his staff in its holster with his tail while he started to pack up his belongings.

"I actually have been able to sense chi for most of my life! I just didn't understand it until I started to train with you and Mr. Popo!"

"Very impressive, Son Goku," Kami-Sama became serious again, "…so you know what you will be up against? You know not to let your guard down?"

"I know," Goku replied quietly. His usual cheery persona was dark for a moment when he thought back to the terror that the original Piccolo had caused three years ago. His eyes narrowed when he thought about Kuririn, Kame-Sen'nin, and Chaozu. He knew that if they were to be killed again, they could never be brought back to life again.

"I will not allow this new Piccolo to finish what his original started, I can promise you that!" Kami-Sama narrowed his eyes.

"Even if it means that you have to kill him, my dear boy?" Goku looked uncomfortable.

"Master Kami-Sama, I won't have to kill him. You won't have to die."

"You may have to kill him."

"…"

"Just prepare yourself, dear Goku," Kami-Sama sighed as he placed his hand upon Goku's shoulder. Goku smiled at God, but his unease was still present.

"…well, I'm headin' out!" Goku said cheerfully as he picked up his duffle bag and flung it over his shoulder. He used his tail, which had grown muscular itself, to support the bag while he adjusted it accordingly. Kami-Sama smiled softly.

"Good luck, dear Goku."

With a cheery nod to Mr. Popo, Goku clasped his hands together:

"KINTO-UN!"

Goku grinned as his magical cloud greeted him with amazing speed. He knew he could fly, but he needed to conserve his energy. He needed to be at 100%.

"Gotta pick up Chi-Chi first," Goku said to his cloud as he jumped aboard. After he waved good-bye, Goku flew off to pick up his wife.

His wife! Remember? The one that Gyu-Mao promised to Goku back in Tale 12 in Volume 2? Remember? Ah, well…. Anyway…

The Tenka'ichi Budokai was crowed, as always. It was raining this time around. The first ones there, waiting impatiently, was Kame-Sen'nin and his "female companion", Lunch (who, thankfully, was in her docile form! Phwew!).

"Hmm…" The Turtle Hermit, a.k.a. Kame-Sen'nin, impatiently checked his watch.

"My, they are awfully late…" Lunch remarked as she looked around with a worried look on her face. Just then, a cab drove up. Both Kame-Sen'nin and Lunch looked over. They gasped happily when they saw Bulma, Oolong, and Pu'ar emerge from the cabbie. Bulma, now 23, was maturing both physically and mentally. Her baby face was no more. She was a woman. Oolong, though still small, looked more like a man (well…for a pig, that is…). He had lost his childish nature but still maintained his perverted nature (sigh, yeah, I know…). As for Pu'ar, she was the only one who remained the same. She looked awkward without her Lord Yamcha by her side.

"Hey! Long time, no see!" Bulma said happily as she greeted the duo.

"My, you have matured nicely…" Kame-Sen'nin boldly placed his hand upon Bulma's bottom, only to earn himself an elbow to the face.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY BUTT!"

The Turtle Hermit rubbed his nosed while he glared at the purple-haired woman who was glaring back.

"Well, physically, at least…"

"Nice to see that you haven't changed much!" Bulma shot back.

"Hey!" A somewhat familiar voice called out to the group. Bulma and the others glanced ahead and gaped at what they saw. If it weren't for his hard-to-miss tail, they would not have recognized him. Son Goku and his wife, Chi-Chi, stood before the stunned group.

"Oh! It's Goku!" Bulma cried out happily. She couldn't believe how much he had grown! He was no longer that strong little runt, he was finally a man! She ran over and hugged Goku tightly, who was taken by surprise.

"Bulma, since when d' you hug?" He asked in a confused fashion. Bulma released him from her embrace and winked at him.

"You've rubbed off on me, Tarzan." Goku smiled at her but then looked really confused.

"Wait amminute… d' you all shrink or somethin'?" Goku asked in a baffled tone. Bulma chuckled.

"Silly! You have gotten huuuge!"

"Yeesh! No kidding!" Oolong remarked as he admired Goku's new mature body, though he still had the face of a boy. Oolong then noticed Chi-Chi.

"Huh? Who's the girl, Goku?" Oolong asked, which caused the others to take notice to Goku's companion.

"Oh, this is my wife, Chi-Chi!" Goku replied with a grin, "She's entering the tournament, too!"

The others gaped at Goku in shock.

"Your wife?"

"Yee-up! Where's Kuririn, Yamcha, Chaozu, and Tenshinhan?"

"They aren't here, yet," Kame-Sen'nin replied. As if right on cue, another cab pulled up. Sure enough, the recently mentioned martial artists emerged from the cab. They all froze when they saw Goku, who was in the process of taking off the wrapping he had his hair in due to the rain, which had recently ceased.

"I-is that Goku?" Yamcha gasped, he was currently grabbing his stuff from the trunk of the cabbie while he stared at his old friend from afar. Tenshinhan swallowed hard and nodded.

"That is indeed him," Tenshinhan remarked. Goku now looked more like himself now that his unique hair was free from the wrapping. Goku used his tail to put the wrapping in his bag. He noticed how Kame-Sen'nin and the others nervously looked at his tail. Goku smiled softly.

"It's okay, guys. I am aware that I was the monster that killed Grampa."

The others stared at him in shock. Goku continued:

"I have been training myself to control what I become when I see the moon. In fact, if things make a turn for the worst, I may have to transform." At this point, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Kuririn, and Chaozu were close enough to hear the current conversation. They all looked worried by Goku's words. Kame-Sen'nin took a step towards his former disciple.

"Goku, what do you mean by if things "make a turn for the worst?"" Goku's face grew serious.

"Keep this between us. I don't want to cause a panic. When I killed Demon King Piccolo, he managed to give birth to an offspring. This offspring is much stronger than he was and it plans on finishing what he started."

"I-I can't believe it…" Tenshinhan growled, he clenched his fist in anger.

"A-and he's gonna be here today?" Kuririn asked. Goku nodded. He then suddenly smiled in delight.

"Hey! You got taller, Kuririn!" Kuririn stared at Goku before jumping on him to hug him.

"Goku, you idiot! I've missed you! I never got to thank you!" Goku smiled and laughed as he hugged his best friend back. The moment between the two was enough to somewhat lighten the mood…though the memory of what Goku said still lingered in their minds!

Up next: Demon Jr. has arrived!