Chapter 9: The First Round Concludes

Hatsuko was brought out of her trance by a pungent odor that suddenly filled her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose and coughed violently to expel the tainted air from her lungs. As she searched for the source of what she now identified as alcohol fumes, her attention fell on an elderly man who had just taken a seat nearby. He was wearing a tattered gray uniform and sporting a bushy mustache of the same color. He burped loudly.

That's strange…I don't recall him smelling this bad earlier, she thought as she watched the man sway back and forth on the ground. Pathetic. He can't even sit up straight.

* * *

Mr. Satan tied the sash to his uniform taught and took a deep breath.

"Well, here we go! I'm ready as ever!" he lied to himself. A furious knock on his door made him jump.

"Mr. Satan! You're up next! You've gotta get out here now!" yelled his assistant frantically.

Satan scurried to the door and opened it. To collect himself, he puffed out his chest and marched down the hallway, holding his head high.

Please let me win this match! He thought to himself as a drop of perspiration trickled down his temple.

* * *

Back in the arena, the whole crowd was cheering "Satan! Satan!" over and over until they began to go horse. The announcer waited nervously for Mr. Satan to appear.

"Don't you worry, ladies and gentlemen! Our hero, Mr. Satan, will be arriving soon! In the meantime, how about we call our other contestant out into the arena! Please give a big welcome to Kuchi!" The crowd responded with a less enthusiastic cry.

Vegeta's jaw clenched as he watched the sumo wrestler walk past him into the stadium.

I never thought I would be rooting for you, Satan, but it looks like that will be the case…

Kuchi parked himself in the middle of the arena. Satan approached the entrance to the ring and laid eyes on his opponent. His nerves settled and he let the breath that he had been holding free.

"Phew…and I was worried," he muttered to himself. As he puffed out his chest again, he sauntered into the arena. When they spotted him, the crowd began to cheer again, this time calling "Champ! Champ! Champ!"

As the crowd called him, Satan's confidence skyrocketed. He lost himself in the rhythm of the chant and a determined grin spread across his face. When he reached the ring, he struck a pose. He jutted both of his arms straight into the air while forming two peace signs with his hands. The audience roared with applause.

"Well, here he is, folks! The Champ! Let's get this match started, shall we?" the announcer called as he tried to project over the noise. Satan gave the announcer a thumbs up and approached Kuchi, who was waiting patiently.

Kuchi struck a preparatory sumo stance. His serious demeanor contrasted greatly with his previously lighthearted attitude. His brows were pulled together and his mouth formed a small, concentrated frown. His dark eyes were fixed on Mr. Satan, unblinking.

This is what I came here for, he thought. If I can beat Mr. Satan, I'll be the strongest man on the planet!

Mr. Satan flexed his bicep and flashed a brilliant grin at Kuchi.

"Your fancy moves won't intimidate me, friend! I'm the Champ! My strength was greater than that of the great monster Cell! Don't underestimate my power or you will get hurt! If you wish to forfeit, please leave nah—" Satan's warning was truncated by Kuchi's massive body colliding with his own. Completely taken by surprise, Satan fell heavily on his front. His face throbbed with pain, causing his eyes to water. He stifled a groan and got up slowly.

Kuchi stood by his opponent in deep concentration, waiting for the next opportunity to strike. Satan sensed this and put up his guard. When Kuchi struck again, Satan braced himself by putting both of his hands in front of him. He was going to attempt to take the collision head-on. When Kuchi's body-blow hit, Satan buckled under the pressure. His backside hit the arena floor and he winced in embarrassment.

Kuchi stood up straight. He was smiling.

I'll give him something to smile about! Thought Satan. He hopped onto his feet and struck a pose that signaled a counterattack.

Satan's name was being chanted loudly. He used their chant as a tool to help him focus. With every repetition of his name, Satan became more and more determined. As soon as the tenth round of cheers ended, he opened his mouth wide and let out a war cry. He rushed Kuchi and began to throw powerful punches and kicks. Kuchi panicked and attempted to dodge the assaults, but he was too slow. With a hard kick to the stomach, Kuchi was out of the ring.

The crowd burst with applause. Satan stood, slouching with fatigue. His face was decorated with a triumphant grin. He flashed the crowd two more peace signs before departing.

Back in the waiting room, Goku was growing restless.

"Alright! Finally, it's my turn to fight!" he said enthusiastically while he stretched out his legs. Vegeta eyed him curiously and then smirked.

"Heh. I wouldn't waste your time with that, Kakarrot. This match is going to be easy for you and I want you to save your energy for when you fight me," he said.

Goku straightened himself up and nodded to Vegeta. He then turned to Piccolo, who was smiling slightly.

"Wish me luck!" Goku said as he waved to his comrades. He left for the stadium without waiting for the announcer to call his name.

All of the sudden, Piccolo felt a horrible burn inside of his nose as he inhaled. He grimaced in revulsion as the drunken old man walked past him after Goku. Piccolo watched him leave and bared his teeth.

How despicable.

The announcer noticed Goku and his opponent taking their places in the ring. He quickly ended the conversation he was having with his assistant to introduce them.

"Oh, well, here we have our next two fighters. Let's hear it for the previous champion, Son Goku and his opponent Mr. Bashu!" The crowd barely seemed to notice that the next match had begun. They were still chatting about Mr. Satan's miraculous performance.

Goku rubbed his head as he examined Bashu. The old man was burping and murmuring to himself inaudibly. His fleshy face was flushed pink and his eyelids drooped.

"Wow, if I didn't know better, I'd say this guy was tipsy," Goku said to himself. His thoughts seemed to be confirmed when Bashu pulled a flask inconspicuously out of his uniform and took a quick swig from it. The announcer signaled for the match to begin, but Bashu did not respond. Goku moved in carefully while looking his opponent straight in the face, hoping to grab his attention.

"Hey, Mister, are you okay? I'm going to have to attack you now. I'd feel bad if you weren't ready," he warned in his usual friendly manner. Bashu did not respond in any way. He merely stood his ground while staring into space, occasionally hiccupping. Goku stopped when he was a few feet in front of Bashu. He waited for a brief moment before deciding to attack.

So he wouldn't hurt the old man, Goku threw a weak punch aimed at Bashu's chest. Just as his fist was about to hit its mark, Bashu flailed his entire body into the air, deflecting the blow. Goku was taken by surprise but recovered quickly. Bashu began to stumble around the ring, tripping over his feet several times. He was growling angrily under his breath.

So, another drunken technique, eh? I see. Only, this time, it's not just a technique. How interesting, Goku thought to himself. His grandfather had taught him the art of drunken boxing when he was a child, and the Turtle Hermit had used it against him in a previous Budokai as well. Goku was very familiar with this area of martial arts, but never in his life had he encountered a fighter who actually intoxicated himself before a fight.

"Your style of fighting is definitely interesting, Sir, but it's by no means original," Goku said playfully. "I've seen this before and I know how to block all of your moves." Bashu's back faced Goku at this point. His body continued to sway dangerously.

"You know, Son, it's not just the alcohol that gives me an edge," Bashu slurred in a raspy voice, "it's what happens to me when I drink it as well." He faced Goku quickly and flashed him a toothy grin. A vein throbbed in his forehead as he clenched his fists together. His skin began to turn red. Goku likened his appearance to a bull about to charge.

Just as Goku had expected, Bashu began to charge him recklessly while swinging his limbs about. His jaw hung open as he grunted with every blow that he dealt. Goku avoided every hit with ease. The two fighters moved about the ring. Goku decided that it would be best to end the match as quickly as possible. He leapt over Bashu's head and landed behind him. He gently kicked his opponent square in the back and sent him flying straight out of the ring. Bashu landed next to the announcer with a thud. When the announcer bent down, he realized Bashu had immediately fallen asleep.

"Uh…Well, there goes Bashu! The match goes to Son Goku!" Goku grinned and waved to his wife in the audience before returning to the waiting room. The announcer turned to his assistant. "Hey, can we call that ambulance again? This guy is totally tanked."

When Goku came back, Krillin met him with a fit of laughter.

"Oh, man, Goku, didn't that guy remind you of Master Roshi fighting you as Jackie Chun? It was practically the same fight, only this time he was actually drunk!"

"Hah, yeah, I thought the same thing, Krillin. I just hope he's okay when he wakes up. He seemed really out of it," Goku said as he watched the medical staff haul Bashu out of the stadium. A moment of silence passed as Krillin directed his gaze to the corner where Hatsuko was meditating. She seemed to be completely oblivious to everything, so he decided to speak now.

"Hey, guys," he said quietly. Goku, Vegeta and Piccolo all turned their attention to Krillin, who was now huddled closer to them in an attempt to muffle his voice. "After her fight Hatsuko told me that my wife and I were extraordinary fighters and that we should be proud."

Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"What's so problematic with that?" he said too loudly. Krillin's eyes widened and he quickly put a finger to his mouth.

"That's not the problem. 18 told me that after she had been hit by Hatsuko's final attack, she felt her neck snap and she could have sworn it was broken, but then when Hatsuko went over to her, it felt fine. That's not the strangest part. Hatsuko told her to send Dr. Gero her regards." The three fighters' faces went blank. Vegeta was the first to respond.

"How the hell would—" his words were silenced by Krillin's hand covering his mouth. He knocked it away forcefully and snorted. He began again in a slight whisper.

"How the hell would she know about him?" he asked while giving Krillin a dirty look. Krillin responded by shrugging his shoulders. Piccolo stared at Hatsuko and tensed his muscles.

If she knows about Gero then she knows 18 is an android. I need to figure out how she knows so much!

In the corner of the room, Hatsuko was desperately trying to remain still.

What's it to them that I know about Dr. Gero? There's something strange about that group. I thought perhaps they were harmless but it seems as if I can't trust them. It doesn't make much of a difference anyway. I didn't come here to make friends...especially those who associate with Piccolo Daimao.

The announcer's booming voice initiated the last match to commence before the next round of fighting was to begin. At the back of the waiting room, Gohan and Videl abruptly ended their conversation.

"Oh, well, it looks like I'm up!" Videl said with excitement. She winked at Gohan. "Wish me luck!" In response, Gohan's face flushed as he leaned in towards her. His lips gently grazed her cheek before he pulled away and grinned bashfully. Videl blushed deeply and waved to him. The woman who Onpu had mistook for a man stomped after Videl with a scowl on her pudgy face. As Gohan watched them leave, his eyes fell on Krillin, who was sporting a sly countenance and giving him a thumbs-up. His face burned.

"Here they are folks! Give a great warm welcome to the daughter of our very own Mr. Satan, Videl, and her opponent Shinjo!" The announcer could hardly be heard over the roar of the audience as they cheered for Videl.

Shinjo rolled up her sleeves and cracked her knuckles one by one. Videl glared at her opponent and waited for the announcer's signal.

"Ready! Fight!!"

Shinjo moved sluggishly towards Videl as soon as the announcer's voice became swallowed by the applause. When she was roughly five feet away from Videl, she hurled her massive body into the air with all her might. Videl escaped the blow just in time. Shinjo fell heavily on her stomach. Unaffected by the fall, she got onto her feet and continued to charge Videl full-force.

Jeez, this lady is trying to kill me! thought Videl as she avoided yet another lethal cannonball from her opponent.

"So, Gohan, I saw what you did before, hahahaha," Krillin taunted. Gohan's face was still flushed. He frowned slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know you did. Just forget it, okay," he said as he attempted to watch Videl's match in peace.

"Well, son, I think it's great that you have a girlfriend," Goku said as he put a hand on Gohan's shoulder. "She seems really great." Gohan's eye twitched as he tried to ignore everything that was being said to him.

Piccolo watched the match in silence to spare Gohan any further grief. He felt equally embarrassed.

Out in the ring, Videl was still dodging Shinjo's attempts to squash her.

Man, if only I could figure out a way to attack her without risking getting hit!

Suddenly, she remembered what Gohan had taught her. She had wanted to save those newly acquired techniques for later on in the tournament, but it seemed as if she had no choice. When Shinjo launched yet another body attack at her, Videl summoned her chi to lift her into the air. Shinjo got up from the ground and searched for Videl.

"Where did that little brat go?" she said as her eyes darted around the arena.

"Right here!" called Videl. Her foot met with her opponent's head. Shino fell backwards and stayed there. The announcer declared Videl the winner after counting to ten, causing the audience to chant again. Videl made her way back to the waiting room. She locked her gaze with Gohan's and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Hah, she really likes you, Gohan," Krillin said. Hatsuko opened her eyes and witnessed Gohan and Videl hugging each other. She clenched her jaw.

How juvenile, she thought icily.

"Alright, folks! Now we will have a two hour intermission while we draw the next round of fights randomly. The new lineup will be posted after the first hour, so all fighters should make sure they look it over then. See you soon!" The announcer wiped his forehead with his handkerchief and exhaled. "Man, I'm getting too old for this job."