Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of its characters. If I did I'd be a whole lot richer.

Chapter 21

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer said to the roaring crowd, "you are about to witness the fight of the century. In one corner we have the returning champion and expert fighter, a man who has participated in this tournament since he were a small boy, a man who has never been defeated, Kakarot. Facing off against Kakarot is a relative newcomer to the tournament. Having dominated all of his opponents so far in this tournament Chomper will prove to be a challenging opponent."

Kakarot stretched, limbering up his muscles before the big fight. Looking across the ring to his opponent, he noticed the predatory smile on Chomper's face. He didn't know all the details but he knew that this guy was connected to Frieza, the tyrant that had destroyed the Saiyan people. Kami had filled him in on the threat that Chomper posed but even the Guardian of Earth had limits to his powers. He knew that the being he faced was here for him but he didn't know why.

Chomper grinned at Kakarot. "You know you can give up now if you want."

Kakarot smiled a bit himself. "Why would I want to do that?"

"It may save you some pounding," Chomper said.

"Who's going to pound me?" Kakarot said feigning ignorance.

"Make no mistake," Chomper said. "You will come with me, conscious or unconscious, it's your choice."

"Come with you where?" Kakarot asked fishing for information.

"Back to Lord Frieza," Chomper replied."What does this Frieza want with me?" Kakarot asked cringing slightly.

"I don't know and I don't care," Chomper said. "I just know that he's willing to pay a lot of credits for any Saiyan that is brought to him alive. And being that you're one of the few remaining Saiyans not already brought to Frieza, you are valuable."

"I hate to disappoint you," Kakarot said, "but you'll be leaving here empty handed."

"We'll see," Chomper said laughing.

"You may begin," the announcer said.

Chomper charged at Kakarot with a punch toward the Saiyan's temple intending to end the fight as quickly as possible. Kakarot raised his arm to block the blow and the whole arena rumbled as the two titans met for the first time in combat. Chomper's predatory grin faded as Kakarot's fist swung around and landed deep in his stomach. The young Saiyan wasted no time and followed up with a round house kick to the face sending Chomper sliding across the ring on his back.

The Crocodilian fighter got to his feet and wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. "I see I've underestimated you," he said. "I assumed you were weak and I could end it quickly. I won't make that mistake again." He charged at Kakarot again this time with more caution and began to throw a flurry of kicks and punches at the young Saiyan. To his credit, Kakarot managed to block the blows but was clearly on the defensive.

After a few minutes of managing to keep up with Chomper's attacks Kakarot's defenses failed. Chomper's fist struck the Saiyan across the cheek and sent his head flying back. The Crocodilian fighter never wasted such and opportunity and drove a knee up into Kakarot's chest, sending the Saiyan flying up into the air. Flying up above him, Chomper brought his fists down on Kakarot's back sending the young warrior back into the ring leaving a massive crater.

The crowd grew silent as they witnessed Kakarot buried in rubble deep below the ring. "I hope he's alright," Bulma said wringing her hands together. After recently being reunited with her love, she didn't want to see anything happen to her.

"Don't worry," Yamcha said, "he'll be fine. He's pretty tough you know. But if he doesn't make it, you could always fall back on Roshi as your rebound."

Moving faster than any trained fighter, the young woman turned and slapped Yamcha across the face for even mention such a thing. A split second later she noticed the old hermit ogling her ample bosom as it shook from the effort she'd put into the slap. "Not you too, you old pervert," Bulma yelled slapping the old man with as much force as she could muster.

Back in the ring, Chomper stood over the rubble pile he had made with Kakarot's body. "I guess I overestimated you this time he said with a wicked smile. The rubble shook a bit and seconds later Kakarot sprang out of the hole in the ground and dusted off his fighting uniform. He was bruised and battered and his clothes were torn a bit but otherwise he seemed unhurt.

"Not bad," Kakarot said returning the smile the bounty hunter was wearing. That last hit had hurt but all things considered, he was having the time of his life. It had been years since he had found an opponent who was stronger than he was. And even given the dire situation of the fight the Saiyan blood running through his veins was screaming for joy with the thrill of a fight. "But," he continued, "what you have in strength, you lack in skill." Kakarot phased out of sight leaving only an after-image behind. As Chomper's fist passed through the illusion, Kakarot appeared behind the brute and brought a hard round house kick to the side of the warrior's head. The reptilian fighter went down with the blow but quickly recovered and charged back at Kakarot throwing punches and kicks of his own at the young warrior.

Kakarot blocked most of the punches but a few of them got through. Returning a few blows of his own the young Saiyan's mind raced with a strategy to win this fight once and for all. After a little thought he shot for the sky. Let's see how well he fights in the air, Kakarot thought.

Chomper followed Kakarot up into the air and continued his assault on the young Saiyan. Kakarot grinned as he dodged a punch aimed at his face. The bounty hunters attacks were starting to get a bit more sloppy with his concentration divided between flying and fighting. He could use this to his advantage. Phasing out of sight, Kakarot left Chomper's fist to pass only through after image once again. Chomper not to be fooled by the same trick twice turned to send a fist into Kakarot's stomach but it once again passed only through after-image. The Crocodilian fighter looked around trying to find his opponent. Finally, he spotted him below him in the ring with his hands cupped at his side. "KAMEHAMEHA!" Kakarot shouted sending the beam of energy at the bounty hunter.

Chomper had seen energy attacks many times before but this one seemed different somehow. It almost seemed like it was concentrated somehow. The second of though had cost him. He had no time to dodge the attack so he crossed his arms over his chest and braced himself for the impact of the energy beam. The attack hit him like a train and sent him flying high up into the air out of control.

Kakarot let out his breath as he saw the beam hit his opponent. He was almost afraid the other fighter would dodge the attack. While it was obvious that the other fighter hadn't had much real training on how to actually fight, what he lacked in training he made up for in physical strength and ferocity. Kakarot's thoughts were cut short as Chomper re-entered the ring, still under his own power and still very dangerous. The Kamehameha Wave had hurt him, as was noted by the burns and cuts covering his body, but it had not been enough to put him out of the fight by any means.

The Crocodilian fighter charged at the slightly drained Kakarot and used the boy's temporary distraction to his advantage. He had been hit by energy blasts more times than he cared to count and most of the time by warriors that were more powerful than this Saiyan. He shuttered as he thought of the more elite fighters using him for target practice for their own amusement. Casting that thought aside except to hold on to the rage it caused him he pummeled the Saiyan with blow after blow beating him mercilessly. Finishing up the beating, Chomper tossed some energy blasts of his own at the Saiyan warrior. The blasts exploded with devastating force against Kakarot's body causing the Saiyan to take more damage. Chomper charged forward once again, never letting the advantage he now held go to waste and drove an elbow into Kakarot's head sending him crashing to the tile floor with earth shattering force.

Kakarot rose shakily to his feet. He was now bleeding, bruised, and burnt in several locations and his clothes were in tatters but from the look in his eyes he was far from beaten. He charged at Chomper, all strategizing and special techniques laid aside, with a frontal assault. He threw kicks and punches at the Crocodilian warrior with abandon but the bounty hunter blocked them without too much trouble and began to return blows of his own. Kakarot's head cleared of the anger as he began to block blows from his opponent. If he was going to win this fight, he was going to have to think of something. Chomper was too strong for him to fight head on like this. It was only a matter of time before one of his earth shattering punches made it through. Kakarot phased out of sight, once again relying on the after-image technique to distract Chomper long enough for him to mount some sort of attack.

This time Chomper wasn't going to be fooled so easily though. The Crocodilian warrior turned right where Kakarot reappeared and drove a fist into the Saiyan's head. Kakarot reeled back but managed to regain his wits enough that Chomper's follow up kick passed only through after-image. The bounty hunter turned once again to Kakarot's new location ready to strike.

This time Kakarot was ready for his renewed vigilance. "Solar Flare," he shouted using Tien's technique to blind the reptile. While Chomper now swung wildly, Kakarot shot in and pounded the bounty hunter with kicks and punches, hitting harder with each blow.

Soon enough Chomper's vision returned as he continued to be pummeled by Kakarot. Being able to see again, he blocked a fist from Kakarot and sent a foot of his own at the Saiyan's head. In seconds he once again had the advantage sending Kakarot back on the defensive. "You can't win," he said while he continued to pummel the young Saiyan. "You monkey's are too weak to compare to Frieza's army. That's why you all died out."

Kakarot growled. He wasn't going to be defeated this easily. He briefly considered trying to use the Moonball technique he had studied from the information his father had left. But he discounted that almost instantly. While he had gained some control over his Oozaru form in the last couple of years, he still didn't have enough control to guarantee not hurting people in the stands watching. And Bulma was in the stands. He couldn't put her at risk just to win a fight. Besides, having to use the transformation to win a one on one fight was almost as dishonorable as defeat.

Kakarot was brought back to reality by Chomper's fist in his face. The Saiyan reeled back but quickly recovered. He could tell that Chomper was also starting to tire as well. Chomper sent another kick at Kakarot but this time it passed through only his after-image. "Not this trick again," he said as he turned to strike at the Saiyan coming around for another blow. But the attack was only a feint and Chomper's fist passed though another after-image. Kakarot appeared back about thirty feet floating in the air. "Solar Flare," he yelled bringing his hands to his face. Moving quickly he positioned himself below Chomper. "KA…ME…HA…ME…HA!" he shouted concentrating far more power into the attack than before. Hopefully this attack would end the fight or else he may not have much energy left to fight with. The beam of energy shot toward the reptile and caught him completely off guard carrying him high up into the air.

Minutes later Chomper fell back to earth unconscious landing in the ring creating a crater that destroyed half of the ring.

"It appears that Chomper is out," the announcer said. "We will start the count." The ten count passed without the reptile so much as twitching. "Kakarot is the winner," the announcer said. "He is once again the champion of the world." He rushed up to Kakarot. "Do you have anything to say to the crowd?"

Kakarot, still panting from the exertion of the massive Kamehameha wave he had just used the last of his energy on simply grinned. He had done it. He had won. Ignoring the announcer he walked over to where Chomper lay in the crater.

"Go ahead Saiyan," Chomper said barely conscious. "Kill me. You've won."

Kakarot smiled weakly. "I'm not like you and your master," he said. He turned to Bulma who was now clinging to him, rather painfully with his injuries. "Do you still have the Sensu beans I gave you to hold?"

"Sure thing sweetie," she said producing a bean.

Kakarot popped one into his mouth and was instantly healed. He felt stronger than ever too. He smiled bending down to kiss his bride to be. "Can you give me another one of those dear?"

Bulma simply rolled her eyes. Knowing Kakarot like she did, nothing could ever fill him up even the legendary Sensu beans that were supposed to keep you full for a month. She handed him the other bean. Kakarot took it and put it in Chomper's mouth allowing to bounty hunter to chew it and be healed.

Chomper rose to his feet. "Why'd you do that?" he asked.

"I'm not going to kill you," Kakarot said. "You don't deserve a death penalty for trying to beat me.

"Your mercy will be your undoing," Chomper said.

"I doubt that," Kakarot said. "I beat you once and I can do it again if I have to."

"Are you sure about that?" Chomper said.

"Just check you scouter if you don't believe me," Kakarot said.

Chomper walked over to his gear and grabbed the scouter and affixed it to his eye. Pushing a few buttons he grimaced. The Saiyan's power was now reading 2700.

"You see," Kakarot said. "Being a Saiyan, I grow stronger after every fight. You do not. If I beat you once, I can most definitely beat you again now."

Chomper swallowed the lump in his throat. "This isn't over Saiyan," he said as he flew off into the distance.

"What was that about?" Bulma asked.

"He wanted to capture me and take me to Frieza," Kakarot replied.

"And you let him go?" Bulma said. "Won't he only come back with more help?"

"No, I don't think so," Kakarot replied. "Frieza apparently has a bounty out on Saiyans. He wanted to collect it. Just giving the information to others will mean he has to share the reward. I don't think he's willing to do that."

"What if there's a reward for just information on a Saiyan's whereabouts?" Bulma asked. "He may decide to rat your location out to this Frieza."

Kakarot had never thought about that. He now wondered if it was the right thing to do to let Chomper go like that. On the one hand, he felt it wasn't right to murder a beaten opponent. But on the other hand if his mercy toward Chomper led to putting the whole planet and Bulma in danger, he didn't know if he could forgive himself. "Let's just hope that's not the case," he said. "Now," he said looking to Bulma, "to the important business." His face melted into a smile. "I'm starving," he said.

Bulma slapped her forehead. As much as her boyfriend, now fiancé, had grown up in the last few years some things would never change.

Power levels

Kakarot:

2200

2700 (after taking the Sensu bean)

Chomper:

2500