A\N: Do you guys think it's weird to make a fanfic of battle and challenges knowing that most of the other fanfics I have lying around here are sex related? Just a quick thought, well feel free to review what you think of the chapters posted here because I need that to live, it's my lunch Lol.
Halloween. One of the best sugary and costume related holidays had come to an end for Yamcha and Puar and even though they have ended up doing something far more memorable than watching some classic horror movies with laughable special effects and jumpscares for the occasion, it was now time to take off the holiday spirit of costumes and candies, starting a new day.
After the events from the previous Challenge, Melvin asked Yamcha if the latter was learning new moves by any chance since some of the ones he saw him perform weren't on his set of skills from any previous reward.
The former bandit told him that after his training on the Time Chamber and the use of Thinking Cap, he had felt more motivated and coming up with ideas on what to do with his sword and applying it, after all, he could just stay still waiting for him. With the use of the internet and constant practice and videos, he managed to find he also learned some of those more physical ones, such as the stance and way of moving before attacking he got some interesting moves such as:
-Cambodian Double Elbow Slash
- Wire Fu Kick
-Spinning back kick
- Rear leg front kick
-Wing Chun punch
-Sambo Leg Sweep
-Taekwondo Tornado Kick
-Krav Maga 360 Defense
-Sambo sidekick
-THPOUK KANG SDAM
He even started to come up with his own training routine, rather than complaining about how he doesn't know what training would even help him at this point since he didn't have a gravity chamber, or ask to use the time chamber again, I mean who even wants to age one more year? Dende was too much of a niece guardian and he didn't want to abuse that.
It wasn't much at first look but it was quite solid and well balanced to do while Melvin didn't show up with his challenges, gotta stay sharp.
First, there was a two-hour training for Hand toughening with a variety of materials he managed to get and fill in buckets, to start until going to the next once used, it was a great exercise for bone hardening and strengthening the knuckle as the different motions of hands were utilized when doing so.
-Materials Density-
(Level1)
Loose-dry dirt-1220 (kg/m3)
Loose moist dirt-1250 (kg/m3)
Loam-1280 (kg/m3)
(Level2)
Dry Sand-1555 (kg/m3)
Dry Clay-1600 (kg/m3)
Dry Gravel-1680 (kg/m3)
(Level3)
Flowing Mud-1730 (kg/m3)
Wet Clay-1760 (kg/m3)
Steady Mud-1840 (kg/m3)
(Level4)
Wet Sand-1905 (kg/m3)
Wet Gravel-2000 (kg/m3)
Well blasted rock-2480 (kg/m3)
Limestone-2560 (kg/m3)
After that one, there would be a series of leg exercises where he would only be able to use nothing besides his legs to do said activities, and using weights to increase difficulty. Some Ankle weights were provided for him by Melvin since it wasn't much.
-Ankle weights-
(Level 1 to 4)
1000 lbs
2500 lbs
3000 lbs
4500 lbs
-Ten thousand kicks with each leg.
-Swim 225 Km across the sea and then return to the start (Forth and Back. 225km+225km=450km)
-Climb up and down Korin Tower 20 times (Legs only)
And then the last but no less important, training that focused on both body and mind, required equilibrium, balance, and control.
*Body and Mind training*
Yoga- One hour
Qigong- One hour
Standart Meditation- Two hours.
Image Training- Three Hours
By waking up five in the morning and doing all these exercises every day and increasing its difficulty, would strengthen his body and mind up until the next time Melvin would come. How long has it been? A day, a week a month, who knows?
The weather that morning was now starting to get colder, but quite refreshing for those who don't like too much heat. The blue cat was inside taking care of the mysterious egg with all the love and kindness he was able to muster, it was his responsibility, and Puar took it seriously.
Outside the house was Yamcha who just finished his training and had relaxed for some time. But then he got the need to try something rather than laze around.
Eyes closed and letting the chilly breeze go through his body, slowly breathing in and out before suddenly his eyes were shot open and the former bandit started to swing at high speed in what seemed to be a pair of Nunchucks.
Not the wooden type, no, those were made of metal! And they were moving so fast it was nothing but blurs, how many people would already have hit themselves in the face or worse by now.
That shows how amazing his eye-hand coordination was, for handling it was not an easy feat without hurting your body a few times. With one last swing, he crashed the metal part hard on the first random tree he saw, leaving a nasty mark.
"This thing is quite fun to swing around, good practice too"
"Yeah, maybe you're gonna be the next Bruce Lee, who knows? I never got how some people thought they could use it but end up hitting their crotches" Melvin said, teleporting there.
"Gah!"
Yamcha in surprise swings his Nunchaku at him but thankfully Melvin just ducks away from it saving himself the hit in the face that would so comically come to others.
"Knock it off already, coming from thin air like that is not funny, like...at all!" The former bandit warns him.
"Would you rather I show up in unique ways? Cmon, I'm too lazy to ponder about that" Melvin pokes Yamcha on the shoulder.
He sighs, knowing that Melvin simply enjoys showing up like that "You came a bit sooner now, I thought it would take a few months" Yamcha asks.
"Sometimes I like going around doing my own thing and being mysterious, but I do enjoy our little encounters, but I wanted to ask you something" Melvin seemed eager.
"I hope is not anything that hurt my organs"
"You still holding a grudge on that paper thing? Get over it" He rolls his eyes.
"Fine then, what is it that you need to talk about?" Yamcha said, paying attention.
"Wanna tussle?"
Yamcha stares at Melvin with a look of surprise, what he said was just so sudden and not really what was expected. The chill and supposedly fallen angel could have asked for another challenge or if they were taking care of the egg, but was he asking for a fight?
"I thought it was time you and I had a little sparring to see how you're doing, but if you're feeling a bit under the weather maybe you should pass"
Melvin gave off a smug look, the type that many people would like to punch, reminiscent of that one of those douchebag antagonists.
A tick mark shows on Yamcha's forehead "Hmph! No way, you may have shown me things beyond incredible but now I'm curious to see your power" Yamcha said, tossing the nunchakus to the ground.
"I'm happy that you're more interested than afraid, don't worry though. I promise to hold back" Melvin said with the Ok sign.
"Oh you really pushing it now, lets see who is afraid after we are done"
The two fighters then fly sky high until the house can't be seen anymore due to the clouds, wind blows around their bodies as Yamcha gets on his Wolf stance while Melvin just stood there, his face suddenly dropping from smug to neutral, eyes as blank as a robot.
'Strange, he is just standing there completely open and vitals exposed but...I can't read him at all.
Without proportion speeds, the fallen angel charged forward, but it was so fast that it was almost like he had teleported out of his previous spot showing right in front of Yamcha with his staff being held like that of a spear.
'What?!'
Melvin delivers an onslaught of thrusts with the staff in which warning bells started to ring on Yamchas brain that said one thing *DANGER* Not wanting to get hit, he dodges it at the best of his current capabilities, the air pressure tearing and cutting parts of his Gi while maneuvering in the air.
The scar-faced human tries to fight back by doing his Shin Roga FuFu Ken which had become faster and deadlier with training, but the mysterious being with a unique set of eyes paid no mind to it and dodge it like his body was a feather that moved accordingly to the wind.
When the combo was over Melvin disappeared once more showing behind Yamcha who ended up getting slugged in the face by a straight punch, sending him down the forest and breaking a few trees that ended up falling on top of him.
"Hmm...maybe I should hold back some more?" Melvin rubs his chin.
Yamcha pushed the fallen trees away emerging from where he ended and flying up to get some altitude, breathing in and out after that heavy blow.
"Ugh...that was one heck of a strike"
"Hey! You're up already huh?" Melvin had shown up by his side without making a sound "Cool, let's keep going"
"What the!" Yamcha backs away surprised.
Melvin kept throwing a relentless storm of kicks and punches, each one seemed to be breaking the sound barrier in speed, Yamcha dodged and parried with great difficulty and when he went for blocking the vibration that sends through him was outstanding, it was so hard, his vision was strained to keep on, but he kept powering up his ki not holding back as the transparent ki envelops his body and veins pulse around his arms and forehead, seeing just how far it would go.
"I can feel that your passion and determination for fighting are doing well. Your spirit has grown sharper. And control over your own ki has grown exponentially, not depending solely on brute force but…"
Melvin landed a solid punch to Yamcha's gut with such force it knocked the wind out of his lungs, keeling over as he tried to get his shit together.
"Ugh…" He clutched his stomach, it felt like being hit by a dozen battering rams at point-blank range.
"What are you going to do? Are you gonna give up now that someone stronger than you has shown up?" Melvin's voice had an edge of seriousness that was far different from the prankster.
Yamcha spits some blood mixed with saliva "Pain is just part of the process" He gave a weak smirk, it still hurts but he didn't want to stop.
"I see...well then that's all" Melvin simply said going back to his normal behavior.
"Wait what?" Yamcha was confused.
"This was just a little shakeup, just to test the waters"
Yamcha looks at Melvin with a face that shows disappointment, he was feeling like a cool line had been used for nothing and that he was ready for more but it was abruptly brought to an end.
"Besides the anticlimactic ending, what did you get from this? I don't even show you all my skill set" He sighs deeply.
"You don't have to, my keen senses are already analyzing. Your strength, speed, and overall control of your Ki have increased considerably. I can say that just by the sparring in the last few seconds, your effort is paying off, not by raw power alone but technique"
"Oh...Ahn, thanks I guess" Yamcha looked a bit flustered.
"You still have a weakness though" Melvin pointed out.
That took him out of the stupor, what did he mean by weakness? He just said that all his attributes have turned out for the better.
"You doubt?" Melvin asked.
"I know that I'm not perfect but I really thought that with everything I learned, that my weakness would just be feeling cocky sometimes"
Melvin walks towards Yamcha and puts his hand on the guy's shoulder, looking deeply into him with the face of a master and speaking.
"Everyone who walks the path of martial arts aims to be the strongest, and that's why such a road is never-ending. No matter how much control you think you have or how much power you acquired, there will always be someone way better than you in all aspects, but what you do after losing is what truly matters"
Yamcha stared at him, digesting those words, the way he spoke was just so serious that the sound of his voice deepened and the air became denser for a moment, for a split second he had forgotten who he was dealing with.
"Don't get cocky because you got a bit stronger, don't be prideful or else you get sloppy, be alert because the danger is everywhere, keep growing for its never gonna be enough. Keep your wits on these rules and your gonna be Ok" Melvin Said petting his head like Yamcha was a little kid.
"H-Hey! Quit it" He slapped his hand away.
"Well then my scar-faced friend, I think we had just about enough time to get warmed up"
Melvin with his staff hits the floor lightly quickly fixing the damage around nature that happened due to their fight.
"I heard that you play baseball right?"
"Uh? Oh yeah, it was one of my first professional jobs. Why?"
"Great, that will do just fine"
With a snap of fingers, the former angel makes some weird contraption show up behind Yamcha a total of Twenty meters away from him which surprises him.
(A\N: The machine looks like the one from the Youtube Video, World's Fastest Pitch - Supersonic Baseball Cannon - Smarter Every Day 242)
"Whoa! What is that thing?"
"Oh, this? It's a cannon made to shoot the world's fastest pitcher at a….one thousand and fifty miles per hour, able to tear through any leather-like baseball glove like its paper and what not to weak target"
"Is that so? And what exactly do you want me to do with it?" Yamcha smirked, knowing where this is going.
"You won't hit them with a bat if that's what you think, it would just break anyway. Instead, I would like to see you using only your legs to try and hit these fastballs by a distance of eighteen meters from the machine if that's not too much"
Yamcha looked at him with his eyes half-open but with a serious look "No sweat, I beat this game you made here just for fun"
While Melvin just nods and floats away, the long black-haired man stares back at the machine and stays in a stance focusing on kicking. The fact he knew the direction of the shot and that it would come in a straight line made it easy to predict it, now it was all a matter of paying attention and then going for it.
Yamcha remembers once on a television show that explained that the faster something goes, the more mass it acquires, so what would happen if you ended up being hit by a projectile ball that goes at a speed of 1050 Miles per hour? The answer to that question is that it would be pretty damn painful, tearing through leather or rubber-like a literal cannon.
But after everything, he went through? That was nothing more than a game to warm up and play around for shits and giggles. Heck, Master Roshi training was harder than that, with all the running from dinosaurs and swimming away from sharks while wearing a heavy turtle shell.
There was no real worry in getting hit by that anyway since his body and power had reached a level far beyond any of that but Yamcha had made sure to take out his constant arrogance when getting stronger, who knows what Melvin would bring. The guy could be quite unpredictable when he felt like it.
It didn't take long for it to finally begin, every time the magazine was activated not only it shot the ball at such high speed, but steam could also be seen coming out from it. The first ball came like a cannon, but with a swift left kick, Yamcha had cut the ball in half, as the sliced off parts flew past him.
It kept going like that for some time, though from each time he kicked them away the former bandit would notice that the speed from those pitchers seem to increase, every time one of the balls would be kicked, he would match his power to it.
The man was surprised when the tenth ball rather than going straight, the moment it was shot instead it made a curve towards the left. The others would also change trajectories to try and take him off guard and hit him, painfully.
But while it was a surprise, it's not like he was completely unaware of the possible changes in the game. With speed compared to that of a falcon flying at high speed, flexibility worthy of a snake, a hit so powerful one could think it resembled a powerful leap of a Tiger.
"If your big plan was to throw fastballs at me then you better step it up my friend, but I gotta say it was fun" Yamcha said, smirking with confidence.
"Well, this is what I get for playing ball with a baseball player right?"
"What else are you gonna throw at me now?" Yamcha urged.
"A wall"
After Melvin says that Yamcha is surrounded by metallic constructs that have arisen from down below the wait, quickly circling around him like they were making themselves or by someone's will.
When it was done, Yamcha opened his eyes, now being able to just sort of look around after that whole thing. The room was exactly one hundred meters in height, but enough space to walk around, and right above one could see the light coming from the possible exit.
The vertical surfaces of the wall were gleaming, it's metal smoother than a floor after waxing up.
"Funny thing about ki" Melvin spoke from above "If you have enough of it and learn how to control, you can pretty much do anything. Like being bulletproof, but once you suppress it and relax then you're just like everyone else, soft and squishy"
"Get to the point" Yamcha asked, his voice making an echo from the nearly enclosed space.
"I want you to climb this smooth surface without flying, jumping, or using any amount of Ki that can be considered ludicrous. In other words, just muscle through it you hear?"
"Muscle through it?"
And just like that the next couple of minutes were used by Yamcha to see if he could try climbing that place without using his inner energy as the convenient tool that had been trained all this time. Oh, how difficult it was, climbing something where you don't even have a place to balance yourself?
The damn slippery thing that not even a monkey would have an easier time doing. But the whole point wasn't trying to climb it as a normal mountain climber would, he had trained his legs and hands so much and all the past training weren't just for ki, they were meant to make you go past physical peak condition.
It wasn't easy at first but after making use of his experience in martial arts and a little thinking, the former bandit made use of his pinching grip and managed to get himself out of that spot, it felt like he was climbing up with all the weight of his body onto one or two fingers.
It wasn't all just about strength but concentration and how to do it right in that specific spot though.
"I see you managed to get out, good job. It wasn't so freaking hard now was it?"
He breathes in and out "If anything, it was annoying. I wonder if my old self would find it any easier" Yamcha said, clenching his fists at the feeling.
"No point thinking about what-ifs from the past. If all this is too easy for someone of your level right now, then perhaps it's time I kick it up a notch and make things more interesting"
Looking more dramatic now Melvin starts flying in the air and doing motions with his arms as the environment changes accordingly to his will, the metal is gone and something else is forming from it, the air grows strong and Yamcha closes his eyes because of the flying dirt.
When it was done Melvin asked him to look, opening his eyes Yamcha saw some huge looking gun that was somewhat similar to the previous one but at the same time different. it was bigger and more militaristic. Surrounded by stuff or material that he couldn't really say because the man wasn't a scientist but maybe it was for protection.
"This is a railgun. Looks cool right?" Melvin spoke, hands apart showing it to him as a toy.
"And what is that exactly? I know it's a gun but...specifically?"
"It's a linear motor device, typically designed as a weapon that uses electromagnetic force to launch high-velocity projectiles. They don't always have explosives though it's more of relying on high speed, mass, and kinetic energy to inflict damage. The railgun uses a pair of parallel conductors, along which a sliding armature is accelerated by the electromagnetic effects of a current that flows down one rail, into the armature and then back along the other rail"
"Hoh? That sounds like a big deal, how fast would that be though if it were to be used now?" Yamcha raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Mach 6, or 5,400 miles an hour if you prefer"
Melvin then raises something from his back and gives it to Yamcha, it was his sword that was previously on the house.
"And your job is to be one thousand meters away from it and slice the projectile with your trusty weapon. But feel free to stay still if you think a super-duper fast kinetic bullet won't dent your pretty face"
Curiously looking at his sword like Melvin had planned all-out Yamcha just gives him a narrowed look of suspicion.
"As you wish, now let's see if this is as fast as you told" Yamcha said before flying off to the distance.
Those who have gone past their limits of peak human condition can prevent their limitations from hindering their growth and instead of what could be used as a moment of weakness is now a source of strength. Yamcha has gone through a lot of painful moments in his life, be it dying twice or almost dying but only getting horribly wounded, this situation just got more dangerous now, but something told him Melvin wanted to do exactly that, he wanted the man to feel that he was going against something that if he failed, then it was going to hurt him...a lot! Not only that, but it was going to rub it on his face that he was not able to do this, that it was too fast, too strong.
But so what? Most people would run away saying that this was crazy, that only a maniac would put their life at risk for something so silly as pride. And it was true! Pride is a nice feeling sometimes, but it is also a source of shame and it can blind you.
However, for some, it was more than pride. Did they want to improve themselves into being stronger and better than previously? Yes. To conquer weakness and face toward their goals and dreams? Absolutely. It was self-respect to show yourself that this! Was it the end for one's growth?
"Are you scared by any chance?" He asked "Dodging is one thing but trying to cut it?"
Be it through science or just a simple belief, it has been stated that most individuals who are triggered towards a dangerous situation towards their well being. They remain unconscious for exactly 0.5 seconds before the brain can signal for said individual to take action and move, it may sound like an insignificant fact at first. But sometimes, even the smallest of details can provoke so many changes, it's worth not getting careless.
"And give you the satisfaction of laughing at my face if I am even one percent unsure of it? Hell no. Keep wishing" His gaze narrowed.
Crouching down a little Yamcha then proceeds to dig into his power, closing his eyes as his ki bursts to life! Emanating from him like a white flame or aura that surrounded his body like a second skin, the temperature around him raised a little by it, but not by an awful amount but more of gentle warmth.
Powering up to his best didn't crack the floor, it didn't push the trees aside. It wasn't something that screamed that he was a powerhouse, instead, it felt more controlled than anything.
Hensui…
It was known as Liquid Transformation. The ultimate method of relaxation. An absolute move that works by seeing themselves not as a solid but as a liquid, gaining complete muscular relaxation and granting control of both the voluntary and involuntary muscles allowing them to retain their form and resist compression no matter what force is applied against them, but also ready to react to anything.
Overwhelming power isn't everything, not that he didn't enjoy using it but it wasn't his style, all the training he did and all the challenges were to iron his will and train his mind since there was only so much you could do for the body. You had to find other ways to break the limit rather than the same training every day.
Sword was still on the scabbard and he was holding the handle with one arm while in his stance, waiting for the moment where he would have to unsheathe it. Yamcha wasn't a genius in martial arts, he only got this far by sheer luck, a little help from Melbin, and a sliver of his own determination. To allow him to finally get one of the Nadashinkage-Ryu moves from one of the challenges made everything look different.
It felt like he could perceive everything in a three-meter radius, the details such as the movement in the air, the drops of water from the leaves. It felt like he awakened a new sense or something. To move too fast you look like a flicker was one thing, to stay completely still in the face of a huge weapon that was supposed to be dangerous and see the surrounding like it was in slow motion, how fun.
The preparations were almost complete and the sound of the machine getting its ammo ready was audible as the pieces of it began to work in conjunction to do its main part.
With the push of a button the round was finally released as it shot forward, the sound it left on its path was deafening. Easily breaking the sound barrier with great speed like a rocket with only one target.
At the speed that made everything look like a blur, Yamcha saw the main goal and with quickly enough to draw his weapon like the Iaijutsu users making the collision of his curved blade edge hit against the projectile in one single second that felt like it was much more.
The wind pressure caused by that raised a cloud of dust and rocks that would surprise anyone from the sight, one single moment was all it took for all that to happen because of so much speed yet it felt like much more until…
*Clang*
Something fell on the floor with a metallic sound and once the dust was blown away by the wind there was only one thing. Yamcha's sword was cloaked in yellow Ki while the man still looked forward with a serious expression and some veins showing from his arms.
On the ground was the projectile completely cut in half a few meters behind him after the swift move. Before the king around the sword disappears and he sheathes it back.
Melvin whistles "Damn, I think I just saw sparks fly from there mate"
Yamcha exhales "...Well, that was neat. Looks like all that meditation paid off"
"Glad you like it"
"So, is this like...the end, or are we just going to keep going so you can find new ways to try and hurt me?"
"Oh Yamcha, you think we are done? All these things so far we're just warming you up and testing your reflexes and nerves. The true challenge will start pretty soon, something so difficult and hardcore you wish I had tried anything else" Melvin said with a mischievous tone.
"You always make it sound like it would be hard, but I manage to get it on top. Whatever you throw at me just know that I take care of it" Yamcha said sure of himself.
"Whatever you say, Wolf. I make sure to give what you say"