Four Months After The Wedding

Four months had passed since that fateful day of their wedding. Everything resumed as usual though Bulma did reveal the fact that she was indeed pregnant again which was a shocker. The scientist had given birth early to a healthy baby girl she named Bulla, leaving Trunks to becoming what many would call a overprotective brother. It was understandable since he was a only child for so long and was longing for a sibling to call his own. 21 had moved in with Kuzuku shortly after the wedding. Kuzuku made sure that 21 would still have a laboratory to continue her work in and helped her program her entire lab into a portable form. This took ages to do but with pure will power, he was able to keep himself sane from doing it. Her lab was placed just outside of the house though connected with a long hallway that lead into it. Aside from that, the two lived quite comfortably together and had many moments that just made their days memorable. As of now, 21 was humming in the kitchen, preparing food just for them. Once she finished, she opened the door to call Kuzuku for dinner. Of course she had just walked into the Saiyan training as usual. She smiled as she could never get over seeing him train. She didn't know why but it was astounding to watch to her, "Kuzuku dear, lunch is ready!"

The Saiyan finished one last punch before glancing over to his wife. Kuzuku was wearing a new Gi that was a wedding gift from Bulma. She designed it to essentially fit Kuzuku comfortably when he fights and was less restricting on his movements. As for the appearance, it closely resembles modern karate Gi's without the long sleeves, though it was light gray for the most part besides having a lapel that was dark orange to where it extended all the way down to his waist. His black sash was tied into a knot on the side of his waist along with his pants matching with his Gi while he wore black kung-fu shoes with orange stockings similar to that of Gt Goku. He had orange wristbands on and on both his chest and back of his Gi, the kanji "dragon" was engraved on it. It was also noticeable that he wore a weighted black shirt underneath his Gi for training. Kuzuku wiped the sweat off his face and smiled, "Coming hun!"

The Saiyan followed his wife inside to enjoy a nice breakfast as per usual. As they ate, 21 decided to strike a conversation.

"How's training been for you these days? I've noticed that these past few months you've been a bit on edge," 21 asked. Kuzuku chuckled at the fact she hit the mark on how he was feeling. It was true that training was starting to annoy him.

"Well, you're right about that one. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten stronger and all but something seems missing. Like despite having raw power, I need something more to balance myself but I don't quite know what," Kuzuku admitted.

21 took a sip of her coffee before placing it back down on the table, "I see, maybe you need new techniques. You know, like different ways of using your Ki.". Kuzuku's eyes widened before slapping his forehead in disbelief. How come he didn't think of that. It was so obvious that even Goten could figure that out. 21 giggled at his reaction from her suggestion.

"You're adorable when your frustrated. Oh by the way, 18 asked us to come and stop by at her place later. Something about catching up on a few things," 21 said.

"Heheheh, then I'll go get ready later then. I haven't exactly seen Krillin in a while so I wonder what's he been up to. Here, let me take this for you," Kuzuku chuckled, getting up from the table and grabbed 21's finished plate for her. He began washing dishes, letting her to be the first one to get dress.

At Krillin's Home

Kuzuku and 21 landed at the home of Krillin and 18. It was nice and modern with a little yard in the back for their daughter to play in. Kuzuku knocked on the door and waited for one of them to open it. After waiting for some time, Kuzuku decided to knock again, hoping that the second time would make them aware of their presence. It wasn't until they heard playful cheers coming from the backyard which caused the married couple to fly over the house and see what was going on. Obviously the playful laughters and cheers were coming from Marron but what they didn't expect was 18 and Krillin training out in the open. The two seemed pretty focused on not letting the other getting the upper hand.

"You go mommy! Don't give up!" Marron cheered until her attention was turned towards the two people who landed next to her. She looked up and smiled happily.

"Uncle Kuzuku!" Marron marveled, causing the couple to stop their spar. Kuzuku gave them a greeting salute as they stared at them while 21 was playing around with their daughter.

"Yo Krillin! How's it been?" Kuzuku greeted. In no time, everyone was inside enjoying some quality snacks as they watched Marron play with her toys. Kuzuku let out a satisfying gasp as he finished drinking some tea. He placed the cup on the table and looked over at Krillin, "So, how's being a police officer going for you? I bet it's tiring stuff to be out on patrol all the time, especially with the constant robberies that seem to be a trend in this city."

"It's been going fine actually. Especially after Goku and I had a little training journey together," Krillin replied.

Kuzuku raised an eyebrow at that comment, "Training journey? Is that why you've been sparring and practicing martial arts again?". Krillin nodded as his assumption was right.

"Yeah, I've noticed that my body was going soft and I was even starting to take damage from bullets, though they barely tickled. I know that you Saiyans are way stronger than me but I want to pull my own weight somehow in the future, no matter how strong they are. That's why I've began training again and I must say it feels pretty good to be back in my old Gi. 18's been a big help in that department," Krillin explained.

Kuzuku smirked before teasing, "Is that also why you shaved your head bald?". They all shared a laugh together before settling down.

"Now, enough about us, how's the married life been for you guys so far?" Krillin asked. 21 interjected before Kuzuku could really utter a word.

"Oh it's been wonderful! We've had many moments together and they've been memorable ones. Especially the funny one's!" 21 giggled.

"Yeah, and our jobs aren't all that stressful. Bulma has been taking it easy on me as of lately, leaving me with plenty of time to train as well as relax," Kuzuku added.

21 then remembered something, "That's right, Kuzuku. Maybe you could train with Krillin for a bit? You could learn a thing or two from him."

"Wh...What!" Krillin stuttered.

"Oh yeah, weren't you a pretty skilled martial artist back when you were younger? I heard from Goku that your technique is rather exquisite and your ability to improvise is nearly unrivaled," Kuzuku complimented.

Krillin chuckled nervously, blushing from the compliment that he had just received, "Su...sure thing. We could head out right now if you want since I am off duty for today. I have some techniques I wanted to try out anyway."

"Alright, you gals can stay here and chat while Krillin and I head out. We'll be right back!" Kuzuku enthused. In mere moments, the earthling and Saiyan were out the door, flying towards a deserted area.

At A Grassy Field

Kuzuku and Krillin landed on top the flat top of a small mountain and began stretching. As they stretched, Kuzuku couldn't help but look over at his human sparring partner. From what he could recall about Krillin's past, he was a great rival to Goku when they were kids. He trained with him since the beginning under master Roshi. The Saiyan couldn't deny that he was curious on what skills does this seasoned martial artist possess. Krillin had just finish stretching and changed right into his old martial arts Gi. He looked calm and confident, which was new to him. The two made sure they were a good distance away from each other before starting the match. Krillin rubbed his wrist and looked up at the Saiyan with a smile, "Alright Kuzuku, we're going to set some rules. For one, this whole platform we stand on right now is the ring. If you head out then you are the loser of this sparring match. You can use any tactic to gain an advantage, understand?"

Kuzuku nodded before getting into a stance, "Alright, sounds fair to me. I can't wait to get this started.".

Krillin smirked as he was already ready to show him what he's got, "Then I hope your ready!". The bald martial artist charged in first with a punch ready to be fired. Kuzuku dodged his fist and caught glimpse of the follow up kick in which he ducked under in a nick of time. Krillin was able to touch the ground fast enough to unleash a barrage of punches that kept Kuzuku on the defensive. The Saiyan noticed that he was going to fire a Ki blast at his fist in the middle of his barrage and dodged it narrowly, letting the blast pass by. This was his chance to hurl a punch of his own, but Krillin caught his fist and tried to strike his legs with a low kick. Kuzuku was able to block the kick by tensing his muscles to absorb the blow easily.

"You shouldn't be pulling punches in a sparring match Kuzuku. For instance..." Krillin smirked devilish before bending his fingers backwards. Kuzuku was confused for a second before the same Ki blast he fired before came back around and crashed into his back, stunning the Saiyan just enough for Krillin to punch him in his gut. Kuzuku winced a bit before he was kicked back a bit. He didn't have time to comment as Krillin was on the full offensive and launched several Kienzan at the Saiyan. Kuzuku dodged two of them by sidestepping each one and leapt over the two that were aimed at his legs. He noticed another one was coming towards his head so Kuzuku fast fall to the ground and kept his balance with one arm, successfully ducking under the last energy disc. Using his arm as a propellant, Kuzuku lunged forward and aimed a powerful kick that forced the seasoned fighter to leap into the air, leaving him to create a crater in the ground. Kuzuku instinctively looked up to see that Krillin was hovering in the air with the sun behind him.

"Now try this on for size! Solar Flare x100!" Krillin shouted, generating a blinding flash of light that seemed to grow brighter by the second. Kuzuku shielded his eyes as the light made it impossible to see.

"What a technique! I can't even see anything!" Kuzuku awed. Krillin quickly vanished and proceeded to begin striking Kuzuku from all sides. First it was a elbow to the back which caused him to stumble a bit. Then it a punch across the face before a low kick that nearly tripped the Saiyan. Kuzuku tried sensing his Ki but it was heavily suppressed to the point where it was untraceable.

"Damn, he's got me cornered. I better find a way to track him or I might be rung out. I know, if I can just...," Kuzuku thought as he scrunched his eyes and focused. He wasn't exactly looking for Krillin but something else that no one has really thought of before. Once Kuzuku got a sense of what he was looking for, he kicked backwards and to his success, he landed a firm kick in Krillin's stomach, sending him flying across the ground and nearly off the ledge. The light dialed down and Kuzuku's vision returned just in time to see Krillin fire a energy blast. Kuzuku leapt into the air, only to catch glimpse of the energy disc from before coming from behind. He turned around quickly and caught the disc with his bare hands but that was him playing into Krillin's hands as the disc turned into a cage of energy that engulfed the Saiyan, trapping him into one spot.

"Looks like you weren't expecting that, now time for another new technique!" Krillin said, raising his hand into the air and generated a large energy ball. He threw the ball at Kuzuku before it scattered into countless smaller energy blasts.

Kuzuku could only watch as he struggled to break free from his spot, though it didn't matter since he was now surrounded with energy blasts that were circling him from all sides. Krillin smirked before roaring, "Scatter Tempest Ball!". The blast then all circled rapidly before slamming into the Saiyan and causing a large explosion in the sky. Krillin smirked as he watched Kuzuku fall out of the smoke. The Saiyan landed on the ground with his clothes slightly tattered and he was a bit bruised from that attack. Kuzuku couldn't help but chuckle in pain a bit. He was praying that he wasn't becoming a masochist like Black. Dear god that'd be a guilty consciousness.

"Not bad Krillin! That attack would of done me in if I didn't use a small Kiai to lower the damage. You've gotten stronger, a lot stronger," Kuzuku praised, getting back onto his feet.

Krillin chuckled at the Saiyans commendation, "Thanks, but how did you sense me through my Solar Flare? Not even Goku can sense me when I suppress myself."

"That's simple. I didn't try to sense you but the change in Ki that surrounded us. No matter how much you suppress yourself, movements will always influence the Ki that is external to us. It kinda all boiled down to a guessing game at that point and can be easily countered if someone were to take advantage of that through influencing the area with their Ki. In your case, you just didn't take that into account," Kuzuku explained.

"I see, you're adapting pretty well to this style of fighting," Krillin commented, gaining Kuzuku's curiosity.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Kuzuku asked, hoping that he'd learn something from him.

Krillin laughed at his ignorance despite him being so much stronger, he still lack experience compared to him and Goku, "Kuzuku, I'll admit this bluntly. You are simply stronger as an overall fighter compared to me. Speed, agility, power, Ki reserve, and the fact you can transform makes you have an overwhelming advantage along with that in just your base alone, if you were to fight seriously then I would of been toast in five seconds. But power isn't everything. You got to apply different forms of Ki manipulation and technique into your arsenal. You can be strong but you must also be smart and use strategies that throw off your opponent."

Kuzuku's eyes widened in realization at his words. It explains everything. Why back in the future, Black was able to go toe to toe with him despite him being weaker and why Krillin was able to hold his own against him. Krillin smirked as he knew the Saiyan was finally getting it, "Now you get it, don't you? Remember this Kuzuku, fighting with your wits will always bring way better results than using brute force. For instance...". As Krillin said that, the ground beneath Kuzuku started to slide off. Kuzuku noticed quickly and leaped into the air and landed back on the ground, astonished that he nearly lost to a ring out without him knowing.

"Rats, so close!" Krillin snapped.

Kuzuku looked back to see that the ground was sliced but he couldn't quite make out when. After some thinking, he remembered the several Kienzan Krillin threw before. He looked back at the frustrated bald fighter and smirked. The sky grew cloudy and rain drops started to pour.

Kuzuku closed his eyes and smiled, "Thank you, Krillin. You've taught me a valuable lesson but now...let's finish this shall we?". His eyes reopened as he instantly turned Super Saiyan. The pressure was overwhelming, causing Krillin to instantly be on guard. He could hide it, he was shaking with fear but he stood his ground. The rain pattered the ground as the two stared off at each other, neither wanting this sparring match to end without a winner. Kuzuku and Krillin both thought the same thing, placing their hands together and generating a small blue Ki orb.

"Kaaaaaaa...meeeeee...haaaaa...meeeeee," They chanted in union. Krillin could only think of giving it his all without giving up while Kuzuku only wanted to reward him with a challenge of his own. He wanted to test Krillin's resolve and see how far is he willing to go. After several minutes of anticipation, the two roared, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Their beams collided, one being smaller than the other but yet was putting up one heck of a fight. Kuzuku was holding back but still was impress by the midget's determination. Krillin let out a scream, trying his hardest to win the power struggle and even succeeded in pushing Kuzuku's beam back a bit. However, the Saiyan wasn't about to let him win as he put more energy into the blast, overwhelming Krillin to the point where his blast was completely beaten. Kuzuku's Kamehameha exploded, destroying the ground beneath Krillin and sent him flying off the edge. Krillin tried his best to stop himself but failed, resulting in him hitting the ground like a cannonball. The sky started to clear with Kuzuku deforming a flying down to help the human off the ground. He grabbed his arm and placed it around his neck. Krillin seemed damaged by the attack but he was alive. Alive because he gave it his all in that spar. Alive enough that he could only laugh at his accomplishment of lasting this long against someone so much stronger than him and teach him something that will be essential to his growth. For the first time, Krillin felt as a master to a student that will be moving up in the world and that his teachings today would be a part of his life. He could only think about a certain someone who could relate to this feeling the most.

"This is what master Roshi probably felt with Goku and I...," Krillin thought, smiling as Kuzuku teleported him back home.

A/N: Even the strongest fighters will have trouble with strategy. This marks the beginning of the training chapters before the actual T.O.P so that Kuzuku along with the others, can develop their skills. Currently, I am already writing some of the tournament chapters and I am about ten chapters ahead from this one. Trust me, this tournament is going to be long and hard.