Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Z Abridged, or Naruto.

"Hello" - normal talking

'Hello' - thoughts

The preliminary rounds had finally ended, and the stage was set for the quarter-finals. The tension in the air was high as the eight finalists were announced, Naruto, ChiChi, Krillin, Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Yamcha, and Tao. Each fighter stood on the large ring. The crowd murmured in anticipation, palpable excitement.

"Would all the competitors participating in the tournament please gather here?" the familiar voice of the previous tournament's announcer rang out. One by one, the fighters approached him. "Now then, you will all draw numbers to determine who your opponent is!"

As Naruto and ChiChi stepped forward, the announcer's eyes widened in recognition. "Hey, aren't you two from the last tournament? Naruto and ChiChi, right?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face.

Naruto returned the smile, extending a hand. "And you're the same announcer from last time. Good to see you again." He shook the announcer's hand with a friendly grip. "Also, a few of my friends are in the tournament this time too."

ChiChi chimed in, offering a polite wave. "Nice to meet you again," she said warmly.

Krillin and Yamcha both gave casual nods. "Hiya," Krillin said cheerfully.

"Hello again," Yamcha added with a grin.

The announcer looked at the group and let out a lighthearted chuckle. "Oh? Are you guys competing again? Well, please try not to damage the arena too much this time, okay?" it was clear he remembered how destructive their fights could get.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck and laughed awkwardly. "Uh, no promises," he said, only to get a sharp elbow to the ribs from ChiChi.

"Don't encourage him," she muttered.

Tao, who had been watching impatiently, stepped forward, his voice cold as ever. "Are you done wasting my time?" His eyes dug holes into the announcer. "If you waste any more of it, I might run out of patience... and you know what happens then." His threat lingered in the air, chilling the announcer.

The announcer, swallowing nervously, quickly nodded. "Y-Yes, of course! Let's get to it. Alright, everyone, it's time to draw your numbers... Starting with Naruto."

Naruto, unfazed by Tao's outburst, calmly stepped forward and drew his number. "Right," he said, taking a quick glance at it before stepping back.

"Next is ChiChi," the announcer said, and ChiChi eagerly stepped up, drawing her own number.

One by one, the fighters drew their numbers in silence, the tension growing with each selection. All eyes were on the announcer as he began to reveal the matchups.

"The matches will be as follows...

Match #1: ChiChi vs. Chiaotzu.

Match #2: Naruto vs. Yamcha.

Match #3: Piccolo vs. Krillin.

Match #4: Tien vs. Tao."

A murmur of excitement spread through the crowd.

Tien's jaw tightened as he glanced at his former master.

"When your names are called, please step into the ring!" the announcer said, trying to maintain order. "And remember, the first match will start in 30 minutes. Please be on time, or you will be disqualified."

With that, Naruto and his friends exited the ring. As they walked out, Naruto couldn't help but glance back at Tao and then at Tien. This would be no ordinary match, and deep down, Naruto knew it.

Outside, Naruto and his friends reunited with the others. Bulma, ever the supportive girlfriend, threw her arms around Naruto and planted a sloppy kiss. "Good job, Naruto!" she exclaimed, Like before, ChiChi received her own kiss of congratulations from Bulma.

Behind them, Roshi smiled at his son and all of his students. Naruto took the opportunity to introduce Piccolo to the rest of the group, though Roshi, to everyone's surprise, didn't seem fazed. "I already know about him," Roshi said. "Naruto told me."

Naruto's expression turned serious as he looked at his father. "By the way, did you see anyone suspicious?" Roshi asked quietly, his tone suddenly shifting to one of concern.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, apparently a mercenary joined the tournament... It's Tao, the younger brother of Crane Hermit."

Roshi's eyes widened in shock, his voice lowering to a whisper so that no one outside their group could hear. "T-Tao?! But didn't you... kill him?"

"He somehow survived," Naruto said. "And now he's... kinda a robot now apparently."

"Robot?! Do you mean he's a cyborg?" Bulma asked, her technical curiosity piqued.

Naruto nodded again. "Yeah. He mentioned someone named Dr. Gero. Apparently, he's the one who rebuilt Tao into a cyborg."

Bulma's brow furrowed in thought. "Dr. Gero… I've heard that name before, but I can't remember where. I think my Dad used to talk about him. I'll check his old journals after the tournament. There's bound to be something about him."

Naruto glanced toward Tien, his face serious. "For now, Tien has to deal with cyborg Tao."

"This doesn't bode well," Roshi said, his voice full of concern. "If he's been enhanced..."

But Tien's confidence remained unshaken. "Don't worry, Master," he said calmly. "I know all the tricks he has up his sleeve. He doesn't stand a chance."

Oolong snorted. "Yeah, Tien will wipe the floor with him."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Piccolo interjected, his voice deep and thoughtful. "There's something... off about him."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "He's right. Tao's energy—it's different. We can't even sense it anymore."

"Whatever that Dr. Gero did to Tao must be the cause of that," ChiChi chimed in.

Bulma crossed her arms, her mind already analyzing the situation. "If he's a cyborg, maybe he's being powered by something other than Ki. But I won't know for sure until I see it myself."

Despite the concerns, Tien remained steadfast. "It doesn't matter what kind of energy he's using. I'll defeat him either way."

Naruto, however, wasn't as optimistic. "Just be careful, Tien. He's not here to win the tournament. He's here for revenge. He might try to kill you."

"Or worse," Roshi added. "He might pull some underhanded trick to take you out of the fight."

Tien clenched his fists, his expression firm. "I'll be ready, Master. I won't let my guard down."

Before they could discuss further, the tournament announcer's voice boomed over the loudspeakers. "The fights will commence shortly. Would the fighters please assemble in a designated place beside the ring?"

"This is it," Naruto said. "We'd better hurry."

Oolong cheered them on. "Go get 'em! Show us what you've got!"

"Just don't overdo it," Launch added with a concerned look. "Be careful. If it gets too dangerous, step down."

"We'll be fine," Naruto said, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."

Bulma blew Naruto and ChiChi a kiss for luck. "Good luck! We'll be rooting for you!"

"Yamcha, you better win the championship!" Puar cheered.

Yamcha flashed her a thumbs-up. "You got it!"

As Naruto and the others made their way back to the main ring, Bulma watched her friends disappear into the crowd. With a sigh, she turned to the bustling audience around her. "I guess we'll be watching from the crowd this time again. Why aren't there any VIP seats?" she grumbled, clearly unimpressed by the packed seating arrangements. They all quickly went into the arena and took their seats.

"This sucks!" Oolong fumed. "I can't see anything with all these people in the way!"

"I know, right?" Launch added, her innocent voice equally filled with frustration.

Roshi merely shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's how it is."

Puar glanced around, clearly distressed. "What should we do? There's no way we'll get a good view from here!"

Bulma's eyes suddenly lit up as an idea popped into her head. She handed a capsule to Launch. "Hold this."

Launch blinked in confusion but took the capsule. "Uh, okay? What are you…" Before she could finish, Bulma tickled her nose, causing Launch to sneeze. In an instant, the blonde, gun-toting version of Launch took her place.

Bulma grinned. "Now we're talking."

Blonde Launch tossed the capsule into the air, and with a pop, a machine gun appeared in her hand. Without a second thought, she pointed it skyward and fired off a few rounds. The shots rang out loud and clear, sending the crowd into a frenzy. "Outta the way, unless you feel like dying!" she barked.

Immediately, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, giving them a clear path to the front.

"There we go," Bulma said smugly as she led the way to the front rows, right above the fighters waiting place. "Now we can watch in peace, and cheer for them."

…

"Ladies and gentlemen! Sorry to keep you waiting! The 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament is about to begin!" the announcer's voice boomed over the excited, cheering crowd, who filled the stadium with an electrifying energy.

"There were only 80 participants this time," the announcer continued, "a bit fewer than the last tournament." But the slightly smaller turnout hadn't diminished the enthusiasm of the crowd one bit. "From those 80 fighters, only 8 have emerged victorious in the qualifiers, earning the right to compete here today for the honor of being the world's best!" The audience erupted, clapping and shouting louder than before.

"The crowd sure seems pumped," Bulma commented.

Roshi nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "After what went down at the last tournament, who can blame them? They got a taste of something they'd never seen before."

"And now, the first match between contestants ChiChi and Chiaotzu will begin! Fighters, please make your way to the ring!" the announcer called.

Naruto turned to ChiChi "Good luck out there, ChiChi. And keep an eye out for Chiaotzu's telekinesis."

ChiChi gave him a confident nod, and as she walked toward the ring, Chiaotzu followed silently, floating along with an expression of pure focus. Both fighters took their positions in the ring, each sizing up the other. The crowd grew silent, as everyone awaited the match's start.

"So then, let the first match commence! Begin!"

Both ChiChi and Chiaotzu took their fighting stance. Chiatzu started to hover over the ring, making a few new crowd members gasp in surprise as they had never seen someone fly before. However, those who were present in the previous tournament only got more excited.

ChiChi immediately dashed toward her opponent and delivered a kick, but an invisible force halted her attack before it could reach Chiaotzu. He raised his hands, and a red hue enveloped ChiChi, lifting her off the ground in an attempt to force her out of the ring. However, she vanished.

ChiChi reappeared behind Chiaotzu and delivered a second kick to his back, but the outcome was identical to the first attempt.

"Tch, his telekinesis power is blocking my attacks.''

'She is fast. I can't get a hold of her. I have to keep my defense up.' Chiaotzu thought. Suddenly, ChiChi appeared before Chiaotzu with the intent to punch. He smirked, thinking he had her right where he wanted. However, his smirk quickly vanished as he realized the ChiChi in front of him was merely an afterimage.

ChiChi executed a roundhouse kick, sending Chiaotzu straight out of the ring. He quickly gathered himself and flew up into the sky. Before he could react, ChiChi appeared behind him and delivered a heel drop to his head, sending him crashing back down to the ring.

ChiChi watched as her opponent crash-landed, creating a small dust cloud. Suddenly, two large chunks of rock were hurled at her, but she dodged them with ease. Chiaotzu flew towards her at great speed, a Ki blast ready in his hand.

As soon as he reached her, ChiChi kicked the Ki blast out of his hand, causing it to explode far away. The two then began to exchange a barrage of kicks and punches.

"Hmm… Chiaotzu's doing well to use his telekinesis as a defense, but with ChiChi's speed, she is finding a way around it."

"But she's holding back," Bulma observed, her eyes fixed on the match.

"ChiChi's having a little trouble, Chiaotzu's height and telekinesis are slowing her down," Naruto remarked. "His psychic defenses are forcing her to keep adjusting her attacks."

Krillin shot Naruto a puzzled look. "But she's been attacking nonstop! How could she be struggling?"

"It's not easy fighting against an opponent you can't reach properly," Naruto explained. "Telekinesis takes a toll on energy, though. He can't keep it up forever."

"Which means ChiChi's gaining the upper hand, bit by bit…" Piccolo noted arms crossed as he analyzed the fighters' strategies. "If this keeps up, Chiaotzu won't last."

As predicted, ChiChi began to break through Chiaotzu's defenses. She dashed around him, outpacing his telekinesis, and landed a clean hit that sent him away. Without missing a beat, she released a flurry of Ki blasts, which exploded as they hit their target. The explosion caused smoke on the ring.

"BOOM" "Boom" BOOM"

"Whoa! Look at that, folks!" the announcer shouted as the crowd erupted. "ChiChi just delivered a powerful combo! Has Chiaotzu finally down?!"

Out of the smoke, Chiaotzu launched a spinning drill attack toward ChiChi, his body spinning like a deadly drill, striking her in the midsection. But she absorbed the blow with minimal reaction. Chiaotzu withdrew and spun around, preparing for another round.

"Not this time," she murmured, sidestepping his next move and delivering a solid kick. But just as she thought she had him, Chiaotzu grinned, and grabbed her leg with his legs, while his hands pointed at ChiChi's chest.

"Dodon Barrage!" he yelled, unleashing two Ki blasts. ChiChi braced herself, raising her energy to minimize the damage as the blasts engulfed her in an explosion, sending her crashing into the ring.

Chiaotzu, breathing heavily as he watched the dust settle away. "That should be enough…"

But as the dust smoke cleared, ChiChi appeared before him in an instant, unharmed. "Sorry, Chiaotzu," she said calmly, "but this fight's been in my favor from the start." With a powerful double-axe handle, she struck Chiaotzu, sending him crashing to the ring floor, where he lay motionless.

The announcer counted to ten, but Chiaotzu remained down."We have a winner! ChiChi takes the victory by knockout!" he announced, and the crowd exploded into cheers as ChiChi raised her fist in a victory sign.

"Poor Chiaotzu," Bulma said sympathetically. "I hope he's alright."

Roshi looked proud. "He's got grit, I'll give him that. And ChiChi… well, she's come a long way."

Blonde Launch chuckled, arms crossed. "That little bugger will be fine. I've seen Tien hit him harder than that!"

ChiChi left the ring, greeted by her friends. "You did great," Naruto said.

"Thanks, Naruto." She smiled back, then looked over her shoulder at Chiaotzu, a hint of worry in her eyes. "I hope I didn't hurt him too badly…"

"Don't worry. He'll be up and about before you know it." Naruto assured her, making her less worried.

…

"Now then, ladies and gentlemen, we will continue to the second match! A clash between Contestant Naruto and Contestant Yamcha! Please make your entrances!"

"Go easy on him!" ChiChi whispered to Naruto with a playful smile. Her voice was showing a hint of concern, aware of Naruto's overwhelming strength.

Naruto gave her a nod, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll end this quickly," making his way confidently to the ring.

On the other side, Yamcha stepped up, greeted by the enthusiastic cheers of Puar, who shouted encouragement for her friend. "Yamcha! Yamcha! You got this!"

Bulma watched from the sidelines, her arms crossed. "I kinda feel bad for Yamcha having to face Naruto. This'll be over in seconds," she muttered to Oolong, a smirk on her face.

Oolong grinned knowingly. "One hit is all it'll take."

Hearing their comments, Puar huffed, cheering for Yamcha even louder, clearly determined not to let her friend lose heart.

The announcer's voice roared over the crowd, "Let the match begin!"

Naruto didn't even bother taking a stance, he simply stared at Yamcha with a calm, almost indifferent look, like a lion sizing up a cub. Yamcha tensed, scanning Naruto closely, waiting for the slightest movement, expecting Naruto to strike first so he could counter and potentially knock him out of the ring. He knew overpowering Naruto was out of the question. The only chance he had was to catch him off guard.

Naruto tilted his head, almost amused. "Oh, you're waiting for me to make the first move, huh?" he asked. "You sure about that, Yamcha?"

Yamcha put on a cocky grin, trying to maintain his composure. "I'm waiting for you!" He sank into his Wolf Fang stance, motioning Naruto to attack.

Naruto smirked. "Fine. But don't blink."

Before Yamcha even had time to register the words, a solid hit met his chin, and his world spun as he was launched backward, skidding close to the edge of the ring. There were gasps from the audience, a stunned silence settling over them. No one can even register what happened.

"What... just happened?" Puar asked, wide-eyed.

"Too fast," Bulma muttered, barely believing her own words. She didn't even see Naruto move from his spot.

Yamcha staggered to his feet, his hand clutching his throbbing chin. "H-how...? I didn't even see you move!" His voice was thick with disbelief.

Naruto met his gaze with calm eyes. "Your mistake was assuming I'd fight on your terms. You couldn't even catch my subtle movements because you were too busy thinking."

Yamcha took a deep breath, the words sinking in. "You're right..." he replied, brushing a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Naruto's expression didn't change. "Good," he said simply, gesturing for Yamcha to come at him. "Attack me."

Yamcha gritted his teeth and launched himself forward, a barrage of strikes aimed at Naruto. But each punch, each kick, was dodged effortlessly, Naruto was not even moving from his spot.

The crowd was stunned as the announcer shouted, "Yamcha is attacking with incredible speed, but Naruto is dodging every strike with ease! Yamcha simply can't keep up!"

Naruto suddenly stepped aside and tripped Yamcha with his right leg, making him fall on his face embracingly. "You really should watch where you're stepping." He mocked. The crowd started to laugh a little at Yamcha.

'I said to be easy on him, not make a laughing stock out of him,' ChiChi thought.

Yamcha again got up and looked at Naruto who was standing there calmly, his both arms crossed over his chest. That made Yamcha angry. He again attacked Naruto, this time intending to strike his knees. But Naruto easily jumped, dodging effortlessly.

"Wolf Fang Fist." Yamcha delivered his signature move at Naruto. But the Saiyan again dodged all of his attacks quite easily. As time went by Naruto was getting very bored. He was thinking about how to end this fight without hurting Yamcha too much.

"Yamcha can't even lay a finger on Naruto!" Puar muttered, but Master Roshi shook his head, watching the exchange with resigned acceptance. "There's no use in cheering, Puar. Naruto's just too powerful."

Naruto let out a chuckle. "Take a breather, Yamcha. You look like you need it. I can wait," he teased.

Panting, Yamcha shot him a frustrated glare but quickly took a calming breath. He launched himself at Naruto, aiming for his midsection. Naruto sidestepped with an almost lazy movement, disappearing from view only to reappear directly above Yamcha.

"I'm here," he whispered, before delivering a firm kick to Yamcha's back, sending him sprawling across the ring once more. "You really shouldn't jump around unnecessarily. It makes it hard to dodge your opponent's attacks." The crowd gave Naruto a big round of applause.

"And Yamcha is down once again! Naruto's precision is absolutely incredible!"

Yamcha grunted as he pushed himself to his feet, his face etched with pain. "You're... treating me like... a kid...!" he muttered bitterly.

Naruto shook his head. "No, Yamcha. You've gotten stronger, I can see that. But I've grown much stronger than you can imagine. Train harder, and maybe one day, you'll close the gap." Naruto stepped back, putting his hands in his pockets. "Alright. Let's see your best shot. Give me everything you've got, no holding back."

Yamcha grinned, despite the pain. "You'll regret it," he said, summoning every ounce of energy left in him. He spread his arms, one palm open upwards with the other hand stabilizing his arm, a golden orange energy sphere forming in his open hand.

Naruto's eyes glinted with interest. "Concentrating ki, huh? Let's see what you've got."

The announcer leaned in, captivated, "Yamcha is preparing an ultimate technique! This match might be turning around, folks!" With the crowd's excitement, Naruto waited calmly.

"I was hoping to save this technique for when I really needed it," Yamcha muttered, his voice a mix of desperation as he eyed Naruto. "Didn't think I'd have to bring it out for this match… But you're giving me no choice. This is my Spirit Ball."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. "You made a new technique like that? Not bad, Yamcha."

Smirking, Yamcha replied, "Now, let's see you dodge this!" He launched the glowing ki sphere straight at Naruto. Its speed was fast, but Naruto sidestepped with ease, casually avoiding it.

"Ha!" Yamcha grinned, raising two fingers to control the sphere's path. The Ki ball quickly changed its direction and came at Naruto.

"What the…. " Naruto again dodged it. But Yamcha kept guiding the sphere at Naruto who kept dodging it.

ChiChi watched with growing amazement. "That's… actually impressive."

Piccolo nodded, crossing his arms. "For a week fighter, Yamcha's technique is quite complex. The control he's over Ki he is showing is very rare at his level."

"But even if he is able to hit Naruto with that ki ball, I am not sure it will do too much damage to Naruto," ChiChi said.

"Yes, That sphere contains a very low amount of ki. Probably for it not to go unstable, it is the only way Yamcha can control it without any problem." Piccolo said and ChiChi agreed.

Down in the ring, Naruto smirked, enjoying the challenge of dodging. "I have to admit, that's a pretty clever move, Yamcha. It's getting faster too."

But Naruto could see Yamcha straining to keep the sphere under control. His fingers wavered as he forced the sphere up, then sent it crashing down toward Naruto, but Naruto sidestepped once again. The Spirit Ball collided with the ring floor, leaving a smoking crater.

Naruto chuckled, hands on his hips. "Impressive work, Yamcha. You've definitely improved, but it's not enough to take me down."

"Are you sure about that?" Yamcha panted, forcing a grin.

Naruto cocked his head in slight confusion. But suddenly he felt ki under his foot. It was so sudden that he wasn't able to dodge it as the sphere came out of the ring and hit him staring under his chin and exploded. Smocks surrounded Naruto's form, preventing everyone from seeing what happened to Naruto.

"I did it… I was actually able to hit him!" Yamcha's voice was a mix of pride and disbelief.

When the smoke cleared, Naruto stood there, completely unfazed. In the blink of an eye, He shot forward and delivered a powerful punch to Yamcha's gut. Yamcha's eyes widened as he coughed up a bit of blood, shooting out of the ring and crashing onto the ground outside.

The crowd was silent, absorbing the moment, before erupting into wild cheers.

"Y-Yamcha?!" Puar squeaked, horrified.

The announcer, feeling a deja vu, took a moment before declaring, "Contestant Naruto wins the match!"

Naruto walked over to where Yamcha lay, offering his hand with a warm smile. Yamcha looked up, dazed but seeing the sincerity in Naruto's expression. Finally, he took the hand, letting Naruto pull him to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, steadying him.

Yamcha chuckled weakly. "Yeah, yeah… takes more than that to keep me down."

"Good," Naruto replied, his voice carrying genuine pride. "Let's get you to a medic."

As they walked, Yamcha looked down, his voice low. "Naruto… I never really stood a chance, did I?"

Naruto didn't sugarcoat it. "No, not really. But you did great out there, Yamcha. You made everyone look twice, even my Dad. When you used that technique, his jaw dropped."

"Really?" Yamcha murmured, eyes widening.

"Yeah, really," Naruto replied with a grin. "You even caught me off guard, and not many people can manage that. Think of this as a step forward, not a defeat. Keep training. You've got more potential than you think."

Yamcha managed a small smile as Naruto's words sank in. "Alright… maybe next time I'll actually make you work."

"Looking forward to it," Naruto said, clapping him on the shoulder as they continued toward the medical room.

"What sportsmanship !" The announcer said, " Even though Naruto defeated his opponent quite easily, he still helped his fellow martial artist."The crowd shouted, cheering for both warriors for the respect they showed one another.

…

As the crowd roared, the announcer's voice boomed across the arena. "Now, let's brace ourselves for Match #3! Competitors Krillin versus Piccolo! Fighters, please make your way to the ring!"

Piccolo was already waiting on the platform, arms crossed, an expression of calm determination on his face.

"Good luck, Krillin," ChiChi encouraged. Just then, Naruto and Tien joined her side. She turned to them. "How are Chiaotzu and Yamcha doing?"

"They're okay. Nothing serious," Naruto replied reassuringly. "Besides, I'll have Korin send some senzu beans, they'll be back to normal in no time." He then turned to Krillin, his expression became serious. "Listen, don't waste time trying to feel Piccolo's strength out. Go all out right from the start. He's strong, Krillin, and he won't hold back just because you're my friend."

"Is he really that powerful?" Krillin asked.

"Yes," Naruto confirmed, his tone grave. "And don't try any sneak attacks on him. Piccolo's a skilled sensor, he'll sense it before it lands. Focus on hitting hard and dodging even harder. Don't give him time to recover."

Taking in Naruto's advice, Krillin nodded. When the announcer called his name for the final time, Krillin steeled himself and climbed up the ring.

"Let the match begin!" the announcer declared.

Krillin got into his turtle fighting style. Piccolo, like Naruto, didn't take his fighting stance. Krillin stared at his opponent and suddenly thrusted both his hands at Piccolo and shot two Ki waves.

Piccolo's eyes widened in surprise as he jumped high into the air. To his astonishment, the Ki waves changed direction and chased him. Piccolo quickly shot his own ki beam from his eyes, causing both attacks to collide and explode, sending shockwaves through the arena.

Krillin suddenly appeared in front of Piccolo and delivered a hard punch. The Namekian, having anticipated the attack, dodged and swung his leg at his opponent. To his surprise, Krillin dodged and counter-attacked with a kick of his own, sending Piccolo hurtling away. Krillin swiftly landed back in the ring, while Piccolo recovered, still hovering in the air.

"Amazing! Krillin got a solid hit on Piccolo!" the announcer cried, as the crowd erupted with excitement. They expected this fight to be more exciting than the last match. And they got their wish fulfilled.

"I have to admit that was awesome,'' Naruto said and ChiChi nodded "He took Piccolo in surprise using Ki attacks from the beginning."

On the ring, Krillin, remembering Naruto's advice, didn't wait for Piccolo to recover. As soon as Piccolo came down on the ring. Krillin dashed to his opponent and started to trade blows after blows with Piccolo. The Namekian, on the other hand, tried to make some distance between him and Krillin. But Krillin's continuous attack stopped him from doing that.

Tien, watching from the sidelines, marveled, "He's using his size and speed to overwhelm Piccolo."

"Yes, due to his small body, Krillin is very fast in close combat," Naruto explained.

Piccolo quickly kicked and jumped into the air, finally making some distance. But Krillin jumped after him, with no intention of leaving his opponent for a second.

Suddenly, Piccolo's smirk "Right where I wanted," landed a solid hit drop on Krillin's head that sent him straight to the ground.

"Oh no, Krillin's falling out of bounds!" Oolong shouted, watching in horror. But to everyone's shock, Krillin composed himself in mid-air, hurtling back toward Piccolo with fierce resolve.

"Incredible. Krillin's resolve seems to have no bond as he keeps on fighting."

"Awesome! You got this, Krillin." Blond Launch shouted along with Bulma and Puar too cheered for the bald fighter.

Up in the air, Both Krillin and Piccolo made some distance after exchanging fury of attacks, and stared at each other, Krillin trying to find any opening "You've honestly surprised me. Your movements are fast. Let me show you a little, as an apology for underestimating you." Piccolo smirked.

"Show me a little of what?!"

"Glimpse of my true strength."

"Your true strength, huh? Sounds interesting!" Krillin took his fighting stance, eyes filled with fire "Bring it!"

Piccolo's eyes glowed red as aura surrounded his body. His muscles bulged out a little, power started to rise very quickly. When Piccolo was done powering up he smirked at Krillin.

Krillin felt the pressure of Piccolo's energy but didn't back down, instead, he powered up as well, a white aura blazing around him. His power climbed up at a rapid pace. That caught Piccolo by surprise, as he didn't think Krillin had this amount of power. Krillin was clearly suppressing his true power and now he was going all out.

"Both of them are powering up rapidly." Roshi said, "But I'm afraid Piccolo's power might be far greater than Krillin's."

Bulma glanced at him worriedly. "So… does Krillin even stand a chance of winning?"

"You will see in no time," Roshi's focused gaze observed the fighter's aura.

However, "Kick his green butt Krillin" Blond Launch shouted, Oolong trying to hold her back.

'Be careful Krillin.' The Saiyan observed the fight above, a little worried for his bald friend's safety. Piccolo was a very skilled fighter after all.

"Looks like things are heating up in the ring!" The announcer said, "But who will win?"

Krillin's fierce shout echoed through the arena as he flew towards Piccolo at lightning speed. Piccolo smirked and used his cape as a shield to block Krillin's attack. The cape frustrated Krillin, preventing him from landing a direct hit. Suddenly, the cape vanished, and Piccolo took advantage of Krillin's momentary shock, delivering an uppercut that sent him flying into the air.

Before Krillin could recover, Piccolo appeared above him and kicked him squarely in the midsection. Krillin plummeted toward the ring, but Piccolo relentlessly attacked, appearing below to kick him back into the air. Piccolo continued to teleport around Krillin, kicking him like a ragdoll. Barely able to regain his composure in mid-air, Krillin flew headfirst towards Piccolo.

"Gah!" Piccolo screamed in sudden pain as spit flew from his mouth. He hadn't expected Krillin to use a headbutt. Seizing the opportunity, Krillin landed several powerful hits on the Namekian, sending him hurtling away. Without wasting a second, Krillin unleashed a barrage of ki blasts, enveloping Piccolo in a massive explosion. A cloud of smoke and light obscured everyone's view of what had happened to Piccolo.

"Yes! Go, Krillin!" Tien cheered.

But Naruto's expression was wary. "Don't celebrate just yet. That won't be enough to stop Piccolo."

Krillin took a breather, waiting for the smoke to clear. Suddenly, two arms shot out of the smoke towards him, stretching like rubber and catching him by the legs. As the smoke cleared, Piccolo emerged, not too badly damaged by Krillin's attacks.

Piccolo then slammed Krillin into the ring using his stretched arms like a whip. Blood streamed from Krillin's nose as Piccolo lifted him again, throwing him high into the air before preparing his next move. Piccolo placed both hands above his head, palms facing Krillin, and shouted "Masenko!" A yellow-orange Ki ball was fired at Krillin.

Unable to dodge, Krillin tried to guard himself with his Ki. The explosion engulfed his vision, and the light was so intense that everyone covered their eyes. As the light faded, Krillin's body fell to the ring, creating a small crater. His orange gi was nearly destroyed, and multiple wounds covered his body, leaking blood.

"KRILLIN?!" Shouted all of his friends in worry.

"Content Krillin is down. I don't think he can get up anymore." The announcer said "We will start the count now. If he doesn't get up before the count ends then he will lose this match. One …. Two …. Three ..."

Piccolo landed on the ring waiting for the last count. His gaze fixed on Krillin's wounded body lying on the ring "Hope I didn't hurt him too much. Kami will chew me out for this."

"Four"

"Five"

To everyone's astonishment, Krillin began to stir, his fingers pressing into the tiles as he fought to push himself up. Shocking Piccolo. Even Naruto and ChiChi were surprised.

"Krillin you can do it." Shouted Oolong.

"Get up Krillin" Bulma and Launch cheered for their friend. Hearing them Cheering for Krillin the Crowd started to Shout and Cheer for Krillin too. Chanting of his name started to ring all over the stadium "KRILLIN KRILLIN " Clearly he was the underdog, trying to overcome all obstacles.

"Seven."

"Eight… Wait- Wait K-Krillinn has somehow managed to get back on his feet! "

Krillin, on his feet, breathing heavily "I'm not done yet" he panted,

Piccolo's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! How is he still standing?!"

Naruto grinned, the surprise present in his voice. "Now that's something! I didn't think he'd be able to get up after that."

ChiChi nodded, relieved for her friend. "That's Krillin for you. He may be small, but his will to fight is one of the strongest I've ever seen."

"Yeah! Go get 'em, Krillin! Show him what you've got!" Bulma and Launch cheered, their voices ringing loudly in the packed arena.

Krillin got on to his stance and started to power up again. Aura surrounded his body, flowing violently. Krillin screamed as he powered up even more and more. His body started to grow. His muscle mass increased as he got bigger and bigger.

"What the…?! When did Krillin learn to do that?" Naruto looked at ChiChi, who shrugged, just as surprised.

Tien was amazed, watching the transformation closely. "What kind of technique is that?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "That's my Dad's Max Power technique! It temporarily boosts physical strength and even gives the user a Ki boost." He couldn't help but smile, memories of seeing his Dad using the same transformation against him years ago flashing before him.

Krillin stopped screaming as he stood all bulked up, staring at Piccolo with new determination "I got to thank Master Roshi for this." Remembering Master Roshi using this technique against Naruto. It was a big surprise when He was told that it was Roshi who was disguised as Jackie that day.

With a fierce battle cry of "MAX POWER!" Krillin vanished, reappearing right in front of Piccolo. The Namekian barely had time to react as Krillin unleashed a barrage of punches, each one landing with more force than the previous. Piccolo was launched up to the sky, and Krillin chased after him.

Piccolo quickly snapped out of his shock and composed himself, narrowing his eyes as he and Krillin traded rapid blows, shockwaves spread around the stadium with every impact. The crowd couldn't even see what was going on as the two fighters kept on vanishing. They could only hear the sound of their clashes.

"Who is winning ?" Bulma asked

"It's hard to tell. Both of them seem evenly matched."

"Contestant Krillin And Contestant Piccolo are giving their best as nighter don't want to give up." The announcer said, "But it's hard to tell who is getting the upper hand."

Naruto looking at the sky smiled "Looks like Piccolo's finally decided to take Krillin seriously."

Tien felt another shockwave "What do you mean? They seem to be evenly matched, don't they?"

"Not quite," Naruto replied, his tone thoughtful. "Piccolo's still got more power than he's letting on. But look, he just threw off his weighted cape and turban. That's a sign he's ready to go all out."

Up in the sky, Krillin was losing stamina rapidly. His ki was almost depleted. He knew he didn't have much time left. "I have to finish this..."

Piccolo was able to uppercut Krillin and send him higher in the sky. Krillin took this chance and cupped his hands to his left side to charge up his attack. Blue ki ball appeared in his hands. Just as Piccolo appeared in front of him Krillin fried his attacked "KAMEHAMEHA"

Krillin smirked, seeing his attack hit Piccolo's head-on. But his smirk quickly fell when Piccolo disappeared "Afterimage?!" He canceled out his attack. Suddenly hundreds of Small ki blasts surrounded him, giving him no room to escape.

Piccolo appeared a few distances away from him "Handle this if you can. Light hell grenade," All the Ki blasts exploded around Krillin. The blasts closed in on him, each detonating in a blinding series of explosions. Krillin's friends watched, horrified, as the blasts shrouded the sky in blinding light.

As the light faded, Krillin's unconscious body fell from the sky, bloodied and torn, his orange gi barely holding together. Just before he could hit the ground, Piccolo caught him, lowering him gently to the ring floor. He put his body on the ring and called the announcer to check on Krillin.

The announcer quickly ran to Krillin's body and checked if he was in any condition to fight. "Contestant Krillin is unconscious! He is unable to continue. The winner of this match is Piccolo!"

The crowd erupted in applause, both for Piccolo's victory and Krillin's incredible resolve.

"Krillin really gave it his all out there," Bulma murmured.

"Yeah, that baldie's got guts," Launch added with a proud grin.

"I just hope he's not hurt too bad," Oolong whispered.

Naruto sighed, a small smile on his face. "Krillin… you did great." ChiChi couldn't agree more.

As the crowd's cheers filled the stadium, Master Roshi sat quietly, feeling a deep sense of pride. Krillin had come a long way. "Who would've thought?" he remembered the day the bald little boy had stumbled onto his island.

Flashback

Krillin leaped from the small boat, barely managing to land on the shore before flipping headfirst into the sand. His head got stuck, legs kicking wildly as he tried to free himself.

ChiChi burst out laughing, unable to hold it in. "Who is this goofball?" she giggled, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

Roshi raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "No idea, but he's certainly got spirit. ChiChi, help him out."

Still chuckling, ChiChi walked over to the kid and tugged on his legs until his head popped free of the sand with an audible "plop!" Dusting off his bald head, the boy straightened up and smiled at her, bowing gratefully.

"Thank you!" the boy said before turning his attention to Roshi. "You must be the great Master Roshi!"

Roshi stroked his beard, intrigued by the kid's confidence. "People do say that, yes," he replied nonchalantly.

The kid bowed even lower, showing deep respect. "My name is Krillin, and I've come from a village far to the east. Please, Master Roshi, allow me to train under you!"

Flashback End

Watching Krillin's strength and resolve today, Roshi couldn't help but smile. "You've surprised me, kid," he murmured proudly to himself.

Meanwhile, Naruto hurried to the ring, gently lifting Krillin's battered body and carrying him off to the medical area. "Krillin needs treatment fast," he told the others. "I'll heal him a little with Ki to stabilize him, but he's in rough shape. Sorry, Tien, I might miss your match."

"Don't worry about my match. Krillin needs healing."

ChiChi stepped forward. "Should I come too?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, stay here and keep an eye on things. If Tao tries anything underhanded, step in." She nodded firmly, understanding her role.

As Naruto left with Krillin, the announcer informed the audience, "It will take some time to repair the ring, so please bear with us until the next match!"

…

Half an hour later, Krillin was still unconscious on a bed in the medical bay. Naruto sat at his side, hands glowing blue as he healed his friend's wounds. The healing technique Kami had once taught him came in handy now, though he'd resisted learning it back then.

"Never thought you'd get this strong, Krillin," Naruto said to himself.

Krillin's eyes started to open, and he groaned, feeling phantom pain all over his body. "Wha… Naruto? What happened? Did I win?" Jolting up, looking straight at the Saiyan.

"Take it easy, big guy," Naruto chuckled, pushing him back onto the bed. "You fought hard, but yeah… you lost."

Krillin's stomach dropped, and he clenched the bed sheets tightly. "I let Master Roshi down… I trained so hard, and for what? Just to lose again?"

Naruto sighed "Krillin, you're human, not some unstoppable force. Saiyans, Namekians… yeah, we might have some advantages, but even we fall sometimes. It's what you do after that matters. Think of this loss as a wall, a new challenge to break through."

Krillin shook his head, and couldn't accept his defeat. "But… all these years of training, all that hard work… Master Roshi would be so disappointed."

Naruto's expression hardened, and he bonked Krillin's head. "Idiot! Did you really learn nothing from Dad except how to punch things? He doesn't care about wins or losses, he cares about how you pick yourself back up. Do you think he's never lost a fight? I've lost to him many times, and you don't see me sulking!"

Slowly, the realization hit Krillin. "You're right… what was I thinking?" he thought of Master Roshi. "If he knew I was acting like this…"

"He'd probably launch you all the way back to Kame House!" Naruto laughed. "Listen, Krillin, you made everyone proud. You put up one hell of a fight. And let me tell you, Dad looked damn proud of you."

Krillin's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Naruto nodded. "Believe it. Now, rest up. Yamcha and Chiaotzu are in the next room if you need anything. We will be after the tournament to pick you guys."

As Naruto stood to leave, Krillin called after him. "Just… don't forget about me, okay? You might get distracted if Bulma gives you 'the look'."

Naruto acted like he got offended, crossing his arms. "Hey now, I'm not that bad!"

Krillin just chuckled. "Yeah, sure. Well… thanks, Naruto. Really." Naruto waved as he exited the room, leaving the bald student of Master Roshi to rest.

Finished

Power Level

Naruto:? (Age: 21)

Piccolo:65000 (Age:5. It Will Be 5 in a few months.)

Bulma: 3000 (Age : 22)

ChiChi:? (Age: 21)

Krillin: 28000 Max power 45000 (Age: 19)

Tien:?(Age: 24)

Chiaotzu: 4000( Age : 18)

Yamcha: 3000 (Age: Dont care )

Tao:?

Domination Multiplier (What will happen If the Opponent is X time stronger and the effect on the battle?)

1.25x: The opponent can be defeated.

1.5x: The opponent starts to dominate but still has a chance to be defeated.

1.75x: The opponent easily dominates.

2x: The opponent can tank and effortlessly win.

2.25x and above: Opponent can easily one-shot.