"So many people!" Goku's eyes sparkled as he exclaimed in excitement.
The little guy walked ahead of Taro and the others, his tail swaying energetically from side to side. Taro and Gohan followed behind, both wearing knowing smiles. Perhaps that was Goku's charm—just looking at this child filled them, as his elders and mentors, with a sense of joy and comfort.
The place was bustling with people!
Camera flashes were going off everywhere!
Martial artists in all kinds of outfits were scattered across the venue! Everyone was eager to show off their skills, filled with ambition—some were young and full of vigor, others older and more composed. Some paced excitedly, others chatted animatedly with companions, a few were giving interviews in front of cameras, and some sat alone in the corners, silently focusing before the battles ahead... Every single martial artist was eyeing the qualifying spots in their respective arenas.
This year's preliminary hall had been divided into eight large zones, each containing two medium-sized rings, labeled A and B. That made sixteen total rings at the venue! Over the course of the day, these sixteen rings would each produce one qualifier—sixteen in total—to compete in tomorrow's elimination tournament on the massive outdoor arena in West City, which would be broadcast live to the entire world.
Since Goku's number was 505A, Taro and the others went directly to Ring A in Zone 5. By then, nearly a hundred competitors had already gathered around the ring, waiting for the matches to begin. All the contestants competing for the sole qualifying spot on Ring 5A turned their attention toward them.
Neither Taro nor Gohan paid the attention they were receiving any mind, though Hathaway was musing to herself. Ever since the first tournament, the phoenix had never come back to watch another one, except for the first three times when Gohan had dominated the finals for ten consecutive tournaments. From the way it acted, it was probably looking down on the level of competition now.
Hathaway, on the other hand, often dragged Taro along to watch the tournament each year. After all, life on the island could get a bit dull, and even though they'd traveled to many planets across the universe, none of them necessarily had more to offer than Earth. Sometimes she just wanted to roam the Earth with her husband—it was a way to relax and enjoy life.
Back to the martial artists around Ring 5A—most of them had shifted their focus onto Taro and Gohan. These were seasoned fighters who had come from all over with high hopes. Even if they couldn't quite gauge the strength of these two, they could feel the air of mystery and power around them. But strangely enough, neither of them was wearing a number badge.
"What do you think, old man?" A martial artist standing on the edge of Ring 5A quietly asked the older man next to him while watching Taro and Gohan. Though cautious, he still spoke with confidence.
"It's hard to tell without seeing them in action. You can't judge skill just by appearance, and they're not even wearing specialized martial arts uniforms…" The man he asked was an elderly fighter with a face full of wrinkles. His expression was serious and upright as he carefully observed the two across from him and offered his thoughts.
The young man next to the elder chuckled. "If they're really competing on this ring, I think I'll steer clear. Why don't you, a master of the tower, take care of eliminating them for us?"
"Admitting defeat before the fight—you've already lost," the old man replied sternly, shaking his head. "As a martial artist, that kind of mindset is unacceptable… As for those two, they might be worth me going all out." His eyes flashed as he added, "Let's see what their number badge says…" But then, he suddenly stopped speaking, eyes fixed in shock at the opposite side.
"What's wrong?" the man beside him followed his gaze.
Gohan's ears twitched—he'd heard their whispered conversation from across the ring. He gave the two men a meaningful glance. That single look made their scalps tingle. What the hell? This place was so loud, and yet this old guy had somehow heard them talking across the ring? That had to be a joke, right?! But the look in his eyes… it was no joke at all.
Taro completely ignored the two nameless fighters and turned to Gohan. "Alright, enough. Don't bother with them. Give Goku the number badge."
"I was just upset they were being disrespectful to you, Master…" Gohan said as he stroked his white beard and reached into his robe.
"Were they really being disrespectful to me?" Taro asked.
"Comparing you to themselves with such arrogance—how is that not disrespectful?" Gohan replied matter-of-factly, handing the number badge to his little grandson.
"You really are something else," Taro said with a shake of his head.
Hathaway listened to the master and disciple's exchange with great amusement.
Goku turned back, took the badge, looked at the other competitors' numbers pinned to their chests, and mimicked them by attaching the 505A badge to his own shirt. Since the left side of his chest already had the character "Son" written on it, he pinned the number to the right side.
Jaw-dropping!
The nearby contestants who had been watching Taro's group were stunned! Some of the less composed ones were so shocked they nearly fell over... Was this a joke?! The competitor wasn't one of the two mysterious, formidable-looking men—but that half-grown kid?!
The old man across the ring was now filled with uncertainty, mumbling to himself, "What is this? Just a single glance from him… and I felt like I couldn't match him?" Before he knew it, a cold sweat had broken out on his back.
Goku, innocent and carefree as ever, didn't care about the stares he was getting. He looked around with an excited and curious expression, already eager to spar with the people around him!
Soon, a gong rang throughout the venue. Thirty-two referees dressed in black uniforms walked in one after another through the designated entrances. Sixteen of them carried cardboard boxes with fist-sized holes—clearly for drawing lots.
The referees quickly split into pairs and moved to the sixteen rings spread across the eight zones. They instructed the nearby competitors to come show their number badges and sign in. Anyone who failed to check in before the matches began would be disqualified.
At Ring 5A, when little Goku tiptoed to show his number badge to the referee behind the registration desk, everyone nearby had strange looks on their faces. Some thought it was amusing, others looked bored, and a few found it absurd but couldn't help smiling helplessly.
"Hey kid, are you sure you really want to compete?" the referee asked kindly.
Goku, lying on the ground with his tail flicking back and forth, was busy writing his name carefully on the sign-in sheet. He stood up, handed it back to the referee, and asked curiously, "Why? Am I not allowed to?"