"Eh? A heartless jerk? Could it be that she's a girl Goku abandoned?" Saya and the other girls were instantly shocked.
"This is outrageous! That guy Goku really has ridiculous luck with women, huh?" Backstage, Krillin and Yamcha were practically green with envy.
"Haven't you had enough yet? I already told you I'd marry you!" At this point, Goku was getting a little annoyed. Talking about something like this in front of so many people was seriously embarrassing!
"You want me to be a side chick? No way! Beat me first, then we'll talk!"
"I think ending this match early would be best," Goku nodded and said, "Alright then, you'd better be careful!" With that, he casually waved his hand, sending a gentle burst of energy that swept Chi-Chi off her feet and sent her flying out of the ring—though she landed safely on the ground.
"I never expected you to become this strong... You really are worthy of being my husband!" Chi-Chi climbed back onto the ring, looking at Goku with a face full of surprise.
"You're not mad anymore?" Goku's eyes lit up.
"A great man having multiple wives isn't a big deal! But I absolutely refuse to be a side chick!" Chi-Chi blushed, her face full of shyness.
"No problem! If you want to be the main girl, that's fine too!" Goku laughed heartily. As far as he was concerned, his women were all equal anyway!
"You've got to be kidding me. That's all it took?" Backstage, Krillin and the others watched as Chi-Chi happily clung to Goku's arm, completely dumbfounded. "Even a legendary playboy wouldn't be this smooth!"
In the third match, Krillin easily defeated Yajirobe in an instant. In the fourth match, Yamcha directly forfeited, giving Cryos a free pass to the next round!
Now, it was time for the semi-finals. The first match: Goku vs. Tien Shinhan.
Tien Shinhan did not surrender—he wanted to have a proper match with Goku. However, he was mercilessly defeated in an instant! The crushing loss left him deeply frustrated. The last time they fought, they were evenly matched. But now, just a few years later, he was getting one-shot?!
Goku hadn't intended to humiliate Tien Shinhan like this, but he was already eager to fight Cryos!
The second semi-final match: Krillin Vs Cryos.
Like Yamcha, Krillin knew when to step back and forfeited the match, leaving the final battle to Goku and Cryos.
"I had a lot of fun just now! I hope you won't disappoint me, Son Goku!" Cryos stood across from Goku, his face still wearing that eerily fake smile.
"Hey, can we fight somewhere else? Don't you think this place is a bit small?" Goku's excitement was palpable—he was thrilled to finally meet a strong opponent.
Cryos nodded. "I was thinking the same thing! This is a planet I value, and I don't want it destroyed in our battle. Besides, I know the perfect place for our fight! Now then, can you keep up?"
With that, Cryos pressed two fingers to his forehead and vanished in an instant.
"Huh? Where did that guy suddenly disappear to?" A wave of murmurs and speculation rippled through the crowd.
"Instant Transmission? So that guy can use it too! This is getting interesting!" Goku placed his fingers on his forehead, concentrated for a moment, and then—whoosh!—he disappeared as well.
"Was that Instant Transmission just now? Did Goku just leave Earth?" Yuriko furrowed her brows.
"It seems like this opponent is no joke..." Saeko's expression turned serious, and the other girls also showed hints of worry.
Meanwhile, the tournament venue erupted into chaos due to the sudden disappearance of both fighters. Ultimately, the officials had no choice but to disqualify them and proceed with the consolation matches for third place.
Their battlefield was a desolate, uninhabited planet. "Uninhabited" meaning there was no life whatsoever—just a barren, rocky wasteland.
Cryos narrowed his eyes at Goku, who had suddenly appeared before him. "So, you've mastered Instant Transmission to this extent."
Goku grinned. "Yeah, it's pretty useful. But I gotta say, I wasn't expecting you to use it too!"
Cryos smirked. "I have you to thank for that—I picked it up after seeing you use it when you destroyed my home planet."
"You learned it just from seeing me do it?!" Goku looked stunned. "It took me days of practice! That's just unfair!"
"Is it really that hard? As long as you grasp the flow of energy, it's actually quite simple." Cryos glanced around. "So, what do you think of this battlefield? This planet is entirely composed of solid rock and rare minerals—it's sturdy enough to withstand our battle. But I must say, I'm surprised you don't seem affected by the environment. You do realize there are none of the substances necessary for living beings to survive here, right?"
"This place is perfect for a fight... Alright! Enough talking—let's get started!"
With that, Goku instantly transformed into a Super Saiyan. His golden aura erupted around him, radiating overwhelming power.
"So this is a Super Saiyan? Interesting... I never imagined a mere monkey could undergo such a transformation."
Cryos's expression remained calm, unfazed by Goku's surging energy.
"Heh! Calling me a monkey? I see you look down on Saiyans too! Well then, I'll make sure you never forget us!" Goku snorted coldly, stomping the ground as he launched himself forward with a powerful punch.
"You sure are impatient, huh?" Cryos smirked as he lightly pushed off the ground, effortlessly dodging backward. Goku's punch missed and slammed into the ground—BOOM!—yet it only left a shallow crater a few meters wide. The sheer durability of this planet's rock was astounding.
"Tch... This planet is tough! Looks like it's got some valuable minerals. I'll have to take some back later!" Goku marveled before charging at Cryos again.
Their battle raged on, shaking the skies and shattering the ground. The two figures clashed mid-air, then rocketed toward the surface, trading blows at breakneck speed. Even this incredibly sturdy planet was being torn apart by their fight.
Then—
Crack!
Cryos's barbed tail suddenly shot toward Goku's head. Reacting just in time, Goku ducked, barely avoiding the deadly strike. The tail, however, plunged deep into the rocky ground. As the barbs twisted, the solid rock was shredded like tofu. The sheer sharpness of his tail was terrifying.
At the same time, Cryos's right hand thrust forward, bathed in golden energy, piercing straight toward Goku's chest like a sword!
Splurt!
Blood splattered through the air.
Though Goku had avoided Cryos's tail, he couldn't react in time to the follow-up attack. Cryos's hand tore through his chest, making Goku spit out a mouthful of blood. The searing pain drained the color from his face.
Cryos smirked victoriously. "So this is the power of a Super Saiyan? Not that impressive after all."
"Underestimating your opponent can be a real disaster!" Goku grinned, baring his teeth. Clenching his fists tightly, he launched a powerful punch straight at Cryos' temple. The force of their clash caused the ground beneath them to crack and splinter!
"Argh!!" Cryos let out a pained cry as dizziness overwhelmed him. Instinctively, he withdrew his right hand and hurled Goku away. Droplets of blood trickled from his fingers.
The reason Goku's attack was so effective was simple—it had struck Cryos' weak spot. His entire body was covered in tough, scale-like armor, granting him immense defense. However, his head remained unprotected, and the temple was a natural weak point. That was why Goku's strike had such a devastating impact!
"Heh! That didn't feel too good, did it?" Goku wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He glanced at the hole in his chest, which was rapidly healing, and couldn't help but sigh. This immortality of his was incredible, but damn, it hurt like hell!
Understanding the principle of "strike while the iron is hot," Goku wasted no time. He immediately powered up to Super Saiyan 2, his aura crackling with lightning. In a flash, he closed the distance, unleashing a relentless barrage of punches!
Yet, despite the sheer ferocity of his assault, it did little to damage Cryos. Instead, Goku's own fists were left battered and bloody! Cryos' scales were as sharp as blades, and in his frenzied attack, Goku's hands had been shredded, leaving them covered in deep cuts.
The moment Cryos recovered from his dizziness, a terrifyingly cold energy erupted from him. With a powerful swing of his tail, he sent Goku flying. The Saiyan crashed into a distant rock formation, shattering it on impact before finally coming to a stop.
Groaning, Goku pushed himself out of the rubble, shivering involuntarily. He looked down at his torn-up chest and bloodied fists, now coated in frost. His expression turned grim. That last attack had ripped chunks of flesh from his torso, thanks to the barbs on Cryos' tail. But what shocked him even more was the aura radiating from Cryos.
At this moment, his opponent's energy… was surpassing that of his Super Saiyan 2 form!
And it wasn't just raw power—Cryos' energy carried an eerie, bone-chilling cold. The surrounding rocks were now covered in a thick layer of ice. Goku had no idea how low the temperature had dropped, but for the first time in a long while, even he could feel the cold.
"Surprised?" Cryos didn't launch another attack. Instead, he smirked and began explaining, "I forgot to tell you. Like Frieza and the others, I'm also a Mutant among our race. But unlike them, my mutation is different—I was born covered in scales, and even my energy carries an innate coldness. As my power grew, so did the icy energy within me… until eventually, I lost control. The cold I had once prided myself on ended up freezing me completely! I was trapped in ice for thousands of years—a cruel irony, wouldn't you say?"
Cryos' smirk faded, and his eyes darkened. "But for that, I have you to thank. Your immense power didn't just destroy the planet—it also shattered the ice that imprisoned me. The intense heat from the explosion, combined with your blast, melted the cold that had consumed me from the inside out.
"Of course, the real reason I was freed was that, after being frozen for so long, my body had adapted. Now, I can fully control my energy without the risk of being sealed in ice again!"
Goku's eye twitched as he pointed an accusing finger at Cryos. "So let me get this straight—you keep saying you're grateful that I saved you… yet you still want to kill me?! Are you insane?"
Cryos' friendly smile twisted into an expression of pure malice. His eyes burned with a chilling killing intent. "Yes, I am grateful. But I also despise you. Because of you, I was forced to experience something I never had before—absolute helplessness and fear. That moment was the greatest humiliation of my life. And for that, I will kill you!"
Goku rolled his eyes. "Great, another lunatic with an oversized ego. Fine! Less talking, more fighting! Let's see which one of us makes it out alive!"
He readied himself for another round, his body tense and prepared to strike.
Cryos briefly glanced at Goku's chest, now fully healed, and raised an eyebrow. "So, you can regenerate…? Is that a trait exclusive to Super Saiyans?"
Goku scoffed. Like hell he was going to be like those dumb anime characters who blurted out their abilities and let their enemies find their weaknesses. He wasn't about to hand Cryos any advantages.
_____
T/N:
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