"Hahaha! Big Brother Zeru, one day I'll definitely surpass you!!"
Facing Zeru's praise, Goku laughed loudly, clenching his fists as his fighting spirit surged.
Zeru simply smiled in response.
For Goku to surpass him… that was likely impossible.
Goku might be the protagonist of the Dragon Ball world, but Zeru was no ordinary existence either. If Goku was the protagonist in the spotlight, then Zeru was the one in the shadows.
His growth, too, had no limits.
Soon, Zeru and the others entered the World Martial Arts Tournament arena.
After registering, all participants waited inside the venue.
Zeru scanned the surroundings. There weren't many contestants this time.
At a glance, including himself, there were only around seventy or eighty people.
"That's… Piccolo!"
Suddenly, Zeru spotted a green-skinned, cold-looking figure. Who else could it be?
What surprised him was Piccolo's power level—it had reached 5,000.
In the original story, Piccolo at this stage only had around 322 power level.
Now, it had increased drastically. Though surprising, it was also somewhat expected, considering how much Goku himself had changed.
Clearly, this Dragon Ball world had already diverged from the original timeline. Many characters now had significantly different power levels.
Looking around again, Zeru noticed a young girl—Chi-Chi, the daughter of the Ox-King.
He wasn't sure if Goku had made the same promise to her as in the original story, but judging by the way she occasionally looked at Goku with a resentful expression, he could guess something had happened.
Soon, the preliminary matches began.
After about an hour, they ended, and the top eight fighters were decided.
In the original, the top eight were Tao Pai Pai, Tien, Chi-Chi, Goku, Piccolo, Krillin, Kami, and Yamcha.
But now, things had changed.
Tao Pai Pai and Kami were absent.
Taking their places were Zeru, and another unknown participant with a power level of around 100—fairly strong for this stage.
The quarterfinal matchups were quickly drawn.
Zeru replaced Tao Pai Pai in facing Tien, while the unknown contestant was matched against Yamcha.
At that moment, in the backstage waiting room—
"Tien… good luck!"
Goku coughed awkwardly, then patted Tien's shoulder with a heavy expression.
Tien had entered the tournament to improve himself, but who could have expected him to face Zeru right away?
This wasn't just a loss—it could be a devastating blow.
"…"
Tien was speechless.
In the original, his power level had been around 280. Now, he was far stronger, reaching 1,800.
That level was enough to compete with Krillin or Yamcha.
But against Zeru?
There was no comparison.
Still, no matter how clear the outcome was, Tien wouldn't surrender.
Losing on the stage still preserved some dignity.
Giving up without a fight? That would be true humiliation.
Soon, the first quarterfinal match began.
Zeru vs. Tien!
As the two stepped onto the stage, the host hyped up the crowd, and the audience erupted with excitement.
"The contestants are ready! Audience, are you ready?! The quarterfinals… begin now!"
The moment the host finished speaking, Tien moved.
To the ordinary audience, his speed was almost invisible.
But to Zeru—
It was far too slow.
Bang!
Without moving from his spot, Zeru casually raised his hand and delivered a single slap.
The next instant—
Tien was smashed into the ground.
With Zeru's level of control, suppressing his power was effortless.
Even though he had lowered his power level to around 1,800, the concentrated force in that single strike far exceeded it.
Thus, with just one slap—
Tien lost consciousness instantly.
"This…?!"
The host stood frozen, completely dumbfounded.
Wait a second!
Didn't the match just start?!
How was it already over?!