c12: Yamcha, Struck by a Psychological Shadow
"Li Xu, you're amazing! You made it to the quarterfinals so easily," Bulma said proudly as she greeted him outside the arena. She had already seen the results on the tournament board and was brimming with excitement.
"Well, it's only natural for the man Bulma likes," Li Xu chuckled as he pulled Bulma into a hug. Her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and happiness.
"I made you a martial arts uniform," Bulma added with a grin. After seeing Goku and Krillin wearing matching Turtle School uniforms, she had custom-ordered one for Li Xu too.
It was bright red, styled similarly to the traditional Kame-Sen'nin martial arts gi, but with a personal twist. Instead of Master Roshi's "Kame" symbol, it bore the character "武" (Martial) on the chest and back.
"Do you like it?" Bulma asked, watching his reaction closely.
"I love it!" Li Xu smiled, slipping it on. Compared to his regular clothes, it definitely felt more fitting for the tournament battlefield.
...
The finals of the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai were about to begin. The arena was packed, cheers echoing across the venue. The first match: Li Xu vs. Yamcha.
"Contestants Li Xu and Yamcha, please come to the ring!" the host announced energetically, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
"Li Xu, we finally meet in a real match," Yamcha said as he stepped into the ring, brimming with confidence. He'd trained hard in the desert and was unaware of how far Li Xu and Goku had come.
"You'd better hurry. Every fighter I've beaten falls further and further behind," Li Xu replied calmly. Yamcha's current strength couldn't pose a challenge to him he knew the gap would only widen from here.
"Go, Li Xu!" Bulma shouted from the stands, fists clenched in support.
"Hey Goku, how strong is that Yamcha guy?" Krillin asked as they climbed a nearby wall for a better view.
"He's strong, but not enough to beat Li Xu," Goku replied confidently.
"He looks impressive, though," Krillin muttered, watching Yamcha's focused stance.
Da-da-da…
Yamcha made the first move, charging forward with swift footwork and rapid strikes. But to Li Xu, every movement was sluggish and riddled with openings.
Boom!
With minimal effort, Li Xu delivered a clean punch to Yamcha's gut as he approached. Yamcha's body froze mid-attack, his face twisting in pain as he clutched his stomach, about to vomit.
"Wow… just how strong is he?" Master Roshi muttered backstage, astonished. Li Xu's power was on a completely different level than when they'd last crossed paths.
"Well done, Li Xu!" Bulma cheered, jumping with joy as she saw Yamcha stagger.
Still, Li Xu didn't follow up with another attack. Instead, he waited, giving Yamcha a chance to fight back.
"Come at me with everything you've got. At least that way, you'll lose without regrets," he said coolly, not even considering Yamcha a true threat.
"Damn it…!" Yamcha growled, wiping his mouth.
"Wolf Fang Fist!"
He lunged forward like a wild beast, fists blurring in a zigzag rush the iconic technique he was known for.
"No better move? Then I'll beat you with your own," Li Xu said with a slight smirk.
"Wolf Fang Fist!"
To everyone's shock, Li Xu copied Yamcha's technique on the spot only far faster and sharper. His strikes tore through the air like a storm.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His punches crashed into Yamcha like a rain of hammers. The desert bandit had no time to react each blow landed with crushing precision.
Bang!
Finally, with a powerful uppercut, Li Xu sent Yamcha flying out of the ring.
"W-why do you know the Wolf Fang Fist…?" Yamcha gasped, trembling as he lay outside the ring.
"Something that simple? I picked it up just by watching," Li Xu replied, not even bothering to pretend he found it impressive.
Yamcha's eyes widened in disbelief. Those words, more than the defeat itself, shattered his spirit.
He fainted on the spot defeated not just in body, but in confidence his ego dealt a blow that would linger long after the tournament ended.
After all the intense training he had gone through, Yamcha couldn't believe he was defeated so easily by Li Xu. What hit him hardest wasn't just the loss, but that his prized Wolf Fang Fist, a technique he had honed as his signature move, had been copied and mastered by Li Xu in an instant.
"Master Yamcha!" Puar cried out in distress. As soon as she saw Yamcha collapse outside the ring, she flew over and quickly carried him off to receive treatment.
"Contestant Li Xu wins!" the announcer finally declared, snapping out of his daze. The match had ended too quickly for him to comment in real time, and only after seeing Yamcha carried off did he regain his composure.
After his victory, Li Xu lightly hopped off the ring and made his way back to Bulma.
"Li Xu, you're incredible!" Bulma exclaimed, her eyes shining with pride and excitement, as if she herself had just claimed the victory.
"Then how about a little reward tonight?" Li Xu said teasingly, a sly smile curling on his lips.
"Not yet," Bulma replied, blushing while casting a quick glance around, afraid someone might hear. She worried for a moment that Li Xu might be displeased.
Li Xu leaned in and whispered something softly into Bulma's ear. Upon hearing it, her cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red, but she gave a small nod and said, "Okay."
...
The tournament continued as the crowd roared.
The second quarterfinal match featured Master Roshi, disguised as Jackie Chun, facing off against Krillin. Although Krillin had improved significantly under Roshi's training at the Turtle School, the experience gap was too wide. Master Roshi used subtle techniques, speed, and clever tactics to defeat Krillin cleanly.
In the third match, Ranfan, the seductive female fighter, attempted to distract Son Goku by using her charm and removing part of her outfit mid-fight. However, Goku, completely innocent and unaware of such tactics, was unaffected. He simply dodged her slow attacks and sent her flying out of the ring with a single blow.
The final quarterfinal bout was between Namu and the Bacterian, a fighter infamous for his unbearable body odor. Most fighters couldn't even get close to him without fainting. However, Namu endured the stench with focused willpower and struck back with powerful aerial attacks. Ultimately, he knocked Bacterian out of the ring and advanced to the semifinals.
As the quarterfinals came to a close, the sun dipped below the horizon. With darkness settling over the arena, the host declared the day's matches concluded. The semifinals and final would take place the following day.
That evening, Li Xu and Bulma returned to their hotel. Though their bond deepened further that night, the couple remained within the bounds of youthful affection and mutual respect.
When the morning sun rose, Li Xu awoke refreshed, with Bulma beside him. They made their way back to the tournament grounds, where the air buzzed with anticipation for the day's final rounds.
Today's first semifinal match was set to be Li Xu vs. Jackie Chun who was actually Master Roshi in disguise. Li Xu had been looking forward to this fight.
Though Roshi's raw power was lower than Li Xu's, the old master's experience, strategy, and famous techniques like the Afterimage Technique, Thunder Shock Surprise, and even the powerful Max Power Kamehameha made him a formidable opponent. Li Xu especially respected Roshi's Evil Containment Wave (Mafuba) a technique ideal for sealing regenerative enemies but he knew Roshi wouldn't risk using it in a tournament setting.
"Good luck, Li Xu!" Bulma cheered from the stands, waving to him.
"If I win, do I get another reward tonight?" Li Xu teased, casting her a playful glance.
Bulma immediately thought of their time together the previous evening. Her face turned bright red as she gave him a flustered glare and muttered, "You're such a tease…"
Li Xu laughed warmly. He loved seeing this softer, more bashful side of her.
"Alright, alright. I'll behave… for now," he said with a wink, turning his focus back to the ring.
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