c13: The Shocking Palm of Ten Thousand Nations
"Let's welcome the fighters Li Xu and Jackie Chun to the ring!" the announcer called out with his usual enthusiasm.
Li Xu and Master Roshi, disguised as Jackie Chun, both leapt onto the tournament stage with ease.
"Old man, don't disappoint me. Show me what the so-called Martial Arts Master is really capable of," Li Xu said with a smirk.
"I figured you'd seen through my disguise already," Roshi replied, his tone serious for once. "You're one of the finest martial artists I've ever met—even more promising than Son Goku. But I hope you always retain the true spirit of martial arts."
"Save the lecture," Li Xu said casually. "I didn't come here for philosophy I came for a fight."
"Very well!" Master Roshi said, spreading his feet into a fighting stance, arms raised and alert.
Li Xu remained perfectly still, showing no intent to move just yet.
Tap tap tap…
Suddenly, Master Roshi dashed forward and began circling Li Xu rapidly, his incredible speed leaving multiple images behind him, disorienting to the untrained eye.
"Wha—what's going on?! There are several Jackie Chun's in the ring!" the announcer gasped, the crowd bursting into excited cheers.
The announcer, ever passionate, added more energy to the match. Even Li Xu had to admit, the guy was committed to his job.
"Afterimage Technique," Li Xu muttered with a slight grin.
Whoosh!
Li Xu launched a kick at one of the "Jackie Chuns"—but it passed clean through the illusion. A decoy.
"Now's my chance!" Master Roshi thought as he came from behind and swung a precise chop toward Li Xu's neck.
But just like Roshi's illusion, Li Xu's body flickered and vanished.
"An afterimage?!" Roshi's eyes widened.
At that moment, the real Li Xu appeared behind Master Roshi and landed a solid spinning kick to his back.
Boom!
Master Roshi was sent flying toward the edge of the ring. But just before crossing the boundary, he twisted mid-air and unleashed a Kamehameha down at the ground. The blast propelled him back into the ring, saving himself from a ring-out just as he had done during his fight with Goku in the original timeline.
"You know the Afterimage Technique too?" Roshi asked, breathing a little heavier.
"That kind of move? One look is all I need," Li Xu replied confidently. Internally, he marveled at how overpowered his comprehension ability was he could absorb basic techniques instantly, as if downloading them directly.
Master Roshi was stunned. The technique he had used to surprise Goku and Krillin had been instantly grasped and even improved by Li Xu. The boy's potential was terrifying.
"Li Xu is incredible he learned that technique in just seconds!" Krillin exclaimed, recalling how he'd been defeated by the same move the day before.
"He hasn't even gone all-out yet," Goku said with a serious look. Thanks to his instincts, he could tell Li Xu was holding back.
"Let's go, Li Xu!" Bulma called loudly from the crowd, her voice cutting through the noise without care for how many were watching.
"Alright old man," Li Xu said, cracking his knuckles. "Let me show you a move of my own."
Li Xu smiled slightly, forming a calyx shape with both hands and bringing them to his right waist.
"That stance…!" Master Roshi's face changed instantly, his eyes wide with alarm.
"What's Li Xu doing?" Krillin asked curiously, turning to Goku.
"That's the Kamehameha! I didn't think Li Xu could do that too. That's the same move Grandpa Roshi used earlier," Goku said, surprised but intrigued.
"The Kamehameha!"
A spark of light appeared between Li Xu's palms. It grew rapidly, swelling to the size of a soccer ball. With a shout, Li Xu thrust his arms forward and unleashed the beam.
Master Roshi responded instantly, firing his own Kamehameha. The two energy waves clashed in the center of the arena, colliding with a shockwave that lit up the entire stadium.
When the blinding light faded, silence fell. Both Li Xu and Master Roshi remained standing, seemingly unharmed, their feet planted firmly on the tiles of the ring.
A grin tugged at Li Xu's lips. He had suppressed his power to match Master Roshi's deliberately, and their Kamehameha blasts had canceled out. This alone was proof that his mastery of the Kamehameha was now on par with its original creator.
"Old man, if you've got something stronger, now's the time. That wasn't enough to stop me," Li Xu said with a confident tone.
"I've only used this next technique once before... and only on someone who truly pushed me. You're the second. But your body should be able to withstand it," Roshi said seriously, eyes narrowing.
"Then let's see it!" Li Xu replied. He already guessed that Roshi would use the Bankoku Bikkuri Sho the Thunder Shock Surprise, and he was eager to test it for himself.
Master Roshi pressed his palms together, drawing in deep breath. The air around him rippled violently.
He separated his hands slowly lightning crackled between his fingers, electric arcs growing more intense.
"Take this Bankoku Bikkuri Sho!"
Roshi thrust his palms forward. Lightning burst from his hands and surrounded Li Xu, locking him in place.
"Aaagh!"
Li Xu cried out as the high-voltage current coursed through his body. His limbs seized, muscles twitching he couldn't move under the pressure.
"If you can't take it, surrender now!" Master Roshi warned gravely. "This technique could seriously injure you if you resist too long!"
"Li Xu!" Bulma's voice rang out from the stands, her face full of worry. She looked like she might jump in at any moment.
"I'm not that easy to beat." Li Xu smirked, even through the pain.
"Now—break!"
With a loud shout, Li Xu erupted with a powerful surge of ki. A violent shockwave burst outward from his body, scattering the lightning and blowing the technique apart.
"What?! That's impossible!"
Master Roshi's face turned pale. He had never seen anyone escape from the Thunder Shock Surprise with brute force alone.
"Generating a high-voltage charge by ionizing the air with ki—clever move," Li Xu said calmly. "Now I know exactly how it works."
Li Xu mimicked Roshi's previous stance, gathering electricity between his hands.
"Bankoku Bikkuri Sho!"
Lightning erupted again—this time from Li Xu—and engulfed Master Roshi before he could react.
"Uwaaagh!"
The shock left Master Roshi stunned, his body shaking violently. He had never felt his own technique used against him, and certainly not this effectively.
"Don't die on me, old man," Li Xu said playfully. "If you die here, I'll be disqualified."
He was analyzing the potential of the Thunder Shock Surprise. Lightning-type ki manipulation had greater volatility and destructive potential than standard energy attacks—it was a technique worth refining.
"Ugh…!"
Master Roshi gritted his teeth, trying to break free. But unlike Li Xu, he lacked the overwhelming ki reserve to overpower his own move.
A moment later, the old master collapsed.
Li Xu caught him gently and laid him on the floor of the ring.
The announcer rushed forward and knelt beside Roshi, placing two fingers to his neck.
"He's fine! Just unconscious! The winner—Li Xu!"
"Unbelievable! He learned and reversed that technique so quickly!" Krillin said, stunned.
"I really want to fight him!" Goku exclaimed, his eyes shining. He clenched his fists, already itching for the next match.
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