(3rd Person POV)
As time passed, the anticipated bout between Arthur and Yamcha drew near.
Yamcha glared at Arthur from across the arena, his anger palpable. "Hmph, I'll make sure to teach this guy a lesson," he muttered under his breath.
Goku and Krillin, standing nearby, exchanged confused glances at Yamcha's evident hostility.
"Is there something wrong with that fighter, Yamcha?" Goku asked, his gaze shifting to Arthur in the distance.
"He seems to have some unresolved animosity," Krillin observed, choosing his words carefully.
Yamcha jabbed a finger in Arthur's direction. "That guy is too pretty. I'll make sure to rearrange his face in our fight, hehe."
"Too pretty?" Goku tilted his head to the side, his confusion evident.
Krillin stifled a laugh. "Oh, so you're just jealous there's another man who looks better than you?"
"Shut up!" Yamcha snapped at Krillin, who continued to snicker at his expense.
***
Arthur breezed through his preliminary matches with ease. Despite facing opponents with imposing physiques, their sluggish movements made them easy targets for his refined techniques.
His arsenal had been bolstered by martial arts skills purchased from the system shop: "Infernal Fist", "Infernal Kick", and "Swift Step". His trump cards, acquired at a steeper price, were the million-point "Devil's Dance" and the 1.2 million-point "Wrathful Rage", the latter promising enhanced agility and power through controlled fury.
While his "Nether Surge" remained off-limits due to its magical nature, Arthur's newly acquired skills more than compensated, making his victories seem effortless.
Finally, the moment arrived - Arthur versus Yamcha. Arthur bounded onto the stage, hands clasped behind his back, the picture of nonchalance.
"Go, Yamcha! You can do it!" Goku's enthusiastic cheer rang out.
Arthur flashed a genuine smile at his opponent. "I didn't expect to meet you so soon. How are you holding up?"
Yamcha's teeth audibly ground together. "Don't give me that look, bastard!" He immediately assumed a fighting stance. "Don't be too cocky! I'll make sure to teach you a lesson for eyeing my girl!"
Arthur's soft laughter only seemed to infuriate Yamcha further. "Go on, show me what you've got." His confidence was palpable, born from intimate knowledge of Yamcha's skills, martial arts, and character - all meticulously drawn by Arthur's own hand in the Dragon Ball manga for months.
"Hmph! Let's see if you'll still have that smug look when I beat you!" Yamcha snarled, lunging at Arthur.
Arthur easily read Yamcha's movements. Compared to Goku and Krillin, who had trained for seven months under Roshi, Yamcha's month-long preparation paled in comparison.
Evading Yamcha's punch, Arthur muttered, "Infernal Fist!" His counter-attack blazed towards Yamcha.
Yamcha managed to dodge, but found himself immediately facing an incoming "Infernal Kick". Unable to fully evade, he was sent flying.
Goku and Krillin watched in astonishment. "That man is strong!" Krillin exclaimed.
"Umu!" Goku nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he observed Arthur's prowess.
Yamcha teetered on the edge of the stage, regaining his balance with a relieved sigh. "Phew!" He turned to Arthur, a grudging respect in his voice. "I admit, I underestimated you."
"And I admit that I overestimated you," Arthur replied, his disappointment clearly feigned to provoke his opponent.
"Grr, don't be so cocky, bastard!" Yamcha snarled, launching into his signature move. "Wolf Fang Fist!!!"
Arthur's smile widened, his plan to anger Yamcha into reckless action unfolding perfectly.
Master Roshi, disguised as Jackie Chun, observed the fight with a critical eye. He shook his head, muttering, "What an impatient guy." The old master recognized Arthur's strategy of manipulating Yamcha's emotions.
True to Roshi's prediction, Arthur employed his "Swift Step", effortlessly sidestepping Yamcha's airborne assault.
"Infernal Fist!!!" Arthur's shout pierced the air.
Time seemed to slow as Arthur's fist connected with Yamcha's exposed flank. Panic flashed across Yamcha's face as the realization of his mistake hit him, a fraction of a second before Arthur's fist did.
"Gah!" Yamcha's cry of pain accompanied his flight from the ring. He collided with a wall, groaning as he slumped to the ground.
"Winner, fighter number 40, Arthur Pendragon!"
The announcement was met with a wave of astonished murmurs from the surrounding fighters. But none were more shocked than Goku.
"I thought that guy was strong?" Krillin pointed at the distant, crumpled form of Yamcha. "What happened?"
Goku shook his head, watching as staff members assisted Yamcha. "That guy..." His gaze shifted to Arthur, excitement building in his voice. "He was pretty strong! I want to fight him!"
Krillin stared at Goku, incredulous. "You're not even sad for your friend over there? He was defeated!"
"Yeah, he must be pretty sad about it," Goku nodded, his expression innocently thoughtful. "I guess his opponent was just that strong."
***
Outside the arena, Bulma's shock was palpable as she confronted the eliminated Yamcha. "Who defeated you?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Yamcha squirmed, embarrassment evident in his posture. "Well..."
"Was it Goku?" Bulma ventured, filling the awkward silence.
Yamcha remained silent, his pride still smarting from the defeat.
The group's attention shifted as Roshi appeared, followed shortly by Goku and Krillin.
"Hey, Yamcha," Goku approached, his tone sympathetic but eyes gleaming with excitement. "Too bad I couldn't fight you. I thought we could face off again."
"Yeah..." Yamcha's disappointment was evident.
Goku's enthusiasm bubbled over. "But I'm very excited to face that guy who defeated you!"
Curiosity piqued, Bulma turned to Goku. "Who is this guy that beat him?"
Yamcha interjected hastily, "Oh, haha, it's just an unknown fighter! You don't need to bother!"
"I don't remember his name..." Goku admitted, scratching his head.
"Oh..." Bulma nodded, while Yamcha exhaled in relief.
His reprieve was short-lived as Krillin chimed in, "I believe he was defeated by a guy that Yamcha called a pretty face. If I remember correctly, his name was Arthur."
"Ah! Yamcha was defeated by that Arthur?" Bulma exclaimed, surprise and recognition mingling in her voice.
Yamcha's face reddened, his embarrassment complete.
Bulma, seemingly oblivious to Yamcha's wounded pride, exclaimed, "Too bad I couldn't watch it! I only got to see the earlier fights in that building!"
Yamcha's embarrassment gave way to surprise. "You were actually watching earlier?"
"Of course I was!" Bulma's cheeks puffed out in a pout. "I came to watch you. I even struggled to reach an open window to peek inside. I cheered for you, but you completely ignored me!"
Yamcha's face cycled through a range of emotions – surprise, guilt, and a touch of warmth at Bulma's dedication. The revelation that she had been there, supporting him even when he was unaware, seemed to soften the blow of his defeat.
***
As the main tournament about to start, Arthur found himself among the final eight contestants. He surveyed his fellow competitors: the alluring Ranfan, the determined Nam, the disguised Jackie Chun, the enthusiastic Goku, the strategic Krillin, the brutish Giran, and the malodorous Bacterian.
The latter's stench created an unconscious barrier, with the other seven contestants maintaining a noticeable distance.
Arthur's gaze lingered on Roshi's disguised form. The old master, perceptive as ever, seemed to notice the scrutiny.
Suddenly, Arthur felt a probing force attempting to invade his mind. 'The old man is using telepathy!' Arthur realized, instinctively erecting a magical barrier.
He knew of Roshi's ability to read minds - a formidable skill that had likely served the old master well. But Arthur was prepared, his magical defenses holding firm against the psychic intrusion.
Meanwhile, Roshi's surprise was evident as he encountered an unexpected mental barrier. 'This is new... There's actually someone here who can block my telepathy!'
The old master regarded Arthur with newfound interest. 'It seems this tournament will prove more intriguing than anticipated. There are some fascinating individuals here.'
Roshi offered Arthur a disarming smile, waving as if he hadn't just attempted to breach the young man's mental defenses.
A chill ran down Arthur's spine. Despite his growing confidence in his martial arts and his eagerness to test himself against the other contestants, he knew better than to underestimate them. After all, Roshi was capable of destroying the moon just to neutralize Goku's transformation.
Soon after, the blonde announcer called them over to draw lots for the tournament bracket.
True to form, the lecherous Roshi boldly grasped Ranfan's arm, asking the announcer if he could be paired against the beauty. His request was met with an exasperated rebuke from the announcer.
The awkward moment passed, and the drawing proceeded.
"Arthur, you're number 4, which puts you in match 2," the announcer declared.
'Using magic here should be allowed,' Arthur mused, contemplating the possibility of manipulating the drawing. Based on his recollection, he was slated to face Roshi as Jackie Chun, having taken Yamcha's place in the tournament.
Preferring to postpone his confrontation with Roshi, Arthur subtly employed his magic to influence the drawing box. He ensured Jackie Chun would face Bacterian, while Krillin would be paired against Ranfan.
As the brackets were finalized, Arthur allowed himself a small smile. Things were unfolding according to his plan.