The crowd buzzed with anticipation as Mori and Piccolo Jr. stepped into the ring for the final match of the World Martial Arts Tournament. The two fighters stood at opposite ends of the arena, eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Mori's calm demeanor contrasted with the dark, menacing aura surrounding Piccolo, who wore a smirk filled with malice and confidence. The air around them seemed to crackle with tension, as if the very atmosphere could sense the impending clash.
"Ready?" the announcer called out, his voice trembling with a mix of excitement and fear. Mori barely acknowledged him, his focus entirely on Piccolo.
Piccolo flexed his fingers, his long, green arms tensing as he settled into his fighting stance. "I'll enjoy crushing you," he said coldly, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You don't stand a chance against me. And once I'm done with you, this world will bow to me."
Mori's lips curved into a subtle smile. "We'll see," he replied softly. "You're not as invincible as you think."
Without warning, the battle exploded into motion.
Piccolo lunged first, his speed startling the crowd as he vanished from view, reappearing in front of Mori with a powerful punch aimed at his head. Mori reacted instantly, raising his forearm to block the strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the ring, but Mori held his ground, not even budging an inch. Piccolo's eyes widened briefly, caught off guard by Mori's ability to match his power.
Mori countered with a lightning-fast roundhouse kick aimed at Piccolo's ribs. The demon warrior barely managed to evade, twisting his body in mid-air, but Mori followed up with a barrage of punches. Each strike was precise and controlled, forcing Piccolo onto the defensive.
The two fighters blurred across the ring, their fists and feet moving faster than the eye could follow. Every impact sent tremors through the arena, causing cracks to form in the concrete. The crowd gasped as they witnessed the spectacle, the power of the combatants far beyond that of any ordinary fighter.
Piccolo growled in frustration, realizing that Mori was faster than he anticipated. With a feral snarl, he suddenly unleashed a massive wave of ki, intending to force Mori back. The violent energy tore across the ground, but Mori leapt over it with ease, landing gracefully behind Piccolo and delivering a punishing elbow to his back.
"Ugh!" Piccolo stumbled forward but quickly regained his balance, spinning around and firing a rapid ki blast straight at Mori's chest. Mori dodged just in time, the energy grazing his shoulder and exploding against the far wall of the arena.
Undeterred, Mori pressed his advantage. He moved in close, feinting a punch at Piccolo's face before spinning into a brutal knee strike aimed at his stomach. Piccolo managed to block it with his forearm, but the force sent him skidding backward.
"You're fast," Piccolo admitted, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm not done yet."
He raised both hands above his head, gathering dark, swirling energy between his palms. The ground beneath him trembled as his power surged, and a massive orb of ki began to form—a devastating attack designed to obliterate his opponent.
Mori watched calmly, his eyes never leaving Piccolo. He could feel the immense power of the attack, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he took a deep breath, his own ki flaring around him like a golden flame. His aura intensified, swirling violently as he prepared to counter.
Piccolo hurled the giant energy ball toward Mori, the attack screaming through the air with deadly intent. But Mori was ready. He extended both hands forward, channeling his ki into them, and met the attack head-on. The energy clashed violently, and for a moment, it seemed like Piccolo's attack would overwhelm Mori. But with a fierce shout, Mori pushed back, his aura surging as he redirected the blast upward, sending it soaring into the sky where it exploded harmlessly.
The crowd gasped in awe, while Piccolo's smirk vanished.
"That's impossible," Piccolo growled. "No one should be able to deflect my attack like that!"
Mori's eyes flashed with determination. "Your power is impressive, but you rely too much on raw strength," he said, his voice calm and controlled. "You leave yourself open."
Before Piccolo could react, Mori dashed forward, his speed blinding. In an instant, he was in front of Piccolo, landing a devastating punch squarely in the demon's stomach.
"Guh…!" Piccolo's eyes bulged in shock and pain. He doubled over, his hands clutching his midsection as he struggled to breathe.
But then something unexpected happened.
Piccolo gagged violently, his body convulsing as his hands moved to his throat. Mori watched in surprise as Piccolo, unable to control the reaction, suddenly vomited out a small, glowing object—a tiny bottle. The glass container bounced on the ground before rolling to a stop at Mori's feet.
The crowd had no idea what had just happened, but the Z-fighters watching from the sidelines knew immediately.
"Kami!" Tien shouted, his eyes wide with realization.
Mori bent down, picking up the bottle and holding it in his hand. Inside, the tiny figure of Kami, the Guardian of Earth, could be seen, trapped within the enchanted prison Piccolo had swallowed earlier. With a quick burst of energy, Mori shattered the bottle, freeing Kami, who materialized beside him.
"Thank you, Mori," Kami said, his voice weak but grateful. "You've done well."
Piccolo staggered backward, clutching his stomach and glaring at Mori with pure hatred. "You…! You'll pay for that!" he snarled, his ki spiking once again as his anger grew.
But Mori was unshaken. "It's over, Piccolo. You can't win."
"Never!" Piccolo screamed, his aura flaring violently as he charged at Mori in a last-ditch effort to overpower him. His fists flew at Mori with reckless fury, but Mori effortlessly dodged each strike, weaving through Piccolo's attacks with ease.
Mori's expression hardened. "This ends now."
With blinding speed, Mori stepped in and delivered a powerful palm strike to Piccolo's chest, sending him flying across the arena. Piccolo crashed into the far wall, the impact leaving a crater in the stone. He tried to rise, but his body was too battered. He collapsed onto his knees, panting heavily.
Mori approached slowly, his aura fading as he stood over Piccolo. "You fought well, but you're not strong enough to defeat me."
Piccolo glared up at him, his chest heaving. "This… isn't… over…" he rasped, but the fire in his eyes was dimming.
Mori glanced at Kami, who nodded in approval.
The announcer, stunned into silence for most of the fight, finally regained his voice. "Winner: Mori!" he shouted, his voice filled with awe.
The crowd erupted into cheers, but Mori simply turned and offered Piccolo one final look of respect. "You'll have another chance. Just not today."
With that, Mori walked away, leaving Piccolo in the dust.