Goku goes back in time

As the dust settled in Block D's arena, only two fighters remained standing amidst a pile of groaning, unconscious youth—Erasa, the spunky, fast-talking blonde with newfound strength, and Kuro, the stoic prodigy of the Crane School, known for his icy composure and ruthless techniques.

The spectators, already on edge from the earlier Crane School demonstrations, turned their attention to the lone ring where the final match of the round was still ongoing. Kuro's cold gaze locked onto Erasa, his body radiating a practiced stillness that gave away nothing. Erasa, in contrast, bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, her aura flaring with energy—erratic, wild, and untamed.

Kuro narrowed his eyes.

"That energy of yours… it's a mess. You clearly lack control," he sneered, brushing invisible dust from his Crane School gi. "You'll never become a true martial artist like that."

Erasa smirked, ignoring his taunt.

"Maybe, but I'm learning. Fast. And I don't need your approval."

From the stands, Krillin watched intently, his brow furrowed.

"She's not suppressing her energy properly, but… it's raw power. She just needs one clean shot."

The referee stepped back, and the final round of Block D began.

Kuro struck first—smooth, clinical, and precise. He dashed forward with a low, sweeping kick aimed to take Erasa's legs from under her. She jumped back just in time but was met with a fast jab to the ribs. She blocked it, but the impact rattled her bones.

Kuro pressed the advantage, launching a flurry of swift jabs and spinning strikes that kept Erasa on the defensive. His technique was impeccable—every move calculated, every step practiced.

Erasa gritted her teeth, trying to match his rhythm, but Kuro wasn't giving her any space.

He smirked, vanishing from sight for a moment before reappearing behind her.

"Let me show you what true martial arts looks like—Dodon Ray!"

A sharp, concentrated beam of light exploded from his fingertip, aimed directly at Erasa. The sudden surge of energy caused a collective gasp from the crowd. The Dodon Ray was a Crane School trademark, and seeing it used so casually terrified both the judges and audience alike.

Erasa barely leapt out of the way, the beam scorching the edge of the arena beside her. Her heart pounded. She hadn't expected him to use a ki technique so brazenly.

"You maniac!" she shouted. "That could've taken my head off!"

Kuro grinned mockingly.

"You think this world's going to hold your hand? This is martial arts. You either rise above or fall."

Erasa growled in frustration. Her muscles tensed. She could feel her body reacting on instinct—her training with Krillin taking over. Her energy surged again, wilder than before.

From the stands, Krillin's eyes widened.

"She's going to pop—Erasa, now!"

Erasa's hands suddenly shot up to her forehead.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

A blinding flash erupted from her, engulfing the entire arena in pure white light. Kuro screamed and stumbled backward, blinded and unbalanced.

"You coward—cheap trick!" he yelled, swinging wildly in the air.

"Says the guy who tried to blast my face off!" Erasa shouted back, closing the distance in a blink.

With her opponent vulnerable, Erasa launched a full-force roundhouse kick straight into Kuro's stomach. The impact sent him hurtling backwards across the ring. He crashed and skidded, landing with a loud thud outside the boundary.

The bell rang, and the crowd erupted into mixed cheers and gasps.

Kuro groaned as he sat up, still blinking away the lingering flashes in his eyes. From the Crane School section, Master Shen sneered in disgust.

"Pathetic. You had every advantage and still lost to an unrefined, emotional brat."

The other Crane students looked away in disappointment. Kuro clenched his fists, humiliated.

Meanwhile, Erasa stumbled to the center of the ring, breathing hard but victorious. Krillin pumped his fist from the stands.

"That's my student!"

Gohan leaned over to Goten, smiling.

"Told you she had it in her."

Erasa raised a fist to the cheering crowd, not knowing that she had just gained the attention of not only the tournament officials—but also rival martial artists who had underestimated her.

And for Kuro… the taste of defeat would fuel his burning desire for revenge.

Later that Day

The stadium roared with anticipation as the second round of the World Youth Exhibition Tournament began. From the stands, the Masters—Yamcha, Krillin, Chichi, and Goku—watched with hawk-like focus, their respective students ready to prove themselves.

Videl vs Naruto Uchiha

Videl's opponent was a cocky, muscle-bound teen who mocked her from the moment the match began. "Go home, little girl," he sneered, flexing for the cameras. The crowd chuckled—until Videl moved.

In a blur, she was behind him. Her opponent barely turned around before a controlled palm strike to his gut forced the air out of his lungs. He stumbled back, stunned. She didn't stop—every move was precise, every blow calculated. A roundhouse kick to the temple sent him spinning through the air, landing outside the ring with a thud.

The crowd exploded in cheers and surprise. Videl gave a modest bow, returning to her corner with focused poise. In the stands, Chichi smiled proudly, while Gohan gave an approving nod.

Erasa vs Harley King

Erasa's opponent was fast—nimble on his feet and armed with a defensive style. He kept dodging her strikes, confident that she would tire herself out. But Krillin's training had taught Erasa control, reading movement, and when to strike.

After trading blows, Erasa baited him with a high kick. He ducked—and that's when she twisted, dropping her heel down toward his shoulder. He barely blocked it, but the force staggered him. He counterattacked, launching a flurry of punches, but Erasa parried each one, slipping into his guard and sweeping his legs.

Her opponent rolled back up, growling, and fired off a desperate punch. She caught his arm, flipped him over her shoulder, and launched him out of bounds with a final palm thrust. The crowd was stunned. "That blonde girl's no joke!" someone shouted.

Krillin beamed proudly. "Told ya she had it in her."

Yun vs Ren

On the other side of the arena, tension simmered as the two Crane School students—Yun and Ren—stood across from each other. Yun's arms were crossed, his usual smirk absent. Ren looked uncomfortable, glancing to the side where Master Shen watched sternly.

Ren raised his hand. "I... forfeit. Yun should move—"

Yun's eyes narrowed. "Don't insult me like that, Ren."

Before Ren could respond, Yun's palm was already pointed at him, glowing with energy.

"DODON RAY!"

A beam of light lanced across the arena and struck Ren square in the chest, sending him flying backward. He crashed into the barrier, smoke rising from his shirt as he groaned in pain. The medics rushed in, and the crowd went silent.

The announcer stammered. "Uh—Ren has been eliminated! Yun advances!"

The Crane School students looked indifferent, but Goku and Krillin frowned from the stands.

"That was unnecessary," Krillin muttered.

"Yeah..." Goku said with narrowed eyes. "That wasn't a fight... that was a message."

Videl and Erasa looked on, troubled by what they saw. Gohan leaned in. "Be careful around Yun. He fights to win. No matter the cost."

The announcer's voice rang out through the stadium.

"And now for the final match of the second round… Sharpner vs Saya!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Sharpner cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, face serious and composed. He wasn't the cocky loudmouth people remembered from school anymore—Yamcha's training had tempered him into something more refined. Across from him, Saya from the Crane School stood with a calm smirk, her stance light and ready, like a coiled spring.

The gong sounded.

Sharpner launched forward with a straight punch—quick, clean, full of power. But Saya bent backward just enough to let the punch pass over her. She spun low, trying to sweep his legs, but Sharpner jumped and came down with a double hammer strike—again, she moved, narrowly escaping the hit and retaliating with a light but focused palm strike to his ribs.

He skidded back, winded. Sweat beaded on his forehead. She's fast… faster than I expected.

He came at her again—jabs, hooks, feints—each one narrowly dodged. Saya danced around his blows like a leaf in the wind, countering with pinpoint strikes to his joints, arms, and midsection. It was like trying to punch smoke. The crowd gasped as Sharpner stumbled, clearly overwhelmed.

In the stands, Yamcha narrowed his eyes. "You've got the power, kid… but it's time to stop holding back."

Sharpner gritted his teeth, then took a deep breath. He reached down and unclipped the dark grey armbands on both arms, letting them thud to the ground with a heavy metallic clang. The weighted shirt and leg guards came next. The moment they hit the floor, the ground cracked slightly under the weight.

The audience gasped in surprise. Even Saya blinked, caught off guard.

Sharpner cracked his neck. "Thanks for pushing me," he said, smirking.

Then he vanished.

Saya barely had time to react before Sharpner reappeared behind her with a flurry of rapid punches. She blocked the first two, but the third struck her clean in the gut. Sharpner pressed the advantage, chaining punches into a rapid spiral.

"WOLF FANG FIST!"

The air whirled around him like a small cyclone as he unleashed Yamcha's signature technique. The crowd watched in awe as his fists blurred, landing cleanly across Saya's guard, then her shoulder, her abdomen, and finally—a rising palm to her chin sent her flying back and tumbling across the arena floor.

She skidded to a stop just outside the ring boundary. Silence. Then the bell rang.

"Saya is out of bounds! Sharpner advances to the semi-finals!"

The crowd burst into cheers. Yamcha punched the air, laughing. "Atta boy!"

Sharpner helped Saya to her feet. She coughed and gave him a grin. "Not bad… guess I pushed you a little too well."

He nodded with a smirk. "No hard feelings?"

"None."

From the shadows, Master Shen watched, arms crossed. His gaze lingered not on Saya, but on Sharpner.

"This tournament... might be more interesting than I thought."