Goku goes back in time

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and crimson. The first day of the tournament had come to an end, and the atmosphere around the tournament grounds was filled with excitement and chatter from spectators and participants alike.

Away from the arena, in a quieter area near the entrance, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner regrouped, their bodies sore but spirits high. They were met by their respective masters—Chichi, Yamcha, and Krillin—each wearing proud expressions.

Behind them stood the real surprise: Goku, Gohan, and Goten, all grinning ear to ear.

"You guys did great out there!" Goku said cheerfully, giving Videl a thumbs-up.

"Your footwork was sharp," Gohan added to Erasa, genuinely impressed. "I didn't expect you to adjust your ki control that quickly."

"Nice Wolf Fang Fist," Goten said to Sharpner, mimicking the motions with playful enthusiasm. "Yamcha-sensei's move, right?"

Yamcha grinned and gave Sharpner a proud pat on the back. "Kid's got good instincts. Even had me on my toes for a sec."

Krillin chuckled, arms crossed. "I gotta say, I didn't expect this much progress in just a few months. You kids are monsters."

Chichi's face softened as she gave Videl a hug. "You held your own like a real martial artist. Your dad would be proud… and probably faint from shock."

Videl smirked, a little red in the face. "Thanks, Chichi-sensei… I just did what you taught me."

As everyone started chatting and laughing, Yamcha clapped his hands together.

"Alright! Since everyone did great today, how about a treat? My treat. Let's all go out for some barbecue!"

The group cheered enthusiastically—none more than Goku, whose eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.

[Later, at the BBQ Restaurant]

Yamcha sat at the far end of a long table with a forced smile on his face, watching in quiet horror as plate after plate of meat disappeared in mere seconds.

Goku was inhaling entire ribs like a vacuum cleaner, bones flying into a bucket with uncanny precision. Gohan was only slightly more reserved, but still going through meat faster than the servers could bring it. Goten, small as he was, was devouring food with wide, sparkling eyes like he'd never eaten in his life.

"More meat, please!" Goten called, waving at the waitress with both hands.

"Another five plates of brisket!" Goku added. "And some rice—wait, make that ten bowls!"

Yamcha's smile cracked. "…What have I done?"

Erasa, Videl, and Sharpner were eating more moderately—though Sharpner was starting to pick up the pace to keep up with the boys.

Krillin leaned over to Yamcha and whispered with a smirk, "You did this to yourself, man."

"I forgot the golden rule…" Yamcha groaned, collapsing into his seat. "Never offer to pay when you've got Saiyans at the table."

Chichi just calmly sipped her tea, unfazed. "You'll learn eventually."

Everyone burst into laughter, the air light and full of energy. For a moment, it wasn't about training, or fighting, or rivalries—it was just a group of warriors, friends, and family enjoying a well-earned meal together.

The night carried on with plates stacked high, drinks flowing, and laughter echoing across the restaurant. Goku was on his twelfth bowl of rice, and Goten was trying to see how many skewers he could hold in one hand. Despite Yamcha crying internally at the growing bill, the energy was warm, happy, and content.

As things began to settle and the table wasn't quite as chaotic, Videl leaned forward, glancing at Goku and Krillin with curious eyes.

"Hey… I meant to ask," she began, "that Crane School we saw earlier… Who is Master Shen? And why did you guys look annoyed when he showed up at the tournament?"

Erasa and Sharpner both turned to listen, intrigued. Even Chichi raised an eyebrow, but she stayed quiet, letting the others explain.

Krillin chuckled, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Whew, that takes me back. The Crane School… Yeah, we know all about them."

Goku nodded. "Yeah, that old guy with the sharp eyes and long beard? That's Master Shen, the Crane Hermit. He used to be a rival of our master, Master Roshi."

"Wait—what?!" Videl blinked, almost dropping her chopsticks. "You guys trained under Master Roshi?! As in the legendary Turtle Hermit?!"

"The very same," Krillin said with a proud grin. "We were his students when we were your age. He trained us for the World Martial Arts Tournament back then."

Sharpner's eyes widened. "That crazy old man who supposedly created the Kamehameha wave? That's real?!"

Goku raised a finger with a goofy smile. "Yup. And I learned it just by watching him do it once."

Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner all stared at him in disbelief.

"You what?!"

"Haha, long story." Goku laughed sheepishly. "But yeah, the Crane School came in as Roshi's rivals. Shen believed in winning at any cost—even if it meant cheating. He taught his students to fight dirty."

Krillin folded his arms. "That's where Tien and Chiaotzu came in. They were Shen's top students back in the day."

Everything froze for a moment.

Videl slowly turned her head, face paling slightly. "…Tien. As in our Tien? The temporary Martial Arts instructor we had?"

Erasa covered her mouth. "And Chiaotzu?! As in the Emperor of Mifan who shows up to peace summits and talks like a polite doll?!"

Gohan nodded. "That's them. They've come a long way since then, though. Tien was really strict back when he started, and Chiaotzu… well, he was strong but weird. Still is, honestly."

"They were enemies at first," Krillin added, more solemn now. "We fought them at the 22nd World Tournament. Tien broke my arm, and Goku went head-to-head with him in the finals. It was brutal… but in the end, they changed."

"Tien turned his back on Master Shen after that," Goku said with a calm, proud smile. "He realized there's more to martial arts than just winning. Now he lives by his own code."

Videl leaned back in her seat, mind spinning. "That guy… is so calm. Like a stone statue. I never would've guessed he was trained to fight dirty."

Erasa giggled. "Chiaotzu-sama used to float around our class when he visited, playing with pencils using telekinesis. You're telling me he used to be dangerous?"

"Still is," Goten piped up with a full mouth. "I saw him blew up a mountain with his mind once"

"Goten!" Chichi snapped, bonking him lightly.

Everyone laughed, but the three teens were still wide-eyed with realization. The martial arts world they had stepped into was far deeper—and far more storied—than they ever expected.

Sharpner shook his head. "Man… this world's full of living legends, and we've been getting trained by them without even knowing it."

"Exactly," Gohan said with a grin. "And you're part of that legacy now. So train hard."

Videl looked down at her hands. Stronger than before, more confident than ever.

"I will," she said with quiet conviction. "We all will."

The group smiled together—one team, one bond, one table—united by martial arts, battles, and now... barbecue.