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As the dust settled, Kakarot was splayed inside the crater and looked motionless. Tien smirked in satisfaction.
"Is he breathing?!" Chi-Chi asked affrightedly.
"Get up!" Yamcha and Krillin shouted. Their friend couldn't have been beaten that easily.
As if on cue, Kakarot suddenly sprung up on his feet, completely unfazed.
Tien was as shocked as he was disappointed. "What?! No way!"
"Incredible, Kakarot is on his feet again!" The announcer said.
"Kakarot, don't frighten us like that, okay! Next time get up sooner!" Said Bulma, half laughing and half crying that he was okay. Chi-Chi wasn't much better.
"I don't get it, why isn't Kakarot fighting back yet?" Krillin asked aloud. Gine thought the same herself, flabbergasted and infuriated that her son was just taking this abuse from this jerk.
But she saw Kakarot smirking, and then she knew. He was measuring Tien up, or toying with him. Or both. If he knew how strong his opponent was now, then he could take whatever was to be thrown at him. It was a risky but brilliant strategy. But it still didn't ease her anger from her maternal instincts.
"That kid's tough as nails, go get'em Kakarot!" Shouted Yamcha.
"Well, it's nothing short of miraculous that Kakarot's even alive, let alone standing after such a brutal punishment!"
"That was interesting, but I don't think I enjoy being the ball." Kakarot said as he finished brushing himself off.
Tien looked at him with contempt, but oddly with a touch of admiration too. "Well, you're resilient. Stupid, but resilient."
Kakarot smirked back at Tien, "And you are not very nice, but you are strong. I guess it would be safe from here on out if I used my full strength."
Tien laughed sarcastically. "Let me guess, you've been holding for my safety."
Kakarot nodded. "Yeah, but I'll fight normal now. Whenever I fight in a match, I have to watch myself, so I don't get carried away. I call it my battle strength."
Tien looked at him mockingly, then turned serious. "I'll tell you what... The goal here is for you to die. How that happens I really don't care. So, you have fun with your little battle strength and then I'll kill you."
Kakarot looked back at him just as mockingly. "Fine. You can try."
"I won't have to try. It's too easy." Said Tien.
Kakarot laughed hard. "Easy? If you say so, after all the only other person I ever fight all out with is my mom. And I saw how long, or should I say how short, you lasted against her. That rib healed up all nicely?"
Tien looked shocked and then flustered as he remembered the humiliating pain she inflicted on him. Gine didn't like being mentioned on stage but couldn't help smiling at her son's praise.
Kakarot continued. "She's my training partner, and we fight for hours almost every day so hopefully you can at least try to get close to her level."
Tien looked furious, he would not stand this kind of ridicule. "It doesn't matter, I will kill you and unlike your mommy, it's a fight to the death!"
Kakarot snickered, his Saiyan lust for such a challenge was in full swing. "One I've been waiting for."
The announcer looked confused but sensed more action coming. "What? Eh, get ready. Here comes round two."
Kakarot leapt after Tien faster than he could block, punching him in the nose and solar plexus at once. Tien was momentarily dazed and the blow to his chest with its aggravated rib had the wind knocked out of him, leaving him exposed for Kakarot to machine gun punch his abdomen to make Tien double over. Then Kakarot landed a flying kick to Tien's face that sent him flying across the ring, Kakarot sprung under him and used both his short legs to kick him high into the air. Then he cupped his hands.
"kaaa...meee...haaa….me..." He began.
"Wow, Kakarot is on a roll as he prepares to dazzle us with his Kamehameha Wave, the signature technique of the Turtle Hermit."
But Kakarot didn't fire the beam. "Hold on."
"Huh? What's this? In a bizarre shift in strategy, Kakarot has withdrawn his technique, giving Tien Shinhan time to recover! This might go down as the turning point in the battle."
"What are you doing?!" Bulma said aloud to Kakarot.
Tien came hurtling back down and landed one foot and knee. He clutched his chest in pain, the fractured rib flaring up.
Kakarot giggled. "That's what I call battle strength."
Tien smiled through the pain though, and then he began to laugh heartedly.
"Huh? What's so funny?" Kakarot asked.
Tien looked at him bemused. "Thank you for that. That exhilarating rush. I haven't felt this alive in a long time. It feels wonderful!"
Kakarot was confused. "So, what you are saying is you like getting beat up?"
Bulma spoke for what they were all thinking. "I don't get it. Why would Kakarot pass up the perfect opportunity to finish him off? It doesn't make any sense."
"He had a good reason, I hope." Yamcha said, not too convincingly but still trusted his friend.
Gine knew. Kakarot saved energy by not firing the Wave, and Tien would've dodged and left him vulnerable. Good idea. But there was something even deeper to it. Something that she knew all Saiyans had, and as much as s
he hated to admit it deep down, she had too. A craving for a decent challenge.
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Want to read more?
The next 10+ chapters are already available on my Patreon!
By joining, you'll get:
📖 Early access to future chapters
🗳️ Polls to shape the story
🎁 Exclusive content for Patrons
🔥 Bonus scenes & content you won't find anywhere else
👀 Don't fall behind—others are already ahead!
👉 patreon.com/FanfictionTakashi
(If link doesn't show, just search on Google: FanfictionTakashi Patreon)