Gritting his teeth, Lanton ultimately held back some of his power before launching the Ki attack from his palms toward the charging Noah Robe!
Buzz—
The Kamehameha streaked through the air in a blue-white light!
Noah Robe stared intently at the incoming attack, his expression unwavering amidst the flashing light and shadow. Just before impact, he suddenly lowered his stance and slapped the ground with one hand—Pa!—his entire body moving like a swimming dragon. With a wooden sword in hand, he charged forward even faster, straight toward the source of the Kamehameha wave…
With a single slash, he cleaved out a moonlit arc.
…
Match Three.
Monkey D. vs. Fan.
The announcer introduced the two competitors about to step into the ring. Supporting Lanton down from the stage, Monkey D. took out a Senzu Bean and fed it to him. After recovering, Lanton let out a bitter sigh. "I really don't deserve to eat the Grandmaster's Senzu Bean…"
Monkey D. shook his head. "Your opponent had no reservations, while you held back, afraid that your Kamehameha might take a life. It's no surprise you lost."
Lanton remained silent, fully aware that if his opponent had mastered Ki and integrated it into his terrifying swordsmanship, there was no way he could have withstood it. If Noah Robe had used a stronger steel longsword, his Kamehameha wave might have been cut down outright!
Monkey D. glanced at the opponent already stepping onto the stage as the announcer spoke—a fighter with white bandages wrapped around his head. This guy… looks like a real challenge, too.
The World Martial Arts Tournament was no joke.
"Senior Brother, I'm going!"
Monkey D. leaped onto the stage, and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers! He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly—he was now the last hope of the Muten School! They couldn't afford to lose twice in a row—that would be disgraceful! No matter what, he had to win this match!
"I have to win!!"
Fan remained silent, repeatedly telling himself the same thing in his mind. Then, without a word, he reached up and began unraveling the white bandages wrapped around his head. Layer by layer, they fell away, until finally—whoosh—the cloth was completely removed and casually tossed to the ground, revealing a third eye on his forehead!
Every camera broadcasting the match immediately zoomed in on Fan's third eye!
The audience erupted into discussion—so Fan was born with three eyes? What a bizarre and rare sight!
Monkey D. showed a look of surprise. Meanwhile, in the VIP section where Tam, Hathaway, and Ninn sat, Taro was momentarily stunned. He didn't have X-ray vision and hadn't noticed before… but this guy was just like Tien Shinhan—a member of the Three-Eyed Tribe.
Thinking back, the first time he encountered this special race was two hundred years ago—the same time he first discovered the Dragon Balls.
"So you really were holding back during the central capital matches!" Monkey D. chuckled, drawing in his energy and assuming the signature stance of the Muten School.
Fan also settled into his own fighting stance, sinking his waist and bracing his stance. He spoke in a deep voice, "To defeat you… I have to go all out from the start!"
"Same here!" Monkey D. responded seriously.
Everyone in the audience focused intently on the match.
Lanton, fully recovered thanks to the Senzu Bean, remained at the sidelines watching. You have to win, Junior Brother… The Grandmaster is watching! You can't lose! No matter the cost, the Muten School cannot afford another defeat!! He silently cheered.
"Round Two, Match Three—Monkey D. versus Fan! Now… Begin!!"
The clash was about to erupt!
"Ohhh! Let's go!!"
"Don't lose!!"
"Monkey D., I love you!!"
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
These two were the first true martial artists to face off so far—every strike carried the weight of real technique. Their exchanges were fast and intense, filled with variations in martial arts forms, relentless counters, and explosive power. Fist met fist, palm clashed with palm… Footwork adjustments, controlled breathing, seamless bursts of strength—even the way they locked eyes radiated fighting spirit!
The battle was exhilarating! For casual viewers, this was the most entertaining fight so far!
Fan's three eyes moved in unison, granting him an extraordinary level of perception. He could clearly see Monkey D.'s attack intentions and strike trajectories!
One fighter was the last direct disciple of the Muten School, yet he hadn't learned many of the school's iconic techniques—Flame Blade, Thunderfire finger, Raikiri, Great Fire Annihilation… His master hadn't fully passed them down, and besides, he lacked the raw power to execute them all. But as for physical combat techniques, like the Leaf Seven Forms, he had mastered every single one through years of relentless training.
The other was a Three-Eyed Tribesman, naturally superior to ordinary Earthlings in terms of reflexes, dynamic vision, agility, strength, and explosive power. Tien Shinhan's feats in the original timeline proved as much.
In this world, hard work mattered, but the true nightmare was when someone talented also worked harder than everyone else. That kind of opponent… is the most terrifying of all.
This intense exchange lasted for a full three minutes, with the relentless sounds of combat echoing throughout.
Finally, with a loud bang, both fighters tacitly retreated from each other.
"You… you actually used ki during the fight?" Monkey D. gasped, sweat pouring down his body. His skin flushed red, a sign of his raging blood flow. He stared hard at his opponent—in the midst of their battle, Fan had actually imitated him, applying ki to his strikes?
"Thank you for your guidance." Fan gave a faint smile and let out a long breath. His face was pale—he had taken damage in the exchange—but through his keen observational skills, he had managed to break through his past limitations, seamlessly guiding forth his ki. His martial prowess had ascended to a whole new level!
Monkey D. took a deep breath, lowering his gaze forward. His well-defined chest muscles swelled as he steadied himself, his perfect physique driving the female audience into a frenzy of cheers. He calmed his mind, his expression turning serene.
"Even so… I absolutely won't lose. I can't lose!"
His fighting spirit and determination peaked at that very moment!
This battle, the longest and most hard-fought of the tournament so far, had also been the most visually captivating and intense. And finally, after more than ten minutes, Monkey D. secured victory by the narrowest of margins.
He had chosen not to use Muten School Ki Techniques, fearing that his opponent might evade them with sheer speed. Instead, he gathered all his ki into one final strike, patiently waiting for the perfect moment—until he finally seized the opportunity and decided the match with a single decisive blow!
"I… lost!" Fan half-regretfully, half-satisfied, fell backward, lying on the ground with a hearty laugh. "What a fight! What a fight!" he shouted, but he was too exhausted to move.
Heavy breaths and footsteps approached. Fan turned his head to see Monkey D., just as drained and panting. The young disciple of Muten School smiled and extended a hand to him.
"You're really strong. I hope to see you again in the next tournament!"
"The tournament has a next time?" Fan's three eyes lit up in unison.
"Of course! My master said that the World Martial Arts Tournament is held once every five years!"
"Five years… five years…" Fan murmured, then, despite his fatigue, his expression turned resolute. "In five years, I will never lose to you again!"
Clap!
Monkey D. grabbed Fan's hand and pulled him up, supporting his weakened body.
The tournament broadcast focused on this touching moment, zooming in on the two fighters.
The camaraderie between these two skilled martial artists, forged through an all-out battle, deeply moved the audience.
"Whooooaaa!!!"
"Well done!!"
"Amazing fight!!"
A tidal wave of applause erupted, with many spectators already on their feet, cheering and clapping. Even the announcer at ringside spoke with admiration:
"What an inspiring moment… In the arena, there are winners and losers, but while the victor deserves respect, the one who fell is no less worthy of our admiration!"
And with that, the second round of the World Martial Arts Tournament Grand Finals officially came to an end!
Now, only three fighters remained.
Noah Loeb!
A silent yet formidable swordsman! With nothing but a wooden blade, he had carved his way from the regional qualifiers all the way to the final three!
Monkey D.!
The last heir of the once-declining Muten School, who had made a stunning resurgence—its sole representative to reach the global top three!
And…