The Last Champion

A Mysterious Challenger

Goku's friends celebrate the win over Akkuman, but Fortuneteller Baba is already smiling again, certain that her last champion is in a league of his own. The masked fighter emerges from the idol's mouth, and his sudden appearance startles both Goku and the rest of the gallery. Rather than duel in the cramped confines of the Devil's Toilet, the newcomer politely requests a larger ring so he can move freely. Baba agrees without argument and guides the group outside to an open-air arena. Along the way, Krillin whispers that Goku should have no trouble with this one, while Goku notices that something about the masked man actually smells nice to him. Yamcha elbows Master Roshi and points out how uncharacteristically quiet he has been. Roshi only mutters that the fighter feels strangely familiar, and the stranger murmurs something to Baba that makes her gasp.

A Respectful Bow

At the edge of the new ring, the masked fighter bows low and asks whether Goku intends to return the courtesy before they begin. A little surprised by the formality, Goku returns the bow as best he can and then drops into his stance. Baba signals the start of the bout, and the two opponents lock eyes in the center of the arena as the gallery leans forward, sensing something different about this fight.

An Even Exchange

Prompted by the masked fighter himself, Goku launches into the attack with a flurry of strikes. A sudden blow from the stranger nearly connects, and Goku only barely tilts his head clear in time. Goku answers with a punch the masked man catches in one hand, then both combatants spring apart to reset. The stranger vaults high into the air above the boy, moving faster than anything Goku has faced so far in the tournament. A heartbeat later he drops like a hammer with a straight punch that Goku only just manages to absorb, rolling with the impact.

Blow for Blow

Flipping off the ground, Goku turns his own momentum into a retaliatory kick that snaps cleanly into the masked fighter's side. The two warriors disengage again and land lightly several paces apart, chests rising. In the gallery, Goku's friends stare in silence. Whoever this stranger is, he is matching Goku in both speed and timing with a composure none of them have ever seen in one of Baba's hired champions.