Kakarot's Arc

Chapter 2 of 14

The scarred warrior tested his blade's edge, and Kakarot faced a fight he could not survive with fists alone. One curved sword against one plasma glove. A single cut could end him. He looked to the shade for his teacher, but a small hand caught his arm first. Chi-Chi stepped onto the sand. His wife had fought in these tournaments before she married him, and she still moved like a champion. She did not beg him to quit. She pressed something cold into his empty hand. "You forgot this at home," she said. "You always rush out with half your gear." It was the second gauntlet. Its twin. Kakarot had left it behind in his haste to reach the arena. He slid it on, and the core in its palm hissed awake. Now both fists crackled blue and pink. He still had no blade and no shield. But he had two weapons instead of one. Behind Chi-Chi came his brother. Raddits shoved through the watching champions, cape torn, jaw set. He always arrived when Kakarot faced danger he could not handle alone. "Don't block his sword," Raddits said low. "You can't. So don't try. Take his arm." He gripped Kakarot's shoulder once, hard, then stepped back to the edge. The scarred warrior charged. His blade came down in a fast arc. Kakarot did not raise his fists to catch it. He remembered his brother's words. He twisted sideways. The sword hissed past his ear and bit the sand. Before the warrior could lift the blade again, Kakarot drove both gauntlets forward. He did not aim for the man. He aimed for the sword arm. The plasma cores struck the warrior's wrist together. The metal flashed white. The warrior screamed and his fingers sprang open. The curved sword spun away across the sand. Now the warrior had no steel. Kakarot had two burning fists and open ground. He stepped in and hammered the man's chest. The blow lifted the warrior off his feet. He crashed down and did not rise. The crowd roared. Kakarot stood over the fallen warrior, both gauntlets still smoking. The man who fought with steel lay disarmed in the dirt. First blood had gone to Kakarot after all. Master Roshi walked out from the shade. He did not smile, but he nodded. "One rival down," the old man said. "The rest were watching. Now they know your fists take swords." Raddits helped drag the beaten warrior aside. Chi-Chi wiped a cut on Kakarot's cheek with her thumb. "You still forgot your glove," she said. "Next time bring both." Across the sand, a huge man in shining armor stepped forward. He carried a two-handed greatsword as tall as a boy. He raised it and pointed the tip at Kakarot. "Beating a lesser blade means nothing," the big man said. "Face mine." The throne was still far away, and the next champion had already chosen his ground.