Goku calmly caught Piccolo's punch.
In the same instant, he countered with a fierce blow to Piccolo's left cheek, sending the Demon King flying.
Piccolo stumbled backward, his feet skidding across the ground. He barely managed to stop himself after ten steps.
Goku slid into a fighting stance, eyes sharp, waiting for Piccolo's next move.
Wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, Piccolo roared, "Goku! I'll return this humiliation tenfold!"
He lunged forward, stretching his right arm at incredible speed. But Goku easily caught it, spun on his heel, and slammed Piccolo's entire body hard into the ground.
Boom!
The arena shook.
Piccolo sprang back to his feet, glaring in disbelief. Something wasn't right.
Goku's power felt nearly equal to his own—maybe only slightly stronger—yet while Piccolo's stamina was already starting to wane, Goku hadn't shown a shred of exhaustion.
How could this be? Normally, if he was worn out, his opponent should be too.
Seeing Piccolo hesitate, Goku smirked. "What's wrong? If you're not going to attack, then it's my turn."
In a flash, he rushed forward.
"What?!" Piccolo snapped into a defensive stance—too late.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Goku unleashed a storm of punches and kicks. Even with constant blocks, Piccolo was struck again and again.
Desperate, Piccolo released a violent burst of Ki, forcing Goku back and giving himself a moment to breathe.
Goku grinned. "That little flare just drained more of your stamina, Piccolo."
"You hateful bastard!" Piccolo's rage boiled over. If this kept up, Goku would wear him down completely.
Spreading his hands, he gathered two glowing orbs of energy and hurled them at Goku.
"This Demon King isn't done yet!"
Piccolo's arms swung wildly, bombarding the arena with a barrage of energy spheres.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The air filled with smoke and explosions, each blast shaking the ground. Piccolo was unleashing everything he had—because he knew a drawn-out fight only favored Goku.
"Goku!!" Krillin shouted desperately toward the smoke.
He knew his friend was strong, but Piccolo was showing terrifying power.
Tien Shinhan narrowed his third eye, shielding his face from the glare.
"He's panicking. Piccolo's attacks are getting more reckless."
"Then shouldn't we help?" Yamcha asked.
"Don't." Master Roshi's voice was firm. "If you break Goku's rhythm now, it could cost him the fight."
In the arena, Goku moved with blinding speed, deflecting every incoming blast. The barrage lasted a full two minutes before finally stopping.
Piccolo was gasping for air by the end. A cruel smile crept across his face. "Heh… That should've finished you."
But as the smoke cleared, Goku stood unharmed, brushing dust from his shoulders.
Piccolo's jaw dropped. "What?! You're not even scratched?! How is this possible?!"
"That was close," Goku admitted, shaking his hands out. "You're really amazing, Piccolo. You almost made me feel pressured."
Inwardly, he was debating whether to remove his weighted clothing. If he kept fighting like this, the battle would drag on. Without the weights, he was confident he could end it in under a minute.
"Unforgivable!!" Piccolo bellowed, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
White flames of Ki erupted around his body, his aura becoming tangible. With a scream, he spread his arms wide—triggering a devastating explosion.
The blast ripped outward in all directions, leveling over two hundred meters of the arena.
Sand and rubble filled the air.
Thankfully, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien Shinhan shielded Bulma, Launch, Oolong, and Puar, protecting them from the worst of it.
"Damn… we were over a hundred meters away, and it was still that dangerous," Yamcha muttered, shaken.
When the dust cleared, Piccolo's eyes went wide. Goku was still standing, steady and unscathed.
"No… I used everything I had! How can you still be standing, Goku?!"
Goku's tone was calm but firm. "Piccolo, the reason you haven't forced me to my limit… is because I haven't used my true strength yet."
Piccolo's pupils shrank. "What are you saying? You mean to tell me… all this time… you weren't fighting me at full power?!"
"That's right," Goku replied simply.
What he didn't say was that under the weight of his training clothes, he truly was giving it his all. Without them, the fight would be an entirely different story.