Raiden couldn't help but smile as he watched Yajirobe eventually beat Nagri. At first, he had been worried that his friend would get overwhelmed by the sheer force of his opponent but he had persisted.

Yajirobe took Nagri's charges and eventually found the pattern that Raiden also noticed. The charge. Nagri always got back into his stance before he attacked. Whether it was a habit from sumo matches or just part of his technique, it was a weakness. One that Yajirobe exploited to eventually get the win.

Raiden felt someone step up next to him and saw that it was Chappa. He had probably come back to watch the battles after getting treated for his injuries.

"I hope you're ready to fight a hard battle. Yajirobe hasn't been slacking off, he's probably even stronger than me," admitted the martial arts master.

"That just makes it more interesting," replied Raiden with a slight smile on his face at the prospect of getting an even more exciting fight in the finals.

"Alright let's go you little squirt," yelled Yajirobe as he jumped down from the ring. "We gotta get in a decent meal before the final."

Raiden frowned at being called short but he was 10, what could he do? "Fine fine let's go. But I'm not eating anything, I just want a drink. Not everyone can gorge themselves before a big battle. You wanna come too Chappa?" he asked.

Chappa nodded as he followed behind Raiden and Yajirobe as they made their way to the kitchen area of the tournament.

* * *

BURRP. "Ah, that was satisfying. No way no beat me now brat, especially now that I'm well-fed," said Yajirobe as the group walked out of the kitchen back towards the ring.

"Shut up you fat oaf, it's not like you've beaten me before. Anyway hurry up we have to get to the ring before the hour ends." retorted Raiden.

Raiden quickly flew off towards the ring to make it in time as Yajirobe ran behind him. He still hadn't figured out how to fly and with his bad ki control he probably never would. Chappa merely walked back at a leisurely pace, a slight smile on his lips due to the antics of his two friends.

Raiden and Yajirobe quickly made their way up to the ring as the announcer looked a bit miffed that they were late for the most important fight of the tournament.

"Ladies and Gentlemen with our contestants FINALLY here we can now start the final of the 20th world martial arts tournament! On the ring, you can the Raiden the Sage and Yajirobe who both fought intense battles to make their way to the final. I'm sure you all know the rules by now but unfortunately, I do have to repeat them. If you can't get up after a 10 count or a ring out you lose the fight. Also, no hitting at the private parts and no weapons are allowed," said the announcer with practiced ease. " Well now that we got that over with FIGHTERS GET READY! LET THE FINALS BEGIN."

Raiden and Yajirobe were already in their signature fighting stances. Yajirobe about to draw the ghost of his missing katana and Raiden in his modified multi-fist stance. (That's Chappa's fighting style if anyone forgot) But this time Raiden also a small orb of ki floating above his head, almost like a halo.

During his meal with Chappa and Yajirobe, he thought it might be a good idea to have it ready for the fight, in case he needed it as a trump card.

Right as the referee started the fight Yajirobe charged forward trying to get off his go-to gut punch.

Raiden knowing what Yajirobe would try and do quickly ducked below the punch using his short stature to his advantage and tried to sweep Yajirobe off his feet with a kick to the back of the knee.

Yajirobe noticed what he was trying to do and quickly jumped back to avoid Raiden's kick. After evading the kick since Raiden was still getting up off the ground from his sweep Yajirobe jumped into the air in front of Raiden and did an Ax kick downwards that would no doubt knock him out. Maybe even break a few bones if it handed.

Raiden quickly rolled out of the way to avoid being crushed by Yajirobe and fired a quick ki blast at the man using his palm. Yajirobe who wasn't expecting Raiden to use ki attacks managed to get his arms in front of his to block.

Yajirobe skid back a few feet from the force of the blow but was grinning at Raiden as if to show the attack did nothing.

Raiden frowned when he saw the ki attack not work and the reason was even more concerning. Yajirobe had used ki to reinforce his arms which helped negate the majority of Raiden blast. He no doubt got the idea by seeing Raiden do it during their spars a few months ago. 

But what was worrying was that if Yajirobe learned how to manipulate ki, even just in his body, it made the fight much more challenging for Raiden. There was no way he could hold back now. Yajirobe was already built like a tank and with him boosting his physique his normal attacks wouldn't do any damage.

Raiden gave Yajirobe a small smile and started flaring his ki powering up and couldn't help but get excited when Yajirobe did the same. It meant that the fight was going to be a lot more interesting than he initially thought.