Chapter 10: John Doe Advances to the Finals

It must be said that Goku's combat talent is indeed exceptional. Although his strength is slightly inferior to John Doe's, his combat experience and instincts, honed from a young age, make up for the difference.

Both Goku and John Doe now sported bruises and contusions on their bodies and faces, battle scars from their intense fight.

John Doe and Goku stood up from the ground. John Doe said, "Goku, you're very strong. Now, I'm going to use my ultimate move, but I'm not sure if I can beat you with it. I've never used it against anyone before."

Hearing that John Doe had an ultimate move, Goku's face lit up with excitement. "Come on, John Doe, let me see your ultimate move!"

John Doe took a deep breath, calming himself and adjusting his mindset to a state of tranquility.

Simultaneously, he slowly lowered his arms, and in his mind, all external distractions vanished. It was as if the entire world consisted only of Goku and himself.

To the others watching, especially Master Roshi, Goku, Yamcha, and Krillin, it seemed as if John Doe had disappeared from their ki sensing. They could see him physically, but his ki was undetectable.

Or, to be more precise, John Doe's ki was like a rock or a clear spring—present but without any fluctuations.

Without ki fluctuations, it was impossible to sense John Doe's attack intentions, effectively blinding a martial artist's second pair of eyes.

Martial artists typically rely on two sets of eyes. The physical eyes observe an opponent's moves, while the ki sensing acts as a second pair of eyes, often more crucial than the physical eyes, especially when it comes to detecting sneak attacks.

Goku was puzzled, unable to sense John Doe's ki. However, this didn't deter him. He decided to rely on his physical eyes and launched a probing attack, punching towards John Doe.

To Goku's surprise, John Doe effortlessly dodged his attack. The timing of the dodge was impeccable, occurring at the precise moment Goku exerted his maximum force.

After evading Goku's attack, John Doe counterattacked with full force, striking Goku in the abdomen.

The powerful blow caused Goku immense pain. He staggered a few steps, clutching his stomach, before collapsing on the ring.

Following John Doe's reminder, the host began the countdown.

"They were evenly matched just a moment ago. How did Goku suddenly fail to withstand John Doe's attack?" Krillin, watching from the sidelines, asked.

Master Roshi, disguised as Cheng Long, explained, "That's because John Doe's timing was impeccable."

"Goku's previous attack was perfectly timed. If John Doe had dodged a fraction earlier, Goku could have changed his move. If John Doe had dodged a fraction later, he would have been forced into a defensive position."

"But John Doe seized that fleeting moment, when Goku's force was spent, and dodged the attack. Then, he immediately counterattacked, defeating Goku."

At that moment, the host finished the countdown and declared John Doe the winner.

Master Roshi continued, "In terms of raw strength, there isn't much difference between them. John Doe is just slightly stronger. Normally, it would take hundreds of rounds to determine a winner between them."

"But unfortunately, in terms of martial arts philosophy, John Doe is ahead of all of you. He has already begun to grasp the concept of 'intent before action.'"

"Intent before action?" Krillin and Yamcha looked at Master Roshi, puzzled by the term.

Master Roshi explained, "It means executing a move without conscious thought, relying solely on the body's muscle memory."

"Isn't that just a reflex or instinct?" Yamcha asked.

Master Roshi thought for a moment and replied, "You can think of it that way for now. When you reach that level, you'll understand what it truly means."

Master Roshi's words implied that while the external manifestation of instinct and 'intent before action' might be similar, their underlying nature was different.

Krillin and Yamcha didn't ask further, as they felt they were already pushing the limits of their understanding.

At that moment, Goku regained consciousness and eagerly asked John Doe, "John Doe, what move did you use to beat me? Please teach me!"

John Doe shook his head and said, "It's not a specific move but a martial arts philosophy that you must discover and experience for yourself. It can't be taught."

Goku was disappointed, as he had a keen interest in martial arts. Learning that there was a technique he didn't know, he was eager to learn it. His disappointment stemmed from the fact that John Doe couldn't teach it to him.

As Master Roshi watched his two disciples walk off the ring, he approached John Doe and said, "You're very impressive. I didn't expect you to reach this level."

John Doe, aware that the person before him was Master Roshi, respectfully replied, "Senior, I still have a long way to go. I've only taken the first step towards 'intent before action.' Currently, I'm merely scratching the surface."

Master Roshi was highly satisfied with John Doe's performance and nodded, "Alright, take a rest. Soon, we'll have our final match."

As John Doe mentioned, he had barely scratched the surface of 'intent before action.'

Before using this technique, he needed to calm his mind and emotions. If Goku hadn't been so naive and had attacked during John Doe's preparatory phase, the outcome might have been different.

Moreover, John Doe's victory came at a cost. The previous moves had caused minor muscle tears due to his body not being fully coordinated.

John Doe decided to use this technique in future training but only sparingly in actual combat, unless he had Senzu Beans to restore his energy. Otherwise, using this technique would leave him vulnerable.

John Doe couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, knowing he might lose the upcoming final match.