"Woohooo!" Goku cheered pumping his fist into the air over and over. He wasn't the only one cheering fiercely either. The entire Otherworld Stadium was jam packed with thousands of dead spectators. At the center of the stadium, where the ring typically rested, was a massive crystal ball showing the fights of the Galactic Games on Planet Vegeta.
"I can't believe how strong Tien has become." Appla said watching. "It's amazing. He's surpassed anything I thought a Human could attain."
"We've underestimated the Humans before." Bardock said. "There's more to them than meets the eye. I think the only reason they're so weak on average is a lack of knowledge. I think, now that they know about Ki, they'll rise up in over all power rather quickly. Though, Tien is exceptional..."
"So's Trunks." Goku said. "A Super Sai-jin so young!"
Appla nodded. It was most surprising, and impressive.
The warriors in the stands weren't just gathered to observe the battles in the Mortal Realm. That could have been handled anywhere. No, they were here for more than one tournament. Once the Grand Kai had learned how the tournament in the mortal plane would play out he set-up the Otherworld Tournament to follow suit. Once day one of the Galactic Games ended, day one of the Otherworld Tournament would begin.
They'd do their first round fights after the Galactic Games first rounds ended, their second would follow the Galactic Games second round, and so on. And then, finally, in four days, the two tournaments would hold their finals. It was an event of epic proportions the likes of which even Otherworld hadn't seen before.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Galactic Games Arena, Battle Pit
Trunks ducked down under a hard right from Tien and then came up pounding his fist into the Human's stomach. The Tri-clops pulled back as his left leg shot up and smashed into the side of the Prince's head. A crack sounded a second later as the child blocked another kick with his arm and then slammed his own knee into his opponent's jaw.
Spinning around he snapped out a kick into Tien's chest knocking him back. He then thrust an arm out sending a ball of golden energy trailing after him. It impacted and exploded just as the Human recovered, the blast slamming him down into the ground. Trunks landed, arm still held out, panting heavily.
The two had been going for twenty minutes now making this the longest match yet. The length of the fight was taking its toll on both warriors but the young Prince was feeling the effects the worst from it. He wasn't used to extended battles like this, his stamina wasn't quite up to it. He groaned as he saw Tien climbing back to his feet again, the count only having reached six.
As Tien got to his feet it was evident that he was weakened from the battle as well. He was breathing heavy, though not as badly as the child. Despite their bodies wearing down their powers had declined little. Though tired as they were it was hard to put as much power behind each new attack as the last.
Suddenly there were twin flashes of light, one red and one golden, as the two charged in at each other once more. Only feet apart they suddenly vanished and the camera's panned around to find them. They were easy to locate a second later as a loud crack and bright flash emanated from the sky nearly a hundred yards above the ground. The two were, once again, exchanging fierce blows at close range.
Suddenly Trunks landed an open palm to Tien's stomach winding him and followed that up with a kick to the back that slammed him into the ground once more. This time he didn't let it end there. /Heh. Watch this dad!/ he thought grinning as he aimed a short arm down at the prone Human, golden energy gathering before his palm.
Down below Tien had pulled himself back to his feet and was turning to face his opponent when the child's voice sounded out. "Take this. Big Bang... Attack!" The golden energy ball swelled in size and shot down at the Tri-clops who quickly brought his arms up in front of his chest.
The angle was odd, making it hard to aim, but a moment before the attack hit his own voice called out. "Tri-Beam!" Golden energy flashed between his palms and then surged out and slammed into the incoming attack sending it surging back up into the sky. The young Prince's eyes widened and he thrust his arms down firing a powerful blast of energy into his rapidly returning attack causing both to explode.
The Human left out a long breath as his stance relaxed and his aura dimmed. He was still powered up but he was relaxing now. "What, done already?" Trunks asked between pants.
Tien shook his head. "Not me, you. You're too worn out to keep going. You did good conserving your energy but you wasted too much stamina. You can't beat me now."
"We'll see about that!" he called shooting in at Tien. He reached him a second later and lashed out with a powerful punch that caught nothing but air. The image of Tien wavered and then vanished, a soft crunch coming from behind the Prince as the Human landed a few yards away.
"Alright, still have some fight left in you I see."
"Of course I do!" Trunks cried turning around.
"Ok then." he said, closing his eyes. White lightning like energy crackled around his left arm suddenly. And then another crackled around one of his legs. Then another and another all across his body. A moment later he was glowing white inside the pulsing red Kaio Ken aura. And then a loud explosion came, along with a blinding flash of white light and rush of wind from Tien.
When the glare faded away and everyone got a look at Tien their mouths hung open in shock and disbelief. No longer did he look as he had before. The hair of his eyebrows was now white, his three black eyes now orange, and the whites of them a slowly shifting and rippling soft blue, like energy coursed within them.
His skin, too, now seemed to have gone slightly transparent with blue energy visibly flowing through it. Almost like a chameleon trying to blend in with the ocean and sky, parts of his skin shifted and rippled with blue tones that flowed across his body like waves in the sea. But beyond these changes there was one other physical difference. Below his arms was a second pair of arms, he now had four of them. He'd also added some extra height to his body to have room for the new limbs.
"Wh-what kind of technique is that!?" Trunks cried, taking a step back. He could feel it plain as day. Tien's power had just doubled. In a split second his power had shot up high enough that the young Prince now had no chance of victory. Especially not in his already worn out state.
"It's not a technique." Tien said, his voice the same as ever. "About a year and a half ago Raditz and I went on a training trip traveling from one world to the next looking for new challenges. On one world my body was pushed to its limits and then... this. A transformation. I don't know if it's entirely natural, I was exposed to some odd energies prior to attaining it, but I have it just the same.
"So, do you give up now? You can't beat me like this. Even if you were still in top condition the difference would be too great." Tien crossed his arms, all four of them. "Well?"
"No. I don't give up!" Trunks cried, suddenly launching in again. A loud crack sounded a second later as the Prince reached him and was promptly backhanded away, like a fly being swatted. The child flew a few yards before crashing to the ground, bouncing a few times, then sliding further and coming to a stop. Along the way his golden aura had vanished and his hair had fallen down.
As the count started Tien's body began to glow again. This time it faded away without the show of before and once more he was back to normal. Once the count hit ten he turned and made his way back to the competitors area.
"Wow." Gohan said, blinking. "That was... amazing. I had no idea Humans could transform..."
"Neither did I, and I am one!" Krillin cried. "Though I'm not surprised Tien was the one to find it."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Otherworld, Grand Kai's Planet
The Grand Kai raised an eyebrow as he saw Tien transform. "My, my, my. This I have not seen in many years. Many years indeed."
"You've seen it before?" King Kai asked blinking. The short Kai was seated in the chair directly to the right of the Grand Kai, with the East Kai to his right. The South Kai and West Kai where on the Grand Kai's left. King Kai had never actually witnessed a Human transformation before despite having trained several hundred highly skilled Humans over the years.
The Grand Kai nodded. "It's not been as long as when the first second level Super Sai-jin was here but it was about... hmmm, I think about eight thousand years ago. You remember the warrior Suez, yes? Olibu's father?"
"Olibu's... you mean he is the one who reached it?"
The Grand Kai nodded. "Indeed. He saw attaining the form the pinnacle of his work. That is when, and why, he chose to leave my world for Heaven." The Grand Kai rubbed his beard in thought. "It is not an easy form to obtain. You need a strength of mind and spirit, more than of body, and complete harmony between them and the body."
"Tien attained that many years ago." King Kai said. "Before I learned of him he already possessed the third eye brought about by his intense mental and spiritual training."
"Whatever this experience he mentioned was..." the Grand Kai began. "It must have allowed the last element he needed to fall into place, which ever element it was that had remained for him." The Grand Kai smiled. "King Kai, make a note. After this tournament speak with Yemma. When this Tien comes to Otherworld he is to be given permission to come here."
King Kai blinked. That was... a first. He'd never known the Grand Kai to ever extend an invitation of his own for a warrior to come to his world upon death. His offering to allow Goku, Bardock, Appla, Trunks, and Sakura to remain seven years ago, prior to learning of the Dragonballs on Earth, had been one thing. But this was something entirely different.
"I don't see what's so special about it." West Kai huffed. He obviously didn't like the fact that his galaxy was being outshined in this tournament. Not by being beaten, there were no fighters from the West Galaxy even in the tournament since none of the galaxies had yet to even interact with each other in the mortal world, but by power alone. The current strongest living mortal in the West Galaxy was only around twenty thousand.
The South and East Kai's egos weren't taking quite the same beating. Yet. There was a group of five in the East Galaxy with powers ranging from five to twelve million and several hundred people in the mid to upper hundred thousands. The South Galaxy toped that, though, with one fighter just over one hundred million and a few dozen in the eight to twenty million range.
While the East Galaxy's strongest had been surpassed by a couple North Galaxy fighters already it wasn't by such a large ammount that the East Kai was upset over it. And since none of the fighters in the tournament had yet surpassed a hundred million the South Kai still doubted King Kai's claims. "The fight I'm looking forward to..." King Kai began. "At least of this first round, is Hotaru and Vegeta. They should be exceptional by now."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Galactic Games Arena, V.I.P. Box
The room was still completely silent. Tien's match had ended nearly five minutes ago now and no one had yet spoken. They were all still absorbing what they had seen. Nova for a reason different than the others. /This is... unbelievable.../ she thought, still staring down into the empty battle pit. /That Human was... his power... he's even stronger than King Cold was... How... How are there so many fighters now with such power?/ Remembering what Vegeta had told her before she shook her head. /And just how strong are the others?/
"What... was that?" Bulma wondered softly, finally breaking the silence. "I... Human's can transform? But... that's..." She couldn't place words for it. She'd never seen anything in Human DNA that indicated a transformation, as far as she could tell. She'd need to talk to Tien later... run a few tests, see if she could find it.
"I wonder..." Roshi began. "If those who are only half Human can access it as well..."
The two Human women glanced over to the aged Master, then at each other, and sighed, both thinking the same thing. Super Sai-jin kids were enough trouble.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Galactic Games Arena, Competitors Area
It had taken a moment for the crowd, both in the stands and in the competitors area, to calm down. By now Tien had already returned from his match and Sango and Vadora had stepped out for their fight. "That was amazing Tien." Gohan said as the Human reached them.
Tien shrugged. "I hadn't expected to have to use my full power so soon, though." He looked up at the monitor as he heard a loud crack and saw Vadora blocking a punch from Sango. Another crack sounded as his mate smashed her fist into the Tanarian's face knocking her back, down, and out. The crowd started to boo as soon as the count hit 8.
"Ouch." Videl said, faking a cringe. "I guess they don't like short fights."
"Can't be helped some times." said Gohan with a shrug. "Vadora's almost twice as strong as Sango."
"They'll be really disappointed if the finals are quick." Piccolo said with a glance toward Gohan. "So I suggest you make them interesting."
"Hey!" Videl cried, putting her hands on her hips. "And just who says Gohan's going to the finals, hmm? He has to get through me first!"
Gohan hung his head and sighed while Piccolo smirked. "Hear that Gohan?" the Namek asked. "Sounds like your girlfriend is out to win."
"HEY!" Gohan cried, head snapping up. "She's not my girlfriend!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Videl asked, glaring up at him.
"Uh... uh..." Gohan stammered.
Yamcha felt sorry for him and moved over between him and Videl. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything." he said, putting a hand on Gohan's back. "Oh, looks like you're up Videl."
She was about to say more but looked and, sure enough, it was her match. She'd not even realized the fight between Toma and Kavar had started, let alone ended. Glancing at the standings on her way out she saw that Kavar had moved on.
"Thanks..." Gohan breathed softly, once Videl was out of ear shot. He looked up at the screen as Videl's match started and then cringed as her opponent fell to the ground from a punch to the abdomen that had had more power to it than had been required.
Yamcha patted Gohan's back a couple of times and then turned away. "Yeah... good luck when she comes back..." he said, walking off.