Dragon Ball — Hardcore Chapter 20: The Buu Saga, pt 2, a dragon ball z fanfic

DRAGON BALL HARDCORE

THE BUU SAGA, part 2

A whole year had passed since his more simple days. Gohan grew accustomed to both his school life and his training with Videl. He managed to go through his first year without a hitch. Now he had three whole months of days off and Videl had a summer plan prepared already. They have been together for so long and she went to his house so many times, everyone's first guess is that they're probably dating and making out all day. It couldn't be farther from the case; that is what normal teenagers would do. Gohan and Videl only spent time fighting.

After so many months of hard work Videl now developed her skills to the point she reached a very recognizable power, even beyond planet Earth. Her flight technique got more refined and her spars with Gohan grew more destructive. No matter what kind of freaky thing Gohan would put her up to, nothing felt better than trying her hardest to knock him out. Every now and then she would actually land a good punch and leave a mark. Regardless of who took the worst of the fighting, it would always end with the two sitting side by side as they patch each other up.

They would always talk about their past, things they saw and learned; mostly about how hard their family can be. However, this time Videl had a proposal. The 25th World Martial Arts tournament is coming up in a month. She was absolutely eager to win, but she wanted Gohan to come along too. The only way she wanted this to go down is by defeating him at the finals. She would use all that he taught her against him, and even some things that even he doesn't know she can do. But she is not gonna force him this time, and will give him time to think about it. "You haven't noticed yet, but I think you like fighting more than you realize, Gohan. See ya,"

She flies away, saying that they will stop meeting from now on; she wants to prepare on her own.

…

At the peaceful mountain side of a waterfall, there meditated a certain man. Wearing a blue gi and white cape, he sat there for a long time with his eyes closed; all three of them. That man was a certain master by the name of Tenshinhan, and today was actually his last day as a master. As he sat there, a small figure suddenly appeared before him and attacked head on. Tien had more than enough skill and might to stop his attacks. As he held his enemy by his tail, it turned out to be Goten. "Too predictable, Goten, try a different approach!" he said, and he threw him far away into the horizon, ripping off his tail in the process.

Suddenly, Tien felt a strong energy coming his way from the waterfall, bursting out of the water. It turned out to be a distraction in the form of a solid ball of energy; the Soukidan. He grabbed it before it could hit his face, and he felt another one coming from behind, and grabbed that as well. With both his hands occupied now he felt an energy rise from below. Out of the ground a young boy in yellow and black gi and short black hair, wearing glasses. By a mere inch Tien managed to dodge his flying kick and his next punch. They now stood face to face and the boy was completely open to strike. "Quite clever, Boku. However you should've acted earlier," Tien said, and he smashed the two Soukidans together, creating an explosion that sent Boku flying away in the smoke.

And once again he felt a powerful energy trying to sneak on him. He turned back and was met with a barrage of Dodon Rays that he had to dodge. Finally, a girl in green and red gi with her hair on a ponytail came down with a flying kick that Tien dodged. The girl was too scared to try again and took her distance. Tien was standing there with his hands on his hips. "Are you afraid to trade blows with me, Dee? That's not what I taught you," he said. The girl was shaken by those words, her trembling lips showed a spike of anger. She tried maintaining calm but it didn't work, she was a different person… literally. "What did you say, old man?!"

Her hair turned white, her eyes red, and her voice got a little rougher. Now she had a fiery wish to beat Tien. As reckless as her fists and kicks were, she was skilled enough to dodge all of Tiens' attacks herself. She knew how to use her size, and got very close to hitting Tien in the face. But alas, he blasts her away with his powerful wave of Kiai, and gives her time to rest. Goten and Boku quickly arrive to join her in a formation. Boku, a tactical genius; Goten, a Saiyan powerhouse; Dinchiaohan, a skillful learner, a tempered brawler, and his own daughter.

With much struggle and teamwork, they manage to successively hit Tien square in the face, and he is sent staggering back. With just that their training was over. The kids fall to the ground in complete exhaustion as Tien chuckles to himself. He had no doubt about it; they were done.

There was nothing more he could teach any of them; they learned it all and even more. Boku asked if they had truly beaten him with just a punch, and he said, "yeah, you managed to hit me good… while using one eight of my full power."

The kids comically fall to the floor. "How come we're done, then?!" asked Boku, "I thought you're supposed to teach us until we're as strong as you!"

"That's not the case. Look at the three of you; you are some of the best fighters in the entire world and beyond, and you're not even ten years old yet. I've been training all my life; I'm in my forties, and I got pushed back by three kids. The tricks, lessons and the techniques I taught you three should be more than enough. If you still seek power beyond this, then keep on training and getting better every day. I swear, by the time you get half of my age, you'll be twice as strong as I am today," Tien finished his monologue. "However, I do have a neat little idea of how to begin your own careers from now on. Have you ever heard of the World Martial Art Tournament?"

Tien explained it to them, and said it would be worth checking it out. He hasn't been into a tournament in a long time; it was time to go back to his roots. His disciples were excited by the idea, but for now they should split up to train on their own.

Boku had a gravity room in his mansion that had been accumulating dust for 10 years; it was time to put it for good use. Dina would go to test the magic rooms of the lookout that made her father so strong in the past. And as for the younger Goten, his only hope is that his older brother trains with him. Boku himself couldn't understand why Tien held Gohan in such a high regard, if he never trained as hard as they do, and never showed his true power in years. He walks off with hands in his pockets, telling the other two to not screw around. They promised to meet each other in the tournament, and see for the final time who's the best.

…

In a desert that expands between the big cities there was the usual highway bar where people can do their shady business. The lonely parking lot was invaded by a loud motorcycle with a lady driving it. She entered the place and met up with a guy that was drinking his time away. The lady took off her helmet and showed to be android 18, having matured quite a bit in the last seven years. Just then the man turns around, showing himself to be android 17, who matured just as much. Now they are two grown adults, although they don't feel like it.

She asked him how the secret agent gig was going on. 17 liked his job; lots of action and tension. The problem is that he's so good at his job that he eventually ran out of crime organizations to crack down. Now all he has is a fat paycheck and nothing to do. "What about you?" he asks. 18 had been living a pretty simple life, refusing to stay at one place for too long. She traveled a lot, but she hasn't found any reason to settle down yet. "So unemployed, right?" said 17, getting punched in the shoulder instantly. She cuts to the chase and shows him the wrapped poster for the next World Martial Arts Tournament. Not only had it been a while since they fought, but it was gonna be some piece of cake money. Coincidentally, as government agent he was tasked to monitor the tournament, and make sure no "Piccolo Stuff"" happens again. It was a perfect fit, and with a fist bump the twin brothers are with their eyes on the prize.

…

In his lookout, Dende would do his job with way more passion than any guardian before him. He would mire down to the planet with his eyes closed, and use his magic abilities of divine sight to see people living their lives. He would intervene all over the world with menial tasks, like stopping an old lady from falling down, or telling a kid to watch the road before crossing it. The whole thing was almost like his training; his magical prowess only grew with time. He was now taller; his white overall covers his body and the brown tunic now extends to his ankles. His soft smile still carries a commanding presence. Everything on Earth seemed to be going well.

Everything except for… that.

An ominous feeling was clouding his mind. Dende could feel that an energy had entered the boundaries of Earth. It was purposefully weak, and it would disappear from time to time, but he had no doubt it was there. As if someone was trying to hide their presence.

He warned Mr. Popo about it, but he didn't know any better. He would have to keep watching for this frightening feeling; a menace to these times of peace. The moment he feels it again, he's going after these invaders.

…

As the Son family ate lunch that day, the idea of partaking in the tournament was still on Gohan's mind. His mother didn't really mind, she was glad both her sons were thinking about going. It's because of the tournament that they are a family in the first place. Soon enough, Gohan got the memo from Goten that all of their god-like friends were going to participate. That was the worst case scenario. They would wipe the floor with Videl; she was strong, but not to the likes of them. Lying to her about his true power will be his downfall now.

He doesn't want to see her dreams crushed; he knows how much winning the tournament means for her. He had to do something about it, and so he decided. Gohan was gonna enter the tournament, beat all of the strongest warriors in the universe, face Videl in the finals and then let her win. There's no other way. He told Goten to come along; they would train together until the day of the tournament.

"Is your girlfriend gonna train with us again?" Goten asked.

"Shut up and let's go!" Gohan yelled.

…

And so, on a bright day, in a sea of people trying to enter the stadium, Gohan, Goten and Chi-chi were stuck in traffic. Chi-chi managed to open up in some way by announcing that the next champion is coming through, and kicking whoever didn't listen. For all the thousands of people there, the ones who were actually fighting were less than a hundred folk. In this room full of scary-looking fighters, Gohan was surprised when Videl tapped him on his shoulder.

He actually showed up, and she welcomed him with a bear hug that lifted him off his feet. Apparently they were all waiting for the seats to fill up, and for now they should be doing the qualifiers. Chi-chi was about to go buy a seat when she met up with Bulma and Boku at the entrance. The boy was surprised, he expected Gohan would be too busy eating books to show up. Gohan was glad to see little Boku again, but he wasn't charmed by the nickname. "I'm the oldest one of the three, why does everyone call me little?!" he said. "Your mom will tell you one day" said Gohan.

Boku saw he was being accompanied by Videl, and pulled him closer for a quick private talk. "Gohan, why is this girl so much stronger than anyone else? Is she the one you've been training with?" he asked.

"She's a friend. For now, at least…" Gohan replied.

Suddenly Gohan gets approached by two other people who were talking about him from afar. It was 17 and 18, surprised to see the adult that Gohan became. The kids didn't know who they were, neither could feel any power from them, but Gohan assures the two are unimaginably powerful. "Woah, is that Goku and future boy-'' 17 was saying before Gohan covered his mouth.

Videl was just casually hanging back and watching these weird friends Gohan has. She could feel something ominous from most of them, even the kids. Besides, she's pretty sure that blue-haired lady that just showed up is the CEO of Capsule Corp. But everything paled for her in comparison to what she saw next.

Gohan was approached by none other than Tien, Launch and their daughter Dina. He was surprised to see Gohan there, but also overjoyed; he feared this tournament wouldn't be worth the wait. Gohan hasn't seen Tien in a long time; he never properly thanked him for training Goten these couple of years. While the two catch up, Videl suddenly interrupts them. "I'm sorry… Are you TENSHINHAN!? The winner of the 22nd World Martial Art Tournament?!" she said.

That shocked everyone except Bulma Chi-chi and Launch; not even his own pupils knew of that fact. "You were?!" asked Boku, and Tien stated that he didn't really consider it a victory, as he won out of pure luck in his match against Goku.

Videl couldn't believe he was in front of her, it was an honor. She would have the opportunity to fight a champion and that really excited her. If what Goten said was true, this should be that girl Gohan was helping train; the daughter of that Mr. Satan guy who took credit for the defeat of Cell. Tien personally had a distaste for the man after his deception, but he soon understood that Videl is nothing like her father. The way she talked and her smile reminded him of Goku when he was young. She kept flooding his mind with questions until the referee announced the beginning of the qualifiers. The kids say bye to their mothers as all the fighters head to the arena.

…

Now a thought suddenly came to Gohan. How is he gonna rig the bracket to make sure Videl doesn't face the likes of Boku and Dina in the qualifiers? Well, for starters, as soon as they arrive by the gate it is told that the kids wouldn't be allowed. Adults fighting children is no longer a thing, and so everyone below age 14 will have to wait for the Junior bracket that happens after the first few rounds of the tournament. Boku, Goten and Dina complained to the announcer but rules are rules. For now the kids were allowed to come along and watch.

The second thing that helped Gohan's plan was the qualifiers. No longer would people fight in different rings until 14 of them were selected; now it was by a test of strength. A punching machine was set up, and the top strongest would qualify for the 14 places of the tournament. Gohan reunited everyone in a circle and told them to hold their punches, or else they might destroy the machine; a brilliant excuse that convinced all of them. Even 17 and 18 held back to the minimum, but even so everyone thought their numbers to be broken. Mr. Satan, the champion himself, tested the punching machine and scored 139. But these guys are doing from 150 to 200; it was insane. But what didn't surprised no one was when Mr. Satan's daughter walked up to try. Videl arched herself way back and punched it, sending the machine flying through the air in pieces and exploding as it hit the wall. She sure was qualified. That punch scared every other normal fighter away, and now just five others decided to remain there. "What do you think of that, Gohan?"

The third thing that helped Gohan's plan was the arrival of a certain friend. Strangely there was an old man in his retirement days there; white hair, puny and small. He walks up to the punching machine, stating that his name was Shen. The others felt nothing from him, but the second he punched the energy sparked up a little, and they recognized him to be Dende's ki signature. Tien walked up to him, and he still was trying to play the part of the oblivious old man. Tien broke it down that they all recognized his energy. More incredibly, old Kami pulled off that same trick on the 23rd tournament, and even more incredibly he used the exact same person Dende was currently controlling.

Well… that's a bit embarrassing. Dende is there because he felt some evil presence and followed it all the way to the tournament. Soon enough the other felt it too.

Videl was confused when she saw everyone suddenly turn their heads to the same direction. She also could feel something in that direction; something that made her shiver. Gohan and Tien looked angered while the kids seemed bewildered by this feeling. "What the hell is that?" asked Boku.

It wasn't strong, but somehow it was an energy as vile if not worse than Frieza. It came from two people; two baldies with pale skin and a big M on their foreheads, Yamu and Spopovich. Both delivered good punches in the new machine, and therefore were qualified. They passed by the Z-warriors without even a glance of acknowledgment. Gohan immediately doubted if those two are even Earthlings.

Finally, the last two to qualify were a tall man with white hair and red skin, and a short old man with bluish skin. Both of them used the exact same tunic and they identified themselves as Kai and Kibito. They were bizarre to the Z-warriors. Something about their energy was different, like nothing they ever saw. An immediate contrast between the two baldies they just saw. Kibito gave a good punch but Kai did not, but since he was the last person there after Videl scared away 90% of the competition, he was qualified.

…

With the qualifiers done it was time to form the brackets. Everyone would have to win 5 fights straight to win the tournament, including the champion Mr. Satan at the end. However, whoever sorted number 1 and 14 would have the advantage to fight just 4 times. Gohan scooted over to Dende in Shen's body with a request; he begged that he use his magic to put all of them on one side and put Videl and the normal fighters at the other. Dende immediately understood what he was planning to do, and decided to help his friend out. As people drew their numbered balls from the box, Dende used his magic to switch the numbers perfectly. At the end, the brackets were the following:

Kibito is number 1. Gohan is number 2. Pintar, a fat guy, was number 3. Tien was number 4. Yamu was number 5. Android 18 was number 6. Android 17 was number 7. Dende was number 8. Kai was number 9. Killa, a master boxer, was number 10. Spopovich was number 11. Videl was number 12. Mightymask, a guy in a potato sack for a costume, was number 13. And finally, Jewel, a blond guy in emerald-color gi, was number 14. Gohan would be the first fight in the tournament now. Videl said that she will kick his ass if he dares to lose before facing her. His other friends wish him luck.

…

And so it began. Gohan walked up to the stage as Pintar eyes him across the arena. Tien noted how big it all got, not only the ring but the stands too. They now had cameras and spotlights. Gohan managed to find his mother cheering for him in the crowd. Bulma managed to pull some strings and get the front seats for her, Chi-chi, Launch, Oolong and Puar.

The Tournament Announcer was still in the gig after 20 years. He recognized the gang by the waiting room, and wished them good luck. It was time for the son to become a champion like his father. Suddenly everyone gets silent as the fat giant towers over the young man.

The fight started with Pintar doing a big show off to mistake Gohan for thinking his huge size would make him not agile enough. He started talking too much shit and so Gohan decided it was enough of this guy. He won his first match with a single punch in the stomach, and the kick to just throw Pintar out for good. Videl was waiting to give him a high-five on his way back. "I didn't expect any less," she said.

…

Next up was Tien versus Yamu. While the crowd cheered for the old champion coming back, Yamu and Tien had a little talk. Yamu complimented his strength, and asked Tien to show all of it. Quick and easy he used the Afterimage technique to fool Yamu, and quickly put him down with a surprise attack from behind. Before tossing him out the ring, Tien wanted to know what kind of monstrosities created someone with an energy like this. Yamu smiled; "I don't know what you're talking about. But go on. Win this fight and show me what you people can do."

And so he did. Without much effort Tien puts Yamu out of bounds and the fight is over. That didn't feel like a fight for Tien; Yamu just didn't really fight. There was something in the air. He and that Spopovich guy have something bizarre on them.

…

Up next was 17 and against his own sister. They both berate each other for being so stupidly unlucky; now they can't have both 1st and 2nd prize money. And so began the grudge match to finally see who's the stronger android and sibling. It was hard for them to fight one another because they know each other's moves perfectly, even though they haven't been together in years. It was like the perfect synchronized dance, a show of speed and super fast lights, and it made Videl scared for a moment. These two surely are strong just like Gohan said. He wasn't lying about that, because even now the androids still are stronger than him.

Eventually 17 started abusing his barrier technique to save himself from 18's attacks. She hated that stupid ability that Gero gave only to him. 17 stood there hands on pockets as she kept punching his barrier again and again to no avail. He knew she had no answer to that and told her to give up the match. However, she was just buying time.

18 never knew until recently, but she also had a special android ability given by Gero. She could activate a special implant in her eyes that gave her x-ray analysis of living beings around her. Suddenly her eyes dilated to pure shining red for a brief moment, and in that second she saw the decisive flaw on 17 anatomy. Apart from all the organs and mechanical substitutes, the android barrier had a separate engine on his chest that stored excessive energy from the Ultra Reactor to create the barrier, and it was soon to run empty without his knowledge. She waited and punched the barrier for more time; now it was clearly softer. That punch shattered the barrier and took 17 by surprise. 18 quickly grabbed him by the throat and slammed him in the ground, getting him out of bounds as she stood on his chest. 17 cursed that stupid old man for giving him a skill without explaining how it worked. 18 had the smuggest smile as the crowd cheered for the best fight they've seen so far.

"Looks like I'm officially the better one. Sucks to be you, Lapiz" she said.

"No need to go on a first-name basis, okay."

…

Next fight got everyone worked up. Two old men; Kai and Shen about to go down. In everyone's mind, two old masters were bound to have a great fight. But they were surprised by what happened next. Dende, inside of Shen's body, glances towards the silly-looking old man, and he feels dread. Like he's staring at someone way above his comprehension. Visions of the cosmos and unparalleled scope flash before his eyes, all coming from this frail old coot. Dende couldn't move, all his instincts told him to step away, and so Dende forfeits before even a single step is taken. Kai was as confused as everyone else.

Dende explained what he felt to the others. Whoever it is, that old man is from a higher plane. With the anti-match decided, Kai was the winner and proceeded to the next round.

…

Next up was Spopovich, who has been a runner up in the last tournament's finals, fighting against Killa. It was quick, Spopovich put the boxing champion on the ground immediately. He didn't want to put up a show, he just wanted to get this along. He won and proceeded to the next round.

…

With a huge amount of support from the crowd Videl made entrance to her fight against Mightymask. She had more than enough power to surpass him, but that guy had a catch. Behind that potato sack of a costume and his green hood cape, he was a magician with a powerful technique. No matter how much she punched him, all the damage would be transferred to another dimension. He was unbeatable by conventional means. But during his whole talk about how great he is, he forgot that there is more than one way to win in this tournament.

Comically easy, Videl grabs him and throws him out of bounds. She won. Gohan gives her a thumbs up as she comes through the door.

With the best of 14 over, the fighters could now move on to the next round. All these fights were either too fast or too impressive; kudos to 17 and 18 for getting everyone their money's worth. Now it was time for the quarter finals.

…

The first fight of the quarter finals was of course Gohan versus Kibito. As they stare at each other from the opposite sides of the ring Kibito insists that Gohan calls out the match; there is no way he could match up to him. This Kibito and that Kai are clearly related, and Gohan is still confused by their strange energy. However he doesn't feel the same overwhelming sensation as Dende had when he fought Kai, so he took a stance and the two engaged.

Kibito was powerful, but he was unaware that Gohan was still holding back. Now revealing his true power for one second Gohan shocks Kibito and takes the offensive. He was clearly losing hard, but Kibito wouldn't give up; he refused to lose to a mortal, he said. Eventually Kai had to come out of the waiting room and tell him to get over it. He should really learn to be humbled if he wants to stay on the job. Gohan didn't know what the heck they were talking about, but then Kibito changed his demeanor, apologized, and gave the win to Gohan.

This guy was surely strong. By the way he faced Gohan, he would be quite a match for even the likes of Frieza. They can't feel his power but his true capability is otherworldly, he can't be from Earth. Gohan asked who he is, and in due time he shall know. For now Kibito tells to continue moving on and prove himself. Something is about to go down, and Gohan must be ready for it.

…

Next fight was sort of a rematch. Tien and 18 fought a long time ago, and that time she let him live. He thanks her for that, and compliments that she hasn't lost any of that power after all these years, while Tien continued training but is still to reach her level. She wonders why they should fight if he's admitting she's stronger, and Tien states, "power isn't everything."

Through a quick trade of attacks Tien realized he couldn't fight her with fists alone. They began demonstrating their ki attacks for the public to see. Videl was watching it all, shocked at how spectacular and precise they were. At times they move too fast for her to see. Gohan takes that little time to teach her something he has been holding off for a while. Those feelings she has when she meets someone strong; those aren't gut reactions or shivers. There is such a thing as enough concentration to feel out another fighter's power. Whenever she gets those feelings again she needs to trust them.

Videl tried feeling out their fight. With her closed eyes she could track Tien's ki; it was right there in her mind. They would move too fast for her brain to comprehend, but the eye of her soul see's everything as it is; an instant reaction time. Gohan says, "if your eyes betray you, then you should trust these feelings." She asks why he never mentioned this earlier, and Gohan tells that it was actually the last thing it was taught to him; right as a fight raged on. It sounded fair that he taught her in the same fashion.

Tien quickly realized that 18 didn't know half the things he knew despite her power. It was time to show off his new technique. He used a Solar Flare to stun her and back away. And so after a moment of silence Tien rushes her down, but something bizarre happens. As he jumped to the left, a perfect copy of him displaced itself out of his body and jumped to the right. 18 couldn't tell which one was the real one, and so she took her chance. She punched the one on the left, and it actually hit; it wasn't an Afterimage, but then an energy clone. It disappeared after the punch and she was struck by the real Tien on the right, sending her staggering back.

Tien was a master of all his techniques, but the one he improved above all others was his Multi-form technique. In the past he could make four of himself to fight, but also divided his power by four. With time he learned to control how much of his power he puts in each clone. Now he had the ability to make dozens, hundreds of himself while still keeping most of his power intact. Although, the little energy he puts in the clone the less it will last, and it works best as a visual deception. It worked perfectly for an android that doesn't have the ability to sense ki.

Tien made dozens of clones, each spreading around and surrounding 18. He would lower his energy to fit among them, and shoot it up once he was about to attack. It worked the first three times but 18 quickly picked up the pace. She used her Android Sight to spot the real Tien, since he had bones and organs while the rest were made of pure energy. She went to attack him, but Tien already expected that. Suddenly one of the clones grabs her by the hand and actually manages to hold her in place for a moment. Tien put 90% of his power in that clone, making it temporarily stronger than him. The technique allowed him to fight at close range and from distance at the same time. With a sweeping kick the clone took 18 off her feet, then it disappeared and all its power returned to Tien, who used a flying kick to launch 18 out of bounds, making a trail of destruction on the floor until she collided against the wall. The impact caused a small earthquake.

18 was wordless, and her face was of surprise slowly turning silent and murderous anger. All that money was gone from her grasp, taken by someone weaker than her. She was too angry to talk even as Tien tried to apologize. 17 said she would get over it… probably. Nevertheless, Tien was now going to the semifinals, and his opponent was Son Gohan. All that he wanted.

…

Spopovich was about to fight Kai. Everyone was hoping that this fight wouldn't be as disappointing as the last one the old man had. Spopovich instantly rushed him down at fast speed. However, Kai had a trick he wanted to try. He raised his arms up, and that somehow stopped Spopovich completely; he fell to the ground and started holding his head in pain. Kai was struggling to hold that pose. Dende felt a powerful magic in the air; two different essences were colliding in a stalemate. Kai was casting some sort of spell on Spopovich but he was fighting it off.

In the end Kai couldn't do what he tried to. He fell to his knee as Spopovich tried to recuperate. Kai said it was truly a shame, even though his power was incapable of saving him. "You really bit off more than you can chew, young lad. You're quite powerful now, but in order to obtain that power you did something beyond suicidal. Not even I can save you from him now, I'm sorry."

And so the feeble old man exits the arena, and Kibito comes to help him walk to the waiting room. Spopovich was the winner, and again, not even a single punch from both sides. That old man must've been the luckiest guy alive.

…

Next fight was Videl against the lucky number 14, Jewel. A man so beautiful that he looks to be from a different show. He had a crowd of cheering girls following him at every corner. He talked shit but once the fight started Videl saw that he was a massive pushover compared to her current level. Jewel quickly understood how strong she was, but he had a perfect trick.

Jewel had the ability to make women do whatever he says. Videl thinks it's a load of bullshit and goes to attack again. She blanked out for a second, and got back her senses just in time to stop herself from jumping out of the ring, just like he ordered to. She couldn't understand how he did it, and he states that no single lady can resist the power of his angelic voice. She immediately blocked her ears so she wouldn't hear him again. Jewel was expecting that and moved to make his countermeasure; suddenly jumping at her, not with the intention of doing damage, but trying to pull her shorts down. Videl's sense of shame instantly kicked in and made her hold her pants in place. She fell for the bait; with her ears unplugged, Jewel told her to jump head first out of bounds. "Okay, but it's not because you said so, idiot," she said in a tsundere trance state. She tossed herself out but managed to regain consciousness at the last second. She used her flight to slowly return to the arena, shocking Jewel and the rest of the audience. He couldn't believe it; how does she break free from his control? Videl exploited the technicality of his power and said she wasn't single. Jewel demanded to know who her boyfriend was. Suddenly Videl got struck by all the shyness of a normal teenager. She got really close to his ear and hesitantly whispered, "S-Son Gohan…?"

Jewel shouted, "That can't be! My one weakness!"

He was about to ask Gohan at the door for confirmation on her statement, but Videl quickly kicked his ass out of the stadium in a hurry before he let out a word slip. Everyone stood silent until they heard the sound of Jewel crashing on the floor far away. Videl won, and was gonna move to the semi finals against Spopovich.

"What was that about?" asked Gohan.

"Nothing!" she said.

…

And so it was, the finalists are finally set. A young man no one knows; the previous strongest man in the world of the 22nd tournament; A once-finalist returning after a dramatic change in appearance, and Mr. Satan's own prodigy daughter coming to take the title away from her old man. And all the while there was someone who was in tremendous fear of all outcomes.

Mr. Satan was terrified. The past finally caught up to him, and it's here for revenge for lying about Cell all those years ago. He recognized all of those faces. That boy who has been hanging out with his daughter in school has to be that same boy; the one who actually defeated Cell. Not just him but also that three-eyed guy who helped him, and those twins that were there too; everyone but that kid with the scars. Are these the people she has been training with? Did they turn her into a freak just like them?!

Mr. Satan was not against her winning the tournament, but he's now scared that she won't hold back and will turn him to dust in their fight. That is, if only she doesn't get pulverized herself by that boy or Tien. No matter who she fights, she's in trouble. That Spopovich guy was a weakling Mr, Satan himself took down at the tournament 8 years ago; she could take him. Mr. Satan started making plans to incriminate Tien and Gohan; they would be disqualified and Videl would win. It was the perfect plan.

…

To give the finalists a chance to rest and prepare for the final fights, it was time for the Junior Division to take place. Tien said it would be… something of an experience. Goten and Dina were bummed out, but Boku only had one very important question to make. "Is it true that my father never managed to get past the first phase?" he asked Tien. It was a funny case; Yamcha always had terrible luck at the brackets. In the 21st tournament he fought the old master Roshi in disguise, who at the time was still the world's strongest warrior. In the 22nd he ended up facing Tien first, although that time was cheating on his part. And lastly on the 23rd he fought Kami himself, Also in disguise, who was many times stronger than most of us there. Boku didn't like that, This streak of losses is unacceptable. He was determined to write his father wrong by defeating Goten and Dina and becoming number one.

To sum it all up, the beginning was pretty pathetic and hilarious. Goten was going in with a smile on his face and the kindness to bow at every poor kid he knocked out. Boku was truly bored; he wanted to fight Gohan but now he's being treated like any other toddler. Dina was deeply anxious about fighting with so many people watching. Her mental sister kept hijacking her senses to tell her to stop being a crybaby. Unlike their mother, Dina was aware of her other personality, calling her Dee. Once she mustered the courage to go on stage she managed to defeat her opponents just as easily as Goten and Boku.

Eventually, Boku realized he was gonna have to fight Goten to reach the finals while Dina only had to deal with some ugly dorks and their fat mom. Now the true fight starts for real.

He knew Goten was strong. He was born two years after Boku and one year after Dina, and somehow this tailed freak grew stronger than both of them. Boku never understood why, and Tien's answers were strange. He said Goten wasn't like them; he is from a warrior race. His body was made with the purpose of fighting and getting stronger faster than anyone else. Boku knew two important things to his advantage: Goten was dumb and his tail is a weak point. If he grabs it, it's over.

The commentator was overjoyed to see the image of Goku in that kid, and was excited to call in the first true match of the kids division. It started with Boku pointing away to the sky, "Look Goten, it's a shooting star!" he shouted. Goten turned around to look, and for that he got punched hard at the back of the head, leaving a comically large bump. "You liar! That wasn't fair!" said Goten. "I didn't lie. Look!" said Boku. "Now I don't trust you! You won't get me twice-"

Just then, a Soukidan came flying from behind and hit Goten at the same spot, making the bump hurt more and get bigger. When he looked back at Boku he was nowhere to be seen. The ring was completely empty; he hadn't fled to the skies either. Goten started walking around and calling for him. He accidentally stepped on a displaced tile of the ring, simply left there. "That was weird," he thought, but it turned out to be a trap. With a puff of colored smoke the two boys appeared; Boku with one hand in pocket and the other gripping Goten's tail. Boku had transformed himself into a tile to pick Goten off guard. Boku told him to give up already; he knows Goten can't get out of this one.

However, Boku underestimated his friend, and got launched into the air by a surprise horse kick in retaliation. Yes, it was true that Goten's tail was a weakness, but put a big emphasis on "was." While training with Gohan for the tournament he made it his goal to remove that weakness, and sure enough it worked. Now Boku had no advantage anymore. Goten started his offensive by firing a Kamehameha, but Boku easily dodged by flying out of the way. Goten's aim was terrible; if he stays in the air he will never hit him. "You better stop before you cause damage you can't pay for, Goten!"

Goten wanted to just go hit him really hard, but he also wanted to test his new skill. He decided on both. He took a very strange pose; curled himself down, forcefully closed his eyes, held his breath and placed his two fingers on his forehead. Boku felt his energy start to flicker mysteriously. After a couple of seconds Goten disappeared. Boku instantly felt his energy reappear behind him. Goten was smiling at him, and so he punched Boku down to the arena and made the whole stadium shake.

Boku crawled out of the crater and demanded to know what that was. Goten says he learned it from his brother; it was a technique their father learned. Goten promised to defeat Boku by fighting him with the Instant Transmission. And so he curled himself, about to do the same trick again. Boku immediately thought of a plan to win. He jumped out of bounds just as Goten disappeared. He was expecting Goten to teleport behind him, and he turned his back to the ground. Goten did as expected. With a strong back kick Boku sent him crashing through the Earth in a deep hole. Everyone looked mortified by what had happened, but then Goten climbed out of the hole with a frown. "You should work more on your creativity, Goten, because the same trick will not work twice on me." said Boku. With Goten out of bounds, he won.

Now he was at the finals against Dina. Goten walked off to the door and Gohan was there to console him. He was proud, at the end he managed to grasp that technique with just a month of training. They fist bump and so he took Goten to get some ice cream with Videl. The commentator asked if Boku wanted to rest a little but he didn't. He shouted for Dina to come to the ring at once, and so she did. The final of the junior division was on.

However, Dina didn't really want a fight like this. She wanted to fight him on the same conditions, and so she begged him to punch her really hard to make it even. Her sister Dee immediately took control and started strangling her arm. "What are you doing, don't give him the advantage!" Dee said. "Come on, don't you have an iota of pride?" Dina replied.

While the girl fought against herself, Boku accepted the offer and immediately threw a sudden strong punch. Dina was sent flying and almost crashed against the wall before she stopped herself. Now she felt warmed up, and promised to defeat Boku like any other time.

Their fight was absolutely balanced, as it would be for two kids that have been friends and rivals for years. They knew what the other was thinking, and fought just as synchronized as 17 and 18 did. To make any progress they had to bring their special techniques. They were both masters by such a young age, they had a knack for learning and improving the old moves. Boku used the Soukidan, the technique invented by his father. Boku could alter the shape and size to anything he wanted, and he would use this skill to make solid ki that looked like weapons. His choice this time was a sword. Even for Tien that was such a hard feat despite his great ki control. Dina managed to dodge the flying sword slashes and kicked the sword back at Boku. Now she decided to take the offensive with her terrifying Dondon Barrage. She could fire energy beams on each of her ten fingers like a machine gun. Boku was getting hit since there were too many to dodge, and had to block the shots by making his Soukidan take the shape of a shield. Eventually she ceased firing as her sister started talking to her by mind. She wanted Dina to use "that" since it will probably make Boku mad.

Dina activated the Ultimate Wolf Fang Fist from Yamcha, showing that she learned his own father's technique before him. The energy claws popped out of her fingers, and she focused ki on her foot to get a speed advantage. She dashed towards him to attack, but Boku only smirked. He converted his Soukidan back into a ball and tossed it at her. She managed to dodge but it was a distraction; Boku jumped in right after and delivered a weak punch to her stomach. Despite being weak the attack seriously hurt her, and she was forced to jump away. Boku explained that he learned that move a year ago, but he never used it because of its inherent flaw. By focusing energy on the arms and legs, it leaves the torso vulnerable to even the weakest attacks; a double edged sword. Dina immediately turned her off and resumed her defensive stance. However, Boku was still smiling. He already knew how to beat her.

Boku began insulting her, calling her ugly and other mean things. She simply called him an idiot; he's obviously trying to make her drop the guard but it won't work. But then Boku said she should worry, because he would tell everyone her secret if she doesn't quit the match. "It would be such a shame if, let's say, Mr. Tien ever heard what you said that day."

Immediately, Dina's face sank. "Oh n-no… you promised to never bring it up again, ever!" she shouted, but he pretended not to listen. Tien was understandably curious now, "What it was about, he asked. Just as Boku was about to say, Dina's hair turned from black to white as her ponytail came undone, and her eyes went from brown to red. Dee had taken over, and dashed towards Boku mad as hell. That's exactly what he wanted. Suddenly, the Soukidan everyone forgot about burrows from under the arena and hits her square in the chin, sending her flying across the air. She twirls around to recompose herself but it was too late. Boku reappeared behind her at super speed while she was stunned by the blow. "I'm sorry for bringing it up," he said, before striking her with a powerful chop to the back of her head.

The two kids fall to the ring, one unconscious and the other hardly standing. The winner is decided. The crowd was in awe, they couldn't believe this was a kid fight. They were left completely static after all this action. Tien walked over to carry his daughter away. She fought unbelievably well, so nothing out of the ordinary. Boku said, "There was no secret. I made it up. Don't worry about it." Tien just gave a smile and took her away; deep down he knew that wasn't the case. He wondered, "What's been troubling you, Deedee?"

Gohan managed to drag Videl away from the fight to go get some ice cream, as he knew she would flip if she saw two kids fighting better than her. All the while she thought that Gohan was trying to make moves on her; Videl's face was notoriously red. Thankfully they arrived in time to see the aftermath.

…

Boku was now the winner of the kids division. He was showered in just as much praise as he always has, being a genius progeny of a galactic-class scientific enterprise and all. Despite being weaker than his two friends he managed to come out on top with deception, strategy, knowledge and a little more deception. His father is probably shaking in the coffin from jealousy. But that wasn't the end of it, there's another prize besides the money he doesn't need.

He gets to fight the champion, Mr. Satan himself.

And all the while Mr. Satan was out in disguise, going after Gohan to try planting a knife in his pocket. He fantasized a whole scene where he would fight Videl, but suddenly her heroic father would come in to point out Gohan's deceit. Everyone would cheer and his daughter would never want to talk with that boy again. Despite his visage of greatness, all that he managed to do was tumble around like a fool while that boy and his daughter were hanging around all lovey dovey. He failed completely and was furious. When he returned to his room, the manager said he would have a little show off fight against the winner of the kids division.

He was pretty chill about that, at least until he saw the kid he was gonna fight.

At first he was shocked; it was that kid who was hanging with the rest of the super-strong freaks. But now that the boy looked at him with a sharp glance, he saw something else. He saw the memories of that damned day that he tried to forget. That girl called android 18 was fighting Cell with someone else that day; another teenager. He didn't know who it was, but he and this kid have the exact same face. It's been seven years but he got younger instead of older. Reality flashes sent chills down his spine.

And for Boku, he never truly understood this Mr. Satan guy. He was called the world's strongest man, yet he never felt his energy before. He never even saw this guy fight either. Is he really the same level as Mr. Tien, and has been hiding it out?

He had to be sure, and to do that, he gave Mr. Satan a punch. A simple punch to test how rough his face is, but he ended up launching Mr. Satan through the air. Boku was confused, the crowd was shocked, and Mr. Satan was in tremendous pain after hitting the wall and falling out of bounds. There was a heavy silence.

But then, as a random stroke of genius, Mr. Satan hid the pain and played it out as if he was giving the win to Boku. In just a swift move he ensured his position, his fame, and got out of the fight with just a loose tooth. Boku was left there in just silent confusion as the crowd overpowered his voice. Videl only pinched her nose in frustration.

…

The semi finals were at hand, and the first fight was much awaited all around the world. It was Tenshinhan against Son Gohan, a fight between the last two Z-warriors of the past that are still standing. Both of them knew very well of each other's power; there was no mismatch here. Before the fight Gohan ran into his mom and Goten outside. Chi-chi was crying with pride. She regretted so much all the stress she put on Gohan when he was young, but despite all the hardships he surpassed both hers and Goku's expectations in every level. They have a hug and off he goes to the arena. Goten warns him about Tien's abilities, but Gohan assures him; he has seen Tien fight since he was four years old, there's no one else alive that knows his moves any better.

At the same time, Tien was in the lockers as Launch and Dina approached him. She thinks back to her younger days, back when her life was an endless stream of trouble and hard times. She ended up becoming a house maid for an old pervert for years before she got her life together. Meeting Tien at this same place, twenty years ago, surely was a stroke of luck for her. At first he just looked like a wannabe bad boy, but as the tournament continued he showed much more gutsy and honorable. They both needed to grow up, and Launch felt like she could fix him eventually. Since he's now one of the strongest in the universe, she probably did a bang-up job. The two held hands for a moment until it was time for Tien to go. He gave his daughter a high five, and she asked if he thinks he'll win. Tien said, "I hope not. But I'll try."

After he left, Launch asked, "what was that secret Boku talked about?"

"Will you get mad if I tell you?" Dina replied.

"… We'll talk about it later. Let's go watch the fight."

…

The two fighters look at each other from across the arena, with the crowd of thousands screaming in excitement. Tien reminds Gohan how important this is. Long ago he and Goku fought in this same tournament. He won once, then Goku won another, and they were left in a tie. Now it was time for this score to be set, using Gohan to end his rivalry with Goku one final time. It was time to see if Gohan was truly the strongest being on Earth still. Gohan slowly nods and smiles. Both of them take their stances, and the commentator begins the fight.

Even holding back to make sure no one dies in the struggle, the two impress everyone completely. Boku was dumbfounded that Gohan was going toe to toe with Tien at such a high level. Videl was watching the whole thing ensue while biting her thumb; she wants Gohan to win, but damn if he isn't stronger than she imagined. She might not beat him. Normal people would only witness the shadows of their punches.

Tien had enough tricks to keep Gohan's stronger power at bay, but Gohan is way more clever than Tien's last two opponents. His ultimate clone technique was exploited, Gohan figured that giving all his energy to the clone will leave his real body open to serious damage. He was able to injure Tien with a weak ki blast once he spotted the real one. The two were left winded after what felt like an hour of fighting, and decided enough was enough. Tien used his super clone to fight while he prepared his special move with the Earth's natural energy. This is what it all led to; Tien flew up to the skies and pointed down at Gohan with the form of the Kikoho.

"THIS IS IT GOHAN! YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T DODGE!" he shouted from high above. Videl and everyone else there instantly recognized what he was about to do. Tien's hands begin to shine.

"I'M SORRY, BUT I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" Gohan shouted back, preparing the first Kamehameha in years. Tien thought it was foolish to try to match up to the Shin Kikoho, even if he's stronger the concentrated power of Earth is too overwhelming to fight. "COME ON, GOHAN! YOU'RE SMARTER THAN THIS!"

Gohan didn't stop, the light was surging from his cupped hands. The tension was at its peak. Gohan was about to fire, and so Tien accepted the challenge. And so he said, "SHIN…!"

But just then, Gohan disappeared from the ring where he stood.

The light, the tension, and his energy vanished. Everyone was left dumbfounded, but in the end Tien was right; Gohan truly was smarter than that. He used the Instant Transmission to teleport behind Tien, and fired the Kamehameha on his back. Tien was pushed down by the blast and ended up hitting the ground with an explosion. The arena was left in crumbles; Tien climbed out of his crater, officially out of bounds. Gohan flew down to meet him.

"I didn't know you could do that without the pose," said Tien.

"I know. That's why I won."

Gohan was the winner, classified for the finals. In the end Tien lost, and he couldn't be happier to know that the next generation surpasses him. It's exactly how he wanted this to happen. With his pupils that learned every lesson, and as times seem peaceful and secure, he believes this might be the day he throws the towel and retires as a martial artist.

The two bow to each other and take their leave. Videl was waiting for them at the door. That was a great fight, but it looks like Videl will have to challenge Tien some other day. She was glad Gohan kept his promise, and it was time for her to keep hers. "We see each other at the finals, right?" she said, and so the two share one last high five.

…

There was still some waiting before Videl's fight to clean all the destruction Gohan caused to the arena, and she used to prepare herself mentally. It was then that Videl was approached by the old Kai. To be as simple as possible, he wanted her to give up the fight. She was dealing with things beyond her comprehension and her suffering during the fight won't change its overall conclusion. Videl then picked him up by his collar and lifted him to her level. Kai didn't understand who he was talking to; she wouldn't give up because an old buffoon told her to. It took too much blood and sweat for her to get stronger and reach the finals; there was no giving up. If the old man wanted to stop her, then she'd kick his ass first.

Kai begged her to come to her senses before things got ugly. Even now she can sense Spopovich's ki and shiver from how awful it feels, but that won't be enough. As long as her arms and legs aren't broken, she'll find a way to get up. Kai respected her decision, wishing her good luck before walking away.

…

It took a while for them to find Spopovich. He and Yamu left for a while and didn't come back until the nick of time, and he was eager for this fight. Videl was already waiting for him with hands on her hips. Spopovich takes the opportunity to tell her his story; how he came so close to his dream of being the strongest man in the world, only to lose it all against that buffoon Mr. Satan. He is now back for revenge, and he is thankful that before he gets his hands on that clown, he gets to cripple his only child right before his eyes. He was gonna make sure she suffers greatly, and that all the cameras grab every moment of it. The entire time Videl was picking stuff out her ears. "You're just like dad told me. You talk too much!" she said, flipping him off.

That sent Spopovich in a frenzy to attack her. Unfortunately for him, he was no match to her. She showed him her true power for a good few seconds, and sent Spopovich crashing to the ground. Three hits and it was over. Videl turned her back and began walking back to the waiting room, but then she felt a shiver again. Spopovich was on the ground, begging for "more power" to someone he couldn't see. Right before her eyes energy started to surround Spopovich, and her shivers got worse. All the Z-warriors, who felt so sure of her victory, now couldn't understand what was happening to her opponent. Spopovich wasn't hiding his true power, this was something else. Now he matched Videl in strength and speed. He took her by surprise with a barrage of attacks, but she picked up the pace and countered his attack by dislocating his shoulder with a grappling arm lock. She quickly jumped away and let Spopovich scream in pain. That also didn't work for long. As if it was nothing Spopovich forces his arm back in place and continues to fight.

He had to admit, she was way stronger than her pathetic father. Spopovich knew that guy didn't defeat Cell, nor he won the last tournament fairly. Spopovich told her how Mr. Satan would play dirty, and use all kinds of weapons hidden under his clothes to win. He claimed that guy was a failure and Videl was just his little princess who took all the spoils for herself; they were nothing but frauds and cowards.

If it was true or not it doesn't matter, that really pushed her button. No matter how much she told him to shut up and fight, he wouldn't stop. Videl realized she might have been too gentle with him.

Everyone watched as she placed her hands on her forehead, and her energy became more powerful. She focused all in one point and unleashed a Masenko blast at Spopovich. He took it dead center with no chance to dodge it. A huge smoke settled from the explosion. But suddenly Spopovich dashed out of the smoke right towards her. His cruel assault began once again, and he gave her no opportunity to counter attack again. His power mysteriously continued to grow. Gohan was getting worried, and also really mad. His biological tendency for intense anger has only got worse with age; he forgot how to control it.

After a thorough beatdown Videl was almost thrown off the ring by Spopovich, but he wasn't done yet. He grabbed mere inches from touching the ground. He held her up by the leg, and started crushing her ankle under his grip. "How does it feel to lose once in your life?" asked Spopovich, and he was properly answered back with a kick from Videl's free leg. However, she was so angered and desperate that her kick ended up being far too strong, breaking his neck and spinning his skull backwards. Everyone watched in horror as Spopovich fell to the floor, seemingly dead.

The guilt of taking a life instantly shook Videl. The announcer disqualified her for murder; everyone had gone silent. She was on her knees, mumbling excuses like a broken record.

…

However, that wasn't the end of Spopovich. Once again, he simply got up and twisted his head back in place. Gohan knew it was over. This guy had a certain level of immortality and is getting stronger with every second; he knew by experience this was a hopeless fight. He shouted at Videl to call out the match, and she shouted back telling him to shut up. She had promised him, and besides she has something to prove that bastard; she wasn't a fraud nor a coward. Spopovich thought it was cute, because now he had more of a chance to beat that girl to a bloody pulp. And that was exactly what happened.

Videl wouldn't give up, no matter how much it hurts or how much of her own blood is drenched in her white shirt. Even if her teeth went loose she continued getting up and tried fighting back against Spopovich, who completely overpowered her now. The commentator couldn't call out the fight since neither Videl or Spopovich wanted to stop. It was a barbaric display, everyone watching in hatred and horror at the same time. The kids and Tien felt Gohan's energy rising abnormally as the look in his eyes changed. Tien followed suit by powering up to his full power to hold Gohan back. "Gohan, just calm down, don't do it!" he said, but he knew it wasn't doing any good. Gohan was losing grip on his insatiable desire for violence and revenge. If Tien lets go of his shoulder, he's gonna kill Spopovich.

Eventually, Yamu came to the arena and shouted to Spopovich to end it; this isn't what they were tasked with. Spopovich quickly changed his demeanor; looking down on the bloody and beaten girl under his foot. He thought that was a little less of what he intended, but it's good enough. With all his strength he kicked Videl out of the arena.

But before she could touch the ground, she stopped herself by flying. Feebly and slowly, she returns to the ring as drops of blood run down her forehead and onto the tiles. Her whole body was shaking, her eyes went dead but she was still putting her fist up. "Not… yet…" she mumbled.

Just then she was approached from behind by Gohan, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You did good, Videl, very good. But we both know you can't continue. If you don't stop you're going to die. I'm not letting you lose your life over this," he said. Videl apologizes to him. She wanted to keep her promise at all costs. For the first time Gohan sees tears in her eyes. "I'm not a coward… I'm not…" Those were her last words before passing out. Gohan carried her over to the benches inside the waiting room. "Dende, please help her."

After that, Gohan's eyes were locked to Spopovich. The world around him got foggy and twisted; the enemy was the only thing he recognized. A sharp buzzing was overwhelming all other sounds outside. Since Spopovich clearly won, now it was time for the finals. Gohan asked the announcer if it was okay to start right away, and Spopovich agreed. He just wanted to finish up this boy and get to Mr. Satan, but now that he looks Gohan in the eyes again, Spopovich feels uncontrollable fear. He felt the murderous intent of the strongest Saiyan alive. Impossible visions flashes through his eyes. Behind Gohan he sees a void of infinite depth. That darkness was soon to explode. A sight like that can make anyone flinch, but for someone as weak as Spopovich, he felt retching nausea.

…

The commentator started counting for the final match to begin. Spopovich anxiety grew with his trembling. Once the fight began, Gohan silently disappeared for a moment; a speed so great that it questioned his previous existence. Everyone was looking for him, but soon they noticed. His fist was already plunged; a strong punch to Spopovich's stomach that almost pierced through his flesh. He was left gasping on the ground, but Gohan didn't stop. Now his sole goal was to cause pain. The Saiyan nature finally came out to play after seven years, and Spopovich could feel its boundless hatred. He continued begging for more power to whoever entity was hearing him. He continued to grow more and more, his muscles were getting abnormally huge and distorted.

But it didn't matter. Him and Gohan were at the difference between an ant and the sun by that point. No matter how much power he was given, Gohan just unleashed another 0.1% of his own power to surpass him. There was no fight anymore; only meaningless struggle and sadistic torture. Spopovich's body was left broken and disgusting. He was still begging for more power, but the entity he was praying to grew sick of him. He failed his mission, and for that he is no longer useful to them.

He started vibrating really hard, foaming at the mouth and begging for mercy, but it didn't work. He was about to burst, and the entire stadium of people witnessed as Spopovich simply exploded from the inside out as a gory red cloud.

Gohan's anger had turned from shock to pure dread. He could feel something in there, a power absurdly strong. When the blood cloud settled down, what he saw was a demon.

Red skin, with some smooth hair and a goatee. It had the same M on its forehead, and it wore a blue suit with a cape. That thing smirked at Gohan. There was no point playing along with these mortal games anymore. It was time for the revival to commence, and Dabura, king of the demon realm, found a suitable candidate to begin.