AN: Being alone in your thoughts can be scary. This wasn't something the orange clad Saiyan had a lot of experience with. OOC Goku moment.
"Everyone put your hands together for the second round of the Semi-Finals!" The Announcer hollered. "We have Sinthe of the Twelfth, versus Jiren of the Eleventh!"
As the two contestants made their way to the platform, they both had their arms crossed, not looking in each other's direction. There were cheers from their respective Universes, but everyone else was fighting the tense vibe that coated the air.
"WOOO! Let's go baby!" Abi screamed from her seat next to the Destroyer and Attendant of the Twelfth. "You can do this!"
Ellery glanced in her direction, getting a chill as the two of them made eye contact. Suddenly, the young mother felt uneasy, her veins filling with ice. The Saiyan woman clung to her son, a need to protect him washed over her.
"Is she giving you the creeps too?" Bulma whispered from next to Ellery.
The Saiyan woman nodded, deciding to keep her eyes on the arena. If she could find a weakness in either of these fighters' abilities, it could help her partner win the final match. "I don't know what it is about her, but I feel uneasy about her presence."
"I think that's the partner of the Universe Twelve guy." Chi-Chi mentioned from behind the two of them. "She's been constantly cheering for him. She seems to be the only one to be doing so."
"Are the fighter's ready?" The Announcer yelled through the microphone.
Each warrior nodded, keeping their arms across their chests. Both contestants had blank looks on their faces, the ultimate poker face. Jiren could see that his opponent was going to take this fight seriously. This concerned the gray warrior, as he's never witnessed Sinthe's full power.
The Announcer allowed the tension in the Null Realm to become almost unbearable. He continued to glance between the two warriors. After what seemed like a lifetime, the man yelled. "BEGIN!"
The two fighters disappeared immediately. The only sight available to the audience were the flashes of their bodies colliding.
"Woah… They're fast.." Bulma stared.
"I can't keep track of their movements." Vegeta was awestruck. He knew that Jiren possessed an unbelievable amount of power. After witnessing Sinthe battle Gohan and Hit, the Prince was nearly convinced he was stronger than most of the Gods' of Destruction. Vegeta was unable to keep up with the battle that was above him. The bright lights and cracking noise were the only indication of activity.
"This is insane…" Ellery didn't know what to think. She'd never witnessed anyone as strong as the two of them. "The two of them are so powerful…"
"So is Kakarot." The Prince affirmed, patting his younger sister's shoulder. "He'll give the winner a run for his money."
The Saiyan woman nodded, smiling at her brother. She was thankful for the kind words, even if she knew he was lying. Goku was strong. However, both of these fighters are on another level. He would have to begin in Ultra Instinct to stand a chance…
"I wonder what the Omni Kings think…" Piccolo commented, his eyes looking towards their personal section of the seats.
"Hn." Lord Beerus grunted, sweat beginning to accumulate on his brow.
Ellery continued to watch the battle as best she could. It was difficult to keep up with. All the while, the young mother continued to worry about her partner. She could sense that he wasn't in the best place.
"WOAH!"
"DOUBLE WOAH!"
Zeni and Zeno were standing on the edge of the balcony, their GodPads thrown to the floor. The technology was once again lacking for the excitement of the actual battle taking place. No matter how much the Omni Kings messed with the settings, they were unable to see the moves.
"They're moving super fast!" Zeni giggled.
"Super duper fast!" Zeno agreed.
The Kings of Everything were enamored with these two fighters. After witnessing Jiren's fight in the Tournament of Power, the two of them thought him to be the strongest in the Universe. This was even confirmed when the gray warrior sparred with Goku in the Palace. Although the Saiyan did his best, he just didn't hold a candle to Jiren yet.
The new contestant from the Twelfth was even better than Jiren and Goku combined! Both Zeni and Zeno were anxious to see which of these men were going to move to the final round.
"Who do you think is gonna win?" Zeno looked at his companion. "I bet it'll be Jiren!"
"I think Sinthe will win!" Zeni grinned. "Goku will have a great time fighting him!"
A loud crack alerted all of the spectators. Each of them looked up to a blinding light, and both warriors landed back on the square platform.
Damn… This is going to be harder than I thought.. Jiren was panting as he wiped the sweat away from his face. Most of his uniform was already tattered. This man's power was unlike anything he'd experienced before. It's as if the gray warrior felt his muscles wanting to give out. Even though they'd been fighting for only minutes at most, Jiren felt as if he'd been through a days-long battle.
"You're not going to be able to stop me." Sinthe crossed his arms. "Just walk off the stage. Save yourself the embarrassment."
The gray warrior's eyes rolled. While he knew he was at a disadvantage, Jiren hated how cocky this man was acting. This is probably what he sounded like to everyone else, and the feeling made him sick to his stomach.
"I'm not done yet." Jiren ripped the tatters of his shirt off, letting it fall to the ground. "I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve."
Being the last one in the waiting area, the Saiyan warrior was thankful for the reprieve. With no one around, Goku was hoping to do some meditating. However, all his mind wanted to do was wander.
The cement was cold against Goku's arms. As the warrior laid on the floor of the waiting area, his mind went in several directions. While he knew he should be watching the match outside, the Saiyan couldn't bear to know the outcome. The way Goku saw it, his competitor in the finals didn't matter.. He was going to lose the match. Sinthe possessed a strength that Goku could only dream of achieving.
It took him nearly everything in his power to obtain Ultra Instinct. While the technique has given him a distinct advantage, it still has severe drawbacks. The moment Goku's body stops acting on his instincts, the transition back to his Saiyan power is extremely painful. The warrior thought back to his fight with Jiren. As he was gathering a ball of energy, his body was telling him to destroy him.
However, Goku also knew that would disqualify him. The fight between his instincts and actual thought instantaneously brought him out of the Technique of the Gods. From that moment, he was in agonizing pain. The Saiyan chose to power through the pain, needing the win. Their entire lives depended on it.
After the Tournament of Power, the Saiyan's next goal was to perfect the technique. After years of practice, and the starting of his new family, Goku's unfortunately not much farther than when he started. Each time, a split-second decision takes him out of the transformation. It was extremely frustrating.
His initial fight with Jiren was nothing close to a one on one match. In that Battle Royale, there were so many other people around, energy was spent attempting to survive the Tournament of Power. Goku had his teammates to thank for the win.
Without them, he was unsure that Universe Seven would've made it through. Although the warrior didn't want to admit it, Frieza was an extremely important asset during the Tournament.
A one on one battle with either of the opponent's left could result in a loss for Universe Seven.
The warrior took a deep breath, attempting to relax. Ultra Instinct is still my best bet against beating either of them. I'm just nervous to use it again. Every time I do, the come down gets worse… I don't know how much more my body can take.
On the bright side, this Tournament of Power was just for fun! Zeni and Zeno decided to bring all of the Universes together for a good natured battle. There shouldn't be any reason for anyone to lose their lives today. Although, that wasn't the only worry on Goku's mind.
What if they watch this battle, and don't want to play with me anymore…
The first time Goku met the Omni Kings, they were in the throes of a heated battle between Universe Six and Seven. The Saiyan wasn't exactly sure how long Zeni was observing. Ever since that day, Goku has been in contact with the King of Everything. The warrior knew one of the reasons the Omni King favors him. Goku's friendly and 'fun' demeanor have been the basis of their friendship. Not only that, he's the reason that Zeni has Zeno by his side.
Although Goku brought a lot of joy into the Omni King's life, he believes the little blue Deity could change his mind at any moment. A big part of their relationship grew once Zeni witnessed how strong Goku was. He was the first mortal to entertain him.
Now that they know stronger beings are out there, will Zeni and Zeno leave Goku behind?
The Saiyan warrior cherished the friendships he gained. He didn't want to lose them because he became boring to them.
...Kakarot?
Ellery's voice broke through his frenzy of thoughts. It wasn't like him to be so pessimistic before a match. Goku knew his partner could sense his anxieties, it was only natural with the bond they share. The Saiyan took a few deep breaths, focusing on his lungs filling with air before he exhaled.
Is everything okay?
I can't help but think this Tournament isn't going to go in my favor. Both of the fighters on the stage right now are much stronger than I am. Getting his fears out caused him to feel slightly relieved. The Saiyan hated feeling so helpless, especially to his partner.
How many times have you told me that it's not only strength that wins a match. You have to consider everything.
You're right. But, sometimes there's nothing you can do. When someone is monumentally stronger than you, brains won't be enough to bridge the gap. Gohan's the smartest person I know. If he wasn't able to outsmart him, there's no hope for me.
The room was silent for a few moments. Goku began to wonder if his partner was ever going to respond. Over the course of about thirty seconds, the Saiyan began to feel his anxieties wash away. Knowing it was Ellery's work made him smile. His partner was truly one of a kind.
Goku closed his eyes and began focusing on his breath, a technique the Saiyan woman taught him to do in situations he felt overwhelmed in. Once Goku felt the pace of his heart go back to a normal speed, he finally opened his eyes. The ceiling had a small skylight in it. Enough for the warrior to look into the vastness of the Null Realm.
I've always believed that you could conquer anything. You just ooze confidence. Ellery began, a small chuckle escaping her. It radiated off of you. Anyone around my Kakarot believed they could do whatever they put their minds to. That's why your friends and family trust you so much. They know you believe in them, and will do anything in your power to help them succeed.
The Saiyan woman paused, as if she were reflecting on what she just said. Sometimes we forget that even the strongest need encouragement. I love you, Kakarot. Now I want you to channel that Saiyan warrior energy! You're the first mortal in the Cosmos to use Autonomous Ultra Instinct! I know you have what it takes to persevere through the toughest of obstacles.
His partner's pep-talk rejuvenated the warrior. Goku felt as if he stood a chance in the battle ahead of him. Instead of sulking in the corner, the Saiyan got up from his seat. He walked towards the entrance of the waiting area, observing the fight.
The warrior's eyes popped open, his jaw dropping at the events taking place in front of him. Jiren's offense didn't seem to be enough to push back the pale warrior from the Twelfth. Goku witnessed his acquaintance make a simple mistake. Jiren's foot slipped as he was about to deliver a devastating blow.
However, Sinthe picked up on the man's imbalance. He pushed through the energy blast and knocked the gray warrior off of the platform. The force of the shove was enough to destroy that particular side of the platform. A cloud of dust erupted from the arena, rendering several unable to see.
Once the fog dissipated, Sinthe looked towards the other man on the platform. "I've knocked him off. Aren't you going to declare me the winner?"
"There you have it!" The Announcer screamed, his body trembling from pure fear. "Beings of the Cosmos, give it up for the winner of the Semi-Final round. Sinthe of the Twelfth Universe!"
Everyone in the bleachers were still in shock, barely following what happened.
"Wooo! Let's go baby! Only one more to go!" Abi grinned, clapping for her partner.