PART TWENTY ONE: THE HOPE FOR A WHOLE UNIVERSE

Chapter 102

Translated by npberryhill

“That guy’s still here?” Bujin wondered aloud, surprised that XXI had finally emerged. He hadn’t been seen by anyone since the day before the tournament began. The mysterious figure had disappeared shortly after the arrival of Bojack’s gang from universe 6 and the sole fighter from universe 7—Bujin assumed he must have given up.

By all appearances, XXI was a quite old man. To Bujin, it seemed ludicrous and impossible that someone so feeble could actually be the strongest in his own universe. However, if the tournament had taught him one thing so far, it was that nothing was impossible. He certainly would have never bet he could lose to a fat pink marshmallow! Though the gang member was standing close enough to the infamous XXI to hear him speak, he couldn’t quite make out his whispered words. Suddenly, driven by a magical force, XXI flew up into the ring. Vegetto was already there waiting, sizing his foe up with a cautious glance.

“A magician...that’s unusual, and not really fair. I’ve got to eliminate him before he has the chance to do anything weird.”

During his life as an intergalactic vigilante, Vegetto had met all varieties of different beings. Of course, even the most powerful warriors were still nothing to him; rather, he received more of a challenge from powerful foes...who didn’t fight at all!

These foes Vegetto called magicians...opponents with unique and special abilities that could catch even the most powerful warriors by surprise, if they weren’t warned. He’d been attacked by sorcerers who tried distorting his vision, his perception, trying to hypnotize him, even to divert his attention. Some had tried creating a (poor) double of him, and others searched through his memories looking for old wounds they might take advantage of. It wouldn’t take much in a tournament like this. He could be hit by a sleeping spell, just enough for him to lose consciousness for thirty seconds...

In short, against an opponent who could do virtually anything, the only solution was to attack so quickly that they never got the opportunity to initiate their spells. The moment XXI touched the ring, the fight began. Vegetto was struck immediately, without even the slightest warning.

Down in the area of universe 16, everyone was so confident. Vegetto was their greatest hero, the protector of their entire universe. He had never been defeated, not even injured until his fight with the Legendary Super Saiyan Broly. It was the first wounds he’d received in twenty years. Vegetto was a celebrity who even had his own cartoon broadcast throughout the universe. He didn’t have the right to err.

For thousands of spectators, they’d argue Vegetto was an unstoppable and explosive fighter. After his victory over the insane Broly of universe 20, they all had high expectations for him this round—especially since XXI was still completely unknown. For the other fighters, this fight would enable them to study Vegetto, looking for any kind of chinks in his armor or loopholes to fighting him. Additionally, they’d get to find out more about the infamous XXI...even if he was sure to lose to Vegetto.

The fused Saiyan was already preparing his strike (ready to imitate Son Goku from the first round), when XXI whispered something inaudible. No one, not even the Vargas with their ultra-sensitive microphones, could hear what was said.

Bra tensed suddenly. “I wonder what kind of power this guy ha—?” she cut her words short, suddenly confused. Vegetto had been facing directly across from XXI one moment, and then the next he was nowhere—and Bra was certain she hadn’t blinked or looked away. Vegetto had just disappeared altogether. There was no attack from XXI, no teleportation from her father. Neither had made any movement at super speed either. She quickly spun to Gohan and Piccolo, whose stunned faces matched her own.

“Vegetto has disappeared completely. He’s untraceable!” A varga in the control center exclaimed, typing frantically on his keyboard.

“Maximize the scope of our sensors! Do a sweep of the entire universe!” ordered his superior.

“XXI is the one who did it,” a Namek said from behind them. “He mumbled something, though we can’t seem to understand it, even maximizing the sound and quality of the recording.”

Below, the other fighters were equally curious.

“Hmmph,” smirked Buu of universe 4. “Guess I’m lucky Vegetto faced him first.”

“Where is he? Why’d he take off?” Trunks asked, continuing to scan the ring—where XXI remained, standing stock still.

“Such a shame...though, I don’t quite understand...” Uub replied.

From what he saw, Vegetto hadn’t moved at all. The same conclusion was reached by his mentor Son Goku, that neither had moved.

“You catch anything?” Naurb asked Eleim as the latter combed through prerecorded images in his helmet visor.

“...Nothing! It’s like he just disappears! The only movement, the only noise, is just the air rushing into the hole formed by his disappearance! You’d think that it’s almost like Vegetto...was wiped from existence! There are only tiny traces of where he stepped into the ring.

Thirty seconds quickly passed, which seemed to drag on forever to those from universe 16. But Vegetto did not return.

“Um...it’s been thirty seconds. XXI, uh...are you still conscious?” a varga asked through the microphone.

“Of course,” he replied.

“Well then...you win.”

The entire arena fell under a sudden spell of disbelief! Participants, spectators, and organizers alike were equally shocked. None had expected such an early end—the match hadn’t really even started! Among the spectators, complaints continued about how short the fights were, and how several of them didn’t even occur due to forfeits. This was just the latest example, but who could have predicted it? Vegetto had fought an absolutely incomparable match in the previous round.

For the Vargas, it was also a failure. This tournament was supposed to be entertaining, not a split second defeat that no one even saw!

For the other fighters, it brought a sobering revelation: power and brute force are not everything, and certainly don’t guarantee a victory! In particular, Gast pondered the situation. Strength alone wouldn’t be enough, magic and intellect were equally important!

Moving past her shock, Bra quickly dashed towards the area of universe 5, followed by Gohan. After possibly muttering a few more mysterious words, XXI slowly flew back to his own area where the two Saiyans were waiting.

“What did you just do to your opponent?” Gohan asked, fists clenched.

“The organizers will use the Dragon Balls to return him at the end of the tournament. Now, stand aside please.”

XXI continued floating there in front of them, seemingly unphased. Bra opened her mouth to rephrase the question, but they were interrupted by Buu from just on their left.

“Don’t worry, friends, I understood the whole thing.”

“Call us your friends again and you’ll get my fist in your face,” Bra reacted immediately.

“Stay out of this,” said Gohan.

Behind them, XXI continued back into his universe’s apartment areas.

“Hey, I’m on your side,” Buu replied. “I sensed a dimension opening. It wasn’t easy either. In any case, Vegetto was merely confined there. He’ll have no trouble getting back, I’m sure he knows how to get out. Just wait for him.”

“A dimension?” the two children of Vegetto repeated together.

“But, that could take hours! Bra exclaimed.

“Or days!” Buu said, almost laughing out loud. “I’m sure he’ll want to request a rematch. It wasn’t a very fair move, I’m sure you agree.”

“Damn right!” Bra yelled.

“What is it with him trying to be nice all of a sudden?” Gohan said softly. ‘Either Buu is trying to manipulate us or I’m imagining things.’ The half-Saiyan certainly hadn’t forgotten Buu’s attempt to absorb Broly yesterday. He was a powerful and dangerous opponent, and also highly intelligent. No matter what happened, Gohan knew better than to mistake Buu for an ally, he was merely playing the game... Especially with the absence of Vegetto, Gohan knew he had to watch his own back. He would also need Bra’s help to monitor the djinn. The next few minutes, hours, or even days, would be tiresome for Gohan.

“Well, after that strange victory, we now have a match between #18 of universe 14 and Arale of universe 2!” a Varga said into the microphone.

“So then, just like that Vegetto is eliminated. That’ll give the rest of us a chance to win, but I’m still a little disappointed,” Goku said. He was certainly not the type to give up against a challenge, in fact he thrived against opponents stronger than him. But in this case, he had no chance. Goku wasn’t going to win, or at least, it was very unlikely to happen. He’d eventually have to face Vegetto, and he definitely didn’t have the edge. That wasn’t to say that he hadn’t improved a lot over the last twenty years. But, he’d never imagined catching up to the level of Vegetto when they had faced Buu! Today, the one from universe 16 was even more. Just how far had he progressed?

“Victory will be ours, yeah!” Goten and Trunks exclaimed from behind, slapping a high five.

Indeed, for Gotenks, that was one really big opponent out of the way! Now, they only had Buu left to worry about. Of everyone remaining, from the Nameks to Saiyans to robots, cats, and humans... they felt like they were a head above the pack. Even Goku at Super Saiyan 3 could be beaten, or so they certainly thought.

For Cell, in the area next to Goku, the reaction was entirely different.

“I’m relieved...? Tch, disgraceful! My Saiyan nature craves to be challenged! I feel like a coward—It’s unbearable! And yet, it’s certain to help me move further through the tournament.” Cell looked over to the area of universe 3. “...Tapion...it wouldn’t take the likes of me to beat him easily. I need a challenge...I’ve got to let that monster of his out and fight it! Then it’ll be...either Kakarotto or Vegeta. Kakarotto hasn’t shown any signs he’s surpassed Gohan from all those years ago, but Vegeta did in his fight with Trunks. Well, either way, they’ll have to be a lot stronger than Gohan was to give me any kind of challenge!”

Over in the area of universe 2, while RoBo seemed in a strangely festive mood, Senbei Norimaki turned to the young girl Arale. “Hey, it’s time for you to go play wrestling with that girl up there!”

“Hoyoyo?” she replied.

“Then bring her here, so I can tend to her wounded body!” he concluded with a perverse smile.

Over in the area of universe 9, the humans were also in discussion.

“So, any progress with your blonde friend?” Kulilin asked Yamcha.

“Not an inch. And stop making fun of me, I’m sure you would fall for her too!” The taller man approached his friend, putting a hand on the back of the turtle shell he wore and stooping to his height. “You’d help her rediscover her humanity,” he said, holding his hand out in front of him as if painting a picture. “You’d refuse to kill her, win her over with kindness...and she’d kiss you on your bald head...”

“Nonsense... Where’d you get such crazy ideas?”

“Well actually, in another universe you’re married to her—you even have children,” Trunks interjected, standing near the two martial arts masters.

“Exactly! I got this info straight from universe...18,” Yamcha said with a grin. “Both cyborgs there were redeemed, I’m told. So, there’s a chance for these here too...”

“Hmm? Is that really true?” Trunks said, surprised. “Our Kulilin, married?”

“Well, I’m willing to admit it’s a possibility,” the master said, “but I don’t want to think about it.”

Returning to the seriousness of the situation, Tenshinhan crossed his arms and weighed in somewhat philosophically.

“This fight may be a revelation for her. We are in the presence of two polar opposites—a woman who was turned into a cyborg, who lost her humanity to bitterness and resentment, against a happy innocent robot girl, who acts like an ordinary child.

The two robots were now face to face in the ring.

“Will she see that? Will she see the hope in this girl? Will it cause her to reflect?”

In the ring, #18’s face soured as she clenched her fists. “Come on, kid, and I’ll wipe that stupid smile off your face!” Tenshinhan was speechless.

“Not at easy as you thought, huh?” Yamcha chuckled, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Hopping happily around the ring, Arale charged at her opponent, arms out perpendicular to her body as she imitated the sound of a car engine. #18 wasn’t amused in the least, speeding in front of her and kicking her high. The girl flew through the air like a soccer ball, stunned. #18 rushed past her, flanking the young robot with another powerful blow from above. Dazed, Arale was sent crashing noisily into the ring below.

“Look at that, it’s already over!” the android boasted after her opponent was still for a few seconds.

But Arale jumped up as if nothing had happened. Then, reaching down, she clapped her hands against the ring and ...

‘And, once again the impossible is done,’ thought Bujin.

Indeed, Arale lifted the entire ring over her head! She cared not for the artificial gravity of the Vargas, she simply did as she wished, not a care in the world. Many onlookers believed it was some kind of illusion.

The robot girl then hurled the entire ring at #18, unable to avoid it. Thrown with incredible force, the ring struck #18 and then collided with one of the huge gaseous spheres that served as artificial decor for the tournament. Inexplicably, the mere decoration had become a solid before being struck by the ring, sandwiching the cyborg painfully between them. Stranger still, some of the audience would’ve sworn the ring and the decorative ball had faces.

“It’s incredible! She can actually distort reality around her!” Buu said in amazement. “It’s even stronger than my own magic...and she’s doing it all unconsciously! I...I absolutely must absorb her! With that kind of power, I’d be absolutely limitless! No...no it wouldn’t work...something tells me it just wouldn’t work. Universe 2 is far too different from the rest...where did it come from?”

Arale landed on her feet on the ground below, shortly before #18 came crashing down. Above them, the ring began to resume its original shape and size (completely on its own without explanation).

“This child is an android?” Cell wondered. “Darn Gero’s short-sightedness! Had he only known, he could have enabled me to absorb other androids! I would have been the strongest fighter ever—past, present, or future! I would be more-than-perfect!”

“You fell out of the ring; you lose, miss!” Arale announced, pointing a finger at the cyborg who was getting up slowly.

“Idiot! You’re off the ring too! Plus, it’s allowed!” #18 angrily corrected. “I’m gonna rip off your filthy little head, you brat!”

“Like this?” Arale said, lifting her head off her shoulders with a CLICK.

#18 fell backwards.

“You should be able to do it too!” the little girl exclaimed, screwing her head back on.

“Are you crazy? This time, I’m ending it!”

#18 dashed at the dwarf with all her might and slammed her fist into her belly. The impact was violent, and yet...Arale didn’t budge even an inch...

“Huh? You don’t wanna play any more?” the girl, who seemed to have felt nothing, asked.

“Am I really being overwhelmed by this midget? My energy isn’t infinite—am I depleted?” #18 wondered, staring blankly at her fist.

“What are you doing, sis!?” her twin brother shouted from the area of universe 14. “Kill that little pest or I will!”

“Sir,” a timid Varga interrupted from behind #17, “you don’t have the right to help your friend in any way whatsoever!”

“I can’t help it!” he yelled. “Stupid little goon!”

The blue Varga backed away, a little frightened.

“Oyoyo...you’re low on energy? I often have that problem too. Actually, it’s time to recharge now,” she said, raising a bottle to her mouth.

Suddenly the bottle itself spoke. “I’m empty.”

Again, some of the spectators were confident they saw a face on the bottle.

Suddenly, Arale froze in place, unmoving. The bottle remained on her lips, bone dry. #18 stepped towards her curiously, waving her hand in front of the little robot’s eyes, then pushed her—Arale fell on the ground completely stiff.

“Arale hasn’t moved for thirty seconds. #18 wins the fight!”

“The bottle’s empty?” Senbei wondered. “But, who could have...?”

Behind him, RoBo, a robot also from the strange world of universe 2, continued dancing gaily.

“Wow, I’m in top shape! I’m ready to replant another forest for four hundred years!

Over in the area of universe 18, Piccolo watched on. “She lost due to bad luck, but what incredible powers! If she’d lived in our universe, she could have crushed Cell! Or even my old self back when I was the Great Demon King. Everything might have turned out differently...”

“Actually, she does live in our universe!” Goku said with a smile. “I met her a long time ago.”

“Wha...what? But...but if she was on Earth, I wouldn’t have had to lose my arm against Raditz! And...and we would have surely beaten Nappa and Vegeta without any casualties, rather than being killed one at a time! And...and on Namek she could have wreaked complete havoc! And...and you wouldn’t have had to die against Cell! Then against Majin Buu...oh my god, what if Buu had absorbed her!?”

“It’s okay! Breathe!” Goku said. “We did fine without her help, you know.”

Piccolo remained silent for a long moment, too stunned to say anything.