Part 1, Chapter 1.

PART ONE: A VERY STRANGE TOURNAMENT!

Chapter 1

Translated by MikeysBoner(certified god) and Kakarotto Ka Power Level Kya Hai? and npberryhill

The bright morning sun shone high in a cloudless sky, a sign of another great day for planet Earth. Busily scurrying through the kitchen of their simple city-house, two parents were preparing breakfast. "Pan," Son Gohan called out to his daughter, "breakfast is ready!"

“Is she up at least?” Videl, the man's wife, asked, placing one last box of cereal on the table.

Before Gohan could reply, the patter of footsteps came hurtling down the stairs from the second floor. The man grinned at the sight, readjusting his glasses with a small gesture.

'No doubt about it, she's awake,' Gohan inwardly chuckled.

The fourteen year old girl, dressed in a kimono and wearing a red stick on her back, had already bolted for the front door.

“Mom! Dad! I’m heading out!”

“Hey! Where are you going dressed like that?” her mother intoned, raising an eyebrow.

“Grandpa promised that today I'm gonna get to train with Uub. Seriously, I am not gonna miss this!"

“You don’t even know where they are,” Gohan replied, sipping on his drink.

But the orange liquid nearly bolted from his mouth a second later, at the sudden surge of a powerful ki signature. It was too far away to determine its exact position, but Gohan could definitely sense who it belonged to. And if he could detect it, so could Pan. The girl fired a mocking nod her father’s way, bumping against him as she rushed outside—the door slamming behind her was almost enough to make her hesitate.

“I’m off!” yelled the young Saiyan fighter.

“But...” her mother called out a second too late. She sighed in defeat, turning to her husband. “That girl just does whatever she wants...”

Gohan nodded to her, but with an air of distraction. His mind was focused on following his daughter’s energy as she flew. He’d continue tracking her the entire flight, around ten minutes, just to be sure she arrived.

“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about her safety, Videl,” Gohan said with a reassuring smile. “She’ll be with Dad, so there’s really no danger. Well, apart from the normal aspects of training...”

“Gohan,” Videl replied, crossing her arms. “You do realize she had class this morning! She’s in high school now, the whole missing for training thing is starting to get old,” she argued, visibly upset.

“Ah, I wouldn’t worry too much,” her husband answered with a gentle smile. “Those classes are mostly remedial anyway, she’ll catch up. And besides,” Gohan continued, rising from the table, “even I missed a few years of study—at the time I was even younger than her...”

Videl sighed, looking out the kitchen window almost longingly. Her young daughter could barely be seen in the distance, a faint speck on the horizon riding upon a yellow cloud.

“I still think we let her get away with too much…”

“Videl, dear, she’s already an entire grade ahead of the other students. If there was a problem, trust me, I’d insist she study. But the truth is, Pan’s even more talented than I am.”

“It’s a time of peace, though...” Videl replied, hands on her hips. “Her priority should be her classes for the moment, while she practices martial arts in her spare time!”

“Honey, you’re going to have to cut that out,” Gohan chuckled, smiling in recollection. “You’re starting to sound just like my mother.”

“Eh, I know,” Videl replied, seemingly agitated at herself—she certainly had not intended to become like Chi Chi. “It's just... I want her to be able to get a really good job when she grows up. Fighting should be a hobby, something secondary...”

Gohan got up to move closer to his wife, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"That’s just the way it is, Videl. There’s really nothing we can do about it... She's been following in her grandfather’s footsteps ever since she could walk. And besides, you worry too much. She might even grow up to be both the smartest and strongest one of us all."

“But Gohan, surely—”

“If it'll make you feel better, I’ll invite Dad over to dinner tonight.”

Videl's face brightened. “That's a great idea!”

Suddenly gazing up at the wall clock, Gohan realized that he was running late to work—something that had never happened in all his years.

“Go on, darling,” Videl said to her husband, following his eyes. “You’re gonna to be late.”

The thunderous booms of powerful blows echoed through an isolated mountainous region, reverberating through the pillars and plateaus. The shock waves produced could be felt through the ground for miles around, though there was nothing but deserted wasteland in each direction. Occasionally mixed in to the destructive background noise was the shout of battle cries. These were the screams of those pushing themselves to give their all, to fight with their full strength.

The commotion disturbing the mountainous landscape was, in fact, an incredible battle between two most exceptional warriors. The battle, which was a simple warm up match between the pair, was taking place at speeds unimaginable for the average human being. The quantity of power being emitted by the two of them must have been equivalent to at least a million humans.

After a few minutes of training, the two friends—master and disciple—took a little break and began talking.

"I didn't sweat a single bead, sensei," Uub said, almost complaining about the ease of things. He was the younger of the two; brown skinned, dressed in a red-orange martial arts gi, and twenty years old. "I'm not even out of breath..."

"That's the point of interval training." His sensei Goku replied, scratching his head with one finger, slightly embarrassed. "The training methods you wanted to do would’ve put the entire planet at risk."

Uub, now sitting on a nearby rock, took in the surrounding landscape that he and his sensei had been battling in.

"Yeah, this area has already gotten pretty pulverized from our brief bit of training, hasn't it?" he observed, noticing the various craters and shattered structures.

"Nah, don't worry. It wasn't our fight that caused all the damage here. Well... actually, maybe a little... Haha," Goku replied, having a brief flashback. "If I recall, this is the location where Vegeta and I first battled," he said to his disciple.

"Vegeta? Really!?" Uub exclaimed.

The young warrior, reincarnation of the mighty Majin Buu—the monster who’d nearly destroyed the universe—closed his eyes and took in the landscape, trying to imagine what had undoubtedly been an epic duel nearly thirty years ago.

"Alright, so are you inspired now?” Goku said, standing up suddenly and clapping his hands. The boy nodded. “Then let’s get back at it!"

"Alright!" replied the young man, his voice renewed with enthusiasm.

"Good. This time, I’m counting on you to surpass your current level! As usual, try to keep up."

Goku took his stance. With bent legs slightly spread apart and fists clenched, the Saiyan began summoning his power, refraining from his Super Saiyan transformation for the time being. A blue and white aura surrounded him and his hair flowed in the sudden wind he’d created.

Opposite him, Uub began to power up as well, his cry louder and more sustained. A white aura instantly surrounded the boy.

"Push it, Uub! Go higher! Go further than you–"

The teacher was suddenly cut off by a surge of energy from Uub, who’d emitted a slightly larger amount of power than before. Goku smiled, surprised.

"Good job, Uub. But,” he smirked, “can you keep up with this?"

The blueish-white aura surrounding Goku suddenly flared alive with a golden hue, his hair shining along with it. His Super Saiyan eyes were greenish-blue as always. While the Saiyan’s power had not increased too dramatically, it definitely put his strength above Uub's, who was only half as strong as Goku now. However, his master had taught him a useful technique for situations just like this, a technique that he immediately used.

Uub’s muscles bulged and, with a roar, he yelled, "Kaioken!"

The white aura surrounding Uub went scarlet red. His muscles took more volume as his blood vessels swelled to allow faster blood flow. His strength multiplied, and before long it exceeded that of his master. Goku, who was not shaken, clenched his fists even harder and began to draw in more power. With another flash, his hair stood even further on end, leaving only a single lock over his forehead. His muscles had also increased in volume, and sporadic bolts of lightning crackled through his aura.

‘Time for the next level...’ Uub thought to himself.

Uub concentrated with his every effort as he passed through level after level of Kaioken. “Times three... Four... Five...” He continued stage by stage without rushing.

This time, just as Goku wanted, Uub hoped to reach a higher level than he ever had before. For months on end he had hardened his body to be able to withstand higher levels of power.

Yes... This was it... This time for sure he’d surprise his master! Just a little more effort and concentration and— 'What the hell?' Uub thought suddenly, breaking his focus and power.

"Grandpa!"

"Hey, hey! I know that voice!" Goku said, releasing his power and looking up to the sky along with Uub.

The figure approaching them was a young girl of fourteen, clearing the last hundred meter gap between them at full speed. The quarter-saiyan adeptly navigated down to their position and jerked to a halt.

"Grandpa," Pan said, touching down with an angry look on her face. "You promised that you wouldn't start without me!"

"Sorry Pan! But we were ready to go and you still weren't here... But hey, tell me, why did you come on Kinto'un?"

Pan put her hands on her hips, closed her eyes, and tilted her head back, taking a position which showed that the answer was obvious. "Since I came here to train with you two I didn't want to waste any energy by flying."

"Ah, of course."

"Do you think she can keep up with us?" asked Uub with a smile as he approached.

"Of course I can! I don't bear the Son family name for nothing!" the young girl countered, then turning to her grandfather. "Grandpa, I saw Uub using the Kaioken! When are you going to teach it to me?"

"You don't need it, Pan, I've told you before. I only taught Uub because he can't turn into a Super Saiyan."

"But neither can I!" Pan said, clearly whining.

"Of course you can," replied Goku. "You just need to put in some more effort to get there."

"But... With the Kaioken I wouldn't need—"

"Okay, okay," Goku interrupted, trying to change the subject, "we'll see later. For now let's take it slow with a small energy increase."

"But we just did that!" Uub interjected.

"I don’t need to do that!" Pan said in agreement.

"Don't be silly," said Goku. "We'll train seriously, don't worry about that, but for now let's start with a little run."

"Okay..." sighed Pan and Uub simultaneously.

They were ready to follow Goku's lead when he suddenly stood up and began scanning the sky. He’d felt something approaching their location, and it didn't take long before they saw what had puzzled Goku. A strange little robot was flying straight in their direction.

"What is it?" asked Uub.

"It looks kind of like one of Bulma's machines," Goku replied curiously.

The robot, which looked like a rocket propelled sphere with very short legs and one eye, came to a stop in front of the puzzled Earthlings. The craft emitted a low metallic sound and began to whistle like an old television. The single eye suddenly began to shine, and a hologram image displayed between Goku and the robot—the image of a Namekian.

"Mr. Piccolo?" Uub said in confusion, surprised by the image.

"No, it’s not him,” Goku said, suddenly serious.

"Warriors of the Earth," began the Namekian, "you three have been chosen, based on the qualification that you are among the strongest fighters in this universe. Each of you are hereby invited to participate in the grandest martial arts tournament ever to be imagined."

"A tournament?" said Pan, obviously very interested in the idea.

"I wonder..." began Goku, before the Namekian continued.

"We look forward to greeting you in person at the palace of Kami-Sama."

When he finished, the hologram blurred before revealing the image of Piccolo.

"It's a long story," Piccolo said through the device, "but this is apparently no joke. I knew you’d be all over something like this, Goku, so I allowed them to contact you. Make your way here and we’ll discuss everything..."

The image disappeared, and the robot left as quickly as it came.

"Was that message intended for only the three of us?" asked Uub.

"I don't think so," replied Goku, turning to his two disciples. "He mentioned the strongest fighters in the universe. Surely that means he’ll contact Vegeta and Gohan too."

"This is serious, isn't it?" asked Uub.

"We’ll see. We shouldn't waste any time though. Hold onto me for instant transmission, and we'll pick up Gohan and the Briefs family along the way."

Uub placed a hand on Goku's shoulder while Pan clung onto his belt. Goku placed two fingers on his forehead and sought out Ki from the location of his son's house. He immediately felt Videl’s ki signature and instantly beamed to that location, taking Uub and Pan with him. It took Goku only a minute to realize why he didn't feel the Ki of his son, which was easily a thousand times stronger than that of his wife. Gohan was away...

"He's at work, as usual," Videl said, after Goku quickly explained the situation.

"Well we just have to pick him up then, right, Grandpa!"

"Wait!" said Videl. "I want to come with you."

"Sure, come along!" said Goku. "I can feel Gohan's energy now, and he's on the move... Wow, even though he hasn’t been training, Gohan's speed is impressive. He’s something else."

"And Vegeta?" asked Pan.

A smile quickly spread across Goku's face. "You know, I have a feeling something like this will be right up his alley. We should get Goten and Trunks, while we're at it. They're both at home."

Pan sparkled with joy.

"Yes! It's been a while since I've seen Grandma! Hey! Should we get Grandpa Satan, too?"

"Well, I'm sure Buu got the message too. We'll probably run into him at the lookout. Alright guys, hang on!"

This time with Videl, Goku teleported everyone to Chi-Chi’s. There, they found Goten and Trunks, the latter of which was visiting in order to avoid boredom at the Capsule Corporation. Goku briefly explained what little he knew about the situation to the two young fighters. He then asked everyone, along with Chi-Chi, who insisted on coming along, to hold onto him. With a quick flash he then teleported everyone to Dende’s palace.

Unbeknownst to everyone, a small spherical robot appeared at the house of Goku only minutes later to bring the message to Goten and Trunks. The robot would return empty-handed...