PART NINETEEN: OFF TO THE SECOND ROUND!

Chapter 94

Translated by npberryhill

While many in the audience were still wondering what had happened to South Kaioshin, the evil wizard Babidi was busy complimenting his pet.

“Well done, my Buu!” his shrill voice licked slyly.

“Can Buu have candy now?” the childish creature asked with an enormous grin.

The sorcerer smiled back, feeling that a reward of some kind was more than appropriate—candy would be just the thing. Suddenly, the wizard noticed a small figure appear from out of the ports on top of Buu’s head. Almost like a tiny insect, the beedy speck flew, leaving a nearly invisible trail of white energy behind him. Then, all of a sudden, the small dot expanded exponentially, forming into the recognizable form of South Kaioshin.

‘What! Where did he come from?’ Babidi mumbled to himself, feeling his heart quicken.

Now fully restored to his proper proportions, the god turned and began to leave. “Never mind me, I’m just passing through.” A second later, though, he paused, turning to Dabra.

“By the way, since i’m here...Dabra... Just how did you come to be in this dimension? I thought you swore to never leave the demon realm. What difference led you to forsake your oath in this universe, I wonder?”

Impassioned, the demon replied with confidence. “My beloved kingdom is nothing compared to following the will of my master Babidi.”

The Kaioshin seemed to think for a few seconds, then turned to leave.

In Universe 1, as in many others, Dabra was the ruler of the demon realm. Within his kingdom he was both feared and loved, being the most powerful. Before the gods had sealed off the dimension of demons, the South Kaioshin had spoken with him. The Dabra of Universe 1 had been adamant, though. Once, had he left his kingdom, curious to explore what existed in the outside world. But he had done so one time only. Therefore, the Demon King was no real problem. Sure, he had considered conquering the universe. But there were so many planets, each more remote than the next—the appeal lessened as he considered how ugly they each were. It would have been a tremendous amount of work, all for something he liked far less than his own kingdom.

But his presence within Universe 11 was definitive proof that Dabra had indeed emerged from the demon realm. Had he been within his own kingdom, the Vargas would never have been able to detect him. And even if they had, the Lord of Demons would have surely refused participation in their tournament—after all, he had nothing to prove. He was the strongest within his own kingdom, and that wasn’t going to change so long as he was there to keep everyone in line. Ruling other realms, other peoples, other worlds...he simply wasn’t interested.

The god, however, had noticed a strange brand on Dabra’s head in the shape of an M—the same logo that appeared on Buu’s belt. Babidi had managed to accomplish quite the feat. Somehow, he had not only succeeded in removing Dabra from his own kingdom, but he’d also gained complete control over him...it was the only logical explanation. He now had a terribly powerful henchman at his side. Taking into account the addition of Buu, the fact that Babidi and his cronies reigned supreme in their universe wasn’t surprising at all.

Finished observing, South Kaioshin finally returned to the area of Universe 1. Naturally, the other gods greeted him, immediately asking about the details of his disappearance into Buu. As he materialized a new set of clothes to replace his torn ones, South Kai began to tell them about his little adventure and what news his investigation had yielded. Quite interested himself, Gohan of Universe 16 made his way over to join them.

“There was nothing,” the god said. “I could sense their energy within Buu, but they were too far gone.”

“Oh...”

“I didn’t sense any other souls in there either.”

“So it’s possible that this Buu has yet to absorb anyone besides the Kaioshins...”

Everyone in Universe 1 slowly turned towards Buu of Universe 4, eyeing him cautiously.

“That one, on the other hand,” Gohan said, pointing over his shoulder. “He’s even boasted to us that he absorbed anything and everything in his universe with even a minimal power...”

“So, in his body, we would be able to find all of these lost souls...” the East Kaioshin pondered aloud.

“Shouldn’t we try to free them? the Kaioshin of the West asked.

“Hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of people...they are all trapped inside,” Gohan said soberly.

Suddenly, the djinn of Universe 4 himself turned his head and began walking towards them. Had he picked up on the conversation? To be honest, it would be foolish to assume otherwise. Gohan stood there confident with the rest of the Kaiôshins. Nearing them, Buu smiled wryly, not a worry on his face.

“There are at least that many,” he said, smirking. “Of course, I heard everything. But who I’ve absorbed over the years and how to release them, if that’s even possible, is no business of yours.”

“Buu! You’re nothing but a cruel master, enslaving all those people inside of you like prisoners!” Gohan remarked.

“Wrong,” Buu laughed. “You know nothing of how I absorb, or rather of how each soul came to me. In most cases, they even consented to it!”

“Consented?” Gohan replied angrily. “Don’t take us for fools, Buu. You’ve never absorbed a single person by their own consent!”

“Perhaps in your own universe...but mine?” the djinn chuckled, turning back to the Kaiôshins.

“Their thoughts are now a part of me. Their essence isn’t destroyed or imprisoned. Rather, it’s sublimated...”

“How can you claim to integrate them when they lose their own conscience?” the East Kaioshin interrupted.

“I just told you. They aren’t prisoners. Many come voluntarily, knowingly, in order to transcend. You’re just so blinded by your own restricted view of the universe, so stubborn you can’t see the beauty of what I offer. My vision is grander, more expansive, limitless! For example, an artist that came to me could create a work of beauty like no other—his art would stand above anything that has ever been done or that ever will be attempted again.

“And I’m certain that’s your only reason, too,” the Kai said sarcastically.

“What is it that you want? To debate with me about free will? Fine, let me give you another example then. Several years ago, I actually refused to absorb someone who, himself, requested it of me. Why, you might ask? For love.”

“Love? You think YOU know anything about love!!” Gohan angrily roared, thinking back to his little brother. The horror Goten had experienced when he’d seen their mother killed before his own eyes...the grief. Buu knew nothing of love!

“A woman was in love with him. She pleaded with me not to absorb him, and I chose to respect her request. But by refusing to absorb him, I acted against his own free will. Was I wrong then, by your perfect moral standard? I leave you gods decide for yourselves.”

Gohan wasn’t buying it though...and it was clear that the gods beside him weren’t either. On the other hand, there was really no way of knowing whether the story was true or false. Plus, while some things were constant from universe to universe, others differed. Was their involvement truly necessary? Was it their duty to release the captive souls from Buu, even the ones that would prefer not to be freed? This wasn’t even their own universe they were talking about.

“I’m not the Buu you knew, Gohan,” the djinn said, looking directly into the half-Saiyan’s eyes. “You realize that you are a part of me, though at the time I wasn’t able to offer you with the choice to join me. Nevertheless, the Gohan in me is quite content. Speaking of which...I recall that around the time you were absorbed, you’d been quite interested in the theory of cold fusion. Have you made any progress on it since then?”

“I’m doing my thesis on it, yes, and have been quite successful at advancing the theory...”

Buu only smiled. “Is that all? I completed it years ago.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s done, settled,” Buu said again. “I created the designs, did the research. I built cold fusion plants to test out my theories. It works quite well, and all of that took me nothing but a few weeks. Whereas, for you, it’s been years and you’re still working on the formulas behind it all. How much longer will it take you? The rest of your life, most likely?”

Gohan was speechless for a moment as Buu finally turned and left for his own area once again. Finally, the Varga announcer once again began to speak.

“The next bout was scheduled to be Uub of Universe 18 gainst Nail of Universe 10!” the voice rang out over the speakers. “But due to the forfeit of Universe 10, Uub wins by default.”

“My next opponent... He's the one whom I inherited my strength from,” Uub whispered over to his master. He knew Majin Buu was a formidable opponent. In fact, even the thought of facing him was a little intimidating, hence his question to Goku.

“Master...do I have a chance against him?”

“Of course!” Goku replied with an immediate smile. “With a well-managed Kaioken, you’re perfectly at his level.”

Perhaps it was true. Uub looked down at his own hands, as if he was judging his own strength. Yes, perhaps he did have the same level of power...but Majin Buu was a magical creature—he was practically invincible. How could he possibly overcome that? Even if he had the strength, he didn’t have the regeneration.

Still, Uub was glad that he wouldn’t have to face Buu of Universe 4, though the one of Universe 11 was no less formidable in his own mind. He recalled his three matches against the Buu of his own universe, the friend and companion of Mr. Satan. In fact, he hoped that the Majin Buu of Universe 11 was exactly like the one he knew.

Uub was thirteen. For three years he had trained his body all around the world, following the strict regiment of Goku himself. His strength had vastly improved, though his technique was still lacking. Goku, however, still pushed him to confront Buu. Of course, the Saiyan had already explained that the djinn had been the source of his power. That day, Goku, Uub, Buu, and even Mr. Satan met out in a desert wasteland, the perfect place to handle such a battle. Uub and Buu faced each other, a dozen meters between them. Satan encouraged Buu, cheering the happy djinn on as his favorite. Goku suggested that Uub make a quick assault, starting with his full strength. Then, they began.

At first, Uub was reluctant, even fearful. But he found his courage, knowing that this was not a fight to the death, and the only people watching were his master and the aging Mr. Satan. So, clenching his fists, he went full out from the start. Screaming, he dashed towards Buu, who waited for him completely motionless, smiling. At the last moment, Uub jumped and kicked his right foot into Buu’s belly.

His leg sank into the pink djinn’s body up to the knee, before a staggering force ejected it. Had Buu done nothing but tighten his abs? He had failed to make any dent in Buu, as the creature simply reassumed its original shape. Plus, he had little time for reflection. Being hurled backwards both far and fast, Uub smashed through two enormous rock formations, cutting a deep trail into the ground as he skidded. The simple flick of Buu’s belly left him beaten, bloodied, and unconscious for two whole days. It had been a dismal failure!

Two years later, the pair finally had a rematch. This time, though, Uub had learned how to fly. When he found himself being hurled backwards, he could slow himself and recover. His strength had increased as well, but the major difference this time was his technique! Again, the only audience was Goku and Satan, as they fought in the exact same location as before. Buu smiled widely as he prepared for the fight. How could someone who looked so friendly and innocent be the most dangerous creature in the universe? It was a difficult thing for Uub to accept. It was just as absurd as if someone tried to tell him Piccolo had once tried to rule the world. Of course, later he would find out that the Namekian had indeed tried...

Uub and Buu faced off for the second time. It was not only his increased strength, but also a new technique, which benefited him so much: the Kaioken. Without delay, the teenager activated the move. A crimson aura enveloped him, his muscles tightening and thickening, his veins swelling to support the increased blood flow throughout the body.

He was only able to control the technique up to the very first stage, which multiplies strength by two for a short time. But knowing his opening was short, Uub attacked immediately. He struck Buu with his left fist, the impact making solid contact with his body. He quickly followed with a kick in the stomach, only this time he was prepared. As Buu recovered, popping his belly back out, Uub was able to sweep the djinn’s legs from underneath him. Buu tumbled over, the young fighter quickly stomping at Buu, who bounced a small ways before making a mid-air recovery. The dark-skinned youngster jumped up to strike with his fist again, but Buu countered and sent Uub plummeting into the dirt below. After impact, the red aura disappeared from his body as he painfully made his way back onto his feet. The blow he’d received was quite serious, but thanks the the Kaioken he had managed to endure it. Otherwise, he’d have been knocked out cold.

The boy looked up at Buu, who was making a series of silly victory poses, raising his yellow-gloved hands above his head and cheering for himself. The creature had no sign of damage from any of Uub’s blows. Already exhausted, Goku’s pupil decided to forfeit. Dejected, the young man turned to walk away from the others in shame. But both Goku and Mr. Satan chased him down, using the opportunity to teach a valuable lesson: never give up no matter what! Together, they managed to cheer him back up, giving him the motivation to continue training.

It was two years later that they had their third and final confrontation, Uub now being seventeen. He had grown tremendously and had a much better mastery of the Kaioken now—he could even use it intermittently, as Goku once did against Frieza. This time, Uub was resolved to not give up after just one blow. He hoped not only to hold his own, but perhaps even to win.

According to Goku, Uub, with his strongest Kaioken powerup, was now close to the level of Majin Vegeta when he had faced Buu as a Super Saiyan 2. Of course, it hadn’t been enough for the prince to win, but overall he had put up a darn good fight. This time, Uub did seemingly just as well, not having enough strength to win, but not doing bad at all. At full power, he even managed to dodge several of the djinn’s blows. Plus, each of his own attacks sent the creature flying, even if they didn’t leave any permanent damage on his pink body.

But Uub tired easily, the beating he received exhausting him within a few short minutes. In a fight to the death, he’d have been killed. Buu was nice, though, and did exactly as he was told—which was to fight, but be gentle. It was a good test of his pupil’s motivation.

After several long minutes of fighting, Uub was too wounded to continue. His strength was at an end, but the student had been so determined this time to impress his master. Stumbling back to his feet after brushing off Buu’s last attack, he clenched his fists and opened his eyes. This was trouble, but it wasn’t going to matter in the end. He just wanted to use all his reserves in one final all-out attack.

“Ka me ha me—!”

Uub had quickly pulled his hands over at his side, yelling while he formed his Ki into an energy beam. Between his palms, a small ball of light had appeared. Then, thrusting his arms up at his opponent, he yelled:

“HAAAA!!!!!”

The energy blast soared across the hundred yard gap between the two combatants. Buu met the attack with one hand outstretched, and countered, only being knocked a few steps backward. However, concentrating his ki one last time, Uub screamed even louder.

“Kaioken...times twenty!!!”

Goku’s eyes widened in surprise, as he had not yet seen Uub achieve this level yet. He, himself, recalled pushing the technique beyond its capacity against Vegeta so long ago. All Uub’s muscles tripled in size! The surge of energy warped his body as it tried to contain all of that power, a force that crushed Buu’s hand then ripped through his stomach, exploding violently upon impact.

When the brightness of the detonation finally subsided, Goku turned back to his pupil. Uub was lying motionless on the ground. Rushing over, Goku lifted the boy up onto his own shoulder, realizing how low his life force was. He really had given everything in that last attack, nearly to the point of risking his own life. Smiling, Goku lifted two fingers to his head and teleported to Karin’s to get his pupil a Senzu.

Back when he was seventeen, Uub had not yet mastered Kaioken times twenty...but by now that had changed. He was in great shape, and completely prepared to fight Majin Buu of Universe 11 in the next round.