The Price of Power (Dragon Ball Z/SI)

Disclaimer: I'm but a humble author. This here is something made by a fan, for other fans.

In the words of a notorious abridged group: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Shueisha and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.

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Chapter 5: Resolve
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A light fist rapped against my door, breaking me out of my sleep in an instant. I slowly rolled over with a low groan, more annoyed at the effort needed to do it than at the person who woke me up. A brief moment of focus revealed the calm and serene ki of Abbot. Put simply, everyone's ki had a flavour. Abbot's was like clarity on a fresh and crisp spring morning. On the other side of the spectrum was Escar's harsh, wild, cloying ki. There wasn't a way for me to put it except trauma-inducing.

"...What is it?" I shuddered a little, pushing the memory of Escar's ki to the deepest recesses of my mind.

"Rise, young Korn. It's time." Abbot's voice came through the door, crisp and clear. Almost as if he were standing right beside me.

Perks of being a Saiyan, I guess. I bolted out of bed in an instant, the suddenness of the movement cooling me down. I tore through my room in a whirlwind of limbs, grunting and muttering. I made my bed, tidied last night's game of snap, hit the bathroom, and pulled out my monastery gi from my wardrobe. To say that I was excited would be an understatement. My mind was running a mile a minute and I had to retie my brown obi three different times before I eventually got it right.

Abbot nodded appreciatively when I opened my door, looking me over as we walked through the strangely empty halls. "Looking as sharp as always."

I grinned. "I try to be. Now come on before we're late."

"Very well…"

I dodged, sensing the hit before I saw it. Abbot's open palm missed me by a hair's breadth, tracking it as it passed me by.

"Heh. Knew it."

He hummed. "Indeed?"

He jerked his arm back, an elbow slamming against my stomach as fast as lightning. And just as fast, he returned to his previous position, arms clasped behind him as if he hadn't just hit me.

"U-Urgh!"

He stopped and waited for me to recover. "Let that be a lesson to you. Do not grow complacent in your strength."

"I-In other words: I'm annoyed y-you dodged?"

He didn't reply and started walking again. Oddly enough, he also refused to meet my eye. I rubbed my stomach. "I see where Escar gets his brutality from. Honestly. Violence doesn't look good on you, old ma—"

"We're here," he cut in, pointing to the rows of monks assembled in the courtyard. "Go ahead and join them. I'd like to make a brief announcement before we leave."

Bage raised a hand from the end of the first row. Now, I could've ignored it, but then it would have been awkward for the both of us.

"Thanks," I mumbled as Abbot began to pace back and forth.

"Don't mention it."

Abbot cleared his throat noisily. "If I may have your attention. We must once again descend from our mountain and enter the Sadalan tournament. We will test ourselves in combat and push ourselves to new heights."

His voice had a certain timbre to it – a kind of exciting trill that rippled through the small crowd gathered around him. I could see Bage grinning out of the corner of my eye and made a conscious urge to keep my tail wrapped around me. It wasn't just us either. All the gathered monks were vibrating with excitement.

"And of course this year's newest addition: the junior division." the mumbles stopped, as if swept away by the morning wind drifting around. "The monetary reward for winning first place is identical to its senior counterpart but brings with it a wholly unique opportunity for our four boys to show their skills. Of course, this is more implicit and may not be a reward outright but it provides a—"

"—yeah, yeah. Rewards, learning, self-discovery, yada yada." Escar's voice drew the disgruntled gazes of just about everyone here. He continued, unperturbed, "Hurry up and tell them, old man."

Abbot's cheeks were dusted pink, leading Avaco to snap at him. "Silence, Escar! Even if you lack a single respectful bone in your body, at least have some etiquette!"

"Etiquette? Can I eat it?"

Bage failed to hold back a snort and accidentally elbowed me. "Pfft—! A-Ah, my bad, Korn."

"Don't sweat it." I shook my head and glared in Escar's direction. "Why does he always have to be like this?"

"Like what?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you have to ask?"

"...Fair enough," he scratched his cheek. "But be honest. It's pretty funny, right?"

"When it's not in moments like these? Yeah."

Abbot coughed once more, letting a bit of his power leak through. "Excuse me. Thank you. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, the cash prize for the junior division is the same as the senior one. King Sadala, in his esteemed wisdom, has decided to cultivate the planet's youth."

"Oooh boy," Bage's excitement had his voice trembling. "T-This… this is gonna be awesome!"

"And as uncouth as he is, Escar is right. I shall beat around the proverbial bush no longer," Abbot stopped his pacing, coming to a halt in front of Bage and me, his eyes moving to someone behind us. "I- no, we shall be relying on you boys to win it."

The question came to my lips unbidden. "Why?"

Silence reigned supreme, its hold sensed by all of us and eventually drawing a long sigh from the old man.

"The monastery has been… living beyond its means for a while now, my boy. Coupled with Escar's hedonistic lifestyle, I have had to take out several debts which, if I am unable to pay back, will result in the seizing of the monastery."

All the air seemingly vacated my body at once, leaving me floundering to reply and my shock to explode. "T-That's. But… why! How!"

"D-Damn you… ESCAR!" a furious wind exploded from the group behind me, the absolutely livid energy source felt by all of us.

The air itself was thick with power. Avaco's power. Completely unrestrained as his bright orange aura shot off in all directions around him. He stomped down hard, cracking the ground. His anger radiated through his ki, hammering against us in waves. The weaker monks had long since been thrown across the courtyard by the initial explosion of power, the rest of us struggling to not join them.

"W-Woah!" Bage spun around, raising his arms against the constant gusts of wind. "K-Kinda intense, a-ain't it!"

I clenched my jaw as the shaven monk squared up to Escar, towering over him by enough to look threatening. I didn't blame him in the slightest for wanting to beat the hell out of him. I could hear my pulse pounding in my head with how pissed I was right now. Still… he wouldn't win.

"Now, now," Escar raised his hands with upturned lips. "It ain't all my fault. If I knew we were going into hard times, I woulda drank a little less."

"Escar… at least try to sound like you feel remorse." Abbot sighed.

He laughed. "No can do, old man. It was the best night of my life and I won't ever regret it."

"Y-You!" his words only enraged Avaco even further. The man's aura surged, doubling in size. From where I was, I could spot at least another three veins popping up all over his head.

Between the sudden gales brought forth by Avaco's ki and the increasing likelihood that one of them would throw a punch, I found myself sandwiched between Tato and Bage with Callio sitting atop Tato's shoulders. Just about everyone who hadn't been blown away earlier was behind us, holding onto one another as we all used Abbot for cover.

"I've excused your behaviour before out of respect for our master, Escar," Avaco growled, spittle shooting out of his mouth. "But this? This is the final straw! No more!"

"Ah, goddamnit," Escar wiped droplets of spit off the side of his face. The barest hints of grey began to light up his hair and robe. My own stood up on end and goosebumps ran up my arms just from his ki alone. "This is starting to get annoying, baldy…"

I latched onto Abbot's shoulder, shaking it a little harder than intended, but desperate times called for desperate measures and this had to be the most desperate of them all. "Old man!"

He didn't respond, his jaw set.

"Come on." I shook him harder. "Master Abbot! They're going to destroy the monastery! What the hell are we supposed to fight for if the place is gone, huh!"

Abbot shifted, angling his head to face me. His face somehow managed to look even older. "You are right, young Korn. This folly, however, weighs down on me heavily. Perhaps… perhaps it is all my fault. Perhaps I have been too lenient with Escar. I have known him since he was a babe. Watched him grow into manhood. In some ways, he is like a son to me…"

I held back on growling and pointed to the two men ahead of us. "Listen, you can reflect on all of this later. Right now? Please, if you want somewhere to return to, stop them!"

He snapped to attention immediately. Almost as if he'd woken up from a fever dream, he shrugged off my fear-fuelled grip as if it were nothing. Lavender light rolled off his body in soothing waves towards us. "Do not worry, young ones. All will be well. We cannot be late to this year's tournament – not after last time."

He slowly walked away.

"Wait." I frowned at the group behind me. "What happened last time?"

A middle-aged guy ran a hand through his balding hair. "...Escar. He was late to last year's tourney, hungover, and somehow managed to turn up in nothing but his underwear."

I heard Callio snort derisively. "The moron had the gall to stand proud after being knocked out before the quarter-finals."

"Know what, Callio?" I stared at the scruffy-bearded bastard ahead of us. "You're right. He's a battle-addicted moron."

Bage snickered and nudged me with his elbow. "And what does that make you, eh?"

And to that, I had no answer.

"Bage, Tato… Korn." Callio cleared his throat. "Nothing's changed, has it?"

Tato grunted in… affirmation. I think.

I stared at Callio, shaking my head with a smile. "Nah. I was gonna try and win regardless. This is just extra motivation."

"Heh. Battle addict." Bage folded his arms. "But you're right. We clear the battle royale and then it's every man for himself."

I patted his shoulder. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't worry, I'll get you all something nice when I win."

(Break)​

The journey to the tournament venue was a tense one. The adults parked up at the front of our group, talking in hushed tones as we wandered around the Royal sector to register for the tournament. The landing strip I'd visited had been completely transformed into a registration booth – multiple at that – and a long queue of prospective fighters slowly marched along towards them.

"Next." A diminutive alien sat behind a foldable table and beckoned our group over.

Abbot turned around. "Bring the children to the front."

Without much fuss, the four of us were pushed to the front of our group. I shared a glance with the other three and decided to go first. "What do I do?"

"Sign here, here, and here." he scrolled down a futuristic-looking tablet. "Junior division, I presume?"

I scribbled my name down with a finger. "Gee, what gave you that idea?"

"Only the stars know," he drawled. "Good, that will be all. Next."

I stood off to the side as the rest of the monastery finished registering. Surprisingly, not everyone who came with us wanted to enter. Namely Abbot and around half of our delegation.

"Wait. Abbot?"

"Hm. Yes?"

"Where are you guys going to sit?" I asked. "I can hear the noise from here. There's no way there are any open seats left."

He stroked his beard, staring up at the enormous structure blotting out the sun. Chants of varying lengths echoed from the intimidating structure, the rhythmic thump of some kind of drum booming over and over again. Completely blown away, I stared up at the Anvil, my heart pumping in anticipation.

"How indeed… but not to worry. Since we are competing as one school, we can use the VIP seats. Whilst not as luxurious as the royalty box, it's a row that spans the Anvil's circumference strictly reserved for the friends and family of the contestants."

"Thank you for your patience," another voice sounded from nearby, stopping all ongoing conversation. It was pleasant and soothing, almost enough to make me forget where I was for a moment. My nose twitched, inhaling a faint but sweet scent and I shook my head violently. That couldn't be natural. I spun around and stared at the source.

She was a pink-skinned woman, clad in a long, flowing pink robe. White petals were spread across the silky smooth fabric. Her lips were full and red, ruby eyes glistening as she smiled at us. There wasn't a single blemish on her face and her raven hair was held up by a single pencil, a few bangs falling to frame her angular face. "Good morning contestants. My name is Shen Yue and I will guide you to the arena. If you would please follow me."

"I definitely wouldn't mind following you…" Escar mumbled, following the growing crowd after her. Callio and Tato exchanged a nod and followed after him, dragging away Bage with them.

Abbot placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me forwards. "Go on. And remember: a calm mind will always prevail."

I nodded and darted back towards the retreating crowd. They'd begun to move again, trailing after Shen Yue and entering one of the many tunnels into the colosseum. We wound through the wide and damp tunnels before breaking through into the arena. All sorts of faces glanced down at us. Some were curious, others dismissive or just didn't seem to care.

"Good luck, children," an elderly Namekian leaned over and looked down at a group of Namekian children travelling beside us.

"Thank you, Elder," one of them smiled. "We'll do our best."

Directly in front of us, high above the seating area, was an enormous screen. It rolled through different perspectives of the place. The seats, the V.I.P. box, and lastly, the arena. In the centre stood a grey, rotund man holding a card in his hand, a headset wrapped around his bald head. He adjusted the microphone slightly and tapped it a couple of times.

Satisfied, he raised a fist and cried, "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 21st annual Sadalan Tournament!"

The crowd roared. The excitement in the air was electrifying. It came from all around us, all the voices mixing to create a dizzying storm of all-consuming hype. I shuddered and felt my tail unwrap itself from around me.

"I hope you're all ready for an amazing time. But before we start off the junior division, our esteemed ruler would like to make an announcement."

Silence fell with an almost deafening quality.

The screen faded to black before it flickered to life, filling the arena with a low hum. It was a camera in the V.I.P box, that was for sure, but it was given to one man and one man only. King Sadala was, in a single word, intimidating. His muscles were clear to see, even through the loose and ornate robe he wore. A black anchor was emblazoned on the left side of his chest. He sported an impressive beard and a widow's peak to rival Vegeta's that extended into a flowing mane. Streaks of grey zig-zagged through it from top to bottom and a golden circlet adorned his forehead. In its centre sat a glistening garnet gem.

"My subjects," his voice was deeper than deep but seemed to put everyone at ease. "It is that time of the year again. A festivity to trump all festivity. A time for all Sadalans, no matter their philosophy, to come together in combat. I am especially looking forward to the junior division. Our youth are the leaders of tomorrow, after all. However, even as we display our strength and forge ourselves in the fires of battle, we must not let it corrupt us. Remember that a warrior rules his power… and a monster allows his power to rule him."

The screen slowly faded to black before cycling through the arena's cameras, leaving a deafening silence behind. That, I think, said more about the man than anything he had conveyed in his message.

"Damn," Bage whispered. "He's so cool."

I nodded.

"Wise words from our grace." the commentator's voice was solemn, though only for a moment. "Now… let's get this show on the road!"

His words sparked new life in everyone. Crowd and contestants alike. I stretched out and placed my shaking hands on Callio and Bage's shoulders and shared a nod with Tato who was beside me. Neither looked back but they didn't have to. There was nothing I could say to them that they didn't already know.

"We kick off with a fifteen-minute battle royale. The rules are simple: no flight, no killing your opponent, and no substances. Violation of any of the above will result in immediate disqualification. After the fifteen minutes are up, anyone left standing in the arena advances! Contestants, please make your way onto the stage."

Slowly, the crowd moved. I made sure to stick close to three boys, but the closer we got to the stage, the harder it was to do so. Somehow, we managed to persist. I had no idea which bit of the stage we were on. There were just too many people to tell. But if there was one thing I knew, it was that this would be chaos. Complete and utter chaos.

"Ready…" the round man was flying around the arena, waving at the crowd. "3… 2… 1… GO!"

Then all hell broke loose, my senses picking up on several strong people in the jumbled mess of bodies.

"You guys ready?!" I yelled over the cacophony.

Bage pumped his fist. "Yup!"

Callio and Tato nodded.

"Alright," ki flooded my body, running through every vein as swiftly as the blood within me. I was sure my grin was nothing but feral as I took up a stance. "Let's clean this place up a bit."

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Spoiler: Author's Note

Hello laddies! How do you do? Good, I hope? The tourney will kick off next chapter but I'd like to ask how you're finding the story's setting so far. The focus has been primarily on the Bazaar and monastery (with a small focus on the Royal sector but that's for the tournament). I've mentioned but haven't shown much of the Merchant sector but that will be revealed in due time. See you all relatively soon! ^^

 

Disclaimer: I'm but a humble author. This here is something made by a fan, for other fans.

In the words of a notorious abridged group: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Shueisha and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.

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Chapter 6: Chaos
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Fists met flesh and I felt the solid connection against my opponents' armour as I hammered in blow after blow. His pained gasp was music to my ears. I followed through and pushed as hard as I could against him. That'd be another one knocked off. Once I was sure I could afford it, I took a moment to glance at the timer displayed on the large screen overlooking the arena. Five minutes left.

"How're you guys holding up? I've got seventeen so far."

Callio blasted someone point-blank to the stomach. They crumpled under the blast and their hands dropped. Unable to guard the spinning kick to the jaw, they were sent flying. "Well enough. This makes mine fifteen. Tato?"

The stoic blue-eyed boy grunted, tanking a punch to the chest with barely a twitch. He grabbed his opponent by the ankles, heaving them upwards with a grunt. They streaked through the air, screaming bloody murder all the way down. "Hmph. Sixteen. Why are they all so weak?"

Bage slipped past a wild hook with lilting laughter. "You're just too damn strong!"

He slid around his opponent, green ki lighting up his palm. Electricity crackled and he whirled around. His palm struck dead centre against her back. The smell of burnt flesh assaulted my nose, an ear-splitting whine ripping across the stage as she bounced across it over and over again.

"Freaking behemoths, man," he grunted as he shook out his palm. "Fourteen now."

I chuckled a little. "Good…"

Flashes of colour lit up parts of the stage in light and cast others in shadow. Explosions and dust clouds blossomed in an instant before being dispersed just as fast. All through it, the crowd jeered, mixing in with the roars and yells of the children fighting. I took in the sight, resisting the throbbing urge to fling myself into the thick of it.

"...We're going to blast everyone we can from back here. It's the best way to knock them out and save our strength for later while staying together. Any complaints?"

Callio shook his head. "It's a sound plan."

"None here," Bage grinned.

Tato grunted and folded his arms. "Not a fan but I can't complain. The faster we get these weaklings out of here, the better."

"Alright. Try to be efficient with your ki by concentrating your blasts."

The words had barely left my tongue when I felt the heat of several blasts wash over me. The three had formed a sort of circle, blasting wantonly at anything that so much as moved.

"Hey now! Leave some for me." I cupped my hands together, fingers tingling. I spread my feet, bringing them back into a familiar position. All these months here and I'd only used this technique a handful of times – each one as exciting as the last. There was something to say about getting to act out my childhood fantasy. "Ka…me…ha…me…"

I pooled my ki into my hands, stopping once I felt it push against my palms. Spinning it more and more; compressing it until I could hear its hum in my ears over the din of the colosseum. My bones vibrated at the power packed between my hands. I reared my entire body back and whipped my hands forward. "HA!"

I felt my feet dig into the ground beneath them. The sheer force of the yellow torrent threatened to send me flying. Growling, I stomped down my foot in defiance. It burst out of my hands and doubled in size, pulsing and roaring. I watched with a shaky smile as it ripped through the arena's tiling, carrying a legion of dust and debris on its journey.

"Woah, look at that, people!" the commentator hovered above us. "A gang of tailed Saiyans have banded together and are making quick work of the competition. Each of them has taken down at least ten other people and that number's surging right about now!"

I chuckled a little and flicked my wrist, sending the beam veering left and right and knocking people aside like bowling pins as it dragged along others. I watched it zig-zag and nab one of the Namekian kids from earlier, pulling him away from his opponent.

"Almost…" I muttered, fingers twitching in anticipation. My heart thudded against my ribs, wild and erratic. "Now!"

The shroud around my hands crackled with flashes of electricity. I clenched both my fists and the blast swelled in size, exploding in a shower of brilliant golden light laced with light smoke from the crushed tiling. Dozens of bodies flew in different directions across the stage with enough momentum that I was sure they'd be knocked off. Still, the fighting didn't stop. The sounds of battle echoed out across the arena alongside the cheers of the crowd that came in ebbs and flows.

Backing up a little, I spoke out of the corner of my mouth, "I think that makes mine thirty."

"Aww hell," Bage whined, stamping his foot. "Callio keeps stealing from me!"

"Be faster," Callio snorted as he fired another blast. It struck a short-haired girl, taking her completely by surprise and out of the tournament.

"Stop it!" Bage yelled, swatting at Callio's arm.

"I'm at twenty-one," said Tato, firing three blasts in quick succession, delaying their explosion until they'd latched onto four very confused fighters.

"Hold on," Callio stepped forward and pointed at something in the distance. "Look at that!"

I lowered my hand and squinted. A scrawny kid clad in a ratty grey cloak and gi was darting around, beating the absolute crap out of anyone he laid his eyes on. His hair was static, completely sticking upward save for a single bang that fell down the left side of his forehead. He fell into a squared stance in front of a horned, purple-skinned alien. Their muscles rippled and they let loose a roar so loud we could hear it from here.

An elbow to the jaw and his opponent reeled back. He vanished and then they fell as if their feet had been kicked out from under them. He reappeared above them, driving his fist downward, cracking the ground and raising tendrils of dust. His foot pulled back and kicked them off the arena.

"Damn," Bage whistled, watching their trajectory. "He's strong."

"Three minutes remain!" the announcer's voice came from further away this time, his words as clear as day.

"Huh. I guess they're not all so weak after all." Tato wiped his hands on his trousers and began to move towards him.

I grabbed his elbow. "Hold on."

"Let go," he frowned. "I'm gonna fight him."

"No." I shook my head. "There's no way he won't make it past this round. We've only got a little longer left and most of the weaker people are gone. You'll have your chance. Trust me."

His frown deepened. "You know, I still don't understand you. You'll say cowardly stuff like that but your face doesn't match up at all."

I tried to smooth my expression, fighting the excited grin on my face. Every part of me was screaming to go and fight him. I coughed. "I-It ain't my fault that I'm getting this worked up at fighting someone strong. But if I go and do somethin' stupid and end up suffering' for it, that's on me."

"Hmph." he shrugged my grip off and folded his arms. "Freakin' weirdo."

I let out a relieved sigh. "Great. Alright. Now let's get back to blasting."

Bage cackled, taking up position next to Callio. "Right. No more stealing from me!"

"I won't. Just be faster." Callio raised his hands, his palm lighting up with blue light.

My eyes sought out a target, finding a shifty-eyed boy with sandy-blonde hair. He was hiding behind the rubble scattered about the stage, taking peeks at me when he thought I wasn't looking. I lined up my hand with the rubble. His eyebrows shot upward, a yelp tearing itself free from his throat and my palm lit up in yellow light.

"Tough luck, buddy." I fired, making sure the blast connected against the rubble instead of the kid's head. He moved to run away while it closed in on him but the resulting explosion sent him into the air, and if he didn't want to break something, he'd make sure to fall properly. "Dunno 'bout that one but I'll assume my score's thirty-one."

(Break)​

The conclusion of the battle royale had eliminated the majority of competitors, a sight that filled me with satisfaction. The warrior within me eagerly anticipated the opportunity to face off against those left; they'd be a challenge. Regardless, I was proud of the job we'd done and even the tense waiting room couldn't dampen my spirits. Honestly, the most surprising thing of all was that the blonde boy I'd blasted before the battle royal ended managed to stay in the ring.

Content as a clam, I bounced my knee while taking in my surroundings, scanning the glaringly white room and focusing on any notable figures brought to my attention through feeling for their ki. Two Namekian youths appeared downcast, likely due to my previous defeat of their friend, shooting furtive glares at me. Close to them, a slender girl with teal hair and heterochromatic ruby and teal eyes surveyed the competition before her gaze briefly landed on my tail.

The fear flashing across her face provoked a smirk from me. Near the wall opposite the door, two hulking, humanoid alligators attempted to intimidate me with matching glares, but I simply rolled my eyes and shifted my attention to the one I was the most eager to face.

Among all the occupants in the room, he was the one who commanded the greatest distance from the others. It was pretty funny because he looked like a toddler but was probably closer to me in age. He sat cross-legged on the floor, head resting against the wall behind him.

Tato let out a sharp sigh. It exploded out of him and joined the low murmurs of all the ongoing conversations. "When is it going to start?"

I patted his shoulder. "It should be soon. If it was a long wait, they'd probably let us go and join Abbot and the rest."

Callio placed a reassuring hand on Tato's other shoulder. Bage, from his position on the floor ahead of us, craned his neck. "Besides. Even if we're here a while, what's stopping us from leaving? It's not like they told us that we couldn't."

"D'you want to go and test that out?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at the door. "What's the worst that could happen, right? Not our entire monastery being disqualified, right?"

"Hehe," Bage chuckled. "I wasn't serious when I said that."

"No one can ever tell with you." Callio flicked the other boy's head.

Bage sprung up, hissing. "Hey. Quit it with that!"

"And if I don't?" Callio raised his hand, his fingers poised and ready to flick at Bage.

As his hand moved closer to Bage's head, the door clicked, opening with a soft hiss. It may have been quiet, but immediately the room descended into silence, dozens of eyes staring intently at the entrance. Shen Yue walked in, her every step calm and composed. The long flowery robe she wore glided across the floor, making her seem as if she was floating.

"Thank you, once again, for your patience." her voice seemed to have an even greater pull to it than earlier. I balled my fists, trying my best to ward off whatever it was that felt so wrong with me every time she spoke. "We apologise for the delay but the Anvil's stage is now ready. This is where you will all be waiting for your matches."

She pulled out a thin remote control from the sleeve of her robe. A corner of the ceiling split open slightly, a thin screen descending from it. With a press of a button and it exploded to life, giving a view of the arena that the previous cameras hadn't shown.

"Hereafter, the rules are simple." all eyes were on her again. "Win, and you advance. Lose, and you are knocked out of the tournament. Any questions?"

I shared excited grins with the three boys, my heart rate picking up its pace at the declaration.

"The first match is between Cabba and Mando. Please follow me."

From his seat, a Saiyan child stood up. He adjusted his cloak, brushing a hand through his hair. His eyes sought out his opponent, settling on one of the Namekian children walking towards him. They left the room, sparing not so much a glance back towards us. Silence reigned over the room long after Shen Yue had left with the two, everyone intently staring at the television screen.

Cabba and Mando faced off, and the commentator stood between them, getting the crowd ready. "Get ready for an epic showdown, folks! On my left, we have the undefeated Cabba, a fighting prodigy from the Merchant Sector. He didn't take a single hit in the battle royale and he's a crowd favourite. On my right, we have Mando, one of the Namekian brothers competing in this tournament. Unfortunately, one of the brothers was eliminated in the battle royale. But can Mando prove himself superior to the prodigy standing before him?"

The commentator paused for a moment to let the crowd's cheers die down before continuing, "Let the match begin! Fight!"

As the two fighters squared off, tension filled the room. Mando launched a scintillating beam from his mouth, but Cabba quickly countered with a series of brutal kicks to his opponent's chest. Mando tried to fight back with a hook, but it was sloppy and only left him open for another devastating kick to the ribs. The sickening sound of the impact made everyone around me wince. But Cabba wasn't finished yet. With Mando reeling, he charged forward and delivered a crushing blow to his open chest with his shoulder, sending Mando flying off the stage.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Cabba raised his arms in victory. Contrary to the brutal beatdown he'd just carried out, the smile on his face could be described as nothing other than pure, his eyes bright and his grin wide.

"That was a masterful performance by Cabba, folks!" the commentator exclaimed. "He continues to dominate in this tournament, and it's no surprise why. What an incredible display of power and skill!"

As Mando's unconscious body was carried away by the medical team, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for him. He had fought as hard as he could but it was clear that Cabba was on a completely different level. I grinned and watched him confidently walk off the arena. Other than him, I reckoned I was the strongest here. Maybe the others were suppressing their ki. It would be a pretty smart tactic to get a cheap shot in.

Bage was bouncing with excitement. "Guys! Did you see that? He beat the crap out of him like it was nothing!"

Tato cracked his knuckles and stared intensely at the screen. "We're gonna crush the small fry quickly. That way I get to fight that kid."

"Woah, woah," I laughed. "Who says you'll end up fighting him in the first place? For all we know, anyone here could be stronger than you."

"Hmm…" he quickly glanced around. "No. I've sensed their power. They're not."

"What if they're suppressing it?"

He was silent for a moment. "They wouldn't. No point in doing it here."

I smiled a little. "You sure about that?"

"Doesn't matter. Even if they are, I'll beat them all the same."

The door opened again, revealing Shen Yue and Cabba – who looked none the worse for wear. The pink-skinned woman cleared her throat. "Next: Amaranth and Korn."

I sprung off the wall, locking eyes with the same teal-haired girl from earlier. Her eyes were rooted to my tail. I unfurled it and had it wave to her but it only seemed to scare her even more. Chuckling, I tied it back around my waist.

"Please follow me."

Amaranth darted after Shen Yue, leaving me behind. I bumped fists with the boys, promising them a victory. They gave me colourful descriptions of what would be in store for me if I didn't win, most of which had me laughing myself to the arena. I strode into the arena, feeling a surge of excitement as the crowd roared. The energy in the air was palpable, and I couldn't help but smile as I took in the sights and sounds around me. The arena was massive, with towering walls that seemed to stretch up to the sky. In the centre of the arena was a square-shaped, tiled platform. True to Shen Yue's words, it was completely rebuilt from everything done to it in the previous round, and as I stepped onto it, I felt a thrill run through me.

"Here they are, ladies and gentlemen!" the commentator's jovial voice came from the centre of the stage, growing clearer as we neared him. "Our next contestants. Will they give us an even more hair-raising performance? We'll have to find out!"

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Spoiler: Author's Note

Hello everyone. Another sporadic release but it is here at last. This one was by far pretty fun to write. I'm just hoping it was just as fun (if not more so) to read. Enjoy! ^-^

 

Disclaimer: I'm but a humble author. This here is something made by a fan, for other fans.

In the words of a notorious abridged group: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Shueisha and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.

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Chapter 7: A Fight on Two Fronts
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Mayze sat at her table in Dakon's bar, a gaudy-looking place called 'Horizon', named after the popular (and only) Sadalan alcoholic beverage: Sunset. Where her stall was closer to the Bazaar's entrance, Horizon was further down, near the more established area filled with restaurants and stores. It was a lot more hospitable than the entrance side – and a lot safer too. She tugged at the orange hoodie she wore – her daughter's – wincing at the stifling warmth.

Heat clung to the air making every effort to inhale it take double the effort. To say that the place was packed wouldn't cut it. Not at all. It was freaking swarming with adrenaline-fuelled idiots. People were sitting on the railings of the second floor, looking down at the single widescreen occupying the centre of the room. Hell, if she didn't get a free table reservation and drinks from the man courtesy of being the mother of his late brother's child, she would never have chosen to come. Until now, she had always refused to come to his bar on tournament days. Yet today, Mayze was here for that very reason. Her ticket was clenched tightly in her hands as if her life depended on it.

"M-Ma!" Carole grunted, lightly shoving aside one of the Butcher brothers, a hand covering the top of the glass tumbler. "I've got ya drink. Uncle Dakon said he gave you the good stuff."

Mayze grinned. "Great. Thanks, honey. Bring it over here, it's about to start."

Perking up, her daughter shuffled over and climbed onto the stool beside hers. Mayze took slow, measured sips from the glass. It was almost heavy on her tongue, leaving it tingling as the cool liquid slipped down her throat. She placed the cup down with a thump, the sound not reaching her ears through the din of the bar.

"Mayze!" she turned around once she felt the palm on her shoulder, a bright grin on her face once she realised who it was. He was tall, towering over her with his thin and reedy frame. His parted hair hung on either side of his face, framing two big brown eyes.

"Onio!" she smiled at her fellow shop owner. "How're ya doin', lad?"

The young, round-faced Saiyan rubbed the back of his head with a hand. "I've been alright, Mayze. The veg stall's been doin' good. Always does around tourney time. Yours?"

"Mornin' business' also good. Lots of workers grab a loaf but those thugs have been comin' around more often asking for lots of money." her smile dropped a bit. "Onio… I'm bettin' today."

Onio's eyes goggled. "You? Bettin'?!"

Mayze rubbed her thighs, cautiously looking over her shoulders. "Things have been hard lately. Someone I know told me to bet on 'em if it got worse."

"And you trust 'em?" the doubt in Onio's voice quickly unearthed her own.

"I…" Mayze heaved out a sigh. "I dunno, Onio. I trust him, he's a good kid. But I dunno if he's strong enough to win."

"Alright! Alright!" Onio gave her a complicated stare and slowly walked away at the insistence of his friends. Atop a table stood Horizon's bookmaker. He looked as sleazy as they came; wearing an ornate but fraudulent-looking three-piece suit, his hair slicked back with so much gel it looked plastic. "The second match of the juniors is about to start. I've got all the bets in but need you sorry lot to shut up. Some of you might not be here for the brats but a few have placed… ridiculous bets that I'm quite interested in seeing play out."

Mayze felt a flush crawl across her face like a thousand ants swarming over her cheeks at the pointed stare he directed towards her, alongside the unconscious derision he drew from her. Even if he wasn't particularly strong, his command did the trick on account of him simply being associated with the local gang currently terrorising the Bazaar. With the money they had saved up, she'd decided to put… a sizable amount forward and bet it on Korn winning the tournament. But now that it was time for his first match, her anxiety was through the roof.

"Ma." Carole nudged her shoulder. It still amused her to no end that her daughter was taller than her by a noticeable amount. "Look!"

She did, eyes darting over to the screen, her heart hammering away at her ribs. There he was. Korn walked without a care in the world and his trademark smirk was still in place. Seeing it, Mayze couldn't help but feel that somehow, he might just pull it off. Or at least, that's what she thought when he turned up out of the blue the week before. She wouldn't lose all that much if he didn't win. They'd saved enough to be able to pay the next "protection fee" and be okay for a couple of weeks afterwards.

Right now, with everything coming to a pitch, she felt incredibly stupid for trusting in an eleven-year-old child. Beside her, Carole did her best to look confident but couldn't stop her hands from quivering, even when she clasped them tightly together. Mayze placed her hand on top of them and gave a gentle squeeze, a silent gesture but it conveyed more to her than words ever could.

In those brief few moments as Korn and the Cerealian girl walked up the stone steps leading into the arena, she felt her fear, doubts, and anxiety ease out of her. Maybe it was because of her daughter's support. Maybe it was because of the alcohol she'd drunk. Maybe it was because of Korn's confidence. All Mayze knew was that somehow, it would all be okay.

(Break)​

The commentator had called a start to the fight ten seconds ago but neither of us had moved at all.

To be completely honest, it was hard not to feel any sort of cockiness going into my first match. An unfortunate side-effect of flooding my body with my ki was the euphoric sense of strength it brought with it. With that coursing through my every vein, the vibrant-haired girl in front of me wasn't even enough to get my heart pumping. Though no one could say that I was an asshole about it. The fear plastered across her face was as clear as day and not even my toddler-like body was enough to erase it.

I blitzed forwards, taking both her and the commentator by surprise. The round man jumped up instantly, continuing to float into the air, his voice shaky. "N-Now wasn't that quite the scare, folks? By the stars; the kid nearly stopped my heart there…"

The girl, on the other hand, flinched hard. Even as she froze up, her gleaming garnet left eye darted around, tracking my every movement; from my left hand dropping slightly to my feet shuffling forward as I sent an arcing kick to her head. Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough to avoid it so it was blocked instead.

"Don't freeze up. You're in the thick of it now," I whispered, and if her widened eyes were any indication, she'd heard my words loud and clear.

Her jaw clenched, the muscles popping, expressing her irritation at me. Her arm whipped outward and she ignited her ki. The move was enough to repel me since I'd dialled back to warm up a little. "S-Stop underestimating me, pipsqueak."

"At last, some backbone…" I muttered low enough for her to not hear me. Not that I cared if she did.

Bringing up my guard, I reached out and embraced my power. It exploded outwards in the form of a wild white aura, my brown obi lashing in the face of the ki-born surge of wind. The Anvil roared to life; the tense silence was ripped apart as if it hadn't existed. Cheers and hollers flooded from the seats overlooking the arena, alongside several drink cartons and snack boxes that fell to the ground beside the arena.

The commentator lapped up the attention. "After a tense start, the fight's just exploded in a fierce exchange between the two! Initiated by Korn, neither is on the back foot yet. But… will it change? Now that's the question of the day – or fight as it were."

I held back my grin at the remark and sent myself hurtling forwards, propelled by a burst of ki. I threw a compact hook to her head, the punch faster than my last attack by a smidge. It glanced her cheek and was quickly batted aside by a forearm. I dodged a right straight and slid towards her now unprotected body. A scythe-like smile crept up my face once I realised it was the right side of her body.

"Okay," I grunted, digging my feet into the tiling below me, grounding myself. "Don't hate me for this. A fight's a fight. Ya either put up or shut up."

I licked my chapped lips, shrouding my fist in so much ki that it had an aura separate from the one burning around me. Roaring, I slammed an uppercut towards what I hoped was her liver. It sank into flesh, and if the audible crunch I heard was any indication, my punch had broken some of her ribs. Amaranth's arms fell to her side, limp and useless. She heaved – thankfully not throwing up her breakfast all over me. Her aura sputtered once, twice, and then vanished from existence. With a gasp, she crumpled to the floor in a shuddering mass of sweat and saliva.

Above me, the commentator hissed in sympathy, gathering his bearings before yelling into the hysterical crowd. "You all know how this goes! Amaranth is DOWN and she has until ten to get back up. Count with me, everyone!"

"ONE!" I jerked and tore my eyes away from Amaranth's downed body. The yell was that loud. Goosebumps broke out across my arms, my mouth widening at the sheer ferocity of the sound. "TWO!"

With each call, the crowd grew even more excited, the yells reaching a feverish pitch. To her credit, Amaranth tried to get up but each attempt simply brought her more pain. Her wheezing breaths rattled, drawing a little sympathy from me. But I squashed it in an instant. She didn't have any need for my sympathy. She came and fought with everything she had; anything less than my giving my best would be an insult to that.

"NINE!" I raised an arm in victory, certain that my opponent wouldn't get up. The final roar was one so loud that it blew all the previous ones out of the water. "TEEEN!"

The commentator zooming above me at breakneck speed was beside himself at the hype from the crowd, taking it in as if it were his sole source of sustenance. "Now if that isn't a statement, I don't know what is! Korn makes a huge splash, perhaps a direct challenge to Cabba? Either way, we're in for a wild next few hours, ladies and gentlemen!"

The medical team rushed over immediately, a stretcher brought out to carry the struggling Amaranth. As they helped her get to her feet, I walked over and offered a hand. "You fought well. I was just stronger."

Her previously fear-filled eyes were angry, but anything left of that quickly evaporated at my words. "...Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'll be back to fight you again in the next one."

I smirked. "I'll be looking forward to it even if I'll still win."

Throughout our exchange, the crowd refused to quiet down, yelling and hollering at what had to be the top of their collective lungs. Their cries continued as I made my way down the steps descending from the arena and entered the tunnel leading back to the Anvil's tunnels.

"—I'll be betting on you, kid! Don't disappoint!"

"That was hype but aren't you a bit too brutal?!"

"Man! Who'll win? You? Cabba?! Are there even stronger kids to come?!"

Every single one only made the smile on my face grow. The positive, the negative, all of it. This tournament was everything I'd imagined and more. The only thought present in my mind whilst I walked behind Shen Yue was whether or not I'd get another match quickly.

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Spoiler: Author's Note

Been a while everyone. Unfortunately, this doesn't signify my return — hell, it's the opposite. I've got my final A-level exams in 29 days and this here is the last chapter in my backlog. Those exams will be running up until June 14 for me and then I'm free for three months straight. Hope to be back by then. I do apologise for the short chapter length, but I'm pressed for time. Enjoy!