Chapter 247 - 247
"Hey, " A dark figure stepped onto the arena.
The crowd erupted in cheers even louder than those for Chappa.
"That's the champion from several tournaments ago, Devilman!"
A sharp-eyed spectator recognized the figure and pointed, shouting his name.
Devilman, also known as the Emissary of Hell, was a two-time champion who served Fortuneteller Baba, typically appearing as her fifth fighter in arena matches. He had fought Goku as the fourth fighter but was defeated due to insufficient strength.
"Devilman." Chappa fixed his gaze on his opponent, refusing to let his guard down. "I never expected to face such a formidable opponent right from the start."
He knew this champion well. If Devilman hadn't been absent from that particular tournament, King Chappa's own championship might not have been guaranteed.
"But I'm different now!" Chappa charged forward like a vanguard. "I've been completely reborn!"
"Eight-Arm Fist!"
Chappa swung both arms wildly. For an instant, eight arms seemed to materialize behind him.
This was his signature technique: the Eight-Arm Fist.
"Hmph..." Devilman sneered, mouthing several words to Chappa.
It was unmistakable trash talk.
In the next instant, Devilman vanished.
Chappa went on high alert, scanning his surroundings. Then, inspiration struck. 'I understand, he's above.'
He remembered being defeated by Goku three years ago when his opponent jumped into the air. Devilman, with his wings, could fly even more easily.
'Wanting to humiliate me like Goku did? I won't allow it!'
Chappa looked up abruptly, hands poised to strike, but the sky was empty. Devilman wasn't there.
"Eight-Arm Fist, hey-" Devilman's voice rang out behind him. Chappa felt a sharp pain in his neck before everything went dark. He collapsed with a thud.
"King Chappa has lost consciousness. The winner is, Devilman!"
Once the pinnacle of strength, the Eight-Arm Fist had now failed to reach the Top 8 in consecutive tournaments.
"King Chappa? A champion after me? Just another human, nothing special."
Devilman fluttered his wings and approached Piccolo with deep reverence.
"My King Piccolo, I have achieved victory."
Piccolo nodded, his tone cold. "Well done."
What proper Demon King would lack powerful subordinates? This was what Naruto had taught him, the most important thing for a Demon King was maintaining an air of authority.
A Demon King needed nothing but invincible power. Everything else, he could leave to his subordinates.
That was what Naruto had taught Piccolo.
'Invincible power, I've got that covered.' Piccolo clenched his right fist and swept his gaze across the arena, landing on a massive man wrapped head to toe in bandages.
With one brutal punch, the bandaged man flattened the beast-type human in front of him.
Like Devilman, he had once been one of Fortuneteller Baba's Five Great Fighters, the Mummy.
Piccolo had practically poached Fortuneteller Baba's entire roster. The two strongest fighters under her command had both been recruited away.
And it wasn't just the Mummy and Devilman.
"My King, one more win and I'll advance to the Top 16." From the shadows in the corner of the arena, a towering figure stepped forward, every bit as imposing as Piccolo.
He was a young man radiating malice from every pore. Dead center on his gi, a massive character for "Lightning" was emblazoned. He stopped before Piccolo, bowing with the utmost deference.
Piccolo didn't even glance at him, offering only a curt nod. "Finish it."
"Yes."
"Now entering the ring, the Martial Artist, Contestant Lei Wu!" The announcer's voice rang out. The malice-drenched young man leaped onto the arena floor.
Lei Wu clearly, he had become yet another of Piccolo's subordinates. (Dragon Ball Sai, it tells the story of Vegeta and Goku swapping roles when he lands on Earth.)
The announcer declared the match underway. Less than ten seconds later, victory was his.
"Winner, Contestant Lei Wu!"
'Powerful subordinates, I've got those covered too.' Satisfied with his forces, Piccolo once again clinched his own match with a single finger, securing his spot in the Top 16.
'Naruto, I'm going to show you everything I've gained these past two years. You won't believe your eyes.'
"Son Goku." Just as Goku finished off his opponent and wandered over to watch Krillin's match, a fair arm tapped his shoulder.
He turned. Standing behind him was a young woman in a blue martial arts uniform.
Krillin and Yamcha both stared in sheer disbelief.
'Since when does Goku know a beautiful woman like that?'
"It's been awhile since we met!"
The young woman smiled at Goku, a faint blush warming her cheeks.
"Uh..." Goku's frowned.
Her tone was warm, but Goku circled her once, racking his brain. He still couldn't place her. Under her expectant gaze, he opened his mouth and asked, "Who are you?"
Her jaw dropped. That single sentence shattered her composure on the spot. Her smile vanished, replaced by fury.
"You heartless jerk! You're trying to back out of our engagement?!"
She rounded on him, screaming like a volcanic eruption. Her lion's roar shook the entire arena. Then, without giving Goku a chance to explain, she spun on her heel and marched away.
She stepped into the ring just as the referee called out "Anonymous," and finished her opponent with one clean punch. KO.
Krillin stood there, mouth hanging open. "'Back out... of the engagement?'"
Yamcha was just as frozen. "'Heartless jerk?'"
If someone had slapped that label on Yamcha, sure, that tracked. But on Goku? The two exchanged a look, seeing the same bewilderment reflected back.
"Goku, that whole year we were gone, did you actually train at the Lookout, or...?" Krillin stared at his friend with deep suspicion.
Yamcha piled on. "You didn't just run off chasing girls the whole time, did you? How else do you meet a cute girl like that?"
Ignoring his friends barrage of doubt, Goku easily crushed his opponent and locked in his own Top 16 berth.
One by one, the Z Fighters all secured their spots.
With that, the Top 16 list was set.
Naruto, Son Goku, Tien Shinhan, Krillin, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, Anonymous (Chi-Chi), Shen (Kami), Assassin (Mercenary Tao), Master Shen, Ma Junior (Piccolo), Bandages the Mummy, Spike the Devil Man, Lei Wu, the Masked Man, and Toranosuke.
The 23rd Budokai Tenkaichi drew the best fighters on Earth. Every single one of them stood here now.
Match order was decided by lot, as always.
"First match: Naruto versus the Masked Man."
A chubby kid in a mask stepped up. Even through the disguise, Naruto recognized him: the legendary Senzu Bean Destroyer, Yajirobe.
Chubby kids with a power level of 170 weren't exactly common, after all.
Yajirobe hadn't crossed paths with Goku and the others yet. The prize money alone had drawn him here.
"Match, begin!"
Kenjutsu was Yajirobe's best skill, but the tournament forbade weapons. He had to fight bare-handed.
He could manage without a blade. Sumo was another style he knew well. Against anyone else, Yajirobe might have lasted a few exchanges. Too bad his opponent was Naruto.
"Ha!" He knew Naruto wouldn't be easy, so he played it uncharacteristically cautiously, pushing his hands forward like a sumo wrestler as he closed in.
When he saw Naruto wasn't taking him seriously, Yajirobe grinned.
Less than ten meters separated them. Yajirobe's eyes flickered.
'Now!'
He rushed forward, straining with every ounce of strength, barreling ahead like a runaway tank. Against a fortress wall, he was sure he could ram it flat.
The moment he felt contact, that solid, satisfying give of Naruto's body pushed back step by step, Yajirobe poured on even more force.
He was going to shove Naruto clean out of the ring.
Just as Naruto was about to tumble over the edge, *poof*. White smoke burst between them. The resistance vanished. Yajirobe lurched, weightless. He blinked and looked down.
That wasn't Naruto in his arms.
It was a piece of rotten wood.
Before he could process it, sharp pain shot through his rear. Naruto's foot had planted dead center on his backside. Unable to keep his footing, Yajirobe pitched forward, hitting the dirt outside the ring with a heavy thud.
Not being able to fly was a serious drawback.
Face planted in the dirt, Yajirobe faintly heard a voice behind him.
"That kick was for all the Senzu Beans lost in other worlds."
'Shenzu? What's a Shenzu?' He rubbed his face, thoroughly confused.
"Second match: Anonymous versus Son Goku."
"Hmph!"
Chi-Chi called Anonymous stepped onto the arena. Every glance she shot at Goku came with a huff. Soon the entire ring echoed with a relentless barrage of scoffs.
"What are you hmmpf-ing for? Are you actually a little pig in disguise? Like Oolong?" Goku stared at her blankly. It was unclear whether he meant it or not.
Predictably, this only made her angrier.
"Search your conscience! You heartbreaker!"
"My conscience?" Goku was even more baffled. "I really don't get it. Are you sure you've got the wrong person?"
"I'd recognize you even if you were nothing but ashes." Her fury neared its peak. "Son. Go. Ku!"
"You did that kind of thing to me. And now you won't even admit it!"
Her suggestive words detonated across the venue. The announcer lit up like a beacon at the juicy gossip, his mouth going "Ohhh, ahhh, ohhh" without pause.
People were the same that way. Everyone loved a bit of gossip.
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