That evening.
Bulma booked out the largest restaurant in the city, treating everyone—including Uchiha Hikari, the other chat group members, Esdeath, Master Roshi, and the rest—to a massive feast.
During the meal, Eri and Miko Yotsuya kept sneaking glances at Goku and Krillin, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Both had read the Dragon Ball manga and knew about Goku's identity and the epic adventures awaiting him. Seeing the legendary "Super Saiyan" in the flesh naturally piqued their interest.
Brand was also watching Goku.
But his focus was different from the girls'. He was fixated on Goku's ravenous eating habits and the growing stack of plates piling up beside him.
"…Miss Bulma, does this kid, Son Goku, always eat like this?"
"Huh?"
Bulma blinked, then burst out laughing. "Oh, that? Well, Goku's an alien, you know. A big appetite comes with the territory. Don't worry, I'm the daughter of a rich family. I can cover the bill, unlike a certain perverted old man."
"…"
Bulma was, of course, referring to Master Roshi.
Back at the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament—right after this very event—Roshi had treated Goku, the runner-up, to a celebratory meal. That single meal devoured the entire 500,000 zeni prize money, nearly forcing Roshi to dine and dash. It was, in a way, one of Roshi's darker moments.
But now…
Brand hesitated, unsure how to respond.
Was this just a "big appetite"? This was monstrous! Who eats like that?
He'd thought Akame's appetite was impressive for a foodie, but Goku? The kid could probably polish off several cows in one sitting. How did someone so small pack away that much food?
While Brand and Bulma whispered, Uchiha Hikari leaned in, asking Brand about Akame and Leone.
"By the way, didn't you say those two wanted to come join the fun? Are they still coming?"
Lately, Uchiha Hikari had been studying the chat group's dimension-hopping function and discovered it had some flexibility. You could temporarily bring non-group members to another world for 100 points per trip, but they could only stay for 24 hours—and only with the other world's group members' approval.
100 points a day was a bit pricey.
But most group members, including Hikari, rarely used their points, so they could afford it if needed.
Of course, sealing someone in a scroll and bringing them over was another option. It was more hassle and a bit uncomfortable for the passenger, but it saved points.
"Well…" Brand explained in a low voice.
Leone couldn't make it.
A friend of hers in the slums was in trouble, and she needed to help out, leaving no time for other plans.
But Akame was still eager to come.
And then there was Tazmi.
"That kid Tazmi's improving fast. He's got the makings of a general. The boss wants to train him to stand on his own. If he could come here and see top fighters from this world, it'd do wonders for his growth," Brand said.
Hikari listened, stealing a glance at Esdeath nearby.
In the original story, Esdeath fell for Tazmi at first sight during the imperial martial arts tournament. But with the Revolutionary Army taking the capital early, that tournament never happened. If Tazmi showed up at the World Martial Arts Tournament here and displayed his talent and resolve, would that spark something in Esdeath?
"What's up? Why the sudden stare?" Esdeath asked calmly, wiping her mouth as she noticed Hikari's gaze.
"Nothing, just thinking about something…" Hikari replied vaguely.
---
The next day, after the feast.
At Brand's request, Hikari went with him to the Akame ga Kill world to pick up Akame and Tazmi.
While there, Hikari took a detour to the East Sea to check on her mount.
The East Sea Cloud Dragon still recognized her, bowing its head obediently.
Relieved, Hikari hopped on, soaring over the East Sea for a few hours, enjoying the sea breeze and snapping some photos to share in the chat group, showing off a bit.
[Nameless: [DragonKnight.jpg]×10]
[Bulma: Whoa, is that the mount you tamed last time, Hikari? I could tell from the size comparison in the photos it was huge, but seeing it now… it's even more massive than I imagined!]
[Nameless: Hehe, next time you guys can come ride it too. Rayquaza's back is plenty wide—could easily fit a hundred people at once, no problem.]
To be precise, the East Sea Cloud Dragon could carry tens of thousands without issue.
With a body stretching six or seven kilometers, its head alone dwarfed a fully formed Susanoo. It was a true mountain-sized beast.
Hearing Hikari's offer, Eri and Yamato immediately expressed interest, itching to try it out. But with the tournament approaching, Hikari postponed the plan, and they agreed to wait.
After indulging her dragon-riding itch, Hikari returned the Cloud Dragon to its nest and sought out Dr. Fashion.
Recently, Dr. Fashion had relocated his lab to the East Sea Prefecture, continuing his research on Teigu and dangerous species. His main focus was the Supreme Teigu, the "Guardian Machine God," which he'd closely observed before.
When Hikari arrived, he handed her several analysis reports he'd written, explaining his ongoing and future research plans.
"…Alright, I get the gist. Not bad," Hikari said.
"You handle it as you see fit. If you're stuck on anything alchemy-related, talk to Doty. She's an expert in that field."
Truth be told, Hikari didn't fully understand the reports. She hadn't delved deeply into the Akame ga Kill world's alchemy. When Bulma and the others went to study the Supreme Teigu, Hikari was busy taming the Cloud Dragon and hadn't followed up.
But…
Someone would understand.
"I'll show these to Bulma when I get back. She seems pretty into alchemy research…"
---
As Hikari predicted, Bulma was indeed intrigued by the reports. Since she wasn't competing in the tournament, she planned to review them quickly and decide whether to visit the Akame ga Kill world after the tournament to discuss the latest findings with Dr. Fashion.
The final two days flew by.
The 21st World Martial Arts Tournament officially began.
First up: determining the matchups.
When registration closed, each contestant was assigned a number. The matchups were decided by odd-numbered contestants drawing from a box containing even-numbered ones. To avoid any rigging, the organizers used a public drawing system.
Hikari had an even number, so she didn't need to draw.
But since Tanjiro, Brand, Esdeath, and others had odd numbers, she couldn't just lounge at the hotel. She joined Bulma, Eri, and the others at the tournament venue to await the draw results.
Soon, the chat group buzzed with messages—
[DemonPrincess: Wow, there are tons of contestants! It's so lively—way more fun than Onigashima. Wonder how many of these guys are as strong as Master Roshi. I really wanna spar with them!]
[Brand: …Not to be rude, but some smelly guy just walked past me. Does the tournament not have any rules about personal hygiene?]
[Bulma: Smelly guy? Don't tell me you ran into that barbarian?]
[Brand: Barbarian?]
[YotsuyaMiko: Bulma's talking about that guy who used his "body odor attack" to reach the top eight and almost beat Krillin…]
[Bulma: Yup, that's the one. Good thing I didn't see him, or I'd be traumatized.]
At first, the group chat was lively, with everyone sharing their thoughts on the draw. Even Bulma joined in—though she'd read about the 21st tournament in the manga, the real thing felt different. Especially since Hikari and the others' interference had drastically altered the timeline, adding new variables to the tournament's outcome.
Until…
[IronHead: Wait, what? My first opponent is Miss Hikari?]
[Bulma: Pfft…]
[Bulma: Tough luck, Tanjiro! But it's just a friendly match, right? We said "friendship first, competition second." Hikari wouldn't go all out on you… right, Hikari? @Nameless]
[Nameless: Yup. Tanjiro and I were both trained by Korin, so as fellow disciples, I'll go easy on you [smiley.jpg].]
[IronHead: Ahem, you don't have to…]
In reality, Tanjiro scratched his head, looking conflicted.
He wasn't a coward.
Back when he was just a low-ranking Demon Slayer, he'd dared to swing his blade at Muzan Kibutsuji, a millennium-old demon king far stronger than him. Now, after months of training—including two months under Korin learning "ki"—his strength had grown exponentially. He wasn't about to back down before a fight.
But…
Fighting Miss Hikari?
For real?
Not fearing a strong opponent was one thing, but when the gap in strength was this massive, could he even last ten seconds in the ring?
Tanjiro lowered his head, seriously pondering what tactics might let him survive a few extra moves against Hikari.
Compared to Tanjiro's mounting pressure, Yamato and Brand were much more relaxed.
[Yamato: My opponent's Master Roshi? Sounds like it'll be a wild fight! Can't wait to get started!]
[Brand: My opponent's called Giran… Is this guy even human? He looks like a straight-up monster.]
[Bulma: Giran? This guy? [Giran.jpg]]
Bulma sent a screenshot from the Dragon Ball manga.
Giran was a notable character in the original story, one of the top eight in the 21st tournament, who gave Goku a tough fight. But his appearance was bizarre—a giant lizard-like beast. How did Earth in the Dragon Ball world produce "humans" like this?
In the original story, Giran wasn't exactly strong but had some skill, making it to the top eight. Unfortunately, facing Brand in the first round likely meant a quick exit.
Then again, it wasn't certain.
If Brand didn't use his "Demon Cloak," he might not have a guaranteed win—just a slight edge.
[Bulma: Oh, Hikari, who'd Esdeath draw? Not Goku, right?]
[Nameless: Hold on, let me check…]
In reality, Hikari stood on her tiptoes, peering at Esdeath's draw slip.
Esdeath started to tuck it away but, seeing it was Hikari, relaxed and casually handed it over, letting her see the name.
Not Goku.
It was…
"…Tazmi?"
Well, that's… quite the coincidence.
Even in a different world, the pull of the original plot still lingered.
Hikari thought for a moment before testing the waters. "Hey, Esdeath, you've met that Tazmi kid, right? What do you think of him?"
"What do I think?"
Esdeath's tone was flat. "Just an ordinary rookie. Average strength, not a Teigu user. Nothing worth noting, really."
"Huh?"
No spark of interest at all?
Hikari felt an odd sense of relief, then smiled and stretched her arms with a yawn. "Alright, the matchups are set. Matches start tomorrow, so let's head back, get some rest, and gear up for the fights!"
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