The next morning, bright and early, Uchiha Hikari and her group got up, freshened up, had breakfast at the hotel, and made their way to the World Martial Arts Tournament venue in a lively procession.
The venue was quite a sight.
At its center was a massive arena spanning thousands of square meters, surrounded by bleachers that could seat nearly ten thousand people. Cameras were already set up in various spots, ready to broadcast the action on the stage and the crowd's reactions to TV audiences worldwide.
Truth be told…
In the original Dragon Ball story, the tournament at this point wasn't nearly this grand. Its fame was mostly confined to martial arts circles, so even someone like Master Roshi, a multi-time champion dubbed the "God of Martial Arts," wasn't well-known to the general public.
He was nowhere near the level of Mr. Satan, who, twenty years later, would rise to global fame through the tournament and become an international icon by a twist of fate.
But…
Since Bulma had read the Dragon Ball manga and knew this, she'd flexed her financial muscle, funneling funds from Capsule Corp to sponsor the tournament. This made the event far grander in both venue size and audience turnout.
"…Hikari, everyone, over here!"
Bulma waved enthusiastically, guiding Hikari's group to the front rows of the bleachers.
Once everyone was settled, Bulma grinned and pulled out snacks and drinks from her capsules, passing them around.
"Thanks, Bulma-nee!" Tanjiro said politely, his face all earnest gratitude.
Eri raised her little notebook in appreciation.
Goku, Krillin, and Launch each got a few bags of chips, nibbling away contentedly.
With some time to kill before the matches started, Hikari and the others chatted casually—carefully avoiding any mention of the "chat group." After all, Master Roshi and the others nearby weren't in on their little secret, so it was best to keep it under wraps.
About half an hour later, a blonde host took the stage, gave a brief speech, and announced the official start of the tournament.
Then…
"Hmm… so these are the martial artists from around the world? They don't seem that impressive," Yamato remarked.
Being tall, she'd opted to sit on a cushion on the ground to avoid blocking the view of those behind her. Sipping her cola, she casually critiqued the fighters.
Brand nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they're about on par with the boxing masters from the Imperial Fist Temple, but nowhere near the 'Four Rakshasa Demons' level…"
"…Not as strong as my brothers or Dad," Eri added, holding up her notebook.
Hikari smiled at Eri's comment. "Well, your two brothers and the Uesugi family head are all 'Emperors.' If they couldn't outshine this level, that'd be a bit embarrassing."
"Emperors?" Esdeath glanced over curiously.
"Yep, it's a title for those with exceptional bloodlines. People called 'Emperors' are usually pretty strong," Hikari explained with a grin. "Next time we get the chance, I'll take you to spar with them."
The Emperors of the Hassaikai in the Dragon world were top-tier fighters. While they couldn't match Esdeath, they'd at least make decent sparring partners. If they used "Blood Burst" or "evolution drugs" in a do-or-die state, they might even give her a bit of a challenge.
But then…
Hikari's thoughts wandered to another issue.
If she really brought Esdeath to the Dragon world, how would the Hassaikai or Xia Mi react to her?
Esdeath's ice-based abilities might lead them to mistake her for a descendant of the "King of Ocean and Water"—or even the King himself.
The "White King" and the "King of Ocean and Water" were indeed connected. The White King's revival from the God's Tomb owed much to the Water King's embryo, which sank with the Lenin icebreaker. So, theoretically, a revived White King could summon the Water King as a subordinate, which made sense logically.
If she could use this to bait out the real Water King, that'd be… interesting.
…
The morning passed quickly.
At first, Yamato and the others were hyped, watching the matches eagerly and critiquing every fighter, not wanting to miss a single detail.
But as time dragged on, their expressions grew blank, and they started losing interest.
No surprise there.
Aside from the Turtle School, Crane School, and future Z Fighters, most martial artists on Dragon Ball's Earth weren't all that strong.
Many hadn't even mastered "ki," relying purely on physical punches and kicks—like Mr. Satan, the so-called "Savior" twenty years later. For group members who'd seen or fought in high-level battles, these matches felt like child's play.
In terms of spectacle, they were probably less exciting than the Naruto world's Chunin Exams. At least those genin used all sorts of secret techniques, which, strong or not, were visually dazzling.
Finally, it was Hikari and Tanjiro's turn to fight.
"Go get 'em, Hikari! You too, Tanjiro!" Bulma cheered, making an encouraging gesture. "We're the 'Dimensional Pirates'—time to steal the show and let everyone know how awesome we are!"
Eri raised her notebook with a "Stay safe" message.
"Heh."
Hikari gave Bulma a wry smile, then ruffled Eri's flowing red hair. Glancing at Esdeath, who sat quietly without a word, she and Tanjiro headed backstage to prep their outfits before stepping onto the arena from opposite sides.
Once they were in position, Hikari tilted her chin at Tanjiro, signaling him to make the first move.
The tournament rules banned weapons, so Tanjiro couldn't use his Nichirin Blade.
But thanks to his recent training with Korin, he'd honed his physical techniques. Taking a deep breath, he lunged forward, his fingers slicing through the air like a blade toward Hikari.
As his hand cut through the air, faint ripples spread out, tinged with dark red flames and a sharp whistling sound—
Breath of the Sun!
Hikari stood still until Tanjiro was just a few meters away. Then, with a swift wave of her hand, she blocked his strike and lightly flicked her arm, sending him stumbling back.
From that single exchange, Hikari had a good read on him.
To put it simply…
Tanjiro's strength had improved significantly over the past six months.
Especially in the last two months, with Korin's help, he'd stabilized his "Mark." His power, speed, and stamina were leagues beyond his days as a Demon Slayer Corps member. With his current strength, he could probably solo any Upper Moon below Akaza in the Demon Slayer world.
He might even hold his own against Akaza or Doma, though his odds of winning weren't great.
As for Muzan Kibutsuji or Kokushibo…
That was trickier.
Those two were in a league of their own in the Demon Slayer world. Kokushibo nearly wiped out three Marked Hashira in a group attack, and Muzan, even aged 9,000 years, single-handedly overpowered the entire Corps. Tanjiro's current level, while impressive, was roughly equivalent to one or two Hashira—not enough to take on those two.
With these initial conclusions, Hikari settled in. Without activating her Sharingan, she relied purely on taijutsu, trading about a hundred blows with Tanjiro to gauge his true level before clinching a "narrow" victory.
The regular audience didn't react much, just enjoying a decently exciting fistfight. Some were surprised by Hikari's age and appearance—a young female martial artist wasn't common on this stage.
But Bulma and the others, who knew Hikari's real strength, exchanged odd looks.
"Uh, Hikari's holding back way too much, right?"
"It's not even holding back—it's like she's flooding the arena."
"Eh, whatever. We're all friends, so no need to go all-out. Oh, Yamato, isn't your match next?"
Following Bulma's words, everyone's eyes turned to Yamato.
They also glanced at Master Roshi's seat—which, unsurprisingly, was now empty.
"Huh? Where'd the old man go?" Goku stood up, shading his eyes as he scanned the crowd.
"Probably the bathroom," Krillin said casually.
"Hmph, more like he's off peeking at some girl," Bulma muttered deliberately.
As someone who'd read the Dragon Ball manga, Bulma knew Roshi was off disguising himself as "Jackie Chun." But since this wasn't something they were supposed to know—and Roshi's intentions were for his disciples' growth—she didn't spill the beans, even signaling Eri and Yotsuya to keep quiet.
When Hikari and Tanjiro returned from their match, Yamato sprang up from the ground, greeted Hikari, Kikyo, and the others, then strode toward the arena.
At the same time, Master Roshi, now sporting a white wig and disguised as "Jackie Chun," walked up from the other side, hands behind his back, exuding a calm, imposing aura.
"Please."
After a brief standoff, Yamato flexed her arms, unleashing an invisible wave of pressure that surged across the arena like a tidal wave, sweeping through the entire venue!
Conqueror's Haki!
In that moment, everyone except Hikari, Esdeath, and a few others felt an overwhelming weight on their shoulders, struggling to breathe. Weaker spectators collapsed in their seats, staring around in shock.
"W-What's happening?"
"Is that coming from the fighter on the stage?"
"That aura… it's like standing in front of a ferocious tiger. It's terrifying…"
Compared to the rattled audience, Master Roshi, standing on the arena, felt the Conqueror's Haki even more intensely. Though his strength and mindset kept him unshaken, he不容置疑 he still felt a twinge of unease, like facing a formidable foe.
"Hoo…"
In a single breath, Roshi's lean frame bulked up, his jacket tightening as he sank into a horse stance, readying himself.
The next moment, Yamato charged forward, her arms coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, swinging like a human mace with devastating force toward Roshi!
Thunder Bagua!!
As she moved, Roshi thrust out a palm, crackling with energy. "Drunken Thunderbolt!"
The black-clad "mace" clashed with the electrified palm in midair!
In an instant, a shockwave erupted, rippling outward like water, turning into a fierce gale. From the stands, the audience could see the arena's tiles shattering, debris flying like bullets, and nearby walls turning into Swiss cheese from the impact!
"Again!"
Yamato stepped back, then swung her fist without hesitation!
Boom… boom… boom!!
As Kaido's daughter, Yamato's fighting style was much like his—straightforward, no-nonsense, all about raw power.
After blocking a few hits, Roshi got a read on her tactics and used his Afterimage Technique, splitting into five or six illusory copies that attacked Yamato from different angles.
…
"…Shadow Clones?" Esdeath glanced at Hikari.
She wasn't part of the chat group and hadn't read Dragon Ball, but the sight reminded her of a technique she'd seen Hikari use.
"Nope, just a use of 'ki,' totally different from Shadow Clones," Hikari clarified.
Roshi's Afterimage Technique was somewhat similar to another technique—
Shisui's Body Flicker.
Back when Hikari lived with the Uchiha clan, she'd asked Shisui about his Body Flicker Technique. It was a blend of physical speed, clone techniques, and Sharingan genjutsu, producing an effect similar to Roshi's move.
Worth copying.
Hikari's Sharingan carefully observed the technique.
(Chapter End)