The quarterfinal matchups were determined by the competitors' assigned numbers.
So, Uchiha Hikari faced off against Goku, Brand against Krillin, Yamato against Akame, and Esdeath against Namu.
Well…
Just looking at the lineup, you could pretty much guess the outcome of each match.
Goku, the future Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan God, candidate for God of Destruction, and strongest warrior of Universe 7, was still just a thirteen-year-old kid at this point. He wasn't even a match for Tao Pai Pai in this era, let alone Hikari.
Krillin and Namu were in similar boats.
Namu at this time was slightly stronger than Krillin, maybe even on par with Goku. But against Esdeath, who was like Piccolo Daimao in her dominance, he was just plain out of luck.
The only match with some suspense was Yamato versus Akame.
But considering Akame's strength relied heavily on her swordsmanship, and weapons were banned, Yamato had the edge.
As expected, the quarterfinals played out predictably.
In the matches the next day, Hikari, after a "grueling" battle, defeated Goku with a "slight" advantage.
This kind of precise score-control was practically her trademark by now. Regular spectators thought it was just a coincidence, but sharper martial artists from Earth picked up on it. After all, consistently barely passing was no easier than acing every round.
On the other side, Esdeath took a completely different approach, overwhelming Namu in just a few moves and knocking him off the stage.
"By the way…" Bulma said hesitantly, watching Namu's dejected expression from the stands. "Didn't he join the tournament to get water for his village? Kicking him out like this… doesn't it feel a bit harsh?"
"Yeah, a little," Hikari agreed.
They were here for fun, treating the tournament like a casual group outing. But for Namu, it was about his village's survival.
If they hadn't known, it'd be one thing.
But since they did, ignoring it didn't sit right.
"…I'll talk to him later and send some supplies," Bulma said after a moment. "We'll call it a Capsule Corp charity donation."
In the original story, Master Roshi helped Namu in a similar way, though with a single capsule instead of supplies. With Bulma's wealth, she could do even more.
Still, that was just a temporary fix. The real solution would be…
"After the tournament, Esdeath and I will visit his village," Hikari said softly.
She hadn't tried it yet, but with her full-powered Susanoo, carving out an artificial lake with a few swings of her blade shouldn't be too hard, right?
Then Esdeath could whip up some ice to fill the lake. Once it melted, they'd have a natural reservoir.
The only question was whether Esdeath would agree…
"An artificial lake?" Esdeath, fresh off the stage, frowned at Hikari's suggestion. "Sounds boring."
"Uh…"
Just as Hikari was about to try persuading her, Esdeath spoke again. "But if it's something you want to do, I'll go along with it. On one condition… in the final match of the tournament, you fight me with the intent to kill, not just mess around. And I'll do the same."
"Huh?" Hikari raised an eyebrow.
She'd come to the tournament with a laid-back mindset. They were all friends here, or at least not enemies, so there was no need to go all-out for some "World's Greatest Fighter" title or a measly 500,000 zeni prize. If Esdeath wanted the win, Hikari would've even considered forfeiting.
But now…
"You remember your promise, right?" Esdeath narrowed her eyes, her expression deadly serious as she stared at Hikari. "As part of our deal, I can challenge you. Back in the East Sea was the first time. This will be my second challenge. You won't refuse, will you?"
A brief silence.
Hikari looked up, a gentle smile spreading across her face. "Alright. If that's what you want… I'll give it everything I've got."
…
[Yongdaimei @Bulma: Miss Bulma, how's the tournament going today?]
[Bulma: Well, the Dragon Ball world team got wiped out. Hikari beat Mr. Brand, and next up is Esdeath versus Yamato… No surprises, the One Piece world team's probably out too.]
[Yongdaimei: Esdeath?]
[Bulma: Oh, that's the general lady. Hikari calls her 'Esdeath,' so I do too.]
[Ghost Princess: …I know she's strong, but even you don't think I can win, Miss Bulma?]
[Bulma: Cough I'm rooting for you, Yamato, but Esdeath is kind of a beast. Even Hikari has a tough time with her… Anyway, my 'gravity training chamber' is almost done! After the tournament, you guys can come train in it. It'll definitely boost your strength!]
In reality, Hikari, fresh from her match with Brand, sipped an iced cola while checking the chat group messages.
Yamato had a bit of a fixation on Esdeath.
Back in the Akame ga Kill! world, she'd challenged Esdeath once and got thoroughly trounced. Months later, Yamato's strength had grown, and after beating Master Roshi, she was eager to test herself against Esdeath again.
But…
The outcome would likely be the same.
In just a few moments, the chat group conversation had jumped from the tournament to the "gravity training chamber" and then to "Dragon Ball wishes."
The existence of the Dragon Balls was no secret.
Even Kikyo, Yamato, and Yotsuya, who joined the group later and hadn't been part of the Dragon Ball hunt, knew about them. While Kikyo and the others were mildly curious, Yuji Itadori tentatively asked if the Dragon Balls could "make cursed spirits disappear."
[Nameless: Erasing cursed spirits… that's tough. In your world, cursed spirits come from human resentment. Even if you wiped out all the current ones, as long as humans exist, more would appear. Completely eliminating them involves the yin-yang mechanics of your world, which is probably beyond the Dragon Balls' power.]
[Yotsuya: Sounds a bit like my world…]
[Nameless: Also, Tanjiro's wish might be more urgent since Dragon Ball resurrections have a time limit. Bulma and I are planning to test it with him first.]
[Iron Head: Huh? Won't that be too much trouble for everyone? I did think about using the Dragon Balls to revive people killed by demons, but Miss Hikari already used Impure World Reincarnation, and I thought that was pretty good…]
[Nameless: People brought back by Impure World Reincarnation aren't truly alive. It's fine short-term, but over time, it could cause problems…]
Though she said this in the chat, Hikari wasn't entirely sure if the Dragon Balls could grant wishes from other worlds.
She'd have to wait until after the tournament to ask Korin, who'd mentioned contacting the Kami. By now, there should be an answer on whether Kami would meet them.
…
As time passed, the tournament reached the finals.
As expected, the championship match was between Hikari and Esdeath.
Before the match began, Hikari handed her Blood Coral Jade to Kikyo, asking her to spend a day setting up a massive barrier around the spectator stands.
Since they were going all-out, the fight would be intense. Without precautions, the audience might be wiped out before it was over.
The Blood Coral Jade barrier alone, with strength only a few times that of the Four Violet Flames Formation, might not withstand their clash.
But with Kikyo's spiritual power and barrier expertise, it was a different story. While not quite as strong as the Four Red Yang Formation, it was close enough.
Even so, Hikari warned Bulma and the others to hop on the airship and flee at the first sign of trouble to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
With everything set, Hikari and Esdeath stepped onto the arena, standing a hundred meters apart as the blonde host-turned-referee read out the rules.
"…And now, the match begins!"
The moment the host's voice fell, a boom echoed as towering ice pillars, like ancient trees, shot up around Esdeath, hurtling toward Hikari like spears!
"Ice Inferno!"
On the other side, Hikari got serious, forming a hand seal and exhaling sharply.
Fire Style: Majestic Flame Destruction!
BOOM!!!
Crimson flames surged forward like a tidal wave, colliding with the ice pillars. Sparks of fire and shards of ice flew everywhere, while scalding steam rolled out like a tsunami. Even through the barrier, the audience could feel the blistering heat.
"What… what is this?!"
"Those flames—what's going on?!"
Even Master Roshi's eyes widened in shock, his face full of disbelief.
He'd seen Esdeath's ice powers, but… Hikari had something like this too? And those flames seemed to carry traces of "ki"?
That was only natural.
Ninjutsu stemmed from chakra, and Hikari's chakra had fused with "ki" to become "chak-ki-ra." Her ninjutsu naturally carried Dragon Ball world traits.
But right now, Hikari had no time to explain, her focus entirely on the battle.
Before the steam from the first clash could dissipate, Esdeath's onslaught continued.
One after another, hundred-meter-long ice spikes pierced through the mist with sonic booms, chasing Hikari as she dodged with agile movements. In just a few breaths, the repeatedly repaired arena was shattered again, rubble flying and dust clouding the air.
At the source of the ice spikes, Esdeath stood on a floating ice platform high in the sky. With a fierce stomp, she shot forward like blue lightning, delivering a kick encased in ice!
Clang—!
Facing that tangible killing intent, Hikari steadied her breathing and threw a punch.
Ten Heavens Breathing: Fist Spike!!
The instant her fist met Esdeath's boot, both their bodies shuddered from the impact.
Then, a massive force traveled through Hikari's body into the ground, shattering the tiles beneath her!
In the next moment, Esdeath flipped to the ground as Hikari launched forward like a young tiger, her fists whistling with sonic booms. Despite the sheer power, her movements were as delicate as a butterfly, dodging Esdeath's attacks with minimal effort.
In mere moments, they'd exchanged nearly a hundred blows.
Their speed was so blistering that their figures blurred. Weaker spectators could only see two whirlwinds—one black, one blue—clashing on the stage, accompanied by sonic booms. Only a few, like Master Roshi and Yamato, could track their movements.
"…Not bad. You've gotten a lot stronger since last time," Esdeath's voice cut through the sonic booms, clear and sharp.
Hikari's lips curved slightly. "You too."
It seemed her trips through the Naruto and Dragon Ball worlds had inspired Esdeath. Compared to when they'd left the Akame ga Kill! world months ago, her progress was noticeable.
"Well then…"
"Try this one—it's something I prepared just for you!"
After another flurry of blows, Esdeath pulled back and clasped her hands together.
Whoosh—
A sound like a thousand cannons firing rang out.
A ferocious blizzard swept in.
Under Hikari's and the audience's gazes, Esdeath's body became enveloped in a faint frost, rising into the sky. The ice gradually solidified, gleaming, until it formed a towering, fully-formed ice giant dominating the arena!
"?!"
Hikari's eyes twitched.
This move…
Was it a Demon's Extract-style Susanoo?!
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