Broly's strength and madness had reached truly unstoppable heights.
Across the World of Void, fighters watched Universe Two's warriors vanish one by one in flashes of golden light. The conclusion was unanimous and immediate: stay as far away from that green-haired monster as possible. As the tournament progressed, more and more powerful fighters revealed their true capabilities, forcing the weaker competitors into pure survival mode.
"Jiren." Toppo approached his teammate, having just eliminated a warrior from Universe Twelve. The muscular Pride Trooper studied Jiren's unusually focused posture. "Should you engage him?"
Jiren's eyes remained fixed on Broly—an unprecedented display of interest. The grey-skinned warrior rarely acknowledged any opponent before the final stages of battle. The fact that he was actively watching someone spoke volumes.
"No," Jiren said, his voice carrying absolute certainty. "You can handle him."
He didn't move from his position, as if waiting for something—or someone—specific to appear. Toppo nodded, understanding. If Jiren believed the task was within his capabilities, then it would be done.
The Justice Trooper charged toward Broly's position. In his assessment, the berserker Saiyan had become an unstable variable that needed immediate elimination before he caused even more chaos.
The scattered remnants of Universe Two's forces happened to cross Toppo's path. Combat erupted instantly—neither side willing to yield ground.
Time crawled forward. Minutes became precious currency. More pillars collapsed into rubble. More fighters tumbled off the edge into oblivion. Universe Ten's spectator section had filled considerably—seven or eight warriors already eliminated. Yet aside from Universe Nine's complete erasure, no other universe had been fully cleared from the competition.
As the number of competitors dwindled, the intensity of combat paradoxically increased. Each remaining fighter represented their universe's hopes for survival. Desperation bred ferocity.
Broly rampaged through it all, treating the arena like his personal playground of destruction.
FWOOSH.
An energy blast materialized from nowhere, grazing Broly's cheek. The attack carried such lethal intent that even the Legendary Super Saiyan felt his instincts scream danger.
There was no attacker. No presence. No ki signature to track. Just a deadly projectile that had emerged from empty air like an arrow fired from the void itself.
The "arrow" had drawn first blood—a thin line of crimson appeared on Broly's face. His berserker charge stuttered to a halt.
Relief washed over the battlefield. Across the arena, fighters from multiple universes showed expressions of genuine joy. Broly could be hurt. He wasn't truly invincible after all!
"Everyone!" A voice rang out across the World of Void—clear as a bell, impossible to locate. "We need to cooperate!"
The chaotic melee ground to a halt. Warriors from every universe paused mid-strike, listening despite themselves.
"If we want to survive this tournament, we must unite! Divided, we'll be picked off one by one."
"Those golden-haired warriors have eliminated too many of us!" the voice continued, taking on a rallying quality. "Let's work together and knock them all off the stage!"
The proclamation ended abruptly. A thunderous BOOM followed as another invisible energy blast erupted from nowhere, this time targeting Gohan. The half-Saiyan was caught completely off-guard. The attack slammed into his side, sending him skidding backward across the arena floor.
In an instant, the Saiyans of Universe Six and Universe Seven had become marked targets. Fighters from the remaining universes exchanged glances, silent agreements passing between them. The logic was sound—eliminate the strongest threats through coordinated assault.
"What do you think?" a warrior from Universe Eight muttered to his companions.
"Our God of Destruction hasn't objected," another replied. "I say we join them."
Universe Eight confirmed their allegiance with knowing looks and turned as one toward Goku's position. Universe Three's mechanical warriors shifted their targeting systems toward Cabba. Universe Five and Universe Twelve began coordinating their attacks against the golden-haired threats.
The hidden sniper's vision seemed to cover the entire battlefield. Invisible energy blasts peppered Broly from multiple angles, each one forcing the berserker to slow his advance or risk serious injury.
What had been chaos transformed into strategy. Warriors from across the multiverse coalesced into loose formations, creating an impromptu alliance bound by shared desperation. They converged on the Super Saiyans like wolves surrounding cornered prey.
Gohan, having already taken one hit, suddenly found himself targeted by five different fighters. A rainbow of energy attacks—red, blue, purple, green, and white—streaked through the air toward his position.
"Gohan!" At the critical moment, Piccolo's arms extended like elastic bands. He grabbed his former student and yanked him backward, then slammed both palms into the ground. The impact sent up a massive wall of broken earth and stone, creating an impromptu barrier that absorbed the incoming barrage.
"Thank you, Uncle Piccolo."
"Save your thanks." Piccolo's expression was grim but determined. "I know I won't last until the final rounds—the truly powerful opponents will need you to defeat them. So my job is to make sure you get there without taking unnecessary damage."
His gaze swept across the assembled warriors from multiple universes, and something shifted in his features. The strategic, measured Piccolo faded, replaced by something older. Something more primal. A sharp grin revealed his fangs.
"It's been far too long since the Demon King Piccolo had a proper fight!"
He launched himself into the crowd with a roar. His aura exploded outward, power surging without the need for lengthy charging. Two fingers came together before his forehead, and spiraling energy condensed into a beam of concentrated destruction.
"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"
The signature technique—how long had it been since Gohan had seen it? Piccolo's most devastating attack, the move that had once killed Raditz and Goku in a single shot. Seeing his mentor unleash it brought a genuine smile to Gohan's face, warming something deep in his chest.
He raised his own power in response. The Mystic State's energy flooded his body—no flashy transformation, no golden aura, just pure, refined strength rising to meet the challenge. Gohan charged forward, ready to face the multiverse's fury alongside his teacher.
Goku and Vegeta fought their own battles against increasingly coordinated enemies. Worse, the invisible sniper continued harassing them with unpredictable attacks from impossible angles.
In the stands, Quitela suddenly erupted with frantic energy. "NOW! Attack while they're surrounded!" The rat-like God of Destruction pumped his fists. His universe's two remaining hidden warriors—Gamisalas and Damom—were finally joining the fray.
"Damn it all!" Vegeta roared, both hands snapping together. Golden energy gathered between his palms, expanding rapidly. "FINAL FLASH!"
The massive beam carved a path through the chaos, its devastating power forcing multiple opponents to scatter or be vaporized. One fighter from Universe Eight wasn't fast enough—the attack caught him dead-center and blasted him clear off the arena.
But the moment Vegeta released the beam, another energy wave struck him from behind. The prince snarled in fury and rage, his aura exploding as he transformed into Super Saiyan 2. Lightning crackled around his golden hair. He spun and accelerated in a blur of motion, leaving nothing but afterimages in his wake.
His fist connected with the sneak attacker—a grinning warrior from Universe One. But suddenly, Vegeta couldn't move. His entire body locked up mid-strike, frozen as if encased in invisible ice.
"Hahahaha!" The Universe One fighter's laugh was cruel and victorious. "This is my Illusion Trap technique! You're far too reckless, Saiyan Prince!"
Before Vegeta could break free, a storm of punches and kicks rained down on his paralyzed form. Each impact drove the air from his lungs, but his body refused to respond to his commands.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, the chaos had scattered Universe Seven's fighters. Tapion, separated from his allies, found himself dangerously exposed. His strength alone wasn't enough to survive in the current environment—he knew that instinctively. The young warrior pressed himself against a boulder, trying to stay out of sight and assess the situation.
The battlefield had become a maelstrom of smoke and flying debris. Through the haze, he caught glimpses of golden auras clashing with opponents of every color and size, but the details remained obscured.
"I need to find the others," Tapion muttered, anxiety creeping into his voice. The rumbling explosions continued without pause, each one a reminder of how quickly the tide could turn.
He summoned Hirudegarn. The phantom beast materialized, its massive form providing cover. Tapion broke from his hiding spot and ran behind the giant, using it as a living shield while he searched for his teammates.
A wall of energy blasts materialized in his path, cutting off his escape route.
"You're from Universe Seven, aren't you?" A voice dripped with vengeance. "You helped eliminate our beloved Ribrianne! I'll make you pay for that!"
Multiple warriors from Universe Two emerged from the smoke—wounded from their encounter with Broly, but still combat-capable. And they weren't alone. Fighters from Universe Twelve had joined them, forming an impromptu execution squad.
Despite Hirudegarn's strength, without proper tactical support, Tapion was terrifyingly vulnerable.
"Attack!" they shouted in unison, unleashing their combined assault.
A translucent barrier suddenly shimmered into existence before Tapion, lightning crackling across its outer surface. Android 17's protective shield absorbed the entire barrage without even flickering.
"Yo." Android 17 stepped out of the smoke, arms spread wide as he positioned himself between Tapion and their attackers. "Just in time, looks like."
The coalition fighters hadn't expected reinforcements. Their anger doubled—eliminating one Universe Seven warrior had just become exponentially harder.
"Taste our Energy Storm!" they roared, channeling their frustration into raw power.
The so-called Energy Storm was a brute-force tactic—overwhelm the opponent with endless ki blasts, using superior stamina to wear them down until their defenses collapsed. Against most opponents, it was devastatingly effective.
Against Android 17? He smiled dismissively.
Who could possibly compete with him in a battle of endurance? His energy was literally infinite.
"Tapion," 17 said calmly, as if they weren't surrounded by dozens of enemies, "let's go help Goku in a bit. Looks like he's dealing with quite a crowd over there."
He snorted, almost amused. "The Eternal Energy Furnace can outlast anyone. And besides—" His smile turned sharp. "—I called for backup."
Tapion blinked in confusion. Backup? Who—
Android 17's arms suddenly thrust forward. An avalanche of ki blasts erupted from his hands—hundreds of them, thousands maybe, an endless torrent of destructive energy. Because he didn't need to manage stamina or pause to breathe, his firing rate exceeded anything a biological fighter could sustain. The barrage was so dense it looked like a solid wall of light.
The enemy coalition tried to match him, but they had numbers while 17 had infinity. It wasn't even close to a fair exchange.
Then—while the enemies focused entirely on the overwhelming frontal assault—pink lightning crackled behind their formation.
Majin Buu had approached completely undetected, his rubbery body bouncing cheerfully as he raised one pudgy finger. "Candy Beam!"
Pink energy shot from his antenna. Three warriors from Universe Twelve transformed instantly—their bodies shrinking, twisting, reforming into chocolate confections wrapped in colorful foil.
"Hehehehe!" Majin Buu's childlike laughter rang out as he scooped up the chocolates. He popped all three into his mouth at once, crunching happily.
The final wave of Android 17's barrage struck home just as Buu finished his snack. The android gave his pink ally a thumbs up. Majin Buu returned the gesture with chocolate-smeared fingers and a satisfied grin.