PART THIRTY FOUR: QUARTER FINALS

Chapter 170

Translated by npberryhill, edited by Guilarai

The moment had finally arrived. Uub was facing his master in a true test, Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 form radiating an overwhelming aura that seemed invincible.

Uub’s confidence wavered. He’d barely defeated Universe 11’s Majin Buu, a far weaker opponent than his mentor. To make Goku proud, he had to avoid a quick defeat, but he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

“A weakness? Let’s try this,” Uub said, forcing an uneasy grin.

Goku charged at full speed. Uub, pushing his Kaioken to its limit, dodged by a hair. Positioning himself at mid-range, he thrust out his arms and shouted, “Mafuba!”

“What?” cried the Piccolos from Universes 16 and 18, echoed by Piccolo Daimao of Universe 3.

Caught off guard, Goku was ensnared in the green spiral of Kame Sennin’s anti-demon technique, unable to break free. The Piccolos frowned, confused—Uub had no receptacle to trap his master. But that wasn’t his goal, nor his style.

With a sharp gesture, Uub slammed the spiral downward, sending Goku plummeting at breakneck speed. Cranking his Kaioken to the max, Uub raced to intercept, delivering a crushing kick that drove Goku into the arena floor.

Landing nearby, Uub called out, “So, Master, how’s that?”

“Impressive,” Piccolo from Universe 18 said, nodding with respect.

“Not bad, but not enough,” Vegeta countered, pointing. “Look.”

Goku erupted from the shattered earth, rubbing his bruised cheek. “Nice one, Uub,” he said, grinning. “But that trick won’t work again. My turn!”

His aura blazed brighter as he lunged at Uub. Their clash became a frenetic blur, smoke and debris clouding the arena, obscuring the view for most spectators. The ground splintered under the force of their blows. Only those attuned to their energies could track the lightning-fast exchange, move by move.

Goku dominated, his speed and power overwhelming. Uub landed a few fierce hits, seizing every opening, but Goku gave him no room to use more techniques, pressing the assault relentlessly.

After a brief, intense exchange, the fighters broke apart. Goku exhaled lightly, still poised, while Uub teetered on the edge of collapse, coughing blood, legs shaking. The Kaioken’s maximum strain was ravaging his body, a fact his allies didn’t miss.

“This won’t last long,” Piccolo said from Universe 18’s section. “Uub’s body is buckling under the Kaioken. He can’t keep it up.”

“Super Saiyan 3 is very draining too,” Vegeta replied coolly. “Uub is strong enough to push him hard. If he keeps this up, Goku’s transformation won’t hold for more than a couple more minutes.”

“If Uub doesn’t burn himself out first,” Piccolo muttered, his frown deepening.

Dizzy and desperate, Uub launched a reckless charge at his master. Goku sidestepped effortlessly, the move telegraphed and predictable—a rookie mistake. Uub had left himself wide open, and Goku saw the chance to teach a brutal lesson: defeat.

“Too predictable, Uub! Time to rethink your training!” Goku shouted, throwing a punch loaded with Super Saiyan 3 power.

But instead of flesh, his fist met a brittle, icy sensation, shattering an azure Ki statue into fragments. Goku’s eyes widened in shock.

“That little…” Vegetto growled from Universe 16, tensing.

“Is this a joke?” Goten and Trunks blurted in unison.

“Wow…” Son Bra breathed, stunned.

“Well, then,” Vegeta said from Universe 18, raising an eyebrow. “That ought to set things straight.”

Goku watched the Ki fragments morph into a gelatinous mass, creeping toward him in slow motion. He knew what came next if he didn’t act fast—tenths of seconds, maybe less, to escape.

Uub saw this as his final shot. If Goku slipped free, the fight was over. Sure, forcing Instant Transmission would meet his earlier goal, but that felt hollow now. He wanted victory, plain and simple.

Positioning himself behind Goku, Uub readied a knockout blow as the gelatinous Ki closed in, poised to trap his master. But Goku’s battle-honed instincts were unmatched. Few things could catch him off guard, and he’d already seen this technique in the tournament. He knew the counter.

Shifting back mere millimeters, Goku evaded the encroaching Ki and whipped his right leg backward. Uub, caught by surprise, took the full force of the kick. His diaphragm seized, breath trapped in his throat.

The impact hurled him twenty meters, crashing him into the arena floor. Vegeta let out a curt sigh. The fight was over. Uub lay spent, his body too battered to sustain Kaioken, let alone at its peak. Goku, though visibly drained, still stood ready to fight.

Vegeta wasn’t surprised to see his next opponent would be his lifelong rival, Goku. He’d always known they’d clash in this tournament. Still, he hadn’t wished defeat on Uub. The young Earthling had been a revelation, holding his own against a Super Saiyan 3—a feat few could match.

The Vargas’ countdown shifted to Uub. “We’re starting the countdown for Uub of Universe 18! One, two…”

“Huff, huff… That was one heck of a fight, Uub!” Goku said, catching his breath. “I’m taking this round, but mark my words—we’ll clash again, and I’m not so sure I’ll win next time.”

“Uub…” Pan murmured from Universe 18, her heart aching at her friend’s battered state.

“He’s done,” Piccolo said grimly. “It’s a shame—he fought well, but he can’t go on.”

Over on the Universe 16 balcony, Goku’s allies marveled at Uub’s performance. For an Earthling, he’d been extraordinary. Trunks and Goten were floored by this human echo of Majin Buu’s power. He wasn’t on Gohan’s level, but in their world, he’d easily rank as the fourth-strongest fighter, excluding Gotenks.

Son Bra, meanwhile, felt a flicker of something new—respect. Once, she’d only granted that to her father and brother. At the tournament’s start, she would’ve scorned Uub, spitting venom at his audacity to mimic her techniques. But her perspective had shifted. Humiliated by Babidi’s control, she now saw Uub’s strength for what it was. She was a dozen times stronger, but his skill and grit had earned her admiration.

“Seventeen, eighteen…”

Uub struggled to rise, every cell screaming in agony, his nerves fraying under the Kaioken’s toll. He felt the same crushing pain as an Earthling from Universe 9 earlier in the tournament, though he didn’t know it.

Giving up wasn’t an option.

If he let defeat take him, he’d never forgive himself. This was his first formal fight against his mentor—a rare chance to prove his gratitude for all Goku had taught him, to deliver the challenge they’d both anticipated since their first meeting. The fire in his bones, the ache seeping through his skin, told him he hadn’t reached his limit. Even if it meant shattering his body, risking death, or pushing beyond reason, he had to transcend. The promise of Namekian healing or Dragon Ball revival might’ve emboldened him, but it didn’t matter. He couldn’t quit—it was out of the QUESTION!

Uub staggered to his feet, trembling, his resolve defying the shocked stares of Goku and their Universe 18 allies, who were certain he couldn’t rise again. But an even greater surprise loomed—one only Buu of Universe 4 sensed, chuckling to himself.

“Now this is something!” Buu thought, his laughter bubbling. “It’s showtime!”

“Trans… cended… Kaioken!” Uub roared.

His red aura erupted, surging beyond its previous limits, blazing with an unprecedented crimson intensity. A colossal power swelled, shaking the arena. Goku and the spectators gaped at the impossible spectacle. This Kaioken should have obliterated Uub instantly, yet he stood, conscious, seemingly unaware of the miracle he was performing.

All eyes locked on the Earthling, his radiant glow outshining Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 aura and even the Vargas’ artificial lights. On the Universe 18 patio, Vegeta watched, unable to predict the outcome, while his companions trembled in awe. Even Kakarotto of Universe 13, usually detached, felt a rare pang of wonder.

Uub fought to ignore the searing pain. He was betting everything on this berserker Kaioken, a kamikaze surge with no limits. Death didn’t matter—his life, his honor as a fighter, were on the line against his revered master, the greatest opponent he’d ever faced. He’d defeat Goku with every last spark in his cells.

His muscles bulged, straining as if they might burst. His pupils faded, giving him the wild, Broly-like ferocity of unbridled rage. Adrenaline and power surged through him, his frame seemingly stretching taller by inches.

One thought consumed him: Beat him before it ends!

Uub crossed his arms in a stance the crowd knew well. Goku, shaking off his shock, mirrored the pose, accepting the challenge. Both began charging their energy, the air crackling with anticipation.

“This is it,” Vegeta said from Universe 18, a satisfied smirk spreading. “Uub’s Kaioken is so intense it’ll burn out in seconds. Forcing Goku into a Kamehameha at this level will drain his Super Saiyan 3 instantly.”

“He’ll just teleport to finish it,” Piccolo countered.

“No,” Vegeta said, eyes gleaming. “Look at Uub. His aura’s so dense it’s locking Goku in place, keeping him from closing the distance. Uub’s not pushing for a trick—he’s betting on raw power, man to man. It’s a bold gamble. Admirable.”

“Go, Dad! Go, Uub!” Goten shouted, voice rising above the roar.

“Keep it up! Finish it!” the spectators chanted, their cheers shaking the stands.

“…me… HA!”

With a synchronized roar, Goku and Uub thrust their arms forward, unleashing their full power. Twin Kamehameha waves collided in a blinding inferno, neither yielding an inch.

Seconds later, a massive explosion ripped through the arena, its force tracing the shield’s curve before vanishing into the sky. Spectators shielded their eyes from the searing light. Thick smoke soon cloaked the ring, obscuring the outcome.

Goku hovered above, panting, his Super Saiyan 3 form flickering but intact. The clash had drained him, but he wasn’t done. “I can still sense you, Uub!” he called out. “No hiding! You’ve got fight left—I know it! Let’s end this!”

From the smoke, Uub’s hoarse cry of pain cut through. Blood streamed from his nose and mouth, his vision blurring. His body teetered on the edge of collapse, the Kaioken’s toll flirting with death. He had one last chance.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Uub formed a monstrous Kikoha in his right palm, its energy crackling with raw power. He hurled it at Goku, whose presence burned clear despite the haze.

Goku spotted the attack at the last second, jerking his head back to dodge. But Uub was right behind it, fist clenched, face bloodied, pouring every shred of his fading strength into one final strike. The Kaioken was seconds from breaking him—death or unconsciousness loomed. To win, Goku just needed to outlast him.

Goku fired a powerful energy blast, hoping to halt Uub’s charge. But he’d underestimated the Kaioken’s speed one too many times. Uub, pushing it beyond all limits, seized the element of surprise. Moving like a blur, he appeared behind Goku, who realized the danger too late.

Uub drove his fist into the Kikoha’s core, merging his strength with its explosive force. The blow connected—a devastating strike to Goku’s face, followed by the Kikoha’s eruption. The Saiyan plummeted, crashing into the arena floor as the crowd gaped in disbelief.

Had Uub just ended this epic fight?