Part 37, Chapter 184.

PART THIRTY SEVEN: UUB'S ODYSSEY

Chapter 184

Translated by npberryhill, edited by Guilarai

In the Universe 0 arena, shortly after Buu had been sent away, the organizers were busy putting things back in shape. Acting on orders from Universe 1’s new Grand Kaioshin, a group of Vargas had set off to retrieve a new set of Dragon Balls to resurrect all the victims who had fallen so far.

Amidst the commotion, Baddack from Universe 3 called out to Zamacoin—the Varga assigned to his universe, and one of the few dressed in the noble attire of his people's elite.

"Wait," the Saiyan said. "Please take me back to my universe before Raichi wakes up. He mustn't know where I live."

"Are you sure?" asked Zamacoin, who was less than thrilled at the prospect of making an additional inter-universal trip.

"Absolutely. I don't know if he can be brought back to life, but I can't take any chances."

"I'm leaving too," Piccolo Daimao interjected.

To emphasize his detachment from the feelings that had haunted him since his last match, he added:

"It reeks of benevolence here. I'm glad that Gast is dead—ha, ha!"

"All right," the Varga finally agreed. "Come to think of it, bringing mortal enemies together like this probably hadn't been a wise move."

Zamacoin was one of the few among his people who had opposed the tournament; he looked at the universe’s violence and various races unfavourably. This competition had only served to confirm his concerns. He held the Kaioshins—the deities of the universe—in high regard. Some mortals had managed to inspire a measure of faith in him—like Gast from Universe 7.

But the actions of Babidi, Buu, and the Saiyans reinforced his worldview. Too many people harbored impure hearts. The Universe 3 he had been assigned to oversee was home to true monsters—like Piccolo Daimao, whose atrocities he had heard about earlier in the tournament. Raichi sought vengeance for the genocide of his people at the hands of the Saiyans—specifically, it seemed, because of Baddack. He had been tasked with managing a universe that perfectly embodied his disdain for other species.

Zamacoin arranged for a ship to take them back home. As he guided them out of the arena, Piccolo Daimao spoke to Baddack:

"Did you see that mess with the bubblegum-man coming—with that weird power of yours?"

"Not really," Baddack replied. "It was part of some visions I had early in the tournament, but it’s not something I can trigger at will. Usually, it kicks in when a grim fate is looming."

"Speaking of which, aren't you a Saiyan?" Piccolo Daimao asked. "I’m pretty sure I wiped out a good chunk of your people."

"Indeed—starting with my son, Raditz. But hey, you were just defending yourself; I can't hold it against you. And you're a Namekian, right? We killed your brethren, so... we're even."

Piccolo Daimao made no comment. He hadn't paid much attention to his extraterrestrial origins, having only heard vague mentions of them from the Saiyan invaders. It didn't interest him. Baddack continued:

“Since your people were slaughtered and your home planet ravaged... you wouldn't happen to be the last of your kind, would you? Like me...”

“Oh, stop playing the dramatic survivor,” Piccolo Daimao scoffed. “Raichi is the last of the Tuffles. As for Tapion, he comes from a past so distant that his civilization has vanished. Frankly, being the last representative of one’s people is nothing special!”

“Our universe really screwed up, I think,” Baddack sighed.

The small group boarded the ship, which quickly took off. Before long, they would be back home.

While Zamacoin oversaw the journey to Universe 3 alongside the pilot, he kept listening intently to the two warriors' repulsive conversation.

“If I understand correctly, Raichi is out to get you, right?” the Namekian asked.

“Yes. After decimating Planet Vegeta and my entire race, he hunted me across several galaxies. I managed to hold him off and escape, but with this tournament, he’s become far too dangerous for me. I have to go into hiding.”

“You could just come to my place, then. In exchange, you warn me about any trouble brewing if a disaster strikes. I think we’d get along well.”

“Why not?” the Saiyan mused. “What do we do on your planet?”

“We torment the weak,” Piccolo Daimao sneered. “I’m the Demon King of Earth.”

“I like the sound of that,” Baddack replied with a smile. “It’ll remind me of the good old days. That’s all I have left, anyway.” The pilot and Zamacoin watched them, dumbfounded, as did the Namekians accompanying them.

"Well, I’m not sorry to be rid of those guys," Zamacoin remarked to the Varga pilot.

"Inviting the worst criminals from across the universes to this tournament might have been a mistake," the pilot replied.

"Tell me about it. Did you see that monster who killed a little girl in the first round? I said right from the start that we’d have trouble with scoundrels."

Zamacoin would have liked to leave them in the void of space or toss them into a black hole. Unfortunately, the organizers had promised safety to their guests—even those who didn't deserve it.

With a final sigh, they initiated the journey, sending the last Saiyan and the last Namekian of Universe 3 away from Universe 0.

Back in the arena, the former Grand Kaioshin had stepped aside. He was being closely watched by the South Kaioshin, who was by far the strictest and most suspicious of the group. He could not forgive their former leader for his unthinkable betrayal.

As for the former Grand Kaioshin himself, he simply observed the events unfolding. His role was over; he would neither intervene nor speak again for the remainder of the tournament. There was nothing left for him to do but reflect. And no one would listen to his warnings about XXI now that he had lost the trust of his peers. Besides, the creature from Universe 5 had every right to be there.

Buu had opened his eyes to the inevitability of the world's fate. Destiny lay in the hands of neither mortals nor gods. What was meant to happen would happen.

Meanwhile, as the Vargas went off to retrieve the Dragon Balls, speculation ran rampant regarding the handling of the crisis and the future of the tournament.

"To think he humiliated us by giving us those powers," Son Goten of Universe 18 grumbled. "Buu was truly vile."

"Well, at least we get to keep this new fusion when we go home," Trunks pointed out. "If the need arises, we’ve got a Super Gotenks ready to save the world—twice as fast as our parents!"

"Say that again once you’ve actually resumed your training," Vegeta growled nearby. "You don’t deserve such power handed to you for free. If you had any pride, you wouldn’t be relying on a gift from your enemy."

"Am I dreaming, or are you jealous?" Bra asked.

"Jealous? Me?" Vegeta retorted angrily. "I’m just irritated by that nonchalant attitude—it really gets on my nerves! Fusion is cheating to begin with, and on top of that, Buu had the nerve to upgrade it for you just so he could get a good fight out of it! So come back down to earth, you brats. If you didn’t rely on Gotenks all the time, you could have done a better job protecting your families earlier."

That last jab was aimed specifically at Son Goten, who lowered his eyes, understanding the allusion to his lack of power against Universe 13’s Kakarot during Babidi’s assault. Trunks stepped in front of him, ready to retort, but Son Gohan intervened.

"Let’s calm down," he said in a gentle but firm voice. "Vegeta, we all agree that Buu is responsible for all this, right? We’ve all been playing right into his hands. Son Goten did his best. This tournament is a one-of-a-kind event; he never should have had to fight on his own."

"Even though I can see your point, Vegeta," Son Goku added, "we shouldn't force the kids. We’ll be there to handle the tough situations, and we’ve got Uub on our side now, too—he’ll defend Earth as well. They deserved to relax after everything they had been through."

Vegeta grumbled and looked away. Gohan patted his brother on the shoulder, and he relaxed a little.

"Uub isn't with us," Vegeta noted.

"Oh, he can't be far! It's true we didn't see him against Buu, but I'm sure he knows what he's doing!"

It was true; Uub was a shining example. And he wasn't alone.

"I'll protect the Earth too, Grandpa!" Pan exclaimed.

"Of course," Goku replied cheerfully. "You and Uub will be the defenders of our home."

Pan hopped for joy at these words. Nearby, Piccolo smiled faintly. They needed to regain their composure after the revelations from Buu, who had toyed with their minds. Everyone was on edge.

A short distance away, someone else was also reacting very poorly to the situation.

"So, that scum is the one who fixed up #18 overnight?" #17 spat angrily. "The bastard deliberately left me out!"

The twins had always been equals. They likely possessed the same level of power, yet his sister had always let him brag about being the strongest. Now, however, he was so undeniably inferior to her that he felt a deep sense of jealousy.

Over in Universe 8...

"So it was Buu who helped me develop my psychic abilities?" Frieza said, his voice tight with tension. "He’s been playing me for a fool from the very start—that vermin. He knew about Father all along, right from the first round!"

"Wait, so Buu was your source?" Coola snapped. "You could have told me—it was important; that guy was a manipulator!"

Freeza didn't answer; it didn't matter anymore. They had reached a compromise with Ginyu, and to avoid civil war in their universe, they now had command of the empire. King Cold would be merely a figurehead retaining some power, but they were the ones making the real decisions.

"And I suppose he was the one who advised me against messing with that Saiyan girl," said Ginyu, inhabiting Cold’s body. "It infuriates me that he used us like playthings. Good riddance."

An unusual movement caught their attention. From the organizers' corridor, the Vargas were wheeling in a cart containing the Dragon Balls, accompanied by the Namekian Elder to summon Porunga.

"We’re still not going to try it, I take it?" asked Coola.

"Not a chance," his brother replied. "The Kais are on edge, and that Vegetto is a real pain. Even if Buu was the one pulling the strings behind the tournament, there’s still nothing we can do. I think we’ll have to give up on the idea of ​​getting our hands on the Dragon Balls."

"Do you wish to return home, then?" asked Ginyu.

"Not yet," said Freeza. "I want to see the end of this tournament while we’re here. Besides, a miraculous opportunity could always pop up."

Ginyu nodded. He wouldn't miss the upcoming spectacular battles for the world. Only top-tier, incredibly strong champions would be fighting. What a shame that most of them were Saiyans!

He glanced toward Son Bra from Universe 16 just as Porunga was summoned, bathing the arena in his mystical light. The Saiyan girl still seemed preoccupied, ever since Babidi’s coup. Seeing her father a few meters away, glaring with murderous intent, one could understand why. Even Ginyu felt a shiver of dread at the sight of him; indeed, it was best not to draw any further attention from him.

"Please revive everyone who has died or fallen unconscious since the start of this tournament!" Elder Moori intoned in the Namekian language, ensuring no one was left out.

Porunga granted the wish and brought everyone back to life. In the Universe 13 area, Tapion and Raichi reappeared. They looked at each other in surprise.

The Tuffle felt as though he had been struck by lightning. His ghost had been retrieved by the Dragon and restored to his machine, Hatchiyack. He was not truly a spirit, but merely a mechanical remnant of his lost soul. And so, he was back—repaired, functional, and retaining the memories of his battle against Gast.

He recalled merging with Hatchiyack; the result fascinated him just as much as it terrified him. That monster was far too powerful. He remembered how the Saiyan souls had screamed for vengeance with indescribable fury—just as the victims of those barbarians had done.

Yet, Raichi could not abandon his crusade. He would have to be vigilant to ensure Hatchiyack did not run wild again; the machine could destroy their universe once they returned home. But what an incredible soldier it was for exacting his revenge...

"What a miracle," Tapion whispered beside him. "I can feel your joy too, Hirudegarn. I remember. Perhaps we can coexist from now on... and forgive..."

His body shuddered in response to those words. Their symbiosis during the fight against Cell had forged a new alchemy between the two beings. Each could now read the other’s heart, and the ancient creature had gained a better understanding of mortal emotions. As for Tapion, he was now aware of the creature's suffering—for it had never desired to be a weapon of destruction.

Perhaps, with this new bond, they could forgive one another and even dedicate themselves to the cause of good.

In Universe 7, Gast also returned to life. He stared at his hands in astonishment. Both his body and spirit remembered the magical attacks that had struck them from every direction. Buu was an extraordinary magician—there was no denying that. Such power!

The fact that the Dragon had revived him meant the Djinn had been neutralized. He glanced toward the Universe 1 area and saw the Grand Kaioshin standing aside, closely accompanied by one of his peers. It appeared the situation had been brought under control. He didn't know how, but at least the tournament's greatest threat had been eliminated. His goal remained within reach.

The Varga assigned to his universe then approached him.

"It’s good to see you again, sir," he said. "We are sorry for what happened. Thank you for trying to save us; the problem has been definitively resolved."

"Thank you for bringing me back to life," Gast replied with a nod. "Can you tell me what has been decided?"

"The tournament is resuming, at the request of our universe's new Grand Kaioshin. If you still wish to participate, you will soon face Son Bra from Universe 16 in the final quarter-final match."

"I’m continuing," the Namekian confirmed.

"I’ll make a note of that. Please get ready; the fight will begin in a few moments."

Gast Carcolh crossed his arms, deep in thought. After all these trials, after all this time, his dream was within reach. If he won against that Saiyan woman, and then against the wizard XXI, he could be reunited with his people.

But to do that, he had to triumph over two extraordinary beings. Son Bra was far stronger than him. XXI was an exceptional and mysterious wizard who had managed to neutralize Buu without any trouble.

Still, he could do it. He wouldn’t give up. And even if he were to lose, hope would never leave him. He would keep searching for the rest of his life. He would fight the forces of evil in all their forms. That was his reason for existing—until that existence came to an end, one way or another.

In Universe 17, Cell had returned to the midst of his swarming Cell Juniors. He wore a disgruntled expression; his defeat at the hands of Vegeta still rankled. He couldn't help but glance to his right, glaring at the former prince with a menacing look. One way or another, he would have his revenge.

Yet, he wasn't exactly a loser. He had already gotten what he wanted: a fight against Son Gohan, his true rival. He had no regrets about not fighting Son Goku. Now, he would watch the tournament conclude and continue to evolve by observing the others in action. His potential for growth was immense.

As he was pondering this, Vegetto called out to him from the left. Vegetto needed to vent his frustration and take his mind off things.

"So, Cell?" he said mockingly. "How does it feel to get demolished by someone you once crushed? You aren't taking it too hard, I hope?"

"Hmph," Cell grunted. "You can spare me the commentary. It seems to me you didn't take your defeat by the wizard very well, did you? Not exactly easy for the hero of an entire universe, is it?"

A shadow crossed Vegetto’s face, making the perfect being flinch. Was it his imagination, or did the Saiyan look like a predator ready to tear his prey to shreds?

It must have been just a feeling, for a smirk soon appeared on Vegetto’s face.

"I lost to a magical trick, not to someone who manipulated me from start to finish. Now that you’ve been eliminated and the universes are clearing out, you can go home to your huge family."

"I’m not leaving," Cell replied, regaining his composure. "I’m waiting for the next moment when everything goes haywire again. We’re going to have some fun."

The Saiyan didn't answer and looked away. He wouldn't admit it, but he was waiting for exactly that, too. He needed to cut loose. But he wouldn't make the first move. He was a champion of justice, not a chaos-monger.

Over in the Universe 14 area, it was Android 18’s turn to step out of the corridor leading to their living quarters. She found her brother leaning against the wall of their designated space. He looked at her with relief, though his eyes held a somewhat bewildered look.

"What happened?" #18 asked, seeing his expression. "What happened to me?" "I feel like Gero had just... like before..."

"The wizard deactivated you with a remote control," #17 replied simply.

"What?" his sister asked, her eyes wide. "But..."

"Don't ask me why he had one; nobody knows. He manages to take everyone out by targeting their weak points. He even defeated the Djinn."

"What a bastard," the cyborg spat. "He won't get away with it; I swear I'm going to..."

She stopped abruptly and began to tremble. Alarmed, #17 dropped his nonchalant air and rushed to her side.

"What is it?" he asked, worried.

"I... I remember... Those eyes..."

The last image she had seen before shutting down—deactivated by the sorcerer—had just flashed back into her memory. She recalled the terror she had felt upon seeing his eyes, filled with an infinite, nightmarish darkness.

"We'll crush him, don't worry," her brother promised. "Before we leave, we'll find a way to make them all pay."

"Yeah..." the cyborg murmured, preferring not to dwell on the subject.

As she composed herself, #17 said:

"By the way, it was the Djinn who repaired you that night. You have your original strength back thanks to him."

"Really?" #18 said, shocked.

"It seems so," #17 sighed. "It was some kind of magic—the sort of thing we won't find back home. Perhaps we should consider what that Yamcha told us—if we don’t want to, how should I put it... break down?"

The twins didn't say another word to each other, exasperated by the situation. They had had enough of this tournament, these magicians, and these Saiyans. The future no longer held any excitement for them.

"We’re leaving too," Tapion from Universe 3 said to Zamacoin. "There’s nothing left for us here."

Now that they had all lost, he had no desire to remain in the tournament any longer. He could no longer have his wish granted—though, to be fair, he hadn't been confident of victory from the start. At least he had tried. Aside from hogging the attention and resources of the organizers, their presence served no purpose.

And above all…

"I think I’ll stay a while, Tapion," Raichi said to him. "I want to see the end of this tournament."

"No," Tapion replied firmly. "I know what you’re thinking. And I won’t let you lose yourself any further."

"What do you mean?" the ghost asked.

His expression hardening, the young man grabbed Raichi by the arm and led him into the corridor, closely followed by a silent Zamacoin.

"You only want to stay so you can lash out at the Saiyans from the other universes. But they aren't of your concern. You have no right to interfere with them anyway. We’re leaving."

"I have no idea what he’s implying," the Tuffle lied to the Varga who was watching him closely.

Once back at the ship—which the organizers had left available for upcoming departures—Tapion continued his lecture.

"I understand your anger. But revenge isn't the answer; that Namekian is right. You’ll never find peace if..."

"I’m not looking for peace," Raichi cut him off sharply. "I look for the rabble and destroy it. Vermin in all its forms must be wiped out. Those Saiyans, the demons, everyone who makes the weak suffer—I will eradicate them all. I am the voice of innocent victims, like you and your brother."

Just as he was about to reply, Tapion was interrupted by a violent fit of coughing from Zamacoin, who was at the ship's control panel.

"Ahem! cough Earth... cough..."

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Tapion asked him. "I thought I heard you say something."

"It was nothing—I just swallowed the wrong way. Don’t worry about it," Zamacoin replied, offering an embarrassed smile.

Tapion eyed him with some reservation but decided to take him at his word. Meanwhile, once Tapion had turned away, Zamacoin, the pilot, and the Namekians exchanged glances and silently agreed to say nothing.

They had all been shocked by the words spoken earlier by Baddack and Piccolo Daimao. They were unanimous in their view that those two individuals were vile, bloodthirsty monsters. None of them would expose Zamacoin for his discreet interference; in fact, they silently approved of it.

A short distance away, Raichi was not fooled. He had understood what the Varga was trying to convey. He searched his memory for the location of the planet Earth.

"Noted…"