Part 35, Chapter 172.

PART THIRTY FIVE: RETURN MATCH FOR SUPER VEGETA

Chapter 172

Translated by npberryhill, edited by Guilarai

The spectators applauded enthusiastically all along the circular stands. While some fights had been grandiose and had been equally acclaimed, this match had been experienced by most of the audience in a unique way.

Indeed, they had all felt the immense passion that emanated from the encounter between these two fighters, a master against his disciple, two friends, two beings bound by destiny. They had captured the emotion, the tension in their fists and in the aura they had exuded. And for that, for many of them, it was the best match they had ever witnessed.

In the various spaces of the participating universes, a feeling of general respect was shared by most of their members. While it was far, far from the level of monstrosities like Vegetto, Buu, Broly, and Son Bra, the spectacle had nonetheless been impressive. Everyone recognized the value of the two martial arts experts. For Vegeta of Universe 18 in particular, the conclusion, if not a surprise, was masterful. The young Uub's effort, surpassing his limits to deliver a fight that lived up to their expectations, had been memorable.

He would never have suspected he was capable of such feats. While he had managed to deliver a quality fight against Majin Buu in the previous round, he had reached his limits at that moment. This transcendence of the Kaioken technique had produced a most unpredictable result.

The last time he had seen Son Goku end up in such a state, was against the original version of their Majin Buu, twenty years earlier. And even then, he hadn't fared so badly. Now, his face was swollen, covered in blood, his outfit in tatters. In truth, it looked more like their first fight.

Vegeta smirked. What his eternal rival had just experienced was a mere appetizer. He had no intention of letting him stand at the end of their match, in the next round. In the past, he'd been the one desperately crawling to survive, despite his superiority. Since then, he'd constantly pursued Kakarotto, without ever managing to truly surpass him. To the point that the kind Saiyan had found himself a student and was training him to become another opponent.

This time, he was going to show Son Goku that their incessant arguments of the past few years were no longer justified, and that this level-three idiocy was no longer an excuse not to face him head-on.

"Hmm, hmm..." He turned his eyes to his left and scowled. Cell was staring at him, a sneer on his lips. The android said mockingly, "Your thoughts are a real open book, you know! Instead of worrying about your hypothetical fight, you'd better not forget me, Vegeta. It's our turn in a few moments, and I don't intend to let you take your victory so that you can take your stupid revenge. I'm going to crush you and Son Goku one after the other."

"Take advantage of having a tongue," Vegeta retorted, frowning. "You won't laugh so much when I rip it off along with your head. You don't know what awaits you."

"Son Goku is weaker than Son Gohan, whom I've now surpassed," Cell replied, losing his smile. "This long-haired transformation is interesting, but it won't be enough. If you haven't achieved it, there won't even be any point in taking my time with you."

"We'll check that out later," the former prince of the Saiyans simply replied. He looked away from Cell, who was furious at the still unbearable disdain he had inherited. The cyborg realized it, more than ever: the former prince shared with Vegetto, his neighbor on the other side, that mocking arrogance that drove him mad. Although Vegeta wasn't as mocking, his pretensions remained unchanged. He couldn't shut Vegetto up, but he would be happy to crush that much weaker individual part again.

Vegeta quickly forgot about Cell and focused his attention on the members of his universe who were returning from their battle. Cured by the Nameks, Goku and Uub were back.

"Well done, Grandpa, well done Uub!" exclaimed Pan, hopping. "It was incredible!"

"I got chills watching you!" added Goten.

Behind them, Piccolo and Gohan nodded. “Indeed, it was excellent,” replied Son Goku with a smile. “Congratulations, Uub, you fought admirably.”

“You think so?” said Uub in surprise. “I'm not sure I was able to give you the fight you expected. I made some mistakes, and you probably expected better from me…”

“Don't be silly,” retorted his master, still smiling. “You gave me an intense moment, and we'll have many more! I thought I was going to lose, but I don't think I have anything else to teach you. From today on, you are my student no longer. We shall be rivals now, Uub!

The young Earthling's eyes widened, and his face flushed.

At last, he was acclaimed as a true fighter, recognized as an accomplished martial artist! Goku's words had hit him like a slap in the face, and he couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh.

The Saiyan turned proudly to Piccolo.

"Can you mend our clothes, Piccolo?" he asked. "And, speaking of which…"

"Got it," the Namekian replied, smiling back.

He reached out and restored Goku's outfit. He then turned to Uub, who stood motionless as Piccolo took care of his. Much to his surprise, Uub was now wearing not his usual Turtle School uniform, but a completely original combat uniform! It looked a lot like the one he wore in his home village, adapted for martial arts.

“Oh, Master Piccolo, Master Goku, I… I don’t know what to say…”

“Don’t say anything then,” the Saiyan replied, holding out his hand. “We’re equals now. I’m proud of you, Uub. Keep improving, and become even better!”

Uub’s face lit up, and he grabbed his former master’s hand, squeezing it firmly as he looked proudly into his eyes.

“Yes, Master,” he replied, smiling in turn.

Around them, Goten, Trunks, Pan, Videl, and Son Gohan applauded, to which Uub responded by bowing to them. His gaze met Vegeta’s, who merely gave a thumbs-up, arms still crossed. He smiled at the corner of his lips, which the young Earthling returned. He bowed to the former prince, who gave a brief nod in return.

Vegeta also recognized him as a new rival. Such a performance could only be admired. If they had fought, Vegeta wasn't sure he would have fared better than Son Goku. However, without the element of surprise, there was no doubt he was still far ahead of the reincarnated Majin Buu. But he would be honored to one day face the accomplished student of his eternal adversary.

Piccolo approached Uub to address him.

"That Kaioken was truly intense, Uub," he said. "You could have died under that pressure. I didn't think it was even possible to deploy it that far. How did you do it?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Uub replied truthfully. "I was fighting hard when the master reached level three, and I felt overwhelmed and discouraged. But I didn't want to give up, and I pushed my energy to the limit, even if it meant dying. It was an all-in."

"It goes further than that," Vegeta interjected, looking him up and down. "You've exceeded your limits, it's obvious."

"Hey, it's true!" said Trunks, shocked. "You've grown, you're almost taller than us!"

Uub raised an eyebrow and looked at the ground. He hadn't realized it yet, but indeed, the distance between him and the ground had increased!

"It... it's true!" he said in dismay.

"Your body adapted to a power that was too great for it," Piccolo continued. "For now, the Kaioken you deployed will only destroy you, but it's possible you'll manage to master it one day. It's truly impressive."

"I admit that last punch you gave me really hit me," laughed Son Goku, rubbing his cheek. "Even healed, I can still feel the sensation. I think I can say that the Kaioken is a technique made for you!"

"You're embarrassing me, masters," said Uub, scratching his head. "But I'll do my best to improve, and I'll win our next fight, Master Goku!"

"That's the spirit!" Son Goku replied.

In the adjacent space to their right, applause began to ring out. Uub turned around and saw the Heloïtes congratulating them, giving them big smiles and gestures of encouragement. His cheeks flushed and he bowed several times, while Son Goku gave a delighted chuckle.

Everywhere else, discussions were in full swing. Spectators were enthusiastically commenting on the fight they had just witnessed. Among the other universes, there was also general admiration.

Within the universe of the organizing gods, surprise was on the agenda.

"Well I never!" the Southern Kaioshin exclaimed, amazed. "I knew there was a good level in this universe, but I didn't think it would be this good! Both this Saiyan and this young boy are formidable warriors. They're certainly both stronger than me."

"From what Son Gohan of Universe 16 told us, this Earthling is the reincarnation of Majin Buu," the Western Kaioshin remarked. "If the energy he manifested is representative of his former incarnation, we would never have been able to stop him at home."

“No wonder he killed us in so many universes,” the Northern Kaioshin added. “When you look at the one in Universe 11, and at how much he can evolve, as evidenced by the one on the 4th, it's frightening!

"That long-haired Saiyan is just as impressive," the Eastern Kaioshin interjected. "We were able to sense the extent of this transformation in other participants."

The Grand Kaioshin was similarly conversing with the gumball from the fourth universe, which served as his flying ball.

"That was a thrilling fight!" rejoiced Buu. "Son Goku is stronger than before, and I'm not talking about power, which hasn't evolved so much. But his movements, his techniques... He's become an accomplished master!"

"I enjoyed this duel, too," replied the Grand Kaioshin. "However, I didn't expect such a level. How many mortals are there so much stronger than the gods?" “For Saiyans, it's logical, they have infinite room for evolution,” Buu remarked. “Even if, for Vegetto, it's a bit blocked in his universe, since he has no one to train properly. As for Uub, well…”

“His strength is great, but his recent talents aren't natural,” the Kaioshin quipped. “Wouldn't you say, Sandman?”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” the Djinn whistled. “He had everything in him, he's my direct reincarnation. He is me, in human form. Magic was in him long before this tournament. That aura that is mine… That is unique to us, he has it too, it surpasses Enma's powers. If Bibidi has anything to give, it's his knowledge of the dark arts. But Uub doesn't have that darkness. He's not that paragon of destruction. He's probably the future hero of his universe.”

“Positive can emerge from negatives, right?”

“Exactly!”

Finally, in Universe 7…

Gast Carcolh was wearing the same stoic expression as usual. Arms crossed, his face unreadable, he reflected on what he had just seen.

Beyond the exceptional nature of this fight, several things had struck him. First and foremost, this Earthling's increasingly advanced and thoughtful use of magic. Since the previous round, he seemed to be evolving very quickly, even though he had apparently shown no aptitude in this area before this tournament.

His suspicions about Buu from Universe 4 continued to grow. However, he couldn't imagine betrayal by a Kaioshin, whom he was certain wasn't being manipulated. Perhaps the Earthling's proximity to his reincarnations had simply been a trigger. And now, this Saiyan, Son Goku, had qualified. In his opinion, the fight could be close, but he couldn't see himself losing. He would make an honorable opponent if he faced him, but he wouldn't stand in his way of his goal.

First of all, he still had to determine the other opponents. Who would qualify? Cell, or Vegeta? Buu, or XXI?

And even before that, he had his next obstacle, Son Bra.

Since her forced submission by Babidi, the Saiyan had mastered her superior transformation. She was by far the strongest in terms of pure power. Just like her father, the only effective strategy would be to deprive her of her strength and force her to give up. But he hated that idea; it was unfair. He would have to think carefully about how he was going to fight her.

A new announcement was heard in the arena from the Vargas control tower. “We're carrying out repairs to the arena. In a few moments, we'll begin the second quarter-final! Thank you for your patience.”

Cell and Vegeta each felt a shiver of anticipation. Their confrontation would soon take place, and while the Saiyan saw it as the final stage before facing Son Goku, he couldn't deny that his Saiyan blood was boiling at the prospect of taking revenge on the one who had crushed him twenty-seven years earlier.

It was then that Son Gohan spoke to him.

“Vegeta? I'd like to speak to you for a moment in our quarters, if you don't mind.”

The former prince stared at him silently and nodded, accompanying him into their dedicated corridor while the android, in the space next door, followed them with his eyes. He smirked, suspecting what Gohan would say to him. But it wouldn't change anything. Cell was far stronger than Vegeta, and he could give him all the advice he could, it wouldn't close the power gap.

Arriving at their destination, and having made sure their door was securely closed, Gohan turned to Vegeta.

"Forgive me for my manners," he told him. "I wanted to make sure Cell wouldn't hear us."

"Of course," Vegeta replied. "What do you want, Son Gohan?"

"To warn you of what awaits you. Cell is much stronger than you think, Vegeta. Probably stronger than me. I wasn't able to defeat him during Babidi's rebellion. And it wasn't just because of the advantage of the spell. We might have already been at the same level at the start of this tournament, and he's probably surpassed me since. Moreover, he can move his core as he wants !"

"And that's supposed to scare me?" Vegeta retorted, smiling. "You worry too much, Gohan. I'm not blind like I was back then, I won't underestimate him."

"Still," Gohan insisted, "he has a lot of assets at his disposal. For example..."

"Shut up," Vegeta interrupted.

"But..."

"No. I want to face him fully, without any surprises. Besides, you're forgetting that Buu has already shown us everything. I know what he can do. I thank you for your concern, sincerely. And I guarantee you, I know what I'm doing."

Gohan didn't reply, resigning himself to letting the former prince do as he saw fit. At least he would have the clear conscience of having kept his promise to warn him. Vegeta knew exactly what Son Goku's son was thinking. He smiled at him and walked past him on his way out. But he stopped at his level.

"Don't worry about me. This time, I'll beat him, and I won't ruin everything. You saved my life, let me show you my gratitude."

Son Gohan turned to him, surprised. He quickly understood that Vegeta was referring to that precise moment when the young half-blood Saiyan had stood between him and the fatal attack intended for him by Cell. Thus costing Gohan his arm, half his energy, and possibly dooming their world and humanity.

Vegeta continued toward the door, leaving him stunned. But before opening the handle, he addressed him one last time.

"One last thing, Son Gohan. I know Cell only pretended to obey Babidi. He won't get away with his crimes. I will avenge your wife, and that of your alter-ego."

Before giving Gohan time to react, he opened the door and stepped out. The young Saiyan stood frozen, stunned by Vegeta's words.

He relived in his mind his entire journey alongside his former enemy. On Earth, then on Namek against Freeza and his soldiers, against the cyborgs and Cell, and finally, against Majin Buu. Nothing remained of the petty and irascible being that the arrogant Saiyan had been back then.

Even if he couldn't tell him, Vegeta was now as much a part of his family as the others. While he had said he would kill him if he showed the slightest threat to his daughter a few years ago, he couldn't admit that he forgave him. He knew Vegeta would rather die than do the slightest harm to Pan or anyone in their family. He would sacrifice himself to protect them rather than put them in danger. And Son Gohan had understood this during that multi-universe tournament, when Vegeta had put himself between Kakarotto and Pan in the second round.

Pan adored Vegeta, and that enthusiasm had rubbed off on him. Vegeta wasn't just his father's friend, nor an uncle there for his daughter. He was also his friend.

His heart was relieved of a heavy feeling, and a smile lit up his face. Yes, Vegeta would do well against Cell, he felt it. Whatever happened, he had complete confidence in him, and he would cheer him on wholeheartedly.