chapter 335

Chapter 335:

– Layla –

The air around me practically vibrated with tension as our group was suddenly teleported onto the arena platform. The transition was instant, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it flash of surreal light, and then we were there, standing in a floating, gravity-defying arena suspended amidst swirling galaxies, strange multicolored stars, and distant cosmic debris.

It was magnificent—and also slightly dizzying. Even with my eyes.

I still thought Lady Death’s realm was better though.

[That’s just because every time you visit there, you get sex…]

‘You know what? Fair…’

All around us, the competing teams appeared simultaneously on their own separate sections of the sprawling, floating stage. Some teams looked fierce, immediately tensed for combat. Others appeared uncertain, exchanging nervous glances. My eyes scanned them quickly before settling back onto my own teammates.

Gohan stood to my right, visibly tense, swallowing nervously and clenching his fists at his sides. His face was set in determination, but I could sense the anxiety pulsing beneath his bravado.

Krillin was no better—his gaze darted rapidly from opponent to opponent, already trying to calculate the safest way to avoid getting immediately crushed.

And Roshi… Master Roshi just stood there, adjusting his sunglasses and muttering quietly about hoping there'd be “female fighters” from other universes…

Not that I blamed them for their anxieties.

If I hadn’t already ascended into goddess-tier, gamer-powered bullshit levels of strength, I’d probably be nervous too. I mean, shit, this was the Tournament of Power!

The stakes couldn’t be higher—universal survival. But damn if this wasn’t exciting as hell. My heartbeat quickened just a bit as anticipation buzzed through me. I loved every second of this.

My gaze flicked to my left. Android 17 and Android 18 stood close together, cool and composed, expressions blankly neutral. If they felt anything at all about facing down literal universal destruction, it didn’t show.

Piccolo was next to them, equally stoic and unreadable, arms crossed, green face impassive and calm. The guy was a rock, even now.

Respect.

Goku bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, fists clenched, smiling like he was about to open the best damn birthday present of his life. Vegeta stood stiffly, but his eyes gleamed fiercely with the hunger for battle.

And Frieza… he wore a smirk of cold, sinister delight, scarlet eyes locked onto our opponents like a predator deciding which prey looked most delicious.

I took a slow breath, stretching my arms out lightly as the Grand Priest’s clear, melodic voice suddenly echoed from above, filling the entire cosmic void.

“Fighters, please listen closely as I explain the rules.”

All eyes rose toward the floating central platform where the tiny figure of the Grand Priest hovered serenely, hands clasped behind his back.

“There shall be no killing,” he began. “No intentional flight either—though jumping and propelling yourselves using your strength or energy is permitted. If you fall or are knocked off the fighting stage, you are eliminated. If your entire team is eliminated, your universe will be erased immediately.”

Krillin audibly gulped next to me.

The Grand Priest continued, expression perfectly neutral. “The last team standing will earn the privilege of using the Super Dragon Balls to have any one wish granted. Fighters, you have exactly forty-eight minutes until the tournament concludes. Good luck to you all.”

Forty-eight minutes…

I smiled to myself and snapped my fingers, sending a tiny ripple of creation energy through my outfit.

My casual clothing instantly transformed into a sleek chinese inspired female martial arts uniform. All black, silk-like fabric perfectly hugging my curves, contrasting elegantly against my pale skin and long black hair.

It felt comfortable, was practical, but most importantly—it looked good!

If I was going into one of my all-time favorite tournaments, I was gonna look damn fine doing it.

Next to me, Krillin’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Whoa,” he breathed, blushing hard as his eyes noticed how my new outfit made my chest pop. “Uh, n-nice outfit, Layla...”

Android 18 immediately elbowed him in the ribs, scowling sharply. “Eyes front, Krillin,” she muttered icily.

The Grand Priest’s voice rang out again.

“Now, let the Tournament of Power begin!”

Instantly, chaos erupted!

Goku and Vegeta raced off in two separate directions, plunging eagerly into the first available fights.

Frieza laughed coldly, shouting arrogantly as he dashed past with tail whipping behind him. “Just stay out of my way!”

That left me with the rest of the team. I felt their gazes turning toward me questioningly.

Finally, Piccolo narrowed his eyes suspiciously and asked bluntly, “So? What exactly is your plan here, Layla?”

I met his gaze casually, smiling softly. “Honestly?” I shrugged lightly. “I’m in this tournament because there’s someone I have to kill.”

Their eyes widened in unison. Gohan looked horrified. Krillin’s jaw dropped. Even 17 and 18 stared at me as if I’d grown another head. Piccolo’s eyes narrowed further, clearly mistrustful of my intentions.

I quickly raised my hand, clarifying. “Not you guys! Relax.” I waved dismissively. “Since killing isn’t allowed here, I’ll just knock this asshole out, win the tournament, and finish him off afterwards.” I tilted my head thoughtfully, smiling encouragingly at my stunned teammates. “Don’t worry. I believe in you guys—you’ll totally win this tournament once I handle that.” They stared silently at me, mouths still hanging slightly open, utterly stunned into silence. Clearly, my plan hadn’t quite calmed their nerves. “Oh, come on,” I laughed gently. “We’ve got this.”

Not waiting for their reaction, I smoothly turned, flexing my legs briefly before leaping straight upward, landing gracefully atop one of the tallest rectangular pillars nearby. The view from here was excellent, giving me a clear vantage of the crzay battlefield unfolding below.

I focused my divine senses. Something about this place was strange. The air was thick, saturated with exotic energies that played tricks on my senses. Normally, I’d have pinpointed my target’s energy instantly. Here, though? It felt scrambled, distorted.

I scowled slightly, tapping my chin thoughtfully.

They had to be doing this intentionally—messing with our senses to make this harder.

Clever little bastards.

““Thank you!”” Both Zen-Oh’s laughed in my head…

I sighed…

I perched casually atop my vantage point, eyes scanning the swirling chaos unfolding across the tournament arena.

Battles erupted in every direction, explosions of energy and light splintering through the void-like environment. Honestly, the spectacle was amazing—but right now I wasn't here to just spectate. I was here to hunt.

Where are you, you sneaky little bastard? My senses stretched outward carefully. I knew there was another Gamer hiding somewhere among these teams. And Zen-Oh was making it harder for me to find them on purpose…

[Despite the fact that you’re here to save him, too…]

““Cheating is bad!””

Distracted again, I almost missed the spike of aggressive intent behind me.

Almost, but not quite.

My head tilted lazily to the side just as a bright yellow energy blast streaked past my ear. My long black hair fluttered as it whipped by. It zipped harmlessly by and slammed into a distant chunk of floating rubble, detonating loudly.

I turned around slowly, curious, a single eyebrow arched in mild amusement.

Standing on a nearby pillar, looking determined, was a Saiyan from Universe 6. Short, slender, messy spiked black hair… and, wow, was he tiny or what? Cute, in a slightly awkward teenage warrior kind of way.

I squinted slightly, trying to recall his name.

Vegetables… Vegetables… All Saiyans were named after them, what was his again?

"Cabbage?" I muttered thoughtfully. Wait, no. That didn't sound quite right.

The young Saiyan stared at me blankly. He blinked, clearly confused. "Excuse me?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Nothing, nothing. Just trying to remember your name. It's some vegetable, right?"

He blinked again, still confused. "Uh… It’s Cabba," he said hesitantly. "My name is Cabba..."

I snapped my fingers. "That's it! Cabba! Right, sorry about that. So, Cabba," I said, grinning at him curiously. "Mind explaining why you just threw a big ol' ki blast at my head?"

Cabba looked faintly embarrassed, shifting uncomfortably. He cleared his throat and suddenly straightened his posture, trying to appear formal and warrior-like. "Sorry for the rude introduction. I'm from Universe 6," he said respectfully, almost politely. "You're from Universe 7, right? I'm here to challenge you to a fight!"

I stared at him for a second, mouth quirking upward into a slight smile. Did this kid seriously just politely request a fight in a battle royale of cosmic stakes?

My lips parted slightly, and I burst out laughing softly, shaking my head in amusement. "You're adorable," I said, making him blush furiously. "Cabba, right? Look, I appreciate the politeness, but I'm not interested."

His shoulders slumped slightly, confusion flickering across his earnest face. "You're… not interested? But… this is a fighting tournament. Aren't we supposed to battle!?"

I sighed gently, feeling momentarily guilty. He reminded me of a puppy being told he couldn't play fetch. I flashed him a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, we are, but… I've got bigger fish to fry. I'm hunting down someone really nasty. Seriously evil. If they win, everyone’s screwed. You get it?"

“...Not really…?” Cabba shifted uncertainly.

“They’ll use their wish for evil!” I explained again.

“Oh…” His eyes filled with conflicted emotions, brows drawing together thoughtfully. Finally, he exhaled softly, looking straight at me again. "Stopping someone like that sounds noble and important, but…" He took a deep breath, fists tightening at his sides. "I have to fight for my universe's survival too! I'm really sorry, but I can't just walk away. I have to do my best."

Something inside him shifted then. I felt it—a sudden, intense surge of power coiling within him, ready to erupt.

My curiosity flared instantly, excitement dancing through my chest. Wait… was he about to—?

And then it happened!

His eyes flashed teal, his black hair turned radiant gold, and a blazing golden aura exploded outward, wrapping him in brilliant light. For the first time in real life, I witnessed a Saiyan going Super Saiyan right in front of my eyes.

"Oh, holy shit," I breathed, eyes widening in genuine awe. "That is so fucking cool!"

Cabba looked surprised by my reaction but quickly focused, determination burning fiercely in his eyes. He crouched slightly, golden aura crackling like flames, before launching himself straight at me. He moved fast—very fast. Faster than most people could even perceive.

But I wasn't most people.

He blurred into striking range, fists and feet flying toward me in rapid, disciplined sequences. Punches and kicks rained down furiously, each strike powerful enough to shatter mountains. But… they never connected. I moved fluidly, my body responding instinctively, stepping back, tilting sideways, and deflecting his blows easily with open palms and gentle nudges of my forearm.

Cabba grunted in frustration, pressing his attack harder. I was using the martial arts knowledge I’d gained from Tien earlier against Cabba. Basically I was just blatantly ripping off Tien’s technique that my eyes had memorized… I’d never actually faced a master super powered martial artist before him after all.

"Wow, you're pretty good," I teased lightly, smoothly evading another flurry of blows. "Seriously impressive speed, Cabba."

He scowled, concentration deepening. "You're blocking every single hit!"

"Yeah, I know," I said with gentle amusement. "Look, you're really impressive. But there's just one problem."

He hesitated mid-swing, uncertain. "Problem?"

I smiled apologetically. "You're leagues below me in power. Sorry, little bro. It's not personal."

Before he could blink, I stepped forward sharply, fist thrusting out in one precise, powerful strike directly to his stomach.

He folded around my fist immediately, eyes wide and shocked as all the air expelled from his lungs in a strangled, wheezing gasp. His golden aura vanished instantly, hair fading back to black, as he dropped limply to one knee, desperately clutching at his midsection, struggling to breathe.

Ah, shit—I might have hit him a little too hard. Concern flickered through me as I quickly dropped beside him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Easy there, kid," I murmured softly. I instinctively started reaching for my sacred gear's healing magic—but remembered the rule against tools at the last second.

Damn it.

Well, I had my own divine powers as backup, at least…

A gentle glow of warm, golden divine light radiated softly from my palm, washing gently over Cabba's trembling frame. He inhaled sharply, breath slowly stabilizing as the pain and shock faded.

He stared at me with a mixture of gratitude and bewilderment. "You… healed me?" he asked, clearly stunned.

I shrugged lightly. "Look, like I said, I'm here to stop a real evil villain. Not going after anyone else."

Soloing the entire tournament would be a last resort, but I had feeling Zen-Oh would not like it if I did. I probably shouldn’t knock out anyone but my target…

His eyes lit up, practically glowing with admiration. "Thank you, Lady Layla. You're truly noble—I'm glad I got to meet someone like you."

Aw, hell, now he was making me blush. Damn wholesome Saiyans. I chuckled softly, nudging him gently. "You're sweet, Cabba. Good luck out there, okay?"

He nodded firmly, expression turning determined again as he hopped back to his feet. "You too!" he said sincerely. Then, with one last respectful glance at me, he bounded off into the distance to find another opponent.

I stood back up, brushing some dust off my martial arts uniform. I continued hopping lightly across the towering, floating platforms, enjoying my little sightseeing tour of epic, chaotic battles erupting below.

Fighters from all these universes clashing violently.

A massive burst of power exploded nearby, grabbing my attention instantly.

I spotted Goku below—fully transformed into his blazing Super Saiyan Blue form. His fierce turquoise aura surged brightly as he squared off against…

…A giant furry?

I wrinkled my nose, quickly looking away with a small shudder. "Yeah, that's a nope," I muttered.

Moving on, I next saw Frieza—who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. The ruthless little bastard was methodically bullying some smaller fighters clad in flamboyant pink-and-purple costumes, clearly from that "love universe."

He cackled cruelly, taking delight in their terrified expressions. “Scream for me more, you peons!”

At least he was having fun…

I shifted again, sensing another familiar energy signature. Gohan was locked in battle with a purple-skinned fighter sporting rabbit ears—Dyspo, if I remembered correctly. The rabbit-alien zipped around at impressive speeds as he launched lightning-fast attacks. But Gohan matched him easily thanks to the fact that I fixed his eyes.

And then…

I felt a monstrously powerful energy signature nearby.

Whoever this was, their power wasn't just strong they were multiverse-level strong. Of course I had to go and see who it was. Although, I already had a hunch!

My curiosity piqued, I hopped off my platform immediately, dropping gracefully downward. I landed with effortless precision in front of the towering figure standing alone, quietly observing the fights with stoic, unreadable eyes.

My breath hitched slightly. I recognized him instantly—tall, broad-shouldered, his physique absurdly muscular beneath his tight, black-and-red Pride Trooper uniform. Bald head, solemn expression, huge black eyes calmly taking everything in.

There was only one guy matching this description in the Tournament of Power.

"Hey," I greeted cheerfully, folding my arms casually across my chest. "You're Jiren, right?"

His huge eyes slowly shifted downward, meeting mine impassively. Clearly, I wasn't impressive enough at first glance, because he seemed instantly dismissive.

"Move along," he rumbled quietly, voice deep and commanding, his gaze shifting pointedly away.

Oh, ouch. Okay, rude. But understandable. From his perspective, I probably didn't look like much—a petite, pretty woman, relaxed posture, amused expression. Nothing obviously threatening.

But appearances could deceive.

Smirking playfully, I relaxed my hold on my overwhelming power slightly—just a fraction—and allowed a tiny sliver of my true strength to leak out. The staggering power I'd absorbed from the six Infinity Stones instantly bled outward.

Beneath my feet, the reinforced arena flooring shattered instantly, spiderweb cracks radiating outward violently in all directions. A rush of cosmic force whipped softly around my body, swirling tendrils of color and energy momentarily wrapping my frame before dissipating.

Jiren's eyes widened, black pupils dilating sharply in shock and cautious reassessment. His dismissive posture vanished instantly, muscles tightening, full attention locking onto me now.

"Who… are you?" he rumbled softly, deep voice edged with quiet awe and intense suspicion.

I smiled warmly, relaxing my aura immediately. "I'm Layla," I replied smoothly. "And trust me, big guy, I'd love nothing more than a proper fight with someone as strong as you—but I've got another target in mind."

I turned to leave, intent on continuing my search, but his voice stopped me cold, filled with quiet curiosity and sudden interest…

"Wait."

I paused, glancing back curiously. Jiren was now staring directly at me, arms dropping to his sides as he took a measured step forward.

"It's been a long time since I've encountered anyone truly worthy," he stated quietly. "Even the God of Destruction from my own universe no longer provides a proper challenge." He hesitated briefly, as if struggling internally. Finally, he nodded toward me respectfully. "If you don't wish to truly fight yet, I understand. But perhaps we could spar briefly. I'd be interested to experience your strength firsthand."

I blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback. Honestly, he'd never been this talkative in canon. I'd always pegged him as the "strong-and-silent" type, practically allergic to conversation.

Clearly, I'd underestimated how intriguing he found genuine power.

I glanced around quickly. Luckily, most battles had drifted away from us, leaving our little spot surprisingly isolated. Smiling slowly, I rolled my shoulders. "Alright," I conceded playfully. "A quick spar sounds fun. Just don't blame me if I bruise your ego…"

There was a glimmer of something like amusement in those black eyes. He took a half-step back, dropping smoothly into a simple combat stance, power swelling slowly around his body.

Without another word, we moved.

Jiren lunged forward in a blur of motion, speed and strength surging impossibly.

[This guy is built different!]

His huge fist rocketed toward my face, distorting the air around it. My own body moved on instinct, ducking gracefully underneath the devastating punch and smoothly pivoting behind him. I lashed out quickly, fingers flattened and striking sharply toward his neck.

He blocked swiftly, massive forearm intercepting my blow with bone-rattling force. The shockwave of our collision rippled outward in all directions, shaking the entire arena violently.

I grinned widely—damn, he was seriously strong.

"Impressive," Jiren murmured softly, clearly intrigued, shifting fluidly back into position.

"You're not so bad yourself," I teased playfully.

He pressed forward relentlessly, launching blow after brutal blow in disciplined, precision attacks. I matched him smoothly, feeling genuine exhilaration surging inside my chest as I deflected, evaded, and retaliated fluidly. Each thunderous collision shook the arena.

His eyes glinted fiercely, excitement finally breaking through his stoicism. "You're holding back," he growled, ducking sharply beneath my spinning kick. "Show me more!"

I laughed freely, delighted. "Careful what you wish for!"

Pushing slightly harder, I surged forward, letting a small taste more of my true strength flow outward. Space briefly warped around us, the air shuddering and rippling as we collided again and again.

To anyone else watching, we must've looked like two colliding supernovas!

After a furious exchange, we leaped apart simultaneously, landing smoothly across from each other. His broad chest rose and fell steadily, eyes glowing with newfound respect.

"You're exceptional," he admitted softly, clearly surprised by my strength. "We'll settle this properly once you've dealt with your target."

I chuckled softly, winking playfully as I turned away. "Unless someone else takes you down before that…"

That would be Goku of course.

Jiren simply snorted as he walked away, clearly not believing anyone else in this tournament was capable of fighting him but me.

Another powerful explosion echoed on the other side of the arena. Something about the echoing energy signature felt different than everyone else I’d seen so far.

A sinister smile formed on my lips…

“Found you, fellow Gamer…”

XXX