Chapter 333:
– Layla –
Tien took a deep breath and clenched his fists, glaring at me with clear annoyance. He obviously didn't appreciate me calling him weak—but hey, I was just being honest.
White ki erupted from his body, surrounding him like a blazing aura as the ground cracked under his feet. Veins bulged on his muscles as his aura grew brighter and hotter. I arched an eyebrow at his little display, trying not to smirk.
"Impressive," I teased. "But are you planning to actually fight, or just stand there flexing?"
"Don't underestimate me!" Tien shouted angrily as he launched himself toward me.
He blurred forward, moving far faster than any regular human could. It probably would have looked impressive to anyone else. Unfortunately for Tien, I was way beyond being impressed.
His fist shot out, aimed squarely at my face. I barely had to move, casually smacking his attack aside with my right hand. His eyes widened in shock for a split second—but he didn't get the chance to recover.
My left fist shot out immediately after, slamming into his gut with enough force to knock the wind right out of him. Sure, my technique was definitely sloppy compared to his. He was clearly a martial arts expert who'd spent decades perfecting his style. But none of that mattered when the gap between our power levels was so ridiculously massive. Even while holding back—a lot—I was faster and stronger than he could ever hope to match.
Tien wheezed painfully, eyes bulging as my punch folded him over my fist. His body rocketed backward like he'd been hit by a truck, skipping violently across the ground and kicking up clouds of dust. He crashed hard into the stone wall of his dojo, punching straight through it with a loud crunching sound.
"Oops," I muttered, shaking my hand out absently. Not because the hit actually hurt me—his body had felt like punching a pillow—but because it just felt right. I winced as bits of broken wall and dust settled around the hole. "Sorry about your dojo," I called out, genuinely feeling a little bad. "But hey, if you can't handle that punch, there's no way you're ready for the Tournament of Power."
For a second I wondered if he'd just stay down and accept defeat. Honestly, it'd probably save him from more humiliation if he did. But just as I was about to turn away, I heard a furious roar erupt from inside the rubble.
"Oh?" I perked up, curiosity piqued. "Maybe you've got some fight left after all—"
Tien burst from the shattered wall, pieces of stone and wood falling away from his body. But now, instead of just two arms, he had six—all muscular and flexing powerfully as his energy spiked even higher. He glared at me, his three eyes burning with stubborn determination as he dropped into an aggressive fighting stance, fists clenched and ready for round two.
"Alright then," I laughed, excitedly getting into my own loose stance. "Looks like you're finally getting serious. Good. Show me everything you've got, big guy."
Tien charged again, his six muscular arms blurring as they unleashed a dizzying barrage of punches. White-hot ki surged around his body, making him look fierce as hell. He was clearly giving this everything he had left.
My eyes flicked rapidly from side to side, tracking each individual limb. Damn, the way he fought was efficient and actually kind of confusing—each of his fists attacking in a perfectly synchronized rhythm. I had to admit, this technique was impressive as fuck, even if his power wasn't nearly enough to threaten me.
"Not bad, Tien!" I called out, genuinely impressed. "This six-arm thing is a pretty neat trick!"
He growled in response, sweat dripping down his forehead as he intensified his assault. "I'm not finished yet!"
We traded blows furiously, my casual amusement slipping just a bit as I tried to keep pace. To my surprise, he actually managed to land a few punches. I felt his fists connect—a hit on my shoulder, another grazing my cheek—but honestly, they felt more like gentle taps than actual strikes. Still, the fact he landed anything at all made me respect him a bit more.
"You know," I said conversationally, ducking underneath three of his punches in rapid succession, "You might actually stand a chance against most opponents. It's just your bad luck you ran into me."
He grit his teeth, frustration clear in his eyes. "I'm not backing down. Not when the universe's fate is on the line!"
Fair enough. I respected that stubborn determination. But playtime was over. Time to get serious—or at least, a little bit more serious.
"Alright, let's step it up a notch, big guy." I winked at him.
Pushing just a tiny fraction more energy into my movements, I instantly became faster and stronger. Suddenly, Tien's coordinated strikes seemed slower, his attacks becoming easy to predict. My punches slipped past his guard again and again, each blow carefully placed to avoid serious damage. I didn't want to cripple the poor guy, after all.
His frustration grew visibly with each passing second, his expression turning desperate as he realized just how wide the gap was between us. "Impossible," he grunted, eyes wide in disbelief. "How are you doing this? What kind of training have you done?"
I flashed a playful grin. "Oh, just your standard stuff. Nothing too special."
[You have done exactly zero physical training…Unless we're counting all that sex you have.]
'Well he doesn't know that!'
Tien growled again, forcing himself forward, refusing to give up despite the obvious disadvantage. I admired his spirit—even as I easily dodged around his six flying fists.
Finally, after allowing him a few more punches just for the sake of his pride, I ducked beneath his arms, pivoted behind him, and delivered a firm but gentle chop right at the back of his neck.
Tien staggered forward, choking out a gasp as his legs buckled beneath him. He crashed to his knees, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his muscular frame. Slowly, he turned his head and glared up at me, frustration and resignation mixing in his three eyes.
"You win…" he muttered bitterly. "Damn it."
I let out a sigh, reaching down and patting his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't beat yourself up too much. Seriously, you're one tough bastard for a human. It was a decent fight."
He nodded grudgingly, the tension easing out of his shoulders just a bit. "You'd better be able to win the tournament after this, whoever you are. Because I'm holding you responsible for the universe's survival now."
I laughed gently, standing up straight and stretching out my arms. "Don't worry. Saving universes is kinda my whole deal. I'll handle this. Promise."
Just as I started to relax, my senses caught a sudden surge of powerful energy materializing right behind me. My muscles instantly tensed. Someone else had arrived—and they were on a completely different level than Tien.
I turned slowly, pulse quickening again as I faced the newcomer.
"Oh, shit," I said, unable to stop a grin from spreading across my face as my eyes met the surprised gaze of the man who'd just appeared out of nowhere. "Hey there, Goku!"
Goku eyed me curiously, tilting his head slightly as his dark eyes studied my face. He obviously had no idea who I was. After a moment, he turned toward Tien, concern visible on his face. "You alright, Tien?" he asked, walking over and offering him a hand. "You look pretty beat up."
Tien sighed heavily, accepting Goku's help and standing slowly. He dusted debris off his torn gi and shook his head, looking frustrated. "I'm fine, Goku. Just pissed that I lost."
Goku blinked, clearly confused. "Lost? To her?" He glanced back at me, raising an eyebrow. "No offense, but who are you, exactly? And why were you two fighting anyway?"
I felt a massive grin spread across my face. Holy shit, I was really talking to Goku.
I quickly cleared my throat, struggling not to completely geek out. "Oh, I'm Layla of the Fallen," I said, practically beaming. "And I was fighting Tien for his spot in the Tournament of Power!"
"Layla, huh? Nice to meet you." He paused, scratching his head in confusion. "But how did you know my name?"
I laughed lightly, trying to play it cool. "Are you kidding? I'm a huge fan of yours! Who doesn't know about the legendary Goku?"
He laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head again and looking genuinely embarrassed. "Aw, seriously? Well, I do get recognized sometimes, especially around the city near Capsule Corp. Guess my old martial arts tournaments made me a little famous, huh…?"
"Yeah, something like that," I agreed easily, deciding not to mention I was actually from another multiverse entirely. That'd probably just confuse him even more.
Goku glanced back at Tien, frowning slightly again. "Tien, are you really okay with giving up your spot? You trained really hard to get ready."
Tien grimaced, clearly unhappy, but he nodded firmly. "She beat me fair and square, Goku. It wasn't even close. I can't honestly say I deserve a place more than she does—not when the whole universe is at stake."
Goku considered that for a moment, then gave Tien an understanding smile. "Well, if you're sure about it. I trust your judgment. You did your best, and that's what counts."
Tien returned a wry smile, nodding slowly. "Thanks, Goku. I appreciate that. Guess it just means I need to train even harder now."
I smiled, giving Tien a respectful nod. "That's a great attitude to have, Tien. Remember, there are no limits you can't surpass if you keep pushing yourself."
[And an awesome System to make everything 1000x easier…]
Tien chuckled softly and shook his head, turning away to head back toward his partially wrecked dojo. "Yeah. I'll keep that in mind. Good luck, Layla—you're gonna need it against those other fighters from different universes."
"I appreciate it," I called after him as he stepped through the rubble-strewn hole in his dojo wall, already preparing to patch himself up.
And then, just like that, I was alone with Goku. I practically vibrated with excitement, resisting the urge to jump up and down.
Goku turned back toward me, giving me another friendly but curious stare. "So, Layla of the Fallen, huh? I've never sensed anyone with energy quite like yours before."
"Yeah, I get that a lot," I said. "I'm just excited to help out in the tournament. Fighting alongside you guys is going to be amazing!"
Goku laughed cheerfully. "Wow, you're really pumped up about this, aren't you?"
"Are you kidding? This is gonna be awesome!" I admitted honestly.
[Just don't forget about your mission while you're fangirling.]
I definitely wouldn't, but I didn't sense another Gamer on the planet, which meant he was part of a team from another Universe. And the best part was he wouldn't be able to detect my System because it was currently weakened even when the tournament started.
[No doubt he's gonna be very confused when he sees someone else in Tien's place though…]
Goku blinked again. Then burst out laughing. "You're funny, Layla. I like you already!"
I smiled. Warmth spread through me at his easy acceptance.
"So," he said, "How about we head back to Capsule Corp and let the others know we have a new teammate?"
My heart sped up even more. Holy shit—I was going to Capsule Corp, and I was gonna meet Bulma, Vegeta, Beerus, and Whis. "Lead the way," I said eagerly, struggling to keep my voice steady. "I can't wait!"
Goku reached out and lightly touched my shoulder, his fingers warm and calloused from training. "Alright, hold tight," he said cheerfully. "Instant Transmission can be a little disorienting if you're not used to it."
I was fine of course, far used to teleportation by now.
We appeared instantly in a sleek, futuristic kitchen. The first thing that struck me was how bright and spacious everything looked. Polished metallic surfaces gleamed everywhere, and there was some kind of advanced-looking robot quietly cleaning dishes in the corner.
This definitely had to be Capsule Corp. I'd watched enough Dragon Ball episodes to recognize Bulma's tastes anywhere. Before I could properly admire the setup, my eyes caught movement from a table across the room. Holy shit. Sitting right there were Vegeta, Beerus, and Whis—all staring at me and Goku with obvious curiosity.
"Hey everyone, I'm back! And I brought our new teammate! This is Layla of the Fallen!" Goku introduced me!
Vegeta was immediately on his feet, arms crossed and scowling at me suspiciously. "Who the hell is this, Kakarot? And what happened to the Cyclops?"
I resisted the urge to squeal in excitement. Vegeta was even cooler up close, all surly and intense just like I'd hoped!
Goku chuckled, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Well, funny story... she actually beat Tien in a fight, fair and square. Now she's taking his spot in the tournament."
Vegeta's frown deepened. "What? That weakling lost to some unknown fighter right before the tournament?" He glanced me up and down, obviously skeptical. "And why have I never sensed your energy before? Who are you?"
Before I could reply, I felt Beerus' piercing stare on me, narrowing his golden eyes. He studied me carefully, his tail flicking back and forth behind him. Next to him, Whis first looked surprised, then quickly composed himself, a small giggle escaping him as his eyes twinkled mischievously. "Well, now this is unexpected," Whis said lightly, a playful smile on his lips. "I wasn't aware that an unknown goddess, unaffiliated with the Kais or any divine hierarchy we know, had sprung into existence."
Goku's eyes widened in surprise, and even Vegeta looked genuinely startled.
"A goddess?" Goku echoed, tilting his head to stare at me again. "Wait—I thought gods weren't allowed to compete in the Tournament of Power?"
Whis tapped a finger thoughtfully against his chin. "Ah, a common misunderstanding. Actually, only Kais and Gods of Destruction are specifically prohibited from participating. Other types of divine beings aren't explicitly banned. After all, Piccolo was once technically the Kami—the god—of Earth, yet he's still permitted to fight."
Goku blinked, processing that slowly, while Vegeta continued to eye me warily. He obviously wasn't convinced yet.
Beerus finally leaned forward, frowning deeply as he spoke in a low, serious voice. "Alright then, 'Layla of the Fallen' was it? Where exactly did you come from? If someone with your strength existed in this universe, I'd have known about you by now."
I hesitated briefly, realizing I needed a believable explanation. "Ah, that's because I'm... not exactly from around here," I admitted cautiously, trying to remain vague. "You could say I'm from somewhere pretty far away..."
Goku scratched his head curiously, turning to Beerus. "Lord Beerus, can you actually sense Layla's power level? How strong is she anyway?"
Beerus didn't take his eyes off me, his expression still tense and thoughtful. After a brief pause, he reluctantly answered, "She's strong—very strong. In fact, she's almost as powerful as I am."
I instantly pouted at his evaluation. "Almost as strong?"
[Don't get cocky, Host. Remember, this guy's got thousands of years of pure combat experience. He probably has forgotten more fighting moves than you've ever learned.]
'Yeah, yeah, I know,' I thought back grudgingly. But secretly, I bet I could still take him…
Beerus' eyes narrowed a bit more as if he'd caught my brief burst of confidence. He raised a skeptical eyebrow, his voice edged with amusement and warning. "You disagree, do you? Care to test that theory sometime?"
I swallowed, momentarily caught off guard by his sharp instincts. Quickly composing myself, I gave him a confident grin. "Maybe after we win the tournament. First things first."
He stared silently at me for a long, tense moment, then gave a begrudging nod. "Fine. We'll talk more about your mysterious origins later. For now, if you're as strong as you seem, you'll be a useful addition to the team at the very least…"
Vegeta narrowed his eyes, still glaring suspiciously at me. "Kakarot, is this the mysterious tenth fighter you haven't bothered to tell us about yet?"
Goku shook his head, flashing Vegeta a sly grin. "Nope. Layla's just here to replace Tien. Don't worry, I've still got someone else in mind for our tenth member. But I'm gonna need Lord Beerus and Whis to help me convince him."
I immediately knew who he meant—Frieza, of course. It was obvious, especially considering the timeline. And judging by the amused smirk on Whis' face, I guessed he had a good idea too. The blue angel giggled quietly, clearly entertained by Goku's little secret.
Vegeta rolled his eyes impatiently and growled at Goku. "Well then hurry the hell up, Kakarot. We've only got a few hours left before the damn tournament starts. You'd better not screw this up."
Goku chuckled easily, giving a carefree shrug. "Relax, Vegeta! Everything will be fine. Trust me!"
"Tch," Vegeta scoffed, clearly not convinced. Without another word, he sat back down heavily at the kitchen table. Ignoring everyone, he resumed eating from a massive spread of food in front of him, shoving dish after dish into his mouth like some grumpy eating machine.
I felt a small pang of disappointment. I'd hoped to chat more with Vegeta—but it was obvious he wasn't in the mood for small talk right now. Still, I had to admit, seeing him in his natural grouchy element was pretty entertaining.
Just then, Goku turned cheerfully toward Beerus and Whis. "Alright, you guys ready to go? We need to hurry."
Beerus sighed heavily, looking thoroughly unenthusiastic about whatever Goku had planned. "Fine, let's get this over with. But this had better be worth my time, Saiyan."
Whis giggled again, clearly amused. "Oh, I'm sure you'll find it quite interesting, Lord Beerus."
With a quick nod to me, Goku placed a hand on Whis' shoulder, and in a blink, the three of them vanished from the kitchen, leaving me alone with Vegeta.
I stood there awkwardly for a second, glancing around the futuristic kitchen. Vegeta continued to pointedly ignore me, stuffing his face at impressive speeds.
"So… um…" I began hesitantly, breaking the awkward silence. "Mind if I look around Capsule Corp for a bit?"
Vegeta glanced up briefly, chewing aggressively. He swallowed, then gave a dismissive snort. "Do whatever you want, just don't break anything or cause trouble. I've got better things to do than babysit."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his grumpy attitude. "Sure, thanks," I replied cheerfully instead, deciding not to antagonize him any further.
Vegeta grunted in reply and returned to eating.
Shrugging to myself, I wandered off, letting my senses expand across the large building. If I was gonna explore Capsule Corp, there was one person I absolutely had to meet first: Bulma Briefs herself!
I followed what I figured was Bulma's energy signature outside Capsule Corp, stepping into the grassy front yard.
My attention immediately locked onto Bulma herself—currently bent over and absorbed in tinkering with some complicated-looking machine.
I paused, blinking in surprise. Damn. Bulma definitely had one of the nicest asses I'd ever seen—and she was easily over forty. Dragon Ball's best girl indeed. Whatever workout routine she did, it was clearly paying off big-time. I momentarily lost track of my original intentions and just stared appreciatively.
After a few seconds, Bulma cleared her throat loudly, not even turning around. "You planning on staring at my ass all day, or did you actually want to talk to me?"
I felt my cheeks warm a bit in embarrassment. "Ah—sorry about that," I chuckled, scratching the back of my head awkwardly. "Couldn't help it. You've got a really nice—uh—figure."
Bulma finally turned around to face me, amusement twinkling in her bright blue eyes as she flashed me a playful smirk. "Flattery will get you everywhere, honey," she teased lightly. She glanced over me curiously, placing a wrench down onto a nearby workbench. "Though I haven't seen you around here before. You a friend of Vegeta or Goku?"
I took a breath, steadying my excitement as I offered her a bright smile. "I'm Layla of the Fallen," I introduced myself enthusiastically. "And I guess you could say I'm the newest member of Universe Seven's team for the Tournament of Power."
Bulma's perfectly shaped eyebrows shot upward at that revelation, and she immediately gave me another thorough once-over, skepticism clear in her gaze. Her eyes lingered pointedly on my chest as she folded her arms thoughtfully.
"Hmmm. Really? You honestly don't look much like a fighter to me. Actually, you seem pretty soft," she commented bluntly, smirking slightly as her eyes stayed locked onto my cleavage.
I laughed lightly, not the least bit offended. Bulma was exactly as direct as I'd hoped. "Looks can be deceiving," I replied playfully, tossing her a casual wink. "Trust me, I can handle myself just fine."
Bulma chuckled softly at that, seemingly satisfied with my confidence. "Fair enough, Layla. Well, it's nice to meet you either way. Any particular reason you came looking for me, or were you just here to enjoy the view?" She gestured dramatically at her body, clearly joking.
I snorted a bit, then stepped closer and peered at the complex-looking machinery she'd been working on moments before. "Actually, I was just curious what you were up to. It looked pretty interesting."
She glanced casually over her shoulder at the half-disassembled contraption, shrugging as though it was no big deal. "Oh, nothing much. Just trying to create a smaller, more portable version of the time machine. You know, so I can visit my alternate-future son occasionally. Regular mom stuff."
I nearly choked at her casual admission. Right. Bulma fucking Briefs, casually reinventing time travel in her backyard workshop. No big deal.
She glanced at me curiously again, tilting her head. "Anyway, was there anything specific you needed from me, Layla?"
I shrugged slightly, suddenly feeling just a little shy. "Honestly, I mostly just wanted to meet you. Like I said, I'm kind of a huge fan." I paused, then added with a hopeful grin, "And maybe I was also a little curious about Capsule technology." We had Pym tech in my world, but Capsule Corp tech was way cooler in my opinion.
Bulma smiled knowingly, wagging her finger at me. "Flattery again, huh? Well, meeting fans is always fun, but Capsule Corp's tech is a secret. Sorry, sweetie—I'm not about to spill all my patented secrets to someone I just met."
I raised an eyebrow, smirking playfully as an idea popped into my head. "Oh? Not even if I could offer you eternal youth and beauty?" I batted my eyelashes at her dramatically, keeping my expression innocent.
Bulma froze instantly, eyes widening in shock and intrigue. For a long second, she just stared at me, clearly tempted. Finally, she shook her head and gave me a shameless, eager grin. "If you can genuinely do that, I will literally hand over every corporate secret I know—patents, blueprints, whatever the hell you want!" she declared shamelessly!
"Hey guys, what are you talking about?"
Bulma and I both turned at the same time to see Gohan walking toward us. He looked just a little nerdier than I was expecting, especially with the oversized glasses and baggy dad-clothes he wore. But I could still tell immediately that underneath the dorky exterior, he was built like a tank. He might've dressed like a total suburban dad now, but clearly all those years of Saiyan training hadn't been forgotten.
"Oh, hey Gohan," Bulma greeted him easily. "Just chatting with Layla here. She's apparently your newest teammate."
"Hi!" I said quickly, offering him a bright grin. "I'm Layla of the Fallen. It's awesome to finally meet you, Gohan."
He smiled warmly back, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Nice to meet you too, Layla." He gave me a quick, curious look, probably wondering who the hell I was. "So, you're joining us in the Tournament of Power, huh?"
"Yeah, took Tien's spot," I confirmed cheerfully. Then, unable to help myself, I blurted out, "So, quick question—why exactly are you wearing glasses? Seems a little weird for someone like you."
He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Oh, that… uh, I'm actually near-sighted now. Too many late nights studying, I guess."
I blinked at him, genuinely surprised. The Saiyans could fight gods and blow up planets, but apparently they weren't immune to crappy eyesight. Who knew?
"Seriously? Well, we can't have that. Glasses are definitely gonna be a liability during the tournament," I said decisively. "Want me to fix your vision? It'll only take a second."
Bulma's eyes widened in shock as she stared at me, mouth hanging open. "Wait, hold on—you can actually do that? I thought you were just bullshitting about the whole eternal youth thing to mess with me!"
I flashed Bulma a confident grin. "Nope. I wasn't joking at all. Healing stuff like bad eyesight is nothing to me. And yes—I really can make someone young and beautiful forever if I want to."
Bulma gasped, her eyes practically sparkling with greed and excitement. "Holy crap—not even the Dragon Balls can actually do that! They can restore youth temporarily, sure, but permanent eternal youth? No way."
I winked playfully at her. "Maybe I'm just better than the dragon."
Before either of them could respond, I reached out, gently but firmly placing my palm just above Gohan's eyes without waiting for his permission. He flinched slightly in surprise, but I ignored it, sending a quick pulse of healing magic straight into his optic nerves.
"Hey—what are you doing?" Gohan stammered, startled.
"Just hold still for a second," I told him calmly, smiling reassuringly. "Trust me, you'll like this."
He hesitated, staying frozen in place for a moment longer. Then, slowly, he pulled off his glasses. His eyes immediately widened in shock and amazement.
"Oh, wow…!" Gohan blinked repeatedly, glancing around in disbelief. "Everything—it's crystal clear! I haven't seen this clearly since I was a kid!"
Bulma watched the scene unfold with an almost awed expression. "Well, shit. You really weren't kidding, Layla. You've got some serious abilities."
"Told you," I said smugly.
Bulma chuckled, clearly both intrigued and impressed. "Alright, you officially have my undivided attention. We are definitely gonna talk more about this after you guys come back from the tournament."
Gohan laughed lightly, still glancing around in awe at the world around him. "Thanks, Layla. That's incredible."
"No worries," I said cheerfully, giving him a friendly pat on his shoulder. "I'm just happy to help. After all, we need you at your best for this tournament."
"The others are starting to arrive if you want to meet them too?" Gohan offered.
I grinned. "Absolutely!"
XXX