The portraits on the screen stopped flickering at last.
Sixty-four names. Thirty-two matches. All of them locked in instantly.
The entire viewing platform fell so silent that people could hear each other's heartbeats.
Son Goku vs Kakarot
Frieza vs Cooler
Son Gohan vs Wild Beast
Trunks vs Crown Prince
Broly (Universe 7) vs Broly (Emperor Vegeta Timeline)
Champa vs Yamcha
Hit vs Piccolo
Time Patrol Vegito vs Cumber
Puar vs Lagss
Android 21 vs Kamin
Android 18 vs Nattaba
Cabba vs Raditz
Caulifla vs Heles (God of Destruction of Universe 2)
Kale vs Oren
Bejita vs Time Patrol Pan
Tien Shinhan vs Ginyu
Hearts vs Sidra (God of Destruction of Universe 9)
Fu vs Iwne (God of Destruction of Universe 1)
...
Everyone's eyes locked onto the first few matchups at the top.
A coincidence?
No one believed that for a second.
It looked far more like a malicious script carefully arranged by the organizer.
Every grudge, every conflict, every pair of similar yet completely opposite fates, all set to explode in the very first round.
"Oh..."
The corners of Goku's mouth curled up, then spread into a broad grin.
He did not even glance at the other matchups. From the very start, his eyes had never left the portrait that looked exactly like his own.
"Great. So it's you first."
He rolled his wrists, the blood in his body already starting to heat up.
Outside the spaceship, Kakarot merely let out a dismissive snort.
"The weak do not deserve this face. I'll personally rip it off you."
Beside him, Wild Beast stared at Gohan's image reflected in his pupils, a cruel smile slowly appearing on his lips.
"Another me? You look... pathetically weak."
Gohan did not answer. He could sense that when the other man transformed earlier, there had been an aura inside him similar to his own Beast Form, yet even more violent and uncontrolled.
With that kind of personality paired with such a transformation, that man would be a complete monster.
"This is bad."
Cold sweat beaded on Trunks' forehead as he looked at his opponent, Crown Prince.
The other Trunks was looking back at him too, his expression full of arrogance.
"My father said there can only be one me named Vegeta in any timeline," Crown Prince said coldly. "I'll show you that you're nothing but a weak counterfeit."
Frieza and Cooler looked at one another.
"Oh ho ho ho... this is fate indeed, my dear brother." Frieza let out a delighted laugh. "It seems the battle of genius between us brothers will be decided ahead of schedule in this fight."
"Hmph. What right does a younger brother like you have to challenge me?" Cooler snorted. "Still, this is fine. I can use you to warm up before I go twist off Vegeta's head."
The air between them seemed to freeze solid, making the people around them instinctively step back.
On the other side of the field, Yamcha had gone completely pale.
He kept staring at the screen, rubbing his eyes to make sure he had not seen wrong.
Champa... God of Destruction Champa!
"No... no way..."
He could already see a hopeless future ahead. Losing was one thing, but the difference in strength was this absurd. How was he supposed to temper himself in a fight like that?
Krillin patted him on the shoulder, his face full of sympathy.
"Hang in there, Yamcha. Maybe you'll pull off a miracle."
"That miracle's way too hard to pull off!"
Yamcha looked ready to cry.
Champa's reaction could not have been more different. He dug a finger into one ear and looked at Yamcha with open impatience.
"Tch. What is this? My first opponent is some scrub like this? What a waste of my time. Later, just come over and let me knock you out. Don't make me burn extra calories."
That utter contempt, strangely enough, only reignited Yamcha's fighting spirit.
"Unlucky... my very first opponent is a God of Destruction. The only lucky part is that among the Gods of Destruction, he's near the bottom..."
His Wolf Fang Fist, Spirit Ball, and Super Saiyan transformation were all ready.
The only question was whether he could make a God of Destruction bleed.
"Uncle Piccolo, your opponent is Mr. Hit again," Gohan reminded him.
Piccolo's eyes had already fixed themselves on the purple figure.
Hit was also looking at him, both hands still tucked into his pockets, expression unchanged.
"So it's another fight between us," Hit said calmly.
"This time, I want to witness the killing techniques of the man called the strongest assassin in Universe 6."
Piccolo folded his arms, his brain already racing, analyzing every ability and tactic the other side might use.
This was going to be a contest of skill and intelligence. Pure strength might not decide everything here.
Levos looked at that pairing and almost could not keep a straight face.
Hit had come all this way hoping to fight powerful experts from other timelines, only to get matched with Piccolo again.
He fought Piccolo in the Exhibition Match, and now in the Full Metal Cell Max Game he was fighting Piccolo again. Hadn't he come here for nothing?
"Hey, Kale, look! My opponent's that self-absorbed beauty of a God of Destruction!"
Caulifla pointed at Heles, speaking excitedly to Kale behind her.
"Awesome! If I beat a God of Destruction, then I'll be the strongest Saiyan in Universe 6!"
Hearing the provocation, Heles merely flicked her hair back.
"What a crude Saiyan. I'll let you experience what true despair looks like before the absolute beauty of a god."
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