"That's because Champa has been slacking off," Vados said with a smile.
"You'll be fine," Goku added cheerfully. "Didn't you spar with Vegeta and me before?"
Champa's face darkened. "You two don't count! Neither of you was worth making me fight at full strength!"
"Get down here already!" Broly called from the arena.
"Understood!"
The Gods of Destruction immediately left their viewing platforms and descended onto the square ring. Ai joined them as well, landing near Broly before her body shifted into the form of a beautiful woman clad in armor.
"Ken, what rules are we fighting under?" Quitela called up from the arena.
"We'll use this match to help decide the rules for the Tournament of Power, so for now, fight however you like," Ken replied. "The basic rule is simple: leave the ring and you're eliminated."
"Correct," the Grand Priest added. "And one more thing. Any God of Destruction who deliberately holds back will be erased on the spot."
That wiped away any trace of casualness among the competitors. Every God of Destruction immediately understood that this was no exhibition match.
"Grand Priest, this could also be a good opportunity to test Broly," Ken said. "I've heard the Space-Time God of Destruction intends to retire, and I'm planning to train Broly as his successor."
The Grand Priest regarded him with interest. "So what do you have in mind?"
"All of the Gods of Destruction should challenge Broly together."
"That is acceptable."
The Gods of Destruction turned toward Broly with noticeably heavier expressions. Fighting the Great God of Destruction was bad enough; doing it because he was being evaluated as a future Space-Time God of Destruction made the situation even worse.
"We're all supposed to attack him together?"
"He's the Great God of Destruction! He's already far stronger than any of us!"
"Still, the Great God of Destruction has never had this many Gods of Destruction challenging him at once."
"And Ken wants to make him the next Space-Time God of Destruction..."
Champa glanced toward Buu, who was still sleeping peacefully on the arena floor. "What about the little God of Destruction? Isn't he fighting?"
"Let him sleep," Ken replied with a smile.
That answer left the others speechless. If Buu had actually been awake and fighting on their side, they might have had at least a little more confidence against Broly.
"Then let the battle of the Gods of Destruction begin!" Ken announced. "This concerns the future of our space-time, so don't hold back. Fight with everything you have."
"Yes!"
The Gods of Destruction answered in unison and immediately rushed Broly from every direction.
Dark green energy erupted around Broly as his hair rapidly lengthened down past his waist.
Legendary Super Saiyan 3.
Belmod's fist came first, but Broly slipped past it and answered with a single palm strike that sent him flying backward. Several others tried to close in at once, only for Broly to meet them head-on with a rapid series of punches and kicks that scattered them across the ring.
They recovered quickly and regrouped, surrounding him before charging again from every side. Broly swept his gaze around the encirclement, planted himself firmly, and went after a much less dignified target.
Their feet.
One after another, Broly stomped down on the Gods of Destruction's toes.
Screams erupted across the arena as nearly every one of them hopped around on one leg, clutching feet that had practically been flattened beneath Broly's heel. Ai alone escaped the treatment; Broly very deliberately left her untouched. Even Bardock wasn't spared, his toes crushed flat along with everyone else's.
Before they could properly recover, Broly moved through them again, kicking each God of Destruction high into the air and turning the arena into complete chaos.
He shot upward after Beerus, who reacted quickly enough to right himself and prepare for the attack. Broly was still faster. He seized Beerus by the head and drove him straight into Quitela, the collision leaving both Gods of Destruction feeling as if their bodies had nearly come apart.
Broly followed with an overhead kick that sent Quitela crashing back toward the arena, then grabbed Beerus by the tail and started swinging him like a weapon.
The other Gods of Destruction scattered desperately as Beerus was repeatedly smashed into them.
Less than thirty seconds had passed since the match began, and every God of Destruction except Ai had already been knocked down at least once, Bardock included.
Broly finally turned toward Ai.
Ai immediately leaned backward and dropped herself onto the floor.
The other Gods of Destruction stared at her in disbelief.
That was obviously throwing the match.
A few of them couldn't help wondering why the Grand Priest wasn't erasing her on the spot after the warning he'd just given them. So much for fairness.
Then again, none of them had survived this long as Gods of Destruction by believing the universes were fair. Absolute fairness had never existed in the first place, and most of them already knew that Ai was Broly's beloved. No one seriously expected the two of them to start beating each other senseless for the sake of an exhibition.
Unfortunately for Champa, he had collapsed beside the sleeping Buu.
Without opening his eyes, Buu suddenly reached out and grabbed Champa by the arm.
"Huh?"
Buu proceeded to beat him mercilessly while remaining completely asleep.
Champa howled as blow after blow landed, unable to understand why the one person who was supposed to be on their side had suddenly turned on him. Once Buu apparently decided he'd had enough, he casually tossed Champa out of the ring and went right back to sleeping.
Champa became the first official elimination.
The remaining Gods of Destruction could only stare.
The little God of Destruction was supposed to be on their side, yet he'd somehow eliminated one of them in his sleep.
What kind of teammate was that?
"Stay away from him!" Beerus shouted.
Nobody needed to be told twice. The Gods of Destruction immediately put as much distance between themselves and Buu as possible.
"I'm starting the second round!" Broly warned, looking over the battered group. "Be ready!"
Every God of Destruction immediately forced themselves back into fighting condition and raised their guard.
From the central viewing platform, both Zenos were having the time of their lives. They watched Broly tear through the Gods of Destruction with wide smiles, clapping enthusiastically and cheering for every new exchange.
[End of chapter]