The spotlight shifted one final time, and the holographic screen filled with an image that made several spectators gasp.
A woman in golden armor, energy weapons materializing from thin air, moving through combat with grace that defied physics. Footage showed her fighting across different eras—ancient battlefields, medieval conflicts, modern skirmishes. The same face, unchanged, across millennia.
"Our sixth and final competitor," Eddie announced, his voice carrying reverence, "Thena of the Eternals!"
The crowd erupted in confused murmurs. Another unfamiliar term—Eternals.
"Throughout history," Eddie continued, "Thena has been mistaken for Athena of Greek mythology. The city of Athens itself was built in her honor by people who believed her to be a goddess. She is the Weapon Master—symbol of battle and wisdom—and the only woman competing in today's tournament."
The spotlight found Thena, who stood with her nine fellow Eternals. She inclined her head gracefully, acknowledging the attention without theatrics.
Fox, sitting beside the other Eternals in the premium section, couldn't help but smile at seeing her newfound sister recognized.
Tony Stark's mind raced through the implications. "At least she's not actually Athena," he muttered. "Just mistaken for her. Small mercies."
"Tony," Pepper whispered urgently, "Athens was founded in the 8th century BC. That means she's lived over four thousand years."
Happy made a strangled sound. "This world keeps getting weirder."
T'Challa sat frozen in his seat, the weight of reality crushing down on him. Magicians. Gods. Immortal warriors older than recorded civilization. What was he doing here? A young man with enhanced reflexes and a vibranium suit, surrounded by beings who measured their lives in millennia.
The wish he sought—ending discrimination against his people—suddenly felt abstract compared to the very concrete danger of facing opponents whose power exceeded his Scouter's maximum reading.
But that's precisely why I'm here, he reminded himself. If I surrender to fear now, what kind of king will I become?
Beside him, Shuri grabbed his hand. "Brother. You don't have to do this."
"Yes," T'Challa said quietly, "I do."
In the Xu family section, Xialing and Shang-Chi exchanged worried glances. They'd competed in the previous tournament against vampires and enhanced humans. This was an entirely different tier of competition.
"Father," Xialing whispered, "are you sure—"
"I have waited," Xu Wenwu interrupted, his voice carrying absolute certainty. "I have searched every corner of this world. I have exhausted every possibility." His eyes remained fixed on the arena. "I will not retreat now. Not when she's finally within reach."
Thor, recognizing several faces among the Eternals, felt memory stir. "Gilgamesh," he murmured. "Thena. I fought alongside them during the Frost Giant wars" He smiled at the recollection. "Father taught Gilgamesh the secret to proper Asgardian mead. I wondered what became of them."
"They're immortal too?" Jane asked faintly.
"So it would seem." Thor's expression grew thoughtful. "This will be a worthy tournament indeed."
Eddie let the crowd's excitement build for a moment before raising his hands.
"All six competitors have been introduced! Now, we'll randomly select the matchups for round one!"
The holographic screen transformed, showing six portrait frames arranged in three pairs, the letters "VS" glowing between each set.
Photos of all six competitors appeared in the frames, then began to shuffle. The portraits blurred, swapping positions at dizzying speed, creating a mesmerizing light show above the arena.
The crowd leaned forward collectively, holding their breath.
"And... STOP!" Eddie shouted.
The portraits slowed, then froze.
Three matchups appeared in stark clarity:
TONY STARK vs. XU WENWU
THENA vs. T'CHALLA
THOR ODINSON vs. KARL MORDO
The arena exploded with noise—cheers, gasps, excited conversations erupting simultaneously.
Eddie's voice cut through the chaos. "The first round matchups are set! The rules are simple: fall from the ring, you lose. Surrender, you lose. Lose the ability to fight, you lose. Stay down for a ten-count, you lose."
He paused, his expression growing serious. "To ensure all competitors can fight at full strength without fear of permanent injury or death, your referee for this tournament is Smith Doyle, leader of the Fraternity, GOD!"
A murmur ran through the crowd. Smith appeared at the arena's edge, arms crossed, watching with calm intensity.
"Should any competitor face a truly life-threatening situation," Eddie continued, "Mr. Doyle will intervene. This intervention automatically ends the match—the rescued fighter loses, but lives to fight another day."
The competitors studied Smith with varying degrees of curiosity and assessment. Thor recognized power when he saw it—this mortal carried himself like a warrior who'd never lost. Karl Mordo's mystic senses detected energy that didn't quite match any known classification. Thena simply nodded, recognizing another predator.
"Now," Eddie proclaimed, his voice rising, "will the competitors for the first match please take the stage!"
Tony Stark stood smoothly, his faceplate sliding closed with a mechanical whisper. Repulsors flared to life, lifting him from the premium section. He flew in a graceful arc, landing on the arena floor with a metallic clank that echoed through the speakers.
Across the arena, Xu Wenwu rose with ancient dignity.
The ten rings on his forearms began to glow—first faintly, then brighter, pulsing with energy that predated human civilization. They lifted from his arms, spinning in orbit around him like miniature planets.
Then Xu Wenwu simply stepped into the air.
The rings positioned themselves beneath his feet, creating platforms of pure force. He walked upward as if climbing invisible stairs, each step carrying him higher with impossible grace.
He descended onto the arena opposite Tony, the rings settling back onto his forearms with a sound like distant thunder.
The crowd's reaction was immediate and visceral. Those who'd dismissed Xu Wenwu based on his children's performance suddenly reconsidered their assessments. This was no ordinary fighter.
Smith Doyle appeared between the two competitors, his presence commanding despite being dwarfed by Tony's armor.
"Second Dragon Ball Tournament, first match!" His voice carried clearly without amplification. "Tony Stark versus Xu Wenwu. Fight with honor. Fight with purpose."
He locked eyes with each competitor in turn. "Begin!"
Smith vanished in a blur of motion, reappearing outside the ring, hovering cross-legged in mid-air through sheer ki manipulation.
For a long moment, neither Tony nor Xu Wenwu moved.
The tension stretched taut as a bowstring.
Then Tony spoke, his voice amplified through external speakers. "According to the introduction, you lead the Ten Rings organization?"
Xu Wenwu inclined his head slightly. "I do. Is there a problem?"
"A problem?" Tony's voice carried cold fury that surprised those who knew him only as a playboy billionaire. "Your people kidnapped me. Held me in a cave in Afghanistan. Nearly killed me while trying to force me to build weapons for terrorists."
The arena fell silent, the casual atmosphere evaporating.
"I thought I'd eliminated your organization," Tony continued, repulsors beginning to glow brighter. "Destroyed your bases, scattered your forces. But it seems I only killed some local commander. You—the real leader—were too busy to notice."
Xu Wenwu's expression shifted to one of vague recollection. "Afghanistan. Yes, I remember reports of that incident. One of my regional commanders—Raza, I believe—mentioned capturing an American weapons manufacturer." His tone remained conversational, unbothered. "I was occupied with more important matters at the time. Searching for resurrection methods across three continents."
"More important matters," Tony repeated, his voice dropping to something dangerous. "While I was being waterboarded and beaten, while they were trying to force me to build missiles, you were too busy to care."
"I sent Raza away and continued my research," Xu Wenwu confirmed with a shrug. "He died shortly afterward, I believe. The details didn't concern me."