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The recruitment of the ten warriors continued as the fate of Universe 7 loomed. Enlisting Tien Shinhan went smoothly, and to Goku's surprise, Master Roshi was training alongside him. However, a brief skirmish broke out when a woman seeking revenge against Tien used dark sorcery to control Master Roshi, forcing him to trade blows with Son Goku. Once the spell was broken and the old master recovered, he readily joined the roster.
Securing Android 18 proved more difficult, as she initially showed no interest in the cosmic struggle. Knowing her pragmatic nature, Goku fabricated a lie, claiming a 10 million Zeni prize awaited the victors. Driven by the prospect of providing for her family, 18 agreed to participate.
Locating Android 17 was equally challenging. He had become the dedicated ranger of a remote island, protecting rare flora and fauna from the greed of man. He flatly refused at first, fearing the island's ecosystem would be destroyed in his absence.
Fate intervened when space poachers descended upon the sanctuary. Working in perfect synchronization, Goku and 17 repelled the invaders, saving the animals.
Impressed by Goku's strength and sensing the gravity of the situation, 17 agreed to fight. To ensure the island's safety, the task of guarding it was entrusted to Son Goten and Trunks, who were thrilled by the prospect of a wild island adventure.
With nine warriors assembled, the final hurdle was Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince refused to budge, citing that Bulma was in the final stages of her pregnancy. As a husband, he insisted on remaining by her side for the birth. Whis, ever the pragmatist, used his divine staff to magically accelerate the process, and in an instant, a baby girl appeared in Bulma's arms.
Vegeta initially maintained his trademark stoicism, crossing his arms and pretending to be indifferent. But when Trunks brought his newborn sister over, the Saiyan Prince couldn't resist. He took her into his arms with a natural, practiced tenderness that betrayed his doting fatherly heart.
When the topic of naming her arose, Vegeta prepared a grand Saiyan name, only for Bulma to casually announce she had already chosen Bulla. He didn't even get a vote—the quiet struggle of a man living with his wife's family.
Goku noted that they now had one more precious life to protect, a sentiment Vegeta met with a sharp snort but no rebuttal. His silence was his consent; he would fight.
Inside his gravity chamber later, Vegeta looked at the footage of his daughter. "Bulla, hmph. A decent name, though mine would have been far more regal," he muttered with lingering arrogance, a rare smile tugging at his lips. Nearby in the cold vacuum of space, if the ghost of Nappa could have seen the once-merciless prince acting as a family man, he likely would have died of pure indignation.
Across the Wanjie Multiverse, viewers watched the final lineup with skepticism.
Sengoku: "Krillin? Tien Shinhan? Even Master Roshi? Are these truly the elites representing Universe 7?"
Zhang Chulan: "Is the talent pool in Universe 7 that shallow? Why send these three?"
Duanmu Yan: "This feels reckless. Is there no one else in the entire cosmos?"
While these warriors would be gods in other worlds—noting that even Master Roshi could vaporize the moon with a Max Power Kamehameha—the power scaling of the current era had left them behind. To many, sending them into a battle for survival seemed irresponsible. It appeared that in the vastness of Universe 7, only Earth held any defenders of merit.
In the divine realm, Lord Beerus was equally livid. "Whis, scan the universe again. I refuse to believe our best hope rests solely on these Earthlings! Half this team is just making up the numbers!"
Whis simply nodded, though he remained inwardly curious. Could this motley crew of veteran martial artists and Saiyan powerhouses actually achieve victory?
On Earth, Yamcha was reeling from the snub. "Why Krillin and Tien? I'm a Z Fighter too! I'm surely more useful than Master Roshi!"
Krillin replied tentatively, "We aren't sure, Yamcha. Maybe Goku has a specific strategy in mind?"
Tien Shinhan added, "Don't let it get to you. Train harder, and if a real tournament happens, make sure you're too strong to ignore."
Spurred by the slight, Yamcha vowed to redouble his training, determined to never be left behind again.
As the ten fighters prepared, disaster struck. Mr. Satan arrived with urgent news: Majin Buu had fallen into a deep, hibernative slumber that would last for at least a month. He could not be awakened. With the Tournament of Power starting in less than twenty-four hours, Universe 7 was suddenly one man short.
It was in this moment of crisis that Akira and Goku realized there was only one person left with the power to fill the gap—a villain currently rotting in the depths of Earth's Hell.