High above the battlefield, the battered Plateau Module floated in silence.
Jiren, once an unstoppable force, now lay motionless on the ground. The overwhelming aura that had dominated the arena moments ago had all but vanished. His breathing was faint, with no strength left to fight.
The towering warrior who had seemed invincible only moments earlier now looked utterly exhausted, his eyes closed, either unconscious or lost in the final moments of the battle.
Yet despite winning such a hard-fought victory, Gohan showed no joy. His thoughts were entirely consumed by one person: Piccolo. The glory of victory meant nothing to him, and he didn't even spare Jiren another glance.
Standing motionless with his head lowered, Gohan looked like a statue frozen in place. His empty eyes stared at the ground as the image of Piccolo's sacrifice replayed over and over in his mind.
Piccolo had given his life for the sake of Universe 7, and that final, resolute image cut into Gohan's heart like a blade.
"Uncle Piccolo..." His voice was barely a whisper, hoarse and broken, as tears poured uncontrollably down his face.
Then, a warm, familiar hand rested gently on his shoulder.
Gohan froze, his sobbing stopping instantly. He turned around in disbelief, and as his tear-blurred vision came into focus, his eyes widened. Shock, relief, and joy all appeared on his face at once.
"Uncle Piccolo!!" His cry echoed across the battlefield like a child who had finally found a loved one after believing they were gone forever. Tears still filled his eyes, but this time, they were tears of happiness.
Piccolo smiled warmly and gave Gohan's shoulder a reassuring pat. "You did it, Gohan."
Gohan nodded vigorously. At that moment, the outcome of the match no longer mattered, as long as Piccolo was alive, nothing else seemed important.
"You're alive... That's... that's wonderful... I'm so glad..." He hurriedly wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve.
Piccolo nodded with a smile before placing a hand over his chest. "Honestly... I'm surprised too. If this had happened before, an explosion like that would've killed me for good."
He looked thoughtfully at his own body. "After Shenron unlocked my potential, and after assimilating Kami, Dende, and Kiru... my regeneration seems to have become even stronger than I expected."
---
The scene was broadcast live into Universe 11's observation room. Silence filled the room, the Pride Troopers, even the Angel Marcarita... no one spoke.
To everyone in Universe 11, Jiren was the strongest mortal they had ever known. His power was like an insurmountable mountain, and every battle he fought ended in absolute victory.
He wasn't just their strongest warrior; he was their pillar of faith. Aside from the God of Destruction himself, no one in Universe 11 held a higher place in their hearts.
And yet, that invincible Jiren had been defeated, defeated by two fighters from Universe 7 working together. The result shattered everything they believed. Even worse, Jiren had been eliminated in the very first round.
This was Jiren, the unquestioned peak of Universe 11's strength. The blow to everyone's morale was devastating. The Pride Troopers stood there as though their souls had left their bodies.
Dyspo looked especially miserable, his long ears drooping lifelessly beside his head while his eyes trembled with fear and disbelief. Suddenly, he covered both ears with his hands and began shaking his head.
"No... This isn't real... It can't be... Jiren can't lose! He can't!"
His emotions spiraled out of control. Spinning around, he grabbed Kahseral by the shoulders with both hands and shouted desperately, "Kahseral! Quick! Punch me! Hard! I have to be dreaming! None of this can be real!"
His voice was filled with desperate hope, as though taking that punch would prove this nightmare wasn't real.
But Kahseral remained calm, his face solemn as he stood there in silence. After a long sigh, he looked at Dyspo with sympathy.
Jiren's defeat had shaken him as well, but years on the battlefield had taught him how to keep his emotions under control. Seeing Dyspo completely fall apart, he finally decided to grant his wish.
He drew back his right arm, his muscles tensing. Then,
'BAM!'
His fist shot forward like lightning and slammed squarely into Dyspo's nose.
The impact echoed through the room. Stars exploded across Dyspo's vision as a burning pain shot through his face. He staggered backward, clutching his nose.
"...It hurts... It really hurts... So... it's real... Jiren... really lost?"
"That's enough, Dyspo!" A powerful voice cut through the room. It was Toppo.
"You're not mistaken. Jiren was defeated." His expression remained composed. "And what does that tell us? It tells us Universe 7 is genuinely that strong."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Besides... Jiren changed a great deal for this tournament. He gave it everything he had."
At that moment, the silent Marcarita finally spoke, her clear voice carrying unquestionable authority. "Lord Toppo is right. Yes, Jiren was defeated. But..." Her eyes shone with unwavering confidence. "...that doesn't mean Universe 11 has lost."
She turned toward the screen.
---
On the battlefield, Gohan and Piccolo slowly walked over to Jiren. The two silently looked down at the defeated warrior.
Though gravely wounded and barely clinging to consciousness, Jiren's expression remained unchanged.
His fist was still tightly clenched, a faint trace of energy lingering around his hand. Even in defeat, his fighting spirit hadn't disappeared; it was the final proof of his pride as a warrior.
Gohan was about to speak, but Piccolo gently stopped him. Looking at Jiren with genuine respect, he said, "You were incredibly strong. But if we wanted to win this tournament, we had no choice but to eliminate you."
Then he added calmly, "Don't worry. Your universe won't be erased."
With that, Piccolo raised one hand, preparing to knock Jiren out of the arena.
Then,
'WHOOSH!'
The sky suddenly changed. The previously clear heavens darkened in an instant, black clouds churning violently overhead. A mysterious purple light flickered within them before rapidly expanding until it seemed ready to consume the entire sky.
Without warning, two brilliant purple beams descended like furious dragons. Their targets... Gohan and Piccolo.
The beams moved faster than lightning, the air screaming as they tore through it. Gohan's instincts exploded with alarm.
"Uncle Piccolo! Move!!"
Without hesitation, he shoved Piccolo aside while instantly transforming into his Beast form, his crimson eyes blazing with feral intensity. But after the brutal battle with Jiren, his body was already exhausted.
'SHHHK!'
One purple beam shot straight toward Gohan while the other curved through the air, pursuing Piccolo. Neither beam aimed for their hearts; instead, each contained an overwhelming force that slammed into them and hurled their bodies toward the edge of the arena.
The unexpected attack changed everything. Unable to resist the tremendous momentum, both Gohan and Piccolo were blasted backward, and a heartbeat later, their feet left the edge of the Plateau Module. Both of them fell into empty space, shock filling their faces.
Only then did the two purple beams finally detonate.
'BOOOOOOM!!'
A gigantic mushroom cloud erupted beneath the arena, sending smoke and violent waves of energy soaring into the sky.
"AAAAAHHH!!"
Two cries echoed through the battlefield. The entire sequence had taken less than five seconds.
When the dust settled, only one figure remained in the arena: Jiren. Still lying on the ground, he stared blankly toward the rising mushroom cloud, confusion flickering across his otherwise emotionless face.
(End Of This Chapter)
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