Chương 4: The tournament of power is about to begin
A week had passed, each day bleeding into the next within the timeless confines of the Chamber, and now Nasu stood silently, his fingers deftly fastening the sash of his gi with practiced precision. The fabric whispered against his skin, a gossamer caress that belied the coiled power thrumming beneath the surface of his newly honed physique.
Chronoa watched him with a gaze that seemed to pierce the veil of his stoic exterior, her ancient eyes glimmering with a knowing light that sent a shiver down his spine. She could sense the tension that clung to him like a second skin, a palpable aura of unease that hung heavy in the air between them.
"Why so tense, Nasu?" she asked, her voice a lilting melody that cut through the oppressive silence like a blade through silk. "Surely the mighty warrior who believes himself to be the strongest in all the multiverse has nothing to fear?"
Nasu's jaw clenched, a muscle twitching beneath the chiseled planes of his cheek. "I'm not tense," he ground out, the words bitter on his tongue, a lie that tasted of ashes and regret. "I am the strongest. I have to be."
Chronoa sighed, a sound that seemed to hold the weight of eons, a breath exhaled from the lungs of time itself. She moved towards him, her footsteps a whisper against the chamber's unyielding floor, until she stood before him, close enough to feel the heat of his skin, to taste the salt of his sweat on the air.
"Don't worry about Gaji," she murmured, her voice a soothing balm that seemed to wash over him like a gentle tide. "I will handle him. You must focus on the task at hand, on saving your universe in the Tournament of Power. That is your destiny, Nasu. That is the path you must walk."
Nasu's fingers trembled as he tied the final knot of his sash, the fabric seeming to burn against his skin like a brand. He could feel the weight of her gaze upon him, the unspoken expectation that hung between them like a guillotine's blade, poised to fall at any moment.
"I will await your victory," Chronoa whispered, her breath ghosting across his cheek like a lover's kiss, a promise sealed in the space between heartbeats. "Go now, and show them the true power of a Saiyan warrior."
Nasu smiled then, a fierce, feral thing that seemed to split his face in two, a predator's grin that held the promise of blood and glory. He nodded, a single, sharp jerk of his chin, and then they were moving, their footsteps echoing through the chamber as they strode towards the door that would lead them back to the world beyond.
The door swung open, and suddenly they were standing in the heart of Toki Toki City, the bustling metropolis that straddled the boundaries of time and space. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and the hum of temporal energy, a crackling static that set Nasu's teeth on edge and made his skin prickle with unease.
Kus appeared before them, her angelic features creased with concern, her silver hair shimmering in the ethereal light that suffused the city. "You're back early," she said, her voice a melodic lilt that seemed to dance on the edge of Nasu's consciousness. "Is everything alright?"
Chronoa smiled, a secretive, sphinx-like curve of her lips that revealed nothing and everything all at once. "Something unexpected came up," she said, her tone carefully neutral, a master poker player revealing a hand that held no cards. "But don't worry. Focus on Nasu. He is the key to everything."
Kus nodded, her own smile a radiant thing that seemed to light up the world around her. She reached out, her fingers brushing against Nasu's arm in a fleeting caress that sent a jolt of electricity racing through his veins. And then she was gone, vanishing in a flash of light that left spots dancing before his eyes.
Chronoa watched her go, her gaze distant, as if she were seeing something beyond the veil of reality, a future that only she could perceive. "Good luck, Nasu," she whispered, her voice a ghost on the wind, a prayer offered up to the uncaring gods of fate and chance.
And then she was turning away, her footsteps a staccato beat against the pavement as she strode off into the heart of the city, a solitary figure dwarfed by the towering spires of glass and steel that rose up around her like the bones of a long-dead leviathan.
....
In a shimmering ripple of ethereal light, Kus and Nasu materialized before Ruumosh and Gowas, their sudden appearance shattering the tranquil silence of the Sacred World of the Kais like a thunderbolt from the heavens. The very air seemed to tremble with anticipation, crackling with the electric thrill of impending revelation.
Ruumosh stepped forward, his eyes blazing with a fierce, penetrating intensity that seemed to pierce the veil of Nasu's mortal flesh and lay bare the secrets of his soul. "Show me the fruits of your training," he commanded, his voice a rumbling growl that echoed through the marrow of Nasu's bones, a primal challenge that set his blood aflame with the thirst for battle.
Nasu smiled, a feral, predatory thing that split his face like a wound, a gash of ivory in the sun-bronzed canvas of his skin. He closed his eyes, his brow furrowing with concentration as he reached deep within himself, tapping into the wellspring of power that pulsed and thrummed at the core of his being.
With a roar that shook the very foundations of the planet, Nasu exploded into the ascended form of a Super Saiyan 2, his aura bursting forth in a blinding flare of golden light that seared the eyes and scorched the skin. The ground beneath his feet trembled and cracked, fissures snaking out from the epicenter of his power like the spidery veins of some vast, primordial entity stirring from its slumber.
But he wasn't finished yet. With a snarl of exertion, Nasu pushed himself further, his body straining against the limits of mortal flesh as he ascended once more, his hair lengthening and his brow thickening as he surged into the towering might of a Super Saiyan 3. The air around him shimmered and warped, distorted by the sheer magnitude of the power that radiated from his every pore, a tangible force that pressed down upon the world like the weight of a thousand suns.
Ruumosh's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as he beheld the spectacle before him. "Incredible," he breathed, his voice a hushed whisper of awe and disbelief, a prayer offered up to the altar of a god made flesh.
Kus watched in silence, her heart hammering in her chest as she witnessed the true extent of her protégé's growth. In her mind's eye, she saw Goku, the legendary warrior of Universe 7, his own power blazing like a supernova in the depths of space. She knew that Nasu, even in this ascended state, was now on par with the might of Super Saiyan Blue. But she also knew that Goku would not have been idle in his own training, that he too would have pushed himself to new heights in preparation for the Tournament of Power. They could not afford to be complacent, to rest on their laurels in the face of such daunting opposition.
Nasu, his face split in a savage grin of triumph, drew himself up to his full height, his aura pulsing and crackling around him like a living thing, a second skin of pure, unleashed power. "I'm not done yet," he growled, his voice a rumble of thunder in the stillness of the sacred world.
And then, with a final, earth-shattering roar, he ascended once more, his hair flickering and pulsing with a divine, crimson light as he surged into the godly might of Super Saiyan God. The very air seemed to tremble and warp around him, the fabric of reality straining against the sheer magnitude of the power that now coursed through his veins like molten fire.
Ruumosh staggered back, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief, his mind reeling as he tried to comprehend the impossible sight before him. In that moment, he knew that Nasu was close, so close to surpassing him, to eclipsing the might of a God of Destruction and ascending to a realm beyond even the loftiest heights of divinity.
Nasu, his chest heaving with exertion, his skin slick with sweat, allowed the transformation to fade, his hair settling back into its usual, gravity-defying spikes as he returned to his base form. He stood tall and proud, a conquering hero basking in the glow of his own triumph, a living testament to the indomitable will of the Saiyan race.
Ruumosh, his voice still tinged with awe, cleared his throat and stepped forward, clapping a hand on Nasu's shoulder in a gesture of camaraderie and respect. "It seems we have some hope after all," he said, his voice a rumble of grudging admiration, a nod to the sheer, unyielding determination that blazed in the depths of Nasu's obsidian eyes.
Kus, her own heart swelling with pride and trepidation in equal measure, nodded in agreement. "There are still twenty hours until the Tournament of Power begins," she said, her voice a soft, melodic lilt that seemed to dance on the edge of the gathering winds. "We must use that time wisely, to prepare ourselves for the battles to come."
Nasu, his face set in a mask of grim determination, nodded in agreement. "Then I will continue my training," he said, his voice a low, rumbling growl that seemed to echo through the very bones of the world. "I will not rest until I have reached the pinnacle of my power, until I am ready to face whatever challenges may come."
And with those words, he turned and strode off into the distance, his footsteps a staccato beat against the sacred earth, a drumbeat of war that heralded the coming storm.
Miles away, in the heart of Toki Toki City, Chronoa sat hunched over a pile of ancient scrolls, her brow furrowed in concentration as she pored over the faded, yellowed parchment, searching for any clue, any hint of the enigmatic figure known as Gaji. But the scrolls remained stubbornly silent, their secrets hidden behind a veil of inscrutable mystery, a wall of impenetrable shadow that seemed to mock her efforts at every turn.
The air in the room was thick and heavy, laden with the musty scent of old paper and the cloying aroma of incense, a heady perfume that seemed to cling to the back of her throat like a living thing. The only sound was the soft, rhythmic scratch of her quill against the parchment, a hypnotic melody that seemed to lull her into a trance, a waking dream of half-formed visions and nebulous premonitions.
Suddenly, the door to the chamber burst open, the heavy oak panels slamming against the stone walls with a resounding crash that shattered the silence like a hammer through glass. Chronoa's head snapped up, her eyes wide and startled, her heart pounding in her chest as she beheld the figures who now stood before her.
Trunks, his lavender hair tousled and his face set in a mask of grim determination, strode into the room, his footsteps echoing off the high, vaulted ceilings like the tolling of a funeral bell. At his side stood Ace, a young Saiyan warrior clad in the distinctive uniform of the Time Patrol, his eyes blazing with the fierce, unyielding fire of youth and ambition.
Ace was a relative newcomer to the ranks of the Time Patrol, a raw recruit who had joined their ranks just a year ago. But in that short time, he had proven himself to be a warrior of exceptional skill and courage, a shining beacon of hope in the darkness of a universe besieged by chaos and strife. He had played a crucial role in the defeat of the demonic Demigra, a being of unspeakable power and malice who had threatened to unravel the very fabric of time itself. Now, he stood tall and proud at Trunks' side, a living testament to the indomitable will of the Saiyan race, a warrior forged in the crucible of battle and hardship.
Trunks, his voice tight with concern, stepped forward, his eyes searching Chronoa's face for any hint of the turmoil that roiled beneath the surface of her carefully composed facade.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice a low, urgent whisper that seemed to hang in the air like a palpable presence, a weight that pressed down upon them all with the inexorable force of destiny.
Chronoa sighed, her shoulders slumping as she pushed herself to her feet, the ancient scrolls falling from her lap in a cascade of rustling parchment. She took a deep, shuddering breath, steeling herself for the revelation to come, the words that would shatter the fragile peace of their world like a hammer through a pane of glass.
"It's Gaji," she said, her voice a hollow, distant thing that seemed to echo through the chambers of her own mind, a ghostly whisper that chilled her to the bone. "He appeared in the Time Chamber, during Nasu's training. He was...he was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Powerful beyond measure, a being of pure, unadulterated malice that radiated an aura of darkness so thick, so all-consuming, that it seemed to swallow the very light itself."
Ace's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing with concentration as he tried to make sense of the enigmatic figure that had so suddenly intruded upon their world. "Could it be Demigra?" he asked, his voice a low, rumbling growl that seemed to echo through the marrow of their bones. "Or perhaps Fu, the mad scientist who sought to unravel the secrets of time itself?"
Chronoa shook her head, her eyes distant and haunted, as if she were seeing something beyond the veil of mortal perception, a vision of a future that chilled her to the very core of her being.
"No," she whispered, her voice a thin, reedy thing that seemed to tremble and waver in the stillness of the chamber. "They were cautious, calculating. They worked from the shadows, moving pieces on a vast, cosmic chessboard in a game whose rules only they understood. But this...this Gaji...he was different. Brutally powerful, direct, without any pretense or subterfuge. He moved with the confidence of a being who knew that he had no equal, no rival who could stand against him."
Trunks frowned, his eyes darkening with a grim, steely resolve that seemed to radiate from every pore of his being. "What should we do?" he asked, his voice a low, urgent whisper that hung in the air like a palpable presence, a weight that pressed down upon them all with the inexorable force of destiny.
Chronoa sighed, her shoulders slumping as if beneath the weight of some vast, unseen burden. "We must be cautious," she said, her voice a thin, reedy thing that seemed to tremble and waver in the stillness of the chamber. "From now on, all missions must be undertaken in pairs. We must be vigilant, always on the lookout for any sign of Gaji's presence. And if he does appear...we must not engage him directly. We cannot risk a confrontation with a being of such terrifying power."
Ace nodded, his face set in a mask of grim determination, his eyes blazing with the fierce, unyielding fire of a warrior's spirit. "Understood," he said, his voice a low, rumbling growl that seemed to echo through the marrow of their bones. "We will be ready, no matter what challenges may come."
And with those words, the three of them fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts, their own fears and doubts and hopes for the future. The air in the chamber seemed to grow thick and heavy, laden with the weight of the trials to come, the battles that would shape the fate of the universe itself.
On the sacred world of Universe 10, the moment hung suspended in time, a single heartbeat stretching into an eternity. Kus, her voice a whisper that carried the weight of destiny, uttered the words that would set the cosmos ablaze. "It is time."
The warriors of the universe gathered, their auras pulsing with an inner fire that seemed to warp the very fabric of reality. Gowas, Nasu, and Ruumosh stood shoulder to shoulder, a trinity of power that radiated an aura of indomitable will, their presence a palpable force that pressed down upon the world like the hand of an angry god.
In a blinding flare of cosmic energy, they vanished, only to rematerialize an instant later upon the arena, a vast expanse of nothingness suspended in the void between realms. The air crackled with tension, the weight of a thousand watching eyes bearing down upon them like a physical force.
Ruumosh, his voice a low, rumbling growl that echoed through the marrow of Nasu's bones, fixed the young Saiyan with a stare that could have melted steel. "You had better not lose, boy."
Nasu merely smirked, his confidence as unassailable as the mountains themselves, an immovable object against the unstoppable force of Ruumosh's will. As the other universes began to wink into existence, each arrival heralded by a pulse of energy that sent tremors racing through the floor beneath their feet, Nasu's gaze was drawn inexorably to the titans of Universe 11.
He moved forward, his steps purposeful, his aura crackling with barely restrained power. The air seemed to shimmer and warp around him, as though the sheer force of his presence was enough to distort the very fabric of space and time.
Toppo, the legendary warrior of justice, met his approach with a gaze that could have frozen the sun itself. "A word of advice, Nasu," he rumbled, his voice a distant echo of thunder on the horizon. "Do not let your guard down, even for an instant."
Nasu's eyes flickered to the figure at Toppo's side, a being that seemed to radiate an aura of raw, unfathomable power. He was tall and broad, his skin a ashen gray that seemed to absorb the light around him. His eyes, twin pools of fathomless black, stared out at the world with an intensity that could have scorched the very heavens.
"Is that Jiren?" Nasu asked, his voice a razor's edge of disdain, cutting through the silence like a blade through silk.
Toppo nodded, his expression grim, as though the mere mention of Jiren's name was enough to send a shiver of fear racing down his spine.
Nasu scoffed, a sound that held no mirth, only a cold, unyielding contempt. "He doesn't look so tough," he sneered, his lips curling into a smirk that could have cut glass.
Jiren, his gaze never wavering, his voice a whisper that carried the weight of a thousand worlds, spoke. "Get lost," he said, each word a declaration of absolute authority, a command that brooked no disobedience.
But Nasu merely laughed, a sound that rang out through the arena like a clarion call to war. "I'll put you in your place," he declared, his voice a promise of violence and retribution.
The air between them crackled with tension, the weight of their combined power pressing down upon the arena like a physical force. Vermouhd, the God of Destruction of Universe 11, turned to Ruumosh, his voice tight with barely restrained anger. "Tell your warrior to watch his tongue, Ruumosh."
But Nasu, his eyes blazing with a fierce, unyielding light, rounded on Vermouhd, his aura flaring with the fire of a thousand suns. "With a face like yours, you have no right to lecture me," he snarled, each word dripping with venom and disdain.
Vermouhd's fury exploded outwards in a maelstrom of violet energy, his aura crackling and seething with barely restrained rage. "I will destroy you, boy," he roared, his voice a promise of annihilation and despair.
But Nasu merely laughed, a sound that held no fear, only a wild, reckless abandon. "Just try it, old man," he taunted, his voice a challenge that rang out through the arena like a thunderbolt from the heavens.
The Grand Priest, his presence a palpable weight that pressed down upon the world like the hand of an angry god, appeared between them, his voice a whisper that carried the force of a thousand screaming winds. "Save your energy for the tournament, Nasu."
But even as the words left his lips, Nasu's attention was drawn by a flare of power that lit up the void like a second sun. He turned, his eyes widening, his heart pounding in his chest as he beheld the arrival of Universe 7.
Son Goku, the legendary warrior, strode forward, his aura blazing with the fire of a thousand suns. His face, a mask of pure, unadulterated joy, split into a grin that could have outshone the stars themselves.
"Nasu!" he cried, his voice a roar of exultation that shook the very heavens. "I can't wait to fight you!"
Nasu, his own grin a mirror of Goku's, clasped the other Saiyan's hand in a grip that could have crushed steel. "The feeling is mutual, Goku."
But even as he reveled in the thrill of impending battle, Nasu's senses were drawn to another power, a presence that burned like a supernova in the void of space. He turned, his eyes widening as he beheld a figure clad in armor of purest white, a being whose very aura seemed to warp the fabric of reality around him.
"Who is that?" he asked, his voice hushed with awe, as though he were standing in the presence of a god.
Goku, his grin never wavering, clapped a hand on Nasu's shoulder, his touch as warm and solid as the sun itself. "That's Vegeta, the second strongest warrior in our universe."
Vegeta, his eyes narrowing, his aura flaring with barely restrained fury, rounded on Goku, his voice a snarl of pure, unbridled rage. "Second strongest?" he roared, each word dripping with venom and disdain. "I am the Prince of all Saiyans, Kakarot. Never forget that."
His gaze fell upon Nasu, taking in the distinctive tail that marked him as a member of their warrior race. A slow, predatory smile spread across his face, a grin that held the promise of violence and the thrill of battle.
"Another Saiyan," he mused, his voice a low, rumbling growl that seemed to echo through the marrow of Nasu's bones. "This tournament just got a lot more interesting."
Nasu, his heart pounding with the thrill of anticipation, met Vegeta's gaze with a fierce, unyielding light in his eyes. "I look forward to testing my strength against the Prince of all Saiyans."
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