The Adult Division competition was held the next day. There were far more competitors than in the Junior Division, and their skill levels varied widely. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Kashu, Lazuli, Cell, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu all signed up, taking most of the top ten spots. But one person's appearance caught everyone by surprise.
Mr. Satan. This self-proclaimed "strongest man on Earth" had "saved" the world during the Cell Games seven years ago—in reality, he'd gotten the credit through luck and some edited footage—and become an idol to all humanity. His daughter, Videl, had followed in his footsteps and become the next generation's martial arts star. "Mr. Satan! Mr. Satan!" The cheers from the stands were deafening. Satan wore his signature red cape, his muscular build and beard giving him the appearance of a powerful fighter. He climbed into the ring and waved to the audience, then spotted Goku and the others. "You again?" Satan frowned. "Why are you guys back?" Goku smiled. "It's been a while, Mr. Satan! We're here to compete!"
"Hmph." Satan lifted his chin. "I won't hold back this time! I'll show you what real martial arts looks like!" Vegeta gave a cold laugh but said nothing. The Adult Division preliminaries were single-elimination. Goku and Vegeta were placed in different brackets and advanced with ease. Kashu and Cell barely even had to warm up; they defeated their opponents in a single blow.
Gohan's path through the tournament was just as smooth, until he faced an unexpected opponent in the round of sixteen. Videl. They stood in the ring, gazing into each other's eyes.
"Gohan," Videl said seriously, "I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're my boyfriend." Gohan gave a wry smile. "I won't go easy on you either. But be careful, Videl. I won't hurt you." "You think I'm weak?" Videl snorted. "Take this!" She rushed forward and launched a beautiful spinning kick at Gohan's head. He leaned back slightly, and the tip of her foot passed just centimeters from his nose. Videl continued her attack, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks, her moves both graceful and fierce. Her fighting skills were truly impressive—among ordinary people, she was unquestionably top-tier. But compared to Gohan, the gap was like that between an ant and an elephant. Gohan only dodged, never attacking, avoiding each blow by the narrowest margin. He didn't want to hurt Videl, or make her defeat too humiliating. "Gohan! Fight seriously!" Videl cried in frustration. "Are you humiliating me?" Gohan froze for a moment. "I'm not..."
"Then show me what you can really do!" Videl said angrily. "I know you're strong, but I don't want you treating me like some fragile doll who needs protecting!" Gohan looked into Videl's eyes. They burned with an unyielding fire. He took a deep breath and nodded. "All right. I'll take this seriously." Gohan suddenly vanished.
Before Videl could react, a hand had gently settled on her shoulder. She turned and saw Gohan standing behind her with a smile. "You should give up," Gohan said. "You've already lost."
Videl bit her lip, a flash of frustration in her eyes. But she knew Gohan was telling the truth—if he'd wanted to win, the match would have been over in the first second. "I give up," Videl said quietly. The referee declared Gohan the winner. Videl turned and walked away from the ring, her shoulders trembling slightly. Gohan caught up with her and took her hand. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to embarrass you." "I know." Videl looked up, her eyes slightly red. "I just... can't accept it. I've wanted to be a martial artist since I was little, to become the world's greatest like my father. But today I realized I'm nowhere near good enough." Gohan clasped her hand. "You don't need to be the world's greatest. You just need to be yourself." Videl looked at Gohan's face. There was no mockery or pity there, only sincerity. She couldn't help smiling as she wiped away her tears. "You bookworm, when did you get so good with words?" Gohan blushed. "I... I'm just telling the truth." They walked away hand in hand, while Mr. Satan watched from nearby, his face turning livid. He'd never known his daughter had a boyfriend. And that boyfriend was actually that "bookworm," Son Gohan? "Hey!" Satan stormed over. "What have you done to my daughter?" "Dad!" Videl stepped in front of Gohan. "We're dating!" "Dating?!" Satan's eyes widened. "I don't approve! My daughter's going to marry someone stronger! Someone at least stronger than me!" Gohan scratched his head. "Mr. Satan, I think I'm stronger than you, aren't I?" Satan's face turned a purplish red. "What did you say?!"
Just then, a commotion rose from the ring. A short man in a bizarre outfit jumped up and pointed at Satan. "You're that Satan who's been deceiving the world? The strongest man on Earth? It's all a lie!"
Satan snapped, "Who are you?" The short man sneered. "I come from another world. The fate of this planet is about to be decided, and you mortals are still playing this ridiculous game!" His ki suddenly burst forth, and an oppressive force spread across the entire venue. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Kashu, and Cell all stood up at once. "That ki..." Goku frowned. "It's strong. About as strong as a Super Saiyan Second Grade." "Even stronger," Vegeta said. "And it's still rising." Kashu's gaze sharpened. "They're here." Several figures appeared behind the short man: a tall old man in ornate clothing with a crown on his head, a clown holding a staff, a burly man, and a thin figure shrouded in shadow. The tall old man stepped forward and surveyed the crowd. "I am the East Supreme Kai," he said. "One of the highest-ranking gods in the universe. I've come to Earth to stop an ancient evil from awakening." His gaze fell on Gohan at the edge of the ring, and his brow furrowed.
"Son Gohan, your power... is too weak. Far weaker than I expected." Gohan stared at him. "What?" "None of you," the East Supreme Kai said, looking around, "are strong enough. If that evil awakens, you'll all be killed." Mr. Satan burst out laughing. "What Supreme Kai? What evil? Are you putting on an act?" No one laughed.
Goku walked up to the East Supreme Kai and looked at him earnestly. "What evil are you talking about?" The East Supreme Kai took a deep breath. "Majin Buu." The name struck everyone like a bolt of lightning. Kashu's pupils contracted sharply. He'd read about that name in ancient texts among the alien ruins—Majin Buu, one of the oldest evils in the universe, a being even the gods feared. "Majin Buu... is he still alive?" Kashu's voice was low. "He's sealed away," the East Supreme Kai said, "but the seal is weakening. An evil sorcerer is trying to undo it." He gazed into the distance, his eyes seeming to pierce the walls of the stadium as he looked toward West City. "The sorcerer's name is Babidi. He's already arrived on Earth."
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