The arena after the God of Destruction exhibition was devastated—massive craters scarring the supposedly indestructible surface, entire sections cracked or pulverized. But through the combined efforts of the Grand Priest and all surviving Gods of Destruction, it was restored to pristine condition in moments, divine power reweaving reality itself.
The tall central pillar used for timing made a mechanical clunk sound like precision gears engaging.
Once the official tournament commenced, this column would gradually sink over exactly forty-eight minutes. When it disappeared entirely into the platform, time would expire and the tournament would end. Whatever universes still had fighters remaining would survive. The rest would face immediate erasure.
With the venue repaired and ready, the Tournament of Power could officially begin. All 120 fighters had to enter the arena immediately.
Beerus hadn't received the privilege of survival exemption, so he could only pin all hopes on Goku and the others. He went down the line offering last-minute instructions—part intimidation, part encouragement, entirely stressed.
"Saiyans, listen up! If you encounter someone you don't like, you fight them! No holding back!"
"Frieza, if you cause problems or betray us, I will personally destroy you!"
"Buu, stay on the platform! Don't get careless just because you're immortal!"
Nearly every team member received some form of final directive from the anxious God of Destruction. When they began leaping into the arena, Goku waved enthusiastically and called back with his characteristic grin, "Don't worry, Lord Beerus! Brother! We've got this!"
The moment everyone stepped onto the platform, the sheer scale became apparent. The arena stretched so vast you couldn't see the far edge—and surrounding them in every direction were fighters from seven other universes. 120 warriors total, all clustered by their respective teams, creating a tense circular formation.
Everyone sized up their opposition warily, eyes tracking potential threats.
"Vegeta, look at that guy over there." Goku felt overwhelming pressure the instant he entered, his instincts screaming warning. His gaze locked onto a distant figure.
Universe Eleven. Jiren.
Among the crowd of elite warriors, Jiren stood completely apart. Just his presence—simply standing there motionless—generated crushing force that dominated the entire battlefield. No other existence could compete with that aura.
Ordinary fighters might not perceive the difference. But at Goku and Vegeta's level, the gap in power was crystal clear.
"Goku, and look there too!" Vegeta had identified other threats—the mysterious powerhouses from Universe One and Universe Twelve. Their strength demanded respect. "Every universe has top-tier fighters. One of these people must be the mortal Beerus mentioned who surpasses Gods of Destruction..."
"This won't be easy," Gohan observed, his expression shifting to complete seriousness as he surveyed the arena.
"Gohan, have you been training properly?" Piccolo asked.
"Yes, Uncle Piccolo. I haven't slacked off at all." Gohan clenched his fists with determination.
Piccolo smiled with satisfaction, removing his weighted hat and cape simultaneously. Time to fight at full capacity.
Throughout the other universes, similar preparations were occurring. Nobody wanted their failure to result in universal extinction. Everyone was betting everything on this battle—their lives, their families, their entire reality!
"The competition is finally starting," Raditz said from the spectator area, appearing completely relaxed despite the stakes. "Let them see how powerful our universe truly is."
Beerus clenched his fists, eyes blazing with determination.
The Grand Priest observed all contestants positioned and ready. He smiled pleasantly, raised his arms, and announced in a voice that carried across the entire World of Void:
"Everyone is prepared! Then I hereby declare—the Tournament of Power has BEGUN!"
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere ignited. Tremendous cheering erupted from every spectator platform as the timer began its inexorable descent.
Goku slammed his fist into his palm, shouting with pure excitement, "ALRIGHT! LET'S DO THIS!"
Universe Seven exploded into coordinated action. Goku, Vegeta, Super 17, Gohan, and Frieza launched themselves in different directions like lightning bolts, scattering to engage multiple fronts simultaneously. Piccolo sprinted toward the central area to provide support and tactical coordination. Tarble and Tapion moved as a pair along the periphery, their combination techniques requiring proximity.
Majin Buu strolled casually across the arena, completely relaxed and carefree. Meanwhile, Broly obeyed Raditz's instructions to the letter—standing perfectly still in his designated position. He would attack anyone who struck him first, but otherwise remain a stationary fortress.
Android 17 charged directly toward Universe Ten's contingent. The so-called "Muscle Universe" consisted primarily of large, heavily-built warriors—but in front of Android 17's infinite energy and refined technique, they were merely targets.
A boxer-like fighter saw Android 17 approaching and quickly assumed a combat stance, launching a fierce straight punch with impressive form.
Android 17's expression didn't even flicker. He leaned smoothly under the blow with minimal movement, his left hand striking the man's exposed ribs with surgical precision. The impact launched the fighter airborne, and 17 immediately pursued, delivering a devastating kick mid-flight.
A shrill scream crossed the arena as the first fighter fell into endless darkness, vanishing instantly. Simultaneously, a new figure appeared in Universe Ten's spectator area—eliminated within seconds of the tournament's start.
"MURISARM!" Rumsshi, God of Destruction of Universe Ten, gasped in shock.
The remaining Universe Ten fighters stood frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. They hadn't even seen Android 17's movements clearly!
Android 17 smiled coldly. "Looks like this universe will be easy to deal with."
He lunged forward again, firing an energy sphere that struck another contestant, eliminating him with casual efficiency.
Seeing two more team members appear in the spectator area within moments, Rumsshi roared desperately, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! FIGHT HARDER!"
But shouting accomplished nothing. Combat ultimately came down to power and skill—and Android 17 was teaching Universe Ten a harsh lesson. He kicked a third fighter off the platform before they could even mount effective resistance.
Throughout the rest of the massive arena, fierce battles erupted simultaneously. Countless energy attacks whistled through the air, explosions alternating with impact sounds in a continuous roar. Smoke and light twisted through the storm of combat. Warriors shouted technique names, roared with exertion, screamed in pain and surprise!
Various special abilities made the battlefield dazzling—crushing one-sided dominations occurring alongside evenly-matched duels. Countless shockwave rings spread outward, cracking the arena floor despite its divine reinforcement.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Afterimages filled every direction, brilliant lights shifting constantly. Zeno, seated in his elevated throne, watched with rapt attention. The GodPad he held finally served its purpose—under the Grand Priest's explanation, the heads of eliminated contestants darkened on the display, tracking eliminations in real-time.
At the arena's center, besides Broly, one other figure remained completely motionless. He stood with arms crossed, eyes closed, deep in meditation—seemingly indifferent to the chaos erupting around him.
The battle had started, yet it didn't disturb him in the slightest. Not even his own teammates attempted to engage him.
Universe Eleven's Jiren. Only he possessed such absolute confidence.
Similarly, nobody dared approach him. Even warriors who couldn't consciously perceive Jiren's true strength felt crushing pressure when they entered a certain range around him. They would pause, begin trembling unconsciously, and quickly move away in search of easier targets.
"Hey, Whis, what's the deal with that guy? He's from Universe Eleven, right?" Beerus stared at Jiren intently, deeply puzzled by the display.
"Indeed. Didn't you mention there exists a mortal in one universe who has surpassed God of Destruction level? That appears to be him."
"He's stronger than Belmod?" Beerus couldn't help glancing toward Universe Eleven's spectator area. He found Belmod reclined casually on the steps, chatting and laughing with the Angel Marcarita, seemingly unconcerned with the battle's progress.
Perhaps it wasn't that he didn't care—more that he possessed such confidence in victory that monitoring individual exchanges seemed unnecessary.
Belmod sensed Beerus's gaze and looked back directly, displaying a supremely confident smile. He appeared completely unbothered by his earlier loss, treating his defeat to Raditz as a trivial matter of no consequence. What he intended to win was this competition—the right for his universe to survive!