In the Universe Chat Group's member list, the names of natives like Itadori Yuji and Okkotsu Yuta could no longer be found.
Even without witnessing it firsthand, people from other planets clearly understood what had happened. They swallowed nervously and clasped their hands together in prayer.
Sasuke, having sheathed his sword, had just stepped off the ring when he immediately opened the chat group.
[Sasuke: @Tsunade, Don't forget your promise.]
Tsunade, who had silently watched this battle through the live stream, replied briefly with one word:
[Okay.]
Originally, Sasuke's attitude towards the Universe's Number One Martial Arts Tournament was somewhat similar to Zeref's. Both held a negative attitude.
The difference was that Zeref genuinely didn't want to live anymore, and he even somewhat looked forward to his planet's destruction. After all, until now, he had continuously tried to create various powerful demons to kill himself, but never succeeded. But if the entire planet were destroyed, he couldn't possibly survive, right?
As for Sasuke, it was because he had lost the goal of 'revenge'. For a time, he didn't know what to do. It was at this time that Obito, who had his Mangekyo stolen by Ishigami, told Sasuke the truth about the Uchiha Clan's massacre. This made his feelings very complicated.
Because by this time, Itachi, whose eyes had been taken, was already dead. Danzo was also gone. The fire pent up inside him had nowhere to vent for a while.
Fortunately, there were two accomplices… Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, so Sasuke set his sights on these two, leading his Hebi team to attack Konoha.
Seeing that this matter couldn't be negotiated, Tsunade used these two as bargaining chips, demanding that Sasuke participate in the martial arts tournament.
After all, Tsunade didn't really like these two old folks, and they contributed little to Konoha and loved to gossip behind her back all day.
Sasuke thought about it and ultimately agreed. Although he had never replied to his teammates Naruto and Sakura after leaving Konoha, over three years, they had almost sent him messages every day. This had more or less influenced his mindset, preventing him from falling to the darkness as thoroughly as in the original work.
Of course, the main credit was Naruto's, as Sasuke basically didn't read Sakura's messages.
…
After Sasuke left the stage, Sukuna's headless body dissipated. It turned into a deep purple gaseous form and drifted away from the Grand Kai's planet, flying outward. This scene attracted the attention of countless viewers both at the venue and in the live stream.
The East King Kai explained: "Although he died on the Grand Kai's Planet, souls must uniformly report to Enma's palace. The Soul Cleansing Machine will remove their evil and power before sending them to Hell."
As soon as the East King Kai finished speaking, the commentator raised his hand again: "Cough… Then, let the next two contestants take the stage!"
"From the East Galaxy's Planet Isekai, contestant Ainz Ooal Gown!"
The old bone, currently the East Galaxy's representative for imposing presence, dramatically spread his cape and glanced sideways at the others.
"Everyone, I'm going up now."
"You must win, Bonehead! If you dare embarrass me, I'll make you run a hundred million laps around my planet!" The East King Kai said angrily.
The East Galaxy only had the old bone and Taichi with any real chance of winning. Now that Taichi had already lost, if something happened to the old bone too...
Glancing at Gintoki with cream still at the corner of his mouth, looking like a good-for-nothing, and Bai Yuekui, whose thighs weren't even as thick as Lott's wrists... the East King Kai's eye twitched uncontrollably.
'What kind of subordinates did I have...'
"Please rest assured, East King Kai-sama. Not only for your honor, but to protect my planet and everyone in Nazarick, I will stake my life to secure this victory." The moment he stepped onto the ring area, the old bone took a deep breath and declared in a low voice: "My name is Ainz Ooal Gown! Having staked this name, how can I possibly be defeated!?"
Planet Isekai. In the Adventurer's Guild of Axel City.
Kazuma clenched his right fist and thrust it forward. "Oh yeah! Go for it, Ainz! Take down your opponent!"
Aqua: "Is that skeleton really okay? He doesn't seem stronger than me."
Natsuki Subaru: "That's because your attributes happen to counter him, right? No one would dare let you fight for real."
Emilia: "I believe Ainz-san's strength is not in question, but it still depends on who his opponent is."
The adventurers in the guild nodded in agreement with the silver-haired girl's view. Their gazes swept over the group of monsters sitting in the contestant seats.
Subaru clasped his hands against his forehead, continuously muttering: "Not one of the three monsters, not one of the three monsters, not one of the three monsters..."
The 'three monsters' he referred to were, naturally, Lott, Goku, and Cell.
Amid the continuous prayers of Subaru and the others, the commentator finally spoke again: "His opponent is… from the West Galaxy's Planet Yasha... contestant Inuyasha!"
Seeing Inuyasha, dressed in a wide red robe with silver hair and a pair of dog ears standing upright on his head, Demiurge from the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the originator of the 'assuming supreme intelligence' attribute, pushed his round-framed glasses up his nose and said in a low voice: "A demon race? Looking at the weapon at his waist, he uses a sword. Given Ainz-sama's strength, I don't believe he will lose. But the universe is vast, we don't know what strange abilities the opponent might use..."
…
"Cough... May I ask if the two contestants are ready?" The commentator looked left and right at the two who had taken the stage.
"Please wait a moment. I need to make some preparations." Ainz slightly raised his arms and said in a low voice: "Body of Effulgent Beryl!"
A light green radiance filled Ainz's fleshless body surface.
"My apologies, opponent. Since I must stake the entire planet, and my most cherished Nazarick, I must make full preparations." As he spoke, the old bone recited a long list of baffling terms as if reciting a menu:
"Fly."
"Bless of Magic Caster."
"Magic Ward: Holy."
"Life Essence."
"Greater Full Potential."
"Freedom."
"False Data: Life."
"Penetrate."
"Greater Luck."
"Magic Boost."
"Draconic Power."
"Greater Hardening."
…
"Enough already!?" After a full two minutes passed and the old bone showed no sign of stopping, even the East King Kai, who had been hoping Ainz would secure a victory for the East Galaxy, couldn't take it anymore.
Feeling the stares from the live audience and his fellow King Kais looking at her as if she were an idiot, the East King Kai felt that if she let the old bone continue this recital, even if he won, her own dignity would be utterly lost.
Not to mention his own faction members like Bai Yuekui and Gintoki, 99% of the viewers both at the venue and in the chat group were dumbfounded.
Even in the Planet Magic, which also used magic, countless mages were wide-eyed, completely unable to imagine the old bone could buff himself with so many spells before a fight.
Inuyasha, standing opposite him, nearly had his eyes pop out. Before the fight even started, he felt completely outclassed.
'Should I also learn some buffing techniques? But there was no one in the team skilled at that.'
Of course, the most important prerequisite was whether he could even survive to return.
Hearing his superior scold him, the old bone, who still had about a dozen 'menu items' left unrecited, sheepishly closed his mouth, 'Wasn't I just doing this to be on the safe side?'