Chapter 43: Tournament Registration

Android 16 gave a slight nod.

Levos finally exhaled, relieved.

There was so much he couldn't say with Frieza's people watching.

After bidding farewell to the emperor, Levos and Bulma flew toward the center of the city, with 16 silently following behind, his gaze curiously sweeping over the desolate ruins below.

"What happened to this city?" 16 asked, his voice steady.

Levos patiently explained the atrocities committed by the two rogue androids.

"They did… that?" A rare ripple of emotion passed across 16's usually expressionless face.

"That's right," Levos confirmed solemnly.

16 furrowed his brow. "I thought they were just victims of Dr. Gero's manipulation..."

"They may have been human once," Bulma said with a soft sigh, "but after Gero rebuilt them, they became devils."

"Aren't you two also creations of Dr. Gero?" 16 asked, surprised.

"No," Bulma replied, looking slightly awkward.

Levos gave a brief account of how he and Bulma had become androids.

"So, is that why you recruited me?" 16 asked.

"Earth is facing multiple crises," Levos said seriously.

Then, without leaving out a single detail, he explained the current situation to 16.

"I see… and what exactly do you need from me?" 16 paused, then said calmly, "My power may not be enough to change any of this. If I may speak plainly, Earth seems beyond saving."

"In times like this, even one more ally can make a difference. As long as there's a shred of hope, I won't give up." Levos's expression was resolute.

"What kind of hope?" 16 asked, clearly puzzled.

Even Bulma turned to Levos, waiting eagerly.

"On Planet Metamor, there's a race whose warriors possess a special technique. It allows two fighters to fuse into one, breaking their physical limits and gaining unimaginable power," Levos said, revealing the first step of his plan.

The martial arts tournament was drawing near, and after all that had happened, Levos had begun to piece together a strategy.

Fusion was the most powerful known method for multiplying strength.

In the Buu Saga, even with minimal training, Goten and Trunks had used it to become Gotenks, instantly reaching Super Saiyan 3 levels.

That leap was immense, surpassing stages that took Goku over ten grueling years and countless life-or-death battles to achieve.

Simply mastering the fusion dance could result in such exponential gains. Calling it a divine technique wasn't an exaggeration.

Its only flaw? The fused warrior could only exist for 30 minutes.

If they couldn't end the fight in that window, things could get messy.

Still, Levos had thought through that issue too. Right now, they had the perfect candidates for fusion:

Trunks and Gohan.

Both were powerful, experienced in surviving the apocalypse, and level-headed. Their fused personality would no doubt be calm and reliable, nothing like the hotheaded Gotenks.

This meant every second of those 30 minutes could be used to its fullest.

What remained uncertain was just how strong that fusion would become.

But one thing was clear: they would form the core of the front line.

If only someone could fuse with Goku, that would be even better.

Unfortunately, this timeline didn't have Vegeta, the proud prince who could match Goku in power.

As for Piccolo, his strength was likely on par with Gohan and Trunks. But for now, there was no suitable fusion partner for him either.

Levos couldn't sense the energy signatures of his other allies. They were likely hiding to avoid unnecessary conflict with Frieza.

Which meant Levos had no way to inform Goku and the others of his plan in advance.

He'd have to wait until the tournament began to track them down.

After all, with registration points scattered all over West City, it was impossible to know which one his teammates had chosen.

Levos was about to explain more when he noticed a dense crowd gathering below.

It was one of the tournament's official registration points.

Hovering in the air, Levos looked down at the startled faces in the crowd.

He turned to 16. "Have you made your decision?"

16 sighed softly. "So this is what it's come to… Our home, about to be destroyed. When that happens, the nature I love will disappear too, won't it?"

Levos nodded slowly, his expression heavy but his voice firm. "Yes. But I refuse to accept that outcome."

"I believe that one day, we can rebuild this world." 16 gave a small smile, surprisingly warm.

"Count on it!" Levos said with a grin, raising his right fist to bump against 16's.

"Then let's go register," 16 said.

The trio gently descended, drawing a wave of murmurs from the crowd.

Within moments, the bustling mass of people instinctively parted, forming a clear path straight to the registration table.

Levos walked forward calmly, unfazed by the stares. People on Earth just weren't used to seeing others fly. That always caused a stir.

16, on the other hand, seemed completely indifferent as he strode ahead.

Bulma, however, looked uncomfortable under all the attention and clung tightly to Levos's arm.

Levos simply pulled her forward and led her to the booth.

Two rows of staff in matching uniforms stood behind the table. Among them was an elderly man who looked like the event host.

Seeing the three approach, the staff hurried over to greet them.

"Welcome! May I have your names and ages, please?" one attendant asked with a respectful bow.

Levos stepped up first. "Levos Lorin, 23 years old. I'm here to register."

"Bulma Briefs, 18."

"Sixteen. Age: 28."

"Sixteen?" someone nearby muttered. "What a strange name… is that a stage name or something?"

Android 16 remained silent, his face expressionless.

The man who asked the question scratched his head and awkwardly backed off.

After carefully writing down their information, the staff member looked up again. "Are the three of you one team? If so, what's your team name?"

"Yes, we're teammates," Levos replied. "As for the name…"

He scratched his nose and looked at Bulma for help.

Bulma's bright eyes locked on him. After a moment of thought, she softly said, "Let's call ourselves… Hope."

"Hope…" Levos repeated the word, tasting its meaning, then smiled brightly.

"Our team name is Hope," he declared.

The staff paused in surprise.

Even the crowd around them fell silent for a beat.

That word, Hope, seemed to awaken something deep within everyone's hearts.

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