With a sweep of the Grand Priest's hand, the pitch-black World of Void was suddenly washed in brilliant gold.
Out of the emptiness, planet-sized golden orbs shimmered into existence, rising slowly until they hung in full view before everyone.
"These are… the Super Dragon Balls?"
"They really are blindingly gorgeous."
The remaining fighters of Universe 7 stared up at the colossal Dragon Balls that seemed to dye all of space gold, unable to hold back their awe.
With another gentle motion, the Grand Priest drew the Super Dragon Balls closer, until they floated right beside the last battered fragment of the arena.
"Although you are all victors, the Super Dragon Balls, by their nature, can only grant a single wish," the Grand Priest said with a smile. "I will give you a moment to discuss it. You should decide quickly."
"Seventeen, do you have a wish you want granted?"
Vance Hart clutched his injured arm and stepped up in front of Android 17.
"A wish? Yeah, I already figured mine out," Seventeen nodded. "What about you? Do you have something you absolutely have to make happen?"
"Your wish… is it still to travel the world with your family?" Vance did not answer directly, and just asked instead.
At that, Seventeen froze for a second, then shook his head.
Seeing him shake his head, Vance smiled faintly.
"In that case, there's nothing more for me to say."
He turned and began to walk toward the edge of the arena, raising one hand in a casual wave.
"I'm giving up my right to make a wish. The Super Dragon Balls are yours, Seventeen."
With that, Vance stepped off the arena.
A flash of white light, and his figure reappeared up in the stands.
"Vance!"
No one had expected that to be his final decision.
After all, the Super Dragon Balls could literally grant anything. That was not an exaggeration. They truly had that kind of power.
To simply let that chance go felt downright foolish to most of the onlookers.
"Don't let that cold expression fool you. Seventeen is actually pretty easy to talk to," Android 18 leaned in and said quietly.
"No need."
Vance shook his head.
"I trust Seventeen will make a better wish than I ever could."
He leaned back against the stands, relaxing for the first time, watching the light play across the Super Dragon Balls.
"Have you decided?"
The Grand Priest turned to Seventeen with a gentle smile.
"Yeah."
Seventeen did not waste words. He only nodded lightly.
The Grand Priest gave a small nod of understanding, then turned his back to them and faced the Super Dragon Balls. His lips began to move, chanting in a strange, ancient tongue.
It was the incantation used to summon the dragon, a language independent of all twelve universes, a special speech only the gods could wield.
Even if an ordinary person somehow gathered all the Super Dragon Balls, they would have no way to make a wish. Only a god could speak these words.
As the summoning ritual neared its end, light flashed in the Grand Priest's eyes. He looked toward the Dragon Balls and shouted the final command.
"Come forth, Super Shenron!"
The instant the last three syllables rang out, the Super Dragon Balls began to change.
Vast golden light erupted from within each orb, twisting together into a single beam that rose into the sky above the World of Void.
Slowly, the light solidified.
A golden dragon, stretching hundreds of kilometers from head to tail, coiled into existence before everyone's eyes.
Thud.
Up on the main throne, the two Zenos shot to their feet at the sight of the Super Dragon. For once, their tiny faces were solemn.
"Well then, Seventeen," the Grand Priest asked softly, "have you decided what wish you desire?"
The two Zenos were wrapped in a pale yellow glow and drifted over as well.
"You can say anything you want," one of them chirped.
"Anything at all!" the other echoed. "Super Shenron is super strong. Any wish can be granted."
"Anything you want. So what do you want?"
"Anything is okay!" the two of them chattered back and forth, nagging like children.
"Speak your wish, final victor of the Tournament of Power," the Grand Priest said, smiling as he looked at Seventeen standing straight and unbowed on the arena.
"Restore all the universes erased because of this tournament," Seventeen said quietly. His eyes were steady. "Put everything back the way it was."
"That's it?"
"Just that?"
The two Zenos floated even closer, staring at him as if they had misheard.
Seventeen only smiled, then urged, "Hurry it up. A wildlife reserve ranger has a busy schedule, you know."
Chuckling, the Grand Priest raised his hands high once more.
Another wave of that incomprehensible divine language spilled from his lips.
When he finished, the Super Dragon seemed to understand. Its massive head dipped in the slightest of nods.
Then its blood-red eyes flashed.
Super Shenron's colossal body began to dissolve, turning into countless specks of golden light that scattered in all directions.
Its now shrunken form let out a sky-splitting roar, then shot up like lightning and vanished into the void.
"Mm. The other universes have all been restored to how they were," Whis said, lifting his staff. In the crystal at its tip, each universe reappeared, whole and intact.
"Seventeen!"
Android 18 could no longer sit still. She flew from the stands to her brother's side, grabbing his shoulders with both hands.
"That was your wish? I thought you wanted to travel with your family."
"Like this… you won't regret it?"
Seventeen laughed softly and patted her on the back in reassurance.
"This way, I saved a whole lot of universes."
"His wish really was unexpected," someone murmured in the stands. "He actually used it to bring back the universes we were just fighting against."
"Lord Zeno already guessed this might happen," the Grand Priest said, gliding over on his floating disk to join the cluster of gods.
"And if Seventeen had wished for something else?" a god asked carefully.
The Grand Priest considered this, then answered, "Then Lord Zeno planned to erase everything."
Cold sweat instantly beaded on the foreheads of the gods around him.
One by one, the warriors of Universe 7 gathered on the arena fragment, sitting down in a loose circle.
"That really was a close one this time," Goku laughed, pure joy in his voice. "Vance, you're seriously strong. When we get back, we have to spar properly."
Vance shook his head and looked at Goku.
"I'm leaving."
"Leaving? You are not coming back to Universe 7 with us?" The others froze, all eyes turning to him.
"I have other things to do," Vance said calmly. "Who knows when we will see each other again."
He turned and started walking toward the far edge.
"Take care!"
A chorus of voices called out behind him. Vance glanced back to see everyone lined up, waving him off.
He smiled, raised his right hand, and waved in return.
"See you around."
At the same time, a voice sounded in his mind.
"Congratulations. You have completed the final mission."
"Attention. You will leave this world in ten seconds."
Vance nodded slightly to show he understood.
He had fought side by side with the fighters of the Dragon Ball world for forty-eight hours. It was not a long time, but it had been enough to forge a bit of genuine feeling.
He walked until he reached a place no one else could see clearly. Faint white motes of light began to rise from his body.
"10, 9, 8, 7… 3, 2, 1."
When the countdown ended, Vance's body shattered into countless white particles and faded from the World of Void.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"