The Grand Priest's gentle yet supremely authoritative voice was like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake.
It instantly stirred up a monstrous wave among all present!
And the content of his announcement stunned all the gods and warriors from the various universes!
The scene fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.
Marrying an angel?!
And being granted authority and status equal to that of an angel?!
This was simply an unheard-of, unprecedented honor!
Countless gazes, mixed with shock, envy, jealousy, and curiosity, instantly focused on the figure in the center of the venue—the candidate God of Destruction of Universe 7, Whitley.
Even Whitley himself was stunned.
He stood there, dumbfounded, looking at the smiling Grand Priest before him, then glanced at Vados beside him, who was blushing slightly, her eyes filled with triumph and mischief.
After a long while, his almost-stalled mind began to turn again.
Whitley subconsciously wanted to politely decline the marriage. "Lord Zeno, Lord Grand Priest, this marriage..."
However, before he could get the words out, a slightly cool but soft hand gently took his wrist.
It was Vados.
She applied a slight pressure and, at the same time, elegantly took a step forward, pulling Whitley along to bow to Zeno and the Grand Priest.
"Vados thanks Lord Zeno for his grace!"
Her voice was crisp and pleasant, with just the right amount of reverence and joy.
Being interrupted by her, Whitley finally snapped back to reality.
His expression was strange, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings!
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this moment.
He looked at Vados, who had straightened up and was now looking at him with her light purple, smiling eyes, and could only sigh helplessly in his heart.
Oh well, what's done is done... what else can he say?
This was a divine decree personally announced by Zeno and the Grand Priest on the spot!
If he dared to refuse in public, the consequences... would probably be even more severe than directly destroying Universe 7!
He composed himself and, under Vados's smiling gaze, once again clasped his fist and bowed to Zeno and the Grand Priest.
He tried to keep his voice steady as he said, "Whitley... thanks Lord Zeno for his high regard."
After the salute, he hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't suppress the huge doubt in his heart and couldn't help but ask, "Um... Lord Zeno, may I be so bold as to ask... why did you... why did Your Majesty suddenly bestow this marriage upon me and Vados? And this angel status... this is all... too sudden."
Lord Zeno, who was currently sitting on his high divine throne, heard this and curiously tilted his round little head, his childish voice tinged with confusion. "Huh? You don't want it? It was the Grand Priest's suggestion! The Grand Priest said that you, Whitley, are a very, very good person~"
The moment his voice fell, as if Zeno had become extremely interested in Whitley himself, he actually jumped down from his huge divine throne with a "hup"!
Zeno ran up to Whitley with his short little legs, under Whitley's surprised gaze.
The guards at the side instantly tensed up!
Countless figures moved silently like shadows, surrounding Whitley and Zeno to prevent any possible accidents.
But Zeno seemed to not even see these nervous guards.
He tilted his small face up and carefully looked Whitley up and down, his large, round eyes filled with pure curiosity.
And Whitley, being stared at so closely by this seemingly young god, couldn't help but feel immense pressure. A helpless, wry smile appeared on his face.
Zeno sized him up for a long while, as if confirming something, and then continued in his unique childish voice, "If you don't like this divine decree, I can change it. I remember the Grand Priest has many other daughters..."
The moment these words were spoken, the face of the Grand Priest standing at the side darkened a few more shades, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
What do you mean, I have many other daughters?!
It's as if I'm... some kind of tool for producing daughters!
He quickly cleared his throat, interrupting Zeno's increasingly unreliable words.
Then the Grand Priest stepped forward, his face still maintaining an elegant and proper smile as he explained, "What Lord Zeno means is that although I have many children, Vados is indeed my proudest daughter. Whitley-san, since you are now married to Vados, then... in the future, you must treat Vados well."
Under Zeno's "that's not what I meant at all" gaze, the Grand Priest silently conveyed his "authority" with his eyes.
Only then did Zeno reluctantly nod his small head and vaguely agree, "That's right... that's what I meant. Whitley! You have to treat Vados well in the future!"
But he quickly changed the subject himself, his small face once again blooming with excitement.
The small Lord Zeno raised his hands, as if cheering for Whitley. "And! And! You have to do your best in the upcoming tournament! You have to win!"
Seeing the small Lord Zeno before him with his hands raised high, that almost-pouting posture combined with his innocent expression...
At this moment, Lord Zeno looked just like a child asking to be picked up.
Whitley didn't know if his brain had short-circuited from the series of "surprises," or if he had been mesmerized by Zeno's sudden childish gesture.
His mind went hot, and he almost subconsciously bent down, put his hands under Zeno's armpits, and with a little effort, lifted this supreme Lord Zeno up!
He even adjusted his posture to let Zeno sit comfortably in the crook of his arm!
And his other hand very naturally and gently stroked Zeno's smooth, round little head, a doting smile on his face that he himself hadn't noticed, as he promised in a relaxed tone, "Don't worry! I'll definitely win! I guarantee it'll be an exciting fight, and you'll have a great time watching!"
However, before his sentence was even finished, the atmosphere of the entire venue seemed to have completely frozen.
Whitley himself also snapped back to reality.
WTF!!!
What the hell did I just do?!
Did I have water in my brain? Why did I pick up Zeno?!
And why did I also pat his head?!
His body stiff, he cautiously rolled his eyes and glanced around, then prepared to act as if nothing had happened.
All the gods, angels, and especially the Gods and Supreme Kais from every universe who knew Zeno's true identity and authority, were all staring at him with their mouths agape, as if they had been petrified!
Everyone's face was written with "WTF?!", "How dare he?!", "It's over, it's over! Universe 7 is gone!".
Beerus was so scared his face had turned green!
He clutched his heart with one hand and pointed at Whitley with the other, his lips trembling, and he almost fainted on the spot!
Even the usually composed and elegant Grand Priest now had a crack in his facade, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Zeno's guards were on high alert! Instantly, the sound of weapons being drawn was endless!
"Insolent fool!!! Let go of Lord Zeno immediately!!!"
"Prepare to attack! Prepare to attack!!! Kill on sight!!"
Hundreds of powerful guards instantly surrounded Whitley!
Even more guards' figures vanished from their spots!
And Whitley, with the keen perception of his Ultra Instinct, could clearly feel that the sky, the ground... almost every crevice around him was now filled with a cold killing intent and a lock on his ki!
If he made the slightest move, he would immediately be met with a devastating attack!
And Lord Zeno, being held by Whitley, was also a bit stunned at this moment.
Apart from the Grand Priest, he had never been held in this position by anyone, let alone had his head patted.
This novel and strange experience left him a little slow to react.
After a brief, suffocating silence, it was Zeno himself who broke the deadlock.
He suddenly waved his small hand, and his round little face, far from being angry, was quickly filled with a great novelty and excitement!
"Everyone, don't be like this! I'm fine!"
He gave the order to the extremely nervous guards, his voice even carrying a hint of impatience.
The guards' movements all froze, looks of hesitation and confusion on their faces.
But under Zeno's clear second gesture, they ultimately chose to obey and slowly retreated like a tide.
But the tense atmosphere did not diminish in the slightest.
Seeing this, the huge stone in Whitley's heart finally settled halfway.
He quickly and carefully placed this "little ancestor" back on the ground, his heart pounding with fear, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
However, the moment he put Zeno down, Zeno immediately grabbed the hem of his clothes, tilted his small face up, and shouted with shining, excited eyes, "Do it again! Whitley! Just like that! Do it again! Lift me high! Hug me!"
Whitley: "..."
He now wished he could just slap himself!
You and your stupid hands! You and your hot-headed brain!
Just as Whitley was at a loss, the Grand Priest, who couldn't watch any longer, sighed helplessly and walked over. Half coaxing, half persuading, he led the still-eager Zeno back to his divine throne floating high above. "Lord Zeno, the Tournament of Power is about to begin. Weren't you looking forward to it for a long time? Let's watch the tournament first, shall we?" the Grand Priest gently persuaded.
Only then did Zeno reluctantly settle down, but his large eyes still darted in Whitley's direction from time to time, clearly not having forgotten the "lift me high" game from just now.
Whitley watched as Zeno finally sat back in his seat and let out a long sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
That was almost a disaster!
He turned with lingering fear, preparing to quickly return to Universe 7's section and get away from this trouble spot.
However, as he turned, he found that Vados had silently appeared at his side at some point.
She was holding a clean, faintly fragrant handkerchief and, with a very natural and gentle motion, raised her hand to carefully wipe the cold sweat from Whitley's forehead.
Her movements were gentle and focused, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
After wiping away the sweat, she carefully straightened Whitley's slightly messy collar, which had been disheveled from holding Zeno.
Her expression was exceptionally serious, and her every movement was so elegant and proper, impeccable.
After doing all this, she took half a step back, a perfect, gentle smile of a wife on her face, and stood quietly at Whitley's side, slightly behind him.
That posture was clearly telling everyone—
From this day forward, she, Vados, was Whitley's woman.
Where he was, she would be.
In a corner, Champa was biting a handkerchief, tears of emotion streaming down his face. My Vados! Why... why are you only leaving now!!! Whitley, you guy, why couldn't you have been born a few years earlier!!!
And at this moment, Whitley, seeing this series of smooth "wifely" actions from Vados, couldn't help but feel his mouth twitch again.
He now had a massive headache! But what was done was done, and he could no longer say much.
He could only brace himself and, under a sea of incredibly complex gazes, return to the Universe 7 seating area with his newly minted, high-status "wife."
The moment he returned, Goku's loud voice, full of surprise and pure curiosity, rang out. "Wow! Whitley! You actually got married! And it's not even to Bulma... Oof—!"
Before he could finish, Bulma, whose face was already as black as the bottom of a pot, could no longer hold it in and slammed a fist on Goku's hard head, making a dull "thud" sound.
A solid sound from a solid head!
Although with Goku's current power, Bulma's punch was nothing, not even a tickle, he still let out a cry of surprise and clutched his head with a wronged expression, not understanding why he had been hit.
Vegeta, standing at the side with his arms crossed, saw this and let out a typical Vegeta-style sneer. "Hmph! You deserved that, you idiot Kakarot!"
And Bulma and No. 18 were silent at this moment.
The two ladies, with great tacit understanding, simultaneously stepped forward, one on the left and one on the right, and walked to Whitley's side.
Bulma glared at Whitley fiercely, then unhesitatingly reached out and held Whitley's left hand tightly, her fingers squeezing so hard they almost dug into his flesh.
No. 18 on the other side, although her face still showed no expression, her sharp gaze swept over Whitley and Vados behind him. Then she also reached out and firmly held Whitley's right hand.
The two of them, one on each side, used this silent but firm method to declare their sovereignty to everyone present, especially to the just-"officially-announced" Vados.
And Whitley, "sandwiched" in the middle, could only show a wry smile that was uglier than crying.
Vados, on the other hand, seemed to have completely missed this undercurrent of "fighting for a husband."
She still maintained that gentle and humble posture, standing quietly half a step behind Whitley, a flawless, soft smile on her face.
That appearance was not like that of a noble angel wife who had just been bestowed a marriage by Zeno.
Instead, she looked more like a loyal and submissive personal maid at Whitley's side.
And just then, Whis also strolled over with a smile and sidled up to Vados, covering his mouth with his sleeve and teasing in a low voice, "Ohohoho~ dear sister~ I never would have thought that your speed at adapting to local customs and playing the role of a virtuous wife would be so breathtaking~"
But Vados just turned her head slightly, her light purple eyes glancing at Whis, the curve of her lips unchanging, and replied in an equally soft voice, "Whis, as a younger brother, shouldn't you first congratulate your older sister? Or... do you have some objection to the husband I have chosen?"
Whis was instantly at a loss for words, let out a dry laugh, and wisely chose to change the subject.
And Beerus had no such scruples.
He was now walking up to Whitley angrily, his voice low as he hissed through gritted teeth, "You bastard!!! What were you thinking just now?! Huh?! You actually dared to hug Lord Zeno?! Do you have any idea that you almost got the entire Universe 7 killed?! Do you think that just because you have an angel status, you're so great? That you can do whatever you want?! That you can disregard our lives?!"
Whitley knew he was in the wrong. Faced with Beerus's frightened and angry accusations, he could only smile sheepishly and try to explain, "Uh... I'm telling you... it was really subconscious, do you believe me?"
Beerus stared at him for a long while, and finally, a strange, unsmiling smile appeared on his face. He squeezed out a sentence through his teeth, "What do you think?! Do I believe you?!"
Whitley: "..."
Okay, even he didn't believe it.
After a round of shocked, teasing, or blaming exchanges, everyone finally sat down and turned their attention back to the center of the venue.
After all, the Tournament of Power was the main event of the day.
Just then, a huge, vast continent, as if pieced together from countless arenas, slowly descended from the sky, finally stopping and hovering at a certain height above the ground!
It exuded an incredibly solid texture.
Four streaks of light shot down from the continent and landed precisely on the open ground in front of Zeno's divine throne.
The light dissipated, revealing four extraordinary angels holding staffs.
The leading angel, with unique pink skin and cute twin-tails, was Marcarita, the angel who had led the other three in constructing the tournament arena.
She led the other three angels and elegantly stepped forward, bowing in unison to Zeno and the Grand Priest, her clear and pleasant voice reporting, "Marcarita and my colleagues greet Lord Zeno and Lord Grand Priest."
"By order of Lord Grand Priest, the tournament arena for the Tournament of Power, constructed by the four of us, has now been perfectly completed! We await the instructions of Lord Zeno and Lord Grand Priest!"
Zeno, sitting on his divine throne, was currently looking down with great interest at a divine artifact that looked like a tablet computer.
The tablet seemed to display the data of the contestants from the various universes. He was so engrossed in it that he didn't respond for a moment.
Seeing this, the Grand Priest stepped forward and said gently, "You have all worked hard. You four have completed this task exceptionally well. There will be a reward for you after the Tournament of Power is over. For now, please return to your respective universe's spectator seats."
"Yes!" X4
The four angels bowed respectfully again, then turned into four streaks of light and flew to the spectator areas of Universes 1, 5, 8, and 12—these four universes were exempt from participating due to their high mortal levels, so their angels naturally did not need to lead a team and were now purely spectators.
Only then did Zeno reluctantly put down his tablet, his small face filled with excitement and anticipation.
He urged impatiently, "Grand Priest! Can we start now?"
The Grand Priest smiled and bowed to Zeno, then turned to face the entire venue.
His calm voice, which could be heard clearly in every corner, sounded again. "The first Tournament of Power is about to officially begin!"
"Apart from Universes 1, 5, 8, and 12, all contestants from the other eight universes, please enter the ring immediately!"
"Let me emphasize the rules once more: flight is prohibited during the tournament! The use of any weapons, items, or medicine is also prohibited! Violators will be immediately disqualified! Please remember this!"
"Once all contestants have entered the ring, the tournament will officially—begin!!"
"WHOOSH—!"
The moment the Grand Priest's voice fell, the contestants from the various universes, who had been waiting for a long time, instantly moved!
Dozens of figures, like arrows released from a bow, shot up from their respective rest areas.
Most of the contestants directly took to the air, turning into streaks of light of various colors, wrapped in energy, and flew towards the huge continent floating in the sky.
There were also some contestants who did not have the ability to fly, or whose flying ability was weaker, who showed their own skills: some stomped the ground and shot towards the ring like cannonballs with their powerful jumping ability; some were carried up by their teammates; and some used some strange movement techniques.
The whole scene instantly became lively, and one after another, powerful auras quickly landed on the ring!
Everyone was now filled with the tension of the impending great battle and a surging fighting spirit.
And Universe 7's side seemed... particularly unique.
Or rather... full of style.
Whitley had stood up the moment he heard that the tournament was about to begin.
His gaze swept over his team members and he decisively ordered, "Alright, everyone, get ready to enter the ring! Everyone, hold hands and form a circle! Krillin, you will be the substitute this time and wait in the spectator seats. Piccolo! In this tournament, you're in!"
"What?"
Piccolo's green face showed clear surprise.
Logically, the current Krillin, after the arduous training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, was far stronger than him!
And what about the current Piccolo?
He had neither fused with Nail of Namek nor with Kami of Earth.
His upper limit of battle power was probably about the same as Raditz's back then.
To have him enter the ring instead of the stronger Krillin, this decision was truly beyond Piccolo's expectations.
Krillin's expression instantly dimmed, and an unconcealable disappointment appeared in his eyes.
He had always thought that he would be one of the participants in this Tournament of Power, which concerned the survival of the universe.
For this, he had shed who knows how much sweat in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, training desperately...
He never expected that at the last moment, Whitley would make him a substitute.
But Krillin was, after all, a warrior who had been through countless storms. He quickly adjusted his mentality, took a deep breath, and patted Piccolo's shoulder firmly, forcing a smile and encouraging him loudly, "Go for it, Piccolo! You have to show them the spirit of King Piccolo! Don't let our Universe 7 down!"
Piccolo looked at Krillin, then at the determined Whitley.
Although he still had doubts in his heart, he calmly nodded without asking any questions and just replied in a deep voice, "Hmm."
He followed the instruction and placed his hand on the shoulder of Goku beside him, his heart already prepared.
Whitley saw that everyone was ready and his gaze swept over these partners who were willing to fight for Universe 7.
Son Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, No. 17, No. 18, No. 16, Frieza, Broly, Cell...
And himself!
Looking at these faces, some familiar, some new, and feeling the powerful, surging or restrained ki within them, the Saiyan blood and fighting spirit in Whitley's heart couldn't help but begin to burn!
The corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards, finally turning into a confident and rampant, brilliant smile. He gave a final rally to everyone. "Everyone!"
His voice clearly entered the ears of every team member. "We—will definitely be victorious!!!"
The response he got was a chorus of different but equally motivated voices.
"Of course!" This was Goku's eternally optimistic and confident reply.
"Whitley, stop talking nonsense, you bastard!" This was Vegeta's standard tsundere response.
"Heh! Just watch me! You have to give me a vacation after this! And I want the latest game console!" This was Cell's shout, mixed with complaints and affirmation.
"..." This was No. 16.
He did not speak, just looked at Cell calmly, then gave Whitley a heavy nod. Everything was understood.
"Boss, remember to give me a raise later. I've already got my driver's license, just waiting for you to get me a good car!" This was No. 17's sunny and slightly calculating smile.
"Ohohohoho~ who do you think I am? I am the emperor of the universe, Frieza! You despicable bastard, Whitley! If we lose this time, I will definitely laugh at you for the rest of your life!" This was Frieza's sinister laugh and trademark villainous declaration.
"Hmph, I'll do my best." This was Piccolo. His surface was still cold, but his clenched fists and the fire burning in his eyes revealed his current competitive spirit and determination.
And No. 18 did not speak.
She just turned her head and gave Whitley an exceptionally moving smile, full of infinite charm and absolute trust.
Whitley felt his partners' fighting spirit, and his own heroic spirit also reached its peak!
He directly waved his hand and shouted, "Well then, everyone! Let's—go!!!"
"OH!!!" X9!
"SWOOSH—!"
An almost imperceptible spatial fluctuation sounded, and the figures of all ten contestants of Universe 7 blurred at the same time.
The next moment, the group had directly vanished from the spectator seats!
No flying, no jumping, and no fancy moves.
Just like that, cleanly and silently, they appeared directly on the distant, huge floating ring!
This magnificent entrance of a group Instant Transmission instantly attracted the attention of the entire audience!
Compared to the other universes' contestants who flew or jumped into the ring...
Universe 7's stylish and mysterious entrance instantly stood out, a whole level above the others!
"Wow! How did they do that?!"
"Directly moving through space? And with so many people at once?!"
"Universe 7... seems they're not to be underestimated!"
Surprised discussions came from the other universes' contestants and spectator seats.
And in the Universe 7 spectator area, Beerus was now so nervous he had clenched his fists.
His gaze was fixed on Whitley and the others on the ring, his expression unprecedentedly serious.
He had already observed the contestants from the other universes, especially that assassin named Hit from his brother Champa's Universe 6...
And that Jiren from Universe 11, whose ki was as terrifying as an abyss!
These two... were ridiculously strong! Completely beyond the comprehension of ordinary people!
He could feel that, apart from the unfathomable Whitley...
Goku, Vegeta, and the others... were probably no match for these two!
Now... all his hopes, the fate of the entire Universe 7!
Almost all of it rested on Whitley alone!
He couldn't help but let out a light sigh, his voice low and grave, as if he were praying. "Whitley... you kid... you have to win!"
Just then, almost at the same time, another voice, saying something similar, sounded from behind him.
"Whitley, you will definitely win!"
This was Bulma's voice.
Although it was tinged with anger from the earlier bestowed marriage incident, her tone was filled more with unquestionable trust and encouragement.
Then, another voice, as gentle as water but with a hidden edge, sounded. It was Vados's voice!
She had sat down next to Bulma at some point and was now smiling, saying to Bulma in a seemingly comforting tone, "No need to worry too much, Bulma-san. Whitley now has the status and authority of an angel. Taking a step back, even if Universe 7 unfortunately loses the tournament, he himself will not be affected at all. At that time, Whitley and I will still be happy together. You can rest completely assured~"
Bulma was instantly enraged!
She whipped her head around and glared fiercely at Vados.
Her chest was heaving violently, and her mouth opened, wanting to immediately retort Vados's words.
But the words... she swallowed them back down.
What could she say now?
Say, "Even if I'm gone, my husband won't fall for you"?
Don't be ridiculous!
She knew what kind of man Whitley was better than anyone!
That guy... was very weak in certain aspects!
Especially against a nearly perfect woman like Vados!
Although Bulma was so angry her teeth were itching!
In the end, she could only let out a heavy snort from her nose, filled with anger and unwillingness. "HMPH!!!"
Then she whipped her head back and focused all her attention on the distant ring, no longer paying attention to the angel who was smiling like a vixen beside her.
Beerus, who had witnessed this brief but gunpowder-filled silent clash between these two "Mrs. Whitleys," couldn't help but shiver.
The little bit of worry in his heart was instantly replaced by another emotion.
"Hiss... I must have been mistaken just now! How could that woman Vados be kind enough to comfort someone?! Whitley, oh Whitley... you kid... may you be blessed in the future!"
He silently broke out in a cold sweat for Whitley's future "happy" life.
"But..."
Beerus's gaze became grave again.
"Everyone! You have to win!"
...
Get 10 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"