Chapter 334:
– Layla –
Gohan led me across the Capsule Corp compound, and I could feel my excitement building with every step. I hadn't seen the rest of the team yet, but I could sense them nearby—Powerful energy signatures all clustered together! I was so ready!
We turned a corner and stepped into the large training courtyard out back. My eyes immediately scanned the group waiting there.
Android 18 was the first one I spotted—leaning against a railing with her arms crossed, looking effortlessly cool and drop-dead gorgeous. The tight black top and blue jeans? Yeah, she was sexy as hell, no question. Her vibe screamed "don't fuck with me," and I respected the hell out of it.
Next to her stood Android 17, who looked… well, kind of emo if I was being honest. The long hair, black shirt, the brooding posture—it all added up. He gave me a glance but didn't say anything.
Krillin stood nearby with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed as he watched me. He was already giving off weirdly protective vibes, and I couldn't tell if it was a "who the hell are you" look or a "why is my wife staring at your chest" look. Possibly both.
We'd get back to that second one later...
Then there was Piccolo, standing off to the side, arms also crossed–what was it with this team and folding their arms–and eyes locked on me like I was some kind of puzzle he didn't quite trust. His whole posture screamed paranoia.
And finally, Master Roshi.
He had a nosebleed…
"Wowzers!" Roshi practically shouted, his eyes bugging out as they trailed down my body like an old-school cartoon. "That's a nice pair of tits you got there!"
Gohan froze beside me. The entire group collectively groaned or sighed in unison.
18 rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like "gross."
Piccolo just muttered, "Unbelievable."
Krillin facepalmed.
Gohan looked over at me with a slightly panicked expression, clearly expecting me to be pissed off.
But honestly? I just giggled. Everyone turned to look at me like I'd lost my damn mind.
What...?
I would've been seriously disappointed if Master Roshi didn't say something to me of all people. "Thanks," I added, reaching up and giving my chest a little proud fondling. "I like them a lot too!"
Roshi immediately perked up. "A woman of culture!? I thought the myths had been false all these centuries!"
Android 18 groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh my god. There's a female version of him."
"Hey," I said, smirking. "There are worse things to be than a pervert..." With that, I turned to address the group more formally. "Anyway, nice to meet all of you. I'm Layla of the Fallen. I'll be joining you guys for the Tournament of Power. I'm replacing Tien."
That didn't sit well with Krillin. He took a step forward, frowning. "Why? Tien's a great teammate. Why replace him?"
Gohan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Layla challenged him. It was a fair fight… and she won."
Krillin's eyes narrowed. He didn't say anything else, but his arms crossed even tighter across his chest. I looked at him, then glanced toward Android 18, hoping maybe she could clue me in on what his issue was. But nope—she was just staring at me too. And not in a friendly way. Her gaze dropped to my hips, then my chest, and her jaw tightened.
I sighed. Loudly. Women…
Like, wasn't she already married happily with a kid? What was she getting all jealous for….
"Well," I said, clapping my hands together, "as fun as the tension is, I'm really looking forward to fighting beside all of you. Promise I'm not here to steal anyone's spotlight. Just wanna help us win."
Nobody responded immediately. Then 17, still leaning silently against a tree, finally said, "Let's hope you're not all talk..."
I smirked. "Guess we'll find out soon enough."
…I sensed Goku pop back into the compound with Whis and Beerus. Those three felt like miniature suns to my senses—dense, radiant power wrapped in very different personalities.
Back in my own multiverse, sensing beings on that level was rare.
And they weren't alone.
There was a fourth energy signature walking with them… and that one definitely wasn't human. Alien was a better word. Cold, sharp, icy—it reminded me of knives dipped in liquid nitrogen. Just brushing against it sent a flicker of caution up my spine.
The others around me felt it too.
Krillin's jaw tensed. Android 18 narrowed her eyes. Even 17 pushed off the tree he was leaning on. Piccolo's frown deepened, and Roshi stopped mid-leer to mutter, "Oh, hell no."
I turned toward the approaching figures just as Goku beamed and called out, "Hey everyone! I'm back—and I brought our final teammate!"
There he was.
Frieza.
Walking like he owned the place, his long tail swaying behind him and that smug little grin already tugging at his lips. He hadn't even said a word yet, and I could already tell he was the type to cause problems on purpose.
The tension in the air skyrocketed instantly.
"You brought him?" Krillin snapped, glaring at Goku. "Are you out of your mind?"
"I didn't exactly have many options!" Goku replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "He's really strong—and we need ten people."
"Frieza is a genocidal maniac," Piccolo growled. "And that's on a good day."
Frieza's grin widened. "Oh, please. Let's not dredge up ancient history. I've already been promised a wish from the Super Dragon Balls if we win. And I assure you all…" He gave them the most insincere look of mock innocence I'd ever seen. "I'm not going to turn on the team. Probably."
Gohan facepalmed. Android 18 looked like she wanted to kick him through a wall. Even Roshi looked deeply uncomfortable—and that man slept in discomfort.
I was the only one who didn't seem bothered. I just gave Frieza a little wave from across the courtyard.
His red eyes locked onto me for the first time. He tilted his head slightly, clearly confused by my lack of hostility. "And who exactly are you?" he asked, voice smooth and cool.
"Layla of the Fallen," I said simply. "I'm the one who beat up your three-eyed buddy and took his place."
Frieza blinked once. "Huh…?" Then, surprisingly, he moved on. Maybe he just didn't know what to do with someone who wasn't immediately hostile.
"Alright!" Goku clapped his hands together. "Now that we're all here, why don't we talk about some basic strategy?"
"Fuck no," Vegeta huffed from across the yard. He hadn't even stood up from his spot on a training bench. "I'm not sitting through some half-assed plan. I already told you—stay out of my way, and I'll win the whole thing for us."
Goku visibly deflated. "Come on, Vegeta…"
Piccolo crossed his arms—again. "I'll be doing my own thing as well. I know how to handle myself."
"I plan to crush the other universes," Frieza added, voice dripping with ego. "Strategizing implies they're on my level. They aren't."
Android 18 rolled her eyes. "This is going to go great."
"It already is great!" Roshi declared while still ogling me.
Krillin muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "We're all gonna die."
I stood there watching the dynamic unfold, resisting the urge to laugh. Wow. The team chemistry was incredible. "Truly," I said dryly, "we are one of the teams of all time…"
No one even looked at me.
– Beerus –
Beerus didn't like it.
That Layla woman had shown up out of nowhere—literally hours before the Tournament of Power—and immediately beat the crap out of one of his universe's champions. Three-eyed bald guy. Ten, or Tim, or something with a "T." He could never remember the names of the weaker fighters.
Still, he was technically one of their ten. And now she'd just claimed his spot like it was a damn open casting call?
Beerus sat on one of Capsule Corp's patio chairs with a bowl of ice cream in his lap, tail flicking agitatedly. He didn't even care that Whis had gotten him the really expensive kind, with imported fruit toppings and ultra-whipped cream. It just didn't sit right.
She felt… off.
Whis stood beside him, calm as always, sipping a drink through a neon blue straw like he didn't have a care in the world.
"I don't like this," Beerus grumbled, jabbing his spoon halfheartedly into the dessert. "That Layla woman. She feels wrong."
Whis raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. "Wrong? Oh come now, Lord Beerus. I'd say she's quite fascinating."
"Fascinating?!" Beerus snapped, jerking around to face his attendant. "She came out of nowhere and flattened one of our fighters. You call that fascinating? Her energy feels... strange. Like a mortal trying to pretend they're a god."
Whis chuckled behind his glass. "That would be because she is technically also an angel."
Beerus choked.
Not on his words—on his damn ice cream! He coughed violently, clutching the bowl as a chunk of frozen mango slid down the wrong pipe. "What?" he gasped between sputters. "What the fuck did you just say?"
Whis nodded, as if this were all perfectly normal. "A goddess and an angel."
Beerus stared at him, stunned. "There's no way that's allowed. No way. Angels can't compete in the tournament. We can't compete in the tournament! If the Grand Priest finds out, we're screwed! Our whole universe is screwed!"
"Calm down, Lord Beerus," Whis said pleasantly, sipping again. "I've already spoken to my father about it."
Beerus paled. His tail froze mid-sway. His pupils narrowed.
"You what?" he whispered.
Whis blinked innocently. "I messaged the Grand Priest a moment ago. I figured it was best to get ahead of any misunderstandings."
Beerus stared at him, completely horrified. "You contacted your father without telling me?"
"He responded within seconds," Whis continued breezily. "Said he already knew about Layla's presence. Apparently Lord Zeno and the other Zeno both find her very interesting. They already knew about her at the very least…"
Beerus's mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. "They allowed her to join?" he asked incredulously. "They approved of a literal angel being on our team?"
Whis smiled. "They even said it would 'make things more fun.'"
Beerus sat back, mind spinning. A goddess. An angel. On his team. He hadn't even gotten to vet her. What if she had an agenda? What if she snapped halfway through the tournament and turned on them? What if she got them erased for doing something forbidden?
But then again...
He looked out across the courtyard, catching a glimpse of Layla playfully bantering with Master Roshi and making Android 18 mutter obscenities under her breath. She didn't feel like the stuck-up divine types Beerus usually had to deal with.
Slowly, a grin tugged at the corner of Beerus's mouth. He leaned back in his chair and scooped another spoonful of ice cream.
"Well, well... looks like we've got an ace in the deck after all." He started cackling. "Let the other universes bring their best. We've got a fucking angel on our side. We're gonna win this thing for sure now."
Whis chuckled beside him, watching his God of Destruction bask in the newfound smugness. "I do admire your optimism," Whis said.
– Layla –
Finally, it was time!
After all the build-up—after beating up Tien, healing Gohan's eyes, and awkwardly NOT bonding with a group of emotionally stunted Z–fighters.
The Tournament of Power was actually about to begin.
We were all gathered in Capsule Corp's courtyard. Everyone had finished suiting up, stretching, posturing, or in Roshi's case, ogling. Now it was down to the final goodbyes.
I watched from a few feet away as the family members showed up. It was kind of sweet, honestly.
Chi-Chi immediately made a beeline for Goku and started yelling at him at full volume. "You better not screw this up, Goku! You hear me? This is your fault in the first place! You better win dammit!" She jabbed a finger into his chest over and over, while Goten tried–and failed–to get her to calm down. Goku just laughed sheepishly like this happened every time he left the house.
Off to the side, Bulma was with Vegeta—and surprisingly, she wasn't giving him a hard time. In fact, she was being... soft. She was fussing over the collar of his armor like she was trying to adjust it, even though it didn't need adjusting. Vegeta kept grumbling under his breath and refusing to meet her eyes, but he wasn't pulling away either.
Adorable tsundere Saiyan behavior.
Bulma finally turned to me and gave me a sharp, knowing smile. "Good luck, Layla. And don't think I've forgotten our little conversation. We'll definitely be talking more after this!"
I grinned at her. "Looking forward to it, Bulma."
Whis clapped his hands together lightly, drawing everyone's attention. "If you would all please gather in the center. It's time."
The group slowly assembled in a loose circle, everyone stepping in without much complaint. Well, except Vegeta, who took his sweet time finishing whatever snack he'd grabbed on the way out of the kitchen.
As Whis raised his staff, a shimmering dome of translucent energy formed around us. It felt like standing inside a soap bubble, only this one crackled with divine power. Goku stepped in beside me and shot me an excited look, like a kid getting on a roller coaster. "Here we go!"
The dome flashed—and just like that, we were gone.
…
We reappeared in something. Some kind of artificial void that defied normal spatial logic. The Grand Arena was suspended in an endless cosmic black lit by twisting galaxies, floating crystalline debris, and raw light. It was gorgeous—and weirdly trippy.
My senses immediately went haywire. My body adjusted, but my mind was still trying to map this space in a way that made sense. It didn't help that there were so many insane energy signatures all around us. I felt the other universes' teams standing on floating platforms nearby. I also felt their gods. Each and every one of them radiated power like dying stars.
But none of that was what caught my full attention. No. That honor went to the three figures hovering above everyone. My eyes drifted past the gods of destruction, past the angels, and locked onto the central floating throne.
There they were. The Grand Priest. And behind him? The two Zen-Ohs.
I'd seen pictures, clips, fan art. I knew what they looked like. But feeling them in person? That was something else. They didn't just radiate power—they were power. Cosmic, elemental, reality-splitting force stuffed into two tiny, adorable alien children.
And then they looked at me. Both of them. Their eyes locked onto mine with eerie synchronicity, and a second later, their voices echoed in my head—two overlapping, high-pitched tones like children whispering from inside a dream.
"Who are you? Why are you here? Are you here to play?"
"Why are you in our multiverse?"
I stiffened slightly but kept my posture casual. I didn't respond out loud. Just reached out with my mind.
'I'm here to play, yeah… but also here to deal with an intruder. He plans to use the Super Dragon Balls to steal Zen-Oh's–er–your power…'
There was a long pause. A very long pause. Then the two tiny gods tilted their heads in perfect unison.
"Oh… we didn't think someone would try that."
"That's bad!" the other added cheerfully. "Thank you! You're gonna help us, so we should be friends after you ascend to be like us!"
I blinked. Still, I gave a polite mental nod. "Sure… friends. Sounds great." To be honest, Zen-Oh's casual, whimsical nature freaked me out a bit. The way they viewed mortals' lives as toys on a table? Not my vibe. When I eventually ascended to that level—and I would—I'd be a much more hands-off kind of goddess. Chill. Immortal. Mostly spending time with my family and future harem.
Let the mortals do their own thing without freaking them out too much...
But for now? I had a mission. Somewhere on one of those platforms was another Gamer. And they were here to steal power that didn't belong to them. I was going to kill them.
Well… that was the plan.
"No killing in the tournament!" both Zen-Ohs said suddenly in my mind. "That breaks the rules. You'll be disqualified!"
…Of course it did. I sighed internally. 'Fine. I'll deal with him after!'
"Yay!" they both cheered, still telepathically.
I really hoped he/they didn't plan on talking to me the entire tournament…
XXX
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Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:
The Fallen Gamer ch 335-339
The Blood Queen 52
The Fox Hole 96
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 16
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 15
The Fox Hole 95
The Blood Queen 51
Thunder and Black Wings 26
The Fox Hole 94
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 14
The Blood Queen 50
The Fox Hole 93
The blood Queen 49
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 13
The fox hole 92
Thunder and Black Wings 25