Chapter 235: Cooler Appears!
Cooler slowly stepped out from behind Frieza. Though his pace wasn't fast, each second brought an unprecedented sense of oppressive pressure to everyone present.
It wasn't just his appearance but also the imposing aura with which he emerged.
For a moment, the entire arena fell into utter silence.
"Why does he look so much like Frieza?"
Suddenly, someone asked this question. On the silent spectator stands, this was an especially abrupt statement. But with the crowd being so large, no one could identify who exactly had spoken.
Everyone glanced around briefly but found that nobody paid much attention. Someone nearby explained quietly, "That's Frieza's older brother, and he's also a ruler of the galaxy!"
"At one point, he even took over Frieza's position as the overlord of the universe."
"However... for some unknown reason, the two of them have now joined forces, with Frieza taking the lead."
Everyone is naturally curious about gossip, especially when it involves the rulers of the universe. However, they dared not discuss it recklessly, fearing their voices might attract the attention of Frieza's army.
Frieza might not care.
But his army certainly would!
That terrifying oppressive force could be clearly felt even from the spectator stands, showcasing the overwhelming combat power.
Whether someone had a few thousand or tens of thousands in power level, at this moment, no one dared step into the arena.
Cooler stood proudly in the middle of the arena, looking as if he were towering over everyone. While it resembled the First Universe Martial Arts Tournament, upon closer inspection, there didn't seem to be any particularly strong competitors.
Beerus was visibly displeased at this scene.
Initially, he had hoped to uncover a few strong contenders.
But who would have thought…
Even when faced with someone like Cooler, no one dared to challenge him.
If this were the Tournament of Power, wouldn't they be utterly destroyed?
"Hmph!"
"What's the point of selecting anyone? It feels pointless already. If they can't even handle someone like this—"
"If they encounter strong fighters from other universes, won't they wet their pants on the spot? That would bring utter disgrace to the First Universe!"
Beerus's face darkened.
The First Universe Martial Arts Tournament was, after all, meant as preparation for the Tournament of Power.
But now, even facing someone like Cooler, no one dared to step forward.
The level of ability was obvious...
Whis stepped in to smooth things over.
"Lord Beerus, don't be anxious. The strongest contestants always come out last; it's not their turn yet."
"Besides, they might not even take Cooler seriously, believing he's not worth their effort, hence their hesitation."
"Don't worry…"
"We should still be able to find suitable candidates!"
While Whis spoke calmly, he didn't hold much hope internally. However, it didn't matter much; with Saiyans and Earthlings participating, there was already a considerable guarantee.
Moreover…
Perhaps they could rope Frieza into participating as well?
That would be another powerful ally.
Though a thorny character, if handled correctly, Frieza could definitely serve as a formidable asset for the First Universe.
Whis smiled with his eyes narrowed, already fixated on Frieza as a potential target.
Far away, Frieza suddenly shuddered for no reason.
He felt as though someone was plotting something against him.
That was not a good feeling!
"How odd, why do I feel like I'm being watched?"
"Oh ho ho…"
"Is there some fool who wants to challenge me, the great King?"
"Interesting, this is far too interesting!"
The "King" was supremely confident.
Even after his previous humiliating defeats, he could still maintain his royal demeanor.
As time passed and no one dared step into the arena, Whis appeared on the stage.
"If no one else will step up, then Cooler wins by default!"
"This is the second spot…"
"If you don't work harder, there won't be many spots left!"
"So, do your best!!"
Whis maintained order in the arena. Though it was another anticlimactic moment, it didn't really matter. Each victor simply earned a chance to advance.
Once all winners were determined, further battles would take place among them.
The top ten strongest fighters would ultimately represent the First Universe in the Tournament of Power.
This was a grand event of incredible importance.
Moreover, it concerned whether their universe would be destroyed, so there was no room for error.
Beerus and the gods took this very seriously.
Cooler scanned the surroundings with a look of disdain, not taking anyone present seriously at all.
Finally, his gaze rested on Mu Chuan and his group, filled with blatant provocation.
Greta couldn't help but want to rush onto the stage.
"This guy is so disgusting. Winning just one match, so what? Who hasn't won before?"
"It's just that no one dares to challenge him, not a single person."
Karl chimed in from the side.
Greta opened his mouth a few times but ultimately said nothing. Although it was unclear who among them was truly stronger, they all knew that someone who could intimidate everyone into not stepping forward was indeed on another level.
Not everyone could achieve such a level of deterrence.
"To avoid wasting too much energy and to prevent accidents, I would have fought him by now."
Greta grumbled under his breath.
It did seem a little like sour grapes, but many others shared the same thoughts. So, no one contradicted him.
Winning was, of course, important, but what if something unexpected happened?
No one could guarantee anything...
Especially in chaotic battles like these.
At any moment, someone else could swoop in and take advantage.
As a result, everyone carefully selected their battles, only stepping forward when they felt there were no particularly strong competitors. This ensured a higher chance of advancing.
As for the final top ten, that would be decided purely on individual strength.
Thus, everyone remained cautious.
Whether it was the Saiyans or the Earth's warriors, they all carefully strategized to avoid being eliminated in the preliminary rounds—it would be too embarrassing.
It was better to face each other in the final matches.
Chaotic battles always carried risk…
No one wanted to take the chance, and no one could guarantee they wouldn't make a mistake.
After Cooler's victory, every participant became even more cautious.
But luck played a role…
Among the Earth's warriors, a large number were eliminated because of the vast difference in strength.
Only a few barely advanced.
And it wasn't even because of their strength; it was more due to luck—being able to stay in until the end.