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In another part of the arena, Videl was locked in a brutal match against a massive, unsettling man named Spopovich. A jagged black 'M' was etched onto his forehead like a brand. Initially, Videl's skill and speed gave her the upper hand, but she soon realized something was horrifyingly wrong. No matter how many bone-shattering strikes she landed, Spopovich simply rose again, his eyes glazed and vacant.
The crowd gasped in horror as Videl landed a fierce kick that twisted Spopovich's head completely around, snapping his neck. Yet, with a sickening crunch, the man simply twisted his skull back into place as if nothing had happened.
Panic began to set in, but Videl's pride as a martial artist wouldn't let her surrender. The tide turned violently. Spopovich unleashed a savage beating, and when Videl tried to take to the sky to regroup, she found no refuge—Spopovich could fly, too. He was no longer human.
By the time the match ended, Videl was a broken shadow of herself. Backstage, Gohan's fury boiled over. His Ki flared violently as he exploded into a Super Saiyan, his disguise shredding instantly under the pressure of his golden aura. It took Goku's firm hand on his shoulder to keep him from charging into the ring.
Sengoku: "This Spopovich is a monster. His neck was snapped, yet he repaired it with his own hands?"
Garp: "Is this the power of the enemy Super Saiyan 3 must face? To survive such damage... that's not a normal fighter."
Supreme Kai Shin: "You are correct to be wary. Spopovich is a puppet of the wizard Babidi. He has been demonized—warped by dark magic until he is human in name only."
Shin recognized that mark instantly. It was the seal of Babidi, the man who could pull the darkness out of a person's heart and enslave them. This confirmed his fears: Babidi was active on Earth. However, Shin remained composed. With Lord Beerus awake, he felt the threat was manageable. Still, he doubted that a mere wizard like Babidi warranted the use of Super Saiyan 3.
Is it Majin Buu, then? Shin wondered. He knew the Saiyans were powerful, but in his mind, they were still just mortals. He didn't know the full extent of the Super Saiyan 3 transformation, but he knew the legend of Majin Buu—a creature far beyond the likes of Cell. He clung to his divine dignity, convinced that while these Saiyans were impressive, they lacked the base power to truly challenge a primordial terror.
In the video, Goku moved quickly, bringing Senzu Beans to heal Videl's near-fatal injuries. Once the crisis passed, the next match was called: Gohan versus Kibito.
As Gohan stepped onto the tiles, Kibito stood with the cold arrogance of the divine. "Transform," Kibito commanded. "Show me the power of a Super Saiyan." Like Shin, Kibito looked down on the Saiyans as mere humans playing at godhood.
Gohan hesitated. If he unleashed his full power here, his secret life would be over; he'd never be able to attend school as a normal teenager again. But then he saw Piccolo. His mentor gave a solemn nod. The message was clear: Do it.
As Gohan prepared to power up, Shin warned Goku and the others to stay back, no matter what happened. He revealed that Spopovich and another pawn named Yamu were waiting to ambush Gohan. When Krillin scoffed, saying Gohan could handle them easily, Shin disagreed with a grave expression.
The multiverse watchers were instantly misled by Shin's caution.
Kakashi: "Why is the Supreme Kai so dismissive of Gohan? Spopovich is strange, sure, but Gohan is a powerhouse. The idea of him losing is absurd."
Genos: "It reminds me of how the Hero Association viewed Master Saitama. They lack the insight to see true strength."
Sanji: "Wait, if a Supreme Deity is this worried, maybe we're underestimating the enemy. Could Spopovich and Yamu be stronger than a Super Saiyan?"
Zoro: "If the subordinates are that dangerous, then this Babidi must be a nightmare."
The comments flooded in, fueled by Shin's "expert" warnings. Across the dimensions, viewers began to visualize Babidi as an unstoppable god-tier sorcerer who required a Super Saiyan 3 just to be kept at bay.
Watching the screen, Akira let out a quiet chuckle. He knew the truth. Shin wasn't being tactical; he was simply a god who hadn't seen enough of the world to realize that the mortals standing next to him had already surpassed the heavens. Shin's caution regarding Majin Buu was justified, but his fear of Babidi's henchmen was a total lack of vision.
Akira leaned back, anticipating the moment when the "exalted" Supreme Kai would finally see what a Saiyan's true potential looked like. The look on the faces of the multiverse when they realized Shin had been panicking over nothing would be priceless.