Just as Son Goku spoke, a sharp "whoosh!" split the air.
Two figures appeared out of nowhere, Vegeta and Nappa, one after the other. Nappa instinctively stopped at a distance, wary. Vegeta, however, moved closer. But as soon as he landed, Vegeta's eyes narrowed, particularly when they landed on Raditz. His expression shifted slightly, but he quickly masked it.
Seeing Vegeta's arrival, Raditz and the others didn't pay him much attention, while the young man froze for a moment.
He quickly regained his composure.
"Goku Ojisan, could you come over here for a moment?" The young man asked, taking a deep breath. Although confusion clouded his mind, he knew he had to speak to Son Goku, someone his mother had often mentioned.
"Oh, okay!" Son Goku nodded, still puzzled, and moved over.
Jiang Chen glanced at Vegeta, initially considering speaking up, but after a brief moment of contemplation, he decided to hold back and a smile appeared on his face instead.
Moments later, two golden auras flared up in the distance.
"What?" Vegeta's eyes widened in shock as golden energy exploded outward.
At that instant, he was shaken to his core. He instantly recognized the golden aura, it was unmistakably the power of a Super Saiyan.
He had already accepted that Aspara and Son Goku had transformed into Super Saiyans. Even Raditz's transformation didn't faze him. But now, another one had appeared, and it left him utterly stunned.
Of course, Raditz and the others were equally taken aback, their surprise mirrored by Vegeta's.
They had never expected another Super Saiyan to show up.
"Aspara!" Raditz and the others turned to Jiang Chen.
"What is this?" They asked, eyes wide.
"He must be a Saiyan from another time and space," Jiang Chen replied slowly, his voice calm. "Probably Vegeta's son. He was supposed to go to the past, but it seems he ended up in the wrong timeline."
Jiang Chen didn't hesitate to share his thoughts. The moment he laid eyes on the young man, he recognized him immediately.
Vegeta's son, Trunks.
In the original timeline, twenty years in the future, Earth had been ravaged by the Androids, leaving only a few thousand survivors. Trunks had used the time machine his mother Bulma, built to travel back to the past, hoping to find a way to defeat the Androids and restore peace.
Jiang Chen hadn't expected that Trunks would appear in this timeline. After all, the course of history here had already shifted drastically, and the Androids' devastation was a future that couldn't happen anymore.
Theoretically, Trunks shouldn't even exist in this altered timeline, yet here he was.
It was a moment of surprise, but soon, feedback from the Book of Time clarified the situation.
This Trunks wasn't from their timeline, but rather from the original one, somehow having crossed into their time and space.
"From another time and space?" Raditz and the others blinked, exchanging bewildered glances with Trunks, then with Vegeta.
Others mirrored their confusion.
No one had anticipated that the Saiyan who had suddenly appeared was actually Vegeta's son, and that he had already mastered Super Saiyan. Even now, Super Saiyans were still a rare sight, making this revelation all the more shocking.
…
In the open space, everyone's expressions shifted, a look of surprise crossing their faces. No one had expected that the young man before them was from the future, and even more so, that he was Vegeta's son.
"Prince Vegeta's son? He doesn't really look like it!" Celipa muttered, unable to contain her thoughts.
The others nodded in agreement, slightly puzzled.
As for Vegeta, his reputation among the group wasn't exactly favorable. In contrast, the young man standing before them, though they had only just met, gave off a surprisingly positive vibe.
"The events in his timeline must be different. A lot has happened there," Jiang Chen explained quietly.
The group nodded, taking in his words with thoughtful expressions.
As they continued their conversation, the initial test had concluded, and Trunks and Son Goku had returned.
But before either could speak, Vegeta had already walked up.
"Who exactly are you?" He asked, his tone laced with discomfort. "There shouldn't be any Saiyans left in this universe aside from us."
Vegeta's gaze was fixed intently on Trunks, a clear unease in his expression. He had come to terms with Jiang Chen, Son Goku, and Raditz surpassing him, but the appearance of a Saiyan out of nowhere who was also stronger than him was something he couldn't accept.
Trunks, caught off guard by Vegeta's pointed question, hesitated, his thoughts in disarray, especially as he stood before his father. His expression shifted with uncertainty.
"Vegeta, he's not from our universe, nor is he from our timeline," Jiang Chen interjected, seeing Trunks frozen in place. His voice was calm but firm, immediately drawing the attention of Trunks, Vegeta, and Son Goku.
"Not from our timeline?" Vegeta asked, his expression now filled with confusion.
"You!" Trunks exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Trunks, this isn't twenty years ago from your timeline. This is a new timeline," Jiang Chen explained with a soft smile. "So there's no need to worry about anything."
"Not our timeline?" Trunks repeated, his body trembling slightly with the realization.
"Time travel is illegal. Your journey must have encountered some issues, bringing you here, to our timeline," Jiang Chen continued.
At that moment, Vegeta seemed to begin to understand what had happened. His impatience was tempered slightly by the explanation.
Though Vegeta's tension eased, Trunks' expression only grew more troubled. He had meant to travel to the past, but instead, he had ended up in a completely different timeline.
Panic began to creep into his features.
"Don't worry. This place should be more than enough to help you figure things out," Jiang Chen reassured him, pausing before adding, "Besides, Trunks, changing the past doesn't change the future. It only creates a new future. Wouldn't it be better to deal with the Androids on your own, using your own power?"
Trunks, still a bit panicked, listened to Jiang Chen, but the uncertainty remained in his eyes.
Jiang Chen couldn't help but smile at Trunks' struggle. To be honest, in the entire 'Dragon Ball' world, apart from Bardock, his favorite characters were Son Goku from the GT timeline and Future Trunks.
Son Goku needed no explanation, he was simply cool. But Trunks? He was more than just cool.
In his future timeline, things were drastically different. The devastation caused by the two Androids had turned it into a wasteland. Civilization had been destroyed, and only a few survivors remained.
Even the cities had been razed to the ground, leaving little behind but ruins. The future Trunks came from wasn't just a dark place; it was a broken world that needed saving.
Trunks was the warrior born from such dire circumstances. In his future world, he was the last remaining fighter on Earth. It could be said that in such a harsh environment, Trunks matured far faster than warriors like Gohan and Goten, who grew up in a peaceful world.
Moreover, compared to Son Goku and Vegeta, who had long coasted through life and were often reckless in their approach, Trunks had been explosive from the start. He decisively took down Frieza and King Cold, showcasing his quick thinking and determination.
Now that he had arrived in this timeline, Jiang Chen didn't mind offering his help.
"Can I really do it?" Trunks questioned, doubt creeping into his voice. "They're too strong."
Hearing Jiang Chen's words, Trunks' eyes briefly sparked with hope, but he quickly shook his head again. If he could really resolve it, he wouldn't have resorted to traveling back in time to change the future.
"Useless! When have we Saiyans ever doubted ourselves?" Vegeta's voice was full of irritation as he looked at the downcast Trunks, his voice harsh as he let out a frustrated snort.
"I!" Trunks began, but his words faltered. He was at a loss for what to say.
Vegeta's anger only grew. He couldn't understand why this Saiyan lacked the confidence to fight. It infuriated him.
"Vegeta, his circumstances are different," Jiang Chen said, stepping in to defuse the situation, before turning his attention back to Trunks.
Vegeta curled his lip in annoyance but didn't respond further.
"Alright, Trunks," Jiang Chen spoke after a moment of thought, "I'll take you to a place where you can train. I believe I can help you achieve the power needed to surpass the Androids."
Trunks' eyes widened with disbelief as he looked at Jiang Chen.
(To Be Continued…)
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