Up on the Lookout, Vegeta had already returned.
The moment he arrived, he saw Piccolo stepping out from the corridor leading to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
"What?" Vegeta blinked. "That fast?"
Then he realised Gohan wasn't with him and immediately demanded an explanation.
"Gohan's staying inside a while longer," Piccolo said. "I came out to check what's going on."
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "What happened? Cell's ki is still out there. Vegeta, weren't you going to destroy him?"
Vegeta's face darkened.
Krillin and Tien had no choice but to explain everything that happened, from start to finish.
Piccolo listened, then shook his head with a long, tired sigh.
Vegeta stood there, jaw tight, saying nothing.
He hated it, but there was nothing he could do.
He'd wanted to go back and erase Cell with the golden Great Ape.
But if Cell destroyed the artificial moon again, Vegeta would still lose.
Better to stop humiliating himself and go train.
Besides, Cell gave us nine days.
This time, no matter what, I'll master the Great Ape transformation without a moon.
Only then will I be unbeatable.
"Cell Games?" Piccolo paused. "Fine. At least he gave us time to train."
"Hmph." Vegeta scoffed. "You going in there is a waste. That room is a Saiyan's domain."
He waved dismissively. "Do what you want. But the remaining time is mine. I'm staying in there seven or eight years."
Piccolo smiled. "Too bad. You only get two days in there in your entire life—forty-eight hours."
Vegeta's eyes widened. "What happens if you stay longer than forty-eight hours?"
"The exit disappears," Mr. Popo said calmly from nearby. "You'll never get out."
"Tch." Vegeta clicked his tongue, furious.
"We could consider upgrading the chamber later," Piccolo said thoughtfully. "Make the time limit longer."
"Then hurry up and upgrade it!" Vegeta snapped.
"Don't be ridiculous," Piccolo said, almost enjoying himself. "An upgrade like that would take years."
Vegeta didn't want to speak anymore.
Just then, Krillin and Tien felt Gohan's ki rising from inside the corridor.
"That's Gohan!" Krillin yelled. "He's coming out?"
"What?" Vegeta's expression shifted. "Already?"
A moment later, Gohan walked out from deep in the corridor.
Gohan's hair stood up in sharp, golden spikes. His eyes had taken on a green tint—clearly the look of a Super Saiyan.
But there was no blazing aura around him.
He was holding his power in, calm and controlled, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Piccolo watched him with open satisfaction.
"Gohan! Are you a Super Saiyan now?" Krillin rushed up, still half stunned.
"Yeah, Krillin-san," Gohan said with a smile. "Piccolo-san told me it's best to train with Super Saiyan as the baseline, so I kept that form and trained like that."
"Hah." Vegeta sneered. "A Namekian teaching Saiyans how to train. What a joke."
Piccolo didn't even look at him.
"Piccolo-san," Gohan said, stepping closer, "can you give me an outfit like yours?"
"Sure," Piccolo said.
He raised a hand, and an invisible wave of magic washed over Gohan.
Pop.
Gohan's clothes shifted into Piccolo's style.
Gohan looked himself over and grinned, genuinely happy.
Right then, everyone turned toward the same direction.
"That's Goku!" Krillin shouted. "That's Goku's ki!"
"And Trunks is with him," Krillin added. "I can feel him too."
…
Out in a barren wasteland, a time machine descended slowly. The hatch opened.
Goku and Trunks shot out.
Goku immediately staggered aside and threw up.
That spinning… it really does a number on you.
He'd barely held it in back on Universe 7's Earth.
"We made it, Goku-san," Trunks said with a relieved smile. "We successfully returned from Universe 7's Earth to Universe 6's Earth."
"Yeah… we're back," Goku said, wiping his mouth.
Trunks stepped forward and turned the time machine into a capsule.
"Trunks, everyone's gathered on the Lookout," Goku said. "Grab my hand. I'll use Instant Transmission to take you there."
Trunks put his hand in Goku's.
Whoosh!
In a blink, they vanished.
A heartbeat later, Goku and Trunks appeared on the Lookout.
"Goku!" Krillin shouted, throwing himself into a hug.
"Dad!" Gohan rushed in too, nearly tackling Goku.
Goku hugged both of them, laughing.
"Eh? Gohan?" Goku pulled back, staring at his son. "You're huge now! And… are you a Super Saiyan?"
"Yeah," Gohan said, nodding hard. "Piccolo-san and I trained in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."
"Goku, you took forever," Krillin said, tears in his eyes. "I missed you like crazy."
"I wanted to come back sooner," Goku said, rubbing the back of his head. "But the time machine needed at least three years to recharge."
He added, "And we were supposed to be back seven days ago, but something went wrong, so we got delayed."
"Dad," Trunks said, greeting Vegeta.
"Hmph." Vegeta looked away. "The future androids—are they dealt with?"
"Yes," Trunks said, nodding. "They're gone."
"Kakarot destroyed them?" Vegeta asked.
"No," Trunks said. "Universe 6's Supreme Kai destroyed them."
Vegeta froze. "What? A Supreme Kai did that?"
So Goku and Trunks explained everything they'd been through in the future.
No one expected the future androids to die at the hands of Universe 6's Supreme Kai.
Then Trunks explained how Goku went to Namek, brought back a new Guardian, and used Porunga to revive everyone.
But the future Goku couldn't be revived.
He died of heart disease, and the dragon couldn't resurrect someone who died from illness.
The news left everyone quiet and conflicted.
"Don't worry," Goku said with his usual carefree grin. "Future me went to the Other World, and he's doing great."
Later, when Trunks mentioned the green monster, Piccolo and Vegeta both reacted instantly.
"In simple terms," Piccolo said, "Dr. Gero's computer built him. The Cell you saw should've been his early form. He needs to absorb Android 17 and 18—or Android 21—to become complete."
"Your future and our present are completely different now," Krillin said. "Before 17 and 18 showed up, there was Android 19 and 20—and 20 was Dr. Gero after he modified himself."
He counted on his fingers. "On top of that, 16 and 21 also woke up."
"Wait," Goku said, scratching his head. "To fight the androids, our Guardian fused with you, Piccolo? That means our Dragon Balls are gone too, right?"
He looked troubled. "Guess I need to find a new Guardian again."
"A new Guardian?" Mr. Popo looked so excited he nearly vibrated.
"We'll handle it later," Goku told him, nodding. "I'll figure something out, Mr. Popo."
Mr. Popo finally calmed down, but the hope in his eyes only grew.
The conversation shifted back to Cell.
"Cell showed up there because he wanted to kill Trunks and steal the time machine," Krillin said, voice low.
"So that means," Piccolo added, "besides Trunks's future, there's another future timeline where Trunks was killed by Cell."
Trunks' face went pale.
So in another timeline… I died to that monster?
Goku nodded as he put the pieces together. "So the Cell in our world is already complete, then."
"Yes," Piccolo said. "He's complete. And Vegeta trained a full year in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber—and still wasn't his match."
Vegeta's expression blackened.
"I'll go take a look," Goku said.
He raised two fingers to his forehead.
Whoosh!
Goku vanished on the spot.
…
Paozu Mountain.
Bardock arrived at Goku's house with Gine, landing at the door just as he lifted his hand to knock.
Then Bardock froze.
He could feel Gohan.
And the next instant, he felt his son too.
"Kakarot's back from the future," Bardock said, both shocked and thrilled. "Good."
Gine didn't answer. She just looked up at Bardock, conflicted.
Why did I agree to come meet his son with him?
What was I thinking?
"Kakarot went to that Lookout up there," Bardock said, pointing toward the sky. "Let's go."
"The Lookout?" Gine asked. "What is that? A place where gods live? Or… is that your palace?"
"It's where Earth's god lives," Bardock said gently. "My palace is far away in Universe 9. If we get the chance, I'll take you."
He paused, then added bluntly, "Right now, I still can't take you there. If you enter open space, you'll die immediately."
Gine's eye twitched. "Could you not say it like that?"
Bardock scooped her up and shot into the sky, flying hard toward the Lookout.
Just after they left, Chi-Chi opened the door and stepped outside, looking around.
"Who was talking just now?" she muttered, scratching her head. "Was that Vegeta? I swear I heard someone call Goku 'Kakarot'…"
…
Cell's arena.
Cell had redecorated the ring again—laid stone tiles in a wide circle and raised pillars at all four corners.
He looked it over and nodded, satisfied. "That should do."
Then he saw something descending from the sky.
Someone was riding a pink, horse-like monster.
And on either side of that rider were two oddly shaped figures.
But the rider looked strangest of all.
Zeno-sama rode Majin Buu down and landed on the ring.
"Hey," Zeno-sama said, staring at Cell. "What are you doing?"
Cell smiled faintly, looking Zeno-sama up and down. "You don't know?"
"I asked what you're doing," Zeno-sama said again.
"Nine days from now is the Cell Games," Cell replied coolly. "Didn't you watch TV?"
"Nope," Zeno-sama said, shaking his head.
"If you're confident, you can enter," Cell said with a polite smile.
"How dare you!" the right guard barked.
"Looking for death," the left guard said, frowning as he stepped forward—clearly ready to erase Cell on the spot.
But Zeno-sama suddenly perked up.
"In nine days," he said, "everyone on this planet comes to compete?"
He waved a hand at the guards, and both immediately bowed and retreated behind him.
"Anyone with ability can come," Cell said, then glanced at the guards with open disdain, as if they weren't worth noticing.
The guards' expressions turned ugly.
For a moment, they truly wanted to tear Cell apart.
But Zeno-sama had already spoken, and they didn't dare move.
"Okay!" Zeno-sama said brightly. "In nine days, I'll come watch."
"Yes, Zeno-sama," both guards replied, bowing.
"Let's go," Zeno-sama said, giving Buu another pat.
Buu's face twitched.
Could you stop hitting my butt?
With a leap, Buu shot into the sky, carrying Zeno-sama away. The guards followed.
Cell didn't stop them. He simply watched, smiling.
Still… he was curious.
Who were they?
Fast, too.
They didn't look like Earthlings.
Whatever. As long as I get the Legendary Super Saiyan's cells, I'll become the strongest human alive.
The strongest in the whole universe will be me—Cell!
Cell had no idea he'd just walked along the edge of being erased.
If Zeno-sama hadn't gotten even slightly interested in the Cell Games, Cell would have been wiped out on the spot.
Just as Cell looked up at the direction they vanished, he felt a presence appear behind him.
He spun around.
The ki was unfamiliar.
Then he saw Goku.
Cell's face changed instantly. He stumbled back several steps, eyes filled with shock and fear.
"Are you Cell?" Goku asked.
Cell blinked, then forced himself to breathe. "You're… Son Goku?"
So it's not Bardock.
It's Goku.
Damn it—don't scare me like that.
"I'm Goku," Goku said, studying him. "Your ki feels a lot like the monster I met in the future. So you're what he looks like after becoming complete."
"You really went to the future?" Cell asked, startled.
Goku didn't answer.
Cell thought it over and decided it made sense. If he and Trunks could travel through time, then Goku using Trunks's machine wasn't strange.
So Goku must've gone to the future and destroyed the androids.
That's why I never saw them there.
But then why didn't I see Goku in the future…?
Whatever. It doesn't matter now.
"You came back at the perfect time, Son Goku," Cell said, smiling again. "I'm sure you've heard about the Cell Games."
"Yes," Goku said, nodding.
"This is the arena where the Cell Games will decide the fate of the world," Cell said. "What do you think?"
"It's too small," Goku said honestly.
Cell stared at him.
Then what am I supposed to say to that?
"I'll enter the tournament," Goku continued. "Until then, don't kill anyone. Can you do that?"
"I won't go out of my way to kill," Cell said with a snort. "But if someone comes looking for trouble, I won't hold back."
Goku didn't argue. He vanished with Instant Transmission.
Cell stood there, staring.
"What kind of technique is that? He disappears instantly?"
…
In the next moment, Goku returned to the Lookout.
Trunks rushed up. "How was it, Goku-san? Compared to the Cell in our future?"
"That's Perfect Cell," Goku said, voice serious. "He's stronger than the Cell in your time by a ridiculous margin."
He frowned. "Even if the me from that era were still alive… I don't think I'd beat him."
Trunks froze.
Then Krillin leaned forward, hopeful. "What about now, Goku?"
"Me now?" Goku scratched his head, then glanced at Gohan and gave a weird little grin. "I think I'd have a hard time too."
Trunks stared, speechless.
Krillin's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding, Goku? You can turn into a Super Saiyan God! Are you telling me even Super Saiyan God can't beat Cell?"
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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