c25: Departure to GT World
"Boom!!!"
A terrifyingly powerful aura suddenly erupted, shaking the depths of the underworld, and even spilling into the living world above. Mountains trembled, the air cracked, and even the gods watching from Otherworld could feel the overwhelming energy.
"Oh, finally here… Fusion warrior Gogeta!"
Lin Hao sat cross-legged at Dinosaur Mountain, gazing into the crystal ball. Through its glow, he saw Gogeta standing tall, clad in the Metamoran national costume short open vest, white pants, blue waistband. His eyes lit up with interest.
"This guy Son Goku really pulled it off. To think he convinced Vegeta into that ridiculous fusion dance… But the result speaks for itself. Gogeta's aura is astonishing."
No. 18 leaned forward, studying the warrior through the crystal. "So this is the warrior born from that silly dance? He doesn't just look confident his power is immense. This isn't like Son Goku's unstable Super Saiyan 3. His ki feels much sharper, several times greater."
Lin Hao nodded slightly. "Gogeta's strength isn't a simple sum of Goku and Vegeta's power. Fusion multiplies their combat ability manyfold. In terms of raw power, he's already beyond a Super Saiyan 3. For someone like Xie Nianbo, this is the natural nemesis. Victory should come soon."
---
The underworld
Xie Nianbo, holding the limp and unconscious Pikkon in one hand, narrowed his eyes as he turned toward the new arrival. The dark aura surrounding him writhed in agitation.
"Huh? Another Saiyan? No… you're different."
"I am neither Son Goku nor Vegeta." Gogeta crossed his arms, his voice calm yet arrogant. "I am the warrior who will defeat you. Remember the name Gogeta."
"Arrogant fool!" Xie Nianbo roared. His aura surged, distorting the space around him as he instantly appeared in front of Gogeta, driving a heavy punch at his face.
But Gogeta tilted his head slightly. The fist missed completely. In the next instant, Gogeta's knee smashed into Xie Nianbo's gut, sending the evil being skidding across the ground, coughing dark mist.
"Too slow," Gogeta said coldly.
The battle that followed was utterly one-sided. Gogeta's movements were sharper than lightning, each blow carrying a purifying golden aura. Xie Nianbo's regeneration couldn't keep up his body was broken down again and again.
Finally, Gogeta drew his hands together, condensing a blazing sphere of pure energy. "Take this… Stardust Breaker!!"
The rainbow-colored explosion engulfed Xie Nianbo. Unlike normal ki blasts, this technique tore through his evil essence itself. The twisted aura screamed, burned, and collapsed until nothing remained. With one ultimate move, Gogeta erased Xie Nianbo completely.
---
Three days later
Earth had returned to tranquility. Humans resumed their daily lives, rebuilding the damage done. In Otherworld, Son Goku and Vegeta inevitably quarreled again, even challenging each other in the Hell Martial Arts Tournament to settle their rivalry.
At Dinosaur Mountain, Lin Hao packed his belongings.
"I'll be leaving for a while, No. 18. I know it's selfish to leave you here alone, especially with our child about to be born…" Lin Hao said softly, kissing her forehead.
No. 18 smiled faintly and hugged his waist. "It's fine. I'll wait for you here, with our son. Just make sure you come back in one piece."
"…En." Lin Hao embraced her tightly. Then, with a burst of ki, he soared into the clouds.
On a remote mountaintop, he pulled a silver band from his pouch the Space-Time Ring, a treasure he had never once dared to use. Sliding it onto his left hand's middle finger, Lin Hao's aura twisted violently.
"Here we go…"
In a flash of light, his figure disappeared.
---
GT Timeline – Near West City
Lin Hao slowly descended from the sky, eyes sweeping over the sprawling cityscape. The architecture was slightly different, the energy in the air subtly warped.
Closing his eyes, he sensed the ki on Earth. "This power… Vegeta? Hmph, interesting. He's far stronger here than in the main timeline. The difference in time and space truly shapes warriors differently."
With a faint smile, Lin Hao set off toward the new world that awaited him.
After Lin Hao sensed the ki for several minutes, he noticed that nearly everyone he knew was still present on Earth. However, two important signatures were missing—Son Goku and Trunks.
"Without the ki of those two, something must have already happened… Goku and Trunks aren't here. Hmph, it seems they've left Earth. I wonder how long it will take before they return," Lin Hao muttered.
From what he remembered of this timeline, Son Goku had already been turned back into a child by the Black Star Dragon Balls. Alongside Trunks and his granddaughter Pan (Xiaofang), he had set out into space to retrieve the scattered Dragon Balls before the Earth could be destroyed.
Just then, Lin Hao felt a faint but familiar aura close by. His eyes narrowed slightly. "That presence… it's unmistakable." Activating Instant Transmission, his figure flickered and disappeared.
---
West City – a public park
On a bench near the park's entrance, a young man with short, spiky black hair smiled as he handed an ice cream cone to the girl sitting beside him. She had wavy brown hair and sparkling eyes.
"Here, Paris. Try this," the young man said cheerfully.
"Huh? What is this?" Paris tilted her head curiously at the cone.
"You've never had ice cream before?"
"No, but… since you bought it for me, Goten, I'll definitely try it!" She smiled warmly.
"Haha, that's exactly what I'd expect from such a super lady," Goten laughed.
This short-haired youth was none other than Son Goten, the second son of Son Goku and younger brother of Son Gohan.
"Well, how do I eat this? Don't you need a spoon?" Paris asked innocently.
Goten froze for a moment, blinking at her words. A spoon? Still, he chuckled, leaned closer, and carefully showed her how to lick the ice cream cone.
The two of them continued laughing and eating together when suddenly, Goten stiffened. His cheerful expression hardened as he felt a heavy, unfamiliar aura pressing down from above.
"…Paris, stay behind me," he said quickly, shielding her with his arm.
"Goten? What's wrong?" Paris asked nervously. She had spent enough time with him to know that whenever his face grew that serious, danger was near.
"Shh." Goten raised a finger to his lips, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the rooftop.
---
Above them, Lin Hao stood casually, his aura leaking just enough to be felt.
"As expected of Son Goku's son," he said calmly. "Your sensing ability isn't bad at all."
In the next instant, Goten used his speed to leap directly onto the roof, landing in front of Lin Hao. His expression was sharp, every sense focused. The instant Lin Hao released that trace of ki, Goten's instincts screamed danger.
"Who are you?" Goten demanded. The energy he felt was overwhelming just a fraction of it made his body tense up.
Lin Hao's gaze sharpened. "Lin Hao. A Saiyan."
"…Saiyan?" Goten froze. "But… Dad and Vegeta said they were the only pure-blooded Saiyans left in this universe!"
He had never met Lin Hao before, yet the stranger identified him instantly. The familiarity of his aura was undeniable.
Lin Hao crossed his arms casually. "There are Saiyans scattered across other worlds and timelines. But none of them compare to your father or Vegeta."
Goten's eyes narrowed further. "Then what are you doing here? Do you plan to destroy Earth?"
He remembered his brother Gohan explaining how the Saiyans were once a warrior race that pillaged and slaughtered countless planets. Deep down, Goten couldn't help but be wary.
"Hahaha!" Lin Hao laughed mockingly. "Destroy Earth? Don't be ridiculous. I have no such interest. I only came to see what Son Goku's son amounted to. But…" His eyes swept over Goten, and his smile turned into a disappointed frown.
"…Pathetic. Your strength is laughably low. You carry the bloodline of a Saiyan, yet you've wasted it. Compared to your father at your age, you're not even worth mentioning."
Lin Hao turned his back, his interest gone in an instant. The aura that had weighed down on Goten vanished like smoke, leaving only silence on the rooftop.
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