Age 784, March 15
Earth
A fierce battle was erupting.
The fighters were an adult Son Gohan, facing Androids 17 and 18.
With Gohan's level of strength, he should have been able to defeat either Android in a one on one fight. However, in a previous battle, he had lost his left arm while saving Trunks. Because of that injury, even in a one on one confrontation he could now only suppress his opponent for a short time. Victory was impossible.
The Androids possessed infinite energy. Their stamina never depleted, no matter how long the fight dragged on.
In the past, Gohan could still barely fight them to a standstill on his own. In the end, he would be forced to retreat due to exhaustion, but at least it was never as tragic as this.
Now reduced to a one armed warrior, Gohan's strength had dropped drastically. He could barely bring out eighty percent of his former peak power.
And today's battle—
Gohan had already made up his mind.
If he did not step in now to stop the Androids, more people would die and more cities would be destroyed.
He could have continued hiding.
But his sense of justice would not allow him to stand by and do nothing.
As the warrior who held the greatest hope of ending the Android crisis in this future timeline, if Gohan had endured just a little longer, if he had grown stronger, he could have defeated them in one decisive blow.
But if he did that—
He would not be Son Gohan.
After the intense clash, Gohan went from overpowering both Androids, to barely holding them off, and finally to being completely overwhelmed, struck again and again by Androids 17 and 18.
As he collapsed helplessly into the mud, his consciousness fading, memories of the past flashed before his eyes. Scene after scene passed by, until the final image froze.
Everyone he had lost, gathered together, smiling and waving at him.
"Gohan, you're late this time. Looks like you've been through a lot."
Hearing his father's gentle voice, Gohan felt as if he were inside a dream. He looked around. Everything was warm and beautiful.
"Yeah… it's a long story. It feels like I just woke up from a very long dream…"
Smiling, Gohan stepped forward and greeted them one by one.
Not only his father and mother, but Uncle Piccolo, Uncle Tien, Uncle Yamcha, Uncle Krillin.
...
The battle was over.
Androids 17 and 18 did not even bother to confirm whether Gohan was truly dead. Complaining about the sudden change in weather, they quickly left the city.
The moment they departed, dark clouds gathered and torrential rain began to pour down.
As if trying to wash away the sins of this world.
As if trying to erase everything that had happened.
But no amount of rain could hide the scars of devastation.
The city had already been reduced to rubble.
The stench of death hung in the air, not just over this city, but over the entire Earth.
Crack. BOOM.
Thunder roared across the sky.
Lightning tore through the storm clouds in a terrifying display.
At that moment, a figure fell from the sky and knelt before Son Gohan's body.
It was Trunks.
Earlier, Gohan had knocked him unconscious so he could not join the fight. Trunks had just awakened.
To protect him, Gohan had faced Androids 17 and 18 alone.
Protection was not the only reason.
Trunks had been too weak. Unable to become a Super Saiyan at the time, he would have only been a burden.
Seeing Gohan lying motionless in the mud, Trunks broke down in tears. Regret, despair, and hatred crashed into him all at once.
And under the pressure of those emotions, his power finally awakened.
Looking up, he screamed to the heavens and transformed into a Super Saiyan.
But it was too late.
If it had happened earlier, he might have helped, at least buying Gohan some time.
"Gohan… I'm sorry… I was too weak!"
Clenching his fists, Trunks forced back his tears.
"I swear I will avenge you."
He calmed himself.
Though his transformation had given him unprecedented power, he knew very well that he was still no match for Androids 17 and 18.
If he rushed off to die now, then, as Gohan had taught him, the future would truly be over.
So he had to train.
He had to become stronger.
At the very least, he had to shoulder the burden.
To become humanity's final line of defense.
"Hmph. You really are useless. But at least you were not stupid enough to charge off and die. That means you still have a bit of sense."
A cold, mocking voice suddenly rang out.
The sound pierced Trunks' grief.
His heart tightened. He immediately spun around, searching frantically for the source of the voice.
Panicking, he could not even focus on sensing energy.
He saw no one.
That only made him more terrified, until the rain suddenly stopped, as if suppressed by some overwhelming force.
He felt movement behind him.
Trunks froze, then turned back toward Gohan's body.
A tall figure now stood there.
The unfamiliar yet strangely familiar silhouette slowly crouched down, placing a hand against Gohan's chest.
"W Who are you?! What are you doing?!" Trunks shouted, eyes bloodshot.
He would never allow anyone to desecrate his master's body.
The aura of a Super Saiyan surged like a raging flood.
Yet despite shaking everything around him, it had no effect on the man before him.
"Hmph. Is that all?" the man scoffed.
Feeling Trunks' pressure wash over him, Vegeta clicked his tongue in disdain.
Too weak.
At least, to Vegeta—
This version of his son from twenty years in the future was pathetically weak.
Vegeta.
That is right.
Having crossed time itself, Vegeta had expected to arrive in Cell's timeline.
Instead—
He had arrived at this moment.
~~~~~~
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