"Huh? What do you mean? A Zamasu who switched bodies with Broly?" Trunks was stunned. His brow knit tight as he tried to wrap his head around it, his eyes full of confusion.
"Mr. Goku, didn't you tell Trunks about this?" the Supreme Kai leaned in and whispered, sounding a bit surprised. He had assumed Goku had already filled Trunks in on the details.
"Ah... I forgot to mention it. My bad, Trunks," Goku laughed awkwardly, scratching his head with an apologetic look on his face.
"What happened? Are there new enemies in the future world?" Trunks tensed up, leaning forward with urgency in his voice.
"Simply put, besides the Black Vegeta you already met, there's a Zamasu who switched bodies with me—Goku Black... and another one who switched bodies with Broly—Black Broly," Goku explained. He paused and then added, "Oh, and there's the original Zamasu who has an immortal body. That makes four of them in total."
"What? Four of them?!" Trunks's eyes went wide. He stood there in total shock, his body trembling slightly. He had thought there was only Black Vegeta. He never imagined there were three more!
"But the only one who fought Trunks was Black Vegeta. We didn't see any other enemies," Mai added from the side, looking confused. She thought back to their time in the future, and it was true—they had only ever encountered Black Vegeta.
"Maybe it's because... they thought Black Vegeta was enough to handle me. They didn't think they needed anyone else," Trunks said, his head dropping as he clenched his fists. It hurt to realize that in the eyes of his enemies, he was that pathetic.
"Hey! That's Frieza's energy! It's huge! Did he and Vegeta finish their training?" Goku suddenly looked up at the sky, his eyes lighting up with excitement. Frieza's energy was much stronger than before, clearly showing he had made massive gains in the other dimension.
"Is Dad out?" Trunks was also excited, looking up with anticipation. He was dying to know just how much his father's strength had grown after the training.
"I'll go grab them so we can head out as soon as possible!" Goku said. Without another second of hesitation, he used Instant Transmission and vanished.
Flash!
Goku appeared instantly beside Vegeta and Frieza. The two were standing on the dull, yellow planet outside the training dimension. Frieza was radiating a powerful aura, already in his Black form, surrounded by purple light. Vegeta hadn't transformed, mostly because even if he did, Goku wouldn't be able to sense his godly energy to teleport to him. Having Frieza there was enough.
"Frieza, Vegeta! You guys got way stronger! Your energy is on a whole different level!" Goku greeted them with a wide smile and a tone of genuine praise. He could clearly feel that both of them had made a massive leap in strength.
"Hmph. Of course we did! We spent nearly a year training in that dimension. Getting stronger is only natural!" Vegeta said, his confidence back in full force. He lifted his chin with pride. After all that training, he could now use Ultra Ego perfectly; it was no longer the unstable mess it used to be.
"Then let's get moving! Trunks is waiting for us back on Earth!" Goku reached out a hand, preparing to teleport them back.
Vegeta didn't object, but he had no intention of holding Goku's hand. He just placed a hand on Goku's shoulder, not wanting any "intimate" contact. Seeing this, Frieza followed suit and placed a hand on Goku's other shoulder, a faint smirk on his lips.
"Frieza? What are you doing? Are you coming to the future too?" Goku asked, surprised.
"I've heard all about the trouble Vegeta's son is having in that other timeline," Frieza said, his smirk widening into something more meaningful. "Something that interesting... of course I have to go and see for myself!"
"Just don't go betraying us at the last minute and helping Zamasu," Goku warned, his voice holding a hint of caution.
"You can relax on that front. Why would I do something so boring? What would I gain from helping Zamasu?" Frieza snorted, his laugh growing even creepier. There was a flicker in his eyes that suggested he was definitely planning something, but he wasn't saying what.
"Maybe you should just stay behind. The situation in the future is complicated, and adding another person might just stir up more trouble," Goku said, still sounding hesitant.
"Goku, you aren't scared, are you? Afraid I'll go and steal your spotlight?" Frieza laughed mockingly, intentionally using reverse psychology to goad him.
"I'm not scared. It's just that Zamasu and his group are a real pain, and I don't want to make things even more complicated," Goku said, his brow knit as he spoke seriously.
"What? It's just Zamasu and that Black Vegeta guy who stole my body, right? What's so complicated about that?" Vegeta snorted dismissively. "If you don't want to go, fine. I can handle them all by myself!"
"You don't know yet, do you? Besides Black Vegeta, there's also Goku Black, Black Broly, and the immortal Zamasu. That's four of them," Goku explained, trying to make sure Vegeta didn't underestimate the enemy.
"Oh? Is that so? I guess Zamasu went to other timelines and picked up a Goku Black and a Black Broly, then," Vegeta said, quickly figuring out the logic. His eyes lit up with interest. "In that case, this fight just got a lot more interesting!"
"It definitely did! I'm going no matter what you say! Count me in!" Frieza said, his grip on Goku's shoulder tightening. His tone was firm and left no room for refusal.
"Fine, fine. Since you're so determined, let's all go," Goku sighed, giving in. "Now, let's get back to Earth and meet up with Trunks."
Without wasting any more time, Goku used Instant Transmission and brought Vegeta and Frieza back to the courtyard of Capsule Corp.
When Trunks saw his father return, he rushed over to greet him, his eyes full of excitement. "Dad! You're finally back! Did you get even stronger?"
Vegeta gave his son a nod. He didn't say much, but the confidence on his face said everything.
The moment Broly saw Frieza, a dark green aura began to glow around him, and a flicker of battle intent crossed his eyes. Clearly, Broly felt like he hadn't finished his fun earlier and wanted another round with the tyrant.
"Hmph. Bring it on!" Frieza wasn't afraid this time. He instantly transformed into his Black form, his purple aura clashing head-on with Broly's.
"You two, knock it off! If you want to fight, do it after we get back from the future," Goku said, stepping between them. He was afraid they'd start a war right there and delay the trip.
Broly looked at Goku, then at the time machine in the distance, and finally let his green aura fade. He suppressed his urge to fight for now. Frieza also snorted and powered down, though he still looked like he had a bone to pick.
"Alright, let's count everyone who's going to Trunks's world," Goku said, clearing his throat and starting the tally. "There's Trunks, me, Vegeta, Frieza, and Broly... that's five people."
Goku looked at Trunks's time machine. It wasn't very big, and it definitely couldn't fit five people. He fell into deep thought, his brow furrowing. Trunks also noticed the problem, and his mouth twitched. He'd known the machine was too small but hadn't wanted to say anything.
"Trunks, what's the maximum capacity for this thing?" Goku asked, hoping for a better answer than he expected.
"Four people at most, and even then, we'd be packed like sardines. Five is definitely impossible," Trunks said with a helpless shake of his head. He gave Frieza a long look, still not understanding why his father was bringing the villain along.
"What if Frieza stays in his first form to stay small? Could we fit five then?" Vegeta asked, looking hopeful. He didn't want the trip delayed by a small machine.
"No, Dad. Even with Frieza in his small form, four is already a tight squeeze. Adding one more just won't work," Trunks answered, sounding disappointed.
"Then Bulma, can you make the machine bigger? How long would that take?" Goku asked, turning to Bulma with urgency.
"It would take at least a few days..." Bulma frowned, thinking for a moment. "How about three of you go first, then Trunks brings the machine back, charges it, and comes to pick up the other two? But that would waste an entire day going back and forth."
"Lord Supreme Kai, do you have any other ideas? You can travel through time, can't you? Is there a way to just take us all there?" Goku asked the Kai.
"No, traveling between parallel worlds requires a Time Ring," the Supreme Kai said with a helpless shake of his head. "If you aren't wearing a Time Ring, I can't just send you there directly."
"In that case, maybe Vegeta and I should go first, and Frieza and Broly can wait a day for Trunks to come back," Goku suggested.
"Wait, I have a better idea!" the Supreme Kai's eyes lit up as a thought struck him.
"What is it?" Goku asked quickly. Everyone turned to the Kai, waiting for his solution.
"Universe 12 has a time machine! If we have to, we can go and borrow one from them. That way, we can take all five of us at once!" the Supreme Kai suggested with confidence.
"That's perfect! Go get it!" Goku said, his face finally breaking into a smile.
"I'll head to Universe 12 right now. Wait for my news!" The Supreme Kai vanished instantly.
About ten minutes later, the Kai returned with a strange-looking time machine.
Flash!
The Supreme Kai landed in the courtyard with the new machine. It looked a bit like a flying saucer, silver all over, and it was a bit smaller than Trunks's machine.
"Is this the Universe 12 time machine? It looks pretty fancy," Goku said, stepping up to examine it. He touched the hull with curiosity.
"It doesn't look any bigger than Trunks's machine. How many people can fit in there?" Vegeta asked, sounding a bit worried.
"It only fits two people at most, but the performance is excellent—much more stable than Trunks's machine," the Supreme Kai explained. "It was being kept by Lord Agu, the Supreme Kai of Universe 12. I told him about your situation, and he was more than happy to lend it to us. He even wished us luck in defeating Zamasu and saving the future."
"Only two people, huh..." Goku scratched his head and started doing the math. "Actually, that works out perfectly."
"That's right. Three people in Trunks's machine and two in this borrowed one. That covers all five of us," the Supreme Kai nodded. "And this machine is very advanced; it uses very little fuel, so it has enough for several trips. The operation is simple, too—Lord Agu already pre-programmed it. Just press the red button inside to go to Trunks's future, and the blue button to return."
"Awesome! No more wasting time!" Goku was excited. He looked at Vegeta and Frieza, then finally at Broly. "Alright, how about Broly and I take the borrowed machine, and the three of you take Trunks's machine?"
Goku made this choice because he was worried that if Vegeta or Frieza sat with Broly, they'd start a fight and delay everything.
"Fine by me," Vegeta said flatly. He didn't care which machine he took, as long as he got to the future to fight.
With the plan settled, they didn't waste any more words and began to board. Trunks, Vegeta, and Frieza climbed into the first machine. It was a tight squeeze, but they managed. Goku and Broly stepped into the Universe 12 machine.
When they saw the interior, Goku and Broly were both impressed. Even though it looked small from the outside, it was quite spacious inside, with soft, comfortable seats and fancy control panels. The interior was definitely a lot more luxurious than Trunks's machine.
"I'm telling you, Broly, this time machine might look small, but it's actually pretty roomy inside! It's comfy, too," Goku said, sitting back in his seat and shifting around to feel the soft cushioning.
Broly nodded, looking around the machine with curiosity. He couldn't help himself and started messing with the advanced-looking equipment. Suddenly, he found a dial that could be turned, covered in tiny numbers. Out of pure curiosity, Broly reached out and gave it a twist. The dial clicked from "1" all the way to "10."
"What did the Supreme Kai say again? Press the red button to go straight to Trunks's future, right?" Goku asked as he checked the control panel, completely missing what Broly was doing.
"I think so... and the blue button to come back," Broly nodded. He couldn't resist and turned the dial again, moving it from "5" to "10." He muttered under his breath, "What does this do? Is it a speed dial or something?"
"Hey, don't mess with anything!" Goku warned, his voice a bit tense. "I don't know what those do either. If we end up in the wrong timeline, we're in deep shit."
"I'm not touching anything," Broly said quickly, pulling his hand back with a guilty look on his face. He avoided Goku's eyes, not wanting to admit he'd just been fiddling with the dial.
"Alright, never mind that. Let's go!" Goku didn't notice Broly's little stunt and didn't think twice before slamming the red start button.
As soon as the button was pressed, the engine roared to life with a low hum. The machine began to spin rapidly, like a frisbee thrown into the air, and the world outside the windows blurred into a mess of light.
Flash!
A second later, the time machine flickered and vanished, entering the time tunnel. In what felt like an instant, Goku and Broly had crossed through time and space.
Goku peered out the window with curiosity. But instead of the familiar, ruined world of Future Trunks and Black Vegeta, he saw two people locked in a fierce battle. One had green hair, and the other had blue skin. They were fighting so hard that the shockwaves from their blows were tearing up the ground below.
"Where are we? I've never seen those two before," Goku said, looking completely baffled.
Broly leaned in to look out the window too. "This doesn't look like Earth. Did we go to the wrong place?"
"That's weird... I definitely don't think this is Earth," Goku said, scratching his head.
"Hey, look! There's a version of you and Vegeta over there. Is that Goku Black and Black Vegeta?" Broly pointed toward the side, his voice uncertain as he stared at two familiar figures in the distance.
Goku followed Broly's finger and saw a man who looked exactly like him, along with a Vegeta in his combat suit, radiating a sharp, intense aura. Both of them were standing on top of some ruins, their bodies covered in minor wounds.
"Let's find a place to hide the machine first. If it gets caught in the crossfire and breaks, we're never getting home," Goku suggested cautiously, scanning the chaotic battlefield below.
Broly gave a firm nod.
Whoosh!
The time machine cut through the air like an arrow, heading for a distant canyon. It quickly tucked itself behind some massive rocks, with only a small part of the hull sticking out.
Down below, the green-haired warrior and the blue-skinned fighter both stopped for a second. They stared up at the strange-looking machine, clearly confused. They had never seen a ship like that before. But the pressure of the fight quickly forced them back into the struggle.
Goku and Broly took the chance to fly out of the machine, surrounded by faint white auras, and landed steadily at the edge of the battlefield. By now, the fight between the green-haired Granolah and the blue-skinned Gas was nearing its end.
Granolah was surrounded by a swirling green energy. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's as he thrust both hands forward.
Boom!
A brilliant beam of golden energy exploded from his palms, racing toward Gas like a falling star. The power was so intense it carved deep trenches into the earth. Gas tried to throw up a blue shield at the last second, but it was shattered instantly. With a deafening blast, Gas was sent flying like a broken doll, dragging across the ground for a long distance before crashing into a wall of rock, buried in a cloud of dust.
Goku and Broly watched the spot where Gas had fallen, their brows knit. The intensity of this fight was way beyond what they expected, yet they didn't recognize either of the fighters. They were totally lost.
"Gas!"
A panicked scream rang out. A woman in a red cape rushed toward where Gas had fallen, her voice full of hysterical worry.
Hearing the name "Gas" only made Goku more confused. He scratched his head and looked at Broly. "Who's Gas? You know him?"
Broly shook his head. He had no memory of that name.
In reality, Goku and Broly had accidentally traveled to the timeline that Vegeta had visited once before through a crack in space. Standing high above, they looked down at the local Goku and Vegeta and immediately assumed they were the enemies. After all, Goku had never actually seen the real Goku Black; he'd only heard the descriptions.
"You two must be Goku Black and Black Vegeta, right?" Goku asked, pointing down at the local Goku and Vegeta. He didn't sound entirely sure, but a golden aura was already starting to flicker around him as he got ready to fight.
Down below, the local Goku and Vegeta both froze. They looked at each other, clearly having no idea what "Goku Black" or "Black Vegeta" meant. But they both recognized Broly instantly. In their timeline, Broly had shown up on Earth before, so they remembered him well.
"Broly? Is that you?" the local Goku was the first to react. He waved with a smile, his eyes then shifting to the other Goku. "And this must be a version of me from another parallel world, right? The energy is similar, but it feels a bit different."
To be continued…
Guys, do support me on Patreon; It helps me a lot!
Advance 100 Chapters are up on my Patreon!
pat reon.com/AlphaSenatus