"Hmph, it's nothing but a bunch of cheap, underhanded tricks!" Vegeta retorted stubbornly, though he couldn't quite hide the worry in his eyes.
Vegeta knew all too well that these "cheap tricks" were currently the key to suppressing Old Goku.
As the two spoke, the situation on the battlefield shifted abruptly.
While dodging, Gas suddenly counterattacked. His body moved like a ghost, closing in on Old Goku. His right fist, wreathed in powerful energy, slammed directly into Old Goku's gut.
THUD!
The punch landed squarely. Old Goku's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he grimaced in pain, his body doubling over involuntarily. Gritting his teeth against the agony, he swung his left hand in a rapid counter, aiming for the side of Gas's face.
Gas had anticipated this. He tilted his body to the side, dodging easily, and simultaneously reached out to grab Old Goku by the throat. His fingers tightened, lifting the man off the ground.
"What's with that look? I can't feel even a shred of fighting spirit from you," Gas snorted coldly, increasing the pressure of his grip.
Old Goku's eyes burned with pain. He gripped Gas's arm tightly with his right hand, condensed his last bit of energy, and suddenly surged upward.
"HRAAAH!"
With a roar, Old Goku actually managed to flip Gas over and hurl him away. Gas performed a mid-air somber-sault and landed steadily on the ground. Old Goku took the chance to gasp for air, quickly adjusting his state before charging at Gas once more.
BOOM!
Before Old Goku could get close, another train car suddenly came flying from a distance, slamming into his side like a cannonball. It sent him flying again, crashing heavily into a crumbling wall. The wall collapsed instantly, burying Old Goku under a pile of rubble.
"That bastard! What kind of mess is he fighting?!" Vegeta watched, his blood boiling. His fists clenched until his knuckles popped. If his energy hadn't been completely drained, he would have charged in long ago.
Gas stood atop the train car, looking down at Old Goku as he crawled out from the rubble. He sneered, "Your father's resolve in battle was admirable, but I don't feel any of that resolve from you at all."
Old Goku gritted his teeth, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and charged again, throwing a punch at Gas. Gas leaped lightly to avoid it, and Old Goku's fist slammed into the train car instead.
KABOOM!
With a massive explosion, the entire train car was sent flying by the punch, crashing into a distant mountain and disintegrating instantly.
"Are you really his son?" Gas landed on the ground and asked again, his tone dripping with mockery.
"I took a heavy blow to the head when I was a kid and lost those memories," Old Goku answered, panting heavily. "So I don't remember the Saiyans at all, and I don't remember anything about my father."
"So that's how it is—a fellow who doesn't even know his own identity," Gas sneered, the contempt in his eyes deepening. "I won't lose to someone like you!"
With that, Gas suddenly pressed his left hand downward.
HUM!
Old Goku felt his body grow heavy, as if gripped by an invisible giant hand, and he fell uncontrollably from the sky.
SPLASH!
Old Goku crashed into the lake below, sending up a massive spray of water. Gas drifted unhurriedly over the lake, his energy slowly releasing. His powerful aura acted like an invisible vortex, causing the water below to spin. A massive whirlpool formed, its center sinking until the mud at the bottom of the lake was gradually exposed.
Gas slowly descended to the bottom of the vortex, watching Old Goku struggle desperately in the water, unable to breathe. A contemptuous smile played on his face. "To suffer this much just because you can't breathe... what a fragile race! Why don't you just die a miserable death by suffocation?"
Cough, cough, cough...
Old Goku struggled in the water, the air in his lungs dwindling, and his consciousness began to blur. Just then, he suddenly reached out, grabbing toward Gas.
"Hmph, it seems you're not willing to die just yet," Gas snorted, his tone impatient. "Actually, I don't accept this result either. It's too boring."
He condensed a ball of purple-red energy in his hands. The energy ball grew larger and larger, radiating a terrifying aura, before he slammed it violently toward Old Goku.
BOOM!
An earth-shattering explosion rang out. The lake water was instantly thrown tens of thousands of feet into the air, forming a massive curtain of water that scattered in all directions like a torrential rainstorm.
At the moment of the explosion, Old Goku used the last of his strength to dive to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. However, he was still caught in the energy wave. His body was sent tumbling onto the shore, covered in wounds, and his aura became faint.
Son Goku (GT) watched in silence, his fists clenched tight, feeling anxious for the other version of himself. If this continued, Old Goku wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.
On the other side, Monaito had taken advantage of the chaos to pull the unconscious Granolah out of the lake. Seeing Granolah on the brink of death, Monaito's eyes filled with determination. He shouted, "I won't allow anyone else to die in front of me!"
As he spoke, Monaito released a soft, healing glow from his hands. The light flowed like warm water, continuously covering Granolah and repairing his wounds.
"Granolah! Great, he's still alive!" Old Goku saw this and a spark of hope flashed in his eyes as he shouted excitedly.
"I didn't expect this Monaito to have healing abilities," Elec frowned, his tone surprised. He clearly hadn't anticipated this turn of events.
"I should have finished him off first!" Gas snorted, killing intent flickering in his eyes. His body turned into a streak of light as he charged toward Monaito. I won't allow anyone to ruin our plans.
Seeing this, Old Goku gritted his teeth. Ignoring his injuries, he rushed to intercept. Just as Gas was about to reach Monaito, Old Goku grabbed him around the waist from behind.
SHOO!
The next instant, Old Goku used Instant Transmission directly on Gas. Their figures vanished from the spot, leaving only a faint ripple of energy.
"He used Instant Transmission to take Gas away?" Son Goku (GT) realized, a surprised smile breaking across his face. "Awesome! That'll buy us time for the healing!"
Seeing Old Goku and Gas vanish, Elec realized things were going south. He hurriedly landed beside Macki and Oil, his face grim. "Where did they go?"
"They're using Instant Transmission continuously, jumping between different planets!" Vegeta suddenly realized, his tone relieved. "He's intentionally stalling for time to give us a chance to heal Granolah!"
"Oil, use the communicator's tracking function! Find Gas's location immediately!" Elec ordered sternly.
Oil nodded and quickly pulled out a portable tracking device, his fingers flying across the screen. The screen flickered with countless points of light before quickly locking onto a moving signal source.
"Found them! They're at the Galactic Prison right now!" Oil reported hastily.
"What? How did they end up there?" Macki's eyes widened in surprise. The Galactic Prison was incredibly far from their current location.
"Wait... the signal moved again! This time to an even more distant planet!" Oil's head throbbed as he watched the points of light jumping across the screen. "They're moving too fast! The tracker can't keep up!"
"That idiot!" Elec palmed his forehead, speechless. Gas was being led by the nose by Old Goku, completely forgetting his mission.
"Elec, what do we do now?" Macki asked anxiously, her eyes full of unease.
"Forget about Gas for now!" Elec said coldly, his gaze sweeping over Vegeta, Son Goku (GT), and Broly. "Right now, there are only a few dead men walking left here. Those two clones don't look like they have much skill either. Let's finish them off first!"
"Are those two clones really not a problem?" Macki was still worried, feeling that those two Saiyans weren't as simple as they looked.
"Don't worry. If they had any real skill, they would have stepped in long ago instead of just watching the show," Elec laughed contemptuously, clearly not thinking much of Son Goku (GT) and Broly. "Move out!"
"Alright! It's our turn!" Macki grinned, a ruthless glint in her eyes. She and Oil flew toward Monaito and Granolah.
Monaito was still focused on releasing his healing light, completely unaware of the approaching danger. Macki and Oil were extremely fast, reaching them in the blink of an eye. They condensed energy in their hands, ready to attack.
"Hey, Vegeta, are you sure we don't need to help now?" Son Goku (GT) asked urgently. He was already prepared for battle; the moment Vegeta nodded, he would charge in.
Vegeta fell silent. He knew very well that in his current state, he couldn't possibly stand against Macki and Oil. Continuing to push himself would only be a drag. He gritted his teeth, about to agree, when a familiar figure suddenly appeared beside Monaito.
SHOO!
Old Goku had returned via Instant Transmission, standing right in front of Macki and Oil. Startled, they slammed on the brakes in mid-air, watching Old Goku warily, fearing another surprise attack.
"Great! The other me is back!" Son Goku (GT) shouted excitedly, a smile returning to his face.
"Why are you alone? Where's Gas?" Macki asked nervously, her eyes full of suspicion.
Old Goku didn't answer her. He turned to help the weakened Granolah up from Monaito's side and whispered to the Namekian, "I led Gas to another planet; he won't be back for a while. We need to move to a safe place immediately."
SHOO!
Just then, a silver-white spacecraft sped toward them from a distance. In the cockpit sat a floating pair of intelligent goggles—Granolah's personal AI assistant, Oatmeal.
"Get in, quick! I've already contacted Grandpa; we're heading to his place for refuge!" Oatmeal's voice came through the spacecraft's speakers. The hatch slowly opened.
Old Goku nodded and immediately helped Granolah onto the ship. Vegeta had already been picked up by Oatmeal and was resting inside, his face still pale.
"You two, get in as well!" Vegeta called out to Son Goku (GT) and Broly from the cabin.
"Got it!" Son Goku (GT) agreed readily and leaped into the spacecraft with Broly. The hatch closed quickly, and the ship turned into a streak of light, vanishing into the horizon.
Watching the spacecraft disappear, Macki was fuming. She couldn't help but shout, "They're trying to run! Should we release our seals and chase them down with everything we've got?"
"Don't do anything stupid!" Elec stopped her, his tone grave. "You're no match for that Saiyan. Forcing the seals open would just be throwing your lives away." He paused before ordering, "We'll retreat for now and wait for Gas to return."
Though Macki was unwilling, she knew Elec was right. She could only glare hatefully in the direction the ship had vanished before leaving with Elec.
Inside the spacecraft, everyone breathed a temporary sigh of relief. Old Goku leaned against the cabin wall, preparing to rest, when a vibration came from his waist. He was startled for a moment, then looked down to find a small communicator on his belt.
"Huh? Where did this come from?" Old Goku pulled out the communicator and looked at it in confusion. He had no memory of bringing such a thing.
"I slipped it onto you when you came to my place earlier," a familiar voice came through the device. It was Whis.
"Oh, it's Mr. Whis! I didn't even notice," Old Goku laughed.
"Honestly, I was just enjoying my dessert when you interrupted me," Whis's voice carried a hint of complaint, clearly unhappy about his afternoon tea being cut short.
"I'm really sorry about that!" Old Goku apologized quickly. "But thankfully you're here, Mr. Whis. Otherwise, Gas would be running wild. And this distance is just right for reaching you."
"Let's not talk about that for now," Whis's tone became serious. "Gas has broken free from your stalling and is heading toward you at extreme speed."
"What? That guy can fly through space?" Old Goku was stunned. He had thought Gas needed a ship to travel between planets, but it turned out the man could fly freely through the vacuum.
"By Earth's time, he'll reach your location in about 20 minutes," Whis warned. "You must prepare as quickly as possible."
"20 minutes... that's not enough time to heal Granolah," Monaito's face darkened as he looked at the still-unconscious Granolah, his eyes full of worry. The healing light was effective, but Granolah's injuries were too severe; he needed more time.
"By the way, Goku, how is your training coming along?" Whis suddenly shifted the topic, asking about Old Goku's progress.
"The situation is pretty grim," Old Goku leaned against the wall, rubbing his throbbing temples. "I still can't maintain a steady state of mind like you, Mr. Whis. Every time I get anxious, Ultra Instinct goes out of control."
"Of course it does," Whis's voice came through with an Angel's characteristic composure. "I am a unique Angelic lifeform; my essence is completely different from you Saiyans. It's already impressive that you've made it this far."
"Then what exactly do I need to do to master Ultra Instinct more effectively?" Old Goku pressed, his eyes full of urgency. Gas could catch up at any moment; he had to boost his strength fast.
"I've said it many times before," Whis's tone was patient. "You have your own Ultra Instinct. You don't need to imitate anyone. Please discover its essence for yourself. Learn to listen to your own heart, find out who you really are, and find your own path of battle."
"Who am I?" Old Goku was stunned, repeating the words to himself, his eyes full of confusion.
"Hey! Isn't that Whis? Hi, Whis!" The other Son Goku (GT) suddenly leaned in, pressing his face against the communicator with a bright smile, completely oblivious to Old Goku's inner turmoil.
Whis: "..."
There was a moment of silence on the other end. Clearly, even Whis hadn't expected another "Son Goku" to suddenly pop up. However, he quickly recovered, his tone remaining gentle. "Oh my, you must be the Son Goku from the other parallel world, aren't you?"
"That's right!" Son Goku (GT) nodded vigorously, explaining excitedly, "Me, Vegeta, and Broly were supposed to deal with Black Vegeta, but we messed up while operating the Time Machine and ended up in this timeline!"
Whis: "..."
Another brief silence followed. Whis seemed to be digesting this absurd piece of news.
"Mr. Whis, do you have a way to get us to the timeline where Black Vegeta is?" Son Goku (GT) asked urgently, his eyes full of hope. He didn't want to be stuck in this strange timeline forever.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have a way to let you travel directly through time," Whis's voice carried an apologetic tone. "You came here via a Time Machine, correct?"
"That's right! It's the Time Machine from Universe 12!" Son Goku (GT) answered quickly.
"In that case, you can go find the Supreme Kai of Universe 12. He might have a way to help you adjust the Time Machine's coordinates," Whis suggested with a smile, pointing them toward a clear path.
Son Goku's eyes lit up instantly, and he clapped his hands. "Right! Why didn't I think of that! Thanks a lot, Whis!"
"However, there's one thing I must tell you," Whis's tone suddenly became serious. "Regarding everything happening in this timeline, I hope that you, coming from another parallel world, will refrain from interfering for the time being."
"Eh? What would happen if I did interfere?" Son Goku (GT) was stunned, asking out of curiosity.
"Nothing much," Whis smiled, his tone relaxed yet carrying an undeniable weight. "It would simply cause the Goku of this world to lose an important opportunity for tempering. True growth requires facing challenges oneself."
Son Goku (GT): "..."
He rubbed the back of his head, not knowing what to say for a moment. It turned out his help might actually be a hindrance.
"Let's leave it at that for now. I wish you a pleasant time-traveling journey," Whis said, and the communicator emitted a "beep" as the call ended.
Son Goku (GT) looked at the black screen of the communicator and silently wiped the sweat from his forehead. Hearing "pleasant time-traveling journey" from Whis's mouth felt a bit strange no matter how you heard it.
"Um... son of Bardock," Monaito suddenly spoke, his gaze falling on Old Goku, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity.
Old Goku was startled and looked back at Monaito. "Do you need something from me?"
"I have something I want to show you," Monaito said, his eyes softening. "It's something Bardock left behind."
"Hmm?" Old Goku looked confused, his heart full of doubt. His memory of his "father Bardock" was still stuck in blurred fragments.
By this time, the spacecraft had landed steadily in the courtyard of Monaito's house. After everyone disembarked, Son Goku (GT) and Broly took the lead, carefully carrying the unconscious Granolah to the bedroom and placing him on a soft bed.
Meanwhile, Monaito turned to a drawer and quickly pulled out a scouter. He handed the old scouter to Old Goku. "This is the scouter Bardock left behind. It's been preserved for many years."
"Eh? Dad left this?" The Son Goku from the other world (GT) leaned in, looking at the scouter with curiosity, his eyes full of surprise.
Old Goku: "..."
Old Goku took the scouter. As his fingertips touched the cold metal casing, a sudden, inexplicable sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.
"You probably don't know how to operate this, do you?" Seeing Old Goku standing there dazed, Vegeta simply reached out and took the scouter. He skillfully placed it over his ear and pressed the button on the side.
The scouter merely flashed a red light, with no other reaction.
"It seems to be broken, but the audio data inside appears to still be preserved," Vegeta said to Old Goku after a careful inspection.
"As I thought, it's still broken," Monaito sighed deeply, his tone full of regret. "Over these forty years, I've tried many times, but I could never get it to play again."
"What's stored inside?" Old Goku asked hastily, a faint sense of anticipation in his heart. Perhaps something about his father's secrets was hidden here.
"It should be the audio recorded when Bardock fought Gas back then," Monaito explained. "If you can hear these recordings, you might find out how Bardock defeated Gas. It should be helpful for you in dealing with Gas now."
"The other me, haven't you seen Dad? Didn't he tell you about this?" Old Goku turned to look at Son Goku (GT), his eyes full of confusion.
"He mentioned a bit, but it was very general. He never mentioned the scouter," Son Goku (GT) shook his head, his tone also carrying a bit of regret.
"Let me see it."
The silent intelligent goggles suddenly spoke, coming up to Old Goku. "If I can connect to the scouter's memory, I might be able to play the audio through my speakers."
With that, a small data cable extended from the top of the goggles and was gently inserted into the scouter's interface. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the goggles. Even Broly looked over curiously.
After a burst of harsh static, a low and familiar voice suddenly came through the speakers: "Monaito, take this chance and run. Run as far as you can, and don't look back!"
"That... that really is Dad's voice!" Son Goku (GT) said excitedly, his eyes full of surprise.
Then, Bardock's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of resolve: "I'll hold Gas back. Listen well, you must survive! For the sake of the future..."
The audio was short and finished playing quickly.
The moment Old Goku heard the voice, a white light suddenly flashed in his mind. Countless blurred images surged out like a tide. In the images, there were his father and mother putting him into a spacecraft to be sent to Earth, the gentle look in his father's eyes as he held him, and the voices and smiles of his mother and the neighbors.
Old Goku covered his head and slowly closed his eyes. Those once-lost memories were becoming clear bit by bit. He remembered when he was very young, soaked in nutrient solution. Once, his father had returned covered in wounds, yet he still smiled and waved at him, his eyes full of reluctance.
"I remember... the memories of the past, I remember them all!" Old Goku opened his eyes, his tone full of emotion.
To be continued…
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