"Then do you know Universe 6's Earth and Universe 7's Earth were swapped?" Caulifla asked.
Elder Kai started laughing before she even finished. "Swapped? Don't be ridiculous. No one can just exchange two planets across universes."
Caulifla's temper flared. "I don't know how it happened, but it did. Right now, Goku and Gohan are from Universe 6's Earth."
Elder Kai opened his mouth to mock her again, then finally bothered to check.
The laughter caught in his throat.
Caulifla folded her arms. "Well?"
Elder Kai coughed into his fist and immediately chose denial. "Even if they belong to Universe 6 now, they originally came from Universe 7. That still counts."
"You stubborn old man…"
"However," Elder Kai said quickly, because Caulifla looked ready to kick him, "considering I behaved somewhat improperly toward you earlier, I can draw out your hidden power instead."
Caulifla narrowed her eyes. "No thanks. I know exactly what you're after."
Elder Kai tried to look wounded. It did not work.
"Draw out Cabba's power," Caulifla said.
Elder Kai looked Cabba over once and shook his head. "I can, but you should know this first. That boy does not have much hidden power. Compared with you, he is far behind."
"Doesn't matter," Caulifla said. "Then it's settled."
Elder Kai sighed, but he agreed.
Caulifla turned to leave, only for Kale to tilt her head and ask, "Caulifla-nee, how was he rude to you earlier?"
Caulifla's next step almost betrayed her.
She recovered, refused to look back, and walked away faster.
Kale really had a talent for finding the one question everyone should leave buried.
On the Lookout in Universe 6, Vegeta had taken Zarek, Goten, and Trunks into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for another round of training.
Piccolo stayed outside with Buu.
For nearly forty minutes, he kept his hands moving across Buu's back and endured the humiliation in silence. Then Buu pushed himself up from the massage table, bored with waiting, and Piccolo's hands stopped.
"There are still twenty minutes," Piccolo said.
"I'm bored."
"You agreed to one hour."
Buu reached back and caught him by the throat, squeezing before Piccolo could get another word out.
Piccolo gripped Buu's wrist with both hands and strained, but the pressure only tightened. The air locked in his chest.
"Bring out the strong one," Buu said. "You bothered me first. Don't make me wait."
Piccolo could not answer.
Buu slammed him headfirst into the Lookout's floor, burying his head in the stone. Before Piccolo could pull himself free, Buu turned around, pressed his backside against Piccolo's face, and rubbed.
Piccolo went rigid with silent horror.
Then Buu farted.
The smell hit hard enough that Piccolo nearly blacked out.
Buu kicked him loose, caught him again as he fell, and drove him back down by the head. Orange light flickered over Piccolo's body, unstable and fading, until the form collapsed altogether.
Buu leaned over him. "Take me there, or I kill you."
Piccolo dragged in a rough breath. "Fine… I'll take you."
Buu frowned. "Take me where?"
"To the strong one," Piccolo forced out. "I'll take you there now."
"That's better."
Buu kicked him once more for good measure.
Piccolo pushed himself up and led him away, choosing the longest path the Lookout allowed. He took unnecessary stairs, circled through side passages, and doubled back through corridors with the careful pace of someone injured enough to make the delay believable.
Dende and Mr. Popo watched from a distance, too afraid to breathe until Buu had moved out of earshot.
"Kami-sama," Mr. Popo whispered, "isn't Piccolo taking the long way?"
"He's buying time," Dende whispered back. "One minute out here gives them about six hours inside."
Mr. Popo understood at once.
As Piccolo led Buu through another turn, he reached into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with telepathy.
"Vegeta. Listen. It's Piccolo."
Inside the chamber, Vegeta stopped the drill at once. "What?"
"I'm bringing Buu to you. We're almost there."
Vegeta's expression hardened. "Why are you telling me now? They only just recovered from Fusion, and we spent too much energy training."
"I'm taking every detour I can," Piccolo replied. "You should have about one minute before we arrive. That means six hours for you. Rest while you can."
Vegeta's anger eased just enough for him to click his tongue instead of shout. "Hmph. Not bad, Piccolo."
The moment the connection faded, Vegeta turned to the boys. "Buu is coming in. We have six hours."
Zarek smiled. "Six hours? That's enough."
Goten brightened. "Piccolo is going to be shocked when he sees us."
Trunks grinned. "Yeah. His face might turn green."
Goten blinked. "But Piccolo's face is already green."
Trunks stared at him. "Goten, that was the joke."
Vegeta cut through them before the stupidity could spread. "Rest. Once Buu comes in, this fight is yours."
Outside, Piccolo stretched the walk as far as he dared. When the chamber door finally came into view, he tried one last delay.
"Are you hungry?" Piccolo asked. "We could get food first."
Buu glared at him. "Keep wasting time and I'll turn you into chocolate."
Piccolo opened the door.
Buu stepped inside and looked over the endless white space beyond the entrance. "Oh. Another dimension."
Piccolo kept his face still, but Buu glanced at him anyway.
"You were thinking that if you couldn't beat me, you could break the entrance and trap me here, weren't you?"
"No," Piccolo said too quickly.
Buu's eyes narrowed with enough satisfaction to make Piccolo's stomach sink.
For a creature who acted like a spoiled child, Buu's instincts were terrifying.
"They're this way," Piccolo said.
Out in the white expanse, Zarek, Goten, and Trunks were already waiting in position. Vegeta stood nearby with his arms folded, watching Buu without blinking.
Zarek pointed at Buu the moment he arrived. "There you are!"
"We've been waiting!" Trunks shouted.
Goten joined in at once. "Majin Buu!"
Buu looked at the three boys, then at Vegeta, then back at Piccolo. "These brats?"
Piccolo kept his voice steady. Vegeta had trained them himself, and if the Fusion failed even after that, they had nothing left anyway.
"Yes," Piccolo said. "They're the ones."
"Ready!" Zarek shouted.
Goten and Trunks threw Buu a thumbs-down.
Buu's mouth tightened. "You made me wait for three little brats, and now they're making faces at me?"
"Begin!" Zarek called.
The three boys started the Fusion motion.
Buu crossed the space before they could settle into the pose and punched Zarek flat.
Goten and Trunks froze with their arms half-raised.
Zarek pushed himself up, more outraged than hurt. "What is wrong with you? We weren't ready!"
Buu patted his belly. "You said begin."
"That means begin the Fusion, not begin punching me!"
"You should say it better."
Zarek rubbed his face and pointed hard at the floor in front of Buu. "Stand there. Don't move until we're done. Got it?"
Zarek returned to position, still glaring. "Start over. Pretend that didn't happen." Then he paused, the insult finally catching up with him. "And why did you hit me instead of them?"
"Your face looks easier to punch," Buu said.
Zarek's jaw tightened.
From the side, Vegeta snorted. "Maybe if you stopped trying to act clever, he wouldn't have time to hit you."
Zarek ignored him. "Again!"
This time, the three boys completed the motion cleanly. Their fingertips met at the center, white light surged around them, and three bodies folded into one.
Zarotenks appeared in a dramatic pose that managed to annoy everyone before he even opened his mouth.
"Wahaha! Zarotenks has arrived!"
Buu looked him over with mild interest.
Piccolo studied the fusion's ki and felt his hope rise despite himself. Zarotenks had improved. A lot. His power was stronger, cleaner, and far more stable than before.
Maybe they had a chance.
Zarotenks settled into a fighting stance. "Ready, fatso?"
Buu nodded.
Zarotenks rushed in and kicked him in the head.
Buu did not bother dodging.
The fusion followed with a storm of punches and kicks, laughing through the entire assault as if his own confidence could make the blows heavier. His fists landed. His legs snapped in from every angle. The white floor trembled beneath the rush.
When Zarotenks finally sprang back, Buu was still standing in the same place.
Buu's face darkened. "That's it?"
Zarotenks scratched his cheek. "Give me a second."
Piccolo walked over to Vegeta with the hollow look of a man watching hope embarrass itself. "This is what you trained?"
Vegeta folded his arms tighter. "Those three are idiots. Getting them this far was hard enough."
Piccolo closed his eyes for a moment.
"We should have fused instead."
"I refuse," Vegeta said at once. "Fusing with a Namekian would only make me weaker."
Piccolo glared at him.
Vegeta could weaponize his mouth better than most people could weaponize ki.
Zarotenks tried to recover his pride. "That was just a warm-up. Once I get serious, you're finished."
Buu beckoned him forward. "Then get serious."
"Bomb Kick!"
Zarotenks shot forward and drove his foot into Buu's round stomach. The kick sank deep into the soft flesh, and for one brief second, Zarotenks looked pleased with himself.
Then Buu's belly snapped back into shape and launched him across the chamber.
Zarotenks hit headfirst and tumbled over the white floor until the momentum finally died. He sprang up moments later, clutching his head and howling.
Vegeta's patience cracked. "Stop embarrassing yourself and fight properly!"
"I know!" Zarotenks shouted back. "Then I'll show you real power. Super Saiyan!"
Golden light flared around him.
Piccolo exhaled. "Finally. He transformed after fusing."
"That much should be obvious," Vegeta said.
Zarotenks grinned as if the last minute had not happened. "Now I'll finish the move from before! Wild Boar Head Attack!"
He slammed headfirst into Buu's chest.
Buu remained exactly where he was.
Zarotenks bounced back, recovered in midair, and immediately threw himself into another string of ridiculous attacks.
"Thunderbolt Fist!"
"Super Miracle Punch!"
"Special Kick!"
"Earth-Splitting Palm!"
"Super Missile!"
"Buddha Palm!"
Every name came out louder than the last. Every hit landed with plenty of noise and almost no effect. Buu stood in the middle of it all, his patience shrinking with each useless blow.
At last, Buu swung one lazy hand.
The slap cracked across Zarotenks's face and dropped him flat.
Zarotenks climbed back up with tears in his eyes, one hand pressed to his swollen cheek.
Piccolo could barely watch.
Vegeta's fists shook at his sides.
Why was this brat wasting time?
At this rate, he was not fighting Buu. He was padding the chapter.
And somehow, the author had still typed every word with care.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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