"Just say what I tell you to say." Frieza gritted his teeth.
"Uh... I'll try... The Super Saiyan still has three hours before he can return to Earth — should we keep waiting?" Broly awkwardly repeated the lines Frieza had given him.
"Of course we keep waiting!" Frieza said with a harrumph. "When he gets back, I want him to come home to find every single person on this planet dead. Let him suffer. There are a lot of them, but three hours is more than enough time."
Broly: ...
Your lines feel a little strange.
"Hahaha! You're all out of luck!" Frieza let out a peal of laughter, savoring the moment.
Broly scratched his head and tilted it to one side with a bewildered expression.
Who are you even talking to?
You're being awfully dramatic.
Should I hit you?
"Alright — all units, fan out and eliminate every human on this planet." Frieza issued the command to his underlings, excitement and anticipation churning in his chest.
Last time I gave this speech, that sword-wielding Saiyan appeared out of nowhere.
Let's see if it works this time.
"Yes, sir!"
Frieza's underlings answered as one and moved to carry out the order.
CRACK!
At that moment, a young man came flying in from the distance and appeared before Frieza.
It was Trunks — arrived from the future.
At the sight of Trunks appearing, Frieza was moved nearly to tears.
He's here. He finally showed up.
Frieza's long-awaited revenge is at hand.
"You've finally arrived." Frieza said with a warm, satisfied smile, studying Trunks.
Trunks: ...
Trunks blinked, mildly thrown off.
"You've finally arrived"?
It sounds like Frieza has been specifically waiting for me.
Am I reading too much into this?
"Have you come here to kill us?" Frieza said, his pleasant expression curdling into cold interest.
Trunks looked from Frieza to the figure standing beside him — and found himself at a loss.
According to his mother, in addition to Frieza, Frieza's father was supposed to be here at this point in time.
But the one next to Frieza didn't look like Frieza's father at all.
More like an Earthling, or a Saiyan.
"You're Frieza, aren't you?" Trunks asked, his tone flat and neutral.
"Ohohoho! I suppose I should feel flattered — even on this resource-poor little planet, there are still those who know my name." Frieza rubbed his nose with a self-satisfied air, his smile widening. "But do you know who I am? I am the emperor of the universe."
As he said this, Frieza turned to one of his underlings and gave a short, simple instruction.
"Kill him."
"Yes, sir!"
The underling raised his energy gun, aimed it at Trunks' body, and took aim.
"Pathetic creature with a power level of five." The underling hadn't the slightest idea what he was about to face. He was still smirking smugly to himself.
Whoosh!
The underling pulled the trigger. A beam of energy lanced toward Trunks.
Trunks let a faint pulse of Ki flicker across his body — and the beam disintegrated harmlessly.
The underling's eyes went wide. His expression fell.
Frieza had been expecting exactly this, and his smile only grew more radiant.
Let him have his little moment of flair.
Once he's done showing off, I'll take my time tearing him apart.
Whatever power you're hiding, it's nothing I can't handle.
Whoosh!
Trunks moved fast, striking back in an instant — a single punch that connected directly with the underling who had fired.
THUD!
The underling was launched like a missile, crashed into the spacecraft, and was dead before he hit.
"Hm hm hm." Frieza crossed his arms and watched, looking thoroughly entertained.
Broly observed Frieza with growing confusion.
Your underling just got killed. And you don't care in the slightest?
"You bastard!" The rest of Frieza's underlings erupted in outrage and moved to swarm Trunks all at once.
"Wait." Frieza held up a hand and signaled them to hold.
Not out of any compassion — but because he'd just realized: if all his underlings were killed now, there'd be no one to cheer for him during the dramatic moment he had planned.
Whoosh — whoosh — whoosh!
But Trunks had no intention of waiting for Frieza. He drew the sword from his back, and with a blur of motion, passed through the underlings like wind through tall grass.
Frieza's assembled underlings stood frozen to the spot.
One second passed. Then two.
One by one, they fell. Eyes wide open. Dead before they'd understood what had happened.
Lord Frieza — when you said "wait," did you mean for him to cut us all down?!
Trunks gave a cold snort, slid his sword back into its scabbard, and turned his eyes toward Frieza.
Frieza: ...
Frieza's expression darkened.
Faster than I expected.
Well — there goes the cheering section. Just Broly left now.
"Me?" Broly glanced at Frieza, cracking his knuckles with clear eagerness.
"Don't bother. I'll handle this myself." Frieza said, clenching his fists, eyes igniting.
Last time, this one took me out. I spent a long time rotting in Hell because of him.
After I came back, I never managed to find him.
"It's the two of you next." Trunks said, his eyes cold. "I'll end this quickly. Consider yourself warned."
"Out of curiosity — what's your name?" Frieza said, suddenly intrigued. He genuinely wanted to know who this Saiyan was.
Trunks: ...
Is he seriously asking for my name right now?
"None of your business." Trunks said, and obviously wasn't going to share it.
"Not telling me? Then I'll beat it out of you." Frieza said lightly. Then he turned back to Broly with a final instruction. "Whatever happens next, stay out of it."
"Understood." Broly nodded.
"I'm going all out from the start. I won't be showing the restraint Son Goku would." Trunks said gravely.
"You know Son Goku?" Frieza now wanted to squeeze out every bit of information he could about Trunks.
This one appeared from out of nowhere.
There's no record of him anywhere.
"I've never met him — but I know who he is." Trunks replied. "You said earlier that before the Super Saiyan returns, you were going to kill every last person on this planet — to make him suffer."
"That's right. That's exactly what I said." Frieza said with a cool, sinister smile.
"Then you've made a miscalculation." Trunks said with a light laugh.
"Oh? Have I?" Frieza smiled, growing brighter.
"I said you've miscalculated. The Super Saiyan isn't only Son Goku — there's one standing right here." Trunks pointed at his own nose.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Frieza practically vibrated with excitement, nodding enthusiastically.
Trunks: ...
Why is he so excited about this?
Why are you acting pleased?
Trunks found this baffling. But it didn't stop him from powering up.
"AAAAAAH!"
Trunks let out a battle cry, golden light erupting from his body, raw power blazing outward — and he erupted into his Super Saiyan transformation.
Frieza crossed his arms, watching with keen interest as Trunks transformed.
Trunks' sudden appearance — and his transformation — had already caught the attention of Krillin, Piccolo, and the rest.
"Who is that? Who just arrived?" Yamcha called out in alarm.
"An incredibly powerful energy signature just appeared out of nowhere — and then a bunch of signatures vanished in an instant." Krillin said, stunned.
"Something's happening — on the other side of that mountain!" Tien said grimly.
Goku was about to move when Vegeta put a hand on his shoulder.
"Stand down, Kakarot." Vegeta snorted.
Goku: ????
Goku stopped.
"Frieza is mine to deal with." Vegeta said with a slight smile. "Can't you tell — Frieza's Ki has grown considerably."
"You're right. Frieza has gotten a lot stronger." Goku nodded.
"Hmph. Let me handle him. Stay out of this one." Vegeta said firmly.
Goku scratched the back of his head. Something about Vegeta was definitely off.
Because Goku could clearly feel — Vegeta had grown drastically stronger.
If Vegeta wanted to take Frieza on, fine — Goku would see how it played out first.
Gohan, however, had his eyes wide open. Something felt suddenly, sharply familiar.
This Ki signature...
This feels like Trunks.
But stronger — much stronger than I remember him.
Still — I'm certain. This is Trunks' Ki.
But that doesn't make sense. At this point in the timeline, Trunks hasn't even been born yet.
I have to see this for myself.
Without another word, Gohan didn't hesitate. He launched into the air and shot off at full speed toward where Trunks was standing.
His sudden, independent action caught everyone else off guard.
Goku blinked. Vegeta blinked. Even Piccolo was briefly stunned.
Gohan just charged off on his own?
That is absolutely not like the Gohan I know.
He didn't even say a word.
Gohan hadn't said a word. Because the Ki that Trunks had just released was too achingly familiar.
They had spent years living side by side, and Gohan had been Trunks' teacher. He knew Trunks' presence the way he knew his own heartbeat.
The distance between Goku's group and Frieza's landing zone wasn't great. With a slight surge of energy, Gohan crossed it in almost no time and materialized at the battle site — turning his eyes directly toward Trunks.
"This — what is this?" Gohan stood there, stunned, staring at the Super Saiyan blazing below him.
It really does look like Trunks.
He's grown up.
And he's already a Super Saiyan.
But that can't be right.
How is he here?
Wait — I think I remember something.
Aunt Bulma once mentioned she wanted to build a time machine — so she could go back to an era when my dad was still alive.
I'd thought she was just saying it. I never really believed she'd pull it off.
But looking at Trunks now — he looks about sixteen.
I've been dead for four years.
So... did Aunt Bulma actually succeed?
"Die, Frieza!" Trunks blazed with golden light and bellowed the challenge.
"Hm hm." Frieza answered with a self-satisfied smile and lazily sent an energy wave drifting in Trunks' direction.
BOOM!
The energy wave erupted beside Trunks with earth-shaking force.
WHMMMM...
A massive mushroom cloud surged toward the sky.
Trunks' form flickered and reappeared on a steep cliff face nearby.
Then he thrust both arms forward, leveling them at Frieza below.
"Buster Cannon!"
The blast fired from Trunks' hands.
And as it launched, Trunks called out one more time: "Frieza!"
Frieza had already seen this moment play out.
I know exactly what you're planning. You fire that blast. I dodge by flying upward. And then you bring that sword down and cut me in half.
I've been waiting for exactly this.
I, Frieza, have lived again. I don't make the same mistake twice.
Watching the blast come in, Frieza launched upward to dodge — just as before.
Trunks drew his sword from behind his back, leaped down from above, and brought it slashing at full force toward Frieza.
Watching from the side, Gohan was completely absorbed.
Trunks has gotten this strong?
He feels close to where I was in my past life.
I'm genuinely happy for him.
It really looks like Frieza is about to be cut in two.
But then — what came next left Gohan frozen in disbelief.
From the corner of his eye, Gohan caught it: the corner of Frieza's mouth curving upward into a tiny, deliberate smile.
SLAP!
Frieza raised one hand — and caught Trunks' sword mid-strike.
Trunks' expression stiffened. His eyes went wide with shock.
"Surprised?" Frieza's smile only spread wider, radiating satisfaction.
CRACK!
In the next instant, Frieza gave a slight squeeze — and Trunks' sword shattered into pieces.
Trunks was speechless.
What is happening?
"Boy — did you really think you could kill me, Frieza?" Frieza snorted, reaching out with one hand and leveling it at Trunks' chest. "Let me finish you off the same way you finished off my father."
Originally, Frieza had died before King Cold — so he hadn't witnessed how Trunks had killed him. But the two of them had met in Other World, and King Cold had told him the whole story.
That was why Frieza had just said what he said.
Hearing those words, Trunks was confused.
Killed your father?
When did I kill your father?
"Die." Frieza's eyes flooded with killing intent. The energy in his hand condensed, blazing — and he prepared to fire.
Anyone else, he could let live. But this Super Saiyan's debt had to be repaid.
"No!" Gohan's eyes went wide. Without a single moment of thought, he ignited his Super Saiyan transformation.
Whoosh!
Gohan moved — blazing toward Frieza and driving a full-force kick straight into him.
BOOM!
The kick connected before Frieza could react. The speed was absolute.
Frieza's eyes flew open — and by the time understanding arrived, it was already too late.
Frieza was sent careening backward by Gohan's kick.
"Damn it!" Frieza's fury ignited at once. He caught himself, turned his head — and his eyes found the kid who'd just kicked him.
Isn't that Son Goku's son?
This brat can turn Super Saiyan too?
You think this changes anything?
Frieza's humiliation curdled into rage. His energy surged — he stopped himself cold in the air.
Back where Goku and the others were waiting —
"Gohan!" Goku's expression shifted. He genuinely hadn't anticipated Gohan rushing in.
But just as Goku was preparing to move —
"Don't you move, Kakarot. I said this is mine." Vegeta snorted — and vanished from the spot in a flicker.
The speed was something else. Even Goku blinked at it.
Vegeta is remarkable. When did he get that fast?
Whoosh!
In what amounted to a single blink, Vegeta materialized directly behind Frieza.
"Frieza." Vegeta's voice came from just behind him.
Frieza: ????
Frieza felt a flash of confusion.
That sounded like Vegeta.
Frieza turned his head mechanically.
"That kid Gohan kicked you right here." Vegeta said, his mouth curving upward. "How convenient."
"You — Vegeta — what are you getting at?" Frieza blinked.
"What I'm getting at is — now I can finish you off right here without anyone seeing my transformation." Vegeta was practically glowing with delight.
Gohan's kick had sent Frieza shooting behind a mountain — into a concealed spot, completely out of sight of the others.
Vegeta looked it over carefully. Here, in this secluded area, transforming into Super Saiyan Blue — Kakarot and the rest wouldn't be able to see a thing.
And the most exciting part of all:
Super Saiyan Blue operated on godly Ki.
Godly Ki was undetectable to Kakarot and the others.
Can you even feel how perfect this is?
"Your transformation?" Frieza gave a contemptuous smile. "Vegeta — I don't think you realize what you're up against, even if you go Super Saiyan. You — "
CRACK!
Before Frieza could finish the sentence, blue light ignited across Vegeta's entire body. Super Saiyan Blue blazed to life.
"Super — super — BLUE — Blue — BLUE..." Frieza's eyes nearly leaped from their sockets. His jaw hit the floor.
For a moment, Frieza was completely gone.
Because after his revival, Frieza had been wiped out by Goku's Super Saiyan Blue — and that was what had sent him back to reincarnate. Before that, he'd also been thoroughly beaten by Vegeta's Super Saiyan Blue.
Super Saiyan Blue had a very specific place in Frieza's psychological landscape — and that place was called fear.
"This is called Super Saiyan Blue!" Vegeta announced with total satisfaction — stepped in, grabbed Frieza by the throat, and flung him into the air.
Whoosh!
Frieza's body tumbled at speed through the sky.
"Final Flash!"
Vegeta's entire body erupted in blue light.
A blazing sphere of blue energy surged outward and engulfed Frieza entirely.
"No — this isn't how it was supposed to go! I'M the main character!" Frieza screamed with everything he had, golden light beginning to flare across his body.
But Frieza was too slow.
Before his Golden Form was complete, the Final Flash had already swallowed him.
Whoosh.
And so ended the second life of the great emperor Frieza — a year after his reincarnation, at last brought to a glorious conclusion.
The main culprit: Vegeta's Final Flash moving faster than Frieza could complete his transformation. Plus Frieza had underestimated the situation at the start. By the time Vegeta had ignited Super Saiyan Blue, Frieza's mind hadn't fully caught up.
If Frieza had opened with Golden Form from the very beginning, the outcome might have been different.
With Broly's help, there might even have been a reversal.
But there are no do-overs in this life.
Reincarnation or not — one wrong move, and it's over.
Having eliminated Frieza, Vegeta smiled with deep, private satisfaction, powered down to base form, and carefully concealed any trace of his Super Saiyan Blue transformation.
No need to show Kakarot that form just yet.
Revealing Super Saiyan Blue this early — Kakarot will only be shocked once.
But underneath Super Saiyan Blue, there's still Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan God.
Three separate shocks instead of one.
And wasting that on a mere Frieza would be a terrible shame.
Though... Vegeta had a nagging feeling that in the very last moment —
Frieza looked like he might have been beginning to go golden.
Vegeta frowned slightly, then shook his head.
Must have been my imagination.
I'll grant that Frieza got stronger — but going Golden? Impossible.
There's no way he managed to unlock Golden Form in this short a time.
It took him years of Hell before he had the capacity to go Golden.
One year of training, and suddenly he's going Golden? That's absurd.
Vegeta genuinely convinced himself he'd imagined it.
He couldn't conceive of the possibility that Frieza had also reincarnated.
From the moment Vegeta moved to when Frieza was eliminated — a matter of seconds.
Back where Goku and the others were, all they'd seen was a flash of blue light — and Frieza simply ceased to exist.
Goku rubbed his chin, wearing a look of genuine surprise.
The strangest part — the moment before Vegeta had released that massive energy, his Ki had completely vanished.
Odd.
Why would Vegeta's Ki disappear like that?
Trunks and Gohan both stood staring in the direction where Frieza had been obliterated, temporarily unable to process what had happened.
But quickly, Gohan snapped back to himself. Without hesitation, he flew toward Trunks and appeared at his side.
Trunks blinked, his gaze drifting to Gohan with a slightly distracted look.
This is the Gohan of this era.
He looks so young. Such a small frame.
"Are you... Trunks?" Gohan said, his eyes flickering with uncertainty, not quite sure of himself.
Trunks: ????
Trunks went still. He stared at Gohan.
A short silence.
"How — how do you know who I am?" Trunks said, visibly stunned. Cold sweat slipped down his face.
"You came here in a time machine that Aunt Bulma built, didn't you?" Gohan's gaze sharpened with intensity. His voice was excited. "Is that right?"
"You — how do you know that?" Trunks' eyes went wide. Sweat broke out across his brow.
I came to this time with one intention — to find Son Goku.
I didn't plan on telling anyone else.
How does this era's Gohan already know?
To be continued…
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