Ten thousand horses stampeded through Old Kai's mind.
You—
Are you out of your mind?
You freed me just to have me give my life to this kid?
Are you serious?
Old Kai's face went as black as the bottom of a cooking pot in about half a second.
"Hm? Vegeta — you..." Goku was caught off guard. He stared at Vegeta without blinking, barely able to process what he had just heard.
Is this really the Vegeta I know?
"What are you saying, Vegeta?!" Kibito snapped.
"Vegeta — please don't joke about something like this." Supreme Kai immediately called out.
"Ahem... pick a different wish." Old Kai gave a polite little cough and quietly wiped the sweat from his brow.
You're having a laugh.
I just got out of that sword, and you're asking me to give my life to a human.
I haven't had enough of living yet, thank you.
"Vegeta, Old Kai — there's no need..." Goku scratched the back of his head, squirming a little with embarrassment.
"Now that's a sensible kid." Old Kai looked at Goku with genuine warmth.
He looked more carefully. This man called Goku — he actually seemed like the righteous one here.
This man called Vegeta, the more Old Kai looked at him, the more he seemed like a villain.
The nerve of it.
He gets me out of that sword and his first request is for me to hand my life over to Goku.
Old Kai was fuming just thinking about it.
"Don't you understand, Kakarot?" Vegeta gave a dismissive snort, looked at Goku steadily, and spoke with complete sincerity. "Because you died of a natural cause, Shenron cannot bring you back. But if Old Kai gives his life to you, then Shenron can revive Old Kai."
"Oh — you're right, Vegeta!" Goku's eyes lit up with realisation.
"Quickly now, Old Kai." Vegeta pressed — then smoothed his voice into something almost reassuring. "You can rest easy. Once you die, Kakarot will go back to Earth, collect the Dragon Balls, and have Shenron bring you back."
"Dragon Balls? You mean those remarkable spheres the Namekians created?" Old Kai fell into thought.
"That's right." Vegeta confirmed. "This world needs Kakarot."
Goku: "..."
Goku looked at Vegeta for a long, silent moment.
A brief pause fell over them.
"I understand now, Vegeta — you're the Vegeta who came from the past!" Goku suddenly put it all together.
"Hmph — took you long enough." Vegeta smiled.
"But still, Vegeta — why do you want me brought back to life?" Goku still genuinely did not understand.
"No grand reason. It's simply that with you around, the me of this era will keep pushing himself to become stronger." Vegeta's mouth curved faintly. There was a quiet honesty in it.
"Alright — truth be told, I do want to come back." Goku said, his expression growing serious. He nodded. "Thank you, Vegeta."
Old Kai: "..."
Old Kai had absolutely nothing left to say.
Did you two just sit there and decide my fate between yourselves?
Do you have any idea how rude that is?
"I am a Supreme Kai — the greatest god in this universe! I am not giving my life to anyone!" Old Kai was burning at this point and could not hold back, letting out a furious shout.
"If you give your life, I'll introduce you to a beautiful woman." Vegeta lowered his voice and said it to Old Kai in a near-whisper.
Old Kai's eyes lit up in an instant. He was intrigued.
Supreme Kai: "..."
Kibito: "..."
"Vegeta — what on earth are you saying?" Supreme Kai looked like he was going to cry with exasperation.
A short pause.
"Really? She's really beautiful?" Old Kai asked with undisguised eagerness.
Supreme Kai broke down entirely.
Great ancestor — are you really going to give up your life for a woman?
Is this a joke?
"Passable." Vegeta nodded.
"Deal!" Old Kai thrust out his hand. Vegeta shook it.
Vegeta's smile broadened.
Kakarot — in my previous life, you had my wife fool around with this old man.
This life, I'm swapping it around. It's your wife's turn.
The thought alone is satisfying.
Shouldn't be too much to ask — I got you brought back to life, and your wife does a little game with this old fellow. Fair's fair.
"In that case..." Old Kai looked at Goku, and his tone shifted to something almost businesslike. "I'll give you my life, kid. You'd better find the Dragon Balls and bring me back quickly. Are we clear?"
"Old Kai..." Goku looked genuinely moved, and a little flustered.
"If anyone should offer their life, it should be me, ancestor." Supreme Kai stepped forward urgently. "Please —"
"You're still young. Life is precious." Old Kai sighed, and swept his cloudy eyes slowly across everyone present. "Everyone — farewell."
Then his eyes closed. His body went limp and sank peacefully to the ground.
Looking at Goku now — the golden halo above his head was slowly fading.
Goku looked up at where his halo had been, his face full of wonder.
I'm really alive.
"Old Kai..." Goku's voice was thick with emotion.
"Great ancestor!" Supreme Kai was overcome with grief.
"Great ancestor... may you rest in peace..." Kibito gave a long, sorrowful sigh.
Crack!
Old Kai sat straight up from the ground. A golden halo had already formed above his head.
Everyone — except Vegeta — was thrown completely off.
"Good. That's settled. Time to honour the deal." Old Kai grinned at Vegeta with pure glee and rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"Kakarot — go back and bring Chi-Chi here." Vegeta said to Goku.
"Hm?" Goku blinked and scratched his head.
"Stop standing there. Someone got you brought back to life — do I really need to remind you of that?" Vegeta gave him an exasperated look. "Go."
"No, I was just going to ask — what does Chi-Chi need to come here for?" Goku asked, genuinely curious.
"Simple — your wife is going to play a game with Old Kai." Vegeta said, his smile positively beaming.
"Got it!" Goku nodded — apparently fully satisfied with that explanation — brought his index and middle fingers together to his forehead.
Whoosh!
He vanished with Instant Transmission.
Old Kai swallowed hard, his complexion going slightly unnatural.
"Hey — Vegeta." Old Kai lowered his voice, suddenly looking genuinely awkward. "Is this really appropriate? You're having him bring his own wife here to... play with me?"
"Hmph — you know, Kakarot's had children, and he's never once kissed his wife." Vegeta said, amused.
Old Kai's eyes went wide. His jaw dropped.
Several full seconds of silence.
"You're serious?" Old Kai asked, staggered.
"He said so himself..." Vegeta replied. Then added: "The Kakarot from my timeline said it."
"Tch tch... so they just do strange things together? What's a mouth for?" Old Kai fell into deep contemplation.
This era — isn't a mouth for eating?
Goku is quite a peculiar man.
"So the other one hasn't been kissed either?" Old Kai pressed his voice down even lower and leaned toward Vegeta.
"The other one?" Vegeta blinked.
Old Kai whispered something in Vegeta's ear.
Vegeta's face went completely scarlet.
"That... that's actually a thing people do?!" Vegeta's voice hitched slightly.
"You, boy — haven't you tried?" Old Kai stared at him with undisguised contempt.
"I, well..." Vegeta's mouth twitched. Cold sweat ran down his face.
"And your wife has never done that for you either?" Old Kai pried shamelessly.
Vegeta said nothing.
"You two must be the picture of a comfortable old married couple, eh?" Old Kai sighed, as though personally disappointed on Vegeta's behalf.
Vegeta: "..."
"Don't you ever watch those little films? It's all on there!" Old Kai shook his head and kept shooting Vegeta deeply pitying looks.
Vegeta's eye twitched. He felt as though his dignity had evaporated entirely.
I would never watch that sort of thing.
I am a Saiyan prince.
Supreme Kai and Kibito looked at each other in helpless silence.
What on earth are you two even talking about?
Whoosh!
At that moment, Goku used Instant Transmission and reappeared — someone in tow.
But the moment Vegeta saw who Goku had brought back, his face went completely green.
Old Kai, on the other hand, lit up like a lamp. He was so excited his hands were shaking, and he dabbed the corner of his mouth.
"Well, Vegeta — this woman isn't bad at all... she's a little on the older side, but still quite the looker!" Old Kai practically capered with delight.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta's expression had gone as dark as the inside of a furnace.
"Hm? Vegeta? Where is this place?" Bulma asked, looking confused.
Vegeta's forehead veins were bulging. He stepped forward and grabbed Goku by the collar.
"What? Vegeta." Goku looked genuinely puzzled.
"Kakarot — I told you to bring your wife. Why did you bring Bulma?!" Vegeta snapped.
"Ah... Chi-Chi said she hadn't seen Gohan — she was too worried to play any kind of game with an old man. So I brought Bulma instead." Goku scratched his head, perfectly matter-of-fact.
Vegeta's face went green all over again.
"...Speaking of which — so Gohan just went off to reincarnate?" Goku murmured, tilting his head upward.
Main Timeline.
Capsule Corporation Headquarters.
Goku, Gohan, and Trunks boarded the Time Machine and successfully returned to their own timeline.
"Trunks — where's your father?" Bulma noticed Vegeta had not come back, and her chest clenched.
"Dad said he still had some things to take care of in the future and would come back another time." Trunks answered honestly.
"That gave me a fright — I thought something had happened to him." Bulma breathed out, pressing a hand to her chest.
"Bulma, Trunks — we'll be off then." Goku waved goodbye to Bulma and Trunks.
Bulma and Trunks waved back.
Whoosh!
Goku took Gohan with him and used Instant Transmission to return home.
Over the following days, the Time Machine recharged and Trunks made the trip back to the future to pick up Vegeta.
After that, the Time Machine charged again.
And Trunks returned to the future.
As for the battles of this timeline — they were only just beginning.
Goku trained with Gohan for a while.
Gohan eventually told his father he was ready to train on his own.
Goku raised no objection. He said his goodbyes to Gohan and made his way back to the Sacred World of the Kais to keep sparring with Broly.
Time moved on, day by day.
Three years later.
May 12th. The sun of fate rose over the horizon.
Mount Paozu. Outside Goku's front door.
Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo stood ready to depart.
Chi-Chi came out carrying a box lunch.
"Goku — Gohan — Piccolo — please be safe. Don't you want to take a lunch?" Chi-Chi called after them, her face creased with worry.
"No thank you, Mum..." Gohan quietly wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
We're going to fight, Mum. Not a picnic.
"I don't need food. All I need is water." Piccolo's mouth twitched.
"Chi-Chi, we're off." Goku waved farewell.
The three of them flew up into the sky and headed out at full speed toward the small island nine kilometres south of South City.
"Goku —" Piccolo turned his head. "With your power, dealing with those two Androids should be straightforward, right?"
"I'll leave that to Gohan. I'm just going along to make sure nothing unexpected happens." Goku laughed.
"Gohan — you confident?" Piccolo asked. "The Androids in the future were taken out by Trunks without much trouble, weren't they?"
"Yes — no problem." Gohan nodded, then his expression took on a more serious edge. "The thing I'm most worried about is that because of my rebirth, the Androids might have been powered up."
Piccolo's brow furrowed.
From what Gohan had said, even Frieza had been powered up.
If the same had happened to the Androids, things could get complicated.
"It's a concern I share." Goku nodded in acknowledgement. "I don't fully understand it myself — how the Frieza we faced ended up so much stronger than expected, to the point where even a regular Super Saiyan couldn't handle him. It might have something to do with both me and Gohan being reborn."
"Something to do with you — so you were reborn too?" Piccolo shot Goku a sideways look.
Goku had just opened his mouth to answer when Gohan pointed forward. "Dad — look. That's Uncle Krillin."
The three of them picked up the pace.
"Uncle Krillin!" Gohan waved in greeting.
"Gohan! You've gotten taller!" Krillin turned and smiled.
"What's going on, Krillin?" Goku smiled. "Long time no see — you look a little down."
"I was just thinking about the fight coming up against those two Androids... I'm not a Super Saiyan, and I'm certainly not a Super Saiyan 3..." Krillin sighed gloomily.
Goku exchanged a few more words with Krillin.
The group moved forward together.
Soon, all four of them arrived on the small island where the Androids were about to appear.
"This island is huge." Krillin said with a low voice. "This isn't good — there are quite a lot of people here."
"Ideally we take those two Androids out immediately — no drawn-out fight, so no one on this island gets hurt." Gohan tightened his fists.
Goku nodded.
"Take them out immediately? Alright." Krillin wiped a bead of sweat away, then suddenly sensed two ki signatures on the hill nearby. "There are two strong ki readings over that way — it's probably Yamcha and Tien, right?"
Everyone turned and flew in that direction quickly.
They landed on a platform partway up the hillside.
"Bulma?" Goku blinked, spotting her there.
"I've been waiting for you." Yamcha greeted them warmly.
"Good to see you all!" Bulma was holding a baby Trunks, not yet many months old. She looked at Gohan. "Oh my — Gohan has gotten so tall!"
"Bulma — what are you doing here? You should go!" Goku said urgently.
"I just want to take one quick look at the Androids, then I'll leave. It's fine — Vegeta said he'd protect me." Bulma laughed.
"Is that little one the baby Trunks from the future, grown up in the past?" Krillin asked, leaning in.
"That's right." Bulma nodded.
"Yamcha — you're doing alright now, right? Moving past it?" Krillin grinned.
"Get away from me — don't talk to me!" Yamcha's face darkened.
Three years have passed. Why are you still bringing that up?
"Where's Vegeta? I don't see him." Krillin looked around.
"He said he'd take a little walk and not to worry about him." Bulma smiled, then added with confidence, "Vegeta said that if I'm ever in real danger, he'll appear and protect me."
Krillin: "..."
Tien: "..."
Yamcha: "..."
The three of them were quietly speechless.
Vegeta actually said that?
As for Goku and Gohan — Vegeta's behaviour didn't surprise them at all.
Goku had been quietly noting how much Vegeta had changed.
"I left Chiaotzu at home." Tien said. "Honestly — even with all his training, a fight like this would be beyond him."
"That's probably for the best." Goku nodded.
"Aunt Bulma — what time is it?" Gohan stepped forward.
"Nine thirty. Another thirty minutes and they should appear." Bulma checked the time.
"You've got a baby — please head back." Goku urged again.
"I'll be fine. I'll take one look and go. And like I said, Vegeta said he'd protect me." Bulma smiled, showing no particular intention of leaving.
Goku said no more.
The minutes ticked past.
What kind of Androids will appear this time?
Will it be 19 and 20? Or will 17 and 18 come out directly?
The thought of 18 made Goku glance at Krillin — not once, but twice.
Krillin: "????"
"Goku — what is it?" Krillin asked, puzzled.
"Krillin — found yourself a girlfriend in the last three years?" Goku asked.
Krillin's expression dropped.
Goku. Did that really just come out of your mouth?
"Goku, I've been training non-stop for three years. When exactly was I supposed to find a girlfriend?" Krillin huffed.
"Fair point." Goku laughed and nodded.
"Goku, don't listen to Krillin — it's not that he didn't have time to find a girlfriend." Yamcha waded in with a grin. "It's that no girl would have him."
"What are you talking about, Yamcha?! What do you mean no girl would have me?!" Krillin glared, more than a little offended.
"It's okay, Krillin — I think you'll have a girlfriend before long. If nothing unexpected comes up." Goku gave his shoulder a reassuring pat and smiled.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Krillin looked confused.
"Someone's coming this way!" Piccolo spoke up, then added, "Not an enemy."
"Is it Vegeta?" Yamcha wondered.
"Is he an enemy or a good guy?" Krillin muttered.
Bulma immediately shot him a death glare.
Krillin slapped a hand over his own mouth and said nothing more.
"It's Yajirobe!" Goku spotted him — flying in on some kind of aircraft — and scratched his head with a wry smile.
This scene feels very familiar.
Not long after this, Yajirobe will be shot down from the air by 19 or 20.
So it looks like this timeline is roughly on track with what I remember.
Let me keep watching carefully.
"I'm not late." Yajirobe climbed down from his aircraft and produced a pouch of Senzu Beans, which he held out to Goku. "These are from Korin — Senzu Beans for all of you."
"Perfect — please thank Korin for me." Goku accepted them.
Yajirobe turned straight around and made for his aircraft.
Goku: "..."
"Yajirobe — you're leaving already?" Goku asked, caught off guard.
"Of course — I'm not staying to fight. I have no interest in dying." Yajirobe replied with stony indifference, his mind made up. "I've got plenty of things to do."
Whoosh!
The aircraft carried Yajirobe straight up into the sky and was gone.
Goku: "..."
Goku stared after Yajirobe's aircraft.
"Doesn't it feel strange? It's already past ten o'clock, and we still haven't sensed the Androids' ki." Tien said with a low voice, brow furrowed.
"That guy Trunks — you don't think he made the whole thing up, do you?" Yamcha laughed. "Bulma — your son. Can he be trusted?"
Bulma's expression went flat.
"He said the Androids appear at ten — and it's now ten seventeen." Yamcha smiled. "Besides, we can't sense any powerful ki signatures anywhere. If there were enemies as powerful as he described on this planet, we'd be able to feel them no matter where they were."
"Because... they're Androids. They don't have ki." Gohan drew in a slow breath and answered.
"What? No ki?" Yamcha was stunned.
"Hm? Where's Goku?" Krillin suddenly noticed Goku had vanished.
"He was just here!" Tien pointed to where Goku had been standing.
"Did he leave with Instant Transmission again?" Yamcha guessed.
Indeed — Goku had used Instant Transmission and was gone, reappearing in the blink of an eye beside Yajirobe's aircraft.
Snap!
Goku raised one hand and effortlessly intercepted an incoming energy blast aimed at the craft.
The energy detonated mid-air, sending out a burst of smoke.
For Goku, an attack at that level barely warranted a second thought.
He took a moment to gauge the attacker's power.
So far — if these really are Androids 19 and 20, their strength doesn't seem too different from what I encountered in my previous life.
Gohan could handle them easily. Piccolo at this point could probably wipe them both out.
"Goku?" Yajirobe was startled. "What just happened?"
To be continued…
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