Dragon Ball Shinen - The Secret of the Time Chamber

[Dragon Ball Shinen]

I. A Time of Peace

The ground rumbled beneath his boots. Vegeta strode forward through the dust cloud, his face impassive. Before him, Frieza let out a roar, concentrating energy between his hands.

"Vanish, you filthy monkey!" the tyrant roared, unleashing his attack.

Vegeta did not hesitate. With a single movement, he deflected the blast with the back of his hand and buried his fist into Frieza's stomach. The tyrant's scream was cut short instantly; his body disintegrated under the overwhelming force, erased as if he had never existed.

Vegeta reset his stance, as if taking down Frieza had been nothing more than a warm-up.

Suddenly, the silhouette of Cell emerged before him. He advanced slowly, wearing a smirk of superiority, every step heavy with confidence. His voice resonated deep and defiant.

"Vegeta… do you still believe you can surpass me?"

The prince did not flinch. Without transforming, he stood his ground, taking a fighting stance. His gaze pierced through him with a mixture of pride and defiance.

Cell raised a hand, preparing an attack. The air trembled around him. Vegeta tensed his muscles, ready to lunge forward…

"Simulation terminated," a metallic voice announced.

Suddenly, the battlefield vanished, replaced by the cold metal of an enclosed room. Bulma took a deep breath as she manipulated the control panel, and the glowing display dropped sharply from 500G. Vegeta inhaled sharply, instantly feeling the oppressive pressure dissolve.

Bulma pulled her hand from the button and spoke into the intercom.

"That's enough, Vegeta. You said you'd come to the theater with me today, remember? It's been years since the last battle. The world is at peace; you don't need to be doing this every day."

Vegeta remained silent for a few moments, still standing in the center of the room, his chest heaving. Finally, his deep voice broke the air:

"Peace is an illusion. Kakarot is still training, and I won't make the mistake of falling behind."

Bulma pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.

"Yes, yes… whatever you say. Now go get showered; you're coming to the theater with me, understood?"

Vegeta closed his eyes for a moment and huffed in annoyance. Then he relaxed his fists.

"Hmph… Fine. Just so we're clear, I'm only doing this because you insist."

Bulma smiled. She had secured a silent victory.

"Of course, Prince. As always."

Earth was enjoying a time of peace. Five years had passed since the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament. In all that time, no threat had arisen to trouble its inhabitants. It was a strange calm, as if the world had decided to forget what danger meant.

In another wing of the building, Trunks worked alongside his grandfather. Dr. Brief, retired but tireless, continued to participate in key projects. Grandfather and grandson were adjusting details of the new training system, while Bulla, sitting on a toolbox, watched them with interest.

"With these upgrades, Dad will notice the difference," Trunks murmured, without taking his eyes off the monitor.

Bulla leaned back heavily on her hands.

"Great... But I wonder what creepy monsters he'll make me fight next time."

Meanwhile, Goten was leaving campus with a sigh of relief. The final exam of the term was over, and the summer holidays stretched out before him like an open horizon. With a smile of newfound freedom, he called for the Flying Nimbus, which descended from the clouds with the same liveliness as ever.

"Let's go, old friend!" he exclaimed, jumping onto the golden cloud.

The wind whipped against his face when, halfway through his journey, a loud rumble caught his attention. A black sports car tore down the highway at top speed. Inside, three thugs guarded a haul of stolen cash while the police were hot on their heels. From the air, a helicopter tried to block their path… until one of the thieves thrust a bazooka out the rear window.

"Seriously…?" Goten scoffed.

The projectile shot straight for the helicopter. In the blink of an eye, Goten flew down on the Nimbus, launched himself into the air, and deflected the missile with a clean kick, causing it to explode high in the sky. Without wasting time, he spun in mid-air and dove after the fleeing car.

He landed hard on the hood, crushing the bodywork. The vehicle screeched, skidded sideways, and came to a dead stop amidst sparks and smoke, leaving the three thieves dazed inside.

The police swarmed the criminals while Goten, with a calm expression, climbed back onto the Nimbus before anyone could ask for explanations.

As the flying cloud rose into the air, Goten reached into his pocket and sent a quick message:

'I'm running a little late, I'm on my way.'

In a matter of minutes, a yellow trail crossed the sky toward West City. From above, Goten spotted the imposing building of Capsule Corporation, surrounded by gardens and shining domes.

Trunks was waiting for him at the exit, looking confident.

"Always arriving in style, huh?"

"Heh, sure," Goten laughed, jumping down. "Better enjoy it while the Nimbus still lets me ride."

They soon headed to their usual café, where they toasted with ice-cold drinks. Their faces reflected their maturity, though their eyes retained the same old spark.

"Free at last!" Goten exclaimed. "My brain was about to melt."

"Don't complain so much," Trunks laughed. "I have to deal with projects that dictate my dad's mood. Believe me, that's almost worse than an exam."

The talk drifted into everyday matters, but it wasn't long before they returned to what always united them.

"Are you still training or have you gone rusty?" Trunks asked, flashing a challenging smirk.

"Me, rusty?" Goten laughed defiantly. "Don't worry, I've still got plenty left in me."

"We'll have to test that someday," Trunks replied, leaning his elbow on the table defiantly. "Though speaking of training… what would happen if we tried to fuse right now?"

Goten almost choked on his drink.

"Pfft!" he spluttered, laughing. "And what if we end up turned into a bag of bones or a barrel on legs? We looked ridiculous enough back in the day!"

"Heh, and all in front of Piccolo and the rest," Trunks added, stifling his laughter. "Though admit it, when we finally got it right… we were unstoppable."

"Yeah…" Goten murmured, his gaze drifting for a second. "We were really strong."

Trunks nodded, looking at his glass.

"Shame it wasn't enough."

The silence lasted barely a second, until Goten broke it with a forced laugh.

"Well, but now we're adults! Maybe this time we'd nail it on the first try!"

Trunks arched an eyebrow, skeptical.

"Oh, yeah? Want to bet?"

At Kame House, Krillin enjoyed the calm with Android 18, while Marron walked with her uncle Android 17 along the shore, leaving footprints that the sea washed away one after another. The breeze, the sun, and the laughter painted a picture of peace that Krillin valued more than any treasure.

A short distance away, Master Roshi rested in his hammock. He held an open magazine, though he barely looked at it. After a long yawn, he looked up at Krillin.

"You know… you should go back to shaving your head. Eighteen looks just as young and beautiful as ever, and those gray hairs aren't doing you any favors."

Krillin chuckled softly, rubbing his head.

"I guess you're right, Master… but I'm used to it now."

Eighteen looked away, not bothering to intervene, as if the conversation had nothing to do with her.

In Satan City, Mr. Satan moved through the cheering crowd during the inauguration of a new stadium in his honor. The crowd roared his name, convinced that the world remained safe thanks to him. A few steps away, Mr. Buu walked happily with an ice cream in each hand, waving to the children with the innocence of a giant.

The champion raised his arm in his usual pose. By this point, playing the hero was as natural as breathing.

"The peace of the world remains in good hands!" he shouted, and flashes enveloped him.

Beside him, Mr. Buu happily licked his ice creams, oblivious to everything happening.

"Buu! Say something for the press!" Mr. Satan whispered, keeping his smile frozen.

"Mr. Satan is great! And vanilla too!" Mr. Buu replied, without looking up.

The audience burst into laughter. Mr. Satan's shoulders slumped slightly, defeated, but he eventually joined in the laughter.

On Mount Paoz, the calm felt tense. Pan threw combinations of punches in the yard, while Videl and Gohan discussed in low voices near the entrance.

"You shouldn't clip her wings, Gohan," Videl said firmly. "Pan has a natural talent. If she wants to train, we should support her."

"It doesn't bother me that she trains," Gohan replied, arms crossed. "But next year she'll have more responsibilities. If she doesn't start taking her studies seriously, she'll have a hard time catching up later."

Pan, oblivious to the conversation, landed a final punch with a radiant smile.

At that moment Chi-Chi appeared, with a motherly but firm expression.

"That's enough, you two. Balance is the most important thing. Let her train, yes, but let her study too. A good education is essential."

Gohan stared at her in disbelief until he finally snapped:

"What?! But you wouldn't let me train for even a minute when I was a kid!"

Chi-Chi shook her head.

"Oh, Gohan, don't be so dramatic. Maybe I was tough, but I always gave you room to breathe. Besides… there's no need to be so strict. Listen to me, I know what I'm talking about."

Videl let out a laugh, covering her mouth to hide it. Gohan, with a hand over his forehead, sighed loudly.

Pan, without noticing a thing, bent down to pick up her towel, satisfied with her training.

Chi-Chi watched her tenderly.

"Look at her… so responsible. She reminds me of myself when I was young."

The wind rustled the leaves in the yard and the scene froze in that silent pride.

At Kami's Lookout, Piccolo sat motionless in meditation. The wind gently brushed against his cape while he kept his eyes closed. The stillness of the Earth kept him alert.

"It's too quiet…" he murmured, "and that is never a good sign."

A few meters away, Dende was talking with Mr. Popo while they tended to the celestial garden.

"These flowers were the favorites of the previous Kami," Popo commented warmly, stroking the petals.

Dende nodded with a serene look.

Piccolo opened one eye, watched them for a few seconds, and then sank back into his concentration.

Peace enveloped the Earth, yet beyond the horizon lingered traces of something time could not fully erase.

 

[Dragon Ball Shinen]

II. The Traveler from Another World

While peace reigned on Earth, in a far corner of the universe, a disaster was beginning to brew.

Toria, a remote world on the edges of the universe, was falling under shadows. Since ancient times, it had guarded a gateway to the White Dimension, a sacred threshold protected by its Guardian.

That day, the dark omen was fulfilled. Gravek, the conqueror of worlds, stepped through that portal. He did not come alone: he was followed by a group of warriors who carried out his orders. His mere presence was enough to shatter the will of an entire people and extinguish all hope.

Toria's defenses rose, but a group of Gravek's warriors descended from the sky like a dark swarm, unleashing coordinated bursts of Ki that leveled the defensive lines. Explosions shook the ground and enveloped the buildings in columns of smoke. In a matter of seconds, the front lines dissolved into a chaos of screams and dust.

Citizens ran from the main square to the river, huddling together by the stone bridge. Some tried to pray amidst sobs, others clung to the bridge's walls, as if that alone could hold back the disaster. The water carried ash and debris of collapsed homes, while the roar of the flames mingled with the cries of those fleeing for the coast.

And among the survivors, there she was.

Halira was no ordinary warrior. Not long ago, the Guardian of Toria had chosen her, along with other disciples, to train in the White Dimension—a space that tempered body and spirit. For months, she had learned to coexist with that infinite void, a terrain where time flowed differently, and which until then she had considered only a testing ground.

Witnessing the devastation of her world, she realized that the training had not been in vain. The fate of her planet hung by a thread.

Far from the city, at the top of the Sanctuary that dominated the region, the Guardian of Toria, wounded, watched the fall of his people when Halira's figure streaked across the sky and descended before the Sacred Temple, her breathing heavy. The Guardian had called her, and she knew it would not be for simple advice.

Upon reaching the sanctuary, she found the Guardian kneeling on the Temple steps, his robe torn and his Ki weakened, but still firm.

"Master..." She fell to her knees beside him. "Ruisel, Gavir, and Milana... I've lost them all."

"I know," the Guardian replied, his voice grave. "They are no longer themselves. That being's corruption has taken them."

"What is that force? What is he looking for?"

"He seeks control... power. He wants to subjugate the strongest and turn them against their own." The Guardian looked at her gravely. "And you, Halira, are his next target."

The air shuddered violently. Both suddenly felt several presences approaching from the east: an overwhelming energy in the lead, followed by several smaller ones.

The Guardian narrowed his eyes, realizing what they were after.

"He is coming for you..." he said in a low voice. "I have seen beyond the gate: those invaders travel in ships. Find out where they come from... and seek help before Toria falls completely."

"No, Master! I can't leave you alone."

"Go, Halira." The Guardian gripped her arm tightly. "The fate of Toria rests on your shoulders."

A thunderous roar shook the sanctuary's courtyard. Gravek descended from the sky, accompanied by several of his warriors, and stopped in front of the Sanctuary.

The Guardian barely managed to stand, gathering the last of his strength.

"Halira... there is no other choice. Cross the gate to the White Dimension!"

Halira squared her shoulders. She knew staying wouldn't change a thing.

The Guardian's Ki was fading fast, and in that moment she understood what he was planning: sacrificing himself to give her a chance.

Halira nodded, wiping away her tears fiercely.

"I will return. I swear on the blood of Toria that I will return to this Temple."

Gravek turned to his men.

"You two, after her!"

The soldiers lunged forward. The Guardian gathered the rest of his power and unleashed a Ki shockwave that destabilized them, buying Halira a few seconds.

"Run!" he shouted in a broken voice.

Halira crossed the steps and entered the Temple. She ran through the main hallway and reached the door at the far end. She opened it without hesitation, and a wide room of pale tones appeared on the other side.

She took a deep breath. She knew this place: the strange space where time passed differently.

"Here... I have a chance. On Toria, time flows much more slowly."

Without stopping, she crossed the room and hurried down the exit hallway.

Upon reaching the outside, the white and infinite void enveloped her. Next to the entrance, several small red ships sat in silence, just as her master had warned.

She approached one of them, pried open the hatch, and slipped inside.

After several attempts, she managed to activate the systems. Screens flickered, showing recorded routes, marked trajectories—and unknown destinations.

"It can't be..." she whispered to herself. "The White Dimension... it's not just a chamber—it's a network of pathways between worlds!"

Among them, one marked with a peculiar symbol:

'FORBIDDEN: EXTREMELY POWERFUL BEINGS. FINAL OBJECTIVE.'

Knowing the devastation that awaited every planet on Gravek's route, Halira made a risky decision. She couldn't defeat Gravek, but she could warn the inhabitants of this other world and, perhaps, find in them the help her world needed.

"That... That is the world I must go to. If anyone can stop Gravek, it must be there."

With determination, she entered the coordinates and set off through the White Dimension.

Far away, on the Sacred World of the Kais, the calm was also being tested. The air trembled with every clash of Ki. Goku and Uub trained without rest, trading blows that made the entire surface of the planet vibrate. Goku, amused but serious, had raised his level to Super Saiyan 2, testing his disciple's progress.

The Elder Kai fished listlessly in a nearby lake, while Supreme Kai and Kibito watched serenely. Each impact made the ground quake, but they watched the magnitude of the power being unleashed without blinking. What really caught their attention was the progress of the human boy. Day after day, Uub brought to light a latent strength that Goku was determined to awaken.

Mid-exchange, Uub finally asked the question he had been holding onto for some time:

"Master... isn't there a way to release all my power at once? Like Gohan did back then..."

Goku dodged a kick with an amused expression.

"Maybe, but that's not really up to us. Besides, where's the fun in that?"

The boy clenched his jaw, striking with even more vigor.

"Then I'll do it my way."

With a swift kick, Uub caught Goku off guard, sending him flying straight into the lake.

The water erupted in a violent explosion.

The Elder Kai jumped from his seat, his face flushed red.

"Hey, watch it! What do you think you're doing?! I'm sick of you scaring off the fish!"

Goku emerged from the water scratching the back of his head, while Uub apologized clumsily.

Supreme Kai, amused, intervened.

"At least it's reassuring to know the universe has such strong defenders. We never know when another catastrophe will strike."

Goku looked at Uub with a knowing glance.

"You see... there's no getting around it. You've gotta keep training hard."

Uub nodded with a determined smile.

They both resumed training, while the Elder Kai picked up his rod, grumbling in search of a new spot to fish.

"Lately, I've been sensing a strange tension in the universe... Bah, must be my old age catching up with me."

In the White Dimension, Halira gasped. Two of Gravek's warriors had broken through.

"Damn it! They've managed to get in much sooner than I thought."

Halira flew swiftly through the White Dimension as Gravek's two warriors followed her relentlessly. Every time she glanced back, she saw them at the same distance, advancing calmly but with that dark energy that made her tremble.

"I'm not giving up..." she murmured, pushing the throttle forward.

After a time that seemed eternal, she saw it: another gigantic white sphere, with a building on its surface. The same type of structure as on Toria.

"That must be... another world!"

She headed toward the building, and the warriors did the same. Halira swallowed hard, her hands tense on the controls. Suddenly, one of them opened his canopy and launched a Ki blast that hit the hull. The impact shook her violently; red alarms lit up on the control console and a high-pitched buzzing rang through the cockpit.

"Tch... damn it!" she spat, gritting her teeth.

The soldiers did not repeat the attack. They didn't want to risk damaging the portal's structure.

Halira landed the ship in front of the entrance and scrambled out. Just before reaching the threshold, she glanced back. The two of them had stopped.

"Huh...?" She blinked, surprised.

The warriors watched her from their ships in the distance.

"Now what?" one of them growled.

"Nothing. Do you want Gravek to kill us? We're forbidden from even approaching that portal."

The first one hesitated for a few seconds, his eyes fixed on the building.

"Tch... damn brat."

"Forget her. Her ship is damaged. She couldn't come back even if she wanted to."

With a snort, they turned their ships around and began their return, gradually disappearing into the white vastness.

Halira, still trembling, remembered the strict rule forbidding access to that portal. She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest.

"…Then, that is where I must go." Her voice sounded firm.

Without thinking twice, she walked through the building's door.

 

[Dragon Ball Shinen]

III. The Forbidden Objective

The white glow soon transformed into the dim light of a temple's interior. Halira appeared cautiously, suppressing her Ki completely. The echo of her footsteps resonated through the hallways as she advanced between ancient columns until she found a staircase ascending toward the surface.

Stepping outside, she was suddenly enveloped by the intense blue of the sky.

Dende and Mr. Popo, alarmed at the sight of her, rushed over to her.

"Who are you?!" Dende exclaimed, his voice tense.

Halira took a deep breath and bowed with respect.

"I am Halira… I come from the planet Toria. Please, I need your help!"

Piccolo, who had interrupted his meditation, opened his eyes and fixed them on Halira with a glacial stare.

"This is Kami's Lookout," he said with cutting coldness. "How did you get up here undetected? Explain yourself."

Halira began explaining how she had arrived there, speaking of the White Dimension as a vast, interconnected ocean. Dende's surprise was palpable.

"The Hyperbolic Time Chamber… connected to other worlds?! That's impossible!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "I thought that dimension was created only for training!"

"We never ventured deep into that vast dimension," Piccolo clarified, his voice raspy. "Losing your way in there would have been a death sentence."

Halira lowered her gaze, her voice heavy with pain.

"My world… Toria… no longer exists as I knew it. Our Guardian was slain by a warrior named Gravek. He has corrupted my people with his strange ability… My friends, those I trained with, are now puppets of his malice. I… am the only one who managed to escape."

Dende was horrified.

"A Guardian… slain…"

Mr. Popo lowered his head, somber.

"Then… your world is defenseless."

Halira nodded, breathing with difficulty.

"And yours is too. I saw the flight logs in Gravek's ship. Earth… is one of his objectives."

Dende's heart stopped for a moment.

"An objective…?" he whispered, incredulous.

Halira looked up. Her eyes burned.

"The navigation system displayed a message beside the coordinates for this world. It said: 'FORBIDDEN: EXTREMELY POWERFUL BEINGS. FINAL OBJECTIVE.'"

A frigid silence fell over the Lookout. Dende and Mr. Popo's eyes widened, while Piccolo's narrowed.

"Final… objective?" Dende repeated barely above a whisper.

Piccolo grit his teeth.

"Tch… that means they will come sooner or later. It's not that they can't enter... they're just waiting for the right moment to do so."

Halira nodded firmly, still trembling.

"I know. I have nothing to offer but the way there… but if you help me, I can lead you straight to him."

Piccolo crossed his arms, sizing her up.

"A being who defeats a guardian deity and controls an entire race… We cannot ignore him."

Dende swallowed hard.

"We really don't have any other choice."

Mr. Popo, who had remained attentive, stepped forward with a pitcher of water and a small bowl.

"Drink a little, you'll need it," he said softly.

Halira accepted it with gratitude, taking small sips as she regained her breath.

Meanwhile, Piccolo and Dende stepped away toward the edge of the platform.

"Judging by what she has told us, this Gravek doesn't seem as overwhelming as other enemies from the past," Dende said in a low voice.

Piccolo nodded slightly.

"I've felt Halira's power. She is strong, yes. In Frieza's day, I would have been impressed. But now… she's nothing out of the ordinary."

Dende looked at him, pensive.

"So, Gravek isn't as formidable as we expected?"

"He's no Buu, that's for sure," Piccolo replied in a practical tone. "But his ability to control others… that is a very different problem. We can't get overconfident. We need reinforcements."

"Do you mean Goku and Vegeta?" Dende asked cautiously.

Piccolo snorted.

"Goku is out of reach. And Vegeta… We could ask him, but I doubt he'd bother with an opponent of this caliber.

"Besides, his time in that dimension ran out years ago," Dende added.

"Do you really think something like that would stop him at this point?" Piccolo pointed out. "Anyway, maybe we could talk to Gohan..."

"And what about Goten and Trunks?" Dende suggested. "Their power must have grown quite a bit."

Piccolo let out a huff as his cape billowed abruptly.

"Those two... are wasting their potential. But their strength is undeniable. Right now, they must be roughly on par with Cell. And if things get out of hand, there's always Fusion."

Dende arched an eyebrow with a flash of irony.

"And exactly which Cell are we talking about, Piccolo?"

Piccolo looked at him out of the corner of his eye in silence. That look was enough to make Dende put a hand to his mouth, stifling a laugh.

Halira approached them with a grave expression.

"There is… one more problem. Two of Gravek's soldiers pursued me. Before I could cross the portal, one of their attacks hit my ship. The navigation system is still working, but the hull was damaged. I don't think it will withstand another trip."

As she spoke, she approached the edge of the Lookout to catch her breath. She took one more step… and froze upon seeing the vastness of the sky stretched out beneath her feet. Her eyes went wide, and she stumbled backward with a sharp gasp, almost falling over.

"Watch out!" Dende interjected, alarmed. "Isn't it the same on your world?"

Halira, her heart still racing, shook her head quickly.

"Of course not! My Guardian's Temple is in a spectacular spot… but at least it's on solid ground. Not floating in the middle of the sky!"

Piccolo, with a bead of sweat on his brow, cleared his throat sternly.

"About those who followed you… did you defeat them before entering?"

Halira shook her head firmly.

"No. They backed off at the last moment because of the portal's restriction. Right after damaging the ship."

Piccolo tightened his knuckles.

"Tch… Without that navigation system, we won't be able to find our way through that dimension. We need to repair it."

"There is only one person capable of doing it," Dende said.

Piccolo opened his eyes, resolute.

"Bulma."

Dende nodded and went straight to the communicator. In a matter of seconds, the transmission sphere projected Bulma's image, her hair slightly messy and stained with grease, as if she had been interrupted in the middle of a repair.

"Piccolo? Dende? …Well, if you're calling me like this, it means something serious is going on," she said with a mix of exhaustion and expectation.

"Bulma," Piccolo said bluntly. "We have a problem. And we're going to need your help."

She arched an eyebrow, but upon hearing what came next, her expression changed completely.

"A ship… inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?" she repeated, incredulous, dropping her screwdriver onto the table. "That… that is incredible!"

She crossed her arms thoughtfully, a spark of curiosity lighting up her eyes.

"I want to see it as soon as possible, but you already know I can't stand even a minute inside that chamber." She curled her lips with irony. "I'll send Trunks. He'll examine it and bring it here in a capsule. That way I can work on it at Capsule Corp."

Halira, still nervous, bowed her head in gratitude.

It wasn't long before a silhouette streaked across the sky. Trunks landed on the Lookout platform with a confident expression.

"Wow… looks like I've missed something interesting."

The group descended the interior stairs of the Lookout until they reached the entrance to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Stepping through the threshold and into the white immensity, the small red ship awaited them, parked next to the solitary building.

Trunks crossed his arms, observing it closely.

"So this thing brought you from your planet's portal all the way here…" he murmured, giving the damaged hull a couple of taps. "It's compact. Just the right size to fit through doors like this one."

Halira nodded.

"I thought the same. Its design isn't a coincidence."

Trunks leaned in a bit, touching one of the edges.

"It's missing a piece, have you noticed?"

Halira looked at him strangely and nodded slowly.

"Yes… it was already like that when I found it."

Piccolo barely tilted his head, watching in silence.

"Well, even though it's small, moving it through the interior of the Lookout would be a problem. I'll put it in a capsule and take it to my mom," Trunks said, pulling a Hoi-Poi capsule from his pocket with a quick gesture. "Luckily for us, size isn't an issue."

Halira looked at him, surprised.

"Put a whole ship... in a capsule? Incredible… your world is more advanced than I imagined."

Trunks held up the capsule, pressing the button with his thumb.

"Knowing Mom, I'm sure it'll be ready in a couple of days… and probably upgraded."

With a metallic click, the ship vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving Halira stunned.

Piccolo crossed his arms gravely.

"Let's not waste any more time. Every minute that ship is in Bulma's hands is one step closer to stopping Gravek."

Following Trunks' departure for Capsule Corp, Piccolo didn't wait. Time was of the essence, and the threat undeniable. He took flight, diving swiftly from the edge of the Lookout. In a matter of seconds, the unmistakable silhouette of Korin Tower rose to meet him. At the top of the immense column, Yajirobe was snoring loudly, hugging his katana as if it were a pillow. Korin, sitting on a cushion, watched with his usual serenity.

"So you finally decide to drop by, Piccolo," the cat said without opening his eyes. "It's been a long time since the Lookout saw any trouble."

Piccolo landed with his habitual seriousness.

"I've come for Senzu Beans, Korin. I don't think we'll use them this time, but I don't want to take any chances."

Yajirobe woke up with a start at the sound of Piccolo's voice.

"Trouble again?! Always the same thing! I'm going back to sleep!"

Korin nodded with tired wisdom, handing him a small pouch.

"Here you go. By the way, is everything okay at the Lookout? It seems someone has appeared up there, right?"

Piccolo took the pouch. His gaze hardened.

"A traveler has arrived. Things are far from 'okay'."

With the Senzu secured, Piccolo said his goodbye and launched himself back into the sky. For him, the calm of the Earth was only a brief pause before the true storm brewing far away, in the corners of the universe.

Two days passed. Just as promised, Bulma had the new ship ready: larger, faster, and equipped with the navigation system from Gravek's vessel.

In the courtyard of Capsule Corp, Piccolo, Halira and Trunks inspected the new ship while Bulma gave hurried instructions.

"Trunks, make sure they don't wreck it halfway through the trip this time like what happened to Halira. And don't forget that I've installed a tracker. I'm not about to let you get lost in there."

Trunks nodded confidently.

"Mom… you worry too much. Between the ship, the tracker, and us, I think we're more than covered."

At that moment, Goten appeared. He landed with a firm step, though he couldn't hide a certain curiosity upon seeing the stranger.

"Yo, Piccolo! Long time no see." Then he directed a brief look at Halira and flashed a cordial smile. "Hi! I'm Goten. So you're the one from the planet in trouble? That's some story!"

Halira bowed her head seriously, somewhat overwhelmed by his upbeat energy.

Piccolo examined Goten in silence for a few seconds before speaking.

"I hope you don't take this as one of your games."

Goten's smile vanished, and he replied with a more sober tone.

"Don't worry. When it's time to get serious, we get serious. I know that well enough."

Before leaving, Trunks went down to the underground training area. The echo of blows and explosions rumbled like a storm beneath the earth. Inside the gravity chamber, set to five hundred times Earth's gravity, Vegeta was fighting a projection of Cell. His figure was drenched in sweat, and every impact was charged with a fury that never waned.

"Aren't you coming with us, Dad?" Trunks asked, raising his voice as he watched the simulation.

Vegeta clenched his hands together and unleashed a brutal blow upon his enemy, sending him into the ground with such force that the projection dissolved into flashes of light. Without turning, he let out a dry laugh.

"What? Do you expect me to fight your battles for you?" he spat with disdain. "You're a grown man, Trunks. This is your chance to prove the worth of a Saiyan raised on Earth. If you can't handle this, you'd better start taking your training seriously."

Trunks pressed his lips together, letting a defiant expression show.

"I figured you'd say that. Don't worry, we'll handle this without any trouble."

Vegeta finally turned just enough to look at him out of the corner of his eye, his brow hardened but with a fierce glint in his gaze.

"If this Gravek is targeting Earth… let him come. I'll be here waiting for him."

The simulator lights turned back on. Vegeta transformed into a Super Saiyan and, with a roar of fury, lunged at a new projection. Trunks withdrew in silence, but with a spark of pride reflected in his eyes.