Vados savored the coconut water, planting her staff in the sand beside her.
Just then, Ken noticed the crystal orb on Vados's staff blinking nonstop.
"Vados, your staff keeps flashing. Is someone calling you?" he asked, strolling over.
"Not important," Vados said, still sipping contentedly.
"Want me to answer it for you?" Ken leaned in, eyeing the crystal.
Back in his previous life he'd downed plenty of coconut water; this didn't hold much novelty for him.
"You probably can't pick it up," Vados said around another sip.
"Let me try." Ken lifted the staff out of the sand, studied the orb for a moment, then raised a finger glowing with angelic ki and tapped the crystal.
Click.
A live image bloomed inside the orb—Kusu.
Kusu: "???"
She blinked, clearly not expecting Ken to answer.
"Hi there," Ken waggled his fingers.
"Ah—so you're Mr. Ken?" Kusu asked.
"That's me."
"Where's Vados?"
"Over there, taste-testing fruit." Ken tilted the staff so the orb had a view.
Kusu glanced that way and fell silent for a beat.
"So, you're planning to follow Vados to Universe 6?" she asked, straight to the point.
"Yeah. That's the plan," Ken admitted.
"Staying in Universe 10 isn't appealing? In what way am I inferior to Vados?" Kusu took a few steps back so the orb framed her figure, adding a sweet smile.
"Pretty lady… you're making this tough," Ken scratched his head.
"What's tough about it? Pick me or pick Vados—just say the word." Kusu's eyes curved. "And look closely—Vados has zero table manners when she eats."
Ken glanced over. Vados tipped a coconut back, throat working as she drank. A silver thread of coconut water slid down the corner of her mouth and dotted the front of her outfit.
"Not very elegant, is it?" Kusu prodded.
Ken swallowed. You drink coconut like that?
That's a crime against good juice!
"Hey. I'm talking to you," Kusu chided, noticing his glazed stare.
"Right, right—yeah, not very elegant," Ken nodded, perfunctory.
"Then stay in Universe 10," Kusu suggested.
"…But I kind of like her exactly like that," Ken said, dead honest.
Kusu's chest rose and fell; she was getting annoyed. In what way am I worse than Vados?
"How about this, pretty lady," Ken's eyes lit up. "I train with Vados for a while, then come to you. I'll grow faster that way."
"Nice try, but no. You only get one choice," Kusu refused without blinking.
"I refuse your refusal. Settled then—when I hit a bottleneck, I'll come find you, pretty lady!" Ken flicked a thread of angelic ki into the crystal and ended the call.
Kusu stared at her staff for a long moment.
Why do I feel like I owe him something now?
Hit a bottleneck and then come to me? You chose Vados—why look for me at all?
Her jaw set. Even if you come, I won't teach you. That's what you get for not picking me!
"Ah-la-la… Mr. Ken's acting chops aren't bad—you managed to hold my staff and monologue for ages," Vados chimed as she approached, a pearly bead of coconut water still at the corner of her lips.
Ken didn't rush to wipe it away. For a second, scenes from a certain artbook in his previous life flashed in his head.
"What was that?" Ken asked.
"Who just pinged me?" Vados tilted her head.
"Angel from Universe 10," Ken said.
"Mm?" Vados checked the crystal herself and found the call log. She looked from the staff to Ken, curiosity bright in her eyes.
"My, my. You can place calls through an angel's staff?"
"I can."
"And you could see Kusu on the other end?"
"Pretty cute," Ken judged.
Vados: "…"
"You really could see her. Ah-la-la… now I understand why the Grand Minister wants you trained. Maybe you really can become a true angel," Vados mused.
"I'll work hard," Ken said, firm.
"Let's pack some of these fruits and head back," Vados suggested.
"Sure." Ken paused, then asked, "Universe 6 doesn't have these?"
"It should, but they're hard to find. Even for me, it'd take effort," Vados said.
"I'll go hunting when there's time. I love the way you drink coconut water," Ken said, a little too sincerely.
Vados: "???"
Is there something special about the way I drink? Isn't that how everyone does it?
"You call it coconut water?" she asked.
"Just a name. Don't sweat the details."
"'Coconut'… nice ring to it. Coconut it is," Vados nodded.
"Where'd Broly go?" Ken suddenly realized the big guy was gone. The Mosco-style mech still stood there, idle.
"He was here a minute ago. Maybe something caught his eye," Vados guessed.
Ken pointed, steering the mech to follow Vados into the sky. They scanned the island.
In a violet grove not far off, they found Broly—and a girl.
A very small girl. Green skin, lilac bodysuit, short silver hair—cute as a button.
Ken had a nagging sense of déjà vu.
Down in the grove, Broly smashed a boulder to gravel with one punch, then grinned goofily.
"Amazing! That's amazing!" the girl clapped, thrilled.
Broly blushed, scratching his head.
He followed with a smooth backflip and landed light as a cat.
"You're incredible!" she cheered.
"Heh-heh." Broly's ears went red.
"I'm Cheelai. What's your name?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Broly," he said, shy again.
"Are you from space? You look really strong," she said, running a hand along his arm. "So solid. No wonder a gentle punch crushed a rock."
"I can tear mountains," Broly said, nodding at a nearby peak.
Ken: "…"
"He used to cap out at six-word sentences. One cute girl later and he's practically eloquent," Ken murmured.
"Your future god of destruction fell in love at first sight," Vados observed. "He's peacocking."
"My worry is he'll have a brain glitch and try to tear her in half," Ken sighed.
Vados: "…"
"So the Universe 3 god of destruction son was… literally torn in two by Mr. Broly?" she asked, half-laughing, half-crying.
"Merus helped us visit the Other World after. The kid—Mule's son, Muse—was screaming in King Yemma's line. Yemma tossed him into the Soul Cleanser and sent him to reincarnate," Ken said plainly.
Vados rubbed her temples.
"Were you trying to resurrect him?" she asked.
"No. We meant to wipe his final moments from the ledger so Mosco couldn't trace it," Ken said.
Vados let that one pass.
Boom.
Broly hammered a stone ridge. A crack spidered; he seized both sides—
Craaaack!
—and split the hill in two.
"Heh-heh!" Broly beamed at Cheelai.
"Awesome! Awesome!" she jumped up and down.
"I've torn the moon too," Broly added, bragging now.
"That… moon?" Cheelai pointed to the pale crescent overhead.
Broly nodded, aura beginning to flare as he readied to launch.
"Wait—don't tear that one!" Cheelai grabbed his arm.
Broly blinked.
"It's so pretty. It'd be a shame to ruin it," she coaxed.
"Oh." Broly nodded gravely.
"H-hey, when you grow up… will you come marry me?" Cheelai whispered, toes tracing circles in the dirt, cheeks burning.
"Marry you… can I eat it?" Broly asked, squinting. "You look tasty."
"See? Ten words," Ken muttered.
Vados: "…"
That's what you're focusing on?
Then it hit Ken. Wait—Cheelai's a Universe 7 girl… but we're in Universe 10. Odd. Then again, maybe she'd get pulled across universes someday. Not important now.
"And Broly—why are you and Kakarot the same? You think 'marry' means 'take home to eat'? Honestly…"
"Broly, time to go," Ken called down.
Broly looked up at Ken and Vados. Cheelai gasped. "They can fly! Are they your friends?"
Broly nodded hard. "I can fly too."
He slowly lifted off.
"Amazing! You're the best, Broly!" Cheelai clapped until her palms stung.
"Going," he said, reluctant.
"Remember to come back and marry me," Cheelai chirped.
"Mm," Broly nodded earnestly and rose to Ken's side.
"You don't want to stay here and live a quiet life with that girl?" Ken teased.
Broly shook his head without hesitation.
"Oh? Why not?"
"Follow you. Revenge," Broly said, eyes steady.
Ken's chest tightened. He hadn't forgotten Mosco's beatdown either.
"Then let's go. Grow strong, then come back for her," Ken said, clapping Broly's shoulder.
Broly looked down at the green-skinned girl one last time, then turned, resolute, and climbed into the Mosco-type mech.
"Shall we head for Universe 6?" Vados asked.
Ken immediately vaulted onto her back and hugged her from behind.
Vados: "…"
You are far too practiced at that.
Whirr—ding.
Vados tapped her staff in the air; starlit radiance fanned out, cloaking Ken and the mech. On the way out, she swept several coconuts into a tidy pocket of subspace.
Fwoosh!
Two streaks of light—Vados with Ken, and the hulking mech—speared into the void.
"Oh—Vados, do you have top-tier scientists in Universe 6?" Ken asked over the wind.
"Of course," Vados said. "Why?"
"This robot looks too much like Universe 3's Destroyer. I want it remodeled. I do know a great scientist, but he's in Universe 7."
"Universe 7…" Vados mused. "Universe 6 and 7 are mirror universes. Usually, if there's a scientist in 7, there's someone analogous in 6."
"Does Universe 6 have a planet called Earth?" Ken asked.
"Earth? Let me see." Vados consulted her staff as they flew. "Your scientist is on Universe 7's Earth?"
"Yep."
About ten seconds later, Vados found Universe 6's Earth—then her expression tightened.
"What a pity… Universe 6's Earth is gone," she sighed. "Nuclear war. The surface is a dead waste under radiation—no people, no scientists."
"Then let's swing by Earth in Universe 7," Ken suggested.
Vados hesitated. She didn't want to—detouring would mean hours back to 6.
"You love food, don't you? Universe 7's Earth has incredible cuisine. You'll love it," Ken murmured at her ear.
"Really?" Vados brightened.
"Really. I've been there. The food is amazing," Ken grinned.
Broly nodded like a bobblehead. "Mm-hmm!"
Vados glanced at the mech, then made up her mind. "All right. Earth, then."
"And 6 and 7 are mirrors?" Ken asked.
"Yes," Vados said, ponytail swishing—its clean scent brushed Ken's cheek and he didn't mind in the slightest.
"In that case, can we swap the two Earths someday? Then you won't have to travel so far for food."
Vados's eyes lit. "Ah-la-la… not a bad idea."
"Feasible?"
"Afraid not. I could swap the planets, but life on both worlds would likely die in an instant," Vados said after a moment, tone sober. "Pulled off their orbits, they'd face lethal cold or heat…"
"No workaround?" Ken pressed.
"Let's visit Earth first. If the food truly deserves it, we'll… find a way," Vados said, eyes dancing.
—
Universe 7, deep space.
Mosco had combed starfields for a month, asked countless travelers, and still hadn't found his son.
Creaaak.
He halted.
"Ji-gu, ji-gu…" came his tinny voice.
By any reasonable speed, Luke and Muse couldn't have gone far—surely they were in this cluster.
Why no trace at all?
Don't tell me something happened…
He shook that off. Luke could boost Muse's power fiftyfold. Few could match them. Only that trainee angel's team might.
But would an angel target his son? No. Muse would have named himself. There was no conflict of interest. Angels were even-tempered.
…Except, what about the trainee's "God of Destruction-in-training" and "Kai-in-training"?
No. Impossible.
And yet, the longer he denied it, the more unease gnawed his core. A month of searching, and nothing.
I'll ask Campari.
Mosco pinged Universe 3's angel.
"Muse is missing?" Campari feigned surprise, then gave a reassuring pat to his chest. "I'll check. Don't worry; it's probably nothing."
"Ji-gu? Ji-ji-ji?" Mosco asked.
"Killed? Unlikely," Campari said.
"Ji-gu!"
"All right, I'll investigate. Please wait," Campari said, ending the call.
He took a serious look—caught the moment Broly tore Muse in two. He also traced what happened in the Other World: King Yemma, the line, the Soul Cleanser… reincarnation.
Campari massaged his brow, then reconnected.
"Ji-ji?" Mosco's voice trembled.
"One good news, one bad. Which first?" Campari asked.
"Ji-gu-ji!"
"Bad news: you were right. Muse is dead," Campari said.
Bang!
Mosco's chest hatch blew open and Mule thrust his head out, seizing the comm. "Campari! Tell me—how did he die?!"
"It may be better not to know," Campari sighed.
"Say it!" Mule's whole frame shook.
"I… don't know for certain. My signal cut out—a blind spot," Campari said.
"Don't insult me. Your staff doesn't have blind spots," Mule snarled.
"Sometimes angelic perception can't reach. It happens," Campari hedged.
"So it was that trainee angel's people, wasn't it? That's why you won't say," Mule's voice went ice-cold.
Campari: "…"
Too sharp by half. He said nothing.
"Who?" Mule pressed.
"From what I've heard, Merus is training in Universe 7," Campari conceded. "But he wouldn't target your son."
"He wouldn't. His subordinates might," Mule hissed.
"Subordinates…?" Campari echoed weakly.
"Enough. Don't say another word," Mule snapped.
Campari let the silence stand.
"You mentioned good news. What is it?" Mule demanded at last.
"The good news is… Muse has already reincarnated," Campari said evenly.
"You call that good news?!" Mule roared, mind going blank.
So fast?
Impossible.
"Already? It's only been a month! He should be in Hell!" Mule thundered.
"He cut the line. King Yemma… sent him to reincarnate," Campari answered.
"What did you say?!" Mule's howl made the star cluster tremble.
"My condolences," Campari said softly.
"The Other World! King Yemma! I'll make you pay!" Mule slammed back into Mosco.
Clack.
The hatch sealed.
Fwoosh!
Mosco knifed downward through space.
"Please, calm down," Campari urged. "You're in Universe 7. If you harm another universe's god, you'll be punished."
Mosco said nothing; purple-red energy crawled over his hull.
"If you kill a god of another universe without sanction, there will be consequences," Campari pressed.
"Ji-ji-ji! Ji-ji-ji-ji!"
Mosco's aura exploded.
Rrrrraaaa—
The entire star system dissolved into nothing under his rage.
Even so, he knew Campari was right. A God of Destruction's authority wasn't a license to run wild. King Yemma might be a "minor" god, but killing him would cross a line.
"I'll find the truth. I'll avenge my son with my own hands," Mule ground out, steam venting from Mosco's crown.
He suspected the trainee's "God of Destruction" did it—but he had no proof. He'd have to hunt in the dark.
"Wait for me, little monkey. It has to be you," he snarled.
—
Universe 7, deep space.
A star-bright streak tore the void, dragging a huge cruiser in its wake. Merus—moving so fast he simply towed his ship along—sped toward HQ.
"Flying myself is faster. A few hours and I can see GP Headquarters already," he said, spotting the vast space station.
He stopped mid-space, thoughtful.
"I'll park it here and let autopilot dock. I'll swing by the Supreme Kai Realm and ask where Majin Buu is," Merus decided, nudged the cruiser toward the station, then flashed away in a fountain of starlight.
—
Galactic Patrol HQ.
Patrollers spotted Merus's ship and hurried to meet it—only to find it empty.
"Agent Merus? Are you aboard?"
They searched stem to stern. No luck.
"Did you hear? Merus's cruiser came back… without Merus."
"Could he be… dead?"
A hush fell. Merus was a legend here; the mood turned heavy.
—
Supreme Kai's World.
Supreme Kai and Kibito were still watching Majin Buu's seal, as they had for a month. The earlier… humiliations had faded a bit. Duty mattered more.
"Another day the same… Another day of nerves survived," the Kai murmured.
"Do you think that Legendary Super Saiyan can really beat Majin Buu?" Kibito asked.
"I think so. I've faced Buu. I know his strength," the Kai said. "I believe the Legendary Super Saiyan would hold the edge."
"If only we could persuade him—Mr. Broly—to eliminate Buu," Kibito said, then sighed. "But it doesn't sound like they plan to."
"Find a way. Convince him," the Kai paced, hands clasped behind his back, gazing up. "For the peace of the universe."
"Broly seems to listen to Ken. If we persuade Ken, that should do it," Kibito suggested.
"But it felt like that Merus fellow was the leader," the Kai hedged.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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