A violet-red aura flared off Broly's body as he arrowed after Ken—fast, but still nowhere near Ken's speed.
"Goku… you met them already?" Krillin was still catching up.
"Yeah. If not for Ken, I might've gone down with my brother," Goku laughed.
"What actually happened?" Krillin asked. "And what's this 'ten months' fight' about?"
"Simple. In ten months, two more Saiyans land on Earth. We're going to have to fight them head-on," Goku said, eyes blazing. "So I'm training hard enough to beat the one who's fifteen times stronger than my brother."
"Fifteen… stronger than Raditz?" Krillin shivered. "Then how many times stronger than you is he?"
Goku only grinned and pulled out the Ultra Instinct: Training Guide.
"What's that?" Krillin leaned in. "Ultra Instinct: Training Guide? What does it even teach?"
"Ken gave it to me. He said if I master this, I can beat that Saiyan named Vegeta," Goku said, cheerful as ever.
"Mind if I look?" Krillin asked.
"I'd like a peek too," Master Roshi craned his neck.
"I asked Ken already—he said you can," Goku nodded. "He also said Ultra Instinct isn't for everyone… Krillin, help me read it. There's a lot I don't recognize, and some passages are confusing."
"Ask away. I'll walk you through it," Krillin thumped his chest.
Roshi flipped a few pages, scratching his head. The more he read, the more it rang faint bells with his old training ideas.
"What a technique…" Roshi murmured. "Goku, I think it tracks. If your body can move on its own without waiting for the brain to process—then that's just…"
"Pretty awesome, right?" Goku grinned.
"More than awesome. I want to practice it too… preferably with a young lady present to help me 'observe muscle responses,'" Roshi coughed, face going red.
Krillin: "…"
"Master Roshi, what are you thinking?!" Krillin wiped sweat.
Goku: "???"
"Bulma left a capsule plane here. Let's fly to Capsule Corp," Krillin said. "I can explain the parts you don't get on the way."
"Great idea," Goku nodded.
…
Capsule Corporation HQ.
"So it really is Ken? I'll admit, the white hair and tail look rather striking," Dr. Brief adjusted his glasses, peering at him.
"Doctor, long time," Ken smiled.
"Quite the feat—heard it took twenty-four years of metamorphosis to become a proper angel," Dr. Brief sighed. "The road to godhood sure is steep."
"It was a long twenty-four years," Ken agreed.
"You really do look a lot like Vados now—different skin tone and halo color, and, well, a tail," Bulma said, picturing Vados in her head.
"Has Vados been away a while?" Ken asked.
"She probably mooched at our place long enough and moved on to raid someone else's pantry," Bulma huffed. "Honestly—never around when it counts. You'd think she could fix the problems we can't."
"Angels don't meddle much. That's normal," Ken said. He knew if Earth faced a truly mortal crisis, Vados wouldn't stay on the sidelines. This planet was basically her private restaurant. She wouldn't let anything happen to it. And most issues—Piccolo Daimao aside—had never been beyond Earth's own reach.
"Ken's back? You're not leaving again, are you?" Mrs. Briefs came out with a fruit tray, eyes crescented with delight.
"I'm busy. I can't stay on Earth," Ken said.
"You're leaving again?" Bulma's face fell. "You promised to take me off-world sightseeing—that wasn't just talk."
"And I will. I'll make time," Ken promised.
"Better," Bulma exhaled.
A streak whistled down; Broly touched lightly down in the yard.
"Is that… Broly?" Dr. Brief pushed his glasses up. "My, how you've grown."
Broly only dipped his chin in greeting.
"Go fetch Little Ai," Bulma told a house robot.
"On it!" It zipped away and, less than a minute later, Ai came winging in, head-lamp blinking as she scanned Broly's frame. The lights began flashing faster.
"What are you starin' at!" Ai chirped.
Broly: "…"
"I said, what—are—you—starin'—at!" Ai puffed.
Broly just smiled and stroked the dome of her head.
"I'm not the boy I was," he said quietly. "But you're still exactly the same."
Ai: "???"
"Say it… say 'what are you starin' at…'" Her LEDs flickered faster, almost flustered.
Tiny arcs crackled over Ai and crawled across Broly's skin.
Broly didn't move. That level of zap couldn't touch him now.
"Say it…" Ai's glow dimmed a fraction.
Broly only answered with a gentle smile.
Bulma: "…"
"What did he say?" she whispered to Ken. "He said he's not the boy he was, and Ai's still the same… That came out of Broly?"
"A lot happened. He grew up overnight," Ken said softly.
"Ai's about to cry…" Bulma's nose stung. "She missed him so much. And now, after twenty-four years… the kid who played with her is grown."
…
Orange Star City.
World Martial Arts ring.
"Ho! Hah! Hup!" Mr. Satan pummeled his opponent from the stage and took the belt in a rout.
"Congratulations to Mr. Satan—champion of the 8th National Martial Arts Tournament!" the host boomed.
Satan thrust a fist to the sky as the committee buckled on the belt and pinned the medal. He beamed.
I did it.
Hwahaha! I, Mr. Satan, am the strongest man alive!
"Champion, any words for the crowd?" the host asked.
"One day, I'll be the man who saves the world!" Satan declared.
"Haha—sounds like you're predicting doomsday," the host laughed.
"If that day comes, call me the savior," Satan grinned wider.
"I hear you married two years ago—and have a daughter," the host said.
"Yes. Her name's Videl," Satan nodded, eyes softening.
"Then once again—congratulations!" Applause roared.
In the stands, Majin Buu clapped like a kid.
Pop!
Buu bounced onto the ring, right up to Satan.
The crowd stared at the pink, pudgy stranger.
"Heehee, Satan! I missed you!" Buu beamed.
"And you are…?" Satan scratched his head.
"I'm Buu. You gave me chocolate once!" Buu introduced himself.
"Oh! You!" Satan smacked his forehead, the memories rushing back.
"I want chocolate," Buu said, absolutely direct.
"No problem. I'm the champ now—I'm loaded! We'll drown in chocolate," Satan thumped his chest, then turned to the host and crowd: "He's my best friend!"
People were startled by Buu's looks, but if he was Mr. Satan's friend—well, this world had all kinds.
They left the arena; Satan bought mountains of gourmet chocolates. Buu ate, and the more he ate, the happier he got.
"Yours is tastier," Buu said through a full mouth. "Better than the ones Merus gave me."
"Merus? Who's that?" Satan blinked. "That guy you were with back then?"
Buu nodded.
"Where is he?" Satan glanced around.
"Not here. I don't like him," Buu said, lips stained dark with cocoa. "Maybe he died."
…
Universe 7. Galactic Patrol HQ. Merus's room.
Staff in hand, Merus peered into the crystal at Ken and the others—and at Majin Buu.
He arrived just in time to hear Buu.
Merus felt his soul leave his body.
Cursing a god behind his back, really?
I let you out of the seal.
And chocolate is chocolate. Why is Satan's 'tastier' than mine?
He pinched the urge to crush Buu like a grape, collapsed the staff, and resumed his Patrol uniform.
That day, Merus worked arrests with unusual enthusiasm.
Galactic bandit leader Saganbo left the fight with multiple comminuted fractures and a very broken ego.
"I've never seen Merus this mad," Irico whispered to Jaco.
"Time of the month?" Jaco guessed.
Irico: "…"
"Cadet Jaco—what did you say?" Merus's face went black.
I am an angel. A male angel. You dare?
"N-nothing. Lovely weather. My aunt's visiting me," Jaco said, straight-faced nonsense.
…
Universe 6, Earth—Orange Star City.
Years from now it'll be renamed Satan City, but the middle school will keep its name.
Satan and Buu wandered, bought still more chocolate, then Satan invited Buu home for dinner.
"What do you want to eat?" Satan said. "I'll have my chef make it."
"I haven't eaten in more than twenty years. Make everything good," Buu said.
"More than twenty years?" Satan chuckled. "You kidder."
"Heehee," Buu smiled, letting it go.
On the way home, Satan took a call—his face went hard as granite.
"What did you say? Let my daughter go! I'll pay whatever you want—don't hurt her!" Satan barked. "Fine. I'll do it!"
He hung up, turned to Buu with a strained, apologetic smile.
Buu blinked.
"Sorry, Buu. My daughter's been kidnapped. I have to save her. Dinner's off," Satan said, fists clenched.
"I'll come," Buu grinned—and sniffed Satan like a hound.
"What?" Satan sniffed his own pit and nearly fainted. "I just fought a whole tournament—I haven't showered…"
"Your daughter's… that way," Buu pointed due north.
"How do you know?" Satan gaped.
"I'll take you," Buu said, scooping him up. They shot into the sky.
Satan's jaw nearly fell off. "W-we're flying!"
They hovered over an unfinished high-rise ten kilometers away.
"There's a four-year-old girl inside. That your daughter?" Buu asked.
Satan rubbed his eyes and shook his head.
"Not her?" Buu frowned. "But the scent—yours and hers—matches."
"I meant I can't see that far," Satan said, sweating.
"Ah." Buu dropped straight to the fourth floor open room—face to face with the kidnappers and Videl.
Crunch!
Buu punched one thug straight through the wall. The man fell and didn't stop falling until he stopped living.
"Uh… Ken told me not to kill," Buu muttered. "But he picked a fight with my friend. Ken won't mind."
"S-Satan! How did you find us?" the boss yelped, gun snapping up at Satan.
The other four drew too, muzzles leveled.
"Daddy!" Videl bolted for him.
The boss seized her by the hair and yanked her back.
"Videl!" Satan's heart cracked. "You bastards! Come at me! Why kidnap a child? She's four!"
"You came right to us—perfect. Since you delivered yourself, don't blame us for not being polite," the boss sneered. "Bring one hundred million, and maybe we let you walk."
"Let my daughter go first, and I'll transfer it," Satan gritted.
"Transfer? You clown. The second you transfer it, the cops trace us," the boss laughed. "Shut them up. Permanently."
Four goons stepped forward. One smashed his gun butt across Buu's face, leaving a perfect stock-shaped dent in the pink.
"Heh," the thug smirked.
Splat.
Buu's eyes flashed cold. He slapped once. The man became a thin, even sheet of gore.
The room froze.
"Shoot! Shoot!" the boss screamed.
They emptied mags into Buu. The bullets might as well have been raindrops.
Silence hummed in the concrete shell. The kidnappers shook, souls halfway out of their bodies.
"Monster!"
They turned to bolt, forgetting all about Videl.
"Turn to chocolate," Buu said. Purple lightning ran from his head tendril and washed over them.
In a blink, the men were person-shaped chocolates.
Buu picked one up, took a bite, and spat. "Gross. Not crispy. God of Destruction's chocolate is way better."
Satan was petrified.
Videl, white as a sheet.
…
Capsule Corp, Bulma's place.
Krillin's calls brought Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu. He laid out the Raditz situation from top to bottom.
They all wore the same hard look.
Ten months and even stronger Saiyans arrive.
Terrifying.
Goku couldn't beat his own brother—what about a Vegeta fifteen times stronger?
"Got it. Chiaotzu and I will train," Tien said low.
Yamcha drifted over to Krillin and poked his arm, voice down. "Krillin—the white-haired guy. That's Ken? The one Bulma never stops talking about?"
"Yeah," Krillin nodded.
"How strong is he?" Yamcha asked.
"Not sure… but probably absurd," Krillin said. "He's a Saiyan, too."
"What's the ring at his neck? Jewelry?" Yamcha eyed the halo.
"No idea. From how Bulma talks, he's a god—trained his way into it," Krillin said.
"A god? Like the Kami's successor?" Yamcha asked.
"Who knows—maybe higher than Kami," Krillin shrugged.
"Higher than Kami? Come on," Yamcha scoffed, sourness pricking. He'd loved Bulma for ages, and she barely glanced his way. All because of this Ken?
"Wait—why does Bulma look younger than before?" Yamcha blinked, suddenly noticing.
"You won't believe it—Ken reversed her clock," Krillin whispered.
"What? He can do that? Magic? Is he a Dragon in disguise?" Yamcha gaped.
"You've got an imagination," Krillin laughed. "I was gonna ask him to make me taller… or set me up with a girlfriend."
"Haha! Don't tell me you still don't have one," Yamcha smacked his shoulder. "I'll take you somewhere fun."
"Where?" Krillin blinked.
"Somewhere Master Roshi frequents," Yamcha grinned.
"You two! When did you start going without me?" Krillin rolled his eyes.
"Heh," Yamcha chuckled.
"Next time, invite me," Krillin said, then sighed. "But ten months… If Goku loses, we're in trouble."
"Isn't Ken a god? Even if Goku loses, won't he have a way?" Yamcha said.
"You're right… maybe it'll be fine," Krillin nodded, thinking.
"Mind if I go say hello to Ken?" Yamcha stroked his chin. "Sound him out. Make sure he's not some flashy fraud."
"Don't do anything dumb…" Krillin warned.
"Relax," Yamcha waved and walked over.
Ken was enjoying a feast not far away. On the table, a thumb-sized girl stood happily working through a chunk of cake—Amarella.
"You can only get that small?" Ken asked.
"No choice. I'm too weak," Amarella sighed. "Condensing this far keeps me from dispersing. Also, I can't leave a thousand-meter radius around you; if I do, the angel power feeding me cuts off and I might vanish. I have to wait for you to come back to re-form my body."
"Want me to try leaving the planet?" Ken grinned.
Amarella: "…"
"I don't feel any drain. How are you topping off from me? Are you… absorbing my 'essence' or what?" Ken asked, teasing on purpose.
Amarella's cheeks pinked. The meaning wasn't wrong, but the phrasing… off.
"It's more like your body burns fuel and sheds waste heat," she said, flustered but thorough. "I can't take your core power now, so I skim the byproducts—like cinders a furnace filters out. Those 'cinders' are enough to keep me stable and mend me. That sort of thing."
"Don't sell yourself short. We're angels, not ash," Ken said with a soft sigh.
Amarella ignored him and took another happy bite, then started hopping on the tabletop like a little girl at her own birthday party.
Ken watched, amused. The kid could be cute.
Just then, Yamcha strode up.
"Hey—you're Ken, right?" he tilted his head, giving Ken a once-over. "The Ken Bulma never shuts up about? Shake on it—"
He didn't finish.
Broly stood, flicked his hand, and the air pressure alone swatted Yamcha like a fly.
"Aaaugh—!"
Yamcha traced a wobbly arc and cratered in the grass, coughing a fountain of blood, his body twitching.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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