Three months had passed since the fight with Raditz, and I now stood facing Goku.
Back in my original timeline, Androids 17 and 18 carried built-in energy reactors, their endless supply of power overwhelming even the strongest fighters. Drawing inspiration from that, I designed an armor prototype of my own, fitted with a similar type of generator. Unlike the androids, mine required ki as a power source—when I channeled energy through it, the generator amplified the output, multiplying my power fourfold.
The result: I could push myself up to Goku's level.
Not that it made things easy. Goku was more skilled than I could hope to match, and the only reason I lasted as long as I did was thanks to the pattern recognition system installed in my armor. It tracked Goku's movements in real-time, giving me just enough predictive data to keep pace.
We clashed for five grueling minutes. Blow for blow, strike for strike—until my ki reserves gave out. My armor powered down, and with it, my strength plummeted. I collapsed onto the grass, chest heaving, the spar lost.
And yet, pride welled up inside me. The armor had worked.
I wiped sweat from my brow and looked at Goku. "Want one? I could make you a set."
Goku only raised his left wrist, showing the compact amplifier I had built for him months ago. "This one doubles my power level. That's enough for me."
I didn't push. That was Goku—he'd never rely too heavily on tech when hard work could get him further.
---
Life settled into a strange rhythm. Chi-Chi had begun training Gohan using my very first prototype device. Unlike the harsh, merciless methods Piccolo had used in my original timeline, Chi-Chi's way allowed Gohan to grow without sacrificing his childhood. Watching him laugh and study between training sessions, I felt relief—relief for a boy who, in my timeline, never had the chance to breathe between battles.
Goku and Raditz, too, were beginning to bond. Day by day, the rift between brothers closed little by little. Piccolo visited from time to time, sometimes to spar, sometimes just to watch. He never said much, but I had a feeling he enjoyed being around us more than he let on. Perhaps it was loneliness, or perhaps he simply wanted to keep an eye on Goku.
Three more months passed before I finalized the armor. The new design allowed me to push my power up to ten times my natural base. Even though Goku had grown stronger since our last spar, this time I pushed him to his limits. His grin stretched wider with every clash, his excitement growing as he fought with everything he had.
I poured ki into the generator, forcing my body to its breaking point. The world blurred as the fight reached a fever pitch—then suddenly, darkness.
---
It was like falling into a void. My body felt weightless, my mind blank, until a sharp jolt of energy dragged me back. I opened my eyes.
Far away, I could sense it—a tremendous surge of ki. The signatures were familiar: Goku and Vegeta. They were fighting. And from the intensity, I knew this wasn't an ordinary battle.
Panic surged. I had been unconscious for six months.
I staggered to my feet, but something was different. My body felt heavier, denser. Stronger. Muscle mass had increased, my frame more defined, closer to Chi-Chi's athletic build than my old self. Power coursed through me, my base energy permanently elevated.
I caught sight of my reflection in a polished metal surface. My hair, once a light blue, now shimmered a deep violet. Startled, I quickly tied it back, but there was no time to dwell on the change.
Vegeta would use the Oozaru form. And if that happened, Goku couldn't win alone.
My armor was now seamlessly integrated with the wrist device—Capsule Corp's finest trick. With a press of the button, the suit materialized around me, fitting snugly, its reactor humming with readiness.
"Six months," I muttered to myself, fists clenching. "I'll make up for it."
Without hesitation, I launched into the sky, streaking toward the battlefield where Goku and Vegeta clashed.