c19 – The Wave of Evil Thoughts Appears
Morning, three years later
In these three years, Lin Hao's strength finally reached the absolute peak of Super Saiyan 3. Even after countless battles in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, training under 500x gravity like Goku did on his way to Namek, and meditating like Gohan before the Cell Games, he could not break through the barrier of Super Saiyan 3.
"My power has been stagnant for almost two years now. It seems breaking past Super Saiyan 3 is more difficult than even Goku facing Kid Buu! Do I really have to wait until that God of Destruction, Beerus, awakens before I can break my limits?"
Lin Hao folded his arms, recalling how Goku's transformation into Super Saiyan God required a ritual beyond brute strength.
"No… although Super Saiyan transformations are already overwhelming, my heart still leans toward Super Saiyan 4. That primal wildness, like when Goku first faced Baby in Dragon Ball GT, is the form I truly desire. If that's the case, then I must head into the world of Dragon Ball GT itself!"
Host: Lin Hao
Age: 24
Combat Power: 2 billion (base) / 800 billion (Super Saiyan 3 peak)
Bloodline: Saiyan
Skills: Ki Sense, Bukūjutsu (Flying), Kamehameha, Kaio-ken (taught by King Kai), Instant Transmission (like Goku learned on Yardrat), Gravity Control, Healing, Fusion Dance & Potara Fusion, etc.
Equipment: Hyperbolic Time Chamber key, Time Ring, Senzu Beans (MAX stock), Turtle School gi, Capsule Corp spaceship, weighted gravity suit, Nimbus Cloud, and more.
Over these three years, Lin Hao not only refined his strength but also collected countless rewards from the system's daily check-ins. Most were mundane like Bulma's Capsule gadgets, but some were extraordinary, granting him new techniques.
For example, his Healing ability surpassed even Dende's Namekian restoration, and his Gravity Control allowed him to create conditions similar to King Kai's planet for training or even trap foes mid-battle under crushing force.
"What's wrong? You look troubled."
Android 18, graceful yet sharp-eyed, stepped out of the bedroom, speaking to Lin Hao, who sat silently on the sofa.
"It's nothing serious. My strength has been stuck for two years now… I just can't see the path forward."
Lin Hao smiled faintly, pulling 18 onto his lap, resting his face against her neck and breathing in her familiar fragrance.
A year ago, he and Android 18 held a quiet wedding, just as Krillin and 18 once did, though without inviting warriors like Goku or Vegeta. On their wedding night, Lin Hao tried desperately to continue the Saiyan bloodline.
But, perhaps because 18 was once a modified human like Dr. Gero's other creations, conceiving a child was not simple. For a year, all efforts failed, leaving Lin Hao discouraged. Yet fate is strange: just as he had given up, the third year arrived, and 18 unexpectedly carried their "crystallization."
"When you want it most, it doesn't come. And when you stop expecting it, suddenly it appears. Truly, the gods enjoy irony!"
"Why did you come outside? You're carrying our child now."
18 only smiled confidently. "It's only been a few months, and my durability isn't like an ordinary woman's. Don't forget, my body was enhanced by Dr. Gero. I won't collapse from something this trivial."
"…Alright, I'm worrying too much again."
Lin Hao knew she was right, but his Saiyan instincts still stirred unease.
"By the way, you said earlier your power has been stuck for two years without progress?"
"Yes."
"Do you know the reason?"
Lin Hao hesitated. Before he could answer, his expression changed. A tremendous ki suddenly swept across the land, so dark and malicious it reminded him of Majin Buu's birth or when Babidi controlled Vegeta at the Tenkaichi Budokai.
"This energy… no way…"
Placing 18 gently down, Lin Hao stepped outside, his aura flaring as he tried to sense the presence more clearly.
"What's wrong?"
18 followed him into the yard, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, her expression hardening.
"A powerful ki has suddenly appeared, and its aura feels unbearably sinister. After years of peace, Earth may once again be facing an enemy. Fortunately… this presence isn't here on Earth. It's coming from Hell."
"Hell?"
…
Meanwhile, in the realm of the Great King of Worlds (Daikaiō).
The Hell Martial Arts Tournament was currently underway.
And as usual, the finalists were none other than Son Goku and Vegeta, clashing violently in the ring.
When Vegeta learned that Goku had been training under the Great King of Worlds after the Buu conflict, he had immediately forced his way into Hell, eager to push himself further. From there, he entered the grand tournament that Daikaiō hosted for long-dead martial artists.
"Kakarot, this time I'll defeat you for sure! Once I've beaten you, I'll challenge Lin Hao and prove once and for all who the true strongest Saiyan is!" Vegeta declared proudly, his usual arrogance radiating.
Though the tournament featured legendary warriors who had perished across history including past champions who once amazed King Yemma himself none could stand before the Saiyan duo. Eventually, the stage was cleared of all opponents, leaving only Goku and Vegeta to settle things.
Vegeta was in high spirits, especially as he pressed Goku into a corner. But what he failed to realize was that Goku still hadn't unleashed his full power. In the three years of training here, Goku had mastered the transformation into Super Saiyan 3, the same form he had once used against Majin Buu.
"I've waited for this, Vegeta! Let's fight at our absolute limits!"
"Haaah!"
With a roar, both Saiyans flared to life, their ki exploding like a storm. Power in the tens of billions erupted across Hell's arena, shaking the realm itself. For the first time in centuries, even the long-dead masters watching felt humbled by such overwhelming energy.
The spectators whispered among themselves in disbelief men who had once prided themselves on their strength now reduced to shame as they realized how far the Saiyans had surpassed them.
The clash between Goku and Vegeta only grew fiercer, each strike shaking the arena, each wave of power drawing souls from across Hell to watch.
But then disaster struck.
In the processing sector of Hell, where souls were purified before reincarnation, a careless young ogre mishandled the Soul Cleansing Machine—the same device once shown in the manga when Janemba was born. The resulting explosion tore through the chamber, and the corrupted negative energy that had been extracted from countless evil souls suddenly fused into the ogre's body.
From that twisted energy, a new entity emerged: the embodiment of evil thoughts itself Evil Thought Wave.
As its malevolent ki surged outward, Hell itself began to unravel. Gates opened, chains snapped, and barriers broke apart. Chaos spread across the afterlife, and the energy overflowed into Earth.
All at once, corpses rose from their graves, and spirits that had been judged appeared back in the living world.
"Ahhhh!"
From every corner of the planet, ghosts, skeletons, and villains once defeated crawled back into existence, terrifying ordinary humans.
"What the heck's going on?! These guys all have halos over their heads don't tell me they've been resurrected!" Krillin cried out, staring in shock at the news broadcast on Kame House's TV.
"I've seen this before," Master Roshi muttered, adjusting his sunglasses with a grim look. "No doubt about it—something terrible has happened in Hell."
---