BOOOOM!!!!!
An ultimate collision between energy and energy.
With overwhelming and crushing force, Vegeta controlled his Final Flash, completely overpowering Cell's strongest Kamehameha.
The dense golden lightning-like beam swallowed Cell whole, shattering his body and reducing it to ashes.
The column of energy shot straight into the depths of the universe. Only when Vegeta could no longer sense even the slightest trace of Cell's aura did he finally stop releasing power.
When the storm subsided and the world returned to calm, only a devastated battlefield remained.
Under the bright sunlight, Vegeta stood suspended in midair, maintaining Super Saiyan Full Power, like a war god who had crushed everything in his path.
"It should have destroyed the core as well," Vegeta muttered to himself.
He lowered his gaze from the sky and turned toward the Z Fighters instead.
The corner of his mouth curved slightly. With a single movement, he flew over and landed in front of them.
At a glance, Vegeta had already taken in everyone's battle power.
Gohan's strength was already known. After stabilizing Super Saiyan Second Stage, his battle power had settled at around nine billion.
In the original timeline he might have been stronger, but here he had not truly fought Cell, so he lacked that final combat experience.
There was no doubt. Gohan could still become stronger.
Goku's battle power was just over two billion. In Super Saiyan Full Power, he could clearly go higher, but the earlier battle had drained him badly and left him seriously injured, so this was not his peak.
By Vegeta's estimation, Goku should normally be above three billion. Otherwise, he would not have been able to contend with Perfect Cell at all.
This timeline's Vegeta and Future Trunks were at 2.2 billion and two billion respectively. Clearly, neither of them had reached Super Saiyan Full Power yet.
And this was not even their full strength. After all, they had just been brutalized by the Cell Juniors and were basically half crippled.
Piccolo was at 1.5 billion, also far from his peak.
As for Tien, Krillin, and Yamcha
There was no need to even mention them.
At this point in time, none of them had even reached the hundreds of millions range. They were already outclassed. Just as in the original story, this was where they truly faded into the background.
Even if they had reached one or two hundred million, it would not have mattered.
Frieza's era was long over.
After scanning everyone, Vegeta finally locked eyes with this timeline's Vegeta.
Without comparison, there was no humiliation.
This Vegeta was noticeably shorter.
No one had paid attention to it before, but now that the difference was so obvious, everyone could not help but look back and forth, shock growing in their hearts.
Naturally, aside from Goku, no one dared comment on it.
Then Goku suddenly exclaimed,
"Eh?! What is going on here? Why is there such a big height difference between two Vegetas?"
The moment those words left his mouth, this timeline's Vegeta exploded.
"If you do not speak, no one will think you are mute, Kakarot!!"
Height had always been this Vegeta's deepest sore spot.
Seeing another version of himself who was not only taller, but even more robust than Kakarot, instantly filled him with an inexplicable jealousy.
Why?
He could not understand it at all.
Or perhaps, in the future, he would grow taller for some reason?
What he could never imagine was that the Vegeta before him was not from the future at all, but from the past. A Vegeta whose path had been altered by a transmigrator.
Sensing the confusion in this Vegeta's eyes, the other Vegeta said nothing.
He raised his hand and took seven senzu beans out of his storage space.
Aside from Gohan, Goku, Vegeta, Future Trunks, Piccolo, Tien, Krillin, and Yamcha all needed healing.
"Recover first. We will talk about everything else after," Vegeta said calmly.
The moment they saw this, everyone was stunned.
Just a second ago, his hands were empty. Yet now, seven senzu beans had appeared out of nowhere.
It was unbelievable. But with injuries needing treatment, no one hesitated.
Only this timeline's Vegeta was deeply unsettled.
Even now, he still needed senzu beans to recover.
He burned with frustration.
How badly he wished that he were the one who had resolved this crisis.
Even if the one who came was another version of himself, even if he might someday reach that level
It still was not fair.
After everyone ate the senzu beans and recovered, Vegeta watched their battle powers surge dramatically.
Goku, Super Saiyan Full Power, four billion
Vegeta, Super Saiyan, 3.2 billion
Future Trunks, Super Saiyan, three billion
Piccolo, 2.5 billion
…
"Hah! Finally feel alive again," Goku said, stretching his body.
"Thanks for stepping in, Vegeta from the future."
It was obvious.
He had already assumed Vegeta came from the future.
How else could he be this strong?
The others thought the same, believing this was the future Vegeta of their timeline, changed by Trunks' interference.
But just as they reached that conclusion, Vegeta shattered it.
"How are you so sure I am from the future?" Vegeta said with a teasing smile.
"Kakarot of this timeline, I am not from the future. Although I did come here via the future this time, I am actually your timeline's Vegeta from the past."
"What?!"
"You are Vegeta from the past?! That is impossible!" Krillin blurted out.
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
Especially this timeline's Vegeta, whose stunned expression revealed his inner turmoil.
Impossible.
He is the past version of me?!
Then what did that make him?
Did that mean
He was not even as strong as his past self?
His fists clenched tightly, flames practically burning in his eyes.
~~~~~~
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