The scene shifted as the two of them moved to a more secluded spot.
Shing...
Without warning, Future Trunks drew the sword from his back and slashed at Goku.
The blade cut through the air with terrifying speed, overflowing with killing intent.
There was no hesitation in the attack.
Goku's eyes sharpened.
He did not move.
He simply raised a single finger.
Clang!
The sword struck his fingertip with the sound of steel colliding against steel.
It did not even leave a scratch.
Future Trunks slowly lowered his sword, a relieved smile appearing on his face.
"So... the stories were true."
"You're really this strong. Stronger than I ever imagined."
"Hehe, your sword isn't bad either."
Goku glanced at his fingertip.
"You controlled your ki perfectly in that instant."
Future Trunks then created a simple soundproof ki barrier before lowering his voice.
Watching the two whisper to each other, Vegeta became increasingly impatient, practically stretching his ears like antennas.
"Tch. What are they hiding?"
Piccolo folded his arms.
His enhanced hearing twitched slightly as a faint smile formed on his lips.
"Interesting."
Meanwhile, Krillin casually activated the system's Enhanced Hearing Mode.
A soundproof barrier?
To someone at the level of the Martial True God, it might as well have been full of holes.
Behind the giant boulder...
Future Trunks removed his jacket, revealing the Capsule Corporation logo on his tank top.
"Mr. Goku... I'm actually from twenty years in the future."
"My name is Trunks."
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"The future is a nightmare."
"Three years from now, on May 12th at 10:00 AM, two terrifying Androids will appear on an island nine kilometers southwest of South City."
"They're monsters created by Dr. Gero of the Red Ribbon Army."
"Everyone except me... everyone was killed."
His fists tightened until his nails dug into his palms.
"And you, Mr. Goku..."
"You died before the Androids even appeared."
"It was a deadly heart virus."
"Not even Senzu Beans could cure it."
Goku blinked.
"Huh?"
"So... I died from being sick?"
"That's kind of disappointing."
"So I came to bring you the medicine."
Trunks pulled out a small bottle.
"This medicine was developed in the future."
"If you take it, you'll survive."
Goku accepted the bottle with a bright smile.
"Thank you so much, Trunks!"
"As long as you're alive... the future still has hope..."
Just as the emotional atmosphere reached its peak...
Pop.
The air rippled gently.
A shiny bald head suddenly appeared right between them.
"Sorry to interrupt."
Krillin smiled warmly as he looked at the terrified Trunks, who nearly transformed on the spot.
"The medicine's great."
"But before that, I think we should talk about this 'hopeless future.'"
"WAAAH!!"
Trunks fell backward in fright, nearly throwing away his sword.
"K... Krillin Uncle?!"
"How did you get in here?!"
"I walked."
Krillin pointed casually at the air.
"And I heard everything."
"Including the part where you're the son of that stubborn, prideful Vegeta from your timeline."
Cold sweat streamed down Trunks' face.
This man...
...was terrifying.
Krillin stood right in front of him, yet he couldn't sense a trace of his ki.
That mysterious teleportation had completely bypassed his perception.
"Y... you heard all of it?"
Trunks swallowed nervously.
"With your voice?"
"Even the green guy over there finished listening a long time ago."
In the distance, Piccolo's ears twitched.
His expression remained perfectly calm, pretending nothing had happened.
Krillin rolled his eyes.
"The future you came from has already happened."
"I can't change that past."
"But remember one thing."
"In this timeline..."
"Bulma is my wife."
"She has absolutely nothing to do with Vegeta."
"Got it?"
The playful smile disappeared from Krillin's face as his gaze became serious.
Trunks blinked.
"...?"
"So... does that mean I'd have to call you Dad in this timeline...?"
He quickly shook the thought away.
Forget it.
His family only existed in his own future.
There was no point overthinking alternate timelines.
Krillin ignored Trunks' internal struggle.
His system interface flashed wildly across his vision.
[Ding! Critical story event detected!]
[S-Rank Mission Activated: The Savior's Journey Through Time]
[Mission Description: Trunks' future has become a living hell. As the overpowered host, how could you ignore it? A world filled with despair, slaughter... and countless experience points and rare genetic samples.]
[Objective: Travel to the future timeline and rewrite despair.]
[Reward: Android Infinite Energy Core Technology.]
Krillin grinned from ear to ear.
This was exactly what he'd been waiting for.
"And there's another Android 18 over there too..."
"Hehehe..."
Wait around for three years?
Way too slow.
His current strength had already surpassed anything Earth could offer.
Rather than competing with Goku and the others for a handful of opponents, he'd rather head straight into the future and farm that dungeon.
Android technology.
Perfect Cell.
Everything there was a treasure trove waiting to be collected.
Of course...
He kept those thoughts to himself.
"Ahem... Trunks."
Krillin looked at the young Saiyan seriously.
"So you're saying you're the only one left fighting?"
Trunks nodded sadly.
"Yes."
"Gohan... died several years ago."
"That's rough."
Krillin clicked his tongue.
"In that case..."
"We can't just focus on this timeline anymore."
"Goku."
"Keep that medicine safe."
Krillin patted Goku on the shoulder.
"Next..."
"You're coming with us."
"Where?"
Goku looked confused.
"Haha..."
Krillin pointed at Trunks.
"I'm taking you to the future."
"What?!"
Both Goku and Trunks shouted in surprise.
"No!"
"Absolutely not!"
Trunks waved his hands frantically.
"The Time Machine only fits one person!"
"And it only has enough fuel for a one-way trip!"
"It'll take a long time before it can recharge!"
"Besides, changing history is forbidden..."
"Forbidden, my foot."
Krillin cut him off.
"You already came here."
"History changed the moment you arrived."
"As for how we're getting there..."
Krillin slowly raised one hand.
Hummm...
A profound ripple gathered in his palm.
The surrounding space twisted.
The blue sky transformed into countless flowing ribbons of color.
It was the power of higher dimensions.
[Skill Activated: Supreme Kai-Class Instant Transmission (Advanced: Space-Time Travel)]
[Energy Cost: 30% Divine Core Energy]
"You can keep that antique Time Machine as a souvenir."
A faint golden glow surrounded Krillin.
He seemed to stand beyond the river of time itself.
"To me now..."
"Time is simply a slightly more complicated set of coordinates."
Trunks stood frozen.
Travel through time...
With your physical body alone?
Was this even possible?
This wasn't a mortal.
This was a god.
"Lead the way, kid."
Krillin placed one hand on Trunks' shoulder while opening his system panel.
Name: Krillin
Race: Earthling (Martial True God Body, Mid Rank)
Battle Power: Impossible to Measure (Capable of tearing apart Perfect Cell with his bare hands)
Status: Excited (Preparing to crush some weaklings)
Skills: Martial Divine Core (30%), Martial True God Form, Absolute Physical Immunity (Advanced), and more.
"Let's visit your future..."
"And bring back some local souvenirs."
Krillin flashed a grin.
To Trunks...
That smile looked even more frightening than the Androids themselves.
"Piccolo!"
Krillin called toward the distance.
Whoosh!
Piccolo appeared instantly before them, his cape fluttering in the wind.
"I'm coming too."
His answer was brief.
"If I died in that future..."
"I want to see who killed me."
A cold light gleamed in Piccolo's eyes.
"And I'm curious about that world of despair."
Trunks looked at the group before him.
A bald god capable of crossing time with his own body.
A fully healthy Super Saiyan.
A Super Namekian who possessed both divine and demonic power.
For the first time...
He felt that his hopeless future might actually be saved.
No.
The ones who were truly in trouble...
...were the Androids.
"Let's go."
Krillin snapped his fingers.
"It's time to teach those walking scrap heaps..."
"...what real terror looks like."
--------------------------------
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