Northwest of West City lay a barren wasteland.
Jagged rock formations stretched endlessly across the landscape, while fierce winds howled through the empty desert.
There wasn't a single settlement for hundreds of miles.
It was the perfect battlefield.
Pop.
The air twisted.
Krillin appeared with Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan in tow.
The moment they arrived, a wave of scorching heat washed over them.
"This is..."
"The place where we fought Nappa, right?"
Vegeta looked around and frowned.
For him, this place certainly didn't hold pleasant memories.
"Yeah."
"The geological structure here is pretty stable."
"It can survive a decent amount of destruction."
Krillin casually sat on a nearby rock and cracked open a can of cola.
Fizz...
The sound of carbonation seemed unusually loud in the silent wasteland.
"Hey, Krillin."
"Where's this 'new friend' you mentioned?"
Vegeta asked impatiently.
"I don't sense any particularly strong ki."
"Relax."
"He'll be here soon."
Krillin glanced at his watch.
The timing was about right.
That purple-haired swordsman should be arriving any moment now.
Just then...
A streak of green light suddenly cut across the horizon.
Boom!
A figure landed heavily before them, kicking up a cloud of dust.
A white cape.
A purple gi.
A stern, familiar face.
Piccolo.
"Piccolo!"
Gohan called out happily.
Piccolo nodded before turning his gaze toward Krillin.
"You sensed it too?"
His voice was low and serious.
Ever since merging with Kami, his senses had become extraordinarily sharp.
He could practically detect an ant breathing on the other side of the planet.
"To the north..."
"There's a disgusting presence."
"It's hidden well."
"But to me, it stands out like a candle in the dark."
"It's a monster made from the ki of countless people fused together."
Krillin knew exactly what he meant.
Cell.
At this point, Cell was probably still in his larval stage, hiding underground and slowly developing.
"Forget about him for now."
Krillin waved dismissively.
"That thing isn't a threat yet."
"We'll deal with him when he crawls out."
"Today's main character isn't Cell."
"Not Cell?"
Piccolo frowned.
"Then who is important enough for you to gather all of us here?"
Before anyone could answer, every face suddenly changed.
A massive evil presence appeared at the edge of their senses.
Cold.
Cruel.
Oppressive.
It was rapidly approaching Earth from deep space.
Then a second energy signature appeared.
Even larger.
Even heavier.
Like a moving iceberg.
"That ki..."
Gohan's eyes widened.
"No way..."
"Frieza?!"
"But he's dead!"
"Hmph."
"So the cockroach survived."
Vegeta sneered.
His eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty excitement.
"I'd recognize that disgusting stench anywhere."
"But..."
"He feels stronger than before."
"And that second energy..."
"It's even stronger than Frieza."
Goku clenched his fists.
Instead of fear, excitement filled his face.
"Interesting!"
"Looks like he's been training too."
High above them, a gigantic disk-shaped spacecraft burst through the clouds.
Its engines roared as it slowly descended onto a nearby plain.
The hatch opened.
Thousands of soldiers poured out like swarming ants.
Then, at the center of the formation, two figures floated into view.
The first was Frieza.
His body had been rebuilt with cybernetic enhancements and mechanical components.
The second was a towering figure with horns and a royal cape.
King Cold.
"Earth..."
Mecha Frieza stared across the wasteland.
His crimson cybernetic eye burned with hatred.
"Son Goku..."
"And that damned bald monk..."
"I'm back!"
"And this time..."
"I'll reduce this entire planet to dust!"
His amplified voice echoed across the wasteland.
Yet his declaration was met with...
Silence.
Complete silence.
And several looks usually reserved for fools.
On a distant cliff stood:
Krillin.
Goku.
Vegeta.
Piccolo.
Gohan.
The five warriors watched Frieza's dramatic speech as if they were spectators at a comedy show.
Krillin activated his scanner.
Target: Mecha Frieza
Power Level: 160,000,000
Evaluation: Turned himself into a pile of scrap metal. Slightly tougher than before. Not much else.
Target: King Cold
Power Level: 210,000,000
Evaluation: Impressive for his age, but still just a larger experience pack.
"That's it?"
Vegeta looked utterly disappointed.
"One hundred sixty million?"
"I wouldn't even bother transforming for trash at that level."
"Pathetic."
Piccolo shook his head.
He didn't even bother removing his cape.
"Not even worth a warm-up."
After their training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and more than a year of continued growth, the Z Fighters had reached terrifying levels of power.
Goku's base form was lower than some of the others.
But once he transformed into a Super Saiyan, his power skyrocketed into the billions.
Vegeta wasn't far behind.
Even Gohan could easily crush Frieza if he unleashed his strength.
And then there was Krillin.
The unfathomable anomaly.
At this point, Frieza and King Cold arriving on Earth was like max-level raid bosses returning to a beginner zone...
Only to discover that the tutorial chickens had evolved into Tyrannosaurs.
"I'll handle them."
Vegeta stepped forward.
"A single Galick Gun is enough."
He had no interest in wasting time.
"Wait."
Krillin suddenly held out an arm.
"Not yet."
"I told you."
"Today's stage belongs to our new guest."
"What?"
Vegeta looked annoyed.
"What new guest?"
"Someone stronger than me?"
Krillin only smiled mysteriously and pointed toward Frieza's landing site.
"There."
"He's arrived."
Everyone followed Krillin's finger.
Outside Frieza's army formation...
A lone teenager slowly stepped out from behind a rock.
He wore a denim jacket.
A sword rested on his back.
Purple hair fluttered in the wind.
His eyes were cold.
Determined.
Filled with the weariness of someone carrying the weight of a cruel destiny.
And when he looked at Frieza...
It was as though he were staring at a corpse.
Future Trunks.
At last, he had arrived.
"That kid's ki..."
Goku narrowed his eyes.
"Feels a little familiar."
"And..."
"Is he a Saiyan?"
Vegeta's entire body trembled.
The purple hair.
The facial features.
The aura.
The resemblance.
Something about it all struck a strange chord within him.
"Who is this brat?!"
"Why do I feel..."
"Both annoyed and strangely familiar at the same time?!"
Krillin nearly burst out laughing.
He patted Vegeta's shoulder.
"Easy, Vegeta."
"Just watch."
"This is going to be one incredible performance."
The desert wind howled.
Dust swirled across the wasteland.
Future Trunks slowly drew the sword from his back.
Sunlight glimmered along the blade.
Before him stood thousands of Frieza Force soldiers.
Two galactic tyrants.
And an entire army.
Yet his expression never changed.
Calmly, he spoke a single sentence.
"Your time is up."
Krillin sat comfortably atop his rock, swinging his legs while watching the show.
Inside, he quietly chuckled.
Alright, Trunks.
Let's see what you've got.
And if your sword isn't enough...
Your Uncle Krillin can always finish the job.
Name: Krillin
Status: Spectator Mode Activated
Excitement Level: MAX
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