At this moment, the dimensional shuttle felt more mysterious than ever to Goku. He couldn't shake the feeling that it was not as simple as it looked. Yet with his current strength unable to discern its secrets, he could only set the matter aside for now.
"Sigh… I honestly don't know what happened. I just went somewhere to play for a while. It clearly wasn't even a year—but here, more than thirty years passed in a blink. Could time flow differently there?" For now, that was the only explanation Goku could offer.
"I–Is that so?" Dende blinked in surprise. "Apart from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, there's actually another place like that? The world truly is full of wonders… Lord Goku, where exactly is that place?"
"In a strange region of the North Galaxy. The exact location… I'm not too sure." Goku improvised, then smoothly changed the subject.
"Enough about that. Tell me what happened over these thirty-odd years. And how did you become Earth's Guardian? Come—let's go inside and talk."
"These thirty years didn't see any colossal events at first. Later, quite a few powerful enemies appeared, but Krillin and the others defeated them. Still, Earth suffered heavy damage, so they traveled by spaceship to Planet Namek to seek the Dragon Balls. They also asked me to return with them. That's how I came to Earth and became its God." Seated at the table, Dende carefully recounted the key events of the past three decades.
"Ahem… I see. Guess it's my fault for taking the Dragon Balls with me… heh."
Meanwhile, outside on the Lookout plaza, three oddly shaped robots descended. Three figures hopped out of the hatches. If Goku were present, he would have recognized them at a glance: Pilaf, Mai, and Shu—the hapless trio, now aged and worn.
"Wakaka! After untold hardships, I, Emperor Pilaf, have finally reached the Lookout! My dream of world conquest is within reach. Shu! Mai! Into the deepest part of the sanctuary—we'll find the seven Dragon Balls and make my ambition reality!"
"Lord Pilaf, are you sure the Dragon Balls are here? I heard that someone named Goku took them away… He's been missing for about thirty years. The Dragon Balls haven't appeared since then."
"You know nothing! I combed through ancient records for this. Enough talk—follow me!" The trio re-entered their robots and trundled into the depths of the Lookout.
Deep within, the corridors were pitch-black. By the robots' beams, the three gathered around a saucer-like stone dais. On it lay seven dust-coated spheres. Pilaf trembled with excitement. "I found them… I finally found them!"
Mai peered at the grimy orbs, hesitant. "Lord Pilaf… are these really the Dragon Balls you've been searching for?"
"Heh—of course they are." Pilaf wiped one sphere. Beneath the dust, a star came into view. Mai gasped. "The star is black? I remember them being red!"
Pilaf puffed up. "Exactly! And it's not just the appearance that's different. These Dragon Balls were made before the former Earth God and King Piccolo split apart—when his power was at its peak…"
He took a deep breath and blew the dust from the dais. The seven orbs emerged in their true form—exuding a faint, insidious aura most people could not sense. These were not ordinary Dragon Balls, but long-sealed, evil Dragon Balls.
---
On the Lookout, the hall was lively. Having just arrived in this world, Cai Lin and the other women looked around in wonder. To them, everything here was novel and strange.
Since they were already at the Lookout, Goku had summoned them out so they could witness the sanctuary for themselves.
"So this is the world where Goku lives? Hmph, nothing special," Zi Yan said, curiosity fading into disappointment as she compared the sparse hall to the luxurious places she'd known.
"This is the Lookout, isn't it? Goku, why are we here?" Bulma glanced around, puzzled. If he'd just returned, shouldn't he have appeared at her house? Why here?
"The Lookout? You mean this is where a god resides?" Cao Ying and the others stared at Bulma in surprise.
"Yes. This is where Earth's God lives," Bulma said with a smile. Pointing casually at Dende, she added, "And if I'm not mistaken, that's our Earth's God right there."
"A god? Him?" Cai Lin and the rest stared at Dende, dumbfounded. This odd-looking fellow… was a god? It was miles away from what they had imagined.
Deep within the Lookout—
"Well? Impressive, right?" Pilaf planted a foot on the dais and akimboed triumphantly.
Mai and Shu traded a look and fell silent. The air went awkwardly still.
"Impressive, isn't it!" Pilaf waggled his brows and flashed a grin—revealing four decayed teeth. Comical, really: old enough to be losing his teeth, yet still clinging to the dream of world domination—admirably persistent.
After the pause—
"Um… what's impressive about it?" Shu muttered weakly, leaning over the table.
"You two idiots!" Pilaf flailed so hard he lost his footing and face-planted.
"Lord Pilaf!"
"Are you all right?"
"Listen up! These Dragon Balls were crafted by Earth's previous God, before he split his power—at his absolute peak!" Pilaf ignored the pain and explained in earnest.
"I see." Mai picked up a Dragon Ball, a wicked little smile creasing her wrinkled face. "So these ones might actually be stronger, right?"
"Exactly! You finally get it. Now hurry and gather the rest!"
"Yes, Lord Pilaf!"
Out on the plaza, Pilaf stacked the seven Dragon Balls on the ground and jumped out of his robot, trembling with excitement. "Now we can summon Shenron and make my dreams come true!"
"After decades of struggle… I've dreamed so many times of the moment I conquer the world… It's finally here…" Shu, still inside his robot, choked up.
"Don't celebrate too soon, Lord Pilaf," Mai cautioned. "Whenever we're on the verge of success, someone always shows up to ruin it."
"You're… you're right. Then let's begin, quickly!" Heart pounding, Pilaf spread his arms beside the Dragon Balls and shouted, "Come forth, Shenron!"
The already dim sky darkened further. A shaft of golden light burst from the seven orbs into the heavens. A colossal dragon coiled across the firmament, its body glowing with a strange crimson sheen. A subtle, malignant aura blanketed the Earth—undetectable to all but one…
Goku was chuckling as the women crowded around Dende, Earth's "God." To them, a god should be lofty and unfathomable, a being above all—how could it be this odd-looking, not-so-powerful fellow? It clashed utterly with their expectations.
"Hm?" Goku suddenly stiffened, face turning grim as he looked skyward. "Such a wicked aura… What's going on? Outside?" His figure blurred—and in a heartbeat he was above the Lookout.
"What's wrong, Goku?" Startled by his sudden disappearance, the women hurried out toward the plaza.
Gazing at the dragon winding through the sky, its scales aglow with eerie red light, Goku frowned. "Shenron? Who summoned it? And this feeling… is bad."
He glanced down—and saw three all-too-familiar figures. In a flash, he appeared before them, brows knitting. "What's this? Did you three summon the dragon?"
The Pilaf trio, still reeling from the spectacle, jumped at his sudden arrival. When Mai and Shu recognized his face, their blood ran cold. "I–It's you…" The misery Goku had brought them in his youth was unforgettable.
"Huh? You know him? Who is that?" Pilaf pointed his cane at Goku, eyes bulging.
"L–Lord Pilaf… that's Goku… That hair… that face… it can't be wrong," Mai stammered, biting her knuckles in fear.
"And he looks even more muscular than before…" Shu added, equally terrified.
"W–What?! Goku? The wild monkey who ruined my plans for world domination again and again?!" Pilaf squawked, eyes round as saucers.
"That's him," Mai squeaked.
"Then what are you waiting for—attack!"
"Yes, Lord Pilaf!" Panicking, Mai and Shu slammed their robots' fire controls. Two massive shells roared toward Goku.
"Hmph. Reckless." Goku flicked his wrist. An invisible force froze both shells mid-air.
"Return to sender." With another casual wave, the shells reversed course at terrifying speed. Two thunderous blasts later, Mai and Shu's robots went pinwheeling away. Pilaf, caught in the shockwave, was hurled to the ground.
"D–Damn it… If only he were still small… I could catch him and thrash him… if he were just a kid again…" Pilaf fumed, pounding the tiles. Why—why did this detestable man always show up right when success was in reach?
"Wait… Something's off." Goku's heart gave a sharp thump. He snapped his head up toward the vast dragon's looming face. His expression changed drastically. "Not good—I was careless…"
"I understand…" the dragon intoned, its majestic voice rolling across the sky as its eyes fixed on Goku.
__
T/N:
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