Dust still hung in the air, curling like smoke from a dying fire. Goku was on one knee, his body trembling, electricity flickering weakly around him as his Super Saiyan 2 form struggled to hold. Rudra lay sprawled across the cracked ground, his chest rising and falling shallowly after Cooler's brutal assault.
And Cooler—Golden, divine, merciless—stood tall with an aura that burned like a miniature sun. He lifted his hand slowly, a mocking grin stretching across his metallic-golden face.
"This farce ends now. The weak shall perish, and you two… were merely entertainment."
But before he could fire the final blow, a blur of motion cut across the battlefield.
CRACK!
Cooler's golden body jerked sideways as a boot slammed against his face, sending him crashing through a jagged pillar of Namekian stone. The ground rumbled from the impact, dust exploding in all directions.
Goku's eyes widened, barely able to track what had just happened. "Wh–what was that?!"
Rudra's head tilted slightly, his bloodied lips curving into the faintest shadow of a smile. He recognized the silhouette, but he forced himself to mask his knowledge. His voice came out hoarse.
"…Who… is he?"
From the settling dust stepped a young warrior. His lavender hair glinted faintly under Namek's twin suns, swaying with the breeze. A long sword hung strapped across his back, its handle gleaming as though it carried its own history of battles. His eyes were sharp, calm, unyielding.
Goku blinked, stunned. "A… Saiyan?"
Cooler rose slowly from the rubble, brushing the golden dust from his armor. His smirk faltered as he studied the newcomer. "…Interesting. You don't even smell like one of these worms, yet your kick… it carried weight."
The youth didn't answer. He merely tightened his fists at his sides, his silence more unsettling than any boast.
Cooler's eyes narrowed. "…Silent, are we? That arrogance will cost you."
He launched forward, golden aura flaring violently. His fist shot like a cannon toward the boy's face.
WHOOSH!
The strike cut only air.
Cooler's pupils shrank. "What—?!"
In the blink of an eye, the youth appeared at his side.
THOOM!
A devastating punch slammed into Cooler's ribs, sending shockwaves tearing across the ground. The tyrant grunted, stumbling back. For the first time since his arrival on Namek… he looked rattled.
Rudra's eyes narrowed, his mind screaming against his own restraint.
(Trunks… son of Vegeta and Bulma. The boy of the future… You weren't supposed to be here yet.)
But aloud, he rasped, feigning confusion: "Who… is this kid?"
Goku staggered to his feet, still clutching his side. His golden hair flickered, his aura unstable. "He… he's fighting Cooler like it's nothing. But… how?! I've never seen him before!"
Cooler growled, golden energy snapping around him. "Enough tricks!" He lunged with both fists, a barrage of rapid-fire punches and kicks. Each strike split the air with deafening cracks.
The boy—still in his base form—moved like a phantom. His body slipped between blows, his boots skimming across the shattered ground. He countered with precise, surgical strikes—one to the jaw, another to the gut, and finally a sharp backhand that staggered the golden tyrant again.
Cooler snarled. His grin returned, edged with fury. "So… you're strong. Good. I'll stop holding back."
His aura erupted, golden flames devouring the air. His body gleamed brighter, godlike menace rolling off him in waves. He roared, launching a titanic blast straight at the youth.
KA-BOOOOM!
The ground cratered. The light blinded even Goku.
When the smoke cleared—
The boy stood untouched, sword now drawn. Its polished blade shimmered with deadly resolve.
Cooler's grin cracked. "…Impossible."
At last, the warrior spoke. His voice was calm, steady, carrying the cold certainty of one who had seen too much already.
"You talk too much."
Then his hair spiked upward, glowing golden. The transformation ripped through the air with raw power. His eyes flashed green.
"Super… Saiyan?!" Goku's jaw dropped.
Rudra, despite himself, clenched his fists. (Even in this timeline, you've reached it already. Vegeta… Bulma… your son carries more weight than you realize.)
Cooler roared, his pride wounded. "Don't mock me with that pathetic form!" He surged forward, divine ki flooding every strike. His fists hammered down with godly force.
But Trunks—Super Saiyan now—met his blows head-on. Sparks erupted with every clash, their shockwaves toppling mountains in the distance. Cooler pushed harder, his golden form blazing hotter, yet Trunks blocked, countered, and held his ground.
Goku's lips parted in awe. "He's… he's keeping up with Golden Cooler… with just Super Saiyan…"
Rudra stayed silent, though inside he was reeling. (Without divine ki… without training under gods… he's still fighting evenly. This boy… he's different.)
Cooler snarled, stepping back. His aura spiraled into a condensed sphere above his palm. "Enough! You'll regret underestimating me!"
The ki condensed into a massive sun-like orb, big enough to engulf the battlefield. Its heat distorted the air, making even Goku stagger back.
"This planet will burn with you on it!" Cooler roared, hurling the colossal sphere downward.
The Namekian ground shook violently as the blazing mass descended.
But Trunks… vanished.
SLASH!
In the very next instant, Cooler's eyes went wide as pain shot across his chest. His gaze dropped—his golden armor split open, a clean diagonal slash cut through it.
Trunks appeared behind him, sword gleaming with ki. His aura flared, calm yet deadly.
Cooler staggered, fury boiling in his throat. "You… insignificant—"
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
Trunks' blade flashed faster than sight, carving through golden armor, slicing across limbs, cutting deep. Cooler's body jerked, fragments of golden plating scattering into the air like shattered stars.
"No… NO!" Cooler howled, trying to summon more divine ki—
But Trunks was already behind him again.
His sword pierced forward, glowing with condensed Saiyan rage.
SHHHHRRKK!
Cooler gasped, blood spilling from his lips. His golden aura flickered.
Trunks whispered, almost too soft to hear.
"This is the end."
He raised his free hand, ki swirling into the blade, feeding it until it blazed like a miniature sun itself.
"Final… Slash!"
The sword tore through Cooler's body, splitting him cleanly. His scream echoed across the planet as his form shattered into fragments of golden light.
Trunks spun, unleashing a final blast of ki through the remains.
BOOOOOOOM!
The tyrant's body was engulfed, disintegrating into ashes. Golden sparks dissolved into nothingness. Silence followed, heavy and absolute.
Goku stood frozen, trembling. "He… he killed him. Just like that. Cooler's… gone."
Rudra shut his eyes, hiding the storm inside. (So this is the weight of the future. You were never meant to be here, Trunks… but fate has already been rewritten.)
Trunks sheathed his sword in silence. His golden hair flickered once before settling back into lavender. Without a word, he turned his gaze to the horizon, distant and unreadable.
Goku swallowed, his voice low. "Another… Saiyan… out there in space… stronger than me… who can end Cooler like nothing."
The shock in his eyes wasn't fear—it was awe. A new door of possibility had been opened.
The battlefield fell silent again. Only the broken ground and drifting ash remained… and the haunting questions that lingered in every heart.
Who was this mysterious warrior?
Why did he appear now?
And what fate awaited them next?
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