c8 Three Years Later
After Lin Hao left Son Goku and the others, he quickly headed toward West City. Upon arrival, he exchanged some of the rare gems he had collected during his travels. With the money he earned, he purchased daily necessities and several Capsule Corp universal capsules. Afterward, he returned to the deep forest where his house capsule had been placed.
Lin Hao decided to live here temporarily. The environment was quiet, the forest was abundant with wild prey, and the seclusion made it an ideal place for training without interruption.
…
Time flew by. Three years passed in the blink of an eye!
In these three years, Lin Hao's strength advanced dramatically. His base power had climbed steadily, and his mastery over transformations had pushed him to the very peak of Super Saiyan 2's full power. Not only had his raw strength improved, but his connection with the strange system also granted him many valuable skills and tools.
For instance, during one of his weekly rewards, he obtained the legendary Kaio-ken, the same technique King Kai had once taught Son Goku. Later, through a monthly sign-in, he acquired access to the Room of Spirit and Time—the dimension where a year of training inside equals a single day outside. Unlike the chamber Kami had once shown Goku and Gohan, this portable version allowed Lin Hao to enter as he wished.
When the yearly reward arrived, he obtained the Supreme Kai's version of Instant Transmission. Unlike Goku's technique, which relied on locking onto a ki signature, this version allowed Lin Hao to travel freely across vast distances without needing to sense energy.
Even more astonishing, by the second year's sign-in, he received a Time Ring, similar to those used by the Kaiōshin of other timelines. With it, Lin Hao could step into alternate histories and parallel universes at will, opening possibilities far beyond normal Saiyans.
Host: Lin Hao
Age: 21
Combat Power: 600 million (base) / 70 billion (Super Saiyan 2, full power)
Bloodline: Saiyan
Skills: Ki Sense, Bukujutsu (Flying Technique), Kamehameha, Kaio-ken, Supreme Kai's Instant Transmission, etc.
Items: Portable Room of Spirit and Time, Time Ring, Senzu MAX, Martial Arts Uniform, Capsule Spaceship, etc.
Currently, Lin Hao wore the martial arts uniform granted by the system. Seated cross-legged in the empty white void of the Room of Spirit and Time, he hovered in midair, his body wrapped in a transparent yet suffocating aura.
The once-still dimension shuddered beneath the pressure of his ki.
"BOOM!"
Shockwaves of white energy erupted from his body. The sudden surge created violent gusts that swept across the void-like room, as if the dimension itself might tear apart under his aura.
"Phew…" Lin Hao exhaled slowly. "I still haven't broken through to Super Saiyan 3. But at this level Super Saiyan 2 at full power—there's basically no one in this universe who can defeat me."
He landed softly, clenching his fists, feeling the immense energy coursing through his veins.
…
At the same time, elsewhere on Earth…
Just as the original timeline foretold, the appearance of Androids No. 19 and No. 20 shocked the world. The battle between them and the Z Fighters began, with Goku, Vegeta, and the others engaging them head-on.
However, the presence of Lin Hao had drastically altered the three years of training. Both Son Goku and Vegeta had grown stronger than before, pushing themselves to greater extremes. As a result, their combined strength forced No. 19 and No. 20 into despair far earlier than in the original events.
What surprised everyone even more was Vegeta's progress. Perhaps due to Lin Hao's existence, Vegeta's obsession with surpassing both Goku and Lin Hao had burned even hotter. He had unlocked Super Saiyan during the second year, a transformation he once considered beyond his reach.
Driven by pride, Vegeta immediately challenged Lin Hao after attaining the golden-haired form. But despite his confidence, Lin Hao didn't even bother transforming. With nothing but his base power, he utterly crushed Vegeta, leaving the Saiyan prince seething with humiliation.
That defeat only fueled Vegeta's determination, setting the stage for the battles yet to come.
In the following two years, Son Goku's strength had improved further, but something strange lingered.
Despite his relentless training, he could never push past the limits of the first Super Saiyan stage. Whether it was the strange obstruction of the heart virus looming in his body or something else, Lin Hao began to doubt whether Goku was truly training as intensely as before.
Not only Goku and Vegeta, but the others also had grown. Piccolo especially had advanced greatly his training after fusing with Kami had multiplied his strength to a frightening level, enough to rival even the Super Saiyans.
Vegeta, on the other hand, was the most astonishing. Though he had been the last to awaken as a Super Saiyan, his power had quickly risen to match Goku's. His pride flared higher than ever.
In these two years, Goku and Vegeta had often sparred with each other and more often than not, both had come to Lin Hao for duels. Yet every time, Lin Hao stood tall, forcing them to crawl away battered and carried home half-conscious.
So when the androids finally appeared, trying to use Android 19 and 20 now was like sending lambs to the slaughter.
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Meanwhile, Lin Hao's side.
"Ahh… this is the life. Nothing like a good rest after training," Lin Hao muttered as he lay back on a recliner, sipping fine wine.
"Oh? Looks like it's already begun over there…" He glanced in the distance, sensing the flare of battle. "With their current strength, they'll crush No. 19 and No. 20 easily. But Cell… that'll be more troublesome. I wonder if the timeline will play out the same as before."
---
At the same time, Goku and the others were clashing with the androids.
Just like in the original events, Goku faced No. 19, but his heart virus began acting up in mid-battle. His Super Saiyan aura flickered as the pain tore through his chest, forcing him to withdraw. Vegeta, Piccolo, and the others rushed in to continue the fight.
After dealing with No. 20's tricks and following his trail, they discovered Dr. Gero's hidden lab. But before they could destroy it, the sealed Androids No. 17 and No. 18 were awakened.
This time, however, Vegeta's sheer power overshadowed everything. With the arrogance of a prince finally freed from Lin Hao's constant suppression, he confronted the siblings head-on.
"Hmph! What androids? You're nothing but trash. I didn't even need my full strength to deal with you!" Vegeta sneered, standing tall with golden hair blazing. The pride in his eyes was unmatched after years of humiliation against Lin Hao, finally, someone weaker than him.
"Damn it… how can you be this powerful?!" No. 18 gasped, clutching her chest as she staggered back. The data they had on Vegeta said nothing about this. His strength was far beyond their calculations.
At first, the twins' combination attacks forced Vegeta to defend, but as the battle dragged on, their efforts were utterly outclassed. Blow after blow drove them into the ground.
It's not that we're weak, No. 18 realized grimly. It's that he's grown far too fast…
"No way… are we really going to be finished here?" No. 18 thought bitterly, her mind wandering even in desperation. "I just got out of that pod… I haven't even gone shopping for clothes yet!"
"Tch! So this is it? Hey, No. 16! What are you waiting for?!" No. 17 snapped, his calm demeanor cracking. "If you don't step in, we'll be destroyed!"
But No. 16 remained silent. Arms crossed, his eyes locked only on Son Goku. "My mission is to eliminate Son Goku. I will not interfere with anything else."
"Che!" No. 17 cursed, realizing he would have to continue alone. With a sudden burst of speed, he launched himself forward, unleashing a storm of blasts straight toward Vegeta's golden figure.
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