"Try?"
Goku leaned over curiously.
"Piccolo, you know where New Namek is?"
Piccolo ignored him.
He simply closed his eyes, his expression solemn.
Now that he had fused with Kami, he had inherited part of the Namekians' racial perception.
In theory, no matter how far apart they were, the spiritual bond shared between members of the same race could still be sensed.
"Quiet."
Piccolo spoke in a low voice.
A bizarre scene unfolded across the desolate ruins.
The once fearsome Demon King Piccolo, whose name alone had once terrified the world...
Now stood completely motionless, looking like an old radio desperately searching for a signal.
The most eye-catching part was the pair of antennae on top of his head.
The left one twitched.
Bzzz... No signal.
The right one twitched.
Bzzz... Weak signal.
Then both antennae began wriggling like two lively earthworms, twisting, spinning, and even tangling together on top of his bald green head.
"Pfft..."
Krillin nearly sprayed out the cola he had just taken a sip of.
He hurriedly covered his mouth as his shoulders shook violently, his face turning bright red.
The sight was simply too ridiculous.
He wanted to look away.
He couldn't.
Who would have thought those things that looked like decorations were actually functioning as real antennae?
That was some seriously hardcore biology.
"Mmph..."
Even Goku wore a strange expression.
His cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk as he desperately tried not to laugh.
Vegeta, who normally kept a straight face, felt the corners of his mouth twitch uncontrollably.
He deliberately turned his head away, pretending to admire the scenery.
Unfortunately, his shaking shoulders gave him away.
Even Trunks, who had been drowning in grief moments ago, froze when he saw the scene.
Tears still clung to his face, but his expression became oddly conflicted.
This... is the legendary Demon King Piccolo?
Why does he look like... a Teletubby?
Meanwhile, Piccolo felt absolutely miserable.
Extremely miserable.
He could clearly sense everyone's suppressed laughter.
Those gazes felt as though they were watching a circus monkey perform.
His face burned with embarrassment.
"You idiots..."
Veins bulged across his forehead as he mentally cursed everyone present.
But he couldn't stop.
This was...
For Gohan.
For the Gohan who had died.
Piccolo took a deep breath.
He shut out every distraction around him and focused every ounce of his concentration on those cursed antennae.
Move.
Find them.
The antennae vibrated faster and faster.
A faint humming sound echoed through the air.
Then, in a single instant...
Piccolo's eyes snapped open.
A sharp light flashed across them.
His antennae suddenly pointed perfectly toward one spot in the endless stars, just like a compass finding true north.
"I found it!"
Piccolo shouted triumphantly.
Then he immediately saw Krillin's face, twisted from trying to hold back laughter.
"Have you laughed enough, Baldy?!"
Piccolo roared in embarrassment, nearly firing an Eye Beam on the spot.
"N-No... I'm professionally trained. No matter how funny something is, I won't laugh... unless I really can't hold it anymore..."
Krillin finally broke.
"Pwahahaha!"
He doubled over, pounding his thigh.
"Piccolo! Your antennae were dancing just now! Hahahaha!"
Goku burst into laughter as well.
"They really looked like an old TV antenna searching for reception!"
Even Vegeta couldn't suppress the mocking grin on his face anymore.
"Hmph. So that's a Namekian's special talent."
"What an eye-opening experience."
Piccolo's face turned darker than the bottom of a pot.
If looks could kill, the three of them would have already been sliced into thousands of pieces.
"Enough!"
Piccolo gritted his teeth.
"I've located the coordinates."
"It's incredibly far away."
"Even at maximum speed, a spaceship would need at least a month to reach it."
"A month is too long."
"It won't take a month."
Krillin had finally laughed himself out.
After wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, he walked to the center of the group and extended one hand.
"Now that we have the coordinates..."
"It'll only take an instant."
"Everyone, put your hands on my shoulder."
Trunks blinked.
"That works?"
"I thought Instant Transmission required locking onto someone's energy."
"That's Goku's beginner version."
Krillin grinned proudly as a faint golden aura surrounded him.
"Mine is the Supreme Kai version."
"As long as I have the coordinates, I can take everyone there instantly, even if it's at the edge of the universe."
[Skill Activated: Supreme Kai Instant Transmission (Coordinate Teleportation)]
[Energy Cost: 5% of Divine Core Energy]
"Let's go!"
Whoosh!
Their figures instantly distorted.
Like being swallowed by a black hole, everyone vanished without a trace.
Only the silent ruins remained behind, whispering of everything that had happened there.
...
Flash!
The scenery changed in an instant.
The gloomy gray sky of Earth disappeared.
So did the choking smell of smoke and ash.
Before them stretched a world overflowing with life.
Three suns hung peacefully in a brilliant blue sky.
Their gentle light shimmered across a tranquil lake.
Towering round trees, shaped like enormous mushrooms, dotted the landscape.
The air carried the fresh scent of soil and growing plants.
New Namek.
"So..."
"So this is Namek..."
Trunks stared blankly at the breathtaking scenery.
He greedily inhaled the pure, unpolluted air.
To someone who had grown up in a ruined wasteland...
This place was paradise.
The kind of world Bulma had only described in bedtime stories.
"Someone's coming."
Goku's ears twitched as he looked into the distance.
Several green-skinned Namekians flew over from nearby fields, gripping farming tools as they cautiously eyed the unexpected visitors.
The young Namekian leading them shouted nervously,
"Who are you?!"
"How did you get here?!"
Goku stepped forward with his familiar bright smile and waved.
"Long time no see!"
"I'm Son Goku!"
The Namekians froze.
They stared at his face.
Even after all these years, they would never forget it.
The Super Saiyan who had appeared when Planet Namek faced its darkest hour.
The warrior who defeated Frieza.
The hero who had saved their entire race.
"S-Son Goku?!"
The young Namekian dropped his hoe.
His voice trembled with excitement.
"It really is Mr. Goku!"
"And... Piccolo too?!"
"My goodness!"
"The Great Elder was right!"
"The saviors have truly returned!"
The news spread through the village like wildfire.
Before long, crowds of Namekians came rushing over.
They surrounded Goku with eyes full of admiration and gratitude.
Some were so emotional that tears streamed down their faces.
In this future timeline, Goku had died young.
But to the Namekians...
He was nothing less than a legendary hero.
"Mr. Goku! You're alive!"
"Wonderful!"
"I knew a hero like you could never truly die!"
Surrounded by enthusiastic green aliens patting and touching him from every direction, Goku could only scratch his head awkwardly.
"Uh..."
"I actually did die."
"This is the me from the past..."
After trying to explain for a moment, Goku simply gave up.
It was too complicated.
Just then, the crowd parted.
An elderly Namekian stepped forward.
Though aged, his eyes remained sharp and filled with wisdom.
It was the current Grand Elder.
"Welcome."
"Friends from the past."
"And..."
"The hope of the future."
His cloudy eyes rested briefly on Trunks before turning toward the others.
"Grand Elder!"
Everyone greeted him respectfully.
Krillin looked around the familiar yet unfamiliar world and skipped the formalities.
"Grand Elder, since you already know who we are, I'll get straight to the point."
"Earth has fallen."
"Kami is dead."
"We need a new Guardian."
"The Dragon Balls?"
The Grand Elder smiled knowingly.
"Not entirely."
Krillin shook his head.
His gaze searched through the crowd until it landed on a small, shy Namekian hiding behind Elder Moori.
"We need..."
"Dende."
The young Namekian jumped in surprise.
"Me?"
"Why me?"
Krillin walked over, crouched down, and smiled warmly at the future Guardian of Earth.
"Because you're the greatest Namekian prodigy."
"Earth needs a new Guardian to restore its Dragon Balls."
"And you're the only one who can do it."
He leaned in and whispered so only Dende could hear.
"Besides..."
"Mr. Popo's cooking on Earth is amazing."
Dende's eyes immediately lit up.
The Grand Elder remained silent for a long moment.
He looked at Trunks' hopeful expression.
Then at the calm yet powerful Piccolo standing nearby.
Finally, he sighed.
"Go, Dende."
"Namek owes the people of Earth a great debt."
"If Earth asks for our help..."
"We cannot refuse."
Dende hesitated for only a moment.
Then he looked into Trunks' pleading eyes.
His courage slowly grew.
"All right!"
"I'll go!"
Everything went even more smoothly than expected.
The Namekians remained the same kind-hearted people they had always been.
Despite all the suffering they had endured, they still reached out to help their friends without hesitation.
After a brief farewell ceremony, Dende stood beside the group with a small travel bag slung over his shoulder.
"Everyone ready?"
"It's time to head back."
Krillin activated Instant Transmission once more.
The familiar sensation of space twisting around them returned.
And in the next instant...
They were gone.
--------------------------------
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