At the edge of the galaxy, Towa nearly bit through her lip. Her eyebrows twitched, her expression souring as she stared into the void. She had completely underestimated the Namekian on Earth. She'd been so certain that Garlic Jr. was more than enough to conquer the planet, but instead, he'd been soundly defeated and lost the Demon Star in the process.
"Damn them all," Towa hissed, clenching her fists so tightly her knuckles went white. "Every single one of them is a thorn in my side. And Bojack's crew has made no progress—they're all completely useless!"
Her gaze fell upon the sleeping figure before her, her true trump card. Gently, she caressed the warrior's formidable physique, her fingers tracing the contours of his powerful muscles as if they were rolling hills. In her grand design, all the others were merely an appetizer. This man… he was the final blow. But his preparations were taking far too long, and Garlic Jr.'s defeat had come far too soon.
"Hm?" A sudden jolt of alarm snapped Towa from her thoughts. She scanned her surroundings, instantly on high alert. "Has Chronoa found me?" Her staff began to tremble, emitting a low, continuous hum—a clear warning.
A tremendous power, one that transcended time and space, was rippling through this sector of the cosmos. A power of this magnitude… as far as she knew, only Chronoa could wield it. She considered her situation. She had been operating in Universe 7 for a long time now, and the disturbances she'd caused were significant. It was inevitable that her large-scale, continuous manipulation of spacetime would eventually attract Chronoa's attention.
"To interfere at such a critical moment and ruin all my work!" Towa snarled, striking the ground with the butt of her staff. A wave of magical energy erupted from the point of impact, rolling outwards like a turbulent sea of clouds.
Raditz and his allies had surpassed her expectations time and again, while Bojack and Garlic Jr. had proven to be nothing but disappointments. After all this time and effort, the destruction of the Saiyan homeworld was her only tangible victory. Now, with her strongest weapon still unprepared, Chronoa had chosen this moment to intervene. It was infuriating.
Fuming with frustration, she knew she had no choice but to retreat. To see her ultimate plan to fruition, she would have to return to the shadows and bide her time.
"Consider this your lucky day, Supreme Kai of Time!" Towa spat into the void. With a final, contemptuous "Hmph!", her figure dissolved into the darkness. Cracks spiderwebbed across space behind her like a shattered mirror, swallowing her from view.
Moments after Towa vanished, a brilliant, rainbow-colored light illuminated the vastness of space. Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time, had arrived, but she was too late. There was no trace of the demon scientist, only the malevolent Demon Star left spinning in the void.
"It seems I was just a moment too late," the Supreme Kai of Time murmured.
She focused on the Demon Star, sensing a terrifying, residual energy clinging to it. Towa had left only moments ago. The demonic nature of Towa's temporal magic was the polar opposite of her own divine power; they were mutually exclusive, making it impossible for Chronoa to force her way into Towa's domain. Even if Towa had escaped, the Demon Star could not be allowed to remain.
Chronoa gathered her own temporal energy, weaving it around the malevolent celestial body. She banished the Demon Star, sealing it away within a fractured timeline. With that done, she began mending the spatial distortion its presence had created. Ever since Zangya's supposed "grandfather" first brought a Demon Star into this universe, a spatial loophole had persisted. Now, with Chronoa's personal intervention, that vulnerability was finally sealed.
"Over there… That's Raditz and Trunks! And I sense an immensely powerful evil energy with them!" Chronoa's gaze shifted towards a distant point in the cosmos, her eyes widening in amazement. She could feel the staggering power of their battle against Bojack. The sheer scale of the energy clash was universe-shaking, far exceeding a level at which she could safely intervene.
Incredible… She hadn't seen Raditz in several years, and it had only been a few weeks since she last saw Trunks. Their growth in that short time was simply unbelievable.
Chronoa decided she had to see this for herself.
With Garlic Jr.'s defeat, a sense of calm gradually returned to Earth. The ominous black sun that had dominated the heavens vanished, dissolving into the clear blue sky as if it had never been. Even an immortal being could not survive the collapse of the dimension itself. Garlic Jr. was now imprisoned for eternity.
Piccolo could feel the immense power coursing through him. He clenched his fists, the abundant energy almost overflowing. He finally understood the incredible realm the Saiyans called Super Saiyan 2. This new power, combined with the wisdom of Kami, settled over him, lending him a newfound sense of calm and profound dignity.
The Lookout, once a symbol of serenity, was in ruins. Its polished corners were shattered and strewn about, ancient trees were torn from their roots, and the main temple's roof had been nearly ripped from its foundation. Piccolo had stopped Garlic Jr. just in time; any longer, and the entire Lookout would have been consumed by the Demon Star's vortex.
Mr. Popo, Dende, and Cargo could only stare, wide-eyed and speechless, at the transformed Namekian. Piccolo stood before them, radiating an aura that seemed to set him apart from the mortal world.
"Kami... Piccolo?"
Their hearts pounded in their chests. The being before them possessed the divine ki of the Guardian, yet was unmistakably Piccolo. For a moment, they didn't know what to call him.
"Just call me Piccolo," he said, his voice calm and steady. "My personality is the dominant one." The weighted white cape settled gracefully around his shoulders as he landed before them.
From his presence, Dende and Cargo could still feel the familiar, gentle warmth of Kami. The Guardian had been assimilated, yes, but he was still with them. This wasn't an erasure, but an inheritance—a continuation.
"To think the Lookout could be so devastated…" Mr. Popo lamented, shaking his head as he surveyed the wreckage.
"The Dragon Balls can restore it," Piccolo stated. "However, now that Kami and I have fused, I am no longer the Guardian of Earth. The Dragon Balls he created have likely become inert."
"Then what will we do?" Dende asked quietly.
The title of Guardian had vanished the moment they merged, but Kami's final thoughts had made the path forward clear. Piccolo turned to the two young Namekians, his expression serious. "You two will take on the role. You will be the new Guardians of Earth."
"Us?" Dende and Cargo echoed, completely taken aback.
They had learned so much from Kami and had grown accustomed to life on the Lookout, but this… To become the Guardian was no small matter. The weight of that responsibility was immense. The young Namekians exchanged a hesitant glance. "Can we really do it?" one of them asked softly.
"You can," Piccolo said, his tone firm yet encouraging. "I have no doubt you possess the ability to give life to the Dragon Balls."
"But… which one of us?" Cargo asked shyly. "There has only ever been one Guardian for the Earth."
"Who says there can only be one?" Piccolo countered. "The title of Guardian isn't some priceless treasure. If you both have the character and the ability for the role, then you will both be Guardians!"
Twin Guardians? The proposal left everyone stunned. Such a thing was unheard of—one planet with two Guardians. It seemed impossible, and yet… maybe it wasn't.
Piccolo didn't hesitate. His decision was made. Dende and Cargo would serve as Earth's new Guardians, and together they would inherit the Lookout. Once they restored the Dragon Balls, they could return this sacred place to its former glory.
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