"Your fundamentals are still miles off. Before anything else, I'm sending you somewhere to grind the basics," Ken said after a beat. "Once that foundation is tempered, that's when you'll be ready to truly explode."
"I don't really get it, but… you're a good guy. I'll trust you," Goku nodded, suddenly serious.
Piccolo opened his mouth, then shut it again.
I want to get stronger too.
But how am I supposed to ask?
This Ken is one of Goku's people. On what grounds do I ask him for help?
"Piccolo," Ken called.
Piccolo blinked, surprised Ken had addressed him first, and his posture straightened on instinct.
"Do you want to get stronger as well?" Ken asked, smiling.
"Yes. I do," Piccolo said, firm.
"Your path won't be the same as Goku's," Ken mused. "How about this: do one thing for me first. Complete it properly, and I'll make sure your power takes a real leap."
"What's the job?" Piccolo asked.
"Take Gohan and train him well. Make him into a first-rate fighter," Ken said evenly.
Piccolo glanced at the boy lying unconscious. After a brief silence, he nodded without hesitation.
He'd already felt it—there was something rare in that kid. With the right training, the brat could become very useful indeed.
Ken turned and strolled toward Raditz.
Seeing them draw near—seeing Broly in particular—Raditz couldn't stop shaking.
"How high is Vegeta's battle power now?" Ken asked, almost idly.
"E-eighteen thousand…" Raditz swallowed, voice trembling.
"So little spine. All this time and barely a bump?" Ken's face darkened; it was pure "hate to see wasted talent."
"It— it's not like there's been no growth! Last I checked he was at 18,858," Raditz blurted, then went paler when he noticed Broly absently kneading his own hip.
"Twenty-four years for eight hundred points," Ken sighed.
"T-that… That's not Prince Vegeta's fault! The planets we've taken these twenty years—no one on them had a power level even above mine…" Raditz muttered.
Ken let it drop. His staff flared, projecting an image into the air.
In the vision, Vegeta and Nappa stood on some Planet in Universe 7, finishing a cleanup. Every so often they smacked their scouters, trying to pull in Raditz's choppy transmissions—and mostly got static.
"Prince Vegeta, the idiot's cut out again," Nappa grunted. "We're done here. Do we swing by Earth?"
"Hmph. That fool took it on himself to drag a low-class like Kakarot into this and thinks it'll help? I'd have more faith in Saibamen," Vegeta snorted. "Why waste a year flying to some rock? We go straight for the high-value target."
"Right you are… Even if Kakarot and Raditz go Great Ape, they'll just lose their minds," Nappa nodded. "Let him fend for himself. How he's still alive is beyond me."
Raditz's face went green on the ground below.
Feels good, huh—trash-talking me behind my back?
And you, Nappa—you ever do anything but pour oil on the fire?
More than the insults, what shocked Raditz was the "how" of Ken's trick. What tech could show a live feed like this? Could Vegeta see them too?
"Which one's Vegeta—the guy with the spiky widow's peak?" Goku leaned in, peering at both men, then—because he's Goku—poked a finger through the projection. Nothing touched.
"So cool," he breathed.
Broly watched him, expression flat.
Is this guy… kind of an idiot?
He might be dumber than I was as a kid.
Piccolo said nothing, eyes narrowed at the two tailed figures. Saiyans, both of them.
And Ken says that Vegeta is more than fifteen times stronger than Raditz?
That's… horrifying.
Do we even have a path to victory?
"Vegeta," Ken said.
The instant Ken spoke, projected-Vegeta's gaze flicked around, hunting the voice.
Good luck finding me.
"Who's there?" Nappa frowned too.
Ken let them hear him.
"Show yourself," Vegeta growled. "Don't think whispering in my head fools me. I'll blast you out of hiding."
"By all means," Ken sighed.
He'd planned to say his name next—but if Vegeta was in a mood to posture, Ken could let him.
Ken wasn't the boy he used to be. He was an angel now—his voice, his presence, even his silhouette had changed. No wonder Raditz hadn't recognized him.
"Rrrgh!" Vegeta's aura detonated, storms ripping across the planet.
Ken snapped his fingers.
When the dust cleared, Vegeta smirked. "Found you."
"Up there?" Nappa squinted at empty sky.
"Come out," Vegeta barked, thrusting up a palm.
"Well spotted, Prince Vegeta," Ken said, amused.
"Show yourself," Vegeta snarled. "I've conquered more worlds than I can count. You think parlor tricks impress me?"
The air shimmered. High above that planet hovered a man in angelic raiment, a pale ring glimmering at his collar, silver hair cropped short, black staff in hand, a white tail swaying behind him.
"You… look familiar," Vegeta muttered, frowning.
Who is he?
"Long time no see, Your Highness," Ken smiled.
"Who are you? Do I know you?" Vegeta snapped.
"I'm Ken. Don't tell me you've forgotten," Ken grinned.
"Ken? You're Ken? What's with the getup—why's your hair white? Saiyan hair only turns when you're ancient. What is this—your 'Ultra Instinct' turned you old?" Vegeta sneered.
"You've got an imagination," Ken chuckled.
"Am I wrong?" Vegeta shot back.
"I look like this because I've become a god—an actual god—with an endless lifespan," Ken said lightly.
"A real god? Eternal life?" Vegeta blinked, then scowled. "I don't buy it."
"Doesn't matter whether you do," Ken said—though he could hear Vegeta's certainty cracking.
Just like the first time Ken had told him about the Super Saiyan. Vegeta hadn't believed then, either—right up until Ken brought Broly home and the bottom dropped out of his world.
"What do you want?" Vegeta grunted.
"I healed you to 18,000 back then. It's been over twenty years and you've scraped up eight hundred more. You've really disappointed me," Ken said, genuine regret in his voice.
That hit like a blade. Vegeta flushed with anger. "That's none of your business! Who do you think you are?"
Broly rolled his shoulders, eager to step in.
"Come to Earth. Let your 'lifelong rival' put you in your place," Ken said, still smiling.
"You're on Earth?" Vegeta narrowed his eyes.
"Mm," Ken nodded. "Broly and I are both here. We ran into Raditz—poor guy got blasted away by a single Broly fart. Ah—pardon, I'm a proper angel now. I shouldn't be crass."
Amarella: …
You did that on purpose.
Raditz wanted to curl up and die. Could you not say the quiet part that loud?
Yes, I was blown away… by a fart.
At least it didn't kill me.
If a fart had killed me on the spot… I'd never live it down. Well—I wouldn't live.
"A fart… sent Raditz flying," Nappa whispered, cold sweat beading.
"And who are you supposed to be—the real one, or some cheap clone? Is this 'magic' fun for you?" Vegeta scoffed.
"Interpret it however you like," Ken said. "Just get to Earth and challenge Kakarot—your destined rival."
"Don't joke. I'm not wasting time on that dirtball," Vegeta snapped.
"Broly and I won't lift a finger. I give you my word," Ken said, earnest.
Vegeta paused three seconds, then decided: "Ten months, tops. Earth."
"Good." Ken raised his hand and, from a universe away, flicked his wrist.
The sky cracked. With a world-shaking boom, an invisible hammer smashed the ground beside Vegeta and Nappa, leaving a vast, smoking palm-shaped crater. The projection winked out.
They stared into a pit so deep the red of magma gleamed at the bottom.
Nappa shot into the air for a better look and almost dropped from the sky. "Prince—look!"
Vegeta followed…and his face went white.
A handprint. From across a universe.
Stop it. Who are you trying to scare?
I can do that too… probably.
"Damn it," Vegeta hissed, fists trembling.
Only one person present truly grasped it—Broly.
Across a universe.
Even I can't do that.
On Earth, Goku and Piccolo had the same stunned, gut-tight feeling.
"Raditz, you can go. Come back with Vegeta in about ten months," Ken said.
"Y-yes… thank you," Raditz stammered, and crawled instinctively toward his pod—only to remember it had been smashed to scrap.
Ken flicked his staff. The wreckage leapt together, reassembling into a pristine round ship in seconds.
Broly strode over, grabbed the pod with one hand, Raditz with the other, and stuffed him in.
Crunch.
"I— I think something broke," Raditz whimpered, tearing up.
Broly sealed the hatch and—gently, for him—toe-tapped the hull.
The pod pinwheeled a thousand times before stabilizing, and a dazed but stubborn Raditz punched in a course and blasted off.
"Let's eat," Ken said. "After a meal at Bulma's, I'll send you to train."
"Sounds great!" Goku said, bright again.
Ken glanced at Piccolo.
"I'll pass. Water is enough," Piccolo said. "Ken—our deal. If I bring the boy up right, you'll give me a true breakthrough?"
"I will," Ken nodded.
"Then it's settled." Piccolo thrust out a hand.
"Be good to Gohan—or Chi-Chi will kill me," Goku said, half-pleading.
"Hmph," Piccolo snorted.
Goku hesitated, arms tightening once around his son. This would be hard. But necessary.
"Goku. Hand him over," Piccolo said, cool as ice. "He won't die. That I promise."
"Okay," Goku murmured, and passed the boy across. "I'm trusting you."
Piccolo's lips curled.
You'd trust the Demon King?
You really are naive.
"When the Saiyans land, I'll bring the kid," Piccolo said, then shot into the sky and was gone with Gohan in his arms.
"Bulma's at Kame House, right?" Ken checked his staff's crystal.
"Yeah," Goku nodded.
"See you there," Ken said—and lifted off.
He and Broly streaked away as twin lances of star-bright light.
"Hey—wait for me!" Goku yelped, scrambling onto Nimbus.
…
Kame House.
"Do we go after them?" Krillin asked.
"We should," Master Roshi said gravely. "If Goku loses to his brother, the Earth faces doomsday. With luck, we might help."
"Then let's go." Bulma flicked out a capsule and tossed it.
Pop—jet ready.
They were just stepping aboard when a comet of light landed in front of them and resolved into Ken.
All three jumped.
"Bulma—long time. You've grown up," Ken said, smiling as he looked her over.
Bulma rubbed her eyes, baffled.
"Don't recognize me?" Ken teased.
"Y-you're… Ken?" Bulma's body trembled; her eyes shone.
"It's the hair, isn't it? Throws people off," Ken grinned.
"Is it really you?" Tears spilled before she could stop them. She marched up, cheeks puffed, and scrubbed at her eyes like he'd personally offended her by vanishing all these years.
"In a blink, Bulma's reached the 'tofu crumb' age," Ken sighed, mock-mournful.
"Ex-cuse you?" That one went straight for her heart.
Ken tapped his staff toward her.
A soft, invisible wave rolled over Bulma. Fine lines at the corners of her eyes smoothed away; her figure lifted, firm, buoyant with 16-year-old spring.
"I just turned your clock back," Ken said lightly.
"How did— That's amazing!" Bulma spun, touching her face, her hair, everything new and bright again.
"Call it interest on twenty-four years of missing me," Ken said.
"Hmph. In that case… I'll forgive you," she sniffed, smiling despite herself.
"You're Ken, huh?" Krillin blinked up at him.
"Hello, Ken. I'm Bulma's dearest friend—" Roshi began silkily.
"Hey," Ken nodded.
"Can you… restore my youthful vigor?" Roshi leaned in, smirking. "No need to turn back time. Just… peak performance."
"I'd like to be taller," Krillin added, rubbing his neck. "Just a bit?"
"You two are too much!" Bulma glared. "Ken, ignore them."
Roshi: …
Krillin: …
You finally get your beloved Ken back and won't even ask him to fix your friends?
"I only need a minute of… vigor," Roshi whispered.
"A whole minute?" Ken said, deadpan. "Ambitious."
Roshi: …
Broly dropped from the sky to land beside Ken.
"Uh… and you are—?" Krillin asked.
"Broly?" Bulma rubbed her eyes again. "It is you, isn't it?"
"Yes. I'm Broly. You're Bulma?" he asked.
"Didn't think you'd grow up this much… or talk this clearly," Bulma murmured, the memory flashing: a tiny terror who'd once broken her little turtle robot.
"Hey, old turtle—remember him?" she nudged Roshi, grinning.
Roshi stared at Broly.
"Oh. It's you," Broly said, glancing at Roshi's shell. "Still wearing that flimsy thing? It wasn't sturdy then either."
Roshi shivered; his face went white as he relived being swung by that shell like a mop.
The little monster had grown up.
They chatted a moment—then Bulma remembered to panic.
"Right—Goku! Ken, can you help him? He might be in danger! Remember, he's a Saiyan too! Back then Jaco came to Earth probably for him!"
Before she could finish, Nimbus whooshed down and Goku hopped off.
"You're okay?" Krillin beamed. "Did you beat your brother? Where's Piccolo? Where's Gohan?"
"Uh… long story," Goku scratched his head. "I'll tell you after."
"Let's head to your place and eat," Ken said. "It's been twenty-four years."
"I'll take Bulma. You all rally at Capsule Corp. And call every fighter you can. We've got a ten-month clock."
"Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu too?" Goku asked.
"Sometimes cannon fodder keeps the story moving," Ken said with a crooked smile—and scooped Bulma up.
His staff clicked against the ground; starlight wrapped them.
In a blink, they were gone—already standing in the front hall of Capsule Corporation.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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