Universe 7, deep space.
"Achoo!"
Bier suddenly sneezed and stopped drifting through the stars.
"Who's talking about me?" Bier waved her staff. "It has to be Ken. Who else?"
She bit her lip and looked around, then spun around in a dramatic turn and flew back the way she'd come.
As she flew, tears welled up in her eyes.
Three years.
Three years of drifting through space, and she still hadn't found the God of Destruction Realm of Universe 12.
After flying for a while longer, Bier spotted a large space station ahead. She hesitated, then shot toward it.
Merus stood by the window of his room, watching Bier approach through the glass.
She flew right past him without even glancing his way.
Merus stared.
…Did you seriously not see me?
"Hey, Bier," Merus said, raising his staff and contacting her through the crystal ball. "Are you looking for me?"
Bier paused and looked at the crystal ball—then at Merus inside it.
"Merus?" she said, surprised. "That's you?"
"It's me," Merus replied.
"Why are you looking for me?" Bier asked.
"I just saw you," Merus said.
"You saw me?" Bier blinked. "Did you come to Universe 12?"
Merus froze.
"No… You're in Universe 7," he said.
"Don't mess with me," Bier said, shaking her head. "I'm in Universe 12. There's no way I'm in Universe 7."
"Look to your left," Merus suggested.
Bier turned her head.
"That's your right," Merus said, half-laughing.
"Uh…" Bier scratched her cheek awkwardly and looked the other way.
And sure enough, she spotted Merus standing by a window on the station.
Bier zipped over and floated at the window.
"Come in," Merus said, opening it for her.
Bier stepped into the room, glanced around, and asked flatly, "This is… Universe 7?"
"You seriously thought this was Universe 12?" Merus said, speechless.
"I've been running around this universe for half a year…" Bier looked like she was about to cry. "No wonder I couldn't find the God of Destruction Realm."
Merus didn't even know how to respond.
You've been in Universe 7 and still didn't find it either.
"Forget it," Bier said through clenched teeth. "I'm done searching. I'm staying here to have fun for a while."
"Fine," Merus said. "But disguise yourself. Say you're my little sister."
"Easy," Bier said.
In an instant, her outfit shifted to match Merus's style, and her skin tone changed to a pale lavender.
Merus nodded, satisfied.
Good. At least her transformation ability still works.
She's just… catastrophically lost, is all.
They chatted for a bit—then someone knocked.
Merus opened the door.
Kale walked in and immediately noticed Bier in the room.
"Kale," Merus said, introducing them, "this is my sister. Bier—this is Kale, the new God of Destruction I've taken on."
"You're Kale?" Bier said, stepping forward to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you."
"What a pretty big sister," Kale said, blinking in awe.
"So how's it going?" Bier asked. "Merus, which of Ken's Gods of Destruction is Kale being matched against?"
"Someone named Vegeta," Merus replied.
"And how strong is this 'Vegeta'?" Bier pressed.
"Right now? Not much," Merus said honestly. "Not even close to Kale. I've been watching him. At best, he's only a little stronger than Son Goku was three years ago."
"Then you've basically got this in the bag!" Bier said, suddenly excited.
"Pretty much," Merus said, nodding with confidence. "At least as far as the God of Destruction evaluation goes."
"And the Supreme Kai evaluation?" Bier asked. "How's Ken's Supreme Kai doing?"
"The Supreme Kai he took in had the potential to become an angel," Merus said with a smile, "but unfortunately… his training went the wrong way."
"Just tell me if you can win," Bier said.
"Not sure yet," Merus admitted. "Son Goku went to another timeline."
"He let a human mess with time?" Bier yelped. "He's got nerve!"
"It was through a time machine," Merus said, shaking his head. "It shouldn't cause major damage. And Ken hasn't interfered much from start to finish."
"Good," Bier said, then turned serious. "Merus, do you know what level Ken is now?"
"I don't," Merus said, shaking his head. "We haven't really been in contact these past three years. What about you? Have you talked to him?"
"I haven't either," Bier said, sounding like she wanted to cry. "I spent the last three years trying to find my home. Didn't find it once."
"Three years ago he was already level 65…" Merus said, drawing a sharp breath. "Hard to imagine what he's at now."
"What about you, Merus?" Bier asked. "What level are you?"
"Level 51," Merus sighed.
"I'm 48," Bier said with a grin. "Only three levels behind you."
"Do you think… Ken could've reached level 70?" Merus asked.
"No way!" Bier exclaimed. "Level 70 is Zeno-sama's Guard level! That's impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
"You're right," Merus said, finally relaxing. "Past level 60, gaining even one level gets incredibly hard."
…
Universe 6, Earth.
Dr. Gero's laboratory.
"Wake up 17 first," Ken said, lifting his staff and pointing at Android 17.
Android 17's eyes opened immediately—bright and sharp.
The moment he woke, he saw Ken and Android 18.
But as he looked at Ken, something tugged at the back of his mind. Familiar. Like someone buried deep in his memory.
He didn't have time to chase the thought. He immediately started scanning for Dr. Gero.
Android 18 stared at Ken's staff, dazed.
Is that… a wizard's staff?
He just pointed and 17 woke up.
Is that how I woke up too?
"Hello," Android 17 said politely to Ken. "Are you Dr. Gero's new assistant?"
"You don't remember me either?" Ken asked with a smile. "About twenty years ago, I met you and your sister."
"Twenty years ago?" Android 17 blinked, mind racing.
Then the image clicked—the floating alien from his childhood, overlapping perfectly with Ken's face.
"You… you're that alien!" Android 17 said, realization hitting.
"Alien?" Android 18's eyes lit up as she snapped back to full attention.
She remembered too.
He really was that alien from twenty years ago.
"So it's you," Android 18 said, looking Ken up and down. "I remember you with black hair. Aliens age fast, huh? Your hair went white."
Ken just smiled.
"What are you doing here?" Android 17 asked.
"I came to rescue you," Ken said. "If I hadn't, you'd still be asleep."
"Where is Dr. Gero?" Android 17 asked, wary.
"17, Dr. Gero's remote is already destroyed," Android 18 whispered in his ear. "So we don't need to be afraid anymore."
Android 17 looked like he'd been handed the universe.
The remote is gone?
Perfect.
"Have you seen Dr. Gero?" Android 17 asked again.
"No," Android 18 murmured. "I think I got woken up by him too."
"I don't like him," Android 17 said thoughtfully, "but he did wake us. I'll count it as a favor. As for that petty thing from twenty years ago… let it go."
"You're generous," Android 18 snorted. "I was hoping we'd team up and beat him senseless."
"So you're saying you can't handle him alone?" Android 17 asked, surprised.
"No—" Android 18's cheeks colored. "I just wasn't trying."
She wasn't about to mention the fact that she'd gotten slapped on the butt right after waking up.
That was humiliating.
Android 18—one of the strongest Androids ever made—boots up and immediately gets smacked.
She glanced aside and noticed Android 16 lying nearby.
"Huh? That's 16," Android 18 said, stepping toward him.
Ken had already relocated Android 16's pod door as well.
"It really is 16," Android 17 said, walking over and nodding. "I've never seen him before. And it looks like 15 got disposed of."
"Should we activate him?" Android 18 asked.
"Do it," Android 17 said.
As for Ken, the two Androids had basically dismissed him.
In Android 17's mind, he was the strongest Android ever made.
So what if you're an alien?
I'll let the past go since you woke me up.
And that old trick where you shot yourself in the head with a bullet? I could do that now too.
Android 18 pressed Android 16's activation switch.
Nothing happened.
Android 16 stayed asleep.
"Hey," Android 18 said to Ken, "let me use that staff."
"Sure," Ken said, handing it over.
"Wake up, 16!" Android 18 said, pointing the staff at him.
Still nothing.
Android 18 stared.
Why isn't it working?
"Come here," Ken said, waving Android 17 and Android 18 over. "There's another one."
Android 17 and Android 18 froze, then turned.
When did Ken get over there?
He'd been right next to them.
How did he move to that corner?
Even so, curiosity won. They walked over and looked into the pod.
Inside lay a woman with dark, wavy hair and a well-built figure.
Ken recognized her.
Android 21.
"Android 21?" Android 17 blinked.
"I didn't expect 21 to be here," Android 18 said, surprised.
Ken knew the backstory from his previous life—Android 21 was modeled after Dr. Gero's wife.
In this world, it was the same.
And Android 16 was modeled after their son, who had died long ago. Dr. Gero recreated him as a new machine.
"18, activate her," Android 17 ordered.
Android 18 stared at him.
I couldn't even wake 16.
Now you want me to wake 21?
How?
With a resigned sigh, Android 18 pointed the staff and muttered, "Activate, 21!"
Nothing happened.
"No reaction," Android 18 said, voice flat.
"Who unplugged the power?" Android 17 said, checking. The power source had been cut.
Android 18 looked genuinely offended.
So that's why nothing worked.
"Give me the staff back," Ken said with a smile, curling one finger.
The staff flew out of Android 18's hand and returned to Ken on its own.
Android 18 froze.
It moves by itself?
Ken pointed at Android 21.
Android 21's eyes opened slowly.
Android 17 looked stunned.
Android 18 stared at the unplugged power and couldn't make sense of it.
No power, and she still woke up?
"Backup power?" Android 17 muttered.
Android 21 stepped out and scanned the room.
Ken quietly gauged her strength—waking her early meant her overall power was roughly on par with Android 18 for now.
Android 21 was still in development. If she'd been activated eight years later, she could've reached Majin Buu-level, maybe beyond.
But not now.
Not without Majin Buu's cells.
"Android 21," Android 17 said with a smile, "congratulations. You're awake."
Android 21 looked over Android 17, Android 18, and Ken.
Android 17.
Android 18.
And… who is this man?
Another Android?
There was no data on him.
Android 21 didn't recognize Ken at all.
"Are you Dr. Gero's new assistant?" she asked, blinking innocently at Ken.
"Don't mind him," Android 17 said. "He's just here to mess around."
"Technically he's an alien," Android 18 added. "No idea what planet."
"An alien… just here to mess around," Android 21 said, nodding as if that explained everything.
Then something flickered in her eyes. She walked straight to Android 16's pod.
She stared at him.
"That's 16," Android 17 said, smiling. "We tried to activate him, but someone unplugged the power."
"16…" Android 21 said softly, touching his face with a look of deep affection.
Android 17 and Android 18 exchanged a glance, baffled by her expression.
"Where's Dr. Gero?" Android 21 asked.
"No idea," Android 17 said. Then he looked at Ken. "Alien—have you seen Dr. Gero?"
"I haven't," Ken said, casually checking his staff. "But he's almost dead."
Android 17, Android 18, and Android 21 all went quiet.
That's a nasty way to say it.
"Wake up 16," Android 21 said gently. "You don't object, right?"
"Of course not," Android 17 said easily. "Do what you want."
Android 21 reconnected the power and pressed the activation control.
Android 16's eyes opened. He stepped out.
"Hello, 16," Android 21 said warmly. "I'm Android 21."
"Hello," Android 16 replied flatly, nodding once.
Outside, Vegeta and the others finally found the lab and landed one after another.
The moment Vegeta looked inside and saw Ken with the Androids, he froze.
"Ken?" Vegeta blurted.
"Ken, didn't you leave Earth?" Krillin asked quickly.
"I left a couple of days ago," Ken said with a small smile. "Just got back."
Krillin and the others fell silent.
So you come back and immediately end up standing with a bunch of Androids?
Was Ken the one who "cleaned out" Dr. Gero's place?
If it was Ken, everything made sense.
Poor Dr. Gero…
"Ken, who are they?" Piccolo asked.
"Let me introduce them," Ken said, gesturing. "Android 16, Android 17, Android 18, and Android 21."
Vegeta and the others' expressions kept changing.
Why are there so many more than we knew about?
"Which two are the Androids Trunks warned us about?" Yamcha asked.
Ken didn't even look at him.
What a stupid question.
"Doesn't matter which ones Trunks meant," Vegeta said with a snort. "I'll destroy them all myself! Ken, move. I'll show you my destruction energy!"
He raised a hand, a purple-red sphere forming in his palm—heavy, ominous.
"Fighting those earlier Androids was boring," Vegeta said, lips curling. "Hope these four are more fun."
"Is that Vegeta?" Android 17 said with a chuckle. "Just like the files said—arrogant."
"Your name is Ken?" Android 18 asked.
Ken nodded.
"So you know each other," Android 18 said with a smile.
"I'm a Saiyan too," Ken said, smiling back.
Android 17 and Android 18 stared at him.
A Saiyan?
Same species as Son Goku.
Android 21 glanced at Ken as well, surprised, but said nothing.
"Fine," Android 17 said calmly. "Whatever you are, I don't care. 16—show us what you can do."
"I refuse," Android 16 replied, voice flat.
Android 17 stared.
"What a weird guy," Android 17 said, exasperated. "He actually refused."
"I'll do it," Android 21 said, stepping forward.
"Oh?" Vegeta scoffed. "So you want to fight me one-on-one?"
Android 21 didn't answer. She walked outside.
"Good," Vegeta said, then changed his mind and dismissed the purple-red sphere. "Destroying you right away would be boring. I'll beat you down properly first—then I'll erase you."
This was his chance to show off in front of Ken.
Ken would definitely be proud by his performance…
No. "Impressed" was a better word than "proud."
"Proud" made it sound like Ken was his father.
Whatever. Not important.
"Let's fight over there," Android 21 said, brushing her hair back with a smile. "There's delicate equipment inside. It'd be a waste to destroy it."
"Where we fight doesn't matter," Vegeta said, landing where she indicated.
Android 21 floated over and landed in front of him.
Piccolo and the others loosened up slightly—then tensed again.
They relaxed because Ken was here.
If Ken showed up, those Androids probably wouldn't be able to cause a real disaster.
Ken stood near Android 17 and Android 18, mainly to get a feel for their personalities.
Androids weren't identical across timelines. Temperament could shift.
If they were like the Androids from Trunks's timeline, Ken wouldn't even consider training them as a God of Destruction and Supreme Kai.
But if their personalities were acceptable, Ken truly did intend to raise them.
So far, they seemed fine.
At least from what he'd seen, they weren't villains.
"Ken, perfect timing," Vegeta said smugly. "I've trained seriously these last three years. Watch closely!"
Golden light flared around Vegeta as he transformed into a Super Saiyan.
Ken didn't comment.
It was the most basic Super Saiyan transformation.
To be honest, Ken hadn't spent much time managing Vegeta these past three years.
Ken had his own training.
He had originally planned to cultivate Vegeta properly.
But the threat of the Space-Time God of Destruction made everything feel urgent.
One mistake, and an entire timeline could vanish.
What good was raising a perfect God of Destruction or Supreme Kai if the whole space-time got erased anyway?
Better to push his own strength as high as possible. That came first.
By the Grand Priest's standard, only someone at level 90 wouldn't be erased along with a collapsing timeline.
Level 90.
That was the Grand Priest's level.
So for three years, Ken trained like his life depended on it—and raised his level to 70.
In fact, he had reached level 70 two years ago.
One year to go from level 65 to level 70.
Zeno-sama's Guard level.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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