Bulma began her inspection of the Super Dragon Ball beneath their feet. Gran, who couldn't make heads or tails of her technical jargon, turned to Broly, who was standing outside the laboratory.
"Keep an eye on her," Gran instructed. "I'm going to go handle some planetary destruction duties. I'll be back to pick you both up once I'm done."
"Don't worry, Big Brother Gran," Broly replied confidently. "I doubt anyone in this universe besides you could even stand against me anymore."
"That's a bold claim, but given your constitution, it's well-deserved!" Gran laughed. He stole one last glance at Bulma inside the lab before placing two fingers against his forehead. With a sharp zip, he vanished instantly.
With Gran gone, the planet fell silent. It was a desolate world—a Super Dragon Ball devoid of life. There wasn't even oxygen, but both Bulma and Broly had been granted the ability to survive in the vacuum of space by Whis years ago. To them, the void was as comfortable as a summer breeze.
Inside the lab, Bulma finished her scans and began welding. Only half an hour had passed, and the Super Dragon Ball Radar was already nearing completion. Her genius truly knew no bounds.
Broly stood guard outside, expecting a quiet afternoon. But suddenly, a terrifying wave of energy surged from the direction of the East Galaxy. The stars themselves seemed to tremble under the weight of an approaching horror.
Broly dropped his crossed arms and narrowed his eyes toward the source. "Something is coming."
"W-what's happening?" Bulma asked, stumbling out of the lab with her welding torch still in hand. Her voice was trembling.
"A powerful fighter is heading this way," Broly said, his brow furrowed. "Bulma, pack up the lab, now!"
Startled, Bulma tossed the torch back inside, ran to the corner of the building, and slammed the retraction button.
With a loud poof, the entire laboratory shrank back into a single capsule. She snatched it up, but then paused. She jumped up and delivered a swift chop to the top of Broly's head.
"Did you just call me 'Bulma'? Show some respect! It's 'Big Sister Bulma' to you!"
Broly's face went dark. When he was younger, Bulma had insisted on that title, threatening to withhold delicious food if he didn't comply. This woman is terrifying, he thought, shivering at the memory of a hungry stomach.
Finally buckling under the pressure, Broly stammered, his face flushing red, "Big... Big Sister Bulma!"
"Hmph! That's better!" Bulma barked with a laugh, crossing her arms. She didn't care if he was a Destroyer's protégé; she still had him wrapped around her finger. After a moment of triumph, she nudged him nervously. "You don't think that person is looking for us, do you?"
"We only just arrived, and we haven't made any enemies here. It's unlikely," Broly mused. Having been trained by Gran for years, he was far more observant and tactical than the berserker seen in the original timelines.
"I hope so," Bulma whispered. "But in stories, these 'passing' powerhouses are usually cruel. I'm worried he might pick a fight just for the hell of it."
"Don't worry. Judging by his energy, he's decent, but he's no match for me." Broly hadn't trained under Beerus or Whis, but Gran had personally tutored him in martial arts whenever he had a spare moment. Outside of the gods themselves, no one truly knew how deep Broly's power ran.
They waited in silence, hoping the presence would pass. But three minutes later, Broly's expression turned grim, and Bulma swallowed hard. The aura wasn't passing by; it was locked onto their location.
"Who the hell is this guy? My radar was almost finished, and now this! How annoying!" Bulma hissed. "Broly, if he lands here, I want you to thrash him!"
"As you wish, Big Sister Bulma." Broly's voice grew cold as he began to loosen his joints.
In the void of the East Galaxy, Cooler was hurtling toward the nameless planet. I wonder how strong Lord Gran has become, he thought. Is it possible I've already surpassed him?
When he first met Gran, he didn't have a clear grasp of the man's power; he had only respected him because of his title as a Destroyer Candidate.
But later, when he was nearly beaten to death by the young Broly, Gran had stepped in and effortlessly blocked the boy's attack. At the time, it seemed godlike, but looking back now... maybe it wasn't so unattainable.
I should pay my respects first, since he did save my life, Cooler decided. He admired Gran—his status, his poise—but he also feared that surpassing a God of Destruction candidate would shatter the image of invincibility he held for the divine.
As he pondered, he accelerated. Suddenly, he spotted two figures on the planet below. Where is Lord Gran? The reports said he was here.
Then, his eyes locked onto the massive, muscular silhouette. Recognition flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt. Those contours, that stance... it was exactly like the Saiyan brat who had nearly ended him years ago.
"Hahaha! Excellent!" Cooler roared. "I came to see Gran, but I found you instead! Revenge is finally within my reach! This time, I'm going to tear you apart!"
Cooler erupted in a brilliant aura, slicing through space-time like an arrow and slamming into the nameless planet. The impact sent massive cracks through the ground. Arcs of electricity danced around his body as he glared at Broly with murderous intent. "We meet again!"
Bulma's eyes widened. She pointed a trembling finger at him. "He... He's Cooler!" She remembered him from years ago when she sought revenge for her sister. If it hadn't been for Broly, she wouldn't have survived.
"It's you," Broly said flatly. Cooler was hard to forget—his sleek, domed head and the intimidating spikes that appeared when he transformed were unmistakable.
"Big Sister Bulma, get behind me," Broly said, stepping forward.
"Hahaha! Surprised?" Cooler laughed.
"A little," Broly replied coolly. "You've grown much stronger than before. It seems you haven't been lazy these past eight years."
By Broly's estimation, Cooler's base power was staggering—roughly 100 billion. And that was just his standard form. If he reached his final state, he would be a monster.
"So, does the Saiyan monkey feel fear?" Cooler spat, gritting his teeth. "It doesn't matter. I'm going to torture you slowly before I end your miserable life!"
"Is that so? Then by all means, show me this revenge of yours." Broly stepped forward, whispering under his breath, "Bulma, I might lose my cool during this. Run!"
In their base forms, Broly wasn't afraid. But if Cooler had a trump card, Broly knew he would have to tap into his own primal rage to win, and that meant losing control.
"Be careful!" Bulma cried out as she took flight, racing away toward the safety of the stars. Cooler watched her go but didn't give chase. To him, she was an ant. He could crush her easily once the Saiyan was dead.
Broly and Cooler stood barely a meter apart, their gazes clashing with enough intensity to create sparks. For a moment, Cooler forgot all about his respect for Gran.
"Die!" Cooler roared, a massive sphere of energy erupting from his palm. The heat was solar, scorching the air around them. Broly tilted his head slightly, letting the blast whistle past. The moment it exploded behind him, he moved.
Broly's muscles surged and expanded. He went from a powerful warrior to a primeval titan, a guttural, beast-like roar escaping his throat. He hadn't lost his mind yet—it was pure instinct.
BOOM! Broly's fist collided with Cooler's.
"Let's see how much you've improved!" Cooler sneered. But the moment their knuckles met, his smirk vanished. "What... what is this strength? How can you possess..."
He didn't get to finish. The sheer force of the blow sent him hurtling backward.
"ROAR!!!" Broly let out a feral scream and gave chase.
The planet became a theater of war. The sound of their strikes echoed like thunder, and energy overflows poured across the landscape. The sheer displacement of their power summoned storms and lightning.
"Impossible! You shouldn't be this strong!" Cooler screamed through the pain. "I spent eight years in hellish training! Why can't I beat you?!"
The battlefield expanded from the north pole of the Super Dragon Ball to the south pole, and eventually they smashed through the atmosphere and into the stars.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the galaxy, Gran paused mid-destruction.
"Hmm?" He hovered in space, sensing the tremors. One was definitely Broly. The other was familiar... someone he had sensed before.
"Ah, it's Cooler," Gran chuckled. He had saved the guy eight years ago, mostly because Cooler had provided a maid to serve him. He hadn't expected the frost demon to come looking for trouble again. Judging by his energy, Cooler had indeed put in the work.
"But... that's not nearly enough to take down Broly."
Gran pondered for a moment. He had trained Broly personally over the last eight years. Broly's base power alone was sitting at 150 billion. If Cooler only had what he was currently showing, he'd get pulverized.
"Wait, this can't be his full power." Gran rubbed his chin. In the original series, Frieza had reached a Golden form in just four months. If Cooler had been at it for eight years...
"This could be interesting. Let's see who's stronger: Golden Cooler or a Berserk Broly."
Suddenly intrigued, Gran finished vaporizing the sub-par planet in front of him and touched his forehead. Zip. He vanished, eager to watch the show.
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