On Earth, Gran watched the entirety of Vegeta's narrow escape, and the revelation sent shockwaves through his mind. To survive one death trap after another—was this the legendary luck of a protagonist at work?
Recalling something, Gran turned to Whis. "Vegeta said he's heading for Earth. With the speed of that ship, how long until he arrives?"
Whis paused to calculate. "Frieza's headquarters is quite a distance from here. Given the specs of that Saiyan vessel, it should take approximately a year and a half to reach Earth."
"A year and a half?" Gran's eyes widened. That would put their arrival in Age 761. In the original timeline, that was exactly when Raditz first invaded Earth.
"Vegeta's fate has already been fundamentally altered, yet history is still finding a way to drag them back to Earth. Is this the self-correcting nature of the timeline?" Gran's mind raced, unable to find peace with the thought.
Suddenly, Bulma began shaking Gran's arm frantically. "Lord Gran! That bald guy used one of my family's Capsules! Has he been to Earth?"
In the projection, Nappa had pulled a Capsule from Vegeta's belt—a warehouse model used to store their massive ship. That was the only reason they were still breathing. And that technology was exclusive to Earth.
"Vegeta mentioned 'that woman's capsules,'" Gran mused, looking at Bulma. "If I had to guess, the woman he's talking about is likely your sister, Tights."
"What?!" Bulma turned pale. "Is she okay? Did that Vegeta guy kill her?"
Gran was curious himself, so he shot a glance at Whis. The Angel gave him a mock-weary look but complied, waving his staff to track Tights down.
"Found her."
A new image shimmered into existence in the air. It showed Tights traveling alongside Jaco in a small spaceship, currently warping toward Earth. "Your sister is alive," Whis said calmly. "She should be back on Earth in about a year."
Gran rubbed his chin, piecing it together. "It seems Vegeta likely crossed paths with her, robbed her, and took the Capsules."
"Phew..." Bulma clutched her chest, letting out a heavy sigh of relief. As long as her sister was safe, she could breathe again. Then, she scowled at the image. "Hmph! I told her to come home ages ago. Maybe now she'll realize how dangerous the universe really is!"
With that, Whis dismissed the projections, and a quiet stillness returned to the courtyard. Whis looked at Gran, waiting for his next move.
"Let's go," Gran said with a determined nod. "It's time to head to Universe 6."
"Very well." Whis didn't offer any objections. He tapped his staff, summoning a Cube—the inter-universal transport vessel. Gran and Broly stepped inside.
"Lord Gran!" Bulma shouted as they prepared to depart. "How long will you be gone this time?"
"Hard to say. Maybe two weeks, maybe a few years."
"What?" Bulma panicked. "Those Saiyans are coming in a year and a half! If you aren't back by then, what happens to Earth?"
"Earth is under the protection of Whis; it won't be destroyed. As for the fate of you Earthlings... well, that's up in the air."
"Then leave Broly here! If he's on Earth, he can just pummel that Vegeta guy if he tries anything!"
"No." Gran looked at Broly and shook his head. "I made a commitment to help Broly master his rage, and I'm sticking to it. Your fate is in your own hands. However..." Gran paused. "I won't fight your battle, but I will give you a roadmap."
He leaned in. "You still have Kakarot. He is Earth's true savior. Tell him to seek out the Guardian of Earth immediately. Once he returns from that training, build him a Gravity Room."
Gran's advice was specific. The Guardian (Kami) would lead Goku to King Kai to learn the Kaioken and the Spirit Bomb. The Gravity Room would replicate the intense training he originally did on his way to Namek.
With Goku's current foundation, increasing his raw power would be a breeze. If everything went according to plan, Vegeta would be spending the rest of his life eating Goku's dust.
"Well... goodbye for now."
As Whis prepared to launch the Cube, Gran looked back one last time. "By the way, I told you before: you are the primary food provider for Whis and Lord Beerus. We won't let anyone kill you. You can rest easy on that front."
Whis didn't contradict him, silently confirming the statement. Bulma opened her mouth to speak, but only managed a soft "Okay." She knew she was safe, but she worried for her family.
Finally, the Cube streaked away, leaving Earth behind. Bulma stood in the courtyard for a long time as the sun set. Despite her exhaustion from the last six months, she didn't rest. She immediately took off toward Mount Paozu.
Thirty minutes later, Bulma arrived at Goku's house just as he and Chi-Chi were finishing dinner.
"Hey, Bulma! What brings you here?" Goku asked, setting down his bowl. Chi-Chi looked up, confused, but offered her a seat.
"Goku, we have a problem. A huge one. Earth is about to be invaded," Bulma blurted out.
"What?" Goku stood up abruptly. He and Chi-Chi spoke in unison: "What's going on?"
Bulma quickly explained everything about the three Saiyans arriving in a year and a half. By the time she finished, Chi-Chi was trembling with terror. Goku, however, was also trembling—but with excitement.
"That's incredible! Fighting someone that strong sounds amazing!" Goku shouted, his fists clenched in anticipation.
Twist!
"Ow, ow, ow!" Goku yelped as Chi-Chi grabbed him by the ear.
"Earth is in danger and you're happy about it?!" Chi-Chi yelled. She turned to Bulma, desperate. "Where is Big Brother Gran?"
"Chi-Chi," Goku said, gently removing her hand from his ear, his expression turning serious. "Remember what Gran said? He's a god now. Gods don't just step in to solve every little problem in the universe. This one is on us."
Seeing Goku turn serious instantly calmed both women. "Bulma, did Gran say anything else?"
"He told me you need to go see the Guardian. And he told me to build you something called a Gravity Room for when you get back."
"I see..." Goku didn't fully understand the logic, but he trusted Gran implicitly. "Then I'm heading to the Lookout right now. Bulma, I'll leave that Gravity Room in your hands."
"Don't worry. For the sake of everyone on Earth, I'll make sure it's perfect!"
Goku didn't even finish his dinner. He stepped outside, whistled for the Flying Nimbus, and shot toward the heavens. Bulma didn't linger either; she headed straight back to West City to start R&D with her father.
Meanwhile, in the shadows of Mount Paozu, a green-skinned figure watched them depart. He had heard every word.
"Aliens invading Earth? Hmph. Earth belongs to me. If anyone's going to conquer it, it'll be me—after I settle my score with my fist!"
The figure smirked. "But with Goku gone, this is the perfect opportunity. If I kidnap his son and raise him as a demon, the look on Goku's face when he has to fight his own flesh and blood will be priceless! Hahahaha!"
The green silhouette laughed softly before creeping toward the house.
Meanwhile, in a sector of space near Earth, three planet-sized Super Dragon Balls floated in the void. They hummed with a divine resonance, a clear sign of their immense power.
"It's been a while since I've seen these," Whis remarked, moving the Cube alongside one of the golden orbs. He reached out and touched its smooth surface.
"Whis, has anyone ever actually summoned the Super Shenron?" Gran asked. He recalled that in the anime, Whis didn't even know the incantation until Bulma told him.
"Not during my tenure as the Angel of Universe 7," Whis replied, shaking his head. "I knew of their existence, of course, but I never had a reason to learn the summoning ritual."
Gran nodded. It was just like the lore suggested. "Whis, I'm going to have to ask you to 'tow' these for me."
"You really do treat me like hired labor, don't you?"
"Haha! I can move these within a single universe, but crossing the barrier between 6 and 7 is beyond me." Gran stepped behind Whis and began massaging his shoulders. "So, I'm counting on you, Master Whis."
He gave Broly a meaningful look. Broly, catching on quickly, stepped up and started massaging Whis's other shoulder.
"Fine, fine. I suppose I can help you out." Whis rolled his eyes, but since Gran had called him "Master," he couldn't very well refuse. With a flick of his staff, a massive invisible force enveloped the three Super Dragon Balls, tethering them to the Cube.
The Cube surged forward, tearing through the fabric of space toward Universe 6. After a period of travel, they finally crossed the threshold.
"Universe 6 again," Gran remarked, looking out at the stars. The layout was strikingly similar to his own universe—a twin reflection. "Whis, let's head to Lord Champa's place first. It's better to let him know we're using his backyard before he throws one of his tantrums."
Gran couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image of the portly Destroyer.
"Agreed." Whis started to steer the Cube toward the Destroyer's planet, but then he paused. "Oh? Another one."
"Another what?"
Whis pointed toward a distant sector. "There is another Magic Beast over there, just like the one you encountered before."
Gran frowned. "Really?"
Whis looked puzzled. "Is it just my imagination, or have these creatures been appearing more frequently lately?"
"Maybe. Let's go take care of it before we see Champa."
"This is Universe 6's business, Gran. You don't have to get involved."
"It's fine. We're here anyway; might as well be helpful." Gran shrugged.
Whis adjusted their course. Within ten seconds, the Cube arrived near a vibrant blue planet. It looked lush and perfectly suited for life. However, a violent, malevolent energy was radiating from its surface.
"Wait here, Whis. I'll be right back."
Gran stepped out of the Cube and streaked toward the planet, with Broly right on his heels. Whis stayed behind, his expression uncharacteristically somber as he watched them go.
On the planet's surface, chaos reigned.
"NO!!!"
"Run! The monster is coming!"
"Gods, someone help us!"
The planet housed a modern civilization, though its technology was slightly behind Earth's—no floating cars or capsule tech. Thousands of people were fleeing in terror as a massive cloud of black smoke rolled over their city like a suffocating blanket.
The source of the smoke was a creature shrouded in darkness. Its true form was obscured, leaving only two glowing, crimson eyes visible—eyes that watched the fleeing crowds with a chilling, predatory hunger.
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