They say hindsight is twenty-twenty.
For me, it was more than that.
My past was also my future.
And my future was something I had already lived through once.
That was the greatest advantage of my second chance.
The first disaster I chose to prevent was one I knew all too well.
Goku's heart virus.
In my original timeline, it had appeared suddenly and taken him from us before anyone could react. This time, I wasn't going to let that happen.
By knowing what symptoms to watch for, I managed to identify early cases and secure several samples. With those, I began developing a vaccine.
Once it was ready, I didn't hesitate.
Using my father's influence—and my own wealth—I pushed for global distribution.
Quietly.
Efficiently.
Relentlessly.
Officially, it was labeled as a "preventive cardiovascular treatment." Most people didn't know what it was really for. They didn't need to.
Money incentives helped.
So did reputation.
For the wealthy, being associated with Capsule Corporation was a status symbol. Hosting exclusive "health events" made them eager to participate. For everyone else, government programs and subsidies took care of the rest.
Within months, vaccination became mandatory.
It was messy.
It was political.
It was exhausting.
But it worked.
At least for now.
Still, I didn't relax.
Viruses mutate, I reminded myself. And when they do, I'll be ready.
On the combat side, things were progressing steadily.
My newest armor was slimmer and more refined than any previous version. The multiplier remained at twenty times, but the ki regulation and energy distribution systems were far more stable.
I could now maintain peak performance for much longer without burning myself out.
After the genetic enhancement, my base power level had risen to around seven hundred and fifty.
Compared to Raditz, it wasn't impressive.
But with my armor, I could reach nearly fifteen thousand.
And that was enough.
Raditz and I sparred regularly in my private training chamber.
Even with his Battle Phase activated, his power only reached about twelve thousand.
Strength wasn't his problem.
Instinct wasn't either.
Skill was.
He relied too much on raw speed and brute force. His attacks were powerful, but predictable. He rarely thought beyond the first strike.
Against weaker opponents, that worked.
Against stronger ones, it would get him killed.
After blocking another reckless charge, I sighed and stepped back.
"Raditz," I said, lowering my guard. "You're wasting energy."
He scowled. "I'm winning, aren't I?"
"Only because I'm letting you."
That made him freeze.
"…What?"
I crossed my arms.
"You rush. You overcommit. And you never plan a second move."
He clenched his fists. "Tch. That's how Saiyans fight."
"No," I replied calmly. "That's how careless Saiyans die."
He didn't answer.
But he listened.
And that was progress.
My training room helped immensely.
Its layered barrier system could withstand extreme combat stress, absorb excess ki, and store it for later use. It also masked energy signatures completely.
From the outside, no one could sense us.
No one knew how strong we were becoming.
With the Oracle prediction module active, I could anticipate most of Raditz's attacks. To him, it probably looked like I had decades of combat experience.
I didn't bother explaining it.
He didn't need to know.
We only stopped when his Battle Phase reached its ten-minute limit.
He collapsed onto the floor, panting.
"Damn… time's up again…"
I knelt beside him and checked the readings.
Still too inefficient, I thought. I'll need to redesign the system.
Eventually, I wanted his Battle Phase to be stronger.
More stable.
More scalable.
Right now, it was a four-times boost.
In the future, it would be more.
Much more.
Sometimes, I found myself wondering how far he could go.
Super Saiyan.
Battle Phase.
Biological reinforcement.
Tech support.
Stacked together…
He might become terrifying.
And maybe that was exactly what we needed.
As for me…
Being only twenty percent Saiyan, I didn't know if I would ever reach Super Saiyan.
Maybe I couldn't.
Maybe I shouldn't.
But I wasn't worried.
I had my armor.
My systems.
My research.
Technology would bridge the gap.
It always had.
Late at night, when the lab was quiet, my thoughts sometimes drifted to Vegeta.
To the future.
To Trunks.
This should be my chance, I thought once. To beat that arrogant prince before he ever gets close to me.
Then I shook my head.
No. Don't think like that.
The future wasn't something I could micromanage.
Some things were meant to happen.
Some weren't.
Trying to control everything would only lead to mistakes.
And regrets.
I had lived with enough of those already.
So instead, I focused on what I could control.
Preparation.
Research.
Training.
Adaptation.
The future wasn't set in stone.
But if I was going to change it…
I would do it properly.
One system at a time.
One improvement at a time.
No shortcuts.
No miracles.
Just progress.