"Hmph, of course I'm continuing! I haven't lost yet!" Toppo, frantic and desperate, gathered his energy once more and charged toward Broly for one final struggle.
Boom!
Broly delivered an uppercut that landed squarely in Toppo's stomach. The immense power sent Toppo flying high into the air, his body spinning several times.
Immediately after, Broly caught up to the airborne Toppo in an instant, pinned his head again, and slammed him violently into the ground.
In the next moment, Broly grabbed Toppo by the fingers and yanked his body, slamming him back and forth, left and right, as if he were disciplining a disobedient child.
Since he wouldn't submit the first time, Broly would just beat him again.
He would beat him until he submitted.
Dyspo, watching from the sidelines, was completely dumbfounded. His mouth hung wide open, and his eyes were filled with terror.
The Captain is no match for him at all!
This guy is way too strong; he's a total monster!
"Belmod, this disciple of yours is pretty mediocre. I thought he was something special, but with this level of skill, he wants to inherit your position as God of Destruction? I think you should just forget about it," Beerus laughed contemptuously, his face full of disdain and his tone dripping with mockery.
Belmod clenched his fists tight, his whole body shaking as his teeth ground together with a series of audible clicks.
Go ahead and laugh while you can!
Just wait until Jiren gets here. I'll show you then.
There will be a time for you to cry!
As for Broly easily crushing Toppo, Son Goku, Vegeta, and Bardock weren't surprised at all. In their eyes, this was only natural.
...
The Future, Trunks' Parallel World.
After releasing the Solar Flare, Trunks took advantage of the gap while Black Vegeta was temporarily blinded and quickly fled the scene.
Trunks appeared quietly in the city's sewers, moving rapidly through the dark and damp tunnels.
Finally, Trunks stopped at the door of a basement. He warily checked his surroundings, and after confirming it was safe, he gave the door a light knock.
"It's me, Mai!" Trunks whispered, afraid of being heard by Black Vegeta. "It's Trunks."
Creak...
The door slowly opened a crack, and Mai poked her head out. Seeing it was Trunks, a look of surprise and joy appeared on her face.
"Trunks! Thank goodness you're safe. I thought..." Mai let out a sigh of relief. She didn't finish her sentence, but her eyes were full of lingering fear.
The door closed, sealing out the despair and darkness of the outside world.
Mai handed Trunks a cup of water. There were some stains on the cup, but it was already the cleanest thing they could find.
Trunks gulped it down, his parched lips finally receiving some moisture as he caught his breath.
"How is... Aunt Bulma? Is she okay?" Mai hesitated for a moment but couldn't help asking, her eyes full of concern.
"When she went to clean the dust off the solar panels... she was seen by that guy, and then... and then..." Trunks clenched the empty cup in his hand until his knuckles turned white. He could no longer hold back his tears, which fell like rain as his voice choked up.
"How could this happen?" Mai's heart sank. Her face turned pale in an instant, and tears welled up in her eyes as well.
"Mom... Mom was also..." Trunks could no longer control his emotions and broke into a loud sob, like a helpless child.
Mai stepped forward and gently hugged Trunks, burying his head in her chest. She let his tears soak her clothes as she whispered comfortingly, "It's okay, Trunks. Everything will be fine. We will definitely defeat him."
The two leaned against each other, feeling the faint warmth from one another, and remained silent for a long time.
The air was thick with the scent of sorrow and despair.
By now, there weren't many people left in this world. Most had been brutally wiped out by Black Vegeta, leaving only a few scattered survivors struggling to stay alive.
"Oh, I found something good." Mai suddenly seemed to remember something. A faint smile appeared on her face as she pulled a can from her pocket.
It was a can of cat food. It looked like it had been sitting for a long time, as the can was covered in dust.
Trunks looked at the can, his throat moving instinctively. He hadn't eaten a decent meal in a very long time.
"Hurry and eat; you need to regain your strength," Mai urged, handing the can to Trunks.
"Thank you..." Trunks quickly took the can, opened it, and began to eat ravenously. However, after eating half, he stopped and sighed, "Thanks to Mom... the fuel for the time machine is finally charged. But it's only enough for a one-way trip, not a return... we only have this one chance."
As he spoke, Trunks forced the remaining half of the can into Mai's hand.
"You don't need to save it for me. You should eat it all. You need to be full to have the strength to transform and deal with that demon," Mai said, waving her hand and trying to give the can back to him.
"Even if I transform, I'm still no match for that guy... You must be starving too, so eat!" Trunks said deeply, his eyes firm. "No matter what, we have to survive. This is the promise I made to my comrades, and it's our only hope."
Seeing the determination in Trunks' eyes, Mai no longer hesitated. She took the can and began to eat in small bites, though tears couldn't help but well up in her eyes.
"We'll set off as soon as it gets dark," Trunks said in a low voice, his tone carrying a sense of finality. "We're going back 17 years..."
"17 years ago?" Mai was stunned. She stopped eating and looked at him in confusion.
"Yes. Back to the parallel world where my father and the others are still alive. Only there can we find a way to defeat Black Vegeta," Trunks nodded, a hint of expectation in his tone.
"Why 17 years ago?" Mai asked, not understanding why he chose that specific point in time.
"I've used this time machine before. I think if I change the settings, I won't be able to return to the previous parallel world. I can only go to a new point in time," Trunks mused, explaining his reasoning.
"The time you defeated the Androids?" Mai asked. She vaguely remembered Trunks telling her about the past.
"To be precise, it was my father who defeated the Androids... I only played a small supporting role," Trunks answered, a shy smile appearing on his face.
"You said that man called Black Vegeta looks exactly like your father?" Mai asked again, her eyes full of curiosity and fear.
"Yes. His name is Zamasu, and he's the North Kai of Universe 10. He used the Super Dragon Balls to swap bodies with my father!" Trunks clenched his fists tight, his knuckles turning white and his expression growing heavier, his tone full of rage.
"Swapping bodies? You can even do that? That's so amazing—no, it's terrifying!" Mai was aghast, her mouth hanging open, unable to believe such a thing was possible.
"He must have swapped bodies with my father in another parallel world and then moved to our world to carry out the massacre," Trunks added, trying to help Mai understand the sequence of events.
"Another parallel world?" Mai only half-understood, her head spinning, but she still nodded to show she roughly followed.
"So I have to go back and tell my father about this. I need to let him prepare in advance so the same tragedy doesn't happen in another world," Trunks continued, his eyes full of concern. "Right now, my biggest worry is that something has also gone wrong in my father's parallel world."
The sky gradually darkened, and the night shrouded the entire city like a giant black cloth, giving them a bit of cover.
Trunks and Mai cautiously emerged from the sewer and moved quietly under the cover of night, their steps light for fear of making even the slightest sound.
The two soon appeared at the main gate of the Capsule Corporation.
This place had once been a bustling commercial center, but now it was deathly silent.
"The door is locked. It looks like it was bolted from the inside," Mai said deeply, leaning in to check the gate closely.
Trunks didn't say a word. He simply applied a sudden burst of force, grabbed the lock with both hands, and yanked it off with a clean, decisive movement.
However, just as the two were about to enter the gate—
"Trunks, you really did come back after all. I knew you couldn't bear to leave this place." Black Vegeta's voice rang out from high above, carrying a hint of mockery and coldness, like a summons from hell.
Trunks' face instantly changed color. This is bad, he thought. Without a second thought, he immediately gathered his energy.
Whoosh!
A blue energy wave was hurled toward the diagonal rear, where the voice had come from.
Boom!
A massive explosion occurred where Black Vegeta had been, flames soaring and stone fragments flying.
Trunks seized this opportunity, grabbed Mai's hand, and ran at top speed toward the laboratory.
"Mai, you go in first! The time machine is inside!" Trunks called out urgently to Mai, his tone carrying a sense of haste.
Mai was just about to enter the laboratory—the place where the time machine was kept—her heart full of hope.
Boom!
Suddenly, the ceiling of the laboratory was directly destroyed by a powerful force. Stone fragments and dust flew everywhere, revealing Black Vegeta's menacing face.
Black Vegeta hovered in mid-air, looking down at them with cold eyes.
"Damn it!" Trunks gritted his teeth, a sense of despair rising in his heart. He immediately pulled Mai behind him to protect her.
"What's this? You ran all the way here; what exactly are you trying to do? Are you trying to take a spaceship and leave this planet? Unfortunately, you won't be escaping." Black Vegeta laughed contemptuously and casually tossed two energy blasts toward them.
Whoosh!
The energy blasts whistled through the air as they flew toward Trunks and Mai.
Trunks was horrified. He hurriedly grabbed Mai and rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the energy blasts.
Boom!
The energy blasts landed where they had just been standing, blowing two massive craters into the ground.
After dodging the energy blasts, Trunks quickly ordered Mai, "Mai, hurry and go! The time machine is inside. Don't worry about me; I'll hold him off!"
"You... what are you talking about? How can I leave you here alone?" Mai's face lost its color, and she shook her head, unwilling to leave.
"Go! That's an order! Only if you get the message out do we have any hope!" As Trunks spoke, his energy erupted, and a golden aura flared up. Though it was weak, he still rushed toward Black Vegeta, trying to buy time for Mai.
Boom!
Trunks was met with a heavy punch from Black Vegeta. It was as fast as lightning, giving Trunks no chance to react.
The punch landed squarely on Trunks' face. The immense power instantly knocked him off balance, sending him plummeting from the air.
Boom!
Trunks fell heavily to the ground, the impact carving a small crater into the earth.
He spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, staining the soil beneath him a deep crimson. He looked utterly battered.
During this time, after Black Vegeta had eliminated Son Goku, Vegeta, and the others, the world had entered an apocalyptic state where food was scarce. Trunks had barely been able to eat his fill, leaving his body extremely weak and devoid of the strength needed to fight. He didn't even have the stamina to transform into a Super Saiyan, let alone challenge the overwhelming power of Black Vegeta.
"Don't even think about escaping today, Trunks, my dear son," Black Vegeta sneered. He descended slowly to the ground, walking toward Trunks step by step. Each footfall seemed to stomp directly on Trunks' heart.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, Mai picked up a nearby super rifle and began firing wildly at Black Vegeta, bullets raining down on him. However, the bullets struck Black Vegeta's body without leaving so much as a mark, simply bouncing off and clattering to the ground. The damage was non-existent, but the insult was extreme.
"Mai! Don't do anything foolish!" Trunks was horrified. He hadn't expected Mai to take such a risk. This would undoubtedly enrage Black Vegeta.
"Over here! You bastard, I'll kill you! If you've got the guts, come for me!" Mai shouted at the top of her lungs, her eyes filled with rage and resolve. She knew her actions were futile, but she wanted to buy just a little more time for Trunks.
"Mai, stop it! What are you doing? You'll be killed!" Trunks cried out urgently. He struggled to stand, but his injuries were too severe, and he collapsed heavily back to the ground.
"You're the one who has to survive! Get out of here now! Don't worry about me!" Mai insisted, her tone carrying a hint of pleading.
"No... No! Mai!" Trunks was frantic, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.
Mai ignored him and pulled the trigger again, firing at Black Vegeta even though she knew it was useless.
Whoosh!
A flash of impatience crossed Black Vegeta's eyes. A streak of energy shot from his hand like a venomous snake, striking the ground where Mai stood. The shockwave from the blast sent Mai flying, and she landed heavily amidst the ruins, lying motionless.
Trunks' pupils shrank in horror. Using every ounce of his remaining strength, he scrambled forward and clawed away the stones of the rubble. When he saw her, Mai was unconscious, covered in dust and blood, her breathing faint.
Trunks' eyes nearly split with fury. Instinctively thinking Mai was dead, he was overcome with grief. He held her limp body tight, tears flowing uncontrollably.
"Next, it's your turn," Black Vegeta laughed contemptuously. He walked up to Trunks and looked down at him from above. "I'll send you on your way personally, Trunks. You can have your reunion in hell."
"You... How dare you... do this to Mai... I won't forgive you!" Trunks roared in fury. His grief transformed into a surge of power, and a golden light erupted from him. He entered his Super Saiyan form, his golden hair standing out vividly against the night.
"Oh? Just a regular Super Saiyan transformation? Nothing special. You don't have enough energy left to reach a higher level, do you? How disappointing," Black Vegeta laughed mockingly, his face growing even more menacing, his eyes full of disdain.
"Aaaaaah!"
Trunks let out a series of screams as bolts of lightning flickered around him. His aura soared once more, and the golden flames grew even more intense.
"Oh? Super Saiyan 2? I didn't expect you to have enough energy left for this form. Interesting," Black Vegeta said, his interest piqued as a playful expression appeared on his face.
"Masenko!" Trunks swung both hands forward. A powerful energy wave surged toward Black Vegeta like a tidal wave, carrying all of his rage and despair.
Black Vegeta simply gave a casual swat with his hand, as if he were shooing a fly, and deflected the incoming energy wave.
Boom!
The energy wave struck a distant building, reducing it to ruins.
Trunks' expression shifted rapidly, his heart filled with shock. Yet he gritted his teeth, endured the agonizing pain in his body, and rushed forward to launch a fierce assault on Black Vegeta with a flurry of punches and kicks.
After several rounds of exchange...
Trunks was no match for Black Vegeta at all. Every collision sent a jolt of intense pain through his body. Black Vegeta delivered a heavy kick to Trunks' stomach, sending him tumbling and sliding a great distance across the ground.
Trunks struggled back to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and attacked Black Vegeta again. He knew he was outmatched, but he couldn't give up.
The contempt on Black Vegeta's face deepened. With a flicker of movement, he appeared behind Trunks and delivered a heavy elbow strike to the back of his head. Trunks' vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground. His golden light faded as he reverted to his base form, completely stripped of his ability to resist.
"Trunks, your luck ends here!" Black Vegeta manifested his energy blade, the sharp aura locking onto Trunks' heart. "I'll end your life right now! You can go join your comrades in the other world."
Trunks' expression grew even more grim, his heart filled with unwillingness.
No, I can't die like this!
I have to get back to the past!
I have to tell my father about Zamasu!
I absolutely cannot let the tragedy of Zamasu happen in another parallel world!
"Die, Trunks!" Black Vegeta's energy blade whistled through the air, thrusting toward Trunks' heart.
At that critical moment, Trunks used the last of his strength to deliver a sweeping kick. It caught Black Vegeta off guard and knocked him off balance. Though the force wasn't great, it was enough to stall Black Vegeta's movement for a split second.
Seizing the opportunity, Trunks pressed both hands against the ground, and a powerful burst of energy erupted from his palms.
Rumble!
A massive explosion occurred, and thick smoke filled the area, obscuring Black Vegeta's vision. Trunks took the chance to scramble away, crawling and running toward the laboratory. His pace was slow, but every step was fueled by a desperate will to survive.
Black Vegeta's aura flared, and a surge of energy blew away the surrounding smoke, revealing his enraged face. But Trunks was nowhere to be seen, as if he had vanished into thin air.
"Gone again!" Black Vegeta's brow furrowed slightly, his eyes full of confusion. "What exactly is he doing in there? What is hidden inside? A spaceship?"
Just as he was thinking this—
Crash!
Trunks' time machine smashed through the laboratory wall and flew out from the Capsule Corporation headquarters. Mai was on the machine as well; in his escape, Trunks hadn't forgotten to bring the unconscious Mai with him.
"So it was a spaceship after all!" Black Vegeta laughed contemptuously. "Do you think you can get away? Even if you fly to the ends of the universe, I can still wipe you out. Don't even think about escaping!"
As he spoke, Black Vegeta aimed his hand at Trunks' time machine, gathering a powerful surge of energy to destroy it. Trunks, seeing this, hurriedly pressed the activation button on the time machine, his face full of anxiety.
Whoosh!
The time machine flickered and vanished from the spot, entering the time tunnel and completely disappearing from Black Vegeta's sight. Black Vegeta's energy blast struck nothing but empty air, blowing a massive crater into the ground.
Black Vegeta was momentarily stunned, his face full of bewilderment.
"What happened? How did it disappear? What on earth was that thing?" Black Vegeta's brow furrowed tight, his heart filled with confusion and rage.
Whoosh!
At that moment, three figures flickered and appeared beside Black Vegeta, their auras powerful and eerie.
Seeing the three newcomers, Black Vegeta couldn't help but widen his eyes in slight shock. He immediately looked at Zamasu and asked curiously, "These two are..."
"There's no need for alarm. They are comrades I found in two other parallel timelines—beings just like me," Zamasu said with a slight smile and a flat tone.
"Comrades?" Black Vegeta couldn't quite process this, not understanding his meaning.
"Let me introduce them to you. This is the 'us' who swapped bodies with Son Goku. In human terms, he should be called Black Goku," Zamasu said, pointing to a man who looked exactly like Son Goku. He introduced him to Black Vegeta with a strange smile on his face.
"Son Goku? The guy who didn't show up for the tournament? Is he very strong?" Black Vegeta mused, having some memory of the name.
"Oh? In your timeline, Son Goku didn't participate in the tournament? What a pity," Black Goku asked with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"Yes. It was Vegeta who defeated all the contestants from Universe 6 single-handedly. He was very powerful," Black Vegeta nodded, his tone carrying a trace of unshielded recognition.
"In our timeline, it was Son Goku who defeated Hit. It was quite a spectacle as well," Black Goku said with a smile, a confident expression on his face.
"And this other one is..." Black Vegeta looked toward the third person, asking curiously.
"This is the 'us' from another timeline who swapped bodies with Broly. You can call him Black Broly. His strength is exceptionally powerful," Zamasu said, pointing to a man who looked exactly like Broly, with a smile.
To be continued…
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