GT Timeline, Earth
"Kakarot, this is all your fault. Gohan already told you the fusion time would not last. Why did you not finish it quickly?" Vegeta snapped.
"What? How is this on me? It was your personality bleeding into the fusion that made him show off so much! You are the one mostly to blame!" Goku retorted, just as annoyed.
"What did you say? You are blaming me?!" Vegeta exploded.
"Am I wrong? You are way more reckless than I am!" Goku shot back.
"Alright, you two. Seriously. Grown men, still bickering like kids." Gohan sighed. "Leave the rest to me."
"Hehe, sorry, Gohan. I have to trouble you again." Goku scratched his head, embarrassed.
"We are family. No need to stand on ceremony."
Goku froze for a moment and looked at Gohan with a strange expression.
In his head he could not help grumbling, "Is this really the time for 'we are family'? That line fits more when you use monkey-steals-the-peach and black-tiger-digs-the-heart… not when you are saving the world…"
Gohan had his back to them and naturally did not see Goku's expression.
"Son Gohan, what is happening here has nothing to do with you," the One-Star Shadow Dragon said coldly, still hoping Gohan would stay out of it.
"Less nonsense."
Whoosh. Bang.
The One-Star Shadow Dragon's body bent like a shrimp and shot backward as if he had been hit by a truck.
"Ultra Heat Ball!"
The dragon's chest flashed. A blazing, high-temperature ki sphere blasted toward Gohan like a miniature sun.
"Ultra your head."
Gohan lifted his hand, gathered ki, and swung down in a chopping motion. An invisible shock cannon smashed into the oncoming fireball.
Boom.
The fireball ruptured, scattering into fragments of flame that rained down across the ground.
"Damn you. Negative Energy Ball!"
The One-Star Shadow Dragon clenched his teeth and began condensing another blood-red sphere of energy in front of him.
"Heh. A beam struggle, huh?"
Gohan let his arms hang down slightly. Two dark-golden energy spheres formed in his palms.
He poured a thin strand of Destruction into them.
"Try this. My new move… Devour Annihilation."
This technique was one he had created by imitating a God of Destruction's Hakai, compressing the concept into an energy bomb.
With a sliver of destructive law woven inside, it possessed both devouring and annihilating properties.
His hands came together and the twin orbs merged into one, forming a dark-golden energy ball the size of a soccer ball.
It looked small, but in terms of energy level, it completely eclipsed the Negative Energy Ball.
Ssssh
The instant the two spheres touched, Devour Annihilation began rapidly eating away at the Negative Energy Ball, growing stronger as it did.
The tide turned in an instant. The dark-golden sphere swelled at high speed, while the blood-red sphere shrank visibly.
In the span of a few seconds, the Negative Energy Ball had been devoured completely.
Devour Annihilation swelled to over a hundred meters in diameter and then came crashing down toward the One-Star Shadow Dragon.
It was truly broken beyond reason. Not only did it consume the enemy's power, it then gave the stolen energy back in the form of an execution.
"No…!"
The One-Star Shadow Dragon raised his arms, trying to block the descending sphere, but an energy bomb laced with Destruction was not something that could be "caught."
His hands were the first to crumble, followed by his arms, then his torso, and finally the horns and blades on his back.
Everything was erased, leaving nothing behind.
Clatter.
A single item dropped to the ground, its "loot drop" for clearing the boss an orange One-Star Dragon Ball.
"Phew. It is finally over."
Goku and Vegeta both let out a long sigh of relief.
Sacred World of the Kai
"Excellent. It is all thanks to that kid!" Elder Kai was overjoyed.
Earth
Gohan, however, did not look relieved. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the Dragon Balls on the ground.
Whoosh.
The Four-Star Ball in Goku's hand suddenly shuddered, ripped free, and flew over to join the other six.
A dazzling golden light erupted.
"What is going on? Is he still not dead?" Vegeta tensed, staring at the Dragon Balls.
Buzz.
Golden light shot into the sky. A dragon they all knew very well appeared in the air.
"Shenron? Why did he come out on his own?" Goku was stunned.
"Son Goku. This crisis was created by you all. Endless desire only ever leads to endless catastrophe," Shenron said, his voice heavy with authority.
"Hehe, I get it. Do not worry, we will not abuse the Dragon Balls like that anymore."
Goku's expression was casual, utterly unconcerned.
"Traveler from another timeline. Someone wishes to see you. Come with me."
Shenron ignored Goku, turned his great head, and extended an invitation to Gohan.
"What do you mean? Why are you taking him?" Vegeta stepped forward, thinking Shenron meant to deal with Gohan.
"Relax. It should be time for me to head back," Gohan said calmly. He did not look worried at all.
"Gohan, will you come back again?" Goku asked, a bit reluctant to part.
"I do not know. We will see."
"Let's go, Son Gohan," Shenron urged again.
"Alright."
Gohan rose into the air and landed on Shenron's brow.
The seven Dragon Balls floated in orbit around Shenron's body as he soared into the heavens. Within three seconds, Goku, Vegeta, and the others could no longer see even a trace of his silhouette.
"Kakarot, that red-haired fused form… that should be Super Saiyan 4 Full Power," Vegeta murmured.
"Yeah, I figured. Let's see which of us reaches that level first." Goku's eyes burned with confidence.
"Hmph. I am not afraid of you."
With a snort, Vegeta turned and flew toward West City.
Dragon God's Realm
Gohan stared at the golden palace in front of him, at a loss for words.
"Come, Son Gohan."
After bringing him here, Shenron's body split into seven separate figures.
"You guys…?" Gohan's eyes widened.
"Relax. We are no longer affected by negative energy. This is our true form," the Four-Star Shadow Dragon explained.
"So everything that happened on Earth was just a game to you?" Gohan's smile turned cold.
"You can think of it that way. It was punishment for their abuse of the Dragon Balls. Hopefully they learned something from it," the One-Star Shadow Dragon said calmly.
"Tch. Whatever. It has nothing to do with me anyway. The one who wants to see me is inside, right?"
Gohan pointed at the radiant golden palace ahead.
"Yes. You all may leave. I will take him in myself."
Even in this "normal" state, the One-Star Shadow Dragon's authority was clearly higher than the others.
The remaining six shadows said nothing, simply withdrawing one after another.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Their footsteps echoed through the massive hall.
"Paying respects to Lord Salama."
The One-Star Shadow Dragon dropped to one knee, bowing toward the empty throne.
"Huh? I do not see anyone."
Zing.
Just as he spoke, a figure appeared on the throne.
He looked very similar to a Namekian, but his skin gleamed like gold, and two fierce dragon horns jutted from his head.
"Leave us, One-Star," the Dragon God Salama said lightly.
"Yes, Lord Salama."
The One-Star Dragon withdrew with utmost respect.
"Son Gohan. We finally meet," Salama said with interest.
"Lord Dragon God, with the power I have now, I am still not worth your attention, am I?"
Gohan had not sensed any malice from him.
"Hehe. You carry within you two mysterious forces Primordial and Eerie. I would not dare ignore a being like that."
It was a statement like a thunderclap.
Gohan's body went rigid. His gaze locked onto Salama.
"Little one, you are far too wary. Relax. I am not going to harm you."
It was obvious the Dragon God could see right through his tension.
"How do you even know about that? Unless…"
A thought flashed through Gohan's mind.
"That is right. Lord King of Time told me herself," Salama replied.
"Phew…"
Gohan finally let out the breath he had been holding.
If this was part of the King of Time's plan, he could afford not to worry.
"So, what did you call me here for?" Gohan asked.
"There is no rush. First, tell me how do you see this timeline?" the Dragon God countered.
"Uh… I see it standing up, lying down, and sideways?" Gohan blinked.
"Hehe. Mischievous."
Gohan shrugged helplessly.
"What is there to say? There is no God of Destruction here, no Angels, no Zeno. I am guessing this is a world you created yourself. It looks infinite and is still expanding, but to me it feels… less real than the main universe."
"Not bad. Very sharp."
The Dragon God Salama nodded in satisfaction.
Then, slowly, he began to explain…
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