After saying that, Trunks tossed a Capsule Corp capsule onto the ground.
With a pop, the Time Machine reappeared.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, Trunks climbed aboard. His slender figure looked lonely, carrying an unmistakable air of solitude.
Bulma couldn't help but feel her nose sting.
Was this child really destined to relive all those tragedies once again?
Just then...
Buzz!
A ripple spread through the sky above the Time Machine.
Space itself split open, forming a crack, and a single foot stepped out from within.
"Who's there?!"
Everyone instantly tensed.
Trunks, who had just boarded the Time Machine, immediately jumped back onto the ground. He stored the Time Machine away at once before drawing the sword from his back.
Every person present assumed a battle stance.
Bulma stared at the foot emerging from the dimensional rift.
Then she seemed to recognize something.
"Gran!!!"
Her face lit up with excitement.
"Gran?"
Everyone was taken aback.
However, they all knew about Bulma's close relationship with Gran and the gods, so there was no way she could have mistaken him.
Tien Shinhan said seriously,
"I can't sense any ki at all."
"That should indeed be Lord Gran."
Krillin patted his chest in relief.
"You scared me to death. I thought Earth was being invaded by another enemy."
Now that they knew who had arrived, Goku, Vegeta, and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The only confused person was Trunks.
Lord Gran?
Who is that?
Some incredibly important figure?
But Mom never mentioned anyone by that name...
"He's coming out."
Before everyone's eyes, Gran finally stepped out from the spatial rift.
"Greetings, Lord Gran!"
"Greetings, Lord Gran!"
"..."
The Z Fighters all bowed respectfully.
Their voices echoed across the wilderness like the beating of war drums.
The sight left Trunks completely dumbfounded.
Who in the world is this person?!
Floating high in the sky, Gran swept his gaze across everyone below.
Just as he had expected...
This was indeed the Trunks from the original storyline.
"Hm?"
Gran noticed something.
His eyes shifted away from Trunks and settled squarely on Goku.
Silence.
Other than the sound of the wind brushing across the wilderness, everything was deathly still.
Everyone noticed where Gran was looking.
His gaze remained fixed on Goku, leaving them utterly puzzled.
Especially Vegeta.
He clenched his fists tightly.
Just what has Kakarot, that low-class Saiyan, been hiding?
Even Lord Gran is looking at him like that...
"Dad."
Little Gohan tugged on Goku's sleeve.
"Uncle Gran is staring at you."
Goku looked up and met Gran's gaze.
He couldn't help sighing inwardly.
So I still couldn't hide it from someone this powerful...
"It's only been a little over a year since the Grand Elder unlocked Kakarot's potential..."
Gran studied Goku carefully, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"And yet he's already grown this much."
"Interesting."
Finally, he looked away from Goku and turned back toward Trunks.
"You are Trunks, correct?"
"Ah?"
Startled, Trunks hurriedly nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"I am Trunks."
Judging from everyone's reaction, the man before him was undoubtedly someone of immense status.
Answering honestly was clearly the safest choice.
"Do you know that manipulating time is forbidden by the gods?"
"W-What?"
A terrible premonition suddenly washed over Trunks.
"You traveled from the future into the past."
"That is an act of time manipulation."
"And because of that single act, yet another timeline has split into existence."
"What you've done is a serious crime."
Gran's voice remained calm.
Yet those words made everyone's hearts skip a beat.
Was Lord Gran really going to punish Trunks?
"Throughout the universe ruled by the Omni-King, whenever a God of Destruction encounters someone guilty of manipulating time..."
"It is their responsibility to eliminate that criminal."
"So..."
Gran slowly raised a hand toward Trunks below.
A violet sphere of destructive energy materialized in his palm.
As the power of Destruction gathered, the entire Earth began to tremble.
"Big Brother Gran, don't!!!"
Goku finally realized what Gran intended to do.
He was about to erase Trunks!
Goku shouted desperately,
"Trunks is Bulma's son!"
"Lord Gran, can't you spare him?"
Vegeta had never intended to interfere.
But the moment he remembered that Trunks was another version of his own son, his body instinctively transformed into a Super Saiyan.
"Oh?"
Gran glanced at the crowd below.
Out of everyone present, only Goku and Vegeta had stepped forward.
"So..."
"You're going to stop me?"
"..."
Goku clenched his fists tightly.
"Big Brother Gran..."
"Aren't you close friends with Bulma?"
"Why can't you spare Trunks just this once?"
"So..."
"You're going to stop me?"
Gran ignored the question entirely.
"That's right!"
"I'll stop you!"
Vegeta shot into the air, positioning himself directly in front of Trunks.
For Trunks' sake—
He actually dared to stand against Gran himself.
"Trunks, run!"
"I'll hold him off!"
Vegeta roared as he crossed his hands before his chest.
"Final Flash!!!"
BOOM!!
Like the roar of a colossal dragon, a pillar of golden light blasted toward the heavens.
Its power was terrifying.
Even Trunks felt that this version of his father was no weaker than Androids 17 and 18.
The changes in this timeline were simply unbelievable.
"Trunks, run!!"
Goku instantly appeared beside Vegeta.
With a flash, he transformed into a Super Saiyan.
Drawing both hands to his waist, he shouted,
"Kamehameha!!!"
BOOM!!
A brilliant blue beam erupted forth.
Goku's Kamehameha joined Vegeta's Final Flash as the two overwhelming attacks surged toward Gran.
"Dad! Uncle Goku!"
"What about you two?!"
Trunks couldn't bring himself to flee immediately.
"Don't worry about them!"
Raditz appeared beside Trunks and shouted,
"Lord Gran is also a Saiyan!"
"He won't kill Kakarot or Vegeta!"
"Just run!"
"As long as you make it back to your own timeline, you'll be safe!"
"Damn it!"
Trunks clenched his fists so tightly they trembled.
If I hadn't manipulated time...
Uncle Goku and my father from this world wouldn't have been dragged into this...
He desperately wanted to stay and fight beside them.
But he knew he would only be a burden.
"Everyone..."
"I'm going back!"
"Be careful of the Androids!"
Trunks threw out another Capsule Corp capsule.
After boarding the Time Machine, he shouted one final warning before immediately starting the engine.
However...
"You really think..."
"...you can escape?"
Gran's voice echoed across the sky.
The very next moment...
Bang!
Bang!
Both Goku's Kamehameha and Vegeta's Final Flash were effortlessly destroyed by Gran.
Then...
Gran merely cast a single glance at Goku and Vegeta.
It was an incredibly casual look.
Yet it seemed to contain boundless, immeasurable power.
CRACK!!!
With Gran at the center, the sky within a radius of tens of thousands of miles instantly collapsed.
END OF CHAPTER
Disciple of Beerus - MrBehringer's Secret
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