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Time slipped by again like running water… two whole years gone in a blink.
One day, as usual, Broly was deep in training when he suddenly sensed an energy that made his skin crawl.
He focused, trying to pinpoint the source. At some point—he wasn't sure when—a strange power had started drifting toward Earth, slowly wrapping around the entire planet.
Broly thought for a moment. If he wasn't mistaken… the Makyo Star must be approaching Earth.
He also caught several other signatures. They were well hidden, but not enough to escape Broly's senses. All of them were gathered at the very top of Korin Tower. That place was… the Lookout.
He checked again carefully. The energy wasn't that strong yet—still way stronger than Raditz—but what mattered was that it was growing stronger by the second as the Makyo Star drew closer.
If he guessed right… that aura belonged to Garlic Jr.
Meanwhile, somewhere in deep space, a spaceship was speeding toward its destination.
"Lord Tullece, the system detected that we're getting close to that planet called Earth in the Northern Galaxy. But… the place is full of life signatures!"
A burly fighter in battle armor bowed toward a Saiyan whose style was almost identical to Nappa's—except this Saiyan looked exactly like Son Goku.
"Oh? How come? Isn't that the planet Kakarot was sent to? He should've destroyed it by now. Still though… what a beautiful planet," Tullece said, staring at Earth through the ship's massive screen.
"Lord Tullece, there's good news," the armored fighter added. "This planet is overflowing with energy. Its soil is the best among all the worlds where we've grown the Tree of Might. The fruit will be incredible."
"That's perfect. Pass it on—full speed ahead."
"Yes, sir!"
…
At that moment, on the Lookout, a short man who looked eerily similar to Pilaf walked toward Mr. Popo, who was restrained by the Four Kings of the Demon Clan.
"You… Garlic Jr.? How? How did you escape Hell?" Seeing someone who absolutely shouldn't exist standing here—someone clearly planning this for a long time—Mr. Popo felt his heart sink.
Garlic Jr. and his followers questioned him for ages about Kami's whereabouts, but got nothing. Annoyed, Garlic Jr. sealed him into a tiny mystic jar.
When Kami finally returned, Garlic Jr. jumped out to distract him, while the Four Kings used their psychic abilities to immobilize Kami. Garlic Jr. was just about to shrink and bottle him when—
A flash tore through the sky, punching holes straight through two of Garlic Jr.'s men before flying right at him.
Boom! Garlic Jr. was sent flying and smashed into the Lookout's wall.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!"
His remaining followers rushed into defensive stances, but no matter how hard they searched, they couldn't sense a thing.
Boom! Boom! Two explosions erupted from the opposite side as another pair of Makyo Star warriors were annihilated by sudden ki blasts.
"Coward! Come out now! If I drag you out myself, I'll make you watch your friends—ugh—!"
Before he could finish, someone grabbed his throat and lifted him off the ground. A figure materialized before the whole group.
"Heh. Threatening me?" Broly laughed coldly. "I don't know if you're brave or just stupid."
The moment he'd heard them threaten Bulma and the others, Broly snapped. He wanted to crush Garlic Jr. right then and there, but killing him quickly felt too merciful.
"Let him go!" the remaining underlings shouted as they rushed Broly.
Broly didn't even look at them. He simply flicked his hand. The pressure from the motion compressed the air so violently that it formed shock cannons that blasted toward them.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! The air cannons smashed through their faces and hurled their bodies straight through the walls of the Lookout. They weren't getting up again.
With the trash swept away, Broly turned back to the struggling Demon King dangling from his grip. A cruel smile tugged at his lips.
Then he released him.
The pathetic creature thought he'd been spared—he couldn't have been more wrong.
Smack! Broly slapped him so hard he shot across the room like a bullet.
"Enjoy your last few seconds."
Tiny gear-shaped blades of ki formed in Broly's palm, each barely a centimeter wide. He flicked them toward Garlic Jr.'s last surviving henchman.
"Guh—aaahhh!"
Under Broly's deliberate control, the miniature discs didn't slice him apart instantly. Instead, they skimmed across his skin again and again like tiny buzzing saws, shaving off little bits of flesh with every pass.
This was the price of having a filthy mouth.
Normally, Broly wasn't the type to torture enemies. He'd kill cleanly and move on. But threatening Bulma and the others?
He'd make sure they regretted ever being born.
"P-please… kill me… just end it…"
Broly fired a small ki bullet. The wretch finally stopped screaming.
The only reason Broly had come to deal with Garlic Jr. and his goons personally was the disgusting Black Water Mist they'd released over Earth. If not for that, he wouldn't have bothered. At most, he would've waited for the Makyo Star to arrive and beat Garlic Jr. at his full power just for fun.
With the garbage taken out, Broly turned his gaze toward Garlic Jr., who had been hiding motionless in the rubble ever since Broly showed up.
"....."