Chapter 136 – Victory Sure Tastes Sweet

~ A Few Moments Earlier ~

Ajax and Slug broke apart from their close-quarter combat as each took a moment to register the abrupt change in their surroundings. The sky above, once a verdant green, now stretched out above them as an unbroken expanse of blue.

A sharp sigh of relief escaped Ajax when he recognized the familiar sight of Earth. They had escaped Namek. But when his gaze flicked back to Slug, he found the Namekian's expression twisted in rage.

Slug's narrowed eyes flicked to the sky, his scowl darkening. He must have realized Porunga was gone—proof that he had been too late. His nails dug into his palms as a low snarl escaped him.

Ajax, however, saw an opportunity in the brief reprieve. A window had opened—narrow, but enough. He intended to take full advantage of it.

By whistling.

His tune of choice? Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku.

Slug's head snapped toward him, confusion briefly eclipsing his fury. His brow knit together.

"What... what are you doing?"

Ajax continued whistling, watching, waiting. But Slug didn't react beyond fixing him with a glare.

The tune petered out awkwardly.

"Ah," Ajax muttered under his breath. "Well, that's disappointing."

"Are you mocking me? Or is this some pathetic, misguided attempt to exploit my sensitive hearing?" Slug's tone was as flat as his stare. If anything, he regarded Ajax as if the boy had finally lost his mind. "What gave you the idea that something as mild as whistling would have any effect?"

Ajax groaned and mentally cursed his misplaced faith in his meta-knowledge. He had taken a gamble, and beyond embarrassing himself, it had achieved absolutely nothing.

"The movies fucking lied," he quietly grumbled as his shoulders sagged under sheer secondhand embarrassment. "Freaking Z Fighters and their bullshit plot armor..."

Slug said nothing more, but Ajax could feel the disdain rolling off him in waves. Ajax absently swatted at a mosquito that had decided to make a meal out of him. Pesky, greedy little parasites. It figured—just about everything in the damn universe seemed determined to take a piece out of him today.

Then, without warning, Slug made his move. His Ki flared violently as he raised one hand toward the ground, an orb of raw energy forming in his palm.

Ajax didn't need to be a genius to see what was coming—one last tantrum. A sore loser's final gambit.

Clearly, Slug had put the pieces together. The fight was lost, and his wish had slipped through his fingers. Now, he intended to take the entire planet with him.

Ajax blasted off as a blur of crimson energy. Right now, containing Slug was something only he could do, and he was damn well going to see it through.

***

~ Some Distance Away ~

Bulma landed on her butt so hard that she bounced. The transition had been so abrupt, so seamless, that it took her a moment to process what had just happened. One second, she was steering Jaco's ship, and the next, she was here.

Her arms were still raised, but her fingers were gripping a steering wheel that was no longer attached to anything. She stared at it in stunned silence before things clicked into place. She had been teleported. Mid-flight.

"Oh, well, that's just great," she muttered, tossing the useless wheel aside. She'd have to apologize to Jaco later for breaking his ship.

Bulma quickly scrambled to her feet and scanned the horizon. Above her, the familiar blue sky stretched wide, and the sight of Earth's lush greenery made her heart skip with relief. They were back on Earth! They had actually made it!

But then she looked down and frowned. The detached steering wheel was one thing, but what caught her eye was the sleek, silver device plopped onto the grass beside her. It must have slipped off her lap when she stood.

Jaco's PDA.

Bulma winced. Right. That.

She had—well, let's call it borrowed—the device to browse the latest intergalactic tech for some inspiration. Just a little harmless curiosity! But now, thanks to her sudden relocation, she had, technically, committed full-on theft.

Bending down, she picked up the PDA just as its screen flickered to life. A soft beep sounded, and then: Access Denied.

Of course, without Jaco nearby, the device's security features had kicked in, locking it on the Enter Password screen. A password hint popped up beneath it:

"No peeking, Bulma! I mean it! All Galactic Patrol PDAs are programmed to wipe all data after three failed attempts, so please don't try. I still need it!"

A slow, devious grin began to curl across her lips as she stared at the screen. Had that warning not been there, she might've left the device alone—out of respect for Jaco, if nothing else. He had only let her use it after setting up a temporary guest profile to prevent any confidential information from leaking, after all.

But now? After that indirect challenge?

Yeah, no promises.

Besides, she wasn't going to do anything too invasive—just a little "security upgrade." Who knew what kind of shady characters could get their hands on this thing? In fact, Jaco should be thanking her later.

Sliding the PDA into her pocket, she dusted off her pants and turned her attention to the figures in the distance—Gohan and Piccolo.

With a relieved sigh, she started marching toward them. It was time to figure out what the hell had just happened.

~ Nearby ~

Guru sat at the heart of a vast gathering. Hundreds upon hundreds of Namekians clustered around his massive form with expressions heavy with unspoken fears.

The eldest among them stood closest with concern. At their feet, young Namekian children gazed up in silent reverence, wide-eyed and awestruck in the presence of the Grand Elder. Beside Guru, where Nail once stood, was Escagor, using one hand to gently prop up the ancient elder's immense frame.

At the center of the gathering, Elder Moori lay before Guru in a horrific state. His fingernails had been ripped away by Frieza, and his limbs were twisted into unnatural angles. Jagged bone jutted through his ribcage, stark against his green skin. One of his eyes was gone, and the rest of his body bore wounds too gruesome to describe.

And yet, despite everything, Moori remained conscious. His agony was undeniable, but his breath was steady and his spirit unbroken.

Five Namekian healers surrounded him, their hands glowing with a soft, pulsing light as they worked to undo what they could. The worst of his injuries were already beginning to mend, but the process was slow. Namekian healing was formidable, but even it had its limits when faced with wounds this severe.

Guru regarded Moori with deep solemnity. In his long life, he had witnessed many displays of bravery, but Moori's feat stood among the greatest of the Namekians.

"You have done well," Guru said with gratitude. "Even while suffering in the grasp of that demon, you never wavered."

Moori exhaled weakly. "It wasn't anything worth praising. It was the least I could do."

But his humility did not diminish the impressive nature of his deed.

Nodding at Moori, Guru turned to the gathered crowd.

"Elder Moori has displayed a strength beyond measure," he proclaimed. "From this day forward, he shall be Namek's new Grand Elder."

Beside Guru, Escagor inclined his head in silent approval. The title was more than deserved. Meanwhile, a quiet murmur passed through the crowd—not of shock, but of understanding. There were no objections, only a faint unease at what this declaration meant for Guru himself.

Despite his wounds, Moori accepted his role with a single, resolute nod.

"Dende, Mushin, come here." Guru's deep, resonant voice rolled over the assembly as he gestured for the two young Namekians to step forward. The duo approached with a mix of nervousness and quiet pride.

Guru reached out and rested his massive hands gently atop their heads. A rare, affectionate smile crossed his face.

"Well done," he rumbled. "When Namek needed you most, you stepped forward without hesitation. You've shown courage beyond your years. The future shines bright with young, brave souls like you."

Mushin and Dende bowed their heads respectfully and received the praise with humility. Almost in unison, they said, "Thank you, Grand Elder."

They may be of the same age as the other children gathered nearby, but something about them was different now. A quiet confidence had settled in their posture, and they possessed a presence that set them apart.

It was difficult to pinpoint exactly what had changed. Perhaps it was the subtle air of maturity they now possessed thanks to the responsibilities they shouldered during the crisis. Perhaps it was the way they no longer hesitated.

Escagor noticed the change instantly. His sharp gaze lingered on the two younglings, and he once again nodded his quiet approval.

Moori, now steady on his feet as his wounds continued to mend, took a moment to truly see the two children. He had known them both well before—but standing before him now, they were almost unrecognizable.

Especially Mushin.

A flicker of surprise crossed Moori's face before it settled into something deeper—pride.

Namek had suffered greatly in this crisis. But in its wake, new leaders, new protectors, were already beginning to rise.

Guru's expression softened, but the weight in his voice made it clear that his next words carried great significance.

"My children, my time has come."

A hush fell over the gathering.

"This should not come as a surprise to you," Guru continued. "You have all known this day would come."

Extending his arm with the inherent ability of their kind, he placed his hand atop Moori's head.

"Now, my child, Moori—the future of our people rests with you. From this moment forward, you bear the mantle of Grand Elder… and with it, the fate of the Dragon Balls."

A soft, white glow enveloped Moori, and he seemed unsurprised at this. Then, something else—a pale orb of light—floated from Guru and merged into him. That made him pause. His expression shifted as surprise crept in.

"What… was that, Grand Elder?"

Guru only smiled, his eyes both knowing and unreadable. "In time, you will understand. When the moment comes, it will reveal itself."

Before Moori could raise another question, a sudden outburst shattered the solemnity—King Kai's telepathic voice, ecstatic beyond words. He was so overwhelmed with his emotions that he couldn't even form proper words at first, just a jumble of sounds spilling out in sheer, unrestrained joy.

"Dead! He's dead! Yes! YESSS!! Goku did it! I just confirmed with Yemma! Hah! Hahahaha! HAAA!"

Unseen by those on Earth, King Kai, overcome with excitement, grabbed the nearest person, who happened to be Tien, and spun him into an impromptu dance, oblivious to everything else.

The news spread like wildfire, lifting spirits and flooding the air with relief. Frieza was truly gone. Undeniably, it was the best news they could have hoped for.

Then—BOOM! The earth quaked beneath them. It was a timely reminder that the battle was not yet over, as Ajax and Slug's distant clashes still raged, their fury shaking the land.

Guru turned to his children and offered them one last, tender smile. Tears welled in all the Namekians' eyes as they held onto him, knowing what was inevitable. Guru's towering form allowed his gaze to sweep beyond them, toward the Earthlings and Saiyans, who stood in quiet acknowledgment, watching.

He met their eyes and nodded once in silent farewell. Without waiting for a response, he drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. His body slumped, his breath fading into stillness. And so, Guru welcomed death like an old friend.

His form slowly dissolved into countless motes of light that floated skyward and vanished into the air.

A deep silence blanketed the land as the sounds of battle abruptly ceased in the distance.

But if one listened closely… they might catch the faint echo of a furious, fading scream. Just barely.

Before long, Ajax returned, largely unharmed. As he powered down, his gaze swept over the assembled Namekians. Guru was dead. Slug's death and the sorrowful tears of his people confirmed that.

His eyes shifted to the others, and he subtly assessed their reactions. No one looked at him any differently. No lingering glances. He exhaled quietly. Guru had kept his word. Whatever the Grand Elder knew about his transmigration, he had carried that secret to the grave.

Ajax lowered his head and observed a moment of silence. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the other Z Fighters. Piccolo and Gohan had visibly relaxed at his return, clearly having been waiting for him.

In the distance, unbeknownst to Ajax, Piccolo's voice entered Gohan's mind through telepathy. 'You sacrificed yourself for me… but not again. You shouldn't have to do that for me. I'll make sure you never have to do that again.'

Gohan's response came almost immediately. 'It's alright, Mr. Piccolo. I wanted to, and I'm happy to be of help. After all, you'd do the same for me.'

Piccolo sighed quietly before reaching over to ruffle Gohan's hair.

"You're a good kid, Gohan."

Despite his words to Gohan, Piccolo's inner thoughts were quite different.

'Buckle up,' Piccolo said to Nail internally. 'We're pushing ourselves to the limit so this never happens again.'

'I'm with you, buddy.'

"EEEEE!"

A woman's shriek instantly snapped everyone's attention toward her.

Ajax immediately flashed to Bulma—only to freeze mid-step. His head jerked away, followed by an awkward cough. Piccolo and Gohan both turned, and without hesitation, Piccolo reached over to cover Gohan's eyes with his hand.

It seemed Bulma had just noticed Nappa and Vegeta—and more importantly, realized the Saiyan Prince was completely naked.

Moments earlier, her gaze had automatically dropped downward. She stared for a moment, her brain momentarily processing it clinically. A passing thought flickered—looks healthy—but then the full realization of what she was staring at crashed into her like a freight train. Her face turned red, then even redder. Steam might as well have been pouring from her ears.

'Oh my god,' she thought, and then she shrieked.

"You're an indecent, scandalous man!"

Vegeta scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You're not a child, woman. Don't act like you've never seen a man without clothes before."

"Y-you—!" Bulma spluttered, her embarrassment momentarily replaced by a surge of furious anger.

While the two continued their argument, Gohan finally pried Piccolo's hands away from his face. "Mr. Piccolo, I know what a penis is. I have one, in case you didn't know."

Piccolo shot him a mild glare that practically shouted, Don't sass me, then fired a Clothes Beam at Vegeta.

Vegeta dodged it and fired something relatively weak back.

Ajax let out a long sigh while rubbing his temples as the situation spiraled into utter chaos.

And yet, after a moment, a small smile tugged at his lips. Greater battles still loomed ahead, and there were more enemies to prepare for—but the hardest part of the Masterplan was behind him. Now, he had everything he needed to truly grow.

And best of all, for once… time was on his side.

His smile widened.

For now, he allowed himself to savor the sweet taste of victory.

He ducked under a stray Ki Blast.

…Right after he prevents a second Saiyan invasion from happening.