DB-VFRBIV Chapter 9 The Saiyan Awakens – A Glimmer of Hope

Basement.

Inside a medicine chamber, the soft bubbling of healing fluid echoed through the dim, silent room.

When Frieza had come to Earth and was ultimately defeated by Son Goku, Bulma salvaged a recovery pod from the wreckage of his ship to study its workings. Fascinated by ancient alien technology and Ki-based science, she took the chamber back with her, never expecting it would someday serve a vital purpose.

Now, staring at the unconscious Vegeta, Trunks still found it hard to believe what he was seeing.

His understanding of the situation was once again overturned. Vegeta had actually survived a direct encounter with the Androids.

For someone so young, his thoughts raced with intense questions.

(Dad actually lived through that?!)

Just then, a faint energy pulse stirred within the pod as Vegeta's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Seeing him awake, Bulma rushed forward toward the chamber.

"You're awake! Vegeta!"

Right then, Trunks' voice once again echoed inside Vegeta's mind.

(It's definitely a good thing Dad made it. That brush with death must have pushed his strength even higher.)

(But even with this new power, he still doesn't stand a chance against the Androids.)

As Vegeta listened to Trunks' inner voice, the defiance in his heart began to fade. He had felt their overwhelming strength firsthand, he knew deep down that he couldn't win as he was now.

And so, in that very moment, he resolved to push himself even harder in training.

But the pressing question remained: How long would it take to grow strong enough to defeat the Androids?

And more importantly, would those two merciless devils even give him the chance? He was alive now, but Android 18 alone had humiliated him without even trying.

And there was still Android 17, whose full power remained a mystery.

[Damn it.] Vegeta gritted his teeth, his pride wounded; this situation was dire. But then, as if guided by fate, Trunks' voice echoed again in his thoughts.

(Now that Dad survived, there's a new path we can take. Neither Gohan nor Dad knows about the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.)

(Once I can talk, I'll tell them about it.)

(We'll have Mr. Popo guide them in mastering their Ki. If they train hard enough, both Dad and Gohan can break through the limits of Super Saiyan, then they'll have a real shot at ending this nightmare.)

This stream of insights, defying all Vegeta once knew, surged through his mind like a rush of energy.

His heart pounded.

[Hyperbolic Time Chamber? What in the universe is that?]

[And who in the world is Mr. Popo?]

He searched his memory but came up blank. It was clear this Mr. Popo was someone from Earth, but he had never encountered him.

[Surpassing Super Saiyan?!]

These unfamiliar concepts battered Vegeta's mind, thought after thought. His newly opened eyes stared blankly at Bulma, who stood just beyond the chamber, visibly anxious.

"Vegeta! What's going on? Don't scare me like that!"

His strange silence had also drawn Son Gohan closer, eyes filled with concern. Noticing their growing unease, Vegeta slowly removed the breathing mask.

Taking in a deep breath, he muttered, "I'm fine. Stand back. I'll be out in a moment."

Bulma and Gohan exchanged a look, then stepped back several meters.

Bang!

With one swift punch, Vegeta shattered the chamber's shell.

"Hey! Vegeta! Was that really necessary?" Bulma scolded, though her voice lacked any real anger. After all, the machine could be rebuilt, but if she had lost him, that would have been irreplaceable.

Without hesitation, Bulma stepped into his arms.

Vegeta blinked in surprise as she wrapped herself around him, holding tightly. Her tears spilled silently onto his shoulder, warm against his skin.

In that moment, the proud Saiyan warrior softened. He had brushed past death itself, and what he saw there, the Androids' brutality, was something no one should ever witness.

In just a few short hours, those monsters had thrown Earth into chaos.

The horrifying visions Trunks had described of the future flashed vividly in his mind.

He gently placed a hand on Bulma's back.

[Everything's still salvageable, Bulma. I'm still alive.]

[And that's all thanks to our son.]

Once he saw Bulma had calmed down, he gently moved her out of his arms. He knew there wasn't time for sentiment now. Because at any moment, those killing machines could strike again.

There was no time to waste. They had to act now.

And how would they do it? The answer was already there, Trunks had shown him the path.

After the events of the past days, Vegeta fully understood: as long as he followed the instincts and insights of his future son, everything might just fall into place.

Turning to Bulma, he asked:

"Bulma… do you know someone?"

Bulma raised a brow, puzzled by the question. "Someone? What kind of someone?"

Vegeta answered calmly: "Someone from Earth… a master of aura. A man who's perfected control over his life energy."

The moment he said this, Trunks couldn't help but shiver.

(???)

(What's going on with Dad? Did I hear that right? Did he really just ask something like that?)

At that moment, Trunks could only link Vegeta's strange behavior to the kind of stories he'd read in old martial scrolls and legends from his past life, tales of warriors whose spirits traveled across time or were reborn into new timelines.

Of course, this was only a suspicion; whether it was true or not remained uncertain.

Upon hearing Trunks' inner voice, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of Vegeta's mouth.

[Just as I thought.]

[Trunks has no idea I can hear what's going on in his head.]

Right then, Vegeta made up his mind, he would keep this ability to hear Trunks' thoughts a secret.

After all, this was a unique power, a gift that belonged solely to him, one that could give him an edge in this brutal world.

Bulma rubbed her temples, trying to recall details from long ago.

"Mr. Popo was the one who helped me find Kami's ancient spaceship when it appeared on Earth. He lives up at the Lookout. Why are you asking about him?"

Vegeta: "Where exactly is this Lookout?"

"It's the highest place on the planet. Just fly straight up, it's above the clouds," Bulma explained.

With that, Vegeta acted without hesitation, throwing open the heavy basement door.

Before taking off, he turned slightly and gave a nod toward Son Gohan.

"Gohan… I want you to come with me."

And with those words, he soared into the sky, heading straight for the Lookout without looking back.

Son Gohan stood frozen, stunned by what he'd just heard.

[Gohan…? This is the first time Vegeta Ojisan's ever called me by my name. Not 'Kakarot's brat' or anything like that.]

Something about him felt… different now. To Gohan, Vegeta no longer felt quite the same.

Meanwhile, Trunks' heart pounded like a roaring storm.

(What is going on with Dad?!)

His thoughts swirled into chaos until a wild theory sparked inside his mind.

(Could it be… the real Dad died at the hands of the Androids?)

(And the one now standing here, is he also someone who's traveled here from another world, like me?!)

Trunks could only attribute Vegeta's increasingly bizarre behavior to this possibility, since in his previous life, he had often read stories of lost warriors and soul wanderers appearing in unfamiliar timelines.

Of course, it was still only his suspicion. Whether or not it was true, only time would tell.

(End Of This Chapter)

You can read ahead up to 60 chapters on my Patreon, and I've also activated a (date-to-date) subscription model on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395

PS-"For every 200 power stones, I'll release one bonus chapter (Current-10)!"