DB-VFRBIV Chapter 8 Fading Ki, Flicker of Hope

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West City.

Capsule Corporation.

Due to the Androids' ruthless slaughter across the land, the world now teeters on the edge of destruction, a crisis unlike anything humanity has ever faced.

Bulma and her family have already taken shelter deep within the reinforced underground chambers of the Capsule Corporation.

Above, the emergency broadcast continues relentlessly, reporting one horrific event after another, the Androids' rampage, the rising death toll, and the increasing despair of the people.

Cradling baby Trunks in her arms, Bulma paces anxiously, her footsteps quick and erratic. What weighs heavily on her heart is the fact that Vegeta has been gone for far too long… and outside, the slaughter hasn't stopped.

Suddenly, Bulma stops mid-step and lowers her head to look at Trunks.

"Trunks… do you think your father is still okay?"

A flicker of worry flashes across Trunks' young face, and though he's just a baby, his eyes redden as tears threaten to fall.

(Right now… Dad might have already fallen to the Androids.)

(Damn it! If only Mom had stopped him back then…)

But what's done is done. Now, all Trunks can do is place his hopes on himself. If Vegeta has truly been defeated, the nightmare future from his past memories is bound to play out once again.

Yet now, he is just a helpless infant, utterly powerless before the might of the Androids.

If he's going to make a difference, he must wait until he grows strong enough. But until then, the path ahead will be steeped in pain and hardship.

He won't have the life of the Capsule Corporation heir, the ease, the luxury, the peace.

But if he wants to end this world's apocalypse sooner, if he truly desires to change the fate of this Earth, then a path still exists.

His gaze shifts subtly toward Son Gohan, who stands silently nearby. Though Trunks is a soul reborn from a shattered future, even as a transmigrator, he has fully embraced this world as his own.

Son Gohan carries incredible latent power.

In the timeline Trunks remembers, with both Goku and Piccolo dead, Gohan had no masters left to guide him. He trained alone, fumbling in the dark; ultimately, he could not defeat the Androids.

But here and now, Trunks silently hatches a plan in his heart.

The moment he can form words, he'll tell Gohan to seek out Mr. Popo and train inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Mr. Popo may not be a warrior, but his knowledge of spiritual training is vast; after all, he once guided Goku's path. With his help, Gohan can tap into his true potential.

Suddenly, Trunks feels something warm drop onto his cheek.

His train of thought breaks. Looking up, he sees Bulma's tear-streaked face.

"Trunks… do you think… your father's already been killed by the Androids…"

Trunks lowers his head, silent. He wants to believe Vegeta is still alive, but having knowledge of the future timeline, he knows that hope is slim. Seeing Bulma cry like that, her parents, the Briefs couple, hurry over to comfort her with quiet urgency.

Then, without warning, Son Gohan rises to his feet. His fists are clenched tightly, his young eyes burning with frustration and fury.

"Bulma Obasan… I think I have to do something," He says in a low, steady voice.

Without waiting for a reply, Gohan turns and strides toward the basement exit, intent on facing the Androids head-on.

The moment leaves Trunks stunned.

With Gohan's current strength, it would be a suicide mission! Even though Bulma is distraught, her mind remains sharp. If Vegeta, the mighty Saiyan Prince, couldn't stop the Androids, then Gohan heading out would only lead to more death.

"Gohan! Stop! If you get killed too… there'll be no one left who can stop them! Think about your mother! You promised to protect her after Goku passed away!"

Son Gohan freezes, his body stiff.

After a long moment, his tightly clenched fists began to loosen.

And then, unable to contain the anguish swelling inside him, Gohan breaks down, tears of helpless rage spilling down his cheeks.

"But… Vegeta Ojisan's Ki vanished just now too."

The moment those words left Gohan's mouth, Bulma's eyes went blank. Images of Vegeta before he left, brimming with confidence, full of pride, flashed through her mind in quick succession.

She had been the one who encouraged him to go fight the Androids… and now, the sting of regret pierced her heart. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

Something about seeing her mother cry made baby Trunks' eyes redden as well.

In this short time, he had grown attached, truly, completely, to this family.

And in that moment, he made a solemn vow: 'Once I destroy the Androids… I'll bring my father back to life!'

Several resurrection methods flashed through Trunks' mind like stars across the night sky.

First, the Dragon Balls on Namek. If those couldn't be found, then perhaps the wish-granting two-star Dragon Ball in this timeline. And if even that failed… then the Super Dragon Balls scattered across the universe!

"Wait, no! Hold on!" Gohan's voice suddenly rang out, slicing through the thick tension like a beam of light.

Everyone turned toward him at once, hearts pounding, clinging to the sudden spark of hope.

Son Gohan's eyes widened with surprise as he continued:

"I, I clearly felt Vegeta Ojisan's Ki vanish… completely vanish… But just now, just now, I sensed it again! It's faint, but… It's definitely Vegeta!"

Gohan's words were like spring water pouring into a dry, cracked wasteland, soothing everyone's parched hope.

Bulma immediately rushed over to him, gripping Gohan's shoulders, shaking him.

"Gohan! Are you serious?! Vegeta's alive?!"

Gohan nodded hard, the urgency clear in his expression.

"Yes! I think Vegeta Ojisan must've managed to escape the Androids somehow! His Ki is really weak… but it's heading this way! I'm going to go get him, right now!"

With that, Gohan launched into the air without hesitation, following the faint trail of Vegeta's Ki.

The city above was now a ruin, a battlefield left in ashes and rubble.

Once Gohan was sure there were no Androids lurking nearby, he began to hone in on Vegeta's energy signature.

And then, finally, he spotted him.

In front of a collapsed building, Vegeta lay sprawled out, covered in blood. His right arm was badly mangled, but still moved, clawing at the broken ground, dragging his body inch by inch toward West City.

He muttered to himself, voice barely above a whisper, "No… I can't die… not yet…"

Tap!

The sound of light footsteps echoed near him.

Vegeta strained to raise his head.

"Kakarrot's… boy?"

Gohan said nothing. Without a word, he swept down, lifted Vegeta gently but firmly, and took off toward the hidden basement.

A few minutes later, the heavy door to the shelter burst open with a loud crash.

Everyone looked toward the entrance, only to see Gohan step in, carrying a blood-soaked, unconscious Vegeta.

Bulma's heart clenched the moment she saw him. Her knees nearly buckled under the weight of emotion.

"Vegeta!!" She rushed forward, quickly moving to support him along with Gohan.

The Briefs couple, always prepared, had already begun activating the capsule-based healing equipment.

Vegeta, now finally safe within the shelter, allowed the smallest smile to curl at the corner of his lips.

His eyes turned toward Bulma and Trunks.

There, in that fleeting glance, was a deeper meaning, an unspoken promise.

Trunks stared at him, stunned beyond words.

(He's alive… Dad's still alive… has the future… already begun to change?)

That thought, like a whisper from another world, echoed in Vegeta's mind.

And with that final note of peace, Vegeta allowed the darkness to take him and fainted.

(End Of This Chapter)

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