"Woohoo! We're finally back!"
As soon as he stepped out of the time tunnel, Gogito tossed the egg onto the ground, stretched, and let out a howl. A fist immediately came down on his head. Tights planted her hands on her hips.
"Don't howl like that! You scared me."
"Sumimasen."
Gogito clutched his head and crouched down, apologizing at lightning speed.
"All right, all right. Let's hurry back."
Tights patted Gogito on the head.
Gogito stopped fooling around and used Instant Transmission to take everyone back to West City.
"Dad, Mom, we're back!"
"Uncle, Auntie!"
Tights and Bulma happily led Mrs. Brief inside, chatting with her about everything that had happened.
Gogito introduced the egg sealing Majin Buu to Dr. Brief.
"Dr. Brief, I'd like to ask you to study this egg. It contains an evil creature, supposedly created by an evil wizard in the universe. Its body is unusual: even if it's beaten to a pulp, it can regenerate."
Gogito gave Dr. Brief a general account of Majin Buu's abilities.
"Oh ho ho!"
"How fascinating!"
Dr. Brief was immediately intrigued. After greeting Chi-Chi and Gohan, he took the egg into his lab.
At the dinner table, Gogito and Gohan were still wolfing down their food. Chi-Chi sat beside them, looking troubled. At last, she spoke.
"I agree to let Gohan train in martial arts."
She didn't want the story of the future world to be repeated here. Seeing Gohan's severed arm and the scars on his face had pained her deeply.
"Don't be so sad. Gohan's potential is unparalleled. As long as he doesn't neglect martial arts, no one in this world will be able to defeat him."
Of course, that doesn't include me, Gogito silently added.
"And who says he can't become a scholar if he trains in martial arts? Why not have both?"
Gogito's words made Chi-Chi's eyes light up. She had only stopped Gohan from training because she was afraid he'd become a battle maniac like Goku, so she'd focused on his studies instead. She believed education could make a person wise.
"Are you full, Gohan?"
"I'm full."
Gohan leaned back in his chair and happily patted his belly.
"Good. Let's go to Mount Paozu now and pack your things. I'll find you a good teacher."
"Huh? Aren't you going to teach me, Uncle Gogito?"
Kid Gohan asked in confusion.
"You're still young. You need to build a solid foundation, so an adult's training methods aren't right for you yet."
"Let's go."
Gohan held Chi-Chi as he returned to Mount Paozu with Gogito.
Chi-Chi quickly packed their things. Once they were ready, Gogito used Instant Transmission to take them to Master Roshi's place.
"Haha!"
"Chi-Chi and Gohan!"
Master Roshi was sunbathing on the beach. When he saw Chi-Chi and Gohan, he greeted them happily.
"And who's this?"
Master Roshi looked at Gogito and asked Chi-Chi.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Gogito. Like Goku, I'm a Saiyan. I came to ask you to train Gohan."
"I see!"
Master Roshi sighed.
"Little Gohan is already stronger than me. I have nothing left to teach him."
As expected, Master Roshi refused. Ever since he'd finished teaching Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and the others, he hadn't taken on any more students.
"Gohan's a good kid in every way. He's just too kind. That wouldn't be a problem if he were an ordinary child, but he's Son Goku's son. And Gohan doesn't believe enough in his own strength, which is a real problem. Please teach him the true spirit of martial arts."
After hearing Gogito out, Master Roshi agreed to take Gohan on as a student.
Why had Gogito chosen to entrust Gohan to Master Roshi? The reason was simple: Master Roshi was a truly wise and virtuous man. He could raise Gohan to become an even greater martial artist than Goku.
You're probably wondering what that lecherous old man Master Roshi could possibly teach.
Master Roshi had studied under Mutaito and created the Turtle School. He'd trained Goku, the strongest fighter in the universe, and Krillin, the strongest human on Earth. How had Krillin managed to marry Android 18? Because he'd saved her life? That's far too simplistic. Was Android 18 the kind of woman who'd marry someone just because he rescued her? Of course not. It was the good character and upright attitude Master Roshi had instilled in Krillin that won Android 18 over and made her marry him. In short, Krillin was an outstanding man.
Master Roshi had also guided his archenemy Master Shen's students, Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu, onto the right path. When King Piccolo wreaked havoc on the world, Master Roshi faced him alone, confronting his own fear. That took tremendous courage.
If Master Roshi weren't a lecher, he wouldn't be Master Roshi. He'd have attained immortality and become an immortal hermit instead.
All right, now that Master Roshi had taken Gohan on as a student, Gogito's mission was as good as complete.
"Then I'll be going. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Uncle Gogito!"
Kid Gohan waved to Gogito.
"Whoosh!"
Gogito used Instant Transmission to leave.
"Ding!"
"Mission triggered: Save the Despairing Timeline"
"Mission details: After Cell kills Trunks, Trunks travels back to the past in the Time Machine, and Earth returns to peaceful days. But Babidi's arrival plunges Earth into crisis once more. This time, no one can save the planet!!"
"Mission reward: God Ki"
The system, which had been quiet for a long time, came online again today. Gogito had thought he'd completed Gohan's mission.
This mission... How to put it? A world of despair, huh? Not a single person left who could fight. That was bleak enough! Bulma was all alone, with not a shred of hope in sight. Maybe she'd already lost the will to live when Trunks died. That was heartbreaking!
Gogito returned to West City and asked Tights if she wanted to come along, but she declined. She hadn't finished writing her novel, so she wouldn't be traveling around with Gogito. With no other choice, Gogito went alone.
On Earth in a certain timeline
"Help!!!"
"Can anyone save me?!"
"I don't want to die!!!"
In this timeline, Trunks had never existed, so Babidi had successfully released Majin Buu. Supreme Kai and Kibito had also died, and the God of Destruction had died with them. The angel Whis had entered standby mode.
A time-space door appeared somewhere, and Gogito stepped out.
"Earth's been through so much. Are there any Earthlings left?"
"Let me see how many people are still alive."
Gogito searched carefully and discovered that almost everyone on Earth had been killed. Babidi and Majin Buu were rampaging through a large city.
"Hey, there she is."
The Bulma in this world was still alive, but she'd already given up on living.
Bulma was still in that basement. Only this time, she wasn't doing anything. She lay on the bed, quietly waiting for death.
There was nothing left in this world for Bulma to hold on to. Everything she knew had been destroyed. She didn't want to save this despairing world—and she had no way to.
Before you continue