God of Spacetime Destruction

Trunks was left a little dazed by the conditions Popo had laid out.

"God of Spacetime Destruction?" Trunks swallowed and turned to Son Gohan beside him.

This was far beyond anything he could comprehend. At first, he'd only wanted to borrow the Dragon Balls to make a wish. Now, it involved the laws of the universe, Dragon God Zalama, and even crossing between different timelines to eliminate some so-called "source of chaos."

Trunks couldn't make up his mind. Out of habit, he left the decision to the reliable man standing before him.

Son Gohan didn't answer right away.

He quickly weighed the situation. There was too much information in what Popo had said, and it was impossible to tell what was true. But he couldn't afford to refuse. For one thing, this was one of only two known ways to save the Future Timeline. For another, flat-out refusing someone who seemed to be an Angel, and might even be older than one, would surely end badly.

But he needed to clear one thing up.

"Why choose us?" Son Gohan looked straight into Popo's utterly impassive eyes. "There are plenty of powerful warriors on Earth. My father, Son Goku, and Vegeta—not to mention me when I was a kid. If you just need fighters to clean up those distorted timelines, couldn't they do it?"

Popo stood silently where he was.

"Because they can't." Popo's voice was hollow and entirely devoid of inflection. "Miracle Power has distorted the cause and effect of spacetime. Only those who have completely broken free of their original destinies can avoid being rejected and assimilated by those timelines."

Trunks was taken aback. What Popo said seemed to make sense. After all, they had accidentally returned to the past from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, which did count as breaking free of their original destinies.

But Son Gohan's muscles suddenly tensed.

People who had broken free of their original destinies.

There was nothing wrong with what Popo had said, but it seemed to carry an ulterior meaning—as if he were hinting at something about Gohan himself!

He wasn't the real Son Gohan. He was a soul from another world, inhabiting this body. From the moment he arrived, the established fate of this timeline's Son Gohan had been shattered.

Popo!

This chubby black guy who spent all his time sweeping and tending flowers at Kami's Palace was unfathomable!

Son Gohan felt a chill run down his back. But he quickly suppressed his sense of danger. What if he was just reading too much into it?

More importantly, Popo had mentioned a "God of Spacetime Destruction."

If he agreed, he'd have a legitimate reason to learn that Divine Technique—the Hakai Energy that surpassed the aura of mortals.

With the strength of a Super Saiyan 4 body and Destruction Energy capable of erasing anything, he'd have the means to stand against a true God of Destruction. Even if the mission failed, he could still return to his original timeline and ask Beerus and Champa to lend him the Super Dragon Balls.

No matter how he looked at it, it was a good deal.

"I understand." Son Gohan nodded. "I accept."

Popo turned his gaze to Trunks.

"Me too!" Trunks clenched both fists, his eyes full of resolve. "I'll restore the world to the way it was. I'll bring Mom and everyone back to life!"

Popo gave a slight nod.

He raised his dark hands, palms facing upward.

Humm.

Two golden lights gathered in Popo's palms, then took the shape of a pair of strange golden bracers. They were made of something that was neither metal nor wood, and their surfaces were covered in intricate, ancient patterns. They radiated an aura of solemnity and holiness.

Son Gohan recognized them at a glance.

They looked exactly like the things God of Destruction Beerus of Universe 7 wore on his wrists.

"Put them on." Popo handed one bracer to each of them. "These are your tokens as Gods of Spacetime Destruction. Through them, you can contact me in any timeline. They are also vessels for your power."

Son Gohan slipped the golden bracer over the wrist of his only right hand. It fit perfectly, as if it had been made just for him.

The instant it clicked into place—

"Now, close your eyes." Popo's voice sounded in their ears. "I will grant you the seeds of Hakai Energy."

Son Gohan and Trunks obediently closed their eyes.

Popo extended two fingers and touched each of their foreheads.

Boom!

Son Gohan felt a wildly violent mass of purple energy erupt inside his mind. It was completely different from the familiar ki in his body. It didn't flow, and it didn't replenish itself endlessly. Its sole purpose was destruction.

Pure erasure, in its most absolute form.

The purple energy surged down from his forehead and forced its way through his limbs. The Super Saiyan energy within him sensed the threat and instinctively tried to resist. Golden and green auras flickered uncontrollably around his body.

"Don't resist it." Popo's voice pierced through the roar of energy. "Guide it with your minds, and let it settle inside the bracers."

Son Gohan focused and guided the unruly purplish-red energy through his body, gathering it into the golden bracer on his right wrist.

The ancient patterns on the bracer lit up with a blinding purple glow, then gradually faded.

Trunks finished guiding his energy as well. He opened his eyes, drenched in sweat, and stared at his left wrist, stunned. He could clearly feel that the tiny bracer held enough terrifying power to erase his body with ease.

"These are only the seeds of Hakai Energy." Popo withdrew his hand. "How far you develop this power and how well you make it your own will depend on your aptitude."

Popo paused, then continued.

"I have also imprinted the training methods in your minds. Next, I will send you to your first target timeline. The timeline has changed drastically under the influence of the Original Dragon Balls."

"Wait." Son Gohan suddenly interrupted him.

Popo looked at him.

"Before we leave, we need to make some preparations." Son Gohan pointed to his empty belt. "We used up every Senzu Bean we had fighting Cell. The unknown timeline is bound to be dangerous, so I need to stop by Korin Tower and get some Senzu Beans from Korin."

Trunks nodded repeatedly. They couldn't do without Senzu Beans when venturing into unknown dangers.

Popo looked at Son Gohan and shook his head.

"No need to go to all that trouble."

Popo casually reached out and grabbed at the empty air before him.

A heavy sack made of coarse cloth appeared in his hand. Popo casually tossed it to Son Gohan.

Son Gohan caught it on instinct. The sack was heavy, and he could feel its contents rubbing together.

He loosened the drawstring and peeked inside.

After just one look, Son Gohan's expression froze.

Green. All green.

The sack was full of plump, round Senzu Beans!

"There are a thousand in there." Popo's tone was as casual as if he were handing over ordinary peas. "That should be enough to get you through any trouble."

Trunks leaned over for a look, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

A thousand Senzu Beans!

Back in their original timeline, he and Gohan had practically been ready to split a single bean in half.

And then Popo just casually conjured up a thousand!

Son Gohan clutched the sack tightly, just as stunned as Trunks. This wasn't some kind of trick. The vibrant, life-filled aura coming from the sack proved the beans were genuine.

Creating something from nothing!

And in bulk, too—magical items that could defy the laws of biology and instantly heal mortal wounds.

Just how many tricks was Popo hiding?

"Keep them safe." Popo paid no attention to their shock. "There's not much time. That altered timeline is expanding rapidly. If it comes into contact with the main timeline, we'll have a serious problem."

Son Gohan quickly recovered and tied the sack securely around his waist. Whatever Popo's true identity, he was certainly providing top-notch supplies.

"We're ready." Son Gohan looked at Trunks, who nodded gravely.

Popo turned to face the endless white void.

He raised both hands and casually pulled them apart in the air.

Rip.

There was no surge of energy, no dazzling light show. The empty space before them tore open beneath Popo's hands like a piece of cloth, forming a pitch-black rift.

Within it, countless bizarre images flickered wildly like scenes from a lantern show. They were temporal currents formed from countless parallel timelines intertwined.

"Go." Popo pointed to the rift. "The bracers will guide you to the timeline where the Original Dragon Balls are. Cut off the source, then correct or destroy that timeline."

Son Gohan and Trunks exchanged a glance.

The next moment—

Both of them erupted in white auras, their bodies becoming two streaks of light as they charged without hesitation into the pitch-black spacetime rift.

Once they had vanished completely, the rift began to close rapidly.

A few seconds later, the white void was silent once more, as if nothing had happened.

Popo stood quietly where he was, watching the place where the rift had disappeared.

The corners of his mouth curled slightly, forming a mysterious smile.