The Boy from the Future

Trunks's hairs stood on end. Almost instinctively, he leaped backward, his right hand instantly gripping the hilt of the sword on his back as he assumed a drawing stance.

However, the hand resting on his shoulder did not follow up and remained suspended in midair.

"Relax, boy."

An Xiu slowly withdrew his hand, a faint smile on his lips. "If I wanted to attack you, you'd already be dead."

Trunks did not let down his guard, but neither did he rashly make a move.

He studied the unfamiliar man before him—tall and powerfully built, dressed in a black-and-white martial arts uniform, with a furry tail wrapped around his waist.

A Saiyan?!

His heart skipped a beat. There should only have been Uncle Son Goku, his father Vegeta, and the two Saiyans on the battlefield in this timeline... So who was this man?

"Who are you?" Trunks asked in a low voice.

"My name is An Xiu."

An Xiu folded his arms across his chest and spoke unhurriedly. "An enforcer of the time-space dimension. You can think of me as someone who handles certain special incidents."

"A time-space enforcer?"

Trunks frowned.

"That's right. The reason this timeline has developed differently from what you know is precisely because of my intervention."

An Xiu's gaze fell on the distant battlefield. "As for whether I'm friend or foe, you can put your mind at ease..."

"After all, if I were an enemy, do you think you'd still be standing here peacefully watching the battle?"

Those words eased Trunks's wariness somewhat.

It was true. With the strength An Xiu had shown by approaching him without a sound, if the man truly wanted to do something, Trunks would have had no room to resist.

Besides, judging from his ki, there was not a trace of evil within this man.

Trunks slowly released the sword hilt, though he did not completely lower his guard.

"Sorry. I was too tense just now."

His expression remained grave, though he could not hide his confusion.

"It's just that all of this is too unusual for me. In my memories, Uncle Gohan said that when Frieza and his father arrived on Earth, Uncle Goku had only just learned Instant Transmission and returned. He wasn't nearly this strong, let alone my father and those other two Saiyans..."

An Xiu spoke earnestly. "Trunks, I know about your situation. You don't need to explain so much."

Trunks's pupils contracted.

"Don't look at me like that."

An Xiu smiled lightly. "I told you, I'm a time-space enforcer. I know you come from a future destroyed by Android 17 and Android 18, and I know you came back this time to change the past. And I can tell you clearly that the timeline you're seeing now is developing in a better direction than any future you know."

Trunks fell silent.

If what the other man said was true, then it was undoubtedly tremendous news.

Yet he still found it difficult to believe.

"Who do you think will win that battle?"

Trunks looked into the distance, changing the subject.

An Xiu followed his gaze.

Son Goku and King Cold's figures continuously clashed in the sky.

Golden and purple ki flames intertwined like two dragons, and every collision unleashed shockwaves powerful enough to split mountains and shatter the earth.

"For now, Kakarot is still a little short."

An Xiu spoke slowly. "But the real show is only beginning."

The moment his words fell, King Cold suddenly pulled away from Son Goku on the battlefield.

"Not bad, not bad, Son Dogku. Your strength is indeed worthy of my full power in this form."

King Cold floated in the air, looking down at the slightly panting Son Goku below as he grinned.

"However, I forgot to tell you—I still have two more transformations. Next, I'll show you what true power is."

"What?!" Son Goku's expression tightened.

Not just him—everyone present changed expression upon hearing that.

King Cold still had two more transformations?!

"Grah—"

King Cold spread his arms, raised his head, and let out a deep roar.

Violent purple ki erupted from within him, and the surrounding air let out piercing detonations under the pressure of that power.

The ground cracked inch by inch. Rubble was swept into the air by the shockwaves, and in an instant, the rocks and hills within several hundred meters were flattened.

King Cold's body began to shrink.

His originally towering, bloated frame gradually became lean and muscular within the ki flames. His dark purple skin grew even deeper in color, like congealed blood.

The horns atop his head drew inward and merged into his body. A thick tail lashed out from behind him, and the gust it casually produced shattered several mountain peaks.

When the ki flames dispersed, a warrior with a streamlined body, solid muscles, and blue-purple skin all over appeared before everyone.

That face was extremely similar to Frieza's final form.

But his body was larger, and his ki was even more terrifying.

"This... is this?!"

Vegeta, who had been fighting Frieza, abruptly stopped and stared wide-eyed at King Cold.

The oppressive force rushing toward him made every hair on his body stand on end.

"Heh heh heh..."

Frieza hovered in the air with his hands behind his back, his tone full of smugness.

"Frightened, Vegeta?"

"That is my father's second form. Though it resembles my final form in appearance, its power is on an entirely different level."

"This... How is this possible..."

Vegeta's face turned livid.

He said nothing, because King Cold's terrifying ki truly weighed down on him so heavily that he could barely breathe.

He had thought that reaching full power as a Super Saiyan had made him strong enough. He never expected Frieza's father to be this powerful!

Frieza continued.

"My father is the greatest genius in the history of the Frost Demon race. Even I am like a child before him. You Saiyan monkeys are finished. Today, you are destined to be buried here!"

"Bastard, stop spouting bullshit!"

Vegeta roared, his golden ki flaring violently as he charged at Frieza once more.

The two immediately resumed their battle.

Meanwhile, on this side of the battlefield.

Feeling the terrifying energy hidden within King Cold, Son Goku was the first to react.

"Damn it!"

He vanished from where he stood and appeared before King Cold in the next instant, his right fist wrapped in golden light as it smashed fiercely toward King Cold's face.

King Cold neither dodged nor evaded. He raised a hand and caught Son Goku's fist.

Bang!

A shockwave exploded.

Son Goku's expression changed.

He could feel that the power of his punch had been completely stopped by the other man.

"Too weak."

As King Cold spoke, his knee slammed viciously into Son Goku's abdomen.

Son Goku's eyes rolled back as he was sent flying, crashing into a mountain several kilometers away and kicking up clouds of dust.

"Dad!" Son Gohan cried out.

"Don't just stand there. Attack together!"

Piccolo gave a low roar and charged out first.

He raised his ki to the limit, and with a lift of his hand, the long-charged Special Beam Cannon shot forth.

King Cold raised a hand to block it.

The energy cannon struck the ki shield in his palm, erupting in a blinding flash.

Taking that opportunity, the three Super Saiyans—Son Gohan, Raditz, and Nappa—attacked simultaneously from three different directions.

Just as their fists were about to land.

King Cold swept his tail, sending Nappa flying. Then, with his left hand, he swiftly seized Raditz's wrist while his right elbow smashed hard into Son Gohan's face.

In a single exchange, all three were forced back.

"Is that all you can do?"

King Cold shook his head. "With that Saiyan called An Xiu absent, none of you are even qualified to make me get serious."

Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien Shinhan, watching from below, broke out in cold sweat at the sight.

Piccolo gritted his teeth.

He had originally intended to charge in directly.

But after glancing at Son Goku, who had just climbed out of the rubble, and Son Gohan and the others lying on the ground, he changed his mind.

Piccolo took a deep breath.

"Looks like... I can only use my full strength right away."

He closed his eyes.

The next second, violent red ki burst from his body, engulfing him completely.

Kaio-ken—tenfold!

His ki surged more than tenfold in an instant.

The ground beneath his feet collapsed with a deafening boom under the impact of that power.

Golden arcs of electricity danced around him as the blood of the demon race boiled and roared under the stimulation of that power.

Piccolo opened his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

He moved.

No one could see his movement clearly.

They only saw an afterimage streak through the air. Then Piccolo's fist had already smashed brutally into King Cold's face.

Bang!

That punch landed squarely.

King Cold's head was knocked to one side, and his entire body took half a step back.

He slowly turned his head back, wiped the purple blood seeping from the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and curled his lips into a savage grin.

"Interesting. Now that's more like it."