The Last Dragon Ball

Chen Mo's mind raced.

Shigula.

A character from the original movie.

A Super Namekian.

The same kind as King Piccolo on Earth—a mutant born on Namek.

Long, long ago, Namek had suffered an abnormal climate catastrophe.

During that disaster, most Namekians had nearly gone extinct.

Among the survivors, a very small number of mutated individuals with extraordinary talents emerged.

These individuals were known as "Super Namekians."

King Piccolo on Earth was one of them. Kami was another.

Their original self, the Namekian Katatz, had expelled the evil within his heart in order to become Earth's Kami.

His evil side became King Piccolo. His kind side became Kami.

But Katatz was not the only Super Namekian.

Shigula was one as well.

In the original setting, Shigula was an evil Super Namekian exiled from Namek in ancient times.

After his people discovered that he possessed an extremely dangerous power and temperament, he was cast into the depths of space while still an infant.

He wandered the universe for centuries, amassing terrifying strength before eventually leading an army to invade Earth.

That was the movie's story. A fragment from a parallel universe.

Just like Broly.

Movie characters were being absorbed into this timeline.

Chen Mo clenched his back teeth.

"Shigula... has returned?"

Moori glanced at Chen Mo, surprise flickering in his eyes.

"You know him."

"I know he was a Super Namekian exiled from Namek. Long ago, he was sent away from this planet after being judged to possess an evil nature."

Moori slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

"Not entirely," he said. "Shigula was still an infant when the elders exiled him three hundred years ago. He survived alone in the universe, growing through the constitution of a Super Namekian and by plundering resources from other planets. Two years ago... he came back."

"Two years ago."

"He said he wanted to come home." Moori's voice was bitter. "He stood in the sky, looking at our villages. Looking at our children. He said, 'I've come back to take what belongs to me.'"

Trunks clenched his fists.

"His battle power?" Chen Mo asked.

Moori gave a number.

"Sixty million."

The hall fell silent for two seconds.

"He took six Dragon Balls," Moori said. "He seized every one from an elder. He didn't kill anyone."

"He didn't kill?"

"He didn't need to." Moori's voice sank. "He merely stood there and released his ki. Our warriors couldn't even stand up. The elders handed over the Dragon Balls, because if they refused, their entire villages would be wiped out."

Chen Mo fell silent.

"The last one is with you."

"It's with me." Moori nodded. "He didn't come to take it."

"Why?"

Moori raised his hand, and a layer of pale green light rose from his palm.

That was not ordinary ki.

It was magic power.

The dragon clan magic of the Namekians.

The power used to create Dragon Balls and summon Shenron.

"I am the creator of the Dragon Balls," Moori said. "The Dragon Balls are linked to my life. If I die, they will turn to stone."

"If he wants usable Dragon Balls, he cannot harm me. But he also knows that if he approaches by force, I will use my last magic power to teleport the Dragon Ball to some corner of the universe. He can't afford to gamble on that."

"So the standoff has lasted two years."

"Two years." Moori's eyes were exhausted to the extreme. "He built a nest at this planet's North Pole. The six Dragon Balls are there. Every so often, he comes once. He stands outside the hall. He says nothing. He just watches. Then he leaves."

Chen Mo took a deep breath.

"Where are the young people?" he asked. "Where are your warriors and children?"

Moori was silent for a long time.

"They were sent away."

"Sent away?"

"All of them were sent away," Moori said. "In the first year Shigula came, I used the Dragon Balls to make a wish. I had all the young Namekians and children teleported to safe planets across the universe. Scattered apart. No two young ones were allowed to stay on the same planet."

Trunks opened his mouth.

"Why scatter them?"

"Because if they were kept together," Moori said evenly, "Shigula would wipe them all out the moment he found one planet. If they were scattered, then even if he found some of them, the rest could still survive. The flame would not die out."

Chen Mo stared at Moori.

This old man had used the last wish of the Dragon Balls to scatter his race's future across the universe. He and a group of elderly Namekians had remained behind to guard the final Dragon Ball.

Waiting to die.

"So only old people are left on this planet now."

"We old people have lived long enough," Moori said. "It does not matter if we die. The young people and children must live."

Android 18 had been leaning against a pillar in the hall the entire time, her arms crossed. She had not said a word from beginning to end.

Now, she spoke.

"Sixty million," she said.

Everyone looked at her.

Android 18's expression did not change.

"You said that Shigula guy has a battle power of sixty million?"

Moori nodded. "That's right."

Android 18 fell silent for a second.

Then she smiled.

"That's it?"

Moori's eyes widened.

"You?"

"The six Dragon Balls are at the North Pole, right?" Android 18 straightened from the pillar and smoothed her hair. "I'll go get them back."

"Android 18." Chen Mo called after her.

"What?"

"Don't be reckless."

"Who's being reckless?"

Android 18 had already reached the entrance of the hall.

"Wait." Chen Mo hurried after her. "Going alone..."

Android 18 stopped and turned around.

Her blue eyes looked at him.

"What if?"

"What if Shigula has abilities you don't know about? Super Namekians can assimilate other Namekians to strengthen themselves."

Chen Mo suddenly fell silent.

He had said too much.

Android 18 stared at him for three seconds.

"There you go again," she said. "Just how much stuff is in that head of yours?"

"A lot. So you need to listen to me finish before you act."

Android 18 leaned against the doorframe.

"Talk. Hurry up."

Chen Mo walked over to Moori.

"Grand Elder, has Shigula absorbed any other Namekians in the past two years?"

Moori's body trembled.

"How did you know Namekians could—"

"Please answer my question."

Moori's hand tightened around the armrest of his chair.

"...Yes," he said. "In the first year, he captured three warriors who hadn't managed to evacuate in time. Then... he devoured them."

"Did his battle power change after devouring them?"

"He grew stronger," Moori said. "Significantly stronger."

Chen Mo turned to look at Android 18.

"Did you hear that?"

Android 18's smile faded slightly.

"He may be stronger than sixty million now," Chen Mo said. "He was at sixty million two years ago. After absorbing three Namekian warriors, his number definitely rose. And Super Namekians are capable of training themselves. Two years was enough time for him to grow."

Android 18 fell silent for five seconds.

"That doesn't matter."

"Android 18—"

"I said it doesn't matter." Android 18's tone turned cold. "I flew you to this godforsaken place for thirty-three days. You said we were looking for the Dragon Balls. Six of them were taken by some ugly green bastard. What are you saying? That I should wait? That I should just watch?"

She walked up to Chen Mo, stopping very close to him.

"Those two wishes are mine," Android 18 said. "Anyone who takes what belongs to me dies. Sixty million or six hundred million, it makes no difference."

The system displayed text.

[Emotion Collected: Anger (Intense), Possessiveness (Extremely Strong), Fighting Spirit (Erupting).]

[Emotion Points +1280.]

Chen Mo took a deep breath.

He knew Android 18's personality. The more he tried to stop her, the more determined she would become.

He needed a different approach.

"Fine. Go," Chen Mo said. "But I'm going with you."

Android 18 raised an eyebrow.

"What are you going for? To hold me back?"

"I'll provide intelligence support. If Shigula has any hidden tricks, I can warn you beforehand."

Android 18 stared at him.

"You just want to follow me."

"Right."

"You're afraid something will happen to me if I go alone?"

"I'm afraid you'll smash the Dragon Balls."

Android 18 narrowed her eyes.

"Fine," she said. "Follow me. But don't get in my way."

Trunks walked over.

"I'm going too."

"You don't need to," Android 18 said without even looking at him.

"This isn't just about you."

"Trunks," Chen Mo cut him off, "you stay here and protect the Grand Elder."

Trunks's expression darkened.

"You're serious?"

"If Shigula realizes we're heading to the North Pole for the Dragon Balls, he may send people to take the last one." Chen Mo looked at Grand Elder Moori. "Does he have subordinates on this planet?"

Moori nodded. "A small army. Around two hundred men. Their battle power ranges from several thousand to several tens of thousands."

"Did you hear that?" Chen Mo said to Trunks. "Stay here. Protect the last Dragon Ball. If anyone comes to take it, you can stop them."

Trunks pressed his lips into a thin line.

He did not want to work with Android 18, but he trusted Chen Mo's judgment.

"...All right."

"Be careful," Trunks said in a lowered voice. "Don't... don't let her get you killed."

Chen Mo patted him on the shoulder.

"Relax. I won't die."

Android 18 had already flown out of the hall.

Chen Mo turned and chased after her.

Grand Elder Moori's voice came from behind him, old and heavy.

"Young man."

Chen Mo paused.

"Shigula... isn't just terrifyingly powerful," Moori said. "He possesses the special abilities of a Super Namekian. He can blacken a planet's sky and create eternal darkness. In the darkness, his power expands even further."

Chen Mo's pupils contracted.

Creating darkness.

In the original movie, Shigula indeed had this ability.

He used sorcery to blot out the sun, plunging Earth into darkness and cold.

In a dark environment, as a mutant of Namek, his strength would increase dramatically.

But Namek had three suns.

This planet never had night.

"He can block out all three suns?" Chen Mo asked.

Moori did not answer.

He merely looked at Chen Mo, his eyes filled with the fear and exhaustion that had accumulated over two years.

That look was the answer.