The Future Boy's Identity

Bulma soothed the sobbing little Trunks as she asked everyone about what had just happened. "That strange old man just now was an Android?"

"Yes, that's right."

"That guy was Doctor Gero himself! I saw him in a book introducing famous scientists. How strange—he even modified himself?"

At Bulma's words, Gohan and Krillin both revealed shocked expressions.

Malvis descended from above and landed beside them. "There's nothing strange about it. Whether it was for immortality or greater power, he would have modified himself sooner or later. It just happened earlier than expected."

"Huh? Is this handsome guy your friend too?" Bulma blinked curiously.

Malvis tilted his head slightly and glanced at her without answering. He clearly was not used to Bulma's casual way of addressing people, but he did not take it to heart.

"No, he isn't." Krillin hurriedly explained. "This is Lord Malvis, the God of Destruction. Like Kami, he's a god." Then he turned and shared the news they had just learned. "Hey! Bulma says that Android just now was Doctor Gero!"

"Doctor Gero?" Everyone turned back in surprise and shock.

Meanwhile, Android 20 was still running toward the laboratory.

The group quickly gathered together. Vegeta was the first to ask, "That Android was Doctor Gero? What the hell is going on?"

"I saw his photograph too, and it was labeled as Doctor Gero, so I specifically looked into it," Bulma answered.

Trunks beside them fell into deep thought—why was this timeline so drastically different from his own?

Doctor Gero was still running toward the laboratory.

"There, there~" Seeing her son frightened into tears again, Bulma could not help complaining, "Daddy's expression is so scary!"

Tch—

Vegeta turned his head away and said nothing more. His arms crossed over his chest, his golden hair swaying lightly in the wind as though none of this concerned him.

"Also, Doctor Gero was a very famous genius among scientists. He was an incredibly annoying man too, but..."

Little Trunks began crying again, and Bulma hurriedly soothed him. "There, there!"

The scene shifted from little Trunks to the grown-up Trunks from the future. Without warning, Vegeta pointed at him. "None of what you just said is believable. Wasn't Doctor Gero supposed to have been killed by the Androids? And the Android himself said that he wasn't Doctor Gero."

Seeing Vegeta like this, Bulma blinked, unable to make sense of it. Trunks answered his question. "I think the only explanation is that history has completely changed. Perhaps it was because I traveled from the future into the past last time."

"He also mentioned Android 17 and Android 18 just now. I think the Androids you were talking about should be those two." Piccolo spoke up as well. "Tell us their characteristics quickly. I don't want to mistake someone for them again."

Next, Trunks described Android 17 and Android 18's characteristics in detail.

When he got to Android 18, Krillin's focus was predictably different. "A cute girl type?"

"They both have cold eyes and round earrings. I think you should be able to recognize them if you look carefully."

"Do their special techniques absorb energy through their hands too?"

"No, they don't. But they possess infinite energy."

Hearing that, Vegeta's eyes widened in disbelief. "Infinite? You mean their energy will never run out?"

Trunks seemed to recall something unpleasant and lowered his head with gritted teeth. Only then did he realize that he had not seen Goku during the battle. "Right! Where is Mr. Goku? Where is he?"

"He came down with the heart disease you mentioned. It suddenly flared up just now, so we sent him back to rest."

"I really never expected time to have changed this much."

Android 20 was still running back toward the laboratory.

Meanwhile, Vegeta and the others had already pinpointed the location of Android 20's laboratory. Vegeta was eager to test Android 17 and Android 18's strength. Trunks tried to stop him, but Vegeta merely sneered disdainfully and prepared to fly straight to the laboratory.

Trunks flashed in front of him to block his way. "If we can't make it in time, then at least wait until Mr. Goku recovers. We need to avoid fighting for now, or it'll be dangerous."

"There's no need to wait for Kakarot. Haven't you seen it already? I've become a Super Saiyan too. We're both Super Saiyans, but as an elite, I'm absolutely several times stronger than him." Vegeta said coldly, "Don't stand in my way. Move!"

Ignoring all attempts to dissuade him, he flew straight past Trunks.

Trunks fell silent.

Piccolo still looked down his nose at everyone, exuding an imposing air. "After transforming into a Super Saiyan, Vegeta seems to have obtained power beyond Goku's. Maybe, just as he said, he can take care of all those Androids at once."

Trunks slowly descended from the air. "No! I can transform into a Super Saiyan too. But when I faced them, I was powerless to resist—their strength is simply too great."

"If you're worried, go take a look. Don't forget our agreement. Once this is over, I'll come find you." Seeing Trunks's expression, Malvis knew that he was worried about his father. He had no intention of stopping Vegeta from going to suffer—given Vegeta's personality, it would do him good to endure a little more hardship.

"Yes, Lord Malvis."

"Hahaha, I like how polite you are. Goodbye." Malvis greatly appreciated Trunks's courteous manner. His gaze swept across the group before he turned to leave.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Krillin asked.

"This is Earth's matter. As a god who maintains the balance of the universe, I will not interfere." Before his words had even finished, Malvis's figure had vanished, leaving behind only his voice, echoing from nowhere.

Watching Malvis leave, Trunks looked once more toward the direction where Vegeta had disappeared and murmured, "It may not fit my ideals, but I can't just watch my father die." He gathered his power and flew after Vegeta.

Watching Trunks fly away, Bulma's large eyes were filled with confusion. "Dad? He said Dad? What's going on?"

Seeing that things had come to this, Piccolo no longer hid the truth. "His name is Trunks. His father is Vegeta, and his mother is you. In other words, he's what the child in your arms will look like when he grows up."

Hearing this, not only was Bulma too stunned to speak, everyone else froze as well. Bulma lifted little Trunks up and studied him carefully. "Is... is that really true?"

"Y-Yeah! He really does look like him!" Krillin's halting voice came from beside her. He clearly had not recovered from the news yet. "Now I finally understand... No wonder he can transform into a Super Saiyan!"

"You should all go look for Doctor Gero's laboratory too," Piccolo suggested. "I still think the right thing to do is destroy them before the Androids are activated."

Everyone agreed.

Bulma was still studying her precious little baby. "Trunks, you'll grow into a fine boy someday! That's wonderful—Mommy was always so worried about you! Even at such a young age, your eyes look so fierce..."

Gohan wanted Bulma to inform his father about the situation here, so he could join them in battle once he recovered. But Bulma said there was nothing she could do—her aircraft had already broken down.

Piccolo had Gohan take Bulma and the others back. Then, together with everyone else, he sped toward the northern mountains, in the direction of Doctor Gero's laboratory.