The Androids Close In

Bido hovered in midair, dozens of energy threads shooting from his fingertips. They writhed like venomous snakes as they coiled toward their target.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

Trunks swung his sword, chopping at the energy threads. They rang out like metal striking stone, sparks flying everywhere.

The severed threads instantly sprouted multiple thinner, tougher strands from their broken ends. They seemed to have eyes, pursuing him wherever he went.

"Damn it!"

Driven backward, Trunks suddenly burst into golden flames of energy, snapping all the threads around him.

"It's no use."

Bido laughed darkly. His nimble fingers moved as if playing a harp, and the next moment, the severed threads reformed.

The energy threads wove into an airtight net, cinching tightly around Trunks's body and greedily draining his Saiyan energy.

Just then, a green arm reached over from the other side of the battlefield. Like an ancient python strangling its prey, it coiled around Bido's entire body, leaving only his head exposed.

"What is this!?"

Bido struggled desperately, but the arm's strength was beyond anything he could have imagined. It squeezed until his bones creaked, and he couldn't break free.

Piccolo's eyes suddenly blazed with dazzling light. Two beams of energy shot out, streaking along his extended arm and striking Bido squarely in the head.

"Boom!"

As Bido looked on in terror, the two beams blew his head to pieces. Piccolo retracted his arm, and the headless corpse fell from the sky and slammed into the ground.

"Thanks..." Trunks panted heavily, one hand braced against the ground.

Piccolo didn't stop. He charged at Bido, who was battling Son Goku, and effortlessly crushed the enemy with overwhelming force.

"Wow, Piccolo, you're amazing. I was about to lose."

Son Goku had only recently learned to transform into a Super Saiyan, and he'd had little time to master his power. Facing Bido, whose strength was on par with Android 17, he'd been having a tough time.

"Bang!"

Above the clouds, Son Gohan and Bojack traded a powerful punch. A shock wave erupted from the point of impact, sending them both flying hundreds of meters apart.

"Kid, I really underestimated you." Bojack looked thrilled, a cruel grin on his face.

"You old geezer, you've disappointed me." Son Gohan shook his head, putting on a mature air.

"Gohan, I'm here to help." Piccolo appeared above the clouds and stood beside Son Gohan.

"What good will numbers do you? I'll turn you all into stardust!"

Bojack suddenly flung his arms wide. Energy poured frantically from his body into his hands, and brilliant dark green spheres formed in the palms on either side.

The clouds tore apart. It was as if a gale were raging high above, and space itself trembled, sending the vibrations down to the ground until the earth began to crumble.

"Die!"

Bojack roared and brought his hands together. The two dark green spheres instantly merged into a colossal beam several meters in diameter.

A terrifying torrent of energy, powerful enough to destroy the world, surged through the beam before it blasted forward.

Across from him, Son Gohan and Piccolo raised their right hands together and touched their fingertips to their foreheads. They compressed their energy to the limit, then fired two spiraling beams.

"Special Beam Cannon!"

As they flew, the two spiraling beams twisted around each other and fused, eventually becoming a golden dragon that drove straight into the dark green beam.

"Ah..."

Bojack poured in more energy in terror, but the golden dragon pierced through his ultimate attack and shot through the center of his chest with a pop.

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion rang out. Bojack, the Galaxy Bandit, was reduced to ashes, vanishing from history for good.

"Phew, that was close. If we hadn't learned Instant Transmission, who knows how many people would've died on Earth this time?"

Son Gohan sighed. From now on, they'd have to be fully prepared. They couldn't afford to be caught so off guard again.

"Gohan, it's almost been a year. I'll go gather the Dragon Balls first."

Piccolo had been thinking constantly about bringing the dead Namekians back to life. After saying this, he flew toward Bulma's house in West City, where the Dragon Radar was.

Son Gohan landed and explained to everyone where Bojack and his gang had come from.

"Why do I get the feeling Earth's become the hottest spot in the universe? Everyone wants to get involved," Krillin grumbled.

"I wonder how long peace will last this time," Tien Shinhan said, sounding worried.

"Gohan, who's this boy? You two seem pretty close," Yamcha asked quietly, looking at Trunks.

"Uncle Yamcha, it's a secret for now. You'll find out in a while."

Son Gohan didn't dare tell him. Yamcha was still dating Bulma, and if he revealed that Trunks was Bulma and Vegeta's son—

Yamcha might turn green as a Namekian on the spot and go pick a fight with Vegeta.

"Mr. Son Goku, Gohan, there's something I need to tell you." Seeing Son Gohan's strength, Trunks decided to tell him the truth as well.

As the others watched in confusion, the three of them took off and flew to a clearing nearby to talk.

"What's that about? They're keeping it from even us," Krillin muttered unhappily.

Trunks had a complicated expression, unsure how to begin. "I was going to tell everyone that two terrifying androids would appear three years from now."

"But seeing how strong Gohan and Uncle Piccolo are, you're already far stronger than those two androids. It seems like there wasn't much point in my coming here."

"It was worth it."

Son Gohan explained, "Trunks, you must've noticed that history has changed completely. No one knows how powerful our future enemies might be."

"What are you two talking about? I don't understand any of this." Son Goku looked at them, utterly bewildered.

Trunks explained everything from the beginning and asked them not to reveal his identity to the others.

He took out a pill and handed it to Son Goku. "When your heart disease acts up, take this."

"Thanks. Whatever kind of enemy it is, I'll beat him with my own hands." Son Goku took the pill, looking excited instead.

"Dad's right. We'll meet whatever comes, and deal with it. Our future isn't on Earth—not even in this universe. It's a vast world beyond imagination." Son Gohan was full of ambition.

Somehow, Trunks was caught up in his enthusiasm too. He planned to return to the future, then come back here three years later to face even stronger enemies with everyone.

"Trunks, don't leave. Stay here and train with us." Son Gohan looked at him seriously.

"The enemies might not wait three years. They could show up in a year, or even a few months."

Trunks's expression grew solemn, but in the end, he nodded and agreed to stay.

Then Son Gohan relayed Trunks's warning to everyone: in the future, they would all be killed by the androids.

"What? I don't want to die! I haven't even gotten married yet!" Krillin cried out.

Yamcha asked in disbelief, "We've got three Super Saiyans here, and we just beat Bojack's whole gang. Are you saying we still can't beat the androids?"

"Damn it! I'll become a Super Saiyan, too!" Vegeta had been provoked yet again.

Son Gohan looked at everyone's different reactions and advised them, "None of us have been idle this past year on Yardrat, but training requires a balance between exertion and rest."

"From now on, train however you prefer. I'll also arrange for everyone to take turns training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber at the Lookout."