Dragon Ball: I Became Cell in a Doomed Future

South Sector, Kame House Island.

The waves gently lapped at the shore, a soft rustling sound accompanying the rhythm of the sea.

Night deepened, and the silver moonlight bathed the two young figures seated atop the rooftop.

The sea breeze stirred their hair ever so slightly.

"Trunks, you've been looking tense for a while now. Did something happen?" Mai asked, her face full of concern as she gazed at him.

"A moment ago, I sensed two powerful and wicked auras from the direction of West City but they disappeared just as quickly," Trunks said, his expression heavy.

"Enemies? How strong are they?" Mai's voice tightened, worry flashing across her face.

"Probably enemies. They were slightly weaker than me, but..." Trunks sighed.

"But what?"

"Those two auras... felt familiar, like I've fought them before."

Hearing that the enemies might not surpass Trunks in strength, Mai let out a small sigh of relief. "Do you know who they are?"

"I don't. But this timeline seems to be completely different from the one I knew." A shadow of pain crossed Trunks' face.

Ever since they arrived in this world, they had been searching for Bulma and the Trunks native to this timeline, but so far, they had found nothing.

There were no signs of battle near Capsule Corporation, and more importantly, there were no traces of their energy anywhere.

A terrifying thought surfaced in Trunks' heart.

Could this be the timeline where he was ambushed and killed by Cell?

Could his mother and his alternate self already have fallen to Cell's attack?

Back during the Cell Saga, the Z Fighters had managed to coax that information out of Cell. They learned that the Cell from his timeline had stolen a time machine in Age 788.

The current point in time was one year after Cell's departure from the future.

The timeline matched perfectly.

Trunks had a growing suspicion that his guess was right.

Could his arrival here have already changed the course of this world?

"Is Earth in danger?" Mai asked, her brow furrowed.

"Not immediately, but..." A complicated gleam flickered in Trunks' eyes as a memory finally clicked into place.

Staring into the distance, Trunks murmured, "If I'm not mistaken… Frieza and King Cold from this timeline are still alive."

"Huh? Who are they?" Mai blinked, worry deepening in her gaze. "Are they powerful enemies?"

"Those two once ruled most of the universe. Their power is terrifying," Trunks took a deep breath. "In Goku's timeline, I personally destroyed them. But in this timeline… they should have been killed by Goku."

"What are you planning to do?" Mai gripped Trunks' arm tightly.

"If they dare to show themselves on Earth, then I will find a way to destroy them."

A sharp light flashed in Trunks' eyes.

"No matter what happens, I'll stand by your side," Mai said earnestly, gazing at him. "We'll face it together."

Trunks was briefly stunned, then quickly smiled as he felt the warmth of Mai's hand on his arm. He said softly, "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me."

"Let's get some sleep. There's probably a tough battle waiting for us tomorrow."

Trunks pulled out a blanket and spread it over the rooftop before lying down.

Mai lay down beside him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest.

The two of them lay quietly on the rooftop, without another word.

…

Whoosh

Levos soared through the night sky, leaving a long, glowing white trail behind him.

He pushed his speed to the limit, so fast it felt like he was tearing through the air itself.

Ever since his encounter with Frieza and King Cold, an overwhelming sense of despair had weighed on him.

Frieza. King Cold. Cooler.

Each one of them alone could stand at the pinnacle of the universe.

And now, they were all gathering on Earth.

He had no choice but to face this brutal reality.

Levos' face was unnervingly calm.

He remained on high alert, carefully monitoring his surroundings, but he didn't sense any sign of Frieza's pursuit. Only then did he slow down a little and veer toward the Lookout.

The Lookout glowed faintly in the night.

Levos gently landed in the square and found Mr. Popo already waiting at the entrance.

"Levos, I've been informed of everything."

Levos couldn't read Mr. Popo's expression.

He said nothing, only offering a slight nod, his mind heavy with thoughts.

"By the way, someone called you while you were gone," Mr. Popo said, his wide lips curving into a small smile.

Levos' eyes lit up. "Who was it?"

"A Galactic Patrolman named Jaco, and a servant of someone called Fortune Teller Baba."

Jaco's call was likely related to the Dragon Balls on New Namek.

And Fortune Teller Baba was a key figure in Levos' original plan.

Now, both had contacted him at nearly the same time.

This could be a turning point!

Levos straightened up, a trace of energy returning to his weary posture. He immediately followed Mr. Popo into the temple.

But in this timeline, Beerus was already gone. Earth had lost its greatest safeguard.

The planet was still on the brink of destruction.

And now, powerful warriors would be the key to changing the outcome!

With this in mind, Levos' thoughts expanded rapidly.

There were many ways to gain power in the Dragon Ball universe. Making a wish with the Dragon Balls was the most straightforward.

And the Old Kai sealed inside the Z Sword could dramatically boost someone's strength.

Because of Ginyu's involvement, Levos even considered using a wish to swap bodies with his enemies.

Even if Frieza had reached his black-and-gold form, Earth might still have a fighting chance.

Sure, he might not be able to fully wield a new body right away, but the immediate drop in his opponent's fighting power would be enough to shift the balance.

Once he adapted to the body, the gap would only widen further, leading to victory.

Honestly, Levos was still reluctant to take over some of those weird-looking alien bodies.

But in the face of life-and-death crises, he couldn't afford to be picky.

If it really came down to that… whose body would he swap with?

Frieza? King Cold? Cooler?

Or Moro? Buu? Broly?

Anyway, once the Dragon Balls' cooldown ended, he could always wish to switch back.

As he pondered this, Levos followed Mr. Popo into the living room. "Who should I contact first?"

It had to be Fortune Teller Baba!

Goku's Instant Transmission would allow for fast interstellar travel. He was also the key to contacting King Kai and New Namek.

And Goku himself would be a tremendous boost to Earth's defenses.

He quickly returned the call. The phone was answered almost immediately, and the voice of the little ghost on the other end chimed in, "Is this Bulma and Levos? Fortune Teller Baba has returned and she's heard your request."

"That's great! Please put her on the line!" Levos urged, barely able to contain his excitement.

"Baba has already departed to bring back someone named Son Goku."

"That's wonderful!" Levos clenched his fist, his heart surging with joy.

This was the best news he'd heard since arriving in this world.

Bulma was still in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and wouldn't be out for another hour at most.

Levos decided to wait until she returned to share this incredible news with her.