The Game of Life: Dragon Ball Edition
A/N: "The following is a fan-based work. Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, is owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Shueisha, Dimps, and Akira Toriyama."
Chapter 22: Strike One
If there was any life left, I couldn't feel it's aura. They were extremely low on energy or they were all dead. Anger coursed through my veins for a few seconds, before [Gamers Mind] soothed the emotion. Getting angry and doing something stupid wouldn't redeem them.
I felt B-70 tap me on my shoulder before flying off. I followed him silently, formulating a plan as I did. I can't fight them all now. The most I can do is gather information and then escape when I can.
We approached one of the smaller ships, entering through a side entrance. The same two androids greeted us from before. Both were looking out of a large window at what once was a planet.
"It's a shame that we had to kill the non-Saiyans," One of them hummed to himself, a frown on his face, "Would have much preferred if they saw the flaws of the Saiyans and joined us."
"They're too afraid to go against them," B-70 said, a sad tone in his voice also, "Once this warning goes out to all of the Universe, they'll see that we can stand up to them. They won't be afraid anymore."
They aren't evil. I realized quickly, but it didn't stop the frown from creeping onto my face. If anything, these guys are in the right. Rule by Saiyan was bound to be a violent one.
But I can't stand around and let them go through with total eradication of the Saiyans. I followed them as they walked into a larger room, filled with hundreds or thousands of people. I have Saiyan friends.
But I'm not friends with the entire Saiyan race. I reasoned with myself. I'm sure if it was up to them, they'd have me skinned just for looking like Frieza.
So what do I do? I continued the conversation with the androids as I thought over many different scenarios. Each time it brought me to a set of different choices.
Okro would know that a war was coming, but would likely underestimate the androids. I could report this to Okro so that the Saiyans knew the full threat level of the androids. That way, they could mobilize their forces across the entire galaxy and stand a better chance. I doubted that this was the Liberation Army's only fleet, but the Saiyan Empire had more numbers. Their army wasn't solely Saiyans; it included anyone under their rule.
But even still, the androids were stronger than the Saiyans. Since the low mid-tier androids were a little weaker than me, it wasn't looking good for the Saiyans. Unless, of course, they manage to ascend even further. Knowing the Saiyan race, when a wall is in front of them, they will always scale it, no matter how high.
Do I want the Saiyans to get even stronger? The thought was harrowing. I didn't mind Rot, Okro, and those I knew improving, but the rest of the Saiyans, I wasn't too sure. What about Broly? He'll be unstoppable.
On the other hand, I could join the Liberation Army in their crusade. I'd make the galaxy a better place, but in doing so, I'd betray all of my friends. I could spare them when we got around to it. But with Okro being the King, that just wouldn't work. He would never give up on his people.
In the end, I was stuck in between a rock and a hard place. If I help my friends, I'll be allowing the Universe to deteriorate due to Saiyan influence. Now that a war was beginning, the Saiyans would get stronger regardless, that was out of my control. But could I willingly side with the ones who are making the Universe a worse place?
Leek. The thought came back to me suddenly, anger boiling through me once again. How could I forget?
Because of my increased intelligence and the effects of [Gamers Mind], my mind tended to think more rationally at all times. While I was furious about Leek's death and the death of my many Nieces and Nephews, I knew that I wouldn't make a decision based on my anger. I couldn't even if I wanted to. [Gamers Mind] would squash the emotion, and I'd be left wondering why I planned on making such a foolish decision.
Someone would die for this. But not yet.
"So, Sub, have you decided what you'll be doing?" B-70 asked as we walked down a slightly crowded hallway. In the time I had been thinking, he'd introduced me to several people, and we had even sat down for a meal. I'd let myself go into auto-pilot in favor of thinking of a plan. "I… I'm not sure. Give me a few days, and I'll have an answer," I told him, much to his delight. He was genuinely a nice guy, now that I got to know him a little better.
"So what's ne-"
Multiple blurs flashed through my vision. When I looked to my left, all that remained of B-70 was his arm. Who in the hell?
"Sub!" The voice was childlike, much to my surprise. When I turned around, I saw about a dozen of Leek's kids. Super Saiyans?
Their aura was a brilliant gold. Even those without hair, I could tell, had ascended. The closest to me was Dragula, from the tournament. Due to the length of her hair, she looked more like a Super Saiyan 3, then 1.
Some of them survived the explosion. I realized, a smile flickering onto my face. That means…
"We'll kill them all."
I turned to see Leek walking down the other end of the hallway, the bodies of dozens of footsoldiers in his wake. In his hand, he held the head of B-89, the middle-tier.
Leek looks different. He wasn't his standard height, his body slowly growing while he strutted through the hall. His body shuddered with every movement, and it looked like bio-armor was spiking from different sections of his body. Blood seeped from the places where the armor was protruding from. This transformation doesn't look stable.
His power level had skyrocketed, and it didn't look like it was stopping just yet. Whatever strange transformation that this was, it surpassed Super Saiyan, and it was far from over. It looks excruciating.
"Leek, I know you're angry, but we need to retreat," The words came out of my mouth quickly, seeing his fury rising, "There are just too many of them. Our chances of success are minimal at best."
"I'll take my chances." His voice sounded as if his entire throat had been put in a blender. Blood seeped from the corner of his lips as he spoke. "What were you doing with the enemy?"
His voice was critical, and suddenly I knew that my next few words could mean life or death. In this state, who I was didn't matter to him. From his point of view, it looked like I was siding with the people that were killing his family.
"I was formulating a plan on how best to get out of here," I told him while he began to approach me, "They captured me. I couldn't fight all of them on my own, so I was biding my time."
He seemed to consider my words for a few moments. I resisted the urge to gulp, despite the pressure that I was feeling. He wasn't the same little kid I'd saved from Planet Chilled. Standing in front of me was a cold Saiyan conqueror.
It looked like my choice was being made for me. At least for now.
"Father, what should we do?" Dragula asked from behind me. It was clear to me that they needed to escape. They were Super Saiyans now, but due to their relatively low base, they weren't strong enough to compete with the Middle-tier Androids in single combat. They'd just die.
A portal opened up not far from the group of kids, courtesy of me. "Go through the portal. It will bring you to Planet Saiyan. We'll meet you shortly."
They took a look at Leek, who gave them a sharp nod. Once they were all through the portal, it closed behind them.
"Let's go." With that, he vanished. I didn't even see him move before the ship we were in exploded in bright light. Exposed in cold space again, I could see that the majority of their vessels had left already. Only a few remained, but even that was scary.
I can't let Leek down. I brandished my sword, before powering up to my maximum, my crimson aura exploding into the void.
Out of the remaining ships, androids began pouring out like flies from a corpse. They could breathe in space, but without ships, it would take them forever to get anywhere.
Leek was tearing through them like tissue; middle class or not. This power was extraordinary. Did Lizora know that her experiment would turn out to be so successful?
While they were distracted, I drew my arm back and channeled as much energy as I could manage into my sword. Energy consumed the blade, and it began to crack, unable to handle the power that I was feeding it. I'll need a new sword after this attack.
With a mighty swing, I threw it, my energy expanding out horizontally like a frisbee. The spinning disk of energy grew to about the size of the largest ship. It cut through the ships like a knife through butter as I guided it, not stopping until the last ship had been cut down.
Most of the androids must have been outside of the ship by then because I didn't get much experience. By the time I looked back, a massive chunk of them was vaporized by a beam of pure white.
Something is wrong. Leek's energy was becoming more and more unstable. It consumed him in a ball, beams like lasers shooting out in every direction. No one could even get close without getting obliterated. He's out of control.
I tried to get closer, but out of nowhere, the ball expanded greatly, destroying the remaining androids. I was lucky enough to stop flying just at where his energy ended. I stared at Leek, forced to watch as he began to scream, not in anger, but agony.
Even from a distance, I could see that he was changing. The skin on his face began to tear apart, blood gushing out from the wound. What looked like his lower jaw extended out of his skin, completely covering the lower half of his face like a helmet. It's acting like a bio-armor…
Spikes made of his bone-like bio-armor erupted out of his head and down his spine. With it came a fountain of blood that coated Leek's entire body. My heart skipped a beat, and I considered flying into the energy to help him. One-touch of the wall told me that I'd be disintegrated before I got a few steps in.
How does someone have so much blood? I tried to scream from my place outside of his bubble in a desperate effort to get him to hear me, realizing that it was futile a moment later. The sound didn't travel in space. I'd have to wait and watch.
His arms began to quiver, before shattering at multiple points. Bio-armor protruded out of his flesh, forming some sort of exoskeleton across his arms. As I watched, his fingers began to peel back like bananas, his flesh and bones vanishing to reveal sharp claws. The same process followed shortly with his legs.
His chest heaved several times before his body expanded once again. His ribcage stressed against his skin, stretching it. His skin looked like it took on a much harder texture, before going even paler than ever.
Last of all, from the base of his spine, a thick, white Frost Demon tail began to overlap his normal Saiyan one. It was hairier than the typical Frost Demon tail, seemingly taking on properties of a Saiyan tail.
Finally, he started to calm down, and his body began to relax. His energy ball shrank back into his body in an instant, lightning up his entire form like a white star. I rushed over to him as soon as I could, catching him just as he fell into unconsciousness.
His aura is still present, but he's hardly breathing. A portal popped up immediately in response. I flew through without hesitation, popping up at one of the Saiyan Hospitals on Planet Saiyan. Once they realized who it was, they took Leek from me immediately.
What just happened?
Later That Day - Okro's Castle
"An army of androids?" Okro repeated calmly. The entire council sat around in the official meeting room, similar looks of shock on their faces. The committee had changed from when it had been formed initially, the only remaining original members being me, Rot, Okro, Paragus, and Takia, the Head Of Intelligence for the Tuffles. His daughter, Okro's wife replaced the old Tuffle King.
I stood opposite Okro, having just told them what I'd experienced. The room was silent for a few more seconds, while everyone adjusted to what I'd told them.
"How is that possible? Androids capable of facing off against a Super Saiyan?" One of the newer members stuttered. No one had an answer.
"In one attack, they took out the face of the Saiyan army," An old Saiyan said glumly, "That doesn't look good at all."
No, it does not. I thought to myself, although I knew that everyone else thought so too. That had been their goal all along. All in an effort, give the Universe hope.
Thankfully, Leek wasn't dead. Unfortunately, though, he'd fallen into a deep coma. They weren't sure when he'd get out of it, especially considering that his body didn't heal despite his bones retracting back into his body. When they tried to throw him into a medical tank, the bio-bones kept growing again, just like Bio-armor would for me.
"It's already circulating on the Galactic News," A Tuffle woman informed us, "They've gone on to destroy more than half of Leek's private sector."
"More than half?!" Paragus's voice boomed from his seat. "In a day?! That's not possible!"
"As I said, they must have an enormous fleet and following," I emphasized, making sure to stress the word, "I could tell that their planet-destroying ship was barely using its full potential. It could probably destroy many planets in one shot."
"And they might have dozens more," Takia chipped in, "I've never heard of a ship capable of blowing up planets before, though. Let along to completely destabilize said planet in seconds."
"It was hard to believe," I admitted. I'd seen it in another universe, but not in Dragon Ball. "It moved so quickly and so precisely that I doubt that someone would be able to deflect it in time."
"It changes the pattern of war," Rot finally spoke up, but her voice was dry. She'd taken what happened to Leek the hardest. "Why fight on the surface when you can just destroy the entire planet from space?"
The implication was raw. Saiyans couldn't naturally breathe in space. If the Liberation Army showed up at Planet Saiyan right now, they could theoretically destroy the capital and take out all of the most powerful Saiyans in one swoop.
"Saiyans have the advantage on the ground, for sure. But out there…" Takia sat back in his heat and sighed deeply, "I'm sure I can invent something that will help our soldiers breathe in space, but it'll still be a huge disadvantage."
"And spatial combat?" The Queen, Ria, spoke up, "How would we fare in a battle between ships?"
"Well, it'd be hard to say until we get a proper view of their ship's capabilities," The old Saiyan from before spoke up again, "All we have to go on is the flagship that decimated Q13. We aren't sure if all of their ships contain planet-destroying lasers too."
"We'll have to be very careful in our first battle, then," Okro put a hand on his chin after he replied, "Until then, Takia, increasing the production of powerful ships across all Saiyan ruled territories."
"Of course, my lord," Takia nodded his head in response, "I'll also work on strengthening the planetary shield. I'd neglected it, thinking we would never need it."
"Good," Okro turned back to me, followed by the rest of the room, "You say that the low-tier middle-class variant of these androids is a match for us as Super Saiyans?"
"Stronger than some, I'd say," I admitted carefully, "They seem to have unlimited energy and stamina somehow. Along with an unreadable power level."
"Is that even possible?" I heard Takia whisper to himself. It was, I thought to myself. I'd probably be able to mimic it if given enough time. It all depended on if they were enhanced mechanically or more biologically. However, in the end, there would be no point. They already had thousands, probably millions of them.
"That's troublesome. How strong will their high-tier warriors be?" Paragus mumbled to the group. I couldn't help but wonder the same thing.
The Queen leaned into Okro for a second, whispering something quietly to him. I tried not to stare but couldn't help myself when they both turned to me.
"Sub, did these androids appear in your future?" They asked me, causing me to freeze momentarily. I calmed down when I remembered that I'd told Okro an abridged version of why I know the future. Once I remembered that I crossed my arms and looked back at them.
The group didn't look shocked by what Okro asked, which I found a little odd and uncomfortable. It made sense, considering that they were his council, but it felt strange. When had they been discussing me?
"Yes, but not like this. In my future, there were only a few. A girl, a boy, and…" I couldn't help but pause, an extremely dreadful realization hitting me, "A monster…"
"How powerful were they in your future?" The King asked me, having missed the part that could no doubt bring the extinction of the entire Saiyan race.
"They were strong enough to go against Super Saiyans, but not particularly strong Super Saiyans. Your soldiers would have torn them apart. They were nothing like these Androids," I informed him, before clearing my throat, "But we have a much bigger problem then the androids."
"Like what?" Paragus leaned forward in my seat, and I felt a tightness in my chest. This was going to be a mistake, but it had to be done. The advancing of the Saiyans is inevitable.
"They called him Cell…" I started slowly, before unleashing the information like a flood, "He was created by the same person who made the androids, but he was far superior. He could absorb the power level right out of people and could even absorb androids. Every android that he absorbed raised his power level by immeasurable levels."
"But… With millions of androids…" Takia started, his eyebrows creasing, "They wouldn't sacrifice their soldiers, would they?"
"I've seen them do it," I grimaced, "When they blew up their planet, I was sure that they had plenty still fighting."
"Then we can't allow this Cell creature to be created. And if he's already alive, we can't allow him to absorb anyone," The old Saiyan spoke again, but his voice was unconvinced. They all looked unnerved at the news.
"As if the enemy would be stupid enough to have their ultimate weapon out in combat. They probably have him tucked away somewhere, feeding him androids until he's unstoppable," Takia said realistically, and I had to agree. It didn't make much sense for him to be running around trying to absorb androids while they were creating bunches of them.
"But we can't just give up," Paragus spoke up again, "We need to have soldiers out on the lookout for an unusually powerful creature. What did he look like?"
I went on to describe all three of his forms, while simultaneously making drawings using my tail. We continued to speak more about Cell, and then the androids again. When I'd exhausted explaining all I remembered about them, we finally moved on.
"If they're as strong as they say, we need to spread out our powerful warriors across multiple squadrons. They'll be the new face of the Saiyans, for now…" Paragus cleared his throat, "Which means that Rot's team will need to be split. Along with mine and a few others."
"Before we get into that, we need to discuss what we're going to do with your son," Older Saiyan in the room said, "With Leek out of commission, we've lost our control."
Broly. I hummed in interest. At least they realized the threat that Broly posed.
"We're in a war, do we need control?" Paragus asked, almost offended by the question.
"He'll be a danger to the other soldiers fighting with him," The old Saiyan countered, "He needs someone who can control him when necessary."
"What if he doesn't have any soldiers with him?" Paragus asked slowly, the room falling into silence a moment later. I was only starting to think of the consequences when he carried on.
"I'm confident that Broly is strong enough to go on missions on his own. He is more than capable in his normal Super Saiyan form but even more so in his ascended form," Paragus grinned widely, "He's a one-person army. And last time I checked, he can breathe in space with ease."
"I agree," Okro hummed as he contemplated it, "But while he is immensely powerful, we can't leave him alone. What if in his rampage he destroys his ship and can't find his way back? What if the enemy captures him? We need to have someone with him."
"Someone who can handle his power…" Paragus hummed and put a hand on his chin, "Or someone who can get him back to Planet Saiyan quickly if their ship is destroyed…"
They'd need a high-speed ship. I narrowed my eyes considerably when all of the eyes in the room turned to me. Fuck no.
"I think that Sub is the best option to be in a team with Broly. With his abilities to create space-time rips, he'd be able to retreat no matter what situation," The Queen commented, a small smile flickering onto her face, "Plus, you said you were even capable of beating Leek in a spar while training, right?"
"That was only once, and it was because I caught him by surprise," I had to stop myself from raising my voice. I'm going to need to dump some points into Luck. I'm still on the bad luck side of things.
"You've raised your power level considerably in the last few weeks. Impressively so," Ria looked me in the eyes, "Even Leek's power level increased drastically. Do you have a special training regime? Perhaps we could implement it with our soldiers?"
All eyes were back on me, the Queen's questions putting me on the hot seat. I couldn't tell them about the HBTC. There was no way that I was going to let the Saiyans abuse that. But how could I explain the sudden increase in power?
"I don't have a special training course. Perhaps sparring with Leek brought out a lot of my latent power. And vice versa," I pulled right out of my ass, "I'm surprised by my growth too."
She didn't look convinced at all; her eyes narrowed into slits for a second before relaxing again. I didn't narrow them in return, instead choosing to glance at all of the other faces in the room. The ones I'd known before didn't look surprised at all, as I'd helped them jump multiple levels on just training, but the ones I'd just met looked skeptical. What they thought didn't matter, because Okro turned to me with a small smirk.
"And that is why you're the best one for the job. You can increase in power so quickly that it might counterbalance with Broly's increase," Okro, the King, insisted. It was then that I realized that I couldn't decline this offer, no matter how much I wanted to. If I did, it would look shady on my part, and even disrespectful towards Okro.
"I accept but with three conditions," I put up three fingers, "I have Bleuras on my team. He's not an official soldier for the Empire, but he is one of Leek's children and plenty powerful. Also, I want one member of Rot's squad to join me, seeing as they have a pre-established relationship with him."
"And the third condition?" Okro asked, having already given me a firm nod to confirm that my other two conditions were acceptable.
"I want time between missions to build and create. I believe that I'll be a good addition to Takia's Head Of Intelligence department," I informed them. He seemed to consider it for a few seconds, almost unsure. Having who was probably their strongest Saiyan soldier relaxing so that I could create things wasn't ideal. But if I'm going to put up with this crap, I'll need at least that.
"That's doable," Okro replied after a few moments, "I sincerely appreciate your assistance, Sub. You've been a great ally to the Saiyan race, and you're a friend that I know I can always trust."
I nodded back, not entirely sure what to say. Just a few hours ago, I was contemplating joining the Liberation Army, but now I was back to being best buds with the Saiyan King. And in both situations, my conscience wasn't bothered in the slightest. [Gamers Mind] was a powerful tool.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to infiltrate the Liberation and act as a spy. That would have been an excellent way to gather information, or possibly even find Cell. That job would have to be delegated to someone else.
The meeting continued for several more hours, mostly, which I had no input in. I mainly stayed entirely and examined the characters in the room, often sending long glances at the Queen. Something was off with her, and it didn't take me long to realize something that made my brain go into overdrive.
I didn't tell her that I'd defeated Leek at all.
I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. The War Arc is underway! Sub is stuck in a team with Broly, so things will be interesting :) There is much planned for this war, so get your seatbelts and buckle in. You're in for a rough ride.
What's up with the Queen?
Will Leek ever heal?
Where is Cell?
Find out next time on, Game of Life: Dragon Ball Edition!
