Dragon Ball GT: Maximum

by Kensh3h

GT is bad, goes without saying. Not nearly as much as Granolah, but still a work of very poor quality that's cemented itself as a contentious topic. To rectify this, in 2021 I decided to rewrite GT to a better standard of writing quality, hopefully living up to the quality of the original manga, with an expanded universe. Constructive criticism is welcome. 17 chapters remaining.

45. The Final Battle to End It All Begins

Chapter 45: Future Trunks Gaiden, Part VI: The Final Battle to End It All Begins

On the now-deserted planet of M2, Pan continued to wobble and stumble her way out of the site of the wreckage, carrying Boo's sealed ball as a small stream of blood continued to escape her gaping stomach wound.

"I-It's already… Already bad enough… I can't… Can't let this thing awaken from the shock, too…"

Before long, the droplets of blood spilled from her wound nearly multiplied in size and left a more evident, and bloody trail, and she collapsed and lost consciousness.

Seeing this from the Kaioshin-kai, the freed Rou Dai Kaioshin said, "Time is of the essence. Kibito! Shin!" in a psychically commanding and booming voice, perhaps a residual ability gained from his fusion with the old witch who constituted half of his being.

The two then awakened abruptly, with both parties quickly noticing their missing limbs and yelling out in shock.

"Silence! There is little time to explain, take an earring off of opposite ears!"

"H-Huh?! W-Who are you, sir?! A-Are you perhaps a Kaioshin?!"

"YOUR CONSTERNATION IS A FUTILE WASTE OF TIME, REMOVE AN EARRING OFF OF KIBITO AND THEN OFF AN OPPOSITE EAR ON YOUR OWN PERSON!"

"Y-YES, SIR!" yelled Kaioshin, whose real name was "Shin," as he used his right arm to psychically remove Kibito's right earring, as he then proceeded to do so with his left earring. The Potara Earrings of opposite placements glowed and immediately activated their function of fusing the wearers, instantly combining the two into a new, more powerful deity: Kibitoshin. The result of this fusion now possessed an intact pair of arms, and the wound on his stomach had significantly been reduced in size.

"W-Wow! I-I didn't know my earrings had such an amazing power! I am scarcely at two-thirds my full power, and I can't believe how much more powerful I've gotten!" yelled Kibitoshin, at which point the elder Kaioshin again interjected, saying: "Your fighting power is as good as nothing before that Cell fellow who attacked our abode. What I had you fuse for was to alleviate your injuries so that you could heal and teleport more easily. You still have your ability to perform Kai Kai, do you not? The girl left behind on the Mother Planet is in critical condition, we shall heal the other two after we heal her!"

"I-I understand, sir! Whoever you are, your voice carries utmost authority! Kai Kai!"

Kibitoshin psychically pulled the critically injured Future Trunks and Bra toward himself and his elder Kaioshin and then teleported to the planet M2, where they soon reached Pan's half-dead body in the span of an instant.

"S-She really is in critical condition… Allow me to fix you up!"

Kibitoshin then put his palm on the critically injured girl and instantly restored her body to full health, at which point she suddenly awoke and confusedly floundered about, saying "H-Huh?! W-Where am I?!"

"It is quite alright. I am an ally, you are in safe hands," said Kibitoshin with a smile, at which point Pan calmed her anxieties and said, "K-Kaioshin-sama… I recognize your voice, but why do you suddenly look so different? A-And are Trunks and Bra-chan okay?!"

"They will be, in due order. Allow me to – "

"WAIT! Before you proceed to heal the two, teleport us all back to the Kaioshin-kai first! Performing multiple healings may drain your Ki supply more than needed in your wounded state, and our next order of business doesn't necessitate that these two are yet restored completely to health!"

"Y-Yes, sir…" said Kibitoshin as he quickly moved toward the elder Kaioshin, who then lifted up the Boo shell and then yelled, "Fuuin!" as he suddenly released a large tangle of bandages that encased the shell and then shrank it to the size of a small, sheathed knife before moving back within range of Kibitoshin's teleportation.

The five-team heroes were then transported back to the Kaioshin-kai, where Kibitoshin then grasped his wound firmly, saying "O-Ouch… Y-You were correct, my elder. If I had healed these two, we could have been stranded on the Mother Planet…"

"Yes. And with the damage from several consecutive battles that accrued on its surface, not to mention its relative proximity in the lower realm of the cosmos to the planet Cell has made his base, performing our next phase of operations there isn't a good idea."

"Use these herbs on your wounds," said the Rou Dai Kaioshin, "and apply some of the same material on the unconscious two as well. I will now inform you of my identity…"

The Rou Dai Kaioshin then closed his eyes as two spheres of static, semi-translucent psychic energy appeared from his hands, and he then outstretched his palms and had the energy engulf Kibitoshin and Pan's heads. A flood of memories engulfed their brains, instantly informing them of every nook and cranny of his backstory as the Kaioshin from fifteen generations prior, as well as his unintended fusion and later sealing in the Z-sword.

"I-I now understand… I am humbled to be in your company, great ancestor!"

"I-I understand, too! This gramps is the king of gramps in the world, like, the highest God!"

"Hehe, that title is not mine. Even in this universe, there exists a deity with greater authority than I. But now you know the next phase of our mission, do you not, girlie?"

"Y-Yes! Your greatest power is to unlock a person's hidden ability!"

"Yes. And it can only be performed on one person at a time, which is why it is imperative that you are the first to undertake my ritual, as we had to choose the one among you that was in the worst shape!"

"Y-You really do think everything through, being around you reminds me of being around Piccolo-san… I'll do as you say!" said Pan as she got into a meditating position, at which point the Rou Dai Kaioshin then yelled, "Now! Remember to chant in your heart that in you lies a lion's heart, and that it is in your hands that the key to defeating evil and restoring peace to this universe! Understand?!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Now!"

The Rou Dai Kaioshin then yelled, "Stand up!" as Pan abruptly did so in a panic, as he then circled around her and yelled unintelligibly as he danced in circles around her for the next several minutes.

"U-Ummm… Gramps, are you sure you're in the right position to - "

"Silence! I told you, didn't I?! That you must have the utmost strength of will and concentration?!"

"Venerable ancestor… I am afraid to speak out of turn, but how long exactly will this process take?!"

"Five hours for the ceremony! And twenty hours of meditation for the power up itself!"

"Please, God… Just kill me…" muttered Pan as she then thought in her head, "Papa said something about how much of a drag this ceremony was when he went through it, too… Guess I have to sit through it myself…"

"S-Sir? Shall I get started on healing the two?"

"Your wounds will still be several hours before they are fully annulled! Keep using the herbs! And while you're at it, go fetch the Time Rings!"

"T-Time Rings?! The great treasures one can use to travel into the future?!"

"Of course! You didn't think the three of them would be enough to take on that behemoth Cell, did you?! Even with their potentials unlocked, it will be the absolute bare minimum to initiate the fight! From the timeline in which this girl hails from, we'll acquire ourselves a pair of recruits!"

"O-Of course! Trunks-san did say that the timeline he was once stranded in technically lies in a year a few years later than ours, and Time Rings aren't to be used to travel to the past! This is amazing! As if all the pieces of the puzzle are picking themselves together!"

"Before you go off on your flights of fancy, take care to conceal that sealed knife from the vicinity of this ritual, as well! Once her potential has been released, she will no doubt release a powerful shockwave that could upset Boo's shell! We need not additional distractions from our objective!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" said Kibitoshin as he bowed and then took Boo's sealed knife out of the immediate range of the two locked in their positions, at which point he used his divine vision to peer inside the bandaged shell and saw that contained along with Boo's shell was a power sapping device that Babidi's men took to using frequently.

"Babidi, Bibidi… They were peculiar and powerful foes indeed… It's hard to believe we went from a battle against them and Mu to this entirely different predicament, in the span of mere minutes…"

Around this time, Future Trunks awoke from his coma, and then began to yell, "C-Cell! W-Where are you?! C-Come face me, I am not going to permit your – "

"Relax, Trunks-san," said Kibitoshin as he moved behind Future Trunks and gently healed him very slightly to alleviate his pain, "the worst is over… for now."

Kibitoshin then calmly explained the events that transpired in Future Trunks' absence of consciousness, causing him to then state, "So, Cell went ahead and spared us and then gave us a few days' time to prepare for the so-called 'Final' Cell Game… That sounds just like the Cell that I know. And hidden in the Z-Sword was an unexpected ally. I don't know if I should call this good news, or bad news…"

"Please don't wallow in despair, Trunks-san. Our situation could have turned out much worse. I will now restore Bra-san's consciousness as well, please take care to keep her from completely freaking out as you did."

Bra was then enveloped in the same light, and her face returned to its rosy color rapidly as the wounds on her stomach and arms subsided.

"T-That son of a bitch, I'll fuck him up!" yelled Bra as she abruptly got up when she regained consciousness, only for Future Trunks to then grab her shoulders gently and shock her with a small Ki burst, causing her to become subdued and aware of her present situation.

"I-I… Wait, I'm not fused with Pan-chan anymore… The fusion wore off… Where am I? Where is this place?"

"We're in a safe location for now, Bra. The land of Kaioshin-kai. Right now, Cell's wrath isn't upon us… Right now, anyway…" said Future Trunks, after which he spent the next few minutes explaining their present predicament, and Pan's power up process. This prompted Bra to then yell out, "So this crazy old geezer can draw out that much power in a person… And Pan, that twit is in on it before me?! I want in on the action! I want to kick that bug monster's butt!"

"We only have five days, Bra. We can't hurry up the process any more than it's being done already without botching it. For now… we need to focus on what we can do to strengthen our forces. It's quite abundantly clear that the three of us by ourselves aren't anywhere near enough to take Cell down in his present state. In just the couple of days after we finish the rituals we need to power up, I don't think there would be enough time to anywhere near catch up to Cell."

"Oh, come on! Pan-chan and I can fuse! Surely with Fusion and the power up, we'd go ahead and kick his blue balled little butt!"

"I'm afraid that he's right, young lady," said Kibitoshin, "even if you were to stack the Fusion Dance and the power up together, Cell's strength is simply unnatural. He's broken through a wall that cannot be breached by any ordinary mortal."

"Ordinary mortal? Kaioshin-sama, I don't mean to pry, but do you by any chance know of a way to bypass the limitations of being mortal?"

"You are perceptive as always, Trunks-san," said Kibitoshin, "since you trained with the Kaio of the Northern Galaxy… am I right to assume that you've heard of the name 'Super Saiyan God?'"

"Super Saiyan… God? I've seen all the numbered forms, but that's the first time I've heard of that form! I-Is that something we can reach, like, through the magic ritual?"

"The identity of the Super Saiyan God… is still a legend not known to many. Or, to be more precise, it is more accurate to say that he who is Super Saiyan God has never truly existed. The Super Saiyan God is a savior foretold in legends, born when righteous hearts become one under the blessing of the legendary Super Saiyan."

"That nearly begs more questions that it does answer them…"

"Yes… Unfortunately, Cell destroyed the new planet of Namek as soon as he decided on the place to hold his event in, and I am afraid that the only tome that houses an account of the Super Saiyan God was compiled by the ancient Namekians who wrote the book of universal legends."

"Then there is no point in mulling over it any longer, Kaioshin-sama. Even if you were to recreate the planet, I don't think that reviving the people of the planet is possible any longer now that the only active Dragon Balls were destroyed along with their planet."

"Yes, you're right… It was a fool's errand."

"But you can travel across timelines with your Time Rings, isn't that correct? In the other timeline, the world on the other side… A world in a parallel future to ours… We have friends! Friends who stuck with us thick and thin, Gohan-san, Goten-kun, my father, my other self, and Piccolo-san!"

"Y-Yes! I am unable to travel back in time using the Time Ring as that is strictly forbidden to avoid fragmenting history, but since it is a parallel timeline that is set in a year later than ours, it should be possible to reach out for help! Surely they must be willing to lend a hand in this crisis!"

"The only problem is… I don't think the other Kaioshin-sama will be willing or even able to travel in time, with him being preoccupied unlocking our potentials at this moment… Kaioshin-sama, how frequently is the Time Ring able to make round trips in time?"

"Unfortunately, only two people are capable of making a jump in time at once. It is a law in place to prevent any universe from being deserted, as by all accounts, there need not be more than two Kaioshin. Only in extreme cases have four or more Kaioshin occupied office."

"Only two people… Is that related to the number of Potaras worn by one supreme deity?"

"Yes… You are quite perceptive. Since the Time Rings are the most precious treasures of the Gods, only those who have the authority of Kaioshin have the authority to operate them. There is another Kaioshin-ranked Potara that I removed from my ear prior to my merger with Kibito, but even with that being conferred, I cannot carry more than two people at once as the Time Ring will not operate unless I am also wearing one Potara earring."

"Then we'll just have to count on you to pick out the two men most needed for this job. Does Gohan-san and Piccolo-san sound good, Onii-chan? I think Dad would just sour our teamwork 'cuz he's so grumpy and stubborn."

"They sound like the best choice, for this situation… I was thinking of Goten-kun and my other self because of their ability to fuse, but if we're bringing Potara earrings anyway, the dance is just a secondary option. Okay, Gohan-san and Piccolo-san it is! We're counting on you, Kaioshin-sama!"

"Alright! I will soon return!"

Kibitoshin then put on the Time Ring and instantly traveled to the other timeline in a burst of light that shot high in the air and opened a wormhole in the sky, transporting him out of the timeline of the future world. Kibitoshin then arrived on the Kaioshin-kai in the parallel world of the "past," where he was soon noticed by the other Kibitoshin and Rou Dai Kaioshin.

"That was the Time Ring used just now, wasn't it, ancestor?" said the Kibitoshin of the parallel world.

"Yes… It appears that when the future Trunks returned to the other timeline, he met some 'company'… I can piece together why they would send a messenger."

"Y-Yeesh!" yelled the Kibitoshin of the future timeline as he locked gazes with the Kibitoshin of the parallel timeline, prompting them both to exclaim, "I-It's like looking straight into the mirror!"

"Using the Time Ring is reserved for the direst of emergencies, provided that it is not to observe the futures of certain worlds who bear turbulent destinies. What is your emergency, Kibitoshin of the other timeline?" asked Rou Dai Kaioshin.

"A-Allow me to explain, venerable elder!" said the future Kibitoshin as he quickly conjured a quick account of the events of the future timeline in his head, then synced his mind with both of his fellow Kaioshin of this timeline.

"So, you need two fighters to join the front lines… Unfortunately, I regret to say that Gohan and Piccolo are likely unavailable," said the Rou Dai Kaioshin of the other timeline, "after all, the people of Earth consider Gods to be mere superstitions, and the riots targeting the Namekian migrants rage still. I regret to say that there isn't much I can do to quell that conflict, as engaging ourselves in worldly affairs goes against our job description, exceptions for universal conflicts such as Boo's nonwithstanding."

"T-That can't be! T-Then, what about Vegeta-san?"

"I-I just attempted to reach him telepathically, but all I received in response was, 'Cell? CELL?! I DIDN'T RAISE A GREENHORN BRAT SO PAMPERED, HE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THAT MINOR THREAT ON HIS OWN! DO NOT INVOLVE ME IN THIS!'"

"That sounds just like the Prince of Saiyans, alright… In that case, I suppose we'll go back to the original plan to recruit Goten-san and the other Trunks-san," said the future Kibitoshin gloomily as he'd realized he was unable to recruit the very best of this timeline.

"Oh, but you forget that in this timeline, you may have unexpectedly come across a helpful miscalculation! The ancient tome of the Namekian Book of Legends should be intact in this timeline, don't you see?" said the Rou Dai Kaioshin, "I give you permission! Take it with you to the other timeline! It may come to be of unexpected aid, should you decipher it!"

"Y-Yes, you're absolutely right, sire! I-I cannot believe I didn't take that into account!"

"Alright, Shin, you heard the man! While he is recruiting Trunks and Goten, you fetch the tome from the Namekians! You aren't standing around contributing nothing in this time of impending danger!"

And so, the two fused Kaioshin set off on twin journeys to acquire their respective objectives. Two days passed in which the Tome was procured, and Goten and Trunks were informed of the current situation, and assembled on Kaioshin-kai, while the present Kibitoshin handed them both a Potara earring.

"K-Kaioshin-sama, we can't take these! We can fuse on our own without them! They're the precious treasures of the Gods!" said the present Trunks.

"No, I insist. I won't be making the time jump, and the more assets you have to battle Cell with, the better. There is no need to worry, the Potaras can be reproduced with our magic in due time."

"Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever reach a time of actual peace… Oh well, it's all the more motivation to keep trying! We'll be off!" yelled Goten as he placed a Potara earring in his pocket.

"You'll win! Please do so at all costs!" yelled the parallel Kibitoshin as the one from Future Trunks' timeline placed his shoulders on Goten and Trunks and then took off toward the alternate timeline in a pillar of light.

"Giving them your own Potara was a bold move, considering Kibito's subconscious lies melded into your being," said the Rou Dai Kaioshin of the present timeline as they watched the light shimmer, and then dim into but a flicker and the wormhole closed.

"You know as well as I that we cannot be sticklers to tradition in such pressing times, whether it be this reality or a parallel one," said the parallel Kibitoshin, "and if anyone has earned the right to be employing the use of our divine treasures, it is those two brave men. Whether it was Baby or even the mightiest Evil Dragon, no matter how far backed they were into a corner, no matter how horribly outmatched, they always gave it their all and pulled through in the direst of circumstances. Gods and mortals are not a vertical hierarchy in which one only teaches the other. Strength of character transcends species, status and rank…"

"Ho, you've grown all the wiser in just a few years' time, Kibitoshin. You're finally starting to earn your position at last."

"Ahahahaha, I am proud to be praised by you at last, ancestor."

The two Saiyans arrived in the parallel Kaioshin-kai along with Kibitoshin, who teleported them to a location several miles away from where Future Trunks and the two girls were. They looked around and said, "Somehow it feels like a different place, even though it is the same planet… Cell has certainly done a number on this planet's atmosphere and wildlife…" said the other Trunks.

"I've heard stories about him from Nii-san and my dad," said Goten, "he has no respect whatsoever for other living beings. All he desires is to search and assert his own status as the perfect being."

"Yes… But more importantly, do you feel a strength growing steadily, right now?" said the other Trunks.

"Yeah, it's like a strength welling up from inside, like a Coca-Cola bottle about to burst from the cap flying off. Boo described a similar sensation when my brother was preparing for his fight with him while we fought him as Gotenks. The future Trunks-kun… He must not be deterred in the least, he sees light and hope at the end of the tunnel!"

"It is surprising that his ritual only seems to have just begun… The process of awakening Pan-san and Bra-san's potentials must have been quite a lengthy process. Just what I expect from the descendants of Son Goku-san and Vegeta-san," said Kibitoshin.

"You said that there was only a window of five days, right? It seems like there won't be time to unlock our potentials then," said Goten.

"We don't need it! If we go and become Potara Gotenks again now, we'll steal the show by ourselves! Buckle up and get ready, Goten! We train in earnest, right now!"

"You're on, Trunks! HAAAAAH!" yelled Goten as he immediately went Super Saiyan 3, causing the other Trunks to transform in turn. Watching this, Kibitoshin smiled and said to himself, "Even in such dire and trying times, all they can think about is improving themselves. Even with such a short time to prepare, they aren't giving in… Perhaps the combined strengths of their will can overcome all odds and create yet another miracle…"

Kibitoshin watched them duke it out for the next several hours before then restoring their stamina when they wore themselves out, as well as providing them with weighted clothing and illusionary magic to create virtual opponents for them to spar against.

Meanwhile, Future Trunks continued to sit in unabated, absolutely impeccable concentration as the Rou Dai Kaioshin continued to reach into the deepest wells of his potential and draw it out still.

"This is quite amazing, his strength of will to draw out his power is nearly overwhelming…" thought the Rou Dai Kaioshin, "as well trained as he already is, his power should already have been glimpsed and estimated, and all he would need under ordinary circumstances would be to yield and allow me to create the window to bring him in sync with his 'true' self… But his will goes beyond that, he wants power like nothing else, to be more than he possibly could be…"

"Cell cannot win. The people of the Mother Planet… the Resistance of this timeline may not be the exact people I knew in the other world, but even without memories of our interactions, even without living the same lives, we had a bond…! A bond Cell cannot and hasn't broken even in their deaths! Twenty hours or thirty, I -AM- going to be the strongest I can possibly ever be!" thought Future Trunks as a white aura blazed around himself, and grew larger and larger still.

"S-Sheesh! I am in the nexus of his maelstrom of power, and the one serving as catalyst, and even I still can barely maintain my focus! I have seen people who've simply had great potential, but not ones whose strength allows more potential than their reserves could allow to be harnessed like this! B-But that's all the more reason why I will pull my own weight as well! Trunks, you have earned my respect…! If sitting still in the middle of this tornado is what it takes for me to bring you to your best self, I will do just that…! In twenty hours, we will metamorphize you into the greatest of beasts!"

"You can do it, Onii-chan…!" thought Bra as she and Pan stood not far, with their hands clapped in praying positions. Indeed, perhaps this miracle happening before them was a product of not one man's unyielding will, but three, no, five powerful minds working in unison, a strength they unknowingly but surely realized!

An explosion of power eventually shook the Kaioshin-kai to its core as Future Trunks erupted out of the shell of his former self. The elder Kaioshin was immediately blown away by the massive storm, yelling, "GWAWAAAAAAAARGH! I-I knew this was coming!"

Kibitoshin then caught him and brought him to the ground before healing him out of his shock, and the eyes of Bra, Pan, Goten and the other Trunks were transfixed at the sight of the new and reborn Future Trunks. His hair stood in a moderately spiky fashion and curved at the sides in a shape similar to a horse's hoove – closely resembling his Super Saiyan hairstyle. Yet, it remained its ordinary purple color, and Future Trunks himself had eyes that were not clouded by anger or hate, nor lost in sadness or consternation. They had the depth of a vast ocean and the clarity and purity of a stream in which salmon fish swam not knowing the burdens and ails of the wretched world… Indeed, this was "Ultimate Trunks…!"

"Took you long enough," said the other Trunks with his arms crossed.

"It must have taken all that you had, getting to that level… How do you feel, Trunks-kun?"

"I am ready to take on anything. I feel no longer any fear or doubt."

"T-Trunks of the future really is amazing… His process almost took as long as me and Bra-chan combined! And he should have already been closer to his full potential, as it is with all his training…! He really must've wanted it, he really is Vegeta-san's son!" thought Pan as her heart skipped a beat.

"Alright. There probably isn't much time left. Shall we get going?" said Future Trunks as he reverted back to his base form.

"Before that, we'll go to Earth and inform your mother we're heading out, other me," said the other Trunks.

"W-Wha…? You don't want her to be caught in the middle of this, do you, Onii-chan? S-She's been worried sick for like the past three years…!"

"Which is why it's all the more reason why we need to assure her that this is just another martial arts tournament we're in. And that we'll all win. Seeing me there will probably just cause her unnecessary worry. You and the other me go there by yourselves, and tell her beyond a doubt that you'll be comin' back. Pan-chan, Goten and I will all just be finishing up our training and then taking a mental break before the big battle."

"I-I guess you're right… But I do feel like a bit of a liar, assuring her that it's nothin'…"

"If you are sincere enough about the promise of coming back, that feeling alone will go through. And trust me, it's better to get this off your chest than to burden your mind with not having said your goodbyes when times get trying."

"There is no need to worry… we are going to win."

And so, Future Trunks and Bra teleported to Future Bulma's location with Kibitoshin's help, at which point he said, "You have eight hours before the promised date. Please take care and be not too worried before the battle. The fate of the universe is in your hands, but I assure you that we will pull through. Unexpected circumstances or no, in the short time that we have fought together we have cultivated a bond… And these are bonds that will transcend lifetimes."

"Thank you very much, Kaioshin-sama. We will never forget what you have done," said Future Trunks as he bowed before the deity, and Bra, a half-second later, reluctantly lowered her posture as well.

They then walked in Future Bulma's residence, where she was collapsed drunk on her table once more. Future Trunks gently placed his palm on her back, and she awoke to see the faint image of her son. No words were necessary… the mother and son embraced each other, and both then fell into a deep sleep. Bra wiped a tear off her eye, and then said, "Eight hours… That's plenty enough for me! I'll train some more!" and then took out her Nyoi-bo before quickly entering her Ultimate state and flew into a savannah and trained for the next four hours. She soon returned to Capsule Corp., sweating profusely and relieved of tension. There, Future Trunks was waiting next to the front door, where he then said, "Welcome back. I had a feeling you'd go off and train."

"I can't let ya hog all the spotlight, after all, Onii-chan!"

"Alright. But the next four hours, you'll be resting. We don't want you to be tired during the big fight."

"Alright! I'm settin' the alarm clock for 3 and a half hours from now!" said Bra as she quickly fell asleep on Future Bulma's bed.

Future Trunks, overwhelmed by the feeling of finally having allies to defend his timeline with that he could trust his back to at last, took out a pen and paper and began writing a letter to Bra. A few hours later, the two then convened outside of Capsule Corp. to meet with Kibitoshin, Goten, the other Trunks and Pan. Without so much as a word, they then immediately headed to Planet Plant, where a sandstorm-like maelstrom of Ki could be felt across the planet.

"T-This is Cell's Ki, isn't it…? H-He isn't stronger than before, is he?"

"Physically, probably not… He's more than likely just been meditating, honing his mind to rid himself of his inexperience in controlling his new powers… And as a result, his 'zone' so to speak has gone and encompassed this entire planet…! It's like as long as we're within the confines of this planet, we're within his reach!"

"There's no need to overhype our enemy. No matter how powerful he is, we've gotten stronger too!" yelled Goten as he immediately went Super Saiyan 2, and the other Trunks did the same. Then, Cell began walking forebodingly toward the group gathered before him, and immediately appeared before them in just half a step he took casually. He then said, "The rules are simple… As many of you can come at me as you'd like, the last one standing wins."

"Prepare for battle!" yelled all five of the fighters gathered together to fight Cell as they instantly activated their most powerful states…!

To be continued…