The Three Legendary Saiyans.

Chapter 95: Rifts At The Core of The Universe.

Deep at the very core of Universe 7 sat the temple-like planet that which was home to Beerus; out on the rolling plains of purple-grass fields and a deep lake where The Saiyans trained to their hearts content, Goku, Vegeta and Broly floating in the air with weights attached to both arms and both legs as the trio sparred while exerting as little energy as possible while maintaining flight, Whis and Beerus both watching with interest while Cheelai and Lemo prepared stir-fry's at a fully-equipped kitchen unit.

The sparring coming to an end as an intriguing event was taking place amongst those gathered on Beerus' World, the exhausted Saiyan named Raijin stood on the spot as plumes of fiery energy that formed his aura burst into life but only as two separate plumes on his back, the energy shimmering and shifting as part of his training to achieve Aura Form like Cress had done before him.

With the united attention from Beerus, Whis, Broly, Goku, Vegeta, Cheelai and Lemo turned to Raijin; the pure white flames of Raijin's own energy folding and condensing in his training until a visible shape began manifesting within the flames; a form akin to feathers but quickly dissipated as quickly as they formed leaving the flames to vanish and Raijin to crumble to his knees from the strain of trying to achieve even the smallest semblance of Aura Form even after a full year of training.

"Damn it… I don't know how to manifest something as solid as what Cress could do!" Raijin gasped his words after hours upon hours of exuding his aura and maintaining it for long periods while also attempting to mould it into a tangible form, understanding by Aura Form was considered by many to be impossible.

"Still; you're closer than you were six months ago" Goku chimed in cheerfully; speaking on how Raijin was barely able to separate his aura flames at all as to now that Raijin was manifesting feather-like forms for brief moments.

"Thanks Goku, but only a feather or two isn't anywhere close to a corporal form" Raijin spoke through panting breaths; the entire years he'd been practicing the Energy Control techniques that Goku and Vegeta were learning but also trying to grow stronger on his own by achieving the impossible technique: Aura Form.

"Let me get this straight… you want to learn a technique even Master Roshi and Grandpa Gohan couldn't master in only a single year? Goku stared at Raijin with a puzzled expression; speaking bluntly when as far as he knew even Roshi had failed to learn the technique when he knew all the ancient martial arts.

"What are you saying Goku? You think I can't do it?" Raijin snapped suddenly; glaring intently at Goku with a beastly glare that he usually only gave when in his Super Saiyan 4 state.

"Oh no; I want to see you accomplish this training because I want to fight someone who'd mastered a technique considered impossible" Goku raised his hands as he grinned while speaking; chuckling at the premise of fighting an Aura Form User.

"Is fighting me all you ever think about? We technically already did when Broly used one!" Raijin remarked with an amused grin and pointing at Broly as he'd used the skill briefly with his Great Ape-Face Aura; having been watching Goku's training and secretly craved a fight with Goku and his newly attained Ultra Instinct Mastery.

"Allow me to answer that for him, he's an idiot so yes" Vegeta remarked on Goku's behalf; confirming that Goku was an indeed an idiot.

"Well said Vegeta" Beerus chimed into the conversation, The God of Destruction sitting atop an inactive fountain in wait for the stir-fry but still listening in on the conversation but he too was also present to bear witness to the possibility of a new Aura Form User in Raijin.

"You say I used this… Aura… Form… but I have no memory of using such a difficult skill like the one you're a trying to master" Broly spoke up; his tone low and calm but his recollection on using the impossible skill was not there for he'd only been acting on instinct and the rage of battle at the time.

"I understand Broly; you went in control then but your potential for growth is leagues bigger than anything we can imagine" Raijin spoke back and giving Broly a pat on the back; encouraging him to try to reclaim that power as part of the realisation of his enormous potential.

"Though I have to admit Vegeta; we're both a little jealous that Raijin has fought someone who'd mastered that power" Goku spoke to Vegeta and Vegeta only; addressing the recounting of the battle against Cress that Raijin had filled them in on in full detail, Vegeta giving a brief nod in agreement when it came to facing such an adversary.

"Speaking of power… the next World Martial Arts Tournament in coming up in a few months, do you think that fighter you've been waiting for will finally appear?" Raijin remarked on the upcoming tournament in which Hercule would have to defend his title once again, but instead speaking on the mystery opponent Goku had been waiting all these years for.

"Yes, I think so, it's finally time!" Goku's calm expression quickly turned to one of excitement at the impending tournament, for one detail was that Pan finally being old enough to compete and the almost-certain guarantee that the mystery he's been waiting for was finally going to appear.

"So; are you ever going to tell us who this mystery fighter is? You've always been rather cryptic about him or her" Raijin remarked; letting himself relax for a moment in an attempt to pry some details on the mystery opponent.

"Whoever it is, this fighter must be extremely strong for you to be this eager about meeting them in the arena, I too look forward to meeting this opponent in glorious battle" Vegeta spoke proudly; eager for the prospect of fighting someone new with a power he'd never seen based on Goku's patience in waiting for this foe.

"Let's just say he's the reincarnation of a foe we faced together!" Goku smirked as he remarked on the time the trio of Goku himself, Vegeta and Raijin had all faced a certain foe before, a long moment on silence passed before Vegeta and Raijin both widened their eyes upon realising that they had only been one serious foe they'd faced together as a trio that was Kid Buu.

"You're kidding me?! You seriously mean that little monster was reincarnated? I died to bring him down!" Raijin stood up so fast he left an updraft from where he'd been sitting; standing directly in front of Goku upon remembering that he'd had to die in the Spirit Bomb to bring down Kid Buu the last time they'd faced the little monster and he'd been reincarnated and had kept it secret.

"I think he's telling us the truth; you seriously arranged it so Kid Buu would be returned to life? Some random human has the powers of Buu?" Vegeta responded in kind with Raijin's understandable frustration; keeping his arms crossed at the idea that some human likely still a child had the incredible power of a being capable of destroying a world with a simple bellow.

"Well yeah; when The Spirit Bomb made contact, I asked King Yemma to reincarnate Buu into a good person so we might meet again, and he granted that request" Goku quickly recounted his request for Buu's Evil Half's reincarnation while Good Buu remained at Hercule's Mansion, it had been confirmed to Goku that the request had been granted but the identity of the reincarnation remained unknown to prevent someone seeking him out to utilise that great power.

"Goku; you're an idiot but sometimes your ideas produce something genuinely great" Vegeta scoffed; grinning at the prospect of fighting a new opponent blessed with the power and might of a foe they'd genuinely struggled to defeat on their own.

"Well thanks Vegeta; you're not fully seeing this from my side; a new fighter had been born with great power and I want to see how that kind of might can be put to use in the future… for the cause of good!"

Not only Vegeta stared in disbelief at Goku for looking to the future but also Whis and Beerus, while Broly, Cheelai and Lemo all just stared at Goku but a distinct clapping came from Raijin's hands as he fully agreed with Goku on the notion of playing a part in the forging of the road to the future.

"In a way I actually side with Goku here; the three of us are not always able to face every threat Earth or Universe 7 faces, and we're all nearly at our peaks; we all have to look to training the next generation if we want Universe 7 to be secure once we're gone" Raijin spoke solemnly; thinking of how they'd not been present for Cell Max nor for the beginnings of Frieza's failed invasion of Earth, thinking that preparing Trunks, Goten, Bulla, Pan and the mysterious reincarnation of Buu to be the next generation of Z Fighters may be an immediate practice instead of just training their own strength.

"You're very wise to think that way; your stories aren't going to end any time soon" Whis spoke cryptically; his eyes flashing to Raijin when addressing the end of their stories when he too knew of the haunting premonition of death he'd experienced but still spoke like Raijin's end was still a long way off.

"Why don't you give your technique one more try? I think you've almost got this" Cheelai spoke up; shifting her latest sack of loot that Beerus seemingly just ignored every time she was thieving, speaking directly to Raijin as whenever he made another attempt it drew all eyes to him and allowed her to peek around for more treasures to sell.

"Ok, one more time before rest" Raijin grinned at Cheelai; she was rarely one to offer words of encouragement to anyone other than Broly but when speaking to Raijin she always seemed sweet and honest even though her gestures were often upfront or accusatory.

With all eyes on him; Raijin willed his aura into life; the white and golden flames igniting and burning the air in two separate plumes of fire, taking in deep breaths one after another as Raijin attempted to mould the flames into a tangible form; the flames briefly taking shape and appearing like a pair of flapping wings for a split second before disappearing and Raijin breaking down to his knees in exhaustion.

"This isn't something that can be forced; what you are trying to learn and master is something that Masters throughout history have dedicated their entire lives to and still failed" Cheelai chimed in but in a blunt tone; she girl rarely spoke on their training but when she did it was always blunt and to-the-point.

Raijin stayed silent as he looked over to Broly who stared back but cracked a friendly smile; Raijin recalled that prior to Broly's ascension he'd demonstrated an Aura Form himself with an aura that took on the face of The Great Ape but he had no memory of executing the technique much less manifesting it again since that one time leaving not much help except a clue to how manifesting it worked.

Rising back to his feet and drawing back everyone's undivided attention for another attempt, letting his breathing do the work to gather the energy necessary just as the white flames of his normal aura bursting into life almost akin to a butterfly or bird flapping its wings, the briefest image of feathers manifesting much to the intrigue of all those watching.

With each breath Raijin inhaled and exhaled; the fiery aura burned brightly against the skies of Beerus' World; Raijin's hands moving together for form a prayer sign while the white flames contorted again and again with each folding revealed more feathery features before Raijin's eyes snapped open and the formation of his aura ceased.

"Why did you stop?! You were almost successful…" Vegeta bellowed with rage at the near-successful manifestation when he saw the sight Raijin was staring at.

All the mortal individuals gathered turned to see what Raijin had sensed and seen the moment his eyes opened and felt a shudder down their spines at what they were seeing, the skies themselves and the infinite reaches of Space were cracking and distorting as if their very dimension was under threat.

"What is happening?!" Lemo screamed at the top of his lungs; dropping down to his knees and crawling under the counters of his kitchen tops and hiding from the tearing of reality.

"An interesting phenomenon indeed; reality itself is tearing at the seams and opening portals to The Realm Between Worlds, if this continues then Universe 7 might be erased and spread to other Universes, such a feat begins at the Universe's core and spreads outwards until encompassing the entire reality, and then reality collapses"

"Oh god… Chronoa told me about this! This is The Catastrophe that heralds the beginning of our final conflict" Raijin quickly figured out that this was what Chronoa exactly was warning him about; the conflict in which he was doomed to due fighting in and that he must defy fate in order to overcome the catastrophe.

"Final conflict? This is what you told us after your little side mission?" Vegeta questioned indistinctly; glaring up at the tears in Space as one begun tearing further and separating as a white void into something beyond the natural laws.

Raijin felt a lump in the back of this throat as he mentally flashed back to that harrowing premonition in which he was fated to die in a large metallic chamber of some kind; he'd assumed it might be someplace with Bulma's Research Laboratory but no such room inside matched what he'd seen in that vision.

"Right now you are the one who knows what is waiting for you all back on Earth; and thus… you must leave right now" Cheelai shouted; dropping a loot sack to the ground with a large number of golden doubloons spilling out from the sack

"Goku!" Raijin yelled at the top of his lungs; turning on his heels and breaking into a sprint alongside Vegeta who quickly understood the urgency and followed, Broly though briefly clueless connected the dots in his mind only to join the Saiyans as they all reached out for Goku's own outstretched arm.

"On it! Grab my hand and we'll use Instant Transmission!" Goku yelled; quickly moving his fingers to his forehead and reaching out with his free left hand, Raijin, Vegeta, and Broly all grabbing a hold and waiting for Goku to lock onto a strong life sign to teleport to only for nothing to happen.

"Aren't we supposed to be disappearing?" Broly spoke lowly; his low tone of voice indicative of how his social skills had grown over the last two years via training alongside Goku and Vegeta.

"Why aren't we teleporting Kakarot?! This is supposed to be what you're good at!" Vegeta snapped aggressively; a brief popping on the vein in his temple being pronounced as he shouted as they were not teleporting as quickly as it normally took for Goku to lock onto a life sign on Earth.

"I can't find someone to teleport to! Whatever is happening is interfering with my focus" Goku felt shocked as he spoke; removing his fingers from his forehead and moving his line of sight from his friends to the rifts tearing through Space.

"Then you can't teleport us directly to Earth? Fantastic!" Raijin stated with annoyance; removing his grip from Goku's own grasp and turning to watch as the rift in reality grew larger and wider.

Vegeta and Raijin both looked to the still-tearing rips in Space; both assuming that these dimensional fissures were stopping Goku from teleporting the extreme distance between Beerus' World and Earth.

"Whatever it is that you're thinking… I recommend not doing it!" Beerus shouted instantly; his frame glowering with an intense purple flame that burnt the very air, his cat-eyes leering directly at Raijin.

"What? What were you two thinking about?" Cheelai questioned; asking directly while Lemo remained hiding under his kitchen counters, Cheelai strutting over and standing right next to Broly while he calmly removed his hand from Goku's arm.

"I am thinking that those rifts might get us to Earth faster now that your teleporting is out of commission" Raijin gulped and then confessed to thinking of using the rifts to jump through Space and get to Earth.

"Doing so would be extremely foolhardy, the unstable ground within The Realm Between Worlds would tear you apart in seconds, there wouldn't be a single molecule of you left and your soul would never reach Other World; it'll just be stuck between worlds for eternity" Beerus narrowed his eyes as he spoke; speaking carefully on the very thing Raijin had been thinking of and how doing so would have been equal to signing his own death certificate.

Raijin stood silent for a moment; letting what Beerus said sink in when it came to being destroyed and the soul having no place to go, the idea sending shivers down his spine.

"What if we hop from one planet to another? Teleport to the closest world until reaching Earth?" Vegeta suggested as an option; using the planetoids around Beerus' World and get to Earth one world at a time.

"That'll take you a long time to make the trip, and it'll exhaust Goku and make him nearly useless once the fighting starts" Whis countered quickly; the trip would take several hours and exhaust all of Goku's energy and stamina long before ever reaching Earth.

"What about Shin? Can't he come here and transport us?" Goku turned to Whis; speaking with an uncharacteristic tone of urgency seeing as he couldn't teleport directly to Earth.

"Afraid that won't work either, Shin's transportation technique Kai-Kai is cross-dimensional much like my own, these rifts interfere with all extremely-long range transport techniques including your own" Whis explained; the fact that all cross-dimensional and transportation techniques would be unusable this close to the dimensional rifts.

"So we're stuck… wonderful" Vegeta bellowed; pulling his hand back from Goku's grip and crossing his arms in disappointment in Goku's teleportation ability regardless of the imminent tearing of reality.

Raijin brought his hand to his chin for a moment; thinking and opened his mouth to speak an idea that had just occurred to him, "What about short range?".

"What do you mean by short range?" Goku thought out loud; wondering what Raijin meant when he'd only ever used Instant Transmission for long to extreme-long distance teleportation's.

"It seems that teleporting planet to planet is the only way to get back…" Raijin spoke; his eyes gleaming with a determination and he and Goku quickly shared, the two Saiyans quickly locking hands as Vegeta and Broly both took old of their forearms in preparation to teleport.

"Weren't you listening? You'll be too exhausted and drained to do anything against the inevitable enemies waiting for you!" Whis spoke again; warning the group of four once again that teleporting from planet to planet would take too much time and exhaust Goku before ever reaching Earth.

"I don't care anymore, I'm agreeing to this plan, I'll teleport to the furthest planet I can find to shorten the trip but it'll still take a fair few hours" Vegeta scoffed; being the first to return his hand back to Goku as he stood by the teleportation plan.

"Anyone whose coming along, take hold now" Goku spoke with determination; holding out his left hand while his right moved back to his forehead, Raijin and Vegeta quickly grabbing a hold of Goku's hand with Broly grabbing a hold of Raijin's shoulder a split second before teleporting, The Four Saiyans vanishing leaving only their footprints in the grass behind.

"Whis, how much time before our Universe collapses under this catastrophe? Goku asked with determination; wanting a estimate of time to solve the growing crisis before the point of no return.

"Exactly twenty-four hours from the exact moment the first rift opened" Whis spoke calmly though his stern expression showed his disapproval for what The Saiyans were about to do so they could transport themselves back to Earth.

"It's pretty far to Earth, do you really think you can make it back in time?" Lemo asked; getting his words in before The Saiyans could beginning their long journey back to Earth.

"We'll make it! And then we stop who or what is causing this!" Goku declared openly and with resolve; raising his fingers to his head, with his focus narrowed on the furthest planet he could sense with strong life and launched his Instant Transmission with himself, Raijin, Vegeta and Broly in tow as they all teleported to the first world in their long journey.

"They're gone? They actually went with that crazy idea" Cheelai stammered in shock; astounded by the recklessness evident in the fact that The Four Saiyans have actually left on a foolhardy journey of teleporting to one planet after another in order to reach Earth.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Lemo spoke with a shudder; serving up his stir-fry onto a pair of plates for Whis and Beerus, concerned for their friends as they'd teleported away with a shorter range but Earth still being the destination.

"At their fastest then it'll be at least seven hours… but they'll be lucky to make it to Earth by that mark if whatever started this is left unchecked" Whis spoke with a disappointed tone; tapping the orb on his staff and casting a timer and a small projection of The Saiyans jumping from planet to planet with each Instant Transmission for Cheelai and Lemo to watch.

"Then pray to whatever god will listen" Beerus callously remarked as he turned his back on Cheelai and Lemo as he scooped up his plate of stir-fry; walking away without a single care in the growing catastrophe threatening their Universe as well as all the others even if it ended in total erasure, leaving the two to stare at each other in shock at how little a God cared for the universe's predicament.