Time Patrol Trunks gritted his teeth, forcing himself to halt in mid-air. His breathing was heavy, his energy reserves dwindling after the relentless exchange.
From below, Future Gohan surged upward, his golden aura flaring as he aimed a devastating kick at Trunks. Seeing the incoming attack, Trunks reacted instinctively, meeting Future Gohan's strike head-on with his own kick.
BANG!
The clash of their blows sent both warriors flying backward, the force of the impact creating shockwaves that rippled through the air.
"Ahhh!" Trunks roared, channeling every ounce of his remaining energy as he charged at Future Gohan, his fists a blur of motion.
Future Gohan dodged and countered, their fists and feet colliding with explosive force. Each strike shook the battlefield, sending debris flying as their fight intensified.
Future Gohan caught Trunks's left fist mid-punch and retaliated with a powerful kick to his stomach.
Bang! Boom!
The force of the attack sent Trunks crashing into a massive stone pillar, shattering it into a cloud of dust and rubble. When the dust settled, Trunks stood amidst the debris, his stance unwavering despite the impact.
"I understand your pain," Future Gohan said, his voice tinged with emotion. "But hesitant fists can never defeat me. I won't lose to anyone again!"
Raising his right hand, he began gathering his energy. "Kame….hame…ha!"
A deep blue energy wave coalesced in his palm, its glow illuminating the battlefield.
Trunks clenched his fists, his own energy surging as he prepared to counter. "Final Flash!"
The golden energy around Trunks grew more intense, crackling with power as he raised his hands above his head. The sheer force of their auras sent sand and rocks flying into the air.
"Wave!"
Both warriors unleashed their attacks simultaneously, the Kamehameha and Final Flash colliding in a brilliant explosion of energy that lit up the sky. Future Gohan, fighting with only one hand, struggled to maintain his attack against Trunks's relentless power.
Trunks's mind raced with memories of his own Gohan, the mentor and friend who had sacrificed everything for their timeline.
"Ahhhh!" Trunks roared, pouring all his strength into the Final Flash.
Future Gohan gritted his teeth, his single arm trembling as he tried to hold his ground. But the force of Trunks's attack was overwhelming.
With a final, deafening explosion, the Final Flash overpowered the Kamehameha, engulfing Future Gohan in a golden storm of energy.
When the smoke cleared, Future Gohan was revealed kneeling on the ground, his breathing labored. Trunks, now back in his base form, collapsed to one knee, his energy spent.
Elsewhere, Jiren and Time Patrol Trunks had separated from Goku. In their travels, they encountered a man in a black robe.
Trunks tensed, his instincts warning him of the imminent danger.
The figure removed his hood, revealing a face strikingly similar to Goku's, though marked by a cross-shaped scar and a red cloth tied around his head.
"I'm not Kakarot," the man said, his voice calm but commanding. "My name is Bardock."
Trunks's eyes widened in recognition. "Bardock? Are you Uncle Goku's father?"
After Granola's defeat, Vegeta had shared the story of Bardock's sacrifice, painting a picture of the Saiyan warrior who had stood against Frieza.
Bardock's expression hardened. "It doesn't matter who I am. All you need to know is that I'm your enemy."
With a shout, Bardock's Ki erupted around him, the ground beneath him cracking under the pressure. His hair turned golden, growing long as he ascended to Super Saiyan 3.
"Super Saiyan 3!" Trunks exclaimed, his own energy flaring in response.
Without hesitation, Trunks transformed into Super Saiyan 3, his golden hair flowing as he prepared to fight. The two warriors charged at each other, their clash sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Goten had defeated the Namekian resembling Piccolo and captured the Pokémon-like creature from him. In a flash of light, both Gohan and Goten were teleported back to the starting point.
"That's weird," Goten said, looking around. "Where are Dad and the others? Are we the only ones teleported back?"
On another battlefield, Goku, Vegeta, and Hit faced two girls from the Glass Clan. Their blue hair and matching dresses gave them a serene appearance, but their power was anything but gentle.
The trio of warriors quickly engaged the Glass Clan girls, their attacks precise and relentless. Though the girls fought valiantly, they were eventually overwhelmed by Goku, Vegeta, and Hit's combined strength.
In a secluded chamber, Aeos sat on a white stone chair, her posture relaxed as she observed the chaos unfolding across the timelines.
A black-robed figure approached, their small stature contrasting sharply with the imposing presence they exuded. As they drew closer, the figure removed their hood, revealing a pink-skinned face.
This was Chronoa, the current Supreme Kai of Time.
"Lord Aeos," Chronoa said, their voice firm yet respectful.
Aeos's gaze shifted lazily to Chronoa, her expression unreadable. "It's you," she said, her tone devoid of surprise.
"I'm here to retrieve the Scrolls of Time," Chronoa said, their seriousness unyielding.
Aeos smirked. "If you want them so badly, come and take them… if you can."
Chronoa's expression tightened. she had anticipated this confrontation but knew the challenge ahead was immense. Aeos, as the former Supreme Kai of Time, was a force to be reckoned with.
Even so, the stakes were too high to falter now. With all the timelines hanging in the balance, Chronoa steeled her resolve and prepared to fight.