"Impossible!"
Vegeta waved his hand sharply, scowling.
"There are only three Saiyans left alive in this world—me, Kakarot, and our sons. Don't make me laugh—how could there be another Saiyan?"
Watching Vegeta's dismissive attitude, Lynx—couldn't help but think how the Vegeta in his own timeline, who once begged him to take him as a student, was far more likable than this prideful adult version.
"You're both right... and wrong," Lynx replied calmly. "I'm not from your timeline. I'm a Saiyan from another timeline."
"Another timeline?"
The group was momentarily stunned. Most of them couldn't quite grasp what he meant—except, of course, for the one scientific genius among them: Bulma.
Cradling baby Trunks in her arms, Bulma pushed through the crowd.
"You mean you're from a parallel timeline? Like Trunks?"
"Bulma, get away from him! We don't know who he really is!" Vegeta shouted, alarmed at how casually his wife approached the stranger.
"Mom, be careful!" Future Trunks added nervously.
"Relax! I don't think he's lying," Bulma said, waving them off. Ever blunt and bold, just like in Lynx's own timeline.
She turned to Future Trunks.
"Don't forget, Trunks—you're from a parallel world too, remember?"
Trunks froze for a moment. That... was true. He was from a different timeline. So the idea that another Saiyan from yet another parallel world had shown up... didn't sound that far-fetched after all.
"So how'd you get here?" Bulma asked, eyes lighting up with curiosity. "You have a time machine too?"
"Not exactly," Lynx said. "There was... an accident. I got sucked into a rift in space-time. My scouter detected strong energy signatures here, so I came to investigate. I didn't expect to run into all of you."
From the setting and the atmosphere, Lynx could tell—they were in the middle of a cherry blossom picnic. The timing of his arrival... lined up perfectly with the beginning of the Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan storyline.
In that movie, Paragus had first appeared during a cherry blossom viewing party.
Which meant—Paragus could show up any second now.
Given that, Lynx didn't bother explaining further. Besides, most of the group didn't care much about anything outside training, food, or fun. And as always, Bulma wasn't the type to push too hard when someone didn't want to talk.
Before long, the others had dropped the topic entirely.
In fact, young Gohan and the others welcomed Lynx warmly, inviting the time-traveling wanderer to join their hanami gathering. Gohan even said:
"When my dad gets here, you gotta meet him!"
The picnic resumed, everyone lounging on the grass as someone broke out a karaoke machine.
True to form, Vegeta huffed and retreated to lean silently against a cherry tree, arms crossed and eyes closed.
Everything was unfolding exactly as Lynx remembered from the movie.
Since Paragus was bound to arrive soon, Lynx saw no reason to rush things. Let the story play out naturally.
Besides, getting the chance to chat and spend time with these familiar faces was a rare experience for him.
After all, many of them either hadn't been born yet in his world—or were still children. These versions, in their current age, were the ones Lynx knew best.
As Krillin took the mic and started belting out a song, Lynx casually turned to Gohan.
"Hey, I'm trying to learn more about Saiyans on this Earth. Mind if I ask a few questions?"
And just like that, Lynx began piecing together this world's unique history.
Turns out—it wasn't the same Dragon Ball timeline he knew from the original manga.
If the main timeline of Dragon Ball is the "Prime Universe," then Lynx's original timeline was already an alternate timeline.
And this one was yet another branch—a third path diverging from the canon.
Here, the Cell Games never happened.
Androids and Cell had indeed appeared... but the story changed after Cell absorbed Android 17.
In this world, to defeat the Androids, Goku, Vegeta, and the others all trained inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, unlocking power beyond the ordinary Super Saiyan state.
As a result, when Cell reached his Second Form, Vegeta didn't make the same mistake he had in the main timeline—he didn't let Cell absorb Android 18.
He just finished him off, right there.
That one decision altered everything.
Because Cell never reached his Perfect Form, the Cell Games never happened. Humanity never learned the truth about the monstrous threat that could've wiped them out. The world remained at peace—just like what Lynx was witnessing now.
"So that's the reason…" Lynx thought, a longstanding mystery finally clicking into place.
He'd always found it odd—Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan supposedly took place ten days before the Cell Games.
But if the Cell Games were so close, why would everyone waste time going off to the South Galaxy?
And why would Earth's people still be signing their kids up for crane school if the world was about to end?
Because in this timeline… Cell was already dead.
"Hey Trunks," Lynx turned to the lavender-haired teen. "So your dad... ended up being the savior of the world, huh?"
Trunks looked down, face reddening, unsure how to respond.
Before he could, Bulma laughed and chimed in:
"Savior or not, he still can't sing to save his life. Know why he's hiding back there? He's sulking 'cause Krillin's a better singer!"
"Bwahaha!"
The whole group burst into laughter.
"Bulma!!" Vegeta suddenly shouted from behind a cherry tree, clearly flustered.
Just then, the sky above them darkened.
A massive spaceship loomed overhead, descending rapidly.
"They're here!" Lynx's eyes lit up, instantly recognizing the vessel.
The others all jumped to their feet, tension in the air.
"Trunks! Who's on that ship?" Gohan asked, sensing the presence.
"There's... a Saiyan onboard!" Trunks confirmed, frowning.
"Tch! What is this, Saiyan reunion day?" Vegeta snapped. "Lynx—he your buddy?"
"No," Lynx replied calmly, eyes locked on the ship. "I don't recognize that Saiyan... or the ship."
As murmurs spread among the group, the spacecraft slowly landed on a nearby patch of grass.
With a hiss of pressure, its doors opened—and a battalion of armored aliens in purple Frieza Force-style armor began pouring out, rushing straight toward them.