Goten held a piece of fluffy grass in his mouth. As he was exhausted from training, he was resting against a rock under a shade of tree.
Videl's sudden appearance caught him off guard. Although he recognized her – after all, she was Gohan's wife in the original Dragon Ball series – her presence here made no sense.
Because this time, Gohan had been killed during Cell games, so there was no possibility for the two of them to meet.
However, Videl actually appeared in Mount Paozu at this time, which made him feel a little puzzled.
He guessed that her visit might have something to do with the harsh warning he gave to Satan before. After all Satan was Videl's father.
And in Videl's mind, she had always regarded her father as a superhero and her role model. She had no doubts about his strength.
Then, the things Goten said two months ago about her father seemed to have shaken Videl's father and caused their family a lot of trouble.
"You are Son Goten??"
Videl walked directly in front of Goten and asked, her voice held both curiosity and surprise.
Because Goten, who was seen on live TV before, had extremely indifferent eyes.
Back then, he'd exuded a menacing intensity.
Now he appeared different – lazy, almost. The murderous aura that once clung to him had dissipated. He looked like a lazy handsome boy next door.
His demeanor was far removed from what she saw in the live broadcasts before.
"I am Goten," he replied, his tone casual. "What can I do for you?" he asked.
"You jerk!!" Videl's voice snapped with anger. "Do you realize the damage your words caused to my father's reputation two months ago?"
"By the way," she continued, her gaze unwavering, "my father is Mr. Satan – the reigning world fighting champion."
These past two months had been tormenting for her father. Countless media reporters and relentless interviewers scrambled to crush their thresholds for gossip. This incident had visibly aged him.
She had wanted to confront Goten and seek explanation for a while now, but it was hard to locate him. Videl's frustration grew.
Even with her contacts, she had to search tirelessly for two whole months before she could find this remote place. Finding this remote place had been extremely challenging and frustrating, and there seemed to be no signs of anyone else living here except Goten.
"So, you are Mr. Satan's daughter!" Goten drawled. "What do you want?"
"Are you here to defend your father's despicable deeds?" Goten's tone remained lazy, he looked at Videl and asked lightly "Or perhaps you're here to teach me a lesson on his behalf?"
Videl's trust in her father bordered on blind worship.
"You... why did you frame my father before?" She demanded.
"Eight years ago, it was my father who defeated Cell, granting us eight years of peace."
"Yet, just because of your few words, everyone questioned my father." Videl said indignantly. "Do you grasp how humiliating this is for a world fighting champion!? For the savior of mankind!?"
Although she also doubted her father with how silly he was sometimes, but for her, in this world, her father was the strongest existence and it was widely accepted.
But just because of Goten's previous appearance and what he said, the situation had completely changed now.
"Oh?" Goten narrowed his eyes slightly.
He stood up, and walked directly in front of Videl. The two years of training in the hyperbolic time chamber had transformed him, making him taller, more imposing.
He was almost as big as Videl. After all, girls in dragon ball were relatively petite, and Saiyans had the characteristic of sudden growth spurts, as Gohan explained to Piccolo in the movie version of 'Dragon Ball Super: Super Heroes'.
Goku also went from a kid to a tall handsome guy in just three years when he was a young.
"Framed, you say? The word you used is woefully inaccurate."
"Let's be honest," Goten retorted, "with your father's half-baked skills, do you really think he can fight with Cell that could easily destroy the planet?"
"For someone like him," Goten continued, "Cell would be able to crush him into meat paste with one finger."
"Allow me to enlighten you," he pressed on, "Eight years ago, it was Son Goku and Son Gohan who battled Cell. My father and brother."
His words hung heavy in the air.
"They sacrificed their lives," Goten's voice softened, "to secure this fragile peace we enjoyed."
"Yet the glory they earned with their blood was despicably usurped by Satan."
"Disgusting," he spat. "Do you not find this reprehensible?" Goten's eyes narrowed.
"And if your father was really that powerful, why did he nearly wet himself when he faced me? If he truly defeated Cell, why didn't he dare let out a peep in my presence?"
"The brain," he concluded, "is meant to be used. It's not a mere decoration."
"Use your brain and think about it!" Goten's lazy tone took on a hint of indifference.
Videl, usually sharp-witted, found herself utterly perplexed. She didn't expect to be so confused right now!
She had naively believed that her father, Satan, could defeat Cell and save the world. It was the grandest joke.
"This..." Videl hesitated, her gaze locked on to Goten's condescending posture and hearing his indifferent tone, she felt silent.
If her father truly possessed the strength to annihilate Cell, why had he quivered in fear before this mere boy?
The humiliation played out globally, and everyone saw that scene clearly.
For a world fighting champion and savior, such shame and humiliation was unbearable.
Videl's mind raced. Come to think of it she had never seen her father train diligently. He had been really lazy all these years.
If it was as Goten claimed, it was his father and brother – Son Goku and Son Gohan – who had faced Cell.
'Impossible!'
All along, she thought that her father was strong, he was the hero in her heart, the savior of the world…
'How is this possible?'
Yet, in this moment, her unwavering belief crumbled.
He's hit a growth spurt, just take it. The author demanded some growth for his future interactions.
Ay, my friends, he ain't simping :D How wet is that?
......................................
Like it? Add to the Library!
See any translation errors, point me to them so that I can fix it!