Chapter 76: Confused

Vegeta kicked off the ground with force, leaving behind a fiery trail of energy as he rocketed into the sky, his expression seething with rage. His sights were locked on one target—Dr. Gero.

Goku, Kairos, Yamcha, Piccolo, Krillin, and Tien Shinhan immediately followed suit, splitting off in different directions to search for the elusive android. The tension in the air was thick; they knew Dr. Gero was dangerous, but without being able to sense his ki, he was like a ghost hidden within the rocky landscape.

Dr. Gero, concealed behind a large boulder, watched them with calculating eyes. His synthetic mind analyzed every move, every distance between the warriors. "They're searching for me," he muttered, a sinister grin stretching across his mechanical face. "Now, who should I target to absorb energy?"

His gaze swept over the warriors until it settled on the Namekian.

Piccolo was alone, scanning the horizon, completely unaware of the danger lurking behind him. In an instant, Dr. Gero moved. He appeared behind Piccolo with lightning speed, clamping his hand over Piccolo's mouth before the Namekian could shout for help. The cold, metallic hand silenced Piccolo as Dr. Gero's absorption mechanism activated, drawing Piccolo's energy into his own system.

A few moments earlier, Piccolo had been carefully scanning the terrain, his sharp eyes darting over every crevice, hoping to catch even a glimpse of Dr. Gero. Suddenly, his instincts flared. He spun around, but before he could react, Dr. Gero's hand was over his mouth. His mind raced, trying to call out telepathically, but the energy drain was immediate and suffocating. His life force was being siphoned away, and he could feel his strength fading with each passing second.

Unaware of what was happening, Kairos floated nearby, his eyes fixed on the vast, rocky terrain. A slight smirk crossed his face as he muttered to himself, "I hope Dr. Gero escapes long enough to release 17 and 18. That's when the real fun begins."

But suddenly, something shifted. Piccolo's life force began to flicker, dimming rapidly. Kairos's senses flared, his eyes narrowing. Without a second thought, he teleported to the source of the disturbance.

Shhh...

Kairos appearing near Piccolo was taken aback to find Dr. Gero sprawled on the ground, clearly defeated. Standing nearby, Gohan clenched his fists, breathing heavily. It was clear now—before Kairos had even noticed, Gohan had acted quickly, striking Dr. Gero with a powerful punch and saving Piccolo in the process.

The aftermath of the battle hung in the air, tense and heavy.

Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, and Tien Shinhan appeared all taking in the scene with wide eyes. They hadn't expected Gohan to be the one to save Piccolo.

"Krillin , need Senzu bean " Gohan tells Krillin

Krillin then throws a Senzu Bean towards Piccolo after eating it he recovers his energy instantly .

Dr. Gero, however, wasn't finished. With a groan, he stood to his feet. Eyes blazing with fury and desperation, he leaped from rock to rock, his form vanishing into the rugged terrain as he made his escape.

Vegeta face twisted in rage, growled, his pride wounded. Without hesitation, he darted after the android, determined to finish.

But Dr. Gero was slippery, disappearing into the maze of rocks. He knew he stood no chance against them in a direct fight, and he moved like a cornered animal, slowly making his way toward his laboratory, the one place where he still held power.

Vegeta, infuriated that the android dared to escape from him, began blasting energy in every direction, his anger palpable. Mountains and rocks crumbled under the sheer force of his blasts, the ground shaking with each impact.

"Vegeta, stop!" Kairos shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Dr. Gero escaped. We won't find him by blasting randomly. He's probably heading for his laboratory."

Vegeta paused mid-blast, his fist still crackling with energy. He turned toward Kairos, his face twisted with frustration. "Then what do you suggest?"

"We need to find his laboratory," Kairos said calmly. "Let's ask Bulma. She might know where it is."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, but he hummed in grudging agreement, lowering his hand. The energy around him dissipated, though his anger still simmered just beneath the surface.

Just then, the group felt it—a powerful, familiar ki racing toward them. Instinctively, they all tensed, scanning the horizon for the source.

The sky shifted as a figure appeared, descending swiftly toward them. The air seemed to hum with power as they realized who it was.

Future Trunks landed before them, his face set in a serious expression, his sword glinting at his side.

"Trunks!" Goku called out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Trunks landed and immediately responded, "I came here to help."

Goku, relieved to see him, quickly explained, "We've already destroyed one android—a white, chubby one who called himself Android 19. But the other, Dr. Gero, managed to escape."

Trunks's face twisted in confusion. "What are you talking about? Android 19 and Dr. Gero…? That's not right. The androids I warned you about were Androids 17 and 18!"

The shock hit the group like a tidal wave. "What!!" they all exclaimed in unison.

Kairos, calm as ever, stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "It seems the real Android 17 and 18 haven't appeared yet."

The Earth warriors looked around at each other, stunned. Krillin, his voice shaky with anxiety, muttered, "If a normal android like that was so powerful, how strong are Androids 17 and 18 going to be?"

Trunks, now growing even more concerned, asked, "Was this Android 19 really that strong?"

Goku nodded, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, that android could absorb our ki and make itself stronger. It even defeated me."

Trunks's eyes widened in shock. The future he thought he knew was already beginning to unravel before him.

Just then, a flying machine approached from the distance. Inside, they could see Bulma and Yajirobe. The engine roared as it descended towards the group. Before it could even land, Kairos appeared next to it, startling Bulma.

"Kairos! What are you—"

"Bulma," he interrupted calmly, "do you know where Dr. Gero's laboratory is?"

Bulma blinked, still processing the question. "Uh…Dr. Gero? Oh, wait, yes! His lab is near North City about 10 miles from here. It's hidden in a remote, mountainous region, deep within the rugged terrain."

Without wasting a moment, Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the warriors shot into the air, heading toward the mountains at top speed. As they vanished into the distance, Bulma's frustrated voice echoed from below, "Hey! You can't just leave me behind like that!"

Yajirobe sighed, looking at Bulma. "Typical."