Dragon Ball: Ascension

Kairos had visited the Northern Galaxy briefly in his youth, but those memories were distant and fleeting. In the vast loneliness of space, he had created life itself, spawning the Kaimo race from his own essence. Since then, he had ruled as their undisputed king, conquering the entire Western Galaxy through sheer force.

Yet when he had contemplated expanding into the Northern Galaxy, an inexplicable terror had seized his very soul. The fear was so overwhelming that he felt like an insignificant ant before some cosmic presence. The nameless dread whispered that any attempt to conquer the Northern Galaxy would result in his instant annihilation by whatever unimaginable power lurked there.

"Saiyan..." Kairos searched his memories, but the brief time he'd spent in the Northern Galaxy yielded nothing related to that name.

Karnel noticed the king's blank expression and felt a pang of disappointment. He had hoped to learn something about some unknow lore about the saiyans or about the Northern Galaxy but it seems it was too much to ask for.

"So you haven't encountered my race before," Karnel said calmly. "That's not surprising. Saiyans are a small warrior race hidden in the depths of the Northern Galaxy. We aren't numerous. Mind if I ask you a few questions, Kairos?"

The strong always commanded respect from other warriors, and facing someone who might rival his own power, Kairos adopted an unusually diplomatic tone. "You may ask, though I make no promises about answering."

"Is this really our King Kairos?" Nedovich whispered to Kanduba as they nursed their wounds in the distance. "He's talking to that monkey like they're old friends!"

Kanduba could only stare in bewilderment at their normally imperious leader.

Karnel pressed on, unconcerned by their conversation. "I need to know, what year is this? What era are we in?"

A terrible suspicion gnawed at him. Just like when Bardock had been caught in Frieza's supernova, perhaps he too had been hurled through time itself, landing in some distant past.

"Time?" Kairos pondered the abstract concept. "I don't keep track of such vague measurements. All I know is that I've lived for over fifty thousand years and ruled the Western Galaxy for more than ten thousand of those."

The revelation hit Karnel like a physical blow. His mind went blank as the implications sank in. Fifty thousand years... This universe felt completely alien because it was alien to him. He had been thrown not just across space, but across eons, perhaps hundreds of thousands, even millions of years into the past.

"Can I really never go back..." he whispered, and suddenly the image of a young woman with blue hair filled his mind with painful clarity.

For the first time in what felt forever, tears formed in Karnel's eyes as grief overwhelmed him.

He quickly wiped them away, taking a shuddering breath. When he opened his eyes again, his resolve had crystallized into something unbreakable.

"Even if I have to tear apart this entire universe," he said quietly, "even if I have to face gods themselves... I'll find a way back to her. Even if it means confronting Beerus the Destroyer..."

Wait. Beerus... the God of Destruction...

A spark of hope ignited in his chest. "That's it! Kairos, you may be incredibly powerful, but you're still mortal. You wouldn't know about such things. But the gods, the Supreme Kais who manage the universe, they possess divine authority that transcends normal existence. They've lived for millions of years and witnessed everything that's happened across time itself. If anyone can send me back to my own era, it would be them!"

Every muscle in Karnel's body trembled with excitement. How could he have forgotten about the cosmic hierarchy?

Watching this strange warrior cycle through despair, tears, and sudden elation, Kairos couldn't help but comment, "Saiyan, time seems to mean everything to you. Have you found your answer?"

"Yes," Karnel replied, his mood lifting considerably. "Your words didn't solve my problem directly, but they reminded me of someone who can."

"It seems you have your path forward, though I remain as confused as ever," Kairos said with genuine puzzlement.

Finding his earlier despair replaced by renewed purpose, Karnel felt generous enough to engage in conversation rather than simply fighting. "What could possibly confuse the mighty King of the Kaimo clan? You rule an entire galaxy from your throne."

Kairos let out a bitter laugh. "King of the Kaimo clan? The so-called Kaimo race is nothing but a creation born from my own loneliness. Eons ago, after I had defeated every rival in the Western Galaxy, I found myself utterly alone. In my boredom, I used my own cells to spawn these creatures for companionship. Though they carry my blood, they're mere shadows compared to me."

Karnel blinked in surprise. The entire Kaimo invasion force was basically this guy's science project?

Seeing his expression, Kairos continued, "My 'subjects' are nothing more than living toys to me. Do I need to explain my actions to toys? Besides, now that I've found a truly powerful opponent like you, whether they live or die has become irrelevant."

"So your real goal is finding worthy opponents to test yourself against?"

"Exactly!" Kairos's eyes blazed with anticipation. "Your strength is incredible, I can feel it. I've been craving a real battle for so long! Tell me your name, Saiyan warrior!"

Recognizing a kindred fighting spirit, Karnel straightened respectfully. "You're an admirable warrior, Kairos. My name is Karnel."

"Then come, Karnel!" Kairos spread his arms wide, energy crackling around his form. "Let's have the battle I've been waiting millennia for!"