Dragon Ball: I Became Cell in a Doomed Future

Levos switched the aircraft to autopilot mode.

Bulma quickly took over the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

A moment later, she said, "Levos, I've marked all the locations you mentioned on the map. They're in these regions."

Levos leaned in, carefully comparing each location Bulma had pulled up.

Not a single one matched what he remembered.

How could this be?

"Doctor, are there any other places?"

"No, these are all the sites that match the criteria you provided."

Damn it! They really couldn't find it?

Frustration crept into Levos' heart.

Wait, could it be…

Had the Red Ribbon Army cloaked their base with a visual camouflage, disguising the landscape?

If that were the case, of course it wouldn't appear on a live satellite map.

"Doctor, can you pull up older geological records?"

Bulma nodded slightly and continued typing.

"Still nothing! I even cross-checked the areas of destruction caused by the androids against the original terrain data…"

Destruction?

Levos slapped his thigh. He'd overlooked a crucial detail.

Throughout the Dragon Ball series, battles had always left enormous impacts on the environment.

Whether it was Master Roshi blowing up the moon during the early martial arts tournaments, or Nappa casually destroying entire cities during the Saiyan invasion, the Earth had been reshaped time and time again.

Could it be that the two craters he was searching for had been formed during one of these battles?

A massive crater like that what kind of power would it take to create it?

A ki blast? A self-destruction? A shockwave?

Or maybe a beam struggle.

Levos had actually forgotten the most iconic battle style in Dragon Ball.

The most unforgettable beam clash flashed vividly in his mind.

Super Saiyan 2 Gohan vs. Perfect Cell.

The Red Ribbon Army's new base had been built on the battleground where Gohan and Cell had their legendary beam struggle.

No wonder he and Bulma couldn't find the location. It was because, in this timeline, that battle never happened.

Without that battle, there were no craters. No ruins. No clues.

He couldn't rely on the canon story progression to find the Red Ribbon Army's hideout here.

Which meant he couldn't dismantle their plans in advance.

For now, dealing with the Red Ribbon Army would have to be handled as it came.

"Sorry, Doctor, I was wrong. There's no such place. We can stop looking."

The memory of Gohan and Cell's fated beam clash resurfaced vividly in his mind.

Levos once again felt the weight of looming death.

In his memory, Dabura's strength was roughly on par with Perfect Cell at full power.

Even if Levos became an android, there was no way he'd match Dabura's level.

Was there any way to weaken the Demon King?

Levos was lost in thought.

"Whoa! That tower's so tall!" Bulma's exclamation brought him back.

When Levos looked up, a towering structure pierced through the sky, vanishing into the clouds.

"Doctor, the top of Korin Tower is still above the cloud layer," Levos reminded her.

Bulma immediately ascended the aircraft.

As they broke through the mist, the view suddenly opened up.

The top of the tower came into full view.

"So this is the top of Korin Tower?"

Bulma craned her neck to look even higher.

At the summit was a large oval-shaped platform.

The platform had two levels, supported by a dozen thick columns that held up its curved roof.

"That's right, Doctor," Levos confirmed. "But it looks like no one's lived here for years."

He had no idea where Korin had gone.

A bit of regret lingered in Levos' heart.

The miraculous Senzu Beans could only be cultivated by Korin, but he had long since vanished.

In the Future Trunks timeline, Trunks once told Future Gohan that Senzu Beans no longer existed.

The likely cause wasn't just Yajirobe's gluttony. It must have had something to do with Korin's mysterious disappearance.

Maybe if they could find Korin, they could start growing Senzu Beans again.

In Dragon Ball Super, Yajirobe briefly mentioned that Korin had sacrificed himself to save him during Goku Black's attack.

But in this timeline, Goku Black never appeared.

Which meant Korin was probably still alive.

Still, restoring the supply of Senzu Beans wasn't the priority right now.

"Isn't this the Lookout?" Bulma asked, a little confused.

"No, the Lookout floats above Korin Tower."

The aircraft quickly flew past the platform and continued climbing.

Above the curved rooftop of the tower, a single red pole extended straight into the sky.

That was the Power Pole.

In the early days, anyone who wanted to reach the Lookout had to pass Korin's trials and earn his approval.

And back then, if a human aircraft approached the Lookout, it would be forcibly repelled.

But now that the Power Pole directly connected to the Lookout and Earth's Guardian had passed along with Piccolo, Levos figured that repelling barrier was long gone.

Otherwise, he and Bulma would've had to climb the Power Pole the old-fashioned way.

"Wow! There's something up there!"

Moments later, they saw it clearly a massive, dome-shaped platform suspended in the sky.

"So this is the Lookout…" Levos muttered.

"I can't believe there's a palace this high up in the sky!" Bulma's eyes sparkled with wonder.

At the edge of the wide circular plaza, a lone figure stood.

He seemed to be both watching and waiting.

When Levos saw the dark-skinned man in a white turban and vest, warmth surged in his chest.

Mr. Popo was still alive.

Popo had already noticed the approaching aircraft.

"I know him! That's Mr. Popo!" Bulma waved excitedly.

She remembered him well. Back during the Namek saga, right before they departed for Namek, it was Mr. Popo who helped her find Kami's childhood spaceship and taught her the Namekian language.

Mr. Popo smiled broadly and waved back.

Then, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, he softly choked up, "After all these years… finally… there's hope to revive Kami…"

The aircraft landed smoothly in the center of the plaza.

Mr. Popo approached them.

"I already know why you've come."

Bulma was surprised. "You know we came to use the Time Chamber?"

"I always watch over the Earth. I know better than anyone the danger it faces now." Mr. Popo nodded, his expression turning somber. "But for certain reasons, I cannot intervene directly in mortal affairs."

In the Dragon Ball world, gods and their attendants were often bound by various restrictions.

Levos had expected this.

"Please follow me," Mr. Popo said, hands behind his back as he led the way.

Levos followed, curiously sizing him up.

In his memory, Mr. Popo had always been a mysterious figure.

He'd lived for countless years, serving multiple Guardians.

He even helped create Shenron's statue, which the previous Guardian then imbued with life.

Official data listed his power level at a mere 1,030.

But his mastery of movement and combat fundamentals seemed to touch upon the very threshold of Ultra Instinct.

What if Mr. Popo's real power level was ten to the thirtieth power? Levos mused wildly.

Still, one thing was certain. Mr. Popo was an excellent teacher.

Perhaps after becoming an android, Levos could ask him for guidance in combat and training.

They weaved through the halls of the Lookout.

Soon, the three of them stopped in front of an ancient stone door.

This was it the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

But there were important things to confirm before entering.

"Mr. Popo, could you adjust the gravity inside to match Earth's?" Levos asked tentatively.

"Of course. Please wait a moment."

After a brief adjustment, Mr. Popo nodded at them gently.

"Remember, you must not spend more than 48 hours of real-world time inside. If you do, the entrance will vanish forever."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you're enjoying this story, don't forget to click 'Add to Library' and leave a kind review to keep me motivated to publish more chapters!