Nightmare Mode (Dragon Ball Z Gamer SI)

The Plan (27.1)

Game

Thoughts

"Talking"

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Kami POV

"Bring him back."

Kami blinked, turning his head to the side to look at Mr. Popo.

"W-What?"

"Bring him back." Mr. Popo repeated.

"You... You can't be serious," Kami said, his eyes wide.

"Does Popo ever joke?" Mr. Popo responded simply.

"Y-You can't possibly want to bring that monster back to the present, Mr. Popo!" Kami shouted, his eyes narrowing at the genie, "You saw what happened to him! He's probably stronger than anyone else on Earth now, and this is just the beginning! Even Piccolo won't be able to handle him!"

Mr. Popo's head slowly turned, his lips twitching upwards slightly. In all the years Kami had known the genie-like man, he had only ever seen the man seem happy a handful of times. All of those times were as he watched the men training under him suffer, but this time was different. His eyes were filled with joy, his lips twitching into a huge smile.

"Ha. Hahahahha. Ha. Haha. Ha." A soft, creepy laugh came from the genie as he looked back at the crystal ball, "Oh, Popo knows."

"Then, you know that we can't let that monster come back!" Kami shouted, his hand clutching around his wooden staff, "He's our ally right now, but it's a tentative one. He could turn on us at any moment, and we have no way to stop him. Let him die in there! Piccolo isn't strong enough to free our planet yet, but he will be! If Piccolo betrays us, then I can take us both down. I'd rather leave the fate of the world in his hands than this monster's!"

"Kami..." Mr. Popo slowly turned his head to him, his huge white eyes filling his world, "Are you disobeying Popo?"

"I... I..." Kami clenched his fist, and a small crack appeared on his wooden staff from the force. He couldn't falter here. While he had known Mr. Popo for many years and was well aware of how terrifying the man could be, he had a duty as the guardian of the Earth. He couldn't let that monster return.

"Kami..." A small shiver ran down Kami's spine, and Mr. Popo's huge white eyes seemed to get even bigger. Suddenly, Kami felt small, as if he was an ant standing before a giant.

"Does Popo need to remind you about the pecking order?" Mr. Popo slowly asked. Kami gripped his staff even harder, the wood crumpling under the pressure. The staff broke in half, one side falling to the ground as Kami glared at Mr. Popo. Then, he slowly raised his hand, and...

Tapped his staff lightly on the floor.

"Fine..." Kami sighed, looking down at the floor. When he looked up again, Mr. Popo was gone.

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"W-What?" Gray muttered, his head jumbled as he was abruptly thrown back into the Pendulum Room. His body felt heavy - blood flowing down him in a waterfall as he sat at dangerously low HP. A few feet away stood Mr. Popo - the genie towering over him.

No... No! Why am I back here?!

Gray's hands shot up to his blood-soaked hair, gripping it and pulling outward. He grit his teeth, staring up at Mr. Popo. Usually, Gray was smart enough to not say anything stupid to Mr. Popo. Being on the man's bad side could only end poorly.