The Terrifying Message

A Warning from the Future

Goku admits he cannot picture Vegeta as a father, though the resemblance between Trunks and Vegeta is obvious. Trunks confirms he will be born in two and a half years but pivots to the real reason for his journey. In three years, on May 12, a pair of terrifyingly powerful cyborgs will appear on an island near South City. They are artificial creations of Dr. Gero, the former chief scientist of the Red Ribbon Army. Goku is startled that the organization he dismantled as a child has connections to this catastrophe.

The Fate of the Z Fighters

These machines killed their own creator and are far stronger than Frieza. Goku suggests rallying the others, but Trunks delivers the grim truth: in his timeline, every Z Fighter except Gohan dies shortly after the cyborgs appear. Gohan trained Trunks as the last hope, but even he eventually fell. With Piccolo dead, the Dragon Balls vanished permanently. Goku asks about his own fate, and Trunks reveals that a heart virus will claim his life before the cyborgs even arrive.

Medicine, Hope, and a Promise

Rather than fear, Goku expresses disappointment at missing the fight, a reaction that shocks Trunks. He tells Goku that his mother always said he was a true Super Saiyan at heart. Trunks produces a vial of medicine from the future and urges Goku to keep it safe. Goku deduces that Trunks' mother must be Bulma, and Trunks confirms it, explaining that Yamcha was unfaithful and Bulma eventually fell in love with Vegeta. He asks Goku to keep his parentage a secret.

The Message Spreads

Trunks departs in his time machine, promising to return when enough power is stored for another trip. Piccolo, whose sharp hearing caught every word, relays the entire warning to the group while omitting the secret of Trunks' parents. Yamcha and Bulma seem doubtful, but when the time machine lifts off and vanishes, Krillin, Tien, and Vegeta accept the story and resolve to train for the battle ahead.