After his encounter with the warrior in the wastelands, Gojo continued his journey across the vast landscapes of Earth. However, he wasn't alone this time. By chance, or perhaps fate, he had encountered Launch—a woman with a split personality, one gentle and kind, the other ruthless and fiery. She had been traveling alone as well, and after a brief encounter in a small town, Gojo found her to be a surprisingly capable ally.
At first, Gojo had been puzzled by her sudden appearance. He'd been resting at a bar, sipping on some juice and casually watching a group of rowdy locals when Launch had walked in. Her blonde hair was messy, and her eyes were wide with a mixture of curiosity and caution. Gojo had given her a knowing glance; the energy in her aura was… unpredictable.
"Hey," he had greeted with a smirk, tapping the seat next to him. "You look like you're having a bad day."
Launch had sat down, eyeing him suspiciously. "What do you mean by that?"
"I'm just saying," Gojo continued with a grin, "you've got a vibe that says you're either about to be a problem, or you're just really good at getting into trouble."
Launch didn't answer right away. Instead, she took a long look at Gojo and his confident demeanor. She had heard rumors about a powerful, blindfolded man traveling through the region, and though she didn't know who exactly he was, she sensed the power radiating from him.
She gave a small smile, "You're right. Trouble does seem to find me."
The two of them had barely begun their partnership when trouble indeed found them. After spending the night in a small town on the outskirts of the Eastern Desert, Gojo and Launch found themselves walking through a quiet stretch of road the next morning. The sun was harsh overhead, the heat making the ground shimmer like water.
Gojo stretched and yawned lazily. "You're sure you want to tag along with me, right? It's not exactly the most glamorous lifestyle."
Launch, now in her more docile form, shrugged. "Not like I have anything else to do. Besides, I can take care of myself."
Just as Gojo was about to respond, a loud explosion shook the ground. The air was thick with dust and the smell of burning wood. In the distance, a large group of bandits—armed with energy rifles and wickedly sharpened blades—emerged from behind a ridge. They were mounted on hoverbikes, and their leader, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, was shouting orders to his men.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a welcoming party," Gojo remarked, adjusting his blindfold.
"Those idiots don't know who they're messing with," Launch muttered, her eyes narrowing.
Suddenly, her demeanor changed. Her gentle, timid nature was replaced by a cold, dangerous look. Her hair began to shift from blonde to blue as her eyes burned with intensity. The transformation from Launch's kind personality to her fiery counterpart was swift and startling.
Gojo raised an eyebrow, his grin returning. "Ah, there she is. I was wondering when the fun would start."
Launch cracked her knuckles and pulled out a machine gun from behind her back. "I'm done with waiting."
The bandits fired at them, their energy blasts lighting up the desert around them. Gojo, however, wasn't even phased. He casually raised his hand, activating Cursed Technique: Blue to pull the blasts into a vortex, neutralizing their attacks.
"Damn it, it's that guy!" the leader shouted, recognizing Gojo's aura.
The bandits tried to scatter, but Launch was already on them. She dashed forward, her speed nearly too fast for even Gojo to follow. With a series of gunshots, she took out several of the bandits with expert precision. Her aim was deadly accurate, each shot finding its mark as if guided by pure instinct.
Gojo stepped forward, his blindfolded gaze scanning the remaining bandits. "Alright, let's wrap this up quickly. I've got a date with destiny."
He unleashed Reversal Red, sending out a shockwave of destructive energy that obliterated the remaining bandits, sending their bikes flying and creating a massive dust cloud in the process.
Launch grinned as the last of the bandits fell. "That was too easy. I could do this all day."
Gojo chuckled. "Glad to see you're enjoying yourself. But we should keep moving."
The encounter with the bandits was just one of many similar events that followed in their wake. Gojo and Launch continued to travel together, moving through towns and villages, always keeping one step ahead of whatever trouble seemed to find them.
Throughout their travels, Launch remained by Gojo's side, her fiery personality becoming more apparent as they encountered increasingly dangerous opponents. While Gojo's overwhelming power made short work of most foes, Launch proved to be a highly valuable companion in her own right.
Though Gojo's interest in the world's happenings was more casual, Launch's connection to Earth was more personal. She would occasionally speak of her past, her history with Tien and the others, but her memories of her previous life were fragmented, lost to the years of wandering and the shifting nature of her personalities.
Despite this, Gojo found himself intrigued by her resilience and strength. There was something fascinating about her ability to change so dramatically, to go from a sweet, caring woman to a relentless and lethal fighter without hesitation.
As they reached the outskirts of a small town, Launch spoke more earnestly than usual. "You know, you're not as bad as people say. I mean, you're a little weird—okay, a lot weird—but you're not a monster."
Gojo smirked, adjusting his blindfold. "You just like the chaos, don't you?"
Launch paused for a moment before replying. "I do. But I also like being around someone who knows what they're doing."
The air grew heavy as Gojo's grin widened. "You haven't seen anything yet."
As they entered the final stretch of their journey, news of the Cell Games reached them. The world was on the brink of chaos, and Gojo could feel the tension building. The looming presence of Cell—already infamous for his power and insatiable hunger—was a threat that couldn't be ignored.
"Guess it's time to make my move," Gojo said one evening as they camped near a quiet river. The firelight flickered, casting shadows over his face.
Launch looked at him with a mixture of concern and resolve. "You're really going to fight him, aren't you?"
Gojo shrugged. "Someone has to finish this."
"But what about the others?" Launch asked, a frown crossing her features. "What about Goku and the others?"
Gojo's expression softened for a brief moment. "They'll do what they can. But when it comes down to it, the world's fate is in my hands. I'm not gonna let some android destroy it."
Launch didn't argue. She knew that Gojo's strength was undeniable, and she trusted him more than anyone else she had met.
And with that, the two of them prepared for the inevitable clash with Cell, knowing that their journey together was about to reach its most critical juncture.