The skies above the battlefield were finally calm. The dust of Cell's destruction settled gently over the ruined earth, painting the broken wasteland in shades of gold and gray. The terror was over. The world had been saved. But for one warrior, peace tasted bitter.
Gohan stood apart from the others, arms hanging loosely at his sides, the purple gi Piccolo gave him stained with blood and ash. He watched silently as Krillin approached Android 18's unconscious form, the Dragon Balls still glowing faintly behind him.
"I wish that Android 18's bomb was removed," Krillin said with a sheepish smile.
The dragon's red eyes flashed, and in a blink, the wish was granted.
The others murmured in relief, talking among themselves. Laughter even bubbled up here and there. Vegeta turned away, scowling in silence. Piccolo crossed his arms, his eyes drifting briefly toward Gohan before narrowing.
But Gohan didn't move.
There was something different about him.
His face was blank, almost peaceful. But his eyes, his eyes burned with something no one could quite name. Something far from relief. Something sharp. Something wounded.
He didn't join the group. He didn't speak. Not when they joked. Not when they reassured one another that Goku was smiling down on them from Other World.
He just stood still.
In his mind, the war had only begun.
"It's all my fault."
The thought echoed louder than the cheers around him. It clawed into his chest like an animal.
"If I had finished it when I had the chance... if I hadn't played around..."
He saw Goku's last smile. His father's proud eyes. The wave goodbye before he vanished with Cell into the heavens.
"I wasn't good enough. I was foolish. Arrogant."
His fists clenched, knuckles whitening.
"I had the power… and I wasted it. He trusted me. And he paid the price."
Something cracked deep within him, a soundless shatter that no one around him could hear.
From now on, he swore, he would never be that weak again.
No more soft training. No more excuses. No more daydreams of normal life. Books, school, peace, they had no place in the world he had just seen.
"Never again."
He would train harder than Goku ever did. He would become stronger than anyone, so strong that no threat could ever take something from him again.
Gohan didn't cry. His tears had dried long ago, evaporated by the fire of his guilt.
He turned his back on the group and began walking away.
"Gohan?" Krillin called after him. "You okay, buddy?"
Gohan paused but didn't look back. His voice was quiet, almost mechanical.
"I'm fine."
Piccolo watched him go, his brow furrowed.
But none of them truly knew.
They had seen the birth of a hero today.
But something else had been born too,
a storm wrapped in guilt, shame and boundless power.
And it was only just beginning.
The sun had set by the time Gohan returned to Mt. Paozu.
The warm glow of the house welcomed him, the familiar scent of cooked rice and fresh herbs floating in the air. But none of it reached him, not really. He walked through the front door without a word, his steps heavy with exhaustion, his spirit heavier still.
Chi-Chi rushed to greet him, her eyes swollen from crying but full of relief.
"Oh, Gohan! You're back, thank Kami, I was so worried!" she wrapped her arms around him tightly, her cheek pressed to his shoulder. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"I'm fine," he mumbled, not meeting her eyes.
He pulled away gently and walked past her, heading straight to his room.
Inside, the air was still. The room hadn't changed, books stacked neatly on his desk, his school uniform folded on a chair. On the wall, a photo of him, Goku, and Chi-Chi smiled back at him. The sight made something twist in his chest.
He reached up and began peeling off the tattered remnants of Piccolo's gi, stained with blood, dirt, and failure. It hit the floor with a soft thud. Then, he stepped into the bathroom and bathed in silence, scrubbing every inch of himself, as if he could wash away the regret.
When he emerged, steam curling behind him, he opened his father's old chest. Nestled inside was the bright orange and blue gi, the symbol of a warrior who never stopped pushing forward.
His father's uniform.
He slipped it on slowly, carefully, almost reverently. The fabric was a bit too large, but it felt right.
He stood in front of the mirror, water still dripping from his hair. His reflection stared back. Not a boy. Not a hero.
A vow.
"Never again."
Chi-Chi's voice came from the hallway. "Gohan?"
She opened the door, her face softening at the sight of him. But then she saw what he was wearing.
"Gohan, why are you wearing that?" Her tone rose. "That's your father's gi. You should be focusing on your studies, not playing dress-up as a fighter! You're going back to school, just like we planned..."
He didn't flinch. "I'm not going back to school."
She blinked. "What?"
"I said I'm done with school," Gohan repeated, his voice calm but firm.
Chi-Chi's hands flew to her hips. "Gohan, don't be ridiculous! Your father, he wouldn't want this! He'd want you to be smart, to be safe..."
Gohan cut her off, eyes burning. "Dad died because I wasn't ready. Because I was distracted. I was too soft. Too busy being a student."
Chi-Chi's mouth opened, then closed. She stared at him, stunned.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he said, softer now. "But I have to get stronger. Stronger than anyone. There could be more threats. And when they come, no one else will be able to stop them. Only me."
"And what about your family?!" she snapped. "What about your future?! Your father gave his life for you, and now you're going to throw it all away, just to act like some… some delinquent?!"
"I'm not a delinquent," Gohan said, jaw tight. "I'm a protector. I have to be."
"And what about your unborn sibling, huh?" Chi-Chi shouted, her voice cracking. "You think this is how a big brother should act?! I'm pregnant, Gohan! You're going to have a little brother or sister, and I need you to be a good influence!"
That made him pause.
For a moment, guilt flickered in his eyes but it didn't burn away his resolve.
He looked away. "Then I'll make sure they grow up in a world that's safe. I'm going to live with Piccolo for a while. Train. I'm sorry, Mom."
Chi-Chi stumbled back a step, her hands trembling. "No… no, Gohan, please…"
Her knees gave out as she collapsed to the floor, tears pouring freely down her cheeks.
"My child… my sweet boy… you've become a delinquent…"
Gohan stood in the doorway, heart pounding but unmoving. He didn't look back.
Then, without a word, he stepped outside, powered up, and soared into the night sky.
The wind howled past him. The stars above watched in silence.
The Son Gohan who once smiled through his studies, who dreamed of peace and a quiet life…
was gone.
Only a warrior remained.