Chapter 22: Ultimate Gohan!
(If you see something different from the original story, don't get mad and say I'm a bad writer. I'm writing a Dragon Ball fanfiction, not a direct retelling of the anime. That means I'll be changing many things, but don't worry—I'll keep the foundation. Some names and techniques might also be adjusted. Thanks!)
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"I can't believe this…" shouted Supreme Kai Shin suddenly at the Old Kai.
"What do you mean?" asked the Old Kai while scratching his head.
"I told you I was sealed inside the Z-Sword long ago… what part of that is hard to believe?"
"I mean… who could possibly seal a Kai for so long? And how can the Z-Sword be that weak?!" Shin yelled angrily—only to receive a smack from the Old Kai.
"Stop barking… I can feel a dark energy on Earth, one that feels like Majin Buu—no, even stronger than the Buu I know! How useless could you be, letting Majin Buu break free and reach such power?!"
The Old Kai scolded him with a stern face, so unlike his usual demeanor, that Shin instantly felt ashamed, lowering his gaze in defeat.
"Without the legendary sword… how can we defeat Majin Buu…?" asked Gohan hesitantly after a while.
He had believed the Z-Sword would make him strong enough to defeat Buu and save Earth.
But now, with the sword broken, that hope vanished—for Shin, Kibito, and even Gohan himself.
—Unlike Goku and the others on Earth, who still believed victory was close, as long as Trunks and Goten could succeed in fusing—
"The Z-Sword is strong, but it's nothing but nonsense against a monster like Majin Buu!" said the Old Kai as he sat down. "But… I do have a way to help this Saiyan increase his power quickly. With it, he might actually be able to defeat Buu."
"What? Really… Old Kai-sama, is there really another way to increase my strength?!" Gohan asked directly, his excitement reignited, hope for defeating Buu blazing again.
"The Saiyans hold tremendous potential… and I possess a god-level technique that can unlock a portion of it, massively increasing your power. But!" Everyone was excited by his words, but as soon as he said but, their faces tensed.
"I don't have enough time!" Old Kai closed his eyes, comparing Buu's energy to that of Goku and the others. He sighed deeply.
"Majin Buu is stronger than I expected… I may have to…" He paused, then looked at Gohan, Shin, and Kibito, all staring at him with hopeful eyes.
If I use that technique now, I might really die this time… But if Buu escapes our grasp now, he could destroy the entire universe!
For the first time in his life, the Old Kai felt the crushing weight of a Kai's responsibility.
The Kais had been negligent for ages, and that negligence allowed monsters like Frieza and Majin Buu to rise.
The Gods of Destruction, despite their terrifying power, existed to maintain balance by destroying—not just evil, but whatever was necessary.
The Kais, however, were meant to maintain peace in the universe, ensuring no destroyer outside of Beerus himself ever arose.
If another destroyer appeared, balance would crumble.
Either the universe would be annihilated, or the God of Destruction would intervene.
But that was rare.
"Son Gohan!" the Old Kai suddenly called, his eyes filled with determination to change the universe's fate.
"I'll release your potential! Though it will take time… if Majin Buu defeats Earth's warriors before then, I'll use my very life force to speed up the process!"
At those words, everyone looked at him in shock.
Shin and Kibito felt a newfound respect for the Old Kai they once dismissed as a pervert.
"… "
Gohan looked silently at the Kais.
Did they not realize there was such a thing as the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?
"Um… Kaioshin-sama, can you unlock my potential inside the Time Chamber on Earth?" asked Gohan. Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, he realized why so many villains had arisen in the universe.
It was because of these useless Kais.
Shouldn't they prevent the destruction of planets and imbalance?
Were people this foolish really keeping the peace of the cosmos?
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On Earth
Piccolo stood from afar, frowning as he watched Majin Buu.
Son Goku and Prince Vegeta were fighting him together, but Buu was completely overwhelming them.
Even though he hadn't managed to defeat or absorb them yet, the battle was clearly one-sided.
"This fight… it's on another level. Even though I've reached power close to a Super Saiyan… this is something else."
Piccolo had trained hard, even following advice from Trunks which helped his growth. His power had increased, but if he stepped into this fight, he would only get in the way.
He had to wait for the right moment.
"Yooo… Piccolo!" Suddenly, while Goten and Trunks were practicing the Fusion Dance, a massive surge of energy erupted in the battlefield.
Everyone looked toward Piccolo's location, only to see Supreme Kai Shin… accompanied by Son Gohan, who looked completely different.
His sleek black hair stood upright, his eyes glowed with overwhelming energy, and a blazing purple ki aura surrounded him.
On his handsome face appeared a confident, almost arrogant smile as he waved to Piccolo.
"Gohan… is that really you?!" Piccolo was shocked, but overjoyed for his student. He could feel it—Gohan, alongside the others, might actually be able to defeat Buu.
"Is that really my brother?!" asked Goten, staring in awe.
"It looks like he trained in the Time Chamber…" Trunks thought, wondering how the Kais managed to release Gohan's potential so quickly. He didn't yet realize the chamber was the reason.
"Correct deduction… Gohan-san entered the Time Chamber with the Old Kai and spent three days there!" Shin said with a smile. But when he looked at Majin Buu, fear gripped him, and he quickly excused himself, returning to the Kai Realm.
"Gohan-san… what do you call this form?!" Trunks asked eagerly, his fighting spirit burning.
"Hmmm… I'll call it Ultimate Gohan!" Gohan said with a confident grin before vanishing, reappearing in front of Vegeta and Goku.
"Dad, Vegeta… I'll handle this from here." Gohan pointed to himself with arrogance, fully confident in his ability to defeat Majin Buu.
"… "
Trunks was left speechless.
Saiyans were a proud and arrogant race, and even he became cocky as a Super Saiyan…
But what Gohan embodied right now was on another level entirely.
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Thanks for the 50 power stones! I'll try to release the five bonus chapters I promised as soon as possible.