Gohan! Erasa! Can you hear me? It's me! Lord Kaiōshin! It's been awhile! I want you two to come visit the Kaiōshin Realm!
Erasa and Gohan looked around, trying to see where the voice was coming from. To their surprise, no one was talking to them. The entirety of the waiting block was gazing intently at the ring. Goten and Rayo were about to begin their battle ("LET'S GO AHEAD!") so naturally, no one would be attempting conversation. It took the two of them but a moment to realise that no one was, in the sense of the word, 'speaking'.
"Telepathy," muttered Gohan.
"Lord Kaiōshin?" called out Erasa, garnering the attention of the Dragon Team who knew the deity by this term. "You want us to come to the Kaiōshin Realm? What even is that?"
"It's the divine dimension where the Kaiōshin dwell," said Piccolo, before the Kaiōshin himself could relay another telepathic message into the couple's minds. He grinned. "I say you should take him up on his offer. It isn't everyday that a human gets to walk on those hallowed grounds."
The couple flashed each other worried expressions. "Piccolo, we can't just leave. Pen is here." said Erasa, a deep set frown on her face.
"Isn't she with your mother-in-law?" replied the Nameccian. "You two don't need to worry. I'm here. The little one could not be in a safer place. Go to the Kaiōshin Realm. You won't get this chance twice."
"But—" Gohan interjected, looking towards the stands with concern. He had no idea how long it would take to get to the Kaiōshin Realm, much less how long they would be there or how much time it would take to get back. He didn't like leaving Pen to go to his conferences; simply leaving to visit the Kaiōshin Realm?
"Go," said Piccolo, pushing the matter completely. "Pen is safe while I'm here."
Gohan sighed. "Lord Kaiōshin! How long will it take to get to the Kaiōshin Realm?"
I will come to fetch you myself! I'm a god! I can teleport instantly anywhere! It won't take us any time at all!
"Then we'll come," replied Erasa, with Gohan nodding on accord. "We can't stay for too long. We can't bear to leave our daughter alone for too long." She flashed an apologetic smile to Piccolo.
At the near-instance of agreement, a man materialised next to Erasa and Gohan. He had purple skin, pitch-black eyes, with frayed white-tresses cut into a mohawk. His attire consisting of eastern style of a trim blue vest with crimson etched into the outlines splayed out over his lithe chest to part in a inverted V fashion above his waist; the vest furthermore curtailed loosely down his hips past the top of his thighs to stop just a hair above his heels. A pair of purple sleeves that puffed up around his shoulders adorned underneath his jacket, with his slacks tied nicely by a small blue dyed obi which tucked neatly into white silk boots covered his feet. Dangling green earrings hung from his ears.
"Gohan. Erasa. Everyone. It's been a long time." He said, his voice smooth. "Oh? You two are wearing those combat outfits again; they really do suit you."
"It's good to see you as well," said Erasa. "Was that teleportation?"
"Indeed," replied Shin. "I believe Son Gokū showcased a similar ability, so you are not unfamiliar with it." He extended a hand towards them both. "Since you two seem to be in a hurry...shall we go?"
"I really do want to make this as quick as we can," said Gohan, extending his hand towards Shin. He grasped the deities hand lightly. Erasa followed suit, placing her hand over that of her husband's. Gohan looked directly at Piccolo. No words were exchanged. Simply the connection between these two conveyed what needed to be said. With his daughter in the hands of Piccolo, he could breathe.
"I will be as quick as I can," agreed Shin. "To the Kaiōshin Realm! KAI KAI!" With the utterance of these words, the trio vanished completely, leaving everyone but the Dragon Team surprised at the entire event. The cloaked figure, Kisua, had watched the entire display, but said nothing. Qumohi was sniggering; glee at seeing perhaps the two strongest contenders in the Tenkaichi Budōkai gone. Mifune frowned. She wasn't a fan of strange, random occurrences. But that man bothered her more in the worst way; she couldn't feel his ki.
"So, did Gohan and Erasa just get picked up by God?" asked Yamcha casually.
"More or less," replied Tenshinhan.
The Universe, The Reaches of Space
"Lord Beerus," said Whis casually, as the two plummeted through the emptiness of space.
"What is it, Whis?"
"The strongest of the Earth Saiyans, Son Gohan, has relocated. He's currently at the Kaiōshin Realm."
"A Saiyan at the Kaiōshin Realm?" mused Beerus. "Now that truly is suspicious. Let's pay that Kaiōshin a visit, Whis!"
Kaiōshin Realm, The Universe
"And here we are." said Shin, their feet touching ground the instant after he'd shouted the name of his technique. Gohan and Erasa broke their hands away, and took in the sight of the their new locale with sheer and utter amazement.
The Kaiōshin Realm was akin to a painting out of a dream. Lush green fields flowed over rolling hills, a tall stone pillar erect in the middle of a crystal clear lake complementing the hillside while mountains dotted the horizon as far as the eye can see. With a purple-rose colored skyline, full of smaller planets orbiting the massive one of enormous proportions and dense gravity, the light wasn't too bright from the world's star and kept a passive soft glow that carried to all corners of the world. It truly was a blissful paradise some could get lost in.
"This...is amazing," gasped Erasa. "I almost can't consider this a planet..."
"It's otherworldly..." agreed Gohan. "Though I almost feel like I'm dead. Is this what Dad feels like the whole time?"
"It is reassuring to see that even humans know to revere this hallowed ground," said a gruff voice that surprised the two of them. Erasa and Gohan searched for the sound of the voice, and their eyes rested on a familiar man that they had admittedly forgotten about. He possessed of a reddish-complexion, with a thoroughly lined faced that showed great age, and long-white tresses that reached to his back. His uniform was a near match to the shorter man that stood abreast him, identical in colour but differing with minor structural changes. His earrings were teal. "Though I stressed over and over to Lord Kaiōshin that allowing humans to even breathe this air was sinful, he overrode me."
"Kibito!" Gohan gasped. "But...but didn't you die?! I remember it plain as day!"
"Now..." Dābura clenched his fists, turning to the side and casting an aside glance up at the Dragon Team. "Let's get to it!"
"Here he comes!" Piccolo shouted but it was too late. Dābura proved to be an extraordinarily fast being, and appeared in front of them in a blur of motion. His demonic visage confronted that of Kibito, and extended a palm. Without giving a second thought, the Demon King expelled a crimson blast of ki which enveloped Kibito, eradicating the attendant from existence before he could blink.
"Kibito!" A mixed amount of cries from the group shot up as Kibito was erased by Dābura.
"You weren't revived with us when the Dragon Balls revived everyone else," said Erasa, remembering quite clearly when they had asked Shénlóng to revive everyone who had died since the morning of the Tenkaichi Budōkai.
"It would appear I was," replied Kibito shortly. "Lord Kaiōshin filled me in on the details later. I woke up in the crater that Dābura created, so it would appear that your 'Shénlóng' revived me there."
"Oh," Gohan slapped his fist into his palms. "That would make sense."
Kibito sighed in irritation, and looked over the two of them. "Your clothing at least has the right idea—" his eyes lingered on Gohan's earrings for more than a second "—but it is obvious you came here without tending to your attire." He pointed a finger at the two of them, and their clothes were instantly mended. "But as I cannot stress enough, humans are not permitted on this holy sphere. Even lower gods and Kaiō cannot so much as step foot here."
"There's a reason why I've called these two of all people here," said Shin patiently. "Kibito, you could do with a bit more tolerance. I will remind you that these humans were the ones who defeated Majin Bū when we couldn't so much as put up a fight. They've more than proven themselves exemplary...and as such, there is an honour I wish to bestow upon them."
"...Lord Kaiōshin!" interrupted Kibito, understanding the implications immediately. "Your wish is absolutely absurd! Only Shinlings have ever had the honour! And even then, they have to be born from that golden fruit! It's a distinction from birth! Even Kaiō are rarely considered! And for humans?!"
Shin raised a hand to silence Kibito, and the lower Shinling heeded his superior. He turned directly towards Gohan and Erasa, looking up at the taller individuals. "This is unorthodox, but I believe you are indeed the best suited for this. Son Gohan! Erasa! I would like for the two of you to apprentice under me, and eventually succeed me as Kaiōshin!"
There was a palpable silence that drifted between the four; Gohan and Erasa blinked rapidly. Whatever they'd expected, this was the furthest thing from it. Both were left at a loss for words, and who could blame them? It isn't every day that a deity asks you to become one of his fellows. Shin looked at them expectantly, Kibito judgmentally, and the former raised a hand. Within his palm, formed from nothing, was a set of earrings, matching the ones worn by him and Gohan.
He tossed them to Erasa, who caught them, still in shock.
"These are Potara," said the deity. "I wasn't quite aware of their significance, but these earrings mark us gods. Specifically that colour." He gestured to the earrings Erasa now held, and the ones worn by Gohan. "I am confident that if you two are my successors, this Universe will be safe."
Erasa looked at the earrings in her hands, and then towards Shin. "I don't know...becoming a deity?"
"It's all a bit much to have dropped on you," said Gohan, and Erasa nodded. "Besides that, we have our families and our lives to think about. We couldn't simply drop everything to take over your job."
"I don't need an answer right away," replied Shin. "But I don't believe I could name any other successors but the two of you." He pointed to the Potara that Erasa now held. "Keep those. Even if you don't agree now, I don't see why I can't keep the offer on the table. And those Potara can be a reminder."
The martial artist frowned. These earrings that she held...property of the gods? Should I even keep something that significant? Her husband wore a pair, and it hadn't led to any significant changes. She wouldn't wear them, but if it was Shin's request that she keep them. "...I'll keep them for now, Lord Kaiōshin. But if we can't agree to your offer, I will return them."
"An offer to become a deity," Gohan went over the idea again. "I'm not so sure about it. If it was possible to become a god through training, that's one thing. But to take up an official position?"
"Talking about becoming a god, are we?"
A voice attracted the attention of every one, and it was followed quickly by a flash of light and an erupting plume of dust and debris. The group of four didn't need to search far for the source of the noise. At merely a yard away, there stood two figures within the quickly disappearing column of smoke. Standing before them was a tall, effeminate man with blue skin and white hair that stood straight up. His attire consisted of a maroon robe, a black cuirass with white and orange diamond markings. He also wears black high-heeled shoes with white spats. Clenched in his hand was long scepter, with a black gem floating above it, encircled by a blue ring. A similar ring encircled his neck.
The voice, however, had not come from him. Another shorter figure stepped out from behind the taller, and he was grinning. His appearance was that of a purple, feline with a humanoid build. Perched atop his head are large pointed ears, the left of which has a gold piercing. He also has a long, whiplike tail. Despite his imposing attitude, he had thin build; his rawboned physique is enhanced by a slight but present muscle build. The man's attire consisted of a thick golden collar, and a black cloth around his shoulders, lined in white and striped with blue, and a orange diamond in the center. His pants are blue gi, with a darker blue obi and a black sash covering his front, with two white diamonds and another orange diamond, lined in gold. He wears simple brown shoes, and has golden wristbands and armbands, as well as two golden anklets.
Gohan and Erasa were puzzled. They didn't have the slightest idea who these two were; when they made to ask Shin and Kibito who the new arrivals were, they saw the duo of Shinlings frozen in fear, their mouths agape.
"H-H-H-H-H-H-HAKAISHIN B-B-B-B-BEERUS!"
Tenkaichi Budōkai, Earth, Same Time
While Erasa and Gohan were having a dangerous encounter, the Tenkaichi Budōkai on Earth continued with none the wiser. Goten — ever identical to his father, Son Gokū — was clashing with Rayo, the competitor Erasa fought ten years previously. He launched a powerful kick, but Rayo leapt above his strike and swung his own kick towards Goten's neck. The half-Saiyan backstepped as quickly as he could, gaining some distance.
Rayo closed the distance, rushing forward towards Goten with a grin. The two thrust their hands forward, and locked each other's hands in a vicegrip. Goten and Rayo tried to push the other back, only to find themselves of equal physical strength. Neither budged. The marked competitor's grin widened. "If I'm gonna be honest, I wanted to have a rematch with Erasa. But you might just cut it!"
"Careful not to get ahead of yourself," replied Goten cheekily. "You're underestimating me because I'm younger than you and Erasa, aren't you? That won't end well."
"You think so?" Still locked in the vicegrip, Goten found that Rayo was beginning to push back. Wherever his strength was hiding, he was beginning to draw it out. There was a vibrant flash of yellow and gold; Goten's black hair stood on end, and his eyes became a vivid green. The edge to the deadlock immediately went to his side, and he pulled Rayo forward, before slamming both knees into the man's stomach, sending him staggering back.
Rayo grinned despite the pain, and markings began to spread from his chest outward. "You aren't the only special one, you know."
Kaiōshin Realm
"Hakaishin..."
"...Beerus?"
Gohan and Erasa repeated the words that the two Shinlings were stammering in such a panic, utterly confused as to their meaning. A Destruction God? And his name was Beerus? Erasa looked back the duo, the strange man and cat-man; the blue-skinned man was certainly imposing. Could he be the Hakaishin?
"It really has been some time since we've been here, Lord Beerus," remarked Whis, looking around at the Kaiōshin realm in amusement. His eyes rested on a large plateau, jutting into the air, from which rested a gleaming blade. "Would you look at that...it's still there."
Beerus followed Whis' gaze, and saw the sword. He grinned. "I guess none of the Kaiōshin were up to snuff. What do you know?"
"L-Lord Beerus, w-what brings you to the Kaiōshin Realm?" inquired Shin, eyeing the duo with a measure of trepidation.
"Relax, Kaiōshin," replied Beerus easily. "I don't have business with you — not yet anyway. I'm far more interested in the Saiyan you have here."
The Saiyan? Gohan looked at Beerus, unsure what to make of him. He carried himself differently than Shin, that much was true. With Shin, 'god' was just a word. He was to be respected on the grounds that he held some position overseeing the Universe, but Gohan knew he was stronger. This...Beerus...was a god. Gohan couldn't feel his ki, though the same applied to Shin. No; he simply knew. It was his intuition that told him this man was not to be trifled with.
Erasa's mind seemed to be working along the same thoughts. Masters of martial arts had an air around them, and this presence communicated itself to other masters. The two men who stood before her, these gods...they were each masters of the craft she herself taught to budding youths. It only took a glance to tell that their experience outstripped her's to the point of being laughable.
"Interested...in the Saiyan?" Kibito's muttered, and both he and Shin looked at Gohan and Erasa as if they only just remembered the couple was there. "W-Where are our manners? You two! Introduce yourselves to Lord Beerus at once!"
"P-Please," added Shin imploringly.
"Um, it's a pleasure to meet you," offered Erasa, making a polite bow to the two of them. "I'm Son Erasa."
"My name is Son Gohan," added Gohan, bowing to the gods as well. "If you're interested in a Saiyan, Lord Beerus, I suppose you're looking for me?"
"It's always good to get the pleasantries out of the way," said Beerus, yawning mildly. "But you're right about that much; Son Gohan, was it? I've got something I'd like to ask you about."
"Me?"
Beerus scratched his head gently, face working in thought. "It was on the tip of my tongue, but it feels like I've forgotten again..."
"I believe it was 'Super Saiyan God', Lord Beerus?" said Whis with a small sigh.
"Ah, yes!" said Beerus with a grin. "What can you tell me, boy, about the existence of this so-called 'Super Saiyan God'?"
"Super Saiyan...God?" repeated Gohan. He blinked twice in rapid confusion, gently scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Lord Beerus, but I haven't ever heard of a Super Saiyan God. I know what a regular Super Saiyan is, but I'm not familiar with a 'God'."
Shin was, evidently, as confused as Gohan. "I've never heard of the term myself." He didn't want to admit that his knowledge of the Saiyans was admittedly negligible. He hadn't even heard of a Super Saiyan until he'd researched the Dragon Team — specifically Gohan — but he liked to believe that even he, the highest overseer in their Universe, would have heard of a "Super Saiyan God".
"The son of the Saiyan who defeated Freeza, who himself defeated Majin Bū...can also transform into a Super Saiyan..." Beerus paced, tail flicking. The group was amazed at just how well-informed the deity was. Beerus' yellow eyes surveyed Gohan with interest. "What I find most suspicious, Saiyan, is that you're here on this world—" he gestured around at the Kaiōshin Realm "—dressed in Kaiōshin training garb. You even wear their earrings, and make talk of gods...yet you know nothing about the Super Saiyan God." His expression said everything: he found Gohan suspicious.
"I-I'm terribly sorry, sir," replied Gohan, choosing his words carefully. "I really don't know anything about the Super Saiyan God."
The Hakaishin frowned. Hands to his back, he resumed his pacing, deliberating. Then he came to an abrupt halt, facing no one. "Whis! You said more Saiyans were on Earth, right?"
"That is correct, Lord Beerus," replied the blue-skinned man smoothly. "There are three — the young prince Trunks, Son Goten, and Son Pen. All but the youngest can all transform into Super Saiyans."
"Y-You know a frightening amount, sir," stammered Kibito, stunned.
"Two more Super Saiyans on Earth..." muttered Beerus. "It's all very suspicious. I wonder, Whis? If we resume our trip down to Earth, do you think I can find out more about this 'Super Saiyan God' thing?"
"Um, Lord Beerus," objected Shin. "Out of all the Saiyans on Earth, Gohan here is both the oldest and most experienced. If he doesn't know anything about this 'Super Saiyan God', I don't think the younger ones would know."
"I'll never know unless I see it for myself, will I?" replied the Hakaishin, grinning. "Whis! Let's get back to it, then!"
"As you wish, Lord Beerus," replied the attendant. He was about to raise his staff, when Gohan walked forward. Whis and Beerus both looked him curiously, and there was a tenseness so thick on the planet that could have been pinched if one was so inclined.
Gohan stood tall, and then bowed before the Hakaishin directly, his earrings jangling with the jerk of his body. Staring directly at the grass, he spoke. "Lord Beerus! Please! Before you go, would you do me the honour of a sparring match?"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?"
Shin and Kibito were simultaneously aghast. Out of every possible thing that Gohan could have asked for, sparring with Lord Beerus was the last thing they'd expected him to request. Shin was gaping more than Kibito; wasn't Gohan supposed to be the reasonable type? So why this ludicrous request?
"G-Gohan, what are you saying?" Erasa tried to caution him. "They're not like us. They're on a separate level altogether. Even a light spar could—"
"Please," Gohan's voice changed slightly, addressing his wife this time. "I know this request is incredibly selfish, Erasa. But just this once, let me make a selfish request? I need to see how I stack up to someone like him."
Erasa sighed, and her face relaxed. It wasn't like Gohan to get this worked up. He had to be able to feel just how...different these two were. And yet he still wanted to test himself. She couldn't take that away. "Alright. But please, be careful. ...If that can even matter against him."
Beerus' eyes narrowed. "You talk with respect, and you still ask to fight me?" His lips curled into a grin, revealing a set of sharp, white teeth. "And here I thought there was no Saiyan in you at all. But there it is...a shadow of their arrogance." He sighed. "But fine; you've begun to interest me. I've lived far longer than you can imagine, and I've never had a request like this. Come at me when you're ready."
"T-Thank you, Lord Beerus!" Gohan stood back up, facing the deity with a smile. "Lord Kaiōshin! Kibito! Get back!"
"G-Get back?" stuttered Shin, who had not quite wrapped his mind around what was happening. His slow processing could have cost him, but Erasa had already stepped in. She picked them both up and carried them a fair distance away. There was a flash of crimson, and the woman transformed. Using her orbs, she constructed a barrier around herself and the weaker gods.
"I've got them, Gohan!"
"Thank you!" he called back.
Whis eyed Erasa and her peculiar abilities, before turning his attention back towards Lord Beerus. It seemed they were in the company of quite interesting humans today.
"Well then," shrugged Beerus. "Just do your best."
Gohan clenched his fists at his sides. There wouldn't be a point in holding back against this man. All or nothing. He began to power up.
Tenkaichi Budōkai, Earth, Same Time
The battle between Goten and Rayo continued, the Super Saiyan surprised to find that Rayo could match him evenly even while transformed. The ring beneath them was starting to crumble as bodies hit the floor, cracking and shattering MatterWave material with the ease of cutting paper. Goten leapt away from Rayo, and formed a glowing yellow sphere of ki within his palm. He lobbed it forward, only to see it matched by Rayo's Shooting Range.
"You're a tough one, you know that?' Goten grinned, his blonde locks flowing as his ki flared. "I can see why Erasa had trouble with you back when she started out."
"Flattery can only get you so far," replied Rayo with an equally amused smirk. "But by all means, got anything else? Perhaps about how cool I am?"
"Don't push it," said Goten, chuckling. "Why don't you try this one out?" He cupped his hands to his sides, taking a stance that anyone now familiar with martial arts recognised. "Ka...Me...Ha...Me..." His body was bathed in a blue light, the orb forming between his palms as he prepared to unleash the signature Kame-sen Ryū technique against Rayo.
Yet Goten's eyes shot open wide, and his Kamehameha faded out instantly. His body trembled, and Goten could tell that he wasn't the only one. Rayo was suddenly looking towards the sky, and multiple fighters — and even audience members who could sense ki — were frantically looking around for the ki that felt like it could suffocate the globe. Further detection told Goten that it wasn't coming from Earth. And he recognised the signature.
"Is...is this Gohan?!"
Piccolo and the others couldn't believe what they were feeling. From such a grand distance, Gohan's ki could be felt so clearly that he may as well have been standing next to them. And to think that this was the feeling of his ki from a distance.
"This...is his full power?!" Trunks gasped.
"But...who is he fighting?" inquired Piccolo. "I don't feel anyone else...his ki is even drowning out Erasa. And Gohan wouldn't just power up for a display." The Nameccian remembered his and Gohan's earlier exchange of words; how they both shared a certain sense of foreboding. Was this their premonition coming to fruition?
In her hoverbooth, Bulma's machines were showcasing readings that were absolutely off the charts, and several of them threatened to break from stress. "Is that...Gohan? What is he doing?!"
Palace of God, Earth
"This...this ki!" The God of Earth, Dende could feel that the Earth was on the verge of shaking, even though Gohan wasn't on the planet. "Gohan?! But why?" The Nameccian-born deity could only feel Gohan's ki. "He...he isn't fighting someone else? No..he's a lot of things, but he isn't reckless. He's either fighting an Android...or worse."
"Do you think...?" Mr. Popo looked at Dende with a worried expression.
"I hope it isn't the likes of a deity," said Dende. "We've had ten years of peace. Why now?"
Afterlife, Devil Realm
The entirety of the Devil Realm was quaking; the Great King Enma had to wrap his arms around the paperwork and files on his desk to prevent them from scattering everywhere. He had been far too late to save some of them, and several large papers knocked his employees to the ground. Souls, who were in line waiting to be judged, were beginning to panic; could the Afterlife be destroyed?
"What in the name of the Afterlife is going on?!" cried the rose-skinned ogre, extremely frustrated. "My entire office is shaking, paper is flying everywhere, and I cannot concentrate for the life of me!" Though he didn't know it, it wasn't simply his office; the Serpent Road, which had never been damaged in the entirety since it had been built, was beginning to shake and threatening to break.
"S-Sir, I believe it is coming from the Kaiōshin Realm!" explained one of the attendants. "Son Gokū's child, Son Gohan, is about to fight Lord Beerus!"
"LORD BEERUS?!" Enma howled. "HAS HE LOST HIS MIND?!"
Kaiōshin Realm
Gohan's power-up had completely shaken even the Kaiōshin Realm. Oceans were churning, trees nearly uprooted, and the ground of even this remarkably sturdy planet had begun to crack beneath the Saiyan-half's white boots. Encircling his body in a brilliant golden conflagration was his aura. Plasma crackled and snapped within the golden embers, dancing freely around Gohan's body. His hair was a bright white-gold, and his eyes a piercing emerald. His clothes ruffled, and earrings danced in the flow of ki.
Erasa took in her husband's form with a smile. She could feel his ki so plainly that she may as well have been bathing in it. But it was the ki signature of the man she loved, so of course she knew it well. "It's even stronger now than when he fought Majin Bū." Just sensing his energy brought a sort of relief, and even confidence that clouded her better judgement. She began to think Gohan could win.
"Is this the strength you wanted to see, Lord Beerus?" Gohan said, his voice sharp. "This is beyond even a Super Saiyan! I believe my Dad called it a Super Saiyan 2!"
Beerus eyed Gohan with bemusement. "Super Saiyan 2? So not simply a Super Saiyan? And yet not a God either?" He waved a hand, as if batting away an irksome thought.
"You don't think it's good enough?" Gohan asked, irritated. "Then...I can take it a notch further!" He clenched his fists tightly, and let out an echoing shout. The aura around his body spiked and bristled, the lightning snapping with such increased frequency that Gohan's aura appeared as a mixture of golden fire and electricity. His hair, already jagged and spiky, seemed to increase still further, and his eyebrows thinned, though not entirely. "This is my full power."
The Hakaishin yawned. "And for a human, I'm sure this would be quite impressive. In fact, I think you may be the strongest mortal being I've ever seen...but in the end, even the highest mountain peak can't touch the sky. Now...let's have the match you wanted."
It was clear to Gohan that Beerus wasn't taking him seriously. Was he simply that much weaker? That couldn't be it. But the battle was now begun. The Saiyan-half leapt forward, rocketing towards the Hakaishin with immense force. The ground beneath him exploding with the force of his take-off, but he paid it no mind. Gohan closed in, and attempted to deliver a strong right cross to Beerus.
Lithely, the Hakaishin leaned away, tilting his body ever so slightly, causing Gohan to rocket past him. The Super Saiyan landed on the tips of his toes, spinning and turning to glare at a bemused Beerus, who did not give him the same honour.
"That's your first strike?" he asked. "Is this a demonstration?" He tail flicked behind him, but as he spoke to Gohan, he still did not turn and address him with a look. "Your blows are lacking a certain thing; emotional content. Will you come at me again, boy?"
There it was again; it wasn't even a subtle insult. The Hakaishin was directly insulting Gohan, and the strength he'd spent honing for ten years to protect his planet. His eye twitched, and the man crouched down. With another explosive leap, Gohan barreled towards Beerus, fist gripped. Gohan threw another punch directly at the back of Beerus' head, but was utterly dumbstruck with the god's body seemed to move in a manner that his eyes couldn't process, and leapt over Gohan's body and landing behind him.
"Impressive," said Beerus dryly. "Even your second attempt is wrong. I asked for 'emotional content', not raw rage."
Gohan slid and turned on his heel, glaring at Beerus. His aura continued to flow, and lightning snapped with further frequency, but the Saiyan-half was beginning to feel like his power was nothing more than a small light show for the god. But he couldn't give up just because his first two attacks missed; he'd challenged Beerus, after all. Was he so weak he could be discouraged like this?
Erasa watched on in amazement. Gohan's full power was amazing, truly, but Beerus was casually moving around him like a dancing leaf. She could barely follow them; he wasn't using anything close to his full power, which must be why she could see some of the movements. "It's so strange, not being able to follow him by his ki. I can barely tell what's going on!"
"That's the might of a god of his caliber," muttered Shin. "Gohan's ki and Lord Beerus' ki are simply far too different; a Hakaishin is worlds above a human. No matter how much power Gohan puts out...he won't reach Lord Beerus like this."
Cries of battle escaped Gohan's mouth as he unleashed a veritable barrage of punches on Lord Beerus. The ground beneath him began to rupture in the arcs following Gohan's blows, and yet to Lord Beerus, these strikes were light breezes. For every blow, his palm — a single hand — was enough to deflect them. None of Gohan's strikes could find purchase against such a simple defence, and Beerus exerted no effort in dispersing Gohan's force.
"Shall I let you in on a secret?" inquired Beerus casually, as Gohan broke away and tried to gain some distance. "Humans are always so worried about the future because of their own mortality, and they lose sight of the present. Your ki is the same way, Saiyan. Every time you even consider throwing a punch, your ki has already made the move long before your fist has."
"Are you trying to say I'm scared of you?" shot back Gohan indignantly.
"Something like that," replied Beerus airily. "Now..."
In that instant, Gohan's entire body shifted, shooting from his grounded state into the air, deliberately placing a wide berth between himself and the Hakaishin. His body was shaking violently, and he was left looking at his hands, flabbergasted. What...my body just lurched away on its own! What in the world...?!
"Oh that's good!" called Beerus to Gohan's airborne figure. "It seems your survival instincts aren't entirely gone!" He grinned, and the expression was a mixture of amusement and menace. "You must be confused. You see, just that moment, I'd considered actually attacking you. If your body hadn't moved like that, you'd most certainly have lost." He sighed. "You don't listen, and even now, I can't sense a god's ki in you. No matter how impressive you think this display is, all it's proven to me is one thing: you aren't the Super Saiyan God after all."
"I already told you, I don't know what a Super Saiyan God is!" replied Gohan, losing his sense of tact due to ever-growing irritation at the Hakaishin's condescension. "I don't know what 'god ki' is, but this should be plenty good enough!" He raised his hands to his sides, cupping them. The entire sky began to glow as Gohan was bathed in blue light. The sphere formed in his palm and began to obscure even him from view.
"G-Gohan!" shouted Erasa frantically. "You can't shoot that downward! It'll destroy the planet!"
"It's fine!" interjected Shin. "This world is remarkably sturdy! Go ahead, Gohan!"
Gohan hadn't planned to release the blast from the air, but the confirmation that he could keep his distance from Lord Beerus was reassuring. "KAMEHAMEHA!" He thrust his hands forward, and a blast the size of a barn silo, or perhaps larger, erupted from Gohan's body. It cascaded downwards, and collided with the Hakaishin and the surface of the Kaiōshin's planet. The world itself began to shake, as a torrent of ki was whipped around like a storm.
When the blast subsided, it produced a veil of smoke. This too faded, and Gohan was left terrified. Standing in the midst of this gassy cover was the Hakaishin Beerus, entirely unscathed. Around him, the Super Kamehameha that Gohan had produced virtually wrecked the entire ground. Part of it had been reduced to molten slag, and other portions had simply been violently removed. But Beerus stood tall on a spot that had been untouched.
"H-How?" Gohan's arms slacked, looking at Beerus with fear.
"It's a barrier of ki," Shin said to an equally confused Erasa. "Not like your's," he added for clarification. "Beerus simply has that much ki, that the difference between his and Gohan's strength can be measured this way. That ki attack could have blown away far more than a single star system...but to Lord Beerus, it wasn't worth the effort of blocking himself. His ki shrugged off that attack on its own."
"What...kind of being...are we dealing with?" the woman looked at Beerus in horror.
"I suppose it's time we wrap this up," said Beerus. He bounced lightly, and suddenly vanished. Unable to sense the deity's ki, Gohan could only search frantically. This caused him to fail to notice when a crushing blow from a purple tail caught him in his midriff. The blow rocked his body with pain, and he let out a gasp, the air forced from his body. Spittle erupted from his mouth, and his body, once still, hurtled madly across the planet, spiking into a nearby lake. Water erupted in a high geyser, before dropping down like droplets of rain.
Beerus landed near the shore of the lake, eyeing the water carefully. The surface was completely still, a beautiful lavender that reflected the sky. Spray blasted from the still surface suddenly, and a vibrant yellow sphere of ki collided with Beerus. It stopped just before reaching him, and began to fight against an invisible force before petering out. Gohan himself blasted out of the lake; his Super Saiyan 2 form had faded, and his hair was onyx once more. The only remnant of his power were the emerald eyes.
The Hakaishin deflected the oncoming blow easily, his hand gripping Gohan's arm like a vice. "I'll praise you for your tenacity, Saiyan. But you aren't ready to stand on this stage yet."
In pure stubbornness, Gohan raised his leg up in a powerful kick. Beerus simply leaned back, releasing Gohan's arm and retaliating with a kick that would have sent him flying upwards, if not for Beerus' tail. The appendage grabbed Gohan by the leg, and pulled him down to face Beerus. The Hakaishin pressed a fingertip to Gohan's forehead, and the Saiyan-half's eyes rolled back. Releasing Gohan for the final time, the Hakaishin let him fall back into the lake, and began to walk back towards Whis.
"GOHAN!" Erasa's voice reached a fever pitch, and the woman's barrier dissolved instantly. She rushed towards the lake, bypassing Beerus without giving him a second thought, and dove into the water.
"Whis, we're done here!" said Beerus. He placed a hand on his attendant's shoulder. "Let's investigate this matter on Earth!"
"Indeed," said Whis, tapping the ground with his staff. "It was a pleasure to see you again, Kaioshin." The two were enveloped in a rushing golden light, and immediately shot forward like a meteor. The light that enveloped them trailed behind as if it were a comet's tail, and the two rushed forward at great speeds.
When the gods were sufficiently out of sight, which didn't take more than a second, Erasa had pulled her husband's body out of the water and onto the bank of the river. Her expression frantic, she called his name, trying to wake him, but Gohan was firmly unconscious.
"Kibito!" called out Shin.
"R-Right, sir!" Kibito rushed over to Gohan, and knelt by his side. "Girl, let me heal him."
Erasa remembered vaguely that Kibito did possess recuperative abilities; weren't she and Gohan once in a position like this, at their first Tenkaichi Budōkai? Kibito bent down, placing a hand on Gohan's body, and began to focus his abilities on recovering Gohan's health. As he did so, the group barely noticed another arrival. Through Instantaneous Movement, a man with a familiar shock of black, spiky hair arrived in the Kaiōshin Realm.
Shin looked at him in amazement. "Y-You! You're...Son Gokū!"
"Hehehe! That's me!" Gokū waved towards the deity. "Yo, Kaiōshin! Where's Gohan?"
A/N: So I had a LOT of fun writing this chapter. I'd been waiting to get to it for quite awhile. Son Gohan vs. Beerus. I don't even have anything to say, I absolutely loved writing this; I loved Gohan's power up sequence due to simply how strong he is compared to where Gokū was at this point in the series. I had a friend who actually lent me a hand with how to write the battle, so I appreciate him for that. Thanks, Silver-Haired Seireitou! And best of all, I finished right before work!
To anyone who wanted to see Goten vs. Rayo, it isn't done just yet. I'll finish it next chapter and focus on that! Thanks to Demod20 for proofing! I shall see you all in the next chapter of the Erased Chronicles!