Hello, how are you all doing? It goes without saying, but life has been making it really hard to write. Life has been making it hard for everyone to do a lot of things. I hope everyone's doing okay and being safe. I also hope that this new chapter helps to make your living situation that much more bearable. I've been experiencing cabin fever myself.

Without any further ado, enjoy!


Fight it Out!


It's been a couple of hours and some odd minutes since I've left Liquiir's planet. I only have a few more minutes until I reach Earth and then my voyage will be over. My anxiousness made my journey feel even longer, however, so it's a wonder that I'm lying down on my back with my paws on my stomach and my eyes closed. Such a relaxed position is not exactly what you do when you're anxious. But I'm free of Whis - at least for a short while - and that's all that matters.

Lord Beerus: "I hope that it stays this peaceful," I muttered. Oh, damn it, I shouldn't have said anything! So much for peace. I slowly opened my eyes and gave my attention to the two rapidly rising energies on the planet. They belong to Goku and Gohan and they must be sparring with each other. Standing up, I smiled to myself and folded my arms over my chest. I was originally planning on going to Bulma's, but I can afford a detour. After all, I'm interested to see how far those two have come since the tournament. It will also help get my mind off of things. I need a mental break.


Once I reached the planet I found a safe spot for the Hexahedron to touch down, well away from Goku and Gohan. After that was done I flew over to where they were and quietly found a place to take the role of a spectator yet again. I'm on a large rock pillar overlooking them, sitting down with my arms and legs crossed. They're far too preoccupied with their little sparring session to notice me and I prefer it that way. Their performance will not be affected since they are unaware of my presence.

We're situated in a remote wasteland with flat areas here, where they're currently fighting, and some rock formations there. However, we could all be standing on a pile of rubble after they finish. Their fight is certainly energetic enough and with every punch, every kick, and every ki blast they exchange it's only growing more intense by the second. Goku is in his Super Saiyan 2 form at the moment whereas Gohan seems to not have powered up at all. It may not be overwhelming, but the latter even seems to have the advantage.

Goku might actually be pushed into his Super Saiyan 3 or possibly his God form. It all depends on how far they want to take this fight. If they want real results they should push themselves as far as possible. I know that I would if I was one of them. I breathed in the crisp air through my nose and casually moved my head to avoid a few pieces of flying debris.

Lord Beerus: "Stronger gravity would be much more ideal," I noted. "If their aim is to grow stronger, this won't do much for them." Sitting on my right side, Piccolo, who has also been intently watching the fight, nodded in agreement. He was shocked at my arrival, but he was respectful enough to hide it.

Piccolo: "That's true, but there aren't many places on Earth that offer that kind of environment. The only places I can think of are the gravity room that Vegeta uses and the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. With the chamber they would only end up destroying the place before they even got a chance to get serious."

Lord Beerus: "And what about the gravity room?"

Goten: "Vegeta's mean, so he'd probably say no, even if my brother and dad asked him really nicely." I looked to my left, directly at Goten who's also sitting down. I forgot that all of Goku's kids are here today. A real family outing. He's been quiet until now, which is something I never would have expected from someone who looks so much like Goku. He was more curious than shocked when I showed up, but he accepted my presence as normal quickly enough.

Lord Beerus: "I agree. I wouldn't put it past him at all if he said no." I turned my head and went back to watching the fight. Also, with Whis gone for the time being, asking him for his aid is out of the question. "This might not be perfect, but I'll admit that this is a decent enough training spot. They could do a lot worse. Also, speaking of training, how has Gohan been doing?"

Piccolo: "Gohan's been keeping up with his training ever since the tournament," he proudly informed me with a smirk. "I was worried he'd stop again, but he has proved me wrong a hundred times over. He's made great strides."

Lord Beerus: "I've been wondering about that," I said while taking note of Gohan's gi and mentally compared it to his civilian clothes. "It's good to hear he's been making progress. If I remember correctly, he's a scholar or something to that effect. I personally prefer seeing him as a warrior. It suits him well." Being a scholarly type is fine. I will even admit that pursuing academics is admirable. Even so, as I've trained extensively in them myself, I do have a bias toward the martial arts and those who practice them.

Goten: "Gohan's so awesome!" Goten chimed in. He clearly looks up to his older brother. It could already be happening, but I wouldn't mind having a good relationship with Champa again.

Lord Beerus: "Well said, kid." It seems that for the moment, Goku and Gohan have stopped. Their battle has now turned into a stare-down. What will happen, I wonder? Will they resume with even more vigor once their break is finished? Or are they satisfied with their desire to fight?

Goku: "That was a good warm-up, Gohan!" Goku exclaimed happily. "What do you say we take this up a few notches?" He then put on a determined expression and got into his fighting stance. Gohan returned both of the gestures. That answers that question and in its place I have a new one. From what Goku said about taking their fight up a few notches, I can infer that we're going to see his Super Saiyan Blue form. I could be mistaken, but I'll get my answer.

Gohan: "Sounds good, dad," Gohan said.

Goku: "All right, let's make this look good. Lord Beerus is watching." Ah, so one of them did notice me. I really don't mean to eavesdrop, but it's difficult not to with such sensitive ears. Gohan's stance has faltered slightly.

Gohan: "What? Lord Beerus is here?" he asked in mild surprise. He looked my way to confirm his father's claim and then looked back. "How long has he been here?" Goku shrugged.

Goku: "I dunno, five minutes? I wasn't really keeping track." By this point Gohan completely dropped his fighting stance.

Gohan: "I think it would be a good idea for us to stop." Following his son's lead, Goku has dropped his stance now.

Goku: "Why, what's wrong? Are you feeling nervous because Lord Beerus is watching us?"

Gohan: "It's not that. I just feel like it would be rude of us if we didn't talk to him. We know he's here." Nodding, Goku turned his head to face our direction and smiled.

Goku: "I guess you have a point. Hey, guys! Why don't you all come over here!" he called after us with a wave of his arm. Immediately I, along with everyone else, descended on the warriors who so kindly put a stop to their training for me. I placed my arms behind my back.

Lord Beerus: "I'm flattered that you two wanted to speak to me."

Goku: "No problem! So, what did you think?"

Lord Beerus: "Of what? Of you and Gohan earlier?" I closed my eyes and softly shook my head. "You two looked fine, but I don't think I'm the one you should be asking." My eyes snapped open. Fuck, why did I have to allude to Whis?! I don't want to talk about him! Damn me and my big mouth! Don't pick up on that!

Gohan: "You mean Whis, right? Where is he?" Gohan asked, looking around for the Angel in question. The others are also turning their heads every which way to try and find him.

Goku: "I don't even sense his energy," Goku added.

Lord Beerus: "Well, of course you don't," I spoke up. Everyone is looking at me expectantly for an answer. "He's not here. I...I've given him a break." And technically, that's not a lie.

Goku: "You did?"

Lord Beerus: "Yes. I did. He's gone on for too long without one and he deserved it. For two weeks at the very least." Uh-oh, Gohan's frowning at me. He must sense that there's more to the story.

Gohan: "From the way you said that-"

Lord Beerus: "He's on a vacation," I cut in quickly. "I may not always present myself as such, but I am capable of genuine kindness and consideration." Genuine...something that is true, sincere, and honest; not fake. A good vocabulary word. It's such a shame that the meaning is lost on so many people. Why can't others be real? Why can't others be more like...like books?

Gohan: "Please excuse me. I didn't mean to irritate you."

Lord Beerus: "It's fine. Let's leave the topic alone and discuss literally anything else."

Piccolo: "Do you have something in mind?" I shook my head.

Lord Beerus: "No, I don't. I was hoping one of you did." Goku began walking away from us, prompting all of us to watch him with curious eyes.

Goku: "Something new to talk about, huh?" Goku pondered aloud with a hand on his chin. "Let's see...what can we talk about that's not about Whis?" I dropped my arms to my sides and made fists.

Lord Beerus: "I don't know, but not saying his name is a start." He's pacing a fair distance away from us now.

Goku: "Not about Whis, not about Whis, not about Whis..." I tightened my fists. Can he not take a hint or is he trying to piss me off? I know that it's Goku, but how clueless can one man be?

Lord Beerus: "Goku, I told you to-"

Goten: "Hey, I know!" Goten excitedly shouted at us. Whatever he knows, this knowledge is exhilarating to him. He ran up to Goku, who in turn took a knee.

Goku: "What is it, Goten?" Goten motioned for him to get closer so he could whisper in his ear. I groaned, feeling annoyed. What's the point of being so secretive if you're just going to tell us your master plan afterward? Does he need permission? Whatever it is, it's too quiet for even me to make out.

Lord Beerus: "Just tell us already! I'm dying of boredom over here!" The two stopped their whispering and gave me not-so innocent smiles. I don't like the looks of this. If there's one thing I've learned, you can't trust Goku when he smiles.

Goku: "Goten came up with a great idea, Lord Beerus!"

Goten: "Yeah, you're gonna love it!"

Lord Beerus: "I better. What is it?" Standing up, Goku placed his hands on his hips and looked down at Goten.

Goku: "Are you ready, Goten?" Goten nodded and cleared his throat.

Goten: "Ladies and gentleman!" Oh, what absurdity is this? Not only has that kid adopted some kind of announcer voice, Goku's imitating a drumroll, hand gestures and all. Poorly. Very poorly. I'm amazed he even knows what a drumroll is. "Get ready for...the exciting match between...Lord Beerus and...Gohan!" I...should have known, really. I'm easily the most powerful person here, so why wouldn't I be used as a training bag? Also, did Goten have to say all of that in the most over-the-top method possible? Did Goku have to torture us with an abysmal performance on his imaginary drums? No, they did not.

Goku: "Whew! When you told me to do a drumroll, I wasn't sure I could do it. I think that I did a great job, though! And so did you when you sounded like an announcer at a martial arts tournament!" If I was him I wouldn't be patting myself on the back like that. At least he acknowledged his son's attempt, which wasn't that bad, so he's not just inflating his ego. Gohan took several steps toward his father and little brother, stopping once he was halfway between them and Piccolo and myself.

Gohan: "Dad? Goten? Where did that come from?" He's looking between the two for answers and, along with Piccolo, is understandably flabbergasted.

Goten: "You've gotten really strong, Gohan, and I think you're strong enough to beat Lord Beerus! Or...at least you can make him try really hard." Normally I would wave off such a notion, but I want to let this play out because I'm interested in sparring with Gohan and I don't want to risk discouraging him.

Gohan: "I...uh..." Still at a loss for words, it seems.

Piccolo: "And you think this is a good idea, Goku?" Piccolo said, crossing his arms. While he definitely looks and sounds disapproving of the idea, I can hear his concern and if I'm not mistaken there's a hint of anger. Has something like this happened before?

Goku: "I am, Piccolo," Goku responded. He sounded resolute in his answer. "Don't worry. Nothing bad's going to happen." Piccolo's expression has softened, but I can still sense a trace amount of anger.

Piccolo: "Hmph. Well, it's Gohan's and Lord Beerus' decision at the end of the day," he concluded. I get the feeling that their conversation is not completely over yet. When I get the chance I'll have to ask if there is some history I need to know about.

Lord Beerus: "Well, Gohan," I began. Turning to face me, he stopped looking so stupefied and put on a more dignified mask. "If you really want to, I'd be fine with playing with you for a few minutes. It would help with my boredom anyway." That's it. Make it seem like you're not that interested. He might be more comfortable that way.

Gohan: "I can't say I was expecting that," he slowly began, the first intelligible sentence he's put out since his little brother's unexpected announcement. "But...I am interested. To be honest, I've always wondered exactly what kind of power dad fought against when you first arrived here on Earth." He has, has he? A small smile has crept its way onto my face. I'm glad to see that everyone here still considers me the benchmark for power. As they should, because it would be unnatural if they didn't. Gohan is giving me a friendly smile in kind.

Gohan: "Okay, it's decided. Lord Beerus and I are going to spar."

Goku: "All right!"

Goten: "Awesome!" He even has the same level of enthusiasm as Goku. Like father, like son. "You can do it, Gohan! Beat him up!" Once that was said he made his way to the rock formation he, Piccolo, and myself minutes prior.

Piccolo: "Gohan, I know you can handle yourself. But, if things start getting out of control, don't hesitate to stop the fight."

Gohan: "I will. I promise." Piccolo nodded.

Piccolo: "All right. Be careful." With those final words he turned around and flew over to join Goten.

Lord Beerus: "How very kind and protective of him," I mused to myself. I brought my attention to Gohan and moved closer until I came within five feet of him. "So, are you ready?"

Gohan: "I think so, and I would be honored to spar with you," he said with a respectful bow. I looked at Goku out of the corner of my eye for a couple of seconds before returning my sights on Gohan again. At least it's his honor, not mine. Also, is Goku going to leave anytime soon? I was under the strange impression that this was my fight.

Lord Beerus: "That's nice, stop bowing. There's no need to act so formal with me when we know one another fairly well by now."

Gohan: "Right." He stood up straight.

Lord Beerus: "Now that we have that out of the way, it may be a good idea to find someplace more private. I don't wish to disappoint anyone, but unlike you and Goku, I would prefer my sparring to be done without an audience today."

Goku: "Aw, come on!" Goku childishly whined. He quickly moved between Gohan and I and then put his hands together in front of himself in a begging manner. "We're all right here, so can we all please watch? Pretty please?" I rolled my eyes. He'll never act his age.

Lord Beerus: "Fine, but no butting in, Goku!" I commanded while pointing at him. "And don't give him advice, either! Let him fight on his own." He lowered his hands to his hips and smiled. It's one of confidence. Confidence in his son and his abilities.

Goku: "Trust me, I wouldn't dream of telling him how to fight at a time like this." I stopped my pointing and crossed my arms.

Lord Beerus: "Good." The Saiyan returned to my side, still not leaving us alone, and went back to watching Gohan. I switched my gaze to him as well, however Goku is still in the periphery of my vision. He's just one of those people you need to keep an eye on. "Go on, then. Power up, boy." Looking down at the ground, he clenched his fists and began the process. His power is certainly rising. Although, if I'm being completely blunt, it's pitiful. It's nothing compared to what I've seen. Does he have a bad case of stage fright?

Goku: "You got this, Gohan. Don't hold anything back," Goku encouraged. Gohan looked over at him and smiled appreciatively.

Gohan: "Thanks, dad." He looked down once more and closed his eyes in deep focus. He then deeply breathed in and out. Good, I don't need to resort to my own methods of persuasion to spur him into action. It may have been entertaining in its own right, but that's more effort than I care to put in. Without warning his eyes suddenly shot open. "Ha!" A quick kiai and his power's skyrocketing higher than when he fought Goku. Considerably higher. His energy is breaking apart the ground and the force of it has created a powerful gust of wind. My clothes are ruffling and my ears are being blown back. It's nothing more than a light and comfortable breeze for me, but the loose stones that are blowing away and even apart are not so lucky.

What's curious is that while he is without a doubt increasing his power tremendously in preparation for our impending clash, his hair isn't changing to its golden hue and neither is his aura. Now that I think about it, I don't think he transformed in the Tournament of Power either. A Saiyan who doesn't have a million transformations...what alternate reality am I living in? After a few more moments passed his energy is finally stabilizing. Still no color change whatsoever, although there is electricity-like ki flowing around his body.

Lord Beerus: "Funny. I've just now realized that as of late you tend to not go Super Saiyan. Or use any transformation for that matter. Why is that?" His aura immediately dissipated.

Gohan: "It's kind of hard to explain."

Lord Beerus: "Try."

Gohan: "Okay, I'll do my best. You see, Elder Kai performed a ritual that brought all of my latent potential to the surface. By doing that, it eliminated any real need to transform." That explains why he looked normal when he was facing off against his father earlier. If what he said is true, why have Goku and Vegeta not done this? Yes, they acquire a significant boost in strength upon transforming, but at the cost of expending a great deal of energy. If I understand how this works, then this ritual would take the power they receive in their Super Saiyan Blue forms and make it a part of their natural state. They gain all of the perks and none of the drawbacks.

With that in mind, what's the issue for them? Is it because they feel that would be some kind of shortcut and to them it's purely the pursuit? The thrill of training and fighting to get stronger? That must be it and any other way would be too easy and unsatisfying to them. Damn Saiyans.

Lord Beerus: "Is that so? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the power of Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan 2 and all of those countless other forms are converted over. Is that correct?"

Gohan: "You could say that, but I think that explanation might be too simple for what's actually happening. I think that when someone transforms it's really just a physical manifestation of their inner potential. The more powerful the transformation is, the more potential that person unleashed. As I said earlier, you no longer need to transform if this ritual is performed on you because all of your inner potential is already brought out." At the rate this conversation is going it looks like I'm going to grow sick of those words. The words of the day: transforming and potential. Speaking of looking, Goku appears lost. To be fair, this does sound a little complicated. Even I have to work slowly to understand this.

Lord Beerus: "In other words, it's not the power of a transformation that's converted per se. It's simply your potential in general. Now, hypothetically, let's say you have an undiscovered form. In theory, because that mystery transformation is a part of your dormant potential, that power would still be converted. Does that sound right?"

Gohan: "That sounds right to me." I nodded.

Lord Beerus: "Okay, everything is slowly becoming more clear to me." And to Goku. He has the idea now. "Another question I have is can you lose access to this power?"

Gohan: "You can. You still have to train, which I didn't for a long time. Also, you still need to consciously activate it, like you would a normal transformation." So it's something in between a transformation and not one at all? Interesting. What's even more interesting is that it's not as simple as a ritual and it's just there forever. It's not some kind of cheat code, you have to keep working at it. Otherwise, all of that potential will seep back into dormancy.

Lord Beerus: "I think I understand now. I appreciate you explaining this to me."

Gohan: "You're welcome. And back when I got this power it was actually a step above Super Saiyan 3. Of course, with how much stronger dad's become, that might not be accurate anymore." Goku moved his hands behind his head and laughed in the manner he usually does.

Goku: "Hey, you've gotten really strong, too! I don't think I could beat you if I just used Super Saiyan 3." I grinned at his assessment. This fight is sounding very promising.

Lord Beerus: "Whatever the case may be, color me intrigued," I began. I inched my head forward a little closer to Gohan's, who moved his back slightly in response. "Ah, yes. I believe I see the indication of your power-up." I moved my head back and flicked the newly formed bang with my finger. "This bang is not normally here." He chuckled and held the lock of hair between his fingers.

Gohan: "Oh, I don't think I've ever actually noticed that."

Lord Beerus: "Of course you haven't. And I know this isn't necessarily a transformation, but do you have a name for this?" Placing my paws behind my back, I started to slowly encircle Gohan, studying him carefully. He lowered his arms to his sides and kept his focus on me.

Gohan: "I...don't really have a name for it." I stopped in front of him. He doesn't? I might as well help with that.

Lord Beerus: "I see. In that case, I shall dub this...Potential Unleashed," I proudly declared.
Gohan: "That's a little on the nose, isn't it?"

Lord Beerus: "What? Do you have something better? It better not be 'Ultimate Gohan,' if that's the case." He laughed.

Gohan: "No, I'm not that conceited."

Goku: "How about 'Mystic,' is that good?" I looked over at Goku quizzically.

Lord Beerus: "Why that? What exactly makes this power mystical?"

Goku: "Gohan already said it. He got this power because of a ritual kind of thing Elder Kai did and, you know, rituals are pretty mystical." He crossed his arms. "Besides, I just think it sounds a lot cooler than 'Potential Unleashed.'"

Lord Beerus: "What do you mean? Potential Unleashed is a very cool name!"

Goku: "Sorry, Lord Beerus, but I really don't think it is. It's not that creative sounding." It's not creative sounding to Goku of all people? The man whose original name for Super Saiyan Blue - which doesn't sound all that creative itself - is Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan?! Are you kidding me?! "Not only that, but Gohan already said he didn't like the name anyway."

Lord Beerus: "That's a lie and you know it! All he said is that it was a little on the nose!" Goku confusedly scratched his head.

Goku: "I don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound good."

Lord Beerus: "All it means is that the name pertains to what happened to Gohan a little too directly. That is, Potential Unleashed is a...debatably not subtle reference to exactly what the ritual did. Even so, that doesn't make it a bad name!"

Goku: "Eh...I guess," he responded, not sounding very convinced. Either that or he didn't understand what I said. "I think we should just let Gohan decide. It is his power, you know." I crossed my arms indignantly.

Lord Beerus: "Fine. We'll never stop arguing otherwise." We turned our heads to his son expectantly, who looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here. "You've heard the options. Make a choice between Potential Unleashed," I emphasized heavily, hoping to sway his decision in my favor. "Or...Mystic," I said flatly.

Gohan: "Um..."

Goku: "You don't have to think so hard, just go with what sounds good to you. And cooler. If I were you, I'd go with Mystic."

Lord Beerus: "Hey, stop trying to get him to choose your stupid name!" I shouted, getting in Goku's face.

Goku: "It's not stupid! And isn't that what you were just doing?"

Lord Beerus: "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm offended that you would accuse me of such a thing."

Goku: "Look, I just-"

Gohan: "Dad! Lord Beerus!" Gohan interrupted. "You two can stop now. I've made my decision." That was all Goku and I needed to hear for us to leave each other alone and put a few feet between ourselves.

Goku: "You did?"

Lord Beerus: "Don't keep us in suspense. What is it?" He let out a tired sigh. Hey, don't tiredly sigh at me just because your father can't recognize a good name when he hears one.

Gohan: "Okay. I choose...Mystic." Damn you. Well, I can't say I'm surprised that he chose the name Goku thought of. It's good to see that nepotism is alive and well.

Goku: "That's awesome! I was really hoping you'd choose mine!" Rub it in even more, why don't you?

Lord Beerus: "It's not what I would have chosen, but apparently you don't mind being stuck with that. If I may ask, why did you choose it?"

Gohan: "I can't lie to you, I think it sounds a little cooler than Potential Unleashed."

Goku: "See? I told you." I shot Goku a warning glare that immediately shut him up.

Gohan: "Also because it will always remind me of how much Elder Kai helped us out with our fight against Majin Buu. And Shin. And Kibito. If it wasn't for them, we would have lost."

Lord Beerus: "I'll admit, that's a respectable reason to go against my suggestion. Kais may not be good for much, but at least they aren't completely useless." He laughed uncomfortably.

Gohan: "Um...do you want to spar now?"

Lord Beerus: "Yes, let's get this fight underway. I'm looking forward to experiencing this mystic power of yours first hand." I looked at the older Saiyan. "Goku, join the peanut gallery. I don't want to be kept waiting any longer." He brightly smiled and nodded.

Goku: "Sounds good, Lord Beerus! Gohan, show him what you can do!" Gohan smiled.

Gohan: "I planned on it, dad." After giving Gohan a thumbs up, he quickly flew over to join Piccolo and his youngest son.

Lord Beerus: "Well, Gohan. Your father wants you to show me what you can do and so do I. So, I will give you one free shot to do just that."

Gohan: "I appreciate your generosity, but I want to earn any openings in this fight myself," Gohan reasoned as a true warrior would.

Lord Beerus: "And you shall. Only after this chance I'm willing to give you," I persisted. He still doesn't look entirely certain. "Fine. If you're going to be this way, allow me to add on to what I said earlier. But first, who am I?" He's looking at me like I've grown a second head. "Who am I?" I repeated, this time with more authority.

Gohan: "You are...Lord Beerus?"

Lord Beerus: "Exactly, and you seem to be forgetting that. I am Lord Beerus, a God of Destruction. If ever and whenever I offer you something, you take it like it's the greatest thing you've ever heard of in your life. Whether you want to or you don't, you will use this opportunity to strike me." Did that paint a clear picture of what I want? Yes, it did, I finally got through to him. Gohan is looking very serious and equally determined. He's also taken up his usual fighting stance, his aura flaring to life. Perfect, this is exactly what I wanted to see.

Gohan: "When you put it like that, I really only have one option. I won't let your offer go to waste, Lord Beerus."

Lord Beerus: "I would hope not. I think this goes without saying, but do your best to make it impactful." Now it's only a matter of guessing what he's going to do. Is it going to be the classic that everyone loves, the Kamehameha? I would wager on that since at this measly five foot range it would be devastating to most beings. Seeing movement, my eyes drifted down to his right leg, which he's slowly moving farther and farther back. Whatever he's planning to do, it's going to happen soon.

Any second and he's going to dash at me. Any second...any minute. Century. Millennia. Eon. No, he's going to take his sweet time, isn't he? I've given him a free shot, so why is he moving at a snail's pace? No, that would be an insult to the snail. At least a snail makes some progress. He's not budging at all whatsoev-oh! Nevermind.

Gohan is making me look like a liar now that he's dragging my entire body along the surface of the Earth with a powerful knee. A knee that's almost embedded into my right eye socket. The downward force has practically buried my head and unless I'm mistaken, he's trying to take out one of my eyes. I smiled, not that he can see it. This fight is off to a great start.

I'm filled with a strange sense of satisfaction because this is a surprisingly savage - surprising since it's Gohan doing this to me - yet a very intelligent way to reduce my combat effectiveness. Unfortunately for him, he just barely missed the mark. He's now springing away from me and into the air with numerous backflips, rising higher and higher with each flip. He's finished tilling the land with my body, but is he going to continue his onslaught? Yes, he is.

From underneath my dirt bath I can see him hovering in a fixed location and charging a Kamehameha overhead. Isn't that bold? I distinctly remember telling him that he only had one chance to strike me. This will technically be number two, which means that he's ignoring my orders or he's forgotten in the heat of the moment. Either way I would normally punish him, but his first attack was good enough to the point that I feel obligated to let him continue his assault unabated.

Gohan: "Ka...me...ha...me...ha!" And just like that I have upgraded from a dirt bath to bathing in the warm blue beam attack of my opponent. In fact, the area around me is being completely vaporized. Despite all of this power he's throwing at me it doesn't hurt. It doesn't feel like a relaxing hot spring either. The attack finally ended, leaving me all by lonesome in a massive crater.

Lord Beerus: "Would you look at that!" I shouted up at Gohan who's still high up in the air. I've missed this. It's been far too long since I've fought someone. "You capitalize on your chances more than your father ever does, I can tell you that much!" Like a zombie, I slowly rose from the ground and sat up straight. After that impressive display my thoughts from earlier have been confirmed: this is going to be a very enjoyable fight. Granted, he didn't do that much more than what I was expecting, but it was enough to improve my already good mood. I'm even laughing gleefully. One thing's for sure, I won't ever be forgetting this.

Gohan: "It almost sounds like you love fighting even more than my dad," Gohan remarked, touching down at the top of the newly formed crater.

Lord Beerus: "Ha, ha! Ha...heh..." I quickly exhaled away the rest of my laughing fit. "Given my current demeanor, I understand why you would say that. Still, I wouldn't go that far. As someone who doesn't engage in combat very much anymore, I'm allowed to feel happy when I find myself in a fight that promises to be fun and it's no wonder why I feel that way. Even if I do know what the outcome will be in the end."

Gohan: "If it sounded like I was saying that you're not allowed to feel happy or that it's strange, I promise that I wasn't. I-"

Lord Beerus: "I know, it was just an innocent observation," I interrupted, slowly shaking my head. "You have done nothing wrong. I do enjoy a good fight, though. You are right about that." I stood up and began to nonchalantly dust myself off. I'm probably making Gohan feel that his efforts didn't amount to anything right now. They didn't in a physical sense, that's a given, but needless to say he did succeed in getting me more excited than I already was. "You were attempting to take out one of my eyes, weren't you?" The way I said that was in the form of a question, but I already know the answer.

Gohan: "That was the plan, yes," he confirmed with a small amount of disappointment in his voice. I stopped dusting myself and placed my index finger just under my eye.

Lord Beerus: "You were as close as you could be, but you only managed to get the protective layer of bone. Nonetheless, it was an excellent try." And it truly was. That cannon of a knee possibly would have done the job if he hadn't missed. Baring my teeth in a smile like a madman, or a Goku, I removed my finger from under my eye. I then lowered my arm to my side, tightly clenched my fists, and in an instant my ki menacingly erupted outward. Gohan looks taken aback by my sudden...let's call it eagerness. "You said that you always wondered what your father went up against, right? Well, here it is! I hope you have as much fun as Goku did!" Gohan quickly got back in his battle stance.

Gohan: "All right! I'm ready!" With that I launched at the Saiyan with tremendous speed. He flew up into the air in response, but I closed the gap in no time and even overtook him. I threw a punch at his face which he just managed to block by crossing his arms in an X fashion and the strength of it created a shockwave upon impact that traveled to ground below, shattering it, and parting the clouds above. He was sent barreling back down to the planet and crashed into a large rock formation. Not too soon after he jumped away from where he landed, but unfortunately for him, I'm not giving him a chance to counter-attack or even get his bearings.

He barely got back on his feet before I rocketed toward him even faster than the first time, slamming a fist - stronger than the previous strike - into his stomach before he could react. I took a quick step back as he screamed out and doubled over in pain. The small amount of distance I put between us gave me enough room to follow up with a devastating knee to his face, a little payback from earlier. I sent him flying, or in this case brutally skipping, along the surface of the Earth like a pebble does on the water's surface and eventually into even more rock formations. He landed with a thunderous boom over a hundred feet away or so.

With Gohan down and hopefully not out I flew up into the air and began traveling to where I kneed him. I'll be pissed with myself if I used too much power and knocked him out because I got overzealous. But as certain as Liquiir is a cheeky bastard and ridiculously soft, I'm certain that I did no such thing. He's a strong warrior. And more importantly, he's the son of possibly the most tenacious man I have ever fought.

Before long I reached the impact site. There's debris everywhere along with a huge dust cloud, but no Gohan. I know for a fact I didn't kick hard enough to kill him and I would still be able to sense his energy if I merely knocked him out. He must have learned his lesson from expecting me to go easy on him and went into hiding to come up with a strategy. Good! I don't want this to end anytime soon, so maybe I should take it easier on him, just not easy.

I fired several ki blasts at the dust cloud. Perhaps I can bait him out or at least incite more action from him...and it looks like I did just that. I smiled. He's trying to sneak up behind me, but I can feel his ki flaring to life. I spun around, aiming to hit him with a roundhouse kick.

Lord Beerus: "Ha! There you...aren't?" I kicked something all right, but it wasn't Gohan. It was a ball of ki and the force of my kick completely destroyed it. Without looking I backfisted another sudden energy that spiked behind me and sure enough it was another ball of ki. I looked down to see an entire army of these things flying toward me, but they're not going after me specifically. They're just floating around me, caging me in.

What is he planning this time? Limiting my movement so he can go in for the attack? Is he going to send all of these after me at once? No, just a few at a time. I moved out of the way of several of the ki blasts, effortlessly dodging them.

Once I dodge them, however, they're immediately replaced. It's an endless barrage, his energy reserves willing, but if this is all he's going to do - I highly doubt it is - I don't have to worry. Now they're colliding and creating small explosions, but it's still nothing to worry about, especially since I could just wipe all of these out any time I want. I won't, however, because who doesn't love having slow-paced fights? I sighed...this is going to be my life for the next hundred years.

Oh, how I wish the battle hadn't taken a turn for the dull, but this is my punishment for being lax. With any luck my sarcasm will give me the strength I need to get through this. Also, how long is he going to keep this up? Does he actually think these will be enough to distract me? He better not.

My eyes widened slightly. Finally, something interesting. The ki blasts are still constantly coming at me, but a path is slowly opening up at my feet. For me or for Gohan? Wrong on both counts; it's for a Kamehameha and I dodged that as well.

Unfortunately the rough terrain coupled with all of this wild energy flying directly at my face is making it impossible to pinpoint Gohan's exact location. That's allowing him to fire off multiple Kamehameha's safely from multiple angles. Taking a deep breath in I closed my eyes and cleared my mind. Although I have not mastered or even completed it I can still use Ultra Instinct to some degree. With my body focusing on these little distractions and my mind focusing on finding Gohan I will hopefully be able to discern where he is.

It's funny, who would have actually thought this would be good practice for me? I stopped training millions of years ago and here I am today practicing the one thing I've never gotten the hang of. I'm absolutely certain I could have mastered Ultra Instinct, but it was too much work and I was already incredibly powerful without it. That and I despised training with Whis. He completely ruined it for me, so why bother pursuing something so difficult to obtain?

Hm? I hear a whistling and whatever it is it's coming toward my head, but it doesn't have an energy signature. My eyes shot open as I grabbed the object. It's a...a rock. It's a good-sized chunk, big enough to fill my palm, but it's still a rock. If his grand plan is to trick me by sending ki blasts as well as things without energy my way, I think he might be getting desperate.

I crushed the rock into dust and scattered it into the wind, still avoiding everything that's being thrown at me. All I've been doing is dodging, dodging, and more dodging. It's asinine at this point and, desperate or not, he's trying my patience all the same. I will admit that it's impressive how many things he can throw at me without giving away his location and the intensity makes it even more impressive. That level of ki control is nothing to sneeze at, but it doesn't change the fact that he's been repeating the same moves for so long and he's been throwing rocks at me, something I just can't get over.

Also, there is a pattern that I've picked up on. He always starts off by making about a hundred of those small ki blasts fly at me from all directions. When they inevitably miss they collide with one another and explode. Those brief explosions then give him time to fire Kamehamehas at different angles. However, because he's added rocks into the mix, he'll throw a great number of them at me either before or after shooting a Kamehameha.

Everything may happen within a fraction of a second, but honestly everything is mind-numbingly predictable and I hate it. My excitement was undeniable when this fight first began and now it's undeniable that I'm annoyed. Why won't he make his move already? Come on, do something different and fun! You're just spamming at this point and hoping you get an actual result!

Fucking damn it, it's my own fault! He's being this way because I was too hard on him in the beginning. Now I have to suffer through this endless cycle of boring stupidity! What's worse is these rocks feel so insulting to me. I destroy planets as a job, which are really just glorified rocks, and it's laughable to even think that someone of my power could ever get hit by one!

I loudly growled. Now what's being thrown at me?! An orange ball?! It suddenly opened up and...no, it's his stupid fucking gi! What is this nonsense?! First ki blasts, then Kamehamehas, then rock's, and now this?! I can't tell if he's taking this fight seriously or if he's just messing with me! Is this a game to him?! An excuse to make me look like a joke?! Is it?!

I yelled out my frustration and with a single paw began charging up a particularly powerful Sphere of Destruction, aimed right at his gi which is fluttering in the wind without a care in the world. I'm going to incinerate this and then I'm going to find and make Gohan regret trying to make a fool out of me! Look at that, it's about time! After countless years his onslaught has completely stopped. That's enough to tell me that this last move wasn't some kind of last ditch effort, so I'm going to be cautious.

Okay, I think it's more than big enough. I cocked my arm back and threw it, all the while taking into account how my energy cage is creeping toward me ever so slowly. I was right to be cautious because not a moment passed before he started up his attacks again with an even greater ferocity. Too bad he didn't realize that I created a tether using ki and connected it to the Sphere of Destruction. Smiling, I spun my wrist around, wrapping the energy around it like a rope. Once I got a good grip with both paws I pulled tight, narrowly missing his gi by a few inches, and started spinning around in a circle.

Not only am I destroying everything Gohan's throwing at me, I'm spinning around so fast I've also turned into a living tornado. I feel like a kid doing this and to tell the truth it's kind of fun. My eyes darted to something orange. Huh. There's his gi, flying around in the massive weather system I've created. You are beyond lucky that you're still here, I hope you know that.

Wait, now my tornado is picking up a bright blue energy. It's the unmistakable energy from an incredibly powerful Kamehameha and now my tornado is becoming a Kamehamehanado. That's almost as much of a mouthful as the original name for Super Saiyan Blue. And Gohan's...right at the forefront also riding with the wind? He's continuously shooting it and rocketing around, picking up more and more speed and moving higher and higher to the top with each rotation.

I'm unable to tell what he's planning since I can't say I've ever been in this situation before, but whatever it is, I'm going to put a stop to it. I raised my arms and carefully took aim until I was on target, unwrapped the tether from my wrist, and let go of it. In the blink of an eye he turned, his back facing me, and fired off an extremely short burst of his strongest Kamehameha yet. It was so short that it was more like a big ball that never traveled anywhere, but the sudden shift in momentum shot him out of the vortex like a projectile.

It's like time slowed down. He gracefully twisted his body midair, completely shooting past my attack and barely avoiding it while at the same time grabbing a hold of the ki rope with his right hand. He's barreling toward me, a leg extended with a boot at the end waiting to wipe across my face. And wouldn't you know it, even though I know what's going to happen and what must be done to prevent it, my body's too slow to react. He earned his opening.

Agh! He got me right in the nose, sending me straight down and deep into the ground with a loud boom. One thing's for certain, he didn't miss his mark this time. I can hear and feel a ringing in my ears. I'm still literally in the eye of the storm and it's still raging on. Without a moment to spare Gohan threw my attack down at me and began charging immediately after it left his hand.

Gohan: "Ka...me...ha...me...ha!" The beam reached the Sphere of Destruction and pushed it at a brisk pace. Ah, I see what's going to happen. This is going to hit me and cause a chain reaction that will make the Kamehamehanado explode. I should brace myself because this will be an explosion of epic proportions and it might actually hurt me if I don't. I put up a small ki barrier mere moments away before impact.

Just a little more time and-oomph! Exactly as I thought, a chain reaction. I was right to brace myself. This absolutely massive blast - I would be willing to bet that you'd be able to see it from space - stings a little. Having your own attack used against you, being in the epicenter of a planet rocking explosion, and getting next to zero time to prepare yourself will do that.

It felt like it went on forever, but at last it ended and I once more find myself in a huge crater, except this time I'm left a little dazed. I very slowly worked my way onto my feet and afterward placed my fingers under my nose. I checked them and found no blood. Breathing slightly heavier, I looked all around, not finding Gohan. He, and I assume the others, must have flown away to a safe distance.

How he handled the situation was honestly ingenious and I couldn't be happier with him. He's a wonderful sparring partner. I hung my head disappointedly. I say that and yet...I can't help but feel ashamed of myself. I know that it's just a sparring match, but it's hard not to feel like I'm becoming obsolete.

I clenched my fists. Back when I was still new to the job, the title God of Destruction meant something. It was a realm of power that few beings could equal, let alone surpass or even get close to it. It was a title that demanded respect as well. It was a title that showed you were important and meant something.

But...that was always a lie, wasn't it? Mortals like Goku and Jiren. The Angels and the Omni-Kings. The Tournament of Power, which was really just a message telling the entire multiverse that it's a sandbox to be played in. All of the evidence is pointing to the fact that I've been living a lie and fooling myself.

What idiocy was I thinking earlier? Benchmark for power my ass! All of my power doesn't amount to anything and people giving their respect to me just because I'm a God of Destruction is undeserved! I'm not important, I'm just an expendable pawn, a plaything for the amusement of others. I'm easily replaceable and as much as it hurts to admit, I'm...I'm irrelevant and worthless in the grand scheme of things.

Well, Whis, if this is what you wanted me to learn, consider your lesson a success. Maybe I am stepping outside my happiness boundaries. Maybe I should just do what I'm told and accept my fate. Maybe it's useless trying to change my life now. I don't know...another problem for another day.

Unclenching my fists, I softly sighed and reluctantly flew out of the crater. I touched down at the rim, finding Gohan standing about twenty feet away and the others being roughly fifty feet. He's down to his undershirt? Oh, right, he threw his gi at me and it's probably long gone by now. He's looking at me like he's concerned.

Goku: "Whoo-hoo! Nice job, Gohan!"

Goten: "Yeah! That's showing him!" Fucking peanut gallery. I don't need to hear them. Ever.

Lord Beerus: "You shut your damn mouths you worthless and irrelevant cretins! I'm not in the mood for commentary right now!" And shut their damn mouths they did.

Gohan: "Are you okay, Lord Beerus?" he asked sympathetically and not at all frightened by my small outburst. "You were down there for a long time."

Lord Beerus: "Yes, I'm fine," I responded coldly, walking to my left. I stopped once there was solid ground behind me and not a lake-sized hole.

Gohan: "Do you need to stop?" My aura flared to life as I stared him down. Now he looks a little uneasy.

Lord Beerus: "No. We're not stopping until I'm satisfied. Do I look or sound satisfied?"

Gohan: "Uh-"

Lord Beerus: "Rhetorical question. Anyway, that wasn't bad. Not bad at all. I would say more, but your incessant repetition left a bad taste in my mouth. Luckily for you, it's an easy fix. We are going to have one last bout." The way I said it left no room for negotiation. "I want to see if you can pull off a miracle against a God of Destruction twice." Without warning I created my most powerful Sphere of Destruction in record time, holding it in both paws this time, and threw it. For a split-second it looked like he was going to freeze, but he answered with yet another Kamehameha. He's running low on energy, so he's holding back to keep from burning out too quickly. Just as well. We'll be done after this.

In no time at all they collided. The point where the two opposing energies meet is causing the ground to fracture, shake, and break off into chunks of rock. Strong gusts of wind are violently swirling around us, blowing dust and debris every which way. Crackling loudly, ki sharing the same appearance as the ki found in Gohan's aura is also forming where our moves meet. Like strokes of lightning, it's wildly lashing out in a ten foot radius and ravaging everything in its path.

Gohan: "Ha!" Now he's holding nothing back, putting all of his remaining energy into the Kamehameha, officially making it the strongest and by far the largest one he's shot today. The adverse effects that have been created are increasing in ferocity.

Lord Beerus: "Not bad! You've far exceeded my expectations...for a mortal!" I called out loud enough for him to hear. I thrust my right paw forward, pushing the large sphere. I'm still meeting resistance, but it won't be long until I win this struggle. I continued pushing as I slowly and confidently walked closer to our clashing attacks. I made the mistake of letting up before and it can't happen again. "However...you still have a long way to go before you're a match for me. Before you're even close." Ten feet...I think this is close enough. As I stopped moving closer and calmly stood in place, I raised my left index finger in preparation to shoot a small beam that will cause my Sphere of Destruction to explode as soon as they connect. After that I'll check on Gohan and give him words of encouragement. Maybe I'll give him tips on how to improve. But most importantly, I'll win.

"I've had a lot of fun, but it's time I-" Ah, what the-!? My attack exploded before I could finish my sentence! Almost immediately several ki blasts appeared from the explosion. Gohan's a negligible distance behind them and he's flying through the air at breakneck speed with a fist aimed at my face as well as the ki blasts. They will only give him a very slight oomph when everything connects, but every bit helps.

He's coming too fast to fire the beam from my finger as I originally planned to, so now is the time to block. I stopped charging the energy at my fingertip and raised my right paw in front of my face. He's not changing course. He must think that just because he got me once he can do it all. The fearless overachiever will get a heavy dose of reality soon enough.

My eyes widened. No, wait! This Gohan is just an after image. Very clever, but I refuse to get caught off-guard again! Without a moment to lose I lowered my left paw down to my stomach and blocked the accelerated punch from the real Gohan who had shot through the barely formed dust cloud not even a second after my realization.

The strike sent me skidding backward on the ground, prompting me to literally dig in my heels. I'm leaving perfectly straight gashes in the rocky surface and after about one hundred feet I slowed to a complete stop. I raised my paw in front of my face for inspection and took a small step to the right, allowing the ki blasts to zoom past me. I can't believe that he got me again. Although I successfully blocked his attack, I'm left with a burn mark on my palm.

The damage may be miniscule, but he still managed to cause a visible injury. A feat I wasn't expecting. I don't feel any pain and it will heal on its own fairly quickly, so I'm not worried about it. Of course, this may be another piece of evidence that I truly am becoming outdated, but I already spent enough time making myself feel awful. Instead I'll recognize that this was another stroke of brilliance on his part.

At some point during our clash he must have realized that it was a losing battle. This is just a guess, but I believe he started to coat his fist with the energy from his own Kamehameha while simultaneously continuing to fire it from his other hand. I think he also walked forward and managed to utilize some of the energy from my own attack. If he didn't, he wouldn't have been able to simply punch my sphere into oblivion, let alone hurt or even move me. It's the only way I can imagine him pulling any of this off.

After that he lowered his energy, threw out the ki blasts to mask it further, and used the explosion to cover himself so he could send an after image in my direction and waited in the dust cloud for me to block high. His plan would have worked, if I was a run-of-the-mill fighter. But I'm not, damn it! I'm the God of Destruction, Lord Beerus! Yes, I'll keep telling myself that and try to shove my existential crisis deep, deep down and lock it away in the deep recesses of my mind to make myself feel better.

Anyway...that ki infused strike of his was truly devastating and it would have undoubtedly harmed me even more if I didn't block in time. It wouldn't have been enough to take me down, but I wouldn't be standing tall, unaffected, either. It was an extremely risky maneuver. One misstep and he would have been completely engulfed by both of our moves. Nevertheless, I would say that it paid off.

I lowered my paw and looked over at my sparring partner. He doesn't have many injuries to speak of. Some bruises and some cuts here and there, courtesy of me in the beginning of the fight. Even so, he's barely standing and breathing heavily all the same due to having no energy left. But the takeaway is he's still standing and for better or for worse his stubbornness reminds me of his father.

Gohan: "I...I can...I can keep going!" he insisted. I gave a small smile. He doesn't know when to quit, just like Goku and I can't be upset at that. It's funny that his children are so similar to him when he spends most of his time training, but I suppose he's there for them when it counts. In a flash I appeared in front of him and placed my arms behind my back.

Lord Beerus: "No, Gohan. We're done here." He let out an exhausted and relieved sigh, practically collapsing on his back, and took in ragged breaths.

Gohan: "You were...right about one thing...Lord Beerus. I'm...not a match for you yet...and I won't be anytime soon." Not in raw destructive power, but strategy might be another story.

Goku: "Hey, great job, Gohan!" There they are. I was wondering where the audience was. I stepped several feet back to give everyone space. Goku kneeled down on his son's left side and took a small brown sac out of his pocket. From it he took out a senzu bean and offered it to the fatigued warrior.

Gohan: "Thanks, dad." He happily accepted the senzu bean and ate it. Feeling instantly better, Gohan, along with Goku, slowly stood up.

Goku: "Sure, no problem. You fought really hard and you deserved it."

Goten: "You were so amazing!" the youngest member of the family excitedly exclaimed from his brother's right side.

Piccolo: "You did a good job," Piccolo agreed. He's standing next to Goku with his arms crossed. They're all smiling and it's reminding me of the love Liquiir and I have for one another. Goku suddenly walked over to me and held out a senzu bean. I frowned at it. How far the mighty has fallen. I understand that it's just a friendly offering, but it still hurts my pride. And my once positive sense of self is starting to crack as it is.

Goku: "What's wrong? Don't worry, Lord Beerus, you can have it. We have lots of them!" he beamed at me.

Lord Beerus: "I appreciate the offer, Goku, but no thank you. I don't want it." He stopped smiling and looked at me questioningly.

Goku: "Are you sure? Really, you can have it."

Piccolo: "He doesn't want it because he's not hurt, Goku."

Goku: "Oh, that makes sense." After putting it back into the bag, he laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. I should have known."

Lord Beerus: "It's fine." I held out the paw that wasn't singed. "If you really want me to take it that badly, I'll take it."

Goku: "It's okay, you don't have to do that."

Lord Beerus: "Well, which is it?! Do you want me to take it or not?! Make up your damn mind!" He yelped in fear and quickly put it in my palm.

Goku: "Here! Sorry!"

Lord Beerus: "You better be. When someone tells you no, you listen." I crushed the item that seems to be mocking me and threw it to the ground, looking him dead in the eyes the entire time. "Do you understand?" He looked at the mutilated senzu bean and then returned his gaze to me.

Goku: "I think so. You're upset about something, aren't you?"

Lord Beerus: "What was your first clue?" Everyone is watching apprehensively. The tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Or at least it was, until Goku smiled. Everyone relaxed, including myself. Thank you for not making the situation worse like you usually do.

Goku: "Don't worry, I didn't think you actually needed it. I just thought it would be nice to ask." I crossed my arms.

Lord Beerus: "Then why were you so insistent upon me taking it?"

Goku: "You never know. It might've come in handy someday."

Lord Beerus: "A fight that would warrant me eating a senzu bean? Never. For you? I can guarantee that much." He chuckled.

Goku: "You're probably right," he admitted. "Anyway, I wanna get a little more training in," he said while holding his thumb and index finger close together to show exactly how little he meant. "So I'm gonna go see if Vegeta wants to train with me." Of course. His appetite for battling is insatiable. No offense to Goku, but I can only deal with him so much at any given time. If he kept going on about the senzu bean business I would have snapped. At least he was smart enough to understand the situation for once, though. "Speaking of sparring, thanks for doing that with Gohan, Lord Beerus."

Lord Beerus: "I was bored," I aloofly responded, not wanting the others to know just how much I enjoyed myself. He shrugged.

Goku: "Well, I don't think you're bored anymore." He looked down at Goten who had made his way to Goku's side. "Hey, Goten, do you want to come with me? You can play with Trunks if you want."

Goten: "Sure, that sounds like fun," he answered while nodding.

Goku: "All right. Can you get on my shoulder?" With another nod, Goten did what was asked of him and flew up to Goku's left shoulder, landing gently on it. The latter placed his hand behind the former's back, keeping him secure, and then placed his right index and middle fingers against his forehead. "I had a lot of fun! It was great seeing you again, Piccolo. You, too, Lord Beerus. And, uh, Gohan? Keep training as hard as you can. I can't wait until you surpass me." I turned my head to the young adult. He looks shocked at Goku's words. I can't blame him. It's hard to see anyone surpassing Goku. His shock turned into happiness as he gave a thumbs up.

Gohan: "I'll do my best." Goku laughed.

Goku: "That's the spirit! And you, too, Goten! I know you're both going to get stronger than me."

Goten: "I'm going to get so strong, not even Lord Beerus will know what hit him!"

Lord Beerus: "Good luck with that, kid, because I won't make it easy for you." I was being serious, but everyone is laughing. Typical.

Goku: "Well, we're off. See you later, everyone!" The father and son duo teleported away. I can only imagine how nice it is having a father who believes in you so much and being praised by him. Gohan returned his arm to his side.

Piccolo: "Don't go crying on us," Piccolo joked, patting his left shoulder. Gohan chuckled.

Gohan: "I won't." He looked over at me. "Lord Beerus, do you want to go to my house?" Huh. Today is just full of surprises, isn't it?

Lord Beerus: "Me? You want me to join you? Why?"

Gohan: "I don't want to be inconsiderate and there's no reason I can think of why I shouldn't invite you. Besides, there's probably a reason why you've come back to Earth so soon and maybe you want to discuss it." He's obviously hinting at Liquiir and what the situation is like now. Since I did talk about the problem I was facing with him and Videl, it only makes sense that he wants to know the outcome as soon as possible. And recent developments have shown me that going to Bulma's right now would be far from wise. All right, I've decided. As if the decision was hard.

Lord Beerus: "Very well. If you insist."

Gohan: "All right. Let's go." After his declaration, he and Piccolo flew away together. I didn't follow them, but rather I took to the sky and floated above the battleground. I looked at my paw, feeling pleased to see that it's healing nicely. I lowered it and scanned the ravaged landscape one last time, spending a little extra time on the literally enormous pit of despair below me. Okay, that's enough.

Lord Beerus: "Gohan!" I called, catching up to him before he could respond. I'm flying by his right side and Piccolo's on his left. We're not in any rush so we're moving leisurely. It's a nice change of pace. Without missing a beat he turned his head, clearly unfazed by how fast I reached them.

Gohan: "Yes, Lord Beerus?"

Lord Beerus: "I wanted to apologize about your gi."

Gohan: "Don't worry about it, I have spares. Plus, things like that can happen when you're fighting." I nodded in agreement.

Lord Beerus: "That's always the risk we take. I've had to get this replaced a couple of times," I said while tugging on the regalia around my neck. "Also my pants, but they're not nearly as valuable." We all shared a laugh. That was me telling a joke.

Piccolo: "Since we're on the subject, what was your plan when you threw your gi at Lord Beerus?"

Gohan: "I was planning on...getting him angry."

Lord Beerus: "On purpose? It's been a long time since someone was foolish enough to try that. Not many people want to test their luck to begin with. I'm sure you know what a slippery slope my temper can be, but I understand why you took that route. Another part of battling is taking advantage of your opponent's weaknesses. Mine happens to be the occasional short temper."

Gohan: "But you didn't let it get the best of you. I didn't see that ki rope coming."

Lord Beerus: "I reassessed the situation when you stopped your attacks and even then you still managed to get me. Excellent work, from start to finish."

Gohan: "Thank you. You were amazing." Compared to what you did I wasn't anything special. I just dodged. I'll take the compliment, though.

Lord Beerus: "I appreciate you saying that." This is a good talk. I needed this. "And Gohan, because we're going to your home, I thought this would be a great opportunity to let you know something. But first, do you remember when I told you to visit mine when my...particular situation got resolved?" I don't want to get into the specifics while another person is within ear shot. Not everyone needs to know everything about my personal life.

Gohan: "I do. Why?"

Lord Beerus: "I changed my mind. A new situation has popped up and it won't be as easy to fix."

Gohan: "Really? Does it have to do with..."

Lord Beerus: "A particular attendant of mine? As a matter of fact, it does. And to answer your other question, yes, I refuse to discuss it."

Gohan: "I understand."

Lord Beerus: "Good. However, I do want you, the both of you, to very carefully ponder these words. And I especially want you two to pass this message along. Are you ready?"

Gohan: "I'm ready." Piccolo silently nodded.

Lord Beerus: "Okay. Pay close attention." I drew in the deepest breath I could physically muster. These are golden words of wisdom to live by. They better be prepared with every fiber of their being. Once I say this, there will be no returning to the lives they once knew. If only I could see the reaction on a certain someone's face because I know he's using his staff to spy on me. "Fuck. Whis."


Poor Beerus. He's feeling so tiny and insecure about himself. It's sad, but the unfortunate reality is you feel that way when you start doubting what you've been doing for years. He's facing the big questions everyone faces at some point in their lives: "What am I doing with my life? Who am I? What am I?" He'll find the answers to those questions, so don't worry too much.

This is the first time I've actually written out a fight scene and hopefully I did something as monumental as Lord Beerus vs Gohan justice. With that in mind, how did it turn out? Good? Bad? Decent? Were the fighters realistic in their approaches? Their responses? Feel free to tell me your thoughts.

Oh, and Mystic Gohan? Not as simple as I thought it was at first. It was complicated to figure out. Anyway, I hope I delivered on the fight and explained Mystic Gohan everything well enough. Or at least how I interpret Mystic Gohan.

Be safe and as always, D.F.T.B.A. (Don't Forget To Be Awesome!) Have an awesome day!