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Chapter 19:
THE GRAND CHAMPION?
Note: Thanks to Cruzerblade, Guest 22, Xion The XIV and WiffleDick678 for the reviews :).
It's been a while since I updated the story, I know :D, but here is the new chapter. I really hope you'll enjoy it :). Please leave a comment/review to let me know ^^.
Last time on Consumed by the past:
The semi-final matches were well underway and Goku's opponent was a half-Saiyan, half-Shinzoku, who proved to be a formidable opponent. Both were equal and Goku had no choice but to transform into a Super Saiyan. The shock was real when Shinten also transformed into one, rivaling Goku's power. In the end, Goku managed to defeat him by using his Shunkanidou at the last second and sending his opponent out of the ring. The next match was Gohan against Soldier, whom he met at the Wanasan research facility. Soldier also explained what the facility really was and who the Super Soldiers were. After revealing that he had also killed Soldier's son and daughter in the onslaught, Gohan's body was almost paralyzed by the shock; preventing him from fighting. Luckily, Goku reminded him of using the Dragon Balls to revive everyone, giving his son new hope and will to fight. He eventually emerged victorious and made a promise to Soldier, to get the Dragon Balls back, defeat Endou and revive everyone he had killed on Wanasa.
While the crowd was taking a short break, Gohan and Goku were already being healed by the rejuvenation team in the first aid chamber. They didn't sustain much injuries but the organizers wanted them to fight at their full potential.
"You better not hold back, dad." Gohan reiterated the obvious.
"Don't worry; I know how strong you are. I'll be happy to give it my best but I expect the same from you." was his answer.
"Heh, I know you're hiding something... you always do. You've probably even attained Super Saiyan 2."
"I know what you're trying to do Gohan and it won't work," Goku smiled back, "but I'm not telling you anything. You'll just have to wait and see. Which reminds me... when you transformed against that Soldier guy, I noticed your Ki signature was different. Can't put a finger on it, but it feels like it's mixed with another one."
"It's the side effect of that ritual, remember? I guess a part of that evil energy fused with my own. I'm not proud of what had happened, but at the same time, this is who I am now. Don't worry, I'm not going to go insane or all evil on you, hehehe."
"I know you won't; it's just that so much has happened to you during my absence. Just thinking about what you've told me, gives me the chills. But you've come a long way in such a very short time, Gohan. I've always been proud of you; since the day we fought Raditz."
"Thanks, dad. It really means a lot to me, hearing you say that. And I promise I'll keep the Earth safe, no matter what."
I know you will, son. One more thing... how's the tail?" the older Saiyan smiled.
"Oh no, you're not grabbing it! That's not fair. I haven't had time to train it yet."
With closed eyes and a big smile, he answered, "I'm just kidding. I want this to be a fair fight."
The healers had done their job and fully healed both of them.
"You're both ready to go." one of them said.
"Ah great, this is much better. Thank you," Goku replied and looked at Gohan, "You ready?"
He just nodded, so both of them made their way to the ring. On their way, the announcer had already seen them exiting the chamber, so he lifted his microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The finalists are ready to begin the grand finale. The taller fighter is Son Goku; a Saiyan from planet Earth in the North Galaxy. The smaller one is Son Gohan, his son; a half-Saiyan, half-Human from the same planet - Earth. Who would've thought that these two will be fighting for the title of Grand Champion."
Upon reaching the arena, both Goku and Gohan were anxious and had a little smile on their face. They've been waiting for this the whole tournament, and now, they're finally going to fight each other. Gohan has been wondering, ever since he was brought here by the East Kaioshin, how much stronger his dad has gotten during his time in this realm. The fact that no one came close to his strength on Earth, not even Vegeta, maybe Goku managed to reach Super Saiyan 2 or at least get that much stronger; enabling Gohan to finally fight or spar seriously.
"Fighters, are you ready?" the announcer's voice echoed all over the stadium.
Both nodded and prepared themselves; taking their fighting stances. The moment the battle started, Gohan instantly transformed into a Super Saiyan; surprising his dad.
"Already?" he said.
"Yeah. I'm tired of holding back and we've had plenty of warm-up already."
"Fine by me." and the older Saiyan also transformed into a Super Saiyan.
A split second later, both vanished and reappeared high in the sky, fully engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Gohan's heart started beating faster - the rush of adrenaline and excitement had saturated his entire body. His mind was focused entirely on this battle, nothing else mattered. The barrage of punches and kicks that were aimed at Goku were very fast, precise and powerful; something Goku anticipated but not to such a degree. It reminded him of Vegeta's fighting style combined with his own. But he didn't have time to think about this as his son was on a relentless attack. Before he could somehow counterattack, the boy had already found an opening in his defense and managed to slam his foot into his stomach, following a punch to the face and a roundhouse kick which sent him flying a good distance. The boy extended his right arm and started charging a blue energy ball in his palm. Goku regained control in mid air, but before he could charge back, Gohan had already fired his attack.
"How did he..." he said to himself before quickly putting two fingers on his forehead and teleporting away behind and slightly above his son.
The powerful attack went on flying into the air until it violently exploded; creating a blinding light and a shock wave.
"I knew you'd dodge it." Gohan noticed his dad close by.
"You weren't kidding when you said no holding back. Wasn't that Vegeta's technique?!"
"Heh, yeah, it was."
"It makes sense now. The fighting style, this attack... you've been training with Vegeta."
"I trained with him to try and master the Super Saiyan 2 and learned a few tricks along the way." his son smiled back.
"You don't say. Well, whatever the case... it's time to get serious."
Goku lunged at his opponent with shocking speed and both clashed in an epic battle. Both were attacking and defending at the same time, trying to find an opening in their opponent's defense. The first one to succeed was Goku, hitting his son directly in the face, making his nose bleed. A few minutes and a couple of dozen exchanged attacks later, Gohan managed to punch his opponent in the stomach. Ki blasts, punches, kicks and occasional Kamehamehas were flying all over the place; wrecking havoc on the whole arena and both the fighters. Scratches, bruises, cuts, burn marks started piling up in addition to a bloody nose and forehead for Gohan and a bloody mouth and forehead for Goku. Gohan's shirt and top part of gi were full of holes and torn marks; but his pants weren't in any better condition, to be honest. His dad's clothes practically looked the same and he was missing a left pant from the knee down. Both of their arms were also bruised and scratched from the constant fighting and defending; and occasional crashing into the wall or ring.
After all that onslaught, they landed in the ring, what was left of it, breathing heavily and staring at each other.
"You... you've really improved." Goku broke the silence.
"You too, dad. We're... we're practically even."
Both just smiled and rushed towards each other once again but Gohan knew this stalemate won't last long. The crowd could hardly see anything since they were so quick and fast; only the most skilled fighters were able to at least partially follow the epic battle between father and son. For the second time during the battle, Goku used his Shunkanidou to teleport behind his son and kicked him hard towards the ground. He immediately started charging his signature attack while he had the opportunity. The split second Gohan managed to land on his feet, he unleashed a powerful Kamehameha right at him. The boy didn't have time to dodge, so he extended his arms and took the blast head on. As he was trying to push it away from himself, Goku put more energy into it, causing Gohan's feet to sink into the arena floor, cracking it even further. At this point, the demi-Saiyan had enough of the regular Super Saiyan form. He tensed his muscles and upgraded to Super Saiyan 2, causing Goku to feel the enormous boost in his power.
Now he's serious, he thought.
Then, suddenly, the Kamehameha touched the ground and exploded. The immense explosion and power annihilated the whole arena, leaving a shallow crater in its place. A thick cloud of dust and debris engulfed the whole central part of the arena. The crowd was shocked and stunned; hardly anyone was standing - most of them fell from the their seats because of the powerful impact shock wave Goku's Kamehameha had caused.
What was he thinking?!, Goku reacted in his mind.
When the huge cloud dissipated, a figure was floating just above the newly-created crater. It was none other than Gohan, with his hands crossed in front of his face. They were burned - the consequence of taking the Kamehameha head on. His upper purple gi was gone, only a burnt and torn dark blue short sleeve shirt was covering his torso. He lowered his arms and smirked, wanting to say something when the announcer almost screamed into the microphone.
"OH MY! The arena... it's... it's gone. We need to pause the battle to fix it."
"No," the boy interrupted, "we don't need it."
"But... without the arena, there can be no out-of-bounds. The rules state..."
"The rules are limiting our fight and so did the arena. Just let us fight like real Saiyans. The one that can't fight anymore is the loser." the boy demanded.
"I... the Dai Kaio made these rules and we must abide by them."
Kaio-sama shouted, "He's right, Gohan. Those are the rules, made by the Dai Kaio."
"Indeed they are but I can also change them if that's my will." someone said.
"D-Dai Kaio-sama... you've already returned..." the announcer was shocked.
"The news about a battle like this travel far and fast in the Other World; I didn't want to miss the grand finale between these two mighty fighters. What seems to be the problem?"
"Well, Dai Kaio-sama," Kaio approached him, "the boy would like to fight his father with no out-of-bounds rules and without a ring, since you can see it's no more."
"No ring? Whoa, then these two must be one of the strongest fighters in the Other World. Nonetheless that's a pretty big deviation from the traditional rules. Who gains the advantage?"
"No one, Dai Kaio-sama. In fact, the battle should be even more interesting since both could move freely in air and on the ground." Kaio explained.
"Please, Dai Kaio-sama. I just want to fight dad in a true Saiyan way. The winner should be the last one last standing; no out-of-bounds rules."
"Goku, what do you think about all this?" Kaio-sama looked at him.
I don't know why Gohan is doing this, but it looks like he really wants to fight without any limitations or tournament rules. He wants to fight in a true Saiyan way.
"I think you should do what he's asking for. To be honest, the arena is a bit small for the likes of us."
"Hmmm... well... it's been a quite some time since I've seen such strong fighters. And because the tournament is also an entertainment delight for all the spectators here, I guess I can make an exception. I declare that from this moment on, there are no out-of-bound rules for this match. A fighter can only lose if he surrenders or is unable to stand on his feet." the Dai Kaio made a decree. "
Finally we can fight without interruptions, rushed through Gohan's mind.
The golden aura started flaring around him; lightning arcing within it. He raised his power even higher.
His power is unbelievable. He's come a long way since Cell in terms of power and fighting abilities. Heh Vegeta, you really trained him good. Let's see how fast a Super Saiyan 2 really is.
He used his Shunkanidou and teleported above Gohan. The moment he appeared, he swung his leg towards his head, but the boy blocked it. Goku teleported again, trying to hit his son, but was denied once again.
"It's no use, dad. You're too slow when reappearing." Gohan smirked.
He's right. The moment I teleport he can sense me and act accordingly. This Super Saiyan level is far superior to the regular one. No wonder Cell didn't stand a chance. If I want to be anywhere near his power, there's only one thing left to do.
You're right. So I guess I need to increase my speed as well." he smiled.
"I knew you were hiding something, dad."
Goku took a few steps back from Gohan, who was still powered up quite a bit. He assumed his power up stance and took a deep breath; then he started shouting and powering up. The whole arena started shaking during the process but Gohan didn't move an inch. In fact, he was getting excited to finally see what his dad has been hiding. Goku's power was rising fast but was still nowhere near Gohan's. After a few moment, his aura vanished and the tremors stopped.
What is he doing? Why did he stop?, his son thought, raising an eyebrow.
At that moment, Goku closed his eyes and smirked, "Heh."
He stood there for a few seconds with his eyes closed, when suddenly opening them and shouting, "Super Kaioken!" and bursting in yellowish red aura.
Gohan's expression changed from full of confidence to full of surprise, "That's impossible!"
"I thought the same but eventually managed to combine both. If not done correctly and carefully, it can really mess my body up. Being dead and in the Other World, where time practically doesn't exist, I can maintain it for a while. This is the only way... for now."
"I'll be honest; I did expect something but nothing like this. Let's just see what you can do in this mixed form."
Goku smiled and instantly sent Gohan flying into the air via teleporting behind him and kicking him in the back. The boy couldn't believe how fast his dad had become; but even though time was on his side, he didn't want to waste any second of it. While regaining control in mid-air, Goku had already come up to him and attacked with full force, but Gohan was ready for him. The clash between a Super Saiyan 2 and a Super Kaioken was so powerful that that even blocking a punch or a kick would cause shock waves all over the World Tournament Arena. Time went by and both kept fighting like their lives depended on it. Other fighters were shocked and stunned, seeing how powerful both really are.
. . . . .
"How are these Saiyans SO strong? It's unreal." Myriad said.
"It's in their genes," replied Shinten and continued, "they grow stronger with each battle and through rough training. The more they're injured and near death, the more resilient they become.
"But the boy... he's so young and small and he's emitting so much Ki." Tanhan was wondering.
"The boy is a half-Saiyan, but by the gods, he's become this powerful at such an early age. I guess a Human-Saiyan hybrid has even more potential than myself, a Shinzoku-Saiyan."
"He hasn't shown his full power yet." Soldier dropped this fact on everyone.
"W-what do you mean? You're joking, right?" Myriad panicked.
"I'm not. When I fought him on Wanasa with 7 of my comrades, we didn't stand a chance and I'm probably the 3rd or 4th strongest in this tournament. We even used a special serum that increased our power, but to no avail. Once he turned into that form, he was just too much for all of us."
"Who were you before you... you know... came here?" Tanhan wanted to know.
"Long story short; I was a peacekeeper on my home planet along with 7 of my comrades. We were enrolled into a special experimental augmentation program that made us this strong. People treated us like heroes, because we protected and helped them in any way we were able."
"But what's your story with the boy?" Shinten joined the conversation.
"That is something between me and him. Let's just say there was a big misunderstanding, leading to some not so good events which he vowed to undo. It wouldn't be fair if I revealed everything since the kid is clearly already full of guilt because that."
"I can't imagine what..."
. . . . .
Shinten couldn't finish his sentence as he and the others were knocked off their feet when Gohan hit the ground, creating a small crater. It seems that Goku currently has the upper hand but his son wasn't on the ground for long.
We've been fighting for a while now and he still has stamina left. The Kaioken won't last much longer... I've never used it to this extent, but If I don't... I won't even be able to touch Gohan.
Meanwhile Gohan was also contemplating.
I've come so far with this transformation, yet dad is still keeping up with me. He might have an advantage because he's dead but that would just be an excuse. We've already lost a lot of stamina but if I want to beat him, I need to give it all I've got. Luckily, he's already dead so I can't over do it.
He snapped out of his thoughts and was ready to just give it all. The battle was all he had hoped it would be; he was excited now more than ever. Injured, bruised, burnt and cut, he enjoyed every minute of it; it was like his Saiyan nature had completely taken him over - something he had been denying for just too long. However, that was not the only reason. He still hasn't mastered Super Saiyan 2 yet, and the "problem" with staying transformed for a prolonged period, started affecting him. His thirst for battle increased and his rational thinking, but not his fighting precision and knowledge, was suffering because of this. He wanted more; he wanted to beat his dad no matter what; he wanted to show him the gap between their power. Not even the combination of Super Saiyan and Kaioken will stand in his way.
Now it was time to unleash all of his power without the fear actually killing someone. He spread out his legs, bent his knees, tightened his muscles and just started powering up while shouting. The golden aura imbued with lightning flared around Gohan more and more, causing gusts of wind to swirl around him, throwing small parts of dirt, grass and ring debris everywhere. Goku could feel his Ki getting stronger and stronger, so his only options was to do the same as his son - power up to the max, hoping his body will be able to withstand it.
. . . . .
The Dai Kaio was also full of excitement, witnessing such strong fighters in his tournament.
"This is one of your students, Kaio?"
"Yes, I trained Goku many years ago. And the boy is his son, Gohan."
"It seems the apple really didn't fall far from the tree. I've only seen a handful of such powerful warriors. I don't remember when was the last time someone blew up the whole arena into oblivion."
"Saiyans will always be... well, Saiyans."
"King Enma mostly sends them to Hell because of their bad deeds, but some of them have made it here. None of them are not even remotely close to the power these two possess." Dai Kaio said while scratching his chin.
"Well, like master, like student." Kaio smiled.
"It would be great if the winner could fight you, to see who's stronger."
"Um, well, I'm not sure Dai Kaio-sama... I wouldn't want to hurt the Grand Champion."
"I'm sure you'd do just fine and go easy on him."
"What's that West Kaio? Oh... yes, I'm coming. Please excuse me Dai Kaio-sama, but I must consult with my fellow Kaios about something." Kaio excused himself and quickly disappeared.
"Hehe, I knew he'd do something like that. Like master like student... hah, good one." he said to himself with a low voice and a little smile.
. . . . .
During their little chat, the battle between father and son was reaching a boiling point. Goku's body was still sustaining the Kaioken but his muscles slowly started to hurt; indicating how little time he had left in this form. But despite that, he persevered and pushed his body and abilities to the limit. He wasn't facing the same Gohan from the Room of Spirit and Time, nor the one during the fight against Cell. The current Gohan is much more focused, precise and skilled, not to mention of greater strength and power, too. Goku wasn't far behind... well, actually, he wasn't behind at all. His only disadvantage was time itself. His only chance was to win as fast as he possibly could... or lose while trying. Win or loss, it didn't matter; what mattered was pushing his limits and fighting his son the best he could.
Gohan pushed himself from the ground, starting his assault against Goku. The first punch was blocked, but the boy immediately shifted to a roundhouse kick and hit his opponent in the ribs. The older Saiyan flinched, creating an opening for a direct attack. Gohan took advantage of this and slammed his right fist into Goku's stomach, making him cough out blood. The demi-Saiyan had a smirk on his face, indicating he's enjoying this fight very much. The moment he got too confident, Goku retaliated with a punch to the stomach and an uppercut to the face. He then put his right hand on his chest and fired a powerful Ki blast that sent him flying away. By using his Shunkanidou, he overtook him, giving himself time to prepare a barrage of Ki blasts and firing them all at Gohan.
His son had noticed that and reacted by firing his own blasts back, destroying most of incoming ones. Both engaged in shocking fast hand-to-hand combat again, delivering and receiving damage in the form of punches, kicks and various energy blasts. Bit by bit, Gohan's shirt was disappearing from his torso and his right pant was torn off from the knee down. His father only had half of his dark blue shirt remaining (it was missing diagonally from left shoulder to right hip). Energy reserves were getting low and Goku's arms began to occasionally twitch because of the Kaioken.
They found themselves in a locked hand struggle; one trying to overpower the other. Gohan's face was full of sweat and bloody wounds; a mirror image of his father's condition.
"Ggghhhhh... you're... you're not gonna win..." the boy had difficulties saying.
"I'm not out yet." Goku answered back.
"You will be soon..." was all Gohan said.
Goku was a bit surprised by what his son had just said, but decided to use his trump card - it was now or never. A red-yellow aura appeared around him, his muscled bulged, giving him a boost in power. He shoved his right knee deep in Gohan's stomach and then practically began his relentless assault which ended up in Gohan lying on the ground, all beaten up. The pain in Goku's body had built up suddenly due to increasing his Kaioken level just a few moments ago but his willpower and determination prevented him from collapsing and dropping the form. He was breathing heavily while waiting for the boy, who started picking himself up, very slowly.
"I... I won't... l-lose. I... WON'T!" he screamed.
His power surged and blew away Goku, who had difficulties getting back on his feet. Gohan's aura was almost twice the normal size, and his power somehow managed to burst right out of him.
This isn't good... anger just makes him unpredictable and stronger.. and he's not holding back. Well, here goes nothing , his dad was thinking.
"Kaaaa... meeee" Goku started chanting.
"Your own attack will be your defeat, dad!" his son answered and prepared his own attack.
"Haaaa... meeeee..."
"HAAAAAA!" both yelled in unison, unleashing their most powerful signature attack at each other.
The gigantic waves of blue energy collided in the center of the Other World Tournament Arena, creating a blinding light. Tremors and shock waves started cracking the Arena, demolishing some parts of it, including the northern and western crowd stands. Those who weren't sitting, were either holding on to something or got blown away.
"This is too much... I can hardly hold on!" Dai Kaio yelled.
All of the Kaios were already against the wall and most of the eliminated fighters, who remained besides the ring, too; except for Soldier and Shinten. They managed to hold their ground; eager to watch the epic power struggle.
"We're all going to die!" screamed Myriad.
"We're ALREADY dead!" shouted back Tanhan.
Back on the Kamehameha struggle, Goku's body was on the verge of collapsing. He couldn't afford to let Gohan's Kamehameha destroy the whole planet they wereon. Gohan wasn't holding back and was determined to beat his dad no matter what - something Goku had noticed during the battle. Was it because everyone were already dead and he couldn't kill anyone? Or was it the fact that his Saiyan side completely suppressed his human one? Either way, he had to end it before his son would do something reckless. Goku's red-yellow aura increased in size as he started shouting and pouring all his power into the attack. Gohan did the same and the Kamehamehas increased in size and ferocity. The Arena was falling apart and the spectators started fleeing from the stands, but the most enthusiastic ones remained.
The half-Saiyan started winning and pushing back his dad's Kamehameha, when Goku let out an even louder scream, increasing his energy output once more, making his Kamehameha break through Gohan's, who didn't have the energy to repel it. It engulfed him and carried him into the sky, above the Arena, thanks to Goku maneuvering it upwards. Once it reached a certain height, it violently exploded in a bright flash of light that blinded everyone on the ground. Goku's body finally gave up and, reverting back to his normal form, falling on the ground unconscious. A few seconds later, his son fell from the sky, also in his base form, slamming into the ground - he also was knocked unconscious.
The announcer, who surprisingly managed to "survive", somehow managed to examine both of them and calling a draw.
"Uhmmm... everyone... both are unconscious... that's a draw, right?"
Dai Kaio got back on his feet and took a closer look at them.
"Yep, they're out cold. I said the winner would be the one last standing or if someone forfeits, but in this case, we have none of that."
"Oh Kami! Goku, Gokuuuu, can you hear meee!?" Kaio started shouting.
"It's no use, they've knocked each other out it seems. I guess it really is a draw... for the first time... I think." Dai Kaio scratched his head.
"But what about Gohan?! Is he... dead?!" Kaio continued shouting.
The announcer checked for a pulse, "His alive alright, but needs medical attention right away."
"These Saiyans always wreck havoc when fighting. But I've never seen Gohan fight like this before." Kaio went on.
"Whatever the case, they've almost brought down my arena. Wow, what a battle. Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps." Dai Kaio confessed. "You're lucky Kaio... now you won't have to fight the winner, hahaha."
"Hahahaha," he responded with a fake laugh, "what can I say... too bad."
The rejuvenation team hurried from their chamber onto the, what is looked like, a warzone - one huge crater in the center and a lot smaller ones all over the place, cracked walls and partially collapsed crowd stands. Two attended to Gohan's extensive injures and the other two started healing Goku.
Notes: Phew, well, that was quite a chapter, if I say so myself. Yes, it's a draw :D and I know most of you probably don't like that XD.
About Gohan: Like it was explained, the Super Saiyan 2 form is still not mastered and the side effects (in this story) are still present. If we remember a little back, Gohan was training with Vegeta just before Endou arrived and invited him to her dimension. Gohan was then experiencing the same behavioral changes: being arrogant, full of confidence, eager to fight and lust for battle because he had been transformed for some time. The same happened against Kyuuri and later against the Wanasans (on top of being controlled by Endou, too). If we draw the line here, Gohan is far from mastering it and being transformed for a longer time always brings back the above mentioned "symptoms".
SPOILER for Dragon Ball Super - DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED IT YET!
Goku's "Super Kaioken" - I was really fond of his 10x Kaioken on top of Super Saiyan Blue, so I decided to use it in the chapter. And yes, I know Goku used it in DBZ during his fight with Paikuhan (Pikkon), but that was a filler and only lasted for a few seconds. I didn't want Goku to be completely outclassed and the combine use of both had always intrigued me. In this story, he was able to use and maintain it because he was dead and in the Other World where time practically doesn't exist. I purposely didn't say what stages/levels of Kaioken he used, because I want to leave that to your imagination :). I don't want to hear any arguments "No, he can't use it, because he isn't SS Blue" etc. He can and deal with it XD.