A/N : Hi, friends! Thank you for being here. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's going to be a little heavier on the exposition side, but hopefully it answers some questions. Of course, there is so much to cover and I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Seven Years Ago…

Another explosion, much greater than the last, hit and filled the air with debris and ash. Black clouds of smoke darkened the skies above. Thousands of screaming voices at the center of the blast fell silent as the fire devoured everything.

The broken man ran with what little energy he had left, leaving a bloody trail behind. Through ragged breaths, Piccolo dove into the alley of a crippled wall, even as another mighty blast eviscerated the few buildings that still stood behind. In his left arm, wrapped in his stained white cape, was the body of the boy whose eyes were whitened. His tiny chest rapped in an abnormal, nonrhythmic manner, gasping for air. The boy was dying.

"Hang in there, Gohan," Piccolo pleaded, holding the boy to his chest, ignoring the trauma of his own loss. His right arm, cut off at the elbow, was hemorrhaging badly, and the massive blood loss was blurring his vision. As the building behind them crashed onto its side, it lifted a cloud of debris and smoke into the air, before finally settling. Clear of danger, Piccolo allowed himself a few gasps of fresh air before he pushed off and continued his run towards the evacuation center.

He looked behind him and everything was set ablaze. Bodies littered the streets for miles, leading back to the epicenter of the blast.

The battle was over. The war had been won, but at what cost?

Goku… and All Might… and now Gohan, too...

All that was left now was the pounding explosions, chain reactions of the damage of the titanic battle that he had just witnessed. Fires raged and Piccolo could hear the faint whine of emergency sirens in the distance.

The evacuation center wasn't much further ahead. The deafening sounds of the carnage behind faded into the incoming cacophony of wounded and dying evacuees. Nurses, police, medics and heroes, far too few of them, were stretched thin among the sea of the refugees fleeing.

There were panicked calls for help, anguished wails of the wounded and dying, urgent directions from the medical staff, people calling out for their loved ones that had gone missing, and children wailing in despair.

It was a hellish nightmare, unlike anything Piccolo had ever seen. He pushed his way through the panicked evacuees, calling for help from the medics, but his cries were muffled by all the rest.

Piccolo pushed himself through the sea of bodies until he reached a nurse who was administering pain blockers to an older woman and practically threw the boy onto her arms.

"Please," he yelled, "The boy is dying. Save the boy!"

The nurse pressed her fingers against the boy's neck, feeling for a pulse. But after a few minutes, she brushed Gohan's hair from his eyes and looked up at Piccolo sadly.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

Piccolo took the boy in his arms. That kind, brave, strong, happy child that he had come to know and befriend was gone, little more than a fragile frame in Piccolo's arm. This can't be happening. He can't be gone. I was supposed to save him!

"Hey," Piccolo called weakly, shaking the kid. Gohan's head slumped back limply. "Hey, Kid, stop screwing around. Wake up! Gohan!"

But the boy was gone.

Chapter Four – To Heal What's Broken

Present time.

"Hey." The voice cooed smoothly. "Wake up, cutie."

Gohan slowly opened his eyes and to his relief, the queasy feeling in his stomach was gone. He felt much lighter and stronger than ever before, and also cleaner… wait, cleaner? Where am I?

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a pair of large breasts in a black bikini top pressed against his chest and he suddenly realized what was happening. His naked body floated in the warm, nicely scented onsen as the four girls in bikinis that were scrubbing at his body giggled together. The woman directly in front of him scrubbing his chest giggled at his coyness.

"Don't be shy, hun. We'll get you clean in all the right places."

"Where am I?" Gohan yelped, jumping out of the onsen, only to realize he was completely naked. His face flushed red and he quickly covered his manhood with his hands. "And what the heck happened to my clothes?"

"Usually, the champions get the onsen all for themselves," a woman behind him said. "But in your case, the ring girls insisted in washing you down. Don't worry, you're in good hands. The girls are true professionals, isn't that right ladies?"

"Miss Piiza!" Gohan recognized the woman in the red dress. "Well, I appreciate it, really, but I'm about as clean as I'm going to be. Could I at least get a towel or something. I'm a bit exposed here."

"Hey, Skinny!" A loud voice boomed. A tower of a man came through the door. Oh crap! It's that Rappa guy! He's probably mad that I beat him earlier. "I got somethin' to say to ya!"

The hulking monster stopped in front of Gohan and brought his arm back. Gohan braced himself and Rappa swung his arm forward into a thumbs up.

"That was a killer fight! It's been years since I've had that much fun! Make sure to train well and get stronger because next tournament I'm definitely going to kill you!"

Gohan blinked, at a loss for words.

"O-okay, sure thing," he said. Miss Piiza laughed.

"It looks like you've got a new fan," she mused and handed Gohan newly folded robes to change into. "Anyway, your clothes were too damaged to save, but you can take these and change in the locker room area. You'll find the bag you came here with there, as well. And when you're ready, head on up to Piccolo's office. He wants to have a word with you."

"Bye, sweetie, hope you enjoyed your bubble bath," the ring girl called as Gohan left.

"Yep! Thank you very much."

"You better come back and see me again when you're a little older," she flirted.

He gulped but kept walking, ignoring the heat at the back of his neck.

"Okay. This is it," Gohan said to himself as he changed into the purple Namekian robes. A white, scarf-like collar wrapped around his neck and a red sash held it all together at his waist. "The moment I've been waiting for."

Gohan steeled himself, swung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the locker room.

Nail strode into Piccolo's office and dropped his bag on a chair, smiling reminiscently.

"You left everything just the way it was," he said. "I didn't really think I'd ever see this place again."

Piccolo removed his turban and cape and sat down behind the desk.

"Don't give me that," he said, dismissively. "You're the one that turned down coming here in the first place, in favor of that homeless pit you now call home. How are the fine citizens of the New Namek Housing Project, by the way? I've heard they've gone from living in boxes to living in tents"

"Tsk, you still look down on them, but we've been able to help a lot of good people get back up on their feet," Nail shook his head. "But it hasn't been easy. There have been some refugees who have turned to a life of crime and led others astray with them. And then there's the fact that some of our sponsors… well, let's just say they didn't have the best interests of the people in mind."

"So I heard," Piccolo mused. "And I take it that the attack on Advance Finance just happened to be a stroke of good luck, right? You almost threw away your life and for what? To get even with some irrelevant bastard?"

"He was threatening to take it all away," Nail argued. "And don't think for a second that I forgot what he did to our father."

Piccolo gritted his teeth, but looked away.

"What's done is done," Piccolo said, finally. "Just know that you made a lot of enemies that day."

"Yes," Nail lowered his gaze. "I was such a fool."

"Well, we finally agree on something," Piccolo smiled. "Alright, tell all of your folks they can come seek refuge here."

Nail brightened up.

"You mean it, brother?"

"Yeah, yeah," Piccolo waved his hand. "Winter is coming and we could use the help. But let them know they will be expected to work hard, for a generous payment, of course."

"Great, I will, thank you so much!"

There was a soft rap at the door and Gohan entered.

"Hi, it's me, Gohan. I heard you wanted to see me, Mister Piccolo?"

"Gohan!" Nail placed his hands on his shoulders proudly. "That was an amazing fight! So that's the power of the mighty Kamehameha wave. What a sight it was to see!"

"I honestly don't really know how I did it," Gohan laughed nervously. Piccolo stared at him from behind the desk.

"I will admit, you did catch my attention," Piccolo said, leaning back on his chair. "I still have my doubts, for personal reasons, as to who you claim to be. But let's just say you are Son Gohan. How did you find this place and what do you think you'll find here?"

"Oh, right," Gohan reached into his bag to produce the photograph. "While I was in the hospital, someone sent me this photograph with coordinates to this place on the back."

"What?" Nail said excitedly. He grabbed the photograph to get a closer look. "An actual photo of the Blur himself and All Might? Do you realize how rare this thing is? It's the first time I've seen the Blur in pictures, let alone next to the Symbol of Peace."

Piccolo scoffed.

"Yeah, the 'Symbol of Peace'...right."

"Wait," Gohan said. "You're telling me you're not the one who sent me that Get Well letter in the hospital? Or paid off our loan to Advance Finance?"

"No. Why would I ever do that?" Nail asked incredulously, passing the photograph to Piccolo.

"It seems there is a third party watching from the shadows," Piccolo said, standing and taking the photo to look at it. "Unlike All Might, Goku never wanted the fame and glory of being a hero. He would have refused to pose for this picture."

"So you did know him, Mister Piccolo?" Gohan took a seat in front of the desk. "What was he like? I remember so little about him."

Piccolo smiled and looked at something in the distance that wasn't there.

"Goku was unlike any man I've known," he said. "He was a noble hero, a powerful warrior, a worthy rival and a good friend. But he was flawed, as all great men are. And his flaw was that he was just too damn competitive. He always threw himself into situations without thinking first and that's what got him killed."

"Killed?" Gohan said. "No, my father died in a freak accident in Aldaran City seven years ago."

"Is that what they've told you?" Piccolo stared at him. "Feeding you lies in hopes that you never discover the truth?"

"What truth is that?" Gohan said, wide-eyed.

"The truth of who you are," Piccolo said. "Gohan, you have the power to be the most powerful creature in the cosmos. The power in that courses through your veins is enough to destroy the entire world if left untrained."

"Wow, that's intense!" Gohan was sweating. "So I'm some sort of ticking time bomb just waiting to go off?"

Piccolo shook his head.

"No, you're not paying attention, Gohan. You're able to contain this enormous power within you thanks to the training we had all those years ago."

"Training?" Gohan said, confused. "I don't remember any training. In fact, I don't remember ever meeting you before, either."

Piccolo gritted his teeth.

"Fine," he said. "Maybe this will help."

He stood up and that's when Gohan noticed that Piccolo was missing his right arm, cut off at the elbow, but he resisted making a comment about it. Piccolo placed his arm over Gohan's forehead.

"Hey!"

"Relax, kid," he said. "It's an ancient technique used to unlock hidden memories. Just hold still."

Gohan relaxed and slowed his breathing. Piccolo closed his eyes and began to mentally probe through Gohan's memories. In an instant he saw Gohan's life for the past seven years. He saw pain and poverty, but also a few happy memories.

What kind of life have you had since then, kid?

He saw the times the boy got bullied in school and teased for being 'Quirkless'. He saw the many nights that he went to bed with an empty stomach, and all the times that he looked up to the stars, praying for a change in his situation. And then… nothing.

There was nothing there. Where are they? Where are his memories? In his mind, Piccolo saw a thick fog that prevented him from accessing memories beyond that point and no matter how hard he tried, he could not get through.

Piccolo blinked and through the veil, all he could see was a golden glow from beyond. A monstrous howl met him that grew into a deafening roar... And then immediately, the experience was over, and he was back in his office.

"Mister Piccolo," Gohan was looking up at him. "Is everything alright? You're sweating a lot."

"Damn," Piccolo growled, removing his hand from the boy's forehead. "It's no use. There's a mental fog in your mind that won't let me access the memories we need."

"Well, I guess that's why I have such a hard time remembering my past," Gohan said, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"A memory suppressor," Nail brushed his chin in thought. "Could it be the work of someone's quirk?"

Piccolo sighed.

"That's what I suspect. There is definitely something beyond that wall that somebody doesn't want found. For now, we'll just have to find another way of jogging your memory. I need to know how you're still alive."

"What does that even mean?" Gohan was so confused.

"Gohan, on the night that your father died, we didn't just lose Goku. We lost you, too."

Gohan's heart started beating faster.

"What do you mean?"

"It means you're supposed to be dead."

Gohan was speechless. All he could do was shake his head.

"None of this makes any sense," he said in frustration. "I came here for answers and all I'm getting is more questions."

"Look, I know it doesn't make any sense, but we're going to get to the bottom of it. I have a plan. I'm going to make a proposition to you Gohan, and I need to know right now if you are willing to agree to it."

"What do you have in mind?"

"As I just told you, the power you have has the potential to be the most powerful quirk in the world, and if you don't train now to control it, it will destroy us all. So I want to train you for ten months. You clearly have some sort of grip on your power, since you were able to use it in the cage match with Rappa Kendo. Let me train you. I will teach you to control it, and to harness it to its full potential. Your father believed, as I do, that if you have the power to make a difference in this world, you have the obligation to do it. And I'm telling you Gohan that you have the power to become the greatest hero anyone has ever known, and it all starts with this first step. But the choice is yours. I'm not going to force you into this life a second time. Just know that there is something coming, much worse than before, and we're going to need warriors to defend the world."

"Yeah, no pressure, huh?" Gohan smiled. He looked down at his hands. "Mom never told me any of this. For better or worse, I think she was trying to protect me from the dangers of this world. And if what you're saying is true, that I died once before, of course she would never want me to step back into a life of crime fighting. But I hear what you're saying, too, Mister Piccolo, and I think… that you're right. I have been gifted with my father's quirk. I once told my little brother that we can be heroes if we're not afraid to do what's right."

Gohan stood up with a determined look in his eyes.

"Well, I'm not afraid," he said. "I'm ready to become a true hero like my father was. I accept your training."

Piccolo grinned.

"It's not going to be easy," he said. "I'm going to push you to your very breaking point and together we'll shatter past your limits. But in the end, you will discover who you really are and what you're truly capable of."

"And as for everything else," Nail said, breaking his silence. "Your hidden memories, how you cheated death, and the identity of this mysterious third party, I have a feeling we have a clue right here as to where we should start looking."

"All Might," Piccolo said the name in disgust. "He was the last person to see your father alive. He was there on that fateful day as well. I'm sure he would be able to shed some light as well. For now, though, let's focus on your training."

"Right," Gohan said, clenching his fists excitedly. "Mom's probably going to kill me for this, but I'm sure I can talk her into letting me train over the next few months."

"Here?" Piccolo scoffed.

"Yeah, I can train with Rappa Kendo. I'm sure he'd love that idea."

"As if you would be so lucky."

"Huh?"

"We're taking things back to basics, Gohan. It's time to make a man out of you. Tomorrow, I want you to fly to the top of Mount Paozu and meet me there. That's where we're going to start your training."

"Woah, tomorrow?" Gohan said. "I don't know about that, Mister Piccolo. The tickets are going to be crazy expensive, not to mention the fact that the closest airport is in Diablo Desert and that's nowhere near Mount Paozu."

"You're not going to take a plane there, Gohan you're going to fly there."

"Wait… you mean as in… actually fly there?"

Piccolo's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten how to fly, too."

Gohan laughed nervously and brushed his hair back.

"Well, actually…"

"Oh, nevermind," Piccolo cut him off. "Well, then I guess you're going to have to swim there."

"Huh, you want me to swim there?" Gohan stood up. "Oh man, this training really will be intense! And what about school? I still have six more months before the end of the school year."

"We'll take care of all of that when we get there. Yeah it's going to be tough, but just remember this, Gohan. Greatness never came to anyone who wasn't willing to sacrifice for it."

"Yeah, no pressure right?" Gohan said. He's right. After everything I've learned today, there's no way things can go back to the way they were. I have an opportunity to finally know who I am and to master this gifted quirk. I can't turn all of that down now. "Okay, I'll be there."

(…)

Gohan breathed in and out, trying and failing to calm his pounding heart. He wiped his sweat away with his sleeve. C'mon, he scolded himself. It's just mom. You can do this.

He breathed in and out one more time before approaching his mother who was sitting in her chair reading a book while Goten did his homework.

"Mom," Gohan said, his heart leaping.

"Oh hi, Gohan, you're a little later than usual today. Did something happen on the way home?"

"I just had a long day, that's all."

"Ah," Chi-Chi patted his shoulder. "Did you learn a lot today?"

"Yeah," his eyes lowered. "You could say that."

"Well, good. See Goten, you have such a good example in your big brother. He's going to be the first in the Son Family to grace this house with a prestigious diploma. Isn't that right, Gohan? ...Gohan?"

There was a silence that lasted uncomfortably long.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Mom… why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what? If you're talking about the job-"

"No, about Dad, and about me?"

"What about you and your father? Gohan, I don't understand."

Gohan drew a breath.

"Mom, what am I?"

Silence again.

"You're my baby boy," Chi-Chi said slowly, her eyes beginning to widen, realizing where this conversation was going.

"And what else am I?" Gohan looked up at her. When she said nothing, Gohan felt irritation swelling from his chest.

"Mom, why did you lie to me? You've told me I'm quirkless all of my life and that Dad died in an accident in the city."

"Gohan, that's the truth-"

"No, it isn't," Gohan shook his head, his voice rising. "Mom, I know the truth now – about everything."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know that my dad wasn't some quirkless farmer. And neither am I."

"Gohan, where is all of this coming from?"

"I met Piccolo."

Chi-Chi paled noticeably at the sound of the name.

"He told me everything. Him, a common thug and not my own mother, told me the truth about what I am. He told me about who my father really was. And he told me about how I died seven years ago."

"No, that's not true," Chi-Chi cried, tears filling her eyes.

"Gohan," Goten said from the kitchen table. "You're saying really scary things, stop it."

"I'm sorry," Gohan said, lowering his voice and trying his best to calm down, but sweat was pouring down his face and he could hear his heart beating against his ears.

"Mom, I already know everything. I just… I just need to hear it from you."

Chi-Chi closed her eyes and wiped her tears, and when she opened them again, Gohan was shocked to see a fierceness in them.

"That monster has no business talking to you, Gohan. You stay away from him, you hear? I've done my absolute best to move this family forward, even when we lost everything. All I've wanted was to help you two get a good education so you can find decent jobs in the future and escape this financial hole we've been in all of our lives. I warned Goku that getting tangled with the likes of that villain would affect us all, but he never listened. And look where that got us!"

"So it is true," Gohan closed his eyes. Of course, he trusted that Piccolo was telling him the truth. But with his mother's confirmation, suddenly the truth felt so much heavier. And that really angered Gohan.

"Mom, what happened to me seven years ago?" he tried again.

Chi-Chi straightened in her chair and her eyes filled with fresh tears.

"Mom? Why didn't you tell me about my quirk?"

Silence.

Gohan stared at her, refusing to speak. All I want is for you to tell me, mom. That's all I want.

"I'm sorry, Gohan, but I don't want you talking to that man ever again. Leave this hero fantasy out of this house and focus on your classes."

Gohan closed his eyes. Something dark from deep within him snaked out. A feeling he had never felt before.

"No," he said.

"What did you just say?"

"No, mother." Gohan's eyes opened and Chi-Chi's expression dropped.

"All of my life as I've known it is a lie. I am not a normal, quirkless boy, am I?"

The room started to tremble.

"Mommy!" Goten ran to his mother's side.

"Get behind me, Goten," Chi-Chi shouted desperately.

"What am I, mother?! What happened all those years ago?! What happened to my memories?! What happened to my Dad?! Why the hell have you been keeping it all a secret from me?!"

His voice had risen to an enraged growl from deep within him, energy surged out like a typhoon, knocking things over and shaking the apartment building. The lights flickered and died, the doors and windows flapping wildly with the powerful winds.

"Gohan, stop!" Chi-Chi curled into a ball with a terrified Goten.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"

The force of the winds knocked down a mirror and it fell on the ground, shattering to pieces. That brought Gohan back to his senses and in the shattered mirror he saw his reflection. His hair had raised up and his pupils had begun to glow slightly. His face was a twisted mask of rage.

"I'm sorry," he said breathlessly, closing his eyes, pushing down his rage. The winds began to subside and settle. "Mom," he said, raising his hand to the two quaking figures on the ground. "Mom, I'm sorry."

"What are you?" Chi-Chi cried, backing away from him.

"Mom," Gohan stepped forward. "It's me. Goten, don't be scared little guy-"

"Don't come any closer! I won't let you hurt Goten!"

Goten cried heavily in his mother's arms.

"I would never! Goten, It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry!"

But the child buried his face in Chi-Chi's arms and wouldn't look at him.

Slowly, the rage subsided and Gohan stared at his reflection in the mirror, horrified at what had just happened. His mother and brother laid on the ground in a fetal position, terrified of him. Shame and guilt washed over Gohan.

"Mom, I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry-"

"Get out. Get out of this house," Chi-Chi growled. Her face was pale and her eyes wide with fear. "Get out!"

Gohan lowered his gaze to the ground. Just like that, he had lost everything. Piccolo was right. His power was too dangerous to be left untamed.

"I'm so sorry," he said. He turned and ran out of the broken house. His breaths were rasps of air and tears poured down his face as he left the only family he had left. What have I done? How could I lose control so easily? I hurt Mom and Goten!

"Brother!" Gohan heard Goten's voice but he couldn't turn back. He was to ashamed to look at his little brother in the face. "Don't leave me! Gohan!"

Gohan just ran and kept running until his legs couldn't take him any further. As he reached the sea of Dagoba, he collapsed on the oceanside and passed out.

(…)

"The snowstorm is heavier than we anticipated," Nail commented. Piccolo didn't respond. His eyes were glued to the path that led up to them at the mountain's peak. "You really think it was a good idea to have the boy swim all the way here? Even if he survives, he'll freeze to death-"

"Gohan," Piccolo said proudly as the boy climbed his way up the path. He went to greet him but Gohan did not look up. His gaze was lowered and Piccolo sensed distraught energy emanating from the boy. Piccolo didn't have to ask, he already knew what had happened. The fact that Gohan had sacrificed so much just to be here told him that he was determined to see his training through.

"Come on, son," Piccolo said, extending his arm over the boy. "Let's train."

"You are cold, tired, hungry and alone. For most people, that's enough of an excuse to quit. I will teach you to draw strength from your weaknesses and to mold that strength into raw power."

Gohan climbed the side of the mountain, wearing nothing but the weighted cape and turban that Piccolo gave him and the light Namekian clothes. The wind howled and burned his skin, but that burn fueled him to keep pushing further. He sunk his fingers into the side of the mountain and kept going.

"You will learn to strengthen your quirk…"

Gohan gathered all of his energy into the palms of his hands, his arms stretched above his head, and shot it forward. "MAAAAASENKOOO!" The blast extended out and cracked the side of the large boulder and Gohan immediately dropped into a crouch.

"KAAAAMEHAMEHAAAA!"

A blue wave of destruction shot out from his palms and finished destroying the large boulder.

"...as well as your body…

High above a bottomless ravine, standing on the frozen tops of bamboo trees, Nail and Piccolo appeared on either side of Gohan and pummeled him mercilessly. Gohan took Piccolo's kick in the face and used the force to flip and land a two-legged body drop on Nail, sending him flying back. Nail sent a blast that caught Gohan in the back, but he stopped himself from falling by wrapping his legs around the top of the bamboo tree.

Slowly, he pulled himself up.

"Good, you're getting stronger." Piccolo said breathlessly. "Again."

...and mind."

Gohan's eyes were closed and his arms and legs were crossed. As he meditated, his body began to float, his power gathering, preparing for the next day.

"And when we're done. You…

Gohan screamed as he reached the very top of Mount Paozu.

...will be…

Gohan leaped high, his shoulder-length hair flying in the wind. His kicks were a blur as he switched between his targets. In the end, both Piccolo and Nail landed together at the bottom of the ravine.

...unstoppable!"

High above the mountain top, Gohan gathered his energy. A bright white aura surrounded him. He unleashed his energy and shot up through the clouds, flying through the moonlit sky.

Ten Months Later

"I don't get why I'm the one who has to do all the fishing," Nail was saying as he hauled in two large fish. "You're the one that eats like starved child."

Gohan laughed.

"I am a starved child," he teased.

"Very funny."

"Aw, c'mon Nail, just think of it as more training."

"Yeah, right."

"At least we could have asked Miss Piiza to pack us some lunches."

"Her cooking is terrible," Piccolo said.

"You're a real charmer, brother. I'll never understand what she sees in you."

Piccolo leaned back and smirked.

"All kidding aside, she's an amazing woman," he said. "Without her, Papaya Island would come crashing down in an instant. And she's the first woman whose company I enjoy."

Nail winked at Gohan, who laughed to himself.

"Just shut up and eat," Piccolo said, annoyed.

That evening, the three ate the fish by their campfire. Spring had arrived and with it, warmer climates. Mount Paozu was so beautiful this time of the year.

Gohan put his school books down and rested his chin against his fists.

"Mister Piccolo," he said after a long pause. "I never did ask you. How did my father die?"

Piccolo blinked as he stared into the campfire.

"Your father died saving the world against a monster."

"Who killed him?"

"Nobody knows his real name; that's an identity he discarded long ago. Now he is only known and feared by all as All for One."

"All for One?"

"Yes, named after his quirk. He's a fiend that has the ability to steal powers and combine them together. He used his powers to build a large criminal empire and you could say I was his right hand man, helping him recruit more soldiers for his cause and manage the financial aspects of his illegal businesses, a position in which my own father had been in charge of before me. But he failed All for One too many times and was cast out. Shortly after, I took control.

I worked hard and made his organization's influence spread throughout the country, but I was never loyal to him. And for many years I planned to overthrow him and take over the entire organization. That's around the time that I met your father.

I had never met someone as strong and tenacious and good-hearted as Goku. He had these amazing gifts, but he didn't use them to pursue a career as a Pro Hero. He always believed that he should use his powers to save others, not to gain wealth or recognition or fame. We fought a couple of times, but in the end, we joined forces against All for One."

Piccolo paused to poke the dying fire with the stick. The flame licked the branch and livened up again.

"At the time, my plan had been to pit Goku against All for One, and when they both destroyed each other, I would rise up from the flames as the new King of Villains. As the new leader, I would need a right hand man to be my successor, and I chose you."

Gohan straightened.

"Me? Why me? My quirk couldn't have been that strong back then."

Piccolo scoffed.

"That's what Chi-Chi wanted you to think. Your mother didn't want you to follow in your father's footsteps, but I saw the truth. I saw the dormant power within you, the same as your father's, or maybe even stronger. So I took you under my wing and trained you as best as I could. You should have seen the heights of power you climbed! But those heights are mere ant hills compared to where you are now.

Your strength grew, but so did something else; our friendship. You were the first person who didn't look at me like a monster, though admittedly that's a title I deserved. Through the year that you trained with me, you helped me see that not all power and justice came from the darkness, and I was able to release the anger that consumed me all of my life.

So I discarded my plans. But it had been too late, because All for One had always been one step ahead. He took my quirk, and with it, my strength and regeneration, as well as my arm. He wanted me to know what it felt like to be truly powerless."

Piccolo closed his left arm into a fist.

"I wasn't able to warn Goku, nor All Might, of All for One's new powers. All I could do was try to get you to safety… but I failed. You died that night because I wasn't strong enough to protect you. That night we also lost Goku, and the Z Fighters, brave warriors that fought alongside him against the Villains. All Might was severely wounded. And even All for One had been slain, along with the entirety of his organization. It goes without saying, had it been up to me, I would have gladly given my life to protect you. Your father was a good man. He was my friend. Goku gave his life to save you and the rest of the world, and I couldn't help him in the end. And then I let his son die.

All for One took everything from me and turned me into the shell of a man I am today. After that, I used what I had left of the villain funds to rebuild Papaya Island and I've been working hard on myself to reach the peak of my potential, even in this broken state I'm in, so that I can give back to the people of Namek and atone for the life I'd led."

"And now, the shadow of All for One rises once again" Nail interjected. "War is coming and we're going to need strong heroes to defend the innocent."

"And the second problem is that Society is losing trust in heroes and crime is skyrocketing. The symbol of Peace just isn't enough anymore. They need more; someone to inspire them to act bravely, to help each other out, and give them hope that there are others willing to stand up for justice in defense of the innocent. The Blur must come back, now more than ever before."

A silence fell among the trio as they huddled closely against the fire. Gohan said nothing in return, he just kept staring at the fire.

"So," Piccolo said. "That's the story."

"Piccolo," Gohan said. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me until this point. I know it hasn't always been easy, but you never lost faith in me. And I don't want to let you down. So what's our next move?"

Piccolo smirked, tossing the stick into the fire.

"Come with me."

Piccolo lead Gohan down a winding path that led to a disheveled little building by the edge of the cliff.

"Does this place look familiar to you?"

Gohan entered the dark little hut, feeling some form of nostalgia swell within him, but he just couldn't remember why.

"No," he said.

"Some bankers were using this place to grow illegal drugs, but we bought it back. They didn't bother with the house. All they wanted was the field. But this house was the place you were born, Gohan. You're home."

Gohan felt emotions course through him as we turned the lights on.

"Do you remember?"

In his mind's eye, he could see the ghosts of his father and mother sitting at the kitchen table or playing with him, his mother reading him a story as she tucked him into bed. Suddenly the fog in his mind lifted just a little bit.

"I… remember," Gohan said. He turned and walked down a hall to the master bedroom and kneeled down in front of a chest, hidden under the bed. He slowly opened it to find green robes, a cape, a black body suit and a strange device that he had not seen in the photograph from before.

"It's time, Gohan," Piccolo said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're ready."

Gohan stepped outside, a gust of wind blowing over his green robes and black bodysuit underneath.

A red cape flowed with the wind dramatically. In his face, the green scouter came online, flashing data and numbers at his left eyes and through the ear piece.

He had sacrificed so much. Now he was ready to take his first step into a larger world.

And now, the Preview:

Gohan's not the same kid he was when he started his journey towards becoming a hero. His power has grown to unbelievable heights. But how will he react when he faces a problem he's never faced before. Oh no! Did the girl just jump from the top of the building?! And who the heck is Midoriya?

Find out next time: The Path Set Before Me.

Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!