Chapter 1 – Crossroads of destiny

He felt as if a raging fire was devouring his left arm… and, incidentally, the rest of his body, but that wasn't what was burning him the most, oh no. This monster had killed his father, Son Goku dead because of him, and now there was nothing he could do to defeat it and restore normalcy.

The young half-breed looked at the disgusting green creature in front of him with disdain, even his newly acquired power couldn't grant him victory. It seemed impossible to save the situation... Especially seeing the state of all his allies and friends. His own arrogance, his weakness, had led his friends to suffer.

Tenshinhan, Krillin, Yamcha, and even Piccolo were clearly struggling, and their injuries confirmed this simple fact: They no longer had any chance of winning. The most terrible was Vegeta, the proud Saiyan, who seemed really in a horrible state... he was face down and began to cry bitterly under the terrified gaze of Son Gohan.

"I'm sorry Gohan… really sorry," murmured the prince in a sigh as he tried to get up.

'If he's apologizing... it means we're really going to die. So this is how it all ends?'

Cell, the tall greenish humanoid, merely kept an amused and satisfied look on his face, as if he enjoyed the present moment. Just those mad eyes alone could fill the most dreadful nightmares of humanity... and his laugh, his endless maniacal laugh. He was part of the worst kind, those abominations that take pleasure in watching their victims suffer.

He was perfection, the ultimate creation of Gero, and he was going to kill all resistance in the galaxy to satisfy his immense thirst for power... "This has been a fun game but it's time to put an end to it!" he proclaimed to all the protectors of the planet, and of course his message did not fall on deaf ears.

'Dad... I've failed! It was my role to protect the earth... and I couldn't do it!'

Cell's energy literally exploded all around him as lightning naturally crackled at his sides, revealing an even more infernal image of him. There was a flash in the monster's eyes as he joined his hands in the position for the Kamehameha... "Disappear, you and your dear planet!"

Cries of powerlessness rose from all the fighters, and Piccolo felt his blood boiling inside him. He knew he was useless, but he couldn't just stand by doing nothing... and the others felt the same way, their hearts and souls aware that they had only a few moments left to live. Yet, they would fight to the end to save their loved ones!

A mad laughter filled the air as Cell's power crescendoed, hypnotizing the warriors' senses with immense terror. "What do you say?! Do you like my power? It's enough to pulverize the solar system!"

And once more, hatred overflowed from the monster. The entire planet Earth trembled under the impetuous yoke of the android's power, and people everywhere understood that the end was coming.

"So kid, you're not doing anything to counter me?" He laughed as his enemy stared him in the eyes.

Gohan had lost all hope. Everything he loved and protected was going to perish and become nothing but atomic dust in the interstellar void. A part of him twitched when he heard the monster; he knew he was devoid of hope, yet... he couldn't leave the world without trying one last time. He couldn't give up!

He saw his mother die before his eyes as Cell's energy burned her along with billions of humans. He witnessed Trunks lose his life again, he felt Vegeta's desperate anger, he felt from afar the fear and apprehension of Piccolo and his friends. He kept seeing his father's death over and over.

He shivered through and through, and his eyes quickly lit up with boundless rage. He couldn't let such things happen again! It was his duty to protect the planet, a task his father had entrusted to him! He had to fulfill it, even though the odds were against him!

Because he was Son Gohan, son of Son Goku, and the last bastion of hope! If he gave up, who would fight the monster and save the universe? No one! It was up to him to eliminate the threat, if only to earn his father's forgiveness…

"CELL! I'm going to pulverize you!" he yelled as he raised his last ounces of ki, drawing deeply from within himself to achieve it. He felt his heart fill with hope and his body tremble with adrenaline. He wasn't going to give up, especially not now!

"You amuse me, brat! I thought I'd eliminate you without a fight, but you're going to spice things up a bit… it'll allow me to terrify the rest of the galaxy even more!"

Lightning bolts then appeared around the golden aura of the young Super Saiyan, and he felt himself explode as his energy surrounded him. However, he contained all his suffering to channel it into these final moments. His will tapped into the inexhaustible mine of his power, and he raised his arm in front of him, starting to chant the notes of his family's devastating attack…

"Gohan! Don't give up, you can do it!" encouraged the voice of his father.

The son was a bit disconcerted by what he heard and turned his head around, trying to hear his father's protective voice again. He looked everywhere for him, calling out, but he didn't get an immediate response.

"I'm speaking to you through Master Kaio, just for this time! You have to counter Cell, the future of the planet depends on it, the future of your mother and all our friends depends on it! You can defeat him, you have it in you!"

"I... I will do it, Dad! I'll defeat him and save us all! I'll save mom!"

Then, fueled by the vital essence provided by the mental strength of his father and his loved ones, the spark of hope grew to the size of a star, and his energy shone up to the firmament of his current power. "Ka...Me...Ha...Me…"

The only valid hand of the young Saiyan was positioned in such a way that it resembled the jaws of a dragon coming to swallow its prey. Piccolo screamed in fear as he feared for the life of the one he considered his son… And Cell, he mocked the ambitions of Goku's son… This only enraged the Namek even more…

"Go for it, Gohan, let's show him what our combined strengths can do!"

And like a phoenix rising from its ashes, a post-mortem image of his father appeared behind him, hands ready to trigger the flow of blue energy. The boy screamed, screamed to death as his last bursts of energy escaped his body to feed his golden aura. Finally, he thrust his forearm forward and released all his power.

"HA!"

The two mighty energy beams collided, creating a devastating shockwave. In that precise moment, all were jostled, and the Z fighters fell backwards, overwhelmed by the impact.

Strangely, about three seconds after the cataclysmic waves met, something highly abnormal occurred. A purple fissure appeared amidst the two energy beams, slowly starting to devour them under the astonished eyes of the present fighters.

What could this possibly be? They all wondered. Even the monster showed fear at such a sight, clearly indicating to Gohan that his enemy wasn't behind this bizarre phenomenon.

Quickly, the purple began to overpower the blue, swallowing the energy and making it disappear faster and faster, acting like a portal to another world or dimension. Gohan was clearly frightened but continued to fuel his attack when he saw Cell in a bad position. There might be a chance to win if he could exhaust his energy.

"Damn it, what is this thing? Hell!" swore the perfect being as he fueled his attack even more, hoping to overload this 'thing'. However, this had the opposite effect desired. The portal seemed to grow but also retreat simultaneously, and it was slowly moving towards Son's eldest son...

"What should I do? Dad, help!" panicked the boy as he analyzed his situation. The energy abyss seemed to be slowly advancing towards him and would soon engulf him, but he couldn't move. What would happen if he stopped using his power on it? Would it disappear and allow Cell to unleash all his power on them?

He was doomed either way, so he tried to put more power, his last reserves, hoping to push back this entity so it would engulf the android. It was in vain; the thing advanced more and more and ended up only a mere thirty centimeters from him, almost licking his arm.

He tried to increase his flow of power, but it had no effect; the thing moved forward and ended up at his level. He could smell something but couldn't see anything inside the purple hole. "DAD!" he screamed in fear, hoping for help, but he never heard the response… he was completely engulfed…

When his eyes opened, everything was composed of perfect darkness. There was no color, no smell, absolutely nothing. He knew he was able to breathe, but he was so weak, so very weak…

Then finally, an unknown landscape revealed itself all around him, more precisely below. He finally adapted to the surrounding darkness and tried to discern where he was at that precise moment, but it wasn't clear at all. He saw stars above him and felt relatively distant energies: he was in free fall above a vast plain and had absolutely no strength left to resist.

His eyes regained their normal color, and his hair shifted from a radiant blond to a deep black... pain completely overwhelmed him, and he knew he wouldn't last long. He was going to faint, but he still tried to soften his fall by flying. It didn't work at all, and it drained his last reserves. His eyes closed, and he let himself sink.

He no longer had the strength to know where he was or how he was doing, yet the thought of his loved ones never left him for a moment. He no longer felt Cell's energy or that of his own, and it was with this thought that he fell into a deep sleep…

Some time later…

The sun reached its zenith when the young man finally opened his eyes, lying in a bed of scarlet flowers. He was in the middle of a plain, more precisely a forest, but he had no idea of his exact location. Birds were chirping, and it was warm, that was all his tired mind could comprehend.

He lay there for several long minutes, perhaps even hours, before getting up. He vainly tried to scan the energies around him, but it was no use, there were only weak energies everywhere, as if all his loved ones had disappeared. It was extremely disturbing because the energies were nothing like what he knew.

So utterly lost, he tried to stand up, but the pain coursing through his body paralyzed him in his action, incapacitating him and forcing him to remain lying in the flowers. "Where is Cell? Where is Piccolo? Where is my father? Where are they all?"

All these questions kept coming back in his head, he couldn't think of anything else. He had to admit that his last memory was of being swept into a strange rift from nowhere, then there was nothing more.

Slowly, the half-blooded Saiyan turned his gaze to better discern his surroundings. He had found himself lost somewhere in a forest environment, where only trees and flowers had a natural place. There were no houses or human traces for miles. The only energies he could feel were grouped, like a herd, far from him. There were many energies, but Gohan couldn't muster the little will and determination that slumbered in his innermost being.

He spent two hours lost in his thoughts, watching the clouds in the sky. He spent two hours in total incomprehension. Then he made a decision. Pushing on his left arm, he slowly and painfully got up and clung to the tree in front of him to stay upright.

He was hungry and thirsty, and the omnipresent sun did not help him feel better. Finally standing up, he could observe the state of his body and the aftermath of his battle with Cell. A long, barely healed wound found its place on his shoulder, and like a curved blade, zigzagged over ten centimeters. It was painful, very painful. "If Dende was here, he could have healed me. But like everyone else… he's not here."

This wound, acquired while saving Vegeta, was likely to remain with him for life as an indelible mark of this heroic sacrifice. However, he was not very aware of it; for him, it was just a wound destined to disappear.

Scanning his surroundings, he decided to move towards the life forms he could sense. Truth be told, he wasn't much fond of crowds, preferring to stay in the background. But now... in his current state, he needed to find food and a place to rest.

He needed to clarify his situation. He was utterly lost in the mazes of ignorance. He didn't know where he was, where his loved ones were; he barely felt alive. How could one bask in life without them? How to live without them, if not merely survive?

Beyond the immense hunger gnawing at his insides, he felt very unwell. Reflecting his fatigue, he walked slowly but with a courage-fueled determination, stoking his will to find answers to his questions.

"Where am I?"

"Where is my father? Where is my mother? Where are Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tenshinhan?"

"Cell... where is he, is he alive? Did he survive my attack and kill all those I love?"

On the way to the nearest town, still inside the forest, he found a small lake. He drank directly from the source to quench his thirst. He already felt a bit better, enough to continue his journey.

After a few minutes, he came upon a sort of trail and plunged into it, following the path until he reached a large tarred road. Many cars passed without noticing him, the drivers wouldn't turn their heads towards the forest, after all.

Gohan followed them, staying back and still from the forest side, but eventually saw the city. "Kyoto" he read on the giant sign in front of him. He observed the city and found it admirably beautiful, the subtle mix of modernization and traditions, unknown to him, but strangely familiar, took his breath away.

For the first time since his awakening, he was faced with something astounding, a huge metropolis he was unaware of. Yet his mother had taught him all the major cities of the world, so he knew them all. Except that this city was completely unknown to him.

Lost, perturbed, disoriented, he then undertook a methodical exploration of the city. One detail he had forgotten: His attire and condition. He was shirtless, a huge wound on his shoulder, and covered in 'small' injuries, evidence of the violent battle he had been in.

People gave him strange looks, some even approached to talk to him, others threw coins in front of him, as if he were a homeless person. Which was technically the case, but it was very degrading.

As he gazed upon a district filled with dilapidated buildings, a man dressed entirely in black, with a dull and tired gaze, approached Gohan. The man scrutinized him with a piercing intensity, sizing him up in a mere second.

"Kid, are you hurt?" he asked in a weary tone, as if every word was a burden.

Despite appearances, this man was quite strong, a fact not lost on Gohan. He could tell just by the man's posture and the unyielding gaze fixed on him. He was perpetually on guard, a warrior, yet he posed no threat to Gohan; his energy radiated only good vibrations.

"Who are you?" the young Saiyan couldn't help but retort, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Eraserhead, professional hero. Now, who are you, and what are you doing here in such a state? I need to take you to a hospital to take care of those injuries."

Gohan was skeptical, unsure of what to say. Part of him wanted to accept the offer, but another part was disconcerted by the recent revelations. Professional heroes? Such things didn't exist, and no history book ever mentioned them... But where was he?

What should he do? His parents would have told him to tell the truth to the man, as he seemed good-natured, but the half-blood was utterly lost. His parents weren't there, just like all his friends. He was without guidance, without anyone to talk to, without anyone to lean on for help. But what exactly was he supposed to do?

He locked eyes with the man, backed into a corner, injured, and alone with a complete stranger. He couldn't do anything to defend himself if attacked. Given his current state, he could barely walk, and his arms were barely functional. He needed to avoid any unnecessary conflict.

"My name is Son Gohan, and I don't even know why I'm here. I remember nothing, absolutely nothing, I woke up alone in a forest over there," he declared, pointing in the direction he had come from. He hadn't lied entirely.

"I see," the man replied thoughtfully. "Given your injuries, you must have suffered a severe head trauma, and I'm surprised you can even stand. I'm going to take you to the hospital and clear this up. I'll carry you; you don't seem to be able to stand on your own."

Regrettably, Gohan had to admit the man was right; he struggled to move, even though he still could. Resting would be good, and getting his wounds treated as well. He decided to follow the man; he had no other choice.

Shota Aizawa, better known as EraserHead, was intrigued by the young man. It was, to say the least, the first time he'd encountered something like this. He carried Gohan on his shoulders, and as expected, the named Gohan was sound asleep, a serene expression on his face.

The hero was uncertain about the amnesiac young man. Finding him so injured that he was still alive was a miracle in itself. He would bear a scar on his right shoulder for life, among many others, but the state of his body was abhorrent. What he had endured was horrific, and Aizawa was smart enough to understand that he hadn't lived through just one battle. Older, more discreet wounds were present on his body, but they were there.

This child possessed an iron will, amnesiac and gravely injured, yet he had traversed miles on foot to get here. Shota suspected the young man was a child soldier, for his bravery was exceptional; normally a child his age, beaten to such an extent, would be far more fearful. But no, this child was a warrior, he could feel it.

The road to the hospital wasn't particularly long, but it seemed so as people gazed at the adolescent on his back with pity. EraserHead even had to push through crowds to proceed. It seemed people had nothing better to do, but their attention shifted from them when they spotted All Might in the distance.

This was why Aizawa preferred not to be recognized by the public and liked working at night, when people were occupied with other matters. Finally, he entered the immaculate white building and waited for a doctor.

Normally, he would have just waited and left for work, especially as the sun began to set, but the young man intrigued him greatly; he wanted to learn more. So, he stayed for about a quarter of an hour in the waiting room and, thanks to his hero status, a doctor arrived relatively quickly. Thankfully, Gohan wasn't dying.

The doctor called colleagues, and they worked together to treat him, with Aizawa waiting in his corner, phone in hand. The news talked of All Might and Endeavor, typical, but also of UA's faculty renewal, the famous academy was recruiting new teachers for the heroic course.

"UA is recruiting... I could apply to work during the day, it won't stop me from working at night. Teaching would be a whole new experience... I'll think about it," he pondered calmly. It would bring in a new source of income, as truth be told, he was making a modest living on his salary. Not being a hero recognized by the public, his importance was neglected by the state, and he received just an adequate salary for his work.

Eventually, he put away his phone and closed his eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep. His life was dull and monotonous, nothing was new, no investigations, no supervillains, no challenges, nothing that could stir his blood and dreams.

"Wake up, please, I have news to bring you," a soft female voice declared, awakening the hero from his light slumber. The man straightened up and gestured for the nurse to continue.

"Mr. Aizawa... I bring news of the young man you found. We operated on him, however, he will bear lifelong marks, we couldn't act in time. However, our specialist, Mr. Ichigawa, noticed the loss of an appendage in his lower back, and he's working on regenerating the limb with his quirk. We're lucky to have him, he's one of the top injury specialists in Japan, it's thanks to him the young man won't suffer any major sequelae."

Shota looked at the woman with satisfaction. Gohan was doing well, and though the hero had suspected as much, confirmation was good. He didn't know why it interested him so much, but it was new; he'd never found a lone young man in such a state. He was curious, and with All Might's omnipresence intimidating villains, he didn't often get the chance to help.

"But that's not all, we did a DNA test, and the result is very strange. The young man's blood doesn't match anyone known, and its composition is odd for someone who appears so human. Dr. Ichigawa suspects it's due to the lost appendage. As we found nothing on him that could indicate who he is... No ID, no phone, not even a piece of jewelry with his name. We prefer to keep him with us, so we'll keep him and post a missing person's report. We'll call you when he wakes up, we think you'd be appropriate, and calling the police would, in our opinion, be too emotionally overwhelming for him."

"I think so too, he said he remembered nothing, I don't think overloading him is a good idea, but it's possible that once healed, he fully regains his memory. I'm going to work, here's my phone number, call me when he's ready," he said, standing up, ready to go to work.

The nurse nodded, and EraserHead left to support justice, patiently waiting for the young man to wake up to talk with him.

To be continued...

A/N :

Hello, thank you for reading. Some of you may have noticed that this story is a translation of my story "L'âme d'un héro" and I hope you enjoyed the quality of this translation. I did my best, combining my personal knowledge and external tools, to transpose my style into a different language.

You can imagine that this is not an easy task, and that's why I ask for your feedback in a "review," so I can improve and possibly correct any shortcomings. I am aware that writing in French on a predominantly English-speaking site poses challenges in getting this story, which has been successful, recognized, and I hope to introduce it to more readers ; especially in improved quality.

I had a lot of fun rediscovering a chapter that I wrote for the first time four years ago! Imagine that! It's quite crazy to think about everything that has happened since then. Finally, I embark on this great adventure, and I hope that you will stay by my side throughout it.

Regarding the publication frequency: to all new readers, you should know that I am not the most prolific writer, so to speak. However, I have resumed writing with motivation and plan to publish the translated chapters regularly. I think that one chapter per week is a good pace, especially because it's feasible without too much trouble. Once we have caught up with the French version, I will publish the chapters simultaneously, meaning once a month.

Finally, I ask you to please send me your feedback, whether positive or negative, and more specifically about the quality of the translation. To be honest, since I started writing on this site, I've already tried translating my texts from French to English, but the first attempt was quite poor. Not with this story, of course, and it was many years ago now, to tell you the truth, I wasn't even of legal age then! And now I've just got my driver's license, hahaha!

I wish you a pleasant day or evening, your author Majin Gaetan.