Reviews answers :
N1cook : Hello there ! Yes indeed, it's surely a translation mistake haha. Good read !
Thompsona: Hello and thank you for your message! I agree with you, things are going to evolve in this chapter, and the other heroes will meet Gohan, who will finally explain the full extent of the threat. I think you will enjoy this chapter because it is very intense, and Gohan will have to fight. He can no longer let the threats go unchecked, and he will try everything to stop them. But reality can be very brutal and violent, and he won't always succeed...
SirTypesaLot: Hello! So, regarding Miruko having been a vigilante, that's new information for me. I haven't read the spin-off, but I suppose it's described there, and with that, I have some interesting information for the future of their relationship. However, I don't think she will be giving Gohan moral lessons about it. Instead, I think she would be more likely to say that it's a waste that he isn't already a professional hero. I hope to succeed in giving this character personality, in any case, to deepen her character, because it's true that most of the secondary characters in MHA have one or two distinct personality traits... Next, Gohan will surely try to train his friends in using ki, that's for sure. As for the movies, it's unlikely that they will appear in this story; I haven't seen them and I already have a pretty clear scenario haha.
Maximum Rhapsody : Hello, I've answers in the french version, sorry.
X3Runner : Indeed, I think it's better like that for the two caracters. Good read !
Striker T: Hello, the chapter is finaly here ! For Gohan beast, i don't know, maybe in a good amount of time, but it's not for soon. Good read !
SSJ Subaru : Hello, I do understand what you mean, but it's my wrinting style. I like to do poetic description, but sometimes, it's true that I do too far, like in the chapter 18, who was more of a test than anything else. I hope the wrinting is still good for you, and not hard to read, it"s not the goal here. I want a story that anyone can read.
Gilgamesh : Hello, yes the hero title sound like a title, but it's also the case for a lot of MHA caracters. As for Miruko and Gohan fight in the previous chapter, yeah, I know, it's a bit crazy that Gohan struggles, but you know, he's not at 100% haha. For Midoriya, I think it's good for the story to change the point of view sometimes, to get into other caracters like Midoriya or Bakugo. Fell free to tell me why you think it's not a good think to have 2 main caracters. Anyway, good read !
Chapter 21 : The shadows of Kyoto
The cool breeze gently welcomed Miruko, softly sweeping away the painful memories of the previous day; as if the tragic events had never occurred... as if the city continued its same unchanging daily routine. It wasn't so strange, she thought, for humanity had learned to endure the dramas caused by the Alters, and often these same people acted as if they had suffered nothing.
It was one of the great plagues of Japan since the appearance of the Alters: suffering and death could strike at any moment, and one had to resign themselves to it. Who knew when a villain would snap and start destroying lives? Alas, too often, it happened before a hero could intervene.
What had happened yesterday… it was certainly the most heinous crime committed in a long time. The villains had acted with no other motive than to send a message, costing the lives of 134 people, all taken by an unjust death. Miruko had witnessed many tragedies since her graduation, some unknown to the public, but this? This was the first time she had felt such horror.
She couldn't forget the heavy feeling of apprehension, that cold and penetrating chill, when she had laid her fingers on the enigmatic message; and as the heroine continued her nocturnal patrol, she couldn't shake off this overwhelming tension.
Was the villain alliance trying to eliminate Gohan? What kinds of villains did they have in their ranks to destroy a bank in this manner, escape, and leave behind so many dead? Miruko, despite her strength and courage, could not deny the growing anxiety; all of this surpassed what she could imagine.
This internship was supposed to be simple: welcome Gohan, observe his capabilities firsthand, and educate him on the inner workings of the hero society. Now, it was infinitely more serious. An individual whose power matched Gohan's had threatened Japanese society, the entire country was in danger, and if the heroes couldn't contain the threat, then Asia, even the world, faced an immeasurable danger.
And the world was unaware; the commission had censored what had happened at the National Bank of Kyoto, passing it off as a villainous attack managed by the heroes, allowing citizens to sleep peacefully. Heroes weren't infallible and it wasn't uncommon for them to fail, but Miruko knew, the consequences of this assault far exceeded all previous incidents.
She had understood Gohan's power, he had defeated her using only a fraction of his strength, so if a man as powerful as him was in shock, it only meant one thing: A worldwide threat was residing in Japan.
Miruko gritted her teeth and had to suppress those harmful emotions; she hated feeling so powerless in the face of such a threat, but she wasn't going to sit idly by. No, she and all the top 10 heroes would be meeting tomorrow morning to discuss an action plan in person, and whether they liked it or not, she would bring Gohan along.
The next morning:
Gohan woke from his brief sleep with a terrible migraine and the bitter taste of failure buzzing in his mind. He had been relentlessly tracking the villains who had attacked the bank for over 48 hours, but it was as if he was fumbling in complete darkness. He felt frustration boiling within him like a fire fueled by his helpless rage.
He couldn't accept being threatened, indirectly endangering himself and all his loved ones, for the consequences of a confrontation could very well decimate the country...
Although alarmed and shocked by the magnitude of the threat targeting him, Gohan first sought to calm down and rationalize his worst fears. His demons catching up with him, he had feared the return of Cell. This thought insidiously haunted him, like a treacherous shadow slipping into the corners of his every thought. He had killed Cell with his own hands to protect the entire world from a life of enslavement and desolation; but why did this energy feel so similar to Cell's?!
After long reflection, Gohan had come to believe that a villain had managed to master ki and reach a very high level. It was already improbable for a villain to master ki, but to also achieve such imposing strength...
Gohan had extended his senses in search of the criminal, aiming to detect his energy like a beacon in the darkest night, only to glimpse fleeting flashes of light. The villain appeared as if to taunt him, whispering for him to chase at full speed, only for Gohan to find no trace once he arrived.
The first time, the young man arrived in front of the headquarters of a major pharmaceutical company, one of the most prosperous in the country. He stayed nearby, attentive and ready to act, but hours passed and his anxiety grew, mimicking the rise of the inexorable tide, leaving him with a dreadful fear weighing heavily on his heart.
He then returned to Miruko's agency and told her what he had sensed. She remained silent, her eyes betraying a concern she did not express. Neither of them could understand what the murderer had been doing there.
Shortly after, the evil energy exploded in the distance, lighting up Gohan's senses with its presence at the other end of the country, near the small town of Jaku. This time, the force did not extinguish but burst forth, and as soon as Gohan set foot in front of Jaku's hospital, the force vanished suddenly, like the image of an elusive mirage.
Gohan entered the premises, called Miruko, and explored the building for many minutes, but found nothing other than an elderly man at the reception. Dr. Ujiko, the head of the hospital, guided him through all the hallways and departments, even taking him to areas restricted to visitors. Unfortunately, each door opened only to reveal ordinary rooms, places devoid of mystery.
Gohan suppressed his rage and frustration after this new search and had to return to the agency, aware that the villain was scheming something, making him wander from building to building. The way he was being led from one point to another left the young Saiyan confused and disadvantaged, but he had to sort out the truth from the lies. He couldn't let these villains carry out their conspiracies!
That evening, Miruko revealed that a meeting was going to be organized with numerous top-level heroes, elite intelligence agents, and the best police investigators in all of Kansai. Normally, as a first-year student, he would have been left out, but since he was directly involved in the matter, Miruko insisted to the authorities that he be allowed to participate.
Gohan was very grateful to her; thanks to her support, he would be able to convey to the other heroes the extent of the evil plaguing them, and with any luck, all the heroes in the country could search for the enemy.
He spent the night patrolling the city, later joining Miruko, and eventually, they went to sleep.
As night cast its shadow over the entire city, Gohan, alone in his room, couldn't escape his troubled thoughts. He felt a rise of acid with each failure, unable to shake off the invisible cold chains that hindered his investigation. Piccolo had told him that patience was a magnificent virtue, yet every minute the murderer roamed freely, Gohan couldn't fully accept it.
In the dead of night, as his mind incessantly replayed the events, he sat on the edge of his bed, running his trembling hands over his face. He forced himself to calm his breathing and wipe away his sweat, his eyes fixed on the half-moon through the window.
Gohan blamed himself, but he felt paranoid towards all the individuals and places he had visited over the past two days. The face of Dr. Ujiko kept relentlessly assaulting his thoughts. Although their encounter was brief, Gohan was left with an impression of disgust and uncertainty. The man was strange, as if he was playing a role, devoid of substance. Whether he was connected or not, the Saiyan didn't know, but suspicion, like a creeping shadow, slowly began to take root within him.
Gohan tried to cast aside his worries and hold onto hope; he knew that tomorrow would be an ideal opportunity to uncover the criminal's identity. He got out of his rumpled bed, looked out at the omnipresent city lights, and let out a long breath.
Tomorrow, he thought, tomorrow I will speak with the heroes. I have no choice but to explain why I fear the worst... His muscles relaxed, yet his serene determination was etched into every fiber of his being.
He couldn't fail; he couldn't hide the truth any longer. Not now. Not with so many lives at stake.
The next morning, Miruko was waiting for him in the garden, already dressed in her costume, her face marred by the apprehension of the upcoming meeting.
"Miruko," Gohan called out as he stepped into the vast garden. As soon as she became aware of his presence, her worried expression hardened, replaced by a fierce determination, dispelling the clouds of dark thoughts. He could sense her internal struggle, but her courage impressed him; she exuded a strong yet peaceful presence, the honor of a warrior shining within her.
Miruko nodded and stood up. "Listen, Gohan, this villain is a major threat to Japan's safety. Hell, he could devastate the entire world if it really is Cell! I made sure to convince the commission to let you attend the meeting, so be very careful."
Gohan grimaced and forced himself to stay calm, even though the double-edged reputation of the hero commission chilled him to the bone. He wasn't naive; he had been in the hero world for years, and most heroes didn't hold the governing bodies in high regard. Gohan knew the type of power these people wielded: they could destroy a life with a mere whim, dismiss a hero, discredit them, blackmail them, make them a public enemy...
Gohan was a brave young man and had faced many monsters, always defeating them with his strength to bring peace. However, he couldn't destroy the hero commission with brute force; if the commission wanted to harm him, force him to act against his principles, they could target those he cared about.
Gohan walked a treacherous path with them, his freedom like a taut thread over the abyss.
"Come on, let's go!" Miruko exclaimed, stomping her feet and leaping forward with feline agility, her student following closely behind. "We're heading straight to Sir Nighteye's headquarters."
Gohan nodded, looking satisfied. "Perfect! He's an excellent investigator. He's my friend Mirio's mentor."
"Yeah, okay, and is this Mirio strong?" Miruko asked as the two heroes raced through the city at lightning speed, their shadows blending into the urban landscape. The citizens of Kyoto went about their daily routines, only catching fleeting glimpses of their protectors.
A broad smile lit up Gohan's youthful features, and his joy spilled over into his voice. "Yes, he's by far the most powerful student at UA; some pros even think he'll make it into the top 10 before he's twenty."
Miruko whistled in amusement, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Well, you sure know how to pick strong friends. I can't wait to see what this Mirio is made of."
The two heroes continued their sprint through the city, weaving through the bustling downtown streets and verdant parks, the orange light of the rising sun painting the sky in magnificent hues, bathing their progress in a sublime, gentle glow.
Gohan's face was set, his fists clenched and his lips tight, as his onyx eyes scanned every wall, every passerby, every subtle shadow along their path. Miruko glanced at him, noting the seriousness that gripped him.
"Come on, as much as I don't like working in teams, we've gathered the best heroes in the country, so try to relax a bit."
As Sir Nighteye's imposing building came into view, with its sleek glass windows and modern architecture, Gohan took a deep breath, searching for his words. "I know," he confessed, attempting to animate his features with a cheerful smile, "but I just hope we can all move forward and defeat Cell once and for all. You don't really know the whole story."
Rumi, with a final leap forward, landed in front of the grand entrance. "Damn, kid, of course we don't know everything, but I'm counting on you to set things straight. All the top heroes are here, and we're going to need every piece of information to stop him."
The young Saiyan nodded and stepped into the building, the atmosphere shifting immediately, as if the air was saturated with a powerful wave of serenity and focus.
A young woman was already waiting for them, firmly stationed in the middle of the reception hall. It only took one glance for Gohan to recognize her as "BubbleGum," Mirio's sidekick, whose serious demeanor was such a stark contrast to the truth. Sir Nighteye was a comedy enthusiast…
"Come, Sir is waiting for you in the meeting room. All the heroes are already there," she declared as she placed her blue hand on the handle, giving them one last look before opening the door.
Suddenly, the air grew more tense, and Gohan's gaze swept over the assembly with scrutinizing attention. He had sensed their energies long before entering, but seeing them all in person was a powerful and comforting sensation… he was no longer alone, surrounded by the best.
All the heroes were seated around a round table that took up the entire room, luxurious leather chairs arranged around it. In the center of the table, steaming cups of tea awaited, while a flat screen stood ready at the back, prepared to show the rare images from the investigation.
Seated directly to the right was Japan's greatest hero, All Might. His usually relaxed and smiling face was now just a facade. Gohan could sense the unyielding will of this great man, but also the growing anxiety, lurking insidiously within him, stirring acidic and uncomfortable feelings.
However, when his benevolent teacher turned to him, his smile warmed and the dark torments were silenced, transformed by Gohan's immutable strength. Yagi slowly rose from his chair and gave his student a big thumbs up.
"And here are Gohan and Miruko!"
To the far left of the table, the hero Edgeshot raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the welcome from All Might, yet he couldn't help but feel the strength emanating from Gohan.
Since he had entered the agency's premises, Gohan had been entirely focused on his ultimate goal: stopping the Kyoto bank criminal. He had left behind all his fears, all the turmoil of the past few days, balancing his emotions. His pure black eyes, filled with determination, burned with an incandescent energy, and he exuded a quiet strength, an unalterable will, as if nothing could stop his desire for justice.
Ryukyu, the dragon heroine, rose from her seat to the right of Edgeshot and gave a kind smile to Miruko, but her eyes never left Gohan. She had only seen him at the sports festival and heard persistent rumors, but as he stood before her, Ryukyu couldn't prevent a feeling of apprehension from creeping in.
Why did all the heroes present feel this sense of supernatural strength, as if they were outclassed by the person in front of them? It was inconceivable, unimaginable before coming here, that a mere student could impress them so much. The heroine was an intelligent woman; she knew very well that if the commission had urgently summoned her to this meeting, it was for a most serious reason.
Gang Orca was gripped by the same unease, and as he stood to ask the burning question on his mind, he was interrupted by Sir Nighteye, who raised his arm in the air.
All Might's former teammate sighed and tried to ease the tension in the room. He himself had been shocked when he was briefed with the scant information available. His fellow heroes knew nothing yet, but Gohan's mere presence radiated raw power.
Sir had no choice but to reconnect with his old friend All Might for this matter, and only God knew what he felt at that moment, but his student Mirio had convinced him, as did the incredible words of All Might.
"So, this is the student who is more powerful than you, All Might?" he thought, adjusting his glasses. His eyes could hardly believe it, but his instincts never lied.
Just after Sir raised his hand to the sky, a white blur appeared from the ceiling, surprising all the heroes present, including Gohan. They all saw the impressive Lemillion appear.
"Hi!" Mirio exclaimed with his big smile, walking straight toward Gohan. "So... it seems he's back, right?"
Yoroi Musha, the ninth-ranked hero in Japan, who had been sitting silently since the beginning of the meeting, let out an exasperated sigh. "Can I finally know what's going on?! Sir, you gathered us all here, and we were just waiting for these two to arrive. Now, tell us everything!"
Sir Nighteye placed both palms flat on the table, his piercing gaze fixing on each of the heroes present. "Very well, I'll tell you everything I know. About sixty hours ago, a major incident occurred at the National Bank of Kyoto, causing the death of 134 innocent people."
Crust, the number 7 hero, raised an eyebrow. "I heard about it on the news, but the channel said the local heroes had stopped the villains. I take it the truth was deliberately hidden?"
Sir nodded slowly and turned on the flat screen, displaying the image of the completely ravaged and burned bank. "Indeed, the commission decided to keep things discreet, otherwise, we wouldn't all be gathered here. This is a matter of national security, and if Hawks and Endeavor weren't conducting their own investigations, they would be with us."
A heavy silence settled in the room as images of destruction scrolled on the screen, each showing a new facet of the horror that had struck Kyoto. The air grew even heavier, as if bearing the weight of this tragedy, while the screen displayed the gaping hole in the bank's ceiling.
Yoroi Musha slammed his fist on the table with vehemence before turning to All Might. "The last time all of us, the top 10 heroes, were gathered, it was to face the Lord of Evil. I imagine we're dealing with an S-class villain?"
Toshinori Yagi rose from his chair and tried to erase the painful memories of his confrontation with his nemesis, but his old comrade was right. "Yes, worse than him."
At these words, the entire assembly fell into a deathly silence, and everyone looked at each other in fear. Even the heroes who had only briefly known the Lord of Evil, like Miruko, Edgeshot, or Ryukyu, struggled to contain their apprehension.
"This isn't a villain we can easily defeat... To be completely honest with you, it would be better to tell you what happened at the USJ," continued the Symbol of Peace before swallowing hard, his gaze shifting to his student, encouraging him to take over.
Gohan, now the focus of all eyes, gathered his strength and thoughts, then began to recount in detail what had happened at the USJ. But before that, he needed to explain a bit about his past.
"I... I'm going to tell you things that might seem impossible, or completely crazy, but everything is true. So please, let me tell you everything without interrupting. Five years ago, I fought a villain named Cell... but the battle didn't take place on Earth."
Everyone, except Mirio, looked at him as if he had grown a second head, and Crust wanted to speak, but Gohan shook his head.
"For a reason I don't know, a portal appeared when our two energies clashed. Maybe the power of the energy created a rift? Even years later, I couldn't say; but the fact is that Cell and I were teleported to this planet Earth. We are completely different from where I come from, quirks don't exist, and all forms of life are animated by ki, a vital force, raw energy."
The silence in the room grew even deeper, if that was possible. The heroes present struggled to absorb these revelations. To better illustrate his point, Gohan formed a white ki sphere in the palm of his hands before making it orbit around the heroes. "Here, I discovered a life I never thought I could have... I had to mourn my planet, but I dedicated myself entirely to the protection of this world. I joined UA Academy, and then, as we were about to train, Cell reappeared."
Gohan felt his legs weaken, and brutal memories surfaced, assailing him with anxiety. Mirio quickly moved to support him, placing an arm around his shoulder and encouraging him, while all the heroes stared at him, skeptical. No one seemed to believe what he was saying, except All Might and Miruko.
"We fought at the USJ, and I managed to defeat him..." Gohan resumed, his voice trembling but resolute.
Yoroi Musha, paralyzed with shock, turned to the Symbol of Peace, staring at him open-mouthed. "All Might, are you saying...?"
Toshinori nodded and did his best to dispel the emotions stirred by the memory of Cell. "Yes, Yoroi, the villain Gohan faced was far more powerful than the infamous Nomu mentioned in the reports or the media... the reality... is that Cell was immensely powerful."
"Wait, All Might! Are you saying that this Cell was stronger than you?!" Ryukyu exclaimed, gripping the table firmly, her eyes desperately searching those of the greatest hero.
All Might had to swallow his pride and his feelings before speaking, to engrave in the minds of the pro-heroes present a reality so overwhelming, so imposing, that they were powerless against it. Their shocked faces were the only possible response.
"Yes, this monster was far stronger than me. Even at my peak, I could only hold him off. He would have killed me in a matter of seconds... If Gohan hadn't been there, we would either be dead or enslaved by this villain."
Sir Nighteye was the first to recover from his former comrade's shattering declaration, or at least he managed to speak first. "Gohan, during this fight against the villain, you say you defeated him?"
This time, Gohan had to take deep breaths, his gaze plunging into that of his best friend, desperately needing moral support. Mirio smiled at him, gave him a friendly pat on the back, and said, "Tell them, Gohan, you did what was necessary."
Gohan sighed, ran a hand over his face, and as all the heroes once again focused their attention on him, he finally delivered what he believed to be the truth. "I didn't just defeat him... he was too great a threat, and I had no choice but to kill him. I... I am certain I killed him! I saw him disintegrate with my own eyes in my Kamehameha..."
Miruko gave Gohan a light tap on the head before glancing at all her comrades. "The problem is that even dead, it was Cell's energy that Gohan felt when the bank was destroyed, and on top of that, there was a message for him."
Sir, his hand still trembling, pressed the arrow on the remote, and a new image lit up on the television, showing a close-up of the villain's inscription in the bank.
"I felt two energies," Gohan said, pacing back and forth. "One was so similar to Cell's, and the other was powerful, familiar yet foreign at the same time... Since the attack, the villain has left his energy strong enough for me to follow, but each time, I've only arrived at insignificant locations. Just false leads, but he said in his message that an attack is imminent..."
The image on the screen etched itself into the minds of the heroes present: "THEY ARE COMING FOR YOU, SON OF GOKU. I CANNOT HELP YOU. IT'S COMING SOON."
Yoroi Musha, deathly pale, brought his cold fingers to his white beard, murmuring slowly, "How can we even be prepared to face these villains? We don't know how or where they will attack!" His wrinkled face, marked by years of service, seemed to bear the shock, his usually serene eyes clouded with aggressive anxiety.
Sir Nighteye nodded and placed the remote back on the table. "Indeed, we are facing a major threat, and that's why we all need to act together. There's no doubt that this villain is extremely powerful, and if it really is Cell, we must proceed with caution."
Ryukyu let out an audible sigh, her shoulders sagging under the weight of the tension. She ran a trembling hand over her sweat-drenched face, massaging her temples in a vain attempt to relieve the stress. She had been through many things, had grown accustomed to facing villains and leading raids threatening the country's security, yet she felt herself faltering under the enormity of the looming threat. This surpassed anything she had ever known, and the monstrous pressure was suffocating her.
"All of this is well and good, but if he attacks and ravages a less guarded city, we'll never be able to hold him off long enough. As Yoroi Musha said, we can't know when he will strike!" she snapped, fear dripping from her voice.
Suddenly, as the tension in the room mounted and the heroes exchanged wary glances, Gohan felt a malignant energy invade his senses brutally, penetrating him to his core. A wave of terror swept through him, and he instinctively brought his hand to his heart.
"I..." he tried to say before a massive shockwave shook the building, making it tremble entirely. Its foundations shook for a millisecond before collapsing.
Ryukyu, alert and reactive, immediately transformed into a dragon and caught her colleagues with great agility, while Gohan let his ki escape to form a shield of pure, protective energy.
"What the hell is happening?!" exclaimed Miruko, her eyes wide with astonishment, as the walls met the ground, collapsing like all the other buildings in the neighborhood. Cries rang out all around them—calls for help, sobbing, groans of agony. The devastation was total...
Everything had happened so quickly that Gohan couldn't do anything except form a shield to protect the others from a potential enemy attack. Yet, he had felt it; the explosion had occurred miles away... And while all the heroes struggled to regain their senses or rushed to help the injured civilians, Gohan's gaze stretched towards the horizon.
Gohan's eyes wandered for a moment into the distance, observing the birth of fires following the destruction. His heart heavy with dread, he realized that despite all his power, he had been able to do nothing; he had saved no one. The terror of civilians screaming for their lives, mourning their loved ones, echoed within him, amplifying this bitter feeling of helplessness. The heroes around him, who usually seemed so strong, so grand, so unshakeable, couldn't hide their shock and fear in the face of the catastrophe befalling them.
Powerless.
Once again, lives had been taken without him being able to do anything. He could only witness the procession of the dead stretching through the streets, their blood seeping into the ground, and their screams of horror assaulted his ears like an incessant tide. Tokyo, once resplendent, living to the intense rhythm of its citizens, had turned into a theater of war and desolation. It had taken only a few seconds for the world to turn red.
Bodies lay here and there, children cried as they desperately searched for their parents, while the dying, sprawled on the pavement or concrete, let out heart-wrenching groans of agony. Gohan tried to breathe, but the air was thick with dust and smoke, making his breathing painful, burning his lungs with the breath of death.
He stood there, his legs trembling and his fists shaking as much with fear as with visceral hatred towards the one who had reduced so many lives to nothingness.
"Young Gohan, get a grip!" shouted All Might's powerful voice as his strong arms shook Gohan's shoulders. Mirio, standing in front of him, seemed to be yelling something, but his words felt distant, drowned in a fog of tumultuous emotions.
The malevolent energy grew even stronger as it suddenly surged again, a few kilometers to the south. Its pure violence flooded the streets with malice, and as the world seemed to darken with each passing second, the red glow of this sinister energy cast a grim light. A light that Gohan hastened to track, adrenaline coursing through his veins like poison.
With a sudden motion, the young Saiyan shrugged off All Might's hands from his shoulders without the slightest delicacy and leaped toward the enemy, his white ki cloak transforming into a brilliant golden hue. His usual gentle black eyes turned into an icy blue, so deep that nothing could calm them.
He gritted his teeth, feeling his hatred cloud his senses. He demanded justice for all these people, all those energies extinguishing every second while he wasn't there to protect them!
Enough! He could no longer bear this suffering, this helplessness that gnawed at him. His fists, clenched so tightly that his knuckles whitened, caused his nails to dig into his flesh, making his blood drip onto the ground he soared over.
The city below him lay in ruins, the scale of the massacre worsening as he approached the source of the evil. The collapsed buildings now formed heaps of debris, mountains of concrete and desolation, while the surrounding streets were nothing but alleys of death, charred bodies lying abandoned from the explosions. The remnants of structures were licked by flames dancing with the few agonizing survivors, creating a symphony of chaos and terror.
Hatred and pain fueled his flight, each meter he covered bringing him one step closer to the final confrontation. In the distance, he could see the silhouette of the man who had committed this heinous crime, his malevolent energy floating in the air like an unbearable threat.
In a matter of seconds, Goku's son reached the source of the dark energy, his terrible strength like a blinding beacon. He then found himself face to face with an entity of repulsive grotesqueness, an abject horror that stirred nothing but violent disgust in Gohan.
The creature before him seemed an absurd, even grotesque fusion between his nemesis and the Nomu he had fought at the USJ... a vile abomination that sent violent shudders through Gohan. This thing was unfinished, it was imperfect. The moment he laid eyes on it, it became glaringly obvious.
Its skin was a mosaic of black and purple scales and necrotic, purplish flesh, oozing a viscous, pestilential liquid that he couldn't distinguish between blood and poison. Lumps of flesh hung limply from its body, like the beginnings of limbs the beast would never have, a demonic spawn still in formation... Its eyes, glowing red, shone with pure malice, and its deformed mouth revealed sharp, blood-covered canines. Human blood.
Gohan felt his stomach knot and a cold shiver run through his body. "What is this..." he whispered as he stared at the creature, unable to look away, while the surroundings seemed to vanish, as if sucked away by the presence of this monstrosity.
The creature slowly turned its misshapen head towards him, each movement accompanied by a sinister crackling of its malformed joints. Its eyes locked onto Gohan's, and the dark aura emanating from it grew so oppressive that the air seemed to thicken, the stench of decay filling his nostrils, adding to his overwhelming sense of revulsion.
The thing opened its mouth, and a guttural, hellish voice emerged: "Me... kill... you!"
Gohan clenched his fists even tighter, his muscles tensing to the extreme. Hatred and disgust boiled within him as he sensed the creature gathering its energy, though he couldn't see it around or within its hands...
It was only a moment too late that he noticed the orange glow in the monster's mouth, barely allowing him to dive to his left to evade the attack. The blast of its murderous energy sent a shiver down Gohan's spine, and he quickly distanced himself from the creature.
Its strength was extraordinary... inferior to Cell's, certainly, but more than enough to push him to his Super Saiyan 1 limits. As the creature let out a macabre laugh, the young man struggled to control his hatred; he couldn't afford to attack this thing recklessly.
If it was an artificial creation, did it possess quirks? That might explain the strange liquid it was drenched in. Poison? Possibly, as quirks could take many forms.
"What are you, and who is your master?" Gohan growled, accumulating energy in the palms of his hands, trying to divert the creature's attention.
"Me servant of father. Him command. Me kill!" the thing replied, its voice rough and assured, carrying a chilling certainty. "Me talk enough!"
Suddenly, the monstrosity lunged forward, charging at Son Gohan with a deathly war cry, its purple energy illuminating with a thousand corrupt flames. Gohan, his senses on high alert, had prepared his counterattack. As the thing dangerously closed in on him, he thrust both arms forward, releasing his ki in a brutal shockwave.
The impact of his blue energy crashing against the monster's skin produced a monstrous explosion, unleashing a devastating shockwave that reduced the remaining structure to dust. The beast let out a blood-curdling scream, but Gohan could feel its energy radiating, burning with cursed hatred.
As the creature was shrouded in the resulting smoke, Gohan's eyes narrowed, observing the hideous silhouette emerging from the cloud. The beast erupted in maniacal laughter, its deformed limbs caressing its own body in a morbid ecstasy, savoring its own pain.
The Saiyan, repulsed by the nightmarish vision before him, quickly concentrated his strength into a new salvo of ki blasts, yet he harbored doubts. His previous attack hadn't had any significant effect... but why? A lack of power? A protective barrier from the monster?
He needed to try again to better understand the nature of this abomination, so he wasted no time and launched about twenty overcharged ki blasts directly at the monster, who remained impassive, awaiting the impacts. Its screams flooded Gohan's ears, but with each blow, the creature remained unscathed...
Gohan began to think quickly, meticulously analyzing every detail of their skirmish. The creature seemed to almost feed on the pain, each blow appearing to strengthen its resolve and power. The ki inflicted damage, insufficient to harm the thing, but enough to fuel its suffering. There must be a weakness, he thought, clenching his fists.
"I see," he hissed as he held back a final explosion in his left hand. "You have a resistance to ki, enough to absorb what's dangerous and use the rest to boost yourself... Is that what this liquid is for?"
The creature didn't respond, merely letting out another war cry before propelling itself forward at an even more prodigious speed than before. Gohan, caught off guard, couldn't react in time. The monster's fist brutally embedded itself in his stomach, bending him over in an unnatural position, and he spat a stream of bloody saliva onto the monster's arm.
What strength! But Gohan, far from being defeated by a mere attack, quickly grabbed the monster's forearm, holding it against its will. "Let's see if you can take a hit as well!" he exclaimed, flexing his muscles and directing all his rage toward the monster's face.
The creature struggled to withstand the blow, and the backlash sent it flying several dozen meters with incredible violence. Gohan couldn't let such an opportunity slip and charged after it, his strength fueled by his hatred and frustration, allowing him to reach it moments before it hit the ground. The beast, unable to defend itself, received another attack directly in the solar plexus, causing it to scream in agony.
The sound of its body embedding into the ground, tearing the earth and asphalt apart, forming a merciless crater, sent a deep rage coursing through Gohan. All around him, he saw nothing but death and the desolation caused by this abhorrent creature.
Suddenly, the creature rose from the crater with a groan of pain mingled with tones of morbid joy. Its bloodshot eyes fixed on Gohan, its body miraculously unscathed. "You hit hard. Me hit harder!"
With these cruel words, the thing charged at Gohan. At the last second, he raised his guard to brace for a violent attack, but as the beast's massive fist met his crossed arms, the creature lifted its leg, a twisted smile deforming its face, and sent its massive foot directly into the Saiyan's right shoulder.
Gohan screamed in pain and felt a vicious crack at the point of impact. The creature continued its relentless assault, grabbing him by the arm and lifting him into the air like a mere rag doll. Gohan tried to defend himself, pummeling the beast's face with knee strikes, but it only laughed at him before delivering its punishment.
With a swift, abrupt motion, Gohan felt himself plunging toward the ground, his body shaking violently as his flesh struck the asphalt. Pain radiated from every fiber of his being, but the monster did not relent. Gohan felt himself being pulled from the ground by his forearm, blood streaming from his nose in two thin, parallel rivulets, only to be smashed into the ground again, and again, and again, five times in total. Each impact was more powerful, more brutal, faster, more desperate, resounding like an earthquake splitting the earth in two.
"You suffer!" squealed the beast in a breath of ecstasy as Gohan screamed in agony, each of his limbs threatening to tear away from his body. The delicate, perverse pleasure and sadism were evident on the creature's deformed face, a sick jubilation illuminating its hideous features. Despite the intense pain, Gohan burned with determined rage, and with every scream of pain, he remembered his reason for fighting: to save the innocent.
Desperate, Gohan let out a warrior's cry and let his energy surge abruptly, forcing the creature backward as he struggled to catch his breath. He had tried to hold back his power to avoid causing more damage, but his enemy was far too powerful for him to afford that.
Gohan roared as he felt his vital force rise within him, imperious and glorious, enveloping him like a cloak of raw power. Lightning draped him in their splendor, while his blond hair stood even more on end, shimmering with a miraculous, divine glow. The air around him crackled with pure energy, fueled by his righteous rage, every particle vibrating with his ascending power. Nearby buildings trembled, their structures cracking under the pressure of this colossal force.
"This is Super Saiyan 2!" he declared as his ki continued its wild explosion, shaking the ground with its immense power. The shockwave of his transformation spread like a seismic wave, shaking the entire city. The sky seemed to darken in response to this surge of wild energy.
The entirety of the city, no, the whole country, felt the power of this heat wave surrounding the hero's power surge. The forces of nature fled in panic, sensing the terror rising from the heart of the distant transformation, shattering the quiet tranquility. The Japanese, struck with awe, looked towards Kyoto and the immense halo of light extending into the sky, visible to all, this golden energy a harbinger of Gohan's unyielding will.
A few hundred meters from the battlefield, a group of heroes watched the scene, their eyes wide with admiration, fear, and incomprehension at the forces at play. Miruko, atop a ruined building, felt a shiver run down her spine. "Good God, what is this... this power is..." she murmured, unable to tear her gaze away from the dazzling light or finish her sentence.
Edgeshot, standing back, analyzed the situation, his usually calm and serene face betraying a pervasive concern. "This energy is beyond anything I've ever felt. Gohan is unleashing something truly terrifying... is he even human?"
Ryukyu, in dragon form, carrying the heroes on her scaly back, fixed her gaze on the young hero. She felt the immense power emanating from him, like everyone else, but also the risks it entailed. "He is so powerful that if he can't control his strength, it could cause as much destruction as the monster he's fighting... if not more."
Mirio, smiling, crossed his arms with confidence, surprising the heroes around him. "All we can do now is watch the outcome; this monster won't last a minute."
All Might, observing from afar, felt a wave of respectful pride. "Gohan is truly incredible! With him and all the young hopefuls like Midoriya and you, Mirio, the future is secure."
Yoroi Musha shrugged, but his eyes betrayed what he truly felt—admiration. "I guess so. The commission will never be able to hide Gohan's power. Tonight, Japan will have found your successor, All Might."
The great hero slowly nodded, uncertain, fully aware that in the eyes of the world, it wouldn't be Midoriya who would follow in his footsteps as the greatest hero, but this young and admirable teenager. The new generation was promising, far more than his own, and could ensure peace, and All Might felt reassured by this brilliant future.
Gohan, now transformed into Super Saiyan 2, felt raw power flowing through him, every cell in his body vibrating with extraordinary energy. The creature, though immensely powerful, now seemed insignificant compared to the overwhelming power possessed by the son of Goku.
Gohan smiled at the beast with arrogant confidence, a gleam of glorious pride at the corners of his lips. What he was about to do to this creature for all the harm it had caused would be a demonstration of relentless and punitive justice, just as he had done with Cell five years ago.
"You're finished!" he shouted, his voice booming like the thunder surrounding him. With blinding speed, he charged at the beast, his fist illuminated by a brilliant blue ki. The impact of this single punch was titanic, an explosion of light and sound that blew everything in its path, sending a monstrous shockwave for several kilometers. The Nomu screamed in agony, its body deforming under the force of the attack.
The heavens themselves welcomed the resplendent light following the deluge of pure energy, piercing the dark clouds to reveal a sublime blue sky. The beast was pierced by Gohan's fist, but he did not relent in his assault. Withdrawing his fist from the perforated stomach, the young man resumed his furious and overpowering attacks, battering the creature with violent punches and kicks, chaining it in a deadly and relentless ballet.
"I know what you are! I won't stop!" Gohan shouted as he brutally drove his knee into the creature's misshapen face, shattering its grotesque nose. "No prison can contain your strength..." Gohan hissed as he grabbed the beast by the neck, before sending it flying into the air. "That's why I have no other choice, you're too dangerous..."
Gohan clasped his hands together in a stance imitating a dragon showing its fangs, the flow of his energy overflowing like a river returning to the ocean. A sphere of brilliant blue gathered between his two parallel palms, the source of his extraordinary power. "I'm sorry..." he breathed with regret and a hint of guilt, but he had no other solution for the sake of humanity.
"KAMEHAMEHA!" he roared with force, the sphere distorting and elongating to form a deadly energy beam. The family attack shot directly at the now defenseless creature, its protective barriers reduced to nothing.
The energy beam, vibrating with purifying intensity, sliced through the air with a piercing whistle, illuminating the surroundings. The energy violently struck the beast, quickly enveloping it, and began to burn the abomination before it could even feel its excruciating pain. Yet, as the energy beam engulfed the creature, a second, unknown, and powerful energy surged from the darkness and clashed against the Kamehameha.
In shock, Gohan could only watch, stupefied, as this new mysterious silhouette intervened in the destruction of the monster. Who was it?! Its energy radiated with a wild, almost bestial force, yet it felt oh so familiar... far more than the monster he was fighting.
No... as he opened his senses, the truth became as clear as crystal, and the energy of his Kamehameha quickly dwindled. "Cell..." he breathed, fear and anxiety assailing his mind, as the mysterious figure landed on the ground, holding the charred but living body of the Nomu in its arms.
"This isn't possible!" he shouted at his nemesis, who was slowly approaching him, with calm and assured steps. Then it hit Gohan, his enemy had changed color... and size. He was a bluish-purple, his red eyes brimming with combativeness, but he was smaller than Cell, younger...
A terrible idea sprouted in his mind, and the young man uttered the following words with unreal dread: "Who are you?"
The individual, now just about fifteen meters away, abruptly halted his forward march and laid the wounded Nomu's body on the ground. "Me?" he asked rhetorically, with a small, arrogant, and smug smile. "I could be a friend, or your enemy. You can call me Cell Jr."
What horror, what madness! How had he managed to go unnoticed, he and his father, for so many years? How had Gohan allowed them to live like this? A guilty anger rose within him, a rage born from the awareness of his past mistakes. He felt trapped in an infernal cycle, as if destiny delighted in endlessly repeating the same tragedies.
Trying to regain his composure, he channeled his resources and focused entirely on Cell Jr. He didn't believe it possible to resolve things peacefully, but he needed to gather as much information as possible.
"Are you the master of this thing?" he asked, his voice tinged with distrust, his body bracing for confrontation.
Cell Jr. shook his finger disdainfully before spitting directly on the beast, his features contorted with disgust. "That vile thing is the result of research conducted against me. Listen carefully, we have little time before Black Mist arrives and overhears us!"
Gohan was left speechless, struggling to believe what he was hearing, but he couldn't let his guard down. "I'm listening," he finally hissed, the bitterness in his voice barely masking the myriad of emotional thoughts assailing him.
"The League of Villains, or whatever they call themselves, manipulated my father for years. Now that he's dead, the Lord of Evil implanted a chip in my mind; he can force me to do things against my will. Honestly, I don't care about controlling the planet, massacring its inhabitants, or becoming an emperor. I want my freedom. As much as it pains me to say it, you're the only one who can fight my 'master.'"
Gohan was utterly shocked by the revelations he had just heard, and as much as he wanted to believe this heartbreaking story, standing before him was the offspring of evil itself. If he were truly controlled by this so-called Lord of Evil, what would he do once freed?
"You want us to team up to fight your master?" Gohan asked, naive hope beating within him despite his distrust.
Cell Jr. simply smiled before spreading his arms with disarming ease. "Exactly. Black Mist is approaching... think about my offer, Son Gohan. Time is against us, he will attack by summer."
As Gohan was about to respond to Cell Jr., a black portal opened directly in front of them. The cyborg picked up the Nomu in his arms and started walking toward the portal, giving one last look to his interlocutor. "Well then, Saiyan, our confrontation will have to wait! I will avenge my father's death, believe me, I will be merciless!"
His words rang hollow, and Gohan watched what he struggled to believe could be a providential new ally. He should have prevented him from retrieving the Nomu, so the beast could be kept captive, but perhaps it was for the best. After all, no prison could contain such a monster.
Gohan remained motionless, his tormented thoughts swirling as Cell Jr. disappeared through the black portal. The oxygen felt heavy, scarce, and the air was laden with ash and desolation, the distant cries of the wounded and dying echoing morbidly in his ears. The battle was over, but so many lives were lost...
Gradually, the heroes began to gather around him, their faces marked by worry and fear, their features drawn and pale from the traumatic events. All Might was the first to arrive near him, followed closely by Miruko, Edgeshot, Ryukyu, and all the other heroes.
"Good God, who was that?! Why did you let him leave with the villain?!" Miruko exclaimed before rushing towards Gohan, grabbing the collar of his outfit and shaking him with frenzied rage.
Gohan took a deep breath and cast a sorrowful look towards his mentor, desperately searching for words to explain what had happened. "I… I encountered Cell Jr.," he began, his voice strained with fatigue and pain. "He revealed to me that the League of Villains manipulated his father for years. And now he is under the control of the Lord of Evil!"
A heavy silence settled among the heroes, all grasping the enormity of the situation, yet the reality seemed almost too cruel and horrifying to be true. All Might nodded slowly, heavily, with a fatigue and shock uncharacteristic of him, for Gohan had confirmed in few words what he had feared for weeks... All For One was still alive and orchestrating even more terrible and macabre crimes.
"Release the young man," the great hero said to Miruko, who reluctantly obeyed, not without grimacing and cursing. "Gohan, you did what you could; no one can blame you, my boy. Now, tell us everything else. We need to know how they managed to cause such destruction."
Gohan lowered his head, his fists clenched in anger and remorse. "They created a vile creature, the result of monstrous experiments. This thing was created by experimenting on Cell Jr. Once again, I couldn't do anything! I failed to save all those people! They're all dead, tens of thousands!"
Gohan's eyes clouded with dark suffering, and his gaze wandered over the surrounding rubble, haunted by the faces of the innocents he couldn't save.
Miruko tried to calm herself and spoke, aware that she had overreacted. "Damn it! It's not your fault they experimented on him and created a fucking monster! You're not responsible for someone else's crimes! Just because you couldn't stop him before doesn't make you guilty! You saved millions of lives today."
Gohan lifted his head, meeting the eyes of each hero present. "Cell Jr. told me that the Lord of Evil will attack this summer," he announced, his voice gaining strength despite the sadness weighing on him. "We must train, prepare for this battle. We must defeat this Lord of Evil and protect our country!"
A murmur of agreement spread through the group, and the heroes stood taller, determined not to be disheartened, not to let the deaths of all those innocents go unavenged. They all realized that the last chance to stop the evil would come this summer, and even if they weren't powerful enough, even if they faced almost certain death, none of them would back down from the looming threat.
Gohan couldn't fail; he felt the flame of resolution ignite within him, rising like a sacred and unalterable heat. He knew he had to be stronger than ever to protect as many people as possible.
"And I must free Cell Jr. from his master, ensuring that his freedom causes no harm. Just wait a bit longer, and I will defeat this Lord of Evil!" he thought with determination as he extended his senses to find the survivors of the massacre.
He had people to save.
To be continued…
A/N: Hello everyone, happy to see you again for a new chapter! This one was a few days late due to personal reasons, but I still wanted to deliver it to you as soon as possible.
What can I say about this chapter, which is quite heavy in dramatic tension? First of all, I particularly enjoyed writing the confrontation between Gohan and the monster—I really need to find a name for it one day haha—because we finally have a fairly violent and bloody fight. It ends relatively quickly, though, as soon as Gohan understands and finishes analyzing his enemy's strength, he defeats it. This is intentional; the monster has to be powerful enough to be a threat to a Super Saiyan Gohan, and let's not even talk about the other heroes who can do nothing. Hence their conversation about Gohan's power, which is there to illustrate a bit of this brutal return to reality. The pro heroes have never seen such power; sure, All Might surpasses everyone, but against Gohan or any Dragon Ball character, he wouldn't stand a chance...
What I find rather interesting is the impact this cataclysmic confrontation will have on Japan. The city of Kyoto has been ravaged, with hundreds of thousands of deaths and terrible trauma among all the survivors. Obviously, Gohan's rescue cannot be hidden, and the whole world will know about his power and the fight, which will be a particularly exciting theme to write about, I won't lie to you.
In this world, Gohan is an overpowering force for good, somewhat like Superman, and very interesting themes can be explored, especially about the place of such powerful individuals in a world like this.
But let's move on to the little conversation between Cell Jr and Gohan: I won't lie, I had some difficulties. Initially, Cell Jr was just supposed to save the Nomu, say a phrase or two to Gohan in a rather cryptic manner, and then flee. However, I opted for a much more direct approach, to partly lift the mystery in Gohan's eyes. The relationship between these two characters will thus be able to develop, although they will meet very rarely.
I really like the character of Cell Jr because he plays more the role of an anti-hero than a true villain. He doesn't care about world domination or being the most powerful; what he truly wants is his freedom, and he is willing to do anything for it. I think I have great writing freedom with him because I can take him in almost any direction, as long as it's done well. I hope I can handle it correctly!
In any case, thank you for your dedicated reading of the story and for being so present in the reviews. It's a real pleasure to see that the story pleases the readers and a tremendous source of motivation. For a few weeks now, I have been working on writing a Dragon Ball fanfiction centered on Raditz, written in the first person, somewhat like a journal written decades after the events. I'm wondering if you would be interested in reading this story. There will be some OCs, and I want to change the events a bit to make the story fun and epic. Let me know in the comments if you're interested, but I can't promise a release date haha ^^
The next chapter will be released on August 14th, hopefully, I won't have to postpone the release date, but work might cause unforeseen changes.
The next chapter will focus mainly on the aftermath of the Kyoto battle, Gohan's psychology, and how things are evolving at UA. Thank you for reading, and have a great day!
Your author,
Majin Gaetan.