Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to their respective franchise.
Gohan awoke to the sound of his phone alarm, feeling well rested despite the late night studying with the books he had taken from the library. He grabbed his phone and checked the time; 5:01. After a few stretches, he unplugged his phone and went about his morning duties. He took a bath, brushed his teeth, and changed into his Chaldean Mystic Code. Or he would have, had a thought not occurred to him. If today was supposed to be a test of his fighting skills, then the uniform was certainly not the appropriate attire for such an occasion.
He approached his drawer and opened it to reveal where he kept the case containing his capsules safely hidden, with the only added protection being a bounded field that would shock anyone but himself if they ever came into contact. Caster had installed such measures days earlier, shortly after his medical examination, with the only requirement being a blood sample for the system to recognize him and only him. He took out the case and opened it to take count of the contents, and was relieved that none were missing.
Had a thief broken in, the additional bounded fields would have activated, alerting Kirschtaria and the rest, the lot of them working tirelessly over the past few days to oversee the restoration of the facility to at least adequate functionality. And now it was time for him to report to the Simulator to demonstrate his skills as part of his integration. He still found it a little intimidating, mildly self-conscious about what might be in store for him, or how they would evaluate his abilities up front and up close.
He took the capsule of battle armor and stepped out his door in his uniform for modesty, making sure to lock it with the personal code Caster had had him formulate. Once outside, he was relieved to find no nearby energies like the days before, when he would find the odd mage skulking about the corner. It seemed that no one was really brave enough to defy Kirshtaria's authority. At least not in such a blatant manner. He kept his eyes open for the odd familiar, however, as he had not sensed any living energy from a fly he had swatted a few days ago after Caster had warned him to watch out for such things.
The rest of his walk went smoothly, but he did eventually come across a few personnel who were just passing by or sprinting to work, and still they gave him looks or stole glances that he returned with a polite good morning. To their credit, some of them returned his greeting with equal politeness and courtesy, with the exception of a few who kept their eyes glued to him until he was far enough away, and even then he could feel their eyes still fixed on him.
Of all the things he expected when he arrived here, and even after hearing about it from Schweinorg, being watched or observed like a curio wasn't nearly one of them. Okay, maybe in the back of his mind there was an inkling. Still, it was always more likely that his reception could have been much worse. They could have rejected him outright, tried to capture him for experimentation, or kept him imprisoned. The past week had been filled with nothing but studying, interacting with the residents, dodging unwanted inquiries, or training in his room when he had time. Lately, he had dedicated much of that time to simply meditating, centering his Ki control. Both his father and Piccolo had instilled in him that even if he could push his body to the limit or beyond, refining his control would make all the difference when it counted.
And today, he might just have to demonstrate his level of control to an expectant audience. Was he nervous? He wouldn't be taking his time if he wasn't, though he ultimately had to pick up the pace in the chance of being late. The very last thing he wanted was for them to assume that one of the more daring magi had abducted him, as unlikely…
Maybe he really should stop underestimating people. His experiences on Namek, coupled with his battle with Cell, should have made it clear that victory does not always go to those who wield the bigger stick. No, had Cell not given in to the baser instincts of his Saiyan genes, he could have easily finished them off without breaking a sweat. Even before his father had thrown a Senzu at him. When he was upgraded to Super Saiyan 2, it was as if you couldn't ask for more proof that all the power in the world could not necessarily negate bad choices and their consequences.
Of course, if the fate of humanity rested on his shoulders, he wouldn't settle for anything less than ensuring its survival. Sure, not every little thing was going to spell untold doom for the human race, but if he was just going to run around without a care in the world, he might as well have stayed at home and worked on his entrance exams.
Once he was in front of the door, following the directions Pepe had sent to his band, he took a breath to steady himself and rapped his knuckles lightly on the panel. Not a second later, the door slid open, and as he stepped through, his eyes swept over much of the interior, finding a terminal manned by two female personnel. Behind them stood Kirschtaria, Romani, Caster, Mash, Pepe, and finally Hinako. From the looks he drew, it was obvious that they had been expecting him.
"Sūn Wùfàn," Kirschtaria acknowledged the boy with a nod as Gohan approached. "I take it you've had a good night's rest for the task at hand?" A simple question, but laced with the underlying inquiry if there were any lingering…inconveniences. The young man shook his head, then slid his gaze towards the group, mostly at the director, and Kirschtaria had to give the boy credit for the glint of suspicion behind his expression for what was required of him.
"Do I need to change?" Gohan suggested.
"You could," Kirschtaria replied. "The standard issue uniform can certainly take a beating, but only to a point. Certainly not to the degree of punishment you're probably used to." Gohan lightly winced at that part, drawing a few chuckles from the group. "As such, we have a combat uniform that might be more up to par."
"That's alright, sir," Gohan politely refused as he took the capsule out of his pocket, causing Caster's eyes to light up with anticipation and excitement. "I have my own." With a press of the trigger, he threw the capsule to the floor, only for it to explode in a cloud of smoke as it landed. The others watched in equal parts alarm and fascination as the cloud dissipated to reveal a large black storage trunk. Witnessing it firsthand, Kirschtaria could admit to being astounded, and he committed to memory the deceptively simple process of how the case manifested, imagining ways to emulate such technology. Only those of the Wandering Sea had any real means of doing so, but like with the Senzu bean, Chaldea could stand to innovate in their own way. Gohan went down on one knee and undid the latches. Once he did, he pushed the lid open and found divided compartments containing parts of the armor. One for the bodysuit, one for the main armor, and the rest for the gloves and boots. He opened and took out each of one as the others shuffled near to inspect what he was doing.
"You brought your own suit?" Caster mused as she too fell to her knees to Gohan's right. "May I?"
The Half-Saiyan wordlessly nodded, giving her permission much to her delight. She proceeded to inspect every corner and contour, until her gaze flashed past the lid and found additional pockets that were black and zipped up.
Mash leaned in close to watch Gohan unraveling each of the parts and placing them on the floor. "What is that, Sūn-kun?"
Gohan flicked her a glance. "Well, back home, this is what is referred to as Battle Armor. This is what soldiers of the Frieza Force would wear."
"Frieza Force?" Mash repeated inquisitively. "As in the Planet Trade Organization?"
"Yeah," Gohan replied. "Armors like this were standard issue for soldiers and personnel under the empire."
"Any particular reason why you would have those?" Pepe asked coyly.
"Well, back when Vegeta-"
"Excuse me, but that's just another thing I've been meaning to ask about as well," Pepe interjected. "You have a guy named after your home planet?"
Gohan looked up at him. "I was never born on planet Vegeta. And, if you're wondering why Vegeta has the same name, it's because he's the prince. Saiyans were ruled by a monarchy."
"Don't you mean was the prince?" Hinako pointed out.
"He's…very sensitive about that," Gohan explained sheepishly. "So, it's safer to use present tense around him."
Hinako rolled her eyes, wondering just how egotistical this so-called prince was.
Caster, always driven by her curiosity, fixed her gaze on the main breastplate before picking it up with her hands, only to be taken aback the moment she did. "It's... so light." She had expected it to hold at least more weight, but it was far lighter than even Kevlar.
Gohan turned to her. "Yeah. It's expandable, too. Go ahead."
Caster did just that as she tugged at the corners of the armor, and was awed even further by the sheer elasticity of the material. "Keep stretching. It can go further than that," Gohan revealed with a smile. Romani, now intrigued himself, picked out a glove and began examining it.
"Is the glove made of the same material?" Romani asked, his bare fingers nuzzling what felt like thick rubber. It couldn't be real rubber, could it? He continued to pull on the index finger section, and when he felt he could go further, he was amazed to find that it remained intact. Emboldened, he pulled further and further, until he reached past the length of his shoulders, amazed that it hadn't snapped from the tension, and he had a feeling that it hadn't yet reached the full extent of its yielding.
"Yes," Gohan nodded, now resting his arms on the floor so he could lean back as the rest of the group and the two female personnel joined in. One was Sylvia, while the other was a dark-skinned woman of what Gohan had to assume was of Indian descent, her dark hair tied in a neat bun.
"No way, even the boots?" Pepe remarked, pulling on the pointed end as it stretched almost like soft putty, but at the same time there was a toughness to it that he couldn't quite grasp. It was almost similar to the Chaldean Mystic Code combat suits, but where it differed was that these felt more sturdy.
"This armor was developed by Bulma of the Capsule Corporation after she reverse-engineered the original armor Vegeta wore," Gohan explained.
"Sh-She reverse-engineered alien technology?!" Caster exclaimed in shock.
"Yeah," Gohan answered in a tone like it wasn't that big of a deal. "Back when we were finding a way to wish back Kami or Piccolo, she was taken to the site where the spaceship of their original composite was."
"You mean this nameless Namekian you spoke of was not born on Earth?" Kirschtaria asked, the details related only stemming from when the Namekian with no name had sought the position of Kami.
"No," Gohan answered with a shake of his head. "The Nameless Namekian, according to what Piccolo later told me, was put on a ship by his father, Katas. The planet Namek was experiencing catastrophic disasters that were decimating the population, so he saw an opportunity and had his son transported to Earth to be picked up at a later date when it was safe. Or so he thought. Katas could only have perished in the disaster, leaving the Nameless Namekian stranded. After that, well, you know the rest."
Mash's features fell, expressing sympathy for this Nameless Namekian, for how he must have felt abandoned by his father, and on another planet to boot, which might have contributed to the manifestation of evil within him, born of such resentment.
"And they were able to develop a ship from such ancient technology?" Caster enquired.
"They actually repaired the ship and modified it," Gohan admitted to the amazement of his audience. "Mr. Popo, who is Kami's attendant back at the Temple in the Sky, took Bulma to where the ship first landed and has been ever since. A place called Yunzabit Heights, which was at the very far end of the world. It became the ship we used to first travel to the planet Namek, but it was destroyed by a member of Frieza's forces when they managed to get there before us.
"But that thing must have been there for, what, centuries?" Romani pointed out, still amazed that such technologically advanced people capable of True Magic could exist.
Gohan shrugged. "Well, even after all that time, it still had power. Otherwise they wouldn't have been able to carry it back on Mr. Popo's flying carpet."
"Flying...carpet?" Mash repeated in disbelief, which the others shared, with Caster wiping a trickle of drool from the corner of her mouth.
"Yes, Mr. Popo has one that he uses to fly long distances," Gohan explained. "But it couldn't possibly have been strong enough to bring the ship back, so they had to activate it and return under its own power. Incredibly enough, it still worked."
Once again, the Half-Saiyan left his audience stunned. A race of demons capable of what borders on true magic, yet possessing technology far beyond that of the 21st century. Magic and technology coexisting seamlessly, practically contradicting everything they knew. Any magus worth their circuits would jump at the chance to catch a glimpse of these beings. "Bulma and her father managed to renovate the craft to make it more suitable for human piloting, when before everything was controlled by voice commands."
"Voice commands?!" Everyone else repeated loudly.
Did we say 21st century? Make that 22nd, or even 23rd!
"And it was just destroyed by a bunch of ruffians?" Caster harrumphed, bristling in disgust that such a valuable piece of technology had met such an undignified end.
"Yeah," Gohan nodded. "But, it still took us to Namek, and that's all that mattered to us at the time."
"Voice commands," Pepe mused. "So, you could tell this ship to fly? Land? Everything?"
"Everything," Gohan confirmed. "Even the toilet."
"Even the toilet?" Pepe enquired with a raised brow.
"It had amenities even before the refurbishing," Gohan replied with a chuckle. "The Namekians must have used those ships when they first emigrated from the Great Demon Realm."
"Why would they do that?" Mash asked.
"That, I'm afraid I can't answer, because even with the collective knowledge of Nail and Kami from fusing with them, there was only so much of Namekian history they could remember," Gohan replied. "But whatever drove them out must have been serious because Namekians are a generally peaceful people. That was actually what surprised us the most when we first arrived at Namek."
"Why?" Romani asked, before remembering a certain part of Gohan's account. "Was it because of…"
"Yes," Gohan nodded soberly. "When the Nameless Namekian split into his good and evil halves, the evil side became a villain who terrorized the world. He was so ruthless and cruel that he earned the title 'Great Demon King Piccolo.'"
Hinako huffed. "Tryhard."
Gohan chuckled. "Well, everyone saw him then as a legitimate threat, especially because he could asexually reproduce mutant Namekians as his personal army. It's a trait all Namekians naturally have since they don't have genders, but his method was twisted, creating demonic beings that terrorized the lands. To make matters worse, he was stronger than anyone at that time except maybe Kami, who couldn't intervene directly without losing his position."
"Losing his..." Romani bristled with indignation upon hearing this, his mouth set in a frown. "I would think it would be more important to protect innocent people. Wasn't that part of his job as God? Especially since this incarnation of Piccolo was, by and large, his responsibility." He knew how hypocritical he sounded at that moment, and those aware of his former identity knew it as well, but finding a reflection of his own mistakes had simply struck the right chord. He, as Solomon, could easily draw parallels between himself and this Kami, especially when it came to their own respective demons.
"That's because my Earth actually needs a God to keep it functioning properly, as he had other duties closely related to the Other World," Gohan reasoned, though he could not refute the man's central point. "And had Kami actually succeeded in killing Piccolo, it would have been like killing himself. The only way he could stop his other half without risking his own well-being was to have him sealed, which could be done with the Mafūba technique."
"Yes, he was sealed," Pepe agreed, while inwardly curious over this fabled sealing technique. "But he got out eventually, didn't he? In the end, your father had to be the one to actually kill him."
"Right, but before death could even claim him, he gave birth to one last offspring," Gohan said ominously, "who was to be his reincarnation. More out of revenge than to preserve Kami's life."
"And this new Piccolo would become your mentor," Caster concluded. "A truly wondrous and epic tale, I'm sure, ragazzo. Were you never taught magic by him?"
"He tried to, but I could never really get the hang of it," Gohan replied in a modest voice. "Actual magic, I mean. I can do telekinesis, but that's about it." As proof, the Half-Saiyan raised his hand and lifted all the pieces of armor out of the others' grasp and arranged them neatly next to the storage case.
Kirschtaria marveled at the feat, as did the others, but inwardly his mind raced. The boy may not have been formally schooled in any of the three major institutions, but he might as well have had a mage's education, being taught by someone who was a magician in every sense of the word.
"Sūn Wùfàn," Kirschtaria began, "are you aware that you have magical circuits?"
Gohan and the rest all turned their attention to the director. "Yes," the boy nodded, "Dr. Romani told me. All of them being on my tail or something to that effect."
"Magical circuits are not necessarily a physical trait, Wùfàn," Kirschtaria explained sternly. "They are etched into one's very soul, and what you see," he raised his ungloved hand and fed Od into his circuits, causing them to glow, "is simply an expression of how the magus goes about invoking Mystery by accessing the Thaumaturgical Foundations." He then made some gestures with his finger, as if writing on empty air, and Gohan could make out the bare outline of what was being inscribed. Soon, the air around them grew colder, and Gohan shivered a little from the unexpected drop in temperature. "That was a rune spell, Wùfàn. One that allows me to siphon off the heat in a given area. I am not lowering the temperature, I am simply taking away whatever remaining heat there is." He then wrote another rune, restoring said heat, not that it was too noticeable with the air conditioning, but Gohan could feel that the cold was no longer that biting. "The magi of today are only able to execute 'imitations', mere facsimiles of what were once true miracles, and only so because of their magical circuits."
"I think I get it," Gohan said, only to jump from the sharp sound of a cane being tapped on the floor.
"What you need to understand, Wùfàn, is that you could be capable of magecraft yourself. With the proper guidance, of course," Kirschtaria pointed out admonishingly. "But because you have only ever developed the use of your Od, your circuits have atrophied, but not to the point of being unusable. Otherwise, you would not be qualified for Rayshifting, much less considered as a Master. Given enough time in the study of Thaumaturgical Theory, you should be able to invoke other forms of Mysteries beyond what you are already capable of."
Gohan blinked in astonishment. "I…can?"
Kirschtaria nodded. "Your previous training should serve as an adequate springboard, but actually learning Magecraft isn't nearly as straightforward. Which is precisely why we will be needing a proper assessment of your abilities for the foreseeable future."
"Right," Gohan replied, about to rise to his feet.
"Hold it."
All eyes turned to Pepe, who had indeed spoken up, one hand raised. "I want in."
This earned surprise from a few, but only Kirschtaria remained stoic, the gears turning in his head. "Any reason, Pepe?"
Pepe just stared at nothing for a moment, a soft smile on his lips, before his eyes narrowed as a flash of something flickered across them for an instant. "Call it curiosity, if you will, and to be honest, I've been itching to try my hand at the boy ever since he showed his stuff."
Hinako's eyes glazed over as she judged the effeminate magus. "You just want to try on the armor."
Pepe shrugged, not bothering to deny or hide it. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for fashion. After wearing a combat suit in my old timeline, I could go for something new." He turned to Gohan. "You have one my size?" After taking a peek at some of the compartments, there looked to be some extra pieces of armor left.
Gohan looked down at the bundle already in his arms, then up at Pepe. "Well, it's kind of a 'one size fits all' thing. You just slip it on and it'll adjust to your build." Caster's mind was already racing with ideas for how to improve the combat suit design, and this Battle Armor might just be the ideal template.
"Say no more," Pepe concluded, wasting no time in helping himself to the goods. As he opened some of the compartments, his peripherals caught the zippered pockets by the lid and blinked at them in curiosity. He reached for one and unzipped it as Gohan crept up beside him, having failed to check them earlier. "Hm?" He hooked his finger against the seam and pulled down, revealing what appeared to be a small storage case lodged inside. He gingerly pulled it out for all to see. "What's this?" He asked aloud, but Gohan was equally puzzled.
"Not sure," Gohan replied, though he could recognize the box as the kind to store capsules. "I haven't had time to examine all the capsules properly since, well, most of them can't just be expanded in my room."
"Oh, perhaps we can do so at the hangar," Caster suggested. "It should have enough space."
Gohan nodded. "It's a good idea, and maybe something I should have done a lot earlier."
"One must do well to take stock of one's equipment, Sūn-kun," Caster advised. "Your capsules could give you all the advantages in the world, but without making sure each one is functional, or without an understanding of how they work, any potential aid could be rendered meaningless."
"Right," Gohan agreed, as it was solid advice. "No later than after this."
"But first," Pepe interjected, "we need to know what this is all about." He waved the box in the air before grasping it with both hands to unlock it. He did so easily, allowing him to fan it open. "This is..."
Gohan shuffled closer, as curious as the others, finding that the contents were simply two capsules that were holstered together. They were numbered 1 and 2, but they lacked the colored stripe common to most capsules, instead coming in a deep gunmetal gray save for the numbers, which were black. "Bulma didn't mention anything about these," he revealed aloud, taking the case from Pepe and inspecting it for anything else they might have missed. "I don't see any instructions."
Pepe fumbled in the pocket where he had taken the case from and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "This could be it." He unfolded the slip and went over what could have been written on it. With a clearing of his throat, he read out loud, "Dear Gohan, the capsules here might prove useful to you in certain emergency situations. Number 1 is the latest model of Capsule Corp Spaceship." Romani was quick to tackle an already lunging Caster, with some added assistance from Mash while an unamused Fou looked on from a nearby counter he had perched himself on. "Number 2 is extra rations, clothes, and medicine contained in an airtight storage unit in case you may find yourself stranded. Your mother insisted," he shot an impish smile directly at the Half-Saiyan, "aw, momma's little boy."
Gohan merely hung his head in embarrassment, his cheeks flushed. "To open, merely key in your birthday as the password on the electric lock. And, that's about it." Pepe trailed off by fanning himself with the paper. "Well, aren't you the pampered one."
"Those capsules could only be if Wùfàn will ever find himself traversing through space," Kirschtaria speculated. "The fact that they come with the armor only points to this Bulma believing he'd wear them during that."
"The ship should have the standard issue Capsule Corp spacesuits stored as an alternative," Gohan explained as he committed the capsules to memory to prevent any mix-ups. "They come with helmets and a built-in system that recycles breathable air."
"You've worn them before?" Sylvia asked this time.
"Yeah," Gohan answered. "A few years ago when we took a trip to New Namek."
"For what? Vacation?" Pepe questioned, and he saw Gohan roll his eyes in thought. "Did you seriously go for vacation on another planet?"
"No," he answered Pepe, "we went there to kill Frieza's brother."
"What."
Gohan got back to his feet with a sigh. "I'll…tell you guys all about it some other time. For now," he lifted up the blue bodysuit for his armor, "let's get started, Pepe-san."
The two moved into the simulator's adjoining locker room, which was fully stocked with equipment such as firearms, melee weapons, offensive and defensive Mystic Codes, and of course the Combat Suits, which were designed to be more durable than the standard Chaldean uniform. For this session, however, Gohan and Pepe would don the Battle Armor to test their mettle. Interestingly, Pepe chose a deep black bodysuit while Gohan went for the classic blue, but the main torso came in a variety of designs. There were sets with shoulder and hip guards, but one look was all Pepe needed to reject them in favor of simple reinforced straps, hip, and crotch guards, though Gohan mentioned that the plates did nothing to hinder movement.
Pepe examined the bodysuit first, assessing its thickness, flexibility, and strength. As an experiment, he used a modicum of his superhuman strength to try to rip or tear a hole, but found that the material held. After a few more attempts, he had to praise the durability of the suit and how practical it seemed despite its deceptive fragility.
Actually putting the suit on was much easier than at first glance. 'Like a glove' would be the phrase that first comes to mind. Once he was finished, the suit snugly hugged his entire frame in a similar vein to the combat suits, but upon taking the first step, the difference was apparent. The Battle Armor had just the right thickness matching that of the Combat Suits, but the material was so flexible and breathable that it seemed to offer peak mobility.
In other words, "It feels like I'm wearing nothing at all." Pepe enjoyed the reactions he received as he modeled the now worn armor, with Hinako rolling her eyes while the rest merely shook their heads at the Shugendō practitioner's lighthearted antics. But it was true, the armor acting almost like a second skin that meshed well over the body.
"Try punching him," Gohan said, making some final adjustments to his glove after leaving the locker room behind Pepe. "The armor is designed to disperse the kinetic energy."
Before anyone could say another word, Pepe gasped as Hinako came at him with a thrust. Not strong enough to kill, but enough to stun the magus. Or at least that would have been the expected result had Pepe not gathered himself and looked down to find the Xian's fist lodged in his midsection, the actual blow not carrying as much of the intended force as it seemed. From there, the woman pulled her arm back to assume a boxing stance and followed up with several more quick punches. All the while, a more prepared Pepe stood his ground, his body tensing as he soon realized that the suit was indeed serving its intended purpose.
Each of the blows came at a faster pace, but each time, the breastplate absorbed the kinetic force and dissipated it just as quickly. Hinako could actually feel that her blows were having little to no effect, and so she increased the pressure, strictly observing that she wasn't trying to kill Pepe, only to damage the suit, but it held on just as strongly.
"Enough!" Kirschtaria commanded, with Hinako promptly obeying. "Well, Pepe?"
Pepe puffed out the breath he had been holding in and gave all of them a solid thumbs up. "A-okay! Got a sweet massage out of it, too." This earned him a slap on the arm from the immortal.
Caster strolled over to examine the spot where Pepe had been attacked. Not a scratch. One might expect a scuff, a dent, or even an abrasion, but it was as pristine as it had first appeared. She inspected the rest of the armor, and even through her gloved hands she could identify the material as rubber-like, but it couldn't be that simple. This mere rubber would be able to withstand Hinako's non-lethal blows (at least for her), which would still have left a crack. Even then, the force would have easily passed through and injured the wearer.
She looked up to find Pepe smiling down at her, one eyebrow raised, not looking the least bit winded. His already formidable durability notwithstanding, any other normal human would have had their ribs shattered like glass. "If I could come up with a new design for the combat suits, or even inscribe additional protective runes on these, they might even be able to withstand damage from Servants," Da Vinci stated.
"Wouldn't hurt to try," Pepe shrugged. He glanced down at the armor he was already wearing, patting the chest area with both hands. "Not much of a fan of the design, though. Could probably use an overhaul."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Zoolander," Hinako quipped with a roll of her eyes. "First, we need to actually see if this thing doesn't end up like Swiss cheese, otherwise we'll be needing to make some last-minute calls."
Pepe merely puckered his lips in a flying kiss aimed at her.
Gohan, after some final touches, briefly wrestled on what to do with his tail, looking over his shoulder to find the appendage wagging freely. Wrap it around his waist like his uncle and Vegeta did? He never really saw the need to, having fought fine in the past and fairly recently. "Uh, Da Vinci-san?"
Caster tore away from her analysis to face the boy. "Hm? What is it, ragazzi?"
"What would happen if my tail was ever cut off?" Gohan asked, carefully taking hold of the appendage to examine it idly, perhaps even trying to find the 'circuits' if they were even there. "It's where my circuits are, right? What would happen if I were to lose them?"
The Servant stared at the boy with an analytical look. "That is... difficult to determine. It is more than likely that you will lose access to any potential magecraft. With that said, you cannot exactly 'lose' Magic Circuits as they are embedded into your soul, but cutting off your tail would be like severing a cord that's still plugged into the outlet. Your circuits are still present, but they will simply be beyond your access through normal means. Not to mention, you could be stripped of what essentially qualifies you for Rayshifting, as well as the contracting of a Servant."
Gohan considered this information carefully. "It sounds like something I can't really afford to risk."
"As I said, the full ramifications have yet to be determined," Caster reminded. "But, yes, in your case, it might be better to be safe than sorry. I don't think I should also remind you of the imposing weakness that your tail holds."
"Weakness?" Mash asked.
"Uh, yeah," Gohan spoke. "Saiyans have this weakness where pressure on our tails paralyzes us." This earned the surprise of the others. That a race as powerful as the Saiyans could have such a glaringly simple weakness. "Any of you could just grab onto my tail, give it a good squeeze, and I wouldn't be able to do much about it."
"So, what, we just cut off your tail, and then you're rendered powerless?" Pepe ventured.
"Not so simple," Gohan replied. "It is possible for Saiyans to have their tails cut off, as my dad did, because our innate power isn't really tied there. It's more of a small boost that becomes negligible as we age and reach higher levels of strength. Cutting it off might stun a Saiyan for a few minutes, but other than that, it becomes largely cosmetic overtime."
"Then you just haven't cut yours off yet? Like a kind of circumcision?" Caster speculated.
"No," Gohan replied. "Mine was first cut off in my younger years during my training with Piccolo, but it tended to grow back whenever I was under a lot of stress and then had to be cut off again. Not all the time, but every now and then, it just grows back, and always when I'm under duress." Which could explain how it had managed to return before coming here, but where and how he could have experienced the stress necessary to induce such a regrowth in the first place continued to elude him. Only after the Cell Games did a new tail grow for a while before he personally nipped it in the bud. Strangely, there was always a feeling in the back of his mind that made him ignore his most recent tail lately, and after understanding that there was a vital need for it, he decided against his usual solution.
"Hm, perhaps an evolutionary trait of your Saiyan heritage," Caster speculated. "But why keep cutting it off?" If she had children of her own, she certainly wouldn't want to cut off what was still a part of them, whether it be tails or wings. And if such an extra appendage provided a power boost, why give up such an advantage?
Gohan was silent for a moment. "For now, it's really not that important, but I will explain the reason when most of everything else is settled. I promise." He was thankful that because of the way the facility was built and the location, he did not need to worry about a full moon. He did his best to avoid any rooms with large windows during nighttime, as well as observing the lunar cycles. He knew that revealing the Great Ape's transformation would take care of any potential headaches in the future, but after revealing too much in one sitting, it would only waste what precious time there was. The rest of the group could read under the lines, and while they would have wanted to know, there was little room but to be respectful and prioritize other matters.
"Then, if you would," Kirschtaria gestured with his cane to a door by the far corner, leading to a completely empty white room that the control hub oversaw. "You two will be briefed once you are properly inside."
Without another word, Gohan and Pepe strolled over to the door, which resembled a hatch, with a hand crank in the center that had to be turned to open it. Perhaps as a design choice to keep the rooms well insulated from one another.
He turned the crank with both hands, barely a sound other than a faint hiss from air escaping once there was a gap. He sent one final glance to his observers, most especially at an anxious looking Mash once again hugging Fou to her chest. The two proceeded to step into the room, and Gohan was briefly reminded of when he first entered the Room of Spirit and Time with his father. He held back any remarks he might have had, patiently silent as Pepe was.
"Nervous?" He heard the one walking beside him ask, turning to look up at the rather tall Japanese man.
"Not really," Gohan answered as they made a stop at the center. "This is just like training for me."
Pepe huffed. "Still hard to believe you've been doing this since you were four."
Gohan blinked. "What about you, Pepe-sa-"
"Just Pepe, Gohan," the older mage requested like he did the previous night, using the boy's actual name for emphasis. "I prefer to be less professional when I'm not working."
Rather informal, but with the man's given permission, Gohan could only shrug. "Alright. What about you, Pepe? I mean, I can tell you've had training yourself."
A tiny, mysterious smile floated up Myourenji's lips. "What gave it away?"
"...Not like you were trying to hide it," Gohan replied after a moment, staring once again at the wall where he knew the others were watching. Pepe chuckled, closing his eyes as they stood waiting.
"Well, boya," he gave the young man a sidelong glance, his voice descending a pitch, "I hope I don't disappoint."
Kirschtaria nodded to Sylvia, who in turn signaled Ahana to begin. They opened communication first. "Stand by, both of you. We will begin the simulation shortly, which will be simple for now. Nothing too fancy, just something to give Wùfàn his sea legs. In the meantime, would you mind answering a few questions?"
A wordless nod was Gohan's answer. "How are you able to harness the use of your Od?"
Well, it wasn't as if Gohan hadn't expected such a question at some point. Impossible for him not to, what with their constant studious glances, the hungry glint in the eyes of the mages he interacted with. He didn't mind it most of the time, but there was an undeniable amount of discomfort there. "It all has to do with learning to control the flow of your Ki, or Od. Now, I'm going to be taking some pointers from my Mr. Piccolo. While exercises such as meditation can allow one to perceive one's own life energy, it takes a special level of concentration, talent, and dedication to truly harness it the way I and other warriors back home do." As an example, and without the constraints of any bounded fields in the vicinity, he raised up one hand mid level. A ball of Ki, about the size of a softball, emerged from his palm.
It brightly illuminated the already bright white room, spilling over the control center where the others watched in fascination. Pepe stepped closer to examine what might have been considered a parlor trick to some, but he knew from experience that it was challenging enough for even the most worldly of mages. "By mastering the control of one's Od, users will be able to perform a variety of feats, both combat-related and otherwise. Enhancing their bodies, flight, as well as projecting shields or barriers. If anything, it may not be so dissimilar to what mages are capable of."
To further demonstrate his point, Gohan began to juggle the orb of Ki with his hands, shocking his audience. "Most of the time, you don't even need an aria or an incantation, just pure concentration. Refining the skill will eventually make it second nature. If anything, it's a lot harder the first time, but with persistence and hard work, even the weakest human can become formidable with dedicated training."
"Wait," Romani spoke, his voice heard through the intercom, "when you say 'human', do you mean…anyone can do it?"
Gohan nodded. "Yes. So long as one has life energy, they can train in the ways of Ki."
Romani exchanged glances with Kirschtaria and the others, what they had only ever known be challenged once again. "Sūn-kun, forgive me if I sound a bit invalidating here, but what you're saying is largely impossible for people who aren't magi, and even we-they have a hard enough time as is. Yes, every living thing has Od, and that energy will persist as long as they live, but capacity tends to vary from person to person. Take you, for example. You have obviously shown that you possess incredible reserves of Od, unheard of for most mages, but we had accepted that under the assumption that it could only be because of your unique physiology and the universe you hail from. For us, there is always a cap, a kind of upper limit until the body can no longer contain such excess."
Gohan's expression remained unchanged, only blinking once. "Well, that's not exactly true where I come from. It is possible and has been proven that you can increase your capacity."
"Sūn Wùfàn," Kirschtaria finally spoke up before Romani could respond again. "What you are suggesting is something that magi have dedicated their entire lives to, even before the Age of Gods came to an end. Countless generations, countless sacrifices, it simply cannot be understated that to have reserves of Od as abundant as yours is the ideal of every self-respecting magi who has ever taken their first step on the path to the Swirl of the Root."
Gohan's eyebrows furrowed. "Swirl of the Root?"
"The source of all," Kirschtaria revealed with a sharp tap of his staff. "The beginning and the end of everything. Existence itself can be traced back to the Root, also known as the Akashic Records, where all knowledge of the past, present and future exists simultaneously. It's not far-fetched to say that those who gain access to the Root will be granted power beyond all of creation, the very pinnacle of True Magic." He scoffed. "At least that is the expectation.
"While there are various means and methods to augment our reserves, the most common; and arguably safest, is to draw from what we call the 'Greater Source', the raw mana already present in the atmosphere. Od, on the other hand, which is the energy inherent within us, is the 'Lesser Source' because of how limited it is in comparison. Mana and Od are only classified as such by their quantity, but they serve as the necessary fuel that magi process through their circuits into the magical energy needed to power spellwork and other rituals. This is your first lesson in magecraft, Wùfàn. As well as formalcraft."
"I see," Gohan said thoughtfully. "Mr. Piccolo would teach me that there is Ki all around us, but compared to our personal reserves, it's the opposite. It's a lot, don't get me wrong, but we tend to treat it as something redundant, even negligible at best." He raised a finger. "My father has just such a technique, in which he uses the energy present not only in living things, but in everything. The planet itself becomes a source of energy for this technique.
Now that really made an impression. "What?!"
Pepe slapped a gloved hand to his forehead, a loud cackle escaping him. "Oh, boya, you are a riot!"
"No, I'm not kidding!" Gohan said insistently, waving his hands in front of him.
"Oh, I know," Pepe snorted, calming down. "But really, if you were anywhere else right now, you'd either be labeled as a run-of-the-mill delusional nerd or made into the ultimate lab rat. You have no idea how lucky you are to have happened upon our tender mercies. Right?" He shot the last part at Kirschtaria, who just rolled his eyes.
"So, Sūn-kun," Caster chimed in eagerly, "what is the name of this spell, er, technique of your father's?"
"It's called the Spirit Bomb, or Genki-dama," Gohan replied. "It's a technique that was taught to him when he was training in the Other World."
"Was... this when he was deceased, or...?"
"Deceased," Gohan shrugged, only to be startled a second later by a high-pitched squeal from the Renaissance woman. "Yes, my father managed to train when he was in the afterlife, on a planet that belonged to the Kai of the Northern Galaxy, who was the one who taught him the technique."
"Kai... of the Northern Galaxy?" Romani repeated in confusion. "Who is that, Sūn-kun?"
Gohan took in a sharp breath. "In order to answer that question, I have to delve a little into the pantheon of my world. In the Other World, most of the gods in our universe reside there, who are called Kai. These Kai are deities that each rule over quadrants of the universe that correspond to the cardinal directions. The one who trained my father is known as the North Kai, which means that there is a South Kai, a West Kai, and an East Kai, but it is the North Kai that my father and our friends are acquainted with."
"He... learned the technique... from a god?" Romani said with a lump in his throat, he and the others finding much of what the boy was telling them increasingly hard to swallow.
Gohan nodded. "It was before the invasion of the Saiyans, Vegeta and Nappa. He needed to get stronger after his battle with my uncle proved that there were forces in the vast universe that posed a danger far beyond us. After our friends died at the hands of the Saiyans, including Mr. Piccolo, they in turn trained on North Kai's home planet until we were able to wish them back to life."
Pepe nuzzled his chin in thought. "These Kai are starting to sound an awful lot like the Four Guardians."
Gohan turned to him. "The Four Guardians? You know about them, Pepe?"
Pepe returned his gaze with a nod. "You see, boya, I happen to be something of an expert on Hindu myths and beliefs, especially on the teachings of Buddhism. What you call Kai are similar in role to the dikapāla, Hindu deities who guard the four directions. The one who guards the north is known as Kubera, who has authority over good fortune and wealth. The one who guards the south is Yama, who has authority over justice and death. The one who guards the east is Indra, who presides over the sky and the weather. For the west, it is Varuna, who presides over the seas and shares authority over the rain with Indra."
"Yes," Gohan nodded. "I read about them when I was going through the Indian and Hindu myths in the library. The Kai also seem to draw similarities to the Four Heavenly Kings in Buddhism."
"That is true," Pepe praised. "But these Kai seem to fulfill a role on a much grander scale than just the world."
"Yes, an entire galaxy," Gohan replied. "I haven't met any of them in person, but North King Kai tends to communicate with us telepathically when necessary. Usually to dispense advice or to let those who are with him speak with us. Or to crack jokes."
"Jokes?"
"Puns, mostly," Gohan revealed, causing most of the group to cringe something fierce, more than a little incredulous that a deity would even indulge in such a brand of humor. Then again, they've encountered some pretty... uniquely eccentric gods in their previous timelines. A certain Luchadora came easily to mind. "But don't let such quirks fool you. He taught my father some pretty powerful techniques that even I have trouble learning. I have the theory down, but actually applying them is another matter entirely. The Genki-dama, for example, has the potential to wipe out an entire planet depending on how much energy is gathered. But that's where the downside comes in. For the resulting Spirit Bomb to be as powerful as it is, it still needs time, which can take minutes or even hours to charge. Precious time that an enemy can easily exploit."
The entire collective of mages felt like fainting. Such a spell was practically impossible to ever come to fruition due to the safeguards propagated by Gaia. Not to mention the sheer scale of mana one would need to even be remotely as destructive as this Spirit Bomb can reportedly become. "There is a restriction when it comes to actually using the Genki-dama, though," Gohan admitted. And now they were sorely tempted to get the simulation over with since they could only handle so much information before breaking down to their knees just to make the voices in their heads stop. "One must be pure of heart."
Now this managed to reignite some intrigue from them. "Pure of heart?" Caster repeated, earning her a nod from the boy.
"The Genki-dama is undeniably a very powerful technique, but it's very high-risk, high-reward," Gohan went on to explain. "Its true strength, however, lies in one particular feature that makes all of the work worthwhile. The Genki-dama is a power composed of pure positive energy."
"Positive...energy?" Romani repeated in awe.
Gohan nodded. "For it is a technique that is specifically tailored to defeat that which is evil."
Stunned silence was all he received. "It is a technique that can only be used by someone with no malice or evil intent in their heart. Nor will it cause harm to those who are the same. I admit that it can be dubious, but in general, as long as you don't have any excess evil or malice, you won't come to any harm even with direct contact. I have experienced this myself."
The mages were all beside themselves. While they were still a bit apprehensive, hearing the caveats surrounding this supposedly ultimate technique had both allayed and further intrigued them. That only someone pure of heart could even hope to wield such power was like something left behind from the Age of Gods, a spell that could only have been conceived by a deity with the sole purpose of aiding humanity in the fight against evil. Unless the evil was a human themselves, which was the thought that crossed Hinako's mind.
"While that was quite riveting, Wùfàn, there is still one question we must return to," Kirschtaria said after an enunciated clearing of his throat. "Is it really possible for even ordinary people to use their Od in the way you can?"
"Okay, maybe not for everyone, because it would require a certain level of dedication," Gohan admitted after reevaluating what he knew. "Being able to control your Od to do even a fraction of what my friends and I can do could be enough to break a lesser man."
"And going back to what I told you, many a mage throughout the ages have taken insane and frankly inhuman risks in the hope of gaining even a fraction of the power you possess," Kirschtaria countered. "Can you really offer us the means to do so?"
And that was the proverbial carrot the Half-Saiyan had inadvertently dangled over them. "I can perhaps teach you some level of Od control, unless mages are already capable of that much," Gohan mused aloud. "Other than that, it might even be a good idea for you to know how to sense life energy."
"We are already capable of that, yes," Kirschtaria revealed. "It varies with each individual on what method they use, but generally, we can detect Od."
"Try sensing mine, then," Gohan requested.
"Excuse me?"
"Have any of you been able to sense my Od lately?" Gohan asked, and it was this question that gave Kirschtaria and the rest pause. Now that he mentioned it, with how seemingly overwhelming the boy's Od was, it should have been like the brightest beacon in a vast ocean of rubbish.
The director of Chaldea rose to the challenge and did just that, using a refined detection skill to weed out leylines and the like. Detecting Od or Mana was much easier once one got the swing of things, but doing it accurately was where a mage's true talent resided. There was just one thing that the blonde soon came to notice after focusing on the boy.
"I…" He shared a wide-eyed look with Romani, and then with Caster, as if there was something highly amiss that he had just discovered. "Wùfàn, how…?"
A small smile soon danced along the boy's lips.
"Sir?" Romani prodded. "Kirschtaria."
"I…can't sense…anything."
Gohan's smile widened. Even Pepe, who was now using Tashintsū, could not see the young man's aura. Not even the faintest color. It was as if he wasn't even there. He could certainly see the boy, make contact with him, but as far as his own detection technique was concerned, the boy was no more glaring than a lifeless corpse.
"This is one of the more advanced applications of Od control," Gohan revealed. "Being able to suppress or hide your energy. And when it comes to detecting or sensing others, we can do so even at great distances, provided that said energy is intense enough to help pinpoint their location." He tilted his head just a little higher, then turned slowly until he stopped, his gaze fixed seemingly at nothing. He then raised his right arm to point in the direction he was eyeing and said, "With further refinement, the energy doesn't even need to be that intense. For just an example, I can sense that Mr. Duston is in the cafeteria right now sitting next to Mr. Meuniere. They're at a table two rows away from the counter."
Kirschtaria didn't say a word, just brought up his band and accessed Duston's channel. "Yes, sir, what is it?"
"Duston, where are you right now?"
There was a pause, the man perhaps a little taken aback by the rather innocuous question, when an answer came. "I'm in the cafeteria with Meuniere right now. Why? "
"Are you two sitting at a table two rows from the counter?"
Another pause that was mildly longer than the first. "Yes? Why do you ask, sir?"
"Just checking on something," Kirschtaria replied in a polite tone. "Thank you for your time."
"Uh, alright? If that will be all, then." The communication was cut off, allowing the air around them to settle, but Kirschtaria's mind was ever racing. If it was indeed possible, then perhaps…
"What of flight, Wùfàn?"
"Oh, now that's a lot simpler," Gohan said. "For a…relative definition of 'simple', sir."
"Can you demonstrate?"
Gohan merely did so, lifting himself off the ground and crossing his legs to assume a sitting position in the air. "Once you can get even the most basic control of your Od, you should be able to begin the exercise in flight, as it will also help."
"Unbelievable," muttered Caster, her eyes practically twinkling in awe. Flight was one of the most difficult skills for any mage to learn, simply because the Mystery had reached a point where modern mages needed Mystic Codes, specialized magecraft, or even to be descended from a bloodline that had achieved unaided flight and had the skill inscribed on their Crest. Even Aozaki Touko, one of the most infamous mages in the Moonlit World, had patented a method that achieved a version of flight more akin to being catapulted through the air toward a target that bridged a path for the broom to travel over. The mages of the Clock Tower had deemed it so efficient that it had become common enough for Touko to live on the revenue alone, among other ventures.
Those who could achieve true flight, on the other hand, were counted among the painfully rare few with remarkable talent. An affinity for magecraft that was akin to those of the Xian, which was a sign for one to be considered such. Hinako herself was capable of true flight, but over the years, she had only done so when traveling to and from her bungalow in the Himalayas. "The reason why controlling your Od is essential to achieving flight is because it's your own life energy that acts as propulsion."
"Propulsion?" Caster repeated, intrigued. "You mean you actually use your Od as a kind of lift?!"
"That's right," Gohan affirmed, much to the polymath's delight. "It involves a clear focus of one's own Od to generate a force around the outer body to counteract the effects of gravity. With better control and practice, you'll be able to actually steer yourself through the air more fluidly." He proceeded to demonstrate this by rotating around until he was floating upside down, all the while maintaining his position. "Of course, it does take a lot out of you, since you're still essentially expelling your life force from the body."
"Which would simply evaporate into the atmosphere," Kirstcharia added. "Sounds a bit inefficient."
"Inefficiency is expected," Gohan conceded. "At least for beginners. I was exhausted not two minutes in just keeping my feet off the ground back when I first started, but as you train in the Sky Dance Technique more, the less of a burden it'll place on your reserves once you get a more precise feel of how much of the expenditure is required."
More and more Kirschtaria saw the possibilities expanding before him. A more efficient way to sense Od, and camouflage as well. Add to that flight, and suddenly a new path had opened up for them that any mage would die for. But to actually use one's own Od to induce flight? How could such a deceptively simple principle eluded them for so long?
Conceit? A sense of preservation? Or perhaps it was simply thought to be the height of folly to spend what could only be a precious resource on what might even be a fruitless endeavor. But now, the actual proof of the theory was right before them.
Da Vinci was also simply overjoyed at this revelation, that for all her talent, her "omnipotence" as Uomo Universale and one of the pioneers of early flight, she had never been able to come across something so retrospectively that she might as well give up all her titles and achievements. She could even imagine it now. If she had learned, or dare she say, discovered such a method, she would have flown through the air in her original male body to reach the new frontier. That it simply wasn't just a matter of Mystery, but that they weren't employing the right method.
If the Clock Tower…the gears of Kirschtaria's mind turned once again. Who was to say that none of them were even aware of such a technique? He certainly wouldn't put it past the Association, just one of the many secrets they kept to themselves. He turned to Hinako, who only needed to catch his glance to speak up. "It's a viable method, one that a few Eastern sages would employ back in the day, but it fell out of favor."
"For what reason?"
Hinako rolled her eyes. "Sufficiency issues. They could certainly levitate off the ground and move from place to place, but in those days it was considered a burden, a good waste of Od. Eventually, they turned to more magical means of travel, or even teleportation if they wished, simply because it was more cost effective. The level of Mystery back then certainly helped, but these days? Forget it. Just because we have seemingly limitless energy reserves doesn't mean we can't get carried away."
"Was it also a matter of proficiency?" Kirschtaria asked. "The sages could have simply trained more in the art to better handle their output."
"That could have been the case, but," Hinako paused mid-sentence for a demonstration of her own, levitating from the ground to the observation of those around her. Gohan and Pepe could feel the fluctuation of energy and knew that it could only belong to the immortal sage. "Would any of you have been able to?"
They did not comment further out of respect for the Immortal, as none of them could ever expect her to be generous with such esoteric knowledge. Any magus would die before any of their secrets could ever be revealed, which in retrospect might have contributed to the suppression of information.
"Well then," with a loud clearing of his throat, the two subjects stood at attention, with Gohan landing on his feet again for what was about to go down, "let us put such discussions aside for now. Let us begin the simulation." He nodded to Sylvia and Ahana, who began programming the stage for the final phase of the demonstration.
Pepe and Gohan waited patiently, before the former turned to the boy and asked, "No holding back?"
Gohan panned a glance at the man. "Can you keep up?"
Pepe's grin slowly turned vicious at the backhanded remark.
Soon enough, bright light bathed the entire room they were occupying, and before Gohan knew it, he found himself standing in a barren canyon. He swept his gaze all over, taking in as much of the virtual plane he now found himself in, the walls and space replaced by a vast . Hardly a cloud in the sky, and the sun wasn't that high, which meant it could only be mid morning. He sniffed the air, and he had to admit, he was impressed over how realistic everything was. The ground he was standing on, the wind barreling against him and Pepe, who very nearly stabbed his temple with a spear hand had he not tilted his head at the exact second.
"Let's keep it simple for now," they could hear the disembodied voice of Kirschtaria advising them, "this will be a free for all. Try not to get too hurt."
Gohan could sense the nonchalance at the last part that was said, even as he was swiftly dodging blow after blow from Pepe, who barely looked like he was trying himself. "A little foreplay for now, boya," the effeminate mage remarked after briefly ceasing in his assault.
Gohan, his composure hardly cracking even after the flurry of attacks he evaded, took a moment to massage his neck, as if sore from the exertion. "You sure you don't want me to hold back?" It was a genuine question, as he was prepared to go all out as a sign of respect for the man, whom he now recognized as a warrior.
To his credit, Pepe didn't betray even the slightest hint of fear or apprehension. On the contrary, he was invigorated, here and now fighting a foe that wouldn't crumble like paper. "(お願いします) Please〜."
In an instant, Gohan disappeared from view and Pepe followed, using the Jinsokutsū technique to increase his speed. The two reappeared almost immediately, their arms locked in a stalemate as they tried to push the other back. A second disappearance prompted Kirschtaria and Hinako to strain their eyes, barely able to follow the unfolding conflict. Pepe, in a reflex movement, narrowly ducked a kick that was far too wide, giving him an opening for a second spear hand to the boy's stomach, but Gohan, having planned for this, grabbed the man's wrist and deftly turned to deliver another kick that Pepe once again barely avoided, receiving a cut on his left cheek.
After that, the fighters separated, stepping back to regain their footing. However, only Gohan remained composed, while Pepe now showed obvious signs of strain, as sweat pooled on his forehead and he placed a hand to his side, indicating that he had taken a blow to the kidney, but the armor held strong. Aside from his otherworldly dimension of strength, the young man's movements seemed to transcend the conventional limits of speed, even surpassing those of the Tengu.
Beyond impressed, Pepe straightened to his full height, patted the area where he had been struck, and said, "Well, this is quite a pickle I've gotten myself into. Looks like you got this one in the bag, boya."
Gohan allowed a small smile to come on, replying, "I wouldn't say that it was completely hopeless for you, Pepe." He tilted his head, from there revealing an abrasion on his neck that barely came up his right ear. "You were fighting with the intent to kill. Had you gone in with anything less, it would have been over for you a lot sooner."
Pepe huffed. "Well played." He looked to the side contemplatively, then spoke again, "I don't suppose you can grant little 'ol me another favor."
Gohan blinked, having a good guess of what the man wanted. "Sure."
Pepe pointed a finger at him, saying, "That golden form of yours."
"..." A bit conflicted, Gohan locked eyes with the mage and saw the determination that belied his rather casual pose after being allowed to collect himself. At the control hub, the tension grew thick enough for Kirschtaria to put a stop to the now dangerous spar, but his own curiosity mixed with the rest stayed his hand.
Finally, coming to a decision, Gohan's irises glowed teal, the wind picking up that Pepe could actually feel a tangibly rising pressure in the atmosphere, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Wisps of gold light began to whisk around the boy, before suddenly exploding in radiance.
BZHWEEE!
There stood Gohan, bathed in an ethereal glow as he once had been when he defended Chaldea, his formerly black hair now a golden blonde, his body enveloped in an aura that was like a raging flame before relaxing a bit as the brunt of the change passed. "This is a transformation that is genetically inherent to the Saiyan race. In this form, a Saiyan's power is multiplied many times over." He gave his opponent a warning look. "In other words, Pepe, even a casual hit from me right now would render the armor nearly useless. You'll live, but you'll definitely suffer damage, unlike before."
Pepe didn't waver under the weight of such power, boldly assessing the boy's form with an analytical calm. A thin smile then formed on his features, the gleam in his eyes unmistakably that of pure excitement. This time, it was he who lunged at the boy, the force of his launch cracking apart the ground, leaving only Gohan rooted to his spot. Taking his Jinsokutsū to limits he had not previously thought possible, Pepe came at him with a spear hand just as enhanced that it could now pierce a solid steel door as if he was merely puncturing a hole through paper, which Gohan parried with a finger, the collision tearing the air around the point of contact.
Instead of being shocked or deterred, Pepe's smile only widened, his pearly whites shining like the mad gleam in his eyes that revealed the savage Tengu beneath. Fluidly, he resumed his attack, an even faster series of strikes and slashes that would have reduced the average man to ribbons, which Gohan continued to parry with impeccable one-fingered precision, their very limbs a jarring blur to the naked eye, even with the addition of Pepe's other hand midway. This went on for what felt like an eternity between them before Pepe finally retreated in a single leap, which Gohan did not follow.
Gathering his composure, Pepe exhaled as if he had just sprinted an entire marathon and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his gloved hand. "Good, boya. Very good."
The golden aura around Gohan dissipated as the simulation ended, leaving the two of them in a blank white room once more. Soon, the door opened and their audience entered, while Mash ran ahead to see if the young Half-Saiyan was okay.
Kirschtaria, Da Vinci and Romani went to check on Pepe, the doctor wasting no time to examine him for any major injuries. "Well?" Kirschtaria asked his friend, who was still out of breath.
"What do you think?" Pepe panted out. Despite everything, he held on to a smile, now more satisfied than frenzied.
The blonde eyed his friend for a long moment, then turned his head to where Gohan was reassuring a worried Mash. The two exchanged a look before Kirschtaria made his way to the boy, who caught his approach and stood at attention, Mash reluctantly taking a step back. The man proceeded to examine the miraculous young man from top to bottom, finding not a scratch except for the one Pepe had managed.
Without a word, he held out his hand, and Gohan, looking down at the offered limb and then up at the man, took it.
"Welcome to the A-Team," Kirshtaria said simply.
Gohan nodded and replied, "Thank you." Then he blinked. "The what team?"
Author's Notes: The story will follow more closely the manga canon of Dragon Ball Z, the movies, some elements from the guidebooks, GT, and the manga canon of Super. I will glean very little from the Super anime continuity.
Also, thank you for all your continued feedback.
Additional Note: Ignore the reviews giving their discord or twitter. Sometimes even their 'real name'. They're scammers.