Son Gohan The Destroyer

by EmeraldSaiyan

Death greets Gohan at the end of the Cell Games, yet instead of passing on to the Otherworld, Whis takes an interest in the young half-saiyan's incredible power and decides to train him as Lord Beerus' successor. With the balance of the universe at stake, Gohan accepts the deity's offer. (AU)

19. Twelve Universes

A/N: Hello hello my lovely loyal readers! You are not imagining this update, it is not a drill! So as I know you have noticed that I have been absent for a while... eek so sorry about that btw, basically a lot of drama going on right now in my real world and I literally have not had the time/energy to finish up this chapter. It has literally been sat at 3/4 done for the best part of a month or so, and I just couldn't bring myself to post something that was undeserving of your reading and unfinished. I have instead ploughed forwards and finished this up for you! I don't want to burden you or make excuses of a sob story, but basically my parents are getting a very messy divorce after 37 years of marriage, my best friend has been threatening preterm birth all month (baby boy now safely in the world thank goodness! I'm now a godmother for the 4th time yaaay!) along with older relatives in and out of hospital, getting a mortgage stress and my own ongoing health issues it has been one hell of a year so far!

Either way, I just want to assure you my dears that there is NO WAY I am abandoning this story, I love it so much and it is such a joy to write! Unfortunately due to everything thats going on at the moment, I have no idea of a time scale or a timetable, as I'm sure you can imagine my life is pretty unpredictable at the moment! But honestly, you guys are amazing and thank you so much for baring with me and for your continued support and patience. Seriously, I am so happy with how the last chapter was received, I nearly cried whilst writing the last chapter, especially the scenes between Goku and Chi-Chi and how Gohan's funeral went. Didn't help that I was listening to Hamilton at the time... WHY?! I was so worried that it wouldn't be liked or too emotional or done in poor taste, but I was ultimately happy how I executed it, and your reviews nearly made me cry all over again! So truly, really, thank you. :)

On that note, I am just going to say that I have had to delete a few guest reviews recently - now, I don't usually do this but I will not tolerate trolls or online bullying of any kind. It will be ignored and therefore deleted. Don't get me wrong I am all for constructive criticism as I believe it helps me as a writer and maybe think oh I'll look at that more in the future. For example, commenting on someones hard work and saying 'this is sh*t' over and over isn't helpful or productive in any way. Also mean and unnecessary. It won't be tolerated. Therefore not published! (Y). Also I have already explained the British thing, its in the very first chapter people, think of it as a translation if it bothers you so much! I mean, if I was Spanish I may choose to write in Spanish - doesn't mean the characters are! For those who liked the fact that Gohan called Piccolo a 'git', carry on! xD

Phew, now we've got all that out of the way... THANK YOU so so so much you wonderful humans! Please continue to review they really do mean so much, I am sorry again about the appalling lateness of this chapter. Enjoy! I really sincerely hope it was worth the wait! ES x

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And now a recap from RedDragonforce 1...

Narrator's voice: Last time... a familiar scene! Deja Vu strikes as once again Gohan faces a threat that has left the Z-Fighters out of the fight. A tearful reunion with Family ensued after Gohan's brutal beatdown and proper finish off of the monster responsible. ("You'll always make me proud," said Chi Chi, "No matter what you do.") With Perses' presence ever growing, the Multiverse's top Deities are called to a meeting. (We don't want to keep the Grand Minister waiting," said Whis.) Gohan is about to be in the presence of Grand Zeno. What will happen? Find out next on... Son Gohan the Destroyer.

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Chapter Nineteen

Twelve Universes

xxxx

Grand Zeno's Palace, Far Above The Multiverse

Gohan could feel the nerves emitting from both The Supreme Kai and Lord Beerus, rolling off them in waves, a sense of unease radiating towards him and causing a thick tension to fill the air. He had never thought that he would see the usually cocky and dangerous Destroyer look so intimidated. The sweat was practically pouring from his brow, his jaw locked tightly shut as they appeared in a flash of light before the magnificent palace. Even though he hadn't had many dealings with Shin, he couldn't help but notice how his face had grown several shades paler as he chewed on the inside of his cheek with an anxious expression.

The young saiyan's ears were still ringing, mainly due to Lord Beerus yelling at him for a solid twenty minutes on their journey to The Sacred Ream of The Kais. Though because Grand Zeno's residence was so far away - the distance amounting to several days of high-speed travel, the Supreme Kai had teleported them the rest of the way, much to his displeasure and discomfort.

Alright so maybe he had acted a little rashly taunting Perses like that, but he wasn't going to just sit back and let the evil git get away with spouting such rubbish about Gods and mortals alike, especially after unleashing a rampaging monster upon his home world.

Still sulking from his scolding, he was now standing dutifully behind the two deities along with Kibito, who looked even more terrified than Shin, to the point where his hands were shaking even when he tried to clasp them tightly together behind his back. Only Whis seemed to be emitting a calm presence, placing himself at Lord Beerus' side as he looked up at the floating castle in front of them with a casual elegance that could only come from the Angel.

Several stories high, with large windows and a tiled roof, the Omni-King's home was certainly grand. It was situated in a rather strange place, nestled atop a giant blue jellyfish in the middle of what he could only presume was part of space, as he could depict several galaxies winking at him in the distance - at least he thought they were galaxies. The jellyfish floated above fluffy yellow clouds that much resembled the ones in The Otherworld, and from where he stood in the large courtyard of the castle, he counted twelve smooth stones that were neatly lined up in an upright fashion near the entrance way.

His eyes widened in disbelief, catching sight of the twelve spherical orbs hovering above the solid grey stones, swirling with sparkling stars and multicolour - were those universes?

The young Junior Destroyer couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive too, his stomach twisting into knots at the sheer magnitude of the place. This was where Grand Zeno lived for goodness sake, the creator and ruler of the entire cosmos. It was a lot to wrap his head around, and the ancient textbooks back in the common room had certainly not prepared him for such a concept. Though there was no time to compose himself, as one by one did bright bursts of light erupt all around him, and Gods and Angels from the other eleven universes materialised in the middle of the courtyard.

Gohan blinked, he wasn't entirely sure just what he had been expecting, but he was similarly in awe of the deities before him. The Gods of Creation, with pointed ears and white hair, all looked rather similar to one another. They were dressed in the same colourful robes as his universe's Kai, though some were rather portly and stocky, and others were skinny and petite, one even sporting a pair of red-rimmed reading glasses. Some core attendants had accompanied them, much like Kibito, though others had travelled with their Destroyers and Angels alone.

Now the Gods of Destruction were a whole other sight to behold. Not only did he feel as though their enormous Ki's had just punched him straight in the gut, did he notice that they came in all different shapes and sizes, and appeared to be part of different races. It was obvious really, seen as the Destroyers were previously mortal turned deity - just as he was fated to become. He looked around him apprehensively, his onyx eyes darting between the Gods who wore uniform similar to Lord Beerus, albeit with different colouring. He had never seen a group so diverse, one Destroyer even looked like a robot!

The pressure from their combined energy was unreal, and he had a bit of trouble steadying himself as his knees shook from the sudden force of their appearance. Even some of the Kais emitted an unbelievably strong Ki, much stronger than the seventh universe's Supreme Kai. The Angels were all blue skinned and dark robed like Whis, though appeared to vary in age, one Angel standing next to her Destroyer (who resembled a pink humanoid elephant of all things) didn't look much older than Alala. Though given that his friend was over three-hundred years old, Gohan certainly knew better than to guess someones age solely based on their appearance.

It was also with great trepidation did he realise that there was no one dressed in the same ceremonial garb as he, meaning that there wasn't another Junior Destroyer - or so he could only presume.

"Oi Beerus!"

Gohan turned abruptly, the sound of the sudden voice breaking him out of his thoughts as it carried over the busy courtyard.

"Oh great," Lord Beerus drawled next to him in annoyance, just as a portly figure elbowed his way through the crowd. "Just what we need."

The teenager gaped in shock as the purple-skinned deity approached them, it looked as though Lord Beerus had eaten another Lord Beerus!

"Greetings Lord Champa," Whis said politely, bowing his head respectfully.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," The deity huffed, rather heavily, as he directed a nasty smirk towards Lord Beerus.

He was a Destroyer God, Gohan observed, judging by the attire that matched his predecessor, though the uniform was red in parts instead of blue like Beerus'. He was short and fat, with a large rounded belly that strained against the waistband of his gi trousers, his flabby chins wobbling as he spoke. He had barged past Gohan and The Supreme Kai without so much as paying them a second glance, his short stumpy tail waving around behind him in a taunting manner, as he positively glowered at his fellow Destroyer.

"How lovely to see you brother," he snarled, though his eyes were almost gleeful, "I daresay that I thought I smelled something fishy when we were summoned here by The Grand Minister. I should have known that it had your name written all over it!"

"B-brother?!" Gohan blurted, causing the chubby Destroyer to turn to him in annoyance.

"What's it to you, shortie?" he spat, causing the halfling to scowl.

Shortie? He had some nerve, he was shorter than him! Even though Gohan had grown significantly taller since he first started on his path towards divinity, he didn't take too lightly about people making comments about his height. It brought back memories of being called 'shortie' and 'half-pint' way back when he was still a recruit, though he refused to admit that he had developed some sort of complex - as much as The Supreme Guard, Whis and even Lord Beerus had hinted at it.

"Now, now my Lord," a tall Angel with a long flowing ponytail of white hair interjected, "Do calm yourself, you'll only get your blood pressure up again."

"Be quiet Vados!" Lord Champa snapped, though thankfully Whis cut across him before he burst a blood vessel.

"How nice to see you, dear sister," the Angel smiled, "It has been quite some time."

"Indeed, several centuries in fact," nodded Vados, before turning to Gohan with a small curtsey, "I see you have a new Junior Destroyer."

"This is Son Gohan," Whis informed her rather proudly, as the teenager nodded his head respectfully, "Gohan, these are the deities from Universe Six. My sister Vados, Lord Champa the Destroyer - who is Lord Beerus' twin brother, and you can see The Supreme Kai Fuwa and his attendant standing over there."

Gohan looked behind them, where he spotted a pot-bellied, green-skinned Kai standing a ways off, conversing with his long faced attendant, who didn't look too happy to be here.

"Er, nice to meet you," he said with a polite smile, turning to his predecessor who was busy glaring daggers at Lord Champa, "You didn't tell me that you had a brother."

Lord Beerus growled back at him, "Know your rank kid, I don't have to tell you anything!"

"I was only saying," Gohan griped with a roll of his eyes, "There's no need to get your knickers in a twist."

Lord Champa was floored by the halfling's words, his mouth hanging open in shock, "Such insolence! No wonder the seventh universe is going to the dogs. I would never allow my Junior Destroyer to speak to me like that!"

"And just where is this successor of yours?" Lord Beerus spat back, his cheeks burning crimson with embarrassment and anger, "Time is ticking, Champa. You forget that we are the same age, and that your time as a Destroyer is coming to an end also."

The chubby God scoffed, "I'll have you know that I've got plenty of candidates lined up that would put your little brat to shame!"

"Is that so?" he replied, raising an eyebrow mockingly, "Well I think that you're just biding your time on purpose because you can't bare to lose your title. That, and warriors from the sixth universe fail to measure up to the might of a God. Perhaps the potential is particularly sparse in the sixth."

"Is that what you think?" Lord Champa spouted hotly, before smirking once more, "Though I suppose you're right, it certainly is difficult to measure up to my awesome and illustrious reputation! Remind me brother, just how many disciples have you gotten through in the last millennia? Says a lot about you I'd wager!"

"Oh shut your face God of glutton!" Lord Beerus retorted.

"Why you -!"

"Oh dear, not this again," Vados sighed, as the two Destroyers continued to bicker.

"This has happened before?" Gohan quirked, hardly believing what he was witnessing.

"Every time they get together I'm afraid," Whis informed him helplessly, "Quarrelling is one thing, though we do have to be careful if they start to exchange blows. When two fully fledged Destroyers fight, it can wipe out a universe. Namely the sixth and seventh respectively in their case. It is one of the greatest taboos of the cosmos to have two Destruction Gods fight."

"But how can two brothers become Gods of Destruction in separate universes anyway?" he asked, "I thought that you could only be chosen from your own universe."

"Ah not necessarily my boy," said the Angel, "For you see both Lord Beerus and Lord Champa are from the seventh universe. They died many billions of years ago in a great battle that waged across both universes. During this long war, The Supreme Kais from both universes were killed in the crossfire, which in turn caused the Destroyers of the sixth and seventh to die along with them due to their life link. Lord Beerus was successfully chosen to become our universe's Destroyer, and naturally, as competitive as they were, Lord Champa jumped at the chance to take up the mantle of the God of Destruction of Universe Six.

Things generally occur in pairs, so for everything there exists a corresponding counterpart. The sixth and seventh are twin universes, incredibly similar to one another, and as I'm sure you already know from your studies, that any universes that make up to the number thirteen are considered natural counterparts. This made Lord Champa's transition to another part of the multiverse rather easy, there was certainly a lot less paperwork for a start."

The halfling gaped, his eyes wide at the revelation. "And they still hate each other? After all that time?"

"Hate is a strong word my young Lord," Vados chuckled whimsically at him, "Although their fights over the years have threatened to unravel the seams of their respective universes on more than one occasion. Now instead they have a simple food eating competition by order of Grand Zeno himself every few centuries or so, lest they want to be wiped from existence. Though I have to say that this newest endeavour hasn't been all that kind to Lord Champa's cholesterol levels."

"Oh stop your yapping over there! I can barely hear myself think, let alone come up with a good comeback!" Lord Champa snarled, drawing their attention as he directed his gaze towards the young saiyan, "And you boy! What's with all the damned questions? I didn't know that Beerus' ward was so nosy!"

"Ah he's just curious Champa!" came a cool and collected voice, a slender white hand clapping the God on the shoulder.

It seemed that the brother's spat had caught the other deities interest, as a lanky Destroyer with a clown-painted face and frizzy orange hair smirked at them. Gohan was suddenly glad that he had never developed a phobia of clowns as a child, though had it been Frieza standing there it might have been a different story altogether - the thought alone was enough to make his skin crawl.

"Universe Six and Seven are linked in a number of unusual ways after all," the divine being continued with a wink, prompting Lord Champa to scoff before turning to Gohan thoughtfully, "So this is the seventh's new Junior Destroyer. Hmm, I've heard the rumours, but I wasn't sure if it was true…"

The teenager frowned, as the strange clown God rapped his knuckles lightly on the Z-Sword that was tucked into the scabbard on his back.

"Oi! Hands off the merchandise!" Z growled, though no one else could hear him.

"Hn, you don't look all that strong to me," he said again, causing Gohan's frown to deepen. Though he couldn't help but notice Whis softly giggle behind him, as a beautiful young woman with braided hair and a headdress approached - she too baring the ceremonial garb of a Destroyer.

"I don't know Vermoud, looks can be deceiving," she said with a sultry smile, looking the teenager up and down, undressing him with her eyes, "Oddly, I find him rather fetching."

"Oh do calm yourself Jerez," Lord Vermoud chortled as the halfling failed to hide his blush, "You're going to scare off the poor kid."

"When you've all quite finished hounding my successor," Lord Beerus interrupted hotly, his right eye twitching in annoyance.

They stepped back, though continued to eye the young saiyan curiously as the Destroyer spoke again.

"I have a mind to ask where your Junior Destroyer is Vermoud," he smirked, "Don't tell me that the trials of the eleventh universe have ended his existence already?"

"Hardly," the clown-like deity scoffed, though he seemed to be enjoying the banter, "Top is busy with The Pride Troopers. It ain't right to pull him off a mission with such short notice."

Lord Beerus snorted, as Gohan whispered up to Whis, "What's The Pride Troopers?"

"An elite motley crew of Universe Eleven's most valiant warriors, much like our Supreme Guard. " he told him, "The Junior Destroyer, Top, is their leader."

Interested, he was about to open his mouth to ask more about this elite hero team, when a sudden voice cut through their chatter, booming around them and causing all the deities to look towards the entrance to the castle, bowing immediately at the sight of the small figure in front of them.

Gohan stared, confused by the sudden appearance of the young boy. He was blue-skinned, with white hair that was slicked back neatly against his skull. He wore a deep blue, long sleeved uniform that was clasped together by an orange belt with a golden buckle, the ancient symbol for 'Great' etched into the shiny metal. He gasped, as the thin blue halo hovering behind his head much resembled the Angel's present, only theirs hung around their necks.

"Welcome friends, and thank you for coming," the boy spoke, sounding much older than he looked, giving them a warm smile.

This was The Grand Minister, Gohan realised. He was rather shocked, he looked like a kid! And this was supposed to be Whis' father?!

He was struck out of his thoughts, as he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. He yelped, locking eyes with the perpetrator of such a hit. Lord Beerus was giving him a deathly glare, his eyes wide and frantic as he bowed.

"Bow, you idiot!" Z cried, as the halfling felt several pairs of eyes burning into him, "Honestly, what disrespect!"

"S-sorry," he hissed, quickly dropping to his knees next to The Supreme Kai and Kibito, who were both sweating profusely, giving him exasperated looks as he bowed his head, his nose almost kissing the floor.

Though just when he thought that the Minister hadn't noticed, did a small chuckle escape his lips, "Ah Whis, I see you've brought along the next in line to become your universe's Destroyer."

The teenager visibly flinched, looking up at the father of Angels sheepishly.

"Why yes, Grand Minister," said Whis, tipping his own head in respect, though like the rest of the Angels, he remained standing. "I thought it only fitting to do so."

"I see," the higher deity observed, "I must say that I was quite surprised when you hand picked an eleven year old half-saiyan as a candidate to become the next God of Destruction for the seventh. Though it seems as though your hard work has been paying off, he has certainly grown."

Gohan could feel every pair of eyes turn towards him sceptically, and all he wanted to do was to let the ground swallow him whole, when his mentor spoke up again.

"That may be the case," he replied wisely, "Though he is aware that he still has much growing to do."

"Quite," The Grand Minister noted lightly, his eyes lingering on the halfling for a moment longer before addressing the Gods once more, "Come everyone, follow me. I have already prepared the meeting room."

Whispers seemed to follow Gohan as they obeyed dutifully, floating upwards and entering the grand building. Hundreds - possibly thousands of white marble pillars stood out against a pitch black backdrop that seemed to stretch for miles. He tried to wrap his head around the concept that the castle was somehow larger on the inside, the sound of their footsteps echoing around them on the brightly glowing floor as they followed behind the esteemed deity. The interior of the palace was just as ominous as the outside, and he got a rather eerie feeling from the place, the air thick with a strange pressure that threatened to overwhelm him if he didn't concentrate. Though he couldn't help but think it was due to his divine training that he was even able to handle it in the first place, for he had certainly read of places where normal mortals could not step foot in for want of going mad or even disintegrating on the spot.

"Forgive me, Grand Minister," a yellow-skinned Kai asked tentatively, his anxious tone carrying off the non-existent walls, "But is the gracious Omni-King attending this meeting also?"

The rest of the deities sucked in a nervous breath at his words, and Gohan noticed that this Creation God looked a little older than the rest, with deep wrinkles lining his forehead and mouth.

"Goodness no, my dear Gowasu of the tenth," the head Angel chuckled softly, prompting the group to let out a collective sigh of relief, "Grand Zeno is far too busy. And I think it not proper to involve the Omni-King in trivial matters of the multiverse."

The young saiyan couldn't help but frown at his words, he didn't see anything trivial about the matter of Perses. Though before he could dwell on the fact any further, did the group come to a halt in front of a large oak doorway that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

The Grand Minister directed them into a grand conference room, encompassed by four bright white walls that were so tall that he couldn't see where they met the ceiling, a dark abyss hanging above them. The floor was transparent, and it appeared that the room itself was floating in the middle of space, a swirl of vibrant coloured stars and galaxies at their feet. The other Gods didn't appear to be phased by such a spectacle, instead casually taking their seats at a long marble table that gleamed just as brightly as the walls surrounding them. Shining, silver goblets filled with a deep red liquid that he presumed was some sort of wine was situated at each placing, along with a large set of golden tipping scales at the centre. The scales ticked and whirred in motion, maintaining a subtle balance with a strange violet smoke filtering from the metallic plates.

It took a second for him to notice that the high-backed chairs were numbered one through twelve, the numerals carved into the marble, representing each universe. They looked like small thrones rather than regular chairs, and there appeared to be one for every Kai and Destroyer, the Angels and attendants standing dutifully behind them.

"There's one for you too, brat," Lord Beerus stated, nudging him lightly in the ribs and directing his attention to a seat to his right numbered '7'.

Surprised, the young Destroyer quickly plonked himself down on the comfy scarlet cushion on his seat, as Shin sat in the chair to Lord Beerus' left. Gohan was glad to find that he was sat at the end of the table and not next to Lord Champa. Though due to their neighbouring universes, the sixth were sat opposite them, enabling the brothers to continue to shoot dirty looks at one another across the table.

Further down, he noticed that Shin was sat next to the Destroyer of Universe Eight, a fox-like humanoid with golden fur and eyes. He looked rather regal, his three white-tipped tails wavering about behind his straight back, his yellow eyes surveying the rest of the room with an air of confidence and neutrality. He was accompanied by a purple-skinned Supreme Kai, whose lips were drawn into a thin line, his calculating gaze sweeping the other Gods before straightening out his brilliant white garb. Gohan could feel an overwhelming presence from both of them, wagering that the deities of the eighth universe must be quite powerful.

The young saiyan bit his lip, a feeling of unease pooling in his stomach. He wished that Whis had given him a bit more information as to why they were here, the imposing formality of it all was making him feel incredibly on edge. Sighing to himself, he reached for the goblet in front of him, making to take a sip of his wine when it was swiftly swiped out of his grasp.

"Oi!" he protested, as he was met with Lord Beerus' challenging stare.

"Absolutely not!" he hissed, shoving the goblet into an unsuspecting Shin's hands, causing the poor Kai to nearly slop the drink all over himself, "I want you on top form boy, do you hear me? Need I remind you of the last time you drank from the grapes of the Divine Nectar?!"

"Fine, whatever," Gohan huffed, folding his arms across his chest, "I can't believe that you're still on about that."

The Supreme Kai blinked, "What happened? Although I'm afraid to ask."

Though before either Destroyer could reply, The Grand Minister cleared his throat from where he situated at the head of the table, hovering several feet in the air, the soft murmuring surrounding them coming to an abrupt halt and a rather tense silence filling the room.

"Now that we are all quite comfortable," the father of Angels spoke with a kind smile, though his domineering presence was evident as he beheld the deities, "Let us discuss the reason why I have summoned you. Hours ago, Universe Seven declared a state of emergency, which naturally caught my attention."

The teenager shrunk back in his seat slightly, as all eyes averted to their end of the table, though Shin and Lord Beerus' gaze remained firmly fixed on The Grand Minister as he continued.

"It appears that a former deity of the seventh universe, a half-Kai and Junior Destroyer by the name of Perses who was imprisoned in the realm of The Void for his crimes against the Divine, created and unleashed an army of monsters upon the mortal realm," he stated, the Gods listening intently, "Luckily, these creatures were defeated with minimal damage to the universal balance. And although Perses remains in his prison, I am informed that it is only a matter of time until he breaks free and that if this happens it will threaten the balance of the entire cosmos. I thought it only reasonable that we listen to Universe Seven's plight given the seriousness of what they suggest is at stake. Now, let us hear their plea."

Gohan cocked his head to the side in thought, as the Gods looked to them expectantly. Turning to Lord Beerus, he whispered, "Wait, you called this meeting?"

The Destroyer snorted in distaste, "Hardly, the damned Kai did. I certainly wouldn't beg for their help."

He was left even more confused by Beerus' words as Shin stood nervously, his chair scraping on the floor as he addressed the rest of the table, "I know it may seem unorthodox to ask the benevolent Grand Minister to call a meeting, but I realised that with today's events that I must insist on this."

He paused, sucking in a breath, "I'm sure that you all remember the terror that befell the seventh universe at the height of Perses' murderous path. With one of his creations, he was able to wipe out five of the six Kai's that resided in our scared realm at the time, his goal to rule over the entire cosmos, eradicate the divine hierarchy and begin anew. We managed to win against him by the skin of our teeth, imprisoning him in The Void for over a thousand years. We don't know exactly how, but we believe that he has become much stronger than ever before. If he - when he escapes, which could be weeks or days even, we may not be able to stop him. So for the sake of our universe, and countless others, I implore you to stand by our side when the time comes, and help us defeat him if needs be."

A tense silence hung between them after The Supreme Kai's speech, before a small snort of laughter emitted from further down the table. Gohan frowned deeply, as it was soon accompanied by another, and then another until the Gods were sent into full blown hysterics.

Shin scowled, his knuckles turning white as his fingers clutched onto the edge of the table tightly when the laughter reached new heights. Lord Beerus didn't look too impressed either, a vein protruding from his forehead as he gritted his teeth irritably.

"Us? Help you?!" A teal-skinned Kai said snidely, seated in the spot of the ninth universe, Gohan had never seen a Supreme Kai look so arrogant, "What a joke!"

"Ro has a point," a wrinkly humanoid Destroyer who looked like a cross between an insect and a tree observed from Universe Five, "Are the seventh so incapable that they can't even fight their own battles?"

"Of course we can!" Lord Beerus snapped back, his anger getting the better of him, "Do you need your ears cleaned Arak? Or are you deaf as well as stupid?! Perses is becoming more powerful by the second. Not to mention that we know for a fact that he used the Super Dragonballs not long before his capture, and we have no idea what he wished for! He could be immortal for all we know! You should be thankful that we called you here to warn you, incase he attacks your universe too. Or did you forget that he's capable of inter-universal travel on his own?"

Lord Arak scoffed, though Lord Vermoud interjected before he could argue back, "Wait, wait. Hold on now! Somethin' is jogging my memory. Perses? You mean the same Perses that pushed the other six universes to the brink of their destruction?"

Gohan was listening intently, though he was incredibly puzzled. What did he mean by six other universes? Was he missing something? And he prayed to Zalama that Lord Beerus was wrong and that Perses hadn't wished himself immortal of all things! He doubted that they could still use the Hakai on him, especially with the power harboured by the Super Dragonballs - either way it wouldn't be easy to take him out. But if he hadn't wished for immortality like they presumed, then what the hell had he wished for? His head was reeling with possibilities, this certainly wasn't in the history book he had read about the ex-hero all those years ago. Then again, half of the pages had been ripped out.

"Yes that Perses!" Lord Beerus seethed, exasperated as frantic chatter broke out amongst the Gods, "I would have thought you all would have remembered that, seen as it was the entire reason that Grand Zeno himself had no choice but to wipe those universes out of existence. The thirteenth to eighteenth were completely beyond salvaging!"

"He did WHAT?!" the young saiyan cried, horrified, though his outburst was ignored.

"If I remember rightly, those universes were beyond restoring anyway," Lady Jerez of the second universe sighed, showing a little remorse if any, "Grand Zeno was going to eradicate those universes before Perses even crossed over into their boarders, they were full of an ugly amount of corruption and evil."

"That is besides the point," Shin spoke wisely, trying to keep his voice from shaking, though he seemed just as angry as Lord Beerus, his lips drawn into a thin line, "What Perses did to those universes could easily happen in yours too should he manage to break free!"

"He may try," the Destroyer from Universe Twelve, a gilled humanoid merman with grey scaled skin chuckled darkly, "Though I don't blame a lower mortal level universe such as yours for being afraid."

"Why don't you come over here and say that fish-face?!" Lord Beerus spluttered vexingly down towards the other end of the table, Gohan could have sworn that steam was about to spout out of his ears, "Lower level - I'll show you -!"

"It's only all too obvious to me where your problems lie, Universe Seven," a pink-skinned Supreme Kai mustered calmly, his beetle black eyes surveying them, "You come to us looking for help and answers when you should be taking a good look at yourselves. I mean, how do you expect to be of a higher mortal level unless your Gods are of higher calibre also? The rankings are only reflective of excellent divine guidance. With the horrors that befall your universe, it is all too clear that is what your mortals are lacking."

"It must look all too easy from your pedestal up there, first universe!" The Destroyer snarled, as Lord Champa chortled gleefully.

"He's got a point there brother!"

"Oh shut up! You're only a stones throw behind us, fat-boy!"

"Lower mortal level?" Gohan quirked suddenly, causing some deities to scoff in amusement around him, "What's that?"

"It seems as though your newest disciple needs more 'guidance' Beerus," Universe Eight's Destroyer smirked from beside them.

His predecessor turned to face him fully, slapping him upside the head and prompting the occupants of the table to snort with laugher, "Stop asking stupid questions! You're making us look bad!"

"Well you're the one calling people names," he pouted, rubbing the sore spot on his skull and causing the divine being to growl.

"If I may explain so that we are all on the same page," coughed Whis, clearing his throat and stepping towards the young saiyan, "A mortal level is a scoring system if you like. One that Grand Zeno himself uses to rank all twelve universes, previously eighteen. It measures the average development or quality if you will, of the mortals existing in a universe. It is also directly related to the effectiveness of the jobs its Supreme Kai and Destroyers do, such as allowing and promoting the creation and development of adequate civilisations and the elimination of inadequate ones."

Gohan's eyes widened, "So I'm right in thinking that Universes Thirteen through to Eighteen were of lower mortal level?"

"The lowest at the time, yes," his mentor nodded, but something just didn't sit right with the halfling.

"But they're saying that those universes were beyond saving anyway, so Grand Zeno was just going to wipe them out because he didn't think they were worthy?!" he asked, failing to keep the indignation hidden in his voice, causing the deities who heard it to gasp around him.

"How dare you!" Fuwa of the sixth universe spouted, "Do not question the ways of the Omni-King, youngling!"

Whis ignored him, still smiling kindly at the teen, "Not exactly, Gohan. Universes with higher mortal levels do not necessarily possess stronger fighters. Strength represents only one of the measured aspects of mortals. Mortal kindness, for example, which is a big factor, was bereft in those universes. Perses indeed noticed this, which is probably why he set out to 'cleanse' them first, though the way he went about it was certainly not the correct way, let alone within his jurisdiction as a Junior Destroyer. In the end, there was nothing left and Grand Zeno could not just leave empty universes in existence, for it tips the balance of the cosmos into disarray and as such threatens the fabrication of all universes."

Gohan gulped, the awesome power of both Perses and The Omni-King ringing true, "I-I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't," The Angel replied solemnly, "For you had no need to, until now."

"As much as I admire your curiosity young Destroyer, we are not here for a history lesson," The Grand Minister interrupted, though he looked somewhat amused as the young saiyan gave him an apologetic smile.

"Now I believe it was you Lord Gohan who confronted Perses most recently, was it not?" he asked, a knowing glint in his eyes as he held out an outstretched hand towards the marble table. "Let's take a look."

It glowed brightly for a moment, and Gohan could only gape as a holographic image of himself appeared over the whirring tipping scales, his cloak billowing around him in a non existent breeze, the dusty cracked pavement of West City at his feet as the image shouted up to the heavens.

"Not as strong as you think you are, are you?" the hologram of the young saiyan jested, "I don't care just how you're managing to reach me from your prison, but just know that I'm not scared of someone that makes threats from the safety of the shadows."

Perses' chilling voice growled with anger, "Your arrogance will be your undoing."

"Save it for the battle field," he barked back, "That is, if you actually manage to escape. Though if your little creations are anything to go by, you're probably not even worth my time."

The Grand Minister clicked his fingers, his expression unreadable as he stared at the half-saiyan, the image dissipating into nothing but silver particles that filtered into the air.

Lord Beerus face-palmed as the rest of the Gods gaped at the teenager in disbelief. Shin and Kibito looked incredibly forlorn, whilst Whis sighed in distain behind him, "Oh dear."

"See?! This is the problem with the seventh universe!" Ro cried, though a mocking smirk graced his features, "They only serve to stick their boot in it and make things worse!"

"Only for us to pick up their slack!" the fourth universe Destroyer chimed in, he resembled a small humanoid mouse, "I say it's high time they learned from their mistakes! Heh heh!"

"The only mistake being made here is yours! In that you are failing to heed our warning!" Lord Beerus snapped, "If Perses destroys the seventh then he'll continue to jump from universe to universe until he achieves his goal! Are you that thick skulled?!"

"Hey, at least the kid had the balls to stick up to someone like Perses," Lord Vermoud chuckled, giving the teenager a wink. "Unlike some deities I know, I'm looking at you Sidra."

The short, stumpy Destroyer of the ninth growled, "What did you say - ?!"

"Look, all I'm saying is that we have enough problems of our own to deal with," The elderly Supreme Kai of Universe Two piped up, running a hand thoughtfully over his white beard, "We cannot just abandon our domains to help out the seventh. It could plunge our own universes into chaos! Chaos I tell you!"

"I understand your reservations dear Pell," Shin replied with a hefty sigh, "But please see reason, if Perses escapes then your universe is in for a similar fate to ours."

A loud, robotic beeping cut through the air, the singular golden eye of the mechanical Destroyer of the third universe flashing wildly. Whirrr. Bleep. Bleep.

The tall Angel behind him cleared his throat, addressing the room, "Lord Mosco says, 'We must work together in order to overcome great threats'."

Gohan couldn't help but feel a little chipper at that, at least one of them was on their side!

Bleep. Whir. Bleep. Bleep.

Lord Mosco beeped and whirred again, prompting his attendant to speak once more, "Lord Mosco says, 'That being said, doesn't the seventh universe have its own Divine Guard to protect it?'"

His heart sank, as the Gods hollered amongst themselves.

"That's right!"

"They have more than enough cannon fodder, no need to use us!"

"I think you're just afraid to get your hands dirty."

"I think they're just being lazy!"

"What do you expect from the second from the bottom?"

"It's bad guardianship, I'm telling you!"

"Let's just hear them out!"

Lord Beerus growled next to him, his sharp claws indenting into the marble ledge as Lord Champa blew them a raspberry across the table. Though just as the Gods were about to erupt into a frenzy, did a strong, yet well-mannered voice drift from the far end of the table.

"Might I interject?"

Gohan quirked an eyebrow as he looked down the row towards Universe Ten. The Kai who had spoken was seated next to Gowasu, the older Creation God who had spoken to The Grand Minister back in the mystical corridor. Judging by the colours of his garb and the fact that he was seated, the young saiyan could only assume that this Kai was an apprentice rather than an attendant. Meaning that he was a Supreme Kai in training.

Gowasu frowned deeply, as did their elephant-like Destroyer as the Kai spoke again, "Forgive me for speaking so forwardly, I am but a humble Supreme Kai's apprentice. Though I must ask why the seventh universe thinks it so deserving of our help?"

They stared, and Gohan immediately got a bad feeling from the deity, able to see right through the charming smile that he directed towards them.

"Zamasu," Gowasu hissed, though his apprentice all but continued to stare in their direction.

Shin opened his mouth to speak, though Zamasu cut across him, "Were it not the actions of the Western Supreme Kai of your universe at the time, that caused this Perses to be in the first place?"

"I-I," Shin started, swallowing thickly, "Well I think that you could argue that all actions of The Supreme Kai can attribute to the existence of - "

"Were it not that same Supreme Kai, who broke the Divine Code and laid with a mortal, birthing a demigod that would grow into the very being you fear?" he interrupted, smoothing his fingertips gently over the long stem of his silver goblet.

The fellow Kai's eyes hardened, a thick tension filtering between the two as the other Gods watched on with interest, "My good Kai, the rules were different back then, it wasn't so much as a taboo - ."

"And yet here your universe stands, asking for aid when you take no responsibility for your wrongdoings," Zamasu said cooly, "Not only have your Gods grossly abused the Code of The Divine, they took an already powerful demigod and taught him the power of Destruction. Only to realise your blunders when it suits you, and the sheer fabrication of your universe is at stake."

The young saiyan looked behind him apprehensively, where Whis was standing stoic, though his lips were pursed in disapproval as he fixed his stare upon the Kai.

"Be that as it may," Shin put across to them, struggling to keep calm as his voice shook, "W-we have attempted to put an end to this menace before. But it's like I said, Perses is even stronger than before, drawing power from the Gods even, and we need to - !"

"You'd do well to mind your tongue, footboy," Lord Beerus shot suddenly, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the apprentice. Though Gohan couldn't help but think that he did it purposefully, he had been very selective with those knowing that he was getting weaker. He obviously didn't want the other Gods to know for some reason. Though he couldn't help but think that it was due to a matter of pride.

"L-Lord Beerus is right, Zamasu!" Gowasu gasped, "Mind your manners and think about what you're saying!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Master," The younger Kai blinked innocently back at him, before turning towards the deities of the seventh and bowing his head, "Forgive me, I did not mean to cause offence."

It was clear that Lord Beerus was trying to hold back his fury just as much as Gohan was, the young saiyan couldn't help but glare back at Zamasu, bristling with anger. He didn't believe that innocent look in the slightest, it was as though he was trying to provoke them on purpose. Though he couldn't fathom as to why.

"However," Zamasu spoke up once more, his gaze settling on the halfling, as if he was relishing in the hate in his eyes, "I can't help but wonder if Grand Zeno would grant the same fate to your universe as he did to the other six if we put it to him. Seen as the seventh is capable of producing such monstrosities as Perses, as well as condoning corrupted Gods."

That was it.

Lord Beerus and Shin opened their mouths in outrage, but Gohan was already on his feet. His throne clattering to the floor with a loud crash and drawing the attention of the entire room towards him. His onyx eyes were blazing, flashing green even, his blood boiling as he struggled to refrain himself from launching across the table and ringing the Kais neck for all it was worth.

"Corrupted?!" the hot-tempered halfling snarled, he was furious! "The only thing that seems to be corrupt around here is that damned mouth of yours Zamasu. So you'd better shut it before I shove my fist down your throat!"

"Oh for goodness sake," Whis muttered, resting his head in his hand in despair as Lord Beerus squawked, frantically grasping the teen by the collar and pulling him down to his height.

"Be quiet brat! And sit down before I make you!"

"I held my tongue the entire time that he was spouting absolute bollocks!" Gohan barked back, his voice rising, "Don't tell me that you're just going to sit here and take that crap from this git?!"

"Do you not realise whose presence you're in?" Shin looked positively wild as he addressed him, "You need to be careful!"

"Yes young Destroyer, be careful what you say," Zamasu chuckled, his goading smile irking the young man even more so, "You don't want to be held account for being blasphemous."

"Blasphemy now is it?!" the teenager scoffed, uncaring as to The Supreme Kai's warning, and shrugging his predecessor off of him, "I'll give you blasphemy. You talk about our Gods being corrupt, but it seems to me that you're the one whose got your morals in a twist."

"Oh really?" the Kai goaded, ignoring his master's panic-stricken, cut-throat gesture.

"Asking a higher power to erase an entire universe just like that?" Gohan spat snidely, as though it was obvious, "You seem like the kind of deity to just dispose of your problems instead of confronting them, but that's just fine by me, because you know what? Based on your definition, I'd rather be a corrupt God, than a cowardly one."

A stunned silence encompassed the room, as the two junior deities positively glowered at each other.

Bleep. Bleep. Whirrrr.

"Lord Mosco says, 'Oh snap!'"

"Sit down!" Lord Beerus hissed again, shoving him roughly back into his chair that had now been righted thanks to a quick wave of Whis' sceptre, "Will you stop picking fights with everyone! What the hell is with you today, boy?!"

"He started it," the teen-saiyan griped, folding his arms across his chest in a huff, still sizzling with rage, prompting the God to pull at his own ears out of frustration.

The young saiyan had thought Lord Beerus was stubborn, but he had never met a bunch of Gods so self-willed and annoying! Were they really so wrapped up in their own pride and problems that they were that blinded to the fact that Perses could so easily become their problem too? It was as though they weren't even listening!

He didn't care just how unjust the six eradicated universes were, he couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Maybe if the mortals had the right guidance so to speak, then maybe they could have been saved. Then again, if the other universes had been just as unwilling to help them as they were being now, it must have been futile. Whatever the case, he would not let Grand Zeno wipe out his universe. One that he had worked so hard and sacrificed so much to protect. He would see to that personally.

His outburst had caused quite the stir amongst the other deities, who had broken out into an awe-filled chatter as soon as Lord Beerus had forced him back into his seat. He frowned, catching Zamasu smirking at him from down the table, going unnoticed by his superiors.

Oh what Gohan wouldn't give to wipe that smirk right off his smug face.

"I think that concludes our meeting," The Grand Minster called out around them, quieting down the group once more, "You are all free to go back to your respective universes."

Shin looked positively downtrodden, "B-But we-!"

"I think all has been said that needed to be," the divine Angel started, his celestial gaze almost daring the Kai to speak out of turn, "We are fully informed and forewarned of your threat seventh universe, though there is not much more to be done at present. As Lord Mosco quite rightly pointed out, you have The Supreme Guard to protect your universe from Perses' creatures. He has not yet escaped The Void, and the cosmos remains in balance."

His eyes averted to the tipping scales at the centre of the marble table, humming and whirring in sync, perfectly balancing in place.

"Should any problems arise then you will use the proper methods of divine escalation," the Minister informed him, smiling kindly, "For now you will all go back to your normal duties, and remain vigilant in your own universe. Good day."

Then in a flash, they reappeared back outside the front doors of the palace, blinking in disorientation as they realised that The Grand Minister was nowhere in sight. With a few mutterings and calls of farewell, did the Gods begin to teleport away, though the teenager couldn't help but notice how a few of them shot his group lingering glances before they disappeared.

Suddenly, he felt someone crack him over the head once again, causing his eyes to water from both shock and pain. He whirled around, not at all surprised as Lord Beerus withdrew his offending fist out of the air and shot him a furious look.

"What was that for?!" the young saiyan scowled, "Am I your personal punching bag today or something?!"

"Our universe is already a mockery without you showing us up as well!" he snarled, breathing heavily.

"But I -!" he started, but Lord Beerus shouted over him, jabbing a clawed finger rather painfully into his chest.

"You need to learn to control that damned yapping mouth of yours!" he roared, spit flying and causing the teen to flinch, "You could have been punished! Outcast! Made the rest of us look bad! Do you even care?!Disrespectful! Irresponsible! Stupid -! Snooooooorrreeeeeeeeeee."

Gohan opened his eyes from where he had scrunched them up for want of not getting the Destroyer's saliva in his pupils, and was surprised to find that Lord Beerus had fallen to sleep mid-sentence, still standing up with his accusatory finger resting on his pectorals.

"He's fallen to sleep…" Kibito blinked rapidly in confusion, as a bubble of snot protruded from the Destroyers nostril, and he continued to snore.

"Oh dear," Shin observed, tentatively waving a hand in front of Beerus' face with no response, "It looks as though it's getting worse. At least his power is still managing to hold him up."

"Er, is he going to be alright?" he asked worriedly.

"He will be, but Lord Beerus is right Gohan," Whis sighed, giving him a disapproving stare, "I specifically told you to behave yourself, and you were all but two words away from engaging that Kai's apprentice in a fight."

"Sorry," he mustered sincerely, directing his apology towards The Supreme Kai and Kibito also, "I don't know what it is, but I got a really bad feeling about him."

"As did I," his mentor nodded thoughtfully, "I have to say that it wasn't hard to miss the dark presence emanating from him, though it appears as though his predecessor has not seemed to have noticed just yet."

Gohan opened his mouth to reply, when the Angel cut across him, "It is not for discussion here, come."

He was startled by the bright white tunnel of light that suddenly encompassed them, and he, Whis, a sleeping Lord Beerus and The Supreme Kai and Kibito shot into the air, speeding through the cloud filled skies, the large blue jellyfish rapidly becoming a speck in the distance.

"We're not teleporting?" he quirked, the Kais looked rather surprised by this too.

"Not just yet," said Whis, his expression becoming serious, "I wanted to discuss this matter privately without any chance of being listened in to by keen ears."

As he stared back at his mentor, realisation hit him like a ton of bricks, "Wait, you don't think that Zamasu is the one feeding Lord Beerus' energy to Perses?"

Shin and Kibito gasped, as the blue-skinned deity gave him a wry smile, "Much like yourself, I am an excellent judge of character my boy, and I can tell that although you did act rather brash, that your anger was not misplaced. I believe that Zamasu is the catalyst we've been looking for."

"Then if that's true, what are we waiting for?!" Gohan spouted, his fists clenching in anticipation, "Let's go back there and confront him!"

"Always so quick to act, young Destroyer," Whis chuckled, "Though I am afraid that it is not that simple. What we are accusing Zamasu of is high treason, something that is not to be taken lightly. If we are wrong in our assumptions, then it could lead to rather nasty consequences."

"But it's so obvious!" the teenager argued, "All you have to do his look at his stupid evil face, not to mention that the rubbish he was spouting about corrupted Gods and stuff was just like Perses!"

"Indeed," he agreed, "But we cannot do anything without solid proof."

The young saiyan huffed in annoyance, as The Supreme Kai nodded, "It is true Lord Gohan, we cannot just barge into the tenth universe's sacred realm and destroy an apprentice Kai without proving Zamasu's involvement in this whole mess."

"But how could Gowasu not realise that his own student is an evil little - ?!"

"The same way neither Lord Beerus or I realised what Perses truly was," Whis said pointedly, causing the teen to clamp his mouth shut, "Even the Gods can become blinded by what they have come to admire, believing in something so desperately that they fail to see what is happening before their eyes. That people change, no matter how hard they strive to see them succeed."

Gohan stared up at his master, as nothing but Lord Beerus' light snores filled the air.

"Whis, I didn't mean - "

"What is important is that we learn from our mistakes in order to move forwards," he informed him curtly, "And speaking of moving forwards, we will look into how Zamasu is managing to drain energy from Lord Beerus as our top priority. Though it is questionable how he is doing this without anyone noticing, let alone why he has chosen him as a candidate unless just for personal vendetta, Lord Beerus isn't the strongest Destroyer in the cosmos after all."

The teenager's eyes widened, "What really?! I sensed that the other Gods were strong, but I didn't even comprehend that they could be stronger than Lord Beerus."

"Oh yes," Whis chuckled, as Shin and Kibito nodded in affirmation, "Though you would be wise not to mention it to him, he gets a little sensitive about that."

"But if that's the case, and some of these deities really are stronger than Lord Beerus, then I don't understand why the other universes are so against helping us," Gohan spouted angrily, "I mean, especially with knowing what happened to the eradicated six."

"Like they said, they have their own universal problems," his mentor offered wisely, smiling at him when his head sunk, "Chin up young Destroyer, all is not lost just yet."

"I just wish that there was more I could do," he said sadly, averting his gaze to the sleeping Lord Beerus.

"The best thing that you can do for now is complete your mission on Earth," said Whis, "The power of the Super Saiyan God may be the key to our victory. You need to keep up training just as hard, whilst Lord Beerus and The Supreme Kai and his Guard investigate Zamasu."

"Yeah, I suppose," He mustered, nodding in agreement until a thought popped into his mind, "Though something has been bugging me, why couldn't we just get The Grand Minister to help? He's supposed to be ridiculously powerful isn't he? Couldn't he just blast Perses away?"

"Now who is taking the easy way out?" the Angel chuckled, giving him a pointed look, "I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that, my boy. Just as Supreme Kai and Destroyers aren't supposed to meddle in the lives of mortals unless completely necessary, neither is The Grand Priest in the affairs of Gods. Like the Gods, he nurtures and offers guidance, and Grand Zeno maintains order. It is just how the cosmos works, else it could be plunged into chaos."

"I see," he said dully, though he couldn't help but ignore the small seed of doubt that crept into his mind. What was all the good of this divine hierarchy, when they were so unwilling to help out those in need? Would it be different if their universe was of a higher mortal level?

He shook away the damning thoughts as quickly as they came, a shudder running down the length of his spine.

"For you see Son Gohan, you are not so different, you and I."

"Are you alright, Gohan?" Whis asked, noticing how the boy had paled considerably.

Ignoring the haunting visions of his nightmare, Gohan forced a winning smile, "Yeah, just a little hungry."

"Well far be it from me to keep you," the Angel replied, "Kibito, would you so kindly teleport Lord Gohan back to Earth?"

"It would be an honour," Kibito replied, bowing his head before extending an arm out towards the teen.

"Thanks Kibito," he sighed gratefully, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh and Gohan?" Whis asked just before the attendant teleported them away, causing the teen to look towards him, "Please refrain from back-chatting other deities in future, there are only so many mini heart-attacks that I can take."

The young saiyan couldn't help the cheeky grin that spread across his lips, "Yes Sir."

---

Capsule Corporation, Planet Earth.

Gohan sighed heavily as his boots touched the grass outside of the large domed building. It was already twilight, judging by the few stars that hung in the purplish sky, the cool night chasing away the summer sun. He could hear the sound of rolling trucks and the shifting of rubble in the distance, as the clean up crews tackled the mess left over in the aftermath of the battle with Perses' dark creations.

He let go of Kibito's shoulder, though addressed him before he was able to teleport away, the words tumbling from his lips before he could stop himself.

"Hey Kibito? You met my dad right?"

The Kai's attendant looked rather taken aback by his words, his beetle black eyes surveying him carefully as he replied, "An honourable man, Son Goku. He was a great help in the conflict against Majin Buu."

"Yeah, I know what happened," he said, swallowing thickly, "Was he… you know… alright?"

Kibito blinked back at him, the strange question lingering between them, until he spoke, "Are you referring to when your father was controlled by the wizard Babidi?"

The young Destroyer nodded, the guilt still gnawing at his insides from when Videl had first told him about how easily his father had succumbed to the wizards evil mind control. His pure hearted father had been tainted by Majin magic, and if Gohan hadn't have chosen to stay dead… It was more than clear that his father hadn't gotten over it. He had even cried into his embrace earlier for goodness sake.

"Do not worry yourself my young Lord," said Kibito, still observing him with a mindful gaze, "What matters is that your father overcame Babidi's possession and was able to defeat the evil Majin Buu."

"Yeah, I suppose," the teenager replied glumly, causing the ancient being to sigh.

"It does not do well to dwell on what could have been Lord Gohan," Kibito said wisely, "You have chosen your path just like many before you. Sometimes sacrifices need to be made in order for the universe to continue to beat with life, occasionally that hurts the ones we love. Yet it is unavoidable, sometimes necessary in order for the universe to prosper."

He paused, thinking over Kibito's words of wisdom carefully. He was only reiterating what every other deity had told him when he had a moment of weakness. Though they had been very few and far between before he had come back to Earth. It was stupid of him to think that his death wouldn't have had such a profound effect on his loved ones. And now that he was back and out in the open as it were, he was only going to hurt them all over again when he had to leave.

It was not as though he could just bide his time or leave on happier terms, what with Zamasu and Perses up to no good.

"Are you going to tell them what you are?"

Gohan frowned deeply, as Kibito's curious tone cut through the air, breaking him out of his thoughts as it was followed by a string of jovial laughter that escaped the open window of the bottom floor of the building. No doubt in order to allow in the summer night breeze.

Yet his sudden dark look caused the red-skinned assistant to sweat profusely, "F-Forgive me Lord Gohan, I did not mean to speak out of turn - !"

"No, it's alright Kibito," said the halfling, giving him a wry smile of reassurance, almost chuckling to himself as the man let out a shaky breath of relief, "but I honestly don't see the point of telling them."

Kibito raised an eyebrow, his eyes glancing to the window occasionally as Gohan continued with an exasperated sigh, "They'll see me as nothing more than a monster."

"You're not a monster, my Lord," Kibito stated, "You're a Destroyer."

He snorted disbelievingly, "There's a difference?"

Kibito regarded him for a moment, "Permission to speak off record?"

"Of course," Gohan nodded, though he seemed rather sceptical as the usually stoic deity gave him an uncharacteristically bright smile.

"I must say that in all my years, I have never a met a Destroyer - Junior or otherwise quite like you," he implored, causing the teen's frown to deepen, "Though I am not talking about your power Gohan, I speak of your courage and heart. You do not do things out of selfishness or spite, and you hold your position in the highest regard. Of course, you have a long way to go, but I have to give you praise where it is due. I believe that you can bring the seventh universe a greatness that it hasn't seen in many many years. Do not let others opinions of you influence the way you view yourself. Your father is a strong believer in doing what is right, and I see that is rife with you too. You are a lot like him in that regard."

"Wow, thanks Kibito," the young saiyan blinked, rather taken aback by his praise, "But I wish it were that easy."

"No one said it would be easy my Lord," his smile faded slightly, as only the sound of chirping songbirds returning to their nests drifted between them.

"I bid you good evening," he said again, nodding curtly.

"Good night Kibito," said Gohan, "and… thanks."

"A pleasure, Lord Gohan."

Then, with a deep bow and a flash of light he disappeared, leaving him alone in the middle of the Briefs' dark lawn.

Looking around, he was a little confused as no one had come to greet him yet. Even though he was glad that he'd had the opportunity to speak to Kibito, it didn't make him feel much better about his current situation.

He could see that the lights were on in the Briefs' living room, casting a bright yellow glow over the garden grass, depicting silhouettes dancing across the large rectangular window. His nostrils filled with the tantalising aroma of his mothers cooking, causing his taste buds to tingle with anticipation. He hoped that they had saved him a plate or five, though he realised that was a stupid thought, his mother would have fought any burly saiyan off with a wooden spoon and a frying pan if they even dared to try and steal her 'precious baby boy's' leftovers.

He sighed again, his shoulders feeling heavier than ever before. And as much as he wanted to, he couldn't find the will to make his legs move.

"Well, we've certainly got our work cut out for us," mustered Z from his scabbard, breaking him out of his trance. Though he was thankful that he didn't mention the conversation with Kibito, or tease him for reaching out to a Kai's assistant like he was betting on.

"You're telling me," the teenager drawled.

"Oh don't look so glum, chum," the ancient relic said heartily, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Perses could escape, slaughter everyone and everything in this universe and rearrange the cosmos as we know it?"

"Ah, point there."

"Yeah," said Gohan begrudgingly, "I just wish that there was something else I could do. And I can't help but feel that something doesn't quite add up. I don't understand why Perses is so hell bent on destroying everything like those other universes, something tells me that there's just more to it than that. And what's worse, even though we pretty much know that Zamasu is the one filtering energy to Perses, we can't do anything about it without proof! I hate all these rules."

"Ah yes, but they are put in place for a reason, and don't you forget that sonny," Z offered wisely, "But the rules don't say anything about not going over to the tenth universe and decking that pathetic excuse for a Kai's apprentice right in the schnoz!"

The young Destroyer snorted in amusement, "You know I can't do that, Whis would have my head for a start."

"Yeah, but I'd still get a laugh out of it!" he cackled, causing the teen to laugh, "And it would certainly make you feel better."

"Yeah, it would," he smiled finally. For a perverted old relic, the Z-Sword certainly had his redeeming moments.

"Woof! Woof!"

Gohan looked up, only to find a rather enthusiastic Bee bounding towards him across the garden. The labrador sprang onto his hind legs and proceeded to lick his face - he would have knocked the teen over if he wasn't so strong. He presumed that someone had picked him up from where Videl had left him at the police station in the heat of battle, the girl not wishing her precious puppy anywhere near the crossfire.

"Alright Bee, get down! You daft dog!" he huffed, though couldn't help but laugh as the pup wagged his tail furiously, "Are you the only one that's come to welcome me back?"

"Woof!"

"Where's everyone else?" he asked, as Bee barked happily.

"Woof! Woof!"

"Well come on then, let's go inside," said Gohan, scratching him behind the ears and following him back into the house.

"Great, now he's making friends with mangy dogs," scoffed Z, causing him to roll his eyes as he followed the laughter that echoed down the hallway.

It seemed to get even louder as he approached the living room, and peering through the gap in the doorway where Bee had slipped through, he could see that The Supreme Guard had stuck true to their word and hadn't left yet. They were sat cosily amongst the Z-gang, either perched on armchairs or sat on the plush carpeted floor, which appeared to be the set up for the rest of the group. He spotted his father on the large sofa, his mother nestled on his lap and a beer in hand, smiling brightly as the laughter died down once more.

Empty plates and dishes were placed on the long coffee table in front of them, the washing up long forgotten about as it seemed that the entire gang were too focussed on the ginger-haired teen in the centre of the room. They were listening intently to the story that Makhai was telling, as he stood in front of the group with his arms waving about in a dramatic fashion, loudly recounting the tale.

Goten, Trunks and Marron were nearest to him, their eyes wide in awe as his best friend spun around in a circle, punching at the air enthusiastically, his own amazing speed evident, before making the action of tossing a rather large foe to the ground.

Gohan stopped short, surveying the scene before him. His eyes narrowed.

"And BOOM just like that it was all over!" Makhai grinned, panting slightly from his long portrayal of the story, "The chimera was down! There was blood and guts EVERYWHERE - well, mainly from Gohan, as the three-headed bastard had sliced its talons right through his chest…"

"Is that where Gohan got his cool scars from?" Trunks gasped, drinking in every word.

"Correct kiddo!" the fanged-teen winked, "Though it wasn't exactly 'cool' at the time, I thought that he was a goner for certain, especially when the snake head of the beast went for him as well. The rest of us were completely helpless, beaten up from fighting off the Crimson Dynasty's army."

"That sounds scary!" Marron cried, as her mother reached over and smoothed her hair in comfort.

"Nah, not for Gohan," Alala smiled, chiming in suddenly, "Even though he was bleeding out, he -"

"Yeah, yeah alright there's no need to steal the punchline Alala," the teen griped, rolling his eyes, "I'm the one telling the story!"

"Then get on with it then will you?!" Deimos growled, "Great Zalama, there's only so much of this blasted fan-girling I can take."

"Anyway," Makhai continued rather haughtily, before turning to the group once more, who were hanging onto his every word, "Gohan did something so stupendously BADASS, it went beyond the realms of manliness -."

"Oh please, I think I'm about to throw up," Kratos grunted, though the boy ignored him.

"Knowing he was loosing a lot of blood, Gohan charged up a ball of energy and sealed his skin shut with his own Ki! It was INCREDIBLE, well I mean, he screamed like a little girl and swore like a sailor but thats beside the point! The point is that because of his quick thinking, our little rookie managed to take down the rest of the chimera heads in no time at all, saving the South-East Galaxy from the Dynasty's rein of terror!"

"Incredible!" The Ox-King spouted, from where he was sat next to a gaping Oolong and Chaiozu, the rest of the room's occupants looking equally as flabbergasted, "Our little Gohan really did all that?"

The young saiyan shook his head with a small smile, trust Makhai to fill his friends and family in on his adventures whilst he had been gone. Though he was certain - and thankful, that judging by the happiness and pride that radiated from the gang that he hadn't told them that he was a Destroyer. He didn't mind the Guard letting them in on the times that he had saved the universe, rather than having a hand in it's destruction.

"You bet!" Makhai chortled, a wicked grin spreading across his lips, "But that's not all. Because of his efforts, he was granted honours by the Galactic King himself."

"Wow really?" Chi-Chi positively gushed, her eyes full of prideful tears.

"Well yeah," the boy offered with a shrug, "Though that led to a rather unfortunate incident in which Gohan ended up grabbing the King's er… rather sensitive organ shall we say. It's safe to say that it wouldn't have happened if he wasn't so accustomed to Earth's silly greeting of handshaking."

The gang's eyes widened in disbelief, that was until the door flew open, nearly flinging off its hinges as a very red faced Gohan charged at the teenager in the middle of the room. They were incredibly startled by the young man's appearance, especially Makhai, who let out a high pitched scream at the sight.

"SHUT UP!" Gohan cried, his cheeks burning in embarrassment, as he tackled Makhai to the floor, "It wasn't my fault that he had so many tentacles! How was I supposed to know what else he was hiding in there?!"

To his further chargin, the room erupted into hysterics, and he could even hear Z cackling loudly at his misfortune. To his surprise and subsequent annoyance, Vegeta too was doubled over with mirth, not even bothering to contain himself.

"The best thing is that the Galactic King liked Gohan so much after that, he tried to marry him off to his daughter the Galactic Princess," chirped Alala, causing Gohan to shoot daggers in her direction.

"Almost starting an intergalactic war in the process when he refused," snorted Makhai, before the halfling smacked him over the head, "Oi!"

Gohan sighed in distain, as bellowing laughter escaped his family and friends. Even Videl was struggling not to fall off her seat she was laughing so hard.

"What about his GodTube account?" Eris mustered evilly, "There's loads of hilarious stuff on there."

"What's a GodTube?" his father asked curiously, as the young Destroyer snarled.

"No! Absolutely not!" he scowled, "That's enough stories for one day!"

"Aw you're no fun," Makhai pouted, dusting off his t-shirt as he got to his feet.

Gohan gaped, it was only then did he take in his best friends appearance for the first time, the golden-haired caricature on his t-shirt was all too familiar. And to his further horror, he found that the rest of the Guard were wearing one - save Kratos, though Deimos was sporting a yellow baseball cap complete with fake, golden spikey hair.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU WEARING?!" He roared, causing them to wince, a small amount of violet energy escaping his frame along with his fury before he managed to quickly control it again. It would not do well to release energy of destruction in front of the Z-gang - the Ki sensing members of the group were bound to notice the darkness that intermingled with the aura. And he would be discovered. Which would add even more stress.

"Oh this?" Makhai quirked indifferently, looking down at his offending t-shirt, "Well, we had a bit of time to kill whilst we waited for your half-saiyan behind to show up, and your family were kind enough to show us round the parts of the city that weren't destroyed. We did some sight-seeing, hit up some gift shops -."

"You didn't tell us that you were a celebrity on your home planet Gohan," cooed Bia, smiling brightly as she sipped on a can of Golden-Ade, "The Earthlings are rather spritely mortals I have to say. Though I can see that you do not appear to be too pleased by their enthusiasm."

"I think it's nice," said Alala, patting the head of her new golden-haired action figure, "I find the memorabilia quite charming."

The young saiyan pinched the bridge of his nose in despair, making a mental note to destroy everything Golden Boy Wonder related before he left this ridiculous planet.

"So, what did Whis want?" Makhai asked, his golden eyes surveying him.

He sighed glumly, "Well, long story short, the other universes don't want to help us."

"Other universes?" Alala frowned from where she was perched next to Launch, before letting out a sudden gasp, "Hold on, don't tell me that you went to Grand Zeno's palace?! Did you see him?! What does he look like?!"

"Grand Zeno?" Goku blinked, "Who's that?"

"The King of Everything, The Omni-King, All," Makhai told him with a roll of his eyes, "Keep up Goku."

"You told them?" Gohan asked worriedly, though his best friend gave him a wink.

"The basics," he replied, before speaking telepathically, "I left out the part about you being the grim reaper".

"Oh piss off," he shot back, though a genuine smile spread across his lips, causing the ginger teen to laugh. Well, at least he didn't have to explain the divine fabrication of the universe to them.

"And in answer to your question Alala," he said, turning back to his friends, "yes I did go to Grand Zeno's, but I didn't see him, he was busy. The Grand Minister oversaw the Gods meeting though. But first things first, I've got to tell you about this Kai's apprentice from the tenth universe…"

He explained what had transpired, leaving out any detail that could reveal him as a Destroyer, though similarly left both the Guard and the Z-gang astonished from what he had told them.

"Gods I wish you did punch him in the face," scoffed Makhai, referring to Zamasu, "He wouldn't have a mouth left to speak such drivel with, how are we going to prove that he's the one feeding energy to Perses?"

"So he's draining energy from the Gods?" quirked Piccolo, as Gohan shrugged, "Sounds a lot like Babidi."

"Babidi?" Gohan frowned, as visions of his father baring a Majin symbol on his forehead entered his mind. A familiar pang of guilt and nausea rippled across his chest.

"Don't tell me that you're talking about the son of the wizard Bibidi?" Alala asked suddenly, her dark eyes widening, "Ah though I suppose that would make sense if he was the one who released Majin Buu upon your world."

"Yeah," Krillin nodded glumly, his eyes averting to Goku momentarily, "Babidi drained our energy and fed it to Majin Buu, giving him enough power to escape. Though he only did this by controlling one of us and inflicting damage. Sounds pretty similar though."

"Yes, it certainly sounds similar to the magic utilised by the dark arts," observed Deimos, prompting the others to give him curious looks, "Majin magic is a very ancient and powerful kind of sorcery, one that can only truly be mastered by those of gross impurity. Being well acquainted with those wizards over many centuries, it would make sense that Perses would get the idea to use some kind of incantation to gain his power back, though I have never heard of a Kai like Zamasu powerful enough to use such magic, much less master it. It is incredibly dark magic to drain someones life force in order to feed your own."

"You seem to know a lot about it," Vegeta said pointedly, his eyes narrowing at the ex-hellion.

"I was an evil warlock when I was alive," Deimos smirked, "I had a flurry of planets under my complete control, and a whole host of slaves and armies willing to do my bidding, least they get tortured and slain by my power."

Videl gasped from where she had come to stand next to Gohan, listening intently to the groups discussion, "Wait, what?"

"Ah don't mind him, Deimos is a big softie now," Makhai winked, causing the guardian in question to scowl, "He's more into dusty old textbooks than mass genocide nowadays."

"Either way its a good lead," said Eris, "If Zamasu really is using Majin magic to drain Lord Beerus' energy then we can look back through the ancient scriptures to find out if theres a counter curse of sorts that can stop him."

"Ugh really Eris? Do we have to?" whined Makhai, "You know that I hate studying! Unless it's in dark, secluded corners." He added with a wink, prompting the girl to scoff.

"It's not going to be enough," said Bia wisely, "If Deimos is right, then we need to come up with a plan, and fast. Zamasu hasn't been discovered thus far, which means that he could be manipulating the Gods of the tenth universe also. It's not going to be easy to take him out just like that."

"He must be draining energy gradually so as to not rouse suspicion," Master Roshi surmised thoughtfully from an armchair, "This is all getting very complicated."

"I agree," Alala sighed, "No doubt that Zamasu is going to get suspicious if we start lurking around the tenth universe trying to catch him in the act. Though I have to say that I'm not all that keen on sneaking around instead of just barging in there and assassinating that evil bastard."

"Preaching to the choir on that one," Gohan replied haughtily, folding his arms across his chest, "I've already been ordered to stay stuck here doing nothing but figuring out this Super Saiyan God stuff."

Makhai snorted, "Great, and where in the HFIL are we supposed to start? In Master Zuno's library? There's no way I'm kissing him again."

"We'll speak to The Supreme Kai when we're back," said Kratos boldly, "We aren't going to find any more answers here on Earth."

"This blows," the halfling sighed heavily, the feeling that he was missing something encompassing him again. Though for the death of him, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"In the meantime son, maybe you shouldn't go around speaking to deities like that, especially ones who are evil," his father said in a serious tone, though he failed to hide his amusement, "I mean, can't you get into some sort of trouble for that?"

"Well, I suppose," he mustered sheepishly.

"Nah it's fine!" Makhai laughed without thinking, "There's not many people who would want to cross Gohan, he's super scary- YOWCH! I-I mean er, loveable! This man here will love you to death, oh those warm cuddly, none foot-breaking hugs of his…"

He face-palmed as the boy grasped the toe of his boot in pain, though luckily Goku didn't seem to catch on.

"Oh right," his father shrugged, before whispering into his ear, "Is he a little bit crazy or something?"

"Yeah," he replied, shooting his so-called best friend a glare, "He got hit in the head during one of our missions, he hasn't been the same since. Not that he had many brain cells to begin with."

"Oi!"

"So, what's the plan to stop Perses if he manages to escape before you can dispose of Zamasu?" Piccolo asked gruffly, taking charge of the situation.

"Well, there isn't really that much of a plan…" Gohan started weakly, causing Vegeta to scoff.

"What do you mean there's no plan?" he spat, "Don't tell me that you're going to just fight this cretin with no sure way of defeating him?"

"Well, there is the Super Saiyan God…"

"That you know nothing about, not to mention how to achieve or master it," the prince stated pointedly.

"And won't do for another three weeks until you can summon Shenron," finished Piccolo.

"But -"

"There is no other option but to fight," interrupted Kratos, his deep voice booming over the living room, "I don't like this lack of plan much either, but unless we manage to apprehend Zamasu before Perses escapes The Void, then we have no other choice but to hope that this Super Saiyan God is the answer to our peril."

"You're seriously basing your entire strategy on hope?" Vegeta said snidely, "What kind of warriors are you?"

"Do you want those to be your last words, mortal?!" Kratos growled, though the saiyan merely smirked.

"That's Prince to you, I don't give a damn if you're The Supreme Kai's food-taster or the one that wipes his -"

"Woah you two!" Gohan spouted, quickly stepping in between the headstrong warriors, "This really isn't helping right now. Vegeta is right Kratos, we can't face Perses without a plan."

The guardian stood down begrudgingly, still glaring at the saiyan prince as Gohan's words rang true, a tense and rather apprehensive silence fell between them. The reality of facing both Perses and Zamasu breathing down their necks, drawing ever closer.

"Well, we could train whilst we come up with something," his father said helpfully, a familiar glint of excitement in his eyes.

"Dad, I already told you," the halfling sighed, "I'm not getting you lot involved!"

"I never said that, now did I?" he replied with a cheeky grin, "It doesn't hurt to be prepared though. And I can't wait to see just how strong you've become."

"Goku, are you seriously asking Gohan to spar with you?" Yamcha called disbelievingly, catching on, "Did you not see what he did to that gigantic monster in seconds what we failed to do in the best part of an hour?!"

"Exactly! And I've been excited to see what else he can do ever since. Makhai tells good stories, but I want to see it in person," Goku grinned ever wider, "So what do you say son? You up for a spar?"

"I'm next Kakarot," Vegeta scowled, clicking his tongue in annoyance, "I'm not letting you have all the fun."

"I'd like to test my strength as well," added Piccolo, giving the teen a wry smile.

"Er, Gohan?" Alala asked tentatively as the men continued to bicker over who would fair better against the deceased halfling, "Are your family always like that?"

"What, fighting over who gets to beat me up first?" Gohan couldn't help but laugh at the look of horror on his friends face, smiling as a fresh wave of nostalgia washed over him, "Yeah, it looks like some things never change."

The Supreme Guard exchanged bewildered looks behind his back, as his father clapped him on the shoulder.

"Come on son, what are you waiting for?" he called, and the teenager wasted no time in following him out the back door and into the garden. His chest feeling a little lighter at the thought of sparring with his father. Whis had said that he needed to continue training after all, and he was certain that this counted.

It had been years since he and his father had fought together just for fun, and he didn't even count the year in The Hyperbolic Time Chamber, nor the years in the run up to the androids. Those times, they had been training for the fight of their lives, and every spar was agonising, gruelling, pushing their bodies to the limit as they strived to get even stronger. No, the last time he had sparred his father for nothing but entertainment was probably back when he was a young boy - over ten years ago if he added it up correctly in his head.

The Z-gang and members of The Supreme Guard followed them outside in excitement, though some looked a little apprehensive - particularly his mother who called out to them to be careful. The gardens of Capsule Corp. were large and encompassed by tall, thick evergreens that shielded them from view of civilians. The light from the house spilled across the large patio, a blanket of stars twinkling high above them, casting dark shadows over the father-son duo as they stood opposite each other in the centre of the grass.

However, even though the garden was wide and long, Gohan couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He didn't really want to hold back too much against his father, eager to show the man what he had learned in his eight years of absence. He doubted that the full-bloodied saiyan wanted to take it easy either, but as the calls and cheers of his friends and family reached his ears, he couldn't help but feel a little worried.

"Er Dad? Are you sure this is safe?" he asked seriously, his eyes darting over to the small crowd gathered on the patio, who were busy accepting refreshments off of Bulma's mother rather than making good distance away from them, "Shouldn't we go to a deserted wasteland or something?"

Though before his father could reply, did Bulma's cheerful shout reach his ears, and he caught sight of the small handheld remote that she was waving at them.

"I've got it covered Gohan, don't worry!" she grinned, pressing the button so that an enormous spherical shield encased them, providing a lot of ground and sky for them to work with whilst still protecting the spectators from harm, "There! Now you can fight to your hearts content!"

"Wow Bulma, that's amazing!" he implored, causing her to beam brightly back at him.

In all honesty, he could have conjured an impenetrable shield just like the one he had put around him and Videl when they had shared their first kiss above the atmosphere. Though he reasoned that he would rather concentrate solely on the fight at hand, rather than worry about holding up a shield too. Even still, the fact that Bulma had managed to produce something similar using pure science was incredible, the earth-woman's brain never ceased to amaze him.

"Are you ready, Gohan?" his father's voice cut through the air, his tone much more serious now.

He beheld the man for a moment, the man that had guided him through the first eleven years of his life. Never, ever would he have thought that he would have faced off with him like this. For Gohan was a very perceptive young man, and his father an incredibly smart fighter. He knew from the look in his obsidian eyes that this was not just a spar - no, this was a test.

The tension built suddenly, almost rather unexpectedly. A tremor of anticipation shook the ground, shaking the dirt apart and causing small particles to lift into the air. Their audience found it hard to ignore the swell of power that drifted between the pair, and Gohan couldn't help the smirk that forced its way onto his lips. It was all his father needed to see.

"Er, you're not going to kill each other, right?" Z asked worriedly, his voice shaking.

"Well then," Goku chuckled, returning the smirk, "I don't think that we need to worry about a warm up. I'm going to start all out."

Gohan grinned, folding his arms across his chest, waiting patiently, "I wouldn't have expected anything less."

An abrupt shout suddenly escaped the man's chest without another moment to spare. Then, all at once, there was power. Raw, unyielding power that washed over his senses in a way that would have knocked him flying were he not prepared for it. He had expected his father's energy to flood towards him, to shake the air so violently that it snapped and sizzled from the sheer heat of his power - just like it always had done. He remembered the first time he had transformed into a super saiyan against Frieza, when he had first been bowled over by the sheer magnitude of what his father could achieve.

It had been utterly jaw-dropping back then, the heat suffocating and the fury almost palpable in the air. Though as Goku had moved on as a fighter, the encompassing rage when he transformed had mostly disappeared and in its place stood a cool and competent warrior. Though the teenager was certain that he still had his moments. He could still sense the ebbing darkness that resided in his Ki from when he transformed in his spar with Goten. Though despite it, he realised then and there just how much he had missed feeling his fathers energy, truly feeling it as it invaded his lungs and gripped at his senses.

It was still just as awesome as ever.

He watched, smiling, as a golden, crackling aura burst around his frame. His hair spiking up even further, black swiftly turning to gold as his obsidian eyes swirled with emerald.

Goku grinned wickedly, settling on his second level of transformation for but a moment, "It didn't take Vegeta and I too long to reach this level, working together. But I have to admit it was a while before we were able to go even further beyond."

Gohan waited patiently, as his father's Ki spiked even further, deep cracks now forming in the dirt beneath his boots, his golden hair wavering in the breeze that suddenly picked up around them. The winds grew more rapid, fierce, as the man gritted his teeth to curb the scream that fought to escape him. His hair grew past his knees, his eyebrows disappearing from his forehead as his muscled bulged under the sheer influx of power.

With a staggering breath as he ascended to the third level, his father looked towards him with hardened eyes, his smirk ever wider, "So, what do you think? We call this one, super saiyan number three."

The teenager chuckled, his arms folded across his chest as he surveyed the man. He could hear the awe-filled shouts of the Guard from beyond the shield, who could not believe that Goku could transform in the same manner as Gohan. The young saiyan was impressed, he was even more determined then ever to give the rest of the spectators a show, including his father. Though the man didn't seem at all surprised by the fact that his powerful transformation hadn't at least blown him back a few feet.

"You're a smart fighter Dad," Gohan replied, his arms coming to rest by his sides, "You've gotten a lot stronger, I can even feel it at your base. But I think you're underestimating just what I've put my body through these past eight years."

Goku's eyes widened in disbelief, as the young saiyan immediately jumped to super saiyan three, the sudden influx of concentrated power slamming into his senses like a freight train. Gohan all but let out a snarl, as his hair grew even longer than his father's, reaching his ankles and turning golden in the same manner as he. Electricity rippled over his chest, a stubborn bang wavering in front of his face as his mass of hair struggled to be tamed by the gold clasp at the nape of his neck.

His cape billowed in the breeze he was creating with his electrifying aura, his green eyes darting towards the flabbergasted Z-gang beyond the shield. Piccolo and Vegeta blinked rapidly in his direction, though he knew that they knew that he was holding back significantly for want of not accidentally destroying the planet.

"Woah," his father gasped, though he was swelling with pride, "Gohan, you're power! I-It's amazing! Though I shouldn't have doubted tha - ."

BOOM!

He was caught off guard, by the young saiyan's sudden attack. A sonic boom ricocheted over the garden, as Goku gaped, not having noticed that the boy had kicked off from the ground and careened towards him in a flash. It was so fast that he barely had a chance to block it!

Gohan grinned wickedly, as the man had narrowly blocked his oncoming fist, his hand shaking underneath the teenager's strength as he grasped his fist tightly in his palm in a desperate attempt to stop it from going further.

"Then why are you holding back?" he asked, causing the man's eyes to widen as he ripped his fist away, embedding the other straight into the man's gut.

Goku doubled over in pain, a loud hacking cough falling from his lips as the sheer force of the punch knocked the wind out of him. He could have sworn that if his son had put a little more effort into it then his fist would have gone straight through his chest cavity.

Reeling a little from shock, the full-bloodied saiyan looked wildly around him, before realising all too late that his son's Ki - that was emitting a strange pressure as though squeezing his senses - was right behind him. Before he could react, a solid boot slammed into his spine, causing his bones to shudder from the impact. He was sent flying over the garden, though with a sharp burst of Ki, managed to stop himself from hitting the edge of Bulma's shield.

"You know, if you take this seriously Dad," Gohan called out, a cheeky grin directed towards him as he whirled back around to face him, "Then I might start trying."

"Oh that's the way it is, is it?" the earth-raised saiyan chortled, his golden aura igniting around his frame once more, "Then you'd better prepare yourself, kiddo."

No more words were exchanged, as father and son met each other in the air, their fists, knees and boots clashing in rapid succession. The grass uprooted completely underneath their feet from the sheer force of the hurricane-like winds that exploded around them.

Each fist was met with an oncoming fist, each kick was soon followed up with another, an elbow, a knee, sending tremors ricocheting over the grounds of Capsule Corporation. Ki blasts ignited the air, sizzling and popping, creating a thick impenetrable heat that threatened to engulf the entire garden. The earth began to shake from the incredible force of the combined power, leaking out of the shield and prompting the spectators on the patio to hold onto their seats for want of not toppling over.

The warriors of the group followed the fight, their eyes trained to the father-son duo as they phased in and out, wincing as Gohan delivered a sickening blow to Goku's jaw, the resounding CRACK echoing around them.

Goku clutched his face in pain, his emerald eyes widening in both shock and panic as the young halfling followed up in his attack without hesitation, allowing a loud bellow to escape his chest, his electrifying aura growing even larger, power erupting from his form, the explosive wave knocking his elder backwards a few feet. Slightly dazed, Goku realised all too late that his son had disappeared once more, appearing suddenly only to drive a spinning kick straight to his ribs, spewing forth a wad of blood and saliva from his lips.

He was certain that the teenager had cracked a few bones with that one.

Goku gritted his teeth as he was flung back from the impact of his son's brutal attack. Skidding on the hardened earth, the earth-raised saiyan glanced up at the boy - impressed. He was incredibly fast that was a given, and the way he pulled his punches only confirmed to him that Gohan was holding back significantly.

Despite his throbbing ribs, he grinned back at him, pressing two fingers to his temple and using his instant transmission technique to teleport himself to Gohan's side in a flash, aiming a devastating chop to his neck. Though, to his astonishment, the teenager caught his outstretched knife-hand with ease, and despite the power that Goku put behind it - he could not move.

"Nice try," the young saiyan smiled impudently, prompting his elder to rip his arm away in a burst of golden Ki.

Goku sped away from the teen with no time to lose, creating a good distance and unleashing rapid fire from his palms. The glowing, white hot balls of energy were all but batted away easily by the halfling, who kicked off from the ground and fired himself towards his father with gusto.

They met in the air once more, their fists clashing together with an ear-shattering BOOM a large crater forming underneath their feet from the sheer force of their attacks connecting. Bulma's irate shriek at the state of her garden was lost on them, as they continued in their onslaught, paying no mind to the torrents of wind that picked up around them, causing the entire protective shield to shake dangerously.

It was clear that the pair were evenly matched, though it had quickly become evident that the youngest challenger wasn't trying nearly as hard. Something that both amazed and surprised the rest of the occupants of the garden. The strain of maintaining the weighted transformation of a super saiyan three was beginning to show, especially with Goku, whom was starting to form beads of sweat upon his brow as he parried another one of Gohan's well aimed punches - albeit with some difficultly.

"You know, the problem with that form is that it wastes a lot of energy too quickly," said Gohan, eyeing his father as they broke apart, floating across from one another, "I mean, the power behind it is useful don't get me wrong, but I much prefer super saiyan two."

Goku quirked an eyebrow, as the teenager's hair grew a little shorter, his brow returning to normal, though the stubborn bang continued to wave almost mockingly over his eyes, and even more lightening bolts jumped over his frame.

"You can't hold super saiyan three for long?" he asked, frowning in confusion. It certainly didn't seem that way, he hadn't sensed his son's power waning in the slightest.

The halfling laughed, a wicked smirk that was almost uncharacteristic forming on his lips, "Oh no, I can maintain it for loads longer, but it's a bit too showy for me. Great for scaring off strong opponents, as dramatic of a change as it is. But I've found that the second level is the perfect balance of strength and speed, not to mention that I've fully mastered its potential."

"Is that so?" he replied in amusement, adrenaline and excitement coursing through his veins as he readied his stance once more. "Then let's see what you've got, son."

Gohan's smirk grew wider, "I thought you'd never ask."

---

22nd March, 2019.

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Reviews:

hawkeyestratos1996: all have potential to be included in this story. It is about Gods afterall!

izy440 : haha Im glad you liked the lines I... borrowed...? from infinity war!

Lightningblade49 : the minister isnt new, he's in dragonball super! :)

dspendragon125: thanks! hoped you enjoyed it :)

Pie 555 : haha! im so pleased youve remembered Makhai's special move! I certainly have plans for it in future chapters ;)

Kirbylover99 : thank you so much! Looks like everyone was right about the Zamasu thing! Or were they :O

Naite-Laef : your poor phone! I hope you didnt nearly break it this time!

Aaron Leach : thank you :)

Readallday1243: LOVE that line.

romanovascap: thank you so much!

Knightwing20042: actual tears of laughter.

X3runner : thanks for your review! ahhh there are so many options for future transformations! dont worry, I have coolness in mind!

romeroFan : thank you so much for your review, it really warms my heart! I am going to keep the rating as it is atm, see how I go for now, but seriously thank you. I am so happy that my story is being so well received!

smallbear99: thank you with every fibre! 3 your review meant so much!

RayQ Cina : thank you so much :) again with Zamasu, well done!

Dr. Blue22: haha! thanks for your review, to be fair, I was crying...

dolguldur: thank you!

ImmortalGodd: I hope that Perses perception of the universe became a little more clear in the chapter? ;)

Chrisfragger: thanks for your review, glad I touched a heartstring or two! as someone who works with mothers and babies I really wanted to get goku and chichi's feeling across well about their second pregnancy. I hope it came across well!

Marbbles123: ah thank you! I hope your wait was worth it!

LilRocboogie: thank you so much! I love that you love this version of Gohan! omg I KNOW right, poor Gohan, he cant seem to get a break with Videl at the moment!

darknessking675: thanks for your review. I really dont like the idea of Videl becoming a goddess, i feel it would take away the epicness of Gohan becoming a God - also, Videl is strong yes, but nowhere near as strong as Gohan. As I explained above, I would rather spend the time writing chapters when I do have it rather than spending energy giving you guys updates, it may seem harsh but I just dont have the time and really want to focus on getting this story right for you lovely lot! and Vegeta does know yes... i have an amazing idea for the reveal! xD

Neededsomething: thank you! though im sad you skipped Goku's POV :( it may have importance in later chapters :)

blazestarre : Makhai certainly would encourage that behaviour :P thanks so much im really happy you enjoyed the emotional scenes along with the lighthearted! and also thank you for your patience!

Sektor Ketchup: maybe, but remember he isnt exactly a stickler for the rules.

Malqam: thank you! ah now Gohan's hair is something I have been contemplating for a while. especially seen as that picture of his original design came out on twitter, did you see that? I am contemplating cutting it later on in the story, but sooo going to do it in a metrophorical dramatic way. For now, it is staying long and spikey!

Erin: thank you so much for your review, happy that you are enjoying it - and thanks for your later review btw ;) oooh i absolutely bricked it when you picked out an error in that naughty scene between Gohan and Videl, although sorry to point out that it wasnt there! I have re read it so many times thinking it was my eyes but nope I deffo wrote shirt and not skirt! but honestly thank you for your vigilance! :) xD Hercules and Mulan are my fave disney movies, so yehhhh a bit of inspo from there ;)

Iwik: aww thank you so much! yay I made another person cry! (wait is that mean? :o) haha I love the kissy-kissy, there will be more to come!

victor0606: thank you!

Leafeon12: thanks! I hope this chapter was worth the wait too!

FeathersofMemory: thanks so much for your review, really amazing when someone picks out all the parts they enjoyed! :) I love Makhai too, he is so much fun to write!

ThePurpleBear : thanks for your review! so happy I managed to capture everyones reactions like that for you! haha Gohan really does chat a lot of shit. I love him! hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much :)

o- Nyx -o : thanks so much! Well I do have most of the story planned out, but I pretty much write chapters out fully as I go along. Some parts are written and ill edit it fully before I post. I have a little note thing on my phone if I get ideas or quotes I can think of or utilise. I have a plan like an outline of what I wanted to achieve and then filled in bits when time goes on and I have ideas!

FireEmblemMaster101 : so glad youre loving the story! thank you! aw man I would LOVE to do a spin off of Gohan's adventures as a recruit - but booo to adult life! Im not saying it wont happen in the future though ;)

MadmanJrs : thank you so much :) yes my hubby and I were talking about Goku's characterisation not long ago, he seems to have turned into a small child again and lost all the seriousness that he gained in Z! I really liked cell saga Goku when it was all dark and heavy but he was still a bit of a goofball, totally agree with you there! Gohan is so cheeky, I really hope you liked his interactions with the other Gods in this chapter, especially a certain Kai apprentice :P

Chosen To Die: it seems as though Gohan REALLY needs to keep his cake hole shut. haha. thank you! so glad you are liking the OCs. oh makhai, he's a good one!

Guest: thank you! yes there will be interactions between the 'kids' of the gang coming up!

Statess: Goku and Vegeta will get their moments to shine xD

Alexander anders: hamiliton is life.

Austin Jones: YES!

EleazarTheUnforgotten: really hope this chapter measured up! thank you so much :)

Beta117: a while ago...

Galactic Overseer: you guessed it!

RedDragonforce 1: thanks so much! :)

DragonCrusader: almost!

TheGodfather93: thank you so much for your review, it really is a pleasure to read! Ive taken all your comments on board, so thank you! :) really glad you are enjoying this story, and that youve even read my old work! I am really enjoying your fanfiction at the mo and look forward to the update! xD

Theopgamer1002 : thank you!

N.O: laughed out loud!

Guest: wow thank you! i have no plan to terminate this story!

parko99: thanks so much! so happy youre enjoying it!

Insanity Lord: thanks for your review! HFIL is what the dub say instead of hell and i suppose it just stuck!

Sir Thames: thank you :)

Guest: thank you! glad you like the humour!

LuzyInTheSky : eek! thank you!

dx-1118 : ahh thank you! how did you find the meeting with the other deities?

Robthekiwi121: thank you!

Nyehehe: i cannot be stopped! xD

Rosegfx: Perses is a lot like Thanos in that respect, but more to his character will be revealed!

:hmmm

66: not dead! xD