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)

41. The God of Destruction: Reprise

Chapter Forty-One

The God of Destruction: Reprise

---

Planet Tartarus, Sacred Domain.

He felt as though he had momentarily been dunked underwater. Everything was dull and distant except for the feeling of his father's heaving chest underneath his fists as he spoke.

It was useless of course, for Gohan couldn't make out a single word of what he was saying. The constant boom of his voice was dulled and distant, accompanied by a terrible high pitched ringing in place of Perses' desperate screams.

The harsh glare of light from the Gateway had temporarily blinded him, stinging his retinas so much that his vision still refused to return to him. What he could see was blurred, the edges of his surroundings marred by warped and distorted figures.

He pulled back but strong hands were bolted firmly to his shoulders, keeping him in place. He didn't fight it, his limbs felt sore and weighted, and what little movement he managed was slow and sluggish.

He couldn't breathe - actively wasn't breathing in fact, and the booming became more and more frantic.

He felt a strange sort of pressure begin to build in the pit of his stomach. A tickling sensation that quickly spread and became so painful that it felt as though his lungs were on fire.

"…han breathe!"

He tried, and that first terrible breath came out as another pathetic sob that burned his throat and lungs even more.

"Slowly," his father instructed, a hand came to rest over his heart, whilst the other remained in place and held him steady, "In and out. You got this."

Gohan tried again. It was better this time and it didn't hurt as much. He could still feel the hot wetness cascade down his cheeks, and his grip refused to let up from the folds of Goku's gi, but as his words broke through the surface he began to focus on the rise and fall of his palm against his chest.

His brow prickled with clammy, cold sweat, his skin laden with goosebumps. He breathed more and he heard his father firmly tell him to slow down again. It was hard, but soon the oxygen filled his starved lungs and made its way back to his brain.

Numbness faded away and he could feel his knees grate against the hard frozen earth as he shifted. He opened his eyes for the second time, his vision blotchy from how tightly he had scrunched up his eyelids in order to focus on breathing.

"You're okay," said Goku, willing it into fruition as he repeated over again, "You're okay."

Gohan let out a shallow breath, his lips trembling, "Y-Yeah."

His face was inches from his own, and he could clearly see the relief fill his father's dark eyes.

"Gohan," he said, his hand left his heart and instead came to rest on his cheek, a rough thumb brushing away a stray tear, "I need you to focus, are you with me?"

He nodded, although everything was still spinning.

"I need you to tell me where your sword is," said Goku, "This is important."

At first, he didn't register what he had said, "W-Whut?"

"The Z-Sword," he stated, his gaze boring into his, "Where did you hide it, Gohan?"

"W-Wait -," Gohan mustered weakly, "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, I know this is all really confusing right now," his father pressed, his grip tightening, "But a lot has happened since you've been gone - we'll get to that, I'm just glad to see that you're alright kiddo -."

"Oh for fuck sake, Kakarot - stop pandering to the boy!" Vegeta's harsh tone came barrelling towards them.

Goku turned his head sharply behind him, suddenly enraged, "Give him a minute, Vegeta! Can't you see that thing messed with his head?!"

He vaguely heard Vegeta bark something back, but Gohan was more focussed on something that glinted within his father's fist. The Diamas' crystal had turned a deep red in colour, which was…odd. He could feel the slight sting to his chest from where it had burned a raw hole in the flesh.

Apparently, Goku had noticed this too, and had ripped the pendent clean off of him before it could do any more damage.

Gohan, let your mind be still, a voice calmly entered his mind as the two Saiyans continued to bicker, gradually sweeping away the fog as it spoke. It is imperative that you divulge the whereabouts of the relic, I am afraid that the situation is rather time sensitive.

"W-Whis?" He said as he looked up, surprised to see his mentor hovering just behind his father.

Whis held a serious expression, his lips drawn into a thin line as his gaze drilled holes in his resolve. But Gohan's brain was struggling to kick into gear, the cogs unable to turn as he failed to piece everything together. It was as though the horror of Perses' memories had stalled all cognitive function.

Yet the more he stared at Whis did reality start to fall back into place. His knuckles were white against the fabric of his father's gi, that he now noticed was torn and scorched, the thread fraying away in between his fingers.

The acrid smell of burning reached his nostrils, intermingled with the coppery stench of dried blood. Pungent red stood out starkly against ceremonial blue and gold, and Gohan tried to take them all in too quickly.

He felt sick. Dizzy. So much so that his father had a hold of both his shoulders again.

"Woah - steady!" He commanded, "Whis, can't ya do something here? Hey Piccolo, pass me a senzu -."

"Gohan has suffered a panic attack, Goku," he heard Whis tell him distantly, "He is not physically injured, therefore a senzu bean simply will not help."

"Oh."

"I-I'm okay," Gohan breathed, yet his voice still trembled as he attempted to brush his father off. "It's n-not a panic - I just - I just need a m-moment."

"There's no time."

Lord Beerus staggered into his line of sight, leering over Goku's shoulder in order to inspect him closer. He looked angry - no - in pain.

His appearance was enough to shock Gohan enough to forcibly grab ahold of his senses and drag them back into a more reasonable state of consciousness. Lord Beerus looked thin, haggard. His usually dark purple skin was pale and sickly. He could see every single bone in his ribcage, that heaved with a great rattling gasp as he spoke.

"Gohan," he growled in frustration, his haunted stare unwavering, "Where is it?"

"I-I don't -," he spluttered blindly, "Lord Beerus, what happened?!"

"Stop asking ridiculous questions and get it together!" He bellowed, his anger sparking as violet electricity rippled around him, "Where is the SWORD?!"

"H-Hell," Gohan croaked, "The Z-Sword is in Hell."

There was a baneful beat of silence, before Whis sighed, "Then we must make haste."

With a soft tap of his staff they were engulfed in a tunnel of light. The Warp encircled them and carried them up into the deep purple clouds and speedily ripped through the atmosphere of Tartarus. They were launched into space all too abruptly, planets and galaxies whirred past them in a dazzling display of multicolour.

"H-Hang on, am I missing something here?" He began, "What's happening? Why are we - ?"

"Perses," his father answered, he remained in his kneeling position next to him as the Warp thrummed around them, "He attacked Namek and -."

No.

"He Destroyed it?"

"Not him," Piccolo said darkly, his eyes averting to the deities stood ahead of them.

He wouldn't.

"I-It was you?!" Gohan snapped fiercely, "Don't tell me -."

Lord Beerus swayed, but held his stare as he grasped onto Whis' staff for support, "There was no other choice."

"Bullshit!"

"Watch your tone with me," he glowered, "You have no idea what happened out there!"

"I know that the Namekians didn't deserve Destruction!"

Lord Beerus was livid, "As if it is any of your concern!"

"You KNOW it is - !"

"I'm afraid that the Namekians had all nearly perished by the time Lord Beerus arrived, Gohan," Whis promptly interrupted, before turning his attention to the God in question, "My Lord, you must rest - please allow me to explain."

He snarled but relented, glaring daggers at Gohan as Whis pulled his gaze away from the head of the Warp.

"The Supreme Kai alerted Lord Beerus and I to Perses' descent on Planet Namek," he told him, "He and his accomplice laid waste to all of its inhabitants, but not before summoning the Eternal Dragon - Porunga. They used their first wish to gain the knowledge of the Z-Sword's whereabouts."

Gohan swallowed thickly, searching for Piccolo who remained still and stoic. He didn't meet his gaze, but the sense of loss was palpable in the air.

"Lord Beerus met Perses in order to apprehend him, but I am afraid it was too late."

A deep growl escaped Lord Beerus, "Too late? We were lucky I Destroyed the Dragon of Dreams before any more wishes could be made! The planet and surrounding galaxy simply got in the way of the crossfire."

His breath hitched in an attempt to curb the sudden rise of anger that fought to escape him. That meant that Namek, Yardrat and countless other worlds had been condemned to oblivion.

"What happened to Perses?"

"Escaped," he snarled, "Before he drained what was left of my power."

The lid burst off, "What?! Don't you think that was what he planned for all along?! And you just waltzed into his trap like a - !"

"That was my ONLY chance to apprehend that miserable whelp!"

"No it wasn't!" He bellowed, "You were already weakened in the first place! We had a plan, I had a plan! And you just chose to ignore it and do whatever you pleased - !"

"That is not for you to dictate - !"

"What was the point in sending us off into space in the first place if you're going to throw all hell to the wind and confront him anyway?!" He spouted angrily, not letting up. He couldn't help himself.

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" Lord Beerus snapped, a burst of violet erupted around his frame before it fizzled out just as rapidly, "How many times do I have to tell you to know your place!"

Gohan firmly held his ground, "I do know my place! YOU and Whis are the ones who put me in it!"

Silence encompassed them, the hum of the Warp continued to whirr around them. Even Whis refrained from disturbing the tension.

"Idiot," Lord Beerus hissed after a few moments, he was straining from the effort as he dangerously took a staggering step towards him. "Your father and the rest of your friends would have been obliterated by Perses and that dangerous little wench had I not intervened! You should be thanking me you ungrateful - !"

Horrified, he rounded on his father, "You were there too?!"

"We found the Super Dragonball," he explained, "Kratos tried to contact Whis to tell him but he wasn't answering. We figured something was wrong, but that's when we felt Lord Beerus and Perses fighting. They were so powerful that I was able to lock onto them and use instant transmission to get us to Namek."

"W-What?"

"He had some girl with him," said Goku, gently, although he looked just as troubled as Gohan felt, "Her power was insane, it just kept exploding out of her. We could barely get close. We tried to stop her from making the wish but…well, Deimos tried to contain that horrible energy and - I'm so sorry Gohan, but we lost him."

His stomach plummeted. Finally the shadowy figures of the Supreme Guard came into focus, his vision now as sharp as the pain that struck him in his useless heart.

Indeed, Deimos was not with them.

"I-I fought her," Gohan admitted, much to their surprise, "Back on Planet Rhudz. She had the Diamas. She fled before I - shit. She could use Destruction energy, I don't know how but -."

"No," Goku said firmly, "Don't do this. Do not blame yourself for what happened, Gohan."

"I should have Destroyed her whilst I had the chance," he spat darkly, and his father immediately became silent. He couldn't even bring himself to look Makhai and the others in the eye.

"It is curious as to how this mystery girl obtained the power of Destruction, but for now you must focus on the most important task at hand - retrieving the Z-Sword," said Whis, his cool aqua eyes gaze running the length of him, "Historically, Perses was not able to lift it, but at this point we have no idea just what he and his deadly entourage are capable of."

… gasp twice if the blade in your fortune relates to the legendary Z-Sword upon the Kais world…

Gohan remained quiet, still simmering with rage as he tried to make sense of what he had learned through Perses' discordant memories. He needed to know what he wanted the relic for.

What was his plan?

If he knew, then he may be able to set things right.

If only he could try and delve into the Diamas again, he had a feeling that there was more. His father had wrenched the thing off of him before it was over. He was certain of it.

He absentmindedly touched the raw circular burn on his chest. He needed more time. They needed more time.

And then something horrific happened. Lord Beerus opened his mouth in what Gohan assumed was an attempt to chastise him further when blood spewed forth in place of words. He choked, collapsing to both knees as deep red dripped from his chin and splattered his clothes.

"L-Lord Beerus!" He cried, dread replaced rage as he leapt over to his side, uncaring of the blood that rapidly drenched his cloak.

Lord Beerus let out a growl of pain and frustration, another flash of crimson escaping him. Panicked, Gohan grasped him by the shoulders, he was looking paler and more sickly by the second. His skin wrinkled and sagged not unlike a shrivelled prune, as though the life was being sucked right out of him.

"You must rest now, my Lord, try to take deep breaths - that's it," came Whis' calming tone.

It took several agonising wheezes before Gohan was able to compose himself enough to speak, "Whis, what's happening to him?! Do something - !"

Whis didn't respond, as another ear-splitting howl tore from Lord Beerus' throat. The heavy pressure of his world-eclipsing Ki quivered, ebbing and swaying like an ocean tide. It thrashed and collided in chaotic waves, threatening to pull them under before they were able to break free of it again.

A stutter and spark of purplish energy drifted between them as Whis hummed quietly.

"My Lord, do not fight it. It'll only make it worse."

"No!" Gohan yelled furiously, "No - Lord Beerus, you can't - ! I won't let you die too! You've got to hold on!"

A clawed hand suddenly grasped his own from where it lingered on his shoulder, "It's already done, kid."

"Please, d-don't - don't say that!" he gasped, looking frantically towards Whis, "Do something! Help him! Why are you just standing there?!"

Whis stared back solemnly, before shaking his head.

He felt sharp claws tighten on the back of his hand, threatening to draw blood. Lord Beerus looked up suddenly, and his eyes pierced right through his soul. He could see his own distraught reflection staring back at him from the depths of his cold iris'.

"T-This isn't how either of us w-wanted it to g-go," he mustered, another dark dribble of blood running down his chin. "I-I know that."

In that moment, he saw the wisdom and strength of all the Destroyers that had come before him, and with that came the heavy burden they both shared. One of the Divine pillars that had upheld the delicate balance of their universe for so long, about to give way and crumble to dust.

"I-I'm sorry," said Gohan, his words caught in his throat. "F-For what I said - for everything -."

"D-Don't get sentimental, brat," he griped, his lips twitching upwards, "Y-You know how much I can't stand your soft twittering."

He choked at his jest, "Y-You've just got to stay awake."

Lord Beerus stared back at him with a sudden intensity that boarded on desperation.

"You cannot lose," he said, teeth gritted, barely able to keep his eyes open now. "T-The sword. W-Whatever it takes, h-he can't get his hands on it. D-Do you understand?"

"Lord Beerus -."

"Do you understand?"

His sonorous tone rumbled through his chest and swept over the Warp, a final burst of purple particles fizzled alarmingly around his body before they disappeared completely.

Gohan swallowed hard, "I-I understand."

Lord Beerus nodded, satisfied. The waves stilled, an eerie calmness taking over his body. He was barely hanging on.

"P-Please," he pleaded hopelessly, hot tears of frustration and sadness built just as rapidly as his panic. "You can't leave me. I-I'm… I'm not ready."

A smirk fought through the agony, and his eyes softened ever so slightly as he beheld him - his successor, a sharp contrast to the usual harshness that Gohan had become so accustomed to.

He almost looked peaceful.

"None of us truly are, Gohan."

There was nothing spectacular about it. No explosion or brilliant flash of light. When a God falls, he falls just like anyone else.

No one moved, stilled by horror as Lord Beerus collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been severed. Empty, unseeing eyes closed as his muscles relaxed in death. Whis caught him before he fell on top of Gohan, levitating his body into the air in such a way that his limbs came to rest at his sides.

"He is still alive," Whis spoke gently, as though if he spoke too loudly he would wake him.

Tears coursed down his feverish cheeks, as he gasped, "H-He is?"

"Not for long, I'm afraid," he said sadly, "Perses has successfully drained around ninety-eight percent of his life-force. Only a mere thread remains, and it is incredibly fragile."

The small spark of hope that had manifested within him dissipated just as quickly as it came.

"I will take him to the Sacred Realm of the Kais, and allow the Warp to continue to carry you for the rest of your journey towards Hell," Whis continued, "Kibito will need to watch over both him and the Supreme Kai as the time quickly approaches."

"This is… madness," he heard Vegeta muster, but Gohan was too busy trying to quell the gnawing dread that twisted his stomach into knots.

He knew what this meant.

Gohan looked down at his blood soaked hands, as Whis spoke again.

"Lord Gohan, I will return to your side as soon as I can."

He shook his head, defiant, "Whis, no. I-I can't. Not like this."

"I'm aware that this isn't ideal, but I'm afraid that there is not much room for argument," his mentor pressed, "Perses seeks to eradicate the Gods of the cosmos, I have no doubt that once he has obtained the Z-Sword then he will move onto other deities soon, collecting their life-force to a point that it not only fuels his own strength, but they can do nothing but helplessly watch each of their universes turn to ruin. He wishes to make them suffer, and this is just the beginning."

"But you said it yourself, Lord Beerus is still - !"

"He is stubborn, even in death," Whis cut across him, more firmly this time, "It will not last, and Universe Seven will need its God of Destruction. Although we will have to forgo the binding ceremony until we find a replacement Kai. This is what you trained for, my Lord."

"Don't call me that!" He snarled, getting back to his feet, "Whis - come on - this is all wrong!"

"I'm sorry, but we are out of time," said Whis, ignoring his further protests as he waved his sceptre in a series of intricate movements.

In an instant, Gohan felt the clothes on his back shift and change. His long black cloak had disappeared in the silvery glow, along with the ceremonial garb underneath. White gi pants were replaced by deep blue, his boots now the same shape and colour as Lord Beerus' brown.

The black sash still remained hanging between his legs, and his golden wristbands were joined by gold bangles on each bicep. Another circular blue and black sash draped across his shoulders, and Gohan realised with a fresh wave of nervous dread that the solid gold earring usually worn by Lord Beerus had disappeared from the God and was now fixed to his own, the cool weight of it nestled on the outer curvature of his right ear.

The long Tartarian sword remained nestled in the sheathe on his back, glistening in the harsh glare of the Warp.

"You will reach your destination shortly," Whis said, giving him one final nod as he felt the others bewildered and apprehensive stares burning into his back. "Remember your training, Lord Gohan. And good luck."

The Warp churned and waned, glowing with a fresh blaze of fire and ash as they passed by a supernova. It forked all too suddenly, another tunnel of light blasting off into the abyss, taking Whis and Lord Beerus' body with it.

---

His father was the only one who was brave enough to break the harrowing silence that followed. The spirals of light that encompassed them twisted and churned as they passed over the dimensional threshold that separated the realm of the dead from the realm of the living.

Stars and galaxies were replaced by a haze of fluffy yellow clouds as they hurtled through the barrier. The Warp shuddered again, clamouring quickly towards their destination.

"Hey," Goku called, tentatively approaching his line of sight. "Gohan, you okay?"

No.

He wasn't.

He hadn't moved a muscle since Whis had left, his gaze still firmly fixed to the space where he had last seen Lord Beerus' near empty shell.

It didn't feel real, much like when he had successfully pulled the Z-Sword out of its rocky tomb and was crowned the Junior Destroyer over his comrades. He hadn't been expecting this, even if it was glaringly obvious it was going to happen one day. Still, it would of - should have been centuries.

He'd now had nearly nine years of Divine training and only five training directly under Lord Beerus. The other Gods would be beside themselves, he was certain of that at the least. It was laughable, utterly pitiful that the role of God of Destruction had fallen to him so soon.

"Gohan!" Goku shouted a little louder, clicking his fingers in front of his face, "Hey! Snap out of it!"

"S-Sorry," He blinked, trying to do just that, "Fuck, sorry. This is all happening so fast -."

"No, it isn't," Makhai cut across him sharply, "Maybe for you, but not for us. We've been trying to reach you for weeks - not even Whis could get a hold of you."

Gohan frowned, "What? I only got to Tartarus a few days ago -."

"You were gone for like two whole months!" He bellowed, he could see the burning frustration in his eyes from here. "You just up and disappeared and none of us knew where you were!"

"That's impossible -."

Makhai shook his head, he was pissed, "It doesn't matter Gohan, or Lord Gohan - whatever - the point is that you. were. gone."

"What the hell are you getting at?" Gohan's own anger sparked, although he had a feeling of the intention.

He scoffed, "Do you really want me to spell it out for you?"

"Go on," he began lowly, but failed to hide the way his voice shook, "You've obviously got something to get off your chest - so spit it out."

"This isn't the time or the place," Eris quickly stepped in between them, "Stand down, Makhai!"

Makhai growled, throwing up his hands, "I told you not to go off on your own! And you weren't there when it counted!"

His words were like a punch to the gut, even though Gohan knew there was truth to them, it felt so much worse coming from Makhai.

"That's not fair, Makhai," his father defended him all too readily, "Deimos wouldn't have - ."

He snapped despite it and the words bubbled and spewed forth like venom, "I didn't know that the Diamas would have that kind of power. Do you honestly think that I would just abandon you all like that?!"

"You're missing the point, Gohan!" He shot back, eyes shining, the words catching in his throat, "You could have made the difference - !"

He was livid, "You think I don't know that?!"

"Stop it, the both of you!" Kratos bellowed, shutting them down almost instantly, "Deimos knew what he was getting into long before you two idiots landed on the Destroyers world. The same as any one of us. We can't change what has happened, nor can we afford to make any mistakes here. So shake it off!"

Moments ago, Kratos had been just as stunned as he was, only now it was intermingled with something else. Jealously, concern, disgust, anger, fear. Gohan couldn't tell, but he looked more serious than he had ever been before.

He bit the inside of his cheek, refraining from tearing Makhai a new one - he didn't care if he was right. He turned away, as Makhai scoffed, just as furious.

There was no time to dwell but a moment more, as the Warp let out a familiar purr and swirled to a complete stop. The fluorescent light faded away, and they were greeted by the barren wastelands of Hell.

Deep crimson planes and turbulent dark clouds welcomed them with eerie open arms, and Gohan felt the uneasy tension creep into the fibres of his muscles, clenching at the tendons and prompting an uncomfortable spasm to run down the length of his spine.

The lower realm of the Otherworld was in complete chaos. Similar to how Janemba's assault had ripped the dimension apart, spirals of black lightning crackled haphazardly across plumes of violet smoke. It looked as though the wicked smog had risen far above the Check-in-Station - toxic and impenetrable.

Mountain ranges had crumbled to dust, the debris rose into the air and chunks of rock floated up towards the smog. Remnants of purple particles shimmered all around them, creating dazzling patterns of light in amongst the desolation. The ground gave way to massive craters with seemingly no end, a black abyss tempting them into its depths.

Despite the carnage that continued to unfold around them, there was no sound apart from the low rumble of dissonant thunder, followed by another clash of violet lightning. He couldn't even depict the usual screams of terror from the inmates, as though they had somehow all been silenced - snuffed out even.

The air was almost peaceful. Calm. Quiet.

Too quiet.

"So," Makhai's disbelieving voice broke through the ominous tension, "Just going to point out the obvious here, but can't you just summon the sword?"

Gohan met his hard stare with one of his own, "No. I had to be certain that it wouldn't be that easy to get hold of, not even for me, incase something bad happened."

"Then why not banish it to that pocket of reality of yours?" Piccolo questioned, "That seems like a more logical option than hiding it in the depths of the Underworld."

"They aren't exactly fool proof, the wards are too flimsy," he explained, "Besides, at least down here, I knew that it would be guarded."

Vegeta gave him a suspicious look, "By who exactly?"

Gohan didn't answer, for he felt the spark of dark twisted energy before anyone else. There was a distinct disturbance in the air, as the hot pressurised Ki careened towards them -

"GET DOWN!" He roared, jumping in front of the devastating orb of Destruction and countering with his own, "Hakai!"

The blasts connected just as the others dove to the dusty ground. Vibrant purple beams shot out in all directions, causing the hard earth to crack further beneath their feet. The planes of Hell rocked woefully from the aftershock, as the smoky remnants of Divine Ki parted and revealed a dark imposing figure hovering before them.

"No way," he heard his father gasp, as Gohan positively glowered at the doppelgänger.

"So, we meet again Son Gohan," Black smirked, already powered up to his Super Saiyan Rosé state, cold grey eyes raking over his frame. "I see that you've been promoted. Congratulations."

He snarled in response, unable to keep his display of anger at bay, which Black appeared to revel in.

"Oh this is too good, history is repeating itself just as it should," he cackled, "Tell me, what was it like, seeing the light leave Beerus' eyes? I can't quite recall."

He shook, energy building, a sharp crackle of lightening emitting around his palms. "You bastard -."

"Come, don't be shy and bless me with enlightenment - it's been too long since I watched a God of Destruction disappear!"

"This won't be like New Mars, Black," said Gohan, "This time, only one of us is going to be left standing."

He smiled, madly, "Oh how right you are."

Though before he could transform, a firm hand grasped him by the shoulder, holding him back.

"Gohan," his father told him, his jaw tightly set as he glanced back at Black, "Get to the Z-Sword, I'll deal with him."

"W-What? Dad, no -."

Goku stared him down, "It's like Whis said, the most important thing is getting a hold of the sword before Perses does. And you're the only one who can, right?"

"Well yes, but - !"

"Then I'll hold him off until you do," he stated, ignoring his protests, "No arguments."

"Oh now this is interesting!" Black grinned wickedly, catching the exchange, "Son Goku? You really think that you're a challenge for me? You could barely put up a fight the last time you and I crossed paths. I must say that it did not end favourably for you."

"Is that so?" Goku raised an eyebrow, "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to see how I fair in this timeline."

"If you really want me to sign your death warrant so readily, Goku, then it would be my pleasure."

Black's smirk grew wider as his destructive aura burst to life. Jagged dark bolts of crippling Ki sizzled over his muscles as they bulged with power. He held his right hand outwards, where a deep purple scythe manifested from the diabolical energy, casting long shadows over the crimson planes.

"Goku," Piccolo started, his gaze flickering between them, "Are you sure that you know what you're doing?"

"I've got Super Saiyan Blue on my side," he replied firmly, his own Ki rising and causing his dark hair to waver, teasing at his transformation, "And I want to find out what more it can do after all that training we did."

"No," Gohan pressed firmly, he caught the glint in his father's eyes all too readily, a troublesome mixture of excitement and rage, "You can't fight this guy alone. He might be me, but we still don't know what he's fully capable of."

Goku raised an eyebrow, only half-jesting, "Are you underestimating me?"

He kept his features stern, "Look, it would just make me feel better if you weren't fighting him on your own. You wanted in on this, you've got to do it by my rules."

"That's real boring, Gohan."

"Dad!"

"But fine, if it will make you happy," he sighed, his lips curled into a pout, "I guess someone can stay."

"A wise decision, Goku," Black called devilishly, "After all, you're going to need all the help you can get."

"You had better get a move on," Kratos said boldly, stepping to Goku's side, "I'll stay and fight Black."

Makhai snorted dubiously, "Are you really that petty?"

"Do not take this away from me!"

"Then it's settled," said Piccolo, turning to him, "Gohan, let's go."

Reluctantly, Gohan forced down his own trepidation. He gave his father a firm nod, but the look in his eyes betrayed him, "Be careful, Dad."

"I'll be fine," said Goku, flashing him a reassuring smile, "I'll catch up."

With a gut-wrenching cry, he brought forth his Divine power. His muscles bulged as he made to start all out, veins pulsating with catastrophic might. His hair swiftly stood upright on his head, turning a dazzling blue. The energy caressed the suffocating air, the glorious hue reflecting in his bright blue eyes.

His soft gaze suddenly hardened, directing every ounce of wrath back towards the baneful form of Black.

"Gohan, go. Now."

He gave his father one last look before he took off into the air. The others followed suit, leaving Goku and Kratos to fend for themselves against his nightmarish twin. He didn't like it in the slightest, though he reasoned that the faster he could reach the relic, then the quicker he could get back and help his father.

They had flown less than a minute, when a rip-roaring attack had sung through the ruinous storm clouds towards them. He should have known that Zamasu wouldn't be far behind Black, and the wicked Kai subsequently goaded them into a devastating clash that Vegeta was a little too enthusiastic to engage in.

Despite the Saiyan prince's rather colourful objections, Makhai and Eris opted to stay and help. They had fought against Zamasu twice after all, and were all too aware of what kind of tricks he might pull.

Zamasu's subsequent outpour of ruinous energy was enough to flatten the surrounding rock formations, it had danced outwards in heated wisps of dark fire, spewing forth in a cataclysmic expulsion that caused the entire sector to shudder from the force.

Vegeta had met him with a calamitous Divine power of his own, and the force of his first punch was so powerful that it blasted the ground below them apart. Deep crevices had materialised in the crimson dirt, creating a spider-web of cracks that spread out in rapid formation all around them.

Gohan could still feel the clash of their fists thrash harshly against his senses as he and Piccolo raced towards the Saiyan village with him leading the way. Sonic booms echoed violently in the distance, the dark sky alight with the electrifying power that escaped each battle.

"Kid," Piccolo said over the blustering winds as they descended over a familiar mountain range - they were close. "Gohan."

"Yeah?"

"Slow down a minute," he pressed, as he turned his gaze from the horizon, finding that the eyes staring back at him were laced with concern, "I need to know that your head's still in the game."

"W-What - ?" He began hotly, brushing him off.

"You look like a ghost."

"I'm fine, Piccolo."

"Are you? Are you fine?"

Truthfully no, he thought, speeding up as he threw back his answer, "What other choice is there?"

Piccolo grunted in response, following him. He could tell that he was worried, but for once in his afterlife Kratos was right, he needed to shake it off and concentrate on the task at hand. If Black and Zamasu had already made their presence known then it wouldn't be long before Perses did too.

He abruptly came to a halt as they reached their destination, almost sending Piccolo crashing into his back.

As he had feared, the Saiyan village was deserted.

He had hoped that he would run into his grandparents and Raditz in time, and give them fair warning to the danger they were sorely in - but sadly that didn't seem to be an option.

He only prayed that the Saiyans had escaped and not been obliterated. Yet there didn't appear to be any sign of a struggle here. The little stone huts were all intact and he could see that the old tavern was still standing pride of place in the middle of the hamlet.

"Piccolo."

"Yes?"

"When Perses comes, I want you to get out of here."

Piccolo looked as though he might slap him upside the head, "Don't be stupid."

"No, I mean it," Gohan implored, "Please. You can use the Mafuba at a long distance right? I won't be able to concentrate on fighting him if I'm worried about him targeting you."

A dark ripple of pressurised energy suddenly blew past them, and after a while Piccolo gave him a small nod of understanding.

"We've got to hurry, I can feel Black beginning to overpower your father."

Gohan swallowed dryly. He had sensed it, but didn't want to admit it out loud. "I know."

"What is this place?" Piccolo asked as they dropped to the dusty ground. He eyed the fire pits curiously, where several overcooked hellfish had been abandoned and subsequently charcoaled beyond recognition.

"It's where my grandparents live - Dad's mum and dad," he told him, "They and Raditz have been watching over the Z-Sword for me."

"Raditz?" Piccolo guffawed in disbelief, "Please tell me you're talking about a different Raditz."

Gohan's lips twitched, leading the way through the deserted streets, "He's not so bad, you know. He and my Grandpa Bardock helped me in my battle against Janemba. I would have been a goner without them, not to mention that Uncle Raditz has been really helpful in keeping its whereabouts a secret."

"Hn, I suppose that I can trust your judgement," he grumbled, though Gohan caught the annoyed mutter he let out under his breath, "Uncle Raditz?"

They stopped in front of the rickety tavern, just as another plethora of lightening bolts clattered overhead.

"This way," urged Gohan, on high alert as he pushed open the rotted wooden doors and lead the way into the dimly lit pub.

Piccolo remained stood by the archway, nose wrinkled in disgust as he watched him thoughtfully run his fingertips over the sticky, beer-stained bar.

"It's in here?"

"Somewhere," he replied, before he leapt over the long wooden counter and crouched down near the enormous barrels of ale.

"What do you mean, somewhere?" Piccolo glowered, "You mean you don't know where it is?!"

"I know it's here. I disguised it and put a block on it but I asked Uncle Raditz to hide it," said Gohan, rummaging in a couple of cabinets before he hissed, "Oh gross Turles, why is your groin guard in here?! Don't worry Piccolo, I'll find it."

"I'm a little worried, Gohan."

He ignored him, the clatter and tinker of tankards accompanying the unmistakable collision of energy blasts in the distance. The roof of the tavern shook, and a cascade of dust and splintered tiles toppled to the dirty stone floor.

Finally, Gohan stood with a yell of triumph, a simple brown glass bottle in hand.

Piccolo looked positively wild, "Are you seriously drinking at a time like this?!"

"Of course not!" He shot back in offence, waving it around, "It's the Z-Sword."

"That's the sword?"

"I told you that I disguised it."

"As a damned beer?!" Piccolo fumed, "What if someone drank it?!"

"Oh trust me, there's no way," he replied matter-of-factly, "It's non-alcoholic, the Saiyans would rather drink poison than this stuff."

"Unbelievable."

As Gohan opened his mouth in response, did the sound of a crippling explosion pierce the air. What was left of the tavern's windows were blown inwards by the impact, shards of glass quickly turned to dust, the sudden force causing the entire village to quake.

He and Piccolo crossed their arms over their faces in order to shield themselves, as yet another blast ripped straight through the wall and out the other side, obliterating everything in its path.

Gohan braced himself, as a dreadful energy invaded his senses. He was about to yell at Piccolo to get away, when a cloaked figure stepped through the fiery mess they had made.

A violet aura simmered around their silhouette, the energy not of the seizing cold abomination of Perses, but still woeful, strange, wrong. It swept towards them in heavy discordant waves, bleeding into every corner of the tavern.

Wooden panels had caught alight, casting amber shadows over her scarred features. Her hood fell as she stepped calmly over a smouldering chair, a wicked grin spread over her lips as she addressed them.

"How generous of you to lead me to the sword," she cooed, stretching out a hand towards him. "This is the part where you hand it over."

The mere sight of the girl caused Gohan's anger to sharply rise, the already burning air sizzling with an invisible charge.

"Oh? The silent treatment is it?" She feigned sweetness, "It doesn't matter if you won't give it to me alive, it would thrill me even more so if I wrenched it from your corpse."

"I won't give you the satisfaction," he growled, clenching the bottle in his hand even more tightly, "You won't get through me, and even if you did, you wouldn't be able to lift it."

The strange girl grinned all the more wider, coal-black eyes dancing between them in twisted delight, "I'll take my chances."

Gohan wasted no time in charging towards her. He brought his power forth in a vibrant haze of gold, transforming directly into Super Saiyan Two before he flung his electrifying fist into her gut.

The mysterious girl doubled over in pain, blood and saliva spewed from her lips as she was promptly propelled backwards from the force. The tavern shuddered, the structure letting out a sorrowful creak as she caught herself, before she was launched back through the path of destruction from whence she came and out into the blood red sky.

A diabolical wave of Ki erupted around her, a stark violet storm that ignited a fierce wind around them.

Gohan waited. His golden bangs whipped about his face as the girl threw herself forwards, aiming a deadly Ki-infused spinning kick towards his abdomen. He caught it swiftly, the collision of his palm against her boot emitting a sonic boom that prompted the ground to give way beneath his feet.

Dirt and crimson rock exploded outwards as she snarled, and brought up her hands to unleash rapid fire upon him. Gohan quickly drew back, but not before snapping her ankle all the way around. Bones shattered beneath his grasp as she screamed, her blasts dissipating in an instant.

He let go, batting her away as she gathered up another Hakai, the purple orb sizzled beneath her fingertips before she released it. He leapt out of harms way, striking the orb of Destruction with a vicious swipe of his arm.

It careened into a nearby mountain range, where it exploded in an enormous dome of violet light - leaving northing remaining. The ghastly hue intermingled with the storm clouds that trembled from the tremendous clashes happening far below them.

"This isn't going to end as it did before," she panted roughly, her aura wavering before it increased tenfold.

The winds howled, as Gohan scoffed darkly, "You mean, you're not going to run?"

Cruel energy burst forth in response, exuding out of her almost uncontrollably just like it had done on Planet Rhudz. He delved into his own darkness, his golden aura giving way to something much more sinister.

Purple particles washed over his skin, as the planes of HFIL almost grew quiet under the suffocating pressure. Yet the silence was broken by the girl's sharp, rasping cry as she shot towards him like a speeding bullet.

Their fists slammed together, knuckles on knuckles, bone upon bone. He blocked and parried her unrelenting barrage with one hand, the other still wrapped firmly around the disguised Z-Sword.

He had to contain it, the spiteful swirl of destructive Ki that seemed to forever spew from the depths of her energy. Not only was it troublesome, but it was worrying. He didn't feel an end to the negative swell of pressure and hatred - no wonder she couldn't control it.

He phased out, kicking her squarely in the spine so that she lurched forwards with another shriek of pain. She tumbled towards a jagged cliff face, but managed to stop herself from colliding with it at the last second. Her feet dug haphazardly into the sharp rock, crumbling in on itself as she launched back towards him in a blaze of violet.

A low growl escaped his chest, dodging her oncoming blow and elbowing her harshly in the back of the neck. It wasn't enough to knock her out, much to his chargin, and she soon recovered, releasing another Hakai close to his face.

It ignited the air as he countered with his own, feeling the heat from the explosion quiver against his cheek.

"It's like I said before!" Gohan spouted, evading another one of her fists and backhanding her across the sky, "You won't win this!"

The girl snarled, eyes aglow with loathing, "You think that matters to me?! My only purpose is to obtain the Z-Sword - and then I can finally rid myself free of sin!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

Hot tears escaped her without warning. They cascaded rapidly down her scarred features, intermingling with the blood that lingered on her chin.

"I will be saved," she choked, muttering to herself again, "I will bring you to justice and then I will have salvation!"

"You're insane," said Gohan, shaking his head, "Do you really think that Perses and Zamasu will create a better world? They'll destroy everything you know."

"They cannot destroy what is already lost," she said, her gaze snapping up, penetrating his soul as she spoke all too clearly, "And I have lost everything."

He spat viciously, "Tell that to the Namekians you slaughtered."

"I only righted a wrong," she spoke lowly, "The Namekians died and should have stayed dead a long time ago."

"So you Destroyed them because we used the Dragonballs to bring them back after Frieza had wiped them all out?" Gohan frowned, "So what?! What the hell does that have to do with any-?!"

"They should never have been. Just like me. Just like you."

With that, she was upon him. Gohan had to raise his own Hakai to match hers as it suddenly became denser, stronger and threatened to annihilate what was left of the surrounding mountains completely.

Her fist surged with a crackling blade of Ki, forcing Gohan to snatch her wrist out of the air with both hands. He tossed the glass bottle above his head as he smacked her away and destroyed the purple blade with a powerful swipe of his shin.

The girl gasped in desperation, reaching for the relic before Gohan barrelled her out of the air.

"I don't think so!" He roared, following up in his attack and sending her spiralling towards the riverbed that encompassed the village.

The amber water rocked from the force, spewing high above its boundaries. She gritted her teeth as she lifted her head back towards him, her face twisted in rage as the bottle obediently fell back into his grasp.

He didn't let up, drawing back his palm in a well-practiced stance before throwing it forcibly outwards. Black fire erupted forth in a brilliant tunnel of energy, his chant barely audible over the roar of winds and calamitous explosions that reverberated in the distance.

He saw her eyes widen, before her own flames rushed to meet his. Yet hers were even darker, more polluted than his. It tried to gnaw away at his own blast but it was no match, and she wailed desperately as the Dark Kamehameha slowly overtook her attack.

A shower of smoke and dying embers was all that remained of the clash after the aftershock had subsided. The girl had been blasted back into the tavern, where she had crashed unceremoniously into the wall of beer barrels that now lay leaking and splintered in various displays of disarray.

The girl writhed and groaned in pain, the strong Saiyan-made mead seeping into the nasty array of fresh burns that littered her pale skin. Her cloak was torn and singed, ripped from her boney shoulder, revealing just how thin and malnourished she really was.

Gohan landed before her with a hard emerald stare, lightening bolts crackling around his imposing might as he spat to the ground at her feet.

"You can believe whatever Zamasu and Perses tell you," he snarled, "But because you're so intent on carrying out their plans to Destroy everything, you leave me with no other choice."

"Gohan!" Piccolo shouted, drawing his attention for a split second. His eyes were wide as he glanced between them, but Gohan promptly turned back - ignoring him.

Rage seeped into his veins, and he welcomed it. His mind wondered back to a peaceful green planet, with rushes of blue trees and unending oceans. Once upon a time, its people had wrapped him in their arms of kindness and safety when it felt like the world was about to fall apart again.

Dende's terrified cry died with him, as Frieza lowered his palm. The nauseating smell of cooked flesh wafted towards him as the Namekian winds blew. He was gone.

Piccolo roared, his eyes faded all to white as the jet of light pierced straight through his chest. He collapsed to his knees with a dying gasp. And Gohan screamed.

Bia's dying golden eyes before she disintegrated into nothingness, Alala's blood-curdling roar, Deimos' agonised cries…

His Hakai pulsed even more ruinously, the cracked tiles beneath his feet beginning to disintegrate into nothingness.

The girl gasped at the sight, the crazed violet light within her eyes extinguished and was replaced by fear. Distraught, she fired orb after destructive orb which was all too quickly swallowed up by Gohan's dark aura.

The tense pressure grew heavier, and she began to pant, struggling to breathe under the weight of his Divine power. The skies darkened even more so, building with an ominous charge.

"You," she mustered, her voice giving way to a strange noise that was halfway between a laugh and a sob, "You cannot be the one that frees me from this misery - Zamasu is the only one who -."

"Do you really think that Zamasu can save you from me? After what you've done?"

A small smile cracked through her tears, "He did once."

"You're delusional," Gohan scorned, drawing up his left arm and taking deadly aim, "And I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

Grievous power swelled, a surge of violet lightening jumping in between his fingertips. The girl continued to sob, scrunching up her eyelids as her body was illuminated with a dark purple light.

"GOHAN!"

Piccolo's bellow was lost on him, as he stretched his palm out fully and allowed for the Hakai to form. It manifested at his will, his fingers pointed and reaching towards the sky -

And then everything stopped.

The air stilled. A cold seizing feeling of terror seemed to draw all the oxygen from his throat. It crawled up his spine and dragged over his scalp like long frozen fingers. They probed into his brain and pulled sharply at his senses, causing his head to swim.

"Temper, temper," came a cruel whisper, "You wouldn't want to do something you'd regret, now would you, Lord Gohan?"

He turned just as Piccolo did, his eyes meeting the steely gaze of Perses who was leaning up the door frame right behind them. His arms were folded over his chest somewhat casually as he beheld the scene unfolding in front of him with an air of curious amusement.

Goosebumps erupted over his skin, a sickening concoction of nerves and adrenaline twisted in his gut.

"Piccolo, get out of here," was all he could say, his useless heart straining against his ribcage, "You need to GO."

The look he gave him was agonising as he defied his orders, "I'm not leaving you with the both of them."

"Oh, this is all very serious," Perses laughed, catching the exchange, "Come now Gohan, if he wishes to fight for his life then why don't you indulge him? After all, the blood that is spilled from the wretched and the damned will be used to cleanse the New World. You could at least let him be useful before he succumbs to oblivion."

"This fight is between you and I, Perses - leave Piccolo out of this," Gohan glowered, trying desperately to ignore how his stomach rolled.

It was unsettling how those steely grey eyes ran the length of him as Perses snorted, his smile unwavering, "Just the two of us, is it? How intimate. Though, incredibly bold of you to assume that you are any match for me."

He didn't respond, biting his tongue so hard that it drew blood. The metallic tang spilled into his mouth, the only sound that of the distant rumble of ongoing battles over the mountains, and the girl's ragged gasps behind them.

"So self-righteous," Perses let out a dark chuckle and stood up from the wall. Gohan was on his guard, as he felt Piccolo bristle beside him, his Ki tingling with anticipation. "If only you knew the truth."

"I don't care what you have to say," he stated boldly, "No matter what happens here, you aren't going to win this."

"It is already done," he sighed and shook his head, "The robes you wear are proof of it. But make no mistake, you are nothing but a little boy playing dress up. Or do you still truly believe that you are Universe Seven's Champion?"

His goading laugher grated harshly against his eardrums, intermingling with a crippling boom of thunder overhead. Gohan allowed his power to erupt with it, a bone-quaking roar wrenched from his chest as the tavern threatened to tumble into dust.

A dazzling culmination of purple and fuchsia flames enveloped him in a surge of earth-shattering power. His golden hair swiftly turned to sharp rose-coloured peaks atop his head, green eyes giving way to hard grey. The ground shook beneath their feet, as he fixated his Almighty glare towards the demigod.

"I'll make you pay for what you did to Lord Beerus."

Perses observed him for a long moment, before one of his fists slowly uncurled. A long weapon, with sharp blades at each end, manifested out of thin air, its deadly edges glinting in the fuchsia light.

"Get the relic."

Gohan swiftly evaded the girl as she leapt towards him. He was too fast for her, especially in this form, and quickly prised the beer bottle out of her reach before uppercutting her in the jaw.

She wailed in pain, cannonballing into the ceiling where she promptly burst through the other side and into the thunderous clouds. He turned to Piccolo, a silent understanding drifting between them before his old mentor pulled off his weighted cape and turban and threw them to the floor.

The garments landed with a heavy crack against the already crumbling floor, as Piccolo kicked off from the ground in a blaze of white and went careening after her.

Gohan pushed down the anxiety that gnawed at his resolve, fixing his stormy gaze firmly on Perses whose smirk was even wider than before. His power piqued, as his energy discharged and he hurtled towards him.

He roared with all his might, fist flaming as he took a running leap - !

Every bone in his body groaned in unison, as Perses countered with a crippling strike to his chest. He fell back, coughing and spluttering, trying to snatch back the breath that had been forced out of him when he felt a displacement in the air.

He ducked out of pure instinct, as the double-bladed sword came singing over his head. Knees bent, he used the momentum to charge again, slamming his head into Perses' gut in an attempt to knock him off his feet.

A jarring laugh escaped the fiend, as he didn't so much as make him move an inch. But Gohan was relentless, and followed up in a frenzy of powerful kicks and punches that Perses blocked and evaded with undeniable ease.

He yelled as he span wildly in midair, aiming a kick to the side of his head. His foot was stopped short by one of the blades as it danced expertly in between Perses' fingers.

He evaded it again, nearly being caught off guard as the swords sliced towards him in rapid succession - pushing him back so much that he ended up with his back firmly against the bar. He dived and rolled out of the way as one of the blades sank into the wooden counter - complete severing it in two.

Perses eyes glinted with malice, aiming the weapon at his head once more before a keen slither of clashing swords echoed over the tavern. For the first time in this fight, Perses actually looked surprised, as his blade was met with the sharp edge of the long sword in Gohan's grasp.

"Tartarian steel?" He observed, "Now that is an interesting development."

Gohan hissed through gritted teeth, battling both blades with his single. The heavy clang and rattle of steel upon steel sang and clattered over the tavern as he forced Perses back a few feet, though to his annoyance the demigod didn't look phased.

"You've got good form, I'll give you that!" He chortled, as Gohan performed a figure eight to bring his weapon down again, "But how is your footwork, I wonder?"

Perses side stepped, leaving him no choice but to counter, pivoting on the spot and meeting his blade with his own in another sing of steel.

"Very good!" He praised, lunging forwards as Gohan immediately parried, "Now if I step again - ."

He caught Perses' feint, dodging out of the way and meeting him blade for blade once again. Had it had been any other swordsman, he was certain that he would have disarmed them.

His next move gave him no choice but to leap onto the bar, as Perses' attack aimed to sever his knee caps. Abandoned tankards clattered to the floor as Perses swiftly joined him atop the counter, not a moments pause in the vicious swipe of his swords.

The ancient wood splintered and groaned underneath their combined weight, as they glided back and forth, trying to force the other over the edge. The blades sheered against their foe, capturing the crimson glow from the skies above and sent dapples of blood red light dancing over the walls.

Perses picked up the pace of his onslaught in a series of intricate movements - deadly, yet with a delicate finesse that Gohan could only marvel at. He was skilled yes, but Perses' expertise was undeniable.

His own technique was more brutal. Jarring and unpredictable at times, and made up of a combination of swiping and hacking motions that often mimicked the fast and furious strike of his limbs.

The merciless tango continued, and Gohan was getting more frustrated with each swing of his sword. He took a small opening as soon as he spotted it. He lunged, using the toe of his boot to kick up an empty tankard and launch it towards Perses' face.

The blades swiped through the air before it hit, slicing cleanly through the pewter. Gohan dived, skidding under Perses' outstretched arm and wasting no time in delivering a crippling blow to his back.

A gruff noise of amused bewilderment escaped him, as Gohan brought the Tartarian weapon downwards like an axe - !

CLANG!

"Ah, you do know your way around a sword, don't you?" Perses grinned, halting the attack firmly in its tracks, "But it takes a great warrior to be able to master a Tartarian weapon, boy."

Gohan's eyes widened, quickly deflecting his sudden advance as the blades came slashing towards him - much faster and more purposeful than before.

"It takes patience -!"

CLATTER!

"Skill - !"

SING!

"Strength - !"

ZIIIIIING!

"One cannot simply be gifted such a magnificent blade and hope to master it - !"

CLING!

"You are not worthy - !" He called, as Gohan's sword creaked and trembled against his, "Just as you are not worthy to wield the mighty Z-Sword!"

SLICE!

He cried out as he was batted away, not quite quick enough to evade the offending blade. The side of his face burned with pain, as it had sliced through the skin on his cheek. Blood trickled down to his jaw, although thankfully it was not all that deep. He had already lost his spleen to one of Perses' diabolical weapons. He would need to be more careful.

A hot spiral of purple and yellow energy shot overhead, the glaring flash of the attack even more obvious through the hole in the ceiling. It ripped across the sky until it was then joined by the shuddering force of the skirmish above. With Piccolo and the girl now joining the fray, it felt as though the whole of the Underworld was under fire.

"Still, it is curious as to how you obtained an ancient Tartarian weapon," Perses said in the short pause in their battle, his eyes slid slowly down his bare chest and lingered at the circular burn mark just below his collarbone, "Very curious."

Gohan had barely wiped away the blood that had now made its way down his chin, before Perses was on the attack.

The swords clashed together just as ruinously, but Gohan was determined, and jumped above Perses' head as soon as he managed to free himself of another stalemate. Throwing the blade up in the air, a white hot blast gathered beneath his palm before he fired, snarling in frustration as it was quickly snuffed out by another wave of Perses' sword.

He had no choice but to go on the defensive yet again, as Perses' next onslaught was even more ruthless than the last. Yet Gohan knew that this was just the warm up, he wasn't an idiot. This was the first time that they had truly fought, he could not and certainly would not count the whole spear through his sternum debacle.

Another song of vicious blades rang out like a bountiful chorus. Gohan leapt up, dodging another fatal dagger that swept under his legs, when he was hit with a savage kick to the stomach.

In the next moment, he was fired out of the tavern and across the village. He felt each painful slam of his back against the stone huts, thud after unforgiving thud. He collided with a mass of broken rock in which he was shortly buried underneath, the dirt invading his mouth, eyes and nostrils as he fought to remain conscious.

He gasped, trying to cough it up but only made it worse. A painful throb and a trickle of warmth told him that his eyebrow had split open. He groaned as he continued to spit up dirt and mucous, and was honestly amazed that he had managed to keep hold of the beer bottle in the midst of the destruction.

It was cold and dark under the rubble. He could no longer see the violent flashes of light or catastrophic clouds swirling overhead, yet he could hear the familiar roar of battle all too clearly.

He could feel the fluctuating energy of his father and the others battling all out against the ruinous Ki of their foes. Piccolo was the closest still, and was holding his own despite that girl's explosive power. He was damned thankful that Piccolo was as smart and skilled as he was and that he himself had managed to inflict some substantial damage upon her before they fought.

He groaned again, his coughing fit subsiding. He could not lose here, he wouldn't allow it. He didn't care just how strong Perses was.

Jagged rocks lifted all at once, levitating into the air before exploding outwards. Gohan's aura burst to life around his frame, the debris falling away as he stood to his feet. His eyes narrowed as he noticed the lone figure stood a few feet away from his rocky prison.

Perses was waiting.

"I see that you're ready for round two," he crooned, delighted, "I want you to step it up this time, Gohan. Show me the power that Whis deemed worthy of the throne of Destruction!"

And he did.

Without a word, Gohan threw himself headlong into Perses' awaiting blades, his limbs thrumming with the energy of Destruction as he fought through his guard. A roar tore from his throat as he blurred with motion, every strike that he unleashed created earth-shattering dispersals of rock and wind that kicked up long lines of debris in every direction.

The stone huts collapsed around them, the small Saiyan village more recognisable as a pile of desecrated pebbles than a hamlet. Perses met him blow for blow, his blades narrowly missing his head as he shot upwards once more.

A disastrous purple orb grew rapidly at the edge of his index finger, the winds screaming in protest as it pulsated with catastrophic might, before he flung it down towards his opponent.

He snarled, as Perses discharged it with his own Hakai before phasing outwards and sending him spiralling back towards the ground in another agonising strike. His head was spinning as he managed to catch himself, his boots impacting harshly with the ground.

Perses left him no room to recover. The realm shuddered, waning from every rip-roaring shockwave that escaped the ongoing battles. His entire body jolted as a knee embedded into his spine, bending him over backwards across Perses' thigh. He cried out, as a sharp elbow sank into his sternum.

"I'll give Whis this much," he said almost teasingly into his ear, "You can certainly take a beating."

He snarled, not giving him the satisfaction of a half-assed retort and drove the Tartarian blade through the air.

CLANG!

Gohan's eyes widened, as the sword met another one of Perses' blades, but found that he had conjured yet another double-bladed weapon that he grasped with his other hand. Now it was four blades against one.

More of his power rushed forth as he used all his strength to fling the weapon away from him. With another shout, Gohan pushed his Ki into his own sword, flames lapping eagerly at the sharp edge, bringing with it a wicked dark energy that intermingled with his aura.

He charged, the Hakai-infused blade raging like an inferno in his palm, slicing through one of the double-blades as it careened back towards him. Perses' eyes reflected the purple practicals as they exploded outwards, the weapon disintegrating completely.

"Clever," Perses hummed thoughtfully, "You may be talented, yes, but you lack conviction."

He was seeing stars, as another sonic boom clattered across the sky. His neck snapped backwards, the tendons in his back and shoulders screamed with agony as Perses launched forwards without warning and connected their foreheads together in a devastating head-butt.

He was reeling from the impact, his head throbbing. Perses' strike was much more powerful than before, but this time Gohan wasn't flung back. He winced through the pain, realising with dread that Perses' fist had ahold of the sash around his neck - all but strangling him.

He choked, as Perses glowered. "This universe is truly lost if this is all the promise you show."

Gohan tried to break free of the hold, gasping as Perses' grip grew even tighter, "Y-You are the one that's lost, P-Perses. T-They cared for you. Y-You doing this isn't going to make a-any of it better - !"

"Insufferable," he spat, releasing him only to deck him to the ground once more.

Gohan hit the crimson dirt worse this time, the crater much bigger than the last. He panted, throat straining from the feeling of his oesophagus being squeezed too tightly.

"You think that Whis and Beerus cared?!" Perses scorned, landing before him. "Do not be so uncouth as to believe that the Gods are benevolent! They think that they are above mortal-kind, yet the arrogant Kai still filled the universe with those same mortals who induce war, disease and famine - whilst the Destroyers spread even more violence and terror when it suits them. What do you think their intention is, Gohan?"

"You're wrong, it's not like that - !"

"Do not try to educate me, child," he snarled with venom in his eyes, "Do not speak as though you know anything of the ways of the multiverse. You are nothing but Whis' obedient pet, carrying out ridiculous 'duties' which mean nothing and will be redundant in the dawn of the New World. Your so called legacy will be just like your Masters - bringers of death and destruction. Mine is life - creation!"

"But you want to destroy everything first!" Gohan bellowed hotly, stubbornly getting back to his feet, "It doesn't make any sense!"

"One must Destroy in order to create, haven't you learned that by now?" Perses chastised, "My goodness, what has Whis been teaching you?"

Thunder rolled above, and a plethora of lightening bolts zig-zagged through the building clouds as they clashed once more. This time, Gohan was on the offensive, charging up a ball of golden Ki and throwing it straight in Perses' face. The demigod seethed as it discharged, his remaining weapon swiping back through the air as Gohan countered with his own sword.

Perses' dark laughter rose above the storm of their combined attacks. "You are a persistent one, aren't you?!"

"And you talk too much!" Gohan shot back, the cool glass of the brown bottle still wedged beneath his fingers as he blocked another one of Perses' strikes with his shin. "I just - don't understand - why you're - doing - this - OOF!"

He was certain that he had broken a few ribs with that last one. Gohan winced, cradling his aching side as Perses' floated before him with a deadly grin.

"The greater good, Gohan," he told him, a huskiness to his tone - relishing in each syllable of the phrase, "You know how this one goes, surely? Consider a diseased limb - amputation as horrific and gruesome as it may be is necessary for greater health, is it not?"

"That's not the same -."

"Isn't it?" He goaded, "Isn't that the very reason why you have carried out such horrors? Destroyed countless civilisations for the balance of the universe? You serve and strive for the greater good just as I."

He swallowed hard, trying desperately to ignore the quivering dread that began to seep into his resolve.

"I am nothing like you."

"That's where you're wrong," Perses chuckled darkly, "You may be delusional but even you have seen it. Haven't you?"

Gohan remained defiant, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Feign ignorance if you must," he scoffed, his weapon evaporating into thin air as he folded his arms over his chest in a weirdly unsettling move, "I see the regret flicker in your eyes as much as I see my own."

His mouth ran dry, his chest hitched, but he held his gaze firmly.

"I know what it's like to walk around with that crater in your soul," said Perses, "You try so desperately to fill it with that sense of duty and honour that the Gods groom you to fulfil, prime you to uphold - but it will never be enough. No matter how much Whis and Beerus promise you, no matter how well the balance is maintained, no matter how much GOOD they lead you to believe you are doing - it is impossible. It isn't enough. I know how you are feeling because I have been there, Gohan. The seed of doubt plants and roots itself to your spirit. Over time it will fester and grow until you cannot ignore it any longer. And then… and then you will slowly realise that you weren't meant to save this world, you were meant to Destroy it."

The dread within him burned so intensely that he thought it may set him alight. He watched Perses intently, as he breathed deeply and opened his arms so that they came to rest at his sides, his palms facing the heavens far above.

"Oh believe me, I tried to rid myself of these afflictions too but I had sinned too greatly - even before Whis had 'blessed' me with a further purpose after my death in the mortal realm," he cried, letting out a bark of cruel laughter, "I had lived in a time of great conflict. War after war, burying loved one after loved one - and for what? So that the Gods may use me to inflict more devastation to protect their precarious balance?"

"There has to be balance -," Gohan tried, but the oxygen refused to go down into his lungs, "Else the universe -!"

"The cosmos is rotting from the inside out! It has been this way millennia after millennia!" He bellowed, "The Gods and Angels do not care to notice! They bide their time, patching the holes in their flimsy fabrication of reality, ignorant to how the multiverse should be led! They would not listen to me, and I stopped trusting them after I realised that I was nothing more than another pawn for their play."

"You pushed six entire universes to extinction!" He protested, frustration gnashed between his teeth, "You're a MANIAC!"

"No, I'm a revolutionary," Perses spoke cooly, "And I did what anyone else in my position would have done. I took action. Given time, you would have seen it too, and perhaps resorted to the same measures as I -."

"That's where you're really fucking wrong, Perses," he spat, his energy sparking as rubble began to slowly twist around him. "I would never choose to go down the same path as you."

"Oh really?" He quirked, "So what will you choose, Lord Gohan of Universe Seven? Will you surrender the Z-Sword into the light? Or will you condemn your entire domain to darkness?"

"You already know my answer."

Perses' lips pursed, "Pity."

Another weapon manifested out of thin air, a long golden handle stretched beneath his fingertips. At one end, three prongs materialised, sharp and twisted - forged in a dazzling bronze and gold.

The trident came speeding towards him in a miraculous swirl of gold, leaving Gohan no choice but to deflect. A great heaving toll reverberated around them, as their weapons connected. Gohan snarled, his muscles straining as he tried to force Perses back, but it was no use.

The Tartarian sword groaned in protest, creaking so much under the force of Perses' strike that he thought it may snap completely in two. Gohan jumped back, dodging the deadly prongs by inches as they sunk into the dirt beneath his feet.

Perses' skill with the trident was incredible. Like an extension of himself, it expertly glided through the air with unbridled accuracy, missing Gohan only by a fraction with each swing.

"This is getting tiresome," he sighed disappointedly, the skirmish of their weapons resulting in yet another stalemate.

Gohan just about caught the blur of gold before he found himself winded. He was forced to both knees, coughing up a wad of blood and saliva as pure agony radiated through his gut. Perses retracted his offending fist in anger, bringing up his leg and crashing it into the side of his skull.

He screamed in pain, as his neck jolted from the brutal hit. His body thrashed and rolled several feet, his skin grazed and bloodied against the cold earth. Darkness crept into the corners of his vision - though it could have been blood, yet he raised his gaze to meet Perses' regardless, finding the wicked demigod towering over him.

Flat on his back, Gohan tried to get to his feet, but Perses' boot against his sternum held him still.

"Miserable whelp," Perses uttered, and spat to the floor, "You have no idea what you are up against. How careless of the Gods to put their faith in a boy like you."

His aura sprang to life, sizzling with defiance as Gohan struggled. He flung the Tartarian sword towards him, but to his horror, the blade became lodged in between the prongs of the trident.

He was left stunned, and was promptly disarmed by a flick of Perses' wrist. The hilt left his grasp, and he could only watch as the sword went skidding across the ground.

"Make no mistake, Gohan," he smirked wickedly, "You are only still breathing because I allow it."

"Y-You aren't going to win," Gohan swallowed, the coppery taste of blood still lingering on his tongue, "Even if you do end everything and start anew, you won't feel complete. It won't make up for your father's -.

"Silence!" Perses' eyes were wild as he leered towards him, the heel of his boot pressing further into his ribs and causing him to cry out. "You think that just by skulking about my discarded memories you have learned something about me that will aid you?! Oh don't look so perturbed, Gohan! It is obvious - the burn to your chest, the Tartarian sword - do you think me an imbecile?!"

Gohan tried to stifle another painful cry that tore from his throat, clenching the glass bottle tight like a lifeline. Blood pooled around Perses' boot as one by one his broken ribs began to shatter. It was as though he was trying to force his foot out through the other side of his torso.

"Your arrogance knows no bounds it appears, and here I presumed you were simply misled by Whis' lies," he smote, "Yet unlike your predecessors, I will allow for forgiveness. This is your chance for redemption, child. Succumb unto me, or face eternal damnation!"

"N-Never!" He choke out, only to hear Perses scoff in response.

"Then so be it."

The shine of the trident glinted underneath the blood red sky as it was raised above him. Perses' grasped the long haft in both hands, driving the sharp teeth down towards his chest - !

CLANG!

There was a blinding flash and suddenly the trident was halted in its tracks, no match for the new weapon that had suddenly appeared in Gohan's grasp.

"Finally," said Perses, his eyes glowed in the deadly shine of the Z-Sword, "The relic."

Gohan panted, using the Z-Sword to fight Perses' off him. He stumbled to his feet, ribs aching as the familiar sing of steel clattered over the desolate remains of the village. Their battle soon unleashed a catastrophic windstorm that whipped around them, each clash of their weapons sending a rip-roaring shockwave across the vast planes of Hell.

As he'd expected, using the Z-Sword had put him on more equal footing, but that meant that Perses' only increased his power more. And just when he thought he was getting the upper hand, he was fired back across the village.

He growled in frustration, using his forearm to wipe the blood and sweat that marred his brow as he stood.

"You alright, kid?" Z asked worriedly, his tentative voice ringing in his ears.

"What do you think?" He snapped irritably, the smoke dissipating and revealing Perses' imposing shadow.

"Well excuse me for asking!" He guffawed, "You're only going head to head with an evil demigod of destruction after all."

"Yes, thank you, Z. I have noticed."

"I mean at the very least you could ask how I am," the relic continued to rant, "You DID conceal me and stuff me into a bottle of BEER for a year! So degrading - and to an ancient being like me - !"

"It doesn't matter right now!" He snarled, catching something shiny winking at him out of the corner of his eye. "All that matters is that I try and hold Perses off enough before Piccolo can try and use the Mafuba, or until Whis gets here -."

"This all sounds very poorly thought out if you ask me."

Gohan ignored him, and hastily picked up the discarded Tartarian sword before Perses launched himself towards him once more. Armed with both weapons, Gohan roared with all his might, driving the swords through the tridents prongs and attempted to leverage it free of Perses' grasp.

"AND WHO THE HELL IS THIS?!" Z cried, outraged, "Have you replaced me with this toothpick?! Do I mean nothing to you?!"

The trident moved, but was jostled back by Perses' strength. He yanked it backwards, sending Gohan spinning sideways. But he didn't let up, using the momentum to drive a powerful kick into the demigod's side.

The hit landed, allowing for Gohan to finally gain the upper hand. He charged, the blades slicing through the harsh winds as Perses stumbled. Digging in his heels, he threw the relic as hard as he could, distracting him for all of a millisecond. But it was enough, and soon it came spinning back to him like a boomerang.

There was a deafening collision of blade upon metal, and the trident finally fell to the dusty earth, the Z-Sword victorious.

Gohan's hard silver eyes bore into his foe's, which were wide in surprise, the Tartarian blade balancing against his jugular.

To his chargin, Perses' barked with laughter.

"Bravo!" He mustered, giving him a slow clap, "You are just full of surprises! It almost makes me want to spare you."

"Save me the compliments, Perses," Gohan scorned, "You're the one who wanted me to bring out the Z-Sword. But my question is why? Why do you want it so badly, when it's already faithful to me? Surely what you're hoping to achieve with it is pointless."

"We all have our secrets," Perses hummed, a wide grin spreading over his lips, "The ones that we keep, and the ones that are kept from us - you know what I mean."

"I don't believe that I do."

"Come on, Gohan," he sighed, and rolled his eyes almost playfully, "All you need to do is hand the relic over to me and all will be well. We needn't get into all that."

"All what?"

"So naive," he shook his head, "Don't you want your daughter to grow up in a world without suffering?"

Gohan stilled, and the sword in his grasp dropped away from Perses' throat.

Perses took advantage of his lapse in concentration before he could so much as blink. He flung the Tartarian sword away with a swipe of his arm, barrelling into his chest and knocking him to the ground.

Gohan thrust out his right hand to summon the Z-Sword, but quickly found his arms shoved against his sides. Perses held him upright in a painful bearhug, pressing him firmly against his body so that they were almost moulded together. His strong muscles squeezed him hard, threatening to snap his spine in two.

The Z-Sword stopped in its flight, dropping to the ground with a heavy thud, buried in the mud as the clouds finally burst above them and marred his vision with dirty orange rain. The relic lay useless only feet away, taunting him as he was locked in Perses' devastating vice grip.

He bit the inside of his cheek to try and stop himself from screaming, but it was no use. Perses' caught his struggle, malicious eyes glinting madly as he squeezed him even tighter. Gohan's lungs burned, as white hot agony tore through his ligaments and seeped into his bones, it felt as though they would crack at any moment.

He had a feeling that one of his broken ribs had pierced a lung, for he was promptly choking on his own blood. He wheezed as it curdled in his throat, and struggled to break free - but it was completely useless.

A sonic boom battered against the clouds from somewhere above them, and Gohan's heart sank as he heard Piccolo's snarling cry sound over the roar of the relentless rainfall.

"GOHAN!"

Piccolo, NO! Gohan yelled telepathically, but wasn't certain if he hadn't heard him or just ignored him altogether. For the next thing he knew, Piccolo's green fist came soaring into Perses' cheek.

It was over in less than a second. White hot fire exploded from the diabolical demigod's aura, a direct hit if there ever was one. Piccolo's smouldering body soared over the skies, crashing to the ground on the other side of the village amongst the steadily growing pool of water.

His rage ignited, and Gohan's fuchsia aura crackled into fruition. His furious roar surged along with his power, causing Perses to release him as he was blown back a few feet. Gohan sprang forwards, decking Perses across the jaw and firing a devastating Masenko off at point blank range.

It detonated in a dazzling display of golden smoke, the glittering ash reflecting in the murky puddles as they upheaved from the shockwave.

As the explosion eased, Gohan attempted to clear his mind free of rage. He panted wearily and sought out Piccolo's Ki, which to his relief was still there. It was weak, but steady, giving him the indication that he must have been knocked out.

"So it is fury that fuels that power of yours," Perses observed, singed but unharmed, "I see. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit in to place. Even still, it is not all that impressive -."

"Shut up!" Gohan snarled, venom dripping from each syllable, "Tell me - tell me how you know about that!"

Perses raised his brow, "A sore subject for you, granted. You can't even seem to admit the great taboo out loud, can you? Whis really does have you on such a tight leash, doesn't he?"

"I said shut the fuck up and tell me how you know about her!"

It took all of his willpower not to fly off the handle, as that ominous chuckle grated on his every nerve.

"Isn't it just ironic how you tried to learn more about my past, when I know far more about your future?" He said, relishing in the spark of confusion that flickered in Gohan's eyes, "Oh yes the Diamas is a very peculiar crystal. If you are not the wielder of its memories, you cannot use it to its full effect - the pure crystal even going so far as to mutilate the user."

"Get to the point, Perses."

"A naive novice you may be, but you are not that stupid," he continued, inclining his head to the relic behind them, "You will have figured out by now that Diamas crystal bonds to blood, and that the hilt of the Z-Sword is made out of that same ancient crystal."

He felt a strong sense of unease wrap around him like a suffocating blanket, he watched Perses carefully, on guard and ready to strike if his musings were just that - another distraction. But something else nibbled away at the edge of his subconscious, something telling him that something was truly, deeply wrong.

"It, for some reason or another, has bonded to you Gohan," said Perses, stopping in front of him, "A special bond indeed, one that is foretold to be unrivalled, yes? One capable of cutting down the mightiest of foes?"

He didn't answer, his tongue suddenly felt heavy and twisted as Perses utterly beamed, directing his attention once again behind him.

"But I DO wonder what happens when another of your blood attempts to wield the relic? Just how special is your fabled bond THEN?!"

Apprehensively, he followed his gaze to the Z-Sword that lay abandoned in the mud. Only, it wasn't alone.

Gohan froze, as the mysterious girl hovered over the blade. She was even more battered and bloodied than when he had last seen her, cuts and bruises accompanied the lashings of mud that caked her side from where Piccolo had sent her crashing into the ground before he had raced to his aid.

Her short boyish hair stuck to her pale face, drenched by the rain. Her dark eyes shone with a violet hue as she bent forwards, and wrapped her small bony hands around the hilt of the relic.

He could only stare, rooted to the spot. Sheer horror and realisation seized him all at once as a gruff cry left her lips, and with a hefty strain of effort - did she lift it.

---

1st March, 2024.

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A/N:

I'm back!

I am soooooo sorry for the delay. Work and uni claimed me as well as family life. And I have been working extremely hard on this chapter.

This is probably the hardest chapter I have written to date.

I had so many ideas and it took a while to plot. Many conversations were had with the lovely Bonsim over this, and she has really helped me to guide this story in the right direction - so this chapter is all thanks to her!

Although I did go a little rogue and decided not to fully kill Lord Beerus (yet... or will I?) Despite Bonsim's insistence that I murder all of my characters... But it still meant that Gohan has now taken the role of God of Destruction. That's right. I didn't think it was going to pan out this way at the beginning of this story, but him being pushed into this role before he is truly ready seems rather fitting. Thinking back to Cell Games vibes here!

I was near enough crying whilst writing it, I am a self confessed emotional wreck.

Deimos, yep. Sorry guys, he is gone just like Bia. It doesn't make sense for everyone to survive this. Makhai and Gohan's relationship is even more fragile because of this, but I like to think that Makhai is more upset because he just wants to keep his best friend safe, and of course Gohan going off on his lonesome and being thrust into dangerous situations isn't helping his worries. I LOVE their relationship, don't get me wrong. But tensions are high and it would be negligent of me to not explore their friendship and allow them to grow. This is development guys.

At first I was a little worried about the fast pace of this chapter, but I think it works and gives urgency to the situation at hand. Time is against them, as well as everything else it seems.

Now lets get onto the main baddy...

Perses' has been this mystery we have only seen snippets of over the last 40 chapters, so I felt as though I needed to do him justice. I didn't want him to come off as a 'typical' villain. He has a purpose, he is a person. He is much more complex than I think even Gohan was let to believe. There are SO many similarities between them that we saw in the last chapter, and now Gohan is facing what he has always feared. It is really really difficult to argue when someone has a valid point, isn't it?

The sword fighting was difficult to write but was super fun. I like to explore the differences in the way they fight, Gohan IS a novice but he is extremely talented - which is probably the reason Whis chose him so readily.

I am itching to know what you guys thought of the final reveal... were you expecting it? I am really pleased with how it turned out. I am hoping that the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place now or maybe I've just opened a can of mystery worms?

As always thanks so much to you all who have stuck with me. I really appreciate the feedback and comments! Big love.