Chapter 119 — The Ultimate Saiyan

"Trunks!"

Gohan was astounded to see the man, alive, whole, and at full fighting strength, standing in front of him. The Super Saiyan God grinned, and placed a hand on the hit of his sword. Smoothly, he unsheathed it, revealing a sleek, shining black broadsword. He recognised it as katchin — a metal he had been doing research into. A Katchin blade? Voicing his thoughts, he said, "Where have you been, Trunks?"

"I got saved," Trunks replied lightly. "It's too much to explain everything right now, but the Android 16 of my timeline, and his new benefactor, saved my life." Kneeling down to his mother's side, he placed his hand on her wound. The ki of the Super Saiyan God seared over it, divine flames rushing into a mortal body. Bulma felt the pain in her wound ease, though it did not close.

Gohan stood vigil, watching as the two Blacks emerged from the rubble and walked over, both faces contorted in disgust. Gohan wasn't sure what he liked less — seeing the expression on his own face, or on his father's.

"So you were alive, Trunks," said Gokū Black, contempt in his voice. "Where exactly were you hiding, only to crawl out now like the bug you are?"

"We were going to eradicate all of you then — we won't make the same mistake of letting you run away this time!" added Gohan Black.

"I'm not running anywhere," replied Trunks, standing up to his full height and staring the two do them down. Black's appearance, clad in a crimson dual aura, surprised him now that he had the time to truly take it in. "Gohan...what happened to Black?"

"It's the Kaiōken," said Gohan. "One of my dad's techniques. He stole my Dad's body, Trunks, and he has all of the techniques and memories that come with it."

"So it's true," said Trunks. "You aren't Son Gokū. What No. 16 told me was true."

"No. 16...?" Gokū Black eyed Trunks curiously. "So you found an interesting ally. But yes, it is as Gohan says — I stole this body, to balance and rectify the universe with the hands of the man who has sullied the name of the Gods."

"And I, who shared his vision, stole the body of his son, the being with the strongest potential out of every Saiyan," added Gohan Black.

"They used something called the Super Dragon Balls," said Gohan, glowering. "And that ring of his, a Time Ring, let him come here."

"There's no point in dallying," said Gokū Black. "I was generous enough to give you that information to take with you to the Afteriife, Gohan. You can regale Trunks with it when you speak with Enma!" The Kaiōken-clad Saiyan thrust his hand forward, discharging a sphere of immense size; the black cored, pink kikōha barreled towards the three of them. In a flash of crimson and black, Trunks stepped in front of Gohan; his sword was drawn, slicing the incoming attack in two.

"Mother...step back," said Trunks, never taking his eyes off the two Blacks, who were stunned into silence.

"But I can—"

"No, Trunks is right," said Gohan. "Combination tactics won't work well if two many hands get in the way — I learned from Piccolo, and Trunks learned from the me of this timeline; our moves will synch more. Besides, you're wounded. You can hardly sustain that form."

Bulma frowned. She loathed every single thing about the two imposters wearing those skins. At the same time, she had to admit her son had a point. Whatever this was power was, it was burning through her reserves quickly, and the fresh wound wasn't helping.

"Kick their asses, boys," said Bulma, floating a few feet off the ground before flying backwards to whatever she might consider a safe distance.

Trunks and Gohan stood side by side, their crimson and azure eyes locking with the crimson and grey pair of eyes before them. Four individuals, each with their own degree of god ki, stood on the damaged streets of the ruined Eastern Capital.

"We won't leave a single Saiyan alive," said Gokū Black.

"And then we'll polish off the rest of this planet's mortals," added Gohan Black.

"I have a family waiting for me," said Gohan, eyes narrowing. "I'm not going to meet my end here."

"I can't leave Mai all by herself to fend off these two," Trunks agreed. "And this planet has been through too much."

SCHING!

Trunks and Gokū Black moved first. A glowing ki sabre clashed against a shining obsidian blade; Trunks had swung his sword down to meet Black's own upward slash. Trunks kept Black at bay, pushing back when Black attempted to break through and bifurcate him.

Simultaneously lunged the two Gohans — crimson and azure streaked across the cityscape. Gohan Black's elbow was parries by a sharp wrist block from Gohan.

"You're slower than before," grinned Trunks, keeping his weight and strength against his new katchin sword. "I expected more if your beyond god power is enhanced by the Kaiōken!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Trunks!" snarled Black, adjusting the angle of his own sword, using his superior strength to throw Trunks backwards.

"You tried to kill my mother," Gohan said, meeting Gohan Black's eyes with a fixed determination. "Don't think I forgot."

"She will die once we're through with the three of you," said Gohan Black, his crimson eyes flashing dangerously. "You only prolonged the inevitable." His palm ignited in crimson ki, forcing Gohan to step back in time to avoid a swing of the ki sabre. Gohan Black rushed forward, releasing a volley of ki which Gohan avoided easily, stepping back and away from each missile which impacted and burst against concrete.

Gokū Black's blade shone brightly against Trunks' sword, discharging a wave of ki which pushed Trunks back. The Gokū doppelgänger lunged foeward with his blade, only for Trunks to leap over and above, dodging a strike which carved a fissure into the ground itself. The Super Saiyan God found himself landing close to Gohan; the two dark Saiyans, focusing solely on Trunks in an effort to even the odds in their favour, turned their attention on him.

Crimson ki barreled down from one side.

Pink ki from the other.

The barrage threatened to hit Trunks with the combined power of two divine Saiyans while he himself was still off footing. The explosions rocked around him, obscuring his vision and yet Trunks felt no pain. Gohan had rushed forward, sensing the danger, and erected a powerful barrier around them both; the ki spheres collided with the barrier, exploding against its face in a swathe of flames, yet finding no purchase.

"Tch...!" snarled Gokū Black.

Gohan brought the barrier down, glancing at Trunks. There wasn't time to speak. Trunks could see the question in his eyes, and nodded. He was still more than fine. The Saiyan duo leapt into the air, and combat picked up with as much intensity as before.

Gokū Black hurtled through the sky, a crimson and pink streak of light. His bladed hand lunged for Trunks behind Gohan's back, only for Gohan himself to deflected it with his wrist. and he attempted to counter attack with his own strike. Black parried it with a knee, swinging his sabre down now at Gohan, who weaved around it. Gohan brought his knee up towards Black's stomach, slamming it into his diaphragm with immense force. Winded, Black reeled back from a crushing snap kick that followed Gohan's knee strike.

Trunks, desperate to assist, barely dodged Gohan Black's own incoming blade. Crimson eyes locked with crimson, and Trunks felt a pang of fury mixed with disgust. It had been one thing to see someone masquerade as Gokū, a man he liked but was relatively not as close to. Seeing Gohan's face wrapped in ecstatic violence made him feel absolutely sick. Energy clanged off of metal, Trunks kicking Gohan Black away, only for the latter to rebound off the air and swing in madly.

Bulma, on the ground, was unable to keep up with a single thing occuring above her head. All four of them are monsters! she thought, before remembering she too was some sort of a monster now as well. I guess it's relative. Still... Her eyes flickered to where Gokū Black had just come into focus, having teleported behind Gohan, and finally coming into proper view as he raised a palm to hit him at point blank range. The fake Gokū definitely feels like he's slowing down. Come on, boys...

A flash of pink lit the sky, Gohan forcing Gokū Black's hand skywards, his stealth attempt thwarted. "Your movements really are slowing down. The Kaiōken is doing all sorts of damage combined with the Super Saiyan beyond a Super Saiyan God, isn't it?"

"What would you—" Gohan deflected another incoming blow from Black with ease, looking supremely disdainful. The next two punches were easily dodged. The blue—haired Saiyan brought his fist up to Black's jaw, landing a solid blow. Black, surging forward, swung another right hook, which Gohan moved around entirely. His left leg came up to Black's body, crashing into it, spinning and striking him solidly in the face again with his free foot.

Gohan Black snaked forward, seemingly from nowhere, sabre manifested around his hand. It was only the timely intervention of Trunks, ebony blade shining, which prevented him from catching Gohan off guard in his assault on the dark Gokū. Gohan and Trunks fought their opponents near side—by—side — steel flashed against ki, while Gohan's fists presses Gokū Black back. A bundle of invisible ki exploded from Gohan's hand, the kiai colliding with Gokū Black as assuredly as if it were solid. Trunks deflected Gohan Black's incoming sword strike yet again, swinging in th air with his heel and slamming it directly into the fark copy of Gohan, driving him back towards Gokū Black.

A bellow escaped Gohan's throat, the man coating both hands in a torrent of ki. At his side, Trunks did the same; a twinned Masenkō alighting the sky in gold. The two Blacks were bathed in light, swallowed up as the Masenkō split the cloud cover obscuring the Eastern Capital, revealing a brilliant night sky.

Bulma looked up in awe, the sight of the two fighters working in unison to combat the enemy combining their energies flawlessly. If there was any beauty in combat, she might have just seen it there. "That's it!" she crowed, pumping her fist. "Knock 'em dead!" As Bulma shouted skyward, the Masenkō petered out, thinning and dissipating into nothingness. The two Black survived, yet were reduced back to their base forms — Gokū Black's own body was trembling, the damage wrought on it by the Kaiōken was immense, and he could feel it in every cell.

The technique was imperfect... Black thought, feeling spasms and sharp pains all throughout his body. Was it the mortal body of Son Gokū which had failed to endure the might of a technique moulded by divine hands? Or was his own execution of it flawed in some way?

Gohan Black, who'd expended a large amount of energy to erect a barrier, which had been shattered regardless, felt drained and at his own wits' end. "Zamasu...these mortals are overstepping their human limits!" A vein throbbed in his forehead, ebony black eyes staring daggers at Gohan and Trunks' forms, insults to the divine made manifest.

"You won't survive the next one," said Gohan, readying himself to prepare the coup de grâce.

"We still have our trump card," said Gokū Black, placing a hand on Gohan Black's shoulder — the effort seemed to cost him a great deal, the pain jolting throughout his body. "We accepted that eventually this was going to be necessary."

Gohan Black nodded, his disgruntled expression twisting into a grin of sadistic glee. "Yes. Then why don't we know them? A feat attainable only by the gods."

"What are you rambling on about now?!" snarled Trunks.

Gohan Black's hand tugged around his left ear, and he unclipped the green earring dangling from it. Grinning, he held it up so that the light of the sky itself reflected off of the emerald—like jewel. "Worry not, Trunks. This is the prelude to your end..."

"...and the birth of the ultimate divine Saiyan!" added Gokū Black, as Gohan Black placed the earring onto his right ear. The two of them were pulled towards each other by an unseen force, within moments, combining entirely into a single sphere of light. This light erupted into a violent pillar into the sky, twisted shades of black mixing in with vivid white. Out of this pillar, at first taking the form of light itself, before solidifying into a coherent, human form, was a man. Clothed in black and grey gi identical to the set worn by both Gokū and Gohan Black; he possessed a similar hairstyle to Gohan, but two fringes hung over his face within proximity of each other, a trait from Gokū. While he possessed the spiky black upright hair of Gohan, it was shorter on the right side than the left, also taken from Gokū.

The new being spread his arms out wide, inhaling deeply with his first breath.

"Bear witness now, mortals," said the man, his voice an even pitch between Gokū and Gohan. "The birth of the ultimate divine Saiyan — justice and boundless power, combined into a single, beautiful form." He held a hand up for his own viewing, clenching his fist shut tight. Closing his eyes, he began to laugh, manic, powerful throes of laughter. "This power — this immense Saiyan power! The combined strength of Son Gokū and Son Gohan! Truly splendid! With this, I can rewrite everything!"

"What did they do!?" Trunks gasped. He felt himself involuntarily stepping back. The Super Saiyan God could feel the immense ki emanating from the new Black, and he hadn't even transformed. "It's...it's so huge it's suffocating! And I can't even feel the end of it!"

"It's fusion..." explained Gohan. "I'm not overly familiar with the concept, but it's when two people become one — my younger brother, and the present version of you, can do it in my timeline."

"Fusion?" Trunks was flabbergasted. "They were hiding that ace up their sleeves?!"

"And it looks as if they used the earrings to do it," said Gohan. Sweat began to bead down his head and neck. Like Trunks, he could feel the immensity of Black's new power. Short of Beerus and Cell, he'd never felt such a colossal strength before. To think he hasn't even transformed... thought Gohan. Who knew those earrings held that sort of power. Wait...earrings... The weight on both of his ears was suddenly very apparent and present in Gohan's consciousness.

He was wearing the same earrings.

Surely Kaiōshin hadn't just casually given me something that useful?

Gohan, however, had no time to immediately dwell on it. He felt it, the vibrations in the air, more than he saw or sensed anything. Black, who had moments ago still been basking in his newfound strength, was abruptly at their side. His hand reached up, faster than anyone could see, to grab Trunks' head by the side. Trunks felt his entire weight shift as Black pressed against him.

He was going to try and crush his skull against the asphalt!

"Trunks!" Gohan stepped in to try and save Trunks, only to be rewarded with a white boot in his gut for his trouble. Air erupted from his lungs, and Gohan was stunned long before he was sent flying. Trunks felt Black's grip slacken on him in his attack on Gohan, weaseling out of the weakened grip and spinning back into his upright posture. Trunks swung his blade up, down, left, right, in every direction he could to slice Black into several pieces.

The fused Saiyan ducked and wove around the shining black broadsword. Trunks' blade cut through only air; several shockwaves from his striking speed burst the ground behind Black, yet none of his slashes found purchase. Only when he stopped swinging did Trunks feel a change in his blade — the Super Saiyan God looked up to see Black, standing on top of his blade, bootheels digging into the edge of the katchin.

"W—What—"

"You're slower than before" said the fused Black, throwing Trunks' words back at him. "You're practically standing still." Blurring his own body in speed, Black's knee slammed into Trunks' gut. Spittle mixed with blood burst from the Saiyan—half's mouth, his body lifting up from the ground with the force and rushing away through the air. The merged Saiyan was prepared to follow, yet felt disturbance in the air making its way towards him. Without even turning, he erected a barrier behind himself, feeling a kikōha burst over it and explode, leaving him unscathed.

"Is that it, Gohan?" said Black, slowly turning around to meet the stunned face of the blue—haired Saiyan God. "Are we resorting to sneak attacks now? I assume the beauty of Potara fusion must be beyond your ability to grasp."

His strength is ridiculous! thought Gohan. It's like fighting Lord Beerus all over again. The earrings Black had just called Potara glinted in the dim light. Gohan's attention was once again focused on his own set. If these truly were the same type of earrings... I have to get one to Trunks...but I can't match his speed! The most Gohan could do was try and overwhelm Black to give Trunks time to catch up to him. Ki burst to life around Gohan's body, and he launched himself skyward. Rushing high above the Eastern Capital, he tried to put some distance between himself and the surface.

"Are we going somewhere? You can't best me in a contest of speed, Gohan."

Black's voice came from above him; Gohan halted dead, seeing the merged Saiyan floating over him, arms folded. He'd barely made it 400 meters into the sky, and Black had pursued him with such speed. Still, this would have to do to buy time.

Gohan cupped his hands at his side. "Ka...Me...Ha...Me..." His body was bathed in a blue light wholly separate from his divine Saiyan form. Light pooled out of his hands, spiraling and swirling. Every effort was being poured into this Kamehameha. Black smirked, watching Gohan pour his ki into his technique and shout the final syllable of his best hope to thge heavens.

"HA!" Light burgeoned quickly from Gohan's form, loosing itself skyward as he thrust his hands towards Black. It filled the sky, making it overbright, as if someone had dialed the sun up to a setting beyond maximum luminescence. The very air itself trembled in protest as Gohan poured everything into this Kamehameha. The ground well below him shook, and still he pressed on. The beam had long since left the atmosphere of the planet, travelling beyond the reaches of Earth into the distant vacuum. When it petered out, Gohan's blue hair receded in spiked length, and reverted to its ebony colour.

His God strength had depleted.

And his eyes widened in horror.

Black stood before him, encased in a barrier, sneering with an expression of such malicious amusement, Gohan felt himself shake.

"That Kamehameha was superb!" said Black, letting the barrier dissipate. "In fact, it might have done some real damage. But now you're out of options, aren't you? I can see t now — the hopelessness written all over your face." He reached out through the air, and Gohan felt something like a vice grip down on his throat. Forces unseen compressed his airway, and Gohan struggled against hands which were not there. "Ah, the death throes of a mortal. Music indeed!"

Boom! Black felt a sphere collide with his body, exploding on impact. The damage was nothing, yet it did weaken his grip on Gohan as he turned to see what it was. Down below, on the ruined city surface, he could see three individuals.

An individual with yellow skin, a mohawk, and clothing he recognised as divine. By his side was a shorter individual, with light purple skin, a matching mohawk, and similar clothes. At their side, Super Saiyan God form gone, was Trunks, haggard, but glowering, his hand pointed towards Black.

"What is this" said Black, shock causing him to relax his grip entirely. Gohan fell from the sky, rocketing towards the ground. Trunks moved first, rushing forward to catch Gohan before he hit the ground. Gohan coughed and spluttered, but his breathing was beginning to steady. "Trunks, you're..."

"It's alright, Gohan!" said Trunks, who looked shaken.

Black descended from the air, staring down at all four of them.

"...Why are you here, Gowasu? And you...are the Kaiōshin of the Seventh Universe? "

"Zamasu...!" the man named Gowasu looked at the fused Zamasu with a mixture of pity and sorrow. "How could you have done this? Is this what my teachings brought you to?!"

"Your teachings?" scoffed Black. "No, Gowasu. Your failures. I tried to reason with you time and time again — we creation deities should do more than just observe! Instead you insisted we leave everything to the Hakaishin!"

"Our duty is to observe!" replied Gowasu. "Mortals are to carve their own path. That is what it means to have free will. They make their own choices – and when the time comes, they are judged and they pay for them! The righteous are rewarded and the wicked cast aside!" His thin black eyes stared into Black's. "The gods are not a binary system! Creation and destruction exist within the cycle of judgement, Zamasu!"

"And while we wait for the mortals — some of which live centuries — to die and reap the seeds they've sown, what of the world's and creatures who suffer?!" shot back Black. "They want, they steal, they war, and they kill! And we watch?!" His voice rose to a pitch. "You wouldn't listen to me in any of my timelines, so I removed you. I will simply kill you again, Gowasu! Then I will finish building a perfect cosmos – one free of the taint of mortal filth!"

"Zamasu!" implored Gowasu, but Black forestalled him.

"We had our chance at conversation, Gowasu," said Black. "Twice over, I gave you a chance." He raised a hand up, a pulsating orb forming. "I wanted you with me! Now, I won't bother this time. So why did you come if not to die?"

"To defeat you," said Shin. "This horror is the fault of we gods, and we will do our part to fix it."

"What can you do, weakling God who cannot even protect his own people?!"

"Buy time," said Shin simply.

"What do you—" Black began, yet his question was answered when he saw it. A flash of light, the breath of a divine gift. Gohan stood up, his wounds recovered. Crouching by his side was Trunks, who was breathing as if he'd just run a mile, yet looking exceedingly pleased with what had just transpired.

"Trunks studied under my counterpart from this timeline," said Shin. "He's acquired many of the hallmarks of the apprentice of a Kaiōshin — including the healing abilities we gain to replenish our superiors."

"A Kaiōshin's apprentice?! Him?!" snarled Black. "Preposterous! But it makes no difference if Gohan is back to full health or not. I'll kill you all just the same!"

"Gohan," said Gowasu. "Your Potara. Give one to Trunks. Trunks, place it on your opposite ear to Gohan. You two will also combine to become a tremendous fighter."

"Pot—of course, he's also wearing them," said Black, cottoning on. "I won't let—"

Gowasu and Shin's eyes flashed, as if both were planning to act in perfect coordination. Extending their arms and hands, they focused entirely on Black, and he found himself paralysed.

"W—What?!" Black felt his arms snap to his side, stunned. "Don't think you can hold me!" The fused Saiyan began to apply stress t the invisible bindings, surprised by the strength. Those two were overtaxing themselves for the mere effort at keeping him bound. And he would destroy it.

"Trunks!" Gohan unclipped his Potara, tossing it to Trunks, who caught it. "I don't know what's going to happen after we combine. We might not be able to return to normal." He'd wished a part of him had hesitated. If he was stuck merged with Trunks, if there was no way to undo it...he'd find some way to apologise to Erasa and Pen. "This is the only way. Put it on your left ear!"

"Even if we're stuck like that forever, I'd share a body with you if it means taking down this bastard," nodded Trunks, who fastened the earring onto his left ear. "Let's go, Gohan!"

The two earrings began to flash brilliantly, as Gohan and Trunks were pulled magnetically towards each other.

A/N: Hello, everyone! It's good to be back with another chapter! I'd like to be updating more regularly, but with work, and two other stories, its not always easy to divide my time up. Regardless, this chapter and this idea is something I've been sitting on for literally years - from the moment I decided on doing the Chapter Black arc, I knew I would have Gohan Black in this arc, and I knew I would have them fuse into Kūhan Black, and I knew Gohan and Trunks would fuse. It's a very rewarding thing to finally reach this point and see what I've wanted to write come to fruition. I'm so exhausted I don't have anything interesting to say in this AN, to be honest. The Chapter Black Arc is almost done. I appreciate you all for still reading, and I'll be back with another chapter very soon! Look forward to the next exciting chapter of the Erased Chronicles, because it WILL be exciting!