Chapter 8: A New Power

Back at the Tournament Grounds, Bulma rushed over to Trunks and Videl, her face filled with concern as she noticed Gohan fall to the ground. Goku, Gohan, Shin, and Kibito had all flown off shortly after.

"Trunks," Bulma called, her voice laced with worry. "What happened? Where did Dad and Gohan go?"

Trunks remained silent, his face pale, his eyes clouded with confusion and fear. Bulma noticed immediately.

"What happened, Trunks?" she pressed, her concern deepening.

Still, Trunks said nothing, caught in the weight of his emotions. The silence between them stretched, thick and uncomfortable.

Turning to Videl, Bulma asked, "Videl, what happened?"

Videl quickly explained what she knew, "Those two new guys came to us, asking for Goku and Gohan's help to deal with a threat. When Trunks was about to go with them, Goku stopped him. Trunks tried to argue, but Goku gave him a look… It was like nothing I've ever seen. I could feel the fear in Trunks, even I was afraid. It was terrifying."

Bulma absorbed Videl's words, her mind piecing together the situation. She turned back to Trunks, her expression softening with understanding.

"Trunks," she began gently, "you have to understand your dad. He's been through a lot. He wasn't the same person until you were born. Before that, he kept everyone at a distance. But when you came into the world, he changed—he became more… normal. He started putting you and our safety above his own well-being."

Trunks remained quiet for a moment, the weight of his mother's words settling on him. Slowly, he nodded, understanding more than he was able to express.

Back at the battlefield, Goku, Shin, Kibito, and Gohan watched in stunned silence as Majin Buu, the creature they had feared for so long, acted like a child. His round, fluffy form bounced around in the air, giggling and playing as though he knew nothing of good or evil.

Babidi, seething with frustration, shouted at the pink creature, "Buu! Kill them! Do it now!"

But Buu didn't listen. Instead, he hopped around, his innocent eyes glimmering as he turned to Babidi and whined, "Buu wants chocolate."

Babidi's face twisted in disbelief and rage. The mighty force he had revived was nothing like he had imagined. His plan was falling apart before his eyes. Buu, the supposed terror of the universe, was acting more like a spoiled child than a harbinger of destruction.

"Buu!" Babidi screamed, his voice cracking with fury. "I said kill them! Now!"

But Buu just pouted, paying no attention to his master.

Goku, still trying to make sense of it all, turned to Shin, his voice filled with confusion. "Shin… is this really Majin Buu you were talking about?"

Shin hesitated; his own shock evident. "Yes... This is Majin Buu. But I don't understand either. The Buu I remember... he was a terrifying, menacing force who showed no regard for life. This… this isn't what I expected."

Goku frowned, still processing the bizarre situation. "I never thought we'd be dealing with this… whatever this is."

The group stood in uneasy silence, unsure of what to make of the childlike Buu before them—an enigma that defied all logic and expectation.

As the fight continued to go nowhere, Babidi's frustration grew. His plan was crumbling before his eyes. Seeing an opportunity to manipulate Buu, he decided to play his cards carefully.

Buu, still bouncing around like an innocent child, turned to Babidi. "Buu wants chocolate."

Babidi gritted his teeth, trying to mask his growing anger. He forced a smile and leaned in, speaking in a tone that was more calculated than before. "You want chocolate, right?"

Buu nodded enthusiastically, his eyes wide and innocent. Babidi took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure.

"If you want chocolate," Babidi said slowly, "you'll have to kill them. Only then will you get chocolate."

Buu's eyes lit up, the childish excitement in his voice evident as he responded, "If Buu kills them, Buu gets chocolate, right?"

Babidi nodded eagerly, his smile wicked. "Yes, Buu. Only then."

With no hesitation, Buu turned and lunged at the group, the promise of chocolate driving his every move. But Goku and Gohan, their reflexes honed from years of battle, swiftly dodged his wild attack. The fight was on.

Buu was powerful, but nowhere near the level of a Super Saiyan Ikari and Super Saiyan 2. Even with raw strength, Buu's regenerative abilities made him nearly impossible to harm. Each punch and kick seemed to have little effect.

The battle escalated, a flurry of punches and kicks flying through the air. Gohan, already exhausted from his previous fight with King Cold, struggled to keep up. But Goku—powered by his immortality and the stamina boost from the Tree of Might—kept pushing forward.

Goku landed a roundhouse kick on Buu, but to his surprise, Buu quickly adapted and struck back with the same move, knocking Goku off balance. Goku's barrage of punches followed, but the blows barely fazed Buu. His regeneration was just too strong.

Then, Buu landed a devastating punch to Goku's gut, making him cough up blood. Without missing a beat, Buu followed up with a brutal knee to Goku's face, sending him crashing to the ground.

As the two continued their intense battle, Babidi, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't contain his excitement. He was thrilled to see Buu fighting with such intensity, but he didn't realize that, in his distracted state, he was killed by Gohan—who had taken him out unnoticed.

The wasteland around them was being reduced to rubble. Huge boulders were pulverized by the sheer force of their combat. Hours passed, and still, neither fighter gained the upper hand. But slowly, Buu began to grow more and more furious.

Then, something strange happened. As Buu reached his limit, smoke began to pour from his body. Before anyone could react, two versions of Buu stood before them—one a pink, round, childlike version, and the other a grey, menacing figure.

The two Buus faced off, both shouting, "I am Buu! I am Buu!"

Goku, having landed on the ground in confusion, shook his head. "What's happening here?"

Shin, equally bewildered, looked at the scene, his voice shaking. "I don't know, but whatever it is... it's dangerous."

Gohan, who had been closely observing the situation, noticed something. "Hey, did you notice something? The fat Buu... he's not evil. There's no malice in him. But that grey Buu… it's full of evil, just like Babidi and Dabura."

Goku's eyes widened, realizing the implication of what Gohan had just said. "If we take out that evil Buu, we might be able to stop the threat for good."

Shin's eyes darted between the two Buus, unsure. "Are you sure about this, Goku? What if we're wrong?"

Goku's gaze hardened. "Aren't you sensing it, Shin? The evil in the grey Buu. The fat Buu isn't the one we need to worry about."

Shin reluctantly nodded. "You're right. There's something wrong with that grey Buu."

Meanwhile, the evil Buu was gaining the upper hand, overpowering the childlike Buu. Desperate, Fat Buu fired a powerful beam at Evil Buu, but with a menacing smirk, Evil Buu reversed it, sending the blast back toward Fat Buu. The beam exploded just before it could reach Fat Buu, but Goku, sensing the danger, immediately stepped in and destroyed the attack.

Goku and Gohan didn't waste any time. They knew what needed to be done. With renewed determination, they lunged at Evil Buu, their attacks landing on him with full force.

To their surprise, the Evil Buu was just as strong as the Fat Buu, so Goku and Gohan decided to end the fight quickly. They both charged up their Kamehameha waves and fired them directly at Evil Buu, disintegrating him in an instant.

As the dust settled, Fat Buu, still standing in the wreckage, looked up at Goku and Gohan with wide, innocent eyes. He slowly descended to the ground, approaching them cautiously.

Goku and Gohan, still on high alert, instinctively took a defensive stance, ready for any surprise attack. But to their surprise, Fat Buu wasn't flinching at their reaction. Instead, he simply walked up to them, a curious expression on his face.

Without warning, Fat Buu placed his hands over their bodies and healed them, restoring their energy to full. Goku and Gohan were taken aback, their surprise evident.

"Thank you for saving Buu from Buu," Fat Buu said in his childlike voice, his tone sincere. "He is bad."

Goku smiled warmly. "Yeah, we saw it. You're not evil, Buu."

Fat Buu smiled in return, his large, round face lighting up with an innocent joy.

Goku scratched his head. "So, where will you go now, Buu?"

Fat Buu paused, looking confused. "Buu doesn't know."

Goku's face brightened as an idea formed. "Well, how about you come with us? There's lots of food, and I can promise you all the chocolate you want!"

Gohan, Shin, and Kibito looked at each other, shocked by Goku's proposal. Gohan was about to speak up but stopped, understanding what his father meant. There was no evil in Buu anymore, and he likely wouldn't pose a danger to anyone.

Shin raised an eyebrow, concerned. "Are you sure about this, Goku?"

Goku nodded confidently. "Yeah, I'm sure. And if you're still worried, you can come by and check on him. If you see anything suspicious, we'll take care of it."

Shin thought for a moment, weighing the situation, then nodded his approval. "Alright, but we'll keep an eye on him. For now, let's see where this goes."

Fat Buu, still rubbing his round belly, looked up at Goku. "Buu is hungry."

Goku laughed heartily. "Yeah, me too! Let's get something to eat."

They all made their way back to the tournament grounds. When they arrived, they found the tournament had ended prematurely due to the lack of competitors, and Videl had defeated her father in the final match.

Goku, Gohan, Shin, Kibito, and Buu walked in, and the first person Goku sought out was Trunks. As soon as Trunks saw Goku, he lifted his head, and Goku could see the worry in his son's eyes. Without hesitation, Goku stepped forward and pulled Trunks into a tight hug.

"Sorry, Trunks," Goku said, his voice sincere. "I didn't mean to yell at you. I just... I want you to be safe. I don't want you to go through loss and pain like I did. That's why I acted the way I did."

Trunks, understanding now, hugged his father back. His mother had explained to him what Goku had been through, and the weight of those words hit him hard. He nodded in silent acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, Shin approached Goku and Gohan with a proposition. "We would like to offer you both the opportunity to train with us. We can teach you some techniques that could help you grow stronger."

Goku's eyes lit up. "Absolutely! I need to get stronger so I can protect everyone I care about."

Gohan agreed with a nod. "I'd like to train, too. We need to be prepared for whatever comes next."

That night at Capsule Corp, the group gathered for a celebratory feast. Goku, Gohan, Trunks, and even Buu were munching down on food. Goku recounted everything that had happened, explaining the battle with King Cold, the revival of Buu, and how they had discovered the true nature of the Fat Buu.

Bulma listened intently, nodding as she processed the information. When Goku mentioned how strong Buu was—having fought against both him and Gohan at the same time—she raised an eyebrow in awe. "Wait, Buu fought both of you at once and held his ground? That's incredible."

Trunks, clearly excited by the idea, looked at Buu with enthusiasm. "Buu, can we train tomorrow?"

Buu looked at Trunks and grinned. "Buu likes you, so Buu will train you."

Trunks' eyes widened with excitement. "Really? Thanks, Buu!"

The next morning, Goku, Gohan, Shin, and Kibito set off for Supreme Kai's planet, eager to begin their training. Goku felt a sense of urgency in his heart, knowing the battles ahead would only get tougher. With Buu by their side—now a surprisingly peaceful ally—they felt they might have an unexpected advantage in the fight for peace.

When they arrived at the Supreme Kai Realm, the vastness of the place only added to the intensity of their resolve.

Goku immediately turned to Shin. "Hey, Supreme kai, can you teach me that teleportation move you used earlier?"

Shin grinned. "Of course, Goku. But there's something else I want to show you first." He looked over at the nearby rocky area. "It's called the Z Sword."

"The Z Sword?" Goku asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's so special about it?"

Shin nodded. "It's said that whoever wields it can become the strongest in the universe. It's a legendary weapon."

Both Goku and Gohan were immediately intrigued. "That sounds perfect for us," Goku said, grinning. "Let's give it a try."

Without hesitation, Goku turned to Gohan. "Hey, Gohan, why don't you try lifting it first?"

Gohan nodded and transformed into a Super Saiyan. His golden hair flared, and his aura intensified as he stepped forward to grab the sword. The Z Sword was incredibly heavy at first, and Gohan struggled to lift it. But after a few moments, he started adjusting his grip and using his strength. Slowly but surely, he began to lift it, the weight becoming less of a challenge as he grew accustomed to it.

"Good job, Gohan!" Goku cheered, watching with a proud smile.

Meanwhile, Goku was learning Kai Kai—the teleportation technique—from Kibito. Over the next few days, the training became more intense. Goku and Gohan pushed themselves further, both of them feeling their strength increase as they continued training with the Z Sword.

Eventually, Goku decided it was time to test the sword's power. "Let's see just how strong this sword really is," he said, turning to Supreme Kai.

Supreme Kai nodded and conjured a Katchin block, the hardest substance in the universe. He threw it toward Gohan. "Try slicing it with the Z Sword, Gohan!"

Gohan swung the sword with all his might. To everyone's surprise, the sword sliced through the Katchin block like it was nothing, snapping it clean in half.

The group froze, staring at the two halves of the broken block. A moment of silence passed before Goku spoke up.

"Uh... did the sword just break?" he asked, looking at the Z Sword, worried that it might have been damaged.

They all stood there in disbelief, unsure of what had just happened. Before they could react, a voice rang out from behind them.

"What's going on here?" the voice asked.

They all turned to see an elderly man standing before them, wearing Supreme Kai attire.

Shin was the first to recover from his shock. "Who are you? How did you get here?" he asked.

The old man gave a small smile. "I am your senior... 15 generations ago."

Everyone stared, surprised by the revelation. "Fifteen generations?" Goku repeated, raising an eyebrow.

The old Kai nodded. "Yes, I was the Supreme Kai of my time."

He then looked at Shin. "Did you release me?"

Shin shook his head, pointing toward Gohan. "No, he did. Gohan freed you."

The old Kai looked at Gohan, then noticed Goku standing nearby. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Boy, I'm sensing something strange from you."

Goku blinked, confused. "Strange? What do you mean?"

The old Kai nodded again. "There's something unusual about you."

Goku scratched his head. "I don't know... maybe it's because I'm immortal?"

Shin and Kibito both froze, eyes wide. "Immortal?" Kibito asked in disbelief.

Goku nodded casually. "Yeah, I'm immortal."

The old Kai's eyes widened. "Immortal, you say?" He looked over at Shin and Kibito, who were still processing the information. "Well, that's certainly... unexpected, but I sense a hidden power... from an outside source."

Goku still looked unsure. "A hidden power?"

Gohan spoke up, suddenly remembering. "Dad, remember you ate the fruit from the Tree of Might?"

Goku nodded, his expression darkening slightly as he recalled the event. "Yeah, I remember. The fruit gave me temporary power. My strength increased, and I had more stamina. Even my Super Saiyan form feels different from yours, Gohan."

The old Kai listened intently, then nodded slowly. "Ah, that's definitely the fruit's effect. It was designed for Kais to consume, not mortals. But somehow, you got your hands on it."

Goku shrugged. "A Saiyan planted that tree on Earth a few years ago. I tried to stop him, but he was too strong. Gohan ended up taking the fruit from the tree and gave it to me. I ate it to save Earth."

The old Kai nodded again, understanding. "I see... That explains the hidden power inside you."

The old Kai then turned to Gohan. "Thank you for releasing me. For this, I will grant both of you a gift."

Goku and Gohan exchanged a surprised look. "A gift?" Gohan asked.

The old Kai smiled, his ancient eyes twinkling. "I will unlock your hidden potential."

Both Goku and Gohan were taken aback. Goku shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I prefer to earn my power, not have it handed to me."

The old Kai's gaze softened. "Don't you want to know the full extent of the fruit's power? There's more to it than you've unlocked so far."

Goku was silent for a moment, deep in thought. After a pause, Gohan spoke up.

"Dad, think about it. We've been training hard, but it's not enough. We need more strength. And this gift won't stop us from training. We'll still push ourselves to get stronger."

Goku pondered for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, I'll accept it. But we're still going to keep training. I want to keep earning my strength."

The old Kai nodded approvingly. "Very well. I'll unlock your potential."

With that, the old Kai began the ritual, and a powerful surge of energy enveloped both Goku and Gohan. They felt an incredible force flowing through them, a power they had never experienced before.

When the energy faded, both Goku and Gohan stood tall, feeling stronger than ever before.

"Whoa," Goku said, grinning from ear to ear. "This power... it's amazing!"

Gohan smiled. "We're ready for whatever comes next."

The old Kai gave them a knowing smile. "Remember, this is only the beginning. Keep pushing yourselves. Strength alone won't win every battle."

Goku nodded, his resolve stronger than ever. "We will. And we'll keep getting stronger, no matter what."

28/3/2025