Future Bulma leaned over her shoulder, arms crossed, her one brow furrowing in concentration. "So? Did we get it?"
Bulma's lips curled into a grin. "Oh, we more than got it. The sensors finally synced during that last exchange—Vegeta's energy spike against Nappa's Burst technique gave me the perfect comparative baseline. The machine's got enough data now to calculate power levels with frightening accuracy."
Chi-Chi blinked, her jaw tightening. "Wait… you mean like those old scouters? You're saying you can actually put numbers to what we just saw?"
Bulma smirked. "Not like those useless scouters Frieza's army used. This is refined tech. It measures ki density, stress output, energy control… the whole package. These aren't just readings—they're precise."
Future Bulma extended her hand, sliding through the holographic display. "Show me Nappa first."
The screen lit up, a golden outline of Nappa's hulking body rotating in mid-air.
"Base form Nappa," Bulma explained, tapping a button. Numbers flickered into being. "Approximately six hundred and twenty billion."
Krillin's jaw dropped. "Wait—BILLION? That's… he'd stomp Frieza like a bug!"
"More than stomp him," Piccolo muttered. "He'd erase him without breaking a sweat."
Future Bulma tapped again, the Nappa model shifting, hairless as ever but now outlined in golden aura. "Super Saiyan form. Thirty-one trillion."
"And when he pushed into Super Saiyan Two," Bulma continued, her voice cool, clinical, "he hit sixty-two trillion."
"That's stronger than Kid Buu," Chi-Chi whispered.
Bulma smirked faintly, swiping the hologram aside. "Not so fast. Kid Buu, from what the sensors compare, clocked in at roughly three hundred trillion. Brutal and chaotic, but still significantly higher than Nappa's limit."
Future Bulma nodded. "Which makes sense. Kid Buu was chaos incarnate. His regeneration, his unpredictability… numbers alone don't cover it. But still—Nappa's strength in this timeline isn't anything to scoff at."
"Now Vegeta," Bulma (T1) said, almost proudly. She tapped the console. The hologram shifted into Vegeta's form—arms folded, eyes narrowed, that unmistakable glare.
"In base form," Bulma said with a grin, "fifty-six trillion."
Krillin nearly fell over. "Wait—you're telling me BASE Vegeta is almost as strong as Nappa's Super Saiyan Two?!"
Piccolo's jaw tightened. "That tracks. He toyed with him the entire fight."
Future Bulma adjusted the readouts, flicking through the layers. "Super Saiyan Vegeta…" She stopped, her lips tightening.
The number unfurled across the hologram.
"Two point eight quadrillion."
Bulma (T1) folded her arms, smug. "So yeah. Even without pushing into higher levels, Vegeta's comfortably in a league far above Nappa. That Final Flash? It would've reduced him to atoms instantly."
Them the announcer cut their lógic.
"Match Sixteen! From Timeline Eleven… Majin Buu!"
The crowd erupted into noise. Some jeered, others cheered, but all eyes snapped toward the entrance.
Out waddled the pink terror. This Buu wasn't the goofy, playful creature some remembered. His form was leaner, sharper, his body thrumming with raw, malicious power. He laughed with a shrill pitch, the sound like glass shattering, his small black eyes darting around the arena as though daring anyone to laugh at him. His antenna twitched, aura flaring dark pink with sparks of red ki. He looked almost feral—this wasn't Fat Buu or even Kid Buu. This was something worse: a Buu born from Babidi's rituals and fuelled by four years of stolen energy, close in stature to Buuhan himself.
He slapped his belly and spun in a circle, giggling. "Hehehe! Buu gets to smash again! Smash! Smash!" His voice cracked like a child's toy left too long in the sun.
Then the announcer raised his hand again. "And his opponent… from Timeline One—Son Gohan!"
The young warrior stepped into the light with calm steps, his golden gi brushing against his legs. He wasn't the small boy many remembered. His jaw was sharp now, his gaze steady. The one-eyed Future Gohan watched silently from the sidelines, lips pressed into a line, pride burning faintly.
Present Gohan stood tall in the center, eyes locked on Buu. His face didn't waver, didn't betray a hint of fear. He bowed faintly toward the audience before sliding into stance, his aura dormant but his muscles tense, prepared.
Bulma whispered to Chi-Chi in the stands, "He looks like Goku… back when he was young."
Chi-Chi's hands trembled, but she didn't speak. Her heart pounded in her throat.
The announcer raised his arm. "Begin!"
Buu moved first. He shot forward, his stubby arms stretching unnaturally, twisting into spirals of pink flesh as they whipped toward Gohan like fleshy whips. Gohan's feet didn't move. His eyes sharpened. At the last instant he ducked, weaving between the lashes, his body bending with perfect control.
"Woooow!" Buu cackled, snapping his arms back with a wet slap. "You fast! Hehehe! That means Buu smash harder!"
He opened his mouth and belched out a storm of energy blasts. They rained down across the arena floor like meteors, exploding in vicious shockwaves that cracked the stone tiles and sent dust spiraling upward.
The Z Fighters leaned forward, searching for Gohan in the chaos.
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "Don't panic. Watch."
Through the veil of smoke, a golden streak burst forth. Gohan had leapt high, soaring above the explosions. His hand pressed to his side, gathering energy with practiced precision.
"HAA!" His palm flared, unleashing a beam that ripped through the smoke, exploding against Buu's chest.
The pink creature staggered backward, a hole burning clean through his torso. He laughed, clapping his hands like a child who had seen fireworks. The wound closed in an instant. "Ooooh! That tickled! Do it again! Again!"
Gohan landed lightly, dust skidding under his boots. He stayed quiet, face locked in focus. His aura snapped alive—golden sparks flared, his hair rising as his Super Saiyan transformation lit up the arena. Light washing over their faces. His emerald eyes glowed with a deadly calm.
"Super Saiyan," Bulma whispered. "Starting simple."
Buu's grin widened. "Shiny! Shiny hair!" He lunged again, his body twisting unnaturally as his leg stretched thirty feet like a whip.
Gohan caught it with both hands. The ground cracked under his feet from the force, but he didn't budge. He clenched his fists, swung Buu's entire body overhead, and smashed him into the ground. The arena floor shattered like glass.
The audience roared.
Buu bounced up like rubber, giggling through broken teeth. "Fun! More fun!" He split his head open like dough, spewing smaller Buus that crawled and giggled, swarming toward Gohan.
Krillin jumped in his seat. "Oh no! He's splitting!"
But Gohan was faster. His hands blurred, golden afterimages multiplying as he fired rapid blasts, each one obliterating a clone before they could land. The last few lunged for him, but he blurred forward, a flash of gold, and his fists shattered them into pink mist.
Buu's grin faltered for the first time. His eyes narrowed, lips twitching. "You… stronger than Buu thought."
Gohan stood tall, smoke curling off his aura. His voice was steady, low. "If that's all you've got, then this match is already over."
The Saiyan Empire timeline erupted with mocking laughter. Ruthless Kakarot threw back his head, bellowing. "HE TALKS BIG! Let's see if he can back it up!"
King Vegeta smirked. "The brat has confidence. I'll give him that."
But Future Gohan didn't laugh. His single eye glinted. "He's testing him. He hasn't even begun to fight seriously yet."
Buu screamed suddenly, his body exploding outward. He twisted into a spiral, condensing back into a leaner, meaner form—like Super Buu at his peak. His ki pulsed red and pink, shaking the arena walls.
He cackled, his voice warping. "Buu playtime over! Buu serious now!"
He vanished.
The stands shook. Buu appeared behind Gohan, his clawed hand swinging down like a guillotine. Gohan blocked it with one arm, his boots grinding sparks against the tiles. The shockwave shattered rows of stone benches, sending weaker spectators screaming, even with the angel barreir.
Then Gohan's other hand shot forward, a golden fist slamming into Buu's gut. The impact rippled through his body, flesh stretching and warping before snapping back. He coughed black spit and laughed, even as pain flickered across his face.
"You… good toy."
Gohan's jaw clenched. His aura flared brighter, golden lightning sparking around his body. His strikes came faster, sharper—each punch cracking the air like thunder, each kick exploding against Buu's flesh with devastating force.
Buu tried to regenerate through it, but his laughter broke into snarls. His face twisted in rage. He whipped his arm into a blade and slashed down, cutting across Gohan's shoulder. Blood spattered the floor.
Chi-Chi gasped, clapping her hands to her mouth.
But Gohan didn't even flinch. His golden aura roared higher, sealing the wound with heat. His emerald eyes narrowed, burning with cold fury.
He whispered, just loud enough for Buu to hear: "You're not the only one who can fight without limits."
He blurred, faster than sight, and his fist smashed into Buu's face, sending the monster flying across the arena. The stone wall exploded as Buu's body hit it, collapsing into rubble.
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
Uub's eyes widened, his heart hammering. "He's… incredible."
Piccolo folded his arms, a faint smirk tugging his lips. "He's not even warmed up yet."
Across the stands, Baby Vegito Black's crimson eyes glinted with faint amusement. He rested his chin on his hand, whispering under his breath, "Interesting… the boy's spirit burns brighter than his father's. But will it last?"
Back in the ring, the dust settled. Buu crawled out from the rubble, his jaw twisted and broken before snapping back into place. He licked the blood off his lips and grinned again, though his eyes trembled with unease.
Gohan stepped forward, golden aura blazing around him. He lifted his chin slightly, eyes piercing through the smoke.
Then the shift began.
His aura thickened, deepening in tone, the gold becoming more intense, edged with crackling bolts of lightning. His hair extended, lengthening past his shoulders in waves, his brow bone thickening, eyes narrowing into primal emerald slits. The sheer pressure doubled, then tripled, cracking the foundation of the arena as if it were made of paper. The crowd gasped as Gohan let out a roar that rattled the heavens.
Super Saiyan 3.
Even without words, his presence commanded silence.
Buu blinked, then let out a shrill giggle, though his forehead dripped sweat. "Long hair! Funny hair! Hehehe—Buu likes it!" Yet his body trembled. The pressure was suffocating.
From the benches, Goku's eyes widened, his grin faltering. "Now Gohan, show me How prepare you are for this tournament."
Vegeta's scowl tightened, arms folded, voice a low growl. "Damn brat. acting all smug."
But before Buu could even move, Gohan's aura flickered—collapsing inward, condensing. His hair shortened back to its normal black, his brows smooth, his face calm. Yet the weight of his ki didn't lessen. It grew.
Mystic. The Elder Kai's unlocked power surged through him, his entire being radiating perfection. His aura was no longer wild—it was honed, sharp, absolute. He hadn't just powered up. He had refined himself into a weapon.
Buu staggered back a step, suddenly unsure. "W-what… what is this?"
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "Mystic… and he's building on it."
Indeed, Gohan wasn't done. His aura flared gold again, but this time smoother, more refined than any transformation before. His hair snapped golden, his eyes emerald, but the energy around him wasn't raw—it was *polished*. The crowd didn't just feel power; they felt *precision.*
Perfect Super Saiyan.
The floor cracked beneath him as he simply clenched his fists. The pressure rolled through the arena like waves of thunder, yet his breathing was calm, measured, like a man at total peace with his strength.
Future Gohan, watching from the benches, froze. His single eye trembled. "He's doing it." He remembered his own battle against Frieza, and Felt that this Power was kind a close to his.
Gast, seated with his arms crossed, tilted his massive head slightly. His crimson eyes narrowed, appraising. *This power… it's not chaotic like Broly's, not arrogant like Vegito's. It's focused. Dangerous. He's weaving his strength into something continuous, limitless.*
And then it happened.
Gohan's aura shifted again, hair remaining golden but the energy surrounding him darkened with lightning, sharper than any blade. His body glowed with an intensity so extreme it was almost painful to look at. The entire arena vibrated, spectators clutching their seats as the very fabric of space felt as though it might tear.
Perfect Super Saiyan 2.
The multiplier soared. Ten thousand. Twenty thousand. Fifty thousand. And rising still. His aura screamed against the air, a blazing tempest of sheer willpower. The longer he held it, the higher it climbed—125,000 and still creeping higher. The stage itself cracked like ice under his feet, stones levitating and dissolving into sparks around him.
Buu, who had faced gods and consumed worlds, who had laughed at Goku's power, finally recoiled. His grin died. "Oh" His voice broke, like a child realizing the game was no longer a game.
He lunged in panic, his body splitting into countless tendrils, but before any could reach Gohan, a single flare of energy vaporized them midair.
Gohan didn't move. He didn't *need* to. His aura alone reduced Buu's assaults to nothing.
Vegeta, scowling harder than ever, muttered through clenched teeth, "Kakarot… look at him. He's just like that boy that fought cell."
Goku nodded slowly, his grin gone, replaced with awe. "Yeah. That's… that's Gohan. He's finally showing it."
From the Saiyan Empire benches, King Vegeta scowled in frustration. "That power… it mocks us." Ruthless Kakarot, however, grinned wide, eyes wild. "YES! That's the kind of prey I want!"
Bulma clutched her machine as the readings spiked, numbers climbing so fast the display flickered. "This is impossible. He's blowing past everything."
Gast didn't look at her, his eyes never leaving Gohan. "Control is one thing. Sustaining it is another. If he can hold that form long enough…" He trailed off.
Buu screamed, flailing as his attacks disintegrated against the storm of ki surrounding his opponent. His words were jumbled, hysterical: "STOPPPPP!"
But Gohan's face remained calm. Not smiling. Not angry. Just resolute.