At age four, he toppled his overbearing uncle with a single Rocket Headbutt;
At age five, he ventured beyond Earth to alien worlds to battle the cruel Emperor of the Universe;
At age nine, he surpassed his father to become the strongest in the world;
He is the half-Saiyan designated by Toriyama himself as the one with the highest potential and greatest talent, the eldest son of the protagonist Son Goku: Son Gohan!
As these fragments of information flashed through his mind, Aomori looked down at the mindless Great Ape rampaging below with a peculiar expression.
Such a brilliant individual would later be lamented as "Nobi-Gohan" due to his differing aspirations. One could only say that fate works in mysterious ways.
The reason this four-year-old had transformed into a Great Ape was due to a Saiyan biological trait: upon seeing a full moon, those with tails transform into destructive beasts, their power increasing tenfold. Only noble royalty, like Prince Vegeta, could retain their sanity during the transformation.
There were many solutions: sever the tail, destroy the moon, or exhaust his stamina.
Unlike the "surrogate father" Piccolo, Aomori had no intention of coddling Gohan. He immediately condensed a light sphere as dazzling as the sun and hurled it.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted on the Great Ape's back. The massive impact shattered his balance, sending him crashing to the ground.
"ROAR!" He looked up at Aomori and let out a bloodthirsty howl, his eyes glowing with a feral red light as he struggled to stand.
"Hmph, you can certainly take a hit." Aomori narrowed his eyes, musing on the best way to beat him back into his human form.
Just then, Piccolo rushed back. He glanced at the chest-beating Great Ape, connected Gohan's vanished Ki with what Raditz had told him, and immediately confirmed the beast's identity. He shouted at Aomori, "Stop! He's an acquaintance of mine!"
"You think you can order me around?" Aomori huffed coldly. He unleashed a massive wave of telekinesis, swatting Piccolo away.
Then, he vanished, dodging a mouth-blast from the Great Ape. Reappearing on the beast's shoulder, he clenched his fist and slammed it down. The Great Ape howled in agony and fell again, kicking up thick clouds of dust.
"The feedback isn't great." As a martial artist, Aomori didn't find fighting such massive opponents particularly satisfying.
Thus, he converted all his remaining energy into Holy Light, forging a thick suit of light armor around his body. He transformed into a Giant of Light, matching the size of the Great Ape.
"Since I claimed to be from the M87 Nebula, it's only natural to know how to transform into a Giant of Light."
Aomori chuckled, stepped forward, and unleashed a barrage of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist upon the Great Ape.
At this stage, Gohan's base power level was a mere 1. Even with a tenfold increase from the transformation, he was nowhere near Aomori's level. He was easily handled, completely unable to fight back.
"He can turn into a giant too?" Piccolo, who could also enlarge himself, wasn't overly surprised by the size, but watching the Great Ape howling in pain made him feel uneasy. He had promised to take responsibility for teaching Goku's son, yet now he was forced to watch the boy be brutalized.
His face burned with the shame of a failed promise.
Damn it! Once I get stronger, I'll show him! Piccolo vowed internally.
After Aomori had "trained" him for a while, Gohan's stamina finally gave out. The Great Ape shrank back into a battered, unclothed small child. Aomori used telekinesis to lift Gohan into his hand, squeezing out a bit of Holy Light to heal him, causing Gohan's breathing to become steady and calm.
Carrying the sleeping Gohan, Aomori approached Piccolo and tossed the boy into his arms. "Your son? He looks nothing like you."
"Can't you tell he's not?!" Sensing Gohan's stable Ki, Piccolo caught his breath and said calmly, "His father was the strongest man on Earth. The boy has incredible talent; I'm personally training him so his potential isn't wasted."
"Hmph, having you train him is the waste. I'll take responsibility for this Saiyan toddler. You just worry about yourself."
"You know what he is?!" Piccolo's eyes widened in shock.
"I'm not an idiot. Only a Saiyan can turn into a Great Ape." Aomori shot him a sidelong glance. "Enjoy your last day of leisure. Tomorrow, I'll show you the meaning of 'Hell'."
With that, he vanished. His energy was nearly depleted, and he needed to recover quickly for his own peace of mind.
Piccolo held Gohan, surveying the empty wilderness. He snorted softly, "I am Piccolo, the one the world calls the Great Demon King. I won't be afraid of your so-called 'Hell'."
Meanwhile, Kami, watching the "broadcast" from above, let out a sigh of relief. "It seems this newcomer won't harm the Earth for now. Instead, he might become a primary force in resisting the evil Saiyans."
…
The next day.
The first ray of morning sun hit Gohan's backside, causing him to mutter and wake from his dreams. Rubbing his bleary eyes, Gohan sat up and called out, "Mom, Dad, I'm up..."
His movements froze. He opened his eyes to see the stone pillars before him. Remembering his current situation, he burst into tears.
"Mom, Dad, I miss you..."
"Stop crying. What use are tears?" Piccolo's cold voice rang out from behind him, making Gohan immediately choke back his sobs. He was mostly terrified of this green-faced uncle.
Suddenly, Gohan cried out in surprise, "Wait, I don't think I slept here last night? And my clothes have been changed!"
Piccolo was back in his own weighted gear. He had fashioned a gi for Gohan the previous night, featuring the character for "Demon" (魔) on the back.
Ignoring Gohan's question, he looked down at the little tot. "Go prepare your own breakfast. Hurry, or you won't get to eat."
"Oh."
Gohan responded with a face full of confusion. He didn't know why he wouldn't get to eat later, but his stomach was already growling. He didn't need Piccolo to remind him to find food.
Clambering down from the high stone pillar, Gohan gulped and went off to forage. After a great deal of effort, nearly dying to a giant dinosaur, he finally found a fruit tree and filled his belly.
Piccolo floated in the air, following Gohan to ensure his safety. Glancing at the fully risen sun, Piccolo frowned and muttered, "Where did that guy go? I can't even sense his Ki. Did he back out?"
The moment the words left his mouth, that familiar aura appeared behind him. Before he could react, a fist carrying the force of a thousand pounds slammed into his back.
Piccolo was sent flying like a cannonball, tracing a perfect line through the air before crashing into the ground, creating a massive crater.
"Uncle Piccolo?" The massive commotion caught Gohan's attention. He immediately recognized the victim by the signature skin color.
"An enemy?" The frightened Gohan ducked behind a rock, peeking out cautiously. He failed to notice a figure quietly appearing behind him as well.
With a loud blast, Piccolo burst from the rubble and flew into the air, glaring at Aomori.
"What? Angry at my sneak attack?" Aomori asked with a grin.
"No. It's only natural. I don't mind at all." Piccolo took several deep breaths to calm himself. "So, where is this 'Hell Training' you promised?"
"You seem quite eager. Good, you're a promising sprout." Aomori cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck. "It's simple. Hell Training consists of you getting beaten up. Being a punching bag is the fastest way to get stronger."
"That's it?"
"It's simpler said than done. I will keep attacking until you have only one breath left." Aomori pointed below. "The same goes for that brat."
Following Aomori's finger, Piccolo saw Gohan being sent flying by a punch. Gohan's opponent was a figure who looked and felt exactly like Aomori.
"!"
In his shock, Aomori's fist slammed into Piccolo's face again, blasting him dozens of meters away and toppling a stone pillar.
"First 'Hot Tip': Never lose focus in a battle. That's a fatal mistake." Aomori's voice rang clearly in Piccolo's ears.
"Thanks for the tip." Piccolo stood up with a cold face. "You two are just clones, aren't you? No wonder your Ki is so much weaker than last night."
"You two are so weak that it's not worth my time to be here in person."
"Being looked down upon, eh?" Piccolo gave a thumbs-up pointing to himself. "Remember the name of the man who will defeat you: Piccolo!"
"Heh." Aomori chuckled, and his silhouette abruptly appeared in front of him. This time Piccolo reacted, but it didn't matter. After a few exchanges, he was pounded into the ground again.
"Second 'Hot Tip': Never strike that 'Loser's Pose'." Aomori landed, stepping on Piccolo's back. "Also, my name is Aomori."
On the other side, the fight with Gohan was a one-sided slaughter. Even with bursts of rage, Gohan couldn't land a blow on Aomori's clone. He was soon heavily injured and fell unconscious.
Aomori was prepared. He used Holy Light to pull him back from the brink of death. When Gohan woke up, his power had increased significantly.
This brings up another "bugged" trait of Saiyans: "Whenever they recover from a near-death injury, their power increases drastically." The reason Saiyans became a warrior race was largely due to this trait. As long as they didn't die, they could grow rapidly in battle.
Aomori was exploiting this "glitch" to make Gohan grow as fast as possible. Only Aomori, who possessed both the "precision to wound without killing" and "powerful healing abilities," dared to do this. Otherwise, a single mistake could lead to Gohan's untimely demise.
As for whether this would leave a psychological shadow on the young Gohan?
Please. A boy who saves the world at age nine has a powerful heart. He seems soft only because the things he must do conflict with his inner convictions. It's not that he can't; it's that he doesn't want to. Unlike the battle-hungry Saiyans, he craves a peaceful life.
However, only after he becomes truly powerful can he decide his own path. Until then, he must work hard as a Savior Candidate to save the world. Of course, Aomori isn't his father; none of this really concerns him. He just wants to see a powerhouse born. It's that simple.
…
After splitting off two clones to train Piccolo and Gohan, Aomori's main body began to leisurely wander this familiar yet strange world.
The Dragon Ball world hides many interesting things: Senzu Beans, Androids, Majin Buu, etc. But the most famous are the Dragon Balls.
"A pity the Dragon Balls have likely been used to revive Goku. I'll have to wait a year for them to regain their power."
However, Shenron can only grant wishes within the scope of his creator's power. For Aomori, the Dragon Balls would mostly be useful for obtaining knowledge, for instance, techniques for utilizing Ki, or the knowledge within the minds of scientists who rivaled Super Saiyans with mere mortal intellect.
Then again, maybe it wasn't that important. As for the Androids and Majin Buu, they were hard to get to for now; he could check them out after the Namek incident. Without a "Dungeon Timer" limit, Aomori could stay here indefinitely and explore at his own pace.
"Well then, let's go check that place out first." After some thought, Aomori made his decision. He looked up at the sky with a half-smile.
…
"Did he... see me?"
Kami recoiled in shock, taking a step back. Although Aomori had stated he had no immediate ill intent, Kami wanted to observe the newcomer more closely. He hadn't expected Aomori to suddenly look up and meet his gaze.
"Was it a coincidence, or...?" Kami steadied himself, leaned on his staff, and stepped forward to the edge of the Lookout, peering down into the lower world again.
Unfortunately, Aomori was nowhere to be found. "Where could he have gone?"
...
At that moment, Aomori was lying on Pidgeot's back, using a barrier to hide their presence as it carried him through the air. They crossed mountains, seas, and cities. Soon, they arrived at a vast forest and saw a tower that pierced the clouds.
Recalling Pidgeot, Aomori stepped onto the outer wall of the tower and ran vertically upward, leaving an afterimage. Just a few minutes later, Aomori arrived at the top floor, not even winded.
"Alright, Korin Tower check-in: Success."
He flipped onto the hemispherical roof and saw an old cat standing on two legs. It was Korin, the Immortal who resided in the tower.
"Ho ho! It's been a long time since I've seen a new face. You're quite impressive," the round Korin said, stroking his whiskers and smiling at Aomori. "You must be here for the Ultra Divine Water."
"No."
"I thought so. If you want the Ultra Divine Water, first you must pass... eh?" Korin finally processed Aomori's words and asked curiously, "You don't want the Ultra Divine Water?"
"I don't. What even is that? I'm not familiar with it." Aomori shook his head. "I heard you have a miraculous kind of 'Senzu Bean' here. I'm quite interested in those."
————
NOTE: This fic has been completely translated. If you want to read the whole story head over to my p-atre-on: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]