"Is that... really true?" Gohan's voice was a whisper, his eyes wide with a mixture of hope and painful disbelief. If he had such potential, why were his mother and the others dead? Why had he been so helpless for so long?
"Stop doubting." Rhode's voice was firm, brooking no argument. He reached out and placed a hand gently on Gohan's head, a surprisingly paternal gesture. "Your potential has been locked away by your own lack of confidence. You've subconsciously believed you've reached your limit." He paused, his eyes softening. "Let me show you something."
A wave of psychic energy passed between them. Images, vivid and real, flooded Gohan's mind. He saw himself—a younger, more confident version—standing against a perfect green insect, unleashing a torrent of power that overwhelmed it completely. He saw himself, older, calmer, facing a pink, gelatinous horror and dominating with a serene, god-like power. He saw himself, transformed, his hair white, his eyes red, unleashing a single, devastating beam that obliterated a monstrous, imperfect Cell.
These were not his memories, but they felt like they could be. They felt like him. Rhode had carefully curated the visions, showing only triumph, only moments of absolute, awe-inspiring victory.
"I'm... this strong?" Gohan's voice trembled, not with fear, but with a dawning, electrifying realization. His blood felt like it was boiling. The future, he now understood, held countless threats. But it also held this—a version of himself that faced them and won.
He straightened, his back no longer bowed by the weight of past failures. He looked at Rhode, his eyes clear and burning with a new, unshakeable resolve. He bowed deeply. "Mr. Rhode. Thank you. I understand now."
"Believe in yourself," Rhode said simply, accepting the bow. "You are the strongest." Then, his tone shifted back to that of a stern taskmaster. "We have six months left in this chamber. Don't waste a second."
Gohan nodded, his jaw set. The training resumed, but with a ferocity that hadn't been there before. The visions had lit a fire, and Gohan threw himself into the flames, determined to forge himself into the warrior he had seen.
Six more subjective months blazed by. The white void echoed with the sounds of their constant sparring, a brutal, beautiful dance of escalating power. Gohan, fueled by newfound confidence and a clear vision of the threats to come, grew at a staggering rate. His base power, which had been inching upwards, now surged, more than doubling to an estimated 150 million. Rhode, pushed by his student's desperate intensity, didn't slack either. His own power crested the 300 million mark.
"Time's up." Rhode's voice cut through the final exchange. A year of subjective time was complete.
Gohan stood before him, transformed. Not just in power, but in bearing. The haunted look was gone, replaced by a quiet, steely confidence. He bowed. "Mr. Rhode. Thank you for everything."
"It was nothing," Rhode smiled.
Then, the smile vanished. In a blur of motion, his hand, edged like a blade, chopped down on Gohan's shoulder.
*Squelch!
Blood sprayed. Gohan's severed arm tumbled to the ground. He stared, utterly bewildered, shock and a flicker of betrayal warring on his face. "Mr. Rhode... why?!"
"Catch." Rhode tossed him a Senzu Bean, his expression unreadable. "Your vigilance is terrible, Gohan."
Catching the bean, feeling his arm begin to regenerate, the initial shock faded, replaced by dawning, rueful understanding. He gave a weak, sheepish smile. "It's because it was you, Mr. Rhode. I wasn't being vigilant."
Rhode sighed, a mix of exasperation and something softer. "Gohan. How do you know I wouldn't kill you? We haven't known each other long. You don't truly know what kind of person I am." Ki sensing was a guide, not an absolute, especially against those who could mask their intent.
Gohan's smile faltered, the point hitting home.
"Haha..." he forced a laugh, trying to deflect. "Mr. Rhode, you're joking, right?"
Rhode just looked at him, his expression unchanging for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then, he sighed again, a heavier sound. He waved his hand, the gesture cutting off further conversation. "Ten days. Adapt to your new body. Then we leave. Come."
He attacked. Not gently. His opening strike pushed Gohan to his absolute limit, and every subsequent blow followed suit. The lesson in vigilance was not over; it was just beginning, taught in the only language that would truly stick—the language of pain and survival.
Ten days of brutal, edge-of-death training had forged Gohan into something new. Rhode's method was simple: push him relentlessly, force him to use every ounce of power and instinct just to survive each exchange. The margin for error was razor-thin. One mistake in control, one moment of hesitation, and Gohan would have been maimed or killed.
It happened once or twice. Rhode's Recovery Technique had been tested to its limits, pulling Gohan back from the brink of death each time. But through the agony, through the constant, crushing pressure, Gohan grew. His power had not just increased; it had been compressed, refined, made utterly his own.
And Rhode had grown alongside him. Forcing himself to maintain perfect control against a rapidly improving opponent was the ultimate exercise in precision. Now, in a calm state, his energy was so perfectly contained that a scouter would register his power level as... one.
The ten days ended. The spatial gate opened, and they stepped back onto the ravaged Earth. The sky was still choked with grey, the air heavy with the aftermath of destruction.
"As expected, they escaped," Rhode observed, noting the absence of the broken androids. He wasn't surprised. His expression shifted as he sensed a familiar presence.
Whoosh.
A figure materialized beside them. It was his clone, carrying a data storage device. A brief, silent transfer of memories occurred as the clone merged back into him. Rhode's eyes flickered with new information—Dr. Gero's complete Android research data, now safely in his possession.
His gaze then fell upon Gohan, and an odd, almost pitying look crossed his face.
"Mr. Rhode? What's wrong?" Gohan asked, sensing the shift.
"Gohan," Rhode said, his voice flat. "The androids are gone."
Before Gohan could process this news, Rhode's aura suddenly exploded outward, a beacon of power screaming into the grey sky.
"Mr. Rhode! What are you doing?!" Gohan was utterly bewildered. This was the opposite of stealth.
Rhode's face twisted into something unfamiliar—a cold, sinister grin. "Gohan. Remember what I said? I might not be a good person."
"Mr. Rhode, you're joking again!" Gohan's voice cracked, desperate to believe it was just another harsh lesson.
BANG!
The sky split. A figure descended, landing with earth-shaking force. Green, spotted, perfect. A being of terrifying, elegant power.
Gohan's blood ran cold. The images Rhode had shown him flooded back. He knew this creature.
"Perfect Cell." The name fell from his lips like a death sentence.
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