Trunks asked, "Gohan, what was that new idea you mentioned just now?"
At this moment, Gohan was like a selfless teacher, answering his student's questions, dispelling his doubts, and leading him into a new world.
Gohan said, "Trunks, you must remember that no matter what transformation we undergo, our bodies are the foundation of everything, and the most crucial element."
"Transformation is merely finding the trick within the body, activating it, and gaining immense power for a short duration."
"However, only if our physical constitution is strong enough will the resulting power be greater. The stronger the body, the more power it can withstand."
Trunks nodded, half-understanding, as if he now knew why Gohan had insisted on the first stage of training.
Gohan continued, "Therefore, we must diligently and persistently train our bodies to continuously improve our overall physical condition. This way, the power we gain after transforming will be stronger, more stable, and capable of holding even greater energy."
"Got it, Gohan," Trunks replied, showing he had absorbed the lesson.
Although Gohan seemed to have rambled on quite a bit without getting to the main point.
Is this how all teachers are?
Help me~
"As for the new direction I mentioned, it naturally relates to our body's fundamental attributes and habits."
Trunks perked up his ears.
Gohan continued, "Let's make an assumption: we treat the Super Saiyan state as our everyday base form. We train in it, become familiar with it, and overcome its limitations."
"Trunks, what do you think will happen?" Gohan asked, looking at him.
Trunks thought for a moment, then excitedly said, "When we transform again, will our power increase dozens of times over, just like when we first became Super Saiyans?"
Gohan: "..."
You certainly dream big.
But it's good; your mind is active.
Gohan replied, "It won't be that exaggerated, but significantly reducing Ki consumption and allowing our bodies to withstand much greater power is definitely possible. However, this process will certainly be difficult. We need to spend a lot of time adjusting, overcoming the hurdles, until we conquer it."
"That makes me excited, Gohan! I'll follow your lead. Tell me what to do," Trunks exclaimed, slapping his thigh in excitement.
"Let's eat first," Gohan said.
"Ah, okay. Now that you mention it, I am a bit hungry," Trunks replied, momentarily stunned.
After eating, the two trimmed their hair and began the first round of attempts.
First, they transformed into Super Saiyans, then they dispersed their aggressive aura.
They tried to maintain the state like this.
Unfortunately, it ended in failure after a few minutes.
After all, transforming into a Super Saiyan makes one's mindset extremely volatile, irritable, and aggressive.
But once they dispersed the aura, the rage and volatility quickly subsided.
As their mood calmed down, the transformation automatically dissolved.
It was therefore difficult to maintain the state, let alone turn it into a habitual form.
Time flowed like water, and a month passed.
On the plaza inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
"This is really hard, Gohan. I can't keep it up for long at all," Trunks said, bending over and resting his hands on his knees.
"Keep practicing," replied the golden-haired Gohan, who was slowly practicing a seemingly disorganized set of punches.
It looked a bit strange since he was only using one arm to punch.
Another month later.
"Haha, it's finally much better now! I can maintain it for most of the day," Trunks laughed heartily.
"Your Gohan here has been able to maintain it for several days already. Keep up the good work."
Trunks wilted like an eggplant hit by frost. "Alright, I'll keep trying."
...Six months later.
"Gohan, Gohan! I'm used to it now! I can even maintain the Super Saiyan form while sleeping," Trunks reported to Gohan as if presenting a treasure.
"Excellent, Trunks, you've made great progress. I'm very pleased," Gohan said, giving him an unreserved thumbs-up.
"It's really hard to get praise from you, Gohan," Trunks sighed.
Gohan simply smiled faintly and didn't reply.
After six months, Trunks had finally achieved this naturally.
As for Gohan, he had actually completed the second stage of his training three months earlier.
Thinking back on this time, the cooking pot broke, the eating bowls broke, and the bed broke during sleep.
It was certainly a memorable experience.
If the Hyperbolic Time Chamber didn't have an automatic refresh function, the sheer number of broken rooms would have been enough to worry them both.
In the blink of an eye,
exactly one year had passed since the master and apprentice entered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to train.
"Gohan, what do we do next?" Trunks asked, looking up after finishing his meal.
Gohan said, "We enter the third stage: consolidating, summarizing, and reviewing the old to learn the new."
Trunks: ???
What was that?
In the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, where there is no concept of days and months, another six months passed.
Trunks had fully grown into a handsome young man.
However, perhaps due to the overpowering influence of Vegeta's genes, Trunks was not particularly tall.
With a delicate face, he looked lean in clothes but muscular without them—a classic "puppy dog" type.
Gohan, on the other hand, hadn't changed much, as he was already in his early twenties and his body had long since matured.
Nevertheless, a year and a half of training made him look noticeably more robust.
The contours of his face were sharper, giving him a cool edge to his handsomeness.
The scar across his face added a touch of wild, untamed flavor.
Recently,
Gohan realized his body seemed to have hit a bottleneck; his strength growth had become extremely slow.
It was practically equivalent to standing still.
He understood the principle that haste makes waste.
Both of them had progressed immensely over the past year and a half.
If they forced themselves to continue training, major problems could arise.
Balancing work and rest was also very important.
Appropriate rest was sometimes more effective than continuous brute force.
Thus, Gohan stopped pushing.
After consulting with Trunks, the two left the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Outside the door, Mr. Popo was already standing there.
Although his face was pitch black and showed no expression, his surprise was palpable.
He looked at the golden-haired Gohan and Trunks, marveling at the sight.
What a huge change!
Just standing there, they gave off an unfathomable, mysterious aura.
Seeing Popo, Gohan greeted him, "Mr. Popo, why are you waiting for us at the door?"
Mr. Popo snapped out of his daze, looked at the master and apprentice, and said:
"I was worried you might exceed the limit and came to remind you. I didn't expect you to come out early after only a day and a half. Heh, but it truly is remarkable that you managed to train inside for a year and a half."
If it weren't for the bottleneck, I could have trained for two and a half years, Gohan thought to himself.
Out loud, he said, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Popo. It was fine inside, but the food wasn't great. It would be better if you could prepare some meat next time."
"Exactly," Trunks strongly agreed.
"Heh, I apologize, but meat cannot be preserved inside. I will go prepare food for both of you right away. Mr. Gohan and Trunks, please wait a moment," Mr. Popo replied.
Food?
At the mention of food, Gohan and Trunks frantically swallowed their drool.
For the past year and a half, they had eaten nothing but rice balls and flatbreads every day.
They were both going crazy.
Meat, I want meat, lots and lots of meat.
Several little voices were screaming frantically inside the minds of the master and apprentice.
They felt like they could eat an entire dinosaur right now.
Moments later,
Mr. Popo had prepared a huge table full of dishes.
The two Saiyans devoured the food like starving ghosts, sweeping through the dishes like a whirlwind, creating a chaotic scene comparable to a world-shattering battle.
Popo stood nearby, utterly dumbfounded and profoundly shocked.
This scene was quite familiar.
It brought back memories of the time Goku trained at the Lookout.
It must be said that Mr. Popo, who had lived for countless years, was an excellent cook. Gohan and Trunks were only half-full.
"Thank you for the meal, Mr. Popo," Trunks thanked him politely.
Afterward, the two leaped off the Lookout, plunging straight toward the world below.
The wind howled in their ears as they returned to the gray, gloomy world.
"Trunks, are you full?" Gohan asked, tilting his head.
"Not yet, Gohan," Trunks replied, rubbing his stomach.
"Alright, then let's go get some barbecue first. Once we're satisfied, we'll go take care of the Androids," Gohan chuckled.
"Yeah, sounds good," Trunks agreed.
The two landed in a forest and immediately spotted one of the dinosaurs commonly found in the Dragon Ball world.
"Trunks, go for it." Gohan found a tree, leaned comfortably against it, and winked at Trunks.
Trunks understood and instantly lunged forward.
He randomly selected one lucky dinosaur, gutted it, and hoisted it over a fire for grilling.
Soon, the dinosaur dripped fat, turning golden brown, and the tantalizing aroma filled the entire forest.
"Gohan, here you go."
Trunks, sweating profusely from the effort, tore off an entire dinosaur leg and handed it to Gohan.
"Mmm, smells great. Let's make up for the past year and a half."
The master and apprentice feasted heartily, and soon only a bare skeleton remained of the dinosaur.
Just then,
a broadcast announcement came from a nearby city.
[We interrupt this program for a breaking news update regarding the Androids!]
[The latest attack occurred at Taikula Town, 200 kilometers south of East City...]
Hey, time to work.
The master and apprentice, now full and satisfied, smirked.