At the foot of Fire-Cloud Mountain.
Thoroughly outmatched, Piccolo blinded Bojack's squad with a Solar Flare, shouted a warning to No. 16, and sprinted toward the Lookout.
He was going to fuse with Kami.
On the Hell-Route passage, Chi-Chi and Ox-King walked slowly forward.
They had no idea why they'd suddenly come back to life.
All they knew was to follow the crowd.
As they walked, Chi-Chi heard someone say this was the road back to the living world and grew excited.
"I wonder how Gohan is now. Dad, let's hurry—I want to go see him."
"Yeah, I hope Gohan's all right. And Chi-Chi… don't force him to study anymore…"
Chi-Chi's eyes dimmed. She lowered her head and murmured, "In the future? I don't even know if there is a future…"
Then she looked up at Ox-King. "Dad, do you know what wish Gohan made on his fourth birthday?"
"N-no, I don't."
"He said… he wanted to become a great scholar."
Ox-King fell silent. "…"
"Let's keep moving."
Meanwhile, in King Yemma's Palace, several people were hopping mad.
They were Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, Fortune Teller Baba, and Krillin.
They'd been drafted to keep order, but Evil Thought Wave's barrier sealed them inside.
Unable to break the Seal, they could only watch and pace like ants on a hot pan.
Krillin scratched his head. "Damn it, what do we do? Goku's Qi is dropping."
"Isn't there anyone who can back him up?"
"Vegeta's finished too—his Qi's as weak as a candle that'll blow out any second…"
Yamcha made a suggestion. "Baba, can you fetch Gohan from Earth? If he beat the androids, he can help Goku."
"I—I can't get out either…"
"We're doomed, all doomed."
Son Goku pressed a hand to his chest, gasping, eyes locked on Evil Thought Wave, mind blank of plans.
A Spirit Bomb?
Impossible—this is Hell; there's no Origin Qi to gather.
Besides, the charge time is too long; amassing enough Qi to beat Evil Thought Wave is unthinkable.
Both conditions barred the move.
Right then—
Evil Thought Wave chuckled "heh-heh-heh," ready to slash again and end Goku's life.
But the energy in its long sword was spent; the blade dissolved into light and vanished.
Unconcerned, it kept giggling, then raised a palm toward Goku, fingers splayed.
Light burst from its hand, and a huge energy sphere roared at him.
Watching it come, Goku clutched his chest, heart ash.
Exhausted, without a trace of Qi, he couldn't even move; his eyelids weighed a thousand pounds.
"To die here today…" Goku thought bitterly.
He'd died once; if he died again he'd Soul-Fly-Away-and-Spirit-Scatter, erased from existence without a trace.
Was this truly the end?
Whoosh!
0.0001 second!
The blazing sphere was already before him.
Goku stared, resigned to death.
At the last instant—
A figure appeared from nowhere, blocking his way.
Goku blinked in surprise.
Who—who's here?
BOOM!!!
The newcomer kicked the sphere away; it exploded in the distance, shock-waves shaking the Underworld.
Evil Thought Wave froze, warily eyeing the sudden arrival—Son Gohan.
The visitor turned. "Dad, this time it's my turn to protect you."
That resolute, familiar face filled Goku's vision.
"Dad? Y-you're Gohan?" Goku's pupils refocused.
The Gohan before him was tall—taller even than he—his fluffy tail flicking, Aura overwhelming.
In Goku's memory Gohan had stayed six or seven; it took a moment to recognize him.
Gohan knelt, smiling. "It's me, Dad."
"It really is you—how'd you get here?" Goku struggled to sit up.
"North Kai… Dad, later. Let's get out of here first."
With that Gohan lifted Goku in his arms.
"Huh? That Qi—it's Mom!"
Whoosh!
Gohan vanished with Goku in an Instant Transmission.
Watching them disappear, Evil Thought Wave raged, hurling sphere after sphere, blasting the Underworld apart.
The realm cracked under the barrage; the sky turned apocalypse-red once more.
Elsewhere, Gohan reappeared with Goku before Chi-Chi and Ox-King.
Everyone except Gohan gasped.
"Gohan? And Goku? W-what's going on?" Chi-Chi and Ox-King blurted together.
Goku blinked. "Huh? Chi-Chi, Ox-King-uncle? Why are you here?"
"Right—Gohan, was that Instant Transmission? Did you go to Yardrat?"
"Yep, I rushed back from Yardrat," Gohan said.
"Gohan, my Gohan…" Chi-Chi rushed over. "Your hand, your tail—what happened?"
Smiling, Gohan embraced her.
Now he held Goku on one arm and Chi-Chi in the other, a picture of family reunited.
Patting her back, he said, "Details later. Mom, Grandpa, I'm so glad you haven't reincarnated yet. I'll find a way to revive you."
"Uuu, Gohan…"
"All right, I've got to stop Evil Thought Wave—he's gone berserk." Gohan glanced toward King Yemma's Palace.
Chi-Chi let go, tears brimming. "Don't overdo it—come back to us."
"I will." He nodded firmly.
Goku, eyelids heavy, added, "Gohan, Evil Thought Wave's tough. If it's too much, run—with Instant Transmission…"
Goku had never fled a fight, yet seeing his grown son, the words slipped out.
He felt he owed the boy so much.
"Got it." Gohan answered.
"Gohan, let me carry Goku," Ox-King offered.
"No. Earth's not safe either. Mom, Grandpa, grab hold—I'll take you somewhere secure, then come back."
"O-okay." They clutched his hem.
Gohan pressed two fingers to his brow, locked onto North Kai's Qi, and Instant-Transmitted to North Kais Planet.
He set Goku down and vanished again.
All stared at the spot where he'd been.
"Gohan's grown… he can protect us now…" Goku murmured.
"Chi-Chi…"
She looked at him, tears blurring her sight. "Goku, these years have been so hard on Gohan…"
"So much happened…"
"You always had friends, but Gohan… he's faced everything alone. My heart aches…"
"Chi-Chi… I'm sorry."
×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×
Read Extra Chapter Visit My Patreon
I have only 1 tier
19$ Tier – Access to 40 advance chapters
patreon.com/Lempil
patreon.com/Lempil