Power flowed in from across the planet, all combining in towards a central point. The energy from every human being, from every plant and animal, from all across the world was all swirling together as the spirit bomb grew into a strength that slowly eclipsed everything on Earth. At the base of it all, stood Mikasa with her hands held high, straining under the weight of holding concentration.
Gohan appeared before her, shocked to see all of them with their arms up and giving their power to the spirit bomb.
"Mikasa… How are you doing this?"
"No time to explain!" Her teeth were gritted, and eyes shut, subtle nods of her head showing how her mind was racing almost as if she was talking to someone. "I can't hold this for long. Take it, kill Cell!"
He looked up at the bomb. It was strong enough, of that he was sure, but he hesitated. The sky was blackened, and the ground continued to shake under the stress the battle had put it through. Cell and Ymir's Titan forms were still battling, each blow sending a quake through the planet from crust to core. If such a power was unleashed, Cell would be killed. But the damage it would cause to the planet would be uncontrollable, it might crack open the entire planet just with its aftershocks.
"I can't… It's too much, it'll blow up the planet itself." Shocked eyes looked to him and his hesitation.
"There must be something you can do." It was Petra, her arms raised like the rest of them but her eyes looking to Gohan not with doubt, but reassurance. "I don't know what, but something. I believe in you. Just think, I know you'll think of something."
He looked up at the spirit bomb, considering his options. Petra believed in him unconditionally, certain that he would find a way as he always did. He would not disappoint her… Floating up into the air, his super Saiyan aura began to glow brighter once more. He raised his own hands, reaching towards the spirit bomb he felt the energy within it. He could feel them all, every source of power that had given it its strength.
Then he began to pull.
The sphere of power distorted, stretching towards him as the endless bounds of Ki flowed into his fingertips. It was overwhelming. His first touches showed him the depths that laid inside, the amount of energy that seemed too much even for him in his second stage super Saiyan form. He would need something more, to become something more. As he pulled in the energy, it burned, it burned at every fibre of his being. Molten power scorched his insides, scorching at his very soul, but still he pulled it inwards.
He cried out, pain to such a degree he had never felt before. It was like his entire body was on fire inside of him. The skin on his forearms split, pure white energy radiating out of him as his body fought to contain it. The crackles of electricity and steam that billowed from his body seemed so small in comparison, Ymir's powers and changes to him fighting back to try and heal him. To keep him whole.
His cry became a scream of agony. He wanted to stop, to let it go. It hurt so badly, all he wanted was for it to end. But he pressed onwards. More and more power ripped its way free of his body as he tried to contain it. It felt like he was going to explode, the power contorting and resisting as he held it inside of him. He thought he might break first, that it would fail, but if he kept going then something wonderful was going to happen, he just knew it.
The change was subtle, missed entirely under the agonising pain. His super Saiyan aura began to disappear, his power waning as he failed to contain the spirit bomb's power. From high in the sky, as the power pulled inside of him though, the world rippled. All around his body, the sky distorted. It pulled and shifted, changing in colour as waves of energy condensed. Like a black hole, it pulled at the fabric of the world, and at the borders of reality itself.
Power overwhelming.
Power unstoppable.
The world shifted. Blues and reds and greens, colours of every spectrum of light shifting and churning together as Gohan pulled the spirit bomb inside of him with a final excruciating roar. The light covered him, obscuring him from view entirely. But the blinding light was impossible to miss, as those on the ground shielded their eyes from the piercing light.
Cell's raised fist halted as he stood over Ymir's form. Her Titan was bloodied, beaten in combat but successful in her mission. She had bought Gohan time, and with it his victory. The first Titan smiled, fading away as it dissolved and Ymir let the body die. In the realm beyond she dropped to her knees, exhausted but satisfied as Eren raced to her side to check on her. But she was fine. She didn't need Eren's help, she could stand on her own two feet, and she rose with a smile on her face.
Cell's fist opened, a ball of power forming in his open palm as with a roar, he unleashed it onto the blinding light. It hit dead centre, not blocked in the slightest as the beam crashed into Gohan. Only for it to fall into pieces, the energy breaking apart and dissipating harmlessly in the air.
He reared back in confusion, but the light began to fade as it finally came under Gohan's control. His super Saiyan aura had dropped away entirely, looking almost exactly like his base form did. Save for the white aura that flowed around him. The spirit bomb's power had transformed him, and he flexed his muscles feeling its strength inside of him. Not only it's immense power, but the power of everything.
More energy flowed into him, endless streams of it. He was the spirit bomb now, and he could feel all the trails through the air as it entered his body. With his new power, Gohan fixed his gaze onto Cell, his maximum power Titan form still glaring down at him with a madness unchained.
"Let's go."
He exploded from his spot in the sky, racing towards Cell at a blistering pace and crashing straight into the creature with a powerful kick. Its strength ripped the air, a burst of colour as reality fractured briefly under its might. Cell's agonised cries of pain were only heard for brief moments before the thunderclap of Gohan's kick finally rang out as an explosion of noise.
The Titan fell back, tidal waves moving as the creature began to collapse. Only for Cell's foot to slide back, and he caught himself. The strength was immense, the pain more so, but Cell was not about to be defeated by one measly kick. A blood red aura glowed around him, and Cell screamed a battle cry as he raced towards Gohan. His fist raised up into the air, and he punched straight towards him. Gohan didn't dodge, instead raising his arm to meet the blow head on.
As he blocked it, a shockwave rang out across the seas and over the ships of Marley, and the soldiers of Paradis Island. Though they held on, they could feel the power behind it, even just as an aftershock of the attack. Holding in the air behind Cell's fist, Gohan grunted as his aura flared. The soft glow of his aura stretched out, flowing faster and faster as it spiked. Beneath the aura and around his body, electricity crackled and zapped uncontrollably.
Golden light shone in whisps around him, before the Super Saiyan aura exploded out, his hair spiking up and shining golden. His muscles grew, and Cell's fist rocked back under his strength. The white aura of the spirit bomb power remained, and his super Saiyan power laid visible beneath it. Gohan had combined the strength of both forms, becoming the first Super Spirit Saiyan in existence.
He pushed the massive fist away with ease, flying and delivering a series of blows to Cell's chest. Each punch was powerful, blasting away at his torso with immense power. But Cell's regeneration was strong, and his progress was limited. As Cell tried to swat at him, he flew around and delivered a kick to the nape, chunks of flesh flying away before regenerated with a crystal cover.
Cell's massive hands swiped at him again and again, but Gohan avoided them all with ease, soaring high into the sky with his fingers to his temple. The build up was quick, so much power available at his disposal that the crackle was near instantaneous. His hand shook under the weight of it all, and with a roar he unleashed his attack. It was no mere single beam, as he unleashed a Special Beam Barrage down upon Cell.
The beams pierced all through his body, tearing through every important joint and through multiple parts of his chest and head. He roared with pain, dropping to his knees even as he regenerated as fast as he could. Gohan soared down, winding through the air as he built up momentum. With his arms just barely healed enough to move, he lifted them up and over his nape, the instinctual protective nature of a Titan's weakness his last attempt to defy Gohan's attack.
But Gohan didn't attack at his nape. Instead, at the last moment, Gohan diverted away, flying around from Cell's nape at the base of his neck towards his front. With a burst of energy and speed, Gohan flung himself directly into Cell's chest, where his beam attack had cut away the tough shell without Cell realising his intent. Gohan hit the flesh and meat without stopping, driving his way through until he hit Cell directly, the real Cell.
The two of them ripped out of the nape, crystal shards showering into the sky along with the ruins of Cell's fingers. To his credit, Cell recovered quickly, throwing a series of punches towards Gohan that the Spirit Saiyan dodged. A flurry of blows hit Cell's chest, Gohan using it almost as practice before he delivered an uppercut that shattered Cell's jaw.
Cell's foot came up and smashed into Gohan's chest, kicking him away with as much force as he could muster. The roar that he bellowed was not like him at all. Despite having been forced out of the Titan form, Cell was still every bit the animal that his Titan infusion had turned him into. He screamed as he pushed himself to his limit, powering up with everything he had in him.
Gohan roared back in kind, the full power of Super Saiyan 2 blasting into life beneath the Spirit Saiyan aura. His fist caved in Cell's chest, another two following into his face. Gohan beat him down hard, pounding away at him with an unrelenting fury. He smashed Cell through the ground, through the waves, and high into the sky. He hit Cell with everything he had over and over again, until he kicked Cell up into the heavens where he bounced off the barrier with a sickening splat. The sound he made was a disgusting squelch, but not quite loud enough to overshadow the echoing crack that he made.
The barrier was beginning to break.
"KAMEHAMEHA!" Goku's blast slammed into Roh, driving him through the dirt as he yelled in pain. More and more came towards him, trying to save their Supreme Kai, but Goku was far too fast. He blocked the first hit, and sent an elbow into their face as retribution, before grabbing the creature by the leg and hurling him towards one of his comrades.
Vegeta leapt into the fray, unleashing a vicious flurry of blows into the both of them, cackling with prideful laughter as he did so. His time travelling son may not have shared his cruel enthusiasm, but he showed no hesitation as he unleashed a blast of his own into another.
The tide had turned. With Goku's Super Saiyan 2 form enhanced by a times 20 Kaio Ken multiplier, their foes were firmly on the ropes. As Goku sent a spinning kick into the head of another, he felt the change as well. Faintly, oh so very faintly, he felt Gohan's Ki once more. It wasn't enough to allow a teleport, but it was enough to tell him that he was there. He was there, he was fighting, and he was winning.
'Gohan…' He thought to himself, the intense power of the Kaio Ken and Super Saiyan forms allowing him only a brief window of mental clarity lest he lose control. 'I'm almost there son. I'm almost there. I believe in you. Go, Gohan. Win your fight, and I'll win mine. Go, Gohan.'
Eren roared out in victory as he watched Gohan pummel Cell repeatedly. Each punch had the monster crying out in pain, each blow had him gagging for air as Gohan beat him closer and closer to death. Gohan was stronger than he had ever been before, stronger than Eren could have ever imagined possible. And Eren wanted to help him get even stronger.
He held his own hands up, feeding the power he had gained directly into Gohan. With Gohan linked to Ymir, and Eren sharing that same pathway, the two were connected together directly. Gohan's new spirit Saiyan form was still pulling in power from all over the globe, a constant regeneration of every spec of power he spent. By his side, an exhausted Ymir did the same, holding her hands up high and giving up her energy to Gohan.
But it wasn't just her energy. She was connected to the still living dead, all those years since her powers had first birthed themselves and every Eldian that had died since. Every child of Ymir, through so much time gave up their energy in unison, feeding it all into Gohan. His white aura burned brighter, fed more and more power as timestreams themselves fed themselves into him. It seemed beyond comprehension, but Eren watched as Gohan became even more powerful, and as he watched Gohan beat Cell continually, he began to mutter.
"Go, Gohan." His teeth were bared in a vicious grin, hands curled into fists as he cheered him on. "Go, Gohan!"
From the shores of Paradis Island, the Eldian army watched as their saviour fought. The shockwaves of each impacting blow were rippling across the island, to the joy and cheer of each and every one of them. They saw as Cell landed, Gohan following to continue his beating of the creature, and they cheered.
Cell charged Gohan, ball of energy building in his hand as he blasted towards him. With a single swipe of his hand, Gohan cut the beam in two, breaking it apart and leaving it to explode in the air. Charging through the trails of the blast, he crushed Cell's ribs with a blow of his knee.
"Go, Gohan."
The chant had begun as they watched the fight be dominated by their saviour. Vengeance for the millions upon millions of dead that laid at Cell's feet. Vengeance for the innocents of Paradis Island, and of the Liberio refugees that had been put at risk by Cell's desire for his sick entertainment. As they watched Gohan continue to beat Cell, the embodiment of the worlds cruelty that had kept them trapped behind walls for a hundred years, that had turned the world into such hateful and prejudiced people crying out for justice against the innocent, the chant grew louder and louder.
"Go, Gohan. Go, Gohan! Go, Gohan!"
Petra stood with them, cheering with all her heart as she watched the man she loved strike back in their name. In the name of all the innocent lost, he stuck back with a vengeance.
"Go, Gohan! Go, Gohan! Go, Gohan!" She cried, jumping and pumping her hands as she watched the fight. "COME ON GOHAN!"
The chant was a war cry in Gohan's ears, the beating in his heart. He heard them call his name, cheering him on as he laid blow after blow into the creature that had dared to threaten his people. As his heart beat louder, it wasn't just a cry of war, it was his victory anthem.
Another blow sent Cell flying into the earth, and Gohan followed. Landing in front of the creature, he breathed in deeply, his aura building before he pulsed it out. The flaring of his aura blasting Cell off his feet and across the water.
Cell tried to fight back, the build up of power being Gohan's only warning before he unleashed a tidal wave of energy upon him. It was enormous, swallowing the entire skyline behind a wave of orange light that descended down upon not only him, but all of Paradis. As the second sunrise approached them, it crashed into the energy barrier that Gohan erected instantly. With one hand he held back the wave of power, and with the other he conjured a blast of his own.
He launched it overhead, soaring up through the sky and crashing it right down into the back of Cell. It was a perfect mirror to the first time Gohan had killed Cell, when Vegeta had distracted him, and the effect was the same. The energy wave crumbled, Cell's control broken as Gohan launched himself through the blast and straight at Cell. One hand unleashed a barrage of Ki blasts through at Cell, whilst the other built in power. The golden glow that bloomed around his fist distorted the world around it, as a rainbow of colour was flowing through the air trailing his fist.
When he hit Cell, for a brief moment it was as if reality itself had shattered. Such blinding light in ways Gohan hadn't known possible, as the world rippled and bent before his very eyes. The punch detonated, exploding at ripping Cell apart at a molecular level, sending shrapnel of flesh flying through the sky. The flesh burned, sizzling through the air as chunks of it were disintegrated out of existence under Gohan's attack. As the blast faded, Gohan waited, his senses reaching out confirm what he suspected.
A single cell of him remained and it was regenerating quickly. He breathed. Not panting, in fact he felt as cool and calm as ever, as if he wasn't in any kind of fight at all. As the cell's continued to duplicate and regenerate him, he watched the light fade and the world twisted. Crackles of electricity preluded a rumbling in the air, and the growing roar of Cell's screaming regeneration.
It wasn't just anger that had Cell screaming. He was mad, insane, unable to comprehend the certainty in his oncoming death. But he was weak. Far weaker than Gohan, and so incredible depleted by the battle that there was barely anything left of him.
He threw himself at Gohan regardless, only for Gohan's fist to bury him right back in the dirt. Gohan followed, murderous in his intent as he beat him over and over again, his fists glowing with power and burning through Cell as it touched him. It was a technique he had learned and expanded on in his years in Titan territory, surviving without any weapons. Pushing Ki into a weapon to strengthen it enough to kill Titans could easily be converted to something new, what it was now. With each punch and kick, Gohan poured his Ki into Cell, burning away his essence out of existence.
Cell crashed into the dirt and bounced up into the air, Gohan delivering a roundhouse kick that sent him flying high into the sky. His hands pulled together, the energy blast forming quickly and with a spin for momentum, he hurled it after Cell. The explosion that detonated reached from the ground the clouds, the shockwave rippling out across the planet in a thunderclap of noise. But Gohan also knew that it wasn't enough.
He could feel the regeneration beginning, felt its location and locked in. He dropped to his knees, hands pulling to his side as he charged his attack.
"Ka… Me… HA… MEEEE…." He felt it coming, Cell's last deadly gambit. Oozing slimes leaping out from the earth towards him, to try and cover him and make him disappear the same as he had done before. But Gohan had been tired before, beaten to the end of his rope. With the spirit Saiyan aura refilling him, Gohan felt as fresh as ever. The attacks were incinerated on his aura, burnt out of existence as he poured more power into his attack. The blue ball of energy changed, turning white as he fed the essence of his Spirit Saiyan aura into it. And then, he unleashed.
"HAAAAA!!!!!"
Cell was barely a torso and head when the blast was unleashed upon him. Piercing up into the heavens and tearing at the fabric of reality as it smashed into him. It expanded out in a cone, swallowing Cell whole as he was thrown back against the barrier. As he was burned away, the barrier cracked further under the immense power of the attack. Cell by cell, he was incinerated, burning away down towards his core. He had one last chance for clarity, one brief thought of reflection.
If only he had done as Gohan had offered and ran away.
As the magical barrier broke, a shattering of glass on a realm beyond comprehension, Cell finally was extinguished for good.
He paused, hands in the air as he felt Cell die and he let the Kamehameha fade. He felt out deeply, sensing for any little bit of him that might have been left. But there was nothing. He was gone, for good. With a final sigh, Gohan let his hands drop, and laughed in joy.
It was finally over.
Goku felt the moment the barrier broke. Gohan was suddenly clear to him, his Ki right there, burning bright and free, along with an entire planet of energy. He gasped, feeling his son once more and didn't hesitate for a second before he put his fingers to his forehead and vanished.
"Goku! Wait for us!" King Kai cried as he watched the man disappear. He groaned in annoyance, turning to the others as they stared back at him. "What do we do now?"
"The machine will still work King Kai." Trunks reassured him, already beginning to move towards it. "Come on, let's go see Gohan."
"Where-… where do you think… you're going?" Roh's words were slurred and weak as he crawled his bloodied and battered body across the grass.
By his side, the trio of danger were unable to stand, one of them shrinking back under Vegeta's glare. Despite their Supreme Kai's pitiful challenge, not one of his apprentices were willing to face the Z fighters.
"I… I am a Supreme Kai. You… you need to listen to me…"
"Do they?" A new voice spoke up, as they all suddenly noticed two new figures arriving. King Kai suddenly balked, dropping to his knees as he took in the pair. The one who had spoke was unmistakably a Kai, but surprisingly both were on the shorter side, appearing as a petite with pink skin, whilst by her side was a short and pudgy olive skinned Kai. "Because technically speaking, they aren't your subjects of your domain Roh. But what is in your domain, is that anomaly I just felt. Care to explain?"
"Uh… King Kai?" Yamcha nudged him in confusion. "Who's that?"
"That's the Supreme Kai of Time." He said, pointing to the woman who had spoken. "Chronoa. And that's Sidra, the god of destruction for Universe 9."
Landing in front of Petra, Gohan smiled a relieved and victorious grin. They all looked to him in anticipation.
"Is it over?" She asked, hope in her eyes. He smiled, leaning in as he embraced her in a tight hug.
"It's over." She sagged in his arms and sighed with relief. He wanted that moment to last forever, shutting his eyes and he smelled her hair and felt her warmth again. But the moment ended as he felt her suddenly tense.
"Gohan… who's that?" She tapped him urgently, and he turned to see a new figure standing behind him.
So many years it had been, and yet he hadn't changed a bit, still wearing the same orange and blue outfit he always wore. Gohan stared in disbelief at his father standing before him.
"Gohan…?"
"Dad…?"