Author's Note: Whoops, sorry guys I have no idea why Chapter 9 (Part 7) went live when its still a month away, I will release this chapter early, that was a mistake on my end.
Arriving at the Lookout, Gohan walked up to Dende, who greeted him.
"Hey, Gohan, I take it you're here to enter the chamber?"
Gohan nodded. "Yeah, I had some things I needed to do."
"Well, don't let me stop you. Mr. Popo has already restocked it, so you should be fine," Dende explained.
"Thanks, that should help me while I'm in there. I might not need to eat, but it sure is nice,"
"Well, you know where it is. Let me or Mr. Popo know if you need anything," Dende said.
"Thanks, Dende!" Gohan thanked and made his way toward the room. Upon entering, Gohan took in the endless space that he had spent time in with his father.
'This brings back old memories,' he mused. He quickly took off further into the room, needing to get away from the door in case of an accident.
After flying at high speed for a few minutes, he finally slowed to a halt, sat down, and started meditating. 'Alright, time to focus!'
Zatanna had been deep in meditation. She hadn't moved for three days. The Grand Supreme Kai sat next to her. 'Your soul is still turbulent, young one. Are you certain you only came here to learn magic to better yourself?' He wondered.
He could feel her shaky spirit. She was slightly worried. 'Perhaps she believes I will turn her away should I figure out she has ulterior motives?' he mused. Although he couldn't sense any malice from her, so he didn't understand why she was lying to him. Perhaps she believed he wouldn't understand her.
Shaking his head slightly, he continued to meditate near her. She had been making steady progress, but her thoughts were weighing her down.
"With a clouded mind and soul, your magic will never have a true purpose," he sagely advised the young mage.
Zatanna stiffened slightly and nodded. 'He definitely knows.' She isn't here just to better herself; she wants power, enough to force Nabu to take her seriously.
Soon a week had passed, and everyone was in the midst of their training. Gohan was meditating while in his Beast form. 'There is still so much power...if I were to unleash it all, I have no idea what would happen to me.' Would he explode? Would he lose his mind? It was best to work on it over time. He had already spent seven years in the chamber.
He powered down from Beast and continued meditating. He had finally had a breakthrough four years ago. His hair changed again into silver, and his aura had a divine glow.
In his mind, he trained, perfecting the imperfect state of his own Ultra Instinct. His movements had become sharper, smoother, and his perception of reality felt as if it was in an entirely new domain of speed.
His week in the chamber was almost over.
On the outside, Barbara was sparring with Piccolo, who was effortlessly dodging her attacks. 'Not bad, I think she'd give my father a good fight,' he dodged another blow as she flipped and kicked, but Piccolo just raised his arm, blocked her attack, and landed a devastatingly powerful blow that knocked the wind from her and left her on the ground.
Barbara had been panting heavily. 'Damn, he really is strong. I've gotten way faster and stronger since I've come here, but I still can't keep up with him,' she mused as she slowly got up.
"Take a break. Your progress is moving along at a faster than usual rate," he commended. She hadn't been training for very long, but her drive made it easy to teach her, and her Ki manipulation was very good. It was like she was a natural.
At the Son residence in the mountains, Goku and Karen circled one another before she charged forward, flying towards Goku. Her movements weren't as shaky as before, propelled by her newfound mastery of Ki, yet lacking precision.
Goku observed her approach, his stance relaxed but alert. "Nice speed, Karen! Remember to stay light on your feet, keep your movements fluid," he called out, offering guidance as she closed the distance between them. Her ability to fly via Ki control was still developing.
'This is way harder than just flying normally,' she mused before refocusing on the battle. She had chosen to neglect her natural abilities in the pursuit of more strength and speed, focusing on both might work against her.
As Karen neared Goku, she unleashed a barrage of rapid punches and kicks, each strike infused with Ki energy. Goku effortlessly dodged and weaved through her attacks, his movements smooth and effortless.
"Focus on your breathing, Karen! Channel your Ki through your strikes," Goku advised, his voice calm yet firm. He noticed her tendency to leave openings in her defense and seized the opportunity to exploit them.
With a swift movement, Goku sidestepped one of Karen's punches and delivered a precise strike to her side, not with the intention to harm, but to teach. "Watch your flank, Karen! Keep your guard up at all times," he reminded her, his voice carrying the weight of experience.
Goku wasn't moving much faster than her either. He just moved in such a way that she couldn't turn to defend fast enough because of her fighting style.
Karen nodded, acknowledging Goku's advice as she adjusted her stance, determined to improve. She pressed on, her attacks becoming more calculated and controlled with each passing moment.
The two fighters engaged in a fierce exchange, their movements a blur of speed and power. Despite Karen's impressive strength and agility, Goku's mastery of martial arts gave him the edge. He continued to guide her, pointing out weaknesses in her technique and offering suggestions for improvement, Karen just took all the criticism, she had grown to really respect him during their time together.
As the fight raged on, Goku could see Karen's progress firsthand. Her movements grew sharper, her strikes more precise. With each correction and encouragement, she pushed herself to new heights.
In the end, Goku and Karen stood side by side, their bodies glistening with sweat, but their spirits soaring. "H-how do you move like that?" she questioned, panting, her Ki draining her more than she had expected. But the light from the sun was quickly helping restore her lost stamina.
"I've had many masters who taught me how to move, so don't feel too bad. I plan on teaching you how to move like that as well," Goku explained with a grin. Karen just chuckled. She had gotten used to Goku at this point. They were like friends but were still master and student.
"But I think the Turtle Style would help build your foundation," Goku explained. Karen raised an eyebrow. Turtle Style didn't exactly sound very strong, but if Goku brought it up, then it must be good.