1 month after starting gravity training:
I trained relentlessly every day, pushing myself to my limits without overdoing it. Each day I focused on refining my strength and speed, making steady progress.
The news also reported that the androids attacked an area near Mount Paozu for no apparent reason. I figured they must be after me for what I did to them. Still, I wasn't too worried; Grandpa and Mom weren't at the house.
I continued immersing myself in training, reaching the level of enduring 100 times Earth's gravity. I didn't want to rush and risk destroying my body, so I advanced slowly but with determination.
4 months after starting gravity training:
I progressed faster than I expected and could endure 150 times Earth's gravity, but then my growth began to stagnate. Instead of pushing recklessly, I concentrated on further improving my techniques to adapt to the current gravity. This kept me in the gravity room for countless hours. Trunks would visit me sometimes, which brought some tranquility to my days, but I still thought it was too early for him to join me in training.
I also realized I should have taken something to keep in contact with the girls, but by now, it was too late. Another thing that weighed on my mind was the remote that could deactivate the androids. When I went to Gero's lab, I hadn't encountered the plans for it, and it was something I completely forgot to look for. Now, I think it's too late to try searching for it; the androids are too angry at me. I won't risk running into them until I am certain I can escape, even with the improved Thunder Shock Surprise technique.
1 year later:
I could finally withstand 300 times gravity. My body had grown significantly stronger. My hair had gotten too long, so I had Bulma trim it. When I looked in the mirror, I resembled Gohan from the Cell Saga. I had to admit, I looked kinda cool, 'I gained a lot of aura points, haha !'
It was time for me to attempt becoming a Super Saiyan. I had purposely saved this step for later; I wanted a strong base so that when I did transform, I could handle the androids. The terrifying aspect of the androids was that they fought as a synchronized duo. If they were forced into a corner, their coordination made them incredibly dangerous. But if you were overwhelmingly stronger, like Trunks was, they could be dealt with easily. I needed to make sure I was at that level.
I decided to begin my Super Saiyan training, though I wasn't sure how to go about it.
"I should try the tingle back method," I said to myself, starting to channel my ki into my back, concentrating hard.
After about ten minutes, I stopped. It was proving to be quite… ineffective. Maybe that method was just a Universe 6 Saiyan thing. Either way, it wasn't working for me. I would have to take the more traditional route. Like Dad said: power comes in response to a need. Although, I wasn't sure if I actually heard that directly from him... or did I?
Either way, I wasn't sure what could truly make me angry enough. I had some ideas, but imagining it wasn't the same as feeling it for real. This could take a long time, but I needed to do it, so I steeled my resolve again and first tried to relive the anger I felt a year ago.
I tried to imagine that situation again, really immersing myself.
"Ah... no, it's not working… ahhh." I let out a sigh of defeat. I tried for a few hours, but I just couldn't get into that true feeling of anger.
"What should I do?" I questioned myself. 'Should I pull an Uchiha?' No, no, what am I thinking?' I shook my head.
So, just like that, under intense gravity, I trained every day, trying to attain Super Saiyan. But no matter what I did, nothing worked. Three weeks had passed, and still, nothing— not even a single strand of hair had changed to gold.
'Ugh, maybe I should just fight the androids without Super Saiyan…'
The thought weighed heavily on me, lingering like a dark cloud. Day after day, training relentlessly, pushing myself to my limits, but no results. Not even a flicker of that golden power. I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration rise. Was all of this for nothing?
The more I thought about it, the more it gnawed at me. I couldn't shake off the bitter taste of failure. A whole year had passed since I narrowly escaped 17 and 18, since I barely made it out alive, running like a scared child. And yet, despite all that time, I couldn't even achieve the power I knew was needed to face them.
I paused my training, catching my breath, but my thoughts kept spiraling. 'I've come so far, but it's not enough. No matter how hard I train, without becoming a Super Saiyan, I'm doomed to fail. I won't be able to protect anyone.'
The anger started to churn, deep in my chest. The memory of the androids' laughter, the way they mocked me, toying with me like I was nothing, like my life meant nothing. They were playing with my life. My fists clenched harder, my knuckles turning white. I couldn't let it go. I refused to be helpless again.
And it wasn't just them. It was my inability to change, to protect the people I cared about. The frustration of hitting a wall I couldn't break through. I thought of Videl, Erasa, Bulma, Mom, everyone I was fighting for. I had promised myself I'd be strong enough to protect them. And yet here I was, struggling to grasp what I knew was within me.
"Why can't I do this?" I shouted, my voice echoing in the empty gravity chamber. My aura flared slightly, the energy crackling around me. I felt tears stinging my eyes, but I blinked them away, the heat of my anger boiling over.
I closed my eyes, the memory of 17's smug face flashing vividly in my mind. The cold, cruel way they looked at me, like I was just a bug they could squash whenever they felt like it. They didn't care about life, they didn't care about the people I cared for. All that mattered to them was their twisted idea of fun.
"No... I won't be helpless again!" I roared, my voice trembling with rage. The gravity around me seemed to grow heavier, my body trembling under the pressure. The anger in me surged higher, a white-hot fury that consumed every corner of my mind. My vision blurred, a burning heat building in my core.
Suddenly, I felt something shift. It was as though a dam had broken, and a surge of power began to pour out of me. My muscles tensed, the pressure mounting until I felt like I would explode.
"AAAHHHHHHH!!"
I screamed, my voice filled with all the frustration, the rage, the pain I had bottled up for so long. The room seemed to shake, a golden light erupting from within me. My hair, which had stubbornly stayed black through all my previous attempts, began to flicker, shifting, glowing.
And then it happened.
A golden aura burst forth, surrounding me, wild and powerful. My hair flashed to gold, my eyes to teal, as power coursed through my veins like fire. I felt it—the transformation I'd been desperately chasing for so long. My energy surged, my body feeling lighter yet filled with immeasurable strength.
I looked at my reflection in the metal wall of the chamber, my breath heavy, my golden hair standing on end. I had done it. Finally, I had become a Super Saiyan.
I stared at my reflection, the fierce glow of my aura dancing around me. "This is it…" I whispered, my voice hoarse. "I'm not powerless anymore."
Tears welled in my eyes, but this time, they weren't tears of frustration. They were tears of relief, of release. I had finally crossed that barrier. I had finally reached the power I needed.
I clenched my fists, feeling the energy coursing through me. This was for everyone I cared about. For Videl, for Erasa, for Mom, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, even Vegeta. For everyone who depended on me. And I would not fail them.
For about ten minutes, the golden aura surrounded me, the energy surging through my body, until it finally flickered out on its own, leaving me standing there, panting. I felt a mix of exhilaration and exhaustion. The transformation had drained me, but it had also shown me that I could do it, that I had the power within me. I knew about the potential in me but trying to overcome walls were already extremly difficult.
But this was just the beginning.
I clenched my fists, staring down at them. The raw power was incredible, but it was wild. It had taken every ounce of anger and frustration to push me into that form, and now, I needed to master it. I couldn't afford to let it be a burst of uncontrolled power. I needed to make it second nature, something I could call on whenever I needed it, without losing control. Full mastery of the Super Saiyan form was what I needed.
My thoughts wandered to the androids. I knew they wouldn't just stop. They were relentless, and eventually, they would find me. Even if I was careful, even if I kept my power hidden, it was only a matter of time before they decided to search more systematically. They'd go to all the locations Dr. Gero's bots had data on.
They'd go after Kame House, the one place they hadn't attacked yet, probably because they didn't know about it. But if they did find it, if they decided to follow every lead, Master Roshi, Videl, Erasa, everyone there could be in danger. And what about the others? Mom, Grandpa, Bulma, they were all at risk because of me.
I had told Bulma to keep an eye out for any suspicious movements from the androids. If they started heading towards the South Ocean, where Kame House was, I would have to blitz there immediately to stop them.
I needed to protect them. The thought of anyone getting hurt because of me was unacceptable. I wouldn't allow it. And to do that, I needed more than just the ability to transform. I needed control, mastery. I had to be able to access that power without being overwhelmed by it. To use it without losing myself.
"Alright," I whispered, determination solidifying within me. "Time to start again. This time, I'll master it."
I would push forward, and this time, I wouldn't just transform. I'd make that power my own. I had no time to waste, every day was precious, and every moment could be the difference between saving everyone or losing everything.
The androids might not be actively hunting me, but it wouldn't stay that way forever. And when they finally did, I needed to be ready.
Androids 17 and 18 POV
'A year ago, we encountered Son Gohan, the son of Son Goku, and he humiliated us. To take revenge, we went to his house, but much to our disappointment, there was no one there. We destroyed the place anyway, but not finding that brat was infuriating. He seemed to have vanished. We even searched the area where we last saw him and killed numerous people in the nearby city, but there was no trace of him.' Android 17 thought, lost in contemplation.
I thought he would eventually show up, but a year had passed, and there was still nothing. We were starting to get bored. Numerous fighters tried to stop us, some even strong by human standards, but none of them compared to someone like Krillin—who would be a god to these weaklings.
"Boooooooring!" 18 exclaimed, sitting near her brother.
"Well, if we knew where the brat was, we could kill some time. But we can't find him. We even went to West City, but we destroyed it almost entirely and found no one there," 17 responded. "Maybe we could go back to Gero's la—"
"NEVER!" 18 cut 17 off, her voice laced with anger. She seemed to really despise Dr. Gero.
"Okay, okay, calm down. So what should we do?" 17 asked, raising his hands in a placating gesture.
18's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I have an idea. We could find someone who knows the location of Goku's old master. From what I know, Goku trained with several people, like that cat we killed, and also an old master. Gero didn't have detailed data on him, but from what we do know, this master seemed respected. Someone must know about him."
"Well, that's actually not a bad idea," 17 said, a grin spreading across his face. "Let's give it a shot."
Android 17's eyes glinted with interest as he considered 18's suggestion. It was rare for her to show any real initiative regarding their next move, but this time, there was a clear intent behind her words. They were both growing increasingly bored with the lack of challenges. A direct lead like this might finally provide some much-needed entertainment.
"So, we're searching for Goku's old master, huh?" 17 said, a smirk forming on his lips. "An old man hiding somewhere… I bet he'll be easy to find. And if he trained Goku, maybe he knows something about where that brat Gohan's been hiding."
18 nodded, a subtle smile playing on her lips as well. "Let's see if we can make things a little less boring. It's been too long since we've had some real fun."
17 stood up, stretching his arms over his head lazily. "Right. Let's get moving then. We'll start by finding out where this so-called master lives."
The twins lifted off the ground, taking to the skies, their eyes scanning below for potential targets. Someone—anyone—who might have information about Goku's old master.
Their goal was set, and the thrill of the hunt reignited within them. The androids, with their terrifying power and insatiable desire for entertainment, were ready to make their next move. And they wouldn't stop until they found their target.
Gohan's POV
So just like that, I spent several days trying to master Super Saiyan. At first, it was incredibly demanding on my energy, but I quickly progressed enough to maintain the transformation for over an hour. The more I trained in Super Saiyan, the faster my progress became. Eventually, I was able to willingly enter the state and stay in it for a few hours. Now, I aimed to remain in Super Saiyan all the time, suppressing my energy to the lowest possible level. It felt like trying to fold a piece of paper more than ten times, extremely difficult.
A week or two passed, and then Bulma reported something truly terrifying.
The androids had been attacking people, questioning them about me or Master Roshi. It was infuriating. They were using my name as an excuse to slaughter innocent lives. They even said things like, "If Gohan doesn't show up, we'll keep killing people, but if he comes out, we'll stop and leave." Of course, that was obviously a lie.
I hadn't yet fully mastered Super Saiyan. I could probably take them on, but I wanted to be sure I had the endurance needed. The androids had infinite stamina, and if, by some misfortune, I couldn't kill them off and got tired, they'd finish me without hesitation.
So I continued my efforts to remain in Super Saiyan all the time, all the while keeping an eye on any news about the androids. For the past few days, I'd tried staying in Super Saiyan form, but it would always switch off when I slept.
Until one day, I got a piece of alarming news—broadcast from the only news channel still operating. It had been, of course, attacked by the androids, and they had found someone who knew Master Roshi's location.
"Gohan! Don't tell me you're going to fight them?" Bulma said, her voice filled with concern.
I looked at her, my expression firm. "Well, I've got no choice, Bulma. There aren't any Dragon Balls anymore, and they're heading to kill Master Roshi, Launch, Oolong, Puar, and my friends. I can't just sit here and do nothing."
Bulma's eyes glistened, a mix of fear and worry etched on her face. "Okay... just, please come back alive. If you fall, we're all doomed, and Trunks will be left alone..."
I forced a reassuring smile, trying to ease her fears. "Don't worry, Bulma. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be this strong. Your gravity machine has turned me into the warrior who'll put an end to them!"
With those words, I erupted from the bunker, my heart pounding. I prayed silently that the androids hadn't already reached Kame House.
"Here I come, 17 and 18!"