The air around me erupted as I began powering up, my energy raging wildly, roaring with intensity as I screamed, the sound echoing across the island. My aura surged outward like a blazing fire, and the sheer force of my power kept the androids from getting any closer. Rocks and debris were lifted from the ground, swirling around me, the pressure growing unbearable until, finally, the transformation took hold. In an instant, my hair turned golden, my eyes a piercing blue—the unmistakable form of Super Saiyan. The power within me felt limitless.
"This is the end for you two," I shouted, my voice carrying across the land, my gaze fierce. "You've terrorized this planet for far too long! I'll send you where you belong—straight to hell!"
Android 17 and 18 exchanged glances, their eyes narrowing, their killing intent growing palpable.
"You think we're just going to let you do that?" 17 sneered, stepping forward as his aura flared with green energy. "We're the ones who are going to end you, brat!"
I clenched my fists, my own energy radiating brighter, the ground cracking beneath me. 'I won't hold back. This ends here—today!'
17 and 18 quickly composed themselves, their expressions turning cold and focused. They understood that if they lost concentration now, it could mean their end. Regret and questions about how I'd grown this strong had no place in this battle—only survival mattered.
With a yell, 17 charged toward me, a green ki blast in his hand, shaped like an arc and crackling with electricity. He hurled it straight at me, and as he did, 18 slipped behind me, taking advantage of the distraction to attack.
"Take this!" 17 roared, throwing the energy attack as I braced myself, extending my hand to intercept. In that exact moment, 18 emerged from behind me, her own energy blast aimed at my back.
"You're finished!" she yelled, her voice dripping with overconfidence.
I smirked. "Aren't you a bit too confident?" With just a subtle twist of my body, I avoided 18's blast by shifting my torso to the side, feeling the heat of her attack pass just beside me. Using the momentum from my dodge, I shifted quickly out of 17's attack range, the two blasts colliding in the air and canceling each other out in a burst of energy.
Before they could react, I surged forward toward 18. She was still recovering from her failed attack, her eyes widening in surprise as I closed in. I brought my leg up for a powerful kick, aiming straight for her face. But 17 moved quickly, lunging in to intercept, aiming a kick of his own toward my head.
"Too obvious!" I growled, grabbing 17's foot with one hand, stopping his kick dead in its tracks. Without a second thought, I swung him around, using his own momentum against him, smashing him into 18 with all my strength. The force of the impact sent both androids crashing into a nearby rock, dust and debris rising from the point of impact.
Landing on the ground, I looked at them as they picked themselves up, bruised and scuffed. "I have to admit," I said, a smirk playing on my lips, "your coordination is impressive. But that's the extent of it." My tone was laced with disdain, my gaze unwavering.
18 clenched her fists, her expression twisting with anger. "You're going to regret mocking us!" she shouted, her aura flaring violently, the golden energy almost blinding.
She and 17 rushed at me again, their speed incredible, but my senses were heightened, my instincts sharper than ever. 18 came at me first, her leg swinging toward me in a powerful kick. I brought my arm up to redirect her strike, but it was a feint—just a setup. 17 appeared beneath her, his own attack coming from my blind side. They were moving in perfect sync, their coordination nearly seamless.
But I wasn't going to let them have it their way.
In a fluid motion, I lifted my knee, driving it into the hollow of 17's own knee, disrupting his balance and stopping his attack before it could connect. The impact forced him to stumble, his face a mask of surprise. Using the momentum from my movement, I leaned backward, my other leg snapping upward with precision, connecting with 18's chin and sending her flying backward into the air, her body twisting as she lost control.
I landed back on the ground, shifting my stance instantly. 17 tried to recover, his eyes wide with shock, but before he could regain his footing, I twisted around, using my other leg to deliver a powerful kick to his midsection, launching him like a soccer ball. He crashed into the rocky terrain, the impact echoing across the area.
"Come on, is this all you've got?" I called out, my voice carrying an edge of mockery. The fight wasn't just physical; I was getting into their heads, breaking down their confidence. These androids had tormented the world for far too long, and now, it was time to end their reign of terror. I couldn't afford to give them any chance to regroup or come at me with more strength. This was my fight to win, and I wasn't about to let them forget it.
'No, I need to end it now. I can't afford to make a mistake,' I thought, my resolve hardening. This had to be finished now, once and for all.
"AHHHHHHHH!" My energy flared once again, glowing in a blinding bright gold. My muscles bulged, and suddenly my entire figure grew taller. I looked like a more mature, hardened version of myself, my body adapting perfectly to handle my full power. This was my Max Power Form—a form designed to draw out every ounce of strength within me.
"What?! He grew?!" 17 exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief. He exchanged a glance with 18, both of them clearly unnerved by the transformation. "This... this isn't good."
They both knew that whatever was coming next would be beyond anything they had faced so far. The shock was visible on their faces as they struggled to comprehend the sudden change.
I didn't give them a chance to react. With a burst of speed, I charged toward them, the sheer force of my movement creating a powerful gust that shook the earth beneath us, uprooting trees and sending rocks flying. In an instant, I was behind 18, my hand wrapping around her arm with a vice-like grip.
"W-What?!" 18 barely had time to register my presence before I crushed her arm with my enhanced strength.
"ARGHHHH!" 18 screamed in pain, her face twisted in agony.
"18!" 17 shouted, his voice filled with desperation. He tried to intervene, lunging at me, but his effort was futile. I grabbed him by the neck with my free hand, slamming him into the ground with a deafening crash. Dust and debris flew into the air, the ground cracking under the force of the impact.
"You should have stayed down," I said coldly, my eyes narrowing as I turned my attention back to 18. I lifted her effortlessly, using her body as a weapon, swinging her into 17 and sending him flying. The sheer force of the blow echoed across the battlefield as he crashed into the rocky terrain.
I threw 18 into the air, her battered form twisting as she flew helplessly upward, unable to fight back after the damage I had inflicted. She was powerless, her once confident demeanor replaced by shock and fear.
"KAAAAAA... MEEEEEE... HAAAAAA... MEEEEEE!" I gathered energy in my hands, a bright blue ball of ki forming between them, its light illuminating the battlefield as I focused my power.
"No! No, stop!" 17 yelled, struggling to his feet, his face contorted with fear and desperation. He knew what was coming, but he was too late to do anything about it.
"HAAAAAAAA!" I released the Kamehameha, the blue energy beam surging forward like a tidal wave, enveloping 18's body in its path. She let out one last scream as her form was disintegrated, vanishing into nothingness within the overwhelming light of my attack.
I let out a deep breath, my gaze turning to 17. His eyes were wide with fear, his body trembling as he stared at the spot where 18 had been moments before. The shock and disbelief on his face were evident—he knew he stood no chance.
"You're next," I said, my voice cold, the fierce determination burning in my eyes. I could see the fear take hold of him as he turned, attempting to flee.
"No... no, no, no!" 17 muttered, panic evident in his voice as he stumbled away, desperately trying to escape. "I have to get out of here!"
"There's no escape," I said, my voice resolute. My aura flared once again, the golden energy mixing with the blue ki I had gathered in my hands. The result was a brilliant green glow as I charged forward, the ground cracking beneath my feet from the sheer force of my movement.
I caught up to 17 in seconds, his attempts to run futile. "You can't run from this!" I roared, channeling all my energy into my fist. The golden aura around me merged with the blue ki in my hand, creating a swirling green energy that radiated power. With a final yell, I drove my fist forward, the energy erupting outward as it connected with 17's back.
"ARGHHHHH!" 17 screamed, the force of the blow propelling him forward. The energy surged through him, his body convulsing as the green ki tore through his internal systems, destroying everything in its path. His eyes went wide in shock, his body falling limp as he crashed to the ground, his energy fading rapidly.
I stood over him, my breath heavy, my golden aura flickering around me. It was over—both 17 and 18 had been defeated. The nightmare they had brought upon this world had finally ended.
"This... is for everyone you've hurt," I muttered, my gaze hard as I looked down at 17's fallen form. The fight was over, and for the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. The androids were gone.
But this was far from over. There were still many threats looming around. Majin Buu, Dabura, Babidi, Zamasu, and perhaps even other unknown dangers that I had yet to encounter. This was just the beginning, and I knew it would only get more difficult from here.
"Argggh," I groaned, releasing my max power form. It had taken a toll on me, especially since I had combined it with the Super Saiyan state. Exhaustion swept over me, and I collapsed onto the ground, my body aching from the effort.
"At least for now, I can allow myself to recover..." I thought, trying to reassure myself. I knew Babidi and Dabura wouldn't arrive for a few more years. Even if they showed up earlier than expected, I would have time to grow stronger.
As I lay there on the ground, catching my breath, I heard the hum of an engine approaching. It was the aeroneff, they were back.
The aeroneff landed not far from where I was resting, and the hatch opened, revealing Videl, Erasa, Launch, Puar, Oolong, and Master Roshi. Their eyes widened as they took in the scene: the destroyed landscape, the remnants of the androids, and me, lying on the ground, clearly exhausted but alive.
"Gohan!" Videl was the first to rush out, her eyes filled with worry and relief. She kneeled beside me, her hands hovering uncertainly over my bruised form. "Are you okay?"
I managed a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine... just a bit worn out."
Erasa hurried over, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at me. "You did it, Gohan! You really did it! You defeated them!" She knelt beside Videl, her voice trembling with a mix of emotions—fear, relief, and admiration.
Master Roshi stepped out of the aeroneff, his expression a mix of pride and astonishment. "You really pulled it off, kid," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I knew you were strong, but this... this was something else."
Launch, in her gentle form, approached with a smile. "Thank you, Gohan. You saved us all." She reached down, helping me to sit up as she steadied me.
Puar and Oolong hovered nearby, both of them visibly shaken but relieved. "You had us worried there for a minute!" Oolong said, trying to mask his concern with his usual bravado. "But I knew you'd come through."
Puar nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! You were amazing, Gohan!"
Videl smiled, her eyes glistening. "You did it... you really did it," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She placed a hand on my shoulder, her grip firm and reassuring.
I looked at them, the people I had fought so hard to protect, and a sense of warmth spread through me. This was why I had done it—to keep them safe, to ensure they could smile without fear.
"I couldn't have done it without you all," I said, my voice raspy from the effort. "Your support... it means everything to me."
Master Roshi nodded, a smile finally breaking through his serious demeanor. "Well, what are we waiting for? We should celebrate! This calls for a feast!"
Erasa's eyes lit up. "A feast sounds perfect! Let's celebrate Gohan's victory!"
Launch and Videl exchanged glances, both smiling. "I'll start preparing something," Launch said, her gentle voice filled with excitement.
With their help, I managed to get to my feet. My body protested with every movement, but the relief of knowing it was finally over made it bearable. We made our way back to the aeroneff, and as we flew away from the battleground, I allowed myself a moment of peace.
The androids were gone, and for now, we could all breathe easy. There were still challenges ahead, threats that loomed on the horizon, but I knew we would face them together. And with friends like these by my side, I knew we had a fighting chance.
We went over to Bulma's house and shared the news of our victory. Bulma was overjoyed, her face lighting up with relief, and she immediately began discussing how to handle the announcement. I also called my mother, who had been worried sick. She cried tears of relief over the phone, but her voice carried nothing but love and pride, telling me how glad she was that I was safe and that I had defeated the androids. The sense of peace and closure was beginning to settle in, not just for me but for everyone I cared about.
That evening, we celebrated at Bulma's place. Everyone was laughing, eating, and enjoying the rare moment of tranquility. Bulma made sure the news of the androids' defeat would be made public, so people could know that the nightmare was finally over, and peace was restored to our timeline. However, I asked her to leave my involvement out of it. I didn't need the attention right now. I wasn't intending to become a scholar this time, but that didn't mean I wanted to be in the public spotlight either, at least not yet.
After the celebration wound down, each of us was given a separate room to rest. As I lay in the bed, my thoughts kept drifting. I knew I needed to continue getting stronger—this victory wasn't the end. There were other threats, ones that might come from beyond our current understanding. This was just the beginning, and I couldn't afford to relax completely.
But there was something else that had been bothering me for a while, how come we hadn't been able to contact King Kai? Normally, he should have reached out to us, or at least we should have been able to communicate with him during such dire times. I had my suspicions, and I decided to bring it up with Master Roshi.
The next morning, I found Master Roshi in the living room, sipping tea. "Master, there's something I need your help with," I said, my tone more serious than usual. "I think we need to contact your sister, Baba. She can travel between realms, right? I need to know why we haven't been able to reach King Kai."
Master Roshi looked at me thoughtfully before nodding. "You're right, Gohan. Knowing my sister, she probably went into hiding as soon as the androids started causing trouble. But now that things have calmed down, she should be more willing to come out." He gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll get in touch with her. If there's something going on in the otherworld, Baba will find out."
With that settled, I felt a bit of the tension in my chest ease. There was still so much I needed to learn and prepare for, but I wasn't alone. We had allies, and we had time, at least for now. The fight wasn't over, but I had hope, and I would make sure I was ready for whatever lay ahead.