Last time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL, Sharpner engaged in combat with a young woman who turned out to not only be a witch but a granddaughter and student of the late Master Shen. After a fierce battle, a winner had been decided. What happened during the aftermath? Who will fight next? What will happen to fighters and our heroes? Their journey to make their way to the top of the tournament continues, now!
Battle Zone II - Forest
Upon dealing with a devastating attack, Sharpner, tapping into a new inner power, shattered the wooden salamander under Yurin's command. This caused the beast to be annihilated in bright light.
After the flash, dust clouded the air, making it hard for the cameras to see what happened.
Within the cloud of dust, Sharpner stood victoriously with his new power nowhere to be seen as it faded without a trace left. Yurin laid on her back, completely stunned at what had happened. She had lost. To a student of a traitor, no less.
She had disgraced the school of the Crane and tarnished the memory of her grandfather.
Yurin could feel the tears from her eyes begin to form, yet her pride refused them to fall.
'...I lost... I failed Master Tao, I failed Grandfather... I-I'm a disgrace to the Crane.'
"Hey."
Shifting her head, the girl watched Sharpner as he extended a hand while kneeling before her.
"Do you need a hand?" Sharpner offered. "That was one hell of a fight you put up. It was pretty wild, but I learned a lot from it."
Scowling bitterly, Yurin turned away.
"I don't need your charity. Just do me a favor and get on with it already. Kill me." Yurin spat, closing her eyes.
"Get on with it-, what!?" Sharpner cried, obviously flustered. "What are you talking about?"
"You don't get it... I failed them." Yurin whispered in sorrow and bitterness. "I failed the Crane, my home! I trained for years with my sorcery and martial arts to prove myself to Tao and
Grandfather. But it was never enough for them. T-They said that I was too soft, that all that mattered in the world is strong. He said that I needed to be ruthless to be strong enough
in order to serve my purpose truly."
Sharpner echoed back, "Purpose?"
"It doesn't matter now... How can I take out the likes of that three-eyed baldy to restore the Crane if I can't even kill you? Even after throwing everything I had at you, I failed. Now, I'm useless to my school. Tao will want nothing to do with me. I have nothing to live for anymore. So, go on and finish me off." Yurin said with finality.
Sharpner looked at Yurin blankly before saying, "...Good grief, you're not just a drama queen, but you're a fucking moron."
Yurin's eyes opened up out of shock and a tinge of ire.
"...What?"
Running his hand through his blond locks as he sighed.
"Look, you're entitled to feel however you like about Master Tien leaving. But that doesn't give you the right to try and hurt me or go after him over something that had nothing to do with you. And yeah, he was a crook a long time ago. You're also right to a degree about me. I was a dick to a lot of people because I followed the example of one of my heroes who I learned wasn't the person I thought they were. I felt privileged, constantly needing validation to compare myself to people who seemed inspiring and larger than life out of association with that person."
Yurin, staring blankly at Sharpner, questioned, "What's the point of you telling me this?"
Sharpner explained, "Take it from an amateur who beat you. I followed someone else's path, and it got me killed. Out of some raw miracle, a chump like me was given another shot at life. Once I realized that I had to walk my own path as a martial artist, I changed for the better. And while we can all respect and appreciate our teachers for what they've done for us, we don't owe them anything because they were doing their jobs. At the end of the day, we are our own warriors, walking down our paths in life. We owe it to ourselves to improve on where we are now and to aim higher. That's what we live for."
'...I am my own warrior. B-But the Crane is all I have. ...That I had.' Yurin thought before recognizing that there was nothing left for her now. '...Where do I go from here?'
As Sharpner stood up, the exhausted Yurin tried to sit up but found herself too weak to do so.
"W-Wait!" She called him. "Why are you sparing my life after everything that I've tried to do to you?"
Sharpner rolled his eyes, saying, "Are you deaf, or something? I've already told you, I don't care about this Crane School drama. I'm aiming to win the prize money for my family. While I still think that you're a crazy plant lady who seriously needs a cat, I also respect you as a fighter. You have pushed me to my limits the hardest by far. It would be a damn shame for a worthy rival to bite the dust. Want to get stronger? Fine, but do it your way. Trying to be a cold-hearted bitch is not your style, anyway."
And like that, the dust settled with Sharpner being declared the winner by the announcer when it was ruled out that Yurin was unable to continue.
Yurin was honestly touched at the fact that the blond had admitted his acknowledgment of her unique skill and dedication, that feeling was quickly overturned by the insults she had processed mentally.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING CRAZY, YOU BASTARD!? I DON'T NEED A CAT!!!" She screeched before laying her head back down due to exhaustion.
'...You win this round, kid. But don't think this is the last you've seen of me. You've just earned yourself an eternal rival.'
VIP Tower, Battle Island II, Age 774
While Monty loudly praised another exciting match that ended in Sharpner's victory, most of the adults were busy processing what they'd just witnessed in the second Battle Zone.
Mr. Satan's jaw dropped at the amount of power the young man had achieved after learning about his departure from his dojo months prior. He knew how much of a difference having the ability to use ki could make in a fight, but Mark never imagined living in the same world where Sharpner could kill a monster with one punch.
Needless to say, he had quickly left and changed his pants before people noticed the piss stains that formed from his fear.
Meanwhile, Kurozuru stood aside by a corner, currently mumbling obscenities under his breath.
"Damn that foolish wench! I should have rid myself of her if I knew she would fail me." Tao said while grinding his teeth through his mask as he steamed silently.
Dr. Yanagi had his eyebrow raised, taking into detail Sharpner's sudden...transformation.
"...What an interesting development." Wheelo commented, taking out a tablet.
Unlocking the tablet, he touched an icon with a satellite labeled by a crimson ribbon with two white capital "R" letters on them, then checked a few cameras that showed Sharpner's transformation in perfect quality and high definition.
"Very interesting indeed."
Stadium, Battle Island II, Age 774
The announcer declared, "Yurin is unable to continue! Sharpner advances to the next round!"
Once again, heralding cheers resounded all across the stadium. This obviously reached the Dragon Team, and most of them found themselves clapping and whooping at the young man's victory.
Among them were Chi-Chi, Bulma, the kids, Lazuli (Albert clapping casually), Master Roshi, and Krillin.
Erasa remained quiet, with her mouth parted out at the insane moves her estranged friend pulled off. After all, the two blond(e)s barely had yikes to talk among themselves upon their confrontation after designing their history project. Awkwardly tense was the best way to describe where their friendship stood. And while Erasa found herself clapping for one of her best friends, a pang of guilt vibrated in her heart for not being there for the jock. But that sadness was buried back down in order to support Sharpner's victory.
Vegeta kept a straight face with his arms crossed as he narrowed his eyes.
'...I felt the brat's power skyrocket a moment ago. It was brief, but I know it happened. What kind of power did that Earthling tap into?' Vegeta questioned. 'Perhaps there is something more to these meager tournaments that the woman was prattling on about.'
Tien stood proud, smiling at the screen that showed his pupil walking to the elevator at the center of the forest.
'Well done, kid. You've come a long way since the invasion. Now, get over to the semi-finals. You've earned it.' Tien thought to himself with a nod of approval.
Over to where the kids are, Marron looked over to the screen and spotted a familiar face.
"Look! It's Mr. Gohan on TV!"
Everybody turned to see Gohan, walking in his Battle Zone alone.
The others followed Marron's movements and grew excited.
"Alright! It's his turn now!" Trunks said, barely being able to contain his excitement.
"Go Gohan!" Chi-Chi and Goten cheered at the same time.
King Kai's Planet, Other World, Age 774
The deceased Son men, King Kai, and Bubbles were at the edge of their seats when they learned that Yurin was not a student of the original Crane School, but Shen's adopted granddaughter who possessed the ability to use sorcery.
"Woo, boy! Now that was a close call!" Goku excitedly commented."
"Yeah, I'll say. I thought the kid was a goner...again." King Kai mused lightly.
"Thankfully, he's a lot more sharp than I gave him credit for. Hehehe!"
"Yes, thank goodness for that. I feel sorry for the poor girl. Twisted and modeled to serve such evil and petty purposes. Hopefully, this can finally lay the conflict within the Crane School for good." Old Man Gohan said.
"Agreed," King Kai added before recognizing the third Battle Zone's combatants. "Ooo! Goku, guess who's fighting next?"
Goku and Grandpa Gohan looked to see the Saiyan's oldest child braving through the snow.
A huge grin formed on Goku's face. He then pumped his fist in the air.
"Yeah! I've been waitin' a while for this!" Goku smirked with anticipation burning in his eyes.
Battle Zone III - Snowy Monastery
Gohan found himself being brought to a cold environment lightly layered with snow.
Getting out of his hovercar, he noticed that the simulation had generated what seemed to be a village home to a temple not dissimilar to an ancient monastery.
Looking up, he could see the snow being produced in the air. Taking his hand, Gohan inspected the cold substance and gasped a little in mild surprise.
"Wow, this is actual snow." Gohan noticed. "The Doctor's sure is dedicated to selling themes of his craft."
The hybrid Saiyan journeyed over to the village, inspecting the traditional wooden homes that he had only seen in history books that his mother distracted him with.
Nearby a large seemingly abandoned farm, he noticed another hover car that formed a crater in the middle of the field. On the ground were footsteps that were left behind.
"...I see, so he arrived here before me." Gohan recognized as he sensed his opponent's energy.
Turning around, Gohan set his sights on a large hill where an even bigger stone palace complex stood tall over the snowing village.
With his next destination set, Gohan braved his way through the cold and found himself climbing the one hundred and fifty stairs to even get to the complex.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed that two dragons stood in front of the area as guardian statues.
"Hm. They kind of remind me of Shenron a little bit." Gohan mused before entering the old palace.
After five minutes of looking through the building, Gohan made it to the back of the monastery outside. There, he found a training ground where a beautiful stone floor mural had been painted on the battlegrounds. It depicted red and blue Eastern dragons circling each other in a dance. Just up north was another flight of stairs that led to a stone structure that had an elevator.
Walking over to the floor, Gohan saw Pigero, sitting at the center of the battlegrounds while the snow gently fell all over his head and hair. His legs were crossed along with his arms doing the same thing.
"I've been wondering when you'd arrive, kid," Pigero commented as he turned over his shoulder. "Here I thought you got lost again."
Gohan chuckled at the comment, noting the reference in the joke.
"You have to admit how authentic this place is," Gohan stated. "To think such technology that can simulate reality almost perfectly exists. Being a part of it is a privilege."
Reiken no Pigero snorted as he stood up to face his opponent and old friend.
"You haven't changed a bit." The older warrior grinned. "Tell me something, Gohan. Your old man, was his name Son Goku?"
"Yeah, he was my father," Gohan answered with an eyebrow cocked. "Why'd you ask?"
"My master often records historical events via newspaper articles and anything else written and or photographed. I saw a picture of him in every tournament he's been in, and they kept on reminding me of you. Once I saw your brother's hair, your face, and that tail you got, the pieces came together." Pigero answered with his arms crossed. "That, and I can detect your high ki power. You sort of stick out like a sore thumb."
Gohan scratched the back of his head, laughing awkwardly, "I guess I wasn't as subtle as I thought."
Pigero chuckled at the teenager, saying, "You're alright, kid. To be honest, I'm kind of excited about that fact. It's been forever since I had a decent opponent."
"I understand," Gohan nodded. "Say, you mentioned your master earlier."
Pigero blinked for a second, asking, "Master Chōwa? What about him?"
"Well, it's just that you ever got the chance to talk about his style of martial arts. ...It's got me rather curious is all." Gohan admitted sheepishly.
Smirking, Pigero tightened his orange headband as he offered, "How about I show you what I've learned instead?"
The older fighter lifted his hand and clenched it for a fist bump.
"I'll let you in on what I know as the battle goes on. For now, let's give these people a show, 'kay?" Pigero suggested.
Looking at the fist that was extended and Pigero's smile, Gohan swore he saw his father standing in front of him. Something about the brown-haired man reminded the hybrid of Goku. His presence, his demeanor, the burning passion for fighting, and that hint of mystery that surrounded him.
It intrigued Gohan, and like Goku, he followed his curiosity to the end.
Taking his own hand, Gohan bumped Pigero's fist with his own.
"Alright, Pigero. I'll be honored to take you on!"
Nodding toward each other, the two men jumped eight feet away from each other and took their stances.
Gohan decided to slip into his father's stance back when he fought Vegeta. Pigero, on the other hand, took a front stance, similar to that of a Karate practitioner.
The two challengers stared each other down, waiting for one another to make a move. After ten seconds of this, the two fighters dashed forward, clashing at each other with their forearms. The sudden impact blew the snow away, clearing the battlegrounds that they stood on.
The two warriors slid back, only for them to close in the gap. Pigero threw a front and a reverse punch with his right and left hands at Gohan. Gohan responded by dodging the first blow while blocking the second. Gohan went for a leg sweep, only for Pigero to flip behind. When Gohan turned around, he was met with a powerful sidekick.
While the kick itself was light, the force behind it was strong enough to cause Gohan to slide back seven feet. And another thing that Gohan noticed was that there was a light lavender hue of aura that coated Pigero's foot when he attacked him.
'...Woah! I felt that! And his power...it didn't have any ounce of ki at all!' Gohan thought in shock before narrowing his eyes. 'I better stay on my guard in this fight.'
Pigero dashed forward, jumping to go for a flying kick. However, Gohan ended up leaving the older man to go through an Afterimage, causing Pigero to leave a foot-sized hole in the battleground. Gohan suddenly reappeared in front of his opponent, kneeling. Turning his waist, Gohan used that moment to elbow Pigero in the gut, forcing him to gasp in pain. Quickly, Gohan kneed the man in the chin before he sent Pigero back by a roundhouse kick.
Pigero rolled to the ground but found himself rolling back into a crouch. Gohan then fired three blue ki blasts at the older man with his left hand.
Seeing this, Pigero quickly cupped his hands together, much like Master Roshi's most famous technique, then shouted, "Reidōken!"
Out of Pigero's hand was a blast of lavender energy produced, three times larger than an average ki blast.
When the attack collided with the three ki blasts, they caused an explosion that evenly canceled each other out.
Gohan and Pigero stood once more, staring at each other once as the dust settled from the explosion.
"Not bad, kid. I see you haven't been skipping leg day at all." Pigero said, with his breath being visible thanks to the cold weather. "Say, aren't you getting cold?"
Gohan shook his head, stating, "Not really. I'm used to this kind of weather. Besides, my energy usually keeps me warm."
'...Not that I'd need it since I'm part Saiyan.'
Pigero nodded, saying, "You got a point there. I've trained under tough conditions like this too. Ki helps, as well."
"Speaking of energy, what was that power you just used in your technique?" Gohan asked. "It sure wasn't any ki in it."
Grinning, Pigero explained, "That's because I was using another kind of energy. While ki is made up of willpower, health, and concentration, there are a few people in the world who can tap into the power of their very own soul. And from that, a fighting style was created. That is called Reiken no Jutsu, or Art of the Soul Fist."
"Soul Fist?" Gohan parroted. "You mean to tell me that the power came from your...soul?"
"That's right. Instead of ki, I gain access to power directly from my spirit. This energy is called reiki (spirit energy), or reiryoku (spiritual power) if you're the proper type. It's a lot denser than normal ki and can be a lot harder to control. But once you do, the payoff is worth it. According to Master Chōwa, Reiken no Jutsu was created for the sole purpose to combat and ward off any supernatural forces. Its true power has yet to be discovered."
"Woah, that sounds incredible! No wonder I was able to feel that attack from you. You used reiki to amplify the strength of your blows." Gohan realized.
"Yup. Reiki is like what ki is to the deceased without their bodies or spirits. But it's possible for the living to gain access to this power." Pigero nodded as he pointed towards his heart with his right hand's thumb. "That, however, is a dangerous process that involves the person carefully removing one's natural limiter that's located in the heart. And that's after a certain amount of conditioning and ki mastery. Once it's unlocked, the user will be able to use basic reiki abilities. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."
A Saiyan-like smirk appeared on Gohan's face as his irises turned golden yellow out of excitement.
"You know what? Now, you've got me more curious about this new power, your reiryoku." Gohan stated, clenching his right fist. "By all means, show more of this Reiken no Jutsu."
Pigero smirked back as he took a back stance.
"Now you're speaking my language, kid! Let's take things up a notch!" The older fighter cried out as he increased the level of lavender-colored reiki, causing the snow around him to fly away from his body.
'I can't sense it, but this pressure that I'm feeling is definitely stronger than Yamcha. I wouldn't be surprised if he surpassed Krillin by powering up.' Gohan praised in his mind before getting back into his father's stance.
"Don't blink, Gohan! I'm going to show you why they call me Reiken no Pigero!" Pigero shouted before dashing forward.
"I'm ready when you are! Let's go!" Gohan shouted back, meeting his opponent in another clash.
Stadium, Battle Island II,
Most of the audience was memorized by the battle, as Pigero and Gohan were out in the cold fighting grounds, each giving and taking each blow that they were giving to each other through their hands, feet, elbows, and knees. And while Gohan had the strength and speed advantage, Pigero learned, adapted, and countered each attack that Gohan threw at him thanks to his innate ability to study and problem solve thanks to his experience.
In one instance during their confrontation, a side kick that Gohan had tried to do ended up resulting in him being thrown to the ground by Pigero. Pigero would have landed an ax kick to the Saiyan's head, but Gohan rolled away before he could take damage.
To most of the spectators, this was the most balanced and thrilling fight yet.
But to the Dragon Team, this was an exciting fight for a completely different reason. After all, this was Gohan's very first tournament.
"That's it, Gohan-chan! Keep pressing on him!" Chi-Chi cheered with her fans.
Erasa added, "Yeah! Show him what you're made of, Son-kun!"
"Fight on, Mr. Gohan!" Marron shouted, waving her small flag for her honorary cousin.
Meanwhile, some of the others were having their own commentary/conversations regarding the match and its challengers.
"W-Wow! Look at him go!" Krillin chuckled out of astonishment and thrill. "I've never seen him so eager while fighting before. At least, not when he's in a rage."
"I see where you're coming from, Krillin. It's bizarre," Tien agreed, watching the fight transpire. "From the looks of this match, it's almost as if-"
"-He's enjoying it," Master Roshi interrupted, sharing Tenshinhan's suspicions. "I wholeheartedly agree. For once, Gohan is experiencing martial arts in a positive setting without the fate of the world weighing on him. And given that these two seem to know each other, I wouldn't be surprised if Gohan is curious about where his opponent stands compared to the rest of us."
"Fair enough." Lazuli said. "The boy's entitled to stretch his legs a bit and have a little fun."
Bulma then asked, "As much as I'm loving this fight, this feels a bit excessive. Why can't Gohan just end the fight now and be done with it?"
Snorting, Vegeta said, "Weren't you paying attention? It's like the old man said, the brat has obviously encountered his opponent before. That human also appears to possess an unusual power. And if I learned anything about the brat over the years is that he'll act on his curiosity to sate it, whether it's educational or if it's in a fight."
"...So, you're saying that Gohan wants to fight this guy?" Bulma questioned, seeking clarification.
"Exactly, and he's enjoying the moment of it," Vegeta answered, grinning with pride. "To simply do away with his opponent without seeing what he's capable of would be a disservice to both of them as warriors. Besides, there's nothing at stake here so there's no reason not to oblige the human. Gohan may even push the man to his limits."
Bulma nodded, remembering who's son Gohan is, "That's Son-kun's kid, alright."
"Hey, is it me or does this guy's fighting style look like Turtle style?" Krillin pointed out.
"It does bear some similarities." Roshi agreed.
Both Goten and Trunks were also enjoying the fight when Trunks noticed Pigero's strange energy attack that he shot from his hands once more.
"Hey, Goten? Isn't that the technique that the old guy taught your dad and Krillin?" Trunks questioned.
Tilting his head, Goten thought about the Kamehameha Wave before shaking his head.
"I don't think so, Trunks. The Kamehameha Wave is a beam. That looked like a big ki blast." Goten explained. "It looks pretty strong if it was able to block three blasts from Gohan."
"That's weird. The guy was doing the same pose and everything." The son of Bulma and Vegeta said, scratching his head.
The youngest son of Goku took his time to focus on the man his brother was fighting, subconsciously tightening the red headband on his head.
"...Focus..." The boy whispered.
Glancing at his brother's opponent, began to recognize the man by his distinct facial features, the scar, and especially the orange headband.
'...Wait a sec!'
"I know him! That's Mr. Pigero!" Goten shouted, pointing his finger at the screen.
Most of the Dragon Team outside of Vegeta turned to Goten with their eyebrows raised.
"You know him, Goten?" Trunks questioned. "But how?"
"Yeah! I met him near my house on my birthday!" Goten chirped.
Bulma and Chi-Chi looked at each other before Chi-Chi lightly scolded the boy.
"Goten, what were you thinking? You no better talk to strangers! He could have been dangerous for all we know!"
"He wasn't dangerous, Mommy. I can tell by sensing his ki. He was friendly. He even gave me his headband as a birthday gift. It helps me focus better."
'So that's why Goten-kun wears it.' Trunks recognized mentally, looking at his friend with analytical eyes.
Chi-Chi cocked her eyebrow, asking, "It helps you focus? Is that why you never take it off during your studies?"
"Uh-huh! It's my lucky charm! Just like Daddy's four-star Dragon Ball!" Goten replied happily.
Chi-Chi sighed, "What am I going to do with you?"
Goten kept watching the fight with everybody else, cheering his brother on while still admiring Pigero's way of fighting.
Battle Zone III - Snowy Monastery
The two clashed at blinding speeds, causing the wind to blow the snow that was around them. At times, Gohan would be pelted with blows to the upper body, torso, and head. Other times, Pigero would be inflicted with attacks from the back of the head, the legs, chest, and neck by Gohan.
There were times when they ran next to each other, then phased out of view, leaving only Afterimages of one another performing an attack.
Despite Pigero getting a few jabs and kicks off of Gohan, he was thrown back in the air by Gohan's Ryushōken.
Pigero recovered as he flipped into a somersault backward, landing perfectly on his feet.
Wiping off blood from his mouth that Gohan drew from his uppercut, Pigero clenched his fists while panting slightly from his last close quarters with Gohan. His gi had been tattered a tad bit, but nothing happened to him that could prove to be battle damaged.
Gohan stood in front of him, breathing calmly with a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. Gohan had a few cuts around his gi as well.
'This kid barely broke a sweat even after I raised my reiki. Gohan's much more of a challenge than I thought. I'm going to have to tap into Soul Forces in order to tip the scales in my favor. This will be fun!'
Standing straight with his firmly planted feet spread forty-five degrees apart, Pigero began to manifest his reiki in a different manner. The spiritual energy went from light lavender to a sky blue aura with particles surrounding the aura.
An elderly disembodied voice rang through his mind as if it was only meant for Pigero to hear.
Detach yourself from all lingering emotions. Empty your mind from any thought that comes. They are nothing but physical attachments that tether your spirit. Only when you achieve spiritual weightlessness, the calming force of the Heisei will manifest.
The aura was then contained, leaving Pigero with a sky blue outer glow and sky blue irises.
Gohan rushed to get a hit in, only for Pigero to strike Gohan's stomach with an open left hand.
The force of the attack caused the Saiyan hybrid to wheeze, all the while crying out, "ZEN!"
"SHŌSEIKEN!!!" Pigero finished after springing up to land an uppercut in Gohan's while his right hand was imbued with light blue reiki.
And while the damage was minimal at best, the knockback sent Gohan all the way near the entrance of the monastery's backdoor. Gohan quickly got up from off the floor that he slammed into.
Rubbing his head, he asked himself, "Ugh... What hit me?"
Turning his head to Pigero, his eyes widened in shock.
"What in the world is this?" Gohan whispered, getting back into his stance.
Using Rapid Movement, Gohan struck Pigero with a right cross. But Pigero merely tilted his head to the side. Shocked, Gohan threw a left jab which was also evaded. Soon enough, flurries of punches were being dodged like they were nothing.
Granted, Gohan had not yet powered up while in his normal state, but the feat was still incredible by human standards.
'My hits aren't landing at all!' Gohan thought in astonishment.
Gohan went for a roundhouse kick again. This time, Pigero blocked the speedy attack with one of his forearms, with the impact being absorbed into Pigero's aura.
"What the-Argh!" Gohan questioned, only for him to be socked in the face by Pigero's Heisei no Reidō imbued punch. The repelling force sent him sprawling ten feet to the ground.
When he got up, Gohan spat out more blood.
"...That hurt." He muttered before recognizing the pain that he registered. "Wait, that hurt! His punches were strong, but that blow felt like I was punched by myself. Only harder."
Thinking about what he experienced, Gohan decided to try to test his hunch.
Taking his hands and raising them above his head, Gohan began to charge a familiar yellow ki attack with a purple accent.
After charging the attack, he chucked the ki attack like a grenade, and shouted, "MASENDAN!"
When the blast reached Pigero, the man waved his arms in a circular motion before catching the Demon Flash Bullet's ki. Using the Heisei no Reidō, the ki in the Masendan was converted to reiki, much to Gohan's utter shock.
As Pigero cupped his hands, the reiryoku in this newly converted blast increased two-fold, swirling in a sky blue ring of spirit particles and wind.
"ZEN!" Pigero cried out before thrusting his palms forward, shooting the sky blue spiritual energy blast. "REIDŌKEN!!!"
Gohan quickly crossed his arms, guarding himself.
'Aw, crapbaske-'
The moment the attack landed, a great explosion covered a quarter of the battlegrounds.
King Kai's Planet, Other World, Age 774
The three men and Bubbles were watching the fight between the eldest Saiyan hybrid and the human with mysterious abilities in great detail.
Goku, while admiring how great his son's ki control improved significantly since his death, couldn't help give props to Pigero for holding his own against his son. Mind you, Goku knew that Gohan was holding back, but he knew that the young human could very well be one of the strongest humans out there if he could take hits from his son and still remain relatively battle-ready.
Grandpa Gohan and King Kai agreed.
The fight had kept Goku and his grandfather on the edge of their seats. So, to see Pigero's sudden changed state and difference in his movement started to concern the older Saiyan.
"Oh no! Gohan!" Goku cried in worry after watching him take the blast of the Zen Reidōken.
"Relax, Goku. Your son's fine." King Kai stated rather nonchalantly, looking at the now standing Saiyan. "He only took a blast twice his base power."
"...Oh," Goku said, sitting back down next to his grandfather.
Grandpa Gohan then added, "This young man's movement. At first, he does so similar to that of a student of a Turtle student. But here, he's like a whole other fighter. One that acts swiftly without the limitation of thinking. A Mastery of Self-Movement."
"Yes, it's quite an incredible sight to behold." King Kai nodded. "You know, that technique reminds me of what the Grand Kai once told me about what technique the angels possessed."
"Angels?" Goku questioned, curious about the term that he heard once more. "I've heard Lady Annin talk about them before. What are angels? Are they strong?"
King Kai and Grandpa Gohan gazed at each other for a few seconds.
After nonverbal mutual understanding, the two mentors simply said, "We'll save that for another time, Goku."
The three people went back to watch the fight as the announcer cried, "Unbelievable folks! Even after taking a tremendous energy blast head-on, Son Gohan is still standing!"
Goku could only grin proudly. Regardless if Gohan was holding back or not, he felt Saiyan pride and fatherly pride that his son was still in the fight.
Battle Zone III - Snowy Monastery
Pigero went back into the parallel stance as the Heisei no Reidō left his body. The wandering warrior awaited the result of the attack which he took and redirected as his own energy blast.
And while the former orphan did believe that the move landed and did the damage, he had this nagging suspicion that Gohan would tank the Zen Reidōken. He hoped that the teen did so.
Once the dust finally settled, Pigero's suspicions were correct.
Gohan, albeit dirty from the debris and mild cut up from the attack, was still in his guarded position. If the fight was still at the stadium, Gohan would have heard all of the cat calls and screaming young women freak out over his missing shirt from his gi, revealing his well-sculpted chest and abs. Hell, even his blue wristbands were destroyed while there were holes in the back ankle, and knees of his pants.
Pigero smiled, relishing the challenge that his old friend was posing against him.
'Finally! I have finally found a worthy opponent to be considered a rival! Who knew it would be you, Gohan?' Pigero thought to himself.
Meanwhile, when removing his protective arms, Gohan suddenly heard a click in his mind as the final piece fell.
The unique aura, the increase of speed and awareness, and the ability to repel, stockpile and redirect energy. It all made sense.
Speaking up, Pigero said, "Should have known you'd eat that counterattack. I shouldn't expect anything else from the son of a former champion number one under the heavens."
"That state you were in. It was a defensive skill, wasn't it?" Gohan questioned.
Pigero nodded, saying, "Yeah. What you saw was one of the Soul Forces, also known as Seishin no Reidō (Spiritual Movement) or Reidō for short. The force of the soul is a dual aspect that binds the spirit of an individual together. It gives each person defining traits based on their dominant temperament along with distinctive quirks that make them similar to others, yet different enough to be their own person. I merely tapped into the force within my soul for which I have a weaker affinity."
This threw Gohan off completely, nearly falling on his tail.
"You're kidding me!" The teenager exclaimed. "I just watched you outpace me, tossed me around like a rag doll, then took my ki attack and sent it back after making it your own. And you're saying that's your weaker technique?"
Pigero narrowed his eyes in a serious manner, pointing out, "I don't see how that's any of your concern. After all, you've been holding back throughout this entire fight. Why is that?"
Gohan opened his mouth, only to find empty words to retort with as he looked down in shame.
"I get it. You're not a bruiser in nature. You can fight, but you do not live for it. The fight inside only comes out in dire need, right?" Pigero understood. "You know something, kid? I respect that. But I just want to let you know something. That line of thinking is a dangerous game to play in any tournament and in life. It will get you eliminated quickly no matter how mighty you think you are. Best believe me, I will draw out some of your real power one way or another. You will need it to get past me."
Gohan took this into consideration as he recalled a previous conversation that he had with Shin.
You're not above human mortals just because you can shatter the planet. You're just as much a student as you are a teacher.
'...Lord Shin is right. I'm letting my arrogance get in the way. I can't let this keep happening. I'm better than that. I need to have more control.'
"What was that state that you fell into?" Gohan asked, never losing his composure.
"Well, since the Soul Force that I used is called the Heisei no Reidō (Spiritual Movement of Tranquility), the style that you saw was called the Heisei no Reiken, or Calming Soul Fist. That form of Reiken is all about detaching yourself from all forms of emotion to achieve a greater awareness of self and everything around you. A weightless soul will grant the user the supernatural level of perceived movement, enhanced speed, the ability to repel virtually any physical attack, and redistribute twice the amount of force so long as they are in complete concentration."
"Then my thoughts were right." The Saiyan hybrid realized. "You took my energy, overwrote it with reiki, then amplified its power to use that against me. That was a clever strategy. "
Pigero nodded as he continued.
"Because of my individuality, I don't naturally have the affinity for the Heisei no Reido. So I settled on learning its basic arts to achieve this power to a certain degree. That's why I can only use it for a short period of time. Overtaxing it will cost too much stamina."
"Alright then. What's the power that you're used to having?"
"...I thought you'd never ask."
Grinning, Pigero took a huge step forward with his right stomp that shook the battleground into his immovable stance with his fists clenched, his right arm outstretched while his left was to his side.
"My natural Reidō is the intensity of the sun. Running wild like dancing spires of flame. The desire of the soul that burns to the extreme fuels this power. Whoever is naturally in tune with their burning aspirations knows the secret to the path of the Jōgowa no Reidō (Spiritual Movement of Intense Emotions)! This is the Raging Soul Fist, the Jōgowa no Reiken!"
Suddenly a swirl of scarlet reiki rose appeared from under the feet of Pigero, evaporating the snow that surrounded him. His muscles enlarged and bulged as they exposed its veins. The skin of his body tanned. His hair swirled around, and with his hair tips developed a tinge of vermillion as an effect of the tempestuous power that surged through Pigero. His eyes closed and opened, revealing blazing red eyes.
This fierce pressure kept Gohan on the defensive as he mentally gawked at the wake of it.
'Woah! This power is much different from before! It's like a wild presence that wants to completely dominate me in the battle!'
Pigero dashed forward, scorching the ground in a trail of burning reiki. Gohan had barely intercepted a punch infused with scorching spiritual power with his own, cracking the battleground beneath their feet. Gohan gazed into the piercing eyes of Pigero. While doing so, he swore he saw some sort of fire in them.
'This heat is insane! Pigero's spiritual energy can burn the ground, but I can somehow feel the burn without having any visible marks on me!'
This occurred a few more times, continuing to shake the ground further. Gohan then swung with his left arm, which Pigero ducked under. Using this position, Pigero pivoted his body to land a clean sidekick to Gohan's face, flinging his body back towards the monastery's wall. Pigero rushed forward to meet Gohan.
Cupping his hands together to his side, Pigero gathered reiki powered by the Jōgowa no Rediō. The searing spiritual power manifested in the form of a large fireball that eventually turned pitch black.
Unleashing the black fireball, Pigero blasted Gohan with the attack.
"Shōnetsu Jigoku!"
The blast knocked the hybrid back while he horizontally twirled, crashing to the ground.
Pain. That's the sensation that was felt all throughout Gohan's body and soul. Was it life threatening? No, but it sure as hell felt like it! And the crazy thing about the attack was that there was every bit of the fiery sensation all over his body, yet there wasn't a single burn mark on him.
'...Hell. Tch! S-Shōnetsu Jigoku. Yeah, he wasn't kidding about it!' Gohan groaned in pain mentally as he struggled to sit up.
"Get up kid! You're not even trying!" Pigero spurred, taking his stance while stopping his right foot forward. "I know you're stronger than this! Now show me or fall!"
Gohan struggled for a moment, still processing the pain that he was currently dealing with. Shaking his head, Gohan stood tall and surrounded himself with a burning white aura. Gohan let out a low growl, Gohan's power shook the very ground where both warriors stood.
Finally, he took his father's stance once more while his face donned a fierce expression reminiscent of Goku himself.
"...Fine. I'm done messing around." Gohan stated in a low tone, with his golden yellow eyes glowing and his tail swaying.
"At last! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!" Pigero shouted.
With a mighty roar, both charged at each other at full force.
Stadium, Battle Island II,
The Dragon Team were so invested in the battle that almost all of them joined in the cheering. Most of the encouragement was led by Chi-Chi and Bulma.
"GO GOHAN-CHAN! SEND HIM FLYING!" Chi-Chi screaming with excitement and burning enthusiasm.
"SHOW 'EM WHAT FOR, KID!" Bulma added loudly, mimicking a punching motion.
Erasa added, "You can do it! Keep going, Son-kun!"
Vegeta was absolutely blown away. This was a rare feeling, given his tremendous track record for dominating almost every foe that the prince ever encountered.
While Trunks and Marron also waved their banners and flags with such jubilation, Goten felt himself captivated by the stunning powers of Gohan's opponent.
Yes, Goten would always admire his brother's strength. That was his benchmark, the placeholders for what he aspired to be. He wanted to get as strong, if not, become stronger than his brother one day. Of course, Goten wanted to follow a different path than Gohan. A path that was suitable for his style of fighting. After all, Gohan was more of a calm, focused, and tactical person by nature. Goten himself, meanwhile, was energetic, passionate, and often relied on improvisation in combat.
Two different schools of thought.
And seeing Pigero's way of fighting looked so...natural to him. It spoke to young Son Goten. That's when it hit the child.
'...If I learn how to fight like Mr. Pigero and Super Saiyan, maybe I can surpass Big Brother!'
"Woah! This is getting nuts!" Krillin shouted. "I don't think this Solid Light stuff will take much more punishment if this keeps up!"
"Hmph. I didn't think there was any human out there that could do anything to a Saiyan outside of us." Lazuli commented.
"This world is filled with thrilling mysteries out there, waiting to be discovered." Said Mūten Roshi. "The importance of this and any tournaments are to unveil the display of what years of hard work could accomplish if one were to discipline themselves and strive enough for their goals. This is one of many warriors that bore ripe fruit."
Tien nodded silently in agreement.
The Prince of All Saiyans' first impression of humans was that they were mere insects. Bugs that were not even worth his attention given that they were weak, fragile, and easy to maim at the slightest injury. Yamcha's death proved that fact.
But over time, Vegeta slowly learned the value that humans carried as a species. After all, his son had been born from his human mate turned wife, who was the smartest woman on the planet. And Bulma's future counterpart solved time travel so their son from that timeline could help them.
Humans may never be as strong as Saiyans or other beings from beyond the stars, but where they lacked physically, their skills, intelligence, ingenuity, and perseverance proved to Vegeta that they were capable as a race.
But never would he believe it to be possible for a lone human to keep up, let alone, match a Saiyan in combat. And a hybrid, no less, regardless if he wasn't powered up to his maximum while not transformed.
This power. Reiryoku, Seishin Reido, the Soul Forces, Reiken no Jutsu. Perhaps, this was what the human race was capable of. It's true potential.
Needless to say, Vegeta was entertained and curious.
'So, that's it. The secret to unlocking an Earthling's true power lies in the power of their very soul. Hmph, maybe there's hope for these ignorant fools to get their shit together.'
King Kai's Planet, Other World, Age 774
The battle that was televised had been watched closely by Goku, Grandpa Gohan, King Kai along with his pet monkey.
To Goku, this battle meant everything to him. Every punch and ki gave in taken held weight. Sure, this was merely a contest on a superficial level, but Son Goku saw this as showmanship of young Gohan's overall skills as a fighter. And while he still had a long way to go before the hybrid could reach his and Vegeta's levels, what Goku was watching was still impressive from what he remembered seven years ago.
"That's it, son! Get him! Yeah! Block that and go for another kick! Oh, block that jab! Oo! You're alright, Gohan! Shake it off and keep on fightin'!" Goku cheered, reminiscent of any sports enthusiast or fan.
Grandpa Gohan chuckled at his proud grandson, finding the man's encouraging manner to be incredibly wholesome and adorable.
King Kai watched as Pigero and Gohan fight with interest as he took notice of the older fighter's power and recalled the stories about the powers of the angels and the powers of the Gods of Destruction, comparing the Reiki user's spiritual power to the stories.
'...This young man's spiritual abilities are extraordinary. To be able to wield such power through the manipulation of one's own soul. The peaceful and extreme states of being aren't too far off from the methods of angels and Destroyers. Yet, that extreme state doesn't seem to possess the destructive intent but rather the drive to win.' King Kai thought to himself.
"But what will prove to be stronger? The drive of the human soul, or the strength of a Saiyan's will? The North Kai questioned himself.
Battle Zone III - Snowy Monastery
In the middle of their fight, Gohan decided to spawn three clones using Spirit Control. From there, Gohan and his three clones went to town pelting him with punches and kicks. At one point, even his clones took turns knocking him around before spinning him while holding his legs, then sending him to the ground.
Due to Pigero being in the state of the Jōgowa no Reidō, he did not have the means to swiftly dodge the number of limbs being thrown his way as agile as in his imperfect Heisei no Reidō state. Feeling the pressure that was being pushed on him with each attack, the drive to preserve caused the Jōgowa no Reidō to burn brightly. The intense power surrounded him until it created a powerful shockwave that threw Gohan and his clones off of him as he took his offensive stance.
"Yahata no Ikari!"
In a burst of speed, the scarlet-hued warrior struck one clone with three roundhouse kicks in a row which sent him to a wall. Pigero then intercepted the second clone by giving it a hard left hook, a knee to the face, then a blazing scarlet reiki-infused uppercut known as the Kageki Shōseiken, or the Extreme Rising Spirit Fist.
While that second clone crash-landed on the ground, he shattered a large frost-covered boulder tossed by the third clone. Through the ice rubble, Pigero blitzed the third clone, landing a front kick in order to send the clone in the air. He stomped on the ground in his offensive front stance with his raging reiki intensifying. Jumping ten feet in the air. Seeing the clone's descending body, Pigero met it halfway while landing a flurry of fire kicks with each foot connecting to the face and upper body. By the end of the chain, a powerful drop kick was performed, putting the final clone out of commission.
This was the Kageki Tengu Reikoku Ōda, or Relentless Beating of the Extreme Heavenly Sentinel.
While he was distracted, Gohan appeared near instantaneously in front of Pigero after his clones were absorbed back to him via Spirit Control. Pigero was about to hit him with a one-handed Shōnetsu Jigoku, but Gohan came in the clutch by wrapping his tail around Pigero's left leg. This forced him to misfire as he fell, allowing Gohan to dodge the attack.
Gohan quickly rushed to face Pigero at a blinding speed that not even Pigero was expecting. This startled the fighter, allowing Gohan to land a clean one-inch punch in the man's gut. The man's winded state proved to have been a great opportunity as with one hand raised, Gohan sent a tremendous blast of kiai by human standards which sent Pigero all the way to the wall of the monastery with his back against it.
A now regular-looking Pigero, although bruised, battered, and tired, got up as he panted heavily. While more content that his opponent was showing him just how capable he was when he was serious, Pigero knew that he was running out of natural energy to fight. If he were to continue, he'd surely collapse in a matter of time.
He got up while looking at Gohan, still hardly believing that this was the same kid that he met all those years ago.
'Damn, I've never fought anybody who can take both Seishin Reidō and get back up so suddenly. This kid's something else entirely. I think he may win this whole tournament.' Pigero thought to himself.
"Pigero," Gohan called out. "I may not like fights, but I've enjoyed our time here. It taught me a lot about you and fighting. But I think it's time we wrap things up with one final attack."
"I couldn't have said it better, kid." Pigero nodded. "I've been inspired by your old man and his master to come up with this move!"
Cupping his hands together to his left side, lavender reiryoku began to gather as it formed a ball of energy in between the palm of his hands. Pigero did this in a similar manner to the Turtle Hermit signature technique.
'Pigero, you've been an amazing opponent. You've opened my eyes to see that no matter how strong I will become, there's always something new to learn. For that, I'll forever respect you as a warrior. You've earned that and this, too.'
Grinning, Gohan himself had followed suit by charging up the exact attack that was being mimicked by his opponent out of honor for his late father.
"SEISHIN!"
"KA...ME..."
"REIDŌ!"
"HA...ME..."
At the climax of their charge time, both screamed, "HAAA!!!"
The two fired their respective energy waves, their collision resulted in blinding light engulfing the cameras while tremors were felt from the stadium. But if one were to peer closely at the screen, two shadows charged forward to strike at each other one last time.
And the moment the light died down, a single person stood on the other side from their previous position while the other lay on the ground.
That's where a winner was declared.
"Pigero is unable to continue! Gohan advances to the next round!"
To Be Continued...
Another exciting match has come to a conclusion with Gohan claiming the victory. Now, we have one more match until the semi-finals which will decide who gets to participate in the finals and has the right to face Mr. Satan. But will Dr. Yanagi's plan start before that happens? What is his next move? And how does Barry and Cocoa fit into his scheme? Find out more about our heroes next Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!