The Beast Awakens

In the underground base of West City, inside the gravity chamber, Son Gohan sat cross-legged in the center, his upper body bare. Three hundred times the gravity pressed down upon him, making the air feel as dense as iron; every breath required his absolute effort. His muscles trembled under the immense weight, and sweat trickled down his forehead, hitting the floor only to evaporate instantly.

He had been sitting there for three days and three nights. No food, no water, no sleep. His body hovered on the edge of its limits, but his spirit had entered an unprecedented state. Ever since Majin Buu was defeated, Gohan had been searching for a way to break through to the Ultimate form. The "Beast Form" that Kashu had taught him in a parallel world was merely a prototype, and it was still a long way from true completion. "The essence of the Beast Form is not a transformation," Kashu had once told him, "but a return. A return to the most primal, most pure self. In that state, there are no shackles of reason, no interference from emotions—only the instinct to fight."

Gohan had tried many times, failing each time just as he reached the threshold of that state. His reason was too strong, his emotions too rich; he could not fight with the purity of a beast.

But this time was different. Videl was pregnant. The news had been announced three weeks ago. The moment Gohan heard it, his mind went blank, followed by a sensation he had never felt before—not joy, not fear, but something deeper, rising from the very depths of his bloodline. Protection.

He had to protect his child. At any cost. This thought acted like a key, unlocking a door deep within his heart that had never been opened before.

The prototype of the Beast Form began to manifest. But it was not enough. Far from it. He needed to master this form completely and elevate his power to the God Form realm, because he knew that there were entities in the universe even stronger than Majin Buu. Kashu had already warned him, and King Kai had hinted that the true threat had yet to arrive.

The door to the gravity chamber opened, and Piccolo walked in. The Namekian's body also struggled under the three-hundred-fold gravity, but he persisted until he reached Gohan and sat down cross-legged. "Your ki is fluctuating," Piccolo said. "It is very unstable." Gohan opened his eyes, which were bloodshot. "I can't control it. Every time I get close to that state, my consciousness starts to blur, as if I'm about to lose myself." "Then lose yourself," Piccolo said. Gohan was stunned. "What?"

"You care too much about control," Piccolo said. "A true beast does not control itself; it simply... exists. The more you try to control it, the less you can reach that state. Let go of control, and let your instincts guide you." "But what if I lose my reason and hurt someone?" "You won't," Piccolo said, "because your instinct is to protect, not to destroy. Your bloodline flows with the fighting instinct of a Saiyan, but it also contains the gentleness of an Earthling. The two are not contradictory; they can coexist."

Gohan fell silent. He closed his eyes and tried again. This time, he did not attempt to control. He let his thoughts drift, let his body relax, and let his instincts take over everything.

The gravity in the chamber began to shift—not because he was adjusting it, but because his body was automatically adapting. Three hundred times, four hundred, five hundred... the gravity numbers climbed steadily, yet Gohan's body remained motionless. Piccolo stood up and stepped back a few paces. He felt Gohan's ki changing drastically; it was no longer a violent eruption, but a calm, deep expansion, like a star slowly igniting within his body. Gohan's body began to glow. It was not the gold of a Super Saiyan, nor the silver of the Ultimate form, but a deep, primal gold tinged with dark red light. His hair began to grow, shifting from short to shoulder-length, its color turning from black to deep gold with red-tinted tips. His eyes became slit-pupiled, the irises a deep crimson like burning coals. His muscles did not bulge; instead, they became leaner, the lines more fluid. There was no aura around his body, only a faint halo, like moonlight shimmering on water. Beast Form. Complete.

Gohan opened his eyes, and Piccolo's figure was reflected in those slit pupils. He saw the flow of energy within Piccolo, the rhythm of every cell, and even the worry and pride Piccolo held for him in his heart. "Piccolo," Gohan spoke, his voice low and calm, "I see it." "See what?" "Everything."

Gohan raised his right hand, palm upward. A small energy sphere condensed in his palm—not gold, not red, but a deep, profound purple, like a miniature black hole. The sphere rotated, the surrounding air began to warp, and light was sucked into it. "This is... the God Form?" Piccolo's voice trembled slightly.

"Not entirely," Gohan said. "It is something between the power of a god and the power of a mortal. Kashu's God Form is pure divine energy, while my Beast Form is primal life energy. They share the same origin, but their manifestations differ." He clenched his fist, and the energy sphere vanished. "I have already touched the threshold of the God Form realm. I only need to take one more step to truly enter it." Piccolo took a deep breath. "How long will you need?" "I don't know. Maybe a day, maybe a year, maybe I will never cross it. But I will not give up." Gohan stood up, and the Beast Form slowly receded, returning him to his normal appearance. His hair turned back to short black, his eyes to deep brown, and the gentle scholar returned. "Piccolo, thank you." "Thank me for what?" "Thank you for always reminding me—who I am." Piccolo turned away, not letting Gohan see his expression. "Enough talk, go eat. Chi-Chi has been scolding you for days." Gohan smiled and walked out of the gravity chamber. The base's main training ground.

Kashu stood in the center of the training ground, waiting for Gohan. He had heard of Gohan's breakthrough and wanted to see the true power of the Beast Form with his own eyes.

Android 18 sat in the spectator area, holding a cup of tea. Her belly was already slightly rounded—she was four months pregnant. The child of Kashu and her was growing slowly, expected to be born in five months. This was the first time Kashu had become a father. He remained calm on the surface, but 18 could feel his nervousness. Every night, he would place his hand on her belly, using his God Form energy to sense the fetus's vital signs. He would sit there for a long time, saying nothing, just quietly feeling.

"Ready?" Kashu asked Gohan. Gohan nodded and transformed into the Beast Form. Kashu's brow furrowed slightly. "This ki... it isn't the God Form, but it is very close."

"Piccolo says it is primal life energy," Gohan said. "He is right," Kashu said. "The God Form is the energy of the universe, the energy of order and rules. Your energy is the energy of life, the energy of chaos and evolution. The two are yin and yang to each other." He took a fighting stance. "Come, let me see your limits." Gohan moved.

His speed was so great that even Kashu could barely catch his afterimage. A punch struck from the side; Kashu raised his hand to block, and the impact of fist against palm sent shockwaves that cracked the walls of the training ground. Kashu took a step back. It was the first time he had retreated in a fight. Gohan did not give him a moment to breathe, launching a continuous assault with fists and feet, every strike carrying the primal power of the Beast Form. His fighting style had completely changed; it was no longer the academic style of the past, but a more direct, more violent style—biting like a beast, pouncing like a tiger. Kashu blocked most of the attacks, but a few punches still broke through his defense, striking his shoulder and abdomen. The protective barrier of the God Form showed cracks in the face of the Beast Form's power. "Not bad," Kashu said, a flash of approval in his eyes. "You can already hurt me." He stopped defending and switched to the offensive. The power of the second stage of the God Form was fully unleashed, and white light illuminated the entire training ground.

The two collided fiercely in the arena, moving so fast that 18 in the spectator area could only see afterimages. The air was torn apart, the ground shattered, and energy shockwaves spread continuously, the training ground's barrier flickering on the edge of collapse. "Enough," Kashu suddenly stopped. Gohan also stopped, panting heavily. The Beast Form consumed a great deal of his stamina; he could only maintain this state for a dozen minutes or so. "Your Beast Form is strong," Kashu said, "but there are two problems. First, your endurance is insufficient. Second, you lose part of your reason in this state, and your combat technique declines." "I know," Gohan said. "I am trying to find a way to solve it." "I suggest you don't use reason to fight against instinct," Kashu said, "but rather fuse instinct and technique. You are not a beast; you are a beast with reason. Your advantage lies in the fact that you can maintain tactical thinking even in the Beast Form." Gohan looked thoughtful. "Let me help you," Kashu said. "I will use the God Form to simulate the fighting styles of various enemies, letting you practice repeatedly in the Beast Form. Until your body remembers how to stay calm within the rage." "Alright." The two began a new round of training. 18 sipped her tea, watching her husband and his student sweating profusely on the training ground. She touched her belly, feeling the heartbeat of the little life inside. "Your father is a workaholic," she whispered, "but he is a good man." The little life inside kicked, as if in response. 18 smiled. A month later.

The home of Kashu and 18 sat on a hillside on the outskirts of West City. The house was not large, but it was cozy, with white walls, a red roof, and flowers planted all around. In front of the door stood a large tree, with a stone table and several stone stools placed in its shade. 18 sat under the shade, holding a parenting book. She didn't much like reading, but Bulma had said that one should read more during pregnancy, as it was good for the fetus. She flipped through a few pages reluctantly, then tossed the book aside. "Boring," she muttered. Kashu walked out of the house, carrying a bowl of soup. "Chi-Chi stewed this, said it's good for pregnant women." 18 took the soup and drank a sip. "Too bland." "Chi-Chi said not to add too much salt." "Then add some chili." "Chili isn't good for the fetus." 18 rolled her eyes. "When did you become so long-winded?" Kashu smiled slightly and sat down beside her. He reached out and touched her belly, feeling the fetus move. "He's kicking," Kashu said. "Of course he's kicking, he inherited your warlike genes." "Or maybe he inherited yours." 18 snorted. "I'm not warlike. You wanted to fight me the first time you saw me." "That's because you were too arrogant." The two looked at each other, then both laughed. The sun set, and golden light spilled over them. 18 leaned on Kashu's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Kashu, what do you think our child will look like?" "I don't know," Kashu said, "but he will definitely be very strong." "I don't want him to be too strong," 18 said. "I only want him to be safe and happy." Kashu was silent for a moment. "I will protect him." "I know." The two sat like that, watching the sun slowly sink and the stars light up one by one. In the distance, the lights of West City were bright, and the city shimmered under the night sky. That was the place they guarded; that was their home.