I Promise I Won't Beat You to Death

The Z Fighters were at their wits' end. They couldn't win in a fight, nor could they escape.

Just then, Supreme Kai and Kibito appeared before them. Faced with this final life-or-death crisis, they decided they could no longer stand by and do nothing.

"Supreme Kai!"

When Piccolo saw the two of them approach, a glimmer of hope reignited in his heart. Perhaps the legendary gods had some hidden means to deal with Cell.

Sure enough, Supreme Kai walked up to Son Gohan. "Your power has exceeded my expectations. I have a way to defeat Cell. I wonder if you're willing to give it a try?"

"Really!?"

Hope rekindled among the Z Fighters. In a single day, they had experienced several overwhelming highs and crushing lows.

"As expected of Supreme Kai!" Piccolo praised.

"Supreme Kai, what exactly is this method?" Kibito could not help asking.

The two of them had been watching from afar. When they saw Gogeta separate, their hearts had turned to ashes. Could it be that Supreme Kai had only been pretending?

"I will use the Z Sword to defeat Cell. Legend says that whoever draws the Z Sword will gain immense power. I believe only Son Gohan can draw that sword."

Supreme Kai looked confident. He had originally believed these Earth warriors could defeat Cell, in which case he would not have mentioned the divine sword, since it was a priceless treasure.

But now, there was no other way. When the nest was overturned, how could any eggs remain intact?

"What? Does Supreme Kai intend to let a human enter the Sacred World of the Kai?" Kibito said in shock.

In all his long years, such a thing had never happened before.

The Sacred World of the Kai was the holy land of the supreme gods. Even Grand Kai was not qualified to enter it. How could a human be allowed inside?

"I know his energy is astonishing, but even several Supreme Kais couldn't pull out that divine sword. Can a human really do it?" Kibito remained skeptical.

Deep in his ingrained beliefs, Supreme Kais were omnipotent supreme gods. If even they could not draw the divine sword, then no one else possibly could.

"Kibito, say no more. My mind is made up. Whether it succeeds or fails, we have to try!" Supreme Kai's expression was grave. He had placed the fate of the entire universe on Son Gohan.

"I know the Sacred World of the Kai lies in the void beyond the universe, and it is nearly impossible for humans to reach it. But Cell is different. The moment we leave, he will appear there right after us."

"That would only bring the flames of war to the Sacred World of the Kai." Son Gohan poured cold water over everyone.

Majin Buu had once reached the Sacred World of the Kai through Instant Transmission. Cell, whose strength was comparable to his, could certainly do the same.

What Son Gohan did not say was that even drawing the Z Sword would be useless.

Releasing the Old Kai, who had been sealed away fifteen generations ago, and having him unlock Son Gohan's potential would take a great deal of time—at least twenty-five hours.

Cell had already been frightened senseless by Gogeta. There was no way he would give them that much time.

"H-how could this be?"

Supreme Kai muttered to himself as if his soul had left his body, crouching on the ground with his head in his hands.

Son Gohan was also speechless. Whenever they needed to discuss something with him, he hid in the Sacred World of the Kai, impossible to find no matter what.

Cell had once given them two or three days. If Son Gohan's potential had already been unlocked by now, even ten Super Cells would have been beaten to death long ago.

"Another false hope..." Krillin and the others had gone numb.

Son Gohan stared at Supreme Kai's Potara earrings. If all else failed, those would be their final option.

But before that, he wanted to try breaking through his own limits.

"Die!"

Cell fired an energy wave. He had already beaten Son Goku and Vegeta until they were barely alive and was preparing to deliver the final blow.

Whoosh!

Before the energy wave exploded, Son Gohan used Instant Transmission. He grabbed one person in each hand and rescued them.

"Uncle Chiaotzu, feed them the Senzu Beans." Son Gohan gently set the two of them on the ground.

"Son Gohan, it's useless. Let's see how many Senzu Beans you have left!"

Like a god or demon, Cell charged straight at the group. He had learned his lesson and would not give his enemies even a moment to catch their breath.

"Do you really think I can't beat you?" Son Gohan took out a Senzu Bean and hid it in his mouth.

He went full power in Super Saiyan 2. His golden fist crackled with lightning as he charged forward, carrying power that could burn the eight horizons to ash.

Clang!

His golden fist struck Cell as though it had hit iron, causing him almost no damage.

The two clashed at high speed, fighting from the ground into the sky. The sounds of their fierce collisions echoed through the heavens, twisting the surrounding space again and again.

Son Goku and Vegeta recovered after eating the Senzu Beans. Their expressions were complicated as they watched the fierce battle in the sky, but neither rushed forward again.

When the difference in strength was too great, charging in recklessly would only make things worse.

"Kakarot, can we fuse again?" Vegeta asked, suppressing his rage.

He had always resisted fusing with Son Goku. That overwhelming power was not something he had gained through his own training.

But what he could not accept even more was watching a child fight alone while he could only stand by like a useless waste.

"Not for at least another hour." Son Goku sighed.

"Damn it!"

"Cell, take my final attack!"

Son Gohan turned into a bolt of golden lightning, like a god descending upon the world. Power surged from his palm as he struck forward with all his strength.

Cell showed no fear. He extended his own palm, purple light flowing across it like a giant millstone capable of grinding away space itself and crushing everything.

Boom!

Son Gohan was sent flying backward and slammed heavily into a mountain, his body embedded deep within it.

"Gohan!" Piccolo shouted as he prepared to rush forward and fight without regard for his life.

Boom!

The mountain shattered, sending countless boulders flying. Son Gohan emerged, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, yet a radiant smile remained on his face.

"Uncle Piccolo, don't come over. I'm fine."

Crunch, crunch...

Son Gohan chewed up the Senzu Bean in his mouth. The tearing pain throughout his body vanished instantly, and his aura returned to its perfect state.

"Whew!" He let out a long breath and dropped out of his Super Saiyan form.

"It looks like there's no hope. Even Gohan has given up." Chiaotzu's face was as pale as a corpse.

"Let's attack together. Cell won't let us go anyway. The only difference is whether we die sooner or later!" Tien Shinhan glared with all three eyes as he prepared to charge forward.

"Wait!" Son Goku stopped him.

"Just watch. Gohan isn't someone who gives up so easily." Piccolo remained calm, as though he had noticed something.

Seeing that the two people who cared most about Son Gohan were so calm, Yamcha and the others unconsciously relaxed as well.

"Son Gohan, you're not even transforming into a Super Saiyan anymore. Are you planning to surrender outright?" Cell sneered cruelly.

"Cell, I have to thank you. I promise I won't beat you to death!"

After saying that, Son Gohan erupted with an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth. A violent storm swept through the skies, and even Krillin and the others, who were somewhat weaker, were blown directly into the air!