The awakening ritual was Old Kai's one-man party.
For five whole hours,
Son Gohan watched Old Kai hop and dance around him until he felt completely numb.
He was a little worried Old Kai would fall apart after dancing for five hours.
This really didn't look like an easy job.
With Old Kai's frail body leaving him breathless at the slightest movement, making him hop around for five hours straight was a tremendous challenge.
Supreme Kai and Kibito had watched for five hours until they were practically catatonic, but simply running off would have been terribly rude.
After all, this was their ancestor from fifteen generations ago.
Finally, Supreme Kai couldn't take it anymore and asked, "Ancestor, how much longer will this ritual take?"
Old Kai kept up his killer rhythm around Son Gohan and snapped, "Quiet! This is a very important ritual. Don't interrupt. The whole process takes five hours, and increasing his power takes twenty hours..."
"Uh..."
"Ancestor, if it's five hours, I think we've already gone past that."
Supreme Kai sounded a little apprehensive.
"Huh?"
Old Kai stopped at once. "Has it been five hours?"
"Yes, Ancestor." Supreme Kai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nodded.
Kibito chimed in from beside him. "Yes, Ancestor. It's already been over five hours."
Old Kai scratched his head and laughed. "Hahaha! So we've already gone over the time! I'm getting old. I can't even keep track of time anymore."
Son Gohan: ...
If Old Kai weren't old, he would have been pretty young.
"Ahem. Sit down, young man."
"Sir, my name is Son Gohan. You can just call me Gohan," Son Gohan said, his mouth parched. He shook out his numb legs and sat down where he stood.
Afraid of disrupting the awakening ritual, he hadn't spoken for five hours, and his mouth was terribly dry.
What torture!
He even kind of needed to pee.
"Stay seated, and don't talk." As Old Kai spoke, he sat cross-legged opposite him and began muttering another completely incomprehensible incantation.
At that moment, Son Gohan sorely missed the way the Grand Elder of Planet Namek unlocked potential.
That had been so simple. All it took was a hand pressed against his head.
Compared with this, it was the difference between easy mode and hell mode.
Supreme Kai and Kibito didn't dare speak either. They stood nearby like two javelins, unable to sit down or leave, suffering even more than Son Gohan.
And so, who knew how many more hours passed.
Drowsiness washed over Son Gohan. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Old Kai's strange incantation seemed to turn into a lovely lullaby, letting him sleep especially soundly.
Drip!
Drip!
Drip!
The sound of water dripping into a lake echoed in his mind.
Ripples spread through his heart, ring after ring.
Son Gohan opened his eyes and woke from his deep sleep. His body felt more comfortable than ever, and his mind was unprecedentedly relaxed and peaceful.
He looked at Old Kai, who was still sitting in front of him and snoring away, then stood up with a smile.
Turning his head, he saw Supreme Kai and Kibito looking at him.
Son Gohan walked over to them.
As Son Gohan approached, Supreme Kai asked quietly, "Mr. Gohan, how do you feel? Is anything different?"
"Different?" Son Gohan clenched his fists.
Actually, Son Gohan couldn't feel any difference either. He simply felt light and relaxed all over, as though his soul had been cleansed and his entire being elevated.
Son Gohan said, "I can't quite say what's different. If I had to put it into words, my state of mind feels more peaceful and natural. There's a sense of complete freedom."
"Hehe, I don't really understand either. Let's ask the ancestor when he wakes up," Supreme Kai said with a smile.
Kibito studied Son Gohan without saying anything. He kept feeling that Son Gohan had become particularly mysterious and ethereal.
He was getting harder and harder to read.
Son Gohan was right in front of him, yet he somehow seemed very far away.
"Mr. Gohan, this is for you." As Supreme Kai spoke, a longsword appeared in his hand out of thin air. It was the Z Sword, and he held it out to Son Gohan.
"Lord Supreme Kai, you repaired it?" Son Gohan asked in surprise as he took the sword.
"Huh? Why is it so light?" With the Z Sword in his hand, he no longer felt its former weight.
Supreme Kai smiled. "While you were having your potential unlocked, I had nothing to do, so I reforged the Z Sword.
"I never expected the whole sword to become so much lighter once the ancestor was released from it. After reforging it, I restored it to its original condition. It's even sharper than before."
"Our earlier wager still stands, so I'm returning this sword to you now, Mr. Gohan."
"Hehe, thank you, Lord Supreme Kai." Son Gohan accepted it without ceremony and put the Z Sword away.
Perhaps their conversation had stirred him, because Old Kai slowly woke up.
He looked around blankly, then said in bewilderment, "Huh? I actually fell asleep? Who would have thought I'd still be so sleepy after sleeping in that sword for tens of millions of years? This body of mine is far too weak."
Supreme Kai immediately said, "It's because you exhausted yourself earlier, Ancestor."
Son Gohan walked up to Old Kai and bowed, saying sincerely, "Thank you for all your effort, sir. I'll never forget what you've done for me."
Old Kai stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle as he said:
"All you do is spout useless pretty words. At my age, I don't have many days left. Ah, unlocking your potential this time has shaved quite a bit more off my lifespan."
As he spoke, his face grew despondent, and a somber atmosphere spread around him.
Son Gohan knew this veteran actor was putting on a performance, but Supreme Kai and Kibito believed every word and immediately became deeply worried.
The two kept urging their ancestor to look after himself and avoid overworking in the future.
Son Gohan grinned, leaned close to Old Kai's ear, and said, "Sir, I was planning to give you some magazines full of beautiful women. But since your body can't take any more strain, I guess I won't be able to give them to you."
"What? You have those?" Old Kai's eyes lit up, and he instantly perked up.
But then he remembered his status and put on a stern face again.
"Ahem. I have no interest in your magazines full of beautiful women."
"If I wanted to look, I could use my divine powers to watch beautiful women in the mortal world whenever I pleased."
Son Gohan spread his hands, looking deeply regretful. "Then never mind. I was going to throw in some discs too."
"Well..." Old Kai frowned, looking terribly conflicted. "Since you insist, I suppose I can reluctantly accept them. All right, hand them over."
As he spoke, he held out his hand to Son Gohan.
"Next time, sir. To show my sincerity, I'll gather the very best for you. Ordinary stuff simply wouldn't do. It wouldn't suit your status at all," Son Gohan promised earnestly, his hands on his hips.
"You young rascal... Ah, fine, fine. Remember to bring them next time."
"Respect the old and care for the young, understand?"
"I understand. I'll remember."
Supreme Kai and Kibito had absolutely no idea what lofty subject the old man and the young man were discussing.
They only knew that their ancestor was now full of energy and thoroughly delighted.
They had to admit, Mr. Gohan really knew his stuff.
He even knew how to sweet-talk an old man.
His skills were simply out of this world.
Before you continue