Capsule Corporation.
Bulma was genuinely happy to see Gohan arrive, until her eyes landed on Piccolo.
"Pi… Piccolo?"
Even though Bulma was no stranger to danger, Piccolo's presence still startled her.
Fortunately, Gohan spoke first. "Aunt Bulma, Uncle Piccolo and I came to ask whether you could build a gravity chamber."
"A gravity chamber?"
"It's a special room that can alter Earth's gravity, allowing anyone inside to experience ten times, or even twenty times, normal gravity."
"At that level, people would be crushed into paste instantly."
"But it should be much more effective for training. Aunt Bulma, can you build one?"
Seeing Gohan's wide, earnest eyes, Bulma was almost ready to nod, but then she noticed Piccolo standing beside him.
An instinctive thought flashed through her mind.
She leaned closer to Gohan and whispered, "If it's built, will Piccolo be training inside it too?"
Her voice was as soft as she could make it, but Piccolo's hearing was far too sharp.
His face visibly darkened.
Gohan looked up at Piccolo and answered honestly, "Of course. This time our enemies are incredibly strong. We need Uncle Piccolo to fight, and I need to train together with him."
"He's the great demon king destined to bring despair to the world."
"But before that, the Saiyans are coming. I heard those Saiyans sell planets. If they win, we might all be sold off…"
Hearing this, fear clearly surfaced on Bulma's face.
She nodded subconsciously. "I'll build the gravity chamber together with my dad. But you have to win."
"Yes, of course."
Gohan nodded solemnly. "Then I'll leave the gravity chamber to you."
Piccolo glanced at Bulma, then turned his gaze back to Gohan. "Hmph. You'd better be prepared too. Before the gravity chamber is finished, I'll train you properly."
Gohan nodded eagerly. He understood that training required technique.
Blindly training on his own could lead to improvement, but it would never compare to training under a true martial arts master. And on Earth, Uncle Piccolo was among the very best.
"Wait, Gohan. Aren't you going home to see your mother?"
In the end, Bulma still did not want Gohan training alongside a demon king, so she asked.
Gohan paused slightly. In truth, he did want to go home. His father had passed away for the time being, and his mother was alone.
He should have been with her.
But he understood his mother all too well. If he went home now, his training progress would slow dramatically.
So he gently shook his head. "No. I won't go back for now. Please help me explain it to her, Aunt Bulma."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Piccolo had already lifted Gohan into his arms. In an instant, they shot into the sky and vanished beyond Capsule Corporation's detection range.
Bulma stared at the two shrinking figures in the distance, a strange feeling rising in her heart.
The Gohan before her was completely different from the boy she had seen that day at Kame House.
The difference was not in appearance, but in spirit and behavior.
Back then, young Gohan's eyes had been filled with fear, and he approached everything cautiously.
Now, his gaze was confident and bright, and his actions carried clear intent.
It reminded her of Goku as a child.
"It seems that after Goku's death, this kid has grown up fast."
When she thought of Goku, a trace of sadness flickered in Bulma's eyes. Even now, his loss still felt unreal.
"Let's see how far he can go. Maybe he really will become the second savior after Goku."
Outside West City.
Piccolo and Gohan landed in an open area.
Standing before Gohan, Piccolo said coldly, "From now on, hellish special training officially begins. Before the gravity chamber is completed, I'll train you until you surpass your father."
"Couldn't ask for more."
Anticipation shone in Gohan's eyes.
"Now," Piccolo said, "attack me with everything you've got."
He crossed his arms, maintaining his usual arrogant stance. This was the style of Piccolo, the Demon King.
"Okay."
Gohan clenched his fists and began gathering his strength.
Although he had never received formal training, he possessed memories from two lifetimes. He knew how to throw a basic punch.
He spread his feet slightly, muscles tightening instantly as immense power surged from every inch of his body.
Boom.
A terrifying aura erupted around him.
Centered on Gohan, the ground within several yards collapsed, as if it were about to split apart completely.
Seeing this, confusion flashed through Piccolo's eyes.
The next moment.
A small fist shot forward, followed by a deafening sonic boom as a massive shockwave swept everything aside.
Piccolo's expression shifted from calm confusion to outright fear.
He did not even have time to think. Pure instinct took over as he kicked off the ground and rocketed into the sky.
Rumble.
As he ascended, a violent explosion detonated beneath him.
Thick smoke and dust surged upward, threatening to engulf the entire area below.
Twisting midair, Piccolo looked back.
Where the punch's force had passed, everything had been obliterated. A massive trench nearly a hundred meters long had been carved into the earth.
At the far end of that narrow scar stood a mountain.
The mountain's midsection had been torn open by a horrifying hole, revealing the scenery on the other side.
Such destruction would normally require heavy machinery working for days, yet Gohan had achieved it with a single punch.
Watching the scene below, Piccolo's face twitched uncontrollably.
Not only because of the sheer destructive power, but because it had come from an untrained child.
More importantly, even someone as strong as him had felt an irresistible urge to dodge in that instant. That was why he had fled without hesitation.
"This is terrifying."
Sweat slid down Piccolo's forehead as a rare sense of fear took hold.
Below, Gohan stared at the devastation he had caused, unease flickering in his eyes.
He had known he possessed strength, but he had never truly released it before. And that unreliable system had never given him concrete numbers.
He genuinely did not know how strong he was.
So this is my power?
Gohan gazed at the distant landscape, remaining silent for a long while.
Piccolo descended and landed once more. He had already removed his heavy cape and turban, and his movements were far less composed than before.
There was a hint of wariness in his gaze as he looked at Gohan.
Still, he was Piccolo after all. He quickly regained his composure.
"Not bad," he said coldly. "But your control of ki is terrible. Let me teach you how to fight properly."