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"Gohan," Piccolo said, his voice carrying a rare, contemplative weight. "Don't you realize just how far your father's power reaches? Or rather... could it be that your own strength is already equal to his, if not greater?"
As Gohan's mentor and the one who had practically raised him in the wilderness, Piccolo had decoded the boy's unspoken thoughts. Gohan didn't look at Goku with the same awe as the others because, to him, that level of Ki didn't seem unreachable.
Piccolo felt a surge of relief. Years ago, he had kidnapped the boy to train him for the Saiyan invasion because he sensed a spark of dormant greatness. Now, he realized he had still vastly underestimated just how bright that spark could burn.
"Me? Stronger than Dad?" Gohan shook his head, his voice lacking any real conviction. "That's impossible. He's always been the strongest person I know. There's no way I could have surpassed him."
Gohan's humility was deep-rooted, but the video evidence was hard to ignore. He was a Super Saiyan now, having achieved the golden transformation within the harsh, distorted dimensions of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
"Gohan, you still don't understand the depth of the well you're drawing from," Goku said, looking at his son with immense pride. "Even if you've surpassed me, it's nothing to be shocked about. I've known since you were a baby that your potential was higher than mine. It's only natural for the son to outshine the father."
Frieza, never one to miss a chance to twist the knife, chimed back into the chat. "If this brat is already eclipsing Goku, wouldn't that mean he's left Vegeta in the dust as well?" He tagged the Prince of Saiyans directly. "@Vegeta, how does it feel to be a footnote in a child's biography?"
Frieza's mockery was sharp, but deep down, he was genuinely annoyed. Weren't Super Saiyans supposed to be a once-in-a-thousand-years miracle? he fumed. First Goku, then Vegeta, then that boy from the future, and now this little brat. It's like a clearance sale on legendary warriors!
Surprisingly, Vegeta didn't snap back. He stared at the screen, his heart strangely calm. He realized that while he would burn the galaxy down if Goku stayed ahead of him, he didn't feel that same stinging resentment toward Gohan. His rivalry was singular; his obsession was Goku. Anyone elseâeven a prodigy like Gohanâwas just another fighter. In fact, in his own way, he almost felt a pang of regret that Gohan would eventually choose books over battle.
The video continued. Goku and Gohan arrived at Kame House to collect Chi-Chi. With nine days left until the Cell Games, Goku revealed his unorthodox schedule: three days of rest, three days of training, and a final three days of rest.
Gohan was baffled. "Rest? More rest than training? How can we beat Cell like that?"
The narrator's voice filled the void, resonant and wise. "Goku's plan was two-fold. First, Akira's tactical mind had already identified the path to victory. Second, this schedule was the ultimate expression of the Turtle School's core philosophy, taught to him years ago by Master Roshi."
The screen displayed sixteen golden characters: "Work hard, Study hard, Eat well, Sleep well, and Play hard."
"Master Roshi may have stepped away from the front lines," the narrator continued, "but his philosophy is eternal. He cultivated the strongest Saiyan in existence and the strongest Earthling to ever live by teaching them balance. To push the body, one must first know how to let it recover."
Across the multiverse, the philosophy hit home. Sengoku, the former Fleet Admiral, nodded. "It sounds simpleâfocusing entirely on the task at hand without distraction. But to actually master that level of presence is the work of a lifetime."
Zhang Zhiwei sighed. "A true grandmaster's insight. Even I have a step or two to climb before I reach Roshi's level of zen."
Zoro, usually found training until his muscles tore, stopped. "So... when it's time to eat, I just eat? No lifting? No thinking about the blade?" He had always believed more sweat equaled more power, but seeing the results of Goku and Krillin, he reconsidered. If a man who could blow up the moon said rest was vital, maybe he should put the weights down for a nap.
"It brings back memories," Krillin typed, a nostalgic smile appearing on his face. "I remember Roshi telling us that during our afternoon naps. I used to think he was just being lazy, but the contrast between the brutal morning training and the peaceful rest is what made us grow."
"I remember too!" Goku added. "That's when we really became brothers."
Despite the wisdom, a question hung over the various worlds: Could a few days of rest really bridge the gap? According to Korin, Goku was still weaker than Cell. Did he have a hidden trump card, or was he placing everything on a gamble he couldn't win?
The multiverse watched on, waiting for the first bell of the Cell Games to ring.