"Yes! Got you! Ultimate combo! Perilla, you're down to your last sliver of health!"
"Hmph. Only because I'm not using my chip's calculation assist. Otherwise, I'd perfect you. And you're not exactly healthy either."
Perilla and Trunks sat on small stools, fingers flying across game controllers. On the TV screen, two animated fighters clashed.
After a full day of fishing rod training, evening had arrived. Perilla declared the rest of the time "relaxation hours." Constant high-pressure training wouldn't help S-Cell growth, after all.
She'd tailored entertainment to each of them. Trunks was mature for his age, but still a kid—he loved video games.
Gohan preferred books. So Perilla used her divine authority to relocate the Lookout's entire library into the Time Chamber.
On screen, Perilla's character teetered at critical health. One hit and it was over.
Trunks grinned. Finally. After so many losses, victory was his.
But Perilla smiled.
"Kids will be kids. Let me show you an adult's technique."
Trunks leaned forward, fully committed to his attack. His butt lifted slightly off the stool.
Perilla struck.
She yanked the stool out from under him.
THUD.
Trunks hit the ground. His controller flew from his hands.
Perilla's fingers blurred. Combo executed. K.O.
"And I win!"
Trunks stared at the screen. GAME OVER blazed in red letters.
"Perilla! That's cheating!"
"I told you—adult techniques." She grinned. "And you got careless. Dropped your guard right before victory. Remember this, Trunks: the closer you are to winning, the more alert you need to be. Even relaxation is training."
Trunks pouted. "I know, but... but..."
"Here." Perilla raised her hand. A tub of ice cream materialized. She handed it to him. "Your reward. As promised."
"Ice cream?!" His eyes lit up.
If not for the Androids, Trunks would've been a pampered rich kid. Ice cream would've been nothing special.
But food was scarce now. Luxuries like ice cream were rare. He hadn't tasted it in years.
"There are more discs in the cabinet. Pick whatever you want. I'm going to check on Gohan."
"Wait—Perilla, shouldn't we move the TV inside? What if it rains?"
"Don't worry. I made it with divine energy. It won't break easily. Plus, I control the weather here. No rain unless I say so."
"Gods are so cool!" Trunks stared at her in awe.
Perilla patted his head. "Remember—when it's time to relax, relax. Got it?"
"Got it!"
He ran to the cabinet, flipping through discs.
Perilla turned and walked toward the library she'd conjured earlier.
Inside, Gohan sat at a desk, reading quietly. He looked up as she entered.
"You're here."
"Yep. What do you think? Nice library, right?"
"Very. There are books here I've never seen before."
"Collected by every Kami throughout history. From all over the world. Ancient texts. Modern works. The goal was to preserve knowledge in case of a catastrophe that wiped out most of humanity."
"A catastrophe that wiped out humanity..." Gohan's smile turned bitter. "You mean like now."
He stared at the book in his hands. If not for the Androids, he'd probably be a scholar right now.
"How did you know I like reading?"
Perilla froze for a second. Can't exactly tell him I've seen another timeline's script.
In the main timeline, young Gohan had been forced to study by Chi-Chi. But as he grew older, he genuinely loved it. Loved it so much he became... well, Great Saiyaman. A bit of a waste, honestly.
But reading helped him relax. Reduced stress. Aided training.
She couldn't say that, though.
"I've got Goku's genes, remember? In a way, I'm like your half-dad. And parents know their kids."
Gohan didn't get angry. In fact, he found it oddly comforting. The silver-haired girl in front of him did remind him of his father. The mannerisms. The gestures. Just like his memories.
"Aren't you worried I'll slack off? Get too absorbed in books and neglect training?"
"Nope. I'll keep an eye on you. And appropriate relaxation helps training. There's a method called meditation. Reading improves meditation efficiency. Plus, even if we beat the Androids and the world becomes peaceful, you won't abandon training, will you?"
Gohan smiled bitterly. He wasn't the boy who only wanted to read anymore. He had a duty. To protect Earth. Even without 17 and 18, new enemies would come.
But he was surprised. This girl understood him. Told him reading was training too.
Everything can be training, huh?
"By the way," Gohan said, "you mentioned you have genes from Dad, Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta. But you only seem to show Dad's personality and habits."
"Because Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta's lives were nothing but killing and destruction. Meaningless. Goku's training foundation and combat instincts are far superior to those wild, untrained Saiyans. That's why your dad—a low-class warrior—surpassed Vegeta, a prince."
Gohan nodded. That made sense.
"Honestly, this training feels more like... a vacation."
"A vacation?"
"Yeah. Fishing. Cooking. Reading. Doesn't feel like training at all."
"That's the point. Turtle School training."
"I wonder how Master Roshi's doing..." Gohan's thoughts drifted to the old man. Perverted at times, but a true martial arts master. He must be lonely now. All his students dead.
"Don't worry. Once we beat Seventeen and Eighteen, everyone will come back. The old man won't be alone."
"Wait—can you read my mind?"
"I guessed. Anyway, starting tomorrow, you're teaching Trunks. 'Study well' is part of the Turtle School philosophy."
"I didn't even finish middle school..."
"I'll handle the curriculum. Gero stuffed my brain with knowledge, and becoming Kami gave me inherited memories. I can teach you both. If you don't understand something, just ask."
She puffed out her chest proudly.
No curves at all. Shame.
Gohan kept that thought to himself. Trunks called her "big sister," but she was barely taller than him. By next year, Trunks would probably be taller.
Perilla felt his gaze. Shifted uncomfortably.
No way. Gohan's not like that.
She didn't sense his thoughts. In her mind, Gohan was pure. Like his dad.
Well, except for Majin Buu Saga Goku. That scumbag. Who knows what happened to him during those seven years in the afterlife. Selling out his friends to save the world. Technically noble. Still scummy.
To maintain a proper sleep schedule, Perilla created a false sun, moon, and stars. Day and night cycled naturally.
The illusions were harmless—no risk of transforming into Great Apes from seeing a full moon.
After relaxation time, night fell. The first day ended.
Before dawn, Perilla woke them for morning exercises. She conjured turtle shells—each weighing ten times their body weight—and strapped them to their backs.
It looked brutal. But it was the only time they focused purely on strength training.
The rest of the day: fishing, farming, building shelters, cooking. All focused on control.
Farming was especially tricky. The tools were fragile—just like the fishing rods. They needed Ki reinforcement. But too much, and the tools shattered.
Perilla also buried rocks randomly in the soil. Forced them to control their Ki even more carefully.
For Gohan in Super Saiyan form, it was torture.
But under Perilla's guidance, both of them grew calmer. More controlled. Only with a calm mind could they regulate Ki flow.
And every evening: relaxation, entertainment, study.
Gradually—especially Gohan—they noticed something. Their raw power hadn't increased much. But their bottleneck was loosening.
One month later—
Gohan mastered maintaining Super Saiyan form 24/7 without losing control.
Trunks unlocked Super Saiyan.
"Yes! Gohan, you're so strong now! Together, we'll crush Seventeen and Eighteen!"
Trunks felt the power surging through him. Confidence swelled.
BONK.
Perilla chopped him on the head.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"Wake up. Don't get cocky just because you can transform. Seventeen and Eighteen are far stronger than a basic Super Saiyan. And they're twins. Perfect coordination. Don't underestimate them."
"Oh... right."
Trunks rubbed his head sheepishly.
Gohan nodded. "When I first became a Super Saiyan, I thought I could beat them. I got destroyed. If they weren't toying with me, I'd be dead. So stay focused, Trunks."
"Got it, Gohan."
Perilla crossed her arms. "Now that you can transform, Trunks, you're doing the same training as Gohan. Maintain Super Saiyan at all times."
"Wait—all the time?!"
Now that he'd transformed, Trunks realized how hard it was to stay in Super Saiyan during daily tasks.
But he had no choice.
Thanks to the prior month of training, though, Trunks mastered it in just two weeks.
While Gohan and Trunks progressed, so did Perilla.
Initially, she was weaker than Trunks. But after a month and a half, she could suppress him in base form. He had to transform into Super Saiyan to beat her.
"Sorry, Perilla! I got too into it and transformed by accident!"
"It's fine. I told you to go all out."
Perilla climbed out of a pile of rubble. Good thing she'd activated a barrier at the last second. Otherwise, her clothes would've been shredded.
While they talked, Gohan—who'd been meditating nearby—suddenly opened his eyes.
Trunks turned. "Gohan?"
Gohan's Ki was dropping. Fast.
But he stayed in Super Saiyan form.
"Nice." Perilla smiled. "He's starting to grasp the true Super Saiyan."
"True Super Saiyan? What does that mean?"
"You're leaking Ki constantly. Even in Super Saiyan form. But the true Super Saiyan doesn't leak. Even when exhausted, they don't revert."
"Oh..."
Gohan's Ki stabilized. Then surged.
A shockwave exploded outward. Trunks staggered back.
"Whoa! That power—he could crush Seventeen and Eighteen easily!"
But halfway through the surge, Gohan's Ki faltered. He dropped to one knee, gasping.
"Gohan!" Trunks rushed over.
"I'm fine." Gohan panted. "I just... touched the threshold. Haven't fully mastered it yet."
Perilla clapped. "Congrats, Gohan. You're halfway to Full-Power Super Saiyan."
One and a half months. He's faster than the main timeline's Gohan.
Made sense. This Gohan had years of combat experience. The other timeline's Gohan would've unlocked Beast Form by now.
Gohan's face lit up despite his exhaustion. "Thanks to you, Perilla. You taught me to stay calm. To control my Ki. That's how I reached this."
"No. This is your accumulation. Your effort. Thank yourself."
"Even so—thank you." He paused. "Is Full-Power Super Saiyan the limit?"
He no longer cared about the Androids. He wanted to surpass his limits.
"Of course not. Full-Power is just the peak of Super Saiyan 1. Beyond that is Super Saiyan 2."
"Super Saiyan 2..."
Gohan's heart raced. If there's a 2, there's a 3. A 4. No limit.
He realized he was excited.
Saiyan blood ran deep.
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