DB Multiverse

Bulma looked up... pensive.

She thought of Son Gohan with tenderness... He really was his father's son.

In the same situation, Vegeta would simply have destroyed the entire group, without notice, without even wanting to discuss... But Gohan didn't.

No, just as what Goku would have done, he tried to give these men a chance.

The young woman's hand lingered a bit on the keyboard... then Bulma sighed. No! She promised herself she'd not worry more than she already did and counting the passing time. Besides, he certainly passed faster than what she believed... And in no time, she'd hear the familiar sound of her son's voice who would find her working.

The sweet idea put a balm on her heart, and Bulma went back to the note of Son Gohan's story...

He was still in the air, above the strange space ship that was burying itself slowly but inexorably in the ground. Son Gohan, who was surrounded by a dozen of uniform-wearing henchmen, looked at the gnome leaving in the airlock that had opened in front of him.

Considering his arrogance, it was more than probable that he had no will to pack up and go, so it'd be best to be ready!

But all the vigilance of the young Saiyan wasn't enough and he couldn't dodge the surprise attack.

Indeed, with no hint of what was going to hit him, he suddenly found himself firmly neutralized by Dabra who had appeared out of nowhere. In Gohan's back, the demon had placed his arms under Gohan's armpits to keeping him still with a firm lock behind his nape!

Gohan stopped his aura instantly in order to go back in his normal state.

Meanwhile, Pui-Pui had emerged from the airlock and was now rushing towards the group in the sky... He had a very strange item in his hand, something that looked a bit like the kilimeter, but quite larger and the form of the device was somewhere between Aladdin's lamp and a huge sauce boat.

“You've understood that it was useless to try and fight.” gloated Dabra. “That's very good... You're a very intelligent boy, I see. Don't worry... You won't feel a thing.”

A gnawing anger was taking hold of Son Gohan.. He knew that these extra-terrestrials weren't trustworthy, he still felt that this devious attack was revolting... Besides, it attested to his mysterious assailant's supposed strength. He had been fast enough to surprise him... He was much faster than the cyborgs!

The Saiyan's eyes hardened when he saw Pui-Pui coming to him, brandishing his sauce boat.

But he hadn't had the time to reach his target.. An impressive kick brutally stopped him, literally sending him backwards while, at the same time, a powerful explosion violently threw every soldiers, including the surprised great Dabra, in all direction.

Son Gohan just had emitted a huge release of ki as he was changing again, and it had enabled him to get free from the grasp of the Master of the underworld, whereas the henchmen were thrown on the ground, more or less far from the epicentre of the explosion.

The powerful pulsations of the Super Saiyan's vigorous aura now rang out in the valley cluttered by men who were getting up.

Son Gohan didn't pay them any mind. He had turned back to face the one who had kept him still just a moment before.

Dabra had a hard time concealing the irritation of having been surprised like this.

“You've kept your cards close to your chest... Well done, lad! I should have been wary when you lowered your energy...”

Son Gohan wasn't distracted by the falsely friendly tone of the giant with the white cloak.

“I can tell you the same. You're fast, you managed to surprise me, and there are not many people who can tell this.”

“Why, thank you...” The huge fighter, obviously flattered, chuckled. “But, you see, I'm not just anyone...” And he disappeared and reappeared right away, his fist before him, right in front of the young Super Saiyan. “And I'll show it!” he roared.

Son Gohan only had time to move his head aside so he could dodge the fist that brushed past his cheek, right then, he powerfully elbowed the fighter who had the negligence to come within reach.

The blow, even if it had been terrible, hadn't had the expected effect: Dabra replied right away with a swift atemi that reached the young fighter's nape.

But Son Gohan too knew how to take blows, and for very good reasons: first because of Vegeta's trainings, then the numerous fights against the cyborgs.. Those had taught him well and very harshly!

The exchange of blows that followed was Dantean... Even Pui-Pui, down below, couldn't help but stare at these enemies with abashment in his eyes... He glanced at the kilimeter some place under him. He then thought better of it. Perhaps it'd be best not to try and know how much power those two emitted!

He already had an idea regarding the level of power of the great Dabra, who already had more or less showed his strength. But the human... How could such a mere human have so much energy? That was beyond understanding!

The human just had parried each blow, one after the other, and his opponent was raging against such an opposition. A mortal who was able to compete with his strength of Lord of Darkness!

Actually, it was a good thing that he hadn't guessed that the young Saiyan had blocked him this way so that he could have time to think. Even if he had quite well managed to hold his ground, he knew from experience that this extra-terrestrial was extremely strong, much stronger than the cyborgs.. And too strong for him to hope to get the upper hand, no doubt about it!

For now, he used the image of a small body in a pink robe to bring as much rage as he could to his arm that had to endure a terrible trial. He needed this illusion for a moment longer... he needed to think a bit faster..

After all, he was very strong, that was obvious, but if he wasn't a cyborg, then it was possible that he wasn't invulnerable either. So it was possible to plan something that was efficient enough to get rid of him!

Anyway, it was too late to draw back!

For a while, the two fighters tried their power, each fighting to make the other yield.

“None can compete with the Lord of Darkness!” he growled.

In spite of his surprise at his assailant's mentioned title, Son Gohan showed an incredibly swift reflex as he just dodged the spit that the devilish fighter had thrown in his face.

He looked at the giant with surprise. What was the point of such a childish attack from such a powerful opponent? And then, a scream made him look down.

One of the soldiers was screaming in fear while his body was being eaten by something grey that seemed to petrify him. The next moment, a grey statue had replaced the being made of blood and bones.

Pui-Pui chuckled as he saw the young earthling's disbelieving face.

“Anything hit by the Master of the underworld's saliva will become stone... Isn't it surprising?”

Son Gohan looked once again at his opponent with surprise.

His saliva could change people into stone? So this pompous title wasn't merely boasting?! The eyes of the young fighter changed from a surprised look to hardness with deep determination. That unknown person was even more dangerous than what he had thought. What kind of strange trick could he still hide? Better not to run any risk and stop..

Surprised, the Saiyan stopped his reflection. Dabra had stopped moving and his seemed to be elsewhere! Then his powerful voice rang out, obviously answering to a call that only he had heard, just has he broke the power struggle to move ten feet backwards.

“Very well... You're right, Master... I stupidly got carried away!”

The horned fighter was now starring at Son Gohan without making the mere movement while the entire army was silently retreating inside the ship...

Pui-Pui was the last one to enter.. And that was only when he had disappeared in the bowels of the spaceship that Dabra spoke again.

“You should thank Master Babidi... Thanks to him, your death was delayed...” He then added with an ironic smile. “He fears that I'd spoil the merchandise... To bad, I'd have loved to push you to your limit, just to see...” He looked towards the airlock of the ship that kept slowly burying itself in the ground. “If you really want to convince us to leave... You'll have to follow us.” His eyes travelled back to the young Saiyan. “I know what you're thinking of... And I'd do the same if I were you...” Then his yellow eyes went back to the vessel's small emerging part.

“But even if you decide to destroy this part, we'll be safe in the annexes that you can't see. There is no way for you to reach us.”

Before Son Gohan could answer, Dabra had disappeared with a small noise, the same as a tv being turned off.

The young man remained motionless for a while, all alone in the sky of the desert valley, where only the small vibration of the vessel getting downer and downer in the soil could be heard. He indeed had turned off his golden aura, even though he still kept in his super Saiyan form.

The fighter was mad at himself. He shouldn't have given him the opportunity to withdraw inside the ship.

Dabra had invited him to follow them... This could only mean another trap!

The Super Saiyan extended one of his hands, flat before the upper floor. It now reached the ground. Gohan started to form an energy ball in his palm.

What if that story of annexes was nothing but bluff? A powerful enough attack would certainly resolve this problem for good.

Son Gohan abruptly closed his hand with a growl of annoyance.

What if that wasn't a lie? It'd not have any means to reach them and annihilate them. Who could say if the valley wasn't hiding an entire network of tunnels? And it was not quite possible for him to efficiently reach the great Dabra if it wasn't by a direct attack.

So, with a sigh he resolved to slowly go down towards the airlock that had remained open for him.

The door opened onto a dark well that he couldn't see the bottom of.

Yet, without the mere hesitation, the young Saiyan dove into the darkness, a golden figure getting deep into obscurity.

He entered into a very bright wide round room. There was a pattern in the centre of the room, a door and an airlock seemed to lead to the rest of the vessel.

Strangely, there was no sound to be heard. Son Gohan didn't even felt the vibrations that was shaking the ship from outside. He remained here for a while, motionless, paying close attention to the slightest change in the air, to the smallest hint of energy.

But no matter how concentrated he was, he couldn't detect any other ki than his own. Yet he still had the feeling that he was observed... spied on... even though there weren't any surveillance camera to be seen.

The strangers certainly were thinking of a new strategy... It was probable that his unexpected strength level would be a problem to them... All the more considering that, apparently, they wanted to neutralize him without seriously injuring him.

So better to use this advantage now!

The young Saiyan abruptly rose into the air and shoot a powerful blast without warning towards the floor. The big explosion that followed made the entire spaceship vibrate as Son Gohan was starring at the hole he just had made.

He was sure that the structure of the strange building meant a storey disposition... And his intuition turned out to be right!

From what he could see... below his feet there was an identical room than the one he was in.

Apparently, it was empty as well.

Yet, he went down with suspicion. His enemies had proved themselves to be perfectly able of treacheries, so getting deeper and deeper into the depths of the enemy's territory was a risk that shouldn't be trifled with.

Once he had landed, he could see that this level was exactly the same as the one above him... Wasn't it for the hole in the ceiling, he'd believe that he hadn't moved at all.

He was about to rise, looking at the floor, when a discreet sound suddenly made him stop his movement.

The centre of the pattern in the middle of the floor just had disappeared and there was now a way down.

Son Gohan had an amused smile. Apparently, the owner of the place didn't like new opening to be made between the stories.

So, the orange and blue wearing figure once again carefully went down another level.

Once again the same room!

The ceiling just had closed that the sound of an opening airlock made the fighter turn his head. He was on his guard.

Pui-Pui had come in. And not really on his own volition apparently. He was still protesting, actually.

“But... but... I have no chance... Even Dabra...” he stuttered.

The extra-terrestrial suddenly screwed up his eyes as he bent forwards... As if he was hearing the screams of anger from someone that Gohan couldn't hear.

Suddenly, the entire room seemed to be caught into a curious whirlwind... Space, even the universe seemed to turn around the two fighters... Until all that was left was the pattern on the ground, that pattern that decorated the floor of the room which had disappeared to make way to a strange landscape. A landscape that looked like it was the moon.