The air was electric, charged with a power none of the Z-Fighters had ever sensed before. Their eyes widened, jaws clenched, and hearts raced as they stared at me. I hovered above the battlefield, aura flaring violently, golden spikes of my hair crackling with lightning. The revelation hit them all at once — this was Super Saiyan 2.
Goku's eyes went wide. "Impossible… that's… Super Saiyan 2!"
Vegeta's face twisted in rage and disbelief. "No… this can't be…!"
Gohan froze midair, fists clenched, staring at me with awe and fear. Even Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and Krillin seemed rooted to the ground, their energy flaring weakly in comparison, trembling under the intensity of my ki.
Cell hovered nearby, eyes narrowing, a dark grin curling across his face. So, he's been holding back all this time… he muttered, calculating rapidly. This… this changes everything.
I looked down at them, a slow, confident grin spreading across my face. Every eye, every heart, every ounce of energy in the area was tuned into me. Finally… they understand. They have no idea how much power I've been holding back until now.
The sky above the battlefield was a storm of crackling energy — golden-white lightning slicing through clouds, the ground trembling under the immense pressure. Every Z-Fighter hovered in the air, battered, exhausted, yet burning with determination.
Gohan, still radiating with the raw, untamed energy of Super Saiyan 2, glared up at me. Despite the injuries lining his face and his scorched aura, his eyes burned with a warrior's resolve.
I hovered above him, lightning arcing along every strand of golden hair. Even after our previous clash, the thrill coursing through me refused to fade. Every strike, every deflection, every hit he landed had been exhilarating — but now, in my Super Saiyan 2 form, it was my turn to dominate.
Gohan lunged forward, fists blazing, teeth gritted. His first punch slammed against my chest, sparks flying. I twisted, letting his momentum carry him past me, and delivered a knee to his back that sent him skidding across a crater wall. Goku and Piccolo's fists clenched as they watched.
I followed after him, landing a barrage of punches and kicks as Gohan, who had just stabilized, found it hard to dodge. He leapt back to his feet, aura crackling violently, energy surging."I… won't… lose!" he screamed, firing a rapid sequence of Ki blasts, each infused with electricity and raw fury.
I dodged with inhuman speed, redirecting some of them harmlessly into the ground. Then, closing the distance in an instant, I struck him with a flurry of precise punches and elbows, each blow shaking him violently.
"Good… very good," I said, smiling wildly. "Gohan, you fight with the heart of a warrior. At your age, even I wasn't half as good as you. But your strength still isn't enough."
Gohan roared, spinning into a rapid sequence of punches meant to crush me. I blocked them effortlessly, twisted him midair, and slammed him through a ridge. Rocks exploded, yet as he stood again, his eyes never wavered.
He charged once more, refusing to yield, launching a Kamehameha wave. I hovered above him, arms crossed lazily, aura blazing."That's right, Gohan. Give it your all."I unleashed my Destructo Beam, a massive red torrent of pure destructive energy, directly into his blast.
The collision erupted in a titanic explosion. Shockwaves shattered the horizon, and Gohan's beam faltered, his body pushed backward, aura flickering. I hovered above him, laughing. Persistent… excellent…
From the periphery, Goku, watching Gohan struggle, couldn't stand by any longer. He appeared beside his son, firing a Kamehameha wave of his own. Their combined strength now pushed against mine. The Z-Fighters watching clenched their fists — the conclusion of this struggle would decide the fate of the Earth.
The torrent of energy formed a colossal, combined beam, immense and chaotic. Sparks and arcs of lightning erupted as it slammed toward me. The battlefield shook, mountains cracked, and dust spiraled into the sky as our attacks clashed at the center.
I watched as their beam inched closer with every passing moment. The force was immense, but even under the pressure, I kept pushing, channeling every drop of my energy to overpower them. Every Z-Fighter watched with bated breath.
"Not… done… yet!" Gohan screamed, roaring with fury. He unleashed his full strength as the energy beam grew thicker. With a loud shout, Goku did the same — their combined attack now pressing dangerously close to me. My eyes widened in surprise. I might have underestimated their will… and their strength.
Gohan, refusing to give up despite his injuries, gathered his remaining energy — the beam roaring with the intensity of his Super Saiyan 2 form. I gave it my all, but their combined assault kept pushing me back, the light of their attack now just before me.
Behind the chaos, Cell's tail twitched, claws flexed, and eyes glinted with anticipation.Now… my moment is coming… I can finally absorb him. The ultimate power… everyone else will despair.
He hovered, calculating the perfect moment, muscles coiled, ready to strike from behind.
The battlefield froze in suspended tension — the combined assault of Goku and Gohan clashing with my Destructo Beam, while Cell poised to strike.
Soon, their combined attack consumed my whole body. Goku and Gohan watched as the light engulfed me, relief washing over their faces. The Z-Fighters cheered, their clenched fists loosening as they sensed my aura dimming. Inside the blinding torrent, I knew I had lost this struggle — but I poured every last ounce of strength into reinforcing my defense.
When the light finally faded, my body plummeted from the sky. Blood streamed from my wounds as I lay on the shattered ground, bones broken — yet a wild smile crept across my face."Good. This is what I was looking for."
Suddenly, I remembered the green beans — the Senzu Beans — capable of healing all injuries instantly. Two remained inside the pouch. If I ate them now, I would rise again, stronger than ever, my Zenkai boost pushing me beyond all limits. But I refused. I would only eat them after winning — otherwise, it would feel like victory wasn't truly mine. I didn't want my strength credited to those beans.
Gohan, battered, bruised, glared at my fallen body. He panted heavily; the last attack had drained him completely. But as he watched, his heart clenched — I was standing again.
The Z-Fighters gasped in disbelief.
Krillin shouted, voice trembling, "Is he some kind of monster? Why won't he just stay down?!"
Cell's grin widened, claws flexing, tail twitching. He decided to wait — for now.
As I stood once again, drenched in blood, I took in their shocked faces and smiled wider."What, surprised that I can still stand? I've lived my whole life fighting to the brink of death, always refusing to fall. That's the only way to survive — and it always will be."
With a roar, my aura flared once more. Though far weaker than before, it was still enough. Gohan was too injured to continue. My body resisted, bones cracking, muscles tearing — I knew I had minutes before it gave out completely. Yet the closeness of death only fueled my excitement. My Saiyan blood boiled with exhilaration.
The Z-Fighters watched as I forced myself back into the Super Saiyan state once more.
"This… this is the fight I live for."