Chapter 13: Beast Unleashed

I mistakenly put December instead of November for the timing, my bad.

Bonus chapter for 25 stones.

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The world seemed to freeze as Gohan's clenched fist connected with Cell's torso, the impact resounding like thunder through the shattered mountains. Cell's exoskeleton cracked beneath the sheer force of the blow, a shockwave rippling from the contact point. For the briefest moment, Cell's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually calm expression.

Then, before he could react, his surroundings blurred, reality distorting as he hurtled backward through the void. Stars flashed past, streaks of light blurring into nothingness. One instant, Cell had been anchored firmly on Earth; the next, he found himself crashing through the atmosphere of a distant planet on the far side of the galaxy, his back slamming into the surface with the weight of a dying star. The ground split open beneath him, tectonic plates buckling, and entire continents shifted under the force of impact.

Hovering above, Gohan was still connected to him, his knuckles pressed deep into Cell's abdomen as his aura seethed like wildfire. Gohan's form was twisted, his hair wild, his red eyes fixed with feral intensity, unseeing, yet locked onto Cell as though possessed by a force beyond human comprehension.

Cell frowned, shifting his gaze to meet Gohan's, but his opponent's expression held no trace of humanity. The Beast form had overtaken him completely, and it showed in the chilling gleam of Gohan's eyes, in the way his muscles quivered with raw, unrestrained power. Slowly, he raised his arm, his claws lengthening, their edges gleaming with ki, and in a single, vicious swipe, he slashed downward.

Cell jerked to the side, narrowly evading the strike. A thin line of ki trailed from Gohan's claws, embedding itself into the planet behind them. For an instant, silence reigned, a single breath held between the universe's heartbeat.

Then, the planet split apart.

The surface buckled, fissures opening into yawning chasms that swallowed everything in their path. A violent quake ripped through the core, dividing the entire planet into six fractured pieces, each fragment hurtling off in separate directions, carried by the force of Gohan's blow.

Cell's expression shifted, a mix of shock and exhilaration. Despite the blow, despite his cracked exoskeleton, a smile crept onto his face. So this is the strength of a beast. The thrill of battle raced through him as he braced himself, each movement fueled by a primal joy he hadn't anticipated. It was intoxicating.

Gohan lunged forward, his body moving faster than his mind, driven purely by instinct. He swung his arm, his claws slicing through the air, creating a whistling sound that echoed in the vacuum of space. Cell sidestepped, the edges of Gohan's attack grazing his side, yet he remained unfazed, his movements precise, calculated. But Gohan's form blurred, his power accelerating, each strike stronger than the last.

Cell's mind worked quickly as he dodged, deflecting Gohan's strikes with masterful precision. Yet something gnawed at the edge of his awareness. Each time his body took a hit, he felt no surge in power, no instinctive adaptation. He realized with sudden clarity that his fully mechanical body couldn't draw on the organic advantage of growing stronger under pressure. His current form had been crafted to be invulnerable, a pinnacle of artificial strength. But it lacked the adaptability of living beings.

And then, an echo surfaced in his mind, a warning from the memories he'd absorbed, a lesson embedded by Soul. He had a weakness. 'My head.' He thought, his mind sharpening with newfound caution. The memories he held whispered of vulnerabilities, the central core within his head that governed his entire system. He couldn't let Gohan's blows get too close.

A blur of movement brought him back to reality. Gohan's fist came hurtling toward his head, a blow fast and powerful enough to turn lesser planets into dust. Cell twisted, ducking just as the strike tore past him, obliterating an asteroid field behind them in an explosion of rock and cosmic dust. He redirected the momentum, catching Gohan's arm and spinning him around, sending him careening into the remnants of a shattered moon.

But Gohan barely registered the impact. His body absorbed the blow, his form coiling like a spring, energy crackling around him as he pushed off from the surface. A guttural roar escaped him, his aura surging as he launched forward, his claws outstretched. The energy around him morphed, taking on the shape of massive, translucent paws, the outline of a beast shimmering around his body.

The ki construct swiped at Cell with savage power, the impact sending shockwaves through the nearby planets. The fabric of space seemed to ripple under the force, as if reality itself was struggling to contain the fury of the Beast. Gohan's attacks came relentlessly, each one building in strength, each strike more devastating than the last.

Cell blocked, parried, dodged, his mind calculating every movement, yet the thrill of the fight drove him forward. His aura flared as he matched Gohan's assault, each blow resonating with the power to level galaxies. They moved through the void, their battle a blinding display of energy and destruction, each clash sending shockwaves that rippled across the universe.

Cell countered, throwing a high kick that connected with Gohan's side, the impact powerful enough to send him reeling. But Gohan twisted midair, landing on a stray comet, his claws digging into its icy surface as he launched himself forward once more. His body blurred, his movements blindingly fast, his power now beyond calculation.

Cell raised his arm, deflecting Gohan's punch, but the force behind it was immeasurable. His feet dug into the ground of another barren world as he skidded back, the planet's crust cracking beneath him. Gohan's form flickered, the outline of a monstrous beast forming around him, its jaws wide as it lunged for Cell.

Cell evaded, narrowly avoiding the construct's teeth as it snapped shut inches from him. Gohan's power was unfathomable, his instincts sharp, his attacks relentless. Yet Cell moved with precision, his body weaving through the storm of claws and energy, his expression a mixture of amusement and focus.

As they clashed, Gohan's attacks grew more erratic, his strength more feral. His beastly instincts were overtaking him completely, each strike more devastating, yet less controlled. The planets around them shattered under the force of their battle, entire solar systems collapsing in their wake as they tore through the cosmos, each blow resonating with a fury that echoed across galaxies.

But even as Gohan's power grew, Cell felt the advantage tipping in his favor. He was faster, more disciplined, his every movement calculated. He observed Gohan's patterns, the rhythm of his attacks, and in a single, fluid motion, he sidestepped Gohan's lunge, grabbing his arm and twisting it back.

With a triumphant grin, Cell brought his knee up, slamming it into Gohan's abdomen with enough force to rupture stars. Gohan's roar of pain reverberated through the battlefield, his form buckling under the impact, but his eyes remained wild, unrelenting.

Gohan broke free, his body coiling as he launched a brutal series of strikes, his aura flaring, his energy manifesting into the shape of giant, clawed paws. He struck downward, the impact splintering an entire asteroid belt into dust. But Cell moved with ruthless efficiency, his tail flicking out and catching Gohan mid-attack, hurling him across a distant galaxy.

Gohan's form faded into a streak of light as he traveled through the void, crashing into the surface of a nearby planet with earth-shattering force. Cell followed, descending slowly as he observed Gohan struggling to rise, his form battered, yet unyielding. Cell's smile softened, an almost appreciative look crossing his face as he watched the beast within Gohan continue to rage.

"Your strength is… extraordinary," Cell murmured, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "But your mind… it's no longer yours, is it?"

Gohan's response was a guttural snarl, his body shifting into a low, predatory stance, his red eyes glinting with murderous intent. His instincts had overtaken him fully, his humanity lost, replaced by the raw ferocity of a true beast. Cell's realization settled in, Gohan was no longer the warrior he once was. This was something far more dangerous, yet also more vulnerable.

"Perhaps I should be grateful," Cell continued, a faint smile playing on his lips as he took his stance once more. "To face a creature like you… a battle truly worthy of my strength."

With a final roar, Gohan launched forward, his entire form radiating pure, unbridled rage. Cell's aura flared in response, a calm, unwavering energy as he met Gohan's charge head-on. Their fists collided, the force of the impact shattering the planet beneath them, the debris scattering into the void as they continued their fight, two forces of nature, locked in an endless struggle for supremacy.

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