OverWorld rebirth

"Gohan, Gohan, are you alright? Get up quickly, the class is about to start. This is Merciless Chin's class, hurry up and get up!" A concerned voice called out near Gohan's ear and a very strange feeling seemed to overwhelm his senses.

'Where am I? What is going on?' The half Saiyan asked in wonder.

"This idiot, he was probably up all night crying for his mommy," A mocking voice from his right said.

Gohan looked around, confusion was clearly written across his face. He was surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar people and most of them seemed to be unkind.

Noticing Gohan's lost facial expression, a roar of laughter permeated the classroom once again. Quite obviously the laughter was directed at him, which made him feel frustrated. Chanting a calming mantra that his old mentor Piccolo taught him, Gohan calmed his rising anger deciding not to question anything for the time being. He could only be vigilant in case someone attacked him. His memories were a little fuzzy, but Gohan knew that he needed to recall the last moments before he got here. Maybe then he could get an inkling of how he arrived at this place.

Looking at the student sitting beside him he noticed that he was the only one who refrained from laughing when everyone else had, and it happened to be the same person who woke him up just now.

"Where am I? Who are you? What is all of this?" Gohan asked in bewilderment.

Another roar of laughter sounded out in the room and he wished for the second time in just a few moments that he wasn't the focus of everyone's attention.

Speaking in a voice low enough only Gohan could hear, the boy that was around fourteen to fifteen years old asked, "How do you not remember?!" It was evident that he was anxious as well.

"I really can't remember. My headache was awful, and I've seemed to have forgotten a lot of things," Gohan replied helplessly.

Seeing the boy sigh at his response as if he was disappointed in him Gohan observed the boy for a few minutes. He was young around his mid-teens, violet hair which was long and pulled into a ponytail. His physique was athletic but seemed a little reserved.

Of course, Sharpener wouldn't believe Son Gohan had forgotten in such a short amount of time, but he dismissed the idea thinking Gohan was just trying to save face. Sharpener guessed his friend still hadn't understood that he was no longer the Gohan of the Son Family.

Suddenly, Gohan felt a sudden pulse of pain in the back of his head and at that moment he could recall what happened before he got there.

It had been an average day as he instructed his apprentice Trunks, about transforming into the Super-Saiyan state. When explosions and sounds of fierce battles broke out in the nearby Orange city roughly twenty miles away. Gohan knew he was the only one that could even delay the androids from their massacre, but he had already lost one arm to the vicious 17 and 18 Androids. If he went at that moment, he knew he would probably lose his life, but he wouldn't just sit idly by and let them murder millions of civilians either.

Quickly, he told Trunks to get back to his mother's shelter with what remained of the resistance and his late father's allies and left flying through the sky towards the battleground. Devastation and broken bodies littered the area as the smug figures of a slim dark-haired boy and blonde girl ravaged the once prosperous city.

Halting suddenly at the sight, Gohan transformed into his SS form and glared down at the soulless machines below him. In spite of wreaking havoc in the cities all across the earth, they did not find any pleasure in their actions. Their facial expressions hardly changed regardless of how many people they murdered or the destruction they caused. It had become a normal routine for these monsters to kill people with the swipe of their hands and now they began killing just to get their only challenger out for a fight. Maybe their programming had long taken over their actions and their souls had been eroded but it had started to seem more routine than choice at this point.

When they started fighting, the resulting battled would last for hours and as such, this battle lasted for around six when they were interrupted by a loud battle cry.

Trunks had followed him. He had landed a good hit on 17, knocking him out of the air in a surprise attack but was the young boy who was quickly defeated by a surprise attack from 18. The only thing Gohan could do was save his brash apprentice, which had cost him dearly.

Afterward, he carried Trunks and escaped. He only managed to get the young Saiyan to safety before he succumbed to his injuries but how could he appear here? Was this still Earth?

Moreover, he was sitting here safe and sound, but what happened to everyone else? The resistance was so few in number how could they survive without him?!

If Trunks were to fall in the hands of the Androids, then the consequences would be unimaginable. Thinking about this, Son Gohan could no longer contain the worry in his heart and quickly stood up.

"What is it? The bell has rung? Sit down everyone and listen." A cold-faced young woman said as she walked up to the class podium with a few books between her arms. Scanning the students that were still laughing in the class with a chilling gaze, their laughter was dismissed within moments. Everyone knew this class was run by Chin Chi, and what she hated the most was students creating a loud commotion. If she had her eyes on a student, then it was safe to say that nothing good happens to them.

The teacher continued speaking recapturing Gohan's attention due to the unexpected content she started to say, "Yōkai warrior's and Fighters have four different ranks, which are: Red, Silver, Blue and Gold rank. Each rank is then divided into five levels, from 1-burst to 5-burst." She paused her arrogant face scanning the thirty students in the classroom.

"A Yōkai warrior is above the Fighter's existence. People such as myself are noble existences above commoners. A Yōkai warrior can form a soul field within their dantian which helps contain the Yōkai and integrate a captured spirit into their soul field. Then they are able to merge certain attributes with their own bodies. This allows them to possess matchless strength, which is far above the strength that the average Fighter could possibly compete with."

Chen Chi raised her chin and spoke arrogantly, "Much like myself, my Yōkai is a Wild Flame Cat."

Suddenly, Chen Chi's face and hands underwent drastic changes. Her facial shape, teeth, and nails all became much sharper and her body seemed to have a red glow around it making her have a cloak of power around her. Finishing her transformation, a scarlet tail emerged from her back as her aura seemed to radiate out much as a fierce warrior would have.

Feeling his hands shake at the pressure she was giving off Gohan looked down at his hand in surprise. Gohan was already an experienced warrior and this level of pressure shouldn't have given him pause, but as he watched his automatic response from the pressure, he noticed something very interesting.

His hands had become smaller and his skin was a lot more tender! Maybe it shouldn't have been such a shock but he was in the body of a fifteen to sixteen-year-old. 'Had he actually died in that battle?' He wondered internally.

Son Gohan had already felt that something was not right. A sudden headache ravaged his mind, and he was able to recall all of the missing information of this life and the people around him.

Son Gohan was a member of the third generation of the Son Family. His father, Son Zhang, had passed away two years prior, and Gohan didn't have any recollection of his mother. After his father had passed away, he was exiled from the Son Family; this was because he was not Son Zhang's biological son according to a DNA test conducted in the aftermath of his death.

However, he still remembered his little sister Son Chen and younger brother Son Bohai. Alas, they were both not of the same mother as him, but what he had considered being of the same father. Three years ago, his father seemed to foresee the eventual exile of Son Gohan, so he asked his own father the family head to request for a marriage with the Satan Family. Since Son Zhang had full knowledge of his poor health, he wanted to find a backup for Son Gohan. Thus, he found the Satan Family of West City.

Being able to have a marriage with the top five families of this contaminant, the Satan Family was, of course, very glad to oblige. The head of the Satan Family betrothed his grand-daughter to Son Gohan. Three Years ago, Satan Videl, who was only 11 at the time, was already considered the prettiest girl in the entire capital.

Meanwhile, Son Gohan became the disaster of the Son Family, and the reason was simple. In one hospital checkup, Son Gohan was discovered to be a bastard that was never a legitimate heir to the family. Although the Son Family tried very hard to conceal this matter, it seemed that all the people in the capital knew it in only one night. One of the 5 greatest families of this Continent, the first-born child of the Son Family had been cuckolded by his late wife, which made the Son Family lose a considerable amount of honor.

None of this really mattered much to Gohan, as long as he was Son Gohan it meant that his father was Son Goku and his mother was ChiChi. Whoever he was originally in this world, Gohan knew exactly who he was now.

But Gohan was still stunned, 'What exactly is going on?' He thought surprised by Teacher Chin's transformation. Gohan had never seen anything like this before and apparently, he wasn't the only one. Throughout the entire classroom, several surprised gasps were heard, a Yōkai transformation was rarely seen according to Gohan's memories, and having a teacher with such an ability was pretty much unheard of.

Gohan's head was abuzz with the transformation of his current life and the show of power that happens so casually in front of him. It was hard to adjust to the sudden change in the situation. Soon the class was over, though Gohan hadn't paid much more attention to what the instructor said for the remainder of the class.

On his way out of the door, Sharpener sighed then turned to an almost catatonic friend and said, "Gohan, to be honest, I'm worried about you. We're going to college in a few months, but you've already had to retake the mid-semester exams and you probably won't even get into trade school much less a decent college, and yet, you sleep every day in class."

Sharpener wasn't known for his intelligence, but even he knew when enough was enough. This was his future Gohan was playing with and he no longer had the Son Family to back him up. He just wished his friend would wake up to the reality of the situation.

Laughing a little unexpectedly, Gohan scratched the back of his head reminiscent of his father, and patten the person beside him. Gohan spent most of his youth studying at home if he couldn't catch up in these classes within a week all of that time was probably in vain and his mother would roll over in her grave if she knew. Even if the knowledge was completely different here he would be able to catch up.

---

That night Gohan found his dorm room at the academy per his memories of the previous Gohan. Exhausted by the day's events, he was asleep before his head hit the pillow. He soon felt his environment change around him as he heard a booming voice.

'Your life was a failure.' A voice from the sky declared shaking the young boy's surroundings.

Gohan flung his body off a cold stone floor in surprise at the sudden words. He found himself on top of a precipice of a massive overhanging cliff. Looking over a vast bluff below him and as far as the eye could see was only flashes of light and sounds of thunder. Heavy pelts of rain came down on his small body, shivering Gohan looked around in bewilderment.

"Wha?!" He started to say, but before he could say much more a loud voice spoke.

"The lives that you were supposed to protect have been slain. The duties as the protector of your realm cannot be passed to another generation and everything has fallen into the darkness."

Gohan spoke still confused, "Does that mean everyone is dead?" Fear crept into his voice, he couldn't help being afraid of the answer he would receive. Though it hadn't occurred to him this situation might be just be all a dream... or more likely a nightmare. But even if he had thought of this possibility Gohan would have still pressed for his answers. He was in a new world, attempting to get more information was a must at this point. Even if he had to face the Androids again, Gohan wished to return home. So, any information was welcomed.

"No, they're not dead." Relief washed through him at these words until the voice continued, "They've been erased from existence in that form."

Gohan's world shattered at the words he had just recently stood to his feet but dropped lifelessly to his knees after hearing the response. 'Erased… as in destroyed… Everything...!'

"YOU BASTARD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Rage clouded his vision as he struck the ground in front of him and with the strength of his arms, a massive wind blew as the clouded sky was pushed away to revile the full moon above him.

Before the boy could see his surroundings a powerful force effortlessly covered the moon once more. Still shaking with rage Gohan yelled out the only question he needed to know at that moment, "Why?!"

"Your realm had turned to evil if it had continued further it would have corrupted a large portion of the multiverse. Though it is regrettable, your realm was pruned from existence."

"No! That is not what I meant! Why didn't you let me go with them?" Gohan croaked, his voice not much more than a whisper. Images of his most precious people coming to mind; Trunks, Bulma, Piccolo, his mother, his father, and the other Z fighters though most of them had already died at least their spirits existed in Other-World. But now even that was gone! Before he could sink further into dismay the voice spoke again.

"Because to spite your failure, you are still useful." It replied simply. "Although, your family as you knew them are no more, this doesn't mean they do not exist in this realm."

Pausing in his grief Gohan looked up into the dark sky hopeful at what this mysterious voice might be saying.

"This realm is known as Overworld. Everyone that you had once knew to exist in this realm. All that you have to do to have them back in your life is find them. Your physical appearance is the same as your previous life which means your lineage is the same."

Before the voice could say anything else Gohan impatiently interrupted, "But they won't remember me… They won't be the same people." His eyebrows were creased in frustration at the placating words.

"But what if I told you, they had the same spirit?" The voice said temptingly.

Gohan felt like the voice was dangling a carrot in front of him, but could there be a hidden motivation behind its words? Regardless, Gohan needed to know all the information before deciding to take this proverbial carrot. Running a hand through his hair he looked into the sky and asked the question, "What do you mean?"

Soothingly the voice spoke, "This world consists of Seven realms. You currently reside in the lowest one. I will let you explore this realm and find your own way to the next, but there are people here that not only existed in your realm but much like yourself, have the memories and experiences of their past life. These people can regain those memories if a certain secret art is performed on them."

"And… you will teach me this secret art?" Gohan prompted.

"I will, but…" The voice hedged.

"But, what?"

"But it requires Chi cultivation, not the internal power of KI."

"So, I will have to learn how to produce this 'Chi', and then once I find my friends and family of my past life, I will be able to restore their memories?" Gohan said attempting to sum up what this voice was saying.

"Yes, that would normally be the case. But have you reviewed your memories of this life?" The voice asked.

"What are you talking about…" Suddenly it hit him. Son Gohan of this world was untalented in his Chi control. He was the bottom of the class and a total embarrassment to his family due to this issue. In his own world, he was one of the strongest, but in this life, he was considered nothing... and this realm was supposed to be the lowest?

Gohan hardly ever cursed, he didn't think of himself as a saint by any means but profanity wasn't useful in any circumstances. Today he was tempted to say a slew of curses and stomp the ground in anger like a child. When it seemed like he was going to have at least a plan to fix this overly convoluted mess he was in, it all came shattering down around him.

"Well... I hope you didn't tell me this plan, just to tell me it is also impossible?" Gohan asked annoyance seeping through his words.

Gohan hadn't even thought to check the condition of his body before he had gone to sleep! What if he wasn't able to increase his KI level? Would he just be a useless nobody for the remainder of his life? How could he restore his family? How could he do anything other than be a normal person?

Once in his life, he thought that normal people didn't know how good they had it. Some massive Android wanted to destroy humanity? All a normal person would have to do, was run and hide and wait for someone to save them. Gohan wasn't a selfish person, but sometimes he just wished to sleep in and let someone else fight. Yes, fighting was in his genes. But he was never one to seek battle, he was just somehow the only one that was strong enough to protect the few that still needed that protection.

And even that he failed.

"Yes, there is a solution to the problem. You see as you know KI is part of you, an extension to your own life force in a physical form. Because the beings of your realm were ever trained to produce energy in this method the naturally talented in other methods were simply disregarded in that realm. But in other realms, life force cultivation is outlandish and considered insane."

Hearing this Gohan gaped, "You mean no one uses KI to fight?"

"Well no, but without being properly taught how to sense their life force it is only used in desperate situations. For example, to escape from an enemy or mutual destruction."

It is true for an untrained individual they can die from KI exhaustion but unless someone is careless that shouldn't be the case.

The voice continued speaking after a pause, "Then there a few realms that have learned a different method than both or more precisely a combination of the two."

Perking up at the statement Gohan asked, " And this is the method you are going to teach me?"

"Yes, but not just this other method will be efficient for your case. I have no doubt that you will much like your previous incarnation will excel in KI control but since your chi control is below average it wouldn't work. For this to work, there will need to be a balance between; mind, body, and spirit. For this, I will also give you a cultivation method suitable for your physique."

Gohan wasn't a novice at personal interactions with people. He had learned a long time ago if something seems too good to be true. Then it most likely is exactly that. Taking a deep breath to clear his mind, he opened his mouth as stared at the clouds above him and asked, "What exactly do you get out of all this?"

Chuckling to himself for a few moments the voice replied, "Good question if you did ask this, I would probably have erased your memory and tried to find another champion. Gohan you have the most potential out of many in this situation. I wish to make you my champion of this realm. I will not ask you to harm any innocent and you can spare any you wish within reason, but I am in need of someone that can fight battles I cannot and make decisions I am unable. I am willing to give you a hand in getting started in your quest to restore your family, but in return, you will fight to take on the title of OverWorld's champion. What do you say?"

Gohan blinked, did he really have a choice. 'Do this or have your memory erased.' was essentially what the voice said. Without giving it much more thought, he said, " I do.' Suddenly lightning came down from the sky and struck him in the head. Then the world went dark.