Three years had passed since Gohan's birth.
The Son household was as lively as ever, though quieter now that Goku had mellowed out and Chi-Chi had found peace in their steady, if unconventional, life.
Gohan, bright-eyed and brilliant, was already reading storybooks with ease and asking questions far beyond his age. He'd inherited Chi-Chi's sharp wit and Goku's boundless curiosity—a dangerous, adorable mix.
He was also, without a doubt, strong.
Even without training, Gohan's latent energy surged when he got emotional. He once vaporized a watermelon because it "looked at him funny."
That was when Goku decided: it was time.
It started one late afternoon. Gohan was napping on a makeshift pillow pile, and Chi-Chi was humming while folding laundry. Goku leaned against the wall, watching her with a grin.
"You know, I've been thinking..."
Chi-Chi didn't even look up. "You've been thinking? Should I be worried?"
He chuckled. "Funny. But seriously... how about we pick up training again? You and me. And we start working on Gohan's foundation too."
Chi-Chi paused, eyes narrowing. "You want to turn my baby into a fighter?"
"No," Goku said firmly. "I want to teach him control. Ki, discipline, focus. He has a lot of power, Love. Too much to ignore. I don't want it hurting him or anyone else by accident."
She stared at him for a moment.
"...You really thought this through, huh?"
Goku nodded. "I told you. I'm trying to be smarter."
Chi-Chi smiled faintly. "Alright. But this time, you're cooking when I'm sore. Deal?"
"Deal!" he said, practically glowing.
The Chamber Revisited
That night, after dinner and after tucking Gohan in, Goku activated his soul-bound Hyperbolic Time Chamber (HBTC).
Inside, the home replica now had a small training yard, a meditation garden, and a nursery dojo—Goku's idea, of course.
Their plan was simple: every few days, when Gohan had free time and Chi-Chi wasn't overwhelmed with chores, they'd spend a few HBTC hours training—equivalent to days or weeks outside. A steady, safe pace.
The First Phase – Chi-Chi's Return
Chi-Chi's return to training was cautious. Goku eased her into basic forms, breath control, and posture realignment. Her body remembered the movements well, but she lacked energy refinement.
Goku worked with her on Ki control, teaching her how to breathe with her energy, using micro-adjustments the way Gohan had taught Videl in his previous timeline.
They started every session with calm meditation in the garden, then progressed to fluid martial kata, and ended with stretching in high-gravity fields.
By their second month inside, Chi-Chi had regained her fighting grace—but this time, it was enhanced by spiritual balance.
Rather than brute force, she focused on redirection techniques, energy reinforcement through mental Ki fields, and pressure-point strikes.
"Use your strength where they don't expect it," Goku explained, guiding her wrist gently. "Like this—soft on the surface, but sharp underneath."
She blushed slightly. "You've really changed... in a good way."
He winked. "I had a good reason to."
The Second Phase – Gohan's Foundation
Gohan's training was more like guided play at first. Goku and Chi-Chi didn't want to rush him. They made learning Ki fun: sensing fruits behind walls, balancing ki-charged stones on his hands, or catching energy balls mid-air.
By the third month in the chamber, Gohan could meditate quietly for an hour straight—a feat even some adults struggled with. He learned to center his energy, how to listen inwardly, and how to respect his strength.
Chi-Chi took over his discipline and stance work, while Goku focused on energy manipulation and body conditioning.
It wasn't until month five that Gohan truly broke through.
Gohan Learns to Fly
The moment came quietly, without fanfare.
They were in the open yard, Chi-Chi was sparring with Goku in the distance while Gohan sat with a ki ball between his palms. He looked up—eyes tracking birds made of golden energy above the garden.
Then, without realizing it, he lifted off the ground.
"Mommy! Daddy!" he shouted gleefully.
Chi-Chi dropped her stance. Goku turned mid-air and landed beside him.
Gohan hovered about two feet up, arms wobbling as he wobbled midair like an unsteady kite.
"I did it!"
"You sure did, bud!" Goku cheered, cathching him mid flight and lifting him onto his shoulders.
Chi-Chi smiled but gave him a stern look. "No flying in the house."
"Okay!" Gohan chirped.
Year-End Summary – Power Levels
After one year of periodic HBTC training (which translated to over 100 days in the chamber):
Chi-Chi's Growth:
Initial Power Level: ~12,000
Final Power Level: 20,400
Specializations:
Advanced Ki Control
Precision Striking
Mental Reinforcement Techniques
Gravity Adaptation (Up to 50x)
Ki Sensing (planetary scale)
Chi-Chi's combat style evolved into a flowing, counter-based technique, making her dangerous in close-range despite having less brute strength.
Gohan's Growth (Age 3 to 4):
Initial Power Level (Untrained): ~400 (latent potential up to 6,000)
Final Controlled Power Level: 12,000
Peak Potential When Emotional: 30,000+
Skills Mastered:
Flight
Basic Ki Blasts
Meditation and Control Drills
Target Sensing
Gravity Play (Up to 5x comfortably)
Gohan's biggest achievement wasn't his power—it was his self-awareness. Goku and Chi-Chi both saw it. He wasn't a fighter yet, but he was already learning to choose when to unleash his strength.
A few days later
The family sat under a starlit sky inside the chamber, lying on a picnic blanket while roasted skewers cooked nearby.
Gohan lay between them, already drifting to sleep.
"You know," Chi-Chi said, watching Goku sip tea, "I never thought I'd enjoy training again."
"You were amazing," Goku said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're stronger than most fighters I've met."
She rolled her eyes. "Flatterer."
He leaned in, whispering, "Not flattery if it's true."
They kissed, soft and slow.
Gohan stirred. "Ew."
They both laughed.
The night faded, the fire crackled, and the Son family sat in the chamber—stronger than ever, not just in power, but in love, balance, and unity.
For once, Goku wasn't racing toward the next challenge.
He was building something that would last.