[Author's Note: Some people mentioned that since Gohan ate a Senzu Bean earlier, he shouldn't need to eat anymore... Hmm, I totally forgot about that. Let's just say the kid hasn't had a proper meal in a long time and is craving something real. After all, Senzu Beans don't exactly satisfy craving, do they?]
As soon as they reached the forest, the phoenix dived downward, and Gohan sensibly leaped off its back. Thud—his feet landed firmly on the ground, but he couldn't help feeling a little weak. It was his first time flying through the sky.
Glancing up at the sky, he saw his master floating above the treetops.
He couldn't let his master down!
Gohan took a deep breath, steeled his resolve, and dashed into the dense forest ahead. The phoenix flapped its wings and flew in front of him, seemingly leading the way. Warmth filled Gohan's heart, and he kept running.
There were no clear paths in the forest, making cross-country running much more difficult than regular jogging. Though Gohan had trained for a while after being taken in by the martial arts dojo, he was still just a young boy—there was only so much he could handle.
"Keep your eyes ahead, don't tense up too much, relax. Your feet should land lightly, smoothly, and quickly… Keep your head up, don't lower it, focus on what's ahead… If you start feeling uncomfortable, endure it…"
Taro's voice echoed from above and behind him. Every time Gohan felt exhausted, his master would offer a few words of guidance.
The phoenix also turned its head to glance back at him, flapping its wings encouragingly. Gohan gritted his teeth and pushed forward.
How could he give up on the very first day?
Of course, he couldn't last.
A run spanning dozens of kilometers was far too much for a child his age. Taro never expected him to complete the whole circuit in one go at a steady pace—that's why he had said, "Take a lap before breakfast" instead of "Take a lap before your morning meal."
Whenever Gohan reached his limit, Taro would send a gentle wave of ki from above, helping his young disciple circulate his energy and dispel fatigue. Each time, Gohan would suddenly feel revitalized, as if a bit of strength had returned to him.
Meanwhile, the phoenix remained ahead, guiding him and keeping the forest's wild beasts and venomous insects at bay. Right now, Gohan was already struggling just to run—he had no energy to deal with the creatures lurking around.
"Master…"
Gohan glanced up, spotting Taro walking through the air beyond the dense branches. The sight filled him with warmth. Having someone accompanying and protecting him—it made him happy.
"Keep going."
Taro strolled leisurely through the air, his hands clasped behind his back. With each step, the forest beneath him seemed to breathe, releasing invisible streams of natural energy that flowed into his body. He was only drawing a minute amount, ensuring that the trees and land could naturally replenish themselves. Even ordinary people understood the importance of sustainability—he certainly wouldn't exhaust the resources of his own home.
Gohan smiled. Though tired and with his clothes torn in places, he pressed forward with heavy steps.
He didn't know how long they had been running—alternating between jogging, sprinting, and walking—but by the time the sun had climbed partway through the sky, the forest had become increasingly shaded and cool. Just as Gohan was trudging forward in exhaustion, a loud noise suddenly echoed through the woods.
Boom… Roar!... Grr…
Gohan instinctively slowed down, noticing that the phoenix had also turned toward the direction of the noise. He looked back up at his master and saw that Taro, too, had shifted his gaze in that direction.
What was that?
Being new to the island, Gohan wasn't sure whether this was a common occurrence or something out of the ordinary.
Taro descended from the sky and casually instructed the phoenix, "Go help him handle it."
The phoenix flapped its wings and shot forward, disappearing into the dense foliage. From the direction it flew, faint tremors could still be heard. Strangely, the red bird almost seemed excited. Had Gohan misheard?
With a flick of his hand, Taro used magic to conjure two stone stools on the ground. "Come, sit." Then, he reached toward the forest and made a grabbing motion. Somewhere in the distance, an animal let out a startled cry.
Swish! A small wild beast flew through the air, already lifeless by the time it reached them.
As it soared toward them, Taro's magic worked on it—first, its fur vanished. Then, its body shrank slightly, and moments later, a burst of vibrant orange fire engulfed it. By the time the roasted meat reached them, it was thoroughly cooked.
The aroma of freshly grilled meat filled the air, and Gohan sat down in a daze.
"Don't just sit there—eat something. A month from now, you'll be responsible for finding your own breakfast. Until then, the phoenix can help you out." Taro gestured for him to eat before taking a bite himself, muttering under his breath, "The taste still doesn't compare to what Hathaway makes…"
Gurgle, gurgle... Son Gohan's stomach growled. He hurriedly tore into the meat—whatever the case, filling his belly came first.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Dressed in a research suit layered with protective gear, Fabeli looked rather disheveled. His brows had been furrowed the entire time as he stared at the several massive, grotesquely twisted creatures lying motionless in the clearing ahead. His semi-mechanical voice carried a metallic resonance. "What the hell is up with Taro's cells? Why are they even harder to deal with than Freeza's? What kind of monsters are these…? Is that guy even human anymore?"
At that moment, the phoenix swooped down from the forest. Fabeli, in no mood for pleasantries, snapped, "Hurry up, you damned bird! Clean up this pile of garbage already."
The phoenix let out a piercing cry. Boom! White flames erupted around its body as battle spirit blazed in its eyes. With a powerful flap of its wings, it shot toward the massive, mindless creatures in the clearing.
---
And so, Son Gohan's daily routine of early-morning forest runs began.
At first, he could barely complete a tenth of the route at a normal pace. The remaining ninety percent required constant assistance from Taro, who had to periodically restore his stamina. Even then, Gohan had to stop and start repeatedly, relying on the phoenix to catch wild beasts or find fruits to replenish his energy.
For several days, he even missed lunch. Taro had no intention of saving food for him, but Hathaway always set aside a warm meal, ensuring he had something to eat. Otherwise, the afternoon training sessions would have been unbearable.
"If you move, you get hit."
Son Gohan sat cross-legged on a flat clearing. Behind him, Taro sat as well, holding a rod seemingly formed from pure energy. Every time Gohan moved, Taro struck him mercilessly.
This wasn't some cruel punishment—far from it. In fact, many martial artists would beg for such treatment. The strikes weren't just painful; they also served to stimulate and activate the dormant ki within Gohan's body.
Sitting still on the ground… It sounded simple. But in reality, it was anything but.
At first, Gohan managed to remain motionless, sitting quietly as instructed. But after a while—though he had no idea how long, since Taro had ordered him to close his eyes, empty his mind, and think of nothing—he suddenly found himself unable to resist fidgeting.
If Taro had to describe it using terms from his previous life, this was akin to taming the restless "monkey mind."
Human thoughts were chaotic by nature. Unless one possessed an innate, childlike purity, true stillness of mind was almost impossible without rigorous training. Remaining completely motionless in meditation was an immense challenge.
The original Son Goku clearly had that kind of unshakable purity.
But Son Gohan wasn't the same. Taro could tell. That was why he adopted a training method similar to how Naruto Uzumaki learned Sage Mode in Naruto—forcing Gohan to quiet his mind. This, too, was a form of mental tempering. The paths of training, in the end, all led to the same truths.
Once Gohan could sit relatively still, Taro added another layer of difficulty—placing a bowl filled to the brim with water on his head. That was when Gohan realized… he wasn't nearly as motionless as he thought. Even the slightest movement caused water to spill over.
Next, Son Gohan's meditation location was moved from flat ground to higher elevations. The bowl of water was eventually replaced with feathers—several of them placed on his body, requiring him to walk without letting a single feather fall. Once he successfully learned to channel his ki, Taro had him levitate, demanding that he remain perfectly still—unable to rise even an inch higher or sink more than half a millimeter lower.
As the days of training continued, Gohan gradually learned to obtain his own breakfast.
From that point on, the wild beasts of the island's forests had more than just the terrifying red bird to fear—they had a new predator in their midst…
---
On this particular day, Son Gohan woke up at precisely 4:30 AM. Within five minutes, he had washed up and dashed out of the Crystal Palace, feeling refreshed. Reaching the cliffside, he leaped down without hesitation—whoosh! His body moved with the agility of a monkey, and despite falling nearly a hundred meters, he landed steadily without even using Bukujutsu.
Taking his time, he jogged from the base of the mountain into the forest. After spending more than half an hour running a full lap around the island, he found breakfast in the woods and ate his fill. Once done, he ran another lap to help digest the food before leaving the forest.
To be honest, Gohan now felt that what he had once considered the most grueling part of his training—his morning routine—had become the easiest. It was just running and grabbing some food along the way. Compared to the brutal afternoon training his master put him through, this was practically a leisurely stroll.
Since he completed his morning regimen faster and faster, he no longer returned home immediately for lunch. As usual, after finishing his run, Gohan stopped by the pond at the foot of the mountain to practice for a while. Once he figured the time was about right, he decided to head back to his master's house.
"Caw!—"
A familiar cry rang out overhead. Gohan tilted his head back and grinned. "Hey, Ash! Wanna race?"
The phoenix flapped its wings dismissively, clearly uninterested.
Gohan smirked and suddenly shouted toward the forest, "Hey! Fabeli needs you to clean up his mess again!"
The phoenix immediately turned its head, flying a short distance in that direction, clearly confused.
Just then, a swoosh sounded from behind—it turned back, only to see Gohan soaring toward the Crystal House halfway up the mountain, sticking out his tongue playfully.
"Cawww!" The phoenix screeched in frustration and flapped its wings furiously, giving chase.