The moment these words escaped her lips, Baiken sheathed her katana, producing an audible CLICK. In tandem with this, his chest had split open, causing blood to gush out from its new gash. Although he wasn’t aware of it, Baiken had chosen to hold back at the last second, leaving the hybrid with a wound that- while painful- would only injure him, rather than kill. That didn’t make it hurt any less, though! The pain of this injury, when combined with his drained stamina and the blood loss from his previous wounds, had ensured that this fight was over. Gohan’s vision faded to black, and with no fight left in him, he collapsed onto his knees.
As she heard the THUNK of Gohan’s unconscious body hitting the ground, Baiken sat down, keeping both of her legs crossed. She then reached into her pocket, unveiling a small wooden pipe, and quickly lit it. Placing it against her lips, the samurai inhaled for a brief moment, savoring the taste of tobacco on her tongue, and then exhaled a puff of smoke.
“You did a pretty good job, kid. It’s been a long time since I had someone push me to my limits like that. If you keep up what you’re doing, you may even beat me the next time we meet.”
Once these words had left her lips, Baiken pushed herself back to her feet and began walking off, ready to continue exploring this new world and- hopefully– find a way home.
Alright, the combatants are set. Let’s end this debate once and for all! It’s time for a Death Battle!
——————————————————
European Forest, December 2187
“Dammit! Hold still!” A rough, feminine voice demanded as a katana flew through the air. Its target, a woman in a shoulderless red jacket and witch hat, only responded with a wry grin as she leapt back.
“Come on! What fun would there be if I did that?” The red-clad woman, I-No, taunted as she avoided another strike. Before her opponent could attempt a third swing, the red witch strummed her cyan guitar, producing a massive sound wave that knocked her attacker back. “If you really wanna stick that blade in me, you’re gonna have to work for it! Besides, you could at least try to get me in the mood first. I mean, would it kill you to at least try some foreplay?”
“Shut up!” Her attacker demanded while getting back up. This woman, Baiken, shot I-No a furious glare. “I don’t give a damn how you feel about this! Like it or not, you’re going to tell me where he is.”
“‘He?’” I-No smirked. “Do you wanna be a bit more specific? Just saying ‘he’ doesn’t give me much to work with.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit! You know who I mean! Your boss, That Man!” Upon hearing her employer’s name, I-No’s smirk morphed into a disgusted grimace.
“Ugh! Can you please not bring him up?” She asked in annoyance. “I know you probably haven’t been keeping up, but I don’t work for that asshole anymore. If you wanna know where he is, go bother someone else!”
As she finished speaking, I-No strummed her guitar once again, causing a portal to appear behind her.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I believe our little meeting has reached its conclusion.” She said as she leapt into the portal. Just before it could close, however-
“You aren’t getting away that easily!” Baiken shouted as she leapt into the portal, entering just a few milliseconds before it closed. Not even a second later, the samurai felt her feet hit the ground.
“You’re quite a persistent little bitch, aren’t you?” Upon hearing the sound of I-No’s voice, Baiken immediately lunged forward, but her attempted attack was cut short as another strum forced her halfway across the terrain. “You wanna follow me so badly? Then I hope you enjoy your time here! Ciao!”
As Baiken recovered from the attack, she immediately noticed I-No leaping into another portal.
“Get back here!” Baiken demanded as she thrust her empty sleeve forward, shooting out a grappling claw. The claw flew toward I-No at top speed, but it was too late. By the time it had approached her vicinity, I-No’s portal had already closed behind her, leaving the weapon to embed itself in a nearby building.
“Shit!” Baiken swore as she retracted her claw. With her only means of escape gone, the samurai began looking at her surroundings. From what she could tell, she was in some sort of city, though it seemed to have been after some sort of apocalypse. Multiple buildings had been reduced to rubble, while dozens of vehicles lay in disrepair. The corpses of numerous men, women, and children coated the streets, causing Baiken to tighten her grip on her katana. Just where the hell had that witch sent her?
BOOOOOOM!
An explosion suddenly rang out from nearby, kicking up a massive gust of wind that threatened to push Baiken back. Despite this, she stood her ground, putting up her remaining arm to block a cloud of dust that was coming her way. Once it had subsided, she put it down and looked toward the direction the explosion had come from.
‘The hell? Was that ki?’ She thought to herself. ‘Well, I won’t get any answers just standing here!’
With that, Baiken took off at top speed, running directly toward the source of the explosion.
Several city blocks away
BOOM!
Another ki blast shot through the air, completely destroying a distant building. The man responsible for this blast currently stood atop a destroyed rooftop, with one hand on his hip and his other arm currently outstretched. He was a blue-eyed teenager with shoulder-length black hair and an outfit consisting of a black t-shirt atop a long-sleeved white shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and a pair of blue-and-white shoes.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.” A woman’s voice called out to him. The woman in question sported similar hair to his, though hers was blonde and the left side was obscured behind her ear. Her top consisted of a blue denim vest that covered a black shirt with striped white sleeves. Her lower half was covered by a denim skirt, blue tights, and brown boots. A long time ago, she had been known as Lazuli, but now she went by Android 18, one of the twins responsible for the slow genocide of the human race. Currently, however, she wasn’t destroying the last remains of human society. Instead, she’d spent the past 30 minutes watching as her brother Lapiz, AKA Android 17, destroyed what remained of the town’s buildings. Needless to say, the act had quickly lost its luster, and she was beginning to lose her patience with him.
“All the humans are dead.” She pointed out in annoyance. “The fun part’s over. I don’t wanna sit around here and watch you shoot buildings all day, it’s boring.”
Before 17 could give a response, a new voice suddenly rang out.
“So you’re the ones who were responsible for killing all those people?” Upon hearing this, both of the androids looked toward its direction. They found themselves staring at a Japanese woman who looked to be in her mid-30’s. Her pink hair had been tied into an enormous ponytail that was about as wide as her body and reached down to her back. Her only article of clothing was a red, black, and white kimono, which sported an empty right sleeve. Sitting atop her shoulders was a black jacket that billowed in the wind, similar to a cape. Her feet were covered by a pair of black sandals, and her shins were protected by gold-and-black greaves. A glass eye patch protected her scarred left eye, while her right glared intensely at the twins with its peach-colored iris.
As they stared at this newcomer, 17 looked over to his sister.
“Well, would you look at that? It seems we missed one!” He said somewhat jovially before turning to face Baiken and flashing a cocky grin. “So what do you want, stumpy? If you’re trying to avenge your friends or family or whatever, you’re about 5, maybe 10 pounds too light. And you’re a bit lacking in the whole ‘depth perception’ department to be a-“
FWOOSH!
A brief gust of wind rushed past 17, followed by something hitting him.
“-threat?” He finished uncertainly as he noticed something. Baiken was gone! But where could she have-
“You were saying?” Her voice called out from behind, causing him to whirl around in shock.
“17! What happened to your arm?” 18 asked, sounding somewhat scared.
“What do you mean? What’s wrong with my-“ 17’s question died in his throat, and his expression shifted into one of horror as he looked down at his arm- or rather, the bleeding stump where it used to be. He then looked back up to see Baiken, who had quickly tossed the severed appendage aside. The sight of this caused the android’s surprise to morph into a vicious glare. “You! How did you do that?”
Instead of answering, the samurai turned her back to the android, causing his expression to contort even further.
“Don’t turn your back on me! Give me an answer, dammit! You’re just a human! So how the hell did you move that fast?!” 17 screamed.
“I don’t see any point in answering a dead man.” Baiken said dismissively as she swung her katana through the air, flicking off the blood from 17’s amputation.
“A dead man, huh?” As he said this, 17 leapt forward. “Let’s see how that attitude of yours holds up once I get a hold of you!”
Rather than being worried about this, his target sheathed her katana, creating an audible CLICK. In tandem with this action, the android’s body suddenly split in two, creating a fountain of blood as his torso split off from his waist. Before either half even had the chance to hit the ground, Baiken threw out her hand and fired off a massive ki blast, instantly vaporizing him. The sight of this caused 18 to step back in shock, but before she could attempt to escape, Baiken turned her attention to her.
“You didn’t think I’d forget about you, did you?” The samurai asked, her remaining eye full of burning anger.
“You- what are you?” 18 asked, her tone a mixture of fury and horror.
“What am I?” Baiken repeated. “I’m nothing more than a samurai who’s made it her mission to hunt down creatures like you.”
Once these words had finished escaping her lips, Baiken rushed toward the remaining android, who leapt away in a desperate attempt to avoid her brother’s fate.
Some distance away
A man was currently soaring through the air at top speed. He was in his early 20’s, and his clothing consisted of an orange gi, an undershirt, and a wristband; the latter of which were both blue. His feet were covered by a pair of blue boots that had yellow stripes on the bottom edges. His hair was blond and spiked up, with several bangs sticking out in the front and right sides of his face. A scar ran down the left side of his face, though the most striking feature about him was his left arm- or rather, the lack thereof. His left sleeve had been completely wrapped up, obscuring the stub that remained of his missing limb.
This was Son Gohan, the last remaining member of the Z-Fighters. For the past few days, he had trained alongside his student, Trunks, so they’d be prepared for their next confrontation with the androids. But even with their training, Gohan knew that neither of them had the strength to take on the cybernetic killers. Rather than risking both of their lives, Gohan had decided to go alone, incapacitating Trunks so he wouldn’t attempt to follow.
Even though he knew he was approaching his impending death, Gohan still stared straight ahead at Pepper Town, scanning the area for the androids. The moment he spotted either one, he’d make sure to catch them off guard and-
BOOM!
Gohan stopped flying as he watched one of the androids, 18, suddenly crash through a building, flying through the air back-first as she was knocked away. Immediately after this, he noticed a vague white blur leap after 18 just as she hit the ground. The android attempted to push herself back up, but before she could, her attacker suddenly caught up to her. 18 was only able to briefly vocalize her terrified scream before it was prematurely silenced by an energy-enhanced slash. This swing entered through her collar bone and exited out of her side almost immediately, but she didn’t even have time to register this pain.
At speeds that not even Gohan could track, 18’s attacker threw out a rapid flurry of slashes, each one producing another laceration on her body. After the fifteenth slice, the blur seemed to have had enough, as it stuck a hand out in front of 18’s face. There was a quick flash of light, and then, once Gohan had blinked, he noticed 18 was gone! At the same time, the blur cleared up, revealing a pink-haired woman.
Although the sight of this left him confused at first, Gohan’s mind finally registered what had just happened. Someone had actually managed to defeat the androids! While normally he would’ve been grateful, Gohan couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy toward this mysterious savior. He could feel the ki radiating off of her, and it was absolutely massive! The thing that really caught his attention, however, was how negative it was. Even though it had noticeably simmered down after her fight with the androids, he could still sense an aura of pent-up anger and rage around her.
‘With how strong she is, I should make sure I don’t upset her. But at the same time, I need to make sure she can be trusted.’ The half-Saiyan thought to himself. “Excuse me.” He called out as he began descending, his boots creating an audible CRUNCH as he landed on the ground.
“Hm?” Baiken said as she turned to face him. The sight of her scarred face caused him to pause in surprise for a brief moment, but Gohan quickly put it aside and spoke.
“I just wanted to thank you for getting rid of the androids. They’ve been responsible for countless deaths over the years, but now that they’re gone…” his expression softened before he continued speaking. “We’ll finally be able to move forward.”
“You’re welcome.” Baiken said half-heartedly as she inspected her katana. After flicking it clean of 18’s blood, she sheathed her weapon and began walking away.
“Hold on! I wasn’t finished.” Gohan pointed out, causing her to stop and look back at him. “This might be a weird thing to ask, but would you mind sparring with me? I wanted to fight the androids myself, but since you already killed them-“
“You wanna fight me to see how you would’ve done against them, right?” Baiken asked. Gohan nodded in response, causing her to smirk.
“Alright, kid. But just a fair warning,” she spoke before gripping her sword, “I’m not gonna hold back, so you’d better give it all you’ve got!”
Though Baiken’s words left him visibly surprised, the half-Saiyan proved quick to save face as his expression returned to a grin. After lowering himself into a fighting stance, he responded.
“Alright. Let’s do this!”
The two stared at each other for a brief moment, Gohan’s green pupils matching Baiken’s peach one. Their leg muscles tensed up in preparation as both prepared to take the first step. Then, after what felt like an eternity, they rushed forward!
As they drew closer to each other, Baiken instinctively threw out a vertical slash, only for her eye to widen as Gohan suddenly vanished from sight. Before she had a chance to recover, Gohan reappeared behind her and threw out a roundhouse kick to the spine, a spinning backhand to her shoulder blade, and a flip kick to the back of her skull. The impact of the last blow forced her to the ground, but Baiken proved quick to respond with a sweep kick that knocked Gohan off his feet. The Saiyan hybrid tumbled to the ground, but before he could hit the pavement-
“Tatami Gaeshi!” Baiken declared as she stomped on the ground. Upon doing so, a green mat appeared beneath her feet and smashed into his jaw, striking hard enough that it actually reversed his momentum. With her opponent’s body now vulnerable, the samurai leapt into the air and struck with two kicks, one to his left pec and the second to his face. A third upward kick then slammed into Gohan’s chin, but he wouldn’t even have the chance to be moved by it.
“Tsubaki!” His attacker declared as she threw out a downward spinning slash. The attack sent Gohan hurtling toward the ground, and upon slamming into the concrete back-first, he involuntarily opened his mouth to cough up spittle. At the same time, he regained enough focus to notice Baiken coming down on him with her right foot extended outward. Realizing the dangers of just sitting there, Gohan placed his hands beneath himself and sprung off, cartwheeling away just as Baiken touched down. The moment she did so, a pillar of pink energy erupted from beneath the ground, but her brow furrowed when she noticed Gohan wasn’t there.
As the energy from the Tetsuzansen began to disperse, however, a golden blast suddenly approached Baiken at alarming speeds. Rolling to the side, the samurai felt the projectile just barely graze her loose sleeve, but she wouldn’t have time to worry about that. No sooner than it had passed her did Gohan rush forward, closing the distance almost instantly. Once he was close enough, the Saiyan threw out a right hook with all his might. Rather than making contact with Baiken’s face, however, Gohan felt a cut form on his knuckles as his fist slammed into solid steel. At the same time, a pink flash briefly appeared in front of Baiken’s body, eliciting a look of confusion from Gohan. Before he could overcome this surprise, Baiken took advantage of it as she lunged forward, already gripping her katana!
“Too slow!” She taunted as she dashed past him, slicing across his chest while doing so. As she reappeared behind him, Baiken thrust her katana downward, stabbing into the Saiyan’s left calf. Gohan’s knee buckled as pain flared through his mind, but it only grew worse as his opponent delivered a vertical slash to his back. An overhead slash followed this, but before he could stagger forward, Gohan felt her grab him by the collar. She then slammed him into the ground, stomping on his back to keep him in place. Before he could even attempt to fight back, Baiken brought her katana down, stabbing him in the side before sending him away with a kick to the chin. It struck hard enough that Gohan was sent hurtling through the air, but Baiken wasn’t content with letting it end there!
“Kuchinashi!” As this word escaped her lips, Baiken leapt after him and delivered an upward slash, dragging both of them through the air. While they were in the middle of ascending, she threw out two straight punches, an uppercut, and an aerial kick. Each of these forced the Saiyan to stay airborne, and it was only once they’d hit their apex that Baiken finished her combo. Thrusting her empty sleeve forward, the Japanese woman revealed what lay within: a feudal cannon that sported a dragon-like frame. The sight of this caused Gohan’s pupils to shrink in surprise, eliciting a smirk from Baiken just as-
BOOM!
A flame-wreathed cannonball emerged from the weapon’s “mouth,” slamming into Gohan’s chest and sending him crashing into the ground. He tumbled across the rocky terrain for a few moments, but he proved quick to even himself out. As he came to a complete stop, however, he noticed a familiar shadow about to come down on him. Out of instinct, the pacifistic warrior leapt out of the way, just barely avoiding Baiken’s latest downward slash. Cursing under her breath, she looked back up just in time to see that Gohan had cartwheeled away 3 times. Despite the distance that now lay between them, Baiken’s only response was to scoff as she threw her sleeve forward once again.
“I’ve got you!” She declared as a grappling claw suddenly shot out from her sleeve. It shot forward at blinding speeds, but Gohan proved quick to react as he leaned to the side, allowing the claw to slide past him.
“Sorry, but I’m afraid that’s not gonna happen.” He taunted before giving a violent tug, pulling the samurai toward him. “I’ll be glad to return the favor, though!”
As she was reeled in, Baiken prepared to throw out another attack, but her opponent proved quicker on the draw. Just before she could unsheathe her katana, a roundhouse kick slammed into her jaw, creating an audible CRUNCH! As the impact sent her spiraling through the air, Gohan immediately boosted after her, an aura of ki surrounding him as he did so.
Once he was close enough, Gohan barreled into Baiken with an uppercut to the jaw. Three lightning-fast tornado kicks then slammed into her gut, forcing her to cough up spittle. Despite this, her pain was quickly replaced by anger as she instinctively grabbed the hilt of her sword. Noticing this, Gohan proved quick to put a stop to it as he threw out a palm strike. Although the attack itself didn’t make contact with her body, Baiken still found herself launched through the air as an invisible force slammed into her. She attempted to recover, but before she could-
WHAM!
Gohan suddenly appeared behind her and delivered an elbow strike to her back. This strike then evolved into a backfist as he brought his arm up, slamming it into her trapezius. A grunt of pain briefly emerged from Baiken’s throat, but it was immediately silenced by an overhead flip kick that smashed into the back of her skull. She let out an infuriated scream as she descended, with it soon petering out into an annoyed growl as she backflipped through the air. The moment she landed, Baiken planted her katana into the ground, creating a trail of rubble as she forced herself to a stop.
[Stop music]
‘Damn. The kid’s tougher than he looks.’ She admitted, briefly releasing her grip on the blade to place a hand against her neck. After applying pressure, an audible CRACK rang out as her joints loosened up. Now feeling more comfortable, she reached out for her sword, grabbing it by the handle and ripping it out.
[Start at 0:15]
With her weapon back in hand, she looked up to where Gohan had been, only to find that he was now rushing toward her. Upon seeing that his fist had already drawn back, Baiken gave a smirk, putting her sword up in defense just as he threw his forward. The punch smashed into the blade…
Only for it, as well as the rest of his body, to phase through Baiken and fade away. Her eye widened in surprise at this, but she quickly put it aside as the TE-YO of shifting air currents reached her ears. Realizing the only person it could be, Baiken immediately turned to face him, having already drawn her blade. Unfortunately, it seemed she had acted too late, as a roundhouse kick nailed her in the jaw. The blow launched her across the street, but just as she was about to land, the air currents began to shift behind her. ‘Not this time!’ Baiken thought defiantly. Keeping a firm grip on her katana, she turned to face Gohan and immediately unsheathed it. The half Saiyan rematerialized in front of her, giving an audible grunt as he threw out a chop.
CLANG!
Unlike before, the hand slammed into the base of the blade, creating another pink flash. Undeterred, he followed up with a right hook and sweep kick, both of which met the same result. Gritting his teeth, Gohan threw out a flash kick, only for his foot to meet the flat of his opponent’s katana. Seeing this, he teleported away, his body immediately reappearing above Baiken. Dropping down, he stretched out his elbow, ready to slam the unsuspecting samurai into the ground-
“Youzansen!” Baiken shouted as she pulled out a fan and leapt through the air, cutting the attack off with an outward slash. It ran across Gohan’s chest, striking hard enough that it not only created an enormous gash, but once again reversed his momentum. As he flew back through the air, Baiken once again threw her grappling claw forward, this time aimed at a diagonal angle. Unlike before, the claw hit its mark, clenching down on Gohan’s outfit. With a grunt of exertion, Baiken tugged at the claw, reeling him back in at blinding speeds. For a split-second, it seemed that Gohan’s body would smash face-first into the concrete, but then his captor let out a single word:
“Tetsuzansen!” She shouted before stomping on the ground, releasing another pillar of pink energy. This time, the energy struck Gohan in the chin, sending him flying back a few inches. Just before he could hit the ground, Baiken threw out a sweeping slash, causing him to let out a pained grunt.
“Tatami Gaeshi!” She declared, stomping on the ground once again. Unlike before, this time the mat smashed into Gohan’s back, sending him into the air. Another Kuchinashi forced him to ascend further, which was then followed by Baiken throwing her empty sleeve forward. A Japanese mace emerged from the kimono, slamming directly into Gohan’s forehead. A grunt of pain emerged from his throat, during which his attacker planted her foot against his chest and kicked off, allowing her to position herself above him. Once she had done so, the samurai unveiled her feudal cannon yet again, firing another shot at point-blank range. The cannonball smashed into Gohan’s face, causing his grunt of pain to evolve into a scream as he was sent flying back.
Rushing forward, Baiken then repeated the process, her mace striking hard enough to actually draw blood. When the cannonball exploded, Gohan let out a cry as he felt numerous burns appear around his face. This scream would soon die in his throat, however, as Baiken threw her arm forward and unleashed a long string of chain-like rope. It wrapped around his body in seconds, muffling his cries as Baiken slung him around. Once he was on the other side, the samurai released her grip, forcing her captive to spin through the air as the chains rapidly withdrew themselves. As he descended, Gohan placed his right leg against the ground and spun to a halt. Looking up, he found that Baiken had once again pulled out her cannon. Using her teeth to bite down on it, the samurai reeled her head back to tug at its fuse, creating a loud BOOM as another cannonball emerged.
Upon seeing this, Gohan crossed his arm over his chest, allowing an aura of gold ki to appear around his body. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, he let loose a determined scream as he thrust his arm out in a diagonal angle. In tandem with this action, his aura erupted outward, forming into an expansive dome of energy.
“Wha-“ Baiken began to ask, only for her question to morph into a pained, annoyed scream as the Super Explosive Wave sent her flying back. As she soared through the air, Baiken watched in amazement as the energy sphere continued to expand, slowly growing larger with each millisecond that passed. Even as she planted her feet against the ground and skidded to a halt, the wave continued to swell in size. It would only stop once it encompassed multiple city blocks, upon which it faded to reveal the destruction it had wrought. Numerous vehicles had been tipped over or destroyed, dozens of buildings were reduced to piles of rubble, and chunks of uplifted ground now lay strewn throughout the streets. Baiken paid this no mind, however, as her attention was drawn more toward the gold-and-orange blur headed her way. Out of instinct, she put up an Azami-
WHAM!
-only for a jump kick to break through her defenses and nail her in the chin. The moment it struck, Baiken found herself uncontrollably flying through the air, smashing through a vacant building in the process. As she exited through the other side, she noticed a familiar golden streak rush past her, but she wouldn’t have time to face it. She had only begun to crane her neck when Gohan struck with a roundhouse kick to the left cheek. The samurai was sent hurtling back, which only grew further as a right hook smashed into her jaw.
Before she could travel far, Gohan grabbed hold of her ankle and began descending through the air, dead-set on sending her to one destination: an abandoned office building. Once they were close enough, the Saiyan let out a grunt of exertion as he slammed the 100 lb woman into the rooftop. The moment she collided, all of the windows in the building exploded outward, causing hundreds of shards to begin raining onto the streets below.
At the same time, Baiken’s body was mercilessly pummeled as she slammed through numerous office floors back-first. She couldn’t control her path, and each collision only seemed to further threaten the building’s structure. With each passing second, the building would shake violently, and it only grew worse as her descent progressed. The shaking would only stop when she hit the pavement, evidenced by an audible CRACK, and that was when all hell broke loose. Upon crashing through the lobby, an orchestra of groaning metal, splitting wood, and collapsing tile filled her ears. As she watched her surroundings come crashing down in front of her, the samurai’s expression shifted into one of annoyance as she spoke five words:
“You’ve gotta be kidding me!”
CRASH!
[Stop music]
As these words finished escaping her lips, the entire building collapsed in on itself, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and debris. It was thick enough that Gohan began hacking violently as it reached his vicinity. Despite this, he attempted to look through the destroyed area, scanning it with both his eyes and ki. For several seconds, there were no signs of Baiken, but then-
BOOM!
An enormous explosion rang out, while also producing a brief spike of ki. Upon turning toward its direction, Gohan was met with dozens of chunks of debris, all flying toward him at hypersonic speeds. Just when it seemed they were about to make contact, however, he stuck his arm out, firing off another kiai. The invisible wave shot through the air, dispersing the massive cloud of dust and scattering the rubble across the street. But even with this progress, Gohan could still feel something- no, several things fly through the air, all of them targeting him! Before he even had a chance to recognize what they were, four blades had run past a different part of his body, each one leaving a cut. A stinging pain ran through his head as the upper hooks two ran across both sides of his collar, while the lower two had slashed through the sides of his torso. Immediately after this, the sound of four CLANKs filled his ears as each hook embedded itself in a nearby building, but before he could question why-
SHING!
[Start at 0:08]
Gohan let out a grunt of pain as a gash suddenly formed across his abdomen, followed by a familiar pain across his arm. Looking toward its direction, he fought back the urge to scream when he saw what had happened.
As it turned out, Baiken’s latest attack had done a number on his arm. The forearm-length stump had been lobbed off by her slash, leaving his shoulder as the only remnant of his left arm. Blood leaked out of the stump, spilling onto the ground, but its owner would soon find himself preoccupied with other matters.
“Baku!” He heard Baiken shout from behind, followed by something hard slapping against his back. The force from her strike caused him to stagger forward. Before he could even regain his balance, he heard a second shout: “Sakura!” followed by something hitting him from behind. Once again, Gohan stumbled forward, but this time he managed to catch himself mid-step and whirled around. Instinctively, he prepared to leap back and avoid Baiken’s attack, but he quickly realized something was wrong. His leg muscles were tensing up, but when it came time to actually jump, they suddenly gave out, leaving him to collapse onto the ground.
Looking up, he was immediately greeted to the sight of Baiken’s elbow smashing into his face. The elbow strike sent him tumbling across the street, now sporting a bloodied nose, but he quickly put it aside. As he pushed himself back up, however, he did take note of his body. For some reason, one that he couldn’t hope to explain, both his skin and clothes were now flashing blue. He attempted to run toward Baiken, but the moment he tried he instead wound up stumbling forward. Just before he could collapse, Baiken rushed past him, quickly slashing across his chest. The pain caused him to briefly stagger back, upon which the samurai put her plan into action!
“Baku!” Another palm strike hit Gohan in the back. “Tsuki!” She announced, repeating this motion. This time, a hanafuda card bearing the character 月 appeared, hitting him across the back and making him stagger even further. At the same time, his blue glow was now replaced with a yellow, which Baiken was more than willing to capitalize on!
“Ten!” She shouted as she delivered an underhanded upward slash, splitting the card in two and running her blade across Gohan’s back. “Chi!” She continued by throwing out a low sweeping slash to his lumbar. As she swung her blade through the air, charging it with ki, both combatants could’ve sworn they saw an image of a moon. Its surface bore three words, all written in kanji: Ten, chi, and-
“Jin!” Baiken finished as she threw out her energy-infused slash, raking it across Gohan’s back and sending him hurtling toward the ground. Despite this, he proved quick to place his hand against the ground and attempted to push himself back up. Unfortunately, it seemed that his efforts were in vain, as no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t do so! And though he hated admitting it, Baiken’s ruthless fighting style had taken its toll on his body.
Bloody cuts and gashes adorned his torso, the top of which was now fully exposed thanks to Baiken’s final slash. Blood streaked down the right side of his face, turning his sclera a dark pink. To make matters worse, his vision was beginning to fade, and black spots were now dancing in his eyes. The loss of blood was starting to make him feel lightheaded, and his grip was rapidly weakening. Even maintaining Super Saiyan was becoming nigh-impossible, as his hair kept flickering between gold and black. For three seconds, he attempted to continue this struggle, but it seemed that he had pushed his body to its limit. With an audible THUD, Gohan collapsed onto the ground, his hair fading back to its usual black as the last of his stamina drained from his body.
[Stop music]
Seeing this, Baiken cocked an eyebrow. While she’d had her doubts that this kid was human, what she just witnessed didn’t help. He wasn’t a Gear, that much was certain, but that still didn’t explain what the hell he was!
‘Guess that’ll be another question to ask once I find someone who can tell me where I am. I’d ask him, but-‘ she paused to look down at Gohan’s unmoving body. ‘I don’t feel like waiting another hour for him to wake up!’
As this thought ran through her mind, Baiken pulled out a piece of cloth and began wiping it against her blade. Once it was rendered clean, she threw the cloth into the air and, in a sudden flash, sliced it to pieces. As she placed her blade back in its sheathe, Baiken turned her back to Gohan, but not before giving him some parting words.
“You did a good job keeping me on my toes, kid. I’d be lying if I said you could win against both of those monsters, but with that strength, you would’ve stood a chance against the black-haired one. If you want some way to improve, I’d suggest carrying a weapon or at least some armor. Not that either one would help you against me.”
Once these words had left her mouth, she began walking away from the battlefield, leaving Gohan’s bloodied, unconscious form behind. As he lay on the ground, covered in a pool of his own blood, Gohan could feel his life slowly fade away, but he wasn’t willing to give up just yet!
—
Gohan’s Subconscious
Gohan found himself standing in the middle of an empty black void. He looked around, heavily confused as to how he had gotten there. As his eyes scanned the area, he noticed a familiar figure standing in front of him. It was pale and translucent, almost like a ghost, but there was no mistaking who it was.
”Dad?”
Indeed, standing before Gohan was his father, the deceased warrior known as Son Goku. Before he could question why his father was here or where this place was, another figure appeared, this time materializing to Goku’s right.
”Mom?” Gohan asked, the surprise audible in his voice as Chi-Chi looked back at him with a smile. This didn’t make any sense! As far as he knew, his mother was still alive, so why-
A third ghostly image appeared, this time standing at Goku’s right. It was Piccolo, the green, slug-like Namekian who had mentored Gohan when he was only a boy.
A fourth ghost materialized behind Chi-Chi, taking the form of Krillin, the former monk who he’d grown to know while on Namek.
Behind Piccolo emerged a fifth ghost: Bulma, the head of Capsule Corp, who he had befriended during his childhood.
Finally, a sixth ghost materialized, this one appearing directly in front of Gohan. The moment he saw it, the Saiyan found himself taken aback. Standing before him, sporting a smile much like the others, was Trunks. The boy he’d taken under his wing. The one he’d trained so they could fight the androids together.
As he stared at the ghostly images, Gohan could feel something gnawing away at him. Just a few minutes ago, he had been ready to lay his life on the line for a chance to fight the androids, but now something was different. With the androids dead, there was no reason for him to throw his life away so easily. What would his mother think, or Bulma, or even Trunks? Could he really let himself die, knowing that there were still those out there who cared for him? That by doing so, he would be leaving the people of Earth defenseless to whatever threat would come next?
‘No!’
—
Gohan’s eyes shot open, his expression hardening into one of anger as he slammed his fist into the ground, forcing himself to enter Super Saiyan once more as he got back to his feet. He wouldn’t let himself die here! Not while there were still so many people he had to protect!
As this thought ran through his mind, Gohan could feel a tight sensation within his chest. It was like a blaze of anger and determination, one that he hadn’t felt since the first time he had gone Super Saiyan. This well of emotion continued to build up in his body, slowly increasing with each passing second. It was almost like the energy itself was crying out, begging to be released, and Gohan was more than willing to unleash it!
Crossing his right arm over his chest, Gohan felt the energy course through his body, starting off with the familiar golden aura of ki. As it continued building within him, the aura surrounding Gohan would flare up, briefly becoming more flame-like in nature before reverting. With each flare, his muscles would expand in size, growing about an inch thicker before deflating back to normal. As these occurrences grew more frequent, Gohan threw out his arm and let loose a powerful scream, one that spread throughout the city and seemed to reach the heavens itself! The moment this scream reached her ears, Baiken turned toward its direction, and what she saw made her eye widen in shock.
“What the hell?” She asked in audible surprise, though her question was rendered nearly inaudible by Gohan’s transformation.
As the flame-like ki surrounded Gohan, his body began to undergo even further changes. His muscles’ growth had stabilized, having become two inches thicker than they had been prior. Arcs of electricity were now starting to form around his body, though where they appeared seemed to be at random. The first surrounded his arm, the second covered his leg, and the third went around his waist. The energy within him continued to grow, and so too did the length of his hair. Several tufts had begun jutting out, visibly spikier and more rigid than before. With this hair growth came a surplus of electricity, as what was once a brief occurrence slowly evolved into an aura of crackling arcs. Once this aura had made its appearance, the energy within Gohan’s body seemed to have quelled, and his scream soon turned into silence.
No longer was Gohan a regular Super Saiyan. In his desperation to survive, he had unleashed a well of emotion, one that had given him the boost to unlock the next step in Saiyan evolution.
He had become a Super Saiyan 2.
[Stop music]
With the transformation now stabilized, Gohan’s first course of action was to reach into his pants. Pulling out a small pouch, he quickly unfastened it to reveal what lay inside: a small bean, lime green in color and barely the size of a pebble. He brought the minuscule item to his mouth and bit down, producing an audible CRUNCH! Then, as the Senzu Bean slid down his throat, something happened, something that could only be described as a miracle. Almost as if it had a mind of its own, Gohan’s skin began to stitch itself back together, sewing up the various lacerations within seconds. Consuming the bean also seemed to have done more than heal him, as he now had an energy in his step that he had previously lacked.
Now fully restored, Gohan began scanning the area for where Baiken had gone, though he wouldn’t have to search far. As it turned out, Baiken was standing several feet away, eyeing him with suspicion.
“So, what the hell is this? Do you get stronger the more ridiculous your hair looks?” She asked.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. I didn’t even know I had this power until now.” He answered truthfully.
“Well, if you’re looking to test it, be my guest.” Baiken offered as she entered a fighting stance, flashing him a smirk. “Just don’t be surprised when I kick your ass agai-“
FWOOSH!
[If rooting for Future Gohan]
[If rooting for Baiken]
Before she even had the chance to unsheathe her weapon, Gohan closed the distance in an instant, punctuating it with a kick to the stomach. As Baiken was sent flying across the street, Gohan reeled his hand back, allowing a ball of blue ki to charge in his palm.
“Kamehameha!” He shouted as he threw his arm forward, firing off the ki in the form of a massive blue laser. It flew toward Baiken at blinding speeds, but she proved quick to bring her sword up, keeping it in a defensive position. The moment it met the base of her blade, the Kamehameha split in two before dispersing into nothingness, but this proved to be the opportunity Gohan needed!
TE-YO!
While Baiken was busy defending against his beam, he appeared behind her and threw out a powerful chop to the neck, causing her concentration to break as she stumbled forward. Before she could recover, he slammed into her with a knee strike to the spine, teleported in front of her, and slammed into her face with an elbow strike. A second knee, this time to her stomach, caused her to lurch over.
With the boosted speed of Super Saiyan 2, Gohan began to rapidly move around Baiken, repeatedly slamming into her with a variety of moves. Numerous punches, kicks, knee and elbow strikes, and many other body blows struck the samurai at blinding speeds. He moved so quickly that, to an outsider, there would’ve been no sign of his appearance. No sign, that is, until he finally decided to stop in front of Baiken, keeping his fist clenched at his side.
[Pause music]
As he ceased his assault, Baiken collapsed onto one knee, panting heavily. Her body was covered in bruises from where the blows had struck, and her muscles ached like she’d just run a marathon. Even as she attempted to stand back up, she could feel pain flare through her body.
‘Damn. Looks like that transformation wasn’t just for show, but still. One second it looks like he’s on death’s door, and now he’s the one kicking my ass. How’d he get this strong so quickly?‘ Baiken thought to herself. She prepared to ask him, but then-
WHAM!
[Continue]
Gohan cut her off permaturely with a high kick, slamming it into her jaw. She flew through the air like a rocket, but Gohan proved quick to catch up to her, punctuating it with a straight punch. This caused her to fly further away, but her attacker continued delivering another punch. Then a third. Then a fourth. A fifth. A sixth.
With each blow, the interval between punches grew shorter, allowing Gohan the chance to set up a seemingly endless combo. Punch after punch impacted Baiken’s body, each one targeting a different weak spot and sending her further through the city. This would soon come to an end, however, as a final punch from Gohan sent her careening into an office building. The glass behind her exploded into a storm of shards, but before she could crash through the window, she felt Gohan grab hold of her ankle.
With Baiken now in tow, he spun around, deliberately slamming her face into the window. He did this again when they reached the next floor, and a third time the floor after that. They continued ascending through the building, each floor accompanied by another spin from Gohan. Baiken attempted to push through the pain and free herself, but her captor proved relentless as he continued smashing her through the windows. Once they had passed the final floor and flown above the building, Gohan released his grip, sending Baiken hurtling through the air.
As he watched her descend toward the ground, her eye darting around for some way to cushion her landing, Gohan raised his arm through the air, keeping his fingers outstretched. Golden energy began to charge in his palm at a rapid rate, expanding with each millisecond.
“MASENKO-HA!” He declared as he thrust his hand forward, firing off a beam that was even large than Baiken herself. It was so large, in fact, that it covered roughly several hundred feet in both length and width. As she watched the beam rush toward her, Baiken’s eye widened in shock. A split-second later, and the Hyper Masenko consumed her body, eliciting a scream of pain as the ki burned away at her body. The beam continued to push her downward, and she would only stop once she slammed into the concrete back-first. The beam continued to burn away at her body, and it would only grow worse as Gohan continued pouring more ki into it. The Masenko continued expanding, its width growing ever larger until finally-
THOOM!
[Pause music]
It exploded outward, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as the ki dispersed in the air. The newfound smokescreen elicited a series of coughs and hacks from Gohan, who was fighting through the smoke to search for Baiken. He scanned the area, using both his eyes and his ki to try and locate the missing samurai. He began to pick up something, but just as he had-
SHINK!
[Continue music]
Faster than he could react, a familiar grappling claw flew out of the smokescreen and embedded itself in his right pec. A grunt of pain emerged from his throat, and it soon evolved into a surprised scream as Baiken gave a sharp tug, pulling him back down to earth. He slammed into the ground face-first, and before he could attempt to get back up he felt Baiken pull him forward.
As he was reeled in, Gohan noticed that she had already grabbed hold of her katana. With little time left to react, he quickly placed his hand close the center of his face, spreading his fingers toward his eyes. Though this action confused her, Baiken put it aside and lunged forward. She unsheathed her katana from its hilt and swung at Gohan’s chest, but then-
“Solar Flare!”
[Stop music]
As these words escaped his lips, a bright flash of light emerged in front of Gohan, leaving Baiken to take the full brunt of the attack.
“Gah! Shit!” She muttered under her breath as her vision faded to white. Despite the searing pain in her retina, she instinctively threw out a slash, aiming at where she believed Gohan was. He immediately responded by cartwheeling back, just barely managing to avoid the katana grazing against his cheek. Then, in an attempt to put more distance between them, he cartwheeled three more times, landing roughly a street away from where Baiken currently stood. If he wanted to end this fight, he was going to need all the time he could get to pull off this next attack!
“KA-“
He brought his hand back, allowing a familiar blue orb to begin growing in his palm.
“ME-“
Sweat began to pour down his forehead as he placed more ki into it, allowing the sphere to swell in size.
“HA-“
The orb’s expansion continued, now large enough that it was roughly the size of an apple.
“ME-“
The blast surged in its growth, now large enough that it encompassed his entire hand in size. As this energy hit its peak, Gohan thrust his hand forward, letting loose the final syllable of this technique’s name.
“HA!”
An enormous wave of blue ki erupted out from Gohan’s hand. It expanded in size the farther it grew, and by the time it had reached the halfway point it was far larger than its target. At the same time, Baiken had only just managed to blink away the blindness of the Solar Flare when she noticed the expansive beam that was rapidly approaching her. In response, she immediately brought her katana in front of herself, holding it in a defensive position. Then, just as she’d done so, they collided!
The moment it slammed into her katana, Baiken’s eye widened as she nearly felt herself topple over. This Kamehameha… it seemed stronger than before! Gritting her teeth, Baiken only grew more adamant as she planted both feet firmly into the ground. She pushed against the Kamehameha with all her might, slowly struggling against the wave of ki. With a heavy struggle, she lifted one of her legs and planted it into the ground as she took a step forward. The opposite foot would then follow suit, allowing her to slowly overpower this immense wave.
Sensing her progress, Gohan responded by placing more ki into the Kamehameha, causing it to undergo a drastic shift in size. It continued to expand until it was roughly the size of a city block, and with it a massive chunk of the city was wiped out. But for Gohan, this still wasn’t enough! He needed more power!
Pulling deep into the recesses of his body, Gohan began focusing everything he had. All of his ki, from what he’d had prior to what he’d been given by the boost of Super Saiyan 2, was pooled into the blast. As his energy poured into it, the Kamehameha suddenly burst outward, now visible from space as it ravaged the city. Everything that became caught in its wake was immediately vaporized, from the buildings, to the cars, to even the concrete beneath Baiken’s feet. But if he expected that this would be enough to put Baiken down, he was dead wrong!
Even as her skin became adorned with burns and her clothes were adorned with tatters, she continued walking toward him, letting out a bloody war cry as she continued to push through the beam! Her hand began to emerge from the epicenter of the beam, and Gohan responded by pushing forward. This was it. His last-ditch effort to win against Baiken! He took a step forward, pouring out all of his energy just as she swung her katana.
[Stop music]
For a brief moment, everything seemed to freeze. The destruction of Pepper Town, the growing energy of the Kamehameha, and even the fates of both combatants. Then, once this moment had passed, Gohan’s Kamehameha suddenly dispersed, revealing what had become of their battlefield.
All of Pepper Town had been destroyed, now nothing reduced to nothing more than a crater. The concrete streets and sidewalks were now reduced to barren, charred ground which seemed to stretch out for miles on end. All of its buildings had been destroyed, and in their places were miscellaneous piles of glass and rubble. The vehicles that had once filled the streets were now flipped over or crushed, and even those that still remained intact displayed heavy signs of damage. Not even the town’s flora had been spared the Kamehameha’s wrath, as the trees and flowers that had once dotted the area were now reduced to charred, smoldering shells of their former selves. Looking at it now, it would’ve been hard to believe that this place could have ever supported life, much less that it had once been one of the most populated towns on the planet. Yet two figures stood at the edge of this crater, both set on defying that notion.
Gohan stood upright with his arm outstretched, his hair having reverted to black. The final attack had taken a lot out of him, and it felt like his legs were going to give out at any second. His breathing had gone ragged, and despite his best attempts, he was struggling to stay conscious.
Baiken, on the other hand, was kneeling on the ground, still gripping her katana. Third-degree burns now covered her body, courtesy of taking the Kamehameha head-on, and her appearance had seen better days. The blast had eaten away at several parts of her skin, revealing strips of muscle tissue in her cheeks, forehead, and collar. Her remaining arm was missing several strips of skin, some of which exposed part of her radius and humerus. Her hair was now a disheveled mess, and her kimono had been completely destroyed. The stump of her severed arm was now exposed to the world, as was the sarashi that lay wrapped around her legs. The eye patch that once covered her face was now shattered, and it soon fell to the ground, revealing the scar that lay over her left eye.
For a few tense seconds, all remained silent throughout the wasteland, but then the victor spoke two audible words:
And that’s how you end a samurai battle! A single stroke, then you walk off like a complete badass. Wouldn’t have it any other way!
So, putting the finisher aside, let’s talk about the verdict. When it came to strength, Gohan’s repeatedly been shown to damage both of the androids, who were superior in power to Frieza. Frieza, while in his base form, was able to casually destroy Planet Vegeta, a feat calculated to be 1.7 tenatons, or Dwarf Star Level. If we go by the anime, Frieza’s final form was able to produce an explosion visible from outer space, which is calculated to be 943 MegaFoe, or Solar System Level. Baiken, meanwhile, would scale to Ky and I-No. Both of these characters are shown to becomparableto Sol Badguy, whose body contains the Flame of Corruption, which would erase everything in the universe and merge it with the Backyard, a dimension that is larger thanthe universe. Given that this merging affects two universe-sized realms, this would put Sol, as well as Ky and I-No, at Low Multiverse Level. And keep in mind that Baiken would scale to this, as she’s been shown to fight Ky to a standstill, hasregularlydefeated I-No, and was able to destroy a copy of Justice, whose existence has similar properties to Sol’s.
As for speed, Baiken takes that, as well. If we go by the Dragon Ball anime, Gohan would be superior to Namek Saga Goku, who was able to react to asteroids while on his trip to Namek. This feat is calculated to be anywhere from 2,881 times FTL to 152 million times FTL. Baiken, on the other hand, would once again scale to Ky and I-No, both of whom are superior to Jack-O Valentine, who can move at 32 trillion times the speed of light. Additionally, Baiken’s also shown that she can keep up in battle with Justice, who can move past multiple stars in seconds.
In other words, Baiken was leagues ahead of Gohan in the stat trinity. When it came to non-physical stats, however, things start to get a bit tricky. For experience, you could make the argument that Baiken should take this, as she’s been alive for over 100 years and has spent that time fighting Gears and other monsters. That said, you could also suggest that Gohan’s experience fighting more accomplished and intelligent opponents should give him an edge. It’s a bit hard to say for certain, but I’d say they’re roughly even in this regard. For intelligence, both have shown impressive proficiency in their respective fields, and I can’t really give one the edge over the other here, mainly because we never get an idea of how their mentalities operate during their fights.
Arsenal-wise, Gohan’s only item is a Senzu Bean, and while he could use it to heal himself, it’s unlikely to occur before Baiken blitzes and one-shots him. Not helping his case was that her own arsenal dwarfed his. Her katana gave her better range in close-quarters; she could restrain him with the grappling hook, grappling claw, or chain rope; her fan could give her wider range when fighting up-close; and she could use both the mace and cannon for long-range.
When it came to powers, Baiken’s summoning magic gave her an edge in unpredictability and her ki manipulation would prove effective in close-quarters. That said, Gohan’s own powers surprisingly trumped hers. His zenkai boosts would allow him to boost his stats higher, allowing him to theoretically lessen the gap, his flight gave him better mobility, and his own ki manipulation gave him better long-range options. Despite this, there are some setbacks for Gohan that would prevent him from using his powers. For starters, he needs to heal in order to gain a zenkai, which would be nigh-impossible due to Baiken’s immense edge in stats and his limited supply of Senzu Beans. His flight wouldn’t matter since Baiken could use her grappling hook, claw, or chain rope to pull him back in; and his ki manipulation wouldn’t matter since he mainly fights at close-range.
Speaking of fighting, Baiken easily had the superior fighting style, as her combat is based off of defense and focuses on countering an opponent’s mistakes with high-damaging combos. Her employment of weaponry also gave her an edge here, as her swordplay and wide swinging range would make it more difficult for a hand-to-hand fighter like Gohan to get a good hit in.
There’s also their movesets to consider. As I mentioned above, Gohan’s ki manipulation would allow him to have better long-range options, and he had multiple ways to avoid attacks (Afterimages, Instant Rise, and Wild Sense). He could also use Tenma Defense to defend himself from Baiken’s attacks, and the Solar Flare could serve as an excellent distraction. Despite this, Baiken’s proved superior due to its more potent moves which, when combined with her combo-oriented style, would prove more likely to land a killing blow. It also didn’t help Gohan’s case that she could use Baku to apply status effects that, while temporary, would serve to further affect his performance.
Future Gohan was certainly a formidable opponent, but in the end, he just couldn’t make the cut.
The winner is Baiken.
Baiken (Winner) + Massive edge over Future Gohan in the stat trinity + Larger arsenal + Demon Tools gave her several methods of countering Gohan’s flight + Summoning magic made her more unpredictable + Superior fighting style + Swordplay, when combined with her sword’s range, countered Gohan’s martial arts skills + Baku’s status effects gave her multiple ways to inconvenience Gohan = Roughly even in experience = Roughly even in intellect – Gohan could heal himself by using a Senzu Bean + But this is unlikely to occur given Baiken’s far superior stats, and it wouldn’t matter in the long run – Smaller array of powers + But she either had the means to counter Future Gohan’s, or they wouldn’t be applicable
Future Gohan (Loser) + Senzu Bean gave him an option to heal himself – But it’s unlikely he’d have the time to do so before Baiken blitzes him + Larger array of powers – Which either wouldn’t be applicable or could be countered in some way by Baiken + Better in hand-to-hand combat – Which is nullified due to Baiken’s swordplay and better range in close-quarters + Moveset gave him numerous ways to avoid or defend himself from Baiken’s attacks = Roughly even in experience = Roughly even in intellect – Horribly outclassed in stats – Inferior arsenal – Baiken’s Demon Tools could counter his flight – Inferior fighting style – Baku’s status effects gave Baiken multiple ways to inconvenience him
Whether it’s a natural disaster that brings about the end of all life on the planet, or mankind’s own weaponry being the catalyst that wipes them out, it’s safe to say that there’s no end to the number of ways the apocalypse can begin. And with these changes, there will inevitably be someone who sets out to help those in need. Whether it’s by defending the planet, saving the last of humanity, or dedicating their lives to ending what created the apocalypse, one thing’s certain: they will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals, even if they gain some scars or lose a limb in the process.
Future Gohan, the sole survivor of the Z-Fighters.
And Baiken, the Lone Samurai from Guilty Gear.
I’m Br3ndan5, and I’ll be analyzing their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win a DEATH BATTLE!
——————————————————
Future Gohan Age: 23 Height: 5’9 Weight: 134 lbs Occupation: Martial Artist, Mentor First Appearance: Trunks The History – The Lone Warrior (August 11, 1992) Themes:
Feats: Pre-History of Trunks: -As a child, survived Vegeta and Nappa’s attack on Earth, ultimately playing a role in the former’s defeat -Withstood Frieza torturing him -Was the only survivor of the Z-Fighters after the rest had been killed by androids 17 and 18 -Achieved the legendary form of Super Saiyan after the Z-Fighters’ deaths -Trained by himself for 13 years with the intent of taking down the androids
History of Trunks: -Began training Trunks in the hopes that they’d be able to beat the androids together -Fought against 17 and would’ve beaten him if 18 hadn’t intervened -Saved Trunks from being vaporized -Protected Trunks when the androids bombed the Super World theme park, albeit at the cost of his left arm -Fought the androids one last time, ultimately dying after they bombarded him with a heavy barrage of ki blasts -His death gave Trunks the final push to becoming a Super Saiyan
In the Age 764, peace had begun to return to Earth. The Saiyan warrior Goku had slain the tyrant Frieza and his father, King Cold, ensuring that their empire would no longer thrive. Unfortunately, this peace wasn’t destined to last. Two years later, Goku would be one of many victims to die of a lethal heart virus, and the world would then erupt into chaos thanks to Dr. Gero, a scientist who had worked for one of Goku’s oldest enemies, the Red Ribbon Army. With Goku dead, Gero decided that the time was ripe to take vengeance upon the world and unleashed two of his greatest creations, Androids 17 and 18. Unfortunately for Gero, the two androids (who are actually cyborgs) proved unwilling to listen to his orders and rebelled against him, killing the old man in the process.
With nothing better to do, the androids began terrorizing the world, earning the attention of the Z-Fighters. As they fought against the androids, Gohan left the battlefield and, with the help of his friend Bulma, began searching the world for the Dragon Balls, seven mystical orbs that they believed could help them save the world. Unfortunately, the Dragon Balls had been rendered unusable thanks to the incompetence of the Pilaf Gang, and it would stay this way with the death of the balls’ creator, Kami.
With the deaths of his friends now rendered permanent, Gohan’s rage would hit its peak, allowing him to break through his mental barriers and achieve the legendary form of Super Saiyan. As the last remaining member of the Z-Fighters, Gohan would dedicate the next 13 years of his life to fighting the androids, but no matter how hard he tried he could never defeat them. During this time, he would befriend Trunks, the half Saiyan son of Bulma, and (at Trunks’ request) started training him. On several occasions, he would attempt to encourage Trunks to obtain Super Saiyan as well, but to no avail.
Eventually, while fighting the androids in a theme park, Trunks would be rendered unconscious while fighting 18, forcing Gohan to carry him to safety and hide. This plan would work until the androids decided to bomb the park in the hopes of driving them out. Although he was able to save Trunks, it would come at the cost of losing his arm in the resulting blast.
Despite this handicap, Gohan would continue training Trunks, even getting him to nearly go Super Saiyan at one point. After this attempt, the two would notice Pepper Town being attacked by the androids. Trunks attempted to convince Gohan to let him join, and although he seemed to accept at first, Gohan chose to knock him out in order to prevent the boy from dying. Despite knowing he stood no chance, Gohan rushed into battle, ready to battle the androids one final time. Though he held his own for a bit, the androids eventually managed to overpower him, leading to his death. While the world may have lost a hero that day, it would soon gain another, as Gohan’s death would serve as the catalyst for Trunks to push through and finally achieve Super Saiyan.
Strength: -Knocked Trunks away with a kick to the chin -Traded blows with 17 -Knocked Trunks out with a chop to the neck -Kicked 17 with enough force to send him crashing through a building -Slammed 18 into a roof hard enough that the building’s windows were blown out
Speed: -While sparring, avoided multiple hits from Trunks -Avoided ki blasts and multiple blows from 17 -Intercepted a blow from 18 -Avoided multiple strikes when 17 and 18 tag-teamed him
Durability: -Shrugged off multiple blows from 17 -Was smashed into a store window by 18 -Survived a brutal beating from 17 and 18 -Survived Super World being bombed, though it left him with a scar and an amputated left arm
Personality: -Due to the apocalyptic future he lives in, Future Gohan is more serious and aggressive than his naive, awkward, and laidback present counterpart -Is shown to be internally pained and mentally stressed after years of challenging the androids alone -In moments of peace, Gohan is shown to be much more calm and cheerful, often enjoying life for what it’s worth and even suggesting that others do the same
Weapons and Equipment:
Senzu Beans: -Mystical beans that possess great healing properties -When consumed, they fully restore his energy and physical health -Are capable of healing impalement and broken bones -Keeps them in his pouch, though he only has one or two on hand due to their limited supply
Techniques:
Ki: -A form of energy in the Dragon Ball universe -Created from Future Gohan’s own life energy -Formed using three elements: vigor, courage, and mind -Uses it for the following techniques
Flight: -Self-explanatory
Zenkai: -A genetic trait that is shared by all Saiyans -Allows the user to recover from injuries at a faster rate and grow stronger, with the latter being caused when they either heal from a near-death experience or endure a great struggle while fighting -Upon healing, a Saiyan’s body will “learn” from the experience, allowing their instincts and natural resistances to greatly improve -The more severely he’s damaged, the greater the zenkai will be
Ki Blast: -An energy wave of ki
Kiai: -Future Gohan places ki into his hand as he strikes the air, creating a powerful shockwave that strikes opponents from a distance
Invisible Eye Blast: -A kiai fired from the eyes
Super Explosive Wave: -Future Gohan charges ki inside of himself before forcing it to explode outward in the form of a massive energy sphere -Can increase its AOE by outputting more ki from his body, resulting in a variant called “Ki Explosions”
Super Afterimage Strike: -Future Gohan moves around the battlefield while using afterimages to distract his opponent
Instant Rise: -Future Gohan rapidly ascends through the air, moving so quickly that he seems to teleport -Used as a way to avoid oncoming attacks
Wild Sense: -Future Gohan dodges an attack by moving swiftly before countering with a punch or kick that sends the opponent to the ground or into the air
Down Burst: -Future Gohan fires an energy sphere to the ground, creating a smokescreen that blinds the opponent
Intercept: -Future Gohan blocks his opponent’s attacks before quickly moving behind them. When they turn to face him, he delivers a powerful kick to the chin
Sonic Rush: -Future Gohan kicks his opponent away before teleporting behind them to deliver a chop, followed by a hook and a sweep kick. He then finishes by kicking them into the air before slamming them back down with an elbow strike
Masenko: -Future Gohan places both hands above the head, one in front of the other, with the palms facing the opponent and the fingers going in opposite directions. He thrusts his hands forward, calling out “MASENKO-HA!” as he fires a beam of yellow or white energy
Hyper Masenko: -A stronger, larger variant of the above
Kamehameha: -A powerful ki blast fired from both hands after being charged between the user’s palms
One-Handed Kamehameha: -Future Gohan performs several backflips to distance himself from the opponent. After doing so, he charges ki into his hand, slowly chanting the technique’s name before thrusting his arm forward and firing a blue beam
One-Handed Kamehameha mk. II: -Same as the above, but upon firing it Future Gohan pours more energy into the beam, increasing its power and prolonging the amount of time he can fire it
Fierce Combination: -Future Gohan strikes a fighting pose as he charges at the opponent and kicks them into the air. He then flies past them before roundhousing and punching them away. Before they can travel any farther, he grabs them by their ankle and shouts “Die!” as he flies downward, slamming them into the ground. Finally, he backflips away and shouts “Watch it!” before firing a Kamehameha
Tenma Defense: -Future Gohan charges his ki, using it to summon a large white barrier that either knocks opponents away or deflects attacks
Solar Flare: -Future Gohan places his hand close to the center of his face with the fingers spread toward his eyes. He then calls out the technique’s name as a white light flashes outward, blinding everyone in the surrounding area -Mainly used to gain the upper hand, make a hasty retreat, or set up a more complicated attack without fear of interruption -Never used on screen, but in the Dragon Ball Super manga Trunks says that Future Gohan taught him this move
Special Beam Cannon: -Future Gohan raises his index and middle finger to his forehead and begins charging ki between them. After a few seconds, he points them forward, producing two thin beams, one being straight and the other coiled around the first -Capable of drilling through its target, and it will explode against them should they prove too durable to pierce
Power up to the Very Limit: -Lets Future Gohan regain all of his ki while also providing a slight increase to all of his stats
Forms:
Super Saiyan: -Multiplies his base power by 50x -Evidenced by his hair and aura becoming gold, while his eyes turn green -Obtained after witnessing the deaths of the other Z-Fighters
Weaknesses: -Despite his strength, he’s nowhere near as powerful as his present counterpart -Lacks the use of his left arm, which greatly hinders his abilities in combat -Has a limited supply of Senzu beans -Has a finite amount of ki -Super Saiyan drains him of his energy the longer he uses it -Senzu beans have limits to what they can heal, as they can’t cure diseases or regrow severed limbs -The Future Trunks arc rendered his sacrifice worthless
(“You know you can’t win! You can’t destroy what I really am! Even if you manage to kill this body, someone even stronger would surface and take my place! Not one death will go unaccounted for, not one!”)
——————————————————
Baiken Alias: The Lone Samurai Age: Unknown, but should at least be a little over 170 Height: 5’4 Weight: 100 lbs Occupation: Samurai, Guardian to Kum Haehyun (Xrd REV 2) First Appearance: Guilty Gear (May 14, 1998) Themes:
Feats: General -Survived the destruction of her village when she was a child -Trained herself in swordsmanship so she could hunt down Asuka R. Kreutz (AKA That Man) for his role in destroying her village
Guilty Gear -Entered the Second Sacred Order Tournament in order to seek out That Man and get revenge on Justice, the Gear responsible for Japan’s destruction -Though she was eventually forced to retreat after Justice overwhelmed her
Guilty Gear Xtra -Briefly fought with Ky Kiske, with the battle ending inconclusively due to interference from Tyr
Guilty Gear X -Nearly killed Testament and Dizzy, only choosing to let them live because she was more focused on finding That Man
Guilty Gear XX All Paths: -Defeated I-No, Robo-Ky, Zappa, Bridget, and Anji Mito Path 1: -Defeated I-No (again) and Potemkin -Managed to locate That Man, but was unable to kill him Path 2: -Defeated a brainwashed May and Robo-Ky (again) -Learned of the Post-War Administration Bureau’s existence after defeating Robo-Ky Path 3: -Defeated I-No and Anji again -After defeating Anji, chose to spare his life in exchange for all of his knowledge on That Man
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus All Paths: -Defeated Potemkin, Robo-Ky, and I-No Path 1: -Defeated Johnny, May, Jam, Eddie, and Anji -Reluctantly began traveling with Anji Path 2: -Had a brief spar with a suppressed Slayer, which ended inconclusively -Defeated A.B.A, Venom, Chipp Zanuff, Justice, and I-No (again) -Killed I-No and became an infamous serial killer
Guilty Gear Isuka -Defeated Leopaldon, a Megadeth class Gear -Megadeth class Gears have enough power to wipe out an entire civilization
Guilty Gear Judgment -While searching for a bar, saved a village that had been overrun by monsters -Destroyed a living three-headed pillar -Mercy-killed a woman who had been forcibly fused to a giant plant monster -Killed a giant, mutated wolf -Killed Inus, the king of the Underworld -Murdered Judgment, a sorcerer who had absorbed Inus’ powers
Guilty Gear Dust Strikers -Killed Gig, a massive insectoid Gear
Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 -Defeated Answer, the personal assistant of Chipp -Swore her life to protect Kum Haehyun -During an attack on the Colony, defended Haehyun alongside May and Answer
The year was 2073. Thanks to the efforts of the scientist Asuka R. Kreutz, also known by the confusing alias of “That Man,” the long-abandoned Gear Project had finally begun to make progress toward advancing evolution. By combining the DNA of various species with the cryogenically preserved cells of his deceased friend Aria Hale, Asuka had managed to create Justice, the first complete member of the Gears, a race created by combining the best aspects of multiple species.
Unfortunately, this progress would soon hit a snag thanks to the efforts of a being known as the Merciless Apocalypse, who would harvest Justice’s DNA and unleash it upon the nation of Japan. The Gear cells would mutate most of Japan’s population which, when combined with the spacial anomalies known as Information Flares, led to the infected becoming incredibly dangerous and unstable Anti-Matter Gears. The Information Flares would begin to merge reality with the Backyard, another dimension that would disintegrate both the body and soul of whatever enters it. Realizing this, Asuka would be forced to activate Justice and use her Gamma Ray to destroy Japan, an act that he would regret for the rest of his life.
Those who survived the nation’s destruction would be placed under the care of the United Nations and placed in special colonies. Unfortunately, these were still vulnerable to attack, as Justice would show when she commanded her Gears to lay waste to one of the villages. One of the few survivors of this massacre would be Baiken, a child who had witnessed the bloody deaths of her parents and friends after having her left eye gouged out and her right arm severed. Amidst the flames of her village, she could see the silhouette of That Man, and she would swear vengeance upon him and his creations. From that day forward, Baiken committed herself to learning the ways of swordsmanship and began collecting a series of tools for one purpose: to hunt down That Man and the Gears so she could make them pay for what they’d done.
Strength: -Her sword strikes are strong enough to send a giant, mutated wolf crashing through a metal wall -Can slice a washitsu house and its surroundings in half with one strike -Is able to effortlessly lift and slam someone into the ground with enough force that they spin through the air multiple times -Keep in mind that she’s able to do this to the likes of Bedman, who weighs 1,468 lbs (counting his bed), and Potemkin, who weighs 2,672 lbs -Sliced through a massive Gear arm -Traded blows with Ky, who has been able to match Sol blow-for-blow -Her strikes are strong enough to nearly kill Testament and Dizzy -Traded blows with Zappa, Bridget, Anji, Potemkin, I-No, May, Robo-Ky, Eddie, A.B.A, Venom, a suppressed Slayer, Chipp, and Answer -Destroyed Robo-Ky -Stabbed I-No to death
Speed: -Kept up with Justice, who can move at MFTL+ speeds -Kept up with Zappa, Bridget, Anji, Potemkin, May, Robo-Ky, Eddie, A.B.A, Venom, a suppressed Slayer, Chipp, and Answer -Escaped a collapsing lava pit in the span of a few seconds -Managed to escape a collapsing castle within seconds -Has been shown to match Ky in speed -Ky has been able to keep up with Sol, who is vastly superior to Jack-O’
Durability: -Survived the loss of her right arm and having her left eye gouged out when she was a child -Shrugged off multiple attacks from Zappa, Bridget, Anji, Potemkin, I-No, May, Robo-Ky, Eddie, A.B.A, Venom, a suppressed Slayer, Chipp, Justice, and Answer -Took hits from Ky, who has clashed with Sol numerous times
Skills:
Expert Swordsmanship: -Despite being self-taught, Baiken’s expertise in swordsmanship has allowed her to repeatedly go toe-to-toe with Ky, a veteran soldier and commander of the International Police Force
Weapons Mastery: -Has incorporated various weapons into her fighting style (See “Weapons and Equipment” below)
Personality: -Is aggressive, brash, impulsive, and antisocial, motivated solely by revenge with a strong desire to kill That Man -Post XX, she’s noticeably mellowed out, becoming more expressive toward others and less obsessed with pursuing That Man -Rather foul-mouthed, often cursing violently when irritated or angered -Holds an intense hatred toward Gears due to their role in her family’s deaths -Has occasionally expressed pride in her heritage, though she hates how people treat the Japanese like a special race -Is willing to accept the consequences of her actions and has condemned herself to damnation for her sins -Has a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later -Will violently threaten anyone who attempts to obstruct her goals, including children -Enjoys drinking sake
Weapons and Equipment:
Katana: -Strong enough to cut through most Gears without issue -Is extremely durable, being able to hold up in multiple clashes with Thunderseal, a blade charged with electricity -The only visible damage it’s taken was a light chip after failing to cut through Dizzy -Implied by Slayer to be sentient, with a strong desire for bloodshed
Demon Tools: -A group of weapons Baiken hides within the sleeve of her severed arm -Consists of a Japanese mace, a feudal cannon, a bladed fan, a chain rope, a grappling hook, a claw, and a spear
Powers:
Ki Manipulation: -Can manipulate the ki in her body and use it to fire massive, short-range energy blasts
Magic: -Baiken can use magic to summon tatami mats (See “Moveset” below)
Immortality: -Seems to possess some type of immortality, as she’s been alive ever since the destruction of Japan, which occurred over a century prior, yet hasn’t visibly aged past her 20’s or 30’s -Though she can still be physically injured or killed
Moveset:
Tatami Gaeshi: -Baiken uses magic to summon a tatami mat near her and proceeds to stomp on it, smacking any nearby opponents and sending them flying -Can also be used in the air, though the mat will almost immediately drop to the ground
Youshijin: -Baiken thrusts an anchor into the ground with enough force that it comes back up almost immediately after -Mainly used to deal with aerial opponents
Zakuro: -Baiken pulls out a giant bladed pinwheel that spins several times, skewering anyone who gets close -Can only be done diagonally -Used to counter aerial opponents
Azami: -Baiken holds her blade in front of her in a defensive position, allowing her to block enemy attacks -Is able to block multiple attacks at once -Can also be used in midair
Kuchinashi: -An upward slash followed by a trail of pink energy -Mainly used as a followup to Azami or Suzuran
Mawarikomi: -Baiken dashes behind her opponent -Followup to Azami or Suzuran
Sakura: -A straight jab coated in pink energy -Followup from Azami or Suzuran
Rokkonsogi: -Baiken dashes forward, slashes at the opponent, and appears behind them -Followup from Azami, Kabari, or Suzuran
Yashagatana: -Baiken unveils a shotgun from her sleeve and fires it -Can be used after Azami or Suzuran
Tsubaki: -Baiken moves forward as she performs a midair spinning slash -Used after an aerial Azami
Ouren: -Baiken leaps across the stage and somersaults past her opponent, slashing them across the back -Used after a midair Azami
Kikyou: -Baiken slashes downward -Mainly used in midair. If used on the ground, Baiken will leap forward before performing the move
Kabari: -Baiken throws out a grappling claw to grab her opponent from afar and reel them in -As seen above, she can also perform it diagonally
Tetsuzansen: -In Accent Core R, Baiken thrusts her katana through the air and follows up with a spinning diagonal slash -In Xrd, Baiken stomps on the ground, releasing a small pillar of pink energy -Can be used as a followup from Kabari
Himawari: -Baiken rushes toward the opponent, grabs them, leaps through the air, and drops them headfirst with enough force that they spin through the air multiple times -Mainly used as a followup from Kabari
Suzuran: -Baiken rushes forward, holding her sword in a defensive position and its hilt in her mouth as she does so
Youzansen: -Baiken spins through the air, slashing with a giant bladed fan as a trail of sakura petals fall behind her -Mainly used in midair. If used on the ground, Baiken will leap into the air before performing the move
Force Breaks:
Baku: -Baiken pauses for a brief moment before smacking the opponent with one of three different types of kanji, each having a different effect: -Sakura (桜) prevents them from dashing, backdashing, or jumping -Tsuki (月) makes them enter a counter-hit state that increases the amount of damage they receive -Tsuru (鶴) prevents them from blocking Baiken’s next attack -Each effect lasts for about 14 seconds
Triple Tatami Gaeshi: -Baiken stomps on the ground, this time summoning three tatami mats that simultaneously smack the opponent away
Overdrives:
Tsurane Zanzuwatashi: -Baiken stomps on the ground before delivering an underhanded upward slash and a low sweeping slash. She then swings her blade through the air as the image of a moon bearing the kanji for Heaven, Earth, and man suddenly appears. Once it appears in full, she finishes with a final, energy-charged slash
Metsuda Kushoudou: -Performed after a successful Azami or Suzuran -Baiken turns around, her back facing the opponent as she fires off several grappling hooks that slam them into the air and latch onto an object behind them. She then reels herself forward, performing an iaijutsu quickdraw slash on the airborne opponent
Instant Kills:
[1:19 to 1:28]
Tate Shunmaku: -Baiken crouches for a brief moment before dashing past the opponent and sheathing her sword. The opponent is then launched through the air as their body is slashed multiple times
[2:44 to 2:59]
Garyo Tensei: -In Guilty Gear XX, Baiken rushes toward the opponent. Should she make contact, she will cut through them before sheathing her blade, revealing that they have somehow teleported to a room. After several seconds, the opponent’s blood splatters on the wall as they lifelessly fall to the ground -In Guilty Gear Xrd, Baiken cuts through the opponent as they teleport inside of a washitsu house. The sliding doors then close behind her and the opponent. After a fish hops through the garden’s pond, the doors become splattered in the opponent’s blood as both the house and its surroundings are sliced in half. Baiken then sits cross-legged and lights her pipe -Interestingly, some of Baiken’s dialogue after completing this move suggests that the opponent is still alive, though it’s likely they’ve been left heavily injured
Weaknesses: -Has an extremely short fuse -Is somewhat stubborn -Lacks the use of her left eye and right arm, though this doesn’t seem to affect her in battle -Fighting style heavily relies on combos and focuses on defense over offense -Possesses few ranged options -Some of her Demon Tools (like the grappling hook, claw, or mace) can be rendered useless in certain environments -Has a chronic smoking habit -Suffers from PTSD over Japan’s destruction
(“Winning and losing doesn’t mean a thing. I’ll survive, and I’ll keep fighting… Until I find That Man.”)
Baiken Alias: The Lone Samurai Age: Unknown, but should at least be a little over 170 Height: 5’4 Weight: 100 lbs Occupation: Samurai, Guardian to Kum Haehyun (Xrd REV 2) First Appearance: Guilty Gear (May 14, 1998) Themes:
Feats: General -Survived the destruction of her village when she was a child -Trained herself in swordsmanship so she could hunt down Asuka R. Kreutz (AKA That Man) for his role in destroying her village
Guilty Gear -Entered the Second Sacred Order Tournament in order to seek out That Man and get revenge on Justice, the Gear responsible for Japan’s destruction -Though she was eventually forced to retreat after Justice overwhelmed her
Guilty Gear Xtra -Briefly fought with Ky Kiske, with the battle ending inconclusively due to interference from Tyr
Guilty Gear X All Paths: -Defeated Zato-1, Potemkin, Faust, Sol Badguy, Testament, and Dizzy -Nearly killed Testament and Dizzy, but let them live because she was more focused on finding That Man Path 2: -Defeated Johnny and went out drinking with him after their fight
Guilty Gear XX All Paths: -Defeated I-No, Robo-Ky, Zappa, Bridget, and Anji Mito Path 1: -Defeated I-No (again) and Potemkin -Managed to locate That Man, but was unable to kill him Path 2: -Defeated a brainwashed May and Robo-Ky (again) -Learned of the Post-War Administration Bureau’s existence after defeating Robo-Ky Path 3: -Defeated I-No and Anji again -After defeating Anji, chose to spare his life in exchange for all of his knowledge on That Man
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus All Paths: -Defeated Potemkin, Robo-Ky, and I-No Path 1: -Defeated Johnny, May, Jam, Eddie, and Anji -Reluctantly began traveling with Anji Path 2: -Had a brief spar with a suppressed Slayer, which ended inconclusively -Defeated A.B.A, Venom, Chipp Zanuff, Justice, and I-No (again) -Killed I-No and became an infamous serial killer
Guilty Gear Isuka -Defeated Leopaldon, a Megadeth class Gear -Megadeth class Gears have enough power to wipe out an entire civilization
Guilty Gear Judgment -While searching for a bar, saved a village that had been overrun by monsters -Destroyed a living three-headed pillar -Mercy-killed a woman who had been forcibly fused to a giant plant monster -Killed a giant, mutated wolf -Killed Inus, the king of the Underworld -Murdered Judgment, a sorcerer who had absorbed Inus’ powers
Guilty Gear Dust Strikers -Killed Gig, a massive insectoid Gear
Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 -Defeated Answer, the personal assistant of Chipp -Swore her life to protect Kum Haehyun -During an attack on the Colony, defended Haehyun alongside May and Answer
Strength: -Low Multiverse Level due to fighting Sol and repeatedly fighting Ky, who is comparable to him; Additionally, she’s been able to fight characters who are comparable to Sol, such as I-No and Justice -Sol and Justice’s bodies contain the Flame of Corruption and Scales of Juno, which can erase everything in the universe and merge it with the Backyard, a dimension that is larger than the universe -Her sword strikes are strong enough to send a giant, mutated wolf crashing through a metal wall -Can slice a washitsu house and its surroundings in half with one strike -Is able to effortlessly lift and slam someone into the ground with enough force that they spin through the air multiple times -Keep in mind that she’s able to do this to the likes of Bedman, who weighs 1,468 lbs (counting his bed), and Potemkin, who weighs 2,672 lbs -Sliced through a massive Gear arm -Traded blows with Ky, who has been able to match Sol blow-for-blow -Her strikes are strong enough to nearly kill Testament and Dizzy -Traded blows with Zato-1, Potemkin, Faust, Sol, Testament, Dizzy, Johnny, Zappa, Bridget, Anji, I-No, May, Robo-Ky, Eddie, A.B.A, Venom, a suppressed Slayer, Chipp, and Answer -Destroyed Robo-Ky -Stabbed I-No to death
Speed: -Massively Faster than Light+ due to keeping up with Sol, Ky, and I-No, who are all superior to Jack-O’, who can move at 32 trillion times the speed of light -Kept up with Justice, who can move at MFTL+ speeds -Kept up with Zato-1, Potemkin, Faust, Testament, Dizzy, Johnny, Zappa, Bridget, Anji, I-No, May, Robo-Ky, Eddie, A.B.A, Venom, a suppressed Slayer, Chipp, and Answer -Escaped a collapsing lava pit in the span of a few seconds -Managed to escape a collapsing castle within seconds -Has been shown to match Ky in speed -Ky has been able to keep up with Sol, who is vastly superior to Jack-O’
Durability: -Low Multiverse Level via scaling to her strength -Survived the loss of her right arm and having her left eye gouged out when she was a child -Shrugged off multiple attacks from Zato-1, Potemkin, Faust, Sol, Testament, Dizzy, Johnny, Zappa, Bridget, Anji, May, I-No, Eddie, A.B.A, Venom, a suppressed Slayer, Chipp, Justice, and Answer -Took hits from Ky, who has clashed with Sol numerous times
Skills:
Expert Swordsmanship: -Despite being self-taught, Baiken’s expertise in swordsmanship has allowed her to repeatedly go toe-to-toe with Ky, a veteran soldier and commander of the International Police Force
Weapons Mastery: -Has incorporated various weapons into her fighting style (See “Weapons and Equipment” below)
Personality: -Is aggressive, brash, impulsive, and antisocial, motivated solely by revenge with a strong desire to kill That Man -Post XX, she’s noticeably mellowed out, becoming more expressive toward others and less obsessed with pursuing That Man -Rather foul-mouthed, often cursing violently when irritated or angered -Holds an intense hatred toward Gears due to their role in her family’s deaths -Has occasionally expressed pride in her heritage, though she hates how people treat the Japanese like a special race -Is willing to accept the consequences of her actions and has condemned herself to damnation for her sins -Has a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later -Will violently threaten anyone who attempts to obstruct her goals, including children -Enjoys drinking sake
Weapons and Equipment:
Katana: -Strong enough to cut through most Gears without issue -Is extremely durable, being able to hold up in multiple clashes with Thunderseal, a blade charged with electricity -The only visible damage it’s taken was a light chip after failing to cut through Dizzy -Implied by Slayer to be sentient, with a strong desire for bloodshed
Demon Tools: -A group of weapons Baiken hides within the sleeve of her severed arm -Consists of a Japanese mace, a feudal cannon, a bladed fan, a chain rope, a grappling hook, a claw, and a spear
Powers:
Ki Manipulation: -Can manipulate the ki in her body and use it to fire massive, short-range energy blasts
Magic: -Baiken can use magic to summon tatami mats (See “Moveset” below)
Immortality: -Seems to possess some type of immortality, as she’s been alive ever since the destruction of Japan, which occurred over a century prior, yet hasn’t visibly aged past her 20’s or 30’s -Though she can still be physically injured or killed
Moveset:
Tatami Gaeshi: -Baiken uses magic to summon a tatami mat near her and proceeds to stomp on it, smacking any nearby opponents and sending them flying -Can also be used in the air, though the mat will almost immediately drop to the ground
Youshijin: -Baiken thrusts an anchor into the ground with enough force that it comes back up almost immediately after -Mainly used to deal with aerial opponents
Zakuro: -Baiken pulls out a giant bladed pinwheel. If the opponent is caught by it, its blades will spin several times, skewering them before launching them away -Can only be done diagonally -Used to counter aerial opponents
Azami: -Baiken holds her blade in front of her in a defensive position, allowing her to block enemy attacks -Is able to block multiple attacks at once -Can also be used in midair
Kuchinashi: -An upward slash followed by a trail of pink energy -Mainly used as a followup to Azami or Suzuran
Mawarikomi: -Baiken dashes behind her opponent -Followup to Azami or Suzuran
Sakura: -A straight jab coated in pink energy -Followup from Azami or Suzuran
Rokkonsogi: -Baiken dashes forward, slashes at the opponent, and appears behind them -Followup from Azami, Kabari, or Suzuran
Yashagatana: -Baiken unveils a shotgun from her sleeve and fires it -Can be used after Azami or Suzuran
Tsubaki: -Baiken moves forward as she performs a midair spinning slash -Used after an aerial Azami
Ouren: -Baiken leaps across the stage and somersaults past her opponent, slashing them across the back -Used after a midair Azami
Kikyou: -Baiken slashes downward -Mainly used in midair. If used on the ground, Baiken will leap forward before performing the move
Kabari: -Baiken throws out a grappling claw to grab her opponent from afar and reel them in -As seen above, she can also perform it diagonally
Tetsuzansen: -In Accent Core R, Baiken thrusts her katana through the air and follows up with a spinning diagonal slash -In Xrd, Baiken stomps on the ground, releasing a small pillar of pink energy -Can be used as a followup from Kabari
Himawari: -Baiken rushes toward the opponent, grabs them, leaps through the air, and drops them headfirst with enough force that they spin through the air multiple times -Mainly used as a followup from Kabari
Suzuran: -Baiken rushes forward, holding her sword in a defensive position and its hilt in her mouth as she does so
Youzansen: -Baiken spins through the air, slashing with a giant bladed fan as a trail of sakura petals fall behind her -Mainly used in midair. If used on the ground, Baiken will leap into the air before performing the move
Force Breaks:
Baku: -Baiken pauses for a brief moment before smacking the opponent with a massive red kanji that causes them to stagger back
Baku: XXX: -A follow-up to Baku where Baiken smacks the opponent with a hanafuda card containing one of three different types of kanji, each having a different effect: -Sakura (桜) prevents them from dashing, backdashing, or jumping -Tsuki (月) makes them enter a counter-hit state that increases the amount of damage they receive -Tsuru (鶴) prevents them from blocking Baiken’s next attack -Each effect lasts for about 14 seconds
Triple Tatami Gaeshi: -Baiken stomps on the ground, this time summoning three tatami mats that simultaneously smack the opponent away
Overdrives:
Tsurane Zanzuwatashi: -Baiken stomps on the ground before delivering an underhanded upward slash and a low sweeping slash. She then swings her blade through the air as the image of a moon bearing the kanji for Heaven, Earth, and man suddenly appears. Once it appears in full, she finishes with a final, energy-charged slash
Metsuda Kushoudou: -Performed after a successful Azami or Suzuran -Baiken turns around, her back facing the opponent as she fires off several grappling hooks that slam them into the air and latch onto an object behind them. She then reels herself forward, performing an iaijutsu quickdraw slash on the airborne opponent
Instant Kills:
[1:19 to 1:28]
Tate Shunmaku: -Baiken crouches for a brief moment before dashing past the opponent and sheathing her sword. The opponent is then launched through the air as their body is slashed multiple times
[2:44 to 2:59]
Garyo Tensei: -In Guilty Gear XX, Baiken rushes toward the opponent. Should she make contact, she will cut through them before sheathing her blade, revealing that they have somehow teleported to a room. After several seconds, the opponent’s blood splatters on the wall as they lifelessly fall to the ground -In Guilty Gear Xrd, Baiken cuts through the opponent as they teleport inside of a washitsu house. The sliding doors then close behind her and the opponent. After a fish hops through the garden’s pond, the doors become splattered in the opponent’s blood as both the house and its surroundings are sliced in half. Baiken then sits cross-legged and lights her pipe -Interestingly, some of Baiken’s dialogue after completing this move suggests that the opponent is still alive, though it’s likely they’ve been left heavily injured
Weaknesses: -Has an extremely short fuse -Is somewhat stubborn -Lacks the use of her left eye and right arm, though this doesn’t seem to affect her in battle -Fighting style heavily relies on combos and focuses on defense over offense -Possesses few ranged options -Some of her Demon Tools (like the grappling hook, claw, or mace) can be rendered useless in certain environments -Has a chronic smoking habit -Suffers from PTSD over Japan’s destruction
(“Winning and losing doesn’t mean a thing. I’ll survive, and I’ll keep fighting… Until I find That Man.”)
(“What is this bullshit? If you’re serious, you’d better get the hell outta here before I cut you in half.”)
(“Listen very carefully. If I don’t get this information, I’ll cut you. If you play dumb, I’ll slash you. If you try and feed me some shit intel, I’ll slice you. If this silence goes on for three more seconds, I’ll divide you. Are we clear?”)
(“I don’t think I’ve introduced myself yet. The name’s Baiken, and I know my way around the sword. The kid told me everything… That this was a plot by some nasty people. You protect my people, and I’ll protect you. Even if it costs my life.”)
Brendan’s Versus Battles 
