Chapter 12

Goku stood on a rocky plateau, drenched in sweat, his body barely holding itself together. His orange gi was torn in multiple places, dirt and blood smeared across his arms and chest. His breathing was heavy, his posture slouched—not from exhaustion, but from the sheer weight strapped to his body. Gigantic boulders, wrapped in thick ropes, hung from his back, pressing down on him with crushing force. Each step was agony, his muscles screaming in protest.

Yet, his grin never faded.

He had been training harder than ever before. After his first conversation with Naruto, Goku had taken his words to heart. He pushed himself to his limits and beyond—smashing through mountains, firing Kamehameha waves at himself just to strengthen his resistance, and even asking his friends to join him in his training.

Krillin and Tien had been especially eager. Learning about the greater universe beyond Earth had filled them with excitement, and both were determined not to fall behind. Even Bulma, usually the one scolding them for their reckless behavior, had taken a keen interest in Naruto's knowledge. After hearing about the potential threats lurking in the cosmos, she had insisted on preparing for the future.

"Goku, next time you talk to this Naruto guy, ask him how I can help!" she had said. "I might not be able to fight, but I can build things that could save your lives!"

And so, despite his battered state, Goku was more fired up than ever.

His communicator buzzed, signaling a new message from the Heroes Chat Group. The moment he checked it, golden light erupted from his phone, forming a familiar figure in midair.

Naruto appeared above the device, standing casually with his arms crossed. His spiky blonde hair and deep blue eyes held their usual confident gleam, but the flickering glow around his body reminded Goku that this wasn't actually him—just a projection made of light.

"Yo, Goku," Naruto greeted, his gaze immediately scanning the Saiyan's battered form. "You look like you've been through hell."

Goku chuckled, shifting under the crushing weight on his back. "Heh, yeah! I took your advice and trained harder! I even blasted myself with Kamehameha to toughen up!"

Naruto blinked. "Wait… you what?"

"I shot a Kamehameha at myself!" Goku said proudly, flexing what little strength he had left. "It actually helped! My body's getting used to taking hits from energy attacks!"

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose. "I meant training smarter, not giving yourself near-death experiences every day."

"Eh, same thing," Goku shrugged—or at least, he tried to, but the massive weights kept him from moving much.

Naruto sighed. "Alright, as long as you're making progress. But try not to kill yourself before you actually need to fight something serious."

Goku grinned. "Don't worry, I've been using Senzu Beans to recover! It's really helping me push my limits!"

Naruto smirked. "Good. That means you're getting stronger at a decent rate. But tell me, why the sudden weight training? I don't remember suggesting that part."

"Oh! That was Tien's idea!" Goku explained. "After I told him about the stronger enemies out there, he and Krillin got really excited and wanted to train even harder! So we all started using crazy weights to build up our endurance! Even Master Roshi said we were onto something!"

Naruto nodded approvingly. "I like the spirit. Strengthening your body while pushing your limits will help in the long run. But what about Bulma? You mentioned she wanted to help."

Goku's face lit up. "Oh yeah! She said she wants to talk to you!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Talk to me? Why?"

"She said if there are dangerous threats out there, she wants to help prepare for them. She's really smart, you know! She can build all sorts of stuff! Maybe even things that could help us get stronger!"

Naruto crossed his arms, thinking. "That's actually a great idea. A genius scientist like her could make some serious contributions. Technology and magic aren't too different, after all. If she's serious, I can guide her in the right direction."

Goku grinned. "Awesome! She's gonna be really happy to hear that!"

Goku's eyes widened with excitement, his body tingling with anticipation. "Now, Can we fight?" he asked eagerly, clenching his fists. The mere sight of someone appearing out of thin air was enough to spark his battle instincts.

Naruto chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "I'm not really here. This body is made from light—it's more like a projection than an actual physical form." He flexed his fingers, but there was a subtle stiffness to his movements. Even his usually vibrant energy felt distant, as though something was preventing him from fully connecting to this world.

Goku's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Aww, I was really looking forward to a spar…" he muttered, scratching the back of his head. His childlike enthusiasm dimmed for a moment, but it never took long for Goku to bounce back.

Naruto, seeing the clear desire in Goku's eyes, smirked slightly. "There is a way for us to fight," he said, tilting his head. "I can solidify this body by manipulating light, but that would make me ridiculously weak. The other option is far better and will give you exactly what you want. We can fight without holding back—inside an illusion world."

Goku blinked, considering it. "An illusion world? What's that?"

"Think of it as a completely real battlefield created by my power," Naruto explained. "It'll look and feel just like reality. You'll feel pain, exhaustion, and everything else, but no real injuries will remain when it's over."

Goku's excitement returned in full force. "That sounds awesome! Let's do it!" His grin stretched from ear to ear as he hopped to his feet, already imagining the intense battle to come.

Before they jumped into the fight, Naruto held up a hand. "Hold on a second. Before we start, there are a few things I want to talk to you about."

Goku tilted his head. "Huh? Like what?"

Naruto's expression turned serious. "First off, you're not actually human. You're an alien—more specifically, a Saiyan. You came to Earth as a baby in a space pod."

Goku frowned in confusion. "An alien?" He had never really given much thought to his origins before.

Naruto continued, showing him a series of images that played like a movie in the air. It showed a glimpse of Planet Vegeta, Saiyan warriors in battle, and finally, a small pod carrying an infant Goku as it crashed onto Earth.

"You should look into your origins. There's a whole universe out there, waiting for you to explore," Naruto said.

Goku stared at the images of his supposed home planet and his Saiyan brethren. Though he didn't feel any deep emotional connection, the knowledge still intrigued him.

"Huh… I never thought about it before," Goku admitted, his expression thoughtful.

Naruto smirked. "Good. Now, you ready for that fight?"

Goku's grin widened even more. "You bet I am!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the world around them began to shift. The rocky plateau of Mount Paozu faded away, replaced by a massive tournament ring floating in an endless void. The ground beneath them was smooth white stone, while the sky swirled with shifting colors, reflecting their forms like a cosmic mirror.

Goku felt a sudden weightlessness as his training boulders vanished, freeing his movements. He bounced on his feet, rolling his shoulders.

"Whoa! I feel lighter already!" he said, throwing a few punches to test his body.

Naruto cracked his knuckles. "Be careful, Goku. This illusion world makes everything feel real. Pain, exhaustion—everything. You might not die, but you'll feel every punch just like you would in reality."

Goku smirked, dropping into his fighting stance. "Sounds fun!"

Naruto mirrored his stance, golden energy flickering around him. "Alright then—let's begin."

With a flash, the battle started.

Naruto stood calmly in the center of the illusionary arena, his stance relaxed but firm. His blue eyes glowed with an amused yet critical gaze as he watched Goku tense up, energy surging around his form. The Saiyan's excitement was practically radiating off him, his battle-hungry spirit eager to test his limits against a true warrior.

"You can start," Naruto said, motioning with his hand.

That was all the invitation Goku needed. With a grin, he launched himself forward, his speed a blur to an untrained eye. Dust and energy rippled in his wake as he closed the distance in an instant.

Yet to Naruto, he was slow.

'Around Mach 10 or so,' Naruto calculated mid-motion. 'His power is incredible, but his speed doesn't match up. The gap is too big.'

Goku threw a powerful straight punch, aiming for Naruto's face, followed by a quick right hook and a left kick. But to Naruto, the movements were predictable. With a casual tilt of his head, he dodged the first strike, effortlessly weaving past the hook. When the kick came, he raised his hand and blocked it with ease, barely shifting his stance.

Then, he struck.

With a single, precise hit to Goku's abdomen, Naruto sent him flying out of the ring. The impact was devastating—Goku crashed into the illusionary barrier with a heavy thud, the wind forcibly knocked from his lungs. His vision blurred for a moment as the pain spread through his body, his insides feeling as though they had been rattled like dice in a cup.

Naruto stood where he was, hands in his pockets. His expression was unreadable, but his voice carried a sharp edge.

"Too slow. I was faster than that when I was barely trained."

Goku gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the sharp pain in his ribs. His stomach churned from the damage, and he could feel something was off inside—maybe a few broken ribs, maybe some internal bleeding.

'He's good…' Goku thought, forcing himself to stand back up. His legs wobbled slightly, but he ignored it.

Despite the pain, excitement burned in his chest. He lived for moments like this—where he could fight someone leagues beyond him and grow.

Naruto saw it in his eyes. Same kind of animal.

Without hesitation, Goku sprang into action again, this time shifting his approach. He quickly charged up energy in his hands, launching multiple Ki blasts from different angles to box Naruto in. At the same time, he leaped backward, gathering energy in his palms.

"Ka… me… ha… me…"

The blue glow intensified, reflecting in his eyes as he charged his signature attack.

But Naruto only sighed, effortlessly weaving between the incoming Ki blasts. The energy spheres exploded around him, but he emerged unscathed, his movement so precise it seemed almost lazy.

"The energy attacks are strong," he muttered, "but again… too slow."

Before Goku could finish his Kamehameha, Naruto vanished.

—Then he reappeared behind him.

Goku barely had time to react before his face was smashed into the ground, his arms caught and pinned behind him. Naruto's knee pressed into his back, keeping him completely immobilized.

The pressure was immense.

Goku struggled, but the grip was like iron. His body screamed in protest, his Ki fluctuating as he realized—he couldn't break free.

Naruto's voice was firm, almost disappointed. "You have the power to be much stronger, yet you let yourself stagnate for so long."

Goku clenched his teeth. "I've been training—!"

"Not enough."

The pressure increased.

Naruto could tell Goku wasn't used to being truly outmatched. He needed to understand what real pain felt like.

Then, with a sharp pull—

RIP.

Goku's arms came clean off.

The pain was immediate.

Goku's scream tore through the illusionary world as raw agony exploded through his body. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before—worse than any battle wound, worse than any energy blast. His vision blurred, his mind barely able to comprehend the sheer level of pain.

And then—he woke up.

Gasping for air, Goku shot up, his heart pounding. He was back in reality, his body intact—but the ghost of the pain lingered. His knees buckled beneath him as he collapsed, sweat dripping down his face.

His body remembered the suffering.

Naruto stood before him, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but his words were sharp.

"See the consequences of wasting your life?" Naruto's tone was calm but heavy. "You could have been stronger. We could have had a real fight. But you disappoint me, Goku."

Goku sat there, breathing heavily, his fingers digging into the dirt beneath him. He was shaken—not just from the pain, but from Naruto's words.

But then, his lips curled into a small, determined smile.

"I didn't waste my life," he said, his voice steadier now. "Even if I'm weak compared to you, I've lived a fulfilling life."

Naruto paused.

For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes—something almost like… regret.

"Apologies," Naruto said at last. "I didn't mean to offend. It just reminds me of a time when I made some regretful decisions."

The tension in the air shifted.

Naruto extended a hand toward Goku, a small smirk returning to his face. "Let's put that aside. From now on, we'll have actual spars, and I'll guide you. Let's see how strong you can really become."

Goku stared at the hand, then up at Naruto's face. After a moment, he grinned and clasped it.

"Fine. But no more of that attitude."

Naruto chuckled. "Aww, was the little baby hurt? Do you want mister to talk like this?" he cooed in a mock-baby voice, tilting his head playfully.

Goku twitched. "Okay, now you're asking for it!"

The two warriors laughed.

Even though the pain still lingered, Goku had never been more excited for the battles to come.