Chapter 23

In the heart of a barren wasteland, deep within the Dragon Ball world, three figures stood in an eerie silence. The wind howled past crumbling rocks, kicking up dust as the setting sun cast long shadows over the land. Gohan stood opposite his father, Goku, his small fists clenched tightly as his heart pounded against his chest.

"Master, are we really doing this?" Gohan finally asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

His gaze darted toward Naruto, the enigmatic teacher who had been guiding them for the past month. The man had a kind smile, but to Gohan, it felt anything but reassuring.

"I really should have run away when I heard about the pain," Gohan thought, his nerves fraying. "I don't think this will end well."

Naruto, still wearing that same smile, tilted his head slightly. "Gohan, trust me. Haven't I always done what's best for you?"

Gohan hesitated. "Yes, but—"

That smile lingered.

Gohan couldn't shake off the ominous feeling that settled in his chest.

He is sadistic.

Sadistic.

Sadistic.

The word echoed in his mind like a cursed mantra.

Sensing his son's panic, Goku stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Gohan, don't be afraid. I'm here for you, and Naruto will heal you when we're done—like always."

The boy looked up at his father, seeing nothing but warmth and encouragement. He had no reason to doubt Goku's words, yet his instincts screamed at him to run.

They had been in this grueling training program for a full month. Naruto had taken them both under his wing, not just to teach them, but to prepare them for something far greater. He had made it clear that he needed them to grow stronger—not for his sake, but for theirs.

Gohan gritted his teeth. I need power to protect my family.

Naruto had warned them about a looming threat. One that he himself could easily destroy, but if he did, it would attract even more dangerous enemies. That meant they had to stand on their own. No relying on Naruto. No shortcuts.

The boy's resolve hardened.

"I am ready," Gohan muttered, lowering into his fighting stance.

Goku smiled, proud of his son's determination. "That's my boy."

Naruto remained silent, observing with sharp, calculating eyes. He had structured their training in a way that accelerated their growth without them realizing the depths of his planning. He had studied them both—their strengths, their weaknesses, their potential—and tailored brutal yet effective methods to bring out their absolute best.

For a whole month, they had fought inside the illusion world—a nightmarish domain where death was simulated in all its painful glory. Goku had endured countless battles, learning through sheer suffering, but Gohan?

Naruto had held back.

He wasn't heartless enough to subject a child to true despair… yet.

Kurama had mocked him for it, but Naruto knew the truth—there was a fine line between hardening someone through struggle and breaking them completely. Gohan would reach that point eventually, but for now, he was still young.

Today's training was different.

Naruto had decided to test them in the real world, away from the illusion. No artificial pain. No resets. This was genuine combat.

He watched as father and son faced off, sensing the hesitation in Gohan's stance. He was strong, but still lacked the killer instinct that true warriors possessed.

"You need real combat," Naruto spoke up, making Gohan flinch. "You Saiyans grow stronger after each battle, and your potential surpasses most beings in existence. But if you don't push yourself beyond your comfort, you will never become the warrior you're meant to be."

Gohan swallowed his fear and nodded. I have to do this.

The sky above the battlefield burned with the dying light of the sun, painting the clouds in fiery hues of orange and red. The wind howled through the mountains, carrying the tension of the upcoming clash.

Goku stood tall, his stance relaxed yet firm, a knowing smile on his face. This was a different kind of fight—not one for survival, not one for justice—this was a battle of growth. It was the first time he would fight his son, not beside him.

For the first time, they would fight with nothing holding them back.

"Here I come!" Goku announced, his excitement bubbling over as his muscles tensed, ready to move.

Gohan, standing opposite him, felt his heartbeat quicken. But instead of fear, a sense of exhilaration ran through him.

This is it. My first real battle.

He clenched his fists, eyes locked onto his father. "Get ready, Dad! I won't go easy on you!"

Then, he flew forward with explosive force.

Their battle ignited the sky like a storm. Fists clashed against fists, shockwaves rippled through the atmosphere, and the very air trembled beneath the weight of their power.

The fight took them across the world—one moment they were in the skies, exchanging rapid strikes with dizzying speed, the next they were crashing into the ocean, sending tidal waves surging across the horizon. Mountains crumbled beneath the sheer force of their blows. Each strike carried the power to obliterate an ordinary warrior, but for them, this was only the beginning.

The battle lasted an hour, an eternity for most warriors, but merely a testament to the endurance they had built through Naruto's grueling training. Every moment, every exchange, sharpened their instincts and pushed them further.

One would expect Goku, the seasoned warrior, to win. His experience was unmatched. His skill had been honed over decades of battle.

And yet—

A sudden instinct took over Gohan.

In the heat of the fight, his mind blurred, his body moved on its own. His energy surged, coalescing into a blindingly concentrated blast, aimed straight at his father's chest.

Boom!

Goku's eyes widened as the attack pierced through him—a perfect, lethal shot. A gaping hole appeared in his stomach, his body momentarily frozen before he began plummeting from the sky.

Gohan's heart stopped.

"Father!" he screamed in terror, his body trembling as he reached out uselessly. His breath caught in his throat, his stomach twisted painfully.

Then—Naruto moved.

Like a phantom appearing out of nowhere, Naruto caught Goku mid-air, effortlessly holding his lifeless body.

"Gohan, don't worry," Naruto said, his tone calm, almost amused. "See? He's smiling like he's high on something."

Gohan blinked in shock, his panic momentarily forgotten as he looked at his father's face. Goku was grinning.

Naruto raised a hand, his natural energy enveloping Goku's wounded body. The deep hole in his stomach closed rapidly, muscle and skin knitting back together as if time itself had reversed.

Gohan gasped, clutching his chest as relief flooded through him. He had felt on the verge of breaking, but seeing his father's wounds heal so quickly made his fear dissipate.

"See? Nothing to worry about," Naruto reassured him, patting his head like a proud teacher. "You should get used to it. It's nothing much… unless it's true death."

Something about the way he said it shifted Gohan's entire worldview.

As long as it's not true death…

A dangerous but liberating thought took root in his mind.

Pain didn't matter. Injury didn't matter. Only growth mattered.

His body could be destroyed and rebuilt. His strength could rise endlessly.

There was no limit, as long as he kept fighting.

"That was freakin' awesome, Gohan!" Goku suddenly exclaimed as he sat up, still grinning like a madman. He wrapped his arms around his son in a tight hug, completely unfazed by the fact that he had just been obliterated moments ago.

"You're definitely my champion! Don't worry about the pain or the loss—I'm overjoyed!"

Gohan hesitated, looking up at his father's beaming face. "Really?"

"Of course! You're my son! And as a father, I couldn't be prouder to see you grow even stronger than me."

Naruto chuckled, crossing his arms. "Well, he was born with more power than you. That's why he won—not because of skill. But sure, a father should be happy when their kid surpasses them."

Goku laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Guess that's true, huh?"

Even as they spoke, Goku's energy had already skyrocketed past Gohan's.

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly, a thought lingering in his mind.

I was thinking physical training helped them like it did for me… but this is insane.

What is the limit of this property?

Saiyans truly were monsters when it came to growth.

Gohan clenched his fists, newfound determination lighting up his gaze. "I'll try even harder next time!"

Naruto's smirk widened. "Good. Then fight again."

Gohan froze. "W-Wait, right now?!"

Naruto pointed at Goku. "He's stronger than you now, so let's see how you improvise against a superior opponent."

Gohan turned to his father just in time to see his excited smile.

"Let's go, Gohan!" Goku declared—

Then he vanished.

Before Gohan could react—

BOOM!

Gohan's entire world exploded in pain as his father pile-drived him straight into a mountain.

The rocky landscape shattered upon impact, dust and debris flying everywhere as Gohan's body disappeared into the rubble.

Naruto watched in amusement, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah," he muttered to himself. "This is going to be fun."

The battlefield, still scarred from Goku and Gohan's brutal training, fell silent as Naruto suddenly raised a hand. His sharp gaze pierced through the skies, sensing something—someone—approaching from beyond the atmosphere.

"Stop, guys." His voice carried a commanding weight, instantly halting Goku's relentless assault on his son. "I can sense someone connected to you, and they're in need of discipline."

The two Saiyans perked up immediately, exchanging glances before looking toward the sky.

Gohan, bruised and covered in dust, smiled with uncharacteristic enthusiasm—for once, he wasn't going to be on the receiving end of a merciless beating. Instead, someone else would take his place.

Goku's grin widened with excitement, his battle-hungry Saiyan instincts kicking in. Naruto had successfully corrupted even the pure-hearted warriors with his unorthodox methods.

Discipline?

They all knew what that meant.

Beating.

Beating until understanding was forced into their skulls.

The innocent boy who once hesitated to fight had long since learned that pain and struggle were the best teachers. He now looked forward to delivering "discipline" to someone else for a change.

Far above them, a lone space pod streaked toward the planet, cutting through the sky like a blazing comet.

Its occupant, the Saiyan warrior Raditz, remained blissfully unaware of the horrors awaiting him below.

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. The two savages had truly lost all sense of restraint.

"I wonder how they became so carnivorous…" he muttered, watching as the father-and-son duo launched into the sky, their auras crackling with barely contained power. "Saiyans really are an uncultured bunch."

Without another word, Goku and Gohan shot into space at blinding speed, their figures vanishing into the void, heading straight for their unfortunate relative.

Raditz was flying straight into his worst nightmare.