Chapter 13: Training for the Future – The Road to Strength
Chapter 13: Training for the Future – The Road to Strength
The sun crept higher above the horizon as Goku, Aera, and Android 8 descended from the mountains, the world at peace once more. The Dragon Balls were scattered once again, their glow fading into myth until the next great need would call upon them.
Aera skipped along the path ahead, humming to herself. "Goku~? What now? Are there more strong people to punch?"
Goku stretched, his tail swaying behind him. "We're gonna train! The next Tenkaichi Budokai is in three years, and I want to be ready."
"I wanna train too! I wanna get so strong even trees say 'wow' when I walk by."
Android 8 chuckled. "Then we should find someone who can teach you even more than what you've already learned."
Goku's eyes lit up. "I know just the guy—Master Roshi!"
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Return to Kame House
A week later, after crossing half the globe and fending off bandits, sea serpents, and one very persistent lovesick dinosaur, the trio arrived at a small pink house on a tiny island.
Kame House.
Master Roshi was lounging in a chair, sunglasses reflecting the ocean.
"Well, if it isn't my little monkey boy!" he said, springing to his feet.
"Master Roshi!" Goku grinned. "We wanna train!"
Aera waved. "Hi, I'm back!."
Master Roshi turned red. "A-Aera? I've heard You knocked out an entire pirate base with a hug."
"Only half! The other half fell over after I said hi."
"She's… perfect," Roshi mumbled.
Android 8 cleared his throat menacingly.
"Right, right. Training! You two want to get stronger, huh? Well, I've got some classic Turtle School methods for that."
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The Turtle Hermit's Training Regimen
For the next several weeks, Goku and Aera woke up before dawn and trained until the stars twinkled above. Roshi's methods were intense but bizarre: delivering milk up steep mountain paths, plowing fields by hand, swimming from island to island with weights tied to their ankles.
"Why are we carrying this big rock with a turtle on it?" Aera asked one morning.
"Because the turtle believes in you," Roshi said wisely.
"I shall not let him down!" she declared, charging uphill.
While Goku trained with his usual hunger for strength, Aera approached each challenge with cheerful chaos. When told to break a boulder with a punch, she apologized to the rock before splitting it in half with a smile. When tasked with dodging bees for agility, she invited them to race her instead.
But what stunned Roshi most was her growth. Despite her innocence, Aera's instincts sharpened rapidly. Her speed became a blur, and her strength began to match even Goku's during their sparring sessions.
One night, as the waves lapped against the island shore, Goku and Aera sat watching the stars.
"I think I'm getting stronger," Aera whispered.
"You are. Way stronger," Goku said. "But you still fight all happy. Like it's a game."
"Because it is! A game where everyone plays tag with punches."
"Even the bad guys?"
She tilted her head. "Maybe they just need someone to tag them hard enough. Then they'll smile."
Goku laughed. "You're weird, Aera. But I like it."
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Meanwhile... Far Away
High in a tower above the desert, a stern boy with lavender hair meditated in silence.
Tien Shinhan.
"Master Shen," he said, rising. "There's talk of a monkey-tailed boy who toppled the Red Ribbon Army. And a girl with unmatched strength."
His master sneered. "I've heard. They'll be at the next World Martial Arts Tournament. You must defeat them."
Tien's eyes burned with purpose.
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The Training Deepens
Back on Kame Island, Roshi decided to test the duo with an ancient method: the Shell Test.
"You must wear these 50-kilogram turtle shells at all times. Do your training with them. Eat with them. Sleep with them."
Aera squealed. "They're so cozy! Can I name mine?"
"Uh… sure?"
She hugged hers. "I'll call you Mr. Crunchy."
As weeks passed, they adapted to the weights. Sparring between Aera and Goku became explosive, shaking the island and sending Roshi diving for cover. Even Android 8 joined in on some sessions, serving as a moving wall for them to dodge and strike.
During one match, Goku leapt forward with a series of kicks, each blocked by Aera's forearms. She ducked under his next punch and launched an uppercut that sent him flying—but Goku flipped midair and landed on his feet.
They both panted, grinning.
"You're really strong now," he said.
"You too! Want a rice ball?"
"Always."
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One Year Later
They had become legends.
Villagers, travelers, even small-time fighters had heard of the two prodigies on a remote island. When Goku and Aera ventured to the mainland, people gathered in awe.
Aera, clueless as ever, just waved. "Hi! Do you want to spar? Or maybe share snacks?"
Her kindness melted even the roughest rogues. Thieves returned wallets. Bandits begged for lessons.
One young girl named Lime followed Aera around for days, calling her "Master."
"But I don't teach! I just punch and smile!"
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Closing the Year
As the second year neared its end, Roshi stood with Goku and Aera atop a grassy cliff.
"You've both grown so much," he said, smiling beneath his sunglasses. "Stronger than I could've ever imagined."
"We still have a year left!" Aera said, bouncing. "We can get even stronger!"
Goku nodded. "We'll train harder than ever."
"Good," Roshi said. "Because you'll need it. That tournament's gonna bring warriors from all over the world. And not all of them will be as nice as you two."
Aera tilted her head. "Then we'll punch them with extra kindness!"
The ocean breeze swept through their hair.
The road to the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament had begun—and with it, the dawn of new rivalries, challenges, and adventures.
But one thing was certain:
The world had never seen anyone quite like Aera.
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End of Chapter 13