Chapter 6: The Monkey King Challenges Lord Seventh
Heroes Chat Group
Oppai Dragon: YOU FIEND! NEVER HAVE I ENCOUNTERED SUCH CORRUPT AND FOUL-MINDED PERVERSITY! HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED A CAREER AS A DEMON?!
For several seconds, the Heroes Chat Group went silent.
Then—
Neo One for All: LMAO!
A picture appeared beneath the message, showing a man falling backward out of his chair while laughing uncontrollably.
Lord Seventh: I've considered it, actually. Unfortunately, the demons said I was too evil for their tastes.
He attached another picture.
This one showed a little girl smiling sweetly at the camera while a house burned merrily in the background.
Glutton: LOL! Now THAT'S how you respond!
Another picture appeared, featuring a muscular man giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Glutton: Honestly, Lord Seventh, I didn't expect you to be this carefree. I figured someone with your power would be all serious and mysterious.
Lord Seventh: Being serious all the time sounds exhausting. Besides, life's too short not to have fun!
Oppai Dragon: EASY FOR YOU TO SAY! YOU JUST DESTROYED MY INNOCENCE!
Grand Scholar: I believe that innocence was already in questionable condition.
Neo One for All: PFFT!
Issei Hyoudou stared at his phone.
These people were having the time of their lives.
At his expense.
Normally, that would've been enough to ruin his day. Being the school pervert didn't exactly make him popular, and the other students at Kuoh Academy had a rather unfortunate habit of expressing their displeasure physically.
Usually with fists.
Occasionally with textbooks.
Once with a chair.
He still maintained that the chair had been unnecessary.
But this felt different.
Nobody was genuinely trying to hurt him. They were just joking around, the way friends did.
Huh. These guys aren't so bad.
Of course, that didn't mean he intended to surrender without a fight.
Issei searched through the phone's collection of images and found the perfect response.
A picture appeared in the chat showing a father and daughter jumping together on a beach.
Unfortunately, the little girl's hand had slipped from her father's.
Oppai Dragon: Why have you betrayed me, Father?!
Naruto responded almost immediately.
Lord Seventh: With a name like that, you're no son of mine!
He attached a picture of a man kicking another man off a cliff.
Grand Scholar: I believe that is what people call savage.
All for One: Apply holy water to the burned area.
Oppai Dragon: YOU PEOPLE ARE MONSTERS!
Naruto was laughing so hard that Kurama had begun questioning whether the Seventh Hokage had finally lost whatever remained of his sanity.
Then another message appeared.
Ruin Princess: Wait a moment. Oppai Dragon, are you Issei Hyoudou from Kuoh Academy?
Issei froze.
His smile disappeared.
Eh?
He looked at the sender.
Ruin Princess.
Rias Gremory.
One of the most beautiful girls in his entire school.
More importantly, a girl he had admired from a distance for quite some time.
HOW DOES SHE KNOW?!
Across the school grounds, Rias was studying the profile picture attached to Issei's account.
The boy himself was recognizable enough.
But what interested her was the enormous dragon-like figure looming behind him.
She narrowed her eyes.
A dragon?
That was unexpected.
She knew Issei had twice-critical magical potential, but she hadn't discovered anything particularly remarkable about him.
Now, however, she was beginning to reconsider.
The chat group's names seemed connected to the members' identities.
If that pattern held true, then the name Oppai Dragon wasn't merely a commentary on Issei's unfortunate personality.
There was something else.
Something worth investigating.
Oppai Dragon: Who?
Rias smiled.
Oh, he was trying to act innocent.
How adorable.
Ruin Princess: Don't bother pretending. I recognize you.
Ruin Princess: And I think there's something special about you, Issei. Your profile suggests you have a connection to a dragon.
Oppai Dragon: Dragon? What dragon?
Ruin Princess: That's what I intend to find out. Stay where you are. I'm coming to meet you.
Issei stopped breathing.
Rias Gremory.
The Rias Gremory.
Was coming to meet him.
Personally.
His mind immediately supplied several scenarios, most of which would have gotten him slapped if spoken aloud.
Maybe she likes me!
Then he remembered Naruto's advice.
Don't assume a girl likes you just because she's being friendly. Try to understand her first.
Issei frowned.
Right. Right. I should be mature about this.
He nodded firmly.
For approximately three seconds.
Then his imagination took over again.
BUT RIAS GREMORY IS COMING TO SEE ME!
He typed a quick response.
Oppai Dragon: Okay! I'll wait!
Somewhere across dimensions, Naruto was reading the conversation with considerable amusement.
"Well, would you look at that? The kid might actually get a date."
Kurama snorted.
"Or get himself beaten senseless."
"Have a little faith!"
"I have faith in his ability to embarrass himself."
Naruto couldn't really argue with that.
The Great Dragon Debate
The conversation might have ended there.
Unfortunately, Naruto had another question.
And when Naruto Uzumaki became curious about something, the consequences were rarely predictable.
Lord Seventh: Hey, speaking of dragons, are they really that impressive in your worlds?
Lord Seventh: I mean, most of the ones I've seen just fly around and breathe fire. Some can destroy villages, sure, but that's not particularly exciting.
Lord Seventh: Toads are much cooler!
He attached an image of an enormous toad wearing samurai armor, holding a sword, and launching a spear of water from its mouth.
Lord Seventh: Look at that! Weapons, elemental techniques, martial arts, and even Sage Mode! Now THAT'S versatility!
Neo One for All: That's incredible! Is it a summoned creature?
Lord Seventh: Yep! One of my old friends!
Neo One for All: No offense, Lord Seventh, but I strongly disagree. Toads are disgusting. Dragons are clearly superior.
Glutton: Same here! The toads I've encountered weren't particularly strong, and they didn't taste that good either.
Naruto blinked.
Lord Seventh: You EAT toads?
Glutton: Of course! Why wouldn't I?
Lord Seventh: ...You know what? Never mind.
Glutton: Anyway, the dragon I encountered could fire lasers powerful enough to destroy planets. It was incredibly fast, too!
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Now that's more interesting."
Another message appeared.
Grand Scholar: I believe the matter depends on their abilities rather than their appearance.
Grand Scholar: The toad possesses functioning hands, allowing it to use weapons and perform complicated techniques. Its elemental abilities are also advantageous. However, a dragon capable of destroying planets would obviously possess overwhelming power.
Grand Scholar: Comparing them without considering their individual strengths is rather pointless.
Naruto nodded approvingly.
"Smart kid."
Golden Vixen: Boys, boys. Why are you arguing about toads and dragons when the answer is obvious?
Golden Vixen: Nine-tailed foxes are the best.
Naruto burst out laughing.
"Kurama, look at this!"
There was no response.
Naruto glanced toward his desk.
His phone was missing.
"...Huh?"
He turned.
Kurama was sitting behind him in miniature form, holding the device between his paws.
His tails swayed happily.
Lord Seventh: I agree completely! Kyuubi for life! Yo!
Naruto stared.
"Kurama."
The fox looked up.
"What?"
"Are you using my phone?"
"Obviously."
"Why?"
"Someone needed to correct those fools."
Naruto looked at the latest message.
Then at Kurama.
Then back at the message.
"...Seriously?"
Kurama gave him an innocent smile.
"Just stating facts."
Naruto shook his head.
"You're unbelievable."
He reclaimed the phone and returned to his routine examination of the planetary defense network.
Kurama, meanwhile, looked extremely pleased with himself.
Unfortunately, neither noticed how the rest of the group interpreted the exchange.
Neo One for All: Wait... was Lord Seventh flirting with Golden Vixen?
Glutton: Hahaha! Smooth!
Ruin Princess: I certainly hope he remembers that he is married.
Across dimensions, Yasaka read the messages with a small smile.
Her daughter Kunou was sitting comfortably on her lap.
"Mama?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Is that the nice man you were talking to?"
Yasaka nodded.
Kunou tilted her head.
"Will he be my new daddy?"
Yasaka nearly dropped the phone.
"Kunou!"
"What?"
The little fox girl looked genuinely confused.
Yasaka sighed.
"He's already married, sweetheart."
"Oh."
Kunou considered that.
"Can he still be our friend?"
Yasaka smiled.
"Of course."
Kunou nodded happily.
"Good! I want to meet his fox!"
Yasaka laughed.
Somewhere in Konoha, Kurama suddenly sneezed.
Naruto glanced at him.
"You alright?"
The fox narrowed his eyes.
"Someone's talking about me."
"Probably complaining."
"Shut up."
Monkey King — A Meeting Between Worlds
Goku had been waiting impatiently.
And by impatiently, we mean he had checked his phone approximately forty-seven times in the space of five minutes.
His excitement was understandable.
After all, it wasn't every day that someone from another universe promised to visit.
Especially someone who claimed to be far stronger than him.
"Come on, come on..."
The phone suddenly glowed.
A beam of light emerged from its screen, expanding into the shape of a human figure.
Golden particles swirled together.
And a moment later, Naruto Uzumaki appeared before him.
Well, not exactly.
It was a projection.
But a remarkably convincing one.
"Yo!"
Naruto grinned and raised his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Monkey King!"
Goku stared.
Then his face lit up.
"Whoa! That's awesome!"
He immediately adopted a fighting stance.
"Alright! Let's fight!"
Naruto blinked.
"Seriously? Not even a hello?"
"Oh! Right!" Goku laughed. "Hi! I'm Goku! Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too."
"Great! Now let's fight!"
Naruto stared at him.
Then burst out laughing.
"Man, you really are something else!"
Goku scratched his head.
"Hehe!"
Naruto folded his arms.
"Unfortunately, this isn't my real body. It's a projection made from light and chakra. I can't fight properly with it."
Goku's shoulders slumped.
"Aww, really?"
"Afraid so."
"That's disappointing."
Naruto considered his expression.
Then smiled.
"Actually, there's another way."
Goku immediately straightened.
"Really?!"
"Yep. I could temporarily give this projection a physical form, but it wouldn't be strong enough to provide a worthwhile fight."
Naruto raised a finger.
"Or we could fight inside an illusionary world."
Goku blinked.
"An illusion?"
"Think of it as a training dimension created inside your mind. Everything would feel real, and we could fight without destroying your surroundings."
Goku's grin returned.
"That's perfect!"
"Just remember, you'll experience pain like you would in reality."
"No problem!"
Naruto chuckled.
"Figured you'd say that."
Before beginning, however, he studied Goku more carefully.
"By the way, there's something you should know about yourself."
"Huh?"
"You're not human."
Goku blinked.
"...I'm not?"
"Nope. You're an alien. You came to Earth from another planet when you were little."
Naruto displayed several images obtained through his analysis of Goku's body and the information surrounding his origins.
Goku stared at them.
An unfamiliar spacecraft.
A distant world.
And beings who looked remarkably similar to him.
"Huh..."
He rubbed his chin.
"Well, that explains a few things."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"That's it?"
"What?"
"You're taking this pretty well."
Goku shrugged.
"I already knew I was different from most people. I used to have a tail, remember?"
"Fair point."
Goku studied the images a little longer.
"Guess there's more to learn about where I came from."
"Definitely. But don't forget what I said about training."
Naruto's expression became thoughtful.
"You're naturally powerful, and you've got plenty of room to grow. But you shouldn't wait for a dangerous enemy to appear before improving."
Goku nodded.
"Yeah. I was thinking about that."
"Good. Set your own goals. Increase the difficulty gradually, improve your techniques, and experiment with your ki."
Naruto smiled.
"There's no need to rush. Just keep getting better than you were yesterday."
Goku grinned.
"Now that's something I can do!"
He clenched his fists.
"So! Can we fight now?"
Naruto laughed.
"Alright, alright!"
He raised his hand.
A golden seal appeared in the air.
The world changed.
The Illusionary Arena
Goku blinked.
The grassy landscape around his home had disappeared.
He was standing inside an enormous circular arena surrounded by mountains.
The sky was clear.
The ground beneath his feet felt solid.
Even the wind seemed real.
"Whoa..."
He crouched and touched the stone floor.
Then tapped it with his knuckles.
"That's amazing!"
Naruto stood several meters away.
"Pretty convincing, right?"
"Yeah! It feels just like the real thing!"
"That's the idea."
Naruto stretched his shoulders and adopted a relaxed fighting stance.
Goku watched carefully.
His excitement grew.
There was something unusual about Naruto's posture.
It looked casual.
Almost careless.
Yet Goku couldn't find a single obvious opening.
He's good.
That realization made him smile.
Naruto raised one hand.
"Alright, Goku. Show me what you've got."
Goku grinned.
"Don't blame me if you get hurt!"
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Here I come!"
Goku vanished.
Not literally, of course.
He simply moved so quickly that an ordinary person wouldn't have seen him leave.
Lightning-fast movement carried him across the arena.
The stone beneath his feet shattered as he closed the distance, throwing a straight punch toward Naruto's face.
Naruto tilted his head.
The fist missed by inches.
Goku immediately followed with a hook.
Naruto leaned backward.
Another miss.
Goku spun into a powerful kick.
This time, Naruto raised his forearm.
BOOM!
The collision sent a tremendous shockwave across the arena.
Cracks spread through the ground, and a nearby mountain trembled beneath the pressure.
Goku's eyes widened.
Naruto hadn't moved.
Not even an inch.
"Nice kick," Naruto commented.
Then he countered.
His palm struck Goku's abdomen.
THUD!
The impact folded Goku forward.
Before the Saiyan could recover, Naruto stepped aside, caught his arm, and redirected his momentum.
Goku went flying.
He struck the arena floor, bounced twice, and carved a long trench through the stone before coming to a stop.
"Ugh!"
He rolled onto one knee.
Pain spread through his abdomen.
That single palm strike had disrupted his breathing and temporarily robbed him of the ability to gather ki properly.
What was that?
Goku had experienced powerful attacks before.
But Naruto hadn't simply hit him hard.
He had struck precisely where the blow would interfere with his movements.
Across the arena, Naruto lowered his hand.
"Your speed's impressive."
Goku looked up.
Naruto continued.
"But you're telegraphing your attacks. You're giving me enough information to predict what comes next."
Goku grinned despite the pain.
"Then I'll just have to surprise you!"
He vanished again.
This time, he approached from the side.
A rapid combination of punches followed.
Naruto dodged the first three, deflected the fourth, and slipped beneath the fifth.
Goku changed direction instantly.
His leg swept toward Naruto's ankles.
Naruto jumped.
Exactly as Goku intended.
"Gotcha!"
Goku twisted upward and launched a powerful kick toward Naruto's exposed side.
Naruto smiled.
"Oh, clever."
He caught Goku's ankle.
Then pulled.
Goku found himself hurtling toward the ground.
He twisted in midair, brought his hands together, and fired a concentrated ki blast.
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed the arena.
Dust and broken stone rose into the sky.
Goku landed several meters away.
He smiled.
"That got him!"
"Not quite."
Goku froze.
Naruto stood behind him.
"Your timing was good, though."
A sharp strike landed against Goku's shoulder.
His arm went numb.
Before he could react, Naruto swept his supporting leg and drove him into the ground.
Goku attempted to rise.
Naruto planted a knee against his back and controlled his arm in a joint lock.
"Got you."
Goku struggled.
Nothing.
The harder he tried to move, the more firmly Naruto controlled him.
"Whoa! That's a good hold!"
"Thanks!"
"Can you teach me that?"
Naruto blinked.
Then laughed.
"Sure. After the fight."
Goku grinned.
"Deal!"
Naruto released him and stepped back.
Goku rolled to his feet.
Despite being thrown around like a particularly durable sack of potatoes, he was having an excellent time.
His opponent was skilled.
Really skilled.
And Goku loved that.
"Alright!" he shouted. "Let's get serious!"
His ki erupted.
The air trembled.
The mountains surrounding the arena began shaking as his energy surged outward.
Naruto watched with interest.
Goku's ordinary combat power was already sufficient to devastate an entire continent.
The force behind his blows was enormous, and his lightning-fast movements made him a dangerous opponent for anyone who couldn't keep up.
But raw power wasn't everything.
And Naruto possessed a rather unfair advantage in almost every category.
He folded his arms.
"Come on, Goku. Surprise me."
Goku grinned.
"Gladly!"
He thrust both hands forward.
A storm of ki blasts erupted across the arena.
Not one.
Not ten.
Dozens.
The projectiles streaked toward Naruto from different directions, exploding with enough force to shatter mountains.
Naruto moved.
To Goku, it looked as though the blond man was casually walking through the attacks.
A slight turn avoided one blast.
A sideways step slipped between two others.
A flick of his wrist redirected another toward the sky.
The explosions intensified.
Goku kept moving, firing from different angles and attempting to restrict Naruto's escape routes.
He's dodging everything!
Naruto smiled.
"Better! You're thinking about positioning now!"
Goku narrowed his eyes.
Then how about this?
He abruptly stopped firing.
Instead, he swept around Naruto at tremendous speed, scattering small spheres of ki throughout the battlefield.
They hovered in the air.
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
Goku landed.
Then clenched his fist.
Every sphere exploded simultaneously.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire arena vanished beneath a brilliant flash.
Mountains crumbled.
The sky filled with dust and fire.
And Goku used the distraction to begin charging his strongest technique.
He planted his feet.
Cupped his hands.
Blue-white energy gathered between his palms.
"Ka..."
The air began vibrating.
Naruto watched from within the dissipating explosion.
"Oh?"
"Me..."
The growing sphere of energy illuminated Goku's face.
His muscles tensed.
The ground beneath him fractured.
"Ha..."
The power continued rising.
Goku's full-strength Kamehameha was no ordinary energy attack. At its maximum output, it possessed enough destructive force to destroy a small planet.
And he was putting everything he had into this one.
"Me..."
Naruto's expression sharpened.
Now that's more like it.
"HA!"
A massive beam of blue-white energy erupted from Goku's hands.
KAMEHAMEHA!
The attack tore across the battlefield.
Mountains vanished in its path.
The arena's stone floor disintegrated beneath the tremendous pressure.
Even the distant horizon seemed to disappear beneath the expanding light.
For a moment, Goku was certain Naruto couldn't possibly avoid it.
Unfortunately for him, Naruto had other ideas.
The Seventh Hokage stepped sideways.
That was it.
One step.
The enormous beam passed beside him, missing by the smallest margin.
Goku's eyes widened.
WHAT?!
Naruto appeared directly in front of him.
"Powerful attack."
Goku barely had time to react.
"But you committed everything to one direction."
Naruto struck.
His first blow hit Goku's forearm, disrupting the flow of ki.
The second drove into his abdomen, forcing the remaining energy from his lungs.
Then Naruto stepped behind him, caught his shoulder, and drove a precise strike into his back.
BAM!
Goku crashed into the ground.
Before he could recover, Naruto caught his wrist, twisted it into a controlled lock, and pinned him face-down against the shattered arena.
Goku struggled.
His body refused to cooperate.
The pressure against his shoulder prevented him from gathering enough leverage to escape, while the earlier blow had disrupted his breathing.
"Got you again," Naruto said.
Goku groaned.
"Yeah... I noticed."
Naruto chuckled.
He released the hold and stepped away.
Goku remained on the ground for several seconds.
Then rolled onto his back.
"Man..."
He stared at the sky.
"You're really strong."
Naruto smiled.
"Thanks."
"Like, REALLY strong."
"Hehe. I've had plenty of practice."
Goku slowly sat up.
His body ached.
His breathing was uneven.
And his pride had suffered a rather severe beating.
But his eyes were shining.
"That was amazing!"
Naruto laughed.
"You're enjoying this?"
"Of course!"
Goku jumped to his feet.
"I've never fought someone who could move like that! You weren't just faster. You knew exactly where I was going before I got there!"
Naruto nodded.
"Experience helps. But it's also about reading your opponent."
He raised a hand.
"When you attack, your body gives away information. Your shoulders, hips, breathing, even the direction of your eyes."
Goku listened carefully.
"If you learn to control those movements, you'll become much harder to predict."
"Huh..."
Goku looked down at his hands.
"That makes sense."
Naruto continued.
"And your Kamehameha is impressive, but charging it leaves you vulnerable. Against someone who can react faster than you, that can be dangerous."
Goku nodded.
"Yeah. I noticed."
"Try developing variations. Shorter bursts, controlled releases, attacks you can redirect after firing."
Naruto grinned.
"Who knows? You might surprise yourself."
Goku smiled.
"Hehe. I like that!"
The arena began to fade.
"Alright," Naruto said. "Let's take a break."
Goku blinked.
"Already?"
"You're exhausted."
"I can keep going!"
"I know. That's why I'm telling you to rest."
Goku opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
"...Fair enough."
A moment later, the illusion vanished.
Back Beneath the Sun
Goku opened his eyes.
He was sitting on the grass near his home.
His phone lay beside him.
His body was unharmed.
Yet the memory of the fight remained vivid.
Every impact.
Every dodge.
Every technique.
He rubbed his shoulder.
"Wow..."
Naruto's projection stood nearby.
"How was it?"
Goku grinned.
"Awesome!"
Then his expression became thoughtful.
"Hey, Naruto?"
"Hmm?"
"You said I've got a lot of potential, right?"
"Yep."
"And that I could be much stronger?"
"Definitely."
Goku scratched his cheek.
"Then I guess I've got some work to do."
Naruto smiled.
"That's the spirit."
Goku looked toward the mountains.
"I've always loved training. But lately, I think I've been waiting for someone strong to show up before I really push myself."
He laughed.
"Guess I got too comfortable!"
Naruto nodded.
"Nothing wrong with enjoying your life, Goku."
The Saiyan looked back at him.
"You've got a family, friends, and people you care about. That's not wasted time."
Naruto's expression softened.
"Training is important, but living is important too."
Goku smiled.
"Yeah. I wouldn't trade my family for anything."
"Good."
Naruto folded his arms.
"My point is that you don't need to wait for an enemy to force you to improve. Set your own goals. Challenge yourself a little more each day."
He grinned.
"And don't forget to enjoy the process."
Goku chuckled.
"Hehe. You sound like Master Roshi."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should! He's a great teacher!"
Naruto extended his hand.
"How about this? We'll spar occasionally. I'll help you improve your techniques, and you keep working on your own training."
Goku stared at the offered hand.
Then grinned.
"Deal!"
He reached forward.
His hand passed straight through Naruto's projection.
Both men froze.
"..."
Goku blinked.
"Oh, right."
Naruto stared at his transparent hand.
Then burst out laughing.
"HAHAHA! I forgot too!"
Goku joined him.
For several seconds, the two warriors laughed like old friends.
When they finally calmed down, Goku crossed his arms.
"There's one more thing."
Naruto tilted his head.
"What?"
"Next time, warn me before you hit my stomach like that!"
Naruto grinned mischievously.
"Aww, did the big, scary Monkey King get a tummy ache?"
Goku narrowed his eyes.
"Hey!"
"What? Want me to go easy on you?"
"No way!"
Goku clenched his fists.
"Next time, I'm going to land a hit!"
Naruto's grin widened.
"That's what I like to hear!"
Goku laughed.
The challenge was clear.
And for the first time in quite a while, he had a new goal that genuinely excited him.
Not defeating an enemy.
Not saving the world.
Simply becoming better.
Naruto looked toward the mountains, then back at the cheerful Saiyan.
He's going to be something special.
Kurama's voice echoed inside his mind.
You realize he's going to challenge you every chance he gets, don't you?
Naruto chuckled.
Yeah.
And you're going to encourage him.
Obviously.
Kurama sighed.
Two battle-crazy idiots. Wonderful.
Naruto smiled.
There were certainly worse ways to make a new friend.
And somewhere in the multiverse, the Heroes Chat Group had just brought together two warriors who shared one very important quality.
Neither knew when to stop.
Which was excellent news for their training.
And potentially terrible news for every unfortunate training ground they would visit.