"…And that's the situation."
Hatake's final words seemed to fade into the shadows that filled every corner of the cold, gloomy room.
The old man sitting across from him said nothing. He remained silent, elbows resting on the worn wood of his small desk, more focused on the smoke rings drifting from the end of his pipe.
He had seen it. When they first arrived at the tower, he saw it. He never thought those children would have that kind of power. And the look on his face when Asuma told him Trunks came out completely unharmed from that impact… The matter was far more serious than he had ever imagined. The obvious conclusion anyone would reach was simple:
Those boys were monsters.
"This has to be kept under even stricter secrecy than I thought," the old man finally said, after two minutes of silence. "No nation can find out… Danzo cannot find out. These children don't belong anywhere. Questions will be raised—claims that it's unfair for us to claim them. Everyone would want them… to use them for their own gain."
It was obvious. Just one Saiyan was the equivalent of an entire army—if not more. The Hokage was sure Goten and Trunks could do much more. But… how much more?
It wasn't just the massive crater or the trees ripped from their roots. The tower itself had been damaged without even being touched. At first, Sarutobi thought it was just the cracked outer walls, but inside there were plenty of visible marks—clear aftereffects from that single, devastating strike. Even the very office where they now sat had shattered floor tiles.
And then there was what Goten did to Orochimaru.
The boy not only defeated the Sannin with ridiculous ease, but also killed Manda and leveled nearly two hundred hectares of forest in the process.
"There are no coincidences. Everything has a reason," the old man muttered, setting his pipe down on the desk. Asuma and Kakashi exchanged a quick look, nothing more. Then the Hokage began to chuckle, leaving both jounin unsettled. "And to think I was planning to pit them against each other during the exam."
Silence returned. This time, Asuma spoke up.
"Forgive me… what exactly do you mean by pit them against each other?"
If the matter weren't so grave, Hiruzen Sarutobi might have laughed at his son's naïve question.
"My plan wasn't anything complicated. Goten and Trunks' names wouldn't be placed in the lottery. They would fight each other directly, either in the preliminaries or in the third stage, after the other matches. That would be my way of measuring their strength. But I think I don't need to go any further. They've already shown more than I ever intended."
Both men understood immediately. If the preliminaries really had taken place, the tower would have come crashing down on everyone in seconds. This was no place for those two to clash. Just the thought of it sent an unpleasant shiver down Asuma's spine.
Still, not everything had been decided. The old man was wise, yes, but he wasn't immune to one of the strongest instincts in nature: curiosity.
Now, more than ever, he needed to know how far those two could go—what they truly were. Kakashi's written report had fallen short. It was almost outdated compared to what the Saiyans had just proven capable of.
And there was something else. This discovery tied both jounin more tightly to their roles as the boys' tutors. A sensei wasn't just a martial arts instructor—they were also a guide. In this case, Kakashi and Asuma would end up being something like second fathers.
But… did they have what it took?
Asuma seemed too soft to handle the rebellious and impulsive Brief boy.
And Kakashi… well, did it even need to be said? Why did Goten always end up with the most distracted, least reliable "father figure"? Kakashi wasn't father material—it was insane just thinking about it!
Even the Hokage thought so, enough that he briefly considered assigning Goten to Kurenai instead.
But that wasn't possible. Kakashi had the undeniable merit of having found the boys and, more importantly, bringing them safely to the village. As a result, his role in this unexpected mess was unquestionable.
"What do you plan to do now?"
Stroking his beard, the Hokage cast a glance at Kakashi.
"They'll fight… under different circumstances. When these five days are up and the second stage ends, we'll speak to them. Goten and Trunks will be disqualified from the exam."
Forest of Death—
"SAKURA! YOUR HAIR! SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR!"
The ever-loud Naruto shouted the moment he woke up. He immediately noticed the kunoichi's new look and didn't hesitate to rush over, announcing it as if it were breaking news.
"Yeah… I know." she answered quietly, embarrassed about losing the long, beautiful hair she had cared for so much.
She had been forced to let go of what she had cherished for the sake of one particular boy. Kin had been right: if she had spent more time training and less time worrying about her hair, she might've had a better chance against the Sound genin.
"This is better." she continued, speaking to the blond with patience, even gentleness "I like it long… but since we're out here, short is much more practical."
Only one person hadn't noticed—the simplest, least observant one in the group.
"Oh, you're right, Sakura! I didn't even realize your hair was short! No wonder you looked different!"
Sakura deadpans, her green eyes locking onto the boy with the tail. His stupidity was unbelievable—almost inconceivable. Luckily, only Naruto and she heard it; the others were busy talking with Trunks. Even Neji had finally decided to come down from his tree.
"Doesn't matter, I think it's better this way." Goten concluded, smiling as usual.
"Really? Do you actually think so?" Sakura asked, a vein pulsing on her forehead, every word strained with obvious irritation.
What she didn't realize was that Goten wasn't speaking about appearances at all. He meant it was simply more useful in battle to have short hair. That's what Gohan had once told Videl during their flying lessons.
"Sorry to interrupt." a feminine voice cut in suddenly. It was Tenten.
For some reason, Sakura's skin crawled, like a cat bristling to defend her territory—even though she didn't even know the girl.
"You're Goten, right? I wanted to thank you for arriving in time to help my teammate, Lee." Tenten said with a warm, genuine smile, nodding toward the thick-browed boy still talking with the others.
Sakura already knew about the incident, having heard the full story from Shikamaru and Ino after Trunks pressed them for details about Sasuke. Thanks to their explanations, she learned that Sasuke had only been responsible for attacking Zaku.
"It was nothing, really." Goten replied, scratching the back of his neck, visibly embarrassed, "And your name is…?"
"Tenten" she said immediately, still smiling as she gave him a polite bow, "A pleasure."
Goten bowed back before shaking her hand in friendly fashion.
"By the way, Tenten, I really like your outfit—it's beautiful."
As honest as ever. His remark made the brunette laugh, even blush slightly. Not many boys said things like that.
And he wasn't lying. Her Chinese-style attire reminded him of his mother, and even of the clothes he himself used to wear as a child. Her look felt familiar, almost like home.
Sakura stiffened. Naruto hadn't been exaggerating at all.
"What a hypocrite! Both of them!" she thought, nearly seething "And they dare pretend they don't know each other? Damn you, Goten! You act so innocent and naive, but you're nothing but a liar, an arrogant, conceited jerk! CHA, CHA!"
Sakura cleared her throat—loudly, theatrically—drawing the attention of all three, even Naruto, who stared at her like she was some kind of weirdo.
"Well, well, Goten! Look how cute your little friend is!" she said, laughing in a fake, manic way as she leaned an elbow on Goten's shoulder. Tenten gave her a puzzled look. "Too bad she wasn't the first girl to fly with you, huh?"
She was convinced Goten must've taken Tenten in his arms, just like he had done with her, to give her a little flight. There was no other explanation—no girl would pay attention to his hideous monkey tail otherwise. What she didn't realize was that she was the strangest girl around.
"Uhh… well, I think I'll be going now… yes… thank you again, Goten." Tenten said nervously, clearly uncomfortable. Naruto was weird, Goten was weird—but that, she could handle. Sakura, however, was on another level of absurdity. A terrible first impression.
"CHA! Yeah, leave before I start talking about what this idiot does with Hinata… AARGH! I hate those fake innocent types! CHA, CHA!"
Sakura was unhinged. No doubt about it. What kind of power did Saiyans have, attracting women like this? Was it always like this? Couldn't they deal with normal people for once?
Even Videl was temperamental and paranoid when she wanted to be.
"Goten! Over here a second!" Trunks called, surrounded by both his team and Tenten's.
Goten tilted his head, peering past Sakura, who was deliberately blocking his way.
Casual as always, he took her by the arm and moved her aside—infuriating her even more, as if he were treating her like she didn't exist.
"We've decided you're going to take Sasuke to the tower." Trunks explained before Goten could even ask.
Ino had suggested they at least ask Goten if he was okay with it, but Trunks insisted it didn't matter—if he ordered Goten to jump off a cliff, he would.
"You shouldn't run into anyone on the way if you fly."
Normally, that would've shocked the others, but they were getting used to the two Saiyans—Tenten's team included, after witnessing their abilities firsthand.
"Just make sure you don't go too fast." Trunks warned slowly, knowing Goten all too well, "Don't arrive instantly, or his head will come flying off. Take at least a few seconds."
That did shock everyone. Instantly? A few seconds? Ten kilometers was nothing for them.
"Got it, got it, I understand." Goten replied almost impatiently, jogging over to where the unconscious Uchiha lay and slinging him over his shoulder.
"When you arrive, a lovely young lady will be waiting for you to ask a few questions." Trunks added, lips pressed tight to hold back laughter. He'd give anything to see Anko's 'interview.'
"Ahh, you mean Hinata, right?"
Sakura's ears practically tripled in size, twitching like radar dishes to catch every word.
"CHA! So Hinata's waiting for you! It was all true, you damn monkey!" Her face darkened, trembling with rage, half-shadowed with a terrifying expression. "And I was just another name on your list… I can't believe an idiot like you thought he could make a fool out of me… Well, you picked the wrong girl, Goten! The wrong girl! CHA, CHA!"
Only Naruto silently noticed the sudden change in the girl. He was so shaken and spooked by it that he began inching away with tiny sidesteps. And the worst part? He didn't even know he was the reason Sakura was in that state—otherwise, he'd already be running for his life.
"Yes, Hinata, whatever you say…" Brief replied, struggling not to laugh as he tossed her a senzu bean. "But only give it to him if Kakashi or Asuma-sensei allows it."
His remark made Neji's cold expression turn downright glacial. He hated the idea of that tailed boy having anything to do with the Hyūga, especially with someone from the main branch. And learning that Hinata's team had reached the tower so quickly only soured his mood further.
"Great, I'm off then." In an instant, a bluish aura engulfed Goten's figure, flaring with raw power that whipped the air into violent gusts around him.
The genin had to shield their faces with crossed arms. Only Trunks stood firm, unmoving, calmly watching his friend.
"Oh! Naruto, Sakura—I almost forgot!" the Saiyan shouted with his usual grin, just before taking off. "I've already got one scroll! Sasuke has the other, so you just need to head to the tower!"
And with that, he shot into the sky, vanishing in a blink.
If that was what he called "taking it slow," no one dared imagine what "fast" would look like. Just his takeoff nearly knocked everyone off their feet; the blast of wind he left behind was monstrous.
"Well, that settles the matter of the scrolls," Trunks said, snapping them out of their shock. "You two don't need to worry anymore. You should head to the tower right away—it could cause problems if you take too long."
"Wait a second," Sakura shot back immediately, brushing dust off her red dress after Goten's explosive departure. "Goten just doomed us. The rules clearly state that if a team reaches the tower incomplete, or if one of its members can't continue, they're disqualified, even if they're carrying both scro—"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, know-it-all," Brief cut her off with casual annoyance, flicking his hand dismissively. He couldn't stand Sakura, and she was growing on his nerves more and more. "What you're saying doesn't matter this time. Goten's being summoned—they need to question him about some guy named Orochimaru, and they're practically desperate for his return. They'll understand."
Sakura crossed her arms and huffed in indignation. Ino, on the other hand, experienced pure delight watching Trunks shut down forehead-girl and seeing her swallow her rage in silence. She had always dreamed of witnessing that.
"And we're going to the tower too, right, Trunks?" Ino raised her voice, savoring every word to further fuel Sakura's fury. Haruno's eyes were already rolling white, her teeth clenched so hard they looked ready to shatter.
Trunks glanced at the scroll in his hand, smirked slightly, and tossed it to Neji.
The Hyūga caught it mid-air, his pale eyes widening with unmistakable surprise and confusion.
"Wha—what are you doing, idiot?! Why would you give him our scroll?!" Ino shrieked, clutching her head with both hands and shooting pleading looks at her teammates.
But none came to her rescue. Even Chōji understood Trunks' reasoning. They didn't deserve it.
"I came late, but I'm willing to bet you didn't do a thing. Am I wrong?"
The words hit Ino like a bucket of ice water. This time, Sakura was the one grinning in silence, a wicked little chuckle escaping her lips—one Ino definitely didn't miss.
"We didn't do anything either," Neji admitted flatly, too proud to accept such a gift, and tossed the scroll back to Trunks.
"I know. But at least Lee fought… and from what I saw, he gave it everything he had."
Trunks couldn't hide his admiration. He felt a bond with that taijutsu specialist—the only shinobi who truly reminded him of himself and Goten. Hand-to-hand combat was their shared philosophy, and only those who trained their bodies to the breaking point could really understand. Push past exhaustion, past pain, even past injury—that was the way of pure martial artists.
"Sorry, but I can't accept it either," Lee said, winking and pointing his thumb at himself. "The lotus of the Leaf blooms twice. Next time we meet, I'll be stronger, and it won't be so easy to face me again."
Trunks couldn't help but smile. But unlike Goten's wide, innocent grin, his carried something sharper—liveliness mixed with a trace of arrogance.
"Sure. I believe it," he answered sincerely.
Then, he did something nobody expected. Tossing the scroll into the air, he incinerated it with a quick, almost imperceptible flash of ki. A golden flare, the sharp scent of burning paper, and a drizzle of ashes were all that remained.
"Wha—what's wrong with you?! Why would you do that?!" Ino all but shrieked, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him furiously. "If you were going to burn it, why ask for it in the first place?! It makes no sense!"
"Actually… it does," he replied nervously, his blue eyes wide as he struggled to free himself from her grip. Oddly enough, she was stronger than she looked—though not nearly as terrifying as when Anko had done the same. "I wanted their scroll to reduce the competition. Especially them. You saw for yourself how dangerous they can be."
Dangerous wasn't the half of it. Trunks had sensed the dark chakra radiating from all three and knew without a doubt they weren't good people. Taking their scroll wasn't disqualifying them, but it did lower their chances of advancing.
Neji raised an eyebrow, curious. Watching Trunks let that shallow blonde girl push him around seemed absurd. It reminded him of Sasuke's tactic, though he refused to praise it.
"We're leaving," the Hyūga finally declared. His words weren't a farewell, but a command for his team to follow. Always distant, always aloof—but the existence of someone like Trunks unsettled him further.
He had nothing more to say. With a swift leap, he perched on the nearest tree branch.
He waited there impatiently, watching as Tenten apologized profusely on her teammate's behalf with repeated bows. Then, she had to drag Rock Lee away by his collar—the boy was crying with joy because Sakura had thanked him earlier, even after he'd risked his life for her.
"Man, what a drag. This day's already been way more hectic than I expected… and it's only just getting started…"
Shikamaru was right. Still, he couldn't complain too much—neither he nor his teammates had really gotten involved, though they came close.
"Hey, Trunks, mind giving me one of those beans?" Yamanaka spoke suddenly, catching the Saiyan off guard with her unexpected question.
"Wh-why would I do that? You're not even hurt. Senzu Beans are only for emergencies."
"Well, I'm hungry. And that's an emergency." She crossed her arms, her sharp blue eyes glaring down at the trembling boy. One foot tapped rapidly against the ground. Every little gesture screamed how unimpressed she was with his refusal. The blonde clearly wasn't going to take no for an answer. "I heard you explain to the bushy-browed guy that they also kill hunger. Tell me, how true is that?"
"V-very true. Supposedly, a person won't need to eat for ten whole days."
That was it. The perfect solution. The ultimate diet. One of those beans every ten days, and she'd have the most flawless figure in Konoha. And to think she was already so scrawny she could use a few extra pounds—Ino barely hit forty kilos!
"You HAVE to give me one!" she demanded, stepping forward and grabbing the poor boy by the collar of his gi. "Quick, before you run out!"
"I-I'm sorry, but I—"
"I knew it, you're a jerk!" she snapped, instantly switching tactics. She let him go and puffed out her cheeks like a spoiled child. "You gave one to Sakura… but since I don't matter, you refuse to feed me—ME! A poor, starving girl!"
That did it. Trunks looked horrified, his expression saying it all. All Ino had to do now was fake a few tears, which she was seconds away from doing.
"Wait, no! It's not like that, I swear! I didn't—!"
"Don't listen to her. She's just a lying pig."
Shikamaru groaned, covering his face with one hand. Choji froze mid-reach into his chip bag. Naruto's face went pale. There was no stopping it now—the inevitable fight was about to start.
"What did you just say? Sorry, I couldn't hear you over that massive billboard forehead of yours. I'm surprised you can even open your stupid mouth…"
Sakura's eyes went wide. But only for a second—she wasn't about to stay quiet.
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you either. All I catch is the squealing of a pig whining non-stop."
Ino's fists clenched. The veins in her neck bulged dangerously as her whole body tensed, her pale skin flushing red from her boiling blood.
"Disgusting billboard forehead!" she shouted, cracking her knuckles. "We'll see if you can hear me after I knock your teeth out!"
Things escalated fast. Naruto quickly formed a hand sign and created two clones, both grabbing Sakura's arms while the real one stood a few meters back, horrified.
Shikamaru and Choji moved in to restrain Ino.
But the rage of the two girls was insane—it barely seemed possible for such thin, small bodies to fight back with that kind of strength. The boys struggled to hold them, each second looking like they'd be tossed aside like rag dolls.
"Stupid forehead freak!"
"Filthy pig!"
"Nobody likes you! You're hideous!"
"And you're a bottle-blonde! A fake blonde!"
"Your hair's a total mess!"
"Fat!"
If Ino's hands were free, she would've slapped her mouth shut from shock. That insult was too much. You just don't call a woman fat. Ever. Even if it's true. Word of Kami.
"Look who's talking! Your giant forehead probably weighs more than me!"
"Fat, fat, FAT!" Sakura chanted over and over, as obnoxiously as a child plugging their ears.
"FAT COW! FILTHY PIG! HOG FACE!"
Poor Choji nearly had a heart attack just hearing those insults, imagining them directed at himself. Another second and he'd be rolling on the ground, convulsing.
Sakura thrashed so wildly she threw her head back, smashing one of Naruto's clones in the face with a brutal headbutt. The clone vanished instantly. But Naruto had been ready—he summoned another clone immediately, which rushed in and grabbed Sakura's arm to take its place.
Trunks was frozen, unsure what to do. He understood Naruto's look perfectly—both of them just wanted to run away, but duty forced them to stay put.
With their arms restrained, both kunoichi resorted to kicking, trying to land blows in their hopeless struggle. When that failed, they started spitting at each other, also failing. The whole thing was pathetic to watch.
And strangely enough, for once, their fight had nothing to do with Sasuke. His name didn't even come up once. Neither of them thought about him at all.
Seventh Universe—
Goku slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times to clear his vision. His head spun, but the dizziness faded quickly. The disorientation was brief, nothing more.
He soon realized he was somewhere unfamiliar. For a moment, it reminded him of the Supreme Kai's world—he was lying under the shade of a large tree, surrounded by endless fields of soft green hills stretching to the horizon.
His stomach growled—an unmistakable sign of his ferocious appetite. The Saiyan sat up, clutching his belly with a grin. All he needed was food… until he remembered what had just happened.
"Before creation comes destruction."
He turned his head. At his side stood Beerus, arms folded behind his back, gazing out at the beautiful green fields.
"Ironic, isn't it? The one who created everything we know… was a God of Destruction. At his birth came a great explosion. The universe expanded, dark energy formed… everything you see, everything you feel—time and space itself."
Goku chuckled nervously. Not only did he barely understand Beerus's words, but he also didn't care much. Still, the feline deity went on.
"The first universe… from destruction was born creation."
He turned, studying the man who had faced him moments ago in battle—something no one had done in thousands of years.
"Time is an illusion. There's no need to travel across dimensions. What feels like ten years to you… It's ten minutes to me."
His yellow eyes gleamed with amusement as he watched Son try to keep up. Goku clearly didn't understand where this was going.
"Space is also an illusion. Nothing in the universe is still—everything is in motion. Even now, as we stand without lifting a finger, we're moving at incredible speed. You must learn to move with the universe, not through it."
A short distance away, Whis observed them calmly, staff in hand. His attention was fixed, as always, on the God of Destruction.
"Some beings have discovered many secrets. Some call it magic, others special techniques or tricks. A few can open dimensions, travel through them, even create them… some can even create life."
Beerus paused, eyes narrowing with irritation as he said this last part. Goku tensed, thinking he'd angered him somehow. But Beerus wasn't jealous of gods who created life—what enraged him was mortals daring to play god, breaking divine law.
It was why he despised Frieza, who had destroyed countless worlds while Beerus slept. Just as the Supreme Kais saw it as blasphemy that a mere sorcerer like Bibidi could create something as dangerous as Majin Buu—something that could spiral out of control and gain unimaginable power under the right conditions.
"Yes. They're special, different… though usually weak. But some are so powerful that even the Gods of Creation themselves can't explain what happened. In this universe, I'd say that applies to you, Saiyans. Your sons—yours and Vegeta's—don't have these abilities, yet just by raising their power, they bent space-time itself. They can distort reality under certain conditions. A terrifying ability… and yet, compared to me, they're insignificant. And my power is nothing compared to the other eleven gods."
For a moment, Goku thought he finally understood where Beerus was going with all this. His suspicions were confirmed by the cat-god's next words.
"Tell me… do you still intend to go to the Ninth Universe? Are you really willing to step into the domain of another God of Destruction?" Beerus didn't ask with a stern face—on the contrary, he wore that sly cat grin that made him look like anything but a god. "The Ninth Universe can be cruel. And it's not just that… the Supreme Kais there aren't exactly generous either."
"What do you mean?" Goku finally spoke, eyes narrowing sharply on Beerus. He feared the worst.
"They're not evil. But their decisions can be… harsh. They correct the mistakes of their creation with a heavy hand. I don't blame them—they've been through far more than we have."
"What Lord Beerus means," Whis interjected, noticing Goku's confusion, "is that while the Ninth Universe is technically younger than this one, it's actually much older in practice… because time there flows ten times faster."
Goku's face went pale. He was as shocked as when he'd first discovered Kami was the same as King Piccolo. Chi-Chi was going to kill him.
"W-well, that's not too bad." He forced a strained smile, scratching his head with his index finger as he edged closer to Beerus. "It's only been two days here, so over there it's gotta be like… twenty days! Yeah! Or something like that…"
Beerus shook his head.
"That's not the point. The problem is we can't take you now. Whis and I have things to do."
"B-but it'll only take a moment, I promise I—"
"No!" Beerus cut him off so suddenly that Goku jumped, shoulders hunching. "The deal was that you'd defeat me. You didn't. Taking you there means I'd have to wait to bring you back. I won't be making two trips. Offering my help at all is already more than generous. I only consider it because you gave me a great fight—much better than that mess on Earth. That's all."
Silence fell. Beerus turned away, walking a few steps before breathing in deeply, enjoying the sandalwood scent carried by the gentle wind sweeping the green hills. Oddly, there wasn't a single sign of sandalwood anywhere nearby.
The place radiated calm, pure peace. He had to admit—the Kais knew how to create beauty. But Beerus still preferred the red-and-gold glow of a planet exploding into nothingness.
Like Deidara, he found beauty and art in the fleeting moment—though he didn't realize it himself.
"Four months," he said without looking at Goku.
"Alright, four months over there and—"
"Four months… here."
Goku's stomach dropped. His skin went pale, making him look like a ghost—though to be fair, he'd always been pretty pale. He wanted to argue, but he knew it wouldn't work. He couldn't bribe them either—they weren't old perverts like Master Roshi or the Kai from fifteen generations back.
"Relax," Beerus finally turned with a sharp-toothed smile. "The fight was entertaining enough that I won't break my word. I always keep my word."
"But Lord, that's what you said before you tried to destroy Earth and—"
"That doesn't matter!" Beerus snapped instantly, cutting Whis off. He didn't want anyone noticing his soft spot for the Earthlings who'd once invited him to a birthday party.
He really was like a child. That was the way to deal with Beerus. In truth, the "four months" delay was just so he could mess around, play, and test other planets to decide whether they deserved destruction or not.
"It was thrilling, Son Goku." His smile was genuine now, ears perking, and his long tail swishing back and forth. "It's been a long time since I had so much fun watching an entire galaxy vanish… or was it two?"
Goku grimaced, horrified at the thought that their clash had wiped out so much. And that was with him holding full control over his Kamehameha.
"Don't worry—they were empty planets anyway. That was their fate regardless." Beerus laughed as Goku's expression immediately relaxed—though deep down, he wasn't comforted at all.
Meanwhile, Whis never broke his calm, elegant expression as he watched his master.
"…Is it just me, or does Lord Beerus look oddly attractive from certain angles?" (GAY!)
"WHIISSS! DAMMIT, I KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING!" Beerus roared, furious, trying to snap the angel out of his daze. "I hate that stupid look on your face! We're leaving, NOW!"
"Oh yes, my apologies, sir!" he exclaimed, a little embarrassed as he tapped the floor lightly with his staff, projecting an image into the orb at its tip. "We should head to the Western Galaxy. It's been a long time since we last went there."
"And how long will that take?"
"Twenty minutes, maybe. Just a few thousand light-years."
"Twenty minutes? It's always the same! That's the length of an anime episode! Well… if you skip the opening and ending."
"Please don't say that, sir." Whis chuckled, waving his staff to erase the projection of the Western Galaxy. "I remember how much you loved singing the Rurouni Kenshin opening at the top of your lungs."
"Yes, yes, don't remind me," he muttered bitterly, walking up to Whis and resting a hand on his shoulder. "Anyway, you know the deal—see you on Earth in four months. And make sure there's plenty of pudding. Otherwise… well, you know what happens."
With a fang-filled grin, he and Whis were swallowed in a blazing light that shimmered like an aurora borealis. In an instant, both vanished high into the sky within a towering column of color. It wasn't violent—barely raising any dust—but the speed was beyond all laws of physics.
"…Now what am I gonna do?" he sighed, clutching his stomach as it growled from hunger. For the first time, he realized he wasn't even wearing the top half of his gi—only his ripped navy blue tank top clung to his torso. "Chi-Chi's gonna kill me when she finds out. But first… I'm eating at King Kai's place!"
And with that, he teleported to the Other World. If this really was his last meal, he at least wanted to enjoy it.
Meanwhile, Anko Mitarashi sat in one of the tower's restrooms. Seated on a couch, she carefully raised a cup of hot green tea to her lips, blowing on the steam before taking a sip.
She barely got a moment before a knock sounded at the door. A chunin stepped in, followed by two ANBU.
Anko groaned in frustration. Not even five minutes of peace. Still, she drew a deep breath—her nerves were already frayed, and the last thing she needed was to snap any further.
"Sorry for the interruption, Miss Anko," the chunin said apologetically, standing at the front of the group. "But this is important. You need to watch this tape."
He went straight to the television—the one piece of modern tech standing out against the wooden room. Sliding the tape into the VCR, he switched it on.
"Watch closely. Pay attention to the timestamp." He pointed at the upper right corner, where the timer showed the Sabaku brothers arriving at the tower nearly two hours in—well below the record time.
Normally, Anko would've been impressed. But her head was drowning in bigger problems.
"So what? You barged in just for that?"
The chunin winced. He had hoped to ease into things with this harmless fact, but the real reason he came was far worse. Since she took it without much reaction, he moved on.
"W-well, actually… there's more. This next part was filmed inside the tower. But… just watch it. I don't even know what to think."
He rewound the tape to the start. This time, the footage came from an outside camera. Everything was normal—bright daylight, nothing unusual—until the timestamp reached one minute fifty-something. Out of nowhere, a boy materialized in midair, staring directly into the camera.
"HIM!" Anko shot to her feet, fists clenched, teeth grinding in rage. "That's impossible! Only two minutes into the recording… That brat cheated! Someone let him into Zone 44 long before the exam even started!"
The chunin hesitated, but forced himself to speak.
"I know it looks impossible, but I was actually stationed at Entrance 27—that was Team 10's gate and…"
"And he's on Team 10. Asuma's team…" she muttered, stunned, watching the boy mock the camera by flashing his bare backside and giving a rude gesture.
"That's not all," the chunin continued nervously. "He walked in slowly before I lost sight of him. Which means his actual time to the tower must have been far less."
The truth was—it took him less than a second.
Anko couldn't take it. She crushed the teacup in her hand, shards and scalding tea spilling onto her palm without her even noticing.
"AND WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" she roared, her eyes bulging, pupils narrowed to pinpricks. The three ninjas froze in terror. Even the ANBU looked rattled—and they were the ones carrying the worst news.
"W-we came to report the arrival of a boy," one stammered. "He's one of Kakashi's students. He… he has an important message. They're waiting for you in the Hokage's office…"
Unfortunately for Anko, she wasn't able to apply her usual physical and psychological torture on Goku's son. The interrogation took place in a controlled setting under the Hokage's supervision, so she had to behave. Asuma and Kakashi were also present.
The old Sarutobi allowed the kunoichi to attend. After all, her knowledge of Orochimaru was extensive.
In his own words, Goten explained everything that had happened in his fight with the Sannin as best as he could. The story sounded more and more unbelievable, but it matched perfectly with the traces left behind from the battle. His account, along with a few timely clarifications from the Hokage or the jounin, provided all the information they needed.
He told them everything. Not just about Manda, but also, in his innocent way, how he broke the Kusanagi sword so Orochimaru couldn't use it to kill more people. The Hokage smiled at the comment. On the other hand, Anko's jaw nearly hit the floor.
There wasn't much more to say about what was happening with Uchiha, but Goten did describe in detail his strange behavior and the unpleasant encounter they had with him during the exam.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened, as did the others. Orochimaru had succeeded after all. He had marked Sasuke. At no point did they criticize Goten's actions—it was right for him to bring the boy back immediately. This was far more important than the exam.
The little meeting dragged on for almost two hours. The young Saiyan hadn't felt this bored since school. He bit his lower lip with restless impatience, glanced up at the wall clock every single minute, and jumping out the window started to feel almost as tempting as devouring one of his mother's feasts.
"Well, I think that's enough for today," the old man concluded. His words sounded like sweet music to Goten's ears, whose teary, glassy eyes looked ready to burst into tears of happiness at any second.
"Yes, and now comes the part where you and your team get disqualified," Mitarashi grinned darkly, looming closer and closer over the frightened boy, who seemed to shrink as the kunoichi's figure grew larger and larger. "You may have both scrolls, but your teammate isn't in any condition to continue. And let's not forget—you're still missing two members…"
"B-b-but…"
"Technically, she's right," Kakashi argued, sighing in annoyance at the time wasted by the meeting. "But we should make an exception. Not because it's my team, but because Orochimaru's intervention is an anomaly, something that never should have happened."
"Yes, exactly, a trypical anomaly!" Goten exclaimed cheerfully, suddenly feeling a burst of courage as he faced off against Anko's threat.
"It's atypical, Goten," the jonin corrected, covering his face with one hand. "Anyway, before you arrived, we decided to allow an extension in case something like this happened. But if Sasuke doesn't recover before the fifth day, I'm afraid…"
"That doesn't matter," the boy interrupted, springing from his chair and offering Hatake a small bean in his open hand. "This is a senzu bean, the same kind I gave to Zabuza's friend. Sasuke will be as good as new. I didn't give it to him earlier because Trunks told me to wait for your permission."
With little belief in the claim, the jounin took the bean and examined it with his one visible eye. It sounded crazy, but Sakura had told him about the strange magic bean, and according to reports, the rogue ninja had in fact recovered completely.
"Tell me, Goten, do you have more of these beans?" the Hokage asked, his interest piqued by the healing properties of the little seed. He was already thinking about having Konoha's medics study and cultivate them, to speed up the recovery of wounded shinobi.
"Not me, but Trunks has a small bag with more."
"Excellent… Kakashi, take Goten with you to the infirmary and give that bean to young Sasuke. If it works, then granting them the extension won't be a problem. Still, the final say is yours, Anko. You are the examiner for this stage, aren't you?"
The old man gave the kunoichi a playful look. She had wanted to disqualify the brat—after all, the fewer participants, the better. But rejecting this would be nothing short of cruelty toward the kids, and besides, the Hokage clearly approved of the decision. It would be almost like contradicting him.
"No, of course there's no problem! It's a… good idea," she forced out.
Kakashi and Asuma laughed inwardly. They found it amusing to imagine the pain it caused the young woman to swallow her pride and concede such a benefit. She must have been dying inside.
Everyone left the office soon after to continue their duties.
As for Anko, the first thing she did was lock herself in her room, bury her face into a pillow, and muffle the hysterical, deranged screams she couldn't hold back.
Yes—she hated those two little Saiyans. They always managed to get their way.
It wasn't easy, but both teams eventually agreed to move forward together since all they really had to do was head to the tower. Of course, the constant bickering between Sakura and Ino didn't stop, and Naruto threw a few unpleasant jabs at Shikamaru. Luckily, none of it escalated to the level of the kunoichi's first catfight.
Overall, things went smoothly. Trunks, however, was going crazy—he wanted to get to the tower as fast as possible, but his teammates weren't moving at his pace. Even so, he forced everyone to pick up the speed, ignoring the endless complaints from Shikamaru and Choji. That is… until Ino finally snapped.
When the blonde couldn't take it anymore, she threw a full-on tantrum, whining like a spoiled child and even getting aggressive with the Saiyan.
"Trunks, enough already! We haven't stopped in two hours!"
"We still have plenty of time! What's the rush? We've got more than two days left!"
"DAMMIT, I SAID STOP! What part of 'my feet hurt' don't you get, you animal!?"
She went on like that for minutes until Trunks finally stopped. That last outburst was more serious.
Choji collapsed to the ground, pale as paper, on the verge of a heart attack. His round body needed sugar, and fast.
Shikamaru and Sakura were barely holding themselves up, hands on their knees, gasping for air like they might puke at any moment.
Ino sat down at the base of a tree, tossing her head back. She was too drained to even scold Trunks properly.
Naruto was holding up better than most, hands clasped behind his head, but he wasn't fooling anyone—his legs were shaking like jelly from the run.
"C'mon… this isn't so bad… I train like this… all the time… really…" he muttered between breaths. The trembling in his legs betrayed him.
They were all trained ninjas, sure, but Trunks had pushed them way too hard. Two hours of sprinting at full speed through an obstacle-ridden forest wasn't training—it was torture. Even Trunks had to slow down occasionally so Sakura and Ino didn't get left too far behind. Choji, though… he looked like he was about to die.
"You said you wanted to train with Goten," Trunks said, crossing his arms as he stared down at Sakura, who was still wheezing for breath. "If this feels too much for you, maybe you should think twice. Sometimes when I'm done training, Goten keeps going. He'd be a much tougher teacher than me."
That comment hit Sakura like a kunai to the chest. She was already exhausted to the point of collapse, and hearing that made her want to faint right there on the spot.
Before she could respond, a pair of clenched fists suddenly grabbed Trunks by his dogi, lifting him off his feet like a ragdoll and slamming him into a tree.
"You son… of a… BITCH! When I say stop, YOU STOP, got it!?"
Ino was drenched in sweat, starving, her hair wild and messy. Combined with her outburst, she looked like a full-blown psychopath.
And for once, everyone agreed with her. Even Naruto—though he just couldn't keep his mouth shut.
"Come on, don't be such a weakling! Geez, you sound just like lazy-ass Shikamaru! I think we were doing great!"
"SHUT UP, YOU DAMN LIAR!"
Sakura's eyes flared with rage. Her fist tightened, and she unleashed a devastating punch straight into Naruto's cheek.
BAAAMMM!
He was launched like a ragdoll, smashing headfirst into a nearby tree so hard that leaves rained down from the branches. The impact was brutal—Naruto coughed up blood from the hit.
Everyone froze. Even Ino shivered a little. It was a reminder: Pissing off Forehead Girl was basically a death sentence.
There lay Naruto, twitching on the ground like some poor soul in his last dying spasms.
"Let's rest for a while," Trunks muttered, shaken by what he'd just witnessed.
Nobody answered. They barely had enough energy to breathe, let alone argue. And what could they say? That they wanted to keep going? Not a chance.
"Don't worry, we're close. The river's just a kilometer ahead, and the tower's right after that. Stay here—I'll go catch us something to eat."
Trunks turned, pushed through some bushes, and disappeared into the forest.
"And make it quick! We're starving over here!" Ino shouted after him, flopping down onto the ground. Even her hair hurt.
Choji was out of chips. That alone was enough to make him miserable.
Ten minutes passed in silence before Shikamaru finally spoke up.
"Trunks means well… but we need to talk to him. If we burn out now, we'll be useless when it's time to actually fight for our scroll."
He had a point. Trunks had already told them his plan: they'd wait at the tower and let another team come to them, but he wouldn't lift a finger to help. Asuma had scolded him for being reckless, and now he wanted them to win the scroll on their own.
"You know what? I'm going for a walk. Need some air." Ino got up and headed toward the bushes Trunks had disappeared through.
That's when Sakura's eyes narrowed.
"And why are you going that way? The only thing over there is the river. Don't tell me you're planning to spy on Trunks while he bathes, you little pig."
"Oh great, here we go again," Shikamaru sighed, too tired to even bother stopping them this time. Naruto wasn't about to get involved either—not after getting KO'd.
But Sakura had nailed it. Ino wasn't going to admit it, but she did want a peek. Not naked, necessarily, but maybe without his top. Just a harmless little look, right?
"M-mind your own business, billboard brow!" Ino stammered, her cheeks glowing red. "I'm not going to look at anyone! I just… wanted to scout the area!"
"Didn't know you were into scouting that kind of terrain…" Sakura smirked.
That smirk was the last straw.
"Listen here, you idiot! Do you really think I'm some kind of pervert? How could you even suggest I'd want to see Trunks naked!?"
"…You want to see me naked?"
Ino froze. She turned her head, stiff as a board, to find Trunks standing right there—two massive fish dangling from his hands, his hair loose, wet, and hanging around his shoulders. Water still dripped down his face.
"I-I didn't say that!" Ino yelped, whipping her head from side to side in panic. Everyone else was staring at her with judgment written all over their faces. She scrambled for an excuse. "It was Sakura! Yeah, billboard brow's just trying to make me look like a pervert! Don't believe her!"
"That's not true, I heard you say—"
"Wow, look at those fish! You did great, Trunks!" Ino cut her off instantly, forcing a fake smile as she shoved Trunks forward. "C'mon, everyone, don't just sit there! Let's all thank Trunks for getting us lunch, haha!"
The lie was way too obvious. Nobody said a word. They just stared at Trunks, waiting to see how he'd respond.
He didn't. He let it go, though the silence was awkward. Shikamaru and Choji looked embarrassed for her, but like Trunks, they decided to stay quiet.
"…Did anyone gather firewood for the fire?" Trunks asked, breaking the tension.
Silence again. Naruto would have done it, but he was still half-dead after Sakura's punch. Everyone else was too tired—or too distracted by Ino's little "confession."
"Fine, I'll get it myself," Trunks sighed, dropping the massive fish and heading back into the woods. "But seriously, stop acting so weird." He put a little extra weight on the word weird as his eyes landed on Ino.
The way he said it made her shrink with shame. She bit her lip, cheeks still burning, while the others stared at her like, 'Yeah, you brought this on yourself.'
That night, they finally reached the tower. Sakura and Naruto reunited with Goten and the fully recovered Sasuke—thanks to the senzu bean. The Uchiha was healed completely but disoriented, unable to remember much of what had happened.
Team 10 also managed to snag their scroll, tricking a group of Rain shinobi who tried to trap them in a genjutsu loop. Trunks saw right through it and shut their little game down before it even started. Naruto and Sakura lent a hand too, making it easier than expected.
Because of the Saiyans, things went differently this time. Since no one was badly injured from the fight with Dosu's team, they reached the tower three days ahead of schedule.
Kabuto never got a chance to approach either. Trunks sensed his sinister presence the whole time, and even made a few not-so-subtle comments aloud to let Kabuto know he wasn't fooling anyone.
With Goten and Sasuke missing for most of the second exam, Kabuto couldn't gather any field intel on Orochimaru's targets. His espionage was a complete failure.
Same as Ino's.