"Damn it, this isn't good."
Asuma was right. Almost by reflex, he cast a fleeting glance at his father, but the man didn't even bother to look back. He was nervous about whatever could happen. He wasn't the only one.
Ino's skin prickled just from Trunks' words. If what they'd already witnessed was too much, how much worse would it be if their powers multiplied several times over? What stirred the most tension was the doubt itself—the same question repeating in everyone's mind: Exactly how much had their powers multiplied?
Shikamaru figured that if they were even twice as strong, it was already too much.
Naruto, being his usual exaggerating self, bet that all of the Saiyans' abilities had increased tenfold—after all, they looked insanely cool with golden hair and glowing auras. Without a doubt, he was far more excited than the rest to see whatever was coming.
In the end, there were many opinions. Only Neji, who despite his trademark stoic expression couldn't stop sweating, knew for certain it was far more than tenfold.
A few pink strands of hair whipped in the air. Sakura had to shake her head to snap out of her daze, just in time to see Goten take off after his friend, waving goodbye to her with one hand, the Son smile plastered across his face. The idiot acted as if everything that had just happened was perfectly normal.
"Keep a safe distance!" Was that fear in Kakashi's warning? In the cold and calculating ex-ANBU, Kakashi Hatake? "You've already seen what just happened. There's no need to get too close to watch the fight. It doesn't matter where we stand, I think just feeling it will be enough."
Indeed, now Goten and Trunks were nothing more than two golden points shining in the sky. They were probably exchanging a few words, since each aura stayed suspended far apart, unmoving… until they vanished completely, as always. Kakashi was right—it didn't matter where they positioned themselves, the outcome would be the same: a fight they couldn't follow, not even with the Sharingan, not with anything. Trying to get closer would only risk them getting caught in the crossfire at best.
And once again, the explosions started—this time louder and more powerful than before.
Even though those little monsters were flying hundreds of meters above the ground, the earth still trembled in sheer terror, as if an earthquake were ravaging all of Area 44 and beyond.
Shikamaru, ever perceptive, noticed that the ground beneath his feet was slowly starting to crack. It was barely noticeable, but no less impressive—and it was clear the situation could get worse.
This time, the sky itself lit up with blinding white flashes that stretched far beyond the shinobis' field of vision. It looked like a thunderstorm had begun, thunder and lightning drenching the heavens in brilliance.
Back in Konoha, the event didn't go unnoticed. Children and adults alike pointed to the sky, baffled by the monstrous "thunder" that rumbled nonstop, but strangely, without the downpour that should have followed such a spectacle. On the contrary, it was a gorgeous sunny day.
CRAAAASSHH! CRAAAASSHH! CRAAAASSHH! CRAAAASSHH!
Trees cracked apart, exploding into massive, jagged chunks of wood. As the Saiyans exchanged furious blows, blocking and countering each other, their bodies smashed through the immense forest trunks during their unpredictable flight from one side to another.
Trunks attacked with greater ferocity, forcing Goten to defend and retreat. Yet Goku's son protected himself so well that not a single strike landed. Still, as he gave ground, his body shattered colossal trees into splinters. He didn't even feel it! For him, it was like brushing through a spider's web.
Then the roles reversed. Goten raised his ki even higher and began to seize control. At first, his punches and kicks clashed evenly with Trunks', but then he tightened his muscles, flooded them with energy, and started striking harder than his rival. Now Trunks was the one pushed back, shielding himself as best he could while smashing apart the dwindling number of enormous trunks. At that rate, the whole forest would be reduced to barren land.
And the shinobi? They saw nothing—at least, nothing of Goten and Trunks. But they did see the aftermath of the destruction. Even from such a distance, they clearly witnessed the colossal trees, nearly 100 meters tall, toppling like titanic corpses across a catastrophic landscape. Also impossible to miss were the vast mushroom-like columns of dust and earth rising everywhere, spread far apart.
The most incredible moment came when Naruto turned his head left at a deafening blast, while Shikamaru turned his in the exact opposite direction at the same time—for the same reason. Then they understood: the Saiyans were moving so fast, it was as if they were in several places at once, even though Naruto and Shikamaru's gazes had fixed on completely different, far-apart locations.
"This shit isn't real!" Anko clenched her fists so tightly her nails pierced her palms. Kakashi discreetly noted the thin streams of blood dripping from her trembling hands. "This has to be a genjutsu! There's no way—!"
"Anko! You must calm down!"
Asuma had to raise his voice, fixing her with a serious look, just to stop Mitarashi from carrying out the reckless act her disbelief was pushing her toward: drawing a kunai and stabbing her thigh to break free from the "illusion."
Realizing her brief loss of control, the shaken kunoichi dropped the blade, grasping her own wrist with a stunned expression at what she'd nearly done. The metallic clinking didn't stop, though—the ground shook so violently that the kunai kept bouncing a few centimeters off the dirt without pause.
The adults had more experience and knowledge of the shinobi world, which made it harder for them to process what they were seeing, even as they did their best to stay composed for their students' sake. Given her youth, Anko was the first to falter.
Not that she could be blamed—Kurenai wasn't faring much better. The kunoichi's crimson eyes kept shifting between Asuma and Kakashi, demanding answers that never came, leaving her only more frustrated and helpless.
"What the hell are they!? It's impossible they're human! Where the hell did Kakashi find them!?"
As those thoughts ran through her head, Kurenai felt miserable as she watched in disbelief the expressions of the boys' teammates. They were impressed, yes, but it was clear they were more worried about Goten and Trunks's safety. What made her feel so small was realizing that the genin seemed to handle it better than she did.
"COME ON, GOTEN! FINISH THIS ALREADY!" Naruto cupped his hands around his mouth to shout in whatever direction he could. He didn't even know where to look.
"Shut up, Naruto! There's no way Goten's going to win! Trunks is stronger!"
Ino finally answered after hesitating for a moment. Incredible. As always, Naruto had a knack for changing the mood of those around him. Thanks to him, the blonde seemed less afraid and was now cheering for her friend.
Sakura would have replied, too, if she weren't still too shocked. For her, the world had stopped. It felt like an altered, muted reality, where not even the loudest crashes of the battle reached her deaf ears. She couldn't get Goten's unreal appearance out of her head.
"It's a Saiyan transformation." Trunks's voice echoed in her mind again and again. So that was it. She had no idea what a Saiyan was, but she couldn't wait for the fight to end so she could ask Goten. She had to know.
KABOOOOOMMM!
Everyone tensed at the massive explosion less than a kilometer ahead, leaving only a huge dust cloud rising high into the sky. But that wasn't the worst of it. The shinobi froze in fear as they saw the cloud moving toward them, the ground shaking harder with each passing second.
They all realized it at the same time: one of the Saiyans was coming their way, plowing through the ground with his body, likely from a powerful blow that had sent him flying.
It was one of those moments when a rush of adrenaline seemed to twist the flow of time itself, as if the hormone gave them some special ability to escape safely. But it was impossible. Everything happened so fast that not even Gai had time to move a muscle before it was over.
The tremor stopped, and the dust cloud halted just ten miserable meters in front of them. When it cleared enough, it revealed Goten, buried waist-deep in a long trench.
It turned out both Saiyans had hit each other at the same time, just like before, and were blown in opposite directions. This time, though, they managed to control their flight better, staying on their feet through the recoil. Still, the force of the impact was so brutal that Goten did everything he could to stop, but it didn't keep his feet from digging a deeper trench as he slid back violently.
He jumped out and landed beside the freshly carved path. It was much less deep and wide than the previous one, but also much longer. When Kakashi narrowed his eyes, he realized it was impossible to see where the blow had started.
The same thing happened to Trunks, only on the opposite side. A few more kilometers and he would've hit one of the gates leading into the cursed forest.
"Sorry! Hahaha!" Goten rubbed the back of his neck, laughing at what had just happened. He had nearly plowed through all of them, but he seemed to take it lightly.
"S-sorry? Is that all you have to say, YOU IDIOT?" For some reason, Goten's cheerful look snapped Sakura out of her daze. It was him after all. He hadn't changed, which gave her the nerve to scold him. "This isn't a game! You almost killed us!"
"I didn't mean to, Sakura, I swear!" He was a Super Saiyan, a legendary warrior said to be powerful beyond belief. And yet he was terrified of Haruno losing her temper. Just watching the kunoichi put her hands on her hips while stomping her foot was enough to make the golden fur of his tail stand on end.
A familiar sound cut through the scene.
Trunks appeared instantly behind Goten, arms crossed over his chest, a large diagonal scar running across it. He almost looked like he was teleporting.
"Sakura, don't interrupt. If you scare Goten, you'll throw off his focus."
What could she say? She stayed silent.
The sharp features of Trunks's face were marked by a thin trail of blood running down from his left brow, sliding across his cheek, and dripping from his chin. In Goten's case, blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
"At least they're bleeding…" Despite the chaos, Asuma couldn't help letting out a disturbed little grin. That small wound, harmless as it seemed, had to be caused by something immensely powerful. Their bodies, shielded by protective ki, were otherwise too strong.
The two Saiyans faced each other again. Goten's innocent look vanished in an instant, giving way to the warrior blood that burned within him.
BAAAAMMM!
He launched a side kick at Trunks's chest, which Trunks blocked by raising his forearm. The blow was so strong that small golden sparks of lightning burst from the impact.
Goten kept his leg in the air, pushing, smiling just like his friend, who continued to block.
Now it was Trunks's turn. He clenched his fist, the muscles in his free arm bulging, veins standing out beneath his skin.
Another monstrous crash followed his attack. This time, it was Goten shielding himself with his arm. Again, golden lightning flashed with the impact, knocking more than one shinobi off balance.
Kakashi noticed that their energy was so high that it materialized effortlessly. It reminded him of the lightning his Chidori produced, except these sparks were fleeting, lasting only for the instant of the strike, but far more violent and dangerous than his signature technique. Some even touched the ground, scorching it and cracking it on the spot.
And they kept striking. Each attack thundered louder than the last, so no one had time to adapt to the deafening noise. Golden sparks burst from every blocked blow, every elbow clash, every knee strike.
But this time, the energy radiating from each clash felt different, strange. The tremors lessened, but the vibrations instead seeped inside the shinobi's bodies, rattling their bones and nerves.
To Dosu, it felt similar to his own sound waves. The difference was, the Saiyans didn't need jutsu or devices to manipulate sound. Their ki alone was powerful enough to distort and wreak havoc on the surroundings.
More than one person started to feel dizzy. Shikamaru's face went pale, and Choji looked like he was about to vomit.
"Enough!"
Trunks turned his head toward Ino—
PAAAAM!
—And took a brutal punch to the face.
"Ouch! Damn it, watch where you're hitting!" he complained, covering his freshly injured nose with one hand. The punch had landed square in the middle of his face. He grew irritated when he pulled his hand away and saw small drops of blood dripping from his nostrils.
"It's not my fault! You got distracted with Ino!"
The blonde covered her mouth to stifle a sigh. Just like that time against Rock Lee, she had distracted Trunks and only caused him to get hit.
What was truly incredible was that such a monstrous blow would've torn anyone else's head clean off their shoulders. Kakashi, however, could wager it was more than enough to shatter a skull into pieces, considering the crackling energy sparking like tiny bolts of lightning with every impact, stripping bark from the few trees still standing.
They were evenly matched. If the fight kept going at that pace, it would drag on endlessly. It was just like Goku versus Majin Vegeta: their power was so similar that neither could inflict serious damage with each strike. Both of them knew from experience they could keep going for hours straight, just like in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
And thinking of that chamber gave Trunks an idea. They had to end the fight soon, before they destroyed the forest—and maybe even part of Konoha. That's when he decided to use a little trick he had planned to show his rival.
"Goten, I'd love to keep this up… but I'm afraid we need to finish it." He gave a confident smile, noticing his friend raise an eyebrow in confusion. "You see, it may look like we're on the same level, but I still have way more power."
"What do you mean?"
"I've been holding onto a little trick for an occasion like this. On our last day in the Time Chamber, I wanted to show you, but since we got lost, I couldn't—and then I completely forgot until now."
No one understood what Trunks was about to do. He simply stood firm and clenched his fists tightly at his sides.
"If this were my first time trying it, I'd blow the whole place apart. But I've got it under control now. I don't need to waste much energy to pull it off."
"What are you—?" Goten couldn't even finish the question, his eyes widening.
Even though it wasn't dramatically visible, Goten felt Trunks's ki spike violently inside his body, silent but overwhelming. In contrast, all the others could see were small yet powerful bolts of lightning bursting from him, filling the air with a sharp, crackling roar.
The roar that escaped the young warrior's throat was as feral as a raging beast. His muscles swelled brutally, more than doubling in size, while thick, bulging veins traced across them.
His hair shot upward, exploding into massive golden spikes, snapping the tie that had held his ponytail, giving him a towering, fearsome look. His eyes, completely blank, reflected the near loss of reason that came with holding such immense power inside.
The ground trembled, terrified of the incomprehensible energy pouring out of the boy's body. His ki spread invisibly through the air, sending harsh, violent vibrations into the very bones of the watching ninjas.
The clouds themselves twisted under a strange effect, swirling unnaturally over the Forest of Death. Naruto and the other genin lifted their eyes in shock, seeing the clouds accelerate across the sky, streaming in from afar at incredible speed. It was as if they were desperate to gather over Area 44 for reasons unknown.
Shikamaru, usually lazy but an expert cloud-watcher, was perhaps the most shaken by the sight.
And with a final blinding flash that left everyone momentarily blinded, his beastly transformation was complete. Trunks had become an Ultra Super Saiyan. He had mastered the form enough to pull it off without the disastrous side effects his future counterpart had suffered.
"His—his appearance…! Now he looks…!" Asuma was so overwhelmed he couldn't even finish his thought. The same awe gripped everyone else.
Ino stared with her mouth wide open. She had to admit, she'd always found Trunks's body attractive. But this… this was too much. It bordered on ridiculous. His neck was almost as thick as her thigh, his biceps grotesquely oversized, his shoulders massive… even his swollen thighs were bursting against the tight fabric of his pants. He seemed taller, too. In short, he'd turned into a thirteen-year-old mountain of muscle—the lost son of Broly.
"Trunks! Are you okay?" Goten asked, alarmed at his friend's grimacing jaw and blank eyes. Brief's sheer muscle and hair instantly reminded him of Broly.
The Saiyan panted heavily, snorting like a beast. Rough, guttural sounds rattled in his throat, desperate to escape in a savage scream.
At his friend's voice, his face softened, and the emerald green of his eyes returned.
"Don't worry, I haven't lost control—I'm fully aware," he said with a confident, reassuring smile. "Alright, now we can continue. Get ready, because I'm going all out." He settled into his fighting stance.
Trunks seized the initiative, launching his attack. His left arm stayed high in defense, while his right drew back, ready to strike with crushing force at any moment.
Goten, still trying to process what had just happened, barely managed to block the punch awkwardly, throwing his right arm forward to absorb the full blow against his bicep. The ground beneath them collapsed into a crater, unable to withstand the sheer force.
"Whoa! He hits hard!" he thought, gritting his teeth in an effort to hold back his rival's assault.
He stood his ground, not giving an inch. But that split-second distraction allowed a powerful uppercut from Trunks to smash into his chin, making him see stars.
His teeth clashed so hard they nearly shattered, and in an instant, he was sent rocketing skyward, vanishing from sight. Trunks shot up after him at once.
When Goten managed to shake off the daze, he stopped at a great height. The immense tower below looked no bigger than an ant, but he ignored it, focusing on sensing his opponent. To his shock, Trunks was already above him, ready to smash down with his elbow.
As fast as he could, Goten crossed his arms to shield himself, but he couldn't stop from being hurled downward again. Trunks's strikes had become unbelievably powerful.
His body ripped through the air with a piercing whistle. At least he'd blocked the blow, making it easier to slow his fall. Even after dropping halfway, he was still kilometers above the forest floor. Without wasting a second, he shot back upward, straight at Trunks, ramming his fist against his in a raw clash of strength.
BAAAAAAM!
The impact boomed across the distance like a massive explosion. But Goten took the worst of it. Even though he stayed in place, the shockwave tore painfully through his body. There was no denying his friend now vastly outclassed him in raw strength.
Goten pushed the pain aside—he couldn't stop now. He thrust his other arm forward, grabbed a fistful of Trunks's long hair, and yanked his head down, smashing it against his rising knee.
PAAAAAM!
A powerful, solid hit crackled with golden lightning as it landed, breaking Trunks's nose a little more—until Goten's shock widened when he saw his friend's muscular arm about to crash into his face.
Yes, the transformation cost him speed, but in return gave him so much resilience that the brutal knee strike hadn't even managed to stun him.
Relying on his reflexes, Goten dodged just in time, watching in slow motion as Trunks's arm swept past, nearly grazing his nose. Barely—he'd barely slipped away. He sighed with relief in his mind.
Seeing Trunks shoot past him, unable to stop, Goten took the chance to drive a rising kick into his stomach, sending him soaring even higher than they already were.
Brief clutched his abdomen, trying to shake off the pain enough to counter. He hadn't even finished his upward flight when Goten was already waiting above, hands interlocked overhead like a hammer, ready to smash him back down.
BOOOOMMMM!
Even though they were flying so high, the sound of the impact still reached the shinobi below. The clouds beneath them scattered instantly, vanishing as if torn apart by a violent gale.
"You'll have to try harder."
Instead of taking the blow, Trunks spun at the last moment mid-ascent, extended an arm, and caught Goten's strike with one hand. Despite its force, his strength was so immense he stopped it without budging an inch.
Goten was stunned—he couldn't believe Trunks had that much power. While he had needed both hands for a double strike, Trunks blocked with one, while the other buried a vicious uppercut into his gut.
"AAAGHHH!"
Saliva and blood sprayed from Goten's mouth. The Saiyan vanished into the air, nothing but a blur, blasted away at indescribable speed by the sheer force of the hit.
The two idiots kept driving each other upward, climbing higher and higher, until they were nearing the edges of the atmosphere. The sky above them darkened from blue into the black of space itself.
The pain was immense—Trunks hit like a monster. Goten had to spread his arms and legs wide to try to slow his uncontrolled rise.
ZAAAS!
He managed it. His face was twisted in pain, gasping for breath, the stomach blow having knocked the wind out of him.
With his Ultra Super Saiyan form, Trunks could hardly predict Goten's movements well enough to follow up. But his sheer speed let him appear before him anyway, out of nowhere.
"You're fighting really well, Goten," Brief said with a grin, spreading his massive arms wide. "So what do you say we take this a step further?"
Goten's face was a picture of shock. His heart nearly stopped as Trunks's aura ignited wildly, golden energy swirling with violence in his palms. He was about to unleash an energy attack—not just any, but nothing less than Final Flash.
The thrill of battle had taken hold of the Saiyan's mind. He couldn't resist—he had to use an energy technique. This wasn't an everyday chance to fight at this level. He wanted to show Goten his true power.
Son didn't waste time thinking. He'd be a fool not to dodge at the very least. Vegeta's technique was far too fast, crossing space as though light-years were just simple kilometers.
He knew exactly what to do. He leaned forward, legs apart, drawing both arms back. His hands cupped as he began gathering every ounce of energy into a single point. Blue light beams flared to life.
"KYAAAAA!"
His aura exploded with violent intensity, so fierce that Trunks felt the waves crashing into him mercilessly. He had to dig deeper, draw out more power—his muscles swelled further, his breathing became harsh and shallow. He had ascended into Super Saiyan Grade 2.
"KAMEEEE… HAMEEEE…"
Trunks smirked. This was going to be fun. Just channeling his immense ki through every fiber of his body filled him with intoxicating pleasure. No denying it—they were Saiyans. They lived for battle.
Golden bolts crackled across Trunks's hypertrophied body. His already massive muscles swelled even further, veins bulging as though they might burst. His ki built to levels dangerous even for him.
And then, at the same time, both screamed with everything they had, voices tearing their throats as they thrust their arms forward.
"FINAL FLASH!"
"HAAAAAAAA!"
It was unbelievable. Two colossal energy columns, each carrying enough power to obliterate Earth itself, surged toward one another—until they collided.
Kamehameha versus Final Flash.
Blue against Gold.
The son of Goku against the son of Vegeta.
"What the hell is that?" Naruto pointed at the sky, his eyes squinted into two narrow lines, thick drops of sweat running down his neck.
There was no time for an answer. Not that anyone knew what was happening, but when the two techniques clashed, everything shook like never before.
Kakashi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He had the gut feeling nothing good was about to happen.
"Everyone down!"
Konoha trembled again. Windows shattered across the entire village. Pebbles broke loose from the stone-carved faces of the Hokage Monument, the vibrations so brutal they began to crack the landmark of the Hidden Leaf itself. Goten and Trunks's recklessness was spiraling out of control.
Many shinobi couldn't hold back their curiosity any longer. Some ANBU were already preparing to head toward the Forest of Death, where all the chaos seemed to be coming from. The most alarmed, of course, were the genin's parents, knowing their children were in the middle of the exams there.
They gathered immediately at the village gates, determined to take action, splitting into two groups. One was made up of over ten ANBU, the other by several of the parents: the inseparable Ino-Shika-Cho trio; Tsume Inuzuka with her fearsome ninken Kuromaru and her daughter Hana; Kizashi Haruno, who was about to crack one of his dumb jokes to lighten the mood but went silent under the glare from Shibi Aburame's dark glasses.
Hiashi chose not to show up himself. Instead, he sent Ko Hyuga, Hinata's caretaker.
Five hundred kilometers above the Earth's surface, nearly outside the atmosphere, two young warriors remained locked in their fierce clash of power.
Neither attack gave an inch. Trunks's golden Final Flash stood deadlocked against Goten's immense Kamehameha.
But the advantage was Trunks's. While Goten had pushed his ki to its absolute limit, Trunks still had room to force more. He didn't, because this wasn't a fight to the death.
"Man, Goten's stubborn. He should give up—he knows he doesn't stand a chance."
To prove his point, Trunks let out a battle cry and poured more energy into his attack. His blast swelled even larger. It was a perfect reenactment of Goku's Kamehameha against Vegeta's Galick Gun in their first fight—only this time, the advantage was with the prince's son.
Goten's Kamehameha began to falter. It lost ground, inching back toward him. His teeth clenched so hard they nearly cracked. Every muscle in his lean frame throbbed, his skin flushed as veins worked frantically to pump every last drop of energy through him.
Trunks grinned with satisfaction, even as the inhuman strain made his body tremble. The pain was real—but it was a sweet pain. It felt good to know he was stronger than his friend… until that stupid smile froze on his face.
"What the—"
"HAAAAAAA!"
Goten suddenly unleashed another surge of immense ki, swelling his Kamehameha into something monstrous. It was enormous! He owed it to his tail, which had unlocked his full Saiyan potential.
But things went out of control.
KABOOOOOOOMMM!
The entire sky turned white. None of the shinobi knew it, but that was usually the last thing seen by races and species whose worlds were destroyed.
This time, the whole Earth trembled. It feared death, shuddering and quaking before the incomprehensible power of the two children.
From space, the planet appeared as a small blue sphere, and near its atmosphere, a golden disc swelled in size—representing the Saiyans' techniques exploding out of control.
The scene was identical to when Frieza, in his final form, kicked Vegeta's desperate Galick Gun into space, saving Namek from instant annihilation. But this time, the blast was even more violent—almost beyond description.
The Feudal Lords of the five great nations truly thought the world was ending that day. The event was perfectly visible not just in Sunagakure, but across Kumogakure and Kirigakure as well.
A, the Fourth Raikage, gripped the railing of his tower balcony against the massive quake that rattled everything. He looked up just in time to see the sky swallowed by a blinding white light that left everyone sightless.
Kakashi staggered to his feet, dazed. For a moment, he thought he had blacked out—time itself seemed to have shifted, moving at its own pace.
When he surveyed his surroundings, there was nothing but barren ground stretching as far as the eye could see. The Hokage's tower still stood, though one more shock would send it crumbling.
Miraculously, Konoha survived, though hundreds of repairs would be needed to fix the widespread damage. And this was with the explosion happening hundreds of kilometers away—any closer, and the entire Land of Fire, maybe more, wouldn't have survived.
Some shinobi had been blown off in all directions by the apocalyptic blast, but they were safe.
Gaara shielded himself and his siblings with a sand barrier that barely held, making them some of the only ones still standing. Even so, all three were shaken—especially Temari, whose green eyes looked ready to pop from her skull.
Naruto and Sakura stood, brushing off the dust clinging to their clothes, hurrying to regroup with their sensei. They didn't have time to speak. A piercing sound tore through the air, grating on everyone's ears. The battered onlookers, already overwhelmed, had nothing left to say—they'd seen too much, and this was madness.
Looking up, they saw a golden light plummeting like a meteor. One of the Saiyans. The only question was which.
BRRROOOOMMM!
It landed less than a kilometer away.
Wasting no time, Trunks took advantage of Goten's daze after the explosion. He appeared behind him, flipped upside down, and drove a reverse kick into his shoulder, sending him crashing back toward Earth.
No matter how hard he tried, Goten couldn't stop himself. Maybe the attack had been too powerful, but the real reason was worse—he had blacked out during the fall.
He plummeted faster and faster, cutting through Earth's atmospheric layers as though they were stacked only meters apart.
At the last possible moment, he snapped awake. Dizzy, but aware of what was happening, his battle instincts kicked in. He twisted, planting both arms and legs against the ground like Kiba preparing for his Four Legs Technique.
The earth shattered beneath him, collapsing into a crater far larger than any left by a Saiyan landing pod.
From afar, shinobi racing to the scene stared in disbelief. Surely, they thought, Goten was about to surrender. Kakashi saw how exhausted he was, struggling to catch his breath.
But Goten barely had time to breathe. He had to leap aside as Trunks came crashing down, nearly crushing him with a double kick.
The impact sent dust and smoke surging into the air, rumbling like thunder. But Trunks gave no pause—he charged through the cloud, tackling Goten and locking him into a crushing bear hug.
He had him. Goten's arms were pinned; no punches or elbows were possible. Trunks tightened his grip, squeezing with all his might, forcing pain through every fiber of his opponent's body.
"Give up, Goten! You can't escape! If you don't, you'll run out of air—you could die. Stop this!" he warned through clenched teeth, straining with power.
"Uggghh… never…" Goten muttered, struggling desperately but failing. Trunks was too strong. With no other option, he resorted to smashing his forehead against Trunks's, headbutting again and again in a desperate bid for freedom.
Neither gave in. Trunks kept squeezing, bones creaking under his grip, while Goten hammered him with headbutts that slowly began to stun him. Finally, Trunks couldn't take it anymore. He released him, stumbling back with both hands clutching his aching skull.
Goten staggered as well, bent forward, one hand braced on his knee, gasping for air. His other hand clutched his bruised ribs, throbbing from the monstrous squeeze.
After a brief recovery, both exchanged confident smiles.
For Trunks, it made sense—he held the upper hand. But no one could understand why Goten was smiling too. By all rights, he should've been worried.
"Now you see how powerful I've become? I told you this would end soon. Are you smiling because you've realized that?"
Despite the pain in his ribs, Goten kept grinning, one eye half-shut from the strain.
"You're right. You've grown stronger. Your ki's much greater than mine. But even so, I'll be the one to win."
The shinobi could hear every word. They all thought Goten was bluffing—lying to steady himself and maybe even to scare Trunks.
"And how do you plan on doing that? I don't think you can surpass my power now!"
"Maybe not… but I've found a big weakness in your transformation. You've become much slower. I think I'll use that to my advantage."
Now Kakashi understood. True, Trunks was still impossibly fast for any of them, but there was no denying his movements were heavier, less agile, weighed down by his bulked-up form.
Still, his power was monstrous, and the punishment he had dealt so far left Goten worn down. To have any chance, Goten would have to avoid every blow he could.
"You might be right. But I make up for it with power—and my endurance has skyrocketed, too. No matter how much you dodge, I'll land a hit eventually, and when I do, that'll be my moment." Trunks was utterly confident. He knew Goten would get his shots in, but when he struck back, the damage would be worse.
Goten didn't flinch. He just kept smiling, eyes locked in a fiery, defiant stare.
"I know. That's why I'll show you a little trick I learned."
"A little trick? I doubt it'll make much of a difference. Besides, remember—we can't throw energy around here. What happened earlier was more than enough." Trunks shrugged, signaling to his friend that it wasn't worth the effort.
"Don't worry, it's not that." Goten began stretching casually. Then, flipping upside down, he balanced effortlessly on a single index finger and cranked out rapid push-ups as though it were nothing.
"Goten, I really don't know what you're planning. I suggest you—AAAGH!"
The ground split apart as Goten's knee drove deep into his rival's abdomen.
Trunks froze, his eyes wide with shock and pain from the unexpected strike. Goten had tricked him—he hadn't planned to use any technique at all. He had simply used the stretches as a distraction before blitzing forward at full speed.
And the ambush didn't end there. Goten had to make up for his lack of speed with unpredictability, so he unleashed a relentless storm of punches and kicks, crashing into Trunks from every angle. The assault was so fierce that Trunks couldn't find a way out of the overwhelming barrage.
Unlike before, Goten now focused every strike on precise points, channeling all his energy directly into Trunks's body instead of letting it bleed out into the environment. The tremors caused by his blows were less noticeable, making the attacks seem weaker. But the veterans of taijutsu knew better—especially Neji, who recognized the precision of attacks aimed at vital points.
Trunks braced himself, standing firm and finally weathering the storm. Clenching his fists, he launched a devastating uppercut into Goten's chin. Yet the Son boy didn't go flying—he absorbed the full force of the strike and stood his ground. Now, both of them were trading punishing, concentrated blows, the energy spreading violently through their bodies.
"They'll seriously injure each other…" Gai muttered in the tense silence, a bead of sweat running down his neck. His words rattled many, especially Sakura and Ino, who began watching with rising dread.
The boys had abandoned their refined martial arts, reducing the battle to a brutal slugfest, little more than a savage boxing match. They didn't move an inch from where they stood, making the spectacle painfully clear to everyone.
And while most would have preferred not to watch, it was impossible to look away. For every three punches Goten threw, Trunks answered with a single, heavier blow. The only movements were their heads snapping back from each hit, and their torsos rocking violently forward and back with every impact to their ribs.
The energy was so intense that every punch to the chest rippled out the other side in visible waves of white ki, surging through their bodies and bursting from their backs.
They were exhausting themselves rapidly, but Trunks was clearly gaining the upper hand. Slowly, step by step, he forced Goten back. Son's dodges grew clumsier, until finally, both were hitting each other in equal measure—like prizefighters in the final round, completely spent.
BAAAMMM!
A crushing straight punch from Trunks lifted Goten off his feet, sending him crashing onto his back several meters away. Both were panting heavily, their faces and bodies battered, swollen, and bruised. Yet even so, to everyone's shock, Goten dragged himself back up, trembling but refusing to stay down.
The Ascended Super Saiyan form granted him strength, stamina, and energy, but at the cost of speed. Trunks's transformation, however, was even slower, though far more powerful and durable. And in a close-range slugfest like this, the Briefs boy held every advantage.
"I'll admit, Goten, you've pushed me to the edge. I didn't think it would be this hard. But you're worse off than me. You can't keep going. Surrender." Trunks was gasping for air, but he still wore a small, confident smirk. Victory was his.
"Thanks for the fight—it was fun!"
Trunks grinned widely. He thought Goten was finally taking his advice and giving up. That would have been the wise choice.
But he was dead wrong. His arrogance blinded him to the truth. Goten might be clumsy and distracted, but like his father, he was a genius in battle—calculating, fast-learning, adapting instantly to new techniques. So why would he willingly throw himself into a slugfest against someone whose transformation granted far greater strength and endurance? By all logic, he should have lost already.
He should have tried to move, to dodge, to fly. The answer was simple: like any true Saiyan, he wanted a great fight. And that meant taking heavy blows just to "enjoy" the battle to its fullest. He was the one truly confident—because he knew he would win.
"Very smart, Goten. I'm glad you're finally surrendering!"
But Goten only shook his head, flashing his father's trademark grin. He raised a hand in a gesture that left everyone speechless. His words were madness itself.
"Three seconds. I can't hold it longer than that. So I'll have to defeat you in three seconds."
"GOTEN, DON'T! STOP IT! YOU'RE TOO HURT!"
It was Sakura, finally breaking down from the worry. And she was right—he was a wreck. His right eye was swollen shut, blood streaming across his face, cuts along his brows and forehead spilling crimson down his cheeks. His abdomen and torso were riddled with bruises; a rib or two had to be broken.
Trunks bore similar injuries, but less severe, with no swelling to his eyes. He was clearly in better shape.
"Remember, I promised you I would win?"
Sakura stood frozen, aghast. What did that matter now? She only wanted him to stop this insane fight. Insane—that was the word. There was no exam at stake, no mission, no reason. Just pure stubborn pride and the twisted way these boys showed respect and affection through combat. Idiots.
"That doesn't matter, you fool! Don't try something reckless! You can't win—look at you!"
Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder, his face grim, almost deathly."Sakura… look around you. Do you really think it matters to him? They'll go on until one of them can no longer stand."
"What the hell was that explosion? That blinding light?" Anko finally snapped after minutes of hesitation. "Who the hell are you people? Answer me, you worms!"
"Sorry, we got a little carried away! Hahaha!"
Everyone faceplanted.
"That's it—I'm going to kill you, you damn monkey!"
It took Shikamaru, Choji, and two of Naruto's clones to hold back the frothing kunoichi. (Yes, two clones—because the real Naruto was far too scared to try stopping her himself.)
What enraged Sakura most was how casually Goten said it, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. Was that his damned answer to everything? She swore she'd shove that apology right down his throat.
But then, all at once, everything froze. Goten turned back to Trunks, his expression shifting.
"Now I'll use my secret technique." He raised both hands forward, smiling nervously as if shielding himself from Trunks's killing glare. "I swear I'm serious this time! No tricks! No surprise attack, really!" His laughter vanished, his face hardened, and his jade-like eyes shone with eerie light. "I'll admit… this could kill me. I haven't mastered it yet. That's why I can only sustain it for three seconds…"
"Damn it, Goten! What are you planning? It seems like you're just—"
But Trunks froze. His blood ran cold.
This time, Goten's ki doubled his own. It didn't flare outward, but built up inside him—dangerous, overwhelming, beyond logic itself.
"What the hell…? What is that power?"
Even as an Ascended Super Saiyan, Goten's body turned completely red, his aura swelling to three times its size, thrashing wildly with such overwhelming force it looked like it could blast everyone hundreds of meters away at any second.
His defined Saiyan frame swelled, muscles bulging to the point of tearing under the pressure of the power packed within them. He was still a Super Saiyan—though he no longer looked like one. His golden hair had darkened back to black, rising in sharp spikes that crackled in the air. His power was so immense that Konoha and the entire Zone 44 shook mercilessly again.
The shinobi rushing to investigate from the village stopped dead in their tracks. They couldn't advance even a few meters—every tree they landed on splintered apart like fragile twigs.
"Damn it!" Trunks thought in panic, just before Goten lunged at him. The ground beneath them cracked like glass. Then he understood—he'd heard whispers about it before. "Did he combine Kaio-ken with Super Saiyan?"
He had.
A piercing, shrill sound—louder and sharper than anything they had ever heard—ripped through Trunks' ears and everyone else's. It was the Kaio-ken's signature howl, born from Goten's impossibly fast flight that shredded the air as he moved.
Trunks couldn't react. Couldn't even see.
He only felt it when Goten's kick smashed into his jaw and sent him flying skyward for kilometers.
The fight tipped completely. Goten was already waiting above him, hands locked together, slamming a crushing double-fist into Trunks' back.
PAAAAM!
But it didn't stop there. As Trunks plummeted helplessly, Goten was already in front of him again, driving a vicious elbow into his chest and sending him hurtling in another direction.
Even though Trunks knew where the blows were coming from, it made no difference—the sheer speed and strength left him completely defenseless. He was at Goten's mercy, knocked around like a ping pong ball smashed endlessly by one player.
Goten grimaced, shutting his eyes tight as if his body would burst apart under the strain.
"Two seconds left!"
He didn't relent. He had to keep going, had to finish this before his body gave out.
He launched Trunks across the forest like a ragdoll, slamming him through massive trees that exploded like brittle branches. The only ones left standing were those at the edge of the Forest of Death, near the gates—far from where the fight had started.
In mere fractions of a second, Zone 44 lay in ruins for kilometers around. Trunks' body tore through everything, while flashes of red light streaked across the sky. Goten moved so fast he nearly outpaced his own aura, red energy trailing behind him as if struggling to keep up.
"One second left!"
Trunks had lost all sense of time and space. His body screamed in agony. He had no idea where he even was anymore.
When he managed to open his eyes, he saw Goten flying alongside him, never letting up. His friend's eyes were rolled back white, his face twisted into a mask of fury and madness that erased every trace of his usual gentle features.
Then he vanished.
Goten reappeared below him, blasting him away with a brutal double kick to the spine. Trunks' world blurred into meaningless streaks and colors.
BAAAM! BAAAM! BAAAM!
Hit after hit after hit. He didn't even know from where anymore. His limp body was being carried along, beaten senseless. Consciousness slipped further and further away, and for once it felt like relief—like an escape.
The shinobi couldn't see anything. Only the booming cracks of Goten's blows echoing through the distance, and that horrific, shrill whine of Kaio-ken ripping the air apart.
Then, without warning, Goten appeared alone in front of them all, still glowing crimson, as if materializing from nothing. He stared upward, as though waiting for something… or someone… to fall.
He didn't wait long. Trunks finally came crashing down from the heavens—just in time to meet Goten's final, monstrous uppercut to the gut.
KABOOOOOOM!
The massive blast left everyone stunned. A thick cloud of dust made it impossible to see a thing. The impact had been devastating, overwhelming.
When the haze cleared and silence returned, they finally saw what had happened.
Trunks lay flat on his back, completely reverted from his transformation. The contrast between his normal form and the bulk of the USSJ made him look small and frail now—though it was nothing more than an illusion.
Standing beside him was Goten, also back in his base form, breathing heavily, clutching one arm in agony from the strain of Kaio-ken. Not a single muscle in his body was intact—they were all torn apart.
His father had warned him. The technique drained even more when combined with Super Saiyan, and now he couldn't hold on any longer. He had burned through every last drop of his energy. The entire onslaught had lasted exactly three seconds.
Incredibly, Trunks began to push himself up, slowly, painfully. His vision blurred, consciousness fading. He knew he had lost—he couldn't even stand. But the worst wound wasn't physical. It was his pride, shattered and humiliated.
He felt like garbage for underestimating Goten, for losing to him. A fool for ignoring the drawbacks of USSJ, for settling with his current strength instead of training harder with his father to finally reach Super Saiyan 2.
"I… I need to get stronger…" he muttered, barely coherent, collapsing face-first into the dirt. His hand stretched out toward Goten, as if just touching him could make his wish come true.
"You're a disgrace, Trunks! How could you lose to Kakarot's son?" An image of his father stood before him, arms crossed, scolding him for his shameful defeat. Trunks tried to answer, but Vegeta's disappointment was so deep that he turned away and vanished into nothing.
"Father, wait! Don't go!"
Thud!
The sound of a body hitting the ground. But it wasn't Trunks.
Goten had collapsed, teeth clenched, his face twisted in sheer agony. The boy writhed helplessly, whimpering, almost crying as waves of torment tore through him.
The sensations were indescribable, beyond reason—electricity crackling through every nerve, searing heat burning his insides, and a stabbing pain that seemed to pierce straight through his bones.
"GOTEN!" Sakura rushed toward him, unable to bear seeing her friend suffer so brutally.
She slipped past Kakashi's outstretched arm, his attempt to stop her failing miserably. She thought she'd go insane if she had to hear Goten's cries for even another second.
Meanwhile, Trunks' vision cleared. Strength crept back into his body, enough for him to slowly stand. His friend's screams pulled him out of his daze. Looking down, he noticed something strange—his hand was gripping Goten's tail.
He realized what had happened. A moment ago, when he thought he was reaching for his father's fading image, he had actually grabbed Goten's tail. And even now, out of shock, he was still holding it tightly.
No one else seemed to understand, but Trunks grasped it instantly: the Saiyan tail was a weakness.
"GOTEN! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO YOU? PLEASE, ANSWER ME!" Sakura pleaded, kneeling beside him, shaking him by the shoulders, desperate to pull him out of his tortured state. She thought his suffering was from the strange technique he had used at the end.
Snapping back to his senses, Trunks recoiled and let go of the tail, disgusted, as if he'd been holding something vile.
Like a switch being flipped, Goten's screams stopped. But he still lay there, flat on his back, eyes squeezed shut, arms and legs stretched out, struggling just to breathe.
Sakura's wide green eyes filled with panic as she leaned over his chest. She couldn't stand seeing him like this.
Kakashi and Asuma approached to check on both boys. It was clear now—the tail had been the cause.
"So, the Saiyans do have a weakness after all," Kakashi murmured. He knew the boys weren't bad people, yet a strange relief washed over him to learn Goten wasn't completely invincible. There was a way to stop him. He even thought, wrongly, that this was why their parents had removed their tails.
SLAP!
"You're an idiot!" Sakura screamed, smacking Trunks hard across the face. "You're supposed to be his friend! Why the hell would you do something like that!?"
"I swear, I—"
SLAP!
This one landed harder than the last, fueled by even greater fury.
Trunks felt awful. He had never intended to inflict such pain on his best friend. So, with resignation, he turned his gaze aside, though he kept his head held high, offering Sakura his face so she could slap him as much as she wanted—even to the point of exhaustion. He wouldn't lift a finger to stop her. He deserved it.
Still out of control and with tears streaming down her face, Sakura raised her hand for another slap—but Kakashi caught her wrist mid-air, stopping her.
"Enough, Sakura. Even he didn't know."
He released her hand. The kunoichi could only exhale in frustration.
Trunks simply ignored her. He was too shaken by his defeat. For a moment, he had believed he would win. He trusted that his power and abilities were superior to Goten's. Discovering the opposite was not only a crushing blow to his pride—it was humiliating to realize that his friend had exposed the weaknesses of his transformation, leaving him looking like a fool.
What would my father say?
That single thought hammered mercilessly in his mind. Just as he ignored Sakura, he ignored the stares of everyone else.
The shinobi stepped aside, parting into a path for the boy to walk freely. Nobody wanted to get in his way. Some looked at him with fear, others with disdain.
Neji wore a faint smile of self-satisfaction. He had always been right—those two didn't belong in Konoha… perhaps they didn't even belong in this world. They were monsters.
Trunks walked past them, head lowered, his steps unsteady, his spirit crushed. He had no interest in meeting anyone's eyes.
Until a small, fragile hand gently took his.
"And where do you think you're going?"
Her tone was meant to sound commanding, almost defiant.
Trunks froze, but he didn't turn around. He had no face left to show Ino. Facing her would only make things harder.
"I'm going to get my clothes… and Goten's too."
"Ha! You can barely walk."
"I can do it myself."
"I know…"
He finally turned to her. For a moment, he had forgotten how beautiful Ino was. It embarrassed him to see her looking so radiant while he was a complete wreck. Not a single part of him was left unscathed.
But above all his wounds, bruises, cuts, and swelling, what struck Yamanaka most was his right eye. Since the moment she met him, his striking blue eyes had been one of the things she liked most about him.
Now, one of them was completely red. The brutal beating had ruptured every blood vessel, flooding the white of his eye with blood until it was nothing but an intense crimson.
"You're strong, I know you can do it on your own—but that doesn't mean it's wrong to accept a little help, idiot. It won't make you weaker." She released his hand and began tying up her freshly cut hair with her ribbon. "Turn around. I need to gather your hair."
"B-but…"
Before he could finish, Shikamaru and Choji stepped in, each hooking one of his arms over their shoulders to help him walk.
"What a drag. Do you realize how far the tower is?" Shikamaru muttered, though his words didn't match the genuine smile on his face. "You can deal with the clothes. No way am I carrying those."
It had all been in his head. When he'd walked down that "cruel" hallway of shinobi, more eyes than he realized had been filled with concern for him. More people than he thought were ready to help.
For the first time, he felt what it was like to have friends beyond Goten. It was… incredible. So much so that every small gesture from these kids healed his wounded pride more effectively than any senzu bean could. Losing to Goten didn't feel so bad anymore.
"Th-thank you… for everything." He struggled to get the words out, especially with Ino behind him, gathering his hair.
"What do you mean, 'thank you'?" the blonde said, pressing a hand dramatically to her chest as if offended. "Wouldn't you do the same for us? You disappoint me, Trunks!"
The Saiyan's face turned redder than his bloodshot eye.
"O-of course I would…"
"Going to stammer like an idiot again? Ha! I thought you were over that, but I guess you're still not used to talking to me. Can't blame you, though." The merciless blonde winked at him. She was going to kill him—and the worst part was, she knew it. What a vain girl!
Trunks dropped his gaze to the ground. He had no intention of looking at her again, or else his heart might burst out of his chest.
Mercifully, Shikamaru shook his head, silently mouthing at Ino to cut it out already.
A few meters away, Naruto was shouting like a madman over the aching Goten, praising him. The boy just smiled back, since he had barely managed to sit up and couldn't even stand.
"You were insane out there, seriously! I'd have given half my savings just to see Sasuke's face!" While cheering him on, Naruto slapped Goten on the shoulder enthusiastically, making him cry out in pain from his shredded muscles.
"What's wrong?" the blond asked, alarmed. "Does it hurt when I do this?" He smacked his shoulder again, and Goten whimpered in pain.
"Ouch! Please stop, my whole body hurts!" The two started laughing like fools, which made Goten's ribs ache so badly he thought they might crack. Not that he knew, but Trunks's ribs were in even worse shape.
BAM!
Sakura punched Naruto so hard his face was driven into the ground, leaving only a large, steaming lump sticking out from the back of his head.
Goten bared his teeth in pure fear. Right in front of him stood Sakura, stomping firmly, arms crossed, glaring down at him. She was just about to scold him when someone cut in unexpectedly.
It was Rock Lee, who approached with praises for the Saiyan and leaned down to help him up. That much was fine—until Sakura noticed Tenten was about to do the same.
"Let me help," the brunette said with a smile, slipping one of Goten's arms over her shoulder. "I didn't know you were that strong! I wonder if, once you're better, you'd help me with my taijutsu."
"Of course! I don't mind. Besides, I think Sakura doesn't really want to train with me because—"
"Oh, Tenten! What are you saying? I'm his teammate, so let me help him." Sakura cut in quickly, giving the girl a slight shove to take Goten's other side for herself. "And who told you I didn't want to train with him?"
"Naruto said you were too lazy with training—"
The blond, still half-dazed from his punishment, shot up the moment he heard those words. He wanted to run for his life. Waving frantically at Goten with every sign he could think of, he begged him not to dig the hole any deeper. Of course, Goku's son was utterly clueless.
"That's why I figured you didn't want to train. Tenten, on the other hand, seems much more dedicated and—AAAHGG!"
He didn't get to finish. Sakura, still holding him up, slammed her elbow straight into his sore ribs.
Tenten covered her face with a hand, genuinely embarrassed that the poor boy had to endure someone as crazy as Sakura Haruno.
"Go-Goten, a-are you alright?"
Sakura's face turned pale. Wait—wasn't Hinata supposed to be in critical condition?! She had completely forgotten that Goten had healed her!
In truth, the girl hadn't needed to be in the infirmary at all. Once every possible risk was ruled out, the medics allowed her to leave. More than anything, the reason was the crumbling state of the tower. To prevent disaster, everyone remaining inside had been evacuated—just in case.
That included the doctors, Kiba, and even Sasuke. The problem with the Uchiha was that he was still unconscious, so the order was to transfer him under strict supervision to Konoha's hospital.
Compared to Trunks, Goten wasn't as physically battered. His problem was different—he had burned through too much energy. On top of that, when Brief had grabbed his tail, it had left him in an even worse state for reasons he didn't understand. He no longer felt the same. During the fight he'd been able to walk fine, but now, not even that.
That was why, when he slipped his arms off Rock Lee and Sakura's shoulders to walk on his own toward the little Hyūga, he ended up collapsing right onto her.
Startled, Hinata caught him gently before he hit the ground, cradling him carefully.
As if falling unconscious from hundreds of meters in the air would've harmed a Saiyan. But Hinata—sweet, tender Hinata—had worried about even that.