"CHANGE!"
The strange golden glow surrounding Ginyu shot forward, straight toward the unsuspecting Goten, who stood just a few meters away from the alien warriors.
The captain's decision was so sudden that even her subordinates didn't see it coming. For the first time, she was using the technique on someone of the opposite sex, leaving even them eager to know the outcome.
FLAAASH!
There was no time to react. Goten was too close—and too curious about whatever it was Ginyu was trying—combined with the confidence he and Trunks shared in their clear superiority over their opponents.
Everything ended in a brief but blinding yellow flash, so intense that it stunned everyone for a second.
When Trunks rubbed his eyes and his vision cleared, he was left confused. Nothing unusual seemed to have happened. No explosion, no smoke, nothing. Both Goten and Ginyu stood exactly where they had been.
"I don't know what the hell you tried, but it looks like it didn't work." He walked up beside his friend, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "Goten, why don't we just finish this already? Before something else gets destroyed and we end up getting blamed. What do you say?"
The boy didn't answer. He just stared at his own hands with such astonishment that it was as if he had never seen them before.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" Trunks' face froze when he saw the strange expression on Goten's face—an expression of malice.
Somehow, Ginyu had managed to twist that kind-hearted face into a wicked grin. His eyes widened unnaturally, gleaming with a psychotic look Trunks had never seen. The shock was so great, he didn't even notice the punch his "friend" had thrown with murderous intent.
BAAAM!
Trunks was blasted across the ground until a concrete wall, marking the start of the tall bleachers, decided his flight should end. He didn't even try to stop himself—the shock was too overwhelming.
With a thunderous crash, his back slammed against the wall, leaving him embedded in it with his arms and legs spread wide. He looked like a cartoon character in the aftermath of a painful collision. Cracks spread slowly from his body, weakening the wall with each passing second.
"Whoa! Why did that other me hit Trunks?" the real Goten asked, raising a hand to his head—only to startle at the strange feel of his own hair.
He touched it more quickly, realizing it wasn't short, spiky, and golden anymore. Instead, it was long, smooth, and fell over his shoulders—violet in color, just like Anko's.
"What the hell's wrong with you, Goten?" Trunks grumbled as he pulled himself free of the wall, brushing powdered concrete off his green gi. "Still mad I beat you at rock, paper, scissors? Don't be such a baby! Next time we'll settle it another way if you want!"
"Of course not! I'm not mad about that!" came the shocking reply—from Ginyu's body, with Goten's voice, fists clenched. "It's just that I think you cheat—but I don't even care anymore!"
Everyone froze. Trunks nearly panicked as he realized the truth: Ginyu's body now radiated Goten's ki, while Goten's body pulsed with something twisted and malicious.
Goten's laughter—hysterical, cruel—confirmed what had happened, though Trunks didn't want to believe it. Still, there was no doubt: the laugh was the same one Ginyu had let out just moments ago.
"It worked, it worked!" the alien cheered, raising her fists, looking over her new body, and even flicking the Saiyan tail in front of her for closer inspection. "Weird, I've never been inside a boy's body before, but it's worth it if it means I get one with over a billion in power level!"
Even the usually clueless Goten figured it out. He stared at his new purple hands in shock, opening and closing them to test if this bizarre reality was real.
"That's right, boy. This is my special technique—admire the Body Change!" She raised her arms and shouted in her feminine voice, loud enough for everyone present to hear. "Now I have your body, and therefore, your power. There's nothing you can do. Only I can reverse it—and why would I ever give up a body this powerful? HAHAHAHA!"
Just hearing that nearly made Orochimaru scream with delight. To him, this revelation was the closest thing to pure ecstasy. That cursed technique was everything he had fantasized about—quick, easy, perfect. His own jutsu seemed pathetic in comparison, burdened with limitations and the constant need to change vessels every three years. With Ginyu's technique, he could seize any body instantly.
"You bitch!" Trunks' alarm was genuine. If this was true, things had gotten very complicated. He'd have to fight at full strength now—Goten's power wasn't something to mess with. Still, he wondered how Ginyu could possibly use techniques she had never learned. At the very least, he suspected she wouldn't be able to pull off the Kaioken. "Give it back! That body isn't yours, you—!"
He stopped, dumbfounded, as he watched what his friend's body was doing. Goten, now in Ginyu's body, was… touching his own chest.
"Hey Trunks, what's this soft and squishy thing?" He cupped each breast with his hands, squeezing them repeatedly. "Feels weird. Seems kinda uncomfortable for fighting. Bet if you hit me here it'd hurt. Right here." He poked one nipple curiously, testing the sensitivity of his new anatomy.
Kakashi's nose erupted, and Sakura's patience snapped.
"GOTEN, YOU IDIOT! DO YOU NOT REALIZE HOW SERIOUS THIS IS?!" Her entire face was red from embarrassment, and the other girls weren't faring better. Poor Hinata covered her eyes, too ashamed to watch. "Stop touching yourself, you filthy monkey! Don't you care about getting your body back?!"
"Of course I do, I was just curious." More than one person went pale when Goten tugged at the neckline of the armor, peering down at his new breasts. "Wow! They're bigger than I thought!"
Naruto was doubled over laughing. The situation was dire, but Goten's stupidity was too much. The genin felt like he might pass out if he didn't stop laughing soon.
Kakashi's head snapped back violently, propelled by a geyser of blood that, thankfully, his mask contained. No one noticed—everyone else was too caught up in the absurdity.
"CHA! GOTEN, I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU KEEP IT UP! SHOW SOME RESPECT, YOU CLOSET PERVERT! CHA CHA!"
Sakura lost it. Her inner self exploded outward for real this time—not in her mind, but physically—her fists flying wildly as her eyes went blank white, flames raging behind her. The display finally scared Goten enough to stop prodding his new body.
Trunks covered his face with one hand, shaking his head. He knew Goten wasn't a pervert—just far too naive. The boy was still pure enough to ride the Flying Nimbus without a second thought. Like his father, he had no shame.
"This is serious. We're all in danger now." Kurenai, calmer now, still felt her stomach twist with anxiety. "Goten and Trunks will end up fighting each other… worse yet, it's Goten's power in the hands of someone ruthless. She won't hold back. That gives her a terrible advantage."
"Not everything's lost." Everyone turned to Kakashi, who was staring hard at the thick-browed jounin. "You know it too, don't you, Gai?"
"I don't fully understand that technique, but each fighter has their own style. No matter how much you learn from your sensei, there's always something unique to you—a mark of identity. I find it impossible for her to instantly inherit Goten's skills in taijutsu." He clenched his fists, sweat running down his face. The Green Beast of Konoha wasn't the only one disturbed by their helplessness. "But… this could still be worse for Trunks. Now his opponent has Goten's raw power—combined with her own style. The two boys know each other inside and out when it comes to fighting. That won't help him here."
"You're forgetting something." Asuma, cigarette in hand, exhaled slowly. "I don't know exactly how the technique works, but the way I see it, their bodies might have switched—but their minds, memories, and instincts are still their own. That means she can't just steal Goten's techniques."
It made sense, but the strangeness of the situation kept the shinobi on edge. Tenten felt that heavy pressure on her chest again, making it hard to breathe.
"Kid, you're heavier than you look." Ginyu rolled a shoulder, rotating her arm as if loosening the joints, frowning at the odd sensation. "Ha! I get it now, you little pests. You've been wearing weighted training clothes, haven't you?"
Hearing Goten's voice with those words was disturbing enough—but combined with the sinister grin and sharp-eyed glare, it was unbearable. She began peeling off the orange gi to fight without restrictions, eager to test her new speed.
That caught Trunks' attention. If she really had all of Goten's power, she shouldn't even notice the change. The boys had long gotten used to the weights; removing them barely made a difference.
"Much better!" she exclaimed after stripping off her top and wristbands. She dropped them carelessly, the ground cracking like glass under their weight. "Hmph. Guess I'll have to get used to being a boy now…" She eyed the flat chest and lean muscle of the young Saiyan body, clearly unsettled by the lack of curves. Then she placed a hand between her legs over the gi. "And I'll have to get used to peeing standing up… though I hear it's easier that way. Maybe even convenient."
"I'll have to get used to this too…" Goten whined with a tear in his eye, patting his flat chest in dismay—startled to find nothing there. Just like his father as a kid when he tugged at Bulma's underwear, curious about the difference.
"You're not getting used to anything! She's giving your body back right now!" Trunks shouted, pulling off his own gi top, intent on fighting evenly. He didn't realize it wasn't necessary at all—Ginyu had no control over Goten's ki yet.
But before he could finish, Ginyu launched at him like a missile, headbutting him brutally in the face.
"ARRGH! Damn it, wait until I'm ready!" Trunks shouted, flying backward. He caught himself with his hands against the ground, flipping into the air to avoid another wall.
His feet had barely touched the floor when Ginyu was already behind him, blasting him in the opposite direction with a crushing side kick.
BOOOOOM!
Something strange was happening. As Trunks' legs dragged along the ground, carving a pair of trenches during his retreat, he noticed that his opponent's blows hardly hurt at all. The deafening noise came to an end, signaling the close of the attack. With a leap, he freed his legs from the freshly carved path. Dusting off his pants, he dropped into a fighting stance. That wretch wasn't about to give him time to strip off his training clothes.
"Trunks, are you letting yourself get hit? Don't worry about my body—attack her without hesitation! That witch won't hold back, and if we fail, everything's lost!"
"I know that already! Damn it, you don't have to keep saying it!" He snapped, his patience fraying. The situation was stressful—this wasn't just a fun spar with Goten. This was different: he had to strike his best friend's body, and strike to kill. Maybe it wasn't really Goten in there, but Ginyu—but still, fighting against that face made it hard to attack seriously. "And remember, if I destroy her, you'll be stuck in that body forever."
"F-forever?" Sakura's face went whiter than paper. She hadn't considered it before, but Trunks was right. Her imagination immediately spun out of control.
(Inside Sakura's Mind)
"Hey, Sakura, let's go train!" The Saiyan grabbed her hand in a friendly way, dragging her straight toward the nearest training field—only he still had the hideous form of the purple alien. The people of Konoha looked on in horror. In fact, everyone was doing their best to avoid Goten because of his appearance.
"Whew, that's enough training for today." He brushed a few violet strands of hair from his face. "What do you say we hit the hot springs? We can go in together—after all, now I'm a girl just like you, hahaha!"
"NOOO! SHE CAN'T STAY LIKE THIS!" The kunoichi yanked at her pink hair, shaking her head hysterically from side to side. "There has to be a less drastic solution! Trunks, don't destroy his body!"
"Mmm… so staying like that forever, huh?" Kakashi thought.
(Inside Kakashi's mind)
"Alright, Goten, before starting your training, you need to stretch a lot. The last thing you'd want is a muscle strain or something like that. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei! But… do I really have to wear this?"
Goten pointed at the red two-piece swimsuit Kakashi had forced him to wear. Despite being a purple alien girl, the body had a sculpted figure, the result of all the intense physical activity its previous owner maintained for years while invading planets.
"Of course it's necessary. It'll let you train more comfortably. And remember—lift your legs nice and high this time."
"Goten must recover his body, but even if he doesn't, it wouldn't be the end of the world. What matters most right now is that you manage to defeat them." Kakashi's unshaken expression radiated an almost unsettling calm, even after such thoughts. That was the genius of it—he could perfectly mask just how much of a pervert he really was. No one could ever imagine the kinds of things that sometimes crossed his mind.
Suddenly, the shinobi shifted their attention to the distant detonations echoing throughout the village—explosions from paper bombs planted at strategic points or hurled with kunai. Columns of gray smoke rose high, visible from afar, as a massive section of the stadium wall now lay in ruins on the ground.
The invasion had begun, though it wasn't supposed to—not yet. The destruction of the Kage Monument had been misinterpreted as the signal to attack. Kabuto realized this instantly.
"No, we can't proceed under these conditions! The Sand's Jinchūriki is still unfit to fight. Even if the invasion succeeds, our only chance of true victory rests entirely on those two boys and the aliens killing each other." Kabuto felt strange even saying the word. Just two weeks ago, Orochimaru had mentioned the possible existence of beings from other worlds. He had never imagined such a thing would happen so soon—or that he would witness it with his own eyes.
"If the boys win, they'll retake the village in an instant. If the aliens win, they'll destroy everything. For once… I think it's in our best interest for Goten and Trunks to be the victors."
BOOOOM!
The medic-nin was still weighing the possibilities when a plume of smoke shot up from the Hokage's balcony.
"What are you planning, Lord Orochimaru? Knowing you, your objective must be something else. You, more than anyone, must have thought through all the consequences of pressing forward with this invasion."
Indeed, the plan had shifted. The Sannin would use the chaos of a double distraction. While the Ginyu Force kept Goten and Trunks occupied, the Sound and Sand shinobi would execute their mission to the letter, forcing Konoha's defenders to intervene.
That left Orochimaru free to strike at the Hokage—to crush the head of the Hidden Leaf. Then, amid the confusion, he would slip away with at least one of the alien bodies. He intended to experiment on them, uncover the secrets of that mysterious ki, and if possible, harness it for himself. He had it all calculated, even factoring in the victory of Goten and Trunks despite the recent complications. The body he craved most was the purple alien's—he had to learn that body-switching technique at all costs. All he needed was for the Saiyans to turn the tide. In the meantime, he would keep Sarutobi occupied.
Kabuto, understanding his role, formed a hand seal. The civilians had already been evacuated from the stadium, but he could at least put most of the genin to sleep. Annoying as they were, they could still become dangerous if they got involved. Not to mention there was the Uchiha boy and Naruto—opponents he couldn't afford to underestimate.
A flurry of feathers appeared out of nowhere, drifting through the air. Naruto was the first to succumb, his head bobbing clumsily before he collapsed into the arms of sleep.
"A genjutsu, huh?" Kakashi muttered. Yet despite his sharp eye, he wasn't the first to catch it—nor was Asuma, or even Gai. It was Kurenai who acted first, forming the seal to shatter the illusion with flawless precision. To the jōnin, such a trick was nothing.
Sakura blinked, disoriented, as Choji and Ino crumpled to the ground without resistance. Unfortunately, the heavy boy landed right on top of the blonde, crushing her flat—much to Sakura's amusement.
More genin resisted the genjutsu than Kabuto had anticipated. Kankuro and Temari were unfazed, of course, helping their nearly unconscious brother Gaara. Kurenai's entire team held strong as well; no surprise, given their training in genjutsu under their skilled sensei.
Klang! Klang! Klang!
The infiltrators made their move. The deadly rhythm of shinobi combat rang out—kunai clashing, sparks of gold and blue erupting with each strike. That was the shinobi way: fast, unpredictable, merciless. One blink and your throat was cut, one misstep and your life slipped through your fingers.
Luckily, the jōnin shielded their dazed students, appearing and vanishing in gray blurs as they intercepted the attackers.
One Sound chūnin shot forward like lightning toward the unprepared Haruno, chakra flooding his legs for speed, knuckles whitening around his kunai, veins bulging down his arm.
BAAAAAM!
"Yo!" Kakashi greeted casually, standing right in front of Sakura, the Sound shinobi slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. To him, it was all in a day's work. Sakura barely managed to track his movement.
"Ka-Kakashi-sensei…"
"No time. Dispel the genjutsu on Naruto and Shikamaru. You're already falling behind the others."
Glancing around, Sakura saw Tenten freeing Rock Lee, Hinata, and Kiba working on Choji and Ino.
She wanted to ask about Sasuke, but she didn't need to. A streak of black darted across the battlefield—it was him. The Uchiha was already engaged, holding off two chūnin at once with ease. The Sharingan gave him the edge, forcing his enemies back with ruthless fists and kicks between each clash of steel.
"Ha-hai, sensei!" Sakura crawled quickly, ducking beneath the storm of kunai and shuriken that zipped overhead. With her broad forehead, she was practically a bullseye. "Release!" she shouted, eyes shut tight, hands forming the seal as she reached Naruto, snapping him out of his deep but brief slumber. "No time—I'll explain later!" she barked when the blond opened his mouth to ask. Shikamaru was next.
"Move it, Forehead! I'll handle this one!" Ino was back on her feet. She dropped to her knees beside her teammate, ready to dispel the illusion—only to notice his eyelids twitching ever so slightly.
"AAAARGH! YOU LAZY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING! YOU WERE PRETENDING TO BE ASLEEP?!"
"Yeah, yeah, don't yell so much. What a drag." Shikamaru's deadpan earned him another round of Naruto's laughter. The blonde couldn't help but crack up at the terrified face Shikamaru made when Ino shrieked in his ear. She probably even cleaned the wax out. "Believe it or not, I was coming up with a plan."
"Oh, really?" Ino glared down at him, hands on her hips in pure disbelief—a look that would've made Trunks blush. "And what kind of plan was that, huh?"
"To get Goten's body back."
The group froze. Was he insane? Against the Ginyu Force, they didn't stand a chance—they'd be slaughtered in an instant. But this time, Shikamaru would prove that brains could beat brawn. He'd give those aliens a taste of the shinobi way.
"And for that… I'll need your help, Naruto."
After the initial shock, Naruto's blue eyes lit up. His face split into a wide, foxy grin. He jabbed a thumb at his chest.
"Count me in! Those freaks won't know what hit 'em!"
...
BAAAM! BAAAM! BAAAM!
Trunks and "Ginyuu" were locked on each other, exchanging blows in a furious clash. Every impact shook the entire stadium with violent tremors. Still, the Saiyan was holding back.
"Trunks! What the hell are you doing? Why are you fighting so poorly?" Goten realized that Ginyuu wasn't used to this body. Either that, or she was still warming up—but it sure didn't look like it. Instead of taking advantage, Trunks only blocked her attacks, afraid of hurting his friend's body.
"Shut up! It's not as easy as it looks, you idiot!"
"Yes, it is! You're scared of hitting me, aren't you? I told you it doesn't matter, just attack her with all your—"
BOOOOMMM!
Jissu was struck by surprise. It felt strange to attack the Captain's body, but unlike the Saiyans, she had no moral qualms. Besides, this wasn't the first time Ginyuu had switched bodies.
"Your turn, Rikuumu!"
That was the plan—Jissu would distract Goten, while the redhead struck him from a distance with her strongest attack, bouncing him back and forth between them.
"Here I come! Rikuumuuu… SUPER ATTACK!"
A powerful purple aura engulfed the alien's body, and the arena quaked violently once more. The shinobi fighting the Leaf jounin were distracted by the sound and shaking, but Kakashi and the others were unfazed, seizing the chance to strike their enemies down with swift, precise attacks.
Rikuumu clenched her fist tight, pulling back her massive right arm, waiting for Goten, who flew straight toward her, seemingly helpless… or so she thought. At the last moment, the boy ducked low, disappearing in a blur.
Her eyes widened in slow-motion terror as he reappeared beneath her guard, driving an elbow into her chest—an attack that looked harmless at first.
PAAAAAMMMM!
Rikuumu felt as if her insides were made of glass. That single blow shattered her from within, breaking her body in an instant.
"AAAGH! AAAGH! AAAGH!" She tried to scream words, but only broken sounds of agony escaped her throat. Her eyes bulged bloodshot, thick ropes of saliva dripping from her wide-open mouth. "D-damned…!"
With a dull thud, she collapsed face-first onto the ground, unconscious. That made three down.
Goten might not fully control his new body yet, but he knew how to master his ki. He focused all his energy into a single point and unleashed it through that elbow strike, channeling it deep inside Rikuumu. Her organs were wrecked despite her outwardly intact body. He had perfectly mimicked his father's technique back on Namek, when Goku crushed an almost identical foe. One strike was enough to drop someone who could withstand a moon exploding in her face.
"How… how did you do that?" Jissu staggered back, stunned at how easily he turned the fight. He wielded the Captain's body better than its original owner.
"I'm not stronger in this body. The difference is that I actually know how to use ki properly."
ZAAAAS!
He darted straight toward the red-haired girl, determined to end her interference. Their fists and kicks clashed fiercely, but Goten was clearly superior. Every so often, his punches slipped through her guard. Jissu fought on regardless, swallowing her pain and attacking desperately.
The Ginyuu Force's hopes were fading. Not only was Jissu being overwhelmed, but Ginyuu herself was about to lose. Trunks suddenly remembered—Goten's weakness was his tail. Using his superior skill, he maneuvered behind his opponent and grabbed the brown, furry appendage in a firm grip.
"ARRGGHH! You bastard!" Ginyuu dropped to her knees, weaker than she'd ever felt. Her legs couldn't even hold her up. She was completely paralyzed. "W-what have you done to me, damn you? W-why… why do I feel like this?"
Trunks held the tail tight as Ginyuu gasped and clutched at the dirt for support.
"You may have taken a powerful body, but you can't control it. Honestly, you'd stand a better chance in your original one. But that's not even the worst part—you took a body with a fatal weakness. Grab the tail, and—" he tightened his grip, making her wince in pain—"all strength is lost."
"I… I can't believe this. Defeated… by a damn kid… this is the most humiliating moment of my life…" Her breath was shallow, her face dripping with sweat. So much so that she lost her Super Saiyan form, reverting to Goten's black, spiky-haired state.
"Yes, you're beaten. Now give my friend his body back."
Despite her condition, Ginyuu managed a strained smile. She raised both arms, and in an instant her golden aura flared again. Even restrained by the tail, she could still perform her body-switch technique—it was designed to work even at death's door. This was her specialty.
Trunks froze at the sudden twist, forgetting to release the tail and dodge the attack. All it took was a single word… but then—
"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
More than 200 Narutos descended from the stands like a human tidal wave, crashing onto the battlefield where the Saiyans fought the alien invaders.
"What are you doing, idiot?! Stay out of this—it's dangerous!" Trunks yelled, but the reckless blond had already shaken Ginyuu. She didn't say "Change," distracted by the overwhelming flood of clones surging toward them.
That gave Trunks his chance. He released the tail and vanished in a blur, retreating to safety.
It was Shikamaru's plan all along—the signal was when Ginyuu attempted her body-switch.
The thunderous crash of hundreds of Narutos hitting the arena at once echoed across the battlefield. The clones covered nearly the entire stage, leaving barely any bare ground.
"You think you're hot stuff, stealing bodies that aren't yours?" they all said in unison, pointing at Ginyuu with mischievous grins. "Then let's see you try and beat all of us at once!"
"If that's what you want…" she growled, annoyed that Naruto had ruined her chance at a perfect body. She gathered a golden energy sphere in her palm, ready to obliterate dozens of clones at once.
Naruto swallowed hard, but forced a cocky grin.
"Wow, how boring. I was hoping for a real fight, one-on-one. What's the matter? Can't handle us without your fancy tricks?"
"Ha! Don't make me laugh." She clenched her fist, and the sphere dissipated. "Even blindfolded, I could. I don't know what kind of cheap trick this is, but I sure hope these clones can feel pain—because I'm about to give them plenty!"
ZAAAS!
The alien launched herself into the nearest group of clones. Again, it looked like Goten was savagely attacking his own teammate.
Blows rained down relentlessly—each one more brutal, more merciless.
The sight made several people shudder. Sakura especially felt a deep unease she wished she'd never known. It was Goten's body, grinning maniacally as it tore through Naruto's clones, who all looked exactly like the real genin.
"Seventy! Seventy-one! Seventy-two!" she shrieked with unhinged laughter every time she destroyed another.
She did everything: ripped off arms, crushed skulls barehanded, swung her arms like blades to slice clones in half. She throttled others by the throat and tore them out like jelly. Dozens were pierced clean through. Heads burst apart as she smashed her own into theirs.
The only saving grace was that the clones didn't bleed—they vanished into clouds of gray smoke the moment they were destroyed. But still, the clouds kept reappearing endlessly around the arena.
And the clones weren't passive—they charged at Ginyuu with kunai in hand, but they couldn't touch her. She was having too much fun.
"Two hundred fifty-five! Two hundred fifty-six! Two hundred fifty-seven! Come on, do better than this! Two hundred fifty-eight! Two hundred fifty-nine!"
Soon, only a handful of clones remained. Amid the chaos, she spotted Trunks standing with his back turned, hidden poorly among a pair of clones. His green gi was a dead giveaway against Naruto's orange uniform. Pathetic camouflage.
In a flash faster than any shinobi could follow, she appeared before them, sliced both clones in half with a horizontal swipe, and now Trunks was exposed.
The foolish Saiyan still stood with his back turned, oblivious. This time, Ginyuu wouldn't fail.
Her left hand curled into a claw, crackling with golden sparks as she gathered energy. Trunks began to turn his head lazily—
CRAAAASSHHH!
The disgusting sound of flesh and bone being shredded.
"I-I w-won…" Ginyuu murmured with great effort, spitting out huge gobs of thick red blood as she slowly pulled her hand from her own right chest. The wound was monstrously deep—a clenched fist could easily fit inside. Without the upper part of her orange gi, the scene became even more vivid and horrifying.
As she finally withdrew her hand, blood shot out in spurts in a wild, sick frenzy. Within seconds, it stopped, yet the vital crimson liquid continued cascading from the deep hole, spilling relentlessly over the young warrior's defined torso.
Inexplicably, she had attacked herself—the body that was supposed to be Goten's.
Everything happened so fast, one thing after another. Her radiant aura flared once again. She opened her mouth to unleash a yellow light at the stunned Trunks, point-blank.
"CHAAAAANGE!"
The light blinded everyone, but the anticipation was so intense that the onlookers frantically rubbed their eyes to witness what had happened.
"YES! VICTORY IS MINE! THIS DAMN PLANET IS FINISHED!" Ginyuu screamed like a psychopath from Trunks' body.
"Oh no… this is terrible…" Kurenai covered her mouth with both hands, horrified at the complexity of the situation. They were truly lost—Ginyuu had achieved her goal.
Before taking Trunks' body, she had gravely injured Goten's to ensure he could not interfere at all.
The situation was as follows: Ginyuu was in Trunks' body, Trunks in the dying body of Goten, and Goten remained in Ginyuu's original purple body… or at least that's what most people thought…
"HAHAHAHA! I'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES, PATHETIC HUMANS! YOU WILL SUFFER LIKE YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE! YOU WILL—"
Poof!
A white cloud enveloped the crazed body of Trunks. When it dissipated, it revealed a stunned Ginyuu in her place. The purple girl's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Her brain felt like it was splitting in two—she couldn't comprehend what was happening.
"Wh-what the hell is this? W-why am I back in my original body?"
Shikamaru would have smiled if his plan had worked perfectly. It almost had—but he hadn't counted on Ginyuu hurting herself before the final switch.
"DAMN IT!"—the real Trunks was now furious. His golden aura exploded violently. He flew at incredible speed straight down at the stunned alien, who was still staring at her own hands and barely lifting her gaze.
SLAAASHHH!
A deadly, terrible hiss.
Ginyuu felt no pain. She only saw her vision break into squares as Trunks sliced her into many pieces. The movement was so fast that the sword made only a single sound, though the Saiyan had slashed more than twenty times.
The dry sound of flesh collapsing onto the ground was the last thing anyone heard from the evil alien. Thighs, arms, torso, and head were reduced to true cubes of purple flesh, each weighing no more than two kilos.
The Saiyan ignored it completely. Killing Ginyuu meant nothing; he was entirely focused on the dying figure of his friend, who barely remained standing and struggled to hold back the massive hemorrhage with one hand.
"Goten! Goten, talk to me! Please don't die!"—he nearly cried. He held the trembling young Son carefully by the shoulders.
He exerted a little force to help his friend sit on the ground. The wound was severe, too deep. He was bleeding heavily.
The shinobi quickly descended to help, led by Asuma, closely followed by Kurenai and Gai. Some of the genins joined as well. Naruto was the first to arrive, still on the battlefield; all he did was vanish the remaining, less-than-20 clones from the fight using a hand seal.
Sasuke arrived last, more from shock and disbelief than a real intent to help. He wasn't stupid—what could he do in that circumstance?
Only three remained motionless in the stands: Kakashi, Shikamaru, and, of course, Sakura, whose green eyes were as lost as a corpse's gaze.
"What happened?" the jounin asked in his taciturn voice, showing no hint of emotion, his face utterly expressionless.
Shikamaru was in shock, unable to find the words. His gaze did not leave the image of Trunks, desperate like a child, being forcibly held back by Asuma and Gai while Kurenai examined Goten.
"What happened?" he asked again, in the same monotone, unchanging voice.
The young genius sighed. He felt guilty. He was pale, his lips trembling. Being responsible for devising the plan, he felt it was his duty to at least explain it in detail.
"—It was all my idea. I always knew that, at some point, Trunks would remember Goten's weak spot, and eventually he would grab his opponent's tail to subdue her; of course, he'd use that to force her to give Goten back his body—that part was predictable. However, there were two possible outcomes: Either Trunks would let go so she could perform the body-swap technique, or, on the other hand, Ginyuu would manage to perform it even while being held by the tail. The second scenario happened, so we had to act fast. I told Naruto to create as many clones as possible to serve as a distraction, throwing them into the arena to create complete chaos."
He paused briefly as Sakura walked toward the commotion like an automaton, descending the steps one by one, slowly, like a small child just learning to walk.
"—Naruto had to convince Ginyuu at all costs to fight hand-to-hand, to buy as much time as possible. It would have been disastrous for everything to end in a ki explosion. While Ginyuu was busy destroying all the clones, the real Naruto slipped through the crowd, found Goten, and explained the simplest part of the plan. He used a transformation jutsu on him to make him look like Trunks, exploiting Ginyuu's inability to sense energy properly, so she couldn't tell the real Trunks from the fake. All Goten had to do was position himself so that Ginyuu would see him at some point, pretending to be distracted so she'd approach and try the technique, thinking he was the real Trunks. That was the trap—everything was going perfectly… until…"
"—Until you didn't expect Ginyuu to injure Goten's body before making the final switch." Kakashi covered his Sharingan with his headband, exhaling heavily but briefly. "She wasn't as foolish as we thought. In the end, she knew how to complicate things…"
The jounin slipped his hands into his pockets, slowly descending the stairs, avoiding the occasional unconscious shinobi from the Sound or the Arena.
"He needs medical attention immediately, or…" Tenten couldn't continue. It was painfully obvious what would happen to Goten—no genius required to figure it out.
As the boy began to feel faint, he decided to lie down on the ground. Kurenai knelt beside him with unparalleled care, supporting his head and gently resting it in her lap.
"Tru-Trunks… I have my body back…" That was Goten—the boy with the noble expression everyone knew. He forced a smile, showing his white, perfect teeth stained red from the wound, barely able to open an eye; his face contorted from the pain. "E-everything's okay now, we managed to save them all…"
"Thank you, Goten, but don't speak. You need to rest now." The red-eyed kunoichi smiled sweetly, running her hand through his black hair, smoothing it gently to calm him. It was a maternal instinct she hadn't realized she had, recalling the time Goten had revived Hinata when she went into cardiac arrest during the exams.
At that moment, Trunks snapped back to reality, noticing Jissu was still missing. He raised his gaze, filled with hatred, just as the alien woman called her five ships to withdraw completely using her remote.
The Saiyan shook violently, breaking free from the grip of Asuma and Gai, who had held each of his arms tightly. For him, escaping was effortless—he barely felt their resistance.
"Don't think I'll forgive you…" He muttered, possessed by rage, gripping the hilt of his sword with incredible force.
Jissu seemed completely unaware of the danger. In the distance, she carried her unconscious companions into their ships, which landed gently instead of obliterating everything in a massive explosion, unlike when Vegeta had called his ship to flee Earth after the battle with Goku.
"No, Trunks… don't… let them go. It's over now…"
"Let them go?" Despite the anger and frustration coursing through him, the Saiyan's voice broke, distorted. He couldn't stand seeing his friend so badly hurt. "After what they did, you want me to let them leave? I can't allow it—they're a danger!"
"Y-yeah, you already finished Ginyuu… she's the one who did this to me. Don't you think that's enough? The others aren't a threat—let them go…"
He tightened his grip on the sword even more. His knuckles cracked under the brutal force. Everyone feared he'd lash out and exterminate the space mercenaries… until a pair of small hands landed on his shoulders. Trunks immediately dropped his threatening stance.
"Listen to Goten. Give them that."
He sighed in resignation. He tossed the sword into the air like it was a mere shinai and caught it in a capsule. Suddenly, he felt miserable, unable to meet Ino's gaze—or anyone else's in the crowd.
"I… I'm so sorry. I've never killed anyone before… it's just that…"
"You did what needed to be done." His sensei finally intervened. "That woman was extremely dangerous. You saw how unpredictable she was when she attacked Goten's body. If you hadn't acted, things might have ended even worse. With her death, many other lives may have been saved. The situation could have deteriorated further."
"Don't think this is over!" Jissu shouted from her ship just before closing the hatch to leave for good. The doors of the other three ships were closed; she had secured her companions. "Lord Cooler will hear about this! And don't think his power has anything to do with ours—he's even stronger than you! You can't even imagine it—you'll be scared to death when you see him! HAHAHAHA!"
As she shouted her last threats, the small spherical ship's door slowly closed. She laughed hysterically the entire time.
The four spheres slowly levitated. At ten meters high, they were surrounded by a blue aura and shot into the sky at incredible speed, heading into the infinite reaches of space. They were gone as quickly as they had arrived.
Trunks was tempted at the last moment to launch a 'Burning Attack' and catch the wretch, but he discarded the thought instantly. Her life wasn't worth it.
"Ugh, that wretched woman! I spared her life, and she leaves threatening us! Who does she think she is?"
"Yes, but in my opinion, the worst one was the little green one. She thought she was all that!" More than one person looked at Ino nervously, a sweat drop forming on their forehead.
A tearing sound broke the silence. It was Rock Lee who grabbed Goten's orange gi and tore it to improvise a bandage.
"No! That's the only one I have!" Goten was so shocked he tried to sit up, but pain exploded in his chest, and his head fell back onto Kurenai's lap. "M-my dad gave this to me. Don't… don't tear it…"
"Don't move—you're not in any condition!" The kunoichi, assisted by her apprentice Hinata, wrapped the torn fabric around his right shoulder, trying to cover the grotesque hole as best as possible. "It'll hurt a little." She pressed the improvised bandage to slow the bleeding. "We'll get you another one later, I promise."
More than one person bit their lower lip. Honestly, they didn't think Goten would survive. What everyone didn't know was that the prognosis wasn't as grim as it seemed.
Years ago, during that martial arts tournament when Goku fought a young Piccolo Daimaku, the Saiyan suffered a grave wound in the same place as Goten—worse, in fact, because the large hole went all the way through his back. He had been pierced completely. True, he consumed a Senzu Bean to heal, but even without it, Goku wasn't expected to die from it. With proper medical attention, he could have healed—just slower. Saiyans didn't heal like normal humans.
Most of them nearly had their eyes pop out when the boy stood up—clumsy and unsteady, yes, but he stood on his own.
"I… I feel a little better. I think the bandage helped."
He began to levitate slowly—and he still had his boots on.
"Where are you going, Goten?" Kakashi finally arrived. He tried to sound as calm as possible. "Don't you think it would be better to go to the hospital?"
"Yeah… I'm going there…" It was obvious he wasn't in great shape. He struggled to stay afloat and wobbled more than he should, like Videl when she first tried flying.
"I can't allow it." One of those moments came when the Copy Ninja's eye took on a dark, almost violent tone. "We need to make things clear. Our duty right now is to protect you. With your power, you're a clear target for anyone. We can't trust any village. Even though this situation involves Otogakure and Sunagakure, at this moment, anyone could be an enemy. Any nation might try to kill you to solve a problem, and in your current state, it's possible. Someone must accompany you."
"Then I'll go!"
Everyone turned. Sakura remained at the back, frozen for a moment. She hadn't been able to approach at all, but she gathered all her composure and courage to overcome the shock. Her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest. She had been terrified for what could happen to Goten—almost as much as Trunks had been.
After everything Goten had done for her, she owed him a favor. At the very least, she would pay it back, even if she still owed him two more.
"No, the best option is for a couple of jounin to go. Who will volunteer?"
"I'll go with those two jounin!" Sakura refused to back down. She would take responsibility for Goten in some way, even if it was only as an escort.
Kakashi stared at her for several seconds of uncomfortable silence, then shrugged and spoke in his usual tone of complete indifference. "Fine. Go ahead, I don't mind."
"That's not fair! Remember what Naruto said during our first training: we're all one! Goten is my teammate… Wait, what did you say?"
"You can go. In fact, it's a good idea. If anything happens, you can stay with Goten while the volunteers take care of the problem, which will be…"
He looked at the adults present. Asuma and Kurenai stepped forward.
"Good. Sakura, this will be your first rank-A mission. You'll participate in escorting a very important target. Good luck."
The Saiyan's feet touched the ground again. Sakura stepped forward to help him walk.
"Not that arm, dummy. The other one." She was a little surprised that Goten offered her his right arm—the side with the wound. He was better than he looked; with an injury like that, no one should have been able to lift that arm.
Following his direction, she looped her left arm over his shoulders.
A shiver ran through Sakura. It wasn't unpleasant—in fact, it was quite the opposite. Goten was definitely not a normal boy. She was struck by the feel of his small shoulders against the sharp contours of each muscle along his defined Saiyan arm.
"C-could you jump?" Once again, she was grateful Goten was blissfully oblivious. She feared he'd notice her flushed cheeks. Her blush deepened almost pathologically when he looked her in the eyes and managed a smile.
"I think so. Luckily, the hospital isn't far, right?"
"...Luckily, no one's watching." Thank heaven Kakashi was giving instructions to the others; everyone was too busy to notice anything unusual about Sakura. Asuma and Kurenai were checking equipment a few meters ahead.
"Ready?" The jounin gripped his chakra-conducting blades. Kurenai prepared several explosive seals and placed makibishi nails within reach to slow any pursuers.
"Yes, we're ready." No more hesitation—Sakura was participating in a high-rank mission for the first time. She had to focus. "Goten, synchronize with me. Try to keep my rhythm and jump at the same time I do."
The boy simply nodded, still smiling a little at the support his friends provided. At one point, he had thought Sakura hated him, but it no longer seemed so.
"Good. Let's go."
As soon as Asuma spoke, the team moved in perfect sync, making controlled jumps to accommodate Goten's condition—but even in that state, it was remarkable.
Meanwhile, Naruto, Shikamaru, Shino, and Sasuke were moving in the opposite direction, with Pakkun leading. The Sabaku siblings had disappeared while everyone was surrounding Goten, so Kakashi sent them to track the situation.
"And finally, there's the matter of the Hokage."
"I thought you'd forgotten." Gai lifted his head, his face serious, watching the strange purple cube on the Hokage balcony roof, where Orochimaru was locked in a fierce battle with the Third, entirely focused, oblivious to the Saiyans' fight ending.
"That barrier is supposedly impenetrable from the outside," Kakashi said, resting his uncovered eye on Trunks. "Although with you guys, I've learned that such adjectives are relative. Think you can take it down?"