"...Your mind is completely at peace, and your body strikes faster than thought." Kid Goku repeated the phrase. He stood there as if struck by sudden enlightenment, his expression blanking out.
"It means inner peace, not emptying your brain so there's nothing left in it." Goku laughed again. "Hahaha, that's just like me. My reaction back then was exactly the same."
"Punches as fast as lightning." Kid Goku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, then raised a hand to practice a few strikes, trying desperately to match Goku's description.
But he soon realized the truth.
"It's so hard."
These two mantras were what Kami had Popo teach Goku during his training at Kami's Lookout, right after he defeated King Piccolo. They were the very core of his training during those years above Kumos.
At first glance, the phrases sounded simple: just maintain a calm heart and make your attacks fast enough. Actually achieving it, however, was just as difficult as following the core tenets of the Turtle School.
Three years. Goku had trained at Kami's Lookout for three full years and only managed to grasp the concept partially. Later, because he focused solely on increasing his fighting power and neglected his mental state, he threw this kind of meditative practice to the back of his mind.
It wasn't until the Dragon Ball Super era that this changed. Simply raising raw power wasn't enough to get stronger anymore, it had become necessary to elevate one's very state of being. Prompted by Master Roshi during the Tournament of Power, reawakening those old memories allowed him to successfully unlock Ultra Instinct.
It was no exaggeration to say that these were the prerequisite states for unlocking Ultra Instinct. That is, provided you could actually reach such a state.
"In a little while, I'll teach you a killer move," Goku grinned mischievously. "Kaio-ken. A technique that can multiply your fighting power several times over."
'Is it finally time?' Naruto thought. The Kaio-ken, the secret technique that allows a martial artist to exponentially double their strength.
Once he mastered the Kaio-ken, why would he ever fear the Otsutsuki? Could they block a single Kamehameha from him? He would blow up the entire Otsutsuki planet and scatter their ashes to the solar winds.
"Oh, right," Goku said, his gaze shifting to Kurama, who was lounging comfortably in the distance. "You too, big fox over there. Come join us."
"Huh?" Kurama, who had just been smugly sipping his cola, sprayed it everywhere.
"I feel like your strength isn't bad either. You're perfect to be their sparring partner."
'Fuck, damnit, I'm screwed...' Kurama felt like a thousand obscenities were stampeding through his mind.
"What? Are you unwilling?"
Kurama's expression turned into pure agony, forcing out a strained smile that looked worse than crying. "It would be my absolute pleasure."
'Unwilling? So what if I am? Would I dare go up there and serve as a punching bag for someone who can pummel those two brats into the ground until they're covered in lumps?'
'Plus, the way he sizes me up... it feels like he's looking at food.'
'Don't tell me he wants to eat fox?'
'I don't want to interact with these people. I miss the good old days of being crucified inside Mito and Kushina's seal.'
After witnessing the strength of both Gokus and Naruto, Kurama wasn't the same arrogant beast he used to be.
Strongest Tailed Beast? Please. Everyone here was vastly stronger than him.
'I just want to lie here in the Seal Space and live out the rest of my life in peace.'
And so, poor Kurama was forcibly dragged in to become a sparring partner.
In the days that followed, Naruto, Kid Goku, and Kurama underwent Goku's high-intensity special training inside the Seal Space every single day.
During the day, Naruto trained with his Reanimated Body outside, at night, he underwent Goku's special training. His strength grew explosively.
This grueling routine lasted for nearly a year.
On this day.
Naruto and Kid Goku teamed up against Goku once more. After exchanging a blinding flurry of punches and kicks, the two leapt into the air simultaneously. They brought their hands together, assuming an incredibly classic stance, and fired two azure energy waves rapidly toward Goku.
"Kamehameha!"
Making no move to dodge or evade, Goku simply let out a shout, and the overwhelming wave dissipated instantly before it could even touch him.
It mirrored Tien Shinhan against Mercenary Tao during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, where he effortlessly scattered the assassin's ultimate Dodon Ray using nothing but his voice.
It was a feat only possible when a massive gap in power existed between two opponents.
In the next instant, Goku appeared in front of Naruto. He flicked a finger against his forehead, and Naruto, who didn't even have time to react, was sent flying backward with a loud *whoosh*.
Almost at the exact same time, Goku appeared before Kid Goku and flicked his forehead in the identical manner, sending him flying too.
"Behold my Tailed Beast Bomb!"
From the side, Kurama's muscles bulged as he gathered dense chakra in his mouth, constantly compressing it at a specific ratio of Yin and Yang to form a devastating cannon.
The fully charged attack shot straight toward Goku.
Facing the terrifying Tailed Beast Bomb hurtling toward him, Goku didn't shout this time. Instead, he extended a single finger. The black sphere, easily capable of leveling mountains, couldn't advance a single inch against his fingertip before vanishing completely.
Goku appeared before Kurama and delivered a forehead flick just as casually. Kurama, massive as a small mountain, was likewise sent flying.
Two humans and one beast, one hit each. It was perfectly fair.
*Boom.* The entire Seal Space shook violently.
Kurama slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, peeling off like a flattened pancake and sliding slowly to the floor. Lying on the ground with his tongue lolling out and his eyes rolled back, he looked like he was at death's door.
After a long while, Kurama shook his head and tried shakily to get up. But before he could steady his massive paws, he plopped back down on his butt. He repeated this three times before he finally managed to stand.
"I think I just saw Father beckoning to me by the Pure Land."
Kurama felt like his brain was full of sloshing water, he had even forgotten his usual arrogant self. If it weren't for his unique physiology, that impact definitely would have given him a severe concussion.
Goku really hadn't held back.
Naruto climbed up from the ground, clutching the throbbing bump on his head while hissing in pain.
"It looks like this challenge has failed again," Goku said with a regretful tone, though his face didn't show a hint of actual remorse.
The two of them and the beast were holding a challenge. They wanted to see if they could force Goku to use a second finger. As the results clearly showed, Goku using just one finger was enough to completely overwhelm them.
"Goku?"
Seeming to notice a missing voice, Naruto turned to look at Kid Goku. He found him standing there blankly, as if listening to a distant whisper.
"You..."
Naruto had just begun to speak when he heard Kid Goku reply.
"I feel like someone is calling me."
===============
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