Goku moved deeper into the forest, the world around him slowly changing.
The towering trees grew thicker, their massive trunks and tangled branches blocking out the sky entirely. Only thin strands of fading light slipped through the leaves above. Shadows stretched unnaturally long across the forest floor, and the air grew cooler with every step.
Rustle… rustle…
The forest was alive with sound now.
Crickets chirped. Leaves crunched softly beneath his feet. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted low and slow.
"…It's getting late," Goku muttered, glancing around.
If night fully set in here, visibility would drop to almost nothing. He needed to hurry.
Then—
Grrrrrrrrr…
A deep, guttural growl rolled through the forest, vibrating through the trees like distant thunder.
Goku froze.
His ears twitched.
"…That's close."
Without hesitation, he sprang upward.
Whoosh—thump—thump!
He landed on a tree branch and immediately began skipping from limb to limb, moving higher and higher until the source of the sound came into view.
Below him stood a massive bear.
It was far larger than any normal one he remembered—its shoulders bulged with muscle, claws dug deep into the earth, and its breath came out in heavy, steaming snorts.
Hrrrk… snnnrrrk…
Goku's eyes lit up.
"…Whoa. You're big."
But instead of fear, excitement surged through him.
Like a warrior answering a challenge, Son Goku jumped down and landed directly in front of the beast.
Thud.
The bear reared back and roared—
ROOOOAAARR!!
Goku tightened his grip on the Power Pole with both hands, muscles tensing. In one smooth motion, he kicked off the ground, springing upward.
WHAM!
His foot slammed into the side of the bear's head with a sharp crack. He used the recoil to flip backward, landing lightly several meters away.
The bear staggered, shaking its head violently.
GRRRRRRRR!!
The kick had done its job—it was furious now. Snorting angrily, the bear dropped to all fours and charged.
THUD—THUD—THUD!
The ground shook beneath its weight as it barreled toward him.
Goku grinned.
"…Too slow!"
At the last second, he leapt straight into the air.
WHOOSH!
The bear rushed past beneath him, missing by a hair. Goku landed smoothly behind it, boots crunching against the dirt.
He smirked. 'Thought maybe it was smarter than that… guess not.'
The bear skidded to a stop, claws tearing through the soil as it turned back around. Foam dripped from its jaws as it roared again, rage blazing in its eyes. This time, it charged harder.
Goku didn't move. He planted his feet and raised the Power Pole, swinging it like a bat.
CRACK!!
The pole smashed into the side of the bear's head with explosive force. The impact sent the beast flying sideways—
BOOM!
It crashed into a nearby tree, leaves and bark exploding outward. The bear slumped to the ground, eyes spinning as imaginary stars circled its head.
Thud…
It was out cold.
Goku lowered the pole, breathing evenly.
"…Nice."
He had no intention of killing it. This was just a test—nothing more. As the forest grew quieter again, he noticed the sky through the treetops glowing orange and red.
"…Ah. Sun's setting."
Without wasting another second, Goku turned and sprinted back toward the hut.
Tap—tap—tap—whoosh!
He burst inside just as darkness began to swallow the forest, closing the door behind him with a solid thump. He placed the Power Pole back behind the door and collapsed onto the bed.
'That was a good fight,' he thought, smiling to himself. 'Next time… I'll be whacking gods.'
Sleep claimed him almost instantly.
-
Morning came as birds chirped.
Chirp—chirp—chirp.
Goku woke up refreshed, hopped out of bed, and quickly got dressed. The cool morning air greeted him as he stepped outside, stretching his arms with a yawn.
"Haaah… food time!"
Not long after, he was sitting in front of a crackling fire.
Crackle—pop—hiss.
Several roasted ducks lay skewered over the flames, their aroma filling the clearing. Goku grabbed one and dug in happily, cheeks puffing as he chewed.
"Mmm! This is good!"
The fire warmed his face as the sun climbed higher overhead.
Another day had begun. And his journey… had only just started.
Goku lay on the grass outside his hut, staring up through gaps in the treetops where sunlight filtered down in broken rays. His hands rested behind his head as a familiar thought crossed his mind.
'…I wonder when Bulma will arrive,' he thought. 'Better be soon. But for now… I want more experience with this body.'
And so, for five days straight, Goku trained without pause.
From sunrise to sunset, every day was spent pushing himself—testing his balance, his reach, his reaction speed, and the raw strength packed into his small frame.
He ran through the forest, climbed cliffs, swam rivers, practiced strikes, kicks, and staff techniques until his muscles burned and his lungs screamed.
And honestly?
It was a blast.
Each movement felt more natural than the last. His footing became surer. His punches cleaner. His instincts sharper. By the end of the first day, the body no longer felt unfamiliar—it felt his.
On the second day, things escalated.
Deep in the forest, he encountered a dinosaur, towering and thick-skinned, its roar shaking the ground beneath his feet. The fight was brutal. He was thrown, bitten, and slammed through trees more times than he could count.
But he endured.
After a long, grueling battle—using everything from brute force to clever positioning—Goku emerged victorious, battered but grinning.
That night, he collapsed into bed without even eating. When he woke up the next morning, his body felt… different.
Stronger.
Faster.
'Zenkai boost,' he thought with a satisfied smile. 'My key to getting OP in no time.'
For the next three days, life settled into a peaceful rhythm.
Hunting. Training. Eating. Sleeping.
No life-or-death battles yet. Just steady improvement.
At that very moment, Goku sat beside a crackling fire, chewing happily on a roasted chicken he'd caught earlier that morning. The forest was calm, birds chirping softly as smoke drifted lazily into the air.
'It feels like this has been my body since I was born,' he thought. 'Guess all that training really paid off.'
He took another bite—
Then—
VRRRRRRMMMMM—!!
A loud, unfamiliar sound tore through the quiet forest.
Goku froze mid-chew.
His ears twitched as the noise grew louder, metallic and aggressive, completely out of place in the mountains.
"…Huh?"
He stood up slowly, eyes narrowing as the sound echoed closer and closer.
'That's a first,' he thought.
'…Guess that's Bulma.'
A grin slowly spread across his face.
Looks like the real adventure was finally about to begin.
TO BE CONTINUED