Only a few seconds had passed since takeoff, and Goten, gripping his father's hand to keep him from falling behind, was already approaching a range of towering mountains. Their jagged peaks stretched toward the sky like sharp spears piercing the clouds.
Goten was in a hurry, his heart pounding with urgency. He weaved between the rocky cliffs with remarkable agility, confidently pulling his father along. The wind howled in his ears, and the force of their flight made his clothes whip loudly against his body.
"I can sense Uncle Piccolo's ki," he said aloud, abruptly veering to the right—toward the familiar energy he had just felt.
Without a moment's hesitation, he dove downward and landed softly on a wide, rocky plateau nestled between the cliffs.
At that very moment...
Piccolo was, as usual, in the middle of training. He practiced his strikes, honed his control over ki, and maintained his deep inner focus. Every movement was precise and deliberate, each motion slicing the air with a subtle vibration.
Suddenly, he stopped. He had sensed something strange... yet familiar.
"Hmm... That must be Goten. Has he become a Super Saiyan?" Piccolo closed his eyes slightly, analyzing the flow of energy. "Looks like he's been training. That's good... Too bad Gohan's been completely off the radar lately. No training, no news..."
But then, the ki surged—suddenly and sharply. Goten was closing in. Fast.
Piccolo furrowed his brow, pushing away idle thoughts. He quickly draped his white cape over his shoulders, adjusted his wide-brimmed hat, and crossed his arms over his chest. Goten was approaching at incredible speed—far too fast for a simple training session.
And then—there was a flash of light, a thunderous crash, and a shockwave rippled across the area, kicking up clouds of dust and dirt into the air. Goten had landed with such force that the ground beneath them trembled.
"Kh-kh... Take it easy, Goten…" came a hoarse, unfamiliar voice.
"Ka-kha… Sorry, Dad," Goten replied quickly, helping up the person who had fallen beside him.
Piccolo narrowed his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a powerful gust of wind that scattered the dust, revealing the scene before him.
Goten stood there, breathing heavily. Beside him was a tall green-skinned man with an unusual appearance, reminiscent of a Kai. But something in his face, his aura… Piccolo felt an immediate familiarity. Could it be…?
"Oh! Uncle Piccolo!" Goten called out, spotting him.
"Yo, Piccolo," said the green stranger with a casual grin.
Piccolo squinted.
"Hmm… Are you… Goku?" he asked with a note of hesitation, eyeing the "Kai" closely.
The stranger chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah… I don't know what happened, but now I look like this. And honestly, I can't really control this body properly," he said, rising to his feet and brushing the dust off his clothes.
"Uncle Piccolo, can you help us?" Goten asked, stepping forward.
Piccolo glanced from Goten back to the strange Goku-like figure, narrowing his eyes as if evaluating him. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"Hmm… This is definitely odd. I can't fix this myself… but maybe the Dragon Balls can."
Goten's face lit up with hope. He opened his mouth to say something, when suddenly—
A voice rang out. Cold, sinister, and creeping along the spine like ice.
"So there you are, Son Goku."
Everyone froze.
They turned and saw a figure standing on a nearby cliff. It was him. Goku. But different. Dressed in black, with a twisted smile and a dark, malevolent aura.
Goten shuddered. He knew that look. He knew what this man was capable of.
Piccolo tensed. His eyes narrowed, and his ki flared.
"That's not Goku..." Piccolo said hoarsely, his brow furrowing. "His ki… it's wrong. Dark. He's an imposter."
Goku, who had been curiously observing the stranger, raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Wow… you look just like me, only—"
He didn't get to finish.
"GRAAAHHH!!" Goten roared, exploding with fury.
In the next instant, he thrust both hands forward, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts from his palms. The brilliant orbs of ki streaked through the air, screaming toward Goku Black one after another, lighting up the sky with thunderous detonations.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOM!!!
The mountain beneath Goku Black shook violently. A massive cloud of smoke and dust engulfed the area, obscuring everything in its path. The earth trembled, stones tumbled down the cliffs, and the sharp scent of ozone filled the air.
Piccolo and Goku stood frozen, stunned by what they had just witnessed. Goten's face was twisted with rage. His eyes burned with golden light, his hair trembled with raw power, and his hands remained stretched forward.
He was breathing heavily, eyes locked on the swirling cloud of smoke.
"I won't… let you… again…" he growled through clenched teeth.
And then...
A laugh echoed from within the smoke.
Low. Mocking. Piercing.
"Ha... ha... ha..." The voice rang out, grating against the nerves of all who heard it. "That was... unexpected. I'll give you that. Desperate, but..."
The smoke began to thin.
"Very, very weak," said Goku Black, emerging from the dust.
He stood completely unscathed. Not a scratch on him. A wicked smile stretched across his face. His eyes gleamed, and his voice carried a disturbing blend of amusement and contempt.
"The body of Son Goku… it's truly magnificent," he said, clenching his fist with relish, as if savoring the strength in his muscles. "So obedient, so powerful… So… perfect."
His gaze shifted to Goten, and his smile widened.
"Originally, I planned to kill Goku first. It would've been… poetic. But since you're so eager to fight, mortal, I don't mind. You'll die first."
He launched forward.
With unnatural speed, Goku Black dashed straight at Goten, leaving a jagged trail of black energy in his wake. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the boy, fist raised for the strike—
"Special Beam Cannon!" came a sudden shout.
In that moment, a brilliant, spiraling beam of pure energy burst into view. It tore through the air, leaving an energetic scar in its path, and struck the enemy with immense force.
"What?!" Goku Black didn't even have time to react before he was blown backward.
He slammed into the mountainside with a deafening crash. Rocks exploded outward, a powerful gust kicked up more dust, and the impact left cracks webbing across the cliff face.
Piccolo stood in a battle stance, one arm extended, smoke still curling from his fingertips.
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! So this is already Chapter 3. I just want to say upfront—even though I really love Dragon Ball, I'm not obsessed with it, and I don't know every little thing about it. I also haven't watched everything related to the franchise. So please be kind with your feedback. I really hope you're enjoying what I've written so far. If you are, let me know—I'd love to read your comments!