When Goku saw his son beginning to fall unconscious, he immediately lunged forward to catch Goten and help him. But suddenly, the air trembled with a powerful surge of Ki—coming from the very spot where Goku Black had just been buried. The rock he had slammed into began to crack, and the next moment, a silhouette burst out, leaving behind a whirlwind of destruction.
Goku Black had broken free, and to Goku's surprise, his body looked almost unscathed. There were no serious injuries from the devastating Kamehameha Goten had hit him with. His gaze burned with fury, darkness seemed to pour from his eyes, and his aura twisted around him like a raging storm.
Goku tensed instantly, his expression turning serious. He shifted into a fighting stance, ready for another clash.
"That hurt..." Goku Black growled, lowering his gaze to his hands, which just moments ago had been burning from the attack. "It hurt a lot. But for this body... that was still a weak strike."
He smirked—barely noticeable, but laced with malice.
"If I were still in my old body, I wouldn't have gotten away without injuries..." That thought infuriated him even more. He clenched his teeth, a grimace of frustration distorting his face.
Then, a loud and confident voice rang out:
"Impostor!"
Goku Black turned toward the sound. Standing before him was his former body—now controlled by Goku. Goku stared at his enemy with unwavering determination and fury in his eyes. He took a fighting stance and made a beckoning gesture with his hand.
"Come at me... if you dare."
Those words made Goku Black bare his teeth in a twisted grin. His lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Oh... how I'd love to kill you right now," he hissed. But then his gaze suddenly shifted to the defenseless Goten.
"Then again... if I kill your son right in front of you, it'll make this fight so much more fun..."
And with those words—he vanished.
Goku's eyes widened. He barely caught the movement of Ki before he bolted forward, crossing the distance between himself and his son at lightning speed. But even so, he wasn't fast enough—by the time he was halfway there, he saw Goku Black already standing over Goten's unconscious body.
His right hand pulsed with bright pink Ki, having taken the form of a sinister blade. He raised it above the boy, ready to strike.
And then—out of thin air behind Goku Black—two massive green arms appeared, forged from concentrated energy. They grabbed him by the shoulders, locking him in place and stopping him from moving. Caught off guard, Goku Black froze for a moment, but quickly snapped back to his senses and tried to break free, lifting the Ki blade to cut through the hold.
But right then, a fist slammed into his face with staggering force. His head snapped back violently, and he was sent flying several meters away.
Goku was already standing in front of him. And he had no intention of stopping at just one punch. His fists rained down on Goku Black, one after another, giving his enemy no chance to recover. Every strike was precise, fast, and filled with a rare anger Goku seldom allowed himself to express.
Then suddenly—timed perfectly—Piccolo's massive green arms reappeared behind the enemy. Grabbing Goku Black with inhuman strength, they lifted him into the air and hurled him toward the nearest cliffside. The mountain shook as the impostor's body smashed into the stone, sending up a cloud of dust and a thunderous boom that echoed across the battlefield.
"Thanks, Piccolo," Goku breathed out, stepping back and glancing toward his friend.
"Don't mention it," came the reply from the other side of the battlefield as Piccolo walked closer. "I managed to heal the wound. So... I'm back in the game."
"Good. Then... let me fight him one-on-one," Goku requested, not taking his eyes off the dusty veil where their opponent lay hidden.
"You outta your mind?" Piccolo snapped. "That guy's clearly stronger than you in that body. Every one of his hits is deadly. I should know." He pointed to the spot where a gaping wound had been just moments ago, left by the Ki blade.
But Goku only gave a small smile.
"Just a few seconds. I want to hit him again. There's something I need to test..."
Before Piccolo could reply, the cliff exploded outward. From the swirl of dust and debris stepped Goku Black—once again, without a single serious scratch. He was smirking, but his eyes burned with barely contained rage.
"Hahaha..." came his raspy laughter. "I knew my old body was weaker than this one, but I didn't expect it to be this useless. Even your punches barely leave a mark."
He took a step forward, his face twisted in an irritated sneer.
"And that's what pisses me off!" he shouted. "I'm done holding back. I'm going to kill you right here and now!"
"Hmph... Try it," Goku answered calmly, shifting into his stance. His confidence hadn't wavered for even a second.
A second later, the ground quaked—the battle reignited with explosive force.
Goku Black charged in first, his fists slicing through the air, but Goku—despite the limitations of the Supreme Kai's body—moved with incredible precision. He dodged each blow with sharp, controlled motions, gliding along the ground and occasionally striking back. Each successful hit was followed by a burst of Ki—tiny explosions, as if he were launching miniature Ki bombs with every touch.
The fight wasn't airborne. It was grounded, visceral. Fists, kicks, blocks, and parries—everything unfolded at a breakneck pace. Goku maintained the upper hand, skillfully using every opportunity, every opening. Though his current body was weaker, he made up for it with experience, accuracy, and reaction speed.
Goku Black backed off with a scowl, rubbing his cheek.
"You're strong," he admitted through gritted teeth, a trace of reluctant respect in his voice. "No doubt about it. Even in a Kai's body. But..."
He raised his hand, and in the next moment, a swirling spiral of Ki formed in his palm—dark, ominous, and glowing with a black-and-pink light.
"I know this body better than you ever could."
At that moment, Goten finally began to stir. Slowly lifting his head, he saw—
Goku Black hurling the Ki projectile straight at Goku.
The explosion that followed was devastating. A massive crater formed where Goku had stood just a second before. The earth buckled, dust shot into the sky, and the air itself trembled.