DBZ Goten : Become Stronger By Defeating Your Opponent

A soft chime echoed in Goten's mind. "Ding, congratulations to the master for defeating Marble and learning the illusion technique…"

Before he could process this new skill, the scene shifted to Chiyoko, who stood frozen in grief over his fallen master, Marble. His heart twisted in anger and sorrow, and he clenched his fists, his energy surging.

"Ha!" With a fierce cry, AF Timeline Uub lunged at Chiyoko, his fist aimed with unwavering precision. But Chiyoko, jolted from his sadness, reacted quickly, casting an illusion on Uub in the blink of an eye.

Uub's eyes clouded momentarily, and when his vision cleared, he was looking at a figure he recognized instantly.

"Goku!" he gasped, stopping mid-charge as his gaze met the face of his former mentor.

'Goku' greeted him with a warm smile. "Long time no see, Uub. It looks like you've grown much stronger!"

Uub's face lit up with surprise and admiration. "Goku, aren't you supposed to be barely hanging on because of all that negative energy from the Evil Dragon?"

"Yes, but I'm fine now!" 'Goku' responded smoothly, keeping his expression friendly and calm.

In the distance, AF Goten watched the scene with a frown, noting Uub's strange behavior. "Trunks, what's going on with Uub?"

Trunks squinted, realization dawning on his face. "It looks like he's under some sort of illusion."

"An illusion? How do we snap him out of it?"

Trunks shrugged, his face tense with concern. "Not sure, but let's try calling out to him. Maybe we can break through to him."

"Good idea!" AF Goten agreed, raising his voice to shout at his friend. "Uub, wake up! That's not Goku! It's just an illusion!"

Uub, hearing Goten's voice, hesitated, glancing around uncertainly. "Goten… is that really you?"

"Yes, Uub, it's me! Snap out of it! That's not the real Goku!"

But the illusion was strong. 'Goku' stepped closer to Uub, his voice as smooth as silk. "What's this, Uub? Don't you trust me? I thought we were friends."

Uub's mind wrestled with conflicting thoughts, but Goten and Trunks' voices continued to echo in his head. He stared at "Goku," frowning deeply. "Are you really Goku?"

"Of course, Uub," the illusion replied with a smile. "You don't want to fight me, do you?"

As the words sank in, Uub's fighting spirit sparked within him. "Fight?" He nodded with growing enthusiasm, thoughts of proving himself against his powerful mentor flooding his mind. "If you're really Goku, then show me!"

"Exactly what I wanted to hear," 'Goku' replied, an unsettling glint flashing in his eyes.

In an instant, the two of them launched into combat, fists and feet clashing in rapid succession. They moved at blinding speed, each blow creating shockwaves that rippled across the mountain terrain. Dust and debris rose around them, marking the intensity of their battle.

AF Goten watched, his brows knitted in concern. "Trunks, do you think Uub heard us?"

Trunks nodded slowly, studying Uub's expression. "I think he did, but that illusion is strong."

Just then, a familiar figure floated down from the sky, landing softly in front of them. It was Goten, the one who had arrived from a different timeline.

AF Timeline Trunks looked at him warily. "Who are you?" he demanded. Goten's appearance was identical to the Goten from their own timeline, yet something was clearly different about him.

Goten smiled, his gaze steady. "Trunks, it's me, Goten."

Trunks blinked in confusion. "You're Goten?"

"Yes," Goten nodded, "but I'm from another timeline."

"Another timeline?" Trunks repeated, his suspicion giving way to fascination.

Goten looked around, his expression sobering. "By the way, where's my dad?"

AF Goten stepped forward, his face grave. "Dad is in the Kaioshin Realm. His life is… hanging by a thread."

Goten's heart skipped a beat. "Hanging by a thread? What happened?"

With a heavy sigh, AF Goten began to explain. "After the One-Star Dragon's attack, Dad made some sort of pact with the dragon. It allowed him to cross the threshold of life and death, but…"

"But?" Goten prompted, sensing there was more.

AF Goten nodded. "The dragon helped Dad, but the cost was steep. Dad has to use his own body to purify the negative energy stored in the Dragon Balls."

Goten's eyes widened in horror. "That's… impossible. Even Dad's body can't withstand that forever!"

AF Timeline Trunks chimed in, his face etched with worry. "It was okay at first, but now, the negative energy is becoming too much. Dad's body is starting to fail. If he loses control, the Evil Dragon trapped inside him could reawaken… even more powerful than before."

Goten clenched his fists, a fierce resolve igniting in his eyes. "I won't let that happen."

AF Goten nodded solemnly. "That's why Vegeta went to train in the Kai Realm. He's determined to become stronger to face any threat."

Goten took a deep breath, digesting the weight of the situation. "The Evil Dragon…"

AF Timeline Trunks tilted his head, studying the young Goten with curiosity. "Hey, Goten, how old are you in your timeline?"

"Thirteen… almost fourteen," Goten replied casually.

Trunks' jaw dropped. "Thirteen? Are you serious?"

Seeing Trunks' reaction, Goten chuckled. "Yep. Why do you ask?"

In the AF timeline, Goten and Trunks were nearly thirty years old, and despite their years of training, they had only reached the strength level of Super Saiyan 3. The young Goten before them, barely in his teens, was already stronger.

"Let me get this straight," Trunks stammered, still in shock. "At thirteen, you're already at… what level?"

"Super Saiyan Five," Goten replied, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Super… Super Saiyan Five?" The revelation left both AF Goten and Trunks speechless.

In their timeline, it had taken Goku nearly fifty years to reach Super Saiyan 4. Yet here stood a version of Goten who had surpassed that level by a wide margin at an age when most Saiyans were just beginning to understand their power. He was nothing short of a prodigy.

"Yeah, Super Saiyan Five," Goten repeated, almost as if it were no big deal. "What about my dad here? What level is he?"

AF Goten hesitated before answering. "He's probably just above Super Saiyan Four."

Goten nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense."

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud crash as AF Timeline Uub was sent hurtling to the ground, landing with a heavy thud. Both AF Goten and Trunks turned, their faces filled with concern.

"Uub!" they shouted, rushing over to where their friend lay.

Though Uub's strength was comparable to Vegeta's in the AF timeline, he was being outmaneuvered by Chiyoko, who was weaker but adept at illusion and deception. As he lay on the ground, struggling to push himself up, he shook his head, the illusion beginning to weaken.

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