"Hit, let me have a go at Son Goku first!" Cabba suggested, his eyes brimming with anticipation. "We're both Saiyans; it'll be much more meaningful if we fight!"
"Are you sure?" Hit asked. He knew Goku's strength well; Cabba might not be a match for him.
"What's there to be unsure about?" Cabba grinned, acting like he didn't have a care in the world. "I want to see for myself just how strong the Saiyans of Universe 7 really are!"
"Suit yourself." Hit thought about it and decided letting Cabba go first wasn't a bad idea. It would give him a chance to observe Goku's fighting style and see just how much stronger this version of Goku was compared to the one from his past life.
Maybe he's not even as strong as he was back then, Hit mused inwardly. I'm a reincarnator. Even if I can't beat Vegeta, I should still be stronger than Son Goku...
Hit didn't know that Son Goku had also been reincarnated.
"Son Goku, let's have a match first! Please, guide me!" Cabba took a combat stance, feet shoulder-width apart, fists slightly clenched, his eyes full of fighting spirit.
"Sure, it's all the same to me as long as I get to stretch my legs," Goku said with a smile, taking a relaxed base-form combat stance.
Piccolo: "..."
Piccolo was silent for three seconds before suddenly speaking up. "Goku, how about I go a few rounds with him instead?"
"No, no, I'll go first," Goku scratched his head, explaining with a laugh. "The last few times we fought, I let Vegeta and Broly go first. I don't want to step aside this time; I want a good fight too!"
Black lines appeared on Piccolo's forehead. So you'll step aside for Vegeta and Broly, but not for me? Talk about playing favorites!
However, Piccolo didn't say anything more. He just stepped back, ready to watch the show.
"Son Goku, here I come!" Cabba reminded him once more. With a light kick off the ground, he shot forward like an arrow from a bow, lunging toward Goku.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The two quickly engaged in a fierce exchange on the crimson earth. Fists collided and feet scraped against the ground, producing dull, heavy thuds.
Goku wasn't fighting seriously at all; he was just playing around. He even intentionally slowed down occasionally so Cabba could keep up with his rhythm. As a result, the two looked evenly matched, and for a while, it was hard to tell who had the upper hand.
Thirty seconds later, Cabba suddenly leaped back, putting several meters between himself and Goku. He caught his breath and said, "Not bad, Son Goku! Your base strength is actually this high—you're on par with me!"
"Hahaha, it's alright, just average," Goku said with a smile, his tone full of humility.
"Then let's transform and keep going! You can't see someone's true strength just in base form!" Cabba suggested, his eyes full of expectation.
"You go ahead and transform first. I'll do it in a bit; I want to test the limits of my base form first." Goku grinned, still having no intention of transforming.
"Then I won't hold back!" As Cabba spoke, a dazzling golden light erupted from his body. Golden hair instantly covered his head, and his pupils turned emerald green.
Cabba had entered his Super Saiyan form!
After the transformation, Cabba's aura surged several times over. He turned into a golden streak of light, lunging at Goku at extreme speed. His fist whistled through the air, aimed squarely at Goku's face.
Facing Cabba's attack, Goku simply raised his arm and steadily caught the fist.
"What? You caught it?" Cabba was stunned, his eyes wide. This guy had actually caught a Super Saiyan's attack in his base form? Was this a joke? The Super Saiyan form boosted power by at least fifty times!
"Haha, caught it. You've got quite a bit of strength," Goku laughed, his tone as casual as if they were just chatting.
Cabba: "..."
Cabba's lip twitched, and his expression turned sour. He quickly leaped back again to put distance between them, his tone full of shock. "You... I didn't expect your base form to be this powerful. You're almost a match for my Super Saiyan form! Just how do you train?"
"Nothing special. I just stick to my training every day and spar with strong opponents. You just naturally get stronger over time," Goku replied with a smile, his tone full of sincerity.
Goku was telling the truth. Lately, he had been sparring quite a bit with Bardock and Gohan.
Hit's expression also grew grave, his brow furrowing slightly. Why does it feel like this version of Son Goku is more than just a little bit stronger than the one from my past life?
"Fine, let's keep going!" As Cabba spoke, a dense golden light erupted around him once more. Golden lightning snaked around his body, crackling and popping, his aura several times more intense than before.
"Isn't that Super Saiyan 2? Pretty impressive!" Goku nodded with a smile, his tone full of praise. "But you might as well go straight to Super Saiyan God; that would be more interesting."
"Such big talk!" Cabba snorted, his eyes full of defiance. "You want to fight my Super Saiyan God form in base? You're looking down on me a bit too much!"
"I want to see if my Base Ultra Instinct can catch an attack from a God form," Goku said with a slight smile, his tone full of confidence.
"Defeat my Super Saiyan 2 first!" Cabba turned into a golden streak again, lunging at Goku with extreme speed. His fists rained down like a hailstorm, each punch carrying enough power to level mountains.
Facing Cabba's onslaught, Goku suddenly closed his eyes, his body relaxing as if he had given up all resistance.
However, the moment Cabba's fist was about to land, Goku's body swayed like a willow in the wind, lightly stepping aside to dodge the attack. Then, in the same manner, he dodged every single one of Cabba's subsequent strikes.
This was the result of Goku's recent training: Base Ultra Instinct!
Cabba fought for a long time but couldn't even touch a single hair on Goku's head. Instead, he ended up panting and drenched in sweat, his chest heaving.
"Huff... huff... how... how are you dodging? You can dodge my attacks with your eyes closed?" Cabba was stunned, his voice stuttering, his eyes full of disbelief.
"This is called Ultra Instinct. It's a skill where you dodge attacks based purely on physical instinct without needing to think," Goku explained with a smile after opening his eyes. "I've worked hard at my training to finally reach this level, and I'm still not quite used to it."
"Ultra Instinct? I've never heard of such a skill!" Cabba frowned, his mind full of confusion. This skill was way too broken! How are you supposed to fight someone who can dodge with their eyes closed?
"To put it simply, it's about letting your body remember the rhythm of battle. When an attack comes, your body reacts on its own without needing your eyes to see it," Goku gave a more layman's explanation, his tone patient.
"Sounds magical... but it's just a dodging ability! Once you fail to dodge, you're finished!" Cabba snorted, trying to save some face. He didn't want to just admit defeat like this.
"You're right. My mastery of this skill isn't that strong yet; sometimes I still fail to react in time." Goku nodded seriously, not denying his shortcomings.
"Then let's keep going! I don't believe you can keep dodging forever!" Cabba took a deep breath and lunged again, launching an even more violent assault, using both fists and feet to try and force a mistake out of Goku.
Goku kept his eyes closed, relying on his Base Ultra Instinct to easily dodge all of Cabba's attacks. The reason Goku wasn't transforming was that he wanted to use Cabba as a sparring partner to practice his Ultra Instinct.
When he had visited the other world and seen Gas and the Goku of that timeline, he discovered that the other Goku could already use Ultra Instinct fluently in his base form, which had greatly inspired him. After the Zamasu incident, Goku had been practicing his Base Ultra Instinct constantly. After sparring frequently with Bardock and Gohan, he was finally seeing some results.
Cabba busied himself for another ten minutes, still unable to touch Goku's body. Instead, he was covered in sweat and barely had the strength left to raise his arms. Looking at Goku, who was dodging effortlessly with his eyes closed, Cabba felt both angry and helpless.
This guy is too freaky. How is his base form this strong?
Moro watched silently from the side, a contemptuous smirk tugging at his lips. What a boring skill. What can it do besides dodge? But this Ultra Instinct does look a bit special. It might be a bit of a hassle to absorb his energy later. But it doesn't matter. Once my magic returns to its peak, I'll have plenty of ways to deal with him!
"Damn it..." Cabba clenched his fists tight, his teeth gritting, his eyes full of frustration. He was a Saiyan elite of Universe 6, yet he couldn't even beat a base-form Son Goku. It was a massive blow to his pride.
"You should probably just go Super Saiyan God. It's going to be hard to touch me with just Super Saiyan 2," Goku suggested with a smile after opening his eyes. There was no mockery in his tone, just a simple suggestion.
"Then I won't be polite! I hope you can still smile in a bit!" Cabba snorted and didn't hesitate any longer. The golden light around him instantly turned a fiery red. Flames wrapped around him like a cloak, and his hair turned a brilliant crimson.
Cabba had entered his Super Saiyan God form!
"Come on! Let me see how strong your God form is!" Goku beckoned to Cabba, still with no intention of transforming.
"You're too full of yourself! This form is a qualitative leap! I suggest you take this seriously, or you'll regret it when you lose!" Cabba huffed, his tone full of confidence. He didn't believe Goku could still catch an attack from a God form in base!
" I am taking it seriously. Bring it on," Goku replied with a smile.
WHOOSH!
Cabba didn't waste any more words. He turned into a fiery red streak, lunging at Goku at several times his previous speed. His fist, carrying scorching flames, slammed toward Goku's chest.
Goku still didn't transform. He simply stepped aside, easily dodging Cabba's attack. Then, in the same way, he dodged every one of Cabba's subsequent strikes. No matter how fast or strong Cabba was, he couldn't touch Goku's body.
Cabba felt like he was about to have a breakdown. What kind of monster is this Son Goku? How can he dodge a God form's attacks in base? This makes no sense at all!
Cabba bit his lip, a thought occurring to him. No, I'll sneak a transformation into Super Saiyan Blue. With the element of surprise, I'll definitely hit him!
With that in mind, Cabba lunged at Goku again, throwing a lightning-fast straight punch. Goku stepped aside to dodge. Just as Goku was about to dodge the next strike, a blue light suddenly erupted from Cabba's body.
Cabba secretly activated his Super Saiyan Blue form!
Immediately following that, Cabba's speed surged once more. With his elbow wreathed in blue energy, he slammed it toward Goku's back. Goku's pupils contracted slightly; he clearly hadn't expected Cabba to transform so suddenly. But Goku's reactions were lightning-fast. He instantly leaped forward while simultaneously throwing a backhand palm strike that landed squarely on the back of Cabba's neck.
THUD!
Cabba felt his neck go numb. His body instantly lost all control, and he slammed heavily into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Cabba struggled to crawl back up, but he found his body completely drained of strength. He could only lie there on his stomach, panting heavily.
Hit's pupils shrank as he stared at the scene in shock. He hadn't expected Goku's base form to be able to effortlessly crush Cabba's Super Saiyan Blue form. Moro, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow, his rough fingers stroking his goatee as a greedy glint flashed in his eyes.
This mortal called Son Goku has far more energy hidden inside him than I expected. If I can drain him dry, my magic will definitely recover significantly. I might even be able to break through my current bottleneck!
Piccolo, standing to the side, let a small smirk tug at the corner of his mouth, his eyes full of knowing. He had known all along that with Goku's current strength, dealing with Cabba was a piece of cake.
Cabba, however, was staring at his own trembling hands in horror. The blue aura around him rapidly receded like a falling tide, and he instantly reverted to his base form. He couldn't believe that his proud Super Blue form had been so easily taken down by someone in their base state.
"Are you okay?" Goku scratched his head, looking a bit apologetic. "Sorry about that. I didn't control my strength well enough; I guess I hit you a bit too hard."
As he spoke, Goku reached out a hand, intending to pull Cabba up. Cabba bit his lip, but eventually took Goku's hand and used it to haul himself off the ground. He stubbornly argued, "That... that was just a fluke! I only got hit because I was careless and you took a cheap shot! It doesn't count!"
"Then shall we continue? I'll let you attack first," Goku suggested with a smile, not bothered by the excuse at all. Instead, he took a defensive stance, a faint white aura rippling around him.
"Of course we're continuing! I absolutely won't lose this time!" Cabba clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. His aura grew heavy once more, and blue flames began to flicker around his body.
"Alright, then I won't hold back as much this time," Goku nodded, sinking slightly into his stance. His legs were as steady as if they were rooted into the crimson earth, and his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's.
VROOOM!
Blue light erupted from Cabba like a raging inferno. Super Saiyan Blue was active once again, the intense heat of the energy distorting the air around him.
Moro watched with a smile, his mind secretly calculating. This kid was hiding this too? He was holding back when he fought me earlier? But this blue form's energy is much stronger than the red God form. If I can absorb it, it would be a nice harvest... No, I should wait until I get the Super Dragon Balls. No sense in startling the snake.
"I won't be holding back this time, Son Goku!" Cabba's expression was grave. He kicked off the ground with such force that a web of cracks instantly spread across the crimson earth, sending stone fragments flying. "This is a form that breaks through the limits of Super Saiyan God! My power is more than ten times what it was before. Watch out!"
"I know. Bring it on," Goku nodded with a smile. "And this time, I won't dodge. Let's have a head-on slugfest and see whose fists are harder."
"Oh? You're sure you want to take me head-on?" Cabba's eyes lit up, his face showing excitement. This guy was always dodging; it wasn't satisfying to fight him like that.
"Dodging forever isn't the answer. I've got to try going on the offensive," Goku laughed. His fists clenched slightly, and the white aura around him grew denser. It looked calm, but it held enough power to destroy worlds.
WHOOSH!
Cabba didn't hesitate. He turned into a blue streak of light, moving so fast he left afterimages in the air. He lunged straight for Goku's face, launching a vicious kick that whistled through the air.
Goku leaned back like a willow leaf in the wind, narrowly avoiding the kick. Then, he suddenly kicked upward, his toes slamming precisely into Cabba's stomach.
"GUAAAH!"
Cabba let out a cry of pain as his body was sent flying into the sky like a kite with a broken string, his blue aura dimming significantly.
SHING!
Goku's figure flashed, and he instantly appeared right in front of Cabba. His fists rained down like a storm, moving so fast they created sonic booms. Every punch carried staggering power. Cabba didn't even have time to dodge; he could only cross his arms to protect his head and take the brunt of the assault.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The heavy thuds of fists hitting arms were constant. Cabba was beaten back repeatedly, his arms going numb. His blue aura flickered, looking like it could go out at any moment.
SHING!
Goku took the chance to teleport behind Cabba and delivered a powerful kick to the small of his back. Cabba was sent crashing through a solid stone wall several meters thick like a cannonball.
BOOM!
With a massive explosion, Cabba slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. But Cabba was resilient; he quickly leaped back to his feet. His blue aura flared up again as he threw a punch at Goku, his fist wreathed in dense blue energy. Wherever the energy passed, the air was torn apart, letting out a piercing shriek.
This time, Goku didn't dodge. He clenched his own fist, gathered his full strength, and slammed it against Cabba's.
KABOOM!
Two vast energies exploded. The shockwave spread out like a hurricane, gouging deep trenches into the crimson earth. The surrounding stone walls shook, and rocks rained down like water.
As Cabba gritted his teeth and tried to hold his ground, Goku suddenly performed a sweeping kick, knocking him flat on his back.
THUD!
Cabba landed hard on his rear, grimacing in pain. The blue light on his body flickered, clearly reaching its limit. He could feel that Goku's power was still rising, while his own energy was rapidly draining.
"You're pretty good. You managed to hold out this long; anyone else would have gone down by now," Goku remarked, cracking his knuckles. "I'm going to step up the power now. Are you sure you want to keep going?"
"Wait, wait!" Cabba waved his hands hurriedly, his face pale and cold sweat beading on his forehead. "I give up. I can't beat you..."
Cabba knew very well that continuing would only lead to more humiliation. It was better to admit defeat and keep some shred of his pride.
"Actually, you're already very strong to have mastered Super Saiyan God and Super Blue so quickly," Goku praised him with a sincere smile. "With your talent, you'll definitely be amazing if you keep training."
Cabba: "..."
Cabba quietly wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked in a small voice, "Are... are you actually praising me?"
"Of course. I never lie," Goku laughed, his tone relaxed. "But your Super Blue form was probably just mastered recently, right? True Super Blue has much finer energy control and even more explosive power. You still need more practice. When you were punching earlier, about thirty percent of your energy was just being wasted."
"You could even see that?" Cabba was amazed, his eyes full of admiration. He suddenly asked curiously, "By the way, how do you compare to my master, Lord Vegeta? Who's stronger? I've always been curious."
"You should probably ask Vegeta that question. It's hard for me to say," Goku scratched his head, intentionally changing the subject.
Cabba: "..."
Cabba was full of doubt. Who is it then? Is he afraid of hurting Master Vegeta's pride, or is he afraid of losing face himself? Why won't he just say it?
"Anyway, why is your base form so strong? I feel like you're almost a match for Lord Renso of our Sadala Defense Forces!" Cabba changed the subject, his tone full of wonder. Lord Renso was a powerhouse among the Universe 6 Saiyans, someone who could easily beat a Super Blue Cabba in base form.
"Renso? I'd really love to spar with him sometime," Goku's eyes lit up, his fighting spirit reignited as his hands instinctively clenched.
"You'll have the chance. Once this is over, I'll take you to meet him," Cabba nodded. If you fight Lord Renso, you might actually lose. You'll have your hands full then.
After a two-second silence.
Cabba asked again, "By the way, you can transform, right? You can't just fight in base form all the time."
"I know a little bit, but I usually prefer to train in base form. After all, the stronger your base form, the stronger you are after transforming," Goku smiled bashfully, speaking so nonchalantly it was as if "knowing a little bit" meant he could only go Super Saiyan 1.
Piccolo, on the side, was silently wiping away sweat. You can go Super Saiyan 7, and you have the nerve to say you 'know a little bit'? More like you 'know seven points'! Talk about a humblebrag!
To be continued…
Guys, do support me on Patreon; It helps me a lot!
Advance 70 Chapters are up on my Patreon!
pat reon.com/AlphaSenatus