📖 CHAPTER 28 – Beyond Endurance
The sun rose slowly over Master Roshi's island, spilling golden light across sand and palm trees. A gentle breeze whispered across the beach, but for Aren, it carried nothing of comfort. Today was not about ease. Today was about pushing further—into realms even he had not dared approach.
For weeks, Aren had trained here. Early mornings, late evenings, relentless drills that tested every muscle, every tendon, every fiber of focus. Weighted shells, exhaustive swims, combat sparring—nothing had been spared. And yet, he felt the stirring of an untapped threshold. Something deeper, darker, stronger. The thought of future enemies—warriors whose strength could obliterate planets—kept his mind sharp.
Goku bounced energetically on the balls of his feet. "Ready for today, Aren?" he shouted, eyes wide, a grin splitting his face.
Aren didn't answer immediately. Instead, he adjusted the weight of the turtle shell on his back, flexing his legs to accommodate the strain. "I'm ready, Goku," he said calmly, voice low but firm. "We're going harder today."
Krillin stood slightly behind, pale and uneasy. "Aren… do you really think we can keep up?" he asked, eyes flicking nervously from the two of them to Master Roshi.
Roshi's cane tapped the sand. "Aren, double the intensity today," he instructed. "No breaks beyond what's required. Push past fatigue. Push past pain. Push past what you think is possible." His gaze lingered briefly on Krillin and Goku, then returned to Aren. "I want to see absolute effort. Do not hold back."
Aren's pulse quickened at the command. Doubling the intensity meant he would reach levels where failure wasn't just likely—it was almost guaranteed. But he had learned to welcome that challenge. The future demanded it.
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Sand and Shells: Double Load
Roshi tossed two weighted turtle shells at Aren simultaneously. Their mass pressed into his shoulders, the strain threatening to buckle weaker bones or tear unprepared muscles.
Goku staggered at the sight. "Two? Aren… seriously?"
Krillin's jaw tightened. "That's… insane!"
Aren adjusted instinctively, muscles tensing, posture perfectly aligned. Even under the load, he moved with precision—each squat, each step, each turn a study in efficiency. Fatigue began to gnaw at him after ten laps, but he ignored it, focusing only on movement, control, and rhythm.
Goku, driven by rivalry, felt a strange surge of instinct. He matched Aren step for step, jumping higher, landing faster, his body responding before his mind fully understood. "Aren… you're… not slowing down?" Goku gasped, grin widening despite the strain.
"I don't plan to," Aren replied, voice steady. "If i stop, I fall behind."
Krillin lagged behind, each stride heavier than the last. His breaths came sharp and uneven, and for the first time, he felt a gnawing sense of inferiority. Watching Aren and Goku push beyond ordinary limits, he realized how far behind he was. A tension built in him, bitterness and frustration, as if the gap was a chasm he could not cross.
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Water and Air Drills
The next stage was swimming through the tidal current with weighted shells still on their backs. The waves slapped and twisted at their bodies, demanding precise technique.
Aren let the ocean flow guide him. His strokes were fluid, each movement compressing and releasing energy efficiently. Even as the waves tried to throw him off course, he surged forward like a predator, cutting through the water with calculated precision.
Goku followed instinctively, his breakthrough earlier giving him a sudden advantage. He moved with a surprising grace, dodging the strongest currents and matching Aren in sudden bursts of speed. Krillin struggled, splashing ineffectively, trailing behind as the two of them left him exposed to the pull of the waves.
Blonde Launch observed from the shore. Blue Launch, quiet and composed, held water and fruit but kept her gaze fixed on Aren's form. Blonde Launch sneezed in irritation but could not look away. "He… keeps pushing," she muttered.
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Combat training
Roshi then paired Aren with Goku and Krillin in sparring drills. Each attack from Goku came faster, sharper, instinctively adjusted by the rivalry he felt. Aren's thirty percent strength reduction now felt like nothing—he dodged, countered, and repositioned automatically.
Krillin tried to keep pace, but every combined attack from Goku and Aren overwhelmed him. He stumbled repeatedly, sweat blurring his vision. Tension flared—not just in his body, but in his mind. He had always trained hard, but this level of intensity, this precision… it was almost impossible to emulate.
Aren noticed Krillin's struggle. "Focus, Krillin. Position first. Don't let exhaustion control you," he instructed, keeping voice calm. "You can do this."
Krillin nodded, a mixture of frustration and respect coursing through him. "Yeah… I'll try," he said, teeth gritted.
Meanwhile, Goku shouted, eyes sparkling, "Aren! Keep up with me this time!" His breakthrough made him unpredictable, his instincts heightened. Aren adjusted seamlessly, countering Goku's movements, keeping the rhythm alive.
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Aren's Near-Death Stress Experiment
After the group drills, Aren decided to test himself alone. He set up a series of weighted spikes, sand pits, and high-resistance exercises designed to push him to near-collapse.
"Time to see the limits," Aren muttered under his breath, pushing harder than he ever had.
Sand and resistance shredded his legs. Each breath burned. Muscles screamed. Pain became a tool, guiding him, shaping him. Aren ignored fear, ignoring collapse. Every heartbeat, every drop of sweat was a study in control.
At one point, his body faltered, chest pressing to the ground. Heartbeat pounded in his ears, vision blurred—but he forced himself up. "No… I cannot stop now," Aren whispered, sweat and sand coating his face. "There is many strong enemies in the future."
The exercise ended only when he cannot move, his muscles screaming yet intact. Aren had trained to the edge of death, testing how far his body could adapt under stress.
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Morning Reflection
Exhausted but alive, Aren stood on the shore, watching Goku and Krillin still spar lightly with each other. Goku laughed and shouted, basking in the afterglow of instinctive growth. Krillin wiped his brow, still frustrated, still trailing behind. The tension between them was subtle but undeniable—Krillin's drive to catch up, Goku's thrill at newfound speed, Aren's calm observation.
Aren adjusted his stance, letting the sea breeze wash over him. Weeks of training, near-death experiments, and doubled intensity had brought him far beyond where he started. Every reflex sharper. Every muscle a perfect blend of strength and adaptability. And yet… he knew it was only the beginning.
"Goku," Aren called out quietly. "We need to go further. We can't stop at today."
Goku grinned, clenching fists. "Heh! I'm not stopping either, Aren!"
Krillin hesitated, lips pressed tight, staring at the two of them. "I… I'll catch up… Aren…Goku... I promise."
Roshi, leaning against his cane, merely nodded. He had doubled Aren's intensity for a reason—this was training beyond comprehension. And he would observe silently, letting his students push themselves.
Aren looked toward the horizon, the sun rising higher, warming sand and skin. He took a deep breath. Weeks of relentless training had built him, but the future demanded more. Rivalries, near-death stress, untested limits—all of it was preparation.
For Aren, the next stage wasn't just about strength. It was about survival, evolution, and mastery. And he would push harder than ever before, no matter the cost.
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Training Summary and Timeframe:
Aren has been training on Master Roshi's island for roughly 3–4 weeks continuously.
He has progressed from basic conditioning to double-intensity weighted drills, instinctive combat sparring with Goku, solo near-death stress experiments, and mental adaptation under extreme strain.
Each day, Aren actively pushes the boundaries of strength, endurance, and tactical instinct, aware of future threats.
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