Chapter 6: Afterlife

In hell, at the end of the snake road, there is a planet that seems to be as small as a football from afar. That is the planet of King Kai.

On this peculiar planet, amid its serene yet deceivingly diminutive appearance, a scene unfolded with a peculiar duo.

The first, a young but muscular man with unruly black hair and a determined gleam in his onyx eyes, was none other than Son Goku.

And the second, a monkey-like creature named Bubbles, who seemed to revel in outmanoeuvring the formidable fighter.

Bubbles darted through the sparse vegetation, agile and elusive, while Goku pursued relentlessly.

The monkey's taunting laughter echoed across the desolate landscape, goading Goku as he dashed after him.

"I've got to admit, he's a slippery one, this guy," Goku muttered between breaths. "But no monkey is going to get the best of me."

With a burst of speed, Goku veered in the opposite direction, forcing Bubbles to adjust his course repeatedly.

Utilizing the scant buildings and structures scattered across the terrain as makeshift hiding spots, Goku orchestrated a series of clever ambushes, leaving the monkey flustered and disoriented.

As the chase intensified, Goku's instincts honed by years of rigorous training kicked into overdrive. With lightning reflexes and great focus, he closed in on his target, and in a sudden burst of movement, he reached out with a powerful lunge, finally seizing Bubbles in his grasp.

"I finally gotcha!" Goku exclaimed triumphantly, a victorious grin spreading across his face. "Haha, I did it! Yeah, I caught the monkey!"

Meanwhile, on the sidelines, King Kai observed the spectacle with surprise and admiration. Despite the unusual circumstances of their training regimen on his planet, Goku had adapted with astonishing speed.

His mastery over the heightened gravity had facilitated a rapid growth in power, surpassing even King Kai's expectations.

After a brief break from his intense training, King Kai turned his attention to Goku, his expression serious yet encouraging. "Goku, you must hasten your training," he admonished gently. "You've already spent many days on the Snake Road. You've just caught Bubbles, but you still need to catch Gregory."

Goku, in an orange uniform, nodded earnestly, a wooden hammer clutched in his hand as he prepared to chase after Gregory, the locust-like creature.

"King Kai, I understand. I'll catch him soon," Goku replied.

King Kai observed Goku's progress with concern. Though confident in the training techniques he had devised, he couldn't help but wonder if Goku's strength would be enough to surpass the Saiyans awaiting him.

If Vegeta knew what King Kai thought, he would definitely arrogantly say that this prince was born on planet Vegeta, which is ten times the gravity of Earth!

As Goku pursued Gregory, a resounding thud echoed through the air as the young warrior landed a solid blow on the creature's head, causing it to stagger dazedly.

"King Kai, I got him!" Goku exclaimed, panting with exertion.

"Excellent, Goku! Well done!" King Kai praised, a smile gracing his lips. 

"Now, onto the next phase of your training. I will teach you my own creation, the Kaioken technique."

"Kaioken? What does it do?" Goku inquired, his gaze fixed on his mentor. Goku's curiosity piqued as he listened intently to King Kai's explanation.

King Kai turned away slightly, a hint of solemnity in his voice as he began to elucidate the technique.

"The Kaioken is a technique I developed myself. It has the ability to double your combat power, reaction time, and more. With sufficient mastery, you can even amplify it to several times your base strength."

He paused, his tone growing somber. "But be warned. The Kaioken exacts a heavy toll on the body. Only those with exceptional physical endurance can withstand its effects. Whether you can learn it or not will depend on your own resilience."

"King Kai, teach me quickly; I want to learn!" Goku's eyes lit up!

---

On a small island amidst the vast sea, a humble hut stood. Inside, a gathering of Earth's mightiest warriors convened around a small table. Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, Master Roshi, Bulma, and Chiaotzu sat in solemn silence, their collective gaze fixated on the task at hand.

"We have already completed our training," Yamcha declared, a smug grin playing across his lips as he leaned back in his chair.

"At this rate, I feel like we can keep powering up forever," Krillin chimed in, his voice brimming with confidence.

"We're invincible!" exclaimed Chiaotzu, with childlike excitement and optimism.

"If we're so powerful, then I can't wait to see how much Goku has grown," Tien remarked calmly.

Back on King Kai's planet, a sense of urgency filled the air as Goku completed his training under the watchful gaze of the revered deity.

Goku raised his hand, summoning forth a powerful burst of energy that reverberated through the serene landscape, shattering stone pillars with a force that left even King Kai in awe. It was the legendary Spirit Ki Bomb. With the conditions being different in the afterlife than the human world and his high comprehension of martial arts, Goku had already mastered the technique in only a few days.

Goku stood before King Kai; the deity's words carried some regret. "Well, this is it, Goku. The last day of your training. I only wish we had more time to hone your comedic skills, but I've taught you everything you need to succeed in life."

But then, a sudden realization dawned on King Kai, and panic seized his heart. "Oh no, what have I done? I only cared about the time of cultivation; I forgot to consider the time it will take for you to return to King Yama's palace from the Snake Way. Those two Saiyans are about to land!"

"But I thought you were going to send me home directly; can't you just teleport me or something?" Goku pointed at King Kai, who was shaking his head.

"King Kai, what should I do? Even with my improved strength, it'll take hours to rush back from the Snake Way." Goku began to panic.

With a heavy heart, King Kai shook his head. "There's no way around it. You'll have to hope that your friends on Earth can hold on until you return. Good luck, Goku." King Kai patted him on the back.

With a solemn nod, Goku placed his hand on King Kai's back and reached out to his friends on Earth, urging them to wish him back to life when the time came.

---

"Time is almost up; let's quickly summon the dragon and resurrect Goku!" Bulma exclaimed, her voice filled with a fervor born from months of tireless effort spent scouring the globe for the Dragon Balls.

With the Dragon Balls gathered and the incantation spoken, a brilliant light engulfed the room, heralding the arrival of Shenron.

"Great Shenron, we summon thee to grant our wish," Bulma intoned, her voice steady. "Bring back Goku. Let him return to us, so that together we may face the upcoming challenge." As the words echoed through the chamber, the air hummed with an otherworldly energy, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the light faded.

With a powerful leap, Goku soared into the sky, his body enveloped in a brilliant blue light as he raced across the Snake Way with unparalleled speed and agility.

As he hurtled through the air, Goku's mind raced with thoughts of the impending battle against the Saiyans. Though he was eager to fight, it was not fear but a burning desire to protect Earth and face powerful adversaries head-on.