I can say with certainty—we're close. So close, we've nearly reached the threshold of becoming Super Saiyans. But something's still missing.
During a break between gravity sessions, I turned to Goku, both of us soaked in sweat, our breathing heavy.
"You feel it too, right?" I asked. "Like we're standing on the edge of something… but there's still a gap we can't cross?"
Goku sat down and looked at his hands. "Yeah. It's like… I can see the door, but I don't have the key. Like I'm missing one last step."
That gut feeling I had? It wouldn't shut up. That last step… it's going to come during the fight with Frieza. I was sure of it.
Still, even if we could become Super Saiyans right now, I had my doubts. Our base power levels still might not be enough. Not for him. But one thing was certain: Goku no longer needed Kaio-Ken just to keep up. That alone said a lot.
"I don't think we can beat him. Not as we are now," I admitted as I leaned against the gravity chamber wall.
Goku looked over at me, a flicker of concern in his eyes… followed by that familiar grin. "Then we just gotta get stronger, huh?"
I couldn't help but chuckle. "That simple, huh?"
"Always is. We train, we push ourselves, and we figure it out."
Maybe I was overthinking things. But watching Goku like this, day after day, I started to realize how fast he was growing. The way he moved, the way he talked… there was something different about him now. Sharper. More grounded. He still had that playful energy—but it was tempered with focus.
He was learning more than just power.
As we got closer to Namek, our training ramped up. We might've even brushed against the edge of something new—something like that Fake Super Saiyan form I'd heard about. It wasn't stable, not yet. But it was progress.
And Goku? He wasn't just improving physically—he was starting to ask questions.
"Hey, Nappa," he said one evening, as we sat beneath the simulated stars of the chamber. "Do you think there were other Saiyans before us who reached that form—Super Saiyan?"
"I'm sure of it," I replied. "It's not just a legend. It's part of who we are. But it's not just about rage. It's about clarity. A breaking point."
He nodded, looking thoughtful. "So it's more than power…"
"Exactly."
As our ship neared Namek, my nerves kicked in. Sleep became harder. I remembered how terrifying Frieza was in the original timeline—how easily he toyed with everyone. Back then, Goku won because Frieza let his pride blind him.
This time, who knows?
"I can't wait to meet this Frieza guy," Goku said casually, stretching.
I stared at him. "You're excited?"
"Yeah. Aren't you?"
I hesitated, then smiled. "Maybe. But I'm also scared."
"That's okay," he said. "Just don't let it stop you."
He didn't get it—and maybe that was the difference between us. But maybe that's also what made him so dangerous.
Now, even I don't know how things are going to play out. But one thing's clear—when the fight begins, everything changes.