The tournament grounds were electric.
The Junior Division Final had arrived, and the crowd leaned in with anticipation as two young warriors climbed into the ring. The sunlight glinted off the polished tiles as Trunks and Goten took their places, facing each other under the cloudless sky.
Trunks stretched his arms above his head lazily, then began hopping from foot to foot, his signature grin plastered across his face. His lavender hair bounced with each bounce but his sharp blue eyes remained focused.
"Man," he chuckled, "didn't think we'd get to face off in front of a crowd this big."
Goten didn't respond at first, arms hanging loosely at his sides, eyes narrowed. But there was something different now, not the cold fire from earlier but something warmer… calmer.
Trunks tilted his head. "Hey, Goten…"
Goten glanced up.
Trunks smirked. "Let's show off a little."
A beat passed.
And then, just barely, Goten smiled.
"LET THE FINAL MATCH BEGIN!"
The moment the announcer's voice rang out...
WHOOM.
Both boys transformed.
A golden flash exploded from each end of the ring, their auras surging with wild energy. Blonde hair spiked skyward in twin halos of light, their blue eyes now blazing. The stadium gasped in collective awe.
Goku blinked. "They can go Super Saiyan already?!"
Vegeta folded his arms, a rare smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Hmph. As expected."
In the stands, Chi-Chi clutched her chest. "MY BABY! My sweet baby's become a delinquent!!"
Gohan's eyes narrowed. He said nothing, but Piccolo beside him muttered, "They're faster than I expected… and they're holding back."
In the ring, the air shook with power as Goten and Trunks shot forward...
CLASH!
A flurry of punches and kicks erupted mid-air. They moved like lightning, blurs of motion across the ring. Goten ducked under a sweeping kick from Trunks, countering with an uppercut that sent his friend soaring. But Trunks twisted midair, flipping and landing with a smirk before charging again.
BAM-BAM-BAM.
They traded blows faster than the eye could follow.
Trunks' feet skidded across the tiles as he barely blocked a rapid combo from Goten, fists hammering like pistons. Goten was fierce, pushing harder than before but now his movements had control. Precision. Focus.
Trunks grinned. "There you are."
WHOOSH!
He leapt back and unleashed a barrage of energy blasts. Goten blurred out of sight, reappearing behind him and landing a clean spinning kick. Trunks went flying but flipped twice and landed on his hands, springing off into a backflip, energy still crackling around him.
"Don't get cocky!" Trunks called out, rushing forward.
BOOM!
They clashed again in the center of the ring, fists colliding, shockwaves blasting outward and rattling the crowd.
The wind howled from the sheer pressure of their strikes.
Some spectators were screaming in awe. Others were shielding their eyes.
Supreme Kai leaned toward Kibito, whispering, "These children… their power is unreal."
Kibito nodded, jaw clenched. "To achieve this level of strength so young… they're more than prodigies."
Meanwhile, Chi-Chi sobbed loudly, nearly drowning in her handkerchief. "They're fighting like gang members! And they're only babies!"
Back in the ring, Trunks threw a fake punch, then dove low, sweeping Goten's legs. Goten tumbled but flipped upright in a smooth arc and answered with a rapid knee to Trunks' ribs. Trunks grunted, sliding back, then broke into laughter.
"Okay, okay! You're taking this seriously now!"
"Yeah," Goten muttered, a small grin forming. "I guess I am."
Their fists clashed again, mid-air this time, sparks flying with each blow.
Up in the stands, Goku stood with arms crossed, his eyes wide with pride but also concern. "That power... It's amazing. But they're still kids."
Gohan, silent beside him, watched his brother carefully. Goten's expression, intense, yes but not angry anymore. Not hateful.
Focused.
Alive.
"He's using it right this time…" Gohan whispered.
Back in the arena, the ground trembled as the two boys powered up once more. The golden light from their auras surged to new heights, wind rippling outward from their clash.
Tile cracked. The very air hissed with pressure.
And still, neither backed down.
Not yet.
Because this match was more than a contest.
This was friendship.
Rivalry.
A storm forged from the legacy of warriors.
And the whole world watched as the next generation roared.
The ring was a warzone of light and sound.
Blow after blow, Trunks and Goten fought like seasoned warriors, their small bodies moving with a speed and skill that rivaled the older fighters in the crowd. The stadium had gone from thunderous cheers to stunned silence, captivated by the raw brilliance of their clash.
Each strike was sharper. Each dodge tighter. Every movement was a testament to their bloodlines and the futures they carried.
Trunks ducked a spinning kick, grabbed Goten's leg, and hurled him skyward.
But Goten recovered midair, flipped, and zipped back down with a heavy fist.
BOOM!
The shockwave cracked several tiles beneath their feet. The ground trembled. Dust shot up around them like a smoke bomb.
Both boys landed, panting lightly, golden auras flickering.
They locked eyes, no more trash talk, no more smiles.
Just respect.
Trunks stepped back and lifted his hands, palms glowing with a familiar purple hue.
"Let's end this with a bang," he said. "Galick Gun!"
A spiral of violet energy spiraled in front of his palms as he planted his feet wide. His aura surged upward, spiking like a crown around him.
Across the ring, Goten clenched his fists, his brows furrowed.
He didn't know the Kamehameha. Gohan had never taught him.
So he had made something of his own.
He raised both arms, opened his palms, cocked his arms backwards, golden sparks gathering between them.
"Solar Burst Cannon!"
The light in his hands grew brighter green and brighter until it became a dense, glowing orbs pulsing with pressure.
Up in the stands, Goku blinked. "Wait… that's new."
Gohan's jaw tightened. "He made that?"
Piccolo nodded slowly. "Clever kid."
In the ring, Trunks shouted, "NOW!"
"RAAAAHHH!" Goten roared.
Both attacks launched, two screaming bolts of energy colliding in the center of the arena with a deafening...
KRRRRAAAAAACK!
A pillar of light shot skyward, tearing through the clouds above the tournament.
The crowd erupted in chaos, shielding their eyes from the blinding glare.
Then, POP.
A strange ripple.
A void opened in the air behind the boys.
Two masked figures in black cloaks, Yamu and Spopovich, materialized behind the children, unnoticed in the chaos. They moved fast, too fast for any human eye.
ZZZZZZT!
Long metallic rods stabbed into the boys' backs, drawing out beams of golden energy from their bodies.
"W-What the hell?!" Krillin shouted, leaping to his feet.
The boys' attacks fizzled instantly. Their auras vanished. Their eyes rolled back as they collapsed forward like rag dolls.
"GOTEN!" Gohan's voice boomed like thunder.
Everyone moved.
Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Videl, Supreme Kai, and Kibito exploded from the stands in a blur of energy, shooting toward the ring in synchronized motion.
But the Majin agents were already rising skyward, vanishing with trails of stolen energy in their wake.
Gohan was the first to land beside Goten, cradling his unconscious brother with shaking hands. His teeth clenched so tight his jaw trembled.
Piccolo hovered beside him, eyes sharp. "They were after energy. That much is clear."
Vegeta landed with a snarl, his arms crossed. "That wasn't just a power grab. That was planned."
Krillin knelt beside Trunks. "They're breathing but they're drained bad."
Goku floated just above the scene, eyes scanning the skies. "Those guys… they weren't just here to watch."
Behind them, Videl touched down softly beside Gohan, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's okay, Gohan. He's breathing."
Gohan didn't move at first, his hands trembling against Goten's still form. His energy was rising, sharp and erratic, like a bottle about to burst.
"I should've been watching him closer," he muttered. "I should've sensed it, felt it."
Videl knelt beside him. "You were watching. You saw him fight. He needed that. He was coming back to himself."
Gohan's eyes, burning with guilt and fury, met hers.
She offered him a calm look. "You can be angry. Just don't let it eat you alive."
Gohan let out a slow breath. The fury didn't vanish but it dulled, just enough.
"Thanks," he muttered.
Supreme Kai landed next, gaze locked in the direction the attackers vanished. "They're headed toward Babidi. There's no more doubt. The Majin's plan has begun."
Kibito bowed. "We must act swiftly before more power is collected."
Vegeta snorted. "Then what are we standing around for?"
Goku nodded, eyes still on the unconscious children. "We'll get them somewhere safe first. Then we go."
Gohan gently lifted Goten into his arms.
He looked down at his brother's face.
And for the first time in years, he whispered something that didn't come from guilt but from conviction.
"I won't make the same mistakes again."
The winds stirred.
A storm was coming.
But this time, Gohan wouldn't be unprepared.