Below them, the assembled group watched with varying degrees of anticipation and concern.
Toji rolled his shoulders, feeling the pleasant buzz of his ki as it flowed through his body.
He'd carefully regulated his power level to 540,000 – around triple Vegeta's current strength - a bit less than triple exactly - but still manageable enough for him to hold back and have a proper spar while not allowing the Saiyans to escape.
This wasn't about winning; it was about learning.
Not about increasing his perception so much, that everything is so slow that he has all the time in the world to make his moves and appear very good at fighting- unlike when he fought Vegeta and Nappa.
"Ready when you are," Toji called.
Goku nodded, his expression shifting from its usual cheerful demeanor to focused intensity. "Here I come!"
The Saiyan launched forward with explosive speed, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. His move was a straightforward jab – deliberately telegraphed, Toji realized, as if testing his reactions.
Toji moved to block, bringing his forearm up in a defense that felt clumsy and unnatural. Goku's fist connected with his guard, the impact sending vibrations up Toji's arm.
"Your guard's too rigid," Goku advised mid-attack, already transitioning into a sweeping low kick. "Loosen up!"
Toji barely avoided the kick by floating higher, his movements lacking the natural fluid grace that Goku had. He countered with a powerful punch that Goku easily sidestepped.
"Too much power, not enough control," Goku commented, weaving around another of Toji's strikes. "You're telegraphing your moves!"
Below them, Vegeta watched with narrowed eyes. "Pathetic," he muttered. "All that power and he fights like a child."
"He still beat you, though," Gohan muttered.
"What was that?" Vegeta questioned angrily, but was ignored by Gohan who just continued to watch the fight, causing Vegeta to tsk and cross his arms.
Bulma checked her monitoring equipment, eyes widening at the readings. "His power level is holding steady at 540,000!" she announced.
'That is triple my current power,' Vegeta thought to himself angrily as he clenched his crossed arm more tightly.
"And he's still holding back," Piccolo added grimly. "Significantly."
Above them, the spar continued. Goku ducked under a wild swing from Toji, then countered with a rapid series of punches – each landing precisely on Toji's torso.
"You need to read your opponent's movements," Goku instructed between strikes. "Watch my shoulders, not my hands!"
Toji grunted, absorbing the impacts without difficulty but clearly frustrated by his inability to land a solid hit while keeping his speed close to Goku's. After another failed attempt, he paused, hovering in place.
"Show me again," he requested, eyes narrowed in concentration.
Goku blinked in surprise, then demonstrated a basic combination – jab, cross, hook – in slow motion. "Like this. See how the power comes from rotating my hips, not just my arms?"
Toji watched intently, then mimicked the movement. His first attempt was stiff, but by the third try, the technique looked remarkably similar to Goku's.
"Good!" Goku encouraged. "Now let's try it at speed!"
They resumed their spar, Toji now incorporating the combination Goku had just taught him. His execution was rough but improving with each attempt.
Two minutes into the fight, Vegeta's expression shifted from dismissive to unsettled. "What the hell?" he muttered.
"You see it too?" Piccolo asked, not taking his eyes off the aerial combat.
"He's... learning," Vegeta replied, a note of disbelief in his voice. "Not just mimicking – actually integrating techniques after seeing them once."
Above them, Goku executed a perfect spinning back kick that caught Toji in the ribs. Instead of countering immediately, Toji retreated slightly, eyes tracking Goku's movements with intense focus.
When Goku came at him again with the same kick, Toji was ready. He sidestepped the attack and countered with a palm strike to Goku's exposed back – a move Goku had used on him just moments before.
"Hey, not bad!" Goku called out, genuinely pleased as he recovered from the hit. "You're picking this up fast!"
Three minutes into the spar, the difference in Toji's fighting style was becoming apparent to everyone watching.
His movements, initially awkward and telegraphed, were growing more fluid and purposeful. He was still nowhere near Goku's level of skill, but the rate of improvement was nothing short of astonishing.
"This is impossible," Vegeta growled, his fists clenching within his energy bubble. "He's incorporating years of battle training in minutes. That's a Saiyan trait – our ability to evolve through combat. How is this human doing it?"
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "I don't think winning this spar was ever his goal," he announced to the group. "Look at his eyes – he's studying Goku's every move, analyzing his techniques, his stance, his breathing patterns. He's turning Goku into an unwitting teacher."
Krillin glanced nervously between Piccolo and the aerial combat. "So this whole thing is just... what? A crash course in martial arts?"
"And it's working," Piccolo confirmed grimly. "He's not just copying moves – he's internalizing the principles behind them. He may have started this fight as a novice, but at this rate..."
"He'll walk away a genuine martial artist," Master Roshi finished, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
Four minutes into the battle, Goku unleashed a flurry of attacks that pushed Toji back. The Saiyan's movements were a masterclass in efficiency – no wasted motion, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next.
Toji blocked or dodged most of them, his defensive capabilities improving dramatically. When he countered, his attacks now incorporated elements of Goku's style – the wide stance for stability, the proper weight distribution, the rotation of his hips to generate power.
"His form is still crude," Vegeta observed, "but the fundamentals are there now. In five minutes, he's gone from a brawler to a fighter."
Goku suddenly backed away, his white aura flaring around him. "KAIO-KEN!" he shouted, his body engulfed in crimson energy as his power doubled.
The transformation caught Toji off-guard. Goku's enhanced speed allowed him to appear behind Toji, landing a powerful kick that sent the human flying toward the ground.
Toji recovered mid-air, his expression lighting up with excitement rather than concern. 'So that's the Kaio-ken,' he murmured internally, watching as Goku's crimson aura pulsed around him.
The Saiyan didn't give him time to analyze further, pressing his advantage with a barrage of attacks too fast for Toji to completely track while still keeping his perception at Goku's previous level.
For the first time in the spar, Toji found himself genuinely challenged, forced to rely on raw power to compensate for his still-developing technique, increasing the power level he's been using when it came to his perception to now equal to Goku's - 18 000 in perception.
His 540 000 still primarily for his mental control over the Saiyans' prisons.
"KAIO-KEN TIMES TWO!" Goku shouted, pushing his multiplier higher. The crimson aura intensified, and his speed increased dramatically.
Toji barely managed to block a devastating punch aimed at his midsection, the impact sending shockwaves through the air.
He countered with a technique he'd observed earlier – Goku's spinning elbow strike – executing it with surprising precision given he'd only seen it once.
Just as Toji charged forward to continue the exchange, Goku suddenly raised both hands in the universal gesture for "time out." The crimson aura faded as he powered down.
Toji halted mid-charge, his momentum carrying him a few feet before he stabilized. "What's wrong?" he asked, confusion evident on his face.
Goku chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Nothing's wrong. I just realized what you're doing."
"What I'm doing?" Toji repeated, lowering his arms but maintaining a wary stance.
"You're turning me into your martial arts teacher," Goku explained with an easy smile. "This isn't really a spar – it's a lesson. If you wanted training, you didn't need to go about it in such a roundabout way. You could've just asked. I'd be happy to teach you."
Toji blinked twice, processing Goku's words. Then, he threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound echoing across the yard as he covered his right eye with his hand. After a moment, his laughter subsided to chuckles.
"Sorry about that," he said, genuinely amused. "You're right. I should have just asked. Yes, I'd like a lesson, if you're offering."
Goku's face lit up. "Great! You've already got Ki control down- able to control what you make better and lesser about you, and you've picked up the basics of martial arts pretty quick. But that's more instinct, so let's first talk about what Ki actually is."
They descended to the ground, where everyone had gathered to watch. Even Vegeta and Nappa seemed interested in what Goku had to say, though they tried to maintain expressions of disinterest.
"Ki is made up of three components," Goku explained, holding up three fingers. "First, there's your body – your physical strength and condition. Second is your soul – your life force. And third is your will or focus – your mental strength and concentration."
Toji nodded attentively, the perfect image of an eager student despite already knowing this information.
Hearing it directly from Goku, however, gave the knowledge a different weight than simply remembering it from a series- and gave confirmation that his knowledge about that was true.
"That's why jokes or other things that throw your opponent off balance are actually really useful in a fight," Goku continued enthusiastically. "If you can weaken their will or break their focus, you weaken their Ki control."
"Is that why you were always so carefree in battle?" Toji asked, genuinely curious.
Goku chuckled. "Kind of! King Kai actually helped me improve on that part. He's really big on jokes – says laughter strengthens the spirit. That's why he loves them so much."
"Speaking of King Kai, you said he taught you new tricks, " Toji said, seizing the opportunity, "that Kaio-ken technique you used... Is it from him? how does that work exactly? You suddenly got a lot stronger but I didn't sense your Ki increase."
"If Ki is what makes you stronger and it's made of those three components, how does it make you more powerful without transforming into something else?"
Goku's expression grew more serious as he considered the question. "The Kaio-ken is special. It doesn't increase your Ki directly, but it improves its quality throughout your entire body. You can double, triple, or multiply your battle power however much you want – but there's a cost."
He rotated his shoulder, wincing slightly. "As you saw, it takes a toll. My body isn't really equipped to channel so much power at once. Push it too far, and you risk serious damage."
"Like your muscles tearing themselves apart," Toji murmured.
"Exactly!" Goku confirmed. "Techniques like this, or my Kamehameha Wave, concentrate Ki in specific ways. The Kamehameha actually makes a beam that's about twice as powerful as I am normally."
"Twice as powerful?" Toji echoed, his interest clearly piqued.
"Yep! And that's important because Ki amount usually decides fights. If someone has double your Ki, they'll completely dominate unless you have techniques to even the playing field. An attack from someone with half your battle power probably won't even hurt you."
Toji took in this information, mentally connecting it to what he remembered from the series – how Goku with 150 million had dominated Frieza at 120 million, a mere 25% difference.
If having just 25% more power level than your opponent meant domination, then double truly would make one practically invincible.
"Could I learn the Kaio-ken?" Toji asked suddenly. "If this Frieza is as powerful as Vegeta says, and as evil as he claims, heading to Namek to become immortal, having that technique might be crucial when it comes to stopping him."
"Since I'm the strongest here, it would make sense for me to have every advantage possible. I hope I'm not being too presumptious asking you that." Toji hastily added that last part.
Goku's expression turned hesitant. He rubbed the back of his head, a nervous habit. "I'd like to teach you, but the Kaio-ken isn't really mine to give away. It's King Kai's technique, so I'd need to ask him first."
"How would I meet this King Kai?" Toji asked, crossing his arms.
Before Goku could answer, a nasally voice suddenly echoed in everyone's minds: "You don't need to meet me – I'm already watching!"
The group startled, looking around for the source of the voice.
"That's right, it's me – King Kai!" the voice continued. "And Toji is correct. Frieza is indeed heading to Namek as we speak. If he isn't stopped, he'll kill everyone there and use the Dragon Balls to wish for immortality."
Goku's expression hardened at this confirmation, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by seriousness.
"However," King Kai continued, "I can't just let Goku teach you the Kaio-ken without meeting certain... conditions."
"What conditions?" Toji asked warily, the entire group tensing as they awaited King Kai's demand.
"You need to tell me a good joke!" King Kai announced cheerfully.
The tension broke instantly. Vegeta's jaw dropped in disbelief, while Piccolo closed his eyes in what appeared to be physical pain. Nappa simply looked confused.
'Is this some kind of test?' Vegeta thought, bewildered. 'A joke? The fate of the universe potentially hangs in the balance, and this "King Kai" wants a JOKE?'
Piccolo's thoughts were similarly incredulous. 'This is the being who trained Goku? Who taught him the technique that would've helped him defeat the Saiyans? And he's concerned with HUMOR?'
Toji, meanwhile, appeared relieved. He thought for a long moment, silent as he closed his eyes- arms crossed, as everyone watched, waiting.
He then cleared his throat.
"Why doesn't Frieza ever use a microwave?" he asked in a deadpan tone.
"Why?" King Kai responded, his telepathic voice somehow conveying raised eyebrows.
"Because even that heat might make him cooler," Toji delivered with a smirk.
There was a moment of silence, then King Kai's laughter erupted in their minds – a distinctive "BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!" that seemed to bounce around inside their skulls. The Kai's mirth continued for several seconds before finally subsiding.
"That's a good one!" King Kai declared. "Alright, Goku, you have my permission to teach him the Kaio-ken. Normally I'd want you to stay away completely, but right now you may have a chance. Good luck, all of you! You're going to need it against Frieza."
With that, the telepathic connection faded.
"Thank you, King Kai!" Goku called out to the sky, then turned to Toji with a grin. "Looks like I can teach you after all!"
"Thanks," Toji replied, genuinely grateful. "I appreciate it."
"But," Goku added, crossing his arms, his expression suddenly becoming serious again, "I have a condition of my own."
This unexpected statement surprised everyone, especially Toji. "What is it?" he asked cautiously.
Goku's serious expression broke into an excited grin. "I want to see your full power!"
The request immediately captured everyone's attention.
Vegeta and Nappa exchanged glances, remembering Bulma's machine had registered Toji at 540,000 during their spar – a level Piccolo had already stated was nowhere near his maximum.
Toji's expression turned serious. After a moment's consideration, he chuckled. "I'd love to show you, but I can't fully control my maximum power yet. I might accidentally destroy the planet."
Goku's excitement visibly deflated, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. "Aww, really? That's a bummer..."
"But," Toji quickly added, seeing Goku's reaction, "I can at least show you enough to satisfy your curiosity. How about that?"
Instantly, Goku perked up again. "Yeah! That works!"
"Alright then," Toji said, floating upward to put some distance between himself and the ground. "I'll show you one percent of my full power."
"What?!" Nappa yelled in shock.
"O- One percent?" Krillin repeated incredulously. "You mean you haven't even been using one percent this whole time?"
'That's impossible! He's got to be bluffing!' Vegeta thought to himself in shock and anger.
"Not even close," Toji confirmed, his expression suddenly changing into concentartion.
"I'd step back if were all of you," Toji stated, and as he did immediately everyone began to walk backward, till Nappa was the first one to turn and run far away, followed by the rest- Vegeta and Goku the only ones remaining in place.
Toji then took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
'Till now, I've instincitvely been holding back a lot- the power I used when fighting Nappa and Vegeta was only 540 000, slightly above Frieza's most supressed form.
This power now will be equal to when he first transformed into his final form and killed Dende with his Death Beam...'
He then began to gather his energy.
A white aura flickered to life around him, gentle at first, then increasingly intense. The sky above Capsule Corporation began to darken as clouds gathered, drawn by the electromagnetic disturbance created by Toji's rising power.
Bulma's monitoring equipment began beeping frantically as the readings climbed: 600,000...654898...721369... 800,750... 861731...
"Impossible," Vegeta whispered, his face pale as he watched the numbers continue to rise.
921,010... 961422... 1,000,000...
Lightning cracked across the darkened sky, striking in arcs around Toji's hovering form. The wind picked up, swirling around the Capsule Corp grounds with increasing intensity.
1,100,000...
Suddenly, Bulma's machine began to smoke, the circuits overloading as they tried to process the enormous power level. With a shower of sparks and a pop, the device exploded.
Piccolo, Krillin, and Gohan quickly erected ki barriers to protect the non-fighters from the blast and the intensifying energy storm centered from Toji.
Toji's aura had expanded to an enormous size, his body now merely a silhouette within a blinding white light.
With a final roar that shook the very air, he pushed his power to 1.2 million – and held it there.
The light emanating from him was so intense that everyone had to shield their eyes.
When they could look again, they saw Toji hovering within a perfect sphere of white energy, his expression calm despite the tremendous power flowing through him.
Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, and Gohan could sense the overwhelming ki radiating from him – a presence so vast it seemed to fill the world- stretching over the entire Galaxy like a cloud of power.
Vegeta and Nappa, having seen the machine register 1.1 million before breaking, were left speechless at the realization that this wasn't even remotely close to his full power.
Slowly, Toji exhaled, his aura contracting slightly as he brought his power under perfect control.
"Well, Goku," he asked quietly, his voice somehow carrying clearly to everyone despite the howling wind, "are you satisfied?"
------------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it?
How did you find the fight with Goku in the beginning- I had to search up quite a bit of info on how Goku's fighting style was and all that.
I searched up a bit, and I think its possible for a person to basically increase their power level in different areas differently.
Basically holding back in how slow they perceive things but having more strength, or more durability and less speed, etc.
I base this on the whole letting ones guard down thing from Super.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)