Invincible Goku

Chapter 5

Two weeks later.

The waves crashed quietly along the shore, the morning sun casting golden light across the water.

Goku stood at the edge of the beach, barefoot in the sand. His blue gi was torn and frayed, stained from days of sweat, mud, and training. The sleeves were ripped unevenly. One knee was patched up with old rope. He barely noticed anymore.

As he rolled his shoulders, he heard Grandpa Gohan's voice in his mind.

"You've got something special in you, Goku. One day, the world's gonna need you."

Goku smiled softly.

"And when that day comes, you'll be ready. I know you will."

He carried those words with him every morning, not as pressure but as purpose.

He shut his eyes and breathed calmly. He extended his arms in front of him, and his hands slowly drew back.

"Kaaa…"

The air seemed to shift. A soft stir of energy built in his chest — not explosive, not wild. Just a pulse.

"Meee…"

His brow furrowed with focus. The ocean breeze tugged gently at his hair.

"Haaa…"

A flicker of blue light began to swirl between his palms — dim, unstable, like the start of a flame.

"Meee…"

He opened his eyes.

"HAAA—!"

The energy burst forward in a bright flash and fizzled out like steam before reaching the tide.

He dropped his arms, shaking them out, glancing down at his palms. They were calloused now and bruised in places. He'd been practicing for hours each morning. Maybe longer.

Goku stared, disappointed. "Almost…"

He heard footsteps in the sand.

"You trying to vaporize the ocean?" came Roshi's voice behind him.

Goku turned. The old master approached, sunglasses gleaming, sipping from a drink with a tiny umbrella.

"Morning," Goku said, brushing sand off his pants.

"You've been at it since dawn," Roshi said, squinting at the boy.

"I almost had it this time."

"You said that yesterday. And the day before." Roshi took a sip. "You need something else. Something new."

Goku tilted his head. "Like what?"

Roshi gave a slight grin.

"A fresh gi."

Roshi turned and gestured for Goku to follow.

Inside the house, the old master rummaged through a wooden chest near the wall.

"I've had this one waiting a long time," he muttered. "Didn't think I'd give it away again."

Goku leaned over curiously, trying to peek inside.

Roshi pulled out a folded, sun-worn cloth — deep orange with dark blue trim—with the Turtle School symbol stitched across the back. It looked like it had history.

Goku blinked. "That's not mine."

"Nope. But it is now," Roshi said, handing it over. "Go on. Try it."

Goku took the gi, holding it like something fragile. The fabric was heavier and sturdier than his current one. He stepped into the next room and changed.

When he came back out, the GI fit perfectly. The orange caught the morning light, and the turtle emblem on the back felt… important, like it meant something.

Roshi stood with arms crossed, nodding once. "Now you look like a real martial artist."

Goku turned to look at himself in the mirror — something he rarely did. For just a second, he smiled. Not a goofy grin. A real one. Quiet. Proud.

Roshi noticed. "Told you."

Goku adjusted the sash. "It feels… right."

"It should. That uniform's been worn by warriors who earned it."

Goku looked down at his hands again — the same hands that once shattered a mountainside without meaning to. The same ones that almost destroyed a town.

"Thanks, Master Roshi."

"Don't thank me yet. There's still a tournament ahead — and a few people out there who wouldn't mind stomping your head into the pavement."

Goku brightened. "Can't wait."

Roshi chuckled. "You're twelve. You've got the appetite of a bear and the common sense of a tree stump. But if you fight with that heart, you'll go far."

Goku looked up. "How far?"

Roshi turned toward the door. "Far enough that even the world starts paying attention."

The boat rocked gently at the island's edge, tethered loosely to a short post. Morning mist still hugged the ocean, and gulls circled overhead, calling out into the soft breeze.

Goku approached the dock with his travel sack slung over one shoulder and a bento box packed by Roshi in the other.

The orange gi glowed faintly in the rising sun. It looked new, but felt worn in — like it belonged to him already.

Roshi stood by the dock, arms behind his back, watching him.

"No fighting and no energy beams unless necessary," Roshi said.

Goku nodded solemnly.

"And remember — this isn't just about fighting. It's about growing. You've got strength. Learn to use it the right way."

Goku grinned. "I will."

He hopped into the boat and started the small engine. It coughed once, then sputtered to life. As the boat began pulling away from the island, Goku stood on the edge, waving.

"I'll make you proud, Master Roshi!"

"You better!" Roshi called back, raising his coconut drink. "And don't forget to write!"

Goku laughed as the island grew smaller behind him.

The sea stretched wide and blue, calm and open, like a road with no end.

As he sailed forward, a small thought surfaced in his mind:

This is it.

His first real step into the world.

Not the monster. Not the mistake. Just Goku — wearing his master's gi, chasing something more.

He didn't know what the tournament would bring, who he'd face. Or how hard it would get.

But he knew one thing:

He was ready to try.

Goku stepped off the boat, adjusting his sack over one shoulder and looking around wide-eyed. He'd never seen this many people in one place.

Fighters of all kinds gathered at the pier: brawlers with scars, monks in robes, teens with wild hair, a girl doing stretches upside down on one hand. A few gave Goku a passing glance. Most ignored him.

He approached the check-in booth.

"Name?" asked the clerk, barely glancing up.

"Goku."

The man looked him over. "You here for the kids' division?"

Goku blinked. "There's a kids' division?"

The clerk paused. Then laughed, scribbling something down.

"…Right. Never mind. You're number 172. Preliminary matches start tomorrow."

He handed Goku a slip and waved him along.

Goku stepped away, stomach growling. He opened his bento box, sat near a crate, and ate.

A shadow passed over him.

"You fighting too?"

Goku looked up, mouth full. A boy about his age stood there, arms crossed, silver hair pulled back under a headband. He wore a dark sleeveless tunic and fingerless gloves. He had calm eyes and a sharp expression.

"Yeah," Goku said, chewing. "You?"

The boy nodded. "Kaiden."

"Goku."

Kaiden sat beside him without asking.

They didn't talk much at first. But they didn't need to.

Eventually, Kaiden spoke. "You're strong. I can tell."

"You too."

A grin tugged at Kaiden's mouth. "Is this your first tournament?"

"Yup."

Kaiden looked out at the sea. "Same. But I've been training my whole life."

Goku nodded, wiping his mouth. "I've been training the last few weeks."

Kaiden raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"Yeah. Master Roshi says I'm a fast learner."

Kaiden let out a soft laugh. "Guess we'll find out."

Goku noticed a tall figure boarding the ship sitting alone near the end of the dock. Cross-legged, motionless. He had ripped, stained, and weathered his GI from hundreds of battles. A jagged scar cut across his back. His presence turned heads. His aura felt like a boulder: heavy and unmoving.

"Who's that?" Goku asked.

Kaiden glanced over. "Udon. Heard he fought a bear barehanded. And won."

Goku's eyes widened. "Cool!"

"And that guy," Kaiden said, nodding subtly toward another boarding the ramp — slim, older, dressed in black with crimson hair. He smiled faintly as he passed, like he knew something no one else did.

"That's Iroh. People say he can burn you without touching you. Never fights unless he's entertained."

Goku watched him, intrigued.

Kaiden leaned closer. "That one's dangerous. Don't let the grin fool you."

Goku glanced sideways. "How do you know so much?"

Kaiden shrugged, not taking his eyes off the ship ramp. "I grew up around fighters. My family's… different. You learn fast or you don't last."

Goku blinked. "Whoa."

Kaiden smirked. "What about you?"

"I grew up in the woods. My grandpa taught me stuff. Then Master Roshi."

Kaiden turned slightly. "So you've never fought in a real match?"

"Nope! But I fought a big fish once. And a bear."

"…Was the bear wearing gloves?"

"No?"

Kaiden chuckled. "Then it doesn't count."

The horn blared.

"All aboard for the Southern Isle Tournament Grounds!" came the call.

Goku and Kaiden stood and boarded with the crowd.

As the ship pulled away, Goku leaned on the rail, wind in his face.

There were so many fighters and styles, and the world felt big for the first time.

Kaiden joined him at the edge. "You think you'll win?"

Goku grinned. "I'll try."

Kaiden smirked. "Good. I don't want to beat someone who didn't think they could."

They stood there — two boys, the same age, both strong and curious — looking out over the ocean.

Neither of them knew how much would change once they reached the island.