Spirit Bomb

North Kai called out to Son Goku, wanting to teach him the ultimate technique: the Spirit Bomb.

[It's here! It's finally here! The Spirit Bomb... one of the strongest ultimate techniques in the original Dragon Ball canon! The trump card against Majin Buu, and one of the few moves capable of killing an opponent far stronger than oneself!]

He forcibly suppressed the excitement in his heart, blinked his eyes, and feigned curiosity: "The Spirit Bomb?"

"That's right." North Kai nodded, the expression on his chubby face turning solemn. "The power of this technique far exceeds the Kaio-ken. But it has a prerequisite—the user must be kind-hearted and pure of spirit to borrow the Energy of All Things."

[Energy of All Things... it's just like when Grandpa Son Gohan taught me how to sense energy; I could feel the breath of all things back then! And in the original story, you have to raise your hands to borrow energy from the life force of the entire planet, or even the universe. This move has a miraculous effect on the wicked, but it is harmless to those with good intentions.]

Son Goku pricked up his ears, listening intently while rapidly recalling every detail from the original series in his mind.

North Kai turned around, gazing at the desolate landscape of the King of Worlds Planet, his voice deep and distant: "The Spirit Bomb is a technique that borrows power from the heavens and the earth. Flowers, trees, mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, and even every speck of dust on this planet possess a faint energy. When you harbor kindness and ask them for help, they will respond and lend you their strength."

He turned his head, his gaze burning as he looked at Son Goku: "But this process is extremely difficult. First, you must empty your mind and perceive those faint energies that are almost non-existent; second, you must communicate with kindness so that all things will trust you; finally, you need to condense these scattered energies into a sphere. Even a single stray thought will cause the Spirit Bomb to dissipate."

[Exactly the same as the original setting... but Goku in the original was a genius, too, and he succeeded on his first try. The body I've taken over shouldn't be any less talented than the original.]

Son Goku listened, mesmerized, his fists clenching involuntarily: "That sounds... incredibly difficult."

"Difficult is an understatement," North Kai said with a wry smile. "It took me decades to barely master it. Plus, the Spirit Bomb takes time to gather, making it hard to use in the heat of battle. But once successful... its power is enough to annihilate any evil existence."

[Any evil existence... In the original, even Majin Buu, with his immortal body, was reduced to dust when hit head-on by a Super Spirit Bomb. Frieza wasn't killed outright, but he was left half-dead. I must learn this move!]

Son Goku said earnestly: "Lord North Kai, please teach me!"

North Kai looked at his serious expression and nodded with satisfaction: "Good. First, sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and completely suppress your own energy. Do not sense your own energy; you must sense... the energies on the King of Worlds Planet that do not belong to you."

Son Goku sat down as instructed, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing.

[Suppress my own energy... In the original, Goku also started by sensing the energy of all things here. I know what to do—don't actively search; let my consciousness diffuse naturally, covering everything as gently as water.]

At first, he could only sense the energy of nearby objects; anything further away remained out of reach.

[As expected... the Energy of All Things at a distance is too faint. But if Goku could succeed in the original, so can I. The key is the mindset—be sincere, be kind, and let them feel the determination to protect life.]

"Don't be impatient," North Kai's voice sounded gently. "The Energy of All Things is not as intense as the energy within our bodies. It is like... a whisper in the wind, a reflection in the water. You must listen with your 'heart,' not search with your 'energy'."

[Listen with my "heart"... just like the original said. So, it's not about actively searching!]

Son Goku took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He stopped searching actively and instead let his consciousness spread out like water, gently covering everything around him.

After switching his approach, he gradually began to feel a dense, intricate web of energy.

The ancient, slow pulse deep within the rocks, like a sleeping heartbeat.

The faint yet resilient vitality of grass roots stretching through the soil.

The free and formless breath of the wind blowing through the crevices of the rocks.

Even in the distance, the almost imperceptible spark of life from a small insect crawling under a stone.

These energies were not just nearby; he could sense them from afar, even from objects on other parts of the planet.

[I can feel it, the range is so vast... this is the Energy of All Things! It's even more beautiful than described in the original... every wisp of energy is a life breathing.]

A surge of indescribable emotion welled up in Son Goku's heart. He had never imagined that, beyond the powerful energy of warriors, there were so many faint yet beautiful pulses of life in this world.

"Very good," North Kai seemed to notice the change, his voice filled with pleasant surprise. "You have perceived it. Now, send them a request. Not a command, but a request. Tell them with your kindness—I need your power to protect those who are important to me."

Son Goku silently conveyed his intent in his heart, while recalling the pure kindness of Goku from the original story:

[Please lend me your power... I want to protect the Earth, my family, and my friends. I want to stop the demons who destroy planets. Please, help me...]

At first, those faint energies only trembled slightly, as if hesitating.

Son Goku did not grow impatient; he continued to radiate kindness and determination. He thought of his grandfather Son Gohan, Bulma, Krillin, Master Roshi, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and everyone on Earth. More importantly, he knew what would happen in the future—the arrival of the Saiyans, the terror of Frieza, the crisis of the Androids, and the catastrophe of Majin Buu.

[I need this power... not for domination, not for slaughter. It is for protection. I promise, I will never abuse this power.]

As if sensing his sincerity, those faint energies began to converge toward him.

At first, it was just a little, like the glow of fireflies. Then, more and more came from all directions, gathering above his palm.

Son Goku opened his eyes, staring in shock at the scene before him—

A sphere the size of a fist, emitting a soft white light, was slowly rotating above his palm. The light was not blinding; instead, it carried a warm, reassuring feeling.

"Is... is this the Spirit Bomb?" Son Goku's eyes widened, his voice full of awe—this time, it wasn't an act; he was truly stunned by this power.

[I did it... and it's even warmer than described in the original. Is this the power of the Energy of All Things? No, this is just the foundation. When fighting Majin Buu in the original, that was a massive Spirit Bomb gathering energy from the entire Earth and even the universe!]

North Kai was completely dumbfounded, his fan dropping to the ground once again: "S-succeeded? On the first try...?"

He rushed forward, his chubby face filled with disbelief: "It took me three months to condense my first Spirit Bomb, and you... you succeeded on your first try?!"

Son Goku looked at the small ball of light in his palm, feeling the gentle yet vast power contained within, and a warm current surged through his heart.

[This is... the power lent to me by all things. It's completely different from the violent feeling of the Kaio-ken; this is a feeling of... being embraced by the entire world.]

"However," North Kai quickly calmed down, his expression turning grave, "this is only the most basic Spirit Bomb. If you want to use it in battle, you need to condense a larger, stronger one. And—"

He looked at Son Goku sternly: "The Spirit Bomb is devastating against the wicked, but if the user harbors evil thoughts, this technique will backfire on them. Goku, remember, no matter how strong you become in the future, never lose this kind heart."

[That's what the original said, too... the Spirit Bomb is a technique of justice. Thankfully, even though I'm a transmigrator, the Son Goku in this body was originally the purest of the kind.]

Son Goku nodded solemnly: "I understand, Lord North Kai."

He stood up and looked toward the distant starry sky, in the direction of Earth.

Spirit Bomb... Kaio-ken... I am definitely stronger now than I was at this point in the original story. Frieza, just you wait. And as for the future Cell and Majin Buu... in this life, I will never let those tragedies repeat!

After practicing for a few more days, Son Goku fully mastered the Spirit Bomb.

Son Goku found North Kai, his face returning to that signature cheerful grin. "North Kai, thank you for all your guidance these past days! I think... it's time for me to head back."

North Kai nodded with a smile, his chubby face filled with both reluctance and gratification. "Go on, Goku. Take Snake Way back—though for you, Snake Way shouldn't be much of a challenge anymore."

Son Goku chuckled, leaped into the air, and shot toward the direction of Snake Way like a meteor.

North Kai stood where he was, watching the figure disappear into the horizon of King of Worlds Planet. He picked up his fan, gave it a gentle wave, and a meaningful smile appeared on his chubby face.

"Son Goku... this name will sooner or later ring out across the entire universe."