Zhang Wutian's Abilities

Half a year passed, marked by being sent flying time and time again.

In the clearing in front of the Son residence.

"Take this!!"

Little Wukong landed a full-force flying kick against Zhang Wutian's extended arm.

Zhang Wutian's upper body merely swayed; he hadn't been struck by the blow, and instead launched a counterattack.

"What can a short-limbed monkey girl do? Take this punch instead!!"

However, the punch Zhang Wutian threw missed its mark.

"A monkey girl can do this!!" Little Wukong giggled, wrapping her tail around Zhang Wutian's fist. Not only did she dodge his attack, but she also launched a lethal counter-strike from below.

"Watch my Monkey Fist!!"

With the agility of a monkey, Little Wukong unleashed a barrage of claw strikes at Zhang Wutian's face.

"Damn it, I can't see a thing!!" His face crisscrossed with scratches, Zhang Wutian was forced to close his eyes and cover his head.

Then, with a leg sweep, Little Wukong knocked Zhang Wutian to the ground and pressed her fist against his chest.

"I won again, Zhang Wutian."

Looking down at Zhang Wutian from above, Little Wukong said excitedly, "You're improving so fast. Before long, I'll have to use my real skills to fight you."

"Real skills, huh..." Zhang Wutian lay on the ground, lost in thought. "I don't think so."

Over the past six months, Zhang Wutian had gained a deeper understanding of the ability he seemingly acquired through his transmigration.

It appeared to be an ability where [fighting someone stronger than himself, regardless of victory or defeat, would inevitably lead to growth as long as he survived].

Zhang Wutian's ability wasn't as simple as just getting stronger from taking a beating. The proof was that he had once encountered a large pack of wolves in the mountains whose individual strength was inferior to his. He had been severely injured in that fight, but afterward, he didn't feel the surge of strength he experienced after sparring with Little Wukong or the giant bear.

Fighting those stronger than himself to grow stronger was not necessarily a convenient ability. At least in the technology-driven world Zhang Wutian originally came from, human potential was limited. If he couldn't find someone stronger, he couldn't grow indefinitely. However, in this Dragon Ball world, his ability allowed him to thrive.

The reason was simple: by his side existed someone who complemented him perfectly.

That person was Son Wukong.

Everyone knew Son Wukong's potential. Even though the one before him wasn't the original little monkey, but this monkey girl, she had perfectly inherited the traits of the original Son Goku.

That was the ability to grow stronger mid-battle when facing an evenly matched opponent, eventually breaking through her own limits.

Thus, the abilities of Zhang Wutian and Son Wukong formed a cycle.

First, Zhang Wutian would fight the stronger Son Wukong and grow. As his combat power approached hers, their evenly matched battle would push Son Wukong to break her own limits and grow stronger, leaving Zhang Wutian behind. Then, by challenging the now-stronger Son Wukong, Zhang Wutian would grow stronger again, which in turn spurred further growth in Son Wukong. An infinite loop...

Combined, their abilities were a match made in heaven.

Unbeknownst to her, Little Wukong's combat power had been surging silently. Because her only opponent was Zhang Wutian, and he was always in the position of the pursuer, she hadn't realized that she had long since surpassed her former self, possessing power far greater than what she once called her "real skills."

This was the theory Zhang Wutian had deduced through six months of constant exploration. He couldn't be bothered to explain it to Little Wukong; it was too complex, and a monkey girl who couldn't even count to double digits would never grasp the mystery. So, Zhang Wutian kept silent. As long as their combat power was rising and Little Wukong benefited from it, that was enough.

But Zhang Wutian always harbored a worry.

Was this cheat-like growth really a good thing?

It wasn't some baseless anxiety; Zhang Wutian had real evidence for his concern.

He had never once defeated Little Wukong.

It sounded like a matter of course. Son Wukong was a Saiyan, a warrior race born with combat instincts, and she had been training in martial arts under the elderly Son Gohan since childhood. How could a novice like Zhang Wutian, who had only trained for half a year, possibly stand a chance?

But in reality, there were several times over the past six months when Zhang Wutian felt his combat power had nearly caught up to Little Wukong's, lacking only combat experience and instinct. By all accounts, he should have been able to put up a decent fight.

Yet, that wasn't the case. It wasn't just the gap in experience; Zhang Wutian felt that his punches were no match for her. His attacks couldn't break her defense, while her attacks easily left him unable to parry.

With equal combat power, this was no longer a matter of experience or instinct. Zhang Wutian felt that the strength he gained from challenging the strong was like a castle built of sand—seemingly magnificent, but fundamentally fragile. A single wave would cause it to collapse.

Ultimately, his foundation was unstable.

Zhang Wutian, having suddenly acquired combat power, couldn't use it effectively. His body might have been enhanced, but his movements, habits, breathing, and even his way of thinking remained stagnant, failing to keep pace with his physical growth. Every action, devoid of proper training, wasted his power and left his attacks riddled with openings. Possessing great power but being unable to unleash it—that was his current predicament.

"The conclusion is that I need a massive amount of basic training to solidify this sandy foundation. At the very least, I need to turn the sand into soil, and then temper it further."

While the idea of strengthening one's foundation was a cliché in manga, Zhang Wutian was currently living in an absolute manga world. It would be foolish to interpret this world using real-world theories. Since that was the case, what was wrong with using a common manga trope as a basis for his actions?

Of course, there was no need to explain this to Little Wukong; she wouldn't understand it anyway.

Standing up and brushing the dust off his clothes, Zhang Wutian said, "It's your turn to hunt today. I'll stay here and continue training. Next time, I'll definitely win."

"Hehe, you say that every time," Little Wukong giggled. "Even though you haven't won once."

"Less talk, go and come back quickly. We'll spar again when you return."

"Okay, I'm heading out then." Little Wukong waved at Zhang Wutian and quickly departed.

"Yeah, be careful on your way."

Seeing Zhang Wutian wave at her, Little Wukong suddenly remembered something from long ago. When her grandfather was still alive, she would greet him just like that. Back then, her grandfather, Son Gohan, would wave back and say the same thing, telling her to be careful.

How long had it been since she heard those words? It seemed even Little Wukong had almost forgotten, but ever since Zhang Wutian arrived, that dialogue had returned.

Leaping between the treetops, Little Wukong soon reached the distance.

From here, one could only faintly make out the house. Little Wukong came to a stop on a tree branch, turning back to look at her home, which had already blurred into the distance, and at Zhang Wutian, who was exercising in front of the doorway.

"Grandpa, is this what you meant by 'husband'?"

"It's really nice; I like 'husband'."

As she said this, a pure, radiant smile bloomed on Little Wukong's face.

Although she still seemed unable to grasp the meaning contained within the word "husband," she had clearly grown fond of the person who represented it.