So the future Kakarot really had reached that realm.
Vegeta truly wanted to see what Goku's current full strength looked like.
"Then show it to me," Vegeta said calmly. "Don't disappoint me."
Vegeta maintained his stance, showing no outward change in response to Goku's words.
"I won't disappoint you," Son Goku replied with a smile. "Because this is a realm you still can't reach. Watch closely, Vegeta."
As Goku finished speaking, Vegeta's expression finally turned serious.
First, because Kakarot's aura changed drastically in an instant. The sheer scale of its increase made Vegeta immediately sense danger.
Second, because of what Kakarot had just said. It made Vegeta realize that Goku had likely already surpassed Super Saiyan Second Stage.
Otherwise, he would never speak so bluntly.
A realm Vegeta could not yet touch—
That could only mean a higher level of Super Saiyan.
[So you really did reach Super Saiyan Third Stage… figures. This is twenty years in the future after all. Even without powerful enemies in the Other World, you should've reached this level by now. Otherwise, you'd be useless.]
Vegeta sighed inwardly.
Facing Goku's eruption head-on, he steadied his mind and focused entirely on sensing.
Son Goku's power skyrocketed.
As the energy of Super Saiyan Second Stage was fully unleashed, an overwhelming pressure swept across the entire Other World. The yellow clouds of the afterlife churned violently, like raging floodwaters pouring down from the sky.
This was the absolute limit of Super Saiyan Second Stage.
Super Saiyan 2 Full Power.
The amplification was at least two hundred times, and at this moment, Son Goku's battle power had already reached thirty billion.
Not just Vegeta—
Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and even King Kai, Bubbles, and Gregory on King Kai's planet were utterly shaken.
This was the first time they had ever felt Goku release such terrifying power.
"This is my Super Saiyan Second Stage at its limit!" Goku shouted.
"And next—comes the transformation that surpasses Super Saiyan Second Stage! Super Saiyan Third Stage!! HRAAAHHH!!!"
In an instant, his surging aura exploded outward like a tsunami.
The entire Other World was flooded by Son Goku's overwhelming presence. Everything before him seemed impossibly small.
Even Vegeta, whose power had reached fifteen billion, was completely crushed by the pressure.
Goku's strength kept climbing. His realm continued to rise.
The sensation made Vegeta painfully aware of how weak he still was.
The numbers soared—
Surpassing fifty billion.
As the golden light grew ever more blinding, even Vegeta was forced to shut his eyes.
When the turbulence finally subsided—
Son Goku's battle power stabilized at over sixty billion.
He appeared before everyone in an entirely new form.
Wild.
Imposing.
Long golden hair cascaded down past his waist. Thick bolts of lightning crawled around his body, making him look incomparably majestic and domineering.
His face had changed completely.
His pupils carried a dual-toned depth, and his eyebrows were gone, altered by the structure of his brow.
His entire presence radiated an overwhelming, wordless authority.
Vegeta was stunned.
So was everyone else.
Just one glance was enough to shake their hearts with fear.
Vegeta was certain—
If Son Goku attacked right now, he wouldn't even have time to react. A casual strike would be enough to kill him instantly.
Super Saiyan 3.
Far too powerful.
In the past, Vegeta had been contemplating how to break through to this realm.
Now, he finally understood—
Before anything else, he needed to reach Super Saiyan 2 Full Power. Only then could he truly advance to Super Saiyan 3.
"Well?" Goku said, smiling as he maintained his Super Saiyan 3 form.
"Pretty unbelievable, right? The first time I broke through, I scared myself too. This is actually only the third time I've used this form."
"Super Saiyan Third Stage is indeed powerful," Vegeta replied, forcibly stabilizing his own aura.
"You didn't disappoint me. But with twenty years of time, this is the level you should have reached."
"Yeah… I should've been even stronger," Goku sighed.
"But after reaching this realm, I gradually lost the motivation to keep growing. I hit a bottleneck and couldn't move forward anymore…"
"Isn't that the path you chose yourself?" Vegeta cut in coldly.
"Regretting it now is already too late."
"Yes," Goku admitted calmly.
"That's why I showed you Super Saiyan 3. I believe you'll reach it faster than I did. And if you do… the me in the past will become stronger too."
Without waiting for Vegeta to respond, Goku continued, explaining the flaws of Super Saiyan 3.
"Super Saiyan Third Stage is incredibly strong. It boosts my power, speed, and energy massively in a short time… but there's one flaw. Even now, I can't overcome it."
"When you reach this stage, you'll feel it too. The stronger you become, the faster your energy and stamina drain. It's different from previous transformations. Even without fighting, just maintaining this form consumes an enormous amount of energy."
Goku's words made Vegeta think of something.
"Does it feel like there's a hole in your body?" Vegeta asked.
"Like your energy is leaking out, getting worse the longer you fight?"
Goku froze.
"You can understand that? Are you already able to touch this realm?"
Vegeta shook his head, then deliberately showed Goku his tail.
"As a Saiyan, haven't you noticed that you're missing something fundamental?" Vegeta said seriously.
"Don't think the tail is a useless burden. Existence itself is reason. It's a symbol of our race. No, it's the very origin of Saiyan power."
"The tail…?" Goku murmured, stunned.
He had never thought about it that way.
But after Vegeta pointed it out, it suddenly made sense.
Perhaps losing his tail was the reason Super Saiyan 3 remained unstable.
"Try restoring your tail," Vegeta advised.
"You might gain something you never expected."
Vegeta couldn't be completely certain, but between having a tail and not having one, the advantage was obvious.
The GT timeline had already proven one thing clearly.
With a tail, a Saiyan's power became more stable. Their bloodline could awaken fully, enabling true primal transformation and eventually, Super Saiyan 4.
"I understand," Goku nodded.
"I'll ask King Kai later and see if there's a way to restore my tail. If that really is the reason, then you've solved a problem that's been troubling me for a long time."
Vegeta said nothing more.
Neither did Goku pursue the topic further.
After exchanging a long look, the two smiled at each other and simultaneously suppressed their auras, returning to their normal states.
As for Super Saiyan 3—
Vegeta now had a clear grasp of it.
He had sensed the energy pathways. He understood what needed to be done to break through.
With his talent and potential, even if he couldn't reach that realm immediately—
Given enough time, Vegeta was confident.
In less than a year, he would absolutely surpass his limits and reach Super Saiyan 3.
~~~~~~
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