Dragon Ball Human

The next day.

Yamiru woke up very early. Extremely early. In fact, he hardly slept.

Enduring the gnawing hunger in his stomach, Yamiru sat leaning against the wall through the night, lost in thought. By the time he realized it, dawn was approaching. He decided to get up, but the movement tugged at the rope tied around his ankle, which was connected to Tien Shinhan.

The moment the rope jerked, Tien Shinhan woke up.

Rubbing his eyes, the three-eyed boy locked eyes with Yamiru's golden ones. He glanced at the rope tied to his arm, then at the sky, which was barely light.

"Up so early?" Tien Shinhan asked in surprise.

Tien Shinhan had been curious about the golden-eyed boy who, though only a few years older than him, possessed physical strength that surpassed his own; something uncommon to him. Did this guy always wake up this early to train? Perhaps that was the secret behind the stamina he displayed yesterday. Tien Shinhan wondered if he should hold himself to stricter standards as well.

"..." Yamiru glanced at Shen and Tao Pai Pai, still lying on makeshift beds nearby. In a low voice, he said to Tien Shinhan, "I'm starving. I want to go out and find something to eat."

Tien Shinhan stared at him for a moment.

"What?" Yamiru asked.

"Do you think..." Tien Shinhan's expression turned cold. Did this guy think that because he said a few kind words yesterday, he'd just let him go? "Even if I came with you, it wouldn't work. I know my limits—I probably couldn't stop you if you tried to escape."

"I'm seriously starving," Yamiru said, his tone weary and helpless.

"Not happening," Tien Shinhan replied flatly as he untied the rope connecting them. "Besides, Master and Tao Pai Pai are already awake."

Sure enough, the bedrolls where Shen and Tao Pai Pai had been sleeping were empty.

"Causing a ruckus so early in the morning—are you looking to die?" Tao Pai Pai's voice came from the corner. He was braiding his hair, his fingers weaving through the thick black strands with such practiced ease that the one-meter-long braid seemed to appear out of nowhere. Who knew? Perhaps his deadly skills with hidden weapons were honed through years of playing with his own hair.

Shen stepped outside to look around. The village was so quiet that not even an early-rising farmer or villager could be seen on the dirt streets.

"Hmph, such petty tricks," Shen sneered as he turned back toward Yamiru. "Tell me this—if we hadn't planned on killing anyone, but your little outburst reminded us to slaughter this entire village, how would you feel about that?"

Yamiru patted the dust off his clothes and exhaled. "Do whatever you want. I'll do what I can, and I'll have a clear conscience. Don't think for a second you can push the blame for your atrocities onto me."

"Such arrogance!" Tao Pai Pai grabbed Yamiru by the throat, lifting him off the ground. "Brother, let me kill him! I'm losing my patience!"

"There's no need, Tao Pai Pai," Shen said with a dismissive gesture, signaling him to put Yamiru down. He grinned darkly as he put on his sunglasses. "What's the point of killing him? The real joy is in destroying him. Imagine breaking down someone the Turtle Hermit holds in high regard. What does that old fool see in you, hmm? Let me guess—your sense of justice? Your unyielding determination? Such admirable traits..." He chuckled maliciously. "How delightful it will be to crush them."

Shen let out a low, sinister laugh that even sent a chill down Tien Shinhan's spine.

"So that's how it is."

Tao Pai Pai tossed Yamiru to the ground, laughing heartily. "True enough! Watching this brat grovel and beg after he's done the dirty work… now that's a sight worth seeing! Hahaha!"

Two lunatics. Yamiru climbed to his feet in silence. He wasn't stupid; he knew that arguing would only provoke them further. If unnecessary, why waste energy on futile words? But would he crumble under the pressure? Before he could dwell on it, he followed the three out of the house.

---

The pace was noticeably slower than the day before.

The primary reason was Yamiru's lack of stamina.

Since the night before, he hadn't eaten a single grain of rice.

This morning, when they set out, Shen and Tao Pai Pai ate their breakfast while forcing Yamiru to sit aside.

The same demand echoed: three heads for a meal.

Yamiru was too weak to respond and merely sat with his eyes closed, trying to preserve energy. But every time he closed his eyes, images of food flooded his mind. When he tried to focus on a single thought to keep himself from drifting, the only thing that came to mind… was a Senzu Bean.

"If I had just one Senzu Bean right now… how amazing would that be?"

He couldn't help but entertain the thought.

Not long after, the trio finished their meal and beckoned Yamiru to follow. Tien Shinhan trailed behind him, keeping a watchful eye. Given Yamiru's current state, even the young Tien Shinhan could easily keep him in check without help from Shen or Tao Pai Pai.

That day, they covered over thirty kilometers. Yamiru was so starved that he was seeing stars.

Thankfully, he found a chance to scoop up a handful of spring water and gulp it down.

Shen and Tao Pai Pai might have noticed but chose not to intervene. Yamiru knew that water alone wouldn't sustain him for long.

"Zoro endured a week tied to a cross under the scorching sun and still cut down dozens of marines with his three-sword style… I wonder how long my frail body can endure marching like this on an empty stomach," Yamiru thought, stumbling along behind Shen and Tao Pai Pai. He increasingly relied on aimless daydreams to distract himself from the gnawing hunger, lest it drive him insane.

Extreme hunger often leads to impulsive or irrational decisions. Yamiru recalled a past life memory: someone refusing to cook until starvation forced them to order takeout, often splurging on overpriced yet irresistibly delicious-looking meals in a fit of desperation.

"Why am I even thinking about this? Am I starting to rationalize the idea of taking three weaklings heads just for a meal? No! If I ever become a villain, it will be on my terms. If even villainy is forced upon me, then what's the point of living?"

He gritted his teeth and pressed on.

---

Day two: Starving, marching.

Day three: Starving, marching.

Day four…

Day five…

By now, Shen and Tao Pai Pai had almost forgotten about the pale, emaciated boy trailing behind them. They barely acknowledged his presence anymore, treating him like a ghost. During breaks and meals, they interacted sparingly with him, leaving Tien Shinhan as his only point of contact.

Even Tao Pai Pai stopped reiterating his "three heads for a meal" mantra, as if waiting—waiting for Yamiru to finally abandon his pride, fall to his knees, and beg to trade three lives for food.

Tien Shinhan, sensing his intention, felt a faint chill creep into his heart.

During meals, Tien Shinhan didn't dare to glance at Yamiru, who sat nearby like a lifeless shell. He even kept his third eye tightly shut, avoiding the expanded view it provided.

Yamiru, seated motionless, resembled a corpse, his shallow breaths barely perceptible.

By the thirteenth day, Tien Shinhan had to tie a rope around Yamiru and drag him forward. Walking was no longer an option for the boy; his legs shuffled more than moved. Gone was the vibrant youth who once challenged Tien Shinhan's perception of his own abilities.

Tien Shinhan considered persuading his master and uncle to end the boy's suffering with a quick death, but under Tao Pai Pai's sharp, menacing gaze, he swallowed his words.

"You've already suffered this long... Just hang in there. Once you die, you won't feel hungry anymore," he thought grimly.

By the sixteenth day, Yamiru's shoes had disintegrated. The soles had worn through, and his feet were bloodied and raw, yet he seemed oblivious to the pain, too drained to care.

That same day, while Tao Pai Pai and Shen leisurely strolled along a desolate path with Tien Shinhan dragging Yamiru behind, a group of bandits suddenly jumped out.

"If you want to live, hand over all your valuables!" a massive lion-headed bandit roared, brandishing a large axe as two accomplices flanked him, blocking their path.

"Oh, let's see here. One, two, three…" Tao Pai Pai smirked, counting them aloud. "Perfect! Just three!" Shen's face curved into a faint smile.

Tao Pai Pai raised his voice mockingly. "Hey, have you guys ever killed anyone before?"

The lion-headed bandit hesitated before sneering. "What, you think I'm a joke? You tiny runt, I've killed more people than you've ever met!" His two animalistic lackeys nodded in agreement.

"Ohhhh…" Tao Pai Pai drew out the syllable, feigning intrigue. "So, the three of you are truly irredeemable villains, huh?"

The bandits hesitated, unsure if this was a trap, then resorted to waving their weapons and shouting. "Enough with the chatter! Hand over your money, or prepare to die!"

At that moment, Shen, who had long ignored Yamiru, turned back with a sly grin, stroking his mustache. His gaze settled on Yamiru, who was now little more than a hollow, skeletal figure. "I know you don't have much strength left," Shen said, his tone light and patronizing. "So here's the deal, Yamiru: just nod your head, and even if Tao Pai Pai does the job, these three heads will count as yours. How about it? Three heads for a meal. What do you say?"

To Yamiru, teetering on the brink of death, Shen's words sounded almost heavenly, like the aroma of a feast wafting through the air. It was temptation in its purest form.

But even as he wobbled on unsteady legs, Yamiru weakly lifted his head. His bloodshot eyes struggled to focus on the blurry figure of Shen. He moved his chapped lips and, with the last ounce of defiance left in him, rasped:

"Spit."

---

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