Dragon Ball Human

He hear the sound of the wind howling.

The icy coldness pierced through Yamiru's consciousness, pulling him back from his stupor. He struggled to open his eyes and found himself flying through the clouds at an incredible speed.

"Are... are you okay... okay?"

A trembling voice came from behind him.

Only then did Yamiru realize someone was holding him from behind.

And without a doubt, it was Tien Shinhan.

It turns out that after Yamiru was knocked unconscious by Tao Pai Pai, the three from Crane School had planned to leave and continue southward to the mainland.

Neither Tao Pai Pai nor Shen knew anything about navigation, so they chose the most simple and crude way of traveling.

Tao Pai Pai pulled a tree from the ground, stripped the trunk, and threw it into the southern sky. He and Shen each grabbed one end of the trunk and leaped onto it, soaring through the sky. Tien Shinhan had been holding the unconscious Yamiru on the tree trunk to prevent him from falling into the sea.

However, the distance was too far, and Tao Pai Pai threw the trunk at arc too high, which left Tien Shinhan nearly frozen to death in the sky.

Finally, his incredible willpower prevented him from letting go of Yamiru, though he almost fainted from the cold himself.

After flying over the sea, about halfway through the journey, Yamiru finally woke up. His face was flushed and purple, with an unknown liquid collecting under his nose. His eyelashes were stiff and seemed like clusters of fine needles. After observing for a moment, he felt intense discomfort from his eyeballs, which had been exposed to the cold wind.

Meanwhile, Shen and Tao Pai Pai stood silently at the front of the tree trunk. It seemed they hadn't heard Yamiru wake up, though they likely wouldn't have cared even if they did.

"..."

Tien Shinhan noticed that Yamiru had become even more silent than usual.

He could understand this change. If he were in Yamiru's position, after being played with and toyed by his master and senior, he might have already collapsed mentally.

Throughout their interactions, Tien Shinhan had noticed that Yamiru seemed to have a clear and determined belief in the strength — or rather, the danger — of Shen and Tao Pai Pai that was far beyond normal.

Otherwise, under normal circumstances, anyone in Yamiru's situation would likely have done something, right? For example, set a trap and try to escape?

From what Tien Shinhan knew, Shen and Tao Pai Pai hadn't hesitated to give Yamiru such "gaps" to escape, intending to watch him struggle, then suppress him, as if they were waiting to tame the "Kame School" brat and make him obedient.

But, without exception, Yamiru had never tried anything. He remained unmoved by the so-called "opportunities."

Perhaps this was because he was certain that such minor openings wouldn't help him escape the control of Shen and Tao Pai Pai.

And that was precisely the most suspicious part.

Even the champion of the world's greatest martial arts tournament, or any of the various so-called "combat champions" or "fighting champions", could not accurately gauge the true strength of Shen and Tao Pai Pai. So how could a mere child like Yamiru have such confidence, to the point where he didn't even try to gamble for his precious freedom?

Taking a step back, even if the Turtle Hermit or anyone else had explicitly told Yamiru that the man called Shen was someone not to be provoked, and that if he encountered him, he should just wait to die without struggling, would Yamiru, at his age, really not have even the slightest bit of hope or belief that things could be different? Would he have no desire to at least take a chance to escape?

"It's impossible!"

Shen had previously made a firm declaration: "Unless this kid is like me, a centuries-old monster, there's no way he would have such insight. Or..."

"Or what?" Tao Pai Pai had asked at the time.

"Or, the problem lies in the kid's eyes... His eyes are strange," Shen said, stroking his mustache with a sly grin. "Just enhanced visual? Now it seems it might be more than that."

Tao Pai Pai responded, "So you're saying this kid is hiding his true superpowers?"

Shen nodded, thinking deeply. "But after all, he's just a boy, barely in his teens. His nonsense has to have some clues to follow. Visual powers? Hmph... His powers probably aren't just about that, but it's very likely they are related to his vision. Maybe those golden eyes of his can directly see through our abilities..."

Tao Pai Pai was taken aback, but soon agreed, "That makes sense now!"

So, two nights ago, on the passenger ship.

Shen and Yamiru had shared a room.

But in the other room, Tao Pai Pai was nowhere to be found, leaving only a sleeping Tien Shinhan.

The storm outside howled fiercely, with occasional explosions from the ship's hull.

Lightning streaked across the dark sky in the distance, illuminating Shen's sunglasses and casting a reflection of the sleeping Yamiru on the opposite side of the room.

"Crack!"

The thunder rumbled. Shen felt a flicker of anticipation. The endless journey had been too boring, but now, finally, there was some entertainment. "Kid, enjoy this while you can. A rare freedom... and despair..."

---

Soaring through the sky on the tree trunk.

Yamiru finally spoke: "Why..."

But neither of the two in front responded.

His voice trembled slightly from the cold: "Why... didn't I find you... on the island?"

"Do you think we did nothing during all that time?" Shen mocked. "Just because you didn't speak, does that mean we knew nothing about you? Your silence and inaction are responses in themselves."

Yamiru suddenly recalled certain details.

For example, after Shen and Tao Pai Pai left, he could sometimes sense their presence at the edge of his vision, lingering for a long time. His Golden Veil could only see that someone was there but couldn't reveal what they were doing. Yamiru had assumed they were just standing there, doing something, but now he realized they had been secretly testing his eye abilities.

A sense of despondency rose in his heart.

Even with nearly 30 years of experience across two lifetimes, he still couldn't outsmart an ancient monster like Shen. Despite being cautious, he had unknowingly revealed a lot of information to the other party. At this moment, Yamiru hated his own weakness. If only he had strength — if the other side knew his abilities, so what? If only...

In truth, all he had to do was join the Crane School, right? A thought grew in the back of his mind. Now that Shen understood his Golden Veil, finding an opportunity to escape seemed almost impossible.

Had he wavered? Just because he was weak?

Had all his past thoughts been nothing but vain boasts?

Such pessimistic thoughts also began to creep in.

"I've tried and failed. There's nothing I can do about it now," Yamiru said, to his own surprise, with surprising calmness.

This calmness was unexpectedly comforting, even bringing him some joy. It was like returning to the relief he had felt months ago, lying in the snow near the Red Ribbon Army base. He was glad he hadn't become the kind of person he despised. The Flying Nimbus... if there was ever a chance, he'd like to ride it again.

"If I have to survive by Tao Pai Pai's methods, then I'd rather die."

"Now, I should be close to death."

"My life may have many regrets, but at least I won't feel ashamed of it."

"Let it be. Let me die."

---

In the distance, the horizon above the sea began to light up with a pale white, gradually turning orange as the sun rose.

The small coastal town along the shore began to bustle with activity.

Suddenly, a black streak pierced through the sky, accompanied by a deafening screech. With a loud "boom", it crashed into the bustling market street, kicking up a cloud of dust. Fortunately, the street was empty at that moment, and no one was injured.

"What was that?"

The locals were startled, fearing it was an attack from a group of extremists, like the Red Ribbon Army.

"Someone's coming out!"

"There are even two children..."

The crowd began to murmur as two figures, one tall and one short, gradually emerged from the dissipating dust. They quickly realized that what had fallen from the sky was a tree trunk, half-buried in the ground, with cracks spreading out from the surrounding pit.

"Chatter, chatter, it's so noisy." Shen muttered as he walked, hands behind his back.

"I'm hungry. Let's eat something."

Tao Pai Pai paid no attention to the crowd, scanning the area with his towering figure and wide field of view. He quickly spotted a food stall and strode confidently toward it.

The bystanders, intimidated by his presence, quickly stepped aside.

Shen's sunglasses reflected the figure of a reporter in the crowd, swiftly taking notes. He waved at the reporter, signaling him to approach.

The curious reporter, thinking he was about to get a quick interview, walked over. However, as he got closer and looked down, Shen slapped him so hard that the reporter was sent flying across the street, landing fifty meters away in an instant. The sound of his skull cracking and neck snapping could be clearly heard by everyone present. Soon after, a terrified scream came from the direction the reporter had landed.

"Ah!" The crowd scattered in panic.

Shen chuckled. The reflection of the street scene in his sunglasses soon cleared, leaving an empty space. "Heh heh, now that's more like it. Much fresher."

Tien Shinhan, who had been trailing behind, turned to find Yamiru quietly following, his face calm, as though he had fully accepted his fate.

"Has he given up completely?" Tien Shinhan thought.

Tao Pai Pai sat down at the breakfast stall with a flourish. He immediately turned to see the terrified owner and staff inside the shop, and with an annoyed slam of his fist on the table, he shouted, "What are you staring at? Bring me food!"

Yamiru sat down silently, eating and drinking soup.

The three members of the Crane School finished their meal, stood up, and left without giving any indication for Yamiru to follow.

Yamiru trailed behind on his own.

"It seems like he's finally listening!" Tao Pai Pai laughed ahead.

"Though the fun's probably over..." Shen seemed a bit uninterested now. After taming Yamiru, who was a thorn in the side of the Turtle School, he no longer had a clear goal. Now, the next step was either to continue "training" this kid to annoy the old turtle hermit, or maybe just get rid of him soon. Shen hadn't decided yet — or rather, hadn't decided whether to even think about it.

Tao Pai Pai said, "But I'm still very curious about his eye's abilities. They seem quite useful for assassination!"

Shen asked, "What? Are you planning to groom him as your helper?"

Tao Pai Pai was surprised. "Groom him? To be my helper, my successor? brother, is that how you see me?"

"Heh heh..." Shen chuckled. "Looks like you want to take his eyes for yourself. As expected of my little brother, you're so selfish! I like it."

Tao Pai Pai laughed loudly.

The four of them continued south toward their destination, South City.

Tao Pai Pai's final target was the assassination of the mayor of South City. This job was considered his last task before a large commission — after this, his assassination fees would rise again. In the future, anyone wanting to hire him would need to offer at least ten million or more. If anyone dared to offer less, the first thing Tao Pai Pai would do is eliminate the bastard who insulted him.

Two days later, in South City, at a hotel.

The three members of the Crane School, along with Yamiru, had all settled in. Tao Pai Pai had vanished after checking in, and only Shen knew his whereabouts. Shen took Tien Shinhan and Yamiru out to wander, drinking tea, occasionally ordering the two young ones to spar. Sometimes, he would instruct Tien Shinhan to deal with some troublemakers, but Yamiru never reacted and ignored it. Shen's gaze toward Yamiru grew increasingly cold.

"This kid is seeking death," Shen muttered to himself. His interest in Yamiru had waned, and now, seeing that Yamiru had given up hope but still wasn't cooperating, his displeasure grew.

Tien Shinhan could sense the tension between his master and Yamiru.

One had lost interest and was beginning to feel murderous, while the other, having lost all hope, no longer cared about Shen's will. Tien Shinhan knew well that Yamiru's attitude made him a walking target for Shen. Even though Tao Pai Pai seemed intrigued by Yamiru's powers, not even he could stop his master if he wanted to kill.

"I say, Yamiru, what do you think of the Crane School?" Shen casually asked, swirling his wine glass at the table.

Yamiru hadn't reacted yet, but Tien Shinhan, sitting across from him and struggling to use his small hands to hold his chopsticks, suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He swallowed hard, thinking that when Shen spoke, he had almost thought he was about to be killed.

"When Master gets serious... his aura is way scarier than Tao Pai Pai's..." Tien Shinhan thought, his heart racing as he desperately tried to eat.

Yamiru lifted his head, revealing his usual golden eyes and an expression he hadn't shown in a while — a smile.

A pile of shit.

That's what he planned to say.

And he was prepared to be killed in an instant.

But then again, there was nothing else he could do. He couldn't win, couldn't escape, and didn't want to lie either. When the moment of judgment finally came, Yamiru felt surprisingly at ease. He hadn't disappointed himself — he wasn't the kind of person who boasted and then pissed himself when death was imminent…

Suddenly, a loud voice came from the neighboring table.

"Really? Elizabeth, you agreed to be my girlfriend? Wow!! That's awesome!!"