Dragon Ball Roshi

"I won't take you as my disciple."

Mu Taro shook his head. He glanced at the man, sensing his ki... surprisingly, it was close to 50. For an ordinary Earthling, that was not weak at all.

But this had nothing to do with whether Taro would accept him as a disciple. He didn't choose students based on strength or weakness.

Personally, Taro was not particularly enthusiastic about taking disciples. With two hundred years left before the "plot" would begin, spending significant energy teaching random individuals who didn't even appear in the original story didn't interest him.

The reason he took in Aragon back then...

Firstly, the boy had stumbled upon Mount Mutaito by chance and often watched him practice in secret, forming a connection with him.

Secondly, at that time, before Taro ventured into the universe or had a clearer plan for the future, taking on a disciple and establishing the Muten School was a way to fulfill his promises to Mutaito.

People change. Martial artists are no exception; they grow step by step. If the current Taro could return to that time, he might not have taken Aragon as a disciple or even founded the Muten School. Having seen so much in the universe—especially after training in magic for thirty years under the Holy Magician—Taro's perspective had shifted. All of... this, felt insignificant in contrast to universe matters and with what will happen in the future; juts a lost of time that will eventually left him alone again.

...Perhaps, he wouldn't have married Fanfan without genuine "love" either. Ultimately, his feelings were ordinary, like any other person's. Back then, he hadn't overthought it—Fanfan had feelings for him, and he felt a sense of duty to care for his master's orphaned daughter. Additionally, he hadn't anticipated that the Water of Immortality would slow his aging, leading to Fanfan's melancholy in the years that followed. It had all unfolded naturally.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Taro became momentarily lost in reflection. Time had flown by, and the past now felt like smoke dissipating in the wind.

The kneeling man, undeterred by rejection, didn't show any signs of despair. Instead, he persisted, bowing again. "I humbly beg—"

"Why do you wish to become my disciple?" Taro interrupted, noting the determination in the man's expression.

With a flick of his hand, Taro sent an invisible wave of ki, causing the man to stand involuntarily. Taro then twisted his wrist, revealing a Senzu Bean pinched between his fingers. With a flick, the bean was shattered into fine powder by a subtle burst of force as it flew through the air.

The man felt a gentle force strike his chest and abdomen, causing him to instinctively open his mouth. The powder from the Senzu Bean shot directly into his mouth and traveled down his throat.

The man's injuries vanished, and his strength returned, along with his vitality.

Looking at his hands in disbelief, he suddenly remembered Taro's earlier question. His eyes gleamed with determination as he replied resolutely, "I want to become stronger... to kill those demons!"

"The demons have already been eradicated," Taro said. He glanced at the man again. Hmm... after regaining his strength, his ki had risen to nearly 100—exceptional for an ordinary Earthling.

"They've only been eradicated in the human realm!" the man countered, clearly unconvinced. He fixed his eyes on Taro's, his voice trembling with anger. "You must know where those monsters came from, don't you, Master Mu? I..." He clenched his fists and growled, "Those demons slaughtered so many people! How can we simply let it end like this? Just killing those who entered the human world isn't enough! This world... it's not a playground for their kind to invade at will! They must be completely annihilated, their roots severed!"

His gaze burned with hope as he stared at Taro, fully aware of his own lack of strength but hoping his sincerity might convince the invincible Master Mu to accept him as a disciple.

Taro sighed. "The Demon Realm... isn't somewhere you can just visit at will," he said. "There's a high chance you'd never return. Time flows differently there; a day inside could be a thousand years outside."

"I'm alone—what do I have to fear?" the man declared boldly, his chest puffed out. "If my death means all those demons are wiped out, then it would be a glorious death!"

Taro studied him silently for a moment, feeling an inexplicable stirring in his heart. The man met his gaze unwaveringly, his resolve etched clearly on his face.

After a brief pause, Taro asked, "What is your name?"

"Long Bam!" the man answered.

The name struck Taro. A Long? He thought back to that old man from Decades ago, who came to the Muten school dojo and caused trouble. Could this man be a descendant? Taro shook his head slightly—so much time had passed, and the past didn't matter anymore.

"Follow me," Taro said calmly, gesturing for Bam to approach.

Without hesitation, Long Bam obeyed, striding over to Taro. Taro placed a hand on his shoulder while the phoenix hopped over, expertly wrapping one of its broad wings around Taro's leg.

Whoosh.

In an instant, the two men and the phoenix vanished, reappearing miles away at the ruins of the Martial Immortal School. Long Bam gaped in astonishment. "This... where are we?" He turned around, taking in the desolate surroundings in disbelief.

Nearby, Nanka stood, watching the six Dragon Balls the phoenix had deposited earlier. When he noticed Taro, his expression shifted to one of exhilaration. He started to rise but then turned back to gather the Dragon Balls into his robe before hurrying over. "Grandmaster, you've returned!"

Taro nodded. With a mere thought, his psychic energy enveloped the six Dragon Balls in Nanka's robe, lifting them into the air and gently placing them on a relatively flat spot on the ground.

Nanka showed no surprise. With the countless miraculous abilities Grandmaster had demonstrated, being constantly amazed would be a never-ending ordeal.

"Is this what you called... the Dragon Balls?" Long Bam, snapping out of his shock at the sudden shift in location, pointed incredulously at the six orange-yellow orbs, now emitting a faint glow in resonance.

"Of course," Nanka replied, gazing at the six glowing Dragon Balls on the ground. "Grandmaster collected the Dragon Balls to summon the Dragon and wish for all the deceased to be revived." He had witnessed Taro's projection in the hearts of everyone and was confident in the outcome.

"Revive everyone… truly?" Long Bam murmured, unable to hide his disbelief. Such a phenomenon defied all reason.

Ignoring their whispered conversation, Taro raised the final Dragon Ball in his hand. It wasn't until now that he noticed it was the Four-Star Ball.

The Four-Star Ball... Anyone with an emotional connection to the story of the Dragon Balls would undoubtedly feel a special attachment to this particular orb. Taro was no exception. Looking at it stirred memories of a pure-hearted Saiyan martial artist.

Buzz…

Buzz…

When the seven Dragon Balls were united, their resonant light intensified, pulsating brightly.

"Come forth, Shenron," Taro intoned calmly, gazing at the seven glowing orbs.

Boom!

A golden bolt of lightning shot skyward! Like a golden serpent, it coiled and ascended, climbing higher and higher into the heavens. As the dragon rose, the sky across the entire world suddenly darkened, turning pitch black. Thunder rumbled faintly, and flashes of lightning illuminated the clouds.

At that moment, everyone on Earth looked up in astonishment at the darkened sky, puzzled and alarmed. Some, fearing the return of the demons, trembled with dread.

"This... is Shenron..." Nanka and Long Bam tilted their heads back, mouths agape, muttering in awe.

Descending slowly from the pitch-black heavens, the emerald-green dragon coiled into the shape of an infinity symbol. Its crimson eyes glowed intensely as it spoke in a booming voice:

"Speak your wish... No matter what it is, I shall grant it."