Chapter 21: Training and Farewell
In the forest, Yuujin was darting rapidly, leaping onto a high ground. He glanced around, then shouted loudly:
"Goku, it's time to go home!"
His voice, enhanced by his Ki, echoed throughout the entire forest like thunder, scaring away countless animals and birds.
Boom, boom, boom…
Not long after, a small figure appeared in the distance, kicking up a long trail of dust as she ran swiftly towards Yuujin. It was Goku!
Five-year-old Little Goku had grown quite a bit compared to two years ago, but she was still a petite little girl. Though her limbs were small, she ran through the forest with incredible speed and soon leaped into Yuujin's arms.
"Yuujin, you're back!"
Rubbing her head against him, Little Goku's face lit up with joy.
A faint smile appeared on Yuujin's face as he patted Goku's forehead. He had let her play in the forest while he went to finish a task, though it seemed like this mischievous girl had gotten herself into some trouble again.
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
A giant bird flew in from the direction Goku had come, diving aggressively towards Yuujin and Goku. Calling it a bird wasn't quite accurate—it had sharp teeth and a body full of flesh.
It was likely a hybrid descendant of a bird and a dinosaur, but regardless, to Yuujin, it was just dinner delivered right to his doorstep.
After putting Goku down, Yuujin took the treasured fan from his back and swung it at the approaching bird.
"Woooahhh…"
A violent gust of wind lifted the giant bird nearly a hundred meters into the air, spinning it around before it crashed hard to the ground.
"Hahaha… Dinner time!"
The bird tried to shake its head and get up, but Little Goku jumped on its head, knocking it back to the ground and knocking it out cold.
The fan Yuujin had just used was the legendary Banana Fan(Bansho palm Fan), known for its powers to summon wind with one swing, call forth rain with two, and create a downpour with three.
The Banana Fan was a rare treasure, though it had been overlooked and used by Master Roshi to prop up a hot pot for a long time. Because it got some broth on it, he almost threw it away, but fortunately, Yuujin discovered it in time and kept it.
The fan could even be used by ordinary people, but when infused with Ki, its power was amplified, so Yuujin carried it as a weapon and occasionally used it to bring rain to drought-stricken areas for a little extra cash.
"Let's head back."
"Mm!"
Yuujin put the Banana Fan back on his back, grabbed the giant bird, and left the forest with Little Goku…
…
"One, two… One, two…"
"Lift your legs higher!"
"One, two… One, two…"
"Straighten your legs!"
Inside the Kame House, two beautiful women on the TV were calling out instructions while doing aerobics. Master Roshi lay in front of the TV, chanting along while ogling them with a lecherous expression.
"Grandpa Roshi, we're back!"
Little Goku bounced into the house, while Yuujin dropped the giant bird outside and walked in as well.
"Oh, Goku and Yuujin, welcome back."
Without turning around, Master Roshi continued staring at the women on the screen, practically drooling.
"Master Roshi, didn't you once teach me that martial artists should not harbor such unnecessary distractions? You don't seem very much like a martial arts god right now," Yuujin sighed.
"Well, well, I've already taught you everything about the Kame Style(Turtle Hermit Style) and its spirit. Now it's up to you to carry it forward. Us old folks don't have much time left, so we've got to find some fun for ourselves," replied Master Roshi irresponsibly, while Yuujin couldn't help but sweatdrop. Not much time left, huh? I bet you could easily live another century or two.
Once a righteous grandmaster, Master Roshi had taught Yuujin that martial artists should be pure and virtuous. Yet in just a few years, he had changed so much. The power of destiny was indeed strong; Master Roshi had turned into a "Perverted Hermit" and was determined to walk that path.
Yuujin told Little Goku to play without breaking anything in the house and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner…
…
"Mmm… so good, so good!"
"Ahh… Life is wonderful…"
At the dinner table, Little Goku stuffed her face with all kinds of delicious food, while Master Roshi sipped some wine, looking completely content.
"Here, Turtle, this is for you."
"Mmm… thank you."
Yuujin served some food to the turtle, who gratefully started eating. The three of them, plus the turtle, enjoyed a pleasant dinner together.
"Master Roshi, I'm planning to go on a training journey soon."
Yuujin spoke while eating.
"So, you've finally decided to leave? It's true that staying here won't benefit you anymore."
Master Roshi nodded, showing no surprise.
In fact, Master Roshi had stopped teaching Yuujin anything for the past year, saying there was nothing more he could teach him.
Over the past five years, he had witnessed Yuujin's growth, even surprising himself. After teaching Yuujin the Kamehameha two years ago, they hadn't sparred since, but Master Roshi knew that Yuujin's strength had probably surpassed his own.
Although it was a bit disheartening, as Yuujin's teacher, Master Roshi felt more pride than anything else.
He had trained students like Gohan and the Ox-King before, but their achievements were limited. Now, with Yuujin, the Kame Style of martial arts finally had a true successor.
"Do you know where you want to go for your training?"
"Not yet. I'll figure it out as I go."
"If you haven't decided on a place, you could visit the Sacred Land of Korin."
"The Sacred Land of Korin?"
"Yes, there's a tower there called the Korin Tower that reaches the sky. A sage lives at the top, and anyone who climbs it using their own strength can receive his guidance."
"Three hundred years ago, I climbed Korin Tower myself and trained under the sage for several years. That's how my skills greatly improved, allowing me to create the Kame Style."
"I understand. I'll check it out."
To be continued…
P.S
After hosting a small poll I have decided to change MC's name from Ye Chen to Yuujin. The name of the MC has been changed to Yuujin in the previous chapters as well and the poll is deleted.
Author's Notes:
Regarding Vegeta's power level as a child: Dragon Ball's original setup can be tricky. It may seem odd that Vegeta was nearly as strong as his father at five but grew only slightly stronger over the next decade. However, if you consider the average Saiyan limit at a few thousand or tens of thousands, it's not unreasonable for growth to slow down without surpassing that threshold.