"Ahhh, so big and round~~ so white~"
Humming a tune and accompanied by the sound of the waves, Master Roshi, with a perverted grin on his face, returned to his House. The sunlight flashed off his sunglasses, reflecting the entrance of the house.
There was a little bald head sleeping there, next to the old sea turtle, who was also snoring away.
Pop! The old sea turtle's sleep bubble burst, waking him up. He saw Master Roshi and exclaimed, "Ah, Master Roshi, you're back!"
"Old Turtle, did this little bald head bring you back?" Master Roshi asked.
The old sea turtle replied, "Yes, Master Roshi, I met Krillin when I was lost. He said he was leaving the Orin Temple to visit you to learn martial arts, so I brought him home."
"Orin Temple, huh... hmm, in half a year, the World Martial Arts Tournament will be held. That little Goku should be participating, right?" Master Roshi pondered for a moment, then walked over and tapped the sleeping Krillin with his staff. "Hey, little bald head, you're drooling. Wake up."
"Ugh... huh? What?" Krillin rubbed his eyes, waking up. When he saw who was in front of him, he immediately jumped up, saying excitedly, "You're Master Roshi, right?! My name is Krillin, and I want to become your disciple!"
"I won't teach you. Go back." Master Roshi actually found Krillin's talent quite impressive. From the way Krillin had slept so soundly and his performance upon waking up, he could tell this little bald head had potential. But he was a martial arts god—how could he just take anyone as his disciple just because they asked?
"Heh heh... don't reject me so quickly, Master Roshi," Krillin slyly dragged out a bundle he had with him. "I have advice from a wise person who knows your tastes."
He opened the bundle, revealing two limited-edition, risqué magazines. Just the covers—featuring large, round, perky, and white visuals—were enough to make the old turtle's blood boil.
He rubbed his nose and asked, "Advice from a wise person? Who knows me so well?"
Krillin grinned. "It was someone who visited Orin Temple. He seemed to know our Temple's 14th Elder..."
"Ah?" Master Roshi thought this sounded vaguely familiar and asked, "The person you're talking about... does he have a gorgeous blonde woman with him?"
"Yes, that's right! How did you know? She was such a beautiful older sister!" Krillin reminisced. "At Orin Temple, my senior brothers always bullied me. But that person told me that when you can't bear it anymore, you don't need to endure... So, I fought back. I got beaten even worse, but I finally made up my mind to run away."
The little bald head laughed foolishly, while Master Roshi cursed inwardly, "This Yamiru... no wonder he told me specifically, 'Tights is already my girlfriend.' He thinks I'm some old pervert? That's really hateful! Truly despicable!"
Krillin rubbed his chubby hands together eagerly and asked, "So, Master Roshi, can I really..."
"Fine, I'll accept you as a disciple," Master Roshi said. "But you have to participate in the World Martial Arts Tournament a year from now. Help me beat up an unworthy disciple!"
"Really? That's great!" Krillin jumped up in excitement.
Master Roshi thought, "whether you and Yamiru beat each other up or not, as long as I enjoy myself...
Of course, the most likely situation was that both of you would get beat up by that little Goku..."
---
As they stood on the edge of the cave, a faint odor of decay reached their noses, drifting from the dark tunnel ahead.
It seemed something had happened here, or had happened in the past.
The master and disciple exchanged glances, and without slowing their pace, they continued forward, moving swiftly and silently. Soon, they reached the entrance of the research institute cave.
The door was destroyed, with a large, irregular hole.
Yamiru opened his eyes wide, using his Golden Veil to inspect the hole. It seemed that the door had been torn from the inside by a tremendous force.
He tossed a capsule, and a briefcase appeared on the ground.
Yamiru opened the case, pulling out two flashlights and handing one to Son Gohan, before putting the capsule back.
With the flashlights in hand, the two entered the cave, carefully making their way through the pitch-black research institute.
Yamiru had once severed his own limbs here, barely surviving, and now, years later, it had become a ruin. He had no idea what had happened in the meantime.
The round lights of the flashlights swayed as they moved down the passage.
At the same time, Yamiru used his "Fire Eyes" to scan the entire research institute for human-shaped energy signatures. There were no signs of any living creatures within sight.
Some of the experiment rooms were completely charred, and many of the devices were destroyed beyond recognition.
Unknown liquids covered the floor, leaving half-dried traces. The smell was strange.
Residual electricity crackled and sparked from exposed, broken power lines.
"Did these people never bother with renovations?"
As they revisited the place, Yamiru felt calm, even joking a little.
Although he didn't remember the exact map of the research institute, everything still felt familiar. Back when he was trapped here, he was often in a semi-conscious state, and some of the scenes and equipment only existed as subconscious impressions. After winding through the corridors, Yamiru led Son Gohan to the room where he had once severed his limbs… or rather, where the room should have been.
Now, it had collapsed, buried under a pile of rubble, blocking the way.
"Was it the people or group that wiped out the Red Ribbon Army's base?"
Yamiru and Gohan couldn't come to a conclusion, but from the traces they found with the flashlight, it was clear that much of the damage was man-made.
Some broken lab tables and walls... it was obvious that they had been slashed with sharp blades.
"Laser cutting? Or swords?"
Yamiru naturally thought back to the alien knife Jiora had given him.
He had used that knife to desperately throw it at Blue and kill him during his last moments of escape. It must have ended up in Gallo's hands.
Yamiru had hoped to find that knife when he returned to the lab this time, but unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.
Inside the lab, aside from the ruins, dirty unknown liquids, the odd smells drifting around, and the crackling electricity, there were scattered piles of dirty paper—some burned to ash, some missing half, and others only partially left. However, Yamiru and Gohan couldn't understand any of the research notes, so they had no interest in them.
Before leaving, they jumped over some half-dried liquid on the floor in front of another lab. Following the trail of dried liquid, they found a lab that had been destroyed. Several cultivation pods had large holes in them, completely ruined.
On the torn outer shells, it seemed like part of a number.
Leaving the cave lab, the two walked through the cold, barren mountain range.
Yamiru began recounting his experience of hiding in the desolate mountain range after escaping the lab.
The relentless pursuit of the Red Ribbon Army, his worsening fever and cold, and how he even skinned animals to use their fur to keep warm…
Eventually, they reached the spot where Yamiru had been surrounded by the Red Ribbon Army, lying on the ground, weakened and delirious with fever, on the verge of death.
"I still don't understand why," Yamiru said to his master, "but I suddenly remembered the legend of the Flying Nimbus and just naturally shouted to the sky. I guess at that moment I really thought it was over for me, or maybe my mind had been fried by the fever, because even though I was about to die, I felt no fear or despair. I just wanted to shout at the sky... I don't know, it's hard to describe."
He smiled helplessly. "I've never been able to recreate that state of mind since then..."
Gohan listened quietly, then said gently, "But it was you, Yamiru, the child who called upon the Flying Nimbus in that desperate situation. That wasn't an illusion. It was really you."
He tapped Yamiru's chest, looking into his eyes, and smiled. "Your golden eyes have already told you that the one who can call the Flying Nimbus has always been deep within you. Your master just hopes you can find him again."
Yamiru looked at the vast, distant sky and said, "I don't know if I can do it."
"You definitely can," Gohan encouraged, quickly joking, "Of course, it's better to do it before this journey ends, or your old master might not have the strength to keep going with you."
Yamiru couldn't help but laugh.
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, Gohan shouted.
Yamiru quickly blocked, only to find that Gohan wasn't throwing a punch, but a kick.
"Cheating, Master?" Yamiru laughed.
"If you block your ears, you won't hear this kind of fun, right?" Gohan mischievously winked and then yelled, "Watch out for the palm!"
Yamiru was still trying to figure out whether he was going to strike with a foot, fist, or palm, but after a while, Gohan still didn't make a move. It wasn't until Yamiru realized Gohan wasn't moving at all that Gohan suddenly slapped his palm forward.
With Yamiru's superior strength, reflexes, and physical abilities, it was easy for him to block the slap.
The two were on completely different levels in their combat skills.
Yamiru could rely on his physical advantages and reaction speed to tank Gohan's attacks.
However, they both understood that this spar wasn't about winning or losing.
It was about measuring their strengths.
"Don't look with your eyes."
Gohan's fists and feet became unpredictable, starting without warning and ending just as mysteriously.
Yamiru followed his movements with his eyes for a while, then took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and recalled the feeling of being in the empty, dark arena… thinking back…
Suddenly, he heard Gohan's booming voice: "Open your eyes!"
Yamiru quickly opened his eyes and, in a flash, circled behind Gohan. Just as he was about to throw a punch, Gohan seemed to have sensed his movement, sidestepping and preparing for the counterattack. Yamiru's fist indeed struck, but Gohan caught it.
After a round of sparring, Yamiru won, but Gohan grew taller.
Yamiru lay on the ground, panting.
Gohan sat cross-legged, gasping. "Oh, it's really cold."
Yamiru almost froze to death back then, didn't he? Gohan sighed inwardly.
"First you say not to look with our eyes, then you say we can't close them and must open them," Yamiru said, lying on his back and gazing at the sky. "It's really difficult, Master."
Son Gohan smiled and said, "Did you see the Flying Nimbus with your eyes before calling it down?"
"..." Yamiru widened his eyes.
"Alright, let's continue walking." Son Gohan stood up and patted his backside. "The next stop should be the place where the Flying Nimbus carried you away, right?"
"Mm." Yamiru also got up.
"Did you meet Tights there?" Son Gohan turned around and winked. "Looks like I'll have to entertain myself for a few days once we get there."
Yamiru smiled but didn't say anything.
Master, martial arts… they were indeed a crucial part of his life. But Tights had also become an irreplaceable part of his life.
Spiritual Realm, Earth Island, Capsule House.
"You guys are so slow." Tights was already in the house, setting up a meal. "You must be hungry, right? Well, I'm starving. Let's eat!"
She snapped her chopsticks, and Yamiru sat next to her, but she kicked him away. "Go wash your hands."
Yamiru raised his hand in surrender and stood up to leave.
"Hehehe…" Son Gohan laughed as he followed.
The journey continued. The trio drove southeast along the route where the Flying Nimbus had carried Yamiru away.
Once they reached their destination, Son Gohan made up an excuse to leave the group and wandered off.
Yamiru and Tights arrived at the hospital and sat on a bench in the park, chatting and laughing.
A few days later, they set off again, heading east.
They arrived at Cool View Mountain.
"Son Gohan!" Ox-King came rushing forward, delighted. "Senior Brother, what brings you here?"
Son Gohan responded gently, "Just passing through. I've heard many bad rumors about you, Ox-King. That's not good."
"I've been improving…" Ox-King looked a little embarrassed.
Yamiru looked curiously at the flames still burning near the castle on the mountain. "Are those fires still not out?"
Chi-Chi came out from behind her father with a clear, crisp voice. "Nope."
"Ah, Chi-Chi has gotten even more beautiful." Tights smiled and picked up Chi-Chi. "So fresh and tender, I just want to take a bite."
She kissed the soft, pinkish cheek of the little girl.
"Chi-Chi is very suitable for martial arts training," Son Gohan commented. "Ox-King, have you ever thought about sending Chi-Chi to Mount Paozu?"
Ox-King was excited. "Senior Brother, would you teach Chi-Chi? That would be amazing!"
"No, no," Son Gohan waved his hands. "I'm too old for that. I don't have the energy anymore. But there's someone on Mount Paozu who's even more suitable for teaching Chi-Chi."
Ox-King was confused. "Someone more suitable than you, Senior Brother?"
Son Gohan chuckled, and Yamiru and Tights exchanged a glance, both realizing who Son Gohan was referring to.
Only Chi-Chi looked confused, not understanding what they were talking about.
Son Gohan explained to Ox-King that if they decided, Chi-Chi could simply call out to the Flying Nimbus to take her to Mount Paozu to study martial arts with the more suitable master.
Then, Son Gohan, Yamiru, and Tights continued on their way.
The trio chatted and laughed, walking and stopping. Sometimes they just enjoyed the scenery, and other times, Son Gohan and Yamiru would suddenly spar and talk about things that Tights couldn't quite grasp.
Soon, they arrived at a vast desert.
Buzz… A sound of engines grew closer, and dust was swirling in the air ahead.