(Yamcha P.O.V)
I woke up expecting another one of those torturous training days the master always planned for me and his grandson. That old man never seemed to tire… seriously, never. But today? Today he was there, snoring. Seeing the old man sleeping at that moment felt wrong, even strange. In all those months of training, I'd never seen him rest like this. Part of me even worried. Had age finally caught up with him?
But then I saw the note on top of the dresser.
My name was written in large letters at the top, so there was no way to ignore it. I picked up the paper, still half asleep, and read it.
Apparently, the master did something last night, probably some crazy thing of his, and he left clear instructions: [Repeat the punching the tree exercise.]
I sighed.
Of course... once again hitting the tree.
I looked out the window and saw the trees of the old forest swaying in the breeze… That same tree was there, firm and strong, as if mocking me.
"Good morning to me…" I murmured, already feeling my knuckles ache just thinking about it.
So I went out for another day of my training routine.
(Gohan P.O.V)
I was sore.
That was the first thing I noticed when I woke up.
I've never felt anything like this since I merged with the soul of another world... but here I am, with every muscle in my body protesting as if it had been run over by a meat grinder.
Luckily, the internal ki circulation technique helped alleviate the worst of the pain. Without it, I would probably have been immobile, my body frozen like a jammed door.
If this is the kind of pain I'm going to feel after every full moon... well, that wouldn't exactly be a problem.
Actually, thinking about it, it would be a great workout.
Fight my grandson turned into a giant monkey every full moon?
It would be dangerous, obviously. But after so much time training alone, I realized that the bodybuilding and methods I received with my wish, before the soul fusion, would only take me so far.
Without a constant increase in stimulus, I would not be able to develop more strength.
If I had a younger body, perhaps I could still achieve more through intensive physical training.
However… I'm old. And I can't apply all the training methods that would yield high results in a short period of time.
I have to stick with the safest ones, at least for now.
Still… lately I've been thinking, again, about using the Dragon Balls to regain my youth. The problem is that this would require finding Bulma, who is currently a child Bulma, and who doesn't even know about the existence of the balls or the radar. A stalemate.
Fortunately, this world has something that many forget: magic.
Uranai Baba, Babidi, Bibidi, Majin Buu… even Moro from Dragon Ball Super was a wizard, one who drained the life force of others to regain his youth and amplify his power. Not that I intend to follow that path… stealing energy from others has never suited me, and just the thought of it makes me nauseous.
But what if I could store energy over time? Build it up slowly, with patience and control… and then use that inner power, that reserve of ki, to rejuvenate my own body?
It would be like Tsunade's Yin Seal in Naruto, a seal that gradually stores the user's chakra over time, and, when released, activates the Hundred Forces Seal, giving access to this accumulated energy.
In theory, it would work perfectly. It would be enough to develop something similar, a flow or seal made of pure ki, directed towards cellular regeneration or body reconstruction, using magic as a means to channel and shape the energy.
It wasn't something I could create very quickly, but... the idea excited me.
Maybe that was the solution.
And maybe... that was exactly what I needed to take the next step.
I put those thoughts aside for now. I looked out the window and saw Yamcha firmly punching the tree.
As I sipped the freshly brewed tea, I watched the boy's progress. I had left him a note before collapsing on the bed from sheer exhaustion.
His jabs had improved since the last explanation, especially after I'd detailed how to move his hips. Maybe I'd give him a break soon... but that's about it.
After finishing my tea, I went to Goku, who was sleeping soundly.
His body still had some minor cuts and burns, but everything was already healing. His regeneration was slow, but still incredible, even without the use of senzu or technology.
I gently woke him up and sent him straight to the bathroom.
After breakfast, I would explain what had happened the night before, and most importantly, I would begin to outline the plan for the training that would allow my grandson to master the Oozaru transformation.
(Narrator in 3rd Person P.O.V)
The first thing the young Saiyan did after leaving the bathroom was obviously to demand what was due to him, food, his eyes shone with intensity as he sniffed the aroma coming from the cabin's makeshift kitchen, and his stomach growled in sync, as if screaming at him.
"Grandpa! Where's the food?!" He exclaimed with the urgency of someone who hadn't eaten in days.
His disheveled hair still damp and his tail swishing impatiently behind him, he marched to the table with the fierce expression of a warrior about to enter combat, but this time, the battle was against hunger. He sniffed the air like a wild animal, then fixed his gaze on old Gohan with the conviction that nothing else in the universe mattered beyond the feast that should be waiting for him.
"I'm already dying here!" he said dramatically, crossing his arms and puffing out his cheeks, as if a few seconds' delay were a grave offense to his dignity as a starving Saiyan.
Gohan, on the other side, just chuckled softly, accustomed to the scene. He knew that, for little Son Goku, the world still revolved around food, fighting, and perhaps adventure, but mostly it was about food...
"Hold on a little longer, I'm finishing preparing the miso soup and rice. In the meantime, why don't you go get Yamcha outside?" Gohan said, slowly stirring the steaming soup with a wooden ladle. The aroma of miso filled the air, soft and comforting, but for Goku, it was almost torture, his stomach protesting loud and clear.
Young Goku reluctantly agreed, if the food wasn't ready yet, then there was nothing he could do.
Sliding to the door with shuffling steps, Goku pushed it open and was greeted by the fresh morning air. Golden sunlight gently bathed the surrounding forest, and dew still glistened on the leaves. His eyes quickly found Yamcha, not far from the cabin, practicing alone near a sturdy, thick tree.
Yamcha was sweating profusely. His face was focused, his arm muscles tense, and his fist slammed rhythmically against his torso, producing a dull thud with each impact. His hands were already bruised, with small cuts that bled slightly, but the young warrior seemed unwilling to stop. Each blow was charged with intent and force; he was determined to improve, to become stronger, not just out of pride, but out of respect for the training he'd been receiving from Gohan.
Goku, still standing in the doorway, watched silently. His keen eyes, a natural fighter, instinctively analyzed Yamcha's movements. Despite his admirable effort, the mistakes were obvious to someone like him: his stance was unstable at times, his heels lifted too high, and his punches, though powerful, sometimes landed too wide, wasting energy and speed.
Before he could open his mouth to comment or correct him, Yamcha paused for a moment, noticing the boy's presence. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm and turned to him with a slight smile.
"Hmm... Goku, you woke up late today, huh? Master's awake too?" Yamcha asked with a slight smile.
Goku scratched his head in embarrassment, but soon recovered with a big smile.
"Yes, he asked me to invite you for breakfast…" said Goku.
"Okay, I'll be there in a bit, I'll just finish up here, and I'll meet you guys inside!" said Yamcha.
Seeing Yamcha determined to finish his training, Goku decided to watch his friend exercise. For a few moments, he just stood there, arms crossed and tail swaying from side to side. His eyes followed every movement intently—the posture, the punches, the breathing. And then, there they were again, the same mistakes as before.
Yamcha advanced against the body with determination, but he left his base vulnerable, spacing his legs too far apart, and lifting his heels excessively. His arms arced wide, losing precision and strength. With each sequence, Goku saw the same flaw repeat itself, as if Yamcha's body were stuck in a cycle of poorly constructed habits, which was strange, which was strange, since they had only recently begun learning the jab.
The little Saiyan frowned, uncomfortable. He admired his friend's effort, but something inside him—perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps it was his pride as a martial artist—couldn't keep quiet. Watching someone train like that, repeating the same mistakes without realizing it, was torture.
He stepped forward, ready to interrupt Yamcha's training and show him what was wrong. Even though he was younger, Goku felt he couldn't ignore it. If he could help, then he would.
"Yamcha, you're doing it wrong!" Goku said.
The young Saiyan moved towards his grandfather's student.
"Hmm? What?" Yamcha replied, turning around with his eyebrows raised in confusion. Sweat was running down his temples, and his breathing was a little rapid.
He stopped what he was doing and stared at Goku, unsure of what to say. It wasn't arrogance; he knew Goku wasn't malicious enough to act that way. The only explanation he could think of was that his mistake deeply bothered him.
"Really? I messed up again?" Yamcha asked.
"Yes!" Goku replied directly.
"You're doing things like WAAAA and GYAAAA, when the right thing is 'HAA'," Goku said as he demonstrated his jabs, first emulating Yamcha's punches and then showing how it was done correctly.
Although the explanation sounded more worthy of a children's cartoon than a martial arts manual, Yamcha managed to capture the point. Goku wasn't exactly a master of words… but he was an excellent practical example.
"Okay, okay," Yamcha laughed, shaking his head. "Show me again!"
Goku smiled broadly, excited by the request. His tail twitched enthusiastically as he re-entered the stance and demonstrated, step by step, the correct sequence. Despite being younger, his combat awareness was sharp, and Yamcha knew it. Even if the explanation was... peculiar, the correction was valid.
Slowly, Yamcha was adjusting his punches again, with Goku always warning him when he returned to his mistakes, without the two young men knowing, Gohan was watching, he was happy to see his student get along with his grandson, this would be a fruitful friendship for both of them, Goku needed contact with people close to his age, perhaps he would take the two to a nearby village to have more social contact.
Gohan decided to invite the two of them over for breakfast, but first, he tended to Yamcha's hand injuries. His wrists were red and bleeding from the torn skin, the result of the blows to the trunk. Patiently and carefully, Gohan cleaned the wounds with a damp cloth and then applied some healing ointment before bandaging them securely.
Yamcha watched in silence, somewhat embarrassed, but also grateful for his master's attention. Goku, meanwhile, sat waiting at the entrance to the hut, swinging his legs and sniffing the scent of food in the air, clearly impatient. When everything was ready, the three sat together around the simple wooden table. The atmosphere was peaceful, with the morning breeze wafting through the window and the aroma of miso soup, fried fish, and a bowl of rice—a typical and traditional Japanese breakfast.
It was a calm moment that passed quickly, or at least it was meant to be.
"I want more rice!" Goku said.
This was the fifth time the boy asked for seconds, Yamcha continued eating, already accustomed to the young Saiyan's endless stomach, Gohan let out a sigh and looked at the pot where he had prepared the rice, he filled his grandson's bowl once more and went back to eating his own meal, the situation repeated itself again three or four more times until the rice in the pot was gone.
With breakfast finished, Yamcha broke the silence that had fallen.
"So... master, what did you do to sleep in late? And why does Goku have some light cuts?" Yamcha asked, frowning curiously.
Gohan glanced slightly at Yamcha before answering, this wasn't a complicated subject to explain, but it was a very strange one to talk about with a child.
"Yesterday was the night of the full moon and I thought it would be a good time to start special training with Goku who has a certain condition due to his… unique nature…" Gohan said briefly.
"Unique nature?" asked Yamcha.
"Yes, he looks like a werewolf, only he doesn't turn into a werewolf on a full moon, but rather a super giant ape with violent tendencies…" Gohan said.
"Giant monkey?"
"Violent?" Yamcha and Goku said at the same time.
They both looked at each other. They had both raised doubts at the same time, but for completely different reasons. Yamcha struggled to imagine one of those friendly monkeys from Mount Paozu, only much larger. Even stranger was the thought of them acting violently. For Goku, on the other hand, the problem didn't seem to be the transformation itself, but the idea of becoming violent in that form.
"I don't get violent!" Goku protested indignantly.
"Do you remember anything from when you were transformed?" Gohan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmmmm… no…" Goku muttered, looking away.
"We fought until dawn. Do you remember that?" Gohan insisted.
"No…", the boy replied, in a lower tone.
Yamcha watched everything with a mixture of amazement and fascination.
"Master… did you fight a giant ape until dawn?" he asked, his eyes shining.
Gohan let out a sigh and brought the teacup to his lips.
"I think we're focusing on completely different things here…" Gohan muttered, after taking a sip of his tea.
"Okay... but how can Goku turn into a giant ape? If he bites me, I might turn into one too?" Yamcha asked, with a nervous smile.
"It's because I'm a Saiyan," Goku replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What's a Saiyan?" Yamcha asked, confused.
"A Saiyan is... hmmm... I'm a Saiyan!" Goku said. He gave up trying to find an explanation and just stated the obvious, without explaining anything.
Yamcha was no longer understanding anything in this brief conversation.
"You won't gain any transformation abilities if Goku bites you, and Goku is an alien, Saiyan is just the name of his species." Gohan said calmly.
Yamcha looked at old Gohan. He'd been confused before, and now he was even more so. At least he was relieved that the young Saiyan's bite wouldn't turn him into something resembling a werewolf.
'Good thing he bit me once while I was sleeping, I'm safe!' Yamcha thought, celebrating internally.
"Do aliens exist?" he asked, frowning. His voice was quieter than he expected, as if he were trying to convince himself he hadn't just heard that.
Gohan nodded calmly, as if he was saying the sky is blue.
"Yes. And Goku is one of them," he replied naturally, as if talking about the weather.
Yamcha blinked a few times, trying to process.
"So... Goku is an ape alien who turns into a giant ape when the moon is full?" he asked slowly, as if he were putting together a puzzle without instructions.
Goku looked at his friend indignantly.
"That's right, that sums it up nicely…" Gohan said.
"I'm not a monkey!" Goku retorted, crossing his arms, already irritated by the situation.
"Okay... I see," Yamcha said. "Besides the transformation, what's different about a Saiyan compared to us?"
"Saiyans are a race of warriors. They evolved to be natural fighters, meaning fighting comes naturally to them. If they have the right environment and guidance, they grow stronger at an impressive rate," Gohan explained, pausing for a moment to sip his tea.
"Furthermore, they have a monkey's tail, which is precisely why they can transform into giant apes. Other than that, they're practically identical to us humans," the old man added calmly.
Yamcha was silent for a few seconds after hearing what Gohan had just said. He stared at Goku. He'd felt a pang of envy for some time now, due to the boy's rapid growth. It wasn't that he disliked him; on the contrary, he even enjoyed his company. But now he realized that perhaps he should never have compared himself to him in the first place.
An alien from a warrior race, made to fight... it was obvious that their evolution would follow different paths.
"Does that get you down?" Gohan asked, worried that his student would fall into some self-loathing spree.
He let out a light laugh and shook his head at his master's question, as if coming to a silent conclusion.
"You know what? There's no point in trying to compare me to someone of a completely different species. Of course, he'll have natural advantages. It'd be like comparing a rock to a piece of fruit and trying to decide which grows faster," Yamcha said.
"Rocks grow?" Goku lifted his head, confused by the analogy.
"Yeah, it doesn't matter," Yamcha said, ignoring Goku's question, shrugging. "Different starting points. I just have to focus on improving what I can, with what I have. If I keep measuring myself against Goku, I'll end up stuck in a game I can never win. I might as well compare myself to other humans later to see how I measure up."
He gave a slight smile and stared at the Saiyan.
"But that doesn't mean I won't try to reach you, huh."
Goku grinned widely. He didn't quite understand what Yamcha meant by "comparing himself to him," but having someone to compete with was always fun.
Gohan was relieved.
Knowing that his student wouldn't give up in the face of a difficult reality, but would use it as fuel to continue growing, that was what made him most proud. He would make sure to do his best to train him even more intensely than before to capitalize on this newfound motivation.
"Since that's the case, we might as well increase the intensity of your training, right?" Gohan said with a big smile.
That smile was like the smile of the devil himself from Yamcha's perspective.
'SHIT! I'm screwed now…' he thought, feeling cold sweat run down the back of his neck.
"But before that, I must discuss Goku's transformation training," Gohan added, momentarily shifting focus.
Yamcha breathed a sigh of relief. For a brief moment, he thought his master would completely forget about his training in the middle of his conversation with Goku, and if there was any chance of escape, he needed to act quickly.
In a quick, desperate movement, he suddenly stood up and ran towards the door.
"I REALIZED WE'RE OUT OF FISH! I'M GOING FISHING!!!" he yelled as he disappeared down the trail in a blur.
"I'M GOING FISHING TOO!" shouted Goku excitedly, jumping out of his chair.
But before he could take the first step to follow Yamcha's example, Gohan calmly reached out and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"You're not going anywhere," the old man said firmly. "We have something to talk about now."
Goku wilted instantly.
"But Grandpa…" Goku whined.
"None of that, we need to talk about how to start improving your control over the Oozaru transformation!" Gohan said seriously.
"Okay…" Goku muttered.
With his grandson now paying attention, Gohan began to explain how his training to master his giant ape transformation would work, and for that he had the perfect method.
"You will meditate!" Gohan said.
Goku made a disgusted face when he heard this.
"But I can't do it right…" Goku complained.
"Not doing it right and not being able to do it are different things, you keep thinking of meditation as standing still like a statue without thinking about anything." Gohan said.
"It's not the absence of thought that makes meditation work, but rather the self-reflection it provides at that moment of silence. It's also the moment you begin to better understand how you work, and this also helps improve your control over your own ki." Gohan continued.
"Ki?" Goku said confused. "What is ki?"
Gohan scratched the back of his neck after hearing his grandson's question.
"Ki is the life energy that all living beings possess!" Gohan explained.
"Do I have this?" Goku asked.
Gohan laughed at that.
"Of course you do, you even used your ki once before!" Gohan said with a smile.
"Seriously? When?" Goku asked, confused this time.
"When you did that Kamehameha a year ago!" Gohan explained. "You need ki to do the Kamehameha!"
"If you meditate you can improve your control over ki and also learn to sense the ki of others, your Kamehameha also becomes stronger with better control, even flying becomes easier!" Gohan continued "Meditation is an exercise for the spirit and mind, with a strong mind I'm sure you will be able to maintain control of your transformation!"
Goku seemed to buy the idea after hearing his grandfather's explanation.
"Alright, let's get started, Grandpa!" Goku said excitedly.
With a laugh, the grandson and grandfather left the house, ready for another day of training. To Yamcha's dismay, Gohan hadn't forgotten his promise to increase the intensity of his workouts for a second. If the routine was already grueling before, what would follow from that day on bordered on the absurd. The training sessions became longer, more demanding, and for Yamcha, it was something he thought old Gohan had done on purpose to torture him. The difference was that, while Goku faced everything with the enthusiasm of someone who found it all amusing, Yamcha felt every muscle in his body begging for help.
So time passed. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months inevitably turned into years. The world continued its silent, indifferent course, while training and life flourished in a secluded corner of the planet.
Now, under the clear sky of a random morning, a dense forest on the outskirts of Mount Paozu served as the stage for the continuation of this journey. The tall trees formed a natural canopy of shadows and filtered light, and the constant sound of streams running between smooth stones, added a touch of serenity to this almost sacred place. The wind blew gently through the canopy, carrying the fresh scent of damp earth and newly fallen leaves.
And it was in this setting of peace and natural beauty that the tension manifested itself in the opposite way, two young men moved with impressive speed between the thick trunks, their bodies sliding and jumping like living shadows.
The sound of impacts echoed through the trees. Two silhouettes collided, arms blocking punches and kicks flying through the air with restrained violence. These were Goku and Yamcha, exchanging blows with a synchronicity that revealed years of coexistence and joint training. Their eyes were fixed on each other, and each movement was simultaneously an attack and a reading of the opponent's next move.
"Today the victory will be mine, Goku!" Yamcha said with a confident smile, his eyes shining with excitement.
"We'll see!" Goku replied with the same intensity.
In an instant, Goku propelled himself forward with impressive force. His body sliced through the air like a projectile, hurtling toward Yamcha with speed and precision. Mid-leap, he spun on his axis, building up kinetic energy, and then unleashed a powerful spinning kick.
Yamcha reacted instinctively. His body ducked in a quick, fluid motion, narrowly avoiding the path of the blow. The air whistled above his head, and he felt the displacement of force pass close to his ear.
But Goku wasted no time.
The moment he touched the ground, he flexed his legs and launched a swift sweep, trying to catch Yamcha by surprise. The young man jumped to avoid the attack, his feet swiftly leaving the ground, but...
'An opening' Goku thought.
Taking advantage of Yamcha's vulnerability in the air, where his movements were limited, Goku concentrated a small sphere of ki in the palm of his hand and launched it quickly.
The shot caught the young human by surprise. Yamcha crossed his arms, covering his face. The ki sphere hit him hard, and a small explosion occurred, throwing him backward. The blow wasn't strong enough to hurt him, but the impact sent him falling to the ground with a muffled thud.
Goku landed just ahead and, with a mischievous smile, crossed his arms.
"Hehehe" Goku laughed, "I won this time!"
Yamcha quickly stood up, lightly patting his clothes to remove the dust and dirt, he soon looked at Goku displeased.
"Master said not to use ki in this training!" Yamcha said, but soon broke into a smile. "That means I win, since you broke the rules this time!"
Goku froze for a moment. His smile faded slowly, as if he were processing the words. Then, realizing Yamcha's point, he frowned slightly.
"H-hey… this isn't fair!" Goku said in a desperate attempt to assert his victory.
But it was too late. Yamcha was already laughing out loud, doubled over with laughter, while Goku crossed his arms in a sulk. He tried to look serious, but he was having just as much fun as Yamcha. After a few more seconds of laughter, Yamcha finally straightened up, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, and let out a long, satisfied sigh.
"He-he, right… we better get back before the master thinks something happened to us," he said, still with a smile on his face.
Goku rolled his eyes, but ended up chuckling too, running right behind him as Yamcha made his way back home, where old Gohan was probably already waiting for them with the kettle ready and a watchful eye.
The walk back was leisurely. The surrounding forest seemed even more vibrant in the soft afternoon light, with the golden rays of the sun piercing the treetops and creating patterns of light and shadow on the ground. The two young men walked side by side, chatting animatedly, laughing, and reminiscing about the most intense and creative moments of the duel they had fought moments before.
"That trip almost caught me, huh!" Yamcha said, gesturing enthusiastically. "If I hadn't jumped in time, I would have really missed it."
"But you jumped perfectly!" Goku replied, smiling. "I just wasn't expecting that ki sphere, was I?"
"Well, you ended up breaking the rules, you little cheater!" Yamcha retorted in a friendly manner, giving his friend a light shove on the shoulder, still smiling.
The laughter continued until, as they emerged from the trail and spotted the clearing where the simple wooden house stood, the atmosphere softened. Gohan stood in front of the house, legs crossed in midair, levitating a few feet off the ground. His still body and serene expression made it clear he was deep in meditation, his breathing calm and his ki flowing gently around him like an invisible breeze.
However, as soon as Goku and Yamcha's footsteps touched the clearing, Gohan opened his eyes naturally, as if already knowing they were approaching. His calm gaze turned directly to the two, and a faint smile appeared on his face, silent but welcoming.
"Goku used ki?" Gohan asked with a knowing smile.
This made Goku stumble slightly as he walked.
"How did you know?" Goku asked.
"I felt it, isn't it obvious?" Gohan replied laughing.
Yamcha gave a short laugh, scratching the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile.
"Sometimes I forget that you are a master at sensing people's ki…" Yamcha said.
Gohan calmly unfolded his crossed legs and set his feet down on the soft ground of the clearing. Six years had passed, but he would still surprise anyone who saw him, his skin was firmer, and his height had increased, now standing at 1.65 meters, a notable change from his previous 1.50. This gave him the appearance of a healthy sixty-year-old man, far from the image of an elder nearing a hundred. This renewed vigor was the result of the continuous use of the internal ki circulation technique, which had restored some of his collagen and repaired long-standing damage to his cartilage. Although the regenerative effects had already reached their limit, the progress achieved was more than enough.
Gohan was stronger than ever, and his training was more demanding every day.
"Regardless of who wins today's practice, I want you all to pack your bags. We're going away for a while," he announced firmly.
Goku and Yamcha nodded in unison and, without wasting time, ran inside the house to pack their belongings. Gohan remained outside, watching them enter through the open wooden door, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly in the room.
"They've improved so much…" he murmured, as if speaking to himself. "In six years, they've absorbed everything I could teach them so far."
A peaceful smile formed on his face. He knew, however, that he couldn't keep them confined to that clearing forever. The outside world offered lessons that no ki training or science class could provide. Especially for Yamcha, whose learning curve was already beginning to show signs of slowing down. The journey would, above all, be a way to awaken new perspectives in them; the young man needed to experience different cultures, face unexpected challenges, and expand his understanding of friendship, loyalty, and courage.
As he reflected, Gohan recalled the academic lessons he had so painstakingly instilled. Math to sharpen his logical reasoning, science to understand the workings of the universe, sociology to see beyond his own group, and literacy to give voice to his ideas. Convincing Goku to sit down with books had been a true test of patience: the boy might be a genius in martial arts, but solving algebra problems… Goku was hopeless in that field, but gradually, he proved as dedicated as he was in his physical training. The threat of skipping dinner always worked, and today, at least, he could no longer be labeled ignorant.
Gohan sighed proudly. He had hammered common sense firmly into that restless mind, and now he saw the fruits of his efforts in each confident step his students took. He walked to the edge of the clearing, picked up a dead branch that had fallen beside a rock, and, before entering, took one last look at the surrounding forest.
'Adventure awaits us,' he thought, turning to head back to the house and pack his own things.