Once the ki left his body, it quickly dispersed, which is why he called the move "Buddha's Palm" since it barely packed any real punch. Still, despite its weakness, it had helped him defeat plenty of opponents.
Experts would probably laugh at how weak and ineffective the move was. Karin shook his head, clearly unimpressed by how badly Alaric handled his ki.
"Are you swatting mosquitoes or fighting?" Yajirobe teased.
"Alright, learning to control ki isn't that hard," Karin said, pointing his cane toward a fancy bottle sitting on a pillar in the hall. "Just drink this Ultra Divine Water."
"Thanks, Master Karin," Alaric said gratefully.
"Don't thank me just yet," Karin replied with a smirk. "Whether you get to drink it depends on your skill."
Then, with a flawless 720-degree spin in the air, Karin landed gracefully on the pillar and hung the bottle on his cane. "Come on, if you can snatch it, the Ultra Divine Water is yours."
Master Karin's training mainly focused on teaching Alaric how to sense and control his body. At this point, even if Alaric tried to use his ki, it wouldn't do him any good in grabbing the Ultra Divine Water, it was basically useless effort.
Although Alaric understood why Master Karin emphasized this training, he was still far from mastering it. Unlike the straightforward Son Goku, whose mind was clear and focused, Alaric struggled to concentrate because his thoughts were all over the place. Still, he threw himself into the training, losing track of time as he pushed harder each day.
By the time Alaric finally caught up with Master Karin's pace, Goku had already returned, fresh from defeating the Great Demon King Piccolo and saving Earth for the first time. Kid Goku was so adorable that Alaric couldn't resist pinching his cheeks a few times.
If not because he had read the manga, He would never expected a kid like Goku to be the one to rescue the entire planet from the Demon King's grip. Since Goku was headed to the Divine Realm, Kami's Lookout, he only gave Alaric a quick greeting before moving on, and Alaric didn't try to get closer. His strength was still too weak.
After a few days, Alaric's body became much more agile; he could finally keep up with Master Karin's movements. He realized that if he could just predict Master Karin's actions, he might finally get his hands on the Ultra Divine Water. But controlling ki was still a mystery to him.
Even so, Alaric felt confident that, with time, he'd master the art of sensing ki. Ki was incredible, it could be used for attacks, flying, and sensing others. Alaric practiced releasing ki from his body and then pulling it back, learning to control its amount and shape.
Since he wasn't from this world, he lacked the super-sensitive ki sense that people like Goku or Krillin had. So all he could do was treat ki as a natural part of his body, like his hands or feet, and get familiar with it through training.
Thanks to endless repetition and Master Karin's close guidance, Alaric made quick progress. At least now, when he used ki blasts, it didn't feel like a clumsy, crashing Buddha Palm anymore.
Finally, after a month of training and mental preparation, Alaric stood holding the ornate vessel of Ultra Divine Water.
Despite its reputation, the liquid inside looked like plain, clear water. But Alaric knew better, this was the real Ultra Divine Water (Chōshinsui), the same lethal substance Goku had once risked his life to drink.
Unlike the so-called Sacred Water used by Karin to test strength, this water drew out one's hidden power, if they could survive its intense, body-wracking effects. He hesitated only for a moment before start drinking it.
The first sensation was cold, unnaturally cold, as if liquid ice had flooded his chest. Then came the fire.
Alaric's entire body convulsed. Pain surged through his veins like electricity. He fell to his knees, gasping as his limbs twitched uncontrollably. His muscles locked up, his heartbeat spiked.
A burning pressure built inside his core, like his body was trying to explode from within. He screamed. It felt like every cell was being torn apart and reconstructed.
Sweat poured down his face. His vision blurred, flashing between light and darkness. For a moment, he felt like he was drowning in his own ki, the power turning hostile, threatening to burn him alive from the inside.
Then, suddenly, it passed. The pressure released all at once. His breathing slowed. His vision cleared. And in that instant, Alaric felt it.
A deep, roaring ki awakened within him, stronger, sharper, purer than ever before. His ki had expanded and refined.
With a confident smile, he struck the classic pose and shouted, "Kame, hame, ha!" Bright waves of ki energy exploded from his hands.
Watching the energy pulse, Alaric realized that at this level, his blast was about as powerful as Master Karin's full-strength attack. That meant his power level hovered around 130.
Compared to Goku and the others, though, he was still far behind. His physical limits kept him from tapping into an endless supply of ki like they could, so his strength had a ceiling.
To get stronger, Alaric knew he had to keep training his body. If he was going to fight properly, he'd also need to work on hand-to-hand combat or spar with experienced martial artists. With that in mind, he decided to seek out Master Roshi for martial arts training. But first, he wanted to learn how to fly.
Once he got the hang of controlling his ki, flying came much easier. After just two days, Alaric was soaring freely above the ground.
Still, he wasn't especially gifted, Videl, Satan's daughter, had mastered flying in three days after learning to control ki. Compared to the original martial artists of this world, Alaric was pretty much a weakling.
After nearly two months at Karin Tower, Alaric finally set off for Master Roshi's place. Before leaving, he asked the old master for a bag of Senzu Bean seeds and a large barrel full of Senzu Beans.
True to his character, Master Karin was generous, which made Alaric feel a bit embarrassed. He promised to bring some good food next time as thanks.
With less than three years until the next World Martial Arts Tournament, and with Goku training with Mr.Popo and Piccolo still not fully matured, Alaric knew he had to make the most of his time. He planned to compete in the upcoming Tenkaichi Budokai.
Back on Earth, Alaric was just an ordinary, law-abiding guy. But here, in the Dragon Ball world, he felt like he had a built-in, endless engine. In a place where martial arts built friendships, the dormant fighting spirit inside him was finally starting to wake up.
Finding Master Roshi's home wasn't easy, but Master Karin had given him clear directions, so there was no chance of getting lost. The small island featured a single coconut tree, a simple house, and a beach chair with an umbrella. Using his newfound ability to fly, Alaric sped across the ocean for hours until he finally arrived at Master Karin's place.