One year later....
If there was one thing Master Roshi learned about me over the course of a year, it was this:
I didn't know how to stop.
At first, he liked it.
The first few months on the island were exactly what you'd expect. Milk runs. Field plowing. Construction work. Deliveries. Sparring until my arms felt like noodles and my legs shook so badly I could barely stand.
Classic Turtle School stuff.
Krillin complained. Constantly.
I didn't.
I trained like my life depened on it as i am in bloody dragon ball, and boy did i like it.
Every morning before sunrise, I was already moving. Push-ups in the sand until my palms bled. Running laps around the island until my lungs burned. Sparing with Krillin until my knuckles swelled and cracked.
When Krillin sat under the shade, to relax, I kept going.
When Roshi told us to rest, I slowed down a bit, but I didn't stop.
And that's when the smiles faded.
Roshi started watching me differently. Less amused. More… concerned.
"Kid," he said one afternoon as I struggled to my feet after collapsing mid-spar, "you'll break yourself if you keep this up."
"I'm fine," I lied, wiping blood from my lip.
Krillin stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "You've said that every day this past month."
I shrugged. "Hasn't killed me yet."
No one laughed.
That should've worried me more than it did.
By the sixth month, Roshi stopped suggesting rest.
He ordered it.
More than once, he physically blocked me from training, cane planted firmly in the sand.
"You sit," he said. "Now."
"But.."
"Now."
And that was the only time I acted like a kid and sat down on the sand annoyed.
Because when Master Roshi used that tone, that meant his serious, as he started explaining all my injuies.
My body was a wreck. Micro-fractures. Muscle tears. Joints aching constantly. I slept like a corpse and woke up sore enough to question my life choices.
And krillin sparing with me, but with alot more care, which i did not like, as it will slow down my growth.
"You fight like you're afraid of something," he said one night after knocking me flat.
I stared at the sky, chest heaving.
"I was a weak homeless kid, what do you think," I admitted.
He stopped asking.
And that's how it stayed.
By the end of the first year, something strange slowly happened.
I wasn't stronger than Krillin.
But I wasn't far behind.
My strikes landed more often. My footwork improved. I could keep up in sparring without collapsing immediately. When we fought seriously, the gap was visible, but alot smaller.
Roshi noticed.
He always did.
"Hmph," krillin grunted one morning as we finished training. "I'm still stronger."
"I know."
"But not by much."
That felt better than any compliment.
Krillin grinned. "You're still not beating me."
"Yet," I said.
He laughed. "sure buddy."
The next day everything went wrong started with Bulma.
Literally.
Her flying car landed hard in the sand, kicking up debris like it was offended by the island's existence. She stormed out, sunglasses crooked, hair wild, anger radiating off her like static.
"MEN ARE THE WORST!" she shouted.
Roshi peeked out the window. "Ah. It's one of those days."
Krillin whispered, "do we run?"
Too late.
Bulma launched into a full rant about Yamcha, cheating, excuses, "I just tripped and fell into another woman" energy.
I nodded sympathetically as i lie on the sand.
"Wow," I said. "That's rough, buddy"
She glared at me. "You're agreeing a little too easily."
"I've been punched in the face," I said. "I respect your anger."
That earned me a small smile.
Then the sky changed.
A familiar whoosh echoed overhead.
I looked up.
My heart sank.
"GOKU" Krillin yelled.
"oh no..," I said quietly.
Goku landed lightly on the sand, grinning like nothing was wrong.
"Hey guys!" he said cheerfully.
Then he turned, and stepped aside.
Revealing a small child clinging to his leg.
Krillin blinked.
"…are you babysitting?"
Goku scratched his head. "Nope! This is my son."
Silence.
"…your what?" Bulma said.
"My son," Goku repeated. "His name's Gohan."
My stomach dropped.
This was it.
After a few minutes of Goku and the rest were chating, i felt it, and i don't think i was the only one as everyone but bulma and gohan felt that.
The air changed.
I stepped back immediately.
No hesitation.
Krillin barely had no time to react before something slammed into him, knocking him clear off his feet.
A tail whipped past where his head had been.
Raditz.
Tall. Wild hair. Armor. Smug smile.
I didn't move.
I didn't charge.
I needed to stay out of the way or i could lose my life.
Because I knew better, and i had plans.
Raditz hit Goku next, hard, Very hard. A fist buried into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
Gohan screamed.
Raditz grabbed the kid and took off.
Just like that.
Gone.
Roshi stared at the sky, jaw tight.
I clenched my fists.
This wasn't my fight.
Piccolo arrived soon after, landing with his usual dramatic flair.
When he suggested teaming up with Goku, I felt the shift.
The start of canon.
Dragon ball z, i was so excited by scraied shitless.
Goku nodded.
They left.
Bulma looked shaken.
Krillin rubbed his head.
I let out a cold breath.
"Okay," I said. "We need Senzu Beans."
Bulma blinked. "What?"
"Korin Tower," krillin said. "we need to hurry."
But she argue.
"What about goku?"
"We are not strong enoght to help him, but we could help heal him if he gets hurt, but we need to hurry" Krillin said.
Half an hour later.
The fly up was still awful, even with tech.
When we arrived, the first thing I saw was Yajirobe.
The second thing I saw was him shoveling Senzu Beans into his mouth like popcorn.
Something in me snapped.
"HEY!"
Everyone jumped.
"STOP EATING THOSE LIKE THEY'RE BLOODY CANDY, YOU GOOD EXCUSE FOR A COMDOM!"
Yajirobe froze mid-chew.
"They're not candy," I continued. "Each bean takes a whole year to grow! You don't just.."
"I'm hungry!" he protested.
"I don't care," I snapped. "The next time you eat one without permission, I will personally make sure you're at death's door before you eat one!"
Dead silence.
Krillin grabbed my shoulder. "Whoa ben, calm down!"
I took a breath.
Then another.
Then I bowed, deeply, to Korin.
"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "I value these beans greatly. I hate seeing them wasted."
Korin studied me.
Then smiled.
"Why, thank you young man."
I nodded.
Because in this world, preparation was everything.
I be damed if i let a fat guy ruin it.
Ben power level: 198