Dragon Ball Roshi

Taro was at the bow of the boat, clenching his hands and gazing at the curved horizon of the sea. The salty sea breeze blew against his temples, the sound of the waves rising and falling in his ears, the cries of seagulls and birds surrounding his head, and the sound of birds flying in the distance. The faint groans of dolphins could be heard everywhere...

At that moment, Taro looked around at the endless blue ocean and felt that his mind and spirit were clear, and his thoughts were suddenly open.

In truth, whether in this land or in the ninja world of his previous life, he had never had the chance to see the sea with his own eyes...

At the same time, there was also a sense of respect. He knew the sea was not as calm and harmless as it appeared in this moment. Although with his current abilities, he could swim directly to the other side of the ocean with his bare hands, even without a boat, he, who was familiar with the original Dragon Ball, had a greater understanding of the power of nature.

After all, any counteraction is a paper tiger in the face of a great technique like the Genki Dama.

Take the Dragon of One Star in Dragon Ball GT, see how powerful and invincible he was, how arrogant he was, and yet he was ultimately exterminated by a Genki Dama.

One can see the power nature.

In fact, even in the early stages of Dragon Ball, any random passerby could explode planets. But in reality, the so-called planet explosions usually happen when warriors use their ki attacks to target the planet's core, causing it to implode from the inside out.

Strictly speaking, what destroys the planet in such a way is the planet itself.

That's the power of nature.

"Is this... what Master Mutaito called 'the principles of nature and the energy of heaven and earth?'"

As Taro delved into his thoughts, letting the scenery guide his imagination, Tsuru was at the stern, rowing with strength. Thanks to his physical strength, he easily spun the crossed oars, raising large white waves that looked like giant hands pushing the boat forward at an impressive speed.

From West City to the coast of the Indian Plains, their destination, how much sea lay between the two points?

Consulting the map, they estimated the straight-line distance to be approximately... 5,000 kilometers!

And so, with a small patched-up boat and a pair of worn wooden oars, the two began their journey across the ocean.

They took turns rowing. While one rowed, the other rested or dove to fish. Taro, with his skill in manipulating Ki, used simple techniques to cook the seafood they caught, turning it into impromptu meals. During the nights, when the water became extremely cold, both dove into the icy water and, on each side of the stern, pushed the boat with their hands while swimming. The movement not only propelled the boat but also helped maintain their body heat.

Over time, problems began to arise... First, the oars broke. Then, the boat, fragile and battered by the storms, completely disintegrated.

The sun shone intensely over the turbulent ocean. Only two large wooden planks remained floating among the waves.

Sitting on one of them was Tsuru, a young man with dark hair. He remained still, eyes closed, focused, with his hands positioned in front of his body. A faint white light appeared between his palms.

Tsuru was practicing the Kikoho.

After the difficult days of "training" at sea, he had finally unlocked the latent power within himself. The constant flow of inner energy broke barriers and led Tsuru to the mastery of Ki, elevating him to the level of a true martial arts master. However, the Kikoho technique was still beyond his reach.

Suddenly, a sound erupted from the waters. Taro surged upward with strength, breaking through the ocean's surface. Somehow, he had gained momentum underwater and leaped high into the air. In each of his hands, there was a fat fish freshly caught.

At the peak of his jump, Taro threw the fish upwards, momentarily blocking the sunlight and casting a faint shadow over Tsuru. Then, with an almost supernatural lightness, he landed on the other floating plank.

Despite his stature and weight, the impact was gentle. The plank floated lightly beneath his feet, not fully sinking into the water.

Sitting on the other plank, while still trying to decipher the secrets of the Kikoho, Tsuru opened his eyes and cast a thoughtful glance at Taro, who sat beside him, shirtless, his muscles glistening under the sun.

Above, the two fat fish Taro had thrown began to fall. Tsuru narrowed his eyes, curious.

It was then that Taro raised his hands. Suddenly, a pulsating electric sound—"zzzz!"—echoed, as bright sparks danced between his palms.

"Bankoku-Bukkiru-Shou!" he shouted.

Taro directed his hands upward, launching the attack at the falling fish. Two bolts of lightning shot from his palms, crossed in midair, and struck the fish with precision before they could reach him.

Zzzzzz...

The two fish hovered in the air, surrounded by a web of lightning. Soon, the unmistakable smell of grilled seafood began to spread.

Tsuru sniffed the air, and soon, one of the grilled fish was thrown toward him. With quick reflexes, he stretched out his hands and caught the roasted meat mid-flight. However, in the next moment, only a carcass floated past him and fell into the sea, now devoid of flesh and innards, as if it had been devoured by a swift shadow.

Holding a pile of meat in both hands, Tsuru began to devour the fish voraciously, alternating between big bites and occasional spits of bones. Within minutes, the fish, which seemed to weigh around ten kilos, had vanished into his stomach.

On the other side, Taro had already finished his meal. A large fish skeleton floated calmly in the water next to him.

"How does he do it? How can he sit on that plank without any care and not sinking?" Tsuru thought, frowning as he watched Taro sitting naturally, as if weightless. He looked down, realizing his own plank was nearly submerged, with the water reaching up to his crossed legs.

It was only thanks to his incredible balance that he could maintain stability in the water. But Taro, on the other hand, seemed to float as if he had no weight at all. Was there some secret to this technique? Tsuru didn't want to admit it, but he was curious, though his pride kept him from asking.

Both were shirtless and their skin had already bronzed to a deep hue. They floated in the ocean, resting under the sun and feeling the breeze for about fifteen minutes.

"Let's keep going. We're almost at the coast!" Taro suddenly said.

And so, once again, they dove in. In the vast ocean, the only way of travel was swimming. Soon, two columns of water appeared side by side, moving swiftly toward the horizon.

After five days and five nights of crossing, finally, with the rise of the huge sun on the horizon behind them, Taro and Tsuru reached the coast. They threw the wooden planks away and stepped barefoot onto the wet sand.

They were in tatters, dressed only in torn shorts, looking completely disheveled.

Ahead of them, a dense forest stretched as far as the eye could see. The dawn's darkness made the interior of the forest seem even more ominous. Roars of wild animals echoed in the distance, heightening the threatening atmosphere.

"That's the Korin Tower, right?" Tsuru asked, lifting his gaze to the white pillar rising above the forest.

"It must be. There's no other tower that tall in the whole world. It's definitely Korin's sanctuary." Taro answered with a smile. Without hesitation, he took the first steps, barefoot and disheveled, entering the forest like a true man of the wild.

As for the wild beasts in the forest? Well, it would be hard to say who the predator and who the prey would be.

Tsuru followed closely behind him.

Taro moved forward with incredible energy. After five days at sea, the mere feeling of solid ground beneath his feet made him want to run nonstop. And that's exactly what he did.

He sped through the forest, faster and faster. His body was like an arrow cutting through the dense vegetation, or a lightning bolt zigzagging between the trees. Obstacles appeared before him, but he overcame them with the ease of an agile predator: he ducked under a thick hanging vine and jumped with precision over an exposed root. At no point did his speed decrease. It was as if he were running on flat ground.

Tsuru, on the other hand, struggled to keep up. As he saw Taro's silhouette getting further and further away, he felt a mix of anger and frustration. "This bastard is doing this on purpose!" He thought, trying to pick up his pace, ignoring the small wounds he accumulated along the way.

He ran from dawn until almost midday. His legs were tired, his feet nearly blistered, and Taro was no longer in sight. Tsuru could only follow the immense Korin Tower, visible in the distance, pointing the way.

Finally, the dense forest began to clear. Tsuru saw the sunlight pierce through the trees and threw himself forward, crossing the final barrier of branches and leaves.

On the other side, he found a clearing. In the center of it stood the imposing Korin Tower.

"You made it, Tsuru!" Taro called, smiling from under a small makeshift camp at the base of the tower. He was wearing tribal-style pants, and his torso was painted with colorful oil designs. In front of him, a campfire with a makeshift grill emitted the smell of roasted meat. "Want some wild boar? It's delicious."

Tsuru, exhausted, stopped to catch his breath. He stood barefoot, his shorts in tatters, and his hair disheveled, looking at Taro, who was eating so enthusiastically that it seemed like he was ignoring his miserable condition.

Watching the scene, Tsuru clenched his fists.

"This guy... he really deserves a beating."