Reborn as Krillin

"My head hurts!" Kolin slowly opened his eyes and looked around at this unfamiliar place.

The cries of seagulls came from outside the window, along with the sound of waves crashing against the rocks.

"Where am I?" Kolin's head felt muddled.

Kolin slowly sat up, his body aching.

"Wait, why are my arms so short?" Kolin hurriedly jumped out of bed and saw his shrunken limbs.

Why was my eye level so low? It felt like the whole world had become bigger. Kolin hurried to the mirror.

"Damn, who's this bald little runt? Ah! Ah! My head hurts." Kolin felt as if ten thousand fine needles were stabbing into his mind. The pain sent him sprawling to the floor.

Thoughts flooded into his mind like a tide. Images flashed continuously: being bullied endlessly after joining Dolin Temple as a child, running away from Dolin Temple in tears, wandering in search of the God of Martial Arts, becoming Master Roshi's disciple, eating with Goku, playing with him, training with him and growing stronger, winning the World Martial Arts Tournament, being killed by King Piccolo's subordinate Tambourine, Goku avenging him... Fragment after fragment surged forth, finally connecting into a single line.

Kolin wiped the sweat from his forehead and slowly stood up.

"I, Kolin, actually came to the Dragon Ball World. My name is Kolin, yet I became Krillin. When I was little, I was a Dragon Ball fan too. I dreamed of becoming a Saiyan and blowing up planets whenever I felt like it, but now I've become that little bald egghead Krillin." Kolin felt rather depressed.

Looking at his body, he wanted to cry but had no tears. He definitely wasn't even 155 centimeters tall.

"Sigh, no wonder No. 18 always calls me a little runt. This sucks... Still, Lázuli is absolutely goddess-tier, and she seems to have unlimited energy too. Thinking about it now, this actually isn't bad. A goddess-tier wife, hehe..."

Krillin slowly walked out of the house.

"Oh my god, it really is an island. I've never seen an island in this life—ptui, I mean my previous life..."

Not far away was a reclining chair, with an old man sleeping in it. An adult magazine covered his face.

"That must be Master Mutian," Krillin thought to himself.

Krillin felt grateful toward Master Mutian. Rather than gratitude, though, it felt more like the bond between a son and father. Yes, that was it—a son and father. Later on, only Krillin remained by Master Roshi's side. Accompanying him was just another way of saying he would care for him in his old age and see him through to the end. You treated me as a son, and I treated you as a father, but those feelings could only be buried deep in his heart.

The sun had already reached its peak. Krillin said, "Master Mutian, you can't sunbathe like this. The sun is so strong, it's scorching."

Krillin thought, If I get this tan, how will Lázuli ever like me? I have to take good care of myself from now on.

"Master Mutian, let me move you somewhere else." Krillin gently moved Master Mutian beneath a coconut tree.

In truth, Master Mutian had awakened the moment Krillin approached. Hearing Krillin mutter to himself and move him into the shade, he thought, I didn't spoil this kid for nothing. He's so filial!

The sea breeze came in waves, and the air was so fresh. He had never seen the sea in his previous life, and now, faced with the vast blue ocean, all kinds of praises crowded at his lips. "Ah! Ocean, you have so much water."

Krillin ran toward the beach. The golden sand, the crashing waves, the cries of seagulls, and someone's frantic dog paddle formed an exceptionally beautiful scene.

Krillin dived beneath the sea. With a Battle Power of 100, he could at least hold out for half an hour. The seabed was so beautiful, filled with colorful coral and schools of fish.

Suddenly, several red shadows darted past his eyes.

"Such big shrimp. They must be delicious. I'll catch a few and make spicy shrimp for Master Mutian." Krillin slowly swam toward them, but the shrimp shot away too quickly. Whenever he got close, they would flash away. Krillin gradually lost his patience.

"You forced me to do this. Haa... Ka... me... ha... me..."

Pfft. A tiny jet of water. What was going on? I have at least 100 Battle Power now, yet I can't even fire a Kamehameha. Let's try again.

"Haa... Kamehameha, pfft... I must have gotten something wrong. There has to be some technique to it." Then he suddenly recalled what Master Mutian had said when teaching martial arts: to release Ki, one first had to bring one's essence, energy, and body into perfect coordination.

"Perfect coordination, perfect coordination!" Krillin's face lit up.

"Haha, I get it! I get it!"

Krillin once again assumed the Kamehameha stance, pressing his hands together and turning them ninety degrees. Haa... haa... Ka... me... ha... me...

Pfft, pfft... Wrong again. One more time. Failure 99+... Krillin closed his eyes, feeling every movement in his body and every trace of Ki as he gathered all his strength into his hands.

Now! Krillin suddenly opened his eyes. Light burst from his hands, and he fired a Kamehameha at the seawater behind him, using the recoil to move at high speed.

"Got you, you little brats! Run now! Try messing with me again, hahaha..." Krillin could not help laughing.

Using the same method, he caught five. That was enough to eat.

Home, home. Krillin then slowly rose into the air. He had already learned the Flight Technique, and he flew toward Kame Island, though very slowly.

"Master Mutian, Master Mutian! Look what I caught!" Krillin shouted.

Master Mutian removed the adult magazine and slowly got up. "Oh, Krillin!"

Krillin ran over and tossed the shrimp in front of Master Mutian.

Master Mutian said in surprise, "Big Red Shrimp? They're everywhere in the sea. Their shells are hard and they hardly have any meat. Catching them was a waste of effort."

Krillin laughed. "Even you have things you don't recognize, Master Mutian. Today, I'll make you a feast. Just wait and see."

Krillin immediately carried the shrimp into the kitchen. Just as he was about to get to work, he discovered there was no garlic. No garlic, no garlic, no garlic... Krillin hurried to the main hall and asked Master Mutian, "Do we have that thing? You know, a big bulb that separates into little cloves when peeled, and tastes spicy?"

Master Mutian said, "I think I've seen it before. Let me think. I remember seeing it while training in the mountains fifty years ago. I picked a small bag, ate some, and since it tasted bad, I casually planted the rest on a small island fifty li southwest of Kame Island."

Upon hearing that, Krillin immediately used the Flight Technique and shouted, "Master, I'll be right back."

Krillin searched southwestward. He found nothing after passing five small islands. Dusk was already approaching, and the vast sea was dotted with countless islands.

"Damn, this is way too hard!"

Krillin landed on an island about the size of three soccer fields and searched carefully. Then his face brightened. There it was—the familiar garlic. His search through over a hundred islands had not been in vain. There was a dense patch of it before him, so he would not be short on it in the future.

By the time he returned to Kame Island, the moon was already hanging in the sky.

"Master Mutian, I'll make dinner right away," Krillin said eagerly.

"How about we eat out today? I actually have a little money left," Master Mutian said with a skeptical expression.

"Master, trust me." Krillin hurried into the kitchen, heated the wok, added oil, and fried the garlic until fragrant... (use your imagination for the rest)

"Master Mutian, dinner's ready!" Krillin found Master Mutian half-reclining on the couch, staring at the television with a lecherous look in his eyes and drool running from his mouth. Krillin walked over and shouted, "Master Mutian, time to eat!"

"Oh, Krillin. Don't block the screen. Come watch with me."

Krillin broke out in a cold sweat. "Just hold on a little longer, Lázuli still has to..."

"What is that? It smells so good." Master Mutian's eyes lit up.

Master Mutian walked to the table and saw a large basin of red shrimp.

"Master, give it a try!"

Master Mutian twisted off a leg and licked it. "Oh, oh!" His eyes shone as if he had seen a beautiful young woman, and he immediately began devouring the shrimp.

"Master, leave some for me!" He had worked all afternoon, and he was starving now.

After a long while, the two lay on the couch, looking extremely content.

"Oh, right, Krillin. Ox-King came by today. He said Goku and Chi-Chi will be getting married in a month and invited us over," Master Mutian said slowly.

"Oh? Goku is getting married?" Then this was Era 756. There were less than five years left until Raditz came to Earth, and after that would come the era of Dragon Ball Z. Time waits for no one, Krillin thought silently.

"Master Mutian, where's Launch?"

"Who knows? She might have gone robbing again."

"Oh, then I'm going to rest. Master, you should get to bed early too." Krillin walked toward his room.

"Krillin, do you still remember the essence of the Turtle School?" Master Mutian asked in a deep, powerful voice.

Krillin paused. "Of course I remember."

Krillin lay on his bed. He no longer felt as carefree as he had during the day, and there was much more to think about.

There were five years left until Earth entered its era of chaos. Earth was like a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark.

I'm only an ordinary Earthling. My Battle Power increases very slowly.

"Can I train as diligently as Krillin did? I'm not sure myself. I'm afraid it'll be difficult. How am I supposed to protect No. 18 in the future? How am I supposed to protect my daughter? Am I supposed to rely on Goku to protect my wife and daughter?"

Krillin clenched his fists. "I'm just an Earthling, just an Earthling. In the end, I'll never reach Goku's heights." Krillin let out a heavy sigh.

"Ding-dong. Has the host begun to lose heart?"

"Who? Who's speaking?"

"Hello, host. This system is the Strongest Earthling Cultivation Assistant."