If it feels wrong, just give up

The moon hung high in the sky, and the wind and waves had gradually died down. Lying on her side on the bed, Bulma stared with wide, sparkling eyes at Son Gohan, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation.

"You were way too mean this afternoon. To think you actually made Son Goku go up and fight a girl! If he develops the wrong mindset because of this and can't find a wife in the future, what are you going to do?"

She didn't know why, but even though Son Goku was technically the older brother of her boyfriend, Bulma always inadvertently treated him like a younger brother or a junior.

Yet, her nominal younger brother, Son Gohan, always seemed so mature. Not only between the two brothers, but even in her relationship with Gohan, it was usually he who guided things forward.

"I've realized you're becoming more and more charming, Gohan."

With little glimmers of starlight flashing in her eyes, Bulma murmured in a daze. She was increasingly grateful for that Dragon-seeking journey she had embarked on on a whim back then.

Perhaps even the heavens were guiding her in the dark, leading her toward the east, across the wilderness, to meet the person destined for her.

Son Gohan keenly sensed the shift in Bulma's thoughts. After a moment of reflection, he said calmly.

"While I cannot change Master Mutaito's way of thinking, my first priority must be to ensure your safety. To me, you are just as important as Son Goku! You are both the people closest to me!"

Although companionship is the most enduring form of confession, sometimes sweet words are clearly more intoxicating than silent company.

Bulma drifted into a deep sleep with a satisfied smile, continuing her date with her Gohan in her dreams.

Son Gohan, meanwhile, sat silently in meditation, striving to elevate his essence, energy, and spirit to a more perfect state before the official training began tomorrow...

Time slipped away like quicksand, and a hint of crimson glow gradually appeared on the horizon.

After Son Gohan keenly heard a "click," he silently rose and stepped outside.

He happened to run into the master and his two disciples, who had already gathered.

"Morning, Master Mutaito. Morning, everyone!"

He raised a hand in greeting, walked up to Son Goku and the others, and consciously turned to face Master Roshi.

Seeing the particularly spirited Son Gohan, Master Roshi nodded with satisfaction. No matter how he looked at this disciple, he was an unpolished gem—a fine talent for Martial Arts!

"Since everyone is here, we shall begin our training!"

His expression turned solemn, looking like a completely different person from his usual self.

"Before we officially begin, I must make something clear to you all: Martial Arts is not simply about fighting and brawling. The fundamental purpose of learning martial arts is to constantly break through your own limits."

"Your enemy is not someone else, but yourselves!"

"Do not become obsessed with the martial arts you currently possess, and do not overly pursue flashy moves and techniques."

"Lay a solid foundation. On the day the flower of Martial Arts blooms, you will encounter a different version of yourselves!"

"Yes!"

Everyone responded in unison, awaiting Master Roshi's instructions.

"As the saying goes, a snake cannot move without its head, and a sect cannot exist without rules!"

"From now on, Gohan, you will be the senior disciple among them. If I am not around, you will be responsible for leading their training."

"If anyone dares to act out of line, you don't need to ask for my opinion. Just train them hard!"

Without waiting for Son Gohan to respond, he continued speaking.

"Your foundations are completely different, so from now on, Gohan, you will carry this 40-kilogram turtle shell first. Goku, Yamcha, you will carry 20 kilograms!"

"We'll start with a warm-up, a five-kilometer jog to relax our bodies."

Son Gohan silently took the turtle shell, showing no objection.

"Then, let's go!"

"One, two, one, two, hop, hop!"

"One, two, one, two, hop, hop!"

Shouting a strange slogan, Master Roshi took the lead, heading towards the rising sun with his disciples. He wasn't teaching them any profound cultivation methods, but instead chose to start with the most basic strengthening of their physique.

Although this method seemed ordinary, and even a bit comical due to the turtle shells they were carrying, Only Son Gohan, who had just begun to sense Ki, could feel that as they breathed in rhythm with the strange cadence, a warm current began to surge within their bodies with every movement, constantly growing stronger!

"It seems the mystery of cultivation lies within!"

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he then immersed himself even more deeply into it.

After the five-kilometer warm-up, the group arrived at the first starting point on their training path: the Milk Station!

Seeing the line of turtle-people standing strangely behind them, the staff at the milk station were clearly startled.

"Hello, we're here to deliver milk, as previously arranged!"

Master Roshi tapped his cane, signaling the staff to snap out of their daze.

After enduring the strangeness and completing the exchange with Master Roshi, the "Turtle People" squad set off again.

However, this time, they each had a tray of milk in their hands.

"Next, we need to deliver this fresh milk to the island's residents one by one. Please be quick and steady, or you'll be docked pay!"

Master Roshi instructed calmly, leading the group away once more.

After passing through a patch of woods, he added another requirement, proactively increasing the difficulty. They were to switch from running to jumping, and they had to weave around the trees. This way, although the first three were carrying the weight of their turtle shells, their physical strength allowed them to persevere. However, Krillin, who was the last to start, began to show signs of strain.

As sweat dripped down, his breathing grew ragged, and, driven by a sudden impulse, he felt the urge to slack off.

"Jump! Keep jumping!" Krillin shouted, even as his body had already straightened out, heading straight for the main road.

Without waiting for Master Roshi to say a word, Son Gohan snatched the milk crates he was carrying with a flick of his hand and followed up with a swift kick.

"Bang!"

Caught off guard, Krillin was sent sprawling to the ground.

"If you're going to cut corners during training, I suggest you leave right now. If you cheat Martial Arts, Martial Arts will cheat you!"

"It's better not to train at all than to resent the world later when you inevitably fall behind everyone else."

After saying this, he hoisted the two crates of milk and walked off first.

Yamcha and Son Goku stared at him blankly, then glanced at the retreating figure of Son Gohan. Finally, they pursed their lips, not daring to speak up in Krillin's defense.

Son Gohan's authority was clearly not built in a day; neither of them dared to pull the tiger's whiskers at a time like this.

Krillin, lying face down on the ground, watched the three of them walk away, feeling lost for a moment as tears began to well up in his eyes.

"If you feel like you can't do it, just give up. No one will blame you," Master Roshi said from the side, looking calm and unbothered.

"Please give me one more chance! I can do it this time, I promise!"

After a long internal struggle, Krillin thought of his miserable past. He wiped his eyes and bowed deeply.

"In that case, hurry up and catch up!"

Tossing his own crates to Krillin, Master Roshi gestured for him to return to his spot and resume training.