Grandson of an Old Friend

"Splash!"

Sun Wuxiu hovered above the sea.

He had been flying for an entire afternoon.

The azure ocean stretched boundlessly before him. That "little dot" on the map was no more than a speck of dust in this vast expanse.

"The direction's right... It should be somewhere in these waters."

Sun Wuxiu looked around.

He had already flown back and forth several times. His stamina and ki were still fine, but the prolonged search had begun to wear on him.

He activated his telekinesis and slowly lifted himself a hundred meters into the air.

His field of view instantly broadened.

"Hmm?"

Just then, he caught sight of a tiny black dot to the southwest.

There seemed to be a very small island there.

"Whoosh!"

He no longer hesitated. Driven by telekinesis, his body shot forward just above the sea like a cannonball.

As he drew closer, a strange pink house came into view. The words "KAME HOUSE" were clearly visible on it.

"Finally... I found it."

Sun Wuxiu slowly landed on the beach.

By then, it was already dusk.

The setting sun painted the sea gold and crimson. An aged figure sat at the edge of the island, quietly watching the sunset.

It was a Sea Turtle wearing sunglasses, seemingly basking in the sun.

"Hello."

Sun Wuxiu stepped forward and gave him a polite bow.

Hearing him, the turtle slowly turned around and looked at the child, who was soaked from head to toe yet brimming with energy, in surprise.

"Oh? Hello, little friend. How did you get here? Where are your parents?"

"I'm here to find someone."

Sun Wuxiu got straight to the point.

"Excuse me, does Master Mutaito, Master Roshi, live here?"

The turtle froze, and his sunglasses slipped down to the tip of his nose.

"Y-you're looking for Master Mutaito? What do you want with him?"

"I wish to take him as my master and study martial arts."

Sun Wuxiu's tone was exceptionally resolute.

"Become his disciple?"

The turtle looked him up and down.

"Sigh, Master Mutaito... He probably isn't very available right now."

He pointed toward Kame House behind him.

Faintly, strange, lively music drifted out from inside the house, along with an old but excited voice shouting, "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"

Sun Wuxiu: "..."

Just as expected, exactly like the original story.

"That's all right. I can wait."

Sun Wuxiu said calmly.

"Sigh, you child... Fine, go on in yourself. He's in the living room."

The turtle shook his head helplessly, then turned back to continue watching the sunset.

Sun Wuxiu nodded, walked to the door, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.

"Excuse me."

"Huff-ha! Huff-ha!"

The first thing he saw was a bald old man.

He wore a pair of frog-like sunglasses, had a long white beard, a gaudy Hawaiian shirt, and an iconic purple turtle shell on his back.

At that moment, he was sprawled in front of the television, facing a beautiful woman in a high-cut swimsuit doing aerobics on the screen.

He was copying her leg-lifting motions, with two wads of tissue stuffed into his nostrils to stop a nosebleed.

This was the world's strongest martial arts master, Master Mutaito—Master Roshi.

"Hm? Oh?"

Master Roshi seemed to have only just noticed someone entering. Reluctantly, he tore his gaze away from the television and looked toward Sun Wuxiu at the door.

"Little friend, who are you looking for? Did you get lost? Would you like some tea?"

Sun Wuxiu's expression did not change in the slightest.

This lecherous, shabby old man before him was the target of his journey.

He walked straight up to Master Roshi and bowed deeply.

"Master Mutaito! This junior, Sun Wuxiu, sincerely begs you to accept me as your disciple and teach me martial arts!"

That caught Master Roshi completely off guard.

"Hey, hey, hey? Kid, get up!"

Master Roshi hurriedly tried to help him up.

"What master-disciple nonsense? I'm just a reclusive old man. I can't teach you any martial arts."

As he spoke, he put his sunglasses back on, his gaze already trying to drift back toward the television.

Then, as if he had only just registered something, he softly repeated the name.

"Sun Wuxiu?"

Master Roshi stopped in the middle of brushing him off.

He removed his sunglasses, and a sharp glint flashed through his seemingly cloudy eyes.

"That name... sounds awfully familiar."

He stroked his white beard and carefully studied the boy before him.

Black hair, lively eyes, and most importantly, a calm, steady bearing far beyond his years.

"You... don't look like a child from an ordinary family. How do you know me?"

Master Roshi asked.

"My grandfather, Son Gohan, told me about you."

At the name Sun Wuxiu spoke, Master Roshi's eyes lit up.

"!!!"

"Son—Gohan—!!"

Master Roshi sprang up from the floor, grabbed Sun Wuxiu by the shoulders, and looked visibly excited.

"You're Gohan's... grandson?!"

"Yes."

"Hahaha! So that's it! So that's it!"

Master Roshi burst into laughter and excitedly patted Sun Wuxiu on the back.

"I was wondering why 'Sun Wuxiu' sounded so familiar! You're that kid's grandson!"

After laughing, he looked at Sun Wuxiu with a trace of nostalgia.

"That kid Gohan... So many years had passed in the blink of an eye. He'd already become a grandfather. Is he... is he doing well?"

"Grandpa is in good health. He's currently living in seclusion on Mount Paozu with my younger brother, Goku."

Sun Wuxiu replied.

"Mount Paozu... Good, that's good."

Master Roshi nodded. The frivolity in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by a grandmaster's gentleness and gratification.

He examined Sun Wuxiu anew.

"Gohan's grandson came all the way from Mount Paozu just to take me as his master?"

"Yes."

Sun Wuxiu answered firmly once more.

"I want to learn true martial arts."

"True martial arts..."

Master Roshi murmured.

Looking into Sun Wuxiu's determined eyes, he seemed to see the disciple from many years ago who had been just as devoted to martial arts.

"Good! Just as expected of Gohan's grandson!"

Master Roshi laughed heartily.

"I'll take you on as my disciple!"

And so, from the age of nine onward, Sun Wuxiu remained at Kame House and began his arduous training.

In the early morning, before dawn had broken, Master Roshi would wake Sun Wuxiu.

He ran long distances along the beach with a turtle shell weighing dozens of kilograms on his back;

He swam long distances through waters frequented by sharks;

He evaded pursuing hornets to train his dodging ability;

And there was intense farming, milk deliveries, construction work...

This training regimen was exactly the same as the one Goku and Krillin had gone through in the original story.

"Martial arts aren't just about fighting and killing!"

Master Roshi drank tea as he shouted at the sweat-drenched Sun Wuxiu.

"You must learn how to move, and you must also learn how to be still! You must learn tension, and you must also learn relaxation!"

"The essence of the Turtle Hermit Style lies in balancing work and rest! Temper your body and spirit through ordinary life!"

Sun Wuxiu did not use the power of any Talismans.

He withdrew all Talisman powers that enhanced his body, including the [Ox Talisman] and [Rabbit Talisman], deep into his soul.

What he wanted was the most solid foundation possible.

The balancing power of the [Tiger Talisman] proved remarkably effective at this time.

No matter how arduous or tedious the training Master Roshi assigned, Sun Wuxiu could immediately enter a perfect state of tranquil focus. Neither arrogant nor impatient, he completed every task with meticulous care.

His performance left Master Roshi utterly astonished.

This child was simply a born martial artist!