Jiang Yun's Wish

After that, with Dr. Brief's help, Jiang Yun successfully learned where Bulma was. He followed the directions and, thanks to his strength, found Goku and Bulma in less than a day.

But he didn't reveal himself. Instead, he secretly followed them, watching the young Goku. He was just as Jiang Yun remembered: the same crab-shaped haircut, the same Power Pole, and the same innocent look. Who would have thought that this little boy from a remote planet would eventually become the most powerful being in the universe?

When Goku returned a Sea Turtle to the ocean, Jiang Yun knew the Turtle Hermit was about to appear. If this had happened in the past, Jiang Yun might have been excited. After all, he was meeting the legendary Turtle Hermit, Goku's guide and, later on, a hugely influential figure!

But Jiang Yun's heart had grown so steady that few things could stir it deeply anymore. Before long, the Sea Turtle brought the Turtle Hermit over, saying he wanted to repay Goku and the others for saving his life.

After a series of comical mishaps, the Turtle Hermit finally brought out Goku's early flying vehicle: the Flying Nimbus.

It reminded Jiang Yun of his time living at Korin Tower and of Korin's teachings.

"Achoo! Achoo!"

Far away at Korin Tower, Korin sneezed twice. He stopped what he was doing and scratched his head. Who's talking about me? Could it be that kid Jiang Yun? I wonder how he's doing. He should still be training hard. Thinking of how Jiang Yun used to train, Korin couldn't help but marvel at what a training maniac he was.

Then Korin looked at the fish in his hand and started eating again, his face full of contentment.

Jiang Yun had no idea Korin had reacted so strongly. Looking at the Flying Nimbus the Turtle Hermit had summoned, he recalled how Korin had once offered him one. Jiang Yun had turned it down, saying he could use the Flight Technique.

After a bit of commotion, the Turtle Hermit finally learned that Goku was the grandson of his own disciple, Son Gohan. Seeing Goku's excellent potential, he took a liking to him and invited him to train together.

But Goku still had to help Bulma find the Dragon Balls, so he declined for the time being and promised to become the Turtle Hermit's student once their search was over.

Goku didn't know that Jiang Yun had been listening to their entire conversation. With Jiang Yun's current abilities, neither Goku nor the Turtle Hermit could detect his presence. If anyone on Earth could, it was undoubtedly the Guardian of Earth and Mr. Popo, far away at Kami's Lookout.

Still, the Turtle Hermit sensed that someone seemed to be watching them. It was a martial artist's instinct, but he decided he was just being overly cautious. After all, no one in the world could hide from his senses.

After collecting the Dragon Ball, Goku and Bulma continued their search. Along the way, they met their first companion, Oolong, a pig who could transform. He clearly hadn't mastered the ability, though, and could only keep a transformation for five minutes.

But if you used that ability well, five minutes was plenty. When they found the girls Oolong had taken captive, they discovered that the girls were actually living quite comfortably in his villa. Some of them didn't even want to go home.

Not long after setting out again, they ran into Yamcha, a desert bandit, and Puar, who depended on him. After defeating Yamcha, they discovered that Puar and Oolong knew each other. They had once studied psychic powers together.

But Puar looked down on Oolong because he had been expelled for peeping at girls. That was why Oolong hadn't mastered his powers and could only maintain a transformation for five minutes.

Watching all this, Jiang Yun couldn't help thinking that this world was far more complicated than it looked. Oolong and Puar had attended Southern Shapeshifting Kindergarten. That raised a question: if there was a kindergarten, were there also elementary schools, middle schools, and so on? The original story hadn't shown any of them, but Jiang Yun was sure there was more to it. Earth also had beings like Fortuneteller Baba and Laozi, as well as a passage to the Demon Realm and a divine office like the Guardian of Earth's. Why were there no such things on other planets? Even the egg that Majin Buu had been sealed in was on Earth.

Unable to make sense of it, Jiang Yun stopped thinking about it and continued following Goku and the others in their search for the Dragon Balls. Before long, they met the legendary Ox-King, said to have killed countless people. But that, too, turned out to be a farce. The Ox-King who had terrified Yamcha was a fellow disciple of Goku's grandfather. It was a strange twist of fate. Goku also met Chi-Chi, with whom he would share an unbreakable bond from then on.

The Ox-King wanted the Turtle Hermit to put out the fire on Fire Mountain. But the Turtle Hermit saw that the Ox-King had killed many people to protect his treasure. He wasn't the kind of man to blindly follow rules, so he used the opportunity to teach the Ox-King a lesson. With a Kamehameha, he destroyed all the ill-gotten wealth the Ox-King had collected over the years.

Goku also showed his astonishing talent. He learned the Kamehameha on the spot, even though it had taken the Turtle Hermit fifty years to invent. The Turtle Hermit was astonished by Goku once again.

After Goku promised to visit him at Kame House later, the Turtle Hermit left. Goku and the others continued searching for the remaining Dragon Balls. Along the way, Emperor Pilaf and his gang managed to steal their Dragon Balls, so they had no choice but to chase after them into the Emperor's castle. Just as Pilaf and his companions thought victory was within their grasp, they summoned Shenron. As everyone thought all was lost, Oolong suddenly sprang into action.

But Jiang Yun was faster. He appeared before Shenron ahead of Oolong. The others were stunned by his sudden appearance. Where had this guy come from? Before they could think about it any further, Jiang Yun made his wish to Shenron: "Shenron, please give me the manufacturing plans for the most advanced spaceship in the universe!"

No one had expected a stranger to steal their wish. It was only after Shenron disappeared that Pilaf and the others came to their senses and decided to take revenge on the man who had stolen it.

Jiang Yun didn't move. He simply gazed up at the moon. Before long, a tremendous roar rang out. Goku had transformed into a giant ape, and his instincts told him that Jiang Yun was the strongest one there. He swung a fist at Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun leaped lightly aside, dodging the Great Ape's attack. Its blows were far too slow for him. Then Jiang Yun glanced up at the red-eyed Great Ape and kicked him, sending him flying a great distance. Yamcha and the others stared in shock. Could a human really do that?

The thick-skinned Great Ape was completely unharmed and charged at Jiang Yun again. But Jiang Yun clearly didn't want to get tangled up with him. The moment the Great Ape pounced, Jiang Yun darted around to his tail and struck it with a knife-hand, cutting it off cleanly. The Great Ape slowly turned back into Goku.