The Human Who Crossed Mount Paozu

"You'll regret this! You'll regret this!"

Vegeta summoned his spacecraft back, then turned to look at Son Wuling, Son Goku, and the others, who now had their backs to him. After throwing out that threat, he piloted his spherical ship away from Earth.

The arcs of electricity gathered in Son Wuling's hand dissipated. He smiled with interest. "Looks like Vegeta really is different from Raditz."

"Hehe... sorry, Wuling!" Son Goku wore his usual cheerful grin.

"There's nothing to apologize for. Just become stronger than him. Even if Vegeta comes back next time, defeat him and leave him behind for good."

Son Wuling said this to Son Goku. Even though that outcome would become reality in the future, compared to Vegeta, the one he trusted more was Son Goku. After all, they were brothers who had grown up together, even if they were not related by blood.

"Sigh, I didn't get a chance to really stretch my legs, but at least I can finally feel at ease."

Krillin let out a breath of relief. The threat of the Saiyans had kept them from daring to rest, but now they could finally relax!

Everyone said their goodbyes. Krillin and Yamcha returned to Kame House together, and after seeing Launch, they were shocked for quite a while. Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu returned to his dojo together!

Son Wuling, Son Goku, and Son Gohan returned to Mount Paozu!

When Chi-Chi saw Son Goku and Son Gohan, tears streamed down her face as they embraced one another!

"That's wonderful! My Gohan, and Goku too—you're finally back! This is so wonderful!"

Son Goku: "Chi-Chi..."

Son Gohan: "Mom..."

Watching this family reunion, Son Wuling smiled and pulled away the grinning Ox-King and a man with an afro...

"Wait, an afro... holy shit..."

Son Wuling was suddenly startled. Usually calm and mature, he even cursed as he leaped back to create some distance. Why was there suddenly a stranger on Mount Paozu?

"Who are you?"

A Destructo Disc formed in his palm as Son Wuling loudly demanded an answer from the afro-haired man. He was ready to throw it at him at any moment; if they disagreed by even a word, the Destructo Disc would fly.

The afro-haired man was frightened out of his wits by Son Wuling and hurriedly dropped to his knees. "Master, wait! Don't attack! I'm a martial artist. My name is Satan, and I came to become your disciple, Master Wuling! Please don't attack!"

"Satan... here to become my disciple!"

Son Wuling glanced at the Ox-King and saw him nod. Only then did the Destructo Disc in his hand dissipate.

"Wuling, a month ago, I was out hunting when I saw him being chased by a pack of tyrannosaurs. I saved him on a whim. He said he had come to find you and Goku to become your disciple, but he'd been trapped on Mount Paozu for a week. So I brought him back," the Ox-King explained with a smile.

Son Wuling fell into thought. Satan... he had not expected that the changes he made would cause him to appear in this manner!

Satan—the devil's name from his previous life. A fallen angel opposed to God, a demon who tempted humanity into corruption. In the Bible, he transformed into a serpent and deceived Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. His name also represented the demons of hell.

Son Wuling did not know whether the name was intentional, but based on his original memories, Satan's appearance truly matched the name quite well!

But now...

"I remember what I said before. You were supposed to climb Korin Tower and find Korin to train, right? Besides, you probably haven't even cultivated ki yet!"

Son Wuling questioned him sternly. Son Goku, Son Gohan, and Chi-Chi also came over.

As for why he had come specifically to ask Son Wuling to take him as a disciple, Chi-Chi and the Ox-King knew Son Goku's temperament. Asking him to teach someone would be difficult!

Son Wuling did not refuse either. Satan had managed to reach the heights he once had, so he naturally possessed something extraordinary. Martial arts had now been fully exposed to the public, and with Goku City and Wuling City, the cities named after them, as well as the statues erected there, what he feared was that time would make everyone forget everything. Time could truly change all things.

Upon hearing Son Wuling's words, Satan's eyes lit up. Son Wuling had not refuted him when he called him Master. He had a chance!

"Master Wuling, my talent is dull. I have never encountered disciples of schools such as the Turtle School or the Crane School, so I boldly came to Mount Paozu. Just as this disciple was about to die, Mr. Ox-King saved me, allowing me the fortune of meeting you!"

Satan's tears and snot made Son Wuling curl his lip. With obvious disgust, he said, "Wipe away those tears and snot!"

"Ah, yes..." Satan hurriedly replied.

When Son Goku heard Korin Tower mentioned, he looked at Son Wuling and grinned. "Korin Tower... hehe, that brings back memories. I nearly died back then. Wuling carried me up Korin Tower, and Korin saved me with Senzu Beans."

"What?" Chi-Chi, Son Gohan, the Ox-King, and Satan all looked at Son Goku curiously. Something like that had actually happened?

Satan was even more shocked beyond belief. Of course, he had been to Korin Tower, and he had heard from the locals about two boys, one of whom had carried another boy who was nearly dying up Korin Tower.

He had experienced firsthand just how immense Korin Tower was. There was no end in sight. That Korin Tower, as though it pierced the heavens and earth—and back then, Son Wuling had carried Son Goku all the way up it.

Son Wuling also looked down at his palm darkly, as if he could see again the hands stained with Son Goku's blood.

That was also the first time his Destructo Disc had appeared. Back then, he did not have the Dragon Balls on him. They encountered Tao Pai Pai on Korin Tower, and neither he nor Son Goku was a match for Tao Pai Pai at the time. Seizing the opportunity Son Goku created, he used the Destructo Disc to separate Tao Pai Pai's head from his body, then destroyed the corpse with a Kamehameha.

Son Goku had been struck by Tao Pai Pai's Dodon Ray. There were no Dragon Balls back then, but it had not hit a vital point. Since both of them had become somewhat stronger at the time, Son Goku had managed to shift away from the fatal spot!

After bandaging Son Goku's wound, Son Wuling tied a rope around himself and gritted his teeth as he carried Son Goku up Korin Tower. After training, the two of them destroyed the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters together!

"Don't bring up the past anymore, Goku!" Son Wuling interrupted Son Goku, who was still vividly telling the story. He had truly been terrified at the time. If Son Goku had died because of him, he feared what he would do when Raditz came in the future.

Because of that, Son Wuling became even more cautious. One and a half jars of Senzu Beans, along with the Dragon Balls that had always been kept in his home—call him selfish or greedy if they wished, but he kept the Dragon Balls to himself because he did not want to face those events again.

"Haha... sorry, Wuling. Still, Satan must be pretty determined to have made it to Mount Paozu. What are you planning to do?" Son Goku asked with an embarrassed smile.

Satan also looked at Son Wuling with anticipation. Although they had not known each other for long, he had gained a rough understanding of Son Goku's personality. He was kind, gentle, easygoing, and simple-hearted.

Compared to Son Goku, Son Wuling seemed far more reliable. Remembering what Chi-Chi and the Ox-King had told him, he felt that choosing Son Wuling as his master had been the right decision.

"I never said I wouldn't accept you... but!"

Satan's smile vanished in an instant as he looked at Son Wuling expectantly.

"But first, I'll tell you how to gather ki. If you can't gather ki, I won't accept you as my disciple, Satan!" Son Wuling said coldly as he looked at Satan.

"Yes, Master Wuling!" Satan excitedly kowtowed to Son Wuling. He finally had the chance to come into contact with ki!