Roshi pressed a button under the banister of his porch, turning his house into a hoi-poi capsule that he promptly picked up and safely slipped into his pocket. He asked Goku to take a step back and then threw a different capsule on the floor, which shifted into a small motor boat.

Goku watched all that with curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"We're moving," Roshi explained. "Temporarily, of course. There's a bigger island South from here that'll be perfect for your training." He helped Launch onto the boat and then followed her on. Goku climbed last. "We'd appreciate if you don't sneeze, my dear," he told her.

Launch cheeks turned red. She had taken the news about her split personality quite charmingly—admittedly, she had had some idea of what happened to her everytime she sneezed, although she didn't know how far it went—but Goku could see she felt bad about everything the Bella had done. More than once he tried to imagine how dreadful it would be not being able to control oneself, to have to share your body with someone you weren't familiar with, someone you might not even like.

"Got it," she said, breathing in the clear air to assure them her nose was clean.

Their journey lasted a few hours which Goku considered a waste. Kinto'un would've covered that distance in minutes. But when he pointed that out, Roshi reprimanded him. "This isn't a race, Goku," he said. "It isn't about how fast you get where you want to go. Remember that."

This other island was indeed bigger and colder, surrounded by large mountains that kept the sun at bay. Each one of them had their own shape—Goku even recognized a few—and Roshi pointed out one by one saying—Bell Mountain, Drum Mountain, Sword Mountain, Stamp Mountain and Flag Mountain.

But that was East. The whole West side of the island was covered with small houses and buildings with different shapes and sizes. "People live here?" Goku wondered out loud.

The master said yes. "This is a three hundred population island." He turned the boat back into a hoi-poi capsule as soon as they were safely on the shore, and proceeded to turned his shack back into a shack. "Launch, dear, you can go do whatever you wish. Goku and I have business to attend to."

Launch looked excited. "I'd like to cook for you," she said. "I can make the—AHHH—AHHH—"

"She'll sneeze!" Roshi shouted, alarmed.

But Launch only yawned. "—uh, the supper," she finished with an apologetic smile. "Anyhow, good luck, boys!" She waved and headed toward the Kame House.

"Let's begin then," said Roshi. "For starters, I suppose we better get to know each other a little better so we'll know how much you can take and how far we can push you. See, from this tree," he gestured to a palm tree to his left, "up to that rock," he gestured to a boulder Goku could only just detect up ahead of them, "is exactly... um, a hundred meters, I would say. Let's see how fast you can run that distance. Mind you, being fast doesn't make you a great martial artist. Remember what I told you on the boat? Good. However, it does show how durable your legs and hips are. You understand?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

Goku thought about it. "Yes... master?"

"Very good, Goku. From now on, that is all you are allowed to call me. You must remember your manners." Roshi went to stand beside the boulder and took a chronometer out of his pocket. "Ready?" he shouted from afar.

"Yes, master," Goku shouted back.

"Go!"

Goku went.

Roshi studied the chronometer. "Mm... 8.5 seconds."

"Is that good?" Goku panted.

"Very good indeed," praised his master. "You are quite impressive, Goku. But you're still on human level. A true martial artist must overcome this wall, which is, in fact, the hardest part. But we'll get there soon enough. Now, check my time." He handed Goku the chronometer and ran from the boulder to the tree, faster than Goku wouldn't thought possible. "How did I do?" he asked.

"5.6 seconds!"

"Phew, I'm a little rusty," Roshi complained. "Anyways, with your youth and the proper training I'll provide you, you'll break my record in no time. Now go get us a beer."

"What's that?"

Roshi stated at him for a moment, probably wondering if he meant that. "Hmm, you also need knowledge. That's one area we'll have to do some extra training for you. I'd better rush some things." He rubbed his hands together. "Alright. Pay attention. There are four stages of training. Today we began the first one—the Sotapanna. This is also the hardest one, Goku, and if you fail there'll be no point in trying to teach you any further."

"I'm ready, master."

Roshi looked up, the sun was already low in the sky. Roshi bent over and picked a small rock from the ground. With a permanent black marker, he drew his symbol on the oval stone and showed it to Goku. "Look closely," he said. Goku's eyes followed the lines of the drawing carefully. Then Roshi threw the rock into the woods, as far as he could, as far as it went. "I want you to find that rock and bring it back to me, Goku."

Goku stared at the trees. "That's all?"

"Looking for something seems easy, doesn't it?" his master grinned. "But finding something unique in such a large place will require a lot of mental capacity, persistence and patience. You must bring it back to me before dinner, or you won't have any."

"What?!"

"And, Goku, remember... It isn't—"

"—how fast you get where you want to go," Goku finished for him, unable to keep the annoyance from his voice. "Yeah, I got it, master."

Goku crossed the mountains by himself and entered the woods. It was darker and colder in here. The trees made for the perfect roof and Goku couldn't even see the sky anymore. He ventured further, his eyes darting from one side to the other, trying to look everywhere at once, but he saw not a glimpse of the oval stone.

He reached a cliff and looked down. The forest continued down there. Goku took a deep breath and jumped. He outstretched his arms and felt the wind against him, giving him support. He was close to the ground when he spotted a nice strong branch of a tree. He held on to it, but the branch wasn't nearly as strong as he had anticipated and it broke with his weight. Goku fell on his butt with a sad thud.

Brush it off, he told himself. He continued his search. He had to knock out a lion who had tried to eat him. Then he found a triceratops lying on the ground. The dinosaur was quiet but breathing heavily. Goku approached slowly. Her eyes were open—large, hazel eyes. She didn't look frightened, only pained and tired. Dying. Then Goku saw why. Near her stomach there was a giant teeth piercing the dinosaur's hard skin. A blotch of blood surrounded the wound. Goku wondered what sort of animal could've done that.

Gracefully, Goku knelt beside the triceratops and placed his hand on her head. The animal moaned. Goku gave her as much comforting as he could.

"Kamisama, she comes before you in prayer and in faith—believing," the words poured from him almost automatically. He'd heard his grandpa say those words so many times—every night, even, before bed, he'd pray for Goku, and sometimes he prayed for others, too. "Your word says that you desire all beings to be saved and come into the knowledge of truth. Ever, night and day, be at her side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Watch over her."

When the triceratops stopped breathing, Goku closed her eyes. Then he stood. It was already very late. He shouldn't linger. He shouldn't think about his grandpa. That would only make him sad. Goku looked around and his eyes widened when he saw the stone. He picked it up and turned it around—there was no drawing. But it looked just like the other.

A plan formed in his mind. Goku rushed back to the Kame House. He could hear Roshi and Launch in the kitchen. Goku searched several drawers until he found a permanent black marker. He tried his best to copy Roshi's symbol. The result was very good, he dared to think.

Goku marched into the kitchen grinning. "I've finally found it!" he panted. Roshi seemed surprised. Launch smiled.

"That was good," the master admitted. Goku handed him the rock. Roshi inspected and smiled as well. Then he threw the rock at Goku's head.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Goku, recoiling.

"Did you think you could trick me?" Roshi boomed. "Go and find the real one, you dimwit!"

If Goku still had his tail, it would've been between his legs. He turned around, ashamed of himself, and headed back into the forest knowing it was pointless. The night was pitch black now. He wouldn't be able to find his way back much less a small oval stone.

The sun was rising when Goku officially gave up the chase. He dragged his feet back to the pink shack just to find that Roshi had locked both the windows and doors so that he wouldn't be able to come inside without breaking something. With a heavy sigh, Goku let himself fall on the white porch and slept right there.

What felt like two minutes later, Roshi poked him with his staff. Goku's eyes hurt as he opened them. "Did you find the stone?" the master asked his pupil. Goku shook his head, too tired to speak. "Shame. Well, are you ready for today's training?"

Goku glanced at him like he was crazy. "Master, I—"

"Great!" said Roshi. "Before we start the way of the turtle, there are a few things that need to be said. Martial arts shall not be used to oppress others or impress girls. Martial arts are practiced to cleanse your body, to strengthen your mind and your soul. But you can also use the martial arts to protect yourself and defend others from evil. Do you understand what I am saying, Goku?"

Goku's mind was spinning, but he was trying to stay focused on the master's words. Grandpa Gohan used to say things like this often. There was a saying he'd always repeat whenever Goku asked him why he fought: a bird sings because it has a song. Goku thought he understood what that meant.

"Yes, master," he answered. "You're saying we learn how to fight so that we don't have to."

Roshi seemed incredibly pleased. "Precisely, my lad. Precisely. Now, get off your ass." Goku struggled to his feet. Roshi showed him how to do some dynamic stretches. "We use controlled leg movements to improve range of motion," he explained, "loosen up muscles and increase heart race, body temperature, and blood flow to help you run more efficiently."

"We're going for a run?" Goku said, horrified.

"Oh, you have no idea," chuckled Roshi. "But we'll start with a morning walk. It's the ideal low-intensity activity to ease your body out of sitting mode and into workout mode. I believe that's exactly what you need right now, judging by the way you look, kid. The motions of walking takes the muscles, tendons, and joints through a range of motion that's similar to what it will go through in running. Not only will it bring up the temperature of the muscles and the core, but it'll enhance the blood flow and send your brain the message that it's time to get a move on!"

The walk lasted about an hour. The sun was still rising when they reached the edge of the town. Roshi led Goku through a bunch of farms until he found the one he was looking for. A simple elderly man answered the door bell.

"Hello," said Roshi. "I called yesterday, good sir. I'm Muten Roshi."

The old man seemed happy. "Oh, yes, sir. It was very nice of you." He reached into a pocket of his overwalls and handed Roshi a small black book. "These are the addresses. You just have to follow the path."

Roshi bowed to him. "Thank you, sir. Here, Goku." He pointed to a truck to their right. "You'll take those boxes and you'll deliver 'em."

"He'll do the entire route on foot?" exclaimed the old man. "This has to be delivered before eleven o'clock, sir!"

"And so it shall be, my friend," promised Roshi. "Come on, Goku. The first house is a mile and a half away."

"Excuse me, master," interjected Goku, already out of breath. "What does delivering milk have to do with martial arts?"

Roshi thought about it. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe it has to do with having the discipline of doing what you're told. No questions asked."

Goku had no words for the despair he felt. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. His muscles were screaming, his legs protesting with every step he took. Still, he grabbed the first box and did as his master ordered him.

When there was only one box left, Goku was about to pass out from exhaustion. Roshi made him drink a lot of water, but that didn't help much. The last deliver was to be made to a man who lived on the top of Bell Mountain.

Goku said a silent prayer and started climbing the stairs. But he was halfway through when he felt his legs give in from under him. Goku fell backwards and almost broke the milk bottles. He moaned and tried to get to a sitting, more dignified, position.

Master Roshi watched him expressionless. "Oh, my. Looks like we've reached a limit."

Goku breathed heavily. "I can't," he admitted. "I'm sorry, master. I just can't take another step."

"There's a man up there," said Roshi. "A man that'll be without his milk if you don't stand up."

"Can I—Maybe I could finish it with Kinto'un?"

Roshi raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you could," he half-shrugged. "But then, Goku, what sort of challenge would that be?"

Goku shook his head, defeated. "None."

"There are many ways to the top of the mountain. Yet, once you get there, the view is the same. Do you know what that means?"

Goku tried to think about it. "It means I get to choose which way I wanna go and what I'll learn from that."

"Exactly," said Roshi. "But before you choose, a few words of advice. Gohan and Gyumaoh used to climb this mountain every day they spent under my tutelage. And not once, Goku, did they ever complained or let their work unfinished."

Goku felt ashamed again. His grandpa had done that whilst Goku was on the ground counting his blessings. This was not the way to make him proud. This was not what he had taught Goku. Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up, he heard his grandpa's voice in his head. Resigned, Goku grabbed the last box of milk bottles and stood up. He firmed his shaking legs on the ground.

"I'll meet you at the top, master," he said, before resuming his climbing.

The man on the top of the Bell Mountain was short and round and bald. He had a very amusing mustache and he sat on a rock smoking a pipe. He greeted Goku with a polite wave of his pale hand.

"Good morning, sir."

Roshi appeared behind Goku. "Long time, no see, eh?"

The old man smiled. "How are you, Kamesennin? You seem very healthy, as usual. Is that your new disciple? Didn't know you were training new ones."

"I'm not," said Roshi. "This is an extraordinary exception. Gohan's grandson, would you believe it?"

The old man's face brightened. "Ahhh... Old Gohan was a good lad, wasn't he? Hope your boy is ready by the next Budokai. Just like Gohan was, remember?"

"Like it was yesterday," said Roshi. "And he will be ready."

"What's a Budokai?" asked Goku.

Roshi studied him slowly before answering. "A martial arts tournament," he said, "where only the very best compete."

"Awesome."

The old man nodded. "It originated in a festival held a long time ago at the temple which now serves as the tournament grounds. It occurs every three years. Besides the title of World Martial Arts Champion, the winner of the Budokai receives the considerable amount of 500,000 Zeni as a prize."

"I never quite understood why the prize was money," Roshi pondered. "A real martial artist doesn't concern himself with something so... mundane."

"I often found," replied the old man, "that the one who usually wins the Budokai, is the one who wants the money the least. Have you not?"

Roshi smiled. "Amen."

"So you'll let me compete?" Goku asked his master.

"Perhaps," was the answer.

"Can I rest now?"

Roshi stared at Goku with amusement. "Listen, boy. This milk delivering will go on for the next eight months, so you best get used to it."

"Alright," Goku said, sadly. "I will."

"And this was the morning training," said Roshi. "Now we prepare for the afternoon."

"Wait—WHAT?!"