(The Following Week After The Training Day With Whis, With Caulifla and Kale. . .)
It was pretty early in the morning in the rocky plains area that was constantly used as a training area for the Astackians that resided on Earth. The winds were rather active as the breeze was almost constant for a solid five minutes leaving the weather to be really chilly out due to it being early February still. However, this cold weather didn't cause the female Saiyans from another universe to waver even for a bit as they stood in deep silence. All the while Riley stood and watched them from afar as Zugo accompanied her on top of a rock out of sheer boredom. It was fun to train but always boring to watch, he would always say. As far as the training went, Riley had to know where they were at in terms of progression towards Super Saiyan 3. As always, she was impressed at how good of a teacher her brother was as she quickly learned their body's conditioning and ability to draw deeper power was far more impressive than her during her time training to obtain the form. But, doing just that would only take someone so far which was probably the main reason why he sent them to her for a bit.
"Remember what I told you," Riley called out, knowing full well their ears work despite the rumbling winds, "Super Saiyan 3 is indeed a difficult and taxing form to obtain at first. When my brother taught me, he also made sure I was able to handle the process of attempting to transform. But simply being able to handle it doesn't mean you'll be able to achieve it just like that. Otherwise, Vegeta would have gotten it a long time ago."
"Yeah, yeah, but how are we supposed to know we're close?" Caulifla grunted, trying her best to find the feeling deep within herself.
The primal Saiyan's sister smirked, "Well, that's probably the reason why he sent you to me. The day I achieved Super Saiyan 3, I spent endless hours digging into my power just like how you are doing now. It almost felt like I was getting nowhere as time went on but eventually, you'll visualize a small light. Once you see it, speed towards it with everything you've got until you see nothing but white."
"So. . .ummm. . .it's more visual?" Kale quietly asked.
"Precisely, once you get that down, you'll soon be able to get closer and closer to the end. After you obtain it, you'll be able to transform at will," Riley assured.
Taking her word for it, the two Universe 6 Saiyan females went back into full focus, their Ki somewhat shrouding them calmly as Riley continued to watch. She sighed, forgoing from mentioning how long it would take at the current level they were at. For instance, she was only able to speed up this process due to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber's conditions and intense atmosphere. Not only that, she had to nearly starve to death from trying this visualization method to which she had to give herself props for. Kuzuku didn't even think of it until she explained exactly how it felt to transform. But knowing that, this could probably take up to months or even an entire year if unlucky. However, on the same note she thought, "Judging from the Tournament of Power, these two were able to ascend to Super Saiyan 2 quite easily. Something that even she had trouble with. Maybe because they are Saiyans from a different Universe they function differently to the point that the Super Saiyan transformations just come easy for them? If so, then there is a chance for them to gain Super Saiyan 3 in almost a record time. . ."
Concluding, she sighed into a smirk as she was really hoping for the second scenario to be the case. It's just way more ideal to progress as fast as possible. But one thing did weigh on her mind though. What came after? Kuzuku must have fully understood that simply gaining Super Saiyan 3 wasn't going to be enough for them to reach the same level as him. In all fairness, Goku, Vegeta, and her brother were pretty much in a league of their own within their hypothetical forms. But even before that it seemed the gap between them was so huge that even when Zugo had trained so much, he was still not a match for the primal Saiyan. Maybe Kale could. . .but that was like reaching towards the bottom of a barrel of silver coins searching for gold. Which begs another question. . .
She looked up to the slightly cloudy sky that provided shade from the sun, her only thought being, "Kuzuku, I wonder what on Earth you are up to right now?"
(Meanwhile Near The Remote Island In The Center Of The Sea, Kame House. . .)
"So. . .why did you want to come along with me again?"
His question nearly fell deaf to Ryo's ears as they flew over the vast ocean below. Most likely because he was distracted by the sight of a large whale leaping out of the waters before diving back in; it's weight caused a large splash of water that created a decently sized rainbow. The space-traveler marveled at the sight, his smile wide before answering his question.
"Because, I wanted to see what the Earth's ocean was like and I must say. . ." Ryo paused as he dived close to the waters before running his hand to create small waves and ripples. He chuckled cheerfully from doing something so trivial before flying back up to meet the Saiyan at equal altitude, "You've got some interesting creatures living here in the ocean. Heck, they are a lot better looking than most of the other aquatic lifeforms back on this one planet. Like one of them had yellow eyeballs on their antennas! It is kinda gross, heheh!"
The mere thought of the image alone made Kuzuku shiver as he chuckled, "Heh, I bet it was. . ." Casually, Ryo decided to twist his body to have his back facing the ocean surface as he rested his hands behind his head.
"Anyways, do you think it was okay to leave 21 behind all by herself today? She didn't look so great when I saw her," he asked.
"Well, when you don't listen to reasoning and go by instinct, then it earns you the worst morning sickness a pregnant woman could possibly experience," The Saiyan jested with a small smile. It was indeed Karma to say the least but he was sure she was going to be fine afterwards, "But don't worry, she may not look it but she's strong even if she's experiencing morning sickness. I'd be more worried about the unfortunate soul who decides to break into my house when she has her occasional 'mood-swing'. Plus, worse comes to worse, she'll send me an alert through this watch."
The space-traveler nodded in understanding, "Alright, I'll take your word for it."
"Yeah-Oh! We're here by the way!" Kuzuku grinned at the sight of the remote island that was just sitting in the middle of the ocean. It hadn't changed one bit since this past month as the interior was still painted a rosy gold while the room was a pure red color along with the word Kame written on the side. Wasting no time, he flew towards the sand in order to land with Ryo following suit soon after, their landing soft and clean as if it were second nature.
Though, no matter how much they practiced their landing, Kuzuku had always found a way to get sand on his pants, leading him to dust them off. He wasn't wearing his martial arts Gi today, considering that most of them had been obliterated so he was really trying to cut back on his reserves. So for now, he sported a pair of baggy, black sweats, a white T-Shirt that was covered by a gray hoodie with an orange interior and outline. Digging into the sand were his hardly worn Orange, Air Huarache Gripp shoes. After dusting himself, he started to tread towards the door with his company in toe.
"So, what's the business here?" Ryo curiously said.
"Well, I got to talk to one of my teacher's masters about something," The Saiyan replied almost immediately.
Curiously, his eyes perked up with interest, "Really? About what though? You seemed like a very capable fighter when I saw you that one time with Kale and Caulifla."
"Hmmmm. . ." Kuzuku hummed, "I wouldn't mind telling you now but you'll have to wait until we are inside. It's a bit much to explain."
Unable to really understand what he meant, the space-traveler simply shrugged it off into the back of his mind for now. It didn't take them long anyways, seeing how they were already at the front door once the small-talk ended. Once he was sure that he could sense the old man inside, slightly weary of him dying of old age by now which was beyond him on how he lived for so long; Kuzuku decided to knock on the door as politely as he could. . .Politely as in making his presence known as loud as he possibly could without accidentally breaking down the door. Just as he expected, he could hear the scurrying of books and the sound of a remote hitting the floor from inside which made him chuckle. Same old, same old he guessed. The sound of fast feet hitting the floor grew louder and louder until the door flung open to reveal the owner of such a. . .fine establishment.
His beard was just how he remembered, long, bushy and perfectly symmetrical with his matching mustache. He wore his trade-mark sunglasses and a reddish-pink, pineapple-tree pattern shirt with buttons fastened with the exception of his collar. He was flustered a bit but nonetheless, he still seemed energetic enough to suggest that he was far from reaching the end of his life despite his wrinkles and old figure.
With respect, Kuzuku waved him a hello with a stupid grin on his face as he knew full well on what he did, "Good morning or well. . .afternoon, Master Roshi!" The old hermit scratched his bald head, his composure returning back into a less embarrassed state. Like, it wasn't like he was looking into anything he shouldn't be. . .right?
"Kuzuku? Not that I don't mind you being here but what brings you to my island of solitude?" Roshi wondered aloud.
Scratching the back of his out of habit, the young Saiyan chuckled, "Actually, I wanted to ask you for some advice about something seeing how you are the most experienced martial artist on the planet after all. So uh. . .can we come in?" The turtle hermit himself raised an eyebrow at the word "we". To find out further, the first thing the old man did was to see what he exactly meant by that before asking further, his eyes immediately noticing the space-traveler who had rather peculiar eyes. Eyes that made him lower his sunglasses for him to get a better look.
"Kuzuku, I'm sure I don't need to ask but mind introducing whoever this is?" Roshi suggested.
"Well. . .his name is-"
Before the Saiyan could finish his sentence, the space-traveler himself steps forward with energy nearly matching Goku when he sees a strong fighter, "Ryo Kenga! It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Roshi!" I was slightly surprised at how happy-going the newcomer was, Roshi looked over to what he could consider his junior disciple who was slightly nervous due to the unexpected add-on judging by his awkward smile.
"Yeah. . .before you say anything, he may or may not have crashed landed in front of my house like 3 weeks ago. But no worries, he's friendly," Kuzuku assured.
The old turtle hermit sighed, his surprise now dialed down back to Earth since this was pretty much another day in his long life. Seriously, at this point, he'd just have to assume that an alien or person from outer space could just find themselves on Earth either to take refuge, take over, or just outright destroy the planet for whatever reason it may be.
"Mhm, well. . ." Roshi cleared his throat before continuing, "If you haven't taken care of it yet then I guess I will believe you. Now come in and have a seat so you don't waste any more of my precious alone time, ehheheheh!"
Kuzuku immediately knew what he meant by that and laughed, leaving Ryo the only one confused by that statement. Without much further to explain, they entered the small home of the greatest martial artist master in Earth's history who has practically taught not only the strongest humans on the planet but also the mortal who had surpassed all of the god's expectations and transcended into Ultra Instinct. It didn't take long for them to reach the living room where the hermit opted to sit on his couch while his guests were forced to sit on the spacious floor.
After settling in, Roshi cleared his throat, his eyes narrowing in not as some typical old man but as a martial artist of great wisdom, "So, what is it you want to ask my boy? This doesn't seem like your typical pass and go visits now."
"Yeah. . .well you see. . ." Kuzuku sighed, his thoughts that have been weighing on his mind for over the past week coming back one by one, "Last week, I tagged along with Goku and Vegeta to train under Whis for a day."
"Okay? Isn't that a good thing? Why sound so defeated?" Roshi wondered.
The young Saiyan chuckled and grinned in an attempt to lighten his tone, "Oh, it is! I learned a lot actually and we've got our own kind of training suggested to us by Whis himself. But. . ." He paused mid sentence at the last part. He didn't know why but it was probably one of the most unsure things he's had to ponder on in his life. Maybe even up there with his marriage proposal which was saying much now that he recalled that whole complex.
"But?" The old man repeated.
Kuzuku took a breath and gathered his courage together, "I have to ask you this and please answer honestly. Do you think the Turtle Style is a good fit for me?" The question was a tough one to even ask especially to the style's innovator himself. But the Saiyan knew full well that he was the best person to ask due to his vast experiences and knowledge on his own fighting style. Unsurprisingly, Roshi's eyes perked upwards and despite his sunglasses hiding his eyes, Kuzuku could tell he was taken back a bit. Even Ryo was surprised by the sudden question with his little to no fighting experience as well.
"Don't mind me asking but where did this thought come from all of a sudden?" Roshi curiously wondered.
"Well," Kuzuku sheepishly began to explain, "After Whis gave us the rundown on what to work on, he pulled me over to the side after Goku and Vegeta left. Apparently, he noticed that my way of thinking and style of fighting doesn't mix well with the Turtle Style of Martial Arts. That was when he suggested that I'd switch my focus to something else or simply create a whole new style unique to me. The second one sounds a lot more effective but I have no clue where to start. Listen, I'm not doubtful of Whis's words but I would want to hear it from the creator himself on what I should do."
The room was silent for a moment as Roshi began to process what he had just explained to him. To be frank, Kuzuku was an excellent martial artist and talented. His potential was what caught everyone's eyes but even so, to truly master the Turtle Style to the degree of Krillin and Goku, he would have had to train most of his life to achieve the same level of skill under his tutelage. Thinking back on it now, he doubts that when Kuzuku was being trained by fighters such as Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Gohan that he was given time to adjust fully to his martial arts. Knowing this, Roshi couldn't help but hum in deeper thought before responding, somewhat trying to reaffirm his words as he had to be brutally honest here. He could see it in the young Saiyan's eyes and as a Martial Arts master and innovator, it would do him wrong if he lied.
"You really know how to lay it on them, huh kiddo?" Roshi noted, though Kuzuku's gaze was still waiting for an answer. The old man adjusted himself on the couch to lean forward as he spoke, his eyes narrowing and not daring to look away, "If it were me, I would have told you the same thing. To be fair, it's not like you aren't capable but due to your mixed training backgrounds, you're far behind the natural mental state of perfecting the Turtle Style in the same manner as Goku. If you were to keep going like this then it'll only hinder and slow your development as a fighter while Goku and Vegeta will pass you by."
The Saiyan slightly recoiled at the harsh truth said from the man himself. Though, he knew in the back of his mind that those were the exact words he was going to say. However, fortunately for him. . .,"But". The sudden addition at the end of his sentence caused Kuzuku to face forward once more but not out of anxiousness but wonder.
"That doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. By doing this, I believe that angel is trying to get you to stray away from following completely in their footsteps. You've personally already taken a couple of strides away from them and it showed during the Tournament of Power. Now, it's time to take even further steps away and continue to create a path that benefits you." Roshi wisdomed to him out of encouragement.
His words resonated in his head before finally realizing what he meant. All this time. . .from his path to power, to the development of techniques of his own, and even his mentality during fighting. Sure they were similar but still, it was unique to him and forged by his own progress. Besides. . .what's to say he couldn't still use Turtle School techniques? It just simply wouldn't be his main style anymore, that's all. He looked down at his hands that were hardened throughout the years. All of the composited training from all of his teachers compiled into his fists were now going to be reforged into something he can create. The mere thought made him finally crack a wide grin, his eyes shining as excitement filled his body. But, one thing still stands.
"Thank you, Master Roshi. But, I still have no clue on where to start," Kuzuku reminded.
"Of course, and I think I have a perfect thing just for you. Something dear to me from the past," Roshi smirked. Without warning, the old turtle hermit stood from his couch as his two guests watched him walk over to the T.V behind them. Without them actually realizing it, he took out a key from his pocket and knelt down to the floor beneath the T.V stand and inserted it into a hidden key hole that nearly blended in with flooring. Wasting no time, he turned the lock until he heard the click before opening the hidden compartment in his home. After all these years, he still couldn't believe no one noticed it until now which made him thankful for spending the extra zeni.
The dust inside began to float up before revealing the object he was looking for, his hands quickly picking up what seemed to be a rectangular object wrapped in old cloth in hopes to preserve it. He turned and walked over to the young Saiyan only to hold out the secret he's been keeping hidden to him, "Here, after watching you fight all these years, I think this would suit you better. Especially now that you seem more willing to switch." Reluctantly, Kuzuku took the book as Ryo leaned over his shoulder to get a better look at it.
"What is it?" Ryo said, anxious to see what the old man had cooked up for Kuzuku.
Shrugging, Kuzuku rubbed his fingers in hopes to feel out what it was. It was hard, most resembling that of tough leather. He couldn't answer right away but he had a general idea on what it may be but he wasn't one to assume until he saw it. Carefully, he unwrapped the cloth around the object and allowed it to hit the floor before finally unraveling it completely. His eyes widened in a mixture of bewilderment and shock. It was a book. . .one that was old and thin yet still came in tip top condition. It had no title nor any author written in the front. Kuzuku didn't know what to make of it as he couldn't help but think, "Why did he-?"
"That book contains the rough sketches of Teiryudo," Roshi said, interrupting the Saiyain's internal question. His eyes wandered with his mind as he thought back to the history behind the book that was now held in the hands of one of his student's student.
Nonetheless, Kuzuku let the word roll off his tongue, "Teiryudo. . ." It had a nice ring to it, one that he could get used to saying overtime.
Roshi smirked and patted his back as he began to explain the history behind the book, "Yes, my boy. Teiryudo is the name given to the martial arts form that an old friend created back in my middle-age days. He was a bright one, a genius at that. Back then he could have become a martial arts master that surpassed my old master. However, he became ill, his health deteriorating with time to the point he was forced to be bedridden. But, due to his wallows of despair he still clung onto one ambition. . ." His eyes darted over to the book, the faint memory of a sickly man whose hair had reached his lower back as it turned a sickly-gray color. From the memory itself, all he could focus on was the weak smile on his face as he sketched into the very same book Kuzuku was holding in his hands at this very moment.
"He wanted to create a martial art like no other. A martial art that he could be proud of to leave behind. I remember he would spend his entire days sketching out the forms and concepts of techniques within that book. But of course, his life vanquished before he could even apply the one thing that all martial arts needs. . .," Roshi sadly revealed.
Both Kuzuku and Ryo stared at him with the Saiyan having to ask, "What was it?" In response to his question, Roshi recalled the sad feeling he had when that person passed away on the bed with no one around, the only thing left behind being that book he sketched in. He nearly choked on his words but continued to aid and guide the Saiyan who could possibly. . .
"It was a foundation. A martial art without a foundation is meaningless. With no principles to follow, the forms and techniques that the user can apply in combat have no weight. In the end, the martial arts given the name Teiryudo by a sickly, dying man was left to age with time with nothing for it to give it merit. But. . .," the old turtle hermit paused before glancing behind his sunglasses with slight hope, "Perhaps, his dream to have his incomplete style flourish into something worthy could still be realized through you. It may be too much to ask of you, but if you are going to use a different style then please use what my old friend spent the remainder of his short life on as a reference and inherit its name. From the diagrams I've studied before, I believe they will suit you better than my style even though the Turtle School of martial arts is no laughing matter, eheheheheh!"
As Roshi smiled at him, Kuzuku's eyes wandered onto the book he had now realized he held tightly in his hands. The story in itself sounded sad. To be unable to accomplish something you spent the last moments of your life on was something he couldn't imagine. The pain it must have felt in those final moments. . .alone. . .in a bed with just his pencil in hand. Not knowing whether his ideas will be realized and achieve the recognition he dreamed of. It was gut wrenching to think about but as of right now, he felt a bit flattered. From the old hermit's perspective, Kuzuku was inheriting the will of his dead friend; leaving him to be the one to complete the martial arts but in his own vision.
However, that last thought alone made him waver a bit, his eyes focused on the book as he muttered, "I understand now. . .but, is it really okay? I may not be able to replicate what he would have envisioned." Suddenly, before Kuzuku knew it, the old man rested his wrinkled hand on his left shoulder and smiled as he looked up at him.
"Here's a word of advice from an old man," Roshi said, "Martial arts when performed will always contain a feeling. It's why techniques that are replicated retain the similar feel as the original. Comparable but not quite exact. That's the beauty behind martial arts. Even if you can't capture his ideals, the fact that he left behind practically an unfinished sheet of notes is why I gave his leftover work to you. Teiryudo has no direct principles meaning it's creative freedom is left up to the one that truly completes this style. You may not be as experienced enough to create a style from complete scratch but with this, I believe you can make something remarkable."
With that said, the old man lifted his hand off his shoulder before hiding both of them behind his back. It was probably one of the most wholesome smiles Kuzuku had seen him give since he's known the Turtle Hermit, "Just believe in yourself, Kuzuku boy." After his words were processed, Kuzuku's widened eyes softened as he nodded.
"I will. . .thank you for the gift, Master Roshi. I won't make some rubbish out of his work, I promise!" Kuzuku proclaimed with new found determination.
Roshi then smiled at hearing that, especially since Kuzuku's new goals were now made clear. He could only hope that he was watching from above somehow, witnessing his incomplete martial arts being passed down to the next generation for it to be completed. It was even better that it was potentially going to be used by someone who can rival gods. The old man chuckled, "I wish you the best of luck then. . ."
(Around The Same Time, At An Unknown Planet In Universe 6. . .)
On the far ends of the South Quadrant in Universe 6 resided a Planet that was small in size, it's skies colored a lime-green while the terrain remained most yellow and blessed with large amounts of green vegetation and jungle. Out of all the planets in Universe 6, this one in particular was regarded to be the most hostile due to it's dangerous forms of life that practically had only one rule; Survival of the Fittest. A simple rule on paper but dangerous when put into practice. If you were too weak willed then you were destined to be devoured by the jungle below. If not then you were likely to survive longer than others.
Despite this, one individual seemed unfazed by that reality that has plagued this planet for centuries. His features were hard to depict due to the rather well-downed cloak he wore. The pattern along the green outline resembled that of black triangles while the base color was white with a hoodie that hid his appearance well. He wore thick, buckle pants as he sat on the edge of a cliff in order to get a better view of the horizon in front of the vast jungle before only features one could possibly see from the figure was his tanned skin but even then that wasn't enough to guess anything. He was quiet, being the only sole being around but it almost seemed more like he was bored. Especially now that the only thing he could do was wait as he played with a crystalized, octagonal cube that contained a glowing white smoke of energy in his hand.
"So. . .did you find anyone worthy of joining us?"
The sudden, telepathic voice in his left him unfazed. He was used to the sudden calls by now despite him practically staring into the space with a blank mind. He sighed almost exasperated by how little there was to do at the moment to excite him, "No, nothing but weaklings on this planet. What did you expect from a Planet that resides in a Universe with such a weak mortal level and an incompetent God of Destruction."
"I see. . .and I guess I can assume that you are restless again?"
"Yeah," the man said, peering over his shoulder with the only thing seeable being his frown. Behind him were nothing but corpses of various animals of gigantic size, lizard-like aliens who seemed were all bloodied and lifeless as their weapons sprawled all over the ground along with their half-dead leader dangling from various transparent spikes as his body was punctured all over. He sighed as the lizard warrior tribe continued to glare at him with malice, "They weren't even worth my time as a decent pass time."
The telepathic voice in his head smirked from where he rested. Musely, he rested his hand on his cheek as he continued to communicate to what seemed to be his subordinate from an unknown location, "I apologize for wasting your time. But, I have the next planet you should go to since you seem eager for something to do."
The mysterious man seemed interested, "Oh? Do tell, what is my next target?"
"Planet Sadala; home of the warrior race known as Saiyans," the voice answered.
"Saiyans, huh? They don't sound like anything special," He murmured.
"I wouldn't say that, in Universe 6 they are known to be the main driving force for security against warring planets. Their fighting force seems to be the most well-endowed in Universe 6 while in Universe 7, they are all extinct. This is a rare opportunity, you know?" He explained.
Hearing this, the mysterious male grinned, revealing to fangs as he felt some form of excitement. Chuckling, he complied to his leader's request, "Really now, how intriguing my lord. I'll go seek them out immediately and find the one who is worthy."
"I know you will, my faithful servant. I have full trust in your abilities to find the one to join us. Once the time is ripe, we will enact our plan for freedom and pass Karma upon them," The voice assured.
Before he knew it, the connection was severed between them thus ending the telepathic call. His grin fell, returning back to his stoic facial expression from before. Without wasting more time, he stood up and began to walk over to the nearly dead leader whose power was laughable in his eyes. He gave him a smug smirk when he noticed him tremble in pain as he drew closer and closer until they met only inches away. As if to incite spite into him, he leaned down to get a better look at the leader's face, his demeanor unwavered by the piercing yellow eyes he had.
"Too bad, if only you weren't so eager to pick a fight then this wouldn't have happened. Now, everyone on this pathetic planet is going to die. . ." the man mocked, raising his hand into the air. At that moment, the atmosphere began to grow thick with the winds beginning to swirl around him. The tribe leader's eyes widened at the immense pressure as a spiraling orb began to form from the palm of his hand above him. It grew larger and larger until it was about the size enough to tower over the entire jungle. He grinned, knowing full well that this was well of enough power but more importantly, to install helplessness in his victim's last moment. One of the best parts of his job, if he had to admit. But, he assured one thing to the terrified lizard alien with pale, white skin who was the strongest on this planet, "But don't worry, your death will be another failure on those above us. If you are going to despise anyone then despise them."
Then. . .before the tribe leader could utter a word, he unleashed the large ball of energy down upon him first. All he could hear was the screams that echoed as his blast burned the unknown alien while incinerating the corpses behind him. All the while he laughed and laughed until his attack exploded into a large burst of energy that not only desolated the area upon initial eruption but. . .it annihilated the entire planet in a matter of a few seconds. The planet that no one in Universe 6 unless a God of Destruction would have dared to trespass.
(Back On Earth Several Hours Later, Aoyama Residence Near Mount Pao. . .)
The night was near the side of the globe that Kuzuku and his friends lived in. To say the day hadn't been productive would be a criminal to say as the living room of the Aoyama family home had been pretty active to say the least. Currently, Kuzuku was sitting on the couch while Ryo, his unexpected guest who has overstayed his welcome, was currently enjoying the luxuries that the T.V had to offer him. It was good that he was so engrossed in what was going on as the movie that he and Gohan had the misfortune to be a part of due to their wives practically setting them up during this time. He just hoped that Ryo didn't find out it was him.
As of right now, he was focusing on thoroughly flipping through each page of the book that contained the notes of Teiryudo. From what he could gather from most of the pages, it seems the notes that Master Roshi's dead friend left behind were mostly sketches and drawings of the motions of each technique. It was common for any martial arts form to have such drawings but one thing did bother him, "What makes these forms different from other martial arts?"
He hummed in thought, reminding himself that these notes were from a martial arts genius on par if not greater than the hermit himself. But, now that he has the chance to actually study a new combat style entirely, he had to ask that question. In a normal person perspective, a kick is a kick and a punch is just a punch. However, each martial arts seemed to always have one common trait that seemed a bit ironic. Although similarities and purposes are the same, they are performed differently due to their focus being different. But. . .maybe that's why Roshi put so much emphasis on foundation. From what he's seen so far, these are just movements into different kinds of strikes but has no focus to them. Unlike the Turtle Style which is based on letting their body's act like water in response to their thoughts or the Crane Style that he's heard about from Goku who described it to be very sharp in it's attacks. He sighed with that in mind but he steeled himself back into focus.
"Maybe. . .there is a hidden pattern that I can find in these movements. Most of them do seem like they put a lot of emphasis in-" Kuzuku muttered.
Though, he was interrupted mid-sentence by a voice that always made his heart rate go up, "You seem pretty studious today. Bulma's got you doing something complex again?" With a warm smile, he turned to see his wife hanging over behind him, her body wrapped in a blanket while she stayed in her blue, snowflake pattern pajamas and a white .
"No, not today at least. Are you feeling better after your daily dose of morning sickness?" Kuzuku chuckled. Without warning, he reached over the couch and playfully picked up the majin scientist who giggled at his action before resting her beside him to get a better look at what he was studying.
She rested her head onto his shoulder and readjusted her body so she could use his as a pillow while he held the book up for them both to see, "A little bit, but I still feel a bit weak if I'm being completely honest. Plus, it sucks that I had to watch all those delicious treats go down the toilet. So, what's with the drawings?" Kuzuku laughed a bit at her little side comment.
"These are the schematics of martial arts called Teiryudo," Kuzuku replied.
"Hmm? A new martial art? You're changing up on how you fight?" 21 said with a bit of a surprise.
Kuzuku cupped his chin at the comment, unsure if that was really the case. Sure, he may be using different techniques but it's not like his mentality will change, "Hmmm, no I wouldn't say that'd be entirely the case. I guess it's more like changing to something that better suits me. Whis and Master Roshi suggested I should and the old man gave me this as a reference. Apparently this martial art is incomplete and was the remnants of an old friend of his that passed away before he completed it. Roshi basically gave it to me in hopes that I could at least complete it."
"Oh, so you're basically carrying on that person's legacy. How kind and typical of you," 21 complimented with a little joke added to it.
"Yeah, though so far I have had no luck on figuring out what to make of it. I'm trying to at least figure out a pattern so I can have a general idea on what his friend was trying to come up with. That way, I can apply a principle that compliments these movements-wait. . ." Kuzuku paused as an idea came into his head after re-examining the second page again. It was as though a light-bulb had finally switched-on after several hours of flickering which earned a raised eyebrow from his now confused wife.
She raised her head to get a better look at his expression. He looked as though he had finally come to a deep realization on something and was slightly happy he finally figured it out, "What? Did you figure something out?"
"Maybe. . .look," Kuzuku answered as he pointed at one of the pictures, "This may be me looking into it too much but each of the pictures have drawings of wind surrounding him with each move he makes."
His wife looked a bit closer at where he was pointing, adding, "You're right, it's as though he's gathering force around him like a hurricane or typhoon. Could he be using Ki in that way?"
"I don't know, but I would assume he wouldn't. Unlike the Kamehameha, these movements look to be more like physical strikes than Ki based ones," the Saiyan noted. He was feeling a bit more accomplished though he knew he was still far from figuring things out, "But, this does give me a clue at least. Something that is just waiting to be tested."
The majin scientist shuffled back into her comfortable position once that was established. She felt a little proud of her husband finally getting somewhere on whatever training Whis had him do, "I'm happy for you though I'm not entirely surprised you figured it out."
"Oh? Why so?" Kuzuku slyly smirked.
Spoiling him, she wrapped her arm around him to bring them closer, "Because, it's you after all. I'm allowed to have a bit of pride in my husband after all for being so strong."
Yup, the very word he wanted to hear. Truth be told, his Saiyan traits felt a bit exhilarated by being complimented in that manner by the one they chose to live their life with. However, as he sat in a state of stupor pridefulness, he almost faintly missed the passing of a blur object into the hands of 21. Playfully, he shot Ryo a glare as he tried to play it off with his terrible whistling while 21 was but inches away from tasting glory. However, with quick reflexes, Kuzuku snatched the object out of her hands and left her in complete disappointment.
"Nice try but you're not getting those cupcakes that easily," Kuzuku chimed.
His wife pouted as he laughed away at her dispense. At this point it was straight up bullying but she grumbled out of frustration and complained, "Just you wait, I'll get you back for this sooner or later."
A/N: One of the shorter chapters so far being up to nearly 7k words but progressed the plot a bit in the direction I wanted. Now, onto my thought process when making this chapter. So essentially, from reading multiple Dragon Ball fics, I noticed that most of them really don't have any unique martial arts dedicated to their character. Most just train under Goku or some of the Z-fighters and eventually learn how to fight from there (Not saying I didn't do the same thing but as you can see, I'm changing that). As a former martial artist myself, I decided that I wanted Kuzuku to sorta move away from that trope and create something unique. Hence why I am having his character gear more towards a new style rather than Turtle Style.
As for Goku and Vegea, I'll eventually have parts from some chapters dedicated to their advancements along with the side-characters as well. I want to try my best on giving everyone a chance to grow for the upcoming arcs.
Development and training aside, as you probably read, I've finally teased and foreshadowed two characters who are part of the main plot. I wanted to be discreet about them just to keep them kind of ambiguous for now. But trust me on this, they are far more dangerous than I led on.
