Chapter Nineteen

Raditz's feet landed on the grass ground as the Saiyan dropped to safety from the ten minute flight over from the Brief family's household. Quickly showering before he had headed over after Krillin and Bulma, he landed to find the two awaiting him. Because his fighting gi had been washed by Bulma's mother, Mrs. Brief, Raditz now wore his traditional set of Saiyan Armor, iconically he was also back looking for the Dragon Balls so maybe it was meant for him to be back in the armor. Strapped around his back was also a red sheath and broadsword, the only thing he'd actually bought since he'd gotten his winnings from the martial arts tournament months back.

"You made it," Krillin greeted the Saiyan, patiently waiting for his arrival with Bulma. Although he knew that he had grown tremendously in strength through training in the Gravity Chamber, it felt safer whenever Raditz was around to help out with whatever could happen. Of course, the Saiyan was the "Strongest Under the Heavens" according to his victory in the tournament. "Bulma thought it'd be best if we waited for you before we carried on. Something about a Dragon Ball somewhere around here."

Raditz nodded at the small human before carrying on towards Bulma. Closing the distance, he could see that she was currently preoccupied, her eyes locked onto the flashing green screen of her Dragon Radar as she twisted all kinds of knobs and switches on the advice, adjusting it. "Okay, it's been a minute since I brought this thing out but it's functional now I think. Let's hurry and find this Dragon Ball, the radar says it's about one hundred meters south."

"It must be over by that tower's base," Krillin replied, pointing to a towering structure that stretched higher than the trees and through the blanket of clouds in the sky. "Or at the top of it." He added, scratching his shaven head as he thought about just how tall the pillar could be.

"Fine, I'll scout ahead." Raditz replied as he advanced forward. "Blue, stay between Krillin and I." The Saiyan instructed his girlfriend, his eyes peeled on what was ahead of him in case of any ambush plans.

After a couple more minutes of walking, the group of three finally arrived at the base of the tower that Krillin had made note of upon arrival. Before they could approach the tower's base, the Dragon Radar that Bulma held frantically buzzed in her hands. Knowing what this meant, Raditz scanned the area knowing that the Dragon Ball was close. His eyes locked onto a small teepee set up some distance from the base of the towering structure, making note of the two people sitting by a fire that had been lit -a tall and bulky Native man and a smaller boy who Raditz assumed was the former's child or brother. Realizing that they had visitors, the larger of the two stepped in front of the smaller boy, raising a spear as he took stock of Raditz and his friends.

"So more visitors?" The man began, speaking to himself before he cleared his throat and began speaking with a louder tone. "I am Bora, the Village Chief of the Karinga Tribe. My son, Upa, and I have noticed the traffic these sacred lands have been attracting and are here scouting on account of the village." The large man, Bora, explained to the travelers.

Bora took in the group of three. They weren't like the strange men he'd had to deal with earlier, that was good. As long as his son wasn't threatened, he wouldn't turn to violence right away. These travelers didn't even have the same uniforms or guns that the soldiers he'd dealt with had either. "What business brings you to the Sacred Land of Korin?" The Karingan questioned, protectively holding his arm out to stop the child at his side from stepping forward.

"We're searching for an artifact," Raditz answered, making the shape of a Dragon Ball in his hands. He stepped forward as he spoke, his eyes coming to meet the top of Bora's chest. "We think somebody's up to no good, we're just trying to get to it before they do. Seen any orange balls lying around this place?" The Saiyan added.

"You and your friends weren't the first group to come searching for the artifact," Bora explained, remembering the tough week he'd gone through protecting his people from strange men. "Two fleets of men were sent here with firearms a few days ago. I take it this is what you're looking for?" He continued, pulling the Four-Star Dragon Ball from the satchel on his pants. His people had been threatened for this ball, that's when all he had seen was red. "I wish I would have known the trouble this thing would bring when Upa here returned from the woods with it." He laughed, rustling through his son's hair.

"Strange men huh?" Raditz said, taking note of the bloodied remains in the area. "I take it you handled them pretty easily huh?"

"Their bullets weren't as strong as they might have thought," The Karigan leader said with a smirk on his face. He then sighed, turning away from the Saiyan. "It's a shame so much blood had to be shed but as my people's leader, I had to do what was necessary to protect my son firstly and my village secondly." He passively remarked with the same scowl on his face.

"I wonder who those guys were," Bulma said to herself, thinking out loud. Walking around the clearing to find some sort of evidence, Bulma half thought that it could be that sadistic little emperor from before. The devious imp hadn't gotten his wish for world domination and after waiting a year for the Dragon Balls to reactivate, he was the only person she knew had the technology to find the orbs like her. The thought of the imp made her shudder in place though, remembering just how much she'd been through that night that she was captive in his palace.

As she thought this though, something snapped her out of his reflection. Coming to the item in the bush that had caught her eye, Bulma's eyes widened and felt shivers shoot down her spine at the sight of the armored helmet she saw. She saw the insignia branded on it and immediately gulped in fear of the two R's she saw painted in the red bow. She hadn't seen that symbol in years… that explained it though.

"This is bad," The bluenette cried, walking back towards her Saiyan friend with the helmet in hand. "It turns out we're dealing with the Red Ribbon Army from the looks of this helmet."

"My scouter hasn't picked up any troubling power levels," Raditz replied, taking the helmet from Bulma and examining it. "There is one in the vicinity though, I'm keeping a guard up as I suggest you do to."

"They may not be all that powerful to you Raditz but these guys have a wide array of military grade weapons and the manpower to overrun an entire country. For all we know, their technology alone could have improved to the point in which they could hurt you or Krillin," Bulma explained, summing up the manner of why this Red Ribbon Army was a dangerous group. "My father and I have worked with some of their top scientists in the past and I've seen some of the work they try to hide from the public. Those guys are sick and they won't stop at anything to get their hands on the Dragon Balls."

'Stop at nothing you say?' The Saiyan said, thinking to himself. A smirk came across his face as he thought of ways to deal with these guys. Although he was alarmed at the idea of someone rivaling Bulma's intelligence, he knew what he had to do. Knowing the woman's smarts and handiness with technology, if there was an evil who possessed that same brain, it couldn't lead to anything positive for him or the people of Earth. Oh well, he'd just have to make sure to kill whoever this was when he got the chance so they couldn't resurface later and get in his way.

"We'll just have to wait and see about these guys then, shall we?" The Saiyan reassured, his main focus not on the Red Ribbon Army but on whoever this strong power level he felt belonged to. "Have you had any other visitors?" He then asked Bora.

"Outside of the men with guns, just a young warrior with black hair like yours." The man answered the Saiyan. "We spoke for a while and he told me the Turtle Hermit sent him here for additional training from the great Korin."

"Training you say?" The Saiyan butt in, his ears intrigued at the mention of his favorite pastime. "Explain."

"Legends say that if one ever has the endurance to reach the top of this tower, you will meet Master Korin himself and be given the mystical Sacred Water and your strength will multiply tenfold. Many have tried and failed but rumors say that only Master Roshi himself has ever reached the top." Bora continued, looking at Krillin's gi as he spoke. "The man had an orange gi just like that one, the same kanji and everything."

Raditz smirked at this, now knowing who the distant power level he had felt belonged to. So it had appeared that Yamcha had been sent here by Master Roshi, didn't it? Maybe it hadn't been a bad idea to come out here.

The raven haired Turtle student continued to gradually ascend the skyscraping tower he'd been assigned by Roshi to climb. He had thought that this task would be a piece of cake, he was a premier martial artist -climbing towers was something that fairytale princes did! Now though, he was just grateful that Mai had packed him a knapsack packed with the essentials, some food and a canteen. During his ascent, Yamcha had been forced to eat, drink, rest, and even relieve himself all while finding a way to keep ahold of the pillar he was climbing. It had taken some skill and creative uses of his energy but he'd found a way to stick to the tower by moving his energy around as he tired out. That was the only reason he hadn't already fallen and made a mess on the grassy field below him.

Now, entering what was his sixth day of climbing, the desert bandit felt his legs aching in a pain he had never felt before as they remained clung to the side of Korin Tower. He hated to think of what would happen if he didn't reach the top soon, his entire body was mentally and physically drained even with his new reservoir of stamina.

"Dammit, still no sign of the top of this thing." The student growled at himself, gradually climbing for another few minutes until he looked up to see the structure expanding outwards. Seeing a small opening, Yamcha's eyes widened as he realized this. "Yes! That has to be the top!" The bandit cheered, climbing with some renewed vigor.

Yamcha continued his short ascent towards the tower's opening, coming across a small ladder. Climbing the ladder, the Desert Bandit came face-to-face with what he assumed to be some sort of small room, meaning that the Earthborn martial artist had finally reached the end of his voyage. Upon the first floor of the base, Yamcha found absolutely nobody… but once the Human climbed a small flight of stairs high above the clouds, his eyes locked onto the very last thing that he was expecting to be awaiting him… a short, yet very plump, white furred cat that appeared to be holding a wooden staff to support himself.

"Hello, Yamcha," The creature slowly greeted the martial artist, instantly shocking the former bandit by both the fact that the cat was speaking like a Human… and that he knew the young warrior's name. "I take it that you're here for my Sacred Water just like that old master of yours?"

"H-How exactly are you aware of my name as well as what I've traveled here for?" Yamcha hesitantly questioned the cat, the idea of the mission that he had been assigned to embark on returning to his mind.

*Flashback Start*

Yamcha growled in pain, his chest throbbing in agony from the large amount of damage that the Turtle Hermit had managed to dish out on him just moments later. It was quite true that although the old master was quickly aging and declining in strength, Yamcha could still see just why Roshi had managed to easily defeat both him and Krillin in the previous tournament, as well as give Raditz quite the trouble in the finals match of said tournament.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Yamcha somehow managed to let out between discomforting, exhaustive pants for dear life, still more than energized enough to unleash another of his newly learned Kamehameha Waves throughout the surface of the relaxing, luxurious wave-filled sea.

"Just as I instructed Raditz all those months back… you must be able to charge as much of your ki into the attack as you possibly can, placing more of your energy into the energy wave before you decide to release the blast, if you ever dream of mastering the technique and using it truly properly. The Kamehameha is an incredibly powerful finishing technique there is absolutely no half-assing it, there is a reason why it is so well renowned, as well as feared. Now if you were to modify it then, you can do whatever, but you have to master it first." Master Roshi instructed his newly deployed disciple, watching as the former bandit that was now his student fired off the Kamehameha Waves with much ease. He was quite stunned actually by the warrior's strength.

While not as powerful as Raditz or Krillin just yet, Yamcha had just as much potential as the two of them… as well as getting the hang of things at a much quicker pace than Krillin had. Yamcha had stated that he had learned a bit about energy manipulation from Raditz but not too much, meaning that he already had more of an upper hand then Krillin had at this time in his own training. "You have made quite the progress so far Yamcha." The elderly martial arts master encouraged his student. "While you lack the experience I have, you have already eclipsed me in pure strength."

"Yeah… I can't sense energy but I can really feel my strength increasing with each passing day I have to deliver milk and the other things," Yamcha smirked, releasing another Kamehameha Wave, this one charged with as much energy as the Desert Bandit could place into it, racing into the raging ocean before him.

The Turtle Hermit was speaking facts and Yamcha knew it. While he had thought that he had done great training on his own back in the Diablo Desert… everything he had been through in the last couple of months with Master Roshi far surpassed that already. During the mornings he would completely finish his daily routine, afternoons he would work on his combat skills, meditation, and energy manipulation; and during the evenings and nights he would spend his time with his beautiful woman, Mai, who stood by his side through it all… helping him make it through his training and every obstacle. They would snuggle together for hours during the night, her presence being more than enough to tend to some of the wounds he would sustain in matches with the old man himself. Other times they would do… a bit more than snuggle together and their bond grew stronger with each passing day. Who would've ever thought that someone who originally had been assigned to kill both him and all of his friends would turn out to be the perfect woman for him? "Thank you… Master Roshi."

"No thanks is necessary… I should be thanking you actually," Roshi stated, hesitating to continue on originally. "But now… I feel that it is time to further your training. Mai has given me ideas of sending you to a place that I once ventured myself, a place known as the Sacred Land of Korin. In this field, there is an incredibly large tower that makes even the clouds feel close to the ground. Now, it is your mission to climb that tower and obtain the Sacred Water from the master that waits upon it… Korin. Once you prove yourself worthy of the water, Korin shall let you have a drink and your strength shall increase amazingly, just as mine did when my master allocated me to this quest many decades ago."

"Alright master," Yamcha stated, bowing to the battle hardened martial artist that was his mentor. If this opportunity to grow stronger was actually true… he would be a fool not to go after it. But first, the only thing that he needed was just a warm dinner and one more good night's sleep alongside his loving romantic partner, Mai. "I leave for Korin Tower first thing tomorrow morning and intend on returning as soon as I possibly can."

*Flashback End*

"I possess a number of very fascinating abilities, including reading one's mind," The plump feline creature responded. Telepathy was a very easy skill when you cleared your mind. "I am the great Master Korin. You have quite the potential for a Human. You even reached the top of this old thing quicker than that master of yours."

"Cut the small talk, where's this sacred water of yours that I've heard so much about?" The bandit interrupted, asking Korin. He was drained, all he wanted was to drink this water and get back to Mai… maybe she'd even give him a back massage after all this climbing!

"It's right here," Korin answered, showing off a kettle of water that he held with his tail to the fighter. "All you have to do is come and get it from me. Then maybe you can go back home to that woman of yours and get that massage you're fantasizing of." The cat giggled, his eyes still closed as he spoke.

"That's all?" Yamcha smirked, getting in a pouncing position as he saw that the feline's eyes were closed. A second later, the Earthling leapt towards the guardian with his newfound speed. However, Korin moved just as fast, leaving the former bandit snatching at a mere afterimage of himself.

"That was pretty fast, pretty boy," Korin instructed, reappearing behind the stunned martial artist. He hadn't had a visitor in a very long time so he was going to have some fun with Yamcha. "I hope you didn't think this would be this easy! It took that old turtle hermit three years to get his hands on this water."

'What, if Master Roshi took so long, what chance do I have? No, it doesn't matter… I have to get it quicker than that,' Yamcha coached himself, picking himself up from where he'd tried and failed to lunge at Korin. The bandit wiped the sweat from his forehead before launching back at the psychic master. He was going to get his hands on that water one way or another.

"So… it seems that pretty soon we shall have dozens of military soldiers steadily charging us hoping to get their hands on the Dragon Ball?" Raditz exclaimed, a smirk painted upon his face as he welcomed a large group of challengers. While he was absolutely sure that they would be much weaker than any decent opponent, if they managed to arrive in large groups… maybe then numbers could make up strength. "That sounds like quite the warmup, am I right Krillin?"

"W-What do you mean Raditz?" Krillin questioned the Saiyan warrior, still completely oblivious as to why and how the tailed being managed to stay so calm and relaxed even when he knew that an entire army of crazed soldiers would and could be arriving at any second, hoping to secure the final Dragon Ball and take out whoever came in their way. While he had little to no knowledge at all about these mystical objects… they had to be of some value and here Raditz was, remaining completely emotionless just as always. He knew the Saiyan was quite strong… possibly the strongest being in the entire Solar System but standing up to an entire army? Just the thought of it was damn near suicide. "These guys aren't like Giran, Ranfan, and the other tournament fighters… they really do want us dead! No matter the consequences or amount of time it takes. If they want us dead, there's no running away from it!"

"I mean that we are to remain here and help the two Karingans… Bora and Upa, in their attempts to safely guard the Dragon Ball from these Red Ribbon fools," Raditz replied, his voice as calm as the night, yet as deep as the sea. "I'd love for someone strong to come and give me a challenge for once. But you should know for a fact that I wouldn't allow someone to even come close to killing me without putting up a fight."

"But… what if they're too strong for us?" Krillin gulped, thinking about the worst possible thing that could happen. If that incident ever occurred… Raditz could possibly be killed and then? Then with the strongest of them easily defeated, this threat would effortlessly pluck off both he and Bulma… then Bora and Upa. "We could gain power while we're here by climbing Korin Tower! Since we're already here, it shouldn't be much of a waste of time and I'm sure we'll become more than strong enough to deal with whatever and whoever's after the Dragon Balls if we manage to scale it!"

"That is a pretty nice idea come to think of it… I'd like to see what exactly this Sacred Water is actually capable of," Raditz responded, his blood thrillingly racing at the thought of some type of holy water that would be sure to make him stronger. Through both climbing the tower and proving himself worthy, he would surely be performing some type of work that should be awarded with strength. "I know for an absolute fact that if Master Roshi was smart enough to send Yamcha to a place like this… there has to be some sort of value to this water."

"But Mister Raditz…" The short, innocent Native American child, Upa, exclaimed, butting into Krillin and Raditz's conversation with a worried look upon his face. After all… he had just witnessed his father strip the lives of a whole group of mercenary soldiers, much more violence than the average man would see throughout his entire life. "If you two climb Korin Tower… what are we going to do if someone comes by here while you are gone? Although my father is incredibly strong, I highly doubt that he and I could defeat an entire army by ourselves."

"Right… right," Raditz responded, realizing that the young warrior had quite the point. Although it appeared that this Bora guy could hold his own against small groups of these Red Ribbon Soldiers… if what Bulma had actually stated about the organization being completely relentless and unwilling to stop at anything was actually true, the Saiyan knew that the only person outside of himself that he trusted to keep Bulma safe was Krillin.

"How about we do this instead? Krillin, you can begin ascending this tower as fast as you can and try to meet up with Yamcha near or at the top of it. Then, once the two of you return from obtaining the Sacred Water, I'll take my turn in climbing this skyscraper." The tailed martial artist suggested, coming up with the idea off the top of his head. If this sacred water was actually all that it had been cracked up to be, the two Human warriors should be able to hold off any unwanted visitors with their newfound strength while he ventured to the top of Korin Tower… and if they did not return strong enough to do so, then this water was probably not even worth the climb. "You and the ole bandit should descend from the tower with more than enough strength to help Bora defend the Dragon Ball while I am busy climbing."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Krillin excitingly squealed, mustering up his energy to begin hovering a few feet off of the ground. "I'll try to be back immediately after I get a drink of the sacred water!"

"Good luck," everyone wished Krillin. "Thanks guys, see you in a few days," Krillin enthusiastically responded.

The former monk prepared himself, filling his bag with a few of the essentials before he began his own journey to the exact top of the Tower of Korin.

Power Levels

Raditz: 394

Krillin: 283

Bulma: 52

Yamcha: 238 (Training with Master Roshi)

Korin: 220

Bora: 136

Upa: 34