Roshi Saga
Some years passed after the new Kami's ascension and the Earth entered a period of relative peace. The few threats that arose were minor compared to that of the Shadow Dragons and handled promptly by the great martial artist, Mutaito. Mutaito was a fighting prodigy ever since childhood and had always been stronger than the average man. He trained hard every day to defend his village from harm and had even fought against Garlic's demons when they first appeared on Earth. When the Shadow Dragons appeared and Nova Akuma attacked his home, Mutaito challenged the monster and was defeated with ease before being forced to watch his home and family be destroyed before his eyes. His pride destroyed but his resolve strengthened, the young man went into exile to train and find what he needed to defeat the Shadow Dragons.
It was during his time in exile that Mutaito learned the secret of what he called "Spirit Power", the mystical ability to control chi that was spoken of only in legends. When he returned after years of training, he found the world at peace but vowed he would do all he could to keep it that way. As his legend grew, Mutaito established a school to pass his knowledge on to a new generation, welcoming any and all who wished to learn. Among his pupils was a perverted young man called Roshi.
Roshi was born in a small, isolated village known for it's strict morals and deep spiritual nature. From an early age, he had a less than innocent fascination with women and brought great embareassment to the community,particularly his father Furu, the local priest . In sharp contrast, his big sister was held in great regard for her ability to summon spirits from the after-life. These same spirits had given her an enchated crystal ball that allowed her to see the future and establish a fortune-telling business that brought her and the village great prosperity.
By the time he was fifteen, Roshi had grown tired of living in his sibling's shadow and left home to seek his fortune. He came across Mutaito's academy in his travels and was immediately noticed by the old master. Mutaito sensed something special in the confused young man and offered to take him as a pupil, promising the teachings would provide the answers he sought. Roshi, believing this meant he would finally outdo his sister, accepted.
Another notable pupil was Tsuru, son of Mutaito's old frind Master Leo, the Lion Master. Tsuru was a deeply troubled young man who believed martial arts were meant to dominate others and had already passed this philosophy on to his younger brother Tao. It was his father's hope that Mutaito's wisdom would curb his dark impulses and soothe the anger that had been building in him since the death of his mother some years ago.
From the beginning, Roshi and Tsuru were rivals, always seeking to outdo the other. Both had potential but rarely took their training seriously as they were often seen making unwanted advances towards the female students and outright refused to wear the school gi or shave their heads like other male pupils, preferring their normal clothes and trademark shades.
After three years of this, Tsuru finally crossed the line when he and Roshi were competing for the affections of Fanfan, a girl who lived in the neighboring village. Thanks to the help of a mysterious and unusually strong boy who had appeared out of nowhere to learn "spirit power", it seemed Fanfan was starting to fall for Roshi and Tsuru became furious. His anger and jealousy were so strong that he kidnapped her and even threatened her life when Roshi and the boy attempted a rescue. It wasn't until after Fanfan was safe and Mutaito had chewed him out that the Lion Master's son realized just what he almost did and vowed to repent.
A few months later, things changed. Roshi and Tsuru had gone from rivals to friends, even adopting a strange creature they named Idoshikachou as a pet and taking a break from their training to raise it. They believed this would help them impress Fanfan but she had just recently discovered her own passion for martial arts and following a warning from Mutaito's female students about their pervertedness, moved away to enroll in an all-female dojo. The two jilted suitors never saw her again but she would go to become one of Earth's strongest women and start an entire family of martial artists, the latest being the seductive Ranfan.
After that, Roshi and Tsuru rediscovered their desire to get stronger and threw themselves into training. They even shaved their heads and began wearing the school gi like everyone else. It wasn't long before Mutaito counted them among his best students.
However, though they were equals in terms of strength and skill, there was one area where Roshi simply couldn't compete with Tsuru: the use of "spirit power." The Lion Master's son had long ago grasped the concept of chi control and could now use it in a variety of ways,including levitation, something not even Mutaito could do. He had also become one of the select few students to learn the Tri-Beam, an ancient and very powerful move said to be used by the warriors of legend. Few could even attempt this move for it was said to drain the user's life force and result in death if not used sparingly.
While Roshi was determined to maintain his friendship with Tsuru, he couldn't help but feel jealous at his former rival's advancement. His own attempts at chi control were less impressive, only allowing him to augment his strength and speed. While this allowed him to run miles in seconds and deliver punches capable of shattering rock, such things were only impressive to those not in Mutaito's inner circle. Tsuru's good natured yet rather frequent ribbing didn't help matters.
One day, the school was visited by a mysterious old woman. She was dressed like a witch and was so small that she floated on her oversized crystal ball for transport. When Mutaito came to greet the stranger, he instantly recongnised her. "The great Uranai Baba is always welcome here" the old master said with a bow "to what do I own the honor?" "Never mind the boot licking youngster" Uranai Baba snapped "I'm just here to see my lousy kid brother, Roshi."
Uranai Baba was indeed Roshi's older sister, much older. Roshi's father Furu had made a deal with the spirits many centuries ago to grant himself and his family extended life. By the time Roshi was born, his parents were over five hundred years and Baba was currently around two hundred.
Mutaito summoned Roshi without delay and left the siblings to talk. They glared at each other for several minutes, having never really liked each other before Roshi left home. "What are you doing here Baba? Came to remind me that I missed mother's birthday again?"
"Actually, it was mine you missed but that's besides the point." Baba replied dryly " I came to warn you that I've foreseen a horrible future for you, one that will come to pass very soon." This caught Roshi's attention. As much as he disliked acknowledging his sister's talents, he knew they were very real and she was always accurate. "What did you see? Am I expelled or something?"
Baba rolled her eyes. "Nothing as tame as that, you dummy! In a few weeks time, Piccolo will launch a campaign to ravage Earth and everyone on it. One of his early attacks will be at this school and unless you leave now, you may not survive." There was a tense silence before Roshi burst out laughing.
"It finally happened, you've gone senile" the young martial artist cackled " I mean an evil instrument trying to take over Earth? You really expected me to believe that? Come on sis, be honest. Mom and Dad sent you here, didn't they? This is obviously another ploy to get me home and studying to be a preist."
Rather than confess or even be angry at her brother's doubts, Baba remained solemn. This unnerved Roshi somewhat,being fully aware of how seriously his sister took her craft and didn't like it being mocked. The last person who did that had a rather nasty encounter with her spirit friends. "You don't have to believe me Roshi, just beware the green demon for your sake and mine."
"Green demon? I thought you were talking about instruments?" Rather than answer, Baba floated away, leaving her brother confused. 'She couldn't be serious,could she?' Roshi thought 'and even if she was, why should I worry? This school is protected by Master Mutaito, the most powerful man alive. No one, not even that weird kid that showed up a while back, could challenge him. What was that kid's name again?' Before Roshi could ponder anything further, a voice called to him from behind. "Hey Roshi!" It was Tsuru, looking at him expectantly. "Are you done with whatever the Master called you for? We were supposed to spar today, remember?"
Roshi nodded. "I'm right behind you but do me a favor and take it easy on using chi, will ya? It's not easy fighting someone who can fly you know." Tsuru smirked. "I make no such promises."
As the two friends made their way to the mats to begin their sparring session, they were blissfully unaware of the danger on the horizon. Many miles away, the evil half of the namekian formerly known as Tenshi stood at the top of a large mountain, glaring down at the village below. It had taken more years than he had liked but he had finally managed to manifest a body and was now preparing his first strike against humanity.
Standing seven feet tall, he appeared as a warped reflection of his other half with much darker green skin and features that appeared much more sinister than those of his original self. Even the fangs and claw-like nails that Tenshi had attempted to conceal while growing up were much more prominent on his evil half. Completing the image was the "demon" symbol upon his shirt, meant to counter the "God" symbol that his lighter half wore in his office of Kami.
The evil half resisted the urge to laugh at this thought. Calling his other half "Kami" was nothing short of a colossal joke. The weakling was nothing more than an obsever these days. Even now, the evil half could sense the fool watching him from above, knowing full well he was powerless to stop what was coming. Though now separate entities, both of Tenshi's halves were still spiritually linked and the death of one meant the other's doom. The weakling would never kill the evil half for fear of leaving Earth without a Kami to watch over it, regardless of how worthless the position was at this point. Unfortunately for the evil half, this also meant the so called "Kami" was safe for now unless there was a way to sever their bond. The evil half also pondered if it was possible to become one again with himself in full control. As much as he loathed to admit it, his current power was nothing compared to that of his original self.
Brushing such thoughts from his head, Tenshi's evil half returned his focus to the village below. As a young girl was making her way out of her simple home, a doll clutched lovingly in hand, an evil smile tugged at his lips. It was time to strike.
Gathering his chi, Tenshi's evil half began summoning a power that he had discovered when he and his weaker self were still one and deep in meditation. In addition to a method of separation, the son of Katas had also uncovered many other secrets buried in his subconscious. They had been deemed useless to him at the time and had been given mainly to his good half following the split but the darker side of the super namekian had retained just enough knowledge to do one thing: build an army.
It began as a warmth deep in his belly, then traveled up the body until it came to rest in his throat. It was there the warmth stayed and began growing hotter. It soon became so hot that it began to burn and Tenshi's evil half became desperate to expel the energy he had summoned. After several minutes of struggle, he managed to cough it up in the form of a slimy, mucus covered egg.
The evil half of Tenshi gazed at the egg for one long minute, seemingly contemplating the fact that he had just given birth. He then began repeating the mantra "rise and form to serve your master" over and over. The words weren't needed but they were the only way he knew to invoke the bit of namekian magic he had. After a few seconds, the egg began to hatch and the creature within began to grow and technique in question was meant to allow Dragon Clan namekians to control their child' age and growth rate. It had been developed by a Dragon Clan wizard during Lord Slug's era and was used to mature new warriors as quickly as possible to fight hiss early attacks. A young Tenshi had been taught the technique by a descendent of the same wizard as part of an experiment but it was never put to use until that moment.
The namekian soon stood before it's parent fully grow but it more resembled a small green devil than the race it was descended from. Such was a side effect of being spawned from a pure evil being. The mutant namekian looked towards Tenshi's evil half confusedly and asked "who am I? Who are you?"
These questions caught the dark half off guard. Did his child truly need a name? Did he? Yes, he supposed he did.
While memories of his original unified self were beginning to grow blurry, he knew for certain that a name was something he had always longed for, a genuine identity that truly made him part of the word. While he no longer shared such pathetic sentiments, a title was something he was definitely interested in. After all, if a weakling like his other half dared use the title" Kami ", then surely he deserved something just as grand. "I am…Piccolo" he said after a long moment, savoring the name's taste on his tounge. Yes, Piccolo. Though he knew not from where, he recalled the word meant "another world" in some unknown language and was not what he had been called since before the split? An otherworldly creature? A demon?
"I am Piccolo Daimao" the newly christened evil half said with more conviction "great king of demons and future ruler of the world. You are…Trumpet and you exist to serve me as my slave. Go down to the village and make my presence known Destroy all who live there without mercy!" "Yes master."
And so it was that the reign of Piccolo Daimao began. He created more children to aid Trumpet, each one more evil than the last. There was Organ, Clarinet, Bell, Xylophone, and over a dozen others who rampaged though villages, towns, and cities in their father's name. Each birth aged him little by little but none of that mattered. All that mattered was causing destruction and forcing his other half to endure the sight of it.
As fate would have it, Piccolo's horde eventually stumbled upon Mutaito's academy. They were surprised by the strength of the students and found themselves challenged for the first time in their admitably short existence. Tsuru in particular was the hero of the day as he lead the other "advanced" students in using the Tri-Beam to wipe them out one by by one. Roshi had gone the more direct approach and was duking it out with a hulking demon who called himself Banjo, taunting him as he dominated the brute with superior skill and speed.
"So, all you guys are named after instruments? What are you then, a kind of demonic orchistra?" As Roshi spoke, he hammered Banjo with a series of punches. The large demon stumbled backwards and growled in frustration.
"Mock me while you can human! You are strong for a member of you race but your luck can only last so long. Even if you do defeat me and my brothers, you're no match for our Lord Piccolo!"
This comment made Roshi pause, uncertain if he heard right. 'Did he just say…Piccolo? No, it can't be!' The young martial artist was so distracted by these thoughts that his fighting skills quickly began to suffer. He barely managed to dodge Banjo's punch and the kick he aimed at the demon's head was sloppy enough to block. Banjo was smart enough to begin pressing his advantidge and soon began pummeling Roshi mercilessly. The beating finally ended when he pinned the young martial artist to a wall.
"It seems your luck has run out human" Banjo hissed menacingly, his hot breath on Roshi's throat "never overestimate yourself in battle." "You should really listen to your own advice demon!" Banjo suddenly let out a scream as a Tri-beam struck him from behind. He released his grip on Roshi and fell over dead, allowing the young martial artist to slump to the ground.
Tsuru, Roshi's savior, walked over to him and extended a hand. "Need some help?" "Thanks" Roshi said as he got to his feet "even if I did already have him right where I wanted him." "For once, that's actually true" Tsuru noted "you were tearing that thing apart up until the last minute. What happened?"
"I…was distracted" Roshi replied hesitantly. He had spoken to no one about his encounter with his sister, or even who his sister was. He had enough trouble being Mutaito's student without living in her shadow all over again.
Tsuru raised an eyebrow. "Distracted huh? Don't tell me you were imagining the girls without their gis again?" He gestured to a group of female students nearby who had just defeated their own foes. Their muscular bodies coated in sweat and marked with scars and calouses while their aforementioned gis were currently covered in strange purple blood. In short, they were not at their most attractive but that had never prevented Roshi from gawking in the past, or flirting. It did however, usually earn him a beating.
"I don't do that anymore!" Roshi objected angrily "I'm a serious martial artist now, same as you. It doesn't really matter anyway since we seemed to have scared the monsters off." It was true. The surviving demons were so frightened by what they had seen that they were fleeing, some with the aid of wings on their backs. Roshi watched them go with a satisfied smirk.
"The Master will sure be sorry he chose today to meditate in the hills" he told Tsuru "he may never get a chance to fight one of those things now that it's over." "No Roshi, I fear it isn't over yet." Everyone turned to see their sensi, the legendary Master Mutaito himself, standing behind them. They bowed in respct but he paid no mind as he watched the departing demons with a grim expression. "If anything, what happened here today was only the beginning."
…
The remaining demons fled far from Mutaito's school and into a deep forest, where they came to rest at a large cave, their current home. Piccolo sat on a makshift throne and glared down at them as they kneeled before him. "I sensed the death of your brothers" he said sharply to the assembled group "what has happened to make them waste the life force I gave you all?"
Kazoo, one of the smaller demons, dared to speak. "P-please my lord, it was not our fault! We encountered a group of human warriors who were different from the others, stronger and capable of wielding chi."
This caught Piccolo's attention. Using chi seemed to be unique only to his original self while growing up and made his evil half sure of his dominion over Earth. To know that humans now claimed this power filled the self-proclaimed Demon King with an odd mix of anger and intrigue. "Most interesting" he said at last as he stood up from his throne "these strange humans sound like an interesting challenge. Perhaps I shall face them myself and truly test their worth."
This announcement created a stir within Piccolo's children. Violin, a particularly vicious demon, jumped up with excitement and said "we are always ready to follow you father." A hush fell over the demons at their brother's words. Though they knew Piccolo to be their parent, calling him such was forbidden when in his presence. Violin instantly realized his mistake when the demon king looked at him with narrowed eyes. "M-m-my Lord, please! I meant no disrespect!"
"You dare to call me that?" Piccolo hissed, ignoring Violin's plea "after fleeing from humans? After some of you allowed yourselves to die by their hands!? Your creation was a waste of my power and you must pay for what you have taken from me!" Beams of light shot from the demon king's eyes in a massive arc, striking almost every one of his offspring. As they slumped over dead, Trumpet, the eldest and the one elected to stay with Piccolo that day, approached from behind . "Master, are you quite certain that was wise? If these humans are as powerful as they said, their numbers might give even you difficulty."
"That is why you are coming with me Trumpet" Piccolo said simply "if you do not fail me, I may actually consider you my true offspring and heir." The Demon King powered up and took flight, Trumpet following close behind with his own chi contol abilities. Meanwhile, Master Mutaito had gathered his students inside the school to tell them the tale of his past, sitting on the floor as they gathered around him.
"Many years ago when I was a young man, the world was under the protection of a great warrior named Son Wukong, the Monkey Master. His strength was legendary and his mystical power pole could extend to the stars themselves if he so willed it but it was his heart that was the key to his true power. He was ever noble and practiced martial arts only fo health,spiritual enlightenment, and to defend the innocent from those with unworthy power. It is this creed that he taught me when I was his student and what I try to pass onto you. It was also around this time that word reached Wukong of a monstrous green demon who had been sighted around the world for years. He eventually left to confront the fiend himself and left me to guard our village. I never saw him again but in the span of nearly two years, I had my own encounters with demons. The first were only a minor challenge and when I defeated them, my pride grew so that I believed myself invincible but no less than six months later, a far greater threat appeared to humble me. He called himself Nova and he had power over fire itself. I challenged him and was beaten with pathetic ease before he destroyed my village and all who lived there, sparing me only to prolong my suffering"
Mutito paused in his story telling for a moment,seemingly overcome with emotion, and stood up. When he next spoke, it seemed as though he was warning them of the future. "It was soon after that when I went into exile to discover Spirit power and during that time, Nova was somehow beaten but I have never forgotten that day or what it taught me: there is always a stronger warrior somewhere and you must always train hard, ever ready for the next threat!"
"Words to live by old man, however long you may." All turned to see two new demons standing in the school's entrance, one a miniature devil and the other a strange looking creature with antennae. From the later, Mutaito could sense a very dark power. "Who are you? "
The powerful looking demon gave a mock bow. "I am Piccolo Daimao, great king of demons and future ruler of this world. Your children interfered in my rightful conquest earlier and must be disciplined accordingly. Stand aside and I may consider letting you live."
"They are my students" Mutaito clarified as he stepped forward and assumed a fighting stance "all the same, if you mean to do them or the world harm,you will answer to me!"
Piccolo chuckled darkly and assumed his own stance. "Exactly the answer I was hoping for." In a split second, the Demon King launched himself at Mutaito and began to trade blows with him. To the shock of the students, Piccolo matched their master blow for blow for for several minutes before knocking him backwards into Roshi's arms.
"Master, are you all right!?" Never before had the young martial artist seen anyone land a hit on Mutaito, none the students had. "I am fine Roshi" the old master grunted as he got to his feet "this…Piccolo just may be the type of exercise I've been needing lately."
"Let us fight this creature master" Tsuru demanded as he glared at Piccolo "we're the ones he's here for." "No!" Mutaito ordered in a tone more suited for an overprotective father than a prideful warrior "this is my fight."
The old master assumed a power up stance and began gathering chi. After a few moments, his muscles bulged out slightly and he rushed towards Piccolo with incredible speed, aiming a punch at the demon's smirking face. Piccolo stopped the punch easily and grabbed his foe's arm in a vice-like grip. "The warm-up is over" the Demon King hissed before casually tossing Mutaito through a nearby wall and following close behind.
"MASTER!" The students rushed toward the opening in the wall with the intent of following but were quickly blocked by the second demon. "Not so fast humans, you won't interfere with my master so long as Trumpet has anything to say about it!" Roshi scoffed. "You really think you can take us? We outnumber you by at least fifty to one."
Trumpet merely smirked. "Count again." The demon then proceeded to cough up an egg, then anotherand another, spitting out a dozen by the minute until there was an army capable of matching Mutaito's students. The young martial artists watched in shock as Trumpet aged incredibly rapidly upon doing this and collapsed to the floor. "I may have given my life" he wheezed out in ragged breaths "but my children will insure that you will never interfere in my master again!"
The demon closed his eyes for good after that but the young warriors still felt uneasy. "Uh…did he say children?" Roshi asked Tsuru nervously even as the eggs began to tremble. "Yeah, I think he did."
Simultaneously, every one of Trumpet's eggs hatched and grew into a duplicate of their parent. The students were soon facing a new wave of demons more deadly than the last. They advanced upon their human foes and began pushing them away from the wall. "What we we do now?" Roshi asked to no one in particular. Once again, it was Tsuru who answered: "we give them Hell!"
Thus began one of the bloodiest battles in martial arts history. The demons fought completely without restraint and left Mutaito's students, bound by their master's teachings of fighting honorably, completely outmatched by their ruthlessness. Many even brought about their own end, their life force depleted from their constant use of the Tri-beam. Soon, the numbers had dwindled so much that only Roshi and Tsuru remained.
Before the two former slackers could make a final heroic stand against the rapidly approaching demons, a familiar voice called out "Well, well,well, what have we here?" Piccolo stood in the wall's opening smirking at the scene. His gi was ripped but he looked otherwise unharmed, a sight that filled Roshi with dread and Tsuru with rage.
"It seems Trumpet was intelligent enough to create his own spawn" Piccolo noted as he glanced Trumpet's body and took in the sight of new demons "impressive. Perhaps he was a son of mine after all." At the sight of their master, the demons turned their attention away from Roshi and Tsuru, flocking towards him like loyal pets. The Demon King almost looked amused at their groveling.
"So you are my grandchildren eh?" Piccolo mused "what you clearly lack in brains, you make up in loyalty and strength. I chose wisely when I granted your father the most power among my children. Come, with all these humans dealt with, this world is ours!"
With this said, the Demon King and his new army took flight. Tsuru watched them go and his blood boiled. "He never even acknowledged us! It's as if we didn't exist!" "Never mind that!" Roshi exclaimed "we've got to find Master Mutaito and quick!"
The two young martial artists raced onto the school's heavily damaged courtyard and were greeted by the sight of their master's body lying before them. He was perfectly still and they feared the worse as they approached him. "Master, can you hear me? " Roshi whispered "please, you must wake up!" There was a grim silence for several moments before Mutaito let out a faint groan. "Roshi…?"
"He's alive!" Roshi proclaimed joyously "quickly Tsuru, we must try and heal him!" Tsuru nodded but the look on his face bothered Roshi. He seemed to be looking at their master with…disapproval? Shaking such thoughts from his head, the young martial helped to lift his mentor up and carry him back inside what remained of the school.
Mutaito's recuperative abilities were as famed as his strength and within a few hours, he was completely healed. He now stood with his final students, looking forlorn as he gazed at his academy's remains and the many fallen students who had tried to defend it. Their noble deaths would weigh on the old master's soul for the rest of his life.
"Master, forgive us" Roshi said quietly "we've failed you in every way possible." Mutaito turned to look at the young man and said "No Roshi, it's I who've failed. Piccolo's power was greater than I imagined, even Nova was not as strong. He's not like any other demon I've faced in my life. In fact, I believe he may have been the one who caused Son Wukong's dissapearence all those years ago. If that's true, what I have may not be enough."
"But you won't be facing him alone master" Roshi objected "surely with Tsuru and I fighting with you, we can win." "No Roshi, it is my duty alone to destroy Piccolo and In order to do that, I must again become a student." Roshi was confused. "What do you mean master?"
Mutaito smiled sadly. "Just as I journeyed far to learn Spirit Power years ago, I must again journey far to learn the secret of defeating my enemy. I do not know how long it will take but I swear on my soul that I'll return to you one day."
Tsuru was outraged. "You're leaving just like that!? After all this!? Do you know how many of us died for your failure!?"
"I do know Tsuru" Mutaito replied evenly, ever calm in the face of his student's rage "that is why I must do this. In order to truly honor their sacrifice, I must dedicate myself to learning as they did. I know that you do not understand now but you shall in time." The old master then turned on his heel and walked away. Tsuru attempted to stop him but Roshi held him back. "What about us Master? What will become of us now?"
Mutaito turned back to to Roshi and smiled. "You Roshi, are destined for greatness" he said "both of you are. I knew this even during your days as slackers and I know that you shall be the ones to guide the next generation after I am gone. It is your destiny."
With these parting words, the old master was gone. Roshi watched him go with a mix of sadness and admiriation but noticed Tsuru still scowling. "It's for the best" he said in an attempt to comfort his friend "we just have to have faith in our master." Tsuru responded by roughly pulling away from Roshi and stomping off in the direction of his room, or at least what remained of it.
A few months passed and Roshi threw himself into more training. He was determined to master "spirit power" and aid his master in defeating Piccolo at all costs. Even his nineteenth birthday went uncelebrated in favor of intense meditation, trying to summon his chi to the surface. He attempted to get Tsuru to teach but his friend was despondent, preferring to sulk in his room and listen to radio reports of Piccolo's continued rampage. He seemed to have given up all hope for the Demon King's defeat.
After a while, Roshi considered joining him. No matter how hard he tried, "spirit power" was beyond his reach and he could not grow stronger without it. It was only after one such failed training session that he finally found his answer. He had been in Mutaito's former study, attempting to renew his waning faith in his mentor, when he noticed a book on the nearby shelf. it was called "Myths and Legends of Martial Arts."
Roshi had always been fascinated by such tales, even before he became Mutaito's student. Needing at least a temporary escape from his burden, he sat down at Mutaito's desk and began to read. A part of him also hoped that perhaps Piccolo was featured in a legend along with his weaknesses. While he had no such luck, he did find something of interest: the tale of Korin's Tower.
The legend said the centuries ago, after the death of the mighty warrior Olibu, his village sought to honor his memory by building a grand tower, tall enough to reach the very heavens. This tower was so grand that it attracted the attention of Korin, the God of Martial Arts himself. Korin was so impressed by the people's devotion to their champion that he appeared in person to reward them with the Sacred Water, said to make whoever drank it as mighty as Olibu was.
But Korin was also a trickster by nature and declared that whoever drank the water must earn the right. He took it and ascended to the very top of the tower, daring whoever desired his gift to climb after it. No one ever did. No one ever had to this day.
The legend ended then and Roshi took a moment to digest what he has learned. Could it be true? Was there really a God of Martial Arts who held the key to legendary power? Growing up in his family had convinced him it was definitely possible.
All at once, the young martial artist's mind raced with possibilities. If he and Tsuru climbed the tower and earned the Sacred Water, they could become strong enough to defeat Piccolo! Better still, could Mutaito had known of this legend already? Could he have left to climb the tower for himself? Now bursting with excitement and resolve, Roshi rushed off with book in hand to tell Tsuru of his discovery.
The Lion Master's son did not share his enthusiasm however. In fact, he snatched the book from Roshi's hands and hurled it at his still intact dresser,causing a photograph on top to fall. "ARE YOU INSANE!? YOU WANT US TO JOURNEY HUNDREDS OF MILES TO A VILLAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE FOR A MYTH!?"
"Hey, it's worth a shot." Roshi pointed out, a bit surprised by his friend's anger "we can't just hide away and do nothing while Piccolo's out there. It would violate Master Mutaito's code." Tsuru's face twisted into a nasty glare at these words and Roshi almost felt afraid. Tsuru hadn't looked at him like that even when they were bitter rivals.
"Are you telling me that you honestly still believe in that old fool after all this!? After he abandoned us!?" Roshi was aghast. "The Master didn't abandon us Tsuru, he-" "He is a coward in hiding" Tsuru finished bitterly "haven't you figured out by now that it doesn't work?"
"What doesn't work?" "Everything!" Tsuru explained exasperately as he gestured to the ruins around them "being good, fighting with honor, everything Mutaito taught us doesn't work and it never will! That's why Piccolo is conquering the world and everyone we know is dead! It's also why I intend to find Piccolo and become his disciple. If you're smart, you'll join me."
"You can't be serious!" Roshi exclaimed "you would join him and turn your back on the world!? I thought you had learned from your mistakes." "I have Tsuru replied firmly "I've learned that I was a fool to change who I was and follow Mutaito. Power and cruelty are the only ways to thrive in this world and Piccolo knows it. That's why our best bet is to side with him!"
"You're talking insanity" Roshi said with pity in his voice "but if you truly plan on going through with this, it's my duty to stop you." He assumed a fighting stance and prepared for an attack but none came. Tsuru merely posititioned his hands in front of his face in an odd way. "You're a fool Roshi" he said with what sounded like genuine regret "maybe one day you'll see the truth but until then, here's one last gift in the name of friendship. It's a technique I developed while you thought I was sitting idle…Solar Flare!"
Roshi staggered back as he was blinded by the intense light Tsuru generated. It seemed like forever until his sight returned and once it did, Tsuru was gone. All that was left was an empty room and a photograph. Roshi picked the later up and was surprised to find that it was from the day they found Idoshikachou. It was also the day that Roshi believed had cemented the friendship between two former rivals, hence his insistence on the photo. Tsuru grumbled the entire time, going along only to shut Roshi up…or so it seemed. A sad smile crossed the young man's face as he remembered losing the photo the next day and eventually forgetting it.
Where just moments ago Roshi believed he'd lost a friend and regained an enemy, there was now a sense of hope. The photo as well as the fact that Tsuru had chosen to flee rather than fight was proof enough that the young man in the photo was not yet gone. With this in mind, Roshi set out to find Korin and save the world.
The young martial artist traveled through the mountains to avoid the rampaging demons. Though he knew that more people were dying every day at their hands, he knew he could not risk challenging them just yet. Only the power of the sacred water could possibly assure his victory.
Finally, after weeks of travel, Roshi came to Olibu's village, which was now called the Sacred Land of Korin. The natives were a kind people who were quite impressed with his determination to climb their legendary tower and defeat a demon. They offered the exhausted young man a bed for the night and promised to take him to his destination the next day. As he slept, Roshi's dreams were haunted by Piccolo and his ilk.
At dawn the next day, a native called Kata lead Roshi to Korin's Tower. The young martial artist was amazed at the tower's height, sunlight glaring off his shades as he struggled to see the top. Kata noticed this and laughed slightly. "You seem surprised" he said "were you not told of our tower before coming here?"
"I read all about it" Roshi said somewhat indignantly "I just never expected it to be this tall." "It is supposed to reach the heavens, is it not?" Kata asked rhetorically "otherwise, how would Korin have seen it?"
"I suppose" Roshi admitted reluctantly as he looked at Kata and then back at the tower "I was just hoping that 'tall enough to reach the very heavens' was just hyperbole." Kata laughed again. "My people seldom exaggerate history, especially not their own." "Just my luck" Roshi grumbled.
"Your hesitation is understandable" Kata said "many of our greatest warriors have declined this challenge upon hearing the stories alone. You're actually quite brave to have come this far, no shame in quiting." At that. Roshi became solemn. "No! I'll never quit, not with so much at stake. I'll reach the top no matter what!"
With that said, Roshi latched onto the tower's base, hoisted himself up, and began to climb. He didn't know how much time passed. It felt like weeks, sometimes months, and maybe even years. Many times, he felt as though he would faint from exhaustion, losing his grip and falling to his doom. Only thoughts of his master and Tsuru gave him the strength to contine.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Roshi reached the top of the tower. He was so exhausted that he felt lke he could barely stand but was too excited to care. "I DID IT! I ACTUALLY DID IT! I CLIMBED KORIN'S TOWER!"
"Yeah, yeah, congratulations and all that but keep it down, will ya?" Roshi was suddenly aware that someone was standing right in front of him. It was a cat, a cat with white fur standing upright like a human and clutching a wooden staff much too large for it in it's left paw. This didn't shock Roshi too much as "animal-type" and "monster-type" humans had begun appearing on Dragon Ball Earth for at least two centuries by then, something to do with evolution, magic, or a combination of the two. There was even a shape-shifting school for those who wanted to better blend in. What Roshi was confused about was what the cat was doing on Korin's Tower.
"Uh...Who are you?" The cat looked annoyed at Roshi's question. "Who do I look like, Whiskers the Wonder Cat? I'm Korin!"
Roshi was even more confused now. "You're Korin?" "Yes, of course I'm Korin, who else would I be?" "As in Korin, God of Martial Arts?" "Well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but sure." "But you're…a cat." "Yeah, and you're human. What's your point?"
Roshi was at a loss for words until an idea struck him. "Oh, I get it now, you're in disguise. The whole cat thing is just a trick to test whoever climbs up here, isn't it it? Nice Job, I was really fooled for a while."
Korin responded to Roshi's "brilliant observation" by whacking him with his oversized staff. "Listen you, I'm Korin and I'm a cat. I have always been a cat during the eight hundred years I've been alive. My fur used to be blue when I was young but then I aged and that's the only change I've ever been through, got it!? "Uh…yes Master Korin." "Good, now who are you?"
"My name is Roshi sir" the young man said with a bow "I'm a student of Master Mutaito." "Oh, a martial artist eh? Well since you're the first person ever to actually climb up here, I suppose you want this?" Korin suddenly produced a water bottle and Roshi's eyes widened beneath his shades. "The sacred water" he gasped "oh thank you Master Korin!"
"Not so fast" Korin said as he yanked the water away suddenly "you haven't yet passed my test." "What!? B-but I did!" Roshi objected "I climbed the tower, that's all the book said to do!"
Korin raised an eyebrow. "Book? Don't believe everything you read kid. If you want the water,you'll have to catch me and take it from me." "But Master Korin, you can't be serious!" Roshi practically whined "I've traveled so far and climbed for so long! I haven't eaten or slept since I can ramember and I feel like I could die any minute!"
"I have just the thing for that" Korin said as he flicked something towards the young martial artist. Roshi caught it on instinct and saw it was a small bean. "That is a senzu bean" Korin explained "a single one can heal most wounds and restore one's energy completely. It's the only food you'll need for the next ten days."
Roshi wanted to be skeptical but he doubted it would do much good. He popped the bean into his mouth and a moment later, felt energy explode through him. "Wow, I feel incredible!" Roshi exclaimed as he flexed his rejuvenated muscles "it's like I could train nonstop for days without rest!" "Glad to hear it" Korin said impatiently "now shall we begin?"
"Okay" Roshi said confidently as he crouched down to strike "but the way I feel, this shouldn't take long." The young martial leaped towards Korin with lightning swiftness, hands outstretched to grab the unmoving cat. At the last second, Korin flickered out of existence and Roshi sprawled face first onto the tile floor. "Well be that as it may, I certainly hope you can humor me a bit longer" The cat laughed from his new place behind him"I haven't that much fun since I was a kitten."
Roshi got to his feet and looked on in shock. "How did…?" "I call it the After-image technique" Korin explained "just a little something I invented to pass the time. You get bored rather easy up here,especially after you've been here as long as I have. Care to try again?"
And so began Roshi's time with his new master, trying day in and day out to earn the sacred water. Along the way, he also learned the After-Image Technique but still was not fast enough to catch Korin. The cat was able to look into his mind and know his every thought and move. He was even able to hypnotize the young martial artial into believing the water was a poisonous snake after Roshi attempted to steal it while he slept. While Roshi couldn't master these moves as hard as he tried, he did find himself becoming adept at sensing another's chi and even controlling his own.
Finally, after three long years, the now twenty-two year old Roshi was able to catch Korin. The cat calmly handed over the bottle and the young martial artist eagerly drank his long awaited prize. But something wasn't right. Roshi had expected to feel power explode through his entire being, strength to take on hundreds of demons at once. Instead, he felt the same. "Something's wrong" the young martial artist told Korin "the sacred water isn't working. Is there something else I've missed?"
Korin smiled. "It's like I said kid,don't believe everything you read. The water you drank is just ordinary water from the village spring and there's nothing sacred about that place." "What!? You mean you've lied to me for three years!?" "Do you feel stronger?" Korin asked the angry Roshi cooly.
"Well…yeah, I actually do" Roshi admitted after a moment "but how did…? "You got stronger from all the training you've done up here, not to mention the climb." Korin explained "didn't you notice what I was teaching you?
Roshi thought for a moment and actually laughed at the realization. In the past three years, he'd learned chi sensing, the After-Image Technique, finally grasped "Spirit Power" and who knew what else without even knowing it. It almost felt like learning from Mutaito.
With his student ready to depart, Korin presented him with some final gifts. First, a bag of senzu beans, which despite having an acquired taste, was what kept Roshi going for three years straight. Then Korin surprised Roshi by handing him the Power Pole,which he had learned was Son Wukong's signature weapon. "It was mine first" Korin grumbled when Roshi asked "I created it long ago and lost it on the same day. It got used about a thousand times before Wukong found it and made himself famous. Going to retrieve it after he died was one of the few times I've come down from here."
"Was it Piccolo who killed him?" Roshi asked, wanting to verify Mutaito's suspicions. "He…played a role in things" Korin replied vaguely "I was gone and back too fast to even be sensed so I can't be sure who or what I glimpsed that day but I suspect it was him. But that's in the past anyway, what matters is beating him now and here's one last thing that will help you do it."
Korin gave a low whistle and somewhere in Heaven, a giant yellow cloud stirred. It flew through the After-life at impressive speed, entering deep space and Earth's atmosphere before coming to a stop at the Tower. A smaller cloud then broke away from it and floated over to the cat who summoned it. "This is a flying Nimbus" Korin explained to an amazed Roshi"only the pure of heart can ride them so I hope you meet it's standards."
"What do you mean 'it's' standards?" Roshi asked uneasily "you mean it decides whether I can ride it or not?" Korin nodded. "Somehow it just knows." Roshi gulped. He knew "pure of heart" could mean things other than one's morality and his father the priest had emphathised many times over that his pervert nature was very unpure. "Isn't there another way?"
"I know you're worried and you probably should be" Korin admitted "but the good news is that not all Nimbus are the same. Some will let even the biggest pervs ride them as long as they keep their heads out of the gutter during flight. Hell, one of them even came to Earth without my permission and let Son Wukong ride and believe me, he was far from pure."
Roshi almost felt the urge to defend the man who had been his mentor's own mentor but didn't. Instead, he focused on Korin's words and stared determinedly at the Nimbus. 'I'm pure enough' he mentally decided 'it's not like I'm exactly the same as I was before. I'm a serious martial artist now and I've put my perverted ways behind me to save the world.' With this in mind, Roshi ran toward the cloud and jumped on. He found it carried his weight easily despite being small.
"Well, this one sure isn't picky" Korin muttered as he beheld Nimbus' choice. "What was that Master Korin?" "Oh! Uh…good luck kid" Korin said outloud "remember that Nimbus will come no matter what as long as you call. Roshi nodded and gave the cat one final bow before addressing his new companion. "Alright Nimbus, take me to Piccolo!"
The flying cloud sped away at inhuman speed, prompting an excited yelp from Roshi. Korin watched them go and inwardly prayed for their survival. A part of him wished he had told Roshi about the true Ultra Divine Water and the power it granted but doubted the young man would meet it's nearly impossible standards. That and he had been forbidden centuries ago by the Kami of the time, the woman who gave the water it's power and lost her beloved son during it's first test. Korin could still remember how distraught she was and how hurriedly she's passed the job onto her successor, the previous Kami, almost immediately. He only hoped the current Kami had a plan to deal with Piccolo because from what Korin had sensed of the self-proclaimed Demon King, Roshi's training wasn't nearly enough.
At that moment, Piccolo's demons wrecking havoc the heart of an abandoned city. They had wiped out the population some months ago and now used it as their personal playground, destroying what was still standing for their own amusement. They had also developed a fascination with cars, the most advanced technology of Roshi's day, and would often attempt to take apart any abandoned vehicles they came across. Unfortunately, the simple minded demons often tried to eat the parts as well.
Harp and Cello, as named by their grandfather, were two demons with a particular fondness for this activity. They had just spotted a rather attractive blue convertible and were attempting to crawl onto it when Roshi appeared. Leaping off Nimbus as it passed by, the young Martial artist landed on top of the car and batted the two demons away with the Power Pole. Without missing a beat, he then leaped into the air and raised the pole above his head with a cry of "Power Pole, extend!"
The magical pole grew in length and came crashing down upon both demons' heads with such force that their skulls caved in. As their dead bodies hit the ground, their brothers took notice. Who was this human with strength enough to kill them?
Roshi jumped off the car and continued to swing at the demons, knocking them into half demolished buildings that collapsed seconds later. While this killed a few, others just kept coming in an attempt to swarm the young martial artist. He responded to this by sheathing the Power Pole and proceeding to fire a full spread of chi blasts that struck the demons full force. Not a single one was left standing.
Roshi was left gasping for breath after that, both exhausted and amazed at the first real use of his new abilities. He felt like he could take on anything…until he sensed a high and very sinister chi above him. He looked up and his blood ran cold: Piccolo himself hovered in the air before him. The Demon King was actually applauding as he stared down at the young man with fiery eyes.
"Very good" Piccolo hissed as he touched down "nice and thorough. You actually saved me the trouble of destroying the little pests myself. As entertaining as they were for a while, they were beginning to become more trouble then they were worth. I honestly wonder what Trumpet was thinking when he bred such inferior spawn,don't you?"
"Do you know who I am?" Roshi asked coldly, ignoring the Demon King's words. Piccolo chuckled. "Should I? I believe I would remember a human as strong as you."
Roshi unsheathed the Power Pole at that point, extending it as he spoke. "I am the son of Furu and Baba I, the younger brother of fortuneteller Baba II. I am the last student of Master Mutaito and the first person to climb the legendary Korin's Tower. I am Roshi and I am your destroyer!"
Roshi charged the Demon King and leaped into the air, intending to give him the same fate as his grandchildren. Just before the Power Pole came down however, Piccolo caught it effortlessly. "Like I said" he hissed to the young martial artist "you're good but not good enough!"
Piccolo hurled Roshi to the ground, the Power Pole landing several feet away. The Demon King then leaped into the air himself and prepared to come down upon his young nemesis. Roshi was quick however and rolled out of the way in time. 'This is it' the young martial artist thought as he got to his feet 'what I've trained three years for. I can't hold back anything! It's time to go all out!'
With these thoughts in mind, Roshi assumed a power-up stance. He began concetraining intensely, struggling to bring his chi to the surface. Despite his vast improvements under Korin, what he was attempting was a strain on even the strongest warriors. Piccolo made no move to stop him and seemed amused by his efforts.
After several moments, Roshi's muscles began to bulge out, swelling in size and ripping his shirt. It continued until the formerly fit yet slender young man was a massive muscled hulk, his clothes reduced to shreds. This was his Max Power Form, something he had stumbled onto while training with Korin though he had not realized it's full potential until that moment. "Think I'm good enough now?" Piccolo smirked and got into a fighting stance, his own muscles bulking up to a lesser degree. "Let's find out."
The two clashed then and there and as they traded blows, Roshi had a clear advantidge. He pummeled the Demon King mercilessly and relished every minute of it, each blow reminding him of a fallen comrade. After several minutes of this, he decided to end it the only way he knew how: the Tri-beam.
Cupping his hands just as he had seen his peers do many times before, Roshi proceeded to charge the legendary attack. He knew it was potentially fatal but he didn't care. Anything to rid the world of the Demon King. Focusing his gaze upon his target, who was just getting to his feet after the last attack, Roshi yelled out "THIS IS THE END FOR YOU PICCOLO,IT'S OVER!"
The Tri-Beam erupted from Roshi's hands and hit it's target full force. The flash it created was so bright that the young martial artist's shades offered no protection at all. When it faded, a large crater had formed and Piccolo was gone.
When he found no trace of the Demon King's chi, Roshi breathed a sigh of relief. At long last, it was finally over after years of destruction. At least, this was what he believed until he heard mocking laughter from behind him. His still developing chi sense had let him down, kicking in too late for him to avoid the hard knee to his back.
Roshi was knocked into the crater and scrambled to his feet to see a very alive Piccolo sneering at him. "NO! IT CAN'T BE, IT JUST CAN'T! I PUT EVERYTHING I HAD INTO THAT ATTACK!"
Piccolo laughed. "Indeed, it was quite powerful but it was also rather easy to dodge. That's the fatal flaw of this transformation of yours, sacrificing speed for power."
"I may be slower now but I can still beat you easy !" Roshi yelled out as he charged the Demon King once more, summoning what leftover power he had . This time however, their fortunes were reversed as Piccolo thrashed the young martial artist with little effort. Roshi's own attacks were too slow and avoided easily. He ended up being slammed into the crater he had made for a second time in a span of minutes. With the Demon King's laughter ringing in his ears, the young martial artist lay there in pain as his muscles deflated back to normal. 'What happened!?' Roshi thought franticly 'I was tearing him apart before!'
Piccolo stopped laughing long enough to answer Roshi's unspoken question. "This really has been an amusing battle" he sneered "it was almost worth holding back so much just to see what you could do. In fact, why don't I show you just how outclassed you really were?"
So saying, the Demon King started to power up. A massive aura erupted around him in seconds, bits of electricity craclking around it. Roshi could now sense that Piccolo was easily three times stronger than his Max Power form and his heart sank with despair. He had been toyed with from the start.
Piccolo laughed again even as his body began to expand and grow. He soon towered over Roshi in the Great Namekian form, ready to crush the helpless martial artist where he lay. "I'm going to give you quite a memorable death human,savor it while you can." But Roshi ignored the Demon King's words. They didn't matter, nothing did.
'It's over' Roshi thought bleakly 'I've failed everyone. Even after all I did, I wasn't strong enough. Please, forgive me master.' This were what was meant to be the young martal artist's final thoughts before Piccolo literally ground him beneath his heel.
At the last moment however, a chi blast struck the Demon King from behind, causing him to turn away from Roshi. "Who dares!?" Piccolo looked down to see Master Mutaito staring up at him, a quiet confidence in his aged features and an electric rice cooker tucked under his arm.
"Hello Piccolo" Mutaito said cooly "it's been a while." At the sound of his master's voice, Roshi almost went into shock. Could it be? He had given up any and all hope of ever seeing Mutaito again,particularly after Korin confirmed that Roshi truly was the first and only person to climb his tower.
Piccolo did not share Roshi's amazement however. Rather, he seemed bored with the sight of the old master. "Oh, it's you" the Demon King grunted "didn't I kill you already?"
"You may have damaged my body demon, but not my spirit!" Mutaito cried valiantly "I swore I would find the means to stop you and I have!" As he spoke, the old master placed the rice cooker in front of him. Piccolo noticed this and laughed for the third time that day.
" Oh you have, have you? Do you mean to prepare rice for me as a peace offereing? I'm sorry to tell you that food means very little to me, as would any gift you offer. The only thing I desire is the world!"
As Piccolo spoke, Roshi became desperate to aid his mentor. With all his remaining strength, he crawled to the other side of the crater where his bag of senzu beans lay. If he could just heal, then he and Mutaito could win together,they had too! Finally reaching the bag and popping a bean into his mouth, the young martial artist quickly healed and leaped from the crater to aid Mutaito.
As Piccolo prepared to stomp the old master out of existence however, Mutaito began powering up until his entire body began to glow with chi. He the raised his hands and yelled out "Mafuba!" A monstrous spiral wave of green energy erupted from Mutaito's hands and wrapped around Piccolo's body, effectively ensnaring him. The Demon King let out a surprised yell as the strange technique sapped his strength and forced him to resume his normal size.
The Demon King was soon hovering in the air before Mutaito, wrapped up in bonds of chi and struggling to break free. Despite his considerable strength however, he was completely trapped. "WHAT IS THIS!?" Piccolo snarled "WHAT KIND OF TRICK HAVE YOU PULLED!?"
"This is no trick Demon King" Mutaito answered "it is the Mafuba, or Evil Containment Wave if you prefer. No dark soul can escape this technique so long as they are properly sealed away and this rice cooker will be your tomb forever!" Piccolo turned his gaze towards the object in question and noticed it bore his symbol before Mutaito directed his attack down inside it.
"THIS ISN'T OVER!" Piccolo shrieked even as he was sealed away "I WILL RETURN ONE DAY AND STRIKE DOWN EVERY MARTIAL ARTIST ON THIS EARTH! NONE WILL CONTAIN ME EVER AGAIN!"
These were the Demon King's last words as he was trapped in the rice cooker. Something deep inside told Mutaito that Piccolo would one day carry out his threat but it didn't matter right now. The battle for Earth was finally over.
Roshi lowered his hands from his face as the intense glow of the Mafuba faded. As he laid eyes upon Mutaito placing the Rice Cooker's lid back on, he felt more joy than he ever thought possible. "YOU DID IT MASTER, YOU DEFEATED PICCOLO!"
Mutaito didn't answer. Instead, he groaned in pain and fell backwards into his student's arms. "Master,what's wrong!? Did Piccolo injure you somehow?"
Mutaito chuckled weakly. "No Roshi, this is merely the price I pay to insure Earth's protection. The Mafuba requires the weilder to donate all of their life force in order to perform it correctly and that is what I have done. I can't think of a greater cause for which to give my life."
Roshi was horrified. "No master, please! You can't die after all you've done, I need you! The world needs you!"
"The world will soon welcome a new generation Roshi, one that will need YOUR guidance, not mine." Mutaito replied firmly despite his fading strength "it is the way of destiny." Roshi wasn't lisening, instead allowing his tears to flow freely. He knew the truth of his mentor's words but could not bring himself to face it.
"I-I can save you" the young martial artist choked out after a moment "You don't have to die." He reached into his pouch and retrieved a senzu bean, holding it out with a shaking hand. "Just take one of these beans" Roshi said in a voice that sounded like pleading "they have magic that can heal anyone. Please, just take it!"
Mutaito didn't take the bean. Instead, he merely smiled knowingly. "Have faith Roshi" the old master whispered "one day, you shall be a legend." With these final words, the legendary Mutaito, master of martial arts and defender of Earth, closed his eyes and went limp in his student's arms.
"MASTER!" Roshi's anguished cry echoed throughout the deserted city, heard only by two sets of divine ears. One was Korin, who silently lamented the limitations of his senzu beans, and the other was Piccolo's counterpart, Earth's current Kami, whose heart was heavy with guilt. How could it not be when such a noble warrior had died because of his cowardice?
In the time between casting off his evil half and the Demon King's rampage, Tenshi's good half had worked tirelessly to end the crisis he'd created. While it should have been a simple matter to find and kill Piccolo before any damage was done, the link between them insured that if one died, the other would follow and deep in his heart, Kami knew he could not bring himself to end his own life no matter how selfish he was being.
To this end, Kami created the Mafuba, a technique that would trap his counterpart forever, keeping them both alive while preventing Piccolo from doing harm. Butwhen he discovered the fatal flaw in his technique and determined it would take several years to correct, his fear and selfishness resurfaced. Someone else, far more noble than he, would have to be Earth's savior.
He found Mutaito on sacred ground, once walked upon by the greatest warriors of ages past. The old master had spent the last few years enduring physical,mental, and emotional Hell, training to achieve the level of power that would end the Demon King's reign. Too many times had he come close to death and just as many times had he come up short. It was this kind of dedication and selflessness that made Kami make his choice and feel nothing but self loathing while doing it.
He appeared to Mutaito in person, a a rarity for onein the office of Kami and something that in his experience, only sparked fear and hatred in those he encountered. The old master noticed the resemblance to Piccolo straight away and attacked with such ferocity that the Guardian was overwhelmed despite his greater strength. Kami was tempted to let Mutaito kill him for the briefest of seconds but his cowardice won out once more. He wove a tale of half-truths that cited Piccolo as his rogue brother and whose greater strength prevented Kami from facing him directly. This was true for the most part as Tenshi's separation had been uneven, giving Kami magic and a clear memory of his unified self's life while Piccolo had retained more in the way of raw power. This was just one of the excuses Kami would later use to justify his actions that day.
Once Mutaito had calmed enough to accept this story, he was taught the secret of the Mafuba and the price one paid to perform it. The fact that the old master accepted these terms without hesitation only endeared him to Kami more and filled the Guardian with self loathing. Despite this, he did not hesite to teleport back to the Lookout after bringing the old master to the site of his final battle and arming him only with the Rice cooker created by magic materialization.
As he watched Mutaito's pupil mourn, the Guardian was now filled with only one thought: redemption. He may have failed in his duty to stop Piccolo but he would not fail to help the Earth recover from this ordeal. He would find a way to give it's people hope tn the event that an even worse evil would one day surface and he woud do so by correcting one of his original self's greatest mistakes. With great resolve, he turned on his heel and marched inside the palace. There was a vault in the back that held exactly what he needed.
…
One week later, Roshi buried Mutaito on the grounds of his old academy. It seemed fitting that the old master's final resting place would be somewhere he'd given his life to. Roshi gave a brief eulogy, thanking his mentor for his teaching and guidance and promising that he would uphold his legacy to the best of his abilities, even if he wasn't sure he could. It was during this speech that the young martial artist suddenly sensed another chi nearby.
"Whoever you are, come out now" Roshi ordered as he assumed a fighting stance "I don't want to hurt you but I will if need be!" An arrogant chuckle was the response. "As if you could."
Roshi raised an eyebrow. He knew that voice but it shouldn't have been possible, not after so long. Any disbelief faded seconds later however, when Tsuru emerged from behind a nearby tree. "Hello Roshi, it's been a while."
At the sight of his old comrade, Roshi was dumbstruck. This was quickly replaced by anger as he recalled what was last said between them nearly four years ago. "What are you doing here!? Have you come to get revenge for your master Piccolo!?"
"I never joined him" Tsuru replied quietly "his demons attacked me the minute I approached and I barely escaped with my life. I have been in hiding these last few years alongside my brother Tao, trying to survive each day. I only came here today because I heard that Piccolo was killed not long ago."
"Not killed" Roshi replied stiffly" sealed away. The master gave his life to trap him forever, as you can plainly see." Even as he spoke, the young martial artist remembered the aftermath of the great battle, how he used Nimbus to fly Piccolo's prison to the farthest ocean he could find and toss it into the depths below. He only hoped no one would ever find it and try to unleash the evil within.
Tsuru studied the makeshift grave Roshi had created for several moments, his face impassive. "I am sorry for your loss Roshi but hopefully, this will convince you to accept my offer more readily." Roshi raised an eyebrow at that and as he did, took in Tsuru fully for the first time. The Lion Master's son had regrown his hair and taken to wearing shades again but he also sported a new dark green gi with the symbol of the crane embedded on the front and back. "What kind of offer?"
"My father's Lion School was destroyed long ago and the survivors have elected to follow another" Tsuru explained with a note of bitterness in his voice "to that end, my brother and I have begun to create our own school, the Crane School, and I wish for you to join us. Together,we shall train the finest army of assassins the world has ever seen ."
Anger immediately flashed over Roshi's face. "You can't be serious! After all that's happened, you still expect me to turn my back on what I've learned!? I thought you came to me because you changed Tsuru!"
"I came here because I thought you were finally ready to listen to reason Roshi." Tsuru replied in an equally agitated tone "surely Mutaito's failure has convinced you how feeble his teachings were." "Failure!? He beat Piccolo!" Roshi yelled as his composure evaporated "he beat him while you and your brother were cowering in the gutter somewhere!"
"Yes, but for how long!?" Tsuru responded "he still wasn't strong to beat Piccolo, let alone kill him as he should. Who's to say Piccolo won't rise again!? Who's to say someone worse won't replace him!?"
"If and when that happens, I'll be ready" Roshi replied resolutely "I'll never stop training until I'm strong enough to beat any evil!" Tsuru scoffed at this statement. "With your soft heart, you'll never be strong enough" he claimed "nor will any students foolish enough to train under you!"
"And as long as your heart is full of hatred, you'll never be a true master!" Roshi snapped back "what will YOU do if a new threat comes, join it as you tried to do with Piccolo!?"
"That was foolish" Tsuru admitted "but I will not allow soft heartedness to rule me as it did for Mutaito. If the day comes when I must act in defense of the world, I must be as ruthless as my adversary. This is something I'd hoped you would learn my friend."
"If this is the path you've chosen, we're no longer friends!" Roshi proclaimed "those days are over!" The young martial artist's voice held finality but regret shone clearly in his eyes. It was clear that the young man who had been his rival, his best friend, was now on the path to becoming his worst enemy.
"Yes, it would seem they are." In contrast to Roshi, Tsuru's voice held no emotion as he spoke these words, his face as hard and unchanging as stone. These were also the only words he spoke before turning on his heel and walking away. Roshi knew he would see Tsuru again but the man he called a friend no longer existed, perhaps he never had.
With this in mind, Roshi forced himself to become solemn. It was time to leave the past behind and he knew of only one way to do it. "Nimbus!" The magic cloud came instantly and hovered before the young martial artist, waiting for him to mount. Roshi took one final look at Mutaito's grave before he did. "Take me away from here Nimbus" he ordered quietly "far, far, away."
This vague command lead to Nimbus carrying his master to a small, uncharted island. It was beautiful in it's own way and populated with palm trees. Roshi looked around for several moments, taking in the fact that he was utterly alone. He knew then that the island would be his home, where he would train in solitude to defend the world and honor Mutaito. He would be a true hermit of the martial arts.
…
At that moment on the Lookout, Kami had just completed the new Dragon Balls. They were similar to the original set but were golden yellow and marked with red stars, just as the original namekian Tenshi had envisioned long ago. Due to Kami lacking the powers of his original self, they were much weaker as well. The dragon they summoned would only be able to grant a single wish per summoning and have several limits to his abilities. Kami saw this as a blessing however as without the taint of his original self's darkness, they would prove far less a threat to humanity.
"Are you sure this is wise Kami?" Popo asked his master and friend tentively "even with these limitations in place, there is still a chance that the people of Earth will abuse this power. The last thing we need is more Shadow Dragons running amok."
Kami didn't answer at first. He stayed crouched down and gazing at the Four Star Ball for several minutes. As his reflection stared back at him from within the sphere, he noticed he had begun to age. "I cannot foresee the future Popo" he said at last "few can. I can only do what I think is best for Earth as it's Kami and after facing an evil such as Piccolo, I believe humanity is in need of the one thing the Dragon Balls provide above all else: hope."
The Guardian then stood up and stepped back, mentally preparing for what was to come. "ETERNAL DRAGON, ARISE AND GRANT MY WISH!" At Kami's command, the Dragon Balls started to glow and the new Eternal Dragon, appropriately named Shenlong, appeared in a burst of light. He was modeled after the same statue as his predecessor, which had stayed in the Lookout's vault along with Tenshi's flawed Dragon Balls and Garlic's Black Water Mist. Unlike Akuma, he was comparatively small and green in color as well as being far more amiable despite his fearsome presence.
"YOU WHO HAVE SUMMONED ME, WHAT IS YOUR DESIRE?" Shenlong rumbled "I SHALL YOU GRANT YOU ONE WISH THAT IS WITHIN MY POWER, BUT ONLY ONE." Kami nodded to himself, satisfied with the result of his work, and stepped forward to address his creation. His first instinct was to resurrect Piccolo's many victims but knew it was in vain. Those dead for more than a year could not not be revived and according to his mentor, the previous Kami, those killed by demons were unabe to enter the after-life, their souls doomed to wander Limbo for eternity. By the time the guardian learned the truth about Piccolo and himself, it would be too late for those who could've been saved.
To this end, Kami made another decision. "I wish that a legend be made known to the people of Earth regarding your creation, one that emphasizes the folly of greed." It was an odd first wish but one that would ultimately serve a purpose as well as allow Kami's existence to remain a secret. There was silence for a moment and then… "SO BE IT."
Shenron's eyes glowed red and the wish was granted seconds later. Now a select portion of humanity would know the legend of the original Dragon Ball, a massive orb containing the energies of the universe and kept in the mouth of a golden dragon statue. A band of thieves attempted to steal the Ball from the tribe that worshipped it and ended up bringing terrible darkness across the land. The tribe decided to prevent this from happening again by splitting the Dragon Ball into seven smaller orbs and scattering them across the world, powerless unless found and brought together. The legend would go on to tell of the evil brought about by greedy and selfish wishes made through the years and end with the hope that a hero would one day come and use the Dragon Balls for good. Perhaps it was a bit naïve but Kami had hope that this myth would inspire humanity to use his gift to them for the good of all. As the Dragon Balls scattered across the Earth for the first time, he knew hope was all he had.
AN: Finally, an update! I make no excuses but I promise the next chapter {the second movie} will come sooner.