Chapter 2 – The Turtle Hermit
Kakarot glanced up, his scouter picked up a few lifeforms inside what seemed to be a bird, well, not exactly a bird, it had no power signature, he recognized it as another one of those metal machines, and though he didn't know exactly what it was, he assumed they were after the same prey—the wolves he'd been tracking all morning. Without hesitation, he dashed forward, determined to reach the pack before these intruders could claim his meal.
His years of hunting by himself turned him into quite the expert, he could've killed the lone wolf cub he had found, but such a meal wouldn't even come close to satisfying him, he preyed on it, eventually finding the location of the cub's whole pack, and now, the hunt was on.
The wind rushed past him as he pushed ahead, but something about the metal bird sparked a memory of the day before. Bulma had been snatched up by a massive pterodactyl, the creature barely registered as a threat to him, but it swooped in unnoticed and took her while he wasn't looking.
Bulma's piercing screams had grated on his nerves, like nails on a chalkboard, it was just a dinosaur, one of hundreds he had already killed, yet, there she was, flailing helplessly in the beast's claws. Annoyed by her shrieking, Kakarot leaped into the air, his power pole in hand, and with one swift swing, he struck the pterodactyl square in the neck, killing it instantly.
As the pterodactyl's body fell, Kakarot's eyes flicked down to Bulma, still tumbling helplessly through the air. He huffed in irritation, as he realized, she wouldn't survive that fall. His body moved before his mind fully registered it, shooting down like a bullet, catching her just before she hit the ground.
An annoyed scowl tugged at his lips as he cradled her awkwardly in his arms. "You're too weak, and you should pay more attention, I don't want you holding me back." his voice dripping with disdain, but with a hint of worry in them, she was still useful after all.
Kakarot shrugged these memories off as he reached his prey's den, the metal bird now too far to even register, he had won, and as he stared down at the cub he had been following, his parents and their pack standing guard against him, a smirk crept across his face "Finally", he muttered, a decent fight to warm up, followed by a feast, his muscles tensed in anticipation, and with a burst of energy, he lunged forward. The hunt had begun.
Later, the Pilaf Gang would arrive to where they thought they would find a Dragon Ball, they were instead greeted by a grisly scene, the ground was stained with dark pools of blood, the remnants of what had once been a thriving wolves' den. Not a single body remained, only torn fur and shattered bones, they could only wonder at what monster could've done this.
As Kakarot neared their camp, the scent hit him first. It was strong, sharp, and unfamiliar, when he stepped inside, he saw Bulma freshly cleaned up, her hair neatly styled, she was wearing a long pink sweater, her pajamas, but to him, he could only focus on the overpowering fragrance she wore, it was impossible to ignore.
He wrinkled his nose, frowning slightly. "What's that smell? It's horrible! It's too strong! What did you eat Bumly" he remarked bluntly, his face showing mild discomfort.
Bulma shot him a glare, hands on her hips. "It's called perfume, you monkey boy! Ever heard of basic hygiene? And stop calling me Bumly!" she snapped, her irritation immediately flaring up.
Kakarot shrugged off her anger, clearly not seeing the big deal. "Whatever, you need to use something better then, look what I brought for us, you can have the cub if you want." he said, stepping aside to reveal the massive pile of wolves he'd hunted, their lifeless bodies stacked high, blood still fresh on their fur.
Bulma's face turned ghostly pale at the sight, her mouth dropping open in shock. Before she could even react with words, her legs gave way, and she fainted right on the spot. Kakarot scratched his head, confused by her reaction. "What? It's food." he muttered, genuinely bewildered.
He closed the door and left her there, shaking his head. What a weird girl, he thought, deciding to give it no further thought as he sat down to feast on the meal he had brought.
Once he finished it, Kakarot went right back to training, he started simple, crushing some boulders nearby, but as he picked one of them, it felt very weird compared to the other ones, and then, it started squirming.
"What? But I didn't sense any power levels here!" Kakarot puzzled, activated his scouter, which beeped and displayed a pathetic power level of 0.5. "Well… that explains it. Get out of my sight before I decide to crush you after all."
"Wait! Please! I beg you, help me get back to the sea! I've already been traveling for a whole year!" The turtle pleaded desperately, realizing that this ki was strong, just like Roshi. Maybe he could bring him to the ocean quickly enough.
Kakarot frowned, rolling his eyes at the turtle's desperate plea. "Why should I help you? I've got better things to do than babysit a turtle."
"Please! I can't walk all the way back to the sea on my own!" The turtle pleaded, trying to keep his composure. "I'll give you anything! Just a lift back home!"
Kakarot crossed his arms, unimpressed. "And what would I want with a turtle? You can't even fight! You're just a-"
"I may not be strong, but I know someone who is!" the turtle interrupted, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I'm friends with Master Roshi! He's a legendary martial artist!"
Kakarot's eyes now were wide open, Roshi, he knew that name, Gohan's master, the strongest man on Earth, probably the only one that could actually challenge him in strength, or so he thought, he needed to see him.
"THE Master Roshi? Master of the Turtle School…" Kakarot started showing a vicious grin on his face, which terrified the turtle "I've been dreaming of the day I could challenge and kill him! This will be glorious, bring me to him now!"
The turtle's eyes widened in alarm, his little heart racing. "Wait! What do you mean 'challenge and kill him'? Master Roshi is a good guy! You can't just go around saying things like that!"
Kakarot leaned closer, an eager gleam in his eye. "Why not? I want to see how strong he really is. If he's as legendary as everyone says, it'll be the fight of a lifetime!"
The turtle shook his head vigorously. "You don't understand! He's not just some opponent to crush. He's a mentor, a friend! You can learn a lot from him if you just—"
Kakarot cut him off, his excitement bubbling over. "Learn? I've learned all I need from my training! This will be about testing my limits! If he's as strong as everyone says, then it'll be an epic battle!"
"Epic battle? You really think you can take him?" The turtle was genuinely worried now. "He's not just a regular old man. He's been training for over a century!"
Kakarot scoffed, flexing his arms. "What's a century of training compared to the might of a Saiyan? Our potential is unlimited! Now stop stalling and take me to him!"
The turtle gulped, his instincts screaming at him to run. "Alright, alright! Just promise me you won't hurt him!"
Kakarot waved his hand dismissively, a confident grin still plastered on his face. "No promises! But let's get going already!" He rushed and grabbed the frightened turtle, running at sound breaking speeds towards the sea, he then felt like he was forgetting something… "Right! Bumly!" He dropped the confused turtle and rushed back
Kakarot burst through the door, nearly knocking it off its hinges. Bulma, still recovering from her earlier fainting spell, stumbled back, her eyes widening in shock. "Kakarot! What's happening! Why did you-"
"Bumly!" he shouted, his voice filled with frenetic energy. "We need to go! Grab everything! We're going to find Master Roshi!"
"W-What? Master who?" Bulma stammered, bewildered.
"Master Roshi! The legendary martial artist!" Kakarot exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "The turtle knows where he is! Hurry up! Get the Dragon Balls and your things and come!"
Bulma was just beyond confused, she followed the instructions, just gathering all her capsules, and her dragon balls, she left the car out, thinking they would use it, but before she could even fully process what was happening, Kakarot scooped her up in one arm and dashed back outside. "Good you got everything, we don't have time to waste!"
"Wait! What! But what about the car?" she squeaked, clutching his neck as he sprinted.
"Forget that! I can run faster than any vehicle! And this is way more important" He raced through the open air, the ground shaking beneath him, he came across the confused turtle once again, grabbing it with his other arm, not even stopping his running "This is way more fun!"
The turtle squirmed, still trying to comprehend the sudden turn of events. "Uh, what is happening! I didn't think you could carry me at this speed!"
Just hold on tight!" Kakarot laughed, the exhilaration pumping through him.
Bulma finally managed to regain her composure enough to yell, "Kakarot, slow down! At least tell me what's going on!"
Kakarot glanced over at her, grinning from ear to ear. "I found this turtle who said he knows Master Roshi! I need to see how strong he is! I've been wanting to fight him for years! If I kill him no one can stand against me!"
"Wait, you found a talking turtle?" Bulma blinked, trying to wrap her head around it all "And what do you mean kill him!" With all his childish naivete, she almost forgot that she was travelling with a bloodthirsty alien bent on conquering this planet.
"Yeah! He wants to go back to the sea!" Kakarot said, his enthusiasm unwavering. "So we're helping him! It'll be great! And this Roshi, Gohan told me all about him, he was my master's master, the strongest man on earth! Well, other than me of course!" He shinned a proud smile on his face, confident of his victory.
"Right, just great..." Bulma muttered, shaking her head in disbelief as they sped toward the ocean, the scenery blurring around them, she was also quite worried however, if this Master Roshi was truly so strong, this could end in either her defender being killed or Earth's greatest warrior being decimated by this conqueror, she wasn't sure which option was better really.
As they approached the beach, Kakarot set Bulma down, still bouncing on the balls of his feet. "See? Fun Right!" Bulma's face didn't convey the same emotion, her hair and clothes now a complete mess "Now, where's Master Roshi?"
"Just wait a little longer, I have to bring him here, but… thank you kid, even if you are really scary, it would probably take decades for me to-"
"Just go! Bring him here!" Kakarot interrupted, practically vibrating with energy. "Our battle will be legendary!"
He started bouncing on his feet, stretching himself, his tail flicking excitedly behind him, his muscles bulged, and his hair stood even more spiked up than usual, electrified by the anticipation of the fight he had been waiting for.
The turtle nodded, nervously. "Alright, alright! Just give me a second!"
Kakarot could hardly contain himself as he watched the turtle shuffle off to the sea, his mind racing with thoughts of the legendary martial artist. "This is going to be awesome! I can't wait to test my strength against him!"
Bulma, still trying to regain some semblance of her former composure, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Are you even sure you can take him? Did you ever defeat your master? And this guy is even stronger than him!"
Kakarot turned to her, his enthusiasm now vanished, a serious look on his face "I killed my master."
The air around them seemed to freeze as Bulma stared at him, momentarily speechless. "W-What? You... killed your master?!" Her voice rose in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. "You're joking, right?"
"No," his tone flat, devoid of any of his usual bravado or the previous excitement he had. "It was four years ago, I thought I could finally show him my true strength and defeat him, I'd always avoided the full moon, but that night, anger took over, I believed I could control the Oozaru form." He turned his gaze skyward, lost in the haunting memory. "I stared at the moon, thinking I could finally prove myself, instead, I lost all control... I killed him."
A heavy silence hung between them, the weight of his words sinking in. "I never wanted to win that way, Gohan will always be the one enemy I will never truly defeat, I rampaged, blinded by fury, and didn't properly fight him, I just let the form consume me. Until I can master that power, I won't let myself use it again, it isn't a way for a proud saiyan warrior to fight, we use it to conquer, the great saiyan warriors I read about, they controlled that beastly power to fight with all their might! I will be just like that, an elite!" His excitement began to return, the moment of vulnerability giving way to the pride that fueled him, ready for the upcoming fight.
Bulma teared up a little at the story, she didn't expect to see such a side of this brash warrior she had been travelling with ""You really respected him, huh? Seems like you actually cared about a human." she said in a soft and gentle tone, showing compassion for his story that had moved her, she was still just a teenager, such a dramatic story was captivating.
Kakarot glanced away, a mix of pride and sadness in his expression. "I guess... He was strong, and that's what mattered. But in the end, he just wasn't strong enough. I'll get stronger than he ever was, starting by killing Roshi!" His rough exterior quickly reasserted itself, the vulnerability fading as his bravado took over.
Bulma shook her head gently. "Well, even if you win—"
"It's not if, it's when!" he interrupted, a fierce grin spreading across his face.
She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Okay, when you win, maybe show Roshi some mercy? I don't think your master would want you to kill everyone, you don't need to kill us all to conquer here, what would you even really be conquering then?"
That though, of not needing to kill to conquer, clashed with everything he'd learned from the Saiyans, but a small part of him found it made sense. Still, he couldn't afford to be distracted right now. "Just drop it! Maybe he wouldn't like it, but Gohan was always a softie, it was his undoing, I won't let it be mine"
Bulma was worried, she could see a way to get to him, he intrigued her, but he also worried her, how strong could he get? Could he really kill them all? Would he kill her? They hadn't been adventuring for long, but she had begun to feel a strange bond with him, she would hope he wouldn't.
Just as the tension hung in the air, a figure appeared on the horizon, growing closer. A few moments later, it emerged onto the shore, revealing Master Roshi riding atop Turtle "Hey guys! Here he is!" Turtle spoke cheerfuly.
The old man waved joyfully, his trademark sunglasses glinting in the sunlight. "Hey there!" Roshi stepped off of Turtle, landing lightly on the sand next to the waiting duo. His gaze flicked between the two, his cheerful demeanor momentarily faltering as he sensed the tension crackling in the air, and the menacing aura from the boy.
"Well, I hope I'm not interrupting anything! So, which one of you two younglings helped Turtle?" Master Roshi called out cheerfully as he approached, his gaze bouncing between Kakarot and Bulma, especially Bulma.
"I did!" Kakarot exclaimed, his energy bubbling over. "Now prepare yourself! I'm going to-"
"Thank you then! Turtle is a great friend. He told me you wanted a fight, but aren't you interested in something else perhaps? I have this cloud it can-"
Kakarot's patience snapped, without a second thought, he lunged forward, his fist barreling toward the old man with blinding speed. "Enough talk!" Kakarot roared. "Fight me!"
Roshi barely shifted, his body seemingly floating backward as Kakarot's punch sliced through empty air, leaving Kakarot shocked, but the boy's ferocity didn't wane, he immediately followed up with a barrage of kicks and punches, each one fierce than the last, yet, every strike found only air as Roshi gracefully dodged with ease, his sandals barely making a mark on the shore.
Kakarot growled in frustration, his aura flaring up as he spun into a roundhouse kick, aiming for Roshi's head, the old master ducked effortlessly, chuckling as Kakarot's foot swished harmlessly overhead. "Whoa there! You've got a lot of spirit, I'll give you that!" Roshi commented lightly, still keeping a carefree smile plastered on his face.
"Stop dodging!" Kakarot's eyes burned with fury as he tried again, this time leaping high into the air, aiming a fierce downward punch at Roshi's head. "I need to KILL YOU!" he screamed as his fist hurtled toward its target.
But Roshi was already gone.
Kakarot slammed into the sand, creating a small crater, confused by the old man's immense speed, he started looking around, only to hear a voice right behind him. "Kill me? Well now, I can't let you do that."
Hearing that Kakarot got back to his feet, he spun around trying to hit the old man with his tail as he spun and then deliver a punch to him, Roshi continued dodging both "You are strong, I will give you that" Roshi said, adjusting his sunglasses calmly. "But strength without control or skill can only get you so far, you're letting your anger take over."
Kakarot panted heavily, sand swirling around him as his chest heaved. His fury only grew as he leaped back to his feet, not willing to give up. He charged again, pushing his body faster, harder, each strike wilder than the last. "I don't need that! I need to kill you! I need POWER!"
Roshi's smile faded slightly, his sharp eyes narrowing beneath his sunglasses as he continued to dodge. "I've seen warriors like you before, Kakarot, strong… but blinded by pride and anger. There's always someone stronger, and if you can't accept that, if you don't learn to control yourself, you'll meet the same end as them."
Kakarot growled, his frustration boiling over, he threw one last, wild punch, pouring all his strength into it, Roshi's hand moved like lightning, gently catching Kakarot's fist mid-air, and for a moment, everything stopped.
"You're not ready." His sunglasses slid down just enough to reveal sharp, piercing eyes, filled with wisdom and experience that outclassed Kakarot's youthful rage, for a brief moment, the tension dissipated, the silence heavy as Kakarot stared in shock at the old man who had effortlessly nullified his attack.
Then, Roshi released Kakarot's fist and turned away, his back to him, he began to walk toward Turtle with deliberate, slow steps. "Listen to me, kid. You've got the potential to be one of the strongest, but all that anger… it'll only lead you down a dark path, strength means nothing if you can't keep your head clear."
Kakarot stood there, trembling with fury, his mind racing, Roshi's dismissive tone and those words, it all felt like an insult, a rejection of his strength, of his pride, Roshi didn't hit him, but he had wounded him, wounded his saiyan pride by humiliating him like this, he couldn't accept that.
"I don't need your damn lessons!" Kakarot spat, his rage flaring, his hand gripped his Power Pole, extending it rapidly as he charged at Roshi's unguarded back, screaming, "I'm going to kill you!"
He extended the pole to it's max, as he lifted it up just for it to come crashing down with all it's might, aimed straight for Roshi's skull, the strike was blindingly fast, but Roshi moved faster, he turned back to Kakarot and simply caught the power pole, a menacing look now on his face.
Kakarot's eyes widened in disbelief, he had poured everything into that strike, and yet… Roshi just caught it like it was nothing.
This time, however, the playful demeanor was gone, his sunglasses fell completely off his face, revealing eyes that were now cold and serious, glinting with intensity. "If you landed that you would've killed not only me but my friend Turtle, I didn't want it to come to this." Roshi said, his voice lower, almost menacing now. "But if you insist on learning the hard way…"
Roshi stepped into a firm, grounded stance, his feet planting into the sand with the precision of a master martial artist. "Then I'll have to teach you a lesson you won't forget." He put his hands together, cupping them at his side, his eyes never left Kakarot, watching the boy as if gauging every move, every breath. A faint blue glow began to emanate from his palms.
"You want power?" Roshi asked, his tone dangerous. "I'll show you power." The glow intensified as Roshi's voice boomed with force. "Kaaaa... meeee... haaaa... meeee..." The old man's body bulked up, he now seemed even stronger than before, Kakarot's scouter blipped as he read Roshi's power level at its max, 120, and the Kamehameha reaching absurd levels of over 400.
Roshi's voice echoed across the shore as the Kamehameha charged, its energy radiating through the air. Kakarot stood frozen, his fists trembling as the wave of raw power crackled before him. He had never felt anything like it, this overwhelming force that could obliterate him in an instant.
"HAAAA!" the beam erupted from his hands, a bright blue wave of destructive energy rushing toward Kakarot with blinding speed, the ground trembled, sand whipped up in a storm around them, and for the first time in his life, Kakarot felt fear.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the incoming blast, unable to move, his pride burning hotter than the Kamehameha, fueling his anger, how could this old man be so strong? Stronger than him? He, a Saiyan warrior! He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, cursing himself. I failed… I've failed the saiyans, my mission, my master, myself!. I'm nothing! He wanted to dodge, but the blast was coming at such immense speeds and he was already so tired, he was ready to accept his death.
And then, just as the Kamehameha was about to make contact, Roshi's hands flicked upwards, in an instant, the beam changed direction, spiraling straight into the sky, the deafening roar of energy faded as the Kamehameha soared into the clouds, leaving Kakarot standing there, his body trembling, with only slight scorch marks being left from the beam's raw energy, as he looked in shock at the blast that would've evaporated him.
Roshi lowered his hands, his face calm but stern, his stance relaxed once more, as his body returned to it's normal size. "I wasn't going to kill you, kid," he said, his voice filled with the weight of experience. "But I needed to show you that power doesn't come from brute force alone, there's more to being a warrior than just strength, and that, the Kamehameha, shows how much you still need to learn, it took me decades to develop it, and those decades have created the gap of strength and skill that separates us."
Kakarot's fists trembled as he processed the defeat, his mind swirling with anger, confusion, and disbelief. How did I lose? How could I lose to this old man? His Saiyan pride, so deeply ingrained, wouldn't allow him to accept it, not without trying again.
Roshi, sensing the turmoil within Kakarot, shook his head slightly, his voice softened as he spoke, filled with both wisdom and empathy. "You have a lot of potential, Kakarot, but potential means nothing if you don't have control over it and don't know how to use it, power alone doesn't make a warrior, wisdom, patience, and understanding do."
Kakarot could hear his words, it made some sense to him, but he was also so blinded by rage, so moved by his own pride, he didn't even reply, he needed to prove himself, this was his last chance to kill Roshi, and so, without warning, Kakarot cupped his hands, mimicking the old man's movements. "Ka... me..." His voice rang out, startling Bulma, and even Roshi's casual demeanor broke as he turned sharply, eyes widening in shock.
"What...? No way... He's trying to do it... already?"
"Ha... me..." Kakarot continued, his hands glowing with an unstable, but rapidly building, energy, he focused everything he had, channeling all of his fury and desire to win into the attack.
Roshi's astonishment deepened, but it quickly gave way to concern. This kid... he might actually pull it off! He could feel the energy swelling in Kakarot's palms, though rough and unfocused, it was becoming a true Kamehameha, there was no time to waste.
Roshi's figure blurred, his speed so great that it seemed as though he'd disappeared, in the blink of an eye, he appeared beside Kakarot, striking the boy with a precise, swift blow to the back of the neck.
Kakarot's eyes widened in shock, his energy instantly dissipating, his body went limp, crumpling forward as he fell unconscious, collapsing into the sand with a heavy thud. The fight was over.
Roshi stood over the boy, he let out a sigh, adjusting his sunglasses back onto his nose. "You almost did it, kid," he muttered, half in admiration and half in caution. "But you're far too reckless for your own good."
Bulma, who had been watching in stunned silence, rushed over, her eyes wide with concern as she kneeled beside Kakarot. "What... what was that? He almost did what you just did!" she gasped, still reeling from the shock.
Roshi nodded, his voice more composed now. "Yeah, he almost pulled off the Kamehameha after seeing it once. Remarkable, but also dangerous. His potential is immense... but if he doesn't learn control, it'll be his downfall." He then turned to look at Bulma again, in the middle of the fight, he had almost forgotten such a beautiful woman was standing near.
Roshi's stern expression softened as he turned toward Bulma, his cheeks now flushing red "I must say, in all the excitement, I almost forgot there was such a beautiful lady nearby!"
Bulma rolled her eyes, not entirely surprised by the old man's sudden change in tone. "Get away from me you creepy old geezer!" But as she shouted she noticed something on him, a dragon ball, her frustrations melted away the moment she spotted it"Hey, wait a minute," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Is that a Dragon Ball?"
Roshi blinked, momentarily confused before glancing down at the orb. "Oh, this? Yeah, I've had this old thing for a while now, why do you ask?"
"I need that!" Bulma exclaimed, her tone shifting from annoyance to excitement. "I'm collecting all seven!"
Roshi tilted his head curiously, but after the intense fight with Kakarot and sensing the tense situation they had endured, he shrugged, deciding not to question it too much. "Well, considering all the trouble you have of having to deal with that kid, you deserve it, here." He unclasped the cord and handed her the Dragon Ball with a gentle smile. "It's yours."
Bulma grinned, taking the Dragon Ball eagerly. "Thanks! You don't know how important this is."
Roshi chuckled, but his expression became more serious for a moment as he looked at Kakarot, still unconscious nearby. "That boy is dangerous, you know, are you sure it's wise to keep traveling with him?"
Bulma paused, her fingers tracing the Dragon Ball as she considered his words. "Yeah, he's... rough, to say the least," she admitted. "But he's been useful, he's saved my life a few times, believe it or not, and, well... sometimes he's not as bad as he acts. I think there's more to him than just the tough guy routine."
Roshi nodded thoughtfully. "I hope you're right, just be careful, okay? There's a lot of strength in him, but if he can't control it, it could turn against him, and you."
Bulma looked down with an apprehensive look on her face. "Maybe you're right, but, don't worry, I can handle myself, thanks again for the Dragon Ball."
Roshi gave a final wave, his grin widening mischievously. "Take care of yourself, young lady, you've got a lot of adventures ahead of you. And, uh, if you ever need some… personal training or advice, my door's always open!" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, his cheeks flushing red. "You know, we could have a private lesson—just you and me!" He chuckled, clearly lost in his own fantasies.
Bulma groaned in disgust, her hand instinctively reaching for something to throw at him. "You creepy old geezer!" she shouted, but Roshi was already hopping onto Turtle's back.
Her eyes twitched as she watched the old man finally disappear into the distance, she sighed, exasperated by his antics, but her expression quickly shifted to one of concern as her gaze moved to Kakarot, still lying unconscious on the sand. She looked at him for a long moment, a deep worry creeping into her mind.
A mix of awe and worry churning inside her, his strength was incredible, but that raw power terrified her, she'd seen hints of something softer in him, but his unpredictable nature made her uneasy. Is it safe to stay near him? He'd saved her a few times already, but she couldn't shake the fear that one day his power might spiral beyond anyone's control.