"Whoosh!"
Vegeta transformed into a streak of light and landed on Master Roshi's island in an instant.
Master Roshi was sunbathing on the island, looking completely despondent.
Seeing Vegeta descend from the sky, Master Roshi adjusted his sunglasses.
"Is... is that Vegeta?" Master Roshi blinked in surprise.
"Old man, you're still alive?" Vegeta greeted.
Master Roshi: "..."
"Still want the Super Holy Water? I've saved a bottle for you," Vegeta said, taking out the Super Holy Water bottle and shaking it in front of Master Roshi.
Master Roshi was startled and vigorously shook his head.
"Speaking of which, what day is it today? Why aren't you inside watching TV?" Vegeta asked curiously. "Are there no shows like that today?"
"How dare you say that?" Master Roshi huffed, stroking his beard. "Ever since I drank your Super Holy Water last time, I feel like my 'that' aspect isn't quite right... I haven't had any peculiar thoughts for a long time..."
"You mean to say, you've gone soft?" Vegeta chuckled.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Master Roshi said grumpily.
"I've drunk so much Super Holy Water and I'm fine, how come you've gone soft?" Vegeta shook his head. "You're not in good shape, old man."
Master Roshi fell silent, feeling an endless pang in his heart.
"And about you going soft, you should ask Korin," Vegeta said with a smile. "After all, the Super Holy Water is his."
Master Roshi remained silent.
Did he dare to blame Korin?
He couldn't even beat that cat.
"Alright, I won't waste your time. I'm looking for the Dragon Balls, yes, the one hanging around your neck," Vegeta said, pointing to the Dragon Ball on the old man's neck.
"What is this thing?" Master Roshi was puzzled.
"That's a Dragon Ball," Vegeta replied.
"I lost this thing a few years ago, and then I found it again when I was playing by the sea recently... What do you want it for?" Master Roshi huffed.
"It's useful, of course. Hand it over," Vegeta said, making no polite gestures. He beckoned towards the Dragon Ball on Master Roshi's neck.
"Snap!"
The Dragon Ball detached from Master Roshi's neck and flew directly into Vegeta's hand.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad," Vegeta nodded with satisfaction.
Master Roshi: "..."
Did I say I would give it to you?
You're outright stealing.
"Oh right, I've found a disciple for you. After I've collected all the Dragon Balls, you can train him," Vegeta said suddenly as he was about to leave, turning back to call out to Master Roshi.
"I don't want to take any more disciples," Master Roshi shook his head vigorously.
"Don't say that, I'll take you to meet him now," Vegeta said, then grabbed Master Roshi by his shell and took to the sky.
Master Roshi: "..."
You bastard...
I don't want to take a disciple.
Ever since I drank the Super Holy Water, I've had this after-effect of being 'soft'.
I feel like I'm not interested in women anymore.
And you want me to take a disciple!
My only source of joy in life is gone.
"Whoosh!"
Vegeta, with Master Roshi, soon appeared beside young Goku and Bulma.
"A strange old man has arrived," Bulma blinked in surprise.
"Hi, hello!" young Goku waved at Master Roshi.
Master Roshi's eyes widened, and he looked at young Goku with some astonishment.
This kid also has a tail.
Is Vegeta asking me to take him as a disciple?
"Snap!"
Vegeta landed with Master Roshi from the sky.
"I believe you've seen him and guessed who he is. This is the disciple you'll be taking," Vegeta said with a smile, pointing at young Goku.
Master Roshi clasped his hands behind his back and tearfully agreed.
"Disciple? Master?" young Goku was still confused.
"Kakarot, when we've collected all the Dragon Balls, come and learn martial arts from this old man," Vegeta suggested. "You must work hard."
"Can I defeat you if I learn from him?" young Goku asked excitedly.
"Don't aim for me, or you'll fall into despair," Vegeta said with a smile.
Young Goku: "..."
"Bang!"
Vegeta lightly kicked Master Roshi.
Master Roshi: "..."
Why did you kick me?
Didn't I implicitly agree to take him as a disciple?
What else do you want me to do?
Hmm? That girl is quite pretty.
But I just can't muster any interest.
This is terrible.
"Kakarot, you need to perform the master-disciple ceremony," Vegeta instructed young Goku. "Kneel and kowtow."
"Ahem... No need for such formalities..." Master Roshi quickly waved his hand.
"Then it's fine," Vegeta nodded.
Young Goku, who was about to kneel and kowtow, was unsure what to do after hearing Vegeta's words.
"Vegeta, do I still need to kowtow?" young Goku asked.
"No need, your master says there's no need to be so polite," Vegeta said with a smile.
"Yeah, I won't be polite," young Goku grinned.
Master Roshi fell silent again.
"Old man, look, you've accepted a disciple, and he's even kowtowed to you. You should give your disciple a welcoming gift, right?" Vegeta said with a smile.
Master Roshi: "..."
Did he kowtow?
And... this kid called Kakarot is not likable at all.
You didn't kowtow just because Vegeta told you not to.
Who is your master, anyway?
"Hurry up, I'm busy," Vegeta said with some impatience. "As the greatest god in this universe, you should feel honored to have me, a mere human, playing with you here."
Master Roshi looked bewildered.
You're the greatest god in this universe?
What are you talking about?
I'm the God of Martial Arts!
The God of Martial Arts who almost died after drinking the Super Holy Water last time...
And also went soft from it...
Forget it, I can't beat Vegeta.
I'd better fulfill his wish.
"Come forth, the Phoenix!" Master Roshi shouted loudly.
However, nothing appeared.
Young Goku looked utterly bewildered.
"Nothing's here..." Bulma said.
"Ah, I remember now. That Phoenix seems to have died of food poisoning," Master Roshi mumbled.
Bulma: "..."
"Phoenixes can die too?" Bulma wiped her brow.
"The reason it was called the Phoenix was the hope that its life would be eternal," Master Roshi mused. "Never mind, let's try another."
With that, Master Roshi waved his hand again.
"Come forth, the Flying Nimbus!"
"Swish!"
A golden cloud flew rapidly from a distance and soon hovered beside Master Roshi.
"It's a golden cloud! A golden cloud is flying here!" Bulma exclaimed.
"This is the Flying Nimbus," Master Roshi said. "I'm sure Vegeta has seen this before. Korin has a lot of them, and I got this one from Korin."