Chapter 7: The Turtle Hermit Begged to Accept His Disciple
When Master Roshi (the Turtle Hermit) heard Ye Lin's words, a sharp glint flickered in his eyes behind his signature sunglasses. With surprising agility for his age, he jumped into the air, spun mid-air, and landed dramatically. In a flash, he had swapped his beachwear for a traditional orange martial arts gi—the kind worn by his top disciples, with the kanji for "turtle" emblazoned proudly on the back.
He still wore his dark shades, but his demeanor had changed drastically. Gone was the goofy old man who lazed on the beach; in his place stood the legendary founder of the Turtle School. His posture straightened, his aura sharpened—he now radiated the serious presence of a true martial arts master.
"Young man, please sit down," Master Roshi said solemnly, his voice carrying the weight of decades of martial experience. "If you've come to become my disciple, I accept. Such natural insight and potential—I would be a fool not to train you."
Despite his composed appearance, Roshi's gaze briefly darted to the USB drive in Ye Lin's hand, and his face involuntarily formed that familiar squint of curiosity and hidden mischief. Yet the moment Ye Lin's eyes met his, Roshi straightened up and cleared his throat, resuming his serious façade.
"You misunderstood," Ye Lin replied plainly, holding up the USB. "I'm not here to become your student. I came for the Dragon Ball. You have one here. All I need is that, and I'll hand this USB over in exchange."
"Dragon Ball?"
Roshi blinked and scratched his head, visibly confused and somewhat embarrassed. He had assumed the youth was another martial arts enthusiast eager to learn the fabled Kamehameha. The idea of a student with real promise had excited him. This twist caught him off guard.
"You mean… this little orb?"
Ye Lin pointed at the orange-glowing object hanging around Roshi's neck on a string. It was the Three-Star Dragon Ball—mistakenly being used as nothing more than a necklace pendant.
"Oh, that old trinket? You want to trade this bead for that mysterious device? That hardly seems like a fair deal for you. How about this—I'll throw in a martial arts technique to balance the trade. Then it'll be even."
"No need," Ye Lin replied, waving a hand. "Your martial arts don't suit me."
He wasn't being rude—just honest. His power came from the divine-tier lottery system, not traditional training. He had no martial background, and to learn moves like the Kamehameha or the Thunder Shock Surprise would require years of ki control and physical conditioning. For someone like Ye Lin, those were unnecessary hurdles.
"What?! Not useful to you?" Roshi's brows rose in astonishment, and his voice took on an edge.
"You do know who I am, don't you?"
"Of course," Ye Lin said calmly. "You're the legendary founder of the Turtle School—Master Roshi. Winner of the first World Martial Arts Tournament under the alias 'Jackie Chun.' The creator of the Kamehameha. You taught Son Goku and Krillin. But still... I don't need your style."
Hearing this, Roshi's face twitched. A vein popped on his forehead.
"You little brat. You know who I am and still turn your nose up at my martial arts? Fine, forget the deal. But that device you've got… I am taking it!"
With a sudden whoosh, Master Roshi vanished from his spot, appearing instantly in front of Ye Lin. His hand shot forward, aiming to snatch the USB.
"Shave!"
Ye Lin's foot dug into the ground as he activated a high-speed movement skill, one he'd learned from the god-tier lottery—comparable to techniques like Instant Transmission or Afterimage. In a blur, he evaded the grasp, leaving Roshi empty-handed.
"Hmm? So you've got speed, too. No wonder you rejected my training."
Behind the sunglasses, Roshi's expression remained unreadable, but Ye Lin suddenly felt an ominous shift in the atmosphere. Roshi's silhouette flickered—then vanished entirely. Only fading afterimages remained.
Ye Lin's senses tingled. He spun on instinct and bolted out of the Kame House, leaping onto the beach outside. Fighting inside such a cramped hut would only put him at a disadvantage. His techniques required room.
"Good sensory awareness," Roshi's voice echoed as he stepped outside behind him. "Very promising indeed."
Then Roshi's image split—once, twice, four times until multiple copies of him stood on the sand.
"The Afterimage Technique. Great... this just got tricky."
Ye Lin narrowed his eyes. Roshi's clone technique was almost flawless. Each image moved with purpose, creating enough confusion that even Ye Lin, with his heightened perception, couldn't immediately identify the real body.
"Boss, I've got your back!"
A voice rang out. It was Keiraen—Ye Lin's android companion, who had been standing guard outside. When he saw Ye Lin fly out of the house followed by a strangely dressed old man executing martial arts moves at superhuman speed, he sprang into action.
He rushed to Ye Lin's side, standing ready.
"Not bad," Roshi said, appraising Keiraen with a glance. "But your friend doesn't have your talent."
The Four Master Roshis Attacked—A New Discipleship Gamble
The four figures of Master Roshi, darting from all directions, rushed toward Kiraen like phantoms. Kiraen froze momentarily, unsure which was the real one. Instinctively, he threw a punch at the Roshi directly in front of him but his fist sliced through air, striking only an afterimage.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In a blur of motion, the real Master Roshi struck Kiraen from multiple angles. Each hit landed cleanly before Kiraen could react. Roshi's speed, honed over centuries of martial arts mastery, was overwhelming. Kiraen's strikes couldn't connect; his eyes couldn't even track the Turtle Hermit's true position.
Suddenly, there was a sharp burst of sound beneath Ye Lin's feet. Without hesitation, he launched forward, his movement technique producing a shockwave of force.
"Kiraen, hit the ground now!" Ye Lin shouted.
Without thinking, Kiraen dropped flat, ignoring Roshi's attacks entirely.
"Ōdama Rasengan!" (Big Ball Spiraling Sphere)
A large sphere of spiraling blue energy formed in Ye Lin's palm—a powerful ki-based technique he had learned through his divine-tier system. Its radiant light surged forward toward the swarm of Roshi's afterimages.
Roshi's brows furrowed behind his sunglasses.
"Kamehameha!"
The afterimages disappeared instantly. The true Roshi appeared, both hands drawn behind him in an open palm stance. A swirling ball of bluish energy formed between his palms before he thrust them forward.
"Ka…me…ha…me…ha!!!"
The massive beam collided with Ye Lin's Rasengan in mid-air.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion shook the coastline. Dust, energy, and sea spray erupted in all directions. Master Roshi narrowed his eyes, trying to discern the battlefield through the dust storm.
But Ye Lin had already moved.
In the confusion of the explosion, Ye Lin had dashed in, grabbed Kiraen, and pulled him far away from Roshi's attack radius.
"As expected of Master Roshi… A legendary martial artist through and through," Ye Lin said, landing with Kiraen a good distance away.
He had known from the start that his Rasengan wouldn't overpower the Kamehameha head-on. Master Roshi was no ordinary old man. Though ancient, he was still the famed martial arts master who had trained Goku, Krillin, and Yamcha—his power was immeasurable.
Ye Lin raised the USB tightly in his palm. "If you keep pushing, I'll destroy this drive right here."
Roshi's eyes widened in genuine alarm.
"Hold it! That thing is priceless—it mustn't be destroyed!"
He reached up and unclasped the necklace around his neck. "Here, take this dumb orb!"
He tossed the Three-Star Dragon Ball at Ye Lin without hesitation. To Roshi, the Dragon Ball was just an ornament. He wasn't about to lose access to the mysterious data inside the USB.
Ye Lin's face lit up. He caught the Dragon Ball and immediately threw the USB toward Roshi, who snatched it out of the air like a child receiving a Christmas present.
But he didn't immediately plug it into anything. Instead, he studied Ye Lin carefully.
"Young man, it's rare to meet someone with your kind of potential. I'm serious—have you considered joining the Turtle School?"
Roshi's tone wasn't playful this time. Despite his reputation as a lecherous old man, he had spent decades searching for worthy students. He didn't offer to train just anyone. But Ye Lin's combat instincts, power, and ki manipulation had impressed him deeply.
Ye Lin shook his head with a firm smile. "No thanks. Not right now."
Being turned down again made Roshi scowl slightly.
"So you think I have nothing left to teach you?"
Ye Lin replied evenly, "I learn faster on my own than I would following someone else."
Roshi clenched his fist, visibly annoyed. Few people dared to dismiss his martial teachings. But before he could lash out verbally, Ye Lin added with a grin:
"Here's a deal. The guy next to me his name's Kiraen. You train him. If his power surpasses mine in a year, I'll come back and become your student."
Roshi raised an eyebrow and looked at Kiraen, who stood beside Ye Lin looking uncertain. The android hesitated for a moment but then nodded.
"Alright, I'll take that bet," Roshi said with a grin. "One year from now, kid, I'll have you calling me 'Master'."
He didn't even realize he'd just walked into Ye Lin's trap. Even if Roshi lost the wager, he'd still have gained a new student. If he won, he'd get a second. It was a win-win for Ye Lin either way.
"Boss, are you really leaving me here?" Kiraen's voice cracked with concern. "I'm supposed to protect you."
"You'll help me more by getting stronger," Ye Lin replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I trust you'll make the most of this opportunity."
Understanding dawned in Kiraen's eyes. He clenched a fist over his chest.
"Don't worry, boss. I'll train hard. In a year, I'll be so strong you won't recognize me."
Ye Lin gave him an encouraging nod. He respected Kiraen deeply and believed in his potential. This gamble wasn't just for show it was a real chance for Kiraen to grow under the guidance of one of Earth's greatest martial artists.
After securing the Dragon Ball, Ye Lin left Kame House, soaring over the ocean with the orb in hand. His mind was already looking ahead.
He wondered just how much stronger Kiraen would become in one year—under the strict, legendary training of Kame-Sennin.
---