"I accept."
Bulma frowned. "Hey, Alex, are you sure about this? Krillin might not look it, but he's pretty tough."
Krillin crossed his arms. "What do you mean, might not look it?"
Alex smirked. "It's okay, Bulma." He stepped toward the beach, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, Krillin, ready when you are."
Krillin simply stood his ground, relaxed. "Go ahead. Start whenever."
Bulma and Master Roshi moved aside, giving them space.
Alex took a deep breath, adjusting his stance—left foot forward, fists raised like a boxer. "Just so you know, Krillin, I've never really fought before. You're my first opponent."
Krillin arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"
No hesitation. Just go.
Alex bent his knees, then launched himself forward with all his strength, throwing a punch straight for Krillin's face. For a brief second, he thought it would connect—
Then Krillin disappeared.
What—?!
Before Alex could react, a sharp impact struck the back of his head.
BAM!
He crashed face-first into the sand, everything going dark.
---
Few Hours Later…
"Huh… where am I?"
Alex groaned as he sat up, rubbing his sore head. Slowly, the memory of the fight came back to him. Oh man… I got KO'd instantly. Still, something felt different. He clenched his fist. I feel… a little stronger? It wasn't much, but the difference was there.
Looking around, he realized he was inside Kame House on the first floor. He got up and made his way downstairs, where Krillin was sitting at the dining table.
"Oh, hey, you're awake," Krillin said, looking up. "Sorry about earlier—I tried to hold back as much as possible, but you surprised me, and I reacted on instinct."
Alex waved it off. "It's fine. I just wanted to see where I stood."
Krillin grinned. "Well, good news! Master Roshi agreed to train you. He's outside."
Alex's eyes widened. "Wait, really?"
"Yeah. Bulma left after the fight, but Roshi stuck around and said he'd take you in."
Excitement bubbled up inside Alex as he rushed outside. He found Master Roshi standing on the beach with Turtle, watching the sun dip below the horizon.
The old master didn't turn around as he spoke. "Hope you got some good rest. Starting tomorrow, you won't have much time for it."
Alex quickly bowed. "Thank you, Master Roshi!" Then he hesitated. "Though… I still don't get it. Did I really impress you that much?" He grinned.
"Of course not," Roshi replied without missing a beat.
Alex blinked. "Wait—then why?" His grin faltered.
Roshi finally turned to face him. "Because you passed my test, boy."
"Test?"
"The moment you agreed to the spar, you passed."
Alex frowned. "Wait… so if I had said no—?"
"I would've sent you home empty-handed." Roshi adjusted his sunglasses. "You see, to be a martial artist, you have to overcome your fears. Strength and technique can be taught, but resolve—that has to come from within." He turned back to the ocean. "A real martial artist doesn't back down, even when faced with a mountain. That's all you need to begin your journey."
Alex took in Roshi's words, a sense of newfound determination settling in his chest.
Then Roshi coughed. "Now, about your training… it's not free, you know."
Alex smirked. "I figured as much." He reached into his bag and pulled out a capsule, tossing it into the air. With a boom, a pile of books dropped onto the sand.
Roshi's eyes widened. He picked one up, flipping through the pages. Within seconds, his face turned red as he let out a lecherous chuckle. "Heh-heh-heh… ooooh boy…"
Turtle sighed. "Oh dear…"
Alex grinned. "I hope this is enough?"
"Enough?!" Roshi's hands trembled as he frantically checked every book. "My boy… you have done great."
Alex shook his head. Of course, this old man would be swayed by that.
Roshi cleared his throat. "Alright! Now that's settled, let's head inside. It's getting late."
As they walked back toward Kame House, Alex clenched his fists. His journey was finally beginning.
power levels
Turtle :.001
Bulma :5
Alex (zenkai) :10
master Roshi :180
Krillin : 194