After battling the waves in their creaky old boat, Goku and the sea turtle finally spotted a tiny island on the horizon. Goku's eyes lit up with curiosity as he leaned forward eagerly. It wasn't like any place he'd ever seen before. The island was small but lively, with palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, and right in the middle was a quaint pink house that stood out brightly against the lush greenery. The words "Kame House" were painted cheerfully across the front.
The turtle's pace quickened as they approached the shore. Relief was written all over its face. "This is it! Master Roshi's island," the turtle said with a grin. "He's lived here for years. He's a bit… unusual, but he's wise beyond belief."
Goku hopped out of the boat the moment it scraped against the sand, bounding toward the island with his boundless energy. He stretched his arms wide, taking in the salty breeze as if it were charging him up for the next adventure. A huge grin broke across his face as he shouted, "This place looks fun! Let's go meet this 'Master Roshi' guy!"
The commotion was enough to draw Master Roshi from his house. The door creaked open, and out stepped the man himself, sunglasses perched on his nose, beard as white as the clouds overhead. His Hawaiian shirt fluttered slightly as he leaned on his staff. He squinted at the duo—a turtle he hadn't seen in ages and a spiky-haired kid bouncing around like he'd had too much sugar.
"Well, I'll be," Roshi muttered, raising a hand to adjust his sunglasses. His gaze shifted to the rickety boat bobbing just offshore. The patched-up wood groaned as the waves nudged it, barely holding together. Roshi raised an eyebrow. "You two actually crossed the ocean in that thing?"
"Yup! It worked just fine!" Goku replied brightly, puffing out his chest with pride. "I helped Turtle get home!"
The turtle, still catching its breath from the journey, gave a nod of agreement. "That's right. This kid carried me across the ocean after I got lost. He's way stronger than he looks—and kind, too."
Roshi's expression softened as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. His eyes flicked back to the creaky boat and then to Goku, as if weighing the boy's worth. Finally, he nodded slowly. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that. And seeing as that sorry excuse for a boat actually made it here..." He smirked. "Maybe you deserve a little reward."
Goku's grin stretched from ear to ear. "Really? What is it?" he asked, his excitement bubbling over.
Without saying a word, Roshi straightened up, firmly gripped his staff, and suddenly yelled, "Flying Nimbus!"
Goku flinched at the sudden shout, his head snapping toward the sky. Out of nowhere, a golden streak zipped through the air, growing larger as it descended. It slowed as it approached, shimmering like sunlight as it stopped to hover a few feet off the ground in front of Goku. The boy's jaw dropped, his wide-eyed stare locked on the magical cloud floating right before him.
"Whoa! What's that?" Goku asked, leaning in so close he nearly bumped noses with the cloud.
Roshi smirked, clearly enjoying the boy's reaction. "This here is the Flying Nimbus. It's a special cloud that only carries someone pure of heart. If you've got what it takes, it's yours. But let me warn you, kid," he added with a mischievous glint in his eye, "if you're not worthy, don't expect me to hand over anything else in return."
Goku's excitement flickered into determination.With zero hesitation, he leapt onto the cloud, for a second, nothing happened. Then, the Nimbus held him steady as if he weighed nothing at all. Goku let out a whoop of joy as the cloud shot upward, taking him high into the sky. He zipped around the island, laughing so loudly that it echoed over the water.
"Yahoo! This is amazing!" Goku shouted as he spun through the air, the salty breeze whipping past his face.
Roshi tilted his head, watching the display with a small but genuine smile. "Well, I'll be. The kid's got what it takes after all," he muttered to himself.
The turtle chuckled beside him. "He's something special, isn't he?"
"That he is," Roshi agreed, his tone carrying a mix of admiration and amusement. "Let's see what else this little firecracker is capable of."
When Goku finally floated back down, he hopped off the Nimbus with the same boundless energy he'd had when they arrived. "Thank you so much, Master Roshi!" he exclaimed, his voice bubbling over with gratitude. "This is the coolest thing ever!"
As Goku bounced happily, the turtle tilted its head, suddenly struck by a realization. "Wait a second," it murmured, its eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Turning to Roshi, it added, "You know, Goku mentioned your name before he even met me."
Roshi leaned on his staff, one eyebrow arching curiously. "Is that so?" he asked, his attention fully on the boy now. "What were you doing searching for an old hermit like me, kid?"
Goku slowed, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Oh, right! Grandpa Gohan told me to find you if I ever needed to get stronger. He said you're the best teacher out there!"
The mention of Gohan softened Roshi's expression. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he smiled. "Gohan, huh? That brings back memories. So, you're his grandson, aren't you?"
"Yup!" Goku replied eagerly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "He said I'd get strong by learning from you, and I want to get even stronger than I am now! So, can you teach me?"
Roshi chuckled, stroking his beard as if in deep thought. "Hmm… you're a lively one, all right. And you've already proven your heart's in the right place by helping Turtle. But let me tell you, kid, training with me isn't a walk in the park," he said, his voice teasing but firm. "You'll have to earn it."
Goku's face lit up with excitement. "I'll do anything! I love training!" he said, brimming with confidence.
"That's what I like to hear," Roshi replied with a grin. "All right, kid. Let's see what you've got."