Chapter 13: I Want to Learn from You, I Teach You
Yamcha's battle power was only around 8, as confirmed by scouters in later arcs. Given that, how could he possibly match Ye Lin?
"Too shameless, using a weapon!"
"This isn't a weapon. It's more like a ki-based technique, similar to the Kamehameha," Ye Lin explained calmly, raising both hands to show he was unarmed.
"No! No ki attacks! A real man fights with fists alone!"
"Alright then. I'll refrain from using ki."
Ye Lin smiled slightly and accepted Yamcha's demand.
"Come on."
Yamcha lunged, fist cocked for a powerful strike but Ye Lin suddenly launched himself into the air, levitating effortlessly.
Yamcha's punch missed completely. Unbalanced from the force, he stumbled forward and crashed to the ground, groaning.
"You can fly? That's cheating! It's unfair to dodge using flight! If you've got any guts, stay grounded and fight me head-on!"
Hovering above, Ye Lin nodded and descended back to the ground.
"Okay. I won't fly. Please, go ahead."
Placing his hands behind his back, Ye Lin stood still, inviting Yamcha's next move.
Yamcha took a steadying breath. His fists clenched, his eyes narrowed—he understood now that Ye Lin was no ordinary opponent. He'd have to give it everything he had.
"Wolf Fang Fist!"
With a burst of speed, Yamcha darted forward. His fists blurred with rapid strikes, each jab like a snapping fang. This technique, the Wolf Fang Fist, was his signature move, first seen when he ambushed Goku in the Diablo Desert.
But Ye Lin didn't even raise a hand. He slipped around every strike using only subtle footwork, his arms still resting calmly behind him.
Yamcha roared in frustration and pressed harder, but no matter how fast or fierce his attacks became, Ye Lin's body bent and shifted just enough to avoid them all.
Minutes passed. Finally, Yamcha fell to his knees, gasping, soaked in sweat. His arms hung limp at his sides, trembling from exertion.
"Why… why can't I land a single hit? Am I really this weak…"
Ye Lin approached him slowly.
Just then, Puar Yamcha's loyal shapeshifting friend from the Southern Transforming Kindergarten fluttered down between them.
"Don't hurt Yamcha! If you have to kill someone, take me instead!"
"Puar, what are you doing?! Run away! This has nothing to do with you!" Yamcha shouted hoarsely.
But Puar stood firm, tiny arms outstretched protectively.
Ye Lin looked puzzled and slightly embarrassed. He hadn't even attacked Yamcha. How did things escalate so suddenly?
"Are you willing to admit defeat?"
Yamcha looked up into Ye Lin's calm expression. Slowly, he gave a sheepish smile and nodded.
"Why… why are you so strong?"
"I want to learn from you, so I will teach you."
Yamcha blinked, stunned by Ye Lin's words. Then, without hesitation, he dropped to his knees.
"Master! Your disciple pays his respects!"
Ye Lin had earned not just Yamcha's respect through strength, but his admiration through his restraint. Though they were roughly the same age, Yamcha felt sincere reverence for Ye Lin's mastery.
Ye Lin hadn't expected Yamcha to become his student, but the sincerity in his eyes left no room for refusal.
"Very well. You'll be my first apprentice. I'll train you and turn you into someone worthy."
"Thank you, Master!"
Yamcha's heart was filled with gratitude. To him, Ye Lin was like Master Roshi an unfathomable martial arts expert. Following him meant only one thing: strength.
"Wait… are you seriously taking this desert bandit with us now?"
Bulma gave Ye Lin a look of disbelief, puzzled at his decision.
"He's my apprentice now. His name's Yamcha."
"Girl… w-woman…"
Yamcha, upon seeing Bulma, was immediately flustered. Just like in the manga, his long-standing fear of women rendered him tongue-tied and anxious.
Ye Lin glanced knowingly between them. In the original timeline, Yamcha and Bulma dated for years before drifting apart.
"Suit yourself. Just don't bother me. I'm working on recalibrating the Dragon Radar."
Bulma didn't even look up. Clearly, Yamcha's presence didn't faze her in the least as she kept tinkering with the device she created to track Dragon Balls.
"Master, I'll drive behind in my own car. If you need anything, just give the order."
Yamcha ran off toward his dune buggy, exhaling in relief.
Ye Lin sighed quietly. It seemed Yamcha wanted to rid himself of his fear of women but it wouldn't be an easy fix.
… … …
Five kilometers away, hidden behind a rock outcrop, a group of people observed Ye Lin's party through binoculars.
"Boss, we've got a visual. They're headed northeast."
"Keep tracking them. Don't move during the day we don't want to alert them. We strike while they sleep."
"Yes, boss!"
This group of people held traditional curved swords in their hands. Unlike Red Ribbon soldiers or Pilaf's minions who favored firearms, the assassins from Jiexilou prided themselves on martial arts discipline they considered using guns beneath them. Every one of them was a trained fighter, each capable of independent combat.
They had been silently tailing Ye Lin's vehicle from a distance across the Diablo Desert, patiently waiting for nightfall to begin their mission.
…
As the sun dipped below the sandy horizon, night crept into the desert. Stars pierced the darkening sky like polished stones.
For some proper rest, Bulma pulled out two Hoi-Poi Capsules from her pocket. With a toss and a puff of smoke, the capsules popped open, revealing two compact capsule houses complete with lights, furniture, and bathrooms.
"I'm sleeping on the right. You can take the left," Bulma said without looking back, entering her room with practiced ease. She had done this sort of thing many times during her journey to gather the Dragon Balls.
With Bulma now inside, only Ye Lin and Yamcha remained outside under the cooling desert breeze.
Inside the capsule house, the room was surprisingly spacious, just like the ones seen during Goku's early travels. The setup included a soft couch, a television, a compact kitchen, and even a functioning shower truly high-end Capsule Corp engineering.
Ye Lin sank onto the couch with a sigh. The past few days of desert trekking had left even him somewhat fatigued.
"Master, you should rest first. I'll keep watch tonight."
Yamcha, having grown up as a desert bandit, was highly familiar with the dangers lurking in the night wild animals, thieves, or worse. Someone always needed to stay awake. He knew this routine by heart.
"Alright. I'll leave it to you."
Ye Lin returned to the bedroom. Though he appeared relaxed, even in sleep, his senses remained highly attuned like Goku during his childhood, able to react instantly to threats while unconscious.
The night deepened.
Suddenly, Ye Lin opened his eyes. Faint footsteps stirred the silence outside, approaching with careful precision. He rose without a sound and stepped out of the house.
Yamcha was already peering out a nearby window, his hand near his waist where his sword was sheathed, a tense look on his face.
"Looks like trouble's come."
"You sensed it too, Master? As expected… I counted five of them, all decently strong."
Yamcha was still impressed by Ye Lin's ability to detect danger mid-rest. Most fighters needed time to attune their senses, but not him.
Ye Lin shook his head.
"Not five—six. One of them is better hidden than the others. This will be a test for you. Handle them on your own."
Yamcha blinked. He had only sensed five. There was a sixth? That meant Ye Lin's ability to sense ki or subtle presence was even sharper than he thought.
"Yes, Master. I'll pass your test."
He clenched his fists and nodded, eyes blazing with determination.
Ye Lin gave a small approving smile. These Jiexilou assassins were decent, but nothing beyond Yamcha's ability—assuming he kept calm and relied on his training. It was time to forge him through real combat.
Ye Lin entrusted the situation to Yamcha and slipped away unnoticed through the rooftop skylight.
Moving in perfect silence through the dark sky, Ye Lin glided toward the second capsule house.
He had felt the sixth presence heading there specifically into Bulma's room.
Inside, a shadow had already crept into Bulma's home.
The assassin's eyes scanned the tidy interior. Hearing the gentle splash of water from behind the bathroom door, he smirked.
Though it was late, Bulma was still up, having worked on improving her Dragon Radar, the very device that tracks the signal of the seven Dragon Balls. She had finally decided to shower before turning in.
She didn't notice that danger was seconds away.
The door creaked open.
"You—Who are you?! HELP!"
Bulma yelped, quickly grabbing her bathrobe and covering herself.
"Shut up, or you die."
The assassin's blade was pointed directly at her throat. His eyes narrowed, and a twisted smile formed on his lips.
"Tch, didn't expect her to look this good. Maybe a little fun wouldn't hurt before the job's done…"
He reached toward Bulma's robe, hand trembling with sinister intent.
But before he could touch her
WHAM.
A hand seized him by the collar, lifting him completely off the floor. The assassin's eyes widened as Ye Lin's calm face appeared from the shadows.
"Looking for death?"
The killer reacted fast, slashing wildly at Ye Lin with his curved blade.
But Ye Lin merely raised two fingers and caught the edge of the blade mid-swing just like how Master Roshi or Goku might catch bullets or knives barehanded.
With a soft crack, the blade snapped under the pressure of his fingers.
The assassin's pupils shrank in disbelief.
"This house is too clean for trash like you. If you want to die, do it farther away."
Still holding him like a ragdoll, Ye Lin stepped out of the house.
The killer struggled violently now, fear replacing all arrogance.
Too late.
With a motion enhanced by Moon Step a technique similar to the Bukūjutsu (Sky Dance Art) Ye Lin launched a heavy kick into the assassin's torso.
CRACK.
The killer soared through the air, flying more than 100 meters before crashing into a rocky dune.
By the time he hit the ground, his organs were ruptured from the impact he was already dead.
Ye Lin watched for a moment, then turned back toward the house.
The desert remained quiet under the stars.
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