Tien slowed down and carefully landed on the ground so Yamcha could catch up. As his feet touched the earth, he felt the dry dirt shift under his boots. A soft wind blew across his face, bringing the smell of trees and far-off mountains.
A few seconds later, Yamcha arrived. He came running fast, then stopped suddenly, skidding in the dirt and making a small cloud of dust rise around him. His hair was all over the place from the run, and sweat ran down his forehead, but he was smiling like he had just found something exciting.
"Hey!" Yamcha called out, grinning as he pointed to himself. "I heard you want to build a kingdom?"
He laughed a little and shrugged. "Need some help? This sounds like fun. And honestly, I don't really have anything better to do."
He looked around at the open land and added, "Puar is visiting his old kindergarten teacher, so I'm free for the day."
Tien folded his arms and stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about what Yamcha had said. It was sudden—he hadn't expected company. But the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea.
Yamcha could be lazy sometimes, sure. But he was smart in a different way. He had been a desert bandit for twenty years and managed to survive without help from anyone. That meant he knew how to deal with danger, solve problems, and talk his way out of trouble. Those were skills that could come in handy.
After thinking for a bit, Tien gave a small nod. "Okay, you can come."
He gave a slight smile and looked out across the land. "I was just about to start looking for a king. Someone who already knows how to run a kingdom."
Tien turned back toward Yamcha, his face more serious now. "I want to invite this king to be my minister. Bulma said I'll need a good minister before I can even begin building anything."
He opened his hands and told Yamcha about his simple plan. Right now, it wasn't much more than an idea in his head. But with the right people, it could become something real.
Yamcha rubbed his chin and looked thoughtful. A minister? That actually made sense. Tien was strong, but running a kingdom wasn't just about fighting. It was about talking to people, organizing things, making rules, and making sure things stayed peaceful and fair.
"That's a good idea," Yamcha said. "But where are we supposed to find a king who'd give up his own kingdom just to help build yours?"
He scratched his head and frowned. "That's kind of a tough ask."
Tien agreed. He didn't have any great names in mind either. They'd have to think carefully.
"How many kings do we even know?" Tien asked.
Yamcha gave a tired smile. "Not many. But let's try listing the ones we do know. Maybe we'll think of someone who fits."
This was tricky for Yamcha. He wasn't someone who hung around royalty. He was more used to training, fighting, and hanging out with friends. But still, he wanted to help.
"Well, there's King Furry," Yamcha said. "He's the king of Earth, right?"
Then he shook his head. "But I doubt he'd ever quit being king just to help you. He's got a whole planet to take care of."
Tien nodded again. King Furry was respected by everyone, but asking him to leave his throne was impossible.
Yamcha stood quietly for a moment, tapping his foot on the ground. Then something popped into his mind.
"What about Ox King?" he asked, brightening up a little.
He lightly patted Tien's arm. "He used to have that big castle on Fire Mountain. He ruled the village there too. And he's Goku's father-in-law, so we kind of know him already. Maybe he'd be willing to help."
Tien thought hard about that. Ox King had once been a great ruler, kind and strong. But years ago, he had gone out of control and accidentally destroyed his own village. After that, he stopped being a king and spent his time as a grandfather, watching over little Gohan.
"He might seem like a good choice," Tien said slowly. "But I don't think he's interested anymore."
"He made a big mistake in the past, and after that, he gave up on ruling."
Tien lowered his voice. "He doesn't want that kind of responsibility again."
Tien also remembered how poor Goku and Chi-Chi were in the future. If Ox King still cared about leading and helping others, wouldn't he have helped his own daughter's family? But he didn't. That told Tien all he needed to know.
"Even though he seems like a good pick, he's not the right person for this job," Tien said quietly.
Yamcha let out a long sigh. "That's too bad. Ox King is a good guy. It's sad he gave up like that."
"But if he's not the one, then we just have to keep looking."
Yamcha put his hands on his hips and tried to think. He searched his memory, going over every person he had met. But most of the people he knew were fighters, not rulers.
After a few minutes, he groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Man, I got nothing."
"I know tons of martial artists," he said, "but kings? That's not really my thing."
Tien agreed. Their group didn't think much about leadership or money. They fought to protect others, not to gain power. But now, Tien had a goal—and he wasn't going to stop just because the first few steps were hard.
Just then, something Yamcha said gave Tien an idea.
"Wait," Tien said, his eyes lighting up. "What about King Chappa?"
Yamcha looked at him, surprised. "You mean that martial arts guy? The one who fought Goku?"
Tien nodded. "Yeah. He won the 20th World Martial Arts Tournament. He didn't get hit even once during the whole competition."
Yamcha's eyes widened a little. "That's right. He was a champion before Goku. But Goku beat him later on."
"He was strong," Tien said, his voice calm. "And more than that, he's a real king. He has his own land and even built a martial arts temple there."
King Chappa ruled a hard, dry land. Not much grew there, but he made the best of it. He turned it into a place where strong fighters could train and grow. Fighters like Nam came from there. And in the future, that's where Uub—Majin Buu's kind-hearted new form—would train.
Chappa knew how to lead people in a tough place. That kind of experience could be very helpful for Tien, who planned to build his kingdom in a similar barren land.
"He's used to ruling a rough place," Tien said, thinking out loud. "He might understand what I'm trying to build."
Yamcha smiled and nodded. "That actually sounds perfect."
"He seemed like a calm, smart guy when we met him. Maybe he'd be interested."
Yamcha pointed down a rocky path. "His temple isn't far. I've been there once. I can show you the way."
Tien nodded again, feeling more hopeful than before. With Yamcha's help, they could find King Chappa faster. He just had to think about how to explain his plan.
As they flew through the sky, Tien looked ahead, deep in thought. He had already decided—King Chappa would join his kingdom. That part wasn't in question. Now he just had to figure out the best way to make it happen. He wasn't going to beg or ask for favors. He just needed the right words, or maybe the right offer. One way or another, Chappa was coming with him. Tien was sure of it.
Advanced chapters ahead on patréon
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