Chapter 4: Recruiting the Younger Brother
After the colorful lottery box flickered for a while, a small red capsule ball popped out, which corresponded to the D-rank reward.
Ye Lin couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. According to the system's notifications, there was a 50% chance that hard mode would yield a C-rank or higher reward, a 20% chance for normal mode to do the same, while simple mode only produced E-rank junk.
Among Ye Lin's several draws so far, only the starter system bundle had given him a C-rank reward. His luck, it seemed, was thoroughly abysmal.
"Congratulations, Host. You have drawn the D-rank reward from the Dragon Ball dimension: Dragon Radar."
A circular device materialized in Ye Lin's palm. A soft green glow pulsed from the screen, and one of the grid lights blinked steadily—it marked the location of the Dragon Ball he already carried.
Ye Lin's eyes sparkled with surprise. He had assumed D-rank rewards would be garbage, but this item changed everything. The Dragon Radar, originally developed by Bulma using Capsule Corp technology, was a crucial device in the Dragon Ball world. With it, tracking Dragon Balls became exponentially easier.
Even the notorious Red Ribbon Army, with all its resources and manpower, could never build a radar that rivaled Bulma's. If they had, they might've succeeded in collecting the Dragon Balls before Goku ever intervened.
"Huh? Why are there two dots?"
Ye Lin stared at the radar's blinking screen. Another Dragon Ball signal had appeared nearby, flashing steadily.
"Is this luck turning around? Two Dragon Balls this close? This could be my breakthrough."
With newfound motivation, Ye Lin narrowed his eyes and headed toward the signal.
Ye Lin's pace was fast. Within half an hour, he reached the indicated location.
---
Name: Ye Lin
Combat Power: 38
Skills:
1. Spiral Pill (Lv. 4/100 – Basic Tier): Boosts combat power by 20% upon successful hit.
Items: 10x Senzu Beans, 1x Dragon Radar, 1x Four-Star Dragon Ball.
---
The radar guided him to a narrow valley, its rocky cliffs jagged and steep. According to the blinking beacon, the Dragon Ball was located inside a small cave nestled at the valley's end.
Ye Lin tucked the radar away and cautiously entered.
A foul stench filled his nostrils—strong, earthy, and unmistakably wild beast.
Ding!
"System Task Triggered:
Simple Mode: Steal the Dragon Ball while target sleeps.
Normal Mode: Defeat the target and retrieve the Dragon Ball.
Hard Mode: Recruit the target and gain loyalty.
Reward tier increases with difficulty. Please select a mode."
Ye Lin hesitated for only a moment before smirking. "As always… Hard Mode."
"Hard Mode selected. Mission objective: Recruit the opponent and retrieve the Dragon Ball."
He crept further into the cave. There, snoring deeply, was a tall figure with blue-gray skin, a pair of small wings, and lean muscle coiled around his limbs like cords of steel.
"No way… That's Kirin!"
Ye Lin blinked in disbelief. He remembered this character vaguely from the manga's 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, a minor martial artist with beastly speed. Here, though, Kirin appeared larger and tougher, likely enhanced by system scaling.
A quick scan revealed that Kirin's combat power was 40—two points higher than Ye Lin.
> "So I've got to tame a guy stronger than me? This system really has no chill," Ye Lin muttered.
Around Kirin's thick neck hung a glowing Six-Star Dragon Ball, tied by a crude leather strap.
Ye Lin considered. A stealth approach could work he could simply snatch the ball and leave—but not on hard mode. He had to recruit Kirin.
"No helping it."
Ye Lin stepped forward and, without hesitation, kicked Kirin's back hard.
Kirin's eyes snapped open as he leapt to his feet. Standing over two meters tall, his movements were surprisingly fluid for someone of his build.
> "Who dares?!" he bellowed, spinning around to face Ye Lin.
"Was it you, you little punk?!" His gaze narrowed dangerously.
Ye Lin stood calm and confident, arms folded.
"Kirin, I'll get straight to the point. I'm taking the Dragon Ball… and you're joining me."
Kirin blinked. Then laughed—loud, echoing, and mocking.
"You serious?! You want me Kirin of the Mountain Fang Temple as your sidekick? Maybe you knocked your head on a rock."
He slammed his fist into the cave wall, cracking the solid stone with a thunderous boom.
Ye Lin didn't flinch. He lifted his palm, condensing a glowing green spiral of energy.
"Spiral Pill!"
The swirling chakra sphere formed, twisting the air with a shrill whine. The energy pulsed violently, drawing wind into its orbit.
Kirin's eyes narrowed. Despite his bravado, his instincts warned him this technique was no joke.
"Trying to bluff me with a flashy marble?" Kirin growled.
He lunged forward, raising one massive hand to swat Ye Lin like a fly.
"Die, brat!"
The Spiral Pill met Kirin's palm and detonated.
BOOM!
A violent shockwave exploded outward, hurling Kirin across the cave like a ragdoll. His body crashed into the far wall, leaving cracks in the rock from the impact.
"Ugh…" Kirin groaned, slumping to his knees.
His arms trembled, ribs aching, muscles numb. The force of that small orb had nearly broken his core defense.
"You… what the hell was that?!"
Ye Lin stood tall, wind still swirling faintly around his outstretched arm.
"That was just a taste. Join me or I'll hit you with the full version."
Kirin spat dust and glared but this time, there was respect in his eyes.
> "Tch... I hate cocky kids… But I hate being weak even more."
He stood shakily and looked at Ye Lin.
"Alright. You win. From today… call me Brother Kirin."
Ye Lin smirked.
"Welcome to the team, little bro."
Kirin had grown cautious. Rather than rushing in recklessly, he spat out a viscous white adhesive—his signature Sticky Mucus Technique an improvised trapping move he'd once used during minor off-panel martial arts tournaments in the southern isles. But Ye Lin was ready. His hand was already gathering energy for a second Spiral Pill.
As the sticky mucus flew forward, it clashed violently against the swirling orb in Ye Lin's hand. The intense rotation tore the mucus into airborne fragments, scattering harmlessly across the cavern walls. Ye Lin didn't stop there he launched the Spiral Pill straight at Kirin once more.
Puff!
The attack slammed into Kirin's chest and lifted him off his feet. He crashed into the rocky cave wall, coughing up a mouthful of blood. He felt several of his rib bones fracture under the impact.
The energy packed into Ye Lin's small but volatile ki sphere was compressed to an extreme, its force surgically focused. Kirin's eyes briefly flickered with something he hadn't felt in years fear.
Though Ye Lin's base combat power was still weaker than Kirin's 40, his Spiral Pill temporarily amplified his power by 20%, reaching 46—just enough to overpower Kirin's defenses.
That kind of force wasn't something Kirin could shrug off.
Without pause, Ye Lin's palm began to glow again. A third Spiral Pill spun to life, smaller than a melon but packed with crackling energy.
"I won't be holding back anymore. Speak—give me the answers I want!"
Kirin stared at the growing energy sphere. Cold sweat dripped down his temple. He had been blasted away by a casual Spiral Pill—if Ye Lin were serious, this next one could be fatal. He had completely misjudged this human. He wasn't just strong he was a monster.
"I surrender! I'm willing to follow you! I'll be your little brother!"
Kirin fell to his knees, lowering his head in full submission. It wasn't just out of fear—it was survival instinct. This wasn't a fight he could win.
To show sincerity, Kirin removed the Six-Star Dragon Ball tied to his neck and respectfully handed it to Ye Lin.
The moment his fingers touched the sphere, Ye Lin heard the familiar mechanical chime in his mind.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. Mission Complete. You've earned two draws from the God-Level Lottery."
Ye Lin blinked, stunned. Two chances? Then he realized: collecting the Dragon Ball and recruiting Kirin counted as separate objectives. That explained the double reward.
Excitement surged as he summoned the system's lottery interface. The swirling rainbow light spun and finally released two small orbs—one red, the other shimmering purple.
Ye Lin's eyes lit up at the sight of the purple.
"Congratulations, Host, on drawing the C-rank reward from the One Piece dimension: Skill - Soru (Shave)!"
"Congratulations, Host, on drawing the D-rank reward: +100 Skill Proficiency Points. Your Spiral Pill evolves into Advanced Technique: Giant Spiral Pill (Dayu Rasengan). Instant combat power gain: +50%."
---
Name: Ye Lin
Combat Power: 40
Skills:
1. Giant Spiral Pill (Intermediate Lv.6/1000) – Greatly enhanced Spiral Pill. Temporarily boosts combat power by 50%.
2. Soru (Shave) (Beginner Lv.0/100) – One of the Rokushiki (Six Powers) from the One Piece world. Allows instantaneous high-speed movement by stepping rapidly.
Items: 9x Senzu Beans, 1x Dragon Radar, 2x Dragon Balls
---
Defeating and recruiting Kirin had pushed Ye Lin's power even further. Reaching 40 combat power made him a solid match for most non-elite Earth martial artists, but the real prize was his technique evolution. The Giant Spiral Pill not only gave a larger area of effect but could now break defenses and send even heavily armored targets flying.
And then there was Soru—one of the elite movement techniques developed by the World Government's CP9 in the One Piece universe. It allowed the user to appear almost instantaneously behind or around an opponent through burst footwork.
For Ye Lin, it was a perfect synergy. His Spiral Pill was close-range and required good positioning. With Soru, he could now flank enemies or evade counters, making his offense nearly unstoppable.
> "B-Boss…?"
Ye Lin snapped out of his inner thoughts at the sound of Kirin's voice. The former brute was still clutching his chest, visibly wincing. His breathing was uneven, and his cracked ribs were slowing him down.
Ye Lin walked over without speaking. He pulled out a Senzu Bean and held it toward Kirin.
"Eat this. I'm Ye Lin. From today forward, you're under my wing."
Kirin hesitated. His eyes darted between the bean and Ye Lin's face. But there was no malice in Ye Lin's expression—just cold efficiency.
If Ye Lin had truly wanted to kill him, that third Spiral Pill would've done the job already.
"…Alright."
Kirin popped the Senzu Bean into his mouth. Within seconds, a warm surge filled his body. His broken bones realigned, his torn muscles mended, and his fatigue vanished completely.
His eyes widened with awe.
"This… This little bean healed me completely?! I was gonna need ten days of rest!"
He looked up at Ye Lin again—this time with respect and a hint of gratitude.
The weak feared the strong. But true warriors followed those who could make miracles happen.
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