"What?!" Master Roshi's hand shook, and the stone ball nearly slipped from his grasp. "Killed Shenron? How is that possible? How could Shenron have been...?"
"He really did it." Raditz cut off his shocked outburst. "After wishing to regain his youth, perhaps to stop anyone else from using the Dragon Balls, he attacked Shenron outright and put an end to it all."
"Is that so?" Master Roshi's expression turned grave. After everything that had happened, he took Raditz's words very seriously. He knew Raditz wouldn't make things up.
"Then Krillin can't be brought back to life?"
"No. There's still a chance."
"Still a chance?" Master Roshi's expression eased slightly. "You know how to restore the Dragon Balls?"
Raditz nodded and gazed up at the distant sky.
"The Dragon Balls didn't occur naturally. They were made by 'God.' If we can find their creator, there may be a way to restore their power."
"The creator of the Dragon Balls... God?" Master Roshi was stunned for a moment. Then an ancient legend flashed through his mind. "You mean Kami?!"
High above, far away.
Inside Korin's palace.
Yajirobe was sprawled on the ground, panting heavily.
Nearby, Goku looked exhausted too.
"Thanks, Yajirobe."
"Hmph! I only climbed up here because I believed what you told me." Yajirobe rested for a while, then sat up and glared at Goku. "You said there'd be food here, right?"
"Yeah. They're called Senzu Beans," Goku replied.
"Senzu Beans? They don't sound very tasty." Yajirobe looked doubtful.
Cat Hermit, who had been watching them for a while, stepped out and studied Yajirobe's face for a moment.
This guy was something else. He'd carried Goku all the way up here.
"Master Korin! Long time no see!" Goku greeted Cat Hermit when he spotted him. "I came to..."
"I already know, Goku." Cat Hermit interrupted him, narrowing his eyes as he spoke bluntly. "You were nearly killed by King Piccolo, weren't you?"
"Huh? How did you know?" Goku asked, puzzled.
"When I have nothing better to do, I often watch what's happening in the world below." Cat Hermit gave a brief explanation, then continued, "What did you come to see me for?"
"Oh, right." Goku had been curious about how Cat Hermit watched the world below, but he set that aside and said earnestly, "Please train me again. I have to defeat that guy."
Cat Hermit was silent for a long moment. Then he turned and brought out a clay jar filled with beans. "Get your strength back first. Catch."
Goku caught the jar Cat Hermit tossed him and took a closer look. "Aren't these Senzu Beans?"
"Senzu Beans?" Yajirobe, who had been resting nearby, jumped to his feet, furious. "So these are Senzu Beans! That's the bean that Raditz made me eat!"
"You call this good food?"
"Huh? You've tried them before, Yajirobe?" Goku asked curiously.
"Hmph! That Raditz tricked me into eating one. It filled my stomach, but the lousy bean didn't taste good at all. You're a liar."
"I think they taste pretty good. And eating one restores your strength."
As Goku spoke, he ate a Senzu Bean. At once, a tremendous surge of energy welled up inside him.
"Haha! I'm back to normal already."
He flexed his strong arms, then looked at Cat Hermit with eager eyes. "Master Korin, can you train me again? Like you did last time!"
"I'm afraid..." Cat Hermit shook his head, looking a little embarrassed. "There's nothing left for me to teach you."
"Huh?" Goku stared at him in confusion. "Nothing left to teach me?"
"Yeah. It's embarrassing to admit, but you surpassed me a long time ago." Cat Hermit turned around and clasped his hands behind his back, regretful.
"Then I can't get stronger... or beat that guy..." Goku's expression fell, and he muttered as though all his energy had drained away. "That bastard even killed Krillin..."
"You don't need to be sad about that," Cat Hermit said, trying to comfort Goku when he saw how dejected he looked. "Someone has already avenged Krillin."
"King Piccolo is already dead."
"Huh?" Goku had still been caught up in his sorrow over not being able to avenge his friend. At Cat Hermit's words, his eyes widened like saucers. "He's dead?!"
"Yes. And you know the person who defeated him." Cat Hermit spoke with a sigh.
"Who?" Goku was itching to find out. Knowing that he knew the person only made him more curious.
"Raditz."
"Huh?" Goku was even more shocked, hardly able to believe his ears. "It was him!"
"Raditz is that strong? How did he beat that monster?" Yajirobe asked in surprise.
He had seen how the Great Demon King had defeated Sun Wukong.
In just a few moves, King Piccolo had left him helpless. Yajirobe had even had to carry him up Korin Tower.
It had only been a little over a year since Yajirobe had last seen Raditz. Back then, he hadn't seemed that strong. At least, he hadn't seemed as strong as Goku.
"Well, to be precise, he beat King Piccolo in just a few moves. He might not even have... gone all out," Cat Hermit said, his voice uncertain.
Even he found the scene he had witnessed hard to believe.
He had underestimated him.
That kid Raditz had improved so quickly that he was beyond anything Cat Hermit could have imagined.
But it also proved that Cat Hermit had made the right choice back then. When the world had fallen into danger, Raditz had stepped forward of his own accord.
What a remarkable young man!
"That's amazing! I have to work even harder too!" Goku said excitedly, filled with energy again. He couldn't wait to face Raditz and have a good fight.
He clenched his fists, then remembered something even more important and exclaimed, "Raditz beat that guy, so Krillin can come back to life!"
Cat Hermit shook his head, pouring cold water on his excitement. "I'm afraid not, Goku."
"Huh?" The smile froze on Goku's face.
"After making his wish, King Piccolo killed Shenron," Cat Hermit said heavily. "The Dragon Balls have turned into ordinary stones. Even in a year, they won't be able to summon Shenron again."
"How could that happen?!" Goku's anger surged. He clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. "That bastard! He even killed Shenron!"
Seeing him like that, Cat Hermit could only sigh.
After all, there was nothing they could do if Shenron was dead...
Wait!
Ah! Right!
How could he have forgotten about that?!
"Goku, there may be another way." Cat Hermit seemed to have just realized something. His expression turned solemn.
"Really? What is it?" Goku rushed over to Cat Hermit and asked urgently.
"We just have to find the person who made the Dragon Balls."