Everyone's eyes were filled with worry and unease as they stared fixedly at Son Goku's retreating back, their hearts full of fear of the unknown.
Tien Shinhan gently stroked Krillin's eyes, closing them, trying to offer his friend a sliver of comfort in this way.
The scene was especially bleak, and everyone felt uneasy about the unknown challenges Goku was about to face.
Just then, Master Roshi's gaze fell on a sheet of paper on the ground. He slowly walked over, bent down, and picked it up.
When he saw what was on the paper, he was so shocked he could barely stay on his feet.
"What is this?!"
He cried out in horror, his eyes filled with disbelief.
The character for "demon" inside the circle on the paper reminded him of a terrifying episode from many, many years ago.
Master Roshi's startled cry drew everyone's attention, and they gathered around him. Even the usually taciturn Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu could not help coming closer.
Bulma leaned over curiously to look at the paper.
"The character for 'demon' inside a circle? What's this?" she asked, her face full of confusion.
Everyone had the same question. They all looked at Master Roshi in puzzlement, hoping to get an answer from him.
Master Roshi's hands began to shake, and his voice grew tremulous.
"This... this is King Piccolo's symbol..."
As he said this, he seemed to recall those terrifying years, and his face turned deathly pale.
"King Piccolo?" Everyone repeated the name almost in unison. Many of them were hearing it for the first time, but from Master Roshi's expression, they sensed a gravity unlike anything they had felt before.
Tien Shinhan's voice was somewhat heavy. "I've heard of him before. That was a long time ago... the legendary Demon King who plunged the whole world into an abyss of terror."
His words were filled with awe toward that history.
Master Roshi slowly recounted King Piccolo's terrifying deeds. "That's right. He was an utterly terrifying fellow. Three hundred years ago, he and his subordinates attacked martial artists and destroyed armies. Even tanks were useless against them."
This history sent a chill through everyone present. They could scarcely imagine that such a terrifying being had once rampaged through this world.
"Until our teacher, Master Mutaito, sealed him away at the cost of his own life." Master Roshi's voice was filled with admiration and longing for Master Mutaito.
Tien Shinhan's expression grew complicated. "Master Shen never told us any of this."
His voice carried a trace of regret and incomprehension as to why their master had remained silent about such important history.
Master Roshi sighed.
"Because he didn't want to remember that terrifying past... it was also one of the things that drove Shen down an evil path. It was only after that incident that Shen realized how powerless something like justice was in the face of overwhelming strength."
His words were filled with deep helplessness and sorrow. This was an eternal question of justice and evil, strength and weakness.
Oolong could not help asking, "Then what happened?"
Master Roshi said gravely, "Afterward, I personally threw the electric rice cooker Master Mutaito had used as the vessel for the seal into the depths of the sea. By all rights, King Piccolo couldn't possibly have come back to life. Absolutely impossible!"
His tone was firm, as though he were trying to convince himself as well as reassure everyone.
Chiaotzu suddenly ventured a horrified guess. "Ah! Could Master Shen have retrieved him?"
Like a bolt of lightning, this guess stirred enormous waves in everyone's hearts.
But Master Roshi turned to Chiaotzu and firmly refuted it. "No, that's impossible. He knows how terrifying King Piccolo is, too."
His words were filled with understanding of and trust in Master Shen. Although Master Shen had once taken an evil path, Master Roshi believed he would not do something so insane in this matter.
His words seemed to put everyone a little more at ease.
However, Yamcha then said worriedly, "But if the person who killed Krillin really was one of King Piccolo's subordinates..."
Before he had even finished, his words had already filled everyone present with an indescribable fear.
Everyone fell silent. Oolong said in a trembling voice, "Then... doesn't that mean Goku's in danger?"
This question left everyone silent, their hearts filled with worry for Goku.
Deep in his heart, Master Roshi silently prayed, You mustn't die, Goku!
Puar's voice was full of fear, and his gaze swept over everyone present, as though seeking a little understanding and support.
"If someone that terrifying comes back to life..."
Before he had finished speaking, an ominous premonition had already filled the air.
Oolong immediately picked up where he had left off. His voice sounded somewhat flippant, but a trace of seriousness was plain in his eyes.
"Then... we're in real trouble!"
Yet this simple sentence struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.
Everyone understood what a catastrophe they would face if that fellow truly came back to life.
Tien Shinhan clenched his fists tightly, his gaze resolute yet anxious. He knew very well how grave the situation was.
"At this point, all we can do is hope Goku doesn't find that fellow."
Launch, however, looked uneasy and anxious. She clearly remembered Goku's refusal to ever give up.
"He'll find him! Have you forgotten? Goku has the Dragon Radar."
Her words revealed an inescapable fact: the Dragon Radar Goku possessed was undoubtedly an enormous advantage when it came to finding the Dragon Balls.
Master Roshi was especially quiet now, his gaze deep. His worries were not only about Goku possibly finding that fellow; there was a deeper reason as well.
"There's something else. I'm very concerned about what they stole: the Dragon Ball and the World Martial Arts Tournament roster."
His voice revealed deep concern. The theft of the Dragon Ball and the tournament roster undoubtedly suggested that the plan behind that fellow's actions was far more complicated and terrifying than they imagined.
The Dragon Ball and the World Martial Arts Tournament roster seemed entirely unrelated, yet certain people had forcibly taken them away. There had to be something suspicious behind it.
Master Roshi knew that the Dragon Balls held tremendous power, while the World Martial Arts Tournament roster contained information about many powerful fighters. If these two things fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Tien Shinhan was now completely lost, as though his head were shrouded in fog. He hurriedly asked, "Wh-what exactly is going on? What are these balls and radar you're talking about?"
His voice was filled with confusion and urgency. Naturally, he understood the gravity of the situation, but he was utterly bewildered by things he knew nothing about, such as the Dragon Balls and the Dragon Radar.
Master Roshi sighed softly and looked toward the distant night sky. His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, seeing a more distant future. He murmured to himself.
"What exactly is that fellow thinking?"
His voice was low, filled with endless worry and unease.
At this critical moment, everyone's hearts were filled with doubt and fear. They did not know what would happen next, nor could they predict what kind of catastrophe that fellow's resurrection would bring.