At a quiet intersection, Master Roshi stood facing Tien with a calm yet serious look.
"Now that you've completely broken with Master Shen," Roshi asked, "what are your plans? If you're willing, you're always welcome at my place."
Tien shook his head.
"Master Roshi, I appreciate the offer, really… But no. Even if I've betrayed him, Chiaotzu and I are still technically disciples of Master Shen. And after what I did to Yamcha… I just can't face you all so shamelessly."
"You're being too hard on yourself," Roshi said with a kind smile. "We all make mistakes. Look at Yamcha—he used to be a bandit! What matters is that you've changed."
Tien still refused. "Thank you, but… I've decided. Chiaotzu and I will go live somewhere else, away from everything."
"…I see." Roshi sighed. "If you ever need a place to land, you know where Kame House is."
"Understood. Thank you again, Master Roshi."
Just as Tien turned to leave, a distant crashing sound echoed across the road.
The three turned sharply.
"That came from the direction Master Shen went," Tien muttered.
"Could he be fighting someone?" Chiaotzu asked.
Master Roshi frowned. "Hmph. Probably up to no good again, that old snake."
Tien didn't answer. Instead, he said, "I'll go check on him. He's still my master, after all. You don't need to come."
With that, he and Chiaotzu raced toward the sound.
Roshi watched them go, exhaling a faint breath.
"…I'm glad he's turned over a new leaf."
But then, a sharp scream tore through the air.
It was unmistakably Shen's voice.
Roshi's eyes widened. "That's bad."
He immediately gave chase.
By the time Roshi arrived, all he found was Master Shen's corpse—eyes wide open in frozen terror. Across from it floated a green-winged monster midair.
A paper fluttered past Roshi's face, a single character printed on it:
"魔" — Demon.
A chill ran down his spine.
"…No. It can't be…"
Roshi's face went pale.
"Leaving the mark of '魔' after a kill… Just like him…"
His voice trembled.
"Has King Piccolo truly returned?!"
He looked up—Tien was mid-air, facing the creature head-on.
The demon's green scales glinted in the light.
"…Not quite Piccolo himself… looks about Tien's level… This must be one of his children."
He grit his teeth.
"Damn it. This is worse than I thought."
Just then—BAM—Tien was struck and sent flying.
"Tien!!" Roshi shouted.
But this wasn't a friendly spar. It was a fight to the death.
And Roshi—he couldn't fly.
"Damn it! If only I could fly!"
From above, a shrill voice rang out.
"Tien! MOVE!!"
It was Chiaotzu. Hovering in the air, he thrust his finger forward—charging up a Dododō Wave and firing it at the demon: Tambourine.
Tien heard the cry and ducked aside.
BOOM!
A massive explosion enveloped Tambourine.
They held their breath.
"…Did we get him?" Chiaotzu asked.
The smoke swirled, hiding the answer.
Then—ZAP!
A laser beam burst from the smoke, slicing straight toward Chiaotzu.
He couldn't react.
Tien lunged to intercept, but he was too far.
"CHIAOTZU!!!"
The beam pierced clean through the little fighter's chest.
He let out a choked cry, his hat blown off by the force, exposing his single hair as he began falling to the ground.
Tien caught him just in time.
"Chiaotzu! Chiaotzu, are you—?!"
There was blood. But the beam had missed his heart.
He was alive.
"Stay with me! I'll kill that thing, then get you to a hospital!"
Chiaotzu, eyes fluttering, raised a trembling hand.
"…Behind… you…"
Tien turned.
Tambourine's mouth had opened wide, charging another energy wave.
He didn't stop. He didn't speak. No evil monologue.
He fired.
Tien's eyes widened.
He couldn't dodge without dropping Chiaotzu.
So he blocked.
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed them.
When the smoke cleared, Tien stood, arm limp and bleeding heavily.
His arm was mangled, barely hanging on.
Tambourine's eyes narrowed.
"…Still alive after my Demon Ray? Impressive…"
He pulled out a crumpled paper.
"Hm… 'Tien Shinhan,' huh? Tournament runner-up. No wonder you're tough."
He tucked the list away with a grin.
"Let me fix that. I'll send you to your grave."
He rocketed toward Tien—fist drawn back.
But before he could land the punch—
WHAM!
A flying kick to his side sent Tambourine flying through the air.
"WH—?!"
Tien looked up.
"Master Roshi!"
Roshi landed next to him. "You're injured. Grab Chiaotzu and get outta here. I'll hold him off!"
"I can't just leave you!" Tien protested.
"Shut up and go! I'm not Master Shen—I'm not that easy to kill! Now MOVE before you get in my way!"
Tambourine cackled from the air.
"Touching. You think you can stop me, old man?"
He opened his mouth and fired another energy blast—
At Tien and Chiaotzu.
Roshi's muscles bulged. His shirt ripped apart. He thrust his palms out—
Kamehameha!!
The blast collided and detonated in midair, shaking the ground.
Tambourine stared.
"You're not on the tournament list… Who the hell are you?"
He looked at Shen's corpse.
"…That guy wasn't on the list either."
He scowled.
"Too many unknowns… Guess I'll just kill everyone."
Roshi's brow dripped sweat.
"I won't let you leave alive, you monster."
Tambourine sneered.
"You old fossil. What can you even do?"
He opened his mouth once more—
A rainbow-colored beam charged and fired, arcing toward the wounded Tien and Chiaotzu.
Roshi panicked.
Too fast! I won't reach them in time!
Then—Tien stepped in front.
"TIEN, NO!!!" Roshi cried.
He was already injured—there was no way he could block it.
And if Tien died now, all that redemption would be meaningless.
But before the blast hit—
WHOOSH.
A blur of orange flickered into view.
A small figure appeared in front of Tien.
With a single knife-hand, he swatted the blast aside.
The beam veered off and exploded into the distance.
Everyone froze.
Tambourine's eyes bulged.
"W-Who are you?!"
Roshi, Tien, and Chiaotzu all exclaimed at once:
"Goku!"
Goku turned, smiling at them.
"Grandpa Roshi! I'm not late, am I?"
"Not at all!" Roshi said with relief.
Goku reached into his pouch.
"You guys are hurt—take these." He handed over two Senzu Beans.
Roshi's heart pounded.
'He… he really is stronger than me now.'
"Goku!" Roshi shouted. "Forget us—he's dangerous! Take him down!"
"Don't worry," Goku said calmly. "I got this."
He turned, eyes sharp.
Tambourine narrowed his eyes.
"Ah, contestant number three… Son Goku. Looks like I'm just collecting kills today!"
With a roar, Tambourine lunged, fist aimed at Goku's chest.
But Goku disappeared.
"Wha—?!"
Behind him—
WHAM!!!
Goku's spinning kick landed clean.
BOOM!!!
Tambourine's body exploded, split clean in two. Green blood rained across the ground.
He was dead before he hit the dirt.
His eyes still open.
Frozen in disbelief and horror.
'He never saw it coming.'
Tien, Roshi, Chiaotzu—all stared, stunned into silence.
'He kicked him… and the guy just exploded?!'
Roshi swallowed.
'Even if I had been healthy, I don't think I could've done that.'
'And Tien… maybe he could've won, but definitely not like this.'
'Goku… you've grown into a monster.'
Goku turned back with a grin.
"Hey, Master Roshi! Everyone's probably hungry by now. Bulma said we're all heading to Kame House for dinner. I'll take you guys there."
Roshi and Tien blinked at him.
"…You're thinking about dinner. Now? After all that?!"
Then again…
He just kicked a demon in half like it was nothing.
They exchanged a glance, then nodded.
"Yeah. Sure. Let's go."