The wind in the Celestial Hall always carried a faint chill.
The old deity's wrinkled face twisted into a bitter scowl as he stared at the bald figure before him. His knuckles, gripping his staff, had turned white from the tension.
Just moments ago, he had been about to take Goku's body away when Krillin had suddenly appeared out of thin air with that unsettling instant movement, and then made a request that sent his blood pressure skyrocketing.
"You… you mean you want to take his body into the Underworld?"
The old god's voice trembled. This was unheard of.
"Krillin, the Underworld is the domain of the dead. A living person carries too much life energy. Not to mention whether the rules allow it, just the environment itself…"
"Don't look at me with that expression."
Krillin casually fiddled with the gravity bracelet on his wrist, completely unconcerned.
"You already know I can fight aliens in a vacuum. The Underworld is nothing more than a stroll in my backyard."
The old god fell silent.
Indeed, this man was a freak.
He had seen the battle just now. That Saiyan named Raditz was ridiculously strong, yet Krillin had crushed him like swatting a fly.
Even more terrifying was the trait Krillin carried, called Starfield Adaptor, which allowed him to maintain his life force under any extreme condition.
"But… what about Lord King Yama?"
The old deity still hesitated.
King Yama, the Lord of Death, ruled life and death with a famously volatile temper. If he discovered that a living human had been sneaked into his domain, the god's own position could be in jeopardy.
"Don't worry. I know how to handle the big guy."
Krillin patted the old god's shoulder with such force that it nearly crushed him.
"Come on. Let's not keep Goku waiting. If we go late, that guy might already be wandering the Yellow Springs, getting lost looking for food."
The old god sighed and resigned himself to fate.
He grasped Krillin's shoulder. Without chanting any spells, Krillin hooked his arm around the old deity, and in a twist of motion, they vanished instantly from the Celestial Hall.
…
The Underworld, outside King Yama's palace.
The sky above was a perpetual oppressive yellow. Countless white, cloud-like spirits lined up in an endless queue, like an airport security checkpoint, waiting for judgment.
At the very front sat a colossal figure behind a massive redwood desk.
King Yama.
He wore a sharply tailored suit. Two pointed horns jutted from his head, and his purplish-red skin gleamed under the light.
In his massive hands, he wielded a giant seal, stamping documents with a rhythm like a pile driver. Each strike reverberated with a deafening quake: "Heavenward," "Hellward."
"Yo! Goku!"
As soon as Krillin landed, he saw the orange figure with a halo floating above his head, looking around in confusion.
Goku turned at the sound. His eyes lit up instantly, his innocent face radiating pure joy.
"Krillin! You're dead too? Awesome! I thought I was the only one here. That horned guy earlier was so scary!"
The old god beside them broke out in a cold sweat, wishing he could cover Goku's mouth.
"I'm not dead. I'm just here to accompany you on a little tour."
Krillin smiled and stepped forward, sizing up Goku. The halo above his head looked neat, almost like a fluorescent tube.
"Not dead?"
Goku scratched his head. Complex logic like this clearly exceeded his mental processing, but he quickly forgot the question and excitedly asked:
"By the way, Krillin, what about Gohan and Trin? And Piccolo?"
"Don't worry. Piccolo may look grumpy, but he's still very sturdy."
Krillin recalled Trin's eager expression before leaving and smiled faintly.
"Piccolo took Gohan and Trin for special training. When you're revived a year from now, you'll meet two incredible little warriors."
"Really? That's amazing!"
Goku jumped with excitement, then immediately frowned.
"But that Raditz said… stronger Saiyans will come in a year… I might not make it in time."
"That's why I'm taking you to King Kai." Krillin pointed ahead.
A terrifying pressure suddenly enveloped the three of them.
King Yama set down the documents. His enormous copper-colored eyes fixed on Krillin, nostrils flaring as plumes of white steam escaped.
The temperature in the hall dropped to near freezing. The spirits lining up shivered in terror.
"Celestial Elder…"
King Yama's voice rumbled like thunder, making the old god's eardrums ache.
"As the god of Earth, do you not know the rules? Bringing the dead is one thing, but why is there a living person here?! Do you think this is a vegetable market?"
The old deity's legs went weak. He nearly knelt as he stammered an explanation.
"L-Lord Yama, this is for the sake of Earth's future… this young man is extraordinarily powerful…"
"I don't care about the future!"
King Yama slammed his palm onto the desk, sending the scrolls leaping half a meter into the air.
"Rules are rules! A living human must return to the mortal realm! Otherwise, don't blame me for tossing you into the hellfire oil pot and frying you like tempura!"
His authority was undeniable, befitting the ruler of both the living and the dead.
Krillin, however, remained perfectly calm.
He stepped forward, shielding the trembling old deity. A professional, exaggerated smile stretched across his face, the kind that would make anyone want to punch him.
"Lord Yama, please calm down. Hard work like yours can make anyone irritable."
Krillin flipped his wrist and pulled a beautifully packaged art book from the system space.
On the cover, several attractive blonde women wore minimal swimsuits, running across a sunlit beach. The images were crisp, 8K resolution, with even individual water droplets clearly visible.
It was the latest limited edition of Hot Beach, published by Bulma's magazine company in West City. Only a few copies existed in the entire universe.
"This is a small gift for you. I hear that with all your work, you could use some leisure to relax and cultivate the spirit."
Krillin subtly slid the book toward Yama's massive hand.
The fierce glare on Yama's face immediately paused as his eyes locked onto the cover. His pupils constricted sharply.
Three seconds of silence passed.
His purplish-red face flushed dark, like pig liver.
He glanced around guiltily, then with unbelievable speed, his massive hands snatched the book, sliding it into the drawer with a practiced flourish.
The movement was breathtaking in its precision.
"Ahem…"
King Yama cleared his throat. The murderous aura vanished instantly, replaced by the warmth of an elder inspecting a junior.
"Hmm… if this is for the peace of Earth, some rules can be flexible. Special circumstances require special treatment."
The old god watched in stunned disbelief. His jaw nearly hit the floor.
This was the iron-faced, impartial King Yama?
A swimsuit photo book was enough to persuade him?
"Celestial Elder, you did well. You know how to recognize talent."
King Yama praised sincerely, though his eyes kept darting toward the drawer.
"Since that's the case, I will make an exception. But the Snake Road is long. Fall off, and there's no coming back."
"Thank you, Lord Yama." Krillin smiled and bowed slightly.
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Yama waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, clearly eager to indulge himself.
The three of them stepped out of the palace, the old god still shaking his head in disbelief.
Krillin opened his system panel and checked his stats.
[Name: Krillin]
[Race: Human (Limiter Removed)]
[Power Level: 5800 (Normal, under extreme suppression)]
[Stamina: Infinity (Saitama Template, never exhausted)]
[Charisma: 199 (Peak Mortal)]
[Saitama Template Integration: 35.5%]
[Skills: Serious Punch, Consecutive Normal Punches, Flight, Ki Slash, Divine Healing (S-Rank)]
[Special Traits: Starfield Adaptor, Near-Death Power Boost (Saiyan Factor Converted)]
"Looks like bribing King Yama counts as 'overcoming a strong enemy.' Integration increased by 0.5%." Krillin grinned.
"Krillin, was there anything tasty in that book? That big guy seemed to really enjoy it." Goku asked, curiosity lighting up his innocent face.
Krillin looked at the fighting fool with a mix of pity and amusement.
"That's spiritual nourishment for an elder. You'll understand once you reach enlightenment. Come on, the Snake Road awaits."
Ahead stretched a winding, seemingly endless yellow stone path, hovering above the clouds, disappearing into the horizon.