The space of consciousness was a dazzling sea of stars.
Krillin floated in the endless void.
Before him stood a towering figure formed entirely from pure light.
Its face could not be seen clearly, yet the aura it radiated felt incredibly familiar.
It was the aura of Earth itself.
Steady.
Inclusive.
Yet carrying an unyielding vitality that had endured through countless ages.
"You have finally arrived, successor."
The figure spoke.
Its voice echoed directly within Krillin's mind, carrying the weight of untold ages.
"I was one of Earth's ancient guardians."
"For countless years before your time, I sought a way to break the limits imposed upon mortals."
The luminous figure raised a hand.
The surrounding starlight gathered together and transformed into countless images.
In one scene, Namekians manipulated nature through their innate gifts.
In another, the Frost Demons, Frieza's race, dominated the cosmos through their mutated bodies.
Then came the Saiyans, who unleashed overwhelming power through fury.
"The universe is vast."
"Powerful races are everywhere."
The figure sighed softly.
"But have you noticed something?"
"The methods they use to grow stronger are often crude."
Krillin nodded.
It was true.
Whether it was Frieza, the Saiyans, or even the Namekians, their battles often came down to overwhelming force.
The one with the greater power level usually won.
Technique?
To many of them, it was little more than a tool for the weak.
The figure's tone became solemn.
"We Earthlings are born fragile."
"We possess no natural transformations."
"No indestructible bodies."
"Our lifespans are short."
"But because of those weaknesses..."
"We created the most refined martial arts in the universe."
The images shifted once more.
Master Roshi practiced punches by the sea.
Master Shen cultivated his energy atop a cliff.
Mercenary Tao honed his deadly finger techniques.
"The Kamehameha."
"The Tri-Beam."
"The Solar Flare."
"The Afterimage Technique."
"The Thunder Shock Surprise."
"These techniques use limited energy and, through precise control and compression, unleash power ten times, even a hundred times greater."
"This is the manipulation of natural law."
"This is the crystallization of wisdom."
Krillin listened in complete fascination.
Suddenly, he thought of Jiren.
Jiren's terrifying strength had never come solely from his immense power.
It came from absolute mastery over every ounce of that power.
And Ultra Instinct...
At its core, it was also the pinnacle of technique.
"What I will teach you is not how to increase your energy."
The figure clenched its fist.
"It is how to transform its very nature."
"Abandon all external crutches."
"Seek neither dragons nor mutations."
"Use pure martial will to shatter the barrier of divinity."
"Unite your energy, your body, and your spirit."
"Compress them together within your dantian."
"Push them beyond the critical point."
"And forge..."
"A Martial God Core."
BOOM!
A torrent of information exploded into Krillin's mind.
These were not techniques.
They were principles.
A completely new system governing the flow of power.
How to liquefy ki.
How to solidify it.
How to carve every particle of energy with spiritual force.
How to turn the body into the perfect vessel for divine power.
It felt as if an entirely new world had opened before him.
Only now did he realize something.
His Crimson Sacred Buddha Form had been powerful.
But it had also been crude.
It was little more than a fusion of the Kaio-ken and Spirit Bomb principles.
True divine power was different.
It was restrained.
Balanced.
Perfectly harmonized.
"Master Roshi..."
"So the foundation you taught me was the true shortcut to ultimate strength."
Warmth filled Krillin's heart.
The Turtle School's philosophy echoed in his mind:
Study well.
Train well.
Eat well.
Rest well.
Simple words.
Yet hidden within them was a profound truth.
The harmony of body and mind.
The balance of all things.
The path of true mastery.
Outside.
Krillin sat cross-legged in meditation.
Suddenly, his aura vanished.
Not concealed.
Not suppressed.
Gone.
Completely.
He felt no different from a stone.
Or a tree.
Yet anyone paying close attention would notice the space around him subtly distorting.
His ki was collapsing inward at an unimaginable rate.
Everything was being compressed toward his dantian.
A microscopic explosion was occurring within his body.
[Ding!]
[Host detected undergoing a life-form evolution.]
[Saitama Template Fusion Rate: 55%... 60%!]
[Congratulations!]
[Skill Comprehended: Martial God Core (Prototype)]
Krillin's eyes snapped open.
At that moment, a golden star seemed to revolve deep within his pupils.
Slowly.
Eternally.
He rose to his feet.
No overwhelming aura erupted.
No heaven-shaking pressure spread outward.
Instead, there was only a sense of perfect naturalness.
A return to simplicity.
A return to the origin.
"So this..."
"Is the power of a god?"
Krillin looked down at his fist and smiled.
This power felt superior to any transformation.
Superior to Super Saiyan.
Superior to any colored divine form.
Because this power belonged entirely to him.
Every ounce of it was under his control.
"Krillin!"
A voice called from the distance.
Instantly, Goku appeared beside him using Instant Transmission.
The Saiyan scratched his head and stared at Krillin in confusion.
"This is weird."
"You're standing right in front of me, but I can't sense your energy at all."
"And somehow..."
"You look more ordinary than ever."
"Ordinary?"
Krillin blinked.
Then he opened his system panel.
[Host: Krillin]
[Race: Earthling (Martial True God Body - Initial Stage)]
[Battle Power: Beyond traditional numerical measurement]
[Estimated Base Strength: 6 Billion+]
[Status: Martial God Core Formation (1%)]
[Skills:]
Serious Series
Martial True God Form (evolved from Crimson Sacred Buddha Form)
Instant Transmission (Divine Rank)
Absolute Physical Immunity (Low Rank)
Krillin closed the panel.
Then he casually patted Goku on the shoulder.
The movement looked effortless.
Ordinary.
Natural.
Yet Goku's Super Saiyan instincts screamed in warning.
Every hair on his body stood on end.
Krillin smiled.
"Goku."
"Sometimes..."
"The most ordinary thing is the strongest of all."
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