A soft, trembling sound escaped Aki's lips.
The moment Krillin's burning chest pressed against her skin, the once-sacred maiden of the hydrangea tree let out a helpless, breathy murmur. The sound echoed through the vast inner hall. Her mind went blank, her body stiffening in an instant.
Beneath the water, everything felt strangely intimate.
Krillin could clearly feel the smoothness of her skin, soft yet resilient with a remarkable elasticity. The unique vitality of Namekians made her body temperature slightly cooler than a human's, but that coolness ignited the instant it touched his furnace-like body.
"Relax, Aki. You're stiff as stone."
Krillin's voice was low and husky, carrying an almost hypnotic pull.
His hand slid gently across her satin-smooth back, fingertips tracing down the elegant line of her spine, easing the tension in her body.
"Mm… it's so warm…"
Aki's thoughts were in complete disarray.
This was nothing like the "sacred ritual" described in the ancient texts. Those spoke of solemnity and reverence. But this…
"Guide it… Aki."
Krillin lowered his head, his lips brushing close to the sensitive tip of her ear. Warm breath spilled against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Let your energy flow to me. Open yourself."
"Mm…"
Her response came soft and unfocused. Almost instinctively, she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. Her long violet hair spread out in the water, tangling gently around his arms.
Their energies began to merge.
It was an indescribable sensation.
At the center of the temple, the ancient hydrangea tree seemed to awaken. Its once-calm canopy flared with dazzling light.
Streams of green luminescence surged up from the pool, rushing wildly into Aki's body.
She trembled violently.
That energy was raw, overwhelming. For an ordinary person, it would have meant instant destruction.
But Aki was the vessel. The sacred maiden. Her body filtered the chaos, taming it.
"Ah… mm…"
She tilted her head back, caught between pain and something dangerously close to pleasure. Her long neck arched into a perfect curve, a blush spreading down from her face to her chest.
The wild energy flowed through her, softened, and then passed into Krillin through their contact.
Krillin felt a surge of life unlike anything before.
It was not just power. It was essence. The root of life itself.
His golden-red aura, once fierce and blazing like wildfire, began to change under the gentle embrace of that green energy.
"Too slow…"
Krillin murmured.
"This rate… it's too slow. Aki, we need a deeper connection."
Aki opened her eyes faintly, her green irises hazy and unfocused.
"Deeper…?"
"Not just our bodies. Our souls."
He tightened his hold on her waist, drawing her closer until there was no space left between them.
"Look at me."
A subtle hum resonated.
Their eyes locked.
Aki felt something explode within her mind, as though a bolt of golden lightning tore through her consciousness.
She saw his inner world.
An endless, boundless cosmos filled with dominance, confidence, and limitless potential.
And within that vast expanse, she was the center.
The intensity of that awareness shattered her last restraint.
The composure she had maintained for centuries collapsed completely.
She was no longer guiding the flow.
She was participating.
Giving. Taking.
Clinging to him, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat as if it were her own.
"Krillin… more…"
The words slipped from her lips without thought, her legs wrapping around his waist beneath the water.
Boom!
The chamber erupted in radiant green light.
The pool churned violently.
Countless bubbles rose, each one carrying enough life essence to extend an ordinary lifespan by centuries.
At the center of it all, the two figures were locked together, as though trying to merge into one.
This was a rebirth.
Every cell in Krillin's body was transforming under the torrent of energy.
His body, once indestructible yet limited in recovery, was now infused with the concept of regeneration.
Cells split, reformed. Genetic structures broke apart and rebuilt themselves stronger.
It was agony and exhilaration intertwined. Like every bone in his body being shattered and reforged, over and over, each time stronger than before.
And Aki, as the medium, was changing as well.
Krillin's refined energy flowed back into her, elevating her very existence.
Time lost meaning.
Eventually, the light faded.
The pool grew still once more, though its water level had dropped significantly. The once-dense glow had dimmed.
Aki clung to Krillin like a limp cat, completely drained.
Her pale skin was flushed with a soft pink hue, violet hair clinging to her face. Her eyes were unfocused, her lips curved in a faint, satisfied smile.
Krillin took a deep breath.
He felt incredible. Every inch of his body brimming with explosive power.
He opened the system panel.
Name: Krillin
Race: Human (Divine Regeneration Body)
Power Level: 52,000 (suppressed, limiter fully broken)
New Skill: Hyper Regeneration (S+ Rank)
Even if reduced to fragments, as long as core cells remain, the body can be instantly restored using energy. Limb regeneration takes only 0.01 seconds.
Passive Bonus: Blessing of the Maiden
All attributes permanently increased by 20 percent. Maximum affinity with natural energy.
Special Status: Soul Bond
A permanent link with Aki. Both can sense each other's location and condition.
Hidden Reward: Aki's Affection MAX
Unbreakable devotion.
"Not just a power-up… I even gained a goddess."
Krillin looked down at the woman in his arms. Her face still flushed, breathtakingly beautiful. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"That settles it. You're mine now. Don't even think about running."
Aki buried her face against his chest, her voice soft and shy.
"As if I would…"
Krillin laughed, confident and satisfied. With a wave of his hand, a gentle force lifted them from the water, drying them instantly.
He summoned her white ceremonial robe and draped it over her shoulders.
Though she was clothed again, the change in her was unmistakable.
The once untouchable, ethereal maiden now carried a soft, alluring warmth.
Like a hydrangea blooming vividly in his hands.
"Come on, Aki."
Krillin slipped back into his martial arts uniform, sensing the approaching hostile energies outside.
"Looks like Frieza's people are getting impatient. Perfect timing. Let's test out this new body."
Aki stood behind him, quietly composed.
Her gaze remained gentle, but now held a sharper edge.
In the next instant, both of them vanished from the temple.