The campfire had dwindled to a pile of dark red embers.
Insects chirped throughout the forest, occasionally interrupted by the muffled roars of ancient beasts.
Bulma was curled up in the back seat of the off-road vehicle, covered with Krillin's spare Martial Arts Uniform, breathing steadily.
Krillin sat cross-legged on the roof of the car, wide awake.
The system's countdown reached zero.
[Seventh day of training complete.] [Saitama Template basic adaptation period complete.] [Current fusion rate: 10%.]
There was no dazzling light show, nor any golden glow like when he leveled up.
An indescribable, itchy ache welled up from deep within his bones.
It wasn't like the agonizing pain of the past few days.
This time, it felt as if all his bones had been scattered, then squeezed back together by an invisible giant hand.
Krillin bit down on his collar, veins bulging across his forehead.
His spine crackled without pause, like beans sizzling in a pan.
The legs of his once well-fitting Martial Arts Uniform were visibly creeping up his calves.
His thigh muscle fibers tore apart, thickened, then compressed at a frantic pace.
He wasn't just getting taller.
This was a leap in his Life Level.
Breaking the Limiter had cost Saitama his hair, but the system seemed to have found some way to turn that price into an extreme transformation of this body.
His hair still hadn't grown back, though.
This inhuman torment lasted a full two hours.
Only when the eastern sky began to pale did the itchy ache recede like the tide.
Krillin stood up.
He realized that his view had changed.
Before, he'd always had to tilt his head slightly to see the world. Now, he could see everything at a glance.
He looked down at his palms.
His fingers were long and strong, his knuckles thick, and his skin a healthy bronze. He no longer had that comical, pudgy look.
[Congratulations, host. Body reconstruction complete.] [Height: 1.80 meters.] [Physique adjustment: Perfectly streamlined muscles (no longer bulky bodybuilding muscles).] [Characteristic acquired: Bald Head Aura (the shinier the bald head, the greater the charm).]
Krillin ran a hand over his scalp.
Still smooth to the touch.
"Six feet..."
Krillin moved his arms and legs, and his joints boomed like thunder.
Now this was a man's perspective.
The car door swung open.
Bulma stumbled out, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her hair was a complete mess, like a bird's nest.
"Morning... Krillin, got anything to eat? That dinosaur meat from last night was so..."
Bulma's voice abruptly cut off.
She stared blankly at the man standing on the roof with his back to her.
In the faint morning light, his back was broad and upright.
His orange Martial Arts Uniform was stretched taut, and the lines of his inverted-triangle back muscles cast a stunning silhouette in the sunlight.
"You..."
Krillin slowly turned around.
His bald head reflected a dazzling beam of light from the rising sun.
Krillin jumped down from the roof and walked over to Bulma.
His shadow fell over her, completely enveloping her.
Bulma had to tilt her head back, straining her neck, just to see his face.
That imposing presence...
"K-Krillin?"
"Good morning!"
Krillin greeted her with a smile.
"What, you don't recognize me after one night?"
"You..."
Bulma circled him three times, then reached out and squeezed his arm. Finally, she rose onto her toes, trying to compare their heights.
"This is impossible!"
Bulma grabbed her hair in frustration.
"How did you get so much taller overnight?"
"I don't know either."
Krillin rolled his neck. "Maybe that Tyrannosaurus Rex we had last night was packed with nutrients."
"Like I'd believe that!"
Though Bulma grumbled, she made no move to back away.
On the contrary, she edged closer.
His powerfully built body exuded a dangerously masculine appeal.
For Bulma, who was in the middle of a romantic dry spell—being given the cold shoulder, at least from her perspective—it was practically intoxicating.
"Hey."
Bulma suddenly poked Krillin's chest, her cheeks flushing.
"How tall are you now?"
"Six feet."
"Hmph, you're actually a little taller than Yamcha..."
Bulma muttered, then hurriedly looked away.
"Anyway, since you've gotten so big, you can carry all the luggage today! I'm going to wash up!"
With that, she fled toward the nearby stream.
Krillin watched her go, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
[Detected emotional fluctuations in Bulma: admiration, curiosity, bashfulness.] [Affection rating: Flirtatious (78/100).] [Assessment: A man's height is his second face. You now have a ticket into her heart.]
The system could be long-winded, but it had a point.
In a world where appearances mattered, strength was certainly important, but looks were a definite bonus.
Krillin opened his Status Panel.
[Host: Lin Fei (Krillin)] [Current template: Saitama (10% fusion rate)] [Battle Power: 450 (base form)] [Skills updated:] [Normal Punch (advanced): An unadorned punch, but enough to blow up a tank.] [Consecutive Normal Punches (unlocked): Throws one hundred punches in a second, unleashing devastating attacks across an area.]
A Battle Power of 450.
He'd already surpassed Goku without his weighted clothes.
And that was only his base form.
If he activated the "Serious" series, his Battle Power would probably shoot up to a terrifying level in an instant.
"About time we headed back."
Krillin clenched his fist. The air burst in his palm with a sharp pop.
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