North Kai

Snake Way was long.

A winding road of bluestone slabs stretched a full million kilometers through the sea of clouds in the underworld, like some endless centipede with no visible end. An ordinary martial artist who came here after death would need more than half a year just to run it, all while constantly watching out for a slip that would send them plunging into the Blood Pool Hell below.

"A million kilometers—back then, that really would've run my legs off." Son Goku smiled.

Boom!

An aura erupted around him. Violent currents of air brutally plowed a vacuum passage through the clouds for miles around, and he became a point of light that tore through the air, shooting straight ahead.

Meanwhile, midway along Snake Way.

A resplendent palace floated abruptly in midair. Princess Snake lounged lazily on a couch, enjoying the breeze fanned by her attendants and the massage of their hands on her legs.

"Your Highness, someone's coming from ahead!" A horned maid stumbled and crawled her way inside, her face brimming with excitement. "A living human! His vitality is incredibly strong!"

Princess Snake's eyes lit up. Her long crimson tongue licked across her lips. She had spent hundreds of years in this godforsaken place, and today she had finally encountered a real prize.

"Quick! Clean the main hall and lay out that most expensive Persian carpet! Activate all the illusion formations!" Princess Snake hurriedly straightened the golden hairpin atop her head and assumed an elegant pose. "No living human has come by in centuries. Today, I must properly entertain this honored guest..."

Before she could finish—

A deafening sonic boom suddenly erupted outside the hall.

It was like a thunderclap exploding directly overhead, shaking the entire palace violently.

Rumble!

A savage hurricane mixed with a devastating blast wave slammed into the palace like a raging bull. Princess Snake's prized grand illusion formation did not even hold for a moment. It was as fragile as paper and shattered on the spot.

Then, the palace's two gilded doors were ripped clean from their hinges and smashed hard into the center of the hall. The exquisitely carved roof was lifted straight off and swept away to who knew what dimension.

"Ahhh—!" Several maids were sent flying straight into the sky by the blast.

Princess Snake clung desperately to a massive pillar, her gorgeous skirt plastered all over her face. The gale blew her carefully arranged hair into a bird's nest, and she could not even open her eyes.

Once the storm finally subsided, Princess Snake trembled as she pulled her skirt off her face—and went numb.

Her magnificent palace of gold and jade had become an unfinished shell open to the wind on all sides. Even the pillar she had clung to had been stripped bare.

Where was he?!

She had not even caught a glimpse of him before that streak of white light vanished beyond the distant sea of clouds.

"What kind of immortal is in such a rush to reincarnate?!" Princess Snake collapsed onto the rubble, and the golden hairpin on her head fell to the ground with a clatter. Her legs shook uncontrollably with fright.

At the end of Snake Way.

On a tiny planet only the size of a basketball court, with gravity ten times that of Earth.

North Kai was leisurely driving his beloved red vintage convertible around the palm-sized patch of land.

"Bubbles, do you know why the clouds are moving so fast today?" North Kai held the steering wheel with one hand and stroked the two long whiskers on his chin, setting up and delivering his own joke. "Because they're rushing off to reincarnate! Wahahaha—cough!"

Bubbles, the monkey in the passenger seat, politely clapped his hands.

Suddenly, North Kai shuddered from head to toe, his laughter catching in his throat.

An aura so powerful it made his soul tremble was racing toward them at an utterly unreasonable speed.

"Wh-what kind of monster is that?!" North Kai's hand jerked in fright as he yanked the steering wheel.

Bang!

The red vintage car instantly spun out of control and plunged headfirst into a flowerbed by the road, black smoke billowing from beneath the hood.

North Kai crawled awkwardly out through the window, even his hat crooked. Before he could steady himself, a figure slammed down onto Planet Kai's lawn like a meteor.

As the air currents dispersed—

Son Goku dusted off his martial arts uniform and straightened up. Planet Kai's tenfold gravity felt like nothing to him.

He looked at North Kai, who was about to fly into a rage beside the overturned red vintage car. Rather than putting on airs as a powerhouse, he spoke with complete politeness.

"Sorry, Lord Kai. I was going too fast and couldn't stop in time. Hope I didn't startle you."

Son Goku's tone was calm, like an adult dealing with a rear-end collision. Before North Kai could start cursing, he pulled a capsule bearing the Capsule Corp. logo from his pocket and tossed it onto the grass.

Poof!

After a puff of white smoke, a luxurious red convertible sports car sat steadily on the lawn.

"This latest-model sports car can cover your repair costs. The seats come with fully automatic massage functions. Want to give it a try?"

The curse words at North Kai's lips were forcibly swallowed back. He stared wide-eyed at the sleek sports car, nearly drooling. It was far cooler than his antique heap!

But he was still a god, after all.

North Kai forced out two dry coughs, clasped his hands behind his back, and put on a dignified air. "Ahem... Don't try that on me! No matter how strong you are, if you came to Planet Kai, you must need something from me. Rules are rules. Unless you can tell a joke that makes me laugh, there's nothing to discuss!"

After hearing that, Son Goku muttered to himself, Just like the same old routine in the original.

A corny joke? His head was full of modern internet jokes. He could pull out any random one and make this old man laugh himself to death.

"Sure, let me think." Son Goku cleared his throat and solemnly raised one finger.

"Lord Kai, tell me: how many steps does it take to put an elephant into a refrigerator?"

"Huh?" North Kai froze for a moment and stroked his chin.

"What kind of joke is that? Three steps! First, open the refrigerator door. Then put the elephant inside. Finally, close the refrigerator door!"

"Correct! Then second question: how many steps does it take to put a giraffe into the refrigerator?"

"Isn't that easy? Still three steps!" North Kai snorted smugly.

"Wrong. Four steps!" Son Goku shook his head.

"First, open the refrigerator door. Second, take the elephant out. Third, put the giraffe inside. Fourth, close the refrigerator door."

"Gah?" The fat on North Kai's face twitched, while Bubbles in the passenger seat scratched his head as well.

Son Goku gave him no chance to catch his breath and immediately threw out the third question.

"The forest is holding a general meeting for all animals, and every animal is required to attend. Who didn't go?"

"How would I know? The lion? The tiger?" North Kai's curiosity had been thoroughly piqued.

"Wrong. The giraffe! Because it's still locked inside the refrigerator!"

"Pfft—" North Kai clamped both hands over his mouth, his shoulders starting to shake violently as his face turned red from holding it in.

"Last question." Son Goku kept a straight face as he delivered the finishing blow.

"There's a river ahead filled with man-eating crocodiles. How do you cross it?"

"Fly... fly over?" North Kai's voice was already trembling.

"Wrong. Just swim across, because all the crocodiles went to the animal meeting!"

"Wahahahahaha!!! Brilliant! Oh, my stomach! The crocodiles went to a meeting! Wahahahaha!"

That chain of jokes completely shattered North Kai's defenses. Clutching his stomach, he laughed so hard that he rolled around on the grass. Even his signature sunglasses flew off as he slapped his thigh wildly between laughs.

Only after laughing for several full minutes did North Kai finally wipe away his tears, panting as he climbed back to his feet and picked up his sunglasses to put them back on.

Seeing that North Kai was in the right mood, Son Goku put away his smile. He stepped back half a pace, bowed slightly, and clasped his hands in a perfectly formal martial artist's salute.

"Lord Kai, please forgive my earlier offense." Son Goku's tone was sincere.

"Actually, I came here specifically to seek instruction."

"Seek instruction?" North Kai paused and looked Son Goku over from head to toe. Based on the terrifying aura he had sensed earlier, this young man before him had no need to take anyone as his master.

Son Goku met his gaze without arrogance or humility. "I heard that you possess a divine technique called the Kaio-ken. I came to humbly seek your guidance, and I hope you will teach me."

North Kai looked at the young man before him.

His strength was unfathomable, he was generous with his gifts, his jokes were hilariously funny, and yet he respected his elders and teachers so deeply. North Kai's favorability toward him instantly maxed out.

He cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back again, and put on the full bearing of a grandmaster.

"Mm... Seeing how sincere you are, kid, I agree!"