The spiral staircase within the Axis Mundi seemed endless, winding upward through the interior of the cosmic tree.
Each step glowed faintly with ethereal light, illuminating the path toward the Gate of Life that would return them to the living world.
Toji led the way, his damaged Vader suit making his breathing sound even more mechanical than usual.
The once-pristine black armor was now scorched and dented, his cape torn away completely during their battles through Hell's depths.
Yet he moved with unwavering purpose, each step bringing him closer to the item that would save his beloved son.
Behind him flew Skrik, the massive Dread Hawk's six eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. His obsidian feathers absorbed the staircase's light, making him appear as a bird-shaped void against the luminous background.
"This is BORING," Skrik announced suddenly, his raspy voice echoing through the trunk. "Skrik expected more EXCITEMENT in the sacred pathway between realms! No flesh-eating guardians? No reality-warping traps? DISAPPOINTING... or whatever."
Bardock brought up the rear, his Saiyan armor still bearing the scorch marks from his final stand against Freeza decades ago. His expression remained guarded as he contemplated the strange journey and even stranger company he now kept.
After several minutes of silence broken only by Toji's mechanical breathing and Skrik's occasional muttering, Bardock cleared his throat awkwardly.
"So... you and Freeza, huh?" he finally asked, the question that had been bothering him since their conversation in the Void.
Toji continued climbing without breaking stride. "What about us?"
"It's just..." Bardock struggled to find the right words. "Hard to believe, that's all."
"Why?" Toji's modulated voice betrayed no emotion, but his head tilted slightly, suggesting curiosity.
Bardock's brow furrowed. "Well, for one thing, I always thought Freeza was male. Finding out she's actually female is... unexpected."
"She deliberately cultivated that misconception," Toji replied. "Only her family knew the truth."
"Yeah, but it's not just that," Bardock continued, stepping over a section of stairs that had begun to crumble. "It's the idea of Freeza being in a relationship at all. With anyone."
Toji paused on the stairs, turning to face Bardock. The expressionless mask revealed nothing of his thoughts. "I'm not sure I understand your meaning. Freeza is an Empress. Powerful. She'd be quite desired if anyone knew and she didn't think of others besides myself as lesser beings."
"That's not what I meant," Bardock said, meeting the black visor without flinching. "I'm not questioning why she would be with someone. I'm questioning why someone like you would be with her."
"Someone like me?" Toji repeated, genuine confusion in his tone.
"AWKWARD!" Skrik interjected, circling above them. "Skrik enjoys family drama! Technically speaking, this is better than watching souls fight over who gets eaten first!"
Both Toji and Bardock ignored the death bird's commentary.
Bardock studied Toji for a long moment before responding. "During my time in Hell, I've learned to sense people's...ki, I think the demons called it. I learned to sense not just power levels, but the nature of their energy – their character."
He gestured toward Toji. "You carry an aura that feels like destruction incarnate. It's terrifying – like standing at the edge of oblivion. But beneath that, I don't sense evil in you."
Toji remained silent, listening.
"You're willing to destroy anything right now, yes," Bardock continued. "But that's driven by love for your son. It's not the same as enjoying the suffering of innocents."
He crossed his arms. "So I don't understand how someone who doesn't enjoy innocents dying could tolerate Freeza, let alone be with her. Has she truly changed that much? Because the Freeza I knew took pleasure in genocide. Not that I have much room to speak, but still."
Toji stood motionless on the stairs, the mechanical breathing filling the silence. For a long time, he said nothing, contemplating Bardock's words.
Skrik landed on a nearby branch that extended from the staircase wall, his skull-like facial markings giving him a perpetual grin. "The temporary has a POINT! Empress Death-Dealer isn't exactly known for her COMPASSION! Stories of her carry even in HELL! Skrik has eaten souls who spent centuries screaming her name in their nightmares!"
Finally, Toji spoke, his voice quiet despite the modulator. "I have a philosophy. One that this tree – the Axis Mundi – has just reaffirmed for me."
He turned and continued climbing, speaking as he ascended. "Before I explain my philosophy, I should explain what I know of this world – what the Axis Mundi confirmed for me."
Bardock followed, his expression attentive.
"This universe has two energies coursing through it," Toji began. "Two sides, you could say. Positive and negative. To keep it simple, let's call the positive energy the Light Side, and the negative energy the Dark Side."
"Like in those Earth movies?" Bardock asked, surprising Toji.
"You've seen Star Wars?"
"Hell has movie nights," Bardock explained with a shrug. "Apparently some movies are a form of psychological punishment. One of the Ogres really hated it and thought it a good punishment- a lot of us liked it though, and so he was beheaded."
Toji slowly nodded, finding the concept absurd, but still continuing his explanation. "When one does good – helping others, showing compassion – they gain a shroud of positive energy. When one commits evil, negative energy accumulates around them. People become predominantly aligned with either the Light Side or the Dark Side based on their actions."
"Each side has its effects," he continued. "Those with abundant positive energy find that evil things – be they people, natural disasters, or diseases or the like – are repelled from them. They live good lives and die good deaths, depending on which energy dominates their being."
"You mean luck?" Bardock asked skeptically.
"It appears as luck, yes," Toji acknowledged. "But it isn't truly random chance. It's a direct cause-and-effect relationship stemming from one's previous actions."
"So good people get good things, bad people get bad things?" Skrik interjected, his tone dubious. "Skrik has eaten PLENTY of good souls who suffered HORRIBLY! Technically speaking, they were the tastiest ones!"
"That's a simplification," Toji replied. "When one dies and reincarnates, they're cleansed of negative energy but retain their positive energy. Those with sufficient positive energy go to Heaven; those dominated by negative energy, like you were, Bardock, go to Hell."
"So you're saying Freeza's victims deserved it?" Bardock asked, his voice hardening.
"No," Toji answered firmly. "I'm saying that Freeza's actions, though despicable and deserving of punishment, could only affect those whose paths crossed with hers. And while many of her victims weren't evil, their suffering cleansed them of negative energy."
"Those Frieza killed may have gone straight to Heaven because they experienced such profound evil that they were completely purged of negative energy. They gained immense positive energy through their suffering."
Bardock's expression darkened. "So my people's genocide was actually a blessing? Is that what you're saying?"
"No," Toji stopped again, turning to face Bardock directly.
"Death and suffering aren't good in themselves. But in the grand scheme, death is not the end. Their positive actions may have even pulled her towards them, to be purged of the negative energy they have accumelated."
"You need to understand, something that few do because of how people focus solely on their current lives, forgetting what lies beyond death – where one truly becomes immortal."
"You should know this better than most," Toji continued. "Compared to Hell, the life you lived was brief. The goal of all living beings is to enter Heaven – that's why reincarnation exists. Souls instinctively seek another chance when they haven't achieved sufficient positive energy."
"So Freeza gets away with it?" Bardock demanded. "She murders billions and faces no consequences?"
"Those who commit evil will eventually face justice," Toji stated. "If Freeza doesn't reform, doesn't generate enough positive energy to balance her actions, she'll descend into Hell and suffer eternal punishment."
Skrik flapped his wings excitedly. "Ooh! Skrik would ENJOY watching the Empress suffer! Her screams would be MELODIOUS!"
"This is why I don't feel righteous anger toward her," Toji explained, ignoring Skrik's commentary, making sure to do so, otherwise, he'd choke the hawk for almost bringing up the thought.
"It would be redundant. Those people weren't my family – I didn't experience personal loss that would demand vengeance. And those people are either in a better place or experiencing a better chance at life due to their accumulated positive energy."
"In Heaven," Toji continued, "people will remember all their lives. They'll be who they are fully and decide which version of themselves they want to be, which relationships to maintain. And because of the immense positive energy there, all will make choices that maintain harmony."
Bardock walked in silence for several steps, processing this information. "This sounds... convenient," he finally said. "A philosophy that lets you justify being with someone who's committed atrocities."
"Perhaps," Toji acknowledged. "But it's what I believe to be true, and was confirmed by what I've learned here in the afterlife."
They continued climbing in silence for several minutes, the only sounds being Toji's mechanical breathing and Skrik's occasional muttering about "boring philosophical temporaries."
Finally, Bardock spoke again. "Still though, knowing you, how brief, Freeza won't necessarily suffer for her crimes because you'll ensure she reforms, right? That she does enough good to wipe her slate clean?"
Behind his helmet, Toji smiled slightly. "Yes," he admitted. "Because I love her."
Stunning Bardock for a moment at the words- that anyone could truly love Freeza.
The staircase began to widen as they ascended higher, the light growing stronger. Ahead, a massive door of pure white light became visible – the Gate of Life.
"We've ARRIVED!" Skrik announced, his wings extending to their full seventeen-foot span. "The Gate of Life! No Hell creature has ever seen this up close! Skrik is MAKING HISTORY!"
The gate began to open slowly, brilliant white light spilling through the widening crack. As they approached, the entire area suddenly began to shake violently, the staircase trembling beneath their feet.
"What's happening?" Bardock shouted over the rumbling.
Before Toji could respond, a green hand shot through the partially opened gate, grabbed him by the chest plate, and yanked him through with tremendous force.
Toji was thrown onto a golden floor, skidding several feet before coming to a stop. Bardock and Skrik rushed through the gate after him, ready for battle.
What they found on the other side left them momentarily stunned.
They stood in an enormous amphitheater with golden floors and crystalline walls that seemed to stretch infinitely upward.
Arrayed before them was an assembly of beings – heroes of the past, celestial figures, and four diminutive figures that could only be the directional Kais, with a larger, bearded figure who must be the Grand Kai.
Standing over Toji was a green-skinned warrior in white pants and a blue-and-white vest – Pikkon, one of Heaven's greatest champions.
"You have violated the sacred order of the cosmos!" a voice boomed across the amphitheater. "The living do not enter the realm of the dead! The damned do not escape their punishment!"
Toji rose slowly to his feet, his damaged armor creaking. Before he could speak, a familiar blue figure rushed forward from the assembly.
"Wait!" King Kai called, placing himself between Toji and the assembly. "This man acted out of desperation to save his child! His methods were extreme, yes, but his intentions were pure!"
"Intentions?" scoffed a purple-skinned Kai with a monocle – West Kai. "He tore open the barrier between realms! He could have destroyed the fabric of reality itself!"
"And now he brings creatures from Hell back to life?" added a female Kai in yellow – East Kai. "Without right or permission?"
King Kai spread his arms wide, standing protectively before Toji. "He acted because we could not help him! His son is dying from destruction energy poisoning – something even the gods have no remedy for! What father wouldn't move heaven and hell to save his child?"
The assembly erupted in protests and arguments. Bardock and Skrik moved to stand beside King Kai, forming a protective line before Toji.
"Stand aside, North Kai," Pikkon demanded. "This mortal must answer for his actions."
"I will not!" King Kai declared, his voice carrying surprising authority. "As his teacher's teacher, I am responsible for him! You'll have to go through me first!"
The standoff intensified as energy began to crackle around Pikkon's form. The Grand Kai stroked his beard, watching the scene unfold without intervening.
Suddenly after a long moment of taking it all in silently, Toji moved. With deliberate steps, he walked past King Kai, internally feeling an immense amount of guilt and shame, placing a hand on the Kai's shoulder.
"King Kai," he said, his modulated voice somehow gentler than before. "Thank you."
The Kai turned to face him, confusion evident in his expression. Toji lowered himself to one knee, bringing his masked face level with King Kai's.
"I've... I know- I treated you unfairly," Toji finally got out, "When my son began dying, I lashed out at you. I threatened you. It... It not even being the first time- having done so after Cooler as well. I was... consumed by emotion, but that's no excuse for my actions."
King Kai's eyes widened in surprise.
"You've been nothing but good to me," Toji continued. "You've helped me and my comrades through many battles. You've saved my life more times than I can count. For that, I am grateful, and I... ask your forgiveness."
The assembly fell silent, stunned by this unexpected display of humility from the fearsome warrior.
West Kai broke the silence. "He's only saying this to save himself! To curry favor now that he's surrounded!"
Toji ignored him, still addressing King Kai directly. "You don't need to stand against your own people for me. Step aside. I can handle my own problems."
King Kai's expression softened. "I haven't held anything against you, Toji. You're young, with strong emotions and a powerful sense of self. But your intentions are good, not evil. You're the pupil of my pupil – what kind of grand master would I be if I allowed others to harm you?"
His voice carried throughout the amphitheater, causing many of the assembled beings to shift uncomfortably.
Toji rose to his full height and gently pushed King Kai aside. He walked past Skrik and Bardock, approaching the assembly directly. With each step, his presence seemed to grow, his aura expanding.
The restrictions Hell had placed on his power were falling away – as if Hell itself was supporting him, angry at Heaven's judgment and interference with the Gate of Life's destination, furious at its judgement put into question.
In a burst of speed that left afterimages, Toji appeared before Pikkon. His right hand shot out, grabbing the champion by the throat and lifting him from the ground.
"Now," Toji said, his voice dangerously calm as his aura darkened, "Where were we?"
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter!
Toji's philosophy was already shown in chapter 25, but I expanded on it, since it was also based a lot on Toji's knowledge of GT, and Super, and the like, since Toji knows of the world he now is in being quite mystical.
It is also based a lot on SSJ4 Goku's speech in GT- that the more good you do, the more good you'll receive.
Also, Toji's show of humility and gratefulness. I've already established since chapter 1, Toji relates to Original Toji, because of how he was with his own parents.
Both were like that because they were extremely grateful to their parents. Toji has always been a grateful person. And now he's realised most evidently, for the first time, how ungrateful he's been acting and felt immense shame and guilt, since that's not who he is.
Well, I hope you all liked it and didn't mind it.
See you all later,
Bye!)