Kluge's Yama tattoo was unique because Yama's eyes were closed.
Grandpa had said a Yama tattoo was more dangerous than Guan Yu - if Yama's eyes were open, it would kill people! Guan Yu's eyes could be open because the tattooed person would be the one in trouble, while Yama's eyes needed to stay closed.
Just how evil must this Yin-inspired Tattoo with closed-eye Yama be?
"Kluge, who gave you this Yama tattoo?" I asked curiously.
Kluge shook his head. He didn't know - this tattoo had been on him since early childhood, and it was extremely sinister. Every time the tattoo's eyes opened, someone around him would die. When he was very young, this Yama tattoo's eyes had opened once, and afterward his entire family died, leaving him an orphan. Only later did Master Raul take him in as a disciple.
Kluge didn't know when Yama's eyes might open next or who would die. Not wanting anything to happen to his master's family, he'd come to me specifically to have this Yama tattoo removed.
He'd visited several tattoo parlors before, but none could remove it. That's when he realized the tattoo on his body was a Tattoo of Gods and Ghosts.
After hearing from Stella that I was the heir to the Tattoos of Gods and Ghosts tradition, he figured I might know how to remove it.
Truthfully, this Tattoo of Gods and Ghosts on Kluge's body was exquisitely done - definitely the work of a master tattoo artist, with skill comparable to my grandfather's.
Consider this: the tattoo had been inked when Kluge was a child. As people grow, their skin stretches and expands, which should distort tattoos over time. Yet Kluge's Tattoo of Gods and Ghosts showed no distortion at all, as if it had grown with him. Such a remarkable tattoo would be a shame to remove... but if it brought harm, especially being a Tattoo of Gods and Ghosts, then removal might be necessary.
I began examining Kluge's Yama tattoo, considering whether it could be properly removed.
The difficulty was that the tattoo seemed completely fused with his skin - extremely tight after all these years. To remove it, I'd probably have to take off a layer of skin itself.
"Kluge, honestly, I don't think this tattoo can be washed off," I told him truthfully.
"How come? Isn't there any other way?" Kluge frowned, though his expression remained stoic.
I explained that unless he could shed skin like a snake, there was likely no way to remove it. But if his main concern was preventing Yama's eyes from opening, I had another solution.
Since Yama would kill when his eyes opened, the answer was simple: tattoo something to cover his eyes, making it harder for them to open.
I couldn't guarantee completely preventing Yama from opening his eyes - after all, this was the closed-eyed Yama of the underworld. How sinister it was defied imagination. But I could make it harder for the eyes to open freely, which might prove crucial at critical moments.
Kluge hesitated. He still believed the only permanent solution was removing the tattoo, but I couldn't wash it off, and probably no one else could either - the tattoo had completely fused with his skin.
After long consideration, Kluge finally accepted my suggestion as a last resort. However, I hadn't yet determined what design to use for covering Yama's eyes. This would be my first time attempting such a tattoo.
I told Kluge to go home first, promising to contact him once I'd figured it out. This couldn't be rushed - covering Yama's eyes improperly could endanger us both.
Kluge left his phone number and departed. Whether he returned to the Celestial Master sect or went elsewhere, he vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared - leaving no trace.
This man was truly powerful - someone worth staying close to. With strength few would dare challenge, he represented reliable protection for a newcomer like me. I needed to carefully consider this tattoo design.
Yet after much thought, I remained uncertain. This closed-eye Yama tattoo presented unfamiliar challenges - Grandpa had never taught me anything like this.
Then I remembered Christoph. The old man seemed deeply knowledgeable about Tattoos of Gods and Ghosts, having collaborated frequently with my grandfather. Might he offer valuable advice?
When I called, Christoph initially thought I had business and became enthusiastically complimentary about my shop's early success.
I cut him off: "No ghost purchases today - don't flatter me. I'm calling for advice."
His tone cooled upon realizing this wasn't a transaction, but as a regular customer, he still responded promptly.
I explained: "I have a client with a closed-eye Yama tattoo wanting removal, but it's skin-fused. My alternative is tattooing something over Yama's eyes as a barrier. But I'm stuck on what design to use. Any suggestions?"
"Closed-eye Yama?" Christoph sounded shocked. "What kind of cursed life must someone have to bear that tattoo? Only a heavenly demon would dare - it wipes out all relatives! No sane tattoo artist would inscribe this. Yama's wrath means certain death. These aren't ordinary tattoos - are you joking with me?"
Christoph's reaction made me realize how dangerous the Yama tattoo truly was, though I hadn't lied to him - it was indeed a Yin-inspired Tattoo.
"A Yin-inspired Tattoo? Don't joke about that! Even your grandfather wouldn't dare tattoo that. A Yin-inspired closed-eye Yama tattoo - do you understand what that means? And where would you even find a Knight Ghost of that level to make the ink?" Christoph still couldn't believe what I was saying.
I insisted it was true - the man was Master Raul's top disciple, Kluge!
"Kluge?" Christoph repeated the name several times, then clicked his tongue. "So it's that boy. No wonder - I suppose he's the only one who could survive bearing such a tattoo."
"You know him?" I asked.
Christoph said he didn't know him personally, but anyone involved with Yin magic had heard rumors about Kluge.
Only after confirming the tattoo belonged to Kluge did Christoph finally believe me.
He explained that to cover Lord Yama's eyes, I couldn't use any ordinary design. If I wanted to tattoo over it, it had to be an Azure Dragon - specifically a five-clawed Azure Dragon.
"Five claws represent the Emperor's authority, but don't worry about whether Kluge can handle it - that boy wouldn't fear tattooing the Jade Emperor himself."
However, Christoph warned me to pay special attention to the Azure Dragon's details: the color must be pure, and I mustn't give it wings - "If you give it wings, it'll ascend to heaven."
He also noted that dragon tattoos typically shouldn't have dotted eyes, though Kluge would be an exception. "Just don't make the eyes red - not because I fear for his safety, but for everyone else's."
Christoph's advice resonated with me. Indeed, using twin Azure Dragons to cover Yama's eyes seemed appropriate and effective.
I decided on the Azure Dragon design.
After hanging up, I was about to call Kluge when a black car pulled up outside the alley. A group of men in black suits entered.
"Roger, our master requests your presence!"