"Snap!"
In an instant, a brilliant flame—shimmering like a tiny star—appeared in Merus's hand.
It wasn't very large, roughly the size of a clenched fist.
"You can do it too?" Ken blinked in surprise.
"This is Divine ki," Merus replied honestly.
"Snap!"
Without hesitation, Ken raised his hand and summoned a brilliant flame of his own, identical in size and shape.
The two spheres looked similar at first glance, but placing them side by side made the difference immediately apparent.
Ken stared at the glowing orb he had conjured and suddenly felt as if his version looked… bootleg.
Merus's was dazzling and vivid in color.
How to describe it?
Ken's ball of light looked like it had been covered in a layer of gray haze—like a faded photo.
In contrast, Merus's light was clear, vibrant, and though not blinding, gave off a calm, comforting glow.
Ken couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
Why is your Divine ki so much more vibrant than mine?
Based on his own estimate, the purity of Merus's Divine ki had to be at least 40.
"You really can use Divine ki!" Merus said, still surprised as he studied the sphere Ken had conjured.
"So this is Divine ki… which means you're an angel too?" Ken said with a smile.
"Yes, I'm a trainee angel, currently undergoing experience training with the Galactic Patrol. My main task is to understand the nature of good and evil among mortals," Merus explained honestly, then retracted his glowing sphere.
"So then, you and Whis…" Ken trailed off.
"Whis is my older brother," Merus answered.
"That's great! I've been struggling with a bunch of questions in this book and wanted to ask Whis, but I couldn't contact him no matter what I tried. Could you help me out?" Ken said as he also dismissed his ki.
"Sure, no problem at all," Merus agreed readily, but then lowered his voice. "But… please keep it a secret that I'm a trainee angel."
"Don't worry," Ken nodded.
"If there's anything you don't understand, just ask. I'll do my best to help you," Merus said sincerely.
"You saw it just now—my Divine ki is rather murky," Ken admitted. "If my purity level is only 9, I'd guess yours is at least 40."
"This is the first time I've ever heard anyone talk about Divine ki in terms of purity levels…" Merus said, smiling awkwardly.
"But that's not a big deal. I improved mine from 1 to 9 through diligent training. The problem is, no matter how much I practice now, I've hit a bottleneck and can't make any further progress," Ken said thoughtfully. "Do you know any methods to further refine my Divine ki?"
"Uh…" Merus hesitated.
"Don't hold back. Learn from your brother—Whis is way more direct when he talks," Ken added.
Merus: "..."
"To be honest… I've never heard of refining Divine ki in terms of purity levels before. Can I have some time to study it?" Merus asked earnestly after thinking it over.
"Fair enough," Ken nodded.
"Once I've figured something out, I'll reach out to you," Merus promised.
"I'll leave you to it, then. Work hard on your research," Ken said, pointing to the Ultra Instinct Training Manual left on the desk. "I've already memorized the entire book—take your time looking through it. Maybe Whis made a few mistakes when he wrote it."
"Alright… got it," Merus nodded gently.
"I'm off," Ken waved.
But just as he took a few steps forward, Merus suddenly spoke again.
"By the way… did you really gain Divine ki just from reading that book?" he asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.
"Why do you ask? Isn't that book for exactly that purpose?" Ken looked puzzled.
"Y-Yeah… just confirming, so I can help you more accurately," Merus replied with a polite smile.
Ken gave him a long, searching look, but said nothing more. He turned and left the room, heading off to find Broly and Tights.
Once Ken was out of sight, Merus waved his hand toward the door. A wave of Divine ki surged over it, sealing the room shut.
Then, with a flick of his right hand—
"Whoosh!"
In a flash, Merus summoned an Angel's Staff, the distinctive scepter of angelic beings.
Using the crystal orb at the top of the staff, Merus immediately established contact with Whis.
"Well, well, isn't it Merus? I heard you were training at Galactic Patrol HQ. Everything going well?" Whis's voice came through the crystal.
"All's fine, Brother Whis," Merus nodded.
"Is there something you needed?" Whis asked.
"Brother Whis… do you know a Saiyan named Ken?" Merus didn't beat around the bush.
"Ken? Oh yes, I remember. He made a very unique kind of sausage," Whis smiled. "Last time Lord Beerus and I were on Planet Vegeta, we had a chance to taste his grilled sausages. As a thank-you, I gave him a simplified version of the Ultra Instinct manual that can be practiced in the mortal realm."
Merus: "..."
"Is there a problem?" Whis asked, seeing Merus's reaction.
"A… simplified version of Ultra Instinct?" Merus wiped sweat from his brow.
"Yes, yes! With proper training, while he won't be on the same level as someone like Emperor Frieza, he could live a long, peaceful life on a stable planet," Whis explained. Then he sighed lightly. "But Planet Vegeta has already been destroyed. That little fellow Ken probably perished along with it…"
"No—he's still alive," Merus replied.
"Oh? Did he leave before the destruction of Planet Vegeta?" Whis guessed.
"Brother Whis… that's not the important part," Merus said, wiping more sweat from his face.
"Oh?" Whis was a little confused.
"The important part is… the Ultra Instinct Training Manual you gave Mr. Ken. I flipped through it. It is a simplified version of Ultra Instinct—it can help extend one's lifespan and improve physical health, but it doesn't teach the true essence of Ultra Instinct," Merus explained, raising the book he still held in his hand.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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