In the entire world of anime, Dragon Ball is unquestionably the most action-packed, with the highest power levels (no pun intended).
Having arrived in this world and become a Saiyan, Gran refused to fade into mediocrity.
More importantly, he refused to die senselessly as collateral damage in a battle between powerful beings, like some insignificant ant.
He, too, yearned for adrenaline-pumping battles, for the thrill of breaking past his limits, and for the chance to stand at the pinnacle of the universe, looking down on all creation.
And most importantly, that guy Vegeta had almost gotten him killed right after he'd arrived. He was determined to beat Vegeta to a pulp!
Of course, all of this required immense personal strength and right now, he had an opportunity.
Whis was the son of the Grand Priest, a servant to Beerus, and simultaneously, Beerus's master.
Besides Beerus's own natural talent, all the credit for his immense power belonged to Whis. Whis was a natural guide, his own power an enigma.
If there was one person in this universe perfectly suited to be Gran's master, it could only be Whis.
Seeing that Whis hadn't responded, Gran continued, "I won't let you teach me for free. From now on, I'll be in charge of all your meals. That will be my payment. What do you think?"
Gran was humbling himself completely. Was it shameful? Not in the slightest!
The series's own protagonists, Goku and Vegeta, were far more deferential when they pleaded with Whis and Beerus to train them. If even they could do that, why couldn't Gran?
This was Whis!
Never mind, just cooking for him—if Whis truly agreed to train him, Gran would have run naked through a field if asked!
As Whis remained silent, a sense of unease crept into Gran's heart. 'No way, have I not conquered his stomach yet? That shouldn't be right!'
Just as Gran was starting to feel hopeless...
"Very well."
Whis gave a slight nod. Gran froze for a second, then it hit him. Success!
"Thank you, Mr Whis!"
Gran began jumping up and down with excitement.
Watching the little squirt's elation, a small smile played on Whis's lips.
If he hadn't already planned on letting Gran stay, why would he have brought him here in the first place?
The expression in Gran was too bizarre, and it had genuinely piqued his curiosity. He wanted to see just what secrets this little one was hiding.
Of course, the payment the boy had offered was non-negotiable as well!
"Although I have agreed to guide your training, your time in the God of Destruction's world may not be very long," Whis said suddenly.
What?
Gran instantly cooled down from his excitement, his little eyebrows knitting together. What did Whis mean by that?
"Since you've read your Saiyan history books, you should know that the master of this world is the God of Destruction." Whis glanced back at the palace where Beerus slept.
Gran understood immediately. "You mean when Lord Beerus wakes up, he'll kick me out, right?"
"Kick you out?" Whis shook his head and gave a faint smile.
"Given Lord Beerus's distaste for the Saiyan race, it's more likely he'll simply destroy you."
Hearing the word "destroy," a shiver ran down Gran's spine.
"Destruction" was the signature technique of a God of Destruction, capable of erasing anything weaker than itself from existence. Once erased, not even Shenron could bring you back.
Super Shenron, of course, was the exception.
The thought of Beerus's cool pose when using "Destruction" flashed in Gran's mind, and his fear was instantly replaced by feverish excitement.
Since Whis has agreed to teach me, I must learn the 'Destruction' technique. No, wait! I have to learn every single skill Whis possesses!
Watching Gran's expression shift rapidly, the corner of Whis's mouth twitched.
What on earth is this kid thinking? He should be terrified of Beerus waking up right now! Why does he look so excited?
"I'm not afraid. From what I've heard, Lord Beerus is also quite fond of delicious food," Gran said suddenly, his voice still that of a child.
"Even you, Mr Whis, were captivated by my cooking. I refuse to believe Lord Beerus can resist!"
Thump—!
Whis's heart skipped a beat.
The little one is right. Given Beerus's own obsession with food, he really might spare Gran.
That isn't good! That means I won't be the only one enjoying such delicacies anymore!
"Mr Whis, is something wrong?" Gran asked, trying to suppress a grin. He knew exactly what Whis was thinking.
"You..." Whis looked at him with resentful eyes. "You know a lot about us, kid."
Gran clamped his mouth shut, not daring to say another word.
"Alright, for today, just get yourself settled. I will begin your training tomorrow. And don't forget the payment you promised."
"Yes, sir."
Gran breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad Whis didn't press him further.
With a wave of Whis's staff, a small house appeared by the lake, and Gran officially took up residence in the God of Destruction's world.
--Frieza's Headquarters--
This planet was teeming with advanced technology and industry. Inside a palace...
"Lord Frieza, the boy Vegeta has completed his planet-clearing mission," reported a handsome man. It was Zarbon.
"Hmm. Please don't give him any time to train. Send him on another mission immediately," Frieza replied slowly from his hover pod.
Frieza's body was covered in a hard, white carapace.
He had blood-red eyes, purplish-black lips, and two lines resembling tear tracks beneath his eyes. His entire being radiated pure evil.
"Yes, my lord." Zarbon hesitated, wanting to say more.
Frieza narrowed his eyes, his voice raspy. "What is it?"
"Lord Frieza, Vegeta's squad is short one Saiyan." Zarbon continued his report.
"According to the recordings from their scouters, the Saiyan's name was Gran. He was ambushed by natives and severely injured. In the end, he was abandoned by Vegeta."
"Oh-hohoho~~" Frieza burst into laughter, a sound as cold and sinister as a snake's hiss.
Zarbon couldn't help but tremble. He dared not speak, fearing his lord might suddenly decide to take out his frustrations on him.
"There are so few of the Saiyan race left, yet their prince abandons his own people. That boy Vegeta is both cold-blooded and stupid!" Frieza laughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes.
He shifted his gaze. "Wouldn't you agree, Mr Zarbon?"
Cold-blooded? Who in this universe is more cold-blooded than you, Lord Frieza? Zarbon, of course, would never say such a thing.
He forced a cold laugh of his own. "Indeed, he is a fool. How could such a foolish race possibly produce the legendary Super Saiyan?"
Hearing this, Frieza nodded in satisfaction. "Precisely. How could such a foolish race possess a Super Saiyan? Mr Zarbon, your wisdom is unparalleled. You may leave."
"Yes, my lord!"
Zarbon bowed and quickly turned to leave the palace, eager to get away from his unpredictable master.
Sure enough, just as he stepped out of the palace gates, Frieza's sinister laughter echoed from within once more.
Zarbon shivered but didn't look back, flying away as fast as he could.
Elsewhere, a five-year-old Vegeta returned to Frieza's headquarters. He had just disembarked from his ship when a new mission came through his scouter.
Vegeta's little face twisted in anger. "Damn it! Does Frieza really think he can use me as free labour?"
Raditz cautiously asked, "What's wrong?"
"Shut up! Get back on the ship!" Vegeta snapped as he jumped back into his pod.
He turned back and warned, "You'd better not slow me down, or you'll end up just like Gran!"
This was Vegeta before being influenced by Bulma—still utterly ruthless. His words sent a chill through his squad members.
"Yes, sir!"
Several small spaceships lifted off in a blaze of fire, quickly disappearing from Frieza's headquarters.
.....
The God of Destruction's World
With Whis's permission, Gran settled into his new life.
The next morning, Whis provided the ingredients, and Gran prepared breakfast for both of them.
The meal consisted of two bowls of beef noodle soup—one large and one small.
The small one was the size of a normal bowl, but the large one was the size of a water tank!
Whis's eye twitched when he saw the ridiculously large bowl of noodles on the table. However, having witnessed Gran's appetite the day before, he said nothing.
As Whis ate the noodles, his eyes sparkled again. Letting this little one stay was an absolutely correct decision!
Whis suddenly thought of Beerus and subconsciously shielded his bowl.
At the table, Gran slurped a mouthful of noodles and looked up. "Is something wrong, Mr Whis?"
"Nothing." Whis gave an embarrassed smile.
He had gotten so used to fighting with Beerus over food that he instinctively grew defensive whenever he ate something delicious.
Gran nodded, then remembered something. "According to the legends, isn't there supposed to be an Oracle Fish here? I haven't seen it."
"It's asleep." Whis glanced at the kid. He really does know a lot.
"Alright, no talking while eating. Finish up quickly, we're starting your training soon."
Gran wanted to retort, wondering who it was yesterday who had let out a strange moan of pleasure with every bite of fish.
But hearing that his training was about to begin, he quickly sped up.
Ten minutes later, Whis magically cleared the table, and the two stood by the lake. Whis stared intently at Gran.
His energy is wild, his ki is unstable; every movement is full of wasted motion.
He has no idea how to suppress his presence, and his mental state can't keep up with his dimensional level. His dimensional plane is unstable...
Being stared at by Whis's strange gaze, Gran couldn't help but swallow. "Mr Whis, what is it?"
Whis held his staff and clicked his tongue. "Do you have any idea how big the God of Destruction's world is?"
Why is he asking me that? Gran shook his head. "I don't know."
Whis said with a straight face, "Your flaws could circle this world ten times."
Gran: "..."
He really is Vados's little brother. His words are as sharp as poison!
Still, Gran replied respectfully, "Mr Whis, then how should I begin my training?"
"At this stage, you cannot train your power."
"Why not?"
"A few days ago, you recovered from a near-death state, and your power surged to 200 times its original level. Did you know that?" Whis asked meaningfully.
"What?" Gran's eyes widened, and he felt his own body.
So, the Saiyan Zenkai boost is real! He was an elite warrior. A 200-times multiplier on his 800 power level meant he was at 160,000—stronger than Captain Ginyu!
"I have a power level of 160,000 at six years old?" Gran was ecstatic, amazed at his own talent.
Whis secretly shook his head. Gran was only six; his potential hadn't even begun to awaken truly.
If it were just a Zenkai boost from a severe injury, a 10-times increase would be considered good. A 200-times increase was impossible.
Gran's power surge was entirely the result of his dimensional level increasing.
"While that sudden surge of power is technically yours, you haven't mastered it. In a way, it's not truly your power yet," Whis explained with a faint smile.
"Don't you feel that your ki is very unstable?"
Gran shook his head. Not counting the time he was unconscious, he had been in this world for less than two days.
In that time, forget about mastering the power surge; he hadn't even gotten a handle on his original 800 power level.
The most Gran could do right now was fire off a few energy blasts based on his memories. He had no clue about deeper ki control, let alone how to sense ki.
Gran lifted his determined little face, his eyes shining. "Mr Whis, what do I need to do now?"
"This is the foundational stage for you. Only with a solid foundation can you go further in the future." Whis said playfully, "Your first step is to master every single wisp of your power. However, the process will be a little painful. Can you handle it?"
"Painful?" Gran shook his head, his big, round eyes filled with determination. "I'm not afraid!"
The world of Dragon Ball was filled with powerful beings who could destroy planets with a single attack.
Without immense strength, forget about climbing to the top of the multiverse—just surviving was a challenge. Compared to death, Gran would much rather endure a little hardship.
"Alright, you said it yourself. Come with me."
With a mischievous grin, Whis started walking toward the distant palace of the God of Destruction.
Gran trotted happily behind him, but he soon realised they were heading for the palace itself. His scalp tingled.
Don't tell me I have to go inside? That's where the God of Destruction, Beerus, is sleeping!
They soon arrived before the great doors of the palace. The two doors stood five meters tall, greyish-white in colour, and were carved with ancient patterns.
Wisps of destruction energy occasionally leaked from the crack between them.
Standing before the doors, Gran felt as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss, as if the energy seeping out would disintegrate him in the next second.
No way, is this the 'pain' of mastering my power?
However...
"Come in."
Ignoring Gran completely, Whis pushed open the doors and walked inside.
The moment he did, a vast aura washed over Gran, instantly slamming him to the ground. His very soul trembled.
What is this aura? It's... It's terrifying!
Whis looked back at Gran, a slight smile on his lips. This was the sound of Beerus's snoring, mixed with a hint of destruction energy.
A normal person enveloped by this aura would be turned to dust.
However... Gran's dimensional level had already reached the peak of the Kai plane, with the next level being the Divine plane, the same as Beerus.
With the support of such a high-dimensional level, Gran was spared from annihilation.
"Continue to follow me."
Knowing Gran would be fine, Whis proceeded into the palace hall. There were two long corridors on either side of the hall, and he turned down the one on the right.
Gran struggled to his feet. He realised he wasn't hurt. So, this wasn't the place where he was supposed to train his power. He quickly hurried after Whis.
The corridor was lined with many windows, offering glimpses of the God of Destruction's world.
The small Gran also noticed that the corridor was circular, as if it had been built around a central point.
A thought struck him, and he cautiously called out to Whis's back, "Mr Whis, is the place where Lord Beerus sleeps... in there?" Gran pointed toward the inner wall of the corridor.
Whis turned back with a smile. "That's right. Lord Beerus's sleeping chamber is inside. If you don't want to wake him, you'd better not make too much noise."
Disturb Beerus? Gran thought back to the movie Battle of Gods. That was impossible. In the anime, even a timed bomb alarm clock barely woke Beerus up. How could a little bit of talking disturb him?
This Whis is such a trickster! Gran cursed internally, but he still didn't dare to make any loud noises. Better safe than sorry.
Seeing Gran's cautious demeanour, Whis thought the boy was scared and couldn't help but grin wickedly and cheekily.
"Go on in. Stay in there for three years. That should be enough time for you to master your own power."
At the end of the corridor, Whis opened a door.
"Three years?"
Before Gran could react, a foot kicked his little butt, sending his small frame tumbling into the room.
From outside the door came Whis's signature cheeky "Ohohoho~" laugh.
The laugh gave Gran a very bad feeling. He scrambled up from the floor and finally took in his surroundings. To call it a room was an understatement; it was more like a world. It was vast.
Deserts, glaciers, storms...
The world's environment was incredibly harsh, and many bizarre-looking giant beasts roared and fought one another.
Suddenly!
An immense pressure washed over him!
"It's gravity!"
Gran was slammed to the ground, feeling as if every cell in his body had been shackled. And it wasn't over.
Seeing him appear, many of the giant beasts began charging in his direction. I have to fight these beasts in this environment? So this is how I'm supposed to master my power!
"Aaaahhhh! WHIS, I HATE YOU! NEXT TIME I MAKE DUMPLINGS, YOU'RE ONLY GETTING THE WRAPPERS!"
.....
Time flew by, and a month passed. Whis sat listlessly at a table and chairs by the lake.
He sighed and muttered to himself, "Let's see, there are still more than two years until that little one gets out. Life without his cooking is so difficult!"
Suddenly!
A sturdy-looking little boy walked out of the palace, looking utterly wretched.
There was dried blood at the corner of his mouth, his clothes were torn to shreds, and his body was covered in scars...
But from his movements, it was clear that he had gained complete control over his power!