"Yes!"
Shin's tension finally melted away, replaced by a relaxed smile. It really was a wonderful feeling, knowing you had someone powerful watching your back.
While Gran busied himself preparing a massive feast, Beerus and the Elder Kai sat nearby, passing the time in conversation. For once, the sacred Land of the Kais felt less like a stiff, divine realm and more like a cosy home—a rare sight indeed.
Beerus and the Elder Kai had been at odds for tens of millions of years, but today, they weren't bickering. Instead, they were discussing the grim reality of the Universe Rankings.
"Old man, now that I've woken up, I've already 'cleaned up' a batch of problematic planets," Beerus said. "The rest is on you."
"Don't you worry. Shin and I will keep a close eye on the development of these civilisations. I'm confident our ranking will climb back up before long."
"Good. I trust your judgment. If you run into trouble, remember to call me—or Gran."
"That little brat?" The Elder Kai raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't even begun training in the Energy of Destruction (Hakai) yet. What if he runs into a real monster?"
At some point, a few lounge chairs had appeared by the lakeside. Beerus leaned back, looking perfectly content. "Our universe is ranked second to last," he muttered lazily. "What kind of 'monsters' could be left?"
The Elder Kai lay on the chair next to him, momentarily speechless. It was a fair point, but who was to say there weren't hidden powerhouses tucked away in the corners of the cosmos? After all, Beerus had spent the last few centuries napping—how could he possibly know the state of the universe?
Of course, the Elder Kai kept those thoughts to himself. No sense in starting another fight.
"Besides," Beerus continued, his voice full of certainty, "even if the universe is hiding some elites, they wouldn't be a match for Gran."
He wasn't just being boastful. Gran's current strength had already surpassed Beerus's own power level at that age. For instance, even without tapping into the initial state of Ultra Instinct, Gran could hit a Battle Power of 50 billion just by using that flawed, energy-draining Super Saiyan form.
In the current Universe 7, who could stand toe-to-toe with him?
"Fair enough," the Elder Kai conceded. "But when do you plan on teaching him the Rules of Destruction?"
"Why do you care?"
"He's a Destroyer Candidate," the Elder Kai shook his head. "It'll look bad if he doesn't even know how to use Hakai."
In the hierarchy of the gods, the Supreme Kai governs creation while the Destroyer governs destruction. Both are fundamental laws of the multiverse. Whether an apprentice is destined for creation or destruction, they must master the knowledge and rules of their station.
"You'll have to ask Whis about that," Beerus chuckled. "He handles Gran's training schedule. My only job is to beat the snot out of the kid occasionally."
Whis: "..."
Elder Kai: "..."
How "wicked" of you, Beerus, they both thought. Just wait until he stops cooking for you—then you'll be sorry.
Whis glanced over at Gran, who was putting the finishing touches on the meal.
"Originally," Whis explained, "I planned to let him rest once his Physical Instinct reached the Second Stage. I wanted him to focus on his Level of Existence (Dimension) before moving on to Destruction."
"But," Whis continued, part-proud and part-weary, "the boy came back from his travels and spent another six months in isolation, pushing his mental state to the Level of Selflessness (Nothingness). Honestly, he caught me off guard."
"What do you mean?" Beerus asked, blinking.
"I think I understand," the Elder Kai interjected. "Gran has only been a Destroyer Candidate for three and a half years. In that short time, he has achieved martial arts milestones that take others lifetimes to achieve. Don't you think he's... pushing himself too hard?"
Whis gave the Elder Kai an appreciative look. "Precisely. Little Gran is exhausted."
"Lord Beerus, haven't you noticed? For the past few years, he hasn't stopped. Not once. His nerves are wound too tight. It isn't healthy."
Gran's talent was monstrous, and he mastered everything with ease, but martial arts training shouldn't be a relentless grind. As the Turtle Hermit School philosophy goes: Work hard, study well, eat well, and sleep well. Balance is the true essence of martial arts.
"Too tired...?" Beerus trailed off, thinking back over their time together. It dawned on him—Gran really hadn't taken a break.
"Dinner's ready! Come and get it!"
Gran set a bubbling pot of bright red broth on the table, surrounded by a mountain of fresh ingredients.
"What is this?"
Whis moved so quickly he seemed to ignore time and space, appearing instantly at the table.
"It's Hotpot," Gran chirped.
"Hotpot?" Beerus echoed, blurring into a purple streak to join them.
The spicy, aromatic scent of the Szechuan-style broth filled the air, making their mouths water instantly.
"It smells incredible!" the Elder Kai said, finally arriving with Shin and Kibito in tow. "No wonder Shin was praising your cooking. You really have a gift, kid!"
"Heh, you know it," Gran said, tilting his chin up proudly.
He had prepared a Szechuan-Chuan-Yu Hotpot. It wasn't overly complex to make, but it required a perfect broth and the right ingredients—including the "soul" of the dish: the dipping sauce.
"How do we eat this? Do we drink the soup?" Beerus asked, his throat hitching as he stared at the red liquid.
Before Gran could answer, Whis sat down and picked up his chopsticks.
"Hahaha! Lord Beerus, you really are a country bumpkin," Whis teased. He grabbed a piece of tripe and swirled it in the pot—seven times up, eight times down. "Anyone can see you dip the food in the broth. Honestly, how slow can you be?"
Whis swirled the tripe in his dipping sauce and took a bite. The explosion of fresh, spicy, and savoury flavours hit his palate like a supernova.
"This is a masterpiece! Gran, just how many recipes are you hiding in that head of yours?"
Whis looked as if he were beginning to glow; his very soul seemed to vibrate with delight. Gran blinked, impressed. Whis really was a gourmet glutton—he'd figured out the "seven up, eight down" technique just by looking at the pot!
"Oh! So that's how it's done!" Beerus ignored the insult and followed suit. As the flavours hit him, his eyes widened, and a golden aura actually flared around his body.
The Elder Kai, Shin, and Kibito shared a look, swallowed hard, and dove in. Within seconds, all three were shrouded in a similar golden light.
Is this a live broadcast of a food anime? Gran thought, shielding his eyes. These guys are so dramatic!
Seeing the ingredients disappear at an alarming rate, Gran quickly joined the fray. The sounds of clashing chopsticks and satisfied groans echoed across the lake. Shin was the first to tap out, followed by Kibito, the Elder Kai, Whis, and finally, Beerus.
Gran was the last man standing, having personally polished off half a cow's worth of beef rolls, a whole sheep's worth of mutton, and three large fish.
A Long Overdue Rest
The lake lined up five lounge chairs. Kibito, being a subordinate, didn't feel right joining them, but the others flopped down in total bliss.
"Gran, your appetite is as terrifying as your talent," Whis chuckled, patting his stomach.
"Can't help it," Gran replied, not a hint of shame on his face. "We Saiyans are built differently."
"No wonder Lord Beerus took you in," the Elder Kai added. "Aside from your peerless potential, this cooking is a divine gift in itself!"
He knew Beerus and Whis well. Honestly, even if Gran hadn't been a martial arts prodigy, they probably would have made him an apprentice to keep him in the kitchen.
"You talk too much, old man," Beerus grunted, glaring at the Elder Kai. "Did all that food not manage to plug your mouth?"
Gran laughed at the bickering pair, but then a thought struck him. "Hey, Whis?"
"Yes?"
"Now that we know my 'Ultimate Form' path is correct, I know I won't be able to achieve it overnight. But my raw power and my physical instincts have hit a plateau. What should I focus on next?"
The group fell silent. Even Shin could see the problem now. Gran looked... ragged.
"What's next?" Whis asked softly. "Tell me, Gran... are you tired?"
"Tired?"
Gran blinked. He thought back. For three and a half years, he had been a whirlwind of motion. He'd challenged 30,000 warriors across the galaxy, fought gods, and spent months in solitary meditation.
"I... I guess I am a little tired," Gran admitted. As soon as he said the words, a wave of exhaustion washed over him.
The Elder Kai and Beerus exchanged a look and sighed. Of course, he was tired. To reach the Peak King Kai Dimension in three years was a frantic, bone-breaking pace. He had been wound like a spring for too long.
"Your mind and body are under too much tension," Whis said gently. "No matter how much talent you have, if you keep pushing like this, your progress will only slow down. Martial arts is a marathon, not a sprint. That is why we must balance labour with rest."
"You aren't in the right state to train. For now... rest."
"Rest... balance..." Gran murmured. It made sense. He leaned back into the chair, staring up at the twinkling stars of the Land of the Kais. His vision blurred, and within seconds, he was fast asleep.
The others smiled. For the first time in an age, Universe 7 felt "complete." Beerus was awake, the Elder Kai was free, Shin had mentors, and Gran was the bridge between them all.
Meanwhile, in Universe 6...
In the multiverse, universes come in pairs. Universe 7 has a twin: Universe 6.
On the Destroyer's planet of Universe 6, a purple cat—round as a barrel and looking more like a pig than a predator—was panting as he ran laps.
"Va... Vados... how many... more?" Champa wheezed with every step.
"Only two more laps, Lord Champa," replied a tall, elegant woman with a high ponytail. Vados, the Angel of Universe 6, watched him with a serene smile. "Please keep it up, or your weight-loss plan will be for nothing."
"TWO MORE?!" Champa's legs wobbled. "I'm dying! I can't do it!"
"Well, Lord Champa," Vados said slyly, "think carefully. If you don't finish these laps, there will be no dinner tonight."
Champa's entire body jolted. In his world, food was the only thing that mattered. If he couldn't eat, he might as well be dead! He gritted his teeth and dragged his heavy frame forward.
Vados hid a giggle behind her hand. To an outsider, they looked like an overworked pet and a mean trainer, but these were the God of Destruction and his Angel.
"Vados! I did it! Food! Now!" Champa collapsed on the ground like a wet sack of flour.
"Very well, Lord Champa." Vados returned with a glass of dark, murky green liquid and a single, dry piece of toast.
"What?! I have to eat this?"
"Now, now, don't be picky. This is your special weight-loss menu. Unless you'd prefer to have nothing at all..."
"I'll take it! Give it here!" Champa scrambled up and snatched the "meal," looking at Vados with teary, resentful eyes as he chewed the dry bread.
"Is something wrong, Lord Champa?" Vados asked, feigning innocence.
Champa took a sip of the green juice, his face twisting into a knot of disgust. "I swear, Vados... I feel like you're messing with me on purpose."
"How could you say that? You are the great Destroyer of Universe 6; I am but your humble servant. Why would I ever tease you?"
"Hmm... good point." Champa's small brain didn't find any flaws in her logic, so he went back to his miserable meal.
Vados struggled to keep a straight face. Suddenly, she remembered something. "By the way, Lord Champa, I heard from my sister that Whis and Lord Beerus have taken on a new apprentice."
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