"It's still hard to say for sure."
Quitela crossed his arms, his expression heavy with concern. "Universe 7 has been shrouded in mystery these past few years. Even the subordinate I sent out—one with Level 3 Godly power—was defeated by their candidate. They definitely aren't weak!"
"I see. In that case, may I ask one more thing?"
"Spit it out."
"It seems every God of Destruction despises the one from Universe 7. Why is that?" As Wright spoke, a cold glint flickered in his eyes.
He knew that even if he survived this tournament and returned home, he likely wouldn't escape Quitela's Hakai. Perhaps he could find a way to use Universe 7 to his advantage...
"What are you plotting?" Quitela growled. "All you need to remember is to kill that Universe 7 candidate. As for what comes after..." He trailed off, but Wright understood.
Quitela wanted him to stir the pot and make the situation as chaotic as possible—that was the only way to ensure they came out on top.
"Understood," Wright nodded. He didn't bother asking about a reward for winning; he knew it would be a waste of breath.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the void, Belmod had Marcarita set up a soundproof barrier around them.
"Jiren, you promised to make the Universe 7 candidate suffer. Don't go back on your word."
"I am a man of my word. I expect you to be the same, Lord Belmod."
"Don't worry about that." Belmod waved a hand dismissively, his eyes darting toward Quitela's group. "Jiren, that creature standing next to Quitela is no ordinary fighter. Be on your guard around him."
Jiren nodded, his face grim. The aura radiating from Wright made his sense of justice flare up instinctively. This was a man of absolute evil.
"And don't be a stubborn fool," Belmod added. "If the opportunity for a surprise attack arises, don't hesitate..."
It wasn't just Quitela and Belmod. Liqueur, Helles, and the others were all busy instructing their candidates on the plan to eliminate Gran.
As the Gods finalized their schemes, a streak of prismatic light pierced the World of Void. The final arrivals—Universes 6 and 7—had finally reached the stage.
"So, this is the World of Void?" Gran mused as he stepped out of the transport Cube. He surveyed the surroundings. It was an endless expanse of nothingness, save for a massive, glowing structure below. It was an arena the size of a small planet, featuring diverse terrains: forests, oceans, deserts, and more.
"It's different from the Tournament of Power stage," Gran thought to himself.
"Lord Beerus, Gran, look—everyone else is already here," Whis noted, gesturing downward. The Cube hovered directly above the other ten universes, giving them a perfect view of the competition.
"Oh?" Beerus looked down and spotted Belmod and the others. Suddenly, his expression hardened.
"What's with that look, Skinny?" Champa asked, confused. He followed Beerus's gaze, and his heart nearly stopped. He couldn't read them. He couldn't read the power of nine out of the ten candidates gathered below! "How is this possible?!"
"Lord Ancestor, what's happening? Are the other candidates really that strong?" Shin asked, his heart racing as he saw the grim looks on the Gods' faces.
"Sister, can you read their power levels?" Whis asked, his tone unreadable.
"I can't read their raw power," Vados replied with a frown. "But I can see their physical instincts. Most are at Level 3 or higher... and some have even reached Level 4 mastery!"
"What?!" The Old Kai and Fuwa were both aghast. They knew exactly what Level 4 physical instinct meant—that was the level of martial arts mastery reserved for a true God of Destruction.
"Even Gran's instincts are still at Level 3. I can't believe other universes have already reached that stage!" the Old Kai said, sounding shaken.
"Are they really that strong? Are we going to lose?" Shin's voice trembled.
WHACK!
A fist came down hard on Shin's head. "Ow!" he cried out, clutching his scalp.
"Lose? Don't be ridiculous!" Beerus snapped. "Even Quitela wouldn't be guaranteed a win against Gran. No one down there is a match for him!"
"Lord Beerus, keep your voice down," Gran whispered. "Let's not draw all the aggro before the fight even starts." Fortunately, Whis had already erected a sound barrier. He truly understood Gran's cautious approach.
"Whis, is it them?" Gran scanned the crowd below, settling on three specific individuals: the golden lion from Universe 1, the metallic sea monster from Universe 12, and Jiren from Universe 11. He noticed that their every movement, no matter how small, carried a profound level of martial mastery.
"Those are the three," Whis confirmed. He wasn't surprised Gran could see it; Gran was already beginning to tap into the realm of the Angels, after all.
"Universes 1 and 12 are high-level mortal universes, so I expected them to have heavy hitters. But I didn't think Universe 11 would have someone like that," Gran admitted. He wasn't surprised by the others, but Jiren was a different story. Back during the Tournament of Power, Jiren had been suppressed by Goku's Mastered Ultra Instinct, meaning his base instincts weren't quite at the peak of Level 3. To reach Level 4 now meant Jiren had likely found his own version of a Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
"Whew!" Champa exhaled loudly. "Thank goodness we have Gran. With Hit's current level, he wouldn't even know what hit him!"
Hit stood nearby, his silence heavy with wounded pride. Gran couldn't help but chuckle; Champa wasn't wrong. Even without the three Level 4 masters, Hit would have struggled to survive the rest of that lineup—especially that guy from Universe 4. Gran's eyes sharpened as he looked at Wright. The aura coming off him was nauseating; he was a prime candidate for a Hakai. It was just like Quitela to pick someone who twisted.
Champa nudged Hit toward Gran. "Gran, I'm leaving Hit in your hands. Make sure you look after him."
Hit stayed perfectly still, maintaining his cold, professional demeanor, though he was screaming internally.
"Don't worry, I've got this," Gran promised.
Just then, a voice boomed from below. "Beerus! Champa! How much longer are you going to keep watching from up there?" It was Quitela.
Beerus and Champa shared a smirk. They leaped from the Cube, hovering high above the other Destroyers.
BOOM!
The combined power of Level 6 and Level 7 Godly Realms exploded from the two brothers. The sheer magnitude of their energy caused the World of Void to shudder violently. Below, the candidates felt as if the weight of an entire universe had been dropped onto their shoulders.
"This... what is this power?" Wright gasped, struggling to look up at Beerus.
"Level 7 raw power... a God of Destruction has actually reached that height?" the golden lion of Universe 1 muttered through gritted teeth.
"Those two cats are incredibly arrogant. No wonder everyone hates them," the sea monster of Universe 12 grunted, straining to keep his back straight. Most of the other candidates, including Jiren, were rendered speechless by the pressure.
"Enough!" Quitela and the other nine Destroyers took to the sky. It was ten against two. Raw power, authority, divine laws, and dimensional energy all collided in a chaotic roar.
KABOOM!
It was like a Big Bang, a blinding light followed by a storm of pure destruction. Below, the candidates' faces went pale. They had begun to think they were close to the level of the Gods, but they were wrong. The Gods of Destruction possessed divine powers and techniques that far surpassed mere raw energy.
"Take cover!"
"If we get caught in that, we're dead!"
As the shockwaves descended, the candidates scrambled for safety. The Supreme Kais were already half-dead from fright.
Hum—!
Beams of silver light shot up. The Angels had stepped in, deploying energy shields to protect their respective candidates and Kais.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The destructive shockwaves slammed into the shields, making a sound like a thousand drums.
"I... I was wrong. Lord Iwan is terrifying!" the lion of Universe 1 stammered, swallowing hard.
"I was too arrogant, thinking I could surpass the Gods. This is their true power," the sea monster of Universe 12 thought, his heart pounding.
"Damn it, that rat is actually that strong? How am I supposed to get away from him later?" Wright snarled internally.
The battle in the sky raged on. The Destroyers were no longer holding back; they were fighting with everything they had. The overwhelming pressure was like a heavy shroud covering the world. However, the battle moved so fast and with such intensity that most of the candidates couldn't even tell who had the upper hand. All they saw were flashes of blinding light and the sound of thunderous impacts.
On Gran's side, Whis had already set up a barrier, keeping everyone perfectly safe.
"Gran, what do you think of their performance?" Whis asked with a smile.
"So this is the true power of Lord Beerus and Lord Champa," Gran replied. He no longer needed a projection from Kusu to follow the fight. At his current level, he could see every detail. Pure, natural, and absolute control—that was the martial arts of the Gods.
In terms of raw power, Champa was at the peak of Level 6, while Beerus was at the peak of Level 7. It was Gran's first time seeing them go all out... or rather, Champa was definitely going all out, but Beerus was still holding back. If Beerus truly unleashed everything, those other Destroyers wouldn't stand a chance.
"And? If you were to fight Lord Champa now, do you still think you'd lose?" Whis teased.
"As you said, I haven't fought in centuries. I'd have a chance, but it wouldn't be a big one," Gran admitted, shaking his head. Whis nodded, pleased that Gran wasn't discouraged.
"Hit, what do you think of the battle?" Vados asked, testing his insight.
Hit kept his hands in his pockets, his expression stoic. "Except for a few of them, I can't even see their movements." Vados's face fell, and Fuwa covered his eyes in embarrassment. Whis and the Old Kai had to stifle their laughter. Having a candidate like Gran was a blessing; he really knew how to make Universe 7 look good.
As time passed, the vibrations in the air reached a fever pitch. Then...
KRA-KOOM!
A sound like the collapse of a universe echoed through the void. A blinding light erupted from the center of the explosion, forcing all the candidates to shield their eyes. When the light and sound finally faded, Jiren and the others slowly looked up.
"Is it over?"
"Who won?"
"Was it Lord Liqueur?"
"Lord Quitela?"
While the candidates speculated, the Kais remained silent. They knew better. There was no question about the result. After all, Beerus had already won twice before while being ganged up on.
"Interesting. It seems you guys actually did some training while I was away," Beerus said, floating calmly in the air. He wasn't even winded. Champa, on the other hand, was gasping for air, his face bruised and swollen. "You really want to beat me that badly, don't you?"
Quitela and the others faced the brothers, but unlike Beerus, none of them were unscathed. Some had broken ribs; others were limping through the air.
"Don't get cocky! We aren't the stars of this show," Quitela hissed, clutching his broken arm. "I hope your candidate can make it out of here alive!"
"You're strong, Beerus, but let's see if your candidate is as tough as you are," Belmod sneered.
"It would be a shame if your candidate were the first one to die," Liqueur added through gritted teeth. "It would really ruin your reputation!"
"How cute. You're actually threatening him," Beerus said, cracking his neck. He looked up and grinned. "Gran! Someone's threatening you!"
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