The Grand Minister and Lord Zeno made their way to the central viewing platform. This stand was elevated two meters higher than the others—a clear symbol of their supreme status.
At its center sat a grand throne; only after Zeno had taken his seat did the gathered deities of the World of Void dare to straighten their backs.
When the Grand Minister signaled for everyone to take their seats, no one dared to refuse. The Gods of Destruction began leading their respective Supreme Kais and candidates to their designated booths.
As Quitela turned to leave, a voice rang out. "Quitela, surely you didn't think that little ambush you ordered would just be forgotten?"
Gran had called him out.
Quitela stopped and shot a murderous glare over his shoulder. "Kid, don't think for a second that having Beerus as a backer gives you the right to be this arrogant! You aren't a God of Destruction. Once this battle royale ends, I could kill you myself, and Lord Zeno wouldn't lift a finger to punish me!"
Ten years ago, Zeno had decreed that no Destroyer could interfere during the tournament period. But once the fight was over, that protection would vanish.
As for Beerus's retaliation? Without the explicit permission of Zeno or the Grand Minister, Destroyers were forbidden from fighting one another. If Beerus tried to strike, an Angel would inevitably step in to stop him.
At the mention of killing Gran, a cold light flickered in the eyes of Beerus and Whis. Champa and Vados, meanwhile, shared a knowing smirk.
"Lord Beerus! He just threatened Gran! Aren't you going to wipe him out?!" The Old Kai couldn't help himself; he started rolling up his sleeves as if he were ready to throw a punch at Quitela himself.
Having Beerus standing right there clearly gave him a sense of immortality he didn't actually possess. Beside him, Shin's jaw dropped—he hadn't realized his ancestor was "brave" enough to challenge a God of Destruction.
"Kill me?"
Gran placed a hand on the Old Kai's shoulder to keep the old man from getting himself erased. "I was about to say the same to you. I hope you don't drop dead from the shock once you see my true power." Gran's smile turned unsettlingly sharp.
The debt from ten years ago was one he intended to collect in full.
"You...!" Quitela clenched his fists until they shook. Everyone in Universe 7 was infuriating. "Fine. Then let's see exactly how strong you are!" He turned and stormed back to the Universe 4 booth, accompanied by Wright and his Supreme Kai.
Once settled, Quitela had his Angel, Cognac, begin healing his shattered arm. The other Destroyers followed suit.
The beating Beerus and Champa had handed out was brutal; without Angelic healing magic, it would have taken them ages to recover naturally.
Watching their masters in such a sorry state, the candidates finally grasped just how terrifying the Universe 7 Destroyer truly was.
Naturally, they also became more wary of Gran. A candidate with a Peak Godly Dimension, Level 3 instincts, and the sheer nerve to insult a Destroyer to his face was clearly a dangerous variable.
"Let's head in," Gran said, hopping into the Universe 7 booth. Beerus and Whis followed silently.
As they settled in, Champa scanned the arena. Each universe had its own stand, with Universe 6 situated directly across from Universe 7. However, Champa had no intention of staying in his own booth.
He wanted to stay close to his brother—having a powerful shield felt far too good to pass up. After a quick, nervous glance at Zeno and the Gran Minister to check for any signs of disapproval, he gritted his teeth and hopped into the Universe 7 booth instead.
Zeno glanced at Champa for a split second before looking away, seemingly uninterested. Seeing no reaction from the King of All, the Gran Minister allowed the breach of protocol to slide.
"What are you doing in here?" Beerus asked irritably. "Have you no respect for the rules? Aren't you afraid Lord Zeno will punish you?"
"I'll worry about that when he actually does it," Champa muttered. He had been watching Zeno's expression like a hawk and only relaxed once he realized he wasn't going to be erased.
"Gran," Champa said, sitting beside him with a grave expression, "even though your 'on-paper' stats are high, you haven't been in a real fight for centuries. Quitela isn't like me; his martial arts are superior to mine. If you go up against him later, there's a high chance you'll lose."
The Old Kai chimed in, "That rat is as cunning as they come. Since you've offended him so publicly, you must be extremely careful!"
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Gran replied calmly. The others exchanged looks—how could he be so relaxed after making an enemy of a God?
Suddenly, the Grand Minister stepped forward from the central throne. He clasped his hands behind his back, facing the thirteen stands. "The original plan was to begin this contest in one month.
However, since you have all arrived so early..." He paused, his gaze lingering on Gran for a moment before shifting away. "Lord Zeno has looked forward to this for a long time. Therefore, the battle royale... begins now!"
His voice, deep and commanding, seemed to resonate with the very fabric of reality. The sound vibrated throughout the World of Void and rippled out into the wider multiverse.
Across all twelve universes, lesser deities felt a sudden tremor, sensing that something momentous was occurring in the shadows.
On Earth, Mr. Popo looked up at the palace. "So, it has finally begun."
Bulma, suddenly remembering something, gasped. "Oh no! I think Lord Gran was supposed to fight in that tournament right about now. Whis! I have delicious food here! Come pick me up so I can watch the fun!" But her voice couldn't reach the distant void.
In the Galactic Prison, Merus looked toward the horizon. "Gran certainly gets all the fun. I'm almost jealous."
Even in the Time Nest, the Chronoa (Supreme Kai of Time) paused. "Wait... is Lord Zeno playing hide-and-seek again? No, it feels like a competition. Actually... that kid seems interesting. I think I'll go have a look!"
Back in the World of Void, the Gran Minister continued: "I shall now announce the rules. In this Candidate Battle Royale, there are no rules. Whoever is the last one standing on the stage shall be the victor."
His calm delivery made the statement even more shocking. "No rules" meant that killing was permitted. The Supreme Kais frowned; killing a candidate would surely incur the eternal wrath of another Destroyer. But the Destroyers themselves couldn't have cared less. To most of them, these candidates were mere tools to be used and discarded.
The only exception was Gran. It was obvious he was Beerus's prized pupil. If they could use the "no rules" clause to eliminate him, it would be a devastating blow to Beerus's ego.
"Hehehe!" The Destroyers began to snicker. After being humiliated by Beerus so many times—and then mocked by his apprentice—they were more than ready to see the boy broken.
In the Universe 7 booth, Beerus watched their expressions and snorted. "Gran, how many of them do you plan on taking out?"
"Not sure. I'll play it by ear."
"Fine. Do whatever you want," Beerus said seriously. "Don't worry about the consequences of killing another candidate. I'll handle everything."
Gran felt a warm sense of reassurance. This was the security that came with having a Destroyer in your corner. "Got it." He began stretching his wrists; after centuries of peace, his body felt a bit stiff.
"Hit, just stay behind Gran," Champa pleaded with his own candidate. "Universes 6 and 7 are allies this time. Do not try to be a hero on your own!"
Hit didn't speak, but he nodded firmly. Despite his calm exterior, the tension was palpable; his muscles were coiled tight. From what Vados had told him, the monsters on that stage were on a completely different level. He glanced at Gran, knowing his survival rested on the Saiyan's shoulders.
"The rules have been declared," the Gran Minister concluded. "If there are no further questions, candidates... please enter the arena."
One by one, the fighters stepped forward:
Universe 1: Lambert the Golden Lion
Universe 2: Rosa the Goddess of Love
Universe 3: Belloc the Slime
Universe 4: Wright the Dire Wolf
Universe 5: Harry the Mummy
Universe 6: Hit the Assassin
Universe 7: Gran the Saiyan
Universe 8: Joel the Fox
Universe 9: Bergamo the Blue Wolf
Universe 10: Primo the Muscle Master
Universe 11: Jiren the Pride Trooper
Universe 12: Blair the Golden Sea Monster
The Gran Minister scanned the line-up, his gaze lingering briefly on Wright before moving on.
"Lord Champa, Hit isn't wearing the Destroyer uniform!" Rhodes, a Saiyan from the U7 booth, pointed out. Indeed, of the twelve candidates, only Gran was wearing the official Destroyer attire. The others looked like a ragtag group of mercenaries.
"Vados!" Champa realized the oversight and barked an order. With a flick of her staff, Hit was instantly outfitted in a dark uniform similar to Gran's.
Seeing this, the other Destroyers followed suit, turning the moment into a spontaneous fashion show as every candidate was magically changed into Destroyer-style gear. It certainly made them look the part.
"Lord Beerus, I'm heading down," Gran said, leaping toward the massive arena below. Hit followed immediately.
"Good luck, Lambert!"
"Go for it, Rosa!"
The Kais and other spectators cheered for their respective champions.
"Beerus, I hope your candidate isn't too weak!" Belmod taunted.
"Hahaha! It would be hilarious if he were the first one eliminated!" Liqueur laughed, clutching his stomach. Beerus ignored them; there was no point in arguing with those who were only capable of impotent rage.
However, as the fighters descended, Beerus's expression suddenly changed. While Hit and Gran had leaped together, Hit was abruptly warped to a different part of the arena during the fall.
"What?!"
Beerus looked sharply at the Gran Minister. This arena shouldn't have had a random teleportation function. There was only one person who could have added that.
The Grand Minister caught Beerus's eye and offered a faint, knowing smile. There were two spots for universes to escape punishment, but the Gran Minister wasn't going to make it easy for Beerus to carry his brother to safety.
"This is bad!" In the Universe 7 stand, Vados's brow furrowed. "Lord Champa, it's not just the teleportation. There's a flight-nullification field active over the stage. Gran can't fly, and he won't be able to use Instant Transmission to reach Hit!"
"What?!" Champa turned pale. If Gran couldn't reach Hit, the assassin was a sitting duck.
Fuwa, the Supreme Kai of Universe 6, began to tremble, grabbing Champa's shoulder. "Lord Champa, what do we do? Without Gran's protection, Hit is doomed!"
"Shut up and let me think, you fat pig!" Champa barked, though his own voice was shaking. He looked at Beerus. "Brother... Hit only has Level 4 power. Most of the others are at the Destroyer level. What are we going to do?"
He knew from their sparring sessions that Hit's Time-Skip had weaknesses. Against fighters of this caliber, those weaknesses would be exposed in seconds.
"Damn it," Beerus muttered, clenching his fist. He cursed the situation. Champa was his flesh and blood, and he didn't want him erased, but the Gran Minister had clearly tilted the board.
"Champa... all we can do now is trust Gran. And trust your own candidate!"
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