Chapter 29 — Saiyan, Candidate God of Destruction
To be honest, the concept of a "Candidate God of Destruction" was not something Beerus liked very much. In his memory, it was extremely rare for Gods of Destruction among the Twelve Universes to personally train a successor.
However, when Beerus thought about it again, Whis's words actually made a lot of sense.
More importantly, he himself was famously lazy, and the duties of a God of Destruction were both troublesome and unbearably boring…
'If this Saiyan really becomes a Candidate God of Destruction, it would definitely lighten my workload a lot. And on top of that… I'd be able to keep enjoying his cooking without any excuse.'
Thinking that far, Beerus suddenly felt that the idea of a "Candidate God of Destruction" didn't sound so bad after all!
Even so, while those thoughts ran through his mind, Beerus's mouth still spoke with pride and authority.
"Hey, Saiyan! I could generously give you this opportunity. But becoming a God of Destruction isn't something just anyone can do. Even being a mere candidate is already an extraordinary matter."
"If you can pass my test, and within the next two and a half years come to understand Ultra Ego and grasp a portion of the power of 'Destruction,' then I will acknowledge you as my candidate and pass a part of my divine authority on to you!"
Hearing those words, there was no way Tachibana Kyūjō would be foolish enough to refuse.
"Thank you very much, Lord Beerus."
"And I also thank you for your trust, Lord Whis."
— — —
With that, even before his subordinates returned with Blue Pearl, Tachibana Kyūjō had already found a "legitimate" path toward another universe.
However, who could have guessed that a few hours later, the crew members sent to look for Blue Pearl did indeed return—but the person Kyūjō had assigned seven years ago to wait in line on Planet Zuno… could not be found.
"Sir, we found no trace of Blue Pearl on Planet Zuno. In fact, Lord Zuno himself personally received us and informed us that Blue Pearl left the planet seven years ago and returned to her hometown. She never actually lined up at all…"
"Lastly, Lord Zuno also asked us to pass on a message: Planet Zuno welcomes the arrival of the God of Destruction, the Angel, and the Candidate God of Destruction."
Hearing this, Tachibana Kyūjō immediately understood Zuno's hidden meaning.
He thought to himself carefully:
So… Zuno is implying that I will definitely succeed in becoming a Candidate God of Destruction? And if I want to go to another universe, I should take the official route?
— — —
As for Blue Pearl's departure, Tachibana Kyūjō could only let out a silent sigh.
If you wanted to leave, then just leave… but why speak so sweetly and lie to me? I almost believed you truly cared about me…
As for what came next, Kyūjō didn't say much. He also didn't order anyone to look for her. Everyone had their own choices, their own path to walk.
— — —
In the blink of an eye, the Golden Flash returned to the Planet of the God of Destruction.
And from that very day on, aside from his main job as a chef and his martial training, Tachibana Kyūjō was given one additional task—one that was nothing short of torment.
That torment came from within his own heart—a kind of moral suffering.
Every week, he had to participate in Ultra Ego comprehension sessions with Beerus. And how exactly did one "comprehend" that power?
It could only be said that Beerus's teaching method was brutally direct.
Every single week, Beerus would take Tachibana into outer space and destroy ten planets using Destructive Power!
Some of those planets had yet to give birth to life, but others had already developed advanced civilizations—some even inhabited by powerful warriors.
But all of that… meant nothing in the eyes of a God of Destruction.
For more than two years, Tachibana Kyūjō witnessed the annihilation of millions of lives with his own eyes.
The number of living beings he saw perish far exceeded the total number of lives he had ever witnessed across all his previous lifetimes!
One moment, they were still alive on their planets, laughing and filled with hope… the next moment, both their bodies and the planets they called home were completely erased by the wave of Destructive Energy released by Beerus!
Scenes of planetary destruction and the extinction of innocent lives replayed endlessly in Kyūjō's mind.
Finally, when Beerus was about to destroy the 637th living planet, Kyūjō could no longer endure it—he stepped forward to stop him!
Even though he knew he was no match for the God of Destruction, the guilt brought about by that massive loss of life… largely stemmed from his own presence as well.
Even knowing it would be futile, Tachibana Kyūjō understood that he had to do something.
However, this time, Beerus truly showed him the real meaning of a God of Destruction.
Standing upright in the void of space with both hands clasped behind his back, Beerus let out a quiet snort—and from his body, overwhelming purple energy spread in all directions!
That Destructive Energy expanded at an unbelievable speed!
In the blink of an eye, without moving even a single step, hundreds of planets tens of thousands of light-years away shattered one after another under that surging wave of power…
The explosions of those planets bloomed like fireworks of death inside Kyūjō's mind. His body couldn't move at all, as if frozen solid by the terrifying might of Beerus!
— — —
In the blink of an eye, Beerus appeared right in front of Kyūjō. His gaze was icy, his voice firm and unyielding.
"What? Do you think I'm cruel? Or perhaps you think Gods of Destruction are savage and heartless, treating life in this universe like nothing more than tiny ants?" Heh… you're not wrong. That is exactly the nature of a God of Destruction!"
Tachibana's face twisted with pain as he closed his eyes and asked in a low voice,
"There are still countless uninhabited planets that could be destroyed… so why do you have to kill so many innocent lives? Can't you spare even a little effort to distinguish between what deserves to be destroyed and what doesn't?"
Hearing this, Beerus burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha…"
"Do you really think only creatures of flesh and blood deserve to be called 'life'?"
"Then what about planets that haven't yet given birth to life? Or planets that don't yet have intelligent beings? Do they have no value simply because they aren't alive?"
"Do you know how long a planet's lifespan can be? Some can endure for billions of years! Today, that planet may be empty… but what about its future? Could it one day give birth to life?"
"If you destroy it now, isn't that the same as killing billions of lives that might be born in the future?"
"And what about planets that are currently inhabited by life? A hundred years from now? A thousand? Ten thousand? Are you certain all those beings will still exist?"
"Then… what difference is there between them and ants in my eyes?"
"In this universe, for a God of Destruction, there is nothing that cannot be destroyed! 'Destruction' is our responsibility and our destiny! Get rid of that foolish compassion of yours!"
"Ultra Ego… Ultra Ego! Do you even know what it is? It's been over two years, and you still don't understand? This universe is vast and complex. Even gods cannot be perfect. All you can do is follow the voice of your heart and act according to your own will!"
"And right now… I want to destroy those planets! Because I am the God of Destruction of Universe 7—Beerus!"
— — —
Beerus's words rang like the toll of a morning bell, awakening Tachibana Kyūjō's soul and echoing powerfully within his heart.
All this time, he had always viewed the position of a God of Destruction from a "human" perspective.
But for gods, should humans—or any intelligent beings—really be considered any different from birds, insects, flowers, or any other existence in this vast universe?
Beerus's extreme awareness of his "True Self" now, in Tachibana Kyūjō's perception, seemed to continuously transform into massive waves of purple energy, filled with the pure essence of "Destruction."
Was this the power of the Gods of Destruction—a divine force that followed the heart's will and manifested destruction as its very existence?
Tachibana Kyūjō stood there, completely still and dazed, as faint shadows of purple energy drifted across his vision…
Just as he was sinking into that state of awareness, the Angel Whis appeared beside Beerus in an instant.
With a single flick of his divine staff, Whis created an energy barrier around Tachibana Kyūjō, shielding him from all external interference.
— — —
"Whis, our time is almost up. Do you think this child can awaken Ultra Ego?" Beerus asked, folding his arms behind his back.
Whis slowly shook his head and replied calmly,
"Lord Beerus, I'm not certain. I still remember when you first became my partner—you were already able to comprehend the power of Ultra Ego back then. But every individual has a different temperament."
"Kyūjō is extremely fast at grasping the principles of Ultra Instinct inherited from the Angel race. But Ultra Ego… may still feel unfamiliar to him. Please give him a little more time, Lord Beerus…"
However, in the middle of their conversation, Tachibana Kyūjō suddenly let out a loud roar!
The muscles on his face tensed, veins bulged, and his jet-black Saiyan hair standing upright became even more sharply defined.
A faint purple aura began to wrap around his body, slowly circulating across his entire form.
The next instant—
Tachibana Kyūjō's eyebrows vanished without a sound!
In their place, overwhelming purple Destructive Energy enveloped his body, and even his hair now emitted a purplish glow.
— — —
Tachibana Kyūjō, having once again entered a new form, appeared far colder and calmer on the surface.
With his eyes closed, he soothed the raging Destructive Energy surging within his body.
A moment later—he appeared right beside Beerus!
"Lord Beerus, thank you for teaching me the meaning of following one's heart. However, you have your own will… and I also have my own."
"Even if one day I become a God of Destruction, I will maintain the balance of this universe in my own way."
Hearing this, the corner of Beerus's mouth lifted slightly. He then removed the earring hanging from his left ear and tossed it to Tachibana Kyūjō.
"Young one… impressive. Well done. Wear this…"
"From today onward, you are my successor, and also the Apprentice God of Destruction of Universe 7!"
— — —
Planet of the God of Destruction
One week later, just as three full years came to an end, Tachibana Kyūjō finally left the Planet of the God of Destruction alone.
Meanwhile, he left the Golden Flash and its entire crew behind.
This time, he was about to cross into another universe—and that ship did not possess the capability to break through the boundaries between universes.
The crew members who had followed Tachibana Kyūjō for many years might not have grown much in combat strength, but their cooking skills were now on par with Earth's top chefs.
So Kyūjō deliberately left them behind to help Beerus and Whis with meals.
Although their cooking couldn't compare to his own, it was more than sufficient to occasionally satisfy the palates of those two gods.
After leaving the planet, Tachibana Kyūjō did not immediately head to another universe. He wanted to stop by Earth first to meet Son Goku—and also greet Bulma while he was at it…
After taking a moment to track the aura of a certain very familiar, shameless martial arts enthusiast, Kyūjō used Instant Transmission and headed straight for Earth.
— — —
The three years he spent on the Planet of the God of Destruction could be considered the period of fastest growth in strength throughout his entire life in this world.
Now, as he was approaching nineteen years of age, Tachibana Kyūjō's normal combat power had soared from the hundreds of billions to one trillion—or more precisely, one thousand billion in his base state!
And when he transformed into his Saiyan God of Destruction form, his combat power had surpassed the scales of "trillions" and even "quadrillions," reaching a level that could no longer be measured by conventional units!
In general terms, Kyūjō estimated that his current strength might be slightly higher than Goku's Ultra Instinct (True Ultra Instinct) version in the Dragon Ball Super era.
However, to him, power that could only be obtained through transformation was not true power.
Therefore, he planned to further develop Super Saiyan 4 and Super Saiyan God, and integrate the power of those transformations until it could be used even in his normal state.
If he succeeded in unifying all those forms of power into his base body, then Tachibana Kyūjō was confident of one thing—
His Saiyan God of Destruction transformation would become even more terrifyingly powerful than ever before!
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