Gran originally belonged to the world of the Dragon Ball Creator God; his dimensional plane was identical to the Creator God's.
Now, in his near-death state, the original soul of his body finally crumbled, allowing Gran's soul to consume it completely.
Bang!
A faint dimensional pressure erupted from Gran's body, and his power instantly surged to 200 times its original level.
"How is this possible?" Whis's eyes widened. He wasn't surprised by the surge in power itself—to him, Gran's new strength was still laughably weak.
He was shocked because Gran's dimensional level had broken through to the Kais' plane!
In Zeno's multiverse, the planes of existence are divided into the following categories: Mortal, Guardian (Kami), Enma, Kai, Divine (including the Gods of Destruction and Supreme Kais), Angel, Grand Priest, and Zeno.
For anyone to ascend even a single-dimensional level requires immense talent and a vast amount of time.
This is especially true for the higher planes, which require even longer periods.
Reaching the Kai level, for example, should take at least a million years. And yet, today...
Whis had just witnessed a child's dimensional level leap from Mortal all the way to the plane of the Kais! He had skipped two entire major levels!
Years of training had long tempered Whis's mind to a state of unshakable calm, but in this moment, he was truly stunned.
"This is bad, he's about to die!"
Gran's life force was now like a candle flickering in the wind. Whis could no longer stand by.
He waved his staff, and a sliver of silver light entered Gran's body. His injuries healed instantly, and his vitality was restored to its peak.
As Gran's life force returned, his dimensional level skyrocketed once again, soaring directly to the peak of the Kai plane!
"What is going on? How did he ascend again?" Whis's breathing became ragged.
This little one was far too strange. Just moments ago, he was at death's door, yet on the verge of dying, he broke through to the Kai level.
Not only that, but upon being healed, his dimensional level advanced again to the peak of that plane!
The next step beyond the Kai level was the Divine plane, the realm of Supreme Kais and Gods of Destruction. Could he break through to the Divine plane as well?
Whis's mind was in turmoil as he stared intently at Gran on the ground.
He couldn't detect any miraculous power from Super Shenron, which meant the boy had achieved this entirely on his own. How did he do it?
Whis watched Gran for more than ten minutes, but the dimensional fluctuations around him finally ceased.
"Whew!" Whis let out a heavy sigh of relief. It was unbelievable that he, a mighty Angel, could be shocked to this extent.
It was a good thing Gran's progression had stopped. If a six-year-old child had reached the Divine plane, the Gods of Destruction who had trained painstakingly for tens of millions of years would become cosmic laughingstocks.
The surroundings fell deathly silent. Gran remained unconscious on the ground.
Though his dimensional level had stabilised, a "Dimensional Seed" had appeared deep within his soul.
The unconscious Gran was unaware of this, and Whis, too, was oblivious to this specific change. He stood to the side, staff in hand, lost in thought.
Another half an hour passed, and Whis's expression remained grave.
Finally, he lifted Gran from the ground and, transforming into a streak of rainbow-colored light, departed the planet.
...........
Gran remained unconscious for another three days. He suddenly opened his eyes and shot up from the ground.
"Where is this?" Gran gasped for breath, looking around. He was next to a lake.
On the other side were numerous crystal trees, and glowing, plankton-like creatures floated in the air.
"I died... so this must be Hell, right?" Gran muttered to himself.
Suddenly, a gentle voice came from a distance. "This is the world of the God of Destruction."
The God of Destruction's world? Gran paused. The environment did look just like the God of Destruction's planet from the anime.
The next second, it hit him. "I'm not dead?"
"Were you hoping to be?"
Whis walked over, staff in hand. He looked at the child before him, his mind still struggling to find its usual calm.
This little one had survived a near-death experience, his power had increased 200-fold, and his dimensional level had jumped from Mortal to the peak of the Kai plane. It was all too incredible.
"No, no, no." Gran quickly shook his head, finally getting a clear look at the person beside him. It was the elegant and gentle Whis. It was clear that, in the end, Whis had saved him.
But... why does he sound so strange?
"Mr Whis, I am truly sorry. In that situation, you were the only one I could think of," Gran said as he stood up and bowed. "Thank you so much for saving me."
"It was clever of you to think of me in such a crisis. Now, let me ask you, how did you know my name..." Whis paused mid-sentence.
This child not only knew of his existence but also knew he liked delicious food. He continued with a meaningful tone, "You seem to know quite a lot, little one."
Gran's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly came up with an explanation.
"Although the Gods of Destruction and Angels rarely travel the universe, there are many legends about you."
"As a member of the Saiyan race, I naturally know some of them!" His young voice echoed by the lake. Whis remained silent.
This part, he understood. Not long ago, he had accompanied Lord Beerus to Planet Vegeta. Therefore, it was plausible that the Saiyans were aware of their existence.
But one thing was very strange.
This child had previously spoken of punching the God of Destruction and kicking Zeno. How did he know of Lord Zeno?
"And how, then, do you know the name of the Omni-King?" Whis asked, his gaze analytical.
It was normal for legends of Gods and Angels to exist, but not just anyone knew of Zeno.
"..."
A chill ran down Gran's spine. How do I explain this?
I've got it!
Gran lowered his head and said in a small voice, "I read it in the Saiyan history books."
"One of the books said that the most powerful and greatest being in all of existence is called the Omni-King."
With Planet Vegeta destroyed, he didn't believe Whis could verify it.
"The Saiyan race? History books?"
Whis looked up at the sky, a flicker of memory in his eyes, as if he recalled something.
Gran was stunned. Seeing Whis's expression, could it be that the Saiyan race actually had such historical records?
"Very well," Whis said, not pressing further.
He changed the subject. "What about the most delicious food in the universe you promised me?"
The sudden shift in topic caught Gran off guard. Is he not asking any more questions? Or does the Saiyan race really have some significant history?
Whis gave him a strange look. "Little one, I'm talking to you. You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
Whis was indeed a well-mannered Angel. He had to remain neutral, and he was forbidden from fighting mortals in the universe. That was all true.
But...
If someone deceived him, especially about food, he would become extremely angry.
As for the consequences of his anger... while he couldn't act himself, he would have no problem personally waking the sleeping Lord Beerus!
"..."
Gran snapped back to reality, momentarily speechless.
Back then, you acted so indifferent to the 'most delicious food in the universe.' I thought I was a goner for sure. But looking at you now, you still want to eat, don't you?
Whis saw the change in Gran's expression and guessed his thoughts.
Do I really have so little integrity? If it weren't for the bizarre changes in your dimensional level, would I have paid you any mind?
Whis grumbled internally. However, he didn't bring up the issue of Gran's dimensional level.
He could tell that this little one had no idea he had already broken through to the peak Kai plane.
Clearly, the boy didn't understand the secrets of his own body. Even if he asked, he wouldn't get the answers he wanted.
It was better to bring him back to the world of the God of Destruction for closer observation.
That was the real reason Whis brought Gran back. It absolutely had nothing to do with wanting to taste the "most delicious food in the universe" that Gran had promised.
Absolutely not!
"Mr Whis, um, do you have any ingredients?" Gran asked cautiously.
"Hmm?" Whis frowned. "Don't tell me you plan to cook for me yourself?"
Gran nodded emphatically. "Yes, I'll cook it myself."
Japanese food was almost entirely sushi and sashimi. Eating such simple food was fine once in a while, but who could stand it every day?
In his past life, Gran was a wealthy heir with a passion for various cuisines. He was well-versed in the different styles of Chinese cooking.
He had even studied under famous chefs to learn techniques such as pan-frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, and roasting.
This time, he would let Whis experience the magnificent cuisine of the great nation of China!
This was Gran's way of repaying his debt. He was definitely not trying to whet Whis's appetite to teach him how to train!
Absolutely not!
"Well, now. In that case, I will provide the ingredients. Let's see what you can come up with."
Whis waved his staff, and a large, unknown species of fish fell out of a pocket dimension.
A fish?
The moment Gran saw the fish, his mind instantly formulated a plan. He would make a full fish banquet!
Whis would surely enjoy it, and when he was in a good mood, he could teach him Ultra Instinct.
If not Ultra Instinct, teaching him how to harness Destruction Energy would be fine too!
"Hehe!"
The short, little Gran giggled at the large fish on the ground.
"Hello? What are you giggling about? Aren't you going to show me this 'most delicious food in the universe' you spoke of?"
"Yes, sir."
Soon, the once-quiet and solemn world of the God of Destruction was filled with the clatter of kitchen utensils.
Seeing this, Whis suddenly felt a bit guilty.
If Lord Beerus found out he had brought a child back and filled the place with smoke and the smells of cooking, he would definitely get an earful.
Whis glanced back at the God of Destruction's palace in the distance. Lord Beerus was still sound asleep, which put him at ease.
Hehehe!!
That means when the delicious food is ready, I'll get to enjoy it all by myself!
Meanwhile, Gran had finished breaking down the large fish and began preparing the banquet. At the same time, he tried to sense his own power.
Wait a minute! In my memory, I was just an elite Saiyan with a power level of 800. But why does this power level of 800 feel so strong?
Holding a cooking utensil, Gran realised that, excluding the time he was unconscious, he had only been in this world for about half a day.
He didn't yet have a firm grasp of the concept of power. But he truly felt like he could destroy a planet right then and there.
Should I try it?
Gran glanced back at Whis, who was lounging on a beach chair by the lake with his eyes half-closed.
No time like the present!
He turned back around, aimed his hand at a distant mountain range, and began gathering his energy just as he remembered from the anime.
Voom! Voom!
Like a water pump, Gran felt energy from all over his body being drawn to his palm. It felt tingly and numb!
Wait, wrong channel. Gran only felt a slight swelling sensation as a Ki blast formed in his hand.
"Is this a Ki blast like in the anime?!?"
Gran was thrilled. As a child, he had always dreamed of creating a Ki blast. His dream had finally come true!
"Go!"
Holding a cooking utensil in his left hand, Gran thrust his right hand toward the distant mountain range. The Ki blast in his palm shot forward instantly.
A moment later!
BOOM—!
A massive explosion rocked the distant mountain!
When the smoke cleared, Gran saw that the mountain was completely undamaged. That made sense; this was the legendary world of the God of Destruction, after all.
However...
"Why does my power feel like it's way more than 800?"
Just as Gran was puzzling over this, Whis, on his beach chair by the lake, opened his eyes slightly. He had seen everything Gran just did, but hadn't stopped him.
The little one's power has increased 200-fold. This is a benefit resulting from his dimensional ascension.
Of course, a part of it is also due to his Saiyan physiology. Recovering from a near-death state unlocks their latent potential.
Whis had only realised this after seeing Gran's injuries heal. He hadn't known Saiyans possessed such a talent.
He suddenly felt it was a waste that Lord Beerus had Frieza destroy their entire race. Of course, he wouldn't have stopped Beerus.
He was just an Angel and would not interfere in the affairs of the universe.
One more thing... Whis looked at Gran's confused little face.
As I thought, the little one doesn't know the secrets of his own body. I'll continue to observe him for now.
Whis closed his eyes again.
"Strange. Is a power level of 800 really this strong?"
Gran snapped out of it and quickly checked on Whis, noticing that he hadn't paid any attention to his Ki blast.
"Phew, good."
He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got back to preparing the fish banquet for Whis.
Pan-frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, roasting... he used every trick in the book.
Although Gran was only six and small in stature, it didn't hinder his culinary skills. As time passed, an enticing aroma began to spread throughout the world of the God of Destruction.
"This smell!!"
Whis shot up from his beach chair, his nose twitching.
"It smells so good!!!"
Whis gulped. This was, without a doubt, the most fragrant aroma he had ever smelled in all his years!
If the smell alone was this good, how unbelievably delicious would it be to eat?
The little one wasn't lying. He really does have the most delicious food in the universe!
"I can't take it, the smell just keeps getting better!!"
Whis had wanted to maintain his usual composure, as if a mountain could collapse before him and he wouldn't flinch. But in this moment, he could no longer hold back.
Whoosh!
A streak of rainbow light flashed through the air, and he instantly appeared beside Gran.
In front of Gran was a makeshift cooking station, covered with all kinds of dishes.
There was steamed fish, braised fish in soy sauce, sweet-and-sour fish, and spicy-boiled fish...
Besides the main fillets, there were also dishes made from the innards, bones, and even the skin of the fish.
Every dish on the station was different, but each perfectly embodied the three essential qualities: colour, aroma, and flavour!
"Gulp!"
Whis couldn't stop swallowing. It smelled so incredibly good that he was about to lose control.
"One last dish, it's almost ready," Gran said as he prepared the remaining ingredients, arranging them into a sashimi platter.
Once the final dish was complete, Gran placed the sashimi at the very end.
This dish wasn't much different from the Japanese style, but since it was part of a full fish banquet, he included it.
As expected, the moment Gran finished speaking, Whis dug in.
The instant the food entered his mouth, an unparalleled savoury flavour exploded across his taste buds!
Whis's entire body trembled.
"The knife work is excellent, the control of the heat is perfect, and the flavour is beyond incredible..."
"Damn it, it's all from the same ingredient, so why does what you make taste so good..."
"My heavens, the person who invented these cooking methods is a genius..."
"What do I do? After eating this, I'm hooked. What was that garbage I used to eat..."
Whis was completely lost in the world of gourmet food. He sampled almost every single dish, but he didn't touch the fish sashimi.
He ate that kind of thing often, and now, he didn't even want to look at it!
Gran nodded in satisfaction. I should have a firm grip on Whis's stomach now. My chances of getting him to teach me Ultra Instinct are looking good!
Seeing how much Whis was enjoying the food, Gran couldn't resist either. With his Saiyan metabolism and having been starved for three days, he felt like he could eat an entire cow.
Gran joined the feast, and the sound of clattering plates filled the air.
Two hours later, Whis was finally full. He took out a napkin and delicately wiped the corner of his mouth, his usual elegance restored.
Gran, however, was only about sixty percent full. The fish Whis provided was too small. For a Saiyan, another two of the same size would have been just about right.
"Mr Whis, what do you think? Is my cooking worthy of the title 'the most delicious in the universe'?" Gran asked, blinking his round eyes, his tone like that of a little adult.
"..."
Whis looked down at the little squirt, suddenly at a loss for words. He had never tasted anything so delicious.
It truly deserved the title. But seeing the kid's proud expression, he felt reluctant to...
Finally, Whis nodded. "It is worthy."
"?"
Gran was taken aback. He didn't expect Whis to admit it so readily.
Whis read his expression and said, slightly annoyed, "What? Did you think I would be stubborn about it?"
Gran just scratched his head and smiled without retorting. He still wanted Whis to train him, after all.
A faint smile appeared on Whis's face. "Everything you made was something I had never tasted before, and the flavour was truly exquisite. It was worth saving your little life."
"Thank you again for saving me, Mr Whis."
Gran bowed once more. This was the person who had saved his life; no amount of respect was too much. Whis waved his hand, signalling that it was enough.
Neither spoke again, both enjoying the peaceful moment after the grand feast. The lakeside fell silent.
"Mr Whis..."
Gran felt the time was right. He didn't belong here, and if he didn't speak up soon, he might be sent away.
Seeing the boy's hesitant look, Whis seemed to guess what he wanted to say. He didn't speak, but turned his head to look at him.
Gran bowed respectfully. "Mr Whis, may I ask you to guide me in my training?"