At the Capsule Corp estate in West City, a new day began.
Gran woke from his meditation and made his way toward the dining hall. It had been five days since he arrived on Earth, yet every time he stepped outside, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer scale of Bulma's home. It was staggering.
The estate featured its own gym, swimming pool, museum, aquarium, and even a full-scale amusement park. And that was just the residential area; if you included the sprawling research and development zones, it would probably take an ordinary person an entire day to walk across it.
The family of the world's richest woman truly lived in a league of their own.
"Good morning, Lord Destroyer Candidate!" a crisp, melodic voice called out from behind.
Gran turned and nodded. "Good morning, Bulma."
Bulma jogged up to him with a playful smile. "Are you heading to the dining hall, Lord Candidate?"
"I am. Why do you ask?"
"Well, since you can fly, how about a lift? It's a bit of a trek to walk there, and this place is just too big!"
"Doesn't your family have hovercars for that?"
"I don't feel like driving. Flying is much more exciting!"
Gran sighed. A second later, he was soaring through the air, carrying Bulma tucked under his arm like a little chick. They glided toward the dining hall at a moderate pace, the morning breeze fluttering past them. While Bulma found the "chick-carry" position a bit undignified, she couldn't deny that the feeling of free flight was exhilarating.
She stole a glance at the man carrying her. Initially, she had harbored doubts about these three "gods," but after five days together, she finally understood why they claimed such titles.
During their stay, Gran had requested Beerus spar with him daily. The battles were cataclysmic; during one session, the sheer pressure of their exchange had shattered a massive portion of the Northern Galaxy!
Yet, that wasn't even the most shocking part. The truly mind-blowing feat came from the elegant Mr. Whis. With a casual flick of his scepter, the destroyed galaxy was restored to its original state as if nothing had happened. It was then that Bulma realized that Whis possessed the terrifying ability to rewind time itself.
"Bulma, where are Lord Beerus and Whis?" Gran asked as they landed. "I don't see them around."
"Oh?" Bulma snapped out of her thoughts and giggled. "I offered to take them out for more food, but Lord Beerus said they wanted to hunt for some hidden gems on their own. He said it adds to the 'sense of anticipation.'"
"Really? And you're not worried about someone offending him? If Lord Beerus loses his temper, the consequences are... permanent."
Gran set her down and began walking into the dining hall.
"It should be fine, right?" Bulma followed him, though a hint of worry crossed her face. "Lord Beerus promised me he wouldn't blow up the Earth, no matter how mad he gets."
Almost on cue... BOOM!
A massive explosion echoed from the other side of West City.
"Well," Gran remarked with a dry chuckle, "at least he didn't blow up the entire planet."
He sat down and signaled the servants to bring out four servings of breakfast.
Bulma tilted her head as she sat. "Wait, it's just the two of us. Why did you order four?"
"I'm covering for Lord Beerus and Whis."
Before Bulma could ask for clarification, a series of indignant shouts drifted in from outside.
"That miserable mortal! How dare he lie to me! The food was atrocious, and then he dared to try to cheat me out of the money you gave me, Bulma!"
"Now, now, Lord Beerus, please lower your voice."
"Lower my voice?! If this planet didn't have so many other delicious things, I would have Hakai-ed him out of existence long ago!"
Beerus stormed into the dining hall, fuming, with Whis trailing serenely behind. Gran and Whis exchanged a knowing look and shared a subtle smile. At times, Beerus really did behave like a temperamental child.
"Calm down, Lord Beerus," Gran said, gesturing toward a bowl on the table. "I had them prepare a special breakfast for you."
It was a bowl of artisanal seafood ramen. The hand-pulled noodles were submerged in a rich broth and topped with a mountain of fresh shrimp, clams, and baby octopus, garnished with vibrant greens. It looked incredibly appetizing.
"Ramen again?" Beerus muttered, looking like he was about to lose interest.
Whis, however, sat down and took a sip of the broth. His eyes widened in delight. "Lord Beerus, this is different. The aroma is exquisite!"
"Is it really?" Beerus looked skeptical but took a tentative sip. His eyes instantly lit up. "You're right! This is the real deal!"
He began inhaling the noodles with such speed that his previous rage vanished in seconds. Gran shot Bulma a wink, silently saying: See? I handled him. Your planet is safe for now.
Bulma rolled her eyes. These Gods of Destruction were surprisingly easy to read.
A few minutes later, Beerus set down his chopsticks and leaned back. "So, Gran. What's the plan today? Do you want me to spar with you again?"
Since Gran had only recently reached the Divine Tier, he wasn't in a rush to push into the next phase of training, but daily sparring helped him acclimate to his new power.
"No," Gran shook his head.
Beerus and Whis both looked at him, curious.
"Lord Beerus, talk to me about 'Destruction.' What does it truly mean?"
"You want to learn the Rules of Destruction already?" Beerus's eyes widened. It wasn't that he didn't want to teach him—after all, a Destroyer Candidate isn't official until they can use the Hakai—but he felt Gran had only just broken through and shouldn't rush.
"Not necessarily master it yet. I want to understand it," Gran explained.
"Fair enough." Beerus glanced at Whis.
Whis set down his napkin and wiped his mouth elegantly. "To learn Destruction, one must first achieve a specific state of mind. You cannot be driven by anger, anxiety, or even a desire for revenge. You must be void of all stray thoughts—total focus."
"I don't follow," Gran admitted. Bulma looked even more confused.
Beerus huffed at Whis. "Why do you have to make it so complicated?" He turned to Gran. "First, your heart has to reach the 'Selfless' state. You've already surpassed that requirement. Second, Destruction isn't just crushing something with energy. It is the act of turning 'One' into 'Zero.' Removing something from existence entirely."
Before Beerus could finish, Whis's scepter suddenly erupted with a blinding, rhythmic light.
Whis bolted upright, his expression shifting instantly. Beerus did the same, his face turning pale. He had seen this light before—the last time it happened, Grand Zen-Oh had summoned all the Destroyers for a "game" of hide-and-seek that nearly ended in disaster.
"Lord Beerus? What is it?" Gran asked, sensing the shift in atmosphere. Beerus was actually breaking into a cold sweat. This was the most powerful being in the universe—who could terrify him this much?
Wait, Gran thought. The Eraser. In the fandom, everyone knew Beerus's one true fear: Grand Zen-Oh.
"Whis... check it. What's going on?" Beerus stammered, trying to maintain his composure.
Whis's face turned grave as he read the message within his staff. "Lord Beerus, Grand Zen-Oh is convening a Meeting of the Gods of Destruction."
"A meeting?!" Beerus's tail stood on end. "It's not another game of hide-and-seek, is it?"
Gran narrowed his eyes. This wasn't part of the original timeline he remembered. Something had changed.
"Lord Beerus," Whis teased, trying to lighten the mood, "if it is a game, please try not to fall asleep and hide for decades this time. We want to keep our universe intact."
"Shut up, Whis! Why do you always bring that up?" Beerus snapped, though his fear was still palpable. He took a deep breath. "Fine. If the King of All calls, we answer. When is the meeting?"
"Right now."
"What?! Usually, we get some time to prepare! Why the rush?"
"That," Whis mused, "is something only the Grand Zen-Oh knows."
Beerus stood tall, looking like a man resigned to his fate. "Well... let's go then."
Gran watched him, feeling a bit of pity. He wasn't worried about Beerus's safety—the cat had a knack for survival—but he was intensely curious about why the meeting was called.
"Good luck, Lord Beerus. Try not to annoy him," Gran quipped.
"You brat! You want a fight?!" Beerus hissed, but he was too stressed to follow through.
Whis looked at Gran with a mischievous glint. "You know, Gran is technically a Destroyer Candidate now. He has the right to attend. Should we bring him along?"
"No!" Gran shouted, waving his hands. He knew Beerus had made plenty of enemies over the eons. Showing up now would be like walking into a viper's nest without being strong enough to bite back.
"Actually, Whis is right," Beerus said, though he quickly changed his mind. "Wait, no. My rivals would target him out of spite for me. Let's keep him under wraps for a while longer."
"Ohoho, very well," Whis chuckled. He tapped his scepter, and in a flash of light, the two vanished.
Gran sat back down and signaled the servant. "I'll take twenty more bowls of seafood ramen, please." He still had an appetite to look after.
"Twenty?!" Bulma gasped. Her worldview was being shattered daily. "Who was that 'Grand Zen-Oh' they mentioned?"
"Let's just say he's the one who decides if our universe exists or not," Gran replied between slurps. "He's the King of everything."
In the Realm of the God of Destruction for Universe 4...
A rat-like figure stepped out from his palace, a dense aura of Destruction swirling around him. He had just finished an intense training session.
"Is the session over, Lord Quitela?" his Angel, Cognac, asked, offering a towel and a refreshment.
"Yes," Quitela grunted, wiping sweat from his brow. "My 'Ultra Ego' is getting sharper, but it's still not perfect." He let out a frustrated growl. "How does that skinny cat Beerus do it? He naps all day, yet he mastered his power and even flirted with Ultra Instinct! It makes my skin crawl!"
He let out a burst of energy that cracked the ground. Cognac quickly restored the tiles with his staff.
"Lord Beerus is indeed gifted—"
"Enough!" Quitela snapped. Then, his expression turned sly. "By the way, I heard a rumor that Universe 7 has a new Destroyer Candidate. Is that true?"
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