The returnees were indeed Beerus and his companions.
As soon as Beerus touched down, he saw Gran standing beneath the great tree, flanked by the senior and junior Supreme Kais of the Sacred World.
"It looks like everyone is safe."
Beerus scanned the three of them. There wasn't a scratch on them. If there were any three people in Universe 7 he actually worried about, it was this trio.
Beerus let out a sigh of relief before his voice turned solemn. "Whis, check the rest of the universe to see if we've suffered any—"
"Lord Beerus!!!"
The Old Kai rushed forward, wailing at the top of his lungs. "Lord Beerus, that filthy rat has gone too far this time!"
"Huh?" Beerus blinked, confused. Why was the old man crying? Wait... that rat. Could it be...
"Lord Beerus, your arch-rival Quitela sent a powerhouse from the Third Stage of the Divine Realm to wreak havoc on our Universe 7!"
Now that his backup had arrived, the Old Kai threw all dignity to the wind. He began rolling around on the grass, throwing a full-blown tantrum just to ensure Beerus would take action.
Gran: "..."
Shin: "..."
Hearing this, Champa and Vados exchanged a knowing look. So, Quitela really was trying to instigate a conflict with Universe 7.
"Lord Beerus, why are you just standing there? Go to Universe 4 and get revenge on that rat! I'll head straight to the Omni-King's palace to file a formal complaint!"
The Old Kai scrambled back to his feet, wiping away non-existent tears. He huffed indignantly, "Our Universe 7 might have a low rank, but our Destroyer's rank is anything but low! We have to finish him off this time!"
He grabbed Shin's arm, intending to dash back toward Zen-Oh's palace.
"That's enough."
Beerus called the old man to a halt, pinching the bridge of his nose. He hadn't expected that the "dead rat" would truly set his sights on his universe.
"I suppose that explains why you hurried here from Earth," Beerus said, glancing at Gran.
Gran's ancient-style clothing was intact, and he showed no signs of injury. However, the slight expansion of his muscles made it clear he had just come from a significant battle.
"Well? How was it, fighting someone from the Third Stage of the Divine Realm?"
Based on Old Kai's frantic report, Beerus knew the intruder had been a formidable opponent.
"Too weak. I barely had to do anything before he died," Gran said, shrugging with a smug expression that was almost asking for a slap.
In truth, Gran hadn't found the fight satisfying at all. Aside from raw power, Oma had been completely eclipsed by Gran in every other category. Furthermore, being in his home universe meant he had to hold back to avoid accidentally destroying countless planets. That natural restraint had made the fight feel a bit dull.
Gran then stole a glance at Champa, who had followed them back. Should I try picking a fight with him? Fighting someone that strong would probably be a real rush.
"Vados, he's already reached the Divine Realm. That was fast!"
Champa recognized Gran as well. He had no idea that Gran's ego had currently inflated so much that the boy was actually contemplating challenging him.
"Stop being envious," Vados sighed. "We fought a match years ago and lost. We don't exactly have the right to be jealous of others' talents."
"I lost because I lost! Who knew you would lose too?" Champa grumbled, wiping a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth.
Clang!
A staff came down on his head. Champa clutched his skull, yelping in pain, and finally went quiet.
Seeing that Beerus showed no signs of seeking immediate revenge, the Old Kai jumped up and grabbed Beerus by the shoulders, shaking him. "Lord Beerus! Why are you so calm? Someone bullied us on our own doorstep! That's not like you at all!"
"Why are you so worked up? Lord Zen-Oh has already punished him."
"Huh?" The Old Kai's eyes went wide.
"Lord Zen-Oh discovered his sneak attack on Universe 7. His body and soul were nearly shattered by the Omni-King's power. He even dropped from the Seventh Stage of the Divine Realm down to the Sixth."
Beerus recounted the events at the palace. The more the Old Kai heard, the more satisfied he became. The rat got exactly what he deserved! Shin was also moved. It seemed Lord Zen-Oh was quite reasonable after all.
Champa and Vados looked at each other. Reasonable? More like completely unreasonable!
On the surface, the twelve universes appeared harmonious, but every God wanted their universe to rank higher than the others. As long as a Destroyer didn't personally step onto the battlefield, instances of sending agents to stir up trouble in other universes—like Quitela just did—were common. Over the eons, countless experts had died in the shadows of these ranking disputes.
Universe 7 was the only one that truly didn't care about rankings; it sat at the penultimate spot simply because it was strong enough to endure. Normally, the Omni-King and the Grand Minister never bothered with such petty squabbles. But today...
Zen-Oh had been utterly uncompromising, nearly erasing Quitela on the spot. To Vados and Champa, this made it crystal clear just how much the Omni-King and Grand Minister favored this boy, Gran.
"Hahaha! That's what he gets for trying to ruin my Universe 7!" The Old Kai's rage vanished, replaced by a grin so wide his face looked like a blooming chrysanthemum.
"That rat certainly was bold," Beerus muttered. His voice sounded calm, but to a keen ear, it was clear he was suppressing a volcanic rage. Purple sparks of Destruction energy flickered around him, and his killing intent was almost tangible. He was the strongest God of Destruction—he wasn't about to just take a loss lying down.
Did Quitela really think that just because Zen-Oh punished him, Beerus would let him off the hook?
"Gran, give me the details. What was his objective?"
"Well, as soon as he arrived, he said he wanted to challenge me..." Gran explained while pointing toward the Transport Cube in the distance.
Champa and Vados looked over. A Transport Cube was something only an Angel could possess. It was undeniable proof.
After a moment, Beerus cracked his neck, his joints popping. "It seems Quitela's target was you all along."
Anyone who dared touch his people needed to be broken. Beerus would find a chance to finish what Zen-Oh started.
"Well... since Lord Zen-Oh already knows and punished the rat, maybe we shouldn't make any more waves," the Old Kai said, trying to settle Beerus down as he sensed the Destroyer's rising temper.
"Hmph. A moment ago, you were screaming for revenge, and now you're telling me to stop!" Beerus rolled his eyes, but his aura began to settle. Revenge could wait; there were more pressing matters to discuss.
Matters regarding the content of the Destroyer Meeting.
Beerus turned his head, his expression becoming grave. "Gran, this meeting actually had a lot to do with you."
Gran's heart skipped a beat. Me? Why me?
The two Kais also tensed up. Had Gran already become a known figure among all the Gods of Destruction?
A gentle breeze blew across the plains, making the leaves of the great tree rustle. The scenery of the Land of the Kai was beautiful, but the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy.
"Did something happen?" Gran asked, frowning as he took a deep breath.
"There's no need to be so tense." Whis, unable to watch Beerus play the drama queen any longer, gave the Destroyer a pointed look before continuing. "Actually, the content of this meeting concerns all Destroyer Candidates."
"What do you mean?" Gran exhaled. Beerus had nearly given him a heart attack. He thought the entire multiverse was debating his existence.
But... concerning all candidates? As far as he knew, only Universe 7 and Universe 11 even had Destroyer Candidates!
Gran and the Kais leaned in, hanging on every word.
"In that meeting, it was said..." Whis began to explain.
Apparently, the Grand Minister had stated that the current multiverse had become too stagnant—a "pool of dead water" that Lord Zen-Oh found boring. To liven things up and ensure there was a backup plan should a Destroyer suddenly die, Zen-Oh mandated that every universe must select and train a successor.
Furthermore, in ten years' time, there will be a Destroyer Candidate Battle Royale. The three universes that rank at the bottom will face punishment from the Omni-King!
As Whis finished speaking, everyone turned their eyes toward Gran.
In reality, the multiverse wasn't stagnant at all—every universe was a roiling mess of undercurrents. They all knew this meeting wasn't about "liveliness." It was a meeting called specifically because of Gran.
Out of all twelve universes, only two were known to have candidates: Universe 11 and Universe 7. While they didn't know the status of the candidate in Universe 11, the higher-ups were intimately aware of Universe 7's candidate. Zen-Oh and the Grand Minister had been watching Gran for a long time. That was why they were so furious when he was attacked.
The purpose of this tournament was to serve as a crucible to forge Gran into a true God. Do they really value him that much? Even Beerus and the others were stunned by the realization.
Gran stood there, dazed. "So that's why all the Gods were summoned today!" He suddenly felt a surge of excitement. After the legendary battle of the Gods of Destruction, Zen-Oh was organizing a clash for the candidates.
He knew this wasn't part of the original story he remembered. But as a man with Saiyan blood flowing through his veins, the prospect of such a battle was thrilling. The craving for combat was etched into his very soul.
Seeing Gran's excitement, Whis and the others exchanged glances. It seemed the boy was quite fond of the "gift" Zen-Oh had prepared for him.
"Wait a minute!" the Old Kai interjected, looking horrified. "You're saying there's a Battle Royale in ten years?"
Beerus frowned. "I know you're old, but are you deaf too?"
"..."
"Lord Beerus, didn't you notice? There's a punishment for the bottom three!" The Old Kai was trembling. If they went by Mortal Level, Universes 6 and 7 were already in the bottom three. Clearly, Zen-Oh had taken those rankings into account when setting the penalty. It was a direct warning to their universes.
"Dammit!" Champa realized it too. He grabbed Vados by the shoulders, panicked. "I don't even have a candidate yet! Am I going to be erased?"
He suddenly turned to Gran with a look of desperation. "Vados, there isn't a rule saying two universes can't share the same candidate, right?"
Gran's talent was undeniable; the whole tournament was basically being built around him. If Champa could claim Gran as his candidate too, Universe 6 would be safe!
Everyone's eyes widened. Could you even do that?
Gran pointed at himself. Champa wanted him to represent both Universe 6 and 7? To fight for both sides in ten years?
"Lord Champa, that's not possible," Vados said, her brow furrowing.
"Why not?!" Champa howled.
"Have you still not realized the purpose of this battle?" Vados said gravely. "This battle must have exactly twelve candidates. No more, no less."
The purpose?
Champa and Beerus quickly caught on. This fight was designed to polish Gran. If there were fewer people, how could he be properly tempered? While a universe could technically have two candidates, only one could participate in the end. Zen-Oh wanted to see Gran tested; if too many candidates teamed up or if the numbers were skewed, it wouldn't serve the Omni-King's vision of a "fair" trial.
"Curse it all!" Champa groaned. That meant whatever disciple he recruited would essentially be nothing more than a stepping stone for Gran.
Gran, meanwhile, was lost. Purpose? Is there really more to this battle than meets the eye?
"Give it up, you fat pig. Just go find your own candidate," Beerus laughed. "Ten years goes by in the blink of an eye!"
"What are you gloating for?" Champa balled his fists and snorted. "You think Gran is a guaranteed winner? With your terrible reputation, he's probably going to end up being ganged up on by the other eleven candidates!"
Gran: "..."
Actually, knowing Beerus, that's almost a certainty!
Beerus's face darkened. He had only earned the title of the "Strongest God of Destruction" by being the last one standing after the other Gods ganged up on him in the past. Was Gran about to repeat his history?
"Gran, this is going to be very difficult for you," Whis said, looking at the still-excited boy. "Unlike us, where we've raised you from a young age, the other universes are almost certainly going to pick the strongest existing warriors in their realms to serve as their candidates."
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