Beerus sat in a chair in the cafeteria, waiting for his meal. After a moment, he remembered that Tundra had something to ask.
He sighed. "Tundra, what was it you wanted to ask?"
Tundra smiled faintly, not expecting Beerus to bring it up himself.
"Oh, it's simple. I wanted to know why you destroyed the robot."
"It was a machine," Beerus replied bluntly. "It would've done more harm than good if left… running." He paused briefly, having almost said living, before correcting himself.
Tundra thought for a moment. Perhaps it was naive, but he didn't believe the machine had been lying.
"…What if it was sincere?"
Beerus huffed. "Are you serious? You were going to give an entire, healthy planet to that thing—for a few technological improvements?"
Tundra sighed. "That's… fair. I simply wanted to give it a chance."
Beerus snarled lightly. "It destroyed its own planet. You don't give chances to things like that."
Tundra nodded. It was clear enough—Beerus hated machines. Whether it was because they imitated life or emotions they didn't truly feel, he couldn't say.
"Alright. I see your point. The food should be ready soon."
Beerus' attention immediately shifted as trays began emerging from the kitchen. He licked his lips.
"Finally. She better be as good as advertised."
Tundra nodded. "Oh, she is. I couldn't praise her enough."
Beerus smirked as the trays were placed before him.
"I'll take your word for it."
__
Beerus gazed at the spread before him, his mouth already watering.
Dozens of dishes—each one unfamiliar, yet all carrying rich, enticing aromas.
He reached for the closest plate: several cuts of dark meat glazed in a deep violet sauce.
Picking up a fork, he took a bite.
His eyes closed as the meat nearly melted on his tongue, the sauce enhancing the flavor even further.
He hummed in satisfaction.
"What sauce is this?"
One of the assistant chefs stepped forward. "It's a vegetable-based sauce made from Kupuri root, blended with high-protein milk and Aro."
Beerus paused mid-chew. He had no idea what any of those were.
The assistant noticed his confusion and continued.
"Kupuri is a toxic plant, but its roots have an exceptional flavor. It's difficult to harvest due to how easily it becomes contaminated. Aro, on the other hand, is a sweet, honey-like vegetable. It balances the overwhelming flavor of the milk while adding complexity and thickness."
Beerus listened—briefly. After the explanation of the first ingredient, he had already lost interest and taken another bite.
"Right, right. Whis, try this."
Whis nodded, taking a fork and sampling the dish himself. After a moment, he smiled pleasantly.
"Oh, this is quite good."
Beerus nodded and pushed the plate slightly toward him, already reaching for another.
__
Half an hour passed as Beerus and Whis worked their way through the dishes.
Whis offered polite praise throughout, while Beerus focused entirely on eating.
By the end, both were thoroughly full.
Beerus leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh, idly picking his teeth with a claw before glancing at Tundra—something almost like envy in his eyes.
"You should have that girl trained. It would be a shame if she died over something insignificant."
Tundra nodded. "I'll contact someone later."
Beerus stood thinking to himself for a minute before speaking
"Actually… she should train with Whis. That would guarantee results far faster than any mortal teacher."
In truth, he simply wanted the chef under his own reach—training was just a convenient excuse.
Tundra considered it. "I'm not in a hurry, but if she agrees, I won't stop her."
Beerus felt a flicker of satisfaction. He didn't need permission—but having it made things easier.
"Good. Bring her here."
Tundra gestured to one of the assistant chefs. "You—go get Kukki."
The assistant gave a quick salute and rushed off.
__
Several minutes later, Kukki arrived alongside the assistant.
"Hello? Tich said you wanted me?" she asked, gesturing slightly toward them.
Beerus nodded. "Yes. Tell me—how would you feel about becoming stronger?"
Kukki paused, thinking.
"You mean… stronger than I am now? I don't think that's necessary. I'm a chef, not a fighter."
Beerus nodded to himself. "And if something like earlier happens again? What if you hit your head and lose your ability to cook?"
He gestured toward Whis.
"Whis is an expert. It wouldn't take long."
Kukki hesitated, thinking it over. She eventually sat down in a nearby chair.
"I… don't know. If Tundra trusts you, then I can trust you too—but it's still hard to agree to something like this. I hope you understand."
Beerus sighed.
He tapped one of the empty plates, reducing it to dust in an instant—then looked at Whis.
"Restore it."
With a simple flick of his staff, Whis returned the plate to its original state.
Beerus turned back to Kukki.
"Is that enough to prove we're worth trusting?"
Kukki stared at the plate, stunned. She had never seen anything like it.
"…Wow. Um… if it's alright with Tundra, then yes—I could train under… Whis."
Beerus smiled.
"Good. And yes, Tundra has already agreed. Now, let's go."
He moved quickly, eager to leave before anything could change.
Kukki briefly thought of her belongings back in her quarters—but realized they would likely be handled without her.
"…Okay. Let's go."
She stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do next.
Beerus simply began walking toward the exit of the spacecraft, while Whis created a protective bubble around her.
Kukki glanced back at Tundra one last time—
Then followed them out.