Inside the training room.
Gran kept his eyes closed, his right hand resting steadily upon the Inscription Stele.
For some unknown reason, whenever he trained, Gran found it remarkably easy to maintain absolute spiritual clarity. In this state, his mind would empty, and his body would enter profound relaxation, akin to deep sleep.
If he were to use a term from a fantasy novel to describe it, he felt this state should be called an "Epiphany."
Hummmm!!!
As if pulled by a mysterious force, the inscriptions on the stele seemed to come alive, frantically tunnelling into Gran's mind.
Basic meditation, long-distance sensing, spatial positioning...
The core of Instant Transmission was not mere speed; it was a spatial jump that achieved near-zero travel time.
"So, it really is this simple!"
The young Gran suddenly snapped his eyes open. To successfully master Instant Transmission, Ki sensing, and one's state of mind were of the utmost importance.
Back in the Destroyer's Realm, he had already achieved absolute control over "Ki." As for his state of mind, he had cultivated it to the level of "Semi-Ultra Instinct."
"Well then, let's give it a try!"
Gran pressed his fingers to his forehead, his emotions becoming as still as a frozen lake. What he needed to do now was sense the other party's Ki, then adjust his own "Ki frequency" (not intensity) to match theirs. Finally, using his state of mind as the medium to drive the Ki frequency: two points form a line, three points form a plane, four points form a solid...
A spatial tunnel formed between the two signatures!
"Go!"
Gran's body suddenly became ethereal, as if he had merged with the fabric of space itself. In the next second—Spatial Jump!
Achieving movement in near-zero time, Gran appeared outside the entrance of the secret chamber.
(Xiao Bai: Hehe, simple, right? I bet you've all "learned" it by now, too!)
"This... How is this possible?!"
Seeing Gran appear beside him, Diff's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Beside him, Supreme Kai Shin and Kibito also gulped hard.
According to Diff, a Yardratian himself, the record for their race to master Instant Transmission was two years. How long had it been for Gran? Less than a day!!
Was the talent of this so-called "Candidate God of Destruction" truly that terrifying?
"Ki... Kibito, how long did it take you to learn Instant Transmission back then?" Shin asked, stammering from the corner.
"If I remember correctly, it took about six... six hundred years," Kibito replied, sounding utterly defeated.
"Useless!" Shin cursed subconsciously.
"?"
Kibito asked cautiously, "Then what about you, Lord Supreme Kai?"
"I didn't need to learn it. Supreme Kais are born with it."
"..."
Kibito was speechless. Am I really that useless?
Meanwhile, the Grand Elder of Yardrat received the news and used Instant Transmission to appear on the scene. He stared wide-eyed and asked, "Lord Candidate, you've learned it already?"
"I think so."
Gran checked his surroundings; he had indeed moved out of the training room. He recalled that in the anime, it took Son Goku a year to learn this, while Vegeta in the Moro Arc took about half a day. Looking at it that way, his own speed was quite acceptable.
"My heavens! Even for us Yardratians, the fastest record is two years. Your talent is too horrifying, My Lord!" The Grand Elder was visibly shaken. With such peerless talent, it was no wonder this child was chosen as a candidate for a God of Destruction!
"Talent? I suppose my talent is indeed quite strong."
Gran nodded his little head and looked at his hands. He had long suspected something was unusual about his potential. He had only been in the Dragon Ball world for a little over two years, yet his base power, mental state, and physical instincts had all reached an incredible level.
While the teachings of Whis and Beerus played a role, Goku and Vegeta had also received their guidance in the original story, yet their progress couldn't compare to his.
"Worthy of a Candidate God of Destruction!" the Grand Elder complimented again, then asked, "Since you've mastered Instant Transmission, would you like to learn our other secret arts?"
"No thanks." Gran shook his head.
The Yardratians were a miraculous race. Aside from Instant Transmission, they had developed various incredible techniques, as Vegeta learned from Forced Spirit Fission. But Gran wasn't interested. He was a Candidate God of Destruction; when the time was right, Beerus and Whis would teach him "Hakai" (Destruction).
In the face of "Destruction," any weaker substance is decomposed into particles. Compared to Hakai, the other secret arts of Yardrat paled in significance. There was no need to waste time on them.
"Grand Elder, I came here solely for Instant Transmission. Now that I've learned it, it's time for me to leave." Gran signalled his departure.
Learning Instant Transmission was the first step of his plan. With it, the tasks ahead would be much easier.
The Grand Elder and Diff bowed respectfully. "We bid you farewell, Lord Candidate!"
Gran waved his hand. He took two steps, then suddenly turned back. "You allowed me to learn here, so I owe you a favour. If Planet Yardrat ever faces trouble, you can find me."
"Ah? Thank you, Lord Candidate!" The Grand Elder was thrilled. This was a promise from a future Destroyer!
But... if they were in trouble, how would they find him?
"Just call out to Whis. I'll have him keep an ear out for your voices."
With that, Gran turned and left. Shin and Kibito followed closely behind.
"Grand Elder, we have the promise of a Candidate God of Destruction!!" Diff hugged the Grand Elder in excitement.
"You rascal, can't you be more composed?" The Grand Elder scolded, though the smile on his face was impossible to hide.
On the other side, Gran didn't rush to leave the planet because he noticed Shin and Kibito tailing him.
"Hey, Shin, why are you following me?" Gran asked, looking back.
"Naturally, to stop you from destroying more planets," Shin said grumpily.
"Destroying useless planets is my duty. It's the most effective way to raise the Mortal Level of the universe."
"I don't understand that." Shin continued, "You spared us earlier, which shows you hold no malice. Since you know so much, can you tell me more about what you know?"
"..."
Gran actually felt a bit sorry for Shin. At an age when he understood nothing, his father figure, the Grand Supreme Kai, was absorbed by Majin Buu. Old Kai had been sealed by Beerus, leaving Shin to struggle for five million years without even knowing the full scope of his duties. He had been managing Universe 7 entirely on his own.
Moreover, the trauma of Buu's invasion had left him living in fear. Yet, even in fear, he had to search for Buu's seal to prevent the universe from being plunged into chaos again.
"I can tell you a few things," Gran said, feeling sympathetic. "But I'm heading to Planet Namek next..."
At the highest centre of authority in the multiverse stood a palace shaped like the character "全" (Zen/All). The palace was pure white, minimalist, and radiated a sense of holiness.
A rainbow streak of light descended.
"Father, I have a matter to discuss with you." Whis stood before the palace and bowed.
Soon, a short figure walked out with his hands behind his back. He had silver hair, pale blue skin, purple eyes, and purple lips. His appearance was similar to Whis and the other Angels, but his divine halo floated vertically behind his head.
This was the Grand Minister, one of the top five strongest beings in the multiverse!
He walked forward with a permanent, gentle smile that seemed approachable, yet his eyes held the cold indifference of one who looked down upon all creation.
"Whis, what brings you here?" the Grand Minister asked softly, narrowing his eyes.
"Father, are you aware that the Candidate God of Destruction for our Universe 7 has taken his post?" Whis asked tentatively.
"I am."
As expected! Whis knew his father would be aware. "Then, how do you view the little fellow?"
The Grand Minister glanced at Whis and smiled. "Why are you so nervous?"
Whis was about to speak, but the Grand Minister interrupted.
"His talent is monstrous. In him, I see the potential to 'surpass.'"
Boom!
Whis's heart hammered. He hadn't expected such a high evaluation. But... surpass? Surpass whom?
"As for his origins..."
Whis grew tense again. He knew Gran's background was mysterious.
"His origins are indeed a bit mysterious, but there's no problem there. You may train him with peace of mind," the Grand Minister said meaningfully.
"Yes!" Whis breathed a heavy sigh of relief. If his father said it was fine, then Gran was definitely safe.
Seeing Whis linger, the Grand Minister asked, "Is there something else?"
"Father, I seem to remember a story you told me when I was a child. You mentioned a Saiyan who once challenged Grand Zeno. Did I remember that correctly?"
The atmosphere went silent for three seconds.
"I didn't think you'd still remember that," the Grand Minister said slowly.
"So I didn't remember it wrong!!" Whis was excited. If the Saiyans had such a history, it would explain why their race had legends recorded in ancient texts.
The Grand Minister frowned. "Whis, I've noticed your emotions have been quite volatile lately."
"..."
Whis's mouth twitched. With a brat like Gran and a loudmouth like Beerus constantly bickering in his realm, how could he stay calm? "My apologies, Father. I lost my composure."
"You really should reflect. Aside from your eldest sister (Vados), you have the highest talent. If you keep being so lackadaisical, when will you ever reach..."
The Grand Minister was usually humble and polite, but when it came to lecturing his children, he became a nagging father.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Whis rolled his eyes. "Father, just tell me the story of the Saiyan who challenged Zeno. I've forgotten most of it."
"You child..." The Grand Minister didn't mind the interruption. "Fine. In the ultra-ancient era, the first Saiyan appeared in Universe 7. His name was Otis."
Ultra-ancient era? The first Saiyan, Otis? Whis listened intently.
"Otis wasn't strong at first; he couldn't even beat a Destroyer. But as time passed, his power skyrocketed. In just ten years, he used a 'Supreme Berserk Transformation' to defeat the God of Destruction of that era!"
"Supreme Berserk Transformation?" Whis frowned. "What is that? Saiyans can transform?"
"I'm not sure if all Saiyans can, but Otis certainly did. In that state, his hair would turn grass-green, and he would lose all sanity."
Whis's eyes widened. "He defeated a Destroyer while insane?"
It was no wonder he was shocked. To be a Destroyer, one had to be a peerless genius. They possessed Divine Power, Hakai, and the Ultra Instinct-like techniques of the gods. For a mindless mortal to defeat a God of Destruction was unheard of.
"That berserk state was eerie; it allowed Otis to increase his strength without limit."
When he heard "without limit," Whis's pupils shrank. He knew exactly what that meant. While there is a dimensional gap between mortals and gods, divine power isn't invincible. If pure strength is high enough, a mortal can indeed slay a god.
"And then?"
"Otis was a combat maniac. Fifty years later, he even came to find me." The Grand Minister looked surprisingly helpless.
"What?!" Whis gasped. His father was among the top five in the multiverse! "What was the result?"
"I didn't fight the big idiot. Instead, I introduced him to Lord Zeno." The Grand Minister's mouth curled into a mischievous smirk.
"..."
Whis was speechless. No wonder Vados is so "dark-hearted" (trollish); she clearly inherited it from Father!
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