Clutching his aching head, Gran shamelessly scurried back from his corner.
From Whis and Beerus's explanation, he finally had a clearer picture of the divine hierarchy. Reaching the "Godly" dimension didn't grant true immortality; even gods had a finite lifespan and would eventually wither away. Only by ascending to the "Angelic" dimension could one achieve eternal life.
"As for why I say cultivating your Dimension is the only 'correct' path..." Whis shot the boy a warning glare before continuing, "It's because ascending doesn't just grant you a longer life; it allows you to convert your mortal energy into Divine Power!"
Divine Power! Godly Ki! Gran's breath hitched. His current dimension was at the Peak King Kai level, essentially making him a local deity but not a "True God." Because of that, he still couldn't naturally sense or wield Godly Ki.
"By the look on your face, I'd say you've figured it out." Whis reached out again, gently patting Gran's head. "Exactly. Once your mortal strength is converted, your aura becomes Divine Ki. But that's not all."
Beerus chimed in, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "When you become a True God, your power undergoes a qualitative transformation. Think of it this way: if you have the same amount of raw energy, a mortal can only utilize 50% of its potential. A True God, however, can exert 200%."
"Of course, that's just a metaphor," Beerus added. "The leap provided by Divine Power can't be measured by simple numbers. You'll understand just how overwhelming it is once you cross that threshold."
Beerus followed Whis's lead, reaching out to pat the boy's head as well. It was a surprisingly tender scene—the two highest powers of Universe 7 standing in front of the palace, doting on a small child.
"So, how do I start?" Gran asked, unable to contain his excitement.
"First, let me ask you: do you actually know what a 'Dimension' is?" Whis asked, retracting his hand. Gran went silent, and Beerus stepped back as well.
"Is it... a matter of status? A rank of existence?" Gran offered tentatively. In the world of Dragon Ball, gods exerted a natural pressure on mortals—a weight of pure existence.
"Status?" Whis and Beerus traded a glance. "You know, that's actually a very accurate way to put it."
"Dimensional level is essentially your 'rank' in the universe," Whis explained. "For a mortal to cultivate their rank is almost impossible. Not because they can't do it, but because it takes an astronomical amount of time. Most mortals reach the end of their lives before they can even break through a single tier. That's why most gods are appointed; the title grants them the lifespan necessary to actually begin the cultivation process."
Whis and Beerus looked at the boy with lingering wonder. Gran was the anomaly—he had reached the Peak King Kai dimension entirely on his own before even being named a Candidate.
"Wait, Whis, what about my situation?" Gran finally voiced the mystery. "Did my dimension jump to this level because I became a Candidate?"
He remembered his time on Yardrat and Namek. Porunga, the Eternal Dragon, had told him he could survive in the vacuum of space because of his high dimension, but even the dragon didn't know why his rank was so high.
"No. When a mortal accepts a divine office, their lifespan changes, but their dimension still requires training," Whis said gravely. "I don't know the truth behind your case either. Your dimension was already at the Peak King Kai level before you ever set foot on this world."
Gran was stunned. If even an Angel didn't know, then what was the secret of his soul?
"Well, the multiverse is full of unexplainable things. Don't overthink it," Whis said, patting his shoulder.
"It's like anything else in training," Beerus added. "If you don't understand it now, it's simply because your current level is too low. Don't be in such a rush. One day, when you've ascended high enough and look back, you'll likely find that the truth was quite simple all along."
"I understand!" Gran nodded, though he felt a lingering sense of mystery.
"Back to the task at hand," Whis continued. "Unless you are a natural-born deity, everyone must train to ascend..."
Gran raised his hand. "Permission to speak?"
"Granted."
"Who are the natural-born deities?"
"Core People, like the Old Kai. Any more questions?"
"Nope!" Gran chirped.
"I've given you the lecture. Are you ready?" Whis didn't wait for an answer; he began leading the boy toward the palace.
"Wait, so soon? You haven't taught me the technique yet!"
Beerus's lips curled into a smirk. "For us Destroyers, training your dimension is actually very simple. You don't need to 'learn' it; you just have to survive it. You'll see."
Whis nudged Gran down the long corridors and up the winding stairs of the palace until they reached the very highest floor. There was only one door at the end of the hall.
Gran swallowed hard. "Lord Beerus, Whis... be honest with me. Is this room going to be as dangerous as that Void World you sent me to before?"
The two masters looked at each other and burst into laughter. "Not at all," Beerus said, coughing to clear his throat. "It's not an entire world in there. It's just a tower."
"A tower?"
"The Dimensional Tower," Beerus explained, still smiling. "Once you reach the 100th floor, you will become a True God. See? Simple."
"Simple? This is Godly ascension we're talking about, how could it possibly—"
Before Gran could finish, Whis swung the door open. Beerus, with practiced timing, grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck and delivered a swift kick to his backside.
"Get in there!"
"I HATE YOU BOTH!" Gran's scream echoed down the hall as the door slammed shut. Whis and Beerus stood in the hallway, looked at each other, and broke into fits of laughter once more.
Time flew, and another year passed. It was now Age 742.
By the lake, Beerus and Whis were preparing instant ramen. A timer on the table went off with a sharp ding! They immediately picked up their cups and began slurping with synchronized gusto.
"Delicious!" Beerus sighed. "Thank goodness we brought enough back from Earth. We would have starved while that brat was busy training."
"Your foresight is truly impressive, Lord Beerus."
"Hmph, obviously." Beerus finished his soup and glanced back at the palace. "The kid's cooking is great, but he's such a training addict that he barely makes us a meal anymore."
"He certainly does have a drive," Whis agreed, setting his cup down. "Tell me, Lord Beerus, how long do you think it will take him to reach the Godly tier?"
"How long?" Beerus rubbed his chin. "I remember it took me about a hundred thousand years to reach the rank of a True God."
"Stop right there," Whis sighed, rolling his eyes. "Are you counting all the time you spent napping?"
Whis knew his student all too well. Give Beerus a hundred years, and he'd spend fifty of them asleep.
"Don't kill the mood," Beerus grumbled. "Regardless, cultivating your dimension isn't like building physical strength. Even with his talent, he won't be breaking through anytime soon."
Whis didn't argue. Ascending one's dimension was notoriously difficult. In the multiverse, it took an average King Kai millions of years just to refine their own tier, let alone reach the level of a True God.
"Still..." Whis looked at the palace. "He was only one step away when he entered. Who knows when he'll shatter that ceiling?"
Beerus leaned back in his lounge chair, his eyes fixed on the tower's peak. His gaze held a mix of curiosity and genuine expectation.
Inside the Dimensional Tower.
"IT HURTS!"
Gran's scream echoed through the ancient stone structure. A year ago, when he was kicked inside, he found exactly what Beerus had promised: a massive, primordial tower. It actually had 120 floors, not 100.
Following Beerus's advice, he had started at the first floor. Because of the trauma of the "Void World" training, he had been cautious, expecting a trap. But the first fifty floors were a breeze. However, once he hit the 50th, a mysterious force began to weigh on him.
It wasn't just physical gravity. It pressed against his soul, his mind, his flesh, and his very will. This was a total refinement of his "status."
Gran finally understood why Whis said only a Destroyer could use this method. The pain was excruciating. A lesser deity—someone like Kibito—would have likely lost their mind from the sheer spiritual agony of the refinement.
Realizing the potential of the tower, Gran had actually gone back down to the first floor to restart. He didn't want to skip any steps; he wanted to refine his King Kai-level dimension to absolute perfection before moving on.
One month to reach floor 10. Two months to reach floor 20.
A year later, he was on the 90th floor. But the higher he climbed, the more the "weight" became an agony.
"God, it's too much!" Gran, now eleven years old, still looked like a young boy. At the 90th floor, the pain was no longer a physical sensation—it was an existential torture. If his resolve hadn't been forged in fire, he would have collapsed long ago.
"I will... become a god! I will... live forever!"
Every step was a battle. Gran leaned on his knees, sweat pouring off him like rain. Reaching the "Godly" tier was just a milestone; he eventually had to reach the "Angelic" tier if he wanted to be truly beyond death.
He forced himself forward, one agonizing step at a time. With every movement, the tower's mysterious power chiseled away the impurities in his soul. Deep within his spirit, the "Dimensional Seed" that had remained dormant for so long began to thrum with life.
In one day, he managed only five small steps. After a night of recovery, he did five more.
Another year passed. Then another.
By the third year, he reached the 92nd floor. By the fourth, he hit the 95th.
Finally, in his eighth year inside—on the very day he turned eighteen—Gran stepped onto the 100th floor.
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