His voice carried a hint of pride. Whis and the others could surely tell that his ascension wasn't just a simple leap into the Divine Realm; it was far more profound than that.
Beerus and Whis shared a look. This kid certainly had the right to be arrogant.
"Not bad," Whis nodded with satisfaction. "I can see you've already pushed your status to the level of a Peak God."
Basking in Whis's praise, Gran lifted his chin even higher. He turned his head and said smugly, "Lord Beerus, I think I can sense it now—my level seems to be right on par with yours."
Ever since his breakthrough to the Peak God level, he could finally perceive the sheer magnitude of Beerus's divine status.
"..."
Looking at that smug face, Beerus wondered if the kid was trying to provoke him. He instinctively clenched his fist.
"What are you doing, Lord Beerus?" Gran jumped, noticing the Destroyer's expression. He quickly reached out to hold Beerus's fist down, saying with a straight face, "Lord Beerus, we are civilized deities. We shouldn't resort to violence so easily."
Seeing that the fist was still clenched, Gran swallowed hard. "Uh... Lord Beerus, does this mean my lifespan is now as long as yours?"
"Pfft!" Whis burst out laughing.
Gran had just lost to Beerus, yet here he was, still poking the bear. He really was a glutton for punishment.
Beerus was chuckling internally, but he couldn't let his dignity as the strongest God of Destruction slip. He snorted, "Your talent is impressive, sure, but compared to me? You've still got a long way to go!"
"A long way?" Gran let go of Beerus's hand and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I've only been here on Beerus's Planet for twelve years, and I'm only eighteen now. Lord Beerus is an ancient God of Destruction who has lived for hundreds of millions of years, yet my level has already caught up to yours. If you give me a little more time, my power will—"
POW!
A sharp chop landed right on his head.
"Ow! Hey!" Gran clutched his head, looking wounded. "What was that for? Why hit me again?"
"Because you're annoying!" Beerus growled, his teeth gnashing. Being provoked like that by the brat actually made him want to start training seriously again.
"So, Lord Beerus, you still haven't told me about my lifespan," Gran said, rubbing his head as he shamelessly leaned back in.
Gran was technically an adult now. Aside from naturally born deities, he had become the youngest god in the history of the multiverse. Yet, his personality was still that of a bratty kid. Beerus couldn't help but mumble under his breath, "I liked you better when you were a little kid."
"Why's that?" Having become a god, Gran's hearing was incredibly sharp.
"Because it was much more satisfying to smack you then!"
"..."
Real hero, bullying kids, Gran thought, rolling his eyes.
Finally seeing the brat deflated, Beerus's mood instantly brightened. "Fine. Your level has indeed caught up to mine, and your lifespan is now equal to mine. Happy now?"
Even though Gran had suspected it, hearing it confirmed by Beerus sent a wave of excitement through him. He closed his eyes; he couldn't see a timer, but he could feel the terrifyingly dense lifeforce surging within him. We're talking at least a hundred million years!
"Looking at how energetic Lord Beerus is, he's clearly not dying anytime soon. That means he has at least..."
Gran was so hyped he started counting on his fingers. Just then, another chop landed on his skull.
"Ow! Stop that!"
Whis's mouth twitched as he watched the two bickering like a comedy duo. Is he addicted to provoking Beerus? Is he not afraid of a beating? Or did eight years of isolated training just break his brain?
The scene shifted.
Everyone was lounging back on their beach chairs by the lake. Gran's post-training adrenaline had finally worn off, and he didn't dare poke the Destroyer again. Staring up at the sky, he asked seriously, "Whis, Lord Beerus mentioned my power has reached the first stage of the Divine Realm. Where does that put me compared to the rest of the multiverse?"
When he became a god and his mortal ki transformed into divine ki, he could feel his strength reaching absurd levels. Beerus had called it the first stage of the Divine Realm, but Gran had no real concept of what that meant—or how far he still was from his goal of punching Beerus and kicking Zeno.
"In the entire multiverse?" Whis paused for a moment before answering calmly. "Excluding the Gods of Destruction, I'd say you're about mid-tier."
"What?!" Gran bolted upright in his chair, horrified. "I'm only mid-tier?!"
It was hard to blame him for being shocked. He knew how ridiculous his talent was. Even Vados and Champa had fought over making him a Destroyer candidate, and he had just spent eight years training in the Dimensional Tower. And that only made him mid-tier?
"How strong did you think you were?" Beerus chuckled from the side. "You're only at the first stage of the Divine Realm. There are countless warriors at that level across the multiverse. You're still a novice!"
"..."
For real? Gran's expression soured. In his past life, he hadn't seen that many top-tier powerhouses in the Dragon Ball world.
"Now Gran, while Lord Beerus is being a bit blunt, your current power really isn't much to brag about on a multiversal scale." Whis shot a glance at Beerus before continuing, "The mortal levels of Universes 1, 12, 5, and 8 are all above 7. Those four universes are teeming with masters. Our Universe 7 only has a mortal level of around 3, so we aren't even in the same league. Even with your current strength, you wouldn't stand out much there."
Gran knew what Whis was talking about. In Dragon Ball Super, those were the four exempt universes. Just their titles suggested how formidable they were, and since they didn't participate in the Tournament of Power, no one knew exactly what monsters were hiding in them.
"Of course, if we look at the other eight universes, you'd actually be quite high up!" Whis looked at Gran. "But you still wouldn't be the strongest. Because I've recently heard rumors of a mortal in Universe 11 whose power has already surpassed that of his own God of Destruction!"
"What?!" Beerus practically teleported into a sitting position. A mortal stronger than a Destroyer? Impossible!
Gran didn't flinch. He knew exactly who Whis was talking about. Jiren the Gray! The monster who took on all of Universe 7 single-handedly in the anime's Tournament of Power.
"Don't be so shocked; it's just a rumor. I can't say if it's true," Whis said, glancing toward Universe 11 before looking back. "Anyway, Gran, I'll stop teasing you. What Lord Beerus and I were discussing was strictly raw power. If we factor in your Ultra Instinct and your divine status, it's a completely different story!"
Whis's tone shifted suddenly, catching Gran off guard.
"Whis is right!" Beerus grunted, pushing aside the thought of the Universe 11 mortal. So what if someone surpassed Belmod? That guy was a total clown anyway. Not worth his concern. "We were talking about raw strength. But combined with Ultra Instinct and your divine rank, the number of people in the entire multiverse who can actually defeat you could be counted on one hand."
Beerus looked at Gran with genuine pride. This was his disciple, and he was finally seeing the results.
"Really?" Gran asked, his confidence recovering slightly. "Lord Beerus, how many stages are there in the Divine Realm?"
"Seven!" Beerus replied, lowering his voice.
The revelation hit Gran like a thunderbolt. He knew his current power was immense, and even with his talent, jumping to the next level would be a monumental task. To think there were seven stages!
"Whis, what comes after the seventh stage?"
"The Angelic tier," Whis replied casually.
"..."
Gran clenched his fists. That meant Beerus, as the strongest Destroyer, was likely at the seventh stage. By that logic, most other Destroyers were probably around the fifth, and Jiren's raw power was likely in that same ballpark.
"What's wrong? Confused as to why we think so highly of you when your raw power is so 'low'?" Beerus grinned. Teasing the kid was becoming his favorite hobby.
However!
"Lord Beerus, do you have a screw loose?" Gran stared at him deadpan. "You literally just said it was because of Ultra Instinct and my divine status!"
"Hahaha!" Whis roared with laughter. Looking at it that way, Beerus really did seem a bit dim-witted.
"Why, you...!" Beerus's knuckles cracked as he fumed.
"Anyway... Lord Beerus, please continue," Gran said, shrinking back slightly.
"Hmph!" Beerus snorted, deciding to postpone the beating. "Now that you're a god, mortals in the universe can't even sense your energy. On top of that, Ultra Instinct is something even most Gods of Destruction struggle to master. Back when I was ganged up on by the other eleven Destroyers, Ultra Instinct was a huge reason why I was the last one standing. When you put it like that, you realize just how powerful your trump card really is!"
Beerus wasn't lying. Ultra Instinct was usually the domain of Angels, and the nature of a Destroyer typically clashed with its requirements. But Beerus was an anomaly; he had trained himself to use both Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego. That was exactly how he managed to hold his own against eleven other gods. So, compared to mortals—aside from a few freak outliers—anyone facing Ultra Instinct was going to have a very bad day.
"I see," Gran nodded. He knew how terrifying the technique was. Still, he couldn't help but think of Jiren. In the anime, that guy went toe-to-toe with Goku's Mastered Ultra Instinct. The man was a freak of nature.
"Of course, your raw power and physical instincts are still a bit lacking," Beerus added. "But if you can push your strength to the second stage and your instincts to the third, I'm confident no mortal in the multiverse could touch you."
Whis sighed. "Lord Beerus, are you slow?"
"?" Beerus looked genuinely confused.
"Our Universe 7 Destroyer Candidate has unprecedented talent, and you're comparing him to mortals?" Whis smirked. The fact that Gran had ascended to godhood was already a height no mortal could ever hope to reach. Take the Saiyan ancestor, Otis, for example. He was bold enough to challenge Zeno, but what of it? In the end, he was just a mortal.
Beerus remained silent. He had no comeback because Whis was absolutely right.
"Pfft!" Gran couldn't help but snicker.
"What are you laughing at?!" Beerus snapped. He hadn't even intended to dwell on the mortals. It was all this kid's fault for comparing himself to them in the first place! Did he really not understand how broken the combination of a Divine Realm and Ultra Instinct was?
The three of them leaned back in their chairs and continued discussing Gran's status. Another half-day passed.
"Alright, you should have a good grasp of where you stand now," Beerus said. "Since you've become a true god, Whis and I will begin teaching you the true art of Destruc—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop!" Gran cut him off immediately.
"What now?"
"I just spent eight years in isolation and you want me to jump right back in? Do I look like a training addict to you?" Gran groaned. Whis had drilled the importance of rest into him years ago. Constant training would only lead to mental burnout and plateau his martial arts progress. He wasn't about to make that mistake.
"Very good," Whis nodded approvingly. "I'm glad you remembered."
Wait, so I'm the bad guy here? Beerus's eyes widened.
Ignoring him, Whis turned toward Gran. "Your next step should indeed be mastering the Laws of Destruction, but there's no rush since you just finished your seclusion." In truth, Whis was already planning to take Gran to face some worthy opponents. Pitting him against Beerus constantly would only demoralize him. But... as the saying goes, these things take time.
"Yeah, I'll make sure to balance work and play."
Just as Gran nodded, his stomach let out a loud growl.
Technically, as a god, food was no longer a necessity. But he was a Saiyan, and eating until he was full was a hard habit to break. As soon as it was mealtime, his stomach would sound the alarm.
A second later...
Growl~
Growl~
Two more rumbles thundered from Beerus and Whis's midsections. The three of them looked at each other, the air thick with awkwardness.
Finally, Beerus couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, kid, it's been eight years since we've had your cooking. Don't you think it's time to—"
He was cut off as Gran suddenly began counting on his fingers.
"What is he doing now?" Beerus glanced at Whis.
"I haven't the slightest clue," Whis replied, shaking his head.
Gran was busy doing the math. He had entered the Dimensional Tower in Age 741. Eight years had passed, which meant it was now Age 749—the very year Bulma began her quest for the Dragon Balls.
"Lord Beerus, let's go to Earth for a bite!"
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