A ray of brilliant light descended upon the verdant grass as three figures materialized suddenly in the otherwise empty Realm of the Gods of Destruction.
Upon arriving safely in his domain, Beerus released a relieved breath and immediately reassumed his characteristic God of Destruction demeanor.
He clasped both hands behind his back, eyes becoming deep and contemplative, face adopting a coldly aloof expression. Before he could speak, however, his body trembled almost imperceptibly—betraying underlying emotions.
"Lord Beerus, I returned specifically to bring you a special gift," Raditz announced diplomatically. "This is an exclusive delicacy from the Sixth Universe. It's extraordinarily delicious."
Raditz had already deduced why Beerus felt irritated—the God of Destruction was clearly upset that Raditz hadn't brought him food immediately upon returning from the Sixth Universe, prompting his awkward visit to Earth. Encountering Tights there had only soured his mood further.
Despite being proclaimed a fearsome God of Destruction, Beerus sometimes displayed more childish petulance than actual children.
Sure enough, seeing that Raditz had indeed brought a gift, Beerus's tense expression immediately relaxed. His eyes shifted curiously, focusing intently on Raditz with anticipation, eager to examine this "extraordinarily delicious delicacy."
Raditz produced the singular culinary treasure he'd discovered in the Sixth Universe that met his exacting standards. With proper seasoning applied, it possessed genuinely unique flavor profiles. Beerus accepted it happily and began eating, his mood transforming instantaneously.
"Haha, Lord Raditz truly understands proper protocol," Whis commented cheerfully while savoring the breakfast Zangya had prepared, offering continuous praise.
"By the way, Master Whis—I heard that Kakarot and Vegeta frequently visit here for training?"
"Indeed. They visited last month, and their strength has improved remarkably rapidly. However, their training duration remains relatively brief. Reaching higher dimensional levels still requires considerable time investment," Whis explained.
Raditz considered momentarily, then explained Super Saiyan 4 to Whis in detail. Originally, he'd intended to find an appropriate opportunity to request guidance, but being immediately entangled by Tights upon returning to Earth had delayed his plans.
"Super Saiyan 4... My sister Vados didn't mention this development, but after hearing your description, I believe I understand the fundamentals," Whis mused thoughtfully, holding his staff. "Super Saiyan 4 and Super Saiyan God exist on equivalent power tiers, though their evolutionary directions differ somewhat. One emphasizes ultimate physical body enhancement, while the other focuses on refining divine power. Individually, both prove tremendously powerful. If the two could somehow be combined... that would be even more extraordinary."
That aligned precisely with Raditz's own thinking. Walking two separate cultivation paths simultaneously created inherent inconvenience—the same principle applied to martial development. If both power systems could be properly superimposed and integrated, the resulting effect wouldn't be as simple as one plus one equaling two.
"Please, Master Whis—I humbly request your guidance."
"For the sake of the Supreme Kai, I'm obligated to assist regardless. However, don't celebrate prematurely—cultivating to higher dimensional levels isn't remotely easy."
"I understand completely." Raditz nodded with solemn determination.
Which meaningful training was ever simple? All his previous cultivation experiences had proven extraordinarily difficult, let alone training directly under Whis's instruction. But to acquire genuinely greater strength, one could only experience unparalleled tempering and refinement. Raditz had never feared such challenges.
"Put this on first!" Whis's staff flashed brilliantly. Heavy training garments suddenly materialized on Raditz's body, making him appear considerably bloated while his movements slowed dramatically. Though the clothing seemed inconspicuous, this weight exceeded the maximum capacity settings of his gravity chamber substantially.
Raditz froze momentarily in surprise. "We're starting immediately?"
"Train independently today. I'll provide direct guidance beginning tomorrow," Whis replied, walking toward Beerus to negotiate for some of that Sixth Universe delicacy.
The two conversed in hushed tones until Beerus suddenly shouted indignantly while Whis laughed softly in response. Raditz adjusted the heavy training clothes, his heart burning with passionate determination. Now that he'd arrived here, he would train with absolute dedication. Higher realms awaited ahead, demanding his breakthrough.
Earth - Three Days Later
On Earth, three days passed in what felt like mere moments. Zangya and Android 18 sparred intensely within the gravity chamber, exchanging rapid attacks and defenses, both clearly enjoying the challenge.
"Raditz mentioned he'd return after training several days in the Realm of Destruction. He's probably researching entirely new power applications again," Zangya commented breathlessly during her assault, refusing to yield ground against Android 18's fierce ki bombardment.
Android 18 fought with equal intensity, her eyes sharp and focused, calmly adapting to Zangya's alternating offensive and defensive patterns. Through extended combat training, Android 18's strength had also improved substantially. However, her internal energy furnace imposed limitations on growth rate, and she'd never received opportunity enhancements comparable to Android 17's absorption of multiple cyborgs. Her current strength remained approximately equivalent to full-power Super Saiyan level.
Among today's elite warriors, Android 18 no longer stood at the forefront. Though maintaining her characteristically proud exterior, she secretly harbored competitive determination—feelings she'd only confided to Zangya without revealing them to others.
"His divine power exceeds anything we can meaningfully speculate about. Every improvement he achieves surprises everyone," Android 18 observed, crossing her arms as her golden hair fluttered dramatically in the chamber's turbulent air currents.
"Yeah... the gap between us and him grows increasingly vast."
"Zangya, you're performing excellently. Push harder—I can handle more intense pressure!" Android 18 shouted encouragingly.
As an eternal artificial human, she experienced neither fatigue nor exhaustion, capable of continuous combat indefinitely. The method she'd conceived for improving strength involved relentless training—exchanging time investment for gradual growth.
"Alright! Here I come again!"
Their passionate voices echoed throughout the gravity chamber, filled with determination and competitive fire.
The Mountains
In distant mountain ranges, Gohan trained alongside Piccolo while Videl observed with fascinated interest. Gohan and Videl had begun dating officially following the World Martial Arts Tournament. Upon learning this, Mr. Satan not only hadn't objected but supported the relationship enthusiastically—forming familial connections with Goku's legendary household represented tremendous fortune!
"Uncle Piccolo, do your best! Gohan, you too!" Videl called out, having adopted Gohan's affectionate term for the Namekian. She encouraged both combatants equally, her face radiating genuine happiness.
Observing master-level battles provided valuable learning opportunities. Though Videl found herself occasionally overwhelmed watching their rapid exchanges, she consciously focused on sensing their energy signatures and gained incremental understanding.
Piccolo had achieved perfection through complete fusion, enhanced further by inheriting Slug's aggressive combat instincts. After extensive dedicated effort, he'd reached strength equivalent to early Super Saiyan 3 level—not even mentioning his Mystic state accessible during critical moments. Even when deliberately suppressing combat power output, his fundamental strength couldn't be completely concealed. The slightest collision generated violent atmospheric storms.
Even farther from their location, Vegeta trained relentlessly within his personal gravity chamber. His body glistened with countless sweat droplets as he panted continuously from exertion.
"Huff... huff... next time I visit the Realm of Destruction, I will break through to higher levels!" Vegeta threw rapid punches into empty air. "Beyond Super Saiyan God, there absolutely exists even stronger realms! I'll enter that tier before both Kakarot and Raditz!"
He gasped for oxygen desperately, yet his body never ceased moving—continuing rigorous training without pause. During his month-long visit to the Realm of Destruction, though the duration had been relatively brief, he'd benefited tremendously. He could now barely absorb and utilize the red-haired God realm for practical application, exerting substantially greater strength.
"Vegeta! Master Whis has transmitted a message," Bulma's voice announced through the intercom system. "He says Raditz has gone there for intensive training and is inquiring about you and Goku's schedules."
Vegeta's entire body tensed suddenly. Raditz had already gone to the Realm of Destruction for solo training?!
He grinned fiercely, clenching both fists with renewed determination. He needed to prepare as well—immediately.