What Champa realized, Vados had naturally deduced as well: just how much more powerful would this boy become after five more years? She licked her lips, her burning gaze fixed on Gran as if she were ready to devour him whole. He was a tempting prospect indeed.
"Sister, what are you planning?" Whis asked, stepping into Vados's line of sight and looking thoroughly annoyed.
Vados's lip twitched. "Could you stop acting like my bodyguard for five minutes?"
"Given your track record? Not a chance," Whis retorted.
Vados huffed, shooting her younger brother a sharp glare. The group began walking toward the Elder Kai, moving silently so as not to disrupt the ritual. Under the massive tree, the Elder Kai had already noticed Beerus and the others returning. He nonchalantly tucked his "gravure" magazines away before they got too close.
"Greetings, Lord Beerus," the Elder Kai began. "Greetings to—"
"Save it," Beerus interrupted with a wave of his hand. "Just focus on drawing out Gran's potential."
"Not to worry, Lord Beerus. Unless someone actually invades the Sacred World of the Kais, nothing will distract me."
"Oh?" Beerus was impressed that the old man's secret technique required such intense, unflinching focus.
"Lord Beerus, what was the purpose of the Gran Minister's gathering?" the Elder Kai finally asked, voicing the question that had been gnawing at him. He had been worried the entire month they were gone, fearing some cosmic disaster had occurred.
"Nothing much. The Gran Minister just had us Destroyers beat the life out of each other for a bit."
"What?!" the Elder Kai exclaimed, his face pale. "Did you win? And what about Quitela? That rat sent assassins after our Candidate years ago—did you finally finish him off?!"
Despite looking like a frail old man, Elder Kai's words were surprisingly bloodthirsty. Champa and Vados exchanged a look that seemed to say: There isn't a single sane person in Universe 7.
"Hmph. With my strength, I was obviously the last one standing," Beerus boasted, tilting his chin up. He began recounting the details of the Destroyer Battle, adding several dramatic flourishes that left both the Elder Kai and Shin wide-eyed with awe.
"Even if you didn't kill Quitela, just hearing you thrashed him is enough for me. Well done, Lord Beerus!" the Elder Kai said with a satisfied smirk. Shin nodded, his small fists clenched in excitement. Having a God of Destruction like this as a benefactor provided a massive sense of security.
"Enough chatter," Beerus said, turning his attention to Gran. The boy was back in his Destroyer attire, his lean, streamlined muscles brimming with latent power.
"Ever since he stepped out of that Time Chamber, he's been hiding his power. You're the one working on him—you should know exactly how strong he's become."
"Don't ask me, Lord Beerus," the Elder Kai interrupted. "Gran said he wants to maintain a sense of mystery until the actual battle begins." The old Kai couldn't hide the grin on his face; it was clear he was more than satisfied with Gran's current state.
"Hiding it even from me?" Beerus pointed to himself, half-annoyed and half-amused. He knew Gran's power wouldn't disappoint. "Fine. How much longer will this take?"
The Elder Kai sat cross-legged and pondered for a moment. "It will take approximately five years."
Beerus, Whis, Champa, and Vados all looked at each other in surprise. Five years was a significant commitment.
However, considering Gran's current level of existence and raw power, a five-year ritual wasn't entirely unexpected. Moreover, the five-year mark aligned perfectly with the scheduled multiversal Destroyer Candidate Battle.
"Very well. Focus on the ritual," Beerus said, not wanting to disturb him further. He then nudged Champa toward the lake. "Listen, you fat cat, you heard the man. Gran is out of commission for five years. What's your plan? Heading back to Universe 6, or staying here?"
Champa went silent. He and Vados had primarily come to gauge Gran's strength, since their own survival in the upcoming tournament depended on him. "Vados, what do you think?"
"We've already taught Hit everything we can in the Time Chamber," Vados mused. "Even if we go back, we'd have nothing to do. We might as well stay."
Champa understood immediately. Of the twenty candidates he had recruited—two-thirds of whom were Saiyans—only Hit was actually viable. Hit was currently training on his own. Staying in Universe 7 meant one thing: better food.
"Fine!" Champa licked his lips. "We'll stay here. We'll head back in five years to pick up Hit for the battle!"
"A wise decision, Lord Champa," Vados said, her eyes still sparkling as she glanced at Gran.
"Stop looking," Whis said, blocking her view again. He was starting to worry these two would cause trouble if left to their own devices.
"You can stay, but don't cause any mess, or I'll make you regret it," Beerus warned, glaring at Champa.
Champa shrank back slightly. His future depended on Gran's performance; he wasn't about to sabotage that. "You're so naggy. I won't do anything. But I haven't had Earth food in ages—Beerus, take me to get something to eat!"
Beerus, having been away for a month himself, was also feeling a bit peckish. He had Whis transport the whole group—including little Broly and Shin—back to Earth. Once again, only Gran and the Elder Kai remained in the Sacred World of the Kais.
"Those gluttons... leaving an old man behind without even asking!" the Elder Kai grumbled. Since the ritual had started, he couldn't leave his post. He sighed and reached into his robes, pulling out another "nutritionless" magazine to pass the time.
While the Elder Kai entertained himself, Gran was facing a challenge of his own. Inside his world of meditation—a vast, silver, infinite expanse—a phantom image of Gran walked forward.
"How do I take Ultra Instinct to the level Whis has achieved?"
Gran was fully aware that he would be sitting here for five years. He couldn't leave to train his body or help raise the universe's Mortal Level. He had to remain stationary. However, after spending over three hundred years in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the thought of raw physical training made him want to gag. He decided to use this time to seek a breakthrough in his martial arts philosophy.
After a month of contemplation, he found his direction: Ultra Instinct.
According to Whis, one must achieve the state of "No-Self" and hone the body's instincts to reach Ultra Instinct - Completed. But Gran knew that even the "Completed" state wasn't the same as the permanent state the Angels maintained. Even Goku at the Tournament of Power could only hold that form for a short burst.
"What is the missing link?"
Gran's consciousness wandered through the infinite void of his mind. He didn't want to ask Whis for the answer yet; he felt he had become too dependent on his teacher. He wanted to solve this puzzle himself.
One year passed. It was now Age 755, four years away from the great battle. This year, Beerus and Champa visited only once, realized the ritual was still ongoing, and promptly went back to Earth for more delicacies.
In Age 755, Broly and Goku finally reached adulthood. One was eating and drinking with gods on Earth, while the other was training with Mr. Popo at the Lookout. The two had still never met.
Inside his meditation, Gran continued to ponder. "Is it just about training the body's instincts to a deeper level?" He thought about Beerus. Beerus's physical instincts were likely beyond the fourth stage, yet Whis still considered his Ultra Instinct imperfect. This meant that physical training alone wasn't the key to a permanent state.
"How do the Angels stay in that state constantly?"
Another year passed. It was now Age 756. On Earth, the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament took place. Bulma brought the gods to watch the matches. Champa initially scoffed at the "child's play," but Vados pointed out Goku's potential.
Goku had spent three years training with Mr. Popo, and his foundations were rock-solid. Vados predicted he was on the verge of a massive power explosion.
This reminded Champa of Whis's earlier prediction: that with a "mysterious Angel" (Popo) guarding the Lookout, Earth would become a holy land for martial arts.
Unnoticed by the gods, the Mortal Level of Universe 7 quietly climbed to 3.29, nearing the 3.3 mark.
At the tournament, Goku met Chi-Chi, and their engagement was finalized. Goku claimed the championship after a brutal fight with Piccolo Jr. The "nanny of the Son family" had officially arrived.
.......
Age 757 arrived.
Only two years remained.
On Earth, Son Gohan was born. Unfortunately, the gods had returned to the Sacred World of the Kais and missed the birth of the boy who would one day be called the strongest individual warrior.
Under the Great Tree, Gran sat motionless before the Elder Kai. Nearby stood the adult Broly. Standing over two meters tall and built like a tank, Broly looked imposing with his facial scar and Saiyan tail.
He was wearing the clothes of a God of Destruction—an outfit Beerus had forced him into years ago as a joke, telling him it was easier than finding new clothes. Though he looked the part, he lacked the actual authority of a Candidate.
"Whis, do you have any idea what he's doing in there?" Beerus asked, squinting at Gran.
"I'm not sure," Whis replied, tapping his staff. "But I get the feeling he's preparing for something massive."
"Are you lot finished?" the Elder Kai grumbled, switching hands as he held his ritual pose. "You've been on Earth for three years eating your fill, and you didn't bring me a single thing? Not even a new magazine? You have no respect for your elders."
Shin quickly produced a stack of books from a pocket dimension. "Please don't be angry, Ancestor. I brought these for you."
The Elder Kai glanced at the cover of the top book—a slim, fair-skinned woman smiled back at him. "Shin! How dare you bring me such trash! Do I look like that kind of person to you?" Despite his shouting, he snatched the books with lightning speed and tucked them away like precious treasure.
Everyone stared in dead silence. If you hid them a little slower, we might actually believe you.
Beerus and Champa eventually lie down near the tree to nap. With the deadline approaching, the tension was mounting. They had no more heart for Earthly distractions; they just wanted Gran to wake up.
Inside the world of meditation, Gran's phantom eyes suddenly snapped open.
Ultra Instinct=State of Mind+Instinctive Body
"If physical instinct isn't the key to the permanent state, then there's only one other variable!"
A flash of silver light illuminated his mental landscape. "I've been obsessing over the body, but the mind is the true bottleneck!"
When Whis first brought him to the Destroyer Realm, he taught him that the state of mind had two levels. Level one was the ability to wield Destruction and the Ultra Ego. Level two was the trigger for the completed Ultra Instinct.
But Gran realized that even the second level didn't allow for a permanent, effortless state. This meant there had to be a third level—an Angelic level of consciousness. Whis had likely only mentioned two levels to keep Gran from becoming overambitious before he was ready.
"Is this the secret of the Angels?"
Gran took a deep, spiritual breath. For the first time, he began to delve into the martial arts of the Angelic tier.
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