What exactly constituted the perfect state of Ultra Instinct?
Raditz had pondered this question extensively—even after fully comprehending and mastering the technique, he continued wrestling with its deeper implications.
Eventually, he'd reached a crucial conclusion: what he'd achieved was completeness, not perfection. There was a fundamental difference.
His "complete" Ultra Instinct addressed the significant flaw in Goku's incomplete version—the ability to attack and defend simultaneously, rather than only dodge. That made his mastery superior to Goku's defensive-only state. But it still wasn't truly perfect...
The genuinely perfect state meant absorbing this divine realm into one's fundamental existence—wielding supreme strength in base form without transformation, exactly like Whis and the other Angels.
For too long, Saiyans had relied excessively on transformation. From the original Super Saiyan through each successive stage, every power increase required physical metamorphosis. Sometimes that necessity created dangerous vulnerabilities, placing severe strain on the body.
If you lacked time to transform, a sufficiently powerful opponent could kill you instantly while you remained in base form.
Even after entering the realm of gods, increasing strength still demanded transformation. This could be considered a racial characteristic of Saiyans, certainly—but wouldn't maintaining an extremely high baseline level like Beerus and other Gods of Destruction be superior? Achieving godhood as your normal state—that was genuine freedom.
Raditz had contemplated this principle extensively and attempted to integrate it with his own being, absorbing the overflowing divine energy through conscious understanding and internal cultivation.
Just moments ago, he'd succeeded.
The endless energy felt as vast as an entire galaxy, yet Raditz's divine realm could accommodate this liberated power. The silvery brilliance had faded from his body's surface, but the coloration of his hair and pupils still gleamed with that telltale Ultra Instinct sheen.
"GOKU! WATCH CAREFULLY!" Raditz suddenly shouted toward the spectator stands.
He wanted Goku to comprehend something crucial—to carry this insight into his own battles ahead! Although Goku's physical body hadn't yet reached true divine status and couldn't sustain Perfect Ultra Instinct indefinitely, with sufficient time to adapt during explosive combat, it would be enough.
Goku received Raditz's meaning immediately, staring at the arena with absolute focus and concentration. His analytical mind engaged fully.
On the battlefield, Liquiir and Heles continued their assault—now joined by Mosco. The supposedly indestructible arena floor developed massive craters, network-patterns of cracks spreading outward from impact points.
The air roared with displaced energy. Smoke and dust billowed in massive clouds. Tremendous explosions and fierce battle cries echoed from every direction.
When aloof Gods of Destruction fought with complete commitment, they raged with the same intensity as desperate mortals.
Facing three opponents simultaneously, Raditz parried their frenzied attacks while continuing to refine his understanding of this mysterious perfected state. Every movement he made struck an opponent. Every attack launched at him was dodged with minimal effort.
"Damn it, Heles, you nearly hit ME!" Liquiir roared as a flash of her energy grazed his shoulder.
Heles bristled defensively. "YOU were the one who almost scratched my face with that tail attack!"
The two Gods of Destruction turned on each other, bickering—and Raditz capitalized instantly, punching Liquiir to the ground with devastating force. Mosco of Universe Three attempted to mediate, his mechanical voice producing sounds, but nobody could understand his language. The attempt proved futile.
"Stop arguing, both of you!" Mosco's modulated voice carried urgency despite the comprehension barrier. "We need to eliminate him first!"
"No chance." Raditz's cold voice came from directly behind Liquiir.
Instant Transmission—another technique Raditz had mastered to perfection. Against Gods of Destruction with complete awareness, this move was normally ineffective. But Liquiir, distracted by his argument with Heles, had let his guard slip for a crucial fraction of a second.
While executing the teleportation, Raditz had already condensed a miniature Supernova—and now he unleashed it point-blank against Liquiir's back. The shining light gathered like concentrated starlight, gorgeous and utterly devastating.
Liquiir had no opportunity to resist. The explosion launched him clean off the platform.
Sweat dripped from Heles's forehead, her expression becoming profoundly serious. She and several other Gods of Destruction together couldn't overcome Raditz. Now with Liquiir eliminated as well, her chances of victory had become virtually nonexistent.
She finally understood how terrifying Raditz truly was. But there was no retreat available!
Raditz took a decisive step toward her, crouching slightly—then exploded forward and upward, swinging his fist with tremendous power. Destructive force rippled along his trajectory, space itself growing restless. The suppressed pressure blocked Heles's throat, preventing her from screaming even as terror filled her mind.
BOOM!
A solid punch buried itself in her abdomen—another devastating blow to the same vulnerable point Raditz had struck earlier. Heles's entire body flew off the arena, tumbling into the void beyond.
Instantly, two new figures appeared on their respective universes' spectator platforms. Heles of Universe Two and Liquiir of Universe Eight locked eyes with each other, disbelief written across both faces.
"How is this possible?" one of the remaining Gods of Destruction muttered, staring at Raditz with genuine shock. "He eliminated three in such a short time..."
In mere minutes, Raditz had knocked down three Gods of Destruction—a feat that highlighted an absolute gap in capabilities between him and his supposed peers.
Meanwhile, Beerus and Quitela continued their endless grudge match, both erupting with maximum strength. Both bore multiple injuries, gasping for breath like exhausted beasts.
"Hahahaha! Quitela!" Beerus laughed despite his fatigue. "How does it feel? Raditz has already eliminated three opponents! The final victor will definitely be Universe Seven!"
"Don't celebrate prematurely!" Quitela snarled. "You'll be defeated by ME!"
He punctuated his declaration with a punch to Beerus's face. Beerus immediately retaliated, his leg sweeping across Quitela's chest. Both combatants withdrew to create distance, gasping desperately.
After a brief pause to recover minimal stamina, they charged at each other again.
Raditz continued engaging Mosco, deliberately maintaining the combat to allow Goku maximum observation time and opportunity for deep comprehension. Honestly, Ultra Instinct was ultimately a skill requiring personal exploration—simply watching someone else perform it provided limited direct benefit.
But in this moment, Raditz was refining his own understanding through combat against a God of Destruction. What manifested in the battle represented Raditz's growth trajectory made visible. Perhaps by observing this evolution, Goku could extract meaningful insights.
Goku's eyes tracked Raditz's form—sometimes blurred by speed, sometimes crystal clear in moments of contact. That silver hair kept flowing with movement, the fierce power behind each strike knocking Mosco backward repeatedly.
"I still can't fully grasp my brother's realm," Goku admitted after extended observation, shaking his head with frustration. "If I want to reach his level, I'll need to develop it through my own battles."
"Quite right, Mr. Goku," Whis said with his characteristic smile. "You'll have your opportunity to enter the arena very soon."
"Hmph. Several Gods of Destruction still remain standing," Vegeta noted, his eyes never leaving the combat. Like Goku, he refused to miss a single detail.
"Not for much longer," Whis predicted calmly. "Raditz will eliminate them shortly. After all, everyone is exhausted—but Raditz remains completely composed."
Vegeta blinked, reassessing. He'd been watching the battle's intensity but had overlooked the combatants' states. Beerus and Quitela were fighting to mutual exhaustion, clearly depleted. The other Gods of Destruction showed visible fatigue as well. Only Raditz maintained full vigor, seemingly possessing unlimited reserves.
Piccolo and the other Universe Seven fighters experienced similar realizations, their horror deepening.
Yes, Raditz had entered the battle later than the others—but that couldn't fully account for his dominance against multiple opponents simultaneously. The fundamental truth was undeniable: Raditz had surpassed the God of Destruction level by half a tier!
Whis's smile deepened, and he murmured quietly to himself, "He may be approaching my level... how truly fascinating."
The Grand Priest, observing from his elevated position beside Zeno, also registered this development with keen interest. His eyes tracked Raditz's movements with the same analytical precision he applied to monitoring all twelve universes.
A Kai, reaching toward Angel-tier capabilities. Unprecedented. Remarkable.
And potentially very important for the multiverse's future.
On the arena, Raditz stood amidst the chaos, hair gleaming silver-white, movements flowing like water, power radiating naturally from his base form rather than through transformation.
This was what perfection looked like.