The pressure on Frieza's head grew heavier by the second. Just when he thought his skull was about to be crushed to dust
Beerus suddenly lifted his foot.
Returning to his throne, Beerus's expression remained unreadable.
"This is your punishment for disobeying my order. However…"
His golden eyes glinted. "Letting the remaining Saiyans live… was the right choice. Whis."
At his words, Whis gently waved his staff.
A silver glow enveloped Frieza, and in an instant, all his wounds disappeared without a trace.
"I… I'm not dead?"
Frieza gasped for breath, a mix of relief and confusion spreading across his pale face.
Why would Beerus spare him now, when just moments ago he was ready to end him?
Seeing the puzzled look on Frieza's face, Whis's lips curved slightly.
He doesn't even realize… Beerus spared him because he once spared Gran's life.
"T-thank you, Lord Beerus, for showing mercy!"
Though still bewildered, Frieza bowed deeply and hurriedly explained himself:
"Lord Beerus, I only kept a few Saiyans alive to exploit every last bit of their value before erasing them completely!"
"…"
"I-I understand my mistake, my lord! I'll destroy the rest of them right away!"
"Enough!"
Beerus's expression darkened.
This damned fool—does he even understand me?
Didn't I just say that sparing them was the right decision?!
At the sound of Beerus's angry roar, Frieza trembled uncontrollably.
"I'm warning you," Beerus's voice dropped to an icy tone, "touch a single Saiyan again… and you die."
"Y-yes, Lord Beerus!"
Frieza immediately bowed his head, not daring to breathe too loudly.
"Whis, we're leaving."
The two vanished in a flash of divine light, leaving Frieza alone in the ruined palace.
Half an hour later, when Frieza confirmed Beerus and Whis had truly departed, he finally let his fury explode.
"AAAAHHHHH!!!"
"To think he would dare treat me like that!"
Golden light burst from his body as he unleashed his full power.
The air cracked and hissed with electricity—his power level, over 120 million, ripped through the palace like a storm.
Boom!
BOOM!
The entire planet shook violently. All across the Frieza Force, soldiers dropped to their knees in terror.
What terrifying power… Lord Frieza is a monster!
Amid the debris, Frieza stood tall once more, reverting to his smaller form with two sharp horns.
"Damn it…"
He wanted to curse Beerus aloud—but the thought that the God of Destruction could hear him made his lips snap shut.
"Why now, of all times?" he muttered through gritted teeth. "He should've still been asleep!"
"Was I wrong to disobey him? Yet somehow, sparing those Saiyans was right?"
"Could it be… that one of the surviving Saiyans met him? Someone who eased his wrath?"
Frieza clenched his fists tighter, his sharp nails piercing his palms.
He thought for half an hour more, but still couldn't make sense of it.
"Someone, find out where the remaining Saiyans—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Beerus's warning echoed in his mind:
"Touch a single Saiyan again… and you die."
Frieza swallowed hard.
"Tch! Fine then! Someone rebuild my palace!"
"Y-yes, Lord Frieza!"
Dodoria hurried over with troops to clear the ruins, glancing at his furious master and muttering inwardly:
Our great king only wanted to build his galactic real estate empire… why would anyone treat him this way?
That bastard deserves to die!
Meanwhile, back in the Realm of Destruction
A flash of light descended from the heavens. Beerus and Whis returned from their long journey.
"Phew… finally back," Beerus sighed, immediately collapsing into a lounge chair beside the lake.
"These past six months have been exhausting!"
"Oh-hoho~" Whis chuckled lightly. "I've never seen Lord Beerus so hardworking before. If Gran knew what you'd done these months, he'd be touched to tears."
"Whis, do you ever stop being annoying?"
Beerus glared sideways. "And you'd better not tell that brat about this—or I swear I'll—"
Whis giggled. "But Lord Beerus can't beat me anyway, so why should I be afraid?"
"You!"
Beerus sat up, fists trembling, then fell back in defeat.
What could he do? Whis was his teacher, and far stronger than him.
Seeing Beerus's helpless expression, Whis decided to ease up. "As you wish, Lord Beerus. My lips are sealed."
"Hmph. You'd better remember that."
Just like that, Beerus's mood instantly lifted again—his temperament shifting like that of a spoiled child, leaving Whis both amused and exasperated.
And yet, somehow, this childish god is the most powerful Destroyer in existence…
After a lazy stretch, Beerus yawned.
"I've worked for half a year straight. I'm taking a nap—don't bother me…"
But just as he closed his eyes, a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait a second—why haven't I seen that brat Gran since we got back?"
He sprang to his feet, expression tightening.
"Eh? You're right," Whis said, frowning slightly. Closing his eyes, he searched the entire realm—but sensed nothing.
He opened his eyes again. "Lord Beerus, he's not here."
"Damn it! Where did that kid go?!"
Beerus's voice carried rare panic. That boy was his prized successor—he couldn't afford to lose him.
Whis, unaware of Beerus's true anxiety, calmly replied, "Please, don't panic. Let me check again."
He raised his staff, and a radiant sphere appeared above it.
Within the orb, an image formed
An eight-year-old boy, dressed in heavy training gear, was locked in fierce battle with a twenty-meter-tall saber-toothed beast.
"What the—?!"
Beerus's eyes widened. He recognized the place immediately.
"The Sumī Realm?! He's entered that world?!"
The Sumī Realm—a brutal dimension Beerus once used to master his own destructive power.
Its environment was merciless, teeming with colossal beasts.
It had taken him a full year of running for his life just to survive and harness his divine strength there.
And Gran… had only been in the Realm of Destruction for a single month before mastering his power.
"Damn it! That little idiot! Doesn't he know the world scales its danger according to your strength?"
Watching the orb, Beerus's chest heaved with anger.
"Especially with that gravity suit on—it suppresses his power! How's he supposed to survive in there?!"
"Say no more, Lord Beerus—we need to save him!"
In the next instant, Whis swung his staff.
Both vanished into streaks of divine light.