Whis didn't bother worrying about Gran's life or death anymore.
During the time he and Beerus were away from the Realm of Destruction, that brat had gone completely out of control.
The Sumi Realm also had its own gravitational pressure.
Though its intensity couldn't compare to the gravity-enhanced training suit, the combination of both forces was enough to crush an ordinary being to death!
Half an hour later, Gran lay sprawled across a beach chair, his clothes torn open around the back from Beerus' earlier strike.
"Whis, heal me, please!" Gran pleaded pitifully.
Whis, standing nearby, pretended not to hear a thing.
Gritting his teeth, Gran muttered, "I'll make you something special to eat—something I won't even let Lord Beerus taste. How about that? Heal me, please?"
"..."
Beerus' voice suddenly cut in, annoyed. "Could you at least not say that while I'm right here?!"
Gran snorted. "Nope. Serves you right for smacking my butt!"
"And you think I hit you for no reason?" Beerus' brows twitched.
"I just thought training was going too slow, so I went into the Sumi Realm to speed things up!"
Gran tried to sit up, but the pain in his body—and especially his backside—quickly made him give up. Scowling, he muttered, "Besides, it's not like anything bad happened to me, right?"
The moment he said that, the entire lakeside went eerily silent.
Beerus and Whis exchanged glances—both seeing the same astonishment reflected in the other's eyes.
It was true.
The gravity suit automatically adjusted to the user's physical limit, making it nearly impossible for anyone else to even move in it.
But this kid? Not only was he still alive and kicking, he had gone and trained inside the Sumi Realm!
And on top of that—he'd raised his power level to a billion… and even slain a saber-toothed beast with the same battle power!
What was even more outrageous—Whis hadn't even begun teaching him about "Body Instinct" training, and yet this brat had somehow achieved the First Stage of it… purely through life-and-death combat against mindless beasts!
What kind of monster does that?!
"Whis, my body and my butt hurt so bad… have some pity!" Gran whimpered again.
"Endure it for now. I have a question."
Beerus wasn't about to indulge him. "That First Stage of Body Instinct—did you form it while fighting those beasts?"
"First Stage of Body Instinct?" Gran frowned from where he lay. "When did I ever train that?"
He remembered Whis mentioning something about Body Instinct before, but Whis hadn't even begun teaching him how to cultivate it!
That clueless look on Gran's face made Beerus and Whis exchange another long, incredulous stare.
This kid really had no idea what he'd done.
Suppressing his astonishment, Whis explained calmly,
"Body Instinct means that no matter the situation, your body can react in the most natural, pure, and correct way—without needing the brain's command."
"And the quickest way to achieve that… is through battle."
When Whis finished, Beerus pressed further.
"Then tell me—when exactly did you start wearing that gravity suit into the Sumi Realm?"
Gran shrank his neck, too scared to answer for fear of another smack to the rear.
"Speak!" Beerus barked.
Gran flinched. "A month after you both left the Realm of Destruction…"
"..."
Beerus' eyes widened. So that meant this brat had been wearing the gravity suit inside the Sumi Realm for five months straight?!
That was insane.
Without supervision, he hadn't been afraid of being crushed to death by the combined gravity of the realm and the suit?!
And the craziest part—within just five months, he had achieved the First Stage of Body Instinct purely through combat?!
What kind of monster was this boy?!
Beerus and Whis were both left speechless, unable to calm their thoughts.
"Whis, what exactly does this 'First Stage' mean?" Gran had already forgotten his pain, his curiosity overpowering everything else.
Whis blinked, then said, "Body Instinct is divided into nine stages. You've reached the first."
Gran's eyes lit up. "Then what about you, Whis? What stage are you at?"
Even Beerus perked up, clearly curious as well.
"Me?" Whis chuckled, then shook his head. "I won't tell you that. But… I can tell you what level Lord Beerus is at."
Beerus' face immediately darkened. "Oh, come on! You won't reveal your own, but you'll spill mine? Whis, are you even human?!"
"Oh-ho-ho~ Lord Beerus, forgive me. I'm an angel, remember?"
Whis' playful grin made both Beerus and Gran go silent.
"Gran, as I was saying—Lord Beerus' Body Instinct is at—"
"Silence!"
Beerus clamped a hand over Whis' mouth before he could finish. He glared at Gran and quickly said, "The other Gods of Destruction are all only at the Fourth Stage, alright?!"
"What?!" Gran's eyes went wide.
There were only nine stages in total, according to Whis! He had assumed the Gods of Destruction would at least be past the Fifth Stage.
"You'll understand more in time," Beerus said curtly, shooting a warning glare at Whis. "And you—if you dare leak my power level again, I'll destroy you myself!"
Whis made a muffled sound through Beerus' hand. "Alright, alright—I won't say another word!"
Only then did Beerus let go.
After that small farce, Beerus no longer bothered punishing Gran for sneaking into the Sumi Realm.
If the brat could survive five months there while wearing the gravity suit, it meant the realm could now be left entirely to his control.
Gran was, of course, thrilled at the outcome.
Suddenly
"Ahh! My body—my poor butt! It still hurts!!" Gran yelped, realizing the pain hadn't vanished yet.
Whis looked at Beerus. The God of Destruction gave a small nod, and Whis finally said,
"Alright, enough whining. I'll heal you."
"You're the best, Whis! Unlike that skinny sack of bones Beerus—he gave me a weak spot and keeps smacking it!" Gran rambled while Whis began the healing.
And he didn't stop talking.
His mouth was like a rapid-fire cannon—every word dripping with poison.
Beerus' temple vein throbbed harder with each sentence.
He regretted it. He really shouldn't have let Whis heal the brat.
"All done."
Whis finished and promptly grabbed Gran by the scruff of his neck, tossing him onto the ground.
Gran sat up and pouted. "Whis threw me! You're mean too!"
Whis' face twitched. Ungrateful brat!
"Pffft—hahaha!!" Beerus burst into laughter.
As long as someone else was suffering, he was happy.
Rolling his eyes, Whis turned back toward Gran. "Tell me something, brat. When you fought Lord Beerus earlier… was that your full power?"