Time passed quickly. Gran soon finished preparing a feast—not stinky tofu this time, since that dish couldn't be made on short notice anyway.
Instead, he roasted an entire lamb.
Under the aroma of such divine food, even the so-called God of Destruction and his attendant angel lost all sense of dignity, devouring with oil glistening on their mouths.
Gran hugged the roasted lamb and tore into it eagerly. After half a year of intense training, both his body and mind were exhausted—he deserved a good meal.
Two hours later, the three of them finally leaned back on their beach chairs, fully satisfied.
The sky over the Realm of Destruction had darkened into a soft twilight. Purple starlight shimmered across the heavens, a gentle breeze sweeping by…
For half a year, each had been busy with their own duties. To finally enjoy such rare peace, they savored the moment quietly.
"Gran," Whis spoke casually as he gazed at the stars, "your strength has likely reached a bottleneck, hasn't it?"
Beerus's eyes narrowed slightly.
So, the brat's finally reached that stage… time for the next phase of training, huh?
"Yes," Gran replied, lying sideways, eyes turning toward Whis in the middle chair.
"Lately, I've been feeling like my power can't really grow anymore."
"That's normal," Whis replied mildly. "Measured by the universe's power index, one billion battle power is a threshold. Even Lord Beerus hit that wall once—he was stuck there for several years."
"Huh? Then what should I do now?"
"To break through a bottleneck, many factors come into play," Whis said, his tone serene. "Sometimes, even a simple change in mood can be enough."
He looked toward the glittering night sky, already forming Gran's next training plan in his mind.
"Exactly," Beerus added from the right-hand chair. "There are too many variables when it comes to surpassing limits. It's not something that can be done in a short time. For now, set aside power training."
Gran sat up, curiosity lighting his face. "Then what should I train in next?"
"You've already mastered raw power and cultivated your inner state," Whis explained. "Now, it's time to train in combat technique, battle awareness, and instinct."
Whis smiled faintly. "You should already know why I want you to work on that, don't you?"
Gran nodded. "More or less. You said before that combat itself is the fastest way to awaken the body's natural instincts."
He continued, "You want me to refine my techniques and experience through real battle until they become instinctive, right? That way, my body's combat intuition will evolve."
Whis's true goal was clear—he wanted Gran to eventually grasp the Ultra Instinct state.
Before, Gran had trained his mental composure.
Now, with body instinct next in line, Mastered Ultra Instinct (Migatte no Gokui) would be within reach.
"Good." Whis nodded approvingly, and Beerus did too. "You really are a sharp one."
Gran scratched his chin. "So, how do I train for that? Don't tell me you're sending me back to the Sumī Realm to fight those giant beasts ag—"
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, frowning as he began counting with his fingers.
Beerus tilted his head. "What are you doing?"
"Wait a second," Gran muttered, raising both hands as if signaling a pause.
He had been in the Dragon Ball world for over two years now.
Currently, it was Age 739—and Son Goku's first Dragon Ball adventure began in Age 749.
That meant there were still ten years left before the main story started!
As the candidate for God of Destruction, with both Whis and Beerus nearby, Gran didn't have much interest in Earth's other affairs.
Except for one thing—Senzu Beans!
The miraculous beans that could heal any injury—so long as one still had a breath of life—restoring the body and stamina completely.
In the early Dragon Ball timeline, they were plentiful.
But after Yajirobe moved into Korin Tower, the supply plummeted—mainly because that glutton treated them like snacks!
Just thinking about that fat fool made Gran's teeth itch in anger.
Whis couldn't always be by his side—he was Beerus's attendant, after all.
So without Whis's healing, Senzu Beans would become invaluable.
No, he couldn't let them go to waste!
He had to secure them before Yajirobe ever reached Korin Tower!
"Hey, brat, what are you plotting now?" Beerus frowned.
Gran sat up, eyes sharp. "Whis, Lord Beerus—you said I need countless battles to reach higher instinct, right?"
Beerus's brow twitched. "What are you getting at?"
Even Whis looked puzzled.
"I…" Gran took a breath, steeling himself. "I want to leave the Realm of Destruction—and travel the universe to challenge its strongest fighters!"
That was indeed his true desire.
He had been in the Realm of Destruction for two years now.
Both his mental state and his power had reached a ceiling.
According to Whis, what he needed next were real battles—to gain technique, instinct, and combat wisdom.
But in this realm, there was no one left to fight except Beerus, Whis, and the sleeping Oracle Fish.
Beerus and Whis were far too strong to be his sparring partners.
And while the beasts in the Sumī Realm were powerful, they lacked intellect—he couldn't learn combat technique from them.
Which left only one path: the universe itself.
"…"
Beerus and Whis exchanged silent looks.
Gran blinked. "What's wrong? You don't want me to go out there?"
Then suddenly
"Hahaha!!"
Both Beerus and Whis burst out laughing.
"Huh?" Gran tilted his head in confusion. "What's so funny?"
Whis, still chuckling, replied, "Actually, even if you hadn't said it, Lord Beerus and I were already planning to kick you out."
"Kick me out?! Why?!" Gran clutched his chest dramatically.
"Calm down," Beerus sighed. "You've seen it yourself—there's no one else here. Neither Whis nor I are suitable opponents for you. If you want to improve, the universe is your only option."
He could have sent Gran to other universes too, but with Gran's current power, he still wasn't ready to leave Universe Seven.
"I see…" Gran exhaled, patting his chest.
So they weren't really expelling him—they were thinking the same thing he was.
"When do I leave, then?"
"In a month," Whis said. "Use the time to stabilize your current strength."
"Yes, sir!" Gran nodded enthusiastically.
Finally, he was going out into the wider universe!
As excitement bubbled inside him, he began forming a plan.
First stop: Planet Yardrat—to learn Instant Transmission.
Since Whis couldn't always accompany him, having Instant Transmission would make traveling far easier.
Plus, it was the perfect move for both escape and mobility.
Second stop: Planet Namek—to see the Dragon Balls with his own eyes.
He'd come all this way to the Dragon Ball world—of course he had to make a few wishes himself!
Third stop: Earth—for the Senzu Beans.
Fourth stop: Challenge the strongest fighters in the universe.
And finally
Gran clenched his fists, a cold grin curling at his lips.
He still had a score to settle.
"Prince Vegeta, right? You'd better be ready," he muttered.
"This time, you'll know what it feels like to face my ten billion battle power!"