Aside from the lessons Whis and Beerus had taught him before, Gran was a blank slate in every other aspect.
And precisely because he knew nothing, he couldn't just go looking for the mightiest warriors to fight.
It was like when he sparred with Beerus or Whis—if they didn't deliberately hold back and guide him, Gran wouldn't have learned a thing.
A towering building must start from the ground up!
So…
Gran sought out a martial arts master much like the legendary Turtle Hermit—and that, was where his brilliance truly showed.
In the projection, Gran was sparring with an elderly man who resembled a turtle.
The old man's power was weak—his battle power barely over a hundred—but his instinctive combat sense had already reached the Second Stage.
Among mortals, reaching the Second Stage of physical instinct was enough to be called a master.
However, to truly become a martial arts grandmaster, one must also forge a Martial Heart.
The Martial Heart differed from instinct. Instinct referred to one's reaction during battle—how the body moved on its own. The Martial Heart, on the other hand, represented one's belief in battle, the conviction that shaped one's path.
For example, the Turtle Hermit, Tien Shinhan, Piccolo, and Son Goku all had their own unique Martial Hearts.
As for gods like Beerus, needless to say—every supreme being possessed a perfected Martial Heart.
In the projection, the turtle-like old man's movements were exquisite.
Every punch, every palm strike, every kick—each one carried the weight of his martial will.
Gran, meanwhile, deliberately suppressed his own strength to half of the old man's level.
The difference in power, the gap in comprehension, the disparity in instinct…
Gran was completely overwhelmed, losing over and over in every exchange.
Yet it was through these repeated defeats that Gran's understanding of martial arts deepened and became crystal clear.
After one full month, Gran finally condensed his own Martial Heart.
"Lord Beerus, if I remember right—your Martial Heart is 'Fearlessness,' isn't it?" Whis turned to Beerus after glancing away from the projection.
"That's right," Beerus answered, his tone slightly hoarse.
"Do you still remember how long it took you to form it?"
Beerus thought for a moment. "Roughly three years."
Whis clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk… that little fellow is as terrifying as ever."
He couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Lord Beerus, what kind of martial conviction did you see in him?"
Beerus clenched his fists. "Never give up."
He had watched Gran's entire month of struggle. That kid lost every single day for an entire month—yet he refused to surrender!
And then
"Ha ha ha!"
Beerus suddenly burst into laughter. "The Martial Heart is the path every warrior must take to reach the peak. Little one, grow quickly! I look forward to our battle someday!"
Whis said nothing, but the light in his eyes grew brighter with anticipation.
Gran had forged his own Martial Heart, and the projection came to an end—marking the completion of his month-long journey.
After that, Beerus—since being awakened by Whis—no longer returned to his usual slumber.
He found watching Gran's training to be an oddly enjoyable experience.
Gran's talent was downright monstrous. Any martial art, no matter how complex—he could grasp it almost instantly with just a bit of practice.
From that day on, besides eating and drinking, Beerus made Whis project Gran's training footage for him every single day.
Whis always felt a bit uneasy about spying on others—it made him feel like some kind of cosmic voyeur.
But Beerus only waved him off. "He's an eight-year-old kid. It's not like he has any privacy worth worrying about!"
When Whis thought about it… that actually made sense.
Thus, a new tradition began in the Realm of Destruction: every day at the same hour, Beerus and Whis would sit by the lake with stools in hand, watching Gran's training like their favorite show.
After a month, Gran had successfully forged his Martial Heart, but his instinctive combat sense still lingered at the First Stage.
To push it further—to reach the Second Stage—sparring with just one master wasn't enough.
He needed to fight many, many strong opponents.
So, Gran bid farewell to the old turtle master and left the planet with Shin and Kibito.
They ventured once again into the vast universe, seeking stronger martial artists to challenge.
And from that day forward
The commotion Gran caused finally drew the attention of others across Universe Seven.
Rumors spread: a child, traveling with two attendants, challenging one martial master after another across the stars.
No matter how strong his opponent was, the child's power would always appear exactly half as strong…
Yet even so—no one could defeat him.
Veteran martial masters, who had trained for centuries, all gave him the same evaluation:
"That boy already possesses a Martial Heart."
His battle technique, awareness, and experience far surpassed most warriors. It was through these that he continually overcame the strong despite being the weaker.
Given time, he would undoubtedly ascend to the realm of a true Martial Grandmaster.
Time flowed quickly. Another month passed—Gran had now been gone from the Realm of Destruction for two months.
He had challenged a thousand martial artists.
By the third month, that number had grown to three thousand.
By the fourth, five thousand.
…
By the twelfth month—Gran had fought over thirty thousand martial artists across Universe Seven!
The sheer scale of his activity sent shockwaves throughout the entire universe.
At Frieza's Headquarters.
Dodoria waddled quickly into the grand hall, his plump body jiggling with each step.
"Lord Frieza! Reports indicate that a martial prodigy has appeared across the universe!"
"Oh?"
Frieza lounged elegantly in his hovering chair. The humiliation he'd suffered at Beerus' hands a year ago seemed long forgotten—his refined, aristocratic demeanor had fully returned.
"According to the reports, this martial prodigy is barely nine years old. He travels with two attendants, and his true power remains a mystery—no one knows his limits."
Dodoria hesitated, then asked cautiously, "My lord, should we perhaps try to recruit him? If someone like that joined the Frieza Force, our strength would increase tremendously!"
"Talent, you say?"
Frieza delicately lifted a glass of red wine from thin air, taking a leisurely sip. With a low chuckle, he replied:
"Fufufu… yes, I've heard about this little prodigy. Quite an exceptional talent indeed—and you know I do appreciate talent."
He then turned to Dodoria with a sly smile.
"Since you're so thoughtful, Dodoria, why don't you be the one to recruit this young man for me?"
END OF CHAPTER
35 CHAPTERS AHEAD!!
Disciple of Beerus - MrBehringer's Secret
👉 patreon.com/MrBehringer