Under the yellow-green sky of Planet Namek, the land that had been shrouded in war and fear finally welcomed its former tranquility and peace.
Thin clouds drifted slowly by, as if gently caressing this traumatized planet.
After the remaining members of the Frieza Force were eliminated, faint cheers began to be heard on the quiet planet.
The sound was subtle at first, but it soon grew into a chorus.
The cheers of the surviving Namekians gradually echoed through the clouds!
"We won! We won!"
"The demons have been defeated! Peace has returned!"
Countless Namekians who had survived the ordeal emerged from their hiding places. They looked up at the god-like figures in the sky, their green faces filled with indescribable excitement and gratitude.
They waved their arms vigorously, venting the ecstasy in their hearts in a manner unique to the Namekian people.
Children were lifted high by their parents, letting out joyous laughter. The shadow of war was completely dispelled at this moment.
Nail led Dende and flew before Whitley, Goku, and the others.
The eyes of Namek's strongest warrior were glistening with tears. He bowed deeply to the three of them, his voice choking with emotion. "Thank you so much! Really... thank you all so much! Without you, Planet Namek... our home would have been completely finished!"
Dende followed his example and bowed solemnly to them, his small head almost touching his knees.
He shouted in a tearful but incredibly loud voice, "Thank you all s-so much!"
Soon, more rescued Namekians gathered around.
They surrounded them, and although their numbers were far less than before the war, the face of every survivor was filled with the most sincere gratitude.
Cheers and thanks were endless, their sincere tones moving.
Several of the elder Namekians conferred, and one, who was temporarily chosen to act as the Grand Elder due to his high prestige, stepped forward. He spoke with deep apology and utmost sincerity, "Honorable guests, you are the benefactors of our entire race. We... we truly wish to host you properly to express our deepest gratitude."
He looked around at the destroyed villages and desolate land and shook his head bitterly. "But... we Namekians only need fresh water to survive. We... we don't have delicious food here, and we... don't even know how to cook. We really have nothing decent to offer our benefactors. This is too impolite, we are truly... so sorry!"
Goku, hearing this, waved his hand carefreely and said with a grin, "It's okay, it's okay! Don't worry about it! We mainly came to defeat Frieza at Lord Kai's request. Helping you all was just incidental, you really don't need to host us specially!"
His words were so blunt that even Vegeta, standing beside him, rolled his eyes, and Nail could only manage an embarrassed smile.
Whitley quickly and discreetly nudged Goku with his elbow to shut him up, then turned to the elder with a gentle smile. "You are too kind. Seeing Planet Namek return to peace is the best reward for us. Please don't worry about hosting us."
Seeing their understanding, the new Grand Elder's face showed even deeper apology.
He pondered for a moment, made a decision, and spoke solemnly, "We Namekians can never repay your kindness. How about this? I will try to communicate with the Dragon Balls later to reawaken Porunga. Although the power of the Dragon Balls may have changed somewhat after the Grand Elder's passing, they can still grant wishes."
His gaze swept over Whitley, Goku, and Vegeta, and he said with utmost sincerity, "I hereby promise in the name of the Grand Elder that from this day forward, you are the most honored friends of Planet Namek! Whenever you need to use the Dragon Balls, you can come to Namek at any time! This... is probably the only gift we can offer that is worthy of your kindness."
This time, no one refused.
After all, the Namekian Dragon Balls were powerful, and their power might be needed at some point in the future.
Whitley nodded on behalf of the group and said seriously, "Thank you very much. This is a very precious gift, and we accept it. We may indeed need to trouble you in the future."
With the official business concluded, Whitley, eager to return home, gave Bulma a knowing smile and was ready to grab her and use Instant Transmission to go back to Earth.
Hmm... this has absolutely nothing to do with the sexy swimsuit Bulma secretly mentioned! Right, nothing at all!
Whitley nodded vigorously in his heart, trying to convince himself.
He cleared his throat, trying hard to put on a serious "I'm just homesick" expression.
But just before leaving, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Goku, who was rubbing his stomach and clearly also thinking about Earth's food. "Hey, Goku."
Whitley began, "Do you want to learn a technique like Instant Transmission? The kind that lets you teleport from one place to another in an instant."
Hearing this, Goku's eyes instantly sparkled with extreme excitement, and he nodded his head like a chick pecking at rice. "Yes, yes, yes! Of course, I want to learn! Are you going to teach me, Whitley? That's great! That move is so convenient!"
Whitley smiled at his excitement, then glanced at Vegeta, who was pretending not to care but was clearly listening intently. "What about you, Vegeta? Want to learn too?"
Vegeta immediately let out a cold snort, his chin held high, and he answered Whitley with the back of his head. "Hmph! A mere trick. This prince... I have no interest! A Saiyan does not need such clever tricks!"
He would never admit that he had been tempted for a moment!
Whitley shrugged indifferently and turned to explain to Goku, "Teaching you isn't a problem, but... my Instant Transmission is a bit special. I learned it directly from a wish to Shenron. It's the type where I only know how to use it but can't teach it to others. If you want me to teach you... I honestly don't know where to start."
"Oh? Is that so..." Goku's face fell instantly, looking very disappointed.
"However..." Whitley's tone shifted. He pointed to Whis beside him. "I can ask Whis to send you to a place—Planet Yardrat. The inhabitants there are very skilled in all sorts of amazing techniques. Their planet is quite famous in the universe, a very suitable place for you to learn."
Goku was surprised. "Huh? I have to go to another planet?"
Whitley nodded. "That's right. And I heard that besides Instant Transmission, there are many other incredible techniques on Planet Yardrat. For example... there's one called the 'Fusion Dance,' which allows two people to merge into a new, more powerful warrior through a specific dance! The power isn't just a simple one-plus-one!"
He deliberately paused, looked at Goku's gradually brightening eyes, and added with a mischievous grin, "So? Are you tempted? Of course, if you don't want to go that far, we can just go back to Earth, and you can collect the Earth's Dragon Balls yourself and wish to learn it later. It's just a bit more troublesome..."
Goku stroked his chin and began to think. Vegeta also wanted to hear what Goku would decide.
Whitley had thought that now that he was grown up, he would weigh the pros and cons a bit.
Unexpectedly, after thinking for a long time, Goku looked up with a serious expression, clutching his rumbling stomach, and said, "Um... going to another planet to learn is fine... but... I'm really hungry right now... can we go back to Earth for a meal first?"
Pfft—!
Whitley almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Vegeta, standing beside him, also staggered, nearly losing his cool demeanor.
Whitley irritably took out a small bag of Senzu Beans from his pocket and stuffed it into Goku's hand. "Eat this! It'll fill you up! Eat it and get going, hurry up!"
Without waiting for Goku to say anything else outrageous, he pushed him directly in front of Whis.
"Whis, please, send this guy to Planet Yardrat," Whitley said, then looked at Goku, who was about to pop a Senzu Bean into his mouth. "Focus on your studies when you get there! When you've learned it and want to come back to Earth, just call out Whis's name, and he'll come pick you up."
Whis, with his usual smile, was about to open his mouth to say something.
But Whitley immediately raised a hand to stop him. "Stop! I know what you're going to say! One deluxe seafood feast, all you can eat! How about it?"
Whis smiled, nodded gracefully, and then... shook his head.
Whitley's mouth twitched. This guy was actually haggling?
But... whatever, he was asking for a favor.
"Plus one top-tier roast beef feast?" Whitley added through gritted teeth.
Bulma, enjoying the show from the side, chimed in with a smile, "That's right~ And the kind with no rice or staple foods, just all-you-can-eat meat!"
She knew very well Whis's particular obsession with Earth's delicacies.
Only then did Whis nod in satisfaction, covering his mouth with his sleeve and letting out his "ohohoho" chuckle. "Deal~ Well then, Goku-san, let's be on our way~"
"W-wait a minute!" Goku jumped up and down, drooling and shouting, "Whitley! Bulma! I want to eat too! I want seafood and beef too! Take me with you!"
Whitley couldn't be bothered with him. He wrapped his arm around Bulma's waist, and his other hand naturally landed on the shoulder of Vegeta, who was still unsettled by the thought of Kakarot getting stronger again, his face clearly saying, "I want to go too but I can't lose face."
"Let's go, let's go! Home time!"
Before Whitley's words faded, with a thought, swoosh! The three of them vanished from Planet Namek without a trace.
"Hey~~~~" Goku's wail echoed in the skies of Namek. "Why didn't you take me! I love meat too..."
Whis comforted him with a smile. "No need to be so anxious, Goku-san. Let's go to Planet Yardrat first. After you've learned, you can also go to Whitley-san's house~ You can enjoy a feast then, too."
As he spoke, he tapped his staff lightly. A rainbow-colored light enveloped him and Goku, and they shot into the sky, disappearing into the vast universe.
Back on the ground, Nail looked at the disappearing figures with a hint of regret. He had been hoping to have a good spar with Goku and the others after everything was over...
It seemed he would have to wait for another opportunity.
...
Earth, at the Briefs' estate in West City.
The familiar courtyard, the familiar home.
Having just returned from the devastated environment of Namek, everyone felt that the air on Earth was particularly fresh and sweet.
"Ah—! Home sweet home!" Bulma stretched out her arms, reveling in the scent of home.
Whitley also let out a long sigh of relief.
Although the battle on Namek was not a challenge for him, he was still mentally a bit tired.
Right now, he just wanted to take a hot shower, wash away the non-existent dust, and then... engage in some pleasant family activities with his lovely girlfriend.
Just as he was about to head inside, he saw Bulma standing to the side, looking at him with an "I know what you're thinking" expression, giggling as she watched.
Whitley's face flushed, and he shot her an annoyed glare.
But then he became righteous.
He strode forward and swept Bulma up into his arms.
"Hey! What are you doing!" Bulma exclaimed, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
"What do you think!" Whitley grinned, showing two rows of white teeth, and rushed into the house in a hurry. "Let's go! Into the house with me! We'll shower together! Save water, be environmentally friendly!"
Bulma's face instantly turned bright red, and she pounded his shoulder in羞恼. "You dirty rogue! Put me down! It's so embarrassing if Mom and Dad see!"
"What's there to be afraid of! We're practically an old married couple!"
Whitley paid her no mind and carried the giggling, playfully protesting Bulma, their figures quickly disappearing down the corridor.
Vegeta, left alone in the courtyard, was a little lost.
"..."
His mouth twitched as he looked in the direction they had gone, a vein popping on his forehead. "Hmph! Two shameless fools!"
Vegeta cursed under his breath. He had been planning to scrounge a meal but now felt he couldn't stay any longer.
He snorted coldly, his aura flared, and he instantly flew away from Capsule Corp.
Who knows to what remote place he went to continue his training... or to sulk.
...
After returning from Namek, Whitley's life seemed to return to its old rhythm, but with some slight differences.
Every morning, he would meditate for a period, comprehending his own state and keeping his mind and body in harmony with all things.
After lunch, he would promptly enter the latest version of the gravity room that Bulma had custom-built for him.
This new gravity room used technology "borrowed" from the Sacred World of the Kais, synthesized from a super-metal, and could simulate a terrifying environment of up to 1000 times Earth's gravity!
Vegeta would also occasionally swallow his pride and come over to "borrow" the gravity room for training.
However... when he discovered that Whitley could already move freely under 1000x gravity and even perform high-intensity training, while he himself struggled to last even an hour, his mentality almost exploded on the spot!
"Damn it... how can the gap be so huge?!"
Vegeta gritted his teeth and looked at the relaxed figure in the gravity room. His intense sense of humiliation and competitiveness was once again ignited.
From then on, he trained even more desperately, almost exercising day and night without rest.
And he frequently challenged Whitley!
Whitley was, of course, happy to see this.
He even set a simple rule for Vegeta's challenges: Vegeta would transform into a Super Saiyan and attack him with all his might. Whitley would close his eyes and dodge based on perception and instinct alone.
If Vegeta could make Whitley move even one step during the transformation time, Vegeta would win.
Conversely, if Whitley's feet remained unmoved after the transformation time ended, Whitley would win.
The bet was that if Whitley won, Vegeta would have to accept his loss and go to Capsule Corp's logistics department to "experience life" as a delivery boy for a day!
With his speed, he could deliver all the packages on Earth in a few minutes.
If Vegeta won, Whitley would treat him to a feast until he was sick!
The proud Prince Vegeta could not stand this kind of "I can't even make you move one step" contempt and immediately agreed in a huff.
In the following days, he challenged Whitley several times almost every day.
But unfortunately, despite Vegeta's rapid progress, his attacks becoming sharper, and his physical fitness improving in all aspects, he had yet to succeed even once!
Every attack was easily dodged by Whitley by a hair's breadth. The frustration of using all his strength and not even being able to touch the hem of his clothes almost made Vegeta cough up blood.
As a result, Capsule Logistics customers were pleasantly surprised to find that their delivery speed had become ridiculously fast!
Often, not long after placing an order, a short delivery man in battle armor with a face as sour as if someone owed him millions would land with a "thud," accurately toss the package at their door, and then disappear in an instant.
This caused the approval rating of Capsule Corp's online store to skyrocket!
Even Bulma saw a business opportunity and even half-jokingly suggested several times, "Why don't we set up a dedicated ultra-high-speed logistics company? We'll have Vegeta be the brand ambassador and chief delivery officer! I've even thought of the slogan—'Prince Logistics, Delivered Globally in Seconds'! What do you think?"
Vegeta, who happened to be delivering a "package" at the time, heard this, and his entire face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. His teeth ground together, and his golden aura almost erupted uncontrollably!
"YOU. WANT. TO. SAY. THAT. AGAIN?!!" he squeezed out word by word through gritted teeth, his eyes so fierce he looked like he was about to kill someone!!!
If Whitley hadn't been standing right there watching with a smile, he probably would have really blasted the Capsule Corp headquarters building, along with this detestable woman, into the sky with a ki blast!
Of course, he refused the proposal very decisively!
However, the effects of this high-intensity "humiliating" training were extremely significant.
Vegeta could clearly feel his base strength growing at an astonishing rate, and his control over his ki had become more refined.
He even felt that he was only a thin layer of paper away from the new realm that Whitley had mentioned, a realm that surpassed Super Saiyan—Super Saiyan 2! This change made him throw himself into training with even more dedication.
And Whitley also made huge gains.
About a month after returning from Namek, through constant comprehension day and night and catalyzed by his sparring with Vegeta, he finally, and naturally, mastered the prototype of "Perfected Ultra Instinct"!
Now, not only was his dodging completely based on bodily instinct, but he could also incorporate that "mindless" state into his attacks!
He had truly achieved a unity of offense and defense, where his mind moved as it willed!
Although he couldn't maintain it for long periods like Super Saiyan Full Power, he had already crossed the most critical threshold.
Even Whis, who occasionally came over for a meal, nodded in satisfaction after seeing Whitley's demonstration. "Ohohoho~ congratulations, Whitley-san. From now on, you have truly 'entered the gate.'"
Whitley nearly stumbled upon hearing this. "What?! Entered the gate? So you're telling me that after all this time, all this suffering, and training my ass off every day, I've... only just entered the gate?!"
Vegeta, who was training desperately: You're training your ass off?! You've got to be kidding me!
Whis covered his mouth and chuckled. "Of course~ the realm of 'Perfected Ultra Instinct' is incredibly profound. You have only just mastered the correct way to use it and stepped through the threshold. However..."
His tone changed, and he spoke with admiration, "If we don't consider base power, just in terms of realm, Whitley-san, you can now look down on the entire circle of Gods of Destruction. As far as I know, none of the Gods of Destruction from the other universes have reached your current realm. Even Lord Beerus... is still a little bit short in this regard."
Hearing this, Whitley's heart felt a little more balanced.
But Whis immediately threw "cold water" on him. "So, Whitley-san, the most important thing for you now is to avoid arrogance and impatience, and continue to build your foundation. Step by step, you must hone your base power to the true level of a God of Destruction. Otherwise, even if you learn Ultra Instinct, if your attacks can't break the opponent's defense, or if your body can't keep up with their speed, it will all be for nothing."
Whitley...
What else could he say? Train! Train until he puked! The road was still long, after all!
...
Time passed peacefully like this, and in the blink of an eye, it had been almost a month since Goku went to Planet Yardrat to study.
On this day, a familiar rainbow-colored streak of light suddenly appeared in the sky above the Briefs' estate.
After the light dissipated, Whis landed gracefully on the ground with Goku.
"Yoohoo! Everyone! I'm back!" Goku shouted excitedly the moment he landed, sniffing the air vigorously. "Ah! It's the smell of food!"
Whis had a smile on his face, but his eyes drifted directly towards the dining room, and he said cheerfully, "Hmm~ it seems we've arrived at just the right time."
Whitley and Bulma came out of the house upon hearing the noise.
Whitley was about to greet the two when he saw the purple figure behind Whis, with his arms crossed and a "I'm not here on purpose, I'm just passing by" expression—
The God of Destruction, Beerus!
Whitley was delighted!
He deliberately dragged out his words, his tone full of teasing. "Well, well, well~! If it isn't our noble, great, strongest in the universe, Lord Beerus! What wind blew you here? And heading straight for the dining room upon arriving on Earth... could it be that Lord Beerus, who has been secretly grinding away in the God of Destruction's Realm lately, hasn't been eating properly and is starving? Oh my! This... this won't do! It would be terrible to starve yourself~"
Beerus had been squinting his eyes, sniffing the faint aroma of food in the air, and was in a relatively good mood.
But upon hearing Whitley's sarcastic and roundabout insinuation that he was "too poor to afford food," his eyelids snapped open. His scarlet eyes narrowed dangerously, and his tail twitched unhappily from side to side.
"Whit—ley—" Beerus's voice carried a hint of chill. "I did not like what you just said. I did not like it at all!"
He pointed a sharp claw at Whitley. "After we eat, I'll have to properly 'inspect' whether your power has become as 'impressive' as that mouth of yours lately!"
This was exactly what Whitley wanted. A brilliant smile, which looked extremely punchable in Beerus's eyes, appeared on his face. "No problem! I'm ready anytime! It just so happens that my 'Perfected Ultra Instinct' has just had a small breakthrough, and I was looking for a worthy opponent to test it on!"
"Hmph! A mere small breakthrough... wha... what?! Perfected Ultra Instinct?!"
The angry look on Beerus's face froze instantly. His eyes went wide, and his mouth hung open as if he had seen a ghost.
He whipped his head to look at Whis beside him, his eyes full of the expectation of "please tell me he's bluffing."
Whis maintained his elegant smile and nodded slightly, confirming the truth of Whitley's words. "That's right, Lord Beerus. Whitley-san has indeed initially mastered 'Perfected Ultra Instinct.' You could say... he has truly entered the gate."
"Ent... entered the gate..."
Beerus was petrified, as if struck by lightning.
He looked at Whis, then at Whitley, who was trying hard but failing to hide his smugness. The huge gap in their progress filled his heart with a mix of envy, jealousy, and disbelief.
Why?!
A threshold he had struggled to truly cross for countless years, and this kid who had been training for such a short time had already reached it?!
Could talent really be this absurd?!
Beerus felt a tightness in his chest. The more he looked at Whitley's smiling face, the angrier and more unwilling he became.
Suddenly, he flicked his tail and commanded Whis loudly, "Whis!"
Whis bowed slightly. "Oh my~ What are your orders, Lord Beerus?"
Beerus pointed at Whitley, his tone filled with strong displeasure and a burning fighting spirit. "After we eat, open the 'World of Void' for me! I'm going to use my full power today and have a proper fight with this kid Whitley! I'm going to personally verify what this 'entering the gate' of his really amounts to!"
Whis smiled and nodded. "Understood, Lord Beerus."
Only then did Beerus seem to let out a breath. After a cold snort, he strode towards the dining room, which was wafting an alluring aroma, with a swagger that recognized no one.
He was now going to turn his grief and anger into appetite! He planned to settle the score with Whitley at the dinner table first!
Whitley looked at Beerus's back, and the flames of excitement also ignited in his eyes.
Finally! He could finally have a head-on confrontation with the God of Destruction at his full power!
He clenched his fists, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and also quickly followed.
No matter what, he had to eat.
And, fighting with Beerus for food was, in itself, a battle!
Bulma watched the two, one after the other, their gazes almost clashing with sparks in the air, and shook her head helplessly, saying to Whis beside her, "Honestly, they're going to fight just like that... Are all men like this? Why are these two acting like little kids?"
Of course, she wouldn't understand that for people like Whitley and Beerus, getting stronger and fighting were their eternal "toys."
Men, after all, are boys until they die!
Goku, on the other hand, was already starving. Although he was also curious about what Ultra Instinct was, the smell of food quickly made him forget all about it. He cheered and rushed towards the dining room. "Time to eat!!!"
He cheered as he instantly joined the battle for food.
In the dining room of the Briefs' estate, a "preliminary war" over food and dignity was about to break out!
The real match would have to wait until after the meal.
And at the same time, a blue-haired teenager wearing Capsule Corp clothes was dazedly climbing out of an egg-shell-like machine. He looked at the empty wilderness before him and fell into deep thought.
"Huh? Father and Gohan aren't here? Could it be... I chose the wrong time?"
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