"Why did you wish to learn the powers of Destruction and decided to enter a contract with Beerus-sama?"
Whis used to ask him this question over the course of his training. Even after sixteen years had passed since he made the contract with the God of Destruction, Vegeta never answered that question and always responded that it was none of Whis' concerns. He was glad that he was one lucky mortal to have the uncanny ability to conceal his thoughts to himself not even deities or angels could ever decode.
Perhaps, this is the reason why Toppo and the other gods kept on staring at him the entire time. He could hear their hushed voices, asking themselves about the oddity that they cannot read a mortal's thoughts. They think it was a problem because they couldn't find out any reason why he was being this confident about the upcoming battle or what he was planning at all.
"Vegeta," Beerus called.
"Yeah?"
"Let loose, fight as much as you want, and show them what you can really do. Do not worry about anything. I believe that you can do this."
Vegeta turned to Beerus, giving him his usual proud and confident smirk, "Hmph! Of course, I will."
Beerus gave him a grin full of pride and confidence about his protégé, "I know you would. Now go and prove yourself worthy out there! Show them the true power of the proud Saiyan Prince!"
"Now then, Prince Vegeta and Toppo, please enter the stage," Daishinkan said.
Vegeta took his red cape off his golden shoulder pads and dropped it down the floor. He gave Beerus and Whis a look before he jumped into the arena followed by Toppo. The two only stared at each other in silence for several moments.
Realizing that the Saiyan had no intention of speaking, Toppo decided to start the conversation. "Hey you, you are a candidate for God of Destruction like myself, right?"
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, he didn't like how this man addressed him at all. "Yeah, so what?" he coldly replied.
Toppo was flabbergasted at such an uninterested response. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I just wanted to say that we should do our best and give this fight our all to impress our masters and his Majesty, King Zen. That's all."
"Whatever."
Toppo's eye twitched. The attitude of this guy was getting on his nerves.
"How long have you been training with Beerus-sama? I could tell that it hasn't been that long. I cannot sense any godly power in you, just the normal energy of mortals. Even so, it isn't that much." Toppo said.
"That is none of your business."
Now, Toppo's getting irked. He was trying to get a good conversation out of his fellow candidate and future colleague but it seemed he didn't care at all. Perhaps, this Vegeta's pride was really that high.
"You are a rude, arrogant brat, Saiyan. I know you have incurred the ire of everyone in here with your attitude. I am going to teach you a lesson and break that inflated sense of pride in you!" Toppo declared.
"Try me... If you can."
"That overconfidence of yours is going to be your downfall!"
Daishinkan announced the rules, "As King Zen requested, this match is going to be between the two present candidates to the position of God of Destruction from the Seventh and Eleventh Universes for us to see ourselves Prince Vegeta's potential for this position. There will be no time limit until one admits defeat or cannot continue by the count of ten. Both fighters may fight using all your powers but using a weapon outside one's ability is prohibited."
Up in the air, Daishinkan raised his hand forward and declared, "Let the match begin!"
The Legend of the God of Destruction (Part VII):
Vegeta's Resolve
The floor of the arena abruptly snapped with yellowish electricity. It originated from the bottom of Vegeta's boots and it snaked all the way towards Toppo. The Eleventh Universe's fighter was alerted of this and the amount of power his opponent was giving off.
"Haaaaaaaaaahh!"
Vegeta suddenly shouted, his black eyes quickly flashed a jade green color. A shockwave burst around him, causing the arena to seemingly jump in surprise. Vegeta pulled his lips away from his gritted teeth, stooping forward as his muscles convulsed. Whitish yellow lightning crackled across his body as it started to glow with a fiery golden energy. The arena floor shook underneath his feet, as each tile slowly levitated due to the sheer amount of devastating energy Vegeta was releasing gradually. While Vegeta could have instantly transformed if he wanted to, he purposely slowed it down just to show off to everyone the legendary power he had within him and how much control he had over the supposedly uncontrollable power fueled by intense rage.
Vegeta's jet black hair billowed against the waves of his energy, like a blazing black flame. All of a sudden, his hair flashed gold for a very short moment, sending golden sparks to flutter around each dark spike. This made the gods quite bewildered. What's happening? They have never heard of a Saiyan having this much power and having this control over their seemingly overwhelming ki. And what is that golden glow just now?
"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"
With a powerful roar, Vegeta threw his head back once again and transformed into a full-powered Super Saiyan. The wrath of the legendary warrior bathed him and surged his energy outwards.
As the earlier levitating tiles dropped heavily back to their original place, Vegeta lowered his head and sent a death glare at Toppo. In a flash of blinding speed, Vegeta kicked off the arena to unleash a flurry of relentless but potent attacks towards Toppo without any word.
"Huh? Prince Vegeta has changed?" King Zen commented, seeing how Vegeta's black hair flashed yellow and his eyes changed color.
"Saiyans have the ability to power up and transform," Daishinkan explained to his child-like master. "Although I believe this is the first time I've seen this after a long time. I think it had already been three thousand years since the Legendary Super Saiyan had last appeared in the Seventh Universe. Now, I understand why he's hailed a prodigy among his people."
"Really? Legendary Super Saiyan? That's so cool! It's like a superhero name!" King Zen giggled happily.
Down below, Toppo who was initially being overpowered due to his surprise at the unexpected transformation his opponent just performed right in front of him, began to power up as well. It allowed him to effortlessly block all of Vegeta's attacks with his massive hands and forearms.
"Is this all the chosen one from the Seventh Universe could offer? If that's all then I guess it is time for me to attack."
"Tch! Don't get cocky!"
Toppo attacked this time, sending Vegeta a continuous barrage of orange-colored ki bullets. The Super Saiyan tried to block but soon, he found himself being pushed back by the blasts. Having himself on a pinch, Vegeta powered up once more. Blue electricity snapped off his golden aura and each golden strand of his hair stood straight on its end, causing his hair to stiffen in a single upwards direction instead of a flowing flame array. He leaped out of the trajectory by fazing out but Toppo easily saw his movements and followed him. The two exchanged blows in the air.
"Huh? Did Vegeta transform again? Something changed in him. It doesn't look much but his power as a Super Saiyan skyrocketed a lot!" King Zen commented.
Vegeta found that none of his attacks were working on Toppo any longer. He could tell that his opponent was powering up as well but doesn't do anything like charging his aura or doing any battlecry like what he does. Vegeta wondered if Toppo was utilizing that technique Whis once tried to teach him. The same technique he applied when he first mastered Super Saiyan Blue where one must not leak his aura out of his body while powering up.
"Tch!"
Vegeta sneered and he moved away from Toppo, keeping his distance. Toppo chased him across the Arena.
"He's escaping from Toppo. It seems the Saiyan realized that he is no match for him." Khai, the Kaioushin of the Eleventh Universe commented.
"Of course. It's quite obvious that Toppo had more fighting experience than him. Perhaps, it wasn't that long since Beerus started training him. He doesn't even have any godly power in him." Marcarita, the guide angel of Hakaishin Belmod said.
"What else do you guys expect from an impure Saiyan brat? Judging by his attitude alone, he cannot ever possess godly power." Belmod snorted.
"Tch!" Vegeta growled in his annoyance, hearing the comments from the Eleventh Universe. Why are these impudent gods being so sure of themselves? They're getting on his nerves!
Vegeta decided to fly in the direction of the representatives of the Eleventh Universe and while doing so, he started to concentrate within himself and control his ki. He closed his eyes, called forth the necessary ki meant to unlock a far superior dimension of power compared to that of the Super Saiyan forms. Once he was right in front of Belmod, Khai and Marcarita, crimson red divine ki began to erupt from Vegeta's feet and spun around his body in an upwards direction until it reached his billowing flame-shaped hair, changing its color from blonde to red from its roots up to the tips. As soon as the fire engulfed his body completely, his entire mood changed.
And then red, hot flames burst throughout the arena, creating maelstroms of fire with Vegeta at its center. Vegeta's hair was dyed in red light. Below him, Toppo was suddenly thrown backward by the shockwaves the Super Saiyan God had released, and he stared in shock at Vegeta who was now letting off a completely different ki than before.
Way up above the arena, King Zen let out a long gasp of astonishment at what he just witnessed.
Vegeta opened his red eyes and stared down at the gods who called him impure before he shifted his cold gaze towards Toppo.
"This is..!" Arak gasped.
"The presence and the power of a god..." Heles confirmed.
"Yes! Yes! That's it, Vegeta! Show us the power of Super Saiyan God!" Beerus cheered.
"Did Beerus just say Super Saiyan God?" Champa asked his guide angel, Vados.
"Che! What a boring name." Quitela spat in disinterest.
"Super Saiyan God, huh? That's interesting." Daishinkan smiled.
"Impossible! How could someone with such impure heart have the power of a god?" Belmod denied, questioning Vegeta's purity of heart all the way.
Vegeta answered his question, "My heart is exceptionally pure. My goals and intentions in life are clear. I have dedicated my entire life in pursuance of finding out what lies beyond my current strength. I trained hard every single day to reach where I am now, and all these I did for a single goal."
"And what goal is that?"
"An oath I made to myself."
"What oath are you talking about?"
Vegeta gave him a smirk. "That is none of your concern."
Vegeta descended back to the arena where Toppo waited.
"So you've been holding back this entire time?" Toppo said.
"I never liked holding back but I had to because I needed the exact timing so I could teach that cocky boss of yours a lesson," Vegeta admitted.
"Heh! I'm glad that you indeed possess the power of a god. I can finally use godly power against you as well!" Toppo declared, powering up and engulfing himself with the aura of a god.
"Very well. Let's start to fight seriously."
He flexed his arms on his sides and with a short yell, Vegeta instantly transformed to Super Saiyan Blue, causing everyone's jaw to drop.
"Another transformation?! Just how many times is he going to power up and transform his body?!" Belmod gasped in complete disbelief.
"I can't believe this! His power seems bottomless!" Sidra awed.
Beerus was laughing from where he stood, "Look at them, Whis! Everyone is so shocked!"
"Indeed, milord. And look at his Majesty, he is enjoying the show."
"This is all I've got, Toppo. Prepare yourself." Vegeta declared.
Toppo responded, "You can expect that."
The two fighters fell into their signature fighting stances and disappeared from the ring, leaving streaks of blue and white lights on their path. Powerful shockwaves shook the place with every hit they unleash at one another.
Vegeta noticed that Toppo had powered up more, increasing his speed. He followed him up into the sky. Toppo unleashed several rapid punches in the air, each one causing air bursts that pushed Vegeta back until he plummeted back to the ring.
"Nice one, Toppo! Continue doing that and you will win!" Belmod cheered.
"This technique that Jiren taught Toppo is extremely powerful. The speed at which Toppo moves his fists and manipulates the air and pressure around him is extraordinary. Once you get hit, you won't be able to defend yourself." Marcarita said.
Beerus growled, feeling a little pissed. He turned to his protégé and shouted, "Vegeta! Return to your Super Saiyan God state and use your ki to counter the air bursts!"
Following Beerus' instruction, Vegeta's blue eyes flashed red and his aura changed color from blue to crimson in an instant. With a godly roar, the arena burst into flames once more. Using his ki, Vegeta pushed the air bursts back at Toppo who quickly dodged out of the way of the balls of fire his earlier attacks had turned into.
The flames dispersed until it disappeared completely and the two fighters stared into each other. Vegeta charged at Toppo, much quicker than earlier when he was at Super Saiyan Blue, much to Toppo's surprise. In his desperation, Toppo unleashed another flurry of his airburst punches but this time, Vegeta had managed to break his defenses.
"What?!" Toppo gasped in total shock as he felt Vegeta's fist smash into his solar plexus.
Khai couldn't believe what just happened. "What the? Nobody had ever managed to break through that kind of attack!"
Vegeta smirked. "This is why you do not underestimate a Saiyan's capabilities!"
"Amazing..." Shin said in utter astonishment.
Whis smiled proudly at his student, "Vegeta has a great observation ability and exceptional memory and thinking. He carefully observed Toppo's high-speed movements, memorized the patterns the moment he saw them, and allowed this information to control his movements so he could dodge the attacks. Aside from that, his utilization of both Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue back and forth to conserve his power caused the element of surprise for Toppo."
"He utilized both forms?" Shin asked.
"Yes, he is a Super Saiyan God when he moves around and he instantly transforms into Super Saiyan Blue the moment he attacks," Whis explained.
"Does this mean he has an advantage?"
"No, not yet. I am afraid Toppo is still playing around. He hasn't used his full power yet."
"You got me there, Saiyan." Toppo chuckled. "I admire your talents. I can see now why Beerus-sama considered you a prodigy. You are a genius."
"Hmph! I do not need your praise." Vegeta snorted.
Toppo's expression suddenly changed into a serious one, "Though I'm afraid that after taking on that last attack, your power has depleted that much and you had to return to your previous form to conserve your energy. I'm afraid that this is over."
Vegeta felt something was odd about Toppo's change in demeanor. "Hmm? What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"You mentioned that you already gave me everything you have in that blue-haired form of yours, correct? If that is the strongest form you have, then I can say that you aren't trained to utilize the power of Destruction yet."
"So what if I'm not?" Vegeta demanded harshly.
"I see. Just as I thought." Toppo said. "This fight is over, I'm afraid."
"So you are giving up?"
"No. If I should warn you, you should be the one who must give up because once I unleash this power, I will be unstoppable."
Vegeta gritted his teeth, feeling insulted. How dare this piece of trash suggest that he, the prince of all Saiyans, give up during a battle, especially a battle where his pride is at stake?! "Are you crazy?! Just quit your yapping and show me this power of Destruction if you want."
"Wait, what is Toppo trying to say?" Beerus wondered out loud.
Belmod gave him a chuckle as he responded to the question, "So it seems that you haven't trained your monkey pet to the role yet, Beerus? Hahahaha! What the hell?! I can't believe just how lazy you are! I feel bad for the Saiyan!"
Beerus scowled before he furiously yelled back, "Grrr..! What did you just say, Belmod?!"
Belmod gave him a crazed smile, "It's over, Beerus. Your proud little Vegeta is going to be destroyed by Toppo and there's nothing that he could do about it!"
Beerus was about to open his mouth when he felt a terrifying ki being released in the arena. He quickly turned his head back to the arena, feeling anxious for Vegeta as he found Toppo had unleashed a dense dark purple aura around him and started to power up. King Zen was amazed at the amount of godly destructive power Toppo was unleashing.
"This feeling... This is the power of a God of Destruction!" Beerus gasped in horror as he watched Toppo's already massive body undergo a physical transformation that made him grow bigger, ripping his upper clothing apart with his aura alone. His eyes glowed a purple light, his caramel-colored skin began to darken and glowing red circles and diamond symbols appeared on his chiseled chest.
The mighty shockwaves of energy Toppo was unleashing were pushing Vegeta backward and the prince tried to keep himself from being thrown back. He watched in terror as he found Toppo's new form and felt the power almost similar to that of Beerus being harnessed by his massive enemy.
"Behold, the birth of Hakaishin Toppo!" declared Belmod.
"Oh shit! Vegeta!" Beerus screamed. "Surrender! You cannot fight someone with the power of destruction! You're going to be destroyed!"
Beerus' words caused an uproar through the crowd but Beerus didn't care.
"What is he saying? So Beerus hasn't trained the brat to use the power of destruction yet?"
"He's finished. Nothing can go against the power of destruction."
Hearing the gods speaking these things, Vegeta felt even angrier.
"No!" he fiercely refused to follow his master's order. "This is my first time encountering such a strong and heavy ki. I cannot give up here!"
"Are you crazy?! Forget about your pride! It's all useless if your existence gets destroyed right here!" Beerus yelled.
"Just shut up and let me fight! I can still do this!" Vegeta retorted.
"I'm telling you that you cannot go against the power of Destruction! It can obliterate anything in an instant!"
Vegeta remained as stubborn as he could, "I know that! Just shut up and watch me! I know I need this and I can win!"
Beerus was so annoyed he looked like he will have a hypertension attack soon, "Damn it, Vegeta! You and your stupid pride! Whis! Why don't you say something to him, huh?!"
The guide angel shook his head in disapproval. "It's futile, Beerus-sama. You know very well that once Vegeta had set his mind on something, he will remain stubborn and will never listen to any reason. Plus, his pride is at stake here. Why don't we just watch and see how he's planning to fight back," Whis calmly suggested.
Beerus grumbled in defeat and childishly pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest. Whis stared at him with a doubting look.
"What happened to that faith you said you had about him?" Whis asked.
"I didn't expect that damn Toppo to have already mastered the power of Destruction. I haven't taught Vegeta anything about it yet, that's why I'm worried." Beerus mumbled.
"Oh, I see."
Beerus turned away and huffed haughtily, "Don't get the wrong idea, Whis. I am worried about my reputation if Vegeta gets defeated here due to his damn, stupid pride, not that I care if he gets erased or not."
"Whatever you say, milord."
Beerus screamed. "Hey! What does that mean?!"
Whis simply giggled back. "Why don't we just watch the fight and see what happens? Ohohohohoho!"
"Hmmmph! Whatever."
Down below, Toppo, now in his new powered-up state, advised Vegeta, "I will listen to your master if I were you. If you haven't learned how to use the power of Destruction yet, then you have no chance of defeating me at this form at all."
"No!" Vegeta stubbornly told him. "You may have a clear advantage against me with your knowledge on using the power of destruction. However, that doesn't mean that I will lose to you."
"What?" Toppo raised his eyebrow, giving the Saiyan a weird look.
Champa laughed, "What a fool. He's too blinded by his pride he cannot even see straight! I feel bad for him for being this desperate."
"How sad. Your overinflated sense of pride has left you unable to accept the truth." Toppo commented with a melancholic expression.
Vegeta snorted, "Heh! Maybe you are right about that. But then, so long as I can keep fighting, that means that there is a chance that I will win! You see... This is what I love about battle... the outcome could change in any given circumstance. You'll never know..."
"What's up with Vegeta?" Beerus asked Whis. "I didn't expect him to come up with his own philosophy like that."
Whis smiled beside him, "Perhaps, he has learned a very important lesson."
Toppo exclaimed, "Then I'll show you how powerless you are against the power of Destruction!" and he went to charge at Vegeta with powerful hits that have beaten the prince to a pulp.
Vegeta never felt such heavy attacks before. It felt as if he was getting crushed, beaten like a helpless ragdoll, bringing him closer to death inch by inch. It reminded him of the days when he was being tortured by hazing, the cruelty he suffered under Freeza's grasp. He tried to fight back, to defend himself but it's all futile against the overwhelming strength of his opponent.
Beerus told him several times to surrender, but Vegeta won't do it. He was adamant in his belief that he can still fight, despite the obvious fact that he was utterly defenseless, the brutal blows and injuries he acquired from Toppo's relentless attacks.
"I... can... still... do this..." Vegeta insisted, panting heavily. Even after he was hurled face-first to the ground and couldn't stand anymore. His fingers twitched, as he willed himself to move. Up above him, Daishinkan started counting.
Vegeta forced himself to move, using his forearms to push himself up. It was extremely difficult. By the count of five, Vegeta falls back to the floor. He tried to pick himself again, this time, using his shaking arms to pull himself up. And he crawled until he was on his knees. He stood up with his trembling legs, panting heavily. He flinched when he found his vision blurring but he shook his head and told himself that he will not lose.
"How is he still standing after all that?!" wondered Iwan.
"How persistent! Toppo should knock him out for good!" Marcarita said.
"While I admire his resistance and willpower, I'm afraid he's done for," Khai lamented.
"This is going to be the end for you," Toppo said in a deep, cold voice. He held up his right arm and charged a dark purple orb filled with destructive energy.
Behind him, Beerus screamed, "Oh no! Run, Vegeta!"
Vegeta ignored Beerus and instead, braced himself for the attack.
"Destruction!" Toppo yelled as he fired his attack towards the Saiyan.
Vegeta took the sphere head-on, his hands catching the sphere of Destruction. His boots skidded backward with an unbelievable speed as the force of the sphere pushed him. He put his hands over the dangerous orb and began to push it inwardly, attempting to reduce the sphere of destruction into a smaller but denser ball. The orb obliterated his gloves, upper clothing, and his armor to smithereens, yet he refused to be destroyed by this thing.
"This... This is unacceptable! I will not allow this to happen! I will not be destroyed here and now! I will not! I still have what it takes to fight this! I will show them... I'll show them all... What a true Saiyan is capable of!"
Vegeta repeatedly told himself that he will not be destroyed here, and that determination seemed to give him some kind of boost in his strength.
"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"
With a loud battle cry, he roared and squeezed the sphere of destruction with his fingers and the ball erupted into heaps of energy that sent him flying backward and hitting the side rail of the ring.
"What the?!" everyone gasped as they stared at Vegeta, who was reverted to his normal form, with puzzled looks, wondering how he survived that attack without his existence getting destroyed entirely. While the other gods couldn't understand and were questioning themselves, King Zen and Daishinkan smiled pleasingly. They were both impressed by whatever Vegeta did and how he managed to survive from being destroyed by the Power of Destruction.
"What happened? How did he convert the energy of Destruction into heaps of energy?" asked Gin.
"Whis, could it be?" Beerus muttered in disbelief.
"Could it be what?" Whis asked.
Beerus just turned to him with a knowing look. Whis simply crooked his light purple lips into a smirk.
Unlike the others who had no idea what Vegeta did to prevent himself from being destroyed, Beerus knew exactly what it was. He saw Vegeta apply a similar technique to Destruction and used it to destroy Toppo's attack. But how? He had never trained the Saiyan Prince on how to use the power of Destruction yet.
He knows his guide angel was well-aware of what Vegeta did just now. Beerus had always suspected that Vegeta has that ability but he wasn't really sure if his suspicions were correct or if it was simply about the Saiyan Prince's spirit and pride.
"Could it be that Vegeta truly has..?" he gasped but his words were interrupted by Champa yelling at him.
"Hey, Beerus! Do you mind explaining to us what happened? We have never seen a mortal survive from being destroyed by the Sphere of Destruction! Surely this isn't just some lucky shot! You said you never trained him on how to use the power of destruction! What happened here?" Champa said, pointing at the ring.
Beerus gave his twin brother a perplexed look, "I have no idea! Why are you asking me, Champa?!" he yelled back. Even if he was suspecting something about Vegeta's power, his uncertainty made him answer that he has no idea.
"Because you are his master!"
"I don't know! Ask him if you want!"
Their quarrel was interrupted when Vegeta began laughing like a madman. The sound started off as a giggle which intensified into a boisterous, maniacal cackle. Toppo descended about a foot or two in front of Vegeta, staring down at him with a cautious look.
"Hey, you! What have you done?" Toppo asked him.
Vegeta's voice screeched, stopping himself from that crazed laughter. He turned his head to look at Toppo, "Good question. How should I know?" he hissed.
"Have you been lying to us about having no idea on how to use the power of destruction?"
"Is there a reason for me to lie about it? You said it yourself and I admitted that Beerus-sama never trained me to use that power yet. It is true."
There was an uproar from the gods. Some say he was feigning ignorance, others say he just got lucky. Some others doubted his claims. Vegeta didn't care. He shakily picked himself off the cracked railing of the ring with more difficultly than before but still managed to do it. He hissed once more when he realized just how much damage he received from that last one. If his vision was already blurry earlier, then he was nauseous and dizzy now. He flinched for a moment before letting out an amused chuckle, raising his eyes to meet Toppo's glowing purple cat-like irises once more.
"You know, it has been a long time since I've fought someone like this. Fighting you made my Saiyan blood boil and I feel great because of that... Finally," he smiled. Toppo saw the change in his demeanor. The cold and uncaring Saiyan from earlier was beginning to open up something. "You are a tough bastard, I give you that. And it's damn frustrating to know that you are more skilled and stronger than I am. I'm sure that you have been training to become a God of Destruction for a far longer time than I have. Heh! I'm glad to be able to fight someone who doesn't hold back his attacks. Hahahaha..."
"What are you laughing about?" Toppo asked. "You said you are glad to fight me because I wasn't holding back?"
"Yeah, sparring with Beerus-sama and Whis always felt like training even if I was giving them my all. Despite training with such extremely powerful beings, I was never satisfied because of the knowledge that they were holding back on me. I don't like it. It was unsatisfying. That's why there were times when I thought I was only wasting my time despite the improvements I have gained throughout the years."
"I understand where you're going," Toppo said. "But then, do you know the reason why you aren't satisfied at all?"
"Yeah. It's about my Saiyan blood." Vegeta answered.
"By Saiyan blood, you mean your inner Saiyan instincts?"
"Yes," Vegeta said. "I was raised on my home planet as a warrior prince meant to fight and conquer. I always believed that power is everything and so I pursue greater strength. During my early childhood days before Beerus took me in, I have fought countless battles across the galaxy, some of which, until I lost my kingdom, I have fought valiantly and risked my own life. Fighting a powerful opponent who doesn't hold anything back... Me, being pushed to the edge of my limits, putting everything, even my own life on the line, in a battle with such an uncertain outcome... That is the greatest joy a Saiyan warrior could ever feel. Lately, I have been losing sight of things that made me who and what I am. It's because I've never fought like this in a very long time. This fray has brought me back to my happy place. A battle where I can fully immerse myself, where fight with all I have and be challenged without worrying about anything or even holding back. Because of this, I can feel my Saiyan blood boil in excitement, just as in my good old days. I feel so great right now."
Toppo snorted. "Wrong! This is not about you being just a fighting maniac. The reason why you are unsatisfied is that you are too attached to your Saiyan pride. I admit I have no idea why or what or how much it means to you and I couldn't care less about it. You keep on talking about your pride. For me, it is nothing but a ridiculous and useless thing. You carry unnecessary burdens on your shoulders. If you keep on doing that, you will never beat me nor you will be enough to wield the power of destruction within you!"
As if Toppo's words were like sharp knives that stabbed his heart, Vegeta was stunned, "What?"
"Take me for instance! I have thrown away everything that is unnecessary! You said it yourself, power is everything, and everything else that isn't power is nothing but a delusion for the weak! Your pride, your emotions, and your attachments, all these unnecessary things you cling to are your greatest weaknesses and therefore will cause your downfall! As long as you hold into those things, you will never become a God of Destruction! An arrogant fool like yourself will never defeat me!"
"Guh?!"
Those words hit Vegeta so hard he wasn't able to protect himself from the punch Toppo threw at his face. Vegeta was sent flying backward, crashing into his back on the side of one of the floating rocks where the representatives of the Second Universe stayed. Goddess of Destruction Heles, Guide Angel Sawar, and God of Creation Pell stepped a little closer to the edge to see Vegeta stuck on a crater created by his impact. The three were the kindest of all representatives and were the first to feel bad for Vegeta in a true, sincere way.
"Is he unconscious?" asked Pell anxiously. Did Toppo's words broke through Vegeta's spirit and he wasn't getting up?
"Poor boy. He was so shocked knowing that his ideals were being challenged and questioned. He's already taken massive damage from whatever he did to the Hakai energy earlier, and it seems that his spirit is broken too. I wonder what he's going to do now." Heles said. "This fight is over. He cannot go on. Let's help him."
"Yeah."
They would have gone down to help the Saiyan when they suddenly heard his cracked voice down below, they halted from their kind attempt as they heard him say repeatedly. "I... I..."
"Huh? What's this? He still has more to him?" gasped Pell.
Vegeta's head slumps forward, and he started murmuring in a deep, cold voice. "I... never wanted to become a God of Destruction."
His words caused a chorus of gasps from the crowd. The gods shot their confused glares between Beerus and Vegeta, some wondering what he meant by that. As if to answer their unvoiced questions, Vegeta continued.
"I only wanted to pursue greater strength in order to break my limits and to become stronger than what I am. My acceptance of the position had nothing to do with a desire to become a god. It was because I know that by becoming a God of Destruction, I could have access to new levels of strength that no ordinary mortals could attain. I have lost almost everything when Beerus ordered Freeza to destroy my kingdom. My Saiyan pride, my weakness as you called it, was the only thing that remained and it meant everything to me. It meant all of who I am. And it's the reason why I kept going, moving forward, pushing myself to overcome every obstacle to reach where I am now...
"And I will not abandon my ideals for a stupid reason such as playing god!"
Suddenly, an enraged Vegeta snapped his eyes wide open and a burst of energy abruptly exploded around him, instantly transforming him into Super Saiyan Blue. His aura had blown off the rock behind him, freeing him from being trapped in the crater. The sheer force of his instantaneous transformation pushed the Second Universe's representatives a few steps back.
"What?!"
Vegeta fiercely glared at Toppo down below. His voice, amplified by his aura, declared mightily, "You bastards kept on calling me arrogant. Yes, I am arrogant! But that's precisely what my Saiyan pride meant for me! And your unneeded and useless opinion will never change it!"
His aura swelled up even more, surprising everyone watching.
"You said I cannot defeat you?! You called my ideals my weaknesses and my downfall?! Don't mess with me! Underestimating a Saiyan will be your gravest mistake! I will never abandon the things that made me who and what I am! I will defeat you in my own way and I do not need the power of destruction to do so!
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"
Vegeta began to power up with a lengthy roar. The gods all looked on with astonished expressions, they cannot believe what they're all sensing. Vegeta's ki continued to build up, stronger than it was a moment ago. Just as they all thought he had already fought with all he had and had lost a considerable amount of power from the damage he received from Toppo's attacks, it seemed that the Saiyan was growing stronger because of it.
"What's this? His power is increasing much higher than it was before! Is this even possible?" Belmod gasped.
"You've got to be kidding me! He was already beaten and out of power just now!" Champa screamed.
"This power. It feels unreal for just a mortal! And it keeps on growing like it's bottomless!"
"Well, Vegeta is a Saiyan after all," Whis said. "And Saiyans are known to exhibit untold power whenever they are pushed to their limits. Toppo's words must have triggered something within him, thus allowing him to awaken this much power within himself."
Vegeta was engulfed by a burning inferno of blue energy that kept on growing and growing with every second.
"I... I will not allow you damn gods to look down on me any further! How dare you call my ideals chains and weights?! I am going to prove you all wrong! I will never lose to a prideless fool who cannot fight for what he strongly believed! I am going to break through my limits in my own way, without throwing anything aside! And when I do, I will defeat you and show you your proper place, Toppo!"
These determined thoughts burned within Vegeta's mind and his heart, causing his Super Saiyan Blue aura to puff outwardly and begin to flow out of his body like billowing smoke, slowly darkening into a deep, royal blue color. The energy had gradually healed all his injuries, utilizing Spirit Control Regeneration to do so. Once his body was fully healed, this triggered the unique ability of the Saiyans to grow exponentially stronger every time they survive near-fatal damage. Using Spirit Control once more, he called forth the new massive boost of power he just gained and that's when he felt his body undergo an intense transformation.
"Aaaaaaaah! Gwaaaaaah! Raaaaaaargh!"
He braced himself for the transformation. His hair began to flash with a blue glow and he squinted his eyes due to the pain of the change happening in his body. He screamed in agony as he felt his muscles gradually swell, causing him to grow larger than his normal mass.
"His injuries are healed and he's evolving even further!" gasped Shin. "His body is transforming, overwhelmed by the amount of energy he is concentrating and releasing!"
With a snap, he flashed his eyes open, fiery blue eyes blazed with a blue fire and he threw his head back to let out a mighty roar into the sky. His smoke-like dark blue aura burst upwards and it exploded into a blinding light.
When the light faded, Vegeta appeared in his new form. He was noticeably bigger than his normal form due to the increase in his muscle mass. His hair had a darker blue hue, bigger and spikier, pointing outwards. His irises were a deep blue color around black, dilated pupils. His aura was also larger and had a denser nature to it.
"He underwent another transformation! This is insane!" Arak marveled.
"I didn't know he's hiding this much power the entire time!" Beerus told Whis.
"No, milord. Vegeta was already fighting at his full strength a few moments ago. This rising power is driven by Vegeta's ideals. His pride and his anger of being questioned and insulted have burned his fighting spirit, setting it ablaze and making him stronger." Whis explained. "He knew that Toppo is much more powerful than he is and that he stood no chance with his current strength. He refused to surrender because he knows what he's going to do. He had willingly allowed Toppo to beat him to the inch of his life and used his learnings on Planet Yardrat to utilize the unique ability of the Saiyans to grow exponentially more powerful than before every time they fight and survive near-fatal damage. Do you understand now why he wasn't listening to you?" Whis explained.
"I didn't know... Why the hell didn't you tell me that earlier, Whis?! Goodness! Vegeta is such a genius!" Beerus muttered. His surprise immediately was replaced with excitement and he suddenly shouted to the ring, cheering for his protégé. "Go, Vegeta! Show us the true power of the Saiyans!"
"If this fight goes on then he may have another one!" Belmod grunted in annoyance. "Toppo, finish this already! Don't let him tap another burst of power! Go and destroy him with a more powerful Hakai!" Belmod roared.
Toppo nodded and decided to follow his master's command. He raised his arms in the air above him, powered up, and charged a huge ball of Hakai energy from his hands.
"No matter how strong you have become with that transformation of yours, you will never get another lucky shot to survive this! I've put all my powers of Destruction in this sphere! You're finished!" Toppo announced.
Vegeta descended in front of Toppo without any word.
"Aren't you going to say anything at all? Like last words or something? Where has your arrogance from earlier gone to? Or has terror made you realize that despite your new power, you won't stand a chance?"
"He's finally getting serious," Beerus said, thrilled on what's about to happen that his student finally decided to stop playing games. And he knew that a serious Vegeta during a battle meant something dangerous is about to happen.
Vegeta simply braced himself by setting his feet apart at shoulder length, flexing his arms on the side before crossing his forearms right in front of his chest.
"Is he planning to block that much power of destruction just as he did earlier?" Sidra wondered.
Then like a bird spreading his wings, Vegeta thrust his arms open on his sides, hands held vertically and fingers wide. In each palm, concentrated ki began to gather into a sphere. Both emitted sporadic bolts of yellow bio-electricity that shoot in all directions.
"He's planning to block it with his ki?! That won't do, it will only get nullified by the power of destruction!" Heles gasped.
"Tsk tsk... He's wasting his energy instead of just running away or giving up." Roh uttered in a bored manner, shaking his head in disinterest in a battle he was sure Toppo would win by now.
Vegeta combined the two spheres into one in front of him, his palms together and fingers curled. The fused power caused lightning to explode around him.
"Destruction!" Toppo exclaimed as he fired his gigantic ball of Destruction energy towards Vegeta's direction.
"Final Flash!" Vegeta roared before a burst of blinding light erupted from his aura and a massive golden blast engulfed with blue electric charges exploded from his hands and shoot towards the upcoming orb of destruction.
It was a clash of purple and a mix of blue and gold energies. As soon as the Final Flash hit the sphere of destruction, the front of the ki blast immediately turned into sparks.
"It's no use!" Toppo declared. "Just surrender to your defeat, Saiyan!"
"Tch!" Vegeta sneered in annoyance. All of a sudden, he opened his mouth to let out a continuous but powerful roar, calling forth more of his ki to power up his attack more. With a burst of energy, the Final Flash intensified, erupting into a colossal blast that quickly overpowered the now seemingly powerless sphere of destruction, completely decimating Toppo's attack and shooting towards Toppo who let out a helpless cry as the power of the Final Flash overwhelmed him.
The blast burst forth, the excessive energy shook the entire Palace, the bright light blinding everyone for several moments, causing even the gods to let out horrified screams, except that of King Zen who was squealing in awe.
Vegeta let go and ended the Final Flash with a last burst of his ki. The smoke cleared and revealed Toppo's severely burned body, unconscious and unmoving.
"Did Vegeta kill him?" gasped Rumsshi.
"He's a monster. These Saiyans are true beasts!" Belmod cried out.
Despite the outrage of the gods, Vegeta simply stared at Toppo. The guy tried to destroy him out of his existence and these damn gods called him a monster for defending himself and thinking he killed the one who threatened and insulted him? He just couldn't believe their nerves!
"Is Toppo dead? Did Vegeta kill him? This is a problem if he accidentally killed him in this match. Daishinkan, please check on him." King Zen ordered his attendant.
Hearing King Zen's words, Beerus, Shin and Whis immediately grew anxious. What does he mean by that? Does that mean that if Vegeta had accidentally killed Toppo, he'll pay? Or will the four of them be punished? Or will the entire Seventh Universe suffer?
"As you wish, Majesty," Daishinkan said. He descended next to Toppo and checked his vitals to see if he's dead. Representatives from both the Seventh and Eleventh Universes waited anxiously for any news.
Daishinkan straightened and raised his hand in the air. "This match is over! Prince Vegeta from the Seventh Universe wins via knockout!"
There was complete silence from the crowd until Beerus let out a scream before cackling boisterously and jumping around, "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss! Bwahahahahahahaha!" he excitedly jumped into the arena, followed by Whis and Shin.
He quickly grabbed Vegeta in his arms, shaking him, and hugging him like a proud father to his most adored son. "You see that?! I told you my Vegeta is worthy! He's defeated that guy on his own! Did you see his power? Ha! You were all surprised, aren't you?! As his Majesty said, do not judge a book by its cover! Now you will never underestimate anyone of us ever again!" Beerus proudly stated.
Belmod, Khai, and Marcarita went to Toppo's side. The beautiful guide angel instantly healed Toppo with the magical power of her angelic scepter. Toppo rose and quickly apologized to Belmod for the humiliation he had given his master.
"It's okay, Toppo. You did everything you could." Belmod smiled at him, proud that his student had grown as a fighter. They turned to look at the side of the representatives from the Seventh Universe and watched as Beerus showed Vegeta off like he was some trophy and as if he was the one who did all the fighting. Vegeta was giving Beerus a weird look, trying to pull himself away from the overjoyed god, looking like he was silently wishing for anyone to save him from this crazy deity.
"I can see where his pride and arrogance were coming from," Belmod said. "Beerus was right when he said the Saiyan is a genius and an incredible mortal warrior. While I did not expect him to have this much potential and was proven wrong about my judgment, I still believe that he won't become an effective God of Destruction, for the fact that he said that he doesn't want to become one."
"Oh yes... We will have a proper discussion about that. Let me have a word with them first." Daishinkan said. He approached the Seventh Universe representatives. Beerus finally let Vegeta go and fell to his knees before the Grand Priest. His action was followed by Shin and Whis. When Beerus found Vegeta gaping at the Grand Priest, Beerus pulled him down and forced him to kneel. Vegeta dropped his transformation and glared at Beerus, but Beerus hissed back at him.
"Prince Vegeta, I would like to congratulate you for winning the match. I'm sure that his Majesty is very well pleased with your performance during battle. He had been cheering happily the entire time."
"Thank you," Vegeta muttered as if he was talking to the floor instead of Daishinkan.
"But there is something that you mentioned during the fight that we need to discuss and is a matter of importance. Is it true that you never wanted to become a God of Destruction?"
"Yes, everything that I said during the battle is true."
"Oh? This is interesting. And you also mentioned that you only accepted to be trained to become one because of your pursuance of strength. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Indeed, this is a problem." Daishinkan said. He turned to Beerus. "Do you know anything about this, Beerus?"
Beerus hesitated at first but decided to answer honestly. "...No, Grand Priest."
Daishinkan turned his eyes to the guide angel. "How about you, Whis?"
"No, father," Whis mentioned. "Perhaps you have noticed that Vegeta's thoughts were impenetrable and he never opened up anything towards us since we started training him."
Daishinkan returned his cold eyes towards Vegeta. "So how did you end up being trained by Beerus?"
Vegeta responded, "I made a wish to have the powers of Destruction, but I didn't want it to be given to me. I wanted Beerus-sama to teach me the secrets to this power. He said that the technique is only for Gods of Destruction to use, so I made a contract with him that in exchange for this power, I must become his successor. As you saw during the battle, he still hasn't taught me anything about the powers of destruction."
"Ah... Now I was beginning to understand why Beerus didn't teach you this power yet. Your reasons for agreeing to take his position were pretty selfish and ambitious. Because of this, you had your doubts, torn between your pride and ambition." King Zen suddenly interrupted. "While I admire your power and prodigious capabilities, which is very unusual for a mortal, I think I am going to agree with the other gods that you aren't suited to wield the power you are seeking and the position of becoming a destroyer god if your heart is filled with selfishness, pride, and ambition. As Toppo had said earlier, a true God of Destruction doesn't need unnecessary things that would distract them from doing their duties properly. This is the reason why we do not just choose anyone based on physical power or capabilities alone, we needed someone who can let go of everything irrelevant to his future duties."
"So what do you plan to do with him now, your majesty?" Daishinkan asked the king.
"Hmmm... I don't know. We cannot have an unqualified mortal to continue his training with a God of Destruction. We have never dealt with anything like this before so I have no idea. I was thinking of destroying both him, Beerus, and Shin for this-"
Beerus and Shin stiffened with terror while Vegeta's head shot up towards King Zen with wide, shocked eyes.
"-No! You cannot do that!" Vegeta yelled.
Everyone glowered in Vegeta's direction angrily.
Daishinkan cleared his throat. "Prince Vegeta, you should know better than to speak to his Majesty in that manner-."
"Destroy me! This is all my fault! Leave Beerus and Shin or even Whis out of this. I was the one who made the wish and agreed to the contract. And they have no knowledge of any of my true intentions. You may destroy me as you wish, just... Please. Not them." he pleaded.
King Zen's jaw dropped upon seeing how he had elicited such an unexpected response from the prince. "Are you really that willing to give up your existence for them?"
"I take responsibility for all my mistakes. I believe that I am the reason why this mess happened in the first place."
King Zen's eyes were cold and expressionless. He raised his left hand and formed a bright sphere of Omni-godly energy. Vegeta could tell it was somehow similar to Hakai. King Zen brought the dangerous sphere closer to Vegeta. The prince gritted his teeth, shaking at the thought of him being destroyed here in the end. He didn't like this feeling of fearing for his own life, but he was one who never go back to his word. If this is his punishment for his so-called foolishness, the only way for him to defend those close to him who might get destroyed because of him, he stood his ground.
The sphere touched his chest and the white energy completely engulfed him. Vegeta squinted his eyes, bracing himself for the end.
But it didn't come.
When he opened his eyes, he realized that King Zen clothed him with the same clothes he had before the battle began, his Saiyan Royal Armor, complete with his red cape. He looked down on himself, bewildered.
King Zen laughed at his expression, a childish, cheerful sound that could be compared to the sound of bells. "Now, that is one selfless act I would like to see," he smiled.
"Eh?"
"It was a test. You don't have to worry. I was just kidding you. I have acknowledged your potential. I have never seen such prospective talent as promising as yours and I wouldn't want it to be wasted. That is why I am willing to give you a second chance to rethink your decision about becoming the God of Destruction of the Seventh Universe."
With these words, Beerus and Shin were both relieved. Everybody else was stunned that the King of All had given a rare second chance to a mortal and even openly praised him.
"You can take your time to rethink your decision, but please do not take too much time. If my counterpart finds out about this, there won't be any second chances at all."
When King Zen said that, Beerus and Shin stiffened once more. This time, they trembled in obvious fear.
"If... If I may interrupt, your... Your Majesty... I would like to assure you that Vegeta will do as you expected of him real soon," Whis said. Vegeta turned his head to the guide angel, puzzled by his words and the way he stuttered. He had never seen Whis that afraid of anyone ever.
"Really?" King Zen asked with a wide grin.
Whis raised his hand, "If you wish, I shall relay to you an assurance."
"Hmm... Okay. Come here and let me see," King Zen beckoned the guide angel to come to his side.
Whis stood up and levitated towards the King of all, who held up his hand with a smile.
Then the King of All froze. He turned his blank eyes towards Vegeta and murmured something Vegeta didn't understand at all but caused the rest around him to shoot their heads in his direction with utterly stunned gazes due to their disbelief. Confused and annoyed that he was being stared at, Vegeta lowered his head. What the hell was Whis trying to show that colorful brat?
Soon, he could hear murmurs from the other gods. He didn't understand a thing and Vegeta felt disrespected about it. Were they talking about him in a language he doesn't even understand? What were they talking about?
"I see," King Zen told Whis, still smiling. Whis returned to where his comrades were.
"Okay then. We're done here. Thank you very much for coming today. I appreciate it. I will have the Grand Priest send you all a gift as thank you for your time! Until next time! Oh, Prince Vegeta and Toppo! I look forward to seeing you again! As new Gods of Destruction, I hope! Bye-bye!"
With that, King Zen disappeared to thin air.
As soon as he's gone, everyone finally relaxed.
"That was close... I thought I was going to be destroyed in there!" Shin almost cried as Kibito approached him. "You saved us all, Whis."
"If anything, it's Yogengyo who saved you, not me," Whis told him.
"Still... I can't believe it. A Saiyan from our Universe will-?"
Beerus elbowed Shin to stop him from saying anything more. Shin flinched and apologized quickly. He turned to see Vegeta was looking at an open space with a blank look.
Vegeta looked like he was trying to listen to the murmurs, feeling lost that he was the odd one out. He saw how everyone stared in his direction, with either contempt or disbelief in their faces. Was his effort in this battle not proof enough for them to believe what he's capable of? He wondered if it had something to do with what Toppo and King Zen said about his incapability to let go of his principles? He gritted his teeth together. He cannot take it any longer.
"Vegeta! Are you coming or not?" Beerus called, distracting him from his thoughts. "Let's go home and we have something to discuss."
Vegeta stiffened. He realized that Beerus and Whis must be displeased about what he did in there and he will be punished for his insolence and the humiliation he gave them here. Forget about winning the battle with Toppo, he had embarrassed their dignities right in front of everyone.
Vegeta visibly whimpered and slowly approached Beerus and Whis, pouting like a child who was caught stealing cookies by his parents. Without any word, Beerus and Whis grabbed either side of his shoulders, causing him to shriek. Suddenly, the surroundings changed back into his room. Shin had teleported them back into their world.
Whis and Beerus let his shoulders go but Vegeta didn't move at all. He was like a statue with how stiff he was due to his fear of being scolded by both of them.
"Vegeta," Beerus called.
"Ye...Yes, Bee-Beerus-sama!" Vegeta shrieked, stuttering, giving in to his fear. He sensed Beerus encircle him like a predator playing around with his prey before deciding to eat him alive.
When Beerus stopped right in front of him, glaring at him with an intimidating gaze, Vegeta pondered on how he should have just allowed Toppo's Hakai sphere to destroy him during the fight. He feared the wrath of an enraged Beerus more than losing his entire existence.
Beerus put his hands over Vegeta's broad shoulders and stared at him eye to eye, "The oath that you made with Whis... Let's ensure that you will do that soon."
"Eh?"
"I want you to surpass not just me, but all the gods that you have met today, or even those you haven't met. I will make sure that you will be the strongest and most feared among all!"
What's up with him? Vegeta wondered. Earlier this morning, Beerus was so mad when he learned from Whis about the oath he made. And now, he's agreeing to it?
Beerus suddenly shouted, "Let's make them regret underestimating us and the Seventh Universe!"
Vegeta finally relaxed after making sure that Beerus isn't going to destroy him here. "And here I thought you're angry about me saying that I never wanted to become a God of Destruction..."
"I already told you when you were a child that you will never become an effective God of Destruction and be capable enough to wield the godly powers of destruction properly if you continue being self-centered and giving yourself such unnecessary burdens. I have expected that you didn't want to abandon your principles despite having the desire for more power. After all, you seem to be a pride incarnate.
"What Toppo and King Zen told you about how you can wield the powers of destruction and become an effective God of Destruction weren't entirely wrong. It is a common but misunderstood rule, even by deities themselves.
"I will teach you a different way on how you can master the power of destruction without you throwing away your Saiyan Pride and I promise you that you are going to love this."
"Really? Is there such a way?"
"Of course. That is exactly why I chose you, a Saiyan, to become my successor."