The Olympian God of Destruction:
Chapter 18: The Titanomachy XI
A little while later… Atop Mount Olympus…
Seeing that their little display and introduction to their new symbols of power was over with, Beerus's brothers, after chatting a bit amongst themselves and him about their boons from the Cyclopes, and being sure to thank them for their work, they had all dispersed. The others had too, and had effectively gone back to what they were doing before for the most part. Each of his sisters had congratulated him and his brothers on their gifted boons prior to that, even Hera, who could see the benefit they could bring to them, even if it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was envious of what they'd gotten while she was left out. He wasn't about to say that Hera would be being unreasonable in thinking that, given he'd probably be the same in her shoes, and was still a little surprised inwardly that the symbol of power she'd get in the future wouldn't really be all that applicable to combat, given how he'd come to know her so far. Her personality, at least from what he'd seen himself, didn't line up with that at all, but he supposed the Cyclopes with their ability to 'read' folks better, really could just see something in her that neither he, nor her could at present.
Deciding that he'd rather not have to be carrying around the sword all the time, Beerus had asked if there was a way to conceal it or something. Arges had been quick to reply that all he needed to do, given it was pretty much bound to him now, was to simply will it away, and it would disappear. The purple-haired god had done so, and just as Arges had said, the sword vanished completely, leaving the hand that'd been holding it free. He hadn't even needed to ask for Arges to tell him that the reverse was true too, and he could simply will it right back into his grasp in an instant whenever he wanted to. And even knowing that the one-eyed giants had yet to lie to him, he still did it anyway to check, and once the sword did materialize back as Arges had said it would, Beerus gave him an appreciative nod before willing it away again. The trio being swift to take their leave via teleportation now that their reveal was over and done with, retreating back to the forge they'd made for themselves for now, from what Beerus could sense.
"So, are you still curious enough to hear about my little project, or would you prefer to give that weapon of yours a test first?…" Prometheus asked Beerus politely, as he stepped closer to him following the whole reveal and such with a small twinkle in his eyes. "I'd imagine listening to me about my own future project probably wouldn't be as enticing as getting to train with your new weapon, after all."
Beerus glanced at him and shrugged rather casually. "Nah, its fine. I can put aside a few minutes to hear you out." There was no huge rush, after all. Not like five, ten minutes max would hurt his training time any, even if he'd be using some extra to see how his new weapon may work. "I won't deny that you still have me a little intrigued by it, after all. So, go ahead. Tell me about this small project of yours."
"Heh, well alright then." Prometheus smiled gladly, as he placed his hands on his hips. "It's pretty simple, really. What I intend to do, is create a whole new kind of being. Or, well, my own proper version of them, anyway."
"So, you're trying to make your own version of something that already exists?" Beerus rose a brow. "What's the point in that?"
"Well, the thing is, they weren't made by me, despite the fact that I was the one who came up with idea. Kronos took that from me and decided to make them himself."
"Ah, so this just a way to stick it to him, then? By making a better version?" Beerus gave an amused smirk, fully capable of understanding logic like that.
"Ehehe, not exactly." Prometheus chuckled, though there wasn't much humour behind it. "Back then, I only had a rudimentary idea of how I should go about it, and in hindsight, I regret telling Kronos about it, as he just followed along with what I'd said and made them himself. To put it bluntly, the results were… not good. Almost embarrassing, if I'm being honest." The 2nd generation Titan explained, as his face cringed at what seemed like an unpleasant memory.
"Hmph. Were they that revolting to look at, or something?" The soon to be god of destruction couldn't help but ask curiously, as his fists touched behind his back again.
"It's not that they were revolting to look at. Quite the opposite, actually. They all looked just as good as we do. The problem was, they were too close to how we are, without any of the negatives. Their lives were essentially perfect, in a way, from the very beginning. They knew nothing of effort, hard work, or sorrow like we could do. They knew nothing of things like responsibility or fulfilment either. All they knew, was 'happiness' and 'pleasure'," The Titan of foresight remarked while using air-quotations with his fingers, making it clear just how seriously he should take those last few words. "when they weren't lazing around all day doing nothing, that is."
"So, in other words, they are more of a nuisance than anything else? A complete waste of space?"
"Not 'are', but 'were'." Prometheus corrected him. "Kronos was increasingly annoyed that none of them were worshipping him, and to a lesser extent his brothers, sisters, and nephew too. You see, it didn't matter to them that Kronos was the reason they existed at all. They didn't see a reason to do anything other than occasionally eat and drink what we did, and have sex with either each other, or with some nymphs that happened to be nearby. Outside that, they just lazed around, as I said, or wandered about in their little patch of paradise that they'd been put on aimlessly. Let me tell you, because of all this that'd been granted to them since their creation, they ended up becoming quite the disrespectful and uncooperative bunch pretty fast. Eventually, Kronos had had enough of them not doing what he wanted them to. Seeing as he didn't want to openly admit he'd created something so botched and had to get rid of them, he instead isolated them from everyone else until they eventually 'died' on their own, in a sense."
"In a sense?" Beerus gave a confused look.
"Death, as I'm sure you know, isn't something possible for us." He stated matter-of-factly whilst folding his arms over his chest. "Only lesser nymphs that have had the place their existence is tied to destroyed, or the select number of creatures that roam the lands or seas that we've come to call animals and fish, are capable of it. And when they die, they cease to be completely. For the beings Kronos created off of my incomplete idea though? No. they still technically exist. After the few hundred or so of them had 'died', they simply left their physical bodies behind, and became lesser spirits that now aimlessly wander the Earth, just as they once did for the paradise they originally lived on. Now unable to truly interact with anything around them, making their existence as close to being truly gone as you can get, without actually being gone." The Titan elucidated thoroughly, before a scowl came over his features. "This was before you and your siblings were born, and Kronos made it clear that so long as he was in charge, this wouldn't be happening again. There'd be no second attempt at it on my own, unless I wanted him to come and punish me for challenging his authority."
"Yep. That sounds like something that bastard would do alright. Pathetic." Beerus rolled his eyes, looking forward to the moment that he'd end him. "Not hard to see why you're here then, given how passionate you seem to be about this project of yours."
"Mostly. My foresight kicked in not too long ago and let me see how this war between you two would go, and before I decided it was time to leave, I told him directly that he should try to avoid the path he's on now, as the result of this war would end badly for him. He didn't want to hear it, and not only stubbornly said that he'd win this war, but that if I ever said that to him again, he'd make good on his promise before to punish me for challenging his authority." Prometheus simply shook his head, looking to be in disbelief at how Kronos had apparently acted towards him. "It was truly baffling. Even though I could see the future itself, and how this war would end, he still refused to accept it as the truth, and told me to get out of his sight and never spout such nonsense again. At that point, I knew I was dealing with a lost cause, so when I got that invitation to come over here, let's just say I didn't have to put much thought into whether or not I'd come."
"Hmm. Actually, before you go on about your little project, you've just reminded of something I've wanted to ask you." Beerus cut in, hearing the Titan directly speak about his future sight.
"Go ahead." His fellow god motioned for him to continue.
"That ability to see the future of yours, I've been wondering, can you use it to see anything you want, or is it more specific than that?"
"Well, it's kind of a bit of both, really." Prometheus shrugged. "Sometimes it'll activate on its own and show me something that'll happen in the near or distant future. That's more so for really big events though, like the result of the war and so forth. When I activate it at will, it's pretty much always for lesser stuff, like if I'm in a fight, it'd show me my opponent's next move or two before he does them, or it'd show me how someone would react ahead of time to something I may ask. In both cases though it's likely I still won't get the full context, so even then, I might end up with the wrong idea even still. Actually, that's kinda how it is in both cases, really."
"And is that how it is for your vision of the future for this war, too?" Beerus narrowed his eyes.
The son of Iapetus shook his head in the negative. His serious facial expression making it clear that wasn't the case. "No. That one was the exception. What I saw there… was far too definitive to be anything but Kronos' defeat..."
"Heh. As it should." Even if it hadn't, he'd have made it so, anyway. Still, it was good to get that confirmation regardless, both on learning the limitations of the Titan's ability, and to a greater degree his future victory over that bum, enough so to get a partially satisfied smile. The rest of which would come once he'd actually dealt with that pathetic excuse for a god for good. "Now than, back to this project of yours, I suppose. What were these beings called, anyway? If they were even called anything in the first place."
"They were." He nodded, sounding much more enthusiastic again. "We called them the race of Man. And just like them, the new batch will be called the same."
Beerus blinked. Race of Man? As in, humans?
"This time around though, which will no doubt be some time after this war, I'll be sure to differentiate them more from us. Make them more unique, rather than just being discount versions of us, without the capability to take divine domains or anything like that. Like giving them the trait of aging, only properly this time. For the first generation, I suppose I should call them, they were bore fully grown and ended up aging backwards to a baby before their spirits left them, because I thought that might make them more unique from everything else at the time. In hindsight, that was a silly idea. I should've just gone with regular aging, like what happens with the select number of non-immortal creatures that I mentioned before."
Wait, hold on a second. He had them aging backwards? Beerus genuinely couldn't believe he'd heard that. Back in his old universe, you either aged normally, or didn't age at all. There was no such thing as naturally aging backwards to their own death. Aging in reverse wasn't a thing to his knowledge unless you got one of the angels to de-age you, for whatever reason, or wished for it on the dragon balls. Never in his eons of life had he heard of a race aging in reverse after being born fully grown, and dying of young age. That just sounded like an asinine idea from the beginning, for various reasons.
Then again, the concept of aging was foreign to beings like them, and had to be invented, quite literally, for other lesser beings to have, quite like how it had been back in his old multiverse, just with the one here being far more recent, it seemed. In that case, he supposed it could be excused in as experimentation. One that'd predictably been a bad idea, and was now scrapped for a superior option.
"I want them to be great, but flawed. They'll end up being quite inferior to us, but no less capable of surviving on their own, even with the mortality they'll have. To accomplish all this, I've come up with a whole new concept to be introduced for them, one that'll internally differentiate them from us on a fundamental level, and work on its own after the first of them have been born to keep the aging for their potential descendants in place without any further work from us. That, and give them their own proper way of being related to their future offspring, unlike us." Prometheus was practically grinning like a child about to get their latest toy, as he spoke.
Beerus felt confusion once again at that last bit he'd said, but he wasn't quite prepared for what was about to be said next. Not in the slightest.
"This new concept that I'm bringing in for them, I like to call it, DNA. Now, I won't bore you with what that stands for, or how I define it, just know that…" Prometheus stopped speaking, gaining a confused and somewhat worried look, when he saw that Beerus's eyes had widened comically from what they were, and he seemed to have stilled in place, looking as stiff as a board in complete shock. "Uhm, what's the matter, Beerus?" He asked, touching a hand on the 'younger' god's shoulder when he didn't react to him initially. "Are you okay…? Why do you… look so stunned…?"
"DNA…?" Beerus finally muttered after a moment, turning to look over at the others remaining in the area, before moving his stare right back over to Prometheus in disbelief. "What do you mean that's a new concept…? Don't we… already have that too…?"
"Uhh, no…?" Prometheus looked at him strangely. "Why would we?"
They didn't…? How…? They were physical beings, were they not? How did they not have DNA? Whether you were god or mortal, everyone that he knew of from his old life, even Whis, his fellow angels, and he was sure Lord Zen'o himself had some form of it, even if they didn't age. Them not having DNA here… that had to be the most absurd thing he'd heard yet. Beerus wanted to open his mouth and tell Prometheus to not mess with him like that, but he could tell just from the look on his face, the utter confusion at his reaction, that what he said was no lie. He was being honest with him here, as ridiculous as it may've sounded to him.
The gods here… don't have DNA… Beerus could practically feel his mind whirring at light speed after that bombshell had been unintentionally dropped on him. Which means that… I don't have it either with this body… For the first real time since he'd come here, his head couldn't quite process the utter absurdity he'd just been told no matter how hard it tried, and even more so wasn't something he could just brush to the side. The one thing that was vital to just about every living being he'd ever come across – with the exception of those he could count on his hand who didn't really have a physical form, like that one stupid ghost who'd annoyed him that one time – his body now lacked. Hell, everyone here currently lacked it too.
Is that… steam coming out of his ears…? Prometheus sweat-dropped, not quite knowing how to react, as Beerus's brain seemed to shut down for a moment, with literal, and dare he say it, a downright comical amount of smoky steam pouring out from either ear. As though his divine brain had been set on fire and was burning away inside of his skull in real time. What in the world is going on here…? I thought he might be a little intrigued by the concept, but… I didn't think I'd get this kind of reaction out of him… Moreover, why did he seem so gobsmacked about them not having it in the first place? It was an idea he'd only recently come up with, and he hadn't shared it with anyone other than his brother Epimetheus, who hadn't spoken a word of it to his knowledge. And even if he had, and Beerus had somehow caught wind of it beforehand, that still wouldn't explain… this kind of reaction. Nor did it explain why from the way he sounded, that he was shocked at the notion it was a new concept he'd made up, and that it didn't apply to them.
He acted as though it was something he'd known about well before he'd said it, and that his reveal of it, and how it didn't apply to them was some sort of world-shattering revelation, when it really shouldn't have been. "Beerus, why do you look so shocked by all of this? You look like I've just told you some forbidden truth that was too incomprehensible for your mind to process. What gives?"
What gives? Again, was he – oh, who was he kidding, of course he was serious! There wasn't even a hint of deceit in his tone before, and there was no amusement in his tone now that would bely him having a joke at his expense. Beerus had to shake his head to somewhat snap himself out of the stupor he'd been put in, though he still couldn't quite remove the shock of that information he'd been given.
"N-Never you mind. It's not important…" Beerus lied through his teeth, too stunned to even bother entertaining the idea of telling him some semblance of the truth. "Uhh… you were saying?..." He continued awkwardly, trying to get away from the current subject. Or rather, this particular part of the current subject matter.
Prometheus continued to give him an odd look for a moment, before choosing to just shrug his incredibly bizarre reaction off for now. Using his foresight, he was able to tell that Beerus wouldn't be giving him an actual answer as to why he'd responded like that, and in all honesty, it didn't really impact anything, so there was no point on dwelling on it, even if it did make him curious. "Well, there's not much else to say, really. On the technical side of things, as I said before, DNA is going to be what I use, in conjunction with what I learned externally from viewing the first generation of Man to make the new race of Man, and have them retain something wholly distinct from us. That makes them unique from the other denizens of this world when they're finally bore. If you want, I could explain to you the process of how I'm going to make them?"
"Eh… That's alright…" Beerus gauchely waved him off. "I've heard enough… It sounds uhh… interesting…" Well, that was the understatement of the millennium. And that sure as hell wasn't simply for the broader 'making Man' goal of the project, but rather the way they'd be differentiated from them in their conception. "Good luck with that…"
"Uh, alright then...?" Prometheus rose a brow, but otherwise didn't comment on the off-feeling dismissal. "Would you like to watch me make them when the time comes?"
"Eh, sure, sure. Why not?..." The former cat-god replied with another wave of his hand, not entirely listening to what his fellow deity had asked, due to being more in his own thoughts at this point. "I'll uhm… take my leave now…" He finished, already walking off and away from Prometheus as he said this, not caring at all for how rude that may have been.
"Oookay…?" The Titan just stared at his retreating back weirdly for a few seconds. "I'll see you later, then…" He muttered, before uncrossing his arms and deciding to turn around and head back to his room, putting Beerus' odd behaviour to the back of his mind, even if there was a part of him that was somewhat concerned about his fellow deity's sudden shift in demeanour. And all over the new concept he'd come up with to distinguish Man from them, of all things.
How very strange…
Beerus, meanwhile, stopped just as he was about to reach the entrance of his palace, having walked off aimlessly before, and looked back around the room at everyone still in it, though mainly at his family. All as the full weight and meaning of what Prometheus had told him fell upon him. He and his siblings really didn't have DNA, as preposterous as that sounded. And while Beerus wouldn't claim to be some high-end scientist that studied stuff like this religiously or anything, he did know full well what that 'new concept' Prometheus had spoke of was. And knew that with its absence, everything about how they were was far more confusing, and yet, at the same time, enlightening.
His brothers and sisters… He and them were only truly related in the loosest sense, despite being bore from the union of the same two people. His siblings and he, could only be considered as siblings because of the fact they shared the same parents in this world. Inwardly though, on a completely fundamental, biological level, due to none of them having DNA to tie them together, they held zero actual relation to each other, as asinine as that entire sentence sounded to him. Heck, because of the absence of DNA, they couldn't have been more removed from each other, even if they tried to be. They both were and weren't family at the same time…
If this was the case… then he'd finally gotten his answer, he supposed. The answer to why his body reacted the way it did with his sisters' actions, why his new mother and Gaea had been encouraging that crap, and why no one seemed to care about the incest they were partaking in. He couldn't help but glance over almost instinctually at his younger sisters in particular for a small moment. Now that he knew none of them were related to one another on a technical level, it meant that what his mind had been repulsed by, which was the fact that his body got aroused by Hera's and Demeter's earlier antics, as well as the other incestuous shit going on around him, was pointless. On every conceivable level with that new piece of context Prometheus had given him, his repulsion didn't make sense anymore, and by this universe's standards, would be considered illogical. And not to mention that his reaction toward Hera's kiss, ripping his own cock off out of disgust at his body, even if it regenerated almost as fast as he'd taken it off, was in retrospect, a laughably over the top reaction in context.
All this incestuous stuff he'd been disturbed by, now that he knew the full picture, wasn't even incestuous at all. Incest implied a familial, biological connection between one another, which no one in this world really had, or would have, until Prometheus put his pet project into effect. Incest, as hilarious as it sounded, with what had just been dropped on him, in itself, wouldn't even be a concept until the second generation of humans' children came about, or perhaps even further on than that…
Seriously, what kind of wacky physiology did they all have? This new world of his really did enjoy finding new ways to make his mind bend around in on itself, like one of those fine planet Earth cuisines called pretzels, didn't it? What else could be used to explain a world that had logic that spit in the face of his old one so jarringly, and really seemed to love rubbing it in his face every chance it got? Because right now, he sure as shit couldn't think of any.
I need to start training… Beerus decided, doing his best to push that bombshell he'd just been given to the side for the moment, and put his focus on something he'd much prefer right now. Turning back again, he quickly made his way out of the palace and towards where the dummy Gaea had made for him had been setup on a further end of the courtyard. Thankfully, without anyone, especially his siblings, choosing to interrupt him. That was one distraction, given what he'd just found out, that he didn't really need at present.
That of course didn't mean there weren't quite a few nymphs and other lesser deities watching him as he got up to it, but he didn't mind that. So long as they didn't come over and annoy him, they could spectate however much they liked.
Getting into position in front of the dummy, Beerus was able to put all other thoughts to the side, now that he was technically alone, and focus on attaining that True Divine Form he needed. That was the goal, and nothing else mattered while he was working on achieving it.
The ex-GOD of Universe 7 started like he always did, getting into the signature pose of Hakai with his arm straightened out in front of him, with his thumb crossed over his palm, as it faced the dummy's head. He then focused inward, to draw from the metaphysical concept of destruction he was now bound to, one in the same with, as Gaea had explained. His eyes closing for a brief moment as he tried to call to it, and make it bend to his command. And once he felt the pull of destruction within his soul, he snapped his eyes open and made to will it to the surface, and destroy the dummy right in front of him.
Yet just like his most recent attempts, the most he was able to muster was being able to feel it within him, and lightly tug on that abstract part of himself, but not enough to actually pull even a sliver of it to the surface. It was progress from where he'd been initially when starting this training, but still frustrating all the same that it was going this slowly. That wasn't to say he was dissuaded though. If anything, like always, it just drove him to try harder and keep at it until he got it to obey him.
He continued at his typical routine for a while, a good number of hours in fact, until the sun that lit up even their little piece of heaven set and disappeared, bringing in nightfall with it. The moon's rays shining in radiantly down on the peak of Olympus, as the endless amount of stars that illuminated the dark sky shone brightly.
By this point, his spectators had long stopped watching him, and Beerus let out a sigh as he glanced up at the night sky through the barrier. No real noticeable improvement on it today… He thought to himself, before opening the hand he'd been using to try and push his destruction power through, and turning it to face himself as he brought it closer, staring at it with his amber eyes. This new part of me is certainly being more difficult than I would've ever thought it'd be, but like everything else I've ever mastered, there's no way I won't have a breakthrough with you too, soon enough. Just like when I was originally training for my Hakaishin powers and status all those eons ago, its only a matter of time before I've brought you under heel too.
With that thought, Beerus turned to call it a day, and was about to retreat into his palace for a brief, but pleasant nap. Just as he did though, he instantly got the feeling that he was forgetting something. This was enough to get him to pause and ponder what that may be. Sufficed to say, it didn't take long for him to remember, and he almost felt like face-palming once he recalled it. "Ah, that's right. The bloody sword the Cyclopes gave me…"
Shaking his head at his brief bout of forgetfulness, he willed the blade into existence within his grasp, holding it in the same hand he tried to use for Hakai the whole day, pretty much. That same rush from before hitting him, as he immediately felt it THRUM within his grip, like it was happy to be in his hand again, rather than the hammer-space or potential non-existence it was in when he'd made it disappear. As it did, something clicked inside him, and he got the sense instantly that something had changed. Once he did, an idea popped into his head of something he could try, seeing as the blade was bound to him at least somewhat similarly to how he and the concept of destruction were to each other now. Raising the blade above his head for a downward slash not a moment later, he once again closed his eyes to focus for a bit, to try and draw from the metaphysical concept of destruction he was one with.
Once he did, the sword glowed a deep purple like it had the first time he'd held it, and Beerus's eyes snapped wide open when he felt a second rush of something going through him, like a stream passing from him to the blade and back on a more abstract level, as he instinctually swung downward with the aura-coated blade. To both his shock, and amazement, despite him not having put much force behind it, the sword cleaved right through the dummy, bisecting it from the head to its feet in one fluid motion like a hot-knife through butter as it cut into the ground before Beerus finally stopped it.
His jaw slackened, Beerus stared wide-eyed at the previously invincible dummy that Gaea had gifted him for training. The dummy that had taken his strongest blows and hadn't so much as budged or even suffered a scratch of damage, the very one that had mocked him in a way with his slow progress and inability to draw anything significant from his domain, was now cut in half!Both of its halves falling sideways to the soil with a hefty THUNK not long after. Dark-purple specks tracing and floating off the cut ends quite like how any object or person he'd used Hakai on in the past did, as more and more of the split sides evaporated after their fall until, less than a second later, nothing was left of either. Only the specks remained, and even then, just for a fleeting moment floating away from his stunned features, before they too disappeared completely.
"Haa…!?" Dropping his gaze down to the blade in hand, Beerus lifted it up closer to his face as he closed his mouth and swallowed, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead as he openly stared in shock at the sword. Too stunned to say a word at present, after what he'd just accomplished with the weapon.
His domain… It'd just… properly responded to his call for the first time, and allowed him to pull from its depths… Something he'd only been licking at doing up to now, he'd just pulled off in one go…
The sword… It'd somehow helped him there. He could feel it! At the moment he'd dove deep inside of himself to pull on his domain's power, the sword had somehow helped him pull on it, acting as an aide to his will, and had then acted as a conduit for him to unleash it for the first time. It hadn't been the full extent of it by any means, but that amount that he had just pulled on was magnitudes above what he'd been doing before! It was almost like a night and day difference from even his most recent attempts by his lonesome.
"Heh… I finally destroyed that blasted thing…" Even if it was with the weapon's help, seeing as it was bound to him anyway, Beerus couldn't help the very pleased smile that came over his face as the shock wore off. A small laugh of triumph ripping through him as he glanced down at where the feet of that magic-enhanced structure had been. The once unblemished dummy, a state it was always in even after his best efforts, was now utterly destroyed to the point that nothing, not even the magic from Gaea herself that had been with it was there anymore. Progress! Regardless of how or why, he could see solid progress now, and not just the painfully slow bits of it he'd been slogging for before!
Sure, he'd prefer to be able to do something like that without the sword, but just seeing his domain of destruction genuinely in use for the first time under his own, conscious demand felt good. And speaking of the sword, Beerus' smile reflected back in the blade's surface as he raised it up frontways by his face, feeling a well-up of pleasure that was matched, and then amplified by the weapon in his hand. Just like it'd seemingly amplified his current lacklustre ability to draw on his domain and bring some of it to the fore.
"Well now… It looks like you'll be quite the useful little tool, indeed!..." The weapon all but purred in response to him again, like it was a sentient creature that loved its master's praise. He wouldn't doubt his brothers would likely go through a similar experience once they tested their symbols of power out too, if any of them hadn't already.
With that sudden happy note added to what had been a mostly dull training session, Beerus actually wanted to continue right now, even if just for a few more swings, but there was nothing for him to use it on. Well, there was, but he wasn't about to portray himself as a tyrant by using some of the folks camping out in the courtyard as targets. There'd be too much hassle caused if he did something like that.
Eh, he could just get in contact with Gaea once morning came and get her to make him some new dummies to test his weapon, and by extension, his domain on. Or perhaps even get the Cyclopes to make him some, since they were master craftsmen. Either one would do. Heh, regardless though, he got the feeling his current mentor would be quite surprised to hear he'd erased her dummy so soon, if she hadn't already felt the magic she'd placed on it vanishing just there outside of her will.
In a much more pleasant mood now, Beerus made the blade disappear for now, content with the development that had just occurred, and began to make his way back to the palace for some sleep. Because even if he didn't genuinely need it with this body of his, napping was a luxury he didn't plan on letting go of anytime soon, especially not when his new bed was even more comfy than the one that he'd had inside Mount Lykaios.
As he was walking back though, he couldn't help but wonder briefly. Was it just him, or did everything suddenly seem a little bit brighter than it had before?
A few days later… Early morning…
Beerus awoke from his latest nap, not with a tired yawn, but with a sigh of bliss, as he arose from his large bed with a good stretch of his arms. Even though it was only a few hours, as opposed to the numerous decades to centuries he'd typically slept back in the old days, and that was when he felt he had to wake up for something in particular, otherwise, he'd be out much longer than even that. Perhaps it had something to do with him no longer being a cat-like being, or his new bed was just that damn perfect to sleep on, but those few hours alone he got in somehow felt commensurate to his longest naps from his old days and how good they felt upon waking up.
He had no idea why, but he certainly wasn't complaining about how refreshed he felt, nor did he feel like bothering to question such a phenomenon, given all the wacky other stuff he'd found out about this world already. Like the whole no DNA thing, which still baffled him even now, a few days after he'd been told it. His pleasure in much less sleep was honestly far easier to take in than that, especially when it made him curious as to what just one whole year of sleep would feel like here, if this was the kind of refreshed feeling he was waking up to after only a measly few hours. A timeframe that to him in the past, he would've scoffed at for being a time he'd sleep and wake up in.
He'd concern himself with that thought later though, as he hopped off the bed and landed on his feet. His body in the nude for the briefest of instants, showing off his now insanely muscled and chiselled physique, before his tunic was willed back over his body to cover himself. And that was another small change, he supposed. For whatever reason, it just felt more comfortable for him in this body to rest in the buff, so he did. Unlike his younger brother Zeus that one time in Mount Lykaois however, he wasn't about to walk out into the halls like that showing off his dangly bits for prying eyes. Not unless he wanted some people potentially being nuisances to him about it, which he couldn't be bothered his ass to deal with.
Speaking of people though, as he walked out of his personal chambers, he felt a pair of eyes on him from not too far away. Turning to look in their direction, which was coincidentally the way to the main hall of his palace, he found himself looking into the lilac pools of one of their newest guests. The Titaness Themis, who was leaned back against the wall with her arms folded regally below her ample bosom, and was giving a small, almost unnoticeable smile in his direction. As to why she was here, seemingly waiting for him to come out? He had no clue, but he could tell he was about to figure out soon enough.
"Have a good rest?" She asked rather politely, stepping away from the wall and turning fully to face him.
"Ugh, sure…" Beerus rose a brow at her greeting, showing a bit of confusion at her presence that the goddess didn't seem to mind.
"That's good. I didn't feel like showing rudeness by disturbing you in your slumber, so I decided it was best to wait until you woke up yourself, and catch you before you went back to training in the courtyard with that construct my mother gave to you." She remarked back, giving off a respectful air about her, which went to show how well-mannered and courteous she was.
As for her comment there pertaining to her mother, that briefly brought up the thought in his mind of what'd happened in the morning following his first use of his new sword. As it turned out, he hadn't even needed to get in contact with Gaea himself. She'd come to him that morning, having felt her magic dissipate from the dummy she'd set up for him. Sufficed to say, she'd been quite surprised at the quickness with which he'd taken it out, compared to the level he'd been at before, until he'd told her about the sword made by the Cyclopes for him. She'd gotten much more understanding of his sudden leap in capabilities with his domain then, as though she'd expected that to be the case with whatever weapon her one-eyed sons had crafted for him.
Gaea had essentially confirmed what he'd already figured out, in that the blade aided him in controlling his domain's power, and acted as a conduit for said power to be unleashed through, as one of its abilities. About the only one it may share with his brothers own symbols of power, and he said 'may', because he wasn't entirely sure, having not checked up on any of them to see if it was the case. To cut a long story short, Gaea had dropped some juicy details about this being the case, that if true, made things very interesting for the future indeed, and that he'd be certain to test out as well when he could.
Following that conversation with her about the blade itself and his increased capabilities with it in hand, she'd been more than willing to supply him with another dummy to train with when asked, and hell, she'd gone a step further than that. Not only had the new dummy been protected by significantly more potent magic from her, but it also had the added bonus now, of when he destroyed it, a new one would automatically form in its place, with even more potent divine magic to protect it than its predecessor. All as an attempt to keep things challenging for him so that he didn't slow down in progress, which was very much appreciated.
Back to the present though, Beerus regarded their new guest and ally with a slightly intrigued gaze, as he held off on going back to training for just a moment. "So, I assume that means you have something to speak to me about then, Themis?" If not, why bother waiting for him, after all.
"Indeed." She nodded, looking pleased that he was willing to hear her out, and didn't just try to shoo her away. Something that told Beerus, whether she realised it or not, that that probably wasn't the case back on Mount Othrys for her. "Since you and your brother gave your speeches to us a few days ago, I've been quite confident in my decision to come here and aid your side. However, even after what Zeus said in his, I got this feeling about it last night after thinking on it quite a good deal, which is what brings me to you now. Even though it's probably a little improper of me to do this, since you didn't seem to disagree with him that day, I just feel as though its best if I ask you about this personally. Seeing as everyone looks toward you as the leader of this group. So long as you don't mind, of course."
"Nah, go ahead." Beerus waved his hand around casually, motioning for her to continue. "I assume this has to do with a reward for your services?" He asked bluntly, recalling what Metis had told him days prior about the goddess in front of him, and why she may've turned her back on Kronos and his ilk.
The nod he got back from the Titaness was affirmative. "Yes. That is correct. Has Metis told you of my main reason for joining your side? Because I know she's been aware of my situation for some time."
"She has, more or less." Beerus nodded, rolling his shoulders a bit as he touched his fists behind his back. "You and your domains have been disrespected by Kronos, who prefers to do everything his way, and no one else's, if I'm not mistaken."
"Yes… that has unfortunately been the case since he took the position of king of the universe from our father." The woman frowned almost as imperceptibly as she'd smiled, but there was no hiding the hint of resentment in her tone for it, as she continued. "He didn't like anyone telling him how things should and shouldn't be done, even if they did so in a form of polite and good council, like I tried to do. For far longer than I reasonably should've, given he never gave me any sort of respect or consideration when it came to my ideas of governance, even though I was doing it to help him, and by extension, the rest of the world itself with a cohesive form of law and order. Those which are my natural domains, as I'm sure you know."
Yes, he did. And another nod of his head confirmed this to her.
"What I'd like in exchange for fighting by your side in the coming war, if its fine with you, is a proper position as your council after the war, for forming the laws that will be applied and ensuring that order is kept in the wake of them being put into place." She explained clearly and succinctly. Being sure to keep her tone pleasant, and not overly demanding. Certainly, quite the difference from Pan's more abrasive request, that was for sure.
"Position as my council?" Beerus' brow rose higher, as he let out a small chuckle. "That's quite the request to make, seeing as it implies that I'm absolutely going to become king after Kronos' defeat. Something I haven't actually confirmed if I'm doing or not."
"Forgive my possible impertinence, Beerus, but why wouldn't you become king once Kronos has fallen?" Unfolding her arms, she placed one hand on her jutting, wide hip while the other hung by her side, as she gazed at him perplexingly. "You are the eldest son, after all. It is practically your birth-right to take over once Kronos is no longer the ruler of the universe. Not to mention that from what I've been told by Metis and Styx especially, you are not only good at listening when you need to, in order to solve a problem, but also have shown a keen intellect at being able to spot weaknesses and strengths in beings which others did not." She smiled again, this time more noticeably, with appraisal. "By Styx's own account, you have a solid sense of judgement when its needed, which is vital for a ruler. And going off of your own words during your speech a few days ago, you're not afraid or aggravated by any challenges to your rule, even those that would be fated to take you down, as those would simply be something you'd use to better yourself. Which might I add, is something that no one else in your position would've said so sincerely! Forgive me if it sounds like I'm insulting your brothers but, given the initial reactions I saw from them all after you said that, I could tell that none of them personally agreed with that sentiment you shared."
Especially Zeus. For as charismatic and charming as he'd been, there had been no hiding his intense expression of disbelief that outweighed both of their other brothers Hades and Poseidon. For the briefest of instants, even if he hadn't been aware of it, from her perspective, it'd look like Zeus was eying Beerus as though he was totally insane for saying such a thing.
"Well, I'll give you this, you're certainly buttering me up with all those compliments." Beerus grinned, not ashamed to admit he liked the praise. Even if he felt that a part of it wasn't exactly true given his past failures. "Even then, I'll be honest with you. Only thing I've really thought about, and still do, really, is taking out Kronos. That's all that matters to me. What happens after that, I haven't put much thought into, and the little I have hasn't really convinced me it'd be the best idea for myself to take the mantle of king of the universe." He shook his head, controlling his own ego for the moment to be in reality.
Being brutally honest with himself, he knew that with the total shitshow that had been his longstanding role as the GOD of universe 7, a run beaten out in horribleness only by that clown Sidra, that he wasn't all that good with a role that required a high level of responsibility. His laziness and general lack of care as to how he should've conducted himself in his role, with what planets he should've actually been getting rid of, was proof enough that even in a role that should've suited him to a T, he'd made a farce of it with his total disregard for anything that benefit him. And only him, at that time.
He'd once gotten annoyed at the Elder Kai for referring to him as 'bottled chaos' during their last meeting before he'd sealed him away, but honestly, as much as that old coot was a waste of space in his eyes, there was little denying the truth in those words. At least as far as his past actions were concerned. Had he not been as chaotic with the way he handled things back then, then he'd still be back there in Universe 7, not worrying about impending erasure and having to be saved at the last second by Son Goku's baffling kindness of all things.
"If I'm being blunt, I don't think I'd know what I was doing at all." He continued, not bullshitting himself there just so he could delude himself and feel better. Meaning every word more than his fellow deity knew, as he began to walk forward to pass her by.
Not that that stopped her from countering. "It's only natural you wouldn't. You're still young yet, and have no real experience with such an important role." Only the former part of that statement was technically true, due to his new body. The latter, she had no idea how wrong she was on that account, but Beerus didn't correct her on it, as he stopped right beside her. Her head turned to him with lilac eyes boring into his head, as though trying to peer into his soul. Her gaze more assertive than it'd been prior, but maintaining a respectful desire to aid him. "That is of no issue, Beerus. Trust me, as your council, I will assist you in every way I can to help you understand anything you may be unsure of. Law and order are my domains, in case you forgot. And not to stroke my own ego, but I doubt there'd be anyone better to guide you in the right direction, in that regard. Provided you're willing to let me, of course."
Hmm… She does have a point there… A part of Beerus almost felt like slapping himself for not recognising how useful she'd be for making and maintaining laws earlier when he'd first thought about becoming king. In fact, her words were strong enough to make him rethink his thoughts from earlier, as he pondered actually giving such a role a whirl when his business with Kronos was done. Provided her capabilities weren't overblown, her presence by his side could at least ensure that his hypothetical run as king wouldn't be a total disaster. Provided he made sure to listen to her and always follow instruction, anyway. Something which he wasn't the best at doing, when it came to things outside of training and fighting, and which he'd have to work on if he did take up that mantle.
Before he could respond to her though, they were interrupted by Hades, who materialized just a few metres away in front of Beerus with a look of concern etched over his ghostly pale features. One that both deities could tell meant trouble as soon as laid eyes on him.
"Sorry to interrupt brother, but we may have a problem on our hands." Hades was quick to say, a hint of apology in his tone, which was mostly dominated by what sounded like worry. Which meant that whatever he was referring to, definitely couldn't have been good.
"We can speak again about this later." Beerus commented with an eye in Themis' direction, which she nodded to understandingly, as he turned his full focus to his brother. "What's such an issue that you felt the need to come to me about it, little brother?"
"Come with me to the courtyard. You'll need to see it for yourself." He replied, setting an ominous tone, as he laid a hand on Beerus' shoulder, which the latter allowed him to do, as they both vanished from the hallway, leaving Themis by herself for the time being with a concerned look of her own. It wasn't long before her eyes snapped wide open though, as she sensed a familiar presence near where they were, and one who felt closer to them than he should've been capable of.
Meanwhile, outside the palace, Hades and Beerus reappeared by the bottom of the steps leading up to it, and as soon as they did, Beerus almost had to shield his eyes from just how bloody bright everything suddenly was. He'd thought it was brighter than usual a few days ago, and had been since, in the back of his mind, but now it was somehow far stronger in luminosity than it'd been before as the entire courtyard was lit up with illuminating light.
Beerus could see the rest of his siblings, Poseidon, Zeus, Hera, Hestia and Demeter, along with Metis and those who were now living outside on the mountain with them, were out here too, just as befuddled by this as he was. Getting aggravated by what was clearly not a normal light pour, Beerus' suspicions went through the roof as he pushed his senses to see what the cause may be. A scowl forming on his face as he already had a strong idea of who might be causing this, until he heard a familiar voice chuckle darkly from all around him.
"Hehehehe… Looks like I managed to make it in to your little safe space, after all." Suddenly, all of the light around them began to converge on a single spot above them all, near the centre peak of the barrier that protected them. Or was supposed to, anyway. For a fraction of a second later, all that blinding light coalesced into a dark outline of someone's body, a shadowy figure within the eye of that mesmerising, heavenly light as it began to dissipate, with eyes that glowed and burned with an even more intense, fiery, white-gold light. A face-splitting smile that promised nothing but pain etched unto the figure's face, as their form became much more recognisable, and their chuckles slowly morphed into cackles of dark glee that sent a sense of foreboding.
Beerus' scowl deepened once he saw who it was, glaring up at the being that definitely shouldn't have been able to get in here. Suddenly feeling his aggravation spike immensely at this particular Titan's presence. "You again…?"
Hyperion glared right back down at Beerus from his position floating above him. The long, bright red cloth that swirled around his otherwise nude form glowing so strongly alongside his body with a fiery-bright aura, that it looked as if it was an ethereal flame flowing around him. "Oh, you better believe it's me, you little shit!..." He cackled once more, though it was impossible to miss the vitriol in his voice, as he regarded the smaller, purple-haired god beneath him.
"H-How in the world did he even get in here!?" Beerus heard Hera shout out in both shock and alarm. "I thought those damn Cyclopes told us this place was supposed to be secure!..."
"Hehehe… Evidently, those three ugly brothers of mine underestimated what I'm capable of, wench!" Hyperion answered back crassly, briefly levelling the young goddess with a potent stare of his deeply glowing eyes. "And it is precisely because of their arrogance that I'm about to show you just how fruitless your efforts are to oppose us! All of you!" His gaze swept out over the entire courtyard, burning down on just about every other being below him that'd clearly chosen to take Beerus' side, of who the majority now had fearful expressions. "This little farce ends here! I'm putting an end to your little rebellion here and now!"
Beerus was about to snipe back at him in a snarky way for that, but he didn't get the chance to, as they all felt his power, and the pressure around him, shoot through the roof. His body beginning to rapidly glow stronger and stronger, as it became crystal clear what he was doing.
"He's attempting to go into his True Divine Form!" Metis suddenly screamed out in panic. "Someone, try to stop him before it's too late!"
"It already is, you pathetic little nymph!" Hyperion's voice boomed back, sounding much deeper, and far more distorted than it had before, as it sent a chill up the spines of most beings that were present.
And it was then, that a truly blinding light encompassed everyone's vision, even Beerus's, forcing them to either shield or close their eyes as Hyperion's bone-chilling laughter resonated throughout the courtyard, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. And with it, an immense power revealed itself to all, and to Beerus' surprise, was greater than anything he'd been able to feel up to this point. And in terms of just the sheer raw power radiating from the Titan above, made most of the GOD's from back in his old days feel like a bad joke in comparison. Enough to where he genuinely couldn't tell if his old self would've been superior in that bracket either, or if, as cringe-inducing as this was to even consider, was slightly inferior, even if just by a hair, to the pompous prick up above.
One thing was for certain though, as he tried to gaze through that absurdly bright, heavenly light encompassing their foe's form to get a good look on him. Much as he hated to admit it, given who they were dealing with.
This was going to be a big problem…
AND CUT!
Well, that's the end of that one, if a bit on the shorter side. Also, it looks as though my workload is a bit much with college to get up to chapter 20 this month, sadly, so chapter 19 will be the last one coming this month, unfortunately. On the upside, next chapter should contain the entire fight with Hyperion, the first proper fight between the Olympians and the Titans in this story, so hopefully that'll be good.
As for the first part of this chapter, looks like Beerus finally found out the truth about why his body is the way it is, even if it comes as a mindfuck to him, lol. He's still not a huge fan of intimate physical contact, but he'll definitely not be having his initial reactions or thoughts on it from you know who after this revelation anyhow.
Also, yes, I'll go into what was said between Beerus and Gaea in more detail soon enough, along with how Hyperion managed to get in, either next chapter or in the one after.
Don't have much time to spare right now due to some college work that needs doing, so I'll just leave it off there, and hope all got some enjoyment from this chapter. I'll see you all in the next one!