"Whis! Mr. Whis! Can you hear me?"
"I've prepared the finest, most delicious delicacies in the entire universe!"
"Mr. Whis! I have some incredibly delicious food here. It's guaranteed to make you jump for joy!"
"Whis..."
Second by second, time passed as Vitelli's calls echoed through the lavish dining room.
Aside from the occasional accidental noise from Bulma and Goku, his was the only voice reverberating through the room.
The curiosity on Bulma's face gradually gave way to confusion. She folded her arms, her delicate brows knitting together.
Goku, meanwhile, was growing more and more impatient. He tugged at Bulma's sleeve and leaned close to her ear, muttering in what he thought was a very quiet voice:
"Bulma... is Vitelli going crazy? Grandpa told me that some animals in the forest go crazy and keep calling out to the sky or a big tree... Vitelli's acting just like them."
Goku's comparison nearly made Bulma burst out laughing. She hurriedly covered her mouth and shot him a glare, then lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Shh! Don't say things like that! Maybe... maybe he's performing some kind of special... um... pre-meal ritual?"
Even she thought it sounded a little ridiculous when she said it.
Vitelli had naturally heard Goku, too. A vein throbbed at his temple, but he still forced himself to keep calling.
Yet half an hour went by, and he hadn't seen a single angel—or even a hair.
Could Whis really not have heard him?
Or was this Dragon Ball universe not the main one? Did the God of Destruction and the angels not exist here at all? Was this the GT timeline?
Or... was this just a parallel universe without any gods? Vitelli's heart sank little by little.
If that was true, he would probably have to find another path in his pursuit of a higher realm.
"Ah..."
He sighed, ready to give up on this rather foolish-looking attempt.
Turning around, he looked at Goku, who was gazing at him expectantly, and Bulma, whose expression said, "I'm watching your little performance," and spoke helplessly.
"Forget it. Looks like no one's answering. Then let's st—"
Before he could finish saying "start eating"—
Whoosh!
A faint sound came from the air in the middle of the dining room, without warning.
In the next instant, a tall, slender figure appeared right in front of Vitelli as if by Instant Transmission!
He held an oddly shaped Scepter and stood tall and graceful.
His skin was a strange shade of blue-green. Most striking of all was his thick mop of white hair.
"Heh heh heh~" The newcomer gave a distinctive, lilting chuckle. His voice was gentle, with a soothing quality.
He looked with interest at Vitelli, who had frozen in surprise, as well as Bulma, who was staring in astonishment, and Goku, who had no idea what was going on.
"How rare," he began.
"I never expected a mortal in the lower world to remember my name, let alone know to summon me in such an... enticing way. This show of 'sincerity' is simply impossible to refuse."
The instant he recognized the newcomer, Vitelli's pupils shrank!
Whis!
Beerus's attendant, the angel of Universe 7, a being who truly stood above the God of Destruction!
He... had really come?!
The tremendous shock and the elation that followed swept away all of Vitelli's earlier doubts and disappointment.
He suppressed his excitement and did his best to look calm, but the slight tremble in his fingers still gave away how he felt.
"Ahem." Vitelli cleared his throat and put on his most polite smile. "Hello, Mr. Whis. I'm glad you answered my call."
He turned slightly and gestured toward the enormous dining table behind him, laden with dishes crafted with the care of several of Earth's top chefs.
The dishes gleamed beneath the carefully arranged lights, their aromas filling the air as if they had taken on a life of their own.
"Well, since we're here... shall we eat first?"
The moment Vitelli finished speaking, Whis's gaze locked onto the dining table.
The curiosity in his deep eyes was quickly replaced by a pure, indescribable gleam—a longing and anticipation for the ultimate delicacies!
"Heh heh heh~" Whis chuckled again. He tapped his Scepter lightly against the floor, producing a crisp knock.
"That's an offer I simply can't refuse. Please excuse me!"
Before the words had left his mouth, he appeared beside the head of the table without stirring so much as a breeze.
Vitelli's heart tightened. He now had a much clearer sense of an angel's power.
He immediately motioned for Bulma and Goku to sit down. Bulma suppressed her astonishment and led the still-bewildered Goku to a seat below Whis.
Vitelli sat on Whis's other side.
"Please, help yourself, Mr. Whis." Vitelli gestured invitingly.
Whis gave a slight nod and surveyed the dazzling array of dishes. His gaze finally settled on an exquisitely arranged steamed sea fish that gave off a soft sheen.
He reached out with his slender fingers, picked up the knife and fork already laid out on the table, and elegantly speared a small piece of the snow-white, delicate fish. He gently placed it in his mouth.
The instant the fish touched his taste buds—
Whis's deep purple eyes, usually tinged with laziness, suddenly lit up! It was as if stars had exploded within them!
He seemed to freeze in place, even pausing his chewing for a fraction of a second.
Then a look of indescribable delight and amazement appeared on his normally composed face.
He tilted his head slightly back and closed his eyes, as if savoring the flavor of the universe at its birth.
"Mmm~~~~~!!!" A long, deeply satisfied sigh, almost a quiver of delight, escaped his lips.
"This... it's incredibly sweet and fresh!"
Whis opened his eyes, surprise sparkling in his purple pupils.
"The flesh is as tender as cream, and it melts in your mouth, dissolving into a clear spring on your tongue! The sea fish's distinctive clean, sweet flavor has been brought out perfectly. There isn't the slightest hint of fishiness, only the pure fragrance of the ocean blending with the fish! Heh heh heh~ To think Earth's chefs could prepare a dish of such caliber! It's truly astonishing!"
He lavishly praised the dish, then once again turned his knife and fork toward the next one: a rack of ribs roasted until the outside was golden and crisp, the inside tender and juicy, and coated in a special sauce.
When the ribs, rich with the aroma of smoked fruitwood and meat, entered his mouth, Whis's expression seemed to ascend to a new level.
As he sliced and ate quickly yet gracefully, he commented in his distinctive, almost melodic tone.
"Oh! The aroma of the fat! It bursts across the palate! The meat's natural chewiness is perfectly balanced by its rich marbling, while the complex flavors of the special sauce unfold layer by layer. The slight tartness of the fruit perfectly cuts through the richness... Heh heh heh~ This robust yet refined flavor is simply irresistible!"
He was like the most devoted and discerning food critic. With every dish he sampled, he precisely identified its essence and the care the chef had put into it.
His movements looked unhurried, but he was astonishingly efficient. The food on the table disappeared at a visible rate. Bulma watched, dumbstruck, forgetting even the salad in front of her.
At last, after Whis had finished sampling every dish on the table, he picked up a napkin and elegantly wiped the corners of his mouth.
Whis's deep purple eyes swept over the empty, spotless plates. A pure, almost childlike satisfaction showed on his face.
He gave a signature, delighted chuckle. With a look that seemed to see through everything, he fixed his gaze on Vitelli.
"You prepared such a thoughtful and lavish feast... Mr. Vitelli, I assume you didn't go to all this trouble just to have me try Earth's cuisine?"
His voice was still gentle, but it seemed to carry a power that could see into people's hearts. Vitelli's heartbeat quickened despite himself.
Vitelli drew a deep breath, knowing the crucial moment had arrived.
He stood and spoke frankly.
"You're right, Mr. Whis. I do have a request to make."
Looking Whis in the eye, he said each word clearly.
"I want to become stronger. I want to touch the deeper essence of power. I... would like you to guide my training!"
"Training?" Some of the satisfaction faded from Whis's face, replaced by an expression of mild concern that seemed to be just what he had expected.
"Teaching a mortal to train... that sounds like a lot of trouble."
Whis tilted his head slightly, his tone a little resistant.
"I'd have to make a plan, monitor your progress, adjust things when needed... and besides..."
He glanced at the immense energy inside Vitelli, far beyond that of an ordinary Earthling.
"Training a Saiyan like you would probably take even more effort than teaching an ordinary mortal. That's not something a single meal can settle."
He shook his head lightly, clearly uninterested in the request and ready to suggest something else. "Why don't you..."
A clear female voice interrupted him. Bulma stood up, her sapphire-blue eyes gleaming with intelligence.
She knew how devoted Vitelli was to pursuing strength, and understood that the mysterious man before them wielded the very power Vitelli aspired to attain.
She stepped to Vitelli's side and gave Whis a smile that carried the air of a skilled negotiator.
"Training Vitelli might be a bit of a bother for you. But if you're willing to accept, I can promise that every few days, whenever it's convenient for you, we'll prepare another feast just as good as today's—or even better! Whatever you'd like to try, we'll do our best to make it for you! What do you say?"
"Heh heh heh?!"
The instant Bulma finished speaking, Whis's eyes seemed to light up!
An even more brilliant gleam than the one he'd shown at the sight of the food burst from his usually languid eyes! The Scepter in his hand even wobbled slightly.
"A feast every few days, every bit as good as today's—or even better?"
For the first time, Whis's voice held a hint of wavering.
He licked his lips unconsciously, as if savoring the unforgettable flavors he had just enjoyed.
Bulma smiled confidently. She knew her offer had hit his weak spot.
Whis's gaze moved back and forth between Bulma and Vitelli several times.
At last, as though he had fought a grueling battle within himself, he let out a resigned sigh.
"Heh heh heh... You really do know how to make things difficult for me."
Whis spread his hands helplessly. "In light of this young lady's sincerity, and the... ahem, agreement we'd have going forward, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept this troublesome job."
"That's wonderful! Thank you, Whis!" Overjoyed, Vitelli immediately stood to thank him.
A relieved smile appeared on Bulma's face as well.
"I want to go too! Whis, I want to train too!"
Goku could no longer hold himself back. Hearing that even someone as powerful as Vitelli would be training with the man before them, he immediately jumped to his feet in excitement.
He pointed at himself and shouted, his eyes full of longing.
Whis turned his gaze to Goku and studied him for a moment with his purple eyes, as if instantly seeing right through him.
"Heh heh heh~" Whis smiled and gently shook his head. His expression suggested that one troublesome student was quite enough.
"Mr. Goku, you're still a long way off. Your journey has only just begun, and your foundation is still weak. Going to that place now wouldn't do you any good. The 'energy' there might crush you instead."
There was no mistaking the refusal in his tone.
"Once you're as strong as the person beside you here..."
Whis pointed at Vitelli, his tone a little teasing.
"Well, once you're as strong as he is 'right now,' you can think about it again."
Goku's face fell when Whis turned him down, but only a few seconds later, he had already forgotten his disappointment.
He rubbed his growling stomach, and his eyes instantly lit up again.
"Oh! That's right! I'm still hungry!"
Goku yelled, no longer caring that he'd been turned down for training. He dashed toward the kitchen like a gust of wind.
"The kitchen! There's bound to be more food in the kitchen!"
Watching him run off full of energy, Vitelli and Bulma could only smile helplessly.