Kami gazed at the vast Earth below the Lookout. A faint trace of reluctance flickered in his murky eyes.
Mr. Vitelli was still too young. Though powerful, his temperament... well, still needed honing.
Besides, he might not be interested in the position of God. This heavy burden, tied to the fate of Earth, was better left to an old man like me... for a few more years.
He silently found himself an excuse.
Chapter 20: Beerus Arrives, Beerus Is Satisfied, Beerus Is Shocked
"I'm home, Bulma!"
Vitelli had barely arrived home when Bulma gave him the warmest welcome.
"Honey!"
Bulma's cheerful call was like the sweetest melody. She sprang up from her chair and leaped straight into Vitelli's open arms.
Vitelli caught her securely, feeling the softness of her body in his arms and the unreserved longing and joy she radiated.
"Haha!"
Vitelli laughed heartily, holding Bulma as he spun around several times. She giggled, her short blue hair flying through the air.
Only when Bulma laughed and patted his shoulder did he finally carry her to the spacious, soft sofa in the living room. He settled her comfortably in his lap.
"I'm home."
Vitelli lowered his head until his forehead rested against hers, then said softly.
Happiness flushed Bulma's face. She nodded emphatically.
They cuddled for a while before Bulma finally spoke.
"Did you just go take care of King Piccolo?"
Bulma asked casually, her arms around his neck. But she clearly wasn't very interested in the Demon King who had nearly destroyed the world. Her attention was entirely on her beloved, who had finally come home.
"How did you know I was the one who took care of him?" Vitelli asked curiously.
"You idiot! It was broadcast live."
Bulma replied helplessly, then seemed to remember something more important. Her sapphire-blue eyes lit up brilliantly.
With excitement and anticipation shining in her eyes, she asked,
"Was what Mr. Popo said true? Does Kami really want you to take over his position? To become Earth's new Kami?!"
"Popo?"
Vitelli paused before understanding. Seeing Bulma's excitement, as if she'd just won the lottery, he rolled his eyes.
"You don't actually want me to become that Kami guy, do you?"
"Of course I do!"
Bulma nodded vigorously and shook his arm, her eyes gleaming with longing.
"That's Kami! The legendary 'Kami-sama'! He's someone straight out of a story! Aren't you tempted, honey? Just imagine—you'd be Earth's god! Think how impressive it'd be when I told my girlfriends!"
Vitelli shook his head decisively and pinched Bulma's excited cheek, laughing helplessly.
"Come on, my dear! Being 'Kami-sama' isn't nearly as great as you think."
He wrapped an arm around Bulma and grew serious.
"Let's put everything else aside and consider just one thing: if I really became Earth's Kami, I basically wouldn't be able to leave the planet whenever I wanted. I'd have to protect it at all times. What if one day our Miss Bulma got the urge to go into space to see a comet, or wanted to visit another planet? Would I have to let you drift alone through the vast universe in your spaceship? What do you think?"
The excitement on Bulma's face instantly froze. She couldn't help imagining the scene Vitelli had described—
Alone in her spaceship, facing the endless, yet cold, starry sky. With no one beside her, nothing but emptiness...
Just imagining it sent a shiver down her spine.
"Brr..."
Bulma sucked in a sharp breath, instantly coming to her senses.
"You're right! That won't do! Absolutely not!"
She shook her head like a rattle and clutched Vitelli's arm tightly.
"Forget it, then! We're not becoming Kami! Let someone else do it! Traveling together is much more important!"
Seeing that Bulma had fallen for his bluff, a mischievous glint flashed in Vitelli's eyes.
He pulled her closer by the waist and continued with a smile,
"Besides... it's still hard to say whether the current Kami is willing to honor his earlier promise and hand the position over to me."
"Hm?"
Bulma looked up at him in confusion.
Vitelli's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "He wanted to pass the position to me because he knew he didn't have long to live. He planned to sacrifice himself to destroy King Piccolo once and for all, so he needed a powerful successor to protect Earth. But now..."
He drew out the last word. "I took care of King Piccolo, so Kami's death is no longer imminent. Do you think an old man who's finally managed to stay alive, after being Kami for several hundred years, would readily hand the position—with all its status and authority—to an alien he might find a little... unpredictable?"
He added,
"Heh. And he's an alien himself."
Bulma blinked her big eyes, absorbing what Vitelli had said. Gradually, she understood, her mouth falling open.
"You mean... Kami's an alien? And he might go back on his word?"
"Not might. It's likely."
Vitelli shrugged.
"But it doesn't matter. We weren't interested in the first place. Let the old man keep working himself to the bone. We can enjoy some peace and quiet."
Seeing that Bulma still seemed to be thinking about Kami, Vitelli didn't want her to waste her energy on something so unimportant, so he quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, there's something more important I need to tell you."
"Oh? What?" Bulma's attention was successfully drawn back.
Vitelli grew serious. "In a little while, Beerus, the God of Destruction, will be coming here."
"The God of Destruction? Beerus?"
The name was unfamiliar to Bulma, though she thought she might have heard it from Whis once or twice.
The title "God of Destruction" made her realize that this might be serious.
"That's right,"
Vitelli nodded,
"He's the god Whis serves. He has the power to destroy planets, even entire star systems, with ease. He's got a terrible temper—really, really terrible—and he's incredibly self-willed and unpredictable. When he gets here, if he says something nasty or acts arrogant, and you're annoyed by it..."
Vitelli paused and looked into Bulma's eyes. "Don't act on impulse. If you can help it, don't insult him to his face. I'm not his match just yet. I can probably keep you safe, but if things really turn ugly and we have to fight, I still wouldn't be able to beat him."
Bulma was taken aback, then rolled her eyes at him with an utterly charming expression.
She poked Vitelli's chest with her slender finger.
"Hey! Do you think I'm some unreasonable, ill-tempered heiress who throws a tantrum at the worst possible moment? I'm not stupid! If I know he's someone we can't afford to offend, why would I provoke him? I'll just make sure he has plenty of good food and drink!"
Though she was outspoken, as the heiress of Capsule Corp, she knew the basics of social etiquette and how to weigh the consequences of her actions.
Vitelli shook his head with a smile, caught the finger poking him, and suddenly turned cold and sharp.
A faint, invisible aura of menace seeped out of him.
"No, Bulma, you've misunderstood! I'm not telling you to put up with it, and I'm certainly not telling you to be afraid of him."
He looked directly at Bulma and spoke clearly and firmly, one word at a time.
"What I mean is, don't do anything if there's no reason to! But if he really makes you angry, or makes you feel insulted or wronged, you don't have to fear him at all! Give him a piece of your mind! Say whatever you want! Don't hold back!"
"Why?!"
Bulma was stunned. She even wondered if she'd heard him wrong.
He'd just said Vitelli couldn't beat Beerus, and now he was telling her to insult him all she wanted?
A resolute light gleamed in Vitelli's eyes.
"I won't let my woman suffer, Bulma. If it comes down to it, I'll fight him! My overall strength still doesn't measure up to his, but if I'm willing to stake my life, give everything I've got, and burn through every last bit of my strength, I'm confident I can land a serious blow! I'll make sure he knows there's a price to pay for messing with my woman! Even if he's the God of Destruction!"
Vitelli's words were decisive, filled with an unshakable determination and a hint of madness.
He wasn't joking. He meant it! For Bulma, he'd dare to raise his fist against a god!
Bulma was deeply moved. An indescribable warmth and sense of security enveloped her, and her eyes grew slightly hot.
She was just about to say something...
Suddenly!
A cold, indifferent voice, seemingly devoid of all emotion, rang out beside them without warning.
"Oh-ho~~ Is that so?"
The voice wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down their spines!
Vitelli and Bulma instantly broke out in goosebumps!
As the voice sounded, the space in the middle of the living room rippled like water. A brilliant, rainbow-like streak of light appeared out of nowhere and instantly took shape!
The light faded, revealing two figures.
Standing at the front was none other than the God of Destruction Vitelli had just mentioned—Beerus!
The newcomers were Beerus, the God of Destruction, and his angel attendant, Whis!
Beerus was small and slender, dressed in an unusual divine outfit patterned with purple. His skin was pale purple, and he was hairless, his head resembling that of an elegant, aloof hairless cat.
His golden, slit-pupil eyes studied Vitelli with interest, the corners of his mouth curling into a playful smile.
An oppressive aura of destruction surrounded him, as if he were the end of all things.
Standing half a step behind Beerus was Whis, still as elegant as ever, holding his Scepter.
Whis was now covering his mouth gracefully with one hand. His purple eyes had curved into crescents, full of undisguised schadenfreude—
Clearly, the two of them had heard every word of Vitelli's bold declaration that he'd stake his life to land a serious blow.
"Kid,"
Beerus fixed his golden eyes on Vitelli and grinned, showing his sharp teeth. His smile carried the dangerous air of a predator.
"From what you just said... you seem pretty confident in your strength, huh?"
The air in the living room instantly froze. Bulma instinctively gripped Vitelli's arm, her palm beginning to sweat slightly.
Vitelli's heartbeat skipped, but his strong nerves and months of training helped him quickly regain his composure.
He gently patted Bulma's hand to reassure her, then stood up calmly, wearing a polite, perfectly measured smile.
"Lord Beerus, Master Whis, welcome to Brief Manor."
Vitelli bowed slightly, his movements smooth and natural, as if he hadn't just been caught making threats.
Bulma also quickly collected herself and stood, her expression switching to a warm, gracious social smile.
"Welcome! You've both come such a long way—thank you for making the journey! Lunch is ready, with some of the finest food on Earth. Why don't we... talk over a meal?"
She deftly changed the subject, shifting the focus of the confrontation to food.
Beerus's golden, slit-pupil eyes swept back and forth between Vitelli and Bulma several times. His invisible pressure seemed to lower the temperature in the living room by several degrees.
After a moment, he gave a heavy snort.
"Hmph! Food? Let me make this clear: if the food doesn't satisfy me..."
Beerus's gaze swept over Vitelli and Bulma, then came to rest on the bustling city of West City outside the window. His voice was cold.
"I'll destroy you, along with this worthless planet."
The blatant threat made Bulma's smile stiffen slightly, but she quickly composed herself and soon looked as cheerful as before.
Vitelli acted as if he hadn't heard the threat. Instead, he smiled confidently, with a hint of teasing.
"Don't worry, Lord Beerus. As for how the food tastes, all I can say is..."