He deliberately paused, then declared with conviction, "You bet!"
Bulma promptly led the two deities toward the lavish dining room she had carefully prepared.
The enormous dining table was already laden with all manner of exquisite delicacies.
Just as Bulma had "accidentally" let slip earlier, the "pufferfish sashimi" was thin as a cicada's wing, gleaming like a pearl beneath the lights;
the "dinosaur ribs" were crisp on the outside and tender within, their rich meaty aroma mingling with the smoky scent of fruitwood and filling the room;
the "dream rainbow pudding" looked like a work of art, its seven colors layered one over another, giving off an irresistible sweetness.
There were countless other carefully prepared dishes, too, their mingled aromas making everyone's mouth water.
Beerus's gaze fell on the table. His golden, slit-pupil eyes narrowed slightly, and his nostrils twitched almost imperceptibly.
Whis's eyes lit up, and an unmistakable look of anticipation appeared on his face.
And then... nothing more happened.
Once Beerus and Whis actually started eating, Vitelli finally understood what it meant to combine "a god's eating speed" with "a starving man reincarnated."
Where had all of Beerus's earlier coldness and dignity gone?
He ate as if he hadn't had a bite in centuries, his hands moving like lightning!
The knife and fork became a blur in his hands. He speared the biggest rib, stuffed it into his mouth, and swallowed it after a couple of chews without even spitting out the bone.
The sashimi flowed into his mouth like water, and he shoveled in spoonful after spoonful of pudding until the bowl was empty in no time.
He didn't even bother with basic table manners. His cheeks bulged, and a purring sound like a cat's came from his throat.
The food crunched loudly between his teeth...
Whis, though still moving with an angel's elegance, was no slower!
He always managed to predict Beerus's next target, then use a more cunning angle to get there first and "borrow" the tastiest piece for his own plate, before sending it into his mouth in an unhurried but remarkably efficient manner.
The two of them seemed to be waging a silent food fight, their plates emptying at a visible pace.
Watching the God of Destruction get red-faced over a few pieces of meat, Vitelli's mouth twitched as he grumbled inwardly:
"Come on, man, is it really necessary? Seriously, is it? You're gods! Could you at least act like it?!"
But grumbling was one thing. Watching the food disappear so quickly, Vitelli started to panic.
If he didn't hurry, he wouldn't even get a sip of soup!
He immediately joined the "battle," burying his head and shoveling food into his mouth as fast as he could.
For a while, the only sounds at the table were clinking cutlery and chewing and swallowing. The atmosphere was "intense" indeed.
Watching the three "hungry wolves" devour their food, Bulma didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
There was no way she could join in, so she could only keep directing the robot servants: "Quick! Bring out two more servings of ribs! More pufferfish sashimi! Is there any dream pudding left in the kitchen? Make two more servings! Hurry! Hurry!"
She bustled about like a quartermaster, while still making sure to put dishes Vitelli couldn't reach onto his plate--
After all, Vitelli was no match for the two "professionals," Whis and Beerus, when it came to grabbing food.
This lunch, worthy of being called a "feast of the gods," ended in a whirlwind of eating.
The mountain of dishes piled on the table bore witness to the ferocity of the "battle."
Except for the ever-busy Bulma, Vitelli, Beerus, and Whis all sprawled unceremoniously in their wide, comfortable chairs. Each had a toothpick in his mouth, one hand on his obviously bulging stomach, and a satisfied burp on his lips. They didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.
The dining room was filled with the lingering aroma of food and an atmosphere of utter laziness.
Feeling the fullness in his stomach, Vitelli turned his head and looked at Beerus beside him with an amused smile.
"So, Lord Beerus? Was that meal to your liking?"
Beerus contentedly narrowed his golden catlike eyes and gave a lazy "hmph" in response.
But this time, there was none of the coldness or menace in that "hmph." Instead, it carried the languor of someone who had eaten his fill and... well, a little of the pride of someone conquered by delicious food.
He was so stuffed that he couldn't help rolling his eyes at Vitelli--though the look wasn't aimed at Vitelli at all; he was simply too full.
Time drifted by amid the pleasant feeling of being full.
Once the food had mostly digested and the heaviness in their stomachs had eased a little,
Beerus opened his golden, slit-pupil eyes again, a lively gleam of interest rekindled within them.
He sat up straight, rolled his neck with a few soft cracks, and fixed Vitelli with a sharp gaze.
"Kid,"
Beerus tossed away his toothpick, his tone carrying a hint of amusement and eagerness for a fight.
"I heard you say earlier, when you arrived, that if you got serious, you could give me a real challenge. Now that we're full, we might as well stretch our legs.
"How about it? Want me to give you a chance to try?"
At those words, an intense fighting spirit flared in Vitelli's eyes!
He sprang up from his chair, his face openly showing his excitement and eagerness.
"I'd love to, Lord Beerus!"
He'd been eager for a real fight to test the results of his hard training in the God of Destruction Realm!
Whis's strength was too unfathomable to consider for now, but Beerus, right in front of him, was undoubtedly the best test of his abilities!
"Let's go!"
Beerus grinned, and in an instant his body became a streak of purple light that pierced through the dining room's domed ceiling and shot into the sky!
Vitelli followed close behind, turning into a golden streak of light.
"Hey! I want to come too! Wait for me!"
Bulma hurried into the yard and took out a Hoi-Poi Capsule. With a "pop," it produced a small aircraft, and she climbed inside before quickly taking off after them.
Whis floated up at an unhurried pace, hovering beside Bulma's aircraft as if he weighed nothing.
He casually shielded Bulma from the battle's fallout, all the while wearing the relaxed smile of a spectator enjoying the show.
In the skies above a desolate stretch of wasteland on the outskirts of West City,
Vitelli and Beerus faced each other in midair, several hundred meters apart.
The wind whipped at their clothes.
Below them stretched a vast, empty expanse of reddish-brown earth, perfect for an all-out battle!
Beerus casually folded his arms, looking relaxed, but his golden, slit-pupil eyes remained fixed on Vitelli.
He extended his right hand and beckoned Vitelli with a finger, a taunting smile on his lips.
"Come on, kid. You make the first move. Give it everything you've got and make me happy. Let's see what Whis has taught you all these days."
Vitelli ignored Beerus's provocation. He didn't immediately power up to transform into a Super Saiyan, either.
He slowly closed his eyes, as if merging with the howling wind around him.
He stood perfectly still in the air, like someone deep in meditation.
His presence suddenly vanished from the world around him. Ordinary people could no longer even sense him.
Yet beneath that absolute stillness, an invisible storm was brewing!
Whoosh--!
Centered on Vitelli, the air around him abruptly grew dense and heavy! An invisible field rapidly spread outward!
Suddenly!
Vitelli's tightly closed eyes snapped open!
Silver starlight seemed to burst deep within his black pupils!
An indescribable, sacred, boundless aura erupted like a sleeping volcano!
Hum--!!!
There was no earth-shattering flare of energy, no dazzling light.
A thin, almost transparent glow, faintly silver, appeared over Vitelli's body!
Beerus had been waiting for Vitelli to make his move. His pupils instantly widened, and he stared at him without blinking, a look of shock on his face, as if he were looking at a monster.
He murmured unconsciously, speaking one word at a time: "Ultra! In! Stinct!"
Chapter 21: Is That How You Become a God?
All the laziness and amusement vanished from Beerus's pale purple catlike face, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.
His golden, slit-pupil eyes were fixed on the faint silver glow flowing around Vitelli. He was no longer casually relaxed; instead, he lowered his stance slightly, taking a genuinely serious fighting posture.
The terrifying pressure of the God of Destruction spread like a tangible force, and even the wind seemed to freeze.
"Come on!"
Beerus's voice was low, carrying the weight of an official challenge.
Vitelli's silver-flecked eyes remained calm, their depths seemingly reflecting the entire galaxy.
He didn't hesitate. His movements were as fast as thunder!
His figure blurred for an instant, and the next moment he had appeared directly in front of Beerus with pinpoint precision!
Vitelli's movements were no longer simply swift. They carried an indescribable grace and rhythm, as if he had become one with the world around him.
His fist, wrapped in a faint silver glow, seemed gentle, yet held power capable of piercing through space. It slammed toward Beerus's face from a tricky angle!
Thud!
A muffled impact rang out!
Beerus managed to raise his arm in time to block, but the concentrated force still passed through it. The enormous impact sent him staggering uncontrollably, and he turned an awkward somersault in midair before regaining his balance!
"Oh?!"
Beerus shook his tingling arm, and the seriousness on his face instantly melted away.
In its place was... the delight of finding a new toy, and a touch of relief?
He grinned, showing his sharp teeth, and a knowing light gleamed in his golden, slit-pupil eyes.
"So you're only a half-baked version of it! Hahaha! This is interesting! You're only a half-baked version of it?"
He'd figured it out!
Though Vitelli had managed to draw out Ultra Instinct and manifest its silver glow, the power was like a rootless duckweed, flowing sluggishly. It clearly wasn't stable, and he was still a long way from the real thing--he couldn't even be considered at the Sign stage.
This wasn't "Ultra Instinct" so much as a "false state" achieved by forcibly touching the threshold through constant practice and his own talent!
But combined with Vitelli's already formidable foundation, even this half-baked state was enough to surprise Beerus and... make him itch for a fight!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud--!!!
The two didn't waste any more words. They instantly became two streaks of light and clashed fiercely once again!
This time, the battle was far more intense than before!
Clear figures were no longer visible in the sky. There were only two streaks of light, flashing, colliding, separating, and immediately tangling together again--
one was the God of Destruction, glowing with a dangerous purple light; the other was a Saiyan shimmering with silver radiance!
The violent collisions boomed without end like thunder from the heavens!
Every impact unleashed a visible shock wave that tore the high-altitude clouds to shreds!
Under the terrifying sonic booms and the fallout from their energy, the wasteland below was repeatedly plowed by an invisible giant plow. Huge cracks spread across the ground, and sand was swept thousands of meters into the air, forming a sandstorm that blotted out the sky!
"Not bad, kid! Even if it's only half-baked, you..."
Beerus's booming laughter remained clear amid the rapid collisions.
"...pass!!! Hahaha!"
Beerus, who couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd fought seriously, let out a hearty laugh!
As he spoke, the two collided again at a speed beyond the limits of sight!
A gleam flashed in Beerus's eyes. As their fists struck each other, his left hand darted out like a ghost and seized Vitelli's right wrist with perfect precision!